Tuesday's Best 8-2-2011

Good morning, y'all, hope you're having a grand day today. There's lot's going on lately, so let's get straight to the point, shall we? So, grab your towels, fresh panties, and go see what Aradi and I have found for you this week.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Tuesday's Best 8-24-2010

Good morning, you fine folk out there in Twidom. Hope you're having a great start to your day. Aradi and I have found another couple of gems to share with you, so I hope you're well prepared with the usual amenities required for recs from TU: towels, fresh panties, and plenty of Kleenex. Oh yes, you will need those. Here we go!

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

I’m a firm believer that everything is improved with a little bit of slash.

True Blood seasons one and two?  Definitely good.  Slashtastic season three?  The best yet.

Black Dagger Brotherhood?  Sure the early books were good, but things got way more interesting after the Vishous/Butch tease.

Supernatural?  Enough said.

Why shouldn’t fanfic be the same way?

Twinned (by Conversed) is labeled “slash” in the summary, but it isn’t (yet, at least) what I’d call a true slash story.  There isn’t (yet... at least...) a main slash pairing, and who knows if there will be.  But you know, that’s okay, because what’s there is a little bit slashy allllll over the place.

I confess I first tried this fic with skepticism.  The premise, that Edward has a twin brother Masen, seemed a quirky way to give us two Edwards, but I was immediately sucked in by the glory that is Jasper.

I had to mash a few heads, truth be told, but a man's got to do what a man's got to do and most likely, as my Daddy said, wearing a kilt weren't always going to be a crowd pleaser. I don't care what anyone says, once you've worked a skirt, propped your shitkickers up on the highest rung on one of Mr. Banner's biology lab stools, and just let your junk hang in full view of the first soul who bends to pick up a pencil, it's all worth it.

That shit never gets old.

I've gotten more sex, of all varieties, wearing a skirt in this motherfucking, sorry assed school than the rest of the jocks combined. Y'all know it.

 

While this story is supposedly about the twins, it’s the pansexual Jasper who carries the show.  He sees all and knows all (and ogles all and kisses all).  His voice is hilarious, wise, and irreverent, and when he isn’t too busy eye-fucking someone, he does whatever he can to help out his messed-up collection of friends and family.

 

My main worry with Edward and Masen was that they would literally be two Edwards, but the characters are distinct and developed.  They’re damaged (swoon) and end up bonded beyond what twins normally are.

Their adoptive parents encouraged them to try out for different teams or to excel in different instruments, reminding the boys that they would need to forge individual identities eventually. Perhaps because of their early profound loss they resented and resisted any efforts, no matter how kindly composed, to part them.

In all things, Edward chose Masen and Masen chose Edward.

 

Until they don’t, and that’s where this story picks up.  When something (guess who!) finally comes between this particular set of twins, it’s a devastating Pandora’s box of fallout.  Luckily Jasper is there to recognize everyone’s defect and try to sort it out.  Jasper’s way of “sorting” just happens to be very handsy (and lips-y and cuddle-y...).

"Stop."

His voice is a hot, damp command in my ear. I'm pinned and realize that my face is wet, my chest is heaving but I can't get any air in. None at all. He lifts himself off my chest and the rush of air is such a fucking relief. I choke and roll onto my front, feeling the damp grass under my face, cooling it.

Jasper is still on me though; he's stretched out alongside me with one long leg across the backs of my thighs, one arm heavy across my back, hand on my far shoulder. When he talks I realize that his mouth is right against my ear. His hot breath coasts over me as he speaks and for a while I don't hear what he says.

I just feel.

I feel the weight of him anchoring me down while my brain spins out of control, I feel his hand against my shoulder; patting, then rubbing, then running down to the small of my back as he talks. I can barely hear him as his hand slips under my shirt and travels slowly up my spine, fingers tracing each vertebrae so lightly that I'm not sure whether I'm imagining it.

 

This seems to be Jasper’s approach to just about everyone, boy or girl, and honestly it’s fantastic.

If you need your slash with a clear, slash main pairing and NC17 action, this may not be the fic for you.  I can’t say if any of these boys end up together, or if we get any action beyond kissing and the rampant UST and lust.  I don’t want to ask Conversed either and spoiler it for myself!  But if you read non-slash stories, and agree that everything would be better if the world were a little slashier (and Jasper wore a kilt and guyliner) then you should try Twinned.

