The YnM van pulls into the garage as temple bells ring and fireworks burst in the background. The androgynous figure, now clad in a green winter-weight kimono with a black trenchcoat slung about the shoulders in lieu of a haori jacket, gets out of the driver's seat, taking the keys from the ignition

Unfortunately, my time driving the YnM van has come to an end. But! I have one more fic to offer, and my resolution for this New Year is to come back and offer you more fics in the near future. Hopefully I'll be back: it was fun driving for you folks!

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Terazuma/Wakaba
Length: 100 words (drabble)
Author on LJ: Unknown (linky??
Author Website: Author's Page on AO3
Why this must be read: Terazuma is perhaps one of the most under-rated characters in the series: he's got a blink-and-you'll-miss him appearance in the anime (and he might have had more screentime if the funding for the anime hadn't gotten cut after the Kyoto arc was completed), and much of the time in the manga, he appears as Tsuzuki's frienemy. The fact that we know little about his background is a fanfic opportunity in the making. This might be a short fic, but there's a lot in it, without it feeling crammed or rushed...

Angel

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

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 damage

I 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

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/kireizillah

Why 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

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/MakoProduction

Why 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?

:: 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/thesnakechild

Why 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)

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Watari/Tatsumi
Length: 1,419
Author on LJ: cairnsy
Author Website: Author's Page on FF.N

Why this must be read: This fic was rec'ed to me by the wonderfully helpful laurose8 on the yami_no_matsuei comm. Normally, I tend not to ship Watari and Tatsumi, since I've run across a few too many fics which, in less capable hands, caused it to suffer from a case of Pair the Spares. But this fic is anything but that. The author does more than sketch the personalities of these two very different shinigami -- Watari with his daffiness and artlessness, Tatsumi with his straight-laced nature that hides a surprisingly gentle, sentimental heart -- and shows how, as the saying goes, opposites can attract and lend each other balance.

Sentimental

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Muraki/Oriya
Length: 264
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Fic Archive

Why this must be read: After yesterday's fic, we need some pick-me-ups, and this one, like many of Kouri's, is deftly humorous and suggestive, a vignette of Muraki and Oriya at a more innocent, but still naughty time in their lives, perhaps back in their college days, with Muraki finding other uses for his medical expertise...


Playing Doctor

The same figure who's been dressed in white is currently jacking up the YnM van, which has hit a pothole and lost a wheel.

Sorry for the sudden silence after that orgy of posting: the hackers who've been attacking LJ recently nearly ran the van off the road. Not to worry: I know someone who could use a few test subjects for his experiments.

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Muraki/Tsuzuki (non-con)
Length: 5,115
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Author page on FF.N

Why this must be read: Speaking of experiments... this has to be one of the most *sick* Muraki/Tsuzuki fics I have ever read. Usually, I don't go for much in the way of gore, but this one captured Muraki's twisted personality so well, it broke past my inhibitions. Written as if it might be a cut scene from near the climax of the Kyoto Files arc, it shows us just what Muraki might have been up to, after he kidnapped Tsuzuki and held him hostage for seventy-two hours in that sub-basement lab beneath Shion University. There's a gleefulness to the gruesomeness, and that's utterly befitting Muraki's tendency toward morbid humor.



In_Vivo

Fandom: YAMI NO MARSUEI
Pairing: None, gen
Length: 550
Author on LJ: lady_ganesh
Author Website: Author's Page on AO3
Why this must be read:

It's a given in canon that Oriya often ends up doing favors for Muraki, but one gets the feeling that in turn, Muraki has to return favor to his longtime friend and protector. This fic shows what those favors might entail, as a girl goes on the run from Kou Kaku Rou, only to have something follow her. His Paleness never named, and the build up to the reveal is quite stealthy, which leaves one shuddering at what the ending strongly implies... Lady Ganesh's fics are always deftly-cut gems, but this one especially lingered with me for a long time after I finished reading it.


Run For Your Life

That same androgynous figure who's been driving the YnM van is now lounging on the rear bumper, their hair suddenly silver and neatly brushed out, and their form clad in an immaculate white suit.

