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hey courtney,
here fot the galazy reviewing event!
this was the cutest little chapter to finish off the story. I'm so happy for them that they managed to figure things out in such a beautiful way that meant Percy was going to make his appearance shortly. I love their dialogue in this chapter and they're really looking forward to those things that are still to come, the brightest memories that they're now able to fill the house with again. there was a line about percy being bill and charlie's new ally which was particularly cute!
I love that phrase "They say if you love something and you have to set it free, if it comes back to you, it's meant to be." this lines so feel true. I don't think I considered in earlier in the story that sure molly was hurt but she never really wanted arthur to come back if he was going to be unhappy. she was giving him the chance to figure out what he wanted as well. they are meant to be but she was willing to let him live his dream without her because she did love him. it makes perfect sense. I think Arthur knew the moment that she was gone but she (and the boys) were all that ever mattered. I feel a bit sorry for him that he has to do a job that wasn't his choice but i don't think I need to because he has everything he needs with molly <3
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Hi Abby, thank you so much for all of your reviews on this story! I always headcanoned that Percy was borne out of reconciliation, so this story really just allowed for me to bring that to life. And with Arthur landing in a career that isn't his passion, it's a common thing a lot of folks experience. But job fulfillment isn't for everyone and it's totally acceptable to find fulfillment in other aspects of your life. I don't think Arthur hates this job. It's different than what he had previously, but he's not going to be totally miserable (at least in my mind).
And yes! I am so glad you picked up on that this story was about compromise and figuring out what matters most. I am glad I achieved that.
<3 Courtney
hey!
here for galazy event!
ahh! you did it! I thought it was very very cute. I thought arthur's jealously was well played and he was obviously still so in love with Molly. the dialogue between them during their visit to the pub was really well done and I enjoying seeing their undeniable chemistry there in whole flow again! It was really endearing and just wonderful. I wasn't sure how you were going to fix them but I think they were never truly 100% broken, there was always just pieces of them that needed healing.
It was very nice to see him, just be together again like they deserve to be because they took their time and really thought them themselves and the boys. the boys knowing their grandparents more. what it meant to be a family. the little bit of smut at the end was a very cheeky bonus. I thought you handled this story so well.
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Ahh I'm so glad the reconciliation scene worked for you! I always love a touch of smut, so that was probably the first part I wrote of this whole sequence honestly hah. I just love the hurt/comfort of make up sex and all it provides. I'm glad you enjoyed it and it didn't feel forced or that Arthur was fully getting his way or Molly fully getting hers. In the end, they compromised in certain ways to do what was best for their family and themselves. And I like to think they are happier for it.
<3 Courtney
hi,
here for the another review for the galazy! :)
aw, this chapter is so cute in many ways. I love how you've created that sibling relationship with fabian particularly. I love the protectiveness and how it's instantly that 'bastard' from someone who was probably very friendly with before this happened. he obviously care so much about molly (and the boys). Molly is very measured about fabian's reaction maybe because she doesn't really know what she wants but she doesn't want to feel guilty because wanting it when she does now.
poor bill, being a bit older and more aware of the situation. he's a bit more nervous about the idea of his dad visiting which is so sad anyway. my heart breaks a little bit for everyone. molly is such a good mum for staying for that extra reassurance for billy when it's also something that emotionally hard for her being around arthur with so many emotions that are floating around. I loved the scene with Lollies which just seemed to remind them of the good times. there was a bit spark there again which I don't think can be ignored but you still managed to maintain that feelings of awkwardness and holding themselves back. beautiful balance there.
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Hi Abbi, thank you for your review and for taking the time to read this! I am so glad you liked the balance between wanting and holding back. This was such a crucial vibe I wanted carried throughout this fic. Because love wasn't necessarily lost between them. It was more or less shelved and other tbings took precedence. But now that theyre in this place with their kids and things are getting familiar and comfortable, it's hard to not want to try again. Particularly when both are in a place of wanting to reconcile in some way, even if it's just for their boys. And Fabian definitely goes into overly protective big brother mode. I like to think that later on he reconciled with Arthur too.
<3 Courtney
hiyaa again!
here for the galazy reviewing event!
courtney!? what are you doing to me here? this chapter was high key angst but it's so believable. Molly is so unmovable on this issue and I can see why too. sometimes there are things that you just can't do and moving is such a big thing for her. I feel like her reaction could have been better to his suggestion though?! she didn't have to say yes obviously but some discussion would have done them both good. the communication from both sides so not helping them out. I feel for both of them so much.
Molly's brain is totally spiraling out of control when he's gone and eating her alive like she is accusing him of cheating which isn't the case obviously. she can't put herself in his shoes here. I think arthur hearing the cheating thing must have really hurt him. they obviously both still have so much love for each other though. I don't think breaking up is what either of them want at all and the line that links in with the title is so perfect here! i'm so sad for them </3
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Hi Abbi, thank you for this review! And yes, I know, these two are being incredibly stupid and not communicating well at all. It happens though when certain emotions are brewing beneath the surface like I imagine they would be under these circumstances. They're sort of making assumptions about one another, because every thing is shifting for then. Molly's never seen Arthur in this way and he's not considered the possibility of America for himself until this moment either. It isn't right, but sometimes life isn't. And I think in moments when things change like they are for Molly, you always assume the worst, even if it's out of character for the other person. I think that's just self-preservation when the one you love has disappointed you in some way, but you don't know how to verbalize it to them.
Anyway, thank you for all of your thoughts on this! I am glad you picked up on all the little things I was trying to achieve here...as painful as it was.
<3 Courtney
hello,
here for galazy reviewing event :)
it was so interesting to get Molly's pov from what caused their split. I feel there is part of this that I can really relate even though I haven't come close to splitting with my husband. I think that idea of 're finding' yourself is such a big thing for a woman because even if you don't mean it keeping who you are outside of 'bill's mum' or 'arthur's wife' can be more challenging than you ever think. I felt that, I love that even though arthur's gone she is really trying to pick up old interests now she has more time for herself. starting her book club.
she trusts arthur still so completely at this point that it's so endearing, they have such a lovely bond still but cracks are showing a bit now. I kinda like how balance you've made it though like from Arthur's pov he has every reason to want to say with MACUSA but that's part of his dream now. I wish he hadn't kept that part of himself a secret that he has an ambitious side to him that roared into life. I can see why he loves it so much but handles it wrong. the little things that start to change from them really just creep up on themselves and start building themselves into something so much bigger. the progress of that is so realistic and believable. it's rather heartbreaking.
