eddishelen

Hellooo this is my last rec-cember post of the year! These are three fandoms I’ve been in over the past few years with a LOT of fic posted. I gave myself a hard limit of six fics/fic series per fandom, to avoid going overboard.

Downton Abbey
The Trees Sweetly Blooming (series) by DarthNickels
https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581772
Thomas Barrow/Edward Courtenay, alternate universe. Lots of outsider pov (a fave of mine) and a lovely building-a-life together post-S2

take my eyes to borrow by northriding
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26961076/chapters/65804821
Canon divergence, where Thomas Barrow meet much earlier, then meet again and again after. I like how Ellis screws Thomas over in their first meeting but develops feelings for him later, but that first meeting colors and complicates so much of what comes later.

“Mr Barrow Has The Flu” by chiaroscure
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23719534
Daisy has been told that Thomas "has the flu," but something about the situation doesn't sit right with her. She sets out to discover why. Daisy & Thomas friendship fic post-Thomas’s suicide attempt

If Birds Fly by likehandlingroses
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23347714/chapters/55933195
The friendship between Lady Sybil Crawley and Thomas Barrow is puzzling, inconvenient, and bound by ties few others can see.
It saves them both. Thomas Barrow & Sybil Crawley friendship fic! Canon divergence at the end of s2 and gay-lesbian bonding (background ships)

An Unexpected Kindness by orphan_account
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17562140/chapters/41388218
On the night of September 18, 1920, two men left Downton Abbey and the county of Grantham under the cover of darkness. Thomas Barrow/Tom Branson, canon divergence where they both leave Downton at the end of s3 and cross paths, I really enjoyed seeing who they are/could be away from Downton. And a return of Tom Branson’s politics!

Halo Effect (series) by Alex51324
https://archiveofourown.org/series/1435963
Canon divergence, where Thomas becomes friends with Anna and is more accepted in the house, and has a romance. I particularly love the second fic, focusing on WW1!


Formula 1 RPF
like today wants tomorrow by distressedgremlin
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27480013
One year after they have both retired, Sebastian and Lewis try Le Mans. Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel, really really beautiful fic

head over heels by jolach
https://archiveofourown.org/works/36614101
“So," Seb says, "Are you going to show me your collection or not?”
Lewis can feel his eyebrows fly up. “Really?” He’s smiling, he realises. People say a lot of shit they don’t actually mean when they’re trying to fuck him. Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel, I love it when a fic makes me really understand how something that is not generally my kink can be scorching hot. In this case it’s shoe kink!

in the lonely hour by avinguda
https://archiveofourown.org/works/20356033
And Lewis finally gets it—can't not get it, when just two years ago he'd been in the exact same place; being handed a second-placed trophy that weighed as heavily as it had been worth nothing at all, replaying all the mistakes he'd made throughout the season in his head, over and over and over, thinking about where he could've been faster, where he could've been smarter, where he could've been better; thinking about who he'd lost it to, about how losing it stacked up against all the other things he'd already let slip from out of his grasp.
(or: Lewis wins the Championship; Sebastian doesn't. They both gain more than they ever bargained for.) Lewis Hamilton/Sebastion Vettel, post 2018 season

somehow chance and fate are synonyms by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/33204970
Lewis was giving him an opportunity to back down. But Sebastian didn't know how to back down; he knew how to block the sight of Nico from this picture even if it was just for one night. Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel, complicated relationships where hooking up doesn’t resolve the tension

the heartbeat is a hunger by withfeathers
https://archiveofourown.org/works/40702578/chapters/101986659
2019 FORMULA ONE SPORTING REGULATIONS
Art. 34: BONDING
Teams are required to register all bonds between drivers with the FIA at the beginning of each season. New bonds must be formally recognized through a bonding ceremony under supervision of at least one FIA representative [...].
Art. 34.1 [added on 1.01.1993]
Bonds between drivers competing for different teams are prohibited.
*
I'm so unused to being - well, understood perhaps.
- Vladimir Nabokov's first letter to his future wife, Véra Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel, playing around with and inverting the soulbond trope

