In which I give the old reach around

[kylezy]

I've been wanting to discuss this for ages and now - with the recent influx of Merlin fans on my flist - seems like as good a time as any. So, what are your all time favourite Merlin-related fics? Maybe they're fandom classics, maybe they're not, but you've read them over and over and they're the first thing you rec because you want people to love them as much as you do.

I unashamedly fangirl:

At Our Best When It's From the Hips by derryere (M/A, NC-17, ~13k)

Your Movements Are Irregular (But My Gravity Is Constant) by lemniciate (B/C, PG-13, ~30k)

Bradley James' Guide to Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse: The Mall Edition by giselleslash (B/C, R, ~3300)

Communications In Binary by justthismorning (M/A, PG, ~37k)

Soundtrack to the Apocalypse by phantomjam (M/A, NC-17, ~7700)

The Rise and Fall of the Broman Empire by rayslady (PG-13, Gwaine, background M/A and Gwen/Lancelot)

Fools Of Us All by adelagia (M/A, NC-17, ~11k)

Penance by wholly_crepe (B/C, NC-17, ~6000)

Comments

[fuzzytomato02.livejournal.com]

sarcasticchick's Mirrored Glass (http://sarcasticbabble.livejournal.com/29300.html)
This fic makes me so teary and happy at the same time. :D I have more, but I have to think on them. This one though is always my first to rec.

[lemniciate.livejournal.com]

Urgh, I will never stop recommending everything lastling writes. Never ever ever. Particularly Us Two Little Gods (http://lastling.livejournal.com/87051.html). It's not for everyone because of the warnings, but still. My favourite fic in this fandom.

curvasud's Frequently Asked Questions (http://curvasud.livejournal.com/18358.html)! and ifyouweremine's Fuck Truck Episode 32: Merlin (http://ifyouweremine.livejournal.com/140648.html) for filthy hot porn. zarah's Where the Pavement Ends (http://zarah5.livejournal.com/52153.html) and waldorph's The Weight of Words (http://waldorph.livejournal.com/56480.html) (THE Arthur fic for me). oh and and From Russia With Love (http://community.livejournal.com/kinkme_merlin/2936.html?thread=861560#t861560) is probably my favourite derryere fic.

Communications In Binary is a favourite too!

[gfeather.livejournal.com]

I've read Gramarye (http://archiveofourown.org/works/125149?view_adult=true) by Lisztful several times in the few short months I've been addicted to this fandom. I think it builds their relationship so beautifully and highlights all the things that make me love the boys.

[charakitai.livejournal.com]

Um, hi!

Wake up new (http://ficbyzee.livejournal.com/332693.html#cutid1) M/A NC-17. 22,083 words. Is this a fandom classic? It might be, I'm bad at knowing things like that... It was however probably the first, at least the first long fic, I read in this fandom, it has stayed in my memory and I still love it. (Man, it's two years ago! o_O)

And you know, Astolat, of course. It's rather superfluous to rec her I suppose, but anyway. This is my fav: The Crown of the Summer Court (http://www.intimations.org/fanfic/merlin/The%20Crown%20of%20the%20Summer%20Court.html) M/A NC-17 24,773 words.

(I have a BIG thing for Arthur being submissive/bottoming, (but still being Arthur) which both Woke up new contains, and most of Astolat's stuff. I think it makes perfect sense... And there really are too little of it. There, now I got that off my chest as well, hrrm...)

Thanks for your recs, that post-apocalyptic fic sounds really interesting!

[undrsomestairs.livejournal.com]

The Good Times are Killing Me (http://minor-hue.livejournal.com/2007.html) by minor_hue, Merlin/Arthur, NC-17, ~15.3K

Wherein Colin is Bradley's Baby-Momma (http://ifyouweremine.livejournal.com/139767.html) by ifyouweremine, Bradley/Colin, R, ~3K

Be What You Feel (http://matchsticks-p.livejournal.com/63824.html#cutid1) by matchsticks_p, Merlin/Arthur, NC-17, ~17.3K

Arcane Asylum (http://new-kate.livejournal.com/56428.html) by new_kate, Merlin/Arthur, NC-17, ~125K

There Was A Plan. Really. (http://giselleslash.livejournal.com/300234.html) by giselleslash, Bradley/Colin, R, ~22K

Leashed (http://riventhorn.livejournal.com/15629.html) by riventhorn, Merlin/Arthur, NC-17, ~13K

Natural Selection (http://minor-hue.livejournal.com/2503.html) by minor_hue, Merlin/Arthur, NC-17, ~11.3K

The Wrong Trouser-Leg of Time (http://community.livejournal.com/merlinfic/714179.html) by kathkin, Merlin/Arthur, NC-17, ~12K (and sequel, A Tale of Two Arthurs (http://community.livejournal.com/merlinfic/735583.html), NC-17, ~13K)

Smitten (http://community.livejournal.com/cloudied/3655.html#cutid1) by chicaintcheap, Merlin/Arthur, R, ~9K


Oh god, I could keep going. This fandom. <333

[carnivors.livejournal.com]

i haven't read anything in this fandom for a long time, but this one will always always stick with me:

In Your Fire, And In Your Flood (http://offthebalcony.livejournal.com/93254.html) by offthebalcony, Arthur/Merlin. PG-13. ~3,500 words.

