Very long, but overall enjoyable Inception AU fic where Author and Eames are boyfriends, living together, and also co-hosts of a cable show where they judge designers. Something like Top Chef, but for interior design. (In this AU world, Arthur is a realtor and Easmes is a designer/does construction.)
It had the giddy frothiness of watching a good reality competition (something that JCP also tapped into with Magic Mansion.) I love Top Chef (and Magic Mansion), so this hit a lot of fun buttons for me, as well as being a low-tension romance since Arthur and Eames are very much into each other, and the risks in that department are pretty low.
If I was grading a non-fanfic, I would come down on some of over-self-indulgence, especially a trip to New York City 70% through with their family which felt like a long and needless fluffy interlude.
But REALLY--this was probably one of the most hilarious and relaxing things I've read all year. Many times I laughed out loud, and it has a lot of great meta/fandom humor.
Recommended if you like reality tv competitions with your gay romance, and are good with a low-tension but funny (and long) ride.
My favorite Inception AU ever in part because I followed along with the posts as it was being written, and it was a very fun and oddly meta experience. Perfect fic? No, but engaging as hell and incredibly satisfying? Absolutely.
this is simultaneously the funniest and loveliest story ever!! i just regret not reading it live with the comment party and voting and all..i can only imagine how limitless fun that was!