"The Affirmation of Self" by Skieswideopen (PG-13, Gen)

[skieswideopen]

Title: The Affirmation of Self
Author: skieswideopen
Beta-Reader: brightknightie
Recipient: malinaldarose
Prompt: Nick & Janette, "Things were slower back then.... People were more content to be who they were. No one wants to be himself, these days. Always trying on different skins, then wondering why they don't fit. It makes for a lot of unhappiness." (Nancy Atherton)
Length: ~1780

Comments

[amilyn]

Gods.

Just...GODS, this is GORGEOUS.

You've got Janette's voice, shifting across the ages SO down pat. The scene in 1328 is excellent, her willingness to pull up ties as often as necessary, to see everything, to move on and on. I LOVE how you turn that on its head as NICK becomes the one who delights in the new professions and learning of the Post-Industrial Revolution era, and Janette, "clinging" and refusing to admit that's what she's doing, and sniffing at him being a surgeon instead of a *physician* with the better clientele and parties. That and him pointing out that she speaks Greek and Latin "better than most men" ...well...one would certainly hope so! :-)

Then to bring it forward to them discussing "Dying for Fame," and Rebecca and identities and the possibility of having to move even less often now that they are more traceable... I especially like the clarity of her memory that people who longed for something more or different longed for things not to be so awful, not to be a specific person, and her "Get off my lawn" comment about television. And LC "instructing her in manners and arts" and her having "always been grateful" that he seemed to forget what she had once been that, in this, she's rather haunted by.

Then you end on and EXCELLENT take on her inability to say goodbye to Nick as she finds she's changing in ways she never has in over 900 years... This is fantastic. I truly adore it.

[skieswideopen]

Thank you so much!!! I'm so glad you enjoyed this!

I like the idea that even vampires change over the years; I think that's one of the messages of the show, that all of them--not just Nick--change with the years.

I'm kind of fascinated now about when in the modern age Janette decided to start working, and what jobs she chose, early on. I really can't see her working for someone else...