What’s the opposite of a wussperv? That’s definitely what I am. If you know me at all, you’ll know I thrive on (literary) drama. Angst. I crave it. I need it. I love it. I love my HEA’s but only if they’ve been well and truly earned.
But on rare occasion, a fic will come along that defies all logic and pulls me in despite the fluff level being set on stuffed bunny rabbit and the characters relying on witty humor to make me care about them. I’m sure you’ve read some of these fun fics with little to no angst and a lot of laughs.
Enter Love in Idleness by the wonderful wordsmith Twanza.
I first found Twanza when a mutual reader rec’ed both her story, Pressed for Time. co-written by the lovely Chele681, and one of my bazillion fics over at A Different Forest. I was instantly in love with her. I love words and appreciate those who can string the same words together in a way that makes me say – yes, exactly this. There are people who can make these simple black and white letters transform into settings so vibrant, you can see and smell and taste the surroundings like you’re walking beside Edward or Jasper or Bella, etc. Her characters don’t tell you of their pain or their struggles, instead they suck you in, making your heart pang with sympathy and your head nod because – hey, we’ve all been there.
Love in Idleness turns the typical angsty teenager fic on its nose. You’re not going to find the jaded, sexed up teens this fandom is so fond of here. Certainly, the real world is full of those kids, but there were also those teens in high school that hadn’t quite left their childhood behind. They were still innocent: growing up, but not quite there yet. Personally, when I was in high school, I wasn’t one of them, but I knew they existed. This is our Edward and Bella at the beginning of this fic.
Enter Edward with a brilliance that a school system in a town the size of Forks just can’t occupy, a mischievous smile that hasn’t quite realized its potential for sexy arrogance, and a crush on the new girl, Bella Swan. And uh…oh yeah. Edward is FOURTEEN.
Babyward! I squeaked. But I didn’t squick.
Edward is perfectly portrayed here. You can see he’s going to be a sexy beast… in a few years. This is a glimpse of what the dear Edward we all know and love must have been like when his shoulders weren’t bowed with guilt and his cocky attitude not borne of boy who’d seen too much. He’s vaguely superior but also a little bungling. He is most definitely a fourteen year old kid. You can tell if you give him a few years, he’s going to be quite the catch.
Bella and I? We find ourselves full of smit. Bella is fighting it – an upperclassman with a crush on a Freshman? Surely not. I, however, am charmed. Bella isn’t as old as she thinks she is either. I find myself wanting to pat her cheek and tell her that in a few years, the whole world will look different.
These kids? I can’t wait to see how they turn out.
It’s a good time to get into this fic as I have it on good authority these kids are about to come of age. Considering their foundation – playful, somewhat inept, innocent flirtation – I can’t wait to see what their like when they become aware of their sexiness. I’m going to enjoy watching their twitterpated stumbling evolve into … well…Edward and Bella.
So amidst all the hardcore smut and heavy angst you’re reading, take some time for a whimsical tale that will make you grin and giggle and blush like a school girl. I know I don’t regret it.
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