ds_recsredux | Entries tagged with pairing: ray/ray

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

1) Five Stages of Grief by

aerye (K/V, ~800 words)
Heartbreaking and sweet. But mainly heartbreaking.

2) First by Ardent (F/K, ~2,000 words)
Touching. Various first times of Fraser and Kowalski.

3) High Speed Chase by Ardent (F/K, ~2,600 words)
Fraser likes speed. The details of this fic make me smile.

4) A Fistful Of Daisies by

brigantine1 (F/K, PG, ~2,500 words)
Fluffy funny goodness.

5) Eight Ball Corner Pocket by

brooklinegirl (K/V, R, ~2,100 words)
An angsty but touching scene that gets to me.

6) Where Is My Hat by Journey (F/K, ~1,200 words)
Emotionally courageous Fraser and I love that.

7) Chase by Journey (F/K, ~2,300 words)
Assertive Fraser with some manhandling. Ahem.

8) Justice by

luzula (Fraser, PG, ~300 words)
An insta-rec because I can't forget about it today.

9) Explanatory Notes by Resonant/

resonant8 (F/K, PG 13, ~800 words)
Clueless Fraser is fun.

10) What I Like About You by

spuffyduds (F/V/K, R or NC 17, ~2,000 words)
It tells us what the three boys love about each other and it makes me happy.

mamaffy.livejournal.com

I just finished that up and one of the downloads might be urgent, so here you go.
I've spent some time tracking down DS videos, so I decided to recommend all the vids that I kept. Sometimes you have to scroll down, and one vid requires you to contact the vidder per email, I made that clear.
Naturally, I think they are all great. In case you want a smaller selection, I marked those with a star that, IMO, are often recommended.

*Zebra by

astolat /Shalott (Kowalski-centric, energetic, very cool song, 2:33 min)
Let the River Run by Benny with C. Parnes (Fraser, touching and hopeful, episode-centric: One Good Man, two versions: original and updated, I heard the available vids vary over time, but now you could download it, 3:11 min)
Pavlov's Bell by butterfly (Fraser with Victoria, Vecchio, Kowalski, mostly energetic, a good bit of angst, but positive, 4.33 min)
Needful by

fenlings (Fraser, F/V, then F/K, very touching and angsty, special, 5:36 min)
Push by

fenlings (F/K, fast, slightly angsty, slashy, with focus on physical!Kowalski, 3:58 min)
*In The Mirror by

heresluck (Kowalski-centric, emotionally intense, great editing, 2:39 min)
*Out Here by

heresluck (Fraser with some F/K, very intense, great edits, 3:29 min)
Don't Tell by

keerawa (Kowalski/Stella, touching, great, creative edits, 2:36 min)
*Fallen Leaves by

keerawa (Fraser, touching, angsty, energetic, special, 3:07 min)
Train to Jackson by

keerawa (Fraser, his journey, emotional, 3:51 min).
Dance Song '97 by

mayatawi (F/K, energetic, slashy, a little bit of angst, 2:49 min)
Midnights and Cups of Coffee by Miruku Koohii (F/K, romantic and feel-good, 3:03)
Full of Grace (link to password instructions) by Morgan Dawn & Justine Bennett (F/V, very emotional, some angst, 3:53 min)
*The Wonder Of Birds by Morgan Dawn & Laura Shapiro (F/K, beautiful, calm, action, great scenes & editing, 3:08 min)
The Way I Am by

musegaarid /Ingrid Michaelson (F/K, shippy, romantic, and fun, 2:15)
Goody Two Shoes by Pipsqueak and Laura (F/V and F/K, adorably silly, fast, and fun, 3:02 min)
*Icebound Stream by

sisabet (Fraser/Victoria, angsty, special, 3:14 min)
I Don't Care As Long As You Sing by

sdwolfpup (F/V, energetic, slashy, fun&action, special 2:51 min)
Pour Some Sugar On Me by

sdwolfpup (Fraser and various females, sexy and fun, 2:43 min)
*That's All by

sdwolfpup (Ray/Ray, epic shipper vid, some manips, fun&angst, 1:45 min)
*You Can Call Me... by

sdwolfpup (Vecchio, Kowalski, Fraser, great, fun, centric as to both Rays and Fraser, 3:09 min)
You Got A Friend in me by

sdwolfpup (Diefenbaker-centric, very cute and much fun, 2:24 min)
Laid by

snoopypez (Fraser/Victoria, funny, sexy, not angsty, 1:11 min)
Can't Stop This (or here) by

voiceless009 (F/K, suggestive as to slash, much fun 2:13 min)
Things I'll Never Say by

voiceless009 (F/K, fun, what Fraser doesn't say to Kowalski, 1:54 min)
Northwest Passage by

yunitsa (F/V, then F/K, emotional recap to the classic song, 3:56 min)

