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Title: dust and pies by margottenenbaum Pairing: gen (Ned-centric, with background Xander/Cordelia and Willow/Oz) Length: 2733 Author on LJ: margottenenbaumAuthor Website: her fic tag at LJWhy this must be read: Fresh out on his own for the first time, Ned sets up shop in Sunnydale (he chooses it for its low real estate prices), and proves himself to be at once the person best and worst suited for life there. The tone of this story is absolutely perfect for both shows, with rock-solid characterization for all involved. Ned is the only Pushing Daisies character to appear, but he's the main focus of the story, and the author makes excellent use of him. ( Excerpt )dust and pies | |
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Title: electus by cathedralhearts Pairing: Jeff Carter/Mike Richards, Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews Length: 18,757 words Author on LJ: cathedralheartsAuthor Website: Author page on AO3Why this must be read:I was amused by this BtVS fusion story, even with the general lack of hockey. I hope you like it, too. In this fandom, there's a lot of magical/fantasy stories, but not so many actual crossovers. electus | |
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Fandom: DUE SOUTH/BUFFY Pairing: Mostly ensemble gen (but contains Ray Kowalski/Stella Kowalski and George Fraser/Martha Fraser) Length: 9,300 words Author on LJ: vermin_discipleAuthor Website: Author on AO3Why this must be read: Crossover day! I don't know Buffy except by fandom osmosis, but that didn't matter. Perhaps surprisingly for a crossover story of this kind, it starts out with backstory: Fraser growing up with his grandparents, who are Watchers; Ray Vecchio and the monsters of childhood, human and otherwise; and young Ray Kowalski and Stella, venturing further into the night than they should have. Then we get three scenes from their adult lives, as well (and that's where you probably get more out of it if you know Buffy, since some of the Buffy characters appear, but I really enjoyed them anyway). Nightmares | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Buffy/Spike Length: 3,082 words Author on LJ: rahirahAuthor Website: Barb's BtVS FanficWhy this must be read: This fic is part of Barb's ongoing universe, but stands alone really well, I think. In this story, an as-yet uninvolved Buffy and Spike run into an older version of themselves, who seem to have gotten a whole hell of a lot closer than expected. I love how excellently Barb captures Buffy's voice - both internal and external - in this story. Buffy is so delightfully herself here, as is Spike. Also, Barb perfectly strikes that awesome balance between light and dark that was always such a sterling hallmark of canon writing in Buffy. ( read an excerpt ) A Stitch in Time | |
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Fandom: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles / Buffy the Vampire Slayer Pairing: None Length: 1146 words Author on LJ: musesinspireAuthor Website: Twisting the HellmouthWhy this must be read: For my last rec of the month, I wanted to give you all one last crossover. I know the Terminator franchise predates the Buffyverse by over a decade, but for me, I never would have discovered or so loved the former without the latter. Plus, Sarah Connor would slay the crap out of any vampire foolish enough to cross her path, Called or no, and she's basically been doing the work of a Watcher as long as we've known her, right? This isn't perhaps the best-written fic out there, but it's a damn good idea. (And if you want another quality rec before I sign off, loop back to Seven Sunday Mother-Daughter Mornings, which has already been recced here.) ( Remember; it’s in your best interests to keep John safe. ) She Is Destiny | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Faith/Buffy Length: 10,783 words Author on LJ: letteredAuthor Website: none Why this must be read: Basically, after the end of canon (show, not comic), Buffy and Co are fighting the good fight in the UK when Faith somewhat accidentally acquires wings. It sounds odd, yes. And it is, really, but in a good way, and it's a lot of other things, too. There are some lovely character insights in this story, and I particularly like the way everyone has evolved and grown up in ways that fit organically with their histories and where they are in their lives now. However, I have to say that the strongest selling point of this fic is the witty, snappy dialogue. To die-hard dialogue junkies like me, the dialogue in this story is a pure hit of the really good crack. ( read an excerpt ) Hope Has Wings (But Faith Has A Broadsword) | |
