[lets5] fanfiction recommendations

This is the fanfic recommendation journal of muscatlove. After a long hiatus (almost 3 years!), I've found myself wanting to keep track of what I've been reading again, with the help of recology to keep me motivated. ^^ I've tried to tag and reformat old entries, but I get tempted to delete things I no longer like as much so I'm leaving them alone otherwise.

Here are the list of recs sorted by tagged fandoms. Fandoms included so far: Cardcaptor Sakura, Clamp Campus Detectives, D.N.Angel, Gravitation, Harry Potter, Here is Greenwood, Hikaru no Go, Noir, Prince of Tennis, Tokyo Babylon, Wolf's Rain, X, Yami no Matsuei

Until I Say Stop by Koji (Prince of Tennis)
*Site gone, will look for a mirror link.
- First of all, I realize that everybody and their brother is rec'ing this story. But there's a reason for that: Koji writes the most kick-ass Prince of Tennis fanfics you'll find. This one is no exception, featuring a gorgeously written Inui/Kaidoh pairing (which is also complete and total smut, so Not For Children). You should also read her other PoT stories, "Reversible" and "First Kiss" (which I particularly love for its incredible treatment of Taka). The sheer details in these stories make me gush - this is someone who knows every last thing about the characters and uses it to good effect. A slight warning, straight from the author: "Anyone who reads my fics can tell you koji doesn't write schmoopy WaFFy-WaFFy yaoi with a kiss at the end. Koji writes pr0n."

I Think I'm in Love by Cooro (Prince of Tennis)
- I really love the new crop of authors (few though they may be) who are writing Golden Pair stories. In this one, Cooro takes a plot that can be summed up in one sentence (Eiji attempts to tell Oishi how he feels) and makes it incredibly endearing and delicious. ^_^ I *love* her Oishi characterization to bits and pieces, and her Eiji is just perfect as well. Go. Read.

What Fools Love Makes by Anthy (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- This fic shows a nice little interaction between Fujitaka and Touya one day, when Touya has some questions for his father about love. While I'm not 100% sure that Touya would ever actually *have* this conversation, because he seems like such an intensely private person to me, I think Anthy deals with both his reluctance and need for answers nicely. Background pairing of Touya/Yukito.

Grief Lies Onward by Ju (Hikaru no Go)
- A short story set the night before Isumi leaves China to return to Japan. Hints of Isumi/Yang Hai, but mostly it's just a melancholy little what-if.

Tea and Paradigm by Alexandra Lucas (Hikaru no Go)
- Akira/Hikaru. Oneshot, very domestic, but focusing on how Akira might feel after he beats his father in Go for the first time.

Resistivity by Cadenza (Prince of Tennis)
- A very nicely done character study about Inui and Kaidoh's relationship (not yaoi to speak, but hints). Kaidoh gets injured during gym class, and when the school nurse is gone, Inui shows up ready to help. This is the kind of oneshot I long to be able to write - serious, well-done, and even though it seems to have no real plot to it, it brings up questions and leaves you feeling that you just read something really good.

Games to Love by Kelsey (Prince of Tennis)
- A very cute Momo/Ryoma story. Ryoma is a little off his game, and he can't figure out why. The answer surprises him, and leads to a lot of snarky ukeness.

Simple Wants by Jennifer D. (Prince of Tennis)
- Fuji/Ryoma. This one, which looks like it'll have more chapters to come, takes place after everyone has moved on to senior high. Ryoma's got a little problem with his hormones, centering on a certain tensai.. but the way he choses to get rid of those problems is, um, a little.. hasty? ^^;

Things Left Unsaid by Ilya (Prince of Tennis)
- Kamio's started to wonder just why he's so obsessed with Momoshiro, and after An Tachibana gives him a little hint, he decides to test something with Shinji. Features some Kamio/Momo, and Kamio/Shinji. I really like how she's written Shinji here.

A Series of Oneshots by Ashen Skies (Prince of Tennis)
- Another one that looks like it has more chapters to come. The premise of the fic is that it's a series of oneshots about how certain couples came to be. The first chapter focuses on Oishi/Kikumaru coming to realize their feelings for each other. Features the somewhat-cliche "guy gets turned on by someone licking a popsicle" thing, which kinda makes me wince, but it's still worth a read.

