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:: The same figure in black is currently trying to dig the YnM van out of a snowbank:: Sorry I haven't been posting much after that flurry of posts at the beginning of the month: I've had a rough time due to personal stuff, but I'll try and post a few more things in the time I have left (and I may apply to rec more in a month when my day-job in retail isn't eating me alive). And those recs include several fanvids which I'll post accordingly: Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI Music: "Starry Night (Vincent)" by Don McLean Pairing: Hints of Tsuzuki/Hisoka Length: 4:16 Vidder on LJ: Unknown Vidder's Website: http://www.youtube.com/user/thesnakechildWhy this vid kicks ass:This is one of my all time favorite songs (and I have to admit, I relate to both the subject of the song and the main character in the clips, given my own struggles with my own inner demons), thus finding that someone had fan-vidded it using YnM clips, well, I was on it like Tsuzuki on a dessert cart. The editing on this is sublime and the timing is just breath-taking. The clips fit the lyrics seamlessly: I was crying real tears at how well they fit Tsuzuki's life, death, and afterlife. By the time it got up to "a silver thorn/A bloody rose" and the *very* fitting clips that went with it, I was crying my eyes out in a good way! Watch: Starry Night (Vincent) | | |
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Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI/TWILIGHT Music: "Twilight" trailer audio Pairing: Hints of Tsuzuki/Hisoka and Muraki/Hisoka Length: 1:11 Vidder on LJ: Unknown Vidder's Website: http://www.youtube.com/user/MakoProductionWhy this vid kicks ass: I found this quite by accident whilst I was writing my first YnM fanfic, which was also a crossover with Twilight (sorry, no linky: self-promotion is verboten here). The very notion just had me laughing hysterically, but when I watched it, I was laughing myself silly. There's a million Twilight parodies out there (and for the record, I'm a contra-Twilight person: I detest the books, but I've gotten past the burn-it-with-fire stage of dislike), but this one is my all-time favorite. Tsuzuki as Edward? Mayyybe.... Watch: Yami no Twilight? | | |
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Fandom: THE SOCIAL NETWORK Pairing: Mark/Eduardo Length: 24,600 words Author on LJ: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif) oflightsAuthor Website: MasterlistWhy this must be read: My last rec. I made it to 31 recs as planned, although, admittedly they weren't actually posted one per day. I hope you enjoyed. This is a kind of mtdi fic, as the universe curses Mark and Eduardo with headaches unless they are together. I applaud this, universe; they do need help to get fixed. Delightful dialogue and well-written, with an enjoyable Dustin, Chris and Sean to boot. “Yeah, I came to a shareholders meeting in my boxers, once. I was really tired. I didn’t really care, but Chris was having an aneurysm, so Sean declared it No Pants Thursday and he and Dustin took their pants off, too, and got everyone else to start stripping. It was fairly terrifying in the end, I saw more of those people than I ever wanted to. But now No Pants Thursday happens every once in a while, it’s sort of a tradition.”
His stomach had dropped slightly at the mention of Sean, as it tends to do, but eventually the image of all the Facebook bigwigs sitting around a conference table in their underwear makes him giggle helplessly, and he stuffs his face in his pillow to keep from laughing louder. “God, if I’d known about No Pants Thursday, I might not have skipped all those meetings. There was never anything in the minutes about that.”
