#idanit reads

[idanit]

Beyond Evil fic recs

I watched Beyond Evil, tripped, learned hangul, and inhaled most of the BE AO3 tag. These are some of the stories I enjoyed, paired with slightly edited excerpts from my private fic reading notes and/or my AO3 comments. Mind the summaries and the tags!

General and Teen

one good movie kiss Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik; Lee Dong Sik & Park Jung Je, Yoo Jae Yi, Lee Sang Yeob Wow, I love it? I'm into each and every section of this so far, they’re all good in different ways. (...) Unexpectedly, I really like the Jae Yi scene. I didn't know I needed to see her and Dongsik scrubbing the windows of her shop off insults. She was so in character, too. And I love Dongsik's POV in all of these. (...) I really loved seeing Dongsik struggle with voicing  — no, realising  — what he wants.

the way home Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Good dialogues. I can picture the scenes and their expressions. (...) This is slow and good and aching (...) It aches with the weight of the twenty years. (...) A recovery-after-hurt fic. (...) Loving someone middle-aged, having so much to learn about them. (...) I read this one in a daze. I hope there are other similarly good get-together fics that explore grief and trauma out there. (...) These characterisations were really good except for a few beats I disgreed with.

see the light is bright as ever Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Bedsharing in a guest house because of phone reception reasons. Gentle talk, tears, tension, anger, guilt, affection, all of it.

call you out on your contrarian shit Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Ohh, I liked this one. The voice is a bit restrained, in a good way. The characterisations are recognizable. Dongsik gets into his head that Joowon should date someone younger, but Joowon's mind is set. Melons are eaten at a lake house. Tea is drunk. A sleepy conversation is had.

rome wasn't built in one day. Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik This starts out really dark, wow. Dongsik's POV. It leans into their shared trauma as their bond, into what I would almost call codependence (...). I'm intrigued. (...) It's very tasty to see them so scared of losing the other that they won't talk about ANYTHING even as they start to live together. (...) This is so painful. They're insane, they're the worst. (...) There was something satisfying about this unnecessarily dark take on their get-together.

The Human Heart Is Hungry Still Han Ju Won&/Lee Dong Sik Very slice-of-lifey (...) It was such a slow, gentle story, and I enjoyed its subtle emotional threading a lot. (...) Joowon and Dongsik go to a hardware store together and I am happy about it. (...) It's pre-relationship and it lays the ground for it very well, in a very understated way, in charmingly small things, a touch here, a thought there. (...) And everyone else is here! (...) It was obvious that you gave a lot of thought to what would happen to everyone post-canon, and that you've done your research. Manyang felt like a real, lived-in town and everyone's lives and circumstances interconnected in really satisfying, believable ways.

still there inside my chest Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik One of these slow, soft, radiant get-together fics with (...) smooth, transparent writing. Joowon keeps coming to Manyang, they visit Dongsik's mother, there's the butcher shop (...), you know the drill.

grounding Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik The only one bed trope. I love that the case that stranded them in the storm-surrounded inn was something that reminded Dongsik of Minjeong and that this is what they kept thinking about and the reason Joowon tried to provide some comfort (handholding!). I like how annoyed they still find each other, I like that this is mid-canon.

Offering Han Ju Won&Lee Dong Sik Oh, an actually good fic? (...) Joowon collapses at the station, his bloody hands and all. Dongsik cleans them for him, then drives him to his apartment. It's still the Hurting Joowon genre, but it was good hurt/comfort, honestly. In character, competent writing. That's all I need — so little, but apparently so much.

if you say it with your hands Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Aching, aching! Good. I walked into it not expecting borderline sexual content, but I got the most beautiful scene of the sex Not Happening that I have in recent memory. Joowon lets go of his need to control bit by bit, but he's not there yet. All is good.

Family Jewels Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik, Han Ju Won & Lee Su Yeon There's something poetically satisfying in the idea of making Joo Won's mum be still alive in a canon where so many disappearances turned out to be deaths. A reversal. How will these people deal with it? (…) the writing is pretty good. In an understated sort of way. (...) good descriptions. (...) Radiant! Queer! Joy! (...) I like how Joowon and his mother meet as two people more than as mother and son. Healing. This author truly knows what they would need.

yours to keep Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Going shopping to a posh store together, Dongsik asking Juwon about his childhood, nice. (...) Yep, this section was very satisfying. (...) I kinda like the scene. It's... pulled out a bit. Quite matter-of-fact, very we-don't-talk-about-it. (...) Alright, I like this Dongsik voice. (...) The theme is loving/living in a "normal" way, which I enjoy.

i don’t know much about gentleness, but i will protect you from now on. Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik This was about Dongsik going to jail, then to Hokkaido, then back to Manyang, where he reopens Jinmook's store, all the while feeling like he's a ghost, or like he's being haunted by ghosts. Juwon moves in with him for two weeks, which I loved, obviously. Then he stays. (...) it had multiple scenes that brought me a lot of satisfaction.

Mature and Explicit

a safe place to go mad Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik What an emotionally excruciating setup. Making Han Joo Won kill a person in a car accident, her shins breaking? (...) This disassociated writing style doesn't feel overdramatic at all. This would, in fact, break Joo Won. (...) Dongsik is literally so perfect here. (...) I loved Joowon comparing himself to his mother and his father as he goes through different stages of traumatic response. This was so good! I love how you write them, I love how in character they are as they're put through trauma, disassociation, arguments and softness (...). It was great to see how Dongsik is a perfect match for a distraught Joowon, since he knows exactly how to take down his emotional outbursts and his half-baked logic, step by step. No one else could have done that for him. And the softness of the last chapter is a balm to the soul.

Resonant Frequency Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Ah, this is so good. (...) I believe in their established relationship here. It's easy to see them like that. (...) This is such good character work. Nuanced and in-depth; can we get more of this in fics. (...) some good imagery (...) This is a GOOD CASE wow (...) I'm actually invested, and it already pulled a few twists on me. (...) Juwon trying to be kind. The case from fourteen years ago, and how it resonated with Dongsik's history and Juwon's guilt. Dongsik under Juwon's skin, hurting so bad and so beautifully. There is a lot to love here. (...) I really enjoyed Chief Moon. I liked how deep you get into the characters, all the surprising little lines that feel extremely right (...) The two of them are so different (the contrast between their reactions to spending some time in a club was excellent), and yet they fit together so, so well.

Hook, Line, and Sinker Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik It's quite well-written. (...) I totally believe in a Juwon who, captured, feels mostly resigned. (...) This is really digging into Dongsik and how he would have reacted to yet another important person in his life going missing/dead. (...) I believe in Dongsik getting angry at Juwon who doesn’t seem to care about his own wellbeing, and this leading into a discussion of feelings. This fic really sold me on the „no more time” angle. (...) This is satisfying.

