The Freudian Slip (8/15) (Part Three)

[live_by_lyrics]

Title: The Freudian Slip (8/15) (Part Three)
Author: Gess aka live_by_lyrics
Pairing: Jack Barakat/Alex Gaskarth
P.O.V.: third person omniscient, (slightly limited to Jack Barakat)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: References to sensuous touching and psychiatric help.
Summary: An amateur psychoanalyst becomes enamoured with his latest patient.
Disclaimer: This

Comments

the length of this response is down right embarassing.

[live_by_lyrics]

I thought it’d be nice to develop Zack a little more, since I was beginning to feel that his niceness could be dismissed as a flat characterization. He genuinely does care about Rian/Alex, but I’d have to say that what happened to ‘the four of them’ affected him as well, he just happens to deal with things in a different way. (*Zack was one of the characters I classified as a ‘superhero’ though we must take note of the fact that in Golden Age of Marvel comics, Superman was much more violent and less ‘moral’ than the Superman you hear of today.)

Ahaha, I assumed most people had forgotten about the bet, so it was nice to show how every scene has its own reasoning, and that even when Jack is goofing off with Gabe, he’s 100% serious. It’s almost a double play when it comes to Gabe losing the bet. Jack insured that Gabe would meet Alex when Jack called Gabe down to ‘the Scene’ to pick him up. Here Gabe was able to see Alex at his worst point, drunken out of his mind, slumped on the floor. It’s almost a way of establishing a ‘starting line’ so that Gabe can eventually appreciate the ‘finish line.’ BUT! What even Jack didn’t anticipate is the fact that Gabe already knew Alex. It’s confused some because Gabe had no real reaction to Zack and Rian when he met them up close in the backroom, so you can conclude Gabe doesn’t know Alex personally, but rather knows of him. I mentioned earlier on that Gabe gives into ‘hipsterism’ and thus it’s reasonable that Gabe would know of the band at its early stage.

The theme of Halloween just worked perfectly with this story and its theme of role playing. I had to take opportunity of developing characters through their costumes. I did in fact purposefully indicate each person’s connection to their character, but I didn’t outright say, that yes, though Batman is classified as a ‘superhero’ he’s pretty shady. He follows Jack’s whole ‘ends justifies the means’ idea.

You have no idea how relieved I am to start writing the Jalex for what it is! But it’ll be a slow process. Baby steps. Well, baby steps in the sense of trust. The whole straddling thing isn’t quite proper for the club, but it’s an ironic slowness when you recall the initial botched sexual encounter. We have to consider the libido, (Alex realizing he wants Jack) and the sexual compulsiveness he’s developed when feeling repressed. You can see struggle: “With his back to the crowd, Alex folds his legs in at the knee, one of his hands gripping at his ankle nervously. He knows he is being forward, demanding intimacy in public from someone he has known for less than an hour, but all rationality was downed with his last drink.” The way Alex clutches at his ankle, avoiding the crowd, hesitating, having already downed a sufficient amount of alcohol to break down inhibitions...despite the pleasure, he’s basically falling apart.

The fourth person...is basically a paradox of a cliché. In the sense you know exactly who they are, but they will come at you in this entirely new angle...ahaha, it’s hard to explain. But I will say you’re being terribly ironic when you say the band’s early days are linear to ATL’s ;)

Oh! and yes, the half-masked kiss was in fact a Spiderman reference<3 He's kind of my favourite, and I was disappointed I couldn't use him in this story more XD

[therapyrequired]

Hmm. I know what you mean. Zack is always portrayed as the nice guy/good guy in stories. I suppose that’s because not much is really known about Zack’s personality, as he is so quiet on stage and during interviews. Ah, right okay. So Zack is a better-adjusted individual compared to Alex and Rian, more like Valentino. Of course Superman just isn’t the aesthetical super-strength which Zack portrays ;)

Noo! The bet was the hilarious. I see it as such a House and Wilson relationship. It’s wonderful and I love watching their antics with each other unfold. So Gabe now has a starting point to compare with once Jack’s experiment finishes. And Gabe already see’s a marked improvement?

