![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brigdhIt's late February! What better time for a batch of Yuletide recs? These are all from fandoms starting with A to H, since that was as far as I'd gotten before deciding that it was really time to go ahead and make a post.
Princesses, Dancing (5047 words) by ForsythiaRising
Fandom: 12 Dancing Princesses (Fairy Tale)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Fairy Tale Retellings, after the end
Summary: An Afterword in 12 Parts
“What was it like, your majesty?” asks the youngest and boldest of her handmaids one morning, “To be cursed, I mean.”
A real deepening and expansion of the fairy tale, this is dark and tragic and vicious and a glorious reclamation. Absolutely wonderful.
Verecundia (6129 words) by parabolica
Fandom: Punic Wars RPF, Ancient History RPF, Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Scipio Africanus/Hannibal Barca
Summary: Scipio is caught scouting after the Battle of Ticinus and, taken to Hannibal's tent, he finds his enemy is not what he expected.
The writing in this is so beautiful, and though I'm usually not a huge fan of rival-ships, this really worked for me. Plus one of the best examples of 'fighting turning into sex' that I've ever read.
Suryavanshini (300 words) by avani
Fandom: Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Sivagami (Baahubali), Unnamed Female Canon Character
Additional Tags: Backstory, Pre-Canon, Triple Drabble, Yuletide Madness Drabble Invitational
Summary: Whetn she was very young, her mother whispered to her that two suns could not shine in the sky together.
It's only a few drabbles, but wow, does the author pack a lot in! Absolutely required reading if you've seen the movie.
The Peggers' Tale (1866 words) by kinetikatrue
Fandom: Badass Queens RPF, 12th Century CE RPF
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Eleanor of Aquitaine/Henry Plantagenet, Eleanor of Aquitaine/OFC, Henry Plantagenet/OFC, Eleanor of Aquitaine/Henry Plantagenet/OFC
Additional Tags: Pegging, Femdom, Threesome - F/F/M, Walking In On Someone, First Time, Virginity, POV Outsider, POV First Person, Power Dynamics, Kink Negotiation, Fabliau
Summary: List', maids, while I to you recount, / The queerest of things I did mount, / When to my Lady I'd come, newly.
IT'S MEDIEVAL PEGGING WRITTEN AS TRADITIONAL POETRY! OF COURSE I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO REC THIS.
Qui Peccat Ebrius (1282 words) by within_a_dream
Fandom: Benjamin January Mysteries - Barbara Hambly
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Hannibal Sefton/Philippa
Additional Tags: treat, Bittersweet, Discussion of addiction, Pre-Canon
Summary: Philippa loved him and hated him in equal measure.
I really should make a separate post for these Ben January fics, because OBVS I'm going to just go ahead and rec all of them. But they really deserve it, you guys! These are some of my favorite stories ever written in the fandom. Anyway. This one is a portrait of the relationship between Hannibal and Philippa, and it is so heartbreaking and perfect and absolutely right. I'd never thought too much about this pairing before, but now I am 100% convinced that this is how it happened.
Laughter and the Love of Friends (1581 words) by within_a_dream
Fandom: Benjamin January Mysteries - Barbara Hambly
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benjamin January/Rose Vitrac January/Hannibal Sefton, Consuela Montero/Hannibal Sefton, Morning Star/Hannibal Sefton, Hannibal Sefton/Philippa Sefton
Additional Tags: 5 Things, Domesticity
Summary: A man, from several perspectives
And then we have this fic to go with it, the dose of happiness needed after the angst! It's the best sort of Five Things fic, full of warmth and characterization insights and showing more than it tells. I really love the picture of Morning Star and Hannibal, but all of these relationships are written so well.
Hail, Hail (3095 words) by Corinna
Fandom: The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton - The Mountain Goats (song)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Cyrus (The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton), Jeff (The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton)
Additional Tags: Original Character Death(s), Inspired by Music, All Hail West Texas, The Mountain Goats, John Darnielle - Freeform, Friendship
Summary: The best ever death metal band out of Denton will in time both outpace and outlive you.
A really fantastically written story. Bittersweet and hopeful all at once, and a perfect epilogue to the song.
Seventeen Christmas Cards (3885 words) by cjmarlowe
Fandom: But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Megan Bloomfield/Graham Eaton
Additional Tags: holiday story, Post-Movie, College
Summary: "So is this a thing now?" said Graham. "Are we people who get Christmas cards?"
