#gradence fic rec

[kulapti]

Bookbinding of A Wizard's Devotional by @polymathema, March-July 2023.

A Wizard’s Devotional (Fantastic Beasts, Percival Graves x Credence Barebone) is about recovery from depression, some magic politics drama, and the complex experience of navigating whether and how to practice Christianity as a queer person especially if your religion was weaponized against you. Fics about Credence often touch on this, but most of the time religion is either mentioned extremely briefly or the character immediately and aggressively rejects his religious background. Those choices are good interpretive options that have their place. However, AWD leans in to a space where many queer Christians find themselves as young adults. I appreciate polymathema's compassion for this character and the many contradictions between his upbringing and experiences. I also recommend this work for gay yearning and nuanced approach to characters dealing with depression.

— About this project under the cut

I’m very excited to show off this binding now that I have mailed a copy to the author! Huge shoutout to polymathema for answering my questions, he was very nice when I (a random internet stranger) asked him stuff about a fic from years ago.

This binding one of a nearly identical pair I made, and part of my ongoing project where I plan to make four matching bindings of my favorite fics from the Fantastic Beasts fandom. My personal copy is pretty much the same except for the spine decorations. I’ll post more photos when the set of four is done! To be clear this is the copy I mailed to polymathema; whenever I make a ficbinding, I try to contact the author and offer to make them a copy as well.

Can you even imagine my delight when I found obscurus lookin fabric!! The resale store had a lot of colors but for this particular piece I wanted the codex (physical book; the actual “book” is the text) to look somewhat like a religious text considering its themes, so I went for the subtler, not quite subdued navy as opposed to a brighter blue or purple option.

Materials: Textblock is archival paper, laser printed text, scrapbooking cardstock endpapers, with linen and beeswax stitching, reinforced with cotton cheesecloth as mull. Sewn endbands are cotton embroidery floss. Covers are Italian rayon bookcloth (spine) and hand-dyed cotton batik backed with handmade wood pulp paper (ink-like cover pattern). Cover lettering is machine-cut metallic heat transfer vinyl. The case is constructed of archival bookboard, handmade wood-paper, cotton rag paper, and PVA craft glue.

[trueadventuresofthemind]

Best fics for certain ships by me:

Most of these are long reads with some AUs. Not your fandom/ships? Don’t @ me just scrolly by!

Hannibal (Chillywilly) - Wounds Are All I’m Made Of

Merlin (Merthur) - The Student Prince

Merlin (Merthur) - In Your Name (Pt 1. King & Lionheart)

Merlin (Merthur) - Crown & Consort (Pt 2. King & Lionheart)

Murdoch Mysteries (Jackwatts) - Alone in Our Secret and associated Interludes

Supernatural (Wincest) - Anything by MorganaDW

Supernatural (Destiel) - Morning Teach

The Witcher (Geraskier) - Next To You

Whitechapel (Chandler/Kent) Works of Saizene especially A New Romantic

SVU (Barisi) - Sonny Goes To The Dentist

Bones (Zack Addy/Seeley Booth) - Snowed Under

Fantasic Beasts (Gradence) - Dear Landlord

Our Flag Means Death (Blackbonnet) - Come Here Dressed In Black Now

Prodigal Son (Gil Arroyo/Malcolm Bright) - More Than Familiar

[lucybrown45]

