PSOH recs
Posted on August 23, 2007
Filed Under PSOH recs, small fandom recs, anime/manga fandom |
WARNING #1: I strongly advise that you not read these fics if you haven’t finished the manga, all 10 volumes of the first PSOH at least. The fics and my recs contain spoilers for the series, especially for the ending.
WARNING #2: Without going into detail as to why or how (but if you’ve seen the main characters, you can understand it already, I suppose), this fandom is very hermaphrodite-friendly. So if you are squicked by graphic descriptions of girl bits, maybe you should skip this fandom. I won’t be giving “hettish” sex alerts for every fic ‘cos I’m not sure I’ll remember which fic has it and which doesn’t. It goes without saying that I don’t believe that anyone reading my recs can be squicked by slash :)
Please also be checking Rex Luscus’s Petshop of Horrors N00b Recs.
The fics that I read on Rex’s rec as not containing (much) spoilers when I hadn’t finished the manga yet, are marked with “safe“.
## means “loved to bits OMG!”
# stands for “liked.”
[] means “rather liked.”
The stories are sorted in alphabetical order by title.
new And Then It Bit Him, by who_la_hoop #
Snape/Count D, PG-13, ~10K words. HP/PSoH crossover. Warnings: Epilogue-compliant for HP, but with live!Snape; contains a massive spoiler for PSoH Volume 10. Summary: When Snape’s first Animagus transformation doesn’t go entirely as expected, he finds himself plagued by a mysterious being, who – in the company of a pet man-eating goat thing – proceeds to thoroughly turn his life upside down. A/N: painless_j’s prompt asked for Snape’s first Animagus transformation, and Snape and Count D discovering unexpected magical worlds and clashing personalities with gusto.
I’m one happy fan now ‘cos not only has my prompt from way back been picked but the story who_la_hoop made out of it is absolutely delightful! Severus in it is a bit less paranoid than how I see him but I think it’s stylistic or genre requirement rather than characterisation issue. Which style is humorous: maybe it won’t make you guffaw but it’s hard not to smile or even chuckle. I want to quote it here almost line by line, especially dialogues. Like here:
He was shorter than Severus by some inches, and when he looked up into Severus’ face, Severus noticed that his eyes were different colours – neither of them natural looking in the slightest.
“What are you?” Severus asked, tensing.
“I am known as Count D,” the man said, a half-smile on his lips. “What are you?”
Severus felt marginally more certain that he was talking to a man. He also felt marginally more irritated. What sort of a way was that to answer a question? “I am Professor Snape,” he said, scowling down at the enigma in front of him. Legilimens he thought, focusing hard.
For a moment he was pulled into a dazzling, incomprehensible slide-show of images – before a sharp, sudden pain on his cheek shoved him back out. He blinked, raising a hand to his face. He was bleeding.
“My apologies,” Count D said. Severus thought he didn’t look very sorry. “Is it not normal to knock before entering?”
Severus frowned at him. A Muggle would not have been able to detect Legilimency. He felt strongly though that this Count, or whatever he was, was no wizard. “You didn’t answer my question,” he said, finally. “What are you?”
Count D licked delicately at one finger. Severus shuddered when he realised he was licking a drop of blood – Severus’ own blood – from it. “I own a pet shop,” he said. “What are you?”
Severus reached for his wand again. “Tired of this,” he said. “Oblivi—”
Wonderful reading! If you are into PSOH at all, head there!
Beauty and Long Time Travelling, by Nym777 (exid on lj) #
1) D/Leon, NC-17, medium-short. Leon finds D, at last, but he doesn’t find what he expects. 2) D/Leon, NC-17, medium-short. When Leon went looking for D, he got lost. Really lost.
In Beauty, about twenty years after the end of the series, Leon finds D in a hospital in some third world country. D isn’t waking up. Leon wouldn’t be Leon, even much older than when we last saw him, if he didn’t do something rash. So he does. In Long Time Travelling Leon is lost in a mysterious place, with his mind playing tricks on him. Now he faces a long journey, spiritual as well as literal.
