[ Avatar, CCS, DB, HP, Host Club, Merlin, Ookiku, REBORN!, SW, ToA, TW, Vesperia, X ]
SHARING TIME:
*shrieks* SEX PISTOLS OAV. I CANNOT WAIT OMG. Man, there's been a lot of stuff to get excited about lately, hasn't there?
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Avatar: The Last Airbender - 3 Fanfics
Merlin - 10 Fanfics
Ouran Koukou Host Club - 1 Fanfic
Star Wars - 2 Fanfics
Torchwood - 3 Fanfics
X/Tokyo Babylon - 1 Fanfic
Cardcaptor Sakura - 1 Doujinshi
Dragonball - 1 Fanart
Harry Potter - 1 Fanart
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - 2 Fanart
Ookiku Furikabutte - 1 Fanart
Tales of the Abyss - 2 Fanart
Tales of Vesperia - 3 Fanart
2008 GOAL: 1568/1602
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Morning After by JoJoDancer - I was browsing this recs post since it was recently updated and remembered this author from some of her other fic and I was intrigued by the summary of a morning breakfast with Zuko/Mai and Aang/Katara. What I didn't quite expect to get was a super fantastic and lolariously funny awkward piece that was just. Oh, man, the characterization was spot on and the comedic timing was perfect and the dialogue was fantastic and it was so easy to see and just. There were at least two or three moments where I had to pause just to quietly crack up for a bit. All things I want out of Avatar fic. *__* (Zuko/Mai, Aang/Katara.)
Avatar: The Last Airbender: A Temporary Insanity by JoJoDancer - a;lksdjfalskj eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ♥ It's... it's not that I've really been pining for Aang/Katara smut or anything, but they did grow older over the course of the series and they're going to grow up and that kiss was really nice at the end of the series and so. I just. Wanted something small and this fic was perfect. It was mature, but not graphic, it was just the right amount and as if that weren't enough, the characterization just sparkled again. Aang and Katara obviously love each other so much here, but they're still so much fun even when they get totally wrapped up in each other and it was as much fun for the characterization as it was for the humor of their circumstances. Just. a;sdkfja;slkj yes. (Aang/Katara, maybe not quite safe for work.)
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rising Wind by JoJoDancer - Okay, see. I have this thing about babyfic. With certain pairings I need it and you shouldn't judge me for it. *stares* Aang/Katara is one of those pairings where I totally want them to have kids someday and I want to read about it and as;ldfkjaslkj this is so freaking cute and adorable and so easy to see and I love everything about it. Everything. And this is exactly what I want for them, it's just so. Happy. And now I feel all warm and happy with fandom, too. ♥ (Aang/Katara.)
Merlin: August by Pru - I find it really difficult to know where to even begin with describing how much satisfaction and love this story gave me, because it's just so... much, so much of everything I want from this fandom and fanfic in general. It has great dialogue and characterization, there are moments when I was practically having to shove my hand against my mouth to keep from laughing out loud because the timing was just spot-on, there were moments when I was really kind of enthralled with the characters and the looks inside their heads, and there were even times where I was making those little fangirl sighs of contenment because the fic hit all the right buttons. Pru really does a brilliant job with this story, with making each of their lives hellish without going too far with it, instead making it feel so very much like the show, except maybe even funnier. And a;lsdfkjas;lkj this is quite seriously possibly my favorite characterization of Hunith ever and I would read so many fics of Merlin and Arthur going back to Merlin's village and just hanging out, especially if it touches on so many different things and moods and emotions and mentions of events in canon like this one did. *__* (Arthur/Merlin, somewhere around an R rating, I'd say.)
Merlin: Breaking Up and Making Up by Triste - And this one was still yet more fun, which I adored, because so often the bickering in Merlin fic is all about the making up by itself, whereas this one is all about the cycle of it and the utter delightfulness that is their sniping at each other. They're just. Such boys about it and there are so many lolarious moments and I love Gaius' patience through the whole thing (he's a saint, really) and just. So much fun. ♥ (Arthur/Merlin.)
Merlin: we play in the night time by green_postit - I still can't believe I've been reading AU fics for this fandom, much less a fashion AU, but I liked this author's other fic and today I gave this one a shot and a;lskdjfa;lkjs it was kind of really, really good. Part of it was the porn and a lot of it was how Arthur is really, really hot when he's being all predatory in bed like this, but part of it is that the characters mapped really delightfully well onto this story, making it a really fun read. (Arthur/Merlin, NC-17.)
Merlin: Between Times by suaine - [Note: There are spoilers for 1x10 in this fic and this rec.] This was a really lovely look at the aftermath of 1x10 and it had a lot of things that I really liked--I really like the idea that Arthurs has known about Merlin for awhile/knew after that episode, so how he reacted here, the kindness he showed even though Merlin didn't realize it. I liked the way Merlin's emotions so clearly showed here and how Arthur felt for him and how much didn't have to be said but was still very obvious here. It was a nice coda for the episode. (This is gen, but could be read as Arthur/Merlin pre-slash.)
