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Surrender by AsreonInfusion (Mature)

Title: Surrender
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairing: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Categories: vampire, mind control, AU
Length: Medium [3303 words]
Warnings: dub-con and a hint that Cloud is probably underage

Author on LJ: n/a
Author/Artist/Creator Website: AsreonInfusion'S AO3

Summary: Cloud is forced to spend the night in the long-abandoned ShinRa mansion, but he's not as alone as he would like to think.

Review: This is an AU one-shot and it uses the spooky setting of the original Shinra mansion to great effect to tell a classic vampire story, that - with all the things that happen to poor Cloud in the original game - play on some of the game's themes to great effect. There are nice callbacks to Sephiroth's history as we know it and to the influence that JENOVA allowed him over Cloud in the game, bleeding into the classic power of enthralling a vampire can hold over his victim.

It is a dark, sexy story and with the mind control is definitely not for readers who like clearly negotiated consent. But that goes well with the eerie setting and the overtones of classic horror.

Surrender

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Frank Iero AI by The Lady Snarky Dame (PG)

Title: Frank Iero AI
Fandom: Bandom (My Chemical Romance)
Pairing: Frank Iero/Gerard Way; Gerard Way/Lindsey
Categories: AU, Apocalypse, Science Fiction
Length: Medium (4k)
Warnings:

Author on LJ:

theladysnarkydame
Website:

Summary: post apocalypse or cyberpunk detective agenc

Review: The wold building in this fic packs a real wallop for its length. The fic is a casefic, so the backstory on all the characters is left purposely vague.

Part Noir novel, part post apocalyptic Virtual world, it makes for a dreamy and dark cocktail that will drag you under and not let you back up for air until it's finished.

Frank Iero AI

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Twenty Times Uzumaki Naruto Didn't Die by Kraken's Ghost (Mature)

Title: Twenty Times Uzumaki Naruto Didn't Die
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: gen
Categories: ~~five~~ twenty things, future fic, darkfic, gore
Length: Medium, 14,849 words
Warnings: Blood, torture, gore, body horror and then some. Character deaths. Attempted suicide.

Author on Livejournal: n/a?
Author Website: Kraken's Ghost on fanfiction.net

Summary: Over time, Naruto learns what it means to be a Jinchuuriki.

Review: Had anyone bothered to search, they could've found shrapnel from the log almost a mile away. The boom is loud enough to scare birds into flight three miles away. An orange piece of fabric that used to be part of Naruto's distinctive suit drifts on the winds all the way to Lightning Country.

I love the device of writing a complete story composed of interconnected themed ficlets, whether it's five things or twenty things. This gruesome and thought-provoking what-if? fails to kill off Naruto multiple times in a variety of different ways as it addresses the consequences of being the host of a Jinchuuriki.

It's one of those stories that's told on a much larger scale than its word count should contain, rolling out enough emotion and imagination for a novel. The timeframe it's told over covers years, with the lives and deaths of other characters embedded in the tale along the way, leading to the most chilling of conclusions.

This is an old fic and was a future-fic at the time it was written. I've not read/seen Naruto-the-manga/anime since a while after the timeskip, so I can't attest to how it stands with where canon is now, but I doubt it could ever not still be worth reading.

The fic is linked by its format and a few references to two others by the author, but is not part of a series in a linear sense.

Twenty Times Uzumaki Naruto Didn't Die

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Bringing the walls down by Library of sol (NC-17)

Title: Bringing the walls down
Fandom: Dr.Horrible/Supernatural
Pairing: Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester/Billy (Dr. Horrible)
Categories/Genres: Apocalypse AU, Romance, Slight Crack
Length: 20895
Warnings: Incest

Author/Artist on LJ:

libraryofsol
Author/Artist on AO3: Library of Sol

Summary: They had names now, the men in the 1967 Chevy Impala were Sam and Dean Winchester, and they were trying to save the world.

Review: Written by one of my top favourite authors of all time. This fic is a mix between a sequel of Dr. Horrible and an alternative Supernatural future where the gates of hell stay open. It’s a world where there is a never ending fight happening against the forces of evil, Billy joins up with the boys to help them with their war.

