Fleeting Fancies - Fanworks Recommendations

[Note: As I feel I cannot rec my own fics without it being weirdly skeevy and, yet, I feel that I do a decent job with the pairing of Akiha and Umeda, I'm going to put a little note at the top here for those interested: I write Akiha/Umeda fanfic in this journal and I rationalize my note here by saying that I've probably written a good half of the fic available for the pairing and if I really want to have a comprehensive HanaKimi section.... *wry grin*]

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - friday by measuringlife - Oh. Oh, Akiha. I love him so much that I cannot begin to tell of it. And I love the author for the way she writes him, the way he obviously cares about (and knows) Umeda so well and he's such... an adorable genius puppy about it. The way Umeda might be cranky about it, but has a sort of resigned acceptance of it. And... for all that this rec is short and vague, this is actually one of my favorite pieces of the author's so far, there's just something about it... it's one of those ideas that could have fallen flat in other hands, but was perfect here and, yes, Akiha would so do that and yeah, I can see Umeda going along with it and... okay. The only way to end this rec is through lots and lots of hearts. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - kiln by measuringlife - measuringlife has this lovely artist AU that I love for being an interesting take on the characters, for the way the artist is focused on the subject and you can feel how much love and passion there is for him, but also because... it's a great way to show the artistic side of Akiha, even if it's not the same medium as his photography. Without it, I can absolutely see him having been a painter or something similar, the way she uses gorgeous language to show him as a sculpter this time, the sense of clay under his hands while he forms his creation that reflects the one he's taken with. It's just... somehow, this works. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - shame on me if i love you twice by measuringlife - This fic was... I say this a lot and I mean it every single time, so it's still true. This is one of my new favorites of the author's because of... well, the thing with Kijima is tricky, obviously. It's hard to show what's not touched on, only lightly implied in the manga by the end, when Umeda has started to move on. It's such a delicate thing, his feelings for Kijima and his feelings for Akiha and how he's stuck in the middle only because he's weakened by them both. This fic was quietly breathtaking for the way the author wove the atmosphere, the way I could practically feel the smoke of the club on my skin, the way there's a tension pulling between the two characters, but it's not the same as it was before, the way something seems to almost shatter or fray at the edges and snap, all without the author having to beat me over the head about it. That's what I love about this fic, just as much as I love the way Umeda calls Akiha at the end, the way I can even imagine his body language during that conversation. It's a gorgeous fic and this rec doesn't nearly do it justice. (Akiha/Umeda, past Kijima/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - through a crowd by measuringlife - Three paragraphs and measuringlife can still make me squee like you wouldn't believe. The way it is both almost poetically epic in scope and yet intimate with the details of stealing the covers and pillows thrown at faces. It's one of those little things that makes me love both aspects of the pairing. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - taking out the daisies by measuringlife - Umeda and Love, two concepts that don't belong in the same sentence together, yet are all too entwined up with each other. This short fic captures that beautifully, how Umeda is both such a realistic, almost jaded, except that when he falls in love, he falls harder than anyone. Add in those little details that are so much fun in their relationship (and I'm convinced Akiha does at least half of them on purpose to get a rise out of Umeda ♥) and this is why I keyboard mash in love over measuringlife's fic. Just. HAPPY SIGH, OKAY? (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - and hell froze over by measuringlife - I know I've made my affection for measuringlife clear, but once again she writes a short bit of fic that I'm making yet another exception for because it's just so... it says so much about the Akiha/Umeda relationship and does such a beautiful job of using the yours till hell freezes theme. Almost as much as the pairing content itself, I'm in love with the way the author uses the themes, the way they fit the characters so well. And. Just. Oh, Umeda. I love you so damn much when you're trying to maintain your plausible deniability like this. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - an artist's life by measuringlife - I love this au of the author's, the different types of artist she writes for Akiha, how I wouldn't have thought he should ever be anything but a photographer, yet somehow they work. Somehow they draw out these beautiful little insights into the character. There really is a sense of art, of creative genius, even as it's blended with Akiha's grounded personality. Akiha fascinates me because he can think in these loops and curlie-cues even while he's realistic and almost a little cynical--this fic shows that so very well. Then the author finishes the whole thing with a deft touch of interaction with Umeda that's just so... snarky, bitchy, cheerful, spastic, and fun. The way they always should be. It's one of those fics that gave me pretty much everything I wanted--a little seriousness, a little artistry, a little insight, a little fun, a little hint of their bedroom antics, all wrapped up in a smooth, seamless package. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - nothin’ but a cliche by measuringlife - Earlier, I mentioned that one of the things I love so much about this author's Hanakimi fics is the way she takes these themes and blends them together with these amazing little facets of the AkiUme relationship and shows wonderful little insights. The same is true of this fic, the way Umeda is so stubborn in his not-like of Akiha, the way he's almost angry at Akiha for being just right. Then there's a gorgeous ending line and... yeah, I love fic like this because it shows that AkiUme isn't just a fluffy pairing, there's a lot of little complicated knots along the way. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - a foreign landscape by measuringlife - It should come as absolutely no surprise that measuringlife's Akiha/Umeda fic is fabulous and all kinds of brilliance because it's just so... them. I'd go crazy with the lack of AkiUme if not for her. And, again, as I've said many times before, one of the best things about her stories is that she focuses on different aspects while still maintaining consistent, yet layered, characterization. This time... Akiha and Umeda camping. Which goes about as well as you'd expect it to. Her writing is full of these fabulous little turns of phrase (Arctic winters have been known to be warmer than an irritated Umeda) that lend it an elegance even as Akiha is cooking over a campfire and Umeda is firmly Not Coming Out of the Tent and it's just... if they went camping, this is just about exactly how it'd go. And I love, love that... I mean, between these two, even with all the stuff underneath (that you know is there with their relationship in this fic), on the surface it's a 'war' and Akiha isn't always going to win a battle, but that doesn't mean he'll lose the war and that plays out perfectly here. Plus. AkiUme. Camping. Fabulous. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - idio(t)syncrasy by measuringlife - Every time I think this author can't possibly write any more of this pairing or find a new little aspect to highlight, she goes and gives me this little treasure on my flist that makes the day a little bit brighter every time. It still surprises me how much she can make me glow with just three or four paragraphs. But. It's just. Umeda and he's cranky at Akiha and feeling stupider by the minute because of Akiha's actions/reactions. And it's just... yes. Yes, Umeda would be annoyed because "idiot" is starting to get-overused, especially when he's written like this and in that really great space between acceptance and denial that should be a paradox, but isn't quite. So much love. <3 (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Intersections by Serilda - To explain this... it started with an off-the-cuff comment about an old cartoon in my journal. Then Serilda had this idea and completely ran with it! ♥ One of the coolest things about it is that it's a stealth crossover, the kind that you don't realize what it is until it's mostly over and you're left laughing and shimmering at the beautiful crack of it. But it's not just that, it's the way she writes these characters--most authors couldn't get away with putting ♥ directly into the narrative, but she absolutely makes it work for Akiha here, she manages to pull it off beautifully. The way she writes the story from his POV, the way he interacts with Umeda, the way those last few lines are brilliantly time. I cannot flail enough at how perfect a moment she captured there. Sigh. I was supposed to be taking a break from anime/manga. But with fic like this, I'm just yanked back that much harder. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - and thus, lunch is served by measuringlife - When measuringlife first posted this, pretty much the first thing I squeed about was the ending, because I love that even though he's obviously going to lose the "war", sometimes Umeda gets to win a battle here and there. I love that he lets Akiha drag him off for a "picnic"--god, I completely and totally flailed at the image of them having lunch together in an empty classroom, how very j-drama romance! which should have made it cliche, but instead measuringlife makes it absolutely perfect, a sparkling scene between the two of them that's really quite brilliant--and then he's just so casual about his interaction with the idiot and then there's the fabulous ending that uses the theme brilliantly and HAPPY SIGH I hope she never stops writing this pairing. