#More Radek Please

[dr-futbol-blog]

Grace Under Pressure, Pt. 9

And so we find both Sheppard and Zelenka in Weir's office, both of them seemingly finished with their respective projects, Zelenka with trying to narrow down the search area and Sheppard in trying to figure out how to get McKay out once they do find him. What is interesting is that Sheppard's reaction to what Zelenka has accomplished is different from both Weir ("That's all you got?") and McKay ("By the time Zelenka comes up with a plan, I'll have died of old age!") -- he actually sounds pleased that Zelenka has been able to narrow down the area as much as he had.

Sheppard: Three miles -- a very searchable area -- and you've narrowed it down, Radek. You did a good job. Zelenka: He's too deep. Your grapple's only got a thousand feet of cable. Sheppard: Well, we know the Jumper should be able to dive at least a thousand, so if he's above two thousand, we should still be able to get him with the grapple. Weir: And if he is deeper? Zelenka: He probably is. The area we're searching goes to six thousand.

It seems as tough Sheppard is trying very hard to keep an up beat attitude and to not give up hope but there might also be other factors contributing to his mood here. For one, it is possible that he is able to sense that McKay alive through that invisible tether connecting them. We have seen how Sheppard behaves when he thinks he has lost McKay, and this is not it. But he is not acting like himself because he is even complimenting Zelenka here and we have seen him be snappish to the point of coming across rude previously when he has needed Zelenka to do something for him. It is not that Sheppard's conviction that they will be able to rescue McKay is delusional here but the three things that McKay had mentioned earlier in connection with hypoxia: euphoria, elation and over-confidence still seem to describe Sheppard's behaviour rather aptly. And yet at the same time he is pacing, he is wringing his hands. It is entirely possible that what Sheppard is projecting here is not the same as what he is actually feeling.

Sheppard: When the wraith attacked the city, you were able to turn the shield into a cloak. Zelenka: Yes. Sheppard: Why can't we do the opposite? Weir: Turn the jumper's cloak into a shield. Sheppard: That's right. Zelenka: That would hold back the water, yes, but it would take significantly more power.

Not only was Sheppard's idea of putting chocolate and peanut butter together earlier a marvelous feat of engineering, here we see him come up with what is a really good idea ex tempore, off the top of his head. And not only to come up with an idea, but with the idea that actually allows them to save McKay. Now, Sheppard is smart and he definitely has been spending enough time around McKay to have picked up a thing or two. He also has clear incentive to come up with something that might be used to save the man that he loves. But this is still suspiciously ingenious from him, for this to be just John Sheppard spitballing ideas. There has to be some kind of a through line connecting McKay and Sheppard's minds, something in this episode that gives Sheppard access to McKay's ingenuity and McKay access to Sheppard's ability to calm his nerves under extreme pressure.

We have seen them use a mental idea of the other man in doing difficult things before, we have seen them use the question "What would the other guy do?" as a guiding star as they have tried to navigate difficult situations but this is something more. There is something preternatural to them borrowing aspects of the other man here and it does not seem like they are doing it consciously, that they have any idea they are doing it. Yes, Sheppard has seen McKay turn the shield into a cloak and he saw him do it very recently to boot, but this is still something that Zelenka seems not to have been able to come up with if he had months to figure it out and Sheppard just comes up with it all out of the blue. Of course being that Sheppard is not an Engineer, he never would have been able to implement this idea without Zelenka but this is precisely the kind of work Sheppard and McKay often do together.

What is also interesting is that Sheppard seems almost dismissive in his acknowledgement that Weir had been able to pick up on his idea here. He is talking to Zelenka, wanting to hear what he thinks about it. Weir seems to think that he is onto something and hence completes the thought he was implying, intending to show that she is keeping up here. Sheppard gives her the briefest of looks and nods with "That's right" in a way that seems almost condescending, and even though we have definitely seem Sheppard act condescending previously, this seems like a variation of McKay's particular brand of "Why are you wasting everyone's time saying obvious things?" Most people might take pleasure in someone acknowledging that they have a good idea but that is not what Sheppard does here. He is not interested in getting credit for his idea, he is interested in saving Mckay and every part of the science show-and-tell takes a backseat to that. All he needs to know is whether it can be done and what it takes to do it.

Sheppard: We shut down everything we don't need. Zelenka: But it would take hours to reconfigure. Sheppard: Take what we need, we'll make the changes down there. Zelenka: Oh! No-no-no-no-no-no -- I cannot possibly... uh, no. Weir: Radek. Zelenka: I-I... I can't even swim!

While Zelenka is still puzzling over whether it can even be done, Sheppard is already on the way, he wants them to be inside the jumper on the way down as it is. We may also note that not only did Sheppard have no doubt in his mind that Zelenka would have to get in on the rescue with him, it is also obvious that he not only wanted to but was going to go himself.

Now, Sheppard should not have been the one to go. Weir has explicitly stated more than once that she cannot afford to lose either one of them, let alone both at the same time. They have other jumper pilots that they could have used in the rescue and given how dangerous the rescue attempt is, jeopardizing the commander on the base on the mission is foolish, to say the least. But it was obvious to everyone that Sheppard was going to go, and who was going to tell him otherwise? Just like it had been McKay's rescue to take the Daedalus by the hive and he had just been willing to take other people along for the ride, this was Sheppard's rescue. This was his business. If some people wanted to think that it was in his capacity as team leader to McKay that he took the responsibility for saving the man so seriously and so personally, that was on them. But there was no one foolish enough to even suggest that Sheppard might want to sit this one out and let his men do the rescuing. Fact of the matter was, he would not trust anyone else to do this.

Sheppard: There's not a lot of swimming under a thousand feet of ocean. Weir: Look, I'm not gonna order you to go. Sheppard: I will! Weir: All I'm saying is that if Rodney can't turn to you, who can he turn to? Zelenka: Right. Give me a few minutes and I'll get my gear.

Zelenka seems reluctant to undertake this dangerous mission not because he does not appreciate McKay (even if recent events have not endeared them to each other, and they are never going to be each other's favourite people because the high pressure environment in which they are forced to work means that these two probably get on each other's nerves more than most people, and yet they still seem to appreciate each other as colleagues and certainly respect each other's work -- this even in spite of McKay taking his frustration out by disparaging the quality of Zelenka's work earlier) but because Zelenka is simply not as courageous as McKay is. Zelenka is in many ways the kind of scientist that people think McKay is, timid and concerned for his own safety above everyone else. In many ways, he is a foil to McKay and in the way that Sheppard interacts with him we are able to see the difference in how Sheppard treats scientists and the way he treats McKay, how McKay is special to him.

Here, we also see Sheppard willing to force Zelenka to come with him to the bottom of the ocean if need be. As mentioned in connection with Epiphany (S02E12), McKay seemed perfectly willing and comfortable forcing both his best friend and the chief medical officer to accompany him through a portal where they did not know they would be able to ever return. He had heard how much pain Sheppard had been in when he was being pulled into the portal and if there was even a chance that he might need medical attention, Beckett was coming with him no matter how reluctant and afraid the man might have been. And here Sheppard returns the favour. He tells both Zelenka and Weir point black that he has no problem whatsoever forcing Zelenka to accompany him on this dangerous mission. And although Zelenka does not test him on the depth of his conviction here, later on in the The Shrine (S05E04) we see that Sheppard is not just willing but perfectly capable of pulling a gun out on an innocent woman to get her to perform life-saving surgery on McKay. If he had not been able to convince Keller to do it he would have forced her, and he tells us that he has no problem forcing Zelenka now. This is the first time we hear Sheppard say it out loud. When it comes to McKay, there is no line that he would not cross. There is no line whatsoever that Sheppard would not cross to save McKay's life. McKay is the most important thing in his life.

Continued in Pt. 10

[sga-owns-my-soul]

Fic Idea Adoption!

i have way too many ideas for fics and i know i won't ever get around to writing them all so i'm putting some ideas up for adoption!! i may or may not write these eventually, but they're too good of ideas to leave sitting in my notes app forever, so i'm releasing them to the void! anyone and everyone is welcome to use them, and feel free to be as ambiguous with the prompts as you want! no particular order but nsfw ideas are at the bottom for anyone who wants to avoid them!

(if you do use any of these, i would love to read the fic!! you definitely do not have to but please feel free to send me anything you write off this list!!)

-john takes rodney to earths moon

-john and rodney find the ancient equivalent of speed. they do Everything

-au where ronon gets earth to repeal dadt bc john tells him it's why he can't be with rodney and ronon goes I Must Fix This (he enlists teyla and lorne and maybe cadman)

-rodney asks ronon to go with john to earth (outcast coda)

-rodney goes on bill nye saves the world after stargate declassification

-evans biggest fear is having to shoot john (and maybe getting a promotion bc of it?) and john finds out

-rodney’s ‘torture too hideous and intimate to recount’ is him being tortured, just for them to realize that torturing his team is a better way to break him

-teyla living out ‘the chosen one’ trope

-what happens to sora after the eye

-au where meredith(female!rodney) comes to atlantis instead of rod and not only is rodney horribly disturbed, he’s furious (and strangely confused) as to why everyone apparently likes him more as a woman

-todd is weirdly obsessed with this strange human he meets, and is determined to get closer to him

-the team is most excited about catching up with todd when they get the confirmation atlantis is going back to pegasus

-everyone complains about rodney’s moods bc no one can complain about the infinitely worse in every way sheppard bad moods, that make everyone on the base wish they were on a hive ship being eaten by two wraith at once

-au where ronon ends up on athos at the same time the wraith come and he sneaks through the gate with the intention of just sneaking away on the next planet but whoops it’s atlantis (ronon pov)

-rodney keeps a memorial for every single scientist lost in his lab and radek shows it to new scientists who start complaining about rodney not caring and risking their lives

-reaper au where’s he’s fed the fuck up with these two stupid men who never actually die when they’re supposed to and it’s more annoying than anything now bc he still needs to show up

-au carson comes to atlantis and is HORRIFIED by becketts retrovirus research and the hoffan drug bc “does the hippocratic oath mean NOTHING here???”

-au where rodney can’t admit to himself what john means to him, until something happens that brings all the alternate rodney’s that have lost their johns to atlantis, and they all fall apart when they see john alive, and john and rodney have to have a Conversation (mcshep? maybe ambiguous? idk yet)

-rodney sees john as three separate entities: the Colonel, who is Professional Important Official Man; sheppard, who is his friend/team lead that he hangs out with and goes on missions with; and john, who he’s always seeming to have very intimate moments with that make him question a lot of how he feels

-early days in the city, elizabeth is sick of the marines shitting on the scientists for not being tough and the scientists for shitting on the marines for not being smart so she makes them try to solve a fake crisis from the other side and everyone is like aww shit this is harder than it looks

-that thing where tough men pretend they don’t care much about someone but then the person gets hurt and Tough Guy go a little feral and then holds them close and whisper pet names (sweetheart, baby, darling, etc) but it’s john and/or ronon after rodney gets injured

-the more important something is to john, the harder it is for him to talk about it, and rodney starts to realize how hard it is for john to talk about what rodney means to him

-a bunch of au sheppards get brought to atlantis and one on them is terrified of flying

-rodney has always said biology was beneath him, but then ford almost died, and was… different, from the wraith. and rodney knew he had to find a way to help ford, maybe find a way to fix his mental problems while keeping the physical benefits. rodney and carson find a way to save ford and sheppard is so thankful he kisses them both

nsfw ideas:

-ronon suggests some planets for trading when they get low on supplies that have an interesting trade system. it seems too good to be true and they wonder why telya hasn't taken them until they find out that they trade goods for sex

-au where john is hired as a spy for atlantis and he seduces people in pegasus to get intel for the city

-sometimes rodney just grabs john (by the hair, throat, back of the neck, chin, etc) and asks who he belongs to and john instantly melts

-rodney decides to be a tease on a mission and teyla and ronon think mckay is just really pissing sheppard off when he pulls mckay away for “privacy” but really he’s just super horny and wants to fuck (or, teyla and ronon don’t realize that their fighting is foreplay)

[sparktober]

Welcome one and all to this year’s Sparktober, the annual celebration of John Sheppard and Elizabeth Weir from Stargate Atlantis. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or just discovered this ship yesterday, please join in!

discord invite | ao3 | bingo cards | theme days | watch parties

If you're participating in the Sparktober fic exchange, stories are due October 12 at 7 pm EDT. It's too late to sign up and request fics, but anyone can post prompt fills and gifts to the collection.

dreamwidth | ao3 collection | tag set | requests | @swficathon

We're updating the tag system on this blog and will update this post when finished!

