Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Title: POSTCARDS
Characters: Chitose Miyuki [Shitenhouji] + Tezuka Kunimitzu [Seigaku]
Rating: G.
Author on LJ: "Muzy" muzivitch
Author Website: Pr0n Interrupted
Why this story must be read:

Het pairings in PoT are so rare, not to mention Shitenhouji fics, they're almost like finding a California Condor in the wild. Not that anything so explicit as an actual pairing takes place in this short gem about Miyuki and the target of her attentions, Tezuka. Takeshi Konomi started to run out of creative steam when Shitenhouji showed up at the Nationals, birthing plots and characters filled with crack, in most cases frayed from threadbare characterizations and overuse. With a light, easy touch, Muzivitch crafts glimpses into the personality of a girl too young to spend her summers away from her family, but old enough to long for something larger, something which gathers strength and clarity, then drops rather ominously upon Tezuka. The story creates such a natural and sympathetic rapport between the young girl and her stoic champion that it even catches Tezuka off his guard.

POSTCARDS

Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Leroy Jethro Gibbs/Donald 'Ducky' Mallard (implied - can be read purely as the friendship we see on the show). Leroy Jethro Gibbs/Hollis Mann (again only implied).
Length: 1,851
Author on LJ: timothy_quinn
Author Website: The Last Vampyre (Requires an age confirmation to access it)

Why this must be read:

Hollis Mann has disappeared and Gibbs is desperate to find her and of course his oldest, closest, dearest friend, Ducky, will do all that he can to help him - or will he?

We all know Ducky, don't we? Kind, gentle, a gentleman and a gentle man, a man who has time for everyone, a good word for everyone, who merely smiles when Gibbs interrupts him, who is courteous and caring, who clearly loves his 'family' and who looks after and provides a home for his elderly mother who is suffering from dementia. A man who wouldn't hurt the proverbial fly - and yes, this is Ducky; this is the man we see week in week out. But . . .

But there is also another side to Ducky, one we have a handful of glimpses of in the show. And it is this Ducky whom Tim taps into. Tim herself calls this 'Dark Ducky' and her words are true. She gets inside the man we see, she finds the darkness that I suspect we all have and she utilises it to perfect effect; she takes it and she moulds it and she gives us Ducky Mallard.

And what is so frightening, so chilling is how easy it is to believe in her 'Dark Ducky' and that is because Tim writes him with so much skill. OOC? Yes, but equally a resounding 'no'. Not many writers could pull this off, could take the affable man we see and twist him and still make him the Ducky we see - but Tim is a highly skilled writer and so she manages to do it and do it so very, very well.

As I said to her: 'This is really is such a good and chilling story, my dear Tim, and what makes it all the more chilling is how utterly believable it is. Horrific to say, but our beloved, sweet, gentle, caring Ducky does have a steely side and I'm sure a dark side too - at least when it comes to dealing with people who might hurt and/or interfere with those people he loves.'

But don't take my word for it, please go and read this - but be prepared to be both horrified and fascinated; to both say 'that is not Ducky' and 'that is Ducky'.

( Extract )

---

The Disappearance Of Hollis Mann

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Obi-Wan/Anakin
Length: Approximately 600 words.
Author on LJ: yxonomei
Website: sy_fanfiction
Why this fic must be read:

Obi-Wan has been thinking of acquiring another Padawan and the result is quite different than in the Clone Wars movie. In This Land Of Sinners by Yxonomei tells us in raw prose what we realize subconsciously: that Anakin Skywalker makes demands on those he loves. Warnings for non-con and blood.

In This Land Of Sinners

Fandom: ANGEL
Pairing: Gen, with a hint of Cordelia Chase/Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Length: 8,889 words
Author on LJ: yahtzee63
Author Website: FanFiction.Net Account;
Yahtzee!
Why this must be read: Here's the thing about yahtzee63: My favorite fics of hers seem to be the ones that no one else is reccing. There are a few of her stories that have appeared on ever single recs list since the beginning of the Internet. My reaction to those is often "meh." I tend to prefer her smaller, more delicate pieces, like this one, in which Cordelia re-examines her feelings for Wesley, after he is injured. Then again, I was one of three people who actually liked the idea of Cordelia and Wesley together, from Season Three of Buffy onwards. Plus, Phantom Dennis!

