More of a cat person, really

Phone-Free Weekend: 34K words: weekend getaway; friends to lovers.

Ubi Caritas: 108K words; college AU; strangers to friends to lovers.

From the Sunny Day I Met You: 56K words; vacation AU; strangers to lovers.

(E)tea for Two: 9.6K words; text/email AU; irritated co-workers to lovers.

Fallout at the Fantasy: 30K words; gay resort/hurt-comfort AU.

The Details of Desire: 7K words; canon adjacent.

Nosedive in the Cockpit: 2.6K words; blind date AU.

Fic Rec Friday's Week of Celebrations and Self-Recs

Day 5

Thanks to @a-noble-dragon for organizing this! It's been such a pleasure to read these posts. Whump

Fallout at the Fantasy (30K). I had so much fun with this one. The tags tell the story: Different First Meeting, 13 percent gratuitous angst--yes I calculated, extravagant flirting, temporary suspension of the laws of physics, Resort Vacation/gay retreat, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, double happy ending, chimerical narrators.

Nature

From the Sunny Day I Met You (56.4K). My firstborn fic, and my most outdoorsy one by far: seven beaches, boogie boarding, a hike (guess who?), so many sunsets. The photos above are from my many visits to Del Mar, my happiest place.

This is a bit of a stretch, but it's as close as I could get with today's themes.

Fic Rec Friday's Week of Celebrations and Self-Recs -- Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Reposting because I messed up the first time. Thanks for the tags, @a-noble-dragon, @queenmabcreates, @elleelleg, and @stargazer56. I just got back to my computer to "play." Since I have only eight posted works, there won't be a deluge of recs.

Sunday

Light and fluffy: The Details of Desire (7K). A light-hearted canonesque ditty. A departure in POV and structure for me.

Monday

Holidays: (E)Tea for Two (9.6K). New-to-me in three ways: epistolary, written for a fest (Frozen Over), un-betaed. Also the fic I have the least desire to rewrite (and rewrite and rewrite).

Tropes: Phone-Free Weekend (34K), just posted. Only one bed!

Tuesday

There were two typos in my original post. Sigh. You see why I need multiple betas.

After two years of fiddling and diddling, Phone-Free Weekend is finally finished. I’ll post a chapter a day on a MWF schedule.

I appreciate all the pep talks from y'all as I whined my way through this.

Thanks for the tag, @jamilas-pen.

The mission from @a-noble-dragon: Choose a tag from each fic in your top five to share with everyone. Tags can be self-explanatory or remain ambiguous. Most fun tag wins David x Patrick for the weekend.

I too cheated and rummaged through all my works. I do enjoy a snarky tag.

Favorite five:

--There is general sex but not very specific sex. It's more an environment of sex.

--apologies to those with actual foot fungus

--The Life-Changing Magic of Awful Blind Dates

--interruption of the consumption of fancy-sounding sandwiches

--a teapot of flirty sexy banter and a cupful of pining and a drop of intrigue Runners-up (more cheating, I'm afraid):

--13 percent gratuitous angst--yes I calculated

--Paris--City of (Spurned) Love

--the dangers of paper bags

--a smattering of angst

--sex recollected in tranquility

Thanks to @characterassassination-at-9am for encouraging shameless self-promotion this week and to @a-noble-dragon and @elleelleg for the tags. I'm "marking for later" like mad! Mine is a three-fer for my Overtures series. I remember clearly that I was waterwalking (tied with rolling coins for the world's most boring activity) when I came up with the idea of Rachel dumping Patrick in public in view of David and Alexia. The concept snowballed from there, as story ideas tend to do. Ruckus in the Rue Cler

Nosedive in the Cockpit

Fallout at the Fantasy

From @stargazer56:

In the spirit of discovery, this week let's all recommend our favorite underrated gems. Is there a fic you constantly reread that you think deserves more love? What about that fic you've been dying to recommend, but it doesn't fit neatly into any of the previous categories? Writers, is there a fic of yours that you feel is overlooked? Let's recommend those deep cuts and fics that haven't previously received any Fic Rec Friday love.

I love this idea! I chose these arbitrarily from my bookmarks. I've included a couple of fest fics, which can get overlooked in the volume of posts. I tried to find ones I haven't recommended before, but no promises. +++++++

Two by @demora00:

New year's wishes and midnight kisses

Author's note: David has been pining for his business partner for seven long months when Mutt's New Year's Eve party comes around. Will he get the midnight kiss he wants or will everyone else get in the way?

My comment:

An emerald green Henley was a bold choice for Patrick.