perturbation theory by ambiguouspace
https://archiveofourown.org/works/32088208
“Who is the first guy you ever slept with?”
Sebastian sighs and screws his eyes shut, like he’s bracing himself for disaster but can’t see another way out.
“It was Mark.”
“Mark who?” Charles asks automatically, before his brain catches up. He blinks. “Mark Webber?”
Sebastian nods, eyes still closed, still flushed, and Charles stares at him.
“What the fuck?” he asks. “You hated each other.”
*
Charles learns about Sebastian’s past and thinks about his future. Charles Leclerc/Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc/Sebastian Vettel/Mark Webber, excellent use of a threesome to explore dynamics


Our Flag Means Death
Take Down the Moon by Andraste
https://archiveofourown.org/works/53222590/chapters/134676943
Two months ago, Izzy Hands failed at dying several times in a row. His crew sailed away without him, and now he's stuck in a shack with the man he (still, somehow) loves and his new boyfriend. Can he survive the awkwardness of this situation, the travails of getting Jeff's Bar and Grill started in the hospitality business, and repeated visits from the latest challengers for the title of worst pirates in the Caribbean*?
*For certain definitions of 'worst'. Ed/Stede/Izzy, post s2 if Izzy had survived the bullet wound

the worst was this (my love was my decay) by oopshidaisy
https://archiveofourown.org/works/51032329
Trust Izzy not to fucking explode when you want him to.
(Or: The second two toes.) Ed/Izzy in a complicated and ambiguous way, angst

no feeling is final by firstaudrina
https://archiveofourown.org/works/51755464
Frenchie cracks during casual sex. Frenchie/Izzy, The Box gets a bit structurally unsound

Your Own Icarian Carrion by ryry_peaches
https://archiveofourown.org/works/52486783
Izzy eyes the knife warily but obeys, as he almost always obeys Edward.
“Take off your boot,” Edward says.
Izzy falters, his heart stuttering. “My boot, Captain?”
“You know which boot.” Edward's eyes are wide and dark and his hair is falling around his face like a silver shroud and they used to be kids, once, fresh-faced cabin boys scheming and causing all sorts of trouble and putting England and all of the scars it gave them at their backs together.
“Captain —”
“I warned you, Izzy.”
He did, didn't he.
Or, how Izzy lost the other toes. Between s1 and s2, no one's having a good time

for all that was lost by dinoromance89
https://archiveofourown.org/works/52900363
Harrow the First, newly minted and poorly functional Lyctor, is stuck on the Mithraeum, burdened with a weapon too big to wield. Luckily, the Emperor has a helpful dead man in storage - the former best swordfighter of the Caribbean. Crossover with The Locked Tomb!

Name of the Play by house_afire
https://archiveofourown.org/works/53049448
Stede used to believe he would always be the supporting character in someone else's story. He knows all too well how Izzy feels right now.
It doesn't help.
(“You don’t understand,” he said helplessly, watching Izzy gather up the few belongings he had, gradually, been persuaded to leave in Stede’s cabin. “It’s just … it’s Ed.”) Stede leaves Izzy for Ed, so lovely and painful

Have a Happy New Year!

Another rec-cember post (playing catch-up after a busy week!) No particular theme this time.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Letters from the Northern Continent
https://archiveofourown.org/works/45841
It just figured that the first time Julian Bashir set foot on Cardassia after the war, it would be halfway around the world from Elim Garak. Bashir/Garak, post-canon Cardassia


Marvel Comics
What You Can’t Outrun by Ishamel
https://archiveofourown.org/works/4693841/chapters/10716566
Post-rescue from a cosmic horror Tommy discovers months of his life missing, the team reformed without him, and Billy more powerful than anyone had imagined. Not that any of that bothers him. He's fine.
David is glad the multiverse roadtrip from hell is over so he can get back to a relatively normal life and repair the mistakes he's made. The last thing he needs is to complicate his life further by getting involved in the strained relationship between Tommy and the rest of the team.
Tommy's not fine. David gets involved. The team helps and hurts in turn and the situation gets messier. David Alleyne/Tommy Shepherd (aka ThinkFast, which is an excellent ship name) post-Gillen’s Young Avengers

Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One (Two mutants walk into a coffeehouse…) by Eliyes
https://archiveofourown.org/works/981527
Jean-Paul discovers that Bobby used to date a painter, in a rather public manner. Jean-Paul Beaubier/Bobby Drake

Author rec for Peter Parker/Johnny Storm: Traincat
Some specific recs:
Keep the Fire Burning
https://archiveofourown.org/collections/spideytorch_faves/works/10090823
“He was so pleased when you swung to the rescue,” the Skull continued, and it wasn’t right, Johnny’s voice twisted to fit that ugly tone.
“That’s me, professional Torch wrangler,” Peter said. “I’ll always come if he needs me.”
“Oh, he’s aware. He’s so sickeningly besotted with you."
–
Following the events of Uncanny Avengers #20, Johnny and Peter go home.

Work Song
https://archiveofourown.org/works/7664530
Peter Parker has his company, more money than he knows what to do with, and the echoes of a ghost in his head. Johnny Storm's lost his family, his home, and is clinging to the remnants of his old life.
--
"I’m here with you. That’s not nothing, right?”
“No,” Peter agreed. It definitely felt like something, all the way up here with Johnny so close they were almost touching.
Peter looked at him, at the full lips set in a slight frown, the sharp curve of his jaw, the way his hair fell across his forehead. He fit all the dazzling lights around them, warm like sunshine even in the middle of the night.
“Beautiful,” Peter said before he could stop himself.


The Amazing Spider-Man (Webb movies)/Fantastic Four (2015)
The Boy From New York City by Traicat
https://archiveofourown.org/works/16768228/chapters/39344812
Central City, California is beautiful, but it’s not where Johnny wants to be – and he’s not who he wants to be, either. Inspired by the recent return of Spider-Man, Johnny convinces the newly minted Fantastic Four to return to the Baxter Building, the site of the incident that gave them their powers. But not everything is what it seems, and worse yet, Spider-Man wants nothing to do with the Human Torch.
In the wake of Gwen’s death, Peter has finally put the mask back on, but nothing’s the same as it once was, and the thrill has gone out of Spider-Man. The Fantastic Four’s arrival only makes everything worse. The Human Torch is good looking, he’ll give him that much, but Peter has no plans of making friends. A series of strange attacks and a fateful encounter on the docks may not leave him much choice. Traincat writing Peter/Johnny again, but the movie versions of the characters this time


Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Don’t look much like a lover (doesn’t mean I won’t try) by SummerFrost
https://archiveofourown.org/works/29704881/chapters/73049550
Buffy is ashamed of him, Spike knows. But when no one else is around, she touches him like she could love him.
(In which Spike makes a damn good cup of coffee, watches a sunrise or two, and plays confidant to a Slayer who thinks dying to save the world would've been easier than this.) Buffy/Spike, the S5 finale goes differently

sleight of hand & twist of fate by derekmaliknurse
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26151451
It's just Buffy's luck, really, that as soon as she reunites with Spike, they get thrown into a series of alternate universes with the Scoobies along for the ride. Buffy/Spike


Heated Rivalry
it’s hard but it’s harder to ignore by losernotfound
https://archiveofourown.org/works/76457246
“I think I saw your charger.”
David blinks as he turns back in his chair. “I’m sorry?”
aka the missing scene of David and Ilya while Shane and Yuna were talking outside.

nothing but some heartburn, baby by lotts
https://archiveofourown.org/works/75854706
Most people in Shane’s position would call a doctor after two positive tests, but Shane isn't most people, so instead of doing that, he takes 17 tests over the course of two days.
Final result: 16 positive, one negative. mpreg abortion!

Ain’t It Fun by salty_autistic_writer
https://archiveofourown.org/works/76288256
Scott Hunter kisses like a drowning man.
Ilya is delighted and also a little surprised. But mostly, he’s amused, because he would be lying if he said he never imagined doing this. Even though he’s old and bad at hockey, Scott Hunter is a hot man. That’s a fact.
~
Ilya and Scott have some fun. Later, Ilya thinks about the difference between having fun with Scott and having fun with Shane.