Merlin: Light Up For Me by phantomjam - You know, it's surprisingly been awhile since I've read an "Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic" story, which are ones I love and will keep coming back for more of, but they do tend to start to run together after awhile. What I liked about this one was that it wasn't about the betrayal there, so much as it was about Arthur's understanding without Merlin having to hit him over the head with it, you could really see the good man that Arthur was. But it was also about the connection it forged between them, the sex was only half the point, the other half being the way it drew them together and bound them even tighter. It was kind of really lovely the way Merlin's magic tied them together here, the way it wound into the fic and the way it nearly overtook him and even Arthur felt part of that. ....okay, I'm describing this badly, but it was a really nice scene. *__* (Arthur/Merlin, I'd say an R or so.)
Merlin: Not in the Room by franticsga - Oh, what a delightful little fic here, I really adored the author's narrative for Arthur, the annoyance that Merlin is distracted of all things is really well done, not too over the top to make Arthur a parody of himself, but still make it really funny. And Merlin is delightful as well, the writing of this is just so smooth and clean and really charming and I adore the friendship and possible something more that's budding here. Oh, also. A++ description: He was Prince Arthur of Camelot, not Prince Arthur, Despoiler of Shite Manservants. (Arthur/Merlin pre-slash, I'd say.)
Merlin: Weapons by asprosdrakos - Wolfie pointed this fic out to me, which is a good thing, because I haven't yet gotten around to reading merlinslash much, but. But. *__* Possibly it might make me a terrible person to find this fic so delicious, but the way Mordred could come back to haunt this universe is so full of potential and this is so dark and it's painful and yet this Merlin felt right and it's just. *__* (Adult!Mordred/Merlin, R-rated.)
Merlin: Uneasy Lies the Head by Uther - This is a breathtaking look into Uther's head, made all the more amazing because it was written so early into the first season's run and yet really does a brilliant job of making Uther an interesting character, one full of complexities and his own sense of doing what's right. The way he raised Arthur, the way he looks at his son, the way he's doing what he feels needs to be done to make Arthur a stronger king, the way he's so proud of his son for being able to stand on his own, even if it means Arthur is moving away from him, all of it is gorgeously done and the way Uther looks at Merlin here... it packs one hell of a punch. (Implied Arthur/Merlin.)
Merlin: Hunting Merlin by exlibris_tenisu - I was attracted to this fic because of the premise--Arthur realizes he wants Merlin and goes about it in his usual Arthur way, of hunting and laying traps and just generally being such an idiot guy about it that. That I love. It's not like Arthur has no social skills, it's just. As Meg once said and I have taken as gospel truth because I think of it every time I see the royal family together, Arthur was clearly raised by wolves. And this fic matched up really well with my feelings on Arthur and Merlin was adorable in his obliviousness, and yet I could believe that he wouldn't get it. Also, totally adorable and happy. ♥ (Arthur/Merlin.)
Merlin: She Walks in Beauty by jade_dragoness - So, for a fandom that often puts Gwen/Morgana in the background of its fic, I haven't run across that many stories that focused solely on them, so I was curious about how this would go. And just. as;ldkfjal;skjal yes, it's such a lovely and simple concept--Gwen becoming the best seamstress in Camelot for Morgana--but pulled off beautifully so that you can feel how much these two love each other. I only wish it had been longer or that there were more like this that were easily found. *__* (Gwen/Morgana.)
Ouran Koukou Host Club: Freedom As You Taste It by treeflamingo - This is a slightly different take on Kyouya than I usually read, but what makes me really love it is that it can fit with a character like him, who is the one that holds the most back from the others and can really kind of vicious inside his own head. So the angry, almost dangerous tone to his thoughts here was kind of delicious and I could really see him thinking this. (This is gen, but there is some Kyouya/Haruhi interaction.)
Star Wars: Love Stories by deaka - Every so often I get the urge to go read Leia fic in SW and this one just sort of sprung up on me, just a short little piece set between scenes of the movies, where Leia can't sleep one night and happens to run into Han. Of course the Han/Leia aspect is nice, but I think I liked it even more for what it said about Leia, the insight into her character, especially when Han tried to talk to her about it, but managed to infuriate her like always. It worked very nicely and was very easy to see. (Han/Leia.)
Star Wars: Idol by Fair-Ithil - Another short piece, but another one that has some interesting glimpses into Leia's character, as shown by Han's prodding at her and his watching her. She does stretch herself too thin, wears herself too hard for this new Alliance and she's really such a fascinating character and it's fic like this that reminds me of why she's my favorite, why this is such an interesting pairing. It's a simple fic, Leia preparing in the morning while Han watches her, eventually taking the brush from her hand to work it through her hair, but it says a lot more about them than just that. (Han/Leia.)
