Title: With Six You Get Eggroll
Fandom: due South
Pairing: RayK/Fraser, RayV/Stella
Categories: Slash, romance, kids, post-series
Length: Long (31,000 words)
Warnings: Kissing. That's as heavy as it gets.

Author on LJ: cesperanza
Author on AO3: Speranza
Author Website: Speranza's Fiction

Summary:
Ray burst out laughing. "Benny! You've developed a sense of humor!"

"Yes, Ray." Fraser lowered the gun and showed him an amused look. "Six immaculate conceptions will do that to you."

Review:
I'm running late, so you're getting another one of my old favourites. This time it's a Speranza story that is unaccountably not yet listed; unaccountably because it's by far my favourite of hers.

The basic premise is that things happened a little differently at the end of the series finale. If you cast your minds back, you may recall that the Vecchios headed south to run a bowling alley, Huey and Dewey opened a comedy club, Welsh stayed behind his desk, Thatcher became a Canadian intelligence operative, Turnbull ran for public office, Ray and Fraser went off in search of Franklin's Hand, and Francesca had six immaculate conceptions. In this slightly alternate universe, everyone swaps. Now the Duck Boys have the bowling alley, Frannie is Chicago's favourite comedienne, Meg stays at the Consulate, Turnbull of all people becomes the spy, and Welsh is the one running for Mayor. Ray and Stella decide on a Canadian adventure honeymoon, and stop off at a certain log cabin on their way out. Where they find that Fraser and Kowalsky have adopted. Six times, because "With six you get eggroll."

The writing is beautifully lyrical, and puts you at your ease despite the general air of chaos that surrounds any well-grounded due South story. And with six kids of widely varying ages, there is plenty of chaos. The kids all have different problems, some more than others, and Ray and Benton have to act as a team to deal with them. This isn't a perfect family, not by any stretch of the imagination, and the story doesn't try to disguise that. It feels real, in that way that good fiction makes you want to believe in the characters despite, or perhaps because of, their faults.

And that's it. There's no great plot, just a slice of family life. Quirky family, but could a due South family be anything else? It's still one of the most loving and inspiring stories I've read, so it's my pleasure to pass it on to you now.

With Size You Get Eggroll: illustrated version or text only.

Title: Occupy Camelot
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Categories: Canon AU, humor, drama, romance
Length: Epic (41,762 words)
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: stagarden
Author Website: stagarden

Author's Summary:
After Arthur promises the spirit of the Druid boy who possessed Sir Elyan to treat the Druids with the respect they deserve, he is soon put to the test. A large group of Druid protesters shows up in his courtyard to demand that he honor that promise, and they stage increasingly outrageous demonstrations to advance their agenda. Arthur is quickly drawn to their leader, Merlin. A story based loosely on the “Occupy Wall Street” protests in Manhattan.

Review:
This is an absolutely delightful story. On the surface, it might seem odd to combine canon-era Merlin with the Occupy movement, but it works. It really, really works.

I really loved the equanimity with which Arthur approached the protest, no matter how obnoxious or obscene it became. Even when the protestors' skits portrayed him negatively - a false king kicking a sorcerer in the arse or striking a woman, for example, Arthur kept his cool and demonstrated the kind of Kingship I like to see.

He is clearly smitten with Merlin from the first glance, and the way the relationship between them evolved was absolutely lovely and sweet. Despite Merlin's position as a part of a protest against him, Arthur showed Merlin kindness and care, and even offered advice on how to deal with some of the problems that inevitably come up with communal outdoor living. There are so many little details here that the author handled with aplomb -- the way that the group functioned as a collective, the challenges that come with trying to get everyone to do their part, the committees, the mission statement...it was all so well executed.

While there are anachronisms aplenty, they never felt jarring. The author took the concepts associated with the modern Occupy movement and translated them to the Merlin setting perfectly, crafting a story that is both thoughtful and entertaining.

Occupy Camelot

Title: Then You Think Again
Fandom:  Teen Wolf
Pairing:  Derek/Stiles
Categories:  Marriage of Convenience, Romance
Length:  Long (22,552)
Warnings:  Implied underage because Stiles is 16

Author on LJ:  N/A
Author Website:  AO3

Summary:"Holy crap! Why the hell did you lie to incredibly powerful magical beings with trust issues? How was that Plan A?"

Derek says, "We're not arguing about this, it's already done."

"Like hell we're not fighting about this," Stiles says, indignant. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking it was worth the risk if it kept you alive! And it worked, so drop it."

"You had no idea that it was going to work!" Stiles throws his hands up. Why is Derek the most frustrating werewolf in the history of ever, why is Stiles even helping him, why is this his life? "Why did they even believe you in the first place?"

Derek says, "You reeked of me," which is unfair. Stiles only smelled because he'd gotten covered in Derek's bodily fluids trying to staunch the bleeding.

Review: After an encounter with a group of hags forces Derek to claim Stiles as his mate, Stiles finds himself living a crash-course in Werewolf Marriage 101. The author uses the mystical werewolf mating bond to great effect here. This is no Pretend Mates fic -- for all intents and purposes, Derek is bonded to Stiles for life. That is where a lot of Teen Wolf mating bond stories end, but in "Then You Think Again," that's only the beginning.

Leah K. charmingly (and sometimes hilariously!) introduces Derek as a permanent fixture in Stiles's life, with all of the difficulties you might expect. The reactions from the secondary characters are perfect. Scott, especially, is well-characterized in his post-season two attitudes towards Derek. I also loved the interactions between Derek and the sheriff. But my favorite thing about this story is the developing relationship between Derek and Stiles as they slowly fall for each other, despite their initial plans to keep their relationship platonic. For the most part, this is a light-hearted read, but there are some bittersweet moments that really spoke true to my own experiences of being in a relationship, the sting of arguments and words snapped without thinking. Leah K. does a great job of illustrating that marriage is work, although entirely worth it. Because of that, I think this story might appeal to readers who typically prefer established relationship stories, as well as to first-time fans like me. This story includes the thrill and obsession of first love, but it's layered over quiet domestic moments (and the occasional supernatural menace). This is a story I turn to again and again when I need a pick-me-up.

Then You Think Again