schneefink

It's one of those no-brain days, but it's almost the end of the month and I appreciated the excuse for "productive procrastination": it's monthly recs time. Four excellent Hermitcraft fics.

attempt thirty-three by

Bee_4
13.6k, Joe &Cleo&Cub& Scar gen, time loop
Summary: A glimpse at the thirty-third time Joe Hills has woken up on Monday at 6:00 AM, and the attempt he makes to stop doing that, ideally, or at least get closer to a state where he doesn't have to live these four days ever again.
Why I love it: Heartbreaking, with just enough funny moments to make it better/worse and just enough hope at the end not to make it a tragedy, and a fantastic Joe voice.

fault lines by

januarymorning
24.8k, Xisuma/Evil X (background polyhermits), NSFW
Summary: For a moment Xisuma feels as though the world has dropped out from under him— as though he has been sundered from it, and there is nothing below or around him as far as the eye can see— as though there is no anchor and nothing to grab hold of, only himself and a vastness on all sides. This world that he has built, the world his players have built— negligible, at best, hardly realer than a flicker on a silver screen. It would crumple like wet paper, if he told it to.
He is the universe cradling his players, holding them in his palm above a silence that’d claim them if he let it claim them. It would have had Scar. It would have had Cleo. It would have Joe, now, if he allowed it. They are so terribly fragile.
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aka 4 times xisuma gets propositioned by his players who are expecting him to make use of certain admin privileges, and he is really not whatsoever interested in hurting them even though he theoretically should be according to some people. and 1 time that is, uh, NOT what happens.
Why I love it: Exploration of and different takes on admin powers on Minecraft servers are always interesting, and this one is great and gave me many Xisuma feelings.

so enlist every ounce of your bright blood by

springbeetle
5.3k, Grian/Scar&Cub, captivity
Summary: “Actually, I was thinking of building a permit office,” Scar said carefully, and Grian’s feathers bristled up. “Don’t freak out, though, okay? I’m not reusing ideas, never, perish the thought. We’re free thinking men, I’m taking inspiration. Opening doors to new experiences, really— digging deep.”
The basement, then. Grian skittered his gaze away from Scar’s, stared at one of their shulker boxes and envisioned the contents with gusto. He’d gotten fantastic at counting his inventory if he was having trouble thinking correctly, within the boundaries their new admins preferred. He had to keep his thoughts in order if he was going to come up with phrases like well, batter my fish sticks and fry me at the fair— the one time he’d tried that one out, Scar had laughed so hard that he’d fallen off a battlement and died, and One had punished Grian for the delay. Clearly he needed better material.
“And here I thought vex didn’t need to open doors,” he said lightly.
“Oh, we don’t, really,” Scar said, and alright, that was Cub. Cub was here. Cub was here.
Why I love it: Grian and Scar are captives of the Watchers and they do their best to make it through; Cub ~attempts a rescue. Hurts so good.

Snapshots from a Hermitcraft Wedding by

Vanyel
2.3k, Ren/Doc, fluff
Summary: Making it official. Because they can.
Why I like it: Something light and sweet to end the list on.