And Each and Every Time, for You Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik I like this one (...), it has good dialogue and they feel in character. (...) well-written, funny. (...) Absolutely pitch perfect Dongsik voice so far. (...) It feels so good to be in the hands of a decent storyteller again. I don't have to watch out for bad punctuation and clunky structure. I can just enjoy the ride. (...) The author can write shouty arguments too??? yessss (...) Perfect dialogue. (...) This sex scene was remarkably in character. The best erotic writing is when the characters don't turn into paper figurines, don't stop existing because the author wants to write a sex scene in that moment; it's when their personalities are amplified, not erased by the act (...), and we can see how they're themselves in this different context. I love to see it. (...) The way they talk, what they do, what, how and why they want, it's all gloriously them.

Splinters Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik, Min Jeung/Jae Yi/Ji Hun Why is this fic so perfect. It has literally done nothing wrong. (…) I love authors who really think about what they have at their hands and slot things together in unexpected, but inspired ways. This brought me so much joy! Your characterisations are absolutely spot-on. I instantly fell in love with this Min-jeong and her narrative voice, and then adored the dynamic she's had with everyone, particularly Ju-won and Jae-yi. You've made so many inspired little choices here, like having Min-jeong talk about her trauma with Ju-won, of all people (...). It was just a pleasure to read. (...) Your writing is very smooth, funny and poignant in turn. (...) Also, you just went and singlehandedly created the Min-jeong/Ji-hun/Jae-ji ship, which is quite out there, but, to my surprise, I was very into it.

Not Tomorrow Kang Min Jung & Lee Dong Sik This was a pretty good fic and the study of the relationship between Dongsik and Minjung that I wanted to read. (...) So eerie to watch Jinmook interact with Dongsik, way way before he knew. (...) I like seeing Dongsik helping bring her up like this. (...) It really hurts. Dongsik coming to her rescue again and again until the one time where she's really in danger and he’s not able to rescue her in time.

come home soon Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik I love this so far. Every sentence is doing something, the writing is quite tight, the tension is very much there. (...) This is like a gift to me, personally. (...) This is exactly what I wanted, show me how Manyang feels about the two of them! (...) great turns of phrase (...) The writing is so no-nonsense that I really have to pay attention to follow it, in a good way. (...) Smooth transitions between memories and the present time, that’s nice. (...) Wow, I want to read this all over again.

the world's great big injustice Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Yes, make the sex scenes all about these weirdos instead of writing boring cookie-cutter General Porn. (...) Oooh the Oh Ji Hwa's scene was very good. (...) Is all of this really in character? Honestly not sure. Perhaps not. But this author's writing is pulling me in so hard that I don't mind either way. It's close enough to a version of them I can imagine. It stands on its own. It's compelling. It's enough. (...) This is the kind of writing that likes to be reread. I read the remix first, but now I want to reread them both and then slot them together like puzzle pieces.

for what it's worth Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik This is a remix of the fic above. This was... interesting. There was something there. I liked how the story operated on the unspoken and the unacknowledged (...) I like how this is constructed, the thin threads of stubble - halves - halfhearted connection vs intent - silence and sound. (...) The back-and-forth transitions between the past and the present, quite smooth. (...) sex scenes full of characterisation and theme. (...) Is this all about Juwon's habits? His trauma? The hesitancy seems to come from several things. He disassociates a little, but unwillingly. (...) Ok, this really gained heft on a reread. I really liked how pulled out it is, restrained. It's very appropriate for this Juwon's POV.

r/tifu by being my student's gay awakening Han Ju Won/Kwon Hyuk Such a cracky premise (the title is Kwon Hyuk's POV), but I'm here for it. (...) This is fun so far; clear writing. (...) Why is this good? The characterisations are on point. (...) I really believe in this Hyuk. Climbing up the social ladder and angry when he's still being dismissed, glossed over, unwanted beyond what he can do for people. (...) Satisfying. (...) I do wonder how much Kwon Hyuk tells himself he wants that wife with two point five children just because that's what he's supposed to want. He's clearly not straight in this fic.

Exposure Therapy Han Ju Won/Lee Dong Sik Oh wow, this was so good. A get-together fic, with looking for Bang Hoseok in the reed fields used as a binding/bonding activity/memory. Dongsik is exactly what I've been thinking of him being recently — a bit reluctant about his whole thing with Juwon, but not for the lack of feelings. They're both incredibly in character here. It's in the little gestures. (...) This author Pays Attention and Extrapolates Correctly. (...) I love this Dongsik, he really is himself here. And Juwon too. The way they talk to each other. (...) I didn't expect this to be so good from the start, but then it started to drop these pitch-perfect little elements time and time again — it's honestly impressive given that there really isn't much here. It's not a high-concept fic or anything, it's not constructed. It's quiet and it flows easily, and there isn't a lot that's happening, except emotionally. And it works so well.

#beyond evil #fanfic #fic rec #beyond evil fanfic #fanfiction #idanit reads #turns out i'm quite particular about what i want and don't want to read in this fandom so these are naturally geared towards me #my blindspot is WIPs because I filtered them all out #if there are some excellent WIPs out there feel free to rec them to me

[lynlethe]

For Good Omens Mini Bang, “Chitty Chitty Bentley” inspired by idanit’s fic! (read it first; it’s amazing!)

#good omens mini bang #good omens #chitty chitty bang bang #nanny ashtoreth #brother francis #warlock dowling #aziraphale #anthony j crowley #crowley #aziraphale and crowley #Youtube #my stuff

[smolalienbee]

got tagged by @idanit!!!!

last song: counting crows - accidentally in love cause i was listening to my sappy ineffable husbands playlist lolololol

last movie: im p sure Baby Driver cause 1) i dont watch movies often 2) i fucking love that movie and ive been rewatching it a lot lately

currently watching: uhhhhhh nothing in particular? waiting for the last season of spn to finish so that i can watch it all in one go, otherwise i just watch let's plays on youtube,,,,

currently reading: definitely not books! (well except for stuff for uni - lately it's been a lot of schell's the art of game design) mostly i've been reading good omens fanfic tho - i've been trying to catch up with @sevdrag's old vines, also discovered the Angel Network series today, I read one fic out of it ("(War) What is it Good For" - in which spn's cas gets yeeted to gomens verse and is finally properly taken care of!!!) and i may try to read the whole series too

currently craving: uhhh motivation to finally finish the piles of homework? also for my laptop to finally be fixed and returned to me I WANNA DRAW AND PLAY GAMES ON A FAST LAPTOP PLS JUST LEMME anyway

im gonna tag @under-a-linden-tree @sevdrag @d20owlbear (sorry if any of y'all got tagged already)

#smolalienbeelife #about me #tag game #i sure got tagged

[silent--sonata]

i was tagged an aeon ago by the unparalleled @theoldaquarian and have now come to redeem my ask meme voucher at last

last song: Memory from Cats the Musical because I have only recently come to terms with the fact that it’s a pastiche of T.S. Eliot’s Preludes and Rhapsody on a Windy Night (look I knew our friend Jellicle Cat and the premise was inspired by him but holy frick I didn’t know even the songs were part of this conspiracy)

last movie: Rogue One - got sucked in by my adoration of Mister Donnie Yen who also plays my adorable Ip Man and came out of it with a broken heart and an incomparable love for K-2SO (also known as potassium sulfate, my salty robot darling).

currently watching: Queen: Love and War (간택) which is a historical k-drama that’s cute and a bit trashy but gets awarded extra points for getting me through 6 whole exams... but I do intend to start Lucifer and Schitt’s Creek soon.

currently reading: mainly a bunch of horror webtoons (spoopy season hehe) but in terms of actual literature it’s Haruhi Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore! a super interesting read that’s left me with a lot more questions than answers in the best way.

currently craving: the sweet embrace of the void  순두부 찌개 (soondubu jjigae - the spicy korean kimchi tofu stew) and rice I MISS EATING OUT SO MUCH :((

tagging @idanit, @imperiousheiress, @splitting-infinities, and @eunyisadoran, and you, if you wish!

