The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault |
| Author(s): | Contemperina and strayphoenix |
| Date(s): | 13 January 2010 - 26 March 2020 |
| Length: | 271,683 Words 40 Chapters |
| Genre: | Humor/Romance, Teen-rated Het |
| Fandom: | Total Drama |
| External Links: | The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault, Archived version on FFN |
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The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault, aka TAOP, is a popular Courtney/Duncan story on FanFiction.Net. It takes place after Duncan's eliminated in Total Drama: Island (2007) and follows his and Courtney's relationship as it develops from there until the season's final episode. It's canon compliant and takes place during their stay at the Playa Des Losers together.
Duncan was thrown into the hallway wearing no more than his boxers and dog collar. "Yeah," he replied to the crowd, dodging one of Courtney's projectiles and smirking at his former campmates. "This is EXACTLY what it looks like." A Playa de Losers fic.The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault's summary on FFN
The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault was written over the course of 10 years, with both authors writing a chapter before passing the next one off to the other. Many look back on the fic fondly. strayphoenix also co-wrote another popular Courtney/Duncan story, Machine Gun Blues, with edwardandbella4evah.
Reviews
In 2013, The Art of Pretending It Isn't Your Fault was recced on Truly Great Fanfiction here, Archived version.
Brilexse chapter 4 . Feb 11, 2010
This was so funny! This had me laughing from begining to end. AWESOMENESS!
Origami.Raven chapter 24 . Mar 14, 2013
Yay! Another update I was seriously laughing throughout this whole fic I'm glad courtney has finally come to her senses and stooped to Duncan's level
Update soon!
TheSocialLoner chapter 33 . Jun 19, 2015
Hey there! It's really been a while! I'm not into TDI anymore (or even active on this site much anymore), but I was in the mood to reminisce and I wound up looking up this fic again! And then I accidentally reread EVERYTHING in the span of like a day. Whoops! But it was a happy accident! I must say, you guys really are great. Your writing is unrelentingly hilarious, engrossing, and always enjoyable. Keep up the great work! Out of all the FF writers I've read, you are truly some of the best of the best.
crimsondusts chapter 39 . Feb 28, 2020
i found and read this in the span of a day and a half and firstly, this is the first fic that's made me cry...multiple times! and secondly, to discover this has been an ongoing journey for 10 years has honestly brought me to tears. i may have gotten here a tad late, but i feel like i've taken a journey with you guys through this fic, and i'm super fucking psyched to be here in time for the inevitable finale. thank you both for creating this amazing piece of art and for dedicating a whole decade to this story for us! 3
RJ.E-scope.DxC chapter 40 . Mar 27, 2020
Oh wow, reading this was super emotional for me. This was the first long fic I ever became invested in, and almost certainly the one that pushed me into becoming a fic writer myself. In spite of no-longer-really-being into TDI for a few years, TAOP has always brought me back to that island perfectly, with its amazing characterisation, gripping plot, and comedy that made me laugh out loud every time. I couldn't count how many times I've re-read this, but I enjoy it every single time.
In this chapter in particular, I was nearly in tears over the mutual pining between Duncan and Courtney, and laughed so hard at that one line about Lady being better-mannered than Owen that I got strange looks from my parents. As always it was an absolute delight to read, and if you guys post anything else in this universe I will be on it like Lady on a rib-eye steak. All the love and good luck in your future projects!
Natasha chapter 40 . May 9, 2020Thank you guys so so so so much. I discovered this fic at age 10, new to fandom and the rest of the world. I idolized these characters and you, and I can truly say i would never be a part of online fandom, which shaped my personality and friendships, if not for TAOP. But I've covered that in past reviews, and I wanted to talk about something I only realized while reading this final chapter. Your writing of this relationship taught me what I perceive love to be. The chemistry, the banter, the wild passion, they're all things I idealize and wish for in my own relationships. I remember deeply longing for a friendship like Courtney and Bridgette's, fantasizing about my own date in the prop room. Now I'm a 16-going-on-17, and I don't expect a wild enemies-to-lovers summer fling anytime soon, but I think subconsciously these two managing to deeply understand someone so different from them will influence me for a long time. I hope your lives are going well and you know just how many people your writing, now matter how silly, has touched :)
beanzhead chapter 1 . May 12, 2022
I remember I started reading this when I was in EIGHTH grade. I was 13 years old and would copy and paste the text into note pad when I was at school to read at home later bc I didnt have internet at home. I'm 26 now and I'm in awe of how dedicated you all were to finish this story. The banter is wonderful, the schemes and snide remarks duncan comes up with is genius, the understanding of their dynamic and making it completely in character that this could be cannon, the research you did for scenes with the yacht and how to freeze a pool. YOU ALL DID US THIS SERVICE FOR FREE! I'm not sure if you still read these reviews but genuinely thank you all for writing this. Reading this gave me so much nostalgia. I am so pleasantly surprised how well the writing hold up today too