The Great Big Naruto Recs Post
These are some favorite bits and pieces that I've collected over my fifteen months of involvement in Naruto fandom. Enjoy.
Types
Drabble: 100 words.
Ficlet (short): 101 to 700 words.
Ficlet (long): 701 to 1,250 words.
One-shot (short): 1,251 to 3,000 words.
One-shot (long): 3,001+ words.
Chaptered: what it sounds like. Fic of any length with multiple chapters.
List format will also be noted.
If a fic is unrated, I will note this and provide my own rating for it in parentheses.
Team 7
Ten Steps to a Happy Ending by lukita
Type: Ficlet (short) (list format)
Rating: PG
Summary: Team 7; an exotic and yet deeply familiar look at them.
Pairings: None. I guess NaruSasuSaku if you squint.
Why: It's an amazing, poetic, powerful look at Team 7. It's beautiful. Go read it now.
Quibbles: The list format and very simple wording might turn some people off, I guess.
21. control by reimars
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: "Sakura and Naruto, the improper way to return a prodigal teammate to your side."
Pairings: Some Naruto/Sakura. It's mostly just about Team 7 in general, though.
Why: A sharp, dark look at one fate for Team 7.
Quibbles: I think it takes an excessively despairing view of the situation in canon, but that's just me.
Warnings: Angst, character death.
Cyclical by reimars
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: Naruto and Sakura, a conversation.
Pairings: None.
Why: Team 7 being hopeful. Such a perfect moment.
Breaking Point by lynnxlady
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Sasuke's emotional rescue.
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: A great Team 7 threesome. What's not to love?
Quibbles: Well, the perspective might be a bit odd, but I think it works.
Because We Three Are One by muffytaj
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13/R)
Summary: "They aren't perfect, and it isn't always pretty, but they are team 7, and they are one."
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura, Naruto/Sakura, Naruto/Sasuke, Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura[/Kakashi].
Why: Team 7 threesome, and done well. This is a recommendation in and of itself.
More Or Less by the_twit
Type: One-shot (short) (list format)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Sasuke's death and Naruto and Sakura together in the aftermath.
Pairings: Naruto/Sakura.
Why: I have issues with the way this author tends to write NaruSaku as a cute, sexy bit of fluff with Sasuke somewhere in the distant background, but that is not the case in this fic. It is raw and powerful and broken, and it works perfectly.
Warnings: Character death, massive angst.
20 Simple Facts About Team 7 by splintered_soul
Type: Ficlet (short) (list format)
Rating: G
Summary: Team 7 for 20_truths.
Pairings: None. Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura if you squint, I guess.
Why: A short, to-the-point examination of Team 7 that still manages to capture their essence.
Quibbles: I'm not sure the use of their family names quite works, but it's not a major issue.
Looking at the Sky by sadieko
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "It's a bad night for Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura give the only comfort they have..."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: There's something quiet and fierce at once about this fic--the imagery, the simple sense of the characters, the caring that's so clear among them. It's a Team 7 threesome fic, and it's good.
Teaching Skills by harukami
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: R
Summary: Sasuke is a terrifying teacher; Naruto and Sakura set out to teach him something.
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: It's a light-hearted yet believable Team 7 threesome. Worth it just for the laughs.
Quibbles: The characterization isn't perfect to me, and the Team 7 interactions aren't quite as intense as I usually like them.
Lambency by karit
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "The differences didn't matter, because even if she loved the two of them in different ways, the three of them loved each other in all the same."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: The imagery is lovely, and it all comes down to a wonderful visual of Sakura and her boys.
Ghosts by ninjacat__ally
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "In a life after Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura pick up the pieces and salvage a life without him."
Pairings: Naruto/Sakura.
Why: This is Naruto/Sakura as it would be. It's dark and painful and intense and very much about Sasuke, but at the same time also about the two of them.
Warnings: Character death, angst.
Harumonia by psychedelic_aya
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Theirs was an ending gone horribly, horribly wrong."
Pairings: Implications of Sasuke/Sakura and minor Naruto/Sakura.
Why: Another of those dark but vivid Team 7 fics, this time from Sakura's point of view.
Warnings: Character death.
Home by Phoenix Satori
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "And the way she looks at him, as if she expects him to help, as if she knows he will, nearly drives him over the edge."
Pairings: Some implications of Sasuke/Sakura; hints of Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: It's interesting to see the Team 7 bonds from Sasuke's perspective this time, and it works, in a confused and broken way.
Quibbles: The stream-of-consciousness narrative can be a bit hard to follow.
And This Is Love by darushi_chan
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Sakura is sure. Sasuke isn't. And Naruto is just Naruto."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: It's a fairly well-written Team 7 threesome.
Quibbles: I'm not sure I agree with all the characterization.
Sasuke/Sakura
Idiot by zauberer_sirin
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Sasuke is in Sound, and it's Sakura he thinks of.
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura. Er. Kabuto/Sasuke if you squint, I guess.
Why: A gorgeous look through Sasuke's eyes and a convincing speculation on his mental state.
Quibbles: A little abrupt in parts. I like my Team 7 stories a bit more hopeful in the end, but that's preference.
Warnings: Angst, character death.
Twenty-Five by zauberer_sirin
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura at twenty-five.
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: Well-written SasuSaku, which is hard enough to find. Gets both characters right.
Quibbles: Nothing much, really. Maybe some nitpicky technical details, but nothing major.
Think About That by a_white_rain
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Sasuke angst in Sound.
Pairings: Minor implications of Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: A sharp look into Sasuke's mind.
Quibbles: Slightly odd format and a lot of angst, but that's all a matter of preference.
Warnings: Angst.
Thursday by berrygold
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "On Thursday, Sasuke realized he loved her."
