The Musketeers fic: Danse Macabre

[donnaimmaculata]

*delurks*

So, I've been wondering: is it worth getting a Tumblr account? Is that where fandom is taking place these days and where everyone has wandered off to? It's time to admit I'm totally out of the loop.

On plus side: I've managed to write fic in a new fandom. I'm not getting too excited about it, because I know myself and know that it won't last, but for the time being I'm indulging in a very nostalgic sort of crush:


He does look very lickable, doesn't he?

Look, I don't think that The Musketeers is a brilliant show. In fact, I got bored halfway through and stopped watching - stunning visuals notwithstanding - but then I gave it a chance, watched it all in a marathon session and decided to revive a crush from 30 years ago, when Aramis used to look like this:



Yeah, the new version is better. My ten-year-old self is weeping for the missed chance. Seriously, my ten-year-old self would so have loved to have had the new revamped Aramis to perv over. He has been specifically designed to appeal to my ten-year-old self's (and teenage self's) aesthetic requirements. And while my present-day self appreciates the visuals, it is not entirely overwhelmed by them. It's too sad.

But that didn't stop me from writing porn for him. And angst. Well, the angst is Marsac's, because Marsac is The Musketeers' verse's Sirius Black (which makes Aramis Remus Lupin, which explains a lot).

Title: Dance Macabre
Author: Donna Immaculata
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Aramis/Marsac
Word count: 4718
Warnings: Angst, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Hand Jobs, Mutual Masturbation, PTSD, Miscommunication, Catholic Guilt, Death Wish
Summary: Meeting Aramis again after all those years sparks something within him back to life.
Spoilers: For episode 4 - The Good Soldier

Dance Macabre on AO3

Comments

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Sadly a lot of people have moved to tumblr, but unless you're under a certain age (teens? low twenties?) you're unlikely to enjoy it there. (I know of no adults who like the site.) There is no way to really have a conversation there, it's just about "reblogging" pictures you like or a link you think is cool or whatever.

Basically, it's the opposite of LJ -- no substance, no way to have conversations, nothing lasts.

That being said, accounts are free, so you could try it out. There will always be pictures of your favorite things there, and it's an okay (if unsatisfying) way to kill time.

Edit: Somehow I missed looking at the pictures when reading your post. HOLY COW, that guy is hot! Lickable is an understatement! I do believe I'm melting.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's pretty much my impression, too. I've been checking out various tumblrs lately, and it's so disappointing to see there are no conversations. Sometimes, you'll come across an interesting post, and there are hundreds of notes, but they're just "reblogged" or "liked" ones. *sighs*

Heh! He is well hot, isn't he? BBC America started broadcasting The Musketeers a few days ago, so you can catch it easily and perv over the musketeer of your choice. The cast are very attractive, and the whole show looks stunning in terms of cinematography, costumes and set design. So it's easy to immerse yourself in the pretty.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that really bugs me. Thousands of notes, and when I scroll through the first couple hundreds of them, there are no other comments! Just likes and reblogs. What a waste. You might as well be using Google Image Search instead.

I may just have to check it out! I'm always up for more eyecandy.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

I appreciate the fact that it takes no effort at all to make a post, since all you have to do is reblog. And seeing as I hardly ever post original content anymore, I might find the simple act of reblogging easier. On the other hand this feels rather like leaving kudos on AO3 rather than a comment, which I tend not to do, because I'm a fangirl of the old school and prefer to comment properly.

As I said, the show looks great. I'm not sold on the plots, but this is easily ignored :-)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I've tried posting original content on Tumblr, but unless you have a large network of followers, it's like shouting into the wind. I don't use Facebook, so I could be off base here, but Tumblr feels like what I imagine Facebook to be: 98% liking memes and image posts, 2% writing text posts that people may or may not like.

And yes! I can ignore a weak plot if the pretty is strong enough. :)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

I don't use Facebook, either, and most people I know in RL use it as a convenient tool to keep track of events or to stay in touch with others over long distances. But I don't feel like I'm missing out by not using it.

I've come across some Tumblr accounts dedicated to photography (landscape, architecture), and they are the ones I find most appealing. Oh, and there's http://critiquemydickpic.tumblr.com, which I adore! (NSFW)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ha! I'll have to check that Tumblr when I get home from work. I can only imagine how fun that would be. :D Thanks for the link!

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

It is a thing of beauty! I'm sure you'll have a blast :-)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I lurk on tumblr. I have an account but I only use it to follow other accounts, I never post and I never reblog. For me, tumblr's primary attraction is purty pics to look at when I am too tired to process text :} Other than that it's LJ all the way for me!

