Yuletide recs!
So it was a wonderful Yuletide! I'll start with my own present, which is a perfect example of why Yuletide exists. Before Yuletide there were zero fics in the Incorruptible fandom, and now there's this lovely piece which explores one of my favorite characters--Jailbait, Max Damage's underage sidekick who's going to become a lot more.
Sooner than She Thinks (3736 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Incorruptible (Comic)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Terri/Max Damage
Characters: Terri | Jailbait, Max Damage
Summary:
Three phases in the life of a reformed super villain sidekick.
They regard each other like strangers, and she wishes she could at least hug him without him spazzing out. Truth is, he's the best friend she has, and it hurts that he can barely stand to look at her. She moves her right hand to her left, touching the scar tissue that used to be her pinky finger. It reminds her of him.
It was really awesome, being his sidekick, but those days are over. She gets that now.
Other stories that jumped out at me and made me happy below!
The Requisite Teamup Between Two Plucky Teenaged Superheroes by Stephanie Brown (age 19) (3907 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Blue Beetle (Comic), Batgirl (Comic), DCU - Comicverse
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Stephanie Brown, Jaime Reyes
Summary:
Stephanie Brown celebrates finishing her exams in style: teaming up with the newest Blue Beetle, punching labyrinths and capping it off with delicious waffles.
Pitch-perfect pre-reboot Steph and Jaime. Funny, sweet, and just right.
“It’s Batgirl!” one girl exclaimed and Batgirl grinned despite herself. She was a superhero for its own sake, but it was really, really nice to see sometimes the delighted smiles of people going “It’s Batgirl” as opposed to staring at her in horror and moaning “oh no, it’s you” or whatever.
The Dioskouroi (2942 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Greek and Roman Mythology
Rating: Mature
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Castor/Pollux
Characters: Pollux, Castor, Leda, Tyndareus, Zeus, Jason, Idas, Lynceus, Helen of Troy
Summary:
My brother and I were born under different stars. I used to think this was just Mother’s euphemistic way of explaining that we bled different colors and slept different hours and were good at different things.
An odd and engrossing science fiction AU that feels like the beginning of a full (and very interesting) novel.
My father, Zeus, is a nuclear converter. That’s not his job; that’s what he is. He takes whatever form he likes when he’s dealing with the citizens, but the fact remains that he feeds on light and gives off the energy that powers this entire solar system. He could decide not to help us at any time. That’s why my mother didn’t say no.
It’s a hard thing to find out when you’re sixteen. It’d be a hard thing to find out anytime, but I honestly think sixteen’s worse.
Wine and Water (1052 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Greek and Roman Mythology
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Ariadne/Dionysus
Characters: Dionysus (Greek and Roman Mythology), Semele (Greek and Roman Mythology), Ariadne (Greek and Roman Mythology), Hades (Greek and Roman Mythology), Persephone (Greek and Roman Mythology)
Summary:
Love, death, and adventures in the Underworld
A beautiful, wry, affectionate piece; a classic tale told in a modern voice that works very well.
Naxos was a beautiful island but it was still an island, and it wasn't home. After most of a day of searching for Theseus, without any luck aside from a shepherd boy's report of a ship much like his sailing away, she told the ocean precisely what she thought of Theseus, his parentage, and love in general, and vowed that she would never love again.
That promise lasted approximately one month three days three hours and twenty-six minutes.
Galaxy Quest Episode 57: "The Fairest of Them All" (1319 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Tawny Madison/Peter Taggart
Characters: Gwen DeMarco, Jason Nesmith, Tawny Madison, Peter Taggart, Lazarus of Tev'Meck, Laredo (Galaxy Quest), Chen (Galaxy Quest)
Summary:
Following an accident with the digital conveyer, Lt. Madison and Dr. Lazarus find themselves on an alternate version of the NSEA Protector, called in this world the Terrakian Empire Cruiser (TEC) Vengeance. They quickly become aware that things are not as they should be when they are confronted by the swaggering High Overlord Taggart, who wears a goatee, a broad gold sash decorated with medallions, and no shirt. (excerpted from the Complete Questerian Episode Guide)
This captures perfectly the feel of the movie, combined with the feel of a fannish episode guide.
