ds_recsredux | Entries tagged with author: china shop

mamaffy.livejournal.com

I can't resist to name a few more stories, a random selection this time. It was fun!

1) Simply Ray by Ardent (F/K, ~12,000 words)
Lots of painful miscommunication. Time is running out on them because Kowalski is about to leave.

2) Unplanned by Beth H /

bethbethbeth (F/K, NC 17, ~3,100 words)
Kowalski accidentally kisses Fraser in front of all his colleagues. The idea is just too awesome.

3) Gambling Man by

brigantine1 (F/K, ~1,700 words)
Mindmelting porn. Ray is a shark at Go Fish and wins the opportunity to have his rimming way with Fraser.

4) The Small Indian Mongoose Is Not Immune to the Cobra's Venom by

brigantine1 (K/OMC, F/K, NC 17, ~5,400 words)
Wonderful Kowalski backstory and suspenseful. A team angst story that had me screaming at the screen.

5) 10 reasons to hate Ray Kowalski, by Raymond Vecchio by

china_shop (K/V, NC 17, ~17,000 words)
The narrative structure of this story is gorgeous. The boys are flawed but utterly adorable. Some casefic, too.

6) This Side of the Phone Line and its sequel Other Ways of Speaking by

malnpudl (F/K, Adult, ~1,200/~2,500 words)
An adorable telephone scenario between pre-relationship Fraser and Kowalski, followed by an e-mail back-and-forth. Both stories fill me with glee and the details in the e-mail fic are amazing.

mamaffy.livejournal.com

Last time the fluff, this time the sadness. But in somewhat low doses. My choices are a bit random, it is a broad category.

These fics have something bittersweet about them. They aren't terrifying, they can be light and hopeful, but beware: They might punch you in the gut.

1) From Afar by TrueEnough (F/K, "R with NC-17 aspirations", ~21,700 words)
This is the angstiest of this batch. It has a beautiful and witty Fraser POV, a fascinating look in the head of a weird man. He can turn light-hearted events into misery. It's PCotW, after the quest, Fraser worries about Kowlaski leaving. It's unbetaed but, for me, well worth reading anyway.

2) A Year (More or Less) in the Life by

pir8fancier (Ray/Ray, NC 17, ~25.000 words)
The second-angstiest for me and it fits in many categories. It's a hallmark story for Ray/Ray. IMHO a great fic to hook Ray/Ray-newbies. *winkwink* It's a whole lot of fun and very exciting from the start. It also has some not-so-subtle angst, but the boys handle it with their usual snark. Some intense lines.

3) The Elevator Diaries by

china_shop (F/K, PG, ~3000 words)
It's light, whacky, and fun, which is adorable. Some sad undertones make it even better. The elevator rides of the boys reveal a lot.

4) Using Ray by Kalena/

imkalena (F/K, not rated but written for "porn challenge", ~1000 words)
A short piece of emotionally intense porn.

5) The More Things Change by

zelempa (RayK/Stella, PG-13, ~4700 words)
This is an insta-rec. It's more sweet than bitter, but the bits of bitterness are perfect. Ray's gay, but then there's Stella. Insightful and sensual piece with wonderful voices.

mergatrude.livejournal.com

Hi! I'm guest-reccing for March, and thought I'd start with one of my favourite things - voyeurism! ( It comes in many different styles, from deliberate peeping to unexpected revelations. )

Current Mood: pervy

mergatrude.livejournal.com

Back when I got into this fandom, fic first, it was all Kowalski all the time. The trail of recs I followed led me through stories where Vecchio simply wasn't there, and some where one might wish he wasn't. Then one day, someone explained Ray Vecchio to me in a way that I could understand and love.

In Kowalski is Bleeding by

cesperanza I discovered that Ray Vecchio was alive, vibrant, likeable. Loveable, even. Of course he loved the GTO - he appreciates classic cars. And he loved Fraser, would just drop everything to help him. Thanks, Speranza, for starting my education.

Then

aeyre showed me that Vecchio was just right for my boy Kowalski in You Get What You Need, and I was suddenly a Ray/Ray convert. Boys bruised by Canada and Vegas, but not broken; able to somehow strangely fit together, to find love. Not the grand romance each of them chased during the show, but an "older and wiser" kind of love, no less intense for it's pragmatism.

I had to rethink my original premise that Vecchio was straight. If he could be in love with Kowalski, why not Fraser? "Well, hell!" I said to

china_shop. "Maybe Vecchio is a drag queen every Saturday night." And she wrote me Gloria (the alias that you've been living under) to prove it.

