GUM ARABIC (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ghostdrive) wrote2007-12-31 07:54 pm
ghostdrive) wrote2007-12-31 07:54 pm
Entry tags:
I AM INTO WAY TOO MANY SERIES. Plus, I lack a social life.
Spent the past few days making my way through this year's Yuletide entries, keeping track of the ones I really liked. So, yeah. I guess its fic rec time?
I was kinda unsure about how to go about with this many fic recs since I am laaaaaazy. So I decided to just post either the summary or a very small snippet (a part that I particularly liked) from each one.(Hopefully I'm not stepping on anyone's toes by doing things this way.) Maybe it'll entice you to go ahead and give one a read yourself. Anyway, a few of these do have actual commentary from me, so...Enjoy?
Yuletide Fic Recommendations
Blade of the Immortal - Wasted Words - Anotsu
Words are so easily wasted.
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Count Cain - call no man happy until he is dead - Cain/Riff
Cain begins to laugh one day as he sits in front of the mirror in his dressing room. Riff, who is running a comb through his hair, stops in bewilderment.
Count Cain - Silver Bells And Cockle Shells - implied Cain/Riff
The ground was hard and ridged with frost, making digging all but impossible. The shovel sunk bare centimeters into the dirt before stopping with an echoing clang.
Count Cain - All The King's Men - Cain/Riff, Cain/Crehador
The betrayal and flight of Riff threw the Hargreaves estate into a state of confusion and dismay, and left no member of the household unaffected.
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Howl's Moving Castle (book-verse) - In Which It's Happily Ever After After All - Howl/Sophie
Howl promised her a happily ever after, and Sophie thinks he has forgotten his promise.
Howl's Moving Castle (book-verse) - A Meeting of Minds - Howl/Sophie
The blue flame flickered momentarily as Calcifer blinked. "Wedding?"
Howl's Moving Castle (movie-verse) - As Sophie Slept - Howl/Sophie
The first time Howl watched Sophie sleep it was merely curiosity.
Howl's Moving Castle (movie-verse) - A Big Change - Howl/Sophie
Howl had decided that it was a time for a change in the castle. A big change. Of course, things were always big with Howl. Nothing was ever small with him. Emotions were big, talks were big, and movements were big. Every last detail of Howl's life was big.
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Eyeshield 21 - When Hiruma Met Mamori: A Love Story -- Himura/Mamori
There's no real romance in it (or fake romance, for that matter) but all the same, this is a love story.
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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - A Hearkening to Olden Days - Batou & the Major
Batou and the Major attempt to achieve the impossible.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Tachikoma Nights - Tachikoma
It all started out (as these things often do) with the Tachikoma giving in to their curiosity.
"Gentlemen! What does the Major do when she goes home at night?"
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - A Visit to the Park - Batou & the Tachikoma
Batou is honest with himself--if nor the Tachikoma--about why he enjoys their company.
A little flick of her eyelash. Aramaki found this intriguing. Many people who were as cyberized as Major Kusanagi were poker-faced with their new bodies; if they tried to express themselves, they lacked a certain grace. It was a subtle point of body language, and not one which leant itself to programming short-cuts. The Major was in full control of herself, yet she let her body convey these subliminal cues.
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Gokusen (jdrama) - Making One's Plans - Shin/Yankumi
Sawada Shin was pretty sure of what he was doing. When he'd made the declaration to the police detectives and the Yakuza declaring their intentions to pursue his teacher, he was serious about it. Very serious.
Gokusen (jdrama) - At Home - Shin/Yankumi
Dinner at the Ooedo House was always lively, and the presence of Sawada Shin tonight did nothing to stifle the family's energy. He was a familiar guest by now, and everyone looked forward to the occasions when Kumiko randomly dragged him home with her, declaring that he was wasting away from eating too much instant ramen and that he was clearly in need of a good home-cooked meal . (She said it was motherly instinct, but her grandfather had his own private, amused doubts about that.)
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Hot Fuzz - Direct Evidence - Nick & Danny
"Is it true you and Police Constable Butterman took confiscated weaponry and went trigger happy in the middle of the day?"
Yes, but he was hoping to phrase it more positively in the paperwork, which he ought to get to right now.
"I really must go now," he simply replied, opening the car door.
"One last question!" the journalist exclaimed, shoving the tape recorder even closer to Nicholas' face. "What is your idea of a perfect Sunday?"
"Not sitting down with the paper you're writing for," Nicholas said, pulling the car door closed.
It's not like Danny's all that experienced himself - not that much experience in this area you can get in a town like Sandford - but you ask someone back to yours after a night at the pub, that's pretty clichéd, isn't it? And what could be more romantic than Point Break?
Hot Fuzz - Christmas Gifts - Nick/Danny
Danny is giving Nicolas a special christmas present.
