The Same Deep Water As You (ReallyNotFiclet #4): A Foreign Country

[haikuesque.livejournal.com]

Title: A Foreign Country
Universe: The Same Deep Water As You
Word count: c. 11,200
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.
Warnings: If there are warnings for this story, you can find them here.
Notes: This is the fourth of the SDW-universe stories we promised way back when. No, we're not calling them ficlets anymore.
Requested by: This is for souleater_angel.

( Jin loves the beach. They've been here twice already, and the stretch and the scent of it keep reminding him that he's on holiday, abroad. )
 

Comments

[nightinbird.livejournal.com]

I really, really like the way you handled the backflash and the aftermath, the talk they have. How it ends with Jin choosing to walk.
I also like how the somber mood doesn't stick around the next day, how it reinforces that Jin saying he is fine, for the most part. Jin suggesting to skip the aquarium for sex caught me by surprise, and I thought it was cute, the ten minutes thing was even cuter, and then the expactation builds up and up and up and wham, cleaning crew--I laughed right along with them. And they're so familiar with each other, through everything, I really want to highfive them. Who would've thought. :)

[souleater-angel.livejournal.com]

HOLY CRAP it's finished I already love it be back with hopefully coherent comment later!!!

[souleater-angel.livejournal.com]

Okay first of all this so does not qualify as a つまらないもの At All just so we're clear. XD

Kame giving Jin his shirt and "Go on Jin, say something," and cute lost turtles and "We are not lost" and tackleproblems!Kame was all super adorable.

And then the past hits them out of nowhere but Kame is of course so great about it. I'd been wondering how you guys would make this come up. I pictured them maybe even bumping into one of those guys, but random flashback when on holiday in Korea is much more creative. I also may have wanted Kame to get a chance to beat the crap out of someone but then again Jin doesn't want Kame in jail so...

This was, as expected, very black and awful, with several urgings to kill these guys like woah, but Kame handled everything pretty well, despite greyness and other sudden corpse-like characteristics, especially about that part. Some things seem to be firmly pounded into his head after three years. They're both so close and familiar with each other and I'm so glad they could get through this and not let it affect how they are together at all. This probably would be the point were they could safely say they know everything about each other, and they still want to be together, which is just so amazing. And Kame to the rescue again with non-menu pizza! Because pizza makes all bad days fade away. :D

On a happier note: None of this ruins their vacation cuz they are just that freaking awesome together. Sightseeing and making out in the water and disgusting waffles and skipping out on aquariums for other things and "This is worse than no donuts." It's also really nice to see how Jin comes to Kame so openly for sex now. Not shy or embarrassed or tired, not anymore. And it's great that they still have that anticipation and fluttery feeling even after being together for years, and then of course the cleaning crew would be in their room. That was hilarious and had me in my own giggle fit. :)

Thanks so much for this guys. I hope this wasn't too painful/annoying/troublesome to write. I take all blame for bringing up such a horrible topic again. #morbidcuriosity In my defense everyone else wanted this too but was too scared to ask. This was really really horrible but amazing at the same time and I'm sorry if this doesn't get the big amazing response that it deserves.

[frameofmind6.livejournal.com]

First off—YAY! It’s the one I’ve been waiting for! ;) Granted, it’s also the only one I kinda sorta knew was coming enough to wait for, but still…

I started to suspect this was where it was headed just as they were passing the bar, when Jin first got antsy. I felt bad for bouncing gleefully while Jin was going through his sudden PTSD episode, but I was just so looking forward to finally a) knowing exactly what happened myself, and b) seeing Kame deal with stuff. (Because I’m evil, and I like to see them suffer…as long as it leads to a good place that ultimately leaves them stronger and closer, which, of course it would…)

I actually said “Oh shit” (rather loudly, as it turned out. Whoops…) when they got to what happened to Jin’s clothes. I’d remembered the hints about the fence and the ties and the five guys, but I forgot there was a correlation with the golden shower. Poor Kame-chan…rough day… (*pets him*)

(Poor Jin too, of course, but…you know.)

You can practically hear what’s going on in Kame’s head—partly because he’s probably asking himself a bunch of questions we’ve heard him ask himself before, but also because it’s in his body. And Jin guesses at them well enough, even if he doesn’t spell them out. They’re all questions Kame has answers to now, which is why he’s able to pull it together, but they still spill out when the switch is flipped, just like Jin’s memories and the playground. And I love how he just sort of grabs onto Jin and hangs on until he’s sure again that he knows what he knows. And because he’s glad and relieved that Jin is there—as in “with him,” of course, but also just “alive.”

I cheered when Jin said, “I don’t think they do pizza here.” Because…I’ve re-read that chapter a lot of times… ;) #JinsBadDay

I side with Kame on the waffle. Teriyaki is much better. (And, um…is the bacon usually on top of the waffle? I’ve never been much for your traditional down-home American breakfast, so I’m far from an expert, but that seems weird even to me. Is that the Korean translation of the concept…?)

