Angstathon Fic

[wickedfox]

Well, here it is. I have to let it go sometime so now I toss it to the wolves and keep my fingers crossed.

As They Danced
Writer: WickedFox
Rating: R
Thanks to GilesFan for betaing this and sparing you all endless pages of my overwriting gibberish.
Specifications: AllTheJellies Angst-a-thon Entry
1. lj/name: PhenDog
2. season: Season

Comments

Smiling through the tears...

[phendog]

Yay! I was really excited when I saw you were writing for me! Certainly you didn't disappoint...in fact you far surpassed what I intended when I gave the requirements. THANK YOU!

I love your writing style so much...mostly just the way you manage to turn phrases like "it was time to deaden his senses before he came to them"

God...those little repeated phrases about Buffy at the dance contrasting w/the other action just made this...poetic, as intended. They had very little to do with the main action per se, but they highlighted it so well! As you obviously know, this fic wouldn't have meant half so much without them...I've never read a "prom" fic quite like this, no doubt. I have to admit this is certainly my favourite!

Wonderful characterization of Ethan! I could actually hear him speaking your dialogue for him...which is great! And very nice working of the relationship tension between G and E...worked well and as long as you're going to kill them, it was a very fitting end for them both.

"Better yet, a love poem,

Re: Smiling through the tears...

[wickedfox]

I am so glad you liked it. I was worried. You happen to be one of my fic faves so I was a tad nervous.

Ethan is one of my favorite characters besides Giles in the Buffyverse so I love writing him, though I am always a wreak when it comes to Britishisms. Not my strong point seeing as all I know comes from tv. Not the most reliable source. *grin*

God I love your note! To learn of love too late is bad enough, but not to learn of it at all...*sob*

You have no idea how much I struggled with that bloody note. I had a small list of possible "last words" from Giles to use and all sounded completely lame. GilesFan helped me go through the list, telling me which ones had been used many times before. I wanted something incomplete but could mean something more. Then, as I was rewriting some Ethan dialogue, it came to me. Ethan lost it and Giles got it.

Thank you for the kind feedback. You made my day!

Re: Smiling through the tears...

[phendog]

I am so glad you liked it. I was worried. You happen to be one of my fic faves so I was a tad nervous.

Okay...now I'm horribly flattered! When I saw who wrote for me I was the one having "I'm not worthy" thoughts...

Ethan is one of my favorite characters besides Giles in the Buffyverse

Mine too ;^) Of course my OTP #2 (if such a thing is allowed) would have to be G/E...I was really happy w/the way you portrayed him in this!...a lot of people use him as the cardboard bad guy, which I have trouble w/. (Actually, considering what I'd requested I kinda expected that's what I'd end up w/ *lol*) I mean, yes, he IS a chaos worshipper and a prankster...but that doesn't mean a) he's evil and b) he doesn't have depths... You did well at bringing him out in a way that was true to canon and that I could relate w/as well, so good for you!

I am always a wreak when it comes to Britishisms. All I know comes from tv. *L* Me too.... though I find watching Manchild eps exceeding helpful *grin*...in more ways than one ;^) I still can't see ASH

Ethan icon

[meow4now]

Where ever did you get this I love it.

Re: Ethan icon

[wickedfox]

Where ever did you get this I love it.

I made it. My specialty is photo manipulation and I do up graphics for VLC Virtual Season 8. Ethan just so happens to be sporting a darker look in it.
Check it out...
http://www.virtualunatics.com/graphics/themes_top.htm

Cat has my tongue

[meow4now]

Oh dear lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy happy Kitty am I!

[jedi_penguin]

I read this yesterday when I was naughtily hiding from my own fic, but didn't have the time to give the thoughtful feedback this story deserves. This morning I am too sleepy for coherency. So can it suffice to say that I ADORED this?

I loved the visual feel of the piece, starting with the first paragraph at Giles' apartment (particularly the jangling keys) and your sharp observations about Giles' nature (and thank you for giving those observations to the always delicious Ethan). What really gave this piece its punch, however, was the unexpected humor that framed the angst so perfectly.

She'd only break your heart, Ripper."
"She didn't have to, I did that well enough on my own."

And you broke my heart with this! But not half so much as you did with this:

In all the good and all the bad, Giles found he couldn't pity him as he once did, he couldn't hate him as he once did, and he couldn't love him as he once did. All he was left with was a dull, stale grey; drowning in apathy.

Thanks for writing this!

thank you

[wickedfox]

Wow. Adored?
I couldn't ask for more.

Thanks for noticing the humor. That is exactly what I wanted. Like you've mentioned before, BtvS has always included humor even in the angsty moments. Giles and Ethan together and drunk... gonna have a few giggles.

And you broke my heart with this! But not half so much as you did with this:

In all the good and all the bad, Giles found he couldn't pity him as he once did, he couldn't hate him as he once did, and he couldn't love him as he once did. All he was left with was a dull, stale grey; drowning in apathy.

I'm so glad that line worked for you. I wanted to make it clear that he couldn't feel anymore, no emotion, he was robbed of it by the poison. That would so completely suck.

I'm thrilled it actually worked. Thanks so much for the encouragement.

[ladyforash]

You are one of my favorites, so I knew I'd love this story. While I was reading it, I found myself both laughing and crying. And that note was perfect.

[kaymickbee]

Shite. That was sad. And yes, humorous. Bloody stupid Ethan.

Wonderful tones and dialogue, and I loved the poetic feel. Well done, as always!

[wickedfox]

Thank you. I'm glad you liked it, especially that you thought it was humorous, I really wanted the humor.