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crack_van2011-02-09 06:49 pm
nos4a2no9.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2011-02-09 06:49 pm
Entry tags:
In Becoming Who We Are by elizah_jane (NC-17)
Fandom: RPF: THE WB/CW
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Length: ~82,000
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
elizah_jane
Author Website: Sticky Post of Fic
Why this must be read:
Sticking with my Big Bang Recs theme, another Jared/Jensen fic you must read is an AU, In Becoming Who We Are byelizah_jane. It's a deceptively simple story about the hard process of growing up and losing one love, only to find another in an unexpected place.
Told from Jensen's POV, the story is split in half between Jensen as a idealistic young college grad in love with an older man (Jeffery Dean Morgan), and as a bitter 28 year-old who's stuck in a dead-end job and fills his life with empty one night stands when he's not hanging out with his roommate and best friend, Jared. This is one of those rare fanfic stories that veers sharply from cliche and delves into the realm of realistic fiction, where the characters make stupid choices not to serve the plot but due to their inexperience, naiveté, or because they're trying to protect their own damaged hearts.
What really separates this story from the pack is the quality of the writing, the characterizations of both major and minor players, and the wayelizah_jane manages to illustrate the transition from innocence to experience, and back again.
Still don't believe it's worth a read?
It isn't until Jensen is walking down the hall to his room that he remembers he never went in there to turn the light on and he jogs the rest of the way. Jared is there, sitting on Jensen's bed, staring at his hands. He looks up when he hears Jensen and gives him a pathetic smile. "Hey."
"I thought you left," Jensen says. He stays hovering in the doorway, very aware that he's wearing nothing but a towel and Jared is on his bed.
"I did, actually. I, uh, I came back." Jared rubs his palms over his knees, his shoulders hunched, and takes a deep breath. "Can we have a do-over?"
"Starting where?" Jensen crosses his arms over his chest. The heat was off while they were gone and the house is still on the chilly side. It's not at all a self-protective gesture.
"I was thinking the part where you said you're in love with me and I can just say, 'Yeah, me too,' instead of the idiotic verbal diarrhea that actually happened." Jared looks at him hopefully. "I've been gone for you forever. I would have to be like—" He stops and gives an incredulous bark of laughter. "Like the dumbest motherfucker on the planet to walk away now."
Jensen shakes his head, not quite willing to believe what Jared's saying yet. He's waiting for the rug to be yanked out from under him again, but Jared only sits there, watching him expectantly. "Don't jerk me around, man," Jensen finally says. "You better be really fucking sure about this."
Jared throws both his arms in the air suddenly, grinning. "Sure! Like the old deodorant commercials?" He brings his arms in at his sides and says, "Unsure," in a tiny voice. Then he clears his throat, his smile dropping away. "Sorry. Bad joke. I'm sure."
"You're like the world's biggest dork." Jensen's heart still feels a little battered, but he wants to believe Jared, so he walks toward him, toward the bed and stops when he's standing between Jared's knees. For a moment he just stands there, looking down at him. Then he uncrosses his arms and reaches to card his fingers through Jared's hair.
In Becoming Who We Are
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Length: ~82,000
Author on LJ:
elizah_janeAuthor Website: Sticky Post of Fic
Why this must be read:
Sticking with my Big Bang Recs theme, another Jared/Jensen fic you must read is an AU, In Becoming Who We Are by
elizah_jane. It's a deceptively simple story about the hard process of growing up and losing one love, only to find another in an unexpected place. Told from Jensen's POV, the story is split in half between Jensen as a idealistic young college grad in love with an older man (Jeffery Dean Morgan), and as a bitter 28 year-old who's stuck in a dead-end job and fills his life with empty one night stands when he's not hanging out with his roommate and best friend, Jared. This is one of those rare fanfic stories that veers sharply from cliche and delves into the realm of realistic fiction, where the characters make stupid choices not to serve the plot but due to their inexperience, naiveté, or because they're trying to protect their own damaged hearts.
What really separates this story from the pack is the quality of the writing, the characterizations of both major and minor players, and the way
elizah_jane manages to illustrate the transition from innocence to experience, and back again.Still don't believe it's worth a read?
It isn't until Jensen is walking down the hall to his room that he remembers he never went in there to turn the light on and he jogs the rest of the way. Jared is there, sitting on Jensen's bed, staring at his hands. He looks up when he hears Jensen and gives him a pathetic smile. "Hey."
"I thought you left," Jensen says. He stays hovering in the doorway, very aware that he's wearing nothing but a towel and Jared is on his bed.
"I did, actually. I, uh, I came back." Jared rubs his palms over his knees, his shoulders hunched, and takes a deep breath. "Can we have a do-over?"
"Starting where?" Jensen crosses his arms over his chest. The heat was off while they were gone and the house is still on the chilly side. It's not at all a self-protective gesture.
"I was thinking the part where you said you're in love with me and I can just say, 'Yeah, me too,' instead of the idiotic verbal diarrhea that actually happened." Jared looks at him hopefully. "I've been gone for you forever. I would have to be like—" He stops and gives an incredulous bark of laughter. "Like the dumbest motherfucker on the planet to walk away now."
Jensen shakes his head, not quite willing to believe what Jared's saying yet. He's waiting for the rug to be yanked out from under him again, but Jared only sits there, watching him expectantly. "Don't jerk me around, man," Jensen finally says. "You better be really fucking sure about this."
Jared throws both his arms in the air suddenly, grinning. "Sure! Like the old deodorant commercials?" He brings his arms in at his sides and says, "Unsure," in a tiny voice. Then he clears his throat, his smile dropping away. "Sorry. Bad joke. I'm sure."
"You're like the world's biggest dork." Jensen's heart still feels a little battered, but he wants to believe Jared, so he walks toward him, toward the bed and stops when he's standing between Jared's knees. For a moment he just stands there, looking down at him. Then he uncrosses his arms and reaches to card his fingers through Jared's hair.
In Becoming Who We Are