Fandom: SUITS
Pairing: Mike/Harvey
Length: 1404
Author on LJ: not that I know of
Author Website: AO3 profile

Why this must be read: Now this is an AU I haven't seen a lot: a season 2 AU where, in the trial where Harvey gets Donna to testify at the trial after she's been fired, he gets Mike to testify instead. And pretty much like the canon trial, Harvey's feelings for Mike are revealed here.



"I asked you earlier if you had anything to hide. You said no, but I think you do," Louis says. Mike looks down at his lap, hoping Louis isn't going where Mike thinks he is. "You are more loyal to Harvey than any of the associates are to the firm in general. Than Harvey is to the firm. Than Louis Litt is to the firm. So why?"

"That's irrelevant to this trial," Mike says, hoping to keep Louis from continuing. He knows Louis has to go over the top because that's what Tanner would do, but he hopes Louis won't, not about this. Because Mike isn't in the habit of perjuring himself, even in a trial run. And he won't start now, but he does not want to answer what he knows Louis is about to ask.

"Not irrelevant. Because your loyalty to Harvey means you would do anything for him. Correct?"

"Not anything. And yes, I am loyal to Harvey. But no, I wouldn't do this, and even if I would, Harvey wouldn't ask." Mike hopes that's enough to keep Louis from asking anymore, but he doubts it.

"Why are you so loyal? Oh, wait..." Louis pauses and all the blood drains from Mike's face, because he just knows why Louis paused. And no, no, no. "You and Harvey spend more time together than any other associate does with any other partner. Your work practically revolves around him, you do whatever he asks, whenever he asks, even if it's not work-related. So that only leaves me one question: Do you love Harvey Specter?"



Sucker Punch series

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing/Characters: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Length: novella
Author on LJ: penumbra23
Author Website: Three stories at her journal, the rest are at Gossamer.
Why this must be read:

This is a major work by a major writer, and not only is it the best work she's ever done, I think it's one of the best stories written for the fandom. It is also one of the most disturbing stories I have ever read. I think I went into a fugue state after reading the first section. Seriously. "Fathoms Five" is a dark treatment of the possibility raised by the climax of "Tithonus": what if Scully was immortal?

( Read an excerpt )

The author chose not to warn, and I am honoring that here. If you need to know before you read this, PLEASE private message me. This story is dark.

Read Fathoms Five.

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing/Characters: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Length: short story
Author on LJ: amalnahurriyeh
Author Website: her lj fic tag
Why this must be read:

I detest most hurt/comfort stories, so naturally this one doesn't really follow the conventions as there is a lot of hurt but very little comfort. There is also a lot of very unromantic, scorching hot sex, tangled up with intense emotional pain. Guilt. Grief. Anger.

( Read an excerpt )

Even if this isn't exactly your Mulder and Scully, you will be captivated by this compelling post-ep to "Emily," written by one of the best writers in the fandom, circa 2007-2012. Then go read everything else she's written.

Read Sweet Nothings for the Numb.

Fandom: ONE DIRECTION
Pairing: Harry/Louis, unrequited Liam/Zayn
Length: ~12,000 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author on AO3: withmyteethsharper
Why this must be read:

As may be obvious by now I'm a sucker for music AU's, all self-indulgent music talk, and fic with music as a secondary character -- especially gritty punk rock ones where Harry being a bit of a slag fucks with Louis' head. Boys making poor choices FTW!

after the first bottle and half of the second, harry picks up louis’ guitar and plays it in that careful way he always does because he’s still not confident with instruments. it’s a song he wrote a year ago about someone he was fucking or wanted to fuck, louis never asked. it’s not explicit, but it doesn’t have to be with harry’s voice and the way his mouth moves around the lyrics. louis is not drunk enough to listen to this song in the quiet of their apartment at midnight, so he picks up the cigarettes and shakes the pack in harry’s direction.

“you hate this song,” is harry’s response. “why?”

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing/Characters: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Length: novella
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: Gossamer but under several different names: Jess, Jess M, and Jess Mabe
Why this must be read:

There are not many stories that made me look at canon, and wonder--what if it were true? Reading "The Other Man" changed how I viewed 1x2 "Deep Throat," and changed how I looked at the myth-arc. You know how some stories are so powerful they stay with you forever? Trust me, this one will. It's about Mulder and Scully and cloning; since this is The X-Files, you know that can't be good.

