Resisting Everything but Temptation

Just read this. It's so good! Thank you for bringing it to my attention, Kathleen. ♥

kathleen_dailey posted: The whole point of fanfic

If you're not subscribed to Dasha, you might not know that they've been posting a new Highlander story. It's fantastic! (Not surprising.)

Up to the Challenge by Dasha
What if Adam Pierson had been a real person, rather then just deep cover?

Day 13 - Rec at least three fanworks.

I'd really like to get back to regular recs, and this day's challenge helped, as I just went down the rabbit hole of my Pinboard links for several hours. I went from almost 500 untagged links down to 159 108, so, progress? Still a lot to read, though. But here, have some recs!

Become You by frayadjacent
Fandom: Xena: Warrior Princess
Type: music vid
Artist: the Indigo Girls

What I love about it: What don't I love about this vid? On a purely aesthetic level, I'm in awe of how confidently rhythmic it is, and how the vidder makes the most of a 4:3 source, using the juxtaposition of camera angles, framing, and flawless timing of internal action together with all the beautiful color palettes of the show (and the instrumentation of the song) to make a coherent whole out of episodes that were quite visually dissimilar. But more than that, the structural clarity takes my breath away, and fuses the many possible meanings of the song into a coherent and rich story of the three most important f/f relationships in Xena's history. I've never before seen or read a fanwork that weaves these three stories together so powerfully, and I can't imagine one that could. It makes me want to watch the whole show over again, yesterday.

Wake Up Next to You by maichan-art
Fandom: Supernatural
Type: art
Pairing: Sam/Dean

What I love about it: I think this is my very favorite of this wonderful artist's Supernatural pieces. While I particularly love the highlights on Sam's neck and shoulder and Dean's cheekbone contrasted with the soft shadows on Dean's face, it's the expression on Dean's face that does me in. Rendered with such tender skill and understated detail (the freckles! The uneven spiky eyelashes!), a wonderful and convincing likeness (so difficult!), and most of all, the beautiful expression of that quirking left eyebrow together with the relaxed evenness of his features. I could stare at him like this, so vulnerable and loved and knowing it, all freaking day.

A Failure of Gravity by ameliacareful
Fandom: Supernatural
Type: fic
Pairing: Gen

What I love about it: This is a S11 hiatus fic, and it worked for me in a way that few others have. I discovered this author thanks to a recent rec on spn_littlebro, and while I also loved the longer story they recced, this one really hit me hard. It plays on the theme of "only one of us is allowed to fall apart at a time." The dialogue is great, and one thing I particularly enjoy about this author's works is that both brothers are rendered with equal care and sympathy. I'm a Sam girl and always will be, but I love me some Dean, and there's not much I love better than a Sam-sympathetic author who also does right by Dean. This story also hits just the right balance of bleak and hopeful—a perfect mix for hiatus fic.

The Beginning of Always by hafital
Fandom: Highlander
Type: fic
Pairing: Duncan/Methos

What I love about it: Where do I begin? It's no secret to anyone that hafital hung the moon as far as I'm concerned—yet after all these years, she continues to astonish me with her gorgeous, emotional writing. This is probably my favorite perfect storm of tropes (amnesia! last chances! I thought you were dead! friendship turns to passion! trust issues!) with an added found family dynamic and subtlety of character exploration that makes it an all-time favorite. This story brings all the joy and pure pleasure of reading fanfiction by someone who knows the characters inside and out, and who strikes the perfect balance between heartfelt emotion and quirky, thorny relationships that must be handled and teased out with care.

Day 3 - In your own space, post a rec for at least three fanworks that you have created.

Ha, I was amused to note that some people found it difficult to ask for things on Day 2. Not me! I'm like, yes, give me all the things! But this day is much harder. At first I thought, keep it simple and pick the best thing or most popular thing from each of my three major fandoms (Star Trek, Highlander, Supernatural). But that quickly became problematic, as I've never written anything in SPN that I was entirely happy with, nor have I ever been particularly notable for anything in that fandom. Plus, I love my least popular children best, always have.

There is a tag on Ao3 for "Author's Favorite," and I've used it a few times, so I went to see what came up under that tag. Interesting, self. So, here are two somewhat random things that I've tagged "Author's Favorite," and one that I would have tagged that way if I'd managed to post it there:

Lost in Translation (SPN, Sam/Dean, PG)
This was written early on in S7, and as such is fairly bleak and includes some suicidal thoughts. But I deeply loved most of S7, and Dean in it, and though not a long story, I always thought this was the closest I came to getting the character voices right.

The Midnight Clear (HL, Duncan/Methos, PG)
There's nothing like being assigned one of your favorite writers (and best fannish pals) in a fic exchange. This isn't the most popular thing I ever wrote, but it sure did make me happy—and again, I feel like the character voices are right.

Snow (Miracles vid)
password: alva | or direct download.
This was made as a collaboration with deejay, and I still find it to be one of the most satisfying vids I've ever worked on. The song choice was hers, and I thought it was inspired—certainly, it inspired me. I still adore this little 13-episode show, and I'm proud of the way this turned out. And, hey oh, if you should happen to watch it and are curious about the show, I have an old pimping post, here.

