First SGAFF by _inbetween_ (dangling challenge)
Title: Pulling Strings
Author: _inbetween_
Pairing: McKay/?, McKay/Sheppard
Rating: Gen-ish
Length: 400 words
Notes: (at end of story)
The moment Ces had posted the new challenge ("Dangle something!" she said) I sat down and wrote two little texts 0.o I really want(ed) to evolve this one into something much longer (because frankly I fell in love with the idea) and might use it later on, but after literally staring at it for hours and much fretting I think I’d better take the plunge and pop my flash-fic cherry. *deep breath*
ETA: quickly rewritten to incorporate real name! ETATETA: and gender (although there seems to be some dispute about that)
Rodney couldn't remember the first time he’d noticed the similarity. After all, Sheppard looked nothing like Jane! The guy resembled more a ... a sort of puppy most of the time. Jane also wouldn't have run around with her fur in disarray ... although come to think of it, Rodney had always taken a perverse pleasure in ruffling it, to feel the silky hair and to laugh at the cat’s indignant face. Which brought him right back to the Major again, whose face also tended to make Rodney grin - and want to annoy him.
Lately, he had felt the nearly irrepressible urge to dangle something in Sheppard's face and see how he'd react, if he would ignore it with an eye-roll or swat at it lazily or - best of all - jump at it, at which point Rodney could pull at the string and make him chase that something for his amusement.
He'd never been certain that Jane didn't know full well that her food-and-hugs-giver was at the other end of the shiny thing she was trying to catch. For such a smart animal with such good eyesight and sense of smell, it seemed strange to fall for a piece of string with a bit of aluminium foil scrunched into a ball tied to one end. Sometimes, in the heat of the game the string had got so short that she bumped headlong into Rodney's hand. At those times the cat toyed with his fingers for a second, bit them affectionately and then jumped away, pretending not to notice the big human and ready to attack the mysterious-shiny-ball again. Rodney suspected that - just as with all the purring and big-round-eyed-staring - Jane was basically the one toying with him, but as long as it got her a little work-out ...
Sheppard didn’t need a work-out, but he tended to sit or stand so very still, seeming half-asleep yet alert, just his eyes moving about (and Rodney even thought he saw those pointy ears twitch once or twice). He itched to ruffle Sheppard’s composure, and there was always an opportunity, like ... whenever the Major asked a question. Throw him the answer, lace it with a bit of sarcasm and a tiny put-down and see if he pounces!
The grin on Sheppard's face while shooting back a retort at him was languid, but unmistakeably triumphant.
***
Feedback much appreciated.
My title ideas:
- Tethered
- At the End of the Line
- Pulling Strings
- Jump! Jump!
- Out-of-reach.
Did his cat have a name? The Cat? Phee-Line? ETA: I had initially wanted to make it something scientific - not that I think my "Snuggles" was OOC, because people are not simple and linear and pets are something else again.
Author: _inbetween_
Pairing: McKay/?, McKay/Sheppard
Rating: Gen-ish
Length: 400 words
Notes: (at end of story)
The moment Ces had posted the new challenge ("Dangle something!" she said) I sat down and wrote two little texts 0.o I really want(ed) to evolve this one into something much longer (because frankly I fell in love with the idea) and might use it later on, but after literally staring at it for hours and much fretting I think I’d better take the plunge and pop my flash-fic cherry. *deep breath*
ETA: quickly rewritten to incorporate real name! ETATETA: and gender (although there seems to be some dispute about that)
Rodney couldn't remember the first time he’d noticed the similarity. After all, Sheppard looked nothing like Jane! The guy resembled more a ... a sort of puppy most of the time. Jane also wouldn't have run around with her fur in disarray ... although come to think of it, Rodney had always taken a perverse pleasure in ruffling it, to feel the silky hair and to laugh at the cat’s indignant face. Which brought him right back to the Major again, whose face also tended to make Rodney grin - and want to annoy him.
Lately, he had felt the nearly irrepressible urge to dangle something in Sheppard's face and see how he'd react, if he would ignore it with an eye-roll or swat at it lazily or - best of all - jump at it, at which point Rodney could pull at the string and make him chase that something for his amusement.
He'd never been certain that Jane didn't know full well that her food-and-hugs-giver was at the other end of the shiny thing she was trying to catch. For such a smart animal with such good eyesight and sense of smell, it seemed strange to fall for a piece of string with a bit of aluminium foil scrunched into a ball tied to one end. Sometimes, in the heat of the game the string had got so short that she bumped headlong into Rodney's hand. At those times the cat toyed with his fingers for a second, bit them affectionately and then jumped away, pretending not to notice the big human and ready to attack the mysterious-shiny-ball again. Rodney suspected that - just as with all the purring and big-round-eyed-staring - Jane was basically the one toying with him, but as long as it got her a little work-out ...
Sheppard didn’t need a work-out, but he tended to sit or stand so very still, seeming half-asleep yet alert, just his eyes moving about (and Rodney even thought he saw those pointy ears twitch once or twice). He itched to ruffle Sheppard’s composure, and there was always an opportunity, like ... whenever the Major asked a question. Throw him the answer, lace it with a bit of sarcasm and a tiny put-down and see if he pounces!
The grin on Sheppard's face while shooting back a retort at him was languid, but unmistakeably triumphant.
***
- Tethered
- At the End of the Line
- Pulling Strings
- Jump! Jump!
- Out-of-reach.