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moirariordan) wrote2012-12-28 04:13 pm
moirariordan) wrote2012-12-28 04:13 pm
Entry tags:
Yuletide 2012 Rec List Of Infinite Doom And Et Cetera
Awright peeps, here's my Official Yuletide 2012 Rec List Of Infinite Doom And Foreboding, Vaguely Organized For Your Convenience. Warning: it may seem as if it is alphabetical, but it is only Vaguely. Just so you know.
Note: I only read things from canons/fandoms I'm familiar with, and skipped quite a few for time/length that I plan to return to later, so this is by no means a complete list of All The Things That Are Awesome This Yuletide, which is my way of saying that I WANT YOUR RECS, ALL OF THEM, GIMME
Second note: what the fuck, is it really Roald Dahl? Have I spent my entire life mistakenly thinking his name was Ronald?Where does "Roald" come from? Is it a typo of Ronald or is it a popular name in a different culture and I'm being insensitive? How do you pronounce that? His books scare me? This paragraph got derailed somewhere. I have been informed that it is Norwegian. So. There you go.
Third: I'm not counting any of this. You do it if you want to know.
Fandoms: A League of Their Own (1992), Alice (2009), Anastasia (1997), Blast from the Past (1999), American Actor RPF, Burn Notice, Bourne (all movies), Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Clueless (1995), Common Law, Die Hard (Movies), Disney Princesses, Dogma (1999), Greek and Roman Mythology, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte, Life (TV), Matilda (Roald?? Dahl), Mean Girls (2004), New Girl, Phineas and Ferb, Princess Bride - William Goldman, Push (2009), Sabrina (1954), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV), Saturday Night Live RPF, The Middleman (TV), The Unusuals, Tin Man (2007), Warehouse 13, What's Your Number? (2011)
1,000 - 2,999 words
Even Mollusks Have Weddings by Anonymous (1010 words)
Alice (2009), Gen Audiences
Alice Hamilton/Hatter
It's very easy to take more than nothing.
Another Hatter character study, short and sweet. Hits you like a gut punch, especially that last section. Love how it emphasizes legacy, too, and age. Really great.
She Talks with Her Mouth Full by Anonymous (1186 words)
Anastasia (1997), General Audiences
Dimitri/Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova
Anastasia’s talent at haggling is akin to her talent at kicking people under tables.
Really fun slice of life of Dimitri and Anya, post-movie.
Girls And Guys In Every Port by Anonymous (1425 words)
American Actor RPF, Explicit
James Dean/Natalie Wood/Sal Mineo
There are exceptions to every rule, even orientation. Happiness may be fleeting but it is always felt. Orientation isn't always the most important thing.
THREESOME SEX WITH JAMES DEAN, WHY AREN'T YOU READING IT
Union by Anonymous (1739 words)
Burn Notice, Explicit
Fiona Glenanne/Michael Westen
One year ago, Michael Westen married an ex-terrorist and vowed to help train her to be one of America's deadliest operatives. They've been taking on missions together for awhile now, but this one's bound to be special. After all, it's their anniversary...
AU where Michael and Fiona are still working in some official capacity and also, married. And awesome. Super fun!
if you want to sing out by Anonymous (1076 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Teen and Up
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
Aaron and words.
An Aaron character study; very lyrical and poignant, really, really great in a lot of different ways. Packs a lot of punch for just over 1000 words, that's for sure.
New Reality by Anonymous (1618 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Mature
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
Once the chase is over and the bullets stop flying, Marta is still struggling with her new reality.
Love, love, love this. Marta's such an intriguing character; she's constructed in such a radically different way than typical female characters in action films (all the Bourne characters are like that, actually, and it's fucking awesome). This really brings that out, and allows Marta to gain back some of the agency she lost, being flung into the situation she was in canon. Lovely.
Here, Now by Anonymous (2563 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Teen and Up
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing, Jason Bourne
Aaron thinks too much.
The summary makes you think one thing, but the actual fic is something totally different: slice of life, post-movie, and domestic!fic, even. A different take on the plot (Reddit!) but one that actually isn't all that unrealistic, I think. It sort of feels like the author took the plot out of Bourne-world and put it in the real world - because this is totally how something like this might go down in the real world: with cat memes.
(That makes it sound like a ridiculous crack fic - it isn't. Quietly funny, and intelligent, and with great character voices.)
all the more reason by Anonymous (1331 words)
Bourne (Movies), Gen Audiences
Pamela Landy, Jason Bourne
Pam has a not entirely unexpected visitor at her undisclosed location.
Pamela Landy is another superb character in the Bourne verse, and I fucking love her portrayal here: stonily determined, weighed down by the impact of her actions but not allowing it to sway her from what she knows is right. Her conversation with Bourne is really, really great - it's a moment of vulnerability, like, expanded upon. Feels like a deleted scene from canon, almost, and really exposes the way the two characters are intimately connected by virtue of their circumstances.
The Best Blessings of Existence by Anonymous (1577 words)
Clueless (1995), Gen Audiences
Cher Horowitz/Josh Lucas, Dionne Davenport, Tai Frasier, Amber Mariens, Ms. Geist
Cher throws a baby shower for Ms. Geist. For totally non-selfish reasons.
BODACIOUS.
Lunch Break by Anonymous (1209 words)
Common Law, Gen Audiences
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell, Sandwiches, Tide pens
"I didn't make you do anything! You're the one all worried about my pants."
Laughed my goddamn face off and also, wins best tag set award ever. Slice of life is super hard to do, but ANONYMOUS, YOU DID IT. Also, established relationship makes me hot. I just made this weird, didn't I.
Bridging Distance by Anonymous (1459 words)
Die Hard (Movies), not rated
Holly Gennaro, Lucy McClane
(No summary given; character piece set after Live Free or Die Hard)
Man, this is so great. The one thing about the movies is that they're John-centered (obvs) so everything we learn about his family comes through his eyes: what he feels guilty about, what he thinks he failed at, what a shithead he is, etc. It's really, really nice to read something that doesn't take that at face value, that kind of interrogates Holly and Lucy as they might be, separate from John's biases and issues.
Also, Holly and Lucy. My ladies. <33
Fa Mulan and the Triwizard Tournament Conundrum by Anonymous (2432 words)
Disney Princesses, Harry Potter
Fa Mulan/Li Shang, Belle, Rapunzel
In which Mulan's adventurousness as a firstie comes back to haunt her.
