#idiopath-fic-smile

[thirstworldproblemss]

Oooh! Oh my gosh, this is so, so well done! Singing in the Rain is one of my favorite movies, and this fic both fits perfectly with the existing story and expands upon it in the perfect way! (P.S. The story is gloriously complete on ao3)

this one goes out to all my Singin' in the Rain ot3 truthers—

Cosmo Brown had always known it would end like this.

Cosmo was a lot of things—in fact, you could argue he was too many—but he wasn’t dumb.

From the early years, when Cosmo and Don were just kids playing for pennies in pool halls, to their stint dodging rotten vegetables on Vaudeville stages across the very backwaters of America’s backwaters, to their first real breath of success in Hollywood (and then the second and the third and the fourth), Cosmo would catch a glimpse of his handsome, charismatic friend from the corner of his eye—a flash of dark hair, that perfect tooth powder ad smile—and know that for all Don’s protestations, someday the guy was gonna meet a wonderful girl and get married, settle down, and very gently slip off to the far edge of Cosmo’s life.

So yes, Cosmo had seen Kathy Selden coming. Not the details, not her sense of humor or her musical little laugh or the madcap way she really threw herself into dancing with them around Don’s place at 1:30 in the morning—and okay, certainly not the part at the beginning where she had jumped out of a cake at a party, but he thought a fella could be excused for not correctly divining that. 

The general outline of the thing, though, how Don’s eyes followed her around a room...he had been preparing for Don to propose to Kathy ever since she’d tried to throw a pie at Don’s face. And when the happy day came, Cosmo had been ready with his best man suit, his best man speech, a slightly updated version of “Here Comes the Bride” that’d had Don and Kathy laughing all the way down the aisle.

Don and Kathy would buy a house together. They would have a swimming pool and a dog and then inevitably, a small parade of adorable little snot-nosed kids who would call him Uncle Cosmo, and they would spend less and less time with him, not on purpose but busy with the rest of their lives, and ultimately Cosmo would learn to make his peace with it because he’d have no other choice and he would have to try to move on and not live too much in his memories. He could picture it so clearly, he figured if the songwriting gig with Monumental didn’t pan out, he could always return to the backwater circuit with a new act: The Amazing Cosmo of the Cosmos—ladies and gentlemen, he sees the future, he reads the stars, he silently pines for his best married pal and all the while tap dancing!

Don and Kathy inviting him along on their honeymoon, though—that part was a surprise.

“What?” said Cosmo, hands frozen over the piano keys. He’d been busy with a brand-new assignment; on the heels of The Dancing Cavalier, offers were pouring in and he’d taken the first one scoring a movie that didn’t star anyone he was secretly in love with.

Don had looked a little wounded when Cosmo broke the news last week, but a guy had to start making his own way in the world. Besides, orchestrating layers of strings to swell as the camera zoomed in on Don and Kathy blissfully locking lips in radiant monochrome, oblivious to the rest of the world—well, Cosmo knew that dance, he had mastered the footwork, and he didn’t especially feel like a reprise.

It wasn’t lost on him that Kathy had dropped by his rehearsal space alone today. Of course, he had no idea what this meant—he didn’t think it was about the new job; Don didn’t tend to stay sore at him for that long—but Kathy was acting perfectly natural, and so probably the smart thing was to follow her lead.

“It’s a two-week transatlantic cruise,” she said now, gracefully dropping beside him on the piano bench. “We thought it would be nice to see Europe, take in the sights, get away from all the cameras.”

“Ah yes, such a wallflower, our dear Don,” said Cosmo solemnly. “Besieged on all sides by the love of his public, a tragedy of our times, up there with Lear! Hamlet! Caesar! The one with all the Greeks and the giant wooden horse, nay, nay, neigh.” He played a tragic little trill, for effect. Kathy huffed a laugh and smacked his arm.

“You know that’s not it,” she said. “Being watched all the time—we can’t always do what we want. It’s rotten.”

Tell me about it, thought Cosmo.

He was sort of seeing a fight choreographer named Archibald, who came from old money and was a “the third” or a “the fifth” but nice enough Cosmo might even forgive him for that. Archibald was trim and athletic, with dark brown hair that was just starting to go gray at the temples and enough discretion that Cosmo didn’t think they’d get caught. The only problem was that he didn’t laugh at Cosmo’s jokes, seemed to just tolerate them.

“What do you two even talk about, then?” Don had asked, when Cosmo had let this slip over drinks the same night he’d explained about the new movie project. (Cosmo had been trying to spend less time with Don and Kathy since the wedding but Don had said, “C’mon, pal, we miss you” and Kathy had laid one hand on his arm and peered up at him with her big green eyes and Cosmo was only one man.)

Cosmo had frowned, because Don hated Archibald, for reasons that were frankly mysterious. Then he’d looked up and grinned a grin he didn’t exactly feel and said,

“Tell you when you’re older,” and then Don had choked on his dry Martini even though Cosmo knew Don knew about Cosmo’s tendencies. It wasn’t something they discussed, and Cosmo had never properly gone with a guy before, but whenever a big-shot producer started complaining about all the degenerate queers in showbiz, Don always sharply steered the conversation someplace else. It was all very gallant and noble and knightly, and someday Don would play King Arthur and Kathy his lady Guinevere—

“Honestly, sometimes it feels as if we’re living in a fishbowl,” said Kathy now, in the present.

