When I write fic set in another country, especially countries where band people (or figure skaters!) aren't touring, there's always a bit of a balancing act at work. I didn't want to ignore the country, but I didn't want to ignore Butcher & Sisky either. So I thought this was a nice scene, just them being quiet together in China.
colouredmango's original fic was so lovely and full of deep thoughts about what it really meant to be in China, to be befuddled by that country and the culture and to work against one's privilege that I wanted the unofficial sequel to be a little bit about that, too. So I like this line: Butcher considers the prospect briefly – living in a house with about fifty other families – like an apartment complex, only with each unit being less circumscribed – full of his favourite people. He’d quite like that, he thinks, only he doesn’t know if he’d get any alone time with Sisky.
-- because of the contrast, although that might only be apparent to me. Asian collectivist culture, versus the bubble of Butcher&Sisky. But the whole Chicago scene, where everyone knows each other and is a little bit like a community in itself, isn't so different. Essentially it isn't so hard for Butcher to imagine actually living with fifty other people, because that's the kind of dude he is, yo. I like Butcher & Sisky! They're a pretty peaceable pair.
Butcher lets Sisky take hold of his hand and holds it so tightly around the knuckles before Sisky makes a small noise of protest and Butcher registers it, loosens his grip and gives him an apologetic look. Sisky runs his thumb over Butcher’s cuticle, and they look. They look at these large mushroom-like houses for several long moments. <-- the only "conflict" in this scene, done without words, resolved really quickly, basically.
I WILL THINK ABOUT BUTCHER&SISKY'S ADVENTURES IN ASIA AND GET BACK TO YOU. Incidentally, I have also actually been to the Hakka forts in China, which is a reason why I felt comfortable writing it into a scene. (With the other places, like Dali or wherever, I'd be like, "Am I getting this right??" but I'd make up stuff anyway.) Projecting? Me? Surely you jest! /o\
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: Thursday, 29 April 2010 03:48 (UTC)When I write fic set in another country, especially countries where band people (or figure skaters!) aren't touring, there's always a bit of a balancing act at work. I didn't want to ignore the country, but I didn't want to ignore Butcher & Sisky either. So I thought this was a nice scene, just them being quiet together in China.
-- because of the contrast, although that might only be apparent to me. Asian collectivist culture, versus the bubble of Butcher&Sisky. But the whole Chicago scene, where everyone knows each other and is a little bit like a community in itself, isn't so different. Essentially it isn't so hard for Butcher to imagine actually living with fifty other people, because that's the kind of dude he is, yo. I like Butcher & Sisky! They're a pretty peaceable pair.
Butcher lets Sisky take hold of his hand and holds it so tightly around the knuckles before Sisky makes a small noise of protest and Butcher registers it, loosens his grip and gives him an apologetic look. Sisky runs his thumb over Butcher’s cuticle, and they look. They look at these large mushroom-like houses for several long moments. <-- the only "conflict" in this scene, done without words, resolved really quickly, basically.
I WILL THINK ABOUT BUTCHER&SISKY'S ADVENTURES IN ASIA AND GET BACK TO YOU. Incidentally, I have also actually been to the Hakka forts in China, which is a reason why I felt comfortable writing it into a scene. (With the other places, like Dali or wherever, I'd be like, "Am I getting this right??" but I'd make up stuff anyway.) Projecting? Me? Surely you jest! /o\