Allison Is a Quick Study (R)

[deelaundry]

Title: Allison Is a Quick Study
Author: Dee Laundry
Pairing: House/Cameron, House/Wilson implied
Rating: R
Summary: 309-word prequel to Pillory. Prompt by jdr1184: In the Pillory universe, what is Wilson doing while House is having sex with Cameron? Does he watch? Does he fume in the other room? Does House only have sex with her when she’s in heat?

Allison is a quick study. Although she has been with her husband only a handful of times, she already knows well how to drive his passion, as one would drive sheep toward a new pasture. She knows the levels of his excitement, and how to bring him from one level to the other, and how to time the changes so as to increase her own pleasure.

She knows how to lengthen his time with her, draw it out. She is certain she would also know how to finish his pleasure in the shortest time, although she has no intention of testing this theory.

What she does not know, cannot fathom, is how to dispense with the eyes in the corner of the room that burn her skin. Every first wife has the right to be present as the husband attends his second wife. James is the first person Allison has ever met who exercises that right. Every time.

Greg’s attention never wavers. He has a remarkable capacity for concentration, when he wishes it, and as she moves with him, she feels that he is with her wholly. It is Allison who cannot block out the silent, unmoving presence of James.

It is the only time in her life that someone has hated her.

Her time with her husband ends always in the same manner. As his pleasure peaks, he grunts or groans, and then falls silent, his lips captured by James’. The kiss is long, and Greg draws away from her.

James helps their husband up, embracing him, supporting him. Greg smiles lazily, sated. Allison has provided the pleasure, but the gratitude is always for James.

The two of them head for the door, leaving Allison behind. “I pray for your fertility,” is the last thing she always hears, falling from James’ lips, and then she is alone again.

Comments

[savemoony.livejournal.com]

*love love love love love love love love love love love love*

That is all for now.

No, wait.

*Love*

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Right back at ya'!

[daisylily.livejournal.com]

Ooh, very nice!

It's interesting, though (to me, anyway XD) that this doesn't have the anger that I felt in the original Pillory. It seems like a quiet interlude.

And I actually feel sorry for Allison (a little, anyway)!

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

If you don't feel the anger, then I didn't do my job right, because James is way pissed. He hates Allison, hates these times, hates, hates, hates. He sits and watches because he wants to snatch Greg back the second he can.

I'm glad you feel sorry for Allison, though, because she needs it. She is stuck in a terrible position, with a sister-wife who hates her and a husband she rarely sees. She does enjoy the stature of belonging to the House line, though; it gives her a lot of pride.

Thanks!

[daisylily.livejournal.com]

Ah, but it's from Allison's POV, so I think it works perfectly as it is. If you were writing it from James's perspective (like Pillory) then I would expect to see/feel the anger). As it is, I get a definite sense of loneliness, which I think is what I should be getting.

(Have a poker icon - I haven't used it for a while XD)

[secondsilk.livejournal.com]

This is a difficult one to relate to.
Fabulous with James's effect on Allison and the contrast between her fear that Greg is distracted and her distraction.
And the sensibility from the setting of the AU is so very intersting.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

How do you find it difficult to relate to? My mind just slips to this universe so easily (although it's hard to get down "on paper") that I tend to think everyone's does!

Thanks!

[secondsilk.livejournal.com]

It's a kind of slippery world, between the conventions of modern society and of fantasy medievalism.

The word pillory, pillories themselves, make me think of Rothenberg in German, where they have the Kriminalisches Museum - a history of torture and medieval law enforcement. It's dim and dark and slightly red tinged and so very medieval German.

And this story is not. There's something more dry, open, green about it. The rusticness makes me think of rural things, both Australian and American. And it clashes with the German-ness. Also, I've read a lot of fantasy, and this doesn't have that sense to it at all. It's very local to the place and people (possibly because it's fanfic, and the characters are more familiar than the world they are in (it's usually the other way around).)

I do get a similar sense of slipperiness from Nightdog's Roman AU, except that I recognise that classical world much more than this one.

Maybe I should have done literature.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should've done literature, because that's a very interesting analysis.

Pillories were also used early on in America - around the time of the Puritans.