"Enjoying the ride so far? It's about to get bumpy: today I'll be posting a few fics featuring Muraki, with or without various pairings. It's the pale, creepy gent's forty-seventh birthday and what's a birthday without a few surprises?"

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI

Pairing: Muraki/Hisoka

Length: 2,581

Author on LJ: seshats_prodigy

Author Website: Tag List on their LJ

Why this must be read: This fic is an utter delight, albeit in a wonderfully nasty way. Much like a conversation with the not-so-good-doctor, it starts off innocent and innocuous enough, with Hisoka and a few other shinigami from the Judgment Bureau enjoying some holiday cheer at a bar, then Hisoka decides to step out for some fresh air, only to find something wicked his way coming, in the form of an ardent Muraki with some clever ways to adaptively reuse Christmas decorations as bondage devices. It's downhill from there, like a sled on a vertiginous drop, but much as it makes one cringe, you'll be enjoying that mad rush...


'You're a Mean One, Dr. M'

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI

Pairing: Mild Hisoka/Tsuzuki

Length: 416

Author on LJ: wordsofastory

Author Website: Author's Page on AO3

Why this must be read: Bridgh's fics are some of the best in the fandom, and this meditation on the literally firey climax of the Kyoto Files arc is shatteringly beautiful. A lesser writer might have used fire, but she draws on its polar opposite, looking at this event from the point of view of four characters at the center of it all... I'll stop blithering and let it speak for itself.

Salt Water

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSEUI

Pairing: Yukitaka Muraki/Asato Tsuzuki, pre-slash

Length: 222

Author on LJ: Unknown (Link me if someone knows??)

Author Website: Author's Page on fanfiction.net

Why this must be read: Part of what seems to draw a lot of fic writers to YnM are the shadowy pasts of the main characters: they beg one to attempt to fill in the blanks and imagine how these characters got there. This is especially true of Tsuzuki, whose past is hidden even from him. This short fic shows us the moment when he first becomes a patient of the grandfather of his future archnemesis, and the implications of what contributed to his years of mental anguish and torment... It's a very subtle, simple fic on the surface, but it hints at things that will leave one shivering...


The Demon

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI

Pairing: hints of Muraki/Oriya and Muraki/Ukyou

Length: 1,173

Author on LJ: Unknown (tell me if anyone knows??)

Author Website: Author's Page on Fanfiction.Net

Why this must be read: There's an old saying that no man is a hero to his butler, and this fic builds off that notion. Told from the viewpoint of Muraki's long-suffering manservant Sakaki (who gets a two-line cameo in the anime and a one-frame appearance in the manga), it answers the question "What happened after the firey climax of the Kyoto arc?". I love the tone of Sakaki's voice: it's at once scolding and put-upon, but at the same time very devoted and even paternal: this man clearly looks out for his master, looking askance at his crimes, yet painfully aware that his master's worst enemy is himself...

Preserving Whiteness

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI

Pairing: Tsuzuki/Hisoka

Length: 720

Author on LJ: measuringlife

Author Website: Fic tag on author's LJ

Why this must be read: Part of Tsuzuki's charm and quirkiness is that he's terrified of ghosts, despite the fact that he's dead himself. This fic captures that hilariously, as he and Hisoka go undercover at an office to see what's going bump in the boardroom; it really shows Tsuzuki's wacky ineptness and Hisoka's level-headness, which balances him out, revealing why they really make a good team.

He's A Terror

The YnM van rolls up to the kerb: it's recently been washed and waxed, and once it comes to a stop, an androgynous figure in a rumpled black suit, dark hair slightly on end, rolls down the window and peers out.

Hey there, I'm matrixrefugee, and I am bringing a classic Van out of the garage this month, namely the Yami no Matsuei (aka Descendants of Darkness) van. It's an honor to be your driver for this fandom and for this month.

