knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend

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Fanfiction
Title: knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend
Author(s): zeen
Date(s): 4 May 2014
Length: 4144 words
Genre(s): futurefic
Fandom(s): Mary Renault
Relationship(s):
External Links: "knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend"

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"knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend" is a short story by zeen based on Mary Renault's 1953 novel The Charioteer. It takes place some time after the novel, when Andrew Raynes is an ambulance worker in London during the Blitz and Laurie has returned to study at Oxford.

Synopsis

Andrew meets Ralph, who has come up to London to find him, and is invited to visit Bridstow, where Laurie goes to stay when he's not up at Oxford.

Background

The story was written as a gift for amoama in the 2014 Renault Exchange. The title and epigraphs are taken from John Donne's works.

Comments

"knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend" elicited a number of comments, including the following:

  • "There was wonderful detail in this that just spoke volumes for the characters. I love the difference in Andrew, this new stage after Ralph visits where he is more assured. I love that he doesn't get too far with the Phaedrus and yet is finding his way anyway. I love how intrigued he is by Ralph and how intriguing Ralph continues to be in this fic."—comment by amoana
  • "This has a beautiful feel to it - something quite cool and calm, nothing frenetic or dramatic. I really liked your development of Andrew - how he changes and grows within the space of the fic - in his love for Laurie, his relationship with Dave and his belief in himself. The kiss was just perfect, and the slightly taut relationship with Ralph - that instinctive masochism of throwing Andrew to Laurie came through really well, and the line about how he likes to be tortured only in very specific circumstances was spot-on."—comment by Makioka