Time for me to gas up the van and return it to the garage in readiness for the next driver. I've enjoyed my experience at driving this month and I hope I provided some enjoyment for readers here as well.

One final story to end my tour in the van, one that seems appropos to celebrate the nostalgia that is part and parcel of the holidays.

Fandom: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: None
Length: about 3250 words
Author on LJ: pactnmmt
Author Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1948009/PACTNMMT
Why this must be read:

This is a sweet little story that focuses on the "mysticism" of true friendship. Such stories can come off as a bit too sugary sometimes, but this one just really affected me emotionally in a very intense way.

It tells the story of a memento from Illya's childhood, a simple stone, that came to symbolize in his mind and heart his own fractured life. Ah, but are such fractures always permanent?

With a deep sigh he turned his attention back to the task of gluing the fragments together. In order to improve the chances of the pieces bonding strongly together Illya would only glue one piece a day. Over the next three days something changed. He found that as each piece of stone was joined to the others, he himself grew stronger both physically and in resolve. And, just as the stone, while still showing the cracks, was stronger than it was originally, so too was Illya. Yes, the remnants of his fractured life were still there, but he was stronger and began to develop a stony personality. Emotions were buried deep into his soul and he never allowed weakness to show. Once again he carried the stone in his pocket and felt its strength join his.

However, even when we think those fractures "healed enough", life can sometimes surprise us...

The Spirit Stone

Fandom: THE OFFICE (US)
Pairing: Ryan/Kelly
Length: 3600 words
Author on LJ: periariyx
Author Website:
Why this must be read:

This pretty much sums up the purest essence of Ryan/Kelly - darkly funny, biting, and entertaining. There isn't a word of this that I wouldn't take as completely canon - it's absolutely pitch-perfect.

When I Grow Up

Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Bob Bryar/Mikey Way
Length: ~ 32,600 words
Author on LJ: seimaisin
Author websites:

Why this must be read: Space AU! I really like the science fiction feel of this story. The world building is detailed enough to make it really interesting, but not overbording. The characters are awesome, the side and supporting characters too.

Chasing Starlight

Fandom: WATCHMEN
Pairing: Gen; characters Nite Owl II and Rorschach
Length: one-shot 1k
Author on LJ: wednesday42 
Author Website: FugueState on AO3

Why this must be read:
I really wanted to rec this during Halloween but this can be enjoyed any time: Rorschach finds himself escorting a group of young children during their Halloween rounds. This allows Wednesday42's consummate skill with dialogue to come to the foreground as the children interact with Rorschach:

Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: Bodie/Cowley
Length: Novel length
Author on LJ: Not any more
Author Website: Carnall Enterprises
Why this must be read:

It’s time for me to leave, for the relief of those who don’t share my weird tastes. I wanted to give you a more balanced set of stories, honest! And especially, more slash, more Bodie/Doyle fics. But I had very little time to prepare and so, had to make do with stories I already had in print at hand, and which were still clearly present in my memory. Not that I disown any of them of course!

Since I can’t do anything to change the way things are at the last moment (I evidently had no leisure for reading new stories) I’ll just go on following the same trail, by choosing a Bodie/Cowley fic, and a very hot one, at that, for it’s not other than the “finale” of the “Fox and Wolf” trilogy: “As Games Are Played”. You can’t get more central than this in that universe (I mean the whole B/C batch of stories, not only the trilogy). And after all, today is the last opportunity for me to make it accessible to a wide range of readers, thanks to Caroline (caroveraline_x) and Frances (hagsrus) who both worked hard to have it released on Proslib. (You’ll find at the bottom of this post a link to a Proslib folder that contains all three parts of the trilogy and related art).

I’ve already recced the first part in crack_van, here: Lest These Dark Days, also reviewved by londonronnie here The Reading Room and by me here: Rare Pair, where you can go to know the premises. “This Classical Dilemma" mainly develop them to explore the depths, heights and pitfalls of the relationship, while following very closely the course of events during the successive episodes, from "Slush Fund" to "Discovered in a Graveyard". Volens,nolens, the dangerous and unnatural bond between agent and commander has held through plights and fights, better than either of them had expected but always kept by Cowley in a convenient “what is not said doesn’t exist” status of moral “no-man’s-land”.

