Masha's Roulette #11: These are a few of my favorite things
Welcome to the eleventh issue of my weekly random grab-bag of recommendations newsletter, where I will show you some things to read and some things to listen to, and my solemn promise that at least one item in here will be new and interesting to you.
It's my birthday! Well, it is my birthday now when I am writing this. I am sending this email out the next day, when it will no longer be my birthday. But since I am writing it on my birthday I've decided to push my original theme idea off to next week and instead do a week of recommending my favorite things I have not recommended yet.
First, Some Favorite Things to Listen To
Lagtrain by inabakumori is amazing, and this meme edit is pretty funny. This is still my favorite Pinocchio-P song, and this is my favorite Kino song. This is my favorite Eve song and also the song I said when asked what my favorite song was in a class two years ago.
Now, Some Of My Favorite Things to Read
Corresponding, Complementary, and Other Terms That Are Better Applied to People Than Math Problems by Dragonomatopoeia
Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Pairing: Caspar/Linhardt, Rating: T, 21K
Summary: It's hard enough to grow up surrounded by political drama when all you really want to do is climb trees and take naps with your best friend. It's even harder when your best friend spends every summer in the next county over, and there's an entire sea between the two of you. Harder still when wartime falls upon everyone's shoulders, and words become a precious commodity.
At least there will always be letters to help bridge the gap.
[Excerpts from the long, long history of correspondence of one Caspar von Bergliez and Linhardt von Hevring, with the occasional letter from friends and family]
Incredibly romantic, strong voices for Linhardt and Caspar, best epistolary fic I've ever read for sure.
declaration of independence byinverse
Fandom: Haikyuu!!, Gen, Rating: G word count: 300
Summary: every setter's worst nightmare.
Just read it, it's 300 words and feels like stepping on a rake.
Will Wonders Never Cease by PorcupineGirl
Fandom: Check Please!, Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Rating: T, 57K
Summary: Eric has landed his dream job: social media manager for the Providence Falconers! Not only does he get paid to tweet, for an NHL team at that, but it’s a job where he’ll be able to make good use of his magic - when nobody’s looking, of course. Everyone on the Falconers is a joy to work with… with the notable exception of Jack Zimmermann. Eric understands that Jack doesn’t like social media, but he could certainly be a little more polite about it.
Luckily, Eric has support from his Samwell buddies, as well as his best friend - a man whose face he’s never seen, and whose name he doesn’t know. They met on an online forum where witches can gather anonymously, since it isn’t safe for them to advertise their existence in a world where magic isn’t trusted. They’ve been friends for years now, but Eric is only just starting to realize that he might have deeper feelings for someone he can never meet face-to-face.
Social media, magic, 2-person love triangle, exactly my jam.
Half a Chance by ratherunnecessary
Fandom: Yuri!!! On Ice, Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky, Rating: M, 56K
Summary: Yuri has never cared about anything as much as he cares about skating. Until, one day, that changes.
Or, Viktor falls in love with Yuuri, Yuuri falls in love with Viktor, Yuri falls in love Yuuri, Otabek falls in love with Yuri, and somehow everything turns out okay.
I stayed up until 3 am one night in undergrad reading this in one sitting. A rare YOI fic set mostly in Russia and Kazakhstan where the author actually did any research at all.
What We Pretend We Can't See) by gyzym
Fandom: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Rating: M, 131k
Summary: Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.
I read this for the first time shortly after it was posted in 2017 (also staying up until 3 am to finish it in one sitting), and though I haven't wanted to reread it recently (for hopefully obvious reasons), I have reread it so many times I can quote whole paragraphs from memory now. The balance of humor, character, and plot is everything I aspire my own writing to be, and at this point this fic is considerably more important to me than its source material. (Also the author of the fic is a trans man, so).
Please send in recommendations using this lovely form I created (using the Rec Center's form as a model). Am taking recs for fics, articles, interesting long blog posts, anything you think would appeal to other readers of Masha's Roulette.
I'll be back next week with more things to listen to and read!