Monday, November 8, 2010

Slash Guest Author Rec - TheLadyInGrey

I read a healthy mix of slash and non-slash fics, so I'm going to take naelany's advice and recommend a healthy mix today as well.

First, Delayed Devotion by ahizelm is a slash one-shot about lost love and bad decisions and longing. It's told from Edward's point of view and takes place seven years after he and Jasper parted. They came together in a rush of teenager hormones and unarticulated feelings, and they fell apart when Jasper wanted more and Edward didn't know how to give it to him.

Years later, Edward is still haunted by the boy he pushed away, and it's that haunted feeling that really makes this story stick out to me. Just the opening lines had me shivering:

There are times I could swear that he's here. I can almost feel his breath on my skin, his hands on mine as he plays mindlessly with my fingers while I watch the Discovery Channel for hours on end. Even then, I watched it entirely too much, and we were seniors in high school.

I'm twenty-five now.

I think of him daily.

But I wasn't ready for him, not then.

Hopefully, I'm not spoiling anything to say they meet again, and when they do, their connection is clearly still there, even if it's entirely unclear whether or not that will be enough for them to overcome their history.

Physically and emotionally, ahizelm paints a lovely picture of two men who understand and need each other. Of course, it's especially fun when it becomes physical:

"Patience, Edward," he murmured. "You've only been thinking about this for a few weeks. I've been thinking about this for years." With that, he palmed my erection through my slacks and whispered, "Lay down, please."

I couldn't even form a coherent response to that. I actually whimpered, and Jasper chuckled as he directed me by the elbow to his bed. He unbuckled my belt and unbuttoned my slacks, and as they pooled around my ankles, he kissed me. "I want you, Edward," he said softly, next to my ear. "Can I have you?"

Their eventual reunion is handled elegantly, gracefully and realistically. Not everything is resolved in one night, but we can see the path these two are on, and for the reader, as well as for Edward and Jasper, that's enough.

The second story is also an Edward/Jasper oneshot. fngrcufs' Wool is also about longing, but instead of two lovers separated by their own fears, these two are kept apart by physical distance. Edward and Jasper have been together for two years, but school and other obligations have limited their relationship to the occasional weekend.

At the beginning at least, Edward's narrative is as touching as it is heartbreaking. We can feel how much he wants Jasper, but we can also feel how resigned he is to separation. While they keep in touch the best they can, Jasper floats in and out of his life as he can. They love each other, but Edward also loves Boston and Jasper also loves Texas, and it's easy to see how they could let those other loves pull them apart.

I should be inside, lounging on the sofa with the quilt my mom made and a cup of hot coffee. I could too, but I want to see Jasper as soon as he gets here, so I'm waiting on the curb in the falling snow, startling every time I see a cab and sagging when it passes by. I shove the sleeve of my grey wool coat up a little so I can see my watch. He's late. He's always late though. I smile as I imagine him hurrying through the airport at top speed, brushing by people because he left the house late or forgot his keys. I need him to get here because it's been months and I miss him and I want to wrap myself around him, get lost in his arms.

My pulse races when I see a taxi turn at the corner and my heart hammers in my chest when it eases to the side and pulls up in front of my building. I watch through the window as Jasper pays the driver and opens the door to climb out. He grabs his bag off the seat. It's small...he's not staying long this time.

The story takes place over a Christmas interlude in Boston, and fngrcufs' language wraps us up in the kind of warmth meant to keep away the cold. You can almost feel the whistling wind outside and the comfort of being inside under a warm wool blanket with the lover you can never get enough of and whom you will never ask for more.

We leave the wake of discarded clothes in the living room, turning up the heat on the way, then undressing quietly in the dark. Between the storm that is still raging outside and the fact that it's Christmas Eve, the typically city noise is muffled to almost quiet. I climb back under the pile of blankets and wait for warmth, not from the covers, not from the radiator...from Jasper. He is what warms me, he is what takes the chill out of the air for me. He slides in next to me and the combined body temperature is noticeable, heating me, and then he's touching me, heating me more. He's been here for twenty eight hours and I finally feel like he's here, like he's mine again. I let go and let him take me over completely.