Ahhh :D I just screamed a little (it’s rare that I am right when it comes to TFS) Yes. The hipsertism, it all makes sense. Honestly it hit me when Gabe went quiet for the rest of night. You just mentioned it so I guess it’s easy to look over. But if I’ve learnt one thing it’s that… everything is relevant in TFS.

It was awesome way of character development or more character definition.

Alex So if Alex was ‘falling apart’ before straddling Jack, is Jack going to encounter some later resistance? I kind of understand Alex's change of mind but at the same time there's still a mist around? Was it almost like Alex felt he had nothing to lose by letting Jack in? Because the little sod is persistent as hell. Haha.

Ohh, irony? I shall put my thinking cap on and see what I come up with then.

I loved the half-masked kiss and Spiderman and with the Batman element mixed in (Batman is my favorite). It was wonderful.

[live_by_lyrics]

I wish people would develop Zack more in stories, but yes, his lack of words makes it hard. It brings back that whole 'Zack's a douche bag, no Zack's just shy' debate. I personally don't think he's actually shy, but rather indifferent to the frivolous/invasive aspects of the whole 'fame' deal. But at the same time he embraces it, with the whole Americkan brand? He's almost like this healthy medium, so I guess I thought he'd be a nice mediator between Rian and Alex's characters. But yes, he's not all 'Mr. Nice Guy', seeing as we saw some of the Rian/Zack drama in the backroom.

Yes, this is the starting point for Gabe (and really anyone reading the story since that was the beginning of the anxiety attack) but it's in no way an improvement of what Gabe saw before. Its worse actually. Alex mentions he was constantly playing a role in his past, so no one actually knew about the 'bad stuff' until the entire band fell apart.

Ahaha, TFS is intended to make sense (at least eventually), so I'm super relieved that it's all starting to fit into place :D

Ohh yes! For every two steps they take forwards, there is going to be a step taken back. I'm afraid people assume because Alex has 'agreed' to let Jack in, that it'll be smooth sailing from this point on...no. Alex has been suffering from anxiety for a while now, and he's developed deviant ways to cope with it. Jack is going to have to push and prod to get Alex to admit he has a problem, let alone agree to address it. Though Gabe, Rian and Zack will all be helping along the way ;)

As for the reason why Alex agreed in the first place, because you're right to say that Jack had to get Alex to agree, it's kind of a repressed desire at this point. Yes, Alex admires Jack's persistence, ('little sod', your British euphemisms always make me laugh!) and he's clearly attracted to Jack (by Alex not knowing it was Jack in the costume and still wanting him, we have concrete proof that Alex does like Jack, that their initial encounter wasn't just Alex fooling around). But there is a part of Alex who is tired of living the way he does, that thinks that maybe he isn't 'normal' and that he doesn't in fact 'deserve this.' (He is constantly repeating that line in a pathetic attempt to make it true.)

He kind of has a mini revelation about in the lines: "He is so selfish, so utterly consumed in his own tragedy that he never considered that someone could save him." (*Which is why I used this line as the cut for this entry.)

By all means, put on the cap. I spent a good five minutes trying to type you a hint, but I'm afraid I'm paranoid of giving it away. Its really that cliché.

[therapyrequired]

I suppose it does. However I’ve never seen Zack as the douche bag, only reserved. I think you’re right in saying that he’s indifferent to the aspects of fame. Something’s like interviews and TV appearances don’t really phase him. Again the ‘Americkan’ branding is something he takes pride in, thus embracing and using his fame. Yeah, Zack’s character does seem to have a fiery temper, but only when he knew Rian was in the wrong and felt the need to set him straight, hence the mediator.

Oh, so Alex has been playing this role for awhile? Would it be right to say the roll has changed before and after the band broke up? Or was Alex just better at hiding it whilst in the band? I was under the misimpression that the role Alex is now playing was due to the band breaking down.

