Good morning, my lovelies. I hope you're ready for another week of two fantabulous reads, because Aradi and Captain Jezebel are ready to rock 'n roll with you. Towels at the ready? Then let's go!
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Aradi presents:
Jasper and Edward have somehow ended up as the canon couple of Slash. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. They're my two favorite characters in canon and my two favorite characters in twific (even if I don't read very many Jasper/Alice fics). I'd be silly not to enjoy them together. However, while much Slash seems to focus on Jasper and Edward, there are excellent fics of other pairings if you go digging. My neverending fic-diving led me to...
Tracking Redemption by shoefreak37
I did a double-take when I saw this fic labeled as "Edward & Demetri." Demetri? Really? Oookay. And me being me, I started reading.
The story picks up as a New Moon AU. Alice has visions of Bella's death and absent future, so Edward runs off to Italy to Volterra-cide himself. He's quickly picked up by the Volturi guard, but luckily for us (and Demetri), Aro decides that another mind-reader is far too valuable to waste. A little bit of extortion later, Edward is the newest member of the guard.
The plot spins from there with the developing relationship between Edward and Demetri, the unfortunate reality of Edward's new job, and the obvious issue of Edward's ubiquitous self-loathing. Edward also has to deal with the possibility that after a hundred years of asexuality, his chaste romance with Bella was a doomed step in the wrong (team's) direction.
Tracking Redemption by shoefreak37
I did a double-take when I saw this fic labeled as "Edward & Demetri." Demetri? Really? Oookay. And me being me, I started reading.
The story picks up as a New Moon AU. Alice has visions of Bella's death and absent future, so Edward runs off to Italy to Volterra-cide himself. He's quickly picked up by the Volturi guard, but luckily for us (and Demetri), Aro decides that another mind-reader is far too valuable to waste. A little bit of extortion later, Edward is the newest member of the guard.
The plot spins from there with the developing relationship between Edward and Demetri, the unfortunate reality of Edward's new job, and the obvious issue of Edward's ubiquitous self-loathing. Edward also has to deal with the possibility that after a hundred years of asexuality, his chaste romance with Bella was a doomed step in the wrong (team's) direction.
"I-I don't think I can. After Bella, I just really shouldn't….I've never even thought of a man in that way," Edward blubbered out, shuffling his feet uncomfortably.
You're lying, Demetri thought. "You can't pretend that your body has never reacted when I am near you. You cannot hide the confusion evident on your face when you wonder why you feel this way," Demetri growled out heatedly, rising to his feet and approaching Edward.
Edward finally found it in himself to look at Demetri 's face, expecting to see it twisted in frustration. Instead, his gaze was met with a tender, empathetic expression. Demetri's eyes shone with feeling, the golden facets winning the battle against the red. He cautiously brought the hands that had so thoroughly pleased yet tormented Edward to the younger man's cheeks, one remaining stationary as the other one reverently traced the lines of his jaw, before settling on the side of his neck. Edward leaned into Demetri's touch, his eyes closing in the overpowering rightness of the smooth skin against his. Demetri used the new leverage to bring Edward within inches of his welcoming lips.
"I know you're confused, E. Let me help you understand," Demetri breathed, the soft whisper of his utterance tickling Edward's trembling lips. Edward parted them slightly, inviting in the exquisitely scented air as it graced his curious tongue, tasting Demetri there. His prior convictions to quell his desires for Demetri were dissolved by the warm, soothing palms on his face, and the only thought in his mind was more.
You're lying, Demetri thought. "You can't pretend that your body has never reacted when I am near you. You cannot hide the confusion evident on your face when you wonder why you feel this way," Demetri growled out heatedly, rising to his feet and approaching Edward.
Edward finally found it in himself to look at Demetri 's face, expecting to see it twisted in frustration. Instead, his gaze was met with a tender, empathetic expression. Demetri's eyes shone with feeling, the golden facets winning the battle against the red. He cautiously brought the hands that had so thoroughly pleased yet tormented Edward to the younger man's cheeks, one remaining stationary as the other one reverently traced the lines of his jaw, before settling on the side of his neck. Edward leaned into Demetri's touch, his eyes closing in the overpowering rightness of the smooth skin against his. Demetri used the new leverage to bring Edward within inches of his welcoming lips.
"I know you're confused, E. Let me help you understand," Demetri breathed, the soft whisper of his utterance tickling Edward's trembling lips. Edward parted them slightly, inviting in the exquisitely scented air as it graced his curious tongue, tasting Demetri there. His prior convictions to quell his desires for Demetri were dissolved by the warm, soothing palms on his face, and the only thought in his mind was more.
