{ I know, I know, third post; calm down. }

[delga]

I was extremely blessed when it came to Yuletide this year. I was written a story, and two treats, and they were all fucking delightful. Please read these and drop kudos or whatever that thing is because these were all successful in making me really, really happy, and people who do that are deserving of a lot of warmth.

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Shimmers (King Arthur, 2004)

As the oldest of the knights under Arthur, Bors and Dagonet try to keep a certain sort of order, especially as Arthur grows into his own. Tristan and Lancelot, however, present problems.

I have this idea of a pre-film story featuring the knights and their travails, and all that jazz, and it's rattling around my skull, never to come out. Darling Anon took my prompt somewhere else, and I still absolutely adore what they came up with. Light-touch, with a wise, wise Dag, whose voice and viewpoint is so, so crucial to this story. A genius choice; I truly believe that.

They thought Tristan was slow as a boy or scarred from the journey, when he first came from the East with Lancelot, Galahad and Gawain. Most boys – the other boys – were eager to play at swords, but Tristan just wanted to pick moss off stones in the courtyard wall, smashing it between his fingers and smearing it on his tongue.

Little Darling, It's Been a Long, Cold, Lonely Winter (Spooks, Ros/baby!HomeSec)

The second time was never going to be as easy as the first. Ros and a wildly AU post-S8 adventure.

So... post-S8 finale, Ros makes an escape and takes Andrew Lawrence with her. This piece is short but it does a lot of things: proves that Ros is a poor runaway, makes a charmer out of baby!HomeSec, and made me laugh quietly. Baby!HomeSec is my favourite thing in this story, but Ros' usual flair for undercutting is lovely, too.

She arrived at the final destination to find him waiting for her in the cafe at the bottom of the hill. "Hello there," he said with that smug grin, as if had been his own intellectual prowess that had got him here from London undetected. "Fancy seeing you here."

In the Dead of Night (Weeds)

One night in Nebraska.

Guys. GUYS. Someone wrote me Sad!Silas. SAD SILAS.

This fic really got to me. I don't know - I think because Silas really got to me this season, and seeing things from his perspective really defines the boundaries of the world Nancy inhabits. This fic does that: delineates the mess that was the Botwins on the run, and nails Silas' growing outsider status. Except. Except he's not an outsider. He just feels that way. His internal monologue here is the ultimate delusional narrator. He just can't let it - them - go.

Silas closes his eyes and think about his best crop ever; the colour of the leaves, the weight of the buds, the heat of the lamps, the smell of fresh, clean dirt. He misses those days.

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A few, choice recs; in short because I am lazy. The rest are at my delicious account.

Snow, Melting (Alice in Wonderland/Narnia)

Alice takes Susan down the rabbithole. Susan proves she's no wilting flower. A really lovely piece.

Working Title (Brick)

Kara plays games. I enjoy fics about Kara because they flesh out what was rather a one-dimensional character, and because they always make me think a little more about Brendan from the outside.

The Art of Fugue (Fringe)

All of the Astrid-centric fics this year have been lovely, lovely, but this one has a really nice moment with Walter. Guys, I need more Astrid fic. Gimme.

Persuasion to Joy (Mulan, 2009)

In which the Princess is determined to give Mulan her due happiness. What a fantastic story! It doesn't detract from the film's gravity at all; doesn't belittle the conclusion. It's a story about immense kindness.

Spellbound and hellbound and caught in the netting (Justified)

Please read all the Justified fic I have bookmarked, because it's all really good. This fic is about Raylan, Ava, and Winona, and is so perfect, I can't even. That place Raylan gets stuck, between his desire to run and stay at all times, it's so clear here. Brilliant.

Four Times Eggs Ruined Milo's Life, and One Time He Saved It (The Baker)

Oh god, if you loved the film, please read this. It's hilarious. If you don't know what I'm talking about, please, please watch the film - and then read this. Gold.