Author profile: Sageness
Author: Sage/sageness
Website/link to fic: Sage's Due South and 6 Degrees Fic
Fanlore page: Sage's fanlore.org wiki page
First DS fic posted: 2005
Full disclosure: Sage and I are very good friends and mutual betas. IOW, Sage is awesome and I'm not the least bit objective. She and I also share the Gloriaverse, in which Ray Vecchio is a part-time drag queen.
Pairings: The bulk of Sage's Due South fic is Fraser/Kowalski, but she's also written Ray/Ray, Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio, Fraser/Vecchio, gen, and a few other pairings
Style and strengths: Sage writes intricate, eloquent stories, often showing the rough edges of characters scraping up against each other. She doesn't shy away from angst, and some of her fic is pretty dark, but her love of the characters always shines through. She's written several awesome (and carefully researched) AUs, and also a fair amount of case fic, but her writing is always driven by the characters and their relationships.
Other DS/C6D activity: Sage has also written in Hard Core Logo, Wilby Wonderful and Men With Brooms.
Some favourites: I've chosen some older favourites that new readers might not have come across.
Current
This Fraser/Kowalski AU is set during the Spanish Civil War, rated R for violence as well as sex. It's dark and desperate, but also beautifully wrought and it ends on a note of hope. It's vivid and stark, and has stuck in my mind ever since I read it.
He leads Ray into the shelter of a small grotto. In the dimness, it looks as if God reached down and scooped a handful of earth out of the hillside. A trickle of a spring flows out from a cracked boulder; they drink their fill and replenish their canteens. Then they sit back against the hillside to share some jerky and dried fruit.
"I'll sit watch if you'd like," Fraser murmurs.
Ray's muscles are burning, and he doesn't hesitate to say yes. He nestles himself between his packs on his right and Fraser's warm self on his left and instantly falls asleep.
Fraser wakes him after twenty minutes. He's dreaming of swimming in a wide river, which is probably just the sound of the little brook in his head. Fraser looks worn to the bone, so Ray says, "Okay, now your turn." Fraser smiles, and his teeth shine in the starlight before he settles into sleep.
Sliding
Another Fraser/Kowalski story, this is a classic quest!fic. It's a lovely slow burn, as both men shake off the layers of Chicago and find themselves and each other.
Possibly it was a direct result of Fraser working with two so-called Vecchios who were both incredibly personally invested in their classic American automobiles. Something must've rubbed off on him because one morning while they were loading up the sled, Fraser explained clearly and succinctly to Ray how the sled was just like the Goat, if Ray happened to live out of a GTO instead of having a nice warm apartment to go home to at night. And Ray, Ray could get behind that. The sled was important. It had everything in it they needed to make it out here, and learning to drive it wasn't going to be like going out to one of those go-cart racing places in the 'burbs. Driving a sled was a big deal.
Vinculum
This is a pre-movie Wilby Wonderful fic, which charts Dan's coming out to himself. It starts with Dan's marriage and is a compassionate portrayal of mistakes and loss and separation, while giving Dan (and Duck, and the other gay men on the island) a community to grow into.
The basement was three-quarters finished and divided between storage and a workshop. There was a worn-out couch and a battered coffee table. Two guys were in the corner, one blowing the other without a care for anyone else in the room.
Vic nuzzled Dan's neck and turned him for a kiss. Dan gave it. He felt flattered in a way. It was nice to feel wanted; it was just incredibly weird to be doing this indoors, with lights on. It made his stomach flutter, like Val might come down the basement stairs any moment.
Still, Vic had a great mouth and Dan was further from sober than he cared to admit. He let himself be guided to the sofa, and couldn't bring himself to argue when Vic sank to his knees. His eyes fell shut, and for a minute he could pretend it was all just a dream.
When he opened his eyes, it was to the sight of Duck descending the last basement stair, his arms around some guy's waist, his hand palming the front of his pants. Duck saw Dan and Dan saw Duck, and Dan's hand tightened in Vic's hair for just a moment, and then he shut his eyes and came.
