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for Why Plums Are My Favorite Fruit: A Story of Friendship

6/24/2019 c9 2Evekle
The dreamy quality of this fic has me just ak;fd;a. It's amazing! The talks about buried treasure on an island is just brilliant. I'd copy all the portions of the fic which I think are amazing except I'd be copying all nine chapters of it. Love the dreamy feeling of everything!
12/28/2018 c7 Van Sasdion
Nice work. This is cute. It's like one of those childhood stories books
3/28/2015 c9 130otherhawk
Oh, don't apologise for cliffhangers. Sometimes cliffhangers are just necessary. And don't worry about the waiting either, not for a second. We all know that real life always comes first.

Like the immediate menace in Otto's point of view. He knows what's what and he isn't happy about it at all. And see, what I like is that there isn't really any sympathy to the boys here. I get the impression that all his worry is because this is messy, and none of it is really because he thinks that hurting children is wrong.

Think that the whole section that starts "Rusty was furious" is just perfect. Because yes, I'd absolutely agree that being terrified makes Rusty angry, and of course he's angry that he didn't somehow anticipate all that went wrong and fix it before it ever got a chance to. He's just that sort of a perfectionist. And equally of course, while all Danny's thoughts and worries last chapter were for Rusty, so here are all Rusty's thoughts for Danny. And he's perfectly imagining Danny in Rocky's place, and that must be awful for him.

I'm glad that Rusty is just as clever as Danny when it comes to escaping, and that he's smart enough not to try sneaking past the guard right away. Because that really wouldn't end well.

Hate the conversation with Otto. The flashlight in Rusty's eyes which is all about intimidation, and the hand on the chin. And of course it works, even if Rusty - even at this tender age - is hardly the type to beg or plead. And I hate the way he calls him 'kid' and rubs his shoulder even as he's talking about how he thinks that killing him is the right move. But even more, of course, I hate what the actual decision is. That they're going to be left alone, but they know who Rusty is, and where they can find him, and they're going to come back for him and take him to the Boss. It's an awful, awful thought. *shudder* And now I'm wondering if he's going to tell Danny...and *how* he's going to tell Danny, and what the hell they're going to do about it.

And do you know, I really love the mistaken identity in the dark. Rusty hiding and concentrating on being invisible, and Danny daring to attack. Think that there's some nice character touches there. Rusty being inclined towards stealth and cleverness and Danny being more inclined towards something desperate and dangerous. But I love the last section with the recognition and much, much sigh for the "And they clung together in the darkness." Brilliant.
2/28/2015 c8 otherhawk
Got to say, this is one hell of a cliffhanger to end on. I think you should go sit in a corner and think very carefully about what you've done.

So! Definitely exciting chapter. I like the way you start right in with the standing over the drop and the immediate sense of danger and action. Of course Rusty is worried about Danny going first and alone. Imagine that's the sort of thing they have silent arguments over for the rest of their lives. And equally, of course Danny knows exactly what Rusty is thinking. Not least because he's thinking it too, he's just not showing it. And even more of course, the moment Rusty knows that there's a tunnel and Danny isn't going to be coming straight back up, he's going down after him. Probably he had the anchor for the rope picked out before they even had the discussion of who was going down first. Danny needs to learn to be more suspicious when he wins.

I'm amused by the description of pirate!Rusty and the foreshadowing of the tattoo. Just because.

Like the descriptions of exploration and the spider web line made me giggle. And hoping that the brooch will mean something to Edna. Because, like Rusty says, it means something to Danny. And the fact that Rusty wants to find something because of Danny more than because of excitement and riches really made me smile. It rings so true.

Really like the way you start using such short sentences as they explore the second branch tunnel. Gives it a real feeling of pace and danger, as does the repetition in "The sound of the speedboat. The sound of the approaching speedboat. The sound of the approaching speedboat that looked similar to the one the cold men who'd been searching the islet had been in." And do not like the fact that they've stumbled over these guns like this. Because there's no chance they can just talk themselves out of this.

Hate the fact that they've been separated. And see, this must be Danny's worst nightmare. Waking up and all he can remember is that *Rusty's* worst nightmare was dragging him away.

So pleased by the way Danny escapes. He's calm and clever and brave. And of course he isn't going to go back to the boat and get the rope and light. He can't leave Rusty alone. And, equally of course, the *actual* safe thing of going back to the boat, sailing away and calling the cops doesn't even enter his head. Rusty needs him and nothing else matters.

