Fandom: SUITS
Pairing: Mike/Harvey
Length: ~1600
Author on LJ: somewhatcliche
Author Website: hellostarling on AO3

Why this must be read: Mike notices Harvey's hair. From there he tries to impress him, Even without the slash element,this wouldn't seem out of place in the show.



Mike, for reasons known only to the horrible people who are somehow in charge of his fate, is the tenth person in line at his preferred coffee shop, because all he wants is as much caffeine he can drink without dying. It's Saturday morning and, no, he doesn't get weekends to himself, what a ridiculous suggestion! He has so much fucking paperwork sitting on his desk that it's actually kind of hilarious. Arguing with himself about it won't work anymore. Paperwork on a Saturday morning in an office that will likely be completely empty is just another facet of his existence as Harvey Specter's whipping boy.

Okay, that's not fair. Harvey is actually a decent guy, and growing more caring by the day, despite what he wants the paralegals to believe. Mike calls him out on it occasionally, has to physically restrain himself from sticking his tongue out and saying, "Neener-neener-neener you have a heart!" But playful jabs are allowed, of the raised-eyebrow-knowing-smirk variety, to which Harvey always replies with a question like, "Something funny, peon?"



"Excuse you, this is Armani."

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing/Characters: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Length: novel + a sequel
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: prufrock's love at reocities | Gossamer
Why this must be read:

I assumed I'd already posted this here but apparently not. Certainly I've recced it everywhere else. It's long and kind of angsty. Okay, it's very angsty. On the Prufrock Reader Torture Scale, with zero being angst-free (though there is no angst-free prufrock story as far as I know) and 10 being "Negative Utopia" or maybe "The Wasteland," this rates at least a seven. It is not season eight fic nor is it season nine, but William is there and so is Mulder so I am classifying it as season nine, AU.

You might wonder why I like this story as much as I do, given that I dislike babyfic and haven't seen most of season nine. But prufrock's love writes a lovely Mulder, as he negotiates his way through fatherhood under the worst possible circumstances. There's a good chunk of her version of Mulder/Scully romance, an x-file, and a little some mytharc thrown in for good measure.

My only complaint about this story was the ending, which left a couple of Big Things unresolved. In 2011, to my delight, prufrock's love returned and posted a terrific sequel, "7 Days in May," which you can read at Gossamer, along with the revised version of "The 13th Sign."

Read The 13th Sign.

Fandom: Fairy Tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White and Rose Red, Grandaunt Tiger
Characters: original and canon characters
Length: 2K words
Author Website: at AO3

Why this must be read: If you're looking for the dark of Red Riding Hood and perhaps a little more, give this a try. Grandaunt Tiger is sometimes referred to as the Chinese version of Red Riding Hood and I'm not sure which came first. But I'd have to call this a fusion of the fairy tales, with Snow White and Rose Red as characters in a blending of the other two. Enjoy.

Le Rouge et le Blanc et le Noir

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

Fandom STAR WARS
Pairing: Obi-Wan/Anakin
Length: One shot *literally* from his ENORMOUS... gallery
Artist on LJ: elthegeneral
Artist Website: dA and also many delights here on capslock_cw
Why this must be seen:

Because above all else, Star Wars is fun: out of our dreary world and into a galaxy of unbridled imagination. El's work is unbridled sexy fun, and if these works don't say that about him, then I don't know what will. From NSFW to SFW to 'is he drawing what I think he's drawing?? hoo, yeah, baby!!', come aboard the El Train.

Clone Wars AniXObi Yaoi

Fandom: White Collar
Pairing: Neal Caffrey/Elizabeth Burke/Peter Burke
Length: 3k0ish
Author on LJ: daria234
Author Website: on LJ and on AO3
Why this must be read:

Daria234 is a master of small, witty, and sensual stories that are as clever as they are enjoyable. In this one, Elizabeth is a famous photographer, Neal is the same character (though he’s never been caught), and he’s been sent to try to steal a copy of El’s first art book, which is out of print and is what Kate wants him to get her for an anniversary gift. In order to get an in, Neal offers her his services as a nude model, but when she asks Peter to join in, well… I have this shaving kink, all right?

Seriously, this is a fun and sexy read, and you could do worse than to explore Daria’s other works some rainy afternoon (she writes in many other fandoms as well).