#ask meme #Bubbles Answers

[mehrto]

I got tagged by @wildblueyoshi​ @idanit​ and @under-a-linden-tree​

last song: Bunny, Tourist (but i’m also listening to more music while typing this)

last movie: It was either that one Ace Attorney movie based on the 1st game (thanks bookclub server) or  David Lynch’s Blue Velvet.

currently watching: uhhhh nothing really? I still haven’t finished Work in Progress by Lilly Wachowski and I’m listening to The Magnus Archives

currently reading: mostly catching up on fanfic, but also still trying to finish American Gods

currently craving: a breakfast bagel and a warm chai latte I’m not sure there’s anyone left that hasn’t been tagged but @aethelflaedladyofmercia @thyra279 @polkanote go ahead if you wanna

[blacklacefanfics]

Raison D’Etre

Summary: It’s New Year’s Eve 2019- Crowley’s reflecting, drinks are flowing, and it’s the roaring 20s.

A/N: My GOmens Holiday swap gift for @idanit !! I wanted to incorporate the bookshop fluff, ineffable wives, some nice dancing, and the current holidays into this fic. It’s also been so long since I’ve sat down and wrote a fic this long, so I’m hoping that you like it!

~

Crowley pulled up outside of the bookshop, her Bentley rattling to a slow stop. Driving through SoHo on the night of New Year’s Eve wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, but she had promised to meet Aziraphale up before midnight and she wasn’t one to be late- when meeting her angel, anyways.

People bustled past on the sidewalk, already loud and buzzing an hour before midnight. It wasn’t a scene that Crowley was unfamiliar with, but the crowds every year around this time could be massively overwhelming even for a demon.

She grabbed the brown bag and glasses from her car and sauntered towards the bookshop, miracling the handle unlocked and knocking her hip against the door to swing it open. The bell above jingled happily.

“Angel-”

“A moment please!” Aziraphale called from the back room. A rustle of books and papers a moment later, and she came to the front with a smile on her face. “Crowley! You said you would be a while.”

“Figured I’d be early tonight, y’know? And I come bearing gifts.” Crowley smiled and held up the glasses and bag.

“Lovely!” Aziraphale beamed, glancing downward. “Crowley, what on Earth are you wearing?”

“You don’t like it?” Crowley glanced down at herself- a black button down, silver tie, black pants and suspenders. She swept her red hair over her shoulder. “I thought it was rather fitting for the ‘Roaring 20’s’ and all that.”

“Just not your usual fashion- bit outdated.”

Crowley snorted a laugh.

“Really? Says the one who can’t lose the tartan.” Crowley teased, pulling Aziraphale towards her by the waist, arms wrapped around her.

Aziraphale blushed, smacking at her hand. “You shush! Tartan is stylish. Everyone knows that.”

“Your outfits are a few decades old for even the 1920’s, angel, get used to it.” Crowley laughed, letting her pull away. “Do you want my gift or not?”

“Of course. What did you bring?”

“Champagne. For the new year.”

“Oh!” Aziraphale smiled, taking the wine. Crowley set the glasses on the table. “1995 De Venoge Cuvee Louis XV Brut. Very fancy.”

“Only the best.” Crowley winked, taking the bottle and popping it and pouring a glass. “Figured it was an important year, might as well do it right.”

“I thought we were going down to central London this year?” Aziraphale questioned, taking a glass. “Perhaps it’s not a good idea to drink it now if you’re driving us down there.”

“Well,” Crowley said, pouring herself a tall glass and taking a sip. “I figured that we could stay here. Just this time. Maybe go out next year.” She sidled up against Aziraphale again and wrapped her arm around her waist.

“Oh?” Aziraphale smiled up at her. “Just us, then?”

“Mm.” Crowley pulled herself flush against Aziraphale. Aziraphale blushed.

“You’re awfully touchy tonight, Crowley.” She smiled shyly, sipping her glass.

“It is a special occasion, after all.”

“What makes this one more important than the others? We’ve never really celebrated before, have we?” Aziraphale tilted her head.

“Just important, s’all.”

Aziraphale looked up at her. She reached up with her hand and gently caressed Crowley’s face.

“I’m very happy to spend this time with you, my dear.” She said, gently taking off Crowley’s glasses. “We’ve had quite a run of it the past few months. I hope you can forgive me wanting to see you properly.”

Crowley hitched a breath and fluttered her eyes as the glasses were removed. Her gold eyes flickered over Aziraphale’s face and she noticed finally that the bookshop was actually quite dark, save for a few soft lamps and a fireplace in the corner. Had that always been there?

“I don’t mind.” She swallowed, suddenly stepping back. “I, um…” Her face reddened suddenly and she laughed nervously. “I may have had a couple of drinks before coming over.”

“Crowley!” Aziraphale scolded. “You drove!”

“I held it off until now, angel. Don’t worry.” Crowley scoffed, waving off her admonishments. The room wobbled just under her feet, and she thought perhaps chugging a bottle of cheap whiskey was a bad idea.

“Why would you do that and still bring something to drink?” Aziraphale prattled on nonetheless, leading Crowley to the couch and sitting her down.

“Because it’s a party tonight, angel! The one night all the humans are out getting drunk and celebrating surviving another year, shouldn’t I get to?”

Aziraphale gave her a reproved look and rolled her eyes.

“You’re impossible. I hope you know that.”

“It’s one of my many charms.” Crowley smirked up at her, itching to grab her glasses off the table and slide them back on. It was hard to resist, even when up against Aziraphale’s wishes.

Aziraphale huffed.

“Well, if we’re going to be in drinking all night, I’m going to put on some music.” She sauntered over to her dusty old phonograph- one Crowley was very fond of making fun of- and flipped through her collection of vinyl. Much of it was Crowley’s choice of music, anyways, but this record she picked up especially for tonight. She played it on the player and adjusted the needle. A quick trumpet solo flowed out, followed by instrumentals.

“I don’t recall getting you this album.” Crowley teased, moving to the side for Aziraphale to sit on the couch as well. She sat in the middle, effectively closing Crowley up against the corner of the couch.

“You didn’t. I picked it for this evening. I know it’s not your usual style.”

Crowley listened for a moment and finished off her champagne.

