#reply: unsettled

[lettalady]

Character questions: Max - 5 and 17

Ooooh sending me back to the world of Unsettled and one of my favorite characters! Maximilian James Hiddleston 

5. On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?           Mum or Dad’s phone, for starters, if they’re not careful. A rock he found the last time Auntie Izzy took him to the park for the day - which may or may not end up as a present to gift to his mother. He hasn’t quite made up his mind on that. Three buttons he found on the floor beneath the clothing rack when Tom took him shopping. 

17. What was your character’s favorite toy growing up?           Rexy the velociraptor. 

[lettalady]

sweetsigyn replied to your post “Unsettled: Part 13”

I think the smartest thing for Tom to do would be buy a new house. There are way too many painful memories to get over. Oh and they need to send Izzy some flowers or a fruit basket.

I’ll start with the last comment first - he’d need to send one hell of a handbasket. I wonder if they do monthly subscriptions to those fruit bouquet things? But then Izzy might just snort and accuse him of trying to buy back a friendship, wondering aloud if he honestly thought strawberries, apples, oranges, and bananas could ever undo what he did.

Headcanon Game time? Yea I think it’s headcanon game time. [Cause it’s actually kinda fun to reveal little bits of info that wind into the plot but don’t necessarily make a lick of sense to include in any of the chapters.] 

Honestly I can’t really classify this headcanon into any of the 4 categories. It’s just backstory.

Tom and Isabetta were friends first, well before she became best friends with the woman who would go on to become Max’s mother. Izzy and Tom never dated, so there’s no additional complication or motivation there for her to be angry with him... More rooted in the fact that she was the one to introduce the pair. And actually thinking back over the various installments I might have mentioned that fact? Goodness, might be time for a re-read!

[And now my brain serves up the wildly unhelpful suggestion of him sending Isabetta pints of pistachio ice cream... which is the EXACT OPPOSITE of a good idea in terms of getting Izzy to forgive him and perfect way to continue to remind her of that period in time immediately after everyone’s lives became infinitely more complicated.]  

Regarding Tom buying a new house: you’re probably right on that count. He’s taken extraordinary steps to try to change or erase the events of the past insofar as removing any memory of what happened from the room itself - new furniture, new paint, hell - I wouldn’t put it past him to have had it gutted, starting fresh with new drywall... But there’s a limit to what new decor can achieve. Memories stick, particularly within us. [Forget being in the bedroom, just imagine what it was like for her the first time she walked through that front door again, even years later. Kinda like looking over during Max’s first birthday and realizing what shirt Tom was wearing.]

[lettalady]

tiggysworld replied to your post “Unsettled: Part 13”

That was an excellent installment. I love how you are very gentle with them!

We don’t often get a chapter where I take it easy on the pair of them. One, or both, usually end up getting put through the ringer - typically Tom but c’mon, tell me you didn’t read that first chapter and want to kick him where it counts. 

Reading it back, particularly in comparison to previous chapters, I almost feel like Blue is that “ok let’s take a breath” chapter. Granted I was and still am absolutely in love with Bedtime Story so it is sort of hard to read that and then be able to look at the next chapter and not have higher expectations. [Which is a very long way around saying I think that Blue might have fallen short? Sorry about that guys.] But thank you all the same for sticking with this family. Here’s hoping they continue to thrive. 

[lettalady]

When are you updating your bodyguard fic and unsettled? You’re such a brilliant writer! Your stories are so comforting strangely

Hello nonnie dear! I'm so glad you enjoy the stories. Thank you for the reminder that there's still interest in the running works that I've sort of stepped away from. It's all too easy to forget that those works are there - chapters posted and available to return to - out there to interact with beyond my immediate sphere.

Strangely comforting is never something I would have thought would apply to Unsettled when the concept first starting rolling around (it's one of the few fics that I considered not writing at all). As we've explored that relationship dynamic, however... the fact that they're both trying is encouraging, right? I love those characters dearly, each and every one of them (although it's so much fun to hate that version of Tom a little or a lot, too). The story arc is plotted and certain moments are written out but as to when we'll see an update... I'd be lying if I said I could nail anything specific down regarding a posting date.

Regarding bodyguard!Tom - he only seems willing to play and provide inspiration/ cooperate long enough to give us a ficlet or oneshot when I'm doing month prompt challenges. A little over three months left to see if I can get anything out there in that regard. Just like with Unsettled, I'd love to say that I had something mostly completed, something nearly ready to post to give you an update from that world -- it's just... not the case at the moment.

I am still writing and fully intend to circle back to the running WIPs that I've stepped away from (and as always, accepting inspiration and prompts/ phrases/ photos/ etc to try to jostle things loose from the respective worlds).

[lettalady]

antyc67 reblogged your post and added: “Unsettled: Part 12”

Nooooo! I’m on my way out to dinner! I cannot be late! This will make me late! Must. Resist. Until. Later. *queue flailing*

Sorry! Sorry! It’s longer, too, so um... Hopefully the queue won out! Words can wait!

[lettalady]

sweetsigyn replied to your post “Phrase: "I would destroy myself to fix you"”

God this story always breaks my heart

I have far too much fun writing their battles. 

[lettalady]

Unsettled is fantastic! I was a weeping ball of goop when I thought that our OC was no longer. I can't wait for an update! It is truly an amazing story and so well written!

Hello nonnie darling! I’m glad you’re enjoying the angst-filled story that is Unsettled. Let’s just say - I had plans for that chapter and was informed that I was not allowed to follow through with said plans and needed to rewrite. ❤  

[lettalady]

tomforachange reblogged your post and added:

Fantastic! I love the push and pull of these two. The emotions are so real - heartbreakingly so! Thank you x

I promise I don’t mean to break hearts. [Well, ok. A bit, maybe. Just rather powerless to keep from writing the things that make me ache. That thought in the shower that brought a sob from my throat? Yea... so getting included. The thought that makes me sit up and say: “Oh! Oh God OW... but oh!” and grin like a loon? ... Such a masochist. Sorry, sorry.] The horrible way people treat one another is something that is endlessly frustrating to me. If you care about a person, treat them with care. How is that a difficult concept? Erm, but anyway...  ❤  Hopefully there is balance - enough to keep from causing irrevocable damage to our hearts.