Hot Fuzz - Anticipation - Nick/Danny
Danny nodded, "Yep. That new video store has a whole wall of Chop-Socky. We'll have to grab a Chinese and have a Jet Pack night!"
Nick frowned, "Jet Li."
Danny grinned, "Gently? No way! Blood and guts and mayhem."
Hot Fuzz - Occupational Hazards - Nick/Danny
"A person can't live on Jaffa Cakes, Danny."
"Like I'd limit myself! There's a whole package of pink wafers in the cupboard."
Angel sighs. "And I suppose they're left over from the time you lost your keys down the toilet."
"That's an urban legend," says Danny, coming up behind Angel to stare into the nearly-empty refrigerator. "It was actually just a key."
Hot Fuzz - Settled In - Nick/Danny
He made the mistake of turning his head, and winced. Great, he'd developed a crick in his neck. He had to stop falling asleep on Danny's couch. His pillow shifted a bit and Nicholas realised his head was resting on Danny's thigh.
Hot Fuzz - How to Take Care of a Japanese Peace Lily - Nick & Danny
Unlike many believe, it doesn't take a custom-made pot or imported mineral water to get the lily's flowers to eventually open up. It's all about rationing, it's about steady care, it's about taking care with care and most importantly, about not giving up. It's about shade, and light, in just the right proportions. It's about heat, but not too much of it.
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Hotel Dusk - Hotel California -- Kyle/Bradley
After I finished the beer I got back on the road. The radio had some terrible song about love and heartbreak playing, so I changed it to oldies. But that was more love and heartbreak, go figure. I turned it off and just kept driving.
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The Last Client - When I Go - Chris/Aya
Aya woke before Chris, and took his time studying the other man's sleeping face. He looked so vulnerable asleep like this, and the lack of stubble made him look younger, innocent, something that was belied by his eyes when they were open.
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Love Mode - In Milan - Ian/Rin
There were a number of things Rin did not talk about. He wouldn't talk about his life before Blue Boy, or what had brought him to join. He did not talk about the previous owner, but then few hosts did. And, he did not talk about his feelings, at least not honestly where Ian was around to hear them. It wasn't that he intended to lie to Ian, but rather that he didn't want to put into words what part of him already knew. The rest of him, however, denied it resolutely.
Love Mode - The Loves of Aoe Reiji - Reiji-centric
Aoe Reiji has had three loves in his lifetime.
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MARS (manga) - Skin Shallow, Bone Deep -- Rei/Kira (mentions of Sei)
Her breath was warm across his face as she lightly kissed his eyelids, his nose, the corners of his mouth. Her fingers left cold traces on his cheeks, and he imagined she painted his face with the scents the turpentine and graphite.
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Mulan - Lonely at the Top - Ping (Mulan) & Shang
Fa Ping is perched on top of the pole, a smirk on his handsome face.
Mulan - Two Days Rest - mainly Mulan, Yao, Ling & Chien Po
"Hey, hey!" he said, dodging a playful jab towards his stomach. "Don't be such a mood-killer! I just wanted to invite you to go to town with us."
Mulan looked at him, considered it and turned back to Khan. "No thank you. I'm quite fine."
"Coward," Yao commented slyly, appearing on the other side of Khan. "Just because you wouldn't know what to do with a girl..."
Mulan clenched her teeth and refused to say something. She couldn't go into town, it would be foolish and she would only be discovered. It didn't matter what they said.
Mulan - Battle, A Different Kind - Mulan, her mother, her grandmother
"He's used to seeing you as a man, not a woman," says her grandmother frankly. "But what Captain Shang saw of Fa Mulan - brown as a nut, with her hair all loose, in a less-than-flattering gown - intrigued him enough that he is out there drinking your father's best ricewine and listening to your father's old war stories with a very good show of awe."
Mulan - And in their footsteps spring will come - Mulan, Yao, Ling, Chien Po
As winter turns to spring, Mulan brings hope to the Empire.
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Mushishi - Fearless - Ginko
When he was twelve, Ginko found himself staring down a mushi for the first time in his life. He'd seen them up close, even mere centimeters away, but this one, thin as a blade of grass but long as a snake, was settled around his neck. And even though it lacked eyes, it was considering him.
Mushishi - Ephemera - Ginko & Tanyuu
She can measure her life in reams of paper, brought twice a year by the straining wagonload. She likes hot sake, dirty jokes, imported tobacco that smells of vanilla and jasmine. Lady Tanyuu, crippled from birth by the mushi so terrible it had to be forbidden or so fearsome it had to be forgotten. Now it dances into neat rows of grammar under her fingers.
