clo_again

Outtakes by the_spin, Johnny/Stèphane, rated R and a hug-warning ("It’s 90% hugging, anyway").

It's- it's probably the Johnny/Stèphane fic I've most been waiting for, their relationship andnot-relationship and friendship fitted (with some tweaks) around canon events and beyond. It's written brilliantly from Johnny's POV but her Stèphane is the exact mix of hyperactive and charming and slightly-awkward that he needs to be with appearances by all the other skaters who need to be there done with a casual ease that as a newbie to the fandom I envy because fuck it, I spent six years learning the intricacies of tennis and I still find it tricky to do background characters this well. I can't even really explain why this fic is so fabulous in words, it- it just is. This is up there with probably the three top Johnny/Stèphane fics I've yet come across and if it came down to it, I'd probably be leaning heavily towards naming this my favourite. It's brilliant.

I re-read two-thirds of it trying to pick on section to quote and settled on this because even though it's later on, it's more middle than end and it kind of shows why so much of this fic is wonderful (although I changed my mind about three times before I picked this one because a lot of quoted sections could do that):



By the end of the week Tara is about ready to propose to Stéphane, which is kind of pissing Johnny off because sometimes it’s a little grating how everyone fawns all over him. Johnny’s doing his make-up for the show as she scrolls through her email, and he kind of snaps the third time she mentions how fantastic he is.

“He’s not fantastic, he’s selfish and annoying.” Tara rolls her eyes at him, so he just shouts, “Stéphane, I’m telling Tara you’re selfish and annoying!”

“Thank you!” Stéphane calls from around the corner, and that was actually a bad idea because now Stéphane is going to come bother him forever and he’ll never get his hair done on time. Sure enough, he appears ten seconds later and presses himself against Johnny’s back, wraps his arms around his waist and cuddles up with no regard for how badly he’s screwing up the eyeshadow application process.

“Don’t be mad at me. I’m sorry for taking the costume you wanted.”

“You’re really not.”

“All right,” he says unrepentantly, and grins at Johnny in the mirror. “I am not. I’m very happy I am faster and craftier than you.”

Johnny makes a face at him in the mirror, and Stéphane takes the opportunity to press a spitty, smacking kiss against the back of his ear.

“Ugh, you’re disgusting,” and Johnny tries to kick him but Stéphane dodges away.

“Am I forgiven?” he calls once he safely rounds the wall back into the main locker room.

“Never!” but when he turns back to finish his eyes, Johnny realizes he’s smiling.



I am not kidding when I say this fic is everything I want from fic and stumbling across fics like it is the reason I keep reading fanfiction. The only downside is that now I don't know if I can keep reading stuff that doesn't measure up (although to be fair most of my heading-fast-toward-crazy-length recs list measures up fairly well because this fandom is ridiculously good at the fic thing on the whole).

Oh, this totally made my morning. And now afternoon. I should probably stop fawning and head to get dressed now, if I can drag myself away from a third re-read. ^_^

Uh. Contrary to how my posting habits may make it seem of late, I am not in fact ded. I'm not even particularly busy with life stuff, being unemployed and something of a bum right now. I am however, relying far too much on Twitter to flail and yell and talk when I should be doing said things on LiveJournal. Um. Sorry.

I will remedy this! I have posts planned! Of books reviews and life stuff and My Thoughts on yaoi on recent TV. But right now I'm buggering off to watch Grey's Anatomy and Harry II the laptop is staying upstairs because I've been staring at the screen all day trying to write a dazzling cover letter and if I look at it any longer, I fear my eyeballs might start bleeding.

...That was probably TMI. Sorry.

Until I manage to make a post with actual substance, have what I spent the other part of today doing to amuse yourselves: adding a few good Stéphane Lambiel/Johnny Weir fic recs to my memories. Om nom figure skating slash... and I just barely restrained myself from making a terrible 'icy pole' related-joke there. I knew Australia would warp my mind in unexpected ways.

Okay. Off again. Watch this space for something with actual content soon.

eta: I want a fricking Icy Pole now. Dammit!