brainchild by wax jism (unrated)

[carodee.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 1200 words
Author on LJ: wax_jism
Author Website: http://www.waxjism.org/fork.html
Why this must be read:

This story is painful, raw, brutal and definitely needs several trigger warnings. It is also beautifully written and Jim's sentinel awareness is at the core of it. I highly recommend the story and the rest of my rec is under the cut along with the trigger warning. Don't click if you'd prefer to be completely unspoiled.

The story immediately opens with Blair's sudden death. The rest of the story is simply Jim's reaction to it. Because of his greater sensory awareness, Jim is painfully aware of the difference between Blair being dead and his body not realizing it yet. In that split lies madness. Trigger warning (highlight to read): Cannibalism.


brainchild

If you need a feel good fic after that, check out my next rec.

Comments

[mab-browne.livejournal.com]

I remember the first time someone told me about this fic, I was all, 'You what? He what?!'. But then I read it eventually, and it sadly makes perfect sense as an ultimate expression of popular fanon tropes.

[carodee.livejournal.com]

Yeah. It's very sad but if I'm focusing on Jim's non-ordinary reality, this fits the theme so well.

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

This fic is incredible. I reread it a few times when I first found it to appreciate it because the first time I was too much in shock to really do that.

[carodee.livejournal.com]

Same here. I was numb the first time but the second time I saw the logic of why it happened that way and the third time I noticed how beautifully it was written.

[bluewolf458.livejournal.com]

It actually fits with Jim's time in Peru and the 'behavioral throwback to a pre-civilized breed of man'.

[carodee.livejournal.com]

Did the Chopec practice cannibalism? Or any tribes in South America? *googles* Huh. Apparently so. How interesting. You're right. It does fit.

As for that quote, I've always felt that Blair managed to say that in the most insulting, Western culture-centric way possible, which is surprising for an anthropologist. Jim's heightened sensory awareness means that biological instincts would be louder for him than ordinary humans who can be instinct-blind. That he then acts on that knowledge sometimes makes him in no way impulsive or pre-civilized. *rolls eyes*

Heh. Okay, apparently I had a rant on that brewing. /defensive Jim-babe mode

[bluewolf458.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it wasn't the brightest of comments for Blair to make. :-) I know what he meant, though - Jim had a sensory awareness rare in the modern world, that was probably far more common in a 'pre-civilised' era, and Blair was simply saying that in the most concise way possible.

[carodee.livejournal.com]

Sure, but I don't blame Jim for interpreting that to mean "uncivilized thug" and being insulted. It's a good thing Blair wasn't intimidated or we wouldn't have our series. Now that would be a shame. *g*

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

This has long been one of my slightly guilty pleasures. It was one of the earliest TS fics I read and shocked the hell out of me when I first found it. It's one of those pieces that I think is so well written that you wouldn't need to be into the fandom to appreciate it. It certainly stays with you (in a positive way) long after the first reading *g*

[carodee.livejournal.com]

I've never felt in the least bit guilty *g* but I have been aware of how strongly this is not everyone's cup of tea. The writing is amazing and my heart aches for Jim here. Blair too if you consider he might still be hanging around in spirit form watching Jim suffer. *whimper*