Recs from June: Batman, HP, Star Wars RPS, Smallville
Batman, Batman/Smallville, Justice League mix
I've been seeing requests for Bruce fic pop up, so a few of my favorite Bruce fics (well, some more Bruce oriented than...others), some previously recced, but obviously still awesome:
Reflections and The Other Side by thete1--Post "A Better World", JL fic, Batman/Wally. Don't let the pairing freak you out or anything; it *works*. So good, and well, twisted, but oh yes, hot.
Wally swallows and Batman reaches out before he can think, stopped only by another one of those laughs. "I don't. I really don't want to know what you plan to do about the fact that I have. Bodily functions."
Drug you. Hold you. *Mine*. "I won't hurt you."
"God. God, this is so fucked *up*. What the hell do you *want*? It's not like I have the secret to... to taking over the world or whatever the hell you psychotic evil types want to do."
"That was Superman."
"You're not -- Christ, you're not *helping*. You --" And then Wally stops, bangs his head back against the pillow again and again.
Laughs. Long and loud and just a little helpless.
"I just get the feeling that... somebody needs to be watching Batman. *Our* Batman. Because I don't think anyone really knows just how screwed up you really are."
He chances a smile. "Superman does."
Oooh, looking through bookmarks, another Te story--Five Things That Already Happened In Other Fic, SV story this time but some cool Bruce things within. Te also has a ton of Batman-oriented fic, none of which I'd been in the mood to read for the last couple of years, but I suspect that will change tomorrow night.
Manifest Destiny by liviapenn. God, do I love this story. Clex, and if you somehow have not read this, GO READ IT NOW. Whenever I think of black Superman suits, I think of Clark pressed up against Brainiac/Lex and I die a little, still. Um. To keep things relevant to the whole "Batman" theme here....Batman is in the story. And he's cool! He's got this great relationship with Superman in here, and you basically come out loving the whole League. It always amazes me that when I tell people to read things, this is one of the stories that people miss one way or the other. *Don't* miss this.
Express and Admirable by buggery--Superman/Batman, smut, smut, smut. We like.
Twilight Time by Wendi
Betting on the Truth by mahaliem--Something of a cameo appearance though. *g*
Find Me by seperis--Bruce and Lex, playing hide and seek. *grins*
At the Bright Pane Surrounded and The Lucky Man by sageness--Oooh, thanks Meret, for reminding me of these. Creepy, disturbing, these are guys that are....coping, I guess is the word, with what they are.
Gotham Underground by shaggirl
No Darker than Yours by rivkat--Clark/Lex centric, *love* this story, but still, very sleek Bruce Wayne to be found in this one.
When the Little Bluebell Starts to Ring by derryderrydown--Aww, sex pollen fic! Just found this one tonight. The author seems to have several Batman stories on her fic page--so you know, have fun with that.
Terminal by nifra_idril--Lucas/Batman, and yeah Nifra, I'm still waiting for that sequel. Stop laughing! Stop it!
Haven't read any of these yet, but--go, frolic!
DC Fan Fiction by laceymcbain
Batman fic by 3jane
Triptych and its sequel, Tierce by paperbkryter
The Mind Series by Creed Cascade and TJ
Night and Day by Bulbus
Bodies in Motion by fajrdrako
Additionally, if you're looking for some more fic, some resources:
Overview on Crack Van, with links to archives, including batfic and jl_fic.
dcfic_index--pairings neatly organized in memories, extremely comprehensive of basically everything that's on LJ.
wayne_crane--For Crane/Wayne lovers.
Harry Potter
Never Mind The Bollocks, It's Draco/Harry (Shake Your Groove Thing) by geoviki.
*wraps arms around body and convulses happily* I can't even form words to try and rec this sucker. It's just funny and....so true, so true. Heck, even if you don't read HP, or you do and you just don't read H/D, it's definitely worth taking a look at. Insane trip of a story.
"You... you're a Veela," Harry exclaimed, deeply worried at the obvious direction this story was taking.