I'm not normally a huge fan of Yuletide fics that are actually Christmas themed, but this one worked for me. It's just cynical enough to balance the sweetness, and gives a great look at life for these characters.
A Light Turning Dark (3011 words) by saturdaynightfight
Fandom: Crimson Peak (2015)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Edith Cushing/Lucille Sharpe/Thomas Sharpe
Additional Tags: Threesome - F/F/M, Incest, Alternate Canon
Summary: Lucille just wants to protect what she has.
A happy ending that manages to be just as horrifying as the canon! This fic works in the color symbolism of the movie, which is so impressive.
A small hole at the top of the sky (2023 words) by marginalia
Fandom: Crimson Peak (2015)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Lucille Sharpe/Thomas Sharpe
Summary: He knew every ugly thing she had done and every ugly thing that had been done to her; he had mapped every scar on her body and still he thought her beautiful.
A really wonderful look at Lucille, with writing as lush and vivid as the movie.
red in tooth and claw (3401 words) by zlot
Fandom: Crimson Peak (2015)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Edith Cushing/Lucille Sharpe
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, POV Alternating, Misses Clause Challenge, Murder Wives
Summary: Lucille is familiar enough with other women’s bodies—intimate, even.
I loved this femslash twist on the story. Beautiful, dark, and so convincing.
Never Once Had a Smile (2449 words) by omphale23
Fandom: The Curse - Josh Ritter (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: The Mummy (The Curse), The Archeologist (The Curse)
Additional Tags: Cancer, Minor Character Death
Summary: True love never did her any favors, anyway.
Oh MAN I loved this story. I've always wanted a story for this song, and this fic is exactly what I would have wished for. It's just so, so good.
Entr'acte (1914 words) by avani
Fandom: Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Sophia Challoner, Canon Female Character
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Sophia Challoner seeks--and finds--her fortune.
There totally needs to be more Heyer femslash. But this is sweet and made me laugh out loud, so what more do you need?
a thing with feathers (19920 words) by hazel
Fandom: Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dominic Alastair, Mary Challoner, Justin Alastair, Leonie Alastair, Sophia Challoner, Clara Challoner
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Summary: It’s 8am on a Sunday morning and Mary Challoner is desperately afraid her sister is going to make a fool of herself.
Meanwhile, Dominic Alastair doesn’t believe that the social hierarchy defines anyone, which is why he’s always careful to smile and say thanks whenever someone does anything for him.
If you had said to me, "Brigdh, what do you think about a Devil's Cub Modern AU where Dominic is filthy rich and accidentally abducts Mary and the whole thing reads a bit like Rom Com Billionaire porn?", I would have said, "That sounds dumb and OOC, why would anyone write that?"
Well, the answer is because it's BRILLIANT and funny and romantic and perfect and it's not even my favorite Heyer, but I want this version to be a movie so I can watch it over and over and over again, and seriously READ THIS READ IT NOW.
A Song for Ruatha (22923 words) by Aishuu
Fandom: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Menolly, Beauty (Dragonriders of Pern), Sebell, Robinton, Jaxom, Lytol, Ruth (Dragonriders of Pern), Tuck (Dragonriders of Pern), Mirrim (Dragonriders of Pern)
Additional Tags: Worldbuilding, Travel, Politics, Between Books, Canon Related, Harper (Pern), Musicians
Summary: Journeymen journey, and Menolly must prove to herself and to Pern that she is worthy of wearing Harper Blue. Accompanied by Sebell, she undertakes her first journeywoman’s assignment to perform at a Ruathan Gather.
I really enjoyed this fic. Menolly is a great character, and of course I loved reading more about her, but what I was really impressed with was how this story expanded the world of the canon, and included a really wonderful struggle regarding the power of hope after a time of extreme hardship.
Under Fire (18617 words) by Frostfire
Fandom: The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Flavius Aquila/Esca Mac Cunoval
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Space Opera
Summary: Esca is a prisoner on Marcus Flavius Aquila's transport ship. What could go wrong?
It's a Space AU! A really well-done space AU full of world-building and pining and happy endings, and I love it so much.
Not At First Sight (1919 words) by brutti_ma_buoni
Fandom: Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre & Literature RPF
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Summary: Will came to London to write and learn. He's doing that. Kit is distracting.
