July recs

It might be the very last day of the month, but that means I'm not late! Five Sandman recs, and one each for Batman, Murderbot, and Biggles.
 

SANDMAN

What Manner Of Creature by @ro-moray (Dream/Hob)

Hob’s had a number of theories about his strange friend over the years. They are all, of course, completely incorrect.

Great through-the-years look at Hob and Dream, with humor and understanding.

to dream you was remembering by @cuubism (Dream/Hob)

Hob understands now both why Dream created this nightmare, as well as why doing so was an unconscious rather than conscious act, and the thought hurts more than the nightmare itself. After all, Hob has had four hundred years to grapple with his own loss. He’s not sure that, even after so much time, Dream has grappled with his.

Short scene with Hob and Dream and a baby nightmare, but it packs a hell of an emotional punch.

The Dread and Fear of Kings by @maybemalapert (gen)

“I’m afraid I’m not much into charcoal sketches,” Hob said, taking in the crude rendition of himself and his Stranger that he’d last seen in the hands of Johanna Constantine. “Now, oil paintings on the other hand–”
“Mr. Gadlen,” the man interrupted. “I have gone to great lengths to find you and to confirm that it was indeed you who met with Dream of the Endless in 1889 and every century prior. Let me assure you, I do not make a habit of kidnapping people on a whim.”

Deliciously whumpy fishbowl rescue with Burgess being a real bastard (what else). Happy ending, but mind the tags.

Yours for the Taking by @signiorbenedickofpadua (Calliope/Dream/Hob)

When Hob spots a sad woman in white through a window of a famous author’s house, he gets a bad feeling. Further investigation reveals that she’s in need of rescue, but what Hob isn’t prepared for is the fact that the woman he sets out to save turns out to be a literal Greek goddess, the ex-wife of the Stranger he keeps waiting for, and a rather lovely person to boot.

SUCH a good and satisfying read, with a skillful build to the three-way romance.

more sky comes and more days by Chrome/@catalists (Calliope/Dream/Hob)

In the aftermath of her imprisonment, Calliope is determined to learn to trust humans again, so she finds a roommate and settles in the mortal world. Meanwhile, her former husband has been on another quest that ended in grief, and he seeks her out for solace. What could possibly go wrong?
or,
“Hey, Zed,” Hob answered. “Something the matter?”
“Yes,” she said. “Calliope’s ex showed up and he’s fucking terrifying.”

Really enjoyed this way of them all colliding - funny and bittersweet at turns - and the resolution.

MISC

Birdwatch11 by @smilebackwards (Batman, gen)

Tim hadn’t actually meant to start a popular Batwatch blog.

He hadn’t meant to start a blog at all honestly but by the time he turned eleven he’d accumulated hundreds of pictures of Batman and Robin on his Nikon DSLR and it had just seemed inefficient to go through the trouble of printing them and storing them in a box under his bed when BlogSphere had a perfectly adequate platform.

Short, funny, sweet story about someone trying to claim credit for Tim’s pre-Robin photo habit, and his A+++ response.

in recognition by isilee (Murderbot, gen)

Volescu’s first communication from SecUnit, once it had pieced together its brain again and settled into Preservation a little more, appeared in his feed inbox right as he took a sip of his morning coffee.

*dies laughing* In which Murderbot recognizes Volescu for having the sense to retire. Cute look at the friendship of the whole survey group.

Biggles in Sarawak by @philomytha (Biggles/von Stalhein)

Biggles is asked to help the CIA transport a Soviet spy they’ve captured in a remote jungle location. The trouble is, the spy is Erich von Stalhein. And that’s only the first problem.

Excellent adventure jam-packed with tropes from hurt/comfort to teaming-up-with-your-nemesis to sex pollen (with said nemesis, of course).