Both these stories explore the mysterious aspect of the manga: time and space distortions, strange dimensions and places, or even the things hidden in human psyche. In both, the author does it like a virtuoso, creating something unique and very similar to the canon at the same time. Both are dreamy, bizarre, memorable, and wonderfully written. There are a sort of short prequel for the first story and sequel for the second that you can find on the same page.
Berlin, by Delphi (atdelphi on lj) ##
Grandpa D/Albus, PG, ~5300 words. psoh_fqf entry. Challenge: #56 - HP crossover. A younger Dumbledore acquired Fawkes from a Chinese petshop owner in Berlin around WWII. You can interpret Dumbledore’s death as a breach or fulfillment of contract terms.
The fic is awesome. If you are interested in PSOH to any small degree or if you at least know what it’s about, it’s not to be missed. This is where clever turns into ingenious; this is where the necessary ingredients such as good writing and interesting idea fuse into a magic of a good story.
A much younger (but not young) Albus Dumbledore is looking for a phoenix. His search leads him to a Chinese pet shop. No, this is hopeless. I’m still rather speechless after reading it. It’s moving and charming, and you’ll see a young Dee, and the phoenix nearly made me cry. Wow. Just wow.
Dangerous, by Telanu (somniesperus on lj) (link to the main page) # safe
D/Leon, PG-13. It is unwise to meddle in the affairs of Count D. It is especially unwise to meddle with Leon Orcot.
This fic is pre-slash. Leon learns that Count D got a persistent suitor. Brilliant dialogue, amazingly precise characterisation, and it fits the mood and atmosphere of the beginning of the series really well. Besides, it’s really funny.
Decision, by Telanu (somniesperus on lj) (link to the main page) ## safe
D/Leon, NC-17, medium-short. When Leon finally makes up his mind to seduce Count D, he doesn’t find what he expected.
This story, as for me, is simply amazing. This is how it might have happened, the first time. It’s hot like hell, it’s incredibly emotional (without being unbelievable), it’s amazingly in character, and it simply grabs you and makes you live it, not read, sweeping you off your feet. I’m in awe with Telanu’s talent and skill. She writes Leon, how the idea grabs hold of him, how he acts on it, and how he adapts to unexpected discovery on the way, as if she had a look inside his head, as if it was her who created him, even as if he were a real person rather than a drawn manga character. Amazing, I tell you.
Desperate, by Nym777 (link to the main page) ## safe
D/Leon, NC-17, short. Leon visits Count D with only one thing on his mind. PWP.
This is an established relationship PWP, and I usually don’t like those. But I can’t help loving this one ‘cos a) it’s written really, really well — one of the best PWPs I’ve read in any fandom, in fact. And b) this is the sort of PWP that is better than a character piece in how it shows the characters. You can see them in all their glory through sex, with their strengths and weaknesses, quirks and idiosyncrasies. You can have a look deep inside their souls. And it’s a really sexy piece. Wow-some.
disgusting, by desolation (foreverhooked on lj) []
Implied D/Leon, PG-13, short. T-chan ponders his master’s fascination with that horrible human. Yes, of course it’s slashy.
Will make sense best if you read the Side Story 2 from the special chapter. It’s a sweet, contemplative little story, the whole pleasure of which is in the perspective. I love T-chan, so it’s a pleasure to read a story written from his POV. I half expected him to bite D :) Quite charming.
distance, by desolation (foreverhooked on lj) []
D/Leon, PG-13, short. A chance encounter, five years after the end of the manga.
Emotional, if not plotty. Leon accidentally meets D. Or not so accidentally. Things don’t go like he imagined. So he flees. Maybe.
Distant, by Jmtorres #
D/Leon, sort of, R, short. Summary: D’s next letter arrived carried by a pair of robins. Before he even opened it, Leon had half-written his reply: Dear D, How are you? I’m fine, except for the fact that I feel like frigging Cinderella, and by the way, if singing mice show up at my place, I am hunting you down and killing you.