“And so your solution is to relocate,” said Cosmo, “to the biggest fishbowl on this here magnificent earth. The mighty ocean!” He struck up a sea shanty. “Oh blow the man down, blow the man down / way ay, blow the man down…”

Not everyone appreciated his musical flights of fancy, but when Cosmo turned, she was leaning with her elbow on the side arm of the piano, watching him with her chin on her hand and laughing. 

“Just for two weeks,” she said. “So, are you coming?”

“With you two,” said Cosmo, just so there could be no misunderstandings. “On your one and only honeymoon.”

“Yes,” said Kathy.

“As what, your first mate?”

“Sure.” She grinned and threw him a quick salute. Cosmo was almost never attracted to women but in this case, he understood the appeal.

He swallowed. “You are aware of that ancient saying, ‘Two’s company and three’s a fast track to divorce court’?”

“You’re hardly a threat to our marriage, Cosmo,” she said, and he agreed, of course, in both directions, even, but it still stung to hear her say it out loud. For want of anything better to do, he gasped, clutched a hand to his chest and reeled backwards so hard, he threw himself off the piano bench, landing in a somersault on the floor.

Kathy spun around fluidly on the bench to face him, pleated skirt whirling a little, heels of her shoes clicking together. 

“Oh, I said that badly,” she said. “I only mean that it’s more fun when you’re around. We have a better time, Don and me both. Remember the night we decided to make Dueling Cavalier a musical?”

“Do I remember the best night of my life?” Cosmo peered up at her from the hardwood. “Why yes, madam, now that you mention it, I believe it might ring a bell or two.”

“The best—” She frowned for a moment, and he remembered then that as a newly married woman, a newly married woman to Don Lockwood, no less, she’d no doubt experienced any number of evenings that blew that one out of the water.

Even besides that, it felt awfully revealing all of a sudden. Cosmo threw an arm over his eyes. He felt naked. He wished he was naked, because that might at least distract from whatever his face was doing.

“So it beats your time with Archibald, then?” said Kathy shrewdly.

Cosmo uncovered his eyes. He forgot, sometimes, that new as Kathy was to the moving pictures business, she was still a city girl, with a city girl’s worldliness. Also, Don had probably told her; that seemed like the kind of second-hand secrets married people shared with each other. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“Hardly a topic for mixed company,” he said.

There was a pause.

“So yes,” she said and smiled with a smugness that would’ve been unbecoming were she not as cute as a button.

“What do you and Don have against the poor man anyway?” he groused. “He’s never done so much as sneezed in your direction, and if he did, I’m sure he’d use a handkerchief.”

“For one thing, we know you could do better,” said Kathy, folding her arms.

Cosmo elbowed his way back to sitting, brushing himself off with dignity. “Well, better’s not exactly knocking on my door right now.”

“This town doesn’t have an ounce of sense.” She reached down to offer him a hand up, pulling Cosmo to his feet; she was stronger than she looked. “Listen, two weeks away, it’ll be good for you.”

“What about you two?” Cosmo protested as he reclaimed his spot on the bench, Kathy sliding to make room.

“What about us?” said Kathy with wide eyes.

“Two newlyweds might want some alone time?” he offered weakly.

Kathy shrugged. “I told you, there won’t be reporters or cameras. It’ll be plenty private.”

“What about your matrimonial needs?”

“Which needs?”

His eyes narrowed; she was a terrific actress but suddenly he wasn’t sure he was buying it. Kathy wasn’t dumb either.

“You have to know what I mean. Don’t make me play Cole Porter at you,” said Cosmo. She hesitated, and Cosmo began to pluck out a melody: “Birds do it, bees do it / even educated fleas do it…” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Let’s do it,” sang Kathy, finishing the stanza in her lovely alto, “let’s fall in love.”

Cosmo stopped playing.

“I do know,” she said simply, “of course I do, and we’re not worried about it, alright? Listen, do you want to go?”

Cosmo, who had been carefully not asking himself that question, stared down at the piano keys. Did he want to go? He thought back to that night at Don’s, the three of them giddy with excitement and inspiration and sleep deprivation, running through the house, clowning around and dancing with no audience except each other—he hadn’t felt like a hanger-on then, like a third wheel or an extra limb or a chaperone. He’d felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be, one note of a perfect chord.

Still.

“I can’t swim,” he said.

“They’ll have lifejackets,” said Kathy.

“I’ll have to work.”

“We’ll bring a piano.”

“All my houseplants will die,” said Cosmo.

“All your houseplants are fake,” she said. This was true, although he wasn’t sure how she knew since she’d never been to his house. She sighed. “Remember the night of that first screening, when you were about to expose Lina and instead of explaining what was happening, Don told me I had to sing, that I didn’t have a choice?”

He winced, thinking of Kathy’s heartbroken, tear-stained face before they’d pulled up the curtain and revealed who was really singing when Lina moved her lips.

“Yes, and I feel just awful about it.”

