Okay, due to various RL stuff, I did not get to post Yuletide info at the appropriate time (i.e. before January). This, I rectify now.

I received Bigby's Sense of Snow from KevBot. It's Fables, which has fast become my new most favorite comics series, and it's Bigby Wolf/Snow White--which, if you've been following the canon you'll know why they hit my Couple Who Must Not Be Broken Up button big time. This is Bigby and Snow in Paris--just a quiet moment together that's quite lovely. I take my hat off to KevBot!

I wrote What's to Be Said for Ji. It's Clover, Kazuhiko/Oruha--sorta. Mainly, it's Sue (Suu) and fairy tale that isn't a fairy tale. Thankfully, Ji seems to like it well enough.

There *will* be real recs at some point in time, once I get settled back down. In the meantime, rejoice!

Yes, yes, I know. It's been a while. But! I was working backstage for our fall musical (with the directors from HELL) which finally wrapped up this weekend. So I can now finally get around to doing Halloween recs! Yay for procrastination and squeaking in under the wire!

Residency Evil by akire
House. Gen.

Summary: Zombie hordes have invaded PPTH. Paging Doctor House!

Let me start off this rec by stating that I am not too familiar with the canon for House. I have seen one episode and lots of commercials. However, I still found this an excellent fic because if you know anything about House, you know that Zombies + House = hysterical laughter. “You want us to do a differential diagnosis of zombiism? Now?” And zombie!Cameron! And Cuddy with a gun! And bedpans! If I beg hard, do you think they will turn this into an episode?

Bloodstone by K. Stonham
Hikaru no Go. Hikaru/Touya.

Summary: Hikaru becomes a vampire. Unsurprisingly, this changes his life very little.

Okay, so again, a fandom I am not exactly highly conversant in, although much moreso than House. But! If you know who these characters are at all, you should totally read this. There is a bit of a spoiler for the end of the series, but, well, let's just say that after you've read the first volume of manga it's not exactly a huge surprise. This story shouldn't really work--Hikago is not a traditional vampire setting. But because the characters remain true to their motivations (Go, The Hand of God, Go, Each Other, Go), it actually serves to highlight the bond between these friends. After all, if the series has shown us one thing, it's that death is nothing compared to the desire to play a really good game of Go.

Owl Eyes by salieri
SGA. McKay/Sheppard.

Summary: John's trapped in his room with what is possibly a Wraith, and Rodney's trying to figure out how to get him out alive.

SGA is great because it allows so many different types of stories--and this one is a classic horror/sci-fi story in the vein of Alien. The premise behind this strikes me with a sort of gut-level horror similar to John's. And the descriptions she uses! Salieri writes magnificently, excruciatingly of John's pain, of his screams: "a three-step tone rising from gut-deep bellow to scream to shriek and then cutting off as though the pain or the terror had gone off the scale and into the silence of absolute excess." I wince in sympathy. This story has been around a while, but even if you've read it before, give it another try. It certainly loses nothing with re-reading.

Toys by harukami
Saiyuki. Nii/Bunny. Nii/Kami-sama. Kami-sama/Kougaiji. Nii/Kougaiji.

Summary: Series of connected drabbles revolving around Nii, KAmi-sama, Kougaiji, and Nii's Bunny. Yes, you heard me right: this is plushy fic. Scary, sick, disturbing, wrong, non-con plushy fic. And if you think this is all just some totally random, messed up shit, please look here. That is official Minekura artwork, people. This is possibly canonical (at least in part) messed up shit. (Also, if you know about the Bunny theories that have been tossed around in the fandom, you know why this might be even more disturbing.) Basically, I don't know why I'm bothering to continue with warnings. It's Nii, people. I.e. it is, by definition, creepy and disturbing and wrong and perverted (and possibly just a little squirmy hot in that bad, bad, wrong way). And Harukami does Nii proud.

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"Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" - Ernest Gaines

We would like to know who really believes in gay rights on livejournal. There is no bribe of a miracle or anything like that. If you truly believe in gay rights, then repost this and title the post as "Gay Rights". If you don't believe in gay rights, then just ignore this. Thanks.
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Ganked from pyro_rebel and perkyshai. Spread the message, yo.

And to keep this on topic and add to my recs, try these two lovely SGA Don't Ask, Don't Tell stories:

DADT, Damyata, Dayadhvam by trinityofone
SGA. McKay/Sheppard.
Summary: He was aware of the controversy surrounding the application of DADT policy to an international expedition—and an international expedition to another galaxy at that—but in the end, it didn’t matter. Everyone got the chip, or they didn’t go.