Basically, someone sat down and asked themselves the question: "how would Mulan's story have happened if she were a character in Harry Potter and picked as the Triwizard Champion and also all her friends were Disney Princesses too by the way?" It works, reader. It works so well.
It's Like That by Anonymous (2880 words)
Dogma (1999), Mature
Bartleby/Loki
Loki and Bartleby are just trying to earn enough to keep themselves in the air.
Bartleby and Loki live in Wisconsin and teach Religion to College Students. Fuckin' ace, man.
go down to the netherworld (plant grapes) by Anonymous (2526 words)
Greek and Roman Mythology, Teen and Up
Hades/Persephone, Eurydice/Orpheus, Persephone/Orpheus, Hecate
Orpheus needs Persephone's help, but it might be too late for that.
Heartbreaking, lovely look at an old story, from a new angle.
Green As It Grows by Anonymous (2119 words)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte, Explicit
Jane Eyre/Edward Rochester
Jane and Edward walk the garden by moonlight.
Victorian porn. I'll be in my bunk.
That's September, in the Sun by Anonymous (1043 words)
Life (TV), Teen and Up
Dani Reese, Charlie Crews
Home isn't always where the Olympic-sized pool is.
Partnership!fic, short and sweet and spot-on in-character (woo, "spot-on in-character" totally makes sense in my head screw you)
Hopes and Fears and Fidgets by Anonymous (1288 words)
Matilda - Roald Dahl, Gen Audiences
Matilda Wormwood, Jennifer Honey, Mrs. Phelps, Lavender
Four things Matilda wanted to be when she grew up, and one thing she became.
Wonderfully charming and lovely story. Matilda, my love <3
Completions and Connections by Anonymous (1839 words)
New Girl, Gen Audiences
Cece Meyers/Schmidt, Jessica Day, Nick Miller, Winston Bishop
Normally, Cece had a secret love for Jello shots and bitchiness, and showing up and being a pretty face, no matter where, was a crucial part of her career, but she had better plans. Unfortunately, those plans involved Schmidt, but life wasn’t always fair.
roommate party! Super fun and their voices are pitch-perfect.
How the Doof Stole Christmas by Anonymous (1415 words)
Phineas and Ferb (How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - Dr. Seuss), Gen Audiences
Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Perry, Phineas Flynn, Ferb Fletcher, Norm
Everybody in Danville
Liked Christmas a lot.
But the Doof,
Who lived in a tower looking over the Tri-state area,
Did NOT!
My apologies to Dr. Seuss.
Incredibly charming in every single way.
Tough Act to Follow by Anonymous (1006 words)
Princess Bride - William Goldman, not rated
Buttercup/Westley, William Goldman
"Bill, I don't know how to break this to you but no one wants to read about the adventures of Tweedledee, Tweedledum and their fifty cows, no matter how attractive Tweedledum is."
One of the best parts about the book version of Princess Bride was the meta (true fact: I first read the novel when I was maybe 12 or 13, and for the longest time I couldn't for the life of me figure out whether or not Goldman was being serious or not, and devoted a lot of time to searching for the elusive Morgenstern at my local library, back in those pre-Wikipedia days, which I suspect was Goldman's intention and so I probably did it right) and this fic is the best kind of replication of it. Charming and fun. :)
Eventual by Anonymous (1676 words)
Push (2009), Gen Audiences
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes
This was always going to happen.
NICK/CASSIE POST-APOCALYPSE
Poor Little Fancy Cat by Anonymous (2009 words)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV), Gen Audiences
Salem Saberhagen, Sabrina Spellman/Harvey Kinkle
Sabrina and Harvey are settling in for their first Christmas as a married couple, and Salem feels so alone. [Sobbing]
I'M IN HEAVEN AND IT SMELLS LIKE BOSTON MARKET
The Stakeout by Anonymous (1301 words)
The Unusuals, Teen and Up
Jason Walsh, Casey Shraeger, Eric Delahoy, Leo Banks
In which we find out some secrets.
stakeout fic! Tons of fun.
Things I'm Learning About You by Anonymous (2303 words)
The Unusuals, Teen and Up
Jason Walsh, Casey Shraeger
“Look, there are absolutely no underlying motives here, just good old fashioned bonding. Here, I’ll even go first. I am deathly allergic to peas.”
Walsh laughs because he really is an asshole. “Peas? No one’s allergic to peas.”
Walsh and Shraeger just doin' their thing, being bros. Also tons of fun.
Where Bear? by Anonymous (2224 words)
Warehouse 13 (/Brave 2012)
Myka Bering/Helena "H.G." Wells, Pete Lattimer
"Why are we freezing our asses off in Scotland? In the middle of winter?" Pete's voice was tinny on the Farnsworth. He was shivering, even with the shearling cap jammed on his head and the wool coat pulled tight around his neck.
"Because Claudia got a ping from an archaeological expedition working out here," said Myka. She shared a look with H.G. "And because we don't want anyone else running off into the Scottish highlands because demon bears are chasing them."
OH GOD WONDERFUL. Myka and H.G., ship of my heart, with added Pete, teddy bear of my heart. LOVELY.
3,000 - 4,999 words
If You Hit It Right, That is Heaven by Anonymous (3733 words)
A League of Their Own (1992), Mature
Jimmy Dugan/Dottie Hinson
Rogers Hornsby once said, the first rule of baseball is to get a good ball to hit. Jimmy, Dottie, and the sweet spot.
Great, great characterization. Some really nice lines, the kinds that stick in your head afterwards.
The Many Shades of Tea by Anonymous (4980 words)
Alice (2009), Gen Audiences
Alice Hamilton/Hatter, Dodo, Dormouse, Jack Heart
Hatter knew a great deal about Tea.
The tags mark this as Alice/Hatter, but it's more of a Hatter-centric character study, IMO. Just - really, really great look into his psyche; captures that impulsive, stubborn defensiveness that we saw in canon perfectly.
Gifts Of Time And Love by Anonymous (3104 words)
Blast from the Past (1999), Teen and Up
Adam Webber/Eve Vrustikoff
Eve's Christmas gift to Helen this year is a labor of love.
A great post-canon piece with really wonderful detail.
The Not Remotely Secret Memoirs of Alexander the Great, Aged 13 3/4 by Anonymous (3252 words)
Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Teen and Up
Alexander the Great/Hephaistion
My subject in this tale is the life of Alexander the King. The career of this man embraced such a multitude of events that my preamble shall consist of nothing more than this one plea: if I do not record all his most celebrated achievements that you not regard this as a fault. Plutarch, Life of Alexander
Alexander at the tomb of Achilles: Oh fortunate youth, to have found Homer as the herald of your glory! Cicero, Pro Archia
With love and undying fame at stake, Alexander takes matters into his own hands.
