Recs (from a tired person)
I came from a shops run today to find the entrance hall of my building decorated with baloons and flowers and printed out riddles. Around here, it only ever means one thing -- there's a wedding, and the bride lives here. So no, I'm not rec'cing wedding fics, but rather recs are format-thematic today. :)
Something old:
Merlin. Arthur/Merlin.
We’re Lost, It’s Cold, and There Are Dragons Out There (26743 words) by
winterhill
Summary: Modern AU with magic. Arthur is relatively sure that Bear Gryllis has never had to deal with anything like the world’s most aggravating baby dragon when he was out surviving in the wilderness. Merlin thinks that Arthur has taken the whole “magic reveal” thing pretty damn well, which might have something to do with Merlin saving Arthur’s life just now when the helicopter crashed. The dragon thinks they’re both idiots.
Thoughts:
I found this fic by accident, I don't know why it's not recced everywhere at every opportunity. It's absolutely lovely in terms of Arthur/Merlin, and in terms of the adventure, and has one of the cutest OC (baby dragon) I've ever met. See, the cute baby dragon thing? It's not that I dislike things like that precisely, but let's say I enjoy other things maybe a bit more. Yet here I was absolutely charmed from the get go. Maybe because the author didn't intentionally set out to make it a cute overdose but rather wrote it as it went? I don't know. All I know is this fic is gorgeous and an endless pleasure to read.
Something new:
Merlin. Arthur/Merlin. Careful WIP!
Gadarene (56927 words) by
unpossible
Summary: “You’re the Prince?” Merlin says, eyeing him. He hesitates, then says, defiant, “The Mad Prince of Camelot.” Arthur doesn’t move. There’s quiet for a long time, then he says it. “I am.”
“You don’t seem mad,” he says.
The smile wells up from somewhere deep, and very sad. “Well, Merlin,” he says, “give me time.”
Thoughts:
It's a WIP, but if all WIPs were updated at this rate, fandom wouldn't have been so allergic to them.
I read another fic by this author (Ashes, Embers, Flames) a while ago, and loved it. I think I made a note on Delicious that it was Jane Eyre meets Merlin for the almost gothic-romance kind of modern day intrigue, and it was also a fic I almost didn't read when first posted. This is the thing about fandom -- authors are required to warn readers for anything, and I mean literally anything, and that fic had a warning for 'underage prostitution.' At the time, I thought I wasn't in the mood for another hooker!Merlin fic and almost gave it a pass. Of course, the warning applies to a minor character that isn't there for very long if at all. Dangers of fandom misrepresentation.
Anyway, when the author started a new fic, this time canon era, I was intrigued and subscribed. This fic is marvelous. You should read it because it's got a gorgeous depiction of the relationship between Merlin and Arthur, without excessive emo moments or detours into overreaction land. They're perfectly balanced in that distorted world, and I love the work with all the other characters. This is one of those fics where you don't scroll through non-A/M scenes, but actually swallow every word and love it.
Reading Gadarene also makes me a bit melancholic when I pull myself out of the story and think about the craftsmanship. I remember when writing felt so young, so fresh and effortless. When everything you did was right, and it just came to you that way, seamless, and you could do no wrong. It makes for an amazing read. :)
Something borrowed:
I figure all recs are something borrowed, right? ;)
Something blue:
Suits. Harvey/Mike.
5U175 (26409 words) by
Closer
Summary: Harvey sometimes moonlights as a Star Trek BNF. Mike might have an attitude problem on the internet. TiberiusGhost is strangely compelling, for a recluse who never goes to meetups, and Harvey's finding this kid Photohead vaguely familiar...
Thoughts:
Pretty sure I already rec'ced another story by this author and with the same kind of remark -- I don't normally read Suits. :D This one was so worth it. I enjoyed it as a Star Trek fan, I enjoyed it as someone who likes Suits and good writing, and I enjoyed it as a citizen of the planet fandom. :D It's cute, sweet, a little meta fandom-wise, reminded me of the all-time favourite Pairing: Pendragon/Merlin, but at the same time was uniquely its own.