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - wherever you are, why aren’t I closer by measuringlife - Part of me still feels vaguely guilty about recommending a fic that's just shy of 150 words, but... Akiha! Umeda! Wanting to hug the retard! Wanting to squish him and give him whatever he wants! Sure, I'm prone to being a lot more emotional over the pairing than most people, but the fic measuringlife writes gets to me because she has this gorgeous, gorgeous way with words and Akiha having quiet depth even as he's so single-mindedly just gone on Umeda and that he's not a purely happy character and it's all wrapped up in this short little fic that I adored. (Some Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - the best part of waking up... by measuringlife - Such a short fic and, yet, measuringlife is still made of awesome and win because she gets so much into the fic. It's this gorgeously written, fun Akiha/Umeda fic, but still more than that. It's also the way Akiha is actually a good boyfriend sometimes, he's smart and restrained when he wants to be, so he does something nice and Umeda reacts... not entirely badly and, yes, this is why I love them and this author's work so much. I just... glow afterwards. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Telling Stories by Serilda - I could not stop grinning the entire way through this fic, I could not stop sparkling the entire way through this fic. I adore her take on the characters and the way she writes, the way her Mizuki is the cutest thing ever and I still melt into a ball of goo at the way she wished Umeda a happy birthday. I loved the balance between Umeda being cranky and being able to tell there was more underneath, the way Akiha was actually pretty restrained while still being Akiha. But mostly. Oh, mostly, I enjoyed the incredible tension just before their kiss, the way I could feel the chemistry between them. They didn't even have to be touching and there was that electric current between them, that feel of something tightening and pulling, and asdflkadfl;kajsdf holy crap what a lovely, lovely fic for Sensei's birthday. HARTS as usual. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - untitled by Meg - I've been waiting for Meg to write vampire!AkiUme fic for ages (very patiently, though, I might add! hmph) and then she went and wrote it and AHAHAHAHA YES THIS NEEDED TO EXIST. And it's just. It's the utter lack of the usual trappings of vampire fic (the tragic, almost gothic tone they so frequently come with) that makes this beautiful. The matter-of-fact-and-then-cranky way Umeda treats the whole situation. Also, the ending is completely hot and makes me sort of mad that Meg stopped there. SHE'S EVIL, I TELL YOU. Except for the part where she's also kind of brilliant and I loved this to tiny pieces. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Pageantry by Serilda - See, this is why I bug people whenever they put up fic memes, because they'll write fic like this! It's Akiha x Umeda and it's Christmas and Serilda does a fantastic job with the subtle aspects of a pairing that's very... loud on the surface. The little touches that show what an utter marshmellow Umeda is under the surface, how insightful Akiha is, all without lingering on those points or hammering them into the readers' heads. It's just there, a routine part of their day. Also, I love the bustling background in the fic, Mizuki putting together a play (and Akiha's quiet observations that seem so simple, yet show how much he really understands and it's those tiny little things that make me flail because they fit the character) and how... warm and happy the whole fic is, even when it's hell for poor Hokuto. Which is what Christmas should always be about. ♥ Also, there is hot chocolate and costumes and I have a weakness for Christmas trappings in fic. *loves* (Akiha/Umeda.)

- House/Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Like Highschool All Over by Tammaiya - Perhaps I am simply easy for my beloved pairing. Perhaps it really is the best of the bunch. Whatever the truth is, this is my hands down favorite of Tammaiya's Christmas fics this year because it's everything--absolutely everything--I could have asked from such a fic. There are so many things I love about it that it's honestly hard to even begin! I suspect this rec will either be two paragraphs long or read like a bullet point list because it's the only way I'll be able to organize my thoughts. The biggest aspect that impressed me was that the crossover element is brilliantly done, blending a manga and a live action TV show shouldn't be this seamless or appear this effortless, but she does it. The reason for House taking on Akiha's case isn't played up too much (lest the fabulous pacing of the fic be ruined; it's impressive how much the author balances in such a relatively short fic, even the Ducklings are well represented), but neither is it glossed over. The way House is so cranky about it, the way the entire situation resolves itself, all brilliant. So much brilliance.

The characterization is also spot-on all the way around, her House and Umeda are both such sharp, caustic characters as they should be, but you couldn't substitute their lines for each other. Each character's voice came through loud and clear as their own, the dialogue and little body language/movements so searingly in character that I flailed my way through the fic. Even the House - Cuddy interaction (which I suspect was for my benefit, since this was my Christmas fic) was beautifully done, the way it mirrored what we might see in canon, the way I could take more away from it or I could read it purely as gen or even a combination of something in between. The Akiha/Umeda relationship is fabulous as always, so much being said underneath the surface of their interaction, the things the reader picks up on because they know the characters, the way House sees right through them and the way he reacts to the whole situation.