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: I've always thought of this as a classic of SasuSaku fandom. It seems to grasp the extraordinarily tentative, broken nature of Sasuke's feelings for Sakura and yet draw them out anyway.
Take Back My Heart by berrygold
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: R
Summary: "Tomorrow, when I'm gone, I'll want my heart back."
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: There's a good grasp on the Sasuke/Sakura dynamic in here, and a lovely way of going from dark to hopeful, and on top of that, it's just plain hot.
Quibbles: I'm not sure it's made clear enough what happens at the end.
Sakura (Gen/Other Pairings)
Finally by rianax
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke will die, and she will be left with Kakashi.
Pairings: Kakashi/Sakura.
Why: Touching. An interesting Sakura characterization.
Quibbles: The structure can be a bit awkward, even a little pretentious, at times. Again, not as hopeful as I prefer my Team 7 fic to be.
Warnings: Character death, angst.
Untitled by reimars
Type: Drabble. Hell, not even a drabble.
Rating: Unrated (G)
Summary: Sakura, Sai, and the long-awaited reaction.
Pairings: None. Well, Sasuke/Sakura if you squint.
Why: The Sakura. ♥
Quibbles: It's short, but it's meant to be, so that's not really a concern.
And through a crack the truth seeps through like acid by kittu9
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Sakura and PMS. As dark as it sounds.
Pairings: Minor implications of Sasuke/Sakura if you squint.
Why: Gripping Sakura characterization and great imagery.
Warnings: Dark.
Sleepwalk by spinadrift
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "The nights seem dark to Sakura, but Tenten's eyes can see further than most."
Pairings: Sakura/Tenten.
Why: It's an unusual and interesting vantage point of the kunoichi, and well-written, too.
Follow by quiet_mccabe
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Mitarashi Anko tells herself that she's not watching Sakura. That she gave up Orochimaru a long time ago. That everything is okay. It's well known in Konoha that Anko is a liar."
Pairings: Slight hints of one-sided Anko/Sakura, maybe a tiny bit of Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: Besides the Sakura characterization, which is just fine, it's wonderful to see Anko done like this. More than anything, it makes me want to see more Anko fic by this author.
Sasuke (Gen/Other Pairings)
(Twenty) Raindrops Falling Off Beating Wings by fujiwara_san
Type: Ficlet (long) (list format)
Rating: R
Summary: Shisui/Sasuke for 20_truths. A dark, wrong relationship.
Pairings: Shisui/Sasuke.
Why: It's a wrong, dark, creepy fic about a wrong, dark, creepy relationship, and it acknowledges and embraces that, and it works. The imagery somehow fits the wrongness simmering beneath the surface of Sasuke.
Quibbles: The handling of the "gender confusion" issue is a little awkward.
Warnings: Shota, and not the cute fluffy kind either.
(Twenty) Drops of Oil on Canvas by fujiwara_san
Type: Ficlet (long) (list format)
Rating: R
Summary: Kabuto/Sasuke for 20_truths.
Pairings: Kabuto/Sasuke, implications of Orochimaru/Sasuke.
Why: What can I say? This author really likes writing Sasuke being molested, and she's good at it. This fic really captures the darkness of any Sasuke-in-Sound pairing and the trickiness of the KabuSasu pairing in particular.
Quibbles: I'm not so sure about the Kabuto characterization sometimes, and some of the language is kind of awkward.
That Night, in the Hotel Room by sadieko
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: "In which Naruto sucks at hiding and Sasuke just wants to beat him senseless. Oh, and people want to kill them."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke.
Why: It is both hilarious and in-character, and it involves Sasuke "being the woman," which is only natural.
Quibbles: Lack of Sakura, I suppose, but it's short enough that I don't really mind.
Like Glass by karit
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "His family is dead, his brother is a murderer, his heart is missing. They call him a genius."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a great glimpse at how Sasuke went from being a devastated, broken little boy to a grim avenger who knew how to cover up his devastation and brokenness most of the time.
Fade Away by duelist
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "The end, the beginning, and Uchiha Sasuke."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a grim but prettily-written ending to the darkness of Sasuke.
Quibbles: There's a certain something lacking in the emotional punch. The bond between Kakashi and Sasuke isn't really explored as well as it could be.
Anniversaries by phoenix_melody
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: G
Summary: "One night every year, Uchiha Sasuke lets himself mourn the family he lost years ago."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's an entirely plausible imagining of one way Sasuke begins to cope. It darkens appropriately as time goes on without becoming entirely hopeless.
Technicolor by askerian
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Sasuke always dreams his what ifs in technicolor."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a good, in-character look at the inside of Sasuke's head.
Blood Equals Thicker by quiet_mccabe
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Deep in the bowels of the Sound, Sasuke wishes the words had been there when he’d had the chance. He wants to tell Sakura and Naruto that, if he’d been any other boy, they would have been enough."
Pairings: None.
Why: Yeah, yeah, this has been recced a million times, but it's still one of the classic Sasuke fics and so deserves to be here.
Paint by quiet_mccabe
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: "Orochimaru. Sex. Black nail polish. The Sound hurts in very different ways than Sasuke thought it would, and he finds a brand new reason to hate himself."
Pairings: Orochimaru/Sasuke.
Why: It's creepy, it's wrong, and somehow, in this author's hands, it's utterly right and it works.
Warnings: Borderline rape.
Kakashi and Team Yondaime
Untitled by sadieko
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Kakashi's encounters with puberty. Hint: he doesn't like it.
Pairings: None.
Why: It is deadpan, perfectly in-character for Kakashi, brilliant, and hilarious.
Blood, Scars and Soap by merichan
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: "Gai and Kakashi take a shower; Kakashi is brooding and Gai won't shut up. Male bonding as only Gai and Kakashi can do it."
Pairings: Implied Gai/Kakashi.