Sleepy Sunday gradence fic rec

there’s a lot of exciting stuff being posted in the gradence fandom at the moment. take a look at the halloweeeeeen challenge! (my entry is coming, i promise!) gradence fic recs (08.10.2017) bambi by @second-salemite this is succulent a/o fic.  take me to church and skip to heaven by @fuckoffandcry “He didn’t win Credence. He didn’t earn Credence. He just was.“  the softest please by @riceycloveed credence is a snow leopard and tbh it’s lovely.  art deco kissing byzantine iconography by whileyoustillcan this sparkles. it reminds me a lot of this thor/loki fic.  cathedral by m_erc this is a solid metaphorical exploration of credence’s thought process. what you do behind closed doors by anoymous  get away from the door, credence! a knight like any other by @chryselephantinechaos fairytale! mr.graves by KidBrontok the first paragraph in this drags you in. it’s very clever. credence’s somber gaze heavy throughout. three little words by RussianCaravan this is short and it hurts, but there is a delicate flow of words. good to be alive by bluebeholder “It is very, very good to be alive“ the bathwater nymph by @nettlekettle credence in the bath is a vision i want to read in all fics. the reinvention of lush in the magical world is well, lush! can’t get you out of my head by @onismsufferer graves honesty with seraphina is nicely drawn. early in the morning by @renaissancewasbetter you know how i feel about sundays...

[ram-leela-hartwin]

looking for a gradence fic

basically credence was seraphina’s personal assistant and graves being a thirsty bitch gets a crush on him. but seraphina’s like “hell nah keep it in your pants and leave the boy alone”  graves doesn’t listen and tries to win over credence anyway. it was a lovely funny fic.

[voldiebuns]

Mascot by Udunie Word Count: 25,763 Chapters: 17/17 Fandom: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Credence Barebone/Original Percival Graves Characters: Original Percival Graves, Credence Barebone, Gellert Grindelwald, Original Characters Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Animagus, Ilvermorny, Child Abuse, Aftermath of Violence, brief description of a dead animal, brief description of child abuse, Found Family Summary: Credence was eleven when they’ve found an envelope in front of their door. He thought it was weird, because it had been raining all night, yet the cream colored paper was dry.

It was addressed to Credence, and Ma… Ma had been furious.

I really enjoyed the Ilvermorny in this fic, especially the unique perspective Credence gets on it. Animal transformation fics are always fun that way, though I think the length of time Credence stays in that form makes it even more interesting. I really liked how Percival came into it as well and how canon events were interwoven in a new way. A fun fic!

[sometimesarikethtaewrites]

Shameless Self-Promotion

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Percival Graves/Credence Barebone

Whispers in the Dark (4,268 words) on AO3

He needed no God to answer his prayers or hear his whispers in the dark, not while he had Mr. Graves. There was no other God, only Mr. Graves - for he was everything. The air in his lungs and the ground upon which he stood. And oh, how Credence worshipped him.

[callili]

Best of  AU’s

Too Late To Beg You

by @saltandbyrne

Star Wars -  Magic Realism AU, Kylux

20k, explicit

glorious rich world building, technically almost a pwp, lovely use of side characters

Lux(uria) Series

by @clutchhedonist

Harry Potter  - BDSM AU, Gradence

20k, explicit

developing a 24/7 BDSM relationship

Blood, Coffee, & Motor Oil

by underwater_owl

Mad Max Fury Road - Coffee Shop AU, Max/Furiosa

40k, explicit

coffee shop in rural Australia with Furiosa running a home for abused woman, tender and mature take on relationship (they are not teenagers anymore, damnit)

A Thousand Shards of Glass

by @twdobsessive

The Walking Dead - Rockstar AU, Rickyl

45k, explicit

Anarchy In The U.K.

by @yahtzee

X-Men - Royalty AU, Cherik

160k, explicit

[vantasnacc]

The perfect 4th of July read!

[pineapplebread]

did you die? By Anonymous

He's stared into the abyss and he's watched it stare back. Hell is a place on earth, and he's survived it. Walked backwards through it. Eyes closed, and faced down his demons. Now he tastes blood, and he's hungry.

For the wonderful anon who dedicated a gorgeous fic to myself and @dontyoudarestiles. Thank you for dedicating such a beautiful piece to us!

Please go read it (here)

[221bfakerstreet]

I fractured my ankle slipping on ice, so if someone has fic recs (harringrove or Gradence, fluff, domestic fluff, nice stuff like that), I would be much obliged.

I'm gonna be laid up for a while. 😂

[twobrokenwyngs]

birthday spotlight on...