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Hi Abbi! Thank you you again for another lovely review on this story. You point out so many things that I was hoping to convey. Molly trusts Arthur so wholeheartedly, but when trust is fractured and then broken, boy oh boy, does it hurt. And Arthur, yes, he most certainly doesn't go about this the right way. I think change is just as scary to him as it is Molly. Though he's not going to admit that because he feels he needs to be the confident one where Molly's confidence is waning a wee bit. Anyway, I am glad you see the progression as gradual because I wanted to show that this was something that built over time before it finally broke.
Thank you again for this lovely review!
<3 Courtney
hey courtney,
here for the reviewing event! :)
oh, wow. I wasn't sure what to expect but this piece is so interesting and it throws the whole weasley story into a totally different light. you're right, we do always assume that weasleys are meant to be be, perfect, big balls of hugs and kisses but this version was so well portrayed. I didn't think I could believe in a realistic molly and arthur break up but you did it so well. all the factors that molly holds so dear to her mainly the family.
the description in this piece so so good too. i love the descriptions of molly's appearance like you could just feel the emotions coming off from her. she is so guarded but still had a bit of make up on. i think you can really feel how much this meeting was testing her as a person. we know she's a strong female figure but i think she does so desperately want to be a family again but she's proud and she is thinking about the effect on the boys. she's very very hurt.
I love arthur's little flashbacks like they were beautifully done but really helped dial up the angst of the piece remembering how happy they use to be, all the memories that they shared. it is all gone now. I think the moment that got me is him not remembering her favourite place to enter the tea shop. it was really sad that he felt like things were slipping away from him. I found you built the tension that everyone was feeling very well. just all those little details arthur was noticing about the cafe and how things had changed. just like his relationship with Molly. This story is so interesting as an idea to explore. I can't wait to get into the situation more. brilliant first chapter.
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Hey Abbi! Here to catch up on some review responses! Ahhh...I'm so glad you decided to give this piece a chance. It was. Very challenging hah. I wanted to show the realistic portrayal of a marriage in crisis, but only a temporary one. I am glad that you found the characters and their mannerisms that play into the overall plot of what's happening, to be believable. And yes, Arthur's hyperfocus in other areas of his life outside of Molly/their marriage was definitely a theme I tried to carry throughout. Sometimes when we become immersed in our own success/ideals, we forget those who matter most to us. We think they'll always be around and we forget to nurture that relationship. Which is sort of what happens with this set up.
Anyway, thank you for your reviews on this story (I noticed you hit up every chapter), it is much appreciated!
<3 Courtney
Hi, Courtney.
My, my. This is certainly different from the type of Molly/Arthur story you usually write. I am reminded of a repertory company where the same troupe of actors play many different dramas, and tonight the actor named Arthur and his leading lady, an actrss named Molly, are doing a drama about a married couple at the brink of a permanent breakup.
The dialogue is just right, and your liberal use of gestures, movements, facial expressions really shows the agonizing emotions of the two people.
The names are familiar to us, but the circumstancess are so different -- so much bitterness and hurt and mistrust. You write that very well. Things frankly don't look hopeful for Arthur. This will have to be a long recovery and a long story to tell the whole process fully, but I see that you have many more chapters, so perhaps there is hope for this poor couple.
A very good job with a difficult subject. Thank you for writing.
Vicki
Author's Response:Hi Vicki,
I'm trying not to slack of my review responses for ALL of my fics (even if the ones on HH have gotten totally out of hand :yikes:), so I just wanted to quickly thank you for checking out this story and leaving a review <3 I really loved you remarks on how this seems very out of character for these two. A friend of mine told me that I probably couldn't write them in this way, and I was like "challenge accepted, let me try," LOL. So that is how this came to be.
Thank you for the comments on the dialogue and how it feels agonizing...I meant for this to be a little shocking upon first glance. But I hope, if you choose to continue, you see that I gave both of them reasons for doing what they're doing. I can tell you that this does end happily (I couldn't break up the most beloved couple of the series, I am not a monster ;)), but there are moments of angst along the way.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this!
<3 Courtney
courtney!! here for the last time for the race through the galazy event!! :)
ahhh this is such a cute ending!! i was super curious after the last chapter as to where you were going to go with this epilogue - whether it would be as angsty as the rest of it or not. and i gotta admit, i'm a little disappointed it was a lot fluffier than the rest of it haha - but that's only really a testament to your skill at writing the angst through the rest of the story :P there was something so addictive about it - and the fluff is a lovely treat, like a chocolate with tea, haha, small and sweet :)
i kinda like the idea that this whole thing happens in between children being born - and in fairly rapid succession too :P - which i hadn't really thought too much on tbh in previous chapters, but her pregnancy with percy in this one sort of brought it home to me. it makes it that little bit sadder in a way - but it's kind of nice to think that percy - the child who become the prodigal son - is born out of reconciliation, yk?? it's very full circle and i like that :P
i can't believe you when you say in your note that you wrote this in a week because honestly, it's so good and it's so well-rounded as a story - there's nothing missing, it's so ~complete in a way i can't really describe well but it just... it's a full, whole, total story, with so much depth and feeling to it and it ties itself up so nicely and i love it. i just, it's a real masterclass in short story writing.
laura xx
Author's Response:Ahh Laura your observations about Percy's conception are everything to me!! :stitch love: I absolutely am a manic fangirl with ideas on how each of the Weasley kids were conceived. So far, I've alluded to Bill, Charlie, and Percy...who knows where/how I'll slip in the other headcanons for the other four haha.
Sorry for the disappointment regarding the angst haha. I had to give these babies a happy ending. But I'm glad you still found it enjoyable! And yes, the time crunch with the challenge deadline sort of prevented me from exploring a slow reconciliation between them haha. Maybe I'll do like a "missing moment" one shot or something haha. Who knows?
Anyway Laura, you have been an absolute gem of a human for all of these long, thoughtful reviews! This is one of my favorite stories and it just means a lot to hear that someone else enjoyed it so much! You're the best! :)
<3 Courtney
haha the white highlighted thing is kinda weird??? anyway i'm back for the race through the galazy event!!
i love how you reconciled them?? even if it's not entirely complete yet - there's things still to work on, perhaps still some healing to do - but mostly and it's so good. because neither of them really had to compromise themselves as such, it was more working out what they wanted - what mattered most of each of them - even if once again, it's a bit like molly was a bit more ruled by her heart than her head :P but it's so in character for her!! to just... make decisions like that and decisions she's comfortable with, which she settles with - and i love that you've written her like that, impulsive but not flighty.
i love the details about their split, too: the way that molly gets her own bank account, the way neither of them live in the burrow - they both move out, and they rent it out to one of fabian's friends. how shell cottage is where molly lives with the kids (which is a kinda neat full-circle thing for bill later on!). it just fills out the depth of this story and it's so in character to think about it and note it: molly and arthur are both pretty practical people, especially molly!!
