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spfestmod (spfestmod) wrote in snape_potter,
@ 2013-09-18 12:52:00

Entry tags:

fic, first time for everything, rating: nc-17

First Time for Everything Fest: FIC: Standing on the Shoreline
Title: Standing on the Shoreline
Author: citiesandsigns/tofsla
Other pairings/threesome: Snape/OMCs
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 20,000 words
Content/Warning(s): (highlight for spoilers) *crossdressing; semi-public sex; a considerable quantity of alcohol, much of it illicit; dubious mental health; EWE and conspicuous but unexplained lack of one canon character death*
Summary: In which Snape balances uneasily between worlds. Dresses, books and a little herblore. Autumn 2012 and Winter 2013, Cokeworth.
A/N: Although this story has very much gone its own way in terms of both style and content I feel as though it owes some sort of conceptual debt to Rinsbane's The Fire Escape (locked to registered users) anyway; points of resemblance duly acknowledged. Further debts are owed to C for beta work, and to V for discussion of herbs and books, and to both of them for very necessary motivational arse-kicking.

(Standing on the Shoreline)

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torino10154
2013-09-18 03:42 pm UTC (link)

I wasn't sure what to expect at first but from the opening paragraph I was completely sucked in to this fic. There's nothing shiny in this gritty fic and I can't imagine it any other way. I love Severus both indulging and denying himself at every turn, taking what he wants but somehow refusing what he could have. He's carved himself a tidy little life until Harry comes along, and as he so often does, works his way in, breaking down barriers along the way. I adored the ending, absolutely fitting. Excellent fic that will stay with me for a long time. Great job.

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	citiesandsigns 2013-10-10 04:13 am UTC (link)
	Thank you so much! I really love writing stories that are basically driven by internal conflict, and I'm glad you thought this one worked well. :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	amanitamuscaria 2013-09-18 04:17 pm UTC (link)
	You have a lovely way with words, and your conversations (and the silences) ring true. I love Severus abandoning so much, yet stubbornly, bloody-mindedly forging on. I love what you did with Tobias and Eileen, too. And the slow, careful development of a relationship was beautifully done. Lovely. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	citiesandsigns 2013-10-10 04:14 am UTC (link)
	Thank you! Tobias and Eileen in the books are such a mystery, I enjoyed trying to work out who they could be. (Reply to this) (Parent)

centaury_squill
2013-09-19 11:31 am UTC (link)

Your version of postwar Snape rang true for me, in spite of the cross-dressing (one of my squicks) - maybe it was a substitute for the robes of the world he'd renounced. I loved the way Harry insinuated himself, literally bringing warmth into Snape's life, and the slow-paced development of their relationship. And I agree with torino, the ending is absolutely fitting. Loved this, definitely one to re-read.

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	citiesandsigns 2013-10-10 04:15 am UTC (link)
	I'm glad you liked it despite it containing things you find tricky. Thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent)

lovetoseverus
2013-09-19 02:23 pm UTC (link)

This was amazing. I'm not even sure what to say about it beyond that, as everyone else here has pretty much summed up the thoughts I can't seem to string into a coherent sentence. The style, the cadence, the characterization, the symbolism, the dialogue, the insights, the visceral feel of this from beginning to end -- it was truly unlike anything I've ever read before. Utterly captivating.

I look forward to the reveals so I can see what else you've written.

The only thing that surprised me was the absence of a final 'I suppose you will want tea' / 'If it's on offer' moment. Except this time, the roles would be reversed. Severus would finally be at Harry's place, and Harry would make some gentle-humor crack about 'I suppose you will want to stay,' which would then give Severus his 'If it's on offer' moment. I am not at all suggesting that's how you should have ended the story, but I thought you were setting up the repetition of that moment for exactly this purpose. Alas, foiled again! ;)

Regardless, I loved it, and this will definitely be going into my re-read pile.

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citiesandsigns
2013-10-10 04:17 am UTC (link)

Goodness, thank you so much. I'm afraid I actually haven't written very much else in this fandom, though I certainly plan to!

Atually, I considered following Snape to London, but it didn't fit when I tried. I feel like Cokeworth is the stage for the story, and in the end it felt most logical and powerful to drop the curtain in the moment when he steps off that stage. *g*

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lovetoseverus
2013-10-11 12:11 am UTC (link)

Yes – now that you mention it, you're right. There is something about this segment of the story that sort of demands containment to Cokeworth, because to venture outside of that boundary means you are now telling a different story. You'd have to – he's no longer bound by it/himself. Literally.

Do you plan to post mainly on AO3? I would be interested in seeing what comes next.

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citiesandsigns
2013-10-11 04:09 am UTC (link)

Exactly. :)

I only post stories to AO3 right now, although that's mainly a product of the fact that I've only just returned to using journal sites after several years of absence; I used to have an archive on LJ & haven't reached a decision about whether to reestablish something like that or not yet. So yeah, AO3 is the obvious place to watch for further stories at the moment, though I also post links to any stories there from my personal journals on LJ & DW.

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greenling
2013-09-20 11:38 am UTC (link)

I found the development of this story very interesting, how details were revealed over time. This places the reader in the same position as Harry while still being privy to Severus' inner thoughts. The characterizations of both build nicely from canon. Harry's patience and persistence are befitting of a man who's ten years removed from the war while Severus' reluctance to trust himself and his emotions also ring true.

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	citiesandsigns 2013-10-10 04:20 am UTC (link)
	Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! :) (Reply to this) (Parent)