489: TEN J2 Big Bang Recs
title. Seek to Know No More
author. chiiyo86
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 36,200
summary. Jensen is a transparent - hard to notice, easy to forget, he’s spent his whole life fading into the background. Jared is a psychometrist - he can read bits and pieces of thoughts and memories from people and objects. They had casual sex a few years ago, and when they meet again Jensen is surprised that Jared remembers him. They have sex again, but Jensen is wary of Jared’s ability and generally not very good at relationships. In the meantime, people with abilities are getting killed, a mysterious journalist visits Jensen and Jared, people are following Jensen, Jared has a vision he can’t explain, and everything becomes very complicated and very dangerous.
read this. This story has some really innovative ideas, especially with regards to the "powers", which are not typical of the superhero trope. The mystery, world-building, and characterizations all combine to create a compelling fic.
title. Better Than Moonshine
author. riyku
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 33,000
summary. After publishing a few dime store paperbacks and one novel that scored decent critical success, Jensen's in a bit of a rut. He's got an editor breathing down his neck, an overdue novel that needs to be written, and a weeklong workshop to lead on beating writer's block. To top it off, he has a vicarious one-night stand, and now the guy keeps showing up all over the place. It turns out that a little petty larceny, a car crash, and possible blackmail--all in the name of fun--might be exactly what he needs to kick-start his writing again.
read this. This is a whole bunch of fun, reminding me of old screwball comedies with a modern twist and some seriousness to balance out the crazy. It put a smile on my face and will hopefully do the same for you!
title. The Only Constant
author. lazy_daze
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 25,300
summary. When Supernatural and his marriage end around the same time, Jared finds himself at a loss; unsure, frustrated and uninspired - until a series of events give him the spark of an idea to leave the acting world behind and put his energies into following his love for animals and starting up an animal shelter. As he works at making the spark into reality, his friendship with Jensen takes some dramatic and unexpected turns, the strength of it being tested as things change around them and more significantly, between them.
read this. One of the few nonAU J2 fics this year, I loved the focus Jared post-SPN. A quick, sweet read.
title. Gemini Rising
author. aletheo
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 107,700
summary. In the three-thousand years after Terra, humanity flourished in a Golden Age of prosperity and happiness. Until the silicates. No means to communicate, no method for diplomacy, mankind fought back against the onslaught with all they had, but they were slowly losing the war. At the brink of extinction, man's greatest hope lies with two young men who's extraordinary abilities have shockingly and violently awoken.
read this. For all the J2 in space lovers! A nice long read with a great plot that will leave you guessing.
title. Love and Otter Disasters
author. peppervl @ butterflywrites
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 42,692
summary. As otters living on a wildlife preserve, Jared and Jensen enjoy spending lots of time playing and floating together, but they want more. An encounter with humans gives them a glimpse of the life they want, but when Misha the Magnificent grants their wish, they find that being human-and being in love-is a little more complicated than they thought, especially with the added challenges of being television stars.
read this. Just a whole lot of fun and ridiculously adorable, just like any story about otters should be!
title. Our Story is Infinite
author. elizah_jane
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. R
words. 24,000
summary. After he left high school, Jared thought he'd seen the last of Jensen Ackles: Life Ruiner, so it came as an unpleasant surprise when Ackles turned up again as one of Jared's college roommates. Jared didn't plan on living with him and he didn't plan on falling for him, but once they got together, he figured things would get easier. He was wrong about that too. Life, as it turned out, was just full of magical surprises.
read this. Another story that doesn't take itself too seriously and is just a pile of fun. The multimedia aspect really adds to the cheesy, 1980's fairy tale feel of this work (think the Princess Bride and Labyrinth).
title. Anywhere and Everywhere People
author. beckaandzac
characters. Jared/Jensen, JDM/Zoe Saldana
rating. NC17
words. 28,000
summary. Jared, heir to an intergalactic shipping company, receives a body slave as a sixteenth birthday gift. Jensen is the first slave Jared has ever spoken to, since household slaves are required to be "altered" when they reach adulthood, fitted with a hearing implant that allows them to hear only their master's voice. As the two of them grow up together and fall in love, Jensen helps Jared to realize the ugly truth about the nature of slavery and the society he has always taken for granted. As adults, Jensen is the only one who sees the divide between Jared's private life and his public facade, and Jared is the only one who sees Jensen for what he is, an equal in every way. A very loose sci-fi interpretation of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
read this. Another J2 in space fic! I think this twisted the Scarlet Pimpernel pretty fantastically. It's not often you see a piece of classical literature adapted in fic, which I loved.