Why: These are two wonderful characters and it's so rare that fandom gets either of them right, much less both of them. There's a wonderful sense here of how aware both shinobi are of their own messed-up-ness.
Quibbles: The writing might be a bit sloppy in some places; nothing major.
A Study in Secrets by sunsitenthai
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Obito wants to know just what's with the mask, and Kakashi's not quite used to giving his secrets away."
Pairings: None.
Why: This manages to be a light-hearted Team Yondaime fic that is somehow not out of character. It is shockingly cute.
Quibbles: Well, maybe it's a little out of character, but only a little.
Cure My Tragedy by sunsitenthai
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Years later, Kakashi wonders why being good at dealing death is actually a bad thing."
Pairings: Minor implications of Kakashi/Rin.
Why: It's grim and plausible. I also always appreciate some good Kakashi angst that isn't just overkill and actually makes sense. This fits the bill.
Warnings: Darkness, character death.
Still Life in Monochrome by duelist
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Of Hatake Kakashi, and the things that can make a human being, or break them utterly."
Pairings: None.
Why: I think of this as one of the classics of Kakashi angst. It does a grimly appropriate job of answering the ever-hovering question of just what would happen if Kakashi lost Team 7, too.
Quibbles: The angst might be laid on a little thick.
Warnings: Angst, character death.
Conscience by ladylisse
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: G
Summary: "Kakashi muses on teammates, abandonment, saving valuable manpower, and choosing paths."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a good look at the much-famed parallels of the series through Kakashi's eyes. I also really love the first line.
Genius Under Fire by sna32
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "On both Sakumo and Kakashi as they live as genius ninjas in Fire country."
Pairings: None.
Why: Hurray, Kakashi angst! This time it deals with him and his father, and the contrast is very well-written.
To Carthage, Burning by nescione
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "After the end of his first mission as a jounin, Kakashi returns to Konoha to face the consequences of the events in the Kakashi Gaiden."
Pairings: None.
Why: This story has always stood out in my mind as something unique. It is that proud thing I call mindfuck, and a great example of its genre, too.
Quibbles: It's rather hard to follow. This is intentional, I'm sure, but it makes for difficult going at some points.
Persistence of Vision by sna32
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Quite literally, Kakashi's always got someone keeping an eye out for him."
Pairings: Some Kakashi/Rin.
Why: It's a unique idea, and well-executed, too. Sort of one of the classics of Kakashi fic.
Rules of the Game by sna32
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Jiraiya knows life isn't a game but when he's got Kakashi, Rin, and Obito for the afternoon he'll be damned if he doesn't try to teach them how to play. And since this is Jiraiya...guess the game..."
Pairings: None.
Why: Team Yondaime fic done well is rare enough; Team Yondaime humor fic done well is even rarer.
False Summer by theninjakitty
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "It's been three years since Obito's death, and the remanants of his team is slowly dying. Rin is sick, Yondaime is gone, and Kakashi tries to drink his way into the grave between missions, dreaming about what could have been."
Pairings: Kakashi/Rin/Obito
Why: The teams have all had threesomes written for them at some point or another, but Team Yondaime suffers from a lack of such fic. This fills up that gap, and does it well and in an unusual and vivid manner.
Little Monsters by quiet_mccabe
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Sakura is only a girl, and Kakashi couldn’t save anyone, even if he wanted to. Not all girls need saving, though. Some just need to be pushed."
Pairings: None.
Why: The relationship between Kakashi and Sakura needs more exploring without it being turned into romance, and this is a good example.
Quibbles: I'm not sure I completely agree with the Kakashi characterization. Matter of preference, though.
Team Gai
Euphemisms by lynnxlady
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: Tenten and sex. What more do you need to know?
Pairings: Neji/Tenten, Lee/Tenten, Temari/Tenten.
Why: It's a matter of opinion, I suppose--I consider the mere existence of a fic that is simultaneously Lee/Tenten and Temari/Tenten a Good Thing, but your mileage may vary. It's also got precise imagery and a nice use of contrasts.
Untitled by moonsheen
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (G)
Summary: Team Gai. Lee being an idiot; Tenten and Neji taking care of him.
Pairings: None.
Why: Team Gai interaction. An attempt to give Tenten a personality.
Quibbles: It's not particularly eyecatching or dramatic, I guess.
Weapon Master by sintari
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: "A girl becomes a kunoichi. A kunoichi becomes a weapon master."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a Tenten character study, and a rather sharp and clear-eyed one. The writing is also quite good.
Quibbles: It's a bit heavy on the darkness and drama. Overall it works pretty well, though.
Warnings: Rape (non-explicit) and other violence.
Switch by shootingstars
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "The switch happens when you least expect it. Sometimes, it doesn't always work the way it's supposed to."
Pairings: None; Neji/Tenten if you squint, but it's essentially platonic.
Why: It's an exploration of Neji and Tenten's bond as teammates and partners that does not devolve into meaningless sap. The writing itself is also quite good.
Quibbles: The lack of Lee and Gai saddens me.
Warnings: Character death.
Death's Precipice by homicidalsh33p
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Rock Lee wonders what it's like to stand on the edge of Death's precipice. Tonight, he's going to find out."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's so damn hard to find good serious fic about Lee and Gai, so this is a gem.
Quibbles: It's not perfect; the writing is occasionally a bit rough around the edges, and here and there it's hard to follow.
Temari/Shikamaru
Temporary Eden by faeryetale
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Shikamaru, Temari, and the rain.
Pairings: Temari/Shikamaru.
Why: A strangely quiet and yet appropriate look at the relationship between these two. One of the few TemaShika fics that really appeals to me--I'm quite picky about them.
Quibbles: Not everyone can get behind the deliberately odd structure, I guess.
Semantics by cephiedvariable
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Shikamaru's relationship with Temari, seen as it evolves through the eyes of outsiders.
Pairings: Shikamaru/Temari.