Mushishi - The Greatest May Appear The Least - Ginko
Ginko put out his cigarette and stepped into his shoes. He quickly assembled and lit another cigarette -- the most basic of precautions -- before crossing the road and following the slope downward toward the radiant plants. As far as he was concerned, the lure of finding a new mushi far outstripped the gentle tug of exhaustion.
Mushishi - Marginalia - Ginko (a Mushishi case-fic)
What had been her stranger's reason for walking into this uncertain country? A pilgrim probably, either ignorant or fanatical or hopeful, to come to this place where no destination waited. His clothes were good quality but worn and often mended; his body was strong and muscled. Perhaps he was a farmer, or a labourer of some kind?
But his hands had none of the calluses that kind of work would produce, and when she peered closely at the hand she held she could just see, in the flickering firelight, ink stains.
Mushishi - The Smell of Sunlight - Ginko & Tanyuu
Ginko tells Tanyuu a story.
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Okami - Land of One Hundred Stories - Waka & Amaterasu
A young man burst through the door. "Darling!" he cried as he wrapped Waka in a mad embrace. "I have missed you so much!"
"Mon amour!" Waka cried. "I have no idea who you are!"
Like magnets reversed, the young man repelled himself from Waka as quickly as he had clung to him.
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Phoenix Wright - Near Misses - Phoenix/Edgeworth
Edgeworth carried the letter with him for nearly a day, tucked surreptitiously between pages 236 and 237 of Freckmann and Wegerich's The German Legal System, before he retreated to the sitting room, placed it carefully in the fireplace, and watched it burn to unrecognizable ash.
Phoenix Wright - Winter Breeze - Edgeworth & Franziska (implied Phoenix/Edgeworth)
"I don't think I know you at all, right now." Edgeworth is actually smiling, though, as he returns the file to its place on his shelves. "But Phoenix has been quaking in his boots for the past few weeks. I wouldn't have thought he'd be the first to know you were coming back. Do you have a soft spot for him, Franziska?"
Phoenix Wright - Turnabout Laundromat -- Phoenix, Maya, Edgeworth, Franziska (various other PW characters)
I was willing to believe a lot of things about Franziska von Karma, including that she wasn't actually guilty of murder. But that she was really going to go out on a date with Larry Butz? Well, that was kind of hard to believe. Okay, not just kind of hard to believe.
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Princess Tutu - The End Is Where We Start From - Fakir/Ahiru
In the months since Mytho and Rue had flown off together into whatever happy ending awaited them, Fakir had written the ending to Ahiru's story no less than fifty times. Every morning, they would leave Karon's house together. He carried paper, pen, ink, and a light lunch in a leather satchel slung over one shoulder, his lap desk was tucked under one arm, and Ahiru rode comfortably in the crook of the other.
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Samurai Champloo - Walking Around, Wasting Time - Fuu-centric (mentions of Jin, Mugen, Moronobu, Shinsuke, and Sara)
She looks up from her thoughts as Jin dives into the lake and lets the water swallow him whole, moment eating moment.
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Sex Pistols (manga) - Natural Instinct - Kunimasa/Norio, Yonekuni/Shiro
"Would you get off me? I'm not a homo." A sharp elbow to the stomach and Norio retreated to the other side of the car.
"Yeah, right," Norio muttered darkly, rubbing his ribs. "Then how come you keep saying you wanna do me?!"
"Hey - knock it off back there," Yonikuni hissed from behind the wheel.
Kunimasa banged on Yonikuni's headrest. "What are you, my father?"
"Shut up!"
Sex Pistols (manga) - bluebirds fly beyond - Yonekuni/Shiro
It is a law of fictional probability that the odd couple will somehow work out their differences to ride off into the sunset at the end of the reel. In real life, of course, what usually happens is that the odd couple becomes the bickering couple becomes two people who can't stand the sight of each other -- and they part, and fade into photographs brought out for the grandchildren.
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Ugly Betty - Setting the Record Straight - Marc
Marc finds himself inexplicably worrying about someone.
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Venture Bros. - Cold War Christmas - mainly Brock Samson & Molotov Cocktease
"I didn't think the USSR celebrated Christmas," said Brock. "You know, because of the whole Communist thing."
Molotov smiled. "My poor little Samson," she said. "You really believe everything your government tells you."
Venture Bros. - Leggy, and a Smooth Finish - Queen Etheria (aka Dr. Girlfriend)
Queen Etheria realizes her boyfriend is boring. Then she finds something more edgy. Something butterfly-like.
Venture Bros. - South American Idle
Inside the X-1, Brock calmly manned the controls, cigarette expelling a pencil-thin trail of smoke into the pressurised cabin. This irritated Dr Venture (he didn't want to get 'the cancer') sitting next to him, but he had complained about it so many times and Brock had just shrugged and made noncommittal noises so many times that the good doctor had just given up at this point. He was still annoyed though, and was certainly going to blame Brock when he got a stroke or something from bottling up all this irritation.
