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The Land Between Black and White by delphinapterus (PG13?)
Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Mikey/Frank, Ray/Bob, Ray/Gerard
Length: 38,110 words
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
delphinapterus
Author Website: Fic Masterlist & Delphinapterus on AO3
Why this must be read:
For Mikey the urge to run the bands is irresistible and it fills his time while Gerard is at Art School. However, life never goes smoothly and Mikey finds his plans for the future falling apart. Meanwhile, a new Agent has to deal with being undercover and the one-night stand who keeps coming back.
This is another wonderful story from this year's BBB. The world building of this one is fantastic. At a cursory glance this universe doesn't look that different from the one we're used to, but the more we get to see of it the more we understand how very different it is. For me this created a fascinating atmosphere of chilly uncertainty and a strong wish to find out more of this world and it's history and future.
The characterisations of Bob and Mikey, the two main protagonists, are another thing I loved about this story. You can really feel their doubts and uncertainties about what they're doing and where it's taking them. How important Gerard and Ray are to them and how far they're willing to go for them.
Excerpt from the story:
"I can't pick up anymore work," his father sounds annoyed.
Mikey tugs his headphones back so he can listen to his parents better. It sounds like the same fight they always have about money but he knows that things have changed since Gerard went to art school not, he thinks bitterly, that his parents will tell him anything. He hears the click of his mother's shoes crossing the floor.
"I know but it's his sixteenth. It's important."
"We can't afford Gerard coming back and that."
"I could pawn one of Elena's broaches."
Mikey's throat tightens at the thought of selling any of Elena's jewellery. He knows it is all they have left of her possessions and he hates the idea of losing even that. It was her unexpected death that is helping pay for Gerard's art school and Mikey knows that his brother feels guilty enough already about benefiting from her death. He thinks about the bootleg films tucked into his bag and wishes again there was a way to give his parents the money from them. It's not as much as he'd like but he's sure that if he could do that then his mother wouldn't be talking about selling the last pieces of Elena's presence. He wishes he were old and already through CySchool so they could look back on problems like this and laugh.
"We'll talk about this later, I have a shift," his father says and Mikey scoots down the steps to the basement so his father won't see him. He doesn't know what he'd say if his parents knew he heard them.
The basement is dark and cool after being outside and Mikey lets his eyes adjust. Gerard's drawings are still on the walls but the space where his bed and desk always sat makes the room feel empty. Mikey tries to ignore it as much as possible. The ancient computer his parents bought them takes up Mikey's desk. Gerard had always preferred drawing to computers and Mikey knows that his parents were grateful that he didn't follow Gerard's preferences in that. Unless there is a miracle Gerard is never going to be a famous enough artist to support the whole family. Mikey is practical enough to understand that even though Gerard is talented it isn't often an artist gets to be as famous Warhol. The programmers, the CySchool grads, they'll always make a good wage. They make enough Mikey knows that if he can become one of them he'll be able to support the rest of the family. If he's good enough he might even be able to support Gerard enough that he won't have to work in the CorpArt sector. The pamphlets for the CySchools pinned on the wall above the computer monitor right next to a panel from Gerard's comic are Mikey's reminder of why he needs to always do better. With a sigh he pulls out his homework.
The Land Between Black and White or here
Pairing: Mikey/Frank, Ray/Bob, Ray/Gerard
Length: 38,110 words
Author on LJ:
delphinapterusAuthor Website: Fic Masterlist & Delphinapterus on AO3
Why this must be read:
For Mikey the urge to run the bands is irresistible and it fills his time while Gerard is at Art School. However, life never goes smoothly and Mikey finds his plans for the future falling apart. Meanwhile, a new Agent has to deal with being undercover and the one-night stand who keeps coming back.
This is another wonderful story from this year's BBB. The world building of this one is fantastic. At a cursory glance this universe doesn't look that different from the one we're used to, but the more we get to see of it the more we understand how very different it is. For me this created a fascinating atmosphere of chilly uncertainty and a strong wish to find out more of this world and it's history and future.
The characterisations of Bob and Mikey, the two main protagonists, are another thing I loved about this story. You can really feel their doubts and uncertainties about what they're doing and where it's taking them. How important Gerard and Ray are to them and how far they're willing to go for them.
Excerpt from the story:
"I can't pick up anymore work," his father sounds annoyed.
Mikey tugs his headphones back so he can listen to his parents better. It sounds like the same fight they always have about money but he knows that things have changed since Gerard went to art school not, he thinks bitterly, that his parents will tell him anything. He hears the click of his mother's shoes crossing the floor.
"I know but it's his sixteenth. It's important."
"We can't afford Gerard coming back and that."
"I could pawn one of Elena's broaches."
Mikey's throat tightens at the thought of selling any of Elena's jewellery. He knows it is all they have left of her possessions and he hates the idea of losing even that. It was her unexpected death that is helping pay for Gerard's art school and Mikey knows that his brother feels guilty enough already about benefiting from her death. He thinks about the bootleg films tucked into his bag and wishes again there was a way to give his parents the money from them. It's not as much as he'd like but he's sure that if he could do that then his mother wouldn't be talking about selling the last pieces of Elena's presence. He wishes he were old and already through CySchool so they could look back on problems like this and laugh.
"We'll talk about this later, I have a shift," his father says and Mikey scoots down the steps to the basement so his father won't see him. He doesn't know what he'd say if his parents knew he heard them.
The basement is dark and cool after being outside and Mikey lets his eyes adjust. Gerard's drawings are still on the walls but the space where his bed and desk always sat makes the room feel empty. Mikey tries to ignore it as much as possible. The ancient computer his parents bought them takes up Mikey's desk. Gerard had always preferred drawing to computers and Mikey knows that his parents were grateful that he didn't follow Gerard's preferences in that. Unless there is a miracle Gerard is never going to be a famous enough artist to support the whole family. Mikey is practical enough to understand that even though Gerard is talented it isn't often an artist gets to be as famous Warhol. The programmers, the CySchool grads, they'll always make a good wage. They make enough Mikey knows that if he can become one of them he'll be able to support the rest of the family. If he's good enough he might even be able to support Gerard enough that he won't have to work in the CorpArt sector. The pamphlets for the CySchools pinned on the wall above the computer monitor right next to a panel from Gerard's comic are Mikey's reminder of why he needs to always do better. With a sigh he pulls out his homework.
The Land Between Black and White or here