Why: The wry, matter-of-fact tone suits Shikamaru and his relationship with Temari perfectly. Both Kankurou and Gaara are also marvelous.
Quibbles: They seem a bit more domestic here than I'd ever prefer them, but that's just me.
The Facts Are Simple by kenbu
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: G
Summary: Shikamaru and Temari, looking at clouds.
Pairings: Temari/Shikamaru.
Why: It's a good, quick look at both their characters--and what Shikamaru sees in Temari.
Team 10
Untitled by dianoetic
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: G
Summary: Team 10 and dire consequences for Shikamaru.
Pairings: Minor Temari/Shikamaru.
Why: Team 10 being awesome. The cleverness. The characterizations.
Hurtangry Girls by lynnxlady
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ino as she grows up; her relationship with her team and with Sakura.
Pairings: Ino/Sakura, Ino/Chouji, minor Sasuke/Ino.
Why: Wonderful Ino. InoSaku, too, which is always a plus.
Quibbles: It's a little hard to follow at some points, but nothing deal-breaking.
Beauty Complex by suzukiblu
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Only the shallow know themselves."
Pairings: Ino/Chouji.
Why: This is an elegant and touching characterization of Ino, and her feelings for Chouji are lovely and well-developed. The language itself is also gorgeous.
The Hyuuga
The Lesser by muffytaj
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "A Hinata and Hanabi fiction, exploring the bitter and twisted relationship between the two sisters."
Pairings: None.
Why: There's not enough fanfiction about Hinata and Hanabi, and this is a good one.
Bird Kitten Doll by suzukiblu
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Hanabi's strange excuse for a childhood."
Pairings: One-sided Hanabi/Hinata.
Why: Like I said--not enough fic for these two characters, and this one is gripping and creepy while being entirely too plausible.
Warnings: Incest, sort of, but only in a minor, childish way.
Riptide by squeakchan
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "There's blood on her hands and a man at her feet. And nothing can ever be the same again."
Pairings: None.
Why: This isn't a subject that is often explored in relation to Hinata, and this fic does it well.
Warnings: Violence, darkness.
The Sannin
All Those Little Things by lynnxlady
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Tsunade and Jiraiya, and one night that changes things.
Pairings: Tsunade/Jiraiya, references to Dan/Tsunade.
Why: The imagery and the characterization and the tone and everything here is just lovely. It has just the right balance of angst and hopefulness.
Warnings: Explicit sex.
Lola by lainey_chan
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A surprise for Jiraiya!
Pairings: None.
Why: A hilarious, clever, and unusually in-character Jiraiya piece.
Second Time Around by suzukiblu
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "The universe is infinite and everything you can imagine is real."
Pairings: Tsunade/Jiraiya, references to Dan/Tsunade.
Why: This is probably my favorite Tsunade/Jiraiya fic out there. It is eloquent and touching and entirely perfect.
The Sand
No Kunoichi by askerian
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "She can do subtlety. She can do stealth. But sometimes torture is so much more efficient than seduction."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a clear-eyed, smart character study of Temari with a great, fierce feel to it.
Artifice by spinadrift
Type: Drabble
Rating: PG
Summary: Kankurou, Temari, Shikamaru, and the strings the former holds.
Pairings: Kankurou/Temari, Temari/Shikamaru, Kankurou/Shikamaru.
Why: Beautiful use of language. Vivid imagery.
Warnings: Incest.
Queen of Id by fairady
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Temari drives all the boys wild."
Pairings: Temari/everyone in one way or another.
Why: It's totally indulgent and crack-filled, but there's something satisfying about this weird bit of Temari yuri. Maybe that's just my inner Temari fangirl speaking.
Quibbles: It is in many ways wildly OOC and, like I said, totally indulgent and crack-filled.
The Youngest Brother by shimmercat2
Type: Chaptered (incomplete)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Temari and Kankurou used to have a family - before Mama was killed, Father became obsessed, and Uncle Yasha became the youngest brother's guardian. All they have left is the promise of a future in which they will be strong."
Pairings: None.
Why: Stories chronicling the unwritten past of characters are not usually my thing, but this one really catches my eye. There's something about the plain, understated way it's written, from the perspective of young Temari, that makes it very moving and true.
Quibbles: It's incomplete with five chapters and it hasn't been updated since late June of last year.
Other
Matchups and Mixups by muffytaj
Type: Chaptered (possibly completed?)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Harry Potter meets Naruto.
Pairings: Gai/Snape, Neji/Trelawney, possibly others if more is written.
Why: Yeah, yeah, you've all seen this before--except you haven't. This is a HP/Naruto crossover that utterly fails to take itself seriously and yet at the same time grasps all the characters perfectly.
Warnings: Utter crack.
Small Talk by moonsheen
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "'He remembered something of the master.' Morino Ibiki is called in to question a...Special case."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's easy to wonder how two people like Anko and Ibiki would interact--and, on an unrelated note, how Anko came back to Konoha. This fic weaves those two topics together into an interesting double character study.
Dialects by Luc Court
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Connected moments of various characters at various times. A thousand ways to express something, and still not be understood."
Pairings: None.
Why: There's nothing singularly special about this fic, except perhaps the way it binds all these myriad characters--the Sannin, Kakashi, Itachi, Kabuto--together. But for that alone, it's worth a read.
Naruto World Facts of Life by sadieko
Type: Chaptered (possibly completed?)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "A collection of drabbles based around certain concepts and ideas of the Naruto-world. Herein lay humor and angst and Gai knitting."
Pairings: Maybe a few mentioned here and there, but nothing that stands out.
Why: It manages to be simultaneously slightly cracky (Gai knitting? Yup, that's in there) and utterly in-character. It goes from funny as hell to dark in the space of a breath--and I like that.
Types
Drabble: 100 words.
