Under My Skin, Trapper/Hawkeye [M*A*S*H]

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Title: Got You Under My Skin
Pairing: Trapper John McIntyre/Benjamin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce
Fandom: M*A*S*H the TV show
Author: vampirespider
Spoilers: For season 1-4 (and GFA)
Notes: Thanks to lattara, cherry007 and shubassdk for proofing and support. My views do not reflect the fandom as a whole, nor that of all Hawkeye/Trapper shippers. I’m just one fan after all. All titles are quotes, except the actual title which comes from the Frank Sinatra song that Trapper sings in George.



Welcome to the 4077th M*A*S*H: Best Care Anywhere

M*A*S*H was for a long time ‘that war show my uncle watched’, the show that was always on when I wanted to watch something else. I had no interest in it whatsoever. But sometimes boredom triumphs all, and so I watched an episode of M*A*S*H, more specifically Where There’s a Will, There’s a War and fell in love instantaneously. The show was funny, sure, but it had heart and had excellent characters.

M*A*S*H, in case you haven’t heard of it before, was a seventies show about doctors at a mobile army surgical hospital, the 4077th, in the Korean War. Based on the book by Richard Hooker and the subsequent movie, M*A*S*H, the TV show became a commentary on the crisis in Vietnam, much to the dislike of Richard Hooker (a republican who considered the show much too liberal). M*A*S*H does have it’s moments of slapstick (rather a lot of them, actually) and cheesy humour, but it also has political commentary, puns, cross dresser(s), horrid nicknames, sex, surgery and, of course, subtext. The lead characters in the first three seasons are Captains Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John McIntyre, Major Frank Burns, who shares a tent with the two (the aptly named Swamp), Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan and Colonel Henry Blake, and all of their assorted quirks and kinks.

Anyway, I fell in love with this show in it’s tenth season, after Frank Burns, Henry Blake and Trapper had all left and been replaced by Charles, Potter and BJ. As a result, my original OTP for this show was Hawkeye/BJ and, a few fics down, I had an unhealthy dislike for Trapper, who I only knew through the fic and was getting in the way of my pairing. I watched the tenth and eleventh seasons without having any of these things challenged, cried my way through Goodbye, Farewell and Amen and ignored the fact that the show started again from scratch next afternoon. Not for me, I decided, I wasn’t going to tolerate Trapper.

That idea lasted two months, before one day, flicking through channels, I came upon an episode. Someone with beautiful brown eyes was staring at Hawkeye on my TV screen, and I didn’t stand a chance. The episode was Life with Father, the man with the beautiful eyes was Trapper and the chemistry was tangible. I’ve been a Hawkeye/Trapper shipper ever since.

The Fred and Ginger of Korea: The characters

Hawkeye: "You dance beautifully."
Trapper: "Thank you. So do you."



"I am the essence of overconfidence. I am speculation, adventure, the spirit of pursuit, the stag howling for its winsome yet anonymous mate. I am the love call of evolution, the perfume and color of the flowers as they offer their pollen to the gentle fuzz of the bees. I am sex itself, gentlemen. I am life! I am appetite!" – Hawkeye, Inga




Benjamin Franklin Pierce, more commonly known as Hawkeye – named after the main character in the only book Daniel Pierce ever read – is the show’s main character. He’s neurotic, sarcastic, and the most talented doctor in the outfit – which would be why he’s chief surgeon, much to Frank Burns’ annoyance. Not to mention that he has amazing blue eyes. It’s commonly accepted that Hawkeye was born in Crabapple Cove, Maine, that he’s an only child and his mother is dead, despite a few episodes where the contrary is stated. He’s very close with his father, Daniel. Hawkeye takes his work very, very seriously – his focus and devotion to just keeping people alive often drives him to the brink of breakdown and over a couple of times. As semi-resident psychiatrist Sidney Freedman says, Hawkeye is anger turned sideways; he’s fighting against death and it’s driving him mad.

Hawkeye was drafted and he’s very, very bitter about it; he rebels by respecting no military rules and even breaking (or bending, depending on perspective) them, when he feels it necessary, or when he has nothing better to do; he usually gets out of trouble because he’s necessary. He’s never in uniform, he doesn’t salute and he doesn’t take orders.

Hawkeye is the 4077th’s court jester (well, really he’s the leading court jester, Trapper playing back-up. A lot of the humor is them playing off each other); he never lacks a comeback, pun or joke at any time and both he and Trapper are infamous pranksters (Frank Burns and, by proxy or not, Major Houlihan bear the brunt of this). Hawkeye uses humor as a shield; if he can make it joke out of the war, the war can’t hurt him.

