Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Pairing: Tucker/Katrina (Tucker/Warren, Warren/Katrina)
Author on LJ: packmentality
Author Website: Cold Winter's Night
Why this must be read:

Tucker. Katrina. Smut. Memories of Warren. I can't think of any more reasons, and I can't think of any more you'd need. Katrina finds Tucker too familar to be coincidence... Happy holidays. *g*

( Excerpt )

Familiar

Also check out Eighth Night by Gencie for a seasonal Hannukah fic. Don't forget to leave feedback if you enjoy the story!

Now that everyone has opened gifts and had a nip o'eggnog, it's time to settle in with some good old-fashioned holiday slash.

Fandom: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Illya/Napoleon
Author on LJ: cordwainer_s
Author Website: n/a
Why this must be read:
spiderweb is a lovely weaving of character study and Christmas, written first-person from Napoleon's point of view. As Napoleon can be an odd, unpredictable sort, this story is wonderful for its convincing peak into the mind of a vulnerable Napoleon, a viewpoint not often found in MFU fan fiction.

The story spans six years, beginning shortly after Napoleon and Illya are first paired as an UNCLE team. Napoleon finds himself attracted to his new partner, but with that attraction comes a rousing clash with demons he'd rather remained buried. The thing with demons is that we don't get to choose which remain buried and which do not, and try as he might to hide behind his usual masks and shields, Napoleon is forced to acknowledge a dysfunctional and painful past. Lucky for him, Illya is nearby to lend an ear, strength, and an old German Christmas folktale.

While I recognize and appreciate the finer technical points of Cord's writing -and there are many- what I like best about Cord's stories is that both characters remain very male and singularly characterized. In no case could Napoleon or Illya be replaced with other characters, and never is there a doubt that these are two male characters we're reading about, from the way they deal to daily situations, to four-alarm sex scenes, to the way they handle their unique friendship.

( A sampling )

spiderweb

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Author on LJ: shrift
Author Website: shrift's fanfiction

Why this must be read:
I love the snarky banter, with mutual understanding and love threaded throughout. It's just a couple of scenes, but in the second one, Ray reveals something that surprises Fraser, in a good way. This story is so short that it's really a ficlet, but it makes me feel all gooey inside when I read it, so I'll make this my last due South rec for the month, and share the holiday spirit. Happy holidays to you all!

Unexpected

Fandom: THE O.C
Pairing: Seth/Ryan
Author on LJ: boundbyspells
Author Website: Bound By Spells
Why this must be read:

This story is wonderful because it doesn't take itself too seriously and because of that, it completely knocks Seth's voice and characterization out of the park. It's amazing and funny and just the sort of trivial things Seth would think about when trying to keep himself from focusing on the real issue...Ryan being on a date.

Plus, I loved the whole comparision of the Seth/Ryan vibe to that of clark/lex from Smallville in the story, which made Seth even more neurotic.

( For a short excerpt from the story... )

So definitely check out this story: Lex F***ing Luthor

Fandom: X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder / Skinner
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Walter Skinner’s Journal
Why this must be read:
This series is light and fluffy, perfect for a holiday read. The consortium is brought down, and all Skinner wants is a peaceful retirement as sheriff of a small town in Virginia. Of course, nothing is this simple! When Mulder shows up to confront him with the fact he knows Skinner has been interested in him for years, Skinner realizes that the ball is in his court. The scene where he stakes his claim on Mulder, in front of half the FBI, is worth reading this series alone for!

Skinner and Mulder quickly set up housekeeping in small-town Virginia, and have various adventures involving Krycek, neighbors, the three boys they manage to acquire rapidly, chickenpox, and other amusing domestic interludes. And, of course, various elements of the X-Files creep in just for variety.

The series is technically unfinished, but stands alone as is pretty well. The author unfortunately stopped writing it back in 2001, so I think this is as much as we’re going to get. Still, if you crave some scenes of happy domesticity, this is the way to go! Chapters are linked in reverse order on the story page, so start at the bottom and work your way up.

The White Picket Fences Series