And by the end, I felt all warm inside, too.

My last rec is a multi-chaptered fic, and I'll warn you right now that it is not slash. It's an Edward and Bella story, called There Fell a Stillness by HappyInLove, and it's one of the most interesting, compelling first person narratives I've read in a while

The story is told all from Edward's perspective. He lives inside his own mind completely. As a brilliant mathematician, his mind is always pulling him into calculations that no one else understands or wants to hear about. As a paraplegic, where else but into his mind is he going to go?

His caustic, bitter internal monologue pulled me in very quickly. While his thoughts are biting and his isolation intense, the seeming ease with which he pushes away the rest of the world is belied by occasional glimpses of hope and hurt.

I ran my hands through my hair and decided that was good enough. I felt stubble and I should have shaved, but if someone were to ask my how many fucks I gave about making a great impression, I would answer zero. I gave zero fucks. The bags under my eyes were discerning though and I smiled because of it. No one approaches the cripple to begin with, and no one approaches one that looks like he hasn't slept in weeks.

The story begins when Edward is forced out of his apartment and his head in order to fulfill his duties as Best Man at his brother's wedding. This brief window of openness presents just enough time for a soulful Bella to walk into his life and to touch it in a way no one has in a very long time.

"I'm sure there are lots of things you believe in. Like I said, I'm Catholic, sometimes."

"It doesn't make sense," I stated again. She was winning.

"What does?" she smiled again. Six times already.

"Convert me?" I asked as she realized we were just sitting and standing in my bedroom. It's a shame, when someone becomes aware of things like that. I offered a way out, a challenge she'd have to decline.

She turned towards me and searched my face. Her eyes moved thirty-three times in the course of twenty-four seconds. It wasn't until she threw her clutch on the bed that I realized I gave up counting after that instant. I also realized I was on the edge, and the fall didn't seem so bad.

Her brown eyes now seemed to lean more towards syrup, the thin kind, like almond flavored, and her eyebrows creased as her lips grew thinner in determination, so I started a new formula as I gazed between all of her features. She rubbed her hands together, almost massaging them. She held them up in front of my face before moving them to my temples. I flinched, and she faltered, but only for a second. I couldn't remember the last time someone touched me.

"You're touching me," I stated weakly.

"Shh," she hushed me.

At 13 chapters in, the story is a work in progress, as is Edward, and as is their relationship. We see Edward opening up to something other than misery, and we see him shutting down time and time again. We see Bella as someone who believes some things, some times -- someone who's willing to give the intriguing man in the chair her time, affection and support, but who is not ultimately willing to lose herself.

While Edward's monologue can occasionally become overwhelming (and the story could benefit from a good, hard beta-ing), it's well-written, the characters strong and the emotions raw. It's an easy story to get lost in, and this Edward's head is a fascinating place in which to become lost.
 

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Tuesday's Best 11-2-2010

Good morning, everyone! How are y'all enjoying the Fall weather? Got your warm blankets out? Cozied up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa or spiced apple cider? Let's see if we can make things a little cozier still, and perhaps heat things up a bit in the process. ;-) Aradi and Captain Jezebel have found some good stuff today, so let's get on with it.

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Love is love, right?

That’s a recurring theme in slash.  There are the “coming out” stories where the hero(ine) learns to love who they love, instead of who they think they are supposed to love.  There are the “reformed hetero” stories, where the hero(ine) discovers that loving the home team can be much more appealing than what they knew before.

Love is love!

What Matters by Strae takes a new spin on this.  What if Hetward thinks he’s falling in... something... with someone he thinks is a woman?  (Thank you, interwebs, for your anonymity and ease of subterfuge.)  What happens when he eventually finds out his internet dream girl, that he’s even wanked for via webcam, is actually a guy?

Honestly, I expected the trite freak-out, the homophobic rant, or the reflexive binge on beer and tits to prove hetero manhood.  What the story delivers is different, and so good.

