TEAM COOL: bite the dust, "Are You Ready For This?"
Title: Are You Ready For This?
Author: spikespet7
Team: Cool
Prompt: bite the dust
Pairing(s): McKay/Sheppard
Rating: PG
Warnings: Implied emotional abuse
Word count: 1,709
Summary: John reflects on a bad time in his life when a song is played.
Author's Notes: Use of song lyrics
Beta: The lovely Mific who I appreciate greatly for all her help. All remaining oops belong to me.
Once you've read the story, please take a moment to vote in the poll below. Ratings go from 1 (low) to 9 (high), so all you need to do is enter a single number in that range into each text entry box. You'll be able to see the prompt in the header above.
More details about the voting procedure can be found here.
**
John sat back, surprised he was enjoying himself so far. It was a little social gathering that Elizabeth had arranged for the evening. A mix of local dishes together with a few from Earth, and in ample supply for everyone to enjoy. The PA system was playing music that covered every genre, including some songs that had been recorded on the Mainland. It was relaxing to see everyone enjoying themselves for a change. Some had even taken up dancing - or trying to dance, from what John could tell.
No incidents or life-threatening crises of any kind had occurred over the last couple of weeks, which was a record. Everyone, including McKay, had caught up on their sleep. John knew that for a fact…well, he had the privilege of watching Rodney sleep.
It was weird to realize how much time they'd been spending together, now he had the time to think about it. Normally they just did their thing and then returned to their own quarters, or Rodney would go back to his lab and work. Over the last two weeks, though, he'd found himself falling asleep with Rodney and having to sneak back to his room at the crack of dawn. Rodney did the same if they stayed at John’s.
John looked around, taking stock. Teyla was on the Mainland visiting with her people. Carson was with her taking advantage of this down time to follow up a few patients, and do routine health checks on the kids. Lorne and his team were on standby in case of an off-world emergency. Ronon was sitting at the table laughing at something Radek was saying. Rodney was quietly sipping a cup of homemade wine, being unusually quiet. Elizabeth was working the room, making sure she talked to everyone.
The first few notes of the next song started and John's mood suddenly changed. Why did someone have to play this song of all songs? Why today of all days?
“Steve walks warily down the street,
with the brim pulled way down low.
Ain’t no sound but the sound of his feet,
machine guns ready to go
Are you ready? Are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip,
to the sound of the beat.
Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.”
John tensed up as his thoughts travelled back to another time - the first semester of college and the first time he'd been away from home. He'd been naïve, finding out what it was to be a man and to be on his own. Now, because of this damn song by Queen, he was reminded of those damaging events that he'd do anything to forget or to go back in time and change.
“How do you think I’m going to get along
without you when you’re gone?
You took from me everything that I had
and kicked me out on my own.
Are you happy, are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
to the sound of the beat.
Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.”
“I hate this song,” Rodney grumbled, with a look of distaste that John understood and shared.
“Why would anyone bite dust?” Ronon asked, and John saw confusion on the big guy’s face.
Rodney replied fussily, “It means to die, fail, break, give up or stop existing.”
John hated this song with a passion because it made him remember the first and last time he'd let someone get close to him. So close that he'd shared his deepest secrets and dreams. You never forgot that first love, especially when it turned out to have been one-sided - when it turned out they'd just been using you to get ahead.
“There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man
and bring him to the ground.
You can beat him, you can cheat him,
You can treat him bad and leave him when he's down.
But I’m ready, yes, I'm ready for you.
I’m standing on my own two feet.
Out of the doorway the bullets rip,
repeating the sound of the beat.
Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.”
Brandon Wixon was the man who'd brought his world crashing down. Brandon’s betrayal had cut so deeply that it left him feeling like the rug had been pulled right out from under him without even the floor there to break his fall.
Brandon had seemed charming and handsome at first, and then he'd showed how soulless he really was. John knew he should let it go and move on. He'd been young and naïve back then, ignorant about the outside world, and about how far people would go to get what they wanted. He'd found out how soulless they could be much too late, and the hard way.