A Modern AU of William Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe! Apparently I'm really into Modern AUs lately. But this one is SO smart with how it translates the characters, and is sharp and lovely and very insightful.
Going Clear (1352 words) by Nomad
Fandom: Famous Blue Raincoat (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat
Summary: Jane comes by with a lock of his hair.
Short but so powerful. This has totally changed the way I listen to this song.
Broken (13362 words) by the_alchemist
Fandom: The First Law - Joe Abercrombie
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Characters: Sand dan Glokta, Original Character, Arch Lector Sult, Glokta's mother
Additional Tags: Friendship, Torture, Aftermath of Torture, Recovery, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Crueltide, Disability, Mutilation
Summary: One year turns Glokta from a broken wreck who his doctors say will never leave the bed in his mother’s house again, to a slightly-less-broken wreck in charge of a penal colony in Angland. What happened during that year?
His mother wants him married, and since most of the good families have some ‘unmarriageable’ daughters and nieces cluttering up their mansions, her ambition is not as overly optimistic as it might at first seem.
Glokta has learned to want nothing – nothing he could want is remotely within his grasp, not even death.
But when one of the endless procession of well-bred eccentrics and rejects his mother parades past him turns out to need a friend almost as much as he does, he finds himself with an incentive to – with her help – hobble the slow and painful path from his bed to one of the places he most fears.
I didn't there was much to say about Glokta's backstory, but wow, I was really wrong. This is a perfect match to the tone of the canon, with that dark cynicism seeping under even the happiest of beginnings, but it's also a wonderful expansion of world-building, a hilarious take on marriage markets, and a very clever mystery. Just an unexpectedly great fic all around.
Touch the Sky (3022 words) by anr
Fandom: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Gwen DeMarco
Summary: Starships were meant to fly.
A really sweet love-letter to fandom and making TV and growing up.
The Green Year (18000 words) by Selden
Fandom: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Gawain (Arthurian), Bertilak de Hautdesert, Lady Bertilak, Morgan le Fay, Morgause (Arthurian), Gareth (Arthurian)
Additional Tags: Brief instance of parent-on-child violence, dubcon, Gore, (Mis)use of the backstory of a Catholic saint, Period-Typical Sexism, Period-Typical Homophobia, Gratuitous severed heads
Summary:
Learn to love, and leave all other.
Or: Lady Bertilak offers Gawain her body as well as her girdle. Here, he takes the first, but not the second.
An incredibly impressive, complicated, clever, creepy, and lovely take on Arthurian mythology. There's a great discussion in the comments too on the differences in the myths between German and English traditions, so don't miss out on that.
The Sins of the Emperor (3634 words) by kitrinlu
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Maia Drazhar, Csevet Aisava
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Flogging, Corporal Punishment, Rituals, Loyalty, Fictional Religion & Theology, Yuletide Treat, Crueltide
Summary: Maia, on an official visit to another country, accidentally profanes a sacred rite. The gods of his hosts demand a propitiatory ritual of pain and blood. Csevet—much to Maia's horror and guilt—volunteers to go under the lash.
Hey, you know the kind of H/C where one character sacrifices themselves to protect another? It is TOTALLY my favorite kind of H/C, and this fic is a delicious example of that. Plus, hey, flogging!
Blow the Candle Out (5785 words) by Zdenka
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Csevet Aisava, Maia Drazhar, Original Characters, background nohecharei
Additional Tags: Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Loyalty, Requited Pining
Summary: When Csevet is captured and injured by a faction opposed to Edrehasivar VII, the emperor's concern leads to a significant late-night conversation.
More of poor Csevet suffering on Maia's behalf. But it's so fun to read!
Clockwork and Stars (5529 words) by shadow_lover
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Csevet Aisava/Maia Drazhar
Additional Tags: Kidnapping, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Loyalty Kink, First Kiss, Csevet POV, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Symbolic Nail Lacquer
Summary: Once, and only once, he allowed himself a whimper. The sound echoed and echoed, childish and small, and he choked off the next sound before he fell apart.
Instead he prayed.
And yet again. Except this time there's lots of lavish description of nailpolish, which is a thing I have just decided needs to be in all fanfic, thus says me, so mote it be.
