After (Primer story)

Fanfiction
Title:	After
Author(s):	woodironbone
Date(s):	December 17, 2017
Length:	15,053 words
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Primer (2004)
External Links:	After on AO3
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After is a Primer (2004) fanfic by woodironbone and wrote for Highsmith

The fic acts as a follow-up to the film, expanding on the relationship between the protagonists, Abram "Abe" Terger and Aaron.

Summary:

After the party's final revision, Abe tries to confront Aaron about a lot of things, but confrontation was never his strong suit. When that goes as well as can be expected and they part ways, he thinks that'll be the end of it. It's not.

This fic is notable for being one of only two works in the Archive of Our Own tag for Primer, and the only one featuring the characters from said film.

Reviews

So glad to see fic for this fandom! I love the imagery of the gunman "parting the waters," and the complicated backstory between Abe and Aaron, and Abe having to work through his issues with the multiple Aarons. Great work.

– primeideal

Soooooo good!!!

It's been so long since I last watched the movie that I had forgotten some of the nuances, but it all came rushing back to me when I read this fic. You've managed to preserve what I find so captivating about canon -- the murky feeling of a couple of guys fumbling around in the darkness with no clue about what they're doing.

– entwashian

I really enjoyed this. I love how you use the time travel and the divergent timelines to give us divergent Aarons - guys who started from the same source but are definitely different people now. I wonder just what all Aaron #2 has been up to in France that has given him such a different perspective. Everything about your characterization of Abe and his perspective of Aaron feels just right - Abe always seemed more willing in the movie to give time to regular human concerns.

– snickfic

Firstly, I'm sorry this comment comes so late. I didn't let anyone know I would be working through the holidays/leaving town... then I was already gone, sleep deprived, and internet/device-limited.

It's readily apparent you put so much work into this story, and it wasn't very considerate of me to leave you hanging like I did. For that, I'm truly sorry.

Secondly, I nominated this fandom out of hope and asked for it out of desperation. I sincerely doubted anyone would write even a drabble for it in- or outside of Yuletide. To be honest, I was pretty sure I'd have to knuckle down and write something myself. Holy green bananas was I wrong.

Thirdly, 15K?! HOW?!?! Are you magic, Mystery Author? I need to know whether any blood sacrifices went into the making of this.

Fourthly, I love that you managed to have the feel of the film be part of your story. The thing that always struck me about Primer was how you were never quite sure who was lying much to easily and which version of the character was doing what. Your story has that same underlying current. I was never quite sure if I was being needlessly suspicious, yet knowing all along the way that I would not be surprised to find out it was all a ploy for the sake of an ulterior goal. Or, alternately, that I was just being silly and maybe what I thought was a given had more layers to it.

The way you depicted the characters meshes a lot with the film, in that they can be equally unsympathetic and charming, to the extent where I'm never quite sure how I feel about either Aaron or Abe (or any version thereof), but I do know I wanna stick around to see what happens next.

I have many thoughts on this story, but I'm typing on a tiny keyboard and my head is full of too many words that don't make much sense, mostly because they contradict each other. The story has left me very thoughtful, which I'm grateful for.

I still cannot believe you wrote this as a Treat for me. Thank you again, Mystery Author!

– Highsmith