Last Things Meme

[brigdh]

Completely stolen from just_ann_now
Last Things Meme

1. Thing that you read - The last book I read was "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. The last fic I read was chapter six of this bandom AU that I don't even know why I'm reading, I don't know who any of these people are, but it's strangely compelling.

2. Thing that you watched - The first episode of 'Sleepy Hollow' on Monday night. I don't watch a lot of TV. If internet video counts, the most recent episode of the Ask A Slave webseries, which is HILARIOUS and you should all watch it.

3. Thing that you listened to - "Shove It", Santigold

4. Thing that you wore - Does what I'm wearing now count, or is it supposed to be the previous thing I was wearing? Anyway, now I'm wearing jeans, brown boots, an orange t-shirt with a fox on it, and a brown jacket.

5. Thing that you ate - A turkey sandwich with brie, pesto, and cranberries.

6. Thing that you wanted - Pork belly bao from a local dumpling restaurant. But I'm in the wrong part of town for that, so turkey sandwich instead.

7. Thing that made you happy - The amazing S'More Ice cream I bought I pint of the other day. IT IS SO GOOD.

8. Thing that made you sad - My favorite coffee shop's announcement that they're closing early today and not opening again till Monday, forcing me to go to far inferior coffee shops.

9. Thing that made you worry - The possibility that I have TB? (I'm going to find out on Monday! I got tested today.)

10. Thing that you're looking forward to - finishing my dumb polybigbang fic that I am so not enjoying writing at the moment.

Comments

[silverflight8.livejournal.com]

I totally misread "thing you ate" as thing you are and wondered if you were now self-identifying as a turkey sandwich with brie.

I hope you do not have TB D: Are you getting a skin test? Or something else?

Wait, is your polybigbang about Hannibal/Rose/January? :D?

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I suppose there are weirder things people have identified as! Though I do wonder how a turkey sandwich would work, since they have a lifespan of only a few days, one would assume.

I hope I don't have it either! I'm just getting the skin test. I spend several months each year working in India, and looking up various things about TB for fic-writing purposes led me to stumble over the fact that I apparently should have been getting tested regularly for the last few years. I was explaining this to the nurse who gave me the test (well, without the fic-writing part) and I said, "I know you can't really trust the internet, do you think I need the test?" and she said "YES. YES I DO." in such a way that I could hear the capital letters. Which is a bit worrying! But I don't have any active symptoms, so it can't be too bad.

Also, you know, it's 2013 and antibiotics exist. So I'm not particularly worried.

My polybigbang is Hannibal/Rose/January! But I only have 2k words and the story needs to be at least 10k, and the rough drafts are due in two weeks, ahhhh.

[silverflight8.livejournal.com]

Ah, but then--do we cease existence once we start growing bacteria? Or mold? Or when our physical bodies decay (at what point)?

You could freeze a turkey sandwich for years! (And suddenly I had a vision of Captain-America-the-frozen-turkey-sandwich, found in the Arctic.)

Yes, exactly. Thank god for antibiotics.

Oh...oh no *pats*

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, good point. I was thinking of a sandwich becoming inedible as the equivalent of dying, but I suppose it's not like it ceases to be animate. Maybe you would actually be immortal! Especially if you were frozen.

I have an outline, at least? Not that it seems to be helping with the writing part.

[askeladden.livejournal.com]

TB?! Holy crap. I hope you're okay!

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, well, I don't think I have it! I just am getting the test to make sure. And even if I *do* have it, I don't have any active symptoms; it's just that I've spent so long in India I have a good chance of having been exposed.

[somebraveapollo.livejournal.com]

1. That bandom fic! Is lovely. It's been ages since I read it though - I think I loved the Patrick-Pete-Ashlee parts the most. Anyway, a reread might be in order at some point.

2. YOU WATCHED SLEEPY HOLLOW. Did you like it? (also, that webseries is indeed amazing. How great is the actress? Very great. Hemlock, just like old times! <3)

9. !! That's not good. Good luck!