“Well, Don doesn’t,” said Kathy. “Because he knew it would take too long to convince me to do something that mean to her.”

“Mean?” Cosmo echoed. “She tried to trap you in a lifelong contract and steal your voice. A common sea witch wouldn’t stoop so low.”

“But there wasn’t time,” she pressed. “And anyway, he knew how it would end.”

“What’s your point?”

“We already bought your tickets,” said Kathy.

Cosmo gaped at her.

“We’ve cleared the trip with everyone at Monumental and anyway, like I said, we’ll have a piano on the boat.”

Distantly, he was aware his mouth was still hanging open. Kathy reached over with one light finger under his chin and gently closed it. 

“That’s better,” she said, folding her hands daintily in her lap. It was around this time she seemed to realize it wasn’t some routine, that Cosmo really was well and truly stunned. “Of course, nobody is going to force you to go with us if you truly don’t want to,” she said into the silence.

“These tickets,” he said at last, “are they refundable?”

“Gosh,” said Kathy easily, “I can’t imagine they are, no.”

The thing was, none of them were hurting for money or work anymore, so the fact that Don and Kathy might be out even a few hundred dollars didn’t catch at him the way it might’ve some years earlier. No, the thought that really seized his imagination was the mental image of Don and Kathy planning this together, Don and Kathy discussing the matter with each other, maybe over breakfast—toast and coffee in their dressing gowns, so sure it was the right thing to do that they’d decided to just go ahead and make preparations: oh and a ticket for Cosmo, of course.

He could do it, he realized. He could go. He wanted to go. It was foolish, but Cosmo was an entertainer; he’d been doing foolish things in front of a roomful of witnesses since he was in shortpants.

“I’ll pack tonight,” he said.

“Perfect!” Kathy hopped off the bench and straightened out her dress. “And bring something nice to wear at dinner for a night or two; it doesn’t need to be black-tie formal, a good suit will do.”

He nodded. “I shall leave the top hat and monocle at home. Two weeks, you say?”

“Yes, and another half-day on either side flying to the harbor and back.” She reached into her coat pocket, and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “The itinerary,” she said. “Don and I are so glad you’ll be coming.”

“Uh-huh,” said Cosmo. “Say, where is that fella, anyway? What’s the big idea, can’t even stick around to ask his best pal to his own honeymoon?”

“He’s planning the trip,” said Kathy brightly. “Last-minute details. Anyway, he thought you and I should have a chat, one on one. He thought it might help.”

He blinked. “Help what?”

“Help us,” she said.

It was all starting to feel like a farce, like one of those old Vaudeville acts with a lot of fast talking.

“Did it?” he asked.

“I think so,” said Kathy warmly. She turned and began to walk towards the door. “See you at the airport tomorrow. Six AM sharp.”

“Six AM,” he said, and then, foolishly, “You know, I can see why he likes you.”

Kathy dimpled. “Oh, likewise!” She tossed him another smile and then she was heading out of sight down the hallway, shoes clacking rhythmically on the tile.

“Well,” said Cosmo to no one. He felt pole-axed, he decided. He wasn’t sure he had ever felt pole-axed in his life before, but there was no other word for it.

He played a chord, then another chord, then a few more.

“Pole-axed,” he sang, “out of whack, when you are near there’s only one drawback: I can’t be clever, no I lack the knack, Darling, I’m pole-axed, out of whack around you!”

It wasn’t exactly Cole Porter, but he’d take it, he thought, reaching for his pen. There was still an hour or two left before he’d need to race traffic home and dig out his suitcase. Apparently, he had early morning plans.

[wynnyfryd]

Steddie comfort read rec list part 2

i asked y'all to tell me your most re-read fics and there were too many to include in one list, so (throws confetti) more fic for you! [part 1 here][part 3 in progress]

a map of everyone who loves you by phonemicengineer T | 7k | recced by @flintandfuss

a mess of holy things by ghosttotheparty E | 138k | recced by @kissthegypsy

Anywhere, Anytime by AidaRonan (@aidaronan) M | 6k | recced by @flintandfuss

Are You Dumb Enough Yet, Princess? by BatsBratsandBarbedwire (@batsbratsandbarbedwire) E | 5k | recced by @gothwifehotchner

Crazier Shit Has Happened, Little Bird by BatsBratsandBarbedwire (@batsbratsandbarbedwire) E | 97k | recced by @prettymoongirly and @gothwifehotchner

Do You Mind? (will you mind?) by GreenQueenofClubs E | 44k | recced by @teddywesworl

dogfish by greatunironic (@greatunironic) T | 26k | recced by @cashewnutofdoom

He Knows Only Two Stories by teddywesworl (@teddywesworl) E | 19k | recced by @carbonbased000

Hello, I'm Sorry, I Lost Myself (I Think I Thought You Were Someone Else) by DiscoSuperFly E | 67k | recced by @kultiras-fic-recs

I Am Not The Sun by beetlesandstars (@beetlesandstarss) M | 6k | recced by @kas-eddie-munson

lightning strikes; you're in love by rosterroo T | 90k | recced by @kultiras-fic-recs

Maybe 10% Better by BilbosMom M | 38k | recced by @flintandfuss

Of Space and Time by Appledagger (@appledaggerst) M | 56k | recced by @steddiecameraroll