What I love so much about this fic is the feeling it gives you of light in the darkness. While the world is a miserable place, these people find happiness in each other and Billy especially as he gives them his weird science and wonderful weapons straight out of sci-fi. Billy finally has a place where he is appreciated.

There is nothing sadder than the ending of Dr. Horrible. Where he is all alone and he chooses to become evil because the people who claim to be good do the most harm. In this fic he finally finds himself on the right side and finds himself a happy ending. If you want a well written resolution then you should definitely read this fic.

The incest only happens in the last chapter so you may just read the first two chapters and should be alright.

Bringing the walls down

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Subject: For the Love of the Game by metisket (PG-13)

Title: For the Love of the Game
Fandom: Katekyou Hitman Reborn
Pairing: Yamamoto Takeshi/ Hayato Gokudera
Categories: Character Exploration
Length: Medium (8000 words)
Warnings: Violence

Author on LJ:

metisket
Author Website: Dreamwidth AO3 Tumblr

Author’s Summary:
In which Yamamoto wanders through life smiling, joking, and terrifying bystanders.

Review:

How could exploring the character who joined a criminal organisation by asking seriously if he could play the mafia game be anything less than gripping?

Yamamoto is introduced as a popular schoolboy with a devotion to baseball. He is virtually a beacon of normality compared to the flashily murderous people Reborn introduces to Tsuna’s life. Yet, he greets these people with a cheerful smile, while Tsuna quivers in far. His father may be an sword-wielding assassin, but Yamamoto’s blithe unconcern is still pretty odd.

For the Love of the Game looks at how a post-canon Yamamoto might be affected by his experiences. How does he relate to the people in his life? What makes him afraid? Why is he still smiling?

As always, Metisket’s writing is very engrossing, giving a fascinating look into the POV character’s reaction to what is going on and an equally fascinating portrayal of the people they are interacting with.

This is set post-series, so if you’re not familiar with Katekyou Hitman Reborn, you are unlikely to follow what is happening at all. (Katekyou Hitman Reborn is not particularly deep, but it takes great pleasure in coming up with unlikely concepts and failing to justify them in any way, which stacks into being quite complicated.) For the Love of the Game isn’t more violent than canon, but it treats the violence a lot more seriously.

For the Love of the Game

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Hold It All At Bay by psocoptera (NC-17)

Title: Hold It All At Bay
Fandom: Check Please!
Pairing: Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmermann
Categories/Genres: Alternate Universe, Psychic abilities, Soul Bond, Drama, Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Length: Epic (49957 words)
Warnings: Consent issues by way of emotional projection

Author on LJ:

psocoptera
Author Website: psocoptera

Summary:

The theory of extrapolative synchronization of the mirror neurons was debunked back when he was still in his teens, so Jack is reluctant to mention that he can smell Bitty's pies baking from across campus.

Review:

As odd as it may sound, I really enjoy a little realism in my fantasy. Not realism in terms of how the fantasy world's people behave, but realism in the scientific sense. If a fantasy setting has magic, then there should be rules that the magic follows. If there are mermaids, then it would only make sense for them to have gills. And et cetera.

psocoptera takes the soul bond trope and dissects it through two differing perspectives: the scientific and the spiritual. Jack, who is extremely empathic, takes a controversial medication to dull his receptiveness to others' emotions. Bitty was taught as a child to redirect his attention in order to control his emotions, as they tended to reach out and influence others'. The contrast of their respective regimens alone is, for me, the most fascinating aspect of a story with a vast but lightly explored backstory.

Contrast in general is the name of the game in Hold It All At Bay. Not only do Bitty and Jack's upbringings contrast, but their reactions to their respective feelings differ in the extreme. They even contrast with their canonical and fanonical characterizations. Though Jack is canonically prone to anxiety, Bitty calms and centers him in psocoptera's story, and Jack accepts what he feels for Bitty with considerably more ease than Bitty does. A pivotal portion of the romantic plot is actually focused on Bitty's anxiety regarding Jack and the possibility that Bitty's forceful ability has accidentally forced an emotional attachment that Jack believed to be genuine.

