Say Something - Teen Wolf Rec
So, I've been reading a lot of Sterek fan fiction, and this is the first one I wanted to come and gush over.
It's called Say Something by onrooftops, and it's available on AO3.
Sterek fan fiction is great, and a lot of it is good fun, crackfic, amusing, clever, well written, and makes me laugh. But I don't want to laugh when I read Sterek, because the characters to me aren't funny and aren't having a good time. They're angsty and broken and unhappy and unsure and they talk a lot to cover their insecurities and they need someone who gets them without them having to say much about it at all.
I especially want a story where the relationship grows at a slow, realistic pace, and where Stiles doesn't go all gay and say "Oh, my GAWD, Derek is so HAWT." And Derek doesn't turn around and say, "Oh, I love you, my little pumpkin head!" Save me, save me....and your story DOES that. It saves me from all the things I don't want and gives me exactly what I do. Stiles with those panic attacks at JUST the right moment. Derek growling and snapping and not saying much, but sleeping OVER because (I think) Stiles is the one person who he doesn't have to fake it with. Derek knows exactly where he stands with Stiles, and vise versa. They don't have to lie or pretend or have a brave face....Derek can just come sleep because that's what he needs. And Stiles can give it to him because that's what HE needs. Only he never could ask. He can say anything in the world except for what he wants and needs. And you created in this story the characters exactly the way I see them.
You got it all perfect, in my book. Pacing, texture, voice of the characters. You had all the characters, and had fun with them, but you focused on the pairing of Sterek, and never wandered off. That takes some skill, in my book. You had single POV, which I LOVE, and you had Stiles spot on, in the way that he thinks, what he thinks about, and how his mind just never turns off. You had Derek great too, and this one great line where you talk about Derek being moody and unhappy, and, UNSURE - but doing his best, which I think is one of the most underrated Derek character traits ever.
And you had what I call a round story....a story that comes back to where it started...in that Stiles has someone to sleep with, so he can start dealing with the loss of his mom, and his insomnia, which he never has. (He doesn't want to BOTHER anyone, see.) And if you didn't put that in the story on purpose? It came out anyway, so well done you. The best example of a round story, published is one called "Catspaw" by Joan D. Vinge. She's a Hugo award winner who's written some amazing stuff, but Catspaw is my favorite of hers. This fic was round like Catspaw was.
Plus the sex was HAWT, heh heh......especially where Stiles' dad...oh, yes, Stiles' dad does find out about the werewolves and about the Sterek, but in a way that made sense, and not on account of any false drama. So Stiles is supposed to not have sex, but what teenager is going to listen to that? None. And then the sex happens, when Derek gives Stiles his first blow job, and I was all hot and bothered, reading it. The scene itself was not very long, but then, it didn't need to be. It was perfect and spot on. With Derek crouching over Stiles and Stiles being GLAD that he's got a werewolf for a boyfriend.
Best ending ever, with a sleepover. And the Sheriff saying, "Goodnight, boys," in a way that made me feel that he understood that what Derek might need is someone to look OUT for him, without the Sheriff needing anything from Derek. The way a parent would. And letting them sleep on the mattress because it would be good for Stiles and his insomnia.
I was awake for some time going over your story in my head. I wanted to riff off it it; I had this whole scene in my head about Derek sleeping over, but I didn't want to...intrude, is the best way to put it. But I've got this SCENE in my head. Can I? May I?
This entry was originally posted at http://lovesrain44.dreamwidth.org/57632.html.
It's called Say Something by onrooftops, and it's available on AO3.
Sterek fan fiction is great, and a lot of it is good fun, crackfic, amusing, clever, well written, and makes me laugh. But I don't want to laugh when I read Sterek, because the characters to me aren't funny and aren't having a good time. They're angsty and broken and unhappy and unsure and they talk a lot to cover their insecurities and they need someone who gets them without them having to say much about it at all.
I especially want a story where the relationship grows at a slow, realistic pace, and where Stiles doesn't go all gay and say "Oh, my GAWD, Derek is so HAWT." And Derek doesn't turn around and say, "Oh, I love you, my little pumpkin head!" Save me, save me....and your story DOES that. It saves me from all the things I don't want and gives me exactly what I do. Stiles with those panic attacks at JUST the right moment. Derek growling and snapping and not saying much, but sleeping OVER because (I think) Stiles is the one person who he doesn't have to fake it with. Derek knows exactly where he stands with Stiles, and vise versa. They don't have to lie or pretend or have a brave face....Derek can just come sleep because that's what he needs. And Stiles can give it to him because that's what HE needs. Only he never could ask. He can say anything in the world except for what he wants and needs. And you created in this story the characters exactly the way I see them.
You got it all perfect, in my book. Pacing, texture, voice of the characters. You had all the characters, and had fun with them, but you focused on the pairing of Sterek, and never wandered off. That takes some skill, in my book. You had single POV, which I LOVE, and you had Stiles spot on, in the way that he thinks, what he thinks about, and how his mind just never turns off. You had Derek great too, and this one great line where you talk about Derek being moody and unhappy, and, UNSURE - but doing his best, which I think is one of the most underrated Derek character traits ever.
And you had what I call a round story....a story that comes back to where it started...in that Stiles has someone to sleep with, so he can start dealing with the loss of his mom, and his insomnia, which he never has. (He doesn't want to BOTHER anyone, see.) And if you didn't put that in the story on purpose? It came out anyway, so well done you. The best example of a round story, published is one called "Catspaw" by Joan D. Vinge. She's a Hugo award winner who's written some amazing stuff, but Catspaw is my favorite of hers. This fic was round like Catspaw was.
Plus the sex was HAWT, heh heh......especially where Stiles' dad...oh, yes, Stiles' dad does find out about the werewolves and about the Sterek, but in a way that made sense, and not on account of any false drama. So Stiles is supposed to not have sex, but what teenager is going to listen to that? None. And then the sex happens, when Derek gives Stiles his first blow job, and I was all hot and bothered, reading it. The scene itself was not very long, but then, it didn't need to be. It was perfect and spot on. With Derek crouching over Stiles and Stiles being GLAD that he's got a werewolf for a boyfriend.
Best ending ever, with a sleepover. And the Sheriff saying, "Goodnight, boys," in a way that made me feel that he understood that what Derek might need is someone to look OUT for him, without the Sheriff needing anything from Derek. The way a parent would. And letting them sleep on the mattress because it would be good for Stiles and his insomnia.
I was awake for some time going over your story in my head. I wanted to riff off it it; I had this whole scene in my head about Derek sleeping over, but I didn't want to...intrude, is the best way to put it. But I've got this SCENE in my head. Can I? May I?
This entry was originally posted at http://lovesrain44.dreamwidth.org/57632.html.