Fandom: POPSLASH-NSYNC
Pairing: Chris/Justin
Author on lj: jae_w
Author's website:: I will not be afraid of boybands

Why this really should be read:

As we're kickin' it old skool (pre-hiatus posted stories), we're also in the time frame when Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were very much an item. Pre-hiatus means pre-breakup. For writers slashing Justin, Britney was something to be dealt with - as a beard, as a clueless girlfriend, as something.

This is a story that deals with Britney and slashes Justin with Chris and a million things more. A million wonderful things more. Long without dragging, funny, sad, above all moving. I've rec'ed this story more than once; for being totally awesome, for being one of the best Justin stories around, for being one of the best Chris stories around and now here on crack_van. Settle in and enjoy!

A Sentimental Education

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ: suzecarol
Author Website:The Slum
Why this must be read:

A post "To be; Not to be" story. With a predatory Duncan and a confused Methos. Suze wields humor like a katana. She slices and dices with amusing and often hilarious effect.

Never a dull moment in Suze's stories.

Please don't pet the Methos

Title: slayers
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing Kendra/Faith/Buffy
Author on LJ: katemonkey
Author Website: The Pearl
Why this must be read:

( After each patrol, we do the same thing. Shower in the group showers, and check each other for injuries. There's a bruise fading on my arm, already greenish brown. Kendra has a bigger bruise on her back, about the size of a man's boot. She winces as I scrub her back, but, soon enough, something as big as this'll be gone by morning. Faith chipped another tooth, and she spits blood into the drain as she washes her hair. )

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairing: Dan/Casey
Author on lj: linabean
Author's website:: It's her again

Why this really should be read:

It's funny and hot, and... you need more?

Dan gave a satisfied sigh. "I'm just saying, my entire body is a finely honed machine, honed for both the delicate intricacies of lovemaking and the sheer athleticism of fucking, and I think I would easily win a medal."

Casey stared up at the unlit floor numbers. "Well, seriously, Dan, I think you should mention that to the IOC. You've got enough money for the initial bribes, and then once you've got their attention, you can start convincing them about the ratings surge the competitions will bring--" He swayed backwards as the elevator suddenly started moving.

"I'll keep that in mind," Dan said.

In silence, they both watched the numbers light up one by one. 20...21...two more. 22...but just before it switched over to 23, the elevator stopped with a jerk and a horrible grinding sound. Casey groaned loudly, and Dan started to laugh.

An Elevator Story

Title: Absolution One and Two
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing: Buffy/Wesley
Author on LJ: minim_calibre
Author Website: Recalibration
Why this must be read:

( A quick test and a physical exam confirmed the worst-case scenario, and explained weeks of fatigue and dizziness that she'd just attributed to the most recent string of nasty events in her life. That is, until the nasty events had gone out with a bang and the symptoms remained. One encounter, pushed to the back of her mind after Tara's death and everything that followed it, had set a reminder notice, delivery scheduled for mid-December. )

Title: All Your Tomorrows
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing: Giles/Anya
Author on LJ: jennyo
Author Website: I'm Just Sayin'
Why this must be read:

( It wasn't a world with maps, Giles, she replies in her next email. The cities of the world were so far away their names were almost unknown. Rome was a fairy tale traveling beggars might tell us. Mamma's brother had been taken to Odessos by the lord or possibly the Varangians. The priest had once gone to Constantinople to kiss the hand of John the Baptist. Kiev, I was told, was a month away in good weather. I don't know where it was. The Ukraine? Bulgaria? Poland? Romania? Hungary, even? I don't know. I never dreamed beyond the village. There was nowhere else to go. )

Fandom: Star Wars Franchise
Author: torch
Author website: the flambeau factory
Author on lj: flambeau
Pairing: Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon
Rating: NC-17

Why this must be read:

Although I love and adore the Star Wars films, I had never read any Star Wars fanfiction until I joined crack_van (unless you count various movie spin-off
books lol) so this new addiction is something I blame all the previous Star Wars reccers for. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And on to the rec. I'm thrilled to be able to rec one of my favourite fanfiction authors. torch's particular genius enables her to move from fandom to fandom with credibility and she convincingly evokes the Star Wars universe in what she describes as a PWP. In honesty, I think there's more going on that just fantastically written sex - she has an interesting view of the way that Jedi powers might work and contrasts the different approaches of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in such a way that both their approaches to the Force are legitimate but subtely different. The Master/Padawan relationship is also highly convincing and reflects more as a partnership with Qui-Gon subtely directing Obi-Wan rather than teaching him.

What makes this story stand out is the astonishingly lush descriptive writing which has the same sensual feel to it when torch is describing the physical surroundings and setting the scene as it does during the sex. This is a story that can be read over and over again without losing its freshness. It's a jewal, devoid of the angst or darkness or pain that these two characters go through in so much fanfiction. I love a good angsty fic but it's nice to see them come together without death, destruction and the end of the world.

( Obi-Wan glared back. 'Oh, *come* on,' he said. 'You know perfectly well that I've wanted you forever.' )

Gardening At Night by torch

Fandom: KNIGHT RIDER
Pairing: Michael/Kitt -- m/m SLASH
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: elfin productions

Why this must be read:

"Chasing Midnight" is a slash AU series of Gryph's "Fire & Ice" AU series. Initiated by elfin, Tomy and a few other authors later join in the effort to keep writing slashy stories in this AU of the AU. This recommendation, however, is for the first -- and the best -- of the CM series.

As part of the "Fire & Ice" alternate universe, Michael and Kitt are already linked by a soul-bond, but "Chasing Midnight" deepens that bond to every level. Once again attacked, Kitt is forced to jump across the link into Michael's mind to survive the damage to his CPU. Only a human brain was not designed to house an AI mind, so elfin introduces the ingenious solution of a temporary android body until Kitt's CPU is fixed. The android body (see elfin's accompanying pic!) also conveniently surpasses whatever physical boundaries one would expect from human/computer love. Consequently, the sex is not only plausible... it's bloody well hot! :P

Besides the hot sex, too, are the usual high quality writing, strong characterizations, and involving plot. But, you know... there's also some really good sex. Definitely a keeper!

Link to Story: Chasing Midnight by elfin