[ Chuck, Durarara!!, Glee, Junjou Romantica, Sherlock, Tangled, VOCALOID ]
SHARING TIME:
ღ - Same warnings as before! Pixiv needs an account, don't be an asshole about fanart. Assume all Glee recs are spoilery. Assume all Disney/Tangled recs are spoilery.
ღ - I've been updating my deviantART account and started a December folder (mostly a lot of comics and Megamind and Tangled and Bleach, as usual) and al;skdfjalskj I finally hit over 4,000 favorites. On deviantART. (Part of me is kind of afraid of what I'd do on Pixiv if they let me sort things into folders like devART does.)
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Chuck - 1 Fanfic
Glee - 4 Fanfics
Junjou Romantica - 2 Fanfics
Sherlock - 1 Fanfic
Tangled - 2 Fanfics
Durarara!! - 2 Fanart
VOCALOID - 3 Fanart
Chuck: anna saves the world. a lot. by omfgsh - I picked up the link for this somewhere (of course I've lost the tab I had it in now) because fic where Anna's a spy? Do want! And the fic lives up to the potential of that premise--it's short, but it only needs brief little snippets to convey just how hardcore awesome Anna is at her job, unlike some people. I love that it fits so very neatly with the canon and keeps the spirit and sense of humor of both Anna's character and the show in general. I love that it's so easy to slide this together with the actual show and it's now my preferred thought for Anna's character. (Some Anna/Morgan, some Anna/Chuck, but it's only half the point.)
Glee: i've tasted blood and i want more by aliaspiral - Oh. I never realized how much I wanted a fic like this until I read it here. Where Karofsky further loses control of the situation, where Kurt regains a lot of it. I love it because there's an edge of something entirely like malice to it that actually fits Kurt's character really well. I can't say it's particularly nice, but it's certainly very interesting and provoking. (Kurt/Karofsky.)
Glee: Hell to Pay by musiclover48 - There are a few lines in this fic that got me. The way Karofsky goes about his life, the way he tries to keep himself in check, that is what I'm looking for from this fandom. I imagine this fic is meant to ignore the post-NBK direction the character has gone in (which I tend to do when in the fandom, obviously), so it's an interesting take and a good set-up for some snowballing change here. (Karofsky/Kurt.)
Glee: The Mess I Made (1/?) by skyblueadvari - This fic... kind of reminded me of all the issues I have with Glee, especially with this pairing. Of all the disclaimers and qualifiers I want to write before each rec, but would get too long-winded even for me. But this fic kind of brought to mind a lot of those things I wanted to say, which are tied up in why this fic worked so very well for me, even at a point when I felt like I was drifting from the fandom again--which basically boils down to a defense of why I ship this and how I don't think it's that different from, say, Puck/Kurt. Which is a ship I've always wanted to like, but it just never quite clicked for me, and I think a lot of it was because I could get past the hurdle of Puck not being gay in canon. (Why this matters, I don't know, it's not like I don't separate fandom from the show already! Maybe it's just that I'm too firmly a Puck/Rachel shipper?) Then along comes Karofsky, who fits into a very similar vein of characterization, the rough around the edges jock type, and he actually is gay and interested in Kurt! Suddenly, I'm all over this! Granted, there's the more extreme bullying aspect, but, whatever, fandom and canon can be separate things, especially when fandom focuses on the redemption potential in a way that canon won't.
Okay, so, why go into all of that on a rec for a Karofsky/Kurt fic that's not really the point of this fic? I dunno, it's my site, I do what I want, all that. But also because I want to explain my mindset with these things, why this fic hit all the right buttons for me when I get why it's abhorrent to a lot of people. I love the potential for something better for both characters, but without forgetting that Kurt was genuinely terrified by Karofsky, that they both have issues to work on, that there will still be difficult patches and an uphill battle. Did Kurt agree to this a little too readily? Did Karofsky seem a little too at peace with himself? Maybe. But it's about the potential for a fun dynamic here and I really love the way this author has Kurt standing up for himself, the way he's not a shrinking violet, he's even kind of a bitch sometimes and that only makes me love him more. The author has a way with making me want to flap my hands with delight at the way the scenes unfold and practically had me skipping forward in the desire to know what happens next! The way the author tells the story is just so damn engaging that I got completely sucked in (despite feeling distant lately, as I've mentioned) and I really want more from this author! Like immediately. (Karofsky/Kurt.)
