It's hard to comment this or answer your question without spoiler tags in comments. I'm not sure they work there. But to point in the direction of what I think: we /are/ in Rho's head.
There is an omniscience about the viewpoint at times though. "He doesn't have to understand. Not yet" Why not write: And it's good. The last thing he expected.
What do you see "it" as and why didn't he see "it" coming?
I agree, "it" is ambigous. Personally I didn't see Miller going to such lengths just to end up killing Rho.
But that may be because I dislike death!fic, or it may be because I saw Miller finding something like a precious gem, something he never thought of ever finding. I guess I indeed put myself into him, because as a Top I've found it consistently difficult and almost impossible to find the kind of bottom I love most to interact with. So I easily can see a Top deciding to risk a lot for that. I myself did once. I also see Miller being quite tired of what he is doing.
It /is/ an extremely well-written story, and incited a quite violent reaction in me as well. Great skill.
I love this interpretation, AB! And since I wrote the whole thing never really deciding if Miller was a villain or a hero, and the ending was intentionally ambiguous, I think it's as valid as any other interpretation of the ending.
And whoops...I meant to make a paragraph break but submitted my comment instead. Let's try that again.
Can I just add how awesome it is not only when people read your stuff, but when they actually interpret it differently! Seriously, thanks for reading, everyone!
It is a great story. Miller is the one I could most identify with, so inevitably I "sided" with him. But AB has nailed the fine points of the writing in her review. Lovely, lovely!
Lovely review!
What do you see "it" as and why didn't he see "it" coming?
But that may be because I dislike death!fic, or it may be because I saw Miller finding something like a precious gem, something he never thought of ever finding. I guess I indeed put myself into him, because as a Top I've found it consistently difficult and almost impossible to find the kind of bottom I love most to interact with. So I easily can see a Top deciding to risk a lot for that. I myself did once. I also see Miller being quite tired of what he is doing.
It /is/ an extremely well-written story, and incited a quite violent reaction in me as well. Great skill.
Can I just add how awesome it is not only when people read your stuff, but when they actually interpret it differently! Seriously, thanks for reading, everyone!