avelera:

The Only Way Out is Down (81887 words) by Avelera
Chapters: 15/16 – To Rebehold the Stars – Hermann
Fandom: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Characters: Newton Geiszler, Hermann Gottlieb, Jake Pentecost
Additional Tags: Post-Movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Literary References & Allusions, Coma, Rescue, Newton Geiszler is a Dork, POV Newton Geiszler, Newton Geiszler Recovery Arc, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Dreamscapes, Past Relationship(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The Drift (Pacific Rim), Drift Side Effects, Hell, Inferno AU, Stream of Consciousness, Worried Hermann Gottlieb, Explicit Language, Past Mind Control, POV Hermann Gottlieb, Precursors are super dead, Memory Loss, Memory Alteration, Bickering, BAMF Hermann Gottlieb, Kissing, Canon-Typical Violence, Injury, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Explicit Sexual Content, Consensual Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Seduction, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Angst, Trauma, Therapy
Summary:

The invasion of the Anteverse was successful, and the Precursors have been destroyed, but Newt still hasn’t awoken from his coma and doesn’t respond initially to Drift attempts from Hermann to wake him.

But when one day a connection is established, Hermann and Newt find themselves in a mingled mindscape that seems informed by Dante’s “Inferno”. Together, they pass through the Nine Circles, nine memories of Newt’s years under Precursor control in the hopes it will help free Newt from his own head.

Yet questions linger: how much did the Precursors take from Newt, to what lengths will Hermann go to free him, and is the other even truly there, or merely a rabbit of the other’s making, a wish fulfillment fantasy that they’re chasing into the abyss?

–
Almost to the end! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! 😀

penroseparticle:

So I just went with my buddy while he got a rib tattoo, and they hurt like a lot, so he’s over there grimacing and being a huge manbaby so I just reach over and grab his hand so he can squeeze it because I’m a good person who helps others

And he’s clinging to my hand like it’s a life preserver and I’m being me and talking about nonsense like Grimace from the McDonalds commercials and how R2D2 is always ready to throw hands, and whatever, and the artist keeps glancing over at me and I’m like do your tattoo bro I’ve got my buddy handled

But then I realize he’s like, looking over because he can’t tell if he’s seeing something or not, and I glance down and I see my rainbow scalemail bracelet, and how I’m talking to my buddy all fondly and I’m like stroking his arm like he’s a wounded animal, and right as it clicks in my head the tattoo artist asks in his most nonchalant voice possible, like intentionally bland, I’m just talking about the weather haha what do you mean voice:

“So, are you guys close?”

And my gay ass is over to the side internally screaming because yeah, I am gay, but like this is just me being a good bro and my buddy is COMPLETELY OBLVIOUS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE HE’S A GARBAGE STRAIGHT PERSON AND HE SAYS

“Yeah of course, that’s why I asked him to come”

SO NOW THE TATTOO ARTIST THINKS HE’S RIGHT AND HE HAS A GAY COUPLE GETTING A TATTOO AND MY BUDDY HAS NO IDEA AND I’M AWKWARDLY SITTING HERE LIKE SHOULD I STOP HOLDING HIS HAND??? SHOULD I CORRECT THIS TATTOO ARTIST??? SHOULD I LET MY BUDDY KNOW??? MY GAY ASS DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE BEING INCORRECTLY ACCUSED OF BEING GAY, WHAT DO YOU DO

So that tattoo artist is like “Cool man, that’s great. Good for you.”

So then my buddy is like can I get some water, and the guy comes back with one bottle of water and my buddy takes a drink and then hands it to me, and I’m like obviously he has to lay down and needs me to hold his water so I just hold it in my hand, but turns out he was offering me water, so he turns to me and is like Colton, drink some water, and I take a drink and my garbage lizard brain is like “You’re drink sharing in front of the tattoo artist, now he KNOWS he’s right”

So we’re talking about tattoos with the artist and I mention that I’m getting a tattoo in September and my buddy is like “Yeah I’m gonna go and hold HIS hand for that one haha” and the tattoo artist FUCKING SAYS “I mean, I should hope so”

I MEAN, I SHOULD HOPE SO

I MEAN, I SHOULD HOPE SO


AND NO ONE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT UP. I KNEW WHAT THE TATTOO ARTIST WAS THINKING BUT DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING TO CORRECT HIM. NOW WHEN MY BUDDY GOES BACK AND GETS HIS NEXT TATTOO IN THE FUTURE AND I’M NOT THERE HE’S GOING TO GO “OH WHERE’S YOUR BOYFRIEND”

avelera:

The Only Way Out is Down (81887 words) by Avelera
Chapters: 15/16 – To Rebehold the Stars – Hermann
Fandom: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Characters: Newton Geiszler, Hermann Gottlieb, Jake Pentecost
Additional Tags: Post-Movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Literary References & Allusions, Coma, Rescue, Newton Geiszler is a Dork, POV Newton Geiszler, Newton Geiszler Recovery Arc, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Dreamscapes, Past Relationship(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The Drift (Pacific Rim), Drift Side Effects, Hell, Inferno AU, Stream of Consciousness, Worried Hermann Gottlieb, Explicit Language, Past Mind Control, POV Hermann Gottlieb, Precursors are super dead, Memory Loss, Memory Alteration, Bickering, BAMF Hermann Gottlieb, Kissing, Canon-Typical Violence, Injury, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Explicit Sexual Content, Consensual Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Seduction, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Angst, Trauma, Therapy
Summary:

The invasion of the Anteverse was successful, and the Precursors have been destroyed, but Newt still hasn’t awoken from his coma and doesn’t respond initially to Drift attempts from Hermann to wake him.

