Awwww..that was wonderful again! I loved the sleepy confession and the subtle parenting.
Could anyone who hadn't been in Ryan's shoes advise him on how to react?
Could anyone who hadn't been in Ryan's shoes truly understand what kind of impact Oliver's death would have on him?
Kirsten seriously doubted it.
She suspected that Ryan was busy kissing goodbye to whatever was left of his childhood. And what's more, she suspected that Sandy knew that, and felt guilty for not keeping the implied promise he had made to Ryan when he had brought him home. "Stay out of trouble, and let us offer you another shot at being young" had been the unspoken bargain, and they had failed to keep up their end of it.
Fabulous and I'm Sad to see that it is drawing to an end.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I was glad to see this story end- becasue I think you did it at just the right place.
I like the way it went quietly, no party disaster, no big emotional intervention (as I am so prone to do!), with just trying another way, letting things slip back into normalcy. The movie watching was the perfect way to do that, and I esepcially like the way that Sandy and Kirsten just opened up their one on one time for him without giving it a second thought. V. parental.
A few stand outs: He still didn't feel sleepy. He didn't want to read. He didn't want to pace his room until he was tired enough to go back to bed. He didn't feel like listening to music.
Really captured the feeling of the sheer irritation of insomnia. Grrr, arrgh!
Swiftly follwed by,
At this point, Ryan thought, anything would beat standing there like an idiot.
Which made me laugh out loud.
Great story. I know I shall enjoy the epilogue as much as I have enoyed the ret of it.
What a lovely way to wind this one down - not that I want it to end, but you've done a very nice job bringing the story to conclusion. I love the fact that Ryan is able to fall asleep in the safety and comfort of Sandy and Kirsten's presence when he can't on his own. Very, very nice!
Helen, this is a very satisfying chapter, all the time Ryan has been putting off talking to Sandy and Kirsten, the way he does it here is perfect. I very much like the juxtaposition of ideas/actions, Ryan and Kirsten both realising that he has once again had an experience that bars him from regaining something of a childhood, and yet, at the same time, he comes to sit between them, is comforted by this, and realises, I think at some level, that it is of itself childlike hence the sleepy five year relfection. Kirsten's thoughts as Ryan sleeps are lovely, I especially like, " She couldn't remember ever seeing Ryan asleep. He rarely allowed adults near him when he was at his most vulnerable and the fact that he had managed to fall asleep in their presence struck her as meaningful -- even if she didn't know in what way." And an epilogue to look forward too, also? :D Actually more like, squee! Jane
he comes to sit between them, is comforted by this, and realises, I think at some level, that it is of itself childlike hence the sleepy five year relfection.
Hee, funny, I didn't do it on purpose, but you're right : - )
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Awwww..that was wonderful again! I loved the sleepy confession and the subtle parenting.
Could anyone who hadn't been in Ryan's shoes advise him on how to react?
Could anyone who hadn't been in Ryan's shoes truly understand what kind of impact Oliver's death would have on him?
Kirsten seriously doubted it.
She suspected that Ryan was busy kissing goodbye to whatever was left of his childhood. And what's more, she suspected that Sandy knew that, and felt guilty for not keeping the implied promise he had made to Ryan when he had brought him home. "Stay out of trouble, and let us offer you another shot at being young" had been the unspoken bargain, and they had failed to keep up their end of it.
Fabulous and I'm Sad to see that it is drawing to an end.
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Glad you liked it -- I wrote the fic because that particular scene was stuck in my mind and wouldn't let go, lol.
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I'm glad you liked the Kandy and Ryan scene -- it's the scene I had in mind when I started writing the fic :)
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I like the way it went quietly, no party disaster, no big emotional intervention (as I am so prone to do!), with just trying another way, letting things slip back into normalcy. The movie watching was the perfect way to do that, and I esepcially like the way that Sandy and Kirsten just opened up their one on one time for him without giving it a second thought. V. parental.
A few stand outs:
He still didn't feel sleepy. He didn't want to read. He didn't want to pace his room until he was tired enough to go back to bed. He didn't feel like listening to music.
Really captured the feeling of the sheer irritation of insomnia. Grrr, arrgh!
Swiftly follwed by,
At this point, Ryan thought, anything would beat standing there like an idiot.
Which made me laugh out loud.
Great story. I know I shall enjoy the epilogue as much as I have enoyed the ret of it.
Reply
Thanks! :) I'd love to go on, but honestly, it's starting to become a little redundant, so yeah, time to stop.
Really captured the feeling of the sheer irritation of insomnia. Grrr, arrgh!
Hee, after last night, I feel qualified to talk -- when did it get so bloody warm anyway????
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Kirsten's thoughts as Ryan sleeps are lovely, I especially like,
" She couldn't remember ever seeing Ryan asleep. He rarely allowed adults near him when he was at his most vulnerable and the fact that he had managed to fall asleep in their presence struck her as meaningful -- even if she didn't know in what way."
And an epilogue to look forward too, also? :D Actually more like, squee!
Jane
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he comes to sit between them, is comforted by this, and realises, I think at some level, that it is of itself childlike hence the sleepy five year relfection.
Hee, funny, I didn't do it on purpose, but you're right : - )
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