Journeymen Anthology
Language: English
Alternate Universe Anthology Closeted Character Feelings Realization Future Fic In-Progress Internalized Homophobia Intimacy Lovers to Friends Online Relationship Self-Acceptance Sexual Experimentation Slow Burn Strangers to Lovers growing up noted
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Published: Jul 2, 2023
for never been dipped:
this was charming and hot in equal measure, but i'm reminded why makeit_takeit's genkil fic didn't make my goated list. she has the unfortunate habit of overusing the fanfic drop-the-pronouns/treat an incomplete clause like a full sentence/period or dash for dramatic pause thing. it doesn't really detract from the story, which i adored, but was still enough to niggle. i was so so so so charmed by tk in this oh my god. and uh. the way i related to nolpat on a deep, visceral level was kind of eye-opening in a not-entirely good way. but also good for him.
for when the stars come out:
i didn't like this one quite as much as never been dipped, mostly because the characterizations of both characters felt weaker than in that story. they weren't bad characters by any means; i really liked this version of travis, just not as much as in nbd. the ending was very sweet and hopeful but i kind of wish there had been a mini epilogue or something? smut also wasn't as hot, but it was also trying to accomplish something different, so. shrug.
for in from the cold:
i really, really liked this. part of me wishes that makeit_takeit had chosen to give never been dipped the longfic treatment instead of this one, because that would have been the goat, but i really loved the dynamic of nolan being patient with travis like a skittish animal. also im weak for a narrative where the fucking is immediate but the first kiss takes ages, and that was done masterfully here. same issues with the writing as the other two fics in this series, and in some ways even worse with the constant dash and full stop interruptions in the middle of sentences. but the voice was consistent and it felt like an intentional choice to give both mcs the sort of canadian version of the valley girl voice.
Description:
Anthology containing:
Never Been Dipped
The guy is wearing faded wranglers with a big metal belt buckle sitting low against his belly and a camo t-shirt, a size too small judging by the way the arms are stretched around his biceps, the way it pulls tight across his pecs and inches up to show a flat, tanned stretch of skin every time he reaches up to spin his partner under his arm. He’s got on a straw cowboy hat with long hair curling out from under the back, a kind of grimy goatee, and he’s singing along to the music, making his partner throw her head back and laugh as they turn together across the floor, whirling like a spinning reel.
And no, Nolan hadn’t had his eye on this guy, hadn’t even noticed him, actually – but he’s got his eye on him now.
When the Stars Come Out
The last guy Bryan brings out is shorter, slighter, in regular-looking jeans and a regular-fitting t-shirt, faded and soft with some kind of logo on the front. He’s got longish hair sticking out from under his backward snap-back, and a patchy-looking beard. His tan lacks the orange-y undertone of a spray job, and when he smiles, his teeth are notably not-blinding. The showiest thing about him is the sleek, metallic-orange Telecaster slung across his chest.
It’s hard to tell if he’s really doing any heavy lifting or if it’s all for show, until Bryan sings about how Tommy’s got his six-string in hock, how he used to make it talk so tough, then Telecaster guy steps forward just one step, and lays down about ten bars worth of a scorching lick.
So yeah, that’s clearly really him playing lead, and now he’s got Nolan’s attention.
In From the Cold
Nolan’s learned more in the last few months than he ever really thought he’d care to know about the petroleum industry and the habits of the guys who live in the camps and work the rigs on the oil patch up north, but here he is – caring or whatever.
At least insofar as it relates to Travis, and by extension, to himself.
He’s not sure exactly what it is about Travis that’s got him down so fucking bad, like, other than the obvious. And while a cute face and nice shoulders, ripped abs and a fat dick are maybe not easy to find, necessarily, they’re not really enough to explain why Nolan spent two full months trying to coax some fully repressed, extremely skittish 30-year-old closet case to actually meet him in person – not to mention pretty much all his free time, ever since the first time Travis actually came through, obsessively trying to lure him back again.
Outside of hockey, this whole cat and mouse game he’s got going with Travis has basically become Nolan’s one and only hobby.