And in the end where can I go but to wingfic? My gift from

llassah was the beautiful, dreamlike Fledgling, where Ray gets wings and learns to use them. Ray Vecchio, you crawled into my heart and head in surprising ways, but I'm so glad I got to know you.

sam80853.livejournal.com

Title: Green Suede Boots
Author:

china_shop
Pairing: F/K sort of
Rating: G
Why I'm reccing this: I was laughing through out the whole thing. All right, maybe not through the whole thing but

china_shop so totally nailed Frannie here; it's so true to who Frannie really is - I love it.

Current Mood: cheerful

brynnmck.livejournal.com

So if there's one thing we can say about Ray Vecchio, it's that he loves to talk. And I love to listen to him talk, with his dry humor and his frequent bitching and his existential honesty. A great Vecchio voice is a rare gem in the fandom (these days, anyway), and I hold those stories close to my heart. (And as a side note, I'm formulating a theory in the course of compiling these recs: Vecchio and Kowalski tend to sound most like their canon selves in F/V and F/K fic: y/n?)

In any case. VECCHIO. I like him okay:

The Eskimo Thing, by

merryish (F/V, rated NC-17) – It's so sad to me that Merry has published so little dS fic, because she gets Fraser and Vecchio as well as anyone I've ever encountered in the fandom. This has long been one of my favorite dS fics, and while there's nothing about it that I don't love, Merry's Vecchio voice is a particular joy for me (though her Fraser voice is absolutely brilliant, too). Perfect blend of dry humor and affection and love and hotness, and an awesomely wacky plot, too (as china_shop called it once: "The Inuit made them ~~do it~~ admit they liked each other!"). If you only ever read one Fraser/Vecchio fic, I think it should be this one.

( An excerpt: )

One Man's Kink, by Mallory Klohn (F/V, no rating given, but includes sexing) – OMG this fic is so adorable. Filled to the brim with fabulous UST, and Mallory has a great gift for Vecchio's exasperated/affectionate speech patterns. And it's a bit of an unusual first-time fic in that it's not primarily one guy trying to seduce the other; it's both of them appreciating and wanting each other, teasing, making moves, holding back, trying to get it right. It's a fantastic slow burn that pays off with an scorching hot climax.

( An excerpt: )

Two Meetings in Neutral Territory, by

greensilver (K/V, rated PG-13) – Greensilver's writing style tends to be understated, and so is her Vecchio POV; it's a fantastic example of doing a lot with a little. This short fic just crackles with tension and things unsaid, and it builds a vivid backstory that gives us such a sharp picture of Vecchio and Kowalski (and Fraser, which is a great dimension) and their connection. And the end is just LOVE.

( An excerpt: )

Conviction, by

china_shop (F/V, rated PG) – I think this was one of china's first F/V fics, and it was one of the first F/V fics I ever read, and it's still one of my favorites. She just gets exactly that canon dynamic (with a great Frannie voice, too), and weaves the slash around it, bringing Fraser and Vecchio exactly where they tend to end up in my head. :) And it's full of wonderful little Vecchio-isms, like:

( An excerpt: )

Ketchup, by

catwalksalone (pre-slash, F/V kinda implied, F/K kinda implied, F/V/K totally happening in my head, rated PG) – After you finish giggling over the fact that cat starts this entry by declaring that she doesn't write dS (SO glad you changed your mind about THAT, cat! ♥), you'll get to another of my favorite dS fics. Short and fairly simple, but there's so much character insight packed in, here, Vecchio lost and angry in (an AU version of) his return from Vegas. Plus it's in second-person POV, which is hard to pull off, but cat does it excellently here.

( An excerpt: )

Such a Pathetic Pair, by

spuffyduds (F/V, rated R) – I still remember when I first found Spuffyduds' fic; I was SO thrilled to see someone new writing F/V with such sensitivity and depth. This fic is part of a (sadly still unfinished!) series, and all the stores in it are excellent, but this is one of my favorites. Spuffy has Vecchio's post-VS guilt and loyalty with heartbreaking clarity, and the tentative attempts to re-establish his connection with Fraser are just… oh, RAY. Painful, but beautiful, and there's honesty and solace at the end.

( An excerpt: )

If you don't love me, let me go by

belmanoir (F/V, rated PG) – Vecchio-in-Vegas is maybe the saddest genre of fic for me, and this story absolutely breaks my heart. But it's so filled with gorgeous Vecchio insight, and with the ways that Fraser and Vecchio changed each other's lives… gah. I adore it, even through the tears.

( An excerpt: )

And that's it! Please feel free to add your own Vecchio-tastic recs in the comments, and thanks to the mods for letting me rec this week!

brynnmck.livejournal.com

Hello, I am

brynnmck and I have somehow conned the mods into allowing me to guest-rec this week! The theme I've chosen: Great Character Voices. Because while there are all different flavors of great characterization, canon gives us such amazing and distinct voices—for all the characters, but especially the main three—that it gives me extra glee to see those nailed in a fic, whether it's through dialogue or POV or both.

