wow. wow, this was so so beautiful and I'm in awe. I really loved how fresh and really luxurious (can you describe fic with that word or is it just for cars idk if this fic was a car it'd be a top of the line mercedes-benz e-class) this fic was as a read for me. POV switching is really hard to read sometimes because the author can be really good at one POV but then terrible at the other and it's just awkward all around but you did it so flawlessly for both Harry and Louis ♥ I loved both storyline's and I really loved how well they fit together and how like you got to see two completely different people and two opposite ends of the spectrum- Harry the first year associate who had to deal with adjusting to his new firm and Louis full-time waiter who had acting dreams and is trying to find time for a sexuality crisis. First off I could take about your Louis for hours, ohmygod. I loved his characterization so much, it fit in really well with like my headcanon for Louis and Zayn/Louis in general. Like, Louis totally is a relationship
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ARG, I typed up the reply and then lj wouldn't let me post it, so I took a screen cap... let me know if you have problems reading this and I'll retype (LIVEJOURNAL I AM NOT IMPRESSED)
This is absolutely wonderful, I don't even know where to start. It's real and painful and hopeful and wise. The alternating POV works so well, with Harry and Louis having such different lives, one of them living exactly according to plan and the other having given up on all his plans, but kind of being in similar places emotionally anyway. Their one extended scene together is amazing ("I know how to take a hit" just killed me. You are incredible with subtext
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I'm super, super relieved that you thought the alternating pov worked. I wrote the first 10k in two different word documents and then eventually was like OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE and used post-it notes to attempt and outline because how the hell was I going to make them match up and ARG, regret! But, like you said, I really felt like I needed to have both of them there because of Harry and Louis having such different lives, one of them living exactly according to plan and the other having given up on all his plans, but kind of being in similar places emotionally anyway THIS! Yes!!!
but he's also enjoying that he can play this game and succeedThat's the thing that I really wanted to get across -- like, that Harry COULD be good at *hand waves* all that. It's not like he was a fish out of water or needed to find a new profession or whatever: he's good at being in that world and he's good at being in Nick's world. I think sometimes that simultaneously fitting into contradictory places can almost be harder than not fitting in at all
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:DDD The suit moment is SO great because of everything leading up to it: Nick thinks those dudes are douchebags for being out in suits, then Harry goes out in a suit and his co-workers are being assholes about what that guy's wearing that Harry thinks for a sec is Nick...then the surprise of dapper!Niall...and then at the end Harry shows up at Louis's thing in a suit. Just the way you show how clothes are signifiers for different ways of life and the judgments that happen based on that...and Harry forgetting to put on his street clothes is like, he's finally feeling comfortable enough with crossing his streams. And because of the pattern you create, each reference to clothing means more. I love it when there are ideas that track through a story like that!
Also, I've long been convinced that Niall is secretly a genius.
Exactly!!! YAY! I'm glad that you noticed all that and that it came through. I was like, is it a bit silly to use clothing as the, like... thematic arc through the story?? But then I did it anyway, hahah, /o\ I definitely wanted the ending to show that Harry's comfortable enough to cross the seams, so it's awesome to hear that's how it read for you! YAY! THIS COMMENT DELIGHTS ME.
And, yes. I feel like this is just a reasonable explanation for Niall? HAHAHA, I love him. (A true genius, who understands, rabbits? They are pointless. Do nothing.)
Anne Michaels!! Sorry, this is going to have to be a placeholder comment until I get my shit together. I fucking love you. You know this. I can't deal with it. Shake, Rattle, and Roll? *_*
Oh no. OH NO. Harry wraps his hand around the rail of the balcony, locks his knees against the sudden wave of vertigo. He feels like he’s posing for someone to take a picture of his life. In this moment, he’s finally slotted into place, exactly where he’s meant to be: the condo and his job and the beautiful woman to bring home at night, looking out over the city. Like from this great height he can see enough of the world to understand how all of the pieces are supposed to fit together. This is what he’s been working for, this is what everyone wants for him, this is what he should want for himself.The problem is I fucking start crying whenever I read you. I've totally stood there. Why are things so hard, Laura
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(And...I hit char limit. I should probably be ashamed.)
Harry works stupid hours, but Niall never gets mad, just meets up with Harry when Harry’s finally done, except on the nights when Niall’s the one working stupid hours and sliding into bed once Harry’s already fallen asleep.