Fandom generally likes Hawkeye – it’s hard not to. However, he’s also the most abused character - both literally and figuratively - and quite frequently commits suicide in fanfic (a rough estimate would say about 45%, if not more, of all M*A*S*H fanfic contains suicide in some form). He’s a fun character to play with, and easy to subvert; he has chemistry with almost everyone and it’s easy to read him as bisexual.


Margaret: "That curly blond hair and that crooked smile. And you're really built, too, you know, you son of a gun. And there you were out of uniform, unshaven, no sirs, no salute, no nothing..."
Hawkeye: "That's when I fell in love with him." - Hot Lips and Empty Arms



The show doesn’t explain where John Francis Xavier McIntyre got the nickname Trapper from, but according to the book, it comes from an incident in college when he trapped a girl in a toilet on a train; however, this isn’t necessarily canon for the show, so it is ignorable (though not *that* out of character). Trapper, of the beautiful eyes and sweet curls, is generally thought to come from Boston, Massachusetts (though there are things in canon that suggest he just did his degree there), is married to Louise and has two children of varying ages (between 8-4), Kathy and Becky.

After that, Trapper becomes a little harder to place. He’s quite a disputed character in fandom, which might be why he so often gets the “bastard” role in Hawkeye/Trapper fic (a role I don’t think he deserves, but Trapper *is* my favorite character, so I may be biased). But what we do know is he’s devoted to his children, he’s absolutely *crazy* about his two girls, there isn’t a lot of love between him and his wife, though he does sometimes (maybe twice?) get sentimental over her. Trapper’s also a cynic – when a cease fire is declared in season 1, Trapper is more-or-less the only person in camp who doesn’t go nuts, believing it to be ruse from HQ (which, of course, it turns out to be). In general though, he’s a caring doctor, just as dedicated as Hawkeye, though less prone to long rants about it, and he, too, has a tendency to react badly at the loss of a patient. Trapper’s breakdown is quieter than Hawkeye’s, but I believe he’s faring just as badly; Trapper may not be a sensitive as Hawkeye, but he feels a lot more that is readily evident - it’s hinted that Trapper suffers from nightmares, and sometimes he’s a little snappier than otherwise.

Trapper is Hawkeye’s foil – he’s just as much of a practical joker and humorist as Hawk is, and as I mentioned, they play off each other wonderfully.

Are you two together? In all kinds of weather: Looking at canon

Hawkeye and Trapper are partners in crime; this is established from the first episode – they work together and they play together. They have fun together and they’re alike in many ways – they’re both in Korea against their will, they both turn to alcohol to keep sane, they’re both dedicated to their jobs and they’re both womanizers (though, particularly in Hawkeye’s case, this doesn’t necessarily mean much). And they’re just damn cute.



They’re also inseparable; in Divided We Stand, Henry Blake calls Hawkeye PierceIntyre in the general confusion of the mess tent. They often refer, however jokingly, to themselves as a couple: Fred & Ginger in Yankee Doodle Doctor , in As You Were, Hawkeye refers to Trapper as ‘the missus’ and when talking to Radar they often refer to themselves as ‘your parents’, “your Uncle Trapper…” “And your Aunt Hawkeye”, or claiming ‘we’ll adopt you’ and they’re almost always referred to as ‘we’ or ‘them’. They’re often played as a foil to Majors Burns and Houlihan who’re canonically, err, involved in “extra curricular” activities; typically it’s two against two – one could read that as two couples against two (particularly since Hawkeye and Trapper stand as close and have as little respect for each others personal space as Frank/Margaret do).

They’re also amazingly flirty with each other (and, in Hawkeye’s case, with just about everyone); in Yankee Doodle Doctor, they dance together in the Swamp; no explanation given. Then comes the running Fred and Ginger joke, and later, Trapper taking the role of Hawkeye’s manager when Hawkeye is chosen as the “star” of a documentary about M*A*S*H units. And when the film turns out to be a glorification of the war and the work the doctors do, Trapper and Hawkeye destroy the footage together. “Oh, that’s my bad side,” Hawkeye comments, but it looks good to Trapper (yes, he says so outright). In Love Story, as they try to get the Majors to let Radar pursue a nurse he’s interested in, they end up in bad together (it’s Margaret’s bed, and yes, it’s only to annoy Frank and Margaret, but don’t they look cosy?)