“You should come to the next one; Dustin already has his Power Rangers boxers picked out for the occasion, I know you don’t want to miss that.” | | |
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Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI Music: "Don't Fear the Reaper" -- HIM Pairing: Muraki/Tsuzuki Length: 5:08 Vidder on LJ: Unknown Vidder's Website: http://www.youtube.com/user/kireizillahWhy this vid kicks ass: One of my all-time favorite songs is "Don't Fear the Reaper", and considering it's overall themes (love, death and death gods), there probably isn't a song that fits the YnM-verse better. So when I found this vid, I cheered. It's a very tightly edited vid, with a lot of tricky intercuts and dissolves, and the clips fit the lyrics like the proverbial glove (the line "the wind, the sun or the rain" has some very quick little clips of the wind blowing the snow around in Kyoto, a clip of the sun shining through Tsuzuki's hospital room, and a shot of Tsuzuki and Hisoka in the rain at the end of the Nagasaki arc; a clip of Tsuzuki summoning Suzaku on one repetition of "Don't fear the reaper; Muraki and Tsuzuki on "like Romeo and Juliet"). Some folks might object to the HIM cover being used, but it's a darker version of the song and I think it fits the YnM-verse very well. Watch: Don't Fear the Reaper | | |
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Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI Pairing: Ciel/Sebastian; Ciel/Elizabeth Length: 4981 words Author on LJ: flipperlandAuthor Website: flipperland at AO3Warnings: Spoilers for the end of the second anime series Why this must be read:By no means all of the possible futures for Sebastian and Ciel in the wake of series two leave hope for anything that could be called happy resolution, in even the most generous sense. In “Abaddon's Child,” flipperland looks at a relationship turned to mutual hatred, but still indissoluble, still filled with mutual fascination, and so grown in power and significance that the fact of its existence is destined to shake the universe to its core. Ciel has become a demon in more than flesh here: the spirit that remains is malevolent and far from his human self. Bleak and riveting, the story gives us an ending that's a tragedy for everyone – the more so, perhaps, because neither this Ciel nor this Sebastian might see it as such. Abaddon's Child | | |
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The YnM van has t-boned a black SUV with blue LEDs along the windscreen posts; the greatcoat-clad driver of which is now surveying the driver of the YnM van as much as he's surveying the damageI had every intention of posting this on Crossover Day, but illness and some financial woes kept me from having the energy to post it. But! Here it is now! Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI/TORCHWOOD Pairing: Seiichirou Tatsumi/Ianto Jones Length: 4168 words Author on LJ: Unknown Author Website: Author's page on AO3 Why this must be read: Just reading the tags for this fic, you might almost think this is a mere pairing fic, that the author just wanted to throw together two smart-dressed men from their favorite fandoms... But once you start to read it, you realize how clever it really is: it's set during The Year That Wasn't in the Whoniverse, in which the Torchwood Three crew has been scurrying over the face of East Asia, pursued by the Toclafane and seeking a way to defeat the Master... and then something happens to Ianto Jones which lands him in Tatsumi's care. You're never sure if Ianto is dead or if Tatsumi merely brought him to Meifu to clean him up and give the poor guy a rest from the hurricane in the mortal world, but it's a delicately written story from Ianto's POV (also written in the rarely seen second person format, which makes the POV feel even stronger and more immediate). It's poetic, it's sensual, and it's just plain heart-breakingly lovely. Skimming the Eyewall | | |
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Sorry for the waiting time. I finally got my laptop back with my prepared recs. Because of the (briefly) loss of my laptop I will now post a rec spam. Sorry for this! Also the recs aren't betaed. I hope my English isn't too bad. ...okay I must also admit that I really want to forget the video rec day. You know, fan-made videos and Germany have a... funny relationship which basically has the result that almost all videos are blocked. Almost every day I could delete another video in my playlist so it was hard to find a rec but I tried my best and tried to find for all main genres/pairing a video.
Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
Music: When I look at you by Miley Cyrus
Pairing: Justin/Alex
Length: 2:11
Vidder on LJ: no idea
Vidder's Website: demigomezcyrus17
Why this vid kicks ass:
My first (video)rec for today is for the main pairing of the fandom. The quality of the scenes is good and mostly similar to DVD quality. The video shows us some of the most beautiful scenes between these two and combines this with a beautiful song. Okay the choice of interpret is clichee but it is a Disney-fandom so it's really no surprise that there are lots of videos with Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers and co.
