Never Compromise by sleep_learning (unrated)

[tortoisegirl.livejournal.com]

Hello! I'll be reccing for Watchmen this month, and I'm very excited to be reccing for the first time. There's a ton of great fic in the fandom and I've had fun picking out just a few to rec. :) Enjoy!

Fandom: WATCHMEN
Pairing: Nite Owl II/Rorschach
Length: ~1200 words
Author on LJ: sleep_learning
Author Website: Fic list: http://sleep-learning.livejournal.com/8504.html
Why this must be read:

The style of this one stems from a meme rather than traditional fic, but the style is a large part of why this fic is wonderful. The story covers all of Nite Owl and Rorschach’s relationship, from their partnership days to the split over the Keene Act to the reunion and events of the graphic novel, tracing the long span of time by zooming in on specific thoughts or scenes. There is a ton of emotion packed into each little flash and with a large range too, from longing to lust to joy to despair. Each line is beautifully written as well. Together they create a full picture of Dan & Rorschach’s relationship and everything that’s happened in it without getting bogged down in a long narrative.

8. Between burning houses and capturing a serial killer, Rorschach can feel Dan’s eyes, trapped behind his goggles, filled with the worst kind of yearning.

9. The ink is constantly changing shape, like the ageing lines of a face, and Dan is the only one who can make it slide upwards, like a jack-o-lantern, a mockery of a smile.

10. The boundaries were broken by a single leathered glove, unzipped pants and voices strained into distortion.

Never Compromise