A few Faye Valentine fics and recs

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

I didn't want to let the fourteen days go by with no mention of Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop. However, as I don't read as much Bebop fic as I would like, I don't have that many recs on hand. But I did cobble together a few, plus links to a couple of fics by me, plus a fun fanvid.



People may question her fashion choices... though if I looked like that I might be tempted to dress that way too. Or they comment on her her weaknesses such as gambling addiction and thievery. But I love Faye because she is so complex. She's a woman who can kick ass but isn't easily labeled as a "heroine"; a woman who likes to look sexy but actually has a hard time connecting with people. Some days she gets out there and does what needs to be done, but some days she falls apart, because she's only human. When she steals I think it's because she knows from experience that she needs to look after herself before anyone else; when she gambles I think it's because deep at heart she still hasn't given up hope. Like the other people on the Bebop she's a private person who has been through some rough times and who knows that life isn't about happy endings or anyone giving you anything for free, but she never entirely gives up. She's definitely one of my favorite female characters ever.





This is absolutely not a list of the best out there, as I haven't read the best out there. It's just some fics centered around Faye that I considered good, plus a couple by me.


These two are gen fics based around Episode 18, "Speak Like a Child." They contain spoilers for Faye's back story but not for the series.

kawaisou na faye by invocations

Faye had meant her disinterest in seeing the videotape when she sashayed away from Jet’s brusque voice and idle threats, enjoying the even tapping of her boots on the Bebop floor. To her, it seems harmonious, authoritative- she clacks them louder than she should on the metal floor with her head held high.


Sotto Voce by siriuspolaris

Faye always wished she could sing.

Not operatic pieces, or dramatic arias. But maybe a decent lullaby, something soft and slow, like those jazz pieces she hears drifting down the hall from Jet’s room. She likes those.


Spike x Faye is far and away the most popular pairing in the fandom, but I personally haven't read all that much of it. My friend writes it well though... here's a little ficlet of hers originally written for 30_kisses. (It's in a series of Spike/Faye ficlets, all good in my opinion, but not all centered around Faye.) No actual spoilers in this particular one.

Disconnect by SabineLaGrande

She wants to be alone, but says nothing. With that one, being with him is just like being alone.


Here are two explorations of the Faye/Julia femslash pairing.

Luck Be a Lady by windsorblue. Contains no spoilers for the end of the series.

Faye swore under her breath as the dice got passed to the pretty blonde at the other end of the table, and then swore some more when the blonde's luck seemed to be so much better than hers.


Julia Dream by rosehiptea.

This contains heavy spoilers for the end of the series. It was written for a challenge based around the film "Family Man" where a character had to be shown a different path their life might have taken.

Faye was dizzy and half-drunk. That wasn't right, she could hold her liquor.


Another fic by me, with some Jet x Faye het content. Contains major spoilers, including for the end of the series and for the book "Sorrow of Young Werther."

Disorder and Early Sorrow

Faye was staring out at the stars again. It always unnerved Jet when she did that, because there were so many things she could be looking for.


I enjoyed this music video because the song suits Faye so well, and because it doesn't forget that Faye is actually quite badass.

Killer Queen by H2OXY

Comments

[lostinapapercup.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've been tempted to post about Faye Valentine for a few days now, but I've also been hung up on the fact that I don't read a lot of Bebop fanfic and didn't have much to rec.

I do have a roleplay journal for her with a profile that's possibly as concise as I can get in explaining her wonderful complexities and layers to the uninitiated, especially without giving away any spoilers:

Sleeping Beauty, Poker Alice, Queen of Hearts, a cheat, bold, fickle, greedy, obnoxious: Faye Valentine's been called all of that, and there's some element of truth to every one. She knows what her strengths are, and she flaunts what she's got. She's self-centered, outgoing, stubborn as hell, and very impulsive. She'd win the clothes off your back in a poker game (and she probably will, too, as she's one hell of a card player and one hell of a cheater) and then rent them to you later. If you leave your crap lying around, she might just help herself to it. And if it's a pack of cigarettes, she definitely will.

In her own words, she's not as simple as she seems, and there's more truth to that than anything else. Though she'll never admit it, Faye's full of contradictions. She's brazen with an occasional streak of modesty, pride with an unexpected dash of insecurity. She demands generosity from others where she wouldn't be generous herself. She wants camaraderie, but she'll still run from it if she thinks it's in her best interest. She's never gotten anywhere trusting people in the past.

Underneath that coquettish, tough-as-nails, and often volatile exterior, she has a heart and will probably be a little annoyed if you try to tell her otherwise. The fact that she doesn't want anybody to see it doesn't mean it's not there.

And here are just a few Faye AMVs I've found on youtube over the years:

The Hard Luck Woman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIvk28vvw18) (warning for series spoilers; set to "Drops of Jupiter" by Train)

Breathe, Faye (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlpgv2BirGk) (warning for series spoilers; set to "Breathe Me" by Sia)

Honky Tonk Woman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biX5VctwjAI) (early-series spoilers only, primarily sessions 3 & 4; set to "Honky Tonk Women" by the Rolling Stones)

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

Now, there's an excellent description of Faye! I don't read that much Bebop fic either, but I decided not to let that stop me... XD

And I look forward to those videos. They look really fun and like great songs choices. Thanks!

[lostinapapercup.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks!

I'm glad you didn't let it stop you. Faye deserves some appreciation. I've bookmarked those recs, and I'm just impatiently waiting for my next good chance to read them.