Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: None
Length: 643 words
Author on LJ: bghost
Author Website: On Ao3

Why this must be read: Well, as a disclaimer, it was an answer to a challenge I posted. Now that that's out of the way: ButterflyGhost takes a theme that's been done rarely -- Turnbull meets Bob -- and manages to tie in elements from Bird in the Hand to make a darling sort of conversation between an old ghost and the young Mountie; it should not surprise anyone that if there's any unrelated guy in due South who can see ghosts, it would be Turnbull.

All in a Day's Work by ButterflyGhost

Fandom: INCEPTION
Title: takes an ocean not to break
Pairing: Arthur/Eames
Length: 3,700
Author on LJ: cmonkatiekatie
Author Website: fic tag on author's journal and her other works on AO3
Why this must be read: I think we all understand, even if we're not familiar with Inception, that Arthur/Eames is the fandom juggernaut. I'm mostly going to be reccing stories I think do amazing things with this amazing canon--and if that's A/E, so much the better. So when I do rec a fic that's a straightforward look at my OTP, I hope that fic will impact you the way it impacts me--that is, fill you with love and belief in Arthur and Eames together, make you see them in a new way.

This is something I could say about all of cmonkatiekatie's fics, but this one especially makes me ship it more and more every time I reread. On the surface, it's a simple fic about Eames calling up Arthur to talk through the long distances and times between their meeting, and how this brings them closer together. But beneath that, this fic is actually a beautiful, honest portrayal of how fraught and exhilarating and scary it can be to let someone get close to you, to let yourself want them and believe that your heart can stand it. Katie does more in a few thousand words to convey oceans of emotion, through silence and sparseness, saying so much without saying much at all. And she does it all while making it feel completely inevitable that Arthur and Eames should fall together, should fall in love, should want so, so much. It's brilliant, and it punches me in the gut every time.

( Arthur stands on his balcony and rubs at his arm and thinks about calling Eames. )

takes an ocean not to break

Fandom: Bandom
Pairing: Mike Carden/girl!Kevin Jonas
Length: 3208
Author on LJ: twentysomething on dreamwidth
Author Website: Fic located on dreamwidth journal
Why this must be read: Mike Carden and Kevin Jonas. Not really a pairing you think of when putting the two together. Dubbed as skippy by the lovely skoosiepants, it has gained quite the following.

Enough of a following for genderswap to occur. lol

This fic shows a boy and girl going from friends to a relationship with tons of shenanigans along the way. Especially in the form of bandmates. A cute little fic that always makes me squee when I read it.

( Excerpt Here )

These Words About A Girl

Fandom: Suits
Pairing: Harvey Specter/Mike Ross
Length: approx. 4,000 words
Author on LJ: elfinessy
Author Website: Elfin Productions
Why this must be read: I was first introduced to elfin's work through her Man from U.N.C.L.E. stories, so when I saw she'd written a Suits story I was thrilled! Harvey seduces Mike at the Pearson Hardman Christmas party, letting him know in no uncertain terms that it was a one-time deal. The problem is that Mike is being so mature about the whole thing and it's making Harvey crazy.

elfin has a gorgeous writing style, fluid with characterizations and situations that ring true. She's one of those writers whose work I can see in my head while I'm reading it and there's nothing like that feeling. This is just a lovely story that, like the show, has moments of humor intertwined with drama of two men who find themselves bound together through thick and thin even though they don't always understand what drives one another. It's just all around good stuff.

Citing the One Night Only rule...

Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Gibbs/Tony
Length: 1060 words
Author on LJ: taylorgibbs
Author website/archives: AO3
Why this must be read: I love Fornell. He's one of my all-time fave recurring characters. While I don't ship him, I still think he's awesome as a person and brilliant as Gibbs' friend. I love their scenes together on the show, and I'm always thrilled to find well written stories focusing on their friendship. "The Real Thing" combines the wonderful Gibbs-Fornell dynamic with a great twist featuring Tony at the end. Gotta love their banter. Plus, there's Italian food to be had. *g*

(The Real Thing)