mahaha there's always a note like that :P or if it's not a note, it's a text on an open phone or a message on an answering machine :P such a classic trope and i love how the trope itself isn't enough - it's more of a kick-start for them to begin talking, to move on from the safe harbour of talking about the kids and to talk about the more difficult, rocky area of talking about themselves and their relationship.
i lovelovelove how familiar and comfortable their conversation is - the joking, the flirty, the ineractions as a whole - are once they're more settled in their relationship and how it works and what they are currently and are looking to be going forward. it's classic courtney and it's so good :)
laura xx
Author's Response:"neither of them really had to compromise themselves as such, it was more working out what they wanted - what mattered most of each of them -"
^^ AHH I love that this was your take on them! Because I didn't want them to really have to give up stuff for each other that could later cause resentment down the road. So to receive this little nugget of validation was wonderful, thank you! <3
And yes, I wanted to show that Molly was in fact, rather serious about this whole separation thing. She wasn't just going to be someone's trophy wife. She was going to find her own way, if she had to. And Arthur, of course, recognizes this, allows this, but he also puts his foot down at a point. Because that's not entirely fair for her to keep stringing him along or to have this uncertainty between them. So yes, they needed a catalyst to bring them together.
And navigating that conversation was difficult. I was trying to get Arthur to push her without it looking like he's making the decision for the both of them. But I think Molly needed a bit of a push along with some reassurance that things wouldn't go back to how they were, he would only love her, and yeah...I don't know if they reconciled too soon, but again, I was trying to finish this for a challenge so time crunch led to some decisions LOL.
And of course there needed to be some light heartedness! :) They are familiar with one another. It's familiar between them, in spite of everything. And I think it speaks to their feelings for one another without them necessarily needing to be super gushy (even though they essentially make out in a pub LOL).
Anyway, thank you again for all of these reviews!
<3 Courtney
here again for the race through the galazy!!
ooooooo we're back to beyond the beginning - i'm kinda excited to see how they progress from that awkward, awkward first meeting?? and i'm so happy (?? look, bear with me, i know it's weird) that they're still awkward and struggling - because eeeshhh fixing relationships and feelings doesn't happen over night and while some people are good enough actors or level-headed enough to pretend otherwise, molly especially is just not that kind of person. she's a very wears-her-heart-on-her-sleeve person and i love that for her in this it's both a good thing and a bad thing - and that's such a trademark of this story and your writing in it as well: the way traits and habits are both good and bad, depending on the time and the situation :)
i felt for arthur in the final scene, where he's trying to reach out, trying to be involved with the kids and having to deal with molly's awkwardness and the real, almost visible gap between them, and the way bill's struggling to enjoy spending time with him :/ that must be so hard for any parent who cares about their kids - to be looked at so suspiciously.
ahh bill's tantrum and molly's breakdown is so sad :/ ughhhh it really brings home how difficult the whole thing has been?? and how beyond sense and head-stuff, heart-stuff really is. a kid like bill - four years old and clever - doesn't think about things the way adults can or do, he's just all emotion and sharp, hot emotion and i love the way you show that :)
hahaha i did like fabian's comments at the beginning but i love the way molly's struggling with the way everyone else has opinions and perhaps thinks she needs bolstering in condemnation of arthur - sometimes that really really doesn't help in a situation, because feelings and relationships are complicated and hard to decipher even when they're your own, let alone for someone outside of that :/
bahhhhh i really can't wait to read on - this is such an addictive, angsty, hurt/comfort story :P
laura xx
Author's Response:I am glad you feel this is an addictive story (judging by your reviews in quick succession). I really felt a sort of addictive quality while writing this? I wrote it in the span of a week haha. I don't know it just consumed me in a way, trying to break them down and rebuild them again.
And yeah, I feel like Fabian means well, but he's sort of the outsider in this situation. He doesn't know what is between Molly and Arthur beyond what is presented to him, so it's easy for him to come from a place of judgment. But as you pointed out, yes, relationships are hard, and Molly still loves Arthur, in spite of everything. And obviously, Arthur still loves her. He wouldn't have come back and faced the music (no matter how awkward and painful it is). So yeah, these two are well on their way to mending fences, but it doesn't just happen.
Your reviews are aboslutely lovely Laura, I appreciate them so much!
<3 Courtney
ahhhhhh omg!! (before the screaming, though, i'm here for the race through the galazy event!!)
okay back to screaming: ahhhhhhhh no, i lovelovelove this. there's something so real about it all: about how their argument - their whole relationship spirals as they both spiral, him into resentment and her into paranoia, because they're just not talking - and actually talking things through, properly and sensibly and openly. it's so so true to life and all of those times when things fall apart, whether friendships or otherwise, cracking under pressure because the ground is shifting and each person's world is changing, no longer part of a whole, shared world :/
i just... i do feel for arthur, yk?? there's something true - and there's a lot true in this chapter all round - about the way that molly just won't hear about the possibility of moving to the states. she won't even think about it, let alone properly consider it - and ughhhhh i just... i do get arthur's argument on that and his resentment coming from that: it's a side of molly which is a real flaw and i love that it's a problem for them in this. it's something he just can't deal with because it's really blocking him, and it's part of what ends up damaging their relationship :/
ahhh molly and the kids <3 i dunno, my heart broke a little for molly on christmas alone - i mean, yes the kids are there and then the extended family, but arthur's not there and that matters :/ the way she's just so unhappy and lonely and irrationally jealous - and so irrational and insecure that she can't even see it's irrational and she sort of jumps headfirst into the potential of a split. it's so molly - bold and brash and strict - but it's also just so sad, yk?? because it's a big decision to make and she makes it so quickly :/
blehhhh this is sad but i love the sadness and the realism and your characterisation :)
laura xx
Author's Response:I'm so glad that the fight was fitting in your eyes. Idk why, but I enjoy angsty Arthur/Molly LOL. I know, I'm sort of a monster, aren't I?
But yes, Molly feels like everything is changing and she is very "Molly," here. She's not perfect, he's not perfect, but together they generally are. When they're acting like they want to be. But they currently are not.
A big theme for both of them is considering "the road less traveled." They've been together since Hogwarts, married young and already with two kids. They likely see their other friends going out and doing whatever they please and maybe yearn for that. Of course it manifests in different ways...Arthur gets that with his job, but Molly has minimal things that are just for herself, whereas she feels he has more. So yes, they're messy and get a little dark here. But i'm glad you can still see traces of their canon selves in this. I was more worried that they would be unrecognizable, and I think I took some steps to thwarting that, but like this is such a departure from how we see them...so it was nice to hear from someone else too.
Thank you again for this lovely review!