Leon comes to D bearing a cake but finds the shop in Grandpa’s hands. D, supposedly, has gone to China. Leon insists that D is a suspect in eight unsolved homicides and asks Grandpa to deliver a letter for him. Grandpa agrees. Leon and D begin exchanging letters. We’ve never seen Leon or D write letters in the manga but surprisingly, it works really well in this fic. Their letters are in character, and I absolutely love what and how they uncover, discover, and come to. Delightful!
Drive, by Nym777 (exid on lj) (link to the main page) ##
D/Leon, NC-17, long WIP. M-preg, though it’s stretching the definition of “M-” to breaking point, here. This story is almost finished. Last updated 01 Jan 2007.
Please don’t mind WIP in the headers. Firstly, the fic is finished, as the author says in her LJ (February), the current word count being ~89,300 words. Now it’s being edited, even if not all is posted yet. Secondly, if you read it as it ends now, you won’t be left hanging. This in not that kind of story. This is a road-trip movie, only in fanfiction, that will be a wonderful companion for you for hours, if not days.
Count D didn’t leave. Or, to be more precise, Leon didn’t let him. Now they are driving across the continent from LA to NY to visit Chris. The Count is pregnant. The pregnancy is unexpectedly difficult and complicated, challenging D’s views of the world and his place in it and the fragile relationship that was barely based on anything but lust before. I admit I was rather exasperated with the pregnancy woes and with the sex that is more het than slash, and with how slow, detailed, and frustrating it all is. But at the same time, it’s impossible not to enjoy a story written like this one. Yes, detailed, almost too much so; yes, preg, yes, the endless line of hotels, yes, the same car. But the further you read, the more you fall under its charm, lulled by its road-trip rhythm. Because the characters learn. Because they are deep. Because the author makes you feel for them, care about them. You simply can’t help loving them and wanting to stay with them for even longer. So I really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the proper conclusion!
dystopia, by desolation (foreverhooked on lj) []
D/Leon, PG-13, short. When a dream goes horribly wrong, D and Leon find themselves in a nightmare future where nature has been all but destroyed.
As the title says, the story shows us a dystopic version of the future, the dream reality of which D — and Leon who rushes after him — enter with the help of D’s incense.
Follow, by mercuriosity []
D/Leon, NC-17, short. Summary: The point of no return was a long time ago. What happened after the end.
A bit simpler than the other stories from Yuletide but enjoyable. I’d call it a PWP with a premise. There isn’t much story in this story, but it’s an enjoyable piece, featuring a perfect place for D to move to. I particularly liked the opening scene.
In the Heat of the Night, by Luthien # safe
D/Leon (sorta), NC-17, short. Leon has insomnia. What can he do to relax himself enough to be able to get some sleep? Set not long after the end of the episode ‘Despair’, from Volume 1 of the manga, in which Leon and Count D meet for the first time. Humour/angst, PWP, graphic sexual content.
Leon is this fic is absolutely fantabulous. The guy can’t sleep. What’s the best way to relax? Right, have a nice wank of course. So Leon takes a trusted old porn mag, picks up a nice curvy girl — and there’s something wrong with her. May be a wrong kind of girl for that night. So Leon keeps trying. He’s so in character here that I was laughing out loud at his woes. Funny, sexy (and frustrating for a while), and simply spot on. This fic can give you a smooth introduction of the idea of D/Leon, although if you read the manga, I don’t see how you’d need this introduction. Anyway, the fic is absolutely delightful and wonderfully written.
In the Shadows, by FoxyG unrated so far
PG-13, WIP (a bit over 20K words so far). Eroica/Pet Shop of Horrors crossover. Klaus is tracking down a terrorist in Los Angeles. Count D has a new client.
Until I stumbled upon this story, it hadn’t occur to me that these two fandoms could be crossed. But now it seems so logical! It’s a very enjoyable reading. Plotty and often very amusing. But not without being slightly creepy — it’s D’s petshop, what else would you expect!