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Fandom: Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles / Buffy the Vampire Slayer Pairing: Buffy Summers/John Connor Length: 1900 words Author on LJ jedibuttercupAuthor Website: Jedi ButtercupWhy this must be read: John Connor has a fair amount in common with Buffy Summers when you think about it--an un-asked for destiny, a responsibility to save the world, a mentor who blurs the role between parent and everything else, and a tendency to fall for the 'enemy.' In this fic, we get a glance into what Buffy's life might be like, if she'd survived Judgement Day and fell in with the Reese brothers and Connor's inner circle. It's het but not particularly shippy--this pair is kindred spirits more than lovers, and the focus here is more on the good fight and the toll it takes on people who have been fighting for too long and still have miles to go. ( Then Skynet invents time travel, and all bets are off. ) Hang In There, Slayer | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Spike/Buffy Length: 1,425 words Author on LJ: theoharaAuthor Website: none Why this must be read: theohara is still and always one of the very best character writers BtVS/AtS fandom has ever known, in my opinion. She also always had a gift for finding and filling in the thin spots of canon, the pivot points where there was emotional gold to mine that canon had missed. This story is an excellent example of both of those strengths. Dawn, Buffy, and Spike are all pitch-perfect here, and the dynamics between them in the aftermath of Buffy's massive beating of Spike as he tried to save her from herself are powerful and compelling. ( read an excerpt ) Throw Stones | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Mostly Gen Oz & Cordelia with a little Oz/Willow Length: 5,077 words Author on LJ: tiny_white_hatsAuthor Website: FFN pageWhy this must be read: I always kind of wondered about how Cordy and Oz coped after finding Willow and Xander together; I always kind of wondered if they talked to each other about it. I think there's a sad hole in canon there, and this fic is what should have filled in that gap. Cordy and Oz are well-rendered here, each responding to a similar heartache in very different ways that are natural for such different people as they are. The fragments of comfort, understanding, and companionship they manage to offer each other are likewise as difficult and fraught as they'd have to be under such strain and between people with wildly opposite emotional registers - yet those fragments are real and warm and make me love both characters even more than I already do. ( read an excerpt ) And It's All Over but the Shouting | |
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Vidder: MrsESsmichMusical artist: ColdplayPairing: Buffy/Angel Vidder on LJ: N/A Vidder's website: YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/MrsESsmichWhy this vid kicks ass: The vidder entered this into a competition which required the vidder to tell the story of their OTP with this particular song, going backwards. That pretty much sums up everything that is awesome about this vid. The scenes fit the music and the cutting and transitions work really well. The vidder also uses rewound images which fits the song spectacularly. The Scientist | |
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Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/AngelPairing: Drusilla/AngelusLength: 1477Rating: NC-17Author on LJ: lostakashaAuthor Website: N/A Why this must be read: There is implied non-con, so please steer clear if this is a trigger for you. This very short but effective piece of writing examines the nature of Drusilla as Angelus slowly drives her insane. The prose is completely haunting and the author has a firm grasp on religion and the impact this has throughout the story strengthens it immensely. A wonderful and disturbing tale Lamb of God | |
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Fandom: Buffy, the Vampire SlayerPairing: Dawn/XanderLength: 3,685Author on LJ: snowpuppiesAuthor Website: Fic MasterlistWhy this must be read: This story is set in a universe where everything magical has been sucked out of the world, leaving Dawn and Xander to pick up the pieces. Dawn/Xander is a new 'ship but this goes back to 2008, before anyone believed it would ever happen. Snowpuppies does a fantastic job of communicating what its like when you've lost everything and you're the only ones left. She portrays the sadness, the guilt and the acceptance in a very human way. The characterisations of both characters are wonderful and her writing is something to behold. It's also won a few awards, if I'm not mistaken. Epilogue | |
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Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/AngelPairing: Buffy/Spike with past Buffy/Angel and Spike/IllyriaLength: ~5kRating: R Author on LJ: anarossAuthor Website: Fics in Memories ListWhy this must be read: This story is a wonderful exploration of Spike's character. Yes, this is a babyfic but it is so much more than that. Anaross portrays a Spike/Angel friendship that is believable and civil and captures the heartache of renewing the Buffy/Spike relationship, especially with the added dynamic of Spike's new daughter, whose mother is Illyria. Not to mention Anaross uses my most favourite literary technique of all time effectively-- allegory. Baby Blue | |
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Hi everybody, I'm phantompopcorn and I'll be your Buffy/Angel driver for the month of August! I've got some great gems to share with you, so I hope you're ready to revisit Sunnydale!Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYERPairing: Buffy/SpikeLength: 2,800Author on LJ: eowyn315Author Website: Fic MasterlistWhy this must be read: This story is set post-The Gift in a world where Dawn sacrifices herself instead of Buffy. The author is very skilled at conveying emotion in few words and the journey she takes us on as Buffy struggles to hold the memory of her sister once the magic is gone is wonderful and heartbreaking. The Buffy/Spike element is understated but effective as Buffy tries to find solace amongst her failing memories. Ebbing of the Tide | |
