We all live lives of quiet fantasy

I've still got a lot to read, but here is my first round of recommendations.

I'll separate these out into stories where you don't need to know canon, where canon knowledge is helpful, and where it is necessary.

Canon knowledge not required - Cottingley Fairies Hoax RPF, Genghis Khan - Miike Snow (Music Video), Tom Hiddleston Chinese Vitamin Commercial - Phil Wang Twitter edit, 4'33" - John Cage (Song), Microsoft Office Danshi



swift as a shadow, short as any dream (5186 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Cottingley Fairies Hoax RPF, 20th Century CE RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Elsie Wright, Frances Griffiths
Additional Tags: Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Logic, Fae & Fairies, Dark Fairy Tale Elements, 1919 - Freeform, Iambic Pentameter, (mostly), Crueltide, Misses Clause Challenge, Don't Have to Know Canon
Summary: In 1917 England, cousins Elsie and Frances claimed to have taken photographs of fairies in a mystical stream behind their garden.

The photographs were fake; the fairies found them anyway.

Bookmarker's Notes: A frightening tale of two girls trapped in the world of the fae. The author does a wonderful job of twisting the descriptions and energy of the fic from sweet and light to darker, and darker, and darker still.


A Good Man (5799 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Genghis Khan - Miike Snow (Music Video)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Gold Nose Villain/Secret Agent (Genghis Khan - Miike Snow)
Characters: Gold Nose Villain (Genghis Khan - Miike Snow), Secret Agent (Genghis Khan - Miike Snow)
Additional Tags: Backstory, First Meetings, Developing Relationship, Pre-Canon, Post-Canon, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Spies & Secret Agents
Summary: Tom tells him he's not like his father. Tomorrow, he'll find out.
Bookmarker's Notes: A cracked out canon played seriously, with heart, featuring real questions of identity. I don't know how it will turn out, and neither does the narrator. Well played, author! If you want to watch the wonderfully cracked-out James Bond/villan 4 min video, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_SlAzsXa7E


pepper on top (6180 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Tom Hiddleston Chinese Vitamin Commercial - Phil Wang Twitter edit
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Tom Hiddleston (Chinese Vitamin Commercial edit); Phil Wang (Chinese Vitamin Commercial edit)
Summary: "What you have to understand," Tom says, "is that my love language is acts of service."
Nine times Phil and Tom eat breakfast together.
Bookmarker's Notes: Bizarre, surreal, hilarious, and absolutely delightful. You can watch the 90 sec source here: https://www.thepoke.co.uk/2019/04/01/comedian-phil-wang-edit-bizarre-tom-hiddleston-ad-went-wildly-viral/


The Sounds of Silence (1008 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 4'33" - John Cage (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: Sometimes when you go to a music venue, you get both less and more than you expect.
Bookmarker's Notes: A hilarious, Dr. Seuss style poem. A random human goes to a random concert, not knowing they signed up for 4'33" of silence, and freaks out.


273 seconds (273 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 4'33" - John Cage (Song)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Horror
Summary: The first two hundred and seventy-three seconds felt like an eternity.
Bookmarker's Notes: A horror take on sudden, unexpected silence. This one gave me goosebumps.


Late Afternoon at SeaTac Coffee (879 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Microsoft Office Danshi
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Microsoft Word (Anthropomorphic), Microsoft Excel (Anthropomorphic)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Microsoft Office Suite, Anthropomorphic
Summary:

'I'm gonna quit and go work in a coffee shop.'
'You can't even keep track of half of the tasks you're supposed to do at this job. What makes you think that you'd be better off in a coffee shop?'

(or, Microsoft Word daydreams about alternate employment, and Microsoft Excel gets dragged along for the ride)
Bookmarker's Notes: This is an outtake from a fun, longer 'Microsoft Office Danshi' fic in the main collection. I don't know if it's by the same author, or if someone else got a sudden case of inspiration, but this little gem made me laugh out loud.


Canon knowledge helpful - Ladyhawke (1985), Wiseguy (TV), Victor Victoria (1982), Justified (TV)



The Falconer (13733 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Ladyhawke (1985)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Isabeau d'Anjou/Etienne Navarre, Bishop of Aquila/Etienne Navarre
Characters: Etienne Navarre, Bishop of Aquila, Isabeau d'Anjou
Additional Tags: Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Religion, Period-Typical Sexism, Emotional Manipulation, Mildly Dubious Consent, Power Dynamics, Power Imbalance, Historical References, Period-Typical Homophobia
Summary: By 1268, fourteen years after he'd come to Aquila, Navarre had his own hawk, a Damascus-forged sword, a hunting horn of genuine ivory from Kashmir, and a magnificent new Freesian charger named Goliath, eighteen hands tall and black as midnight. They were his, not the garrison's. He was a rich man. Which meant, he was quite well turned out, the first time he met Isabeau.
If only she were not the King's niece, and thus, off-limits to a commoner like himself.
Bookmarker's Notes: Let me start by saying what this is NOT. It is not an OT3 fic with cheerful banter by The Mouse. This is an intricate, well-researched and rather dark pre-canon fic from Navarre's PoV. Navarre is a quiet man, more intelligent than people assume and shockingly decent. He's also very attracted to that new Bishop, and the story includes some very hot power dynamics and priest kink before he meets Isabeau and things get ugly. Try it!


