I'm doing this thing right now where instead of researching/writing a paper for grad school, I've been binge watching Burn Notice again. Although, apparently, I stopped watching when it was originally airing on USA after Nate was killed (for one reason or another), so I just finished season 7 for the first time, and emotionally, I am REELING.

ANYWAY I'm glad I made the decision to come back to FFN for the first time in, like, a decade? Because this fic is incredible. I know it's just a short little thing, but it packs so much punch, and does the whole "Michael the Spy" tone so well. Two lines in particular straight up punched me in the spleen:

"Michael? Michael Westen? That's the guy in the back of the class whose name has to be called twice by the teacher. Some of them think he's a little slow, some of them think he's a little too smart. None of them ask about the bruises."

Just, ugh. So good. So painful. And:

"He's not stupid enough to tell her that; she wouldn't care but she'd smile and cant her head to the side and she'd be winning again. He thinks he could love her, he's just not sure either of them would survive it."

EMOTIONS.

I know you wrote this forever ago, but I just wanted to leave a (not very coherent, apparently) comment on how much I loved this. Thank you for making my venture back to this hell site so very worth it.

Interesting and very much in the style of the show.

Very smart

This is really good! I like all of the twists and the wording is gorgeous. You tie everything in really well with great flow. Really complex and fantastic character building. A joy to read.

Really liked this.

I loved this.

wow! This is a cool story! I love how its one name but you turned it into so many others! Absolutely amazing

Check out this story! Its amazing too! You would like it. It wont disappoint :)

s/6401910/1/Remember

This is so very well written: smart, sharp, and it sounds like it could have been taken straight out of an episode. You also did a good job with Michael's characterization and how he sees himself in all of his covers. Brilliant!

"He thinks he could love her, he’s just not sure either of them would survive it."

There's alot of great lines in this piece, but that one's my favorite. Bravo!

Hm. It makes me feel like I'm watching an actual episode, and for that, I say, a job well done. It's oneshots like this that encourages me to continue writing my own fics and fanfics, which you can add to bragging rights. Just don't brag about it P.

I've found that the more I read, the more my self esteem seems to shrink. Another incredible oneshot that starts with something so simple and expands to a greater idea, an overarching theme, but doesn't go so far as to overburden the reader with anything beyond what it was originally written to express. Does that make sense? It does in my head, but ideas don't always translate into words the way I'd like them to (hence my envy of your obvious talent). I love it.

-SushiChica

Oo tricky! Character insight mixed into a bigger theme of the name and what it realizes. Very good! because Michael isnt the kind of man to pick a fake name on a whim. I like it!

Definitely interesting concept - very in character for how we know Michael so far. I like the structure too.

"Call them whatever they call themselves.

They’ll think it’s worked."

Word.

This was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Your prose is clear and your central idea is golden. Thank you for writing this.

What a great fic this is! Interesting from a spy perspective, but also very revealing as to Michael (Mike, Mikey)'s character. I thought the line about Sam drinking and tanning three days after death was hilarious! Very nice job!