RMSE gifts: The Exorcist (tv) and The Sting!!!

[dorinda]

I got two presents for the Rare Male Slash Exchange, and they are both delightful! I sincerely recommend them, they cheered me up immensely. Ahhhh. Morale can be hard to come by, but these gifts managed it.

I'm not sure which was my assigned author, maybe even both, but in any case, I appreciate my assigned author very much indeed, and also my kind treat author! You lightened a mood that really needed some lightening. ♥

In alphabetical order by title, the stories are:

1) All In (5522 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker
Additional Tags: Undercover as Prostitute, Misunderstandings, Getting Together
Summary:

Henry runs his cons like a well-oiled machine: every part planned out and played just so. But when he unexpectedly crosses paths with Johnny again, he’s got no choice but to work on the fly.

A "The Sting" post-canon story for Henry and Johnny, in which they accidentally re-encounter each other after a traumatic break and things get revealed. It's angsty in such a good, building, well-characterized way, and both the reasons for the angst and the answer to the angst feel solid, the tone under the author's assured command. The POV, the visuals, the language, the building tension and the release, all so good!


2) That's How the Light Gets In (10153 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Exorcist (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega
Characters: Marcus Keane, Tomas Ortega
Additional Tags: Trauma, Trust, Secrets, Alcohol, Confessions, Travel, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Drunkenness, Honesty, Intimacy, Comfort, Cooking, Comfort Food
Summary:

They’re deep in the throes of their latest exorcism when he hears that same voice again, a man’s voice, rough and cruel— “Whatcha gonna do, Marky boy? Shoot me? Shoot me?”

Tomas closes his eyes and exhales. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s time for him to know.

“Marcus,” he says. “I want to ask you about something.”

A "The Exorcist (TV)" story for Tomas and Marcus, set in that perfect niche between seasons one and two when they were vagabonding around America doing gray-market exorcisms. It FEEDS MY SOUL with that road-trip feeling! Slightly shabby extended-stay motel, life on the road, laundry, diner, groceries, cooking, the way that motel sheets can be so stiff and kind of rustly-loud. And the sensory details all feel just right, in tone but also in their emotional grounding--they don't exist just as window-dressing, they're real, and they have meaning and roles in the emotional build between the characters. Also, the Tomas POV of Marcus is so delicious I could lay around in it all day--Marcus's clothes, his body and body language, the way he puts a spin on his words and expressions, the ways he closes up tight sometimes. Phwoar!

Comments

[destina]

Your gifts comprised exactly half of the stories I have read! Please keep requesting great things and getting assigned good writers. *g* I need to go back and comment; many of those stories in the exchange appear to be totally invisible, judging by their hit counts.

[dorinda]

It's a tough job, requesting delicious things, but somebody's gotta do it! :D I am so particularly touched by these stories--I feel such caring attention to my likes, and such love for the characters.

many of those stories in the exchange appear to be totally invisible, judging by their hit counts

Yeah, really. A low-profile exchange, I suppose? Plus of course the rareness of the fandoms doesn't help.

[corvidology]

I thought your Exorcist gift was extraordinary!

[dorinda]

Me too! I am so grateful to the author. I was saying above to destina that I am particularly touched by the sense of attention to my preferences. I feel very well taken care of.

[ride_4ever]

Oooh, these look relevant to my reading interests.

[dorinda]

I hope you enjoy! I know a rare-fandom fest is a bit of a crapshoot. :D