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The Vision of Escaflowne - Ace of Serpents - Hitomi (set several years after the end of the series)
From the window seat, Hitomi heard Yukari stop fiddling with the lights and set down her book. She wasn't surprised -- Yukari was one of the few people who knew about Gaea, even if Hitomi was never sure if Yukari believed her.
The Vision of Escaflowne - Another Life - Allen & Dilandau
Dilandau clutched at the rim of the sink and threw up again. This time he was sure his stomach had nothing left in it. He ran the tap afterward, washing the remains of what had been a splendid banquet down the drain. Cupped water in his palm, rinsed out his mouth, raised his head to the scalloped mirror. He looked haggard. A few limp violets still clung to his hair; with a disgusted sound he shook them out with his fingers.
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Whistle! - Breakaway - Tatsuya/Shou
Not even Mizuno Tatsuya is immune from adolescent confusion.
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Wild Adapter - Touch - Kubota/Tokito
Kubota and Tokito's early days together.
Wild Adapter - A Bad Feeling - Kubota/Tokito
Kubota has something to do for the night. How hard can it be for Tokito to stay in the apartment, play a video-game, go to sleep and not get into trouble?
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xxxHolic - Houses and Rain - mainly Zashiki-warashi, Ame-warashi & Fox cub (one-sided Zashiki-warashi/Watanuki)
I unfolded her note: the fox cub had scratched out the recipe on lavender parchment paper shot through with russet and copper threads. Foxes always know where to find good paper. It's because they hang out with scholars so much of the time.
xxxHolic - Wish, Want, Need - mainly Watanuki & Yuuko
"You cannot pay with money. The price of this charm is truth. Answer honestly the three questions I ask. Do not say anything that is not the answer you wish to give."
xxxHolic - Mistletoe - Doumeki/Watanuki
Although he figured no one would pay attention to such a silly tradition, Watanuki was going to take no chances. Turning his body side-ways, he attempted to slide through the narrow doorway without passing under the mistletoe.
xxxHolic - Longest Night - Watanuki & Yuuko
"Watanuki," Yuuko said after a moment, her voice a lazy, lazy drawl. "What day is today?"
Watanuki got out the last of the stain with more force than was perhaps strictly necessary. "It is Saturday, a day which many people are accustomed to not working. I'll make you dinner and bring you alcohol, and then I'm going home."
"Hmm," Yuuko said, and then lapsed into silence as she began packing her favorite pipe.
xxxHolic - Freedom - Watanuki & Yuuko
"Tonight, after you finish dinner, I grant your wish. You will be free of the spirits that bother you and you will be free of me."
xxxHolic - Ritual and Return - Watanuki, Doumeki, Yuuko & Himawari
You can't understand some stories until you become a part of them.
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Yotsuba& - Yotsuba and Cats - Yotsuba, the Ayase Family & Miura
Ena and Miura weren't in the least surprised to discover that there was suddenly a third member to their group as they walked away from Ena's house. They'd gotten far too used to Yotsuba for that. "Where are we going?" she asked as she fell into step with them.
I've also temporarily disabled my custom comment page since all this text is killer on the eyes in my usual layout. WHY MUST MY FAVORITE LAYOUT MAKE MY EYES GO SWIRLY WHEN THERE'S LOTS OF TEXT INVOLVED. ;_;
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My one New Years' resolution for 2008 is to dress better. There's more to the world than t-shirts and jeans.
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And last, but certainly not least, I'd like to wish big Happy Birthday to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
firefly99! Hopefully this year I'll stop being intimidated by your extreme awesomeness and start commenting more.
I was kinda unsure about how to go about with this many fic recs since I am laaaaaazy. So I decided to just post either the summary or a very small snippet (a part that I particularly liked) from each one.
Yuletide Fic Recommendations
Blade of the Immortal - Wasted Words - Anotsu
Words are so easily wasted.
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Count Cain - call no man happy until he is dead - Cain/Riff
Cain begins to laugh one day as he sits in front of the mirror in his dressing room. Riff, who is running a comb through his hair, stops in bewilderment.
Count Cain - Silver Bells And Cockle Shells - implied Cain/Riff
The ground was hard and ridged with frost, making digging all but impossible. The shovel sunk bare centimeters into the dirt before stopping with an echoing clang.
Count Cain - All The King's Men - Cain/Riff, Cain/Crehador
The betrayal and flight of Riff threw the Hargreaves estate into a state of confusion and dismay, and left no member of the household unaffected.
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Howl's Moving Castle (book-verse) - In Which It's Happily Ever After After All - Howl/Sophie
Howl promised her a happily ever after, and Sophie thinks he has forgotten his promise.
