Working-class folks

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see some stories where our beloved characters are lower- or working-class folks, or from that background.  Canon-verse, pre- or post-series, or AUs, or whatever.  I'm particularly interested in Earth-based stories, but Pegasus is good too.  And as always, I love McShep, but I'll happily look at anything- please warn for pairings though.  (I am currently on a Lorne kick, as well?)

It's just... there are so many, many stories that have John and Rodney in particular buying manors and gadgets and planes and dozens of laptops and going on spending sprees while back on Earth on leave... and those are fun, in an escapist sort of way.  But I also love the stories where they're wearing hand-me-downs and wishing they could afford a garage as they chip ice off the windshield and maybe occasionally have a little trouble making rent.  Or fics where one person can't fathom another's spending habits, because frugality was beaten into them young?

Comments

[neth-dugan.livejournal.com]

I don't know of any myself, and as a working class gal I think this is a great idea for the pre-series stuff. But when they go on spending sprees it's usually cause they haven't been using their pay, and won't be using their pay in the future. And on top of what is probably a pretty good salary for being heads of departments I expect they get a lot of danger pay. It's not cause they were rich before.


Though, ah, John may have been.


But seconding the request of this sort of fic pre-series.

[shibela.livejournal.com]

There's quite a few AU fics, where John's not living high on the hog, and Rodney...well, Rodney's still in a high-paying position, so I don't know how that'll work for you.

In case you're interested, these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:


The "On Life and Living" (http://home.comcast.net/~wesleysgirl/sgafic.html) series by wesleysgirl -- John may have been well-off at one point, but health-care costs have pretty much eaten up most of his monetary padding, and life insurance benefits aren't going to last forever. (Ends up McShep w/daughter being John's)

"Made for each other" (http://velocitygrass.livejournal.com/11569.html#cutid1) by velocitygrass is pinging me on this request, but I'm not for sure it fits -- either way, it's a "John & Rodney first meet as children", so technically they don't have their own money... alright, so that one's pushing it, but it's still worth a read. (If I remember correctly, this one ends up being McShep in the future)

"Country Roads (Take Me Home)" (http://community.livejournal.com/sga_santa/186028.html) by krabapple sticks out for the fact that 'grown-up' John manages to travel back in time & meets himself as a child & meets his then-living mom, he has little to no money & ends up being hired by his mom to help with house repairs/renovations, using that money to purchase a temporary place while he (and Rodney) try to get back to Atlantis. (McShep pairing)

"Animal Husbandry" (http://www.casspeach.com/sga_fic/animal.html) by Casspeach has John pretty much living hand to mouth, trying to save so he can open his own ranch/stable. Rodney, though, is a vet, and so is not quite so hard-up. Money issues are a pretty big part of this fic, and not every character is rolling in the dough so-to-speak. (McShep pairing)

"Wide Open Ocean" (http://setissma.livejournal.com/502555.html) by setissma has John struggling to keep his head above the water. Rodney? Not so much. (McShep pairing)

"The Proposition" (http://jane-elliot.livejournal.com/13463.html) by jane_elliot has John owning his own company, but, again, is struggling to balance his bills with incoming work. And Rodney, of course, is very much well-off in this fic. (McShep pairing) There is a sequel to this story, but it doesn't really fit your request -- just so you're aware if you want to follow-up on it just because that's how you roll. ;)

"Converging" (http://purna.livejournal.com/22055.html) by purna has John living out of his car because he's using his money - as much as he can - to help his friend Holland's family with meeting Holland's medical bills. Rodney is again pretty well off as he's working for the SGC in this fic. (McShep pairing)

"Counterpoint" (http://www.wraithbait.com/viewstory.php?sid=4332) by Nestra has John working as Rodney's personal assistant because no one will hire an ex-con. As such, John's working to live & Rodney's pretty well-off. (McShep pairing)

"That Kind of Girl" (http://www.wraithbait.com/viewstory.php?sid=15411) by miera may or may not fit your request, but bears mentioning for the fact that John & Cameron are ex-USAF firefighters & Elizabeth ends up leaving D.C. for Denver -- not so much on the struggle for money, but definitely not high rollers. This is a very NC-17 threesome John/Elizabeth/Cameron pairing, with not much on the slash side of things but with yearnings towards the end - pretty darned hot AU.

[keenoled.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that bunch, that is quite an extensive rec list. :)

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a lot! Thanks, it'll take me awhile to work through those.

[eccentricweft.livejournal.com]

Thanks to dhrachth who found this on sgastoryfinders. A Victim of the Times (http://iibnf.livejournal.com/1203599.html) has John going back in time to Rodney's teenage years to find that he was selling himself to get enough money for his school fees.

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

Oh, excellent, I think I'd seen that before but I had forgotten about it. Thanks!

[busaikko]

Self-rec, with warnings: Building Bombs. John and Rodney are teens working in a pharmacy, and John in particular is not doing well. Warning for major character death.

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

Well, with a title like that, it promises not to be boring. Thanks!

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Always like to see Carson.

[raphe1.livejournal.com]

Hmm, in contrast to the lovely first post, John is rich but takes a bet to see if he can live a year as a "regular" person. Rodney is poor.

The Amazing Quest of John Sheppard by Forcryinoutloud

http://www.wraithbait.com/viewstory.php?sid=8582

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting premise. Thanks for the link!

[angellec.livejournal.com]

Go to Yin-again.com/sgaindex. Yin has quite a lot of them that fit your request from John being a dog walker to they all work in a mall. Very diverse. She has a really good series where John and Rodney are porn stars for studios called Gfgp run by the ladies of Atlantis.

[katiebgood.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the mall stories. Excellent, I wasn't sure where to find those, I appreciate it!

[(Anonymous)]

There's Junk Cheap by Devildoll?
http://devildoll.livejournal.com/751627.html

[(Anonymous)]

They're both scrambling for money at least a little bit in icarusancalion's giant figure skating AU, "Out of Bounds".

http://www.icarus.slashcity.net/stories/outofbounds.html

Her site still say WiP for that, but I'm sure it's finished on her lj. It's wonderful, and very seasonal, what with the Olympics being on.