this is a beautiful story

I can't believe this gem of a story only has eight reviews. This for me, is the most /perfect/ interpretation of the USUK fuck-buddy-turned- lovers scenario. Because of the respective characters' personalities, it is easy to see why neither of them would say anything about being unhappy with their current relationship, their silence of course, in typical USUK fashion, raising a lot of unanswered questions and creating misunderstandings between them. But you've succeeded in making me one happy reader indeed by choosing to do a happy ending that is believable and mature. Good job!

:D. 3. I like this a lot.

I loved the sweetness you managed here -and is a very likely scenario too. I think you got the characters mostly IC too. I'm happy it ended well.

I loved this fic - it's well-written, IC and adorable. One thing that I would advise you to do is to go and look over your summary again. It's a really long sentence with no commas, and it almost put me off reading the story. I'm glad that I did, though. :)

It's fine, it's fiiiiiine, as I said, I read this whilst cackling to myself on the bus coming up to Birmingham. Granted, I wasn't as ashamed to have this in my possession as I am to have that horrible doujinshi I bought on Saturday at Expo but STILL, it's all good in the hood. X3

I'm glad I persuaded you! Really, it's great to finally have you settled down in the fandom, lololol Enough to be ficcing, at least! And as I said, I really did enjoy this! I think the title was a good choice, the idea of the word (or admittance of) "love" changing everything about their relationship (...if it could be called that! o.O). Certainly they both seem to be worried and/or depressed about the outcome of their flings should the topic actually be breached and I think you handled the nervousness/tentativeness very well, especially given that they really have such different personalities. I think Arthur takes the more "feminine" approach in the sense that he bottles his feelings a lot and doesn't say what he feels/wants, whereas Alfred acts more aloof about it, even if he's unhappy (as in, he's more likely to sulk - and he did seem a little bit sulky in this! ). Naturally - and true to canon - they're both completely hopeless as figuring each other out, hence all the confusion and subsequent relief when the waters finally break! But before that, as I said, there's this really great sense of uncomfortable tension, the knowledge that they both really do want more out of the "relationship" but are too scared to ask for it, fearing rejection, and there's also this overbearing sense of guilt and shame, etc, from knowing there's something really a little bit... sordid about the fact that currently they just sort of use each other for sex (believing the attraction to be one-sided either way! Oh, boys! XD). Indeed, I remember we did have a bit of a laugh over the fact that you're above writing grotty hotel-room PWPs - you just write the *aftermaths* of grotty hotel-room PWPs. XD But I liked that this was a humanesque culmination of all those countless nights, a sort of... point of no return, you know? It's a very natural reaction and I think you really handled it very subtley.

I also liked the gradual progression of contact between them, how as they're talking over what they really want from each other and their friendship/relationship/"us", they moved closer and begin to touch each other - and also the contrast of the motions reflecting their personalities, etc, like how Alfred's roughness with his glasses wears a groove in the bedside table whereas Arthur is lot more gentle and tentative. But really, I think "stagnate" was a good way of puting the whole thing - it all keeps getting sour and rotten, with nothing between them moving, and just that one action - Arthur grabbing Alfred's arm out of desperation - breaks the dam. To come back to the idea of their motions/actions, I think it was interesting how so much of their non-relationship was based on what wasn't being said and it took physical restraining on Arthur's part to finally get the much-needed words out.

Yay for less-explicit-than-Titanic sex scenes, haha. I really do love your gauge, I must say. "Does it have a handprint against a steamed-up car window? No. Then it's not TOO explicit." Hahaha

I liked the ending, though. I think they're really both quite sickeningly sappy in their own way so piling on the fluff to sort of sum up their relief and happiness that they're finally "together" was really the best ending you could have gone for (because it's *too damned easy* to get sucked right back in to angst with USUK, honestly...). :3

Overall, great job! I was glad to beta it for you and I'm very happy you posted it! Now you just have to write more, okay? :D

xXx

This was just so beautiful ; . ; I loved it! You're such a talented writer, and you portrayed their relationship do well!

I'm smiling right now. This fic is so sweet and cute. I love the way you described the tense and somewhat sad atmosphere which gradually lessened until it came the one of love and ease. You've also portrayed perfectly the feelings of Arthur and Alfred.

This is a really good story. You did a nice job of showing their emotions and feelings -especially Arthur's. By the time I got to the end of this story I was smiling so hard, I just think you did a wonderful job of making it cute and adorable, and the beginning questioning and nervous. Overall, wonderful job. Though for some reason there was something about the summary that made me hesitate to click on the story, I have no idea what it was. I'm happy that in the end I did though, it was very worth it.

I love how you show the tension and mood without ever using too much "tell". Beautiful.