So, this basically reads like some of your truly great, classic sci-fi, whereby a natural extension of current policy, when set in another universe, makes us re-examine the current situation. In this AU, everyone in the military (and thus, by extension, the Atlantis expedition) is given a behavioural modification chip to prevent them from acting on any homosexual impulses. And while the implications (that this could happen here, now) will (and should) scare you, the lovely ways she shows McKay and Sheppard managing to fall in love around the sytem will leave you aching. It makes me feel very lucky that I can love the person I want, how I want; it makes me awed again by the determination of gay rights activists throughout history, and it makes me want to fight to do everything I can to ensure that everyone has the ability to love, and live, freely.

Scenes from a Lesser War by amireal
SGA. McKay/Sheppard.
Summary: This. This was something that needed taking care of. In a non-traditional sense.

Okay, so this is a three-parter (link goes to first part), which means that this fic is not just hot and well-written and intelligent but also long. And that's a great thing. DADT is revoked. John and Rodney have to figure out how this will affect them (and their relationship) personally while also dealing with the fallout on Atlantis. This is realistic and complex and the interspersed flashbacks of John and Rodney's relationship really add to the depth of the fic. (Well, and they also add to the hot sex portion of the fic. Which is good too.) I just really love how they spend days after finding out about the revocation merely kissing and cuddling. As Rodney puts it, "it's everything we never got to do." It's a throw-away line that never fails to make me hurt for them and for everyone in that situation.

Hey, it's time for another fun round of recs, and this time I went with a classic: amnesia fics! (Hey! I freely admit I am a cheesy dork. Be prepared for upcoming rounds of kidnapping/hostage fic, genderswitch fic, body switch fic, and telepathy fic. God, I love my fandoms.) But I love amnesia fic (and so do all of these incredibly talented authors) so much that I am going to give you a bonus: one very well-known fic and one less publicized fic in each fandom.

( Stargate:Atlantis ) ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer ) ( Due South ) ( BONUS! Good Omens )

Yes, I said to myself, "Self, what should I go with for my first non-haphazard set of recs?" and my self replied, "Threesomes." Because threesomes make everyone just a little bit happier.

Bargaining by nekokoban aka whitecat
Ouran HS Host Club. Kyouya/Haruhi/Tamaki.

Summary: Kyouya negotiates the future for him and Tamaki with Haruhi.

Welcome to the most worksafe threesome fic ever. And yet, it's still awesome, because who other than Kyouya would bargain about a threesome with someone who interrupted him while making out, who other than Tamaki would *totally not get it*, and who other than Haruhi would accept it all so calmly? And of course, who other than whitecat would write it so well? I admit this is my OT3 of choice for Ouran, and whitecat manages to nail Haruhi's bluntness, Tamaki's theatrics, and Kyouya's calculating kindness to a tee. Plus, as per the usual for any Ouran fic, it's funny as hell any time Tamaki opens his mouth.

Untitled Secret Perversion Challenge by louiselux
Antique Bakery. Ono/Chikage/Tachibana.

Summary: Chikage can't do anything on his own...

I'll just quote directly from the fic: "This must be the strangest threesome ever." Of course, to those of us reading Antique Bakery, this is also the fic we always dreamed one day would come. This is the threesome of demonic charm. If there is such a thing as a white chocolate lava cake, this fic is it: sweet, light, and really hot. Louise is a marvelous writer, and this fic proves it.

Patines of Gold by harriet_spy
SGA. McKay/Sheppard/Atlantis.

Summary: Atlantis loves John a lot. Rodney finds this very hot.

I freely admit to loving the whole John/Atlantis or Rodney/John/Atlantis genre. I think sentient cities are cool. And this story? Has control chair sex. It's quite possibly the best sex toy on Atlantis, and yet so sadly under-utilized. But don't worry, Rodney McKay isn't Chief Science Officer for nothing.

Written on the Skin by louiselux and emungere

Saiyuki. Gojyo/Hakkai.

Summary: Gojyo gets a tattoo of Hakkai's vines. Hakkai likes this idea very much.