 

One thing to add...  I’m part of a “generation” of twi-fic readers who hated slash, for whatever reason, until All I Ever Knew.  Twinned might also be a good fic to ease the slash-virgins over to the dark side.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~

Our sweet, loveable TwiBoy has done it again! He’s managed to sweep me completely up in his latest story, and it’s chaptered, to boot! Which means, there’s more coming. Woohoo!

What story is it, you ask? Why, it’s Dear Agony, of course! It’s going to be a slash story, though it doesn’t start out as one.

Emmett and Rosalie are happily married, and parents to an adorable two-year old Bella. They end up in a very bad car accident. Rosalie and Bella don’t survive it, leaving a crushed Emmett - in more ways than one - to pick up the pieces of his life. Jasper, Rosalie’s brother, is constantly by his side, even though he’s been anything but friendly to Emmett throughout the years of Emmett’s marriage to Rosalie. They’re all they have left, and that’s why they end up leaning heavily on each other.

Or is it?

I give fair warning now. You will need Kleenex, and lots of it. Twiboy manages to wrench your heart in so many ways, you’ll be left gasping and begging for more. At least I was. The emotions portrayed run deep, and though there are several times where I want to smack the shit out of both Emmett and Jasper, you can’t help but want to hug them, too.

"Shhh, I'm here," he says, tightening his arms around me. "Everything's gonna be okay, Emmett."

I break down then, pulling him completely against me as I sob into his t-shirt. "That's what I told my Bella...right before...and it wasn't. I lied...I couldn't help her, Jasper!"

"Em, the accident wasn't your fault-"

"I shouldn't have called for a ride. I shouldn't have ridden with Jake to work, I should have driven myself. If I drove, Rose and Bella would never have been in the car, wouldn't have had to come get me-"

Jasper grips my shoulders and shakes me, hard. "Emmett, stop! You can't keep doing this! Do you hear yourself? If it was you, my sister would be widow, my niece wouldn't have a father. Do you honestly think that would be a good thing?"

"They'd still be here," I growl, shoving him away before rolling over to the edge of the bed to sit up.

Not thinking, I stand up off the mattress before crippling pain in my hips causes me to drop like lead to my bedroom floor. Jasper is immediately at my side assessing the damage.

"Christ, Emmett, what were you thinking? You can't just hop up like you're Superman."

"Don't you think I fucking know that?" I snap. "I'm in a broken pile on the floor, I think that establishes the fact that I'm anything but Superman."

 

The grief both these boys feel runs deep, and yet Jasper is there for Emmett, time and again. Though Emmett is a stubborn shit, refusing to heal because he feels it’s his penance for their death. Jasper tries to help as best he can, but you can only tell a brick wall to move so many times, before you have to get a wrecking ball to do some of the work for you ;-). This wrecking ball goes by the name of Edward Cullen, who’s Emmett’s new physiotherapist.

 And that’s all you’re going to get out of me. The rest you’ll have to read for yourself. Remember to grab that box of Kleenex!

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

That's it for this week, folks! Hope you enjoy these reads as much as we do! Be sure to leave both authors some love.

Voting is on for the Slash/Backslash 2.0. Be sure to get yours in! Every single one counts :-)

Tuesday's Best 8-3-2010

Good morning, my loves! I hope today finds you well rested, and ready for some new goodies, because Miss Aradi and I have a few things up our sleeves today. So sit back, grab a towel, have some Kleenex ready just in case (because come on, you know us by now), and let's get started.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I hate recommending fics that haven’t gotten very far.  I know I suffer when stories slip into the limbo of non-updates, so I certainly wouldn’t wish that on a fellow reader.  Then again, when it’s a fic without a lot of reviews, maybe an early rec will help keep the writer inspired?

With that in mind, this week I chose A Tale of Two Cities, the first fic by TruceOver.

A Tale is an Emmett and Edward fic, a pairing we need to see more often (along with Carlisle and Edward... Seth and Edward... Hmm... )

Oops.  Where was I?

Oh right, Emmett and Edward.  Besides the pairing, this story has a lot going for it.  The backstory and characters are interesting.  The boys (men!) are adults and professionals, which is a nice change from the (canon, but tiring) plethora of high school/college fics.  These guys aren’t futzing through coming out;  They have lives.

And they have an attraction.  At the very least, Emmett does, as they meet while traveling for work.  He stalks the mostly-oblivious Edward through most of the first chapter, with the best of intentions of course.

"Business or pleasure?"

I almost laugh out loud at myself - I've just used the cheesiest opening line possible in an airport.

I die inside just a little as I wait for his response, but am rewarded when the corner of his mouth twitches up into a smile.
"Business." He says, and glances down at my lips again.

