(no subject)

[sisabet]

Today's list:
abdominal pain: check
Bath: check
Teeth Brushed: check
Episodes of Firefly watched: thru "Safe"
Food Eaten: umm, goldfish crackers.


I got home last night around midnight. I wanted to do a quick check of my friendslist and the first entry I saw was valereix reccing a fic. She said it made her cry and so I thought, okay I should check it out. So I click on her link and I start reading and I'm all, "Hey! This isn't about Brian! Why is Valerie sending me to read an Ethan fic? I thought she loved me?" But since it was Valerie telling me to read it and it didn't look that long, I persevered. Maybe this is really good Ethan fic and then...what? Oh, no...something is wrong with Justin. So I kept reading and then the skies brightened and the heavens opened and there was Brian Kinney and all was right with the world but it wasn't beuse by then situation Justin was all fucked up and I was reallly really heavily invested. Damn.

I read the tumor fic. I did. I stayed up all night, passed the point of exhaustion and I read the tumor fic and Justin kept getting sicker and I was just about to die and it was brilliant. Voices were clear, and the details were solid and damned if it wasn't a soap opera, but no soap opera was ever real like that and it just got to me.

I wouldn't read this before. The titles and the fact that it starts out Ethan POV turned me off. But Valerie just linked to the first story so I wasn't really aware of what I was reading until I was already heavily invested. And then there was Brian. And he has this attitude about Ethan:

And anyway, you don't get jealous when two puppies frolic. You cock your head, think, "Aww, isn't that precious," then when they're all tuckered out, you pick your mutt up and go home.

And I find that tremendously appealing.

So, If you hadn't read this and want to go here (starts from 2x20 and branches off from there): http://toolunaticsnwon.com/html/myrna_s_fiction.html
It is the the "If You Needed Me" series and start at the beginning. No skipping. It is important not to skip. Now, don't be put off by the titles - sure they are sappy, but that is the only really sappy thing about this fic. It is like the anti-thesis of sap. For a tumor-fic. Yes, I am serious. Who are you looking at?

Meanwhile, everytime I turn around, Justin is getting hurt. seperis is writing a just wonderful post season 3 WIP, and she is writing it really fast, but lately it has been more painful than usual to be Justin. Which is saying something.
Read "How It's Gonna Be" here: http://seperis.illuminatedtext.com/other/how.html

This isn't my recs post - this is my random babble, gee my stomach hurts post.

Comments

[velena.livejournal.com]

Isn't that fic amazing? After I read the whole thing, I wrote Myrna a twenty-page frothing review with many a stalkery comment. I am obsessed with that fic. I will rec it from here to hell and back.

[valerie-z.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you for valuing me so much. Even though I feel really lame for liking a Justin-tumor-fic. That's usually just one step up from Justin-travels-back-in-time-to-teach-Brian-how-to-love. But that fic was the exception.

I like how, in the fic, Ethan and Justin broke up amicably and remained friends. I get aggravated by fics where Ethan is portrayed as this evil person who stalks Justin after the break up, and then Justin has to run to Brian for protection, and then Justin teaches Brian how to love, and they're vampires.

I think Justin and Ethan were really in love. I think it's one of those relationships that would have been perfect if they'd taken it a little slower and been a few years older. Even though I'm all about the puregaylove of Brian/Justin, I liked Justin/Ethan too. It was sweet for a few minutes there. And they were really hot together. I have this young boy kink. Anyway.

In the first part, the Ethan POV, I love how Brian was a total, total prick to not only Ethan, but Justin too, and Ethan couldn't understand how Brian could be all bitchy to brain-tumor-Justin. And then he overhears Justin crying and Brian starting to get upset too, and Justin says something like, "Don't". So Brian takes a deep breath and then bitches that Justin is vomiting on his Prada tie. And you realize that Brian is being a prick because Justin needs him to be strong. Because if Brian Kinney is falling apart than the whole world will fall apart. And now I have to go cry some more.

