Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Author on LJ: josephides
Author Website: Jojo's Fanfic

Why this must be read:
I'm planning on alternating old and new stories during my month of recs, and I also wanted to offer some humorous stories, because I do see that the Rift is nigh. This futurefic is the most charming SV story I've read in quite a while, and it made me giggle like the fangirl I am. The thought of Lex having imaginary arguments is completely believable and adorable, and Clark is dorky and in lurve. And there's non-evil Lois!

Ties

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Author on LJ: thamiris
Author Website: Odysseys and Ecstasy

Why this must be read:
This story is an example of the literary quality that fanfic can attain--there's the surface story, and the deeper emotional truth, and oh! the style! (plus, the porn is hot). I love it because there's consumption of sushi, along with the retelling of a Japanese fairy tale that is perfectly applicable to the Clark/Lex dynamic. I have a not-so-secret love for College!Clex, and date stories, and a Lex who is wise enough to make choices that lead him away from evil. This Clark is young, less tainted by pain than I see him now, but I could believe in this Clexian pair. Lex is a dragon with a secret fondness for virtue, and sometimes dragons are good if the circumstances are right...

Behind a Dragon's Smile

Fandom: WEST WING
Pairing: Josh/Sam
Author on LJ: runpunkrun (Punk) and sabine101 (Sabine)
Author Website: http://www.grapefruithead.com/ourboys/sabine (Sabine) and http://home.teleport.com/~punkm/ (Punk)
Why this must be read:

When it comes to Josh and Sam, "cute" is generally not something I'm looking for. West Wing fiction in general tends to be very angst-focussed, and those that aren't often, uh, suck. Personally, I'm not a fan of rose garden weddings and happyhappy stuff.

As ever, though, it's the exception to the rule that's worth checking out, and this is Josh and Sam and cute all at once. It is, in fact, adorable, and I don't say that lightly. It's got sufficient backstory and angst to make it palateable, as well as details that let you know it's Josh and Sam and not some clones that look like them but aren't, but for me, really, it is truly all about the cute. It's kind of like West Wing Lite - the same show, but the happier, healthier version.

And being able to pull that off with such skill is pretty darn cool, I think. :) As is only proper from a story by two such gods of the fandom, it's lovely to read, and I think that's what makes all the difference. In the hands of less talented writers, this would suck. As it was, I came across it on my very first afternoon in West Wing fic land, and was so impressed I stayed. :) Aren't you all glad? Heh.

Anyway, yeah. If you want a break from angst, or just something that will make you smile and go 'awwwwwwww' without making you ill, you could do a lot worse than this.

You And Me In A Rowboat To Rio

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Inara/Kaylee
Author on LJ: thatfangirl
Author’s Website: A Girl and Her Fandoms
Why this must be read:

This is the first Inara/Kaylee fic I read--one of the first Firefly fics, at that--and it still holds a special place in my memories of this fandom. This is a delightful look at Kaylee and Inara, their friendship, and attraction. I also very much enjoyed how Kaylee’s love for mechanical things is integrated into the story.

As Kaylee watched expectantly, Inara slid off the ribbon and shredded the paper. With a smile dimpling her cheeks, Inara lifted the box’s lid and the ballerina sprung into place. Kaylee hesitantly guided Inara’s fingers to a switch. Music filtered through the speakers as the ballerina revolved. The gray metal became silver and, although different, it belonged among the red silk, which made its place in Inara’s shuttle worth the deep blush and strangled explanation.

Kaylee returned to her room and retrieved a small screwdriver from her toolkit. She removed the casing from her alarm clock and probed its circuitry until the world slowed.

Centripetal Motion

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Wash/Zoe
Author on LJ: kirbycrow
Author’s Website: kirby crow’s fanfiction
Why this must be read:

This is a gut-wrenching look at Zoe through Wash’s eyes: her strength, her weakness, and what carrying the weight of the past can do to a person and those who love her. This is love, deep and painful.

There are tiny scars near her temple, just under the hairline. Small, light-charcoal lines that swirl in curves and crescents, barely visible in the sodium light of Serenity. I can see them in sunlight, but how often is that? She wears her hair loose around her face and won't talk about those almost- invisible scars. 

I could tell her that silence speaks louder than words, but that would be tresspassing. There are parts of her I can't touch, areas of her life that were declared inviolable neutral zones from the moment of our first kiss. The scars are one of these zones, partitioned from our marriage and our love and everything else we share. Taboo. 

Rara Avis