When I look at you | | |
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Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Music: Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift (altered version) Pairing: Mason/Alex Length: 1:37 Vidder on LJ: no idea Vidder's Website: xhomecutieWhy this vid kicks ass:I don't like the pairing but oh this video. It starts with a great first scene between these two, continues with a nice mix of pictures and scenes of the show and combines everything with nice graphic effects and a good song choice. Even as a non-shipper I need to rec this video! Sparks Fly | | |
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Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Music: Flowers of a Ghost by Thriving Ivory Pairing: Justin/Alex Length: 1:05 Vidder on LJ: no idea Vidder's Website: judyarlene Why this vid kicks ass:The video is really short but nevertheless it's enough to show a more... adult side of Justin/Alex. The vidder used a combination of WoWP-scenes and scenes of Skins. The music is only background for a dialogue of the Wizards of Waverly Place movie. Nevertheless together with the choice of scenes it is enough to show why so many people love this incest pairing. Only Human | | |
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Vidder: Gaby Musical artist: Civil Twilight Pairing: Dom/Mal, Arthur/Eames Vidder on LJ: almostgabyVidder's website: YouTube Channel; Master Vid List on LJWhy this vid kicks ass: In some ways, Inception is a hard film to vid. It's visually stunning, but it's not perhaps as easy to sort out key character moments into something long enough to vid. Many Inception vidders use footage of the stars' other films to supplement the film material, and to construct a storyline. This video gives us the kind of pre-Inception back story I love. We see Mal and Dom in the beginnings of their relationship, Arthur and Eames as well. We watch them build their love and grow a family, see the four of them as a group of friends. Then, as if a dark cloud moves over them, the PASIV enters their lives, and you see the dynamics begin to shift. More of getting lost, more not knowing what to do, until finally everyone is caught up in the situation that leads to Mal's death. The tension is palpable as the video builds, and the use of black-and-white or colour-drained images works really well here. You get the sense of how Mal was holding them all together, and what it does to all of them--to both relationships--when she decides to question her reality. This is a backstory I can believe, and the choice of music seems fitting. The seamless editing is, quite frankly, a thing of beauty. Watch the video on LJ: TeardropWatch the video on Youtube: TeardropDon't forget to feedback the vidder! | | |
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Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Music: Just because you walk away by Sergey Lazarev Pairing: Justin/Juliet Length: 3:56 Vidder on LJ: no idea Vidder's Website: Night2012Moon Why this vid kicks ass:I must admit I mostly want to rec this video because I love the song. The lyrics fit almost to a T to the story line of this relationship. The choice of the scenes is great and even if the vidder couldn't show completly the drama/angst of the song it is still an angsty video where lots of happy scenes of the show transform in moments full of angst through the music and the combination of scenes. Just because you walked away | | |
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My last video rec and I really hope I had one for everyone liking. Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Music: My Wish by Rascal Flatts Pairing: Justin/Alex Length: 1:16 Vidder on LJ: no idea Vidder's Website: ItalianRory Why this vid kicks ass:Nice choice of scenes with a good quality (even if it's no dvd quality) but mostly I love the combination of the song lyrics and the scenes. Also it's one of my favorite songs so I'm slightly biased. :P My Wish | | |
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Here the first rec of the ones I already had prepared before the technology let me down. Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Pairing: Justin/Alex Length: 23.208 words Author on LJ: amathelaAuthor Website: none Why this must be read:Another ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif) apocabigbang-fic which is also a fusion. A fusion with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Alex as a slayer is amazing but all my love for Justin as her Giles. Alone this idea is worth a read. The voices are wonderful IC and the relationship between Justin and Alex is similar to their one in the series. She doesn't want to learn, he wants to teach her something. She does something stupid and he needs to help her. It's like a real episode of WoWP only with vampires... oh wait, I mean bad vampires. Never Kill A Boy On The First Date (Dreamwidth), Ao3, LJ--> In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. In this case, she's Alex Russo - one girl in all the world born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil, blah blah blah. She also might be kind of falling in love with her brother. But first, she has an apocalypse to avert. | | |