In Hot Lips and Empty Arms, apart from the looks they keep shooting each other, which are slashy enough in themselves, Hawkeye says he’s in love with Trapper (so, okay, he poking fun at Margaret’s crush on Trapper, but I love the look Trapper shoots him) and tells Trapper ‘You’re really are stacked, you son of a gun’, again picking on Margaret, but the looks they shoot each other and the slight blush Trapper acquires still makes it worth a double take. Then there’s Adam’s Rib and Private Charles Lamb, which proves that the way to Hawkeye’s heart is definitely through food; watch for Trapper and Hawkeye seducing each other with food descriptions, particularly in Private Charles Lamb, where Hawkeye also feeds Trapper. Very cute.

When Trapper receives a letter and picture of his kids from home in Mail Call, and subsequently gets drunk and tries to leave camp, Hawkeye tries desperately to distract him, first by listing why he shouldn’t leave: MP’s who’ll court martial him etc. When that doesn’t work, Hawkeye physically stands in the way and gets knocked out of the way by Trapper (and his duffel bag). This makes Trapper pause – he seems to stop completely still for a moment before Frank comes in; this is a distraction and the minute Trapper puts his bag down, Hawkeye steals it, stuffs it in Trapper’s locker and then sits on the locker. He’s laughing along with Trapper, but he keeps shooting him glances, making sure he’s not leaving. He’s seems terrified that Trapper might leave him there alone.

And then there’s Life with Father. This was the first episode I saw, and it’s still one of my favourites. Sure, it’s a bit nonsensical, and the Trapper/Hawkeye C-plot, is a bit ridiculous (they’re trying to find 10 presidential faces in a pictures of a barn so they can win a pony), but it’s still adorable. Trapper and Hawkeye are barely seen apart for the entire episode, and in the end they ride off in the sunset together. On a white horse. Really.

It’s not just the light hearted flirting that won me over though (well, yes, first, but I’m superficial like that), it’s also that they do care about each other. Sometimes it’s subtle, like in O.R, but it’s always there in some small way. In season one, it's mostly Sticky Wicket, which is more subtle; Trapper doesn’t seem quite as sure about how to cope with Hawkeye here as he does later, in Dr Pierce and Mr Hyde, but he still cares. Hawkeye operates on a kid, but the patient seems to take a turn for the worst in Post-Op. This drives Hawkeye up the wall, and Trapper tries to help, but gets rebuffed. Even though Hawkeye repeatedly yells at him, Trapper keeps trying; even after Hawkeye moves out of the Swamp in protest, but to no avail. Henry and Margaret finally help Hawk figure out what’s wrong and the patient survives. Hawkeye moves back into the Swamp, to an obviously relieved Trapper: “Hey, you know something? When I see you sitting there like that in your favorite chair, with a glass of raw spirits in your hand, thinking evil thoughts, I can't throw you out." [pinches Hawkeye's cheek] Hawkeye gets to return the favor in Showtime, where it’s Trapper’s patient who won’t get better; when the patient finally wakes up, Hawkeye’s right there beside Trapper, congratulating him and then ordering him to bed.

In Carry On, Hawkeye, Hawkeye remains the only doctor standing after a flu epidemic hits the camp, after Trapper, Frank and Henry go down, in that order. Trapper tries to get up after Henry’s put to bed, but fails; though Hawkeye could use the help, he all but physically forces Trapper back into bed, telling him he’s no help until he’s better. Hawkeye looks rather concerned during the entire scene. And then there’s Check-Up – after Trapper repeatedly states that he doesn’t want to be examined for the yearly examination, Hawkeye’s the one who sits down and gets him to actually talk about it.(Also, check out Hawkeye trying to cheer up Trapper in post op while his ulcer is treated in the tag of episode)

There’s Nothing Like a Nurse: Side note regarding women

As previously mentioned, both Hawkeye and Trapper are womanizers, and yes, Trapper is married as well. So how does that work? Well, there are, roughly, two ways fandom handles this:

Just for the war: Trapper is straight, sometimes Hawkeye is too, and they’re just having fun and fooling around when they can’t be bothered to find a nurse, or it’s Korea and war, and sometimes you just need comfort, no matter where you get it (the lighter version of that being the boredom factor). An offshoot of this is the ‘bastard Trapper’ fic, where Hawkeye is in love/lust/not straight anyway, and Trapper is using him for sex. Generally I don’t like type B, but it has been done well. This is easy to build on canon and can take place almost anytime during the show, realistically.