If He Could See Us Now (1386 words) by longwhitecoats
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Aaron Burr & Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton
Additional Tags: Desk Sex, Hate Sex, past Ham/Washington, PWP, Angst, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Masturbating at a funeral wasn’t the done thing, but Aaron couldn’t wait anymore.
INCREDIBLY HOT hatesex at Washington's funeral. This is a thing you all need in your lives. Yes.
Interlude (Rise Up) (3509 words) by Fahye
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/Angelica Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens, Alexander Hamilton/George Washington, Alexander Hamilton/Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton/King George, Alexander Hamilton/Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton/Everyone
Additional Tags: Song Lyrics, Yuletide Treat
Summary: BURRSecretary Hamilton, belay that shouting!
You protest too much, there's certainly no doubting
the other figments of your own brain would agree,
and so far there's been seven, plus me--but who's counting?
IT'S HAMILTON/EVERYONE WRITTEN AS RAP LYRICS. This is amazing and SO funny, SO clever, so just absolutely genius. I want it as part of the show NOW.
Listen to Her Declaration (4888 words) by probablylostrightnow
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Alexander Hamilton, Angelica Schuyler, Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Aaron Burr, Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette, John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, Thomas Jefferson
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Student government, Fluff
Summary: Nobody thinks that Angelica Schuyler has a chance of defeating Thomas Jefferson in the election for student government president at Union Academy. Newly arrived Alex Hamilton hopes he can prove them wrong...
A very fun High School AU, which ends in a fluffy OT4 for all!
Outside the Lines (2355 words) by BethCGPhoenix
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2015, Yuletide Treat, Metafiction, Musicals
Summary: Burr’s always been a little creepy, in Thomas’s so-humble opinion. It’s not just because he’d rather answer a song with a smile instead of a rhyme; he’s always got this look on his face like he knows something you don’t, like he’s looking straight past you to a future you. Those times Washington starts going on about history having its eyes on you, while Burr’s back there practically boring holes in his skull? Yeah.
Guess that’s what the Cabinet gets for hanging around with a narrator, though. They’re all like that.
Really interesting meta fic, that does super-clever things with having a character be both narrarator and participant, and aware of both statuses.
Processional (1756 words) by leupagus
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Aaron Burr, Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton, Philip Hamilton, Theodosia Burr Alston
Additional Tags: Dancing, Weddings, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary: Vice President Aaron Burr, Esq.
Desires the Honor of your Presence
At the Wedding of his Only Daughter and Jewel of his Heart
The most Remarkable and Wisest of Creatures on this Earth
Beautiful and Accomplished beyond all Reckoning
To
Phillippe Humlidon
A delightful and funny Theodosia/Philip fic, which I hugely enjoyed.
We all defend the role we play (8412 words) by holograms
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Voyeurism, sex by proxy, Masturbation, Redemption, Human Disaster Aaron Burr
Summary: The first time Hamilton appears, it's only a little over a month since he's died.
au where Hamilton is a ghost and haunts Burr after the duel
Surprisingly touching and also pretty sexy! I really love how this mixes the real history of the rest of Burr's life with the characterization and tone of the show.
Games Day (3131 words) by Daegaer
Fandom: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, Zaphod Beeblebrox
Additional Tags: Aliens, Gladiators, Humor, Cousins, Interplanetary Travel
Summary: Ford and Arthur are in danger of seeing a sporting event from far too close up.
A really hilarious, perfectly true to canon, misadventure. I laughed so many times while I was reading.
The Bootlegger (1904 words) by storm_queen
Fandom: The Highwayman - Alfred Noyes
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Bess (The Highwayman - Alfred Noyes), Highwayman (The Highwayman - Alfred Noyes), Tim (The Highwayman)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Prohibition Era, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Poetry
Summary: Cool was the breeze in the evening, along the darkened street.
The city was retiring, closing shutters at every suite.
But even in that stillness, you could hear the faintest sound,
Of the music that was playing -
playing, swaying -
The music faintly playing from the jazz band underground.
A 20s AU, actually written in the same metre as the original poem! This is so well-done and clever and I just love it.
vicalan (3019 words) by toujours_nigel
Fandom: Mahabharata - Vyasa
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Karna (Mahabharata), Abhimanyu (Mahabharata), Kunti (Mahabharata), Vrishali (Mahabharat), Draupadi
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence
Summary: Hear O King the histories that never came to pass.