The Beginning of a Beyuuutiful Friendship by Rhoe (Prince of Tennis)
- I read this one when it was first posted on Temps Mort, but I didn't rec it at the time. A very cute story, written for the seasonal challenge, that takes place right after Kikumaru makes it onto the regular team for the first time.

Be My Guest by Ilya (Prince of Tennis)
- This one looks like it has potential to be very interesting. During Yuuta's last year of junior high, Mizuki Hajime decides to help him study for his high school entrance exams. They spend the weekend at Yuuta's house to prepare.. but of course, when Mizuki and Shuusuke are in the same house, things aren't going to be sunshine and roses. I'm not sure what pairings this is going to end up as, but definitely worth checking out.

Different Kinds of Warmth by Ju (Prince of Tennis)
- A sweet little oneshot where Oishi and Kikumaru walk home together and talk about life, and wonder just why they're being followed. Hints of Oishi/Kikumaru.

Kieru na by Jennifer D. (Prince of Tennis)
- Tezuka/Fuji. A nice long story about how these two might have gotten together, interesting since it comes from a writer who doesn't really like the pairing, lol. When Tezuka finds Fuji after some malice carried out by their sempai, Tezuka and Fuji become closer.. but can a relationship like this really last? An unusual take on how things might have been before the start of the series, and even though I really don't like the pairing either, I enjoyed the story.

The Uke Support Group by Le Penguin (Prince of Tennis)
- Very very cute, and highly amusing. One of those ridiculous gag stories that's been suspiciously missing from TeniPuri fandom (with the possible exception of "Momo and Ryoma's Big Big Closet Adventure!"). I think the title speaks for itself, lol.

Captain's Pride by Jennifer D. (Prince of Tennis)
- What the hell, I usually get into these "recommend-everything-an-author's-written" streaks, why not continue? ^_^; This one's a Tezuka/Atobe, with a highly charged and sexual relationship (though the story itself isn't worthy of more than a PG-13 or R rating at most). I love her characterization of Atobe, and something like this is probably just how a relationship between two such personalities might go.

Defining Good Days by hypertia (Prince of Tennis)
- A look at how Akutsu defines a good day for himself. Hints of Akutsu/Sengoku.

In the Moment, The Future by bearit (Prince of Tennis)
- Momoshiro talks to Nanako (Ryoma's cousin) one hot summer day. Momo/Ryoma, and the added bonus that I can actually believe that these are junior high students we're talking about.

Underworld by Dark Rune (Prince of Tennis, Noir)

- This story should *not* work as well as it does. It's a Prince of Tennis/Noir crossover, with Fuji Shuusuke and Yuumura Kirika as the main characters. (Even if you're not very/at all familiar with Noir's story, you should be all right reading the story, or just look up a blurb on Noir's plot. ^_^)

Brief summary: The Fuji family has a history with Soldats, and Yumiko (Fuji's older sister) can't let go of her anger over past events and decides to seek revenge. To protect her younger brothers, she sends Yuumura Kirika, of the assassin team Noir, to go undercover at Seigaku as Fuji's bodyguard.

The slightly weird-but-still-work bits: in this AU, Seigaku is a 4-year high school, not a junior high; Tezuka is still in Germany for his treatment; all of the tennis team members are actively straight. XD (Hey, that last one is VERY rare as far as well-written PoT fanfic goes, and it shouldn't put you off the fic, even if you're a rabid yaoi shipper.)

What I love about the story: First of all, the author is a terrific writer, a particular bonus in a small fandom (well, as far as fics are concerned) like PoT. She has a good eye for details, her characterizations are excellent - particularly her Inui, she blends the worlds of "high school" tennis and worldwide conspiracy/assassination drama seemlessly, and although she doesn't end chapters with cliffhangers, I get twitchy after reading them in anticipation of the next part. ^_^

When We First Met by Vikki (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- This one is about Eriol and Kaho, that most unusual of couples, and how they might have first met, in a fifth-grade classroom in England. Very nice portrayal of Eriol, and an interesting idea overall.