Play On by little_murmaider G | 1.6k | recced by @flintandfuss

reach out, touch faith by occasional_loverboy (@occasionaloverboy) E | 9k | recced by @postmodernau

Shot Right Through by entanglednow (@entanglednow) E | 5k | recced by @queenie-ofthe-void

Sleight of Hand by smithereen (@flieslikeamoron) E | 143k | recced by @onirislanding and @teddywesworl

Star of the Masquerade by glorious_spoon (@glorious-spoon) M | 65k | recced by @rosyhoneydew

Steddie Amnesia Verse by purpleweekend E | 167k | recced by @kissthegypsy

The Great Scavenger Hunt of 1986 and podfic by wynnyfryd T | 8k | recced by @messessentialist

the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you by greatunironic (@greatunironic) E | 35k | recced by @batsbratsandbarbedwire

The Rush of Thunder (That Brings You Under) by callmejude (@callmejude) E | 125k | recced by @onirislanding

the shame is on the other side by scoops_ahoy M | 18k | recced by @kas-eddie-munson

took you for a working boy by pukner (@pukner) M | 44k | recced by @paperbackribs

We are Stardust, We are Golden by idiopathic smile and podfic by Itty_Bitty_Blondie M | 26k | recced by @messessentialist and @onirislanding

We Should Just Kiss (Like Real People Do) by Oonionchiver E | 88k | recced by @kissthegypsy

you must have known for a long time (the shape of things to come) by bramble_berries (@bramble-berries) E | 32k | recced by @queenie-ofthe-void

[vinelark]

what r some fics that shaped your psyche? you have so many good recs im currently rereading the to an athlete dying young series

hello! you sent me this ask ages ago and i've been meaning to get to it ever since. (it took me so long to answer that i'm sure you've reread to an athlete dying young by @sonosvegliato many times over by now but hell yeah, what a good one.)

these are a few fics--dc and beyond--that have been in my "in case of emergency" epub folder (aka fics i want to have on hand immediately to reread on bad days, or good days, or even average days) for a few years now. so here is an extremely incomplete list of fics that have shaped my psyche!

for dc specifically--if i tried to list all of them i would just end up repeating my whole fic rec tag, so these are just a few of the ones i read when i was getting into this fandom that stayed with me/made me want to seek out more for these characters:

📸 surveillance series by @smilebackwards

this series located the tim drake center of my brain and lit it up like the vegas strip.

🎒 like a hinge, like a wing by @bonesbuckleup

one of my go-to rereads for pangs; chapter one is a masterclass in tension. also, one of my favorite pre-robin tim pov fics of all time.

💻 nominal by @unpretty

"you don't get it, batman is a comedy" --conversation i've had with multiple people using this fic as my thesis statement.

🌃 the jingle jangle morning by @audreycritter

the moment somebody in my vicinity says "i love dick grayson" i'm on their doorstep with this fic url.

🚉 a meditation on railroading by @eggmacguffin

there's a moment in this fic known among my friends as "baby wipes jason" and it has successfully converted no less than three people to the fandom.

and then for non-dc fic:

🌌 atlas by @megafaunatic (mdzs & tgcf)

did i read this before i had a single clue who the characters were? yes. did i return to it once i did and lose my mind a little? yes. lore etymologyplayground writes that “so so so in love and pining so hard the lines between us are blurring and we haven’t made a move yet but it’s inevitable” flavor with such a deft hand; it is in fact called the lorezone. if any friends-to-lovers pining i write can achieve even 50% of a lorezone i will have done my job.

🪿 If they caught you by @feyburner (tgcf)

i go back to this when i think about setup and payoff, when i think about subtle misdirects, when i think about the monumental task of creating whole compelling new characters in 6k words.

🧪 away childish things by lettered (hp)

one of the best de-aging trope stories i've ever read; i think of this when i want to take a trope to its maximum potential and then go: no wait, there's even more.

(another fav de-aging fic is grow by @cafecliche; shorter plot but no less pangs 🌱)

🏡 in defiance of all geometry by @idiopath-fic-smile (les mis)

a fic that's a perfect reread when i need something cozy and full of character, and a perfect touchstone when i'm pondering something where the world may not hang in the balance but the stakes still matter.

📔 The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli (cql/mdzs)

paragon of metahumor, basically. i think of this when i want to write something that's funny in both text and form.

🍚 and his wanting grows teeth by @yuebings (cql/mdzs)

masterclass in pangy backstory reveal; the way the first scene loops back around to punch you in the gut long after you've forgotten it will forever be seared into my brain.

also, most answers on this list fit the bill!

(apologies again that this answer is so belated; it took me ages to write up partially because i kept stopping to reread these fics every time i tried.)

