20 TOS K/S fic recs
Yes FINALLY I've gotten around to doing this. I've finally read enough TOS fics to make a small rec list, I'm so proud of myself. :') Later on I'll do another STXI one since the last one I did was way back in June, so expect that one sometime soon. And so in no particular order...
Rumour Has It by Dana Austin Marsh
This is what made me start to read TOS as a way of life, and it's also the one I would recommend reading before all others. It keeps the characterizations and the feel of TOS while being written with a modern kind of feel, like you're reading reboot fic. The story itself is fun, romantic, and with just the right amount of silly hijinks. It's a staple, it's my favorite TOS fic, and I've read it a million times.
From the Depths by Lyra
Set post-Amok time wherein Spock was not cured by the fight. Actually, it's about Kirk and Spock founding the fandom cliche 'stuck in a cave'. There's an endangered beast trying to attack them (shades of Devil in the Dark) and there is a most intelligent twist in this story. And when I say twist, I mean twist. This is just plain good writing.
Wilderness Were Paradise Enow by belmanoir.
Post-This Side of Paradise where Kirk asks Spock if he's happy on the Enterprise. Exactly the coda I wanted from that episode.
Small Packages by T. Jonesy
This one comes saddled with warnings. I don't truly know if it was entirely intended, but this fic is pure crack. The characters are at times OCC and towards the end it gets a little unbelievable and slap stick, but I rec it based on the fact that it had me laughing like crazy. It's not bad!fic, even. Its grammar is just fine and the story moves fast and has neat little surprise moments. It's not going to win any prizes, but damn is it fun and if you're a fan of crack like I am, then this is for you. Imagine Spock sneaking through a hotel in only a cock sock. Yeah, EPIC.
Freely Given by Jenna Hilary Sinclair
You've gotta give it to TOS writers; they manage to actually write fics with new planets with odd cultures and not completely suck at it. In this one, the typical greeting is kissing on the mouth. The big climax of the story is when Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are asked to kiss each other on the mouths like their culture does for a ceremony, and it's in Spock's POV so you get to see his conflicted feelings of being privately happy yet dreading being kissed by the captain he secretly loves and you don't know what is going to happen but the build up to the moment and the resolution was surprising and yet perfect.
Pacing the Cage by Jenna Hilary Sinclair
Set after the five year mission of the Enterprise, Kirk and Spock both get themselves girlfriends. This may seem simple as hell, but it is entirely not. Spock's girlfriend (or the person he goes on dates with) T'Brita is a surprisingly good original character and I actually like her a lot, which is saying a hell of a lot considering I usually hate women characters. Spock's situation is that he loves Kirk, but he needs a bondmate and T'Brita is the logical choice, and what's absolutely amazing about this fic is that it's not a negative logical; if there was no Jim Kirk, you'd be shipping Spock/T'Brita because they are that well-suited. Then there's the pivotal Christmas Party scene in which there is amazing UST and you can just tell that Kirk loves Spock too because the author sneakily has Spock gloss over the fact that they're eyefucking for several minutes and you just know that other people would watch this scene, particularly the absolutely romantic and beautiful scene of Kirk closing Spock's coat and simply keeping his hands there and staring at him in the snow, and go, "damn those two need to just kiss already." Then there's disaster and healing and wow, just wow.
The World Turned Upside Down by Jenna Hilary Sinclair
Okay you've caught me, I LOVE THIS AUTHOR. This is my second favorite TOS fic of all time. It's hard to rec because I don't want to give a thing away. Basically, Spock gets severely wounded during a battle and you have to go through Kirk's inner turmoil as he first looks and desperately petitions for a Vulcan healer, then you get even worse news about Spock's condition, then other stuff happens and then holy hell it's angsty, yet clever, and then it gets better in a big way. It's not too long, just read it and you'll see why I'm being so vague.
Life Is But A Dream by Ellen Fremedon
In which the entire fifth Star Trek movie is simply a weird dream that Kirk had. It's entirely hilarious and don't some of us wish that it really was just a bad dream caused by indigestion.
Kirk and Spock Go Ice Fishing or If My Aunt From Minnesota Wrote Fanfic by Jungle Kitty
Crack, pure crack. Written indeed with a Minnesota accent, it's the typical 'stuck on a planet during Pon Farr' cliche except with the absolute best narrative voice ever.