So life is good, right?  They’ve met.  Edward’s apparently playing for the correct team.  Things should be sunshine and roses and hotel beds from there.... right?

Not so much.

This is my chance, probably my last one, to make some sort of connection with the stranger. So I go for it.

"Would you like to get a drink?" I smile cautiously at him, letting him know that I know I'm being forward, and that I hope he thinks it's ok.

He looks stunned, as if he isn't the most handsome man ever and doesn't get asked out for drinks all the time.

"I…" His eyes move down to look at his shoes, and yet again I feel like I'm going to die inside.

"I don't do…that." He finishes.

I try to make a joke of it, laugh it off, keep it light.

"Do what? Drink? I'm pretty sure the bar will have coke of something else…" I trail off, clinging to what little hope remains.

His face snaps up, and his green eyes lock with mine, determined.

"I don't go for drinks. I don't date. I don't do any of it."

And therein lies the cockblocking mystery.  Poor, poor Emmett.

One thing that makes this pairing so appealing for me, beyond just the relief of not having to keep straight the details of yet another Jaspward in a sea of Jaspwards, is that it is nice to be in Emmett’s head.  He’s sincere.  He’s straightforward.  He’s a little bit stupid sometimes.  He’s mostly happy, but could be happier if Edward would just have a damn drink with him.  And when he does (oh no, a spoiler!) Emmett is stupidly happy. The emo boys are always my favorites, but everyone needs a little dose of simple and happy sometimes.

A Tale only has five chapters so far, but I hope for many, many more.  I’d like to see Emmett and Edward be happy together (even stupidly so).

~*~*~*~*~*~

Some of you might know that it was my birthday last Saturday, and my lovely partner-in-slash got a bunch of people together and put up a blog which was filled to the brim with stories (Thank you, everyone, so very much). I’ve still not made my way through all of them, but there are two that I’d like to share with you, because they made me stupid giddy and they are both slash-cherry-poppers! So yeah, had to share my prezzies as they are both from very lovely ladies, and talented to boot! ;-)

The first is from Twislash Unveiled’s very own Captain Jezebel! She donned her writing cap and wrote not just a short story (it’s almost 10k!), but she wrote...Emmett & Paul! I love a good pairing, and though I’m absolutely in love with Edward & Jasper like most people are...I honest to God love when the focus is on alternate pairings. Jezzie being the wonderful friend that she is, knew this, and got out of her comfort zone just for me. Not only in writing something, or even of the slash variety, but about someone other than our favorite boys. Love! *mwah*!

As I said, it’s about Emmett, and not just any old Emmett, but an Emmett who is - are you ready for this - a dance instructor! Yum! May I Please Have This Dance tells about Emmett who is, together with his dance and business partner Rose, having to teach a very reluctant and obnoxious Paul to dance for his wedding to Rachel.

Before she could get the words out of her mouth, the rude angry dude started flapping his gums again, asking questions. It took me a second to realize his questions were directed at me.

"Wha…?" I asked, dumbstruck.

"I asked if your little woman is forcing these frou-frou dance lessons on you, too? Don't know why they want us to do this silly shit, but whatever keeps them happy, right? Don't need a chick turning into a nag before you even marry her. Got yourself a hottie there, wouldn't want to make her mad either…smart man. So where is this teacher? I bet it's some old bird or a knob jockey."

You follow along, through Emmett’s memories, the story of how things develop with Paul, what realizations are come to, and what actions are taken. I don’t want to give you too much more, but trust me...as much as you start out just wanting to maim Paul for being a complete and utter douche (which, admittedly, I did), you’ll learn through Emmett’s eyes that things aren’t always as they seem - at least not for the reasons you think. Give it a shot! And leave the woman some  well deserved lovin’! Thanks again, for these wonderful boys, Jezzie!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Now, I know this isn’t how we usually do things around here, but I’m taking the liberty today, because I can’t not share this.

Show of hands. Who here loves a good vampfic? Even better, a good Edward/Jasper vampfic? I know I do, and I know that they can be hard to find (I Wept Not, for example, is an excellent vampfic), so when the lovely Shalu wrote me Maelström, I did some major squealing. Like, getting weird looks from the husbeast-squealing. Not kidding.

