NCIS Fic Rec: Damage, by Xanthe, slash, Gibbs/DiNozzo

[tejas]

This could be a difficult read for some folks.

Damage deals with past child abuse. But I gotta tell you, it does it better than any fic, or any pro fiction, I've ever read. Xanthelj has done a superb job of portraying the characters in a difficult "what if" situation while still keeping them in character and on target

Comments

[emgeetrek]

So glad you posted about this story. I'm not a full-fledged NCIS fan, though I watch episodes from time to time. I read Xanthe's story yesterday and I think she has managed to capture all the characters' voices and behavior traits perfectly. Damage is gripping, well plotted, and contains a minimum of gratuitous ickiness (which has not always been the case in Xanthe's earlier fic, in other fandoms). However, I found that I was uneasy about the way the slash element was introduced and played out--and I am a long-time and dedicated slasher in a number of fandoms. I wasn't uneasy enough to stop reading, but I kept tripping over Gibbs' actions in particular. Still, I would highly recommend this story to anyone who can deal with the difficult subject matter.

[tejas]

I thought Gibbs was spot on. Pushed out of his comfort zone, sure, but I thought it worked perfectly. Dealing with emotional issues are always tough for him, but once he puts his mind to it, he goes into things loaded for bear.

[xanthe]

Thank you.

Honestly, I agonised over this story - both the writing and especially the posting. Like I said to you before, I don't know that I got everything right, but it wasn't for want of trying.

It's been a really emotional week. I've had several private emails from abuse survivors telling me what the story meant to them from a personal viewpoint which I found incredibly humbling.

And I like your summary much better than anything I could come up with *g*. I am so rubbish at summaries!

[tejas]

I can easily see why you might have had difficulties getting through this. Some of the heads you had to crawl around in were... unpleasant. But it was necessary and you did an excellent job of it. :-)

As to the summary, I can generally do summaries of *other* people's stuff. It's my own stuff that I can never quite figure out what it's actually about. ;-)

[tejas]

Isn't it, though? Intense and yet so *very* well done. As I read it, I could hear echoes of every account I've ever read on the subject, or every friend I've ever had who went through similar experiences.

Roy was SO creepy, too. So *very* creepy.

[taylorgibbs]

Great post! Completely spot on and I agree 1000%

[tejas]

It really was an amazing and powerful story.

I can't wait until some time passes so I can dive in and reread it in one sitting.

[taylorgibbs]

Oh me too!

[tejas]

That's my only regret. That I got sucked into the first part before it was all posted. :-) I wish, I wish, I *wish* I'd been able to hold out to read it all in one fell swoop. :-)