Recs (TW, Sisters & Brothers, Being Human)

Since I'm up reading and not writing, I thought I'd rec what I've enjoyed this week.

Moving In by ukcalico: Torchwood, Jack/Ianto, spoilers for Fragments and Cyberwoman, set pre-S1 (or should I say post-flashback?), NC-17, HOT.

*flails*

This is insanely hot and oh-so-good. I'm utterly in awe that Jack's POV is completely believable -- fascinating and vivid and immediate -- while the readers still know what Ianto must be going through. It hits a whole range of buttons for me, especially this odd kink I have for dubious consent... no, that's not the word for it. It's not dubious because Ianto clearly consents, clearly gives the vibes of wanting Jack, but we know he's doing it as a distraction tactic. So it's... ulterior-motive consent, I guess, but it works for me.

Oh, how it works for me.

Oh, and for slashybits, because I mentioned this story over ice-cream weeks ago and couldn't fully do it justice: The Rules Of Torchwood Three: Nicholas Redux by . It's Torchwood S2 from the perspective an OMC who's joined the team in Jack's absence. Despite that lousy summary, everyone should read this as soon as they've watched all of S2. It's delightful, it's sweet, it's touching and angry and painful at times, but it's wonderful. The characterisation is a thing of joy and wonder, and it'll make you fall in love with everyone (Tosh, Owen, Gwen, Ianto, Jack, John and especially Nicholas, the OMC; it even has mentions of Rhys, Andy and the Doctor). It's all... bits and pieces of team interaction, observations of the team when they're not running about shooting aliens; it's the mop up afterwards, the overheard conversations, the little moments of getting on with your co-workers that make a job bearable every day. It also has my favourite post-Adrift Ianto/Jack confrontation scene ever. Comes in four parts, so allow time to read.

Also, while I think of it, Captain's Blog: Ianto posted by becky_da_wolf. Not technically a story, but a compilation of comments Jack makes about Ianto from the Captain's Blog on the AmericaBBC site. Worth a read and should cause a quick smile, if nothing else.

Bright As The Rain In The Palm Of Your Hand by inlovewithnight: Brothers & Sisters, Kevin/OMC, no spoilers but set vaguely after Kitty and Robert are together, R.

I don't often read stuff for Brothers & Sisters because it's one of my guilty indulge shows: I love watching it (I watch it with GLEE and LOVE, people) but it doesn't spark my writer/reader/fannish imagination at all. I'm also wary of original characters, however this fic makes the original character interesting and believable, and even better, NAILS THE WALKER FAMILY.

It has those endlessly gossipy phone calls, the over-active sibling interest and boredom with each others' social lives and -- as all Walker romances must have -- explosions over family dinners. Seriously, the characterisation in this is pitch-perfect and a joy to read. And Kevin remains the most neurotic, adorable, amusing and relationship-challenged character I've ever fallen for.

Since I'm posting for one rare fandom, I might as well mention another, Being Human. So far, I've stumbled across two fics that I rather liked: Many (Many, Many) Happy Returns by strangeumbrella and you can't ride the concept of the horse by hackthis. The first is a sweet George/Mitchell fic where they go out to dinner to celebrate Mitchell's birthday and later bicker over whether it counts as a date or not. It's subtle and funny, with a lovely light touch. The second is more about Mitchell's history as a vampire (Mitchell/Herrick, pre-slash Mitchell/George) but it has that slightly distanced, mocking, self-aware (and smug) air that feels like Mitchell to me. Both are shortish, but enjoyable.