His life had changed in so many ways, almost all of them bad, after Brandon blackmailed him with pictures of them having sex. Then the bastard had figured out he could get more money taking the photos to John's father. This same damn song had been playing in the background when Brandon - his roommate and lover - had broken the news about making a deal with John's father.
The revelation had killed his father’s plans for John's future in business and politics, and their relationship as well. It led John to join the Air Force and into a loveless marriage of convenience. The Air Force was his attempt to prove his ‘manhood’ to his father. Nancy had been his last attempt to get back into his father’s good graces and win his forgiveness. It hadn't been all bad - the Air Force became John's life.
His marriage was another story, ending in divorce. John's father wanted grandchildren and Nancy wanted kids. John had a vasectomy without telling either of them. Dear old Dad had found out by pulling strings and snooping in John’s medical records, curious as to why his son wasn't producing offspring. At least the divorce was amicable - it could have been a lot worse.
It hurt to remember those times. Patrick Sheppard had had very specific plans for his eldest son and had brought him up strictly and sheltered him up until John went off to college. John being bisexual wasn't part of the plan. It wasn’t until he was at school, with the freedom it brought, that he saw how much control his father had over his life. Now he could see how that had made him a target for users like Brandon.
“What’s wrong?” Rodney asked with that tone of his that said ‘you will tell me or suffer the consequences’.
“Not here,” John replied with a tight smile. Luckily everyone else had left the table.
“Fine. But understand that I won’t let you forget you owe me an explanation as to why you suddenly look as if someone killed your dog. Or in your case, stole your puddlejumper.”
John grimaced. “This song reminds me of a bad time in my life.”
“I’ll make sure the damn thing is lost and never played here again.”
John shot him a look. “Overkill, much?”
“No! Overkill would be me finding out why and then making sure the people responsible 'bite the dust' in some fitting manner.” Rodney had that determined look that told John he'd do exactly that.
John relaxed back in his seat with a small smile. Tonight he would tell Rodney about Brandon, his father, and Nancy. He'd make sure to explain that his father and Nancy were off-limits for Rodney's plans for retribution, and that Brandon was no longer a threat of any kind. To this day, John believed Brandon's death was because he'd blackmailed Patrick Sheppard, and that his father had paid someone to have Brandon killed. It was no coincidence that the car accident happened just one month after his father had confronted John with those pictures.
He looked Rodney in the eyes. “Just remember. It led me here.”
It took a few seconds for Rodney to catch on to what he was implying. Watching Rodney's expression go from angry to embarrassed and then happy made John feel content. They'd been through so much together - both good and bad. A few close shaves should have separated them for good, but then something would happen to save the day and bring them back together.
“You're my best friend, you know?” Rodney said. He might have had too much of that wine.
“Same here, McKay….same here,” John agreed, feeling his ears warming up. They needed a distraction soon or they'd give themselves away. John noticed Elizabeth crossing to a side table. “Looks like she's about to cut the celebration cake," John said.
“Yes," said Rodney, looking distracted. "You know, they played this song every hour on the hour during my flight to Siberia. The Marines fingered their sidearms the whole time it played.”
John winced. “That had to have sucked.”
“I almost left the Stargate Program.”
“Glad you didn’t.”
“Me too!”
“Are you happy, are you satisfied?” John sang softly so only Rodney would hear.
“How long can you stand the heat?” Rodney sang back in a whisper.
“Out of the doorway the bullets rip” sang John.
“To the sound of the beat,” answered Rodney.
“Another one bites the dust,” they finished together. “Another one bites the dust.”
John smiled at Rodney and Rodney grinned back crookedly. They were singing about the ghosts in their lives. Today he'd faced a few of his own ghosts and he thought talking with Rodney tonight would finally put them to rest. Brandon, his father, and even Nancy would no longer have the same power over him. John also planned to make sure Rodney knew he was safe with the marines under John’s command.
“Let’s go get some cake,” John said. He loved seeing Rodney’s face at the mention of cake - it was like a kid in a candy store.
“We should save a couple pieces for later,” Rodney replied, with a twinkle in his blue eyes that promised adventures once they were safely in his quarters.