The damaged controller suddenly emits a great burst of steam, which allows Dr. Lazarus the opportunity to evade his captors using the Mak’tar stealth haze. Laredo, however, is still able to perceive him due to his childish innocence, and after a moment when it seems like he will alert the guards to Lazarus’s presence, he instead runs away to follow the doctor through the ventilation duct.
The Alien Lover (2685 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Fred Kwan/Laliari
Characters: Fred Kwan, Laliari (Galaxy Quest), Mathesar (Galaxy Quest), Teb, Guy Fleegman, Original Characters
Summary:
The first time Laliari sees the humans she falls in love.
This is a beautiful story about Laliari's life and what leads her to the Protector. It has some fantastic world-building about the Thermians, their culture and biology. Laliari's personality and history are perfectly done here.
Laliari would not talk at these lunches, instead she would sit and listen to Teb and let her mind catalogue everything she had learned thus far that day. She would think of all the cultural impacts of the Romulan war and Black Friday and how each one affected the economy, the infrastructure. Or she would remember the terrible day that President Kennedy had been shot, or, worse, JR, and she would think of how it would affect a country, how it would affect a family.
After the Honeymoon (1469 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Philadelphia Story (1940)
Rating: Mature
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Macaulay Connor/Tracy Lord, Macaulay Connor/C.K. Dexter Haven
Characters: Macaulay Connor, Tracy Lord, C.K. Dexter Haven
Summary:
Dexter and Tracy have a question for Mac.
A very believable opening to a cheerful threesome. All the voices are pitch-perfect, I could totally see the actors delivering them (pretty impressive considering the subject matter):
I looked between them and decided it was time to chew my ginger beef for as long as I could. It was good. “All right. I connect with your wife. I think I connect with you, too, for what it’s worth.”
Dexter gave an enigmatic smile. “I hope we will, but I’ll understand if you’re not wired that way.”
I dropped my fork. “Did you just make a very subtle pass at me?”
“Well, if it caused you to drop your fork in astonishment, it couldn’t have been that subtle. I must be losing my touch.”
Tracy speared some watercress savagely. “I told Dex he should have left it to me. But yes, we’re making a pass at you. If Liz is out of the picture. If you haven’t met someone else?”
One Ordinary Week, with Party Hats (3484 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak, Jadzia Dax/Worf
Characters: Kira Nerys, Odo, Jadzia Dax, Benjamin Sisko, Jake Sisko, Worf (Star Trek:TNG/DS9), Miles O'Brien, Elim Garak
Summary:
Life goes on as usual for the inhabitants of DS9. With the exception of Julian Bashir, who has a Plan.
Slice of life, full of fun details and personality touches, including a delightfully besotted Bashir.
"That sounds fine," Bashir agreed. "I'm just running some simulations of different party sizes to make sure the space outside Garak's shop isn't too small or too big for the party."
Kira and Dax exchanged a look. "Um, Julian," Dax said gently, "I don't think that's really necessary. As long as there aren't enough people in the area to violate space density codes, you'll be fine."
A Poet and a Scholar (2632 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Venetia - Georgette Heyer, Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer
Rating: Mature
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aubrey Lanyon/Augustus Fawnhope, Jasper Damerel/Venetia Lanyon
Characters: Aubrey Lanyon, Venetia Lanyon, Jasper Damerel, Augustus Fawnhope
Summary:
It is not every person who has the opportunity to attend an orgy in the company of a notorious rake.
Another example of What Yuletide is For, a crossover between two different Regency romances that adds a wonderful orgy (written in very Heyer style!) and matches up two characters who could use a little romance.
Lady Hartnet’s gardens were ablaze with lanterns. The house was more softly lit, full of nooks and alcoves for enterprising lovers. Aubrey resolutely avoided Venetia who was dressed in something laced tight in largely translucent sea blue. She had arrived leading a near-naked Damerel on a chain attached to a studded collar about his neck. Aubrey imagined they were entertaining themselves and presumably others.
