Fic: It's Growing Day by Day (McKay/Sheppard, Teyla/Kanaan, Ronon/Various, NC-17)

[sgasesa-admin.livejournal.com]

Title: It's Growing Day by Day
Author: telesilla
Recipient: auburnnothenna
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard, mention of: Teyla/Kanaan, Ronon/various
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~27,500
Summary: During a routine mission to check out an off-world Ancient lab, team Shep is cut off from Atlantis when the stargate is buried beneath a ton of rubble. There's another way off the planet, but getting there will not be easy.

Notes: First of all, I want to thank my awesome beta, who went over this in record time. Without her help, this story would have been so very messy. Auburn asked for many things, but the one that stood out and made me write this story was: " either Sheppard and McKay, or the whole team, or even a larger Atlantis contingent, is marooned on another planet Swiss Family Robinson-style." This isn't quite that, but it's close. :)

It's Growing Day by Day

Please note, due the length of this story, it is hosted offsite.

Comments

[auburnnothenna.livejournal.com]

Wonderful things in the story: secret lab location's physical whereabouts not in the database. The Ancients had security procedures and obviously worried about the Wraith catching someone and getting where it was from them. Excellent.

The relationship between Rodney and John, which grew and became even deeper over their journey and because they were able to be themselves without secrets with Teyla and Ronon. Also the matter of fact acknowledgement that they had to keep it a secret in Atlantis, treated as an unpleasant necessity rather than a relationship breaking source of angst.

The description of how they'd all thinned down to almost nothing.

The way you dealt with how much they needed for survival that they didn't have with them and couldn't take the time to make.

Bill the pony. Bill and Ted. Dude.

The marvelous background you wrote for Teyla and her relationship with Kanaan. It's the best I ever seen.

Everything, really. I could have wallowed in another ten or fifteen thousand words of this after they got back too, but it's perfect as is. Wonderful happy ending and John was such a tease the way he surprised Rodney with Ys.

Thank you so much for this.

[telesilla.livejournal.com]

*grins* When I hit 15,000 words and no real end in sight, I found myself wondering if writing for you automatically meant long fic. And you have no idea how thrilled I was that you liked it and recc'd it and everything; I was already so proud of it and to see how much you liked it kept making me beam like a mad beaming thing.

I could have wallowed in another ten or fifteen thousand words of this after they got back too, but it's perfect as is.

The thing is, I only started this after I'd started and abandoned another idea and so my real problem was meeting the deadline. If I'd had more time, the journey itself could easily have been 30-40K, with another 10-15K after they got home. And actually, I do have every intention of writing more, both a sequel, and some outtakes from when they were on the road because I really do want to tell some Sateden and Ahtosian stories.

So really, I want to thank you, not only for your wonderful feedback, but for the chance to tell this story.

[auburnnothenna.livejournal.com]

Sometimes a person has to work hard at finding something good to say about an exchange fic, something polite and gracious. Not in this case. This is, without comparison, the best gift fic I've ever received and really, one of the stand out fics of the year.

(Yes, I love long fics. No, my experience is that writing for me does not translate into me getting long fics. Extra thanks.)

I would love to see the Satedan and Athosian stories told and any sequel to this.

I should add an extra extra thanks for actually not writing the things I don't like too, because sometimes that's a real difficulty, inspiration being inclined to go its own way.

This story really did brighten my Christmas season; as I read it I was overwhelmed with the most pleasant feeling - someone had really given a lot of thought and effort into giving me something that genuinely matched my tastes.