The alternating POVs provide vast insight into Bitty and Jack's respective thoughts, but I found the outside POVs to be especially charming. They're well written with distinctive voices that give a strong sense of the personality behind them. The original characters that are introduced have flavor and depth, and while I personally disagree with psocoptera's decision to make Shitty not believe in ESMN, him and the other canon characters read so remarkably true to Ngoizi's vision.

Hold It All At Bay

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All the King's Horses by Lindenharp (G)

Title: All the King's Horses
Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing: Gen, Tenth Doctor, Donna Noble
Categories: Adventure, Gen
Length: Long [26 110 words]
Warnings: none

Author/Artist/Creator on LJ:

lindenharp
Author/Artist/Creator Website: Lindenharp’S AO3

Summary:A star empire is menaced by deadly creatures from the time of Rassilon. Will one lone Time Lord and a human companion be enough to defeat them?

Review:

Sometimes what I really need is a good canon-style adventure. Donna is one of my favorite companions and I was always a bit sad that we only got the one season with her and especially about how things ended up for her.

This is not a fix-it for that, but it’s a wonderful gen adventure that slots in right in between the episodes we have for her and the Doctor. The interactions and dialogue are very in character (in the beginning Donna seems a bit smart in the wrong way, but that soon levels back to canon Donna brilliance).

It’s a brilliantly crafted adventure story too, that could very well be an episode. Lindenharp does an amazing job of fleshing out the details of the Time War and Time Lord history. I found the world-building she did for the ancient alien civilization they encounter and all the traditions and costums of theirs very engaging and I love the underlying story of culture clash, especially because it’s also a story of how people from different cultures can work together and come to understand each other better.

It’s a wonderful read all around.

All the King's Horses

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Trust Falls by Alchemy Alice (R)

Title: Trust Falls
Fandom: Marvel MCU
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Categories: AU, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Length: Medium (17k)
Warnings: Depression, PTSD Suicidal Thoughts

Author on LJ:

alchemyalice
Website: AlchemyAlice

Summary: He watched Cap—Rogers—take in the gleaming armour on the floor, the outfit Tony had on, and the utilitarian but still fairly sophisticated interior of the medical bay. Watched as consternation gave way to creeping dread. “How long?” he asked, after a long moment. He sounded hoarse and far off. “Have we won?”
The door slammed open and both of them jumped. Tony put a hand tentatively on Cap’s wrist. Cap looked at him, watchful, but more trusting than Tony deserved. He tried to keep his voice steady.
“We won,” he said. “We won seventy years ago. My name’s Tony Stark. I’m Howard’s son.”

Review: How much do I love fics that actually address PTSD? A Ton. As you've probably noticed by this point in reading the fics I've recced.

This is Steve Rogers fresh out of the ice and terribly wounded by the war. Mixed with a Tony Stark who just recently became Iron Man.Two men walking the path of trauma recovery and helping each other along the way.

Despite my raptures about PTSD, it is really the way that this fic is written completely without the over the top villainy that you see in the movies. Yes they are superheros who are out saving the world, but they are also regular people living their lives.

Trust Falls

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Moving Forward by Csakuras (unrated)

Title: Moving Forward
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: gen
Categories: character study, fanvid, MMV (Manga Music Video)
Length: vid, 4min12s
Warnings: Some blood/horror and child characters in dire situations as per canon.

Author on Livejournal: n/a?
Author Website: Csakuras on YouTube | On AMV.org (as greyrose)

Summary: A tribute to Edward Elric.

Review: I will not be beaten//You have yet to see me shining, shining//I wont take this lying down

If you haven't stumbled across MMVs ever, they're simply still comic strip manga panels trimmed and edited and then vidded to music... the same as AMVs are the animated clips vidded to music. I think this particular video was the first MMV I ever encountered and it made an impression, managing to achieve unexpected heights with monochrome manga panels, song choice and timing, and I've always found it to have a real emotional impact in delivering the character's story.