And yes, this is still a terrible cliffhanger. Looking forward to the next chapter!
1/30/2015 c7 otherhawk
I like this way of getting them back to the island. It's a brilliant present from Cherie, and a nice echo back to Danny loving the ocean in your other fic. And I imagine the fact that it was his Dad's is also very, very important to Danny. Think he would like that sort of tie.

There is a lot of interesting character stuff in this fic. I like the touch about Danny being an early riser. I can imagine him liking the solitude and the time to sort out his thoughts. (I normally have him as not a morning person, mostly because of the caffeine thing in O12, but hey, he's already a caffeine addict in this fic which is also a nice character touch.) And like the fact that Danny wants to find out the truth about Charlie for Edna, and also because Danny isn't the sort of person who likes unfinished stories. He likes to know the truth and if there's something left hanging like this, he likes to fix it for the person he cares about. At least that's my view.

Anyway, thank you again for sharing and I'm interested to see where this will go next. Well. Assume it's going to Horseshoe Island next, but I meant in more detail. :)
1/30/2015 c6 otherhawk
Another action packed chapter. And I like the way that they don't spend anytime panicking - immediately they're moving onto the practical and have a plan. And of course Danny can't just ask Rusty how his arm is and expect an answer - that's a very nice little character touch. Seems very true to life.

I wasn't expecting the cold men to reappear there. There's a lot of danger in that scene, and it's not just from Rusty's obvious terror. WHatever they were picking up, I can't imagine they would take kindly to any witnesses. And sigh for Rusty telling Danny the story. Yeah, that's not a chill that can be warmed with a sleeping bag.

I like the recurring plums motif. Nice call back.

And like the practical in Rusty that lists all the reasons why they really can't go down the tunnel now. And like that Danny understands and accepts and agrees with the caveat that they will return. And of course Rusty agrees with that. Because it's his job to think of the details to keep them safe, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want the big score just as much as Danny does.

Was smiling for the way Danny cares for Rusty in this. Not just the helping him swim, or the holding his hand in the face of the cold men, but the getting him into the shade when he starts to rant. Danny doesn't lose sight of what's important.

Very pleased Ziggy comes back for them. Even more pleased that Danny has words that tell Ziggy just how wrongly he has behaved. And can't help but think that the next time they're looking for a fall guy, Ziggy's name will probably be at the top of the list.

And in all of this, I also really smiled for Edna giving Rusty the little cat. I meant to say last chapter, actually, because I'd figured out that was probably what was in the parcel. She saw him thinking of stealing it and passed it on and that just suggests that maybe Danny seeing Rusty in her isn't so far off the mark after all.
1/30/2015 c5 otherhawk
I like the enthusiasm for pirates and the Titanic in this one. It shows how young they still are, and also catches the way that they really do think that bit bigger than other people. Maybe they just have too much imagination for their own good!

The effort and research they put in to finding where there might be buried treasure amuses me. And I have to tell you, I laughed out loud at the "Sacrifice his soul!" "Sacrifice a chicken!" conversation. And the story that Edna tells is a fascinating one. Can see how that would capture Danny just as much as the resemblance he sees to Rusty.

And am pleased she does give them answers. Even if they may be completely made up. And really love Rusty sourcing supplies and trading all sorts of things for all sorts of other things. Even at this age, boy has skills.

Do not like Ziggy at all, obviously. Evidently not very bright, not least because abandoning a couple of kids in the middle of the sea is the sort of thing that leads to consequences, no matter how annoying they are. And see, I think that somewhere in his head, when Ziggy is picking on Rusty, Danny is remembering Peter. Which makes it even less of something Danny can put up with. Glad that they get revenge. Even if it's a stupid idea and leads to the definitely-not-part-of-the-plan abandonment.

Oh, and also liked the structure of this chapter. Opening it with the ending with Rusty hurt and the oncoming storm and the stranded really made the whole thing seem so much more intense. Very nicely done. :)
1/7/2015 c4 otherhawk
I think one of the things I find most interesting about this chapter is Cherie. She's definitely far different than I had first assumed from the first chapter, and that's good, because she's obviously far different than Danny or Rusty assumed as well. I like the fact that she does care but she doesn't want to show it, and that she's most definitely in favour of Education (of all kinds) and is perfectly willing to mentor Rusty, as it were, not because it's her christian duty or whatever but because she feels it's a good thing to do. You know who she reminds me of Marilla from 'Anne of Green Gables'. No idea if you've read that book, but it was one of my favourites as a child so I mean that as a good thing.

I also like Rusty's observations on his mother and how he's probably already more mature than her. From everything you've shown, I'd say that's pretty accurate, as is her maybe thinking of him more as a doll or an accessory than as someone she needs to be completely responsible for. Hence why it's perfectly possible by the end of the chapter for Rusty to have basically stopped sleeping at his house.

