#alex also looks absolutely stunning in this scene ofc

[frunbuns]

Obsessed w the way they lit Henry in this scene. It's all so soft, and warm, and cozy, and almost dream-like, not to mention that backlighting is so flattering. And the way it lights his hair like he's got this halo as if he's some kind of angel from above. They didn't have to go that hard, but they did. It keeps me up at night.

[ficclique]

Fic Clique hosts choices for our top fics of the decade - as featured in our Minisode from Jan 3rd. 

Brenna’s choices: 

Honorable Mentions: 

Worldwide Lonesome by loindexter (BTS) 

2018, 39k, Yoongi/Jin 

The biggest gut-punch I’ve ever felt from a character confession. The Jin of this fic has stuck with me every day since reading it. This fic examines sexuality in a way that made me feel seen & I love that.

Timeshare by Astolat (HP) 

2016, 14k, Draco/Harry 

This is sort of a stand-in for all of astolat’s drarry fic, which as a bundle are one of my top fics for the decade. They are fics that feel like instant-classics and the variety of characterizations, stories and tropes helped establish astolat as perhaps my all time favorite fic author. Timeshare won out above the others because it’s one of the fics that helped us decide to do this podcast! Thank you Timeshare! 

Top 5 picks: 

The Student Prince, by Fayjay (Merlin)

2010, 145k, Merlin/Arthur

A fic that has defined fanfiction for me. Perhaps the fic that first convinced me to love fanfiction. Something I keep coming back to and have reread numerous times. Funny, heartfelt, just different enough from the canon versions of characters. Perhaps the only University AU I will ever fully love. 

The Love Song of the North American Douchebag, by Gyzym (Star Trek RPF)

2013, 25k, Chris/Zach

If you want to hear me (and my lovely co-hosts) discuss this fic in depth, then I recommend listening to Episode 6! However, one of our listeners also submitted this as a top fic of the decade, so I’m going to add what the lovely Scout said: 

“JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, I HOPE I CAN SWEAR. I'm not even in this fandom. The world building is just THAT good. It's one of my highlights *because* of its power to draw me in as a standalone. So much fucking talent in the transformative work community. The banter, characterization, sardonic-ness of this – international impact baby!”

Not Easily Conquered (series), by dropdeaddream & whatarefears (MCU)

2015, 117k, Steve/Bucky 

An incredibly, precise, gut-wrenching trilogy. Each part is astounding both together and apart. A devastating exploration of love and dedication. One of those fics that created a Fandom Moment. I sobbed through the entirety of part 2 when I first read it. Womb to tomb, sweetheart. 

Azoth by zeitgeistic (HP)

2013, 88k, Draco/Harry 

A stunning exploration of magic beyond JKR’s universe. A timeless coming together of two characters. A frankly genius use of a plot device (and something as simple as a school project) to foster an incredibly touching and meaningful relationship, one in which they are not able to find what they need to complete their task until they find what they need in each other.  ALCHEMY BABY! 

Honeysuckle Arch by junkshopdisco (1d) 

2015, 46k, Niall/Harry 

Perhaps the most I’ve ever related to a character in fic. The Niall of this fic lives in my heart, and I feel like reading him helps me understand myself, and everytime I come back to it I understand him better too. It’s a touching portrayal of a character coming to terms with their sexuality in a way that feels completely grounded and who is surrounded by characters who love them, even if they don’t always know how to show it. 

Nicole’s choices: 

Honorable Mentions: 

Protostellar by ninamondays 

bts, 64k, pub 2019, Namjoon/Jungkook & Taehyung/Jimin

Space, cryogenics, fate, reincarnation, class struggles, revolution, climate change, character death. Having hope is punk rock. Processing grief is a slow and ugly process. [deep breath] Have I ever felt so profoundly touched by a fic while I was reading it?

the other thing by cornfields 

hockey rpf, 16k, pub 2015, Jamie/Tyler

An absolutely unflinching look at personal accountability and internalized homophobia. What happens when your self-hatred has collateral damage? It’s about healing but it’ll fucking hurt first. Bleached out vibes. Makes texas feel very big, and the world feel very, very small. A story I’d only trust a fic author to tell.

Top 5 picks: 

Murmuration by fringecity (indiachick) 

bts, 167k, pub 2018, Yoongi/Jimin/Taehyung

Film noir/murder mystery meets gritty sci fi and superpowers. Everyone is morally gray. You Will sob about Kim Taehyung. A masterclass in plot. Felt like a trilogy all wrapped tightly into one fic. A kaleidoscope. An unfurling. This fic mesmerizes.

