Naruto fic: "Haven 4/4" (Naruto/Gaara, NC - 17)
Title: Haven 4/4
Pairing(s): Naruto/Gaara (unresolved SasuNaru in the back)
Warning(s): Angst-a-bundle.
Genre(s): … angst? Introspection?
Rating: NC - 17
Word Length: 22,500 (in total)
Description: Temari wasn’t entirely honest when she sought Naruto’s help. She said Gaara had been missing for a few days, but he’d been missing for a few weeks ( Read more... )
Pairing(s): Naruto/Gaara (unresolved SasuNaru in the back)
Warning(s): Angst-a-bundle.
Genre(s): … angst? Introspection?
Rating: NC - 17
Word Length: 22,500 (in total)
Description: Temari wasn’t entirely honest when she sought Naruto’s help. She said Gaara had been missing for a few days, but he’d been missing for a few weeks ( Read more... )
Your Naruto was terrific, so much IC that it hurt and I love, love how you portrayed his vulnerability, his strength and loyalty - towards Sasuke, his beliefs and, lastly, Gaara himself. I liked that he didn't forget about Sasuke, but, in the end, also accepted that he needed happiness in his life as well; reading this seemed very much like a “coming of age” story and I - well - loved that.
Gaara was beautifully portrayed; he seemed very mature, calm and composed, but at the same very fragile and insecure. You made him very human and easy to relate to. At times, I felt sorry for him because he was so desperately earnest in his attempts to be loved by Naruto - the rawness of his feelings really surprised me (not in a bad way).
Sasuke was very well-written as well, though his actions were frustrating. However, towards the end, I did feel pity because he was so undecided and confused about his life. I appreciated that you didn't really resolve Naruto-Sasuke, but left it open, kind of on a hanging thread. It seemed more realistic, even though unsettling.
I also like how you got Gaara and Naruto together; there was no rushing of things, but a progress and you created the right amount of tension to keep the reader excited. I felt breathless reading their interactions because your kissing scenes were incredibly hot and yet tasteful; they seemed real, down to earth and not awkward or overly dirty. The dialogue was very lively, packed with emotion and frustration - it was engrossing to imagine them.
Your writing style itself is perfect; I have nothing to remark on it - other than its flowing very skilfully and getting feelings very well across. It's detailed, but not too detailed - you have the right balance.
Well, this is it. Thanks for sharing this: I haven't enjoyed reading anything quite like this for days. I'll leave at this: this is utterly gorgeous.
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I'm honestly glad that the characters felt so IC. Most of the time, I kept rereading and erasing bits, because Naruto whined too much, and Gaara was too emotional. There were some bits where Gaara just had to be raw and exposed, but most of the time, writing his reactions and then making them more restrained was... difficult.
Writing Sasuke was easier because he gets ticked off much more quickly. I liked him in this fic precisely because he was so messed up. Usually, in other fics, I try to get him to resolve his issues... but it worked better here if he continued to be a mess. So, it's good to know he was frustrating to read, because it was frustrating to write him (and yet, probably, this is more IC than actually straightening him out).
there was no rushing of things, but a progress
That's why the fic turned out so long, in the end. I wanted Gaara and Naruto to naturally end up together, but the more I wrote, the more I realized it was something that couldn't just 'happen'.
It's detailed, but not too detailed - you have the right balance.
Aahahaha, that makes me so happy! I keep fearing I'm going to fall of a cliff into the land of purple, purple prose.
Thank you so much for the in-depth review, I loved reading your comments!
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