Fic: Bel Canto

[rubberbutton]

Title: Bel Canto
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Sam/Gene
Words: 6,000
Warnings: nada
Notes: A million thanks to elynittria, a far better beta than I deserve.
Summary: Sam and Gene investigate theft at the Manchester Opera House.

Comments

Re: Babbling comment O' DOOM

[rubberbutton]

Oh my goodness, thank you!

I'll start with Donatella. I actually really really enjoyed her scenes, wanted to see more of her. When it occurred to me that she was, in fact, an original character there was a moment of shock.

Haha, I'm really glad you liked her. I was afraid she'd be too grating or over-the-top or something, but I really liked playing with the idea of presenting a front.

This actually makes me sort of want to see Madame Butterfly

It's, you know, pretty good. I have a complicated relationship with this opera (jebus, that sounds pretentious). I want to shake some sense into Butterfly, because, honey, he's just not that into you. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and MOVE ON. But on the other hand, I dare you listen to Un bel di vedremo and not get chills. It gets me every damn time.

She had a Talk with Gene, didn't she?

They deny all knowledge of any such Talk. ;)

It was fun having him as narrator, like in the show where we also see everything through Sam's perspectiveI think I find it easier to write from Sam'

[severinne]

This is such an engaging story, and I love how you've made the opera house setting both a natural part of the story while still poetic enough to feel foreign to these two (Gene's explanation about listening to Madame Butterfly as a child was wonderful), and it helped support the ambiguity you show in their relationship here

[rubberbutton]

I truly felt badly for Sam that he merely had a sulk about it instead of really raising hell about it - that scene alone set up a clear dynamic for how these two could be as a couple-in-secret where Sam's affection for Gene makes him forgive things that he wouldn't have tolerated when they were just good mates. If that makes sense. :PI think I'm picking up what you're putting down. ;) As for Sam tolerating Gene's bad behavior, I think when the fight is about the law or the proper way to conduct an investigation, Sam knows he's right -- he's confidence about the correct procedure and can quote the penal code if necessary. With his relationship with Gene, he's much less certain. He doesn't have commitment or even the typical labels to define the relationship. They're not boyfriends or really even lovers. They're just two guys who fuck sometimes, and that doesn't give him any grounds on which to base his argument when Gene's being an asshole. So Sam knows how dysfunctional their dynamic is, but he can't fix what they can't talk about,

[severinne]

I wanted the high-flown declarations of love and constancy, but I just could never get them to work.

Well, whatever instinct drove you away from that, it's a damn good one. The dressing-up, making-out version of this story would have been fun, but I don't think it would have nailed the heart of Sam and Gene the way this did. :)

I also meant to say that I liked how Sam related to Donatella - it's not just the Nelson parallel thing, but also the way that both her and Sam pretend to be things they're not, pretend to come from places that aren't really their proper homes... it makes them click in a really nice way.

[draycevixen]

Hello!

I really enjoyed this, your take on Sam and Gene's personality and how this... "relationship" might progress... or not, it's all there in the fact that picky pain "it's just the facts" Sam has to struggle to remember how long they've actually been involved.

Thank you. :D

[rubberbutton]

Hi there! Thanks for commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed the fic. :D

it's all there in the fact that picky pain "it's just the facts" Sam has to struggle to remember how long they've actually been involved.

Heh, yeah, they don't exactly have an anniversary. Poor boys. :(

[rubberbutton]

Thanks for reading!

In their situation it's the small things that'll count and Sam needed to be reminded of that.

Yeah, and I'm sure Gene can be quite sweet when he wants to be. Maybe.

[chamekke]

I can't possibly do justice to this fic, but... Gene's paranoid secretiveness and Sam's weary longing and Donna's matter-of-fact sympathy really do combine to make a very compelling story!

It's not just the superb characterization (although it has to be said, Donatella isn't the only person that SINGS here). I also love the plot, the pacing, all the depth-charge surprises (Gene is familiar with and even respects opera? Cordescu's a Yank?). This is one of those stories where every paragraph pulls you forward and every piece of dialogue contains at least one little jewel.

And using "Un bel di, vedremo" for the moment in which Gene silently acknowledges that he yearns for Sam too - that was exquisite.

[rubberbutton]

I also love the plot, the pacing, all the depth-charge surprises (Gene is familiar with and even respects opera? Cordescu's a Yank?).

Goodness, thank you so much. I'm glad it worked for you. I confess I wasn't sure how all of that would go over. Especially Gene as opera enthusiast. *g*

And using "Un bel di, vedremo" for the moment in which Gene silently acknowledges that he yearns for Sam too - that was exquisite.

:D This story is really just song!fic, isn't it? I have no shame.