I got bored halfway through and stopped watching - stunning visuals notwithstanding
Heh me too! Despite the fact that the cast is *eminently* lickable I lost interest after a couple of episodes. I should add that my partner watched the whole damn thing through to the bitter end. He seemed to enjoy it ;)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

(Ugh, LJ just ate my comment. Now I'm annoyed.)

I'm considering doing just that, as there are a few tumblrs that I check out regularly (cough... http://critiquemydickpic.tumblr.com ... cough). We'll see.

I actually did watch the whole damn thing in the end, as it was sitting on my harddrive anyway, so I might just as well. It's such a shame, they had all the ingredients. The cinematography, set and costume design are fabulous. I like the cast for the most part, first and foremost the King, who is an inspired character and played to perfection. Peter Capaldi is always excellent value. Aramis and Porthos are just about perfect. And yet, the show does not come together for me. And so I bravely ignored the more painful bits of dialogue, shrugged at the boring plotlines, suspended my disbelief like mad and focused on drooling over Aramis.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, I should also have mentioned that tumblr is a good source of creative porn :) Critiquemydick is fabulous!

The strange thing about Musketeers, is that I can't quite fathom why it didn't work. All the elements are there, the cast is fabulous, everything looks gorgeous, there are hot men in leather, but somehow it was just...dull :/ Perhaps I should have persevered. I suspect I might enjoy your fic more than the actual series. I need to figure out who Marsac is first though!

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Critiquemydick stole hours of my life. And of my friends' lives.

That's exactly how I feel about it, too. The first two episodes got me quite excited, because they looked so right, but then nothing lead anywhere. There were tantalising hints of underlying darkness and depth to the characters, of complex relationships (Musketeers - Cardinal), but it all just fizzled out. The finale was just a return to the status quo.

Marsac was in episode 4. Depending on when you gave up, you might still have caught him. He came back to haunt Aramis with memories of an Ambush and of Twenty Dead Musketeers.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Critiquemydick stole hours of my life. And of my friends' lives.
There are worse ways to spend hours of your life :)

The first two episodes got me quite excited, because they looked so right, but then nothing lead anywhere.
I'm glad it's not just me! I felt rather disappointed with myself that I didn't get into it.

Depending on when you gave up, you might still have caught him.
Technically I have "seen" the entire series. I.e. I was in the same room as partner while he was watching it, but most of the time I was reading LJ rather than watching the hot boys in leather. (Something wrong with that sentence there...) Perhaps if I read your fic it will job my memory :)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Something wrong with that sentence there...

Oh dear, yes. That's a worrying symptom.

My fic doesn't explain all that much, plotwise. It's mainly angst with some halfhearted porn and an angsty finish :-)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Sounds perfect! That's my weekend reading sorted then :)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Well, if you want more, I wrote another Aramis-appreciation fic (because look at him), here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1862730 (posted anonymously for the time being).

[contrariwise.livejournal.com]

Count me as an adult who likes tumblr. It's a nice way to get a quick jolt of fandom here and there. I do use tumblr savior liberally, as well as xkit. There isn't really much discussion (though people do try now and then), but oh well. I like making gifs and looking at pictures of cute animals and hot actors. It's super easy to just reblog or hit like and be on your way.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

I like looking at pictures of cute animals and hot actors

What, like deshommesetdeschatons.tumblr.com? :-)

That's the reason why I'm considering setting up an account. But I'd probably throw in some artsy photography as well, to appear more sophisticated ;-)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Right, I caved in and got a tumblr. If you tell me where to find you, I will follow you. I'm not sure yet to what extent I'm going to use the thing; for the time being it's only to follow people and look at pretty pictures.

[contrariwise.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I haven't checked my fandom email in ages, sorry! But you found me anyway! Same icon as here... Looking at pretty pictures is a perfectly valid reason for having a tumblr, I say.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Finally had a chance to read it and I must say, it really is outrageously angsty and incredible hot! I thought Horatio was the apotheosis of angst but is seems not. Aramis' last line is a real killer.

I also thought this was fabulously well written. I love your writing style, understated but beautifully crafted.

I can count on one hand the number of fics I've read from other fandoms, but I really did enjoy this one. In an angsty kind of way, obviously :}

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Whee! I'm glad you enjoyed it :-) (for a given value of "enjoy"). Marsac really is all angst and PTSD, which is why I couldn't resist writing him. I'm quite pleased with Aramis' last line myself; in my head he tries to be nice and undemanding, but doesn't quite manage to get that across.

I've been wibbling about my writing style lately. There was a time where I made a huge progress and noticed myself how much better I'd become. But now I have the feeling that I haven't moved on at all lately; rather, I'm regressing. I keep using the same few words over and over again. As a writer yourself, you're probably familiar with the feeling: the inability to judge if what you've just written is good or if it's just disjointed drivel ;-)

But, taking advantage of my Aramis!crush, I'm currently enjoying writing angsty porn for him. All is not lost!