Well, this fic is pretty much 98% hanging out and 2% stuff happening. Which says both good and bad things about the author: while I read I kept getting an annoying feeling like, when is the fucking story going to start. But, on the other hand, the urge to give this up and stop reading was always overwhelmed by the need to read just one more chapter. So yeah.

Spoiler

At least Harry and Gabrielle fucked.

4/5

 

In which chapter did that happen? Was it in the epilogue?

 

Confirmed. It was indeed in the epilogue. It's also off screen.

 

So I finally read the epilogue because other people where saying that Harry and Gabrielle finally got together. I have to say reading the rest of the fic was almost painful at times I felt like I was reading words but the fic wasn't going anywhere, and much of the interaction between characters felt awkward as well.
While the author does have a good grasp of the English language that's really all I can praise about this fic. 2/5 is my rating for this fic don't read it unless you run out of other fics to read.

 

In defense of the fic; I think the interactions are actually supposed to feel weird. There's attraction between two people who are in a bad place at the time, and there's a bunch more obstacles that make a genuine relationship a big no no (taking advantage of a vulnerable younger girl). Yes, the plot progression in this fic, or rather the lack thereof, gets to be teethgrindingly frustrating, but I actually really enjoyed the awkward vibe this fic has going on.

 

I'll point out that this story is a tragedy. It's an exploration of two people's reactions and behaviour following a devastating tragedy, and their attempts to continue their lives.

It's like having your friends all die in a plane crash or something ridiculous like that and then living with the aftermath. I'm not sure what you all are looking for in terms of "plot", but I didn't have the same feelings towards it. The story serves its purpose. It depicts a, quite frankly, implausible accident, and the feelings of grief and loss, and then moving on afterwards.

I was especially impressed with Gabrielle and Harry's wedding night scene, and it wasn't for gratuitous reasons. There's something poignant about the fact that it's the happiest night of their lives... and then

Spoiler

Gabrielle is hit by the revelation that it all happened because the people she loved died. It's like realizing that, even though you have a bright and happy future ahead, the past is still with you. It brings some weight to the cliched consolation of "well they'll always live on inside you".

And that really really worked for me.

The story, apparently, wasn't supposed to be as long as it is. But FWIW, despite it's size, it does tell a story that I very much enjoyed.

 

Overall I agree looking at it through the lens two grieving individuals, especially in the genre of Romance/Hurt/Comfort. The pacing did feel a bit off in mid-Teens but it did feel better wrapping up in the last few and I understand why the author felt the need to go into longer relationship details.

 

If anyone was curious as to the definition of "fan pandering" or "fan service", the epilogue is exactly that. TBH, I like this story. Enough so that I've read it twice over the years. My biggest complaint is that this story never actually went anywhere. Just 100% filler and contrived drama. At least the epilogue made it so it went somewhere, so I consider myself pandered.

 

Just read the epilogue after reading this story over a year ago and I think it's apt as an end. I found this story to be thoroughly enjoyable despite the slow pace but I found that to be part of it's charm. The characters portrayed are probably one of the most realistic ones I've ever read in a fic and that's telling. Loss is sobering and the tragedy that happens upon Harry and Gabrielle is responded to with amazing accuracy. They respond to it differently with Gabrielle feeling lost in life having never known a life without her family and Harry throws himself into his work and anything else he can to avoid thinking about it having experienced it many times before. The drama is barely existent and may seem to be contrived but I find drama in the real life to often be as insignificant as it was portrayed here. Most importantly I enjoyed the interactions between Harry and Gabrielle and the author does an excellent job making it feel weird and awkward but also strangely right and appropriate.

5/5