[FIC] Glory Days

[sungreen70]

Well, this is the fic that I never thought would happen :) It was inspired by a recent conversation in the journals about Mr. Sherwood. I hope I did him justice. Many thanks once again to my wonderful beta, ktnflagTitle: Glory Days

Comments

[asuka14]

So sad. :( But I agree with some other comments - this does ring eerily true.

I like how cheery and bright and optimistic part one is and then we move on to part two and it's... not anymore. Brad and Colin aren't young and full of life anymore. They're jaded and kind of bitter and burnt out. And I think you captured that really, really well.

From the back door of the theater, it was only a couple hundred feet to the New Jersey waterfront. Brad zipped his jacket against the chill and watched a ferry boat chugging along the gray water of the harbor.
-- And I LOVED this line. I thought it was the perfect way to begin part two.

Over all, I am impressed. :) This was very sad but well written.

[sungreen70]

Lyndsey! *squish*

Thanks for checking it out! I'm glad you liked the change of mood and my take on Brad and Colin. I've never seen them live but from everything I've heard from Clay and others who have, I definitely get the impression that they're jaded and bored. Such a difference from the Whose Live show where they seem to be having so much fun.

[rycolfan]

It makes you wonder why they don't just stop touring by themselves and go and join the others if they really feel that way...it's so sad.

[sungreen70]

I think there really is truth to Colin needing to prove himself apart from Ryan, and that this was why he went out on his own. I've also heard Ryan comment on the Whose Live tours (with Greg, Chip, and Jeff) as compared to the Drew's Improv All Stars they used to do with a lot more people. He's said that it works better with four people because with more than that, some of them are always standing around bored because they're not in the spotlight - or something to that effect.

Honestly, having seen the Whose Live show now I can see what he means. Four is a good number. And the four of them really do have good chemistry - I would actually hate to see one of them dropped from the tour so Colin could join... much as I would give my right arm to see Ryan and Colin work together again!

[marginaliana]

Oh, wow, this is painful but brilliant. I love the contrast of the two scenes.

[sungreen70]

Thank you! I did want a stark contrast between the two halves, so I'm glad it came through. Thanks for checking it out!

[roonerspism]

Oh, oh. Oh.

I found this browsing through the list of fics from this year that Clay posted up. And I went looking for your name, since we're newly LJ friends, and I've loved your stuff in the past :)

This. This was just incredible. I, like the other commenters, adore the use of NYC and the towers as a metaphor for Brad's career. It's such a powerful image. Colin's subtle characterisation change is brilliantly done. Brad's joke about 'going down' first being genuinely funny, then 'coming' being old hat rings so true.
So much of this fic just seems like real life.
I can't bear to think that this is what Brad and Colin's lives are really like these days, but you paint such a striking picture here that it's hard not to believe it.

[sungreen70]

*hugs for my new LJ friend* :) :) :)

Wow - thank you!!! I'm glad you liked the NYC/World Trade Center aspect, since 9/11 is close to my heart. This was really the first time I ever wrote Brad as a major player and not as a minor character and something of a douchewaffle. I actually find myself feeling more affectionate towards him since writing this - it was interesting trying to get inside his head :)

Thanks so much, and yay for mutual friending!

[angary]

This is amazing. I love the characterization, the incredible contrast you set up between then and now, and the use of the setting as more visible proof of how things change. To me, what's so heartbreaking in this is Brad's looking to the future and seeing all its possibilities, and then getting there and losing that idealism, that sense of novelty. It's sad, but it's reality, and you did such a good job of capturing that in here.

What also struck me was how unaffected Colin turned out to be, as opposed to being all tentatively sweet like in the beginning, but I could definitely see him changing that way. Aw, Colin ;_;

Seriously, fantastic job on this! I love a good character study, and this is one of the best I've read *Adds to memories*

Oh, also, I forgot to mention that I love Brad's sexual jokes in both sections. He really wouldn't be able to let those go.

[sungreen70]

Thank you!! I'm glad you found Colin interesting - he wasn't originally going to be a major player in this, but he kind of grabbed the ball from me and ran with it a little ways till I tackled him and said "No Colin! Bad Colin! This is Brad's story!" It's made me want to explore that side of Colin some more :)

Thank you so much for the awesome comment :)

[almostjulie]

How'd I miss this the first time around? There's not enough Brad-centric fic out there -- I liked this perspective, both hopeful, on-the-rise 1997 Brad and tired, bored, stalled 2010 Brad.

*sad sigh* And this is why I never want to see their show.