Varied fic recs and The Good Place

READ

Many fanfics!

Dragon Age: iodhadh's So a Crow, an Enchanter, and a Ben-Hassrath Agent Walk into a Bar..., accurately tagged Zevran Arainai's Amazing Self-Preservation Instincts, is a bit of fun Zevran/Iron Bull following a foiled assassination attempt.

Yuri!!! on Ice: hood & glove by Fahye and featuring gorgeous illustrations by hawberries, is 12k of beautiful fairy tale romance between Otabek Altin and the shapeshifting fae Yuri. The balance it strikes between enchantment and irreverence is exquisite.

Fire Emblem Three Houses: Speak Your Secrets, Stay Your Tongue by stunt_muppet is for a fandom I know nothing about, but it's got a languid teasing female dom pegging her eager husband, which is really all I needed to know.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Overhaul by scaramouche is a rare thing in fandom: a fic in which one character (Tony) is hopelessly pining after another character (Steve) who is fully aware of the first character's attraction, but doesn't return it, until he does. I thought my love for mutual pining could not be eclipsed, but the premise of this fic thoroughly captured my interest!

Pride & Prejudice: Not Every Gentleman by hele, a novel length work starring Edward Bennet, has a tricky, delicate premise it takes many chapters to fully reveal. Its own author seems hesitant to recommend it, and I see why -- it's the sort of thing people are likely to have strong feelings about, and my own feelings vacillated as I read it. But ultimately, I have to appreciate the nuance of its ending, which rejects too-simple conclusions and offers the beginning of something precious and new.

( For anyone seeking spoilers... )

The Good Place: The Ethics of Narcissism in the Afterlife: A Case Study in Rortian Pragmatism by Mosca is by now jossed -- unsurprising in fanfic for a show so full of twists and turns! -- but still delightful. It's genuinely written as an academic study, complete with footnotes, while also containing excellent character voice and even a touch of smut. But also, it's made me really interested in the work of philosopher Richard Rorty! I feel like I have to find more about him now!

WATCHED

The Good Place 4x08, "The Funeral to End All Funerals". It's a little thing, but ( something I really appreciate about this show... )

Stumptown through episode 1x06, "Dex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll", though I haven't gotten to this week's episode yet. But I am enjoying this show so much! Won't you join me in enjoying this show?