The River and the Deep Green Bend by liquidmeasure 

1d, 70k, pub 2016, Harry/Niall

Dark tower au, but only technically. Makes me want to believe in the multiverse. An arid western, a sideways coming of age story, an elegy. The first time I’ve ever cried because an ending was perfect.

the undiscovered country by indigostohelit

hamlet, 56k, pub 2014, Hamlet/Horatio

What else can I say about this fic. What else can I Fucking say.

(note: we discuss this fic at length during episode 5) 

All Things Shining by Askance and standbyme

spn, 142k, pub 2013, Dean/Castiel & Sam/ofc

A story about miracles. Literary as hell, with long luxuriant scenes that never drag. Masterful characterization. The thing I wanted from spn fic—connection, plot, and a fic that not only can handle the lore of the show, but is willing to expand upon it.

Who Painted the Moon Black by throughthedark

1d, 95k, pub 2013, Louis/Harry

Hunger games crossover. Doesn’t just use the other fandom for setting, but entirely inhabits it. I had to stop partway through my reread because I knew I’d have nightmares, but this fic never stops hoping. Trauma is not an ending. This fic is certain of that the whole way through.

Reid’s Choices: 

Honorable Mentions: 

songs from the ash, by explosivesky, 2017

Critical Role, Percy/Vex, Keyleth/Vax, 54k, WIP (sort of)

rockstar/movie star AU 

A fantastic example of how fic can just standalone as really good original fiction. A lovingly rendered, devastating and beautifully crafted portrait of four broken people doing their best to navigate through their lives and around one another. 

delta, by sharpa, 2019

BTS, rapline ot3, 60k

What happens when you’re a public figure who gets unwillingly outed, and two people you used to love reach out to offer you sanctuary? You make Reid cry, that’s what. 

Top 5 picks: 

Salt on the Western Wind by Saras_Girl, 2013

Harry Potter, drarry, 60k

Immediately post war, bond

It represents a lot of what I was looking for when I started really getting into Drarry fic, which was an exploration of what canon wouldn’t give me. My favorite Drarry fics have always been the ones that let them dig into their shared trauma, and while this fic isn’t the heaviest one I’ve read, I think the fact that it’s set literally hours after the Battle of Hogwarts ends lends itself well to that concept. I couldn’t have a list of the decade without a Drarry fic, tbh.

The Great Sealand Takeover, by whalehuntingboyfriends, 2015

Roosterteeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, ot6 (gavin, michael, ray, geoff, ryan, jack), 365k

FAHC

When I think about fics that set the standard for a fandom, this is one of the first ones that comes to mind. This fic means a lot to me because it was my introduction to RPF, and in addition to its intricate plot and fandom-constructed lore, also was a take on poly relationships and found families in a way I had never experienced before, with themes of belonging and a love that transcends typical convention.

The Twice-Told Tale by arysteia, 2012

Marvel, steve/tony, 15k

This fic hits a sweet spot for me where it does have some of that 2012 tower-fic nostalgia, but I also think it holds up well in terms of what I (and fandom) find so fascinating about Tony, which is all this grief and trauma that he struggles so hard to process, and the way puts himself at the center of attention to obfuscate the fact that he keeps everyone at a long arm’s length.

There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, by Shoshanah-ben-hohim, 2015

Hockey, Sid/Geno, Canon Divergent, 77k

& the whole series, including There is a Field, I’ll Meet You There, Alex Galchenyuk/Olli Maata, 131k

When I think about this fic I want to scream from every rooftop I’ve ever been on “please read this fic”. The way it weaves together details to provide a level of grounding and realism in what sounds like the most absurd concept for a fic just floors me. The empathy and compassion and fear in this fic just gets at the most tender parts of my heart, and the fact that it’s ostensibly a ship fic, and yet Sid and Geno spend nearly the entire fic with no communication, but instead are just holding on to the innate truth that they know about one another to get them through this crazy endeavour they’re on elevates the entire fic for me.

what comes after, by poppyseedheart, 2018

Roosterteeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, mavinseg (gavin, meg, michael, lindsay), 36k

Dystopia/Spy AU

When I first read this fic, I finished it and I put it down and then I spent a few days feeling like I was just sort of wandering around in a haze because every single thought was consumed by this fic. In addition to its impeccable worldbuilding and the tone work that it does with its setting, I don’t know that I had ever resonated so deeply with fic characters before. Reading this felt like someone had pried my ribcage open one by one and revealed the softest, most tender parts of me and then went “I’m going to write something that targets this.” This fic is an ode to loss and love, to mourning something that you once had and then hesitantly and clumsily opening yourself up to building something new, and recognizing that, impossibly, that new thing you built can somehow be better than what you had before. 

