Title: The Trouble with Threesomes and Supernatural Soul Mates
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Chris Argent/Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Categories: Angst, AU,Slash, First Time, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural.
Length: Epic [87983 words]
Warnings: Canon Levels of Violence, Minor Characters Deaths, Age Diference, Alpha!Peter.

Author Website: Akira_of_the_Twilight(on AO3)

Summary: Peter looked at Stiles from the corner of his blue eyes and smirked. Stiles swore he saw a flash of red Peter’s eyes, but it might of have been his brain’s lack of oxygen making him hallucinate. “I’m looking for my soul mate. Christopher Argent. I believe he volunteered to be taken in for questioning.”

An iron fist clenched Stiles' heart. This man was Argent’s—Christopher’s soul mate?

Stiles stared at the Peter’s wrist, examining every detail of Peter's soul mark. Stiles couldn’t find anything different between his and the blond’s.

Stiles lifted his hand and ghosted his fingers along Peter’s forearm.

It was lightning all over again, and Stiles yanked his hand back, only to have it caught in an unbreakable grip.

Frosty blue eyes burrowed into Stiles', and he couldn’t stop himself from gulping. The smirk on Peter’s lips grew as the corner of his mouth quirked higher, and he drew Stiles’ hand close to his face.

Peter’s nostrils flared slightly as he stared at Stiles’ soul mark. He pulled Stiles forward, pressing soft lips to Stiles wrist.

“Now what would your name be?” Peter purred.
[original summary]

Review: I want to start this fic by saying I wanted to find a good Stiles/Peter/Chris fic, and I was surprised to find such a big and awesome one. I love how it has a twist, where the Soulmate trope is not that simple and that the soul marks give an interesting feel to their relationship. The best part of the fic it’s that we get equals amounts of relationship develop and supernatural action.

Basically Chris and Peter are already in a bond, believe they are only soulmates to each other when Stiles stumbles upon them in a very shifty situation. What follows is a mad dash to figure out what it’s going on, with Stiles figuring out the supernatural element in his soulmates and himself. There are two good subplots, one with Kira’s and Scott’s relationship and another with the Alpha Pack. This fic is just the first of a series, and gives a good base to what will develop in the third story, equally as great.

One of my favorite things about this fic is that the author handles so well the age difference; the fic has several points of view on Stiles joining an already established relationship, with older man. We also see through all the series moments of vulnerability on all of them, and Stiles adapting himself not only to a relationship, but to the image his mates present to everyone around him.

I really like their characterization, while the author warns about out of character behavior, I think they gave a great treatment to each character. Peter and Chris are truly amazing portrayed, and only Stiles had for me a little of variance on the more innocent side, less awkward and funny and more insecure and vulnerable.

If you give it a try, do read the other two fics, because they are amazing. The second is very sweet and domestic, and the third one is darker, a case fic where Stiles shines developing his new powers.

The Trouble with Threesomes and Supernatural Soul Mates

Title: I've Lived For These Few Seconds
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Categories: Angst, First Time, Slash, Romance.
Length: Super!Epic [124126 words]
Warnings: Violence, Minor Character Death, Manipulation, moments of Dark!Stiles, Hate Crime, Homophobia, Graphic Sex.

Author Website: kyrene(on AO3)

Summary: Even in Beacon Hills the dangers aren't always supernatural. There's plenty that is supernatural, of course, and sometimes that can include the solution as well as further danger. Even though this can mean playing with fire.

It wasn't Scott he called once he regained consciousness. Or Derek, even though Derek Hale was the first person to spring to mind when he thought of being slammed into walls, when he tasted and smelled and breathed blood.
No, it was his father that he speed-dialed and his father who came to him where he crouched in the alley, clutching her hand as she wheezed out her last bubbling breaths. It was his father's pained blue eyes that he met as the paramedics swarmed over them both, pulling her away even though it was obviously too late, she was already dead, touching him and shining lights in his eyes and asking him over-loud questions.
It was his father who elbowed his way through the paramedics, because it had been his father that he had called.[original summary]

Review:

This fic is one of those you aren’t that sure where it will take you; that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good fic - it’s actually great - it just means it’s fic that keeps you on your toes. This fic is part of canon divergence, very clearly stated by the author’s initial notes: Boyd and Erica get back to Derek and the Alpha Pack doesn’t exist. The action starts in the first chapter and then takes us into a path that traces a very different Stiles from canon.