Ye Old Beard theory: There are several versions of this one, from Trapper being gay and having an agreement with his wife, to Hawkeye and Trapper having an open relationship, to Trapper and Hawkeye having to ‘cover up’ by flirting (I sound sarcastic, but I’ve seen this well done, and they would have to do so anyway – everyone would be suspicious if they suddenly ceased all interest in women and a dishonourable discharge is a horrible thing, even if you are a draftee). All of these can be done, and done well. Of course, one could always build the relationship up in season three, where there’s a lot less nurse chasing going on.

The thing is, they don’t seem to care that much about the nurses; it’s a generalized caring, not a specific one, like the devotion that is between Trapper and Hawkeye, which is why I find it reasonably easy to dismiss, even though I am definitely a ‘Ye Old…’ person. What can I say; I’m a sucker for a love story.

A Light Burning in a Bedpan: The issue of goodbye

Hawkeye: [tears glistening in his eyes]
"You made it bearable. I was lucky. You were honest and open, and let me lean on you."
Trapper: "No charge. And if I'm ever back this way-"
Hawkeye: "- I'll keep a light burning for you in a bedpan..." – Check-Up

One of the most consistent traits about Trapper is that he hates saying goodbye. In Dear Dad, Hawkeye is flying off to do chest surgery in the field, and turns to Trapper to say Merry Christmas, ‘in case I don’t see you again,’ or words to that effect, and Trapper tells him to tell him again when he comes back. There’s a repeat of this scene in Aid Station, where Hawkeye and Margaret are going off to help out at an aid station that’s under heavy fire – Trapper seemingly refuses to acknowledge that Hawkeye is leaving; he then proceeds to act just as worried and fretful as Frank while Hawkeye’s gone. And then finally, and most famously, when Trapper gets his orders to ship back stateside before the beginning of Welcome to Korea, Hawkeye isn’t in the camp. Trapper waits three days and then instead of a note, or verbal message, he leaves Hawkeye a kiss on the cheek, which Radar gives him. This naturally drives Hawk crazy and he steals a jeep and drives like a maniac for Seoul, where he misses Trapper by ten minutes.

Hawkeye, on the other hand, has no problem with goodbyes; one of the most moving scenes for Hawkeye and Trapper, whether friendshippy or slashy, is Hawkeye’s goodbye to Trapper, when they think Trapper’s being sent home with an ulcer. It’s the one above, accompanied with such sweet tearful looks from both. It’s a great scene, and the closest the two of them get to a proper goodbye.


Who is this man in bed with me?: Why I ship

Because they’re cute. Because with Trapper and Hawkeye, their friendship comes first. Because they have amazing chemistry. Because they’re fun. Because they lend themselves to both angst, fluff and everything in between. Because, and this is where parts of fandom find me naïve, I believe that they could work post-war. Because they work.

Dear Dad: Let’s talk fic

M*A*S*H is still a small fandom and most of the fic in it can be found at mash_slash and the Yahoo!Group. Otherwise there’s fanfiction.net and, for reliable recs, you can’t find much better than the M*A*S*H Slash Awards . Also, In All Kinds of Weather doesn’t have it’s extras section up right now, but it’s a fanlisting with screencaps and links. For ideas, there's always As Us Butch Guys Say at the Front, a slashy quote archive.

However, I do have a few specific recs:

loneraven writes some of the best Hawkeye/Trapper fic in fandom: her Chemistry is a must read for the pairing and the fandom; it’s descriptions of the early camp, the still and the characters are frankly beautiful. Her Sleeping Beauty is Trapper-centric and understated and exactly why I ship Hawkeye/Trapper. It also utilizes Sidney, for which I only love it more.

Three Day Pass by Arduinna is considered a perennial rec – it features a wonderful look at both characters as Hawkeye and Trapper come together while Frank is off on a pass to Tokyo.

Various Versions by amchau shows a series of letters Hawkeye tried to write to Trapper; this has a wonderful version of their relationship, as well.

Tagging by lilka is a short fic, but it’s so hot and incredibly sweet as well; it features Trapper POV and dogtags for which I must love it forever.

There’s Nothing Like a Nurse by hawkeyesmartini is a cute little lighthearted piece and very funny – it features bisexual!Hawkeye (a phenomenon that now has it’s own community hawkeyeisbi) and a Trapper driven crazy by the lack of nurses. Well. Sort of.