10. Tell me more? :D?

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

1. It's really good! I'm normally not a big fan of slave AUs, because they're usually master/slave pairings, and I'm very picky about that. But I'm liking this one a lot. The world-building is pretty interesting, and I like all the angst. :D

2. I loved Sleepy Hollow! I mean, okay, it was kind of crazy and ridiculous and had way too much exposition, but I am definitely watching next week. I have high hopes. And I really liked the two main characters and their dynamics.
(I'm in love with the webseries! Someone linked it a few weeks ago and I've been following it; the actress is amaaaazing and so funny.)

3. Heh, thanks. I have to wait until Monday to go back to the health center and get it confirmed, but I don't seem to be having a reaction, so that's good. (The test is basically the same as an allergy test: they poke you in the arm, you wait a few days to see if you get red and itchy at that spot, which if you do, would mean you have the TB antibodies and thus need further treatment. If you don't have a reaction, it's all good.)

4. Ah, well. There's not much to tell at the moment, which is sort of exactly the problem. I signed up intending to write a Ben/Rose/Hannibal story, but I've only got 2k words and it's not really going anywhere. And, being a big bang, it's supposed to be at least 10k words, and the rough drafts are due in two weeks. I do have an outline? But not a lot of inspiration, I guess.

[somebraveapollo.livejournal.com]

1. I looooove certain slave AUs, but I'm very particular about the correct kindness-to-overbearingness ratio of the master character, and also everything has to be a certain kind of unrealistic for it to work for me. But, yes, the worldbuilding in this fic is truly lovely! Also the abundance of female characters, who are often missing entirely from slavefics. (Or they're just present as, like, kindly nurses / virtuous yet chilly abolitionists).

2. SLEEPY HOLLOW WAS SO GREAT, YES. I can see like three ways of the show going horribly wrong but so far it's gone horribly right and I love how pretty and mutually decent everyone is. Also I ship it like burning. Very glad you enjoyed too!

3. Okay, the test doesn't sound traumatic anyway!

4. Do you need help? Mutual brainstorming? Or is that against the ethos of big-banging? Anyway, I really hope you find inspiration because AHH MY OT3.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

1. I think 'Captive Prince' is the only other slave fic I've really enjoyed (okay, it's not really a fic, but whatever), and I'm not sure I could put my finger on what exactly it is that I liked about it. Maybe just that the slave was only actually a slave for, like, a week, and so didn't really have time to be particularly traumatized.

On the other hand, I haven't read that many, so I could be missing out on whole genres I might enjoy.

That's a very good point about the female characters! I'm really liking Lady Asher and her plotline so far. I think she might be my favorite in the fic.

2. I haven't decided yet if I ship it or want them to be platonic BFFs. (Or if I would just be happy either way.) I need more episodes to decide. But I already have a weird fascination with Abbie/her sister, who is NOT EVEN A CHARACTER YET, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, but "we're the only ones who went through this terrible thing and now we have a troubled relationship with truth/lie issues and mental health issues", yes please.

3. Nah, the only traumatizing part is trying to decide whether or not I'm having a reaction. There's been a lot of "does this look pink to you?" and "I think my arm is itching! My arm is itching! MY ARM IS REALLY ITCHING!!! Hang on, that's a mosquito bite a foot away from the test site."

4. I think the main problem is the scene I'm trying to write right now is supposed to be from Rose's POV, and I don't feel very certain of her voice.

Could be worse. If I follow my outline, the next scene should be from Hannibal's POV, and I suspect that's going to be incredibly difficult, since I have no sense at all of his inner dialogue, other than it's probably rather different what he says out loud. I mean, does he even think of himself as "Hannibal"? (I suspect the answer has to be yes, because anything else would probably be much too confusing to read, but like, you really could make an argument for him using a different name.)