Glee: Everything by skyblueadvari - Well, as long as I was reading the author's Glee fic, I had to stop by this one, too. Normally, I don't care that much for reunion fic, but this particular pairing is making me really kind of fond of it, largely because it's more believable to have a pairing like Kurt and Karofsky working out after some time has gone by. You don't really directly see it in this fic, it's a short piece that's focused on the larger picture more than anything, the aftermath of everything being more settled, and that's what I like about it. I especially love the opening lines and Kurt's perspective on high school after he's left it behind for several years now, you can just feel how much more... settled everything is. It was really nice. (Karofsky/Kurt.)
Junjou Romantica: Forever and ever...and then some. by worblehat - Oh, this was wonderful. The author has a real talent for writing Akihiko's thoughts/narrative, the way it's equal parts batshit weirdo and fiercely intelligent guy who knows what he's doing, which shouldn't work, but with this character and this author, somehow it does. Misaki is adorable as ever, the only one with common sense in this crazy world he's found himself in, and he really has so much heart. I love the way they play against each other, the way it's a step forward with their relationship here, even if it's something as simple as a piece of jewelry. Being who they are, maybe it's not precisely easy, but it's still progress, and that's very nice to see. ♥ (Akihiko/Misaki.)
Junjou Romantica: And Then We Came by deecherrywolf - I am totally weak to stories like this one, the bits of flashbacks to Nowaki and Hiroki's first times with other people, then their relationship with each other, and the way Nowaki thinks of the differences. It's a simple fic, the point is half about the sex, half about just being a sweet scene between the two of them and I just. I'm still ridiculously in love with these two, I know. (Nowaki/Hiroki, NC-17.)
Sherlock: Apotheosis by Mad_Maudlin - Wow, I'm late with this rec. Awhile back, jesshelga linked this fic and recommended it strongly, so I picked it up soon after and started to read it. And pretty much immediately got sucked in because, yes, this is what I want from the fandom! Everything about the writing it me just right, down to the pacing and the research the author obviously did and the plotting and the little bits of foreshadowing and the details worked smoothly into the narrative, all of it worked beautifully for me. I love that it's a longer fic, but it needed to be to make this kind of storyline work, where John chases after Moriarty for three years and the price he has to pay for that, in his own way. Each scene contributes to the larger whole, and by the time I was halfway through the fic, it was also about the emotional journey that John Watson goes through. The separate from Sherlock, the way it hit the perfect notes between something platonic and something more, which is where I live with this series and these characters. The ending of the piece was perfect as well, it was exactly what the fic needed and it was incredibly satisfying. This is kind of a terrible rec, I wish I could capture the beautifully done heartbreak and how wrenching it was to read, but instead I kind of just want to keyboard smash my way through this rec. (Sort of Sherlock/John, but it could be gen, too.)
Tangled: What You Don't Know by Airplane - I've been eying the Tangled section on FFNET, occasionally poking at it, but not yet having really settled down with it. Then isadorathegreat comes along and recommends a few fics, I start with this one, and I'm kind of in love again already. I love this fic for what it does so very well--Rapunzel learning about what comes after kissing, the way the author works in more adult concepts into a Disney world, which meshes surprisingly well in his hands here. The way Rapunzel approaches her lack of knowledge, the way she is still naive because of how many years she didn't have anyone to talk to as she grew up, yet she's such a bright and resourceful person! And Eugene! The way he wants Rapunzel so badly, but he's genuinely in love with her and doesn't want to hurt her! The little scenes where they play off each other or other characters! Eugene and Maximus was especially grand, but I love Rapunzel and Pascal a whole lot, too. Oh, and the trip to the Fuzzy Duckling was perfection. I love the fic because it's about getting the two of them to do more than just light smooching, but also because it's fantastic and spot-on characterization and it's just so... damned charming and engaging! I need more now, plz. (Flynn/Rapunzel.)
