Top Five Mal/River Fics
Jan. 20th, 2008 10:07 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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buffyversetop5In the past year, I've been reading a goodly amount of Mal/River fic. It's a small niche in the fandom, that's for sure. These are five of my favorites from five of my favorite Mal/River authors.
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hereswith is my favorite Mal/River writer (if I didn't make the five different writers rule, Hereswith would have gotten a majority of the spots) and Never Go Back is my favorite story. If you are willing to try only one Mal/River story, make it this one.
“What those hún dàn did to you, that was all kinds of wrong, but ain’t none of it your fault.” He shakes his head. “Takes strength aplenty to survive such treatment and keep even a piece of your own self intact. Not everybody does.”
The war is a darkness in him, more tangible than it usually is, a sweep of valley where the sun won’t rise, and the scars from each of the skirmishes he’s fought ever since. Niska, and the hours that stretched out without mercy, and seemingly without end. She doesn’t know the details, he guards them well and she won’t pry that deeply, but she knows that he comprehends, in a way Simon can’t. His dreams, like hers, are full of screaming.
tesla321's WIP series, The Knot for Our Heart. It's a story about the little moments in the day in and day out of their relationship. It's a delightful treat when another piece shows up.
No one else on the boat had even guessed that she was sleeping with him, not even Simon or Inara. Just yesterday, Simon had shouted down the hatch into Mal's cabin, and Mal told him to come down, even though Mal was shaving with his suspenders looped down and his shirt off, and River was sitting at Mal's desk table, looking through star charts.
just_slummin's Voices was her first Firefly fic after years of not writing fic. What I love best of it is that it is the start of a prolific amount of fic; in fact, I'm way behind on her work, but excited to have it waiting.
"You called me, so I came."
"I'm fair certain I did not." Mal sat up straighter, gathering the blanket over his suddenly treacherous lap. Then, before he could stop the words, he added softly, "What did you hear?"
River fixed him with a piercing gaze. "Do you really want to know?"
Mal thought, 'I'm fairly sure I don't.' But aloud he said, "That's why I asked the question."
franklymydear's Nightsong. I like the way this ficlet twines Mal, River, and Serenity together.
"There's something funny with Serenity," River said. "Her nightsong is off."
Mal stopped at that and made his mouth into a strange, squiggly line. There was something dark in his expression for a sudden moment that he shook off. He was always good at regaining his composure after unexpected surprises.
heatherhouse's Never Goes Right. I like the little details about the group as a crew that give texture and context to the piece. Plus, it's a creative use of the theme song.
" No, I don't think so Captain. But maybe you can pay 'us' for the trouble of catching you all with your pants down." The grisly man said, having caught where Mal's eyes had been.
Mal's blood suddenly began to boil when he caught the little scum's drift as Rat moved over to stand in front of River, inspecting her with his eyes. And by the look on the readers face his thoughts were on the far left side of descent. River's steely eyes slid over to Mal's, very clearly telling him without a lick of mind reading involved 'don't do it Mal'.
hereswith is my favorite Mal/River writer (if I didn't make the five different writers rule, Hereswith would have gotten a majority of the spots) and Never Go Back is my favorite story. If you are willing to try only one Mal/River story, make it this one.“What those hún dàn did to you, that was all kinds of wrong, but ain’t none of it your fault.” He shakes his head. “Takes strength aplenty to survive such treatment and keep even a piece of your own self intact. Not everybody does.”
The war is a darkness in him, more tangible than it usually is, a sweep of valley where the sun won’t rise, and the scars from each of the skirmishes he’s fought ever since. Niska, and the hours that stretched out without mercy, and seemingly without end. She doesn’t know the details, he guards them well and she won’t pry that deeply, but she knows that he comprehends, in a way Simon can’t. His dreams, like hers, are full of screaming.
tesla321's WIP series, The Knot for Our Heart. It's a story about the little moments in the day in and day out of their relationship. It's a delightful treat when another piece shows up.No one else on the boat had even guessed that she was sleeping with him, not even Simon or Inara. Just yesterday, Simon had shouted down the hatch into Mal's cabin, and Mal told him to come down, even though Mal was shaving with his suspenders looped down and his shirt off, and River was sitting at Mal's desk table, looking through star charts.
just_slummin's Voices was her first Firefly fic after years of not writing fic. What I love best of it is that it is the start of a prolific amount of fic; in fact, I'm way behind on her work, but excited to have it waiting."You called me, so I came."
"I'm fair certain I did not." Mal sat up straighter, gathering the blanket over his suddenly treacherous lap. Then, before he could stop the words, he added softly, "What did you hear?"
River fixed him with a piercing gaze. "Do you really want to know?"
Mal thought, 'I'm fairly sure I don't.' But aloud he said, "That's why I asked the question."
franklymydear's Nightsong. I like the way this ficlet twines Mal, River, and Serenity together."There's something funny with Serenity," River said. "Her nightsong is off."
Mal stopped at that and made his mouth into a strange, squiggly line. There was something dark in his expression for a sudden moment that he shook off. He was always good at regaining his composure after unexpected surprises.
heatherhouse's Never Goes Right. I like the little details about the group as a crew that give texture and context to the piece. Plus, it's a creative use of the theme song." No, I don't think so Captain. But maybe you can pay 'us' for the trouble of catching you all with your pants down." The grisly man said, having caught where Mal's eyes had been.
Mal's blood suddenly began to boil when he caught the little scum's drift as Rat moved over to stand in front of River, inspecting her with his eyes. And by the look on the readers face his thoughts were on the far left side of descent. River's steely eyes slid over to Mal's, very clearly telling him without a lick of mind reading involved 'don't do it Mal'.
