358. BATTLESHIP 2024 - GIFTS AND RECS.

[peaked]

Here are my recommendations (including the gifts I received!) for battleshipex 2024's round! I loved all my gifts and was very fortunate to receive almost 20 spanning fic, art, and podfic! There are so many fantastic works in the collection that I have and haven't checked out (mostly due to canon blindness) so please have a look at the collections! If you enjoy something, please consider giving it a kudos and leaving a comment!

My gifts are highlighted as so: GIFT

My list is in fandom alphabetical order. I didn't go as far as to list the works in chronological order via word count or ratings because I am not that dedicated and I haven't done a wrap up post in two years and actually wanted to get this out before we are all dead.

Collections: Mermaid • Volcano • Tunnel • Crystal • Main Collection


BUFFYVERSE

Death Reborn by RoselynnThornwood
Angel: The Series ; Darla/Drusilla ; Teen ; 483 words
Drusilla waxes nostalgic as she waits for her new childe to rise.

The first POV is stunningly accurate to Drusilla. I should have known this was RoselynnThornwood's work because she always writes the BTVS I enjoy in collections.

CHALLENGERS

She Wanted Him, He Wanted Me by darkrosaleen GIFT
Challengers ; Tashi/Patrick ; Explicit ; 1.3k words
"So what you're saying is," Tashi says, slipping her hand back into her underwear, "you didn't hump her like a dirty slut. You humped him."

Set during the Stanford era before everything goes to shit. Art truly haunts the narrative in this one.

Real Gangsters Run Red Lights by darkrosaleen GIFT
Challengers ; Tashi/Patrick ; Explicit ; 1.5k words
Patrick picked an unlucky week to visit Stanford.

PERIOD SEX. I never knew I needed Patrick Zweig challenging the idea periods are gross until now.

DISNEY

[ PODFIC ] Seducing A Princess by nonminus
Disney ; Ursula/Ariel; Teen ; 4 mins
Ursula likes to win big.

This is such a clean reading with a great lyrical cadence to it, and the voice for Ursula is SO GOOD.

GAME OF THRONES

The Stirring Midnight's Sigh by gaialux
Game of Thrones ; Cersei/Jaime ; Mature ; 664 words
Jaime always came back.

Gorgeous pre-canon period sex. It captures Jaime and Cersei so beautifully.

GRISHAVERSE

dust and bone by nonexistentwench GIFT
Six of Crows ; Nina/Matthias ; Teen ; 1k words
Nina gives used her new powers to bring Matthias back to life

A fantastic character study of Nina. This is what I wanted to happen in King of Scars.

Clarity by goblins_riddles_frocks GIFT
Grishaverse ; Alina/Darkling ; Explicit ; 1k words
Alina goes to see the Darkling one last time.

I have been hungry for Darklina set in the KOS era for ages now and this fic delivers on a great character study that shows how the Darkling is in arrested development while Alina continues to thrive in her growth. Loved it.

the fire crackles on by ibissal GIFT
Six of Crows ; Inej/Matthias ; Explicit ; 1.5k words
On her slow road to recovery, Inej enlists Matthias' help to achieve something Kaz can't provide.

I was curious when I saw Inej/Matthias nominated in the tagset, and I'm so glad I requested it. This is a great piece of Inej wanting to reclaim her sexual power and having Matthias play a part in it.

[ PODFIC ] mirage by Maven_Morozov by JocundaSykesEncore
Grisha Trilogy ; Alina/Darkling ; Explicit ; 12 mins
While Alina takes a luxurious, relaxing bath in the Little Palace, she thinks about the Darkling, and her imagination takes hold of her body.

The reading is incredible. This is something I would expect from a professional audiobook service.

HARRY POTTER

[ PODFIC ] flour & flesh by wilfriede0815
Harry Potter ; Hermione/Pansy ; Mature ; 5 minutes
The cottage on the hill is shrouded in clouds like a secret. Our secret.

I was curious by the "Horror" and "Dead Girlfriend: Do Not Eat" tags. The pacing, clarity, and tone reminded me a lot of Joe Goldberg. The reading really elevated the fic's horror elements.

[ PODFIC ] Les Pèlerins by PacificRimbaud by JocundaSykes
Harry Potter ; Hermione/Draco ; Mature ; 1hr 12mins
Hermione Granger refused to believe in fate.
She’d had enough of destiny and prophecies to last a lifetime.
But try as she may, she felt, sometimes, that an invisible golden thread stretched out and away from her.
All she could do was follow it.