The song (which I suspect I might not like so much in other circumstances) is perfect, and the vid captures all the arrogance and failure, pride and strength and contradictions and tragedy of Edward Elric, in a fashion I've yet to see matched by vidding the anime. This is one of those favourites I used to play on repeat when I was desperately awaiting the next chapters of the manga.

The vid is downloadable on AMV.org or streaming on YouTube.

Moving Forward

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Running on Air by Eleventy7 (PG-13)

Title: Running on Air
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy
Categories/Genres: Cold Case, Mystery, Drama
Length: 74,885
Warnings:

Author/Artist on AO3: Eleventy7

Summary: Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

Review: This is a fic that makes your heart ache and will be with you till the end of time. Nostalgia and Wistfulness packed in a bottle. It hits you right in your chest, so subtly dragging you back to times in your life when you’ve isolated yourself because it’s easier to run away then let other people see your pain.

It honestly makes you pine for a car of your own and to drive forever. It’s a fic about finding yourself and how it’s a journey all of us have to face. It’s a beautiful fic with a happy ending.

Running on Air

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Freeze on the Stones by Robin4 (NC-17)

Title: Freeze on the Stones
Fandom: Once Upon A Time
Pairing: Belle/Rumplestiltskin, Emma/?, Regina/?
Categories: Drama, AU, For Want Of A Nail, Darker and Grittier, Romance, Family, Redemption
Length: Super-Epic (635 000 words)
Warnings: Non-con, Torture, lots of non-consensual things going on, violence, a couple of the more evil characters die

Author Website: Robin 4 on AO3 or Robin 4 on fanfiction.net

Author’s Summary:
One choice can change fate. Regina chooses love, Snow stays silent, and Cora casts the curse. Rumplestiltskin knows that trusting Cora with that much power is dangerous—but he has no choice if he wants to find his son. 28 years later, Gold and Regina awaken in Storybrooke and must work together to make the Savior believe.
Yes, this Storybrooke is far darker than the one you know.

Regarding the warnings:
A theme that comes up several times in Freeze on the Stones is the nature of consent and responsibility. Multiple characters are magically mind-controlled in various ways and encouraged or forced to harm or betray others. The different approaches and the different ways characters deal with it are interesting, but unflinching.

If you’re not comfortable with reading about people being trapped or forced into doing things, I’d definitely advise giving this fic a miss. None of the bad stuff is romanticised, but a lot of it is graphic. (Also, two men become better people because they are in love with good women. Which seems like a rather dodgy message to me.)

Review:
Freeze on the Stones assumes knowledge of canon. I would expect someone unfamiliar with canon to find the characters and circumstances hard to follow. However, the story takes the time to develop the characters it focuses on, so a basic grasp of the TV series is definitely enough to get you through.

Despite being a very long story, Freeze on the Stones is actually relatively fast-paced. It follows multiple people at any point and generally gives them one scene a chapter for the length of their story arc. Unusually for this style of writing, I only rarely found one story arc less compelling than the others. All the scenes were all well-written enough to be compelling, even when I didn’t particularly care for the main characters.

As you have probably gathered, this is a for want of a nail alternate universe, which explores what might have happened had it been Cora who cast the curse that created Storybrooke. While the result is very recognisable - the same characters in the same area in similar circumstances - there are many fascinating reversals from canon Season 1.

One of the more interesting themes it explores is Rumplestiltskin’s relationship with power. In canon, he feels extremely powerless without his magic, despite having sufficient money, reputation and blackmail to unquestionably be the most powerful person in town. In Freeze on the Stones, he is faced with a mayor who has the magical knowledge and viciousness to threaten him. It’s enjoyable to watch him deal with both that and a more equal relationship with the heroes.

Regina’s story is not about choosing between power and the people who love her, but about endlessly attempting to save the people she loves from her mother. It makes for less character development, as Regina simply ages to be more confident and caring. However, she is more active as a hero than a villain, so we still get a good look at her character and it is hard not to feel for her quiet sadness, calm compassion and desperate need to protect those she loves.