Finally, otherhawk wrote an adorable post ep for ‘Dear Dad’; it’s first time fic and it’s insanely cute.

If you’re interested beyond these fics, try fanfiction.net or asking for recs from mash_slash: I’ve only just recced a few of the fics out there and there are many more worth a glance (and more).

~Finest Kind

Comments

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

Great essay. Hawkeye and Trapper were one of my earliest slash pairings - this would have been when I was 12 or 13, before I knew there was such a thing as online fandom - but I don't think I've ever read fic about them. I'll definitely check out some of those links (and I need to buy or rent the DVDs.)

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was as surprised as you to find fic - comedy shows don't usually have much in the way of fandom, and a comedy show that was 30 years old when I got to it? I was pleasantly surprised. And yes, the DVD's are so worth it - if only because you can knock of the laugh track.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*g* Oh, that's a fabulous, fabulous essay. I adore this pairing and you've reminded me why I liked it so much. The goodbyes! The kiss! And I had completely forgotten about the white horse being ridden off into the sunset; it's so slashy it's scary.

I am also beyond flattered at your reccing of me. Can I be a bitch and ask you to alter the LJ username? I've pretty much abandoned the other journal and all my fic is now posted under loneraven.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Also - word on the Hawkeye suicide fic thing. I once said it was a M*A*S*H fandom rite of passage, writing a fic where Hawkeye kills himself. I can think of three of them off the top of my head, and I'm sure there must be more.

[likethesun2.livejournal.com]

I think I know which three you're thinking, 'cause I'm thinking of them, too. *grins* (And they say I have issues with word repetition!) There are indeed many more, though I think yours and garnettrees are the most justified and fully realized of them. You have to admit, though, that as a genre they're not as much of a stretch as angsty-suicide fics in many other fandoms are--see also Hawkeye's various canonical mini-breakdowns (particularly the trinity of "Hawk's Nightmare," "Bless You, Hawkeye," and GFA).

For my part, I am incredibly ashamed of my contribution to that meme; but that's not surprising, since I have been rereading my M*A*S*H fic lately and finding all of it shameful.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Heh! Homecoming, Never Ask Why Build and A Still Small Voice. It is a meme. My version is the least lyrical of the three.

You're right, they're not as much of a leap out of canon as they could be (says she who has used the plot in two other fandoms, groan) considering the canon always suggested to us that Hawkeye was one inch short of batshit crazy. And yet we all loved him anyway.

[If you persist in doing that, I won't go to bed. I will re-read every single one of your M*A*S*H fics to remind myself of your brilliance. So there. *g*)

[likethesun2.livejournal.com]

Check, check, and check.

Oh, god. Don't do that. I will take down the site or something. *squirms*

Also, your icon on that deleted comment. How much do I love that you're watching BSG now?

[/hijacking ship_manifesto for own purposes]

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Ohmygod, love BSG. Love. The show is so sexy and gorgeous and oozing possibilities, and I'm getting more and more hooked (three more eps to go, then I have to watch as the discs are pulled from my limp and unresisting fingers). I have a particularly unholy love for Gaius Baltar and Six, but they're all so good and I really want fic, but there doesn't seem to be much about. Trust me to fall into yet another DIY fandom.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

The name thing has been fixed, thank you for telling me!

Everyone I've told about the horse thing thinks I'm joking. or using as a euphemism. Because it's just that slashy. It's beautiful.

I'm glad you liked it!

[likethesun2.livejournal.com]

Two thumbs up. What floats my boat with M*A*S*H (as a slash fandom; it floats my boat in many ways just as a show) is how really overt and unapologetic the subtext can be, and you captured that here. Also, lovely use of visuals. :)

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Heh, thank you. The subtext is a wonderful, wonderful thing, it really is.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

Damn, this is good.

And damn, this reminds me (guilt-stricken) that I was meant to have posted the Hawkeye/Mulcahy ship manifesto about two weeks ago, and haven't, because, um, various Internet connections and RL problems.

Eek.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Actually, it was only five days ago. I kept checking, hoping you'd have a better bio for Hawkeye than me ;)

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

[apatheia-jane.livejournal.com]

omg omg omg!

best OTP eva! & your essay really did it justice. Must go read recs!

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

It so IS! And I'm so glad you liked the essay, thank you!

