Love there that's sleeping

[selenak]

Title: Love there that's sleeping

Pairings: Paul/George as dysfunctional brothers; George/Ringo friendship; John/Paul implied

Rating: PG 13

Warnings: Cursing; events not in linear, chronological order (but as George remembers them)

Summary: George and Paul through the years.

Disclaimer: Everything is fiction and unowned by yours truly. Title

Comments

[grl_in_red]

Awwwww... I literally can't stop saying that in my head right now... sooo sweet there at the end, and the rest of it, even/especially the sad/bitter/angry parts, was SO RIGHT. Seriously, you have Paul and George down to a fine art. And I can't stop admiring your Paul, who really and truly is difficult to pin down in fic and make real. You did it though. Wonderful.

The Taxman thing seemed to literally break my heart. I'm still getting little twinging aches from that part. Because oh GOD I can feel where George is coming from, and it all just seems too cruel really. And George pleading with Paul silently to not do it and then Paul doing it and doing it fast and perfect... it was a moment in a fic where I DIDN'T want Paul to be so goddamned talented, and that is very rare. That was probably my favorite scene, because I think it said SO MUCH about their relationship, and also about the influence John had on their relationship, with Paul looking at John and rolling his eyes because John is bored, and so Paul is too. That was painful.

The wedding scene was cute, which reminds me that I think you did an incredible job of yanking the reader back and forth between sweet scenes and heart-wrenching ones. I love that. Also, I always thought Paul looked SO DRUNK in those wedding pictures, so I liked that you put that in.

And just the HINT of J/P in John's absolute anger and bitter viciousness, and Ringo trying to tell George this is going to far and being done for the wrong reasons... and MY FAVORITE part being George KNOWING that Paul will never notice a George-written song about him, but he will immediately notice a John-written one. And so he has to make his point through John. That was very very good, and I think it's actually exactly right. I think George was right there, and I think George probably participated for that reason.

And I loved the part where George tries to be really horrible about the "dead mothers club" but Paul just says "bullshit" and keeps holding him. That was gorgeous. And it kind of made me love Paul, and love them together.

Basically... I loved all of this. xD I'm putting this in Memories... I honestly feel like you captured George and Paul's complex and roller-coaster relationship better than anyone has to date. This was absolutely incredible to read. Thank you so much for posting this. I'm so happy you did. :)

[selenak]

Well, the encouragement you gave me was instrumental for going from "there is this one scene featuring George and Paul I want to write" to "hell, I'll write a story about the entire George & Paul relationship!" Which as you know fascinates me.

The Taxman sequence - yes, she says sadistically, heartbreak on George's behalf was totally the goal. (Not least because one has to understand where George is coming from in the HDYS sessions.) It's based on Geoff Emerick's description which, much as I like Geoff, make you cringe because he's so oblivious to what "There was a bit of a tension in that session because George had a great deal of trouble playing the solo (...). So George Martin went into the studio and, as diplomatically as possible, announced that he wanted Paul to have a go at the solo instead. (...) Paul's solo was stunning in its ferocity (...) and was accomplished in just a take or two. It was so good, in fact, that George Martin had me fly it in again during the song's fadeout" must have felt like to George. And then it occured to me that in the days before Ian McDonald and Mark Lewisohn and the way they combed the EMI logs and session tapes to publish who played what, people must have assumed the solo on Taxman was one of George's signature pieces, so he probably heard "love your solo on Taxman, George!" a lot by sincere and well-intentioned admirers, which must have been salt in the wound for years.

Paul as drunken best man in George's wedding photographs is hilarious and had to be included. The story about Pattie's little brothers is from her memoirs (and also I think tells you something about Paul in a good way - that he noticed the boys were bored and, drunken or not, played with them to help with that; I immediately remembered all the boring family celebrations I ever attended as a child and teen!).

Re: John in HDYS - I suppose you've read hb_princess' story "The Last One To Know"? To me it contains the ultimate take on John during that session and that would have inhibited me but for the George point of view and that it was about George's motives, so I could write my own take on that as well. Glad George's reason works for you!

The "dead mothers club" jibe and Paul's reaction was the very first thing I thought of back when I only wanted to write a single scene, so that started the story, in a way!

[grl_in_red]

Haha glad I could be your enabler in that way. xD I will claim any credit I can get my hands on!

Oh yes, I remember that part in Geoff's book... and you're right, he's just so completely oblivious to how that (obviously!) must have negatively affected George. He's just such a Paul-fan, which is fine, but it explains some things. Also, yeah you're so right that people would have complimented George on the guitar solo and OH yeah... salt in the wound indeed.

Paul + kids = total cuteness, always.

I remember reading that story, but I don't quite REMEMBER. xD I do think, however, that telling the HDYS story from George's POV was such a great way to do it originally, and especially the way you told it.

[selenak]

The tale in question.

I imagine the worst case scenario re: compliments for George was probably this one:

Admirer: "George, I just saw Let it Be, and really, what an arrogant ass Paul must be to imagine he could tell you how to play guitar! You're such a great lead guitar player, one of the best in the world! That solo in Taxman alone..."

[grl_in_red]

xDDD Oh. My. God. -wheezes from laughter-

Heads off to read that story again...