“Louis Armstrong. How appropriate for the evening.”

“Well, humans only were able to record music for the past century or so. I figured it’d be nice to get a little nostalgic.”

Crowley looked over at her and smiled, laughing a bit.

“A hundred years is nothing, angel.”

Aziraphale smiled back.

“Perhaps. But New Year’s is meant to be a time of reflection. What we’ve accomplished, what we haven’t.”

She went quiet and looked away. Crowley felt her chest ache in a most familiar way.

It had been quite the year- quite the decade. Years and days usually pass without any thought to them, considering they’ve seen multiple millennia. However this decade- and this year- were the culmination of everything they experienced. Adam’s birth only eleven years ago. Crowley’s stint as a nanny to raise the Destroyer of Worlds and Aziraphale’s governess position to try to influence him to be “good.” Yes, it was the wrong child, but that was not the point. The point was that this year the humans wouldn’t see the new year. No new decade, no new century. Not after all of this.

But because of one mistake (the jury is still out on where it all went wrong), they had managed to.. do what, exactly? Yes, the world was saved and they didn’t technically get directly involved. It was still their heads on the chopping block at the end of the day- and they still had to stay safe, lest their trickery gets discovered.

The record skipped as it switched to a new instrumental track, this one slower than the previous. Crowley stared at Aziraphale’s profile, the lamplight encompassing her like a halo. Humanity had always been about moving forward, progressing. That had been what they wanted to protect the moment they faced their respective ex-bosses at the airbase that day. Heaven and Hell knew nothing of that. Always stagnant, stuck in the same spat from before time was even created.

Crowley wanted to move forward. Always wanted it. Wanted it back in Eden, as she first approached the Angel of the Eastern Gate, and wanted it half a century ago, as Aziraphale handed her the thermos of Holy Water. Aziraphale was always slow-going. Wary. Scared of making the wrong move, and scared of being tempted from her duties.

What duties remained now? Nothing. They took their orders and threw them out the window in the midst of the apocalypse. Aziraphale was on their side, as was Crowley. Maybe she was ready to move, too.

“It’s also about progress.” Crowley tilted an eyebrow at her point. Her glass magically refilled. “What to look forward to now that they’ve survived it all. Isn’t that the point?”

Aziraphale looked her in the eye, her blue eyes striking compared to the warm yellow light.

“Yes. They always move forward, even at the end of the world.” Aziraphale stared down at her glass with a small smile. “I suppose that’s why we fell in love, right?” Aziraphale fluttered a look at Crowley. “With the world, I mean.”

The record skipped again right in time with Crowley’s heart. The soft trumpet poured out from seeming all directions, and Hanshaw’s voice flowing around them.

I'm Flying high,

but I've got a feeling I'm falling…

Aziraphale and Crowley locked eyes.

Falling for nobody else but you…

God, Crowley wanted to move forward.

Crowley knocked back her full glass of champagne and stood quickly, startling Aziraphale.

“What are you-“

“D’you want to dance?” Crowley sputtered out quickly.

Aziraphale lifted her eyebrows in surprise before settling into a please smile. She set her glass down and stood, approaching Crowley. It suddenly occurred to her that she had never properly danced before.

“Let me show you.” Aziraphale reassured and seemingly reading her mind, taking her hand and leading to a space devoid of books. She linked hands with Crowley, swinging them back and forth. “I may have learned a thing or two back then.”

Crowley watched her movements closely and mirrored them, swaying to the rhythm and back again. Aziraphale let go with one hand and twirled inwards to Crowley’s arms. Her tartan dressed swirled around her knees and her blonde curls bounced along with her dancing.

“It’s called swing dancing.” She twirled back out and brought herself back in, holding her arm around Crowley this time and waltzing in time to the music. “I remember that they had only this back then. Music, dancing, and each other. Before their own world betrayed them.”

They fell silent again and swayed to the song, both deep in thought. The record skipped again- this time back to Armstrong.

When you're smilin’ Keep on smilin’… The whole world smiles with you…

Something heavy fell to the pit of Crowley’s stomach and she stilled. Aziraphale pulled back to look at her, moving her hand up and stroking Crowley’s face gently.

“Everything alright?”

Crowley nodded and suddenly felt choked up.

“Oh, Crowley.”

“No, it’sss fine.” Crowley insisted, wiping at her eyes. “I just hate slow songs.”

Aziraphale gave her an incredulous look, but still held her close. She laced her hand with Crowley’s and leaned their foreheads together.

“Crowley, I should say that I don’t have regrets about the past year.”

Crowley breathed out.

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t.” Aziraphale pulled back and looked at her. “I’m glad we stopped the Apocalypse. I’m glad we’re on the same side. I’m glad we helped save the world.”

“More or less.”

Aziraphale laughed. “More or less.”

Crowley smiled.

“And, for what it’s worth,” Aziraphale continued, “I’m glad this New Year’s is important. If anything, it’s proven that we have much to live for. Our raison d’etre. Don’t you think?”

Crowley nodded slowly. Noise suddenly filtered into the bookshop over the music, quickly being realized as the sound of many drunk people out in the streets.

“I believe they’re counting down.”

“Do you want to go out and join them?” Aziraphale asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Not really.” Crowley couldn’t take her eyes off Aziraphale’s- and why would she? Her raison d’etre was right in front of her. She received a smile in return and the bookshop filled with flickering lights. Multiple colors bounced off Aziraphale’s pinned hair and cheering drunks stumbled past the outer windows.

Crowley leaned in slowly, then all at once as she connected her lips with Aziraphale’s. Aziraphale clasped Crowley’s face in her hands and kissed back fervently as they pressed into each other. Fireworks echoed across London just as butterflies exploded in Crowley’s belly.

Aziraphale pulled back after a moment and breathed, a smile breaking across her face.

“I’ve waited hundreds of years to do that.” She beamed.

“I waited thousands.” Crowley smiled, diving back in to kiss again at her angel’s surprised face. She kissed alongside her mouth and up her cheek. Aziraphale laughed.

“You could’ve said something, you naughty serpent!”

“But the anticipation was so sweet, wasn’t it?” Crowley teased. She dropped her hand down to tangle with Aziraphale’s again.

“Only because I am free to love you as I always have.” She responded, rubbing her thumb across Crowley’s reddening cheek. Crowley wanted to damn the charm that made her weak at the knees, but found she really couldn’t. Or even wanted to, really.

“Perhaps we should make a toast?” Aziraphale prompted. She poured the glasses once again and handed one to Crowley. “To the New Year.”

“To saving the humans.”

“To new beginnings.”

Crowley raised her glass at Aziraphale. “To the world.”

Aziraphale followed in kind, clinking her glass against Crowley’s.

“To us, and what the future may bring us.”

Crowley met her eyes and Aziraphale smiled. A new warmth flowed through her and she smiled back.

“To us.”

