Home For the Holidays by Kimberley (NC-17)
Well, it's a little late for Christmas in July, I admit, but I did want to rec this seasonally inappropriate story anyway, so...
Title: Home For the Holidays
Author: Kimberley
Fandom: Magnificent Seven
Pairing: Vin/Chris
Category: Angst, Romance, Established Relationship, AU
Length: Epic
Warnings: n/a
Website: n/a
Author on LJ: n/a
Author's Summary: Chris and Vin are getting ready for the holidays when an unexpected visitor drops into their lives.
Review:
First a bit of background: I cannot think of another fandom that has such a well-known and substantial AU as the ATF 'verse of M7. For those unfamiliar with it, the ATF 'verse is a modern-day AU that has become so pervasive in the fandom that lots of newcomers often think it is the canon rather than the Old West; I'd say at least half of M7 stories are ATF.
I debated for awhile what Vin/Chris story I should rec first. It is the most popular slash pairing in the fandom in good part due to its almost canonicity - instant best friends who can communicate wordlessly, after all. I eventually chose Kimberley's Home for the Holidays because, though not groundbreaking, it is has always popped up in my mind when I think of the pairing as a wonderful example of what Vin/Chris could be.
Chris is wonderful as a a good guy, perfectly capable of sustaining a strong relationship, who also can be an asshole. Kimberley allows for that but never goes too far. I adore Vin (an admitted bias for my favorite character) in this story - despite being the character to take the majority of hurt in the story, he is no doormat and he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. The conflict that arises between Vin and Chris feels particularly real - it is not a blow-up, dramatic, screaming fight but something more subtle. Being an established couple takes work, after all, and dealing with unthinking hurts and failures in communication is a part of that.
The sex scenes aren't anything to shout about, but the rest of the story certainly makes up for it. A sweet but not too saccharine read.
Home For the Holiday
Title: Home For the Holidays
Author: Kimberley
Fandom: Magnificent Seven
Pairing: Vin/Chris
Category: Angst, Romance, Established Relationship, AU
Length: Epic
Warnings: n/a
Website: n/a
Author on LJ: n/a
Author's Summary: Chris and Vin are getting ready for the holidays when an unexpected visitor drops into their lives.
Review:
First a bit of background: I cannot think of another fandom that has such a well-known and substantial AU as the ATF 'verse of M7. For those unfamiliar with it, the ATF 'verse is a modern-day AU that has become so pervasive in the fandom that lots of newcomers often think it is the canon rather than the Old West; I'd say at least half of M7 stories are ATF.
I debated for awhile what Vin/Chris story I should rec first. It is the most popular slash pairing in the fandom in good part due to its almost canonicity - instant best friends who can communicate wordlessly, after all. I eventually chose Kimberley's Home for the Holidays because, though not groundbreaking, it is has always popped up in my mind when I think of the pairing as a wonderful example of what Vin/Chris could be.
Chris is wonderful as a a good guy, perfectly capable of sustaining a strong relationship, who also can be an asshole. Kimberley allows for that but never goes too far. I adore Vin (an admitted bias for my favorite character) in this story - despite being the character to take the majority of hurt in the story, he is no doormat and he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. The conflict that arises between Vin and Chris feels particularly real - it is not a blow-up, dramatic, screaming fight but something more subtle. Being an established couple takes work, after all, and dealing with unthinking hurts and failures in communication is a part of that.
The sex scenes aren't anything to shout about, but the rest of the story certainly makes up for it. A sweet but not too saccharine read.
Home For the Holiday