Fandom: AVENGERS
Pairing: none; team gen
Length: 17,035 words
Author on LJ: halcyon_shift
Author Website: at AO3
Why this must be read:

It starts with Tony taking Bruce on an unauthorized field trip to see the world's largest ball of twine and mushrooms into a hilarious teambuilding roadtrip (in the world's most expensive RV) while Tony thinks he's outsmarting Nick Fury (he's not) and also in denial about his grief after the movie. This story is sweet and funny and smart and also features washer/dryers that fight crime. Why are you not reading it already?

( An excerpt: )

Culture and Other Balls of Twine by LithiumDoll

If you enjoy the story, please let the author know!

*

This is my last rec for this round! I hope you've enjoyed the ride. : )

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Stella Kowalski/Ray Vecchio
Length: 27,000 words
Author on LJ: desiree_armfeldt and Sock_Marionette
Author Website: Desiree Armfeldt's AO3 page and Sock_Marionette's AO3 page
Why this must be read: This is an insta-rec, because I just read this the other day, and it charmed my socks off. I can't resist reccing it despite the fact that I've already recced one of the authors this month. Anyway, it's a long epistolary fic where Fraser and Ray K are pining and talking past each other. Meanwhile, Ray K reaches out to Stella for advice, and Fraser to Ray V. I especially love Stella in this fic, but they are all delightful! ♥ The whole thing engaged me so much that I just couldn't stop reading.

The Land of Lost Content

This is my last rec for the month! I had a blast sharing fic, and I hope my fellow bandom readers saw some links they hadn't before.

A note about today's rec: it's part of pod_together, which, as I understand it, involves a higher level of collaboration between podfic reader and fic writer than in normal situations. As such, even though I haven't listened to the podfic yet, I've included both creators in the post.

Fandom: BANDOM (My Chemical Romance)
Pairing: Frank/Mikey
Length: 24,315 words.
Creators on AO3: knight_tracer and Sena

Why this must be read: Frank/Mikey is one of my all-time favorite pairings, and this story is the perfect example of how well this pairing can be done. Everything about it feels really natural: the way their best-friends compatibility evolves when Frank discovers that they have non-platonic things in common, the way everyone screws up (and responds to the screw-ups), the dialogue. And, like many of the stories I recced this month, the sex scenes are absolutely scorching.

( Summary and excerpt. )

Won't Know 'til You Begin

Grrr. Life. Almost a week away from the crackvan. Sorry! Trying to fit a couple more in before they take the keys off me. Because I am grumpy (grr - life), here is a happy - well, in the end! - story featuring one of my favourite plotlines: undercover as gay.

Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Length: 15,000 words
Author on LJ: presumably madmogs but I'm not sure.
Author Website: if this is the same madmogs, then more Pros stories at Mogs stories on the Circuit Archive
Why this must be read: for a stressed Doyle, frustrated Bodie, dubious ethics and great back-chat.

It starts with a casual, rough and ready arrangement between equals, lots of sex, lots of chaffing and teasing, and the only real source of tension is keeping this relationship from the rest of the world.

( Well, that's how it starts... )
This arrangement is brought to an abrupt half when Bodie finds himself shipped off on a pointless solitary op. Bodie is not impressed. When Bodie is safely out of the way, Doyle discovers why: Cowley needs him to attract and seduce a civil servant who may or may not be sleeping with the enemy. Doyle is now less impressed than Bodie, but has no option. We follow Doyle as he gets deeper and deeper into the assignment, with a sympathetic but unyielding Jax as his only support. Bad enough having to do the job, but he's starting to care about his target:

He'd betrayed Bodie in every possible way with Burns, and before too much longer he'd be betraying Burns in his own turn. "A real prince among shits," aren't I? he thought.

Undercover as gay is such a wide-ranging genre. You can do all sorts with it, from straight comedy to playing with expectations and stereotypes to looking at questions of identity and loyalty. Pros has some great ones, and as I think of it, now I want to recommend about five. But no, I have two days left, so it had better be one.

And, in this one, the author does a great job, with Doyle having to find a way to live with himself and what he's doing, and becoming steadily more guilty and angry: guilty about what he's doing both to Burns, his target, and to Bodie; and angry with Cowley for putting him through it, with his target for being under suspicion in the first place, and with the world that makes it necessary to hide in the first place. And what will he do when Bodie comes back? Equally important, what will Bodie do? (I love the moment towards the end when Bodie sees straight through something Doyle is trying to claim.)

Something I haven't mentioned is the dialogue, although if you followed the cut you'll have seen that I quoted it. This story is about 15,000 words, but it doesn't feel like it at all, because of the near-constant rapid-fire asides and backchat. Bodie and Doyle, Doyle and Jax, Bodie and his old SAS mates. Although perhaps mates isn't the right word. He's not getting on with them, he's stuck with them, his mood is increasingly foul, and he's getting into quite enough trouble on his own account, quite apart from worrying about Doyle...