[kvothes]

What are your top 5 Les Mis fics ?? Excluding your own of course :)

ough i'll confess it's been a while since i've read any that are new, so these will be older standards! but if i had to make a top five:

evergreen by @lesamis

you never have to wonder; you never have to ask by gamesformay

under my wings you will find refuge (ongoing) by @fivie

my head is a weathervane by @torakowalski

the speech of love series AND the you dance series by @theladyragnell and honestly also keep it kind, keep it good, keep it right. nell is amazing

i also cannot let the chance to rec world ain't ready and in defiance of all geometry by @idiopath-fic-smile pass me by

there was one other fic that i wanted to put on here from this series by @creativegoblin but it looks like some of them are part of a secret challenge and no longer available? i'm devastated quite frankly

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: Enjolras presses his lips together. He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them. "I need a favor," he says at last. "With what?" says Grantaire. "Ooh, are you forming a cult? Can I join? I'd be awesome at cults, I just know it." He ticks off his qualifications on his fingers. "I love chanting, I look great in robes—" (High school AU. Grantaire the disaffected stoner is pulled into a cause bigger than himself. Or: in which there are pretend boyfriends for great justice.)

Author: @idiopath-fic-smile

Note from submitter: Was obsessed as a teen. Still haunts me a little

[greenlikethesea]

thank you as always to @bienmoreau for providing the album artwork.

@idiopathicsmile/@idiopath-fic-smile and i are closing in on finishing this particular Shotguns album (for @greatunironic's seminal fic the most remarkable thing!!), and here is my latest contribution! (if you listen to any of my songs, you are required to listen to hers, because you're not getting the full experience if not. click here to listen!) i have been so compelled and drawn to this song title since i first saw it, and i think back to the canonical fact that eddie would have had to toil day and night to learn master of puppets in the two weeks between its release and spring break 1986. this song is about time, and how so much can happen in short bursts. it's also about how when the time comes, who's not there can sometimes have more of an impact than who is. please enjoy.

lyrics under the cut:

Two weeks ago I’m staying up all night I play till my fingers cry out I’ve gotta get this right

Two weeks gone by I’m staying up all night Crouching till my knees cry out I’ve gotta stay out of sight

It’s no use, I’m already dead And I can’t get you out of my head You flirt with each other, I wish it was me instead

Let’s turn this upside down The first time I played it perfectly And you’re not around Let’s turn this upside down And give this town the most metal concert it’s never seen

Two weeks, fast forward I’m staying up all night Got no voice left to cry out I’ve gotta hold on tight

What do I do when I’m not dead? And I still can’t get you out of my head? You lock eyes by my side, I’m drowning in dread

Let’s turn this upside down The first time I played it perfectly And you’re not around Let’s turn this upside down And give this town the most metal concert it’s never seen

Outside these four walls, I light your cigarette You ask me, “Do you play?” I say yes, how’d you guess? You smile, with those bright eyes, you’d like to hear me sometime Who am I to deny you? When would I ever want to?

Let’s turn this upside down The first time I played it perfectly And you’re not around Let’s turn this upside down And give this town the most metal concert it’s never seen And why can’t you see me?

[99liner-s]

I have just finished reading for the at least sixth time World Ain't Ready by @idiopath-fic-smile and it still amazes me how eight years after it ended it's still the best fanfiction in the Les Miserables fandom, and maybe even the best in all the fandoms I'm in

[indubitablyred]

World Ain’t Ready by idiopathicsmile

Ch 1-4 | Ch 5-8 | Ch 9-12 | Ch 13-16

[somniorumfactus]

Remus: we have a lot of work ahead of us, so let's try to keep the shenanigans to a minimum today

Sirius: what about tomfoolery?

Remus: also right out. as are funny business, horseplay, and hijinks

Peter: and capers?

James: capers are fine

[onaa-ohokthen]

Every once in a while, once you spend enough time in fandom, you run into That One Fic, the one that transcends all other fic, even by the same author, because concept, style, execution and maybe even luck converges to create this thing that just Shines.

World Ain't Ready, written in 2014-2015 by @idiopath-fic-smile is one of those fics. By just a quick description, it has no business being this good; "les miserables fake dating high school AU" sounds silly at best. Except when you think about it, there are few modern environments that match the authoritarian nature 18th century France better than an American suburban high school during the George W Bush administration. The story focus isn't on the Les Mis mains, but on the secondary characters Les Amis de l'ABC, the student revolutionary group; on Enjolras, the beautiful leader who cares about nothing other than than justice, and on Grantaire, the cynic who believes in no cause but loves Enjolras.

Except in high school, Enjolras is the new kid from the university town who immediately gets in trouble with the school authorities for arguing against racist and homophobic classmates and teachers, and Grantaire is the burnt out stoner who stopped caring long ago. The plot takes off when Enjolras, trying to protect another same sex couple and having run out of options, suggests he and Grantaire start a brief fake relationship to divert the ire or the student body. And it becomes a story about being a queer kid in the early 2000s, about being in love and having anxiety, what kind of horrors can turn you into a cynic by the age of seventeen, shitty adults and gaining perspective. It features numerous side characters with important relationships that contribute to the whole and creates a story that goes many miles beyond any ordinary fic, no matter how good.

The comments on World Ain't Ready start suggesting scratching off the serial number and publishing it as a book really early on, and honestly, at this point, I recommend everyone just go and read it as-is. You don't need to know Les Mis, everything relevant is in the text. But! Now, in the year of our lord 2022, it has been adapted to an audio drama called Keep It Steady (2 parts out at the time of writing) with some details changed, and into a book in Spanish. If that book is successful, perhaps it will be published in English as well. I really really hope so, because everyone should read it. Everyone. And I want to be able to buy it and physically plop it down in front of their faces, leaving no escape.

