Popslash recs
So after a few months of wandering around the Popslash fandom and discovering the major players and not to miss stories, I decided to try my hand at compiling a rec list. Most of these stories are extremely well-known and will probably be old news to any one who has been in fandom for longer than a week but to leave them out would be unthinkable.
1. The adventures of a reluctant freestyle poptart, saving the world from cylons and single-handedly stopping genocide
This is the first NSYNC story that I ever read and the one that sucked me into popslash. It combines all the best elements of the fandom, from an adorably shallow spacey JC to gleeful mocking of the NSYNCers personas. And of course, it is authored by the always fabulous (and often cracktastic) phaballa.
"I can totally rap," JC says. He wants to sulk. He can totally rap, Chris doesn't even know. JC is totally BFF with Eminem now. They've had coffee at least three times and sometimes Em takes him to this abandoned house in the ghetto to teach JC about street life, although really, JC suspects that Em is secretly trying to seduce JC with his hardcoreness and badassery. It's sort of working, but JC doesn't tell Chris that.
2. Joshua Chasez Diary: The Edge of Raisin
Cappucino’s JC is a bitchy, self-absorbed alcoholic who consistently alternates between self-loathing and self-love - and yet is inescapably human. I laughed out loud at JC’s sheer ridiculousness but was genuinely upset by his selfishness. The supporting cast- Justin, the jealous lover and would-be supportive friend, Chris the bitter old man in love with his best friend (but which one?), Britney Jean, the poptart with an acid tongue and Lance, the frustrating object of JC’s affections - all give the fic immeasurable colour and character. Plotty, touching, and best of all, funny, this is a story to treasure.
Decide better make cliff-notes of lies:
1. Will not tell Justin I slept with Lance again.
2. When Justin finds out from Chris, will deny everything.
3. Will not tell Joey. For the love of god, must. remember. never. to. tell. Joey.
4. Will not tell Tony I slept with Lance AT ALL when we meet up tonight.
5. Will not tell Tony that I slept with Lance even when I'm really really drunk.
6. Will not drink tequila tonight.
7. But will be honest and tell Dr Bellard that I slept with Lance again, because otherwise what's the point of expensive therapy?
8. Will not tell Dr Bellard that Lance has a boyfriend, because I still want her to like me, dammit.
9. Will not tell mom I have slept with anyone in the band.
10. Will not tell dad I have slept with anyone, ever.
11. Will not tell Lance that Nick is still the best sex I've had.
12. Will not tell Bobbie that Lance is better in bed than she is.
13. Oh wait, yes, I will. She told them I need viagra.
14. Will not give Carlos the keys to my house again.
15. Will not shave.
3. Relief
This is, quite simply, the hottest story ever written in this fandom or any other. Calico is the master of smut, a writer who manages to combine the seamless detail of sexual tension with realistic character interactions; the idea that the individuals featured in this story would actually act this way IF such a situation were to arise only makes the situation steamier. The old cliché (characters make a bet to see who can go the longest without an orgasm) is decked out in fishnets, pearls and thigh highs and sent to strut cockily for anyone who’ll have her. Ain’t nothing sexier.
His nipples are tight, because this shirt's... well ventilated, and he's only bothered to do up one of the six buttons -- but it adds to the effect, so he doesn't mind. Frosted dark green's good on him, too. He looks arty-- in the same way that a pre-Raphaelite model would look arty if she were standing on a street corner with a collar around her neck.
JC stares at him for a second, then exhales softly. "Very nice," he says neutrally, then clears his throat.
4. On The Bus
Reading this story, through the magic of storytelling, provokes the same emotions with me that I would associate with touring with one’s closest friends: bemusement, occasional frustration, nostalgia and through it all, a kind of quiet but permanent affection for the characters. The 40+ vignettes could stand alone but work best together, providing “slice of life” looks at every boy from every possible perspective. Sometimes slashy, sometimes not but always focusing on the connections between the members of NSYNC and the love they have for one another, On the Bus is a fic to curl up and wallow in.
Chris leaned over Justin's back and set his own mug on the floor, but then stayed there, sprawled across Justin who was spread across Lance's lap. Lance tipped back until he was stretched out on his side, and Justin nuzzled into his belly, smelling the warm fabric softener scent of his t-shirt. Lance stroked his head and chuckled a little.
"You're like a kitty," he said. Justin smiled. Chris' legs were all tangled with his, and Lance was petting him, and his feet were finally, finally getting warm
"I love the snow," Joey said. Chris settled more firmly against his back, and Justin sighed, curling one hand around Chris' where it fell on his chest.
"Yeah," he said.
5. Road trip
Matthew is one of those (in my opinion) hit or miss authors. I’ll either love a story of his, or be frustrated in my attempts to read it. Road Trip is most definitely an example of the former. It features NSYNC traveling across the US, an NSYNC that has embraced the sexual aspects of their relationships with one another and trying to come to terms with the notion that love may play a larger role than any of them will admit to. The story’s writing is abrupt (almost to the point of terseness) but sparkles. Several of its scenes are highly erotically charged and the fic ends happily without veering into fairytale clichedom.