He walked through the house, his lean torso exposed to the air. Though he’d covered himself from the waist down in an attempt to conceal his weak hip and leg, he was not sure that his deformity was of any note here. He enjoyed a pleasurable interlude with a titian haired woman in more or less half of a toga, and her agreeable male acolyte. Regrettably when it came to conversation neither had more of import to say than did Aubrey’s horses. However they kindly directed him to the refreshment tables.
Between You, Me, and the Stove (27822 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: MASH (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: B.J. Hunnicutt/Peg Hunnicutt, Margaret Houlihan/Frank Burns, Margaret Houlihan/Donald Penobscot, Sherman Potter/Mildred Potter, B.J. Hunnicutt/Carrie Donovan
Characters: Father Francis Mulcahy, Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly, B.J. Hunnicutt, Frank Burns, Maxwell Q. Klinger, Sidney Freedman, Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan, Sherman Potter, Charles Emerson Winchester III, Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce
Summary:
Father Mulcahy hears eight confessions and tries to remember that God moves in mysterious ways. Father Pierce hears one and concludes that God might be drunk.
This one is long and I almost didn't tackle it, but once I started reading it I absolutely couldn't put it down. The voices of Radar and Frank Burns especially are incredibly well-done, Mulcahy is very in-character and affectionately portrayed, and the ending left me happy and smiling.
“My son?” I tried again. “Radar?”
He stood there, shaking and staring at the photograph in my hands as though he, and not the North Koreans, had killed Colonel Blake.
“Radar,” I tried again. I touched his arm.
Radar jerked, and the photo was jostled from my hands. For a moment it hung between us in the air. We both fumbled for it. I didn’t want it to fall any more than he did, but it slipped through both our fingers and hit the floor. The glass of the frame gave way, and scattered across the concrete.
“Oh, God,” I said.
For a moment we both stared at the glass on the ground. Then Radar really let me have it. “What did you do that for, huh?” he shouted at me, shrill and furious. “Now I really can’t send it! Oh, boy, you shouldn’t have even come in here. What am I supposed to tell Mrs. Colonel? All his stuff went down with his plane, you know that, and all I had was this dumb photo, and now it’s broke and I know it’s not really your fault, but gee, Father! You really loused this one up!”
Sis, I don’t know if you’ve ever been in the position to get shouted down by a teenage boy and absolutely deserve it, but it’s a horrible experience.
The End and the Way (12225 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Characters
Summary:
On Posthe Tuwa of the Year One in the reign of Argaven XII, Harny Sord of Gernahan gave birth to a pervert.
Another long, meaty read and another good example of worldbuilding; the story of a person born with a fixed gender on Gethen, where people are genderless unless they're in their mating cycle.
It ended in an overheard conversation: Amner was talking to Rathel, one of the older hearthsibs.
"You did it with the pervert?" Rathel was saying, laughing, with a tone that was half curiosity, half disdain.
"I did," Amner said. I wished I could have seen Amner's face at that moment, but I felt frozen in place, and I couldn't bear the thought of Amner seeing me.
"What was she like?" Rathel asked.
"Oh, you know--perverts are always in kemmer. They do it with anyone, any time. They don't care who."
"So, was it good?"
Amner laughed a little. "Not bad. But I just wanted to try it, you know? To see what they're like."
I fled, shame burning in my belly. At first I felt only the pain when my love for Amner shattered and died, but then my pride reared up, too. Amner had talked as if I wasn't even a person, not worth considering. I might not cast a long shadow, but at least I had one.
Texts From Cephalopods (1547 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Octopus Steals My Video Camera and Swims off with It While It's Recording (Youtube)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Octopus/Squid
Characters: An Octopus, Squid
Summary:
It is a well-established fact in marine biology that the octopus is the drunk texter of the cephalopod family.
