[REC] Star Trek XI (2009) (146/365)
It's been a while since I've read Kirk/Spock, when it seemed like for a while there, that's all I was reading. And that was Original Series reading, too; as far as Reboot stuff goes, it's been even longer. I came across this almost two weeks ago, and kept it on back-burner, but I really needed a distraction from Project Work this weekend, so I dug into it. Wow, am I glad I did. Granted, instead of the needed distraction it's now launched me right back into incessant searching for more of the same, but since I think this one's pretty special that obsession may burn itself out shortly. We'll see.
When done well, I'm not sure I could ever get enough of seeing this idea worked out in fic: Spock Prime tells them, however indirectly, that they're about to have an epic relationship; at the beginning of the five-year mission, how does that idea work itself out for each of them, especially considering that at least at the outset they can barely stand each other? It's an interesting conundrum to stick them with, for sure, and several brilliant stories have sprung up from it. In fact, to a certain extent almost all K/S post-movie Reboot fic is about this bit of friction. I, for one, gobble it up like candy.
Here, they've been prescribed relationship therapy by a Bones who stands in for pretty much every member of a crew who can barely deal with the friction. It's not as cracky a premise as it sounds - the therapy bit. In fact, I'd venture to add this isn't really about the therapy at all. It's really about something much more basic between them, about their simultaneous need to communicate and tendency to misfire when trying, about the early days of forging an understanding and trust that couldn't have been easy to arrive at, in either universe. Detailed, fascinating, generous work, this; entertaining, emotional, intimate and hot, too!
How We Are (but not how we're going to be) (Kirk/Spock (STXI) | R | 35,916 words)
Even when they hate each other, they're still sort of falling in love.
Author:
alpha_hydra. Also available: @LJ.
The author warns for douchey-ness and well, yes, I can see that, but I also think it's justified on everyone's part, and I wouldn't call it that anyway. So set that aside for a moment.
So Spock Prime implies that they're going to be great friends, which immediately raises both their hackles and creates a set of assumptions and expectations that are fascinatingly at odds with that prediction. The preconceived notions present at the start of this story are immense, and they drive their communication patterns utterly.
They don't actually get along in STXI, and I love that the author doesn't ignore that here, that she doesn't go for the easy "angry sex" fix, that she actually shows them both actively combative and, later, actively trying to work it out, however difficult it may be. There is plenty of desire to fix the problem, on both parts, especially since - as is natural with adversaries who actually really care - the verbal blows they land begin to only get more and more painful before Bones steps in.
What saves them here - and I love the way the author brings this about - is some keen cultural understanding on the part of Kirk, and some intense self-work on the part of Spock. It's actually really beautiful to behold what happens after.
Honestly, this is just a terrific read. Quick, and cogent, and - one gets the sense - coming from a good place, much like the characters themselves. Thoughtful. Intensely hot. Well-earned.
I could... keep listing adjectives? :)
---
Further bits in my 2012 one-a-day slash recs experiment can be found on my rec: 365 tag ( LJ/DW)
(cross-posted from http://mementis.dreamwidth.org/57058.html -
comments @ DW - reply@DW)
When done well, I'm not sure I could ever get enough of seeing this idea worked out in fic: Spock Prime tells them, however indirectly, that they're about to have an epic relationship; at the beginning of the five-year mission, how does that idea work itself out for each of them, especially considering that at least at the outset they can barely stand each other? It's an interesting conundrum to stick them with, for sure, and several brilliant stories have sprung up from it. In fact, to a certain extent almost all K/S post-movie Reboot fic is about this bit of friction. I, for one, gobble it up like candy.
Here, they've been prescribed relationship therapy by a Bones who stands in for pretty much every member of a crew who can barely deal with the friction. It's not as cracky a premise as it sounds - the therapy bit. In fact, I'd venture to add this isn't really about the therapy at all. It's really about something much more basic between them, about their simultaneous need to communicate and tendency to misfire when trying, about the early days of forging an understanding and trust that couldn't have been easy to arrive at, in either universe. Detailed, fascinating, generous work, this; entertaining, emotional, intimate and hot, too!
How We Are (but not how we're going to be) (Kirk/Spock (STXI) | R | 35,916 words)
Even when they hate each other, they're still sort of falling in love.
Author:
alpha_hydra. Also available: @LJ.
The author warns for douchey-ness and well, yes, I can see that, but I also think it's justified on everyone's part, and I wouldn't call it that anyway. So set that aside for a moment.
So Spock Prime implies that they're going to be great friends, which immediately raises both their hackles and creates a set of assumptions and expectations that are fascinatingly at odds with that prediction. The preconceived notions present at the start of this story are immense, and they drive their communication patterns utterly.
They don't actually get along in STXI, and I love that the author doesn't ignore that here, that she doesn't go for the easy "angry sex" fix, that she actually shows them both actively combative and, later, actively trying to work it out, however difficult it may be. There is plenty of desire to fix the problem, on both parts, especially since - as is natural with adversaries who actually really care - the verbal blows they land begin to only get more and more painful before Bones steps in.
What saves them here - and I love the way the author brings this about - is some keen cultural understanding on the part of Kirk, and some intense self-work on the part of Spock. It's actually really beautiful to behold what happens after.
Honestly, this is just a terrific read. Quick, and cogent, and - one gets the sense - coming from a good place, much like the characters themselves. Thoughtful. Intensely hot. Well-earned.
I could... keep listing adjectives? :)
---
Further bits in my 2012 one-a-day slash recs experiment can be found on my rec: 365 tag ( LJ/DW)
(cross-posted from http://mementis.dreamwidth.org/57058.html -
comments @ DW - reply@DW)