"Half-Veela, actually. And half-dragon. And half-ferret Animagus."
"That's three halves."
"Well, they don't teach maths at Hogwarts, so don't blame me. Anyway, you're very astute, Potter. Was it the fact that my milkshake brought all the boys to the yard?"
Oh! Oh, and--
It's a condom. We don't have to use it, but if we don't give a token nod to disease prevention and sexual responsibility at this critical point, the fangirls will post endless meta-rants about how we're misinforming readers who acquire their knowledge of sexual behavior from fan fiction."
"You're joking!"
"Sadly, no. Anyway, I hate mpreg. You'd end up whining about losing your boyish figure and suffering through horrible mood swings which you'd express through the sarcastic but somehow still endearing dialogue of a much older man. Just give me a sec to cast the all-encompassing Condomus Spell. Okay, done. We're covered."
Star Wars RPS
No fic recs, but links that will lead you to fic--
SW RPS--theantimodel has organized a primer to SW RPS and wistfuljane has a list of cool links in the fandom.
Smallville:
If anything was worthy of the name Insta!Rec, why, it'd be Clex Sea Battle, manip from thecaelum. I showed her a picture I'd seen on kymbr's journal and....uh, yeah, then things happened.
I'm not saying those chat conversations were forged though. I'm just saying you have no right to judge.
...maybe not the most work safe picture ever, but it *is realistic*.
After all, just look at our sailor's....sword in motion. *wicked* The second one is my favorite.
A new story I've seen pop up on sv_fanfic for the past couple of days has me intrigued. I like the premise, and I like her Lex. Then, Part One and Part Two by sybaryte, a new author in our little corner of fandom. It'll eventually be Clark/Bruce/Lex.
nifra_idril's The Pragmatist. Pretty. *sighs*
xnitelite teases through the story itself, Promises. A little ficlet that needs to grow into something more, oh yes.
June was my month to rec over at crack_van and I didn't get to reccing four other stories on my list but I'm glad I at least managed these. This is my second turn at Smallville, so if you want to read those recs from late 2003, or my Witchblade set, you can go to my talkoncorners post here.
I'll start out with the vid I recced, and move on into the eight stories. Just re-posting it all here in case you don't watch the community, and so I can keep track of everything I rec and where. :) Make sure you've seen all of these, or you're missing out! These are some of my favorites in this whole fandom.
I don't think I've sent any of these people some good feedback, because I suck like that. (Well, with the exception of rageprufrock, as I tell her she is a goddess on a daily basis), but well--thank you to all these writers and our lovely vidder in the group. You all amaze me.
Original Rec, Without You I am Nothing, Vid by sisabet
This vid is my favorite in any fandom, not just Smallville. Before viewing this, I never really got the appeal of vids. Every now and again, I'd think huh, okay, that was kind of cool, but this vid? This vid was, and remains to this day for me, unparalleled. It's sisabet's first vid in Smallville.
The images she used are so fantastic, and it's all about how Clark and Lex are in each other's orbits. The music lines up *perfectly* with the clips; and the clips themselves are among some of the best, highest, and most traumatic moments in the show-- Clark saving Lex, Lex's complete obsessiveness in regards to Clark, and then it heads into a section where the cuts are from different flashbacks to Lex's time in the Institution and back again.
I'll say again what I said back when she posted it: the blending of the electroshock, and the lyrics and the crescendos and pauses in the music interspersed with the footage of Lex in "Hourglass" (otherwise known as the episode where Lex kind of....you know, blows up the world) is so beautiful and just dripping with Smallville's whole aura and mystique of destiny.
And oh God, the ending.
For the uninitiated, why yes, that is Lex standing in the middle of a field surrounded by skeletons as blood rains down on him, why yes, yes it is.
There's doom! And it's so hot. And aching! Bring on the doom! This vid can blow you away even if you're not in the fandom, and that's why I'm reccing it here.