I don’t know what it says about me that I love jealousy stories. This one was lovely, particularly the verbal dance at the end. +++

Dropping Anchor

Author's note: 5+ 1 times the motel chairs were ground zero

My comment: "What's your favourite snack? Are you a salty or sweet person? Book before movie or movie before book? What's your opinion on the 90s masterpiece 'Clueless'?" ( "Her step-brother, David!" "Only technically! And ex step-brother!")

Though they are all gems, this one is my favorite. I love turning on the way back machine to recall that first blush of new love, the getting-to-know-you phase that, if we're lucky, precedes the years of finishing each other's sentences. (David is right--not a stepbrother or even an ex-stepbrother in the icky sense. )

+++++++

Unexpected Places by @beaiola/iola17

Author's summary: The last thing David expected, or wanted, was for a phone call from his sister to interrupt his viewing of 'The Holiday' and drag him out into the Canadian mountains after her car breaks down. Add to that the worsening snowstorm as he travels further north and Alexis accepting a complete stranger's invitation to wait in his cabin until David can get to her and the day has taken a very different and highly unwelcome turn than the one he was anticipating.

But then he meets the stranger, and perhaps he can forgive Alexis this one. After all, he's seen the film before but Patrick is new.

My comment: So happy to have found this lovely, sweet story. It’s one I’ll return to when I need a warm, hot cocoa fic to boost my spirits. +++++++

The Not-Lake House by DisgruntledPelican

Author's note:

Adapted from original movie summary: Fantasy romance about a relationship that forms between two people living two years apart from one another, who communicate through written letters. The pair begin to fall for each other, but will they ever be together?

Thanks for the tags, @jamilas-pen and @a-noble-dragon.

@jamilas-pen asked for "stories that prominently feature wheels, wings and other moving things." I searched in vain for a story in which our guys meet and meet again on a train. Any ideas what that might be? Here are two others I thought of immediately: Roads, Rooms, and Revelations by @trueillusion82. Author's summary:

A Schitty redux of the John Hughes film "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."

My comment:

I love this version of David’s exile to SC. You conveyed his unique combination of pretension and panic perfectly. His evolving appreciation of dear, dear Patrick was also just lovely. I’ll revisit this story whenever I need my heart warmed. +++++++

Such Great Heights by @likerealpeopledo-on-ao3

Author's note: As a nervous flyer, Patrick Brewer has tried to account for every possible mid-air event. He hasn’t, however, accounted for David Rose. Is it love at first flight?

My comment: “I have Thursdays wide open.”

“Oh my god,” David mutters, blush rising from the collar of his sweater. “I don’t even know what that means.”

“Me either, but I think we might pass,” Patrick says, finally finding his voice.

Multipurpose post: Weeks 43 (clothing), 42 (cooking), and 40 (nature)

Thanks for the tags @a-noble-dragon, @carolrain, @elleelleg @stargazer56, @characterassassination-at-9am, @jamilas-pen, and anyone I missed. I'm behind in every area of my life except coffee consumption, as you can see from this catch-up list. @carolrain asked for stories about clothing this week.

@characterassassination-at-9am wanted to hear about food in week 42.

@stargazer56 invited stories about nature in week 40.

#43: Clothing

Recommended previously, but oh, well. I wonder how many times I've read Under There by @distractivate, sometimes for enjoyment, sometimes for instruction. My analyses of her writing yield about 95 percent appreciation and about 5 percent education. The mind is willing, but the mind is weak. Author's note:

It starts the day Patrick discovers that David doesn't always wear black underwear.

OR Patrick discovers something about David, then he learns something about himself.

My comment: "Patrick suspects that David is only digging into this ridiculous dispute to give Patrick opposing ground to stand on, somewhere steady, inconsequential, and clearly-defined to regain his footing."

This is why I love your writing. This subtle interaction is the most satisfying example I've ever seen of "you make me feel right." In this case, David takes care of him through a process of intuition, empathy, and a performative conversation. Some writers have wisdom and insight and some have the ability to find just the right words and phrases (I wonder how long it took you to write that perfect sentence?) but so few have both. -----------------------------------

#42: Cooking/Food

I'm interpreting this in the broadest way possible, which means beverages included, which means coffee, which means coffee shop fics, one of my favorite tropes. I missed this gem by one of my favorite writers when it posted: On a Wednesday in a Cafe by @nontoxic-writes

Author's note: If you’d asked him yesterday, being curled up on a sofa with Patrick Brewer and watching the snow fall outside the window, with empty cups that were once filled with hot cocoa on the table in front of them, sounded like a dream to David Rose. 

But in practice? Being stuck on campus with Patrick Brewer, his chest pressed up against David’s back, one arm curled around his waist to keep him on a sofa not exactly built for two grown men in their 20s to spoon on, watching the snowdrift practically bury them alive at a coffee shop that pays them pennies, is actually a nightmare.

