SGA John babysitting plotbunny

[icarus]

So I have this plotbunny where John's a sullen teenager, watching Gilligan's Island reruns, bouncing a tennis ball off the wall and catching it while his dad's on the phone. John's silently pissed off that his (single parent, military) father spends all his spare time whoring around, ignoring John.

And John can call it "whoring around" so long as he doesn't slip and actually say it.

Then when one of his dad's girlfriends' cancels because she can't find a sitter, John finds himself volunteered for the job.

The phone cord wound between them as dad intercepted the tennis ball absently, the break in its steady rhythm sudden and frustrating. Dad coiled his hand around the ball as he tucked his thumb into a beltloop. "Sure. John's an A student."

An A student? John shot him a funny look. Maybe if you discounted every subject besides gym.

"He'd love to."

Uh-oh. John concentrated on the TV, brows drawn together, hoping to block out his dad and look extremely busy. His mind spun through various excuses he could give to get out of whatever-it-was.

~*~*~

On the drive over: It was weird. He felt like he was riding shotgun on a date with his dad.

~*~*~

"You look just like your father," she said, hands clasped in front of her dress.

Yeah. John was small and skinny with dark hair and hazel eyes, while his dad was tall, sandy-haired and broad-shouldered, with bright blue eyes. But he could see the resemblance if you, like, ignored reality. Still, John had long ago accepted that adults saw whatever they wanted to see. Dad's hand lay heavily on his shoulder like a warning, so John just gave her a tight condescending smile.

"And this is Ethan," she said, as proud as a mamma cat, drawing someone forward. A small blond kid with a round face and hair cut into bangs edged around, clinging to her skirt with both hands. His puffy eyes radiated pure hate, but John's dad squatted down, oblivious to danger, saying, "Hey, aren't you a handsome guy?"

He winked up at his girlfriend, who positively beamed. The kid shrank away.

"He's shy," she explained, her smile turning crooked and embarrassed. The kid whined to be picked up, on the verge of tears, tugging on her dress with no little violence. Unbelievably, she complied.

And John was going to be babysitting this brat? Fuck.

His dad's hand thumped his back as John stood, stock still, wishing there was a way out of this. "Good luck, John. We'll see you two at ten o'clock."

He and the kid had a bonding moment as they stared after their respective parents in mutual rage, watching his dad holding the door for the kid's mom.



Of course, I have finals, Out Of Bounds, the John-screws-up fic, and, oh yeah, finals this week. *Beats plot bunnies down with a hammer*

Comments

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

...and where's Rodney in this scenario? & ;-)

(I like it, though. But yes, OOB, it beckons. I'm sure.)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

It's connected to my sga_flashfic superpowers story (http://community.livejournal.com/sga_flashfic/412544.html). But this is as far as it's going to get, yessir.

Icarus

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Ah! Okay. Cheers.

[druidspell.livejournal.com]

*grins* I will proudly and happily accept the blame for this. Because it is awesome--especially John's sarcastic inner voice.
he could see the resemblance if you, like, ignored reality
Gold. Pure gold.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I see John as a quiet but petulant teenager, seeming to be a nice cooperative kid on the surface as he stews. His dad knows better of course, but he chalks it up to teenage hormones. He doesn't see his own responsibility, that it's hard for a kid -- who's already separated from his dad a lot -- to be abandoned even when his dad's on base.

Icarus

[moojja.livejournal.com]

You should write this. B/c John as a sullen teenager needs to be written.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Hanging out with some scruffy, slightly nerdy friends? In that limbo between "good enough at sports to be picked during gym" and "smart enough B-student to hang out with the unambitious nerds"? Moving from Air Force Base to Air Force Base, so sometimes it's just too hard to deal with a new set of strangers (again) so he plays video games and watches TV?

Icarus

[moojja.livejournal.com]

(Squee of joy)Yes, it needs to be written.

I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I picture John as a totally average not-quite-cool kid who turned out good-looking later, so he's never quite gotten used to it.

Icarus

Re: I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like that take on John.

I'm sure the plot bunny can be beaten down, to bide its time and pounce once again at a more appropriate time (after we have more OoB and after finals...). :)

Re: I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I think during jury duty next week I might be able to do a little of this. Although my main focus will be Out of Bounds and that John-Screws-Up fic.

Icarus

[bibliokat.livejournal.com]

Yes! It gets my vote;)

[wolfshark]

*adds to your to-do list*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*watches the to-do list scroll across the floor and around the block*

*twitch*

Icarus (snickering)

[rike-tikki-tavi.livejournal.com]

Very very cute, but still *hands you ACME bomb* because I want to see the next part of Out Of Bounds.

Oh yes, and passing finals would be good for you, too. ;-)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Yeah, passing finals is probably a good idea.

Icarus

[ansku]

Sounds great, I'd like to read that :) Maybe you could lock it up and keep feeding it until you have time to play with it ;)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I'll keep it on the back burner.

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

no, no, don't beat the poor bunnies!!!
I think this whole fandom has a king for sullen-teen!John. And how couldn't we?

This was awesome.