Torchwood: So Bad by TheSummoningDark - I kind of took a long path to get here, a lot of journal hopping, but eventually stopped to read because I've been kind of pining for more Jack/John fic in this fandom, but never looked that hard for it, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of everything else. But I stumbled over here and was surprised to find such a short little piece that was so powerful and so good, just what I wanted. For all that their relationship is a simple one, it's also a complex one, which the fic gets across without having to say a word of it. The connection and distance between them, two time travelers bouncing around like they have in their lives, that was done really well, too. And I really liked this take on John especially. *__* (Jack/John.)
Torchwood: Rude Introduction by 51stCenturyFox - More browsing of Torchwood Decaffeinated in order to find more Jack/John and I-- I really liked this. I love what a dick John was in this one, yet such a charming one and not entirely a bad guy, the kind you know is trouble and yet you can't help yourself anyway, which you could totally see he used to be. I had so much fun with the dynamic between him and Jack here, their first meetings and the way their relationship first unfolded, it was totally easy to see this happening. XD (Jack/John, maybe around an R rating.)
Torchwood: Excalibur, Week 1 by 51stCenturyFox - This is another short ficlet, but I liked the author's previous fic enough that I had to read this one, too. It's almost pure dialogue, Jack and John in the time they were partners and they're on a mission together, but it's fun and easy enough to hear the actors with their lines, yet still see that they're so much younger here. And I continue to love this characterization of John. XD (Jack/John.)
X/Tokyo Babylon: Going to the Wars by Sophia Prester - Oh, this was a breathtaking fic, a meeting between Lady Sumeragi and someone else in their dream, and there is so, so much here that's just. It's elegant and refined and gorgeously written, but it's the emotion of it, the pull on my fangirl heart and the brilliant look into this woman's life and her losses. Lady Sumeragi has often been ignored in fandom and, admittedly, she is a minor character, of course, but this breathes such life into her character. The little touches, the things she knows, the memories she has, the pattern on the tea cups, the feel of the sand under her feet, all of it creates this gorgeous piece. Just. Stunningly lovely. (No real warnings/pairings.)
Cardcaptor Sakura Doujinshi (scanslated) - Love the Island - There are two versions of this one, one that contains the porn scene and one that does. I snagged the porn one just because I was curious about it, but, honestly, it's just a random scene that isn't part of the story or anything, it's just a separate three page random thing that adds nothing to the story. Grab it if you want, but if you go for the safe version, you're really not missing anything at all. (And it's really the version I recommend, since the h-version was kind of randomly non-con.) That aside, asd;lfkjasl;kjaslkj THIS WAS SO FREAKING CUTE. It's pretty simple and straightforward--Sakura and Tomoyo invite Syaoran to the kids' Christmas party and you can just see Syaoran's feelings for Sakura really blooming and she's obvious feeling the same way for him and it's all about the walking home holding hands and smiling and thanking each other for protecting them and just. as;dfkljasl;kj everything that Syaoran and Sakura should be. I totally got the warm and fuzzies reading this, in exactly the way you should with these two, yet somehow not boring or too saccharine. Just. ♥ (Syaoran/Sakura.)
- Dragonball - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I actually came here in search of Tales fanart, but got distracted into the Dragonball art instead. And maybe the site isn't going to be for everyone, I found that I liked it in the way that I like any stop on a fanart spree, if that makes sense? It was an interesting contrast to everything else I'd seen this morning and had some illustrations I liked a lot. There are a lot of sketches, there's a rough quality to nearly everything on the site, but the slighted darkened/muted colors work well here and the artist really captures that sense of zany fun that Toriyama put into his work. I think that's what really got me--even when the artist put their own spin on the characters, you could still feel the connection to the original style. <3 (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Harry Potter - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I'd already been here for the Tales of the Abyss fanart, but I happened to notice that there was also some Harry Potter art here as well, which made me curious. I feel the same way about the art style here as I did with ToA--usually the stylized thing doesn't work that well for me, but when you put it with pretty, warm watercolor stylings, suddenly it becomes much more interesting. The artist also has a certain way about the art here, there's a sense of something adorable and warm-hearted about the art here, almost like Halloween-themed art, but that's not quite it. Though, the use of golds, oranges, and blacks does lend that certain feel to it. Whatever it is, though, it's an HP fanart site I quietly adored a little. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - ....asd;flkjasl;kja okay. I know. It's the fourth series I'm recommending the site for and I honestly didn't intend to, because the REBORN! art didn't even have its own section, you have to go through the etc. gallery to find it, but... Dino/Hibari art! I AM WEAK. Plus, I still really like this style, it's the right mix of stylized and watercolor-esque looks that it appeals to me and asl;dkfjaslkj the D18 stuff is really cute! ....well, actually, maybe it's not watercolor so much as... well, idk. Something. Shut up, I know this is a terrible rec, but I kind of love this art style and it's my pet pairing and there's even a Bel/Squalo image and it's like. It's like this artist loves me a lot. ♥ Very pretty and a light, easy site to quickly run through if you're in the mood. :D (Dino/Hibari, a smidge of other.)
- Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - dot.24 [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I'm pretty sure I've been here for the Tales of the Abyss art before, but I can't find this on my list of REBORN! sites, so. Well. (I do feel like I've been here for the REBORN! art before, because it looks familiar, but maybe I've just seen her doujin.) And it's not a perfect site, the art is often times a little off, but what the artist does to make up for that is some really beautiful colors, the soft and almost glowing kind that I adore so much. There's a ton of detail and the lines are so smooth that the whole effect winds up looking stylized and deliberate more than anything, especially because the b&w illustrations (what few there are, anyway) actually look pretty solid. But just. asd;lfjkasl;fjkffff I love the shading of this artist's colors, the way Hibari's eyes look shaded with both blue and purple, Dino's eyes are this really beautiful shade of gold and amber and I am weak to that kind of thing, okay? Also! There's a doujinshi cover with Hibari in a maid's uniform and still looking dangerous as hell and as;dlfkjasl;kj JAPAN. WHY DO YOU KNOW ME SO WELL. (Dino/Hibari.)
- Ookiku Furikabutte - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I know, I know. Already been here for the HP and the Tales of the Abyss art, but--! The Ookiku art is so adorable! It's more of the same stylized art that works here for me because of the pretty watercolor like feel of the images, the really delightful warm-hearted feeling and group images, the kind where everyone is smiling and clearly having a blast, that makes it fit with the original series so well for me. And as;ldkfjasl;jk the log art pages kind of threatened to make me explode a little from all the SUPER ADORABLE god. Seriously, the sepia colors of the log art pages was kind of killing me after awhile because it just. asl;dfkjasl;jk this is what I wanted! ♥ (Maybe a little Abe/Mihashi, but I'd say it's mostly gen and focused on everyone.)
- Tales of the Abyss - Chicory [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I really wish there'd been more art on this site, because I'm weak to this kind of stuff. And if it'd been just about anything else with this series, I don't know if I'd have caved on recommending it, but... the very first illustration! Of Nebilim with baby Jade and baby Saphir! So weak. Plus, half of the art on the site was all about the Keterburg characters and, well. Any site that has Dist illustrations on them, I'm going to be all over. There's not a ton of art here and it's not going to be for everyone, but I enjoyed it as a quick site to give a whirl this morning. (Possible pairings with the Keterburg characters, but I'd say no real warnings/pairings.)
- Tales of the Abyss - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I was actually looking for more Vesperia art and just happened to stumble over this one with some really super-adorable Abyss art instead! It's not usually my favorite style, it's a little too stylized for me, but I really adored the watercolor like look of the illustrations. Admittedly I was charmed by the Luke/Tear illustration that was the first thing I saw here, but I actually like the site more on a gen level and as;dlkfjaslkj omg the ones of baby Natalia, Luke, and Guy are SO ADORABLE. The whole site was just... really warm-hearted and fun, with a nice variety of characters. And, oh, man, the log art was totally awesome and fun. *__* (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Tales of Vesperia - Rin2 [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - It took me awhile to find a lot of the good art on this site--there's a recent illustration of Estelle in full color that's just gorgeous as all get out, but beyond that, it looked mostly like sketches and doodles. Which weren't bad, but weren't blowing me over, either. But I kept poking around and eventually I did find the other color illustrations that the artist did and realized that the site was a nice little treat to find this afternoon. When the artist does for a more traditional anime-cel-style look, she's really pretty good at it, the colors are vibrant and so vivid, everything is so clean and there's a ton of cuteness here. <3 (Some gen, some Flynn/Yuri, a smidge of Duke/Yuri.)
- Tales of Vesperia - Tuonela [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I really went back and forth on this site for awhile, the color art wasn't bad, but it wasn't quite fully catching me. But then I got to the "nightmare" comic and a;lsdkjalsjkaslkj it was kind of really pretty! Comics are almost never what ultimately catches me with a site, they're usually the ones I skip over the most, but these... they really showed what the artist could do. Raven/Yuri isn't my pairing of choice so far, but the artist made it work pretty well here, if you don't mind it. Also, some of the later color art is definitely worth taking a tour through, it gets much prettier as it goes along. <3 It was, overall, a fun and interesting site. (Some gen, some Raven/Yuri.)
- Tales of Vesperia - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - Another site that I wish had had more art, since there were only about ten pages total in the section, but... it's really pretty stuff and the artist gave Vesperia its own page, so I'm hopeful that there'll be more in the future. Plus, I really like Yuri/Estelle and this artist does a terrific job with them, the anime cel-style coloring (when its used) is very solid and as;dlfkjaslkj the one of Yuri and Estelle in the field full of flowers! Where she's putting a crown of them on his head! I am weak, shut up. So, overall, it was a nice way to finish up the fanart hunting this morning. <3 (A smidge of Yuri/Estelle, some gen.)