Without You I am Nothing
Fiction Recs:
Original Rec, Adaptability by rageprufrock
We'll start out with a hilarious favorite of mine, Adaptability by rageprufrock. Pru writes fantastic Smallville humor--she just comes up with these ideas you'd be downright terrified of sometimes, and makes them work, and they're all the better for the sheer energy and pizzazz she brings to the table. She likes to pretend this story doesn't exist, and kind of clams up at the word "assbaby", but....
You'll laugh. You'll laugh. You'll cringe. You'll put Lex up for sainthood and still want to cuddle Clark *all the time*.
Quote:
Hunched over his desk, Lex made a list, writing out each of Clark's supposed symptoms of pregnancy in purple Pilot Precise pen:
Fatigue.
Cravings.
Dizziness.
Alien.
Lex stared at the list for a moment before adding:
Prettier than he is smart.
And then the ending is rather reminiscent of one of those monster movie endings, where they have the dramatic theme music, and the dun-dun-dun. Just--this story is *adorable*, it has an utterly distinctive Clark characterization, a sadly put-upon Lex, and it's absolutely laugh out loud funny.
Adaptability
Original Rec, When a Strawberry is Pushed Into a Mountain by thamiris
This is a story I read whenever I just need to see something beautiful. (I've taken to letting myself read it once a semester, at finals time; it soothes my tired, broken little soul.)
There's poetry, and mixed messages, funniness, fruit, writing on Clark's naked body, melting sex, and did I mention the poetry like you've never had in your life (unless you're lucky and you have; in which case, don't tell me, 'cause I'd have to hate you blindly)?
Thamiris' story will make you bounce in your seat, sigh happily, and just be at peace with the world thinking how right everything is. (Side note: If the Beat poets are not your thing, be prepared to like them a whole lot more after this one. If you're already a fan, well, you're just going to be giddily glazed throughout.)
Quote:
"Of course I'm frustrated. The guy in the poem wants to know what happens when a strawberry's pushed into a mountain. Can you say, `Splat'? I mean, what kind of question is that?" His own desperation embarrassed him, but he couldn't shut up.
"I think it's a metaphor, Clark."
When a Strawberry Is Pushed into a Mountain
Original Rec, Lilah's Coffin by eleveninches
Put a bunch of football players in a haunted shack, performing a superstitious goat-sacrificing ritual. Add in a vampire type that Clark raises from the dead who happens to have a little crush on the town's hot, shiny billionaire in the mansion, and you have a real gem of a fic. (Dude. This sounds like badfic, but honestly, it's just really, really genius S1 fic.)
I like quoting from stories. They pull you in, don't you think? *hums*
He didn't know much about livestock, but he was pretty certain cows didn't fly. He was also sure running over teenagers usually killed them, so perhaps the laws of science didn't function normally in Smallville.
The cow let out a weak "moo," and promptly rolled off the crushed metal. As Lex stared at the remains of his car he remembered why he hated this town.
He dialed the only phone number he knew in Smallville.
"Hello?"
"A cow just crushed my car," he said blandly.
Clark's silence was a testimony that Lex wasn't the only one confused. "I'll come pick you up," Clark offered.
Or! Or! Okay, here's another one!
"Clark, she's here," Lex called. He didn't respond. Lex chuckled nervously. "Oh, I'm the bait. Hey, uh, if your plan is to get me killed, then it seems to be working."
"Shiny," came a hiss.
"I have no self-esteem left after this," Lex said.
Okay, resist that. I *dare* you.
Lilah's Coffin
Original Rec, The Proposition by emelerin
There's this society woman who has the audacity to come on to Clark and offer him money to sleep with her! Naturally, Clark is wibbly and distraught and tells his good pal Lex who is surprisingly not so very concerned.
Or so it would seem:
"I...I said no. She looked sorta sad, and then a bit mad, and then she left. Are you okay, Lex? You're not...angry, or something?"