What if every crazy Youtube video featuring an octopus was all about the same octopus? And what if that octopus liked to text its buddy the Squid during its adventures? This crazy wonderful person who wrote this actually mocked up the text conversations, making this an insanely fun read.
Sooner than She Thinks (3736 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Incorruptible (Comic)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Terri/Max Damage
Characters: Terri | Jailbait, Max Damage
Summary:
Three phases in the life of a reformed super villain sidekick.
They regard each other like strangers, and she wishes she could at least hug him without him spazzing out. Truth is, he's the best friend she has, and it hurts that he can barely stand to look at her. She moves her right hand to her left, touching the scar tissue that used to be her pinky finger. It reminds her of him.
It was really awesome, being his sidekick, but those days are over. She gets that now.
Other stories that jumped out at me and made me happy below!
The Requisite Teamup Between Two Plucky Teenaged Superheroes by Stephanie Brown (age 19) (3907 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Blue Beetle (Comic), Batgirl (Comic), DCU - Comicverse
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Stephanie Brown, Jaime Reyes
Summary:
Stephanie Brown celebrates finishing her exams in style: teaming up with the newest Blue Beetle, punching labyrinths and capping it off with delicious waffles.
Pitch-perfect pre-reboot Steph and Jaime. Funny, sweet, and just right.
“It’s Batgirl!” one girl exclaimed and Batgirl grinned despite herself. She was a superhero for its own sake, but it was really, really nice to see sometimes the delighted smiles of people going “It’s Batgirl” as opposed to staring at her in horror and moaning “oh no, it’s you” or whatever.
The Dioskouroi (2942 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Greek and Roman Mythology
Rating: Mature
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Castor/Pollux
Characters: Pollux, Castor, Leda, Tyndareus, Zeus, Jason, Idas, Lynceus, Helen of Troy
Summary:
My brother and I were born under different stars. I used to think this was just Mother’s euphemistic way of explaining that we bled different colors and slept different hours and were good at different things.
An odd and engrossing science fiction AU that feels like the beginning of a full (and very interesting) novel.
My father, Zeus, is a nuclear converter. That’s not his job; that’s what he is. He takes whatever form he likes when he’s dealing with the citizens, but the fact remains that he feeds on light and gives off the energy that powers this entire solar system. He could decide not to help us at any time. That’s why my mother didn’t say no.
It’s a hard thing to find out when you’re sixteen. It’d be a hard thing to find out anytime, but I honestly think sixteen’s worse.
Wine and Water (1052 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Greek and Roman Mythology
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Ariadne/Dionysus
Characters: Dionysus (Greek and Roman Mythology), Semele (Greek and Roman Mythology), Ariadne (Greek and Roman Mythology), Hades (Greek and Roman Mythology), Persephone (Greek and Roman Mythology)
Summary:
Love, death, and adventures in the Underworld
A beautiful, wry, affectionate piece; a classic tale told in a modern voice that works very well.
Naxos was a beautiful island but it was still an island, and it wasn't home. After most of a day of searching for Theseus, without any luck aside from a shepherd boy's report of a ship much like his sailing away, she told the ocean precisely what she thought of Theseus, his parentage, and love in general, and vowed that she would never love again.
That promise lasted approximately one month three days three hours and twenty-six minutes.
Galaxy Quest Episode 57: "The Fairest of Them All" (1319 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Tawny Madison/Peter Taggart
Characters: Gwen DeMarco, Jason Nesmith, Tawny Madison, Peter Taggart, Lazarus of Tev'Meck, Laredo (Galaxy Quest), Chen (Galaxy Quest)
Summary:
Following an accident with the digital conveyer, Lt. Madison and Dr. Lazarus find themselves on an alternate version of the NSEA Protector, called in this world the Terrakian Empire Cruiser (TEC) Vengeance. They quickly become aware that things are not as they should be when they are confronted by the swaggering High Overlord Taggart, who wears a goatee, a broad gold sash decorated with medallions, and no shirt. (excerpted from the Complete Questerian Episode Guide)
This captures perfectly the feel of the movie, combined with the feel of a fannish episode guide.