@e-sebastian !!!

Folks, today is the birthday of a wonderful, talented, considerate, kind, talented, thoughtful, creative, passionate, sweet, (and did I mention talented??) guy that some of us are lucky enough to know as - Eli.

And what better way to celebrate this man’s life than to celebrate his accomplishments? He has offered so many amazing stories to a whole array of fandoms. Chances are, if you follow me, your fandom has been touched by him in some way. So I’d like to take this opportunity to do a little retrospective on some of the most incredible stories Eli has given to us. (we’re not worthy!)

Here we go!

The New World

Fandom: Black Sails, Pairing: James/OMC, Rating: E, 133k words

Ah... the one that started it all. Even though I’d been in the deepest depths of my Silverflint fixation at the time, I saw “James McGraw/Original Male Character” and thought... why not? Ha. HA. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. None whatsoever. When I picked that fic up, I couldn’t know how desperately I’d fall in love with Ezra Wake, how invested I’d become in James & Ezra’s relationship, how rabidly I’d consume each update. This fic is tailor-made for anyone - ANYONE - that loves James Flint, regardless of ship affiliation. It is a brilliant, captivating study of what Flint’s life might be like post-piracy - what his attempt at turning his oar into a shovel might actually look like. It delves into the grayness of morality, the significance of religion, the brutality of 18th-century dentistry... I could go on. This gem took everyone by surprise. It was my first foray into Eli’s mind-boggling storytelling capabilities, but wouldn’t be my last. And, on a personal level, it led me to a new, fantastic friend. I know I have quite a few followers in the BS fandom, so if you haven’t yet - this is a MUST READ. 

The Man Who Lived

Fandom: Harry Potter, Pairing: Harry/Draco, Rating: E, 253k words

If you feel any fondness for Draco Malfoy, or feel compelled by the messy, complex history that he and Harry share, you gotta read this. It takes place long after the events of the books (foregoing the epilogue, obviously) and right away picks up in a place you wouldn’t expect - in America, where Draco is living a decidedly muggle life. What follows is a nonstop dynamic ride: You’ll meet a genuinely authentic cast of OCs that you will get attached to. You’ll get drawn into the slowly unraveling mystery of how Draco’s life turned out as it did - and let me tell you, the answer is, at times, very grim. You’ll watch him and Harry go through a terribly cathartic process of understanding and forgiveness and healing, and you will come out the other side winded and bleary-eyed. There’s all the things you’d hope to find in a Drarry fic - snark, angst, and a ridiculous amount of UST, but more than anything this is a quintessential character study. Never has Draco Malfoy been painted as such a fully-formed individual. It’s incredible, and you won’t want to put it down.

The Crystal’s Song

Fandom: Rogue One, Pairing: Baze/Chirrut, Rating: E, 161k words

The crazy thing about my experience with this fic is that I had no interest in the ship, nor the fandom, before reading it. Like... none. Yet when I was done, I was obsessed. This is something that doesn’t happen to me often, if ever. But my god, this story was everything. I can tell you from experience that one needs VERY little knowledge of, or investment in, the Star Wars universe to enjoy this fic, as it stands completely on its own. Why? Because it’s an origin story. (...My god, is it ever.) If you’ve seen the movie, you already know that by the end of their lives, Chirrut is blind and Baze has lost his faith. But how? Beyond that, however, this is a story about soulmates, pure and simple. Watching this relationship flourish from a tiny seedling into a strong, mighty oak has got to be one of the most satisfying evolutions I’ve ever witnessed. Baze is, in turns, Chirrut’s mentor, his harshest critic, his biggest supporter, his friend, his lover. Baze himself is an amazingly complex man, Chirrut his stubborn counterpart. I don’t really know how to explain how good this fic is, but suffice to say, I cried. A lot. LIKE, A LOT. I SOBBED, MAN. More than in any of Eli’s other fics combined.