Ficlet (short): 101 to 700 words.
Ficlet (long): 701 to 1,250 words.
One-shot (short): 1,251 to 3,000 words.
One-shot (long): 3,001+ words.
Chaptered: what it sounds like. Fic of any length with multiple chapters.
List format will also be noted.
If a fic is unrated, I will note this and provide my own rating for it in parentheses.
Team 7
Ten Steps to a Happy Ending by lukita
Type: Ficlet (short) (list format)
Rating: PG
Summary: Team 7; an exotic and yet deeply familiar look at them.
Pairings: None. I guess NaruSasuSaku if you squint.
Why: It's an amazing, poetic, powerful look at Team 7. It's beautiful. Go read it now.
Quibbles: The list format and very simple wording might turn some people off, I guess.
21. control by reimars
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: "Sakura and Naruto, the improper way to return a prodigal teammate to your side."
Pairings: Some Naruto/Sakura. It's mostly just about Team 7 in general, though.
Why: A sharp, dark look at one fate for Team 7.
Quibbles: I think it takes an excessively despairing view of the situation in canon, but that's just me.
Warnings: Angst, character death.
Cyclical by reimars
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: Naruto and Sakura, a conversation.
Pairings: None.
Why: Team 7 being hopeful. Such a perfect moment.
Breaking Point by lynnxlady
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Sasuke's emotional rescue.
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: A great Team 7 threesome. What's not to love?
Quibbles: Well, the perspective might be a bit odd, but I think it works.
Because We Three Are One by muffytaj
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13/R)
Summary: "They aren't perfect, and it isn't always pretty, but they are team 7, and they are one."
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura, Naruto/Sakura, Naruto/Sasuke, Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura[/Kakashi].
Why: Team 7 threesome, and done well. This is a recommendation in and of itself.
More Or Less by the_twit
Type: One-shot (short) (list format)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Sasuke's death and Naruto and Sakura together in the aftermath.
Pairings: Naruto/Sakura.
Why: I have issues with the way this author tends to write NaruSaku as a cute, sexy bit of fluff with Sasuke somewhere in the distant background, but that is not the case in this fic. It is raw and powerful and broken, and it works perfectly.
Warnings: Character death, massive angst.
20 Simple Facts About Team 7 by splintered_soul
Type: Ficlet (short) (list format)
Rating: G
Summary: Team 7 for 20_truths.
Pairings: None. Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura if you squint, I guess.
Why: A short, to-the-point examination of Team 7 that still manages to capture their essence.
Quibbles: I'm not sure the use of their family names quite works, but it's not a major issue.
Looking at the Sky by sadieko
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "It's a bad night for Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura give the only comfort they have..."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: There's something quiet and fierce at once about this fic--the imagery, the simple sense of the characters, the caring that's so clear among them. It's a Team 7 threesome fic, and it's good.
Teaching Skills by harukami
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: R
Summary: Sasuke is a terrifying teacher; Naruto and Sakura set out to teach him something.
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: It's a light-hearted yet believable Team 7 threesome. Worth it just for the laughs.
Quibbles: The characterization isn't perfect to me, and the Team 7 interactions aren't quite as intense as I usually like them.
Lambency by karit
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "The differences didn't matter, because even if she loved the two of them in different ways, the three of them loved each other in all the same."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: The imagery is lovely, and it all comes down to a wonderful visual of Sakura and her boys.
Ghosts by ninjacat__ally
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "In a life after Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura pick up the pieces and salvage a life without him."
Pairings: Naruto/Sakura.
Why: This is Naruto/Sakura as it would be. It's dark and painful and intense and very much about Sasuke, but at the same time also about the two of them.
Warnings: Character death, angst.
Harumonia by psychedelic_aya
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Theirs was an ending gone horribly, horribly wrong."
Pairings: Implications of Sasuke/Sakura and minor Naruto/Sakura.
Why: Another of those dark but vivid Team 7 fics, this time from Sakura's point of view.
Warnings: Character death.
Home by Phoenix Satori
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "And the way she looks at him, as if she expects him to help, as if she knows he will, nearly drives him over the edge."
Pairings: Some implications of Sasuke/Sakura; hints of Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: It's interesting to see the Team 7 bonds from Sasuke's perspective this time, and it works, in a confused and broken way.
Quibbles: The stream-of-consciousness narrative can be a bit hard to follow.
And This Is Love by darushi_chan
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Sakura is sure. Sasuke isn't. And Naruto is just Naruto."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: It's a fairly well-written Team 7 threesome.
Quibbles: I'm not sure I agree with all the characterization.
Sasuke/Sakura
Idiot by zauberer_sirin
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Sasuke is in Sound, and it's Sakura he thinks of.
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura. Er. Kabuto/Sasuke if you squint, I guess.
Why: A gorgeous look through Sasuke's eyes and a convincing speculation on his mental state.
Quibbles: A little abrupt in parts. I like my Team 7 stories a bit more hopeful in the end, but that's preference.
Warnings: Angst, character death.
Twenty-Five by zauberer_sirin
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura at twenty-five.
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: Well-written SasuSaku, which is hard enough to find. Gets both characters right.
Quibbles: Nothing much, really. Maybe some nitpicky technical details, but nothing major.
Think About That by a_white_rain
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Sasuke angst in Sound.
Pairings: Minor implications of Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: A sharp look into Sasuke's mind.
Quibbles: Slightly odd format and a lot of angst, but that's all a matter of preference.
Warnings: Angst.
Thursday by berrygold
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "On Thursday, Sasuke realized he loved her."
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: I've always thought of this as a classic of SasuSaku fandom. It seems to grasp the extraordinarily tentative, broken nature of Sasuke's feelings for Sakura and yet draw them out anyway.
Take Back My Heart by berrygold
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: R
Summary: "Tomorrow, when I'm gone, I'll want my heart back."
Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: There's a good grasp on the Sasuke/Sakura dynamic in here, and a lovely way of going from dark to hopeful, and on top of that, it's just plain hot.
Quibbles: I'm not sure it's made clear enough what happens at the end.
Sakura (Gen/Other Pairings)
Finally by rianax
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke will die, and she will be left with Kakashi.
Pairings: Kakashi/Sakura.
Why: Touching. An interesting Sakura characterization.
Quibbles: The structure can be a bit awkward, even a little pretentious, at times. Again, not as hopeful as I prefer my Team 7 fic to be.
Warnings: Character death, angst.
Untitled by reimars
Type: Drabble. Hell, not even a drabble.
Rating: Unrated (G)
Summary: Sakura, Sai, and the long-awaited reaction.
Pairings: None. Well, Sasuke/Sakura if you squint.
Why: The Sakura. ♥
Quibbles: It's short, but it's meant to be, so that's not really a concern.
And through a crack the truth seeps through like acid by kittu9
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Sakura and PMS. As dark as it sounds.
Pairings: Minor implications of Sasuke/Sakura if you squint.
Why: Gripping Sakura characterization and great imagery.
Warnings: Dark.
Sleepwalk by spinadrift
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "The nights seem dark to Sakura, but Tenten's eyes can see further than most."
Pairings: Sakura/Tenten.
Why: It's an unusual and interesting vantage point of the kunoichi, and well-written, too.
Follow by quiet_mccabe
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Mitarashi Anko tells herself that she's not watching Sakura. That she gave up Orochimaru a long time ago. That everything is okay. It's well known in Konoha that Anko is a liar."
Pairings: Slight hints of one-sided Anko/Sakura, maybe a tiny bit of Sasuke/Sakura.
Why: Besides the Sakura characterization, which is just fine, it's wonderful to see Anko done like this. More than anything, it makes me want to see more Anko fic by this author.
Sasuke (Gen/Other Pairings)
(Twenty) Raindrops Falling Off Beating Wings by fujiwara_san
Type: Ficlet (long) (list format)
Rating: R
Summary: Shisui/Sasuke for 20_truths. A dark, wrong relationship.
Pairings: Shisui/Sasuke.
Why: It's a wrong, dark, creepy fic about a wrong, dark, creepy relationship, and it acknowledges and embraces that, and it works. The imagery somehow fits the wrongness simmering beneath the surface of Sasuke.
Quibbles: The handling of the "gender confusion" issue is a little awkward.
Warnings: Shota, and not the cute fluffy kind either.
(Twenty) Drops of Oil on Canvas by fujiwara_san
Type: Ficlet (long) (list format)
Rating: R
Summary: Kabuto/Sasuke for 20_truths.
Pairings: Kabuto/Sasuke, implications of Orochimaru/Sasuke.
Why: What can I say? This author really likes writing Sasuke being molested, and she's good at it. This fic really captures the darkness of any Sasuke-in-Sound pairing and the trickiness of the KabuSasu pairing in particular.
Quibbles: I'm not so sure about the Kabuto characterization sometimes, and some of the language is kind of awkward.
That Night, in the Hotel Room by sadieko
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: "In which Naruto sucks at hiding and Sasuke just wants to beat him senseless. Oh, and people want to kill them."
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke.
Why: It is both hilarious and in-character, and it involves Sasuke "being the woman," which is only natural.
Quibbles: Lack of Sakura, I suppose, but it's short enough that I don't really mind.
Like Glass by karit
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "His family is dead, his brother is a murderer, his heart is missing. They call him a genius."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a great glimpse at how Sasuke went from being a devastated, broken little boy to a grim avenger who knew how to cover up his devastation and brokenness most of the time.
Fade Away by duelist
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "The end, the beginning, and Uchiha Sasuke."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a grim but prettily-written ending to the darkness of Sasuke.
Quibbles: There's a certain something lacking in the emotional punch. The bond between Kakashi and Sasuke isn't really explored as well as it could be.
Anniversaries by phoenix_melody
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: G
Summary: "One night every year, Uchiha Sasuke lets himself mourn the family he lost years ago."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's an entirely plausible imagining of one way Sasuke begins to cope. It darkens appropriately as time goes on without becoming entirely hopeless.
Technicolor by askerian
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Sasuke always dreams his what ifs in technicolor."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a good, in-character look at the inside of Sasuke's head.
Blood Equals Thicker by quiet_mccabe
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Deep in the bowels of the Sound, Sasuke wishes the words had been there when he’d had the chance. He wants to tell Sakura and Naruto that, if he’d been any other boy, they would have been enough."
Pairings: None.
Why: Yeah, yeah, this has been recced a million times, but it's still one of the classic Sasuke fics and so deserves to be here.
Paint by quiet_mccabe
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: "Orochimaru. Sex. Black nail polish. The Sound hurts in very different ways than Sasuke thought it would, and he finds a brand new reason to hate himself."
Pairings: Orochimaru/Sasuke.
Why: It's creepy, it's wrong, and somehow, in this author's hands, it's utterly right and it works.
Warnings: Borderline rape.
Kakashi and Team Yondaime
Untitled by sadieko
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: Kakashi's encounters with puberty. Hint: he doesn't like it.
Pairings: None.
Why: It is deadpan, perfectly in-character for Kakashi, brilliant, and hilarious.
Blood, Scars and Soap by merichan
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Summary: "Gai and Kakashi take a shower; Kakashi is brooding and Gai won't shut up. Male bonding as only Gai and Kakashi can do it."
Pairings: Implied Gai/Kakashi.
Why: These are two wonderful characters and it's so rare that fandom gets either of them right, much less both of them. There's a wonderful sense here of how aware both shinobi are of their own messed-up-ness.
Quibbles: The writing might be a bit sloppy in some places; nothing major.