Today I bring you a few recs from the Fraser side of things. I know a lot of people are intimidated about writing Fraser, especially Fraser POV. And in a way it makes sense, because I think the show is set up for the Rays to be the audience viewpoint characters—we're rolling our eyes in exasperation/adoration right along with them, and they're a natural place to go when we sit down to write. Still, I really adore a good Fraser POV; as a writer, it gives you much more poetic license than (either) Ray POV, and while I wouldn't necessarily want to be Fraser 24 hours a day, spending a bit of time in his head and seeing the world in Fraservision is something that makes me incredibly happy, as a writer and a reader.

So: MOAR FRASER POV PLZ. I know it's a bit unorthodox, but I'd like to start by reccing

primroseburrows'

ds_workshop post on writing Fraser —I found it fascinating, and Prim's ability to provide practical, concrete advice on something as slippery as character voice is something I deeply admire. Check it out!

And now some fic:

Soluble, by Basingstoke (F/V, no rating given, maybe PG-13ish) – Fraser's silence actually speaks quite loudly in this short fic (which is highly appropriate), but the narrative voice is excellent, too; it strikes me that Fraser's voice, in particular, has to do with his unusual thought processes, which are on great display here. Bonus points for a terrific Vecchio voice, and for packing a lot of sweet and sexy punch into a very short fic.

( An excerpt: )

Counting the Ways, by

joandarck (F/V, rated PG) – I adore this fic beyond words. Not only is the Fraser POV fantastic (he writes Ray a sestina! in GREEK! ♥), but the entire fic is just relentlessly adorable and hot, so incredibly hot for a PG-rated fic. A brilliant twist on the usually angsty "we must hide our love!" trope, and the way Joan weaves the first-rush-of-love goofiness in with Fraser's highly rational voice is fabulous.

( An excerpt: )

Sign Language, by

sdwolfpup (second part here) (F/V, rated R) – This is one of my very favorite dS fics, and I've recced it a million times, and I will very happily rec it again. SDW has a gift for the cadence and poetry of Fraser's POV, and her Vecchio voice is tremendous, too (I think of "What are you going to do to Jesus?" ALL THE TIME when I think of Vecchio), and when combined with the just-wacky-enough plot, the fic reads exactly like an episode… only there's bonus sexing. \o/ BEST EVER.

( An excerpt: )

And I'll Believe Thee, by

joandarck (F/V, rated G) – I think this fic actually made me swoon (off-sides use of Shakespeare, Joan!). And it could go equally well under the "great Vecchio voice" category, but I'm putting it under the Fraser section because of the glorious lines: "He'd broken a rule. Maybe love always was associated with some form of transgression. Maybe that was its nature." which is one of my favorite moments in a dS fic ever, and so beautifully Fraser it makes me want to cry. Lovely, lovely, lovely fic.

( An excerpt: )

Upon the Feast of Stephen by

kormantic (F/V, rated NC-17) – This dual-POV fic boasts a delightful Vecchio voice, but because great Fraser POV is so hard to find, I'm categorizing it there (and there is genius Bob Fraser voice, too, OMG). Kormantic extends Fraser's gift for understatement even to his inner monologue, and it's tremendously fun… and of course it's even more fun when he gets caught up in the moment. *g* Plus, though it's a Christmas-themed fic, it's a perfect sexy, cozy fall (in this hemisphere) read.

( An excerpt: )

The Art of Far and Near, by

china_shop (F/V, rated PG) – This fic honestly had me at "Fraser and Vecchio and a kitten." But for all the adorableness inherent in that premise, china injects just enough of that good dS wackiness and emotional grounding to keep things from getting saccharine. I love china's Vecchio in this, but I'm most impressed with what a lovely job she does with Fraser's sense of humor, and how she combines his analytical nature with his depth of feeling in a way that feels exactly right.

( An excerpt: )

So those are a few of my favorite Fraser-tastic fics. Please link to some of yours in the comments! (As a side note: if anyone's got Fraser-POV F/V/K recs, PLEASE speak up. One of my greatest joys, and quite a rare beast, considering the logistical difficulties. *g*)

luzula

Reccing is hard. I always feel like everyone else will have read what I want to rec, but here goes anyway.

Title: The Art of Losing
Author:

china_shop
Pairing: Vecchio/various
Rating: NC-17
Length: 20k
Why I'm reccing this fic:

nos4a2no9 recorded this as a podfic (right click and download), and I foolishly downloaded it and listened without reading any summary. I ended up with tears running down my face on the bus.

