recs and links

"I'm not like Dougie," T.J. says. "You don't have to be," Bud says, but he doesn't mean it. T.J. gets it. He can be the queer son, but not the screw-up. He doesn't get to be both. He can do appearances with Justice Nash and talk about gay rights, and date a young Republican to show how bipartisan his family is. He can be gay, but everywhere else he has to fly straight. If he was a better person, than he could do that, and maybe than he wouldn't feel like he was still treading water and already starting to sink under. But he's not Dougie. He wishes he could be. Totally believable, heartbreaking backstory for Doug and TJ, from their life growing up in the White House to who they were when we met them on the show.

"In the countryside, they don't call me Huntsman, you know. They call me the Queen's man, say that I'm your eyes and ears out in the world." He's quiet for a moment, then says at last, "I am, you know, through and through." Really lovely look at Snow and her Huntsman, after the movie.

Warm, sweet Pepper/Tony/Bruce for New Year's.

Darcy/Jan! How did I not know I needed this? This is adorable!

Abed wants to make a horror movie at Greendale and uses the weird noises in the vents to rope the rest of the study group into it. Nothing, of course, is as it seems. This is so much fun and sounds just like an episode.

“Maddie!” she said, twisting in a little pirouette. “Come dance!” “I can’t,” I said. “Of course you can!” Julie said. “I shall run up reams of pilots for us both, and we’ll dance till dawn.” She grabbed my hands. “Come dance, Maddie, do,” she said, and gave me her beseeching doe eyes. Who could resist Julie when she looked like that? She tugged me toward the dance floor, and she’d got me to the edge of it before I recalled that I couldn't dance. “I’d love to, but I don’t know how to foxtrot,” I protested. “Don’t know how to foxtrot!” She’d had a little too much to drink, I think: her voice was a little too loud, all her sentences ending in exclamation points. She was a bubbly drunk, like it brought out all the joy in her. “I’ll teach you,” she said, and swung me into her arms: one hand between my shoulder blades, the other holding my hand tight. This is a really nice happy moment between Julie and Maddie that captures both of them wonderfully, and totally made me cry at the end.

A lovely moment of intimacy between Gen and Irene.

Marta and Aaron figuring each other out after the movie. Lovely.

Quiet, lovely look at Joan learning to read Sherlock.

Really wonderful look at Eli and Kate (and the rest of the team) post Children's Crusade; they fall into a long distance relationship that's sweet and achy and full of potential.

"Know this, Attolia. While you sleep and while you wake, I am the one moving behind your walls. I am the one dancing on your roof. I am the one who can catch all others and who no one but you can catch. Only I.” Lovely look at Gen and his relationship with Irene.

Molly & Tommy friendship fic. Oh my heart. This is adorable and it made me a little sniffly at the end. Molly convinces Tommy to take her to the movies in the aftermath of Children's Crusade.

“And then when Batman needed a new Robin, he got a girl Robin, the girl who used to be Spoiler, and obviously that means she was the best Robin.” Robin has pants now! This is an absolutley delightful look at the Batfam ten years down the line, featuring Dick/Steph and some adorable artwork.

Awesome story where Steph - after some training with Dick - goes UNDERCOVER AT THE CIRCUS.

Great look at Sarah as she learns the things she'll need to teach John. I miss this show. Sigh.

Absolutely brilliant retelling of the Persephone myth as a noir detective story, with Orpheus as the dogged private dick and the gods as Hollywood royalty. Utterly spellbinding and note perfect.

Evie talks her way out of trouble with a bit of relationship advice. Hilarious.

Lovely post-movie Aaron/Marta from her POV.

Billy and Teddy are getting married. With all the shenanigans that entails. This is adorable.

Ned and Chuck finally tell Olive the truth. A nice moment we never got to see in canon.

Melancholy and sweet Dan/Casey, but really, read it for the ferrets.

Little Daisy Darling (salesperson of the month and Olive Snook Look-alike) seemed to be in love with her boss, Huge Hugh McGrew, a very dead ringer for Emerson Cod. But Hugh was in love with his wife, the equally plus-sized Rustie McGrew. When Huge Hugh finds himself with a cord around his neck and three holes in his chest, Miss Daisy is the prime suspect. Pitch perfect casefic that reads just like an episode of the show, puns and quirks and all.

Jean and Locke, just before the start of Red Seas Under Red Skies. Feels like it could slip right into canon.

The legend is that she came up from the secretary pool. The legend is that she was the first female agent in MI-6. The legend is that she was turned as an asset while having an affair with the Russian ambassador to the UK. The legend is that she was a Russian mole that got turned into a double agent for the crown. M, and the women who came before and after her.

Greendale hosts a Ren Faire. Shenanigans ensue. Reads just like an episode.

Colin and Ally, after the movie. Adorable and sweet. This is like all the best parts of the movie (their relationship) without all the gross stuff.

Joan starts to figure Sherlock out, via his socks. This is hilarious and charming and perfectly in character all at once.

Bond pays a visit home over the holidays. Highly believable fix-it for Skyfall.

Their relationship as it stands has one mathematical certainty: It will end in twenty-five days. At that time, her sojourn as his sober companion will end. Either Watson will pass out of his life forever, or Holmes will have to devise another option. Maddeningly officious as she can be, stern and demanding as he sometimes finds her, he has absolutely no intention of letting her pass out of his life. Whatever he has to do to keep her around, he’ll do. Holmes even briefly considered using again. A relapse into the warm deceitful embrace of heroin would mean another (hopefully briefer) stint in rehab and then another six weeks of sober companionship, wouldn’t it? But he’s rejected this plan. Relapsing would be the same as saying to his father that Joan Watson had failed. He wants to keep her around, but won’t throw her under the bus. Really excellent look at Sherlock trying to figure out how to get Joan to stay after the six weeks is up, and their relationship in the bargain.

“It’s okay, Alfred,” Dick said far too cheerfully for someone caught in a fireman’s carry by the Batman. He gave him a jaunty wave; Alfred was unsurprised to find his hand covered in blood. “This is not my first rodeo!” He paused, then said, “Which is funny because I’m pretty sure this has also happened to me at a rodeo.” Bruce grunted, placing Dick gently down on the table. “He’s lost a lot of blood,” he said by way of explanation. Alfred gave him a withering look. “I rather hadn’t noticed, sir,” he said. “And you? Any gaping flesh wounds I should be aware of?” “I’m fine,” Bruce said tersely. He removed his cowl and looked at Dick with an expression that wasn’t worried so much as it was resigned. “Take care of him.” “I always manage to, sir,” Alfred said. Alfred and Dick, taking care of each other. Oh, my heart.