~

Songs mentioned:

West End Blues Louis Armstrong

I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling Annette Hanshaw

When You Smile (The Whole World Smiles With You) Louis Armstrong

#good omens #ineffable husbands #ineffable wives #goodomensholidayswap #gomensholidayswap #goholidayswap #goholidayexchange #gosecretsanta #mine

[ao3feed-ineffablehusbandz]

Kisss!

by idanit

Aziraphale kisses Crowley for the first time when he's a snake. Crowley does not like it.

Words: 4067, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Other

Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens)

Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: canon divergence in that Crowley likes being a snake, First Kiss, Cuddling & Snuggling, a lot of dashes, Friends to Lovers, Post-Apocalypse, lying in laps, Hair, Reading Aloud, aziraphale's pov, Slightly unreliable narrator, Snake Crowley (Good Omens), I'm not even that into snake!Crowley but somehow here we are, Touching, Touch-Starved, Crowley's Name is Crawly | Crawley (Good Omens), Kissing, Talking, Body Image

source http://archiveofourown.org/works/21031712

#ao3feed ineffablehusbandz #ineffable husbands #good omens #aziraphale #crowley #anthonyjcrowl

[ao3feed-goodomens]

Every winged creature

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2l6hZtn

by idanit

“The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah (...) and Noah’s wife (...) entered the ark, they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every bird of every kind—every bird, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life.” (Gen 7:12-15, NRSV)

Words: 158, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen

Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), God (Good Omens)

Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: Drabble, Sort Of, Genesis - Freeform, The Flood - Freeform, Noah's Ark, Eden - Freeform, The Bible - Freeform, Drabble and a Half, And Then Some, because I have too many fic ideas to develop them all in full

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2l6hZtn

#ao3feed #fanfic #Good Omens

[idanit]

Yuletide 2022 recs

Here are my picks from what I happened to read in this year’s collection. As always, they're very loosely grouped by theme. The shortest one is a drabble; the longest one is 16K. This seemed to me to be a year of casefics and romance, but there are other delicious things in here as well.

Check out my previous Yuletide rec posts here.

Casefics

Cop Out Lock In | E (F/F) It starts out as a murder investigation in a sci-fi setting and grows into a story about disability, with some great twists.

Truth Will Out Disco Elysium | T (M/M) I haven’t read much fic for the fandom, so the Disco Elysium narrative format felt extremely fun to me; it’s both a casefic and a romance, and both sides of the story are very queer and satisfying.

Absent Men Foyle’s War | G A good detective story set in wartime Britain; I liked the little misdirections within the plot and the attention to period-accurate detail.

Scholarship, contested

Tlön, Mlejnas, Mundus Mutabilis Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius | G A logical extension of the implications of the original story paired with some truly intriguing, linguistically experimental poems (my interpretation of at least one of them turned out to be wrong, but what fun!).

Advanced Mathematics Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius | G A hilarious exploration of what could be found on reddit if we lived in a world where children learn topology before calculus.

The Lost Works of the Dry-Cræfticen of Wherwell: a New Approach Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell | G A feminist take on the magic that came before the Raven King, written in the style of an academic paper, complete with a very believable skipping rhyme.

Ghosts, witches, vampires

Creatures Sleep No More | M (F/F) I loved the excellent rhythm of the prose and the vivid imagery in this story about witchcraft, attraction, violence, and two girls who grow up.

Küsse, Bisse Carmilla | M (F/F) A nicely-written and researched take on Laura as a vampire and her reunion with Carmilla in Vienna.

welcome to the menagerie Polar Explorer RPF | G A funny and mysterious little story about animal ghosts and a human ghost who might have some news for the man he encounters.

Whimsy!

Over The Moon For a Change | G A charming piece of interactive fiction which uses odd, poetic language divorced from the reality we’re used to, and comes with its own soundtrack.

Todays and Tomorrows What Is It? | G Two child-like beings on their daily adventure; bittersweet and largely plotless, but with an intriguing take on identity, interesting bits of worldbuilding, and evocative descriptions.

Characters coping with trauma

The Dust They Leave Behind Under the Banner of Heaven | E (M/M) A story about a man who leaves behind his religion and community, the man who is there for him as he pushes himself towards trying new things with beautiful determination, and what they might build together — very moving, both heartbreaking and hopeful, with the kind of resigned prose that fits the POV character, and well-written sex scenes.

The Lethean Halls Piranesi | T (F/F) I really liked the idea of the House as an intimate place where desires are fulfilled, but which nonetheless fosters the main character’s descent into oblivion and madness.

Pretending Cabaret | G An excellent drabble about the Emcee, full of characterisation and a sort of tragic, dry wit.

Relocation Costs Homecoming is Just Another Word for the Sublimation of the Self | G An interesting exploration of how fuzzy the concept of boundaries can be; I liked the focus on a child’s perspective and the little pieces of worldbuilding weaved into the story of moving to a new house.

a light exists in spring Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes | T An emotionally true story about the acute phase of grief and comforting someone who’s going through it, written in a clear, steady, and occasionally poetic style.

Favour in Their Eyes Tanakh | G (gen, multi) A brother and a sister suffering in the absence of the man they love, for both personal and political reasons; well-written, more bitter than sweet, with enough historical detail for the space and the characters to feel real.

if every house is haunted Beyond Evil | G (M/M) A story of two people getting a better view of the shape of each other’s grief as they get closer and sort through their memories and belongings; both funny and poignant.

(Other) romantic shenanigans

A Gentleman’s Gentleman Jeeves | G (M/M) Lively, funny writing with a delightful Bertie voice.

Jeeves and the Gentleman Detective Jeeves | T (M/M) A lovely pastiche which weaves the subtle thread of attraction budding between Jeeves and Bertie into the story of a certain New Year’s Eve.

To Meet Again As Equals Jill | T (F/F) A charming tale about a gentlewoman turned servant turned gentlewoman and how she and her former employer became lovers, styled as an addendum to the book.

go as a dream Polar Explorer RPF | G A brief, but surprisingly in-depth sketch of a relationship between two polar explorers; I liked the attention paid to the physicality of doing menial work and wrestling in the snow, and I thought the writing style had a good rhythm to it and flowed very well.

Divertimento Amadeus | M (M/M) Lovely, tense, focused writing; Salieri is so wonderfully complicated here — full of disdain and admiration, drawn in and repulsed, and Mozart just cuts through the knots he ties himself into, at least for a brief moment.

#idanit reads #yuletide #yuletide 2022 #yuletide fic rec #fic rec

[idanit]

Look what came in the mail! I’m not going to read it until late December or even January because I want to savour it when I have more time, but I’m already excited.