And because it's a must see for me, a C6D vid (various roles/interviews of Hugh Dillon, Paul Gross, and Callum Keith Rennie): OH Canada by

gigglemonster /dayln03 (PG, HD, CKR, energetic, sexy, fun, perfect song, 3:13 min)

mamaffy.livejournal.com

Me again. Some recs well in time for the weekend. Next up is Gay Bar Recs.

Here are some of my favorites when it comes to angst. I am talking seriously dark, so please consider referring to the given warnings. Just fyi, I heard both podfics without warnings and I liked it that way.

1) 9:30 to Yellowknife by

aerye (Vecchio/Kowalski, Kowalski/Fraser, R, ~5,200 words)
It moved me. A lot. Apart from that, I don't want to spoil. Summary of the author: Sometimes it's hard to know who you really love.

2) Executor by Kat Allison/

katallison (Welsh, F/K, ~9,000 words)
Wonderful Welsh POV. He talks about the boys. The podfic can be found here: audiofic archive.

3) The End of the Road by Kat Allison/

katallison (F/K, ~95,000 words)
Relationship fail of epic proportions. It's painful, realistic, and it makes far too much sense. I couldn't stop reading.

4) Photograph by Giulietta/

mondschein1 (F/K, ~850 words)
It's a letter to RayK in Fraser's voice. I highly recommend the podfic: audiofic archive. She reads it herself and it's very intense (about 7 minutes long).

Note: Many other great angsty (or romantic) stories can be found in the Masterlist (Angst vs. Romance) of DS Match (2007). In case you want to know more about DS Match: Look here.

mamaffy.livejournal.com

A small selection of stories that made me laugh. Next up: Angst.

1) Keeping Kowalski by

brigantine1 (Ray/Ray, PG-13, ~11,000)
I love this Vecchio. Wonderful boy banter and vivid descriptions of details.

2) Straightness by

j_s_cavalcante (F/K, NC 17, ~12,500)
RayK rationalizes that his totally straight self is doing not-so-straight stuff with Fraser. Very hot and fun, with adorable Kowalski.
ETA: Note that this story really isn't pure fun but elicits other strong emotions.

3) Juggling Act by Speranza/

cesperanza (F/K, ~26,000 words)
Undercover!fic. Happy-making! The encounter with the kids in the park still always makes me laugh when I think of it.

4) Ray Is Not Actually Graphing The History Of His Relationship With Fraser... by

sprat (F/K, explicit, ~6,200 words)
I never get tired of recommending it. Ahem. It's so much fun. And it has graphs!

5) Proving It! by

ultra_chrome (F/K, NC 17, ~6.700 words)
RayK gets a promise and he can't wait. Hilarious! Some lines to die for. Suspenseful, too.

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.

mamaffy.livejournal.com

Hi, I'm guest reccing for June.

I plan to be a little more active in the first two weeks and leave us all some space when the Big Bang goes live.

I'll be sharing some of the fics that made it into my re-read folder. Many classic recs, but I'll try to slip in less-known ones as well. I hope you'll enjoy some.

A couple of month ago, I started with reading F/K and, lately, I love myself some Ray/Ray. I read all pairings but mostly those. My preference is longer, plot-y fic, either sweet and terribly romantic, or shatteringly angsty. I like humor, banter, darker views on characters, backstories, and fics that suck me in from the start.

I'll try to come up with topics for my recs. I'll start with something sweet. Sappy!Me is a sucker for Dating Fic:

Getting You Home by

akite (Ray/Ray, ~1,300 words)
Great Vecchio voice, suited-up boys, and wonderful banter. So much fun and hot.

Dining Out by Kalena/

imkalena (F/K, ~15,000 words)
Kowalski shows Fraser how courtship is done, and Fraser hates it. But is it really just a joke? Very sweet and hot. With adorable Turnbull on top.