Details and a calendar of theme days/events are below the readmore:

What's Sparktober?

Sparktober started on Livejournal as an unofficial lighthearted call for Sheppard/Weir fluff fics in 2007, quickly expanded to all genres of Sheppard/Weir fanfics and other fanworks, and was formalized in 2010 in this vintage lj community. It's now an annual celebration of this ship and a wonderful community of fans that are still making friends and creating fic and other fanworks after all these years.

Where to party:

Discord (invite code): Join the Sparktober server for conversation, events, fanworks, and watch parties. New participants welcome!

Ao3 (Sheppard/Weir tag). You can also add works to the Sparktober collection, or add/claim prompts in the ongoing drabble collection. In addition to new works, this is a great time of year to archive any pre-ao3 fanworks as well, or share a list of recs/bookmarks...

Tumblr: @sparktober. Post in/follow the #sparktober and #john x elizabeth tags.

Activities:

Bingo cards for fanwork inspiration are available for 2024! Info post on tumblr | Card generator

Theme days: New this year, we have theme days, with a topic for each day of the month to inspire discussion/fic recs/new work. (Theme days don't expire; feel free to reply to prompts on other days.)

Watch parties: Each weekend, we have watch-along parties with live chat in the discord. Announcements are tagged #Sparktober Watch Party. We watch two episodes, starting Saturdays at 22:00 UTC [which is 6 pm Eastern time; 5 pm Central time; midnight Sunday Belgian time; and 9 am Sydney time].

Fic Exchange: See the dreamwidth for more info.

Calendar:

Theme Days are in plain text and other events are in bold.

October 1 (Tue): Bingo Card Theme Day.

October 2 (Wed): Earth Setting Theme Day.

October 3 (Thu): Fix-it Fics Day.

October 4 (Fri): SGC Theme Day.

October 5 (Sat): Post a Sparktober bingo card fill (or excerpt). Watch Party (check posts or discord for episodes & times)!

October 6 (Sun): Angst Theme Day.

October 7 (Mon): Fluff Theme Day.

October 8 (Tue): Women of Atlantis Recs / Fanworks Theme Day.

October 9 (Wed): Post a Paragraph of Your WIP Day (as a little treat).

October 10 (Thu): Women of the SGC Recs / Fanworks Theme Day.

October 11 (Fri): Write a drabble from one of the prompts of 2022’s drabblefest.

October 12 (Sat): Post a Sparktober bingo card fill (or excerpt). Sparktober Fic Exchange fics due & Watch Party (check posts or discord for episodes & times).

October 13 (Sun): Elizabeth Weir’s Birthday Theme Day.

October 14 (Mon): Kate Heightmeyer Theme Day.

October 15 (Tue): Post recs or drabbles based on your favorite romance trope.

October 16 (Wed): Teyla Emmagan Theme Day.

October 17 (Thu): Hurt/Comfort Theme Day.

October 18 (Fri): Best Joe Flanigan / John Sheppard Picture Day.

October 19 (Sat): Post a Sparktober bingo card fill (or excerpt). Sparktober Fic Exchange fics revealed & Watch Party (check posts or discord for episodes & times)!

October 20 (Sun): Radek Zelenka Theme Day.

October 21 (Mon): Best Torri Higginson / Elizabeth Weir Picture Day.

October 22 (Tue): AU Theme Day.

October 23 (Wed): Evan Lorne Theme Day.

October 24 (Thu): Favorite Stargate Picture Day.

October 25 (Fri): Offworld Adventure Theme Day.

October 26 (Sat): Post a Sparktober bingo card fill (or excerpt). Sparktober Fic Exchange authors revealed & Watch Party!

October 27 (Sun): Favorite Sparky Fic Theme Day.

October 28 (Mon): Laura Cadman Theme Day.

October 29 (Tue): Pretty Hell Joe/Torri RPF Theme Day.

October 30 (Wed): Filled Bingo Card Theme Day (or however far you got!).

October 31 (Thu): Spooky / Dark Elizabeth/John fic.

[smowkie]

finished the first bingo card for the summer from @ficreadingchallenge! thank you for such a fun challenge ❤️

list of fics under the cut

1. fluff

A Handful of Halloweens by WonkyElk

McShep, SGA, 2,592 w, teen

summary:

John and Rodney share a few Halloweens.

2. rec'd by a friend - thanks, @novemberhush ❤️

Warmth by bccalling

Buddie, 911, 699 w, gen

summary:

A tiny little fluffy snapshot of a Buckley-Diaz family camping trip and a chilly night out by the campfire.

3. superpowers / no powers au

Superteam! series by WonkyElk

McShep, SGA, 16,784 w, teen

summary of part 1, We’ll Name It Later:

“So, all four of them …” she indicated the members of her premier Gate team, all currently cuddled up asleep in infirmary beds and looking so peaceful and cute and so painfully vulnerable, that she almost wanted to slip them each a snuggly teddy bear, against bad dreams, “have, in entirely separate incidents, each somehow acquired a superpower?” Carson shrugged helplessly at her. “It’s been a really weird day.”

4. rarepair

One Functioning Human by TwoTales

ZelenKay, SGA, 848 w, teen

summary:

“You just had to touch the fucking plant, Radek.” Radek’s eyes stung, his ears ringing. Tears tracked down his cheeks as he lay on the ground. “Do not talk, it hurts too much.” Radek opened his eyes and peered over at him. Rodney’s closed eyelids and the skin around was hot pink, his face wet with tears and snot as he wheezed.

5. long fic (>25000 words)

Everything Changes (And You Gotta Be Ready) by Temaris

McShep, SGA, Doctor Who, Torchwood, 25,083 w, teen

summary:

When Sheppard is lost between Gates, McKay moves heaven and earth to get him back.

6. found family

He's Ours by Brumeier

SGA, 929 w, teen

summary:

LJ Comment Fic for Scary Wednesday prompt: Any, Any Character(s), fear of intimacy In which John learns that his fear of intimacy has been subverted, when he wasn't paying attention.

7. newest fic in the tag of your choice - #Twenty Years Later

wrong side up by dedkake

SGA, 2,800 w, gen

summary:

“Colonel,” Teyla says, stopping him outside the gathering tent with a hand on his elbow. She searches his face for a moment, her smile softening at whatever she sees. “Please consider what he has to say before you respond. This opportunity—I think it is what we have all been waiting for.” or, things are coming together for this alternate timeline.

8. fic from your first fandom

Reunion by JaneDavitt

Wincest, Supernatural, 342 w, mature

summary:

Dean's taking a much-needed shower and Sam's remembering too much. Credited as the first Supernatural fic, and so the first Dean/Sam fic too, which is something I only discovered much later.

9. inspired by another fanwork - inspired by 12. de-aging / kidfic What Happens in the Clubhouse by skoosiepants

The Knights of the Pegasus Galaxy vs. the Chicken Pox by DevilDoll

McShep, SGA, 5,906 w, teen

summary:

After the worst was over, having space chicken pox was kind of awesome. A Clubhouse universe story.

10. didn't know they were dating

it started out with a kiss by beckybegins (QueenTheatrics)

Buddie, 911, 5,457 w, teen

summary:

It’s a normal day when Eddie decides he’s going to blow up his life. OR The fic where Eddie kisses Buck, panics, and speed runs a relationship.

11. gift giving

like a freight train by dedkake

McShep, SGA, 536 w, gen

summary:

It could've started before the storm. or, Rodney's in panic-mode and John interrupts.

12. de-aging / kidfic

What Happens in the Clubhouse by skoosiepants

McShep, SGA, 5,981 w, teen

summary:

Right, yes, because traveling through the eleven miles of forest between here and the 'gate will be a piece of cake when we're roughly the size of dwarves, with all the strength of a bundle of sticks!"

free space

Cake or Death by Brumeier

McShep, SGA, 2,494 w, teen

summary:

It was just a piece of cake, but for Rodney it was far more dangerous.

13. BIPOC main character

Pegasus Miracles series by A_Storm_of_Roses

Aiden/Ronon, SGA, 8,445 w, explicit

summary of part 1, Pegasus Miracles:

After 6 years, dozens of planets, and countless dead Wraith, Aiden Ford returns - quieter, lonelier, and unsure. After 7 years as a Runner, Ronon thinks he might just understand. Or Aiden and Ronon get the happy ending they both deserve.

14. enemies to friends / lovers

Hope by badly_knitted

Teal'c & SG-1, SG1, 405 w, gen

summary:

When Teal'c meets the strangers, he feels the first real stirrings of hope for his people.

15. magic

Achilles’ Heel by WonkyElk

McShep, SGA, 8,495 w, teen

summary:

He’d learned a few things over the past six months. How far dragonfire could reach and how it cooked you so fast, you were dead before you finished screaming. How the claws and beak of a griffin tore through flesh like it was the smoothest of butter. Most of all, he learned that life would be a whole lot more bearable if he could manage not to care.

16. space AU

Following the Stars to Home by WonkyElk

McShep, SGA, 16,197 w, mature

summary:

He was almost out of the landing zone, when a murmur of rippling excitement caused him to look back. Apparently, the Rusty Bucket - or whatever it was called - wasn’t the only ship to have picked today to visit the dullest planet in the known universe.

17. hurt / comfort

Distraction by laceymcbain

McShep, SGA, 9,064 w, mature

summary:

“Have you tried ear plugs?” Rodney asks. “It’s in my head, Rodney. Ear plugs don’t do a lot when the voices are inside your brain!”

18. gen fic

Reckoning by tacit

SGA, 5,375 w, teen

summary:

Written December 2007 for the SGA H/C secret santa. Everybetty requested gen Shepwhump featuring Beckett, that didn't skip over the medical details. This is what came out. Nb: At the end of The Defiant One, McKay nods to Sheppard's gun shot wound and asks if Sheppard's okay. Sheppards replies, "Other than this and a few cracked ribs," which seemed eye-rollingly over-stoic, to me. I've taken a bit of poetic license with the severity of Sheppard's injuries.

19. werewolf AU

when the autumn moon is bright by callunavulgari

McShep, SGA, 2,881 w, teen

summary:

There weren’t, strictly speaking, supposed to be wolves in Atlantis.

20. secret relationship

Magic Marker by trinityofone

McShep, SGA, 1,711 w, teen

summary:

John’s eyes were wide with horror. “You’re telling me that I walked around all day with ‘Property of Dr. Rodney McKay’ written on my ass?”

