Rec-cember #1
Dec. 3rd, 2025 10:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eddishelenMy first entry for rec-cember! This one is with the theme Setting-Change AUs
Our Flag Means Death
Black Dog Tattoos (series) by LayonneHands
https://archiveofourown.org/series/3709516
AU: Tattoo Shop; Pairing: various–Ed/Izzy, Ed/Stede, Izzy/Calico Jack, Gen
So many interesting dynamics in this one! Izzy’s growing, prickly friendship with the crew and the simultaneous disintegration of his relationship with Ed, and also Jack being so into Izzy and Izzy missing it because of his focus on Ed
Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor by prizewinningfruitcake
https://archiveofourown.org/works/45060973/chapters/113358955
AU: early 2000s setting; Pairing: Izzy/Lucius
Lucius works at a new bookstore, Izzy works at the porn shop that's been in the neighborhood for decades. They're instant enemies, but when they separately discover their bosses developing an anonymous email romance and are driven to meddle for completely different yet equally batshit reasons, they find they have more in common than they would have thought. Or at least, JefftheCPA and Gentleman59 do.
So wonderfully grounded in the time and place of the setting. I really like the sense we get of how tightly Izzy is holding on to something (both the store and his dynamic with Ed) that just isn’t what it was anymore. His snarky back-and-forth with Lucius is delightful
A Song of Ice and Fire
Lupercalia by emmaliza
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17780066
AU: Roman; Pairing: Sansa Stark/Daenerys Targaryan
They are Romans, they are all meant to be sons of the wolf. And yet, this Celtic slave has more wolf in her than any Roman she's ever met.
I really enjoyed the way the author translated the Targaryans to be Romans and Westeros to be Britain, and explored the very different experiences of Dany and Sansa’s childhoods. Dany in particular felt so recognizable to me–this is Dany when she’s still reliant on Viserys and her life is very constrained by her culture and family relations, but she still has a sense of injustice even if she can’t do much about it. (Note: dubcon inherent to the premise of the master/slave dynamic)
Formula 1 RPF
Weather or Not by bestliars
https://archiveofourown.org/works/41263230
AU: Regency-esque; Pairing: Mick Schumacher/Sebastian Vettel
Mick must be married by the fall, so Sebastian will suffer through the summer social season, playing chaperone as a favor, and then return to his research once the weather changes. At least that’s the plan.
I like the dynamic of a younger person who knows very well who and what he wants and an older person who wants them back but has to be convinced they’ll be good for the younger person. I also like Seb’s research into the changing climate, and how it goes into the difficulty of doing right. And I like that there were dragons for a long time, and now these characters are living in a world where the last dragon was slain in living memory, it makes for a cool setting.
Time to Kill by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/40699740/chapters/101979003
AU: Cold War Spies; Pairing: Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
1963: Secret agent Lewis Hamilton is sent behind the Iron Curtain to save the life of Sebastian Vettel, who has been smuggling information to the Allies from East Berlin for ten years. But the two of them soon find themselves on the wrong end of a conspiracy, and with no one else to trust, they go on the run together. Travelling across half of Europe and diving into the glittering underworld of Monaco, they try to find out who wants them dead and why.
Plot, action, FEELINGS! Just a fun, detailed AU.
warm blood by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/33758281/chapters/83912398
AU: Knights/Fantasy; Pairing: Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
Knight champion Sir Lewis is sent to aid Lord Vettel of a neighboring clan, in training their knights for the tournament. Lewis hates being a pawn in a political game, but Lord Vettel - Sebastian - is a former knight himself, and despite the fact that they fought on opposite sides of the war, Lewis and Sebastian find common ground in this. Lewis has had his heart broken by someone like Sebastian before, and he's determined not to let it happen again.
God, I love former enemies who must now work together! This fic does such a wonderful job of portraying the way they slowly get to know each other and fall for each other.
Our Flag Means Death
Black Dog Tattoos (series) by LayonneHands
https://archiveofourown.org/series/3709516
AU: Tattoo Shop; Pairing: various–Ed/Izzy, Ed/Stede, Izzy/Calico Jack, Gen
So many interesting dynamics in this one! Izzy’s growing, prickly friendship with the crew and the simultaneous disintegration of his relationship with Ed, and also Jack being so into Izzy and Izzy missing it because of his focus on Ed
Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor by prizewinningfruitcake
https://archiveofourown.org/works/45060973/chapters/113358955
AU: early 2000s setting; Pairing: Izzy/Lucius
Lucius works at a new bookstore, Izzy works at the porn shop that's been in the neighborhood for decades. They're instant enemies, but when they separately discover their bosses developing an anonymous email romance and are driven to meddle for completely different yet equally batshit reasons, they find they have more in common than they would have thought. Or at least, JefftheCPA and Gentleman59 do.
So wonderfully grounded in the time and place of the setting. I really like the sense we get of how tightly Izzy is holding on to something (both the store and his dynamic with Ed) that just isn’t what it was anymore. His snarky back-and-forth with Lucius is delightful
A Song of Ice and Fire
Lupercalia by emmaliza
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17780066
AU: Roman; Pairing: Sansa Stark/Daenerys Targaryan
They are Romans, they are all meant to be sons of the wolf. And yet, this Celtic slave has more wolf in her than any Roman she's ever met.
I really enjoyed the way the author translated the Targaryans to be Romans and Westeros to be Britain, and explored the very different experiences of Dany and Sansa’s childhoods. Dany in particular felt so recognizable to me–this is Dany when she’s still reliant on Viserys and her life is very constrained by her culture and family relations, but she still has a sense of injustice even if she can’t do much about it. (Note: dubcon inherent to the premise of the master/slave dynamic)
Formula 1 RPF
Weather or Not by bestliars
https://archiveofourown.org/works/41263230
AU: Regency-esque; Pairing: Mick Schumacher/Sebastian Vettel
Mick must be married by the fall, so Sebastian will suffer through the summer social season, playing chaperone as a favor, and then return to his research once the weather changes. At least that’s the plan.
I like the dynamic of a younger person who knows very well who and what he wants and an older person who wants them back but has to be convinced they’ll be good for the younger person. I also like Seb’s research into the changing climate, and how it goes into the difficulty of doing right. And I like that there were dragons for a long time, and now these characters are living in a world where the last dragon was slain in living memory, it makes for a cool setting.
Time to Kill by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/40699740/chapters/101979003
AU: Cold War Spies; Pairing: Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
1963: Secret agent Lewis Hamilton is sent behind the Iron Curtain to save the life of Sebastian Vettel, who has been smuggling information to the Allies from East Berlin for ten years. But the two of them soon find themselves on the wrong end of a conspiracy, and with no one else to trust, they go on the run together. Travelling across half of Europe and diving into the glittering underworld of Monaco, they try to find out who wants them dead and why.
Plot, action, FEELINGS! Just a fun, detailed AU.
warm blood by trailsofpaper
https://archiveofourown.org/works/33758281/chapters/83912398
AU: Knights/Fantasy; Pairing: Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
Knight champion Sir Lewis is sent to aid Lord Vettel of a neighboring clan, in training their knights for the tournament. Lewis hates being a pawn in a political game, but Lord Vettel - Sebastian - is a former knight himself, and despite the fact that they fought on opposite sides of the war, Lewis and Sebastian find common ground in this. Lewis has had his heart broken by someone like Sebastian before, and he's determined not to let it happen again.
God, I love former enemies who must now work together! This fic does such a wonderful job of portraying the way they slowly get to know each other and fall for each other.
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