Sleeping in Elysium by isabol
Kirk is tortured for information and becomes a vegetable. Against his previously stated wishes for them to 'pull the plug', Spock takes care of him and through many months of therapy Kirk seems to be getting better, but they realize that it's not that Kirk is getting his old memories, but that a new personality is developing. A twist occurs wherein you find out that Kirk isn't gone completely, but he hid inside of his own mind. When some of the old personality comes back, the cruel unfeeling side, the old and new personality fight for dominance. Truly I can't put it into words how fascinating and intricate this story is. It has so many moral issues, and it by far has the most heart-wrenching and devastating scene when the crueler Kirk personality is in charge during a catastrophe and, stripped of his compassion and care for Spock, he runs the seriously wounded Vulcan ragged and just, no words. Will probably make you cry, but it is worth it and some of the imagery is breathtaking and the author captures beauty and love so perfectly.
Forgetting Is so Long by htebazytook
Short end-of-the-five-year-mission fic in which Kirk and Spock say goodbye and make their plants. This for me is canon, and it's so beautiful how she puts all the unspoken longings and regrets between them. So simple, yet very powerful.
In Check by k'sal
This is another reluctant rec by me. It's not quite my favorite, but the exchange of logic between Kirk and Spock and the first line of the story is worth a rec any day. If you're into fics with two characters debating about starting a relationship, then you'll enjoy this.
Words by Farfalla
Okay this one is a short established-relationship fic, post-Amok Time. Read until the end, because the last line is the best thing on earth and if you don't laugh, you're either Vulcan or emotionally challenged.
Shelter by Leslie Fish
Reccing because of the sheer HISTORY of this, but also because it's good. I don't like it's sequel Poses at all (with the exception of the weirdest and most intriguing portrayal of Vulcan anatomy to date) but this one is the cliche goodness of pon farr and it was the first known K/S fic.
This Deadly Innocence, of the End of the Hurt/Comfort Syndrome by Leslie Fish
This one is a reluctant rec as well. The writing is definitely purple prose to the point of almost being a turn off, but the world described in the story, oddly enough, makes me want to rec it. The story is about Spock getting injured saving Kirk and McCoy is tired of them saving each other to a ridiculous amount because they only show love when they are almost dead and it's way too dangerous. So he drops them at a planet where all the animal life is miniaturized. A world where a whale is only five feet long, no dangerous than a playground so they won't sacrifice each other stupidly. The description of the animals and how they're the co-stars of the fic is really fun. Come on, Spock helpless with a bum leg as little bears attack their dinner, lmao.
Debt of Honor by Brianna Falken
AU in which Vulcan and Earth are at odd. At the outset Spock is going through pon farr but is unable to share a connection to anyone, until Kirk. What follows is non con. Then to make matters worse, Vulcan and Earth decide to get along diplomatically, so they mix together the crews of Vulcan and Earth ships and Spock is made to be Kirk's first officer. This story has a dark beginning, but eventually things are worked through and they fall in love and finally Spock tells Kirk the issues with pon farr and really, it's fairly good with an original plot.
Idol by j-s-cavalcante Set after Assignment: Earth, this story suggests that Gary Seven's block cat Isis is a very old being that can shapeshift into whatever it wants. Spock is drawn to the cat in the episode, but this fic has the being meet with Spock as a pharoh's wife of Earth's past and she skillfully gets Spock in bed (fucking WIN if there ever was one) but then halfway through turns into Kirk. CUE ANGST AND OMGWTFBBQ! :P Good story and hit a kink I didn't know I had.
Feather Light Fudge by jesmihr
Spock makes Kirk a birthday cake, set to rhyme. Seriously simple premise and it's poetry for god's sake, but it's hilariously cracky and fun.
The Prize by Ray Newton
Set on a Vulcan where Surak's Reforms never happened, Spock acquires Kirk as a Human slave. The story has non-con because of Kirk's previous owner, so fair warning. I'm kind of iffy on slave stories, but this one is a winner. The culture of the Vulcans has a mixture of the logical but with that ancient fierceness mixed in, so you get logical fierceness, lol. The slow building of their relationship into love is highly believable and their characterizations are fairly intact. The violence shown fits this world and it doesn't have a 100% happy ending of Kirk getting freed, but it gives you enough happiness to appease you.
AND FINALLY *drumroll*
The REAL Trouble with Tribbles by snowlight
Just posted about three weeks ago, this is crack fic in which there is a Spock tribble and a Kirk tribble on the Enterprise. You wouldn't think it would be all that great, but it is so funny and adorable and so true to their Vulcan/human counterparts. This is a fic I've read a million times and it's one of my "comfort" fics that I go back and read when I'm feeling down. Best thing about this fic? You can rec it even to those who haven't seen TOS, because you can substitute the new Kirk and Spock as the tribbles just as easily.