The manga has been in hiatus for a number of years, due to the mangaka's health and some editorial problems, but as of this fall, it has come back into production in Japan, and hopefully will continue. For those of you who are devoted to the series and are patiently waiting to read more, I'll be offering some of my favorite fics and vids; and for those of you who haven't heard of it before, there are two lovely overviews to be found Here and Here Unfortunately, the picture links seem to have expired, but not to worry: here's a few pics of the lovely (in every sense of the word) cast of death gods, mortals, energy feeders and more:

( Cut to save ye f-list and to build suspense )

I'm a fan of Hisoka/Tsuzuki fics and Muraki/*most anyone* fics, so there's likely to be quite a few of those, as well as some recs offered by the lovely folks at yami_no_matsuei and yamifics. But, I'm glad to have you folks riding with me, and I hope enjoy the ride through the mortal world and the afterlife!

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tsuzuki/Hisoka
Length: ~1000
Author on LJ: ranalore (Author prefers her insane journal or dreamwidtht
Author Website: Here (currently down)
Why this must be read:

This is a perfect way to end this month of recs. It's quiet, soft, and absolutely lovely. And it presents a happy ending that I can actually believe, which is a challenge anyway and even more difficult in this fandom.

Achingly beautiful and utterly satisfying, this should not be missed.

( Excerpt )

Karmic Ocean Dried Up

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Muraki/Hisoka, Tsuzuki/Hisoka
Length: 9,500+
Author on LJ: ravenbell
Author Website: Fic index
Why this must be read:

Because it's sheer genius, that's why. Oh, you probably want elaboration. It's a fresh, fascinating look at the relationship between Muraki and Hisoka. Everything I love about the characters and the way they interact is here, but Ravenbell takes it a step further, pulling back complex, conflicting layers to create a spellbinding story.

Better the Devil You Know is a sequel to In the Warmth of the Darkness, but it stands well on its own.

( Excerpt )

Better the Devil You Know (And now linked to an unlocked version of the story. I suck.)

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: (no abbreviations, please)
Length: 804 words
Author on LJ: wordsofstory
Author Website: Fic archive
Why this must be read:

Because it's all about Tsubaki-hime, who is a fascinating character despite being largely ignored by fandom. Brigdh really get's into her head here, making her understandable. This was the fic that started my Tsubaki love. Not to mention that it's simply beautifully written. You can almost feel the rhythm of the ocean in it.

( Excerpt )

A Sway And A Roll

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tsuzuki/Hisoka
Length: 1575 words
Author on LJ: b_hallward
Author Website: ghost_of_banquo
Why this must be read:

Because it's a brilliant look at Hisoka and his journey. Most Hisoka fics tend to focus on Muraki, ignoring the scars that his family's abuse left on him. Dorian does no such thing here. Here we have a Hisoka who's struggling to come to terms with his father... and himself.

( Excerpt )

The Long Home

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Mitani/Izuru
Length: ~70,000
Author on LJ: vanilla_klise
Author Website: Fanfiction.net profile
Why this must be read:

Because Experimental once again proves herself the queen of minor characters. This story starts Mitana and Izuru, two characters who only appeared in the St. Michel's chapter of the manga. In this fic, they've become shinigami. A routine case grows terribly strange and the two are forced to reexamine everything they know. This is a marvelous fleshing out of characters who didn't get a lot of page time. Not only that, but it's a great mystery too.

( Excerpt )

A Distant Shore

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tatsumi/Watari
Length: ~3,000
Author on LJ: p_zeitgiest
Author Website: Fic archive
Why this must be read:

This is a remix of my previous rec, and it must be read for several reasons. First of all, it's a brilliant story. Second, it's a fantastic example of a great remix. Phoebe takes the same basic plot, and brings her own unique voice to it.

There's a wonderful mix of the magical and the mundane in this story. The fairytale narrative the runs through serves to remind us that Meifu is an otherworldly place. And yet the tone of the story makes it clear that these people suffer in ways not too different from us, though their problems may be more dramatic. It's an excellent representation of a world populated by preternaturally beautiful ghosts, who nonetheless have to worry about budgets, office supplies, and that sometimes awkward transition from just coworkers to lovers.