THE DIARY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. Oh God, it's everything I never knew I wanted.
No Smooth Ride by Anonymous (4456 words)
Common Law, Teen and Up
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell, Emma Ryan, Alex Mitchell, Mike Sutton, Jonelle
"If you ask me, you're pretty much married already," Jonelle tells him. "Liz and Richard, remember? Except that if you were, you'd at least get to have sex to balance out all that bickering."
Like the best kind of rom-com fic, but better because MAKE OUTS, THEY MAKE OUT DID I MENTION I LOVE MAKE OUTS
Roughing It by Anonymous (4842 words)
Live Free or Die Hard (2007), Mature
Matt Farrell/John McClane
Matt, John and a cabin in the woods.
ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP - cough. Don't look at me.
Really in-character and super romantic, and omfg, this is so embarrassing, but people talking about their feelings really make me want to clutch my heart and squeal so I did that a lot, reading this. Awesome.
A Girl Worth Fighting For by Anonymous (4952 words)
Disney Princesses, Teen and Up
Aurora/Mulan
Aurora is already too busy trying to figure out what to do with her life to deal with a crush on Mulan, too.
Disney Princess college AU rom com YESSSSS (Everybody is my favorite. Except for Meg, she's my super duper favorite, and my soul mate, I suspect.)
How Freezing To Death Can Sometimes Seem Like The Better Option by Anonymous (3966 words)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), Teen and Up
Harry Lockhart/Perry van Shrike, Harmony Lane
It all started with the meat-locker. Sort of. But really the meat-locker didn't have much to do with it. It wanted to though, which was public-spirited of it.
INCREDIBLY in-character, and very true to the voice of the movie - Harry's rambling, first person, meta 4th wall breaking narration, and his relationship with Perry and Harmony - just perfect. Really fun and clever.
Cease and Resist (Double Jeopardy Remix) by Anonymous (4006 words)
Mean Girls (2004), Explicit
Regina George/Janis Ian
If there's smoke, there must be fire somewhere.
Regina and Janis, before the 8th grade incident and after less than one semester of college.
MEAN GIRLS FEMSLASH THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Heist by Anonymous (3247 words)
Push (2009), Mature
Nick Gant, Cassie Holmes, Kira Hudson, Hook Waters
Takes place approximately five years after the events of the film.
Nick, Cassie and company break Elizabeth out of Division. Just what the title says - heist!fic, and done very well.
The Mansions of Los Feliz by Anonymous (3133 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes
Nick and Cassie have a bit of trouble communicating.
One thing I love about Push fic is the "fugitives on the run" trope that's present in almost every single one, and this one in particular pulls it off in a really nice way. The characterization is incredible too (I wish I could write Cassie like this; I have a feeling I don't) and ugh, Nick. That's just the sound you make about him. Ugh. We all love him, but ugh.
Very cool read, check it out.
she won't let me in there by Anonymous (3291 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes, Hook Waters
It’s a stupid mistake, Cassie knows. It’s a stupid mistake, but Nick doesn’t let it go.
Really nice language, and I love it when Cassie gets to be bad ass. Great voices for both of them, super fun read overall.
...and that has made all the difference by Anonymous (4397 words)
Push (2009), Gen Audiences
Cassie Holmes, Nick Gant, Emily Hu, Hook Waters
Nick steps through the door, and he’s pretty sure he’s made a mistake; ... then he looks down at Cassie, and he’s sure he’s made a mistake: she’s looking around with glee, bug-eyed and like she’s died and gone to color heaven.
Fantastic post-mortem of the movie, great characterization - a really great read.
Madame Sabrina Larrabee by Anonymous (3042 words)
Sabrina (1954), Teen and Up\
Linus Larrabee/Sabrina Fairchild
Linus has known Sabrina for most of her life. He wishes he could say that she's known him for most of his life, but that desire wasn't enough to keep him from marrying her.
Wonderful back story/character study piece. Really has a distinct feel of the 1954 Billy Wilder version, too, which is nice. Romantic and a little ruthless, just like the film. <3
Go As You Aren't Day by Anonymous (3577 words)
The Unusuals, Gen Audiences
Allison Beaumont/Jason Walsh, Davis Nixon/Casey Shraeger, Henry Cole, Eric Delahoy, Leo Banks, Harvey Brown, Eddie Alvarez, Walter Shraeger, Estelle Shraeger
Wherein a mother really is the best protector, a brilliant crime boss proves everyone is dumb, and we find out how many detectives it takes to tie a bow tie.
Super in-character, a really fun case!fic featuring Walsh's ~charm and Shraeger's neuroses. All the Unusuals fic this year is TONS OF FUN, apparently. :D
Someone Like You by Anonymous (4814 words)
What's Your Number? (2011), Teen and Up
Ally Darling/Colin Shea
Ally and Colin find a way through.
I enjoyed this a gazillion times more than I enjoyed the movie, which was mostly awkward and weird and not-that-funny. But this fic kind of reached into the bones of the characters and pulled out the best parts of them, then rearranged it all into something sexy and funny and wonderful.
5,000 - 9,999 words
You dig the tunnel, I'll hide the soil by Anonymous (7559 words)
Alice (2009), Teen and Up
Alice Hamilton/Hatter, Duchess, Jack Heart
Taken to Wonderland as a child, Alice Hamilton grows into a very different Alice of Legend.
Ungh, so great. The author kind of inverts and magnifies everything, it's super interesting. Duchess was a character that canon didn't take enough advantage of, so I enjoyed her part in the plot. Also, the author kind of points out how the Resistance/Underground was sort of just as bad as the Queen, which was great. A really fascinating read.
Bury My Heart on the Coals by Anonymous (6280 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Explicit
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
so give me hope in the darkness that i will see the light // 'cause oh that gave me such a fright
but i will hold on with all of my might // just promise me we'll be alright
Aaron and Marta - this is what happens after.
Exactly, exactly the fic everyone needs after watching this movie. Smart, tightly written. Amazing sex scene. A fantastic read.
Belong by Anonymous (8942 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Teen and Up
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
The first phase in any mission is always reconnaissance, and he hadn't done nearly enough. "If we could settle somewhere, what kind of work do you think you'd want to do?" he asked her casually over breakfast the next morning.
