Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Richie/F
Author Website: Sandra McDonald's Fanfiction
Why this must be read: Sandra McDonald was one of the early greats of Highlander fanfic, and Return of Darkness is one of her best, in my opinion. Written before Richie was killed off at the end of season five, it explores what Richie could have become, if given a fuller measure of time, and how his life has been shaped by his early experiences with Duncan for good or ill.

No one in Africa calls me Richie. I haven't used that name in at least eight years. Chow calls me Richie but he knows more than what's good for him - he's a Watcher. Not mine.

The Return of Darkness

Fandom: X-MEN: MOVIEVERSE
Pairing: Scott/Jean
Author on LJ: minisinoo
Author's Website: The Medicine Wheel

Why this must be read:

A while ago there was the powerswap challenge, issued by the author herself, and all around the town mutant powers were exchanged at whimsy, and it was Madness. but also Fun and Intriguing and Cool. This one's a longer story, based on X1, well-paced and well-told. And everyone's still kinda the same. Except different.

Her smile is wise and wry. "And what would be the result, do you think, if I walked out into the museum lobby today as myself? The children would run screaming."

I can't resist smiling. "And the men would stop and stare."

"Chauvinist." She frowns. "They wouldn't, you know. I have scales."

"You're beautiful."

How the Leopard Changed Her Spots

Fandom: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 1978
Pairing: Starbuck/Apollo
Author on LJ: audrarose
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: Today's recs are all about the sex. "Don't Move" was written for yuletide 2004, so it's a recent story, by an author who hasn't written in this fandom before as far as I can tell. But, by gosh, you wouldn't know it by reading the story...

( Don't Move )

Don't Move

Fandom: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 2003
Pairing: Kara/Lee
Author on LJ: meyerlemon
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: Sometimes you just need a story about hot, desperate, celebration-of-life sex as badly as your favourite characters do. If you should find yourself in that situation, I prescribe a few readings of "A Garden Enclosed" and plenty of bed rest.

A Garden Enclosed

Fandom: Lost
Pairing: Charlie/Liam, but mostly just Charlie
Author on LJ: bexless
Author Website: Strange Delight

Why this must be read:

Charlie. Charlie. Charlie. So much angst in such a wee hobbit sized package. Buck up baby! It's not that bad. Still, his good catholic boy/heroin addiction/evil brother/almost dying horribly angst has produced some fabulous fics, and this is one of my favorites.

It's four conversations that Charlie never had and each of them broke my heart. There is so much I love about this story that I don't even know where to begin. I love the imagery. I love the surreal quality to parts of it. I love the perfectly placed bits of humor. I love the excellent insights into Charlie and how he sees the world. I love its subtley. It's just a fabulous, powerful story all around. I shivered while I was reading it and there were tears in my eye when I was done.

Calling Birds

And to cheat a bit, if you're all sad from reading Calling Birds go read Sawyer Woke Up Fairy! to get cheered up.

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex, Clark/Lana (briefly)
Author on LJ: scribblinlenore
Author Website: Lenore's Stories

Why this must be read: Jumping from the heavy angst of my last rec to light tongue-in-cheek comedies, I think you will enjoy these two stories.

Lenore's "Asset Management" and it's sequel, "The Scientific Method," are clever, funny takes on the Alien!Clark stories that fill Smallville's fandom archives. And while some of those stories fall into tiresome cliches, this one...well, it does and doesn't. It does, but is a good way. Actually, it pokes fun at the cliches, embraces them and generally has fun with them.

"Asset Management" starts out with Clark going to Lex with a 'problem' -- a big problem. It seems when Lana and he tried to get intimate, it didn't work and Lana ran screaming from the room because Clark has a "size" problem. Namely, he's too big.

And what does any self-respecting gay man best friend do to help a friend out of his predicament? Lex offers to 'tutor' Clark in the ways of sex so Clark can then sleep with Lana and have "confidence" when they do the deed. Yeah, right, Lex. If you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you in Brooklyn. *g* Clark soon realizes that he doesn't want Lana after all and he and Lex are soon boffing like bunnies.

The first story is about Lex teaching Clark that bigger can be better and the second story is about Clark wanting Lex to f*ck him, but being afraid his asshole will "pulverize" Lex to death. *g*

Lenore handles the comedy and the hot sex with a deft hand and I adore these stories. If you haven't already read them, click away, you won't regret it. If you've read them before, go ahead and read them again. And remember why you loved them the first time around!


Asset Management

The Scientific Method