Elizabeth: Ask

A walk through the tangles with Darla and Drusilla. Loss and tears and new,
bright things from the old. Mrr. Beautifully written. Elizabeth just
happens to be a new love for me, oh yes.

Ohhh, yeah, and also Triangulation.

Pure, unadulterated Lindsey, the straight shot, man. This was simple, perfect
and country, and you come away knowing the man, whether you want to
or not. Wonderful. And the bonus? Clean, reasonable backstory. Ooooh.
Smell Te's joy. Smell it!

*

Rheanna: In the Waiting

Gen Angel! Look! I'm broad-minded!

*snicker* Actually, Kita IMed me out of the blue and *ordered* me to read it. I
did. And. Wow. A simple premise, elegantly played out. A fan fiction cliche
justifies it's existence. Redemption in as many ways as Angelus can skin a co-ed.
I read it all the way through, without pause, and marveled at how a truly good
writer doesn't need tricks or flash or *anything* but their chosen language to
turn an interesting idea into a fantastic story. Read, read, read.

*

Dale Edmonds: On Impermanence: Phantom Dennis

Wow. Just... wow. I love pieces like these, unflinching looks at the lives and
deaths of characters the rest of us find so easy to forget. What's it like to be
Cordelia's ghost? What happens when we're trapped by our own needs?