[lavode.livejournal.com]

Have you read the short story that's written from Rose's POV? It's available at Barbara Hambly's website. I don't think her more unemotional characters (like Rose or James Asher from her vampire books) tend to work quite as well when she writes from their point of view, which is why I'm too scared to try to write fic about them, but more awesomeness points to you for daring!

I mean, does he even think of himself as "Hannibal"? (I suspect the answer has to be yes, because anything else would probably be much too confusing to read, but like, you really could make an argument for him using a different name.)

It seems to be what most people call him, but he might think of himself as a lot of different things - descriptive and insulting phrases in Greek, maybe.

Good luck with your fic project and with the test - worrying that you might have a horrible disease is Not Fun, I know!

[somebraveapollo.livejournal.com]

"It seems to be what most people call him, but he might think of himself as a lot of different things - descriptive and insulting phrases in Greek, maybe."

Ohhhhh dear, that's a nice - ie. heartbreaking - idea. I wonder why he chose the name Hannibal! He's not very conquesty. I guess it made sense to connect it with Alexander (the Great), but, still.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I also wonder how he came up with "Hannibal"! His family seems big on Classical names (Diogenes, Germanicus), so I suppose he could just be carrying on the theme? Hannibal- the general- is sort of best known for being talented but ultimately failing so, uh, I could see him finding that appropriate.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I have read that short story! And liked it very much. It makes me feel slightly better about writing Rose, although still not as much as I would like.

(One of the things I'm terribly curious about in the Benjamin January world is all the stuff that goes on when Ben isn't around, so I really, really loved getting to see Rose interact with Dominique and Olympe on their own.)

It seems to be what most people call him, but he might think of himself as a lot of different things - descriptive and insulting phrases in Greek, maybe.

Oh, that is sad but true.

I also wonder if Hannibal is a name he's been using for the entire time he's been "in disguise" (for lack of a better way to phrase it), or if he's been coming up with new names continuously as he drifts from place to place, either for the sake of making it harder for him to be recognized, or just because why not. If he has been using it this whole time, he probably does have an emotional connection to it by this point. But if he just came up with it when he arrived in New Orleans, it's new enough that he's less likely to think of himself with it.

Thank you! :)

[somebraveapollo.livejournal.com]

1. Well, it's a surprisingly diverse genre! I have to admit I didn't read Captive Prince yet. I want to! I will! Just, slow-moving wips are a complicated thing for me, and also I am a procrastinator.

I do like trauma and whump and healing, but I also like stories of rebellion and social change, or at least personal equality-against-all-odds, and it's very rare to find stories that satisfy my urges. Thus, I've read a lot of slavefics but loved but a few.

I have recs for you though! For your leisure. :D

One is a slow-moving wip, because I'm a hypocrite, and also because it's really intricately written: http://archiveofourown.org/works/652009?view_full_work=true
it's a Rurouni Kenshin AU - you don't have to know the canon to understand! (Though knowing the canon makes it 12% more delicious.) There's a lot of emphasis on kindness and self-control and responsibility. It's also het, which is a rare and precious gem in the world of slavefic.

The second has space pirates and plants and triple power dynamic inversions:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/750438/chapters/1400746
it's a Devil Wears Prada AU (no canon knowledge required at all - I've never seen the film) and it's also THE ONLY FEMSLASH SLAVEFIC, to my knowledge. And it's glorious, if less focused on kindness than I'd have liked.

The third is a sweet and odd bandom story:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/785923
and I love the worldbuidling. There is, indeed, not much trauma, and more of a focus on mythology and tenderness and so much slow healing and gentle interaction. It's kinda like old-school fantasy stories, or like a really detailed fairy story.

2. I WANT BOTH. I just don't want unrequited pining and love triangles; like, realllllllly don't want them. But, yes, Abbie's sister IS completely and utterly fascinating. Have you seen the trailer for ep 2? She appears in it! So, we won't have to wait too much.