#the summer of blood and the bridle #tsobatb #idanit talks #I might or might not post about it as I (re)read it #we'll see #idanit reads

[idanit]

oh, to be a fly on the wall in the mind of the artist who drew the illustration for the front cover of the first edition of "Carry on, Jeeves"

#jeeves and wooster #jeeves #pg wodehouse #carry on jeeves #it looks like a proposal it looks like he's begging it looks like. many things. #is this pose from a story i haven't read? #i'm sure i don't know. possible #i need no context to appreciate it though #and i love that they chose this one for the cover whatever the thought process behind it was #I spent a little while trying to track down the name of the illustrator but no dice #if someone owns this please tell me if they credit the artist inside #idanit talks

[idanit]

I have flown too close to the sun drawing my Jeeves and Wooster genderbends. Now I desire a >50K epic "How the mouth changes its shape"-style

#jeeves and wooster #jooster #genderbend #idanit talks #i always desire more queer fanfic of canons I know/queer ofic from hbbo but that's neither here nor there #how the mouth changes its shape #one day I will reread it #anyway it can be any style. i just want more J&W F/F #I should try reading Jill instead of whining but although I may like it the dynamic is different #I know this from Jill fics #(other niche brain worms I have right now are Polish J&W and J&W meeting Claudine from the Colette books)

[idanit]

possibly underappreciated Good Omens fics I enjoyed once upon a time

Indirectly inspired by a video series about fanfiction I watched, I decided to pull together a list of Good Omens fics I have bookmarked as stories I enjoyed, but which have less than 250-300 kudos at the time I’m writing this. No particular order. They’re accompanied by short excerpts from my private fic reading notes (not originally intended to be read by anyone but me, mind), sometimes slightly edited for clarity—and, sometimes, the comments I left on the fics.

This list sat in my drafts for a long time and the recent S2 announcement reminded me of it. I’d love it if it inspired you to do something similar! Spread the love.

And mind the tags, please.

△ = general and teen ▲ = mature and explicit 

thermodynamic equilibrium ▲ 7K the author has such an ear for dialogue and is unapologetic about what they want to write the characters like. They think of the characters as a mix of TV and book canon, but they feel like a homemade blend to me. (...) It’s very funny.

such dear follies ▲ 6K I can really picture this Aziraphale—Crowley as well, but her especially. She’s rather distinct. (...) Nice writing.

The Words Were With - △ 1.2K post-Blitz vignette, Aziraphale realizes what he feels and wonders if they're human enough for this. I liked it, and I liked the tag "transhumanism, but in reverse?", too—what an interesting idea. I'd say it's a vignette in a dire need of a follow-up, but, well, there's the show. The show is the follow-up. It fits very nicely within the canon and I totally believe it could have happened, like a deleted scene.

Gossip and Good Counsel △ 19K/? I love their companionship and how they're set up to be opposites by the management even though they get on pretty well. It feels very in keeping with the canon, but I feel like the fact that it's an F/F set in this particular time period adds a meaningful layer to the situation. It's women supporting each other in the world of men, working with the personas that are created for them, but, privately, being normal, well-rounded people. (...) and of course your writing is always a pleasure to read. (...) SDHDGDHDHDG Maisie is truly an Aziraphale.

Crowley Went Down to Georgia (he was looking for a soul to steal) △ 6K This was nice. Based on a song I didn’t know. Crowley goes to a funeral in the USA, one of a fiddler he knew and lost a bet to once. (...) The fic has not one but two songs composed for it and embedded inside it and that makes it even better. I really enjoyed the experience.

The Thing With Feathers △ 18K WARLOCK you'rE HORRIBLE AND I LOVE IT I would read an entire novel-length fic just of Crowley fighting his battles with Warlock. Written like this? It would be a blast. (...) The OCs are believably characterized and well-loved by the story. (...) Everyone seems to need a friend in this house. (...) This was so fun, and at the same time, their mission has weight here (...) We wonder about what the future holds even though we know it.

Here Quiet Find △ 11K This fic aimed for my head and the aim was sure precise. It was a story of Crowley sensing Aziraphale's distress and finding him in a self-quarantined English village in the seventeenth century, tired and anxious. It's hurt/comfort, so there was washing and bedsharing and I had to love it, so I did.

outside of time △ 2K Post-Almostgeddon, (...) nicely-written, short, but strung with a soft kind of tension and unspoken words. There's no drama, just "can we really", and "do you really" of sudden freedom. They fall into being inseparable. Book canon, which I like for this story (sitting on a tarmac). I liked the footnotes. There's a mention of Eliot. All in all, very much yes.

She'asani Yisrael △ 2K It’s Crowley going through a two-hour service and drinking blessed wine. He also keeps an eye on a boy he was asked to. It’s 1946. It was pretty good, so far the best Jewish GO fic, I think, from the ones I’ve read.

To Guard The Eastern Gate △ 11K  I loved it. You really made Sodom feel lived-in; the description of Keret, Hurriya and Yassib's house and relationship were great. I got attached to both them and the city (...) Aziraphale and Crawley’s interactions were generally very entertaining. I laughed (...) Your rendering of their voices just lands so well (...) But then oh, the entire ending (...) hurt, hurt a lot, and your descriptions are so vivid.

If you’ve been waiting (for falling in love) △ 14K AAAAA a good ending line. The whole paragraph, in fact. I love a good smattering of philosophy in my fics, and this was really nice. I can get behind Thomas Aequinus's and Crowley's view on eternity. It's (...) a pretty simple fic (...) - the courage to express yourself and take a risk is awarded with winning what was at stake by the virtue of reciprocity - but the way it was intertwined with a study of how they would experience a forever was done well. 

Holy unnecessary ▲ 2.2K It's well-written. (...) this is my type of sexual humour if I have any. So subtle. Blink and you'll miss it. Lovely.

The Parting Glass △ 17K Through the ages, they're dancing around their relationship until after the Armageddoff. (...) Wow, this was really, really nice. Very simple in its concept and nothing I haven't read before, but very well-executed. (...) AAAAH I LOVED the first chapter. I always like abbeys as settings, that's a given, but the banter, the good writing, the moral ambiguity!

Name The Sky △ 33K This Crowley is different, but very intriguing. Without his sarcastic talk, and much more animalistic. (...) I love how expressive Crowley is. (...) This fic has a very nice balance of drama and levity. I don't love Crowley-before-the-Fall stories very much, but with this execution I can read about it. (...) Okay I've read Crowley offering fruits, and even Aziraphale biting fruits, but the two of them sharing the apple? Outstanding. Ingenious. What a take.

A Flame in Your Heart △ 5K post-Blitz (why are so many dance fics post-Blitz?), they go to the bookshop and have an actually believable conversation. Then they dance the gavotte. It was really nice! Believable writing, emotions, the dancing! (...) Of course it's too early for them, (...) but the author's note? yeah.

Put down the apple, Adam, and come away with me ▲ 32K At this point it's just reading original stories with characters with names and some personality traits that I recognize. (...) I really enjoy this, the careful dance, the opposition between their views. (...) This is well-written, wow. (...) it's not an easy read (...) this story feels very believably 50s, but also reaches out to the present time. 

Liebestraum ▲ 10K/? It really is like music. I'm enjoying the writing a lot. (...) oh my actual god. This, this? Wow, uh. This came for my throat. (...) THE MUSICAL COMPOSITION, THE MOTIF RETURNING, THE AUTHOR KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT (...) Excellent. This hits the right beats so precisely, (...) and with feeling, too.

