Comments | indyhat: Caesar's Wife

indyhat

Caesar's Wife

Oct 18, 2007 16:14

Characters: Claude, Bennet (Claude/Bennet if you squint)
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Through 1.17 ("Company Man")
Word count: 5,700.
Summary: Bennet's never woken him at five in the morning just to ask him to come to the office.
A/N: The story takes place around 1997 (9 years before S1) and was written for fantasticpants, in response to the prompt: Claude/Bennet, " ( Read more... )

brave_new_slash, heroes_fic, heroes, paper_pwns_all, one_offs, claude, angst, rare_heroes, fic, bennet, morallygrayfic

Comments 70

futuresoon October 19 2007, 00:31:02 UTC

Brilliance! I remember seeing an excerpt of this, some time back...I liked it then, of course, but I like it even more now, even though I barely know what usenet is. (I do know what a MUSH is, and I feel very proud that I knew exactly what was going on in that bit.) Excellence all around; the framing of the story between emails and electronics, the pitch-perfect characterizations of Claude and Bennet--and Thompson, creepy bastard, and even Sandra in all her two lines--the concept in general, especially. Are there particular reasons for the names 'icarus' and 'umbrellagirl'? My mind instantly flagged icarus as being a Petrelli thing, because of the obvious imagery, but I'd like to know what you saw lurking in there. Also I am intrigued by what Claude's password might be. (Unless it is also 'thompsonisanob', which not only fits but deeply amuses me.)

indyhat October 19 2007, 06:00:39 UTC

even though I barely know what usenet is.

Nowadays, it's Google Groups. But it used to be so much better ... and infinitely more subversive! (Less spam, too).

(I do know what a MUSH is, and I feel very proud that I knew exactly what was going on in that bit.)

Outstanding! I wasn't sure if many people would.

So pleased you liked the story and enjoyed the characterisations :)

Are there particular reasons for the names 'icarus' and 'umbrellagirl'? My mind instantly flagged icarus as being a Petrelli thing, because of the obvious imagery, but I'd like to know what you saw lurking in there.

I just fancied icarus for Claude - something about the metaphor of trying to fly, I dunno. Also because his eyes are so very blue, he makes me think of the sky. Umbrellagirl ... is Hana, if you didn't clock - it's a reference to one of the comics where she tries to fly off a roof with an umbrella.

And Claude's MUSH password is indeed thompsonisanob ;) Glad to amuse.

Thanks for reading!

futuresoon October 19 2007, 13:51:26 UTC

Umbrellagirl ... is Hana, if you didn't clock - it's a reference to one of the comics where she tries to fly off a roof with an umbrella.

Ahhhh, yes, I'd forgotten that bit! I did know it was Hana, though, what with the connection-of-the-gods and all that. ;)

indyhat October 19 2007, 19:21:21 UTC

Ahhhh, yes, I'd forgotten that bit! I did know it was Hana, though, what with the connection-of-the-gods and all that. ;)

Oh good, I'm so glad that someone got that ;)

fool_of_ships October 19 2007, 05:34:35 UTC

I squeed when I saw this was up...and then squeed loudly enough to have to explain myself on encountering misc.specials.rights. I'm so glad my brain's random silliness paid off for you! :)

B5 FTW! And Deja News...I'd nearly forgotten that existed. Good times.

Claude is so perfect in this, walking that line between conscience and self-preservation. I was honestly ready to believe he wasn't icarus, that maybe someone at the Company was having Bennet try to draw him out (or maybe Bennet was, all by himself), just on the strength of his lack of internal monologue about his truthfulness. And then I realized what that meant, about the time he said "Bastard nearly shot me."

Very happymaking. And squeeee for getting it posted! :)

indyhat October 19 2007, 06:04:35 UTC

squeed loudly enough to have to explain myself on encountering misc.specials.rights.

*g* It was the best idea ever ... I can't thank you enough, really! :)

And yeah, good times.

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the story and the line Claude walks in it.

I was honestly ready to believe he wasn't icarus, that maybe someone at the Company was having Bennet try to draw him out (or maybe Bennet was, all by himself), just on the strength of his lack of internal monologue about his truthfulness. And then I realized what that meant, about the time he said "Bastard nearly shot me."

This makes me so very, very happy ... I had no idea when I was writing it whether I was getting the level of hints right - I wanted it to be completely ambiguous about who is manipulating whom, so that when you do get to "Bastard nearly shot me", it's a sudden reality-check ... *squees*

Thanks so much for your contribution to this - it would never have grown like this otherwise! And thanks for reading, of course :)

fool_of_ships October 20 2007, 06:27:41 UTC

I can't thank you enough, really! :)

*puts on her Sandra-face* You do fine. :)

Reality-check...was more like a facepalm. The Writer section of my brain was slapping the heck out of the Reader part. Although, don't get me wrong, I love reading things that make me temporarily do nothing but read. And it's a Good Thing when one comes along.

indyhat October 20 2007, 09:34:47 UTC

Reality-check...was more like a facepalm. The Writer section of my brain was slapping the heck out of the Reader part.

LOL! Oh, I can relate.

Again, glad you enjoyed the reading :)

entangled_now October 19 2007, 11:52:22 UTC

You know I love this! :) The whole relationship all the way through, the detached internet conversations, the fight, the air of foreboding! The way the first generation is creeping about in the background. The whole thing of the old meshing with the new (but not the very new, not yet, or third generation.)

The birthday party, oh the birthday party is beautiful and horrible. Bennet's reactions in that whole scene are so spot on it's amazing, and I think it works perfectly and I love it!

indyhat October 19 2007, 19:24:00 UTC

Again, so pleased you like it :) And I'm really glad you like the extra scene - is that what you meant about bringing in Thompson for real? Because, gosh, there's no angst so angsty that one can't try to squeeze a little more angst out of it ... ;)

Thanks so much, again :)

entangled_now October 20 2007, 09:34:30 UTC

The extra scene was awesome and so far beyond what I was thinking when I suggested him. He was made of absolute creepy in that scene from the moment he appeared. All the Bennet looks and Claude looks, you packed the 'potential for angst' in like woah!

indyhat October 20 2007, 09:56:39 UTC

Creepy Thompson FTW!

LUVZ MAH ANGZTZ.

I shouldn't overdo it (there's far too much looking in the fic, really), but I was surprised how much tension/angst/etc can be obtained from writing about two people just looking at each other.

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indyhat October 19 2007, 19:24:58 UTC

Thank you! I'm really pleased you liked it and that it felt believable! :) Thanks so much for reading.

cucumber_k October 20 2007, 02:27:23 UTC

Well, that was great beyond words. I just love your Claude/Bennet interactions; these two are so married.

indyhat October 20 2007, 09:58:32 UTC

*g* Thank you. And hee, yes! Except not, which just makes it hotter better.

Thanks for reading, dear :)