[gillianthecat]

This advent calendar style list of links is cute, but not very helpful as a rec list. So here are what each trope sends you to (they're don't all fit the trope exactly, but the trope made me think of them)

found family: of mute swans and nests by steponthegaslys — Formula 1 RPF ballet dancer au

soulmates:  Summer to Your Heart by Deastar (@youhideastar) — soul bond au Hockey RPF ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

slow burn:  Grounds for Divorce by Tepre (@tepre) — 120k Harry/Draco curse fic

established but complicated:  one foot in sea by theundiagnosable — friends-to-lovers Geralt/Jaskier The Witcher fic ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

enemies-to-friends-to-lovers: Why R U? (Thailand 2020)

best friends-to-lovers: Theory of Love (Thailand 2019) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

love at first sight:  Utsukushii Kare (aka My Beautiful Man) (Japan 2021)

get back together:  To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories (Korea 2022) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

morally grey character:  The Devil Judge (Korea 2021)

unreliable narrator:  Bad Buddy (Thailand 2021) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

sunshine character:  About Youth (Taiwan 2022)

sarcastic character:  Halo Effect by Alex51324 (@alex51324) — Thomas Barrow/OC Downton Abbey, WWI set fic ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

self-sacrificing:  Guardian (China 2018)

teamwork:  Kieta Hatsukoi (aka My Love Mix-Up!) (Japan 2021) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

fire-forged friends:  Reunion: The Sound of the Providence (aka The Lost Tomb Reboot) (China 2020)

childhood friends:  My Only 12% (Thailand 2022) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

description-heavy:  I Told Sunset About You (Thailand 2020)

dialogue-heavy:  Secret Crush on You (Thailand 2022) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗���‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

fluff:  Cherry Blossoms After Winter (Korea 2022)

angst:  Lan Yu (Hong Kong/China 2001) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

high school au:  World Ain't Ready by idiopathicsmile (@idiopath-fic-smile) — Enjolras/Grantaire fic, a modern au of Les Misérables 

college au:  Love Mechanics (Thailand 2022) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

flower symbolism:  that scarlet tree within by steviethenarwhal (@steviethenarwhal) — Hockey RPF Hanahaki disease fic

color symbolism:  Semantic Error (Korea 2022) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

hero from the start:  For the Asking by gremble (@abeautifulblog) — Geralt/Jaskier The Witcher fic

reveal the hero near the end:  Misethere by astolat (@astolat) – Geralt/Jaskier The Witcher fic ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

body swap:  The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered (@letteredlettered) — Harry/Draco spy fic

gender swap:  if you leave the light on by steviethenarwhal (@steviethenarwhal) — Hockey RPF, women in the NFL fic ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

bed sharing:  Not Me (Thailand 2021)

clothes sharing:  Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (Japan 2022) ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

magic au:  when the sun goes out by travelingneuritis (@travelingneuritis) — Wei Wuxian/Lan Zhan The Untamed modern tech magic au

human au:  Adorned by jolach (@hyggles) — Hockey RPF not-famous au ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

de-aged:  Away Childish Things by lettered (@letteredlettered) — Harry/Draco fic

future fic:  At Home in the Uncanny Valley by ionthesparrow — Hockey RPF, not future set, but some futuristic elements

Tropes - This and That

Thanks for the tag @kireshai! I did this one already, so instead I channeled my inner overachiever and came up with a drama series, film or fic for each of the tropes. All links go to either MyDramaList or AO3.

found family or soulmates || slow burn or established but complicated || enemies-to-friends-to-lovers or best friends-to-lovers || love at first sight or get back together || morally grey character or unreliable narrator  || sunshine character or sarcastic character || self-sacrificing or teamwork || fire-forged friends or childhood friends || description-heavy or dialogue-heavy || fluff or angst  || high school au or college au || flower symbolism or color symbolism || hero from the start or reveal the hero near the end || body swap or gender swap || bed sharing or clothes sharing || magic au or human au || de-aged or future fic

Some of these jumped into my head right away - the fic for de-aged gave me this idea in the first place; I don't generally like that trope but thought that fic was amazing. Others don't exactly match their trope, but were something that I liked that sort of fit.

Stats: There are 18 dramas, 1 film and 15 fics. Dramas: 8 Thai BL, 3 Korean BL, 3 Japanese BL, 1 Taiwanese BL, 1 Chinese censored BL, 1 Chinese bromance and 1 Korean (b)romance. Plus 1 queer film from China/Hong Kong. Fanfics: 5 Hockey RPF, 3 Harry Potter, 3 The Witcher, 1 The Untamed, 1 Les Mis, 1 Formula1 RPF and 1 Downton Abbey.

I'm not going to tag people this go round, but anyone who wants to do either the original version or this one should consider themselves tagged.