20. secret relationship - again, i couldn't decide which to use, so you get both

Jane Wyatt did it first by mayachain

McShep, SGA, 243 w, gen

summary:

It's not that they're being subtle, exactly.

21. under the influence

Deep Space Malady by LogicGunn

McShep, SGA, 3,332 w, teen

summary:

Rodney swears when the extension in his assigned room rings at stupid o’clock in the morning, waking him up from a deep sleep (and pleasant dreams about messy-haired Colonels) barely half an hour after his head had hit the pillow. He fumbles for the receiver in the dark and hisses at whoever is at the other end of the line.

22. new (to you) fandom

Crossing the Line by Zilentdreamer

Rysposito, Castle, 2,311 w, teen

summary:

There is a line that divides us from want we want. Sometimes we don't even realize its starting to blur until its gone.

23. video edit / fanmix

Run Baby Run by randommindtime

McShep, SGA

24. epistolary

Beach Real Estate by ficontessa

McShep, SGA, 3,405 w, gen

summary:

If you're going to go all in on wacky AUs, why NOT one where John is a beach realtor? This is ridiculous and I'm not even sorry.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

‘Scrublands’ Season 2: Luke Carroll, Debra Lawrance & More To Join Returning Luke Arnold & Bella Heathcote In Stan Mystery Drama; First Look Here

EXCLUSIVE: Luke Carroll (The Artful Dodger), Debra Lawrance (Please Like Me) and David Roberts (Please Like Me) are among the new stars of Australian drama Scrublands, which is gearing up for its second season on Stan and 9 Network.

Also starring alongside returning leads Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote in Scrublands: Silver are Tasma Walton (The Twelve), Luke Pegler (Hacksaw Ridge), Caroline Brazier (Year Of), Joel Jackson (Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door), Toby Truslove (La Brea), Sarah Roberts (Home and Away), Hamish Michael (The Twelve), Radek Jonak (The Surfer) and Damian De Montemas (Hounds of Love).

Above you can see an exclusive first-look image of season 2, with filming now underway in Augusta, Western Australia.

The season is being adapted from author Chris Hammer’s novel ‘Silver’, and here are some new plot details: A year after the life changing events of season 1, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold) has returned to his coastal hometown, Port Silver, to set up a new life with partner Mandy Bond (Heathcote). When he arrives to find his childhood friend Jasper brutally murdered and Mandy the prime suspect, Martin struggles with doubts – about Mandy and about his own ability to recognise the truth. As he pushes forward to find the real murderer and absolve Mandy, Martin confronts secrets about Port Silver and his long-buried past.

The series comes from Easy Tiger and Third Act Stories as a co-production for Stan and 8 Network. Martha Coleman, Ian Collie, Rob Gibson and Felicity Packard are the producers. Ben Young is the director, and the writers are Felicity Packard, Fiona Kelly and Jock Serong, with Michael Healy and Andy Ryan from the 9 Network and Cailah Scobie and Alicia Brown for Stan the executive producers. Major production investment came from Screenwest, Lotterywest and the WA Regional Screen Fund, and the season was developed with the assistance of Screenwest and Lotterywest. Abacus Media Rights is the international distributor.

We revealed the official confirmation of season 2 in March when we had news of Stan’s 2024 slate. The reorder had been widely expected with sources within the streamer talking glowingly about its performance.

“Following the immense success of Scrublands, we look forward to working with Easy Tiger and Third Act Stories, alongside lead cast Luke and Bella, as we bring audiences another thrilling season,” said Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie.

9 Network Head of Drama Andy Ryan added: “Set in the stark coastal beauty of Western Australia, Scrublands: Silver will wow audiences with a gripping crime mystery in a unique environment. With the outstanding Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote returning along with the creative maestros at Easy Tiger and Third Act Stories, viewers should strap in for another emotional rollercoaster of world class premium drama.”

Easy Tiger co-chief Ian Collie said it was “great to step back into the world of Mandy and Martin, played perfectly by Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote. Like the first season, we are witness from the get-go to a violent tragedy that implicates both our heroes.”

The series is the latest to film in Western Australia, which is being with other states such as Victoria and New South Wales to attract local and international projects, with production credit schemes and other soft money readily available in most. “This is Stan’s fourth project in Western Australia in the last twelve months, and shows our commitment to collaborating with local cast and creatives so that we can deliver fresh and exceptional Originals for Australian and global audiences,” said Scobie.

“We are pleased to welcome Stan and Easy Tiger back to WA and are excited to see Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote reprise their roles, this time in our stunning South West,” said Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall. “Augusta is abuzz with activity with WA producer Martha Coleman and WA director Ben Young heading up a fantastic Western Australian crew.”

Source: Deadline

[film-in-my-soul]

Mcshep ▪︎ Awkward third-wheeling ▪︎ "What are you Czech-mumbling about, Radek?"

Radek is regretting many of the choices he has made this morning. The shirt he put on is one; it pinches strangely compared to his others. He'd also gotten up early, Teyla having convinced him to join her and some others in a yoga-like meditation that only seemed to make him sore by flexing the joints he had apparently never used in his life. He had also tried to do something with his hair and realizes, feeling where it's matted down with pomade, that he hates it even more than the uncontrolled fly-away mess he lets himself have. But more than any of those regrets, he believes, perhaps, choosing to join Rodney and Colonel Sheppard at their standard table in the mess for breakfast might take the cake.

It is not that they are particularly offensive meal partners to have, not typically. They are often interesting conversationalists unless Rodney has found something first thing to complain about, which is often. Still, the levels of his ire tend to guide Radek's ability to tune him out. And even if they aren't speaking companionably about minor problems they will try to fix throughout the day or an upcoming hunt for a ZPM, it's pleasant to share eating time with others. This morning in particular, however, he knows he's made a poor choice.

There is nothing untoward going on, at least not outwardly. However, Radek feels the back of his neck heating the longer he is forced to watch the exchange unfolding before him, his appetite waning as Rodney and Sheppard bend their heads together closer over the tablet Rodney had presented the other man when he'd sat down. Though Radek cannot properly see the screen, he recognizes a complete mathematical equation scrawling over it, Sheppard, working through it with the stylus in hand.

It's Rodney's face that is turning Radek's stomach, an expression that he is sure the other man doesn't know he's wearing but which makes his attraction and excitement both obvious and nauseating the more Sheppard completes the math in what he supposes are interesting avenues.

"Nechte si to do ložnice, prosím vás..." Radek mutters into his oatmeal. Speaking for the first time in minutes draws Rodney's attention, and by the way his mouth twists sour, it's not an appreciated interruption to his fawning.

"What are you Czech-mumbling about, Radek?" He asks, attitude prickly, and Radek, choosing the path of least resistance, really his own salvation, rolls his eyes and forces a tight smile, standing from the table.

"I have work to do. Prosim vás, rozdejte si to už, ať mám pokoj."

He stalks away from the table, pleased with the momentary mystified sputtering he leaves behind him.

a ship, trope, & a sentence

thanks @keepshoutingintothevoid for the Czech!

[wonkyelk]

Directors cut of any of your cat rodney fics! 💜 please?

Thanks very much for the ask, this was a lot of fun to revisit. Have never done a director’s commentary before, so hope this is the right sort of thing.

Have opted for the first one, “A cat may look at a particle accelerator” - fic and commentary under the cut. If you just want the notes, skip to everything in italics.

So, this whole series was entirely @massharp1971’s fault. 

We got into a conversation in the comments of another fic (In which Rodney is not a princess and John works through a few things) in which we agreed that Rodney was, in essence a cat. They then pointed me in the direction of the Pallas cat, who was so quintessentially Rodney that I broke off what I was writing and jumped fully on board the Cat!Rodney train:

“I knew it! I knew there was Ancient tech here! McKay is going to go green…”

“Yeah, yeah, Langstrom, but save the victory dance for now. Just remember the golden rule is don’t…”

[Langstrom is a name plucked from the Quarantine episode of Red Dwarf - for no particular reason, except that Red Dwarf was my childhood and I love that episode in particular. Plus, she’s a great creepy villain, who undergoes a transformation of sorts, so there is a tenuous link.]

VSWOOSH!

[It took far, far too long to work out how to spell ‘Vswoosh!’]

“… touch anything.”

———

“Sergeant Holly, you weren’t due back for another three hours. Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine, Ma’am.” Pause. “Well, mostly fine.” Pause. “It’s not fine.”

“Sergeant. What’s in the bucket?”

“It’s more of a ‘who’s in the bucket’ really, Ma’am.”

Pause.

“I see.”

Tap.

“Dr McKay? We’re going to need the Rehumanator.”

[The name was intended to give off fifties style Mad Scientist vibes. Every sci fi adventurer needs this particular bit of kit and, honestly, it’s surprising that it doesn’t come as standard]

——-

Rodney stalked up and down the lab as Zelenka readied the cumbersome ray for use. If he’d had a tail, it would have been lashing with angry fervour.

[I wanted from the start to make Rodney an actual cat, who had - for practical reasons, mostly thumb-based - transformed himself into a human, rather than have him discover his inner cat through some form of Pegasus Standard Malarkey. Hence a bit of heavy foreshadowing.]

“…how many times do we have to go over the most basic safety protocols? I mean, three penguins, two mountain lions and a gerbil wasn’t enough? And who the hell gets themselves turned into Bouillabaisse soup?”

[this is a direct nod to the large number of - generally excellent - transformation fics in the fandom, though only the penguins are referencing stories that I knew existed. There may well be a gerbil Radek or Rodney or Teyla out there and I’m sure the world would be a better place for it.

Bouillabaisse Soup is there, by the way, because it’s just fun to say (not so much to type)]

John rested a placating hand on Rodney’s shoulder.

“You did catch all the drips, did you, Sergeant?”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

“Hmm. He does smell more pleasant than the mountain lions, at least.” Rodney inhaled from the bucket with a slightly dreamy expression.

“Er, Doc, can I humbly request that you don’t eat Dr Langstrom?”

As Rodney raised his hackles to full and started savaging Sergeant Holly for such an infamous suggestion - while casting the occasional longing look at the bucket - Zelenka stepped in with a hasty wave.

[more cat anvils being lobbed at you]

“Rehumanator is fully charged and ready.”

Rodney rolled his eyes so far, they went all the way round and came back again.

“Honestly, Radek, I expect this sort of thing from the grunts and soft scientists, but you, of all people, should know better. It’s not a Rehumanator, it’s an original DNA restoration device…”

“A factory reset.” John put in, mostly to watch Rodney go purple.

“Yes, yes, if you must reduce complex scientific principles to the most banal possible description.”

“I really must.”

[this is one of the most fun dynamics they have, when Rodney is being precise and wordy and John just cuts it down to essentials, with a huge smug smirk. Honestly, Rodney might just win in a smug-off, but John would be close]

Rodney glared at John. John smirked back. Radek carefully walked around them, so as not to get hit by a stray bolt of sexual tension. The last time that had happened, he hadn’t left his quarters for a week.

But what a week.

[I swear, this sort of thing actually happens in the show. Extras and side characters were constantly being hauled off the set with Sexual Chemistry-Related Shrapnel Damage]

“Perhaps we should restore Dr Langstrom now, Rodney? Unless you feel that he has not yet exhausted all the possibilities inherent in being soup?”

Rodney tore his gaze reluctantly from John’s and nodded impatiently.

“Yes, yes, of course. Do the thing.” He waved his hand at the ray and backed swiftly away from the bucket.

Zelenka aimed and fired.

VSWOOSH!

“Ouch.”

