Things That I Love in Stories
I've been trying to come up with this list for weeks now. For the longest time, all I could come up with was thematic orgasm denial, but I have finally come up with some other things! \o/
1) Thematic orgasm denial. Okay, so the thing is, this one works for so many different stories, in so many different ways. There's: 1.1) UST. What is unresolved sexual tension? Thematic orgasm denial! Characters just circling each other and getting so close but then pulling away for whatever reason. I love the tension of moments where something might, might, might finally happen, where you're just holding your breath and waiting and then... Nope. A story built of a whole series of those kinds of moments is my favorite thing, because then you can have that moment where they finally do get together.
1.2) Sex pollen is also totally thematic orgasm denial, because even though the person is usually actually getting it on, they're not getting any satisfaction. Mhhh, desperation.
1.3) Some kind of bet that leads to actualfax orgasm denial (like in 40 Days and 40 Nights) or orgasms-thru-sex denial (who can go the longest without giving in). I seriously would read like twenty thousand stories where Panic makes a bet to see who can go the longest without jerking off after one too many nights where someone gets woken up because someone else's bedsprings are squeaking. And then there's that mounting tension because they aren't getting any at all, and all of the sudden someone's bandmates are looking really fucking hot. And also boys walking around with boners all the time.
Or, maybe Ryan and Jon are just in the new stages of their relationship and gentle teasing leads to not so gentle teasing leads to, "I could go longer without sex than you could," "Wanna bet?" and then they circle each other and they are soclose but there is no sex to be had. And maybe Spencer takes Ryan's side and Brendon takes Jon's and they try to help, so Brendon gets around bending over all the time, because he's trying to rile Ryan up (to help Jon of course), only Spencer ends up being the one who's most frustrated and then he goes ahead and bends Brendon over something and then Jon and Ryan have to listen to them having loud sex but they still aren't going to give in dammit, it's a matter of principle. And then eventually they break and have sex too.
2) Stories that are actually just character studies. I love gen when it's just about the character; not long and plot-driven gen, but short, pointed character pieces. Even stories that have a pairing and aren't rated G, just so long as they're actually all about one character, maybe showing something about the person through an experience with another person or something. Character studies. ♥_♥. Bonus points if it's a character study about a female character. My favorite part of popslash were the stories about Britney.
3) Characters having to kiss for random, non-relationship based reasons like spin the bottle or being pretend boyfriends or have to go undercover or something and there being incredible sparks. What should be an innocent, practical kiss getting all dirty and the character getting all accidentally turned on and wanting more, and then that confusion afterward, because-- whoa! Unexpected. "OMG, we are totally professional spy dudes and we were only kissing so that our cover wasn't blown, but wow," or, "OMG, it was just a game of spin the bottle, which I knew was a terrible idea, but I didn't want to stop," and then also UST and pining.
4) Noise being used well in sex scenes. If a character screams out his release, I usually just mentally roll my eyes, but I looove it when noises are well done. Like when the character is mostly quiet, but there is a noise at something unexpected which makes it even sexier (like Spencer's blowing Brendon and he accidentally scrapes his teeth over the head of Brendon's cock and Brendon makes this sound and his hips jerk up, not away).
5) When characters Aren't Supposed To Be Together but can't help themselves. I like it best when it's some kind of general external situation (like a different time period when homosexuality was condemned). I don't like it when they're not supposed to be together because they've already got other partners. Cheating isn't sex. But, characters who shouldn't because they would get kicked out of their prissy British boarding school the castle they live in somewhere or lose something or I don't know, someone else should come up with situations and also write that story because I would way rather read this than have to write it all the time, and also I know nothing about history, so it would obviously be better if someone else wrote it because it would have more poignancy in being historically accurate. This combines my favorite things of UST, desperation, pining, longing, and the sexy kind of shame. 5.1) Sexy shame. Someone being ashamed because they were abused or because they cheated on their partner or something obviously isn't sexy, but someone being ashamed because they think they aren't supposed to do something that we as the reader know is just fine is super hot. Like, we know that it's awesome to be gay, but maybe the character hasn't yet figured that out. Characters not being able to help wanting something is A+++, I think.
6) Vampires and mermaids and werewolves, oh my. But not like, "Oh my god, I am so tormented because I am a vampire, I wish I were a human, let's have another TV show about the vampire-cop with a heart." More with the sexy biting times. Sex while someone is a werewolf would count as bestiality, which isn't sexy to me, but the time leading up to the full moon? When the person is getting more and more primal, and maybe they can smell things differently and they can't stand to watch anyone else touching their love interest and also possessive sex. And, I dunno, I just like mermaids.
