crack_van | What She Deserves/Lovingkindness by Herself (NC-17)

Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy/Spike, Spike/omc
Author on LJ:

herself_nyc
Author website: Bugger This
Why this must be read:

These are actually two stories, What She Deserves and its sequel Lovingkindness. They really do go hand in hand, and I didn't think I could rec one without the other.

WSD takes place post-Grave (the season six finale), when Buffy is still trying to get her bearings again after being brought back from the dead and an entire season of emotional wreckage. Spike's newly souled and feeling the weight. They both have so many issues to deal with, and most post-Grave Buffy/Spike fic doesn't approach any of it realistically. Herself knows these characters, shows you their hearts and their souls, makes you ache and break and mend with them. She takes Buffy and Spike to New York in WSD, then back to Sunnydale in Lovingkindness, all the while having them work out how they feel, what they feel, separating the past from the present while showing just how much the past affects them. The story is just stunning, and I'm going to stop now before I gush any more.

Now, read What She Deserves and Lovingkindness.

Hi! I'm Green, and I'll be your BtVS reccer for February!