Fic rec: "Damaged" 5/? by arabia764 (Elijah/Orlando) NC-17 for series, AU, WIP

[rodneyscat]

A new part in this series is up (earlier recs can be found here and here).

I'm hooked on this. These young men with their totally different backgrounds, who learn to look at things differently. They both have been (and are going) through a lot, but they stay down to earth, dealing with everything in the best way they can manage and enjoying the good moments without wallowing in the things that can't be changed. But some things can be changed, that's what Orli is trying to make Elijah see. And I think there are some things that Elijah can help Orli with too.

arabia764 and I have talked a bit about what happened to Elijah that's made him the way he is. It's not something you can't see coming, but I felt I wanted to give this series a non-con warning. Arabia didn't feel about it as non-con; Maybe it's dubious-con or more mind washing, but that's way too hard to explain in a warning. Anyway, I thought I'd mention it. Frankly, I'm curious what other people think about it, and I'll try to explain the way I see it in a comment, to avoid spoilers in this entry.

part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5

Comments

[rodneyscat.livejournal.com]

Personally I think of what happened to Elijah as non-con, because he's being manipulated into something when he's still too young to even know what he wants. He's being talked into doing things without even being given the opportunity to make up his own mind about it. He doesn't say he doesn't want it, because he's not aware that is an option.

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

You're right, in that context it is non-con. I was thinking more about his behaviour now and hadn't really considered the past enough.

And your icon viewed in terms of the fic... that blew me away. I can't really explain it but it really got to me.

Thank you so much for the recs and for making my rethink the fic.
:-)

[plaidpjs.livejournal.com]

That is an interesting take, and accurate in a complex way. Manipulation of trust and innocence is certainly a factor in the story.

And I just had to comment in agreement with "lj user="arabia761", your icon is especially poignant in conjunction with the tale.

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Manipulation of trust and innocence is certainly a factor in the story.

You have explained perfectly what I couldn't find the words for, that is just what I meant. Thank you.