Fic: Tongues of Men and Angels (McKay/Sheppard, PG13)

[sgasesa-admin.livejournal.com]

Title: Tongues of Men and Angels
Author: mad_maudlin
Recipient: ca_pierson
Pairing: John/Rodney, OC/OC (sorta), implied past John/Nancy (sorta)
Length: 58,428
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: SG-1 themed AU; original characters; whump
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never mine. ::poke poke::
Author's Notes: All hail L, queen of betas, long may she reign. This longassed thing is the result of National Novel Writing Month, unemployment, and my recip's request for plot. CA, this is probably more plot that you actually wanted, but I hope it meets your expectations. The title is from First Corinthians 13, a chapter better known for its ruminations on faith, hope and love.
Summary: When SG-4 is ambushed offworld, an injured Major John Sheppard must put his trust in a Tok'ra agent named McKay to survive. But what secrets is McKay keeping about his mission, the planet, and his own motives for helping John?


( Tongues of Men and Angels )

Comments

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Wait. Where's the review I typed several days ago? Dammit, it didn't post.

Gripping plot. I could not put it down. The slow reveal that John had a symbiote was excellent -- as well as the listing of the sheer damage to John's body. Wow, he would not have survived. "Just how many pieces was I in?" The gentle way Kharoush revealed himself made me believe that John would accept him and that's nothing short of incredible, because this is John Sheppard, Mr. Independent. No way does he want a full-time copilot in his body. But K's genuine respect and liking for John makes all the difference. I like that. I like that it wasn't just circumstance but that the symbiotes work to bond with and get to know their hosts. It's a relationship after all that they have vested interest in making it work.

I enjoyed it thoroughly, recc'd it, and have joined the crowd calling for a pre-quel.

Though honestly, a sequel is more what I have in mind. :)

[mad_maudlin]

Gah, I have too many other fics to finish! ::flails::

And my original summary for this fic totally gave away Kharoush up front, but linnet_melody pointed out to me that it was kind of a spoiler. :-) I've always been interested in the host-symbiote dynamic, which SG1 never seemed interested in exploring in much depth, and from the beginning I knew this story was going to be about two, if not three different romances--John/Rodney, John + Kharoush, and even John + Tanys all had to be addressed. And I kind of worried that the OT4 quality would put people off, but obviously, it hasn't...

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

We don't really think of it as OT4 because they're symbiotes, and therefore ... symbiotic. (dodges the thrown trout)