Easy by Berty (F/K, ~4,500 words)
Dinner in the consulate and the mood is strange. Fantastic sexual tension. Podfic here: audiofic archive.

A Dare's A Dare by Speranza/

cesperanza (F/K, ~10,000 words)
RayK takes out Miss Fraser and it's a hoot. I love how pissy Fraser is, and how the mood gradually develops.

keerawa.livejournal.com

Anyone who knows me knows I have a deep ad passionate love for short-fic. So here are 13 snippet recs for you all!

spuffyduds evoked an intense, sensory-overload moment in Clear. She also wrote an intriguing post-apocalyptic Fraser/RayK piece, The Last Step is to the Side. Not for the faint of heart, but beautiful in it's own way.

( 11 more due South snippet recs )

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.

waltzforanight.livejournal.com

Vecchio! *adores* I could talk forever about all the things I adore him for, but I think

belmanoir's list pretty much covers it. So I'll just give that a big WORD, and do a picspam instead:

( Every man should have some je ne sais quoi. *nods* )

Ahem. Right. Recs!

Title: Dysmas
Author:

troyswann
Pairing: Gen (Vecchio, Fraser)
Rating: PGish
Length: ~4,600 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This fic took my heart, beat it up and then left it weeping in a snow bank. And yet, I completely adore it anyway. The fic takes a sharp turn into AUland towards the end of Victoria's Secret, and features just spot-on characterization of Vecchio. His heart and his loyalty are the things I love most about Vecchio, and this fic is a shining example of both.

( Brief excerpt. )

Dysmas

Title: Little Ray
Author:

mondschein1
Pairing: Gen (Vegas!Vecchio)
Rating: PG-13?
Length: ~2,600 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: Oh, Vecchio! *sniffles* I love fics that deal with Vecchio's time in Vegas and this was one of the first ones I read that dealt with it in a serious way. I love the way this takes the Ray we all know and love and forces him to be The Bookman while still being Ray. Also, the formatting is a stroke of genius.

( Brief excerpt. )

Little Ray

And now, after all that angst... some porn:

Title: Boys Like Me / Girls Like You
Author:

catwalksalone
Pairing: Vecchio/Kowalski
Rating: NC-17
Length: ~1,700 words each
Why I'm reccing this fic: For reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, Kowalski has been turned into a girl. And Vecchio? Poor Vecchio is trying so hard to be respectful and chivalrous, but it's really hard when girl!Kowalski is always there and horny and propositioning him.

( Brief excerpt. )

Boys Like Me, and the sequel Girls Like You

belmanoir.livejournal.com

Wow, this was hard to narrow down! I ended up limiting myself to dSSS and I STILL had to leave off some of my favorite stories. ::cries::

Title: If I had an alien abduction, I'd give you one
Author:

jadelennox
Pairing: Frannie/Kowalski
Rating: PG (for language)
Length: ~2500 words.
Why I'm reccing this fic: Well, first of all, it was written for meeeee! And I have been wanting just some sweet, romantic, first-time Frannie/Kowalski for SO LONG, and this is it (although warning: this fic is more like pre-het, although the happy ending is CLEARLY coming). Someday there will be LOTS, I hope, because Frannie and Kowalski would be SO AWESOME together and this story captures exactly why: they are the same kind of weird, and they would have so much FUN. Plus, Kowalski helping with Frannie's kids: adorable, or the MOST adorable? Also, bonus Billy-Tallent-partnering-Kowalski! How can you resist?

Link to the story: If I had an alien abduction, I'd give you one

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: Reconstruction
Author:

brynnmck
Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: Not rated, but I'd say hard R or NC-17
Length: ~10,000 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This fic is basically everything I ever wanted in life. You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not. It's just fabulous, amazing post-Victoria's Secret first-time fic, and I read it about four times the first week it was posted.

brynnmck's Fraser-POV is...brilliant. She does an amazing job of capturing both Fraser's self-restraint, kindness, and responsibility AND his humor, anger, and occasional pettiness. She explores the post-VS fallout in a way I've never seen before (among other things, she focuses on Fraser's betrayal of Mountieness, rather than his betrayal of Ray). And Fraser's affection for Vecchio suffuses every word.

