Anniversary Story
| Jim/Blair Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Anniversary Story |
| Author(s): | Speranza |
| Date(s): | 5 March 2000 |
| Length: | 4847 words |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | The Sentinel |
| External Links: | Anniversary Story at AO3 |
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Anniversary Story is a Jim/Blair story by Speranza.
It was published in the zine Tribe of Two and is online. It was originally posted to 852 Prospect, which was later imported to AO3.
Reactions and Reviews
Forget roses and Godiva chocolates, the day some debate-team champ tries to win my heart armed with a pie chart and cue cards is the day I'll give my heart away. That's right, I'm abstract and overly objective and I have an "argue the boys into bed" button, dammit. [1]
A fun little romp, with only a sprinkle of angst. Blair returns home to a moping Jim... and a pretty nifty surprise. Good Blair. Predatory Jim. Can we say: Let's get this check to go, please?[2]
Francesca's Anniversary story has made it to the net; I remember reading it in Cin's copy of Tribe of two and giggling a whole lot, and that held true for the reread, too. Jim, trying to get his point across to Blair, is utterly charming. "This is why you don't talk a lot, isn't it?" Tee hee.[3]
Anniversary Story is classic Francesca. I LMAO on that one. Here's a sample of what you have to look forward to...:They are such *men* in this story! A hysterical first-time story.[4]
- "God, you're a mountain," Sandburg murmured softly. "I feel like fucking Edmund Hillary."
- "Forget him," Jim muttered, suckling Sandburg's earlobe. "You're with me now."
I'm following justacat's lead and pointing you toward a delightful little story from the uber-talented Francesca, a/k/a Speranza.For whatever reason, "Anniversary Story" is a little gem that, somehow, has been overlooked by quite a few people who think they've read 'everything she's written.'
And you really shouldn't overlook it: it has the snappy dialogue, the non-wimpy!Blair, the gruff-on-the-outside-yet-mushy-on-the-inside!Jim, the "hey, you know what? We're in love" conceit that's used a lot because, particularly for Jim and Blair, it fits.
Plus, you know - it's hot. Not NC-17 (click around her page for a while; you'll find some, trust me), but it does feature a kiss both delicious and delightful.
Now, then - off with you. You have reading to do.[5]
I came into the fandom in perhaps an odd way: I found the fics before the episodes. I had no idea The Sentinel even existed until I stumbled upon Allaire Mikhail's wonderful "Storyteller's Campsite", looking for something else, and found fantastic recs for a whole pile of fandoms, TS included. Francesca's work was some of the first stuff I read, and so I am starting with a fic from amongst her many and varied, but always excellent, work.Francesca is rightly famous for her series, but actually I prefer her stand-alone stories. Anniversary Story is a treat from start to finish. The voices are absolutely spot-on, the dialogue hilarious, the scenario entirely believable. But I also adore the way that she has completely captured the mess of contradictions that is Jim Ellison, a man so up-and-at-'em in his professional life but in his personal life so cursed by doubt and hesitation. In this story a chance remark jolts Jim out of what he believes to be his comfort zone and into contemplating a massive step forward. The whole story is told from Ellison's POV, a spot-on inner dialogue of doubt and frustration mixed with exasperation in equal measure.
Completely adorable. Oh, and it has the best mountaineering joke in all of fanfic.[6]
I think most people who've come to the fandom in the last decade got here through the fanfic--many times through a crossover. What's amazing to me is how many continue to be loyal to the guys for years. And the wealth of wonderfully written stories is phenomenal. You recommended one of the stories I love to re-read and recommend. I love when they are both a little clueless but sincere. Hooray for Sandburg Appreciation Day! [6]
This is one of my favourite stories,too. Every time I'm in Wagamama's I think of yucky udon and it cracks me up.[6]
No sex in this one, but a lovely story (though with a perhaps less-articulate-than-canon Jim?) [7]
clueless lumps aren't usually this cute. this story is not warm and mushy, but somehow that's how i came out of it anyway. okay, well, maybe it is.[8]
I have loved this story for very nearly 20 years. I remember reading it very shortly after it was published on 852 Prospect and saving an html version that has traveled many devices and cities with me. THANK YOU.[9]
References
- ^ "Liv's Faves -- The Sentinel". Archived from the original on 22 June 2002. Posted 30 June 2000.
- ^ "Wistful's Fic Recs". Archived from the original on 2013-05-04.
- ^ "the flambeau factory: recommendations 2001". Archived from the original on 2021-10-19.
- ^ from Destinies EntwinedArchived September 24, 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Anniversary Story, by Francesca (R) Archived March 28, 2023 at the Wayback Machine Posted 20 January 2004 at Crack Van
- ^ a b c 2013 comments at Crack Van. Anniversary Story by Francesca (rating: PG at most) Archived March 28, 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ zebra363. Starter Sentinel recs for psycho_tabby Archived March 28, 2023 at the Wayback Machine Posted 25 June 2004.
- ^ cimorene. recs in other fandoms, Archived version
- ^ Comment by Typhon Archived March 28, 2023 at the Wayback Machine on AO3. Posted 17 February 2020.