This is one of the best Mello/Matt stories I've read. I like that you focus their angst mostly on the lack of time left rather than solely on their potential relationship or Mello's fear/disdain for God. You also brought fond memories of living in the UK for me, as I loved walking around Reagents Park and heading down to Harrods for sushi and champaign. Beautiful descriptions and good pace. I'm often not fond of duel perspective stories, but it was well balanced here. Perhaps the characters were a bit extreme in their responses to things, but I have to remember that they are young and desparate. Anyway, thanks for writing this, and keep at it! Happy writing!

This story is very very beautiful. Heartwrenchingly so. I don't know, the sheer emotion just keepp chocking me as I type, it is the feeling that what they could've had that grapples at my neck with iron-strong hold that it literally suffocates me. Briliant paragraphs; I couldn't help but felt sucked into the story with every words I read. Vivid descriptions that made me visualize everything that you wrote; from the Thames and the swans, the backdoor of the Opera house, the calming lights in Japan, the old Cathedral, even the headless statue of Saint Peter.
The way Matt had wanted to kick the ducks was funny? I don't know how should I put it, but it was an incredible way to show how irritated Matt was that the whole thing just couldn't leave my head.
Oh, and the cigarretes. Indonesian 'Djarum something-or-other' as you put it, how do you know that? Forgive me I can't think of a nice way to ask this: are you Indonesian? Or by any way related to one? I was thrilled when I read that Matt had bought Indonesian cigarettes; it was the sense of familiarity that had me pleasantly surprised. I just think that you must've had a lasting memory with the thing that you put it in Tristan Chord. I'm getting seriously off topic here, sorry. _
The whole bit I'm trying to say is, awesome story, I could practically feel the effort you put into it, because heck, 'awesome' will never do Tristan Chord justice. Hell, if I were to review the worth of ten pages of microsoft word with times new roman font 9, it won't even feel enough.
Good luck on further updates. :) thanks a truck for writing this story.

Just a warning to all, a group called Critics United is currently going around and mass reporting on Any story they deem to be breaking FF rules. This includes, but is not limited to: stories with MA or above rated content, though now they're claiming any kind of lemon is breaking the rules, Songfic's, any story that seems “Semi-hostile” to them, and any stories with polls, authors notes, or otherwise in place of an actual chapter update, you could even end up accidentally putting your story into what they view as being the “incorrect category” and they’ll report you for it. The stories are being deleted with little to no warning given, often within hours of one of their members locating it. If you want try to help stop the "cleansing" of this site and protest their bullying go to: www . change petitions/ fanfiction-net-stop-the-destruction-of-fanfiction-net and sign the petition in hopes of helping to stop the destruction of FF . net! Also, in case your interested, theirs places like: eternal destiny . net, media miner, inuyasha-fanfiction . com, archive of our own . org, and adult fanfiction . net where you could post your stories as a back up, but hopefully you won't have to worry about it to begin with!

Actually. Fucking. Cried.

Thiss one of the best fics that ive ever read. It was so deep and beautiful in such a tragic way. You really know how to transmit the feelings. Congratulations.

I've long been content with referring to myself as a writer since, well, I do love to write, but you, SlvrSoleAlchmst1, have managed - in seven chapters, no less! - to make me feel so unworthy of the title. This is, by far, the best take I've ever seen on the MattxMello relationship, and how the...experience...they could have shared was so cruelly ripped from their grasped. Nothing cheap or cheesy, nothing overly dressed up and done, just pure and raw emotion and a plot so enthralling I couldn't tear myself away. This story of yours is undoubtedly painful but beautiful, and I raise a glass to you -well done!

This story deserves so much more adoration. You're obviously a stellar writer, and it shows. You've written such a very amazingly good and bittersweet and sad story, and it actually hurts to read the ending. The whole time I was reading it, part of me hoped you'd deviate from canon in the end, give them a happy ending, even though not only would the story be much less powerful, but the category is blatantly listed as tragedy.

I always feel awkward reviewing years-old stories, but I can't just not say anything. I feel bad for not finding this fic sooner.

... I literally sat in front of my computer screen for three minutes in silence in awe at your gorgeous, heart-wrenching story. the dimensions and level of depth with which you have portrayed these two most underrated, yet dynamic, characters, just boggles my mind. your extensive vocabulary and metaphors just enhanced the quality of their ambivalent, pained yet desirous emotions; it's literally akin to poetry in prose form. just a simple "good job" is nowhere near enough to praise this story.

Literally Speechless*

*

*

*

*

OMG, that was so good!

I just wanted to let you know that you have an astoundingly beautiful vocabulary, and that this story was also heart-breakingly gorgeous.

Nice allusions to Mello's faith especially in the last sentence.

I also like how you made just a kiss contain so much more than if it was just a sex scene. I've only seen a few authors do that but each time it's been more effective than straight up yaoi lemon.

Respect!

This one really got under my skin. It gave me shivers. I had to stop reading several times - just could not go on without making breaks to recollect myself.

The reason why "Tristan Chord" moved me so much is: it is *so* true. In the manga (and the anime), we never got really close to Mello, and we got to know almost nothing about Matt. You made them *real*, meaning: real people like the ones you meet at the grocery store or at the train station - only much more interesting than your everyday chance meeting. ;)

But this feeling of truthfulness and reality surmounts the whole Matt-Mello-thing. You managed to portray real life in all its inevitable painfulness and tragedy, real people in all their erratic stubbornness, their incapacity to voice their feelings at the right moment, and the ... well, general fucked-upness of it all.

And, yet, it was *beautiful*. Matt and Mello both behave like assholes through most of the story, yet I cannot help myself but love them - as they could not help themselves but love each other.

I listened to the prelude of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" several times while reading the story. It fits perfectly. So beautiful and yet so sad ...

You have a wonderful gift for creating atmosphere. I totally loved the church scene and all the Wammy reminiscences.

The last chapter really broke my heart. I sincerely hope that there is a place, sometime, somewhere, where they will meet again and have a chance to start anew. Alas, I don't believe in such places ...

Thank you so much for writing and sharing this awesome story! :)

I couldn't hold back the tears when I read the one last sentence that Mello at least spoke to himself without being interrupted: "Matt, don't be unnecessarily reckless, because I'll find you again and we'll start over." Wish they had had a second chance. Great, great story.

Words cannot describe how this made me feel.

matt thinks "this world is rotten" same as canon-light always does. was that one of your nuances? that's great.