The world is, you know, *waves hands*, but I read some daaaaang good fic this week from the Elevate femslash exchange. Author reveals are tonight, so even though I’ve only read fewer than half the fics in the collection I’m squeaking in with a rec post. I genuinely loved every fic I read and I can only assume the ones I didn’t read are also fabulous, so please don’t limit yourself to only these recs, go enjoy everything in Elevate including art and podfics!
But also I really, really loved these fics and you should definitely read them.
I Would Be A Mermaid Fair, 2k words, Stevie/Twyla, rated T - my gift fic for meeeee! Stevie’s a man-eating mermaid and Twyla’s a pirate!!! If that mental image doesn’t make you slam that link, I don’t know what will. It’s sweet, and funny, and is note perfect Stevie and Twyla characterization in a totally AU world, and I love it.
A Secret Power, 28k words, Rachel/OFC, rated M - a GORGEOUS fic where Rachel moves to New York. I fell madly in love with the OC right along with Rachel. This has so many queer feelings, and growing up feelings, and self identity feelings. It’s really cool the way Rachel’s journey parallels Patrick’s in terms of discovering you’re queer in your 30s, but diverges in some really key ways. (And the way Rachel sees Patrick is so great, too, the ways she loves him and also sees his flaws from a perspective we do not get on the show.) It’s beautifully written.
Climbed a mountain and I turned around, 9k, Stevie & Ronnie, rated T (no sex) - Stevie moves to Oregon to join a firefighting crew, and Ronnie mentors her on the job and, somewhat accidentally, in how to be a human being with emotions. God, I have so many Stevie feelings, and Ronnie feelings, and the way the two intersect in this fic is gorgeous. The way both Stevie and Ronnie open up to each other over the course of the story, and open up to their own desires and possibilities, is so subtle and moving. Plus it’s absolutely right that every time you see the Pacific really is Like That.
burn before you bloom, 29k, Rachel/Alexis, M - Rachel moves to Schitt’s Creek after she and Patrick break up, instead of Patrick, and discovers how much she loves women, Alexis, and herself. Even though we got maaaaybe 10 minutes of Rachel in canon, the Rachel in this fic is both entirely recognizable and fleshed out into a very real, very relatable person. I maybe empathize with her variety of cluelessness and impulsiveness and anxiety a liiiiitle too much? Nah, just the perfect amount. This fic is hilarious and moving and makes me clutch my heart.
Imposter Syndrome, 6k, Stevie/Alexis, E - This is both burning hot, and a little bit heartbreaking. Post-canon, Stevie and Alexis have an arrangement and don’t talk about their feelings. It shows how they’re both growing up, and conquering the world, and still, maybe, a little bit, settling for a little less than they deserve. Super gorgeous.
Home At Last, 26k, Stevie/Alexis, E - A gorgeous slow burn where Stevie and Alexis get together during Cabaret. Stevie is her perfect clueless failboat self, and Alexis is entirely self confident except when she isn’t, and in the end it’s really about Stevie and faaaaaaamily and looooooove. The relationship between Stevie and Alexis is adorable and super hot, and the relationships between Stevie and David, and Stevie and Moira, and Stevie and Patrick, and Stevie and Ronnie, and Stevie and Johnny, are also so important and so perfect.
Seriously all the fics in this fest are so good, though, go read them all, especially the many I wasn’t able to read this week.
