Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Not really
Author Website: The Seventh Dimension Archive
Why this must be read: This is another oldie but goodie: the morning after an absolute drunkfest, Joe's got something up his sleeve.

Joe Dawson was in an astonishingly good mood. Not a particularly rare occurrence but rather startling when you consider his present rained through, hungover circumstances. He *was* going to be in a good mood no matter what, however.

He was determinedly, relentlessly cheerful despite his suspicion that he was being followed by a particularly stealthy, though utterly deranged, psychopath who insisted on thumping invisible rocks off his head. He was deliriously happy although his stomach seemed to be planning a violent rebellion against the tyranny of a body that had gotten in a drinking contest with a man who had 4950 years more experience in such things. He was forcefully delighted about the fact that he had, at some point during the night, gotten up and sung "Auld Lang Syne" while draped over a Scotsman. Just before surrendering to the suddenly irresistible force of gravity and spending an hour or so studying the underside of a table and poking Immortal kneecaps with his cane until a broadsword had slammed into the ground about an inch from his groin. He was fiercely, grimly, ecstatic that Mike had had a video camera in the bar, and had captured his small "eeeep" of terror to be Immortalised (excuse the pun) for all eternity.

Bodypaint, Bartabs and Beer

Resurrecting another favorite from the vault. ;)

Fandom: LOTRIPS
Pairing: Viggo/Orlando/Elijah and Dom/Billy
Author on LJ: ukcalico
Author Website: Yearning Void [dot] Net
Why this must be read:

Because these two stories melt my brain. Leave me in a blubbering pile of goo while being incredibly hot and bothered. The essential LOTRIPS PWP Duo. Thank you and good night.

( Excerpt. )

Sabotage and Subversion

Today I'm offering a pair of Ray/Ray recs. To start:

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Ray Vecchio
Author on LJ: brooklinegirl
Author Website: Happy Friend Box
Why this must be read:

Ray/Ray has become one of my favorite pairings in this fandom, and a major reason for that is BrooklineGirl. I unconditionally love every Ray/Ray fic she’s ever written. (Go! Now! Read them all!)

In my experience, Ray/Ray fics come in two basic flavors. Flavor One: Snarky Porn. You know, your classic “I hate you but we’re fucking” pairing. Always a favorite of mine. (Incidentally, wouldn’t it be great if “Snarky Porn” was actually a flavor of ice cream? Think about it... Sorry. I need sleep.) Flavor Two: Angst. Not for the faint of the heart. This flavor will be covered in the next rec.

If you’ve never dabbled in Ray/Ray before, I suggest starting off with Snarky Porn before you move on to Angst. (I must apologize for the flavor metaphor. I can feel it getting away from me already.) In any case, that’s why (although she writes both types brilliantly) I’m reccing one of BrooklineGirl’s Snarky Porn Ray/Ray stories first.

The premise is simple: Ray and Ray on a road trip. I’m sure everyone’s been there at some point: trapped in a car, a very small space, with someone who’s really starting to piss you off, on the trip that won’t end. This is, of course a perfect set up for Ray/Ray. The sniping banter. The pressurized sexual tension. The roadside motel for convenient fucking-each-other’s-brains-out.

There are so many things to love about this story. The dead-on characterization. The crackling dialogue. The complete and total hotness. The appearance of Sluttybottom!RayK. Guh.

( ...Vecchio seemed to like being rubbed the wrong way... )

Seriously, even if you’re afraid of Ray/Ray give it a shot. It’s funny, hot, and will leave you with a smile on you face.

Gas Food Lodging

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Ray Vecchio
Author on LJ: _aerye_
Author Website: aerye
Why this must be read:

For my second Ray/Ray rec, I bring you Angst. Detailed, understated, moving, bittersweet Angst. Speaking in Tongues (how much do I *love* the title, btw?) is sort of the prequel to _aerye_’s classic You Get What You Need, recced here previously.

At it’s best, a lot of times Ray/Ray can feel like some sort of broken love square, with Fraser and Stella only absent in the physical sense. There’s a lot of history here, a lot of complex things going on, and it takes a very talented writer to capture of it in a relatively short fic. I’m happy to say that _aerye_ has talent in spades. Observe the wonderful day-to-day details that add so much. The hints of what’s lurking beneath the surface. The echoes of Fraser all around. Yeah, it’s messy and painful, but it hurts so good.

( Christ, Kowalski was a lot of fucking work sometimes. )

And no, it’s not happily ever after. It’s not even happy most of the time. But it’s gritty, and real, and something.

Speaking in Tongues

Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: None
Why this must be read:
I love how easy and comfortable the lads are in this story; so much so that when they realize what's between them it's the most natural thing in the world for them to follow through on what they feel. They're practically reading each others' minds to being with, so effortlessly does one follow the other's lead when circumstance calls for it. But even before they make that final connection, their affection for each other is splendidly shown by Ray's concern for Bodie's emotional wellbeing and Bodie's willingness to share his past with his friend, no matter how painful.

And connect they do, in an erotic but sweet coming together.

Concerning The Past

Fandom: QUEER AS FOLK: UK
Pairing: Stuart/Vince
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Sue Walsh's stories on Across the Pond

Why this must be read:
For such a short little story that starts out so sweetly, the ending of this one packs a punch. Set post series 2, it's Stuart and Vince on the road.

Boys of Summer

[And this is Cipher Muse's answer to the ending of Sue's story: Scarpered (PG)]