Sometimes angsty stories can feel emotionally manipulative, like they're deliberately designed to wring the tears out of me, but this one felt just like life is sometimes. I mean, shit happens. Relationships fail and are broken. And, oh, the poem at the end. That's where I cried the hardest.

The Art of Losing

Title: Safe House
Author:

keerawa
Pairing: K/V
Rating: NC-17
Length: 4000 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This is a remarkable story. Very dark, but I thought it was entirely plausible. It's written from a completely external POV--it lays out what happens, and leaves the emotional reactions to you. I felt so much for Vecchio and Kowalski here. They both do what they have to do so that Vecchio will survive being undercover, and it kind of breaks them both.

Safe House

Title: Hanging
Author:

akamine_chan
Pairing: F/K
Rating: R
Length: 250 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This story isn't angsty in the sense that it made me cry, but more in the sense that it made my heart beat faster with fear and adrenaline pump through my veins. It's the kind of fic that uses the short format very effectively, and the details are chosen in a way that makes it vivid and immediate.

Hanging

leafy22.livejournal.com

I’m reccing three older-than-six-months stories from the same challenge community.

getfraserlaidstarted not long after I began lurking in the dS fandom and I remember repeatedly sneaking off to an internet cafe whilst on holiday to check out the new stories posted. There’s loads of great fic there so if you’re new and haven’t found

getfraserlaidyet then do check it out.

Title: Learn to Speak Canine in Seven Easy Steps
Author:

etcetera_cat
Pairing:F/K
Rating: PG-13
Length:~7000
Why I'm reccing this fic: Dief guides us through this story of Boss-Ben and Spiky-Ray (with a brief appearance from Not-Here-Bob) with wit and style. A knowledgeable Dief who can’t resist offering advice is always fun to read and the interactions between him, Fraser and Ray are brilliantly written. There’s also a sequel – Six Degrees Of Separation .
( A brief excerpt )
Learn to Speak Canine in Seven Easy Steps

Title: Not Exactly Kubrick
Author: china_shop
Pairing:F/K
Rating:NC-17
Size:18k

Why I'm reccing this fic:The prompt for this fic was They watch the porn tape they made (double points for having them get it on while watching the tape) and china lets us know in her summary that she gets double points! I think those points should be doubled again for Fraser’s and Ray’s realistically portrayed self conscious reaction to the sight and sound of themselves on tape – and then doubled again for their fantastically hot reactions to the sight and sound of each other....

Not Exactly Kubrik
( A brief excerpt )

Title: Louder Than Words
Author:

ignazwisdom
Pairing:F/K
Rating:NC-17
Length:9,300
Why I'm reccing this fic: The growing tension between Fraser and Ray draws you in to this post-CotW first time fic. The pacing and characterisation are great and the little bit of angst makes the heat and sweetness that much hotter and sweeter.

( A brief excerpt ) Louder Than Words

belmanoir.livejournal.com

Title: Crossed Paths
Author:

china_shop
Pairing: None (can be read as F/K/V, but it's gen)
Rating: G
Length: 1100 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This fic gave me something I never, ever knew I needed until I read it, and then I was completely blown away--Vecchio on the quest. It's from the POV of some scientists who run into the boys while they're all looking for the hand of Franklin together! I pretty much died of love. Plus the story is super cute in pretty much every way.

Link to the story: Crossed Paths

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: Solstice
Author:

troyswann
Pairing: None (again! What are the odds?)
Rating: um...PG-13 for some violence?
Length: ~6500 words.
Why I'm reccing this fic: Because it's AMAZING. Vecchio is losing it after Vegas, and when he's attacked, he runs...to Canada. There's a whole part at the end with the three of them that basically made my heart grow about four sizes. Seriously, my lungs are feeling squished, guys.

Link to the story: Solstice

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: I'm not sure this actually HAS a title, but it's labelled "Cookies," so let's go with that.
Author:

brynnmck
Pairing: F/K/V
Rating: PG-13
Length: ~1750
Why I'm reccing this fic: Because it may actually be the cutest thing I have ever read. Kidfic! Fraser is decorating Halloween cookies with their daughter while Ray and Ray watch. And seriously, cutest fucking thing EVER.

Link to the story: Cookies. (Scroll down to #3.)

( Brief excerpt. )

sansets

*waves* Hi, I am

sansets and I will be your guest reccer for the week! There are many things about this fandom that I love, but there are very few that will get me as wildly enthusiastic as my OT3 - Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio. Today's post is going to focus on a celebration of how many different ways there are to get these three stubborn guys into a relationship.