Lex was still laughing. If Clark hadn't been feeling the beginnings of a weirdly indignant version of anger, he would have been fascinated. He hadn't seen Lex laugh like that in years.
"I can't believe she did that. Oh, Clark. I'm sorry." Lex was struggling to recover, his face still contorted in helpless laughter. "I thought she had more sense than that. What was she thinking trying that with you?"
Clark frowned. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
You start to get a little worried there, but all turns out as it should, thank goodness. This story is adorable--funny, hot, obsessive, twisted and an eternal favorite of mine. Settle in with a confectionary treat of your choice and see why Clark and Lex are so clearly supposed to be together.
The Proposition
Original Rec, An Englishman in Smallville (The Legal Alien Extended Remix) by rivkat
Your one line, in-a-nutshell summary: Giles shows up in Smallville having to negotiate a deal with Lex in order to save Xander. Your second, insignificant line: Funness ensues!
There's a Lex that flirts with anything that moves, hilarious dialogue, a great rapport between Clark and Buffy, and a cute and fitting premise.
Quote:
"Yes, it's all very interesting," Giles said. "Need I remind you that Xander is gaining scales by the minute?"
"Well, then we'd better head over to the mansion," Luthor said, as if he were the only reasonable man in a group of flighty children. "May I offer you a ride?" He was most definitely engaging in deliberate innuendo, Giles concluded. The only difficulty was that Giles was not sure at whom it was aimed. Perhaps Luthor didn't care who responded.
An Englishman in Smallville (The Legal Alien Extended Remix)
Original Rec, A Warlike Prince by nifra_idril
This is my favorite story of Nifra's, mostly because her Lex in here makes you feel really, really badly for what the hell is coming Clark's way. You can't help but feel for Lex, he's just...drowning but damned if he isn't going to take everyone with him when he falls. The structure, the plot, everything is just amazing. I can't really describe it, you just have to go and read it. She starts out here--
Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.
It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry, which can on no account be neglected.
The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
These are: (1) Military Philosophy; (2) The Weather; (3) The Ground; (4) The Commander; (5) Military Methods. ”
...and takes it to places like this:
And, at twenty-three, Lex knows that he’s about to begin fighting on another front, as well - he’s already begun his half of the arms race. He’s not naïve; there have been skirmishes and there has been friendly fire, but he and Clark have reached a truce so uneasy, so fragile that it will clearly shatter. There will be war, no matter what they would have happen instead. Lex will be ready, though Clark was born with his arsenal in place.
A Warlike Prince
Original Rec, Kryptobiology by meret
I can think of no better way to wind up my month on crack_van than to rec this story. One of the best humor fics in the fandom, and remarkably easy for me to rec to people. This is one of the few stories I've let my RL best friend read, so I can speak to its universal appeal.
Clark has a talking penis. Who is ever slightly attracted to that cute bald guy down the road.
....why are you still here? Hey, hey, hey. This is *Smallville*. Weirder things have happened than having a loquacious penis.
Clark jerked upright in his bed, looking around for what had woken him. Had he been floating again?
"Lex."
Who was that? Turning his head back and forth, he scanned the room, but even using his x-ray vision revealed nothing. "Who said that?" he said, becoming increasingly creeped out.
"I did."
He saw movement under his sheets and whipped the covers off.
"Let me out of here. We need to talk."
No. It couldn't be. Hastily he pulled down his pajama bottoms. He watched aghast as his cock sprang up, the head bent toward him as if it was looking at him.
Priceless imagery herein. Kryptobiology
Original Rec, Waiting for Yes by astolat
Okay, I was wrong in that the last rec was my final rec. I looked at my list of things I started out with wanting to rec at the beginning of the month and I cannot believe I nearly forgot this one. I cannot believe all the reccers before me forgot this one!
This story is on the shorter side, but wow does it ever pack a punch. So chilling, so good. (Also, be aware that I really love the doomsday/ dark AU type of stories so you know, don't be surprised when this story goes where it....goes.)