3. Aaaaah that sounds like a nightmare. I do this so often, like - "tell me if you feel a tingle" "I FEEL IT" "... we haven't started the therapy yet". Still, glad the test is relatively simple and painless!

4. Oooooh Rose-voice. My difficulty with writing Rose-voice (which is the only Hambly-verse POV I've written so far, discounting one drabble in Ben's POV) was that she kept sounding so dry, and distant, whereas in canon she's really passionate, just, in a constrained way. So, good luck! I do think Hannibal thinks of himself as Hannibal! I mean, I imagined the obligatory "call me Alexander" ship fic with him and Ben, and was like, nooooooooooo. (I mean, I love secret names and only-my-most-trusted-friends-can-call-me-that names, but I don't think that can fit here.)

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

1. I read Captive Prince in one go rather recently instead of following it chapter-by-chapter, so I understand your reluctance. I mean, there's still a third volume that is supposed to be written eventually, so it's not like it really has a resolution yet, but there is a sort of "end of this book" feel to where it's at.

Thank you for all the recs! Though I will probably be very slow in getting around to reading them, as I am also a procrastinator. :)

2. I have seen the trailer! But was it just for episode 2? I'd assumed it was more like a "here's stuff from the whole rest of the season!" type trailer. Man, the next episode is going to be very busy if that was all from one episode.

4. she's really passionate, just, in a constrained way
Yes, that's an excellent way to put it! She's also very funny, it's just very understated. I think she has a really interesting voice, just one I'm not very good at writing. (Yet, maybe.)

(Also: FLAILS AT THE THOUGHT OF YOU WRITING JANUARY FIC! SO EXCITED.)


Yeah, I can't see him telling Ben to call him Alexander either. (Though yes, secret names = normally amazing.) Whether or not he thinks of himself of Hannibal, he wants to be Hannibal. If that makes sense? I think he really doesn't want to be the person he was as Alexander.

(But ugh, so many questions! Does Hannibal know that Rose was raped? I feel like he MUST know, but if so, who told him? And when? Rose or Ben? I feel that it's more likely Rose would, but on the other hand, she didn't tell Ben, so why would she tell Hannibal? I would assume Ben would respect Rose's privacy, but then again, both Olympe and Dominique know, and it seems like he was the one who told them. Could he possibly not know?)

(Also, this is not even relevant to my story, because it's set just post-Days of the Dead, but I'm curious nonetheless: does Rose know about Hannibal's secret past? Would Ben tell her after he figures it out himself? Normally I would say yes, but he keeps Isobel's secret from her, so maybe he would keep Hannibal's too? I can't see Hannibal wanting to talk about it, but maybe he figures, "eh, Ben knows, I may as well tell her too"? Or she has pretty much all the clues, so I suppose she could figure it out for herself. But then what! Does she keep it to herself, or bring it up with him?)

[somebraveapollo.livejournal.com]

1. Procrastinators unite! Tomorrow.

2. I thought it was just ep 2? The youtube tagline thingy said Sleepy Hollow 1x02 Promo "Blood Moon". Anyway, the show-trailer was just scenes from the pilot! I think it's very possible it's that packed. The show seems to be fond of the show and tell ALL THE THINGS IMMEDIATELY form of storytelling, and I can't say I mind? I mean, imagine if we'd had to sit through like six episodes of "is Crane lying? Is there a Headless Horseman?" vacillating.

4. Yes, funny too, and in a less, um, bitchy way than Ben and Hannibal. Or a less gossipy way anyway.

He definitely wants to be Hannibal, yes, I think that right there's your appeal in using that name for his thought processes. I mean, you are the narrator, if you say he's Hannibal, he damn well is, and that's kind of gratifying? Like, remember when GRRM used Theon as a chapter title after all the depressing Reekness? It was really glorious. And it wasn't just that Theon started thinking of himself that way, it was that his story was now Theon's story again. Character naming is not just about a character's self-imagine, I think, but also about the author's intent.