John grinned and hauled Rodney to his feet. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
The End.
**
Poll
Author: spikespet7
Team: Cool
Prompt: bite the dust
Pairing(s): McKay/Sheppard
Rating: PG
Warnings: Implied emotional abuse
Word count: 1,709
Summary: John reflects on a bad time in his life when a song is played.
Author's Notes: Use of song lyrics
Beta: The lovely Mific who I appreciate greatly for all her help. All remaining oops belong to me.
Once you've read the story, please take a moment to vote in the poll below. Ratings go from 1 (low) to 9 (high), so all you need to do is enter a single number in that range into each text entry box. You'll be able to see the prompt in the header above.
More details about the voting procedure can be found here.
**
John sat back, surprised he was enjoying himself so far. It was a little social gathering that Elizabeth had arranged for the evening. A mix of local dishes together with a few from Earth, and in ample supply for everyone to enjoy. The PA system was playing music that covered every genre, including some songs that had been recorded on the Mainland. It was relaxing to see everyone enjoying themselves for a change. Some had even taken up dancing - or trying to dance, from what John could tell.
No incidents or life-threatening crises of any kind had occurred over the last couple of weeks, which was a record. Everyone, including McKay, had caught up on their sleep. John knew that for a fact…well, he had the privilege of watching Rodney sleep.
It was weird to realize how much time they'd been spending together, now he had the time to think about it. Normally they just did their thing and then returned to their own quarters, or Rodney would go back to his lab and work. Over the last two weeks, though, he'd found himself falling asleep with Rodney and having to sneak back to his room at the crack of dawn. Rodney did the same if they stayed at John’s.
John looked around, taking stock. Teyla was on the Mainland visiting with her people. Carson was with her taking advantage of this down time to follow up a few patients, and do routine health checks on the kids. Lorne and his team were on standby in case of an off-world emergency. Ronon was sitting at the table laughing at something Radek was saying. Rodney was quietly sipping a cup of homemade wine, being unusually quiet. Elizabeth was working the room, making sure she talked to everyone.
The first few notes of the next song started and John's mood suddenly changed. Why did someone have to play this song of all songs? Why today of all days?
“Steve walks warily down the street,
with the brim pulled way down low.
Ain’t no sound but the sound of his feet,
machine guns ready to go
Are you ready? Are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip,
to the sound of the beat.
Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.”
John tensed up as his thoughts travelled back to another time - the first semester of college and the first time he'd been away from home. He'd been naïve, finding out what it was to be a man and to be on his own. Now, because of this damn song by Queen, he was reminded of those damaging events that he'd do anything to forget or to go back in time and change.
“How do you think I’m going to get along
without you when you’re gone?
You took from me everything that I had
and kicked me out on my own.
Are you happy, are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
to the sound of the beat.
Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.”
“I hate this song,” Rodney grumbled, with a look of distaste that John understood and shared.
“Why would anyone bite dust?” Ronon asked, and John saw confusion on the big guy’s face.
Rodney replied fussily, “It means to die, fail, break, give up or stop existing.”
John hated this song with a passion because it made him remember the first and last time he'd let someone get close to him. So close that he'd shared his deepest secrets and dreams. You never forgot that first love, especially when it turned out to have been one-sided - when it turned out they'd just been using you to get ahead.
“There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man
and bring him to the ground.
You can beat him, you can cheat him,
You can treat him bad and leave him when he's down.
But I’m ready, yes, I'm ready for you.
I’m standing on my own two feet.
Out of the doorway the bullets rip,
repeating the sound of the beat.
Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.”
Brandon Wixon was the man who'd brought his world crashing down. Brandon’s betrayal had cut so deeply that it left him feeling like the rug had been pulled right out from under him without even the floor there to break his fall.
Brandon had seemed charming and handsome at first, and then he'd showed how soulless he really was. John knew he should let it go and move on. He'd been young and naïve back then, ignorant about the outside world, and about how far people would go to get what they wanted. He'd found out how soulless they could be much too late, and the hard way.
