Georg & Elsa: Yes or No?

and yet, in order to do so, there had to be a woman involved. well, at least in a majority of those times. but we don't have to bring max into this, do we? *sound of a worm can opening*

as much as we like to romanticize the past, casual sex is not a modern invention.

to be honest, i think there is a valid argument for both sides, so no matter how it is written, it works. i wonder if while in vienna it would have been elsa's responsibility for arranging for a chaparone... you know, being on her turf and all. while it is clear that elsa knows max, it is clear that he is really georg's friend. so maybe in vienna, elsa had one of her friends stay with them. what kind of interesting person would that be, i wonder...

... a beautiful socialite, secretly on the prowl?
... Victor the part time ski instructor, part time pool boy adonis?
... josephina, her deaf, blind and mute great aunt?

does anyone else get that jittery feeling when an idea for a fanfic pops out of nowhere?

OH, yes, I remember that mistress fic, it might have been Sandra's. And the class divide is why, lemacd, you can go ahead and zip that can of worms back up, because an individual woman can be with more than one man, last time I checked. And I think these were women who, well ,maybe viewed one way they were victims, but there's also an argument that they enjoyed a certain degree of independence and, well, fun. It's a complicated question. I think G would have had a long period of feeling dead, yes, but that eventually certain instincts would kick in, and I wanted him to act on those instincts precisely so he could be reminded of what he's lost and then be glad to find it again. Angst would be my middle name if, you know, my name were really augiesannie.

"Casual sex is not a modern invention" made me smile.

As did the alternative chaperone candidates. Honestly, I think Max was "just for show."

And I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets that jittery feeling.

Does the 'It's Complicated' option in the poll cater for Georg and Elsa getting together at the villa, say when Maria returns to the abbey, and just at the opportune moment, Georg suffers an equipment failure (like Lemacd's 'he CAN'T'), because he can't put M out of his mind?

i.e. they do, but they don't?

Sorry to be so obtuse.

I re-read what you initially posted about Max and I got it.... But now I wish I hadn't ... (Eewwww!)

Yes! I liked what you did in "Thoughts" utility.

I just remembered a fic from a while back where the plot went according to the movie up to the end of the gazebo and when G and M went back inside, Elsa was leaving and she collapses and they find out she is pregnant (so obvious G and E action prior to film). Then G breaks up with M but then E asks M to stay to help with the baby which she does (like... what the? How cruel is that to Maria?) can't remember what happened after that but I don't think the fic ever got finished...

I remember utility voting that way just before publishing that chapter, and being on the edge of my seat waiting to see how she'd explain her answer, and equipment failure never entered my mind.

That's what I thought you meant lemacd 

And as I said before, I definitely don't think Georg would have had a problem (I mean, look at the man.... If that's not sexy, I don't know what is...)

Ha ha ha! But really, do you EVER need an excuse to go back to that picture?

...I was only trying to be funny, actually. Which is hard to do electronically!
I'm glad we came back to this thread, it was worth revisiting!

You'll be gone for weeks!

I've been arguing with myself over this one for yeeeears...

Every bit of logic I can apply says they were lovers. It just makes sense.

But at the same time, I can't see Georg leveling that amount of disrespect toward Elsa, as I think he is fully aware that any liaisons he has between Agathe's death and ultimately marrying Maria would have been more of the "use it and lose it" variety in a desperate attempt to feel something, anything. I think the way I tend to look at it now is that he probably gave in to a few women before he and Elsa became a serious item in her circles, but after that, he kept it courtly and gentlemanly. There's something about how Elsa handles herself with him, too, that leans me more toward a no.

It's bloody complicated, though, because the pendulum can so easily swing either way. *sigh* I don't think I'll ever come to a decision on this one.

That would be great @charleybec!

cass, I think I come pretty close to your theory - empty encounters, then trying to change the dynamic with Elsa - Elsa does have this very subtle provocativeness, as though she's a lady but reminding him what lies beneath (and there is that uncomfortable moment when she puts herself out there emotionally and he kind of flinches away from it). I did write a story in which G&E were together once, after M runs away, and he's trying to convince himself that this is going to be good enough, that it's all he deserves. It's a caddish thing to do to Elsa, I know. But let's face it, Elsa and Max are functional characters. I wish them the best. A little worried about how Max is going to fare with the Nazis.

In the car today I briefed my husband on this whole discussion. I think he most enjoyed my retelling of utility_singer's Vienna interlude. I could not quite pin him down on the poll question, though.