Yes! More please!
The background characters are a bonus in this story, as the Volturi more than make up for the absence of the usual Cullens. Heidi is a good friend to both boys. Felix is crass comedic relief. Jane is her usual sociopathic self, while Aro is wonderfully manipulative. When Edward finally thinks of his family again, I realized I hadn't missed them at all.
Having Demetri in the pairing is a bit like having an "Other Character." I mean, how much do we really know of Demetri from canon? Not much. But this Demetri is an interesting character in his own right, and fits what little we do know. He's charming and worldly, and fortunately for us has plenty of experience that he really, really wants to share with Edward.
Tracking Redemption is no fluff piece. There's drama and angst (after all, this is Edward), but with plenty of "more" to soothe away the misery. Best of all, this is a completed fic (with a couple of outtakes). No need to whine until the next update like I once did.
I loved the way this story is crafted because the author takes us back after the prologue. She gives us a chance to follow along with Edward and Jasper as they fall in love. We get to understand why after only a few months together, two men feel so strongly about each other that even when it seems like they have parted forever, they can not move on. They remain haunted by the perfect summer love. The POV changes between Jasper and Edward for each chapter, so we get the best of both worlds when trying to decipher what these boys are feeling and how fast they are falling.
*swoon* Oh those boys are falling hard real fast, and I am stumbling along with them, and I know you will be as well. The fic is still a WiP that is leading up to the point of their separation right now, so there will be heart fail soon, but since mrsyt31 set us up to know this from the prologue, it shouldn’t be that hard to deal with...right?? *looks around nervously* Well if it gets too bad meet me back here, and I’ll pass around the Kleenex while we drown our sorrows in ice cream....deal? Hope to see ya guys just as caught up in the sweet, summer lovin. ;)
P.S. I would just like to say thank you to my amazing friends Naelany and SorceressCirce for being so sweet, and writing two amazing little slashtastic drabble fics for my birthday. (If you haven’t checked those out yet you should peeps, they’re awesome, links in the last Tuesday’s Best post.) Once again ladies you made my day, and they were just what I needed. Love you guys. Also thank you to everyone in the fandom that gave me birthday wishes on twitter, gmail, and reviews I appreciate every single one, and had a big smile on my face all day.
There you have it, folks, two more lovely stories to sink your teeth into.
The background characters are a bonus in this story, as the Volturi more than make up for the absence of the usual Cullens. Heidi is a good friend to both boys. Felix is crass comedic relief. Jane is her usual sociopathic self, while Aro is wonderfully manipulative. When Edward finally thinks of his family again, I realized I hadn't missed them at all.
Having Demetri in the pairing is a bit like having an "Other Character." I mean, how much do we really know of Demetri from canon? Not much. But this Demetri is an interesting character in his own right, and fits what little we do know. He's charming and worldly, and fortunately for us has plenty of experience that he really, really wants to share with Edward.
Tracking Redemption is no fluff piece. There's drama and angst (after all, this is Edward), but with plenty of "more" to soothe away the misery. Best of all, this is a completed fic (with a couple of outtakes). No need to whine until the next update like I once did.
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Hello my lovely slash paramours. Captain Jezebel here, and I am happy to be back this week with a new rec for you. Today’s story is a fic that had made it onto my radar a few weeks back, but because it is a multi chapter I needed to set the time aside to read it. So I decided to save it for a week when I could devote said time. Whatta ya know ? Due to the fact that the wonderful Aradi has joined our staff, I had a week off to read making this the perfect time to direct your attention to Til Summer Comes Around by mrsyt31 .
The Keith Urban song with the same name as the title sets the stage for us in the prologue. The story of love found during the lazy months of summer. A love that ran almost as hot as the burning sun. A kiss, the boardwalk, the Ferris wheel, the Fourth of July, a whirlwind romance that slips away too soon, and the long years of waiting that follow. What would you do if the warmest months of the year brought you both happiness and pain? How would you handle the joy of the memories you hold on to only to have the pain of losing your love seep in and take hold of your heart? This is where we find Edward in present time.
The Keith Urban song with the same name as the title sets the stage for us in the prologue. The story of love found during the lazy months of summer. A love that ran almost as hot as the burning sun. A kiss, the boardwalk, the Ferris wheel, the Fourth of July, a whirlwind romance that slips away too soon, and the long years of waiting that follow. What would you do if the warmest months of the year brought you both happiness and pain? How would you handle the joy of the memories you hold on to only to have the pain of losing your love seep in and take hold of your heart? This is where we find Edward in present time.