All Stories Are Echoes

Fandom: Skam, Pairing: Isak/Even, Rating: E, 123k words

This is Eli’s most recent success which I am so happy to see got major traction within the fandom. In fact, there’s even a Discord chat of enthusiastic Skam fans that have spent countless hours speculating about, screaming for, and dissecting this story, and it’s nothing less than this fic deserves. This is, again, a character study, but of the most introspective sort. Even, as any Skam fan knows, is a man living with bipolar disorder, and this fic doesn’t even remotely shy away from the difficult realities of that. Even is a character who is constantly in flux and struggling with his past, present and future all at the same time. The fic opens on an Even that has been estranged from Isak for four years, has only just moved back to town, and is walking with a cane. Affectionately branded “Mystery Fic” on Discord, Eli reveals information at a tantalizing pace, leaving you grasping for every breadcrumb. It also utilizes a brilliantly unique narrative structure that I don’t want to spoil here. You just gotta see it for yourself. This is a difficult story about a man who is desperately trying to regain control over himself and his life, and it can be hard to take, but it’s all the more rewarding for it.

Turn Away

Fandom: Fantastic Beasts, Pairing: Graves/Credence, Rating: M, 2k words

Okay, I’m cheating a little bit, because I’m not sure if Eli would even want this included on this list, but damnit, I’m including it anyway. This man, despite not even actually LIKING this ship, per se, has written three Gradence fics (posted on his side-AO3 account, lol) for no other reason than that he is AN AMAZING FRIEND. All three of them were written as gifts and all three of them turned out incredibly (much like everything Eli touches). But this one, short as it is, is probably my favorite. My comment on it is literally longer than the fic itself. This story was a result of a casual, flippant, half-joking suggestion that he should write a Gradence prison!AU, and 2 hours later, this masterpiece was born. If you have ever found Gradence to be a ~problematic~ ship, this is the fic for you. It explores, through the most intense, alluring, riveting prose, the damage that has been done to both of them due to Grindelwald’s actions. There are so many themes and messages crammed into this short piece, I can’t even begin to name them, but suffice to say, I was shook, and I can’t help but include this fic here.

All of the above fics are incredibly special to me and very close to my heart. They’re astounding, impressive accomplishments that any author would aspire to emulate, but certainly not ALL Eli has to offer. Check out his AO3 page! And please make sure to drop @e-sebastian some well-wishes on this, the anniversary of his birth.

Thank you for everything you’ve done, Eli, and though I’ve said it a million times it still holds true - I can’t wait to see what you do next.

[lucybrown45]

Sleepy Sunday gradence fic rec

Hello darlings. i’ve not done one of these in a while. i’ve been a little unwell, a little busy. anyways, Gradence fic round-up (03.09.2017) what happens in lumos, stays in nox by @accio-toffy a v.cute thing. in your hands by Highly_Illogical “you’re smiling”. Soft. breaking and entering by writingramblr there’s a quiet fairytale feeling to this. waves, soundwaves, rush by LotusRox i like a lot of the phrasing throughout this. “At least the storm had wrinkled the skin”

[jeffgoldblumsmulletinthe90s]

...I like shy!Cree, and think he's rockin that crying SoftBoi aesthetic. That said, your posts and reblogs stirred me thirsty for Cree razing the earth and won't stop at none pummeling his tomentors to kingdom come. Give me marble-beauty Credence's withering glares, silently promising death

Anon, you have come to the right person.

Let me begin with recommending my own works (because this is my blog):

In a City, Reconstructed is my magnum opus and it has our dear Credence Barebone’s fractured ghost digging up Percival Graves just to wreck his shit. Things get thrown. Percy dreams about Credence ripping his heart out through his guts. The angriest frottage occurs.

Velvet is not my best work per se but opens with the threat of murder and closes with happy marriage. Also I love Salome, I need to do better by her. (But she is… full of murder)

And By Blood or Marriage is a forced marriage AU where Percival saves Credence’s skin by marrying him, and once more murderous intent ends in happy marriage because that is A Thing for me, apparently.