I feel like I'm not quite smart enough to understand all of this story, but man, I love it nonetheless. All the tragedies of the original are turned here to hope and grace, and it's so lovely and heartbreaking.
Princesses, Dancing (5047 words) by ForsythiaRising
Fandom: 12 Dancing Princesses (Fairy Tale)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Fairy Tale Retellings, after the end
Summary: An Afterword in 12 Parts
“What was it like, your majesty?” asks the youngest and boldest of her handmaids one morning, “To be cursed, I mean.”
A real deepening and expansion of the fairy tale, this is dark and tragic and vicious and a glorious reclamation. Absolutely wonderful.
Verecundia (6129 words) by parabolica
Fandom: Punic Wars RPF, Ancient History RPF, Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Scipio Africanus/Hannibal Barca
Summary: Scipio is caught scouting after the Battle of Ticinus and, taken to Hannibal's tent, he finds his enemy is not what he expected.
The writing in this is so beautiful, and though I'm usually not a huge fan of rival-ships, this really worked for me. Plus one of the best examples of 'fighting turning into sex' that I've ever read.
Suryavanshini (300 words) by avani
Fandom: Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Sivagami (Baahubali), Unnamed Female Canon Character
Additional Tags: Backstory, Pre-Canon, Triple Drabble, Yuletide Madness Drabble Invitational
Summary: Whetn she was very young, her mother whispered to her that two suns could not shine in the sky together.
It's only a few drabbles, but wow, does the author pack a lot in! Absolutely required reading if you've seen the movie.
The Peggers' Tale (1866 words) by kinetikatrue
Fandom: Badass Queens RPF, 12th Century CE RPF
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Eleanor of Aquitaine/Henry Plantagenet, Eleanor of Aquitaine/OFC, Henry Plantagenet/OFC, Eleanor of Aquitaine/Henry Plantagenet/OFC
Additional Tags: Pegging, Femdom, Threesome - F/F/M, Walking In On Someone, First Time, Virginity, POV Outsider, POV First Person, Power Dynamics, Kink Negotiation, Fabliau
Summary: List', maids, while I to you recount, / The queerest of things I did mount, / When to my Lady I'd come, newly.
IT'S MEDIEVAL PEGGING WRITTEN AS TRADITIONAL POETRY! OF COURSE I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO REC THIS.
Qui Peccat Ebrius (1282 words) by within_a_dream
Fandom: Benjamin January Mysteries - Barbara Hambly
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Hannibal Sefton/Philippa
Additional Tags: treat, Bittersweet, Discussion of addiction, Pre-Canon
Summary: Philippa loved him and hated him in equal measure.
I really should make a separate post for these Ben January fics, because OBVS I'm going to just go ahead and rec all of them. But they really deserve it, you guys! These are some of my favorite stories ever written in the fandom. Anyway. This one is a portrait of the relationship between Hannibal and Philippa, and it is so heartbreaking and perfect and absolutely right. I'd never thought too much about this pairing before, but now I am 100% convinced that this is how it happened.
Laughter and the Love of Friends (1581 words) by within_a_dream
Fandom: Benjamin January Mysteries - Barbara Hambly
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benjamin January/Rose Vitrac January/Hannibal Sefton, Consuela Montero/Hannibal Sefton, Morning Star/Hannibal Sefton, Hannibal Sefton/Philippa Sefton
Additional Tags: 5 Things, Domesticity
Summary: A man, from several perspectives
And then we have this fic to go with it, the dose of happiness needed after the angst! It's the best sort of Five Things fic, full of warmth and characterization insights and showing more than it tells. I really love the picture of Morning Star and Hannibal, but all of these relationships are written so well.
Hail, Hail (3095 words) by Corinna
Fandom: The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton - The Mountain Goats (song)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Cyrus (The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton), Jeff (The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton)
Additional Tags: Original Character Death(s), Inspired by Music, All Hail West Texas, The Mountain Goats, John Darnielle - Freeform, Friendship
Summary: The best ever death metal band out of Denton will in time both outpace and outlive you.
A really fantastically written story. Bittersweet and hopeful all at once, and a perfect epilogue to the song.
Seventeen Christmas Cards (3885 words) by cjmarlowe
Fandom: But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Megan Bloomfield/Graham Eaton
Additional Tags: holiday story, Post-Movie, College
Summary: "So is this a thing now?" said Graham. "Are we people who get Christmas cards?"