It's been two and a half years since he left, and it wasn't long after that when he cut off contact with me altogether. And yet, here I am in Boston, still waiting for him to come back. The beginning of the summer always brings back the pain of his loss. My friends and family have all tried to convince me to move on, and I understand their concern. I've never been someone who stayed alone for very long.
But ever since Jasper, I feel stuck. Our relationship was different than others I had before him; I loved him. I still love him, and so I find myself once again visiting the places we went to during the early part of that summer. It's a ritual of sorts that I have repeated each year, hoping to maybe find some closure, but it never comes.
I loved the way this story is crafted because the author takes us back after the prologue. She gives us a chance to follow along with Edward and Jasper as they fall in love. We get to understand why after only a few months together, two men feel so strongly about each other that even when it seems like they have parted forever, they can not move on. They remain haunted by the perfect summer love. The POV changes between Jasper and Edward for each chapter, so we get the best of both worlds when trying to decipher what these boys are feeling and how fast they are falling.
EPOV:
Sleep did not come easily. Jasper's scent still lingered on my skin, his taste still on my tongue. And it was with thoughts of him writhing beneath me that I finally gave in and stroked myself into oblivion, cumming harder than I ever had before.
His effect on me was like nothing I had ever felt. I had only known him for a matter of hours, and yet, he occupied every corner of my mind. Every touch of his hand had sent shock waves through my body. It was similar to the way the air turns static right before a thunderstorm; when he was near to me, it was as if the air shifted somehow, and I would have known that he was close even if I couldn't see him.
I wanted him badly; I wanted to fuck him senseless and then have him return the favor, but it was more than that. I felt connected to him somehow, more than I had ever felt connected to anyone, and I didn't really even know him. I sighed in frustration as I finally rolled over and allowed my exhaustion to pull me under. Hopefully the morning would bring some clarity.
JPOV:
Wrapping his arms back around my waist, he pulled me close. My fingers found their way to the hair on the back of his head, and I sighed as he kissed me slowly, showing me with his mouth all of the things he couldn't yet say. We both knew on some level that whatever was happening between us would change us both forever; we were inexplicably tied together now. I had never experienced anything of this intensity before, and it was exhilarating, if not a little frightening.
"What's wrong, Jasper?" he whispered against my lips. "You seem tense; not at all like the outgoing, confident guy I met Friday night. Tell me?" he implored.
"I'm afraid that once you leave here that this will all disappear." His expression softened when I confessed my insecurity. "This is so unlike me, I'm sorry. It's just that..." I couldn't finish. I wasn't even sure what I was trying to say.
"Jasper..." he pleaded for me to continue.
"I've known you for two days, Edward. And this?" I said, pointing between the two of us, "This is more intense than anything I have ever felt in my life. I want you, Edward, for more than just this weekend. I've never really wanted anyone, but the thought of losing this scares the shit out of me."
*swoon* Oh those boys are falling hard real fast, and I am stumbling along with them, and I know you will be as well. The fic is still a WiP that is leading up to the point of their separation right now, so there will be heart fail soon, but since mrsyt31 set us up to know this from the prologue, it shouldn’t be that hard to deal with...right?? *looks around nervously* Well if it gets too bad meet me back here, and I’ll pass around the Kleenex while we drown our sorrows in ice cream....deal? Hope to see ya guys just as caught up in the sweet, summer lovin. ;)
P.S. I would just like to say thank you to my amazing friends Naelany and SorceressCirce for being so sweet, and writing two amazing little slashtastic drabble fics for my birthday. (If you haven’t checked those out yet you should peeps, they’re awesome, links in the last Tuesday’s Best post.) Once again ladies you made my day, and they were just what I needed. Love you guys. Also thank you to everyone in the fandom that gave me birthday wishes on twitter, gmail, and reviews I appreciate every single one, and had a big smile on my face all day.
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Don't forget, there are still contests going on that I just know you could give a slashy swing to. One's easy, since it's the Slash/Backslash 2.0. There's already some amazing reads there, but I just know you can come up with some fuckhot stories, too. Come on...you know you want to!
And the other is the Plot Bunny Contest. Submit (hehe) plot bunnies, or apply to get some. Either way, you can still join in on the fun. Contest closes on July 31st!
1 comment:
Tracking Redemption is my all time favourite twific. I could read it over and over. It still amazes me how well structured the story is and how well it flows, for something that was written and posted serially.
Great to see it recc'd here!
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