Waiting for Yes
And now I'm *really* done.
I've been seeing requests for Bruce fic pop up, so a few of my favorite Bruce fics (well, some more Bruce oriented than...others), some previously recced, but obviously still awesome:
Reflections and The Other Side by thete1--Post "A Better World", JL fic, Batman/Wally. Don't let the pairing freak you out or anything; it *works*. So good, and well, twisted, but oh yes, hot.
Wally swallows and Batman reaches out before he can think, stopped only by another one of those laughs. "I don't. I really don't want to know what you plan to do about the fact that I have. Bodily functions."
Drug you. Hold you. *Mine*. "I won't hurt you."
"God. God, this is so fucked *up*. What the hell do you *want*? It's not like I have the secret to... to taking over the world or whatever the hell you psychotic evil types want to do."
"That was Superman."
"You're not -- Christ, you're not *helping*. You --" And then Wally stops, bangs his head back against the pillow again and again.
Laughs. Long and loud and just a little helpless.
"I just get the feeling that... somebody needs to be watching Batman. *Our* Batman. Because I don't think anyone really knows just how screwed up you really are."
He chances a smile. "Superman does."
Oooh, looking through bookmarks, another Te story--Five Things That Already Happened In Other Fic, SV story this time but some cool Bruce things within. Te also has a ton of Batman-oriented fic, none of which I'd been in the mood to read for the last couple of years, but I suspect that will change tomorrow night.
Manifest Destiny by liviapenn. God, do I love this story. Clex, and if you somehow have not read this, GO READ IT NOW. Whenever I think of black Superman suits, I think of Clark pressed up against Brainiac/Lex and I die a little, still. Um. To keep things relevant to the whole "Batman" theme here....Batman is in the story. And he's cool! He's got this great relationship with Superman in here, and you basically come out loving the whole League. It always amazes me that when I tell people to read things, this is one of the stories that people miss one way or the other. *Don't* miss this.
Express and Admirable by buggery--Superman/Batman, smut, smut, smut. We like.
Twilight Time by Wendi
Betting on the Truth by mahaliem--Something of a cameo appearance though. *g*
Find Me by seperis--Bruce and Lex, playing hide and seek. *grins*
At the Bright Pane Surrounded and The Lucky Man by sageness--Oooh, thanks Meret, for reminding me of these. Creepy, disturbing, these are guys that are....coping, I guess is the word, with what they are.
Gotham Underground by shaggirl
No Darker than Yours by rivkat--Clark/Lex centric, *love* this story, but still, very sleek Bruce Wayne to be found in this one.
When the Little Bluebell Starts to Ring by derryderrydown--Aww, sex pollen fic! Just found this one tonight. The author seems to have several Batman stories on her fic page--so you know, have fun with that.
Terminal by nifra_idril--Lucas/Batman, and yeah Nifra, I'm still waiting for that sequel. Stop laughing! Stop it!
Haven't read any of these yet, but--go, frolic!
DC Fan Fiction by laceymcbain
Batman fic by 3jane
Triptych and its sequel, Tierce by paperbkryter
The Mind Series by Creed Cascade and TJ
Night and Day by Bulbus
Bodies in Motion by fajrdrako
Additionally, if you're looking for some more fic, some resources:
Overview on Crack Van, with links to archives, including batfic and jl_fic.
dcfic_index--pairings neatly organized in memories, extremely comprehensive of basically everything that's on LJ.
wayne_crane--For Crane/Wayne lovers.
Harry Potter
Never Mind The Bollocks, It's Draco/Harry (Shake Your Groove Thing) by geoviki.
*wraps arms around body and convulses happily* I can't even form words to try and rec this sucker. It's just funny and....so true, so true. Heck, even if you don't read HP, or you do and you just don't read H/D, it's definitely worth taking a look at. Insane trip of a story.
"You... you're a Veela," Harry exclaimed, deeply worried at the obvious direction this story was taking.
