~ Fic Recs ~
Due South

 

updated May 29, 2007

Gen

In the Sewers He Lies Dreaming, by spuffyduds

Due South/Lovecraft
(gen)

2,100 words
added May 29, 2007

Author's summary

It's a Due South/Lovecraft crossover. I don't know what's WRONG with me. Help!

Why you should read this

Dude. It's a Due South/Lovecraft crossover. How can you not read this?

Seriously, it's beyond fabulous. It's total crack, but it works perfectly, mostly because of Fraser and Ray's bang-on reactions to what's happening. Reading this story will make your day. Go, shoo, read!

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Carnival, by Therienne

(gen)

18,675 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

A day off at the carnival leads to strange behavior by Fraser, and an alliance between Ray and Thatcher to discover the truth.

Why you should read this

Every time I look at this, I think "I'll just read a little bit", and then get sucked in and have to re-read the entire thing again. The characterization is fantastic, the voices are spot-on, the plot and subplots are fun, and the secondary characters and OCs are perfect. Ray in this is a Ray-ish delight, full of snark and attitude even as he half-kills himself to do whatever is necessary to be there for his friend, even if it means teaming up with the Dragon Lady. Thatcher is totally Thatcher -- and sympathetic. And Fraser bends without breaking.

The story does what the show manages so well: taking something serious and blending it with humor. There's nothing funny about the main storyline here, but you'll grin, and sometimes giggle, your way through it anyway.

The link goes to the story on Therienne's webpage. If you'd rather read it on an archive, go here.

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Home Is Where the Hearth Is, by Therienne

(gen)

27,700 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

Ray's simple wish for privacy turns into something far more complicated.

Why you should read this

Fabulous characterization, sharp dialogue, well-drawn OCs, intertwining plot lines, humor, danger, snark, affection -- this story has it all. It reads like an episode, as one apparently innocuous thing leads steadily to ever more outrageous things, sweeping Fraser and Ray along. Wonderful stuff.

The link goes to the story on Therienne's webpage. If you'd rather read it on an archive, go here.

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And How Was Your Day? by Katrina Bowen

(gen)

1,429 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

Here's one for all the Diefenlovers out there -- as if one "Day Off" could ever be enough for him.

Why you should read this

I admit it, I'm a sucker for a good Dief story, and this fits the bill nicely. It's Dief's POV, as he spends his day hunting hot dogs and ice cream (with great skill), helping out some foolish humans, and just generally enjoying himself.

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Het

An Officer and a Gentleman, by Laura Kaye

(het - Frannie/Welsh)

4,056 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

Frannie's a cop, dammit. She can be brave.

Why you should read this

I like Frannie; I like Welsh. I've never particularly felt the need to read fanfic for either of them. I've definitely never been interested in het for this fandom, between any of the characters. And I'm not interested in third-season DS.

And yet Laura completely charmed me with a Frannish/Welsh story set after third season. This is some good writing and good characterization, here.

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Slash

Negotiations and Love Songs, by brynnmck

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

6,648 words
added May 29, 2007

Author's summary

This wasn't how it was supposed to be, dammit. Almost since they'd met, he and Fraser had just clicked. Partners. Simpatico. Sure, Fraser was crazy and Ray didn't use his turn signals, but basically, they fit, they always had. Until.

Why you should read this

Simpatico is exactly what they're not, at the beginning of this. They're out of step, and it's killing Ray. From there, it moves into something tense and raw, which turns out to be hot as hell, in a sweet, loving way. And all of it in a fabulous Ray voice, one that pulls you right in from the first word.

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Odd-Numbered Nights, by Salieri

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

985 words
added May 29, 2007

Author's summary

none

Why you should read this

Salieri took one of the most intense eps of first season -- The Deal -- and wrote an aftermath that does everything DS did so well: it's grim, and light, and creepy, and funny, and warm, and guilty, and sweet, all at the same time. And all in just under a thousand words.

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The Sight of the Stars, by brynnmck

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

3,197 words
added May 29, 2007

Author's summary

The bad news was that the room was small, cold, and looked like it had been decorated by a ten-year-old kid who had wet dreams about warp cores. The good news was that it had a fully-stocked mini bar. The really bad news was that it only had one bed, but Ray had high hopes that the good news was going to help him forget about that.

Why you should read this

Two men in one hotel room -- pretty much always a good thing, in my book. This one is set post-Starman, with Fraser and Ray stuck at the hotel till the next day and having to take the only room available, to Ray's dismay. There are a lot of little touches and phrases in this that I just adore, and as always, brynnmck's voices are wonderful.