Nobody Ever Made You a Monster (5742 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Wiseguy
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Frank McPike & Vinnie Terranova, Dan "Lifeguard" Burroughs & Frank McPike & Vinnie Terranova
Characters: Frank McPike, Vinnie Terranova, Dan "Lifeguard" Burroughs
Additional Tags: Werewolves, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue
Summary: He walked right up to the bartender and said, “I’m looking for Terranova.”
“Uh-huh. So was Christopher Columbus.”
“Oh, good,” Frank said. “You’re funny. I was worried I wasn’t going to meet anybody funny today.”
Bookmarker's Notes: Gritty, realistic cop drama meets the supernatural. The author does a great job of revealing what's going on bit by bit, while the narrator has no idea. Perfect character voice and understated guy feels.


What a Victor You Are (1157 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Victor Victoria (1982)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Victoria Grant/King Marchand, Victor Grazinski/King Marchand, Victor Grazinski/Carole "Toddy" Todd
Characters: Victoria Grant, Victor Grazinski, King Marchand, Carole "Toddy" Todd
Additional Tags: Genderqueer Character, Genderfluid Character, PWP, Yuleporn, Sex Lessons, D/s, Bondage, Yuletide Treat
Summary: For the prompt: "I would love it, dear Yulewriter, if you really leaned into that queerness." Victor gets lessons from Toddy in how to top his man.
Bookmarker's Notes:

“The fact is, frankly, as much as I do enjoy having the magnificent King Marchand make tender love to me as heterosexually as possible—” she sees Toddy wince sympathetically— “both of us know that’s not really why we’re in bed together, is it? He wants to sleep with Victor. And Victor wants to sleep with him, if he only knew how.”
So. fucking. hot.

Take The Keys To My Heart (And Just Drive) (11174 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Justified
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Tim Gutterson/Original Male Character(s)
Characters: Tim Gutterson, Original Male Character(s), Raylan Givens, Rachel Brooks, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Slow Romance, First Kiss, Case Fic
Summary:

Raylan’s friend Bobby is tall and slim-hipped, with dark curling hair and eyes the colour of the ocean. This is a problem. Even more of a problem is the way he smiles at Tim like Tim is a brand new secret.
 In which Tim may or may not regret doing Raylan a favour.

Bookmarker's Notes:

“Oh come on,” laughs Bobby. “Everyone’s got one thing they really like to eat. Do you like meat, fish, fruit, veg, pie?”
“Pie, I guess,” Tim admits. “I like sweet stuff.” Growing up, chocolates and candies were for women. In his father’s world, real men ate meat and drank beer and died of a heart attack aged forty-seven.

Tim Gutterson goes undercover as a straight guy in a gay bar. It's not at all tropey, but sweet and slow, with excellent characterization and Tim voice.

Canon knowledge required - Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch, Sense8 (TV), Slings & Arrows (TV), Temeraire - Naomi Novik, Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, and several for The Expanse (TV)



Peelian Principles (2467 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Peter Grant (Rivers of London), Thomas Nightingale, Martin Chorley, Alexander Seawoll, Sahra Guleed
Additional Tags: Book 7: Lies Sleeping, Missing Scene, Kidnapping
Summary:

"You're very calm about this," Seawoll said on the fifth day.

Bookmarker's Notes:

Tense and intriguing look at Nightingale's state of mind during Peter's kidnapping. I can't help but read this as pre-slash!

Yeah, I'm Gonna Kiss You In Front Of Everybody (6615 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Sense8 (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Wolfgang Bogdanow/Kala Dandekar/Rajan Rasal, Felix Brenner/Wolfgang Bogdanow, Capheus/Kala/Lito/Nomi/Riley/Sun/Will/Wolfgang
Additional Tags: Background Relationships, Polyamory, Telepathic Sex, Orgy, Ensemble Cast, Porn with Feelings, First Time, Dom/sub Undertones, Happy Ending
Summary:

Felix is right about too many things too often for Wolfgang's peace of mind. That includes that he should maybe, just maybe, let Rajan know he wants to ride his dick.

Bookmarker's Notes:

Wonderful, hot, intense porn with feelings as Wolfgang attends Nomi and Amanita's wedding with Kala and Rajan. Felix suggests they invite Rajan to a sensate orgy. It's a great plan! Perfect character voice with a Wolfgang still trying to convince himself he's safe.

And pay the debt I never promised (9596 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Slings & Arrows
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Geoffrey Tennant & Oliver Welles, Ellen Fanshaw/Geoffrey Tennant, Geoffrey Tennant/Oliver Welles, Darren Nichols/Geoffrey Tennant, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Characters: Geoffrey Tennant, Oliver Welles, Ellen Fanshaw, Anna Conroy
Additional Tags: Henriad, Pre-Canon, Post-Canon, Brief discussion of racism, Complicated Relationships, Jealousy, Devotion, Fade to Black
Summary:

Geoffrey, legacy, and the Henriad.

