sga_saturday | Fic for Week #35: Dragon - Finn Farmwalker (John/Rodney - AU

TITLE: Finn Farmwalker
FANDOM: Stargate Atlantis, sheafrotherdon's Iowa 'verse
PAIRING: John/Rodney
CHARACTERS: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Finn McKay
RATING: PG
WORDS: 1,338
AUTHORS: squidgiepdx and elderwitty
NOTES: This is (with previous permission given) set in sheafrotherdon's Iowa 'verse, which is probably the most famous SGA AU there is, and is what inspired squidgiepdx to get into the SGA fandom. If you've never read it, please do! It's beautiful. Also, of course we're posting a Halloween story in January. Why not? ::grin:: More notes at the end.
SUMMARY: It's Finn McKay's last Halloween as an only child, and John unknowingly gives him the perfect costume idea.

~*~*~

Rodney's off at the lab this fine Saturday afternoon, so John bites the bullet and tackles the chores, focusing on the seemingly self-replicating pile of laundry. When a fall storm kicks up he rescues the sheets off the line, ducking back into the house even as fat raindrops start pelting him.

With Finn still sleeping and laundry no longer an option (darn), John decides to relax in front of the television. Baseball season's over, and the only football features the Colts. He flips channel after channel, dismissing games shows and pundit panels alike. Eventually he hits a classic movie channel and recognizes the opening score of Return of the Jedi. He sits back to watch Vader terrorize the construction crew.

Luke's just been dragged from Jabba's throne room when Finn clumps down the stairs, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The sound effects catch his attention as he comes over to lean into John. "What's dis, Baffa?"

"Hey, 'jumper. Did you have a good nap?"

Finn nods but doesn't look away from the action onscreen. John pulls Finn onto his lap, nuzzling a kiss into his hair (skewed in every possible angle, as is its wont after naptime). "You want to watch this with me?"

"'S not scary, right?" (It turns out that Gremlins is more frightening than funny when you're a kid.)

John assures him it's safe, then settles them into the corner of the sofa while Finn wriggles back against his chest.

The questions start immediately. "Is she going swimming?" "Why is that thing beeping?" "Why does he look like a big doodies?" "What's that thing inna sand?" After the umpteenth interruption, John comes up with a different strategy.

"Baffa, what you doing?"

John finds the entire Star Wars dvd collection upside down between Doctor Who and Thomas the Tank Engine. Or, well, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, anyway. Rodney won't allow the prequels in the house. "They're just... Just... Complete crap! And don't get me started on that Jar Jar character!" John gets to enjoy the entire rant whenever the DVR suggests recording one of them. John turns to his son with the first disc in hand. "This is the first Star Wars movie. The first time I saw it, I wasn't much older than you are now."

Finn's eyes grow big as saucers. "Wow... That must have been a long time ago - you and Daddy's really old!"

John's head slumps to his chest for a moment before he puts the movie on.

~*~*~

They make it through all three movies before Rodney gets home, with John answering every question Finn thinks up. John hears Rodney clatter in and drop his satchel on the kitchen table, even over the epic battle he and Finn are having. He looks up to see Rodney standing against the doorway smiling at the light saber noise John makes with his mouth.

"Hello? Did I miss something?"

"Daddy!" Finn exclaims, running headfirst into Rodney's knees. "We was playin' Star Wars!"

"Star Wars?" Rodney asks skeptically, watching John pick up the remnants of their afternoon snack.

"Yeah, it was on this afternoon." He turns to Finn. "Do the voice for him, 'jumper."

Finn races to the coffee table and returns with Rodney's 'Physicists Do It With a Hadron' coffee mug. He lifts it to his mouth and breathes loudly before intoning. "Daddy! I am your faaathaaaa!"

"Well, now," Rodney says, snatching a quick kiss as John enters the kitchen. "That's just disturbing. What's for dinner?"

