(no subject)

Today is Self Injury Awareness Day.

And if, like me, you haven't heard before of such an occasion, here is a list of links which foreverdirt compiled. You should read what she has to say.

What do I think? I knew a girl in high-school who took self-harm to something of an extreme. And it's true that she had a lot to cope with, and maybe pulling out her eyelashes and marring her skin was at least as healthy as the ever popular alternative of frying her brain with cheap drugs. But it was painful to see, and I don't think I'll ever support that. I'll never support alcoholism and I'll never support narcotic abuse, either.

But. There have been a couple of times in my life when I have been angry, the sort of emotion that catches in your chest and freezes your mind, and if your hands aren't shaking you can almost imagine yourself capable of dispassionate thought. And so I separated myself from other people and went home, and found a nice flat wall and punched it until the sides of my hands were bruised and painful and something I could see. And it helped.

And that's all I can say.

Wow. Three posts today. That’s almost unusual.

 
So the flying_leap challenge fics are in, except for a few delayed arrivals (in keeping with the airport metaphor).

I thought I’d do some recs, because otherwise, what’s the point? In order of posted.

Boondock Saints - La Ultima Hora by goodtwin.
I know nothing about Boondock Saints. I liked this anyway; it’s well done, and has an atmosphere that stays with you afterwards. However, it is wingfic, and I’m pretty sure I would recognize the incest if I knew the fandom better, so you might be wary. But!

Above, Connor was pulling at one of his wings, thick grey feathers fluttering in the breeze. "You liked it," he said, accusation in the words.

"That's why it's a sin. Like Ma said. Everythin' y'might enjoy is a sin."

"She was probably drunk at the time."

Murphy's eyes widened as Connor stepped off the edge of the roof. Drifted down with the slightest fluttering of wings, didn't fall. "I think she had the right idea," he muttered.

"Come home," Connor said.

"You are not walkin' through the streets with those."

"I can't just leave them here, now can I?"

And that’s why you should read it.

West Wing - First Flight by out_there.
West Wing? Also a show I’ve never watched. I still found this really enjoyable. As a stand-alone, the characterizations and situation are natural and easy to follow – although I suspect that WW fans will get a lot more levels than I did.

Smallville - the fandom that ate the challenge.
Smallville, I’m familiar enough with, as I’m a big supporter of having a show based on Superman. (Sometimes I even sneak into the fandom and look at fic, although one day someone will have to explain to me the appeal of giving the subsects funny sounding names. It’s like Latin Conjugation or something.)

Moon and Tide by gothphyle
And you know with a title like that it’s going to be all about the impossibility of pulling away. Clark/Lex; future fic; heartbreaking, and sprinkled with little bits of poetry.

Hope’s Wings by cjandre
This is really a sequel to another story (linked at the page). The series seems to be an AU after Whisper. Pete’s dead and Clark’s blind and Lex is lost, and they’re left trying to deal the best they can.

Release by goss and Higher by slodwick
Because the challenge accepted fanart as well, and these were really good. Really Good.


*Or, if you’re only going to read one thing this week.*

Look Harder by penknife.

penknife is my hero, because she writes really awesome Charles/Erik. That’s not in any way relevant to the rec, as it’s a Harry Potter piece, but I thought the world should know. Anyway.

Look Harder was written for a different challenge, switchknife’s death challenge, and I think to really appreciate it you have to know that going in. You know that feeling that you can’t breathe because it hurts, dammit, but in such a good way? It’s in there.


So, go. Read. Then tell these nice people how much you love them, so they’ll write more.