Tangled: Playing Flynn Rider by P.I.D - Well, as long as I was reading Rapunzel fic, I had to at least pick up one more. I was browsing around and stumbled over this one to put into the "to read" pile awhile back, picked it up, and promptly became completely endeared to it. I love a good "[Character's] life is so hard, you guys" fic and Eugene trying to deal with adjusting to this new life is fantastic for it. Especially when Pascal just won't leave him alone and Rapunzel doesn't really want to do anything about it and he can't be alone with her hardly ever and he's not used to this new lifestyle and it's hard, you guys. I adore the ending of the fic and how charming everything is here! Man, I love these characters kind of forever. ♥ (Flynn/Rapunzel.)
- Durarara!! - [ Pixiv Account ] - I stumbled over this artist because of their most recent (at the time of the rec, of course) Shizuo and Izaya collage, with them in various different outfits from different points in their lives, and the lineart and the detail just really impressed me a lot. Then the artist followed it up with Izaya being hot and more beautifully done Shizuo/Izaya and then still more. The artist is sort of half about traditionally done art, half about mini-comics (which are less favored with me, but only because I love the artist's colors and detail in the more traditional style so much) but there's so much here that, no matter what you like, you should be somewhat satisfied. This is one of those artist who could pretty much be a professional artist, this is the kind of artist that drew me to Pixiv in the first place, because it's hard to believe there's so much amazing art for this fandom, just like this artist presents. Also, the Shizuo/Izaya part didn't hurt my feelings at all. <3 Also, also, the semi-parody images! I mean, butlers. Of course I was going to love this artist. (Shizuo/Izaya.)
- Durarara!! - [ Pixiv Account ] - I can't even remember how I stumbled over this artist's account today, aside from that I've been going through Durarara!! art for awhile. It's an interesting style, it's sort of a combination of sharp lines and soft colors, sort of watercolor-like, but that's not quite it, I don't think? Whatever it is, it creates a really interesting style with some fantastic images and I love that the artist goes for a variety of characters (well, at least compared to the usual Durarara!! fandom)--though, there's a lot of focus on Kida illustrations and frequent amounts of Kida ships, which is fine with me, I like seeing new things, especially when they're pretty. So, it's a combination of a bit of novelty and some pretty colors/lines that made me enjoy this account a lot. (Various pairings, maybe Kasuka and Kida focus the most?)
- VOCALOID - [ Pixiv Account ] - I stumbled over this artist for their Mikuo/Miku image, which I am kind of supremely weak for, especially when the artist puts so much detail and fantastic coloring into their images. Their Halloween art of the girls and Miku in the shade of a tree and her uniform are all pretty fantastic as well! The artist definitely has a fondness for Miku (which doesn't hurt my feelings at all) but pretty much everything looks amazing in full view and I love the glossy, shimmery colors the artist uses. This is the kind of art that keeps me in this fandom, no matter how much I try to escape sometimes. XD (No real warnings/pairings.)
- VOCALOID - [ Pixiv Account ] - There's not a ton of art here, granted, but! Two things! One, their art is seriously super pretty with Miku's epic hair and, two, the artist really likes to draw Miku a lot. I approve of both of these things! I wish the artist had done more because their colors are beautiful, those kind of nearly glowing jewel-like colors I'm so very weak to, and clean, sharp lineart and the occasional image that is fleshed out very professionally. It was a nice stop for a fix this morning! (No warnings/pairings.)
- VOCALOID - [ Pivix Account ] - I could swear I've recommended this artist's account before, but I can't see it on my list. One of the things I love about this fandom is how damn prolific it is, how this artist alone has well over a hundred illustrations for just the Vocaloids and that makes it so much fun to go through! The artist tends to focus mostly Rin and Len (who are in Append form! which I kind of like on them!) which is nice because you can really tell how much the artist genuinely adores them and how completely adorable they are in this artist's hands. But every so often there's also a cool group image or a cute one of Miku in the bunch, making it nice for more general fans as well! (Some potential Len/Rin, but a lot of gen, too.)