[haberdashing]

been thinking about making a donation post and i think now’s the time...

my birthday’s on the 13th, but between having top surgery scheduled for the end of the month (insurance is “covering” it, but between my deductible and the % i have to pay after that i’m still looking at a bill of thousands of dollars) and getting unexpectedly furloughed from my job a couple weeks ago, i can’t exactly afford to treat myself for my birthday

i’ve been searching for a new job, but between my mental illnesses, my sleep disorder (idiopathic hypersomnia), not having a driver’s license, and knowing i’ll have to take some time off post-surgery... well, let’s just say nothing’s panned out yet

i have enough money saved up in a safety net to stay afloat, but if you’ve appreciated my fics, my shitposts, or just my general presence on this platform, i would really appreciate it if you could buy something off my amazon wishlist to help make my birthday that much more special. everything on there is stuff i know i’ll use, and getting it will put a smile on my face

wishlist link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2DCPV1BKGJSLG?ref_=wl_share

of course, only do this if you feel comfortable doing so, and if you have the money to spare! if not, reblogs are also appreciated!

[give-me-a-minute-to-think]

give me a minute, say, what is your favorite fic? (of any fandom)

hope u have a good day :)

oh my gosh, first of all, this is such a cute name for me, thank you babe.

and ummm as for my fave fic, i don't know if i can pick one?? but u can be sure im gonna take ur ask and use it as the perfect excuse to infodump all of you with my fave fics!!

so!

as for a start, i could not put any fic other than World Ain't Ready by @idiopath-fic-smile of course. this is probs my Actual Favorite Fic but i never was into les mis so im kinda reluctant to count it bc this one just doesn't feel like a fic to me, but more like an original story. also i want to link more fics shut up and let me have this.

next up we have love and other fairytales by @tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors, another monster that feels more like a stand alone piece from how good it is. just. so good.

rebel, rebel by @basic-banshee, a fic that made me worry i wont enjoy wayward son bc it was That Good

KNEE DEEP by @plumcat which made me unable to breathe for like a solid half hour.

nothing sweeter than local honey by @karliahs which gave me writer envy like no tomorrow and aspired me to write more

reciprocity by @bubonickitten which was so beautiful it almost made me cry (so! much! serotonin! my head was bazzing for hours man i could not cope)

and finally, A Lion's Heart Lullaby by @uselessbreadcrumbs. this one also technically is not a fic for me, bc im not a fan of bts, and never were. but i had to include it even if im reading it as an original story and not as a fic bc maaaaan is it Beautiful. i cant its just so good. (warning - not finished yet. i promise i will let you all know when it is. like, i wont shut up about it. i promise.)

and that's it! was fun. bye have a nice day!

[serinesaccade]

v v V interested in a rec list when u get a chance !!!

HULLO again I feel very awkward compiling a rec list when I am a newcomer to the fandom and there’s a long, strong history here. but anyway here we go, my 15 ExR fic bookmarks sorted to show the most recently updated. give the authors some love y’all. you are being exposed to my favorite ExR aspects here which are essentially mutual pining, comedic dialogue, and tenderness.

pls rec me things if you have ‘em. i did skip over fics with the same author to spread it out. as a general rule if I liked a fic I’ve read everything else that author has to offer WHOOPS

1. Winter and Water Pitchers by Anonymous. oohhhh, the water pitcher metaphor. the tenderness

2. how sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame by Tegami. you WILL be emotionally wrecked. you WILL read shakespeare’s sonnets afterwards. you WILL feel very gay

3. Personal Gain by kjack89: this is well done and incomplete and I am eagerly awaiting the last chapter for that sweet sweet resolution

4. Orpheus, play yourself a path from Hades by Shitposting from the Barricade. anyway this was just some good fun with a cultivated flair to it. also there is the potential for pining. this is important to me

5. I Will Fear no Evil by Fiver. anyway I think most les mis fans know of this series but it is in the list and I’m obsessed with this series as a general rule

6. impatient to be free by idiopathic smile. idiopathicsmile consistently writes fanfic that makes ME want to write fanfic of their fanfic. I legit have thousands of words of fanfic that will never see the light of day bc I think it’d be creepy to show. WHATEVER READ THIS IT’S LESBIANS

7. Something Telling (Between THen and Now) by dannypuro: again this author could come into my house and smack me and I would be v grateful so pls read this. read all of their work. you will regret nothing.

8. Cheers to the Future by Feathraly: LESBIANS AND LOVE CONFESSIONS READ IT IMMEDIATELY. REALLY. Feathraly I done messed up and didn’t comment on this initially so that’s my b and I will do that today SORRY

9. so when you’re near me by sol52: this is really cute. apparently everyone and their mom loves hockey and I’ve never Understood but this fic was great

10. Guided By A Beating Heart by torakowalski: this fic wrecked me. I love torakowalski and it’s so finely crafted. read it and weep binches

11.Short Circuit by Raddtaire: I came to this fic with the impression it would be like. funny. and then was subsequently walloped with Feelings and Pining and what sort of equates to identity reveal. anyway I’ve read it twenty times and I love it

12. ours are the moments i play in the dark: yes so this was tagged “inexplicit sex” which was a tag I thought only i used. immediately i entered the fic to hunt down my twin’s wordplay and then i was consumed whole

13. we need umbrellas on the inside by anivhee: insecurity is *chef’s kiss* my life and so is miscommunication. sidenote I love anivhee

14. The Icarus Experiment. so I loved Maximum Ride and then eventually hated that book’s author with the burning fires of a woman who acknowledged his writing style Is Upsetting but his ideas are excellent. like. his execution ruined everything for me. the execution of this fic is GREAT so it was like everything I could’ve asked for and forgot I wanted in the time since MR was published. thank you, fic author. you fixed Maximum Ride. I don’t know how you did that, but you did.