Every beautiful physical attribute I'd see in my online friend is echoed in this man's face. Their features are exactly the same—eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, jaw, hair, everything. The only difference is that this is not my friend; this is not the girl I'd bonded with over the months. This is not the girl for whom I'd exposed my body, my secrets, my heart. This is not my Jazz.

This Jazz is... a man.

Jasper.

I can't feel the tightness of my throat or the nervous sweat on my palms anymore. My heart clenches and twists painfully inside my chest, already feeling the dreadful ache of loss like I'd felt with Bella.
Edward’s crushed, because he’s already in... something... with “Jazz,” only Jazz isn’t a girl.  Jasper, who is out and happy, pretended to be a girl just so Edward would keep talking to him.  (Yeah, it was wrong, but you’d probably lie your ass off for a naked Chatward.  Admit.)
 
Edward is also a truly nice, if slightly confused, guy.  He quickly realizes he doesn’t want to lose the bond they’d formed, even though a romance is now completely and totally out of the question.  Definitely not happening.  Since Edward is absolutely not gay.
 
Not at all.
 
(*cue exasperated eye-rolling*)
 
Anyway, this is the sweetness of this story.  Edward, despite his confusion (or perhaps shocking cluelessness) about his sexual orientation, is remarkably enlightened and accepting.  We already know he’s nice, but he always seems to look for the good in people and in situations.  Given the horrific tales in the news lately, and the inexcusable language and hate some people spew, it is lovely to read some of the boys’ thoughts in this fic.

Jazz's gender had little to do with our previous friendship, I've realized by now. The long conversations we'd had were not always sexual, but intellectual. The Jazz I spoke to was both smart and comedic, and to be truthful, it wasn't her appearance that attracted me to her at all.
 
Knowing that this story is clearly labeled as slash, the tentative friendship between Edward and Jasper is bound to morph into something more.  (Since they started out in an X-rated chatroom, I’m expecting much more and soon.)  It’s a slippery slope from friendship to watching that friend jerk off.  I’m just sayin....
 
Another strength of What Matters is the humor that mostly comes from the supporting characters.  Alice, as Jasper’s pal, is entertaining (and probably prescient).  Edward’s parents are hysterical.  
 
I’m trying to be better about leaving reviews, so now I don’t feel too guilty about telling you to leave Strae some review love if you enjoy this story like I do.  She also invites us to pester for updates via The Twitters (KStrae), an idea I wholly support.
 
Don’t forget.  Love is... what matters.
 
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*hugs to my slash lovers* Why does it feel like it’s been forever? Is it just me? Oh well ...Captain Jezebel with a new morsel for my lovelies. Ok this one is a little outside my comfort zone but I braved it for you guys. Otherwise I may just be bringing you what I liked...and that is completely unfair. So for this particular rec I went for a story of finding the one, after you thought you already found the one. Confused?...let’s clear it up, shall we?

Just Us by multicolouredeyes is a vampfic , almost as close to canon as an E/J slashfic can come. Which is where my discomfort comes in. Edward has met his Bella, he married his Bella, created Nessie with his Bella, he turned his Bella; and that is where the problem begins. It was always bloodlust, he confused the intoxicating scent for love. When the life he built for himself shatters around him at hurting her he receives comfort, understanding and love from someone he never expected...Jasper.

Jasper is his usual self, quiet, reserved, an empath, and with Alice for many years (also part of my discomfort). When Edward’s life is destroyed, why is he so drawn to him? Why does he feel the need to hold him, console  him? Is it his power making him feel Edward’s pain, or is it more?

I'd stopped bothering to read the thoughts of those around me, had completely shut myself off from everything and everyone around me...apart from Jasper. Somehow he managed to reach me when no-one else could and more often than not I found myself wrapped up in his strong arms desperately wishing I could cry and cursing my Vampirism once more.

For some reason I felt safe in his arms as we sat there for hours on end. Sometimes he would read to me, or hum some of my favourite pieces of music. I knew for certain that it wasn't his gift having this affect on me because Jasper would have employed it to help with my misery before anything else, but had opted against any involvement at all because I had to get through it on my own, and for that I thanked him.