7) Any and all instances of Brendon going still.
1) Thematic orgasm denial. Okay, so the thing is, this one works for so many different stories, in so many different ways. There's: 1.1) UST. What is unresolved sexual tension? Thematic orgasm denial! Characters just circling each other and getting so close but then pulling away for whatever reason. I love the tension of moments where something might, might, might finally happen, where you're just holding your breath and waiting and then... Nope. A story built of a whole series of those kinds of moments is my favorite thing, because then you can have that moment where they finally do get together.
1.2) Sex pollen is also totally thematic orgasm denial, because even though the person is usually actually getting it on, they're not getting any satisfaction. Mhhh, desperation.
1.3) Some kind of bet that leads to actualfax orgasm denial (like in 40 Days and 40 Nights) or orgasms-thru-sex denial (who can go the longest without giving in). I seriously would read like twenty thousand stories where Panic makes a bet to see who can go the longest without jerking off after one too many nights where someone gets woken up because someone else's bedsprings are squeaking. And then there's that mounting tension because they aren't getting any at all, and all of the sudden someone's bandmates are looking really fucking hot. And also boys walking around with boners all the time.
Or, maybe Ryan and Jon are just in the new stages of their relationship and gentle teasing leads to not so gentle teasing leads to, "I could go longer without sex than you could," "Wanna bet?" and then they circle each other and they are soclose but there is no sex to be had. And maybe Spencer takes Ryan's side and Brendon takes Jon's and they try to help, so Brendon gets around bending over all the time, because he's trying to rile Ryan up (to help Jon of course), only Spencer ends up being the one who's most frustrated and then he goes ahead and bends Brendon over something and then Jon and Ryan have to listen to them having loud sex but they still aren't going to give in dammit, it's a matter of principle. And then eventually they break and have sex too.
2) Stories that are actually just character studies. I love gen when it's just about the character; not long and plot-driven gen, but short, pointed character pieces. Even stories that have a pairing and aren't rated G, just so long as they're actually all about one character, maybe showing something about the person through an experience with another person or something. Character studies. ♥_♥. Bonus points if it's a character study about a female character. My favorite part of popslash were the stories about Britney.
3) Characters having to kiss for random, non-relationship based reasons like spin the bottle or being pretend boyfriends or have to go undercover or something and there being incredible sparks. What should be an innocent, practical kiss getting all dirty and the character getting all accidentally turned on and wanting more, and then that confusion afterward, because-- whoa! Unexpected. "OMG, we are totally professional spy dudes and we were only kissing so that our cover wasn't blown, but wow," or, "OMG, it was just a game of spin the bottle, which I knew was a terrible idea, but I didn't want to stop," and then also UST and pining.
4) Noise being used well in sex scenes. If a character screams out his release, I usually just mentally roll my eyes, but I looove it when noises are well done. Like when the character is mostly quiet, but there is a noise at something unexpected which makes it even sexier (like Spencer's blowing Brendon and he accidentally scrapes his teeth over the head of Brendon's cock and Brendon makes this sound and his hips jerk up, not away).
5) When characters Aren't Supposed To Be Together but can't help themselves. I like it best when it's some kind of general external situation (like a different time period when homosexuality was condemned). I don't like it when they're not supposed to be together because they've already got other partners. Cheating isn't sex. But, characters who shouldn't because they would get kicked out of their prissy British boarding school the castle they live in somewhere or lose something or I don't know, someone else should come up with situations and also write that story because I would way rather read this than have to write it all the time, and also I know nothing about history, so it would obviously be better if someone else wrote it because it would have more poignancy in being historically accurate. This combines my favorite things of UST, desperation, pining, longing, and the sexy kind of shame. 5.1) Sexy shame. Someone being ashamed because they were abused or because they cheated on their partner or something obviously isn't sexy, but someone being ashamed because they think they aren't supposed to do something that we as the reader know is just fine is super hot. Like, we know that it's awesome to be gay, but maybe the character hasn't yet figured that out. Characters not being able to help wanting something is A+++, I think.
6) Vampires and mermaids and werewolves, oh my. But not like, "Oh my god, I am so tormented because I am a vampire, I wish I were a human, let's have another TV show about the vampire-cop with a heart." More with the sexy biting times. Sex while someone is a werewolf would count as bestiality, which isn't sexy to me, but the time leading up to the full moon? When the person is getting more and more primal, and maybe they can smell things differently and they can't stand to watch anyone else touching their love interest and also possessive sex. And, I dunno, I just like mermaids.
7) Any and all instances of Brendon going still.