Fic: In Our Noir Life 1/?

[kwritten]

Title: In Our Noir Life
Recipient: elenarain
Prompt: Damon/Elena- Damon is a big time mobster, running BDSM clubs as a front; Elena is a dancer in one of the clubs. Damon becomes possessive over who gets time with Elena and eventually claims her as his own.
Characters/Pairings: Damon/Elena, Katherine
Word Count: ~ 4900
Rating/Warnings: NC-17 
Spoilers: AU - no

Comments

[vergoldung]

So I saw the summary and almost turned around to run. But apparently not because here I am and asdflklh this was the best thing. Your mobster!Damon narration kept cracking me up and I absolutely love the ambiance of this, you painted such a vivid setting! And the way you portray the girls is fascinating to me. There is something about illusions and performance (as well as unreliable depiction from the narrator) that really worked for me, especially considering that this is a story told through the male gaze.

I love that we don't know how genuine Elena is re: her innocent persona because we only ever see her through Damon's filter. Is she aware of the effect she has? does she play with that? does she consciously use it as a defense mecanism/soft power? I love that I don't know how much is manipulation, how much is honesty and how much is Damon's bias.

He believed, fully and utterly, that his approach had a delicacy, a refinement, a romanticism that the world was otherwise missing. He gave the world a sneak peek at a distant past, he built a livelihood on convincing others that they could live in that glorified world yet again.
I died a little. This is perf

He was too headstrong to deal with the intricacies of personal relations, too violent to run one of the clubs, too complacent to be sent off on his own, and too self-flagellating to be given any tasks in the field.
sobbing in delight

Elena's introduction has to be the most satisfying introduction ever. Such love. It's like she's this power weapon all things wrapped into one tiny package of sophisticated teased. Flawless. And yeah, psychology major, hm? She totally knows what she's doing. Besides she's a natural - it runs in the family. I'm very fond of the fact that you have her be this effective because she refuses to embrace a stereotype. She confident and sexy without catering to the construct of the femme fatale.

Katerine is love. And I LOL-ed so hard at Damon's ~dramatic life fantasy that totally mirrored Katherine theatricality. (These kids, I swear.)

Looking forward to part 2!

[kwritten]

So I saw the summary and almost turned around to run.
I am SO GLAD you stayed!!!! (I have never before written/enjoyed an all-humanAU)

There is something about illusions and performance (as well as unreliable depiction from the narrator) that really worked for me, especially considering that this is a story told through the male gaze.
THIS. Best compliment. Ever. Thank you. I'm so thrilled that this is working! And I didn't mean for this to come from the male ~gaze, but it is too perfect and it allows Elena more flexibility, actually. So often we think of the male ~gaze being so static and confining... but in this case (and for the doppleganger we can play with this) the male ~gaze is so easily manipulated and distracted. Or is it?

I just hope you like what's coming next *g*

I died a little. This is perf
\o/

sobbing in delight
Stefan *headdesk*

I don't even know what to say. This comment is perfect. You are perfect. I am blushing scarlet.