Fandom: Musical Theater / Chess
Pairing: Freddie/Florence, Anatoly/Florence
Length: 262 words
Author on LJ: find_rightbrain
Author Website: Maybe There's a Light That's Always On

Why this must be read: There's something long-term and abiding in Florence and Freddie's relationship. It's pretty clear by "Nobody's Side" why she would want to leave him, but you don't end up having "taken shit for seven years" without a reason. In almost no space, this fic gets right to that contradiction, as well as the fundamental differences in the way the two champions treat her. There's not necessarily a better or worse, just a quiet respect for what Florence and Freddie had.

Together and Apart

We've gone through a good selection of introductory stories, some of the must-read stories, alternate universes, crossovers, and now for something completely different: crack (or at least stories that have a bit of a crazy premise, work fantastically, and will make you laugh!)

Fandom: INCEPTION
Pairing: Arthur/Eames
Length: ~ 5000 words
Author on LJ: tequilideas
Author Website: Fic Archive
Why this must be read: We know Eames as the forger who can forge anyone. But when Arthur and Cobb ask if he's ever forged an animal before, Eames lies and says "yes," figuring "how hard can it be?" Of course, he pulls it off magnificently, but there are unforeseen complications. Naturally.

What this gives you is an absolutely hilarious fic from Eames' point of view where he's taking on attributes of a dog subconsciously. His inner monologue is brilliant, and the author really captures that dog-persona of wanting to please the master (particularly Arthur). Of course, the team can't help but exploit the situation to Eames' dismay and everyone else's amusement, and the long-suffering Arthur turns out to be far more sympathetic than Eames could have dreamed. Eventually.

This is one of those stories that I read if I need a quick pick-me-up, a laugh, a smile in the middle of a tough day. It's delightful.

( Eames is going to sleep at Arthur’s place and he’s thrilled. He doesn’t have to be alone! He’s on his very best behavior as they walk to Arthur’s apartment. He watches the cars zoom by but he doesn’t chase them because Arthur (looking like he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his own mouth) told him to ‘heel.’ )

On LJ: tu es la belle et moi la bête

Podfic version read by anatsuno: Download podfic version

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

Fandom: BIG TIME RUSH
Pairing: Kendall/James, Carlos/Stephanie, Logan/Camille
Length: 26 chapters
Authors on LJ: goten0040 and garnetice
Author Website: oursecretspace (joint fic journal)
Why this must be read: The thing about tiny fandoms is that there just doesn't tend to be much lengthy fic. This, however, is hands down the best long fic in the fandom, and it offers plenty to sink your teeth into. And I won't lie, I went into it a little hesitantly -- it's a future where things have very much fallen apart, to the point where Kendall hasn't seen his friends or family in a few years and James is missing entirely. That's so far from what I, personally, picture that I wasn't sure I could be sold on it… until I started reading, just a few chapters, right, and then it was 3 AM and I had work in the morning and the worst thing was that the fic wasn't finished yet. Anyhoo. For all this fic is about James' frustrating, very realistic struggle with drugs, it's even more about Kendall's own issues and insecurities, and the way two incredibly broken people might help each other -- or might break each other further. It's a read that's equal parts painful and compelling, and very, very well drawn.

( excerpt )

Shut Your Eyes (TW: drug addiction, homophobia, character death)

Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI
Pairing: Ciel/Sebastian
Length: 604 words
Author on LJ: no
Author Website: Branch's fic archive
Why this must be read:

It's the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere: for many of us, the most stressful point in a highly stressful season. What better time for some nice hot smut, demon style?

The author gives "A Better Trap" an explicit rating, and she's right, but perhaps not in the ways that might spring to mind. There's no physical action in this story at all, not even in the characters' thoughts. Nevertheless, this is unmistakably porn (and smoking hot porn, as befits a demon). Which makes it not only a warming read, just right for a cold dark winter day, but a really remarkable trick of storytelling as well.

A Better Trap

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Duck/Dan
Length: 3962
Author on LJ: exeterlinden
Author's website:  AO3

Why this must be read:

The character voice of Duck is brilliantly done, but what I especially love here is the way the tone of the story matches the movie.  Duck, like the rest of the movie's characters, spends his time letting life happen to him, until  he slowly realizes what it takes to find some peace and happiness.

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

Fandom: THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Pairing: Mark/Eduardo
Length: 3,200 words and an even better sequel at about 4,000 words
Author on LJ: therealw
Why this must be read: Girl!Mark. One thing about the Social Network... it's a movie about boys. Stupid boys being stupid while also being geniuses. It's fun! But seriously lacking in good female characters. Making one of them female adds an interesting dimension and this is so well done. The sequel, in particular, is a brilliant post-deposition fic; she's definitely Mark.

The first, though, is at Harvard and everyone thinks Mark is a lesbian. Eduardo wishes that were not so...

"What's the point of being best friends with a lesbian if she never hooks up with anyone?"

"I didn't become Mark's friend in the hopes of her letting me watch while she makes out with other girls, Dustin."

Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI
Pairing: Sebastian/Ciel
Length: 7800 words
Author on LJ: yinake
Author Website: Cat In My Fridge at ff.net
Why this must be read:

Continuing the day's theme of hot porn for a cold night, "Mirror, Mirror" is a portrait of a relationship, as we see it revealed over the course of a single late-night encounter between Sebastian and an older Ciel. This is a darker and more pessimistic take on that relationship than anything in my previous recs, and arguably more pessimistic than canon: here we have a Sebastian and Ciel who are inextricably bound together, and as fascinated by one another as ever, but who never quite like each other. The ambivalence and complexity of their relationship, and its neverending shifts of power and control, only fuel the heat between them here: it's clear in every word of the story why these two can't keep their hands off each other, whether they think they should or not. And the exchange about kisses at the very end is exquisite and chilling.

Mirror, Mirror