Rusty's curiosity as to the weekend activities Cherie takes Danny on seems very real as well. It's a whole other world he has no way of being part of, and he likes glamour and dressing up and nice food. I like that he winds up getting that and I like that he makes everything so much more fun for Danny. Of course he does, that's just the way they work.

I found Cherie buying the clothes for Rusty very interesting mostly because Rusty didn't really take much convincing. It's not the way I would normally write him, but it makes perfect sense for this Rusty, because he has the large extended family who he knows, as he said earlier, are ready to give him the shirts of their backs. Yes, he has his pride, but he understands what's important. Plus, he really wants clothes. (And I love Danny checking out how best to shoplift the shirts that Rusty loves and Cherie would never approve of!)

Finally, I really, really love the scene of them sitting out on the swings together, under the stars. It's just beautiful. And much love for the star that Danny points out being Pollux - one half of a whole. Just like they are.
1/7/2015 c3 otherhawk
I really like the Rusty backstory you've given over these two chapters. Immediately, he seems very part of his neighbourhood in a way that Danny isn't. Even when Danny was at the school, he seemed somehow more detached - set apart from the world. But Rusty has uncles and cousins that he knows and lives among. I really like the eating contest thing as well. Very Cool Hand Luke. Oh, and I like the way you establish that Rusty is always empty inside, because it seems to me like that's about far more than food. It's about the wider world and love and life and everything he hasn't quite got yet.

The attack on Rocky is awful and you clearly explain the effect it has on Rusty. As I said, I do like his uncertainty as to what the look and the touch means and the way it haunts his mind after. It's very childlike of him. And I thought his horror at the sight and smell of the butcher shop afterwards was a nice touch - just the little things that will always remind him.

Also do like that Rusty already has clear rules on who is an acceptable mark and goes after the ones who deserve it.

The scene in the alley is shiversome and I'm so glad Marco was there to stop it. I did find the sudden shift into Marco's pov a bit jarring, but I do really like him as a character. He's interesting.

And I love Rusty's resolution at the end not to let his memories or his new understanding control him. The dressing in bright clothes which is such a him-trait and here (and possibly everywhere) is an enormous f-you. And then he sees Danny for the first time. And like the description of the scene from Rusty's pov, and the fact that he followed, interested in Danny, and saw the look of determination and humour and confidence. Perfect.
1/6/2015 c4 1PizzaCanBePoetsToo
I am loving your story! It is well-written, and you have a good grasp on the characters. They aren't choppy and 2D; they are consistent and realistic. You are doing an amazing job!
1/1/2015 c1 91InSilva
Thank you for the A/N. :)

Love the opening scene of this. Can see it. Can see the accidental glance out of the window and the "huh" moment where Danny is captivated. Can see that sticky plum juice too - that's a very powerful piece of description - can't blame Danny for dreaming about plums. And Rusty is a world away from what sounds like quite a sheltered upbringing for Danny. No wonder he catches Danny's attention.

The back story with the boarding school sets Danny up as a righter of wrongs and the scene that really lives in all of that for me is the scene with Marmie (who comes across as warm and motherly and everything Danny's aunt isn't) and Dorian where we can see how manipulative Dorian is. Nasty piece of work. Hurrah for comeuppance.

Love the final scene where they actually meet. From two different worlds and it's immediate and it's full on "like a magnet...or gravity or some other inexplicable, undeniable, unstoppable force of nature" as you eloquently put it.

Looking forward to reading more.
12/29/2014 c1 130otherhawk
Oh, I really enjoyed this. I think you've done a wonderful job capturing their first meeting. I love the fact that Danny spots Rusty from a car and sees that indefinable something. And the plum. I really like the plum, and I can't even say exactly why, which isn't very helpful.

I also like the way you wrote Danny's backstory. It was very patchwork and subtle, if you see what I mean. There were lots of details that weren't necessarily spelled out and it worked well. And so much of Danny's life is ow, in a fascinating-to-read way. Much sigh for the apartment in Manhattan he rarely visits, and the house in Newport he's never seen. And even more sigh for the aunt who fails to actually talk to her grieving nephew.

And I absolutely love the last scene when they actually meet. Particularly the awareness of each other, and the 'look at me' that Danny hears anyway, and the fact that Danny takes care to fit in and gets the clothes right, but it's not the clothes that Rusty's looking at. And they are most definitely both going to have the best time getting there.

Thank you so much for sharing, I hope to read more soon.

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