ღ - Same warnings as before! Pixiv needs an account, don't be an asshole about fanart. Assume all Glee recs are spoilery. Assume all Disney/Tangled recs are spoilery.
ღ - I've been updating my deviantART account and started a December folder (mostly a lot of comics and Megamind and Tangled and Bleach, as usual) and al;skdfjalskj I finally hit over 4,000 favorites. On deviantART. (Part of me is kind of afraid of what I'd do on Pixiv if they let me sort things into folders like devART does.)
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Chuck - 1 Fanfic
Glee - 4 Fanfics
Junjou Romantica - 2 Fanfics
Sherlock - 1 Fanfic
Tangled - 2 Fanfics
Durarara!! - 2 Fanart
VOCALOID - 3 Fanart
Chuck: anna saves the world. a lot. by omfgsh - I picked up the link for this somewhere (of course I've lost the tab I had it in now) because fic where Anna's a spy? Do want! And the fic lives up to the potential of that premise--it's short, but it only needs brief little snippets to convey just how hardcore awesome Anna is at her job, unlike some people. I love that it fits so very neatly with the canon and keeps the spirit and sense of humor of both Anna's character and the show in general. I love that it's so easy to slide this together with the actual show and it's now my preferred thought for Anna's character. (Some Anna/Morgan, some Anna/Chuck, but it's only half the point.)
Glee: i've tasted blood and i want more by aliaspiral - Oh. I never realized how much I wanted a fic like this until I read it here. Where Karofsky further loses control of the situation, where Kurt regains a lot of it. I love it because there's an edge of something entirely like malice to it that actually fits Kurt's character really well. I can't say it's particularly nice, but it's certainly very interesting and provoking. (Kurt/Karofsky.)
Glee: Hell to Pay by musiclover48 - There are a few lines in this fic that got me. The way Karofsky goes about his life, the way he tries to keep himself in check, that is what I'm looking for from this fandom. I imagine this fic is meant to ignore the post-NBK direction the character has gone in (which I tend to do when in the fandom, obviously), so it's an interesting take and a good set-up for some snowballing change here. (Karofsky/Kurt.)
Glee: The Mess I Made (1/?) by skyblueadvari - This fic... kind of reminded me of all the issues I have with Glee, especially with this pairing. Of all the disclaimers and qualifiers I want to write before each rec, but would get too long-winded even for me. But this fic kind of brought to mind a lot of those things I wanted to say, which are tied up in why this fic worked so very well for me, even at a point when I felt like I was drifting from the fandom again--which basically boils down to a defense of why I ship this and how I don't think it's that different from, say, Puck/Kurt. Which is a ship I've always wanted to like, but it just never quite clicked for me, and I think a lot of it was because I could get past the hurdle of Puck not being gay in canon. (Why this matters, I don't know, it's not like I don't separate fandom from the show already! Maybe it's just that I'm too firmly a Puck/Rachel shipper?) Then along comes Karofsky, who fits into a very similar vein of characterization, the rough around the edges jock type, and he actually is gay and interested in Kurt! Suddenly, I'm all over this! Granted, there's the more extreme bullying aspect, but, whatever, fandom and canon can be separate things, especially when fandom focuses on the redemption potential in a way that canon won't.
Okay, so, why go into all of that on a rec for a Karofsky/Kurt fic that's not really the point of this fic? I dunno, it's my site, I do what I want, all that. But also because I want to explain my mindset with these things, why this fic hit all the right buttons for me when I get why it's abhorrent to a lot of people. I love the potential for something better for both characters, but without forgetting that Kurt was genuinely terrified by Karofsky, that they both have issues to work on, that there will still be difficult patches and an uphill battle. Did Kurt agree to this a little too readily? Did Karofsky seem a little too at peace with himself? Maybe. But it's about the potential for a fun dynamic here and I really love the way this author has Kurt standing up for himself, the way he's not a shrinking violet, he's even kind of a bitch sometimes and that only makes me love him more. The author has a way with making me want to flap my hands with delight at the way the scenes unfold and practically had me skipping forward in the desire to know what happens next! The way the author tells the story is just so damn engaging that I got completely sucked in (despite feeling distant lately, as I've mentioned) and I really want more from this author! Like immediately. (Karofsky/Kurt.)