Story here

Fandom: White Collar
Pairing: Peter Burke/Neal Caffrey
Length: 8,000
Author on LJ: coffeethyme4me
Author Website: coffeethyme4me
Why this must be read:
This one’s a painful one, but so, so wonderful, in the end, and with a happy ending, even if… well...

Peter and Elizabeth break up and Neal spends his time making sure the FBI agent is taken care of, because he’s a good friend. Except when he is not, because he has been in love with Peter for a very long time, and he just wants to be there for him. In every way. In any way. Even if it won’t last.

I love this story (and this writer) because the characters come to such life, with real, messy emotions and hot, hot sex.

The Doors of the World

I'm not quite sure when the cut-off will be, so I wanted to take the opportunity now to say how delightful it's been to share my love of fairy tale fanfic with you.  Because it is a Small Fandom, I had a chance to read and recommend so many more than I thought possible.  I tried to rout out stories of the more obscure canon as well as showcasing the well-known.  One more acknowledgement of Yuletide for ten years' worth of small fandom love.  Thanks to everyone who commented here and to the authors.  Feedback rocks and so do you.

Fandom: Fairy Tales: Wild Swans (Hans Christian Andersen)
Characters: The Princess, Youngest Brother
Length: 900 words
Author Website: at AO3

Why this must be read: This takes place after the end of the fairy tale. Sister and brother are able to speak together for the first time. She's grieving because she was unable to completely cure him; he tells her about some of the things he saw when he was a swan. Enjoy.

But That's Another Story

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

Fandom: Fairy Tales: Cinderella
Pairing/Characters: Cinderella/Prince Charming; Cinderella, Stepmother, Stepsisters, Fairy Godmother, OCs
Length: 10K words
Author Website: at AO3

Why this must be read: It's takes the fairy tale and turns it on its head in some respects and yet stays true to it.

This might be subtitled "Mothers and Daughters", as it really explores the relationships surrounding two sets of them: Cinderella and her stepmother and and Lady Westley and her headstrong daughter Mariana. The time is during the Regency era and this reads very much like a Jane Austen novel. Besides observing the action between the players, we also get information through letters and diary entries.

The biggest difference between our world and theirs is that magic is commonplace. Magical folk are born to non-magical folk and vice versa. So the appearance of a fairy godmother isn't quite so surprising. Enjoy.

Magic and Mothers

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

Because the original overview was done in 2004, I thought I'd take this opportunity to post a brief update for the series, along with some new, working links, and suggestions on where to find fanfiction in a fandom that just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Do I need to warn for spoilers?

The X-Files gets a second movie.



( We wanted to believe )

Ready or not here it comes.

No third movie on the horizon. But we did get a new comic book series: The X-Files Season Ten. Chris Carter says it's canon. Of course, right from get-go, it also contradicts canon. Sigh. I've only read one comic, and I didn't like it enough to buy more. But I thought you should know it's out there, in both print and digital editions.

( Some of the covers are pretty )

But a Shadow of Her Former Self

Although the fandom contracted even before the series ended, and has continued to shrink, there is still a contingent of devotees, still discussing the episodes, still writing fanfic, creating art, graphics and fanvids, and still maintaining the archives. In 2008-2009 when many fandoms lost entire websites, The X-Files fandom successfully saved and resurrected many of ours. I so wish I could get the person who wrote the Fanlore article about The X-Files to update it and include the newest links. I will assume everyone here knows about FF.net and AO3. Tumblr.

( Get your fanfic here )

Other resources, especially for fanfic writers:
( I have more links and will add as I locate them )

I'm also going to list the still "active" communities here on LiveJournal, which isagel didn't do, I'm assuming because back in day there weren't any.

( We are going to have a good time )
If you believe I have inadvertently left something off, please let me know. But do check the archive links first, as they are exhaustive.

Fandom: ONE DIRECTION
Pairing: Niall/Zayn
Length: ~7,250 words
Author on LJ: lazy_daze
Author on AO3: lazy_daze
Why this must be read:

This is another fun example of a genre I love and have already recced in other pairings: accidental-on-purpose tour hook-ups. Niall and Zayn are sharing hotel rooms, and watching porn together inevitably leads to hot orgasms and awkwardness.

In which Niall helps Zayn wind down after a show - at least, that's where it starts.

Just a reminder to our reccers that tomorrow will be the last day of posting to this community.