Now, I rec th_esaurus’ Gradence fics with the caveat that Graves is an extremely bad person in all of them and that every single one of these fics makes me dissociate like a motherfucker for hours. Like, well done, terrifying Credo and an even more terrifying Gridenlgraves who definitely does not realize what he’s fucking with. Anyone who gets triggered by domestic violence and coerced sexual contact should definitely not read these fics! Do not make my mistakes!

Mind Games by scrapbullet is short and frankly terrifying. (I think I had a nightmare 

the king of oaks by saltpan is NOT scary and Graves is a GOOD PERSON who does not DESERVE THIS SHIT and Credence is 20 pounds of fury in a 10 pound bag. I love him.

your need grows teeth by alamorn is just a pure delight and again, Credence is terrifying and Graves has no idea what he’s gotten himself into but in this instance, Graves is a good person and them finding where their jagged edges line up is Very Nice.

bare-stript heart by alamorn is a delight and also Credence turns GG into a bloody smear on the wall. There’s lots of violence and some sketchy sexual content, so be forewarned.

Also the Credence that burgundians writes is fairly chill actually but in her Holy Wine series, Percival definitely sees Credence as a marble-beauty of withering glares.

[rcmclachlan]

Then I’ll keep re-reading it until I’m dead.

[nettlekettle]

For day 3 of @ficwritersweek: Small But Mighty - Shine a spotlight on the new/underrated fics you’ve read or written.

a perfect storm swallowing over by @damnslippyplanet | Credence Barebone/Original Percival Graves, Rated M

In the author’s own words, this beautiful fic is “1500 words of Credence having a lot of feelings about bloodletting as a means of control over his very literal inner demons?” but could be equally described as fluffy bloodplay. It’s a gorgeously written piece, full of intimacy, devotion, and raw magical power - but it also poignantly resonates with the very real struggles of coping & getting by. At this point I’ve reread it countless times!

[msfbgraves]

I second this! I couldn't read it for free on Ao3 anymore, and even though lovely author @acroamatica did offer on Ao3 to help out, I wanted to support them so I bought it. It's literally the price of a coffee and it kept me warm much longer. I bought it from bol.com, because fuck Amazon if I can help it, though it is there too, and on fnac.

I loved to read fantasy set in the present day as a child, stories that play with that feeling you get, "this may or may not be a magic portal, and o, yeah, don't forget to some milk at the shop later." I rarely found it written for adults, but that is the exact feeling the story invokes. You see things driving a taxi around, yeah?

Incidently, you want this to be about Ezra Miller, you can do that, but you don't have to. Protagonist Jamie is not gendered and they can be anything your head tells you they are, too. It's all good.

No really, it's a very good way to spend €4: raw and human and sweet and wondrous and with a protagonist that makes you go "O, Jamie, you adorable fuckwit, you."

For Gradence fans, I highly recommend shadowplay to get a taste for this author's writing, and for Kylux fans, or anyone with a passing fondness for classical music and two protagonists being both impossible and impossibly attracted to each other, go read the scrumptious downbeat and its superb continuation, encore, and then tell me you wouldn't throw €4 at Julian merely to thank them for that, rather than satisfy your hunger for moar.

I’m not all that mobile right now so I’m going to need to you imagine that I’ve climbed in the window of your home and am currently excitedly shoving this book in your face. Are you picturing it? Good, then we can begin.

“Alone and Palely Loitering” by Julien Stuart @acroamatica is an absolutely delightful read and you need it in your life. It’s sweet, emotional, and painful by turns with a perfect twist and fantastic moments of humour.

The gender neutral narrator is a balm I never knew I needed until I read it. I love urban fantasy but it sometimes has a habit of getting bogged down with boundaries and it was a relief to read something free of all that.

It’s a short little read, available on AO3 as well as Lulu, but it creates a world that you’re sad to leave. All my very favourite parts came after the twist and I don’t want to spoil it, but if you have a free hour you should give this story a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.