weekly round-up 38

[aeroport_art]

Saw September Issue again. The design team had a little field trip to the theaters after work today <3 It's a really good film: funny, dishy, catty, and a little bit meaningful. Just how a documentary about fashion should be :)

On a fandom note, this Saturday's episode better bring it to the yard. I'm half convinced the writers of series one have been replaced by their pre-teen progeny by some disastrous act of Freaky Friday or whatever. I miss cohesive scripts. And more cattily, somebody needs to tell the full string orchestra to go away until the writing is good enough to float it. I don't think the show was going for the lulz with their soundtrack last episode, but that's what they got from me D:

Anyway, at least fangirls have their act together. Tons of links this week.

Trend of the week: MIXED MEDIA. Art, porn, AUs, crack. Hell, a particularly well-worded recap snuck its way in here o_O

Weekly Round-Up
Titles in bold are extra-recommended ♥

Merlin recs

Motivational (or Setting an Example) by bigmamag (PG-13, 1k)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, coda to 2x01. Merlin talks to Cedric before he leaves.
Notes: Nice cap to the season's first episode. Has a slashy take on Arthur's douchey behavior.

Just a Game by toestastegood (NC-17, 2k)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, spanking, established relationship. Merlin decides to follow orders for one afternoon.
Notes: The spanking kink doesn't push any of my buttons on its own, but the power-play and psychology here makes it pretty interesting (and THEN some).

Rules of Propriety by philote_auctor (PG, ~3k)
Summary: Arthur&Merlin. A young, visiting princess decides to stuff Arthur in ridiculous garb, and Merlin's forced into it as well. She's horrendous in other ways as well, and the boys teach her a lesson (in a nice way!).
Notes: Sweet and subtly slashy--like the show! Complete with hurt/comfort. This is a lovely little story--I really got into the plot. Feels a bit like an episode, albeit a fluffy one.

Laws of Attraction by christycorr (R, 24k)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, modern!AU, crack. The boys are divorce attorneys and in court, arch nemesis. They hate each other, until they accidentally wind up married to each other.
Notes: I was absolutely glued to this story and GIDDY over the insane crack and overall hilarity of the plot. The boys are adorably stupid and horny and angsty (my favorite blend of attributes) and it's absolutely adorable how much they hate/love each other. Only things to keep this from being bolded is how the characters were pretty OOC--totally forgivable on its own, as this is crack fiction and an AU--but more disappointingly, the ending was INCREDIBLY rushed. Still, it's a blast to read.

starts when you're around by staraflur (NC-17, 5k)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, modern!AU, dub-con. Arthur's a bored exec who, on a drunken whim, arranges to have himself kidnapped for kicks (a service that actually exists in real life o_o).
Notes: Original, but believable characterization. Arthur is appropriately disenchanted (until he meets Merlin, of course), and Merlin is amusingly in a shady line of business, but has that same heart of gold. But the real reason you won't wanna miss this is the drawn-out, scandalous porn. It's filthy hot, complete with handcuffs and against-the-door fucking. Yes, please.

A Color for Every Desire by phreakycat (NC-17, 4k)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, modern!AU. The boys work at a bar, where a trend of shag bands are making the rounds. Merlin comes to work wearing one...
Notes: Absolutely hot, and the author does an exceptional job of setting the mood. The bar and its inner workings (as Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, and Morgana all work there) is deftly described with confidence, lending the story a real tangibility that makes the Arthur/Merlin all the more believable.

Easy There by syllic (NC-17, 50k)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, modern!AU. Arthur is an Oxford Blue. Merlin is an Oxford cox. Lancelot is Merlin's romantic-dalliance-loving friend. Morgana is horribly clever; Gwen is cleverly waiting for Lancelot to grow up. Merlin and Arthur rub each other the wrong way, at first, but it soon becomes clear that Arthur is a university-class rower with a world-class heart (yes, I typed that). Clichés ensue.
Notes: Not an actual rec from me. I'm just linking it because it's fast becoming a fandom favorite and I don't want anyone to miss out on something they might particularly like, just because it didn't do anything for me.