(Perspective's a Bitch) Negative Feed
This is one of the most incredible Hard Core Logo stories I've read. It's fantastic and epic, and so very painful and broken. In other words, perfectly in keeping with the characters. It follows Billy into his new life with Jennifur, and it follows Joe into his afterlife, until somehow they find each other again -- but it's not an easy happy ending. Nothing's simple.
The stream of piss splatters the fresh dirt on his grave.
"How does it fucking feel, Joe?" Billy says. The funeral was hours ago. There's a cab waiting on the road down the hill.
He zips up. He wipes a sleeve across his face. He turns and tromps away through the rows and rows of gravestones.
If he sees Joe standing there, he doesn't show it.
He doesn't look back.
Fuck.
~
Joe floats there. Above his body. Watches Danny wipe the bile from his mouth and Joe the Sound Guy shout at people to call 911.
Fucking hell.
~
"What the fuck?" Pipe shouts, bursting through the side door. The door clocks John on the shoulder, cranking the volume of his screams even louder.
"Fuck, Pipe, where the fuck is Billy?" Bruce yells.
Oh, motherfucking hell.
~
"How does it fucking feel, Joe?" Billy says.
It feels like shit, cuntface, what the fuck do you think? Joe is shouting, but Billy ignores him. Dozens of times now, maybe hundreds, maybe more. Billy always fucking ignores him.
He turns away before Billy this time. He can't fucking stand to watch him walk away any more.
There's a woman standing behind him, pale face, black hair, black clothes, heavy chain around her neck with a pendant. She looks like a fan. "He's cute," she says, jerking her chin toward Billy.
"You can see me?" Joe asks stupidly.
Her lips twitch. "You're ready to see me now, Joe."
"Okay..." Joe looks around. "So, is this when the white light and all that happens?"
She laughs. "That isn't how it works."
He frowns. "What does that mean? Am I going to hell?"
"Do you think that's what you deserve?"
Joe turns his head and watches Billy get into the cab. He turns back and he's standing in the street again, watching Danny puke in the gutter, the stench of gunpowder burning the rain-damp air.
It also comes with DVD commentary. \o/
Website/link to fic: Sage's Due South and 6 Degrees Fic
Fanlore page: Sage's fanlore.org wiki page
First DS fic posted: 2005
Full disclosure: Sage and I are very good friends and mutual betas. IOW, Sage is awesome and I'm not the least bit objective. She and I also share the Gloriaverse, in which Ray Vecchio is a part-time drag queen.
Pairings: The bulk of Sage's Due South fic is Fraser/Kowalski, but she's also written Ray/Ray, Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio, Fraser/Vecchio, gen, and a few other pairings
Style and strengths: Sage writes intricate, eloquent stories, often showing the rough edges of characters scraping up against each other. She doesn't shy away from angst, and some of her fic is pretty dark, but her love of the characters always shines through. She's written several awesome (and carefully researched) AUs, and also a fair amount of case fic, but her writing is always driven by the characters and their relationships.
Other DS/C6D activity: Sage has also written in Hard Core Logo, Wilby Wonderful and Men With Brooms.
Some favourites: I've chosen some older favourites that new readers might not have come across.
Current
This Fraser/Kowalski AU is set during the Spanish Civil War, rated R for violence as well as sex. It's dark and desperate, but also beautifully wrought and it ends on a note of hope. It's vivid and stark, and has stuck in my mind ever since I read it.
He leads Ray into the shelter of a small grotto. In the dimness, it looks as if God reached down and scooped a handful of earth out of the hillside. A trickle of a spring flows out from a cracked boulder; they drink their fill and replenish their canteens. Then they sit back against the hillside to share some jerky and dried fruit.
"I'll sit watch if you'd like," Fraser murmurs.
Ray's muscles are burning, and he doesn't hesitate to say yes. He nestles himself between his packs on his right and Fraser's warm self on his left and instantly falls asleep.
Fraser wakes him after twenty minutes. He's dreaming of swimming in a wide river, which is probably just the sound of the little brook in his head. Fraser looks worn to the bone, so Ray says, "Okay, now your turn." Fraser smiles, and his teeth shine in the starlight before he settles into sleep.