It’s not a fic that concentrates on Scott, Allison, Lydia or any of the other secondary characters. The fic cleary moves in between Stiles’ relationship with his father and his relationship with Derek, as well as a growing friendship with Danny. Scott and Stiles are falling out and it’s not a fic that shows Scott in favorable light, which is refreshing.
Another prominent character is Peter and as the author warns who starts reading, there are undertones and explicit Peter/Stiles, with a delivered Derek/Stiles endgame. I like this, I love Peter/Stiles, and I specially like when Peter encroaches in Derek’s territory to make him wake up. I also love the way Peter cannon and otherwise see the brilliance of Stiles, and this is a essential part of this fic.

This is a Derek/Stiles fic, so the most important part of the plot focus on them trying to be together and passing through the awkwardness of knowing each other, having had life and death situations together, and still not being sure if there are or not feeling, if they can or not trust each other. What makes this a great fic is the fact while Derek and Stiles are struggling to make each other see what they are and how they feel, Peter is trying to make Stiles his own and Stiles is discovering his sexuality.

It’s a good fic to read when you want a mixture of angst and sex, of teenage problems and real issues with the supernatural.

I've Lived For These Few Seconds

Title: Be Bold, But Not Too Bold
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairing: Vincent Valentine/Tifa Lockhart
Categories: post-canon, romance, first time
Length: Long (~17k)
Warnings: canon appropriate violence

Author on LJ: memoriamvictus
Author Website: Memoriam's AO3

Review: This is a post-Advent Children, post-Dirge of Cerberus fic focused on Tifa and Vincent. Tifa is still running her bar in Edge and generally juggles life and it’s a very, very chaotic night for her when Vincent drops in for a visit and there is some general bonding over past and present and also a long term crush is revealed and leads to… other things. There is some action and implied misogyny and a bit of a revenge subplot that has more attempted violence, but for the most part this is focused on these two characters sharing a few relatively quiet moments, talking about the past and coming together. (And that part is hot.)

The fic sets Tifa’s current life situation and general badassery up by having her deal with a sleezy client in the first scene. She’s mostly just her own private person running a bar now, even if people know who she is and that she used to be part of Avalanche, but she still can hold herself in a fight. So basically this all starts with a fist brawl. The action is well set up and realistic.

The amazing parts of this story are actually the slow-build, and the characterisation. Through the bonding moments it becomes clear how the shared past affected both their lives and their present, even if they are moving into new territory now. There are wonderful characterisation moments when their affection and their character traits shine through in the way they treat each other and talk to each other, Tifa being frank and sometimes putting her foot in her mouth with her assumptions - and Vincent being his quiet self and trying to hide his feeling and not intrude.

The writing is very beautiful, but it’s really the characterisation in this one that makes it one of my favorites.

Be Bold, But Not Too Bold

Title: Sinking Ships
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Categories: Angst, AU,Slash, First Time, Drama, Hurt/comfort, Marriage of Convenience.
Length: Super! Epic [106646 words]
Warnings: Racism, Non-Con Elements. Arranged Marriege, Slavery, Werewolves as the dominant class, Abuse, Exposure to Cold and Hunger, Sub-Human Life Conditions.

Author Website: standinginanicedress(on AO3)

Summary: Derek Hale has never met a human before.
Throughout his life, he's probably encountered, give or take, a hundred or so. A mere hundred human beings in his twenty-three years walking around on earth, compared to the millions of weres he's seen. And, even then, encountered them he might have, but met? Not even close.
He's had his dry cleaning handed off to him by a mousy looking human girl in a shirt three sizes too big for her with huge eyes and shaking hands while a beta werewolf yelled at her in the background for being too skittish (wonder why that could possibly be), he's walked past teenage humans cleaning windows and sweeping pebbles off of sidewalks, he's had the door opened up for him by older humans in pristine uniforms outside of restaurants – but never, never once, has he stuck his hand out to a human and said hi, my name is…
He could probably count on one hand the number of times he's even been made aware that a human within a hundred feet of him even had a name. [original summary]

Review: Oh, this fic is incredibly throat closing and hope to let that feeling die. It’s a hard fic to read, because is full of feelings and so realistic in portraying a classist society base on slavery, that almost cuts you heart. This AU shows us a world where the werewolves are known and the ruling class, and the humans are bred for their entertainment, becoming pets and slaves.

