Hello, wary passengers, I'm cruiscin_lan and they've given me the keys to the Heroes van for the month of May. I try to be an equal-opportunity fic reader, so hopefully my recs will reflect that. So buckle your seatbelts, kids, and help yourself to anything you find in the back. Those Cheetos aren't that stale.

Fandom: HEROES
Pairing: Hiro/Elle, Claire/Isaac, Peter/Eden, Mohinder/Candice
Length: about 3000 words
Author on LJ: cameroncrazed
Author Website: Fic masterlist
Why this must be read: Really, this fic packs a lot of bang for your buck - it brings back a lot of characters no longer in canon, and provides four rare pairings all in the same place.

But wait, there's more!

I love rare pairs because the juxtaposition of two characters not often seen together in canon/fanon often gives writers more room to play. This fic is at turns romantic, heartbreaking, and hilarious, all because cameroncrazed takes time with each pairing, giving the characters a chance to play off the other in a fascinating and unexpected way - but a way that still rings true.

Also, it has waffles, which every Heroes fan knows is a part of a complete and balanced breakfast.

Five Relationships That Didn't Happen (Or Did They?)

Greetings, Crack_vanners! I'm likeadeuce and I'll be driving the Marvel van for the month of May. A few themes are likely to emerge over the course of the month -- X-Men! Angst! An Avenger or two! Also with angst! -- but mostly I'll be doing my best to rec awesome stories by talented people. In honor of the new Wolverine movie opening today I'm starting out with a story about everybody's favorite beclawed Canadian. I apologize that all my Wolverine icons are slightly ridiculous, as this story deserves better.

Fandom: MARVEL COMICS
Pairing: Logan (Wolverine)/OMC
Length: ~3,500 words
Author on LJ: smirnoffmule
Author Website: Fic journal is equus_vodka
Why this must be read:

In whatever version of Wolverine canon you prefer, Logan has lived a long and varied life. This circumstance gives writers an extraordinary opportunity to explore different times and places through the lens of the character, and rarely have I seen this feat accomplished with as much skill and emotional resonance as smirnoffmule demonstrates here. This is a story of World War II as Logan saw it, and also the story of his relationship with a memorable and fully realized OC. This writing shies away from easy sentimentality, never letting us forget that these are hardened, violent men, yet at the same time showing us their capacity for sensuality and tenderness.

Excerpt:

They sit together on the mess hall steps,( Read more... )

My favorite part is how it ends, but I don't want to give it all away.

Go read: All Day Permanent Red

Hello, friends! I'm birggitt and I'll be driving the Highlander Van this month. So, without further ado, let's have a nice ride together:
Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: None, gen. Methos and Duncan McLeod friendship
Length: One shot, around 7.800 words
Author on LJ: None, elistair at IJ
Author Website: Taterville
Why this must be read: Because this is a delightful piece, where Methos and Duncan are enjoying some time together. No pressing danger, no old-time enemy, no immy hunting any of theirs heads. Just the two of them, together, having a rare, peaceful good time, visiting friends, drinking coffee, walking and chatting.
elistaire write this boys in such a perfect, accurate way. You will recognize them, even if their names weren't in the story at all. So, yes, you really should go and read. Because is wonderful.
( Excerpt, for your reading pleasure: )
One Long Dark Seacouver Night

You may remember me from the last round of RPF - Fake News recs. This time around I'm reccing non-RPF Fake News, meaning that at least one character in these fics will be from the fictional Report 'verse where Stephen Colbert is a Republican blowhard, not a liberal-leaning comedian. Enjoy!

Fandom: FAKE NEWS
Pairing: "Stephen Colbert"/Tad the Building Manager
Length: 747 words
Author on LJ: argyletheme
Author Website: Fic journal: colbernellodeux
Why this must be read:

In Four Times Stephen Was Too Gay, Bobby the Stage Manager becomes increasingly frustrated by his boss' unintentional homoerotic signals. As much as "Stephen" insists that he isn't gay, his actions are telling a whole different story and Bobby just doesn't know how to tell him. Funny and very fitting with the tone of the show, "Four Times Stephen Was Too Gay is a great example of fun, light-hearted character!fic.

Read on.

Hi! I'm luzula, and I'm your crack_van driver for due South in May. My goal for this month is to rec rare pairings and gen, and also to rec authors who don't already have a lot of recs here.

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Character: Bob Fraser gen
Rating: G
Length: 250 words
Author on LJ: sageness
Website: Fiction by Sage
Why this must be read: In my first rec, my two goals happily coincide. I can't believe sageness hasn't already been recced here, because she is a much admired and prolific author in the fandom. She writes a wide diversity of pairings and genres.

This fic is very short, so you should go read it right now. It's written in the form of a letter from Bob Fraser to his parents, and it's not so much the events that he's relating as the way he writes about them that makes this such an interesting character portrait. This is just perfect Bob Fraser, and the P. P. S especially is most revealing.

31st March, 1958

All righty, welcome to May's recs of NCIS. I'm bananacosmic and I'll be driving the van this month. As I major in Gibbs/DiNozzo and minor in DiNozzo/McGee, those two pairings will be the main focus of this month's drive. There will be a story or two that are gen too, but probably no other pairings - I don't really read any other pairings.

I look for good characterization, good plot, good grammar/spelling and that little something extra in fics - and those are the fics I will rec here. I hope you stick with me and find a new gem or two :)

Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo
Length: 2 chapters
Author on LJ: callista_mythol
Author Website: None which I'm aware of

Why this must be read:

The first rec of the month is from my favorite genre - I am terribly fond of all things supernatural. This fic has all the lovely supernatural stuff that I adore, tied into a world that is otherwise not really magical. Tony is a Kendreague, a guardian angel. Three guesses on who his charge is? Gibbs, of course.

The first two parts of this deals with Gibbs realizing that Tony is his guardian angel, whom Gibbs banished when he was little. The fic also has a side of very cool Abby.

( Excerpt )
Kendreague, part one
Kendreague, part two
Kendreague, part three
Kendreague, part four

Hello! I'm sabaceanbabe and I'll be driving the van this month for Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Fandom: Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles
Characters/Pairing: Sarah Connor, Derek Reese, implied Sarah/Kyle
Length: ~4,600 words
Author on LJ: roxybisquaint
Author Website: None which I'm aware of

Why this must be read:

Salvation in the Grass is a beautiful look at the sometimes prickly relationship between Sarah Connor and Derek Reese, and the inevitable memories of Kyle Derek's presence, unexpected and unwanted, brings to the surface.

( Click here for an excerpt )

Salvation in the Grass

Just when you thought my month was over, I'm back driving the van---this time for Firefly! So, as you may remember, I'm Lyr, and I read and rec all across the spectrum from gen to het to slash to femslash. All aboard!

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Mal/Simon UST, Mal/Inara UST
Length: 4,163 words
Author on LJ: laytoncolt
Author Website: writing journal
Why this must be read: This story works very well for me as an extended exploration of Mal's character. I really like how this story examines the changes Mal goes through between the end of the series and the beginning of the Big Damn Movie, because those are some powerful and intense watershed times for him. Layton Colt does an especially smashing job of insightfully working through Mal's tendency to sabotage important relationships in his life, and the way he seems to gravitate toward the people who bewilder and vex him the most. The voices are simply excellent, the character motivations are believable and effective, and there are some lovely grace notes in the striking use of imagery and language.

Chiasma