The "place" of this universe definitely floats. Whereas The Annals is firmly rooted in ancient Roman times (Nightdog's betas help her keep true to that time), this universe is influenced my impressions of a variety of restrictive societies. I've been asked to expand on the story, and I have plot ideas for expanding, but some of my reluctance is that the world isn't fully set yet. I sometimes think that it's very agrarian and primitive, and sometimes I think it's actually advanced technologically, although isolated from the rest of the world.

[secondsilk.livejournal.com]

I think I'd like to write an essay on how social issues, like gender relations and sexuality, are presented in fanfiction. In some ways, fanfic is literary analysis, this universe works as fanfic because of the comment it makes on the characters' canon relationships, even though if you were to change the names the characters would not be immediately recognisable as based on House characters.

The idea of advanced technology but restrictive/primative culture is a very interesting one to play with. Then you're running into secondary fantasy, there, and there is space to play with those expectations.

I'm certainly not a familiar with any culture that has such restrictive gender roles that are not determined by physical sex.

[earlwyn.livejournal.com]

LOVE.

I love this universe and the character interactions. James' jealousy is chilling, almost, but oh-so perfect.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

THANKS! James is completely and utterly resentful that Allison is there at all.

Did you read the original? (http://deelaundry.livejournal.com/18844.html)

[earlwyn.livejournal.com]

I did read the original! And kind of flipped my lid about it. *g* I want to crawl inside the universe you created and live there and never come out for the next few months because it is JUST. SO. COOL.

I think it's the second best AU next to [Unknown site tag]'s Annals -- because as much as I love your writing, nothing warms the cockles of my historian heart like the Romans. But Pillory comes very, very close. It's such an interesting dynamic that you painted, where there is actual justification for Wilson being feminized -- and yet, controversely, he's not in characterization. It's such an intriguing dynamic. Plus, the fact that it's such a firm commitment to make, between Greg and James, that James would give up his birth rites to be with Greg. That's -- simply incredible. And you explore it so well, without delving into angst or over sentimentality about The Woe (heh)involved.

Then the style in which it is written just makes everything complete. The fact that it feels and sounds almost Puritan in nature -- did you read documents of that era to get a grip on the language or are you just preternaturally brilliant? I'm going with preternatural brilliance -- makes the entire experience all the more gorgeous and original and other complimentary words that I can't think of at the moment BECAUSE I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THAT FIC.

Anyway, consider this a long overdue comment. Do I recall correctly reading somewhere that you had a sequel planned/possible/in the works?

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you collected all the links together so I didn't miss any XD

I loved this one - the Pillory universe is fabulous. The Foreman one was brilliant and I may have groaned aloud at the 'relish' line in Honey. It was also nice to see Jack with his dads again :)

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

The relish line definitely is groan-worthy. Hee. The Foreman one seems a little obvious to me now, but it's fun to think about. Now we just need the H/W/F pr0n. XD

There may be more from Pillory 'verse some day. I still have the Greg/Allison, Greg/James sex scene on my bunny list, and just the other day I was thinking about a scene in which Greg makes James have sex with Allison. Yikes!

Thanks!

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

Just to say it would be cool to see more from the Pillory universe - I really found the whole setup an interesting concept. Yum.

[med-anomaly.livejournal.com]

This is amazing. I love how much passion and emotion is captured here. Wilson's silent anger and hatred, and how House's gratitude is always for him. Lovely. :)

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Thanks. James is deeply, deeply jealous; poor guy.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

Just re-read through your Pillory stories. I love all your stories but I think I find these the most satisfying. House's odd mix of protectiveness toward James and yet his fundamental selfishness is almost endearing and infuriating all at the same time - so much like the "real" House. And this version of Wilson is fascinating. So angry and self-sacrificial at the same time. I can't help but want to know more about how he manages to keep from destroying himself in this new station he's willingly placed himself in.

Any chance you're still working on those sequels you wrote about earlier?

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

The sequels are on the must-do list! I committed to write them as part of the RSL BD charity drive (in February, argh, so late). I have to decide what part of this big 'verse I want to write first, and then dedicate the time to getting my head back in that space and writing.

One of the sequels will begin as a letter Greg writes to James, which will be interesting. And I have one scene quite clear in my head -- the introduction of Chase in this 'verse. He shows up at the same time as Taub, Kutner, and Hadley. Amber comes later. : )

Thank you!