This was silky slow and deadly. Read.

~~~

And, you know, I thought I was only going to wind up recommending one or
two of these, but the whole thing is just a wonderful work, something to be
proud of as a fan-fiction writer, that series like these exist. Each story is
a masterwork in miniature, showing a sensitivity and knowledge of the
characters that is rare, and to be more intimately treasured. Absolutely
wonderful. I'm too in love to be jealous.

Well, almost...

Go here and scroll down to Dale Edmonds. Read every single one. Pine for more.
God, these stay *with* you.

Sheila: Lessons

In Sheila's hands, Oz is a real boy, with the whole spectrum of emotions
and a great, natural talent for being much too old in a way that's still
so very young.

<reads over last sentence>

Just trust me, it works.

Oz spends some time thinking about himself, all of him, not just the wolf,
and the state of his personal education.

Also, Something Like.

A Wesley/Gunn tale with a prickly sweetness for it, like a ripe ruby red
grapefruit, juicy and fine. Sheila makes me smile quite a lot.

But, oh, *God*. Natural Blues.

Just what *is* Oz up to, hmm? This is a different young man. A touch
more cynical, accepting of his own confusion and divided loyalties. A
dangerous man, but still most perfectly himself. Chain smoking and puzzling
out his world. This one packs one *hell* of a punch, y'all.

Fair warning.

And one more.

Bough.

Jesus fucking Christ. Remember Bethany? Remember that look in her eyes?
Rabbit Run...? Not exactly. Oh, no. This one cuts right to the bone, and I
do not envy Sheila's somewhat creepsome knowledge into what could produce
a Bethany, and of who she really is.

Take a deep breath and sit down before reading this. Make sure you have
someone to hug, afterwards.

*

Sarah T. : so where were the spiders...

So I've been mostly avoiding the Dead Letters Home thing, because at the
moment I haven't been feeling quite masochistic enough to indulge. I mean,
*wahhhhhh*

But *this* --! This was a breath of fresh air, Deirdre, one of the half-named
dead for Dark Age. Remember that ep? Eyghon and all of Ripper's dead,
dead friends? Fucking gorgeous, and this letter fit it to a fucking t. Read
it and tell her she rocks.

I am *so* glad she's writing more often.

*

Beautiful Jessica Harris next, with a story that is so exactly what I wanted
that she might as well have been living in my brain for a while:

Impossibilities.

Giles, Xander, and a clear, steady look and what the two of them could have
been. Might have been. The language is gorgeous, the style flows like silk,
the sex made me make strange and joyful noises. Other Giles/Xander authors?

Take a lesson.

God, I can't *wait* to put this on Shoot Me, Stuff Me, Mount Me.

*

James Walkswithwind: And they dance

A sweet and quiet tale about the things that matter, in the end. It made
me smile and cry. Something soft and right to send y'all home with, yes?
Yes. Enjoy. <g>

*

Puca: Recall

Oh, man. It's Oz, and it's *damned* good Oz. Yeah, all those road trip
are cool, but... what happens when he stops driving?

What happens when you take a little time to live *out* of the moment,
and back in memory? Hopefully, what happens is this story. *Love*

Oz just continues to fascinate me. Long conversations about him with
Puca, Sheila, Deb, and others just whet the need. He's this little
alien creature with a *huge* mind. Unpossessed country, neh? Puca's
got our boy down, y'all.

*

Katy Zapatka: Better Things

Oh, Jesus. Take a look at Reunion. Try to think about how Gunn
would react. And then read this story and let Katy show you how it's
*done*. Pure Gunn, straight to the vein. Strength and denial, rage and
righteousness. Beautiful.

Just like the man himself. She gets Jossed a little with the next Angel
episodes, but you know, fuck that. This is how *I* see Gunn. One of
my Gunns. AU? Fuck, y'all know what I mean.

No, it's just that these are all things that the fans wanted to say,
*and* they fit easily in Gunn's delicious mouth. That's not so easy.
Didn't I tell you? One to watch. <g>

*

Shrift: We Came, We Sang

Oh, this was a lovely trip into Gunn's head, and what was going
on behind the scenes in Redefinition. *lovelovelove* Everything
was on, especially the way Gunn looks at the other characters,
and the story weaves smoothly through the actual events of the
episode. And, well, it's good fun. <g>

Shrift needs to make more for Te. Yes.

*

Melymbrosia: On the Way To Grandmother's House

Oh *wow*. How's about a nice trip into a completely fringe
POV? Melymbrosia uses it to show that some things are always the
same, no matter who you are, no matter what you do. Bleak and
jarringly strange, in that *good* way.

Takes off from Into the Woods, and one of the most jarring/
telling moments I've ever seen on Buffy. *Goes* with it. Have
I already mentioned that I love getting to know fringe characters?

That it's one of my very favoritest things?

God, it's one of the things that make me *believe* in fan fiction,
as opposed to just loving it.

*

Sheila: Fall In, Fall Out

Wesley takes a look at the other kind of night life and finds
himself a good time. This *could* be the summary of the story,
but it would completely miss the point. Yes, Wes goes to a club.
Yes, Wes gets laid, but along the way the reader gets a startlingly
clear portrait of the man. Full color and big as life.

Wesley.

This is who he *is*, all the humor, the geekiness, the self-doubt
