I’ll Be by stix04 is The Faberry Fauxmance to Rule Them All.
Quinn Fabray is not where she thought she would be as she graduates high school, still stuck in the small town in Ohio that she’d grown up in with no prospects. Her parents kicked her out of their house when she’d gotten pregnant at sixteen, the friend’s family she’d been staying with since giving her baby up for adoption isn’t allowing her to stay past graduation, and being able to afford going to college is a pipe-dream.
While drinking and stewing in her thoughts at a party, she thinks about who she can possibly manipulate into taking her as far away from this town as she can get. And once she puts some thought into it, the answer seems obvious. Rachel Berry, her former high school nemesis, who is fleeing Ohio to live in New York City.
Rachel doesn’t expect to have any visitors the night of her high school graduation. Being bullied through most of school, she hasn’t formed many strong friendships and she’s counting the days until she can flee to NYC and start working toward making her Broadway dreams come true.
It’s safe to say that when Quinn drunkenly shows up and professes her love before begging Rachel to take her to New York with her, she’s utterly stunned. And not interested. Until she thinks about how lonely it is in a brand new big city with no support system, anyway.
With that in mind, she tells a little white lie that she is also in love with Quinn.
They embark on a relationship together in New York – Quinn using Rachel in order to escape Ohio, Rachel using Quinn in order to stave off loneliness, both believing that the other is truly in love.
But what happens when they realize that they aren’t really lying after all? And how do they come clean without destroying the life they’ve started together?
Pros
I don’t even know where to start. There are just so many things I absolutely adore about this story; I’ve read it in it’s 330,000 word entirety multiple times over the years.
The writing in and of itself is incredible, with the humor being a huge standout. Rachel and Quinn have inner-voices that are prevalent aspects to both of their thought processes and are so hilarious. The scenes where they are actively both pretending to be super in love and all mushy while inside both wishing they weren’t are done so well.
The only thing better than the humorous writing is the emotional writing where they actually do fall in love with one another. Their emotional range runs the gamut in this fic and you feel every single one along with the characters.
Both Quinn and Rachel undergo extreme character changes from where they begin to where they end. It’s only natural, as several years pass in the timeline of the fic, but it feels so organic as their characters grow as people, but also grow together as a couple.
Cons
My one and only issue with this story is how the point of view changes back and forth from Rachel and Quinn without any indication that there is going to be a PoV switch. I know this is a style of writing some writers employ, so it isn’t technically incorrect. But it’s not something I enjoy.
There are a few typos here and there but nothing that ever disrupts or takes away from the story.
Conclusion
If you love epic love stories, this is a must read. If you love fake romances, it’s a double must read. Actually, if you love fake romances, it may even count as a triple must read.
It’s not common in lesfic or fanfic to find the fake romance trope done like this. Normally, it’s because a deal is struck between the two MCs, which is great. But it adds a certain something with this twist on it, where both of the characters think the other person loves them, while knowing that she, herself, is lying. The drama that comes with this big reveal is just… incredible, especially because it is so far from the end of the story.
Both Rachel and Quinn begin this story as young women with no certainties in their futures in regards to both their relationship and careers. They overcome every hurdle that comes their way, finding independent career success while working together and supporting one another. There are side characters and minor individual plots for both women, but their ever evolving relationship is always at the core.
It’s truly one of the most impressive stories I’ve ever read and it’s impossible to not get caught up in the whirlwind.
Excerpt from I’ll Be – The Faberry Fauxmance to Rule Them All
Quinn stood over the sink as she waited for the sound of the bedroom door closing, but it never came. She looked over her shoulder to see Rachel standing in the archway of the kitchen with her arms folded and a look of deep concentration on her face.
“Why did you do all this?” Rachel asked as she swept her arm out, motioning to the apartment.
The blonde had been ready for this. She briefly closed her eyes as she gathered her courage and turned to face the brunette fully as she leaned back against the sink. “I told you…” Quinn bit her lip. After this, there was no going back. “I’m in love with you.”