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Or, the Whale, by Leda

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

600 words
added November 22, 2006

Author's summary

It's no nightmare.

Why you should read this

This is very short -- a 600-word flashfic piece -- but it packs a lot into that, managing to be surreal and cool, and hopeful and warm, all in less than a thousand words. Ray really is the hero of Fraser's life.

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Sign Language, by SDWolfpup

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

12,800 words
added November 22, 2006

Author's summary

Ray pulled out his badge and held it out in front of him. "Look lady, I'm a cop, he's a Mountie, we're after fruit." When good stakeouts go bad.

Why you should read this

One of the things I love best about Due South is the way it mixes genuine emotion and connection with surreal wackiness that somehow all comes together in the end. SDWolfpup's pulled that off here, blending a delicate, fragile movement toward a deeper relationship with... a case about fruit and a stakeout gone bad.

I'm also a complete sucker for that moment when one person makes the leap of faith and dares to reach for his partner in a non-platonic way, and this one left me breathless with delight. This is good stuff, here.

The link goes to part 1 on SDWolfpup's website. She links to the final part at the bottom, but just in case, here's a direct link to part 2.

If you prefer to read on Livejournal, go here for part 1 and here for part 2.

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The Eskimo Thing, by Merry

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

6,672 words
added March 15, 2006

Author's summary

"I just want you to know, Benny, this is the last time I'm going on vacation with you."

Why you should read this

I've been waiting years for Merry to finish a Due South story, because I knew just how good it would be once she did -- and she didn't disappoint at all, here. This is a wonderfully warm, funny, snarky, caring, cranky, awkward, sexy, hot first time, as wonderfully surreal as only Due South can get away with being. She nailed the voices and the rhythms, making me incredibly happy.

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Hard Candy, by aerye

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

4,143 words
added March 15, 2006

Author's summary

Fluff! Fluff and sex! Sex and domesticity!

Why you should read this

This is sweet and hot and lovely, with great voices and characterization and domesticity that's just them, with Ray taking care of everyone all gruff and snarky and careful and Fraser polite and attentive and never missing a beat. The relationship between them is so quietly solid and there it left me beaming in delight; this is no angst fest, just two people who fit into each other's lives. The whole feel of the piece is lovely, with Ray's life one long stream of organized chaos with him at the center of it, capable and competent, but never alone, always with Fraser as part of his center.

The above link goes to the story on aerye's webpage. If you prefer to read on Livejournal, it's here.

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Conviction, by china_shop

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

5,469 words
added March 15, 2006

Author's summary

Ray was forced to admit that not only did he have a type that included guys but, even worse, he had the same taste in guys as his little sister Frannie.

Why you should read this

Fantastic Ray voice in this one. China_shop builds steadily from pre-show through canon, using a few key moments to meld her story into the show's timeline - including one scene that I think is the slashiest thing the show ever did, in terms of sheer emotion and reaction - creating a very believable first time that I loved. Ray's internal progression felt dead-on to me all the way through.

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One Man's Kink, by Ethan Nelson

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

8,626 words
added March 15, 2006

Author's summary

In which Ben is revealed to be only a man, while Ray turns out to be a monster. But in a good way!

Why you should read this

Ethan Nelson (aka Mallory Klohn) is incapable of writing a bad story. This one is more proof of that - great voices, fabulous dialogue, brilliant insanity around every corner, it all adds up to a fantastic story that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

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O My Chevalier, by Mlyn

(pre-slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

2,625 words
added March 15, 2006

Author's summary

none

Why you should read this

This is a lovely, quiet bit of hurt/comfort post-Manhunt, with Fraser depressed from the pain of his injury (and how long it's taking to heal) and Ray just *there* for him. I've always thought that injury should have affected Fraser more, especially with Buck as foreshadowing of things to come for him, and Mlyn does a wonderful job of following that up. Her Fraser is very human and vulnerable, and her Ray is all care and concern.

And then, just as wonderfully, she wrote a sequel, listed below.

Note: Mlyn's LJ is now friends-locked and the story has been removed from public view. She appears to be willing to give access to them if asked, so I'm leaving these recs up if anyone's interested, but unlinked. Please go here to leave a comment if you're interested in reading them.

If for some reason the Livejournal link above isn't working, you can check her website: http://www.mlyn.net/. She uses it mainly for her artwork, but it will be her backup for stories if something happens to her LJ.

