a little more fic for the holidays

[themonkeytwin]

There are a couple of ideas swimming around in my head, not to mention unfinished projects, and there is never as much free time as a break ought to have. Regardless, this piece demanded being finished off before I turned my attention to anything else. Unfortunately for basically everyone not me, it's the continuing adventures (or conversations, at

Comments

[themonkeytwin]

Thank you so much :)

Sterling is certainly not a friends kind of guy! I'm curious about whether his statement about them once being friends was what he really believed, or whether he was just saying it because he knew it would annoy Nate. Put another way, were they friendly, or friends? Personally, I like to believe they really were friends, because that's a much more interesting interpretation. But even if they were friends, their ambition and trust issues would have meant it was always conditional. I think. Beyond about the third layer of their relationship, things become a bit indistinct!

I'm definitely going to keep developing these two's relationship (within the bounds of canon, anyway). We'll see what that turns up. ;)

[themonkeytwin]

Hey, don't apologise for the tldr, these are my favourite kinds of comments. :)

I agree, there's a serious connection between them, especially how well Sterling seems to know him with the picture and everything, but I really don't know how Sterling views Nate. To me, it reads like he thinks Nate's stint with the team is just a phase he's going through, following the death of Sam and his divorce. I don't think it ever occurred to him that Nate was actually changing into a different person, that he wouldn't just snap out of it sometime - which is why, I think, Sterling expected the deal to work and why when Nate announces he's a thief, Sterling admits he really doesn't know who this guy is. The Nate Sterling knew would never, ever embrace criminality. Nor fight for thieves

[themonkeytwin]

(I haven't seen Inception, so I'll take your word for it.)

See, the other side of this (and the reason the dynamic between them is so complicated) is that there's a sense where their inherent competition with one another was let off the leash the moment they're on opposite sides of the law, or right and wrong as they see it. Where before they competed, but within the bounds that they both recognised that they were both catching thieves, doing the honourable thing. I seem to recall something (it might have been Rogers talking about it on his blog) where the drinking on the roof together ritual was a way they acknowledged who was currently "ahead" between the two of them.

So although I think Sterling has certain opinions about what Nate's doing and why, I think he's also relishing the opportunity to really go head-to-head. Probably a little more than Nate, who has other considerations, but I think it's there for Nate too. So ... I really don't know where they stand with each other right now. Like you, I want the show to get Sterling

[rayhne]

Have you read The Ring Job (at fanfiction.net)? Lots of interesting interaction bewteen Sterling and Nate (and the team).