Challenge #3

In your own space, put some favorite characters into an AU, fuse some favorite canons together, talk about your favorite AU/fusion tropes, or tell us why AU/fusions aren’t your cup of tea.

Once upon a time I would only read canon related or canon divergent fics, but now I am more willing to try anything. My favourite AUs over the last couple of years have been Fairy Tale or Fantasy AUs, they don't need to be direct retellings, although those are nice, but just involve the common story elements.

I don't have time to write anything at the moment, but I thought I'd rec a few fics, (please forgive me if I have recced these before, I tend to rec my faves multiple times). Also, most of these can probably be read with very little canon knowledge:

The Bear and The Blackbird by UniversalSatan
Word Count: 28123 words
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Rating: T
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Kirk/Spock/McCoy, McCoy/Spock, Minor Chapel/Uhura
Summary: Jim, a chivalrous knight born-farmboy, embarks on a valiant quest to return home and protect his village from a dragon threat. On his journey, he is accompanied by his friend Spock—a bard sprite—and the friendly stranger Bones—a holy saint—who only seek to ensure Jim's protection.
When Jim is kidnapped in the night as neither sprite or saint are looking, Spock and Leonard must put aside their differences in the unforseen quest to find their friend
Reccer's Note: Jim is a classic knight going on a valiant quest with his supernatural companions. McCoy is a spectral saint in this piece, and I think this might the first time I've ever read a story where a dead saint goes on an adventure to help those who pray to him. The majority of the fic is focused on the Spock/McCoy relationship, as they have to work together to save Jim, but the story is peppered with cameo appearances from other members of the bridge crew, and whenever they showed up it would make me smile.

Under the Surface by pherryt
Word Count: 25842 words
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: T
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cas/Benny/Dean
Summary: Dean was kicked out of his pack because he couldn't turn into his wolf, but shifters aren't meant to be alone. He finds a traveling companion in Benny, who's been on the run from his own pack for years and is desperately lonely. It goes well enough, except that Dean keeps getting sick and Benny doesn't know why, so when they find what appears to be an abandoned village, they take refuge - only to find a lone wolf still lives there and he's not too happy to find strangers in his home.
Reccer's Note: This is a lovely fic. It doesn't have much of a plot, it's more about three lonely and broken people finding comfort and home with each other (which is my jam), with the added bonus of wolf shapeshifting.

Villainous by IneffablePenguin
Word Count: 216,543 words
Fandom: Good Omens
Rating: E
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley
Summary: Once Upon A Time…
There was a red-haired sorcerer who lived alone in a high tower. And a blond prince who lived in a palace full of people. And they were both of them desperately lonely.
The Kingdoms of Empyrion and the Sorcerers of Apollyon have hated each other for hundreds of years, ever since the Great War. They do not interact, other than to occasionally try to kill one another. And they certainly do not make friends.
Crow is an exhausted sorcerer who just wants everyone to leave him the hell alone: for the Sorcerer’s Council to stop harassing him to live up to his potential, and for wannabe Empyrion Heroes to stop attacking his tower to try and kill him. Until one day when he meets Prince Azra of the High Fells, who doesn’t behave anything like he’s supposed to…
Part fairy tale, part fantasy, all love story. There’s magic, and grand romantic gestures, and Heroes and a handsome Prince, and a Villain. There are even some wild heroics, though not necessarily from who you would expect. At its core it’s simply about two (relatively) sane people living in a mad world who find each other.
Reccer's Note: I was obsessed with this story last summer, and followed it updates religiously (ha!). It's slow burn, pining, and kind of enemies to lovers, but not really, because even though Crowley and Aziraphale are supposed to be on opposite sides they become friends. It starts out small with the two of them meeting regularly in the forest, and slowly expands from there. I know the word count is intimidating, but IneffablePenguin is a good writer and adds a lot of fun fantasy elements. If you like pining or slow burn at all this might be for you, because it takes them about half the story before they are willing to admit they have feelings for each other.

Between Sand and Stars by Dashicra1
Word Count: 12,720 words
Fandom: Good Omens
Rating: M
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley
Summary: Aziraphale has been wounded while defending innocent civilians and summarily sentenced to death via wandering in the desert for his actions, but when he stumbles upon Crowley’s house by chance, his luck changes rapidly.
Crowley is a strange and skittish man who lives alone, tucked in amongst a collection of medicinal herbs, broken pottery, and torn blankets.
When the reason for Crowley’s caution and odd behaviour is revealed, Aziraphale can think of nothing he’d rather do than try to help him free himself from his tragedy, and the two embark upon a tender romance which will change both of their lives for the better.
Reccer's Note: If touch-starved is a trope you like, then you might want to check out this fic. The story is mostly about two lost souls finding each other and bringing comfort and love to each other's lives (Once again I clearly have a type of story I am drawn to).