and bravery, all of it's right there and beautifully rendered.
I'm in love all over again.

*

Kassie: Being And Fate

I knew I was going to have to rec this one before I was more than
a few paragraphs in. Yet another brilliantly complex and canonical
Wesley interpretation, in the midst of inevitable darkness. Free
will is a little muzzy in this world, but Wesley is not, and, unfortunately
for him, neither is the "new, unimproved" Angel.

Rarr.

Kat: Bubble Gum Girl

An author I'd never read before finding her in the noms for the Darkfic
awards. As soon as I finish here I'm looking for more. Here's a look at
a Buffy who has become all that she is, pared down to the bone, holding
on to ideals that don't really fit.

The Slayer, with Buffy trappings, down in Mexico and finding an old
friend. Paying old debts, or maybe exacting payment. You're never quite
sure. I love that.

This feeds  my noir love somethin' sweet.

*

Ins: Fault

Jesus. *Jesus*. Another Buffy tale, another story that left me staring
and *weirded*. I need a better word. It's that feeling when the world
suddenly takes that jump to the left and step to the right and everything
is still resettling and you remember where you were before but you know
you'll never be there again.

Ambiguous at the end if that bugs you... but I've decided I like it.

What is it that drives Buffy, down deep?

What does she *need*?

*

Kita and Jessica Walker: Six Foot Deep

BtVS When two unrepentant Angel/Spike slashers write a Spuffy fic? I have
to read it.

I have to.

Especially since these two are pretty much the only people who can make
me even *consider* reading Angel/Spike -- they're just that good.

But... wow. What can I say?

This stories weaves in and out of canon expertly, brilliantly, capturing
everything I've liked about this season and *going* with it, just the way a
good fanfic writer, a *real* fanfic writer is supposed to do. I mean...

Did I mention wow?

This is dark. Dark, dark, dark.

And yet no darker than it should/could be. They don't let any of the
characters off the hook here, something I wish could be said about Joss
and co. (Grr, grr, *grr*)

But, yeah... what can I say? Let me just quote a bit:

~
...He sits opposite her, lacing his shoes without ever taking his eyes from
her face. "I hate you," he says, almost conversationally, and for the first
time she really believes it. Fear and venom and predatorial anger before,
but never, never hate.

"Doesn't stop you from fucking me," she says harshly, but it sounds wrong.
She wants to talk like he does, full of passion and heedless bile and
effortless, unchecked expletives, the voice of Misbehavior. And she tries,
tries to drink his whiskey and smoke his cigarettes and fuck his cold,
shameless, unapologetic body in hope that some of his anarchy will rub
off onto her skin and allow her to scream, yell, curse, let *go* for once but
it never seems to work. It's forced, like everything else these days, and she
pulls the sheet tighter around her body to keep her insides from spilling out.
She's suddenly beset by the panicked certainty that she has no fucking clue
what she's doing, that she thought she had a talent for fucking vampires
but maybe she was wrong, maybe Spike isn't Angel after all. Maybe she
doesn't even know him, any better than she knows herself.

He pulls his bootlaces circulation-cutting tight. "You're underestimating my
astonishing lack of self-respect, pet."

He grabs his duster and stands; the sun is just setting. His eyes are liquid,
nearly begging behind the anger.  His voice trembles just slightly.  "Please
be gone when I get back."
~

Yeah. That.

Beautiful.

*

Kay Tee: Xander Wishes

I'm not sure why I decided to read this, when I'm deleting so *many*
Xanderslash stories unread these days, but... I did.

And I'm so glad.

Here is a Xander who has grown, who has thought, who has loved and
needed and not always gotten. He's maybe not a man, yet, but there's
the sense that he will be, if he gives himself the chance.

There's the sense that he just might.

In other words, the characterization is spot-on.

More than that, this is a slash story that neither conveniently forgets
Anya's existence, nor cuts her off at the knees to make it easier for the
boys to get together. Anya's very much a part of this story, and her love
for Xander and his for her are clear and beautiful and as painful as they
should be.

*And* -- a new look at Angel.

Who knew?

But then, nobody knows you like the one who's a little obsessed, even
if not dangerous. Nobody watches, nobody wonders.

But Xander does.

And the end has a sweetly pleasant little shiver.

I'll be looking for more from this writer.

*

Criss Moody: Losing

Look! It's readable Spike/Xander! Sexy, funny, and *believable*
Spike/Xander!

Who *knew*?

I don't know what to say about this beyond that it's restored my faith
in this particular pairing. I mean... wow. I'd pretty much given up, you
know?

But... it *can* be done.

Read and learn, fuckers.

*

Lar: Browser Memory

Mmmm. Slow, sweet, subtle little thing. Gentler, maybe, than
the Cordyslash I tend to prefer, but oh so *damned* good.

Well-written, of course, dreamily moody with a nice, easy build-up
to Not Exactly Straight!Cordelia. It just... well, it eases you into it,
and her thoughts feel very real, very true.

And I just want to hug her by the end.

In general, my Angel is not quite that creepy, or maybe just creepy
in other ways, and my Cordy has sharper edges, but this worked
for me.

Give it a try.

*