( For your reading pleasure - the many routes to Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio )

And that was that! I will be back later in the week for a post on established F/K/V fics and finishing off my week with everyone's favorite - PWPs! (OK, perhaps not everyone's favorite, but it comes really close to being mine.) In the meantime, feel free to comment with your recs for great first time fics. There are some great stories that I didn't rec because I was going to rec other stories by the same author for my other posts and there are also some great stories that I haven't read yet, so please tell me all about your favorites!

green-grrl.livejournal.com

It took me a ridiculously long time to narrow this theme down to three recs. I decided to cut stories that have been recced before, and that helped; but really, just read everything recced in this comm! Especially these ...

Title: The Sweet Hereafter
Author: China Shop (

china_shop)
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski
Rating: R
Length: 44,885 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: With a water pollution case, Native American rights being trampled, Consulate party planning, rambling Bob stories and Fraser accidentally bodyswitched with his father's ghost, this could be a canon episode! (Okay, maybe the Fraser/Ray revelations and car sex, not so much, but the subtext would be on the screen, right?) It's fascinating watching Fraser's body with Bob's personality--or frustrating, if you're Ray or Dief. Classic bodyswap with a twist.

( A brief excerpt )

The Sweet Hereafter

Title: Ray Woke Up FAIRY!
Author: Moonloon (

maryavatar)
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski
Rating: R
Length: 541
Why I'm reccing this fic: A short ficlet of delightful hilariousness: Ray discovers sleeping with Fraser has a side effect. I'm quite fond of this explanation for Fraser's generous Canadian nature. ;-)

( A brief excerpt )

Ray Woke Up FAIRY!

Title: Dead Men Don't Throw Rice
Author: Alex (

alex51324)
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski
Rating: PG
Length: 1,762 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: One of Due South's longest-running mumbojumbo themes is the afterlife cabin in the closet. So when Fraser and Ray decide to make it official, and gay marriage isn't legal in Chicago ... Wonderful, wonderful use of ghosts. And Alex, as usual, has written all the characters' voices note-perfect. Schmoop alert (which is a plus, in my book)!

( A brief excerpt )

Dead Men Don't Throw Rice

eledhwenlin

This is the second (and last) installment of my guest reccing stint here. It was fun and I hope that you got something out of my recs! Now on to the guys.

( Bob Fraser )

( Mark Smithbauer )

( Volpe )

( The Duck Boys )

Same procedure as last time: now it's time for you to tell me all about your favourite fics with those characters! Or Turnbull. Or Dewey. Or Mort. Or Welsh. All of which I had to leave out because I? Cannot read a calendar. Or, okay, I can READ, but I have a mental disconnect between "May 5th" and "tomorrow" and "this Monday".

I had fun and I hope you had some, too!

eledhwenlin

Hi, I'm

eledhwenlin and I'll be your guest reccer for this week. My theme will be the supporting characters because they need some lovin', too!

( Francesca Vecchio )

( Meg Thatcher )

( Maggie MacKenzie )

I hope you like those recs! Now I'd like to ask you - which are your most favourite Frannie/Thatcher/Maggie recs? What are the most cherished scenes in dS with those ladies! Come and share! :)

(Next installment: the Duck Boys! Welsh! Mort! Bob!)

andeincascade.livejournal.com

I LOVE being read to and always have. For years I have made the 12-hour drive between the Twin Cities and Detroit to do the family thing and have relied on Books-on-Tape for company. Once I started reading a lot of fanfic that is what I wanted in the car as well. Podfic is like a dream come true for me. We have the best writers in ds6d, the best podficcers and we have a lot to choose from.

I've heard some people comment that because they are fast readers the pace of podfic would drive them crazy. I actually find the reverse is true. Reducing the pace of the story to that of spoken word allows me to sink into the tale more deeply and the emotional punch of the story is much greater. I love that!

These are not my three favorite podfics. It's virtually impossible to choose. It's like asking what my favorite chocolate is. Answer: whatever is in my mouth at the time. *g* These ARE three recordings I love dearly, listen to often and highly recommend for anyone wanting to sample the wealth of dS podfic. I tired to choose fics that are relatively short and representative of what's available. So here are three great writers read by three great readers.

Title: Flying Blind
Author: Speranza

cesperanza
Reader: Slidellra

slidellra
Pairing: F/K
Rating: PG-13
Length: 52 minutes
Why I'm reccing this podfic: Ces is revered in every fandom she touches and with good reason; she's a brilliant writer. There are a lot of recordings of her stories and I highly recommend that you download and enjoy each and every one of them. This recording is really special. I spent a lot of time at

bitchinparty ~~stalking~~ ~~following Sli like a puppy~~ telling Slidellra how much I loved this podfic but it didn't occur to me until I got home that I never told her why. Simply put, she is a sensual, evocative reader with an OMG amazing voice who makes you FEEL the story. I point you to the bath scene. When Kowalski gets out of that tub you can smell his shampoo and sense the damp warmth emanating from his skin. It's a gorgeous reading.

