Round 176 Theme Poll
Jun. 16th, 2025 08:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Poll #33259 round 176 theme poll
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 45
Pick the next theme of fancake:
Books & Writing
15 (33.3%)
Protest & Revolt
12 (26.7%)
Working Together
18 (40.0%)
MCU: when i die i’ll sacrifice (more than enough for the afterlife) - podfic by Quietnight
Jun. 15th, 2025 12:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America, The Avengers
Characters/Pairings: Natasha Romanov/Maria Hill, James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers, James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Nick Fury, Phil Coulsen, various MCU characters
Rating: Mature
Length: 04:21:03 (41,322 words)
Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence, abuse of children by the Red Room, recollection of past pet death
Creator Links: Quietnight on the Audiofic Archive, Quietnight on AO3, notcaycepollard on AO3
Themes: Female relationships, Action/adventure, Families of choice, Time travel, Fix-it
Summary: The fall is longer than Natasha expects.
It’s tears cold on her face, teeth bitten all the way through her lip and the taste of copper in her mouth; she’s falling and falling and then, bracing for impact—she wakes up.
Reccer's Notes: This is one of my favourite podfics by one of my favourite podficcers, and it's a tour de force. It's a long story by notcaycepollard that puts right Natasha's death with the soul stone - instead of dying she's sent back in time to the moment in her Red Room training she most regrets, and from that moment lives her life anew and, with her knowledge of the first time around, is able to fix the worst, most tragic disasters and losses of canon. It starts with Natasha rescuing her sister trainee black widows from the Red Room, plus Bucky the Winter Soldier who's there as well. There's a lovely, slow-burn relationship with Maria Hill in the story, but the key relationships for Natasha are with her sisters, aged from a four-year-old to teenagers when they escape, and the podfic's centre is the found family they create. The fix-it aspects are enormously satisfying and Quietnight's reading is, as ever, nuanced and fluent, beautifully performed - including all the Russian names and words, and a pleasure to listen to. An epic story and a wonderful podfic, stirring and heartwarming, and infinitely better than canon.
Fanwork Links: when i die i’ll sacrifice (more than enough for the afterlife) on the Audiofic Archive, and on AO3
(the fic is the first in a series of three stories)
Characters/Pairings: Natasha Romanov/Maria Hill, James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers, James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Nick Fury, Phil Coulsen, various MCU characters
Rating: Mature
Length: 04:21:03 (41,322 words)
Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence, abuse of children by the Red Room, recollection of past pet death
Creator Links: Quietnight on the Audiofic Archive, Quietnight on AO3, notcaycepollard on AO3
Themes: Female relationships, Action/adventure, Families of choice, Time travel, Fix-it
Summary: The fall is longer than Natasha expects.
It’s tears cold on her face, teeth bitten all the way through her lip and the taste of copper in her mouth; she’s falling and falling and then, bracing for impact—she wakes up.
Reccer's Notes: This is one of my favourite podfics by one of my favourite podficcers, and it's a tour de force. It's a long story by notcaycepollard that puts right Natasha's death with the soul stone - instead of dying she's sent back in time to the moment in her Red Room training she most regrets, and from that moment lives her life anew and, with her knowledge of the first time around, is able to fix the worst, most tragic disasters and losses of canon. It starts with Natasha rescuing her sister trainee black widows from the Red Room, plus Bucky the Winter Soldier who's there as well. There's a lovely, slow-burn relationship with Maria Hill in the story, but the key relationships for Natasha are with her sisters, aged from a four-year-old to teenagers when they escape, and the podfic's centre is the found family they create. The fix-it aspects are enormously satisfying and Quietnight's reading is, as ever, nuanced and fluent, beautifully performed - including all the Russian names and words, and a pleasure to listen to. An epic story and a wonderful podfic, stirring and heartwarming, and infinitely better than canon.
Fanwork Links: when i die i’ll sacrifice (more than enough for the afterlife) on the Audiofic Archive, and on AO3
(the fic is the first in a series of three stories)
Star Trek AOS: How to Write Letters Home to Your Sisters by Danahid
Jun. 14th, 2025 09:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Star Trek AOS (Reboot)
Pairings/Characters: Nyota Uhura
Rating: G
Length: 1866 words
Creator Links:
danahid
Theme: Female relationships
Summary:
I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map.
There are rules of diplomacy that you have been trained to follow. There are realities that you have been educated to expect. You are poised and dedicated and intelligent and professional, and there are horrors in the universe that you don’t want your sisters to know. There are false maps to terrible places that you don’t want your sisters to follow. You know that you can’t protect them from everything, but this you can protect them from for a little while longer.