It’s in the third part (that goes from "The Ojuka situation" to "No stone") that all the threads are tied up, then untangled for good. All the unspoken is said, all the contradictions revealed with their inescapable consequences and Cowley has to come to term with the painful awareness of his own state of denial and to make a decision eventually: is the relationship real? Is it worth the sacrifice of what he used to deem more precious than his life?

Actually, he’s not as brave as that for the decision is in large part imposed on him by the circumstances and by Bodie’s staunch loyalty and stubbornness. I don’t want to disclose the plot, which is brilliant, especially the interrogation scene and the CI5 operation near the end. It’s not a totally happy ending (there is loss and there is gain) but it’s a likely and realistic one though it may not appear as such to many readers.


AS Games Are Played

Fandom: STAR TREK RPF
Pairing: Chris Pine/Zachary Quinto
Length: 5,149
Author on LJ: formerlydf
Author Website:
Why this must be read: Zach can handle someone metaphorically leaving their heart in his hands; he's never had to contemplate what he would do if someone left their metaphorical heart literally in his hands. Set in a slightly AU world where magic exists, Chris steals his heart back from Disney and gives it to Zach for safekeeping. I don't really know how to describe this fic, other than to say it is charming and delightful, and makes one almost believe in magic. 

( Read more... )

l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux

Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: Dean/Castiel, Castiel/Lucifer
Length: ~14,800
Author on LJ: luchia13
Author Website: Fic Master List

This is one of my absolute favorite fics because of a) the Castiel characterization, b) Castiel claiming Dean, c) Lucifer's role, and d) the inclusion of some of our favorite minor characters. The author's writing is engaging, the story romantic without being saccharine, and the way Castiel falls under Lucifer's logic is convincing. Plus, it's the Lucifer I wish canon had given us.

( Mini-Teaser )

Right of Conquest

Fandom: STARGATE ATLANTIS
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Length: ~ 2880 words
Author on LJ: lallybroch
Author Website: Fic Tag on LJ
Why this must be read: Borrowing or sharing clothes is a hot button for a lot of people, myself included. It just seems like something so intimate, particularly for men. So when Rodney shows up at John's asking to borrow a shirt, it should make him feel special, right? At least until he realizes Rodney's already wearing someone else's pants. And the questions of whose pants and why drive John a little crazy - in the best possible way.

( Those were not Rodney's pants. )

Read the Story / Feedback the Author: Hot Pants

One last story to wind down the month. It's a Christmas story of second chances and hope. Thanks for reading along this month! Remember to feedback your authors.

Fandom: STARGATE ATLANTIS
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay (implied only)
Length: ~ 2082 words
Author on LJ: scrunchy
Author Website: Fic Tag on LJ
Why this must be read: This fic was originally written for the undermistletoe 2005 challenge, for the prompt: "separated for years, but something brings them together." It's Christmas and for five years post-Atlantis, John Sheppard has been missing Rodney. He's written him letters, but received no response. So what does he do when Rodney finally decides to show up?

What makes this fic for me is Rodney. He's absolutely the Rodney McKay we all recognize from early on in Atlantis. For someone who is such a pain in the ass at times, it's amazing how much cheer he can bring to a story.

( Rodney wouldn't be there. He hadn't been there the first year, or the next or the next or the one after that ... )

Read the Story / Feedback the Author: Students of Hope

Fandom: THE OFFICE (US)
Pairing: Jim/Pam
Length: one-shot
Author on LJ: codestothestars
Author Website: At MTT
Why this must be read:
It occurs to me that almost all I've recommended thus far has been PG-13 or tamer, and I figured I needed to fix that with some good old-fashioned angst and smut. I don't know why this author isn't more widely recced - check out the author page for more thoughtfully written and melancholy sex.

Horizon

Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: gen
Length: ~5,200
Author on LJ: schmevil
Author Website: Ao3

The author calls it crack, and technically, sure. But it's so adorable and so heartfelt that I simply can't see it as crack. It's hilarious and sweet and who says God can't be a duck, hmm?

( Teaser )

Duck