caffeine diary

I just signed up for Secret Slasha, as I have every year since 2004. I'm still dithering about Yuletide.

It would make me sad not to sign up for Yuletide, because it's a tradition, but there are valid reasons why not:
+Last year I kind of flunked; I did read and comment on my gift fic, but there were various Treats that I still haven't gotten around to reading. :/
+There aren't any stories I desperately need. There are totally plenty of requests I could make; I went through the list o' fandoms and made a list o' possible requests, but nothing that went I MUST HAVE THAT.
+I haven't written any fic since last Yuletide/Secret Slasha.
+I don't really need deadlines in my life.

I'm thinking I might just stalk the pinch hit list (although without internet at home that's harder to do).

Or maybe I'll just do Yuletide Madness, if it's open to all AO3 users. (I've emailed the mods to ask them; I seem to recall some debate about this last year although there's no record of it in yuletide_admin. Madness is my favorite part, anyhow (Last Minute Panic suits my writing technique best *g*), so that would be a good compromise.

Title: "Amazing Grace"
Fandom: The universe whose canon is comprised by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
Pairing: Nina Ash/Tara Maclay
Other pairings mentioned: Are all canonical.
Rating: R
Spoilers/Timeline: Tara's story goes AU after "Tabula Rasa;" spoilers through "Unleashed." Post-BtVS.
Disclaimer: Joss's pretties, not mine.
Notes: Written as a pinch hit for dariclone in secret_slasha 2008. Originally posted here.
Summary: Tara has really bad luck with group activities.
Wordcount: 868

( Tara knows she shouldn't have come to Berkeley, and yet -- )

Title: "Swaddle"
Fandom: Buffy: the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Faith/Tara
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers/Timeline: Er, AU sometime. Not very spoilery.
Notes: For Prophecy Girl in secret_slasha 2007.
Summary: All bundled up and nowhere to go.
Words: 1111

( sweaty, sweltering, Faith is frelling sick of California winters )

+All the stories can be found here.

First, the fic written for me: Joyce Summers' Calendar: July 1998. Joyce/Pat. I really enjoyed this. It's a time of in Joyce's life when she needs some happiness and some distraction, both of which Pat supplies. The fic is whimsical without being silly and understated without ignoring the difficult emotions. And the slash is both completely natural and a complete break from reality as Joyce knows it. All in all deftly done. A++ would request Joyce/any again.

And all the rest:
Long Winter's Nap. Xander/Oz. The writing is very good, with strong characterization. Oz who's not understated, Xander who's not overstated, and the OTP arises naturally from their circumstances. Like Oz himself, these men and their relationship just feel right, nothing excessive or overdone.

Rome, 16:42. Faith/Buffy. Terrific Faith and a Buffy I love. The resolution of their relationship doesn't feel forced, but the angst is at a minimum. Terrific.

Watching Strawberries Lose Their Shape. Buffy/Fred. I read this fic at 2ish in the morning when I was starting to lose coherent thought, and the babbling cuteness of these women cuddling made perfect sense to me. This fic makes me feel so smiling and hopeful for the future of them and their relationship. Wondermous.

Ruin Me. Dana/Faith. What a terrific idea. This is a terrific Faith-fic; she's absolutely in her element here, really astute and totally in control, and the observations that she/the author make please me a lot. The slash makes perfect sense, but the story goes deeper than that.

Last Kiss Before Leaving. Cordelia/Buffy. This is mostly a Cordelia character study, although the slash fits nicely. As a Cordy-fic, though, it's excellent. Some giggle-worthy lines, and a Cordelia-voice that's lots of fun without losing sight of her humanity.

Sign of the Apocalypse. Cordelia/Willow. Another great Cordelia fic. The pairing is not one I appreciate, usually, but this author has sold it in these circumstances. More than a replay of Xander/Cordy, but builds on those dynamics, and never loses sight of either girl's character. It's mostly about Cordelia, but what we do hear from Willow is terrific, and the last line is lovely.

And finally what will probably be the official guilty pleasure of 2007, After All, Buffy/Dawn. I love the way the voices sell it, the way it feels like the Buffy and the Dawn I know although they're doing something I imagine they wouldn't. Perfect incesty mix of oh-so-wrong/feels-so-right.

There are several other good-to-great stories in the archive, and several that I'm sure you'd enjoy If You Like That Sort of Thing, but the stories above are probably my favorites.

+There are two fics of mine in the archive. For each that you can correctly identify before the reveal, I will write (if you choose) a Buffyverse slashfic in the pairing of your choice*. Sometime before next year's Secret Slasha. (And I remembered to screen comments, so you can go ahead and guess.)

Now. Where is my Yuletide! And why have I not started attempting quiche, muffins, and other breakfasty foods? Besides coffee. Coffee I can make. Perhaps I shall make myself some right now.


*With the caveat that you could request, e.g., Xander/Angel, but it would totally suck, so I don't know why you'd want to.

Title: "Dreaming When the Moon is Void"
Fandom: Buffy: the Vampire Slayer
Featured characters: Dawn, Tara
Do they (want to) have sex (with each other)? Pretty much one-sided.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Dawn is underage and has sexual feelings. (Whodathought?)
Spoilers/Timeline: late S6
Disclaimer: Joss's, not mine.
Notes: Written for Lexus in Secret Slasha 2006.
Summary: You get dizzy, then you die.
Wordcount: 1150

( Dawn closes her eyes and spins, and spins, and spins )

Title: "Fearless"
Fandom: Buffy: the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy/Faith
Other pairings mentioned: Buffy/Angel
Rating: R
Warnings: Character death
Spoilers/Timeline: Through the end of S3. AU.
Notes: For Valancy in Secret Slasha 2004. Reposted August, 2007.
Summary: Be not afraid, for lo (there's nothing left to fear).
Wordcount: 1322

( They are both young girls, yet (and therefore as a result) not afraid to die. )