I'll admit to liking this genre of fiction too. This story was excellent. Starsky turning the whole thing into Hutch being hurt totally rings true for me as I've seen more than one sexually abused victim focus on the hurt of a family member or friend rather than their own hurt. Nice response to the M&T discussion. Lisarose
Re: ExcellentmyrebelcatOctober 3 2007, 14:30:21 UTC
Thank you! I think it's often a lot easier to look after other people, than it is to look after yourself. And sometimes caring for others can be healing. I'm glad you liked my story. :-)
Powerful story, Rebel. And in second person present tense too! Never easy to do (I admit I've never been brave enough to try). But it gave the right feeling of distance- of Starsky looking in at things from outside-that suited the story really well. And it's interesting that we both wrote Starsky as victim- I think Hutch as victim would be harder (and way way longer) to write. Not that Hutch isn't suffering here too- you wrote that really effectively. I wanted to hug the guy too.
One question- do you think Starsky is really as level-headed, "let's get on with things" as he acts here? Or are we just waiting for him to fall apart a week or a month later?
Anyway, great job. I wish all discussions were in the form of stories. :)
I was startled when I read your story to see how similarly we were thinking. I considered writing Hutch as the rape victim, but... he'd be *such* a victim, poor guy! It's more fun to abuse the more resilient character, I think
( ... )
Is Starsky really this level-headed? In this story, I think he is.
And isn't great that we can change things with each story? In Falling Slowly, I wrote Starsky as pining for Hutch, but still getting on with things, adapting, realizing he may have to settle for less than he wants. Basically a really strong person. But in my new one (started before Falling Slowly) but getting back to it now, he's a wreck. Something happened that he can't file away in the back drawer. It's an interesting side to explore.
And it's funny, Hutch never refers to the past canon-wise either, but he just *wears* his past on the outside, doesn't he?
Yeah - I think that's David Soul! He does a great job of layering Hutch's history on him.
PMG's a terrific actor, too, but he seems more in the moment, tackling each scene as if it stands on its own. So you can get Childlike!Starsky, and Scary!Starsky, and HairTrigger!Starsky, and Dopey!Starsky, all in the same show. ;-)
How my characters react isn't consistent at all - I've played with very different reactions to the same events. For instance I've written two different missing scenes for the time Hutch got his hand blown up. In one Starsky wants him to have painkillers, and Hutch is upset by how much it reminds him of his heroin addiction. In the other Hutch *wants* the painkillers, and it's Starsky who is freaked by the possibility he might get re-addicted. Same characters, completely opposite scenarios.
I hate to use the words, "I enjoyed the story" because of the subject matter, but it was very good and couldn`t have been written any better! I can always believe that in the undercover cop business that S&H were in, that something like this could really happen. There are a lot of really evil people in the world and they were involved with them on a daily basis. I love the way you write the personalities of the guys , it rings so true to how i have them in my mind. Well done.
I really do think it's okay to enjoy a rape fic. Honest! I have a couple tucked away in my files that I go back to every now and again to reread. Well handled, it can be a powerful topic.
Thank you for the feedback. It's especially good to know that the personalities rang true for you. :-)
Damn Rebelcat. You made me read a rape story. And it's good. Damn you. *pouts* (Did I mention that I hate rape stories?) Seriously, this is good stuff, as usual. Poor boys. :(
Lol! I got almost exactly the same feedback one time when I wrote a kid fic. And it makes me feel just as warm and content inside this time, as it did back then. You actually read something you don't like, just because I wrote it!
Stories told from this POV usually turn me off. The ones I've read before never worked for me, but this was different. I felt like I had a stake in the story. Does that make sense?
At times I hurt for both guys, but that humor came through in ways that helped not just the guys, but also me, I think. Sounds weird, but that's how it felt.
You didn't go into a lot of painful detail which wasn't necessary for this. The impact continued to be just as powerful as it would have been if you had included it.
As always, Rebel, your stories continue to move me in a variety of ways. Thanks for this. It's a keeper :)
Thank you so much for giving my story a chance! I'm glad it worked - I tried writing it in first and third person, but only the second person seemed to fit. I was trying to get into Starsky's head, his necessary self-absorption, and his inability to see past the moment.
As for the humor - I don't seem to be able to function without it, and I don't think the guys can either. I always remember the way Hutch laughed, just a little, in Survival when he realized that he was well and truly stuck at the bottom of the canyon.
I have a really hard time writing humor. It's just not there for me. I can throw in a wisecrack on occasion, but humor is one area where I can barely express the most minimum of competence.
Even when the situations were at their worst on the show, the guys always found humor to be such a healing force for them, but for me...well, it's best I enjoy it through other stories such as yours :)
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Lisarose
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One question- do you think Starsky is really as level-headed, "let's get on with things" as he acts here? Or are we just waiting for him to fall apart a week or a month later?
Anyway, great job. I wish all discussions were in the form of stories. :)
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And isn't great that we can change things with each story? In Falling Slowly, I wrote Starsky as pining for Hutch, but still getting on with things, adapting, realizing he may have to settle for less than he wants. Basically a really strong person. But in my new one (started before Falling Slowly) but getting back to it now, he's a wreck. Something happened that he can't file away in the back drawer. It's an interesting side to explore.
And it's funny, Hutch never refers to the past canon-wise either, but he just *wears* his past on the outside, doesn't he?
Reply
PMG's a terrific actor, too, but he seems more in the moment, tackling each scene as if it stands on its own. So you can get Childlike!Starsky, and Scary!Starsky, and HairTrigger!Starsky, and Dopey!Starsky, all in the same show. ;-)
How my characters react isn't consistent at all - I've played with very different reactions to the same events. For instance I've written two different missing scenes for the time Hutch got his hand blown up. In one Starsky wants him to have painkillers, and Hutch is upset by how much it reminds him of his heroin addiction. In the other Hutch *wants* the painkillers, and it's Starsky who is freaked by the possibility he might get re-addicted. Same characters, completely opposite scenarios.
I like to play!
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Thank you for the feedback. It's especially good to know that the personalities rang true for you. :-)
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Damn you.
*pouts*
(Did I mention that I hate rape stories?)
Seriously, this is good stuff, as usual. Poor boys. :(
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Thank you! You've made my day. :-)
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Damn right. Because I know you never disappoint me with your stories! :)
And you're welcome. ;)
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At times I hurt for both guys, but that humor came through in ways that helped not just the guys, but also me, I think. Sounds weird, but that's how it felt.
You didn't go into a lot of painful detail which wasn't necessary for this. The impact continued to be just as powerful as it would have been if you had included it.
As always, Rebel, your stories continue to move me in a variety of ways. Thanks for this. It's a keeper :)
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As for the humor - I don't seem to be able to function without it, and I don't think the guys can either. I always remember the way Hutch laughed, just a little, in Survival when he realized that he was well and truly stuck at the bottom of the canyon.
I'm so very glad that you liked my story!
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Even when the situations were at their worst on the show, the guys always found humor to be such a healing force for them, but for me...well, it's best I enjoy it through other stories such as yours :)
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