This was so enjoyable to listen to. The dynamic of Draco and Hermione is spot on in the reading, and I love how Hermione's know-it-all and defensive attitude comes across perfectly.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

by the grave I saw the vines by APgeeksout GIFT
House of the Dragon ; Helaena & Aegon ; Gen ; 493 words
Helaena watches her daughter breathe for a while longer, but cannot bring herself to settle in her own bed. Sleep will elude her for the night’s longest watch and bring only unsettling dreams of owls and cinders and keening children when it finally deigns to claim her.

This is such a lovely moment post 2x01 that gives Aegon and Helaena a chance to bond over their shared grief.

XVII. The Star by RoselynnThornwood GIFT
House of the Dragon ; Helaena/Aegon II ; Mature ; 939 words
Aegon seeks comfort after the death of his son.

A lovely relationship study of Aegon/Helaena in the aftermath of Jaehaerys' death and a fantastic character study of Aegon and grief.

Trinity by RoselynnThornwood GIFT
House of the Dragon ; Aegon/Aemond/Helaena ; Explicit ; 3.4k words
Aegon's attempt to torment his siblings turns out differently than he expected.

A really great relationship study that showcases how each sibling possesses power over the others. I particularly enjoyed Aegon's characterisation and the exploration of his complexities as I feel he's a character you can really get wrong.

Love of His Life by Alley_Skywalker
House of the Dragon ; Alicent/Criston ; Gen ; 578
The simple truth is: she is the love of his life.

A very interesting take on Criston Cole and his perspective on Alicent. I really, really loved it! It went in line with what we know about his character and really added a delicious layer to what the show's version is lacking. It's tagged as romance, but I feel like it's very much Criston idolising Alicent to the point where she's basically his religion. This really worked for me.

In the Dragon's Maw by Flammenkobold
House of the Dragon ; Rhaenyra/Aegon, Rhaenyra/Daemon, Rhaenyra/Aegon/Daemon ; Teen ; 719
If he declares it a hunt, if he catches her, he can bring an end to this war before it gets worse. If he catches her on her dragon it will give him the right to claim her as his wife and force her into the role she should have always had. Not a ruling queen, but a consort under his command at best.
The one thing Aegon forgot was that the rules went both ways.

This is such a twisted power play. Even though this was humiliating for Aegon, I really liked how he was characterised as having emotional maturity and the ability to reflect on how he treated his family. It was a great character piece on both Rhaenyra's cruelty and Aegon's self-sacrifice—two things I don't think the show has given a lot of thought or care about.

THE HUNGER GAMES

victorious nights by thesockhop
The Hunger Games ; Katniss/Finnick ; Mature ; 3.3k
There is no Quarter Quell that reaps victors.
President Snow has a more profitable way to keep the victors down, especially one Katniss Everdeen.

This is such a dark take on "What if the rebellion never happened?" A great character study of Katniss at her most defeated making the best out of a very fucked situation. Please be aware that this contains heavy noncon.

MCU

[ PODFIC ] of a white blue rose by pezzax GIFT
MCU ; Wanda/Vision ; Teen ; 14 mins
Vision clears his throat and keeps his gaze settled on the disturbed dirt at their feet. "I wanted to show you something… Not to upset you, of course, but many of our conversations got me thinking…" He clears his throat once more, hands turning white as he grips his palms tightly.
When he looks at her, Wanda watches his hands curiously. His voice is so gentle she feels compelled to lean into him so she can hear every one of his delicately spoken words. "I read that sometimes it helps the grieving process if you plant a tree in memoriam of those who have… left us."
Feeling her throat tighten, she keeps her smile small and her gaze averted from his. Her eyes burn.
—
Vision helps Wanda remember Pietro.
[ 1x08 ]

A beautiful recording of my fic! Spoken with clarity, I really loved how they captured the moments of awkwardness and light laughs in the dialogue. I loved writing this fic and this recording reminded me of why I'm so proud of it.

[ PODFIC ] i'm looking in the window by buries by mixtapepod GIFT
MCU ; MJ/Peter ; Teen ; 52mins
The Multiverse confirms MJ’s suspicions about Peter: he’s meant to be in her life.
Or: Five times MJ travelled through time and the Multiverse, and the one time she didn’t.

I wanted to bait mixtapepod into gifting me a podfic or podding my work and IT WORKED. Clear reading, greatly paced for a longer work, and I felt they captured the mood of the piece so well. What a pleasure it was to listen to this!