Flying Blind

Title: The Art of Losing
Author: China Shop

china_shop
Reader: Nos4a2no9

nos4a2no9
Pairing: F/K, F/V
Rating: NC-17
Length: 20 minutes
Why I'm reccing this podfic: I resisted downloading this podcast for a long time. I love this story, it's amazing, but it's a story that rips my heart out, stomps it and leaves it in pieces on the ground. Factoring the emotional effect of having it read and the fact that Nos had done the reading, I figured I'd be pretty much cinderized. But, in the end, that's also what made it irresistable. This story contains one of the most hauntingly definitive lines of Fraser dialogue ever and Nos is definitely your go-to gal when you need a good, restorative catharsis. And I was decimated, but oh, what a beautiful way to die. I weep and weep every single time.

The Art of Losing

Title: The Cold Equations
Author: Arrow

arrow00
Reader: Zabira

zabira
Pairing: F/K
Rating: NC-17
Length: 19 minutes
Why I'm reccing this podfic: I have a special affection for this story. Back in the day - which seems an awfully long time ago but really isn't - when I was just starting to read Kowalski and still wasn't sure I'd be able to swing both Rays, this was one of a handful of stories that really made me "get" him. It was quite a while before I realized it was written by the same Arrow I knew and loved from her TS fic. Here we have it read by the wonderful Zabira. One really can't say too much about Z. She voices Fraser and Ray very distinctly and consistently, the quality of her recordings is top notch and she's prolific as hell. She makes every story she records come alive and we are so fucking lucky to have her.

The Cold Equations

hurry-sundown.livejournal.com

Today's instalment of "fic that changed my fannish experience" concerns Ray Vecchio. I love Ray Vecchio. The thing is, I never shipped F/V, or V/K for that matter. F/K is my OTP, zomg!!eleventy!!!!11!! But ... in the right hands, F/V and V/K? Are awesome.

First up is the "Loose Affiliation" series by

spuffyduds (scroll way down for the links) (NC-17 overall). This right here was the moment I realized that yes, Fraser could have it goin' on with Ray Vecchio. And it would be hot. (Don't get distracted by all the other insanely good fic linked in the same post, because I'll undoubtedly be reccing a couple more of them by Friday).

I don't recollect the first V/K that made me say, "Okay, yeah" but this one made me happy in a whole new way. I'm talking about the"Scenes from a Marriage" series by

elementalv (Tara Keezer) (again, scroll down for the links) (NC-17 overall). This is V/K with a twist, a dS/Sentinel/Dresden Files fusion, as the author says (no prior knowledge of the other fandoms required), and it's funny and angsty and hot. It doesn't have a definitive ending, which makes me hope she'll come back to it someday, but it ends in a good place for now.

Finally, how do you get from OTP to OT3? In my case, you read "Mosaic, Piece by Piece" by

china_shop (NC-17). I'd read other F/K/V before this, but this was the story that made me believe it could last. And that was pretty tough to do, because my idea of F/K/V runs more along the lines of

spuffyduds's "One Two Three Two One" (also available from her links page).

Enjoy the stories, feed the authors, and come back on Friday for a grab-bag of other fic that made me go "Hmmn."

belmanoir.livejournal.com

Yay for the Tie Me Down Challenge! I love me some due South bondage. Sadly I have already recced a number of my favorite due South bondage stories (including all the top!Fraser F/V I know of that I didn't write personally, except for that one fic with Fraser and Kowalski topping together which is AWESOME but everyone has already read it because it's AWESOME) in previous weeks. So you get two top!Vecchio F/V stories and an awesometastic Ray/Ray (top!Kowalski! but with potential for switching!).

Title: The Ties That Bind Us
Author: Rushlight (http://www.slashcity.org/~rushlight)
Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: NC-17
Length: ~11,000 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: Because dude, it's F/V bondage! Straight-up consensual BDSM with collars, floggers, cock-rings, &c. Ray has top's guilt because he's a sweet guy! He doesn't want to hurt Fraser! Except for the part where he really, really does. I really like this story because it's hot, hot, and more hot, and I really like what she does with the complexities of the Fraser/Vecchio power dynamic.

Link to the story: The Ties That Bind Us

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: Ties That Bind
Author: X-Tricks (http://x-tricks.slashcity.org/)
Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: NC-17
Length: ~1500 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: Because it's hot! Consensual D/s. Also I love Vecchio in this fic. He punishes Fraser for sucking the pleat off his pants! He makes Fraser be untidy! Awwww. Dominate me, Vecchio!