<3 Courtney
i'm back for the race through the galazy event :)
ahhh i honestly just think i love this more the more i read of it, yk??? there's something so understated about it, even with the drama of the break up and the big life changes - moving to a new country, changing jobs - and i love that; it's also so perfectly in keeping for brits and countryside brits too :P
it's funny because while in the last one i sort of sympthised more evenly between them - because both positions are things i can only imagine - oh boy in this one i just felt so much for arthur. like, so badly. i've done work overseas, out on assignment and secondment in different countries and it's amazing and i still would love to get the chance to live somewhere else - whether temporarily or pemanently. so i get the whole thing with arthur of going abroad and feeling good, finding a purpose, feeling needed and useful and like he could succeed and sort of being torn between that, unconscious, before-unknown dream, and the dream he was already living, with his family. like,, it must be such a strange position for him to find himself in, given he never expected to really go anywhere - and it doesn't help that he knows (or believes, because he never actually even considers talking to molly about it) that she wouldn't want to move out to the us - and now, well, now he thinks maybe he'd like to, because suddenly it looks possible.
(i do slightly resent the implications that britain is always so behind and oldfashioned and the us is always super, duper modern haha but that's by the by - and wizarding britain is definitely a stuffy place, and somewhere where arthur is definitely judged by his surname and ahhh, being in the us where being called weasley means nothing to nobody must be so refreshing?? and i love that you included that element because i wouldn't have thought of it personally, but it makes so much sense and it's so in character for arthur, who is sensitive about his family name and standing - like when he punches lucius in the bookshop lololol)
ahhh yes very familiar with the "can we keep you just a bit longer?" "how about a bit longer now?" "a little bit more, maybe?" thing :/ it's frustrating to be caught up in it, not least because when you're doing the work it feels somehow wrong to leave :/
poor molly. i lovelovelove the way that again, in this chapter, there's still so much stuff under the skin of the story: the thread of her discontentment already there, her disappointment and the sense that she's putting up with it after the immediate beginning - and her birthday. oh arthur you idiot. that's a bit of a fail :/
that last line is :chefskiss: even if it is super, super angsty and cliffhanger-ish :P
laura xx
Author's Response:"i do slightly resent the implications that britain is always so behind and oldfashioned and the us is always super, duper modern haha "
^^Oh my gawsh, I'm so sorry, I didn't intend this at all! I think I was sort of just thinking in like terms of how the Wizarding World in general is old fashioned and not necessarily between UK and US. But then just sort of discussing hot button issues I am aware of, because of history here, and yeah...my knowledge gaps are showing, I guess! I totally did not mean it like that all :grimaces: so sorryy! But I am absolutely convinced that Arthur being a Weasley and the general headcanons I have about the Weasleys, he wouldn't have as many opportunities where people know him. AND idk about gov't jobs in the UK, but here, they are like coveted, so I sort of was projecting that into the comment of "staying until you die and retire." Whether it tracks or not, I do not know, but again, I wrote this in a week and probably could have done this whole section better, so I'm sorry :(
But yeah, I needed to find "real reasons" to justify Arthur leaving his family behind and I probably sort of clumsily did that as you point out. And the end with the birthday is a total fail. I really did enjoy that final line too. So to see it getting noticed warms my heart and soul.
Thank you again for this very long, very thoughtful, very lovely review!
<3 Courtney
hihi!!! stopping by for the race through the galazy event :)
i know i know it's kinda mean but i sort of love the whole idea of this yk?? that arthur goes away to get a better job, with more money to support his family and things and... it goes wrong, very wrong, and he nearly - sort of does, actually - lose everything in the process. i don't know what it is about it - maybe the heartbreaking element that he thought he was doing the right thing, a good thing for his family, but it turned out so wrong, which is so addictive and attention-grabbing??
ahhhh and i love how awkward they are throughout this. it feels so much like a breakup - one of those horrible, cringe-worthy post-break-up conversations where you're both sitting there, trying to work out what you want to say and what you feel able to say and what you should say without being selfish or rude or asking too much... there's just so much tension in it and so much left unspoken and it's testament to your skill as a writer than we can feel that below the surface narration :)
yk i really feel for both of them here, actually?? it's such a difficult situation to be in - because if it was just them, as a couple, who had separated, that's one thing: they could go their own ways and not have to look back and likely it would be easier. but with children... and molly clearly knows that arthur still means something to the kids (and to her, haha, but that's a slightly different thing :P and a more difficult thing because she's been hurt by him and it's not a hurt that's easy to get over) and she doesn't want to kick him out of that - and arthur wants to be involved in it, he doesn't want to step away and out of it. blehhh it's just a perfect depiction of a situation where neither side is a villain but both sides are hurt and for all arthur's apologies, words aren't enough for this :/
and i love the note in your endnotes - about pressure events pushing people to think about and kinda feel out for themselves what it means to be in love and how much and what they're willing to endure and deal with and accept for the sake of another person. it's such a cool, angsty idea, haha, and i can definitely feel that question already in molly: her wrestling with words she perhaps doesn't want to say and thinks is too much to say or share at this point.
ahhhh so good!!
laura xx
Author's Response:Laura! You spoil me with these long, lovely reviews! <3
I am so glad that you picked up on that this is a difficult situation for both of them and that that conversation felt awkward! That was sort of the goal, so I was glad I could deliver in that way. :)
And this: "blehhh it's just a perfect depiction of a situation where neither side is a villain but both sides are hurt and for all arthur's apologies, words aren't enough for this," is EXACTLY what I was trying to do! You just totally get this story already and it warms my heart and soul. <3
Thank you for this review!
<3 Courtney
Tag!
Ooof ok yeah this chapter provides a lot of wonderful context. In the beginning, just 3 months doesn't seem all that bad. Difficult but not unreasonable or unacceptable. I really like how in just one chapter you've managed to capture how easy it is to slip from that beginning, to what they're becoming at the end of this chapter, so then it's totally understandable how they wound up the way we see them in ch 1. Like little by little, Arthur just letting little things slip, or things happen that are really out of their control like the physical toll of the time difference when trying to coordinate calls, and suddenly you're not expending a Herculean effort to stay awake during the late night call because you've done it so many times it's no longer a unique occasion.
And tbh, I mean, I'm willing to acknowledge that Molly's having a tougher time here probably, raising two little kids mostly on her own, but also you figure Arthur's in a position where he kind of needs emotional support, too -- he's also separated from people he loves -- and I think that Molly probably becomes too put upon to really recognize that. You get the feeling that from the very beginning, even when it was only 3 months, she conceptualized this in her own mind as something that Arthur needed to make amends for -- he needs to put forth the effort to ingratiate himself with the family whenever he visits; this is a situation that's on him to put right. So when it's not right, it's his fault and his alone.
Which may or may not be true, because we see she was never fully on board with it emotionally, it was something he sold her "in only the way he could" -- which, ouch, that statement is a double-edged sword -- and you have to ask how much a partnership decision was this? It's all so jsdgasghh
Forgetting her birthday is just like... lsdjkfhasjdf my dude. He has a job and he lives alone and doesn't spend his time in America raising kids so like... sir, what was your excuse??
