B5 fic: "Of Wine and Virtue" [Londo/G'Kar]

[amatara]

Title: Of Wine and Virtue
Summary: Years after the events of "The Fall of Centauri Prime", Londo and G'Kar meet again on Earth, thanks to Vir.
Not, in the end, a fix-it story - though some things do get mended that were long overdue.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Owned by JMS and Babylonian Productions, not me, alas.
Author's notes:
1. Written for mithen, for

Comments

[selenak]

Londo and G'Kar in Paris! What a splendid idea. Your story rings both poignant and true to them both.

[amatara]

Thank you! *beams*

To be honest, setting this in Paris wasn't my own idea, but a kind suggestion by the story's requester. Of course, once I saw said suggestion, I couldn't resist letting Londo and G'Kar visit the Moulin Rouge, now could I? *¨g*

[mithen]

Oh, this was just wonderful, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading it, leaning into the screen as much as possible. I love your Paris, it's a character in the story as much as Londo and G'Kar and Vir are, and the air of grubby tourism mixed with churches and brothels and fairy tales works just right.

In most of them, he was posing side-to-side with a soft-faced woman, dressed human-style except for the traditional shaved Centauri scalp - a woman whom G’Kar had never seen or spoken to before this day, but had liked on sight.

Oh, I'm almost sorry we don't get to see more of her, because you capture her so well in just one sentence. Of course, anyone smart enough to want Vir is awesome in my book. :)

It was Vir who broke the moment, darting forward in a quick maneuver of his own to pull the still-frozen figure into an impetuous hug. “I’m so glad you’re here,” G’Kar heard him whisper, prompting the other man to return the embrace, gingerly at first, then patting Vir’s back with increasing conviction, as if finally

[amatara]

Agh, your comment doesn't fit on my laptop screen!! *huge grin*

I'm so glad you liked this, I can't tell you! *wipes sweat off forehead* No, seriously, for some reason writing this felt like such a headlong rush - partly because I was trying to hurry, but even more because the story just kept coming and coming - that in the end I really wasn't sure anymore if it was any good or even the slightest bit coherent. So I'm very relieved now! :) It was a lovely prompt to write a story for, even if some parts broke my heart just a little. *sniffles

[mithen]

I love that you had such a nice, strong image of Vir's wife--because it comes through, she doesn't feel like a throwaway character but one with a history and personality that we just don't get lucky enough to see. I love when that happens in fics.

About the ending: ah, well, one of my big fanfic writer's dreams (which I'm quite sure will remain a dream *g*) is to write the story between Fall of Centauri Prime and War Without End as I think it should be. I know it's been written in the novels by Peter David, but his version of the story doesn't quite match mine. This fic is - well, I'd like to think that the ending at least gives a hint at how Vir and G'Kar came to be on Centauri Prime on the day of Londo's death - they knew, because Londo had told them. And who knows, maybe someone sometime will connect the dots between this fic's ending and the day the Drakh are defeated... One can dream, no? :)

Well, I know I will be now. :D That would be WONDERFUL to see. *sighs at the thought*

[maspalio]

That -that was beautiful

[amatara]

Thank you so much - I wasn't sure at all if the mix of moods and genres (introspection switching to slapstick switching to angst switching to ...) would fit together, rather than seeming like a big jumble of bits and pieces. Very glad to hear it works for you!

The idea of setting the story in Paris wasn't really mine (though the specific settings were) - it was one of the suggestions mithen gave when making her request, and it appealed to me immediately, because... Well, Londo and G'Kar in the Moulin Rouge, how could I pass up the chance to write that! *g*

I love G'Kar's protectiveness, the touching each other and the usual banter.I had great fun looking for various covert ways to get them to touch, without it being a deliberate gesture. Londo, of course, touches everyone no matter when, so that wasn't hard to do; G'Kar I had to get a little drunk first. ;) And one of the things I love most about G'Kar in the show is that, despite him being such a cynic in some ways, he can also have that unconditional trust - if Londo (or anyone else)