Link to the story: Reconstruction

( Brief excerpt. )

Title: Prepping for Adventure
Author:

spuffyduds
Pairing: Ray/Ray, F/K/V
Rating: hard R?
Length: ~5000 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: Vecchio on the quest! Do you really need to know more? If so, then: this fic is ADORABLE. There's a scene with Kowalski and a sleeping bag that, well, if I made a long enough Awwwww it would cause a W shortage. Plus, the exploration of undercover!Vecchio is fresh and awesome. There's a post-CotW scene with him and Frannie that is--adorable, and touching, and fantastic, and makes so much sense in terms of what Ray needs to get him back to normal, plus, FRANNIE. Plus, okay, I feel a bit weird about this, but I secretly ship Vecchio/his henchmen, just a little (they are so into him! "Yes, boss, beautiful English!"). And this has a scene involving the line "I missed you, boss" that makes me squee in a way I'm not really sure it's intended to, but WHATEVER.

Link to the story: Prepping for Adventure

( Brief excerpt. )

belmanoir.livejournal.com

Title: Strange Constellations
Author:

catwalksalone
Pairing: Ray/Ray
Rating: PG-13
Length: 11,636 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This starts out with a Kowalski who's already a little freaky--these are the Rays in an alternate dimension. They're partners and Patrolmen. It's all very steampunk and sexy and Kowalski has the most adorable brass goggles instead of glasses. When Vecchio is abducted by the Craven gang, Kowalski somehow finds himself stuck traveling between dimensions. Each one has a Vecchio, but none of them are HIS Vecchio. Eventually he figures out that he's got special powers he didn't know about--he's a Finder.

This story is amazing on so many levels--the different worlds are so perfectly drawn, and all the different Vecchios and Kowalskis make me squee. There's the dimension we're familiar with, of course, and a dimension where Vecchio is married to Anita Cortez (!!), and a dimension where Vecchio is a wizard!!! He wears a pointy hat and it's maybe the most adorable thing ever.

catwalksalone writes an incredibly recognizable and brilliant Kowalski-POV completely divorced from any of the cultural reference points I'm used to using to define his voice. And watching Kowalski gradually figure out both how to get back home and how, exactly, he feels about Vecchio is awesome. The love that pervades this entire fic is just...♥♥

I've got two little excerpts below the cut--one of steampunk!Kowalski describing the cars in our dimension, and one from the wizard!Vecchio ("Kowalski, how many times do I have to tell you, I'm a THAUMATURGE!") dimension.

Link to the story: Strange Constellations

( Brief excerpt. )

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

It's a source of great angst to me that I find Kowalski's voice harder than almost any other character I've ever written; I think it's partially because CKR's delivery is so unique and so influenced by his physicality, and partially because Kowalski is so delightfully non-linear ("buttplate"?!) and I have a woefully linear brain. So I have deep, deep admiration for writers who can really capture his rhythm and his quirks of speech without making them sound forced—puts a smile on my face as big as Lake Michigan.

In Character, by

joandarck (F/K, sorta kinda Fraser/Thatcher, rated R) – For my money, Joan has the best Kowalski voice going; when I first started writing Kowalski and was having some trouble getting a handle on him, I read this fic and almost immediately emailed Joan to help me find my way. She's so good at the rhythm, and the Kowalski-isms ("you're really goin' to run back and forth like a squirrel with no nut, here?"), and the jittery motion. And the Fraser voice is excellent besides. Add that to a sizzling hot roleplay scenario, and you've got a fantastic read.

( An excerpt: )

Love, and a Series of Telephone Calls, by

aerye (K/V, rated G) – I will confess that I beta-ed this fic, but really, the beta process primarily involved flailing of the "OMG I LOVE THIS" variety. It takes so many of the Ray/Ray conventions and flips them on their heads, and the result is just wall-to-wall glee that feels fresh and grounded in the characters as we know them, but not necessarily as we're used to seeing them in fic. The bulk of the story is in Vecchio POV, which is awesome, but the eponymous telephone calls are between Fraser and Kowalski, and the Kowalski voice there is gold. I really cannot tell you how much joy this fic has brought me.