Now I usually never read any E/J if I know for a fact that Bella and Alice are going to be hurt in the process, no matter how much I love these boys together. However when reading this, I just felt the author’s need to show us, that regardless of what or who happened in their past, they were meant to be together. Give it a shot, I don’t want to give too much away, but if I could live with it and enjoy it...so can you.
 
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There you have it, folks. Two awesome stories to devour. I have one confession to make. Aradi totally beat me to  What Matters, so I'll simply add my voice here. I love it. There's so much truth in how relationships are built (yes, I speak from experience) over the internet like that. Gender issues aside, I've been in Edward's shoes, so I can relate very well with him on a lot of things - and Jasper, too. 
Anyway, all that to say, I thoroughly enjoy What Matters, and I hope you will, too. 
 
Be sure you leave some love to these wonderful authors, and come back next week to see what we have in store for you then.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tuesday's Best 10-26-2010


Good morning, my lovelies. Hope you're enjoying the Fall weather, and that you're dry, and comfy. Aradi and I have found you a couple of stories that'll for sure leave you nice and...warm. ;-) Want to come find out what they are? Well, let's get started then, shall we? Don't forget your towels, Kleenex, and fresh panties.

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Before I get down to the srs bsns of fangirling my rec, I’d like to revisit some old business.  Please join me on a tangent.

Just in case you’re one of those people who prefer to read completed stories, or in case you missed the previous recs, I just wanted to mention a few fics that have completed since I recced them.  Now you truly have no excuse not to try them.

Raw and Rosy, by tuesdaymidnight, and Ready For You, by bmango, have both ended now.  Go forth and enjoy some completed E/J slash, if you haven’t already.  (Or enjoy them again.  We don’t judge here.)

Conversed also recently finished Twinned, which I squeed about here.  Conversed was merciful/evil and blessed/tortured us with a tasty/heartbreaking prologue to a new fic the same day Twinned ended.  (This is where we slide off our tangent and back to the real post.)

Seventeen Men is the sequel to Twinned and the storyline picks up immediately after the events in Twinned.  It’s a little different in that it’s all JPOV, all the time, but that’s a good thing.  Who doesn’t love Conversed’s Jasper?

I recommend this fic with a warning:  bring your big girl/boy/pansexual angstypants because this is no romp in the fluffmeadow.  I can’t even tell you who the pairing is, because I can’t see through the big pile of soggy tissues that resulted from the prologue and first three chapters.  Okay maybe I exaggerate a bit, but does Jasper pining for Edward (and vice versa, we hope) count as a pairing?  (Please, please say it does.)

Seventeen Men opens with Jasper leaving Forks, for all the stupidest, best reasons.


Uncle Whit didn't have to say a single word after that.


He judged silently, and I soaked it up.


I wanted to turn 'round and head on home so much. So fucking much. I told myself that it was only for the summer.


I could take it for a summer.


Y'all know it took me years and years before I made it back to Forks.

You see what I mean about the angstypants?  I think I scared the dog when I wailed “Nooooo....”

We do get snippets of life “back home,” but this story is Jasper’s.  (It better have a happy ending or I may die.)  Jasper is finally clueing in to the things we readers realized in the previous story.


Y'all know that shit was hard to look at without forgettin' how to breathe, and thinkin' back I wonder if that moment - that solitary second when he smiled and looked right at me - was when things started to change inside me. Suddenly, I knew I wanted to be the one to put that smile on his face every single fuckin' day. I tried to deny it. I reminded myself that I only got to know the boy because of his crushin' on Bella Swan. Y'all know I had plenty of people to crush on of my own, and I ain't never been one for gettin' tied down. But, damn. Just damn.


I wanted him for my own.

That sure sounds like the verge of a HEA, except for the glaring problem of Jasper leaving.  (Noooooo....)

Just like with Twinned, if you need your slash with a primary slashy pairing, and NC-17 action from that pairing, this may not completely satisfy you.  (Not that we’re judging you, you smut-lover.)  I can’t say what will or won’t happen.  I can only guess based on Twinned and what we’ve seen in the first three chapters, but you know, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything at all with Twinned because the plot and characterizations (and smut) were more than enough to keep my attention.

