Unfit for Society Recs

Greek Mythology

Here Thy Hands Let Fall the Gather'd Flower by Cinaed
Nice take on Hades/Persephone. I like this version of Hades.

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Legend of Korra

a gate that swings both ways by psocoptera
Korra confronts the implications of energybending. Exactly what the summary says. Thought-provoking.

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Criminal Minds

Close our eyes, pretend to fly by that_1_incident
Understated, sweet, and lovely Morgan/Garcia story where Garcia owns a coffee shop instead of working for the BAU.

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Elementary

Guided by the Beauty of Our Weapons by cjmarlowe
"Well, the nature of our relationship to one another is complicated," said Joan. "Even for your father—who does care about you, by the way, even if he doesn't show it in typical ways—who knows the particulars of my former employment."

"He thinks we should be clearer about the delineation between the personal and the professional."

"Well, I can't argue with that in principle," said Joan, "but since when do we let ourselves be defined by anyone else?"

"Since always," said Sherlock. "I believe that might actually be the definition of definition."

"Well, then it's time we stopped," said Joan. "You're my friend, and my employer, and my mentor, and I am your friend and your colleague and your sounding board. We can be all of those things, as long as we understand the nature of each of them."

"Clear boundaries," said Sherlock. "Consideration. Trust. Occasional bowls of late night ice cream."

Joan smiled at him. "I think we're getting the hang of it." During a case drought, Sherlock and Joan continue to negotiate their relationship. Nice slice-of-life story.

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Rivers of London

a spell against the lonely by singlecrow
Lovely look at Nightingale over the years.

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Crossovers

The West Wing/M*A*S*H

cj cregg meets margaret houlihan by raven
"What's a community organiser, anyway," she says, "isn't that what we all do, if we're worth anything. I'm a nurse, Ms. Cregg. These days, more of a midwife."

"A midwife?" CJ repeats, again feeling useless and tired.

"Some things take longer to be born than others," Margaret says, and smiles, softly. "Good luck." *sobs*

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Terminator/Sarah Connor Chronicles

Lay Across the World and Explode Everything by Amilyn
Great look at Sarah as she learns the things she'll need to teach John. I miss this show. Sigh.

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Political Animals

In Ascension, By Descent by lorax
"I'm not like Dougie," T.J. says.

"You don't have to be," Bud says, but he doesn't mean it. T.J. gets it. He can be the queer son, but not the screw-up. He doesn't get to be both. He can do appearances with Justice Nash and talk about gay rights, and date a young Republican to show how bipartisan his family is. He can be gay, but everywhere else he has to fly straight.

If he was a better person, than he could do that, and maybe than he wouldn't feel like he was still treading water and already starting to sink under. But he's not Dougie. He wishes he could be. Totally believable, heartbreaking backstory for Doug and TJ, from their life growing up in the White House to who they were when we met them on the show.

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Greek Mythology

Springtime Will Kill You by Luna
Absolutely brilliant retelling of the Persephone myth as a noir detective story, with Orpheus as the dogged private dick and the gods as Hollywood royalty. Utterly spellbinding and note perfect.

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The Odyssey

Telemachies by Lysimache
And my mom just goes on and on, about how everything will be different when my dad comes back, and I want to just tell her, look, it's not like anyone thinks that's going to happen anymore, not after he's been gone all these years, and besides, it's not like she could even tell for sure that O. was my dad for real in the first place, anyway. But that's not the kind of thing you say, and Minnie's right that if he *was* still around, at least the boyfriend brigade would have to move on. Fascinating telling/retelling of Telemachus' story. I'm not sure I get it all, but what I got, I really like.

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Fire from Heaven

In Two Bodies by Amber Largo
The gods had heaped Alexander with blessings, skill and wit and wisdom unmatched by ordinary men, perhaps unknown since Achilles himself, and yet he needed Hephaistion to temper him, to be the water to cool his glowing metal, to remind him that his noble mind still burned within a mortal's body that required such petty things as food and rest and love. Lovely. I love how focused Hephaistion is on Alexander, on knowing what he needs and how to give it to him, and how Alexander acknowledges that and needs it, and gives Hephaistion what he needs in return. ♥ ♥ ♥

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Mr. and Mrs. Smith

A Little Less Conversation by ChristyCorr
It was irritating, but sometimes it seemed like sex was the only thing that put them on the same page; and they often needed reminding that there was a good reason they'd both given up on their careers to risk their lives for each other. / They needed to figure out a feasible course of action, and fast. John seemed to thrive on living one day at a time, following hunches left and right, but this indecision was driving Jane insane. Though part of a huge organization, she had always worked the field alone; she never worked well with a partner, and she was starting to remember why. Amazingly excellent and funny follow-up to the movie, with John and Jane trying to figure out how to get free of the trouble they're in, and also make their relationship better.

Second Honeymoon by Belle
Another good look at John and Jane working on their relationship after the movie.

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The Epic of Gilgamesh

To the Westward Shores by fresne
"Be of good heart, Gilgamesh. He is mighty, but we are two." Stunningly gorgeous, evocative, poetic retelling of the battle of Humbaba.

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Fables

Other Jungles by Grey Bard
Very cool story of how Mowgli came to be in the employ of the mayor of Fabletown. Beautifully written, true to both Kipling and the comics.

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Greek Mythology

Spider's Web by athousandwinds
Clever and perfect story of Odysseus courting Penelope.

Ionic, Doric, Corinthian, Agony by psychomachia
Wry, sharp, and poignant look at Ares and Aphrodite throughout the ages. Fantastic.

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Hercules: the Legendary Journeys

I Friend You, You Friend Him by Roga
Salmoneus invents the social network. Hijinks and hilarity ensue.

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The Iliad
what we can never say by postingwhore
The structure works brilliantly to evoke the long, endless sameness of the days of the Trojan War, and how young and immature Achilles is when it begins (and how immature he stays, really, through the ten long years), the writing is spare and muscular, the emotions palpable. It lost me in the middle a bit with all the licking of the blood, but the ending is a punch to the gut.

Greek Mythology
Aoidos by figbt
Dionysus has a thing or two to teach Apollo. I really liked the characterization of both gods, and tension between them in this, as well as the use of the myths, but describing music in prose is an almost impossible task, so the climax of this story didn’t quite work for me.

The Persian Boy
Hamartia by Tosca
Hephaistion, in the aftermath of falling out with Alexander over the Eumenes incident - raw and angry and hurt, and then cold and simmering with resentment. And Alexander, who's willing to admit he maybe shouldn't have said what he said in public, waits patiently for Hephaistion to come around. *flails* I love this so much, and it was written for me. FOR ME! *twirls* "I just want you to be my Patroklos." *loves*

Norse Mythology
Trickster's Game by alchemine
Loki's stirring up trouble and Odin wants it stopped. Sharp and funny, with some nice characterization of Odin, Loki, Thor and Freyr.


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