And I felt all of these things, I felt like my world had just been shattered by this new author I discovered… and then, somehow, I became her friend. Then through Nic I met Brenna, and now when I think about this fic I not only love it for being a work of art, but also for being representative of the thing that brought me to two of the most important people in my life, and that to me will always make it my favorite fic I’ve ever read.

[stopforamoment]

Part Four: Jane’s Baggage (Series 26, Part 4 of 16)

Series Twenty-Six: Meeting the Desrosiers (Sixteen Parts) My masterlist is at the end of my bio.

Book: The Royal Romance (After Book Three) Pairing: Bastien Lykel x OC Rinda Parks Word Count: 1,012   Rating: M for Language, Triggers for Parent/Child Dysfunctional Relationships

Author’s Note: Obligatory disclaimer that Pixelberry Studios owns the TRR characters and my pocketbook with those darn diamond scenes. OFC with all of her quirks is all mine. My apologies if Tumblr or I do something stupid when I try to post this. The keep reading link shows up on my laptop but not my phone. Ugh. Thank you @asherella-is-a-dork-3​​ and @bobasheebaby​​  for always being my sounding board! Thank you @silviasutton1989​​ ​ @riseandshinelittleblossom​​​ @tornbetween2loves​​ @sirbeepsalot​​ @innerpostmentality​​ @kennaxval​​ @strangerofbraidwood @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat @begging-for-kamilah @teamtomsato @jovialyouthmusic​​ for still being a part of the journey!

Series Summary: Rinda’s parents come to visit for a week to meet Bastien and spend Thanksgiving with them, and poor Bastien has to run interference for his Tria when her mother is a passive aggressive bitch.

Chapter Summary: Jane brings her baggage to Cordonia. Oh, and she brought a lot of suitcases for Bastien and Henry to carry.

Part Four: Jane’s Baggage

There was more bickering as everyone tried to help Mrs. Desrosiers with her unnecessary number of suitcases. Rinda was laughing at her dad, knowing he was used to dealing with so much—baggage—from years of family vacations. Rinda was also guilty of overpacking, but unlike her mother who had a superficial need for matching accessories for multiple outfits, Rinda’s was a desperate need to be prepared for any weather situation for her entire family. “So dad, I thought there was a bag and weight limit?” There was a mischievous glint in Rinda’s eyes, but her dad just shook his head. “I had to pay extra fees when we checked our luggage.” Bastien and Rinda made eye contact and quickly looked away so they wouldn’t start laughing. They could only imagine the scene when Mrs. Desrosiers was faced with the reality—and consequences—that her suitcases exceeded weight limit and required an extra fee.

Then there was yelling when Mr. Desrosiers realized his wife “forgot” to pack a few items Rinda specifically requested. He was rubbing his forehead, trying to control his temper. “You told me that you needed an extra suitcase to bring some things for Rinda and Henry.”

Rinda’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were paying an extra baggage fee because of that. Please, Bastien and I will . . .”

Jane cut off her daughter, staring her down. “If these items were so important, you shouldn’t have left them back home. When you left you knew you were returning in December, so I don’t know why it can’t wait another month when you come back to Wisconsin. To visit.”

Rinda’s chin jutted up and she spoke slowly, although it was clear her voice was shaking. “You’re right. There’s nothing that I absolutely need before December. I’ve been able to borrow everything from Mr. Ariti and my other friends. And yes. I was planning on sorting through everything when we visit and taking the important things home to Cordonia, so it’s fine.”

Otto looked back and forth between his wife and daughter and suddenly realized why Rinda was escalating the situation, even though Henry was there. “Jane, didn’t Rinda need you to bring Grandma Lorinda’s dress?” Bastien’s eyes widened. Part of the reason her parents were staying so long was to attend his promotion ceremony at the palace. He knew it was important to Rinda that she wear her grandma’s formal gown for such a special occasion.

“Tria, I’ll call your cousin and arrange for it to be overnighted. You’ll get it on time. And you are always allowed to shop in the palace boutique if you wanted something different. I know how important it will be to have a part of Grandma Lorinda with us that day, but I can always tuck her suncatcher in my pocket.” Bastien quickly turned to Rinda’s mom, trying to diffuse the situation. “Actually, that’s a surprise that I arranged for you, Mrs. Desrosiers. If you would like, you can also select a dress from the palace boutique, and I’ve arranged a day of palace spa services.”