Stiles is still a human and also his father, Derek, his family, Scott, Allison and the Argents are all weres. In this context, I wish the fic showed more humans, because pretty much all canon characters are weres and we only see Stiles side. On the other hand, there is so much detail and variety in the sorrows he passed, we get an ample vision of what might happen to the other humans.

While the Argents are certainly opposition to the Hales, the true villain in this fic is Talia Hale, and I confess I had a hard time believing her character; the reason being, I always seen Talia as a good alpha, someone that cared for her children and someone that wanted them happy - she is not like this in the fic! The Hales are highly dysfunctional and there aren’t many fuzzy feelings of family.

Derek gets Stiles because of a maneuver in Talia’s career and he and Stiles start a relationship that is fake, but goes on to evolve to a careful friendship and later a romantic one. The highlights of this fic are confined mostly to Derek and Stiles, and one brief scene with the Sheriff, but there is plenty of interaction with the other characters.

This is a fic to be revolted by and at the same time to make you feel sad and make you think. Proceed with caution.


Sinking Ships

Title: Wild Horses
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Categories: Angst, AU, First Time, Slash.
Length: Epic [78917 words]
Warnings: Scars, Permanent Injury.

Author Website: thepsychicclam (on AO3)| (on tumblr)

Summary: Derek's a drifter with no home, no destination, and no will to live. Stiles works on his family's failing cattle and horse ranch while all his friends are going off to college. When Derek falls asleep in a random barn, exhausted and half-starved, he doesn't expect to wake up on the other end of the sheriff's shotgun. And Stiles sure as hell doesn't expect his dad to invite the drifter in for breakfast. [original summary]

Review:
This fic is amazing! It’s a tiny bit cliche, the whole farm!au and wounded Derek running away, but at the same time, the story is deeply emotional, and not overall cheesy, though there are some very sweet moments towards the end that get pretty saccharine. Don’t be scared, that is good! The fic finds a good balance between emotional growth and vulnerability, which makes the sweeter moments refreshment to all the anger both Stiles and Derek have by the tons.

We have an au, where the Sheriff is still the Sheriff and Boyd, Parish and Isaac help around the farm, mostly for board and food. Lydia, Jackson, Scott and Danny are Stiles's friends from school, and there are a bit apart from the life in the farm. No werewolves included, but there is still plenty of angst and part of the Hale’s are dead.

You can count on a whole lot of angry fighting and headbutting with Stiles and Derek, and them dancing around each other for the longest of times before they finally get together. Which doesn’t erase their problems or how much they still fight. There is a great quality baking and wood carving, horse riding and tending to farm, which includes some castrating here and there, but I won’t comment on it. The sex is explosive, sweet and hot, which makes the fic even better.

The Sheriff of course is amazing and brings out so many touching moments with both Derek and Stiles that it makes me very happy. The flow of the story isn’t interrupted by any major plot twist, but we have some tension that doesn’t dissolve as easily. Erika, Cora and Laura also appear in the story, with minor scenes.

This fic also counts with amazing art by maichan and geeky-sova, embedded in it.


Wild Horses

Title: Lassiter Learns How to Bend

Fandom: Psych
Pairing: Carlton Lassiter/Shawn Spencer
Categories: podfic, romance, humour, slash, first time
Length: media: podfic, 1hr 30mins // fic: long, 15,418 words
Warnings: none particularly.

Reader Website: dark_dreymer on Dreamwidth
Author Website: Teragram on AO3

Summary: Lassiter is alarmed at finding himself attracted to Spencer following the Drimmer incident. He visits a friend in San Francisco, looking for advice, but Spencer has tailed him. Lust overtakes them in the gayest city in the world, but can their relationship survive returning to Santa Barbara?