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Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Pairing: Justin/Alex Length: 7.093 words Author on LJ: none Author Website: Fanfiction.netWhy this must be read:Cute and funny without much incest drama. Alex and Justin both work already and as Alex visits Justin at work she realize he is the new, young hot teacher with various students who have a crush for him. Naturally in Alex opinion this is the perfect situation for jokes... and maybe more. Even in such short fics Omens shows us that s/he is really one of the best WoWP-writers. Funny, hot and various other adjectives like that are perfect to describe the story. :) Don’t stand so close to me (FF.net)
--> “Does someone have a little crush on the teacher?” | | |
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Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Pairing: Justin/Alex Length: 5.920 words Author on LJ: no Author Website: fanfiction.netWhy this must be read:The angst which you maybe missed in my last rec can you find in this fic. Religious, biology, society norms - all these reasons against a relationship between Justin and Alex will be mention and it will break your heart. I can promise this. But I can also promise you another thing. The end even if it isn't a normal happy end will give you a smile. It isn't perfect but it is the only way for Justin and Alex. One of the best angst fanfiction of this fandom and one of my favorites! In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen (FF.net)--> She hated herself. And how acquainted she had become with words like: taboo, abhorrent, incest. Because that’s what it was. This sick thing inside of her. | | |
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Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Pairing: Justin/Alex Length: 51.282 words Author on LJ: none Author Website: fanfiction.netWhy this must be read:One of the few really long fictions in this fandom and maybe it is no surprise that the fic plot concentrates on the angst factor of a incest relationships. Years over years and they struggle with their feeling. Alex is the one who wants to try it but should they really do it? Justin isn't sure. What is with their family? What is if it is only a crush? Could they maybe be happy with other people? It's one of the classic angst fics and I must admit... in some scenes I want to scream because of my frustation. I only want to see Justin and Alex happy and together but this wouldn't be realistic. The end is another reason for my frustration. It fits to the tone of the story but oh how I hate the author after my first time to read the fic. I need to read the fic a second, a third and finally a fourth time to think 'okay, yes, this is the only way to end the fic... even if I don't like it.' Maybe you have a similar reaction but to see this you need to read the fic so try it! Maybe you will also scream for frustation or maybe you will love the fic because of the realism. Who knows? Days were slipping past (FF.net) --> I just don’t want to miss you anymore. (Future-Fic) | | |
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Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI Pairing: Ciel/Sebastian Length: 3888 words Author on LJ: kantayraAuthor Website: Kantayra at AO3Warnings: Spoilers for the end of the second anime series Why this must be read:In "Bittersweet" Ciel solves the riddle of how to find some kind of happiness in their unchosen new mode of existence, for Sebastian as well as for himself. Characteristically, his solution does not involve acceptance of that which cannot be changed. This story was written for me, in this past August's Parallels fic exchange, but that's not why I've chosen it to rec from among Kantayra's many wonderful Kuroshitsuji stories.* “Bittersweet” is a standout for the way it captures the flavor of Ciel and Sebastian's relationship as we know it from canon, for its delicious scenes of Sebastian in action, hunting and fighting, and most of all for the way it shows us Ciel's mind at work, recognizing a problem, analyzing it, and taking care of it in his own distinctive style. It's typical of him, and perfect for the series, that the solution he chooses is both effective and one with which he has a certain amount of experience. Revenge, it turns out, works for everything. It can even convert an eternal curse into a happily ever after. * And really, read them all, you won't be disappointed.Bittersweet | | |
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My last recommention. I could have post so many recs because there are still a huge load of wonderful fics on Ao3, fanfiction.net and on Livejournal but my RL didn't really want to accept that I need internet time this month. Nevertheless I hope you had fun with my recs even if there were some posting breaks or posting spams. Also I really hope you found some fics which let persuaded you to try out this fandom. Even if it's really small and not so active on LJ it is worth to take a closer look. :-) My last rec of the month is one of my absolute favorites and written by one of the fandom BNFs.
Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
Pairing: Justin/Alex
Length: 28.416 words
Author on LJ: no
Author Website: Fanfiction.net
Why this must be read:
This fic is an AU in the canon-verse. What would happen if Alex wish during the movie has a different consequence? One where she needs to realize what her real true wish is? Could she lives with the consequences? Her new life? Her memories?
Angst, then some confusion, new angst and then ... eh what? Yes, that will be reaction but the end will make everything better. Also the epilogue is really cute. ^_^
I really could rec every fic of this author so read also her other fics! Her writing style is wonderful!
Ghost (FF.net)
--> She closed her eyes tightly and gripped the cold stone until it was cutting into the soft skin on the palm of her hand, she just had to bring Justin and Max back finally she said, “I want everything to be exactly the way it was. | | |
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Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI Pairing: Muraki/Oriya, Muraki/Ukyou Length: 1202 words Author on LJ: Unknown Author Website: Author's Home Page Why this must be read: Tarot cards appear in the King of Swords arc, and thus there's a lot of YnM fics that feature Tarot motifs. But in this one, the author works in all of the Major Arcana, into this moment of introspection for Oriya, as he contemplates a life without Muraki and the Fool's journey that lead them to that state... Major Arcana | | |
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This is likely to be my last rec of the month, so I'm seizing the opportunity to thank you all for riding along, and to thank our lovely mods for giving me a turn behind the wheel. My hope is that this won't be the last time Kuroshitsuji takes the van out, and that future drivers will fill in the significant gaps I've left. My set of recs has been heavily slanted toward Sebastian/Ciel, because that's the part of the fandom I know; if I've overlooked Lizzie, and Will, and Grell, and others, it has been for lack of knowledge, not lack of enthusiasm. And I'll be happy and grateful to others who can tell me where to find all the good stuff I haven't found myself.
And one final note: I haven't exactly made a secret of my hopes that there are enough of us who love this fandom scattered across LJ and DW to make Kuroshitsuji into an active LJ fandom once more, if only we stay in contact with one another. So this is a quasi-advertisement and invitation: if a new comm for flashfic and/or Kuro meta is something you might be interested in, please do stalk keep half an eye on my personal journal. I'll have a brainstorming post up shortly after the new year. Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI Pairing: Claude/Sebastian, and vice versa Length: 9385 words Author on LJ: wo_xi_huanAuthor Website: Sanpizel on ff.netWhy this must be read:One day, for no particular reason Ciel will ever know, Claude “present[s] himself on the doorstep rather like a surprisingly well-groomed stray.” It turns out that he's looking for a new position. Wackiness ensues, in beautifully precise, deadpan sentences. Back when I wrote up the fandom overview, shayheyred reminded me that while Claude/Sebastian isn't a dominant pairing in the fandom, it does have a following. She was right, of course: putting these two together is a recipe for the kind of enemies slash fandom loves. So I went looking for the delicious hate!sex fic to recommend. I found “Spacing” instead. And having found it, well, I misquote Jane Austen: Let other reccers dwell on guilt and misery. I quit such odious subjects as soon as I can, and present you with this bit of confectionery instead. Here, have a taste: Raising an eyebrow, he stared down at the cakes. These were no tiny treats, meant to be eaten with laughably small dessert forks. No, they were in fact full cakes- and one was exquisitely decorated with fresh flowers and a marzipan statue in the form of Artemis. Ciel surreptitiously inspected his teacup, running his fingers up and under the lip of the bottom- yes, there was the silky, faintly sticky brush of a web in miniature.
Sebastian, unaware of this discovery or perhaps feigning innocence, served Ciel a piece of cake that was, quite frankly, inexcusably large.
'Fattening me up?' Ciel asked casually, before bringing his fingers up to display the web as well. The faces of both men changed: Sebastian's "I have done nothing and am completely innocent" face was cheery and airy, while Claude's "you may have discovered something but I will never admit it while the world still turns" face was as placid as the face of a tomb.