It turned out that scientists and buckets, in combination, could bond with more of a tenacity than one might imagine, when picturing them separately. Two Marines held the bucket, while Rodney and John took one arm each and began to heave.

In hindsight, Zelenka should not have leaned down over the Rehumanator to get a better view of his boss’s contraband, but inarguably excellent, ass, with muscles all nicely taut in the act of straining.

[There is an SGA Fiction Law which states that any fic containing more than a few sentences of Rodney McKay, must also contain due reverence towards his ass. This is just me complying with the law]

VSWOOSH!

“Sorry, sorry, my elbow slipped. But, is fine it should not do harm unless… ah. Now that is unexpected.”

The marines and John looked down at themselves, relieved to be in one piece. But sitting on the floor, with a glare like a rabid tiger, was the angriest, fluffiest grey cat they had ever seen.

[if you haven’t seen a Pallas cat, go look one up now. It will warm your heart and also glare at you, like you just ate its kittens]

———

“So let me get this straight. It wasn’t a malfunction with the Rehumanator?”

“No, no, was working perfectly. But, as Rodney explained,” Radek gave a nervous glance to the cat on the chair next to him, who was currently portraying the world’s mightiest huff with every separate fur he possessed, “it does not actually turn you human. It merely undoes any transformation that you may have undergone.”

“So, what are you saying?” Elizabeth glanced at Rodney and then Zelenka with incredulity. “You mean that Rodney is not human? That he’s really a cat?”

Sheppard knew that couldn’t be what Zelenka was saying. Except that, no, he was saying it. In those exact words.

“I have done all diagnostics, all possibilities for error. All it did, as the Colonel so eloquently put it, was a factory reset on Rodney. Therefore,” he shrugged. “Rodney is cat.”

They all looked at Rodney. Rodney glared at all of them, before letting out a little kitty sigh, licking a paw and nodding slightly.

Sheppard blinked and turned pale. “Excuse me. I need to just… process a few things.”

[as a side note, I believe there must be at least one SGC form for accidental bestiality; though whether anyone has dared to fill it in is very doubtful]

Rodney tried to follow but he was firmly scooped up and placed - to his absolute horror and indignation - in an improvised and very secure cat basket, which all of Rodney’s science team had worked together to make, with an unusual swiftness and sense of unity.

“Sorry, Rodney, but we need to get you checked out at the infirmary.”

“Actually, Dr Weir… I believe that Dr Sanders has a degree in veterinary science…”

The very secure cat basket proved to fold like so much tissue paper, in the face of the lashing of vengeful claws.

———

“Carson, could you be on the alert for three scientists and two marines headed your way with multiple lacerations, bites and one severe fur allergy?”

———

“Atlantis General Notice: Should anyone spot a largish, extremely fluffy cat in your vicinity, please report it immediately. Do not, repeat, do not, approach the animal or attempt to capture it. Nor, and this is very important, should you make kissy faces at the cat or use phrases like ‘Here Tiddles!’ or ‘Who’s a little cutie pie, then?’. The infirmary is rapidly running out of bandaids.”

[I ran through several alternate cutesie cat names (which I can’t remember now but probably were along the lines of FluffyBoots or Snugglekins) but ultimately ‘Tiddles’ had just the right quality of banality and depressing indignity]

——-

“Atlantis General Notice: Colonel Sheppard has asked me to also point out that the cat should not be harmed in any way. Or, I quote, “if anyone harms so much as a whisker on his angry little face, they will spend the rest of their lives, and afterlives, regretting that they were ever born.”

[Sheppard will, naturally, protect Rodney under any circumstances and as any species, no matter the cost - and, frankly, I think he enjoys being just that much of an ethically flexible badass] 

——-

“Atlantis General Notice: Seriously, stop it with the pet names. We’re now down to two Spiderman bandaids and a roll of sellotape.

[the author does not recommend that you tend your wounds with sellotape and refuses to be held responsible for any subsequent physical and emotional distress consequent on trying]

———

Sightings of Rodney ceased after less than a day. It wasn’t until two days later that he returned: bipedal, distinctly less fluffy and wearing an improvised toga made of bedlinen.

Elizabeth allowed him to retrieve a uniform before the debriefing.

“So, I think you can understand that we have some questions…”

Rodney scowled, his expression so like his cat self that, for a moment, the whole Command staff thought he had reverted and backed off about a foot.

“Okay, look. Yes, I was born a cat. Obviously. And I would go so far as to say that I was a very good cat. For about six months, I lived a happy, catly life, deducing natural laws from first principles, studying the stars and enjoying the benefits of an incredibly flexible tongue and spine. Until I realised that, for all my incredible intellect, the stupid prejudices and species-centricity of humanity was going to make it impossible for me to ever win a Nobel prize.

So, I worked for weeks on my own personal transformation ray, which, let me tell you, was no picnic with paws. But, you know,“ Rodney preened smugly, “genius.”

[or, in other words, the author couldn’t really think of a method of complex DNA-shuffling machine-construction by a kitten and used the ‘get out of explanations free card]

He leaned back on the chair, absently lifting his hand to his mouth then hastily lowering it, just before it met his gently poking tongue.

“Anyway. I was still pretty young, from a human perspective, at that point, so I smuggled myself to Canada, got adopted and threw all of my energy and time into science. And also, quite a lot of batting at scrunched up paper for the first two years, but some habits are hard to shake.”

[I considered whether to make Jeannie a cat too, but ultimately decided to just go simple. At this point in the series, at least, therefore, she doesn’t realise that her brother is actually a cat. I don’t know whether Rodney’s been brave enough to risk that conversation since]

Rodney crossed his arms and scowled fiercely at everyone.

“So, how did you turn back?” Sheppard asked.

Rodney sighed.

“Apparently you weren’t listening. I built a transformation ray at the age of six months. And that was with the drawback of the lack of materials to be found on the rocky steppes of my birthplace. You would not believe how hard it was to source a DNA reconstituting module… well, anyway. Short answer, I’m a genius and Atlantis is chock full of weird stuff. The only reason it took me so long was that it’s also surprisingly full of string and… well, that’s not important either.”

[the birth of Cat!Rodney’s fascination with string, which all cats I have known have been greatly enamoured with and scientists are rather keen on in general too]

“So, are you planning on staying as a human, now?”

Rodney waved his hand vaguely. “Yes, yes. It was… not wholly unpleasant to connect with my roots, but the lack of opposable thumbs and intelligible speech would always be a drawback. Though some of my scientists seem to manage…”

Elizabeth stepped in before he could get going on a full rant.

“Well, I’m sure that we’ll all be glad to have you back. Though, you might find that people need a little time for adjustment.”

Rodney snorted. “What’s to adjust? I’m exactly the same as I always was, except now everyone knows that my baby pictures are cuter than theirs.”

[some kind person left a link to a Pallas kitten on the last fic in the series, which should definitely be checked out if anyone doubts this]

Sheppard nodded. “Can’t argue with that.”

The meeting adjourned shortly afterwards.

——-

“So, er, Rodney…”

Rodney sighed and removed his hand from John’s pants.

“This whole interspecies sex thing is freaking you out, isn’t it?”

[despite this essentially being crack, I felt this whole issue had to be addressed a bit, if only to then sweep it firmly under the carpet]

John missed Rodney’s hand but he felt they probably did need to discuss the issue.

“Well, yeah. Kinda.”

“Okay, so look. I don’t do my DNA alteration by halves. I’m completely physically human. Ask Carson. I would never have been allowed on the expedition otherwise.”

“So…”

“So, sleeping with me is not bestiality, nor does it make you a furry, if that’s a concern for you. It just means you have excellent taste.”

John considered for a moment and then popped Rodney’s hand back into his boxers.

“Well, okay then.”

———

“So, Rodney. Ever thought about having kittens?”

“I will end you in your sleep, Sheppard.”

“Goodnight, Rodney.”

“Goodnight.”

——-

And, at least, now John knew why Rodney had always purred after sex.

[this whole fic took about an hour to write (plus some polishing time afterwards) and the longest part of that was trying to end it; which is something that goes for almost all my stories. It almost finished with Goodnight, but that just felt too abrupt; fortunately I think Rodney is easy to imagine as a happy post-coital purrer, without stretching disbelief too far. Because, you know, this is a very serious fic 😁]

This series is one of my favourites to write, because it’s full of love and support from everyone, and because I love the sheer goofiness of it all, with, hopefully, a lot of heart at the centre.

And because cats. You can never have too much cat.

Appreciate the ask! 💖

[texasdreamer01]

Thank you for joining in on WIP Wednesday!!!!!

👁️🪢🥐⏰

Ooh, random emojis - I guess you'll be getting some snippets since theorems of a ghost is my longest wip at the moment lol

👁️

Once again Radek felt the need to curse at his coworker. McKay would have of course predicted that outcome as well, a dog with a bone where his anxieties were concerned. It didn't help that the man was right. He slumped into one of the chairs opposite the man, sighing, "We've found even more data." "Dr. McKay was a thorough man," Woolsey said dryly, the bags under his eyes evidence of the synopses the science departments had sent his way, "I can only imagine how much all of you are thumbing through."

🪢

Mox had taken one look at them and shook her head, dragging out more mats and arranging them with Teyla's direction. It seemed to settle both of them, especially with the thin string of tension that McKay's contemplative silence knotted over them. He knew it wasn't the man's fault, throat and temperament still healing, but only Sheppard seemed mostly unbothered by it, the two of them conducting entire conversations via facial expressions.

🥐

"Doctor Zelenka?" He glanced up, seeing Ms Emmagen looking at him in polite concern. She had a tray full of food, and he collected himself, gesturing to the empty seat opposite. Smiling, she acquiesced, settling down in front of him. Her meal was left untouched in favour of meeting his gaze - his lips twitched in a faint smile, and he leaned back in his seat, "Good morning, Ms Emmagen." "Teyla, please," She admonished, returning his smile with a brighter one. It reminded him of Elizabeth, and he felt his heart clench, exhaling instead. Catching the mood, she peered down at her own plate, reluctantly taking up her utensils, "I see you are up early." He shrugged, slouching a little into his seat, "Too much to do, I… still haven't acclimated, to be honest."

⏰

Missions like this were usually resolved within a week, at most two, if cultural relations were a little more stringent than usual. The frightening ones, which made them look at the clock rather than the calendar, were resolved with a determination they appreciated. But one week turned into two, and two into three. By the time the fourth week rolled over them, carrying their worry like so much flotsam, AR-1 had settled into an ashen, grim-faced demeanour that spoke of the long haul.

[reignitepod]

Episode #5.13 - Return to Ostagar - Thank You For Being a Friend!

Our final DLC journey is back to the battlefield of Ostagar. We return to the place where it all began, a place changed by time and war, overrun by the darkspawn that destroyed an army. While we explore, we learn more about King Cailan as well as recover his arms, armor, and eventually– his body. We also do some of the companion quests! Special thanks to Redd Spinks for our new amazing logo as well as to Radek Wade and Echoes of Oblivion for the song World of Thedas, which we use as our theme music.

You can find the show on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook!

Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Rate us on Spotify!

Wanna join the Certain POV Discord? Click here!

Check out this episode!

[fpere2023]

Critical Project: Empowerment in Horror

Introduction

“…the majority audience, perhaps even more than the audience for horror in general, was largely young and largely male-conspicuously groups of boys who cheer the killer on as he assaults his victims, then reverse their sympathies to cheer the survivor on as she assaults the killer. Young males are also, I shall suggest, the slasher film's implied audience, the object of its address.” (Corrigan 514)

“Between 1974 and 1986, however, the formula evolved and flourished in ways of some interest to observers of popular cul-ture, above all those concerned with the representation of women in film.” (Corrigan 516)

Due to an increased awareness/acknowledgment of female horror fans, the portrayal of female characters has developed into one that is more respectful and empowering. 

