Fic rec - Graduation Day

[sakura_no_miko]

Title: Graduation Day

Author: phollie

Fandom: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Rating: PG

Pairing: Shinji/Kaworu, Madoka/Homura

Warnings: some discussion of self-harm, canon-typical angst

Other notes: people bonding over terrible situations, time loop/time travel, spoilers for both series,

Length: 6k

Summary: Two time-travelers meet at the in-between of two different worlds, but their purpose is forever the same - to make their precious person happy. 

My thoughts:

 

Kind of a funny story with this fic. Madoka had been on my to-watch list for a while, and I was on a Shinji/Kaworu reading binge, so I read this fic and enjoyed it. Despite this, by the time I got around to watching Madoka, I had completely forgotten that Homura was a time traveler. 

This is just a sweet idea. It’s nice to think of someone who is suffering horribly in an endless time loop having some small measure of companionship. Ah, come to think of it, there was a Torchwood/Doctor Who fic along the same lines with Jack and Rory I read ages ago. But back to this fic, there’s several moments where Kaworu and Homura draw emotions out of each other — laughter, tears, remembering why they’re in love. That’s one of the things with depression — anhedonia, a lack of ability to feel pleasure in things. You can fall into this malaise where the days keep going and none of it really registers. So when you get to the end, and Homura realizes — we just have to make this simple, we just have to be in love and hope and trust — it’s just, agh, so good.

If there’s any one complaint — this is listed as part one of a series. I wonder what happened with that?

Also, here is a rare reverse fic I read, where Shinji is the one looping to save Kaworu. Interesting to read it from yet another perspective. 

Actually, come to think of it, there is one other reincarnation/loop fic I really enjoyed. Tune in next time.

Oh, wait, wait I had one more thought: I don’t think I often appreciate gen fic enough. I love character studies, but so often I’m reading romantic fic, or fic that ultimately ends in romance. I do occasionally read ensemble fics, or family fics, but I feel like, since I tend to read based on recs and kudos, I get shipping fic that’s still very introspective, but still romantic. And, weirdly enough, technically even this fic ends in romance–and most of the development is caused by romance. I’m not saying gen fic can’t be romantic–wait. Am I saying that? You know, I’m not entirely sure where gen fic ends and romance fic begins. Because this piece strikes me as a gen fic–-Homura and Kaworu are really good friends, and almost no romance happens on screen. yet both of them are driven by their romantic love for someone else. It’s like, hmm, if I’m writing about this character’s headspace for pages and pages, then end it with a kiss, did my gen fic just become shipping fic? Does it matter, in the grand scheme of things?

Whoops. Tiny spiel there. I’m pretty loosey-goosey with fandom stuff. Occasionally my lack of super-concise things, like tags, gets me in trouble. I imagine some people out there are very divided on gen fic and shipping fic, but it blurs together for me.

Anyway, I’ve got like two other EVA fics and then…I dunno. Got a list, but so many of them are series I don’t have time to re-read.

 

(Looking for more fic recs?)
Originally crossposted on tumblr and pillowfort on 09/06/18