[amazonbard88.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh you realise what an epic task it is to go back through all my favourited fics and find a couple that I like the most? TOO HARD BASKET! I really need to better organise my saved fics :s

However I have to agree with The Rise and Fall of the Broman Empire, I identified so hard with Gwaine!

[sheswatching.livejournal.com]

um basically anything skellerbvvt touches. NOT ASHAMED.

[ninja-orange.livejournal.com]

At Our Best When It's From the Hips is one of those fics that I absolutely LOVE but read when I was first starting in fandom and reading ALL THE FIC so never remember to re-read it. I think that's the one problem with such a delightfully prolific flist, I never have a lull when I can go back and re-read old favorites for a while. Also, still haven't read this year's big bangs or merlin_muses fic. I AM BEHIND D:

anway the one merlin_muses fic I did read became an insta-classic for me. I've read it 3 or 4 times already

The Apprentice's Tale (http://community.livejournal.com/merlin_muses/7943.html) by treacle_tartlet

There's a couple other AUs I go back to as well. Can't think of all of them off the top of my head but I love

Easy There (http://syllic.livejournal.com/23543.html) by syllic

[imyourheroine.livejournal.com]

FIC RECS!!! YAAAAAAY! *bookmarks like a boss*

Erm, mine are:
Fratboy!AU (http://moonythestrals.livejournal.com/59414.html) by moonythestrals
Natural Selection (http://minor-hue.livejournal.com/2503.html) by minor_hue
Weight of Words (http://waldorph.livejournal.com/56480.html) by waldorph
Easy There (http://syllic.livejournal.com/tag/easy%20there) by syllic
Love, Toast, and Post-It Notes (http://community.livejournal.com/camelotsolstice/21049.html) by themadlurker
Keep Calm and Carry On (http://community.livejournal.com/tongueincheeky/6104.html) by chibirhm
Drastically Redefining Protocol (http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189?view_adult=true) by rageprufrock
Coffeeshop Muffins (http://skellerbvvt.livejournal.com/57045.html) by skellerbvvt
The Student Prince (http://archiveofourown.org/works/91885/chapters/125138?view_adult=true) by fayjay on AO3
Laws of Attraction/a> by christycorr
The Good Times are Killing Me (http://minor-hue.livejournal.com/2007.html) by minor_hue

Oh God, there are a lot more! D: This fandom is just brimming with E P I C fics <3 (http://christycorr.livejournal.com/tag/fic:%20laws%20of%20attraction)

[mintsincl.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing about Merlin fic is that there's just something so gorgeous about the way canon fic are written. Just reading about things like castles, magic, knights, destinies.. ngh it's amazing ♥

Peach, Plum, Pear (http://sweetestdrain.livejournal.com/221175.html) by sweetestdrain
The Tale of the Sea Serpent (http://seperis.livejournal.com/703417.html) by seperis (and everything else she writes)
Obeisance (http://community.livejournal.com/merlin_flashfic/22927.html) by casspeach
the problem we all live with (http://green-postit.livejournal.com/53705.html) by green_postit
A Year and a Day (http://linaerys.livejournal.com/644334.html) by linaerys
In Want of a Wife (http://syllic.livejournal.com/18995.html) by syllic
Sick Leave (http://waldorph.livejournal.com/55100.html) by waldorph
Freedom Hangs Like Heaven (http://derryere.livejournal.com/113350.html) by derryere

[vinca15.livejournal.com]

every time giselleslash updates my heart skips a beat. #GIGI4LYFE
I think I said that this Patrick Wolf (http://community.livejournal.com/merlinxarthur/421343.html) one was my fav, yuh? LMFAO @ that business.
um. I don't remember other things...I always do like, fic binges and read 20+ fics in less than twelve hours..then I go to sleep, have a weird dream (not a xxx dream, I wish, it's weird angsty narration or something, no visuals ;_;), and I've forgotten what I've read by the next day. :s when someone names a fic after a song I like I'm all:

tho. LIKE ^^^ PEACH PLUM PEAR. HAVE YOU LISTENED TO IT? YOU SHOULD OMG YOU SHOULD. HERE IS A LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txou6ctnYBs ALSO: YOUR GRRRLS ONES. like..they make my heart feel rainbow colored..and then purple and bruised because they're sad. ;;______;;

[peachchild336.livejournal.com]

This is my favorite story in the fandom still: Prove All My Hypotheses. (http://minor-hue.livejournal.com/971.html) It was one of the first I'd ever read, and I feel like I may have read it before I even started watching the show, thanks to my friend who's really into it. Haha.
By the same author: The Good Times Are Killing Me. (http://minor-hue.livejournal.com/2007.html#cutid1) I feel like most people have read these stories though because they're just fantastic.
My Life is An American Sitcom (http://ayane-tsurugi.livejournal.com/65454.html) is one I have bookmarked and read over and over because it's so simple and sweet but perfectly executed as well.