How Annihilation Subverts the tropes of the Final Girl:

“…the victim is eternally and prototypically the damsel.” (Corrigan 516)

In Annihilation the crew that embarks on the journey is made up of specialist and veteran women who desire to learn more about the phenomena. They are not damsels in distress but scientists who hunger for answers. (Garland, Annihilation, 21:05-24:08)

Dr. Ventress - psychologist (team leader)

Cassie Shepard - Geomorphologist

Josie Radek - Physicist

Anya Thorensen - paramedic

Lena Double - Biologist

“…a blatantly phallic murderer, even gurgling orgasmically as she dies.” (Corrigan 516)

The deaths in Annihilation (focusing on the female team) occur both on and off screen. The first death occurs off screen. Cass Sheppard is found in the forest by Lena Double where her body is mutilated but not in a sexual manner. Her throat is bit open exposing gore that makes the viewer turn away in disgust. However, Sheppard is left closed with eyes staring wide at the sky above. The second death is brutal and quick as Anya Thorensen is mauled by the bear-human hybrid. Her face is torn in half leaving gore and the character once again staring wide eyed at the ceiling. The third death occurs off screen but is not as violent or as shocking as the others. Josie Radek accepts the metamorphosis she is undergoing within the shimmer and becomes one of the humanoid plants sprawled across the village. The fourth and final death of the female scientist occurs within the center part of the creature controlling the shimmer. The lead scientist, Dr. Ventress accepts her death and is evaporated by the light being expelled from her body. Non- of the deaths should arouse desire or satisfaction form viewers. They can either be brutal or beautiful but they are not sexual. 

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:02:03-1:02:3) [Shepard]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:16:20-1:16:50) [Thorensen]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:18:40-1:21:39) [Radek]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:30:26 - 1:33:30) [Ventress]

“As E. Ann Kaplan sums it up, "within the film text itself, men gaze at women, who become objects of the gaze; the spectator, in turn, is made to identify with this male gaze, and to objectify the woman on the screen; and the camera's original 'gaze' comes into play in the very act of filming." (Corrigan 517)

Because the main character is female the story is told from her perspective allowing the gaze to be her own. During one of the flashbacks (affair scene) Portman's character is shot from behind around eye level. Her back and face are shown in two separate shots showing her dominance in the bedroom and within the affair. She is in control. Her character is not sexualized as other female leads are in other horror movies (full body shots, breast exposed, loud orgasmic screaming) she is quietly pleasing herself while also dealing with the inner turmoil her actions have caused her. (Garland, Annihilation, 29:05 - 29:25)

“She is introduced at the beginning and is the only character to be developed in any psychological detail. We understand immediately from the attention paid it that hers is the main story line.” (Corrigan 518)

The other characters (Kane, other female leads) receive development as the story progresses allowing the audience to empathize and mourn each. 

“When De Palma says that female frailty is a predicate of the suspense genre, he proposes, in effect, that the lack of the phallus, for Lacan the privileged signifier of the symbolic order, is itself simply horrifying, at least in the mind of the male observer.” (Corrigan 521)

Although it is brought to attention the limited strength of the female characters (gun pickup scene). The characters are proven to be capable of protecting themselves when the situation calls for it. (Portman scenes shooting the alligator at eye level). (35:40) (Garland, Annihilation, 36:08-36:38)

“The cinematic gaze, we are told, is male, and just as that gaze "knows" how to fetishize the female form in pornography (in a way that it does not "know" how to fetishize the male form) so it "knows," in horror, how to track a woman ascending a staircase in a scary house and how to study her face from an angle above as she first hears the killer's footfall.” (Corrigan 521)

The characters are not hypersexualized in the film. They are allowed to have messy buns and wear baggy clothes because they are meant to survive. (Garland, Annihilation, 27:38 - 28:57)

“…boyish: because they are transformed males.” (Corrigan 522)

Although they do take the place of the ale team they are not reflections of them. The women have their own reasons for entering the shimmer and are able to progress to the end (two of them)

“…victim-hero…” (Corrigan 526)

None of the women are victims because they chose to enter the shimmer and continued forward knowing the danger. 

“Abject terror, in short, is gendered feminine…” (Corrigan 522)

Most of the women are stoic throughout the film or show some moments of weakness but they are not screaming and sobbing throughout the film. They work to survive. (Garland, Annihilation, 44:35-47:08)

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:10:56 - 1:14:30) Madness scene

How annihilation fulfills the trope of the final girl described by Clover:

“Brian De Palma elaborates:…you fear more for her than you would for a husky man."(Corrigan 516)

Hitchcock…'Torture the women!' The trouble today is that we don't torture women enough.” (Corrigan 516)

The team of women in Annihilation suffer both grotesque physical and psychological changes due to their time in the shimmer. The audience is disturbed by their suffering and sympathizes with their struggles. However, the horror is not solely experienced by them. As the film progresses the viewer learns about the fate of the Male team which acts as a catalyst to the true horror of the shimmer. 

“The killer is often unseen or barely glimpsed, during the first part of the film, and what we do see, when we finally get a good look, hardly invites immediate or conscious empathy.” (Corrigan 518)

Because it is not humanoid, the entity controlling the shimmer creates no connection with the viewer. Only confusion and fear. 

“No male character of any stature lives to tell the tale.” (Corrigan 518)

None of the male team survives to explain their experience in the shimmer. All that remains is the footage they recorded. (Garland, Annihilation, 47:28-48:55)

“-we see through his eyes and (on the soundtrack) hear his breathing and heartbeat.” (Corrigan 518)

Beginning shot of Kane's clone returning home. But it is brief and Pormans characters perspective is the one we focus on. (Garland, Annihilation, 6:27-7:30)

“The last point is the crucial one: the same female body does for both. The Final Girl (1) undergoes agonizing trials, and (2) virtually or actually destroys the antagonist and saves herself.” (Corrigan 524)

The body shifts due to shimmer, the psychological torment Portman's character faces due to her guilt and experience in the shimmer as well as her battle against her clone in the heart of shimmer qualifies her for 1. The destruction of the shimmer through the clone is 2.

“At the moment that the Final Girl becomes her own savior, she becomes a hero; and the moment that she becomes a hero is the moment that the male viewer gives up the last pretense of male identification.” (Corrigan 524)

By burning the shimmer, Portmans character is able to do the thing her husband, Kane, could do, essentially making her the final girl. However she is ultimately changed forever. 

Sources

“Annihilation.” Box Office Mojo, https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1057129985/.

Clover, Carol J. Her Body, Himself Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. 1992.  Princeton University Press.  In Critical Vision in Film Theory (2011).  Corrigan, et al.  Bedford/St.Martins, p. 511-530 

“The Most Surprising Horror Movie Statistics and Trends in 2023 • Gitnux.” GITNUX, 13 Mar. 2023, https://blog.gitnux.com/horror-movie-statistics/.

Published by Statista Research Department, and Jan 5. “U.S.: Horror Films' Popularity by Gender 2022.” Statista, 5 Jan. 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1342707/horror-movies-theater-viewing-gender-united-states/#:~:text=As%20of%20October%202022%2C%20approximately,added%20up%20to%2021%20percent.

Annihilation. Directed by Alex Garland. Performance by Natalie Portman Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. Paramount Pictures. 2018. Film

[sga-owns-my-soul]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

thanks @wonkyelk and @esteefee for the tag!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

21 currently!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

27805! which is insane to me

3. What fandoms do you write for?

stargate atlantis 🥰

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Rodney McKay Has Worth (and not just for his brain) and Not Dating, but More Than Friends

Names Have Power

The Scientist and The Soldier

Expressions of Love and Trust

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i try to! i don't always see comments but i definitely try to respond, even it's just to say thanks for commenting i'm glad you enjoyed it! it means a lot to me when people take time out of their day to not only read my fics, but to also leave a comment. i always appreciate it!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

for posted fics, probably Bludgeoned, it's very angsty and ends with an vague insinuation that rodney may or may not survive his latest off-world incident. for fics in general it's definitely my Bad Timeline au wip where nothing happy happens

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Ronon Gets Mad at Sheppard, i think. i've got a lot of fics with a happy ending but i'm really proud of this one and how it turned out. it was a bit of a challenge bc i don't write ronon very often but it was really fun to get into his character and i'm happy with how things got wrapped up in that one, i think it's a very cute fic

8. Do you get hate on fics?

thankfully, no!

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

yesss i love writing smut 🙏🏼 im honestly surprised at how little smut i have on my ao3 honestly, i don't think i even have a kink fic posted which is my favourite kind of smut to write. i should fix that 🤔 (feel free to send me ideas!!)

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

i have written exactly one crossover in my life, i posted it unfinished on wattpad like a decade ago and it was a bones/one direction crossover where the boys got kidnapped by the gravedigger. i think i wrote like 4 chapters total before i abandoned it 😅

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of, and i really hope i never do. i have no issues with people sharing my fics but please don't claim it as your own!!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

not that i know of, but i would be so honoured if someone did!!!

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

i'm currently co-writing A Big Project with @the-mushroom-faerie but shhh it's a secret no spoilers

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

this will come as no surprise to anyone but it's mcshep 🥰🥰

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

so i had this idea for a fic about radek visiting rodney everytime he's in the infirmary, and it starts off with like a "hey can you sign off on these things cool thanks bye" but then after the storm he visits him and sees his arm and it progresses to radek getting very sad and stressed every time rodney gets hurt so he visits him in the infirmary. i've written a few scenes for it but it's such a big project that i doubt i'll ever finish it

16. What are your writing strengths?

i'm very very good at writing angst and sadness, probably bc i am a void of angst and sadness 😂

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

endings i'm so bad at endings i can't write endings for SHIT i feel like most of my endings suck lmao i also cannot do technobabble i'm not smart 😂

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

i only speak my bastard native language so i have to rely on other people or google translate so i very rarely do it, but i think it's so cool when other writers can do it!!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

uhhhh i don't remember if it was one direction or dan and phil that i first ever wrote for, i wrote for both of them right around the same time

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

i really love all the fics i've written, both published and unpublished, but i think my absolute favourite fic i've written was this ficlet i posted here for a kiss prompt between ronon and jennifer (i just think it's so adorable and i love them and the little team dynamic/interaction is so sweet it's just so cute okay i love it)

Tags: @the-mushroom-faerie @spurious @frostysfrenzy @colonelshepparrrrd @frankthesnek and anyone else who wants to!!!

[twotales]

Stargate Atlantis | Remnants 5.15

It did not pass.

[the-land-of-eternal-winter-novel]

I posted 136 times in 2022

That's 136 more posts than 2021!

78 posts created (57%)

58 posts reblogged (43%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@tzarina-alexandra

@dalriata-propaganda-department

@scarvenartist

@the-land-of-eternal-winter-novel

I tagged 135 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#the land of eternal winter - 114 posts

#my novel - 91 posts

#draft 1 - 62 posts

#anatoliy - 21 posts

#gintare - 13 posts

#sveta - 12 posts

#scene - 9 posts

#radek - 8 posts

#afanasiy - 7 posts

#draft 2 - 7 posts

Longest Tag: 134 characters

#the chapter was named something like the country in which winter never ends or something less spiritual sounding than land and eternal

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Now that I finished posting the chapters I can finally post my latest illustration

This depicts the very first scene of the very first chapter. You can read it by searching #chapter 1

I have re written the first scene a little, although I haven't gotten round to the entire chapter

_______

The prince rushed down the hallway, with a determined look, heavy, steady steps and a large pile of newspapers. Entering the main dining room, he didn't even bother to sit down before slamming the papers against the table. He pointed his finger to the title of an article and told his brother-in-law next to him:

"Read that!"