Glee: Everything by skyblueadvari - Well, as long as I was reading the author's Glee fic, I had to stop by this one, too. Normally, I don't care that much for reunion fic, but this particular pairing is making me really kind of fond of it, largely because it's more believable to have a pairing like Kurt and Karofsky working out after some time has gone by. You don't really directly see it in this fic, it's a short piece that's focused on the larger picture more than anything, the aftermath of everything being more settled, and that's what I like about it. I especially love the opening lines and Kurt's perspective on high school after he's left it behind for several years now, you can just feel how much more... settled everything is. It was really nice. (Karofsky/Kurt.)
Junjou Romantica: Forever and ever...and then some. by worblehat - Oh, this was wonderful. The author has a real talent for writing Akihiko's thoughts/narrative, the way it's equal parts batshit weirdo and fiercely intelligent guy who knows what he's doing, which shouldn't work, but with this character and this author, somehow it does. Misaki is adorable as ever, the only one with common sense in this crazy world he's found himself in, and he really has so much heart. I love the way they play against each other, the way it's a step forward with their relationship here, even if it's something as simple as a piece of jewelry. Being who they are, maybe it's not precisely easy, but it's still progress, and that's very nice to see. ♥ (Akihiko/Misaki.)
Junjou Romantica: And Then We Came by deecherrywolf - I am totally weak to stories like this one, the bits of flashbacks to Nowaki and Hiroki's first times with other people, then their relationship with each other, and the way Nowaki thinks of the differences. It's a simple fic, the point is half about the sex, half about just being a sweet scene between the two of them and I just. I'm still ridiculously in love with these two, I know. (Nowaki/Hiroki, NC-17.)
Sherlock: Apotheosis by Mad_Maudlin - Wow, I'm late with this rec. Awhile back, jesshelga linked this fic and recommended it strongly, so I picked it up soon after and started to read it. And pretty much immediately got sucked in because, yes, this is what I want from the fandom! Everything about the writing it me just right, down to the pacing and the research the author obviously did and the plotting and the little bits of foreshadowing and the details worked smoothly into the narrative, all of it worked beautifully for me. I love that it's a longer fic, but it needed to be to make this kind of storyline work, where John chases after Moriarty for three years and the price he has to pay for that, in his own way. Each scene contributes to the larger whole, and by the time I was halfway through the fic, it was also about the emotional journey that John Watson goes through. The separate from Sherlock, the way it hit the perfect notes between something platonic and something more, which is where I live with this series and these characters. The ending of the piece was perfect as well, it was exactly what the fic needed and it was incredibly satisfying. This is kind of a terrible rec, I wish I could capture the beautifully done heartbreak and how wrenching it was to read, but instead I kind of just want to keyboard smash my way through this rec. (Sort of Sherlock/John, but it could be gen, too.)
Tangled: What You Don't Know by Airplane - I've been eying the Tangled section on FFNET, occasionally poking at it, but not yet having really settled down with it. Then isadorathegreat comes along and recommends a few fics, I start with this one, and I'm kind of in love again already. I love this fic for what it does so very well--Rapunzel learning about what comes after kissing, the way the author works in more adult concepts into a Disney world, which meshes surprisingly well in his hands here. The way Rapunzel approaches her lack of knowledge, the way she is still naive because of how many years she didn't have anyone to talk to as she grew up, yet she's such a bright and resourceful person! And Eugene! The way he wants Rapunzel so badly, but he's genuinely in love with her and doesn't want to hurt her! The little scenes where they play off each other or other characters! Eugene and Maximus was especially grand, but I love Rapunzel and Pascal a whole lot, too. Oh, and the trip to the Fuzzy Duckling was perfection. I love the fic because it's about getting the two of them to do more than just light smooching, but also because it's fantastic and spot-on characterization and it's just so... damned charming and engaging! I need more now, plz. (Flynn/Rapunzel.)