The damaged controller suddenly emits a great burst of steam, which allows Dr. Lazarus the opportunity to evade his captors using the Mak’tar stealth haze. Laredo, however, is still able to perceive him due to his childish innocence, and after a moment when it seems like he will alert the guards to Lazarus’s presence, he instead runs away to follow the doctor through the ventilation duct.
The Alien Lover (2685 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Fred Kwan/Laliari
Characters: Fred Kwan, Laliari (Galaxy Quest), Mathesar (Galaxy Quest), Teb, Guy Fleegman, Original Characters
Summary:
The first time Laliari sees the humans she falls in love.
This is a beautiful story about Laliari's life and what leads her to the Protector. It has some fantastic world-building about the Thermians, their culture and biology. Laliari's personality and history are perfectly done here.
Laliari would not talk at these lunches, instead she would sit and listen to Teb and let her mind catalogue everything she had learned thus far that day. She would think of all the cultural impacts of the Romulan war and Black Friday and how each one affected the economy, the infrastructure. Or she would remember the terrible day that President Kennedy had been shot, or, worse, JR, and she would think of how it would affect a country, how it would affect a family.
After the Honeymoon (1469 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Philadelphia Story (1940)
Rating: Mature
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Macaulay Connor/Tracy Lord, Macaulay Connor/C.K. Dexter Haven
Characters: Macaulay Connor, Tracy Lord, C.K. Dexter Haven
Summary:
Dexter and Tracy have a question for Mac.
A very believable opening to a cheerful threesome. All the voices are pitch-perfect, I could totally see the actors delivering them (pretty impressive considering the subject matter):
I looked between them and decided it was time to chew my ginger beef for as long as I could. It was good. “All right. I connect with your wife. I think I connect with you, too, for what it’s worth.”
Dexter gave an enigmatic smile. “I hope we will, but I’ll understand if you’re not wired that way.”
I dropped my fork. “Did you just make a very subtle pass at me?”
“Well, if it caused you to drop your fork in astonishment, it couldn’t have been that subtle. I must be losing my touch.”
Tracy speared some watercress savagely. “I told Dex he should have left it to me. But yes, we’re making a pass at you. If Liz is out of the picture. If you haven’t met someone else?”
One Ordinary Week, with Party Hats (3484 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak, Jadzia Dax/Worf
Characters: Kira Nerys, Odo, Jadzia Dax, Benjamin Sisko, Jake Sisko, Worf (Star Trek:TNG/DS9), Miles O'Brien, Elim Garak
Summary:
Life goes on as usual for the inhabitants of DS9. With the exception of Julian Bashir, who has a Plan.
Slice of life, full of fun details and personality touches, including a delightfully besotted Bashir.
"That sounds fine," Bashir agreed. "I'm just running some simulations of different party sizes to make sure the space outside Garak's shop isn't too small or too big for the party."
Kira and Dax exchanged a look. "Um, Julian," Dax said gently, "I don't think that's really necessary. As long as there aren't enough people in the area to violate space density codes, you'll be fine."
A Poet and a Scholar (2632 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Venetia - Georgette Heyer, Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer
Rating: Mature
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aubrey Lanyon/Augustus Fawnhope, Jasper Damerel/Venetia Lanyon
Characters: Aubrey Lanyon, Venetia Lanyon, Jasper Damerel, Augustus Fawnhope
Summary:
It is not every person who has the opportunity to attend an orgy in the company of a notorious rake.
Another example of What Yuletide is For, a crossover between two different Regency romances that adds a wonderful orgy (written in very Heyer style!) and matches up two characters who could use a little romance.
Lady Hartnet’s gardens were ablaze with lanterns. The house was more softly lit, full of nooks and alcoves for enterprising lovers. Aubrey resolutely avoided Venetia who was dressed in something laced tight in largely translucent sea blue. She had arrived leading a near-naked Damerel on a chain attached to a studded collar about his neck. Aubrey imagined they were entertaining themselves and presumably others.