( An excerpt: )

Watching the Detectives, by

brooklinegirl (F/V/K, rated R) – I also beta-ed this fic (hey, it was a busy winter), and after I first read it, I had lunch with

sdwolfpup and found myself quoting about 3/4 of it to her, grinning the entire time. It's hilarious, for one thing—Vecchio saying "Again?", wearily, as he's informed that they're going through the front door—NEVER fails to make me laugh. And the Kowalski POV, especially the part about figuring out Fraser, is worth the price of admission. That the fic is HOT as well as hilarious doesn't hurt, either; nothing like three boys finally figuring out they're made for each other.

( An excerpt: )

Man With a (Fucking Fantastic) Plan, by

etben (F/V/K, rated NC-17) – This is one of my favorite FVK fics ever. Etben absolutely nails the balance between these guys, how well they fit together in pairs and then how insanely awesome they are as a trio, as well as anyone in the fandom. And her Kowalski voice is just a joy; easy and natural and never overdone.

( An excerpt: )

Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, by

minervacat (second part here) (K/V, rated NC-17) – This is another of my favorite dS stories; I've recced it a ton and I will very happily rec it again. A lovely, long, surefire comfort fic that just makes me insanely happy. This was also the fic that illustrated to me that one of Kowalski's quirks of speech is how he occasionally doesn't use contractions where an ordinary person would (which is kind of hilarious, considering that one thing Fraser-POV writers need to remember is that Fraser DOES use contractions). Of course that's just one small portion of how well the Kowalski voice works in this fic, but it's always stood out to me.

( An excerpt: )

Failsafe, by

sprat (F/K, rated PG-13) – This was one of my favorite stories from last year's DS Match. (Sprat was on Team Angst, so be warned, though it's not as angsty as some from that challenge.) The central conflict is so organic and understated, and it's one that I think would necessarily arise in any relationship with Fraser (funnily enough, I've written a fic with this same central conflict from an F/V perspective), and Sprat deals with it beautifully. The fic as a whole is wonderfully tense and intense, not a word wasted. From a character voice perspective, it's extremely impressive, too—sometimes fanon tends to de-dork Kowalski, and that always makes me sad because I LOVE Kowalski's dorkiness. But Sprat manages here to give us a Kowalski who's serious and capable, but who still has that dorktastic side, which is a perfect (and very canon-esque) subtle balance to the angst. Just an all-around brilliant fic.

( An excerpt: )

And that's it for today… please feel free to link your own Kowalski-tastic recs in the comments!

keerawa.livejournal.com

Title: Lift
Author:

spuffyduds
Pairing: K/V, F/K/V
Rating: R
Length: 6,200 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: There are lots of things to like about this story. It's the first wing-fic I've seen that captures the creepiness of the concept, as it slots neatly into Ray's nightmares of being an inhuman freak. Fraser's reaction when he realizes that his Rays are together is strikingly in character.

But the thing that makes me keep coming back and re-reading 'Lift' is the author's vision of Ray Vecchio, post-Vegas. This is a man who knows what he wants, and doesn't give a damn what other people think. He's cautious yet centered, loving and confident, completely ignoring Kowalski's fucked-up boundaries to transform the thing between them into an actual relationship. The idea that Vecchio's time undercover could allow him to grow into THIS person is wonderfully hopeful, and the entire story leaves me with a warm glow.

( a brief taste )

Lift.

keerawa.livejournal.com

Title: Weak Men Must Fall
Author:

caersmane
Pairing: Kowalski/Vecchio, with hints of others
Rating: PG-13
Length: 4,500 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This is an incredibly complex piece, that gives us a world radically changed, dangerous, charged with uncontrolled magical energies. Constable Fraser is a Medium, holed up in the Consulate in a nearly deserted Chicago. Kowalski and Vechio are partners. Kowalski has a secret, and a job to do.

There is love, guilt, passion, and religion, all judged by a mysterious They. I want more people to read this story, because people's responses to it have varied wildly. Some find the ending hopeful. It made me blindingly angry. And I want to see what the rest of you think.

( a brief taste )

Weak Men Must Fall.

kyriacarlisle.livejournal.com

Title: Next July We Collide with Mars
Author: TBA
Pairing: Vecchio/Kowalski
Rating: R
Length: 14,700 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: When Fraser ups and leaves town with a woman whom he doesn't introduce to anyone - and when he drops Dief off with Maggie and takes "emergency leave" without explaining why - it's only natural for the people who care about him to worry. The precedent, after all, is not good.