So go read Seventeen Men, but be sure you’ve read Twinned first.  I need more people to flail along with me at every update.  Please pass the tissues.


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Ah, the joys of getting a strictly-canon writer to come out of their comfort zone, and create a beautiful piece of slash. Taking Cues by araeo is just such a story, and I was given prime seats to enjoy this particular ride. I even got to do the cattle-prodding *winks*.  

Edward has had his eye on the boy - Riley - who’s recently moved into his building, but has been too nervous/shy to pluck up the courage to do anything about it. Every day, he sees him, and it seems like the interest isn’t just one-sided.


When he finally does make contact, things seem to be stuck in the ‘friend-zone’ for a long time. This might have something to do with the fact that Riley appears to have a girlfriend - Victoria. They become good friends in spite of that, though Edward still entertains many a fantasy about Riley.

And then he decides that enough is enough. He needs to get laid, and if Riley can get it from Victoria, he can get some from someone else. He zeros in on his prospective lay for the night, things get interesting.

"You're so on," she answered with a smile. The bartender's timing was perfect; and we were off to meet Riley. He looked surprised at who I had in tow, and if I wasn't mistaken, I thought he didn't look very pleased for a split-second.


Right, Masen...dream on.


"You up for some Cutthroat?" Riley asked, and I could tell the exact moment he decided to play along. After all, how many damn times had I done this for him and Victoria? He owed me. He grinned flirtatiously at my corseted friend, who stood just behind me and to the side.


"Perfect," she said. "I'll let one of you boys rack them." This last comment was delivered with a clever, sexy little smirk, like she knew something we didn't. Casually, she went to choose her cue, but I wasn't fooled. She knew what she was doing, and I had to admire her technique. It was confident, but relaxed to the point that she almost seemed not to care about the outcome. It was irresistibly attractive.


Since she'd made her selection, she leaned against a nearby high-top, sipping at her drink and watching the both of us. Riley was too busy eying her, so I set the beer aside and went to work setting up the game. My task put me very close to where he was standing, and when I had to lean in, he didn't back off.


I tossed him a smirk. "Don't help or anything." I shoved him in the shoulder as I walked by, and he stuck out his foot, almost managing to trip me. Smooth one, asshole. Fight like little boys in front of the woman you want to take home and fuck...with the very man you'd like to take home and fuck at the same time...

As I said, they get interesting. ;-) What happens next, you’ll have to read to find out. I’m still gunning for a continuation, because damn, if I don’t love the easy banter between Riley and Edward! So be sure to give her some love (and plenty of encouragement to stretch her slashy wings more often), and maybe we’ll see some more of these boys in future. 


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There you have it, folks. We hope you enjoyed this week's picks,  and that you'll be back next week to see what  Aradi and Captain Jezebel have in store for you. In the mean time, leave this week's authors some love. 

See you next week!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Slash Guest Author Rec - Sweetp1

Hey there everyone! I'm so excited to be writing a guest rec for Twislash Unveiled - I've been reading the site for a long time and it's both nerve-wracking and awesome to be writing the recs rather than reading them this time.
 
So, the stories I'm reccing today all have one thing in common - they're wolf/vamp. Like Aradi said a few weeks ago, the fandom needs more AU slash. While she wants the "real" vampire kind with BITING, I want more wolf/vamp slash.
 
The slashy corner of the Twi-fandom seems to be dominated (no pun intended) by AH stories, but it's the pairing of a wolf and a vamp that will immediately get my attention. I will admit to being something of an angst-h00r so the "forbidden" interspecies pairing of mortal enemies that is wolf/vamp slash is like an angsty (...imprinting angst, I-really- shouldn't-be-doing-this angst, but-I-hate-you! angst...) dream come true!
 

"She's been on a killing spree in Portland," Alice said.

From the very first line of this fic, I was captivated.

Bella, unstable and mentally unhinged after her transformation, is on the loose. Edward, guilt-ridden and heartbroken, decides to go after her. Jacob insists that he is going along as well. Together, they travel across the country to hunt down the girl they once both loved.