Freeze on the Stones at AO3
Freeze on the Stones at ff.net

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Shadows in the River Fog series by NoHolds (PG-15)

Title: Shadows in the River Fog series
Fandom: Dishonored
Pairing: Gen
Categories/Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Family, Violence, Low Chaos
Length: Medium (13,183 words)
Warnings: Canonical character death, child abuse

Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: NoHolds

Summary:

Corvo Attano continues to defy expectation.

Review:

Joining the ranks of many similar video games, Dishonored's Corvo Attano is a silent protagonist. He's a blank slate with no reactions beyond what the player chooses to assign to him. Whether he massacres his way through the game or puts every single NPC he can find into a sleeper hold is utterly up to the player's discretion, though the end is, uncommonly, influenced by the means.

What NoHolds does is generate Corvo's personality, mannerisms, and even posture all from scratch. She invents him, fills him in like a coloring page even as she makes him suit her image. It truly is a marvelous thing to see.

Each story in the series is from the perspective of a different character, and each in their turn describes Corvo through the filter of their experiences with him. Samuel, a stranger, looks on in curiosity. Daud reflects on his guilt. Emily's soft, kind memories are torn ragged by what she experiences at the hands of her kidnappers and what she is told by them about Corvo. Through each tinted lens they provide, the reader is able to glean something new about NoHold's imagining of Corvo, and the picture each glimpse paints is a marvelous portrait indeed.

Shadows in the River Fog

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the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world by thyrza (NC-17)

Title: the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world
Fandom: Iron Man Noir
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Categories: Romance, Angst, Drama, Post-Canon
Length: Long [~25 000]
Warnings: Comic Book Violence, some mentions of medical procedures that can be uncomfortable

Author on LJ:

stray_heart/thyrza
Author Website: thyrza's AO3

Summary: Tony Stark disappeared without a word at the close of World War II, and hasn't been seen or heard from since. When Commander Steve Rogers, newly retired from the mantle of Captain America, arrives in Madripoor to investigate the presence of a Hydra cell, he is reunited with his former lover. But Tony is keeping secrets of his own ... and Steve soon finds out he isn't the only person interested in Tony Stark's missing years.

Review:

This is a Steve/Tony story written for the Cap/Iron Man Big Bang a couple of years ago and and even better for one of the more obscure canon versions of Tony Stark. It’s based on the Iron Man Noir mini-series from 2010 in which Tony Stark is not only a genius inventor, but also an Indiana Jones style adventurer with his own pulp magazine that fictionalizes his exploits. He has run-in’s with Nazi’s like Baron von Strucker and Baron Zemo and it’s implied at the end that he’ll join the war effort at the end of the comic.

This Big Bang story takes that as a given and jumps ahead in time to the post-war era and is told entirely from the perspective of Steve, who we learn was indeed Captain America during World War II and is now “retired”, but still works for SHIELD - not as Captain America, but as Steve Rogers. Tony Stark has vanished right after the war and his whereabouts and reasons for leaving remain a mystery to Steve until he’s sent on a new mission.

While the main story takes place in 1947, the set-up and most of the exposition, is done very deftly through the use of flashbacks, that give us the missing background for the romance and go into some details of their time together during the war, before the real action starts.

The story is very well written and has some of the most heart-breaking angsty Tony moments imaginable. It does go some dark places, before things get better, but nothing darker than the original mini-series (which was full of pulpy violence and noir themes). The author does a good job of using the cast and little details that the mini-series’ worldbuilding provided and add re-interpretations of other Marvel universe plots and characters to build upon it. It’s a very engaging read, a very emotional adventures and some of the moments of desperation and fear driving the main characters here were probably among the best I ever read.

It’s likely helpful to know the gist of the 4 issue mini-series, but there is so much original worldbuilding going on here that it can also be read without much canon knowledge.

the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world

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Hazy by Minuiko

Title: Hazy
Fandom: Marvel MCU
Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers
Categories: Angst, Friendship, Post-Canon,
Length: 1.5 minutes
Warnings:

Author on LJ:
Website: Minuiko on Tumblr

Summary: If I forget who I am would you please remind me?

Review: This is a beautiful lyrics comic. The colors and art are amazing. And Minuiko picked the perfect song to use for Bucky and Steve's relationship

It is fairly short but definitely worth a watch.

