Title: Mechanics of Poetry (series)
Author: omgericzimmermann
Fandom: Check, Please!
Pairing(s): Derek “Nursey” Nurse/William “Dex” Poindexter, with background Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmerman, Justin Oluransi/Adam Birkholtz, Shitty Knight/Larissa Duan
Rating: Teen and Up
Warnings: Homophobia in the form of a few of Dex’s family members
Genres: First Time, Angst
Word Count: 67,404
Summary: First story (969 words): Dex and Nursey drive to Maine for the summer.
Second story (66,435 words): In which Nursey doesn’t know how to drive and Dex takes it upon himself to teach him.
In which Derek Nurse is a love struck fool.
In which Will Poindexter’s problems have problems.
And sometimes they play hockey.
Why You Should Read This: To begin, I’m going to admit that Dex/Nursey isn’t the first pairing in this fandom, and probably isn’t even the second most popular. But there is so much that’s been said and done with the two that they really make a compelling couple. In the true “couples dynamics” realm, they do play off each other really, really well.
This series, which started with the 969 word one-shot where Dex finds out Nursey doesn’t have a driver’s license because he never learned to drive. And then the author took that little ficlet and expanded it. It covers from Dex and Nursey’s sophomore year at Samwell and ends years later in probably what is the most heart-felt HEA that I’ve ever read. As I told the author in a comment, “I want to live in this Universe.”
There are sections in the fic that deal lightheartedly with things like coming out publicly as an out NHL player (Jack), and the very quick repercussions. And there are the heartfelt scenes, like Nursey’s interactions with Dex’s grandmother, Dex standing up to his homophobic brother, the comfort that Dex gives Nursey after Nursey’s mother arrives. It’s real, and it’s warm, and I just want to wrap myself up with it like a blanket.
Finally, I know I’ve added quite a few Check, Please! fic recs here over the last couple of months. If you aren’t in the fandom, I will say if you want to dip your toes in, not only is canon pretty fantastic, but there are some amazing writers here. We’re talking foundation Stargate Atlantis-level writing. (Personally, I consider SGA as the fandom with the best foundation of writers, with authors like sheafrotherdon, Keira Marcos, esteefee, astolat, and Speranza, but stacked against each other, Check, Please! authors come a close second.)