Howl's Moving Castle (book-verse) - A Meeting of Minds - Howl/Sophie
The blue flame flickered momentarily as Calcifer blinked. "Wedding?"
Howl's Moving Castle (movie-verse) - As Sophie Slept - Howl/Sophie
The first time Howl watched Sophie sleep it was merely curiosity.
Howl's Moving Castle (movie-verse) - A Big Change - Howl/Sophie
Howl had decided that it was a time for a change in the castle. A big change. Of course, things were always big with Howl. Nothing was ever small with him. Emotions were big, talks were big, and movements were big. Every last detail of Howl's life was big.
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Eyeshield 21 - When Hiruma Met Mamori: A Love Story -- Himura/Mamori
There's no real romance in it (or fake romance, for that matter) but all the same, this is a love story.
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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - A Hearkening to Olden Days - Batou & the Major
Batou and the Major attempt to achieve the impossible.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Tachikoma Nights - Tachikoma
It all started out (as these things often do) with the Tachikoma giving in to their curiosity.
"Gentlemen! What does the Major do when she goes home at night?"
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - A Visit to the Park - Batou & the Tachikoma
Batou is honest with himself--if nor the Tachikoma--about why he enjoys their company.
- I have an incredible soft spot for the Tachikoma; its sort of similar to Roomba owners who treat their machines as pets and dress them up (but hopefully not as crazy sounding). The evolution of their AI, with the development of distinct personalities and human-like sapience, was touching. So when the decision to remove them from Section 9 was made (with some of them being dissected for lab analysis), I was crushed.
I remember, in the same day, Adult Swim aired the episode of Fullmetal Alchemist where Hughes died, followed by the episode of GitS where the surviving Tachikoma gave up their "lives" in protecting Batou. Its sounds odd to admit, but for Hughes I just got choked up, no tears left my eyes, but for the Tachikoma I was sobbing. The stricken look on Batou's face probably mirrored my own.
So when they returned in the second season I was beyond happy. ...Phew. Now that I got that digression over with I can continue with the recs.
A little flick of her eyelash. Aramaki found this intriguing. Many people who were as cyberized as Major Kusanagi were poker-faced with their new bodies; if they tried to express themselves, they lacked a certain grace. It was a subtle point of body language, and not one which leant itself to programming short-cuts. The Major was in full control of herself, yet she let her body convey these subliminal cues.
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Gokusen (jdrama) - Making One's Plans - Shin/Yankumi
Sawada Shin was pretty sure of what he was doing. When he'd made the declaration to the police detectives and the Yakuza declaring their intentions to pursue his teacher, he was serious about it. Very serious.
Gokusen (jdrama) - At Home - Shin/Yankumi
Dinner at the Ooedo House was always lively, and the presence of Sawada Shin tonight did nothing to stifle the family's energy. He was a familiar guest by now, and everyone looked forward to the occasions when Kumiko randomly dragged him home with her, declaring that he was wasting away from eating too much instant ramen and that he was clearly in need of a good home-cooked meal . (She said it was motherly instinct, but her grandfather had his own private, amused doubts about that.)
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Hot Fuzz - Direct Evidence - Nick & Danny
"Is it true you and Police Constable Butterman took confiscated weaponry and went trigger happy in the middle of the day?"
Yes, but he was hoping to phrase it more positively in the paperwork, which he ought to get to right now.
"I really must go now," he simply replied, opening the car door.
"One last question!" the journalist exclaimed, shoving the tape recorder even closer to Nicholas' face. "What is your idea of a perfect Sunday?"
"Not sitting down with the paper you're writing for," Nicholas said, pulling the car door closed.
- I was originally going to skip right past the Hot Fuzz section (not because I don't think that there were awesome fic for this movie, I just usually don't go for movie-based fics), but then I was like, "Oh, I'll just check out one...". And one turned into two, two into three, and OMG, THE HOT FUZZ FANDOM IS MADE OF AWESOME. The movie was full of incredible characters and so many details that I didn't catch everything until subsequent viewings, and that's what I feel like most of these fics I've recced possess.
It's not like Danny's all that experienced himself - not that much experience in this area you can get in a town like Sandford - but you ask someone back to yours after a night at the pub, that's pretty clichéd, isn't it? And what could be more romantic than Point Break?
Hot Fuzz - Christmas Gifts - Nick/Danny
Danny is giving Nicolas a special christmas present.
Hot Fuzz - Anticipation - Nick/Danny
Danny nodded, "Yep. That new video store has a whole wall of Chop-Socky. We'll have to grab a Chinese and have a Jet Pack night!"
Nick frowned, "Jet Li."
Danny grinned, "Gently? No way! Blood and guts and mayhem."