Drawble dump by phoq (art)
Summary: Gwen, Merlin, Morgana, Uther, Mordred, etc. gen. Tons of doodles.
Notes: phoq is a seriously good artist. No slash to note--no Arthur, even--but still. Pretty pictures.

merlin is back \o/ by oteap (art)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, PG, fluff.
Notes: Any art by oteap is an insta-rec. She does some adorable-ass shit, this included <3

Merlin on Facebook by copycatgirl (art)
Summary: Arthur&Merlin, G, modern!AU, crack. Facebook manip.
Notes: Click it for the chuckles XD

recap: Merlin 2x01 by franticsga (recap)
Summary: Arthur/Merlin, PG, crack. A creatively interpreted recap of The Curse of Sigan.
Notes: HAHAHAHAHAHHA OH GOD. Long-winded, to be sure, but the sheer # of lulz was enough to keep me slogging through to the end. ADORABLE AND CRACKILICIOUS.

Finally, this is another NOT-REC. It's just a link to something I posted earlier this week.

artpost: choke. Not work-safe.

Looking for previous recs? Check the tag. For FAQ and list of all bolded titles, check the primer.

Comments

[bououou.livejournal.com]

You recced a recap!
This makes me happy! I'll go read it now!

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

hahaha i know, random right? it's so FUNNY though :D

[virginhuntress.livejournal.com]

As much as I really liked the stuff that you recced, I love Choke the most this week. Just wanted you to know.

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

if you're trying to butter me up for something, it's working *___* thank you hon. you're SUCH a sweetheart <3

[virginhuntress.livejournal.com]

OMG I'm not but now it's gonna look like I was when you see my next comment. LOL.

My life is so ridiculous.

(I still mean what I said. End of story.)

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

no prob, babe ;)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_pinkchocolate/]

Yay! I obsessively checking for look forward to your posts every week. Thanks!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_pinkchocolate/]

check* not checking

[evebolt.livejournal.com]

!! Thank you very much for including me in your round-up, I'm flattered. :D I have a drawing featuring Arthur under way, and I should really try to draw him more often... but this whole show is so full of greatness, I have a hard time drawing everything I want to.

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

i hope you don't think it was a critique about you not drawing arthur! draw what you want baby, it'll get devoured either way <3 it's just that i'm mainly here for the slash, so trust me--if i rec anything gen, it's because it's AWESOME. LIKE HOW YOUR DRAWINGS ARE AWESOME. btw have i friended you yet? no? *remedies*

[phreakycat.livejournal.com]

Wow, you recced my story! *iz ridiculously honored* I promised myself I wouldn't cry! *sniffle*

Thanks so much!

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

hahaha cutie, DON'T CRY! you can be here every week if you want. that bar!fic was lovely *__*

[phreakycat.livejournal.com]

XD

[epictimesthree.livejournal.com]

AH, you did the round-up even with all that RL bsns? You are crazy slash awesome.

Agree with you about the upcoming ep. I'm feeling equal parts dread and glee after the fuckery of ep 2 (yea, I said it). I would also like it if this next ep didn't spend most of its time in slow motion.

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

AH, you did the round-up even with all that RL bsns?
N'aww, you're sweet to think of my RL. *scuffs toe*

AREN'T WE GLAD THE EPISODE TURNED OUT SO WONDERFUL???

I would also like it if this next ep didn't spend most of its time in slow motion.
HAHAHAHA yes. Merlin and Morgana do not need cheap devices like slow motion, swelling orchestras, or cheesy backlit kisses to be COMPLETELY HOT AND EPIC.

[randomb33.livejournal.com]

...I feel so accomplished that I'd read all of these before the round-up. \o/

Also, Re: Facebook manip. OH GOD. You have seen Facebookelot (http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=11612&post=71998&uid=289941440787&post71998=#/group.php?gid=289941440787), right? It's a bit of a shameless plug, but it's pure CRACK and awesome.

[aeroport_art.livejournal.com]

Hahaha wow, that is a lot of fic read! But oh noooo if you read them all, I have failed DDD:

Hahaha Facebookelot is totally fun! I browsed through the boys' profiles. Very cute stuff XD