"Half-Veela, actually. And half-dragon. And half-ferret Animagus."
"That's three halves."
"Well, they don't teach maths at Hogwarts, so don't blame me. Anyway, you're very astute, Potter. Was it the fact that my milkshake brought all the boys to the yard?"
Oh! Oh, and--
It's a condom. We don't have to use it, but if we don't give a token nod to disease prevention and sexual responsibility at this critical point, the fangirls will post endless meta-rants about how we're misinforming readers who acquire their knowledge of sexual behavior from fan fiction."
"You're joking!"
"Sadly, no. Anyway, I hate mpreg. You'd end up whining about losing your boyish figure and suffering through horrible mood swings which you'd express through the sarcastic but somehow still endearing dialogue of a much older man. Just give me a sec to cast the all-encompassing Condomus Spell. Okay, done. We're covered."
Star Wars RPS
No fic recs, but links that will lead you to fic--
SW RPS--theantimodel has organized a primer to SW RPS and wistfuljane has a list of cool links in the fandom.
Smallville:
If anything was worthy of the name Insta!Rec, why, it'd be Clex Sea Battle, manip from thecaelum. I showed her a picture I'd seen on kymbr's journal and....uh, yeah, then things happened.
I'm not saying those chat conversations were forged though. I'm just saying you have no right to judge.
...maybe not the most work safe picture ever, but it *is realistic*.
After all, just look at our sailor's....sword in motion. *wicked* The second one is my favorite.
A new story I've seen pop up on sv_fanfic for the past couple of days has me intrigued. I like the premise, and I like her Lex. Then, Part One and Part Two by sybaryte, a new author in our little corner of fandom. It'll eventually be Clark/Bruce/Lex.
nifra_idril's The Pragmatist. Pretty. *sighs*
xnitelite teases through the story itself, Promises. A little ficlet that needs to grow into something more, oh yes.
June was my month to rec over at crack_van and I didn't get to reccing four other stories on my list but I'm glad I at least managed these. This is my second turn at Smallville, so if you want to read those recs from late 2003, or my Witchblade set, you can go to my talkoncorners post here.
I'll start out with the vid I recced, and move on into the eight stories. Just re-posting it all here in case you don't watch the community, and so I can keep track of everything I rec and where. :) Make sure you've seen all of these, or you're missing out! These are some of my favorites in this whole fandom.
I don't think I've sent any of these people some good feedback, because I suck like that. (Well, with the exception of rageprufrock, as I tell her she is a goddess on a daily basis), but well--thank you to all these writers and our lovely vidder in the group. You all amaze me.
Original Rec, Without You I am Nothing, Vid by sisabet
This vid is my favorite in any fandom, not just Smallville. Before viewing this, I never really got the appeal of vids. Every now and again, I'd think huh, okay, that was kind of cool, but this vid? This vid was, and remains to this day for me, unparalleled. It's sisabet's first vid in Smallville.
The images she used are so fantastic, and it's all about how Clark and Lex are in each other's orbits. The music lines up *perfectly* with the clips; and the clips themselves are among some of the best, highest, and most traumatic moments in the show-- Clark saving Lex, Lex's complete obsessiveness in regards to Clark, and then it heads into a section where the cuts are from different flashbacks to Lex's time in the Institution and back again.
I'll say again what I said back when she posted it: the blending of the electroshock, and the lyrics and the crescendos and pauses in the music interspersed with the footage of Lex in "Hourglass" (otherwise known as the episode where Lex kind of....you know, blows up the world) is so beautiful and just dripping with Smallville's whole aura and mystique of destiny.
And oh God, the ending.
For the uninitiated, why yes, that is Lex standing in the middle of a field surrounded by skeletons as blood rains down on him, why yes, yes it is.
There's doom! And it's so hot. And aching! Bring on the doom! This vid can blow you away even if you're not in the fandom, and that's why I'm reccing it here.