*shrieks* SEX PISTOLS OAV. I CANNOT WAIT OMG. Man, there's been a lot of stuff to get excited about lately, hasn't there?
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Avatar: The Last Airbender - 3 Fanfics
Merlin - 10 Fanfics
Ouran Koukou Host Club - 1 Fanfic
Star Wars - 2 Fanfics
Torchwood - 3 Fanfics
X/Tokyo Babylon - 1 Fanfic
Cardcaptor Sakura - 1 Doujinshi
Dragonball - 1 Fanart
Harry Potter - 1 Fanart
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - 2 Fanart
Ookiku Furikabutte - 1 Fanart
Tales of the Abyss - 2 Fanart
Tales of Vesperia - 3 Fanart
2008 GOAL: 1568/1602
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Morning After by JoJoDancer - I was browsing this recs post since it was recently updated and remembered this author from some of her other fic and I was intrigued by the summary of a morning breakfast with Zuko/Mai and Aang/Katara. What I didn't quite expect to get was a super fantastic and lolariously funny awkward piece that was just. Oh, man, the characterization was spot on and the comedic timing was perfect and the dialogue was fantastic and it was so easy to see and just. There were at least two or three moments where I had to pause just to quietly crack up for a bit. All things I want out of Avatar fic. *__* (Zuko/Mai, Aang/Katara.)
Avatar: The Last Airbender: A Temporary Insanity by JoJoDancer - a;lksdjfalskj eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ♥ It's... it's not that I've really been pining for Aang/Katara smut or anything, but they did grow older over the course of the series and they're going to grow up and that kiss was really nice at the end of the series and so. I just. Wanted something small and this fic was perfect. It was mature, but not graphic, it was just the right amount and as if that weren't enough, the characterization just sparkled again. Aang and Katara obviously love each other so much here, but they're still so much fun even when they get totally wrapped up in each other and it was as much fun for the characterization as it was for the humor of their circumstances. Just. a;sdkfja;slkj yes. (Aang/Katara, maybe not quite safe for work.)
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rising Wind by JoJoDancer - Okay, see. I have this thing about babyfic. With certain pairings I need it and you shouldn't judge me for it. *stares* Aang/Katara is one of those pairings where I totally want them to have kids someday and I want to read about it and as;ldfkjaslkj this is so freaking cute and adorable and so easy to see and I love everything about it. Everything. And this is exactly what I want for them, it's just so. Happy. And now I feel all warm and happy with fandom, too. ♥ (Aang/Katara.)
Merlin: August by Pru - I find it really difficult to know where to even begin with describing how much satisfaction and love this story gave me, because it's just so... much, so much of everything I want from this fandom and fanfic in general. It has great dialogue and characterization, there are moments when I was practically having to shove my hand against my mouth to keep from laughing out loud because the timing was just spot-on, there were moments when I was really kind of enthralled with the characters and the looks inside their heads, and there were even times where I was making those little fangirl sighs of contenment because the fic hit all the right buttons. Pru really does a brilliant job with this story, with making each of their lives hellish without going too far with it, instead making it feel so very much like the show, except maybe even funnier. And a;lsdfkjas;lkj this is quite seriously possibly my favorite characterization of Hunith ever and I would read so many fics of Merlin and Arthur going back to Merlin's village and just hanging out, especially if it touches on so many different things and moods and emotions and mentions of events in canon like this one did. *__* (Arthur/Merlin, somewhere around an R rating, I'd say.)
Merlin: Breaking Up and Making Up by Triste - And this one was still yet more fun, which I adored, because so often the bickering in Merlin fic is all about the making up by itself, whereas this one is all about the cycle of it and the utter delightfulness that is their sniping at each other. They're just. Such boys about it and there are so many lolarious moments and I love Gaius' patience through the whole thing (he's a saint, really) and just. So much fun. ♥ (Arthur/Merlin.)
Merlin: we play in the night time by green_postit - I still can't believe I've been reading AU fics for this fandom, much less a fashion AU, but I liked this author's other fic and today I gave this one a shot and a;lskdjfa;lkjs it was kind of really, really good. Part of it was the porn and a lot of it was how Arthur is really, really hot when he's being all predatory in bed like this, but part of it is that the characters mapped really delightfully well onto this story, making it a really fun read. (Arthur/Merlin, NC-17.)
Merlin: Between Times by suaine - [Note: There are spoilers for 1x10 in this fic and this rec.] This was a really lovely look at the aftermath of 1x10 and it had a lot of things that I really liked--I really like the idea that Arthurs has known about Merlin for awhile/knew after that episode, so how he reacted here, the kindness he showed even though Merlin didn't realize it. I liked the way Merlin's emotions so clearly showed here and how Arthur felt for him and how much didn't have to be said but was still very obvious here. It was a nice coda for the episode. (This is gen, but could be read as Arthur/Merlin pre-slash.)
