#dm7 recommends

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating Mature

Category M/M

Relationship Jared Dunn/Richard Hendricks

Summary Life contracts and death is expected. Ten years in the life of one Donald "Jared" Dunn.

Dm7 recommends A stunning bit of magical realism that brings the urgency and shortness of life into sharp relief.

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating Explicit

Category M/M

Relationship Gavin Belson/Richard Hendricks

Summary The difference between "in a relationship" and not can be as little as one massive grudge against a gossip blog, one major industry news scandal, and being scared out of one's goddamn wits.

Or: how Richard Hendricks learned to stop worrying and accept the inevitable, with more than a little help from the billionaire genius asshole supervillain who loves him.

Dm7 recommends A frankly mind-blowing series that is hot, bothered and full of the most enviable kitchen surfaces. I have read this series more times than I can comfortably admit. You can read my entire long-winded review under this cut!

SO.

This is a jaw-dropping series. If you're looking for fluff then it will not be your bag. This body of work nails the complex emotional arc of two people's passion for each other transforming from abhorrence to adoration, and does not let slip the confusion, anxiety and outright shitty behaviour that comes with the process.

Characterisation is bang on. No one is flat or cartoonish. Everyone has tics and faults and is a fully rounded human, and we learn so much about the character's internal lives which contradict our assumptions about them. How the characters interact is not told but shown, and we pick up on such intense moments and feelings through the most subtle of queues. I found this especially poignant between Jared and Richard in ch. 4.

I am a fan of how the obvious power imbalances between Gavin and Richard are played with, mostly in their comparative maturity and life experience, but also in wealth, power and status. Features include Richard's youthful obliviousness to Gavin's motivations, Richard's lack of self-worth creates a feedback loop of destructive denial, and how Gavin is in many ways is just as internally chaotic as Richard but has the life experience to know how to handle his emotions. The parallels between how Gavin handled his past relationship and how Richard is handling this present relationship are also compelling to read.

The main plot is fantastically detailed and well researched. The corporate, journalistic and PR mechanisms described that would be used to control the narrative around public figures is realistic and makes the story compelling.

The LIFESTYLE PORN, ohmygod, I want to live in Gavin's many houses. So beautifully detailed, so believable, so damn enviable. And also hilarious in how much superfluous technology Gavin has in his houses (no one needs a fridge like that!), but that just makes it all the more believable.

And the sex is incredible. Some of the best written porn out there. Kinky and filthy and power-imbalanced, with a throwaway lines that just blow everything out the water. What makes it so hot is the focus on both the overall sensory experience Richard is having and his complex emotional responses of shame and guilt and anger and denial all thrown into the mix. There's nothing I find more erotic than seeing someone get utterly lost in catharsis, find freedom in letting go and handing themselves over to another person. It rides high on the intense passion, first hateful then eventually loving, that these two have, and the age/status imbalance only fuel the fire. I did not know I had an older man/younger man kink until I read this.

In short, if you like emotional rollercoasters, filthy sex and overly complicated kitchen surfaces, read this series. Hell, read it even if you don't. One of the best SV series out there.

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating Teen

Categories Gen, M/M

Relationships Jared Dunn/Richard Hendricks

Summary An AU where Richard, Dinesh, and Gilfoyle are high school teachers and Jared is the school counselor. It's Richard's first year and he is not up for it. And, naturally, finds inspiration from the terminally uncool yet strangely elegant Jared. Cxpect a lot of not-dates, almost-kisses, and general anxiety.

Dm7 recommends A sweet, funny, silly high school AU that gave me many smiles.

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating Explicit

Category M/M

Relationship Jared Dunn/Richard Hendricks

Summary Richard turns into an incubus. He doesn't know why, or how, but he knows he needs to live. He tries to hide it in between late night trysts from the bar, but it takes its toll, and he's desperate to find another solution. Jared steps in.

Dm7 recommends Ahh this is so fun and dirty and delightfully supernatural! Also v interesting to take a sympathetic PoV to an incubus! A fun read. 

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating Explicit

Category M/M

Relationship Jared Dunn/Richard Hendricks

Summary Jared spent a lot of time researching the sex work community before getting himself into this. It seemed like due diligence, and the right thing to do.

Dm7 Recommends So I love a good sex worker story. I love even more a good story of the tension that comes from people trying to find relief from desires the don’t allow themselves to fulfil. Wonderful, horrible self-delusion from our favourite asocial engineer.

[dmajor7th]

Fics a gettin’ RECKED

Slowly but surely going to post up all the amazing SV fics onto my tumblr. Because great work deserves recognition and praise. 

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating Teen

Categories Gen, Other

Warning Suicide attempt

Summary Richard tries, and fails, to kill himself. Some shit happens.

Dm7 recommends A painful, poignant journey through someone reaching their lowest point. Not an easy read, seems all too on point. Fantastically written. 

[dmajor7th]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating General Audiences

Category M/M

Relationship Jared Dunn/Richard Hendricks

Summary So what do you do when you’re....not quite sure what’s okay to say and what isn’t?

Dm7 recommends Two short, poignant introspective monologues that say so much with such excellent brevity. Beautifully captures the essence of both character’s motivations.