Moths and Candles

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Title: Moths and Candles
Originally posted: Here, for jinsai.
Length: 3,500 words.
Characters/Pairings: France/America.
Premise: After the Great War, many Americans stayed in or traveled to France, searching for meaning, as part of what in America came to be called the Lost Generation, and in France was called the Generation of Fire.
Time period: 1920s

Comments

[pyrrhiccomedy]

How can you write about the 1920s and not have jazz? *grins*

France is so surprisingly fun to write about. I really want to like...do something with him, like, properly.

[wizzard890]

How on earth were you worried about this? Like...How?

I've said it before, I'm head over heels for your France, and in this? Absolutely gorgeous.

I think more than anything, I love the pervasive melancholy of this piece. There's this sensation of teetering on the edge of Change, and no matter which way the world ends up tipping, something's going to be lost.

Also, the tiny mention of Russia killed me.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Yeah, that was so me being like "Remember? Remember communism? Psst, America's totally heartbroken these days. Anyway, back to metatextualizing with France."

You know...I'm trying to think if I've written a single story that has sex in it that didn't also have a feeling of pervasive melancholy. Maybe this is something I should talk to a therapist about. XD

[harl]

I don't read much fanfic. In all honesty, hardly any. But this was very well-written. A nice job, indeed.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Thank you, that's very flattering to hear. =D

[historyblitz]

Bah, I really, really loved this.

America feeling sort of lost and lonely. Sort of, well, like now. Wanting to have a sense of community with the other nations but somehow....there's always a wall there.

It honestly made me a bit sad. It touched a very true spot that even though you are in the 1920s, I can see the parallels to now.

This was really good. I really liked it.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Wanting to have a sense of community with the other nations but somehow....there's always a wall there.

That's such a perfect way to express one of the cornerstones of America's character conflict, so thank you. ♥

And yeah, some things don't really change, do they?

Thank you for reading. =D

[marynyu]

This is so good, in a heartbreaking sort of way. Globalisation AND isolation... how come both those make me sad in a way??

Also.... f-ing hot sex scene. Had to be said. But... yeah.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Your icon is so scary.

America's totally got that celebrity dilemma, doesn't he? Everybody knows everything about him, but he's always a little bit alone.

[marynyu]

Oh, Jon Arbuckle form Garfield minus Garield?? Scariest thing EVER!! XD

Man, this is why I love this fandom so much!! I never saw America's character as this before, but I totaly see it now! It's just so great to get such different views and depths on.... almost every character, actually. Add to that some very talented writers, and... yeah, I think I'll be addicted to this fandom for quite a long time.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

God, I LOVE this fandom for that! The canon personalities are just these loose sketches, really, so there's all this room for exploration and interpretation. Plus, you can never run out of canon. Wikipedia anything you want, and you've got more canon. XD

I'm glad you found Hetalia! =D