As for Hannibal/Ben/Rose - YES THE INFORMATION FLOW IS WEIRD AND CONFUSING. I think she'd know about Hannibal, because, like, what else would have explained his behavior? I mean, if she didn't know, I don't know if she'd have forgiven him for not going with Ben when Ben asked. I guess she'd have guessed, like Ben did, and later, like, checked with either Ben or Hannibal via sly classical allusions to grownup sons not knowing their fathers. (But, um, more in a Telemakhos way than an Oidipus one, thankfully.) (though didn't Telemakhos ultimately kill Odysseus?) (oh greeks)

But does Hannibal know she was raped? I don't knowww. Maybe she told him. I can imagine her being more open with people she thinks will never want to court her (ie. women and consumptive white men who never ever flirt with her) than men she thinks might be interested in her romantically. On the other hand, why DOESN'T Hannibal flirt with her? Maybe he tried once and she was all very obviously uncomfortable and he stopped forever, because he knew it meant that she really isn't interested and/or has man-related trauma.

I'd prefer it if Rose had been the one who told either Minou or Olympe (or both!). Unfortunately, I can see Ben talking to his sisters about it, because he'd just have all these feelings. Now, I don't think that's very wrong - both his sisters can keep secrets, and they'd have helped him process it without his manly avengery protectory feelings ruining the compassion - but it is going against Rose's privacy. I don't think he'd have told Hannibal before he got together with Rose, since he doesn't consider Hannibal very trustworthy at this point. I don't knowwww. On the other hand, he wouldn't have to say much at all - he could just say something like "Rose has reason to mistrust men" and everyone would know what he meant. So. Ahhh. I don't know.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

2. Yeah, that's good point. I do really like just getting to the action. I think I was confused because at the beginning of the trailer, there's text on the screen that says "This Season". And I watch a lot of HBO, and they do the "whole season" trailer thing pretty often.

4. if you say he's Hannibal, he damn well is, and that's kind of gratifying?

IT IS. I mean, like I said at the beginning, I think you more or less have to use Hannibal to keep it from being really confusing and awkward to read, but I love the extra thought of comforting the character.

I think she'd know about Hannibal, because, like, what else would have explained his behavior?

Yeah, if she didn't figure it out when Hannibal didn't go with Ben*, she must have been able to put it together when she heard about Droudge trying to poison him, because that's the only explanation that makes sense.

*(Also, I find it really interesting that Ben doesn't ask Shaw or Mayerling or someone else to go with him! And okay, yes, it is probably a) they have jobs and can't randomly leave town for weeks, and b) Doylist plot reasons, but I like to think he is really uncomfortable with that particular subterfuge with anyone else. Not even as a trust issue, because neither of them would betray him. But they would be *good* at pretending to be slave owners, and Hannibal isn't, really, which is oddly reassuring. It's a hard thing for Ben to do already, and that would just make it harder.)

Also, he goes through withdrawal right afterwards, which I'm convinced he must have had Ben and Rose's help for, and probably told them about beforehand and stayed at their house (for the worst part of it), since I don't think he could have succeed and/or survived, otherwise. Which is a good opportunity to have conversations about Reasons and Explanations and so forth. (Or, you know, delirious revelations, for more angst.)

I agree with you that she probably would have found it easier to discuss with Hannibal than Ben, because of the different sort of relationships they have. But whether he heard it from her or Ben (or, oh, he met Cora! He could have heard it from her, too.), it's a really good point that it could have been a vague reference rather than a fully detailed backstory, and that would have been enough. Hannibal seems sensitive to the issue, as he's so apologetic when he mistakes Madeleine for Minou and kisses her accidentally. (And if Rose told him her story, it's possible he's thinking of her when he says "“Too many women who have been … injured like that … don’t find anyone.”)

I think Hannibal must have tried to flirt with her, because that's his reaction to everyone, and then stopped when it was clear she didn't like it, or perhaps she even told him directly to stop.