His life had changed in so many ways, almost all of them bad, after Brandon blackmailed him with pictures of them having sex. Then the bastard had figured out he could get more money taking the photos to John's father. This same damn song had been playing in the background when Brandon - his roommate and lover - had broken the news about making a deal with John's father.
The revelation had killed his father’s plans for John's future in business and politics, and their relationship as well. It led John to join the Air Force and into a loveless marriage of convenience. The Air Force was his attempt to prove his ‘manhood’ to his father. Nancy had been his last attempt to get back into his father’s good graces and win his forgiveness. It hadn't been all bad - the Air Force became John's life.
His marriage was another story, ending in divorce. John's father wanted grandchildren and Nancy wanted kids. John had a vasectomy without telling either of them. Dear old Dad had found out by pulling strings and snooping in John’s medical records, curious as to why his son wasn't producing offspring. At least the divorce was amicable - it could have been a lot worse.
It hurt to remember those times. Patrick Sheppard had had very specific plans for his eldest son and had brought him up strictly and sheltered him up until John went off to college. John being bisexual wasn't part of the plan. It wasn’t until he was at school, with the freedom it brought, that he saw how much control his father had over his life. Now he could see how that had made him a target for users like Brandon.
“What’s wrong?” Rodney asked with that tone of his that said ‘you will tell me or suffer the consequences’.
“Not here,” John replied with a tight smile. Luckily everyone else had left the table.
“Fine. But understand that I won’t let you forget you owe me an explanation as to why you suddenly look as if someone killed your dog. Or in your case, stole your puddlejumper.”
John grimaced. “This song reminds me of a bad time in my life.”
“I’ll make sure the damn thing is lost and never played here again.”
John shot him a look. “Overkill, much?”
“No! Overkill would be me finding out why and then making sure the people responsible 'bite the dust' in some fitting manner.” Rodney had that determined look that told John he'd do exactly that.
John relaxed back in his seat with a small smile. Tonight he would tell Rodney about Brandon, his father, and Nancy. He'd make sure to explain that his father and Nancy were off-limits for Rodney's plans for retribution, and that Brandon was no longer a threat of any kind. To this day, John believed Brandon's death was because he'd blackmailed Patrick Sheppard, and that his father had paid someone to have Brandon killed. It was no coincidence that the car accident happened just one month after his father had confronted John with those pictures.
He looked Rodney in the eyes. “Just remember. It led me here.”
It took a few seconds for Rodney to catch on to what he was implying. Watching Rodney's expression go from angry to embarrassed and then happy made John feel content. They'd been through so much together - both good and bad. A few close shaves should have separated them for good, but then something would happen to save the day and bring them back together.
“You're my best friend, you know?” Rodney said. He might have had too much of that wine.
“Same here, McKay….same here,” John agreed, feeling his ears warming up. They needed a distraction soon or they'd give themselves away. John noticed Elizabeth crossing to a side table. “Looks like she's about to cut the celebration cake," John said.
“Yes," said Rodney, looking distracted. "You know, they played this song every hour on the hour during my flight to Siberia. The Marines fingered their sidearms the whole time it played.”
John winced. “That had to have sucked.”
“I almost left the Stargate Program.”
“Glad you didn’t.”
“Me too!”
“Are you happy, are you satisfied?” John sang softly so only Rodney would hear.
“How long can you stand the heat?” Rodney sang back in a whisper.
“Out of the doorway the bullets rip” sang John.
“To the sound of the beat,” answered Rodney.
“Another one bites the dust,” they finished together. “Another one bites the dust.”
John smiled at Rodney and Rodney grinned back crookedly. They were singing about the ghosts in their lives. Today he'd faced a few of his own ghosts and he thought talking with Rodney tonight would finally put them to rest. Brandon, his father, and even Nancy would no longer have the same power over him. John also planned to make sure Rodney knew he was safe with the marines under John’s command.
“Let’s go get some cake,” John said. He loved seeing Rodney’s face at the mention of cake - it was like a kid in a candy store.
“We should save a couple pieces for later,” Rodney replied, with a twinkle in his blue eyes that promised adventures once they were safely in his quarters.
John grinned and hauled Rodney to his feet. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
The End.
**
Poll