The theme for this rec-cember post is A Song of Ice and Fire (gen)

Maternal Instinct by orphan_account
https://archiveofourown.org/works/10509009
Rhaegar wins the Battle of the Trident, and Elia makes the best of a bad situation.
She never meant to love her stepson. Elia & Jon, over the years

We burned our tiny worlds and found the ocean by ohmygodwhy
https://archiveofourown.org/works/59822497
After fleeing the North with Theon and Asha, Jeyne finds herself at sea on a ship full of strangers. With the painful past behind her and an uncertain future ahead, she tries to find some semblance of peace on the long, stormy journey to Pyke. Jeyne Poole, finding herself after her escape

Carry Me Home by Alley_Skywalker
https://archiveofourown.org/works/31643750
Theon has been plotting and daydreaming about his escape from Winterfell and return home for nearly a year. But when he finally gets the perfect opportunity to make a run for it, a chance meeting in the wolfswood, and his developing affection for Robb, complicate matters and threaten to upend all his careful plans. Theon, pre-series

The Storms Are on the Ocean by shutterbird
https://archiveofourown.org/works/3850972
Renly and Stannis Baratheon as they unravel year by year.

alone we traveled on by judypoovey
https://archiveofourown.org/works/3153800/chapters/6844748
Sansa flees King's Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater with the help of Sandor Clegane, but when he's captured by gold cloaks, she's forced into the wilderness on her own, until she finds a familiar face in the wilds of the Riverlands. Sansa & Arya

Rivers and roads ‘til I reach you by dwellingondreams
https://archiveofourown.org/works/38008945
“Who’s that boy, then? He going to be a septa, too?”
“What boy-,” Tom turns round in the saddle, holding onto Jace, and sees a strange boy has is huddled alongside the cart, his eyes cast down.
He has a hand on the cart, as if he belongs with the group, which she realizes must have been his plan, to slip out with him. Dressed in filthy rags, the only thing of note about him is the stick at his hip. Renfry has seen him too, now, but he is waiting to hear what she says. This is ridiculous. She should tell them he is a little sneak and have him dragged out of line.
Instead Tom finds herself saying, “That is my serjeant’s child, Ser. I know he looks a mite unkempt, but he is always getting into trouble, at his age. Look at those fine clothes you’ve ruined, child! No wonder they think you a ragamuffin!”
The boy glances up warily at her; eyes pale and grey in his long, skinny face, and then back down again. Renfry’s stare is burning a hole in her skull, but when he snaps, “Look alive and walk behind your father, boy,” the boy comes around the cart and stands obediently behind his horse.
(In which Sansa and Arya escape King's Landing together, with the help of a septa) Outsider pov

Her Heart Beat Like a Wolf by Netgirl_y2k
https://archiveofourown.org/works/298439
There must always be a Stark in Winterfell, or: Sansa goes home.

Needlework by ser_mlady
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885567
Jaime begins giving Arya sword lessons at Winterfell, amused by the thought of how her father would react if he found out. But he ends up liking the girl, and what begins as a lark to pass the time soon becomes something else entirely. Jaime & Arya

A Kind of Family by NoOne0_o
https://archiveofourown.org/works/16608674
Cersei's plan to kill Robert fails, and Ned tells him about her affair with Jaime. Myrcella is forced to escape to Essos with Jaime and her brothers.
The resulting exile requires significant adjustment. Myrcella & Jaime & Tommen & Joffrey

Enter Heaven on Muddy Shoes by OnceVanzettiNotAnymore
https://archiveofourown.org/works/536154
The Titan's Daughter makes a stop in Maidenpool, and Brienne of Tarth finds the other Stark girl. Diverges from canon in ASOS, but has spoilers through ADWD. Brienne & Arya

The theme for this rec-cember post is Catelyn Tully Stark.

I’ve been reading a lot of ASOIAF fic recently, and I was trying to figure out how to organize some recs. Cat is one of my favorite characters, so I decided to rec some Catelyn-centric fics. Not all of them are from her POV, but in all of them she plays a major role and/or it explores some interesting aspect of her character/relationships/journey.

