#(edited to include idc_chan's tumblr - the last fic)

[forochel]

[fic rec] yoi

okay, this was supposed to be a gen fic reclist for @katsukiyuuristrophyhusband, but then it morphed, and then I just decided to throw in things I think everyone ought to give a go at the very least. they've mostly not got thousands of kudos, because there's very little point in reccing otherwise. enjoy!

GEN FIC

Katsudon by @azriona  Gen :: hiroko character study :: G this actually made me tear up. the maturity of the author's lived experience & years just shine through here; every word drips with pain & longing & resignation & self-sacrificing love. the fic puts into focus the cost of being such a perfectly supportive mother. it is tightly structured and paced, reinforcing the feeling of a subconscious countdown (which painfully resolves into consciousness near the end), and makes use of a couple of motifs to great effect. the depictions of hiroko's relationships with toshiya & minako are also subtly complex. simply sublime.

La Forza dell'Amore by el staplador Gen :: canon expansion fic :: G this is a bloody work of genius. the author definitely knows their stuff, and 'their stuff' is opera. a review written in the voice of george martin (an opera critic) — fantastically inventive and funny, and you feel very much that you are in the very competent hands of a master.

if she wants me by @renaissancefic Gen :: hiroko & minako character study :: G wonderfully structured; deft and mature characterisation; bittersweet. I love the little hints of minako & viktor being slight kindred spirits, and the understated courtship of hiroko. and there should always be more explorations of the women of yoi & their relationships.

watched it for a little while (i like to watch things on TV) by @infiniteandsmall Gen-ish :: viktor character study with bg relationships :: G a tag for this says "viktor as a weird artsy baby muse", which says it all. my AO3 bookmark comment says: "all I can think about now is velvet goldmine and bowie and I'm feeling ovehwlemed by this combination of bowie + the self-destructive-fall-of-glam-rock + inherent performativity of yoi feels. TRIPLE WHAMMY. brain cannot process, only cry to aladdin sane playing in my brain." brain still cannot process, but this fic made me want to write a 4+1 times victuuri skate to bowie fic.

Care by @pensversusswords Gen :: Yuri-centric, with bg!Victuuri :: Teen a deeply felt exploration of what it is like to be so young and isolated and successful. nails the discomfort (so yes, this will make you a bit squirmy if you're like me) of being out-of-place very well. also fantastically heart-warming look at his relationship with Mila and his skating dads. ♥

Reason in Madness by Gigi_Sinclair Gen :: Lilia character study-ish :: Gen Lilia's voice here is matter-of-fact and occasionally allows itself some sentiment -- lovely. The fic focuses on her reaction to Yurio's WWTTM ex, and sketches in broad, true strokes Yurio & Yakov's characters as well.

RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSSED FIC

Helsinki 2017 by Sanj Viktuuri :: gen-ish relationship study with outsider perspective :: G an interview with SCOTT HAMILTON! I like referring to this for encapsulation of my thoughts re: coach/competitor situation. let's believe in everyone's better selves.

Duscha by @lesflammables Viktuuri :: dealing with grief :: G um, well, maccachin dies I'M SORRY but the prose is appropriately sparse, the empty spaces & beats work as much as the dialogue & action to tell the story. and it's also a wonderful look at a man in grief, and the strength & familiarity that yuuri lends him.

and this is the wonder (that's keeping the stars apart by @abrcmhatford  Viktuuri :: a:tla fusion :: Teen beautifully crafted and conceptualised. it's dense with imagery and allusions, and has subtle characterisation even in cameo scenes. lots of nice little nuggets for a:tla fans, but there is no barrier to entry if you know nothing about avatar or bending, because the world-building is intricate and well-rounded. this is Perfect.

Dear Mama by @fragmentedrecords Viktuuri :: epistolary, slow-burn fic :: Teen all right, this one has thousands of kudos but ah! I adore it! it's the story of viktor & yuuri getting together told through letters between viktor and his mother. the character voices are so strong here, and the affection between Viktor & his mother is heartwarming and palpable. the author very neatly and deftly weaves in viktor's family background and history, while providing really funny outsider POV observations about viktuuri's developing relationship.

let's not overanalyze by @alykapediaaa Otayuri :: the many trials of yuri p :: Teen in honour of our conversation about adorable teenagers fumbling through crushes ... um, a fic where yurio is probably no longer a teen? but is still terrible at feelings. and there is much delicious cake. and adorable background viktuuri getting married. (@aly UPDATE THIS)

A Hundred Flowers in Blooms by Chiharu Leoji :: future!fic :: Mature AAAAAAAAAH. This is the Leoji fic I've wanted since we first met those adorable boys. It's written so well -- quality of craft aside, it is the most culturally accurate fic I've ever read about a Chinese character before. My favourite thing about this fic is how Chinese it is, no lie. This fic has beautifully aching pining, delightfully resonant character notes, hilarious cameos by Viktor, and a very enjoyably madcap sequence. Speaking of, the pacing here is on point. I wish more fics were this masterfully paced.

Elements series by @sophia-helix Viktuuri :: sexual exploration series :: Explicit the writing is beautiful and evocative. this series is a literary phenomenon. it reads like a mussorgsky piece and makes you feel the way a turner painting of the light playing over the sea does. it pulls at something deep under your ribs, plaintive and poignant but hopeful. so much care has been put into each line, each one says or does something entirely new: tells you about the characters' internal lives, their thoughts, their feelings, or sets the atmosphere, tone, pace.

Power Dynamics series by @scribeoffate  Viktuuri; Nishigori/Yuuko; Nishigori/Mari/Yuuko :: omegaverse exploration:: Explicit (Non-con warning) this is not easy reading at all, but it is very well constructed: intelligent, subtle, complex. my favourite is the yuuko-centric piece. there's a faint, disturbing tremor that shivers beneath the tralala complacent surface of yuuko's narration. a great illustration of the insidious nature of systemic oppression. gah.

ok, hope you (all) enjoy!!