:(
<3 Melanie
Author's Response:I really think Molly's struggle with the whole situation is having to manage everything at home without him. She's fully capable, but just doing solo parenting a few days a week myself, it's exhausting. You look forward to those days where you have additional support from your partner and can get some relief to go pee or to take some time for yourself. And that's sort of where I was headed with her thought process throughout this whole thing. She depends on him and she wants him to be there, and feels he is also half responsible for them having these kids (because like, he is). But perhaps, because of how she is and how she presents herself to the rest of the world, this translates to this sense of "her expecting amends from him."
And the "sold in the only way he could," moment is more or so to show that Molly knows Arthur has all of these grandiose ideas for what their life might be like or what goals they can accomplish, but having goals and achieving them are two different things. And if you read on, you see instances that suggest that her life hasn't panned out quite like she planned it to either. She's relatively happy with where things are (prior to this MACUSA business), but she like Arthur, has moments of "I wonder..." So I think it's natural for her to doubt that perhaps this isn't everything that he thinks its going to be.
In terms of "Arthur's excuse..." ehhh...life happens? You just have these moments where time creeps up on you and forget, right? That's really all it was. And with the back and forth and the time differences...I'm sure I could have written it where he looked forward to all of these "special days," and marked them on a calendar, but like, it wouldn't be as heartbreaking if that happened, right? ;)
Anyway, thank you so much for this lovely detailed review! And for again making all these great observations!
<3 Courtney
Oooooohhhhh I found a story on your AP I haven't reviewed!! And I see why, because it looks depressing as fuck lmao and how could you do it to them?? :sob:
Anyway this is indeed a fascinating take, Arthur really going out on a limb to try to get the best possible job and everything but like, when he goes he really goes, not just trying to get a better job at home but going a whole continent away, and then oops what do you know, sacrifices have to be made in other areas of life. I can't imagine this could have been an easy year. Like imagine just not seeing your own kids. The only other time this happens is when people are in the military.
I think what you really did well in this chapter is showing the toll it has taken on their relationship. Like they interact like strangers except worse, if that makes sense. Very stilted and awkward, like in a way they really don't know each other anymore, but then under that there's all this other stuff, the resentment and like... strangers but not. Like how do you rebuild, you know? Molly has lost a ton of trust in him. Makes me wonder what previous discussions have been like. (Which I have a suspicion you're going to be showing us!)
I would like to say I liked it but :sob: you know.
<3 Melanie
tag!
Author's Response:LOL "it looks depressing as fuck." I know what sort of monster am I to try and imagine a scenario in which the most beloved couple of the HP fandom potentially has a breakdown LOL?
This story resulted from a conversation, in which someone told me they weren't sure how I could write an angsty story in which Molly/Arthur almost break up set against the backdrop of this sad, love song, and I was like "challenge accepted."
When you really think about Arthur and Molly...married and with kids at age 20/21 and likely dating at Hogwarts prior to that...I just really felt like I could possibly make this situation work, from a writing standpoint (I don't actually want them broken up, up), by taking the "I wonder about the road less traveled," route. I tried to explore that from the mindset of two people in their early twenties who have been thrust into these "adult roles," of "husband/wife," and "mother/father," and it's sort of like they are growing up and figuring out shit people who are not married or with kids in their early twenties are, but the stakes are higher. So there's more pressure to succeed and more to lose if you fail. And in this opening, we see that Arthur sort of has "tried to have it all," and failed.
Not that I don't believe that people can "have it all," but sacrifices are made, and well, he's been a bit of a dingus and made some bad sacrifices along the way. But, I digress, and it's not totally his fault and I did not going into this story placing blame on one of them more than the other. They both make choices that impact this near implosion of their marriage--but this DOES end happily, so if you do choose to keep reading--I hope you like the ending because of reasons. :)
Anyway, thank you so much for commenting on the tone of these conversations that they're having and for noticing all of these small things. It really means a lot!
<3 Courtney
Tag <3
Can I tell you how much I love the way you write Arthur? I mean, you write all your characters so well and really bring them alive, but I think in this chapter you capture so many sides of Arthur in particular. First we see him giving Molly the space she needs to heal, and also agreeing to whatever she needs to be comfortable (she sets the schedule when he sees her and the boys, she has her own bank account, she’s in control of where she lives, etc). And he doesn’t bring up the conversation of what’s going to happen between them because he doesn’t want it to go sideways because of his having that conversation too early.
But then he runs into that note from Rupert (and I’m sorry, but that has Fabian stamped all over it—Fabian is obviously trying to set Molly up with Rupert so she won’t go back to Arthur). And when Arthur sees the note, it spurs him on to finally have that conversation with Molly. He’s quiet about it, but Arthur is made of quiet steel, and he’s not going to give up his wife without a fight.
And as soon as she gives him permission, Arthur courts her. And he keeps a secret even from their parents and their kids. He does everything he can to make her feel safe and win her over—and I feel like this is his Gryffindor side coming out—this quiet courage that enables him to set aside his pride and go back to Molly. When Molly expresses surprise at the idea of him begging her for anything, I feel like that’s what he’s been doing these last six months, even if he hasn’t begged in so many words.
Molly’s fear is palpable in the chapter. She obviously wants things to work out with Arthur, but she knows how hard it and painful it all was when things didn’t work out. So how can she risk it again? Because there are no guarantees, and maybe Arthur will keep his word this time, but he’s only human, so maybe he won’t.
But Molly’s a Gryffindor too, so she takes that plunge (thank goodness!!)
There were so many lovely turns of phrase in this chapter, especially in the last scene.
To lay down beneath him again is like coming home after a long, tiresome journey.
^^I just love this one so much. I sighed when I read it, it’s such a great illustration of that feeling.
This time it’s filled with a need to come undone together so that they can build everything back up again stronger than they believed possible.
^^I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Thank you so much for writing this!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Eep! Oh my gawsh all of your thoughts and feelings and words surrounding my characterization of Arthur have looking like one great, big pleading emoji. That means so much! And yes, they both acknowledge in the end that they ought to do this again, because they still love one another and they've realized what life is like without one another, and it's not at all something they want. But there is a hesitation and a fear that things might go back a certain way or Arthur might regret this decision. But hopefully I showed he regretted going after his ambitions in lieu of maintaining those familial relationships more. Because while I didn't want this piece to be about "having too choose," I think in life we have to make these kinds of choices sometimes. Not everyone has the luxury or the privilege or the means to "have it all," or "be perfect parents with the careers they love." And that's sort of what I was trying to achieve here. A realistic portrayal of two people who love each other, are trying not to lose their identities in marriage and parenthood, but find satisfaction with what they have and to enjoy those aspects of their lives.