Mrs. Desrosiers purred with pleasure at Bastien’s thoughtfulness, but Bastien merely nodded before turning his attention back to Rinda. He cupped her face with his hands, and she quickly held his hands and leaned in to him. “Don’t worry about anything. I promise you’ll have Grandma Lorinda’s dress” he softly whispered. There were tears in Rinda’s eyes as she turned her face to kiss the inside of his hand.

. . . . .

Rinda offered the front passenger seat to her father so he would be more comfortable—and so he and Bastien could talk some more. She had already explained to Bastien that her mother was intolerable in the front seat because she was so nervous in a car, and she preferred to sit in back so she couldn’t see what was happening on the road. However, that also meant she couldn’t hear the conversation between Bastien and Otto. She was quickly getting frustrated, leaning forward so she could catch pieces of the conversation. Although Bastien tried to include Jane in the conversation, it was a losing battle and she quickly leaned back in her seat with a huff. “Henry, was grandpa asking if you were still in scouts?”

Henry nodded, his eyes lighting up. “Yup! My best friend Phillip is in scouts too, and it’s a lot of fun. Just like back home.”

Otto stopped talking with Bastien so he could listen to his grandson. “That’s great, Henry! Now Phillip is the one who is your neighbor, right? And Alex is the one whose parents own a restaurant?” Soon Henry was telling everyone stories about his best friends, frequently stopping because he was laughing too hard at the memory of something they did.

Rinda’s mother eventually interrupted him, steering the conversation back to a critical point. “So, you’re still in scouts. How is that going? Your dad always did so much with you in scouts.”

Otto’s eyes widened when he heard how loudly Rinda sucked in her breath and saw how quickly her eyes turned golden topaz. She was about to speak, but Henry was still talking, unaware of what his grandma was trying to do.

“That’s the really cool thing, Grandma! Bonk is a scout leader. He had to miss a couple meetings because of work, but now that he’s starting his new job he won’t miss meetings anymore. Everyone loves him. He knows lots of camping and fishing stuff, plus he’s good at archery and marksmanship, just like dad. And he already got permission to teach us self defense moves to protect ourselves and other people. And he and mom are helping us with ideas for service projects we can do in Valtoria.” Henry continued to ramble Bastien’s praises, and Rinda smiled when she saw the tips of Bastien’s ears turn pink. Her mother sat in stunned silence while her dad interrupted with occasional questions, his face beaming as he looked between Bastien and Henry, nodding his approval.

[lin-hamuel]

The first is the stage, and the second is from where we were sitting. 

I saw Hamilton in London on 16/12/17 with the original West End cast and god damn was it phenomenal. Obviously it was a dream come true to see something I’ve hardcore listened to since 2015 come to life in front of me, but the whole show is bloody fantastic as a production in itself. I can guarantee you that you could go to see it having never heard of it before and you would still have been blown away.

noteworthy stuff that lifted my soul: 

~ Hamilton was bLOODY tall. (Jamael Westman is 6′4″ damn) It actually suited him really well, especially during Aaron Burr, Sir/My Shot when he was jittery and slightly awkward and restrained but clearly excited. As the show went on there was this major contrast as his movements became more fluid and loose and extravagant as Alexander rose to prominence man even the body language was great

~ also: his voice was so smoooooth. Most of the cast had smoother voices/singing styles than the OBC - like, nearing Philippa Soo quality - and it made the listening experience so flipping pleasurable

~ another surprisingly smooth singing voice: Rachel John as Angelica!!! I love Renée but Rachel blew me away with how damn clear and incredible and almost polished her voice was. she could have been Eliza imo (her acting and portrayal of her frustration and pain in Satisfied was STELLAR) but she was a fantastic Angelica and I am in awe of her talent

~ I was never super into Laurens from the soundtrack alone but my GOD he is MARVELLOUS live. singing? perfect. acting? amazing. 

~ Lauren’s death was PHENOMENAL. Cleve’s voice was beautiful and he stood illuminated in the right hand corner of the stage as Eliza read the letter to him. Alexander looked broken. The pause between Eliza and Ham speaking stretched on for a little bit and in that silence you could hear a pin drop. 

