THREE

…omg, Three. Okay, I changed my mind. Three is my favourite, totally.

The setting. I should say, the settings for all of these are great and really… flavourful is the best word that comes to mind, just enough of a hint of character about all of the places they're set in without the location becoming too overpowering. Subtle and just right. But this one stands out – I love the outside perspective of someone living in a foreign country, that subtle sense of not-quite-belonging, the inability to entirely penetrate the foreign culture despite the best of intentions. I think that applies to a lot of places in general, but I really like how you've drawn that image of not-quite-belonging with France here. National stereotypes and quirky disclaimer aside, I think it applies to France perhaps more than other countries, and you've done such a great job bringing that out in Marc's character, including the frustrations with the secrecy, the privacy of culture.

René!!!!!!! OMG, René!! First of all, how much do I love you for picking him up?? (How much do I love OUR FANDOM for integrating this guy into canon, lol!) And more to the point, how much do I love you for fleshing him out and giving us this intriguing glimpse at one of Marc's non-Roman relationships! I adore the brittle quality of this love, the careful balancing of doubt and commitment, honesty and fear. It makes me ache for them so much, makes me root for Marc/René harder than RoMarc, even. I love how René reflects the same kind of… "privacy" is the only word I can think of, so… the same kind of privacy as his country, that subtle holding back, not giving too much of his misgivings away, and yet, at the same time he's trying so hard to be open, to show Marc how impossible it is not to be worried/jealous/vulnerable about an ex who still so clearly means something to your partner. (It also kills me how parallel/reverse this situation is with Deniz's position during DeRo 3.0).

René looks down, quiet, and Marc suddenly resents France; resents its secret ways that he doesn’t know and the gossip that apparently does exist, just very far out of his reach. It’s a sharp sting, the knowledge that he’s still an outsider in this place he’s tried to make his home; and what stings most is that René, the man who’s always been his door to this life, might possibly be his jailer.

This. This is what I'm trying to express my appreciation for, both in terms of your portrayal of France and of René. Because I sympathise so much with Marc here but I also can't help totally aching for René, because it IS so hard to be open about such things, and you can sense just how terrified he is that Marc might just up and leave at this news that Roman's in trouble.

And the news of the phone call! *wibbles* Marc's astonishment at hearing that the attack was gay-bashing-related, and oh, his gorgeous bitterness at the accidental outing and Roman's cool acceptance of it!

And then René's the one who makes Marc call Roman, to make sure he's okay! Dude, I love this guy. I love him even more for the fact that we can't entirely tell just how self-motivated he is when he urges Marc to make this call – just how much of it is a test, or whether he does it because he knows, however subconsciously, that it'll actually score him points with Marc. Nghhh, the emotions are so intricate and layered and subtle, it makes me shiver with awesome!

The phone call! Roman's grim acknowledgement of what happened! Marc's conflicting loyalties, the recognition of the damn spark that's still there with Roman (oh, that hint of flirtation!) and his concern not to make René feel set aside… god, it's gutting and lovely and so intense even while being so,… civilised and subtle on the surface. How do you do that?? How are there so many layers to this scene? It's completely achey and delicious!


(cont'd, omfg, apparently even my comment on ONE of these is too long for fucking IJ :p)