The Candidate (0/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 11:21:12 UTC
This fill will take 18 posts (!!!), though it’s just above 10000 words. Please bear with me, dear anons. I tried to write according to the OP’s specifications, but there are minor deviations. Nihlus is near the end of training. It’s Nihlus/Garrus alright, but there are also strong hints of Saren/Nihlus. I hope you won’t mind. There’s sex in it, but you’ll have to work to get there. :)
Also, there’s a sort of prequel that has little to do with the prompt, so I posted it on FFN:
The Candidate: Recommendation (15/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 12:20:48 UTC
Nihlus stared at the mirror in the bathroom of his prefab for the longest time. He felt like years had passed since yesterday and he wanted to see if he looked any older. But he only looked tired. Tired, spent, hungover. The colors on his face were fading. He had some scratch marks on his neck, a little souvenir from Vakarian. It was good for what it was. Not quite good enough to replace the painful memory with a pleasant one, but he was grateful anyway
( ... )
The Candidate: Recommendation (16/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 12:27:04 UTC
Taken by surprise, Nihlus started to say something, then let his mouth close with an empty click. He had nothing to be ashamed of, yet his face was on fire. He should have taken a shower. Fuck, he should have taken a shower.
He wanted to say, and hers is all over you, although, technically speaking, it wasn’t, but Saren had no way of knowing that. He wanted to say, it could have been your scent, if you had cooperated, so shut up and take your own damn medicine. He wanted to say, I didn’t do it to hurt you, and I know you didn’t do it to hurt me - we both needed to blow off some steam and that’s what we’ve done. I only wish we could have done it with each other. Why the hell not
( ... )
The Candidate: News Report (17/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 12:29:39 UTC
Garrus was leading a drunken krogan by the cuffed hands to an extra-padded cell when a familiar smiling face showed up on the news-holo in the main hall of the C-Sec compound. He smiled back at it; no time to listen to the news report now, but he made a mental note to look it up on the extranet later
( ... )
The Candidate: News Report (18/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 12:31:37 UTC
He sat to eat and brought up the terminal. Scrolled through the daily Citadel headlines and ended up typing “Nihlus” in the search bar to save time. The smiling face came up under the title “Attack on Eden Prime.” Garrus scanned the keywords. And put down the unfinished pastry on the tray with a hand that had started shaking
( ... )
Re: The Candidate: News Report (18/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 15:19:12 UTC
Dear Anon,
Two things.
One, in the spirit of fill-a-thon-week, perhaps you should have reposted the prompt, then posted the story as comments to the repost, so that it gets on the first page and it reaches more anons.
Two, that was incredible. Really. I don't know what to say. Your characters are spot-on, your dialogue is gold (though these I should have come to expect already from you); but what distinguishes this fic is the harsh reality of it. No feelings are spared, and none are revealed when they need not be. No sentimentality, just the overbearing sense that every character is at their wits' end. I've a headcanon Saren who doesn't do 'blowing off steam', and a headcanon Nihlus who's a practised liar. And boy, has this gone a long way towards convincing me otherwise. Both this, and the prequel. And I'm glad to have inspired the prequel.
Re: The Candidate: News Report (18/18)smehurSeptember 7 2011, 17:58:44 UTC
Dear Misfire Anon,
I am (hyperventilating) so grateful, so humbled by your praise. You are my most favorite author ever and your writing inspires me constantly. Nihlus... is becoming a very practiced liar indeed. And Saren... well. Perhaps one day I'll write this from his perspective and take you that extra step towards being entirely convinced. :)
Okay, okay give me a minute... I have to... stop crying here for just a second so I can see the screen enough to respond properly.
...
....
Holy flying fuck. I can't... fff. I think this is my favorite fic. Ever. I mean, you somehow made everything so perfectly that it hit all of my everything in one fell swoop and nnnnh... I have a horrendous weak spot for Saren and Nihlus as a pair (their tragic, tragic relationship) and then you wrote about them in the most perfectly captured way, and Garrus... god dammit, I can't find enough words in my vocabulary to describe my utter happiness right now. I read the prequel and by the first paragraph I knew I was in for a ride. And shit, you didn't disappoint.
Just like misfire anon (who is also utterly amazing and can I have both of your children please?), I'll throw my anonymity out the water. I'm the artist anon that has drawn the few illustrations of Rain on Virmire and its sequel, with the comic thathasyettobefinished. I really want to illustrate this. I really do. I... I
( ... )
Spirits. I have no words... I am so glad you liked it. The prompt was so beautiful, it's been on my mind forever. And to think, I was afraid you'd be disappointed or annoyed with the Saren/Nihlus aspect... In truth, I can't write or think or dream of one without the other. And boy, do I dream!
Thank you for kind, heart-warming words.
And... sure? Let's have children? I adore the illustrations you made for RoV. The recent one especially, it has so much heart it breaks heart. If you make some for this I'll be the happiest, most honored, most grateful deanoned!author ever. <3
Oh hell no! I've been waiting for people to misfire like it's a lifeline! I am so utterly ecstatic that this prompt has been filled I just re-read the whole thing again even though I really should be getting ready for school. But no, do not ever stop writing Saren and Nihlus together. They are too perfect together (and yet so broken. /sob), and the added tangle of Garrus (and that wonderful female OC) is just... guh
( ... )
Re: The Candidate: News Report (18/18)
anonymous
September 7 2011, 18:00:59 UTC
Oh. Oh damn.