( Excerpt: )

Earthly Attractions (Bright As Day Remix)

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tatsumi/Watari
Length: ~3,000 words
Author on LJ: mistressrenet
Author Website: Renet's Archive
Why this must be read:

Because, like my last rec, it gives believable happiness to a character who doesn't get nearly enough of that.

After Kyoto, Tatsumi decides to stop being a shinigami. After all, if Tsuzuki has Hisoka and no longer needs Tatsumi, what's left for him? Watari might have the answer.

Tatsumi/Watari always suffers from the risk of becoming a "pair the spares" sort of pairing, but there's none of that here. Their attraction to each other and burgeoning relationship feels real. The characterizations are excellent as well. Watari is both wiser than he usually lets on and absolutely alive (especially for a dead guy), while Tatsumi is practical and subdued, all the while concealing a huge potential for passion.

Plus, I'm always up for a story in which Tatsumi learns to stop torturing himself.

( Excerpt: )

Earthly Attractions

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Terazuma/Wakaba
Length: 4275 words
Author on LJ: ciceqi
Author Website: Blood, Love & Rhetoric
Why this must be read:

Because it gives happiness to characters who don't get nearly enough of it. And it's happiness that is both genuine and believable. Terazumi and Kagan Kuroshungei (Terazuma's shikigami) are wonderfully written, of course, but it's Wakaba who steals the show. She knows what she wants, and she's not going to stop until she gets it.

( Excerpt: )

Shared

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tsuzuki/Hisoka
Length: 500 words
Author on LJ: wordsofastory
Author Website: Fic archive
Why this must be read:

Because it will show you why Brigdh is the queen of Tsuzuki/Hisoka. The Tsuzuki/Hisoka section of fandom is filled with a lot of dreck. A lot. Luckily, Brigdh shows us what the pairing can be when used to its full potential.

The story is soft, and it feels like winter, as if fresh snow has quieted everything. However, the feeling is not quite peaceful. The sharp, painful edges that define Hisoka and Tsuzuki as people are still there, which only adds to the delicate beauty of the story.


( Excerpt: )


Little Warm in the Heart

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tsuzuki/Watari
Length: ~2,500
Author on LJ: childofatlantis
Author Website: atalan_fic
Why this must be read:

Because it's fun, in character, and a really nice example of an all too rare pairing. In a series full of relationships that have the angst meter turned up to eleven, Watari/Tsuzuki can be a breath of fresh air. This story shows why. There's a relaxed, easy feel that fits characters very well. Watari especially, as Atalan allows us to see a side of his character other than "hyperactive, wacky mad scientist." Neither he nor Tsuzuki have lost their sense of fun, but they feel like adults here.


( Excerpt )

Undemanding

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Tatsumi/Hisoka
Length: About 24,000 words
Author on LJ: lyrebird
Author Website: LB*M
Why this must be read:

Because it's one of the best Tatsumi/Hisoka fics in the fandom and quite possibly the longest. Lyrebird's Hisoka and Tatsumi are well crafted, with all their virtues and their flaws coming into play.

A common problem with Tatsumi/Hisoka fic is the tendency for it to revolve around their feelings for Tsuzuki. However, while Lyrebird certainly doesn't ignore Tsuzuki, Hisoka and Tatsumi are drawn to each other for reasons of their own.

What makes this story especially enjoyable, at least for me, is the attention paid to Hisoka's martial arts skills. They're an important part of his character, but usually forgotten about. In Umbral Embrace, it's Hisoka's decision to improve his kendo skills that provide the catalyst for everything else, but more than that it gives an interesting look at Hisoka's personality.

( Excerpt )

Umbral Embrace

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Hints of TsuzukixHisoka, TerazumaxWakaba
Length: About 2,000 words
Author on LJ: squirrelarmy
Author Website: squirrelly_bits (Fic journal) and fanfiction.net profile
Why this must be read:

Because it's hilarious, clever, and a great use of minor characters. Terazuma and Wakaba are great characters, but they're not included very often. This fic shows just why that's such a shame. Terazuma has to call tech support to deal with a possessed copier, and he's as happy about it as you imagine. Everyone is perfectly in character, which only makes the humor better. The ending is the best part, but I'll let you discover that for yourself.