JC was driving.
Lance was putting in someone's La Bouche CD.
Joey was leaning over the front seat and feeding JC French fries.
"Did you know Justin has hair on his chest?" Chris asked.
"Yes," Lance said, starting the CD.
"He has hairy forearms."
"You got a point, or you just like to talk about my body hair?" Justin asked.
"And bushy eyebrows."
"Yeah, well, you..."
Joey glanced over at them.
Chris waited.
"You..." Justin struggled.
The tip of JC's tongue licked salt from Joey's finger. Joey swallowed and tried not to moan or anything. He wondered if it had been intentional. He wondered if Lance had noticed.
"At least I'm cute," Justin said.
6. Pornutopia - I Know it When I See It
It’s a chronological examination of the shifting dynamics of NSYNC…with porn as the backdrop! No pseud attached’s fic is a sprawling epic told through the eyes of Lance that examines the sexual explorations of the five members and their relationships with one another (romantic and otherwise) while commenting on every major cornerstone of the boys’ lives. Lance in space? The wardrobe malfunction? No pseud attached recounts each and every event in gleeful detail, sprinkling sizzling sex and delightful character interactions throughout the text. It’s an extremely lengthy work and one that should be rationed out, especially on those days where reality rears its ugly head.
Lance excused himself and went to hide behind a rack of latex products. He pulled out his phone and checked around for eavesdroppers before he dialled.
"Um. Justin?"
"Yo." There was a shuffling noise, then Justin said, "Whatever it is, Lance, just buy it. I guarantee it ain't too weird, it ain't too kinky, and it ain't too big."
Lance blinked, wondering if he really called people that predictably for sex-shopping reassurance. "It isn't anything like that. Hypothetically, if I told you I was thinking about maybe, uh-" Lance took a deep breath, "-askingJCifhewantstodateme, what would you say?"
"I'd ask you if Chris finally pulled his finger out of his ass and talked to you."
"Yeah, he did." Lance looked around again. Chris was peering through the display, between two can of liquid latex. Lance turned his back. "He really picks his moments. And. Um. Well?"
A loud slurping noise came over the phone, and Lance jumped slightly, knocking four rolls of lime green body tape onto the floor.
"Hear that?" Justin asked. "I've been drinking green tea with honey and lemon for a week, non-stop. I hate the stuff. Take him, please."
And that's it for now. I'm working on pairing specific rec lists which will be posted shortly.
1. The adventures of a reluctant freestyle poptart, saving the world from cylons and single-handedly stopping genocide
This is the first NSYNC story that I ever read and the one that sucked me into popslash. It combines all the best elements of the fandom, from an adorably shallow spacey JC to gleeful mocking of the NSYNCers personas. And of course, it is authored by the always fabulous (and often cracktastic) phaballa.
"I can totally rap," JC says. He wants to sulk. He can totally rap, Chris doesn't even know. JC is totally BFF with Eminem now. They've had coffee at least three times and sometimes Em takes him to this abandoned house in the ghetto to teach JC about street life, although really, JC suspects that Em is secretly trying to seduce JC with his hardcoreness and badassery. It's sort of working, but JC doesn't tell Chris that.
2. Joshua Chasez Diary: The Edge of Raisin
Cappucino’s JC is a bitchy, self-absorbed alcoholic who consistently alternates between self-loathing and self-love - and yet is inescapably human. I laughed out loud at JC’s sheer ridiculousness but was genuinely upset by his selfishness. The supporting cast- Justin, the jealous lover and would-be supportive friend, Chris the bitter old man in love with his best friend (but which one?), Britney Jean, the poptart with an acid tongue and Lance, the frustrating object of JC’s affections - all give the fic immeasurable colour and character. Plotty, touching, and best of all, funny, this is a story to treasure.
Decide better make cliff-notes of lies:
1. Will not tell Justin I slept with Lance again.
2. When Justin finds out from Chris, will deny everything.
3. Will not tell Joey. For the love of god, must. remember. never. to. tell. Joey.
4. Will not tell Tony I slept with Lance AT ALL when we meet up tonight.
5. Will not tell Tony that I slept with Lance even when I'm really really drunk.
6. Will not drink tequila tonight.
7. But will be honest and tell Dr Bellard that I slept with Lance again, because otherwise what's the point of expensive therapy?