'What is it this time,' Ciel mused, taking a bite of the cake and shooting Claude a death glare when he moved forward as if to feed him, 'the linens again?' Seriously, how could you possibly resist? Funny, strange, and every other sentence is a jewel. Spacing | | |
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I'm partial to this particular fic because I love the trope it uses, but the author also has lots of terrific Inception fic with multiple and various pairings. Fandom: INCEPTION Pairing: Arthur/Eames (pre-slash) Length: ~ 2,700 words Author on LJ: fermine Author Website: Fic MasterlistWhy this must be read: I have a soft spot for the "sharing a bed" trope, and this one is lovely. It's a five times fic, but it manages to take Arthur and Eames from the awkward first time to where they can take comfort from the other person being there. I also really like how the author manages to fit the last two sections into the canon timeline. The ending offers a promise of a future that may include non-platonic bed-sharing, but it does it a way that acknowledges how the characters got to that point and what comfort can be found in just being together. I was charmed by this short fic, and I hope you will be too. ( 'We're too old for this, pet,' Eames says, pushing aside Arthur's hair. 'We can't just share a bed all the time and expect nothing to happen.' )On LJ: in our bedroom after the warIt doesn't matter how old or new or (how popular) a story is, authors love feedback! | | |
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One last rec to close out the year. Thanks so much for letting me share some of my favourites with you, and particularly the great array of Arthur/Eames stories out there. There's much more to the fandom than just that, though, so be sure to check out the fandom overview and the resources there no matter what you're interested in. There were so many stories I wasn't able to rec by many, many phenomenal authors, and many of the authors I did choose have many stories to choose from. Inception is a veritable buffet of good writing. I hope I've at least given you the impetus to search out more fic in this fandom. My work here is done--at least for now. Fandom: INCEPTION Pairing: Arthur/Eames Length: ~ 11,840 words Author on LJ: wldnst Author Website: Fic MasterlistWhy this must be read: This is a very recent story (Dec. 13) written for this December's dream_holiday exchange, and it brings the "team" (Arthur, Eames, Yusuf, Dom, and the Cobb kids, now older) together to celebrate the holidays--specifically the winter solstice--at Ariadne's invitation. In Vermont. As happens when groups of friends or colleagues sit around the fire, people ask questions and share stories. The question is: How did Arthur and Eames meet? And the answer isn't that simple or straightforward. (Also, people lie.) It's also not just sharing stories, but by using the dream technology, they can all go under and "see" the story unfolding, which is an awesome idea. I adore origin stories, and I particularly love origin stories that reflect the inaccuracies of memory, the secret moments people want to keep to themselves, the small things that are only small at the time, how different people remember the same story. The "twist" in this one is sure to be a surprise, but it's sweet and lovely, and I think it's a good place to end these recs ... with a glimpse back to the beginnings. ( 'We agreed that we’d avoid attachments,' Eames continues. And Arthur skirts along the edge of the bed until they’re sitting side by side. )On LJ: Jonquil in DecemberIt doesn't matter how old or new or (how popular) a story is, authors love feedback! | | |
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Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI Music: Shinigami Haken Kyoukai no Theme (music by Taku Iwasaki, lyrics by Yukinojou Mori) Musical Artist: “Most Beautiful Death In The World” original cast Pairing: Alan Humphries/Eric Slingby Length: 8:25 Vidder's Website: YouTubeWhy This Vid Kicks Ass:It has dancing bureaucrats. Who are gods of death. Who sing about office policies. If that's not enough to explain why you need to watch this, I fear that a demon may have eaten your soul while you weren't looking. This clip is something of a special case: the subtitles are a fanwork and a labor of love, but it's not a fanvid in other respects. Still, it's a thing of glory and not to be missed: in its mix of crack, humor, and underlying darkness, it sums up everything I love about the fandom. And as a nontrivial bonus, the perfection of the casting is an amazing thing to behold. Shinigami Dispatch Society | | |
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