This is complete and utter genius. Goodness...I need to find some coherent way to praise this, but I'm almost at a loss. It's so lyrical and sad and epic, and both Richards are so wonderfully in character through the whole thing. And there are so many sharp, clever turns of phrase, and wonderful juxtapositions of bitterness and beauty. I loved this bit, especially, but the whole story is this good, so I feel almost silly quoting it:
"We will be," Richard answers, with a peculiar smile. "An God smiles upon villains, and brother dreads brother--ay, we will be."
Richard wakes with his hand empty, although his pillow smells of apples on a warm autumn morning.
I've read this story several times now, and will keep rereading, because it's just so beautiful. And that ending! Absolutely perfect and dead-on as a conclusion to the relationship that you've spun for these two. I'll never read "Richard loves Richard" the same way. Thank you so, so much for writing this!
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2009-08-18 03:39 pm (UTC)"We will be," Richard answers, with a peculiar smile. "An God smiles upon villains, and brother dreads brother--ay, we will be."
Richard wakes with his hand empty, although his pillow smells of apples on a warm autumn morning.
I've read this story several times now, and will keep rereading, because it's just so beautiful. And that ending! Absolutely perfect and dead-on as a conclusion to the relationship that you've spun for these two. I'll never read "Richard loves Richard" the same way. Thank you so, so much for writing this!