Hi, I'm zeplum (aka kathe) and I'll be driving the van for Smallville this month. I haven't been active in Smallville in a long, long time, but I still have quite a large soft spot for anything at all to do with Chloe Sullivan. Especially if Lex Luthor is somewhere nearby, and let's face it, he's always nearby, isn't he? *g*


Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Author on LJ: bantha_fodder
Author Website: Memories on LJ

Why this must be read:

My favourite pairing in Smallville is, without a doubt, Chloe/Lex. It came out and bit me early in the first season, and while things have shifted so far from there in the intervening years, there's still a dynamic between the characters that I find fascinating. And so do some other people.

Pen has a clean, unsentimental style that works perfectly for Chloe/Lex futurefic. She presents Chloe and Lex as relative equals, even if there is subterfuge involved. There's no pandering or condescension, and wonderfully, there's appreciation of a kind between Chloe and Lex for their respective talents -- even if they're not exactly on the same side.

While New Bonhomie is one of her newer stories, it immediately became one of my favourites. It balances the relationship between Chloe and Lex -- both personal and private -- and takes on the issue of Clark in a way I can actually find realistic and compelling.

( excerpt )

New Bonhomie

This month is going to be devoted to Snape/Everyone, and I mean everyone. Most of the recs are pairings that I would normally run screaming from, stories whose brilliant writing and characterization overcame my natural squicks and won me over. So this month, take a chance on something off the beaten track. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Snape/Dumbledore
Author on LJ: atdelphi
Author Website: Singing the Body Electric
Why this must be read:

Dumbledore/Anyone usually squicks me, because kindly old grandfathers are just not sexy in my book. But here, Delphi shows not sexual attraction but trust, and the knowlege that Dumbledore will not send his agent out into the cold without backup: Voldemort hopes that by taking Snape's virginity, he can finally crack the Legilimens open. But only if another Legilimens doesn't get there first. Delphi's description of the inner landscape of Snape's mind always takes my breath away.

"He - He's courting me," Severus spat. "Pretending I have a choice." His face was anguished for a moment, and then the fire seemed to go out of him and he crumpled forward against the chair like a rag doll. There were no tears in his eyes, no anger. Only a sick wonder.

Severus stared down at the floor, his face still and ashen, and whispered: "He'll be my first."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. Albus had to step back from the misery that Severus was radiating to let the implications follow.

First. Severus's first. He had never...Riddle would be his first, and first was important. First was special. First was power, and between two wizards of such ability, first was often forever. Albus didn't dare give himself leave to wonder what sort of spells Riddle could fuel with a virgin's sacrifice. There was no answer he would have liked.

"Oh...my dear boy." He cautiously made his way around the chair, and stood as close to Severus' side as he dared.

Winter Kept Us Warm

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Snape/Lupin
Author on LJ: cruisedirector
Author Website: Stories found on pornish_pixies
Why this must be read:

Snape/Lupin is my all-time favorite pairing. If Snape is the immovable object, Lupin is the irresistable force, wearing down Snape's defenses like water on stone. The boys are true to form here and wonderfully hot, as necessity opens the door to something more.

Something always makes me respond to the way he says my name -- my family name -- I can't recall him ever calling me Remus, but that's quite all right with me. There's a rolling sound to the L and a throaty moan in the U, as if he's licking and swallowing something; I'm sure he means for it to sound contemptuous, but sometimes (particularly when my mind is clouded by the acute urge to rub my prick into the nearest pliable object) it's excruciatingly arousing. I'm mortified by the little needy noise that escapes through my nose, though at least I can hope that Severus will attribute it to unease at my coming transformation, rather than nearly coming in my pants from listening to his voice.

Compellation
Affirmation
Extemporization
Inflammation
Inhibition

Looks like I'm back for August :D drove for CSI in June, it was great, and nobody had signed up for this month, so here we go again!

FANDOM: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
PAIRING: Nick Stokes/Greg Sanders
AUTHOR ON LJ: keiko_kirin (thanks)
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Website.
WHY THIS MUST BE READ:

It's not what you expect, or certainly not what I expected. If I say much more, it'll give everything away.

Greg woke up twisting in the sheet, clawing it from his clammy skin. He wrestled with the grip of deep sleep until he could squint his eyes open and read the blurry LCD numbers of the alarm clock. Damn. Same dream again, same waking up early. Same hollow pit in his stomach as he tried to shake off the dream's imagery and couldn't.

He dragged himself from bed to shower, from shower to kitchen, where he finished off an open 2-liter bottle of Diet Pepsi for his pre-Starbucks caffeine fix. He rested his hands on the counter, yawning and stretching and shaking water from his hair, and he wished he didn't still feel the spinal creep of uneasiness and cold prickling of anxiety.

It was only a dream, he told himself. Nick wasn't really in danger. Wasn't really going to die suffocating.

An Interval of Dreams

Hi, I'm Kellygirl and I'm driving the NCIS van this month. I love Gibbs/DiNozzo to the point of obsession but I plan to rec other pairings. *Looks around NCIS Van* This thing is still pretty new. Let's see how she corners.