The Other Half Lives

Fandom: Bandom (mostly MCR, but w/ Pete Wentz flavoring)
Pairing: multiple (mostly Pete/Mikey, Frank/Gerard)
Author on LJ: fluffontop
Author Website: peace through superior bees
Why this must be read: I can't believe this hasn't been recced yet. I'm working through me folder of “fics I bomb people with to trick them into this fandom.”

This one's a huge gateway drug. It's a high school AU based off of My Chemical Romance's video “I'm Not Ok.” The video itself is an ode to high school violence (whatelse?) that did a lot to launch the band's career as the face of teen anger. (The video itself is must-watch if you're dipping your toe in this ocean—the link's embedded in the story.)

The story is sprawling and introduces you to a lot of the traditional characterizations of the various dudes. That comes off sounding douchey but what I mean is that it's extremely satisfying and brilliantly rendered. (Traditional characterizations including: Gerard the angsty alcoholic, Mikey the awkward weirdo, Pete the force of nature, Frank the off-kilter rock). It's also super long, so it's a whole world you can fall into and ignore that pressing spreadsheet or doing the ten loads of laundry you have.




The Holly Golightly Club

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Gen, but there are various relationships (slash and het) in the background.
Length: 300,000-plus words (yes, it's very big!)
Author on LJ: gatewaygirl
Author Website: Stories by Gatewaygirl at The Archive
Why this must be read: Back in 2001, a fan named Severitus issued a challenge, the main feature of which was that "Severus Snape must be revealed to be Harry's father." Over the years, many authors have taken up the challenge, but none so well, in my estimation, as GatewayGirl did in "Blood Magic."

Started before Order of the Phoenix was released, this novel-length story still holds up brilliantly. Unlike the other stories I'm reccing this month, "Blood Magic" is gen, meaning that the plot centers on something other than a romantic or erotic relationship (note: there are m/m, f/f, and m/f relationships in this story, but they aren't the focus of the story). However the emotional intensity of the various relationships - particularly the initially-uncomfortable one between father and son - makes this a very satisfying read from beginning to end.

( A tiny taste of the story... )

"Blood Magic" is smart, clever, and engaging enough to have held my interest all four times I read the 84 chapters. You have a weekend stretching out in front of you...give this story a try!

"Blood Magic"

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Jayne/Simon
Length: 60k
Author on LJ: ana_grrl
Author Website: Ana's Fiction, though it hasn't been updated in over two years. Check her LJ for more recent fic.
Why this must be read: This was one of the first J/S stories I ever read, and it helped inspire me to eventually write my own. It's set post-BDM; Mal starts sticking Jayne and Simon together on jobs and to everyone's surprise, it actually works.

I've always felt that for this pairing to really work and be believable is one of the toughest jobs a Firefly slash writer has, so it's no surprise that Ana - who is one of the best Firefly writers ever - does it beautifully. Watching Simon and Jayne go from mutual indifference to love is a long crawl filled with heists, shootouts and sex, and it's worth every moment.

An Arrangement of Parts

Fandom: HIGHLANDER: THE SERIES
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ:  spikedluv 
Author Website:  Spikedluv's Scribblin
Why this must be read:

This story is one of my favorites and I was kind of suprised that it hadn't been recced yet.  When I want a long satisfying read that still manages to have plot, this is the one I go to.  I'm a sucker for a good chunk of angst, that is resolved well- and has a happy ending.So many fics have Duncan hurting Methos somehow, for whatever reason--be it over the horsemen or over Amanda. This one however, is reversed.

“Can someone love you too much?” Methos asked. “Can you lose yourself in them?”

“Yes, you can,” Cameron replied seriously. “It’s a form of emotional abuse. Did he try to keep you away from your friends?”

“No,” Methos said, shaking his head.

“Did he try to keep you from doing things you liked to do?”

“No.”

“Did he tell you how to think or feel?”

“No.”

“Why did you feel like you were getting lost?” Cameron asked.

“I’ve never been loved that powerfully,” Methos said. “He loved me with everything he was. I was afraid he wanted me to love him that completely, and that I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“Don’t you think he thought you loved him just enough? That however much you loved him was just the right amount?” Cameron questioned.

So Much to Lose