Pre-canon Canon Divergence
All our silence could not excuse by dwellingondreams
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24449383
“Who did you promise?” she asks him, tearful with alarm and terror.
He gives an odd sort of little half smile, then rasps, “Lyanna. I always kept my promises. She would have been so angry with me… otherwise. I had to help her. It was the only way.”
“What was the only way?” Catelyn feels cold sweat dripping down her back, feels slightly feverish herself. “What do you mean, Ned? Did Lyanna ask you to do something?”
“Keep him away… from Robert,” he whispers. “To protect him.”
(Mortally wounded during the Greyjoy Rebellion, a delirious Ned makes a deathbed confession to Catelyn, leaving her to pick up the pieces of both her life and Jon Snow's.)

the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire (series) by SomeEnchantedEve
https://archiveofourown.org/series/121638
After a failed Rebellion, Catelyn and Ned must try and build a family and life together in exile.

and love is not a victory march by SomeEnchantedEve
https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061444/chapters/2128121
After Brandon's death, Hoster Tully chooses to ally his house with the Targaryen cause rather than the rebels. Despite this, Catelyn and Ned find their paths crossing over battle lines.


Canon divergence where Jon is with Robb’s army:
Blood of My Blood by emmaliza
https://archiveofourown.org/works/12216336
“I wish I could believe this is all your fault. All some scheme,” she says. “But I don't.”
Catelyn and Jon (with background Jon/Robb) finding common ground and grieving their lost family

allies in a time of war by liesmyth
https://archiveofourown.org/works/886403/chapters/1708781
That one AU where Jon goes to war with Robb, and finds out he has more in common with Lady Catelyn than they both expected. Featuring brotherly bonding, Stark family moments, and characters not getting killed off.


Catelyn/Jaime:
We Stole Our New Lives Through Blood and Pain by vixleanord
https://archiveofourown.org/works/399800
His father gives Jaime a choice: pick a queen or one will be picked for him. Jaime says the first name which comes to mind, and, just like that, Catelyn Tully becomes his wife.

Family, Duty, Honor by angel_deux
https://archiveofourown.org/works/21111497/chapters/50235896
Jaime Lannister's betrothal to Lysa Tully ends, and so does Catelyn Tully's betrothal to Brandon Stark. Tywin Lannister still wants his alliance, so Jaime and Catelyn are married.
They're both relieved to find that they get along, and their marriage may in time be a successful one, as long as Jaime manages to keep the secret of his affair with his sister.

Round the Riverbend by emmaliza
https://archiveofourown.org/works/15326322
Jaime is lost on the way to his chambers in Riverrun, but finds his hostess offering to show him the way more interesting.


Other:
You’re my river running high by dwellingondreams
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17933501/chapters/42348116
Kermit Tully, known to all but his lord father as Ser Kit, sits besides his flushed, giddy sister, talking and laughing with the other lordlings around him. He sits straight and tall, and his coppery hair gleams in the torchlight. Eddara is struck by his high cheekbones and the smile on his face; he appears genuinely intrigued by everything said to him. More than anything, for an instant, she wants a boy like Kit Tully to look at her like that.
(Edda Stark meets Kit Tully at Harrenhal, and for an instant, life is like the sweet, sad songs her sister loves.) Rule 63 Ned/Cat

The She-Wolves of Highgarden by lareinenoire
https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097348
AU. The Tyrells succeed in stealing Sansa Stark from King's Landing. This is focused on Sansa, but her relationship with Catelyn (and both Catelyn and Sansa with Arya) gets some nice focus

Rec-cember post with the theme Time Travel

Dark Matter
turning toward it again and again by Damkianna
https://archiveofourown.org/works/12365499
Pairing: Six/Three
Six is sitting in the ship's mess when Three comes in. Except for the times he's in the hallway. Or he comes and finds Three; or Three goes and finds him.
Not that it matters, since he can't remember any of it anyway.
(AU: For ~reasons, Six is on the ship when the time loop happens, which means Three finally has the time he needs to figure something out.)
Outsider POV of the canonical time loop! Very fun


DCU
Strange Manor by pentapus
https://archiveofourown.org/works/13474308
Bruce let his eyes close to wallow for a moment in worry and fear for Jason. One second, two, three. He opened his eyes. Time to act.
Oh this is so achy, a Bruce from the past where Jason is still alive has a conversation with post-death-and-resurrection Jason.


