#cuz she DID think it was numbuh 1

[shit-taster-connoisseur]

Funny meme laugh

[roguephenon]

I know I have already gushed a lot about your interesting character dynamics but I want to have a special focus over your portrayal of love in this fic both platonic and romantic. Huge spoilers!!

Apologies if I sound insane or ramble-y but a lot of the decisions made by certain characters in this fic reminds me of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice if you’re viewing it from the angle that Orpheus loved her to much to resist turning around to look back at her. I’m fact, Nigel’s refusal to turn his back on his friends and eventually Rachel is what kicks off a lot of the plot! Wally would rather risk everything because he couldn’t stand not being able to have memories to look back on. Numbuh Beyond’s story may be a tragedy but Infinity still looks back because he still cares enough about her and the vision she wanted for the Knd.

Whether it’s love for your chosen people, your cause or just your childhood in general, you also show that one can look back and move forward at the same time. Because if you don’t do one or the other, you end up stuck in place. With an example being the delightful children who want to forget everything so bad but not being able to move forward from the unaddressed hurt and then you have the extreme example in Father who refuses to look back (because it makes him look weak) and move forward (because it would require taking some accountability).

On a lighter unrelated but also kinda related note because while I understand that romance is merely a fun lil side treat and not the main dish, the romantic in me did like what I read like kicking my feet and twirling my hair type of business ☝️. ngl man you could be writing any dynamic and I’d be like ok now hold on…let him COOK. Cuz I was always neutral with 362/1 cuz I do have a softer spot for moonbabes but it narratively made sense within the premise like ok friends to enemies to lovers now that’s some dramaaa. If I had a nickel for every time Nigel has chemistry with a hardworking headstrong spy, I’d have two nickels like ok he definitely has a type lmao. Oh and don’t get me started about the doomed dynamic that haunts the narrative with Infinity and Beyond like HELLO??? I mean people will know of Beyond but will they ever know the full story…I feel so ILL…Alexa play silver springs by fleetwood mac. And how they understood each other but only when it was too late…I’m beyond pained for an infinity (in a good way)…I gotta know what the planning stage was like with this specific relationship cuz it’s one that’s truly spread across the narrative ever so subtly???

Never worry about apologizing! I love your questions and analysis, and every writer/creator loves hearing what people think! There are so many things I’m curious to hear people’s thoughts about so never be afraid to sound too insane or ramble. It’s highly encouraged here!

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is one of my favorites and I love the connection you pointed out. But looking back and moving forward is a big theme of the story so I definitely approve of this comparison :3.

I’m very flattered of your reaction to the romance and very glad to hear you enjoyed it and it came off well! I definitely treat romance as more as a side dish in my writing, but as with everything else, I try and treat it with meticulous attention and care. Becuase if I’m putting it in there, it’s gotta be good and serve the overall plot.

(and thank you for liking the 362/1 ship here. I used to have anxieties about pushing it, but I’ve had a lot of non-362/1 say they’ve really liked the dynamic here so I must be doing something right 😅)

The planning stage for Infinity and Beyond’s relationship was very intense, emotional, and painful. It had to be figured out first because, yes, it is something that turned into a crux of the narrative. One that I took great deal in making sure that it made sense retroactively as well.

I think the last update on CR before chapter 18 was 8 or 9 years ago??? Whenever 2016 was. Back then, Numbuh Beyond didn’t exist, I considered Cold Reception abandoned, and I had no intention of writing any more KND fanfics. Numbuh Beyond came to be sometime in 2023 when I changed my mind.