Teen Wolf and Characterization

[fullygoldy]

I got dragged into TW last year, and while I don't read it quite as zealously as my other fandoms, I've come to enjoy it quite a lot.  I don't have a lot of canon for it yet either (4 eps! Still!), but I plan to catch up someday.  I read in a lot of fandoms without benefit of canon, so NBD.

The thing is, most people write Derek as a nearly completely dysfunctional, averbal clam, and Stiles as way-too-mature/brilliant/self-aware for his age.  And it's mostly okay.  I mean, this is like a live-action Scooby Doo, so being populated with two-dimensional cartoon characters isn't really a turn-off.  But that's what fanfic is for, right?  Sure we fix plot holes and background holes, and narrative inconsistencies, among other things, but character exploration is also a big part of that. 

I've spent many happy hours wallowing in the dumb-but-pretty world of TW fic, with no regrets.  So recently, I've been reading more TW that treats Stiles and his peers as actual teenagers, and Derek as fairly functional, moderately self-aware, and capable of verbal expression/interaction.  I asked dira  about it while pre-reading The Boy and The Beast, because of course she was the first one I'd noticed breaking from the fanon characterization.  She had a pretty solid argument, and even pointed out that I would see more of this *onscreen.*  That makes me even more sure that I'll catch up eventually.  TV can be horribly mindless, so knowing the show isn't going to be a total cartoon is appealing.

Any road, I'm liking the trend toward more 3-dimensional portrayals, so I wanted to rec a few:

The Boy and the Beast by dira sudis - this is long (>100k words) and has a great Stiles portrayal, plus it's all his POV, so the immature teenager trying to do his best really stands out.  I've rec'd this before, but this list is thematic, so.  Also, I just have to say, dira's writing is so beautifully nuanced that it's like the written version of surroundsound.  On my first read, I mentioned an inconsistency that threw me out of the story (and truthfully might never have bothered anyone else).  She said she'd think about it.  When she was finally done done, I reread from the beginning.  It wasn't until days later that I realized she had fixed my issue, and done it in such a seamless, unobtrusive way that she kept me grounded in the story so that I reread every word as if I had never seen the previous drafts.  AWE.

Line in the Sand by kellifer_fic  - Stiles has to grow up faster than anyone around him wants, Derek will do anything to keep him safe, including discussing the best plan and relying on pack, friends, and acquaintances.  Under 10k words

Wash Me Clean by tigerlady/shetiger - this kind of blew me away.  Stiles is maybe a bit too mature, but I framed it as him rising to Derek's level because he wants the relationship to work.  Lots of relationship negotiation, sharing of feelings, and an entirely-new-to-me portrayal of water sports and why it works.  I am always interested in learning why kinks work for people.  I had previously found a pretty good explanation through White Collar and Glambert fics.  This was revelatory.  Med length, <40k words.

State of Readiness by girlguidejones - this is where I have to thank jerakeen  for compiling and sharing TW recs.  I don't know when I would have found this, if it weren't for her.  She is genuinely my source for all the good in TW. Med length, 40k ish.  Stiles is a teenage boy with all the temptations and struggles that entails, but he's also on the cusp of adulthood, with all the challenges and struggles *that* entails.  Derek is an adult who feels his responsibilities to his pack acutely, and knows he's in love with a kid.  If that means he has to change his ways and express his thoughts and feelings, and mentor his pack, well then, that's what he's going to do.  He's walking a line, and he gets tripped up sometimes, but he never loses sight of the goal.  I kinda love this Derek A LOT.

Pretty Much a Big Deal by dira sudis (just posted last night, short but sweet, <4k words).  Ah, dira.  You make me so happy.  I love this Derek too.  It was supposed to be a "badsex" fic, but there's really nothing bad here.  More relationship negotiation, with a very self-aware Derek.

ION, I had a long drive last week, and reheard Meatloaf's "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" and spent nearly the entire song cackling over what a GREAT Teen Wolf vid this would be.  Alas, I am not a vidder.  If anyone out there loves me enough to make me a vid, this is the one I want! okay? okay!