I'm not normally a huge fan of Yuletide fics that are actually Christmas themed, but this one worked for me. It's just cynical enough to balance the sweetness, and gives a great look at life for these characters.
A Light Turning Dark (3011 words) by saturdaynightfight
Fandom: Crimson Peak (2015)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Edith Cushing/Lucille Sharpe/Thomas Sharpe
Additional Tags: Threesome - F/F/M, Incest, Alternate Canon
Summary: Lucille just wants to protect what she has.
A happy ending that manages to be just as horrifying as the canon! This fic works in the color symbolism of the movie, which is so impressive.
A small hole at the top of the sky (2023 words) by marginalia
Fandom: Crimson Peak (2015)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Lucille Sharpe/Thomas Sharpe
Summary: He knew every ugly thing she had done and every ugly thing that had been done to her; he had mapped every scar on her body and still he thought her beautiful.
A really wonderful look at Lucille, with writing as lush and vivid as the movie.
red in tooth and claw (3401 words) by zlot
Fandom: Crimson Peak (2015)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Edith Cushing/Lucille Sharpe
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, POV Alternating, Misses Clause Challenge, Murder Wives
Summary: Lucille is familiar enough with other women’s bodies—intimate, even.
I loved this femslash twist on the story. Beautiful, dark, and so convincing.
Never Once Had a Smile (2449 words) by omphale23
Fandom: The Curse - Josh Ritter (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: The Mummy (The Curse), The Archeologist (The Curse)
Additional Tags: Cancer, Minor Character Death
Summary: True love never did her any favors, anyway.
Oh MAN I loved this story. I've always wanted a story for this song, and this fic is exactly what I would have wished for. It's just so, so good.
Entr'acte (1914 words) by avani
Fandom: Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Sophia Challoner, Canon Female Character
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Sophia Challoner seeks--and finds--her fortune.
There totally needs to be more Heyer femslash. But this is sweet and made me laugh out loud, so what more do you need?
a thing with feathers (19920 words) by hazel
Fandom: Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dominic Alastair, Mary Challoner, Justin Alastair, Leonie Alastair, Sophia Challoner, Clara Challoner
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Summary: It’s 8am on a Sunday morning and Mary Challoner is desperately afraid her sister is going to make a fool of herself.
Meanwhile, Dominic Alastair doesn’t believe that the social hierarchy defines anyone, which is why he’s always careful to smile and say thanks whenever someone does anything for him.
If you had said to me, "Brigdh, what do you think about a Devil's Cub Modern AU where Dominic is filthy rich and accidentally abducts Mary and the whole thing reads a bit like Rom Com Billionaire porn?", I would have said, "That sounds dumb and OOC, why would anyone write that?"
Well, the answer is because it's BRILLIANT and funny and romantic and perfect and it's not even my favorite Heyer, but I want this version to be a movie so I can watch it over and over and over again, and seriously READ THIS READ IT NOW.
A Song for Ruatha (22923 words) by Aishuu
Fandom: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Menolly, Beauty (Dragonriders of Pern), Sebell, Robinton, Jaxom, Lytol, Ruth (Dragonriders of Pern), Tuck (Dragonriders of Pern), Mirrim (Dragonriders of Pern)
Additional Tags: Worldbuilding, Travel, Politics, Between Books, Canon Related, Harper (Pern), Musicians
Summary: Journeymen journey, and Menolly must prove to herself and to Pern that she is worthy of wearing Harper Blue. Accompanied by Sebell, she undertakes her first journeywoman’s assignment to perform at a Ruathan Gather.
I really enjoyed this fic. Menolly is a great character, and of course I loved reading more about her, but what I was really impressed with was how this story expanded the world of the canon, and included a really wonderful struggle regarding the power of hope after a time of extreme hardship.
Under Fire (18617 words) by Frostfire
Fandom: The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Flavius Aquila/Esca Mac Cunoval
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Space Opera
Summary: Esca is a prisoner on Marcus Flavius Aquila's transport ship. What could go wrong?
It's a Space AU! A really well-done space AU full of world-building and pining and happy endings, and I love it so much.
Not At First Sight (1919 words) by brutti_ma_buoni
Fandom: Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre & Literature RPF
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Summary: Will came to London to write and learn. He's doing that. Kit is distracting.
A Modern AU of William Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe! Apparently I'm really into Modern AUs lately. But this one is SO smart with how it translates the characters, and is sharp and lovely and very insightful.