The 15th of the month is also Crack Van Collisions, a.k.a. cross-over day. Drivers, please post crossovers in the following format:

Subject: Fandom/Fandom (Rating)

Title: Title by Author
Pairing: (no abbreviations, please)
Author on LJ:
Author Website:
Why this must be read:

(link to story)

Fandom: ONE DIRECTION
Pairing: Harry/Zayn
Length: ~73,700 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author on AO3: writeivywrite
Why this must be read:

This is a gorgeously written AU in which Zayn is a professional footballer and Harry is a high end escort, and they're each a fucking mess. The mood and style of this fic feels quite unique, with slowly developed characters, and emotional reveals. Nothing here is quite as is seems, and it's all as much a surprise to the characters as the readers.

Keep the Car Running

Fandom: STAR WARS
Characters: Obi-Wan, Luke, Owen
Length: One-shot from a huge gallery
Artist on LJ: buff_iroh
Artist Website: dA and many glorious goodies on capslock_cw
Why this must be seen:

A problem with a prolific artist is choosing which piece to rec, and whittling it down to this one took some thought. What struck me was the bright, desert-looking color scheme with its fierce shadows, and the eager look on little Luke's face as he reaches instinctively for the brightest Force presence around, and Owen ... well, Owen wants to protect his little one. That doesn't make Obi-Wan's heart rest any easier, though it must soothe his mind. Tagged both OT and PT because it is intertrilogy. What would a tag be for the upcoming Rebels series, I wonder? IT?

Obi-Wan and Luke

Fandom: BLAKE'S 7
Pairing: N/A
Length: 929w
Author on LJ: ?
Author Website: on AO3
Why this must be read: The penultimate day, the penultimate rec - and this time it's some meta, rather than a fic. I hope everyone will forgive me for veering off the beaten track, but I feel really strongly about this piece and would very much like to rec it (I will understand if I have to remove it).

The piece discusses the still-current possibility that our low budget 1970s BBC TV show will be re-made a flashy American multipart series. Many of us have written posts on the theme of how little we want such a thing, but this is a very special example of that genre. It talks not just about what a loss it would be not to have our wonderfully strange looking yet compelling heroes, or our wonderfully strange looking yet compelling costumes, or whether they would redesign the Liberator to look shit, or turn Servalan into a man. But rather about the ways in which Blake's 7 and the characters within it feel about being under an oppressive regime - and how this directly relates to the life of the author of this piece, and to the lives of many other people both living and dead in our world, rather than in the world of this telly show.

'Another Man's Freedom Fighter' is, in my opinion, an extraordinary piece: beautifully written, powerful and thought provoking.

( Excerpt )

Link: Another Man's Freedom Fighter

Fandom: THE HUNGER GAMES
Pairing: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark/Finnick Odair
Length: 9055 words
Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: Author on AO3 | Author on FFN | Author on Tumblr
Why this must be read: This story is sad. Not in the "people die" sad, because they don't, but in the, "God, I can't believe this is their lives" type of sad. This heartbreaking story diverts from canon in that after Katniss and Peeta are crowned victors, there's no rebellion and no Quarter Quell involving previous victors. The "Star-Crossed Lovers of District 12" marry and eventually have every aspect of their "happy" union broadcast for the Capitol elite to witness, including their wedding night. Their bedroom activities become regular Capitol broadcasts until President Snow believes people are becoming bored with them--enter Finnick Odair. The feeling of horror lies in that the selling for desirable Hunger Games victors was a very real thing in the books, and it's not hard to imagine Katniss and Peeta falling into such a forced arrangement. The safety of loved ones is a powerful motivator. Finnick here is an interesting third as he serves as a guide to ease Katniss and Peeta further into a world that's painful and hopeless.


( Excerpt )



Knots by atetheredmind

Fandom: THE EAGLE
Pairing/Characters: Esca/Marcus
Length: 14786
Author on LJ: exeterlinden
Author's Website: AO3
Why this must be read:

A lovely post-finding the Eagle fic, featuring Marcus and Esca struggling to farm with wonderful details and fantastic writing.  I was impressed at the research, which comes across in so many ways from the details to the setting, that must've gone in writing this fic.  I also really loved the characterization and the pining and just how much Marcus and Esca would risk for each other.  Among my favorite stories to have posted for yuletide this year.


Annum Novum