Bookmarker's Notes:

This is a complicated, messy story, telling Geoffrey's complicated, messy history with the theatre, with all the people he has loved, with the reasons why he loves Shakespeare but sometimes does not enjoy it very much. The marvelous dialogue actually lives up to canon.

the becoming garb of a gentleman (2625 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: William Laurence & Temeraire
Characters: Temeraire (Temeraire), William Laurence, John Wampanoag, Tenzing Tharkay
Additional Tags: a surfeit of textiles
Summary:

“Oh, yes,” said Temeraire. “Laurence has several robes from the Emperor’s court already; I was rather thinking of something more modern. It has been so very long since he bought himself anything fine. He says he sees no need for it, now that he is no longer an admiral, but he is after all still a prince; sometimes I think he forgets.”

Temeraire commissions a set of clothing for Laurence. Post-canon.

Bookmarker's Notes:

This delivers everything I want from Temeraire fic - Laurence and Temeraire caring for each other, human-dragon cultural misunderstandings, and Tharkay being a snarky bastard.

A Hatching at Half-Circle Sea Hold (7164 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Menolly (Dragonriders of Pern), Robinton (Dragonriders of Pern), Elgion (Dragonriders of Pern), Alemi (Dragonriders of Pern), Yanus (Dragonriders of Pern), Mavi (Dragonriders of Pern), T'gellan (Dragonriders of Pern), Mirrim (Dragonriders of Pern), Lessa (Dragonriders of Pern), F'lar | Fallarnon
Additional Tags: Hatching, References to Canon-Typical Violence, Fire Lizards
Summary:

“That’s a rather extraordinary proposal, Menolly,” said the Masterharper.

Bookmarker's Notes:

This story is wonderfully hopeful and optimistic. The author shows us what its like to be trapped in a small, hide-bound hold, and how the best way to change the world might not be by converting the Master Craftsmen and Holders of the world, but by connecting individuals to each other.

losing the stars without a sky (3847 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Expanse (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Camina Drummer/Naomi Nagata
Characters: Camina Drummer, Naomi Nagata
Additional Tags: Trauma and recovery, Yuletide Treat, Femslash Festivus, Misses Clause Challenge
Summary:

Many of Naomi’s messages end with a not-so-subtle inquiry about Drummer’s recovery, which Drummer then ignores or dismisses with some off-hand comment. It almost becomes a routine
The road to recovery is messy and complicated. Drummer has never been good at patience.

Bookmarker's Notes:

The author has either experienced a long, slow recovery after a serious injury, or is an excellent researcher. Drummer's exhaustion as she works through PT and refuses to admit to any pain or weakness while running negotiations for the Belt is marvelously, meticulously drawn here. There is a fantastic OC, and the way Naomi knows Camina well enough to see through her bull-shit from a million miles away is brilliant.

Across the Divide (5105 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Expanse (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Chrisjen Avasarala & Bobbie Draper
Characters: Chrisjen Avasarala, Bobbie Draper
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat, Misses Clause Challenge, Canon-Typical Violence
Summary:

Avasarala was a politician and an Earther, inherently untrustworthy. But she had been the only one in that room who had tried to find out the truth of what happened on Ganymede.

Bookmarker's Notes:

Bobbie and Chrisjen each work through their own trauma and forge a friendship. There are some beautiful moments of quiet intimacy here. The image of Bobbie bringing Chrisjen water to help her after a nightmare, and Chrisjen bitching about it even as she desperately reaches out for that comfort, will stick with me.

Alea Eacta Est (1792 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Expanse (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chrisjen Avasarala/Bobbie Draper
Characters: Chrisjen Avasarala, Bobbie Draper, Camina Drummer, Clarissa Mao, Amos Burton
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Crack, Space Opera, Empress Avasarala, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

Aboard her flagship, the Empress of Earth receives a guest, and a prisoner. Her bodyguard has a bad feeling about this.

Bookmarker's Notes:

AU where Chrisjen is empress, Bobbie is her bodyguard, and everyone is so perfectly in character that I ached for more.

Thigmotropism (3405 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Expanse (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Amos Burton/Praxidike Meng
Characters: Amos Burton, Praxidike Meng, Mei Meng
Additional Tags: Plants, Introspection, Recovery
Summary:

Prax rebuilds on Ganymede.

Bookmarker's Notes:

This is a quiet story for a quiet man, showing us Prax trying to rebuild a life with Mei in the aftermath.

Missing Stars (3109 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Expanse (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Camina Drummer/Naomi Nagata, Klaes Ashford & Camina Drummer, Camina Drummer & Fred Johnson, Camina Drummer/Samantha Rosenberg
Characters: Camina Drummer, Naomi Nagata
Additional Tags: Character Study, Pining, Between Seasons/Series, Space Stations
Summary:

The Behemoth becomes Medina Station. Drummer changes too.

Bookmarker's Notes:

A bitter-sweet story of yearning and duty. The author has a knack for writing about space, and there are some delicious bits of Belter patois and world-building.

I must say, the fic for The Expanse this year is universally excellent.  I had a hard time restricting myself to only recommending half of them - pick any one, and you'll be in for a good read!