round 3 overflow post

[starkmodistries.livejournal.com]

Round 3 Overflow Post

This post is for Round 3 fills only. We ask that when a round hits 8500 comments, fillers begin moving their fills to this post.

Format:
SUBJECT LINE -- Round #, short description of fic (ex: "Alex/Hank, lab partners")
--- Link to the prompt
--- Text of the prompt

--- Link to the fill
OR
--- Entire text of the fill

EXAMPLE:
Prompt: http://xmen-firstkink.livejournal.com/6437.html?thread=1038472#t2038174

Charles/Erik -- Charles is a bakery owner whose most frequent customer is Erik.

Fill: http://xmen-firstkink.livejournal.com/6437.html?thread=0139482#t4502942

Charles started off the morning the same way he always did...

Comments

Part 1 of Reply

[levitatethis.livejournal.com]

I have nothing but admiration and utter respect (and awe) for what you've created here. It's nothing short of brilliant.

This final update alone had my eyes tearing up and my heart pounding hard. Where does one start when trying to convey absolute adoration for a work of passion -- and that's what this was...over months you've created and constructed a living, breathing world filled with layered characters who were never black and white but technicolour.

Throughout the journey the idealistic side of me was yearning (against hope) for a happy-type ending, but given the subject matter, given the intensity of emotions rife throughout this fic, I didn't know if it would be possible and prepared myself for the worst. But you've done it -- while still being true to the characters and their own personal journey's, while never losing sight of the larger overarching story, you've written a believable, plausible, hopeful ending for Erik and Charles and for that I'm forever grateful (that's how attached I've become to your story).

In many ways, Erik thinks, he’s as trapped by love as Charles is, because while Charles cannot bear to stay, Erik cannot bear to let him go.

What a beautiful summation of tragic love -- two people who love each other with everything but cannot be together in the way they want...someone (both) is bound to get hurt and it doesn't make their love any less. It reminds us how potent and consuming it is. How much pain our hearts can take, are willing to suffer for the taste of perfection.

The character growth throughout your story is wonderful. Erik in particular is a thing of beauty...to see where he starts and where he ends up. How much do I love that he sorts out a working compromise with Moira, that he does it for Charles and because it's the right thing to do. This is an Erik who is thinking beyond himself. He's changed for the good (and it's something that is re-iterated after the shit hits the fan and Charles is gone and Erik spirals down, trying to convince himself that being alone is better because he has no one to bother or challenge him, to cause problems, when we all know how empty it all is without Charles prodding him, forcing him to think beyond his comfort zone, to be a better leader).

Part 2 of Reply

[levitatethis.livejournal.com]

Their quiet moments together, strained but still connected are heavy with what's not being said but can't be ignored and when Charles initiates that frantic, final night together I just knew...that and Azazel's earlier expression aimed at Erik...I wondered if Kurt would unintentionally be the one to blow this open. Oh man, the way the confrontation plays out -- fantastic. I like how you kept it simple and quiet rather than over the top dramatic. I like that Emma and Azazel could be confused and frustrated, but in a way also understanding (Emma moreso given she can slip into Erik's mind and sees the fierceness of his feelings towards Charles). Though they ultimately keep his secret for the purposes of keeping what they've built from crumbling, on a personal level it does speak toward the familial, friendly bonds they've come to share.

My heart broke when Erik admits to Charles he was going to let him go and then Azazel takes him away. You wrote it so beautifully, so heartwrenchingly. Gorgeous.

And, of course, the epilogue. Totally the ending that rocks my world every which way to Sunday. It's the perfect call back to a dreamed of life Erik never thought they'd get to share -- him and Charles walking out in the open together, in a garden, surrounded by a brilliant explosion of colour, the two of them uncompromised (Erik still stoic and powerful but now more at ease in his position and in possession of a heart, something many thought he lacked as he put up a cold, unflinching front, and Charles, free, sharing his ideas with the world, allowed to be who he wants to be) and still utterly in love with each other.

And the extra bit of awesomeness -- them both putting their hearts on the line -- Charles refusing to go backwards, insisting on being true to himself and Erik loving that, feeling in control of his own desires, and want to court Charles. It's truly the beginning for them of something beautiful.

I could go on and on. There's so much to say about this story but I fear I've rambled on long enough. So let me say thank you -- Thank you for writing such a wonderful story. It's been an honour to have read it from the start.

Re: Part 2 of Reply

[tahariel.livejournal.com]

I'd like to say, first, how happy your reviews have always made me - because you put so much thought and attention into reading the fic, it's made it feel really worthwhile to have put so much effort into writing it, so I appreciate it, so much. I am very lucky to have a reader like you!

I'm so glad you liked what I did with the ending for the fic. This is what i'd always planned, of course, but it's always a risk, ending a complex fic that's had so many differing points of view applied to it throughout, so the positive response makes me breathe a sigh of relief! The main thing for me was that while Erik's hand is, in some ways, forced, it had to be his choice, his decision, or it invalidated all of the steps he'd made up until this point, all of his character development. And they could never have a hopeful ending without Charles being free (and I always intended for it to be hopeful, even if it's open.)

I could talk about the process of decision-making in this fic for hours, because it ended up being very complex and involved, but I'm just really happy to have found an audience for it, and one that sees the choices I've made, so thank you very much!