FIC: The Plaza

[jalabert]

Title: The Plaza
Author: Jalabert
Rating: Teen
Summary: Chad and Ryan have a crisis. (Sequel to Café Mozart; part of the Only in New York trilogy.)

Comments

[darkhawkhealer]

*flails* I love this.

Ryan's insecurity just rings true for me. It's one thing when they're together and able to see each other on a regular basis, but sometimes absence doesn't do anything but make you forget about someone. And he sees his friends with THEIR boyfriends and he doesn't get to hang out with his.

And I love that Chad cared enough to a)not get instantly mad for being accused of cheating and b)to try to explain and fix it and make it better. Chad's so grown up in this. ♥

Also, psst! "Let's skip the champagne," Chad suggested. "I need you to be perfectly when I convince you that I love you, utterly and completely," he said, pressing Ryan to the wall and nuzzling his ear. I think you missed a word. ;)

[jalabert]

GAH!!!!

I read that over like six times before I posted. *sigh*

Thank you. The missing word, which you probably guessed, is "sober."

I tend to think that Ryan would be more insecure than Chad because of their history. He's always seen Chad as being desired by others and has always felt a little unequal to his popularity. Also, Chad is surrounded by friends and family back in New Mexico--Ryan's somewhat isolated. But the real reason why Chad reacted the way he did is because he knows that Ryan's duress is of his own making. (And my Chad is awesome!) ;)

[darkhawkhealer]

*grin* I find that a fresh set of eyes always helps.

Your Chad IS awesome! So patient and understanding and cute!

Both boys need a hug, though. Poor things. It's got to be hard, only a month into being apart, they're nowhere near used to it yet. ♥

[lil_1337]

That was lovely and intense. It's funny the way language has levels of meaning and what is innocuous to one person's ear is a trigger to another. The phone call at the end was bittersweet. It's good to see Ryan and Sharpay as their own people, but at the same it is hard to think of them as being so far apart.

[jalabert]

Thank you!

I think such misunderstandings are inevitable in long-distance relationships, especially at the beginning. It was a test and they learned from it. Things will be better between them now.

Sharpay will always be an interesting figure in Ryan and Chad's lives. She'll be apart from Ryan at the beginning of this series and Chad will be her main connection between them. Ryan and Sharpay have always appeared as a unit, and I've tried to show them as individuals, but she'll always hold onto Ryan, even if it's by holding onto Chad.

[jalabert]

Hee!

For some reason these bits seem to b spilling out of me. I already have the next piece done. I think it's because I'm intentionally writing them as vignettes, rather than whole stories. So Chad's visit to New York will be three episodes of ten pages rather than my usual 25-35 page story. And I've already got the next story in my head. I can't keep up!

[la_pina_colada]

Sharpay and Chad as best friends is fabulous, and not just because it makes Troy jealous. ;) Very lovely sequel.

[jalabert]

I have to say that I love their friendship. We'll get to see more of it as the series goes forward.

Thank you!