Subject: Hierogamy by Sakon76 (Explicit)
Fandom: Rise of the Guardians
Pairing: Jack/Jamie, implied Bunny/Sophie
Length: 11,349 words (4 chapters)
Author Website: AO3

Why this must be read:

Author Summary:

Jamie Bennett grew up and stopped believing four years ago. But when he's feverish and hallucinating, Jamie's imaginary friend comes back into his life.

Even though this work is technically listed as a WIP (at 4/? chapters), I think that's more for the author's convenience should ze decide to add additional chapters later, as IMO the work is complete as is.

This is the first real Bennefrost (Jack/Jamie) fic I've recced (I don't really count This Old House b/c it's an AU and that relationship isn't particularly important to the story). While Bennefrost isn't usually my cup of tea, it does have what I look for in the ship, which is the evolving relationship between them as Jamie grows. While this fic definitely falls under smut for me, it's within a context of fluff and emotions that are done well. We get to see how Jack reacts to losing believers, and there's a lot of "off-screen" implications about Jamie's college life. There's also some nice fleshing out of Jack's character, with implied human background and an awkward sex talk with North in which Jack learns a bit more about how the spirit world works. Chapter sections alternate Jamie's and Jack's point of view.

This work also has one of my favorite exchanges from fanfic:

"Jamie, you can't... you can't do that to me."

"Why not? Are you straight?"

Hierogamy by Sakon76 (Explicit)

Fandom: STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
Pairing: None
Length: 20,000 words
Author Website: Ysone's FanFic & Stuff
Summary: A brilliant, but unstable Federation engineer visiting DS9 becomes frighteningly obsessed with Doctor Bashir, the one person on the station she feels understands her. Set in the third season.

Why this must be read: I love everything Ysone's written, and I recommend all her stories. This particular story, Tincture of Madness, reads like it could be a real DS9 episode. The characters are great, the plot is realistic (for Star Trek, anyway), and the writing is very engaging. The story does focus on Bashir, but everyone plays a role.

Tincture of Madness by Ysone

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Length: 8,144 words
Author on LJ: caarianna
Author Website: Arianna's Aerie
Why this must be read:

Author's Summary : Post TSbyBS, Blair is a paid consultant with the PD. Jim's feeling twitchy and Blair thinks maybe he needs to imprint Blair, and that they need to consciously bond. First times.

Wonderful love story between our two guys that incorporates the need for Sentinels and Guides to experience each other with all the senses. The scenes between these two were very visceral and vivid. I felt like I could feel every stroke on skin and hear every gasp. The whole atmosphere of the these scenes and the story overall all felt weighted and like it was above modern concepts of sexuality and identity. If that makes sense.... They were just friends, lovers, and Sentinel and Guide, together, completing each other. Beautiful writing and beautiful emotions.

Imprint Love

Fandom: Avengers (2012)
Pairing: background Tony/Pepper, but basically gen
Length: ~600
Author Website: AO3 Page

Why this must be read: This fic falls into the very slim folder in my brain of short fics that I needed to read again (and again) because there was so much going on in such few words. This fic takes place post-IM3, and there are spoilers for the movie. It's a great portrayal of the tricky friendship between Natasha and Pepper, and a smart look at Natasha's feelings on being a woman in the world in which she lives.

( Excerpt )

Probably Not On Purpose