Clow no Tenshi series by Morgan D. (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- There are quite a few stories in this series, going back and forth throughout time and character viewpoints. Morgan D. hasn't posted a new chapter in quite a while, but perhaps by getting more people to read the stories and send her feedback, she'll be inspired? XD If you only read one of these stories, make it "A Guardian's Heart" - one of the best CCS fics out there.

Sleep to Dream series by Amet
- This is by far the best Yami no Matsuei story I've ever read. It's the story of how Hisoka became a Shinigami, only in this AU, he had been having visions of a possible future with Tsuzuki for the three years of his curse before he died. Hisoka makes a painful decision to keep his dream visions of a relationship with Tsuzuki that will lead to certain doom seperate from the reality of their life as partners. Also has excellent Watari/Tatsumi moments. Follows the plot of the series almost exactly (and yes, there is some sex content, but nothing terribly major).

Lightening by pinkbaka
- The first Wolf's Rain fic I've read. This is a lemon, plain and simple, featuring Tsume and Toboe, who are simply adorable together, lol. (The thigh-licking scene in the anime cemented it. :P) Pinkbaka manages to write this with a smooth fusion of the reality of their lives as wolves *and* as men, making this one of the more unusual lemons I've ever found. I'm not sure the story is for everyone, but if you like Wolf's Rain, give it a read.

Brotherly Love by pinkbaka
- Yes, I've begun the weekly "recommend half the fics an author has written" cycle. I can't help myself, particularly in this case - I adore Yuki & Tatsuha stories, and pinkbaka writes them so well. ^_^; This is again pure smut, and perhaps the brother thing isn't for everyone, but come on - these are two of the most gorgeous siblings in manga/anime, and such interesting personalities. I'll stop myself from recommending the rest of her stuff, and simply point you to her archive.

Of Hair and Obsessions by Ju
- I'll finish out the day's recs with a nice piece of comforting fluff. This is a Hikaru no Go, Akira & Hikaru story, mostly just a nice conversation and a sweet relationship. The literary equivalent to hot chocolate with marshmellows.

Here and Now by Jessie Albano (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- This author writes some of my favorite CCS fanfics - do take the time to read her Touya/Yukito stories. This is her latest one, from Yuki's point of view, wherein it's the end of high school and our favorite snow bunny is trying to deal with Touya's college plans. Very nicely done, it's always a good thing to find well-written 'day-in-the-life' stories.

The Sweetest Dream by Archica (Prince of Tennis)
- Damn. It's such a rare occurence that a well-written Prince of Tennis fanfic pops up, and one with two of my favorite characters in it is even more precious. Archica has written a wonderful one-shot from the PoV of Jiroh Akutagawa (the Hyotei player who *always* falls asleep) - even better that it's Fuji/Jiroh. Well, sort of. This does have minor spoilers for the Fuji/Jiroh match in the episodes in the early 60s, just so you know.

Heavy Things Don't Fly by Rackham Rose (X/Tokyo Babylon)
- This is a short stream-of-conciousness story about Subaru's musings over Kamui and his own decisions regarding the boy. I do like character pieces, and this is worth a quick read.

The Bet by Rackham Rose (X/Tokyo Babylon, Yami no Matsuei)
- I'll continue my spree of recommending multiple stories by the same author. This is a crossover featuring our favorite manipulators/evildoers, Seishirou and Muraki. The two meet up in a restaurant to discuss the progress of their respective mindgames over wine. I read this one a while ago, but re-reads are always fun.

Two Truths and a Lie by Rackham Rose (X/Tokyo Babylon)
- I promise that this is the last Rackham Rose fic I'm recommending today. Seishirou and Subaru play a game of deception, but even Subaru has his breaking point. Nicely done, with good characterization.

Loving You, Loving Your Eyes by Moonchild (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- I am such a sucker for good CCS fics, let alone good Touya/Yukito fics, that I bravely face the daily onslaught of sludge that gets posted at FF.net everyday in hopes of finding something worth reading. This one is a good start - while it could stand a little polish in some parts, it's a lovely story from Yuki's point of view, mostly just about his relationship with Touya and the classical "Fujitaka finds out" storyline.