 

Shalu, whom I know from a forum we both hang out in, is a wonderful author, and has a knack for coming up with great twists and turns in all her stories. She’s a master (in my humble opinion) at crackfic (if y’all haven’t read it yet, check out Ed, Jas, and Em & The OnCrotch Call Center. If you’re not laughing your ass off before you’re halfway through the first chapter, you need your funny bone checked), does excellent darkfic (Echoes of the Second Hand). In other words, she’s a lady of many, many talents, and I was lucky enough to have her write some slashy goodness for me. And she’s going to continue it! Seriously stupid giddy-times ensued when she agreed to do so. Kid you not.

 

Oh, well, you want a peek into Maelström? I suppose I can do that ;-)

Jasper’s stranded in some foul weather and is looking for shelter, help, anything. When he stumbles upon a house that’s tucked away between some trees, he finds something he never expected to come across again.

Somewhere behind the door, I heard the soft notes of a what I imagined to be a baby grand floating about the house. Something about the melody was familiar and nearly knocked the wind out of me. For a moment, I forgot about the cold, leaning sideways to press my ear to the wood. A strange pressure began building in my chest, rapidly growing uncomfortable. I stepped back.

Hesitantly, I swung the brass ring in the lion's mouth, striking the plate three times. I felt like an idiot for not checking the weather before heading out on my motorcycle, but I was so antsy to get out, I just left.

The music slowed before it stopped. Footsteps took up the rhythm of the music, getting louder as they reached the door. When it swung open, my heart dropped to my feet.

"Edward."

The first boy I ever kissed. The only person I ever loved.

"Jasper." He stared back at me, mouth agape and his eyes dark and wide. "What are you doing here?"

 

What happened to his first love, his only love? Will Edward let him in, offer help? Why are his eyes so dark, when Jasper remembers a boy with bright green eyes? Will Jasper get his answers, and if he does, will he be allowed to walk away alive? Will he want to?

 

Go check it out and leave her some love, and be sure to put her on alert ;-)

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

I hope you enjoyed these lovely stories, and that we've given you something to tie you until we're back next Tuesday with more of the best we can lay our greedy little hands on. Be sure to give some love to these wonderful women. 

Also, don't forget to check out the Slash/Backslash 2.0 that's still going on. It's not too late to enter (8/15 is cut off), so there's still time to come up with that brilliant little gem and give it a go. I know there's more slashy goodness out there, and you're dying to share it with the rest of us. Right? ;-)

Tuesday's Best 7-27-2010

Good morning, lovelies. I hope you're all well rested and ready for another beautiful day? Do you have all your supplies at hand? Kleenex? Towels? Change of undies? Yes? Alright, let's see what the good Captain and I have been able to scrounge up for you this week then, shall we? (Can I put any more sentences that end with a ? in the beginning of this post? ;-))

~*~*~*~*~*~

Greetings and lots of kisses to my slashy peeps. Captain Jezebel back again with the pleashuh of recc’ing  another slashstanding story for ya.  So many awesome drabbles and one shots debuted on fanfic.net these past few weeks, and I have loved reading so many of them. I had a little trouble trying to figure out which one I wanted to feature this week, but as the ever wonderful Naelany advised: Do one now and then you’ll have something ready for your next rec. Oh she is ever so wise, so that’s what I did.

Today’s fic of choice was written by the lovely ArcadianMaggie . White Blaze to Lone Star was her contribution to the Fics for Nashville flood relief compilation. I have to say, those that donated, and got to read this story sooner are quite lucky fandom folk. ArcadianMaggie is the amazing writer behind I Wept Not , a fic that has seemed to capture the slash reading population of this fandom, including the ladies here. Needless to say I was very excited to read this piece.

White Blaze to Lone Start is E/J, all human, all scruffy (more on that later), and all sexy. While getting his undergrad at Dartmouth, Edward became an outdoors-man of sorts, falling in love with backpacking on his first hiking trip. From the very first paragraph you can tell the author knows what she is talking about, and I suspect she is partly what gives Edward his love of the trail.

His latest outing is to do a 900 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail with his brother Emmett and Em’s girlfriend Rosalie. Emmett and Edward have hiked before and enjoy each other’s company, enjoying the terrain, always making good time. This time Edward is nervous how the usually ‘high maintenance’ Rosalie would be an unknown factor for their group. The unknown factor makes for some funny moments that made me chuckle.

I heard more rustling from the tent and Rosalie climbed out, grunting in our direction. Not a morning person, I gathered.

Hey babe," Emmett greeted her. "There's coffee."