-- an enemies-to-lovers coworkers in a coffee shop at university au, feat. only one bed couch

+++++

I've recommended and then one day, everything changed by @rmd-writes/railmedaddy before. Worth a reread!

Writer's note: All David wants to do is sign Marcy Brewer on to sell her amazing fudge at Rose Apothecary. Unfortunately for him, her very snippy, business consultant son gets involved. In an effort to win both Marcy and Patrick over, David invites Patrick to spend some time in the store and on a vendor trip. There’s snow forecast for the day of the vendor trip, but it’s Schitt’s Creek and it never snows. Right? My comment: Your writing is lovely! I particularly enjoyed this:

"“My parents are grossly in love with each other. My mom is a lot, most people would say she’s too much."

I love any suggestion that Marcy isn't picture perfect--makes her more lovable!

----------------------------------- #40: Nature

A couple of add-ons for those of us who can't get enough of Fifteen Hundred Miles

Fifteen Minutes by MoreHuman.

Author's note: A quick bonus scene from David’s POV in my story Fifteen Hundred Miles. Takes place at the halfway mark of the trail, just after the beginning of chapter five.

Ten Miles by swat117

Author's notes: David's POV during MoreHuman's Pacific Crest Trail hiking fic, Fifteen Hundred Miles. Yep. This is not a stand-alone fic, but requires the context of the original work.

To those who have read Fifteen Hundred Miles, welcome! To those who have not, read that first! It is exceptional and moving and you won't regret it. In the words of Patrick Brewer: trust me.

...on a Sunday. Thanks for the tags, @a-noble-dragon and @elleelleg. @a-noble-dragon gave us (mostly) free rein this week. I admit I didn't check to see if these had been recommended before as I went through my bookmarks, so forgive me if there are repeats. It has taken me a while to post this because I couldn't stop myself from rereading all of these. It was clearly a mistake to stop bookmarking years ago. It's so much easier to scroll through 162 (yeah, that's all) bookmarks (which could be organized and tagged, but that sounds like work) than search and search and search for a canon-y fic with breezing writing that I really liked six years ago. I'm recommending fics with writing so stellar that I can turn my annoying internal editor off and just enjoy. +++++ The Wild and Wired series by lettered is just astounding. The writing is breezy and smart and funny and tender. It's canon without repetition, the familiar made new. Every time I go back to it I'm up until the wee hours rereading.

+++++

finally (safe for me to fall) by chthonicheart is a gem of an AU involving sugary cereal, one of my favorite fic themes ever. +++++

Rules: in a new post, show the last line you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you like).

Thanks for the tags, @queenmabcreates, @elleelleg, and @a-noble-dragon.

Sigh, moan, hold head in hands. I've been hacking away at Phone Free Weekend for, I dunno, a decade? A century? Well over a year, anyway. A 28K-word draft is complete; now I'm working through extensive edits at what seems like a snail's pace. My most recent insertion:

"We should just give these away -- to customers we don’t like.” Can you guess the item? If you're stumped, ask Ted for a hint. Eleven tags from my notifications:

@jamilas-pen, @leofdaeg-sand, @smallumbrella369, @stargazer56, @carolrain, @characterassassination-at-9am, @wearpersistencewell, @stereopticons, @chelle-68, @demora00, @tyfinn

From @elleelleg: I’ll care for you when you’re sick, love you when you don’t feel your best, and hold you when you’re down. I’m not just here for the good times, I’m here for every time in between: Whump and Sickfic

One of my favorite themes! I'll limit myself to three recs. Otherwise, I'll get caught up in my bookmarks and search results and spend the entire day re-reading. +++++++

Who Needs Sleep? by @demora00. Author's note: Patrick tried loosening up his shoulders, his skin feeling too tight. He stretched his stiff neck and breathed out his mouth, unsettled. He turned towards the register screen, intent on distracting himself with their quarterly taxes. He looked through the report, not registering any of the information. The screen was dirty and the little spots were distracting. He turned, looking for the cloth and cleaner, but the spots in his vision wobbled and followed.

My comment: Of course he will make a file! I love your version of over-functioning, under-disclosing Patrick and Angel of Mercy David. Lovely writing, especially those harrowingly compelling descriptions of Patrick's ordeal. +++++++

I'm expanding this to emotional hurt/comfort because I really want to recommend this story:

Under There by @distractivate

Author's note: It starts the day Patrick discovers that David doesn't always wear black underwear.

OR Patrick discovers something about David, then he learns something about himself.

