Fandom: ALIAS
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: not available
Author Website: not available
Why this must be read:

I'm a sucker for character pieces in the Alias fandom, and this one takes a good look at Will post-The Telling (2.22). He's always struggling to find his place in the world, and with every change he faces is a new difficulty that he overcomes. Will is, in many ways, the regular guy playing the part, and while he can never quite get it right, he always pulls through.

Atrophy

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: none

Author's webpage: home page

Why this must be read:
Right, so I'll be your Highlander tour guide for December. Sorry for the late start. Since the good folks before me covered Duncan/Methos slash, I'll be rec'ing a lot of gen fic and also stories that center on Richie. In which case, the best place to begin is with Sandra McDonald.

Sandra is the premiere Highlander writer. Character voice? nailed. Well-detailed plots that move smoothly? uh-huh. Best of all, she loves and understands the characters completely.
In "Tough Guy," Sandra tells the story that the show writers left to our imaginations: how Richie came to live with Duncan and Tessa. While there are moments of sweetness, it's not sappy; while there is talk and repercussions of Richie being a foster kid from some not-so-nice homes, it's not over the top, movie of the week h/c. Duncan, Richie, and Tessa were quite the family in season 1, and Sandra builds it, every step of the way.

If you're a HL newbie, thinking of borrowing or currently working your way through some friend's S1 collection, "Tough Guy" is an excellent introduction to S1 characters and their interpersonal dynamics. For the old HL hands, it's a well-crafted and endearing look back at a more innocent time - the nostalgia is overwhelming.

Tough Guy

Fandom:BLAKES7
Pairing:Blake/Avon
Author on LJ:?
Author Website:?
Why this must be read:
The set-up for the series is that Blake is exiled to a prison colony on charges of child molesting. Canon implies that the charges were fabricated, to prevent Blake from being seen as the political martyr he really is.

But...but...what if? In this story, Blake is horrified to find himself aroused when a rebel leader's hero-worshipping six-year-old son sneaks into his bed at night. On one level, Blake just wants to comfort the tiny, innocent child. And, on another level, he doesn't.

As a significant complicating factor, before this incident Blake was extremely attracted to Avon; afterward, he ceases to be aroused by Avon's adult persona, or his displays of masculinity...but is extremely responsive to the repertoire of Daddy/Boy games that Avon eagerly initiates as a means to...

Well, what? Be able to blackmail Blake? To get Blake to knock him around just the way he likes? To express love that he won't admit to under other circumstances? Show that he's willing to do absolutely anything for Blake?

Avon's formulation (You know you can have what you need without harming anyone, and I can have what I want with the fewest possible complications) obviously isn't the whole truth. But what about Blake's: Untangling the skeins of Avon's intended powerplay that was supposed to be disguised as sex-play, but was, Blake was sure, more love disguised as sex-play within powerplay.

Rosetta Stone

Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: Sebastian's Professionals fiction can be found at the Circuit Archive and The Hatstand.
Why this must be read:

Sebastian's Adagio Trilogy is really a series of four stories that together form a long, slow exploration of Bodie and Doyle's relationship as it develops from long-time partners to lovers. There's action, romance, angst, and steamy sex: a little something for everyone.

Adagio, Catharsis, The Homecoming, and Plain Sailing

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing:  none!
Author on LJ: *sigh* she's convinced it's evil.
Author Website: nope.
Why this must be read:

Why? Because it's a missing scene from Serenity. Because it's one of the best-written Simon POV ever. Because it's DVD day, and who doesn't want a bit more after watching the pilot episode?

Seriously, this is a great character piece, which explores how Simon found Serenity, and a bit of his adventures for the previous twenty-four hours.

And besides, I'm not always about the slashy smut. Truly.
 
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