meridian_rose

A rec list of Stargate:Atlantis fics for the genprompt_bingo prompt "exhaustion"


1. Hypnos and Phobetor (386 words) by eretria
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Rodney McKay, Carson Beckett, Elizabeth Weir
Additional Tags: Episode Tag, Jossed
Summary: "Four days without sleep. She wonders if he's already hallucinating."
Tag for the Siege II
That fic is registered AO3 users only due to AI scraping, but I think I originally read it at an LJ community and I did manage to find the original on the author's LJ https://eretria.livejournal.com/234758.html
When deciding on the rec list this was the main fic I was thinking of. It's short but the right length for this story. Set after the episode Siege II, Weir tries to talk to a distraught, sleep-deprived, exhausted McKay who in his guilt hasn't slept for four days.
"I don't want comfort."
"I'm not here to give any."
They're both too good at this.
As it is so short I won't give away the ending but it's perfectly in character.

2. A look in your eye I can't explain (833 words) by puddlejumperpilot
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Rodney McKay & John Sheppard
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard
Additional Tags: Exhaustion, Post-Episode: s02e01 The Siege Part 3 (Stargate Atlantis), Sleep Deprivation, Hallucinations, Rodney McKay Whump, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, can be read as romantic or platonic
Series: Part 3 of Whumptober 2023
Summary: “What’s wrong?!”
Rodney scrambled backwards, colliding into John and sending them both to the floor, before untangling himself and slamming his back into the wall.
“What do you mean?! Shoot the thing!” He pulled his knees to his chest and covered his eyes.
Rodney flinched as he felt a hand on his wrist.
“Rodney, what the hell is going on? There’s nothing here!”
This is set after Siege III. That episode arc certainly gave fic writers a lot of h/c and whump ideas! There are some other post Siege fics with exhausted!McKay on AO3.
Again McKay is exhausted and sleep-deprived, in character as he always pushes himself hard. Here he begins hallucinating and it's up to Sheppard to take care of him.

3. By Sleep to Say We End (296 words) by viciouswishes
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Elizabeth Weir, Carson Beckett, John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Kate Heightmeyer
Summary: Elizabeth didn't want to sleep so soon.
This is a very short fic with a nice look at Weir'd backstory. Set after the episode "The Real World", and everything she went through, Weir is exhausted but doesn't want to sleep - and dream.

4. Only a Day Away (931 words) by Xparrot
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard
Additional Tags: Fluff, Sleep Deprivation
No Summary provided
Set after season 5 episode 5. This is a more fluffy and shippy fic as Sheppard takes care of McKay when he's working himself into exhaustion and refusing to sleep. Sheppard gets him safely to bed and reassures him everything will be all right, soothing McKay enough for him to get some rest.

5. Fighting in a blindfold (668 words) by hakubo
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay
Additional Tags: Episode Tag, Exhaustion, Hurt/Comfort, Undressing, Community: hc_bingo
Summary: Both Elizabeth and Teyla have been telling him Rodney was overdoing it, but John didn't think it was so bad he's sleeping standing up.
I think this is post season one episode ten. McKay has been tortured by Kolya and Sheppard is still angry about that. McKay is so exhausted he's falling asleep on his feet, and when Sheppard takes him to bed he asks Sheppard to stay so he knows he's safe, that this is real. Somewhat fluffy and shippy.

6. Rest Your Weary Heart (1056 words) by Zinnith
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Exhaustion, Mission Gone Wrong
Summary: John is tired. Rodney helps.
An exhausted Sheppard post-mission gone bad, covered in mud, benefits from McKay's help to get showered and into bed. Shippy fic with fluffy, bed sharing, end.