Remus/Sirius fic rec post

[nerakrose]

NOT AT THIS POINT COMPLETE. the reclist won't ever be complete, I suspect, but I'm not done going through my bookmarks and hunting down all the R/S fic I like...

Sorted alphabetically, first by individual authors, then by fests.




ANYWAY, ON TO THE FIC

As we race towards the sunset by inside_the_veil
Rating: blanket rating of R
Word Count: somewhere close to 60,000 in total
Summary: It's July 1980, the time of the First Wizarding War. A mission for the Order of the Phoenix sends Sirius and Remus to investigate a Ministry official whose loyalties are unclear. It's not like they didn't see the trap coming, but they are rather taken aback at where their mission suddenly takes them.
Why you want to read this: inside_the_veil promised me there'd be shagging in a cave in Siberia when she started writing this. Unfortunately that never happened, but this is still one of my all-time favourites because it's fantastic. All the masses of research that went into this is amazing, Remus and Sirius' relationship takes a real strain to it before it gets better and it's all very dramatic and awesome and did I mention it takes place in Siberia? The history she gave The Veil is brilliant too, and I can't help but think that this is as canon as it could get. It's certainly plausible.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

children who come from good homes by mywholecry
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: infidelity, unhealthy relationships, angst
Summary: The band's been around in one way or another since they were fourteen, and they met Remus, who could play the drums. James and Sirius were both taking guitar lessons because they never did anything apart, and Peter took up bass because it was what was left over. It's been the most constant thing in Sirius' life since he was a kid and still believed in his parents. OR the one where they're a modern day indie rock band in NYC. ♥
Why you want to read this: This is a beautiful, painful, sweet and real fic. The dynamics are fantastic and the clashes and fits are very real. I adored this and will reccommend it to anyone who's looking for not only band!fic but also real!fic, fic where the characters are really fleshed out with real emotions and real histories and real behaviours. Reading this felt like looking through a window, like intruding into someone else's life.
Why you don't want to read this:

Long Live Living (If Living Can Be This) by Excaliburned
Rating: PG
Summary: It's the final summer before university, and Sirius has a sneaking suspicion he's missing something. A summer of pillow-forts, drinking & numerous re-watches of Dirty Dancing ensues. Non-magical AU set in Warwick Castle.
Why you want to read this: this is a story of friendship. Utterly and completely heartfelt, warm, witty and lovely. It oozes friendship and touches the heartstrings in a way that mine haven't been touched in a long time - this fic took me right back to my own boarding school days and crazy summers. I've been there, I know what the boys are going through and it resonates within me. Even if you're not as sentimental and nostalgic as I am, you'll likely still love this just because it's a bit like a warm sweater of all the best R/S things out there.

No Expectations by bluepeony
Rating: R
Type: Multi-chaptered
Summary: AU. Remus Lupin is a little-known music journalist working on a little-known music magazine. Blue Stag are his next Big Project - well, his first anyway.
Why you want to read this: This is a lovely, lovely story that makes me squee and smile happily. The characterisations are perfect; it's all very spot on and a big bonus is how everything is set in the 80s (and so far I haven't discovered any anachronisms, though I don't pronounce myself an expert on the area) with phones with curly chords and vinyl records and and and :D Everything is paced so well, too, and you feel like you're floating along. The writing style is beautiful too; there's something homely about it and slightly quirky that makes it its own.
Why you don't want to read this: It's an ongoing WIP. I usually never read WIPs but I couldn't resist this one. complete!

So You Want To Transfigure Yourself A Rockband by mousapelli
Rating/Warnings: NC-17 for rampant glittersex.
Summary: Glam, glitter, guitars, and groping.
Why you want to read this: This was adorable and sweet and absolutely hilarious. The Marauders as a glam rock band? Genious. Lewd songs, emotional drama, tight jeans and eyeliner all in one, what more could you possibly want? It's lovely and it makes me smile and want to squish everyone and especially Remus. A million bonus points for not ending this in the regular happily ever after; there's a hint of future hurdles to overcome.
Why you don't want to read this: it's got your common fare of 'gtfo i'm just another of your conquests'!drama