Enjoy!
Something old:
Merlin. Arthur/Merlin.
We’re Lost, It’s Cold, and There Are Dragons Out There (26743 words) by
winterhill
Summary: Modern AU with magic. Arthur is relatively sure that Bear Gryllis has never had to deal with anything like the world’s most aggravating baby dragon when he was out surviving in the wilderness. Merlin thinks that Arthur has taken the whole “magic reveal” thing pretty damn well, which might have something to do with Merlin saving Arthur’s life just now when the helicopter crashed. The dragon thinks they’re both idiots.
Thoughts:
I found this fic by accident, I don't know why it's not recced everywhere at every opportunity. It's absolutely lovely in terms of Arthur/Merlin, and in terms of the adventure, and has one of the cutest OC (baby dragon) I've ever met. See, the cute baby dragon thing? It's not that I dislike things like that precisely, but let's say I enjoy other things maybe a bit more. Yet here I was absolutely charmed from the get go. Maybe because the author didn't intentionally set out to make it a cute overdose but rather wrote it as it went? I don't know. All I know is this fic is gorgeous and an endless pleasure to read.
Something new:
Merlin. Arthur/Merlin. Careful WIP!
Gadarene (56927 words) by
unpossible
Summary: “You’re the Prince?” Merlin says, eyeing him. He hesitates, then says, defiant, “The Mad Prince of Camelot.” Arthur doesn’t move. There’s quiet for a long time, then he says it. “I am.”
“You don’t seem mad,” he says.
The smile wells up from somewhere deep, and very sad. “Well, Merlin,” he says, “give me time.”
Thoughts:
It's a WIP, but if all WIPs were updated at this rate, fandom wouldn't have been so allergic to them.
I read another fic by this author (Ashes, Embers, Flames) a while ago, and loved it. I think I made a note on Delicious that it was Jane Eyre meets Merlin for the almost gothic-romance kind of modern day intrigue, and it was also a fic I almost didn't read when first posted. This is the thing about fandom -- authors are required to warn readers for anything, and I mean literally anything, and that fic had a warning for 'underage prostitution.' At the time, I thought I wasn't in the mood for another hooker!Merlin fic and almost gave it a pass. Of course, the warning applies to a minor character that isn't there for very long if at all. Dangers of fandom misrepresentation.
Anyway, when the author started a new fic, this time canon era, I was intrigued and subscribed. This fic is marvelous. You should read it because it's got a gorgeous depiction of the relationship between Merlin and Arthur, without excessive emo moments or detours into overreaction land. They're perfectly balanced in that distorted world, and I love the work with all the other characters. This is one of those fics where you don't scroll through non-A/M scenes, but actually swallow every word and love it.
Reading Gadarene also makes me a bit melancholic when I pull myself out of the story and think about the craftsmanship. I remember when writing felt so young, so fresh and effortless. When everything you did was right, and it just came to you that way, seamless, and you could do no wrong. It makes for an amazing read. :)
Something borrowed:
I figure all recs are something borrowed, right? ;)
Something blue:
Suits. Harvey/Mike.
5U175 (26409 words) by
Closer
Summary: Harvey sometimes moonlights as a Star Trek BNF. Mike might have an attitude problem on the internet. TiberiusGhost is strangely compelling, for a recluse who never goes to meetups, and Harvey's finding this kid Photohead vaguely familiar...
Thoughts:
Pretty sure I already rec'ced another story by this author and with the same kind of remark -- I don't normally read Suits. :D This one was so worth it. I enjoyed it as a Star Trek fan, I enjoyed it as someone who likes Suits and good writing, and I enjoyed it as a citizen of the planet fandom. :D It's cute, sweet, a little meta fandom-wise, reminded me of the all-time favourite Pairing: Pendragon/Merlin, but at the same time was uniquely its own.
Enjoy!