Fandom: SUITS
Pairing: Harvey/Mike
Length: 1855
Author on LJ: not that I know of
Author Website: AO3 profile

Why this must be read: Yes, this fic is not consistent with the current canon out there. Even the author admits that. But it's one of the few fics I've read that has UST between Harvey and Mike. UST between Harvey and Mike is one thing I want more from Suits fandom.



Truth is, Mike shows up at his place a little too often to call it business, and at the same time, it's not often enough to call it a habit. Harvey calls it stupid, and Mike calls it normal – "I'm your associate, right? You only have one." – and somehow it turns into a thing.

"If you have girl drama, I don't want to hear it," Harvey warns when he opens the door to a bedraggled Mike, who only scowls at him and shoves his way inside like he runs the place. From the smell of his breath, he's probably drunk enough to think he does.



blue eyes for the broken lights

Now for something a little lighter, in keeping with the season.

Fandom: Fairy Tales: Ala ad-Din/Alladin
Pairing/Characters: Aladdin/Genie, OCs
Length: 8K
Author Website: at AO3

Why this must be read: It's a sweet update to the original story. Set in modern day London, Al is a nice young man who's main fault is he's a bit gullible. His mom was adopted and yearns to learn of her long-lost brother. When a man claiming to be his uncle convinces him to help him fetch an antique lamp, Al finds himself in the middle of a B&E. Enjoy.

The Heart's Wish

If you like this, take a moment to tell the author. Feedback is precious and appreciated!

Fandom: BLAKE'S 7
Pairing: Avon/Orac, Blake/Avon is implied but is very secondary to the concerns of the story
Length: 10,273 words
Author on LJ: astrogirl2
Author Website: on AO3, on Hermit (under the names AstroGirl, Betty Ragan, Belatrix Carter)
Why this must be read: In my very first rec, I said that Avon was at least half of all the most popular ships in Blake's 7. This fic (written in 2005, and posted first on LJ!) is not the only reason why I said that, but it does fit the pattern. In brief - the plot is that Orac's consciousness is placed into a human body that is a clone of Avon.

One of the things that's particularly interesting about Avon/Orac as a ship and the way Astrogirl portrays it in this fic is that it's not crackalacken. Avon is accused of being a machine by Vila and would probably quite like not to have to deal with his numerous emotional problems - and Avon and Orac do have a close relationship (of sorts), and Orac does canonically express his/its love for Avon - admittedly due to some sexpollen sand in series 4.

So - you might expect a crack fic between the sexy, leather-clad antihero of our series and his computer, but what you actually get is some reasonably hard-skiffy ideas about what it's like to be a computer and particularly this computer, which is acknowledged to be a member of the crew by most of the crew. And what it would be like to be a human if you've only before been a box that observed humans. It's very funny, very clever, very sad and... really disturbing. The ending creeps me out wonderfully.

Astrogirl has written some truly stunning things across various fandoms - this is one of my absolute favourites, although since I'm here I'll also thoroughly second the recs for The Zombie Master and Bargaining Stage.

( Excerpt )

Link: A New Machine

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Anakin/Obi-Wan
Length: ~7000 words
Author on LJ: xtinethepirate
Author Website: jedi_divas
Why this must be read:

It doesn't have to be, unless you want to miss out on a happy Christmas story of the 'let's have sex under the Christmas tree!!' genre. Then go right ahead and read it anyway, because it's fun and life-affirming. Also, you will see Masters Yoda, Windu, Billaba, Mundi, and particularly Vos, doing what we always knew they did on their downtime: playing pranks, making bets and getting stinking drunk. And also playing Cupid.

Cherry Mistmas, Master Kenobi!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Fandom: HOCKEY RPF
Pairing: Jeff Carter/Mike Richards
Length: 6580 words
Author on LJ: grim_lupine
Author Website: Author page on AO3
Why this must be read
Deaging because of repressed feelings is a something you find in this fandom. I won't try to explain the appeal, but I have enjoyed some forays in this area of fic, and this is one of my favorites, in which Mike Richards is deaged to being 18 years old. (Ugh, I would hate going through that stage again!) I enjoyed this story because Mike wasn't a little kid; I don't find that version of deaging as appealing. Also, Carts was Richie's friend back when, and that long-term friendship is the only comfort Mike can cling to in the story. So sweet!

beating like a hammer (On AO3 - locked to registered users)

Fandom: THE HUNGER GAMES
Pairing: Katniss Everdeen/Gale Hawthorne, Peeta Mellark/Original Character, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark (Everlark)
Length: 29,346 words
Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: Author on AO3 | Author on FFN | Author on Tumblr
Why this must be read: What if Prim was never reaped? What if Peeta was never reaped either? What if there was no rebellion and therefore no mockingjay, just Panem living under the annual Hunger Games? It's a scenario that is brought up often in fandom. Katniss Everdeen has always maintained that she was never going to marry because to her that equals having children. She would never willingly risk a child of hers to the reaping. What this story examines is Katniss' life in District 12 after all of her loved ones have survived the annual reapings and her eventual marriage to Gale. The boy with the bread is someone she rarely if ever crosses paths with until a chance encounter long after their individual marriages. This story tackles so many fascinating topics including the class structure in District 12, safe birth control in a world where populations control is certainly not pushed by the government, the politics of marriage when both partners want different things, and the very ugly side of infidelity. Heads up that are some sensitive issues addressed in the fic but it's a damn good story and shouldn't be missed.





( Excerpt )


Hero of the Story by atetheredmind