~ Mulligan was perfect and everything you could possibly want 

~ King George III was great. doing a smug lil dance with his cane / reading the pamphlet in the Reynolds Pamphlet. in What Comes Next? he sang “i’m so blue” and stamped his foot and the lighting went blue. everyone laughed like they were hearing the jokes for the first time

~ Yorktown was fucking cool

~ Burr’s ACTING. EXPRESSION. MOVEMENT. AMAZING. His voice was higher pitched than Leslie’s and it worked really well for the emotional/humorous scenes. His portrayal of Burr is certainly quite different to the OBC (It’s far more frantic and emotional if that makes sense?) but it’s still fantastic and really interesting and refreshing to watch 

~ it took me a while to warm to Eliza but boy did I. I think Rachelle has a pretty tough job as people’s expectations are v fixed around the earth-shattering job Phillippa Soo did (mine included tbh) but she was so good. Helpless was adorable and stylish and perfectly lighthearted and she carried that through the show UNTIL Burn (midnight blue lighting, her face angry and betrayed and so powerfully hurt being illuminated by the light of the burning letters was lovely) and Philip’s death (see below). 

~ she was also very different to her OBC counterpart in her portrayal but it was cool tbh! the various interpretations of the characters we’re so familiar with actually work very well and they bring something new to the show and add different spins to something we know so well by now

~ Peggy and Maria were really good. Christine Allado is vv talented 

~ the revolving platform thing is really well used. excellent in the Schuyler Sisters obviously (if you’ve seen even the 10sec youtube clips you know what i mean) but even in Hurricane, where Ham is in the middle and the cast/ensemble are frozen in various positions around it as it rotates. maria rotates to the front at precisely the right times. burr is sent round as he starts singing ‘wait for it’. fan bloody tastic

~ the choreography was fucking enthralling

~ on the soundtrack you can hear and appreciate the backing vocals but they are as loud and prominent as the main voice live and that adds a whole new dimension to the musical. it heightens the experience in ways that I can’t really describe. because of the acoustics and the sheer volume of incredible incredible sound it makes watching it almost an out-of-body experience. and no, i’m not exaggerating. out. of. body. also they’re obviously going to be talented to be in Hamilton but my god they would all be spellbinding as individuals. they make a phenomenal ensemble.

~ they’re all pretty damn attractive tbh

~ Washington was less Diplomatic Dad and more Super Grizzled War Veteran but his voice was just as bloody powerful and fantastic. god One Last Time was twice as good as I expected. I’d buy tickets again for One Last Time (i’d buy tickets again for the whole thing who am I kidding) 

~ 9yo Philip was perfect. unbelievably cute w his lil outfit and bobbing body language and lil stammer and voice. i thought it might be a little weird/unconvincing seeing a man who was just playing a man play a child but it wasn’t at all

~ Lafayette was small and skinny and super athletic

~ Jefferson was rly flamboyant and funny and kept busting out lil funky dance moves here and there. when he was introduced in What’d I Miss? he came out and ofc everyone cheered and he waved his hand like omg no, stahp, guyssss okay keep going

~ Madison just sorta trailed behind him looking exhausted and it was great. after It’s Quiet Uptown and Jefferson was like “can we get back to politics” Madison came out behind him drying his hands on a big ol handkerchief like “pLEASE”

~ I was never particularly affected by Philip’s death so I was NOT ready for it being as moving as it was. He was in a lot of pain - something that doesn’t come through on the soundtrack - plus him being even more lovely and likable live meant his death was a lot harder to swallow. Eliza and Ham are distraught in the reprise and the counting is really intense. it all climaxes when he dies and Eliza just screams, this long, single, agonised scream before breaking down into sobs. Alex tries to touch her but she shrugs him off so he just stands there looking absolutely heartbroken while she cries over Philip.

~ you hear the ‘someday, someday’ part from Dear Theodosia here. this gets its own point because it was so unexpected and possibly the saddest part of the whole show.

~ they stay like that and the platform revolves so they rotate towards the back of the stage while Angelica starts singing It’s Quiet Uptown. It’s Quiet Uptown is so amazing that I haven’t listened to it on the soundtrack since (it is now May) as I don’t want to overwrite my memory of it in any way. 

~ the lighting deserves all of the awards it gets

~ in The World Was Wide Enough, ensemble members stand in a line between Burr and Hamilton and their movement represents the bullet travelling 

~ the victoria palace theatre is stunning

~ the acapella ending of Who Lives, Who Dies was made 50x better (already fantastic ik) by the vocal power/talent of the ensemble. the cast stand in their black outfits in a row and Eliza’s come forward to the front of the stage. as the last note ended she gasped and reached out as though she could see him 

all in all, it was almost supernaturally good. i'd barely seen any visual representation of it beforehand so i had no idea what to expect when seeing it unfold in front of me and when i say it was good enough to be an out-of-body experience for me i am 100% serious. even if you have seen it before, the nuances and the talent of this cast are phenomenal in themselves.

@linmanuel i hope you’re proud of what you’ve created. i always knew it was an absolute gift but seeing it live has made me understand what a genuine masterpiece looks like.