8. Will not tell Dr Bellard that Lance has a boyfriend, because I still want her to like me, dammit.
9. Will not tell mom I have slept with anyone in the band.
10. Will not tell dad I have slept with anyone, ever.
11. Will not tell Lance that Nick is still the best sex I've had.
12. Will not tell Bobbie that Lance is better in bed than she is.
13. Oh wait, yes, I will. She told them I need viagra.
14. Will not give Carlos the keys to my house again.
15. Will not shave.
3. Relief
This is, quite simply, the hottest story ever written in this fandom or any other. Calico is the master of smut, a writer who manages to combine the seamless detail of sexual tension with realistic character interactions; the idea that the individuals featured in this story would actually act this way IF such a situation were to arise only makes the situation steamier. The old cliché (characters make a bet to see who can go the longest without an orgasm) is decked out in fishnets, pearls and thigh highs and sent to strut cockily for anyone who’ll have her. Ain’t nothing sexier.
His nipples are tight, because this shirt's... well ventilated, and he's only bothered to do up one of the six buttons -- but it adds to the effect, so he doesn't mind. Frosted dark green's good on him, too. He looks arty-- in the same way that a pre-Raphaelite model would look arty if she were standing on a street corner with a collar around her neck.
JC stares at him for a second, then exhales softly. "Very nice," he says neutrally, then clears his throat.
4. On The Bus
Reading this story, through the magic of storytelling, provokes the same emotions with me that I would associate with touring with one’s closest friends: bemusement, occasional frustration, nostalgia and through it all, a kind of quiet but permanent affection for the characters. The 40+ vignettes could stand alone but work best together, providing “slice of life” looks at every boy from every possible perspective. Sometimes slashy, sometimes not but always focusing on the connections between the members of NSYNC and the love they have for one another, On the Bus is a fic to curl up and wallow in.
Chris leaned over Justin's back and set his own mug on the floor, but then stayed there, sprawled across Justin who was spread across Lance's lap. Lance tipped back until he was stretched out on his side, and Justin nuzzled into his belly, smelling the warm fabric softener scent of his t-shirt. Lance stroked his head and chuckled a little.
"You're like a kitty," he said. Justin smiled. Chris' legs were all tangled with his, and Lance was petting him, and his feet were finally, finally getting warm
"I love the snow," Joey said. Chris settled more firmly against his back, and Justin sighed, curling one hand around Chris' where it fell on his chest.
"Yeah," he said.
5. Road trip
Matthew is one of those (in my opinion) hit or miss authors. I’ll either love a story of his, or be frustrated in my attempts to read it. Road Trip is most definitely an example of the former. It features NSYNC traveling across the US, an NSYNC that has embraced the sexual aspects of their relationships with one another and trying to come to terms with the notion that love may play a larger role than any of them will admit to. The story’s writing is abrupt (almost to the point of terseness) but sparkles. Several of its scenes are highly erotically charged and the fic ends happily without veering into fairytale clichedom.
JC was driving.
Lance was putting in someone's La Bouche CD.
Joey was leaning over the front seat and feeding JC French fries.
"Did you know Justin has hair on his chest?" Chris asked.
"Yes," Lance said, starting the CD.
"He has hairy forearms."
"You got a point, or you just like to talk about my body hair?" Justin asked.
"And bushy eyebrows."
"Yeah, well, you..."
Joey glanced over at them.
Chris waited.
"You..." Justin struggled.
The tip of JC's tongue licked salt from Joey's finger. Joey swallowed and tried not to moan or anything. He wondered if it had been intentional. He wondered if Lance had noticed.
"At least I'm cute," Justin said.
6. Pornutopia - I Know it When I See It
It’s a chronological examination of the shifting dynamics of NSYNC…with porn as the backdrop! No pseud attached’s fic is a sprawling epic told through the eyes of Lance that examines the sexual explorations of the five members and their relationships with one another (romantic and otherwise) while commenting on every major cornerstone of the boys’ lives. Lance in space? The wardrobe malfunction? No pseud attached recounts each and every event in gleeful detail, sprinkling sizzling sex and delightful character interactions throughout the text. It’s an extremely lengthy work and one that should be rationed out, especially on those days where reality rears its ugly head.
Lance excused himself and went to hide behind a rack of latex products. He pulled out his phone and checked around for eavesdroppers before he dialled.
"Um. Justin?"
"Yo." There was a shuffling noise, then Justin said, "Whatever it is, Lance, just buy it. I guarantee it ain't too weird, it ain't too kinky, and it ain't too big."
Lance blinked, wondering if he really called people that predictably for sex-shopping reassurance. "It isn't anything like that. Hypothetically, if I told you I was thinking about maybe, uh-" Lance took a deep breath, "-askingJCifhewantstodateme, what would you say?"
"I'd ask you if Chris finally pulled his finger out of his ass and talked to you."
"Yeah, he did." Lance looked around again. Chris was peering through the display, between two can of liquid latex. Lance turned his back. "He really picks his moments. And. Um. Well?"
A loud slurping noise came over the phone, and Lance jumped slightly, knocking four rolls of lime green body tape onto the floor.
"Hear that?" Justin asked. "I've been drinking green tea with honey and lemon for a week, non-stop. I hate the stuff. Take him, please."
And that's it for now. I'm working on pairing specific rec lists which will be posted shortly.