[ ART ] they say he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea by Alana
Dark Souls/MCU ; Dark Sun Gwyndolin/Loki; Gen

A stunning painting.

home by SleepyMaddy
Captain Marvel ; Maria/Carol ; Gen ; 300 words
Maria gets home an hour later than planned.

Not a single word wasted. This was a great look into the domestic bliss of Maria and Carol's life pre-CM.

[ PODFIC] Is That A Smile I See Before Me? by peasina
Avengers ; Tony & Steve & Natasha & Clint ; Gen ; 28 mins
In Tony's opinion Steve Rogers is the most stuffy, boring human being in existence, but when he complains as much to Natasha she suggests he's doing the man a disservice and seeing only what he wants to see so Tony goes out to prove her wrong. Things do not go the way he expects they will, not at all.

This reading really captured the sarcasm of Tony so well. It was so enjoyable to listen to.

“MYSTERIOUS FOG NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT” SAYS WEATHERMAN WHO DIED 20 YEARS AGO - MARY GILLIS

[ PODFIC ] The Fog
by peasina
Mysterious Fog ; Resident of Deepwater Cove & Milo Saunders ; Teen ; 14 minutes
A mysterious fog rolls over Deepwater Cove as their long lost weatherman returns.

Great production, a clear reading, and the tone is really fun considering this fandom. I'd expect to hear something like this on a professional audiobook service.

ORIGINAL WORK

[ ART ] Ragdolls Have the Softest Hare by BuddyWritesFic GIFT
Cat & Rabbit ; Gen
Just a cat and her bunnies

This is a really cute play on words and a silly prompt.

[ ART ] End of the Quest by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo GIFT
Knight & Stallion ; Gen ; Digital Art
Art of a knight arriving at the end of her quest.

Monochrome art WITH A FUCKING COOL HORSE. I have always loved Sarriathmg_RoundTwo's art, even canonblind, so it was an absolute treat to be gifted by them!

[ ART ] Shoulder Dragon
by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo GIFT
Shoulder Dragon ; Gen ; Digital Art
Art of a pet we all deserve.

One of the cutest dragons you will ever see.

[ ART ] Four Seasons by azurrys GIFT
Bunny & Cat ; Gen ; Digital Art
A cat and a bunny's friendship through the seasons.

I really love the story as it goes through the seasons but also shows the journey of friendship, too. I wanted azurrys art and I got azurrys art. I feel like I won Battleship.

[ ART ] Dancing Witch by taken_aback_by_Tuesdays GIFT
Cat & Witch ; Gen ; Digital Art
A witch and a cat dance in a meadow, to the music of a violin that plays itself. The rain starts to circle up around the witch.

The colours, the movement, the whole concept is so, so cute!

[ ART ] Battleship 2024 by azurrys GIFT
Gen ; Digital Art
Art dedicated to the four Battleship 2024 teams: Volcano, Tunnel, Crystal and Mermaid!

This depicts four different scenarios in such a seamless and beautiful way. The details are to die for. The fox and the dwarf are my favourites.

[ ART ] Kelp Party by BuddyWritesFic GIFT
Mermaids ; Gen
Just mermaids, having a kelp party.

I love the details of the mermaid's tails. It's so cute!

[ ART ] Just Don't Call Me Late For Dinner by nan
Original Work ; Dwarf
Spending all day in the mines means being greeted by very hungry animals when he makes it back home.

The details in this are very cool.

[ ART ] Meow! by BuddyWritesFic
Original Work ; Cat & Eldritch Being
Four beings exist compounded into one! Only one of the four may be perceived by mortal eyes. That one's name is Mittens.

I love the execution of this.

[ ART ] Irises for Hope by InArduisFidelis GIFT
Gen ; Digital Art
Original Work ; Dragon ; Gen ; 324 words
Vermillion knows that he is a poor excuse for a dragon.

This was a lovely exploration of a downtrodden dragon who still sees the glass as half full. I particularly enjoyed the worldbuilding.

We Can Make the Ground Move by BuddyWritesFic
Original Work ; Crystal Deity/Volcano Deity ; Explicit ; 400 words

The prose and imagery is stunning.

Dragon Raising by Anonymous GIFT
Original Work ; Baby Dragon & Caretaker ; Gen ; 436 words
So, as it is, the forces have conspired to make you the guardian of one newly hatched baby dragon. A dragonling, if you will.

Second POV done beautifully. The worldbuilding and prose is so lovely.

[ ART ] My Tower Is Next Door Neighbors With A Lonely Tentacle Monster Who Lives In A Volcano by cirrha
Original Work ; Tentacle Monster ; Gen
Imagine being assigned to study the fearsome monster next door for your fire mage thesis but he's so shy!

