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crack_van2009-01-31 10:23 am
hafital.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2009-01-31 10:23 am
Entry tags:
The Declaration, by Aristide (NC-17)
Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Length: about 8000 words
Author Website: Aristide
Why this must be read:
For my final recommendation this month, I'm choosing one of my all time favorite stories in any fandom ever, one that I read over and over again all the time. Aristide is well known in Highlander fandom, but I feel this story is usually overlooked for her other stories, all of which are fabulous, but this one has always been the one that resonates with me the most in its quietly wistful, humorous, blisteringly hot, and completely in-character, first-time fumblings of Duncan and Methos healing their bruised relationship after stating a simple but all important declaration. Enjoy!
"So, do you think that this week away, this... time together, will change that?"
Methos looked very focused, brows drawn down and intent as if he were considering a deeply philosophical question. "Change..." he shifted subtly, one finger at the tip of his beer bottle tilting the weight of it slowly back and forth where it rested on his knee. "By 'change', I assume you mean 'fix'. You know we can't go back, we can't undo, we can't obliterate..."
Duncan had the strangest sensation of wanting to nod and shake his head at the same time. Yes, he knew it. No, they couldn't. But there was... what was that word? The wine and food and thoughts and blended emotions obscured it, but that word was out there somewhere, what he meant—
"But I'd imagine that, in this universe of infinite alternatives, it might conceivably be possible that we could... transcend it."
Transcend. That was the word. It had the right feel to it, the concept of acknowledgement combined with acceptance combined with a decision to move on. How had he forgotten that? It felt almost like an entirely new concept to him, like a revelation. Just the thought of it warmed and relaxed his limbs; carried a soothing picture of Methos dropping solidly and comfortably into his life at regular intervals, the two of them well-worn against each other's edges, stronger for what had gone before. Tempered. Tempered by transcendence...
He was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice when Methos moved, and only the low voice murmuring close to him brought him to awareness.
"Is that what you want, Mac?"
Methos' features had lightened, eased away from that focused, careful look into one much more casual; but Duncan sensed a contradictory truth in the tone of voice—serious, so low and serious it made his heart pound.
"Yes. Definitely. That's what I want."
No room for error there. Each word felt weighted as it slipped from his mouth, heavy and infinitely powerful.
Methos smiled, almost a sad smile. "Then that's what will be. The path doesn't matter."
The Declaration
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Length: about 8000 words
Author Website: Aristide
Why this must be read:
For my final recommendation this month, I'm choosing one of my all time favorite stories in any fandom ever, one that I read over and over again all the time. Aristide is well known in Highlander fandom, but I feel this story is usually overlooked for her other stories, all of which are fabulous, but this one has always been the one that resonates with me the most in its quietly wistful, humorous, blisteringly hot, and completely in-character, first-time fumblings of Duncan and Methos healing their bruised relationship after stating a simple but all important declaration. Enjoy!
"So, do you think that this week away, this... time together, will change that?"
Methos looked very focused, brows drawn down and intent as if he were considering a deeply philosophical question. "Change..." he shifted subtly, one finger at the tip of his beer bottle tilting the weight of it slowly back and forth where it rested on his knee. "By 'change', I assume you mean 'fix'. You know we can't go back, we can't undo, we can't obliterate..."
Duncan had the strangest sensation of wanting to nod and shake his head at the same time. Yes, he knew it. No, they couldn't. But there was... what was that word? The wine and food and thoughts and blended emotions obscured it, but that word was out there somewhere, what he meant—
"But I'd imagine that, in this universe of infinite alternatives, it might conceivably be possible that we could... transcend it."
Transcend. That was the word. It had the right feel to it, the concept of acknowledgement combined with acceptance combined with a decision to move on. How had he forgotten that? It felt almost like an entirely new concept to him, like a revelation. Just the thought of it warmed and relaxed his limbs; carried a soothing picture of Methos dropping solidly and comfortably into his life at regular intervals, the two of them well-worn against each other's edges, stronger for what had gone before. Tempered. Tempered by transcendence...
He was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice when Methos moved, and only the low voice murmuring close to him brought him to awareness.
"Is that what you want, Mac?"
Methos' features had lightened, eased away from that focused, careful look into one much more casual; but Duncan sensed a contradictory truth in the tone of voice—serious, so low and serious it made his heart pound.
"Yes. Definitely. That's what I want."
No room for error there. Each word felt weighted as it slipped from his mouth, heavy and infinitely powerful.
Methos smiled, almost a sad smile. "Then that's what will be. The path doesn't matter."
The Declaration