Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: thevetia
Author's Website: Thevetia's Page
Why this must be read:

I confessed earlier that I'm a sucker for a Jack with real depth, and Thevetia gives us that here with style. Her Jack and Daniel are both resolutely three-dimensional - they feel not only like real people, but like real friends. I think that's partly because she's not afraid to combine intimacy and awkwardness in her portrayal of them; there's a... this is going to sound weird as a compliment, but it's the best way I can think of to put it... a distance that she has from them, that leaves me feeling like I've seen them clear. Combined with that distance, though, there's a real warmth that makes me smile.

Plus, this story makes me overflow with Jack-love. Thevetia's version of him is courageous and cowardly and secretive and incredibly generous of spirit, and I adore him.

Short version: Jack takes Daniel home to his family in Chicago the first Christmas after Sha're's death.

( Spoilers behind the cut )

It was strange to be in O'Hare with Jack. Strange to find their way without speaking through the airport maze and know that this was familiar ground to both of them. Strange, that their memories of it weren't mutual.

To Drive the Cold Winter Away

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: N/A
Author on LJ: Not on LJ
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: My final rec is not a well-known story. When I first came across this one it immediately struck a chord with me, and I thought, That is what it would be like to be a new female Immortal I went back to find it for this month of recs and was pleased to see it was as realistic as I remembered.

( Want to know more? )
Although I'm particularly recommending

The New World

which does work standalone, it does have a precursor Advent with some good Methos lines.

Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author's Website: Unknown
Why this must be read:

Because I have never found another story like it in the fandom.

Set in S6 in, well, a spirit version of a Vancouver Starbucks, this story combines Oma, Ascended Daniel, and American Indian folklore to create a damn compelling whole. (I have no idea if the stories in here are traditional or Amperage's; I personally assumed the latter, but I don't actually know.)

To quote Amperage, this is the story of why Coyote loves Badger, why Badger stays with Coyote, and why Daniel Descended. It's a story about love, told through... stories about love. It works for Daniel because of who Daniel is, because this kind of story is where he lives too. It's serious when it needs to be, and funny everywhere it should be, and it makes me smile every time. I'm not going to give more discussion behind a cut - I wouldn't know where to start - but in exchange, I'm going to give two quotes instead of just one.

"Badger!" Coyote was the first one up.

"Old fool!" Badger sputtered as she kicked off her galoshes and slapped away Coyote's hands. She got her own pashima and trench coat off.

"Daniel said you've had some garage sales?" Coyote said reproachfully, hanging up his wife's outer clothing.

Badger snorted. "Just some things our grandchildren gave us. You know that awful elephant planter you always bruise your toes on? Panther bought it. What he wants with it is anyone's guess. Now give us a kiss."

Coyote leaned down and began kissing his short, stubbly wife gently, short little smacks on her forehead and nose and cheeks and neck. Finally he worked his way down her short snout to her mouth and really kissed his wife.

"I love you," he said, finally, when Badger broke away.

"I know. I love you. I sold your Bong."

***

"So Coyote went back down where he was needed and I sat among the stars. I missed Coyote. Coyote forces me to laugh when he thinks I have been too serious. Coyote kisses me with tiny kisses until my skin tingles. Coyote holds me when I am ill. Coyote is not ashamed when I cry." Badger paused, wiped some tears from her eyes.

"So I went back to Coyote's den. I put my star pelt up in a box with cedar wood. I cleaned up Coyote's den and finished it out just to listen to him complain. And I loved him." Badger finished. "This story is not heroic or full of mischief. But it is true."

"It is the most powerful of the stories," Oma said softly.

And on that note... I hope this month's stories have been good for you. It's definitely been fun for me.

Coyote at Starbuck's

Fandom: THE X FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Scully
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: http://members.aol.com/janemort/toc.html

Why this must be read:

This is, I think, the oldest of the stories I've recommended this month; I don't know exactly when it was written, but I'd place the story around S2-S3.

It's an exquisite little mind-fuck of a vignette; if you'd like to know the premise so you can focus on the execution, the author offers an explanatory preface; but I recommend going straight to the story itself.

( Variations on a theme, cut for spoilerish titles )

"A Bitter Taste on the Tongue"

Fandom: STARSKY AND HUTCH
Pairing: Starsky/Hutch
Why this must be read:

With just one more day before I release you from my evil clutches, I had to get this one in...

Not What I Had In Mind is a post episode fic for "Reflections"...and it's a hot first time story that kicks ass.

