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snowflake_challenge

ficinabox

Avalanche by exceptionallyunfortunate
Toph/Zuko ; Mature ; 200 words
Even the earth bows to the blind Beifong girl, and the banished prince is no exception.

A gift for me for one of my rare pairs. It's just exceptional; it focuses a lot on earth imagery for Toph (who is an earthbender), and I've never been able to forget this one.

Coaxing by Missy
Beast/Belle ; Mature ; 426 words
Belle eagerly gives herself up to the town's beast as this century's virgin sacrifice. But she's surprised by the creature she meets.

Short and sweet look into a more mature Belle and the Beast. Beast's gentleness is stunning. Belle's curious nature gives her a freedom and strength that rings so true here.

sing the body electric by the magpie said (hollowmen)
Enola/Tewkesbury ; Mature ; 8.2k
The problem with having an eidetic memory, Enola discovers, is that she can recall with perfect clarity the sounds Tewkesbury made in that thin, hazy half-dark.

Really fun casefic with fake dating and great banter.

reflect / refract / diffract by waveridden
Katniss/Peeta + Haymitch, Effie + OCs ; 3.9k ; teen
After winning the 73rd Hunger Games, Katniss gets her first tribute to mentor.

A fantastic, harrowing AU looking at Katniss and Peeta as first-time mentors. The first person reads like Collins' writing—very effective. This one didn't leave me for a while.

Happiness is a Warm Gun by perfectlystill
Lucy Gray/Coriolanus Snow ; Teen ; 3.1k words
"I'm looking out for you, too. I'll find a way," he promises.
Coriolanus teaches Lucy Gray to shoot a gun.

I'm planning to go through perfectlystill's THG works because they really captured Snow's toxicity and need to control Lucy Gray, so if you like complex, unhealthy dynamics with power imbalances, I think you'll like this one!

zombie (what's in your head) by misura
Laurie/Amy ; unrated ; 1.2k words
“I think that deep down inside, you’re a romantic,” Laurie said. “Maybe everyone is. Maybe that’s why so many people are miserable.”
“I think that right now, a lot of people are miserable because there are things out there that are actively trying to kill and eat them,” Amy said. (zombie!apocalypse!AU)

This was a gift for me last year that I have not been able to get out of my head. It's Amy and Laurie during the zombie apocalypse set during their canon. It's simply superb.

Bargaining by gamerfic
Wanda/Vision ; Teen ; 1k words
After the bite, before the end.

One of my favourite gifts. It's Wanda/Vision during What If…Zombies? and it's such a poignant exploration of their experiences with the zombie virus. It's been three years and I have never forgotten this one.

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Glass Hours by Major
Wanda/Vision ; Teen ; 5.6k words
Time took Vision from Wanda.
It seems only fair for Wanda to take Vision from time.

This is a heartbreaking and hopeful Wanda/Vision.

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The Monsters in the Dark by Rubick
Yelena & Natasha & Alexei & Melina ; Teen ; 1.8k words
It was 1994. Natasha was ten years old. Yelena was five. It was a different time back then, when kids were allowed to bike or run around their neighborhood and no one would worry about someone stealing them away.

But Natasha knew better. And why would Melina and Alexei worry, anyway? They didn’t have to worry about the monsters that crept through the night. They were the monsters.

This is set pre-Black Widow and explores what it was like for Natasha and Yelena before entering the Red Room program. Be aware that there is some violence in this.

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A Letter Undelivered by alchemise
Natasha & Yelena ; Teen ; 300 words
Her sister was quiet next to her.

This was a lovely triple drabble exploring the idea of Natasha coming back post-Hawkeye.

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Marvels by persephonereturned
Monica & Carol; Gen ; 100 words
"Maybe I can fly up and meet you halfway.""Only if you learn to glow, like your Auntie Carol.""Or maybe I'll build a spaceship. You don't know!""He doesn't."
- Captain Marvel (2019)

The dynamic between Carol and Monica is perfect.

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Exit Interview by MalevolentLighthouse
Yelena & Val ; Teen ; 200 words

The Val voice is great in this one, and the power dynamics is established incredibly within 200 words.

The Napping Hour by shetiger
Witch's Cat; Gen
He goes wherever she goes...and naps wherever he naps.

Very atmospheric.

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Pre-occupied by debirlfan
Gen ; 100 words
They're still here.

This drabble is incredible.

Harvest Season by nasimwrites
Charlotte/George ; Mature ; 3.9k words
Sometimes, Charlotte finds solace in the heavens, too.

This is one of my favourite gifts I've ever received. It's an exploration of King George's illness through the seasons. It's so beautiful that I have to put it in other people's faces to enjoy. I cannot stop thinking about it even to this day!

A Clockwork Dream by nemali
Bonnie/Kai ; Teen ; 3k words
She kills him every single day. At some point, he stops hating it.

nemali is quickly becoming one of my favourite TVD writers. This was a gift for me; Bonnie and Kai get trapped in another universe (a "prison world") where she kills him over and over. It's a great exploration of Kai, who canon describes as a sociopath and paints with a one dimensional brush that nemali expands upon beautifully. CW for abuse.

Do What Pleases You by facethestrange
Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer ; Gen
Sometimes that's watching the rising sun together.

A very warm picturesque scene — stunning art.