title. Talking Through A Different Face
author. tebtosca
characters. Jared/Jensen, Misha/Genevieve, Chris/Danneel
rating. NC17
words. 34,000
summary. When single dad Jared Padalecki is recruited under desperate circumstances to become the “normal” face of a house full of misfits (including a vampire, a voodoo priestess, a man who has modified his body to look like a jungle cat, and an all-too-naked Misha Collins) he unwittingly enters a world where magic exists. He thinks his greatest problem is figuring out his surprising attraction to Jensen “Totally Not a Warlock” Ackles, but when his suddenly super-powered six-year-old daughter goes missing, he needs to learn to trust his newfound family to get her back before anyone else is harmed.
read this. This quirky, interesting tale doesn't overload on the crazy and has a novel plot that makes it a fast, fun read.
title. Paid in Full
author. nicb0723 @ nicslash
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 47,397
summary. Jensen is a discouraged divorce lawyer and unlucky with love. Jared is his new neighbor, a poor business student who is hard up on cash and also extremely handsome. When Jensen loans Jared the money to get out of debt, Jared thinks of a very unconventional way to pay Jensen back. This is a classic “fake” boyfriend story with a few fun twists.
read this. I love the fake relationship trope and this is a different take on that classic plot with lots of interesting twists.
title. In A World So Wrong (Hold On)
author. malbryn
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. R
words. 27,613
summary. Six years ago, a viral outbreak spread across the United States, turning people into zombie-like Ghouls--violent creatures that spread across the country, killing and eating their victims. Many of the unfortunate survivors were turned themselves. Now, with real safety only found inside the Walled cities, those on the outside are left to fend for themselves.
When an infected Jared turns up on the doorstep of the Temple refuge, Jensen doesn't know what to think. The existence of Jared--a Ghoul that has somehow retained his humanity--is impossible, but it's only the first and least of the questions that he brings with him. Now Jensen has the government breaking down the door, and he must quickly find a balance between what he wants and what he'll allow himself to have.
read this. Another cool, innovative plot! After so many zombie/infected stories, movies, etc., I thought it would be a while before I saw a different take on it, but I was wrong. I would love to find out more about these characters, but as is, this is a thrilling piece.
reccer's note. Now that spn_j2_bigbang is over, I wanted to share a few more of my favorites of what I've read so far. Since I read most of these over vacation, I tended towards fun, comedic stories. Also, these are ALL available as single files, which was a must for me so I could read on my tablet!
You can also check the 2011 Big Bang tag here on sawedoff_recs for more recs from this year's Big Bang.
Happy reading!
author. chiiyo86
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 36,200
summary. Jensen is a transparent - hard to notice, easy to forget, he’s spent his whole life fading into the background. Jared is a psychometrist - he can read bits and pieces of thoughts and memories from people and objects. They had casual sex a few years ago, and when they meet again Jensen is surprised that Jared remembers him. They have sex again, but Jensen is wary of Jared’s ability and generally not very good at relationships. In the meantime, people with abilities are getting killed, a mysterious journalist visits Jensen and Jared, people are following Jensen, Jared has a vision he can’t explain, and everything becomes very complicated and very dangerous.
read this. This story has some really innovative ideas, especially with regards to the "powers", which are not typical of the superhero trope. The mystery, world-building, and characterizations all combine to create a compelling fic.
title. Better Than Moonshine
author. riyku
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 33,000
summary. After publishing a few dime store paperbacks and one novel that scored decent critical success, Jensen's in a bit of a rut. He's got an editor breathing down his neck, an overdue novel that needs to be written, and a weeklong workshop to lead on beating writer's block. To top it off, he has a vicarious one-night stand, and now the guy keeps showing up all over the place. It turns out that a little petty larceny, a car crash, and possible blackmail--all in the name of fun--might be exactly what he needs to kick-start his writing again.
read this. This is a whole bunch of fun, reminding me of old screwball comedies with a modern twist and some seriousness to balance out the crazy. It put a smile on my face and will hopefully do the same for you!
title. The Only Constant
author. lazy_daze
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 25,300
summary. When Supernatural and his marriage end around the same time, Jared finds himself at a loss; unsure, frustrated and uninspired - until a series of events give him the spark of an idea to leave the acting world behind and put his energies into following his love for animals and starting up an animal shelter. As he works at making the spark into reality, his friendship with Jensen takes some dramatic and unexpected turns, the strength of it being tested as things change around them and more significantly, between them.
read this. One of the few nonAU J2 fics this year, I loved the focus Jared post-SPN. A quick, sweet read.
title. Gemini Rising
author. aletheo
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 107,700
summary. In the three-thousand years after Terra, humanity flourished in a Golden Age of prosperity and happiness. Until the silicates. No means to communicate, no method for diplomacy, mankind fought back against the onslaught with all they had, but they were slowly losing the war. At the brink of extinction, man's greatest hope lies with two young men who's extraordinary abilities have shockingly and violently awoken.
