Comments | lolitics_meme: 8 - upwards to infinity

lolitics_meme

8 - upwards to infinity

Nov 22, 2010 06:15

Welcome to our eighth prompt post.

As ususal, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) All fills for prompts of the earlier prompt posts go in the post the prompt was posted in. No re-posting or splitting up prompts and fills.
2) Self-prompt when you post unprompted fic. (This means posting what the fill is about in a first comment, like a real ( Read more... )

prompting: 08

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Tender Comrade 15/? (Warning: HIV fic) anonymous December 21 2010, 16:32:57 UTC

To be fair, they do know each other quite well. Ed tends to quantify his relationship with the younger Miliband in Treasury Policy (tax credits, child trust fund, sure start), but they did used to socialise (Ed met the delightful Stephanie through Miliband, he has to be grateful for that), and have a good relationship. It’s been alright since. Ed’s not exactly taken to having his former employee become his boss, and pushes the boundaries of party discipline as much as he can get away with, but he’s not a sore loser, and he doesn’t hate Miliband. It’s just difficult. Miliband’s an easy target when the Tory cuts haven’t hit home yet and he’s not interested in decimating the Lib Dems any more than they’re doing themselves.

Ed’s frustration always ends on the shoulders of whoever he’s talking to, so Ed Miliband knows if he does turn up and something is wrong (all sorts of possibilities go through his head, all soap opera style, secret lovers, second families, espionage), he’ll take the heat of Ed’s wrath ( ... )

Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 22 2010, 23:54:18 UTC

Ed’s there when it happens. Reeking of antiseptic wetwipes, he’s lying in the same place as always - the left side of the bed, arm behind Andy’s shoulders to keep him half upright, shoes off. Andy’s family have been in all day, and gone back to Andy’s London place. Secretly and selfishly, Ed is glad to have Andy to himself again.

Ed’s allowed to lie there all day because it’s only a matter of time. The doctors nod sadly at him as they pass, reverent and respectful of the institution of death. Andy’s not even gone and everyone knows he’s lost. Andy dozes most of the day, slipping in and out of consciousness.

The only words Ed hears him say are ‘sorry’ and ‘god’. Ed isn’t sure if Andy’s apologising to God or not, but it makes him even angrier, because that means Andy is going through the motions. Repenting his sins and preparing for purgatory, damnation or salvation ( ... )

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 00:04:19 UTC

I'm not crying. I'm not crying.

Fuck it, I'm crying like a little girl. My fifteen-year-old sister is staring at me from across the room like I've gone mental. I don't even -

Don't ever, ever do this to me again. I don't think my poor heart could take it. But seriously, this is gorgeous and sad and you are a wonderful, wonderful writer. You've just broken my heart, is all.

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 00:11:02 UTC

Thank you so much. *braves snow to deliver hugs and tea to your door*

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 00:11:04 UTC

Been reading this all the way through, desperately hoping for updates and simultaneously hoping it wouldn't end, knowing where it was leading...

Absolutely beautiful and heart-breaking, anon.

Thank you so much for writing this.

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 00:17:52 UTC

Thank you.

I can't tell you how much I wanted to scrap the last 30 pages and replace it with a miracle cure and happy ending...

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 00:31:10 UTC

I can't stop crying. I'm crying so hard that I can't swallow or breathe.

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 00:38:40 UTC

It takes a lot to make me cry, anon. But you've totally nailed it.

There are some fics which I obsess over, trying to work out how exactly someone's created such a fantastically moving and enthralling universe, and I can already tell I'll be back reading this one again and again.

The punctuating brutality of your writing packs a punch. I'm really, really glad you didn't miracle cure the ending because it really is absolutely perfect as it is. You didn't shy away from the clinical nastiness of the illness (and also, by the way, I'm fucking impressed how well you've researched this) and you left almost everything unsaid. I love that. It makes everything so much more certain.

I'm babbling because I'm sure to fangirl this until I wear out all my fangirl, so just basically this = perfection and you = an incredibly talented writer.

And seriously fuck Billy Bragg and that song ;____;

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 09:05:38 UTC

Wow. Beautiful. But so painful to read. This is just perfectly written--the details, the emotions, the sheer sense of love between them. But augh, the ending! Even though that's perfectly written too.

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous December 23 2010, 10:36:26 UTC

OP here - I honestly don't think I've cried so much over one fic ever in my life. I'm sorry I haven't commented more but I've been away from the internet, though I'm kinda glad I did. It's so intense, and you're so drawn in and it's perfect, particularly to read in one go. Would have hurt so much more to wait for each update

Thank you

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous January 30 2011, 21:34:17 UTC

This was gorgeous. But yes Im crying like a muthabishhh :')
Amazing work! I cannot praise you enough authoranon!

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) anonymous April 15 2011, 06:51:23 UTC

This fic is incredible, author!anon. The portrayal of the disease was realistically horrific and moving without ever descending into melodrama, and Ed and Andy were perfectly in character. Andy's prickly insistence on minimizing his symptoms and working through it seemed spot on, and it was heartbreaking to watch Ed trying to care for him. There are soooo many potential pitfalls authors can fall into when dealing with a serious subject like this, and you managed to avoid all of them and give us a masterful treatment of the subject, and with all the competitive, affectionate blokeyness of Burnballs on top of that.

This really is one of the best fics on the entire meme. Bravo.

Re: Tender Comrade 27/27 (Warning: HIV fic, death fic) stare_me_out May 27 2012, 09:51:59 UTC

I just reread this for the 10th or so time, beginning to end and it still makes me cry, I'm in the uni library too, damn.

The thing that really gets me going is their last conversation when Andy requests to be scattered over Goodison. It just breaks my heart every time.

Whoops, total anon fail there.

Re: Tender Comrade 25/27 (Warning: HIV fic) anonymous December 22 2010, 23:49:02 UTC

Oh dear lord. I hate you for writing this, it is beautiful.

Excuse me while I cry and F5

Re: Tender Comrade 25/27 (Warning: HIV fic) anonymous January 14 2011, 00:06:29 UTC

It really is a good thing that Ive finished this just before bed because i really do look like a mess now, tears and snot running all down my face....sexyy ;) Like someone who posted above, my sister (14) is also in the room trying to sleep but I think the PLOPPLOP of tears hitting the keyboard is stopping her!

This was amazing, beautiful, more than words can say <3 I think the fact we are all sobbing like babies just shows what an amazing job you did. I have never EVER read anything that has effected me as much as this (the last chapter in particular.)

AMAZING JOB!!!

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