“Maksim Vladimirovich Sokolov died in a fire in his own laboratory, only a day after having been found guilty of his parents’ poisoning. ”

"As he very well deserved!" he exclaimed, full of confidence.

"What is it that you want from me, Tolya? You arrive late for breakfast, you don't greet me and now you desperately want me to read this 25 year old newspaper. You weren't even born then!"

"Sorry, Radek, but this was rather urgent. You didn't believe me when I told you of lab-made diseases, so I did a bit of research on that. If they existed then, they also do now. Read the other articles as well, you'll find everything you need to know about that 'scientist'.”

Radek looked at him in confusion for a second, then widened his eyes in disbelief. It was only now that he noticed Anatoliy was dressed the same as the previous day, and he was pale and with dark circles under his eyes.

"Did you stay up all night just to prove me wrong? It wasn't that serious of a debate either!"

"I knew you wouldn't take me seriously, so I went to the archives immediately after finishing yesterday's breakfast in order to do some research. I was certain I would find much information, and as you can see, I did."

Radek placed his palms on his forehead and sighed, then continued:

"Please, stop now. (...)"

______

I may be insecure about other parts of my writing but I am very satisfied with the opening for this novel, I think it sets the stage well in terms of mood and characterisation.

4 notes - Posted September 6, 2022

#4

As I have mentioned many times both here and on main, I have already written and posted draft 1, and I am now working in some capacity on draft 2, which is going to contain smaller or greater changes.

Please refer to these links for future reference:

Description of the plot:

All LoeW art posted ever:

https://www.deviantart.com/tzarina-alexandra/gallery/71744393/the-land-of-eternal-winter-art

All draft 1 chapters:

https://www.deviantart.com/tzarina-alexandra/gallery/73346611/the-land-of-eternal-winter-draft-1-chapters

Main tumblr: @tzarina-alexandra

4 notes - Posted August 18, 2022

#3

🖊Your main character

Thank you for the ask!

The main character of my novel is Anatoliy, the son of the emperor (but not the heir; he is the middle child).

In terms of personality, he is a very passionate person, both for the better (he puts a lot of attention and care into his interests and his loved ones) and for the worse (in modern times he would 100% be diagnosed w/ OCD, being unable to let go of his fears and worries). His main quality would be honesty and his main flaws would be stubbornness and recklessness. He thus perceived by others as rather immature (he's almost 22 in the first chapter) and a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but he is well loved by his family despite the disagreements.

In terms of values, he is very religious (but it would be accurate to say that he tends towards legalism). What he values the most in life is justice, but to the detriment of forgiveness, and honesty, to the detriment of grace.

In terms of relationships, he is the kind of person to put people into two main groups: friends vs enemies. Towards people he considers to be friends he is very kind and loyal, but, as he in fact does in the first chapters, he would take matters into his own hands if he thought somebody harmed his loved ones. As it stands, his circle of trusted people is rather small, consisting mostly of his family members (father, two sisters, a brother-in-law, 3 nephews, uncle and as of recent his wife and newborn).

The main plot involves him assassinating the neighboring king because he believed him to be guilty for his father's death, and only afterwards does he learn that the man was innocent.

(#anatoliy for pictures or posts about him)

5 notes - Posted September 18, 2022

#2

The Land of Eternal Winter - Political Compass 9×9 - ultimate character sheet + worldbuilding masterpost

Auth-Left

Including actual communists but generally just working class people and their adjacent labour unions, political parties etc

See the full post

6 notes - Posted November 24, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I wanted to draw her with a candle for some time because I thought it would be symbolic, as the meaning of the name Elena is something along the lines of candle

11 notes - Posted September 13, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[stargatelov3r]

I think we may be having one of those Rodney/Radek one mind moments. Because we did this together. <3

It starts off as energy bars and eventually rolls into Chuck picking up baking again. (Yes, Chuck bakes,) he figures out how to make Trdelnik using Athosian ingredients and surprises Radek.

Meanwhile, Radek latches onto Chuck’s stray comment about missing his telescope back home and builds him one.

Sharing coffee rations is canon of this headcanon and If anyone else thinks otherwise I don’t even want to hear of it. It is just too beautiful and lovely, just like them.

YES! I want them too. Hmm…It would be really cool to have an Atlantis Lower Deck fanfic challenge.

Hmm... I think 100 sounds right, let's call it 150!

Oh man, I could rant about this… I really wish they had not gotten in contact with Earth so soon. Such a waste, such a bailout, then they had to deal with all the political bullshit. No, they should have had at least two seasons of them all on their own. Then replaced every episode where they butt heads with Earth with ones that delve into characters' backgrounds.

Faux-Season 3: *At this point, the Atlantis expedition has become quite self-sufficient, in fact, they have all accepted they won’t be going back to Earth. Earth does eventually contact them and of course, they start to resume control. But, surprise! Atlantis personnel hold a vote to become a city-state and the motion passes unanimously. Then you have a bunch of episodes with Elizabeth being a fucking boss dealing with all that.

I love that headcanon, I feel like they would need that sort of thing there, especially during the early days. I think Rodney would keep trying to hack it, but all the other scientists would combine to lock him out again and again. I'd bet money that Chuck is making most of those memes. Ronon would so be allowed in! I feel like they would let Carson in on it as well, I can just see him giggling behind his hand as he scrolled through memes.

I truly believe that too! <3

CHUCK PICKS UP BAKING AGAIN!

just imagine him running around with a little apron that Radek got him for his last birthday, flour all over his face, panicking because he doesn't want Radek to find out the surprise!

how DARE your bringing up such adorable points ;-;

Chuck has the ATA gene (canon), so he can fly them on dates to the mainland. On his birthday they take a jumper, he keeps asking why Radek is bringing this huge suitcase with him since they will go back to Atlantis the same night and they have a picnic basket that holds all the food so... what is it?

he's completely dumbfounded when Radek presents him with the telescope, which HE BUILT, and probably engraved something in it in Ancient. Oh.

He engraved something in the ancient writing but the language is Czech. Because Chuck is learning Czech. Mostly because he wants to understand what Radek is always muttering under his breath but also because it's the native language of his boyfriend and it makes him feel closer to him <3

Atlantis Lower Decks fanfic challenge??? Who's in??

(we need to come up with a new name though...)

You are so right to rant about this! You are so right in saying that they brought Daedalus in too early!

@sassycordy came up with the idea of still bringing in the Daedalus at the end of season 1 but instead of her being an instant connection to Earth they are like "nah, not happening, this ship is broken, we're not leaving anytime soon", so season 2 could be about the Atlantis expedition dealing with that, dealing with the new crew, with Caldwell, but still being cut off from Earth.

And yes. Please. PLEASE give me more character episodes. Episodes that deal with one character and their development (like "Before I sleep" does with Elizabeth). They can be SO GOOD and <3<3<3 i could talk about that forever. I'm a sucker for background story, both seeing it in the show and making it up. It adds so much to the story, to the depth of the characters.

gimme gimme gimme solooo episo-odes, help me understand what fucked up my blorbooos

ahem. sorry about that.

Uuh, remember in early SGA (might have been 38 Minutes) where Elizabeth tells fucking Kavanagh that they are basically a colony and she's the govenor? Well, they took it one step further and are now fully independent and running their shit on their own. Elizabeth doesn't even have to campaign to stay in charge, everyone knows she's the best and hypercompetent in that position.

Who needs Earth when you can have Athosians, kids that don't know yet what it means to be adults (do they even have more allies than them? o.0) and a city the size of Manhatten with tons of labs, and unknown rooms to explore? exactly.

I adore all your input ship anon <3

[sparktober]

Sparktober Bingo 2021!

Back for a new generation: Sparktober Bingo!

Instead of coming up with an Atlantis-specific list of prompts, I compiled a bunch of 2021 -tober prompt lists into one google doc here. (Links to original prompt lists are on the google doc.) Add in a list of Atlantis episodes and...

How to play:

Choose a “flavor” from the prompt sets below the cut, then paste it into this fandom bingo card generator.

Adjust your browser size til it looks right and take a screenshot, or use the html script if you’re familiar with using html on tumblr. Tag @sparktober​ if you want us to reblog it so everyone knows you’re playing!

  Sparktober Bingo Rules:

Complete a row/column, corners, or a blackout of your card by November 1, or not! Update as you go.

All fan-works are allowed: art, edits, fic, meta... bonus points to anyone who picks the “sprinkles” flavor and goes full mid-aughts by filling their bingo cards with 100x100 pixel icons.

You are allowed to pull multiple cards until you get one that inspires you, and you can also go through the prompt list of your choice in advance to pull out squicks or things you absolutely won’t write. I recommend not googling unfamiliar words from your work computer.

Use the prompts liberally! Episode titles can be treated as the episode or as generic prompts (e.g. “Epiphany” can be for an episode-related fic or a prompt for an epiphany of your choice).

  Flavor descriptions:

VANILLA: Gen prompt lists from Fictober, Inktober, Trektober Gen, and Trektober Trek.

CHOCOLATE: Zesty prompt lists from Trektober NSFW, Kinktober, and Whumptober. The multiple-prompts-per-day from Kinktober and Whumptober have been broken into individual prompts.

CANDY CORN: Fall / holiday themed prompts from TUA-tober.

SPRINKLES: Atlantis episode list (in order, in case you only want to copy certain seasons), along with characters and a few Atlantis-specific prompts.

TWIST: All of the above! (You can also manually mix and match different flavors, of course.)

Text blocks to copy into the bingo card generator are below the cut. Enjoy!!