Everything about this is stunning. It's so bright, the magical effects are wonderful. I love it so much.

[ ART ] Frolicking With Baby Goat by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo
Original Work ; Goat ; Gen
Art of some cute baby goat in a meadow

I really love the colours and movement in this one.

The People We Used to Be by cricketdust
Original Work ; Toxic Soulmates ; Not rated ; 999 words
Decades came and went. Lifetimes passed. And in each one, he was drawn to her. A moth to the flame—only, while she was the spark, he was the fire, consuming every piece of her he could.

A compelling exploration of a toxic relationship between two soulmates who are constantly reincarnated. I would read thousands of words of this.

[ ART ] A Day in the Life of a Gull by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo
Original Work ; Harpy & Mermaid ; Mature
Flying over the vast ocean, chasing mermaids... It's hard being a seagull harpy.

Really creative character designs.

[ ART ] Tale of the Shadow Art by cirrha
Original Work ; Ghost Ship ; Teen
"The winds blew stronger still
The ocean raged against us, tried to break our will
The sirens in the water, thirsty for the kill
Our vessel reelin' to and fro
To bear us to the one they call The Shadow"
Inspired by Tale of the Shadow by Sail Nort

The style and detail are so clean, yet the scene depicted is so chaotic. I really enjoy the story it tells.

[ ART ] Caged by cirrha
Original Work ; Mermaids ; Not Rated
Rare specimens must be studied...or sold.

The story depicted in this is just so stunning and sad. This may be my favourite piece of art in the collection. I feel so inspired to write a story about it.

[ ART ] Battle in the Flowers by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo
Original Work ; Knight & Butterfly Dragon ; Gen
Art of a fairy knight battling a butterfly dragon

This is so bright and wonderful.

The Starlight in the Sea by vanishresponse
Original Work ; Worldbuilding & Algae ; Mature ; 744 words
In a particular bay, the algae blooms are both beautiful and dangerous.

The use of first person works so well here—it doesn't heed the worldbuilding, but amplifies it and even adds an additional layer to the worldbuilding itself. The imagery in this is wonderful.

[ ART ] Toasted Bun and Russian Blue by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo
Original Work ; Cat & Bunny ; Gen
Art of a cat and a bun

I love the scene depicted. The fur details and expressive eyes are so cute.

[ ART ] Hoot-Hoot by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo
Original Work ; Cat-Owl Griffin ; Gen
POV: What you see before it gets you.

I love the attention to detail and the colouring.

[ ART ] Be Not Afraid by Sarriathmg_RoundTwo
Original Work ; Biblically Accurate Angel ; Teen

The colour work is stunning.

[ ART ] The Little Magmaid by infinitelink GIFT
Original Work ; Mermaid ; Gen
Oh, today is a good day. Today, her favorite volcano is erupting again.

Magmaids were the best team in Battleship and this is why. A really beautifully stunning mermaid.

[ ART ] A New Home by infinitelink
Original Work ; Cat & Human ; Gen
Little cat finds a new home.

Cat lovers will love this.

[ ART ] Feline Defense System by McBangle
Original Work ; Cowardly Dragon & the Fierce Kitten Who Serves as Its Protector (OW) ; Gen
For years, people seeking easy money have looted the Cave of the Cowardly Dragon. Two looters approach the cave, unaware that the dragon has installed a new defense system...

This short comic is really cute.

[ ART ] Bug dragons by Anonymous
Original Work ; Butterfly Dragon & Dragonfly Dragon ; Gen

I love the designs of the dragons. They're very simple yet effective.

[ ART ] Butterfly Dragon by Anonymous
Original Work ; Butterfly Dragon ; Gen

I really love the colours.

[ ART ] A Shoulder to Lie On by BuddyWritesFic
Original Work ; Dragon ; Gen
I don't know what that dragon just said, but it looks pleased with itself.

I love the bright colours and cheeky look on the dragon. It really sets a scene nicely.

[ ART ] Edwardian Couple by Hekateras
Original Work ; Hamsters ; Gen
Two prim and proper hamsters trying to hold still for the camera.

This is really cute (despite their expressions!) and I think it captures the time period so well.

[ ART ] Fly-by by Hekateras
Original Work ; Dragons ; Gen
An ancient forest dragon and a young frost drake meet briefly in passing.

The dragons and the concept are stunning.

[ ART ] The Moors by Hekateras
Original Work ; Kelpie ; Teen

I have not included all of Hekateras's horse art in my rec post, but I am apparently obsessed with their horse anatomy and the various concepts they've come up with. I love this artwork in particular.

