Title: Falling Slowly
Author: melonbutterfly
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Pairing: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Genre: Alternate Universe, Romance, First Time, Angst, Drama, Sentient Atlantis
Rating: R
Word Count: 39,305
Summary: Things proceed a little different than planned for the Expedition when they find the city of the Ancients already somewhat occupied. By mermaids. Rodney especially doesn’t expect one of those mermaids (mermen?) to fixate on him of all people.
Why You Should Read This:
This is a fascinating AR fic. Upon arrival in Atlantis, the expedition is trapped in the gate room. Unable to access any of the consoles or gate, the doors remaining stubbornly closed, fear and desperation sets in. Since Atlantis is already in use by the people of the Pegasus Galaxy, the decision on whether they can stay or not is taken out of their hands, leading to uncertainty. The author creates a fascinating mermaid society (though it’s only touched upon lightly, due to everything else going on), and merman!John is adorable. There are some spelling/grammar errors, but the plot and the characterization is so fascinating I really didn’t mind. The ending is a little rushed, but this is still very much an enjoyable read.