Hehe. We can’t have everything becoming too easy for Jack. That wouldn’t be a test of this skills and knowledge. It would be silly for everything to be smooth sailing though. It would go against Alex’s whole characterization.

Right. Okay. Alex’s decision makes sense now. Haha. I take it you understood my euphemism? ☺ So that’s why Jack needed Halloween and the chance to wear a costume in order to ensure that Alex did like him and like you said, isn’t just fooling around with him.

It was a wonderful line and summarizes the whole chapter (and Alex’s thoughts on his lifestyle) pretty perfectly as this is the turning point in the story. Well one of many I’m sure.

Cliché? In that case… I’m thinking in the wrong area.

[live_by_lyrics]

Woops, I realize the role thing is kind of confusing. But basically two years ago Alex started playing his role while in the band. A year after that, his mask was 'unveiled' if you will, and the band broke apart. After that, Alex switched roles, and continues with that role today, the 'fuck-up.' All these various layers of costumes has thus caused his GAD. What the mystery at this point is what was exactly the role Alex was playing when the band was at its peak, and how did all this trickery mess up the band.

Alex's character...is difficult. To be honest, I'm currently having a hard time trying to break him down and open up. That whole 'admitting you have a problem is the first step' is tricky seeing as a lot of people with anxiety disorders tend to keep it to themselves, and feel nervous talking about their issues...its such a paradox and if Alex didn't subconsciously like Jack/want to be saved, I don't think he would.

Ahaha, I looked it up to be sure. I've heard the term in a negative connotation before and figured you wouldn't be calling Jack a clump of grass. I love learning jargon :D

Mhm, cliché is the word that comes to mind. This whole story is very anti-cliché only to build up to this moment of utter cliché...it's a form of meta-fiction if you will.

[therapyrequired]

Ah, ha, Right. I understand now :) So there has always been a role, but now there is a change in the role Alex plays. Understood.

Ha, sounds like a hell of a paradox if you ask me. I guess Jack has the say the right words at the right time. In the hope that something triggers Alex's memory. I say hope, but I mean calculated, meticulous planning ;)

Hehe. Well I guess I provide some sort of service/purpose here.

I love that word. Meta-fiction (*goes to look up word) Ah, yeah. Okay. I think I know what you mean, it is a form but not exactly meta-fiction. If I'm understanding the literary term correctly.

[live_by_lyrics]

I've been fiddling with Jack's plan to get Alex to open up. And I've found the less Jack says...the more Alex wants to say? If that makes any sense...ahah. The real talking won't start until Part Two ;)

I guess meta-fiction is a loose term, in my French course we used it as 'when an author refers to the act of writing' such as when a character writes a letter, but then in English it had a more precise definition that was basically like the following:

"Fiction in which the author self-consciously alludes to the artificiality or literariness of a work by parodying or departing from novelistic conventions (esp. naturalism) and traditional narrative techniques"

So the whole issue of Alex/'you-don't-know-who' is when I as the author consciously employ a novelistic convention, (or rather, fan-fiction convention) for the sake of parodying it, proving it's artificiality, and eventually breaking past it.

But that's all I'm going to say! Ahah, I love the suspense of all this far too much to spoil it :)

*If you ever want to read an example of meta-fiction at its finest, I highly recommend John Barth's 'Lost in The Funhouse,' it's a short story that messes with the idea of narration and basic plot structure, it left my entire English lecture class of 300 mind-fucked beyond repair XD

[therapyrequired]

No that makes perfect sense. Alex wants to fill that awkward silence between them and so talks? I suppose Alex must feel sort of obliged to. Jack comes across as one of those characters you could just open up to. Another sign of his manipulative skills.

Ohh, Okay meta-fiction makes more sense to me now. I'm pretty sure you live on maintaing that high level of suspense, your a tricky author, playing her cards close to her chest. But I like it, keeps me on my toes.

*Takes mental note of book, so that she may read it during University.