Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Simon/River
Author on LJ: petronelle
Author Website: Dignity, Always Dignity
Why this must be read:

River finds solace in Simon's dreams, until one night, she doesn't. Lyrical and sad and creepy, the way Simon/River should be. My heart breaks for both of them here--for River, who didn't know and can't unknow now, and for Simon, who's known for a while, and wishes he didn't.

Then comes the evening when everyone is ill from Jayne's casserole and the crew's nightmares are too loud for River to sleep. She goes to Simon's dreams because she knows the bad parts of those already; Mal's dreams of war and loss are too fresh, strange, and invasive to bear.

Rounded with a sleep by Petra

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If you enjoy the story, please let the author know.

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Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: Sam/Dean
Author on LJ: iamtheenemy
Author Website: Steph’s Quality Used Fics and Recs
Why this must be read: I’m not really a Wincest girl, myself, but I thought I should include at least one rec of that sort for the month. This story is hot and the Sam & Dean voices ring true and it brings the car porn. My favorite thing about this though is that both Dean and Sam are aware that their relationship isn’t normal or necessarily healthy, but it is what it is.

( A little excerpt for y’all… )

Go read and leave feedback. You guys know the drill – Two Guys Run Out of a Bar…

Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Pairing: Buffy/Spike
Author on LJ: wisteria_
Author Website: Fanfiction by Wisteria
Why this must be read: I love Wisteria's work and it was hard to pick a favourite story, especially as different ones appeal depending on my mood. In the end I chose this series because it's beautifully written, and both bittersweet and threaded with hope as Buffy and Spike search for a way to live that isn't just about crushing evil.

Away From Here: Happiness, Sweeter than Oranges, The Lesson of Bliss

Fandom: DC COMICS
Pairing: Connor Hawke/Clark Kent/Lois Lane
Author on LJ: jamjar
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

Clark and Lois share an evening with Connor, and make him very welcome. This story is gentle and funny and sexy and sweet, and I love the picture of Clark and Lois's marriage that this story paints. It's easy to see why -- and how -- they love each other.

Laugh and Lie Down

Fandom: due South
Pairing: Fraser/RayK
Author on LJ: kelliem
Author Website: Home Page for Kellie Matthews

Why this must be read: Kellie Matthews has been repeatedly rec'd here before, but I think this one should be pointed out. It's one of her last due South stories and it's wonderful. It's a post-CotW, established relationship story where Fraser and Ray live in Chicago together and are happy. Then a young Constable named Michael from Inuvik comes to Chicago for a conference and befriends Fraser. Ray thinks it's for nefarious sexing purposes, but when he finds out why, he's even more surprised.

This story is very long, very detailed and spans months. It's a great Fraser/RayK story as well as a great story about Fraser's past and what could have been.


( Exerpt from the story )


Playing Wolf

Fandom: X-MEN COMICVERSE
Pairing: Rogue/Gambit/Joseph
Author on LJ: bard_mercutio
Author Website: Mercutio's Stories
Why this must be read:

I think this was actually the very first piece of slash I ever read, the story that made me sit back, saucer-eyed, and go, "huh!" Rogue, never very secure at the best of times, is having trouble dealing wih the fact that Joseph can only touch her when he's concentrating, which means she knows that she doesn't drive him to distraction. Gambit proposes a solution for reasons of his own, and things get ... complicated:

"That's just it, sugah. He can't want me -- he can only keep up the shield when he's concentratin', so Ah never get to do anything for him. Ah don't know if he wants me at all -- he nevah gets turned on or anythin'."

Gambit's mouth quirked into a wry smile. "Chere, when a man give up sex for a woman, he love her. Trust Remy 'bout dis."

"But Ah want to touch him. Ah want to make a man go crazy over me."


Confusing the Issue

Fandom: LotRiPS
Pairing: Billy/Dom/Elijah
Author on LJ: kiltsandlollies
Author Website: kilts and lollies fanfiction
Why this must be read:

First of all, this story, though quite clearly not a songfic, is based on two lines from "A Sorta Fairytale," which is one of my all-time favorite Tori Amos songs. Secondly, this is a roadtrip fic, and roadtrip fics are my bulletproof kink. And, in the spirit of the song, kiltsandlollies has woven together a bittersweet story, drawing parallels between America and the relationship between Billy, Dom and Elijah. She's done it with great style and even a great respect for "A Sorta Fairytale." Plus, I would venture to say that it's hot almost in spite of itself, and if you read it, I think you'll get what I mean. An altogether lovely fic.

"Not so bad, is it?" Dominic murmurs. He's tucked himself perfectly into Billy now, and Billy nudges his head against Dominic, wanting more, always more. "This is a beautiful country if you let it roll out under you."

"Like a carpet," Billy laughs, but his eyes are closed. He knows that below them the world dips out into fields of dusty green and brown, and above them the motorways stretch out slate-grey and paint-black. It's anything but beautiful, but Billy's willing to give Dominic the benefit of the doubt.

"Like a carpet," Dominic agrees, amiably. "You can walk all over it, Billy, and it doesn't get to walk all over you."

In the Rearview

Fandom: POPSLASH
Pairing: Chris Kirkpatrick / JC Chasez ; Chris Kirkpatrick / Lance Bass
Author on LJ: mickeym
Author Website: Mickey's Musings
Why this must be read:

One True Love is a wonderful concept, but in reality most of us have fallen in love and been burned a couple of times before finding Mr. or Ms. Right even if we almost never see that in fanfiction. In this story Chris and Lance break up and we follow Chris as he works his way messily through his emotional baggage over that as well as his burgeoning feelings for JC. This story is a great balance of relationship-blues realism and scorching hotness without over doing the angst, and because it is balanced it still manages to bring about a believable Happily Ever After. In particular I really like the JC characterization since he is a complex character that is by turns grounded, supportive, mature and insecure. JC is often written flightier and fluffier but I find more resonance with this type of characterization with what we see in media and reality.

Finally, I'm a sucker for this kind of story in general but this is one of my all-time favorites because I also like a slow build up in both story and sex scenes so I love how the foreplay elements are given as much detailed descriptions as the actual sex and orgasms. In particular this story has some hot, involved kissing that just smolders.


( You really liked fierce JC. )



Promise Never, Promise Forever by Mickey M.

Fandom: X-MEN COMICVERSE
Pairing: None
Author Website: Story found at Fonts of Wisdom
Why this must be read:

One of my particular weaknesses is Kitty/Magneto stories, especially stories set in Genosha. Because of their shared Jewish heritage, Kitty tends to nail Magneto on social justice issues more than anyone but Xavier, and Jim's just great at writing them both:

( Excerpt )

Seeing It from Both Sides ... and the Middle