I didn't even get halfway through this before I saved the link, because holy shit, it's like Anon Author reached into my heart and pulled out the most wonderful, perfect Aaron Cross fic that my subconscious has ever imagined, and added sex and literary references and cheesy jokes about sex. I'm in fucking love.
I could talk your ears off about Flowers for Algernon allusions and how the new Bourne movie is actually the best of them all and why the Bourne series as a whole is 1000000x more intelligent than most action movie franchises but why don't I shut up and tell you to go read this instead. Yeah.
Nothing Like A Wrecking Ball by Anonymous (8588 words)
Common Law, Teen and Up
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell, Emma Ryan, Alex Mitchell
Travis pulled through. He pulled through, but of course he'd had to make Wes sweat first.
SHIPPER FIC OF MY HEART. MAKE OUTS. THEY MAKE OUT. MAKE OUTS. A MILLION STARS.
Godma, or, The Seven Stages of Grace by Anonymous (5532 words)
Dogma (1999), Teen and Up
Bethany Sloane, Serendipity, Metatron, Loki, Bartleby, Liz, God, Silent Bob, Jay
God has a plan for everyone.
I am not fucking exaggerating when I say that Dogma is my favorite film in the history of the universe. It came into my life at a time when I really, really needed a movie exactly like it, and it did so much for me as a teenager who was messed up about a lot of things, including religion, and it was kind of the catalyst for me to realize that it was okay for me to make my own decisions about that shit. Helped me out a lot, pretty much, did me a solid.
So trust me when I say: this is just as good as the movie. In character and totally spot on in every way, with that same message and theme that the film had. Fucking read it.
Open Up the Door and Let Me In by Anonymous (6958 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes, Elizabeth Holmes
Nick didn't bother asking how they'd tracked him down.
I don't know why this fic is so overlooked because it's pretty awesome. Really true to canon and it's got some really great details. I love this version of Cassie and Nick; they feel more realistic, more like the people canon-Cassie and Nick would've grown into rather than the romanticized version of them I see in a lot of other fic. Not that the romanticized version isn't awesome, but this one just feels - more fitting, or true, maybe. There's also this great grittiness to this story that was present in the movie - just really great, all around.
Forever Ago by Anonymous (7949 words)
Saturday Night Live RPF
Seth Meyers/Amy Poehler
Things change.
Ungh, this will hit you in the heart-places. Amy is so herself, wise and earnest and funny and clever. And it's so romantic, in a really sad way, and so true to real relationships, how you can fuck them up so easily with nothing more than timing and impulsive decisions and bad luck. So good.
The Quintuple Convergence Alternatives by Anonymous (9697 words)
The Middleman (TV), Teen and Up
Wendy Watson & The Middleman, Ida, Tyler Ford, Sensei Ping
Or, Five ways Wendy didn't meet the Middleman.
Like watching an episode! Everything that is great about The Middleman is also great about this fic.
be the change by Anonymous (6148 words)
What's Your Number? (2011), Explicit
Ally Darling/Colin Shea
Colin lived in his apartment for almost four years before he ever said more than a “Hello,” or “Good morning,” to the girl in 6C, Allison Darling.
Great, great back story on Colin. Again, with the forcing me to like a movie I didn't like, uh, thing. Whatever, that is not a backhanded compliment, even though it sounds like it, because this is satisfying and lovely and hits you where you live, I promise. Awesome read.
10,000 - 19,999 words
Springtime Will Kill You by Anonymous (15379 words)
Greek and Roman Mythology, Teen and Up
Demeter, Persephone, Hades, Zeus, Orpheus, Aphrodite, Ariadne, Nestor
Orpheus doesn't think much about his life before he was a private detective. But when he's hired to search for a missing girl, he'll have to take on Hollywood royalty, hired killers, and maybe, finally, himself.
If you haven't already been recced this fic, I'd be surprised, because it is a fucking all-star. Excellent in so many ways, I can't even, like. Comprehend it. Expertly written and constructed, it has all these nods to the mythology and manages to build on it all, and does it all in a true Sam Spade, detective noir voice that is extremely hard to pull off, and yeah. Mega ultra rec.
Applied Heresy by Anonymous (19241 words)
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Mature
Lord Asriel/Marisa Coulter, Ozymandias, Edward Coulter, Stelmaria, King Ogunwe
CONTAINS: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death (check tags for others)
In matters of natural philosophy as well as in love, Marisa finds herself surprisingly distractable.
What do I even say about this? I don't even know how to describe it. It's absolutely superb. If you loved the books, and were intrigued at all by Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel's story, then you'll be fascinated and amazing and a hundred different things. Such a well-written, great story, like the best back story for the back story in canon. <33
Necessary Sacrifices by Anonymous (15442 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes, Nick Gant/Kira Hudson, Hook Waters, Pinky Stein, Elizabeth Holmes
Nick sacrificed everything to make sure Cassie was safe and had a chance to grow up. He didn't realize she would fight just as hard to get him back.
Goddamn, this is good. A really fresh take on the characters (Elizabeth! Kira! Jeez, they just both make so much sense in this) and a really heart-wrenching, star-crossed sort of plot with Nick and Cassie (ungh, again). Lots of great detail on Division and how that whole monster works. Added bonuses of Hook and Emily! More really satisfying back story on - pretty much everyone, Nick's parents and Elizabeth and Cassie and Kira and Nick. Also, Kira the Villain, who is my favorite Kira! Pretty amazing, all around.
And a special section for my GIFTS which are both awesome go read them:
(We Both Reached for the) Gun! by Anonymous (1779 words)
Common Law, Teen and Up
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell
“You know why I never said ‘thank you’ before, right?”
It had always seemed so damn important to Wes that Travis thank him, but he’d never stopped to think of why.
Travis shook his head. “I knew it wouldn’t be enough.”
A post-ep for the series (D:) finale, "Gun!" Really fleshes out the last episode, as well as sprinkles in some liberal preslash. Another commenter called it a "post-mortem" which is really the perfect description. Really lovely and great. :)
Earning the Happily Ever After by Anonymous (6771 words)
Tin Man (2007), Teen and Up
Wyatt Cain/DG, Azkadellia/Jeb Cain, Ahamo/Queen Lavender Eyes
Ahamo, Wyatt Cain, DG (Tin Man), Azkadellia, Jeb Cain, Lavender Eyes
CONTAINS: Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, References to Suicide
Stories end happily ever after because they stop before the real work begins.
