where his civilizations, including our own

Today's topic was suggested by implicated2, who wrote: Would you be interested in doing some fic rec posts? I often enjoy posts that do something like "here is a theme I really enjoy in fic and here are some fics that do it well/interestingly."

Since it's on my mind already given yesterday's post, how about some stories where characters are shown navigating their kinks?

Doll (HP, Draco/Hermione, NC-17) by captainraychill
kink: attraction to dolls/sex with living dolls
I recced this before when it was new, and it's well worth reccing again. It's a powerful, insightful exploration of how early experiences shape our desires, of how crucial a part of our identity our kinks can be, of the intimacy of negotiation, and of the fear that Hermione puts so clearly: "I want to find everything I need in one person, but I don’t know if I can." The use of magic in this fic is particularly wonderful and adds to the depth and feeling of immersiveness.

Reproach (HP, Snape/Black, worksafe comic) by akatnamedeaster
kinks: nonsexual ageplay, crossdressing
For anyone unfamiliar with Kat's work, this takes place in an AU where Sirius and Severus survived the war and are in an established relationship. There's a disarming simplicity and openness to the images of Sirius soothing himself with his secret kink — it really feels like we are peeking in on a private moment, rather than something intentionally displayed, which speaks to the subtlety of Kat's drawings. It rings true that even in an established kinky partnership, there can be things that feel especially personal and scary to share.

perfect in a sickening sort of way (Star Trek Reboot RPF, Chris Pine/Zachary Quinto, NC-17) by perdiccas
kink: rape fantasy
It doesn't matter if you don't know who these actors are; everything you need to know is in the fic. This is an intense story that is very perceptive about the realities of fulfilling a taboo fantasy. There is a constant awareness of how high the emotional stakes are, the risks that are present no matter how well you negotiate, and the depth of trust it takes to step into it anyway. It's rare to see these themes handled so deftly, and I found it incredibly hot.


And wow, May's half over already. I'm doing a lot better at this post-every-day thing than I thought I would!

Crossposted from Dreamwidth. Feel free to comment wherever you're comfortable.

Kinky Kristmas reveals are up and I am filled with shame at how little I managed to read before disappearing into the holidays. :| Well, at least the fics aren't going anywhere, right?

My two lovely gifts were written by tjs_whatnot (Forever and Always) and dexstarr (Sin and Salt). Thank you both very, very much. ♥

Now, Kinky Kristmas is a double-blind fest where you don't know who you're writing for, and yet I have managed to pick songquake's prompts two years in a row. We are clearly on the same wavelength in a wonderful way. :)

I wrote:

Theme and Variations (NC-17, Padma/Lavender) [AO3]
"Ready?" Padma asks with a raised eyebrow, sliding her belt out from the loops of her jeans.
content: Daddy kink, ageplay, gender play, D/s, spanking, dirty talk

Um... my id is showing, isn't it? I really like gender play, and I really like Daddy kink when Daddy is a girl, but it's not such a common thing in fandom. I am happy to contribute to there being more of it. >:D

Aaaaaand posting has started at severus_fest where I'll have a fic going up at some point, and of course I haven't managed to read anything yet, but OMG did you guys see this amazing art that was posted for it?

Snapebastian (PG-13, Snape, worksafe) by Mystery Artist

Brilliant take on Snape as St. Sebastian, with very insightful use of the traditional imagery.

And now to put together a 2014 roundup post, and then contemplate how the hell I managed to sign myself up for so much that is due in January and February. /o\

Crossposted from Dreamwidth. Feel free to comment wherever you're comfortable.

All right, time for hp_halloween, before I get too ridiculously late with it. First off, kellychambliss and I wrote for each other, and boy was I nervous. I respect her writing a hell of a lot and I think I know her tastes fairly well, so I really wanted to get it right. I hope I did.

The Margin (G, Minerva & all the Heads of House) by me
After the children are asleep, the Heads of House have their own Samhain ritual.

And then her drabble for me! Oh man.

Chromatic (G, The Grey Lady & Luna) by kellychambliss
Every year, the Grey Lady waits for Samhain.

I can't even say how happy this made me. I've been throwing prompts about Luna and the Grey Lady into different fests for years, and in 200 words she managed to make it everything I wanted, and more complete and satisfying than some stories that are ten times the wordcount.

