In my city

[horizon_greene]

I'm not sure how many more times we're going to see this; it felt very precious and wondrous and somehow fragile. Right up until Tim decided he Did Not Like the mound, which turned into 10 minutes' worth of tomfoolery, with half a dozen groundskeepers wielding every available groundskeeping tool under the sun, scurrying around while Tim and Marco Scutaro looked on, awkwardly.



But yeah. These two.



---

I've been reading a lot of NSYNC fic the last week or so, mainly because so much of it is surprisingly amazing. It doesn't hurt that plenty falls under the beloved "pretty, talented boy gets systematically overwhelmed by the guy who's older, more experienced, and determined to completely take him over" trope. That's not exactly how it goes in my own personal Justin/JC headcanon, but I think, actually, that I like it better—bulletproof kink. etc.

If I'd known all this good fic was out there, I think my fandom trajectory would have been quite different. But my NSYNC days predated my slash days by a couple of years, which in the end is kind of too bad. I have no use for present-day Justin whatsoever, but that boy at 19? Goodness. It makes me think so many thoughts.

Comments

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

Uhhh, I will second loving that trope, though I was never into NSync. Any recs?

[horizon-greene.livejournal.com]

There are three that I keep going back to, all Justin/JC:

Unchained (http://archiveofourown.org/works/2985)
The premise, in a lot of fandoms, is one that I would side-eye like crazy, but with these two—and the way it's written—I am actually on board and would like to subscribe to this newsletter.

Faithful (http://archiveofourown.org/works/428135/chapters/721407)
Lots of tears, but surprisingly honest/believable. Also, super hot at the end and incorporates another favorite kink (which I think you may share), so there's that.

(I'm not) Home for Christmas (http://archiveofourown.org/works/108983/chapters/150852)
Doesn't really fall under the aforementioned trope, but is beyond charming and also humorous. Accountant/dance teacher stranded at a bus stop AU, and it's about 500 times better than that summary makes it sound.

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

Thank you for these! Mmm, I do love tropes, and baseball fandom doesn't really have enough fic with them (hint, hint *g*)

[horizon-greene.livejournal.com]

Based on what myalexandria recced above, I'd say baseball fandom still has a ways to go. (Not sure we'll ever be at the point of a full-on South American guerrilla warfare AU.) But! Fire Season has been developing quite nicely in recent months, I'd say. I'll just wait patiently in my corner for whatever tropes you foist upon us, and that will be enough :)

(And maybe, someday, get to work on that little train of thought I had, gazing at the nape of Tim's neck after the no-hitter. It lingers with me still...)

[myalexandria.livejournal.com]

Personally I find it very easy to picture Buster Posey as the hard-bitten leader of a guerilla group. (After being terribly disillusioned during his wildly successful career in the army.) Cain is the second in command. Tim would be the flexible, quiet assassin, of course, who's sleeping with fiery raw peasant recruit Bumgarner. I suppose Zito is the computer expert, just for kicks.

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

I should start taking trope requests and just tackle them in short fic or something. Be a fun stretch.

And mmm, nape porn. I am definitely pro that happening.