What follows is the very best sort of roadtrip: a series of tense, snarky, nervy snapshots of exactly how Ray Vecchio and Ray Kowalski would react if they were stuck trekking across Canada together to save Fraser from himself. Despite the tension caused by worrying about what they'll find at the end of the trail - and I was quite worried - this is also one of the funniest stories I've read in weeks. When you're driving, you don't always get time to process the things you see out the window; some of the best parts of this story happen in those sorts of flashes and can only be put together with more time and a bit of extrapolation. My favorite occurs once the canoe required by the challenge prompt ("It's been a long time since I kayaked through the sewers") is finally deployed, but I could have chosen any number of moments that, while perfectly clear in the text, invite the reader to supply explanation or context.

The voices are fantastic: Maggie, Fraser, and the rest sound exactly the way you'd expect them to, and the author has really nailed the posturing and rapid shifts in tone that make both of the Rays such engaging characters. Watching them negotiate the space around each other and their not-quite-shared knowledge of Fraser is engrossing.

( A brief excerpt )
Next July We Collide with Mars

thady.livejournal.com

Title: Lift
Author: to be revealed
Pairing: Kowalski/Vecchio, Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio
Rating: R
Length: 6,200 words
Why I'm reccing this fic:

Team Reality opened the game with an intriguing, gritty and plotty story. I enjoyed reading
The Harder They Fall, a lot. It has great character voices and I felt for both of them. I loved how it felt real with real life problems. It's well worth your time. I know I'm going to re-visit it.

So, I can see you scratching your head, why do I rec Lift? Because I fell head over heels in love with it. I love their voices. I love RayV, for me the mile stone of characterization. I can buy a lot of RayKs and Frasers, but RayV is special. This is so an intriguing view on him, I want to know more.

And I love the rest of the story too. The plot, the theme, the humor and the angst. It's all seamlessly weaved together into one beautiful story. I've already read it twice and I know I'm going to re-read it, and re-read it...

( A brief excerpt )

Lift

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

mrs-laugh-track.livejournal.com

Title: Come in From the Cold
Author: One of our lovely mods, ms.

nos4a2no9
Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: R
Length: 6,453 words
Why I'm reccing this fic:

Because it's awesome. There are so many moments in it that make you go RAY and FRASER and LOVE. It does a fantastic job of showing people actually talking and working out things in their relationship. Plus there are footrubs! How can you resist?

( A brief excerpt )

Come in From the Cold

Title: Good Cop
Author:

belmanoir
Pairing: Ray/Ray
Rating: NC-17
Length: : 7,294 words
Why I'm reccing this fic:

Because it's awesome. Full of absolutely gorgeous character insight into both Rays, including some of my favorite Kowalski that I've ever read. Also, it's hot. Really totally screen-meltingly brain-explodingly hot.

( A brief excerpt )

Good Cop

Title: Such a Pathetic Pair
Author:

spuffyduds
Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: R for language
Length: 1700-ish words
Why I'm reccing this fic:

Because it's awesome. A tender little post-Victoria's Secret story with beautiful turn of phrase. It shows all the guilt and the hurt in their relationship at this point and how they are re-connecting. Plus backrub and movie watching. Awesome. The story is also part of a set called loose affiliation, which can be found here

( A brief excerpt )

Such a Pathetic Pair

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due South Recs Redux

Entries tagged with pairing: ray/ray

Guest Recs: Last Set

Guest Recs: Short

Guest Recs: DS Vids

Guest Recs: Angst

Guest Recs: Fun

Guest Recs: Bittersweet

Guest Recs: Dating Fic

Small Yet Satisfying Rec Set

How I learned to stop worrying and love the Vecchio

Ray Vecchio: Made Of Awesome

If I had an alien abduction, Reconstruction, Prepping for Adventure

Strange Constellations

Great Character Voices, Part 3: Vecchio

Great Character Voices, Part 2: Kowalski

DS Match Fic: Lift

DS Match Fic: Weak Men Must Fall

DS Match Fic: Next July We Collide with Mars

DS Match Fic: Lift

Triple Hankie Challenge: The Art of Losing, Safe House, Hanging

Massage Challenge: Come in From the Cold, Good Cop, Such a Pathetic Pair

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