The Fall of the House of Black by inside_the_veil
Rating: R (please read the warnings)
Word Count: 50,000+ (for something supposed to be ~30 pages, it turned out long)
Summary: AU – Voldemort won the war in 1960, driving Albus Dumbledore into exile and proclaiming himself dictator for the following five years. In an inhibited and bigoted pure-blood society anyone opposing the Dark Lord lost their status of legal subject and was sold off as property. Twenty years later, in early 1980, an amnesty returns freedom to those enslaved after the war. A faint scent of revolution is in the air and Sirius, newly ascended Head of the Noble House of Black, finds he must make decisions.
Warnings: This is NOT fluffy stuff. It's angsty and the society in this is nothing short of fucked-up. Touchy issues include slavery, bigotry, violence and torture and bastard!James. (Not saying it's horror and terror all the way through, but be warned anyway.)
Why you want to read this: It's dark, it's angsty, it's brilliant and it has a touching ending. This AU intrigued me from the moment she mentioned it to me and I was excitedly waiting for it to get written. When it finally was, I wasn't disappointed. The characterisations here are great - Sirius in particular I want to both slap and huggle and yell at. There's action, UST, confused feelings, drama, intrigue, everything.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Things James Potter Didn't Need To See by templeg
Rating: M
Word count: ~1500
Summary: James returns to the dormitory from Quidditch early.
Why you want to read this: It's a short, fluffy and humorous piece of Being Found Out. It touched all the right funny!places but also made my heart melt a little bit, because yes.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

rsbigbang 2011:

Tea and Oranges by jellllyfish
Artists: epithalamium and nerak_rose
Genre: Non-magic AU, friendship, romance, hurt/comfort
Rating: NC-17
Summary: A love triangle inspired by Leonard Cohen's song "Famous Blue Raincoat": "And what can I tell you my brother, my killer/What can I possibly say?/I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you/I'm glad you stood in my way." Sirius has recently moved to New York City and leads a reckless life laced with alcohol and drugs. His best friends, James and Remus, have been dating for two years, but something changes when Remus travels to the US to visit Sirius. Both men are trying to overcome serious losses and they end up finding comfort in one another. Feelings of guilt and relief arise. The story deals with many heavy themes, but within the melancholy, there is a lot of love and hope to be found.
Warnings: sexual content, language, alcohol/drug use (and abuse), hints of an eating disorder, homophobia
Word Count: 25,100
Why you want to read this: This is utterly, utterly beautiful. I chose this fic for illustrating because of the premise; I'm very fond of AU fics and I really liked the song it was inspired by. As the summary says, it's melancholic, but there's hope and there's love, it's AU but the characters feel very, very canon in their way of being. I cannot repeat too many times how beautiful this is. epithalamium's art style seem to be made for this fic and this fic alone; her art compliments it beautifully. (And to be honest, I think mine does too.) It's a lovely read, slowly paced, full of emotion and I love it to the end of the world and back.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

The Old Lie by escribo
Artists: tortugax and chou_rei
Genre: action/adventure, romance
Rating: NC-17
Summary Magical AU. Seven years after the end of the war, Harry's new tutor turns out to have a secret and a crush on Sirius Black. When the past catches up to him, will it destroy the family he's finally found?
Warnings: Violence, language, sex
Word Count: 27,500
Why you want to read this: I really enjoyed this fic. It was brilliantly plotted out and the start of it read like a mystery novel. It was sweet too, Sirius crushing on Remus and them being giddy - it was adorable. I love an AU where Lily and James live and there is a happily ever after for everyone, and this didn't disappoint. <3 it's a lovely read.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Twenty-Six Times Brighter Than the Sun by rabidninetails
Artists: dustmouth and chou_rei
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG
Summary: An examination of Remus and Sirius’ relationship through the years through multiple flashbacks ranging from ‘the prank’ to Lily and James’ wedding to Harry’s birth. The flashbacks begin on the night of Voldemort’s defeat and switch perspectives between Remus and Sirius.
Warnings: Very mild swearing
Word Count: 24,381
Why you want to read this: This was lovely and not at all as angsty as one would expect, given the summary. It was a touching fic, with every flashback the pain intensified, in a way, and added to the overall half-melancholic half-matter-of-fact atmosphere of this. There were bits that made me laugh too and James was such a wonderful vibrant character. Sirius and Remus were fantastic, they had that streak of mischieveousness still, even after all that happened. It's a wonderful read and I think dustmouth's art is fantastic with it, it really connects with the melancholic side of the story, and it's beautiful to look at. Her art reminds me a bit of storybook illustrations. <3 Especially the last one is amazing.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A


rs_games 2011 (note, I haven't yet read all of the rs_games fics):

500 Miles (I'm Coming Home to You) by museme87
Summary: When Sirius Black left Manchester six years ago for a record deal, he also left behind Remus, his longtime boyfriend. Now they have a chance to be reunited, but Remus isn't sure he's willing to make amends with the man who sold their love for stardom.
Why you want to read this: Beautiful story. The pain was tangible, but so was the hope and the love. Also, I am biased towards anything that has music in it, or the pups in musical professions. ;D