These two working men. Awww. I don't even know what I want to say about this apart from it put a huge fucking smile on my face. I want this love. Hold on -- it's like what threeturn said -- the...competence? The relationship feels so goddamn competent here.
What else is there to say??? Just keymashing forever. <3
Yes! Competence! I'm so obsessed with the idea of Harry, who seems this certain way in the world, and Niall, who kind of seems another way, being this utter power couple. I want to read about one million different iterations of it, but for now I just wrote this, haha.
Thank you soooooooo much for leaving such an amazing comment, I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it! :D
Your mutipart commenting was amaaaaaaazing, and somehow I woke up through the night right when you were at the end so I actually got the last few in real time and it was INCREDIBLE. I was grinning so so hard, ♥
The problem is I fucking start crying whenever I read you. I've totally stood there. Why are things so hard, Laura??? I don't know, babes, :( Although, in a needlessly obvious way, I've found it easier now that I live on the sixth floor instead of the 27th.
Your city feels so spacious, so much room, that it forces the characters to look for limits. It hits me so sharp because I've been in Toronto for eight years and I know in my heart it's a great city but I still feel like I've ruined it for myself and I've reached all the limits I can here. That's the weird thing though -- i've heard people say that so many times before, how Toronto is the biggest little city, and ultimately it always ends up feeling like a small world. Thematically, I kind of like that paradox for stories, but I know it sucks in reality, :(
wow this is so lovely. :) you really made toronto, i city i personally have never been in, come to life. i'm always in awe when an author can make a setting it's own character within a story successfully. and can i just say how refreshing it is to have all these well rounded characters? often with two story arcs there are one or two characters who suffer but all four of the main characters managed to have layers.
I'm so glad that you thought the city setting worked! I know a lot of people hate AUs that make 1D non-British and I ALSO have already written a Canadian AU, so I DID feel a bit guilty writing this one as well, and I thought that the only way I could possibly justify it was by making Toronto important enough that the story wouldn't possibly have worked if it was set somewhere else. So, yes! Thank you!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment!!! ♥!!!
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THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!
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but he's also enjoying that he can play this game and succeedThat's the thing that I really wanted to get across -- like, that Harry COULD be good at *hand waves* all that. It's not like he was a fish out of water or needed to find a new profession or whatever: he's good at being in that world and he's good at being in Nick's world. I think sometimes that simultaneously fitting into contradictory places can almost be harder than not fitting in at all ( ... )
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Also, I've long been convinced that Niall is secretly a genius.
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And, yes. I feel like this is just a reasonable explanation for Niall? HAHAHA, I love him. (A true genius, who understands, rabbits? They are pointless. Do nothing.)
♥
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Oh no. OH NO. Harry wraps his hand around the rail of the balcony, locks his knees against the sudden wave of vertigo. He feels like he’s posing for someone to take a picture of his life. In this moment, he’s finally slotted into place, exactly where he’s meant to be: the condo and his job and the beautiful woman to bring home at night, looking out over the city. Like from this great height he can see enough of the world to understand how all of the pieces are supposed to fit together. This is what he’s been working for, this is what everyone wants for him, this is what he should want for himself.The problem is I fucking start crying whenever I read you. I've totally stood there. Why are things so hard, Laura ( ... )
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Harry works stupid hours, but Niall never gets mad, just meets up with Harry when Harry’s finally done, except on the nights when Niall’s the one working stupid hours and sliding into bed once Harry’s already fallen asleep.
These two working men. Awww. I don't even know what I want to say about this apart from it put a huge fucking smile on my face. I want this love. Hold on -- it's like what threeturn said -- the...competence? The relationship feels so goddamn competent here.
What else is there to say??? Just keymashing forever. <3
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Thank you soooooooo much for leaving such an amazing comment, I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it! :D
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The problem is I fucking start crying whenever I read you. I've totally stood there. Why are things so hard, Laura???
I don't know, babes, :( Although, in a needlessly obvious way, I've found it easier now that I live on the sixth floor instead of the 27th.
Your city feels so spacious, so much room, that it forces the characters to look for limits. It hits me so sharp because I've been in Toronto for eight years and I know in my heart it's a great city but I still feel like I've ruined it for myself and I've reached all the limits I can here.
That's the weird thing though -- i've heard people say that so many times before, how Toronto is the biggest little city, and ultimately it always ends up feeling like a small world. Thematically, I kind of like that paradox for stories, but I know it sucks in reality, :(
Every time ( ... )
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god. so lovely to read. lovely, lovely, lovely.
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