#tag:complete

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Lost in the lapse again

Lost in the lapse again by dwellingondreams (AO3 - 11,600 words)

Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones

Relationship: Barba Bolton/Aegon III Targaryen

Summary: "And war is all you've ever seen/Your war behind the screen/And all it means to me." - Black Math, 'Lapse'.

Careful, she tells herself. They have not delighted over you as queen, either. Plain and thick and flat of body, when they could have had some great beauty like Princess Rhaena or a little dollish darling like Daenaera Velaryon. And that is why you need to be crowned. And why we must have some sort of progress. Something. Anything, to prove to the people their king is a miserable, sullen child no longer, that he is competent and can force a smile and raise a hand in recognition in public. Else this will be a long, hard life for you, whether he comes to like you or no

(Aegon III chooses plain faced Barba Bolton as his bride, who came south to beg aid for her starving people. Three years later, a royal progress is debated.)

Notes: i had no idea who these people were when i started reading. they fucking boomed me

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Red as copper

Red as copper by serdunkisthebesthimbo (AO3; part of a series of one-shots - 2,600 words)

Fandom: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (ASOIAF)

Relationships: Dunk/Red Rowan

Summary:

This could happen during S01E04. As if she could feel his hesitation, so she said softly : " Look, lad. I suppose you had some soft spot for the puppeteer girl, as you leapt like a madden beast to her defense. Sadly she's gone, or maybe it's a blessing. I'm not looking to marry you, just entertain and show that we're grateful." The camp follower is way smarter than you, Dunk the lunk, Ser Arlan's voice quipped at the back of his brain.

Notes: class solidarity rarepair!

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Mother of Mothra

Mother of Mothra by SkilledWarriorKiwi (AO3; part of a series, but can be read standalone - 3,700 words)

Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire/Godzilla

Relationships: none

Summary:

They never saw me for a queen, she thought bitterly. I was only an afternoon's amusement for them to stare at, a horse girl with a curious pet. More interested in the grub at her side, Mothra now bigger than a stallion but she was still a passing fancy. 'A maggot mother,' one of the Thirteen had even jeered at her, when she asked for his aid to Westeros. She ignored it, well used to the stupidity of men. Let them look upon her and think her foolish, they all seemed to forget they only existed due to a mother.

Notes: this entire series (where Dany is accompanied not by her three dragons, but by a series of kaiju) is great, but this was my favorite. Mothra! Friend to all mankind!

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A Thread Unraveled

A Thread Unraveled by ScribeofArda (AO3; chaptered - 91,400 words)

Fandom: Lord of the Rings (The Silmarillion)

Relationships: Gen

Summary:

Maedhros wakes up again, on the first morning of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Of course, nobody calls it that. For them, it hasn't happened yet.

Notes: long, in-depth exploration of all the things that went wrong, through a course of brutal time loops on the worst few days of maedhros's life (of which there are many)

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Strange in a Strange Land

Strange in a Strange Land by Aelaer (AO3, multi-chapter, 40,600 words)

Fandom: Doctor Strange/Marvel Universe, Lord of the Rings

Relationship: Gen

Jumping into different dimensions always involves risk. Sometimes you never know what sort of troubles you will run into until you have arrived. Thankfully, alongside these dangers a sorcerer is sometimes lucky enough to come upon unexpected allies.

Notes: i regret to report i enjoyed a stephen strange fic. the aragorn and faramir was a powerful counteragent

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said you had to leave to start your life over

said you had to leave to start your life over by Nyxierose (AO3; 5,700 words)

Fandom: Dune

Relationship: Jessica/Leto

“I could fall in love with you, I think. Outside of this. Like normal people do.” Or, corporate spies on a cruise.

Notes: how do you write a dune au? you pare down the bare essentials of the characters. does a great jessica voice in a completely outre setting

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i believe in angels

i believe in angels by thefudge (AO3; 2,800 words)

Fandom: DC Movies (The Suicide Squad - 2021)

Relationship: Harley Quinn/Rick Flag

Harley laughs with all her teeth. He’s such a polite mama’s boy. It’s refreshing, after all the assholes in her past. When she turns back to the counter, the bartender informs her Flag has already covered their drinks. Harley snorts, wiping mascara from her eye. Damn it, he won’t even let her commit one petty crime.

Notes: the author notes say "they're soft your honor" and i AGREE

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[blank]

[blank] by hellsreluctantheir (AO3; part of a series of alternate universes that can be read separately - 20,000 words)

Fandom: DC (Batman)

Relationship: gen (references to previous tim/steph)

“Wanted—“ Cass managed, before shaking her head, and defaulting to sign. See you. Steph laughed, loud and carefree and genuine. Cass hadn’t heard that sound in four years. “Right.” There was something different about her. It was her, unquestionably, but there was a sharper edge to her. Something primed to blow. You, Cass signed, Kill. “There we go,” Steph said, quieter, still smiling. “That’s what you’re here for.”

Notes: an au where steph is killed by the joker and becomes the red hood. the entire series (in which each fic takes a non-jason member of the batfam to become the red hood) is excellent.