Rumour Has It by Dana Austin Marsh
This is what made me start to read TOS as a way of life, and it's also the one I would recommend reading before all others. It keeps the characterizations and the feel of TOS while being written with a modern kind of feel, like you're reading reboot fic. The story itself is fun, romantic, and with just the right amount of silly hijinks. It's a staple, it's my favorite TOS fic, and I've read it a million times.
From the Depths by Lyra
Set post-Amok time wherein Spock was not cured by the fight. Actually, it's about Kirk and Spock founding the fandom cliche 'stuck in a cave'. There's an endangered beast trying to attack them (shades of Devil in the Dark) and there is a most intelligent twist in this story. And when I say twist, I mean twist. This is just plain good writing.
Wilderness Were Paradise Enow by belmanoir.
Post-This Side of Paradise where Kirk asks Spock if he's happy on the Enterprise. Exactly the coda I wanted from that episode.
Small Packages by T. Jonesy
This one comes saddled with warnings. I don't truly know if it was entirely intended, but this fic is pure crack. The characters are at times OCC and towards the end it gets a little unbelievable and slap stick, but I rec it based on the fact that it had me laughing like crazy. It's not bad!fic, even. Its grammar is just fine and the story moves fast and has neat little surprise moments. It's not going to win any prizes, but damn is it fun and if you're a fan of crack like I am, then this is for you. Imagine Spock sneaking through a hotel in only a cock sock. Yeah, EPIC.
Freely Given by Jenna Hilary Sinclair
You've gotta give it to TOS writers; they manage to actually write fics with new planets with odd cultures and not completely suck at it. In this one, the typical greeting is kissing on the mouth. The big climax of the story is when Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are asked to kiss each other on the mouths like their culture does for a ceremony, and it's in Spock's POV so you get to see his conflicted feelings of being privately happy yet dreading being kissed by the captain he secretly loves and you don't know what is going to happen but the build up to the moment and the resolution was surprising and yet perfect.
Pacing the Cage by Jenna Hilary Sinclair
Set after the five year mission of the Enterprise, Kirk and Spock both get themselves girlfriends. This may seem simple as hell, but it is entirely not. Spock's girlfriend (or the person he goes on dates with) T'Brita is a surprisingly good original character and I actually like her a lot, which is saying a hell of a lot considering I usually hate women characters. Spock's situation is that he loves Kirk, but he needs a bondmate and T'Brita is the logical choice, and what's absolutely amazing about this fic is that it's not a negative logical; if there was no Jim Kirk, you'd be shipping Spock/T'Brita because they are that well-suited. Then there's the pivotal Christmas Party scene in which there is amazing UST and you can just tell that Kirk loves Spock too because the author sneakily has Spock gloss over the fact that they're eyefucking for several minutes and you just know that other people would watch this scene, particularly the absolutely romantic and beautiful scene of Kirk closing Spock's coat and simply keeping his hands there and staring at him in the snow, and go, "damn those two need to just kiss already." Then there's disaster and healing and wow, just wow.
The World Turned Upside Down by Jenna Hilary Sinclair
Okay you've caught me, I LOVE THIS AUTHOR. This is my second favorite TOS fic of all time. It's hard to rec because I don't want to give a thing away. Basically, Spock gets severely wounded during a battle and you have to go through Kirk's inner turmoil as he first looks and desperately petitions for a Vulcan healer, then you get even worse news about Spock's condition, then other stuff happens and then holy hell it's angsty, yet clever, and then it gets better in a big way. It's not too long, just read it and you'll see why I'm being so vague.
Life Is But A Dream by Ellen Fremedon
In which the entire fifth Star Trek movie is simply a weird dream that Kirk had. It's entirely hilarious and don't some of us wish that it really was just a bad dream caused by indigestion.
Kirk and Spock Go Ice Fishing or If My Aunt From Minnesota Wrote Fanfic by Jungle Kitty
Crack, pure crack. Written indeed with a Minnesota accent, it's the typical 'stuck on a planet during Pon Farr' cliche except with the absolute best narrative voice ever.