Going Clear (1352 words) by Nomad
Fandom: Famous Blue Raincoat (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat
Summary: Jane comes by with a lock of his hair.
Short but so powerful. This has totally changed the way I listen to this song.
Broken (13362 words) by the_alchemist
Fandom: The First Law - Joe Abercrombie
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Characters: Sand dan Glokta, Original Character, Arch Lector Sult, Glokta's mother
Additional Tags: Friendship, Torture, Aftermath of Torture, Recovery, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Crueltide, Disability, Mutilation
Summary: One year turns Glokta from a broken wreck who his doctors say will never leave the bed in his mother’s house again, to a slightly-less-broken wreck in charge of a penal colony in Angland. What happened during that year?
His mother wants him married, and since most of the good families have some ‘unmarriageable’ daughters and nieces cluttering up their mansions, her ambition is not as overly optimistic as it might at first seem.
Glokta has learned to want nothing – nothing he could want is remotely within his grasp, not even death.
But when one of the endless procession of well-bred eccentrics and rejects his mother parades past him turns out to need a friend almost as much as he does, he finds himself with an incentive to – with her help – hobble the slow and painful path from his bed to one of the places he most fears.
I didn't there was much to say about Glokta's backstory, but wow, I was really wrong. This is a perfect match to the tone of the canon, with that dark cynicism seeping under even the happiest of beginnings, but it's also a wonderful expansion of world-building, a hilarious take on marriage markets, and a very clever mystery. Just an unexpectedly great fic all around.
Touch the Sky (3022 words) by anr
Fandom: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Gwen DeMarco
Summary: Starships were meant to fly.
A really sweet love-letter to fandom and making TV and growing up.
The Green Year (18000 words) by Selden
Fandom: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Gawain (Arthurian), Bertilak de Hautdesert, Lady Bertilak, Morgan le Fay, Morgause (Arthurian), Gareth (Arthurian)
Additional Tags: Brief instance of parent-on-child violence, dubcon, Gore, (Mis)use of the backstory of a Catholic saint, Period-Typical Sexism, Period-Typical Homophobia, Gratuitous severed heads
Summary:
Learn to love, and leave all other.
Or: Lady Bertilak offers Gawain her body as well as her girdle. Here, he takes the first, but not the second.
An incredibly impressive, complicated, clever, creepy, and lovely take on Arthurian mythology. There's a great discussion in the comments too on the differences in the myths between German and English traditions, so don't miss out on that.
The Sins of the Emperor (3634 words) by kitrinlu
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Maia Drazhar, Csevet Aisava
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Flogging, Corporal Punishment, Rituals, Loyalty, Fictional Religion & Theology, Yuletide Treat, Crueltide
Summary: Maia, on an official visit to another country, accidentally profanes a sacred rite. The gods of his hosts demand a propitiatory ritual of pain and blood. Csevet—much to Maia's horror and guilt—volunteers to go under the lash.
Hey, you know the kind of H/C where one character sacrifices themselves to protect another? It is TOTALLY my favorite kind of H/C, and this fic is a delicious example of that. Plus, hey, flogging!
Blow the Candle Out (5785 words) by Zdenka
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Csevet Aisava, Maia Drazhar, Original Characters, background nohecharei
Additional Tags: Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Loyalty, Requited Pining
Summary: When Csevet is captured and injured by a faction opposed to Edrehasivar VII, the emperor's concern leads to a significant late-night conversation.
More of poor Csevet suffering on Maia's behalf. But it's so fun to read!
Clockwork and Stars (5529 words) by shadow_lover
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Csevet Aisava/Maia Drazhar
Additional Tags: Kidnapping, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Loyalty Kink, First Kiss, Csevet POV, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Symbolic Nail Lacquer
Summary: Once, and only once, he allowed himself a whimper. The sound echoed and echoed, childish and small, and he choked off the next sound before he fell apart.
Instead he prayed.
And yet again. Except this time there's lots of lavish description of nailpolish, which is a thing I have just decided needs to be in all fanfic, thus says me, so mote it be.
If He Could See Us Now (1386 words) by longwhitecoats
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Aaron Burr & Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton
Additional Tags: Desk Sex, Hate Sex, past Ham/Washington, PWP, Angst, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Masturbating at a funeral wasn’t the done thing, but Aaron couldn’t wait anymore.