Sliding
Another Fraser/Kowalski story, this is a classic quest!fic. It's a lovely slow burn, as both men shake off the layers of Chicago and find themselves and each other.
Possibly it was a direct result of Fraser working with two so-called Vecchios who were both incredibly personally invested in their classic American automobiles. Something must've rubbed off on him because one morning while they were loading up the sled, Fraser explained clearly and succinctly to Ray how the sled was just like the Goat, if Ray happened to live out of a GTO instead of having a nice warm apartment to go home to at night. And Ray, Ray could get behind that. The sled was important. It had everything in it they needed to make it out here, and learning to drive it wasn't going to be like going out to one of those go-cart racing places in the 'burbs. Driving a sled was a big deal.
Vinculum
This is a pre-movie Wilby Wonderful fic, which charts Dan's coming out to himself. It starts with Dan's marriage and is a compassionate portrayal of mistakes and loss and separation, while giving Dan (and Duck, and the other gay men on the island) a community to grow into.
The basement was three-quarters finished and divided between storage and a workshop. There was a worn-out couch and a battered coffee table. Two guys were in the corner, one blowing the other without a care for anyone else in the room.
Vic nuzzled Dan's neck and turned him for a kiss. Dan gave it. He felt flattered in a way. It was nice to feel wanted; it was just incredibly weird to be doing this indoors, with lights on. It made his stomach flutter, like Val might come down the basement stairs any moment.
Still, Vic had a great mouth and Dan was further from sober than he cared to admit. He let himself be guided to the sofa, and couldn't bring himself to argue when Vic sank to his knees. His eyes fell shut, and for a minute he could pretend it was all just a dream.
When he opened his eyes, it was to the sight of Duck descending the last basement stair, his arms around some guy's waist, his hand palming the front of his pants. Duck saw Dan and Dan saw Duck, and Dan's hand tightened in Vic's hair for just a moment, and then he shut his eyes and came.
(Perspective's a Bitch) Negative Feed
This is one of the most incredible Hard Core Logo stories I've read. It's fantastic and epic, and so very painful and broken. In other words, perfectly in keeping with the characters. It follows Billy into his new life with Jennifur, and it follows Joe into his afterlife, until somehow they find each other again -- but it's not an easy happy ending. Nothing's simple.
The stream of piss splatters the fresh dirt on his grave.
"How does it fucking feel, Joe?" Billy says. The funeral was hours ago. There's a cab waiting on the road down the hill.
He zips up. He wipes a sleeve across his face. He turns and tromps away through the rows and rows of gravestones.
If he sees Joe standing there, he doesn't show it.
He doesn't look back.
Fuck.
~
Joe floats there. Above his body. Watches Danny wipe the bile from his mouth and Joe the Sound Guy shout at people to call 911.
Fucking hell.
~
"What the fuck?" Pipe shouts, bursting through the side door. The door clocks John on the shoulder, cranking the volume of his screams even louder.
"Fuck, Pipe, where the fuck is Billy?" Bruce yells.
Oh, motherfucking hell.
~
"How does it fucking feel, Joe?" Billy says.
It feels like shit, cuntface, what the fuck do you think? Joe is shouting, but Billy ignores him. Dozens of times now, maybe hundreds, maybe more. Billy always fucking ignores him.
He turns away before Billy this time. He can't fucking stand to watch him walk away any more.
There's a woman standing behind him, pale face, black hair, black clothes, heavy chain around her neck with a pendant. She looks like a fan. "He's cute," she says, jerking her chin toward Billy.
"You can see me?" Joe asks stupidly.
Her lips twitch. "You're ready to see me now, Joe."
"Okay..." Joe looks around. "So, is this when the white light and all that happens?"
She laughs. "That isn't how it works."
He frowns. "What does that mean? Am I going to hell?"
"Do you think that's what you deserve?"
Joe turns his head and watches Billy get into the cab. He turns back and he's standing in the street again, watching Danny puke in the gutter, the stench of gunpowder burning the rain-damp air.
It also comes with DVD commentary. \o/