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Title: Dimensionally Challenged by Amy Pairing: Peter Parker/Xander Harris/Spike Author on LJ: unknown Author Website: Wings of Imagination via the Wayback MachineWhy this must be read:Quick and dirty rec... I have 7 minutes before it is no longer the 15th, lol. This was totally my favorite crossover fic, oh, 10ish years ago. I had to DIG to unearth this little gem. Spider-man ends up thrown out of the Marvel Universe and into the Buffyverse, where Xander and Spike (who are already in a relationship) take him under their wing. Beware, there is a bit of Buffy-bashing here, but I love it too much to care. Heck, this is so good that it's probably been recommended on Crack Van before, but I seem to have broken LJ when I went back over 200 entries under the tags, and that barely got me back six years. Anywho, go read it! :D Dimensionally Challenged by Amy | |
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Title: Buffy and the Polyjuice Potion by ArgyleButterfly Pairing: Buffy Summers/Severus Snape Length: ~2300 words Author on LJ: unknown Author Website: ArgyleButterfly's page on TTHWhy this must be read:Buffy is by far my favorite character in BTVS, and as weird as the pairing sounds, I love her with Snape. Tall, dark, and broody is definitely her type, and I can see him falling head over heels for her without realizing it. Her characters are spot on, especially her Sirius who I can totally see doing what he did due to his hated of Severus. This is a wonderful story where a 'trivial' errand turns into something wonderful. Buffy and the Polyjuice Potion | |
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Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS/BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Bodie/Doyle Length: 122k, 22,173 words Author on LJ: empty_mirrorsAuthor Website: Empty MirrorsWhy this must be read: It would never have occurred to me that a Pros/BtVS crossover could work - how in the world would Buffy get to London (or the lads to Sunnydale?), and why? It would be too convoluted, would have to be too carefully done... But Josey is so much better than that - of course a Pros/BtVS crossover need have nothing to do with teenagers in Sunnydale, because if we're talking about 1970s/80s London - well, the Watcher's Council, Rupert Giles, Spike and Drusilla were already there... *g* And of course Cowley would have contacts amongst the Watchers... Josey is one of my favourite Pros writers - she's got a nice touch with language and humour, and the lads themselves - they're absolutely Bodie and Doyle all the way through. They might fancy each other's socks off, but they're not the type to go for swooning soliloquies, and Josey doesn't try to make them. She does however write them as lads who fancy each other's socks off and therefore do what comes naturally to lads... and she's very good at writing that, too... *g* ( Excerpt... )Deadly Intervention | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Gen; Giles, Anya Length: 1,359 Author on LJ: moscaAuthor Website: Fic IndexWhy this must be read:It's ridiculous how much I love these two. Giles and Anya are just so different and probably the last two people you would think would end up as friends, but yet somehow their somewhat odd couple friendship worked on the show and certainly works in this wonderful one-shot. Every so often, something in her manner would remind him that she was older than he, so much older that he could not conceive of it, and that his conception of twenty years as a lifetime ago only served to reveal the mereness of his mortality.Of Awkwardness | |
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Title: Fifteen Percent Concentrated Power of Will by Victoria P. Pairing: Dean/Faith, Sam Length: 2,898 Author on LJ: musesfoolAuthor Website: achromaticWhy this must be read:Dean and Faith are one of the more popular crossover pairings around (if any crossover pairing could really be classified as popular) and it's not really all that surprising if you think about it. They're these two anti-hero type characters from two very popular supernatural genre TV shows that can each hold their own in a fight. Victoria P. brings Faith and Dean together in this steamy one-shot as they run into each other while hunting down various demons and vampires again, and again, and again. The first time they fuck, he doesn't know her name, doesn't give her his. She doesn't ask, and he doesn't expect to ever see her againFifteen Percent Concentrated Power of Will | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER & ANGEL Pairing: Xander/Cordelia Length: 500 Author on LJ: entrenous88Author Website: Complete Fic IndexWhy this must be read:Because I always wanted to see these two reunite in some way, even years after Cordelia left Buffy for Angel there was always a part of my shipper heart that wanted to see her back with Xander, and entrenous88 shows us in this piece five plausible ways it could have happened. “I’m a huge idiot.”
