Top 2005 Pairings I Don't Read...Yet Did

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

In all honesty, I read just about anything/everything as far as pairings go. I was just a bit surprised at how much I loved these particular fics that are a bit out of my usual.



February 25, 2005
Scenes From the Life of a Watcher by uberaeryn
Pairing: Giles, Giles/Buffy implied
Rating: R
WHY: I am required, due to a RL friendship of 15+ years, to read anything uberaeryn writes. (It's in our contract.) The fact that she's an excellent writer helps that along quite a bit. That said - Buffy/Giles isn't a 'ship that does much for me. I was always impressed with the way ASH downplayed any sort of canon sexual tension between himself and the "children" during their jailbait years and even further down the road. What uberaeryn has done with this story, however, is give a glimpse into Giles' watcher-in-training past and his initial feelings about the concept of the "Slayer." The fic is very much a Giles character-study piece with a Buffy/Giles twist in the end that nicely displays how not only their relationship had evolved over the years, but Giles' own interpretation of the Slayer destiny.

March 29, 2005
Rumble Young Man by karabair
Pairing: Wesley & Gunn
Rating: PG-13
WHY: Okay, this one's a bit of a cheat in the fact that a) it's not a "pairing" - it's gen fic and b) I've written Wes/Gunn. However - it didn't fit with my other lists. :) What I loved best about this story beyond the writing and the characterization of both characters (and I never sneeze at good Gunn fic) was the fine line karabair dances between fandom perceptions of Wes & Gunn ("just good friends" vs. "OMG - the subtext! They are so doing it!") And I'll just let this excerpt speak for me on that thought:
“Guy like you and a guy like me? You see us together and maybe we’re army buddies. But mostly likely, people are gonna think either we’re cops or we’re fucking.”

Wes looked up from his crouch by the pile of games. “Why can’t we just be friends?”

Gunn shook his head and flopped back on the couch. “Dunno. This city? This country? But it’s true. Easier to believe that you want a big black stud, and I want a pretty little white boy.”

“Hey!” Wes straightened. “I’m over six feet tall, and I think we established that I’m at least a welterweight. And I’m not pretty.”

April 8, 2005
Along for the Ride by entrenous88
Pairing: Xander/Lindsey
Rating: NC-17
WHY: AtS Season Five "Not Fade Away" AU. I seem to be doing a lot of provisos in my lists, but why stop a trend that works for me? I'm not a big fan of "never met" pairings. In a canon set story, I like my characters to fit the established universe. That said...Entre Nous offers an interesting take on Xander's involvement in the events of "Not Fade Away" and an intriguing tweak on canon motivations and back-story between these characters. Plus - pick-up truck smut. Oh, yeah!

July 10, 2005
Sense Memory by germaine_pet
Pairing: Angel/Buffy/Riley
Rating: R
WHY: Post-"Not Fade Away" fic that definitely falls in the realm of "thinky fic - with smut." The slash is subtextual, the feelings and characterization are canon-based and it works on levels I would have never imagined after reading the "pairing." And it's not so much a "pairing" (or threesome) as a brilliant accident of circumstance. The pacing is so tight in this story and each of the words so carefully chosen...I'd go so far as to say brilliant. It also contains not only one of the most pull-quoted lines I've ever come across in fanfic, but possibly my favorite fic line of 2005:
(regarding Riley) ...He kept the medal in a drawer and wore the hardness around his eyes.

July 13, 2005
Triangles are Falling by lillianmorgan
Pairing: Spike/Darla
Rating: R
WHY: 1977 "punk Spike" era fic. Spike/Darla is a pairing I don't believe I ever gave a thought to. There have been pairings both canon and unconventional I've either thought "yesss" or "no way" about, but Spike/Darla never even blipped on my radar due to my canon interpretation of "oh, she would NEVER..." so I clicked on this fic just out of slightly surprised curiosity that pairing even *existed* (I should get out more, it seems.) The Spike-still-evolving-from-William voice is fantastic in this story - as is his meeting with Darla and its culmination. lillianmorgan also has a sly tweak on a bit of canon at the end that's delightful.

Comments

[jans-intentions.livejournal.com]

Whoa. You weren't kidding with the pairings and I'm usually really relaxed about them. I don't think I've heard of Angel/Buffy/Riley. *g*

I'll have to check them out. Its irresistable seeing what can lure someone off the beaten.

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

germaine_pet is sneaky - she even got me to read Connor/Angel fic (Angels & Insects (http://www.livejournal.com/users/germaine_pet/17377.html)) and I have a pretty strong Angel/Connor incest knee-jerk squick. That fic is so good, I deliberated between it and "Sense Memory" in this list. Her writing is so tight and her characterization so true that she could talk me into anything. Any day I expect her to lure with Snyder/Clem/Mr. Gordo fic. Okay, maybe not that...but still. She's a wonderful writer - hope you enjoy!

[lynnenne]

Snyder/Clem/Mr. Gordo fic

Dude. You've been hacking into my hard drive again, haven't you? *cackles*

Thank you so much for the lovely praise. You've absolutely made my day. :):):)

[yourlibrarian]

Really enjoyed reading your reasons for the choices. I've read one B/G fic and it was well done but didn't really make me curious for more. I enjoy their mentorish relationship too well to generally want to see it turned into a conventional romance. But this sounds pretty intriguing. And I'd love to read some Wes & Gunn fic so sign me up for that too.

I could see Xander/Lindsey, oddly, have to try that. And A/B/R just sounds way too intriguing! I have to say my reaction to Spike/Darla was just the same as yours. I just never thought about it, which in retrospect makes me wonder, because I could see Darla doing so just to play him if nothing else! Great list.

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

I loved all of these - but I'd really pimp the A/B/R just because it wasn't something I'd usually click on (the others, not so far out of my realm) and it turned out to be one of the best fics I read this year. Really, really loved it.

And thanks!

[semby.livejournal.com]

These all sound really interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Hope you you enjoy them - they all made me happier than I'd ever expected. :)

[lillianmorgan.livejournal.com]

Oh I just adored karabair's fic, thanks for reminding me. In fact that was such a great idea for a ficathon that caoilainn had to make Wes happy :)
I can't believe I hadn't read that fic from uberaeryn ::shakes head::
The third and fourth I've not read but I know they're both exceptional writers so I shall be bookmarking.
And thanks so much for noting "Triangles.." and for the kind things you said. I'm not sure why Spike/Darla isn't thought about or written more often. Maybe there's plenty of other pairings to take up the imagination, but, er, mine is certainly filled with all the things they could have gotten up to...

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

I loved Carrie's fic, too - and I love all things Carrie - but that was one of my all time faves from her. Such great voices, and a wonderful idea. And happy wes! *hugs caoilainn*

Uberaeryn was on quite a tear there when she was still writing Buffyverse (cries) and she wrote so many pairings and genres that there's a lot to love. That one just grabbed me, though. And you're very welcome - and sorry for the late fb. I think I read that back trolling for the Herald. Still had it in my bookmarks and went "Oh! *That's* lillian morgan!" Hee. I'm slow.