Down Comforter △ 2.4K and they lay down in angeldown, a soft rug ‘neath their heads– alright. Well, Crowley lies under Aziraphale's wing on a Persian rug after the Apocalypse, and they talk (...). It was sweet.

The Corsair of Carcosa △ 5K Crowley wakes up from a nap, visits Aziraphale for some drinking, and they read The King in Yellow that he happens to own. Good writing, so I'm bought. Aziraphale mentions Beardsley, so I'm bought twice over. My god, a discussion of etheral/occult madness? Caused by some wrong/true reading? Yes.

Very Good, Omens! △ 6K It's rather well-written, well-pastiched. People don't do that too often, nowadays - try to write in the style of a particular writer. (...) I love wordplay like this.

Reviving Robin Hood: The Complicated Process of Crème Brûlée △ 30K it's well-written (...), has a rhythm to it, and quiet humour. (...) Finally some nice, good, light writing. The attention to detail! (...) I'm still reading most of it aloud, the rhythm of it compels me to. (...) okay this does sound like Pratchett&Gaiman, the Good Omens itself (...) The fic is meandering, hilarious, sensitive in all the right places, and overall lovely.

my dear acquaintance △ 1K Oh. Oh. Yes, yes! Aziraphale in Russia, Russia I've never been in, but I can feel the snow and the evening of. Very real, and the bar, too. Attention to detail - vodka flavoured with dill, what on earth? Yes. He would totally have a distinct taste in operas and he would totally complain about a subpar one. I'm glad Tchaikovsky's there.

there is a crack in everything △ 1.8K This was good! Ah. Inspired by a comment (...), I went looking for Mr. Harrison and Mr. Cortese fics—really, what a big brain moment someone had and why have I never thought to look for them? This is Crowley getting suddenly anxious and Aziraphale going out of his way, through all his layers of not-thinking and denial, to console him. I also really liked how the Arrangement is a carefully unacknowledged partnership-marriage.

Scales And Gold And Wings And Scars △ 6K  No conflict, no plot, one tiny arc like a ripple on the surface of water on a calm sunny day - of Aziraphale discovering Crowley’s scars. It's the South Downs and it's early summer. They bask and swim in a spring. Non-sexual nudity, love in the air like a scent. Nice.

Nineteen Footnotes In Search Of A Story △ 0.4K This is a Good Omens story told only through footnotes. Your mind can fill in the gaps. Fascinating (...). Also, it’s an experiment so apt for this particular fandom.

Hell on Earth △ 6.5K Oh, I loved it! How could I not love it: it's Beelzebub-centric, it's historical, it has classical painting, and even a hilarious scene with a cuneiform phrase, as if I didn't enjoy this story enough already. There are so few Beelzebub fics out there and I find searching for them very difficult (I accept recs if anyone has any), and it's such a shame, so this was really like a gift to the fandom. I absolutely adore the way you portrayed them, small, frightening, powerful, and confident. Also, it was super fun to see how different Crowley seems when we're not in his POV or in a story about him and Aziraphale. (...)

Go Up to Ramoth-Gilead and Triumph △ 24K Daegaer is... pure class. (...) hdhdhdh what pfttt why you so funny (...) I love this Crowley. (...) This got unexpectedly intense. (...) I love the little nods to the fact that Israelites, especially the poorer ones, still believe in other gods. I also really like that they sleep on roofs. It's just the kind of detail that grounds the story and shows that the author is, in fact, a historian. 

#good omens #good omens fic rec #fanfiction #fic rec #idanit reads #i also have a multifannish F/F rec list in the works #all my bookmarks are private but i feel the need to share the love

[idanit]

Yuletide 2021 recs

Here are my favourite stories I happened to read in this year's collection. As always, they're loosely grouped by canons or themes. Nothing too long this time: the shortest one is a drabble, and the longest ones are 5-7K. A lot of tasty worldbuilding, and a few shippy fics sprinkled in.

Check out my previous Yuletide rec posts here.

Historical setting

The Smart Girl’s Guide to Keeping Your Crown Crusader Kings 3, 11th Century RPF | T (F/M, F/F, multi) I really liked the strong voice of the first-person narration as well as the background characters in this story about a ruthless queen who knows what she wants and how to get it.

The Book of a Few Hours 14th Century English Nobility RPF | T (M/M) Two boys flirt by writing on the (probably quite wide) margins of a book of hours in a very sweet, teenage sort of way.

Old legends and tales, reimagined

Once upon a moonless night Bisclavret | not rated A masterfully done character study of the man, with very tight and high-quality writing.

he shall have of me the same The Green Knight | M (M/M) Alternative outcomes of the game, all with their own internal logic, which is satisfying and compelling.

Spread the Song Above Us Like a Rainbow Syrenka warszawska | T An interesting look at the origin story of the Warsaw Mermaid done in a loose style of a storyteller.

wolf in girl's clothing Little Red Riding Hood | T A gloriously visceral and poetic retelling of the fairytale which inverts the roles of the wolf and the girl in a way that feels interesting and fresh.

Fantastical settings, flights of fancy, and magical realism

Nāmagraha The Burning Kingdoms | G A mentor talks to a child who has just received their secret name-prophecy; I found the oral-like style of the fic very compelling, and there is something very kind about the story.

in the shadow of the glacier The Left Hand of Darkness | G Excerpts from the reports of the Investigators—a lovely pre-canon fic which does some interesting worldbuilding and expands on the relationship between the three people who first explored Gethen.

Go Falling One by One Cannibal Ants in a Polish Bunker | not rated A disturbing and satisfyingly circular story about ants who fall into an abyss but aren't ready to give up on the only social structure and set of values they know.

What you would call a simple soul Anne of Green Gables | G A very sweet scene in which Anne talks to Matthew about the wonders of imagination, and Matthew really listens to her.

A Part of the Sky Tekkon Kinkreet | not rated Perfectly characterised fic which expands on the ending and the themes of the film while providing the reader with a small new adventure and a vividly-painted setting.

Invisible cities

Masked Cities G An absolutely amazing piece of interactive fiction in which you're a traveller exploring a city in which everyone wears masks; there are some very clever game mechanics, the writing is great, certain scenes inspire awe and reflection, and all of it is very worth your time.

Three Watery Cities G Three very different cities and their connection to water; the language is evocative and the style fits the canon very well.

The Bazaar at Euphemia T A city where people trade memories; I enjoyed following the main character through the different stages of their life and their evolving relationship to stories.

Dust and ashes G A poetic exploration of a city which is half-dead and half-alive.

Women with women

Love Is Not a Cinch Hot Goth Lady and Himbo Witch and Fair Maiden | G (F/F) A nice drabble in which no one pressures or rushes anyone, which makes different kinds of relationships pleasant.

Reconstruction Ammonite | G (F/F) A beautiful, delicate exploration of the relationship between two women, with paleonthology used both as its context, and a symbol.

to know even in the deepest sleep that it is you Grace and Frankie | T (F/F) A classic Grace and Frankie get-together fic, well-written, with fun character voices.