Tangled: Playing Flynn Rider by P.I.D - Well, as long as I was reading Rapunzel fic, I had to at least pick up one more. I was browsing around and stumbled over this one to put into the "to read" pile awhile back, picked it up, and promptly became completely endeared to it. I love a good "[Character's] life is so hard, you guys" fic and Eugene trying to deal with adjusting to this new life is fantastic for it. Especially when Pascal just won't leave him alone and Rapunzel doesn't really want to do anything about it and he can't be alone with her hardly ever and he's not used to this new lifestyle and it's hard, you guys. I adore the ending of the fic and how charming everything is here! Man, I love these characters kind of forever. ♥ (Flynn/Rapunzel.)
- Durarara!! - [ Pixiv Account ] - I stumbled over this artist because of their most recent (at the time of the rec, of course) Shizuo and Izaya collage, with them in various different outfits from different points in their lives, and the lineart and the detail just really impressed me a lot. Then the artist followed it up with Izaya being hot and more beautifully done Shizuo/Izaya and then still more. The artist is sort of half about traditionally done art, half about mini-comics (which are less favored with me, but only because I love the artist's colors and detail in the more traditional style so much) but there's so much here that, no matter what you like, you should be somewhat satisfied. This is one of those artist who could pretty much be a professional artist, this is the kind of artist that drew me to Pixiv in the first place, because it's hard to believe there's so much amazing art for this fandom, just like this artist presents. Also, the Shizuo/Izaya part didn't hurt my feelings at all. <3 Also, also, the semi-parody images! I mean, butlers. Of course I was going to love this artist. (Shizuo/Izaya.)
- Durarara!! - [ Pixiv Account ] - I can't even remember how I stumbled over this artist's account today, aside from that I've been going through Durarara!! art for awhile. It's an interesting style, it's sort of a combination of sharp lines and soft colors, sort of watercolor-like, but that's not quite it, I don't think? Whatever it is, it creates a really interesting style with some fantastic images and I love that the artist goes for a variety of characters (well, at least compared to the usual Durarara!! fandom)--though, there's a lot of focus on Kida illustrations and frequent amounts of Kida ships, which is fine with me, I like seeing new things, especially when they're pretty. So, it's a combination of a bit of novelty and some pretty colors/lines that made me enjoy this account a lot. (Various pairings, maybe Kasuka and Kida focus the most?)
- VOCALOID - [ Pixiv Account ] - I stumbled over this artist for their Mikuo/Miku image, which I am kind of supremely weak for, especially when the artist puts so much detail and fantastic coloring into their images. Their Halloween art of the girls and Miku in the shade of a tree and her uniform are all pretty fantastic as well! The artist definitely has a fondness for Miku (which doesn't hurt my feelings at all) but pretty much everything looks amazing in full view and I love the glossy, shimmery colors the artist uses. This is the kind of art that keeps me in this fandom, no matter how much I try to escape sometimes. XD (No real warnings/pairings.)
- VOCALOID - [ Pixiv Account ] - There's not a ton of art here, granted, but! Two things! One, their art is seriously super pretty with Miku's epic hair and, two, the artist really likes to draw Miku a lot. I approve of both of these things! I wish the artist had done more because their colors are beautiful, those kind of nearly glowing jewel-like colors I'm so very weak to, and clean, sharp lineart and the occasional image that is fleshed out very professionally. It was a nice stop for a fix this morning! (No warnings/pairings.)
- VOCALOID - [ Pivix Account ] - I could swear I've recommended this artist's account before, but I can't see it on my list. One of the things I love about this fandom is how damn prolific it is, how this artist alone has well over a hundred illustrations for just the Vocaloids and that makes it so much fun to go through! The artist tends to focus mostly Rin and Len (who are in Append form! which I kind of like on them!) which is nice because you can really tell how much the artist genuinely adores them and how completely adorable they are in this artist's hands. But every so often there's also a cool group image or a cute one of Miku in the bunch, making it nice for more general fans as well! (Some potential Len/Rin, but a lot of gen, too.)