SHERLOCK (John/Sherlock)

lasjdflsjalfjslfjdlsjfsld I happened to refresh my flist right as wordstrings was posting A Thousand Threads of What-Might-Have-Beens, so I was like Part 1! ASLDFJASLJFLSDJF YAY! Where's part 2? *waits a few minutes* *refreshes* OMG THERE'S PART TWO AND THREEEEEE!

And then I punched myself and died because I realized I wouldn't be able to read it until I got back from Toronto. But as usual, it is amazing. In some ways slightly angstier than the others in the series, but also somehow more lighthearted. I don't know how, but that's the impression I left with.

If you haven't already read the rest of the stories in this series, start working your way through her master post.

MERLIN (all Arthur/Merlin)

1. A New Low by Anon. Full of humor! The OP asked for diabetic!Merlin and anon delivered so sweetly (pun intended). Lighthearted and delightful. <3
   
   
2. IF YOU DON'T READ Anon's Pairing Pendragon/Merlin YOU JUST MIGHT REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR FANNISH LIFE. Arthur is a BNF and Merlin is his beloved beta. Basically, this is so fucking meta that the comments on the original kinkmeme format felt like they were part of the fic itself. I just about bust a fucking gut laughing at this, people, so just go read it.
   
   
3. skellerbvvt's 8x12x8 (Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6). Not so much an AU as a what if -- What if Arthur had been imprisoned (from birth, practically) by Uther as a response to his guilt over Igraine, rather than raising him to be his successor? This is more about the journey of Arthur's development into what he was destined to become than anything else. I don't know how Skeller does it; she's just amazing.

INCEPTION (all Arthur/Eames except #1)

1. Here In Spain I Am A Spaniard by soda_and_capes. So. This isn't Arthur/Eames. It's Eames/Yusuf and multiple other pairings I would normally not necessarily read. There's a little unrealized-A/E, but... you know, it's unrealized. But you should read this because it's the most realistic I've seen all these characters written, with their flaws and faults and insights. Arthur in particular.
   
   
2. Maybe You and I Will Fall in Love by traincar. This is edgy and it hurts; it's sharp and jagged and beautiful. Not a pleasant read, but one that's moving and SO worth it.
   
   
3. Tales From Liberty City by butterflythread. Delightful, sexy and hot with a real 80s movie atmosphere -- you know, like forbidden and wild and adventurous (and yet somehow without porn)! How does that even happen?
   
   
4. Existentialism on Prom Night by sometimesalways. OMFG This fic just somehow worked itself into my brain and hasn't left me alone! Arthur and Eames are teenagers in 1996 and GODDAMN it's like she went to high school with me or something. Music plays a big role in this and basically I was having flashbacks of junior and high school throughout. Ah, nostalgia. I won't mention how for a week or two after I read this, my iPhone/playlist consisted of Bush and Jesus and Mary Chain (both featured in the fic) and other examples of post-grunge 90s rock. Ahahaha.
   
   
5. Under the Steinway (series) by toomuchplor. The series is listed in chronological order, rather than published order, though I prefered having read it in published order. Pianist!Arthur and Baritone!Eames meet in music college. If you don't know anything about music (that is, reading, playing, studying, etc.) -- and I don't -- don't worry, this is still fucking amazing. Descriptions are written in such a way that you get a feel for what's going on even if you don't quite understand. If you do know music, clearly you will have transcended to another level with this fic. The shorter fics that follow take place years later, when they're "grown up".
   
   
6. whiskyrunner's The Running Play (Part 1 2, 3, 4, part 5 will be the last part). OH GOD THE LOVELY LOVELY ANGST. Footballer!Eames and Serious Student!Arthur are kind of dumb, kind of willing to be oblivious to certain things, and are both in serious denial of some serious stuff) -- basically, very much like teenagers/early 20-somethings can genuinely be (and often are). This fic tackles (oh god, I didn't even mean to make that pun) serious issues and includes noncon and gaybashing. It illustrates a tragic situation that's probably all too real for some.
   
   
7. skellerbvvt's Rule Ten (WIP, part 111/? but comment-length, and updated daily!). JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. Started out as Arthur/Jailbait!Eames, but as it turned out to have a BDSM slant to it, and Skeller could not in good conscience let a 16-yr old Eames get into an intense BDSM relationship with Arthur without any other supports in his life, this turned into a monster of a WIP. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AWESOME IT IS TO HAVE SOMEONE WRITING THIS SORT OF BDSM RELATIONSHIP. I AM SUCH A SUCKER FOR ALL THE FUMBLING ATTEMPTS AT COMMUNICATION AND ARTHUR'S GUILTY CONSCIENCE. AND JFC, THEY HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ANYTHING MORE THAN KISS (YET). IT'S SO FUCKING GORGEOUS I CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT IT WITHOUT RESORTING TO CAPSLOCK. (SORRY.)
   
   
8. delires's We Can Do This Until We Pass Out, aka the chav!verse (WIP, part 6/7). Eames is a total chav but Arthur loves it. Yeah, that's basically it. There's plot and it's good, but it's mostly secondary to their relationship and the fact that what they like about each other is how they're so different, and their differences can sometimes be huge points of contention. EAMES SPEAKS SLANG AND IT IS BRILLIANT AND AWESOME AND I WOULD GO AROUND TALKING LIKE THAT IF I WOULDN'T SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT, BRUV. ALSO THIS HAS RENEWED MY (previously mild) INTEREST IN GRIME AND DUBSTEP WTF. I won't mention how I have a playlist called big up the chav on my iTunes (and if you're interested in what's on it I will gladly send you the list/link) and how I may be going to a dubstep event at Terminal 5 next month. =D