A Study in Secrets by sunsitenthai
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Obito wants to know just what's with the mask, and Kakashi's not quite used to giving his secrets away."
Pairings: None.
Why: This manages to be a light-hearted Team Yondaime fic that is somehow not out of character. It is shockingly cute.
Quibbles: Well, maybe it's a little out of character, but only a little.
Cure My Tragedy by sunsitenthai
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Years later, Kakashi wonders why being good at dealing death is actually a bad thing."
Pairings: Minor implications of Kakashi/Rin.
Why: It's grim and plausible. I also always appreciate some good Kakashi angst that isn't just overkill and actually makes sense. This fits the bill.
Warnings: Darkness, character death.
Still Life in Monochrome by duelist
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Of Hatake Kakashi, and the things that can make a human being, or break them utterly."
Pairings: None.
Why: I think of this as one of the classics of Kakashi angst. It does a grimly appropriate job of answering the ever-hovering question of just what would happen if Kakashi lost Team 7, too.
Quibbles: The angst might be laid on a little thick.
Warnings: Angst, character death.
Conscience by ladylisse
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: G
Summary: "Kakashi muses on teammates, abandonment, saving valuable manpower, and choosing paths."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a good look at the much-famed parallels of the series through Kakashi's eyes. I also really love the first line.
Genius Under Fire by sna32
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "On both Sakumo and Kakashi as they live as genius ninjas in Fire country."
Pairings: None.
Why: Hurray, Kakashi angst! This time it deals with him and his father, and the contrast is very well-written.
To Carthage, Burning by nescione
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "After the end of his first mission as a jounin, Kakashi returns to Konoha to face the consequences of the events in the Kakashi Gaiden."
Pairings: None.
Why: This story has always stood out in my mind as something unique. It is that proud thing I call mindfuck, and a great example of its genre, too.
Quibbles: It's rather hard to follow. This is intentional, I'm sure, but it makes for difficult going at some points.
Persistence of Vision by sna32
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Quite literally, Kakashi's always got someone keeping an eye out for him."
Pairings: Some Kakashi/Rin.
Why: It's a unique idea, and well-executed, too. Sort of one of the classics of Kakashi fic.
Rules of the Game by sna32
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Jiraiya knows life isn't a game but when he's got Kakashi, Rin, and Obito for the afternoon he'll be damned if he doesn't try to teach them how to play. And since this is Jiraiya...guess the game..."
Pairings: None.
Why: Team Yondaime fic done well is rare enough; Team Yondaime humor fic done well is even rarer.
False Summer by theninjakitty
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "It's been three years since Obito's death, and the remanants of his team is slowly dying. Rin is sick, Yondaime is gone, and Kakashi tries to drink his way into the grave between missions, dreaming about what could have been."
Pairings: Kakashi/Rin/Obito
Why: The teams have all had threesomes written for them at some point or another, but Team Yondaime suffers from a lack of such fic. This fills up that gap, and does it well and in an unusual and vivid manner.
Little Monsters by quiet_mccabe
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Sakura is only a girl, and Kakashi couldn’t save anyone, even if he wanted to. Not all girls need saving, though. Some just need to be pushed."
Pairings: None.
Why: The relationship between Kakashi and Sakura needs more exploring without it being turned into romance, and this is a good example.
Quibbles: I'm not sure I completely agree with the Kakashi characterization. Matter of preference, though.
Team Gai
Euphemisms by lynnxlady
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: Tenten and sex. What more do you need to know?
Pairings: Neji/Tenten, Lee/Tenten, Temari/Tenten.
Why: It's a matter of opinion, I suppose--I consider the mere existence of a fic that is simultaneously Lee/Tenten and Temari/Tenten a Good Thing, but your mileage may vary. It's also got precise imagery and a nice use of contrasts.
Untitled by moonsheen
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (G)
Summary: Team Gai. Lee being an idiot; Tenten and Neji taking care of him.
Pairings: None.
Why: Team Gai interaction. An attempt to give Tenten a personality.
Quibbles: It's not particularly eyecatching or dramatic, I guess.
Weapon Master by sintari
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: R
Summary: "A girl becomes a kunoichi. A kunoichi becomes a weapon master."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a Tenten character study, and a rather sharp and clear-eyed one. The writing is also quite good.
Quibbles: It's a bit heavy on the darkness and drama. Overall it works pretty well, though.
Warnings: Rape (non-explicit) and other violence.
Switch by shootingstars
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "The switch happens when you least expect it. Sometimes, it doesn't always work the way it's supposed to."
Pairings: None; Neji/Tenten if you squint, but it's essentially platonic.
Why: It's an exploration of Neji and Tenten's bond as teammates and partners that does not devolve into meaningless sap. The writing itself is also quite good.
Quibbles: The lack of Lee and Gai saddens me.
Warnings: Character death.
Death's Precipice by homicidalsh33p
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Rock Lee wonders what it's like to stand on the edge of Death's precipice. Tonight, he's going to find out."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's so damn hard to find good serious fic about Lee and Gai, so this is a gem.
Quibbles: It's not perfect; the writing is occasionally a bit rough around the edges, and here and there it's hard to follow.
Temari/Shikamaru
Temporary Eden by faeryetale
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Shikamaru, Temari, and the rain.
Pairings: Temari/Shikamaru.
Why: A strangely quiet and yet appropriate look at the relationship between these two. One of the few TemaShika fics that really appeals to me--I'm quite picky about them.
Quibbles: Not everyone can get behind the deliberately odd structure, I guess.
Semantics by cephiedvariable
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: Unrated (PG)
Summary: Shikamaru's relationship with Temari, seen as it evolves through the eyes of outsiders.
Pairings: Shikamaru/Temari.
Why: The wry, matter-of-fact tone suits Shikamaru and his relationship with Temari perfectly. Both Kankurou and Gaara are also marvelous.
