Fanfic Recs by coprime

5 Things Chuck Sees (But Wasn't Supposed To) (Chuck | PG13 | 605 words): Being the gate technician, Chuck sees a lot. This is...surprisingly dark for a 5 Things fic, a genre that generally includes a humorous component somewhere in the five things. It's an interesting look at a side of what life in Atlantis would be like if the show were real.

Excerpt:
1. The look on Elizabeth's face every time someone doesn't come home. He's sure no one else notices, she's always so careful to hide it.

What Legends Are Made Of (Trina Jessup, Virgil/Richie | PG13 | 500 words): What Dakota's finest might think of Static and Gear. Trina Jessup is the lady police officer that eventually starts dating Mr. Hawkins, if you are like me and didn't immediately remember who she was. This is just a really neat look at Static and Gear (and at Virgil and Richie) from a point of view that isn't used very often, which gives some different sorts of insights into the duo.

Excerpt:
To her understanding, those with more power should be held more accountable than the weaker people. Because of their power, they had a responsibility, a duty, to protect those weaker than themselves. Unfortunately, those with power rarely ever actually acted with concern or empathy towards their fellow man, with the rare exception.

Missing Piece (Rosa/Cecil/Kain | PG13 | 2,860 words): Cecil and Rosa visit Kain on Mount Ordeals. Oh, Kain. This entire story is an exercise of me constantly going, "Oh, Kain," at Kain's self-imposed penance, and Rosa and Cecil agree with my assessment. He's so full of guilt and doubt, and all I want is for him to forgive himself finally and come back home to Baron. This story is heart-breakingly beautiful with just the tiniest sliver of hope regarding its portrayal of these three post-game and how they're all hurting but still, each in their own way, trying to heal and finally be together.


Excerpt:
"Kain. We have some extra supplies for you, to help you through the winter. A little late, but they are there if you need them." Rosa didn't mention the reason for their lateness this year, and for that Cecil was glad.

Kain placed his hand on Rosa's fleetingly, and he nodded stiffly. "They would be... appreciated," Kain told her, his voice halting and hoarse.

Rosa was gone quickly as the wind began to pick up, and Cecil watched her leave them with a hint of amusement. The cold was getting to her, and even though he wore layer upon layer of wool and furs, he couldn't help but shiver too.

Kain said nothing as Rosa departed, and they stood for a while in a silence that Cecil wished with all his heart was 'companionable' instead of 'awkward'. The views from atop Mount Ordeals were still breathtaking, Cecil noted, his hands thrust deep in his pockets.

Bright Eyed Boys (Zack, Cloud | PG13 | 1,095 words): Zack's last stand from the perspective of one of the Shinra army troopers. This story's a neat little bit of angst that offers a different perspective than the usual when dealing with this particular event.

Excerpt:
That SOLDIER I saw, god, I remember... He was young and that just made it worse, you know. On one hand there was us, busting our chops for half our lives trying to get in and on the other hand, there's this fresh-faced boy. Rosy cheeks and everything, I tell you. But God, he was magnificent. First Class, no less. The speed, the force, that goddamned grin. Cocky little fucker.

Open House (Addams family, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape | PG13 | 1,967 words): The Addams visit Hogwarts to see if it'd be a suitable school for Wednesday and Pugsley. Oh, the hilarious crack! This is funny and the perfect length so that it doesn't overstay its welcome.

Excerpt:
"Leaving a kid's entire educational future up to the whim of a talking hat--brilliant, old man!" he muttered gleefully.

McGonagall set the Sorting Hat on the fuzzy scalp of the boy. The Hat's point shot straight up into the air, and the old brim quivered. In a low, strangled voice the Sorting Hat cried out—

"—Azkaban!"

The tall, dark woman gently clutched the man's arm and murmured throatily, "Oh Gomez!"

"Chip off the old block, Tish!"

Whisper Your Name Into the Sky (Ben Grimm-Matt Murdock | PG13 | 3,537 words): A look at how Ben and Matt might be friends. And it's a really neat, insightful look with Ben's insecurities and Matt's unique perception of Ben. I wouldn't immediately have thought they could be close friends, but this fic deftly shows how they can relate to each other.

Excerpt:
Matt sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. There was not enough beer in the bar to make this seem like a good idea. Very possibly, not enough beer in the world. "Just to get this straight, you're asking me to feel you--because I'm blind--to see if you feel more attractive than you look. Because you think I know how you look. And you think your blind girlfriend will care."