Cordy narrowed her eyes. “You got that right. Go on.”Five Ways Cordy and Xander Never Got Back Together | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Gen; Faith Length: 1,860 Author on LJ: toestastegoodAuthor Website: fic_flailWhy this must be read:This piece is an excellent character study of who Faith might have been in the Wishverse. She's still someone who is very damaged and who life has given the short end of the stick. The author does a wonderful job structuring this piece, we follow Faith as she grows up, as she becomes a statistic, another Slayer in an endless line. When Faith Lehane was thirteen years old, one of her teachers told her that she'd never amount to anything – that girls like her were doomed to fail.
It was in that precise moment that she resolved to prove that woman wrong.Free Falling | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Pairing: Giles/Jenny Length: 1,593 Author on LJ: dollsomeAuthor Website: Fanfiction Master ListWhy this must be read:This piece is just so wonderfully in character with the humor and sexual tension that made me fall in love with Giles and Jenny as a pairing in the first place. dollsome really captures their relationship in this story, they're just so adorable and perfect for each other. She introduces herself as Jenny and he insists upon calling her Ms. Calendar and she decides that he’s a snob and he mentally dubs her insufferable and that’s that, thank you very much.Distractions | |
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Well, it's been a pleasure driving the Buffyverse van this month. Here's one last rec for the road. FANDOM: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER / ANGEL: THE SERIES PAIRING: Gen Length: 1224 words Author on LJ: (?) Author Website: ThistleroseWhy this must be read: Faith has lived a pretty amazing life in fanfiction. To many, she's more interesting than Buffy, with her reluctantly-taken road to redemption and general badassery. In this post-"Chosen" one-shot, she ends up doing her thing in New York City, wondering why only certain parts of her past haunt her. It's a solid, straight take on where she might have gone after Sunnydale collapsed into a crater, and well worth a quick read. (There's also a bonus, non-annoying appearance by Connor.) ( Wherever she goes, it seems, Faith is haunted. )Nothing Goes Away | |
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FANDOM: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER PAIRING: Gen, with background Buffy/Angel Length: 33K words Author on LJ: (?) Author Website: Via SunS Fanfic
Why this must be read: Xander and Angel fight very tiny but loud demon-types while the Slayer (and Willow and Giles) are out of town. Takes place sometime in Season 1 after the episode Angel. These two will never really *like* each other, but Perri Smith shows why they did both make good sidekicks for Buffy, in their own respective ways, and how they might have found some respect for each other, however reluctant. She also accounts for Angel’s growth from rat-eating sewer-dweller to active warrior in the good fight and for Xander’s everlasting Xander-ness, in all its many manifests. The characters are spot-on, the plot will keep you reading, and all in all it’s a lovely flashback to simpler times in Sunnydale. ( "Odd. What could be so disturbing about Canada, for heaven's sake?" )Spring Break, Sidekick Style | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER / ANGEL: THE SERIES Pairing: Buffy/Angel, others Length: Novel-length Author on LJ: yahtzee63 Author Website: yahtzee!Why this must be read: "Phoenix Burning" is one of those fics in Buffyverse fandom, especially in the B/A shipper subsection. The kind that just about everyone has read and people look at you funny if you do a B/A rec list without it (believe me, I've been there). And the reputation is not undeserved. As with most of Yahtzee's work, this fic lays out a fully-conceived world, set centuries in the future with a bevy of original characters that seem as real as the ones we know. This is, in the words of the person who recommended