Despite that it's a crossover and I'm flailing because it's Akiha and Umeda in the Houseverse, I suspect you could read this story just for the House side of the story. Like her other House crossover (where I had no idea of the original material), it's such strong writing that you could just pick it up and enjoy. And seriously. Best Christmas fic ever. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda, and implications of House/Cuddy on the level of canon if you lean that way. It's more gen than anything.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Pageantry, later that evening by Serilda - Written for a Timestamp meme as a follow up to Pageantry, this is why I keep making Serilda write AkiUme. Because she manages to beautifully walk the surprisingly delicate line between genuine irritation, resignation, being weak to those he loves, and sparks of evil that are all part of who Umeda is. Because Akiha + the Umeda family would be Hokuto's worst nightmare and he reacts to the idea beautifully here, along with some fantastic little moments of comedy/cuteness. Akiha's delighted expression giving way to confusion or the sheepish smile or the pitch-perfect ending... all of it is fabulous and so completely exactly what I wanted after Pageantry. (Well, okay, other things would have been nice, too, but I'm delighted with this story. So much. ♥) (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - A Royal Pain by measuringlife - For every time I say I don't like something, along will come a fic that blows my statements out of the water. I'm not much of an AU fan, I like a series for the series that was presented. On the other hand, Akiha/Umeda fic by one of my favorite authors. And it's very, very AU, but it uses the theme of fairy tales, is utterly merciless in mocking Umeda, and yet still makes me love him all the more because he's just as merciless towards 98% of the rest of the world. What I mean is that there's fabulous characterization here and the fairy tale stuff that appeals to the fangirl in me, but done in such a way that it's delightful fun. There are these little moments woven into the storytelling that make me grin like an idiot and a satisfied, happy, content feeling at the end (as well as a demand for more, complete with stomping of my foot, yes) and that's all I ask for from AkiUme fic. ♥ ♥ ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - the rainy season by measuringlife - I've said this a bunch of times and I'll probably say it a bunch more, too. There's a certain tone to measuringlife's writing, a certain elegance with imagery that I'm fascinated by, because she applies it to the characters she writes so very, very well. This story is about wet, gloomy rainy seasons and bright sunshine that bursts in even when you're not sure you want it, a story set in one of those moments that has a certain gravity to it (oh, shut up, they're my darlings, I'm allowed to write crappy metaphors in recs for them XD), and yet it doesn't sacrifice the more straightforward aspect. (What I mean is that it's a piece imbued with lovely detail, yet it's not trying too hard or winding up being pseudo-philosophical. It's one of those fics that makes me want to write something just as lovely, no matter how much the words get tangled up in me.) It's just. Akiha and Umeda and rain and sunshine and an umbrella and it's lovely. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - untitled by Liz - Do you know how much I love this fic? Because I'm not sure I can say it without a lot of random arm flailing. Umeda is one of those characters that I fear would be easy to fall into cliche, so it delights me that fandom does so well with showing that he's more than just the bitchy, crabby doctor. He's actually good at his job, he's actually good with the students, and he never loses that bitchiness even when he secretly does like Akiha. The writing for this is fabulous, it shows these things (the opening paragraph is all kinds of awesome) without beating them into my head, and it's just... oh, my. As much as I love Umeda being three-dimensional, I'll always be caught by the Akiha/Umeda interaction even more. Because they're perfect here, Akiha is just so... Akiha about the Valentine's Day chocolate and the way he acts and just... okay, yeah, flailing again, I'll be shutting up now. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Mind Over Matter by Serilda - As I mentioned in the comments, sometimes I almost start to feel a little guilty about always asking for this couple. But then the fic is posted and I can't regret it at all. Certainly not when Umeda is presented as so much more than a stereotype that he could be, the way he knows so much about himself and his reactions to Akiha, yet at the same time doesn't know what to do about it and doesn't have any sort of self-preservation instict. The way whatever this is (and he knows, he knows he knows, but he can't say it and Serilda gets this across without having to smash it into my skull the entire time) has caught him, the way the prompt is used to show what Umeda's going through and it's all the things I've thought about him. And, oh, Akiha. Akiha who knows, who pushes, but not too hard and who's just... everything I've thought about him, too. All wrapped up in a lovely piece. *happy sigh* (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - A Royal Pain (chapter 2) by measuringlife - I said this the last time I rec'd the previous chapter of this fic: I'm normally not big on AUs. I wouldn't have thought I'd want to read a prince/princess AU, I wouldn't have thought I'd want to read a story about fairytales. But I'll give just about anything AkiUme a shot and goodness knows I love measuringlife's writing. And, god, I love the little details she works into this story, the absolute fun of the various fairy godmothers invited to baby Hokuto's christening and the way the baby reacts to them and