Rachel’s wide eyes looked away from Quinn as she calmed her suddenly racing heart and fought off her nervousness. “Since when?” The diva finally got out.
“Since…around…” The blonde recalled the lie she had practiced over and over again. She painstakingly went over the timeline of her and Rachel and decided on an event that would most convince the diva. “My pregnancy.” Quinn whispered. Rachel’s round eyes blinked once then twice, her mouth still open.
“Wow.” She breathed out, stunned. She really loves me. It all…it all sort of makes sense now. Everything-the insults, the drawings, her anger towards me…everything.
“This is how it will be from now on.” Quinn didn’t look up from her feet, but nodded towards the makeshift table. “I’ll be there for you, I’ll take care of you, I’ll be whatever you need me to be.” The blonde finished, hoping her voice sounded more confident than it did to her own ears. “So…why am I here?” Quinn’s heart sped up as she waited.
Life would be a lot simpler if Rachel liked her. Maybe not in love with her, but if Rachel had some sort of affection for Quinn then seducing the diva and ensuring her stay with the brunette would be tons easier.
Rachel was thrown, never before seeing Quinn appear so nervous and unsure of herself. It was kind of endearing. But she had a question to answer. Rachel was still biting her lip. She knew what she should say and she knew what she wanted to say. It all depended on this. If she told Quinn she felt the same, the blonde would stay, keep her company, take care of her in a way Rachel so desperately needed. So what if it was a lie? She could one day feel the same…maybe?
“Because…” Rachel started and Quinn held her breath. “I’ve always,” Rachel’s eyes scanned the room in desperation as she quickly weighed out all of her options. “I’ve always liked you, as well, Quinn.” Rachel finally said, her head dropping down at the lie but grateful it was out.
Quinn took another sigh of relief but couldn’t help but grinning.
Wait…what?
“You have?” Quinn asked, completely shocked by the admission. Rachel motioned for Quinn to follow her and the two retook their seats on the floor in front of the box-table.
“I’ve liked you…” Rachel glanced down at her folded hands and demanded her inner actor to come out and play. She needed to convince Quinn to stay. The brunette had no desire in finding a partner. She had been hurt by too many and she didn’t want to go through heart-ache again. “I’ve liked you since I first met you.” Rachel said with a little more confidence, looking up to catch confused hazel eyes.
“You have?” Quinn deadpanned, not expecting that answer.
“Well, Quinn,” Rachel said, leaning back slightly on her hands as her lie grew. “You are very beautiful,” The blonde’s eyebrow quirked at the compliment, but waited. “But from the start you were always cruel to me so I never really thought anything of my attraction.” Quinn’s eyes widened as Rachel continued. “After time, I just got use to my feelings but always dismissed them. But after your confession, I could no longer deny it.”
The two girls were silent as they examined their hands, both very sure they were in over their heads but, at the very least, happy for their companionship. “Well,” Quinn finally said, clearing her shaky voice. “As you very well know, I am not a virgin.” She managed a bitter laugh and bit her lip before continuing. But at the remark, Rachel’s shoulders stiffened. Where is she going with this? Rachel wondered, suddenly very nervous.
“Be that as it may,” Quinn went on. “I would like to wait until marriage to have sex again.” The blonde swallowed nervously as she awaited Rachel’s response. But because her head was down, she didn’t see the immense relief in Rachel’s eyes.
“Yes, no, I completely understand!” Rachel all but yelled. “Intercourse is a very big deal and I regret not waiting for marriage or until twenty-five…whatever ultimately came first.”
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Bits And Bobs
- Fandom: Faberry (Rachel Berry and Quinn Fabray from Glee)
- Length: 330,000 words
- Author: stix04
- Rating: E
- Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/80093862@N00
- Rating Guide: G= General, T = Teen and up, M=Mature, E = explicit
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