Reccer's Notes: I am partial to stories that explore why people join Starfleet, and this is an excellent example. While the story talks about Uhura's motivations, it also explores her relationship with her younger sisters. She is both inspiration and protector to them, and she's very aware of her role.
This story takes on both the promise and sacrifice of going beyond traditional roles. Yes, Uhura accomplishes so much, but those accomplishments come at a cost, a cost she doesn't want her sisters to know about because she wants them to find their own way.
Danahid's writing is always exact and meticulous and beautiful, and this story is no exception. There's so much in these 1800 words, including a beautiful ending.
Fanwork Links: How to Write Letters Home to Your Sisters
Pairings/Characters: Nyota Uhura
Rating: G
Length: 1866 words
Creator Links:
Theme: Female relationships
Summary:
I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map.
There are rules of diplomacy that you have been trained to follow. There are realities that you have been educated to expect. You are poised and dedicated and intelligent and professional, and there are horrors in the universe that you don’t want your sisters to know. There are false maps to terrible places that you don’t want your sisters to follow. You know that you can’t protect them from everything, but this you can protect them from for a little while longer.
Reccer's Notes: I am partial to stories that explore why people join Starfleet, and this is an excellent example. While the story talks about Uhura's motivations, it also explores her relationship with her younger sisters. She is both inspiration and protector to them, and she's very aware of her role.
This story takes on both the promise and sacrifice of going beyond traditional roles. Yes, Uhura accomplishes so much, but those accomplishments come at a cost, a cost she doesn't want her sisters to know about because she wants them to find their own way.
Danahid's writing is always exact and meticulous and beautiful, and this story is no exception. There's so much in these 1800 words, including a beautiful ending.
Fanwork Links: How to Write Letters Home to Your Sisters
SGA: Walk Beside Me by Rachel500
Jun. 13th, 2025 08:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: Gen. Teyla Emmagan & Sam Carter, Evan Lorne
Rating: Teen
Length: 8824
Content Notes: canon-typical violence, minor character death
Creator Links: Rachel500 on AO3, ArwenLune on AO3, ArwenLune on Audiofic Archive
Themes: Female relationships, Action/adventure, Friendship, Women being awesome
Summary: When a diplomatic mission is interrupted by the Wraith, Sam and Teyla wrestle their personal demons to work together and find a way back to Atlantis.
Reccer's Notes:
This is set soon after Sam Carter comes to Atlantis to replace Elizabeth, and both she and Teyla initially grapple with her new role. Teyla, unlike John and Rodney, had no prior knowledge of Sam Carter and can't help missing Elizabeth and not fully trusting Carter. Then a mission goes badly wrong and they're thrown together, and have to find a way through their feelings as they deal with the dangerous situation. It's a gripping read with interesting character explorations and a satisfying ending. There's also a podfic version, excellently read by ArwenLune.
Fanwork Links: Walk Beside Me on AO3
And the Podfic, read by ArwenLune
Characters/Pairings: Gen. Teyla Emmagan & Sam Carter, Evan Lorne
Rating: Teen
Length: 8824
Content Notes: canon-typical violence, minor character death
Creator Links: Rachel500 on AO3, ArwenLune on AO3, ArwenLune on Audiofic Archive
Themes: Female relationships, Action/adventure, Friendship, Women being awesome
Summary: When a diplomatic mission is interrupted by the Wraith, Sam and Teyla wrestle their personal demons to work together and find a way back to Atlantis.
Reccer's Notes:
This is set soon after Sam Carter comes to Atlantis to replace Elizabeth, and both she and Teyla initially grapple with her new role. Teyla, unlike John and Rodney, had no prior knowledge of Sam Carter and can't help missing Elizabeth and not fully trusting Carter. Then a mission goes badly wrong and they're thrown together, and have to find a way through their feelings as they deal with the dangerous situation. It's a gripping read with interesting character explorations and a satisfying ending. There's also a podfic version, excellently read by ArwenLune.
Fanwork Links: Walk Beside Me on AO3
And the Podfic, read by ArwenLune
Trails of Cold Steel: Moon Door IV: Beyond
Jun. 7th, 2025 05:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Trails of Cold Steel
Pairings/Characters:
Laura S. Arseid/Duvalie, Ines/Ennea, Victor S. Arseid/McBurn
appearances by other assorted Cold Steel characters and hints of other ships Rating: M
Length: 22442 words
Creator Links: Rosie_Rues
Theme:
Grief/Mourning, Dreamsharing, Recovery, Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, changing roles in life, loss of limb
Summary: With the Great Twilight over, Duvalie follows Laura home to Legram. She's not entirely sure why she's here, or when she's going to leave, but she can't bring herself to regret her choice.