( Excerpt )

Copy Woes

Hello all, I'm Veleda and I'll be your Yami no Matsuei driver this month.

There have been two excellent YnM overviews, so I'll link you to those here and here.

Let's get started.

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: None, gen.
Length: 20 chapters, roughly 80,000 words
Author on LJ: vanilla_klise
Author Website: Experimental's fanfiction.net page.
Why this must be read:

Because it's quirky, delightfully strange, and different from anything else I have ever read in this fandom. Experimental plays with and twists cliches to her heart's content, but contrasts it with a healthy helping of the absurd. People sing enka, Watari dies (again), and Tsuzuki gets food poisoning. Perhaps it has something to do with the lunar eclipse?

The best part of the story is Hisoka, baffled, but determined to get to the bottom of the murky mystery.

Frequently funny, sometimes sentimental, and with just a dash of Noir, this is not a story to be missed.

( Excerpt: )

A Midsummer's Nightmare or Juuohcho no HardBoiled Wonderland and the Search for Spock-kun

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Hisoka/Tsuzuki, Hisoka/Muraki, Muraki/Tsuzuki
Length: about 3700 words, in 11 related pieces
Author on LJ: b_hallward
Author Website: ghost_of_banquo

Why this must be read:

If you've ever encountered any of Dorian's work, you'll already know that she is one of the best writers to grace any fandom that's lucky enough to attract her notice. Which is a good thing for me, since it makes this, my final rec of the month, merely difficult to write up, rather than impossible.

Dorian says of this piece -- and it is a single piece, just as an atom is a single bit of matter for all the subatomic particles that comprise it -- I have managed to destroy Tsuzuki, storm the heavens and burn Meifu to the ground in just under 3700 words. As that implies, this is an epic and a tragedy; it is much bigger on the inside than on the outside. The structure of the piece cuts away everything that is nonessential, and holds everything that is essential bound together in perfect, terrifying balance.

I have an (amateur, wholly untested) hypothesis that one of the things we're beginning to see in fanfic is the emergence of a genuine new literary form, one that uses a reader's familiarity with a given canon to achieve effects not possible with the novel, the conventional short story, or the formally-accepted structures of poetry. If that has any validity, then "The Three of Swords Variations" is the most perfect example of the new form that I know: astonishing in the amount of sheer storytelling packed into these 3700 words, in the virtuosity with which the author has used the tools the form puts at her disposal, and in the understated austere beauty of every line.

This isn't exactly what I think most people have in mind when they talk about comfort reading. Its effects rely on its audience being willing to read every word, and to pay attention to all the references, and perhaps even to google things you think might be references. (Dorian is a writer who'll reference Propertius and let you figure it out for yourself.) And it will be worth it, every moment of it; those references aren't mere gilding, the writer flashing peacock feathers at you. Every one of them is structural, adding to the weave of meaning.

There's a reason I've saved this one for last. This is art; it doesn't get any better.

And that makes a neat segue into the necessary disclaimer, which is that "The Three of Swords Variations" can be thought of as a remix of pieces of my own. All I can say -- and I have said it often enough elsewhere, and meant it -- is that to the extent that is true, I think that having in any way contributed to the writing of this story is more than I could ever have hoped to accomplish by my presence in fandom. If YnM were a full-time crack_van fandom I'd leave this to the next reccer for appearance's sake. But it isn't, and it would make a mockery of the whole concept of this community to leave this piece unrecced.

The Three of Swords Variations (index, with links and useful author's notes)
Individual links:
Useless as Next Morning's Sun
for lo, the rebel spheres spin round
with venomed tooth
A Deep So Profound
A Pit With Heaven Over It
Round Earth's Imagined Corners
Oubliette
Osiris (All in Pieces)
Yet Still 'Tis Just
Apotheosis
Of Angels Watching Round

And one bonus, from a universe next door to this one:

Aftermath