Tattoo smut. Tattoo smut on the kitchen floor. Hot hot hot. Both these ladies write very hot Gojyo/Hakkai stories, so naturally putting them together creates even hotter smut. Some very funny bits in here (Gojyo washing the windows in an effort to keep Hakkai from finding out about the tattoo, Hakkai spilling coffee on Gojyo as an excuse to make him strip) and some rather nice romantic moments--or at least as romantic as things can get when we're talking about Hakkai. Good characterization and scorchingly hot sex, plus it firmly hits my 2-D tattoo kink button without going overboard.


Precious Person by nekokoban aka whitecat

Tactics. Haruka/OFC. Haruka/Kantarou.

Summary: Years after Kantarou's death, Haruka thinks he may have found him again, as a woman.

Reincarnation fic. Yes, Kantarou dies before the fic begins, but see the warning: he comes back, sort of. Thankfully, this is as far from Mary Sue as you can get. Whitecat does a great job of making Kagura more than just "Kantarou with boobs" while still keeping her believable as a reincarnation. And the author makes sure to give the two of them something to do other than angst over whether or not Haruka should fall in love with her, so there is an actual, enjoyable plot. Plus there are a couple of super hot sex scenes (wall sex, yay!) that make me wish my boyfriend were around. All in all, a sweet, sad, hot, awesome fic for any Tactics fan.

I bought one of those scented oil warmers a couple weeks ago, and it's
really nice. For one thing--pretty. Red marbled-y glass folded into
a loose cup supporting a fluted pebbled glass dish on a mirrored base with a
light in the middle. For another, the bank now smells wonderful. You only
need a little bit of oil, and there are so many for me to choose
from--cucumber melon, orange blossom, spearmint, apple, rain, gingerbread,
passion fruit, strawberries and champagne... I finally get the whole BPAL
thing now (although at $4 per .5 oz, these are decidedly cheaper).

I'm planning to go get my copy of the special edition Good Omens this
weekend. Crowley cover if at all possible. I'll just say the devil made me
do it. ^__^

I just read Sisters of the Raven by Barbara Hambly. I've read some
of her stuff before, and I like her writing style, so after the
disappointment of The Secrets of the Jin-She Sisterhood I was hoping
for a good women-oriented fantasy adventure. For the most part, I wasn't
disappointed. Magic has always been the domain of men only, but suddenly
the magic is disappearing from men, and a new magic is appearing in women.
The world is primarily Middle Eastern flavored, and it might be interesting
to read it as an allegory for the current socio-political Middle Eastern
situation, but it's also satisfying on its own. Many men are resentful of
the increase in women's power, but some are just confused or frightened, and
a few are accepting, even welcoming. The women are just as varied in their
acceptance and use of the magic--some eagerly learning more, some hiding
their powers, some trying to meddle. There's also a drought going on
because the mages cannot call the rains; a new religion is calling for a
backlash against magic, women's rights, and the monarchy; and someone is
killing the female mages. At times it does seem a bit like she's piling too
much on, and the ending felt rather like a letdown, although I did enjoy the
inistence, carried throughout the book, that magic cannot solve everything.

Last night I finally read Grey's Anatomy fic. George fic! Yay! Although I'm
not sure if I should weep or laugh because I read George/Bailey. And liked
it. Curse you talented fic writers! George/anyone is pretty much just
great, I've decided. George/Izzy. George/Addison. George/Alex.
George/Cadman (yes, Cadman from SGA, and no, I don't really know SGA canon
that well, but still George bandaging Barbie dolls and belonging to a two
person D&D club! OMG love!) And svmadelyn (I think, it was one of my crazy
flist people) then offered up the idea that George needs to join the
Atlantis program, and yes. George on Atlantis. George and the Air
Force General with the head wound and the necklace that glowed when he
touched it and Christina wanting to know why it won't glow when she holds
it, and the careful not-quite-an-interview from the hospital bed, and there
could be a new security officer joining hospital staff and she asks George
out and feels him out about a lot of stuff, and he just thinks it's another
didn't-really-go-anywhere relationship, and then being called into the
Chief's office, and she's there, and "It wasn't sexual harassment! We didn't
even have sex!" and the disclosure, the information about the Go'a'uld and
the Wraith and the Ancients, and the offer to be on board the Daedalus on
its next run, and George in the chair, and George and Rodney and it
would be wonderful. And I totally cannot write this--I have next to
no canon and am in the middle of a ficathon and SGA is filled with writerly
goodness who can do this better, but alas, I lack a sharp stick to poke them
with to make them write this. So just read this garbled summary and make up
your own story. I'm sure it will be better than what I could write.

