sherryillk | (no subject)

So a while back I got into 00Q stories and although I was doing my systematic devouring of fanfics as I'm often found doing when I get into a new fandom, I found myself reading a Tony Stark/Bruce Banner story. I won't bore you with the details of how that happened since I hadn't even considered their relationship on any level, not even subconscious, but suffice to say, I had been craving very specific stories and one of theirs happened to be one of them. And that's when my eyes were opened to the awesomeness of that pairing.

I had always though that THE Iron Man/Avengers pairing would have to be Tony/Steve and while I've been seeing them around lately, it's never appealed to me. Mostly because I find Captain America to be quite boring. And old since the reboot hasn't really happened yet. Anyway, I never saw the allure of Tony/Steve even though I could see why some people would be into it. But Tony and Bruce? It hits all of my science kinks. And they had some amazing interaction in The Avengers, so that's even better. So now I've been in a week long Tony/Bruce hole even though I had been in the middle of 00Q (I really must get back to that eventually).

There's just so much angst on both sides of this pairing and you know how I love sob stories. And they're both such damaged, lonely, depressing men that the thought of them finding happiness together makes me kinda giddy.

Also? They're both surprisingly mature. I say this because Tony Stark is not generally someone people would call mature in any shape or form but when it comes to life and living, he's an adult who is really perceptive. And Bruce is too. It's so refreshing, especially in really well-written stories because I've been reading stories with rather youngish (under 30) characters for so long, it sometimes feel like I'm reading stories about people who haven't properly lived or matured. It's something I miss from the first couple of pairings I was into -- Jack and Daniel, Methos and Duncan, people who have lived and lost, have had and maintain mature relationships with people. Their perspective of the world is different from younger characters -- hell, it's different from my perspective as a fellow under 30. And sometimes it's nice reading about people like that.

And then this leads to fact that I should probably read proper novels again... And I feel bad that fanfic is basically my only source of reading these days... But who has time to read all the fanfics that they want AND all the published books that interest them too? I'm having hard enough time juggling two fandoms because I'm basically forsaking one for the other right now... And this is also with me getting less sleep because I can't stop reading Tony/Bruce fics. Damn, they're such a good pairing...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've read a few Tony/Loki, but it's usually in the context of Tony/Bruce/Loki since my Loki pairing is Thor/Loki... Generally, Severus is the only character I've had more than on OTP for and so far, it's held true...

Yes, exactly! There are good original gay fiction out there, and I will always be a romance fan, but whenever I read something that isn't fanfic, I just feel like the satisfaction I get isn't as immediate. :\ When time is premium, I rather not invest more time into something than I have to...

And oh my god, Will/Hannibal... *shudders* I did watch Hannibal to the end even though all my instincts told me I should be running from that show. It was just so creepy... I never watched any of the movies so I never knew much outside of it being about a cannibal serial killer... I just didn't realize it was also so full of horror. I didn't think that show could creep me out more than it did and then I saw the Will/Hannibal pairing at AO3 and that just made it even worse. o.O I can't even conceive of it and now that I am, I don't think I could read any of their stories...

There is also a problem with how many original stories lack much of a plot... Fanfic authors mostly try to tell a story when they write a longer one. A lot of original authors simply write long, porn-y PWPs, and there is only so many times I can read sex scenes where nothing but names change.

I totally understand how Will/Hannibal may seem too creepy. In fact, with my preference for happy endings, I have to pay particular attention to the endings of all stories in the fandom before reading - the number of unhappy endings is extremely high, due to the nature of the pairing. But there is some quality fiction here that is not to be missed. If you ever find the nerve to try something, I recommend The Way a Knife Loves a Heart by Linpatootie (http://archiveofourown.org/works/828998). This one is my personal favorite.

I prepared myself for this pairing by reading a lot of Bond/Silva. Quite a few authors moved on from Skyfall to Hannibal so I suppose I'm not the only one who found similarities....

Oh Silva... *shudders* That's also another creepy character... I don't think I could ever read a fic that has him with Bond, even if it was set before M forsook him. That, and I just find Javiar Bardem really unsettling... :\ Besides, I still plan on getting back to the stack of 00Q fics that I've put on hold while I devour everything that is Tony/Bruce.

I don't know if I can conceive of a happy ending when it comes to Will/Hannibal. I think it would have to be both of them being evil together and it's happily ever after while embarking on a life of murder and mayhem...sorta like it's their happily ever after while it's the rest of ours horrific nightmare. Or some sort of AU where Hannibal isn't as messed up as he is but that seems like it would be messing with the very essence of Hannibal too much so it's probably not even worth it.

There have been a few fics where Silva has been involved with Bond before the China events. Also a couple of fics where he sort of mindfucks Bond to his side (including a particularly excellent amnesia fic). And one awesome AU where Silva is the new M, much to Bond's vexation. I keep planning to post a rec list, maybe I'll finally get around to it.

You are correct: of what I read of Hannibal fics, happy endings usually have Hannibal converting Will into a serial killer. The only exceptions I can think of are fics where they are together in the end but Will is unaware of Hannibal's gastronomic preferences. Two of these stories use the Alpha/Omega premise, which explains Will's blindness to a certain degree. I can hardly imagine a convincing fic where Hannibal would be reformed. He's too set in his ways to change. There are a few AU WiPs (featuring Hannibal as advisor to prince Will, a mobster, a Duke in a Snow White setting...) which may not feature cannibalism but it remains to be seen.

Yeah, that sort of happy ending isn't what I would consider good reading... I don't generally like being creeped out and I get influenced by these sort of things easily so I try to avoid exposing myself to things that would give me nightmares... >.< There's a reason why I avoid horror movies like crazy. To this day, the only horror movies I've seen the first three Child's Play and that was because it was a marathon on TV and I just COULDN'T LOOK AWAY and boy did I pay for that... It scarred me so badly as a kid that I was really surprised I even tried Hannibal...