He walked through the house, his lean torso exposed to the air. Though he’d covered himself from the waist down in an attempt to conceal his weak hip and leg, he was not sure that his deformity was of any note here. He enjoyed a pleasurable interlude with a titian haired woman in more or less half of a toga, and her agreeable male acolyte. Regrettably when it came to conversation neither had more of import to say than did Aubrey’s horses. However they kindly directed him to the refreshment tables.
Between You, Me, and the Stove (27822 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: MASH (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: B.J. Hunnicutt/Peg Hunnicutt, Margaret Houlihan/Frank Burns, Margaret Houlihan/Donald Penobscot, Sherman Potter/Mildred Potter, B.J. Hunnicutt/Carrie Donovan
Characters: Father Francis Mulcahy, Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly, B.J. Hunnicutt, Frank Burns, Maxwell Q. Klinger, Sidney Freedman, Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan, Sherman Potter, Charles Emerson Winchester III, Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce
Summary:
Father Mulcahy hears eight confessions and tries to remember that God moves in mysterious ways. Father Pierce hears one and concludes that God might be drunk.
This one is long and I almost didn't tackle it, but once I started reading it I absolutely couldn't put it down. The voices of Radar and Frank Burns especially are incredibly well-done, Mulcahy is very in-character and affectionately portrayed, and the ending left me happy and smiling.
“My son?” I tried again. “Radar?”
He stood there, shaking and staring at the photograph in my hands as though he, and not the North Koreans, had killed Colonel Blake.
“Radar,” I tried again. I touched his arm.
Radar jerked, and the photo was jostled from my hands. For a moment it hung between us in the air. We both fumbled for it. I didn’t want it to fall any more than he did, but it slipped through both our fingers and hit the floor. The glass of the frame gave way, and scattered across the concrete.
“Oh, God,” I said.
For a moment we both stared at the glass on the ground. Then Radar really let me have it. “What did you do that for, huh?” he shouted at me, shrill and furious. “Now I really can’t send it! Oh, boy, you shouldn’t have even come in here. What am I supposed to tell Mrs. Colonel? All his stuff went down with his plane, you know that, and all I had was this dumb photo, and now it’s broke and I know it’s not really your fault, but gee, Father! You really loused this one up!”
Sis, I don’t know if you’ve ever been in the position to get shouted down by a teenage boy and absolutely deserve it, but it’s a horrible experience.
The End and the Way (12225 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Characters
Summary:
On Posthe Tuwa of the Year One in the reign of Argaven XII, Harny Sord of Gernahan gave birth to a pervert.
Another long, meaty read and another good example of worldbuilding; the story of a person born with a fixed gender on Gethen, where people are genderless unless they're in their mating cycle.
It ended in an overheard conversation: Amner was talking to Rathel, one of the older hearthsibs.
"You did it with the pervert?" Rathel was saying, laughing, with a tone that was half curiosity, half disdain.
"I did," Amner said. I wished I could have seen Amner's face at that moment, but I felt frozen in place, and I couldn't bear the thought of Amner seeing me.
"What was she like?" Rathel asked.
"Oh, you know--perverts are always in kemmer. They do it with anyone, any time. They don't care who."
"So, was it good?"
Amner laughed a little. "Not bad. But I just wanted to try it, you know? To see what they're like."
I fled, shame burning in my belly. At first I felt only the pain when my love for Amner shattered and died, but then my pride reared up, too. Amner had talked as if I wasn't even a person, not worth considering. I might not cast a long shadow, but at least I had one.
Texts From Cephalopods (1547 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Octopus Steals My Video Camera and Swims off with It While It's Recording (Youtube)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Octopus/Squid
Characters: An Octopus, Squid
Summary:
It is a well-established fact in marine biology that the octopus is the drunk texter of the cephalopod family.
What if every crazy Youtube video featuring an octopus was all about the same octopus? And what if that octopus liked to text its buddy the Squid during its adventures? This crazy wonderful person who wrote this actually mocked up the text conversations, making this an insanely fun read.