Dance Under a Dark Moon by Aishuu and Xandra (Tokyo Babylon, X)
Part 1 - Part 2
- There are certain authors that just beg to be ficstalked, and Aishuu and Xandra are definitely among them. I'm gonna be a loser and recommend two of their stories today. This first one is a two-part look at the events of Subaru's birthday, once during Tokyo Babylon, and again during X. A very nice juxtaposition of his character and his relationship with Seishirou. PG-13 for the first part, NC-17 for the second.

Full Circle by Aishuu and Xandra (X/Tokyo Babylon)
- The second of today's Aishuu&Xandra fic recs. This is a short oneshot about why Subaru chose to accept the position of Sakurazukamori after Seishirou's death.

Hit Single by Sabina (Gravitation)
- A Gravitation fic, this is an interesting oneshot about Nittle Grasper's reunion from Touma's point of view. Stories about Touma are fairly rare, I think. Touma muses about making a comeback, writing a hit single, and Shuuichi's relationship with Eiri.

Smile by AlseGold (X)
- Spoilers for volume 16/X TV episode.. 16? A Subaru/Seishirou fic, focusing on everyone's favorite Sakurazukamori. AlseGold noticed that in the manga, Seishirou is *always* pictured with a smile on his face, except for the moment of this death. And so she elaborates, with this beautiful little oneshot. Go, read. (No sex content.)

Backdraft by Miri (X)
- This is an AU telling of the events at Rainbow Bridge. What might have happened if Subaru had known about Hokuto's spell before meeting Seishirou? Very interesting.. (No sex content. Just angst.)

random locker room smut by Spanky (Prince of Tennis)
- Well, the title doesn't lie, kids. Spanky presents Prince of Tennis smut at its finest, featuring an encounter between Tezuka and Fuji in the Seigaku locker room. None of the plot that you didn't want anyway. ^_- Also a cute bit of Inui/Kaidoh at the end. Need I state that this is smut?

Shadows by L-chan (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- I was very happy to get a new chapter notice for this story today, featuring the unlikeliest of pairings: Touya and a 17?-year-old Tomoyo. Don't not let that scare you, however. Even I, a devout T/Y shipper, am enamored by L-chan's amazing story. It's also very believable (minus the way Yuki disappeared from Touya's life), an all-around beautifully conflicted romance between a teacher and his student that remains true to the spirit of CCS and its characters. Gold stars all around.

In Sickness and in Health by Osmalic (DNAngel)
- I've just read the first few volumes of DNAngel, and I really like the series. This is a nice little fic, sorta Satoshi/Daisuke. Satoshi gets sick, and Daisuke takes care of him, against his mother's wishes. Not the greatest fic ever, but good for a read.

Ryoma and Momo's Big Big Closet Adventure by Penguin (Prince of Tennis)
- I admit, the title sounds weird as hell. But, since this is one of the biggest fluffy/humor TeniPuri fanfics out there, it works. After a prank doesn't turn out *quite* as well as Momo planned, he and Ryoma get locked in a janitor's closet. Also, there's a very amusing scene where Fuji translates the dialogue of a Spanish-speaking PoT cast. And Inui and Kaidoh go head to head over Barbie video games. ::shakes head:: Very strange. Sex content: it's a yaoi pairing-based fic, but there's no actual sex. No kissing, even, though not for Momo's lack of effort.

Belle of the Ball by Kiri (Here is Greenwood)
- An all-grown-up story. It seems to be a day for fluff, ne? Shinobu needs a date for a ball, and Mitsuru looks good in a dress. XD It's a Shinobu/Mitsuru story, very cute (especially since Mitsuru can pull off an airhead act with the best of them). "I ate a salad!" indeed. No sex content.

Freeze My Love by Joudama (Cardcaptor Sakura, Tokyo Babylon, X crossover)
- A warning: as the author says, this story assumes you know three things. A) How Tokyo Babylon ends. B) How CCS ends. C) How the bet in TB ends. If you don't know these things, you either A) will after you read this fic or B) will be very, very confused. The premise is simple: what if the Sakurazukamori had had another encounter under the cherry tree besides Subaru? And what if that boy was a young Touya Kinomoto, desperate to protect his sister? The fic quickly fast-forwards several years, to the point where Sakura is 16 and Touya/Yukito is a reality. Very beautiful story, and I *definitely* recommend that you read the Annexes - stories dealing with life after Nadeshiko's death - whether or not you read the rest of the fic.