Yeah, I would have liked it if Rose had told Olympe and Minou too, but they definitely know by early "Wet Grave", and I don't feel like she knows them well enough at that point to have made that likely? And I agree with you that he's much less likely to have told Hannibal. Also because Hannibal and Rose are close enough that it feels like a much greater violation for Ben to tell him than his sisters; if Rose wanted Hannibal to know, she definitely could have told him herself.

[somebraveapollo.livejournal.com]

*(Also, I find it really interesting that Ben doesn't ask Shaw or Mayerling or someone else to go with him! And okay, yes, it is probably a) they have jobs and can't randomly leave town for weeks, and b) Doylist plot reasons, but I like to think he is really uncomfortable with that particular subterfuge with anyone else. Not even as a trust issue, because neither of them would betray him. But they would be *good* at pretending to be slave owners, and Hannibal isn't, really, which is oddly reassuring. It's a hard thing for Ben to do already, and that would just make it harder.)

YES, excellent point. Ben needs it to be a joke rather than just a disguise. But, ugh, I think turning that down has to have been one of the hardest things Hannibal ever did; like, imagine how vulnerable it made Ben feel, and how resentful, that he even had to ask. (He really accepted it with grace, because he's always kinder than he could be, but I think Hannibal thought it would - rightly - be the end of their friendship.)

WITHDRAWAL IS AN EXCELLENT CHANCE TO TALK, yes. There needs to be more withdrawal fic - ie. any. Will it pop up in your big_bang? I mean, if you don't reach your word goal, you can always be like oops accidental heroin, here's 5000 words about that.

I love the idea of Hannibal thinking of Rose after he scares Madeleine. I can't think why she'd have told him - unless he'd told her something similar about himself first? Or she said a half-sentence and he just extrapolated. Or, I don't know. They got really drunk and talked about how they really never ever want to marry.

Btw, was Hannibal the one who told Rose about Ben? She knew of him when they met, right?

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Yessss, that's such an awful moment for both of them. Because Hannibal is so torn in his loyalties, but feels obliged to sacrifice his friend for the sake of his son. And Ben feels so shocked and betrayed. But it ends up bringing them closer? Hannibal because Ben forgives him (and yeah, I don't think he expected him to), and Ben because he can see how distraught Hannibal is at refusing him, how obviously important Ben is to him.

There needs to be more withdrawal fic - ie. any.

UGH YES.

Will it pop up in your big_bang?

Originally I planned it to, but I'm going to have to end the story earlier in the plot to have any chance of finishing it on time. So, in the sequel, maybe? Assuming I manage to finish this one, of course... though I'm up to 2.6k words, so minor progress!

I can't think why she'd have told him

They've known each other for... a year? a year and a half? by this point, so she possibly could have told him. But I think it's more likely he guessed from her general behavior or a vague reference.

But Hannibal and Rose getting drunk and having late-night conversations is another type of fic that REALLY REALLY NEEDS TO EXIST.

Btw, was Hannibal the one who told Rose about Ben? She knew of him when they met, right?

She doesn't seem to know him, but I kind of can't imagine Hannibal has never mentioned Ben to her. (Randomly, I love that the first time Ben meets Kentucky Williams, her response is "Oh, *you're* Ben", so clearly Hannibal does talk about Ben to everyone.) It could just be context? Like, Hannibal is always talking about Ben the musician, and then she meets Janvier the doctor. Or maybe she does recognize him, but just doesn't mention it, since it's sort of a weird connection.

(Another thing I love: the morning after Hannibal and Morning Star get married, Ben is trying to tell her about Rose, and she's like, "Oh, yeah, I heard all about her." BUT. They have known each other for, like, twelve hours at this point, presumably a large part of which was deciding to get married, having a party, and sleeping. So one of the very first things Hannibal said to his new wife was "Let me tell you about the woman back in New Orleans I'm really into".)