Meanwhile, Victor's dreaming of the only man in the universe still willing to offer him a challenge...
Reccer's Notes: While I have read this fic several times, the most recent was some time ago, I always remember it as being roughly half of one ship and half of another- I note this here because one of those ships is M/M. In my rereading, I see the balance is more 2/3 to 1/3, with the bulk of it being the theme-compliant Laura/Duvalie, who begins as something of a lost and reluctant guest in Laura's home in the wake of the loss of the woman who saved her. The emotional metamorphosis of Duvalie's canonical hostility towards Laura- already very much blunted as the story opens, turn to friendship and later towards attraction is an absolute treasure. There are many smaller moments of many relationships of varying sorts between her and otter female characters throughout the story, some of which absolutely beg for stories of their own.
The M/M ships is Victor/McBurn, and they are a prominent part of the story- really a story occurring in parallel, but separately- until it suddenly isn't. While I don't want to dwell on them in this post as they are not germane to the theme, it bears mentioning that they are there in case they would turn anyone off from reading. But I will say that their development is quite astounding, a sword master who has lost an arm, a god who has lost his world and any connection to it and what they become to each other.
This fic deals with grief in many forms, over many different kinds of loss, from loss of friends, comrades in arms, loss of a limb, loss of connection to oneself and an entire world. It's all very sensitively written, and even the absolutely fantastical loss of a god from another dimension with his entire world somehow becomes much less fantastical than one might expect.
There are also themes of many different changes in life that come with time passing and with dealing with these griefs. Oh, and the very cracky-sounding, but utterly sincerely dealt with coping with the shock of learning that your father is banging the demon god from another dimension. (that needs to be a tag, ok)
This is just one of my favorite ever fics, by one of my favorite authors.
Fanwork Links: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45897169
Pairings/Characters:
Laura S. Arseid/Duvalie, Ines/Ennea, Victor S. Arseid/McBurn
appearances by other assorted Cold Steel characters and hints of other ships Rating: M
Length: 22442 words
Creator Links: Rosie_Rues
Theme:
Grief/Mourning, Dreamsharing, Recovery, Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, changing roles in life, loss of limb
Summary: With the Great Twilight over, Duvalie follows Laura home to Legram. She's not entirely sure why she's here, or when she's going to leave, but she can't bring herself to regret her choice.
Meanwhile, Victor's dreaming of the only man in the universe still willing to offer him a challenge...
Reccer's Notes: While I have read this fic several times, the most recent was some time ago, I always remember it as being roughly half of one ship and half of another- I note this here because one of those ships is M/M. In my rereading, I see the balance is more 2/3 to 1/3, with the bulk of it being the theme-compliant Laura/Duvalie, who begins as something of a lost and reluctant guest in Laura's home in the wake of the loss of the woman who saved her. The emotional metamorphosis of Duvalie's canonical hostility towards Laura- already very much blunted as the story opens, turn to friendship and later towards attraction is an absolute treasure. There are many smaller moments of many relationships of varying sorts between her and otter female characters throughout the story, some of which absolutely beg for stories of their own.
The M/M ships is Victor/McBurn, and they are a prominent part of the story- really a story occurring in parallel, but separately- until it suddenly isn't. While I don't want to dwell on them in this post as they are not germane to the theme, it bears mentioning that they are there in case they would turn anyone off from reading. But I will say that their development is quite astounding, a sword master who has lost an arm, a god who has lost his world and any connection to it and what they become to each other.
This fic deals with grief in many forms, over many different kinds of loss, from loss of friends, comrades in arms, loss of a limb, loss of connection to oneself and an entire world. It's all very sensitively written, and even the absolutely fantastical loss of a god from another dimension with his entire world somehow becomes much less fantastical than one might expect.
There are also themes of many different changes in life that come with time passing and with dealing with these griefs. Oh, and the very cracky-sounding, but utterly sincerely dealt with coping with the shock of learning that your father is banging the demon god from another dimension. (that needs to be a tag, ok)
This is just one of my favorite ever fics, by one of my favorite authors.
Fanwork Links: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45897169
Taskmaster: Team of Sue by thingswithwings
Jun. 7th, 2025 11:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Taskmaster (series 16)
Characters/Pairings: Sue Perkins/Susan Wokoma
Rating: Gen
Length: 00:02:06
Content Notes: no archive warnings apply, and there are no video-specific warnings.