And I really loved that ending too. It's rare for me to look at some lines and nod my head and think "damn that was good." But I totally felt that way during those end lines there, so it totally warmed my heart to see that someone else did as well.
Thank you so much for the review here!
<3 Courtney
Hi Courtney! I’m here for our swap :D
You’ve given me all the feels in this chapter. THE YEARNING! The longing for everything that was, and might have been if Arthur and Molly had never fallen down this road. Because even though Molly isn’t ready to either kick Arthur to the curb, or let him come back and try again—whatever she decides to do in the end, their relationship will never be the same. It will always have this moment where they broke up and caused each other so much pain. Which doesn’t mean that it couldn’t work if they do decide to try again—but it will be with the memory of this painful separation, instead of the sweet innocence that they had in the six years before it happened.
Oh Fabian. On the one hand, I’m glad that Molly has a supportive brother here. But also, I totally get why she’s frustrated with him. He’s not really helping when he keeps insisting that Arthur is a bastard and doesn’t deserve Molly. Because it really is up to Molly to decide what she deserves. Maybe it felt good for a while to have Fabian calling Arthur names, back when Molly was the most upset and angry about everything. But now it feels like a reflection on herself, because she may well decide to take him back.
Poor Bill. He understands so much more of what is happening than little Charlie does, so he feels hurt and confused and sort of not sure about Arthur as well. And his anxiety causes Molly to come along on this carnival outing, when she’d planned to use the time for herself. And as a single Mum now, she gets precious little time for herself.
The carnival outing goes pretty well. Bill eventually warms up to Arthur and things are okay—but they’re still a shadow of everything that went before. Even when Arthur and Molly are sitting together on the beach playing “do you remember” it HURTS because they still clearly love each other and want each other, but they’re still so upset and broken.
You’re doing such an awesome job with this fic! Thank you for the swap :)
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Ahh Noelle! Thank you so much for stopping by on this story! Again, I wrote it pretty hastily, but I am still pretty proud of it and I kind of lowkey love it haha. I think it hurt to really think about the many ways that Molly/Arthur fell apart in this story and then to sort of amplify it onto Bill. But I felt that made for a realistic component to the story. Bill is old enough to understand that some things, like his father, should be there. He doesn't understand ALL of it. But there's a level of mistrust that exists because Arthur's been gone for a lot of his young little life. So even if Arthur was consistently coming back, I think Bill would still feel a bit awkward around him.
It was important that this story come full circle and that they start to heal, so I wanted to show the start of that in this chapter.
And yes, Fabian is a total dick. But you know, I think that's just the way I see his character. He's brash and bold and hasn't gone through what Molly has. So naturally he's going to run his mouth a bit too much about things he doesn't properly understand. But I wanted to show that in spite of their differences, they are family. And their family sticks together during tough times.
The "do you remember," bits are some of my favorite to revisit. Because whether or not you are reminiscing correctly or just romanticizing those things, it hurts in these circumstances. And these two idiots love each other so much, but they've made stupid choices that young people sometimes do. Now they're trying to move beyond those choices.
Anyway, thank you for stopping by and leaving this lovely review! I so appreciate it!
<3 Courtney
Hi Courtney! I’m here for our swap :D
You did an excellent job with this argument in the first scene, because both Arthur and Molly make good, valid points. It’s making more and more sense why they fell apart. On the one hand, yes, Arthur taking a permanent job in another country and moving their family there is a HUGE decision and he shouldn’t make it on his own, no matter what his boss says (ew boss, no you don’t tell your wife you’re moving to another country and just expect her to take it lying down).
But at the same time, Molly isn’t listening to Arthur at all. He has good points. He’s GOOD at this job. And his prospects in the UK are poor at best. The fact that she refuses to even consider the possibility of making this change is really invalidating to Arthur. And I know it’s because she’s hurt, but neither of them are really being there for the other in this moment. I can see why it sets up Arthur’s back, and then they don’t ever have a proper discussion about it, which is only going to lead to more distance between them.
Molly’s Christmas is heartbreaking. She’s self medicating and trying to put on a brave face and even tossing around messing around with Billius to get back at Arthur for not being there. I don’t think Arthur is cheating on her, but it’s true that he’s not there. And even though it’s not exactly his fault this time, it is his fault, because he’s taken this job and he won’t quit. And it’s humiliating for Molly to have the whole family see her this way, and just making her all the more determined to get him to quit MACUSA.
Oh my goodness, the fight that leads to their breakup was perfect. You had my loyalties swinging back and forth between Molly and Arthur the whole time—but when Molly takes her ring off and says its over, and Arthur accepts it—I was like NOOOOO. But it had this inevitability to it. The whole story was building to this moment, and even though I know both characters will be absolutely miserable about five minutes after they make this decision, there was nothing else for them to do in that moment. Excellent character work there.
Thank you for breaking my heart </3 And for the swap :D
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:"...even though I know both characters will be absolutely miserable about five minutes after they make this decision..." <-Yeah essentially this is a big mood for what happens next LOL. They are just being big dumb, prideful, stubborn Gryffindors, not really listening to each other and doing their own thing.
They're not really messing around with other people, but sort of having one of those moments of "I've always done what is expected of me...I've always been with this one person..." and sometimes in your lowest moments with alcohol mixed in, you consider some things you normally wouldn't. But, of course, nothing happens and nothing ever would happen, beyond the thought of it. I love them too much and I feel like they still love one another too much, to cheat on each other.
I'm glad the final fight feels believable and that I set up this moment where they can both be justified--to an extent--they really aren't doing the whole compromising thing very well, aren't they? But they learn it throughout the course of the next few chapters. Again, this was for an angsty challenge, so it's not really my canon. xD
As always, thank you so much for your review! I appreciate your time and efforts in reading this!
<3 Courtney
Hi Courtney! I’m here for your forum request :D
To answer your question, yes I think you’re doing an excellent job showing how this situation would come to pass. Because it’s not all at once. It happens by degrees. First, they need money, so Arthur does what he needs to do to get it. And Molly supports that, and takes on the Herculean task of being a single parent 24/7. But it’s only supposed to be for three months, and the money is good, and they’re young. They can do it.
And I could feel her disappointment when Arthur springs on her that he’s going to do it for another three months. All the plans she’d made for the party, all the work she’s done being the single mom and filling all those hours while she waits for this to be over (btw, I love that she’s close with Andromeda). But it’s good money, and he’s already made the decision, so she lets it go.
I was glad you switched to Arthur’s PoV in the second part of the chapter. I got all excited for him, honestly, when you were describing all of the opportunities he has with MACUSA. It seems like it’s a much better fit for him than the Ministry. I sort of wish that Molly would agree to just move and let Arthur have this job that is fulfilling for him. But he’s not even going to ask her. I think that fits with his character—but I also think it’s a mistake. If he explained how he feels, who knows what she’d say?
