Plot Bunny!

[estepheia]

Someone please write me a nice Wes/Spike story!
I posted the following challenge ages ago, but no one ever felt like taking it on. I agree it's difficult to do, but maybe someone feels tempted? I changed a few details and I had an idea how to set the whole thing up (or maybe it was Mikelesq's idea)...

Two Englishmen in L.A. (or Sunnydale):
Wesley/Spike - Friendship / Slash or UST

Must have:
- One or both visiting a theatre play (Shakespeare, perhaps)
- Lots of candles
- One lending the other his coat
- a pack of playing cards
- a happy end (but bittersweet is good as well)

I always like stories to be as close as possible to canon, or at least to have a definite point of departure from canon.

The story could be set between S6 and S7 but before Spike finds the demon in Africa. Wesley could help Spike with the research. Pretty please!

Comments

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Let me rec Magpie and Just Human's Lost and Found RPG WIP. It's bloody brilliant imho.

RPG Wes/Spike

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Thank you Paratti - Not a bad read, but I prefer stories to have more structure and purpose. That one rambles along amiably but aimlessly. It's also a bit soap-box-y and finger-point-y, placing all the blame for past relationship problems in the absent lover's court. That's the kind of slash I have issues with. ALL the characters in the Jossverse are fallible, even Spike and Wes.
Anyway, thanks for the tip.

Re: RPG Wes/Spike

[piedmargaret.livejournal.com]

Ok, speaking in defense for my beloved Lost and Found.

I do accept that the writing is rather torrid and overblown for some tastes, because basically we're having fun writing it that way. But to say that we're not aware of the pair's failings is strange as we're writing them eminently flawed. And far from blaming previous lovers, the two boys are doing their best to take all the blame on themselves. Well, apart from Spike and Angelus, but that's in character.

Also, considering we have a fairly tightly plotted outline that takes us through months of the two blokes' lives, I do not consider the story to be aimless. It is unashamedly a romance however, and not a serious fic. I do understand how you get the impression of aimlessness because it is the nature of RPG to take a while to get to any point at all, but I can assure you that we are working to very definite aims.

RPG is a very different form of fic, and there are many critisisms that can fairly be applied to it, for instance the unbeta'ed nature can be annoying, especially when combined with the inability to edit LJ comments after the thread has moved on.

So it is perfectly reasonable that it not be your cup of tea. I really just wanted to dispute the finger pointing claims. Maybe it's because I know what's to come, but we are *so* not doing that.

Cheers

Re: RPG Wes/Spike

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

I still stand by my opinion, that the story is too long-winded and zig-zag-y for my taste.
And just because the two characters are so self-centered that they think that every problem is their fault, doesn't mean they are flawed or three-dimensional. Lack of self-worth is a common trait in slash, a plot device, an excuse for a "two steps forward one step back" rhythm. There are many more flaws in the characters that weren't explored...

Ah well, let's just say RPG fics are too rough for my taste. I suppose I prefer shorter stories that have been thoroughly edited, betaed and cut. Probably, because I always think that my own stories are too long-winded.

But thank you anyway for defending the story. It's always fun to get into a debate.