A Kneeling Lover by deathjunke
Summary: Enter Sirius Black: the most well known Dom in a ten-mile radius who just can't for the life of him hold down a serious relationship. So he continues to have his random little flings until he meets the man of his horrifyingly vanilla dreams, Remus.
Why you want to read this: The premise is awesome. It was a pretty heart-touching and real journey (lol, I know) of Sirius finally discovering who he really is and what he needs and finding that it is not at all what he expected. Sirius and Remus + the rest of the cast were well characterised as well.
Why you don't want to read this: Ron/Snape. In serious need of beta. Tenses and punctuations are way off and there are misspellings galore. I almost backbuttoned out, only the promise of an R/S!D/s fic kept me reading.

All The Way Home by epithalamium
Summary: Sirius gets a phone call in the middle of the night.
Why you want to read this: This is a beautiful comic. Remus is a punk (with a collar! and undercut!), which is, well come on, who doesn't like punk!Remus? Beautifully executed, artistically and verbally. It tells a lovely story of budding friendship, if not love, society and confrontations. It's not very long, but it doesn't feel like it.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Ernie Ecklestein and the Completely Useless Trip by mindabbles
Summary: Sirius and Remus are sent on a trip for the order to Ecclefechan, to look for a man that doesn't seem to be there at all.
Why you want to read this: It's a sweet and funny story that I enjoyed a lot. The pacing is marvellous, it's as if time slows down somewhat, which fits the mood very well. Sirius' observations are great and Remus' quiet amusement is fantastic. Warmly recommended.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Golden Hours, Slipping By by grandilloquism
Summary: An AU in which Voldemort never rose to power, the Lupins moved to France after Remus was bitten, and Sirius restores magical artifacts for a living, when he's not being pestered by his family.
Why you want to read this: The world-building and level of detail in this is astounding, but what I loved the most were the descriptions and language. Everything is very strong and vivid and real. Regulus' and Sirius' relationship is brilliant, too, and the way Sirius and Remus interact and complement each other is fantastic.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Mending Bridges by xkeijukainenx
Summary: The story of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin started with a fight - and kept on going. It is mostly the story of two tempers colliding, but there is love to be found even amongst the most broken of bridges.
Why you want to read this: A sweet fic of fear, stubbornness and misunderstanding, sprinkled with humour and brilliant story-telling and, of course, a happy end.
Why you don't want to read this:

Monsters in the Box by heartofspells
Summary: Sirius has never settled, and has never had any desire to do so. Travelling around the world, he’s always been relatively happy. When he returns home after a long absence, however, Sirius if forced to reconsider his choices and to choose which is more important to him: love or family?
Why you want to read this: A lovely and sweet fic, albeit it has darker themes also. The infidelity was dealt with in a beautiful way, I thought, incorporating everything from guilt to love to obsession to utter and complete mess. There's a mystery to it too, which unfolds as events do, with almost poetic flashbacks and and action to carry it forwards.
Why you don't want to read this:

Of Dragons, Love and Compromises by dogsunderfoot
Summary: Sirius Black is a dragon slayer on a mission. Remus Lupin is a man on a conservationist crusade to save dragons. It's a relationship doomed to fail before it even begins. Can a compromise be found?
Why you want to read this: This fic is sheer brilliance and awesomeness. Who doesn't want a dragon slayer!Sirius in a world full of anachronisms and a witty narrator? The best humour fic I've come across in fandom for a long time.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Riding the Rails by thesiriusmoon
Summary: During the Great Depression, more than a quarter of a million teenagers left their homes and hopped freight trains looking for work or adventure…
Why you want to read this: This is a heartwarming and nostalgic story with tonnes of research to carry it. The characterisation is wonderful. This is an AU with a very heavy canon feel to it, like I said elsewhere: the canon details aren't just canon details in a different dress, but also a different person in that different dress (and yet recognisable). It made me laugh and smile and awww simultaneously and is definitely one of my favourite stories in this fandom. The US during the Great Depression (and anything prior to that, really) is something I really love, and this feels very genuine and authentic.
Why you don't want to read this: To tell the truth I was slightly ticked by the parallells Sirius and Remus drew between each other to their father and brother, respectively. I was sort of thinking that there were grounds for some serious mental shit going on, a topic that was never touched and which perhaps the author wasn't even aware of. Maybe it's just me, but I find it disturbing that Sirius basically falls in love with Remus because he reminds him of his dead brother. /spoiler

