the shape of idolslash, plus flyboys recs

[jlh]

I read a lot of Idolslash while grading last week and I think I've got the outline of a non-AU Idolslash fic down. This is not to say that there aren't plenty of really awesome fics that have this outline (because there are), but more that regardless of pairing, the plot/emotional progression is pretty similar. The pairing dynamics make the actual working out of this plot rather different-Blake/Chris tends to be less angsty because they're both single; Adam/Kris tends to be more overt about sexuality because, well, it's Adam. So it's not really the same story over and over, so much as it's the same outline, over and over-and no doubt some of the similarities are just similarities with slash fic in general, and rps in particular. (I've based this outline on s6 Chris/Blake, s7 David/Michael and slightly David/David, and s8 Kris/Adam, though I presume that s5 Chris/Ace was pretty similar.)

1. We first catch each other's eye in Hollywood week. Perhaps there's a meet cute, or we seek each other out after one of us give an amazing first performance, or we end up in the same group. Quickly we're inseparable, and the others notice.
   
   • Optional: giving each other epic hugs after we made the semifinals and/or contacting each other between Hollywood week and the semis.
2. We're roommates at the Idol apartments/house and sharing a bathroom leads to staring at each other, longingly but secretly, at shower time. We're a little uncomfortable and try to deal, often by masturbating about each other. If the other hears, he pretends not to notice.
   
   • Optional: if straight, freaking out about our newfound lust for a man; if coupled, infidelity of the heart; if gay/bi, yearning for straight (married) guy.
3. The mutuality of the attraction is confirmed, usually in week of 10 or 9 singers. We may give in, or we may just discuss it in an angsty fashion because one of us is married before eventually giving in, or we may not give in and the story ends, bittersweet.
   
   • At this point a wife is revealed as being (a) a beard; (b) understanding of the circumstances and giving some kind of permission; (c) a homophobic shrew who trapped me into marriage; (d) a nice person but the marriage has been falling apart for a while now.
4. Sex. One of us is experienced in sex with a man, being gay or bi, and has condoms and lube on hand; the other has never had sex with a man before, and will top first and bottom later. The bottoming will be the ultimate symbol of acceptance of the new sexuality and importance of the new relationship.
   
5. One of us is voted off, and we have a final night before saying a sweet goodbye until the finale; OR, we are the final two, and we have a final night alone in the Idol house/apartments.
   
   • Note that while the big pairing (or two) of the year emerges quite early, generally right after the semis, one or both of the pairing make it to the final two (or should have, in the case of Daughtry). This either says something about the prescience of slash fangirls, or their alignment with the Idol voter.
6. The other of us bravely carries on alone, though it's generally only for a few weeks. We may sing songs that are secret messages to our departed lover.
   
7. We are reunited briefly for the finale, though if only one of us is still competing his time is limited. The reunion is joyous. Perhaps the married half of the pair has resolved their other relationship, perhaps not.
   
   • Optional: during the post-finale press tour, we continue to sing songs as coded messages to our departed lover..
8. We are reunited for rehearsals for the tour. It's less crazy and our relationship begins to take shape. However, once we are out on the road, we have to take care, as no one wants us fucking on the tour bus.
   
9. At the end of the tour, we either part, bittersweet, or face our future together. The end.

This is why I love Idol AUs so much, because they can be creative and fantastic and have such interesting personalities to work with. We were spoiled in Cake fandom, because we moved into AUs pretty quickly over there, and they were varied and quite good. Sadly unlike in Cake fandom, in other pairing AUs I run into problem #1 from my post the other day: evil!Simon. I find this a very odd recurring theme in Cook fic, because Simon loved him, loved him so much that there's Cook/Cowell fic, loved him so much that I wrote a fic about Ryan being a little jealous.

Which is very long way of saying, I have only two stories to recommend to you from the land of s7 David/Michael. Both are slight AUs in which Michael was never on Idol but Cook was and still won. The first is a quite long relationship story; the other is a shorter mystery.

• Black Bird Singing by Mari (ficangel on LJ, though all stories are at IJ). Two chaptered fics and a few standalones best read as one long story, as many issues brought up in BBS are not fully resolved until the sequel You Can't Always Get What You Want. But it's quite a good read. Michael is a former-musician, current tabloid photographer; Cook is a rock star; both have things they need to work out.
  In order: Black Bird Singing (final chapter, with links to previous chapters), When Dawn Cracks, Three Months and I'm Still Standing Here, Turn My Blue Heart to Red, You Can't Always Get What You Want (final chapter, with links to previous chapters), Hold On Loosely.
  
• Breath From Another by angelicfruicake (at her ficjournal). MJSecurity is the top personal security/private investigation firm in LA. Who else would be chosen to protect American Idol David Cook when he starts receiving some disturbing fanmail? Fairly short and tightly plotted; pretty rare to find a good mystery/action story in a non-action fandom. Warning: the final epilogue chapter hasn't been written, but the main plot has been resolved, so I think it's worth a read.

I realized in writing this that I never rec'd all those great Cake AUs, so that goes in the next post!