FANDOM: NCIS
Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo implied
Author on LJ: Medie
Author Website: 'A Curious Mix'

Why this must be read: I love stories seen from an outsider's perspective. In this story, McGee, a fairly new agent, is sure that all the new people in his life are there to drive him insane. I love his reasonings about why Tony treats him like he does. Also It's funny, cute, and nails McGee's character.


The man had ears like a really, really, really sensitive bat. A surly, really, really, really sensitive bat. A surly, really, really, really sensitive vampire bat. The kind that y'know, sucked you dry then smacked you upside the head for being dumb enough to be lunch in the first place.


Story

Hi, gang, I'll be driving the Supernatural van this month. :)

Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: moveablehistory
Author Website: thisTOGETHER
Why this must be read: So the battle is over, the demon is dead, and Sam's headed back to Stanford with Dean in tow. What's fabulous about this story is that not only does it feature a post-quest Sam who's able and willing to merge both sides of his life -- the hunting and his studies -- but it also shows us a Dean with a brain, and a damn fine one at that.

untitled (a stanford fic)

Hey there, it's me, victoria p., and I'm back again flying the van for Firefly this month. My recs will be heavy on the het and gen, mostly Mal-centric, but I'll kick off with something you won't see from me much in this fandom - boyslash.

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Simon/Jayne
Author on LJ: puritybrown
Author Website: Whereof one can speak
Why this must be read:

I don't have much interest in boyslash in this fandom, so I generally don't read it, but this story is a smart, funny, sharp look at Simon post-movie; it pays attention to his relationship with River, and how important that is to him; to his place on the crew and the relationships he’s developed with the others; and to how he sees himself; in addition to pairing him off with Jayne. I especially like the interactions between the crew here, very in character, and both amusing and touching.

( a quote )

***

Making God Laugh by puritybrown

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

*

Hi! This is my first time driving the crack van, so I hope I don't screw up. My recs will be mostly Mulder/Skinner.

Fandom: X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Skinner
Author on LJ: jimpage363
Author Website: Coffeeslash: JiM
Why this must be read: It really goes to a great place with the characters. It's (almost) totally non-sexual slash, and it has h/c, but nothing gratuitous. It's sort of a slow, grumpy coming together of two guys who've been through a lot.

Mulder's been away for some time, but comes back when he gets a phone call from Scully.

She hadn't questioned his return and neither had he. For some time, he had become aware of a low-level hum, a vibration deep within. It came to him that he was a compass needle with no direction pulling him any more than any other—until Scully said Skinner's name. Then something inside had flickered and bobbed at that, straightening and yearning, until the pull became insistent. So he went, following the same pull out of the wilderness that he had followed into it. Only this time, the pull had a name and a face.

There's some fun snark, too.

"Chaucer? You read Middle English for fun?"

"After trying to interpret some of the reports coming out of your department, it's refreshingly straightforward," Skinner said dryly.

Therapy

Hi, I'm cat. You might have seen me driving the van before (three times for LotRiPS, once for LotR). I'm still a Viggo/Orlando girl, but I'm going to try to mix it up as best I can this month, although I make no promises. ;)

Fandom: LotRiPS
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo, Orlando/Johnny Depp, Orlando/Eric Bana
Author on LJ: autumnaugur (If anyone knows if/where the author has moved, I'll update this)
Author Website: Unknown
Why this must be read:

Orlando has a theory (and it doesn't include bunnies). It's quite an interesting theory, actually, and it explains a lot about why he does and doesn't relate to certain people. This fic is short, but the writing is sharp and evocative and, of course, I'm in love with the section about Viggo.

Didn't everybody want Viggo? Didn't every tribe need a shaman/artist? And Viggo had whispered all of the right words, known so many secrets, and tasted like the afterlife when he'd slipped his tongue into Orlando's mouth.

Mother Tongue

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Frannie/Maggie
Author on LJ: lost_theplot
Author Website: Author's site
Why this must be read:

This is another post-COTW story, but with a different slant. This story follows Frannie - left behind in a station that's much changed with the absences of Ray, Fraser, Ray, Huey and Dewey. This is a Frannie that is working to improve herself - to grow up and mature - yet still remains Frannie, mistaken word choices and all. And in Chicago - seemingly still the location of choice for awkward Mounties - Francesca meets Maggie Mackenzie again.

The author gives an excellent Frannie voice, her hopes, loves and insecurities. Maggie is clearly herself and the growing friendship and romance between the two is well-handled as they become closer. The inclusion of Fraser and Ray's surrogacy request together with Frannie's desire for a child is a handy nod to her canon-referred ending. This is a sweet, quiet story, in which Frannie finally gets her Mountie.

( Excerpt )

A Glorious Revolution

Heyyy, I'm aj., your bus driver for the month. School of Rock is a completely new fandom to crack_van, so I hope you guys can be open minded. And embrace the rock. You know.


Fandom: School of Rock
Pairing: Freddy/Zack
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: FF.net account

Why this must be read:

The quintesential "grown-up" Freddy and Zack fic that we all try to strive for. This is most def my favorite SoR fic of all time. These should be enough reasons, come on.

( excerpt )

Somewhere On the Side