Tabula Rasa by mrs_jack_turner
Summary: Sirius gets stuck on a planet.
Why you want to read this: It's PUPPIES IN SPACE. what more can one ask for? :D I am ridiculously excited about this fic, I'll readily admit that. It's a nice, angst-free (!) and witty read taking place IN SPACE. Well structured and balanced, it gives you glimpses of Sirius' life and his evolving relationship with Remus as well as the situation on the planet he's stuck on. Bonus points for sci-fi geekery. :D
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

The Northern Line by ceredwensirius
Summary: Every morning before work, Sirius dodges his mother's barbs, runs the family business, sorts his brother's blunders, and trades insults with his best friend. He also falls in love.
Why you want to read this: Charming and witty story of love, family and wookie dogs. Sirius is precious in the way he sort of fumbles through life once he loses his anchoring. The dynamics in this fic were great and the characters extremely well fleshed out - even the ones that only showed up briefly.
Why you don't want to read this:

When You Wake Up You Will Find Me by on_wax
Summary: Why are some moments in life never recorded? The moments where we sit and think and speak very little with those around us; those are not the moments we would have written down, yet they are perhaps the most telling. Three days in a year; two memories from the past; two moments in a future. These things tell us a little about Sirius Black.
Why you want to read this: This is a beautiful story, both simple and complex and Sirius is characterised amazingly well here. It's not angst, per se, but it's got a melancholia and a slight fear hanging in the air that makes your heart hurt a little bit. Remus' and Sirius' relationship is wonderful in both its simplicity and complexity, with an underlying need that makes it the more tangible. Warmly recommended.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

Written in the Stars by cherie_morte
Summary: Non-Magic Space AU: By escaping from the prison planet Azkaban, Sirius Black has just become the most feared man in the known universe. Remus remembers another Sirius—a man he fell in love with. Twelve years later, he still can't shake the belief that someone somewhere made a mistake, and Sirius Black never should have gone to Azkaban to begin with.
Why you want to read this: This is a lovely fic, describing Remus' emotions and thoughts about Sirius in a very poignant way. Setting it all in space is brilliant and I loved all the twists on canon - casting Remus as a half alien, a Lycan, was particularly clever. The AU is very convincing, too. I believe the analogy I used was the canon details aren't just canon details in a different dress, but also a different person in that different dress (and yet recognisable).
Why you don't want to read this: I was a bit bothered by how there was given no explanation for the Death Eaters' interest in Harry or what being a secret keeper entails (since it's non-magical, how did this work?). I think the issue is that despite the AU setting, the canon storyline was kept, but not everything was completely accounted for.

rs_small_gifts (2011):

This is not a love song by epithalamium
Why you want to read this: because it's fantastic. :D IT'S PUNK!REMUS! That is really all the incentive you need. :P Thank you soooo much to epithalamium for creating this awesomeness for me <3 I love it so much, so much in fact that my first comment was really just massive amounts of flail and nothing else. The art is beautiful and I love that little glimpse into their lives, particularly because it seems to be such a turning point in their relationship. The whole music thing just adds ounces of cool, really. Did I mention punk!remus? Yeah, because YES.
Why you don't want to read this: N/A

rs_games (2012):

The Real War Will Never Get in the Books by anon
Summary: To summarize your life isn't easy, but sometimes the hardest part is to figure out how to start. When Remus, in an attempt to make Sirius think back and find something to hold on to for the sake of his own sanity, Sirius at first thinks it's a joke. When he realises that this isn't the case, however, he thinks back. And the first thing that strikes him is that he's got no idea how to begin.
Why you want to read this: I only just finished reading this and my emotions are all over the place and I don't know words today so bear with me. It's a comic, black/white, of EPIC PROPORTIONS, seriously, click 'next page' and it just GOES ON. It's a beautiful never-ending, circle-like telling and re-telling of Sirius' life, his hopes and fears and loves and losses and it's so beautiful it made me cry. I'm having ice cream in a bit. I need it. This is just, if there's one thing, only ONE thing, you want to read from the rs_games this year, let this be it.

The Ocean's Lament by anon
Summary: The boy finds him on the shore (after the storm).
Why you want to read this: This is BEAUTIFUL. I don't even, Team Sirius really has something going on this year with epic comics of sadness and hope and emotions and beauty and it's not making me very coherent. I absolutely adore this art style - this particular artists' style lends itself to both comedy and angst, and here? YOU GET BOTH. OMG. JAMES. *pets james* But oh, the rest of it - the best representation of the prompt I've seen in this fest yet. It's got all the angst that comes with the legend, but instead of Remus vanishing forever, he came back and I just afhdskkjdf tears.
This is now on the list of TWO THINGS TO READ FROM THIS YEAR'S RS_GAMES.