This one kind of blew my mind, because the author literally included almost everything I mentioned in my DYW letter. That's...kind of bad ass.
It's not fluffy, for sure, because it takes a really realistic look at canon, which is what I asked for. Kinda hits you where you live, especially in regards to Azkadellia. Just a really perceptive, interesting story. I loved it.
Note: I only read things from canons/fandoms I'm familiar with, and skipped quite a few for time/length that I plan to return to later, so this is by no means a complete list of All The Things That Are Awesome This Yuletide, which is my way of saying that I WANT YOUR RECS, ALL OF THEM, GIMME
Second note: what the fuck, is it really Roald Dahl? Have I spent my entire life mistakenly thinking his name was Ronald?
Third: I'm not counting any of this. You do it if you want to know.
Fandoms: A League of Their Own (1992), Alice (2009), Anastasia (1997), Blast from the Past (1999), American Actor RPF, Burn Notice, Bourne (all movies), Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Clueless (1995), Common Law, Die Hard (Movies), Disney Princesses, Dogma (1999), Greek and Roman Mythology, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte, Life (TV), Matilda (Roald?? Dahl), Mean Girls (2004), New Girl, Phineas and Ferb, Princess Bride - William Goldman, Push (2009), Sabrina (1954), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV), Saturday Night Live RPF, The Middleman (TV), The Unusuals, Tin Man (2007), Warehouse 13, What's Your Number? (2011)
1,000 - 2,999 words
Even Mollusks Have Weddings by Anonymous (1010 words)
Alice (2009), Gen Audiences
Alice Hamilton/Hatter
It's very easy to take more than nothing.
Another Hatter character study, short and sweet. Hits you like a gut punch, especially that last section. Love how it emphasizes legacy, too, and age. Really great.
She Talks with Her Mouth Full by Anonymous (1186 words)
Anastasia (1997), General Audiences
Dimitri/Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova
Anastasia’s talent at haggling is akin to her talent at kicking people under tables.
Really fun slice of life of Dimitri and Anya, post-movie.
Girls And Guys In Every Port by Anonymous (1425 words)
American Actor RPF, Explicit
James Dean/Natalie Wood/Sal Mineo
There are exceptions to every rule, even orientation. Happiness may be fleeting but it is always felt. Orientation isn't always the most important thing.
THREESOME SEX WITH JAMES DEAN, WHY AREN'T YOU READING IT
Union by Anonymous (1739 words)
Burn Notice, Explicit
Fiona Glenanne/Michael Westen
One year ago, Michael Westen married an ex-terrorist and vowed to help train her to be one of America's deadliest operatives. They've been taking on missions together for awhile now, but this one's bound to be special. After all, it's their anniversary...
AU where Michael and Fiona are still working in some official capacity and also, married. And awesome. Super fun!
if you want to sing out by Anonymous (1076 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Teen and Up
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
Aaron and words.
An Aaron character study; very lyrical and poignant, really, really great in a lot of different ways. Packs a lot of punch for just over 1000 words, that's for sure.
New Reality by Anonymous (1618 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Mature
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
Once the chase is over and the bullets stop flying, Marta is still struggling with her new reality.
Love, love, love this. Marta's such an intriguing character; she's constructed in such a radically different way than typical female characters in action films (all the Bourne characters are like that, actually, and it's fucking awesome). This really brings that out, and allows Marta to gain back some of the agency she lost, being flung into the situation she was in canon. Lovely.
Here, Now by Anonymous (2563 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Teen and Up
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing, Jason Bourne
Aaron thinks too much.
The summary makes you think one thing, but the actual fic is something totally different: slice of life, post-movie, and domestic!fic, even. A different take on the plot (Reddit!) but one that actually isn't all that unrealistic, I think. It sort of feels like the author took the plot out of Bourne-world and put it in the real world - because this is totally how something like this might go down in the real world: with cat memes.
(That makes it sound like a ridiculous crack fic - it isn't. Quietly funny, and intelligent, and with great character voices.)
all the more reason by Anonymous (1331 words)
Bourne (Movies), Gen Audiences
Pamela Landy, Jason Bourne
Pam has a not entirely unexpected visitor at her undisclosed location.
Pamela Landy is another superb character in the Bourne verse, and I fucking love her portrayal here: stonily determined, weighed down by the impact of her actions but not allowing it to sway her from what she knows is right. Her conversation with Bourne is really, really great - it's a moment of vulnerability, like, expanded upon. Feels like a deleted scene from canon, almost, and really exposes the way the two characters are intimately connected by virtue of their circumstances.
The Best Blessings of Existence by Anonymous (1577 words)
Clueless (1995), Gen Audiences
Cher Horowitz/Josh Lucas, Dionne Davenport, Tai Frasier, Amber Mariens, Ms. Geist
Cher throws a baby shower for Ms. Geist. For totally non-selfish reasons.
BODACIOUS.
Lunch Break by Anonymous (1209 words)
Common Law, Gen Audiences
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell, Sandwiches, Tide pens
"I didn't make you do anything! You're the one all worried about my pants."
Laughed my goddamn face off and also, wins best tag set award ever. Slice of life is super hard to do, but ANONYMOUS, YOU DID IT. Also, established relationship makes me hot. I just made this weird, didn't I.
Bridging Distance by Anonymous (1459 words)
Die Hard (Movies), not rated
Holly Gennaro, Lucy McClane
(No summary given; character piece set after Live Free or Die Hard)
Man, this is so great. The one thing about the movies is that they're John-centered (obvs) so everything we learn about his family comes through his eyes: what he feels guilty about, what he thinks he failed at, what a shithead he is, etc. It's really, really nice to read something that doesn't take that at face value, that kind of interrogates Holly and Lucy as they might be, separate from John's biases and issues.
Also, Holly and Lucy. My ladies. <33
Fa Mulan and the Triwizard Tournament Conundrum by Anonymous (2432 words)
Disney Princesses, Harry Potter
Fa Mulan/Li Shang, Belle, Rapunzel
In which Mulan's adventurousness as a firstie comes back to haunt her.
Basically, someone sat down and asked themselves the question: "how would Mulan's story have happened if she were a character in Harry Potter and picked as the Triwizard Champion and also all her friends were Disney Princesses too by the way?" It works, reader. It works so well.
It's Like That by Anonymous (2880 words)
Dogma (1999), Mature
Bartleby/Loki
Loki and Bartleby are just trying to earn enough to keep themselves in the air.