Why do you have abdominal pain? Lie down and imagine me rubbing your stomach, in a very gay way. While discussing my favorite Brian moments. Possibly there will be a video demonstration. First he smashes the lock on the door, and then he watches the pole dance, and it only gets better from there.

See- Now I recall rec'ing this to you quite a while ago...

[viola69.livejournal.com]

This one I've read & re-read- than I'd call Ashlyn & read nearly the entire thing to her over the phone, & then re-read.
& yep- it kept me up many a night late- unable to stop reading it.
Loved Brian's voice. Loved Justin's voice. Loved Michael's voice- & heck, she even made me love Ethan. Loved the scene of Brian & Michael at the rail yard, Loved the scene with Trevor storming the diner to find out why Michael had 'lied' about Justin's status. & the number of Brian & Justin scenes I loved is pretty much uncountable.

You bring up a scene showcasing why I loved HOW this fic

[viola69.livejournal.com]

was written. Since it starts with Ethan's POV- which fairly quickly is established as being heavily biased Against Brian (Ethan referring to Brian as "THE Fucker")- & the bias comes clear & upfront- & we have that scene of Ethan over-hearing Brian & Justin- & as the reader you KNOW Ethan isn't 'seeing' that scene right. We Know Brian is being a prick for a reason- not because he is a prick.
Next up we get Mikey's pov- & there is overlap to Ethan's story- & this view is biased against Justin. & again we get a scene of the narrator eavesdropping on Brian & Justin- & that narrator walking away shaking their head - that they just don't Get Brian & Justin. & lord- loved Michael's quote as he 'witnessed' Brian & Justin getting back together- & feeling like he walked into a movie half-way through-- cause again as a reader we KNOW Michael is missing something.

With each narration we get a little more clear picture of what's going on with Brian & Justin- we get to re-visit scenes from multiple views- each view giving a little more insight into Brian & Justin- & the action. loved that.

[rachelmap.livejournal.com]

I remember recommending that one to a few people a while back. I found it through http://www.whatlovemeans.com/

Thanks for the LJ code!

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

The abdominal pain has passed - I think it was just ovary issues although I did think for a while it was appendicitis. But since there was no fever, I waited it out. Well, I waited it out with Cap'n Mal, cause he loves me and if it had been serious, he would not have let me die.

I totally fell for the tumor fic too. Big time. I was a gooey messy mess and then I would feel better and then Justin got sick that last time and I was a mess again. Then I was convinced that Brian was actually gonna be in a car accident during the last few chapters (I was like Justin!) and I was just a wreck.

I think what got to me was the lack of sentimentality. It was just a classic "What If..." and one of the worst things that could happen, happened. And how would these characters deal? I had some issues with the way Debbie was portrayed. That woman is a rock and yeah, emotional as hell, but I don't think she would be falling apart in front of Justin like that. She knows what is going on and she kept Vic alive for years. So that, and Jennifer (I really don't think she hates Brian and I am really getting sick of this weak, shrewish fic-Jennifer, when I think the woman has made tremendous strides).

Oh, and I liked this Ethan. I don't like season 3 Ethan at all. He bugged the shit out of me. It was the way he pronounced things - it grated. I used to date a guy like that. He would go, "Soooo, Liiizzz" all syllibant and superior and ugh, I can hear it now. Yuck. Ethan coulda been his cousin. But this Ethan was cute and sweet and dated a dancer.

Y'know what got me the most? Justin reminded me of you - some of the things he said were so spot-on Valerie that I started combining you two in my head. Which was kinda cool, except you had a brain tumor. It also meant I had to make Mike into Brian, which didn't really work at first cause Mike is too sweet. But then I realized, so is Brian - he just doesn't often show it. So then I realized that you are married to Brian Kinney's Inner Man. You and Mike are like Brian and Justin and please don't get a brain tumor or anything or go after crooked police chiefs or max out all your credit to save the city. But - if you want to pole dance and if Mike wants to get a fancy shower, I support you both in those endeavors.