Comic
Video

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Defender by Kalliopeia (Teen)

Title: Defender
Fandom: Haven
Pairing: gen
Categories: friendship, kids, bittersweet, pre-canon, child pov
Length: Medium, 2,820 words
Warnings: Bullying (perpetrated by a teacher, no less) and prejudice, cruelty to animals, implied childhood abuse (physical or psychological) and implied neglect (pretty much canonical). Some blood.

Author on Livejournal: n/a?
Author Website: Kalliopeia on fanfiction.net

Summary: Nathan and Duke, age seven, shave their second grade teacher's cat. Come for the shenanigans, stay for the implications. Not intended as a fluff piece.

Review: Again I bring a fic that to all intents and purposes should be fluffy, and comedic, and cute, and in actuality definitely isn't. The adorable moments and the funny moments (there are a few) are far outweighed by the depths of Haven's history and vast divisions lurking in the background underneath. From a seven year old perspective of innocence, nothing is spelled out, so this fic rewards canon knowledge for what exactly is going on between the adult characters. There are some downright disturbing implications between the lines, to be honest. We know what happened to this relationship next, but not exactly what happened to degenerate things to the level of the Tacks Incident.

But everything is so simple and innocent here, in this snapshot of a childhood event between two friends supposed to be on opposite sides of the town's divide. The basic idea, of seven year old Duke deciding to be the defender of Nathan, is just too heartbreaking in context.

You may get another bonus Haven rec from me today or tomorrow, if I have chance, to celebrate this week's return of the show's (probable) final season.

Defender

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Just wanna take him home by Lady_Ragnell (PG-13)

Title: Just wanna take him home
Fandom: Daredevil
Pairing: Matt Murdock/Foggy Nelson
Categories/Genres: Hurt/Comfort
Length:12918
Warnings: Prostitution - Only mentioned really

Author/Artist on AO3:

Summary:Foggy mostly takes little old ladies to parties doing escort jobs, which he's fine with. Getting hired to spend two hours hugging a lawyer is kind of a departure. He should have known it would all get complicated fast.

Review: I read this pairing before I watched the show. I thought the whole fandom had softened the character’s. I thought they had to have done. No TV show could have character’s this sweet and I had heard the show was violent so it just didn’t mesh as an idea in my head.

The character’s are softened somewhat but not by much and no story got across how their bright smiles make you fall in love. This fic for me is kind of a fantasy played out. Matt is the ultimate hurt/comfort for anyone who loves that kind of thing, for this moment especially.

Foggy knows how to hug tricks, and it isn't how he hugs Matt. He hugs Matt like he hugs his nieces and nephews when they're crying, just gets in his space and wraps him up. Matt stiffens for a second—stupid, Foggy should probably have warned him, it's not like he can see Foggy coming—and then relaxes, clutching on to the front of Foggy's shirt.

Matt Murdock needs a hug and this fic is filled with them.

Just wanna take him home

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Heard It Through The Heart Line by EeveebethFejvu (PG-13)

Title: Heard It Through The Heart Line
Fandom: Dishonored
Pairing: Gen
Categories/Genres: Alternate Universe, Humor, Crack
Length: Medium (7064 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on LJ:

eeveebethfejvu
Author Website: EeveebethFejvu

Summary:

The Heart reveals many secrets about the world and the people around Corvo. Sometimes too many secrets.

If Corvo didn't know any better, he might even say the Heart is a bit of a gossip.

Review:

Dishonored is a terribly serious game. Certainly not one that comes to mind in association with words like 'humor' or 'punchline'. What little humor there is to be found is usually of the darkly cynical variety, as opposed to the lighter fare of, say, Portal and its sequel.

But with the addition of a single quirk, EveebethFejvu heaps hilarity and horror in equal measure on Corvo Attano's already burdened shoulders. As it turns out, Jessamine Kaldwin is even more of a gossip in death than she was in life.