Merlin: Light Up For Me by phantomjam - You know, it's surprisingly been awhile since I've read an "Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic" story, which are ones I love and will keep coming back for more of, but they do tend to start to run together after awhile. What I liked about this one was that it wasn't about the betrayal there, so much as it was about Arthur's understanding without Merlin having to hit him over the head with it, you could really see the good man that Arthur was. But it was also about the connection it forged between them, the sex was only half the point, the other half being the way it drew them together and bound them even tighter. It was kind of really lovely the way Merlin's magic tied them together here, the way it wound into the fic and the way it nearly overtook him and even Arthur felt part of that. ....okay, I'm describing this badly, but it was a really nice scene. *__* (Arthur/Merlin, I'd say an R or so.)
Merlin: Not in the Room by franticsga - Oh, what a delightful little fic here, I really adored the author's narrative for Arthur, the annoyance that Merlin is distracted of all things is really well done, not too over the top to make Arthur a parody of himself, but still make it really funny. And Merlin is delightful as well, the writing of this is just so smooth and clean and really charming and I adore the friendship and possible something more that's budding here. Oh, also. A++ description: He was Prince Arthur of Camelot, not Prince Arthur, Despoiler of Shite Manservants. (Arthur/Merlin pre-slash, I'd say.)
Merlin: Weapons by asprosdrakos - Wolfie pointed this fic out to me, which is a good thing, because I haven't yet gotten around to reading merlinslash much, but. But. *__* Possibly it might make me a terrible person to find this fic so delicious, but the way Mordred could come back to haunt this universe is so full of potential and this is so dark and it's painful and yet this Merlin felt right and it's just. *__* (Adult!Mordred/Merlin, R-rated.)
Merlin: Uneasy Lies the Head by Uther - This is a breathtaking look into Uther's head, made all the more amazing because it was written so early into the first season's run and yet really does a brilliant job of making Uther an interesting character, one full of complexities and his own sense of doing what's right. The way he raised Arthur, the way he looks at his son, the way he's doing what he feels needs to be done to make Arthur a stronger king, the way he's so proud of his son for being able to stand on his own, even if it means Arthur is moving away from him, all of it is gorgeously done and the way Uther looks at Merlin here... it packs one hell of a punch. (Implied Arthur/Merlin.)
Merlin: Hunting Merlin by exlibris_tenisu - I was attracted to this fic because of the premise--Arthur realizes he wants Merlin and goes about it in his usual Arthur way, of hunting and laying traps and just generally being such an idiot guy about it that. That I love. It's not like Arthur has no social skills, it's just. As Meg once said and I have taken as gospel truth because I think of it every time I see the royal family together, Arthur was clearly raised by wolves. And this fic matched up really well with my feelings on Arthur and Merlin was adorable in his obliviousness, and yet I could believe that he wouldn't get it. Also, totally adorable and happy. ♥ (Arthur/Merlin.)
Merlin: She Walks in Beauty by jade_dragoness - So, for a fandom that often puts Gwen/Morgana in the background of its fic, I haven't run across that many stories that focused solely on them, so I was curious about how this would go. And just. as;ldkfjal;skjal yes, it's such a lovely and simple concept--Gwen becoming the best seamstress in Camelot for Morgana--but pulled off beautifully so that you can feel how much these two love each other. I only wish it had been longer or that there were more like this that were easily found. *__* (Gwen/Morgana.)
Ouran Koukou Host Club: Freedom As You Taste It by treeflamingo - This is a slightly different take on Kyouya than I usually read, but what makes me really love it is that it can fit with a character like him, who is the one that holds the most back from the others and can really kind of vicious inside his own head. So the angry, almost dangerous tone to his thoughts here was kind of delicious and I could really see him thinking this. (This is gen, but there is some Kyouya/Haruhi interaction.)
Star Wars: Love Stories by deaka - Every so often I get the urge to go read Leia fic in SW and this one just sort of sprung up on me, just a short little piece set between scenes of the movies, where Leia can't sleep one night and happens to run into Han. Of course the Han/Leia aspect is nice, but I think I liked it even more for what it said about Leia, the insight into her character, especially when Han tried to talk to her about it, but managed to infuriate her like always. It worked very nicely and was very easy to see. (Han/Leia.)
Star Wars: Idol by Fair-Ithil - Another short piece, but another one that has some interesting glimpses into Leia's character, as shown by Han's prodding at her and his watching her. She does stretch herself too thin, wears herself too hard for this new Alliance and she's really such a fascinating character and it's fic like this that reminds me of why she's my favorite, why this is such an interesting pairing. It's a simple fic, Leia preparing in the morning while Han watches her, eventually taking the brush from her hand to work it through her hair, but it says a lot more about them than just that. (Han/Leia.)