"You got a problem with that?" Ben asked. "It's not like it's hard."

Matt spread his hands. "Just wanted to make sure we're on the same page." His lips quirked. "The same weird, vaguely inappropriate, apparently Braille page, at that."

"Would you quit bustin' my nuts? This is important," Ben said, softer, lower. Hurt. "Wouldn't've asked if it wasn't."

And O'er His Heart a Shadow (Tulio/Miguel/Chel | PG13 | 1,096 words): Tulio and Miguel find that there's something missing. The language in this is evocative and touching, with all the lushness of the movie. And you're left with the hope that Miguel and Tulio can find what they need.

Excerpt:
They're nothing like the stars back home. He can't even find Mars. Tulio wouldn't have imagined that the stars could change from place to place, but why not? Everything else does. Still, the thought unnerves him a little. Makes him wonder, when, exactly, on that long delirious voyage the sky had flipped itself over to the new configuration, and how he could have missed it.

Theoretical Chemistry (Booster Gold/Ted Kord, Shining Knight/Vigilante | PG13 | 677 words): Booster admires how open Shining Knight and Vigilante are about their relationship. Ahaha, oh Booster. Cute but kind of dumb too. Actually, the whole thing's adorable.

Excerpt:
"Well I mean, from what I've seen it's tough being in a same-sex relationship in this century."

Beside him, Blue Beetle had buried his face in his hands and was shaking his head while muttering something about his lamentable inability to withstand the lure of Booster's shiny...assets.

Shining Knight and Vigilante just stared at him in mute bewilderment.

"'Fraid I don't rightly know what you're talkin' 'bout," Vigilante finally said.

April After All (RayK/RayV | PG13 | 2,945 words): After breaking up with Fraser, RayK's trying to get back into the dating game. Oh, Ray and Ray snarking at and arguing with each other is glorious. And they're both so them, even while RayK's somewhat fragile and RayV's protective in his own way. It's warm in a subtle way.

Excerpt:
"Punk tried to mug me," he says.

Vecchio looks up from the paper, gives Larkin a slow once-over, taking in the blacked eye and the bloody nose, the ripped-up t-shirt and the cuffs on his wrists. He gives Ray a wry smile. "We got ourselves a criminal mastermind, huh?"

Larkin snorts. "Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly making him for a cop, seeing as how he had his fucking hand down my pants."

Ray doesn't move, doesn't say anything--just stops breathing and lifts his eyes to Vecchio's face.

Vecchio keeps his gaze on Larkin. "Did I ask you to talk, dirtbag? No, I did not. You keep your mouth shut until I point at you, understand?"

The Moon Comes Around (McKay/Zelenka | PG13 | 6,426 words): Radek accidentally walks in on Rodney while he's masturbating in the shower, and then things are weird for them. Okay, so this may hit people's embarrassment squick, but I don't get that gleeful vibe where it feels like the author is using embarrassment to teach a character a lesson. Instead, I like it because Radek's emotions -- his frustration and anger and heartache -- are so viscerally powerful that I feel them along with him. It's well-written and solid and fantastic with a touching resolution.

Excerpt:
At first, Radek is understanding. Apparently Rodney is the type to be embarrassed about that sort of situation. And so Radek leaves him alone for a day, and then two, pretending not to notice that Rodney is avoiding him. By day three, he cannot help but think that Rodney should be over it, moving on. Yes, it was embarrassing, but not that embarrassing. He's also tired of being regulated to one of the smaller labs, because he's getting the feeling that he's being punished, and really, the fact that the image of Rodney in the shower keeps popping into his head at the most inopportune moments ought to be punishment enough.

Especially when Rodney is actually quite attractive, all broad shoulders and blue eyes, and Radek really would prefer not to notice his boss's good looks, because that just complicates things, and besides, it's just because Atlantis has forced him into the position of the stereotypically undersexed scientist that he finds himself fixated on the first person he's seen naked in months. Not that he's actually fixated, mind you. Still, the image of Rodney in the shower refuses to leave his head, and it is getting irksome.

On day five, he storms in the main lab, hands on hips, and announces, "You are being ridiculous, McKay." He belatedly notices that Kavanagh and Simpson are there as well, and ignores their startled looks as they glance away from their computers; instead he focuses on a certain scientist who pointedly hasn't looked up.

"Shouldn't you be in the jumper bay?" Rodney says coolly, not looking away from his laptop, and Radek's understanding is on the fast-track to becoming all-too-familiar irritation.