Bartleby and Loki live in Wisconsin and teach Religion to College Students. Fuckin' ace, man.
go down to the netherworld (plant grapes) by Anonymous (2526 words)
Greek and Roman Mythology, Teen and Up
Hades/Persephone, Eurydice/Orpheus, Persephone/Orpheus, Hecate
Orpheus needs Persephone's help, but it might be too late for that.
Heartbreaking, lovely look at an old story, from a new angle.
Green As It Grows by Anonymous (2119 words)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte, Explicit
Jane Eyre/Edward Rochester
Jane and Edward walk the garden by moonlight.
Victorian porn. I'll be in my bunk.
That's September, in the Sun by Anonymous (1043 words)
Life (TV), Teen and Up
Dani Reese, Charlie Crews
Home isn't always where the Olympic-sized pool is.
Partnership!fic, short and sweet and spot-on in-character (woo, "spot-on in-character" totally makes sense in my head screw you)
Hopes and Fears and Fidgets by Anonymous (1288 words)
Matilda - Roald Dahl, Gen Audiences
Matilda Wormwood, Jennifer Honey, Mrs. Phelps, Lavender
Four things Matilda wanted to be when she grew up, and one thing she became.
Wonderfully charming and lovely story. Matilda, my love <3
Completions and Connections by Anonymous (1839 words)
New Girl, Gen Audiences
Cece Meyers/Schmidt, Jessica Day, Nick Miller, Winston Bishop
Normally, Cece had a secret love for Jello shots and bitchiness, and showing up and being a pretty face, no matter where, was a crucial part of her career, but she had better plans. Unfortunately, those plans involved Schmidt, but life wasn’t always fair.
roommate party! Super fun and their voices are pitch-perfect.
How the Doof Stole Christmas by Anonymous (1415 words)
Phineas and Ferb (How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - Dr. Seuss), Gen Audiences
Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Perry, Phineas Flynn, Ferb Fletcher, Norm
Everybody in Danville
Liked Christmas a lot.
But the Doof,
Who lived in a tower looking over the Tri-state area,
Did NOT!
My apologies to Dr. Seuss.
Incredibly charming in every single way.
Tough Act to Follow by Anonymous (1006 words)
Princess Bride - William Goldman, not rated
Buttercup/Westley, William Goldman
"Bill, I don't know how to break this to you but no one wants to read about the adventures of Tweedledee, Tweedledum and their fifty cows, no matter how attractive Tweedledum is."
One of the best parts about the book version of Princess Bride was the meta (true fact: I first read the novel when I was maybe 12 or 13, and for the longest time I couldn't for the life of me figure out whether or not Goldman was being serious or not, and devoted a lot of time to searching for the elusive Morgenstern at my local library, back in those pre-Wikipedia days, which I suspect was Goldman's intention and so I probably did it right) and this fic is the best kind of replication of it. Charming and fun. :)
Eventual by Anonymous (1676 words)
Push (2009), Gen Audiences
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes
This was always going to happen.
NICK/CASSIE POST-APOCALYPSE
Poor Little Fancy Cat by Anonymous (2009 words)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV), Gen Audiences
Salem Saberhagen, Sabrina Spellman/Harvey Kinkle
Sabrina and Harvey are settling in for their first Christmas as a married couple, and Salem feels so alone. [Sobbing]
I'M IN HEAVEN AND IT SMELLS LIKE BOSTON MARKET
The Stakeout by Anonymous (1301 words)
The Unusuals, Teen and Up
Jason Walsh, Casey Shraeger, Eric Delahoy, Leo Banks
In which we find out some secrets.
stakeout fic! Tons of fun.
Things I'm Learning About You by Anonymous (2303 words)
The Unusuals, Teen and Up
Jason Walsh, Casey Shraeger
“Look, there are absolutely no underlying motives here, just good old fashioned bonding. Here, I’ll even go first. I am deathly allergic to peas.”
Walsh laughs because he really is an asshole. “Peas? No one’s allergic to peas.”
Walsh and Shraeger just doin' their thing, being bros. Also tons of fun.
Where Bear? by Anonymous (2224 words)
Warehouse 13 (/Brave 2012)
Myka Bering/Helena "H.G." Wells, Pete Lattimer
"Why are we freezing our asses off in Scotland? In the middle of winter?" Pete's voice was tinny on the Farnsworth. He was shivering, even with the shearling cap jammed on his head and the wool coat pulled tight around his neck.
"Because Claudia got a ping from an archaeological expedition working out here," said Myka. She shared a look with H.G. "And because we don't want anyone else running off into the Scottish highlands because demon bears are chasing them."
OH GOD WONDERFUL. Myka and H.G., ship of my heart, with added Pete, teddy bear of my heart. LOVELY.
3,000 - 4,999 words
If You Hit It Right, That is Heaven by Anonymous (3733 words)
A League of Their Own (1992), Mature
Jimmy Dugan/Dottie Hinson
Rogers Hornsby once said, the first rule of baseball is to get a good ball to hit. Jimmy, Dottie, and the sweet spot.
Great, great characterization. Some really nice lines, the kinds that stick in your head afterwards.
The Many Shades of Tea by Anonymous (4980 words)
Alice (2009), Gen Audiences
Alice Hamilton/Hatter, Dodo, Dormouse, Jack Heart
Hatter knew a great deal about Tea.
The tags mark this as Alice/Hatter, but it's more of a Hatter-centric character study, IMO. Just - really, really great look into his psyche; captures that impulsive, stubborn defensiveness that we saw in canon perfectly.
Gifts Of Time And Love by Anonymous (3104 words)
Blast from the Past (1999), Teen and Up
Adam Webber/Eve Vrustikoff
Eve's Christmas gift to Helen this year is a labor of love.
A great post-canon piece with really wonderful detail.
The Not Remotely Secret Memoirs of Alexander the Great, Aged 13 3/4 by Anonymous (3252 words)
Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Teen and Up
Alexander the Great/Hephaistion
My subject in this tale is the life of Alexander the King. The career of this man embraced such a multitude of events that my preamble shall consist of nothing more than this one plea: if I do not record all his most celebrated achievements that you not regard this as a fault. Plutarch, Life of Alexander
Alexander at the tomb of Achilles: Oh fortunate youth, to have found Homer as the herald of your glory! Cicero, Pro Archia
With love and undying fame at stake, Alexander takes matters into his own hands.
THE DIARY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. Oh God, it's everything I never knew I wanted.