Jennifer-Oksana: Addiction As Metaphor

Is it just me or have people been writing really fucking *well*
lately?

Especially Ms. Jenny-O, bustin' out with the kick-ass Lindsey/Angel.

And you know, after all that Mulder/Krycek in my past, it takes one
fuck of a good L/A fic to work for me, as is demonstrated by the
relative lack of them on these pages.

This story? Does it for me.

The rhythm of it is just pure Southern blues, down and dirty and
nasty as it can be. Something raw here. Something absolutely
*right*. And if the metaphors don't do it for you? The subtext
will.

Oh, you've gotta love a slasher who doesn't let the subtext slide.

Lindsey is an unreliable narrator, more and less than he thinks he
is.

Angel is the flawed, all-too-inhuman creature that most writers
just don't fucking *get*.

And the sex?

Gimme some.

*

S.N. Kastle: Deathly

Faith. Faith, Faith, Faith.

Remember her? S.N. does, and takes a long, hard look at just what
happens to the forgotten ones after The Gift. Jesus. I don't think I've
seen it handled quite this way before, you know? How would it feel
to watch the battle continue and have no way to do your part?

No place, no time off for good behavior, no hope, no... faith. Heh.

Beautifully done.

Thanks, Laura for pointing this one out to me.

*

Jennifer-Oksana: Breakdown

One of the things I loathe the most about poorly written fan-
fiction is authorial intrusion. You know what I mean. Every now
and again, you'll come across a story in which it is *painfully*
obvious what the author's Issues are.

What medications they're on.

What medications they *should* be on.

It's all a giant wankfest, really, in that bad way where I don't
want to watch *you* jerk-off.

One of the ways this gets expressed is with the author taking
the piss because of how a given character arc is proceeding.

Characterizations are assassinated right and left in the writer's
quest for vengeance, and what you're left with is... authorspooge.

Blech.

On the other hand, there is Jenny-O. Who writes *well*.

Who knows how to show her frustrations with the tripe that is
Angel season three, and knows how to do it with style, humor,
grace, pain, and -- thank you *JESUS* -- brilliantly realized
characterization.

Read it. *Feel* it.

This one lingers. A sense of dread, a sense of helpless hope.

*

Sophia Jirafe: No Need For Lucifer To Fall

I've been trying to figure out why I'm such a tough
sell on Spuffy, when, this season at least, I've been
perfectly satisfied with the way it's been played out
onscreen.

The only thing I can come up with is to blame the fanfic
writers. Which is always fun. <g>

Seriously, though, if you're going to be writing fan
fiction, then you should damned well be writing about
the *characters*, not the idealized version of them that
you jerk off about at night.

You? Yeah, you. Over there. I have no urge to watch you
masturbate all over my hapless computer.

Fucking *cope*, all right?

And the thing is, with Spuffy, it isn't *just* the fluffy
bunnies you have to worry about. No, that would just
be too fucking easy.

Nope, you have to deal with the idiots who can't seem
to accept that Spike has never been and probably never
*will* be the heartless, soulless killer that makes their
panties wet.

He has feelings. He's a fucking pansy when it *comes*
to those feelings. He's Love's Bitch, and he's bloody
well man enough to admit it.

And Buffy?

Buffy. Isn't. Faith.

If Buffy *were* Faith, third season wouldn't have been
half so interestingly slashy. She's a genuinely good person
who occasionally make mistakes.

Occasionally, a really good writer comes along who makes
me believe that she secretly harbors fantasies of ripping
Willow's head off and raping Giles with a strap-on, but
chances are? You are *not* that writer.

So. Where were we?

Oh, yeah, I was getting to my rec. Um. Hmm.

Sophia lets Spike be Spike, the good and the bad. (though
maybe not quite enough of the bad to suit me... but it
probably wouldn't have fit in the story anyway, so, whatever.)
She lets Buffy be Buffy, with the pain and the beauty and her
selfishness and her badassedness.

She lets them have angsty-hot sex.

I am a happy Te.

Jane St Clair: Cave

It's Willowfic! And I like it! No, wait, go even
further -- it's Willow/*Oz* fic and I like it. My God.
Who knew? I mean, they were cute together and all,
but... *yawn*.

But then again, this is Jane.

Jane, who is constitutionally incapable of letting me
keep any squicks whatsoever.

*sigh*

It's beautiful, it is.

I want to *see* this.

I want to *live* this.

So much going on beneath the surface, too. Love.

*

Benaresq: Journey Home

Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Just what *is* going on behind Buffy's dead blue
eyes? What happens when saving the world suddenly seems... simple? Gorgeous
and dark. *love*

And:

Tame

Oh, hello stereotype. Hyena!Xander. Toppy!Angel. Boredom. Kill me.

And I deleted this story before it had fully downloaded when it first showed up in my
inbox. I have my dignity, dammit. But… hey. I've since learned that walking away
from Benaresq's stories is a *bad* idea. She's good. She's *good*. She took the
cliché and made it *work*, y'all. It's hot, it's sad, it's dark, it's strange.

And, in the end, it's sweet.

In that 'do I have problems?' way.

*

Shrift: Mr. and Mrs. Bickerson

Remember second season? Remember when none of the characters got
cut off at the knees just so another character could look taller? Yeah, I do,
