A bunny gnawed my ankle

[illwynd]

It's not my fault.  Really it's not.  Blame it on jen_the_crazy  for this.  See, I had never even considered doing Brothers Karamazov slash (although when I was scanning through it the other day trying to figure out how to explain that wonderful 800-page novel in anything resembling a paragraph, I realized it is eminently slashable... O_o )

So here's the drabble that I just had to write because this damn bunny latched onto my ankle...

Title: Two thefts
Author: Illwynd
Rating: PG for slashiness
Disclaimer: I wish I were making money right now, but alas I am goofing off. Dostoevsky owns everything in this story except my arrangements of words. Be that as it is, the characters do rent rooms in my head. Sometimes by the hour.
Summary: Mitka and Alyosha talk after "The Grand Inquisitor"
Characters: Dmitri/Alexei
Warnings: sibcest, v. mild

"Alyosha, did you really kiss him like that? Literary theft indeed! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

"What if I’m not? What if I would do it again?" Alexei laughed, enjoying this moment with his brother, with all the troubles with father and Grusha far from their minds.

"Then perhaps I will compose a poem, and end it the same. Would you kiss me, then?"

Mitya looked at his brother’s lowered lashes and sly smile. Novice he might be, but far from innocent. How could he be, in such a family?

"No, brother. I would kiss you without that…"

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SO anyway, a bit of explanation for those who haven't read it... Brothers Karamazov is a wonderful story... some ppl don't like it because it is long and detailed and kinda dark in spots, but Dostoevsky had such a great understanding of human nature that I find myself thinking of this book in weird situations, explaining the world in those terms.  The basic plot of the book, not wanting to give too much away of course, is there's this family, extremely dysfunctional.  There are 3 brothers, the father is a drunken lecherous buffoon who nevertheless has good business sense and has a fair amount of money.  Both his wives are long dead, and his sons are in their 20's.  The eldest son, Dmitri (aka Mitya, Mitka, Mitenka, etc) is a really passionate guy but not really too wise.  Not dumb, just kinda... hot-headed, likes to live it up, I'm not quite sure I can explain him.  He also thinks his father still owes him part of his inheritance from his mum, plus they're competing for the heart of a "loose woman" known as Grushenka.  The middle brother, Ivan, is more scholarly, but also colder somehow, but he's at the edge of something...  The youngest, Alexei (or Alyosha) is a novice monk, a really good-hearted person, but even he has a hint of the Karamazov baseness.   There's a dozen side-stories, too many to mention, but I'll mention these... Father Zosima, who is Alexei's Elder at the monastery, a very wise and good man, is one of my favorite characters (except perhaps his brother, Markel) and his death in the middle of the book has a strong effect on Alyosha.  There's also Smerdyakov, the possible half-brother of the 3 (don't ask, just read it!) who is a servant in the Karamazov house, and plays a big part in the events of the book.  The whole story revolves around the murder of Fyodor Karamazov (the father), for Mitya is suspected of it, with good reason.  It sure seems like he did it.   

The scene that I'm working with here, Ivan told Alyosha this poem he'd composed, about a Grand Inquisitor during the Inquisition finding Jesus who has come back at that time to see what's happenin', and the Inquisitor basically rejects Jesus' teachings, saying that it won't work for the common man, that it's just an idealistic dream (forgive me, I may be screwing this up horribly, it has been a while since I read it...)   It's one of the most well-known parts of the book, it is a really intriguing section, but for me it has always been overshadowed by other parts that I think are more meaningful, like the schoolboys... but anyway, at the end of Ivan's poem, Jesus responds by walking to the Inquisitor and kissing him on the lips.  After Ivan is done telling Alyosha his poem, they discuss it for a little, and Alyosha winds up getting up and kissing Ivan on the lips.  Ivan calls it literary theft.  It's a wonderful scene, and I'm amazed I didn't see the slash potential before Jen's story made me think of a different set of brothers...

Oh, one note, if you do read the book, and you don't read it in Russian, I highly recommend the English translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

I leave you with a little quote from the book... Fyodor saying to Alexei...

"They're all scoundrels!  I refuse to acknowledge Ivan.  Where did he come from?  He's not our kind at all.  Why should I leave him a thing?  I won't even leave a will, let it be known to you.  And Mitka I'll squash like a cockroach.  I squash little black cockroaches at night with my slipper: they make a little pop when you step on them.  And your Mitka will make a little pop, too.  Your Mitka, because you love him.  You see, you love him, and I'm not afraid that you love him.  If Ivan loved him, I'd fear for myself because he loved him.  But Ivan loves nobody, Ivan is not one of us; people like Ivan are not our people, my friend, they're a puff of dust... The wind blows and the dust is gone..." -From Part 2, Book 4, Chapter 2, 'At His Father's'

I cannot recomment this book highly enough, and I know nothing I have said here has done it justice, but if I turn even one person on to it, then I have done a good thing.

Comments

[jen-the-crazy.livejournal.com]

'if I turn even one person on to it, then I have done a good thing.'

...mission accomplished then sweetie, because after reading your description and the extract i feel like i have to read this book now! it sounds wonderful!! (besides i need a break from anne rice ;) )
Thank you also for the recommendation of which translation to look out for, as i dont think i'll be reading it in russian :P

P.s Your drabble is FANTASTIC!
As someone not very good at drabbles due to my excessive word use *g* i appreciate how hard it is to create a scene in only a few words, but this is perfect!
'..brother. I would kiss you without that..'
yay.. fantastic!

*tons of hugs and thanks and luff*
p.s. i'll let you know how i get on with the book ;)

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[illwynd.livejournal.com]

i feel like i have to read this book now!

Goodie! I'm glad! You will definitely have to let me know what you think about it! ^_^ Finally I got somebody to want to read it! You've made my day! *glomps*

i need a break from anne rice ;)

Oh ha wow, I have loved Anne Rice's stuff for a good decade now... Vampire Chronicles especially. *holds up signed copy of 'Memnoch' as proof* Btw, love your icon! :)

About the drabble... wow, tnx! Glad you liked it... *does happy dance all around the room for an hour* That was the 1st drabble I've ever successfully written... I always had that same problem, being over-wordy, but Brothers K seemed to lend itself to that quite well...

^_^