No Smooth Ride by Anonymous (4456 words)
Common Law, Teen and Up
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell, Emma Ryan, Alex Mitchell, Mike Sutton, Jonelle
"If you ask me, you're pretty much married already," Jonelle tells him. "Liz and Richard, remember? Except that if you were, you'd at least get to have sex to balance out all that bickering."
Like the best kind of rom-com fic, but better because MAKE OUTS, THEY MAKE OUT DID I MENTION I LOVE MAKE OUTS
Roughing It by Anonymous (4842 words)
Live Free or Die Hard (2007), Mature
Matt Farrell/John McClane
Matt, John and a cabin in the woods.
ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP - cough. Don't look at me.
Really in-character and super romantic, and omfg, this is so embarrassing, but people talking about their feelings really make me want to clutch my heart and squeal so I did that a lot, reading this. Awesome.
A Girl Worth Fighting For by Anonymous (4952 words)
Disney Princesses, Teen and Up
Aurora/Mulan
Aurora is already too busy trying to figure out what to do with her life to deal with a crush on Mulan, too.
Disney Princess college AU rom com YESSSSS (Everybody is my favorite. Except for Meg, she's my super duper favorite, and my soul mate, I suspect.)
How Freezing To Death Can Sometimes Seem Like The Better Option by Anonymous (3966 words)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), Teen and Up
Harry Lockhart/Perry van Shrike, Harmony Lane
It all started with the meat-locker. Sort of. But really the meat-locker didn't have much to do with it. It wanted to though, which was public-spirited of it.
INCREDIBLY in-character, and very true to the voice of the movie - Harry's rambling, first person, meta 4th wall breaking narration, and his relationship with Perry and Harmony - just perfect. Really fun and clever.
Cease and Resist (Double Jeopardy Remix) by Anonymous (4006 words)
Mean Girls (2004), Explicit
Regina George/Janis Ian
If there's smoke, there must be fire somewhere.
Regina and Janis, before the 8th grade incident and after less than one semester of college.
MEAN GIRLS FEMSLASH THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Heist by Anonymous (3247 words)
Push (2009), Mature
Nick Gant, Cassie Holmes, Kira Hudson, Hook Waters
Takes place approximately five years after the events of the film.
Nick, Cassie and company break Elizabeth out of Division. Just what the title says - heist!fic, and done very well.
The Mansions of Los Feliz by Anonymous (3133 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes
Nick and Cassie have a bit of trouble communicating.
One thing I love about Push fic is the "fugitives on the run" trope that's present in almost every single one, and this one in particular pulls it off in a really nice way. The characterization is incredible too (I wish I could write Cassie like this; I have a feeling I don't) and ugh, Nick. That's just the sound you make about him. Ugh. We all love him, but ugh.
Very cool read, check it out.
she won't let me in there by Anonymous (3291 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes, Hook Waters
It’s a stupid mistake, Cassie knows. It’s a stupid mistake, but Nick doesn’t let it go.
Really nice language, and I love it when Cassie gets to be bad ass. Great voices for both of them, super fun read overall.
...and that has made all the difference by Anonymous (4397 words)
Push (2009), Gen Audiences
Cassie Holmes, Nick Gant, Emily Hu, Hook Waters
Nick steps through the door, and he’s pretty sure he’s made a mistake; ... then he looks down at Cassie, and he’s sure he’s made a mistake: she’s looking around with glee, bug-eyed and like she’s died and gone to color heaven.
Fantastic post-mortem of the movie, great characterization - a really great read.
Madame Sabrina Larrabee by Anonymous (3042 words)
Sabrina (1954), Teen and Up\
Linus Larrabee/Sabrina Fairchild
Linus has known Sabrina for most of her life. He wishes he could say that she's known him for most of his life, but that desire wasn't enough to keep him from marrying her.
Wonderful back story/character study piece. Really has a distinct feel of the 1954 Billy Wilder version, too, which is nice. Romantic and a little ruthless, just like the film. <3
Go As You Aren't Day by Anonymous (3577 words)
The Unusuals, Gen Audiences
Allison Beaumont/Jason Walsh, Davis Nixon/Casey Shraeger, Henry Cole, Eric Delahoy, Leo Banks, Harvey Brown, Eddie Alvarez, Walter Shraeger, Estelle Shraeger
Wherein a mother really is the best protector, a brilliant crime boss proves everyone is dumb, and we find out how many detectives it takes to tie a bow tie.
Super in-character, a really fun case!fic featuring Walsh's ~charm and Shraeger's neuroses. All the Unusuals fic this year is TONS OF FUN, apparently. :D
Someone Like You by Anonymous (4814 words)
What's Your Number? (2011), Teen and Up
Ally Darling/Colin Shea
Ally and Colin find a way through.
I enjoyed this a gazillion times more than I enjoyed the movie, which was mostly awkward and weird and not-that-funny. But this fic kind of reached into the bones of the characters and pulled out the best parts of them, then rearranged it all into something sexy and funny and wonderful.
5,000 - 9,999 words
You dig the tunnel, I'll hide the soil by Anonymous (7559 words)
Alice (2009), Teen and Up
Alice Hamilton/Hatter, Duchess, Jack Heart
Taken to Wonderland as a child, Alice Hamilton grows into a very different Alice of Legend.
Ungh, so great. The author kind of inverts and magnifies everything, it's super interesting. Duchess was a character that canon didn't take enough advantage of, so I enjoyed her part in the plot. Also, the author kind of points out how the Resistance/Underground was sort of just as bad as the Queen, which was great. A really fascinating read.
Bury My Heart on the Coals by Anonymous (6280 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Explicit
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
so give me hope in the darkness that i will see the light // 'cause oh that gave me such a fright
but i will hold on with all of my might // just promise me we'll be alright
Aaron and Marta - this is what happens after.
Exactly, exactly the fic everyone needs after watching this movie. Smart, tightly written. Amazing sex scene. A fantastic read.
Belong by Anonymous (8942 words)
Bourne Legacy (2012), Teen and Up
Aaron Cross/Marta Shearing
The first phase in any mission is always reconnaissance, and he hadn't done nearly enough. "If we could settle somewhere, what kind of work do you think you'd want to do?" he asked her casually over breakfast the next morning.
I didn't even get halfway through this before I saved the link, because holy shit, it's like Anon Author reached into my heart and pulled out the most wonderful, perfect Aaron Cross fic that my subconscious has ever imagined, and added sex and literary references and cheesy jokes about sex. I'm in fucking love.
