I just finished "The Velveteen Mother" by krismom. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5646054/1/
I have been so "blah" about Twifics lately, and feeling like I am coming down from a fanfiction high - I am sure many, if not all, of us have experienced this. It is my first time with feeling a sense of dissatisfaction with Twifics, but I can imagine it happening periodically. All the fics seem typical, the same, etc.
Somone recommended to me The Velveteen Mother and given that it is a pretty short and relatively quick read, I gave it a shot - despite the fact that I immediately discovered that it starts focused on a 60-something Esme lamenting the current predicament of her children. Honestly, that was a big turn off, but I kept going and I am so very glad I did.
Quite simply, The Velveteen Mother is fantastic and different, told from a very interesting perspective that manages to encompass some very transformative character arcs in the short 11 chapters. This fic ultimately presents very familiar, loveable characters with twists. (I am a sucker for E/B pairing) The focus is on romantic relationships, some canon and some very non-canon. The story zips back and forth between present and different times in the past, but it is seamlessly done and each flashback really propels the current plot forward. One of the final scenes (told in slight flashbacks) is probably one of my favorite scenes of all time, not only because of the sheer romance, sweetness and heart-tugging, but also because it shows a real character journey.
In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I am a mom of two boys and maybe that's why I eventually became engrossed in the story. However, putting that bias aside, I can honestly say this a beautiful story, and beautifully written. If you haven't read it, run over and give it a try. You won't regret it! Honestly, I have never felt so compelled to write this detailed a review (or any review) but here I am starting this campfire not only to share this fic, but to see if anyone else has other fics they'd like to share.
The Velveteen Mother has invigorated and anxious to seek out more unique Twifics, and got me back into the Twific groove. Anybody else have any really different fics they just fell in love with or couldn't stop thinking about? I would love to hear . . . especially if they ultimately stay true to the E/B pairing :) Old Twi-habits die hard.