VANILLA

“I need you.”; “You have no proof.”; “I’ve waited for this.”; “Fine, I give up.”; “I’m not saying I told you so…”; “Didn’t we already have this conversation?”; “That could have gone better.”; “This is it, isn’t it?”; “There’s no right side to this.”; “It’s so quiet.”; “I swear, it’s not always like this.”; “You keep me safe.”; “The things you make me do…”; “Your information was wrong.”; “I like that in you.”; “Not this again.”; “I’m with you, you know that.”; “This was not part of the plan.”; “I feel strange.”; “That’s what I’m known for.”; “What did I say?”; “No promises.”; “This time, do what I say.”; “Is this supposed to impress me?”; “Do you know what time it is?”; “I’m sure this has never worked, ever.”; “You could have died!”; “I don’t have to explain myself.”; “Why are we whispering?”; “Don’t ruin this.”; “Take me with you.”; Crystal; Suit; Vessel; Knot; Raven; Spirit; Fan; Watch; Pressure; Pick; Sour; Stuck; Roof; Tick; Helmet; Compass; Collide; Moon; Loop; Sprout; Fuzzy; Open; Leak; Extinct; Splat; Connect; Spark; Crispy; Patch; Slither; Risk; Meet-Cute; Amnesia; Age Difference; Pining; Sick Fic; Fake Relationship; Accidental Meeting; Epistolary; Secret Identity; Historical AU; Nightmares; Monster Hunter; Reunion; Soulmates; At Pride; Angst; Seasons; Fix-It; Coffee Shop; Movie Plot AU; Kid Fic; Actor's Other Crossover Work; OT+; Getting Together; Only One Bed; Pirates; Making Up; Forbidden Relationship; Tattoos; Halloween; Prime Directive; Lower Decks / Background Characters; Away Mission; Ship's Bar; Aliens Made Them Do It; Observation Deck; Crew with Family; Holodeck; Science Crew; Character Survives; Headcanons; Diplomacy; Decontamination; Trek Crossover; Replicator; Worldbuilding; Redshirts; Sex / Love Potion; Medical Crew; Transporters; Medbay; Interspecies Relationship; Mirrorverse; Uniforms; Mutiny; Stranded on a Planet; Rec Room; Academy Era; Second Contact; Command Crew; Off-Duty

  CHOCOLATE

A/B/O; Soft; Anonymous Sex; Penetration with Object/s; Sleeping; Intercrural Sex; Restraints; In/Under Water; Group Sex; First Time; Possessive Behavior; Dry Humping / Grinding; Overstimulation; Roleplay; Rimming; Stretching / Fisting; Power Imbalance; Food Play; Fingering; Body Worship; Sex Work; Voyeurism / Exhibitionism; Safewords; Technology; Oral Sex; Omorashi / Wetting; Crying; Underwear / Lingerie; Friends with Benefits; Pain Kink; Dirty Talk; Trick or Treat; All trussed up and nowhere to go; Talking is overrated; Sticks and stones may break my bones...; Trust fall; I've got red in my ledger; Touch and go; My spidey-sense is tingling; Coughing up a lung; Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated; Oops, I did it again; Just keep swimming; It'll be fun, they said; That's gonna leave a mark; Under pressure; Feed a cold, starve a fever; On a need-to-know basis; Field care 101; The doctor is in; Just a scratch; Lost & found; That's where the blood's supposed to be; They made me do it; You break it, you buy it; One down, two to go; Hide & Seek; You will go down with this ship; “I'm fine, I prom...”; It's (not) just in your head; All work and no play; Digging your grave; Hurt & Comfort; “You have to let go.”; Garotte; Taunting; “Do you trust me?”; Betrayal; Bruises; Helplessness; Pneumothorax; Presumed Dead; Hospital; Adrift; Torture; “This is gonna suck.”; Crush injuries; Delirium; Recovery; “Please don't move.”; “Now smile for the camera.”; Bitten; Trunk; Bleeding through bandages; Cursed; Auction; Self-induced injuries to escape; Escape; Fallen; Passing out; “Good, you're finally awake.”; “You're still not dead?”; Major character death; Disaster zone; Barbed Wire; Choking; Insults; Taken Hostage; Misunderstanding; Touch Starved; Numbness; Exotic Illness; (Blind) Rage; Flare-Up; Drowning; Made To Watch; Burns; Beaten; Fever Dreams; Scars; Hemorrhage; Doctor Visit; Bleeding; Trapped Under Water; Pressure; Demon; Ransom; Flashback; Flight; Waterfall; Vertigo; Nightmares; Too Weak To Move; Left For Dead; Trauma; Bound; Gagged; “Who Did This To You?”; Pushed; Broken Nose; Hunger; Blindness; “Definitely Just A Cold”; Tears; Ice Chips; Dehydration; Begging; Cauterization; Force; Bees; Aftermath; Dread; Cpr; Stabbing; Solitary Confinement; Blood-Matted Hair; Obsession; Pursuit; Revenge; Hiding; Trap Door; Collapse; Panic; Overworked; Ghosts; Prisoner; Losing Control; Threats; Caning; Mercy; Forgotten; Head Injury; Screaming; Comfort; Self-Sacrifice; Trapped; Near-Death Experience; Regret; Tragedy; Battlefield; Anxiety; Gore; Petplay; Bimbofication; Panties & Lingerie; Bondage; Double Penetration in 2 Holes; Breeding; Humiliation; NTR; Incest; Emeto; Omorashi; Free Use; Crossdressing; Public; Three (or more) some; Daddy & Mommy; Double Penetration in 1 Hole; Distention & Cockbulge; Xenophilia; Shotgunning; Watersports; Pregnancy; Lactation; Waxplay; Grooming; Human Furniture; Feet; Prostituion; MacroMicro; Spanking; Cockwarming; Glory Hole; Somnophilia; Body Modification; Temperature Play; Leather; Size Difference; Sounding; Stockings; Tentacles; Medical Play; Stripping; Orgasm Denial; Master & slave; Scissoring; Titfucking; Frottage; Knifeplay; Formal Wear; Breathplay; Fisting; Pegging; Scat; Beastiality; Fucking Machine; Tickling; Boot Worship; Bukkake; Collaring; Foodplay; Non or dubcon; Feederism; Sensory Deprivation; Oviposition; Clone & Selfcest; Exhibitionism & Voyeurism; Impact Play; Sadomasochism; Bloodplay; Praise Kink; Body Swap; Sweat; Branding; Massage; Role Reversal; Armpit; Masturbation; Inflation; Sex Toys; Burnplay; Menophilia; Stuck in Wall; Deepthroating & Facesitting; Dacryphilia; Hate Sex

  CANDY CORN

Birthday; Sick Day; Autumn; Candles; Plaid / Flannel; Leaf Piles; Sweaters; Baking; Cinnamon; Pumpkin Spice Latte; Carnival; Movie Night; Candy; Graveyard; Black Cats; Goosebumps; Pumpkin; Party; Monster; Ghosts; Witch; Vampire; Traditions; Magic; Mask; Haunted House; Trick; Treat; Costume; Monster Mash; Halloween

  SPRINKLES

Rising Part 1; Rising Part 2; Hide and Seek; Thirty-Eight Minutes; Suspicion; Childhood's End; Poisoning the Well; Underground; Home; The Storm; The Eye; The Defiant One; Hot Zone; Sanctuary; Before I Sleep; The Brotherhood; Letters from Pegasus; The Gift; The Siege Part 1; The Siege Part 2; The Siege Part 3; The Intruder; Runner; Duet; Condemned; Trinity; Instinct; Conversion; Aurora; The Lost Boys; The Hive; Epiphany; Critical Mass; Grace Under Pressure; The Tower; The Long Goodbye; Coup d'Etat; Michael; Inferno; Allies; No Man's Land; Misbegotten; Irresistible; Sateda; Progeny; The Real World; Common Ground; McKay and Mrs. Miller; Phantoms; The Return Part 1; The Return Part 2; Echoes; Irresponsible; Tao of Rodney; The Game; The Ark; Sunday; Submersion; Vengeance; First Strike; Adrift; Lifeline; Reunion; Doppelganger; Travelers; Tabula Rasa; Missing; The Seer; Miller's Crossing; This Mortal Coil; Be All My Sins Remember'd; Spoils of War; Quarantine; Harmony; Outcast; Trio; Midway; The Kindred Part 1; The Kindred Part 2; The Last Man; Search and Rescue; The Seed; Broken Ties; The Daedalus Variations; Ghost in the Machine; The Shrine; Whispers; The Queen; Tracker; First Contact; The Lost Tribe; Outsiders; Inquisition; The Prodigal; Remnants; Brain Storm; Infection; Identity; Vegas; Enemy at the Gate; Ronon Dex; Teyla Emmagan; John Sheppard; Carson Beckett; Elizabeth Weir; Rodney McKay; Jennifer Keller; Samantha Carter; Aiden Ford; Radek Zelenka; Kate Heightmeyer; Evan Lorne; Laura Cadman; Kolya; Chuck; Peter Grodin; Steven Caldwell; Lantea; Ocean; Ancient(s); Richard Woolsey; Athosians; Daedalus; Wraith; Nanites; Asurans; Genii; DHD; SGC; Stargate; Earth; Antarctica; Ascension