~*~*~

The third Saturday before Halloween finds the trio in Target. Rodney is going on about grad students, and Finn is going on about Halloween, so it's up to John to guide them through the store and their shopping list. Finn spots the costume display and takes off like a shot. As they track him to the costume aisle, Finn jumps out wearing a Darth Vader mask. "Canna have it? Please?"

Rodney says, "You said you wanted to be a dragon for Halloween."

"And I thought you wanted to be a pirate, buddy," John adds.

Finn crosses his arms, and John can only imagine the determined face the three-year-old is wearing behind the mask. "You sure, 'jumper?" John asks, hiding his amusement at the rapidly bobbing black helmet. He exchanges looks with Rodney before conceding, knowing that this will be Finn's last Halloween as an only child.

"YIS!" Finn yells joyfully, thrusting his hands into the air before diving back into the rack of costumes, chattering excitedly and looking for a black cape.

~*~*~

Mid-October, and the farm is aflame; the reds, oranges and yellows of fall blazing against a cloudless blue sky. John sets up a pot of coffee in anticipation of Rodney's return from the store. Earlier, he managed to convince Finn, who's worn his full Darth Vader costume every day for a week now, to emerge from his Death Star (the quilt Ada Gunderson made, pinched in his top dresser drawer and draping down over the puzzle table) and go play in the yard. Stepping out on the porch, he sees Finn standing under his tree house, thrusting his hands at Burp. Three or four repetitions later, he walks over to see what's going on.

Gloved hands stretch and tremble as Finn gestures towards the dog again. "Whatcha you doing, puddlejumper?" John asks.

"Trying to use The Force."

John smiles. It figures that Finn would love Darth Vader just like his father does. "Okay. Try again. But this time, move your hands like this." He demonstrates a more sinister gesture, which Finn practices while Burp patiently sits and nods his head back and forth between them. "Ready?" John asks.

He's answered with the back of the mask as Finn turns to confront Burp. Once out of his son's view, John gets Burp's attention with a raised hand. "Okay, try it now," he instructs. As Finn uses the new motion, John gives the "sit" hand signal and is instantly obeyed.

"Wow...." Finn whispers, voice full of awe.

"You did it, 'jumper!" John says proudly. He reaches down to ruffle Finn's hair and gets a handful of plastic instead.

As John turns to leave, Finn tries the move again, only to be met by a furry tongue bath. "Baffa! 's not working!"

Which is how John spends the next hour trailing Finn around the farm, helping him use The Force.

~*~*~

Rodney's car crunches to a halt in the driveway. He slowly gathers his bags and climbs out, distracted by what John and Finn are up to. Finn is waving at the front porch light, which turns on and off at short intervals. John's standing in the doorway, one hand out of view inside the house.

"There's your dad," John says and Finn hops off the porch, his muddied black cape flapping behind him.

"Hey, buddy," Rodney says as Finn dodges past, nearly taking him out at the knees as he runs to plant himself in front of the car. Rodney shrugs it off and heads up the steps, giving John a hello kiss while dropping a couple bags on a porch chair. "Do I want to know what's going on this time?"

In answer, John reaches into Rodney's pocket and pulls out his keychain. "You gotta stand a little closer, 'jumper," John calls, and they watch as Finn approaches the car, hands at the ready.

"There should do it," John says, turning to grin at Rodney as Finn throws his hands out. On his third try, John hits the remote start button, and he and Rodney smile and laugh as a startled Finn triumphantly punches his fists in the air as part of his 'man overcoming machine' dance.

"You know, next year," Rodney says, "if he decides he wants to be Iron Man or Superman, you're going to have to tell him that he can't really fly."

John laughs and agrees, but secretly believes that Rodney's smart enough to figure something out before Halloween rolls around again.

end

NOTES THE SECOND: This is a WIP that we've had for quite a while, and decided to pull it out for the SGA Saturday "dragon" prompt. As you may recognize, Finn's antics are inspired by a Volkswagen commercial. If you haven't seen it, I have it in my LJ at: http://squidgiepdx.livejournal.com/24125.html