"Lockdown" post-ep ficlet.

[lit_luminary]

Title: ...And a Time to Dance
Author: dominus_trinus (lit_luminary)
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Chase, Cameron; past Chase/Cameron.
Summary: In the past, dance lessons; in the present, forgiveness.

Comments

[waylandsmithy]

Very nice. I'm being good and haven't seen the episode yet but from what I gather, your ficlet fills the bill absolutely.I'm impressed that you managed to write this so quickly, especially if you had to research the waltz footwork! I especially liked the line "she’d trusted him with her body but never fully with anything else." That really captures their relationship, i think. The sex part came easily to them, nothing else.

[lit_luminary]

Researching the waltz was one of the most interesting parts of this: I usually rely more heavily on dialogue and facial expressions (particularly gaze) than on body positioning and movement, so the scenes that had to be body-centered were a satisfying challenge.

The line you pointed out is one of my favorites, too: most of the time, it seemed that sex was the only way they could communicate, because Cameron didn't allow the emotional intimacy of verbal communication; and after a while, Chase learned not to ask. So for me, it was never a question whether or not the relationship would end, just of when.

[bluerosefairy]

So, I can finally review one of these post-ep ficlets since I did happen to catch "Lockdown" when it aired (Hugh Laurie directing + the promise of Truth or Dare between Wilson and Thirteen = YAY). Hats off to Hugh, Jesse, and Jennifer for just nailing the Chase/Cameron scenes, which are usually my least-favorite of the show. And oh, this was lovely. This was exactly what this needed, a little flashback to the good times.

[lit_luminary]

Thank you so much for your comment! Thematically, I loved juxtaposing the end of a metaphorically out-of-step relationship to a literally out-of-step dance, and it gave the piece a bittersweetness I'm really pleased with. I think I may even watch those videos I linked until I've learned to waltz.

(I've missed you; we must chat soon. I check AIM periodically on weekend evenings, but so far, I haven't managed to catch you.)

[flywoman]

Oh, that's such a great metaphor that I'm surprised I haven't used it ( because I've done quite a lot of ballroom dancing myself, and it's always tempting to infer things about interpersonal dynamics from the way people lead and follow). Very well interwoven with their last encounter as well as their wedding.

Chase may regret that they didn't talk more, but my not-so-inner cynic whispers that doing so wouldn't have saved their marriage either.

My favorite lines:
They’re in step, he realizes, probably for the first time; and it’s ironic because it’s also the last.

“You start with the right,” he says. “I lead, remember?”

I'd like to friend you, if I may!

[lit_luminary]

Thank you so much for commenting! I was very pleased with the way this piece turned out, but readers didn't seem as interested in it as I'd hoped.

And I agree with you that talking wouldn't have saved their marriage. As you said, theirs is a relationship of mutual self-delusion: ideally, they would never have made it to the point of marriage.

I loved that first line, too. It's one of my favorites of the piece.

Oh, and friend away. Be warned, I'm unlikely to write Chase/Cameron again (I'm more interested in Chase alone, and the dynamics House's mentor/student relationship with him), but I'm delighted to have you on board.

[flywoman]

Not a problem at all if you're not writing Chase/Cameron. I just enjoy finding good writers and seeing what else they have to say. I like Maya Tawi's takes on House and Chase (both platonic and slash). Can you recommend any favorites?

[lit_luminary]

Besides the inevitable self-recommendations, which I'll skip (you're welcome to explore my LJ on your own; I do canon-based work and various fantasy AUs), these fics deal with Chase, and with his (platonic) relationship with House, and are extremely good