second bit.

[lo0o0ony_lauren]

First bit.


It’s easier to fall into step beside them than to fight it, really. Sam can survive this newest and most difficult lie because, underneath everything he says to any of them and every task he attempts to pick up without admitting that he doesn’t know how to be a soldier, is his unfaltering belief that sooner or later he will be able to go

Comments

[echo_voice]

What?? NO! You absolutely cannot leave it there! Gah! *dies*
Ahem. What I meant to say was, wow, this is really very beautifully done. I have to confess, when I read the summary I was slightly doubtful, but this really, really works. Gene's concern as a leader for his team translates perfectly here: you've highlighted some of the best aspects of his character, I think. Their relationship is wonderfully interpreted, and I adored the idea that Sam is shown to be a man out of time because there's something different in his eyes.
This is one of the most original pieces that I've read in a long time. Really good job!

[lo0o0ony_lauren]

Ahahaha, yes, it is a bit of an odd idea, isn't it?

Thank you so very much for the lovely, lovely comment; it really means a lot that you enjoyed it, because I was massively and entirely uncertain about the whole shebang. You ftw!

[i_am_the_crime]

Wait! What!? You're not gonna stop there are you!? Please continue, I really like this idea.

[lo0o0ony_lauren]

Aw, I'm sorry. I was originally going to take all five fics up to this point and then give them all the same addendum, but I felt that, for me, having this as a stand-alone piece made that feel like the right ending. What more would you liked to have seen, love?

[moogle62]

Oh, for fuck's sake, Loz, this is far too good. I demand an explanation as to how you manage to produce consistently amaaaaazing pieces of stuff, you wonderful person, you.

And the ending, and, and, everything was so right, and your Gene made me hurt, and ILU.

I have to go eat dinner now, but when I get back from Dad's this weekend, I will come back and leave you a better comment, because I heart you in your face and this fic made me all nnnghy.

[lo0o0ony_lauren]

GDNETOQEBOTNBE TWO MOOG!COMMENTS IN ONE WEEK, I MAY EXPLODE. Thank you so so so much, you darling creature, I'm really so ridiculously pleased that you liked it.

I HEART YOU XXXX

[liquorishflame]

The detaill in your story is incredible! I don't want to think how long it took for you to compile all this information without being buried in it. And what a great idea! And Sam gives Gene hope is incredibly touching. Excellent stuff :)

[lo0o0ony_lauren]

Eeee, thank you so much! I wrote this months ago, having read three WWI novels and a fuckload of poetry within quite a short space of time, so I really did go a bit mental for about a fortnight, hah. But it's worth it now, because lovely people like you enjoyed the thing XD

[talkingtothesky]

Oh, I LOVE this! I really like History, so any writing about the Wars in particular is fascinating for me to read. Now you've just gone and stuck my favourite subject with my favourite TV program and my favourite characters; obviously, I'm going to like it. :D

There's just enough of the spirit of LoM and just enough of the history for this to work really well, I think. It's a great idea well executed, I only wish you'd continued with the other times.

Clever of you to wind the other elements of the show in too; the TCG, Annie, even Sam's distrust of Ray. Gene's transition from Sheriff to Captain works well, even if he does seem a somewhat softer character in this piece than he does in LoM.

This is having a lovely space in my memories, it's fantastic. :D

[lo0o0ony_lauren]

Guh, lovely comment, thank you so so much. I'm sorry to say that the other parts were intended to be less historical and more situation-based (also more cheerful, because, as I discovered, there isn't much you can say about the World Wars that's pleasant to write, hah), but, yes, I really wish I'd finished it. It just reached such a horrible point of stagnancy, you know? Although I was halfway through another one.

Interesting that you noted how much softer Gene is in this; that was a conscious decision, but I wasn't sure it worked. The thing is, that this Gene is an Officer (not only that; a Captain!), which meant he was almost certainly born into the upper or middle classes, privately educated, etc. There's a bit on the commentaries where one of the creators talks about how intelligent Gene is, how if he'd been born in the right time and place he might have been an academic, and I thought, Hmmm. But I do expect that it looked very much like poor characterisation, ahaha!

Thank you again, really, I'm so glad you liked it. ♥