INCREDIBLY HOT hatesex at Washington's funeral. This is a thing you all need in your lives. Yes.
Interlude (Rise Up) (3509 words) by Fahye
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/Angelica Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens, Alexander Hamilton/George Washington, Alexander Hamilton/Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton/King George, Alexander Hamilton/Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton/Everyone
Additional Tags: Song Lyrics, Yuletide Treat
Summary: BURRSecretary Hamilton, belay that shouting!
You protest too much, there's certainly no doubting
the other figments of your own brain would agree,
and so far there's been seven, plus me--but who's counting?
IT'S HAMILTON/EVERYONE WRITTEN AS RAP LYRICS. This is amazing and SO funny, SO clever, so just absolutely genius. I want it as part of the show NOW.
Listen to Her Declaration (4888 words) by probablylostrightnow
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Alexander Hamilton, Angelica Schuyler, Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Aaron Burr, Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette, John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, Thomas Jefferson
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Student government, Fluff
Summary: Nobody thinks that Angelica Schuyler has a chance of defeating Thomas Jefferson in the election for student government president at Union Academy. Newly arrived Alex Hamilton hopes he can prove them wrong...
A very fun High School AU, which ends in a fluffy OT4 for all!
Outside the Lines (2355 words) by BethCGPhoenix
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2015, Yuletide Treat, Metafiction, Musicals
Summary: Burr’s always been a little creepy, in Thomas’s so-humble opinion. It’s not just because he’d rather answer a song with a smile instead of a rhyme; he’s always got this look on his face like he knows something you don’t, like he’s looking straight past you to a future you. Those times Washington starts going on about history having its eyes on you, while Burr’s back there practically boring holes in his skull? Yeah.
Guess that’s what the Cabinet gets for hanging around with a narrator, though. They’re all like that.
Really interesting meta fic, that does super-clever things with having a character be both narrarator and participant, and aware of both statuses.
Processional (1756 words) by leupagus
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Aaron Burr, Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton, Philip Hamilton, Theodosia Burr Alston
Additional Tags: Dancing, Weddings, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary: Vice President Aaron Burr, Esq.
Desires the Honor of your Presence
At the Wedding of his Only Daughter and Jewel of his Heart
The most Remarkable and Wisest of Creatures on this Earth
Beautiful and Accomplished beyond all Reckoning
To
Phillippe Humlidon
A delightful and funny Theodosia/Philip fic, which I hugely enjoyed.
We all defend the role we play (8412 words) by holograms
Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Voyeurism, sex by proxy, Masturbation, Redemption, Human Disaster Aaron Burr
Summary: The first time Hamilton appears, it's only a little over a month since he's died.
au where Hamilton is a ghost and haunts Burr after the duel
Surprisingly touching and also pretty sexy! I really love how this mixes the real history of the rest of Burr's life with the characterization and tone of the show.
Games Day (3131 words) by Daegaer
Fandom: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, Zaphod Beeblebrox
Additional Tags: Aliens, Gladiators, Humor, Cousins, Interplanetary Travel
Summary: Ford and Arthur are in danger of seeing a sporting event from far too close up.
A really hilarious, perfectly true to canon, misadventure. I laughed so many times while I was reading.
The Bootlegger (1904 words) by storm_queen
Fandom: The Highwayman - Alfred Noyes
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Bess (The Highwayman - Alfred Noyes), Highwayman (The Highwayman - Alfred Noyes), Tim (The Highwayman)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Prohibition Era, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Poetry
Summary: Cool was the breeze in the evening, along the darkened street.
The city was retiring, closing shutters at every suite.
But even in that stillness, you could hear the faintest sound,
Of the music that was playing -
playing, swaying -
The music faintly playing from the jazz band underground.
A 20s AU, actually written in the same metre as the original poem! This is so well-done and clever and I just love it.
vicalan (3019 words) by toujours_nigel
Fandom: Mahabharata - Vyasa
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Karna (Mahabharata), Abhimanyu (Mahabharata), Kunti (Mahabharata), Vrishali (Mahabharat), Draupadi
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence
Summary: Hear O King the histories that never came to pass.
I feel like I'm not quite smart enough to understand all of this story, but man, I love it nonetheless. All the tragedies of the original are turned here to hope and grace, and it's so lovely and heartbreaking.