As usual, there were many excellent entries. Here are a few others that particularly stood out to me:

( The Dark )

( The Sexy )

( The Sweet )

( The Funny )

Crossposted from Dreamwidth. Feel free to comment wherever you're comfortable.

My entry for this year's hp_kinkfest just went up:

Almost Innocent (NC-17, Alicia/Katie) [AO3]
Katie Baby just can't wait for Mummy to get home.
content notes: Age play, subspace/littlespace, sex toys, "getting caught" kink, light incest play (depending on how literally you interpret "Mummy")

I will admit that this is only marginally fanfic, in that it barely matters who the characters are and what universe they live in. I really just wanted to write this kink, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. It's okay to be a little self-indulgent sometimes, isn't it? :)


On a very different note, my gift for hp_beholder was posted, and it is definitely fanfic of the very best sort:

Elegy for a Goat (PG-13, Severus/Aberforth) by evensong14
Ab has never been fond of his brother's protégés, but he's always had a weakness for goats. He's not sure what to make of Severus Snape.

Lushly written and richly characterized, it's hard to say enough good things about this story. I think I already wore myself out just commenting on it, so I'll just say: Read it! It's great!

[eta: author]

This entry was originally posted at http://pauraque.dreamwidth.org/45012.html. Comment here or there.

Since it's the last day of kink_bingo and the last day of Rectober (whoever decided that was a thing... I never quite figured that out), here, have some KB recs.

Harry Potter
Schoolboy Blues by delphi (Explicit, Snape/Filch, kink: class fantasies)
author's summary: Severus Snape knows every shortcut at St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys, including a few of his own devising.
If that summary hasn't already convinced you to read this fic... well, then you're clearly not me! This is the best kind of AU, where this new way of seeing the characters lets us look into them more deeply.

Star Trek: The Original Series
Feel Fine by sineala (G, Spock & Kirk & McCoy, kink: emotion play)
author's summary: Spock finds that he wants to be happy.
A wonderfully thoughtful and astute portrait of Spock after the events of STIV, learning and re-learning how to navigate the space he inhabits between Vulcan and human. Just lovely.

Warcraft
Scarlet and Ivory by usefulobject (Mature, Interrogator Vishas, kink: torture/interrogation)
author's summary: Vishas fantasizes that deep down, those damned Forsaken really like what he does. You don't get to be Scarlet Interrogator by not being creepy.
I love how Vishas projects his own twisted thoughts onto his victims — because, of course, they're the perverted ones! This fic nails the tone of how scary things are presented in WoW, with a hint of macabre humor that lightens the grotesqueness just enough.

X-Files
Palliative by sineala (Mature, Krycek, kink: enemas)
author's summary: Alex Krycek deals with his oilien experiences in a unique way.
Longtime friends know that the oilien episodes hold a special fascination for me, so it was a real treat to find this post-Apocrypha fic from KB 2010. The way Krycek experiences the trauma of the possession and the way he regains his sense of control are so perfectly him.

This entry was originally posted at http://pauraque.dreamwidth.org/38307.html. Comment here or there.

I don't think I'm going to get through everything I want to read before reveals this year, but here, have the first half of my recs list (which is the last half of the alphabet, because I read starting from Z).


( World of Warcraft, Snow White + Red Riding Hood, The Shawshank Redemption, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Space: Above and Beyond, Romeo & Juliet, Robin Hood, My So-Called Life )


I wasn't signed up this year because I didn't think I would have time, but I did write some last-minute treats. I wouldn't expect anyone to be able to pick them out, but two of them are for fandoms I've written in before.

[eta: authors]

This entry was originally posted at http://pauraque.dreamwidth.org/26552.html. Comment here or there.

First, a Remix Redux rec:

King of Serpents (The Scrapbook Remix) (Teen, Tom Riddle gen) by delphi
Young Tom Riddle researches the life of Salazar Slytherin. Tom's characterization is chilling and brilliant, and Salazar's backstory explains so much... Don't miss this one, it's a real treat.


And some hp_beholder recs, though I've fallen far behind in my reading:

A Story of Warnings and the Ignoring Thereof (PG-13, Irma Pince/Horace Slughorn) by therealsnape
I didn't expect this at all. At Albus's funeral, Horace looks back and takes us on a whirlwind tour of his life and misadventures. Great, confident Sluggy voice.