Teasing turns to something neither guy anticipated:

"So tell me, Starsk," Hutch said as they settled into the Torino. "Just what did you have in mind?"

"Oh, you know," Starsky replied, blushing slightly. "You, me and the lady in between."

"Well, partner, you still got you and me," Hutch teased lightly.

"Yeah," Starsky laughed as he laid his hand on Hutch's thigh. Two could play at this game. "And you know I got a thing for leggy blondes."

"Oohh. Your place or mine, big boy?" Hutch asked. He was still teasing, but the heat of Starsky's hand on his thigh was sending a tingle up his spine.

"Yours is closer," Starsky replied. He squeezed Hutch's thigh then let go to put the Torino in gear. This was going to be fun.

Oh boy, is it ever.

But then again, we are talking about Starsky and Hutch. Their road to love is often paved with lust, angst, uncertainty, unrequited love, and serious bouts of "could he really be hard for me?" stuff. This story blends all of the above wonderfully.

TJ... what an awesome talent. The angst is just right, and the sex is so hot without being porn. (Not that porn is bad, it's just not necessary here) It's tender, yet not, and the characterizations are tops.

Read and enjoy.

Not What I Had In Mind

Fandom: THE O.C.
Pairing: Ryan/Seth
Author on LJ: torchthisnow
Author Website: Riders on the Storm
Why this must be read:

I know that I've recced Molly already this month, but I'm doing it again, because I feel like it and anyway all her stuff is worth reading. This one is collegfic, which I always love, with geeky Seth and cranky Ryan and inconvenient dorm room sex. Also, I mentioned that pop culture references are a big part of The O.C. fanfic world? This story gets points for Best Use of a Lord of the Rings Reference, complete with Viggo lust and mentions of Sam and Frodo's never-ending love.

Not that squeaky mattresses noises would actually be able to be heard over all the racket in the hallway. But it was a matter of principle, and on principle, Seth preferred being in Ryan's bed. Usually, he preferred it when Ryan was there *with* him, and he definitely didn't mind squeaky mattress noises when there was actual cause for the mattress to be squeaking. But beggars couldn't be choosers. Seth liked hearing Ryan beg, come to think of it. Then again, he also liked it when Ryan made *him* beg.

Where was he riding this train of thought to, again?

House of Healing

Fandom: STARSKY AND HUTCH
Pairing: Starsky/Hutch
Why this must be read:

This is it. I'm out of here. And I'm going out with a tried and true favorite author, Flamingo.

From the 'zine Nothing to Hide (still available), Keep on Truckin' rocks. It's hot, it sexy, it's Starsky and Hutch having hot, hot sex in the sleeping compartment of an 18-wheeler. And doing it wild!

Did I mention the sex was hot?

I had a good time reading this, not just because Flamingo is a great writer, but because it contains one of my all-time favorite slash fiction lines:

"Hutch, I know you still believe in the tooth fairy, and I didn't mind slipping that five under your pillow when the dentist had to pull that broken tooth of yours, but I gotta tell you--there ain't no sex fairy who puts orgasms under your pillow at night."

Now, that's funny.

Okay, and because I can never resist a teaser:

He was fucking like a crazy man now, taking me so fiercely I couldn't find my breath. But I wouldn't shut my eyes, wouldn't dare lose sight of his face, the pleasure on it. It was like he was transcendent, no longer just Hutch, just like I was no longer just me. We were one person right now, with only one thing in mind, our partner's desire. And all the things burning in my soul were gone, blasted away, and I didn't give a shit about Durniak, or the past, or all the nagging bitterness that had been eating at me. All I cared about was making this man scream my name for every damned bastard in the world to hear. I wanted every one of those macho truckers to know how he loved me, what he was willing to give me. Everything he was. Everything he had. Just like I was giving it to him.

Whoo-hoo!!!

Lyrical Soul has left the building. (Thank god, huh?)

Keep On Truckin'

Fandom: Queer as Folk USA

Paring: Brian/Justin

Author's Web Site: SM's Fanfic

Author's LJ: shanonmarie

Why this must be read: SM is one of the most excellent AU writers I've had the pleasure of reading. Her characterization is brilliant and the dialogue is very realistic.

Brian is out for revenge. Only he doesn't realize that he may get more then he bargained for.

Brian felt an unwelcome twinge of…respect for the boy. He quashed it down and reached under the pillow for his surprise. Keeping the small box under his palm, he feigned indignation. "Then what the f**k have I been doing all this time? Risking my career to be with you, probably risking my LIFE if your a$$hole father finds out you’re gay and I’m f**king you before you graduate. I let you into my son’s life, Justin. If you think I do that with just anyone, then I guess we’re not ready for this." He lifted the velvet Jeweler’s box and studied it. "I knew this wasn’t a good idea. You need more time, Justin. You’re too young to make a commitment like this."