Creator Links: thingswithwings on AO3
Themes: Female relationships, Friendship, Team, Humor
Summary: If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me.
Reccer's Notes: This is gorgeous and hilarious as the Sues stumble about carrying out the endless ridiculous tasks, laughing, triumphant, and always there for each other.
Fanwork Links: Team of Sue
Characters/Pairings: Sue Perkins/Susan Wokoma
Rating: Gen
Length: 00:02:06
Content Notes: no archive warnings apply, and there are no video-specific warnings.
Creator Links: thingswithwings on AO3
Themes: Female relationships, Friendship, Team, Humor
Summary: If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me.
Reccer's Notes: This is gorgeous and hilarious as the Sues stumble about carrying out the endless ridiculous tasks, laughing, triumphant, and always there for each other.
Fanwork Links: Team of Sue
King Falls AM: the gallery of our bones by ryyves
Jun. 3rd, 2025 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Pairings/Characters: Lily Wright & Pippa James, Jack Wright & Lily Wright
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 8,492
Content Notes: Alcoholism, Missing Persons, Grief/Mourning
Creator Links: ryyves' Ao3
Theme: Female Relationships, Character Study, Angst
Summary:
Spoilers for King Falls AM episode 68, set before the first King Falls Chronicles (ep 56-57).
It’s far from the last email Lily gets about King Falls. Sometimes the name is hidden in postscripts, sometimes bright as highways at midnight, and every time it catches in Lily’s heart like a frightened canary, yellow and waning.
Lily doesn’t delete them, not one. She files them away in a quiet folder of her work email, so she doesn’t have to see them in her inbox. There are things that can be said with distance, and this is one of them: that if she deleted every mention of King Falls, she would delete every rope thrown to Jack. Every hope, or something that runs even deeper.
Some fear, perhaps, that she is not where she is supposed to be.
Or: Pippa puts up with way more of Lily's shit than she should have to.
Reccer's Notes: This is such a wonderful character study that explores Lily's character and gives her and Pippa's friendship a spotlight. The writing style is beautiful as well.
Fanwork Links: the gallery of our bones
Pairings/Characters: Lily Wright & Pippa James, Jack Wright & Lily Wright
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 8,492
Content Notes: Alcoholism, Missing Persons, Grief/Mourning
Creator Links: ryyves' Ao3
Theme: Female Relationships, Character Study, Angst
Summary:
Spoilers for King Falls AM episode 68, set before the first King Falls Chronicles (ep 56-57).
It’s far from the last email Lily gets about King Falls. Sometimes the name is hidden in postscripts, sometimes bright as highways at midnight, and every time it catches in Lily’s heart like a frightened canary, yellow and waning.
Lily doesn’t delete them, not one. She files them away in a quiet folder of her work email, so she doesn’t have to see them in her inbox. There are things that can be said with distance, and this is one of them: that if she deleted every mention of King Falls, she would delete every rope thrown to Jack. Every hope, or something that runs even deeper.
Some fear, perhaps, that she is not where she is supposed to be.
Or: Pippa puts up with way more of Lily's shit than she should have to.
Reccer's Notes: This is such a wonderful character study that explores Lily's character and gives her and Pippa's friendship a spotlight. The writing style is beautiful as well.
Fanwork Links: the gallery of our bones
Ghosts (US): you drew stars around my scars by OpalEssence
Jun. 3rd, 2025 08:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Ghosts (US)
Pairings/Characters: Hetty & Flower
Rating: G
Length: 708 words
Creator Links: OpalEssence
Theme: female relationships
Summary: Following Season 2, Episode 5, when Hetty meets Molly the maid, she must attempt to come to terms with the fact that Elias' betrayal was entirely of his own will and desire. Luckily, Flower is there to help her move forward.
Reccer's Notes: The author of this fic does a great job capturing how these characters speak, especially Flower. It is a reflective, but wholesome scene, one that I could have very much seen playing out in the show.
Fanwork Links: AO3
Pairings/Characters: Hetty & Flower
Rating: G
Length: 708 words
Creator Links: OpalEssence
Theme: female relationships
Summary: Following Season 2, Episode 5, when Hetty meets Molly the maid, she must attempt to come to terms with the fact that Elias' betrayal was entirely of his own will and desire. Luckily, Flower is there to help her move forward.
Reccer's Notes: The author of this fic does a great job capturing how these characters speak, especially Flower. It is a reflective, but wholesome scene, one that I could have very much seen playing out in the show.
Fanwork Links: AO3