And then he has to go and forget her birthday! It might not be that big a deal, but coming on the heels of him being gone all the time, things like that are magnified. I can see this going south quickly.
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Hiya Noelle! Thanks so much for continuing this story! I'm glad you found this set up plausible. They're just being very young and stupid with their communication skills here. If you continue you'll continue to see this break down haha. And yeah, I felt it important to show both sides here, otherwise readers would have a tendency to root for one side or another. But anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to read this angsty AU story of mine, I really appreciate it!
<3 Courtney
Hi Courtney! I’m here for your forum request :D
AHHHHHHH!!!! MY HEART!!!!! </3
Wow what an opening chapter! You did such an amazing job with the descriptions, and tying them all to the way Arthur is feeling here—which isn’t good at all. I was dying to know what happened, and how he and Molly have come to separate. And it appears to be pretty much his fault!
I loved how you wrote wronged!Molly here. She’s so icy, and obviously fighting so hard to keep her shit together while she faces the man who’s broken her heart. And not only has he broken her heart—he’s heart her children by not being around—you hurt Molly’s kids you are dead to her.
The moment where she broke down was so heart wrenching. She just can’t keep it together anymore, and we see her fiery emotional side.
I’m digging the way you’re writing Arthur too. It’s as though this Arthur is a little more like Percy, in that he’s willing to risk his family’s wellbeing in order to pursue success in his career. And like Percy, he figures out that this does not make him happy at all, it only makes him (and everyone else) miserable.
Arthur’s dogged determination that he and Molly are meant to be is touching, but also like, dude, you left her, what are you thinking now? I can see that Molly probably still loves him, otherwise she wouldn’t be so hurt and angry. But I can also see her really not wanting to take another risk with him. Either way, she’s big enough to give him another chance with the kids. We’ll see what he makes of it.
Great first chapter!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Noelle, thank you so much for your thoughtful review! As you can see, this was written for a challenge and I was determined to write some Molly/Arthur angst, because why not hah?
I'm glad I make both sides to this argument seem plausible. It was actually really hard to write these two like this. Because they appear to be nothing short of devoted to one another in canon. But we see more of how they both justify their own points of view as this story progresses, and I think you also see more of the extreme aspects of their personalities come out to play as well, as a result. They are a little like opposites in some areas of their personality, so I think it makes sense for them to disagree on certain things that can both be insignificant and important, but the whole point is that they love and respect one another in spite of those differences.
Anyway, I so appreciate your review on this story of mine. I secretly love it more than I expected to heh.
<3 Courtney
Yes!!! They are back in The Burrow, where they belong as a family!! <3 And when Arthur tiptoes into Molly's room, the reveal that it's actually THEIR room, and it's such a relief to know that things are finally okay between them. Or at least okay enough that they are comfortable sharing a bedroom.
"They'll outnumber us soon enough" - YESSSSSS, we have child number three on the way, folks!!
And Arthur is fussing, and Molly is batting him away, but I don't think she really means it; I think she loves the attention and having Arthur home. Your words are so poetic and evocative, and I can picture how happy they are. Maybe sometimes, it takes a huge upheaval for couples to realise what they had and how good it is to have the daily routine without any oscillations or disturbances.
I loved this story. Initially, I hadn't realised it had been written for a challenge, and I was kinda 'Wait; What?" when it transpired that Molly and Arthur were heading for a split, but you really made it a plausible idea and the story worked so well.
Feeling bereft cos I've got to the end :'((((
Pins x
Author's Response:Yes, here comes Percy Weasley! And Molly is just doing the thing that some disgruntled pregnant women do, she loves him and wants him there, but there's a lot happening to her, so she's a little grumpy. Arthur, of course, is still trying to restore faith in her/them/their relationship (bless him). And maybe he's going a bit overboard hah.
So happy to hear you thought this was a plasuible story! I did write it for a challenge and to disprove a friend, who said she didn't think it would be easy to show Arthur/Molly almost splitting up, but after an intense week or spazzing out while writing this, I think I did ok hah.
Thank you for all of your reviews on this one, I really do appreciate it!
And have no fear, there's more adorable M/A on my AP, with maybe some more stories to come! ;)
<3 Courtney
I stumbled across the names 'Septimus and Cedrella' and got all puzzled for a moment, wondering which story I was in and I've JUST twigged - Arthur's parents!! Of course!!
RUPERT???? Who TF is Rupert??? Oh Molly!! Not...now, not when Arthur is so close to coming home. Not that I blame her, and even though they are married on paper, they aren't exactly living together, so she can totes do whatever she wants, but Rupert? Even his name sounds pretentious!!
GO ARTHUR!!! Call her Mollywobbles!! And fight for what you want! Good on Molly to take him back too, because she could have fought back bitterly and turned him down. I think she knows this time, he won't let her down.
I LOVE this reconciliation chapter <3 It's so warmly-written and I have ALL THE FEELS!!! So many lovely lines and phrases. Parents and siblings' opinions don't really matter, but they wil come around eventually anyway. Or the important ones will.
I'm so glad it worked out okay in the end. I know there's an Epilogue left, but I trust you're not going to break my heart again, are you? ARE you??
*Satisfied sigh*
Pins x
Author's Response:Hehe yes! Me, writing Septimus and Cedrella as older parents/grandparents in other stories while simaltaneously writing their love story as youngin's. It's been...interesting hah.
LOL. Everyone's reaction to Rupert has been hilarious, I have to say. It almost makes me want to explore Rupert more as a character than the plot device that he aims to be in this particular story.
I'm glad to see the Mollywobbles did its job here. How could she possibly resist him when he uses that petname they only use when no one else is around? Or whenever they happen to forget other people are around (oops). But ya, sometimes emotions get the better of you?
In this chapter, I was trying to show that Molly is overthinking it all. I mean, rightfully so. She's being cautious, not only because of herself, but because of her kids as well. But she loves Arthur and she wants him and...well emotions win out over logic in this instance, for sure. But he's hers and she is his and they are meant to be, so all is right and well with the world. ;)
<3 Courtney
Tag!! I started reviewing this story a while ago, and thought it was high time I came back to it.
Ugh. Opinions are like a**holes; everyone has one. It's understandable that family members will be angry on Molly's behalf, even though Molly herself is perfectly capable of being angry enough for herself, but sometimes, it's best for those family members to keep their opinions to themselves. Calling Arthur names isn't just rude towards Arthur, but also denigrates Molly's choice of partner, and that's not fair either. Plus, what happens if (not IF - WHENNN!!!) she gets back together with her husband? Will Fabian offer a false apology, or continue to uphold his high opinion of his B-I-L??