Reconnections, by madmogs

Attn. Drivers: Tomorrow is the last Friday of the month, which means it's time for Friday Night Drive-In, a.k.a. Fan Vid Recs! Reccers may post 1 vid rec for their fandom, formatted as follows:

Subject Line: VID REC: Fandom - Song Title

Vidder:
Musical artist:
Pairing:
Vidder on LJ:
Vidder's website:
Why this vid kicks ass:

Tags: fanvid, fandom, fandom, etc.

Because the vidder community has some unique ownership issues, it’s important that reccers be extra careful when making vid recs. Depending on the vidder’s preferences regarding public access to their work, please link your rec in the appropriate manner:

1. To the vidder's public LiveJournal (or clone site) announcement post; or
2. In the absence of a public announcement post, direct link to the vid's webpage or to the vidder's website, or
3. For vids that are password-protected, link to the vidder's instructions on acquiring the password; or
4. For vids that are only available privately (e.g., tapes, dvd-R’s, collections, etc.), provide contact info for the vidder.

Do not:
-- Hotlink, i.e. link directly to the video file rather than the webpage.
-- Re-upload videos that a vidder has removed from the web.
-- Delay in removing a vid rec if requested to do so by the vidder.

Thank you!

Fandom: Sherlock
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 27 pages
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Tumblr and deviantART
Why this must be read: This is a gorgeously written and drawn comic book featuring John's life after Sherlock's fall. It's a powerful story, rich in character and detail. It's a rare thing - a professional-looking fan-made graphic novel - and the fact that it's so good is a testament to everyone involved in the making of the show and the phenomenally talented reapersun.

I know 27 pages sounds like a lot, but each page only has about six panels so it's a quick read. When you're done, you'll most likely find yourself going back to the beginning and reading it all over again to catch all the nuances you missed the first time around.

"Wreck" will set the standard for fan comics for a long time to come.  I wish the pages were available in hi-res, but you can't have everything. At least the story gives us a happy ending!

Wreck

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Q/O
Length: about 2000 words
Author on LJ: temve
Author Website: Personal website
Why this must be read:

As a final fic offering, here is a bouncy, eager Obi-Wan, Padawan to a gorgeous Master, and young enough to enjoin some talented help in pursuing the man of his dreams. Dream on, Obi-Wan, because the person you've enlisted to help may have designs on you, too.

Read Me A Jedi

Fandom: KUROSHITSUJI

Pairing: Elizabeth/Ciel
Length: 1993 words
Spoilers: for recent manga chapters, and for series 2 of the anime
Author on LJ:
 fated_addiction
Author Website: fated_addiction at AO3
Why this must be read:


Elizabeth and Ciel have one of the most complex relationships in all of Kuro's multiple canons: two intelligent, strong-willed people who love each other, are bound to each other by blood as well as by an engagement neither shows any desire to repudiate, and who have secrets from each other that they will go to considerable lengths to keep. It's a difficult relationship to write convincingly, in ways that convey both the tension and the love between the two, the things that will forever remain unsaid despite what they come to know of each other, and the ways in which it does and doesn't matter.

The high charm of life does a gorgeous job of keeping that balance, as it gives us a picture of one possible future for the two of them. It's a love story, or maybe a horror story, or maybe (probably) both at once; and it's a beautiful piece of work no matter which way you read it.

the high charm of life

Fandom: GRIMM
Pairing: none: gen (thought header also says Nick/Monroe)
Length: 1,664 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: AO3
Why this must be read:

Author's Summary: “So, you’re it now. The resident Grimm. Got a plan?”

A wonderful look at the early stages of the Nick and Monroe friendship. You can feel how awkward they still are, and yet, the potential for the strong bond we see in canon is visible as well. Even after retreating from the hospital in episode 2, he still keeps Nick at the top of his thoughts. When Nick comes for comfort from Marie's death, Monroe is there to provide the expensive coffee and accept the payment bagels.

(three points) in your favour

Fandom: GRIMM
Pairing: Farley Kolt/Marie Kessler
Length: 11,532 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Fanfic.net
Why this must be read:

Author's Summary: When dealing with a Steinadler, it's always best to trust your gut. Marie Kessler finds this difficult, mainly because one Farley Kolt keeps making her stomach do annoying little flip-flops, despite probably being the most arrogant man she's ever met.

I loved seeing a different side to Marie. She's a sister, a student, and a young girl feeling slightly giddy on a date. And yet, she's also the badass Grimm we know her as and doesn't hesitate to stand up for herself. I really like how the author portrayed her relationship with Kelly. They bicker as sisters can and yet they're there to help with the makeup and threaten the boyfriend for each other.

Really liked how the author portrayed Farley Kolt as well. He's brash, arrogant, and absolutely gorgeous. We can see why he swept Marie off her feet and came close to marrying her before the tragedy that struck with her sister. The author really brings us a realistic look at how a Wesen and a Grimm might act on a first date. And yet, she shows us how romance can overcome those differences and just makes you smile at the end.

Bird Watcher