I could talk your ears off about Flowers for Algernon allusions and how the new Bourne movie is actually the best of them all and why the Bourne series as a whole is 1000000x more intelligent than most action movie franchises but why don't I shut up and tell you to go read this instead. Yeah.
Nothing Like A Wrecking Ball by Anonymous (8588 words)
Common Law, Teen and Up
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell, Emma Ryan, Alex Mitchell
Travis pulled through. He pulled through, but of course he'd had to make Wes sweat first.
SHIPPER FIC OF MY HEART. MAKE OUTS. THEY MAKE OUT. MAKE OUTS. A MILLION STARS.
Godma, or, The Seven Stages of Grace by Anonymous (5532 words)
Dogma (1999), Teen and Up
Bethany Sloane, Serendipity, Metatron, Loki, Bartleby, Liz, God, Silent Bob, Jay
God has a plan for everyone.
I am not fucking exaggerating when I say that Dogma is my favorite film in the history of the universe. It came into my life at a time when I really, really needed a movie exactly like it, and it did so much for me as a teenager who was messed up about a lot of things, including religion, and it was kind of the catalyst for me to realize that it was okay for me to make my own decisions about that shit. Helped me out a lot, pretty much, did me a solid.
So trust me when I say: this is just as good as the movie. In character and totally spot on in every way, with that same message and theme that the film had. Fucking read it.
Open Up the Door and Let Me In by Anonymous (6958 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes, Elizabeth Holmes
Nick didn't bother asking how they'd tracked him down.
I don't know why this fic is so overlooked because it's pretty awesome. Really true to canon and it's got some really great details. I love this version of Cassie and Nick; they feel more realistic, more like the people canon-Cassie and Nick would've grown into rather than the romanticized version of them I see in a lot of other fic. Not that the romanticized version isn't awesome, but this one just feels - more fitting, or true, maybe. There's also this great grittiness to this story that was present in the movie - just really great, all around.
Forever Ago by Anonymous (7949 words)
Saturday Night Live RPF
Seth Meyers/Amy Poehler
Things change.
Ungh, this will hit you in the heart-places. Amy is so herself, wise and earnest and funny and clever. And it's so romantic, in a really sad way, and so true to real relationships, how you can fuck them up so easily with nothing more than timing and impulsive decisions and bad luck. So good.
The Quintuple Convergence Alternatives by Anonymous (9697 words)
The Middleman (TV), Teen and Up
Wendy Watson & The Middleman, Ida, Tyler Ford, Sensei Ping
Or, Five ways Wendy didn't meet the Middleman.
Like watching an episode! Everything that is great about The Middleman is also great about this fic.
be the change by Anonymous (6148 words)
What's Your Number? (2011), Explicit
Ally Darling/Colin Shea
Colin lived in his apartment for almost four years before he ever said more than a “Hello,” or “Good morning,” to the girl in 6C, Allison Darling.
Great, great back story on Colin. Again, with the forcing me to like a movie I didn't like, uh, thing. Whatever, that is not a backhanded compliment, even though it sounds like it, because this is satisfying and lovely and hits you where you live, I promise. Awesome read.
10,000 - 19,999 words
Springtime Will Kill You by Anonymous (15379 words)
Greek and Roman Mythology, Teen and Up
Demeter, Persephone, Hades, Zeus, Orpheus, Aphrodite, Ariadne, Nestor
Orpheus doesn't think much about his life before he was a private detective. But when he's hired to search for a missing girl, he'll have to take on Hollywood royalty, hired killers, and maybe, finally, himself.
If you haven't already been recced this fic, I'd be surprised, because it is a fucking all-star. Excellent in so many ways, I can't even, like. Comprehend it. Expertly written and constructed, it has all these nods to the mythology and manages to build on it all, and does it all in a true Sam Spade, detective noir voice that is extremely hard to pull off, and yeah. Mega ultra rec.
Applied Heresy by Anonymous (19241 words)
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Mature
Lord Asriel/Marisa Coulter, Ozymandias, Edward Coulter, Stelmaria, King Ogunwe
CONTAINS: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death (check tags for others)
In matters of natural philosophy as well as in love, Marisa finds herself surprisingly distractable.
What do I even say about this? I don't even know how to describe it. It's absolutely superb. If you loved the books, and were intrigued at all by Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel's story, then you'll be fascinated and amazing and a hundred different things. Such a well-written, great story, like the best back story for the back story in canon. <33
Necessary Sacrifices by Anonymous (15442 words)
Push (2009), Teen and Up
Nick Gant/Cassie Holmes, Nick Gant/Kira Hudson, Hook Waters, Pinky Stein, Elizabeth Holmes
Nick sacrificed everything to make sure Cassie was safe and had a chance to grow up. He didn't realize she would fight just as hard to get him back.
Goddamn, this is good. A really fresh take on the characters (Elizabeth! Kira! Jeez, they just both make so much sense in this) and a really heart-wrenching, star-crossed sort of plot with Nick and Cassie (ungh, again). Lots of great detail on Division and how that whole monster works. Added bonuses of Hook and Emily! More really satisfying back story on - pretty much everyone, Nick's parents and Elizabeth and Cassie and Kira and Nick. Also, Kira the Villain, who is my favorite Kira! Pretty amazing, all around.
And a special section for my GIFTS which are both awesome go read them:
(We Both Reached for the) Gun! by Anonymous (1779 words)
Common Law, Teen and Up
Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell
“You know why I never said ‘thank you’ before, right?”
It had always seemed so damn important to Wes that Travis thank him, but he’d never stopped to think of why.
Travis shook his head. “I knew it wouldn’t be enough.”
A post-ep for the series (D:) finale, "Gun!" Really fleshes out the last episode, as well as sprinkles in some liberal preslash. Another commenter called it a "post-mortem" which is really the perfect description. Really lovely and great. :)
Earning the Happily Ever After by Anonymous (6771 words)
Tin Man (2007), Teen and Up
Wyatt Cain/DG, Azkadellia/Jeb Cain, Ahamo/Queen Lavender Eyes
Ahamo, Wyatt Cain, DG (Tin Man), Azkadellia, Jeb Cain, Lavender Eyes
CONTAINS: Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, References to Suicide
Stories end happily ever after because they stop before the real work begins.
This one kind of blew my mind, because the author literally included almost everything I mentioned in my DYW letter. That's...kind of bad ass.
It's not fluffy, for sure, because it takes a really realistic look at canon, which is what I asked for. Kinda hits you where you live, especially in regards to Azkadellia. Just a really perceptive, interesting story. I loved it.