then the final one and just--afl;jasdflkasldjf, HEE. ♥ It's just fairy-tale enough to satisfy me on that level, but also irreverant and putting twists on old cliches to make it fresh and fun. Also, the "first" story of the two, the short, quiet moment between Akiha and Umeda is just lovely and I never, ever get tired of the way this author writes them. Also, have I mentioned I love Seira in the last five minutes? Because I have a serious mom!crush on that woman. ♥_♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Photographic Evidence by Serilda - Almost out of the blue, Serilda wrote this fic for me and it's been awhile since I was heavily involved in the Hanakimi fandom, but I like her work and I like Akiha/Umeda, so I wanted to read it anyway. Her writing is as delightful as ever, especially when she writes about Akiha's photography being a part of his life, the way his pictures look and what that says about him, all viewed through Umeda's eyes. Who is also beautifully in character, not quite getting that certain something that's niggling at him about the idiot, not until awhile later when it hits him all at once, and it's just... as I said in the comments, it's like a language Akiha speaks that Umeda doesn't quite understand, especially because Akiha's surprisingly subtle. I love, love, love fics that include Akiha's photography and his take on it, but without strictly being about that. Serilda does that wonderfully. (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - Forward Motion by Serilda - I gave Serilda another prompt, which she spun into yet another really lovely fic. The prompt was "five years later", whether actually set in the future or about where they would see themselves in five years, and she did the best possible thing with that--she blended the two together in this really fantastic little way. Also! There's Mizuki! Akiha and Mizuki bonding! And Umeda obviously caring about Mizuki, but all WTF at her like usual while the idiot somehow manages to find the right thing to say which just makes him WTF harder and edge away and yes. I also love her details, little things like a cat-sized thump in the other room during the second half of the fic, the way Akiha and Umeda touch each other while still being so very much themselves, and all of it. A really wonderful fic to wake up to in the morning. ♥♥♥♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - The Morning After the Night Before by Nu Hiep - Do you know how often it is that I find AkiUme fic where I didn't directly con the author into writing it for me? Almost never! Plus, I remembered this author from her Nobuta fic the previous year, so I was curious about it. It's a cute little piece, it does nicely with Umeda being a crab that's secretly a marshmellow, and Akiha is a retard who somehow knows exactly what he's doing/gets what he's after anyway. Plus, it has a cute Nakatsu in it, which is always nice. (Akiha/Umeda, slight NSFW content.)

- Hanazakari no Kimitachi e - My Heart Can Run Faster + My Idea of Heaven + Paper Bag by measuringlife - Same as how I feel about her FFVIII, I also feel about her Hanakimi fic, there's something so intimiate and soft and beautiful about the way measuringlife writes her fic. Even when she's writing the funniest thing ever (oh, god, Umeda's music collection is truly hilarious, of course it'd go just like that), her writing is still just simply lovely. I sigh happily every time I reread each of these short ficlets. A-also, I love her Io so much. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: Appetite + Knowing by measuringlife - These are two short little drabbles (you may have to scroll just a smidg) but what I love about measuringlife's fic is that they're always the right length for the idea and she has these great little gems of characterization/insight. Plus, the second one has the potential for Umeda and kids and you know he'd be awesome with kids, like genuinely awesome with them, he'd be a great dad. You don't think it to look at him, but when you stop and really consider him.... So, I totally want more of these. >:D (Akiha/Umeda.)

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: views + better than chocolate + not a contradiction, really + smoke by measuringlife - You know what there's not enough of in the Hanakimi fandom? (And that I am more than guilty of myself.) Umeda and Mizuki interaction, because their relationship was one of the best things about the manga and it's so lovely to see that in the first ficlet here. I love how quietly insightful Mizuki is, even when neither she nor Umeda realize it, as he rants about Akiha and yet kind of gives himself away at the same time. (He totally could find the words to get Akiha to leave him alone if he really wanted to, but he doesn't. And Mizuki can feel that.) They're all delightful, but I love the first one and the last one the best, they say so much about Umeda in this really lovely, subtle, elegant sort of way. I loved these. ♥ (Akiha/Umeda.)

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: Winter Holiday by Serilda - As I was mentioning in the previous rec, one of the things that doesn't happen enough in fandom and I love when it does, is the inclusion of the rest of the Osaka Gakuen kids in an AkiUme fic, which Serilda is fantastic at doing. She really nails the feeling of canon here, the antics the kids get into (such good-hearted kids at that, but still such kids XD) are spot on and the way Umeda is in the background of their organization of the special day, the way he does things behind the scenes but deliberately stays out of the limelight is perfect because it's so very like him. He shows he cares through subtle ways that you don't necessarily notice at first. Plus, Akiha's inclusion in the whole thing, the Akiha/Umeda relationship is fantastic and the final scene is just.... I was complete goo by the end. (Akiha/Umeda, it's only half the point.)