Your gift has arrived, hekateras!

[goe_mod]

Title: The Best of Both Worlds
Recipient: hekateras
Author: v2113
Beta: irisbleufic
Rating: T (for torture, battles, and an indecent amount of Foe Yay)
Author’s Notes: Making them hostile toward each was really hard, and I hope you’ll forgive me for spending so much time explaining how they became like that. I tried to include all of your prompts and likes. You

Comments

[jane_potter]

History!fic is my absolute favourite thing in this fandom, and "pretend to be enemies because others are watching" is one of my favourite tropes of all time. This fic is some of the best of both that I've ever read. Thank you so much. Hekateras is one lucky person this year!

[irisbleufic]

...and I was one lucky beta-reader, geeeeez <3

My bias is showing here, Secret Writer, and you've had many emails' worth of commentary from me on this already. Thank you for writing such an incredible piece of Bible-era fic. There isn't enough of it in this fandom, and you just made a contribution that'll be appearing on rec lists for years to come!

[keksdiebin]

I was also very lucky to have you as my beta-reader. Thank you again for your help <3 Your comment is also a great encouragement to write at least one more Bible!fic =)

[keksdiebin]

Thank you so much for your comment *-*! History and Bible!fics are also my favourites. Originally I wanted to take them all the way to Egypt but then I'd probably still be writing...
Oh and I also love the whole "lets pretend to be enemies" thing <3 I am so glad you liked it because it is always great to get feedback from someone who has similar favourite tropes.

[hekateras]

Oh wow. This was wonderful. The setting rings very few bells for me, I'm afraid - not really a Genesis expert here - but the plotting and characterisation is just wonderful. ^^ Aziraphale's scheming was great, as was Crowley's reluctant concern for him. And the wonderful yet not OOC Foe Yay! ^^ The only possible critique I could think of is that it seems just a tad too honest for them, so early in the game - you'd think the Arrangement wouldn't take them so long to come up with, given how they are here - but that doesn't take away from it in the least. ^^ I really loved the pacing and style of the story as well, it really gripped me. And awww at Crowley machinating hordes of kids and getting along with them! And the action!

Thank you, this was wonderful. ^^

[goe_mod]

Given how casual, amicable, and straightforward they are with each other in the very first scene in the book - that is, their presumably very first interaction ever in Eden - it's unlikely they were ever so ferocious with each other that actual venomous, vicious harm came to be done. From that standpoint, this is pretty much perfect. Secret Writer, you nailed it <3

[keksdiebin]

Thank you so much <3!

[keksdiebin]

I just read it again and I probably should have explained the whole Genesis background a bit more. I just happen to know the whole thing almost by heart and got carried away... I also agree that they are very honest with each other. Originally I had planned to send them to Egypt and give them a bit more time (and reason) to become more hostile and distrustful. But of course they never got there because I ran out of time...
Thank you so much for you comment! I am glad you enjoyed it nonetheless =)!

[puokki]

This is so good. The text flows smoothly and the plot is interesting. I like how little details of Genesis are there but it took some googling so I'd catch everything (though during the first read I wasn't sure what Rachel was crying about before she announces her pregnancy). And oh god Aziraphale and Crowley's dynamics! Crowley's jealousy is so blatant but it's not vocalised until his talk with Aziraphale (and even then in a very roundabout way). And Aziraphale being quite rude if not crue ("“But I suppose you wouldn’t understand that,” Aziraphale said politely" I was rather amused by Aziraphale saying this politely when he is being so impolite) And urgh Crowley defending Aziraphale was so emotionally satisfying and then you have a line

"Paimon and Gilariel had stabbed each other. Fatally.

“Lo and behold,” Aziraphale sighed, clucking his tongue. “Think of the paperwork.”"

and I laughed out loud.

But my point is, this was a fantastic and compelling read, I was truly captivated.

[keksdiebin]

I am so happy that I made you laugh! Most of my stories tend to be sad and serious and I usually struggle to include humour.
And it makes me even more happy that you liked the interaction between Crowey and Aziraphale <3
And urgh Crowley defending Aziraphale was so emotionally satisfying
It was also very satisfying to write. I have never written such a long story in English and it was quite exhausting at times - but the anticipation of that scene definitely kept me going ;)

Thank you *-*!

[puokki]

Oh I can sympathize with the whole English thing, my fic for GOE this year was also my first long story in English and it can be so frustrating when you know what you want to say but don't know how (well, the same applies also when trying to write in first language but it's more difficult in English) and you fear the writing ends up sounding stilted (es überrascht mich, dass du kein(e) Engländer(in) bist! Du schreibst so gut)

[titc]

Oh, wonderful! The setting, the interactions, it's all perfect.
The assistants, the bureaucratic hints, Aziraphale's inner bastard and Crowley's inner softie - I'm melting in a puddle happiness here!

[keksdiebin]

Thank you <3 I am glad that you enjoyed it so much ^-^!

[littlegothsin]

Oh, this was lovely, despite my knowledge of biblical stories beign patchy at best. I haven't read many pre-book stories about those two in a long while, it is very strange to imagine them before the events of 1990.
Thank you!

[keksdiebin]

Thank you <3! It's funny because I often imagine them before 1990 - that's probably due to my love for epic and very looooong get-together-stories.