Hot Fuzz - Occupational Hazards - Nick/Danny
"A person can't live on Jaffa Cakes, Danny."
"Like I'd limit myself! There's a whole package of pink wafers in the cupboard."
Angel sighs. "And I suppose they're left over from the time you lost your keys down the toilet."
"That's an urban legend," says Danny, coming up behind Angel to stare into the nearly-empty refrigerator. "It was actually just a key."
Hot Fuzz - Settled In - Nick/Danny
He made the mistake of turning his head, and winced. Great, he'd developed a crick in his neck. He had to stop falling asleep on Danny's couch. His pillow shifted a bit and Nicholas realised his head was resting on Danny's thigh.
Hot Fuzz - How to Take Care of a Japanese Peace Lily - Nick & Danny
Unlike many believe, it doesn't take a custom-made pot or imported mineral water to get the lily's flowers to eventually open up. It's all about rationing, it's about steady care, it's about taking care with care and most importantly, about not giving up. It's about shade, and light, in just the right proportions. It's about heat, but not too much of it.
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Hotel Dusk - Hotel California -- Kyle/Bradley
After I finished the beer I got back on the road. The radio had some terrible song about love and heartbreak playing, so I changed it to oldies. But that was more love and heartbreak, go figure. I turned it off and just kept driving.
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The Last Client - When I Go - Chris/Aya
Aya woke before Chris, and took his time studying the other man's sleeping face. He looked so vulnerable asleep like this, and the lack of stubble made him look younger, innocent, something that was belied by his eyes when they were open.
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Love Mode - In Milan - Ian/Rin
There were a number of things Rin did not talk about. He wouldn't talk about his life before Blue Boy, or what had brought him to join. He did not talk about the previous owner, but then few hosts did. And, he did not talk about his feelings, at least not honestly where Ian was around to hear them. It wasn't that he intended to lie to Ian, but rather that he didn't want to put into words what part of him already knew. The rest of him, however, denied it resolutely.
Love Mode - The Loves of Aoe Reiji - Reiji-centric
Aoe Reiji has had three loves in his lifetime.
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MARS (manga) - Skin Shallow, Bone Deep -- Rei/Kira (mentions of Sei)
Her breath was warm across his face as she lightly kissed his eyelids, his nose, the corners of his mouth. Her fingers left cold traces on his cheeks, and he imagined she painted his face with the scents the turpentine and graphite.
- This fic left me breathless. The combination of Rei and Kira's life in the future along with the memories of Sei (and his impact on Rei) made this fic amazing.
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Mulan - Lonely at the Top - Ping (Mulan) & Shang
Fa Ping is perched on top of the pole, a smirk on his handsome face.
Mulan - Two Days Rest - mainly Mulan, Yao, Ling & Chien Po
"Hey, hey!" he said, dodging a playful jab towards his stomach. "Don't be such a mood-killer! I just wanted to invite you to go to town with us."
Mulan looked at him, considered it and turned back to Khan. "No thank you. I'm quite fine."
"Coward," Yao commented slyly, appearing on the other side of Khan. "Just because you wouldn't know what to do with a girl..."
Mulan clenched her teeth and refused to say something. She couldn't go into town, it would be foolish and she would only be discovered. It didn't matter what they said.
Mulan - Battle, A Different Kind - Mulan, her mother, her grandmother
"He's used to seeing you as a man, not a woman," says her grandmother frankly. "But what Captain Shang saw of Fa Mulan - brown as a nut, with her hair all loose, in a less-than-flattering gown - intrigued him enough that he is out there drinking your father's best ricewine and listening to your father's old war stories with a very good show of awe."
Mulan - And in their footsteps spring will come - Mulan, Yao, Ling, Chien Po
As winter turns to spring, Mulan brings hope to the Empire.
- This fic is epic. :O
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Mushishi - Fearless - Ginko
When he was twelve, Ginko found himself staring down a mushi for the first time in his life. He'd seen them up close, even mere centimeters away, but this one, thin as a blade of grass but long as a snake, was settled around his neck. And even though it lacked eyes, it was considering him.
Mushishi - Ephemera - Ginko & Tanyuu
She can measure her life in reams of paper, brought twice a year by the straining wagonload. She likes hot sake, dirty jokes, imported tobacco that smells of vanilla and jasmine. Lady Tanyuu, crippled from birth by the mushi so terrible it had to be forbidden or so fearsome it had to be forgotten. Now it dances into neat rows of grammar under her fingers.
Mushishi - The Greatest May Appear The Least - Ginko
Ginko put out his cigarette and stepped into his shoes. He quickly assembled and lit another cigarette -- the most basic of precautions -- before crossing the road and following the slope downward toward the radiant plants. As far as he was concerned, the lure of finding a new mushi far outstripped the gentle tug of exhaustion.