One More for the Road (R, Sirius/Rosmerta) by xylodemon
The brilliant character voices, sharp writing, and wry humor of this story are a complete delight.

Not Exactly the First Blush of Youth (PG, Galatea Merrythought/Griselda Marchbanks) by eeyore9990
An actiony adventure about badass, queer, mature women fighting evil. How often do you get to type those words in that order?

An Affinity for Dangerous Creatures (R, Silvanus Kettleburn/Millicent Bulstrode + Severus Snape) by anguis_1
There has been an abundance of good Millicent fic in this fest, and her characterization is particularly outstanding in this one. She's cantankerous, competent, and passionate. Snape's role in the story can't be described without major spoilers — you just have to wait and see how awesome it is.

Courtship of a Common Man (R, Viktor Krum/Percy Weasley) by synn
I love how the distance and isolation Percy feels is shown here, and Viktor's down-to-earth charm and maturity.

[eta beholder authors]

This entry was originally posted at http://pauraque.dreamwidth.org/21684.html. Comment here or there.

HP fic

Doll (NC-17, Draco/Hermione) by captainraychill. Wow. It's rare to find a fic like this, that is truly about kink instead of just including a kink. It's about early experiences shaping our desires, about the intimacy of revealing them, about negotiation and power exchange, and also about the all-too-real loneliness that sometimes comes when the person you play with isn't a person you can be with. I'm impressed. Draco's kink is dolls, and humans pretending to be dolls, and the story meticulously and lovingly expresses what's hot about that rather than assuming it's already your thing.

HP art

Formal (PG, Draco/Hermione) by kipre. Yay, co-ed crossdressing! There should be more of this.

DS9 art

Kira Nerys in 1940s menswear (G) by softestbullet. What it says on the tin. This picture makes me incoherent with glee, and can be enjoyed even if you don't know the character.

This entry was originally posted at http://pauraque.dreamwidth.org/18142.html. Comment here or there.

Nin-Me-Sara (Akkadian Empire RPF) by shinetheway. Akkadian history isn't really my field, but I don't think you need to know much going in to enjoy this tale of the power of writing to make words last through the ages.

Invisible (Beauty and the Beast) by miss_lanyon. I started out enjoying this as a languid, atmospheric retelling of the fairy tale, but it unfolds in a direction I wasn't expecting, and takes it to another level.

The Revelation of John (New Testament) by Soujin. A story about John and Lucifer. Having recently re-read the New Testament, I was in a good place to read this story. You have to be fearless to pull something like this off, and fortunately the author is.

What You Wish For and What You Keep (Cinderella) by alien_alice. This Cinderella inhabits a pan-fairytale space that is unexpected and quirky and yet taken quite seriously. Take Disney's Cinderella and turn her inside out, and here you are.

Knives Beneath Her Feet (The Little Mermaid) miss_lanyon. A kinky retelling of Andersen's tale, which works surprisingly well and is exquisitely written besides.

Bellflower and Hellebore (Fairy Tales) by gileonnen. The modern world is creeping up around the Wolf, but he manages to carry on the old ways. Intriguing, sad, and beautiful.

The Silver Ship, or, The Wolf's Quest (Fairy Tales) by ermigoa. I think it's a stretch to call this fan fiction in any meaningful sense, but I quite enjoyed it. It's a science fiction fairy tale, more or less, and cleverly done.

The End and the Way (The Left Hand of Darkness) by luzula. If you'd told me LeGuin wrote this herself, I'd have believed you. It perfectly captures her prose style and her sense of what shapes characters and relationships. A lovely long story to sink into.

A Dream of Wind by Anonymous (Peter Pan) by Culumacilinte. This feels like it could have -- and should have -- been part of the book.

And Revisions (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead) by acrossthefloors. At first I wasn't sure what this author was doing, but I think I worked it out by the end. Unless I am reading it wrong, I think it's a commentary on characters breaking out of their "proper" narratives and finding their own stories -- fanfiction itself, in other words.

[ETA authors]

maidenjedi wrote me a Krycek/Marita ficlet and it is totally perfect and might possibly have made me squee. In a grown-up sort of way. *cough*


And omg, people, did you see nopejr's three awesomely hilarious HP ficlets? Took me right out of a horrible mood and made me laugh like a loon.