Reaching over, she stroked his hair back from his forehead in a gesture that seemed familiar despite the fact that she rarely did it. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. She hesitated only a moment before letting her fingers stray slowly down the rough edges of his jaw and back up to run the sensitive pad of her thumb across his mouth. When he didn't protest, she scooted a bit closer and cupped his cheek, her fingertips tickling his ear, her thumb flat against the soft skin of his cheekbone.

"Do you like my face?" he asked, his voice low.

"You know I do," she replied, her fingers tracing his eyebrows, the soft black curve of his eyelashes against his skin. "I always have."

Read "The Other Man".

Fandom: RÓMEÓ ÉS JÚLIA
Pairing: Tybalt/Peter
Length: 1974 words
Author on LJ | Tumblr: drcalvin | drcalvin
Author Website: fic on AO3
Why this must be read:

This is a lovely, bittersweet little story from the point of view of Peter, the Nurse's servant, that captures the odd dynamic between Tybalt and the Capulet servants in canon—where they seem to care about him and he's relatively friendly with them, but there's always an insurmountable class barrier between them—Tybalt may like them better than his family or Montagues, but he doesn't quite see them as people, so their care for him isn't enough. Only with porn.

( Excerpt )

That Forgiveness Unearned

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Fandom: Fairy Tales: Disney Princesses, Mulan
Pairing/Characters: Belle/Fa Mulan; Ariel, Prince Naveen, Fa Mulan, Belle
Length: 1281 words
Author Website: at AO3

Why this must be read: Disney Princesses in Space! The spaceship "The Wendy Bird" is having propulsions problems. Mulan goes in search of the new engineer, Belle, and discovers a whole new world. Short and cute. Enjoy.

Whole New Worlds

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Yuletide pre-dates AO3, so this story was on the original site. When Yuletide was migrated to AO3, there were thousands of stories that did not get the exposure that they had enjoyed before. That's why I've had such fun digging up these older stories. This one is from Yuletide 2007.

Fandom: Fairy Tales: The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Pied Piper of Hamlin
Characters: The Princesses, The King, The Soldier, The Pied Piper, other canon and original characters
Length: 8K words
Author Website: at AO3

Why this must be read: Because despite our hope for a happily ever after, sometimes they just don't happen.

What do these two fairy tales have in common? They revolve around music and they remind us of the caveat "be careful what you wish for". Truth weaves them together as if they were one story instead of two, and the moodiness of the tale she's woven stays true all through the telling. Heed the warnings and then, if you're inclined for something a bit darker than usual, sink your teeth into this one.  Enjoy.

After Silence

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Fandom: Fairy Tales: Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
Pairing/Characters: Belle/Beast
Length: 701 words
Author Website: This story has been orphaned. It was originally written for a Porn Battle Challenge in 2009

Why this must be read: It's a fairy tale PWP! Belle has moved from fear of the Beast to attraction, but how to let him know when he's unfamiliar with the usual signals? Select a very specific book and have him read her passages from it.

I had to laugh when I saw the author that Belle selects; it took me back to my youth. Enjoy.

Reading John Cleland

If you like this, take a moment to leave some and perhaps the author will see it. Feedback is precious and appreciated!

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing/Characters: Fox Mulder | Dana Scully
Length: novella
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: Gossamer
Why this must be read:

Years ago, when I first began reading XF fanfic, I had heard of Nascent via this site, actually, and this story, which was recced by Punk back in 2004. But the links were broken. Eventually, I found a copy of "Pillar of Salt" archived--somewhere else--and got to read it. I loved it. Her Scully sounded just like the one on screen, and her Mulder did, too. Their relationship as portrayed by Nascent was just as codependent as the canon version. She wasn't trying to rewrite canon, she was enlarging it and adding to it! I had to have more. Because she'd taken down her website, it was a tough search.

But in 2011, Nascent archived some of her fanfic at Gossamer. This is particularly significant for "Pillar of Salt" because she rewrote an important section.

In this story, Mulder invites Scully away for a weekend under false pretenses. What can I say--it's Mulder being Mulder. I don't want to give anything away but let's just say the vacation does not go as expected--for either of them. Nascent is particularly good at integrating the relationship story into a well-plotted X-File. From the prologue:

Between the chess game and the argument, I'd asked him again: "So you brought me up here just to talk to this paranormal scientist?"

"Yeah," he'd said, staring into the fire, again unable to meet my eyes.

I knew he was lying; I just didn't know how big a lie it was.

Thank you, Nascent.

Read "Pillar of Salt" at Nascent's Page at Gossamer by scrolling to the story.