Crap...LJ ate my first attempt at a response as I was writing it....let's try this again.
One of the many upsides to taking a vacation day is that I could read this story immediately instead of waiting to get home.
The balance between the political and personal, the international and the domestic, works perfectly here. As usual there's a strong connection, parallel, bond between what goes on in the big wide world and within the apartment. What's fascinating is that despite the difference in scale, both are of equal importance (for Erik)...and I'd argue that the personal is slowly pulling ahead. It puts Erik in a particularly interesting spot. Not only is he trying to balance the needs and expectations of mutants worldwide, but he has to take into account Charles' life, Erik's own desires (and conflicting emotions). That kind of layered complexity is what sets this story, like a few others, apart -- these characters feel real.
How interesting to see Charles and Erik arguing, debating, disagreeing without it devolving into defensiveness. There's a time when Erik would have gone the route of a knee-jerk reaction, but now we can see that he values Charles' opinion, his intelligence. Where Erik is a realist (almost too cynically so), Charles is an idealist (almost too naively so). Those differing viewpoints are a perfect counterbalance. Both keep the other in check but they also force the other (and themselves) to think beyond a comfort zone and realize the immensity of what needs to be dealt with.
One of my favourite scenes is when they're in bed together and Erik wakes up from his nightmare. He and Charles have a quiet but incredibly important discussion, paralleling the new world order with what happened during WWI. What's telling is that they can have this discussion, see the value in, feel it on a personal level, and Erik DOESN'T get defensive, but is reflective. He sees the similarities. Charles doesn't sugarcoat it. They both see the vicious cycle of the oppressed becoming the oppressor -- a tale as old as time, whether it involves humans and/or mutants. It's the very fact that they can talk about it that I think bode somewhat well for their relationship -- whether things end on a good or bad note. They see the truth in each other, no blinders, no dressing things up pretty.
The moment here where they do get into a near full blown fight is when it comes down to the more personal -- Charles wanting to publish his work, wanting to be doing something instead of losing his identity to cabin fever and fucked up politics. And Erik can appreciate that but is also hyper aware of what needs to be done and maintained to protect what he loves and to retain some semblance of balance, of control.
And that need for control bleeds into his growing possessiveness with Charles (and, again, I love that you have Erik aware of this to a certain degree). As someone who felt unworthy of love for much of his life, having Charles return his feelings is both awe-inspiring and nerve wracking. Even though it means Erik has a weakness, something worth losing, something that could destroy him, he's also continuing to manifest the situation, WANTING to be the centre of Charles' world, wanting something for himself not sullied by all the other bullshit even though this very situation is a consequence of it. If I recall correctly in one of earliest chapters Erik had considered getting Charles a cat for company but decided against it because he didn't want to fight for attention, love...sounds similar to his jealousy towards Kurt (not in a cruel way, but in a pretty natural way).
Why do I feel like Charles' publishing his work (through Hank, under a false name) is going to be the start of a whole new set of dominoes falling? His work will be recognizable enough, motivating enough for underground humans and mutants who are not totally down with the "fuck the humans" brigade. Imagine that -- Charles work (unintentionally) being the catalyst for humans to band together and reestablish a leadership that can serve as a representative against Magneto...hmmmm...and with Charles and Erik living together, in love...hmmmmm....fasten your seatbelts. This could be a bumpy ride :-)
Re: FILL: Everyday Love in Stockholm 161/?
One of the many upsides to taking a vacation day is that I could read this story immediately instead of waiting to get home.
The balance between the political and personal, the international and the domestic, works perfectly here. As usual there's a strong connection, parallel, bond between what goes on in the big wide world and within the apartment. What's fascinating is that despite the difference in scale, both are of equal importance (for Erik)...and I'd argue that the personal is slowly pulling ahead. It puts Erik in a particularly interesting spot. Not only is he trying to balance the needs and expectations of mutants worldwide, but he has to take into account Charles' life, Erik's own desires (and conflicting emotions). That kind of layered complexity is what sets this story, like a few others, apart -- these characters feel real.
How interesting to see Charles and Erik arguing, debating, disagreeing without it devolving into defensiveness. There's a time when Erik would have gone the route of a knee-jerk reaction, but now we can see that he values Charles' opinion, his intelligence. Where Erik is a realist (almost too cynically so), Charles is an idealist (almost too naively so). Those differing viewpoints are a perfect counterbalance. Both keep the other in check but they also force the other (and themselves) to think beyond a comfort zone and realize the immensity of what needs to be dealt with.
One of my favourite scenes is when they're in bed together and Erik wakes up from his nightmare. He and Charles have a quiet but incredibly important discussion, paralleling the new world order with what happened during WWI. What's telling is that they can have this discussion, see the value in, feel it on a personal level, and Erik DOESN'T get defensive, but is reflective. He sees the similarities. Charles doesn't sugarcoat it. They both see the vicious cycle of the oppressed becoming the oppressor -- a tale as old as time, whether it involves humans and/or mutants. It's the very fact that they can talk about it that I think bode somewhat well for their relationship -- whether things end on a good or bad note. They see the truth in each other, no blinders, no dressing things up pretty.
The moment here where they do get into a near full blown fight is when it comes down to the more personal -- Charles wanting to publish his work, wanting to be doing something instead of losing his identity to cabin fever and fucked up politics. And Erik can appreciate that but is also hyper aware of what needs to be done and maintained to protect what he loves and to retain some semblance of balance, of control.
And that need for control bleeds into his growing possessiveness with Charles (and, again, I love that you have Erik aware of this to a certain degree). As someone who felt unworthy of love for much of his life, having Charles return his feelings is both awe-inspiring and nerve wracking. Even though it means Erik has a weakness, something worth losing, something that could destroy him, he's also continuing to manifest the situation, WANTING to be the centre of Charles' world, wanting something for himself not sullied by all the other bullshit even though this very situation is a consequence of it. If I recall correctly in one of earliest chapters Erik had considered getting Charles a cat for company but decided against it because he didn't want to fight for attention, love...sounds similar to his jealousy towards Kurt (not in a cruel way, but in a pretty natural way).
Why do I feel like Charles' publishing his work (through Hank, under a false name) is going to be the start of a whole new set of dominoes falling? His work will be recognizable enough, motivating enough for underground humans and mutants who are not totally down with the "fuck the humans" brigade. Imagine that -- Charles work (unintentionally) being the catalyst for humans to band together and reestablish a leadership that can serve as a representative against Magneto...hmmmm...and with Charles and Erik living together, in love...hmmmmm....fasten your seatbelts. This could be a bumpy ride :-)