Without You I am Nothing
Fiction Recs:
Original Rec, Adaptability by rageprufrock
We'll start out with a hilarious favorite of mine, Adaptability by rageprufrock. Pru writes fantastic Smallville humor--she just comes up with these ideas you'd be downright terrified of sometimes, and makes them work, and they're all the better for the sheer energy and pizzazz she brings to the table. She likes to pretend this story doesn't exist, and kind of clams up at the word "assbaby", but....
You'll laugh. You'll laugh. You'll cringe. You'll put Lex up for sainthood and still want to cuddle Clark *all the time*.
Quote:
Hunched over his desk, Lex made a list, writing out each of Clark's supposed symptoms of pregnancy in purple Pilot Precise pen:
Fatigue.
Cravings.
Dizziness.
Alien.
Lex stared at the list for a moment before adding:
Prettier than he is smart.
And then the ending is rather reminiscent of one of those monster movie endings, where they have the dramatic theme music, and the dun-dun-dun. Just--this story is *adorable*, it has an utterly distinctive Clark characterization, a sadly put-upon Lex, and it's absolutely laugh out loud funny.
Adaptability
Original Rec, When a Strawberry is Pushed Into a Mountain by thamiris
This is a story I read whenever I just need to see something beautiful. (I've taken to letting myself read it once a semester, at finals time; it soothes my tired, broken little soul.)
There's poetry, and mixed messages, funniness, fruit, writing on Clark's naked body, melting sex, and did I mention the poetry like you've never had in your life (unless you're lucky and you have; in which case, don't tell me, 'cause I'd have to hate you blindly)?
Thamiris' story will make you bounce in your seat, sigh happily, and just be at peace with the world thinking how right everything is. (Side note: If the Beat poets are not your thing, be prepared to like them a whole lot more after this one. If you're already a fan, well, you're just going to be giddily glazed throughout.)
Quote:
"Of course I'm frustrated. The guy in the poem wants to know what happens when a strawberry's pushed into a mountain. Can you say, `Splat'? I mean, what kind of question is that?" His own desperation embarrassed him, but he couldn't shut up.
"I think it's a metaphor, Clark."
When a Strawberry Is Pushed into a Mountain
Original Rec, Lilah's Coffin by eleveninches
Put a bunch of football players in a haunted shack, performing a superstitious goat-sacrificing ritual. Add in a vampire type that Clark raises from the dead who happens to have a little crush on the town's hot, shiny billionaire in the mansion, and you have a real gem of a fic. (Dude. This sounds like badfic, but honestly, it's just really, really genius S1 fic.)
I like quoting from stories. They pull you in, don't you think? *hums*
He didn't know much about livestock, but he was pretty certain cows didn't fly. He was also sure running over teenagers usually killed them, so perhaps the laws of science didn't function normally in Smallville.
The cow let out a weak "moo," and promptly rolled off the crushed metal. As Lex stared at the remains of his car he remembered why he hated this town.
He dialed the only phone number he knew in Smallville.
"Hello?"
"A cow just crushed my car," he said blandly.
Clark's silence was a testimony that Lex wasn't the only one confused. "I'll come pick you up," Clark offered.
Or! Or! Okay, here's another one!
"Clark, she's here," Lex called. He didn't respond. Lex chuckled nervously. "Oh, I'm the bait. Hey, uh, if your plan is to get me killed, then it seems to be working."
"Shiny," came a hiss.
"I have no self-esteem left after this," Lex said.
Okay, resist that. I *dare* you.
Lilah's Coffin
Original Rec, The Proposition by emelerin
There's this society woman who has the audacity to come on to Clark and offer him money to sleep with her! Naturally, Clark is wibbly and distraught and tells his good pal Lex who is surprisingly not so very concerned.
Or so it would seem:
"I...I said no. She looked sorta sad, and then a bit mad, and then she left. Are you okay, Lex? You're not...angry, or something?"
Lex was still laughing. If Clark hadn't been feeling the beginnings of a weirdly indignant version of anger, he would have been fascinated. He hadn't seen Lex laugh like that in years.