So, who will out-macho the other? Klaus or Leon? And who’ll out-charm the other? D or Eroica? My bet is on Klaus and D :)
Not without occasional error, but very intriguing so far. I hope the author continues it.
Sadie, Sadie, by Telanu (somniesperus on lj) (link to the main page) ##
D/Leon, R, long. Once Leon Orcot gets an idea in his head, there’s no stopping him. Especially when that idea involves Count D. Romance and comedy: this one is a lot less serious than Unwilling Sleep!
This fic is light, funny, even fluffy. It’s all about a wedding. You see, once gay marriage was made legal in California, Jill teased Leon about when he was going to ask D — seeing that their dancing around each other is apparent not only to the readers but even to the other characters :D You know Leon. Leon with a thought is worse than a dog with a bone. Hilarity ensues. The fic is fluffier than what I usually like, especially its second half, but I still love it. It’s an ideal feel-good reading. Besides, Telanu writes really brilliant dialogues, and the characters are very much their canon selves. Fun and pleasure!
The Story of D by Ria (kessie on lj) []
D/Leon, PG-13, short. Summary: Leon promised Chris that he would find D. A promise is a promise, no matter how long it takes, and Leon just might discover something about himself along the way.
Sad and contemplative, written in present tense. Leon is chasing after D: the cities look all the same but Leon is gradually changing. I loved how Leon’s view of the world alters and how various D-chapters show different sides of what’s happening to him and inside his mind. The storytelling voice is pleasant. No melodrama here, just a quiet but tense journey. I liked where it ended.
Unwilling Sleep, by Telanu (somniesperus on lj) (link to the main page) ##
D/Leon, NC-17, novel-length. Summary: A Pet Shop of Horrors novel set after the end of volume 10 of the original manga. It looks as if D and Leon will be separated forever–until D makes a choice that will change both their lives. But can he and Leon live with the consequences of his decision?
When I heard about these two novels by Telanu before, I got a vague impression that Unwilling Sleep is an angst fest that I should probably avoid. But I was so enamoured with her writing that I couldn’t possibly rob myself of a novel-length fic by her. So I bit. I should switch to capslock because THIS IS MY IDEAL PSOH FIC!
This is simply the best thing since sliced bread! Seriously. This is how I see the events after the end of the series. This is what I want to read. Count D finds that he can’t leave. So he makes a spur-of-a-moment decision, and jumps, thus joining humankind. The story is about D’s learning how to be a human: with all the limitations and complications, feelings and turmoil that it entails. He’s still the Count D that we know but that one step turned many of his habits and preconceptions on their head. Leon is still Leon, but now that something of such significance has happened to him (in his life; because of him), he also has to re-think and face quite a lot. And Chris is still his amazing clear-eyed self. The story is sad and funny, interesting and very engaging, touching and brilliantly written. It’s simply amazing. Run, don’t walk. I think I’ve just talked myself into rereading it :) LOVE IT!
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Hello,
this is pj's fannish place made with the goal to be a sort of public library of (or a gateway to) fanfiction. I read mostly slash, I love sex and various kinks, so if you are underage and somehow wormed your way here past net nannies and warnings, please surf responsibly and go somewhere else when you are asked to!
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Thanks for the recs! Have you taken a look at “On Territory” by Utopian Trunks? (http://www.eastofsanity.com/utfic/psoh_onterritory.html) I’m not sure I’m too fond of the way D’s characterized in most stories, even the good ones, but I love this. “Matters of Taste” isn’t bad, either. Take a look at them for me, will ya?
Thank you for the links :) I appreciate it.
Hi. This is really interesting post. Thank You! I have just subscribed to Your rss!
Best regards
Hi, I’m having problems with the links here… Every story from Nym777 I’m trying to read won’t let me read it. Has she moved or is it just something with my computer? If you’ve got some other link where I might find them, please let me know.
Thanks, Enaty
Must be something with your computer. I’ve checked, all her links work. They lead to the main page of her site, as per her request. You can easily get to the fics from that page.