Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Scully, Mulder/Teena Mulder (UST)
Length: 35k
Author on LJ: onemillionnine
Author Website: XF Fanfic - OneMillionAndNine
Why this must be read:

OneMillionAndNine has called this fic “yet another take on the first time for our heroes”. What sets this apart from hundreds of other takes on the same theme is, of course, how they get there. It starts with Mulder’s maudlin reminiscences of the good old days with his good old mom, and it’s to OneMillionAndNine’s credit that nearly everything that follows, however edgy or unlikely, seems entirely plausible.

As promised in the introduction, it’s a “veritable angst-o-rama”, but it’s also a lot of fun. OneMillionAndNine has a wonderfully vibrant writing style, along with a wicked sense of humour. Her sardonic, self-aware Mulder is a particular treat.

( excerpt )

Gingersnaps for Oedipus

Fandom: HEROES
Pairing: Mohinder/Sylar
Length: ~5500
Author on LJ: seraphtrevs
Author Website: Author's fic listed here
Why this must be read: Because it's a chance to see how Mohinder and Sylar interact in contrasting Volume 3 selves, both expecting the person they last met. Because Sylar really is drily comical when he's attempting to find 'good' on his moral compass, and this recurs throughout the story.

During Sylar's time as a Company boy, he's sent to check up on Mohinder. A Mohinder who's been too busy bugging out and glueing people to walls to report in, so this goes as well as you might expect, but this time with added sex pheromenes (Author warns for dub-con-ish). Though both banter and sex are good, it's the deft thread of emotional connection between the two of them that hangs the fic together.

Written from Sylar's POV the fic's able to draw the funny from the more outlandish of the volume's developments - it's like his blinkers aren't like other people's, and not just about killing. Also, Bennet's exasperation - even in his brief appearance - really works, and makes me wish we'd seen more of them as unwilling partners.

( Excerpt )

Down to This

Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Pairing: None
Length: ~10,000 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Welcome To Stonehaven
Why this must be read:

Nettie Wells was only in one episode of The Magnificent Seven, but Anne Haney's portrayal of the stalwart pioneer was magnetic, and Nettie is a fan favorite. Her relationship with Vin Tanner in particular is a fanfic staple.

In this story, set in the present day, Mel, who excels at h/c, examines how Nettie's decline and death might affect Vin. As you might imagine, he doesn't take it well.

( A taste )

Hurt

Fandom: EARTHSEA
Pairing: Ged/Tenar
Length: ~1200 words
Author on LJ: the_wild_iris
Author Website: Speak Again & ff.net
Why this must be read:

Tehanu is introduced in the fourth book of the Earthsea series, named for her, when she's adopted by Ged & Tenar. Badly burned as a young child, she's left severely disfigured and is very shy especially of men. By the end of Tehanu, she's revealed to be one of the dragon kind, when the ancient dragon Kalessin calls her his child. Fourteen years later, in The Other Wind, she takes the form of a golden dragon to fly away with the other dragons.

Set after the end of Tehanu, 'Epithalamium' gives us a brief interlude with Tehanu (here under her alternative name of Therru) and the village witch, Aunty Moss (also known as Hatha), one of the few people she trusts. The piece achieves the delicate balance between treating Tehanu on the one hand as a girl firmly rooted in the prosaic rural life on Gont, and on the other hand as the embodiment of the mysterious Other. Wild Iris is probably best known for her poetry & drabbles, and her prose always has a luminous, poetic quality.

( Excerpt under the cut )

Epithalamium by Wild Iris

Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Pete/Patrick
Length: 8500 words
Author on LJ: giddygeek
Author Website: The Geekdom
Why this must be read:

I love this series.  Pete takes a look in the mirror and decides to see if the grass really is greener on the other side.  What he finds out is that life is what you make it no matter what universe you exist in.

He meets his own gaze in mirrors, and sometimes he smirks. Sometimes he thinks, I should probably be ashamed. Or he thinks, if the other me punches through and wants to come home, I'll go back. But the truth is, this life, it still doesn't feel right all the time and Pete's skin aches with misery some nights when he's alone in his bed, but it just doesn't suck half as hard.

Pete knows there's no fucking way he's going to give it up, and he isn't ashamed.

Make My Troubles Rhyme and the fllip side of the story, Gather No Moss

Fandom: Starsky & Hutch
Pairing: Starsky/Hutch, non-explicit
Length: 14k
Author on LJ: pepper_ckua
Author Website: Pepper's page at Me and Thee
Why this must be read:

This story is a painfully insightful look into Hutch's character and the imperatives that drive him. It's a wonderful illustration of how his strengths become the force that almost destroys him in season four.

Roxy's Ghosts

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Anakin Skywalker/Ferus Olin
Length: 1775 words
Author on LJ: elledwen/ambakin
Website: List of tags on writing journal
Why this must be read:

Why? Because the EU character of Ferus Olin, he of Jude Watson's creation, has been called 'stuffy, priggish, and a Perfect Padawan.' This extremely hot fic shows him as a calculating Padawan as well, playing Anakin as Anakin wants to be played. Ferus may not know every little thing about his rival, though, or perhaps Anakin is the true player. Whichever is the truth, this story will heat up your Saturday evening reading pleasure.

The Dejarik Master

Fandom: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon Solo/Illya Kuryakin
Length: 21,369 words
Warnings: Graphic Torture scenes.
Author on LJ: elijahwildchild
Author Website: Chrome and Gunmetal Madhouse

Why this must be read:

There are many things that make a good story. And there are some things that make an excellent story. This rec falls into the latter for me and I keep going back to re-read it again and again. elijahwildchild hasn't published loads of stories yet, but the ones that she has done have all been great and this one is no exception.
My previous recs have hopefully all been fairly consistent in certain aspects - the characters have to be believable and the interaction between the two boys plausible. She gets Napoleon and Illya word perfect, right down to Illya's glee when he blows stuff up!
The story starts off with Napoleon having a nightmare where Illya is tortured. Later we learn the reason why. A very nasty man captures Napoleon and tries to teach him a lesson not to interfere in his affairs. Similar to several episodes in the series, our boys are separated from each other but working opposite ends of the same affair. They do eventually end up together on the mission, but I won't say anymore. Here's an exerpt....

( Excerpt )

Please note the warnings, there are a couple of scenes of graphic torture described in this fic, so if you're squicky about this please be warned. The whole story is just great, heaps of angst and hurt/comfort, brilliant dialogue and fantastic description of scenes. Oh, and extremely hot first time sex *g*. Sorry, I couldn't leave that out - there will be more Gen recs I promise!! I love elijahwildchild 's style. I hope she writes more (hint hint LOL!), but for now enjoy what she's already written.

The Deja Vu Affair