My appreciation for this fic goes deeper than the admittedly hilarious details that the Heart reveals about the game's cast of characters. By laying bare all their secret thoughts, fictional or no, EveebethFejvu makes a point of reminding us that we are all more than we appear--that behind the transient glimpse of every stranger we pass on the street, or even the familiar face of a neighbor, coworker, friend, or family member, there is a life story that includes the good and bad, the exciting and dull, and any of an infinite combination of sexual proclivities ranging from the mundane to the exceptionally bizarre.

Heard It Through The Heart Line

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feet been draggin’ cross the ground by celaenos (PG-13)

Title: feet been draggin’ cross the ground
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Gen with Dawn and Buffy, background Buffy/Faith
Categories: drama, family, hurt/comfort, romance
Length: Long [17784words]
Warnings: canon typical violence

Author/Artist/Creator on LJ:

celaenos
Author/Artist/Creator Website: celaenos' AO3

Summary: Dawn goes along with Buffy on a seemingly endless road trip after Sunnydale blows up. Stubbornly avoiding their friends, and any semblance of normalcy, they try to figure out just what the hell they are supposed to do with their lives now.

Review:

I do remember that the first time I tried to read the fic I stopped after the first few scenes, because I felt there were some clunky sentences. Then later I sat down again, because I'm a sucker for a good fic about the Summers sisters and even more for Buffy/Faith and that time I read it in one setting and what I found was an amazing fic.

It's set post-canon and Buffy feels lost without her mission, instead of joining the scoobies she and Dawn set out on a road trip across the country. It's a fic about the sisters and their relationship and how life changes for them, how they deal with being or not being the Slayer and a girl that technically isn't real, but the Key. It has wonderful bonding moment and wonderful humor. It's also about Buffy running away from facing the feeling she might have for Faith.

It also does a good job of showing how both Buffy and Dawn slowly figure themselves out and find their way.

It's wonderful. The characterisation and slow progression is perfect and highlights the confusion and the feeling of being aimlessly adrift. There are just so many unique and wonderful women around in this fic and it makes for a wonderful highly recommended read.

feet been draggin’ cross the ground

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Winters Children by Neery (R)

Title: Winters Children
Fandom: Marvel MCU
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Bucky Rogers
Categories: AU, Kids, Friendship, Family, Romance
Length: Epic (67k)
Warnings: PTSD, Child Abuse, Domestic

Author on LJ:

neery
Website: Neery's Ao3

Summary: When their attempts to recreate the super soldier serum failed, Hydra started trying to breed Captain America clones from his genetic samples. Unfortunately, the serum's effects aren't passed down genetically, so instead of an army of tiny Captain Americas, they get a bunch of tow-headed, asthmatic, allergic, immuno-compromised little Steves.

And then the Winter Soldier stumbles across Hydra's failed experiment...

Review: Baby Steve Roger clones and actual realistic PTSD issues, What more could a girl want?

Neery did a great job with this fic. I read the whole thing in a night. Each of the Clones has their own interests, issues, and personalities. Something that is amazing in a fic about a bunch kids, much less a bunch of clones.

I love Bucky in this. He's so in fully rendered and his thought processes are so right for somebody dealing with past imprisonment and brain washing. And to see him deal with raising a bunch of tiny Stevens is just too cute!

Winter's Children

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Redeem the Blood by Alara J Rogers (Teen)

Title: Redeem the Blood
Fandom: Farscape
Pairing: gen
Categories: dark, family, character study
Length: 2,456 words/medium
Warnings: Rape/Non-con in backstory, and prior to events in the fic.

Author on Livejournal:

alara_r
Author Website: Alara J Rogers on AO3 | Alara Rogers on ffn

Summary: Scorpius, a Peacekeeper, and a baby. No, not romance, not humor and not fluff.

Review: "You may not thank me for saving your life, later on, you know. In fact, there's a good chance you may curse me for it. You might be better off if I disposed of you now."

As the summary says, nothing about Scorpius is ever truly going to be fluff, but this is an intriguing little fic about motivation and where the character comes from that does convincingly sell the idea of him deciding, after his own fashion, to make himself a family.

Most of what is here is still extraordinarily bleak. But all the same, Scorpius and baby, and it's kind of heartwarming too, in a weird way.

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