Show Me The Ropes

[septemberoses]

Title: Show Me the Ropes
Author: Septemberoses
Fandom: True Blood/(En Forelskelse crossover)
Characters: Eric/Carsten, then Godric/Eric
Rating: NC-17 for bondage, non-con, dub-con, games, plotless porn, angst, toys, abuse
Summary: Some desires are easier to satisfy than others. And there are consequences, anticipated and otherwise.
Word Count: 6,

Comments

[clodiametelli]

I was nearly too scared by the warnings to read this but I'm glad I did - I love the contrast between how careful and tender Eric is with Carsten to the hardcore brutality the vampires can safely give and take between themselves because their relationship has lasted centuries and they can't really hurt each other.

[septemberoses]

I've gotten a couple of gentle criticisms recently about warning, particularly for things that are non-con, so I'm erring on the side of over-warning, but really, I think parts of this fic are very sweet, and it's hard to convey that in the summary. I hate writing those summaries. And yes, that contrast between the two relationships was interesting to think through.

[clodiametelli]

I don't think you're over warning - I normally avoid non-con as such and don't want it sprung on me, but in this case I felt Godric could have stopped those things happening to him if he'd really wanted to so wasn't too squeamish about that - I found the story where Eric was playing with the reluctant hotel boy harder to deal with because he really didn't want to be there - you're right it's very hard to convery those crucial nuances in a summary and everyone has their own buttons.

[septemberoses]

Yep -- you see what I'm up against here ... *I* knew the hotel boy was actually Godric, but if I warn for that up front, then that spoils the tension for a lot of people - it defeats the construct, which is surprise. But if you don't know it's Godric, well, then, it's dub-con at best.

Similarly with this one ... you're right, and I actually discussed this with another writer :) -- in my mind, Godric could have pulled himself together and fought Eric off if he'd wanted to badly enough, so I'd label that dub-con rather than non-con, but let's face it -- on another level it's more or less rape. Since this is clearly a trigger issue for some, I'm trying to find the balance. In these types of stories, it's tricky.

[septemberoses]

I'm curious, since it was my main concern in this fic -- I tried very hard (I went back and added thoughts and words) to convey an "essence" of consent to what Eric and Carsten were doing, even when they got to bits Carsten wasn't loving. It felt more dubious in earlier drafts ... none of that bothered you? My larger question is: in their specific situation, if Carsten doesn't call his safe word, do you feel like it's at all dubious consent? What if I'm making it clear in the writing that Eric's doing something Carsten doesn't like, but Carsten (for instance) refuses to use his safe word? This is what I struggle with!

[clodiametelli]

I didn't feel the consent was dubious at all there - Carsten knew he could have safe-worded, Eric even hesitated to make sure he had the opportunity to safe-word but he chose not to. He didn't like the idea of the specific act, but he liked the idea of Eric making him do something he didn't want and to be able to struggle and rage - it was a safe situation in which he could play at danger and have his boundaries pushed, when he did actually reach his limit, Eric stopped immediately. So no, it didn't bother me - very much the reverse.

I kind of suspected the hotel boy might be Godric but the situation of some random boy being bullied into unwanted sexual acts pressed the wrong buttons with me and I stopped reading - I can see of course how it would have spoiled it if you had given the game away in the warnings - but I'll go back and enjoy it now - secure in the knowledge that anonymous hotel boys are safe!