Back-story wise, all that's needed is enough to give us a little more direction when writing his character. Inquiring minds would like to know the reason behind his discomfort when it comes to hugging, and getting the cold-shoulder from his dad might explain that.
I think I said this already, but I see John and Rodney's relationship as something more sibling-like. It's why certain stories that involve the boys getting a little more touchy-feely than they normally would (Rodney holding Shep's hand, kneading sore muscles, or - like in your story - sharing a bed because one of them is cold) work for me. The only difference is, in a slash or pre-slash story, there's a sudden realization that the contact is enjoyable or "right". In gen - or at least what I do - there's slight discomfort to it. I wish there were more stories like that where there's an initial discomfort over the boys having to sacrifice their personal space to help each other. I find it adorable, as well as character building as they're stepping out of themselves in order to help someone else.
And, I know this is kind of getting off track but I might as well vent - I can't stand it when an author makes one of the characters gay or bisexual just to be making them gay or bisexual. There was a story I ran into (labeled as gen... yeah right) where some prince drugs Sheppard, and Rodney and Ronon find the two doing something that left me incredibly nauseas. What really bugged me about the story, though, was that at the start there was no indication of Sheppard being into men. But when Rodney and Ronon find Shep and the prince, they're completely blase about it as though that kind of stuff happens all the time. It bugged me that they weren't more upset over Sheppard being drugged and molested.
I may not like slash, but some of the better writers do use it for a purpose that has nothing to do with wanting to write a smut scene. And, from what I heard, the better slash is when the writers stay true to the characters without tipping over into PWP.
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chiming
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Date: 2008-01-17 10:26 pm (UTC)From:I think I said this already, but I see John and Rodney's relationship as something more sibling-like. It's why certain stories that involve the boys getting a little more touchy-feely than they normally would (Rodney holding Shep's hand, kneading sore muscles, or - like in your story - sharing a bed because one of them is cold) work for me. The only difference is, in a slash or pre-slash story, there's a sudden realization that the contact is enjoyable or "right". In gen - or at least what I do - there's slight discomfort to it. I wish there were more stories like that where there's an initial discomfort over the boys having to sacrifice their personal space to help each other. I find it adorable, as well as character building as they're stepping out of themselves in order to help someone else.
And, I know this is kind of getting off track but I might as well vent - I can't stand it when an author makes one of the characters gay or bisexual just to be making them gay or bisexual. There was a story I ran into (labeled as gen... yeah right) where some prince drugs Sheppard, and Rodney and Ronon find the two doing something that left me incredibly nauseas. What really bugged me about the story, though, was that at the start there was no indication of Sheppard being into men. But when Rodney and Ronon find Shep and the prince, they're completely blase about it as though that kind of stuff happens all the time. It bugged me that they weren't more upset over Sheppard being drugged and molested.
I may not like slash, but some of the better writers do use it for a purpose that has nothing to do with wanting to write a smut scene. And, from what I heard, the better slash is when the writers stay true to the characters without tipping over into PWP.