#sevenimpossiblethings

sevenimpossiblethings refers to pop singer!Arthur as a “necessary suspension of disbelief”, but really, I hardly had to suspend my disbelief at all. I think part of why it works so well is that we get just enough detail to set the scene, but not so much that it imposes a specific idea of what Arthur-as-a-pop-star should look like, leaving us to imagine whatever we think fits best. 

So we get titles for Arthur’s songs and occasionally the subject matter, but no lyrics. We’re free to imagine what the choreography of each song might look like, what Arthur sounds like when he sings and plays the piano. When I read, I can hear the music in my head, but I’d be hard pushed to tell you exactly what it sounds like; I just know that I can hear it. I can visualise snatches of choreography, but I couldn't tell you what the dance steps look like. In other words, I think it’s one of those things where you let the reader’s imagination do the hard work and fill in what seems natural to them.

The other part of why pop singer!Arthur works so well is that he seems like himself. sevenimpossiblethings’ characterisation of Arthur, as well as all the other characters, is excellent. He is Arthur in the world of pop music - wearing suits, playing the piano, being slightly standoffish and socially awkward - instead of some sort of pop version of Arthur, and as subtle as that distinction might seem, it makes all the difference.

sevenimpossiblethings also manages to very neatly deal with the power differential that inevitably arises in fic AUs where one half of the couple is a celebrity of some kind, and the other isn't. Usually this kind of setup would result in a lot of sneaking around, tension over having to hide the relationship, over having to maintain a public image (sometimes in the closet), and stress about when to go public. While there is an element of that in the way you move is like a full on rainstorm, Arthur and Eames deal with their budding relationship in the spotlight in a manner that is amazingly mature and practical. (Can you tell I have a thing for couples with healthy, mature communication?)

In fact, Arthur outright acknowledges the potential "status differential" in a relationship between him and Eames during a conversation with Ariadne early on. I also like to think that his and Eames' jokes about "model couple communication" are a nod to the kinds of fraught misunderstandings that often plague fic couples in their position.

The only relationship in the way you move... which is more adorable than Arthur and Eames is the relationship between Arthur and Ariadne. I love reading Ariadne and Arthur as best friends even more than I love Arthur and Mal as best friends, and their friendship in this fic is nothing short of perfect. Ariadne and Arthur’s personalities complement each other extremely well, with Ariadne’s bubbly optimism balancing out Arthur’s methodical pragmatism, whilst also bringing out his more playful side. She’s a much-needed voice of reason in many situations, and you can see why a friendship with her was really all that Arthur needed in his life (at least until he met Eames).

To Ariadne: Is it weird that I never… bothered to make friends after you?

From Ariadne: Maybe? Who cares

From Ariadne: Also, you didn’t make friends with me. I made friends with you

Arthur’s social media following and the references to Twitter were another thing I loved, and I would happily read pages and pages of Arthur’s Twitter fans squabbling over whether or not he and Eames are a couple, and creating gifsets of the way they interact on stage. As always, leave it to a fanfic author to be able to depict fandom dynamics in the most realistic way possible ;)

The social media exchanges, together with the media headlines and the occasional full article, all help to show, rather than tell, Arthur’s rising stardom in the pop world, giving us a sense of his career progression from an outside viewpoint. This is much more effective than if we were simply told that Arthur’s fame was spreading. At the same time, through Arthur’s perspective, we experience the disbelief that he feels over the fact that this is even happening. It’s a very neat duality.

Happily, the way you move... is already part of a series, You Can See It With the Lights Out, and sevenimpossiblethings has confirmed that there are a number of scenes which didn’t make it into the fic that will be posted as one-shots, so we can look forward to loads more stories from this lovely ‘verse. After reading the fic once (and mostly re-reading it a second time while writing this review), I’m hugely invested in these characters and the world that sevenimpossiblethings has created around them, and I can’t wait to read more.

If you liked this, you’ll like...

Back in Black by laiqualorelote: Rock band AU and possibly one of the most perfect AUs I have ever had the pleasure of reading (in any fandom). Featuring Arthur as a virtuoso guitarist and Eames as the bassist of the legendary rock band The Kick, who are reuniting after three years out of the spotlight. This fic is a joy from start to finish. If you haven’t read it yet, don’t waste a moment more.

Next Big Thing by earlgreytea68: If you enjoy the “Arthur’s fandom” sections of the way you move..., you’ll love Next Big Thing, which takes “fandom within a fic” to a whole new level of meta. Next Big Thing is a Home and Garden TV AU in which Arthur is a real estate agent and Eames is an interior designer. It’s a sequel to a much shorter fic called Fixer-Upper, though I think you can enjoy it without reading the prequel - but why not have both anyway?

Late Night Phone Call by sparkledark: Okay, it’s hard for me to explain why this fic is similar to the way you move... without spoiling you, though those of you who’ve read it will understand the link. AU in which Arthur mans an insomniac helpline and Eames is a regular caller.