"No," the boy cried. "I love you!" He threw his arms around Brian’s neck. "That’ll never change, I swear."

Now go read: The Score

 

Fandom: X-MEN COMICVERSE
Pairing: Rather a lot, and difficult to quantify as pairings. Think 'insinuation.'
Author on LJ: d_benway
Author Website: Fonts of Wisdom (multi-author archive)

Why this must be read:

Okay, so the recs given by me or the others have intrigued you. You wandered over to poilass's impressively exhaustive overview. You've started to get the hang of things a little.

Now? It's time for the deep end.

This is one of the first stories I read in this fandom. This is one of the *best* stories I've ever read, in *any* fandom. I've now reread the thing countless times. It has inspired me, delighted me, and scared me so badly I've screamed aloud. No, *every* time I've read it.

And yeah, I can be an excitable girl, but... not *that* excitable. The fact is, I consider this story to be *the* seminal story in the fandom, the story that sits at the center of things -- less because of what influence it has had on the fandom itself than because...

Hmm. How to say this? It's a desperately *complete* story, a story that starts with the somewhat mocking premise "what if Charles Xavier really *were* a cult leader?" and goes from there. And *keeps* going, rippling outward and outward until there's a truly mind-boggling array of characters and storylines twisted out of true and into... True?

Maybe. I really can't stress enough how much this story *affected* me, and affects me still. I would've liked to do more recs, but really, my predecessors have done an *excellent* job choosing those stories *I* think all of you should read *first*. So... yeah.

This one. This... *shakes head*

It's a must-read, pure and simple, and I'm frankly unsure whether I'm happy the good doctor lives way the hell over *there* or not, because this is the sort of story that makes me want to build a little shrine and light incense. This is the sort of story that stays with you forever, whether you want it to or not.

This is the sort of story you point out when someone asks "why fan fiction?"

And then sit back and watch the fireworks. Bravo.

X-Manson.

Quick Note: So after a 5 month run of being a reccer for crack_van this is my last recommendation. It's been tons and tons of fun. I'm going to miss dispensing the crack, but am looking forward to being a full time junkie. Big thanks to shaggirl for starting this fabulous community, stopawhile for helping to keep us in line, and all the wonderful reccers past and future.

Fandom: OZ
Paring: Beecher and Keller
Author's Web Site: Strange Bedfellows
Author's LJ: N/A

Why this must be read:

It was probably unfair of the show to deprive us of all the Beecher/Keller loving that must have gone down (snicker) during the Lockdown between season 3 and 4, but it sure did give us some lovely fanfiction.

This story is hot, sweet, and just a little bit sad. It's Keller's perspective on Beecher and Keller's first time. Dori is able to convey the love that Keller and Beecher have for each other and also all the hangups and baggage that make their relationship such a Shakespearian tragedy. Her Keller voice is perfect; he's confused and insecure, but he still has the sexy charm that makes us all love him. And she does a fabulous job of showing us what Keller sees when he looks at Beecher.

Go read the hotness: First Time for Everything

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Author on LJ: hhandbasket
Author Website: Handbasket Holidays
Why this must be read:

After all my perversity and angst, I promised to leave you on a happy note this month, and here it is. If this series doesn’t make you fall in love with the Clex (and frankly, Helena Handbasket), then you are just a cold hearted bitch. And you can consider that a double dog dare!!

This early series - in which Lex takes his young, strapping, farmboy friend camping - seems to get overlooked on most rec pages, but when I linked it in my LJ a few months ago people came out of the woodwork to tell me they were some of their very favorite stories too, and some of the funniest fic they’d ever read, in any fandom.

You will giggle maniacally as, after a priceless “incident” in the Denny’s fic, Lex displays his utter evil genius by mentally running complex probability formulas on Clark’s possible attraction to him (and how he might improve his odds), while Clark hides in the men’s room and spazzes.

Not. To. Be. Missed.

Eleven Letter Words (24K)
Botta Secreta (16K)
The Denny’s Napkin Incident (44K)
Please Do Not Tease the Boy Scouts (112K)
Quietus Interruptus (80K)


This is my last rec this month (so sad!) and while it's v.v. important to feedback the authors of all these wonderful stories, it's much more important to let *me* know how you liked them!! Did I snare any new converts?! *slavers*