I will throw my arms around you...

[lozenger8]

Title: Give and Take
Rating: G
Fandom: Life on Mars
Word Count: 1100+ words or thereabouts.
Notes: Gene/The Missus. Um. This is an idealised look at Gene's homelife, because I admit, I kind of desperately picture Gene and his wife to be in this loving and committed relationship which stands the test and ravages of time. Because I am a great big sap

Comments

[xwingace]

Wow. Quite a bit of insight in how Gene's relationship with his wife could work. Pretty realistic too, in as far as I'm any judge of a situation like that.

And a breath of fresh air to see a het-ish gen piece in this slash dominated fandom.

XWA

[lozenger8]

Thank you very much :D (and my, that was quick!)

[xwingace]

No problem.

It was on the top of my flist, and I can read *very* quickly...

XWA

[jantalaimon]

what slash? there's no slash in this fandom at all NO WAY NUH-UH. XD

this is really lovely. (do we ever actually meet Gene's wife in canon or no?) in any relationship, these things are important, and it's good to have some differences so you have something to talk about at the end of the day. if it's all "yeah, i like this." "yeah, me too!" or "wow, that's completely awful." "yeah, that sucks," where's the relationship? it is sycophantic and silly.

[lozenger8]

Thank you very much :)

do we ever actually meet Gene's wife in canon or no?

Not so far we haven't, hence the huge scope for making stuff up! (All I really had to go on was Gene's Roger Whittaker comment of episode 4...)

[jantalaimon]

actually, the main reason i wondered was cos i wondered if we knew her name. :)

ah, Roger Whitaker. this makes me picture Gene + wife song night at their house with her on piano and possibly fancy costumes but Gene hoping no one from work finds out...XD

[lozenger8]

No, I made it up. She's just "the Missus".

[neuralclone]

That was a wonderful little character piece - I thought you really caught Gene while making it clear he was a slightly different man at home compared to the man he is at work. (Of course Roger Whittaker was a great big hint in that direction in the series, too!)

[lozenger8]

Thanks very much :D

Yes, I base a lot on that - especially since we later have a Whittaker song played purposefully. It wasn't just an offhand remark intended to elicit humour (even though it was also that.)

[stabbim]

That was sweet. Thank you. :)

[lozenger8]

Thank you :D

[xwingace]

Good icon. :-)
Interesting observation.

XWA
All that needed was Liz White, really...

[watervole]

That's an excellent description of a very believable relationship - what I'd really love to read is a story that shows us a part of that relationship in action.

Do you think you could write a story in which Gene is dealing with a crime of some kind and tell it always from what he tells/doesn't tell Clara about it when he's at home? You could even have her sister visiting one evening and have Gene struggling to avoid swearing at her when she asks him how his work is going. (It could be even more fun if you make her a social worker...)

Show us in dialogue how Clare holds Gene up when he's down, how she needs him when the twin tub breaks down, how they argue, give and take and generally have a deep-down respect for one another that only shows when you get to know them well.

[lozenger8]

Thank you for the suggestions.

I have a few ideas kicking around in my head already and I'll definitely keep in mind some of these, they're fantastic. (Harpy sister as a social worker is a personal favourite - thanks for that.)