Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
Pairing: Justin/Alex, Alex/Mason, Justin/OC
Length: 2.303 words
Author on LJ: jlxology
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

This fic shows one of my favorite solutions for the Justin/Alex 'problem' because really... would a catholic family like the Russos accept incest? Would Justin accept his love for Alex? Or Alex?

The fic starts with heartbreak but ends with a smile. I really can't say more without to spoiling the ending so I say only one thing. This story is one of the reasons why jlxology is one of my favorite Justin/Alexs authors.

A fantastic idea and a great realization with a superb writing style. What do you want more as a fanfic reader?

Because That's The Way It's Supposed To Be (LJ)
--> Sometimes you need to sacrifice things.

Fandom: INCEPTION
Pairing: Arthur/Ariadne
Length: ~ 10,291 words
Author on LJ: someinstant
Author Website: Art and Fiction Master List on LJ
Why this must be read: I didn't see Inception until months after it came out, but for the people who saw it in the theatres and were part of those early days of the fandom emerging, it must have been exhilarating. This story has a few small inaccuracies, but those can be easily forgiven considering the author had only seen the film once, and there were no DVD copies or fandom write-ups to make sure every detail was accurate. And to be honest, the choice of Ariadne's chess piece totem as a pawn in the story rather than a bishop allows for a depth of metaphorical interpretation that isn't there with the actual totem.

The story leads up to the events of the movie, and shows a lovely intensity to Arthur and Ariadne's relationship. It's from Ariadne's POV, and it feels so right to me. She's a paradox in many ways, an impossible structure--she's at that stage of figuring things out while still knowing desperately exactly what she wants. She's brilliant and inexperienced, confident but insecure, and in the midst of a job like inception, Arthur's a maze she can't quite navigate. Should she pursue? And ultimately, how can she be sure anything is real?

(And if you need another reason to read, Ariadne threatens to put rabid amorous polar bears on Eames' level of the dream. Don't you want to know what he did to deserve that? *g*)

( 'Jesus,' she said, trying to sound irritated instead of startled. Arthur always did that to her: she was calm, the world made sense, and then he'd walk in the room and her lungs wouldn't quite work. )

On Livejournal: Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed - this entry also has a link to a DVD commentary of the story

On AO3: Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed

Two time-stamp ficlets related to this story can be found here: Making Passes and information is the currency

It doesn't matter how old or new a story is, authors love feedback!

Fandom: THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Pairing: Mark/Eduardo
Length: 21,000 words
Author on LJ: black_eyedgirl
Author Website: At AO3
Why this must be read: Well, it's one of those ones you feel faintly embarrassed reccing because anyone who has read in TSN must have read this, but! If you are new or somehow managed to miss it, I envy you getting to read this for the first time. This is an au, and there are some lovely AUs in TSN fandom. This one follows a pattern that's quite common in TSN aus: Mark is still Mark (somehow it seems hard to extract Mark from facebook), but Eduardo's circumstances are different...

In this, Eduardo comes to work at facebook as Mark's secretary. For me, even though I maybe favor Eduardo slightly as a character, TSN fic nearly always hangs on the Mark portrayal, and this one is lovely. He's clearly Mark...

Chris follows Mark back into the office. He says, “Can you try to be less of a- less you?”

“Why did he ask you?” Mark asks. “You’re not even a programmer – most of the interns have more of an idea what they’re doing than you do.”

“What did I just say?”

“I presumed you meant towards Eduardo.”

“Because God forbid you try not to be a dick to more than one person at a time.”

...but without the canon betrayal is not quite so sharp. Utterly wonderful plot, characters and dialogue.

They meet when Mark's already a billionaire and Eduardo is his new secretary/personal assistant...

Fandom: Musical Theater / Hair
Pairing: Sheila/Berger (/Claude in the background)
Length: Short, five-things
Author on LJ: phlogistics
Author Website: At FFN

Why this must be read: Post-finale, the Tribe passes through the five stages of grief. Told mostly from Sheila's perspective, this fic finds a series of small moments that add up into something real, and certainly give the Tribe the sense of cohesion and family it has in canon. Sheila's characterization is spot-on, and the writing is vivid and poetic without being wordy.