read this. For all the J2 in space lovers! A nice long read with a great plot that will leave you guessing.
title. Love and Otter Disasters
author. peppervl @ butterflywrites
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 42,692
summary. As otters living on a wildlife preserve, Jared and Jensen enjoy spending lots of time playing and floating together, but they want more. An encounter with humans gives them a glimpse of the life they want, but when Misha the Magnificent grants their wish, they find that being human-and being in love-is a little more complicated than they thought, especially with the added challenges of being television stars.
read this. Just a whole lot of fun and ridiculously adorable, just like any story about otters should be!
title. Our Story is Infinite
author. elizah_jane
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. R
words. 24,000
summary. After he left high school, Jared thought he'd seen the last of Jensen Ackles: Life Ruiner, so it came as an unpleasant surprise when Ackles turned up again as one of Jared's college roommates. Jared didn't plan on living with him and he didn't plan on falling for him, but once they got together, he figured things would get easier. He was wrong about that too. Life, as it turned out, was just full of magical surprises.
read this. Another story that doesn't take itself too seriously and is just a pile of fun. The multimedia aspect really adds to the cheesy, 1980's fairy tale feel of this work (think the Princess Bride and Labyrinth).
title. Anywhere and Everywhere People
author. beckaandzac
characters. Jared/Jensen, JDM/Zoe Saldana
rating. NC17
words. 28,000
summary. Jared, heir to an intergalactic shipping company, receives a body slave as a sixteenth birthday gift. Jensen is the first slave Jared has ever spoken to, since household slaves are required to be "altered" when they reach adulthood, fitted with a hearing implant that allows them to hear only their master's voice. As the two of them grow up together and fall in love, Jensen helps Jared to realize the ugly truth about the nature of slavery and the society he has always taken for granted. As adults, Jensen is the only one who sees the divide between Jared's private life and his public facade, and Jared is the only one who sees Jensen for what he is, an equal in every way. A very loose sci-fi interpretation of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
read this. Another J2 in space fic! I think this twisted the Scarlet Pimpernel pretty fantastically. It's not often you see a piece of classical literature adapted in fic, which I loved.
title. Talking Through A Different Face
author. tebtosca
characters. Jared/Jensen, Misha/Genevieve, Chris/Danneel
rating. NC17
words. 34,000
summary. When single dad Jared Padalecki is recruited under desperate circumstances to become the “normal” face of a house full of misfits (including a vampire, a voodoo priestess, a man who has modified his body to look like a jungle cat, and an all-too-naked Misha Collins) he unwittingly enters a world where magic exists. He thinks his greatest problem is figuring out his surprising attraction to Jensen “Totally Not a Warlock” Ackles, but when his suddenly super-powered six-year-old daughter goes missing, he needs to learn to trust his newfound family to get her back before anyone else is harmed.
read this. This quirky, interesting tale doesn't overload on the crazy and has a novel plot that makes it a fast, fun read.
title. Paid in Full
author. nicb0723 @ nicslash
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. NC17
words. 47,397
summary. Jensen is a discouraged divorce lawyer and unlucky with love. Jared is his new neighbor, a poor business student who is hard up on cash and also extremely handsome. When Jensen loans Jared the money to get out of debt, Jared thinks of a very unconventional way to pay Jensen back. This is a classic “fake” boyfriend story with a few fun twists.
read this. I love the fake relationship trope and this is a different take on that classic plot with lots of interesting twists.
title. In A World So Wrong (Hold On)
author. malbryn
characters. Jared/Jensen
rating. R
words. 27,613
summary. Six years ago, a viral outbreak spread across the United States, turning people into zombie-like Ghouls--violent creatures that spread across the country, killing and eating their victims. Many of the unfortunate survivors were turned themselves. Now, with real safety only found inside the Walled cities, those on the outside are left to fend for themselves.
When an infected Jared turns up on the doorstep of the Temple refuge, Jensen doesn't know what to think. The existence of Jared--a Ghoul that has somehow retained his humanity--is impossible, but it's only the first and least of the questions that he brings with him. Now Jensen has the government breaking down the door, and he must quickly find a balance between what he wants and what he'll allow himself to have.
read this. Another cool, innovative plot! After so many zombie/infected stories, movies, etc., I thought it would be a while before I saw a different take on it, but I was wrong. I would love to find out more about these characters, but as is, this is a thrilling piece.
reccer's note. Now that spn_j2_bigbang is over, I wanted to share a few more of my favorites of what I've read so far. Since I read most of these over vacation, I tended towards fun, comedic stories. Also, these are ALL available as single files, which was a must for me so I could read on my tablet!
You can also check the 2011 Big Bang tag here on sawedoff_recs for more recs from this year's Big Bang.
Happy reading!