Please excuse me while I pick up the fragments of my shattered heart.
I'm literally speechless over here. Reading this left me raw like being dragged through broken glass. This is written flawlessly, and it's just perfect in mood and flow and characterisation. And I'm rambling.
And crying. And wondering how I'll ever get into the mood again to write on the pitiful excuse of a fill I set myself for this fill-a-thon.
I also couldn't keep from reading the others of your stories on ffnet. You disabled anonymous commenting there and I'm an anonymous coward, so let me use this way to tell you that BEFORE I read this fill I thought Color and Scars broke my heart. Then this fill ran over what was left of it like a tank. Repeatedly.
Re: The Candidate: News Report (18/18)smehurSeptember 8 2011, 01:36:45 UTC
Thank you, dear anon, from the heart. Such a beautiful comment, but it does make me a little bit sad. Why so hard on yourself?
And thank you for reading Color & Scars. I was deeply, deeply invested in writing them; like I was with this. It means a lot to know that people are reading them, even if they prefer to remain in shadows. :)
Also, there’s a sort of prequel that has little to do with the prompt, so I posted it on FFN:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7361408/1/Unnerved_and_Unnerving
It’s not required for understanding the fill, only recommended.
I intend to post it all at once, but comments on specific parts are welcome. So is critique.
Hope you’ll enjoy. My heart and soul went into this. :)
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And thanks. :)
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<3
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He wanted to say, and hers is all over you, although, technically speaking, it wasn’t, but Saren had no way of knowing that. He wanted to say, it could have been your scent, if you had cooperated, so shut up and take your own damn medicine. He wanted to say, I didn’t do it to hurt you, and I know you didn’t do it to hurt me - we both needed to blow off some steam and that’s what we’ve done. I only wish we could have done it with each other. Why the hell not ( ... )
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Two things.
One, in the spirit of fill-a-thon-week, perhaps you should have reposted the prompt, then posted the story as comments to the repost, so that it gets on the first page and it reaches more anons.
Two, that was incredible. Really. I don't know what to say. Your characters are spot-on, your dialogue is gold (though these I should have come to expect already from you); but what distinguishes this fic is the harsh reality of it. No feelings are spared, and none are revealed when they need not be. No sentimentality, just the overbearing sense that every character is at their wits' end. I've a headcanon Saren who doesn't do 'blowing off steam', and a headcanon Nihlus who's a practised liar. And boy, has this gone a long way towards convincing me otherwise. Both this, and the prequel. And I'm glad to have inspired the prequel.
Great job,
(And to heck with anonymity,)
Misfire Anon
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I am (hyperventilating) so grateful, so humbled by your praise. You are my most favorite author ever and your writing inspires me constantly. Nihlus... is becoming a very practiced liar indeed. And Saren... well. Perhaps one day I'll write this from his perspective and take you that extra step towards being entirely convinced. :)
Many thanks and many <3,
Smehur
Reply
...
....
Holy flying fuck. I can't... fff. I think this is my favorite fic. Ever. I mean, you somehow made everything so perfectly that it hit all of my everything in one fell swoop and nnnnh... I have a horrendous weak spot for Saren and Nihlus as a pair (their tragic, tragic relationship) and then you wrote about them in the most perfectly captured way, and Garrus... god dammit, I can't find enough words in my vocabulary to describe my utter happiness right now. I read the prequel and by the first paragraph I knew I was in for a ride. And shit, you didn't disappoint.
Just like misfire anon (who is also utterly amazing and can I have both of your children please?), I'll throw my anonymity out the water. I'm the artist anon that has drawn the few illustrations of Rain on Virmire and its sequel, with the comic thathasyettobefinished. I really want to illustrate this. I really do. I... I ( ... )
Reply
Thank you for kind, heart-warming words.
And... sure? Let's have children? I adore the illustrations you made for RoV. The recent one especially, it has so much heart it breaks heart. If you make some for this I'll be the happiest, most honored, most grateful deanoned!author ever. <3
Reply
Reply
Please excuse me while I pick up the fragments of my shattered heart.
I'm literally speechless over here. Reading this left me raw like being dragged through broken glass.
This is written flawlessly, and it's just perfect in mood and flow and characterisation.
And I'm rambling.
And crying. And wondering how I'll ever get into the mood again to write on the pitiful excuse of a fill I set myself for this fill-a-thon.
I also couldn't keep from reading the others of your stories on ffnet. You disabled anonymous commenting there and I'm an anonymous coward, so let me use this way to tell you that BEFORE I read this fill I thought Color and Scars broke my heart. Then this fill ran over what was left of it like a tank. Repeatedly.
You rock as a writer. Really.
Reply
And thank you for reading Color & Scars. I was deeply, deeply invested in writing them; like I was with this. It means a lot to know that people are reading them, even if they prefer to remain in shadows. :)
Reply
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