Link to the story: Ties That Bind

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: Spill
Author:

china_shop
Pairing: Ray/Ray
Rating: NC-17
Length: 3700 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: I have already pretty much recced this fic up and down the internet but I have to rec it again because I LURVE IT BEYOND WORDS. Seriously, I soulbonded with this fic at first sight. I mean, it's Ray/Ray bad cop handcuffed-to-a-chair fic set in an AU based on a Dinosaur Comic. It is hilarious, and hot, and did I mention HOT, and cracky, and convincing, and HOT. The tagline:

On a PLANET where INTERROGATION is BANNED

One COP CALLED RAY and another COP CALLED RAY have to TEAM UP to CATCH CRIMINALS

they eventually UNDERSTAND each other and FUCK

also, neither cop is A DINOSAUR we should have put that on the TOP of the POSTER

Link to the story: Spill

( Brief excerpt. )

belmanoir.livejournal.com

This is for the fic of my heart amnesty challenge---and can I just say how thrilled I am that this is going on? Because I went through like all these fics, agonizing over which to rec, FINALLY getting down to three, I had the tabs open, I was all excited about posting---and then I somehow missed the deadline. It was tragic.

Anyway, I decided I had to have a theme or I was never gonna be able to get down to three, so these are three Fraser/Vecchio S1/2 fics that capture something about the Fraser/Vecchio relationship that was amazing to me when I read them (and still is, because these are all fics I've reread like a million times each, but I mean, they were like, epiphanies that first time---like "OMG IT CAN BE LIKE THIS? REALLY? AWESOME!!!1!").

Title: in your corner
Author:

kormantic
Pairing: F/V
Rating: R
Length: ~4500
Why I'm reccing this fic: This is a post-Duel fic where Fraser goes into shock in the Vecchio bathtub, and then stuff happens. I seriously cannot even count how many times I have read this story. Amazing Vecchio voice, there's one of my favorite Inuit stories EVER, I love the epigraph with a burning, burning love...plus OMG the ending! I think this was the first seriously angsty Vecchio I read, and although I choose to believe the ending is unequivocally happy...let me just say that some of the choices she makes for the romance were really exciting to me and taught me something about the freedom that you have as a fanfiction author to write whatever kind of love story you want.

Link to the story: in your corner

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: Conviction
Author:

china_shop
Pairing: F/V
Rating: PG
Length: ~5500
Why I'm reccing this fic: This fic, for me, captures exactly the way I see Fraser/Vecchio towards the end of season 1, that whole arc through "Heaven and Earth." That plotline with Frannie and the scene in the interrogation room is one I've come back to again and again in my own fic, and the way

china_shop deals with it here is just...exactly what I always wanted without knowing it, and here it is! Amazing Vecchio voice, great interpretation of canon moments, and...just the way Vecchio YEARNS for Fraser, this sad hopeless devotion, and Fraser with his own inability to make the first move...just. Wow. Also, awesome Frannie! \o/

Link to the story: Conviction

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: The Sight of the Stars
Author:

brynnmck
Pairing: F/V
Rating: R
Length: ~3000 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This is like, the perfect, perfect banter-y two-cops-one-motel-room-one-bed fic. This is Ray and Fraser doing their thing, their awesome, awesome thing where Ray is hilarious and Fraser is secretly orchestrating everything but still insecure, and they're crazy and adorable and care about each other so much. *loves* The first time I read this fic, I pretty much bounced up and down in my chair making squeeing noises for the entire second half.

Link to the story: The Sight of the Stars

( Brief excerpt. )

dessert-first.livejournal.com

You know, you'd think since I have access to the challenge list, I'd sneakily prep for these challenges ahead of time.

You'd think.

Anyway, I can't resist a good declaration of affection. And it was just Valentine's Day, and my cup runneth over with love for due South and fandom and the glorious fanworks out there, so here's my Valentine to Declarations of Affection in fandom. Or at least, Part One, because I am so very going to take advantage of Amnesty week to post again in a few days. :)

Title: Hearts and Flowers
Author:

china_shop
Pairing: F/K
Rating: PG
Length: 3,669
Why I'm reccing this fic:

china_shop has mastered the art of the G-rated romance. She packs in so much UST and expectation and emotion and attraction and passion and love that by the time they get to the declaration, the reciprocation of emotion is actually a satisfying conclusion, even to a confirmed porn-lover such as myself. It's amazing!! How does she do it?