Mushishi - Marginalia - Ginko (a Mushishi case-fic)
What had been her stranger's reason for walking into this uncertain country? A pilgrim probably, either ignorant or fanatical or hopeful, to come to this place where no destination waited. His clothes were good quality but worn and often mended; his body was strong and muscled. Perhaps he was a farmer, or a labourer of some kind?
But his hands had none of the calluses that kind of work would produce, and when she peered closely at the hand she held she could just see, in the flickering firelight, ink stains.
- I can recall that when I read the first volume of Mushishi I sat there afterward in a quiet awe, my hand cupped over my mouth as if to hold back the words that were sure to come tumbling out. It was an incredible feeling, and this fic managed to evoke that same reaction.
Mushishi - The Smell of Sunlight - Ginko & Tanyuu
Ginko tells Tanyuu a story.
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Okami - Land of One Hundred Stories - Waka & Amaterasu
A young man burst through the door. "Darling!" he cried as he wrapped Waka in a mad embrace. "I have missed you so much!"
"Mon amour!" Waka cried. "I have no idea who you are!"
Like magnets reversed, the young man repelled himself from Waka as quickly as he had clung to him.
- This was, by far, my absolute favorite of all the Yuletide entries. (And it was a struggle to decide which snippet to post above, since I loved every single line for it. So I decided to go with one that made me burst into laughter. ...Okay, so I burst into laughter many, many times, but that one just sticks out for me.)
I could go on and on and on about this fic, with little coherence most likely, but let's see if I can briefly state why I like it so much: Fantastic storyline! Wonderful use of both in-game and completely original characters! Folklore! Ammy being her awesome self! Waka being flamboyantly gay! SO MUCH FUN. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
...Um, I know that the writer probably isn't reading this, but if you are (and I have a feeling I know who wrote this), I hope you aren't offended by me calling your Waka "flamboyantly gay". XD But I suppose I really have no need to apologize since Waka is so flamboyant in the game anyway.
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Phoenix Wright - Near Misses - Phoenix/Edgeworth
Edgeworth carried the letter with him for nearly a day, tucked surreptitiously between pages 236 and 237 of Freckmann and Wegerich's The German Legal System, before he retreated to the sitting room, placed it carefully in the fireplace, and watched it burn to unrecognizable ash.
Phoenix Wright - Winter Breeze - Edgeworth & Franziska (implied Phoenix/Edgeworth)
"I don't think I know you at all, right now." Edgeworth is actually smiling, though, as he returns the file to its place on his shelves. "But Phoenix has been quaking in his boots for the past few weeks. I wouldn't have thought he'd be the first to know you were coming back. Do you have a soft spot for him, Franziska?"
Phoenix Wright - Turnabout Laundromat -- Phoenix, Maya, Edgeworth, Franziska (various other PW characters)
I was willing to believe a lot of things about Franziska von Karma, including that she wasn't actually guilty of murder. But that she was really going to go out on a date with Larry Butz? Well, that was kind of hard to believe. Okay, not just kind of hard to believe.
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Princess Tutu - The End Is Where We Start From - Fakir/Ahiru
In the months since Mytho and Rue had flown off together into whatever happy ending awaited them, Fakir had written the ending to Ahiru's story no less than fifty times. Every morning, they would leave Karon's house together. He carried paper, pen, ink, and a light lunch in a leather satchel slung over one shoulder, his lap desk was tucked under one arm, and Ahiru rode comfortably in the crook of the other.
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Samurai Champloo - Walking Around, Wasting Time - Fuu-centric (mentions of Jin, Mugen, Moronobu, Shinsuke, and Sara)
She looks up from her thoughts as Jin dives into the lake and lets the water swallow him whole, moment eating moment.
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Sex Pistols (manga) - Natural Instinct - Kunimasa/Norio, Yonekuni/Shiro
"Would you get off me? I'm not a homo." A sharp elbow to the stomach and Norio retreated to the other side of the car.
"Yeah, right," Norio muttered darkly, rubbing his ribs. "Then how come you keep saying you wanna do me?!"
"Hey - knock it off back there," Yonikuni hissed from behind the wheel.
Kunimasa banged on Yonikuni's headrest. "What are you, my father?"
"Shut up!"
Sex Pistols (manga) - bluebirds fly beyond - Yonekuni/Shiro
It is a law of fictional probability that the odd couple will somehow work out their differences to ride off into the sunset at the end of the reel. In real life, of course, what usually happens is that the odd couple becomes the bickering couple becomes two people who can't stand the sight of each other -- and they part, and fade into photographs brought out for the grandchildren.
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Ugly Betty - Setting the Record Straight - Marc
Marc finds himself inexplicably worrying about someone.