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

I started watching M*A*S*H in the early seventies, when I was in the low single digits. I grew up with it in the background, and while the first few years are vague (I was born in 1970, the first series was screened 1972), the later ones are treasured memories. I was way too young for (consciously) slashy thoughts - I've made up for it since - but those two were practically a couple in my mind.

This essay certainly does them justice, and mentions many of my most favourite moments. I'm bookmarking this so that I can come back at a later date and dip into the fic.

I was possibly the youngest kid in my school to know what a gin still looked like. *g*

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

You watched in it's first run? Cool!

I'm glad you liked the essay and I hope you enjoy the fic.

[txrabbit.livejournal.com]

Imagine my shock seeing you here, love.

I was peeking at different pairings and saw this post. Hee! You are all over!

And just for the record... I don't remember a time when I wasn't aware of M*A*S*H. It was a staple in my family from the time it started and the reruns are still welcome here.

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

LOL! I am so all over! You can even find me cheering on the god!slash in the Gilgamesh/Enkidu essay. I was convinced of G/E before I even knew what slash was. :D

[sintari.livejournal.com]

Wow - I had never considered the slashy implications of MASH, though I adore Hawkeye and Trapper. Thanks for giving me some food for thought!

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Really? Heh, I'm glad I made you consider it.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Lovely essay! You so made me want to watch this show again, and it has been a long time. Thank you for the wonderful pictures, and especially for the story recs. :-)

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it!

[westchester-777.livejournal.com]

OMG! I was just wondering if there was M*A*S*H SLASH, specifically Trapper/Hawkeye and I came across this on friends-of-friends. My M*A*S*H discovery was similar to yours, except I saw Trapper first, then BJ.

Thankyou so much for the essay and fic links. My sister just brought me back a pair of M*A*S*H pj pants from America, so well known is my love for the show.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Ah, but there is! We're a small fandom, so new people are always welcome!

I'm glad you liked the essay, and where did she buy those? They sound awesome!

[westchester-777.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the welcome. Um, I'll have to check where she got (the pj's) and get back to you. They were only $5!

[westchester-777.livejournal.com]

Okay, got the scoop. They're from 'Animation' in Miami, which my sister believed was a chain. So the brand on them is M*A*S*H, 'Briefly Stated' and the shop was called 'Animation'. I hope this helps.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You rock(as does your sister)!

[nerdcakes.livejournal.com]

"We're the CRAZY generation!"

Eee! Aren't they cute? I'm not even a Hawkeye/Trapper 'shipper but they're just too canon to ignore. *squeak* Fantastic manifesto :D

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you. And they are *so* canon, it's almost weird.

[shubassdk.livejournal.com]

Hee!! *giggles*

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Dork is I. Yesh. (hey, and while you're here? Check out the Javid manifesto. So you can see *why* you're helping me purchase Newsies)

[shubassdk.livejournal.com]

I have read and appreciated. And now I am trying to read that fic you recced. But you know that...

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Yay!! Aren't they just...them? (okay, I don't know. But Pretty!Singing!Slashy!Boys! It's almost *Nsync!...err, I'm gonna go read as well. Yep.)

[lilka.livejournal.com]

Squee! Oh, this is a lovely manifesto, and all the reasons I like the pairing are right there. Riding off into the sunset together! On a white horse! (That was the second episode I saw, and it stuck with me. And yay! You recc'd my fic! (I wrote Tagging).

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you! And I've added your LJ id to the story, I just wasn't sure who you were on LJ (and forgot to put your ff.net id, 'cause I'm clumsy like that)

[duckgirlie.livejournal.com]

Yes, even though BJ was my favorite charactar, I never slashed him. To me, that waould have been entirely OOC, and I didn't see the point.

[lattara.livejournal.com]

I love this essay to tiny little pieces; they *are* cute together, and *snarky*, and ... where did I put my DVDs again?

*goes off to look*

hawkeye/trapper

[(Anonymous)]

hawkeye and trapper are so sexy and slashy it's scary. this is a very believable, not to mention hot, pairing. i love it.

[ladylavinia.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of the Hawkeye/Trapper relationship . . . and the Hawkeye/BJ relationship. It's a shame that there isn't a story in which all three men meet sometime after the war.

[aseret-kitsune.livejournal.com]

This is great and really does detail why the pairing works. Wonderful job.^^

[the-summoning-d.livejournal.com]

Ah, I just love the hell out of this essay. To say nothing of the pairing described therein. You've captured everything I love about Trapper/Hawkeye. Beautifully done.