Westering Home
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Westering Home |
| Author(s): | Gael X. Ile |
| Date(s): | 1990 |
| Length: | |
| Genre(s): | slash |
| Fandom(s): | The Professionals |
| Relationship(s): | Bodie/Doyle |
| External Links: | Westering Home |
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Westering Home is a Bodie/Doyle story by Gael X. Ile.
It was published in Paean to Priapus #1 and is online.
It contains a nod to highly controversial story, Consequences; after Doyle rapes Bodie, he goes into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich.
Author's Comments, and a Fan's Response
1994
[the author]: On the subject of critting our own work: one of my own least favourite pieces is Westering Home.
- [a fan]: I think an explanation is in order. M Fae wrote that one of own least favorite stories was "Westering Home." What she was too much of a lady to acknowledge was that she had little control over the plot. Like a fool she and [N] gave me a birthday present years ago which was sort of a multiple choice, do-it-yourself plot. I had my choice of about 10 elements and I choose ones that I thought would be a real test for the writing talents of even M. Fae. Very strange things like Doyle raping Bodie (probably the only story in the fandom with this particular twist and I included it only because someone had said you couldn't have a story like that because Doyle would not be physically capable of raping Bodie.) They also got married and had Murphy and Cowley at the wedding. I requested a lot of hurt/comfort and angst. She managed to take these diverse elements and weave a story that was totally believable and in character.
- Needless to say, it is one of my favorites stories she has ever done - but then she knows that I admire her writing, but hate 95% of what she writes. I think she takes a perverse glee in this and, as she warned every one - her next Oblaque should probably contain an extreme health warning. She has been forced to be too nice for too long over the holidays and this always brings out the Mr. Hyde in her. [1]
1996
[the author]: Which story of your own do you like least and why?This is easy. Westering Home, because I did it as a present for someone, which meant including rape and them getting married: rape doesn't press my buttons, I actively dislike rape-as-seduction stories (anyone want me to start on the Due South rape story? Didn't think so!) and as for them (gag) getting married (choke) with Cowley delighted about it all (puke), well...
[...]
Westering Home doesn't work for me because I think that Bodie should never forgive Doyle, not in a million years (even though several people thought I kept them apart for *too long* in the story! Oh, yeh, Bodie's such a little victim, if someone rapes him, he'll apologise for being such a temptation and they'll live happily ever after). The ending, if it'd been my own story, would have been bitter and dark, or very bittersweet, if I'd taken it far enough into the future to allow the worst of the wounds to heal: Bodie would have recovered--and be involved with someone else. [2]
Reactions and Reviews
1992
1993
Basically, M. Fae puts the boys through a whole lot. I don't always buy her scenarios, but she often makes her point anyway.
[snipped]
...worth noting, M.Fae does not have to believe a premise to write it, so she'll go even further off tangents than a lot of people. (Westering Home is the example here, where Doyle & Bodie have sex that is NOT rape to Doyle, but IS rape to Bodie, and then five years later go to Denmark? and get married.)
I think of her writing as analogous to really spicy food. Sometimes it is EXACTLY what I want, but I wouldn't eat it daily, and I wouldn't expect someone else to form their entire diet around it, although they could make that choice for themselves... [4]
All I can say is, the scene in Westering Home where B and D get married, *still* gags me... [5]
1996
I've got to admit that I found neither the rape nor the wedding at the end terribly believable, but I'm very fond of some parts in the middle. [6]
I remember the zine this was in, though the name escapes me (as usual). I remember sending an LoC on it and saying something about how much I liked all the stories, ALTHOUGH "Westering Home" seemed kinda odd, as if it had been put together in blocks that didn't quite mesh with each other, if that makes any sense. The marriage part really seemed a stretch; well, okay, fantastical. But, you know what, I liked it anyway. It satisfied that 'let them be happy' need that seems to override all my critical judgment. [7]
1998
As far as I know this is the only story were Doyle rapes Bodie. It came out of a discussion were it was stated that Doyle couldn't rape Bodie because of size and strength differences. "Westering Home" was a direct writing challenge to M. Fae to see if it could realistically happen. It could. [8]
I loved the story, mind you, because Mfae writes so well it's easy to suspend one's disbelief. But IMHO, it did _not_ happen realistically.
I've always felt that Doyle would be unable to rape Bodie, not because of their size difference, which is not so great, but because of his mindset. I can't find a motivation for him to do it, when I can see one for Bodie (The Game, past traumas, mental insanity even if you want to push things that far - hell, _I_ did. Was a hard story to write, too.)
But in Westering Home, I have the distinct feeling that Bodie could have avoided the rape (which is more like a date-rape than an outright rape, as they were already having consensual sex.)
For those of us who have tried anal sex, it's plain that anal penetration requires a lot of willingness an cooperation on both sides, and particularly on the penetree side. Of course, if one is drugged, restrained, etc. it does not. But in the story, Bodie is not drugged or restrained in any way, he just states that he did not resist because he was afraid of getting rectal damage - which he gets, anyway.
That's the second point of contention for me: that amount of damage (Bodie almost dies from peritonitis, for heaven's sake!) cannot be caused by mere sex as it is pictured in the story. A small anal tear, maybe, some swelling and soreness or intestinal cramps, but _peritonitis_? No way!
So, to my way of thinking, it is not proved that Doyle could rape Bodie. IMO, he's mentally incapable of such an act, purely and simply. Don't ask a cow to lay eggs! [9]
1999
... it 'tis a weird little story...just what I like about Mfae -- when you think she's going to be conventional and warm and fuzzy she turns around and wallops you with a nasty twist and just when you think, yep another ambiguous ending coming, up she slips in a wedding. Love her or hate her, things are never dull in Mfae land! [10]
References
- ^ from a discussion on Virgule-L, quoted anonymously (December 26, 1994)
- ^ from Virgule-L, quoted with permission (2 Mar 1996)
- ^ from a fan in Strange Bedfellows #1
- ^ comment by Megan Kent on Virgule-L, quoted with permission (June 8, 1993)
- ^ comment by Sandy Hereld, on Virgule-L, quoted with permission,(June 8, 1993)
- ^ Jan Levine, Virgule-L, quoted with permission (March 22, 1996)
- ^ from Virgule-L, quoted anonymously (2 Mar 1996)
- ^ a fan from Virgule-L, quoted anonymously (July 7, 1998)
- ^ a fan from Virgule-L, quoted anonymously (July 13, 1998)
- ^ a fan from Virgule-L, quoted anonymously (February 4, 1999)