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Venture Bros. - Cold War Christmas - mainly Brock Samson & Molotov Cocktease
"I didn't think the USSR celebrated Christmas," said Brock. "You know, because of the whole Communist thing."
Molotov smiled. "My poor little Samson," she said. "You really believe everything your government tells you."
- The Venture Bros. is yet another fandom that I normally wouldn't actively search out fanfics for. Maybe I feel like the show is so awesome on its own that there's no need for me to read any fics for it.
Venture Bros. - Leggy, and a Smooth Finish - Queen Etheria (aka Dr. Girlfriend)
Queen Etheria realizes her boyfriend is boring. Then she finds something more edgy. Something butterfly-like.
Venture Bros. - South American Idle
Inside the X-1, Brock calmly manned the controls, cigarette expelling a pencil-thin trail of smoke into the pressurised cabin. This irritated Dr Venture (he didn't want to get 'the cancer') sitting next to him, but he had complained about it so many times and Brock had just shrugged and made noncommittal noises so many times that the good doctor had just given up at this point. He was still annoyed though, and was certainly going to blame Brock when he got a stroke or something from bottling up all this irritation.
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The Vision of Escaflowne - Ace of Serpents - Hitomi (set several years after the end of the series)
From the window seat, Hitomi heard Yukari stop fiddling with the lights and set down her book. She wasn't surprised -- Yukari was one of the few people who knew about Gaea, even if Hitomi was never sure if Yukari believed her.
The Vision of Escaflowne - Another Life - Allen & Dilandau
Dilandau clutched at the rim of the sink and threw up again. This time he was sure his stomach had nothing left in it. He ran the tap afterward, washing the remains of what had been a splendid banquet down the drain. Cupped water in his palm, rinsed out his mouth, raised his head to the scalloped mirror. He looked haggard. A few limp violets still clung to his hair; with a disgusted sound he shook them out with his fingers.
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Whistle! - Breakaway - Tatsuya/Shou
Not even Mizuno Tatsuya is immune from adolescent confusion.
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Wild Adapter - Touch - Kubota/Tokito
Kubota and Tokito's early days together.
Wild Adapter - A Bad Feeling - Kubota/Tokito
Kubota has something to do for the night. How hard can it be for Tokito to stay in the apartment, play a video-game, go to sleep and not get into trouble?
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xxxHolic - Houses and Rain - mainly Zashiki-warashi, Ame-warashi & Fox cub (one-sided Zashiki-warashi/Watanuki)
I unfolded her note: the fox cub had scratched out the recipe on lavender parchment paper shot through with russet and copper threads. Foxes always know where to find good paper. It's because they hang out with scholars so much of the time.
xxxHolic - Wish, Want, Need - mainly Watanuki & Yuuko
"You cannot pay with money. The price of this charm is truth. Answer honestly the three questions I ask. Do not say anything that is not the answer you wish to give."
- The ending is unsettling, but it is perfect. A creepy, lovely fic.
xxxHolic - Mistletoe - Doumeki/Watanuki
Although he figured no one would pay attention to such a silly tradition, Watanuki was going to take no chances. Turning his body side-ways, he attempted to slide through the narrow doorway without passing under the mistletoe.
xxxHolic - Longest Night - Watanuki & Yuuko
"Watanuki," Yuuko said after a moment, her voice a lazy, lazy drawl. "What day is today?"
Watanuki got out the last of the stain with more force than was perhaps strictly necessary. "It is Saturday, a day which many people are accustomed to not working. I'll make you dinner and bring you alcohol, and then I'm going home."
"Hmm," Yuuko said, and then lapsed into silence as she began packing her favorite pipe.
xxxHolic - Freedom - Watanuki & Yuuko
"Tonight, after you finish dinner, I grant your wish. You will be free of the spirits that bother you and you will be free of me."
xxxHolic - Ritual and Return - Watanuki, Doumeki, Yuuko & Himawari
You can't understand some stories until you become a part of them.
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Yotsuba& - Yotsuba and Cats - Yotsuba, the Ayase Family & Miura
Ena and Miura weren't in the least surprised to discover that there was suddenly a third member to their group as they walked away from Ena's house. They'd gotten far too used to Yotsuba for that. "Where are we going?" she asked as she fell into step with them.
- This reads like something directly out of the manga. I love it.
I've also temporarily disabled my custom comment page since all this text is killer on the eyes in my usual layout. WHY MUST MY FAVORITE LAYOUT MAKE MY EYES GO SWIRLY WHEN THERE'S LOTS OF TEXT INVOLVED. ;_;
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My one New Years' resolution for 2008 is to dress better. There's more to the world than t-shirts and jeans.
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And last, but certainly not least, I'd like to wish big Happy Birthday to
firefly99! Hopefully this year I'll stop being intimidated by your extreme awesomeness and start commenting more.