it to me, "a post-The Gift fic of epic proportions....This is the very best our fandom has ever produced. If you haven't read it: you must." ( And then everything was quiet for a very long time. )Phoenix Burning | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER / ANGEL: THE SERIES Pairing: Buffy/Angel Length: ~600 words Author on LJ: femmenerd Author Website: fics_de_femme Why this must be read: Another simple happy ending, but of a different nature. Here, Angel is still a vampire, but they make it work, something that by the end of both series seemed possible. Femmenerd captures both the epic-ness that makes them click as champions and the minutiae that make them click as people. ( Buffy can be chaotic. )Symbology | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER / ANGEL: THE SERIES Pairing: Buffy/Angel Length: 1300 words Author on LJ: margotlefayeAuthor Website: Margot's FemficWhy this must be read: A Buffy/Angel reunion, as seen by near-strangers. The tarot card theme is a great touch (even if you know nothing about tarot), especially in light of the role of prophecies and so forth throughout the Buffyverse, not to mention Drusilla. This short fic shows how they might settle in together, in something resembling a simple, happy ending. ( The girl next door...is an odd one. )
The Girl Next Door | |
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Title: Beyoncé the Vampire Slayer Pairing: Beyoncé Knowles/Jay-Z Length: 38K+ Author on LJ: impertinence Author Website: AO3 archiveWhy this must be read: Beyoncé and her Watcher Kanye go to Jay-Z's mansion to retrieve Rihanna, who's just been called as a Slayer. It ends up being slightly more complicated than anticipated. Now, I know next to nothing about rap/hip-hop/R&B. I know next to nothing about these four artists in particular, although I'm aware of their respective hit songs and Kanye West's Twitter feed. And I definitely don't read RPF fic. It squicks me. But this one is 100% worth making an exception for. The premise: Beyoncé is a Slayer. Kanye West is her Watcher. Newly-called Rihanna is mogul Jay-Z's ward. Hijinks ensue. Worth reading just for Watcher!Kanye, but Slayer!Beyoncé is also a pretty great creation, a totally competent badass who knows herself and her responsibilities. The romance between her and Jay-Z is slowly and carefully spun out, and while this fic is certainly hot, there's also a perfectly good demon-to-defeat plot that could stand alone without the romance--or in a more traditional Buffyverse fic, even. There's also a cameo by Buffy Summers herself and some awesomecakes fanart to boot. ( Rihanna was standing with her hands on her hips, looking supremely pissed. She dressed flashily, her hair styled into the kind of punkish look Beyonc never would've attempted even as a teenager. And she was covered, head to toe, in fluorescent blue goo. ) Beyoncé the Vampire Slayer | |
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Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER / ANGEL: THE SERIES Pairing: Buffy/Angel, Angel/Cordelia Length: Eight chapters of 3K+ words Author on LJ: yahtzee63 Author Website: yahtzee!Why this must be read: I always debate whether or not to rec this piece. It's a crossover of the insert-these-characters-into-that-setting variety, which I normally avoid, and it's as much Angel/Cordelia, which squicks me, as it is Buffy/Angel. But here it is. The overall premise--the story of "Casablanca" set in the Hyperion Hotel--works seamlessly in the Angel universe, and the characterizations are spot-on. I still don't agree with the Angel/Cordelia foundations, but I appreciate the treatment here. As for the Buffy/Angel relationship, it's darker and more pragmatic than it might otherwise be, but then, the world built here may demand that. Yahtzee doesn't diminish the importance of the relationship, though, and instead hones in on their connection as warriors and on their mutual reliance in something like that capacity. ( The Hyperion Hotel is again accepting guests. ) As Time Goes By | |
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