Sleeping in Elysium by isabol
Kirk is tortured for information and becomes a vegetable. Against his previously stated wishes for them to 'pull the plug', Spock takes care of him and through many months of therapy Kirk seems to be getting better, but they realize that it's not that Kirk is getting his old memories, but that a new personality is developing. A twist occurs wherein you find out that Kirk isn't gone completely, but he hid inside of his own mind. When some of the old personality comes back, the cruel unfeeling side, the old and new personality fight for dominance. Truly I can't put it into words how fascinating and intricate this story is. It has so many moral issues, and it by far has the most heart-wrenching and devastating scene when the crueler Kirk personality is in charge during a catastrophe and, stripped of his compassion and care for Spock, he runs the seriously wounded Vulcan ragged and just, no words. Will probably make you cry, but it is worth it and some of the imagery is breathtaking and the author captures beauty and love so perfectly.
Forgetting Is so Long by htebazytook
Short end-of-the-five-year-mission fic in which Kirk and Spock say goodbye and make their plants. This for me is canon, and it's so beautiful how she puts all the unspoken longings and regrets between them. So simple, yet very powerful.
In Check by k'sal
This is another reluctant rec by me. It's not quite my favorite, but the exchange of logic between Kirk and Spock and the first line of the story is worth a rec any day. If you're into fics with two characters debating about starting a relationship, then you'll enjoy this.
Words by Farfalla
Okay this one is a short established-relationship fic, post-Amok Time. Read until the end, because the last line is the best thing on earth and if you don't laugh, you're either Vulcan or emotionally challenged.
Shelter by Leslie Fish
Reccing because of the sheer HISTORY of this, but also because it's good. I don't like it's sequel Poses at all (with the exception of the weirdest and most intriguing portrayal of Vulcan anatomy to date) but this one is the cliche goodness of pon farr and it was the first known K/S fic.
This Deadly Innocence, of the End of the Hurt/Comfort Syndrome by Leslie Fish
This one is a reluctant rec as well. The writing is definitely purple prose to the point of almost being a turn off, but the world described in the story, oddly enough, makes me want to rec it. The story is about Spock getting injured saving Kirk and McCoy is tired of them saving each other to a ridiculous amount because they only show love when they are almost dead and it's way too dangerous. So he drops them at a planet where all the animal life is miniaturized. A world where a whale is only five feet long, no dangerous than a playground so they won't sacrifice each other stupidly. The description of the animals and how they're the co-stars of the fic is really fun. Come on, Spock helpless with a bum leg as little bears attack their dinner, lmao.
Debt of Honor by Brianna Falken
AU in which Vulcan and Earth are at odd. At the outset Spock is going through pon farr but is unable to share a connection to anyone, until Kirk. What follows is non con. Then to make matters worse, Vulcan and Earth decide to get along diplomatically, so they mix together the crews of Vulcan and Earth ships and Spock is made to be Kirk's first officer. This story has a dark beginning, but eventually things are worked through and they fall in love and finally Spock tells Kirk the issues with pon farr and really, it's fairly good with an original plot.
Idol by j-s-cavalcante Set after Assignment: Earth, this story suggests that Gary Seven's block cat Isis is a very old being that can shapeshift into whatever it wants. Spock is drawn to the cat in the episode, but this fic has the being meet with Spock as a pharoh's wife of Earth's past and she skillfully gets Spock in bed (fucking WIN if there ever was one) but then halfway through turns into Kirk. CUE ANGST AND OMGWTFBBQ! :P Good story and hit a kink I didn't know I had.
Feather Light Fudge by jesmihr
Spock makes Kirk a birthday cake, set to rhyme. Seriously simple premise and it's poetry for god's sake, but it's hilariously cracky and fun.
The Prize by Ray Newton
Set on a Vulcan where Surak's Reforms never happened, Spock acquires Kirk as a Human slave. The story has non-con because of Kirk's previous owner, so fair warning. I'm kind of iffy on slave stories, but this one is a winner. The culture of the Vulcans has a mixture of the logical but with that ancient fierceness mixed in, so you get logical fierceness, lol. The slow building of their relationship into love is highly believable and their characterizations are fairly intact. The violence shown fits this world and it doesn't have a 100% happy ending of Kirk getting freed, but it gives you enough happiness to appease you.
AND FINALLY *drumroll*
The REAL Trouble with Tribbles by snowlight
Just posted about three weeks ago, this is crack fic in which there is a Spock tribble and a Kirk tribble on the Enterprise. You wouldn't think it would be all that great, but it is so funny and adorable and so true to their Vulcan/human counterparts. This is a fic I've read a million times and it's one of my "comfort" fics that I go back and read when I'm feeling down. Best thing about this fic? You can rec it even to those who haven't seen TOS, because you can substitute the new Kirk and Spock as the tribbles just as easily.