Humour, fun, and crack

The Devil Went Down to Surrey Cracking the Cryptic | G A cracky take on the sudoku devil—it comes with three original, hand-created, and not too easy sudokus for the reader to solve within one hour, if they can.

The Bottle Game Three Colours | G A very funny fic about a few people who invent a drinking game based on recycling bottles; very little canon knowledge is needed to enjoy it.

The Battle of Tastings Winnie the Pooh | G A fun little story based on a serious history lesson that gets quickly derailed, complete with original illustrations and lots of puns.

#idanit reads #yuletide #yuletide 2021 #fic rec #yuletide fic rec

[idanit]

My favourite F/F AO3 works, part 1

As I mentioned before, all of my bookmarks are private, but I feel the need to share the love. F/F is notoriously underappreciated and it's not always easy to find good stories. Here are my picks.

General

Of Upright Conversation original work | 2K

Blackbird Claw, Raven Wing original work | 4K

She Comes at Night original work | 1K

Making Arrangements original work | 16K

The Queensberry Tree Game of Thrones, Chronicles of Narnia | 15K

Teen

This Feeling That Remains The Hobbit | 6K

The Left Hand of Summer Sherlock | 3K

Liberté, Egalité, Sororité A Little Princess | 6K

The Part of Her Hair Pride and Prejudice | 11K

Gossip and Good Counsel Good Omens | >19K, WIP

Selected Moments in Introductory Symbology His Dark Materials | 6K

How I Survived My Summer Vacation, by Tamika Flynn, Age 12 3/4 Welcome to Night Vale | 3K

The Summer of Blood and the Bridle original work | 57K

i have named you queen (listen) original work | 19K

North and South Chronicles of Narnia | 4K

Mature

spreading wide my narrow Hands to gather Paradise original work | 5K

Senza Misura Seraphina | 1K

Of No Mean Endeavour, and Not a Little Altered His Dark Materials | 15K

posthumous -- the biography of a bone original work | 7K

La chasse à la renarde (The Fox-Hunt) Orlando | 3K

such dear follies Good Omens | 6K

This Route Has Tolls The Old Guard | 1.1K

Explicit

How the mouth changes its shape Sherlock | 133K

Groping to Clouds for Love original work | 12K

tooth for a tooth She-Ra | 4K

The Spirit of Enquiry Carmilla | 20K

Soft (A Love Story in Three Bites) Good Omens | 18K

anyone who has become Grace and Frankie | >98K, WIP

hush now The Untamed | 12K

#fic rec #f/f #fanfic rec #femslash #femslash fanfic #i hate the word femslash but... for the tags... #no particular order as always #idanit reads #i meant to write a short note about every rec but let's be real if i commit to that i'm never going to post this

[idanit]

Yuletide 2020 recs

I made my previous rec post just a few months ago, but this one is more timely: here are my favourite stories from the Yuletide 2020 collection (well, from those I managed to read). They’re loosely grouped by canons or themes and they lean towards mystery, drama, worldbuilding and character studies rather than fluff or comedy, with some exceptions. The longest fic is 18K but most of them are much shorter. I tried to limit myself to one-sentence recs because otherwise I’d probably put off writing this post until autumn once again.

Travel, other species, fantastical places, odd cities

Baedeker's Guide to Trollesund His Dark Materials | G A few pages taken from a guide to a fictional city; the style is just right.

The Well-Informed Traveller (chapter 26, Octavia) Invisible Cities | G I think this fic builds on Calvino’s dreamlike, poetic images very well; it’s both in-depth and brief enough to leave the spiderweb city mysterious.

The Morning of the End of the World Invisible Cities | G A world without animals, reclaimed; it was interesting to see this city in a narrative with original characters rather than in the poetic puzzle of the canon. 

Shore of moss Strandbeest | G A beautiful piece about wind, brine and a wholly unfamiliar scent that will lead a beest somewhere far from everything it knows.

Interview Transcript: Three Jokes About Sex Always Coming Home | T An antropologist versus humour; I’m sure I’d appreciate this one even more if I read the canon, but I still found it thought-provoking and interesting.

Of No Mean Endeavour, and Not a Little Altered His Dark Materials | M (F/F) Mary Malone, her friendship and romance with Atal, her research on Earth, her relationship with Will, her new life with her dæmon; a multi-faceted story of (re)discovery.

The Only Place That's Real Christmas Cottage painting | G A wistful Christmassy horror story in which a visitor from a city gets lost in a small town, told from interesting points of view.

Teeth and Bones Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Beautiful | G A very enjoyable fic about how Baba Yaga became who she is, with a lot of dry humour underneath the tale.

The snake fight portion of your thesis defense

great traditions of higher education T A pitch-perfect fictional dissertation about the tradition of snake fighting in academia.

From the Outbox of T. R. Matthews, Ph.D. T T.R. Matthews is one ruthless academic; this is a chilling story told through their correspondence with students.

Historical setting

The Sky Itself is Ringing The Emperor's Winding Sheet | G I admit I read this fic fandom-blind and I think it should not be read fandom-blind, but even so, it pulled me in with the way it sketches out the characters and their motivations, and the sensual descriptions.

Ciel D'Oro The Name of the Rose | G This is an excellently-written and researched microcosm of the novel: a gripping casefic that paints a fascinating picture of the times; there are monks, music, and murder.

The Unbroken Wheel Young Lady With Unicorn painting | G An intriguing interpretation of the painting which adds a bit of a delirious quality to it; beautifully written.

Jewish characters

The Cloud Mirror Where the Sky is Silver and the Earth is Brass | M An evocative scene set somewhere in a Polish forest during the WWII which manages to feel both real and unreal.

un mir zenen ale shvester Fiddler on the Roof (2018) | G A lovely extension of the canon centred around revisiting the past and looking into the future; I'm not familiar with this version of the play, so I was delighted to see a female fiddler. 

Characters receiving unexpected support

A World Without God Vincent & Theo (1990) | T A very human story about two imperfect brothers, art, and belief.

Perennial The Secret Garden | G An unexpected, but a very welcome AU in which Mary never makes it to England; it’s a story of her ayah in a lovely , refreshing change of perspective and background.

F/F, first experiences

Liberté, Egalité, Sororité A Little Princess | T (F/F) A sweet fic wherein Sara and Becky decide to act as friends rather than a young lady and her servant while on a trip to Paris.

Charcoal Sketches Portrait of a Lady on Fire | T (F/F) A quick look at what the first crushes and kisses of Héloïse and Marianne might have looked like—I was very hapy to finally read a pre-canon fic for the two of them.

M/M, old friendships

Knowing Without Knowing Agatha Christie's Poirot | T (M/M) A misunderstanding leading to some personal discoveries; the story takes place on a ship and is rather charming.

A Different Beat Raffles | G (M/M) Frustration, love, and a bit of a casefic, very enjoyable.

#idanit reads #yuletide #yuletide 2020 #fic rec #yuletide fic rec #i wrote a thing for yuletide too but it's so niche and impossible to understand without knowing the canon #that i won't even make a post about it