Review: Another media rec, this time hailing from the recent Amplificathon podfic spree on Dreamwidth. But kind of a fic rec as well!

I didn't and still haven't had chance to listen to much from Amplificathon, which produced new podfic at a truly scary rate, but I was drawn to this podfic by the bright cover and the promise of a Paul Simon soundtrack, even though it isn't a ship I normally go for.

This is such an exuberant reading I couldn't stop listening, and it absolutely brings the story to life. The recording quality is about as polished as I've heard podfic, and I love the usage of Paul Simon's Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall for the soundtrack, and the echo to distinguish thoughts is nicely done, making it easy to follow in an audio format. The whole production seems to bounce along with the lighthearted spirit of the show and the ever-present slight inanity of the two main characters.

Lassiter Learns How to Bend - podfic
Lassiter Learns How to Bend as text on AO3

Title: In Focus
Fandom: Check, Please!
Pairing: Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmermann
Categories/Genres: First Time, Romance, Friendship, Fluff, Photography
Length: Medium (6097 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: sparklyslug

Summary:

Jack's just taking pictures whenever he sees something worth photographing, something that seems to fit what he's being told in class, about line and shape and color and beauty.

It's like the camera knew before Jack did.

Review:

When reading this fic in preparation to write a rec, I tried to think of words to describe it. Worship was one, voyeurism another. Both discarded; voyeurism was too sexual and worship too single minded. Eventually, I settled upon a word that I've never in my life had cause to use before now: exaltation.

Exaltation, noun: 1) a feeling or state of extreme happiness, (synonyms: bliss, elation, rapture), 2) the action of elevating someone in rank, power, or character, (also: the action of praising someone or something highly)

In Focus is an exploration of Jack's photography, a topic generally glossed over in canon, and what it comes to mean to him. Through the camera's lens he distills the aspects of his life at the Haus and all the people that make it truly a home. In the process, he gains a perspective that he hadn't been able to perceive with only his own two eyes, discovering truths about himself and Bitty that give him the courage to stand his ground and act in the face of his own uncertainty.

In Focus

Title: Skin Deep
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Clark Kent/Lex Luthor
Categories/Genres: Alternate Universe, Genderswap, First Time, Romance
Length: Long (27573 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on AO3: rivkat
Author Website: rivkat

Summary:

Clark turns into a girl. Wackiness ensues.

Review:

As a huge fan of pining in romance, I've become pretty familiar with the most common variations of 'I'll take what I can get before it ends'. Typically, it never ends, because there is a grand confession of feelings and blah blah etc, but usually there is a point at which the pining character(s) realize that they're in too deep to pull themselves back out.

Not so for Skin Deep's Clark. This Clark is so thoroughly aware of the transience of his female alter ego's relationship with Lex that the relationship itself seems almost light and airy, not bogged down at all by the feelings for Lex that Clark is simultaneously suppressing and indulging in. There's a kind of contentedness with the superficiality of that relationship, but rivkat takes care to make it seem like genuine happiness. There is always a subtle underlying sense of incompletion on Clark's part that reminds the reader that there is still more to the story.

But what I like most about this Clark is his willingness to walk away from what he has with Lex. He doesn't let himself settle for incompletion or superficiality and instead makes plans to end his fling with Lex as soon as the summer ends. Unlike some characters who seem to lose all rationality in the face of love, Clark holds onto his with a steady, calm grip.

But he's not unfeeling, nor unaffected by his summer with Lex. When his male body is returned to him, he takes a wild risk, betting it all on the favorable outcome of Lex's hypothetical feelings for the real Clark. And Lex, who's spent the entire story being so thoroughly opaque, finally reveals his closely guarded hand. It's at that point that the relationship between the two gains a sense of true depth and honesty.