While the plot itself is dark, and certainly earns it's angst label, it's the imagery and vivid descriptions that make this story a stand out for me.

The pavement of the alley is cracked and host to numerous black puddles. The few working streetlights cast a sinister orange glow over the brick walls and junk cars, the ragged people and skitter-eyed drug addicts across the street steadfastly looking the other way.

Bella's eyes are red.

Edward can smell blood, distant and nagging in the back of his head, and he can hear the girl who Bella had attacked whimpering into the cement—oh my god I'm going to die I'm going to die shit I never said I loved her I'mgoingtodie—but all he can see is Bella's red, red eyes.

"Edward," she says softly. "You came."

"Bella," he whispers. His voice breaks on her name.

"You came," she says again, mouth curving up into a perfect (unnatural) smile, gruesomely red in her white face. She takes a step forward.

The tone of this story is dark and haunting. The wretchedness and despair as Edward and Jacob go about their horrifying quest is so palpable, you can't help but feel heart-clenchy alongside them. Even as the Miz Turwaitheil paints this bleak and desperate picture, she somehow manages to weave together a subtle, yet touching, bond between Edward and Jacob. What starts out as open hostility, softly turns into something more, something so fatalistic that the reader is left with an overwhelming sense that there isn't any other path for these two.

...Jacob is not asleep. He's pretending to be, but Edward knows the difference in his breathing from too many hours spent awake and listening to his quiet workings of his lungs. Edward doesn't try to read Jacob's mind, but it nags at him, how Jacob is still thinking about something in the early, early hours of the morning.

The clock doesn't change. Edward waits.

"You're awake, aren't you," he says finally.

He can feel Jacob tense beside him.

"I know that you're not sleeping. What's wrong?"

After a moment, Jacob rolls over, propping his head up on one hand and studying Edward with opaque eyes. "Can't you see inside my head?" he replies.

It should sound more scathing than it is, but once again, the darkness and the quiet are working against him, leeching out the bite in the words and leaving behind only resignation.

Edward lets his eyelids flutter close, and reaches out to Jacob's mind. Tonight, the usual barriers aren't up, and tendrils of their thoughts connect.

So fucking sad. I miss Bella, miss the old times. I can see right through you, you know, I know who you are. I want the truth. I want a new life. I want you.

Famous Last Words is an older story, published in 2008 and is probably a fic that is under the radar to some extent, but is one that is well worth checking out. Seven succinct and stunning chapters that left a lasting impression on me - it's the first fic I give if anyone asks me for a Jakeward rec. It's also what I would term "slash-lite" (as in no graphic lemons) so perfect for any slash newbies or for anyone still hesitant about a Jacob/Edward pairing.


Howl
by Dahlia J Black is a one-shot that I recently stumbled upon by (very happy) accident. I saw it was Seth and of course I clicked through straight away.
 
Set post-BD the story starts out with Seth trying to control his thoughts in relation to his infatuation with Edward Cullen. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised that at this point I was rubbing my hands together in glee! I settled myself down for a slashy little dose of my two favourite boys, only to discover in my slash-haste I'd neglected to read the story pairing correctly.


Seth breaks through some brush and finds Jasper leaning against a tree a few feet away. He seems to be waiting for something and Seth slows down, coming to a halt beside the tall, lean vampire. He doesn't know whether to un-phase or not, so he just shifts awkwardly from paw to paw, waiting for Jasper to say something.

"Change forms, please. We need to talk." Jasper's voice is curt and he is looking at Seth in the most peculiar way, making him feel exceedingly uncomfortable.

Seth reluctantly shifts back to his human form, and stands before Jasper, naked and towering above him by a good few inches. Despite his superior stature, Seth feels like he's at a disadvantage.

Seth doesn't have a chance to open his mouth to ask a question before Jasper is lunging forward, pressing Seth roughly against the tree behind them. Seth lets out a low, startled growl, not knowing what to make of the situation.

"Seth." Jasper's voice is a husky whisper as he presses a cool palm to Seth's cheek.

"You wanted to talk?" Seth squeaks uncertainly.