15. In starlit nights I saw you by hi0ctane: most of the other fics on here are modern day, but I do actually read non-modern fic. *points* it is sweet

[eldritchw1tch]

this bit reminded me viscerally of these lines from "makeout sonnet" by F. Douglas Brown. unrelated: no one look at me, i am definitely not tearing up at this song, definitely not

(every time i think i'm done, @greenlikethesea posts another banger and i think "well what if i did just one more?")

so yeah, i wrote another song inspired by the fictional music in @greatunironic's Steddie epic the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you. cover art i borrowed from @bienmoreau, whose work in this universe is just delightful.

i was thinking specifically of the emotional landscape that would've produced the album boy with a bat, the highs and lows and the feeling of going through it all surrounded by people you love, both romantically re: steve, but also in the found family sense. my first instinct with the title of this song was that telling the wolves was in some way an act of defiance, but then i thought about eddie the outcast, eddie the former town pariah, regarded as other and dangerous, and i decided that in my interpretation, the wolves are his people, so to speak. i wanted a howl-like effect on that line, and in an effort not to short out my microphone, i literally sang the word "home" with my head thrown back to the sky like a werewolf.

Lyrics under the cut!

A late night flight or two Stars and cars and cornfields formed the view Gathered here to watch the light go out the final time To say what must be said: “you are not an island,” “come to bed” Though it doesn't mean the things you want it to, it's fine

in the morning there will be noise and life and buzz It doesn't mean the things you want until it does

Looked so long that I forgot to see, to see Lingered in his doorway, he was waiting there for me

Tell the wolves I'm home been rambling since Rome family, I'm back Tell the wolves I'm home some things you do alone but some, they take a pack

Starting at the end around a table, bullshitting with friends Gathered here to watch the light go out the final time To do what must be done smoking up and lunch and grocery runs leaning on each other, let me take your weight, it's mine

In the morning there will be laughter, loss and food And something new that's growing, something good

Pain and joy bloom endlessly until we fall apart Sitting watching Nancy's kid run circles in the yard

Tell the wolves I'm home been rambling since Rome family, I'm back Tell the wolves I'm home some things you do alone but some, they take a pack

Tell the wolves I'm home Tell the wolves I'm home Tell the wolves I'm home

[greenlikethesea]

as always, thank you to @bienmoreau for the incredible album art.

for those of you just tuning in, @idiopathicsmile and i have been slowly but surely composing songs for the shotguns (she just put out one the other day that is remarkable, go check out her music at @idiopath-fic-smile), eddie munson’s grammy winning band in the seminal fandom classic the most remarkable thing, and other b-sides and rarities by the amazing @greatunironic.

this is a song from the place beyond the quarry, which is the last album eddie released before he publicly came out as gay. i envision this album as one that’s teeming with frustration -- at himself, at steve, at the way things are shaking out all over. it’s dark, there’s less sweetness there than there are in other tracks on this album. it was fun to write eddie being a bit more aggressive in his music, in a way he would never outwardly be to steve.

there’s a line in this that’s pretty explicitly gay, and i did that on purpose. the eddie in my mind’s eye has purposely crafted this as a storytelling song, keeping the personal details vague so that he can be the most vulnerable with how he’s feeling. in other songs i’ve written, i’ve given geographic specifics, references to his life as a musician, references to how steve would be known to the ordinary person. this leans heavily into the upside down of it all, so that he can say the gay line. the real coming out is “i wore his jacket” and i think it’s great that it is.

i hope you all enjoy <3

lyrics behind the cut:

Down below, down below There are horrors I can’t know But you’ve done this over and over Capsize, we’ll capsize But your friends don’t seem surprised When you shed your shirt and round those shoulders

My eyes trace the line of your back And you’re looking back At anyone but me And if you did Well, you would see

That out on the water We’re not sons, no, we’re not daughters We’re a disturbance On a surface Once pristine I’ll keep my hands clean

Fast forward, oh, fast forward Don’t go swimming anymore No you won’t see me long for a shoreline Wait, I lied, oh, I lied On a sweet September night I’ve been known to wade in, low tide

My eyes trace the line of your back And this time, you’re looking back At me and only me I look away Can’t let you see

That out on the water We’re not sons, no, we’re not daughters We’re a disturbance On a surface Once pristine I’ll keep my hands clean

I tarnish what I touch But that means I want it more, I want so much Sear my fingerprints into your structure Do you ever think about me when you fuck her? Don’t let his touch steal your luster, Let his ocean make your armor rust

Cuz out on the water I am no one’s son or daughter I’m a disturbance On a surface So pristine

Scream to be heard Hate to be seen

Cuz out on the water We’re no sons, no, we’re no daughters I’m just a disturbance On a surface Once pristine

I’ll keep my hands clean If you look back at me