I cried at the end. Last line. (*love*)

[TBC]

[frameofmind6.livejournal.com]

Really, really well done. And…I can imagine this was a slightly tricky one. Because I’ll admit, sort of throughout the whole (original) story I was waiting for this conversation to take place—but just as Jin says, there was really never a time for it. The point at which it would have been conversationally relevant was pretty early on, and at that point Jin wasn’t even quite comfortable talking to Kame about soccer or music, much less the absolute worst experience of his entire life. And in hindsight you sort of feel like if he had brought it up then, it might have thrown them so far off the track that they never would have gotten here. But now that they’re here, well…fortunately gang rape just isn’t a topic that comes up naturally in their lives very often. So, yeah—not only finding a non-random way for them to get into it, but also navigating the complicated pieces of the conversation (Jin’s remaining issues, and Kame’s realization of…stuff, and all the ways that both of those things could theoretically derail their relationship) in a way that has a dramatic arc, but doesn’t throw them completely back to the early days when Kame was still all in his head about everything…yeah. Difficult. But I think you found the perfect balance for all of it. The old stuff was there, and it wasn’t like it didn’t matter anymore—but they’ve moved past that, and they have something that’s built on firm ground now. You let them have just enough worry around the edges without actually throwing the foundation of their relationship into serious question, which was perfect. And I love that they just sort of worked through it for a couple of days afterward, not talking about it but not separate in it either, and then found their way back to normal.

And the scene with the coffee and wanting to go back to the room—adorable. Lovely and sweet and exactly the kind of fun you want to see them having after they’ve made it through the hard part, not to mention just plain cute in its own right. Sort of giddy, like back when they were first realizing how they felt about each other. Delightful.

This is my favorite one of these so far. (Did I say that last time too? I guess they just keep getting better… ;) Looking forward to the rest!

[cagnurit.livejournal.com]

It's a bliss to be reassured that the dark is in the past, and there's nothing but a bright solid future ahead.

[krystal-32206.livejournal.com]

Jin's past must have made Kame remember back to the time he tied and pissed on Jin. No wonder Kame freaked out. But it's a good thing the vacation ended on a happy note. :)

Even after a long time of being together, the two seemed to act like they're a new couple. It's sweet. :)

[sablenoir4.livejournal.com]

SPOT

[sablenoir4.livejournal.com]

well, it took a long time. a really long time, with a super slow read with almost word by word insert of how this was hitting me, as i went. and i've made it half way. i now have a pashmina to wash [all those tears and no tissues..], with the same feel as kame, i guess. wrung out to dry. heaving. relieved it was over. and, oh shit, here comes another wave. must be a dry patch somewhere still..

---

don't apologise for it tho. i love that you have created this rock solid universe to keep writing into, tho am not sure you realised it when you started SDWAY. one day maybe, you'll know you're done. but i hope that's a long way away.

for the rest, expect an email, lol. not even i can spam your inbox as much as i'll be wanting to and yes, still only halfway. all kudos for writing this. i can only imagine how hard it was on you also.

fightoh! & catch you later. <3

[thesecretdoor.livejournal.com]

This was perfect ♥

I love everything, from the ease and comfort at the start, the subtle transition to the darker feeling and then how familiar it felt to be back to them sitting, watching each other, guaging reactions...Jin's story too, there was so much...Kame finding out why he was so freaked about being tied up and the being pissed on thing...I'm glad this is from Jin's POV, I can't even imagined what is going through Kame's head!

And the sex ♥ you did an incredible job of building up all the tension and the excitement and then the aftermath is just so sweet.

Thank you for continuing with the SDW stories, I can't get enough of that world and those characters. I just don't have the words to describe how perfect this is!

[bellemelody.livejournal.com]

. It's not just being abroad, it's seeing Kame abroad, and what he's come to realise is, take Kame out of Japan, away from the fame and the press, and he'll talk to absolutely anybody, about anything.

That's such a cute description XD I love Kame like this and I like the idea of him being a very talkative and friendly person no matter what kind of languages barrier he has XD XD

"But we want to have plenty of time for you to enjoy turtle-friendly temperatures," Jin counters.


♥

Kame shoots him a stare as dark as the sky. "We are not lost," he says

Cute Kame in this scene!
I like a lot stories: few years ago after happy ending.

So that was just few quotes that created very warm and nice atmosphere. When I started reading this fic I haven't checked what about was request for this story, so I was waiting for cute fluffy holiday story and when Jin freaked out in the playground I freaked out with him.

When I was reading SDW I wondered when finally Jin would tell about his past. I understood that it wasn't an easy topic to talk about, but still I thought that maybe sharing with his pain would help Jin to feel better and for Kame to understand his pain and what horrible things happened with him. But maybe he wasn't ready yet and they both needed time to know each other better. Idek

It was hard for them both and maybe for Kame even more because Jin tried to overcome his past and maybe get used that it already happened and this is past and Kame is near now. I like how it was reassuring for him, to know that now everything is fine that Kame is here and how you wrote that part with Jin slowly coming to his sense after this panic attack.

Also Kame's reaction. I just think that this scene is very Very intense. The way they talked, searching for words, trying to put all messy thoughts in some orders, Kame to suppress his anger and Jin to watch Kame carefully and in the same time not looking at him at all. That was interesting for me, the way you wrote it. I was reading and was absolutely plunged in this situation not breathing and just waiting for what will be next.

Talking about story, I'm glad that in Jin's life he met someone like Kame, who loves him and accept. Kame is such a wonderful person, even if he is crazy sometimes, but still just so kind and understanding and soooo good!!

And Jin is a fluffy ball, I like him a lot :)

Jin tries to pet Kame's hand with his toes, not very successfully.

The way they act with each other, without this weird tension that could follow after conversation like this, just turning the page and enjoying their life! I think Jin needed it, not because of Kame, but just for himself. The nightmare from past, I don't think it's easy to erase such memories, but maybe that will help him to understand that this is past and never will haunt him. Having such attack must be painful, I hope he won't be scared of playgrounds anymore.

Something to look forward to, Kame charming and bullying the hotel staff.

XD XD XD such a nice line

Thank you very much for writing next part with SDW!Akame! I enjoyed reading this:)