( Sheila picks up on the third ring. )

Grief

Fandom: BIG TIME RUSH
Pairing: James/Carlos
Length: ~2,700
Author on LJ: technicallysane
Author Website: kriotos (fic/graphics journal)
Why this must be read: Carlos is a hard character for a lot of the fandom to write, because he doesn't have a lot of internal conflict or drama. He's just a sweetheart who wants everyone to get along, and whose instinct is always to do the right thing. This post-episode fic (taking place right after "Big Time Demos") does a great job with him and his relationship with James -- Carlos is mildly hurt and even though he doesn't want to bring anyone else down, he and James are close enough that James can't help but notice. Lovely, heart-warming fluff.

( excerpt )

It's Supposed To Be Platonic

Fandom: THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Pairing: Mark/Eduardo
Length: 20,000 words
Author on LJ: oflights
Why this must be read: Following a Reconciliation Fic, and an AU Fic, this is a Canon Fic. A Harvard Fic to be exact: pre-facebook.

Dustin and Mark have a bet (there'll be another of those later) to see who can lose their virginity first. Well, Dustin's betting, Mark just has a point to prove, here. And Eduardo is strangely over-invested in Mark's virginity...

“Oh my God!” Chris says, looking gleeful again. “You too? Is this—is this some sort of club you two have formed? Are you both wearing chastity rings? That’s adorable!”

“Fuck off,” Dustin grumbles. Eduardo doesn’t nearly look nearly as concerned about Dustin, instead looking at him with a sort of appraising, measuring look and then nodding to himself slowly. Mark decides to take that as some kind of compliment.

The Fab Four are wonderfully characterized, and Mark is pitch-perfect.

Wherein Mark and Dustin are both virgins and they make an ill-advised bet about who can change that first. Eduardo wants to help, okay, really Mark, he can help you out with that, but Mark’s decided to start a sexual revolution of some sort, and Chris just thinks it’s really funny.

Fandom: WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
Pairing: Mason/Alex
Length: 4.043 words
Author on LJ: noor_us_sabah
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

I mentioned in my fandom overview that you either love or hate Mason and his relationship with Alex. Personally I think he is... okay but I don't like his relationship with Alex. Why? It often looks too manipulative to be real and Alex changed too much of herself because of him.

This fic uses this idea of Mason and the Mason/Alex relationship to show us a darker side. The author thematized the abuse carefully and didn't forget to mention the consequences. Alex is shown as a victim but also as a survivor. She isn't weak but like lots of other people in such relationships she needs time to realize that she isn't to blame.

Flashbacks show us moments which showcase how slowly you can slide into such a relationship and how easy it's to blame yourself. It's heartbreaking to read how Alex loses herself and everything which made her Alex Russo.

Justin is the one who is there to help her. Maybe his characterization seems to some people ooc but personally I always thought he would do anything to help/save his family/sister so I think his role in the story fits perfectly.

For me it's one of the best dark!fics in this fandom. It has also a prequel called "Hunted" which gives us the Mason's POV and explains how Alex and Mason got together. It will also give you chills because it describes how easily someone can manipulate other people.

Prey (LJ)
--> She never thought she'd be the girl who put up with this type of thing. But somewhere along the way she lost herself in him, and forgot who she used to be. Justin didn't. (violence, language and implied non-consensual sex -> abusive relationship and victim-blaming)

Fandom: INCEPTION
Pairing: None
Length: ~ 3900 words
Author on LJ: mithrigil
Author Website: Fic Tag on LJ; Mithrigil's Fic on AO3
Why this must be read: I had this marked down as "a good overview" story, but it's so much more than that. The POV is of an original character attending a training seminar on Mind Crime. The seminar is being given (with accompanying PowerPoint pages, no less!) by Ariadne and Yusuf, and is an excellent overview of the nuts and bolts of dream-sharing and mind heists as set out by the movie. For the fandom newbie, it's worth-reading just to get such a clear overview of a complicated topic, and Ariadne and Yusuf's light-hearted banter over which is more important, the architect or the chemist, feels very natural and in character.

But it's the circumstances that have put Ariadne and Yusuf in front of a roomful of trainees that's the most interesting part. And for that ... well, you'll have to read the story.

( MIND CRIME, it says, in large, friendly letters. )

On Livejournal: Remember Your Training

It doesn't matter how old or new a story is, authors love feedback!