Torchwood: So Bad by TheSummoningDark - I kind of took a long path to get here, a lot of journal hopping, but eventually stopped to read because I've been kind of pining for more Jack/John fic in this fandom, but never looked that hard for it, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of everything else. But I stumbled over here and was surprised to find such a short little piece that was so powerful and so good, just what I wanted. For all that their relationship is a simple one, it's also a complex one, which the fic gets across without having to say a word of it. The connection and distance between them, two time travelers bouncing around like they have in their lives, that was done really well, too. And I really liked this take on John especially. *__* (Jack/John.)
Torchwood: Rude Introduction by 51stCenturyFox - More browsing of Torchwood Decaffeinated in order to find more Jack/John and I-- I really liked this. I love what a dick John was in this one, yet such a charming one and not entirely a bad guy, the kind you know is trouble and yet you can't help yourself anyway, which you could totally see he used to be. I had so much fun with the dynamic between him and Jack here, their first meetings and the way their relationship first unfolded, it was totally easy to see this happening. XD (Jack/John, maybe around an R rating.)
Torchwood: Excalibur, Week 1 by 51stCenturyFox - This is another short ficlet, but I liked the author's previous fic enough that I had to read this one, too. It's almost pure dialogue, Jack and John in the time they were partners and they're on a mission together, but it's fun and easy enough to hear the actors with their lines, yet still see that they're so much younger here. And I continue to love this characterization of John. XD (Jack/John.)
X/Tokyo Babylon: Going to the Wars by Sophia Prester - Oh, this was a breathtaking fic, a meeting between Lady Sumeragi and someone else in their dream, and there is so, so much here that's just. It's elegant and refined and gorgeously written, but it's the emotion of it, the pull on my fangirl heart and the brilliant look into this woman's life and her losses. Lady Sumeragi has often been ignored in fandom and, admittedly, she is a minor character, of course, but this breathes such life into her character. The little touches, the things she knows, the memories she has, the pattern on the tea cups, the feel of the sand under her feet, all of it creates this gorgeous piece. Just. Stunningly lovely. (No real warnings/pairings.)
Cardcaptor Sakura Doujinshi (scanslated) - Love the Island - There are two versions of this one, one that contains the porn scene and one that does. I snagged the porn one just because I was curious about it, but, honestly, it's just a random scene that isn't part of the story or anything, it's just a separate three page random thing that adds nothing to the story. Grab it if you want, but if you go for the safe version, you're really not missing anything at all. (And it's really the version I recommend, since the h-version was kind of randomly non-con.) That aside, asd;lfkjasl;kjaslkj THIS WAS SO FREAKING CUTE. It's pretty simple and straightforward--Sakura and Tomoyo invite Syaoran to the kids' Christmas party and you can just see Syaoran's feelings for Sakura really blooming and she's obvious feeling the same way for him and it's all about the walking home holding hands and smiling and thanking each other for protecting them and just. as;dfkljasl;kj everything that Syaoran and Sakura should be. I totally got the warm and fuzzies reading this, in exactly the way you should with these two, yet somehow not boring or too saccharine. Just. ♥ (Syaoran/Sakura.)
- Dragonball - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I actually came here in search of Tales fanart, but got distracted into the Dragonball art instead. And maybe the site isn't going to be for everyone, I found that I liked it in the way that I like any stop on a fanart spree, if that makes sense? It was an interesting contrast to everything else I'd seen this morning and had some illustrations I liked a lot. There are a lot of sketches, there's a rough quality to nearly everything on the site, but the slighted darkened/muted colors work well here and the artist really captures that sense of zany fun that Toriyama put into his work. I think that's what really got me--even when the artist put their own spin on the characters, you could still feel the connection to the original style. <3 (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Harry Potter - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I'd already been here for the Tales of the Abyss fanart, but I happened to notice that there was also some Harry Potter art here as well, which made me curious. I feel the same way about the art style here as I did with ToA--usually the stylized thing doesn't work that well for me, but when you put it with pretty, warm watercolor stylings, suddenly it becomes much more interesting. The artist also has a certain way about the art here, there's a sense of something adorable and warm-hearted about the art here, almost like Halloween-themed art, but that's not quite it. Though, the use of golds, oranges, and blacks does lend that certain feel to it. Whatever it is, though, it's an HP fanart site I quietly adored a little. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - ....asd;flkjasl;kja okay. I know. It's the fourth series I'm recommending the site for and I honestly didn't intend to, because the REBORN! art didn't even have its own section, you have to go through the etc. gallery to find it, but... Dino/Hibari art! I AM WEAK. Plus, I still really like this style, it's the right mix of stylized and watercolor-esque looks that it appeals to me and asl;dkfjaslkj the D18 stuff is really cute! ....well, actually, maybe it's not watercolor so much as... well, idk. Something. Shut up, I know this is a terrible rec, but I kind of love this art style and it's my pet pairing and there's even a Bel/Squalo image and it's like. It's like this artist loves me a lot. ♥ Very pretty and a light, easy site to quickly run through if you're in the mood. :D (Dino/Hibari, a smidge of other.)
- Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - dot.24 [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I'm pretty sure I've been here for the Tales of the Abyss art before, but I can't find this on my list of REBORN! sites, so. Well. (I do feel like I've been here for the REBORN! art before, because it looks familiar, but maybe I've just seen her doujin.) And it's not a perfect site, the art is often times a little off, but what the artist does to make up for that is some really beautiful colors, the soft and almost glowing kind that I adore so much. There's a ton of detail and the lines are so smooth that the whole effect winds up looking stylized and deliberate more than anything, especially because the b&w illustrations (what few there are, anyway) actually look pretty solid. But just. asd;lfjkasl;fjkffff I love the shading of this artist's colors, the way Hibari's eyes look shaded with both blue and purple, Dino's eyes are this really beautiful shade of gold and amber and I am weak to that kind of thing, okay? Also! There's a doujinshi cover with Hibari in a maid's uniform and still looking dangerous as hell and as;dlfkjasl;kj JAPAN. WHY DO YOU KNOW ME SO WELL. (Dino/Hibari.)
- Ookiku Furikabutte - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I know, I know. Already been here for the HP and the Tales of the Abyss art, but--! The Ookiku art is so adorable! It's more of the same stylized art that works here for me because of the pretty watercolor like feel of the images, the really delightful warm-hearted feeling and group images, the kind where everyone is smiling and clearly having a blast, that makes it fit with the original series so well for me. And as;ldkfjasl;jk the log art pages kind of threatened to make me explode a little from all the SUPER ADORABLE god. Seriously, the sepia colors of the log art pages was kind of killing me after awhile because it just. asl;dfkjasl;jk this is what I wanted! ♥ (Maybe a little Abe/Mihashi, but I'd say it's mostly gen and focused on everyone.)
- Tales of the Abyss - Chicory [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I really wish there'd been more art on this site, because I'm weak to this kind of stuff. And if it'd been just about anything else with this series, I don't know if I'd have caved on recommending it, but... the very first illustration! Of Nebilim with baby Jade and baby Saphir! So weak. Plus, half of the art on the site was all about the Keterburg characters and, well. Any site that has Dist illustrations on them, I'm going to be all over. There's not a ton of art here and it's not going to be for everyone, but I enjoyed it as a quick site to give a whirl this morning. (Possible pairings with the Keterburg characters, but I'd say no real warnings/pairings.)
- Tales of the Abyss - alCaphrah [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I was actually looking for more Vesperia art and just happened to stumble over this one with some really super-adorable Abyss art instead! It's not usually my favorite style, it's a little too stylized for me, but I really adored the watercolor like look of the illustrations. Admittedly I was charmed by the Luke/Tear illustration that was the first thing I saw here, but I actually like the site more on a gen level and as;dlkfjaslkj omg the ones of baby Natalia, Luke, and Guy are SO ADORABLE. The whole site was just... really warm-hearted and fun, with a nice variety of characters. And, oh, man, the log art was totally awesome and fun. *__* (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Tales of Vesperia - Rin2 [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - It took me awhile to find a lot of the good art on this site--there's a recent illustration of Estelle in full color that's just gorgeous as all get out, but beyond that, it looked mostly like sketches and doodles. Which weren't bad, but weren't blowing me over, either. But I kept poking around and eventually I did find the other color illustrations that the artist did and realized that the site was a nice little treat to find this afternoon. When the artist does for a more traditional anime-cel-style look, she's really pretty good at it, the colors are vibrant and so vivid, everything is so clean and there's a ton of cuteness here. <3 (Some gen, some Flynn/Yuri, a smidge of Duke/Yuri.)
- Tales of Vesperia - Tuonela [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I really went back and forth on this site for awhile, the color art wasn't bad, but it wasn't quite fully catching me. But then I got to the "nightmare" comic and a;lsdkjalsjkaslkj it was kind of really pretty! Comics are almost never what ultimately catches me with a site, they're usually the ones I skip over the most, but these... they really showed what the artist could do. Raven/Yuri isn't my pairing of choice so far, but the artist made it work pretty well here, if you don't mind it. Also, some of the later color art is definitely worth taking a tour through, it gets much prettier as it goes along. <3 It was, overall, a fun and interesting site. (Some gen, some Raven/Yuri.)
- Tales of Vesperia - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - Another site that I wish had had more art, since there were only about ten pages total in the section, but... it's really pretty stuff and the artist gave Vesperia its own page, so I'm hopeful that there'll be more in the future. Plus, I really like Yuri/Estelle and this artist does a terrific job with them, the anime cel-style coloring (when its used) is very solid and as;dlfkjaslkj the one of Yuri and Estelle in the field full of flowers! Where she's putting a crown of them on his head! I am weak, shut up. So, overall, it was a nice way to finish up the fanart hunting this morning. <3 (A smidge of Yuri/Estelle, some gen.)