Just cause this reply can't get any longer - here are a few Justin as Valerie moments from the brain tumor fic:

"I want you to mess up some time, to fuck up so spectacularly you can't even believe it, because I'll still love you, I'll love you even more than I do right now, and I want you to experience that because it'll make you feel amazing."

One time, I tried to explain a little. I wrinkled my nose at him and said. "It weirds me out when you get all boyfriendy."

Not that you would tell Mike that, since ya'll are all married and all - but you understand. I can see you saying it.

"Could we have a moment here while I cry you a fucking river for all your suffering? 'Cause I'd really like to get that in today before lights out."

"I know you think you're a mysterious, enigmatic riddle, but you're really not all that hard to figure out." I tried to break it gently. "But that doesn't make you any less infuriating," I finished helpfully. "Why, I bet if I went out right now, I could find 20 people who think you're the most aggravating man they've ever met."

Which really doesn't describe your husband at all, but if you quoted that to him tonight over dinner, I bet he would take it right in stride.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Yay!! You have an LJ!!

[valerie-z.livejournal.com]

Justin reminded me of you...So then I realized that you are married to Brian Kinney's Inner Man.

Bitch, you just made me cry at work. That is the nicest thing ever; the best compliment possible.

"I want you to mess up some time, to fuck up so spectacularly you can't even believe it, because I'll still love you, I'll love you even more than I do right now, and I want you to experience that because it'll make you feel amazing."

It's so weird that you would quote this, because I actually did say this to Mike. I was reading the fic while he was away visiting his parents, and I loved that line so much that I copied it into an e-mail and sent it to Mike. I didn't write anything else. I figured I'd have to tell him eventually where I got it from, but I just wanted to see his reaction. He checked his e-mail while he was away, and when he came home all he said was, "What was that weird e-mail about?" I told him it was a quote from the purebeautifulgaylove of Brian and Justin that reminded me of how I feel about him, but he still wasn't touched. Asshole.

Now I'm going to go be happy all day because you compared me to Justin, who is my hero.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

I told him it was a quote from the purebeautifulgaylove of Brian and Justin that reminded me of how I feel about him, but he still wasn't touched. Asshole.

Oh, he was touched, he just couldn't show it. Now go draw him naked and let him buy the drawing secretly.

Re: See- Now I recall rec'ing this to you quite a while ago...

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

You did rec this and I went to the site and the other stuff (the standalones) weren't bad, but just didn't appeal to me for some reason. Most likely Brian reasons - that is generally what boots me off of most fanfic. That or super-whiny, dumb Justin - but that was not the issue here. I could't read this series at that time because of the titles. Seriously. I will never in a million years be tempted to read something titled "For to Ease Your Pain" or "I'd Swim the Seas" - that is just not who I am. Even with Valerie (whom I've followed as a minion for years now) rec'ing it - if she had linked to the original page and not the Ethan-story and I had known the title, I probably wouldn't have read it.

I'm still flabbergasted that I liked it. Seriously - I'm the girl who loathes "Beaches" and "Steel Magnolias" and all those Lifetime Movies that Melissa Gilbert is in - but this was good shit. That was really accurate medically for a fic. And there were no deathbed proclamations and there was no lying around looking pale and then 2 weeks later fine, soap opera illness. Also - I love any fic where there are seizures described accurately.

See- now I feel guilty for not having done that...

[viola69.livejournal.com]

Personally- I *STILL* haven't seen Steel Magnolias or Beaches in their entireity- caught bits on tv- but changed channel cause the over-wroughtness just turned my stomach.

But This fic was so not that- the voices were all strong, the plot tightly pulled together- I loved how Different the over-lapping scenes felt as the varying narrators told their tale- & how well established it was that Each of the narrators was falliable & subjective. It was only in looking at things from all 4 angles that you clearly saw the 'reality'.
I had so many 'favorite' moments- I want there to be you. Brian's ranting at the railyard, Mikey's ice cream trips, Brian's description of his & Justin's reunion sex, You.Suck., Brian & Justin's fight over Not being their fathers or living in a house like they grew up with, ... ack, I could go on & on. :-)