I got my Yuletide fic!

And it's Tactics fic!

AND IT'S WONDERFUL!

Winter and Renewal" It has Haruka and Kantarou and Youko and Raikou and youkai and casefic and tie-tying. I am dead from the squee-ing and the heartmarking and the sheer, unadulterated power of my love for this fic. This is *exactly* what I wanted. Go, go, read it! Read it now! TACTICS fic, people! Eeeeeeeeeeeee!


~~~~~

Also, Christmas was very good. Had dinner with the family. Got a chair and a mirror and a leather jacket. Everyone seemed to like their gifts and nothing has to be taken back. I'd say it was a good day!

Quick, go here, resonant8 posted about "aliens made us have sex" fics and the comments are too funny for words. (There's also a subsequent post with recs to fics (mainly Stargate and Smallville, of course).

My Yuletide story got recced.

On the tomomichi blog.

I've read that blog before.

OMGWTF HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???

(Rec is here, btw.)

(She liked the characterization! And Maru and Moro! *stares in disbelief a bit more*)

(I need a dumbfounded icon! For now, just assume my ox is broken...with SHOCK!)

EDIT OF DOOM SHOCK AND AWE: Holy shit, someone else recced me too! When did this happen people? I thought I *read* all the reccing posts on yuletide!

NEXT EPISODE OF THE AMAZING EDIT: Dude. A third rec? There must be a severe lack of XXXholic fic out there. (*thinks* Actually, yeah, there is a shortage. I tried looking when I first got the assignment.)

Multi-part post!

Okay, so first off, to re-iterate what I mentioned earlier: Thank you Yuletide Secret Santa person, whoever you are! I have loved Mitsuru and Shinobu for years, but there isn't very much fic out there for them (and I think I've read it all. Twice. At least.) and I've never really found myself struck with an idea for a story I could write. I tried to make sure my requests this year were for stories and fandoms I haven't been able to write, because that way you (the writer) are giving me something that I always wanted but couldn't possibly give myself. I also like the fact that you took some risks and didn't just give me the fandom cliche that Mitsuru and Shinobu have been lovers since school, but that you did give me all the things that make them them--little things, like Mitsuru having the carrot stick dangling from his mouth, Shinobu's quiet semi-cryptic remarks, Mitsuru not being quite able to leave everyone at Greenwood behind, the way Shinobu has quietly won the rent argument. So, anyway, thanks thanks thanks thanks, and please, everyone who hasn't read it yet, go read "Figures A and B" now.

Secondly, as I mentioned in my phone post, now that I am back at work, I'm back to injuring myself in unusual ways again. Let me list the ways I've done so lately, shall I?

1. Burns from glue gun while gluing Monopoly game pieces to Christmas ornaments--3 non-blistering, 2 small blisters, 1 large blister, still healing

2. Cut ring finger on spatula handle while cooking dinner--the handle had melted and cooled at one point earlier in its career, and now the surface is bubbly and irregular, and, apparently, sharp.

3. Burned back of hand taking bread pudding out of oven. I haven't burned myself on the oven in years.

4. Cut thumb with X-acto knife while putting together my own Christmas present--I had to cut the back out of a plastic frame. Don't ask.

5. Jagged cut to other ring finger from cardboard box of the stereo I was returning to the store.

Also? Hershey's is trying to kill me with all the new flavors of Kisses, and I really, really miss the mint M&Ms.

Jus got back. The date was fun, the food was mediocre, The Incredibles was excellent. Once again Pixar is smoking the good crack.

( lj-cut for spoilers )

Dood, harukami wrote Hughes/Gracia fic! *weeps with joy*

Just wanted to point out this is funny and so is this (two totally different topics). For news of the weird, check here. Tomato Nation is back up with Sars's continuing series of ghost stories. This is a fun Sentinel/Invisible Man/Stargate crossover story (gen, humor).

And to add that apparently I am not popular enough to be spammed by fans of splatterpunk-religious movies. *mourns*

EDIT: Also--go read this NOW. Can I have someone please forward this to the heads of the Family Channel programming who apparently sees no problems with airing both "The 700 Club" with Pat Robertson every weeknight and "The Birdcage" next month? Oh those gays, they're so darn much fun to laugh at, but just remember folks, dogs are funny too, and you wouldn't want to give them the ability to get married or have rights or anything.