Fandom: A-TEAM MOVIE VERSE 
Pairing: Face/Murdock
Length: 25k, divided in seven parts 
Author on LJ: danang1970
Author Website:  Danang 1970 - personal archive
Why this must be read:
Another dynamic extrapolated from the tv canon to the movie canon is the friendship between Face and Murdock. Often fics with this pairing are based on the bromance between the two of them - a deep friendship that not only features banter and the normal dude teasing but also one where the two turn to each other to deal with their deeper issues.

Danang's fiction, in general, portrays this relationship perfectly - these are two incredibly tough men who have been in multiple positions where they would have died for one another. She manages to capture this aspect, as well as the humor and occasional silliness that comes with their relationship. Her writing is incredibly witty, and she often stays close to a character in third person in a way that really makes the story rich - and she has an amazing grasp on both Face and Murdock, maintaining the humorous dynamic between the two while dealing with the fallout of their actions.

Here, while drunk, Face begins to harass Murdock about the fact that he never talks about sex - and Murdock finally breaks, grabbing Face, taking him to his bedroom, and giving him the best sex of his life. It's the way that Danang handles the aftermath of this that I find brilliant, as she perfectly captures the reactions of Hannibal and B.A. to this development and manages to write in two serious "talks" that explore the team's emotions and bonds in a realistic, authentic way. 

And the slash? Really hot.

Prove It

Hi, I'm arysteia and I'm driving the van for Comics Fandom this month. I'm usually bi-textual, but the DCNu Reboot has led to a tragic parting of the ways, so I'm going to be concentrating on Marvel. I'm aiming to include great fics from both Comics and Movies canons, and a variety of pairings. Sorry for the late start -- life -- so without further ado...

Fandom: MARVEL COMICS (specifically AVENGERS/THOR)
Pairing: Loki/Thor
Length: 20,000 words
Author on LJ: astolat
Author Website: AO3 Account

Warning: Astolat does give a warning, but I want to clarify/add to it. There's a set-up involving torture (including rape) but you can quite literally skip over the first four paragraphs and avoid it. It is briefly mentioned again but without details being given (they aren't really given the first time either), so decide for yourself if that's okay for you. If you're completely unfamiliar with the canon then be warned also: Thor and Loki were raised as brothers, though they are not, in fact, related.

Why this must be read: One of the things that really elevated Thor for me above the level of "Hulk Smash!" was the mock-Shakespearean interplay between Thor and his family, most especially Loki. Like all OTP fangirls, I console myself for the inevitable rift with the thought that even if they face off as enemies in the next film, they're both immortal and there's plenty of time for them to eventually reconcile. This fic creates an eminently plausible scenario for that reconciliation, one that starts with the time-honoured trope of the villain deciding that no-one gets to mess with his hero but him, and then takes it somewhere unique and delightful, while at the same time exploring Loki's Jotun heritage in a way that feels respectful rather than prurient. Plus there are cameos by Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. And possibly dinosaurs.

Athelas

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan
Length: Long
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: n/a
Why this must be read:

The Jedi path joins the path of lovers to lead the main characters through hell and paradise, fire and snow, to the final battle where everything is put at the stake.

I love the writing. It's stunning. I love that there's no middle ground in feelings and experiences described - it is indeed either hell or paradise, not much in-between, and the writing emphasises this greatly. The colors of the story are not bright but sharp.

"The earth shook like a wounded animal, the outcry of the tortured world audible even through the adamantine shields he'd slammed up around his sanity."

The Flame and the Salamander

Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Pairing: John/Rodney
Length: ~22,200
Author on LJ: lunasky on Dreamwidth
Author Website: Perchance to Dream

This is one creepy fic. Rodney and John end up in a room that treats them like mice in a psychologist's maze and from there it develops into a brilliant character piece about John that speaks to the Sartre quote "Hell is other people," but Hell for John is also John himself. Luna writes this story in such a terrifying, wonderful way that it leaves me panicked when McKay is, worried when John is...even after multiple readings. And the reveal is even more chilling, less because of the who and more the implications of it all.

( Mini-Teaser )

The Experiment

Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: Sam/Jess
Length: ~ 36,000 words
Author on LJ: briarwood
Author Website: AO3 account
Why this must be read:

Let me give you the author's summary: Jessica loved cheesy horror movies and ghost stories, but she didn't believe in any of it. They were college kids, having fun on a summer vacation. All that talk about the house being haunted was just joking around. When one of her friends had a frightening accident, it didn't seem so funny any more. And just why did Jessica's brand-new boyfriend, Sam, insist on buying so much salt?

Yeah. We're talking a spooky case, great character development, lots of awesome details, AND (though I won't spoil it for you . . .) a slight AU bent that had me really excited. This is a fic that needs to be read.

The Haunting of Jessica Moore