My comment: "Patrick suspects that David is only digging into this ridiculous dispute to give Patrick opposing ground to stand on, somewhere steady, inconsequential, and clearly defined to regain his footing."

This is why I love your writing. This subtle interaction is the most satisfying example I've ever seen of "you make me feel right." In this case, David takes care of him through a process of intuition, empathy, and a performative conversation. Some writers have wisdom and insight and some have the ability to find just the right words and phrases (I wonder how long it took you to write that perfect sentence?), but so few have both.

+++++++

Shameless self-promotion rec:

Fallout at the Fantasy.

For Fic Rec Friday, @jamilas-pen asked

What happens when one (or more) of our Schitt’s Creek favourites has a different job? There’s a vast range to explore – just think of a profession and someone’s probably written it! Rec a classic AU trope that you can never resist no matter how many versions you’ve read, or something completely niche that really fits the characters – and maybe also taught you a whole lot about a line of work you knew nothing about!

Dozens of options for this excellent theme! These popped into my mind first: +++++++ This Is Home Run by therapychicken is ever so charming. Author's summary: David Rose hosts an arts show in the afternoons on C-ACL, the radio station owned by his dad's company, Rose Media. The rush hour slot immediately afterward is occupied by Patrick Brewer, a former minor league baseball player who is very charming and easy on the eyes- but obviously David would never listen to a SPORTS radio show… would he? +++++++

Thanks for Choosing Bagged! by @dinnfameron is a little piece of fancy chocolate, except that you can enjoy it over and over and over. (I doubt that David considers his Door Dashy gig a profession, but I'm going with it.) Author's introduction:

"Ok I love you, now please thanks wine."

As soon as David hit send and saw the message migrate from the draft box to the text conversation, he felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.

Shit. He'd sent it to the customer. He'd sent it to Patrick. Did that seriously just happen?

My comment:

This was one of those rare instances when I felt immediately that I was in good hands and could just relax and enjoy, without engaging in the kind of mental editing I cannot turn off when reading most fics.

So many quotable lines, including this one:

"Maybe David wouldn’t have to spend his life hiding in this room like some sort of more fashionable Emily Dickinson after all."

+++++++ And here's another @dinnfameron story that warrants more eyeballs: Stab: The Elmsboro Murders.

Writer summary and notes: Someone in Elmsboro is terrorizing teens. Finally, the story that journalist David Rose can use to get his big break. If only deputy sheriff Patrick Brewer would answer his questions instead of blocking him at every turn and distracting him with those big, dumb, earnest eyes of his.

This a loose adaptation of the slasher movie Scream. It isn't meant to be super scary, but please see the content warning in the end notes if you're unsure if this is for you. +++++++

And of course there's one of my first fic-loves: The Last Rose Video by @distractivate

Author's summary: Patrick Brewer is the owner of the last Rose Video in the world in the tiny town of Schitt's Creek. His life and his business are turned upside down when David Rose is sent by his father to close the store for good. A temporary truce and a growing attraction have the potential to forever alter the future of the store and the men involved.

Thanks for the tags, @jamilas-pen, @a-noble-dragon, and @queenmabcreates. And a big thanks to @mammameesh for the topic of fake relationships, my favorite of all the tropes. So many choices! Here are a few: +++++

A kiss to build a dream on by bibliosexual is an absolute confection. So delightful. It's under 2K words, so stop, drop, and read it now. Author's summary and notes:

In order to make it look like he’s having a romantic vacation, David asks a handsome stranger to kiss him for a photo.

This was inspired by this tumblr post: “I hope this guy i met at the Eiffel Tower and asked for a pic of us kissing so i could pretend i had a romantic time in Paris is doing good.” Except I set my fic a little closer to Schitt’s Creek, in Toronto. +++++

Marriage of Convenience Store by ICMezzo is a hoot and a holler and just so, so much fun. Author's summary: David and Patrick Rose-Brewer are brand new husbands (they aren’t) who co-own Rose Apothecary (they don’t), and all their business paperwork is completely on the up and up (it's not), because Patrick is excellent at dealing with difficult conversations (he isn't) before things turn into giant messes (which they always do). Also, for some reason there are hamsters.

+++++ Fake Fake Boyfriends by hollybibble is a story I recommend over and over. Enjoy !

Author's summary: David feels like he’s in Act I of one of his favorite rom coms when he and Patrick are together. Just as he’s beginning to think he has a chance, Patrick tells him that he needs a fake boyfriend to show Rachel once and for all that they are through. David knows how this turns out in the movies and is thrilled...until he learns that Patrick has someone other than David in mind to play the role. And it's Ted.

Trigger warning: Patrick wears a green shirt.