Skin Deep

Title: Marry Me A Little
Fandom: Hockey RPF
Pairing: Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews
Categories/Genres: Alternate Universe, Harlequin, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Relationship, Coming Out, First Time, Miscommunication, Romance, Family, Fluff, Angst, Drama, Friendship, Domestic
Length: Super Epic (154814 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on LJ: bessyboo, thisissirius
Author Website: bessyboo, thisissirius


Summary:

When NHL star Patrick Kane's off-ice antics finally get him into trouble for the last time, captain and best friend Jonathan Toews has one final trump card to keep him from being traded: marriage...to each other. But between being the first openly gay hockey players, facing down a lockout, and the fact that Patrick has been in love with Jonny for years, will these two ever be able to work past their miscommunication to realize that their marriage may not be as much of a sham as they think it is?

Review:

First things first, a disclaimer: I am very new to hockey fandom. As such, I consider myself utterly unqualified to review the authors' characterization of the people appearing in this fic. I'll be reccing this almost as an original work.

But if you're fine with that, and if you love the fake relationship trope and all that it entails, then Marry Me A Little is the fic for you. It features such timeless classics as 'I've been in love with you since we first met', tooootally platonic sleep cuddling, emotional constipation, 'all our friends/family are surprisingly unsurprised by our relationship', fear of exposing one's unrequited feelings, the angstful suppression of said feelings for the sake of the fake relationship, running hot and cold in the attempt to suppress said feelings, and more communication failure than you can shake a hockey stick at. And let's not forget the dramatic reveal of fully requited feelings and the ensuing Happily Ever After.

But seriously, folks. So much communication failure. So much communication failure that multiple side characters in the fic make a point to tell the two of them to pull their heads out of their asses and actually communicate about important things. In fact, my only serious gripe with the fic is how bafflingly resistant Patrick and Jonny are to calmly talking things out. They go through multiple cycles of conflict and resolution throughout the fic, but with so little genuine discussion going on, the resolutions to their issues feel superficial and incomplete, provided that they're resolved at all.

What makes up for it is the sense that other characters notice and have opinions on the miscommunication roller coaster that is Jonny and Patrick's marriage. bessyboo and thisissirius don't just make the rest of the cast silent or blindly supportive bystanders. The vast majority of the people that appear in this fic have their own observations and opinions on the marriage, and though they're all supportive of the relationship, that doesn't stop some of them from expressing reservations about this or that consequence of the two of them being married and out while still being prominent hockey players. That level of detail and consideration creates a wondrously complex narrative that keeps the fic from becoming hyperfocused on Jonny and Patrick and their respective emotional struggles.

But that attention to detail isn't restricted to the people that appear in the fic. Even various news outlets offer their two cents on the relationship through a series of mock articles. Personally, I doubt that the media would be as kind to the first out and married hockey players in the league as they are in the fic, (which is probably why there's no mock FOX News article), but hey, this is fanfiction. We're only required to abide by reality as much as is necessary for the purposes of the story.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this fic to every hockey RPF fan out there, because obviously YKINMK and I won't assume that everyone is a fan of the fake relationship trope. But if you are, and you've been hesitating to read this because of reasons that may or may not include its prodigious length, then I would definitely say to take the leap. Don't worry, I won't chirp you (much) for taking more than four days to finish it.

Marry Me A Little

Title: All the Eastern Marks
Fandom: Pacific Rim
Pairing: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Categories: Apocalypse, Domestic, First Time, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-canon, Romance, Science Fiction,
Length: Medium (15k)
Warnings: Transphobic behavior and language

Author on LJ: what_alchemy
Website: what_alchemy Ao3

Summary: Maybe someday Newton will forgive him.

Review: Definitely make sure you read the authors note with warnings before you start reading the fic. Some of the scenes can be triggering.

This fic combines some of my favorite themes, domesticity, trans characters, and positive character growth.

Herman is an ass at the beginning of this.It is understandable given the circumstances, but it is still something he has to move passed.

A lot of the stories conflict is following not only Herman's learning how to deal with Newt's changing gender, but with the consequences of his original reaction. What makes this so great is that unlike a lot of fics based on the same premise it doesn't shy away from dealing with the different relationships that two people can have with each other.

All the way from Newt and Herman's first love, to their falling out, to them coming back together for work and learning how they fit together, first as coworkers, then friends, and finally as lovers once more.

All the Eastern Marks