Football AU: Now That I Am in Madrid and Can Think 20/22

[an_only_tree]

Now That I Am in Madrid and Can Think 20/22
Rating: R (swearing, grownup stuff, etc.)
Summary: Xabi's fat kid nickname really was Sabrina. The Fat Frank tape is horribly real (do your own googling, please).

Comments

[papper_docka]

I was thinking, blah, he lives?? while trying to not be too disappointed (even though, yeah, he may or may not make very far), but then I thought that maybe you're not trying to tell a story as gloomy as I've been anticipating, but there's second chances, learning from mistakes, getting another try and all that.
“It’s an honest ending.” That's what I take as the moral of this story. Living anything else but honest to yourself is a pretty shitty life (so stop cheating, Steven!;)). Your Xabi has it easier, he's all reborn and transformed by the cancer experience, Stevie should set his priorities right too. Well, all it would take is for what's-her-name to accept that Xabi has a piece of his heart and there doesn't need to be any more guilt-tripping and dishonesty. ;) Yeah, I know, I'm one very weird reader for this fandom, what am I even doing here?
You know what I liked most about this chapter though? Your descriptions of the location! Everything, from the breeze to the fishy to the verdejo to the twilight skies. It made me yearn to be there! And it makes me WANT vacation to be here already...

[an_only_tree]

blah, he lives??

I know, I know... :D I may get an idea later where killing him off would not be only extremely savory and satisfactory, but also integral to the story and... organic to it. So all is not lost (well, you already know he doesn't have much time left anyway) ;), although for this one yes, you got the gist of it better than I could ever articulate it.

That's what I take as the moral of this story. Living anything else but honest to yourself is a pretty shitty life (so stop cheating, Steven!;)). Your Xabi has it easier

Poor Stevie's not ready though and not everyone gets redeemed to a full degree because well... you already know I don't like finality very much. So he's stuck somewhere in the middle and it may be too late for him, while Jake is more of a grownup than the two of them put together and Xabi gets there eventually. Not everyone can be saved, but I was going by some sort of balance with the end.

You already know how badly I CRAVED the sea that night, but it worked because that is also my favorite part of the whole story and it's helped a lot.