1 [Report This]Date: March 20, 2022 10:50 am Title: "Pay no attention to the spirits that haunt this hallowed ground."
"He smiles, and his cheeks hurt. He supposes that's what happens to muscles you don't really use anymore."
OUCH.
You're so good at subtle one-liners that shatter me. Still loving this so much!
1 [Report This]Date: March 11, 2022 05:56 pm Title: "Pay no attention to the spirits that haunt this hallowed ground."
Oh Jim, you will *never* get over pranking.
And of course, you'll never get over that addiction to Pam.
UGH TD, THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL. I have an addiction to your writing. Sorry, not sorry.
Author's Response: Thanks, lady!
1 [Report This]Date: March 09, 2022 06:40 am Title: "Pay no attention to the spirits that haunt this hallowed ground."
Feels like this is the burst of oxygen they both needed to keep going. Pam getting Jim to smile at her because of the art contest and Jim getting Pam to smile because of the prank. As we know there are darker days yet to come to be sure, but for right now, there's at least a glimmer of light.
Thing is that had they followed that glimmer it probably would have led them to where they would eventually end up just that much quicker. Ah well, that's what S3 fix it fics are for. Great job as always getting into their heads and fleshing out the scenes.
Author's Response: Thanks warrior!
1 [Report This]Date: March 09, 2022 04:12 am Title: "Pay no attention to the spirits that haunt this hallowed ground."
So this was a chapter I was hoarding those beans for. I absolutely loved this chapter.
It wasn't just the way put me right there in that spot with Pam, wanting her to have a friend in Karen, but understanding how every conversation with her was going to sting. How hearing how Karen was in her own rehabilitation phase, not yet ready for another relationship until she found something perfect presented itself. Perfect that could have been Pam's perfect if she'd only just... yeah this hurt.
But then her old Jim shows up for her, even if just for a blip, to join in her pride and happiness about winning the art contest.
For me though, the jewel of this chapter was their conversations. Pam's holding on to her little tidbit about Dwanglea and her silent pleading that he would just ask her WHY.
Jim's POV side where you gave us such delicious banter but also the little bit of holding back -not taking any chances with her anymore. On and also gave us these lines:
'He’s glad she doesn’t have someone holding her back anymore: dead weight in a warehouse jumpsuit callously crushing her dreams.'
He smiles, and his cheeks hurt. He supposes that's what happens to muscles you don't really use anymore. (oh Jim)
Closing it all us with the cell phone prank -tbh - not sure I got why he needed her on the show's version but you explain it perfectly - it wasn't about her help as much as getting HER to notice and smile -'Her smile is like oxygen; when he sees it he suddenly remembers how to breathe properly.'
The whole bit about them being in step, not missing a beat, how he hasn't found this unspoken dance with Karen yet.
Then more great banter and then closing it up with this :
'The pranks aren’t his addiction, they’re just his enabler. His real addiction is Pam.'
This was a fantastic chapter - I gave it one (I know I'll be needing some for later) but it gave me a sugar high as if I had ingested a whole bagful.
Author's Response: Your review made my day. Thanks as always! 💗
1 [Report This]Date: March 08, 2022 09:21 am Title: "Pay no attention to the spirits that haunt this hallowed ground."
Ouch. The opening of this remains extremely painful.
"Pam immediately regrets having brought up Jim at all. Twice." Yep. You're not subtle, sister. And “in between boyfriends” being a Karen-ism is a nice touch. This is again a situation where I feel pretty bad for both of them - you can just sense Karen trying to bond and to find out more about Jim here.
Ugh. I remain deeply mad they cut the Pam won an art contest story, and this just makes the whole thing a worse loss. Let Pam have a win dammit!
"He isn’t here, that’s all she knows. He may as well be on the moon." OW.
"for the next several minutes it feels the same way it always did: their familiar back and forth, this dance they do, two-stepping around the very large elephant in the room." LOVE this metaphor.
"While she desperately wants him to, she knows it has to be her turn. But “Yeah, me too,” is all she says." ARGHHHHH.
I think you did well capturing how disastrous this call would have felt for a Jim who is determined to move on. Oh, and the discovery that *Pam* is his real addiction... damn. (I'm also pleased you found a way to make Pam's participation in this prank make a difference, as opposed to being just for the hell of it... on screen it's not totally clear why Jim *needed* a partner.)
Author's Response: I’m glad you picked up on Pam’s “job” in that prank. It never really confused me why he gave her the phone, what confused me was why they were so loud about it all in front of Karen 😆
1 [Report This]Date: March 08, 2022 09:10 am Title: "Pay no attention to the spirits that haunt this hallowed ground."
Another great chapter 👏
“He can’t help but reach out to instinctively tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, but then jerks his hand away like he’s touched a hot stove.” Ugh this was such a great line and captures so much of what Jim’s experiencing. Loved it
“His real addiction is Pam.” YES, so much this
In the midst of this all, “I dusted off an oldie” made me smile so much and immediately made me think of that blooper! So great
Can’t wait for the next chapter!
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I’m so happy you picked up on that blooper reference!