"Yes," Jasper responds but stays silent for a long moment afterward. When he finally speaks again, his ochre eyes are black and startling. "I don't want you to visit the house anymore."

I don't want to give away all of DahliaJBlack's secrets but I will say that this story is full of surprises. Awesome slashy surprises. This is quite a short piece (hence my vagueness) but in 3k the author manages to convey so much. The writing is all at once raw, and yet restrained, and she captures both the vampire and the wolf characteristics so well. This is a story that stayed with me for a long time, and is an excellent little one-shot if you don't mind something a little bit different.

Lately, I have found myself moving away from the big "saga" type fics, and seeking out short completed fics. There's something quite satisfying about reading a 20-30k'er in one sitting (and not having to wait for updates). Always one foot on the ground by lts29 is just 4 chapters, and is wolf/vamp...but it isn't slash. It's Edward and Leah.
 
I'll admit to being hesitant at first, but soon found myself lost in this intriguing AU story.
 
One of the things I enjoyed most about this story was the characterizations. Leah is one of the more fascinating female characters in the series for me and in this story we get to see her both feisty and vulnerable. In a universe where Bella doesn't even exist, lts29 creates a believable and plausible story where an inexperienced (but not stubbornly chaste) Edward finds himself captivated by a heartbroken and angry Leah.

 
His hand went automatically to the fly of his jeans and he pressed the heel of his hand into his erection, closing his eyes when he felt the pleasure shoot through him. He hadn't masturbated in quite some time, a sibling or parent always catching him as he was leaving to go hunt alone, so he was going to relish this opportunity.

Rubbing rhythmically now, he flipped through some of his favorite mental images that he had collected over the years. The flapper girl didn't really work for him and neither did the Vargas girl. He was looking for something a bit more modern. He wasn't sure who he was kidding, really, going through these motions. He knew who he would be thinking about. It was the same person he had been thinking about for months. Leah Clearwater, but not the one in Sam and Jacob's minds, but the one from the parking lot. Young and happy, full of life and sexual vigor. The image of long legs wrapped around him and a strong hand in his hair had haunted him for months and he was looking forward to indulging himself to vivid images of Leah's black eyes looking at him with the same look of adoration and love that she had given to Sam shining in them and the imagined feel of her breasts pressed against his chest.

His mind was too far gone to stop and think about why Leah had occupied so much of his mind lately. His hand moved to the button of his jeans and he was eager to get this show on the road. His action was stopped by the sound of brush and tree limbs crashing behind him and the choppy, swirling thoughts of an incredibly angry person. He darted to the left, out of its way, immediately realizing that the person's thoughts were moving much too fast for a human. A distinctive smell was in the air, but it was one that Edward had never smelled before and couldn't recognize.

You'll have to read for yourself to find out what happens next but I will say this story has everything - a little bit of angst, a little bit of smut, a little bit of omg-HOW-is-this-going-to-end? Speaking of the end, one more thing I absolutely adored about this fic was the ending. It was so satisfyingly right, in a way that a sudden imprint, or finding your vampire-mate could never be. lts29 does say this is part 1 of a longer story (and I for one am anxiously awaiting to hear more from these two) but at the same time the story is complete in itself. If you enjoy reading clever AU stories that leave you thinking about canon in a whole new way, Always one foot on the ground will not disappoint.
 
And that's it from me and my wolf/vampy recs. Thanks to Nae for asking me to contribute to the blog and I hope you'll check out the stories. If you do, please leave the authors some love!




Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday's Best 10-19-2010

Good morning! I hope this day finds y'all well, happy, and possibly horny ;-). If you're not already, I'm pretty sure our finds for today'll help you along. The Captain and I set out to find some yummy slash, and I think we succeeded. Want to see? Of course you do. So let's go!

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Hello my lovely slasheroos! Captain Jezebel here with a funny, sweet, sexy, unfy (yes it’s a word in my vocabulary) one shot starring the first couple of slash; Edward and Jasper. This entry for the In The Closet Contest had to be one of my favorite’s because of the light sexy feel to it. Don’t get me wrong I love angst and see the need for it in fic, but too much can make me insane. So when contests get flooded with angst I tend to look for the ones that make me smile, or run for the nearest towel.

