Strange Constellations
Title: Strange Constellations
Author: catwalksalone
Pairing: Ray/Ray
Rating: PG-13
Length: 11,636 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This starts out with a Kowalski who's already a little freaky--these are the Rays in an alternate dimension. They're partners and Patrolmen. It's all very steampunk and sexy and Kowalski has the most adorable brass goggles instead of glasses. When Vecchio is abducted by the Craven gang, Kowalski somehow finds himself stuck traveling between dimensions. Each one has a Vecchio, but none of them are HIS Vecchio. Eventually he figures out that he's got special powers he didn't know about--he's a Finder.
This story is amazing on so many levels--the different worlds are so perfectly drawn, and all the different Vecchios and Kowalskis make me squee. There's the dimension we're familiar with, of course, and a dimension where Vecchio is married to Anita Cortez (!!), and a dimension where Vecchio is a wizard!!! He wears a pointy hat and it's maybe the most adorable thing ever.
catwalksalone writes an incredibly recognizable and brilliant Kowalski-POV completely divorced from any of the cultural reference points I'm used to using to define his voice. And watching Kowalski gradually figure out both how to get back home and how, exactly, he feels about Vecchio is awesome. The love that pervades this entire fic is just...♥♥
I've got two little excerpts below the cut--one of steampunk!Kowalski describing the cars in our dimension, and one from the wizard!Vecchio ("Kowalski, how many times do I have to tell you, I'm a THAUMATURGE!") dimension.
Link to the story: Strange Constellations
Chaos and color and noise and the air is so thick with the stink of burning fuel and tobacco that he can taste it. Machines race past at speeds Ray's only ever dreamed of. They look like some distant relation - the hot second cousin twice removed you're not supposed to get a crush on - of the mobilaires Ray knows and loves but they're sleeker and curvier and thrum with harnessed power. Ray may not understand what he's seeing but he's pretty sure he's in love.
###
The tavern is a brief walk from Vecchio's house and Ray has little time to register more than the red dust street and the slightly odd angles of the houses that line it before they're inside and Vecchio is ordering for both of them. Early as it is, there are a few patrons scattered here and there and Ray's aware of every eye on him. He tugs at Vecchio's sleeve. Vecchio is halfway through describing the exact consistency his egg needs to be and his mouth keeps going long after his eyes have widened in understanding.
"...crispy around the edges or I'll tell everyone here how you got rid of that pox and ... okay, okay, everyone, as you were. This isn't Kowalski. Not the one we knew anyway. Get back to your--" he waves his hand vaguely and Ray grins as one shady-looking character ducks, "--proto-alcoholism."
To Ray's surprise they do as they're told and soon there's a low buzz of conversation that covers Vecchio's explanation. "I can make things drop off that they would prefer stay on." He shrugs. "Not that I would, but ... it's a thing." [...]
A golden-haired barmaid sashays over as they sit down, the rickety stool wobbling under Ray's weight. Two tankards dangle off delicately crooked fingers and she lightly swings a leather jug in the other hand. She places them on the table, bending low in front of Ray, sliding him a provocative look. He blinks rapidly.
"Yeah, put your eyes away, Marika, this one's not for you either."
Marika tuts and her eyeballs retreat back into their sockets with a sucking pop as they settle. With a swirl of skirts she retreats, muttering something about if that's what he wants to do with his staff then fine.
Author: catwalksalone
Pairing: Ray/Ray
Rating: PG-13
Length: 11,636 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This starts out with a Kowalski who's already a little freaky--these are the Rays in an alternate dimension. They're partners and Patrolmen. It's all very steampunk and sexy and Kowalski has the most adorable brass goggles instead of glasses. When Vecchio is abducted by the Craven gang, Kowalski somehow finds himself stuck traveling between dimensions. Each one has a Vecchio, but none of them are HIS Vecchio. Eventually he figures out that he's got special powers he didn't know about--he's a Finder.
This story is amazing on so many levels--the different worlds are so perfectly drawn, and all the different Vecchios and Kowalskis make me squee. There's the dimension we're familiar with, of course, and a dimension where Vecchio is married to Anita Cortez (!!), and a dimension where Vecchio is a wizard!!! He wears a pointy hat and it's maybe the most adorable thing ever.
catwalksalone writes an incredibly recognizable and brilliant Kowalski-POV completely divorced from any of the cultural reference points I'm used to using to define his voice. And watching Kowalski gradually figure out both how to get back home and how, exactly, he feels about Vecchio is awesome. The love that pervades this entire fic is just...♥♥
I've got two little excerpts below the cut--one of steampunk!Kowalski describing the cars in our dimension, and one from the wizard!Vecchio ("Kowalski, how many times do I have to tell you, I'm a THAUMATURGE!") dimension.
Link to the story: Strange Constellations
Chaos and color and noise and the air is so thick with the stink of burning fuel and tobacco that he can taste it. Machines race past at speeds Ray's only ever dreamed of. They look like some distant relation - the hot second cousin twice removed you're not supposed to get a crush on - of the mobilaires Ray knows and loves but they're sleeker and curvier and thrum with harnessed power. Ray may not understand what he's seeing but he's pretty sure he's in love.
###
The tavern is a brief walk from Vecchio's house and Ray has little time to register more than the red dust street and the slightly odd angles of the houses that line it before they're inside and Vecchio is ordering for both of them. Early as it is, there are a few patrons scattered here and there and Ray's aware of every eye on him. He tugs at Vecchio's sleeve. Vecchio is halfway through describing the exact consistency his egg needs to be and his mouth keeps going long after his eyes have widened in understanding.
"...crispy around the edges or I'll tell everyone here how you got rid of that pox and ... okay, okay, everyone, as you were. This isn't Kowalski. Not the one we knew anyway. Get back to your--" he waves his hand vaguely and Ray grins as one shady-looking character ducks, "--proto-alcoholism."
To Ray's surprise they do as they're told and soon there's a low buzz of conversation that covers Vecchio's explanation. "I can make things drop off that they would prefer stay on." He shrugs. "Not that I would, but ... it's a thing." [...]
A golden-haired barmaid sashays over as they sit down, the rickety stool wobbling under Ray's weight. Two tankards dangle off delicately crooked fingers and she lightly swings a leather jug in the other hand. She places them on the table, bending low in front of Ray, sliding him a provocative look. He blinks rapidly.
"Yeah, put your eyes away, Marika, this one's not for you either."
Marika tuts and her eyeballs retreat back into their sockets with a sucking pop as they settle. With a swirl of skirts she retreats, muttering something about if that's what he wants to do with his staff then fine.