(Apologies in advance for the Wall of Text. Turns out I had Thoughts.)
That poor gull! Abandoned, unfed, walking morosely through the streets in search of food and kind people and getting nothing in return. Oh, how life is cruel. Do you not understand, the gull asks, the things the gulls do for people? The callousness of men is truly something to write soliloquies about, the gull thinks, and so heads off in search of stardom.
You have such an impressive vibe in this fic; there's that melancholy vibe at the start that I really enjoy. And Scotty is such a fascinating character here, unable to connect with people and suffering for it. Like, he is clearly in pain but wants to hide it, even going so far as to avoid certain topics with his therapist that reveal how Not Alright he is and how damaged he actually is. And how much of that is just because he doesn't think the therapist will actually help him? How much of that is the learned fact that even people paid to care won't help him? Will simply judge him, instead?
That family of his has a lot to answer for, and I am standing ready with pitchforks and torches, *just say the word.*
Scotty in this fic is such an aching character. He wants and misses the engines, is so blatantly unhappy with what he's being forced into by his Prodigy status, and it so obviously tears him up inside. All those unnamed suicidal thoughts, ugghhh. My most sincere sympathies. I want to hug him and reassure him it'll all be alright some day. At the very least, he's growing up. He won't have to be shackled to his family (frowny-face) forever.
I will admit to not knowing Corry---I haven't watched enough of TOS and I WILL FIX THAT ONE DAY. Some day. For sure. But you've like you've already sold me on him; I am in love and will be stealing him away from you now. Sorry. I don't make the rules, it's the character's will I tell you. It's the *character's* will!
Definitely not my fault.
And I am so glad that Scotty has met someone who can make his day better. That's a damn heavy history he has, and he definitely needs somebody to be kind to him, and help him, and properly appreciate him. I get the feeling he's not getting enough of that as it is, but hopefully his life will improve a little now.
I still just wanna hug Scotty. I can definitely treat him better than his family and all those people taking using Prodigy as an excuse to run him ragged, take advantage of him, and probably not pay any actual attention to his condition at all. I know he has a therapist, but it's obviously not helping him. Maybe he doesn't trust them? Maybe they've spilled his secrets before and he knows nobody will care that that's unethical? I could certainly see that happening, sigh.
The ending is thankfully hopeful. I might have rioted a little if it was not, nothing personal, I'm just emotionally invested in this fictional character's health and happiness. You know, like a Normal Person who is Normal About Things. *squints suspiciously*
Anyway, I did really like the ending. I'm a little apprehensive (for Scotty's sake) about that medicine he's taking. I hope it's not harming him and that he knows what he's doing. Of course, I might just be needlessly paranoid, in which case I apologize. Scotty is an amazing person, fictional thought he might be, who doesn't need me to babysit him, fictional though it might be.
On the whole, I enjoyed the fic! When Scotty met Corry it was really fun, and I liked the way Scotty went straight to Attraction Here I Come when he first spotted him. Like, he spotted something he likes and went right for it. That takes courage (or a complete disregard for the result, which, *ouch*, I hope that's not it) and I'm happy he still cares enough about himself to try to form the connections he's so obviously lacking and missing.
Corry and Scotty's interactions in this was also fun, and I like the fact that Scotty's identity isn't dragged out and hidden and like a Plot Point For Angst. It becomes less about the damage Scotty has endured and more about how healing genuine human connections can be when formed well and healthy and ugh, I just so dearly want things to go well for them.
I am also very eagle-eyed and spotting a crush forming, huh huh. I see emotions, I catch with my incredible deduction prowess some good old-fashion pining in the works. Hope that doesn't hurt Scotty too much, if it turns out not to be mutual (I was going for another word but couldn't figure out how to spell it, LOL).
So yeah, all-in-all I enjoyed this fic.
I'm not really in the head-space to read the sequels (in case they do end on a bittersweet note or something; funnily enough, dark content and heavy themes don't matter to me much and usually don't affect me much either, but story endings definitely do) but I am curious and will probably give them a go when I'm feeling up for it. Either way, this one was a good ride and I'm pleased you shared it with us!
You're a good writer, and you have my admiration for getting me to want to watch TOS again. And though the gull might have been abandoned and left to fend for itself, I'm sure he's out there on a quest for stardom.
Oh no, a wall of text! Whatever shall I do, but thank you much for your kind review?
Yes, that poor gull 😆
Scotty is really struggling here. This is my version of young AOS Scotty’s history. His mother had the same mental health struggles he did, leaving him with his grandmother. Who was just as ill-equipped to deal with it in her grandson and she was with her daughter. (She … tried. She didn’t do so well.) He was a young savant at university, not really in the care of anyone, just as he fell apart, and he nearly ended himself. He’s marginally better here, but is back in a similar situation and isn’t doing great. He’s honestly just a kid still over his head. The medicine is what he needs to be on, but he’s sick enough and young enough that it’s heavy.
Corry actually belongs to Steff/SLWalker. He is her OC from her lengthy backstory of TOS Scotty. He is hugely impactful and completely delightful in her stuff, and I wanted AOS Scotty to meet him in his universe as well. That meeting, and the way it changes Scotty’s melancholy here, was a delight to write.
And absolutely a crush here. Don’t be afraid to read the sequels, one by Steff and another by me. There is a bit of heavy, but mostly joy, and definitely ending on joy.
Thank you so much for your delightful review! Absolutely made my morning.
I don't mind if people borrow Cor. XD He's a little different between the AOS version and the original TOS version, but in just about any universe (even the mirror), he loves a Scott unconditionally. In his original iteration, as a brother; here, something else. A heck of a lot of people have actually written him! He is a ton of fun to write, for sure. I'm cool with it. XD Just credit me if you do.
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hoodwinked Mon 31 Jul 2023 12:26PM UTC
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daraoakwise Mon 31 Jul 2023 02:24PM UTC
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SLWalker Mon 31 Jul 2023 11:06PM UTC
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