"I can't believe she did that. Oh, Clark. I'm sorry." Lex was struggling to recover, his face still contorted in helpless laughter. "I thought she had more sense than that. What was she thinking trying that with you?"
Clark frowned. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
You start to get a little worried there, but all turns out as it should, thank goodness. This story is adorable--funny, hot, obsessive, twisted and an eternal favorite of mine. Settle in with a confectionary treat of your choice and see why Clark and Lex are so clearly supposed to be together.
The Proposition
Original Rec, An Englishman in Smallville (The Legal Alien Extended Remix) by rivkat
Your one line, in-a-nutshell summary: Giles shows up in Smallville having to negotiate a deal with Lex in order to save Xander. Your second, insignificant line: Funness ensues!
There's a Lex that flirts with anything that moves, hilarious dialogue, a great rapport between Clark and Buffy, and a cute and fitting premise.
Quote:
"Yes, it's all very interesting," Giles said. "Need I remind you that Xander is gaining scales by the minute?"
"Well, then we'd better head over to the mansion," Luthor said, as if he were the only reasonable man in a group of flighty children. "May I offer you a ride?" He was most definitely engaging in deliberate innuendo, Giles concluded. The only difficulty was that Giles was not sure at whom it was aimed. Perhaps Luthor didn't care who responded.
An Englishman in Smallville (The Legal Alien Extended Remix)
Original Rec, A Warlike Prince by nifra_idril
This is my favorite story of Nifra's, mostly because her Lex in here makes you feel really, really badly for what the hell is coming Clark's way. You can't help but feel for Lex, he's just...drowning but damned if he isn't going to take everyone with him when he falls. The structure, the plot, everything is just amazing. I can't really describe it, you just have to go and read it. She starts out here--
Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.
It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry, which can on no account be neglected.
The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
These are: (1) Military Philosophy; (2) The Weather; (3) The Ground; (4) The Commander; (5) Military Methods. ”
...and takes it to places like this:
And, at twenty-three, Lex knows that he’s about to begin fighting on another front, as well - he’s already begun his half of the arms race. He’s not naïve; there have been skirmishes and there has been friendly fire, but he and Clark have reached a truce so uneasy, so fragile that it will clearly shatter. There will be war, no matter what they would have happen instead. Lex will be ready, though Clark was born with his arsenal in place.
A Warlike Prince
Original Rec, Kryptobiology by meret
I can think of no better way to wind up my month on crack_van than to rec this story. One of the best humor fics in the fandom, and remarkably easy for me to rec to people. This is one of the few stories I've let my RL best friend read, so I can speak to its universal appeal.
Clark has a talking penis. Who is ever slightly attracted to that cute bald guy down the road.
....why are you still here? Hey, hey, hey. This is *Smallville*. Weirder things have happened than having a loquacious penis.
Clark jerked upright in his bed, looking around for what had woken him. Had he been floating again?
"Lex."
Who was that? Turning his head back and forth, he scanned the room, but even using his x-ray vision revealed nothing. "Who said that?" he said, becoming increasingly creeped out.
"I did."
He saw movement under his sheets and whipped the covers off.
"Let me out of here. We need to talk."
No. It couldn't be. Hastily he pulled down his pajama bottoms. He watched aghast as his cock sprang up, the head bent toward him as if it was looking at him.
Priceless imagery herein. Kryptobiology
Original Rec, Waiting for Yes by astolat
Okay, I was wrong in that the last rec was my final rec. I looked at my list of things I started out with wanting to rec at the beginning of the month and I cannot believe I nearly forgot this one. I cannot believe all the reccers before me forgot this one!
This story is on the shorter side, but wow does it ever pack a punch. So chilling, so good. (Also, be aware that I really love the doomsday/ dark AU type of stories so you know, don't be surprised when this story goes where it....goes.)
Waiting for Yes
And now I'm *really* done.