[ ART ] Tiny Lights in the Dark by westiec
Original Work ; Dwarf ; Gen
No matter how deep the darkness, you'll always find a light if you look.

I love the details and scene in this.

[ ART ] A Date with the Stars by Hekateras
Original Work ; Unicorn ; Gen
A unicorn goes stargazing.

A really effective piece with a simple colour palette.

[ ART ] Fairy Rats by Hekateras
Original Work ; Rats ; Gen
Fairy rats with fairy wings. Many of them. Also an automaton.

The coloured art and sketched art are really cute.

[ ART ] Fire on the Perch by Hekateras
Original Work ; Phoenix ; Gen
Portrait of a phoenix.

The details and colouring is stunning.

[ ART ] Companion by Shadaras
Original Work ; Dragon ; Gen
A shoulder dragon is the best companion of all!

The companionship depicted in this is so lovely. I really love their style.

[ ART ] Enough Arms to Play With by Hekateras
Original Work ; Mermaid ; Gen
A goldfish mermaid playing with an octopus.

This is so cleverly done.

[ ART ] Too Deep by Hekateras
Original Work ; Mermaid ; Gen
A hapless diver may have found more than he bargained for...

This is gorgeous and eery. It makes me want to write a story based on it. (Yes, I am apparently obsessed with Hekateras's art. I'm okay with this.)

[ ART ] Freed
by Hekateras
Original Work ; Mermaid ; Gen
They take to the stars.

A really simple colour palette used to perfection. This is so creepy and creates such a cool story.

POKEMON

Please check out this series of Pokedecks by peasina! We collaborated on a few of these where peasina created the three cards and I chose the order, whether they were upright or reversed, and did the reading. peasina added in any specific Pokemon references and puns, as I kept going [POKEMON NAME] in my draft, so please credit them with anything that makes you laugh because it most certainly wasn't my doing! Their artwork is honestly beautiful. I want this deck so bad!

(I will update my list if they do more!)

The Pokedecks: Past, Present, Future with the reading done by RoselynnThornwood
The Pokedecks: You, Your Path, Your Potential (I wrote this one! :D)
The Pokedecks: Situation, Obstacle, Advice (And I wrote this one, too! :D)
The Pokedecks: Mind, Body, Spirit GIFT
The Pokedecks: Challenges, Overcoming Obstacles, Goals (Guess who wrote this one!)

[ ART ] A simple hug by BlueWolves
Pocket Monsters ; Gamazou ; Gen

This is so cute.

READY OR NOT

illumination by cricketdust GIFT
Ready or Not ; Daniel & Grace ; Teen ; 300 words
Daniel understands why Alex kept Grace in the dark.

A great character study of Daniel Le Domas pre-the events of the wedding night. I really like the ending. (It also includes some Charity/Daniel if you like that ship!)

Here I Come (Again and Again) by psychomachia GIFT
Ready or Not ; Grace/Daniel ; Explicit ; 5.6k
Three ways Daniel and Grace get together... and one that actually works out for the best.

A really neat 3+1 that puts a nice spin on fixing how the movie ends. It's a fresh take on this ship.

THE UNTAMED

[ ART ] best of bad choices by Alana
The Untamed ; Wen Qing ; Gen

This is a really beautiful portrait. I enjoyed this while canonblind!

WARHAMMER 40.000

[ ART ] Lazy Afternoon by nan
Warhammer 40.000 ; Lorgar Aurelian/Leman Russ ; Gen ; Characters as cats
Lorgar and Leman decide to snooze the afternoon away.

I absolutely adore everything about this—the colours, the fur details, the CATS!!! I'm canon blind to W4000 and now I wish I wasn't if it inspired art like this.

YELLOWJACKETS

you will never be hungry again by TechnicolorRevel GIFT
Yellowjackets ; Shauna/Jackie, Shauna/Callie ; Explicit; 5.1k words
You will never know real hunger again - you can never know real hunger again, because you know in the depths of your guts that you've closed off that part of your heart. Even if you were locked away in the deepest darkest dungeon and deprived of any food at all, you've done your best to smother that last little bit of hunger.
Love is a gnawing ache at the pit of the stomach, begging for more, and you're never going to be hungry again.

A really brutal exploration of PTSD and how the Wilderness has shaped Shauna's definition of love. I really liked the brutality and the lack of romanticisation of motherhood, Shauna's struggles to connect in the outside world, and how Jackie haunts her.