Wankage by the members of Rikki (X, Hikaru no Go, Prince of Tennis, CLAMP Campus Detectives, Cardcaptor Sakura, and lord knows what else)
- This is the anime crossover to beat all anime crossovers. These girls have managed to take some of my favorite anime series and make them not only a coherent story, but a good one as well. It all starts when Isumi (HnG) starts wondering about who his birth parents are and hires the CCD to find out.. and Akira hires the Sumeragi clan to investigate Hikaru.. and Seishirou forms an unholy alliance with two very disturbing junior high students.. Sex content: none so far.

Through A Shattered Mirror by Rushlight (Harry Potter)
- I really thought I hated this story when I started reading it, but by the end I found myself strangely intrigued. WARNING: NC-17. *Heavy* sex content, some of it non-consensual, some of it more BDSM. When Harry is captured by the Death Eaters, he finds salvation in an unlikely place.

Though I Walk Through the Valley by KouriArashi (Yami no Matsuei)
Prologue-Part 3, Part 4
- In progress. After the incident that takes place at the point where the anime ended (trying to avoid spoilers, lol), Tsuzuki and Hisoka are given a strange case to investigate. Of course, we can't have YnM fics without much angst and confusion and all-around difficulties, can we? ^_^; I'd classify this as possibly pre-slash Tsuzuki/Hisoka, and there's no sex content (so far). This one also gets a bonus because it gives Watari and Tatsumi screen time, which I love.

The Deal by Green (Hikaru no Go)
- While I don't think I agree with the premise of this story, it's well-done and worth a read anyway. Told from Akira's POV, this is about his childhood and the reason he began playing Go. Green has an interesting idea, to say the least.

Hanashi by B.Na (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- An absolutely wonderful story about Touya and Sakura right after their mother died. Touya is the best big brother in fiction, in my opinion, and it's lovely to find fics dealing with how he cared for his sister when she was small.

Crucius by Dolores Crane (Harry Potter)
- You can blame my roommate for this one. Susan has gotten me addicted to Harry/Snape stories, a pairing that I utterly refused to believe I would like. This is a somewhat weird story, wherein Harry drops of school at the beginning of fifth year, asks Snape to instruct him in DADA, and acts like an actual teenage boy (or at least a reasonable facsimilie thereof). Not the greatest story I've ever read, but worth reading. (smut)

The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Jacqueline H. Valentine (Harry Potter)
- This is a fic with both Snape and Harry in it, but not a Harry/Snape fic (at least, it shows no signs of being one so far - Harry is smitten with Ginny Weasley). Somewhat similiar to Crucius, but I liked this one much better. After graduation, Harry becomes Snape's official apprentice, learning DADA from the potions master. I really like the characterization here, and some of my favorite parts are the little details (like Snape and Madame Hooch's games at dinner time). It's still in progress, but there's a lot already written.

White Hands by Leareth (Tokyo Babylon/X)
- Seishirou has been keeping tabs on the onmyouji, and his curiousity is awakened after seeing Subaru perform what *should* have been a routine exorcism.

Fujiwara by Catwho (Hikaru no Go)
- After stopping by an antique shop with Akira, Hikaru finds out the hard way that you should be careful what you wish for when he is transported back in time to Heian-era Japan, a few months after Sai's death. In progress, but it's looking interesting. A bit of suspended disbelief might be necessary, but come on, it's just a story (and the author has done some research).

Neverending Chase by Peach-Fanta (Prince of Tennis)
- Hints of Fujicest. Yuuta reminisces about his childhood and his brother. A lovely little oneshot about my current favorite pairing.

TV Set and Match by Snow Bunny (Cardcaptor Sakura)
- A wonderful Touya/Yukito fic with the standard "Touya and Yuki confess their love and get it on" plot, but I just adore this one. (Contains smut.) That's one thing that sets this fic apart from the typical HappyFluffyLoveConfession then FadeToBlack ending, but another is the fact that this is also a Fujitaka Finds Out! story. I do so love Fujitaka-sensei, and any story time that he gets is okay by me. Only one chapter left, but Snow Bunny updates pretty often, and it's not a terrible cliffhanger, so it's all good.