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Smutrecs day 10
The theme for today's recs is compulsion: being forced to sleep together (by biology or external forces).
The Clex rec of the day is Velvetglove, "Biological Imperative".
(See below for discussion of this story with the Smallville mystery rec).
Smallville mystery rec of the day: Isagel, "The Same River".
I wanted to pair these two stories together when I recced them, because they both address similar themes: alien!Clark has a biological imperative that draws him to Lex. What's interesting is how each author has a very *different* take on the consequences of the mating drive for Lex and Clark's relationship. In Isagel's story, the mating instinct is bittersweet because it remains a biological link between Clark and Lex *after* they have broken up (Lex killed Lionel, and feels guilty only that Clark found out; Clark cannot abide that). Yet Lex in this story remains protective of Clark, and even though Clark hates his biological urges, Lex here still loves Clark enough not to use them against him. For the reader, Clark's need to mate is a blessing, because we know Lex and Clark are meant to be together even if Clark can't yet bring himself to forgive Lex.
Velvetglove's story is, on the surface, happier: the biological imperative which drives Clark and Lex together keeps them together, and leads them to have truly spectacular sex when they are together. (Really, really fantastic sex--this story is amazingly HOT.) Furthermore, part of the story is set in the future, suggesting that Clark and Lex will remain together. Yet there are some hints in the story that Lex is using Clark's biological drives to manipulate him for his own ends. It's pretty subtle, but it's definitely suggested--which gives the story an added layer of psychological complexity.
"Blast from the past" rec: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Augusta Pembroke, "Pleasure Boy," .
SW: TPM will always be the fandom I remember for having produced slash *before* the movie was even released. It was also (like Stargate Atlantis, today) one of those fandoms that seemed, for a time, to suck in all the best slash writers from every previous slash fandom *ever*, as well as producing a lot of amazing new writers. For that reason (and because I don't, actually, have 28 separate fandoms to rec in!) I am actually doing TPM recs for 2 days.
"Pleasure Boy" is one of those stories I read over and over, probably because rentboys are one of my bulletproof kinks. Of course, Obi-Wan is just *pretending* to be a pleasure boy, on an undercover assignment with Qui-Gon, and Qui-Gon is the one who owns his contract. Then they find themselves in a situation where they are compelled to sleep together for versimilitude. So that's *two* bulletproof kinks, put together.
The Clex rec of the day is Velvetglove, "Biological Imperative".
(See below for discussion of this story with the Smallville mystery rec).
Smallville mystery rec of the day: Isagel, "The Same River".
I wanted to pair these two stories together when I recced them, because they both address similar themes: alien!Clark has a biological imperative that draws him to Lex. What's interesting is how each author has a very *different* take on the consequences of the mating drive for Lex and Clark's relationship. In Isagel's story, the mating instinct is bittersweet because it remains a biological link between Clark and Lex *after* they have broken up (Lex killed Lionel, and feels guilty only that Clark found out; Clark cannot abide that). Yet Lex in this story remains protective of Clark, and even though Clark hates his biological urges, Lex here still loves Clark enough not to use them against him. For the reader, Clark's need to mate is a blessing, because we know Lex and Clark are meant to be together even if Clark can't yet bring himself to forgive Lex.
Velvetglove's story is, on the surface, happier: the biological imperative which drives Clark and Lex together keeps them together, and leads them to have truly spectacular sex when they are together. (Really, really fantastic sex--this story is amazingly HOT.) Furthermore, part of the story is set in the future, suggesting that Clark and Lex will remain together. Yet there are some hints in the story that Lex is using Clark's biological drives to manipulate him for his own ends. It's pretty subtle, but it's definitely suggested--which gives the story an added layer of psychological complexity.
"Blast from the past" rec: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Augusta Pembroke, "Pleasure Boy," .
SW: TPM will always be the fandom I remember for having produced slash *before* the movie was even released. It was also (like Stargate Atlantis, today) one of those fandoms that seemed, for a time, to suck in all the best slash writers from every previous slash fandom *ever*, as well as producing a lot of amazing new writers. For that reason (and because I don't, actually, have 28 separate fandoms to rec in!) I am actually doing TPM recs for 2 days.
"Pleasure Boy" is one of those stories I read over and over, probably because rentboys are one of my bulletproof kinks. Of course, Obi-Wan is just *pretending* to be a pleasure boy, on an undercover assignment with Qui-Gon, and Qui-Gon is the one who owns his contract. Then they find themselves in a situation where they are compelled to sleep together for versimilitude. So that's *two* bulletproof kinks, put together.
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I think sometimes that it would be really interesting to write an essay on how futurefics reflect onscreen canon at the time they were written. For example, Lex in "The Same River" is *so* sympathetic to Clark's needs, and doesn't really blame Clark for the rift between them. I don't think that would be a plausible futurefic with today's Lex, at least not without a *lot* of backstory.
I hope you enjoy the Star Wars slash!
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the TPM story was fairly engaging, even though i'm not in the fandom. i liked the braid, the muscularity of the sex, and the mental images of neeson and mcgregor. viva!
no subject