Quibbles: They seem a bit more domestic here than I'd ever prefer them, but that's just me.
The Facts Are Simple by kenbu
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: G
Summary: Shikamaru and Temari, looking at clouds.
Pairings: Temari/Shikamaru.
Why: It's a good, quick look at both their characters--and what Shikamaru sees in Temari.
Team 10
Untitled by dianoetic
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: G
Summary: Team 10 and dire consequences for Shikamaru.
Pairings: Minor Temari/Shikamaru.
Why: Team 10 being awesome. The cleverness. The characterizations.
Hurtangry Girls by lynnxlady
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ino as she grows up; her relationship with her team and with Sakura.
Pairings: Ino/Sakura, Ino/Chouji, minor Sasuke/Ino.
Why: Wonderful Ino. InoSaku, too, which is always a plus.
Quibbles: It's a little hard to follow at some points, but nothing deal-breaking.
Beauty Complex by suzukiblu
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Only the shallow know themselves."
Pairings: Ino/Chouji.
Why: This is an elegant and touching characterization of Ino, and her feelings for Chouji are lovely and well-developed. The language itself is also gorgeous.
The Hyuuga
The Lesser by muffytaj
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "A Hinata and Hanabi fiction, exploring the bitter and twisted relationship between the two sisters."
Pairings: None.
Why: There's not enough fanfiction about Hinata and Hanabi, and this is a good one.
Bird Kitten Doll by suzukiblu
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Hanabi's strange excuse for a childhood."
Pairings: One-sided Hanabi/Hinata.
Why: Like I said--not enough fic for these two characters, and this one is gripping and creepy while being entirely too plausible.
Warnings: Incest, sort of, but only in a minor, childish way.
Riptide by squeakchan
Type: One-shot (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "There's blood on her hands and a man at her feet. And nothing can ever be the same again."
Pairings: None.
Why: This isn't a subject that is often explored in relation to Hinata, and this fic does it well.
Warnings: Violence, darkness.
The Sannin
All Those Little Things by lynnxlady
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Tsunade and Jiraiya, and one night that changes things.
Pairings: Tsunade/Jiraiya, references to Dan/Tsunade.
Why: The imagery and the characterization and the tone and everything here is just lovely. It has just the right balance of angst and hopefulness.
Warnings: Explicit sex.
Lola by lainey_chan
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A surprise for Jiraiya!
Pairings: None.
Why: A hilarious, clever, and unusually in-character Jiraiya piece.
Second Time Around by suzukiblu
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "The universe is infinite and everything you can imagine is real."
Pairings: Tsunade/Jiraiya, references to Dan/Tsunade.
Why: This is probably my favorite Tsunade/Jiraiya fic out there. It is eloquent and touching and entirely perfect.
The Sand
No Kunoichi by askerian
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "She can do subtlety. She can do stealth. But sometimes torture is so much more efficient than seduction."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's a clear-eyed, smart character study of Temari with a great, fierce feel to it.
Artifice by spinadrift
Type: Drabble
Rating: PG
Summary: Kankurou, Temari, Shikamaru, and the strings the former holds.
Pairings: Kankurou/Temari, Temari/Shikamaru, Kankurou/Shikamaru.
Why: Beautiful use of language. Vivid imagery.
Warnings: Incest.
Queen of Id by fairady
Type: Ficlet (short)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Temari drives all the boys wild."
Pairings: Temari/everyone in one way or another.
Why: It's totally indulgent and crack-filled, but there's something satisfying about this weird bit of Temari yuri. Maybe that's just my inner Temari fangirl speaking.
Quibbles: It is in many ways wildly OOC and, like I said, totally indulgent and crack-filled.
The Youngest Brother by shimmercat2
Type: Chaptered (incomplete)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Temari and Kankurou used to have a family - before Mama was killed, Father became obsessed, and Uncle Yasha became the youngest brother's guardian. All they have left is the promise of a future in which they will be strong."
Pairings: None.
Why: Stories chronicling the unwritten past of characters are not usually my thing, but this one really catches my eye. There's something about the plain, understated way it's written, from the perspective of young Temari, that makes it very moving and true.
Quibbles: It's incomplete with five chapters and it hasn't been updated since late June of last year.
Other
Matchups and Mixups by muffytaj
Type: Chaptered (possibly completed?)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Harry Potter meets Naruto.
Pairings: Gai/Snape, Neji/Trelawney, possibly others if more is written.
Why: Yeah, yeah, you've all seen this before--except you haven't. This is a HP/Naruto crossover that utterly fails to take itself seriously and yet at the same time grasps all the characters perfectly.
Warnings: Utter crack.
Small Talk by moonsheen
Type: Ficlet (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "'He remembered something of the master.' Morino Ibiki is called in to question a...Special case."
Pairings: None.
Why: It's easy to wonder how two people like Anko and Ibiki would interact--and, on an unrelated note, how Anko came back to Konoha. This fic weaves those two topics together into an interesting double character study.
Dialects by Luc Court
Type: One-shot (long)
Rating: PG
Summary: "Connected moments of various characters at various times. A thousand ways to express something, and still not be understood."
Pairings: None.
Why: There's nothing singularly special about this fic, except perhaps the way it binds all these myriad characters--the Sannin, Kakashi, Itachi, Kabuto--together. But for that alone, it's worth a read.
Naruto World Facts of Life by sadieko
Type: Chaptered (possibly completed?)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "A collection of drabbles based around certain concepts and ideas of the Naruto-world. Herein lay humor and angst and Gai knitting."
Pairings: Maybe a few mentioned here and there, but nothing that stands out.
Why: It manages to be simultaneously slightly cracky (Gai knitting? Yup, that's in there) and utterly in-character. It goes from funny as hell to dark in the space of a breath--and I like that.