But when one day a connection is established, Hermann and Newt find themselves in a mingled mindscape that seems informed by Dante’s “Inferno”. Together, they pass through the Nine Circles, nine memories of Newt’s years under Precursor control in the hopes it will help free Newt from his own head.

Yet questions linger: how much did the Precursors take from Newt, to what lengths will Hermann go to free him, and is the other even truly there, or merely a rabbit of the other’s making, a wish fulfillment fantasy that they’re chasing into the abyss?

–
Almost to the end! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! 😀

One thing I’m kinda looking forward to in the Kidnapping AU is being able to explore aspects of Hermann and Newt as hackers, each in their own way. Hermann canonically was part of the team that programmed the Mark 1 Jaegers, which means he’s at the very least a software guy. Newt canonically built a Pons out of garbage, which means he’s at least a computer hardware expert. And now they’ve Drifted, so even if both of them weren’t also proficient in software/hardware before, they definitely both are now that their brains have been scrambled together. 

I work IRL in the computer security field, and one of the big things we talk about a lot is that all computers can be hacked. You should never introduce a high-tech solution if an analog one will work just as well (though there are of course tons of instances where computers are better, don’t get me wrong). There’s going to be a very fun subplot in the kidnapping au where I get to play with this principle and one takeaway would be: never ever put technological tools into the hands of a desperate man who was already a software genius and who now has Newt’s skill set in his head too :3

hello i just read ch 15 of TOWOID and i gotta say: you have such a gift for imagery?? Like this line “Then it would be two of them side by side, asleep but for the blinking light of the crowns on their heads” sucker punched me so hard I got literal chills. And your description of the stars? Amazing. Beautiful. Flawless. Perfect

aidahsidaidosj THANK YOU?? Omgosh, imagery is literally my favorite thing (Peter S. Beagle is a master of it and he’s my inspiration). And ugh ugh ugh, the image of Newt and Hermann trapped forever in comas, with only the blinking lights of the Pons to give any indication they’re even alive is just so dreadful. And I’m so glad you loved the image of the stars! It means so much to me, though I didn’t want to drag it out too long, i had to resist just waxing poetic about them for several paragraphs XD. Fun fact, each book of the Divine Comedy ends with the word “stars” (and it’s a little easter egg I like to toss into other fics of mine too, like PTBS) but I really wanted the spin on it that comes from Hermann’s love of astronomy. With the Precursors gone, the stars can hold promise once again instead of fear, and I guess it just mattered a lot to me to show that. 

Anyway, I’m seriously so happy and thankful right now for your kind words. Thank you so much!

The Only Way Out is Down (81887 words) by Avelera
Chapters: 15/16 – To Rebehold the Stars – Hermann
Fandom: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Characters: Newton Geiszler, Hermann Gottlieb, Jake Pentecost
Additional Tags: Post-Movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Literary References & Allusions, Coma, Rescue, Newton Geiszler is a Dork, POV Newton Geiszler, Newton Geiszler Recovery Arc, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Dreamscapes, Past Relationship(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The Drift (Pacific Rim), Drift Side Effects, Hell, Inferno AU, Stream of Consciousness, Worried Hermann Gottlieb, Explicit Language, Past Mind Control, POV Hermann Gottlieb, Precursors are super dead, Memory Loss, Memory Alteration, Bickering, BAMF Hermann Gottlieb, Kissing, Canon-Typical Violence, Injury, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Explicit Sexual Content, Consensual Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Seduction, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Angst, Trauma, Therapy
Summary:

The invasion of the Anteverse was successful, and the Precursors have been destroyed, but Newt still hasn’t awoken from his coma and doesn’t respond initially to Drift attempts from Hermann to wake him.

But when one day a connection is established, Hermann and Newt find themselves in a mingled mindscape that seems informed by Dante’s “Inferno”. Together, they pass through the Nine Circles, nine memories of Newt’s years under Precursor control in the hopes it will help free Newt from his own head.

Yet questions linger: how much did the Precursors take from Newt, to what lengths will Hermann go to free him, and is the other even truly there, or merely a rabbit of the other’s making, a wish fulfillment fantasy that they’re chasing into the abyss?

–
Almost to the end! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! 😀

Wow, for the first time in awhile I’ve written a scene that was better in my head. 

So one thing I see a lot of earlier writers agonize over is how “the story was better in my head than when I wrote it”. Now, this is just speaking from my own experience (as is all my writing commentary) but the good news about that is it does actually go away after enough practice. Not in the sense that you become like, a magical mythical writer who gets everything perfect on the first try, but in the sense that once you’re committing words to the page you can actually come up with better and more complex stuff that what you can hold in your head at any given time. At this point I can’t count the number of times I’ve thought “Ooh, this scene in my head will be cool because of this sad thing I’ve thought up,” only to write the sad thing and discover a bunch more sad things that are even sadder because now I had everything laid out in front of me. So there’s hope there! (And yes, I like writing sad things that become MORE TRAGIC when I actually write them. I am broken.)

But last night in the kidnapping AU I wanted to write a scene where we get up to speed on the events before the story began. Granted, it was late at night when I wrote it, maybe I was tired. But it just came across as way too… tell-y, it’s just a very bland recap, but in my head it was like this sweeping sad realization of how our characters got to this point and what has been lost.

Chances are, this just means I need to re-write it, and the tell-y (instead of show-y) version will just become the mental heavy lifting outline I’ll use to couch the moment better in a visual scene. But I may end up having to do that rewrite way later, because on first drafts I try to maintain forward momentum and just write the next bit rather than stalling out to make an earlier one perfect (because I might need to do so again later anyway, undoing the hard work, if something down the line needs to be foreshadowed or contradicts an earlier lackluster scene in favor of a really interesting later scene). 

But anyway, thought I’d give this peek behind the curtain for when things are going badly and not just when they’re going well.