Spending too much time thinking about this one was uncomfortable, but I did realize that looking back over the 20+ years I've been in fandom, I'm far prouder of the vids I've made, overall, than the fic I've written. I could easily come up with vids that I'd recommend for one reason or another, though most of them aren't online. Stories were much harder.

What a wonderful day this is—two of my very favorite people in the world posted fantastic stories. It's a good day!

Perdition (7554 words) by destina
Fandom: Hannibal (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Summary: If Will can't manage to die, he'll have to live.

This story sings off the page. Or rather, soaks through it with atmosphere, with eroticism, romanticism, and brutal psychological precision and seduction—just like the show. Ugh, so good.

Pas de Quatre (55045 words) by hafital
Fandom: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Summary: "I guess this is it," he said, looking around at his team, these three who meant more to him than anyone else.

*clappy hands of delight!* This is a wonderful, long, emotional story full of feeeels and sexy set pieces, great moments of friendship and intimacy, and a deliciously vulnerable Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, as well as Natasha at her most wise, loving, and beautiful—all of them creating a family capable of bringing home a wandering Winter Soldier.

Events have converged in a happy way to remind me of one my all-time favorite Highlander stories on the very day most appropriate for re-reading it:

Ukiyoe by Dargelos
(Duncan/Methos/Amanda)
It's Easter, there are some great old movies on TV and Amanda knows where to get great Chinese.

Ahhhh, a classic. "Plow my Appian Way!" And the very first D/M/A story I ever read, if memory serves. Which, you know, it may not. But I'll choose to remember it that way.

I'm going to need a new icon with Aramis on it that says "Did someone say foursome?"

On with the porn:

Fair Trade by Suzie_Shooter (Athos/Aramis/Porthos, Explicit)
Delicious, funny, warm and clever, set after episode 1x03, when Porthos and Athos could both use some OT3 time.

Sins of Commission (heheh) by Suzie_Shooter (OT4, Explicit)
Written for a kinkmeme prompt of "Get on your knees, before he changes his mind." (Episode 1x08) So, so very glad that someone wrote the images that line evoked, and so perfectly, too.

And by the way, that spoilery photo I posted the other day? ( It gets better. )

Guess what's my desktop image, now? Damn, y'all. It's been years since I had a fannish desktop image.

I'm supposed to work today. I so, so do not want to. :P

( Treme series finale )

Am loving all the posting that's been going on around DW/LJ! Of course, it had to happen when I wasn't here to enjoy it, so I have a lot to catch up on. Good problem to have.

The two hlh_shortcuts stories posted yesterday were particularly fantastic. The first is clever and imaginative, and depicts a missing scene that I can't believe I've never read before in HL fic. The second is just astonishingly, jaw-droppingly good. And I think I know who wrote it. :D

The Paper Burns, But the Words Fly Free (Joe and Methos gen)

The Best Laid Schemes (Methos, Amanda, and Joe caperfic)

The venerable and immense Trekiverse archive has opened their eFiction automated doors:

New Trekiverse Archive

They're integrating with Calibre, which is super cool, and I hope to figure out how to do that for the Kirk/Spock archive as well.

In other news, ( cut for health update )

Let the quietest week of the year begin! I am so ready. My plans are to watch Beckett, catch up on Almost Human, Sleepy Hollow, and Glee, and read some good books.

Two SPN story recs for today:

In My Home, We Smoke Icicles by dear_tiger (Gen, Sam and Dean)
A creepy little tale about sacrifice and superstition.

lowering the bar by bertee (Sam/Dean)
Sam and Dean, pretending to be strangers. Silly, sexy, and adorable.

Also, hlh_shortcuts is live! \o/ I've only read two so far, but they were both fantastic.

I could talk about the day I've had, but let's not. Instead, I point you to some amazingly wonderful fannish things.

First, anoel made a Homeland vid to Drumming by Florence and the Machine, and blew my mind. If there is a more perfect song choice, I can't think of what it might be. But beyond that, the rhythmic intensity of her cutting, the use of the song, and the perfect understanding of the character of Carrie Mathison make this a special vid that deserves attention. Watch the bridge of the song, where Brody comes in and all the jarring jumpcuts and staccato-sharp edges suddenly begin to flow into harmony. And then watch what happens after, as Carrie flies apart but in such precise, clear stages. It's pretty much inspired genius.

Then, two SPN fic recs:

A Mobius Strip (Sam/Dean) by downjune—an SPN/Looper fusion written for spn_cinema that demonstrates the true meaning of fusion. I had the privilege of betaing this, but honestly, I didn't add anything of significance, because it was damn near perfect when I got it. I don't think you have to have seen Looper to appreciate it, but it's even better if you have. I just love this writer's mad skills.

and finally—

Rough Riders by rivkat (Sam/Dean, NC17)
This is labeled id-fic, and I wouldn't presume to debate otherwise, but it is also the hottest thing I've read in... possibly years. There are certain things Dean won't believe until Sam proves it to him.