She gave another grunt then came over to sit next to him while he poured her some coffee. She drank a few sips then looked at me in surprise. "This isn't bad," she said, seeming to perk up. We ate breakfast—some muesli with dried fruit—then started to break camp. While Emmett and I rolled up the sleeping bags and dismantled the tents, Rosalie sat on the log with a small make-up bag in her lap, cleaning her face with some sort of moistened pad. Then she squeezed some lotion onto her fingers and smoothed it over her face and neck. Next she took out a small compact and dabbed her nose, forehead and chin with make-up. Finally, she pulled out a tube of bright red lipstick and applied it precisely to her lips.

There was no question about it; Rosalie was a gorgeous girl. Still, I couldn't help but stare at her with incredulity. We were backpacking. What the fuck did she need make-up for?

She noticed my look.

"What?" she asked with irritation. "Just because we're camping doesn't mean I have to look like some crunchy granola, hairy pitted, mother earth type hippie chick." This was going to be a long two months.

Over the next few weeks on the trail Emmett and Rosalie seem to be getting along a little too well, and Edward starts to feel lonely every night when he heads to his tent alone. After reading through the Shelter registers every night, Edward finds himself enthralled with the entries left by Lone Star, a hiker that is a few days ahead of them on the trail. When Lone Star’s hiking buddy goes home, Edward makes a plan to push forward and try to catch up with him, hoping they can be the cure for each other’s loneliness.

Two beautiful, dirty, scruffy (unf, they’ve been on the trail for weeks, of course they are scruffy), hot, athletic men meeting on the Appalachian Trail. Both far from home, both lonely, could they just be the cure for each other’s blues? Could they find something more than just the feeling of accomplishment on the AT? I don’t want to ruin it for ya but I’ll give you a little peek.

I grabbed my toiletry bag from my pack and headed into the bathroom. I searched for my razor, thinking a shave was a great idea. I saw a small scrap of paper in the bag and pulled it out, curious what it could be. Written in Emmett's handwriting were the words, "In case he's hot and you get lucky…" Examining my bag more closely I saw a small bottle of lube and a strip of condoms. Fucking Emmett.

But as I shaved off my beard and washed away the grime in the shower, I couldn't help but think about Emmett's generosity. Jasper was hot and I definitely wouldn't mind getting lucky with him. My dick immediately responded to the thought. Fuck. I needed to get a grip. I had no idea if he was even gay. And besides, he was leaving tomorrow. One night stands weren't really my thing, even if he was fuckhot and it had been months since I'd been laid.

Is he? Is Jasper gay? Yeah I know I’m evil for leaving you there, but you really have to read this story to appreciate how cool it is. I loved the concept, it was something I had never seen before, and I enjoyed learning about the joys of backpacking all while dreaming of Edward, Jasper and Emmett exerting themselves on the trail. Ya know all sweaty, seeing muscles clench and unclench, drinking water watching their Adam's apples bob in their throat...oops I think a little of the water dribbled out of their mouths, past their scruffy jaws...ohhh over their beautiful necks.....down over their shirt...oh no now they’re wet....fuuuuck so am I . Wait? what? *looks around* sorry I got carried away again.

My point...go read the fic, it’s just really good, and so original. Plus Scruffward and Scruffsper = yummy.

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Some of you may have figured out by now that I’ve developed a strong fondness for drabbles - both writing them and reading them. I love it even more when an author can string them together and make an actual story come to life, 100 words at a time.

One author who does just such a thing is ahizelm. She’s currently posting a story that had me in tears when she first shared it with me, but I absolutely love it. It’s called Learning to Breathe, and it’s going to be about 50 or so drabbles by the time it’s done. Right now, there are already 37 up and she's posting daily - yes, you read it right. Daily.

The POV is left to discover, so I won’t give anything away there. It’s a story of love, loss, angst, discovery, and...well, you’ll have to read for yourself to find out. I want to give you something to take with you but can’t give much more than this from the first “chapter”:

My self-imposed exile began of necessity, continued out of comfort, and exists because of my inability: to change, to move, to make a difference. I'm curled up in bed, the only noise that of the sheets shifting as I move my limbs. I should get up, do... something.

But I won't.

Life hasn't truly called for me in ages.

As you can see, it starts off in a dark place, so bring along a box of Kleenex when you check it out. Hang in there, it’s a rough ride, but soooo worth it. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Don't forget to check out the Slash/Backslash 2.0 contest that's going on right now. They've had some great entries already, but I just know y'all have some goodies to contribute, too. Right? Right?

Tuesday's Best 7-20-2010

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!

~*~*~*~*~*~

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.

"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.

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.

~*~*~*~*~*~

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. 

 

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.

~*~*~*~*~*~

There you have it, folks, two more lovely stories to sink your teeth into. 

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!