Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Ziva/Jenny; Ziva-centric
Length: 1,929
Author on LJ: TwoWeevils (twoweevils)
Author website: The fic tag on their lj
Why this must be read:

My next two recs are a set of character studies. This one's about Ziva, and it is, as its title claims, bittersweet. But it's the kind of bittersweet that comes with growing up -- discovering who you are, and who you are not, and coming to terms with that knowledge. This fic evokes that journey of self-awareness perfectly, and it does so in gorgeous literary prose steeped in Ziva's familial and cultural heritage. Read a bit, and I think you'll love this story as much as I do:

( Her name meant 'brightness.' )

This fic has a lot of comments, but I couldn't pass it up -- in my mind, it deserves all the praise in the world. So, please. Go. Read. Enjoy. Review.

Bittersweet

Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Kate-centric gen
Length: 2547
Author on LJ: Sefkhet (sefkhet)
Author website: As far as I can tell, Sefkhet's fic is not centrally collected.
Why this must be read:

This is the second of a pair of character studies I'm reccing. This one's about Kate, a result of the femgen ficathon. It, like my previous rec, is about the bittersweetness of living -- coming to terms with how the choices you have made define you. The prose style here borders on stream-of-consciousness, with lots of commas and too-long sentences, but I think it feels right for a fic set at the moment of death. Kate's life doesn't flash before her eyes; instead, one single memory does. Although it seems mundane at first, this memory sums up the way she lived -- and the way she died...

( She remembers that the ballroom had been vaulted. )

Go. Read. Enjoy. Review.

With Feet Glass Slippers Wouldn't Fit

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Anakin Skywalker/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Length: 7448 words
Author on LJ: kayliemalinza
Author's website: FFN profile
Why this fic must be read:

KaylieMalinza ladles fluff along with proper Jedi training onto your plate in this fic, a subgenre of BDSM that might be labeled 'BDSM lite.' The author has a way of issuing evocative phrases such as "too cute to hit again" and "tiny, throbbing knot of terror" in a story that begins with a swirl of confused impressions which straightens out into a story of possession. "Anakin gets possessive. Obi-Wan responds." is the summary of a story in which a slave's memories color a Master's sense of just how far to discipline.

White Snow, Bands of Fire

Title: Cobwebs
Fandom: Dragon Ball Z
Characters: Mirai Gohan, Piccolo
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/404634/1/
Why this must be read:

One of the more interesting aspects of DBZ are the various canon timelines, and the future of the Androids is as fascinating as it bleak. One of the most beloved heroes of the series comes from this time – Mirai Trunks. But this is the story of the man who trained him.

Mirai Gohan.


Excerpt: His eyes bore into me for a single moment – earnest, pointed daggers made of the bluest ice

His eyes bore into me for a single moment – earnest, pointed daggers made of the bluest ice. He is beautiful as all young, living things are beautiful, determination giving his face a definite shape, one that suits him. It falls somewhere between Saiyan honor and plain old human stubbornness. Then, I feel my hand impact the back of his head.

Yes, I realize as his eyes cloud over, shock registering in those depthless blue irises before they roll back and are covered by falling lids…yes, he is too beautiful to die here. I catch him with my one remaining arm before he hits the ground, holding him close against myself for a precious moment.

This is the younger brother that I’ll never have. I’m sorry, Trunks…truly. I pray that you’ll never know how sorry. I lay him down on the ground, running a hand reluctantly through the lavender tangle of his hair, remembering as I do so the feeling of a much larger hand, a hand with only four fingers, smoothing my own bangs away from my face so long ago.
Was this how he felt, when he left me for the last time? Did it hurt him this much? Yes, I know it did as I stand here – this much, and maybe even more. I’m sorry now that I was angry with him. He did what he had to, just as I am doing what I have to.

Cobwebs

Fandom: COWBOY BEBOP
Pairing: Ed
Length: One Shot (2,887 words)
Author on LJ: NA
Author Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1510866/Alexithimia
Why this must be read:

This is the Ed we know and love from the anime, its a peek at the crew of the Bebop from her eyes. There are some possible spoilers for session 9 "Jamming with Edward" but this is also a great case fic as well as being very funny. But this is a great fic for those of us that adore the team's resident hacker/funny girl.

And So The Start of My Adventure Began (K+)