too. Reminisce with me and Shrift, baby. The characters are as real as real
can be, the bickering is lovely, and the sex is just right. *sigh*

*

Rachel Anton: Geek the Girl

Willow/Spike can be a lot of fun. Trust me, I wrote it. And, you know, I have
a soft spot for it. I really do. When writers actually take the time to work around
all the reasons why it's a terrible pairing, the stories *rock*.

However, the vast majority of Willow/Spike writers suck ASS.

Rachel Anton does not.

This is a sweet, sad, funny little trip down Holiday lane, and the characterizations
ring almost entirely true. I tend to like my Spikes a little rougher 'round the edges,
but Rachel's worked for me just the same. Read it.

*

More Jane: Smoke

Um. Gibble?

Jane and I couldn't decide for a while whether or not we'd actually written this
one together or not, but eventually I convinced her that it was just way too
*smooth* for me to have any part of it.

And it is. Every jagged edge in this story -- and there are many, oh yes -- is
subject to Jane's inimitable style. Let's face it, she can make anything beautiful.

And she does.

*

Lady of Shalott: Invitation

God *dammit*. What the hell is with these people making me like pairings that
I *loathe*?

I mean, I'm a reasonable girl. It's not like there are all that *many* pairings I hate, as
those of you I've traumatized in the past well know. But man, I had limits. Actual *limits*.
And Buffy/Giles? That was a limit with a capital L.

Now along comes Shalott and I'm… her bitch.

Hot, dirty, wrong, sad.

Hmm. I'm sensing a theme with this recs set.

In any case, it's a very real, *very* plausible look at just how two people that should
in no way be screwing could wind up doing so. And it's heartbreaking.

And it made me go Ooooh. Check it out.

Edited to add: I've since discussed this story with Sarah, who feels we don't get
quite enough of the characters' motivations to make the story work for her. It's
a valid critique, but... I don't know hot to explain it. Shalott *makes* it work.
It's all in the vibe, the unspoken, the unwritten.

Those of y'all familiar with the hetslash musings that have gone on here and there?
Special shout out.

*

Melpomene: Insomniac Dreams

MMmm. Sheila found this jewel for me. Really quite a number of
stories in one, beautiful and atmospheric, yet not merely shallow prettiness.
There are small, tight glimpses of Wesley here, and they are... telling.
Evocative. Lovely.

A few typos, but hey, nobody's perfect.

Jennifer Stoy: King of Pain

Oh, lovely, lovely. I have no problems whatsoever seeing this
happening after the Angel season finale. None whatsoever. It was deftly
done, with Wes and Angel being their complex, assholish, and occasionally
wise selves. Ouch.

*

Yahtzee: Phoenix Burning

If you had told me I'd spend all day reading a Buffy/Angel romance, I
would've *smacked* you. But this is bigger than that, deeper. Far, far
better than all the damned violins and longing looks. This is a huge,
sprawling, *awesome* story with plot, humor, adventure, derring-do,
and a boatload of original characters to love and hate and wish you
could party with.

Absolutely incredible. I bow to Yahtzee, and idly -- only idly -- wish
she'd turn her eyes to slash. Le sigh. We writers and our muses, eh?

Go. Read. Tell her how much she rocks.

*

Rheanna: Vivere

*deep sigh*

This hit me in all the right places. Mainline that emotion, baby. Everything
so bright, like life, like people. Vividly 3-dimensional and irresistible. I'm
in love. Rheanna truly is one of my favorite authors, hands down.

*

Sandira: Versipellis

Veruca salty sweet and iron harsh. Oh, yes. An origin story worthy of
one of *my* favorite secondary characters. Lush and dreamy -- perhaps a
little too dreamy in places -- sexy and raw.

Bloody.

Lovely.

*

Lar: Rainmakers 2: Southwest of Nowhere

Two guys that never met in canon. Way far away from
anything *resembling* canon and... it works. I don't think you need the
first one for this, but it's a good read, too. I just liked this better. Slow,
easy ride of life for Riley and Lindsey -- yeah, you heard me right -- as
they settle into things, move a little farther into their new worlds.
Something like the small, vastly important human side of redemption.
Lovely.

*

Sarah T.: Poster Boy

BtVS One of the reasons why so many of us normally quite rational people
find ourselves doing things like praying to Joss Whedon, asking his favor,
ascribing him supernatural powers... well. You get the idea. See, he does
this thing where he doesn't leave very many holes. Buffy fandom is, perhaps,
unique in that it has spawned so *many* subgenres that are just off the
fucking *wall* canon-wise. Hmm. That's probably worth an essay.

But. Holes. Jesse.

Xander never got a chance to mourn, you know?

Fuck that, Xander never got a chance to *react*. Great big hole. Sarah fills
it with her usual grace and aplomb. She's got a nice touch with adolescent
Xander that I wouldn't have expected, somehow. My poor little squirmy
boy. And, as a bonus, Giles is in there, and he doesn't quite connect with
Xander. God, I love stuff like that.

*

Shrift: Latency

How 'bout a high note? And what a *note*. Crystalline clear, from the voices
to the angst to the hot-sweet-fine resolution. Shrift never once loses sight of
the fact that Angel has an ensemble cast -- something I struggle with
*constantly*. I've got nothing but admiration for writers who can pull that off.
The story is just plain good. Wes/Gunn. More, please?