Fandom: RANMA 1/2
Pairing: Ranma Saotome/Akane Tendo, Ryoga Hibiki/Akane Tendo
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Ridgewolfe's Ranma Fanfiction
Why this must be read:

This is a lovely little depiction of a quiet night at the Tendo home, told through Kasumi's and Soun's perspectives. For me, this story feels like a cup of chamomile tea with a drop of honey.

Late Night

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Author on LJ: amptowl
Author Website: http://hp.pfen.net/
Why this must be read:

Sirius is relearning how to be a wizard, a friend. A man. Remus helps.

Another "lie low at Lupin's" fic, this story, along with "All Souls Day," made me rethink a lot of the assumptions I'd had about Sirius and Remus, both together and apart. It hurts, the regret and the lost years and the fumbling toward renewing their friendship (and more), but it's the good kind of pain, that sting of tears you feel because something is too true to be denied. I am in love with this story. I want to marry it and have its babies. Or maybe I want to have Remus and Sirius's babies. I'm not sure.

It's in first person, which normally I avoid in fic, but Nym makes it work, and it holds up even after OotP. It's a story I rec to people to hook them on the pairing, and it *works*.

( quotage )

Gentle, lost, regretful and fierce, this is a Sirius and Remus I can, and do, love.

Just Let It Be by Nym (links to front page)

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: No
Author Website: None
Why this must be read:

I like to think of this series as slice-of-life smut... with a twist. The basic premise is simple: Beecher and Keller having sex in various places in Oz. But, as we know, there's nothing simple about Beecher and Keller... and even in what she calls a PWP, Grackle captures all of the complexities of the relationship between Toby and Chris, and the inherent fucked-up-ness that is so much a part of who (and *where*) they are.

There are five stories in the series and each one is hotter than the last, from the sizzling "Workout," in which they come together (pun intended) in the weight room, to the shower in "Steam," all the way up to "Command," where they make glorious use of Warden Glynn's leather chair. Grackle is an outstanding writer, with a flawless technical style that makes you forget you're reading a story and makes you feel, instead, as if you're a secret observer to the events happening in each scene. At the same time, there's a certain sweetness to all of her Oz stories, a hint of romanticism that might come across as unbelievable in a writer with a less deft hand, but Grackle pulls it off, every time, and makes me believe. And certainly not least by any means, her sex scenes are some of the hottest I've ever read. Ever.

A small sample of what you'll find in "Smut":

Keller slides one hand behind Toby's head and pulls
him forward into a sharp, biting kiss. His other hand reaches
into the neck of Beecher's T-shirt, sliding down to his chest.
He punctuates the kiss with a hard pinch of Toby's nipple.

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?"

"To get you out of your fucking head, that's what. I'm not
interested in listening to you whine about how life in Oz ain't
fucking fair. Is that supposed to be news to me? I've been
sleeping on a filthy concrete floor for five days. I'm cold, I
stink and I'm horny as hell."

Chris thrusts his hand all the way out the bottom of Toby's shirt
to roughly squeeze his cock through his pants. He gives Toby one
last eyefuck before letting go and stepping back under the
shower. He turns his back to Beecher, allowing the hot, steamy
water to cascade down his aching shoulders. "It's your choice,
Beech. You wanna discuss prison conditions in America, go find
Said or some other asshole. You wanna fuck, you know where to
find me."

The "Smut" series:
Workout
Sunlight
Breakfast
Steam
Command

Fandom: HORATIO HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Horatio/OFC Archie/OFC H/A implied
Author on LJ: cortese
Author Website: http://www.io.com/~cortese/stories/
Why this must be read:

I couldn't do a month of reccing Hornblower without reccing something by Cortese. She is without a doubt one of the most talented and consistent writers in the fandom.

This short piece is one of my favorites of hers. The story where Horatio finally gets a clue and realizes his attraction for Archie is a very popular one in Hornblower fandom. Horatio's a nice guy really, but in matters of interpersonal relations he's impressively clueless. This is particularly true when it comes to matters of the heart. You practically have to hit the boy upside the head with most of a bloody ship to get him to notice that he's falling in love with Archie.

In The Other Shoe Cortese sends Archie and Horatio on shore leave after they receive the news of their transfer to the Indefatigable and sends Horatio a clue by four in the form of three happy go-lucky girls who pick up a couple of handsome sailors for a good time.

The Other Shoe

Fandom: STAR WARS: TPM
Pairing: Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon
Author on LJ: temve
Author Website: http://www.tem-ve.de
Why this must be read:

Here is the author’s own summary of this bittersweet story: Obi-Wan Kenobi reveals a few enlightening middle names, finds and loses the love of his life, and totally fails to fall off a kaadu.

Upon learning that I was considering this for crack_van, Tem-ve commented via e-mail, “amusing to see that you rate my first-ever fic worthy of a recommendation.” I think that it just goes to show what a strong writer she is. Tem-ve has a particular gift for fevered stream of consciousness passages, as in the scene where Qui-Gon discusses Obi-Wan’s Huttese lessons:

"Good to see you getting so carried away over your Huttese assignment, Obi-Wan. I take it you've read the relevant chapters well in advance? Only I don't want to have to defend you to Master SasWha -

//how does he manage to pronounce the capital W in the middle? Damn, that's another thing to be added to the list of Things Qui-Gon Jinn Is Perfect At. Languages. Tongues. Shields down, Obi-Wan!!!//

"- again for considering everything else more important than the study of living tongues -"

//aargh//

Besides, how can you not love a story that includes the phrase “my entire body goes 'wheeeee'”?

“Is There a Word for This?”

Fandom: Highlander
Title: Immortal Beloved
Pairing: Matthew McCormick/OFC
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author's Website: Have not been able to locate one.
Why This Must Be Read:

Matthew McCormick is one of my favorite guest Immortals. Specifically because of the actor and character behind him. Played by Eric McCormack (of Will & Grace fame these days), the character originated on another show - Lonesome Dove: The Series - under the name of Clay Mosby. The character was specifically created for Eric and he played it with the same flare and smooth charm that made Mosby so damn irresistible. We only recieved the basics of Matthew's life in his episode - Manhunt - and that left us with a ton of room to speculate. Here, Carin gives us a peek at a potential life of an Immortal, through the eyes of his wife. It is a wonderful story full of little life moments and packs a lot into a few short words. The story was written for one of the Highlander Lyric Wheels and proves why the Wheels are so popular. Stories like this one are amazing. Carin spotlights Matthew wonderfully and gives us a fic that is not to be missed.

Immortal Beloved