In this story, Ray wants to tell Fraser he loves him. But then there's Diefenbaker *and* dead!Bob putting in their two cents about the romance to an unappreciative Fraser, a field of opium poppies, a deranged former florist, and generally inspired wackiness. I adore the mix of the dS-style case-related nuttiness, the perfect Ray POV and the simple, heartfelt premise—how do you tell the guy you love that you love him? Also, Fraser's reaction to the declaration might just be the best thing ever. Seriously, you've probably read this, bookmarked it and told all your friends, but do yourself a favor—read it again. It's greatness.

( A brief excerpt )

Hearts and Flowers

Title: Seeking Gold and Glory
Author:

joandarck
Pairing: F/K
Rating: G
Length: 2,633
Why I'm reccing this fic: Okay, this is like a Not-Declaration, or a Nearly-Declaration story. Because Ray tries, he really, really tries, and gives up, and tries again, and he just keeps coming back. He's so dogged, like an outmatched boxer in the ring who just refuses to give up. I adore him.

Also, it's hilarious and charming and beautifully written, with a shivery ending, great characterizations, sparkling dialogue and beautiful Fraser POV. I do not hesitate to declare my affection for this story.

( A brief excerpt )

Seeking Gold and Glory

Title: Things I'll Never Say (vid)
Author:

voiceless009
Pairing: F/K
Rating: Not rated, but probably around a G
Length: One minute, fifty-four seconds
Why I'm reccing this vid: Because it's a vid set hilariously tongue-in-cheek to Avril Lavigne (with the vidder's apologies for turning Fraser into a teenage girl), all about Fraser wanting to tell Ray he's in love with him. And having no idea how to do that.

I really love how Voiceless009's vids are telling active stories; they feel like fics. The montage that kicks off twenty-three seconds into the vid is textbook angsty declaration fic: Fraser is fidgeting and hemming and hawing, actually clutching a bouquet of flowers, Ray is uncomfortable with the weirdness, they tug at their collars and shift restlessly and there is such a clear communication going on there between Fraser and Ray, wherein Fraser admits he's being a bit of a dork and Ray agrees while trying to take the sting out of it.

But that's not what Fraser wants to get across. The vid is beautifully intercut with scenes of Fraser speaking and failing completely to engage his listeners on a real level; he can't get past the surface caricature of himself. It's completely charming and funny and sad and poignant, and I defy you to watch this vid without laughing—and wanting to smish poor Fraser. Ray's reaction shots throughout the vid are nothing short of comedy gold.

( A brief excerpt )

Things I'll Never Say

Current Mood: cheerful

bertybertle.livejournal.com

Three! Three? In this fandom? *throws self to the floor and wails*

*clings to Dira and Aukestrel and Brooklinegirl and Resonant and KellieM*

Title: Eight Days A Week
Author: Bluebrocade -

bluebrocade
Pairing: F/K
Rating: R
Length: Mid
Why I'm reccing this fic: This is a fic I return to again and again. The Fraser/Dief interaction actually brings tears to my eyes in places. Watching Fraser slowly crack up as he searches for evidence of Ray's new boyfriend is funny and sad, and Ray's bewilderment at Fraser's nutso behaviour is very much in character. And then there's happiness and hotness. I call that a perfect fic. And there's Dief. Did I mention DIef?

( Snippet )

Eight Days A Week

Title: I Love You Without Knowing How
Author: China_Shop -

china_shop
Pairing: F/K
Rating: PG-13?
Length: Short
Why I'm reccing this fic: Because it is raw and beautiful and the most romantic thing ever. China has a way of getting to the heart of an emotion and holding it up to the light, so you can see it properly. When I need a quick fix, when I need to remember how much they love each other, when I need to be reminded that they're guys and therefore not so good at the whole talking thing.... this is the fic I go to.

( Snippet )

I Love You Without Knowing How

Title: Hanged Man
Author: Speranza -

cesperanza
Pairing: F/K
Rating: PG-17
Length: Long
Why I'm reccing this fic: This fic just takes my breath away. I must have read it thirty times or more. Because they struggle and struggle to find a way to make it work, and they're both kind of damaged and Speranza makes you work SO hard for the happy ending that makes all the angst worthwhile.

"Very much so, yes. In fact," and Fraser's not meeting his eyes, now; Fraser's staring at—what? The square tattoo on his bicep, a red and black Champion logo. "I'm hoping that you'll indulge my, uh, preferences." Fraser's been using his best hoity-toity syntax, but suddenly he lets it drop and looks at Ray with dark, serious eyes. "I haven't had my choice of sexual partners, Ray. The pleasures of my life have been mainly solitary ones. So what I want—I mean, what I really, really want," and Ray didn't know Fraser could sound so excited and needy and desperate, "is to feel your strength and your rhythm and know you're not—me."

Hanged Man