Oh Molly. Her emotions are in turmoil. Understandably. Arthur has quit MACUSA and that should give her hope, but he left once, and if he (for any reason) does that to her again, it will break her completely. She's terrified, and still grieving about the last time he walked out, and exhausted because she's doing ALL the parenting, but also so sad because she misses him too. And it's playing havoc with the kids. Not so much Charlie, who's a bit too young to understand, but Bill knows something isn't right and he's treating Arthur accordingly. I love the touch with the Ever Changing Ice Lolly and how it triggers good memories.
And "we could...do it again"
YES!!! Please do it again! And again and again and again, you two!!
Ahhhh, such a lovely chapter to read!! There is hope <3
Pins x
Author's Response:For all my inconsistences with characterization of the Prewett brothers, I always have Fabian being a little....in conflict...with Molly? I don't know why, but you probably caught a bit of that in chapter 2 of Woven Together. I seem to write the Prewett sibling dynamic as Fabian and Molly being too similar that there's a little bit of friction there, but they still love each other.
And yes, the ever changing ice lolly's just fit in as I tried to show them connect in a tentative sort of way that just felt like it would make sense, ya know? Glad to see it worked here!
There was always going to be hope with these two. They're my favorites hah. I couldn't break them up entirely.
<3 Courtney
helloooo courtney! i'm here to tell you that i breezed through the rest of this fic because i needed to know what you were going to do with molly and arthur. and i'm so glad i got to the end, because goddamn, girl. i loved every single bit about this fic
there were so many times i wanted to shake arthur, but i also still stand by what i said in my review of chapter 2. i understand him wanting to find more for himself, to provide more for his family, especially when there were so few opportunities at the ministry to give him the kind of life he wanted to give his family
and the way you completely dismantled molly and arthur - you handled it so well, and so realistically. my heart ached for molly every time arthur left her, but i also got frustrated with her too because it seemed like she didn't really want to support arthur? and maybe arthur didn't articulate his dreams well enough to her, but either way, it was an argument i could see both sides of because it's completely understandable to want your husband and the father of your children to want to be home - and when he missed christmas, i wanted to fucking smack him, ughhhhh
he does, of course, make up for it in spades, and the scene with them at the fair is so cute and wholesome, but there's still so much tension between them. you can tell they're trying, really trying for their relationship to work. and i loved how they never wanted to fight in front of the boys, but when they were alone, they weren't afraid to have it out with each other. and i loved how molly still stayed fierce in all of this, that she didn't want to be some pathetic woman who waited around for her husband to come home
but myyy goodness, i loved this fic. i loved the way you characterized both molly and arthur, and the way that they rebuilt their relationship. and, absurdly enough, i loved the note from rupert and that fabian wanted to try and set molly up with a friend of his. it makes so, so much sense, and i love how fabian was so clearly in molly's corner the whole time but molly knew when he was overstepping and wasn't afraid to tell him so
and your writing is as beautiful as ever, really capturing their feelings but also your descriptions are :chefskiss: it was so easy for me to watch this all fold out between molly and arthur, kind of like i was watching a movie and i loved it
ALSO i loved how you started with them seeing each other for the first time, and how we're left wondering what went wrong between them. and so much went wrong between them, courtney. but then you bring us back to the present, and we (thankfully) get to see them try and build it back together but in a realistic way. and i thought it was really smart of you to show the progression, that she's not going to just accept arthur back in her life without caution and reason, and that he doesn't want to pressure her or anything like that
overall, you did an excellent job with this fic, and if you hadn't said you wrote it hasitly, i would've had no idea ;) and the song choice was excellent - thank you so much for entering my challenge! it was so much fun (and devastatingly heartbreaking) to read ♥
Author's Response:Hi Jill, thank you again for another lovely, long review!
"...and the way you completely dismantled molly and arthur - you handled it so well, and so realistically." Did I really handle it realistically? Gosh, good! I was aiming for realism because these two aren't necessarily the sort of couple you envision breaking up or fitting a song like this one, so I really felt like I had my work cut out for me. So thank you for this bit of validation here!
"...absurdly enough, i loved the note from rupert and that fabian wanted to try and set molly up with a friend of his." No, I really loved writing like another potential love interest for Molly in this as well. Even though I knew nothing was ever going to come from it. One of my friends (whose not really on FFT) was like I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS RUPERT AND JEALOUS ARTHUR haha. Now I'm wondering if I should write another "spin off," from this fic and see what the hell happens :elmofire: Christ, I don't know what's wrong with me.
Anyway Jill, I appreciate you reading this whole thing, sending me lovely reviews, hosting the challenge...this is probably one of my favorite stories that I have written, and it wouldn't exist without you!
<3 Courtney
COURTNEYYYY i'm here to judge my challenge - thanks so much for entering! ♥
excuse me, ma'am, but how dare you break up molly and arthur!! i mean, i get it, it's delicious angst and there's so much story potential here, but REALLY? WHY must you do this to me, ughhhh. and for it to be arthur breaking her heart, ughhhh
okay but, i kind of dig it. i kind of dig seeing arthur going off and doing his own thing - i can see the appeal a place like macusa offers him, and why he'd want to sort of chase his dreams. and i totally understand you wanting to play around with the idea that they had their own troubles before settling into the molly and arthur we know and love from the books, that they're their own people and they have their own relationship before the kids
and ughhh, that first chapter - you did such a great job with setting up their awkwardness, and i love that arthur still yearns for molly, but he recognizes that he doesn't know her anymore and it just fucking hurts my heart, okay? and i totally support molly for wanting to go see him - he's the father to her children, her husband, and she needs that closure. and then the fact that she finally allows him to go see the boys is just - it's a beautiful tribue and tells me that there's still hope for him after all
and then we get to this second chapter! and i'm so eager to keep reading because i love that you're interweaving flashbacks, that we can see exactly what happened. and like i said earlier, i'm kind of not rooting for arthur but i understand where he's coming from, and i'm glad that molly's finding herself outside of him - that's really important, and i love how she starts a book club with andromeda and that's how she rediscovers knitting and everything
but UGH, arthur forgetting things! THAT i'm not supportive of, courtney!! (i mean, i get it, the angst and all, but still) and you can tell from the different ways that they interact that they still love each other through it all but the last line of the chapter - it really drives it home how much they're drifting
sorry if this review was a bit rambly and out of order, but i really loved this - thank you so much for entering my challenge! your writing is beautiful as ever, and i absolutely loved all of the callbacks to back to december in that first chapter; and that each chapter title is a lyric from the song - well done, dear!
this was so much fun to read ♥
Author's Response:Jill, I love this review and appreciate you so much for everything! You know I live for the drama and I live for Molly/Arthur...so this seemed like a logical sort of thing for me to write. ;)
<3 Courtney
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