In which I contemplate the nature of SGA and Due South and draw no real conclusions
I was thinking last night about a line I really love from Bone and Aristide's Due South fic The Course where Fraser tells Ray, "Ray, you should know that I wouldn't lie...about us...if asked. I couldn't do that." I was thinking about how perfect that line was, how right it felt for Fraser and was convinced that I'd read a similar line in another Due South fic. I was kind of shocked to realize that the story I was thinking of was actually resonant8's Stargate Atlantis fic Reality, in which McKay tells Sheppard (in reference to their newly begun relationship), "I'm not prepared to lie in response to direct questions, but I'm perfectly comfortable lying by omission." After my initial bafflement at the parallel characterizations of these seemingly polar personalities, I started thinking about how similar McKay and Fraser really are in that they both have this weird honesty that kind of puts people off and keeps them at a distance, making both of them outsiders. Of course the difference between them is that McKay will tell you "Oh my god, you're stupid, you're plan sucks, I'm very afraid right now, the first time I kissed a girl I got mono" and Fraser will admit to you, even though you're a terrorist with a bomb, that he is unarmed and alone but plans to arrest you just because you both know its the right thing to do. And then he'll give you the history of ice fishing. Still, they both have this almost compulsion to tell the truth, even when it alienates others or goes against their best interests.
So then THAT got me thinking about the fact that both the people they're slashed with (at least in my happy Fraser/RayK, McKay/Sheppard OTP world) work because they can deal with this off putting honesty. Sheppard because he can give as good as he gets and won't back down from McKay's abrasive McKay-ness. And cause they like playing with ancient gadgets together, and he teaches McKay to fly the jumper and THEY SHARE A BEAUTIFUL LOVE and... ::reigns back the rabid fangirl within:: I mean, because he's simultaneously laid back and snarky enough to deal with McKay.
RayK works with Fraser because he's not going to be distanced by this weird Canadian politeness and honesty; he's going to challenge and question and play with it. In other words, he's going be like "What? OMG, you're a freak, so anyway, tell me more about ice fishing."
And then this little mediation got me thinking about how similar Fraser and Sheppard are because they both have this "I'm fine, you're fine, we're all fine" attitude that really just keeps people at a distance. And then McKay and RayK are able to get past that cause they're just these energetic spazzes who get in the other guys' space without realizing that they're crossing these big emotional boundaries. Don't you see??? It's all connected! Or at least, that's how it seemed last night at four in the morning. Good times.
In conclusion: I like space, Canada and slash.
So then THAT got me thinking about the fact that both the people they're slashed with (at least in my happy Fraser/RayK, McKay/Sheppard OTP world) work because they can deal with this off putting honesty. Sheppard because he can give as good as he gets and won't back down from McKay's abrasive McKay-ness. And cause they like playing with ancient gadgets together, and he teaches McKay to fly the jumper and THEY SHARE A BEAUTIFUL LOVE and... ::reigns back the rabid fangirl within:: I mean, because he's simultaneously laid back and snarky enough to deal with McKay.
RayK works with Fraser because he's not going to be distanced by this weird Canadian politeness and honesty; he's going to challenge and question and play with it. In other words, he's going be like "What? OMG, you're a freak, so anyway, tell me more about ice fishing."
And then this little mediation got me thinking about how similar Fraser and Sheppard are because they both have this "I'm fine, you're fine, we're all fine" attitude that really just keeps people at a distance. And then McKay and RayK are able to get past that cause they're just these energetic spazzes who get in the other guys' space without realizing that they're crossing these big emotional boundaries. Don't you see??? It's all connected! Or at least, that's how it seemed last night at four in the morning. Good times.
In conclusion: I like space, Canada and slash.