Show Me Yours ; a collaboration between TwiBoy and his ficwife YogaGal does both. Edward and Jasper are the two gorgeous men that make up a happy couple, blissfully in love. When Edward walks in on Jasper watching a hot, young gay boy on a voyeuristic website he doesn’t get mad or jealous. In fact Edward is kind of intrigued and teases his boyfriend about the whole thing. They set up a private webcam session and thus (as they put it) ‘a video exhibitionist is born’.

Edward and Jasper realize how much they love the thrill of putting on a sexy show for others to watch. Quickly it becomes an addiction for them, and a regular part of their bedroom activities.

Of course, it takes some maneuvering to line up the laptop with a good view of the bed. Big boy Ruxxxpin doesn't mind giving us direction one bit, before or after we get the webcam lined up. He expresses his gratitude with a loud, growling orgasm as I have Edward on all fours screaming out his own.

We quickly become addicted, getting off on how others get off watching us; it was surreal. While making love to Edward had always been a rush, it's even more so in front of the camera, especially when only one person is watching, and we can hear their voices through the laptop speakers. Although, with a public chat room, and a couple dozen voyeurs, going back and reading viewer comments in chat provides for some interesting pillow talk.

Think you have this story figured out? Nope...bet ya don’t...not yet at least. Enter ?POV, yep that’s right this amazing twosome give us a little mystery within their tale. Who is this person, why are they watching Edward and Jasper? What are they thinking? Why don’t you go pop over and read it for yourself to get the answers. Believe me this story takes the most adorable twist at the end, I know you’ll love it just as much as I did. 

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Ahhh, Slash/Backslash, the place to find many a gem! And boy-howdy, did I find one, today! Not only is it slashy, it’s BDSM. And it is yummmmmmy! Walk Away, by hidingfromsomeone, is about Edward and Jasper.

Jasper, who is in a vanilla relationship with Alice, has a secret. He’s a sub. For Edward.

I definitely didn't identify myself as a gay man, but my relationship with Edward was possibly the most important one in my life. As promised, he took me to deeper levels and higher heights than I ever thought possible, but it wasn't just about sex. It was about my need to let go and let someone else be in charge of my body and his need to take control of another. I was made to be with him in a way that I couldn't seem to fit with anyone else.

Whether or not Alice knew about my relationship with Edward was possibly the only source of guilt on my part regarding the entire arrangement. When I first met her I was with Esme, and Alice sort of knew I had more than just a platonic relationship with the woman who was actually my Domme. But it was never spoken about explicitly.

There were times when I introduced Alice to more kinky stuff in the bedroom and although she enjoyed it, there was a definite limit there to what she was up for. There wasn't a sadomasochistic bone in her tiny little body so the idea of whipping or being whipped did not sit well with her at all.

In the back of my mind I've always thought that she was aware of my kinks and her inability to fulfill them, and it was for that reason that she overlooked my mysterious disappearances a few times a week. There were only so many times I could go to the gym and the last time I checked, a rowing machine didn't leave you with red welts across your ass.

Ah, yes, a little difficult to hide certain aspects of the life he leads, isn’t it? But if you think that this is the worst of it (or least, depending on your point of view, I suppose), then think again. Because not only is Jasper doing all of this behind Alice’s back, but something is changing. Inside of him.

Revelations he never expected to have, are slowly encroaching on his conscious - and his conscience. Jasper has some decisions to make - and make them soon. Or he stands to lose everything (mind, this is my speculation, so take that with a grain of salt).

I would say more, but that would really give far too much away. Yes, even with as long as that one-shot is. But, good news! There’s already a second chapter up, and there is a promise of more to come! Granted, as time allows, but I’ll gladly take it (and be begging for more!). 

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Mmm, quite lovely, don't you agree? I hope you enjoyed these reads as much as we have. Leave the authors some lovin' (and perhaps a plea or two for more...just remember to be nice. But what am I saying, y'all slash h00rs are always nice, right? Right.). Check back next week to see what Aradi and I have for you.