Dumbing of Age
the bad guy dies at the end by Nonymous
https://archiveofourown.org/works/52952560/chapters/133951027
Pairing: Mike Warner/Dorothy Keener
Dorothy wakes up on the first day of college.
Again.
It is so hard to nail down Mike’s character, this fic delivers!


F1 RPF
multi- by bestliars
https://archiveofourown.org/works/43123359
Pairing: Sebastian Vettel/Sebastian Vettel/Sebastian Vettel/Charles Leclerc/Mark Webber (and various permutations)
It isn’t enough to be careful what you wish for — you have to look out for what other people are wishing too.
Very fun, love the differences between the Sebs from the different points in time. LOVE that the POV Seb thinks his other selfs are annoying

Bet you you’ll see stars by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/44740645/chapters/112567738
Pairing: Lewis/Seb
Lewis doesn't believe in time travel for a second.
Except, in 2022, after the race 1) Lewis finds Sebastian wandering aimlessly around between the abandoned garages wearing Red Bull fireproofs and the race suit tied around his waist, 2) he's soaked in champagne, and 3) Lewis knows exactly where Sebastian is celebrating his studious career coming to and end, because Lewis specifically left that place just now, to go back to his hotel and forget this entire year and Sebastian specifically.
Lewis’s thought process here just works for me–he is working so hard to convince himself that it’s casual, that the time travel works to protect it from being real, but meaningful feelings keep leaking through his defenses


Marvel (Comics - 616)
A Most Fortunate Geometry by nenena
https://archiveofourown.org/works/216927
Pairing: Jean-Paul Beaubier/Bobby Drake
Bobby, Sam, and JP are chosen to help the younger members of the X-Men on a dangerous rescue mission - which quickly goes awry once magic is involved and Bobby ends up having to confront what he regrets most about his past. Contains: Iceman/Northstar and one crossover scene with UXM #415.
SO fun. Good rescue mission plotline, interesting time travel, really comic book-y.


Our Flag Means Death
everybody’s got their limits (nobody’s found mine) by oopshidaisy
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42731238
Pairing: Ed/Izzy
After 153 days, killing Stede Bonnet had begun to lose its appeal.
(Or: Izzy gets stuck in a time loop.)
There’s something about Izzy stubbornly doing the same thing over and over and over before it occurs to him to try something different that is just so in-character to me
Edit 12/31/25: there is now a wonderful podfic of this fic by peasina!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/76737246

just when you think you’ve got a hold by givemebaretrees
https://archiveofourown.org/works/44481214/chapters/111881503
Pairing: Roach/Izzy
Roach relives the day of the fuckery and the duel over and over. He's convinced that everyone needs to live, only that doesn't seem to be quite enough--if only he can keep them out of danger long enough to prove it. What's it going to take to get them to the next day, and, more importantly, what price is Roach willing to pay for their future?
I like the playing around with time loops here, and the horror-comedy of all the various (temporary!) character deaths


A Song of Ice and Fire
out a flash madeof time by ohmygodwhy
https://archiveofourown.org/works/61660930
On the eve of his father's rebellion, Theon Greyjoy wakes from a terrible dream.
Really, really good outsider pov of a Theon who time traveled into his younger self

Second Verse series by Redrikki
https://archiveofourown.org/series/3515101
Theon Greyjoy leapt off the walls of Winterfell and ended up in his own past. Second verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and a little bit worse.
First fic is Theon’s POV, second is Asha’s. Some things go better and some things don’t.