 TWIST

“I need you.”; “You have no proof.”; “I’ve waited for this.”; “Fine, I give up.”; “I’m not saying I told you so…”; “Didn’t we already have this conversation?”; “That could have gone better.”; “This is it, isn’t it?”; “There’s no right side to this.”; “It’s so quiet.”; “I swear, it’s not always like this.”; “You keep me safe.”; “The things you make me do…”; “Your information was wrong.”; “I like that in you.”; “Not this again.”; “I’m with you, you know that.”; “This was not part of the plan.”; “I feel strange.”; “That’s what I’m known for.”; “What did I say?”; “No promises.”; “This time, do what I say.”; “Is this supposed to impress me?”; “Do you know what time it is?”; “I’m sure this has never worked, ever.”; “You could have died!”; “I don’t have to explain myself.”; “Why are we whispering?”; “Don’t ruin this.”; “Take me with you.”; Crystal; Suit; Vessel; Knot; Raven; Spirit; Fan; Watch; Pressure; Pick; Sour; Stuck; Roof; Tick; Helmet; Compass; Collide; Moon; Loop; Sprout; Fuzzy; Open; Leak; Extinct; Splat; Connect; Spark; Crispy; Patch; Slither; Risk; Meet-Cute; Amnesia; Age Difference; Pining; Sick Fic; Fake Relationship; Accidental Meeting; Epistolary; Secret Identity; Historical AU; Nightmares; Monster Hunter; A/B/O; Reunion; Soulmates; At Pride; Angst; Seasons; Fix-It; Coffee Shop; Movie Plot AU; Kid Fic; Actor's Other Crossover Work; OT+; Getting Together; Only One Bed; Pirates; Making Up; Forbidden Relationship; Tattoos; Halloween; Prime Directive; Lower Decks / Background Characters; Away Mission; Ship's Bar; Aliens Made Them Do It; Observation Deck; Crew with Family; Holodeck; Science Crew; Character Survives; Headcanons; Diplomacy; Decontamination; Trek Crossover; Replicator; Worldbuilding; Redshirts; Sex / Love Potion; Medical Crew; Transporters; Medbay; Interspecies Relationship; Mirrorverse; Uniforms; Mutiny; Stranded on a Planet; Rec Room; Academy Era; Second Contact; Command Crew; Off-Duty; Soft; Anonymous Sex; Penetration with Object/s; Sleeping; Intercrural Sex; Restraints; In/Under Water; Group Sex; First Time; Possessive Behavior; Dry Humping / Grinding; Overstimulation; Roleplay; Rimming; Stretching / Fisting; Power Imbalance; Food Play; Fingering; Body Worship; Sex Work; Voyeurism / Exhibitionism; Safewords; Technology; Oral Sex; Omorashi / Wetting; Crying; Underwear / Lingerie; Friends with Benefits; Pain Kink; Dirty Talk; Trick or Treat; All trussed up and nowhere to go; Talking is overrated; Sticks and stones may break my bones...; Trust fall; I've got red in my ledger; Touch and go; My spidey-sense is tingling; Coughing up a lung; Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated; Oops, I did it again; Just keep swimming; It'll be fun, they said; That's gonna leave a mark; Under pressure; Feed a cold, starve a fever; On a need-to-know basis; Field care 101; The doctor is in; Just a scratch; Lost & found; That's where the blood's supposed to be; They made me do it; You break it, you buy it; One down, two to go; You will go down with this ship; “I'm fine, I prom...”; It's (not) just in your head; All work and no play; Digging your grave; Hurt & Comfort; “You have to let go.”; Garotte; Taunting; “Do you trust me?”; Betrayal; Bruises; Helplessness; Pneumothorax; Presumed Dead; Hospital; Adrift; Torture; “This is gonna suck.”; Crush injuries; Delirium; Recovery; “Please don't move.”; “Now smile for the camera.”; Bitten; Trunk; Bleeding through bandages; Cursed; Auction; Self-induced injuries to escape; Escape; Fallen; Passing out; “Good, you're finally awake.”; “You're still not dead?”; Major character death; Disaster zone; Barbed Wire; Choking; Insults; Taken Hostage; Misunderstanding; Touch Starved; Numbness; Exotic Illness; (Blind) Rage; Flare-Up; Drowning; Made To Watch; Burns; Beaten; Fever Dreams; Scars; Hemorrhage; Doctor Visit; Bleeding; Trapped Under Water; Demon; Ransom; Flashback; Flight; Waterfall; Vertigo; Too Weak To Move; Left For Dead; Trauma; Bound; Gagged; “Who Did This To You?”; Pushed; Broken Nose; Hunger; Blindness; “Definitely Just A Cold”; Tears; Ice Chips; Dehydration; Begging; Cauterization; Force; Bees; Aftermath; Dread; Cpr; Stabbing; Solitary Confinement; Blood-Matted Hair; Obsession; Pursuit; Revenge; Hiding; Trap Door; Collapse; Panic; Overworked; Ghosts; Prisoner; Losing Control; Threats; Caning; Mercy; Forgotten; Head Injury; Screaming; Comfort; Self-Sacrifice; Trapped; Near-Death Experience; Regret; Tragedy; Battlefield; Anxiety; Gore; Petplay; Bimbofication; Panties & Lingerie; Bondage; Double Penetration in 2 Holes; Breeding; Humiliation; NTR; Incest; Emeto; Omorashi; Free Use; Crossdressing; Public; Three (or more) some; Daddy & Mommy; Double Penetration in 1 Hole; Distention & Cockbulge; Xenophilia; Shotgunning; Watersports; Pregnancy; Lactation; Waxplay; Grooming; Human Furniture; Feet; Prostituion; MacroMicro; Spanking; Cockwarming; Glory Hole; Somnophilia; Body Modification; Temperature Play; Leather; Size Difference; Sounding; Stockings; Tentacles; Medical Play; Stripping; Orgasm Denial; Master & slave; Scissoring; Titfucking; Frottage; Knifeplay; Formal Wear; Breathplay; Fisting; Pegging; Scat; Beastiality; Fucking Machine; Tickling; Boot Worship; Bukkake; Collaring; Foodplay; Non or dubcon; Feederism; Sensory Deprivation; Oviposition; Clone & Selfcest; Exhibitionism & Voyeurism; Impact Play; Sadomasochism; Bloodplay; Praise Kink; Body Swap; Sweat; Branding; Massage; Role Reversal; Armpit; Masturbation; Inflation; Sex Toys; Burnplay; Menophilia; Stuck in Wall; Deepthroating & Facesitting; Dacryphilia; Hate Sex; Birthday; Sick Day; Autumn; Candles; Plaid / Flannel; Leaf Piles; Sweaters; Baking; Cinnamon; Pumpkin Spice Latte; Carnival; Movie Night; Candy; Graveyard; Black Cats; Goosebumps; Pumpkin; Party; Monster; Witch; Vampire; Traditions; Magic; Mask; Haunted House; Trick; Treat; Costume; Monster Mash; Rising Part 1; Rising Part 2; Hide and Seek; Thirty-Eight Minutes; Suspicion; Childhood's End; Poisoning the Well; Underground; Home; The Storm; The Eye; The Defiant One; Hot Zone; Sanctuary; Before I Sleep; The Brotherhood; Letters from Pegasus; The Gift; The Siege Part 1; The Siege Part 2; The Siege Part 3; The Intruder; Runner; Duet; Condemned; Trinity; Instinct; Conversion; Aurora; The Lost Boys; The Hive; Epiphany; Critical Mass; Grace Under Pressure; The Tower; The Long Goodbye; Coup d'Etat; Michael; Inferno; Allies; No Man's Land; Misbegotten; Irresistible; Sateda; Progeny; The Real World; Common Ground; McKay and Mrs. Miller; Phantoms; The Return Part 1; The Return Part 2; Echoes; Irresponsible; Tao of Rodney; The Game; The Ark; Sunday; Submersion; Vengeance; First Strike; Lifeline; Doppelganger; Travelers; Tabula Rasa; Missing; The Seer; Miller's Crossing; This Mortal Coil; Be All My Sins Remember'd; Spoils of War; Quarantine; Harmony; Outcast; Trio; Midway; The Kindred Part 1; The Kindred Part 2; The Last Man; Search and Rescue; The Seed; Broken Ties; The Daedalus Variations; Ghost in the Machine; The Shrine; Whispers; The Queen; Tracker; First Contact; The Lost Tribe; Outsiders; Inquisition; The Prodigal; Remnants; Brain Storm; Infection; Identity; Vegas; Enemy at the Gate; Ronon Dex; Teyla Emmagan; John Sheppard; Carson Beckett; Elizabeth Weir; Rodney McKay; Jennifer Keller; Samantha Carter; Aiden Ford; Radek Zelenka; Kate Heightmeyer; Evan Lorne; Laura Cadman; Kolya; Chuck; Peter Grodin; Steven Caldwell; Lantea; Ocean; Ancient(s); Richard Woolsey; Athosians; Daedalus; Wraith; Nanites; Asurans; Genii; DHD; SGC; Stargate; Earth; Antarctica; Ascension

[ragingpancake]

The Drought

A/N: Hello again! So, trying to get back into the swing of things so I searched for some fic prompts and came across this one! Prompt at the end. Feel free to drop prompts into my ask! I'd love to write more! Here’s what’s frustrating: out of the entire Atlantis expedition, approximately three quarters of them are ATA gene carriers, all thanks to Carson’s finely tuned gene therapy. Awesome. Great. They now have an entire plethora of people to pick from for ‘light bulb duty’ down in the ancient labs, but the problem is, while there are plenty of people to choose from now, Atlantis and her ancient tech just refuses to work for anyone as well as she works for John fucking Sheppard. It’s infuriating, honestly, but Rodney supposes he shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Captain Kirk has managed to practically sleep his way across the Pegasus Galaxy and if Atlantis was a person, of course she would be a she, so of course she would line up with the rest of hussies and--. Hmph. Maybe it’s John that’s the hussy. Lieutenant Colonel Hussy. Okay, that’s almost funny.

“What are we doin’ here again?” Sheppard asks in that nasally, whiny voice he has and it brings Rodney back to the present where they’re currently testing out what very well could be the galaxy’s version of a blood sugar monitor but it only wants to work with John. “I want you to put your finger under the little…. Thing there and think it on,” Rodney says, like it’s the most self-explanatory thing in the world. The duhis left unsaid but it’s there, hanging in the air. He’s also trying very hard not to think about where else he might like Sheppard to put his finger and-- “Why?” It’s infuriating, not only that John Sheppard is the only one that Atlantis responds so easily to, but that he doesn’t even seem to care. Rodney can feel the tips of his ears go red at the annoyance, but there’s that almost smug smile that touches Sheppard’s lips and God, he’s so annoying. And handsome. And smart (not as smart as Rodney of course, but then--) Right. Ancient tech. “It’s not working,” John intones and Rodney frowns down at the tablet. “Well, you aren’t trying hard enough.” “Trying hard enough at what? I’m doing exactly what you said, Rodney.” “Think harder then.” “Can’t we just try something else? Somethin’ cool?” And John honest to God whines and Christ, why is this Rodney’s life? “I just need you to think it on, Colonel,” Rodney snips mostly because they’ve been down here in this lab for the last hour or so and it’s just a couple of them and for the last fifty eight minutes and thirty two seconds, Rodney has been acutely aware of just how close Sheppard is sitting to where he’s working and he just wants to be done. John sighs and screws his eyes shut for all of three seconds before he opens one slowly, glancing down at the machine. Nothing. “I don’t wanna say I toldja so, but--.” “Not another word,” Rodney huffs and he drops the tablet onto the table, lifting a hand to massage his temples. He’s over this. He’s really, really over this and when he glances up at Sheppard to dismiss him, he’s slightly embarrassed to find the Colonel already looking at him, an unreadable look on his face. “I guess that’s it then,” he says, and he sounds annoyed. “We’re done for the day.” “Well, I guess I’ll see ya later then,” John says, standing from his stool and waving lazily at the crew before he slouches out of the lab, Rodney looking after him as he does. It takes all of two seconds before Zelenka speaks up. “Ahem,” he says, feigning clearing his throat. “Perhaps you would like it if I got you a glass of water?” “Not near the ancient tech,” Rodney answers automatically before he realizes exactly what Radek said. “What?” “Clearly, you are incredibly thirsty.” It’s not just Rodney’s ears that go pink this time, but his cheeks burn too. “I have no idea—” “Oh please,” Radek smirks. “The tech works just as well for any other gene carrier here on Atlantis, you know that. We all know you just pretend it doesn’t to give you an excuse to get Sheppard down here and ogle him for an hour.” “First of all, there is no ogling anyone here and second of all, you knowthe city responds best to him! We can’t all be natural gene carriers with the stupid hair and that stupid slouch and--.” “Relax, Rodney,” Radek says and he’s still teasing but maybe there’s something else there too. “For what it is worth, Miko, Simpson and myself believe that the Colonel is just as… parched.” “Wait, wait, wait, you’re saying—No, no. You’re wrong. It’s not possible.” Radek shrugs. “If you say so.” He’s content to let it go and go back to work, and Rodney thinks it really sucks that Zelenka would put such a thought in his head and then just goes back to pretending he hasn’t completely melted Rodney’s brain. Well, what the hell is he supposed to do about this now?

He gives it a few days, lets himself ruminate on it and he’s still pretty certain that Radek is full of it. But then they’re back to the labs, Sheppard back on lightbulb duty, except this time they’re alone and Rodney cannot… well, he can’t quite look away from the Colonel, no matter how hard he tries. Not even when the blood sugar monitor turns on at the slightest thought from Sheppard and--. “Rodney? Something on your mind, pal?” “No,” Rodney answers, perhaps just a little too quickly, eyes snapping down to the tablet in his hand as he catalogs the response the tech is giving John. “Why?” Because he can’t leave well enough alone. “IS there something on yourmind?” John’s response is just as defensive, an emphatic no, and Rodney knewthat Radek was full of shit, that little--. There’s a shrill alarm that sounds for a fraction of a second before the sprinklersthat Rodney didn’t even know existed come on, immediately soaking them both. John curses and stands up from the stool quickly and Rodney very nearly slips in an attempt to get the tablet out of the water, only managing to keep from busting his ass when John reaches for him and suddenly, they’re standing there so close and--. Thirsty. Yes, perhaps he is. “Sheppard, I--.” He doesn’t get a chance to say what he is when John leans forward and crushes their lips together and oh. Oh. This is… this is nice. He relaxes against it, perhaps leaning into it a bit more than he means to and it seems to continue for an eternity before John finally, perhaps reluctantly, pulls away. “Didn’t think you’d ever get with the program, Rodney,” John mutters and he looks a little embarrassed but a lot proud of himself and--. “Sorry it took so long to get the tech workin’,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck and Rodney realizes he should probably figure out how to turn the sprinklers off, but he’s a little dumbstruck right now, to be frank. “I was hopin’ that if we had to try again, no one else would be here so I could--. Well. So I could see if you were maybe just as dehydrated as I am.” Sonofabitch. Zelenka was right. “Absolutely bone dry.” “Well,” Sheppard says, and there’s a hint of an almost devious smile touching his lips. “Let’s see what we can do about quenching that, huh?” Definitely Lieutenant Colonel Hussy. But this time, Rodney’s more than okay with it.

Your prompt: Person B staring admiringly at Person A from across the room. A friend whispers into Person B's ear: 'Why are you so thirsty?'