Battle is the Great Redeemer by Lady_in_Red
https://archiveofourown.org/works/18924034/chapters/44926084
Pairing: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Jaime Lannister dies in a tunnel under the Red Keep, and wakes up days earlier at Winterfell. And then it happens again. And again. But he's not the first to live the same battle over and over again. Arya Stark, the slayer of the Night King, went through it first in the Battle of Winterfell.
Edge of Tomorrow AU

My first entry for rec-cember! This one is with the theme Setting-Change AUs

Our Flag Means Death
Black Dog Tattoos (series) by LayonneHands
https://archiveofourown.org/series/3709516
AU: Tattoo Shop; Pairing: various–Ed/Izzy, Ed/Stede, Izzy/Calico Jack, Gen
So many interesting dynamics in this one! Izzy’s growing, prickly friendship with the crew and the simultaneous disintegration of his relationship with Ed, and also Jack being so into Izzy and Izzy missing it because of his focus on Ed

Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor by prizewinningfruitcake
https://archiveofourown.org/works/45060973/chapters/113358955
AU: early 2000s setting; Pairing: Izzy/Lucius
Lucius works at a new bookstore, Izzy works at the porn shop that's been in the neighborhood for decades. They're instant enemies, but when they separately discover their bosses developing an anonymous email romance and are driven to meddle for completely different yet equally batshit reasons, they find they have more in common than they would have thought. Or at least, JefftheCPA and Gentleman59 do.
So wonderfully grounded in the time and place of the setting. I really like the sense we get of how tightly Izzy is holding on to something (both the store and his dynamic with Ed) that just isn’t what it was anymore. His snarky back-and-forth with Lucius is delightful


A Song of Ice and Fire
Lupercalia by emmaliza
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17780066
AU: Roman; Pairing: Sansa Stark/Daenerys Targaryan
They are Romans, they are all meant to be sons of the wolf. And yet, this Celtic slave has more wolf in her than any Roman she's ever met.
I really enjoyed the way the author translated the Targaryans to be Romans and Westeros to be Britain, and explored the very different experiences of Dany and Sansa’s childhoods. Dany in particular felt so recognizable to me–this is Dany when she’s still reliant on Viserys and her life is very constrained by her culture and family relations, but she still has a sense of injustice even if she can’t do much about it. (Note: dubcon inherent to the premise of the master/slave dynamic)


Formula 1 RPF
Weather or Not by bestliars
https://archiveofourown.org/works/41263230
AU: Regency-esque; Pairing: Mick Schumacher/Sebastian Vettel
Mick must be married by the fall, so Sebastian will suffer through the summer social season, playing chaperone as a favor, and then return to his research once the weather changes. At least that’s the plan.
I like the dynamic of a younger person who knows very well who and what he wants and an older person who wants them back but has to be convinced they’ll be good for the younger person. I also like Seb’s research into the changing climate, and how it goes into the difficulty of doing right. And I like that there were dragons for a long time, and now these characters are living in a world where the last dragon was slain in living memory, it makes for a cool setting.

Time to Kill by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/40699740/chapters/101979003
AU: Cold War Spies; Pairing: Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
1963: Secret agent Lewis Hamilton is sent behind the Iron Curtain to save the life of Sebastian Vettel, who has been smuggling information to the Allies from East Berlin for ten years. But the two of them soon find themselves on the wrong end of a conspiracy, and with no one else to trust, they go on the run together. Travelling across half of Europe and diving into the glittering underworld of Monaco, they try to find out who wants them dead and why.
Plot, action, FEELINGS! Just a fun, detailed AU.

warm blood by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/33758281/chapters/83912398
AU: Knights/Fantasy; Pairing: Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
Knight champion Sir Lewis is sent to aid Lord Vettel of a neighboring clan, in training their knights for the tournament. Lewis hates being a pawn in a political game, but Lord Vettel - Sebastian - is a former knight himself, and despite the fact that they fought on opposite sides of the war, Lewis and Sebastian find common ground in this. Lewis has had his heart broken by someone like Sebastian before, and he's determined not to let it happen again.
God, I love former enemies who must now work together! This fic does such a wonderful job of portraying the way they slowly get to know each other and fall for each other.

So, I won’t get Return of the Thief until this weekend (sadface) but at least that means I’ll be done with my reread by then! I’ve finished The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia and I’m part way through A Conspiracy of Kings.