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Treading Carefully, by Mlyn

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

7,174 words
added March 15, 2006

Author's summary

none

Why you should read this

This is the sequel to O My Chevalier (although you don't need to read that one to enjoy this), and like that one is an ep-related hurt/comfort story, this (mostly) post-North. The 'case' part of the plot is wonderfully weird, absolutely perfect for Due South, and the relationship between Benny and Ray is one I totally believe, with fantastic voices and emotional arc for both of them - by North they've put each other through the wringer and they both know it, and they're both trying to deal with that while holding on to their friendship. There's a weariness and a sense of uncertainty underlying things after everything they've been through, but more than anything else is their connection and the trust between them. Just... go read this.

Note: Mlyn's LJ is now friends-locked and the story has been removed from public view. She appears to be willing to give access to them if asked, so I'm leaving these recs up if anyone's interested, but unlinked. Please go here to leave a comment if you're interested in reading them.

If for some reason the Livejournal link above isn't working, you can check her website: http://www.mlyn.net/. She uses it mainly for her artwork, but it will be her backup for stories if something happens to her LJ.

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Free Parking, by Ethan Nelson

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

9,030 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

In which Ray and Ben hang out in the cabin listening to soppy Canadian music and playing Monopoly till all hours of the night. Ray speaks bad Italian, Ben brings his own lube... what else can I say?

Why you should read this

Ethan Nelson (aka Mallory Klohn) has a wonderful ability to capture the absurd moments in life and build fabulous stories around them, both funny and hot. This one is no exception. What I love most about is the sheer delight of it all -- Fraser and Ray's delight in each other, Ethan's delight in them both, my delight at it all. If you're looking for a sexy story that will make you smile or even laugh, not just because it's funny but because it will make you feel so damn good you can't help yourself -- give this one a shot. You won't be disappointed.

The link above goes to the story on Ethan's site. If you'd rather read it on the Due South archive, go here.

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Among the Evergreens, by Basingstoke

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

7,257 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

A missing scene from the pilot...

Why you should read this

This slotted neatly into the pilot and did a great job of capturing Fraser and Ray -- voices, attitudes, everything. This is obviously set before they'd gotten to know each other well, but the connection between them is there, and it made me happy.

The link above goes to the story on Basingstoke's page. If you prefer to read on an archive, you can also find it here.

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Soluble, by Basingstoke

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

939 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

--for anyone who needed something sweet after "Spandrel."

note: "Spandrel" is another of Bas's stories, for which she emphatically warns "I am not a romantic". Which I didn't read, because I am a romantic. *g*

Why you should read this

This is short, but captures Fraser and Ray perfectly for me -- Fraser's uncompromising devotion to duty and his emotional focus on Ray, Ray's grouchy, acerbic exterior and his gentle, unspoken care of Fraser. I loved this one.

The link above goes to the story on Basingstoke's page. If you prefer to read on an archive, you can also find it here.

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Upon the Feast of Stephen, by Pares

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

9,229 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

Hearth, home, camping and Good King Wenceslas.

Why you should read this

This really brings home the show's underlying current of gentle affection and whimsy. Ray and Fraser's relationship is warm and comfortable for them both, running along its snarky, deadpan, teasing groove, but with more beneath the surface for each of them. The discovery of their deeper feelings, woven naturally into the bustle of Christmas preparations, is an effortless slide into another level.

The above link goes to the story on Pares's site; if you'd rather read it on the DS archive, go here.

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In Your Corner, by Pares

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

4,448 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

The past has a way of catching up with you.

Why you should read this

This is hurt/comfort set after "The Duel", using some classic slash tropes in a fresh way. While it's definitely a slash story, it's even more an interior Ray piece, as he offers comfort to Fraser while dealing with his own internal conflict between his feelings for Fraser and his upbringing and image. I loved her Ray voice in this; it felt spot on to me, and I was hurting for him during this. Beautifully done.

The above link goes to the story on Pares's site; if you'd rather read it on the DS archive, go here.

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Friday, by Basingstoke

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

1,102 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

Fraser and Vecchio go on a date.

Why you should read this

This is a lighthearted look at the trials and tribulations of dating for these two, given their ability to stumble across trouble pretty much anywhere. You'll be smiling when you're done with it.

The link above goes to the story on Basingstoke's page. If you prefer to read on an archive, you can also find it here.

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Acharnement, by AC Chapin

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

5,498 words
added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

none

Why you should read this

This was one of the defining stories in the fandom when it was written, with a more broken Fraser than was usual at the time and a dark edge to it. The writing is clear but the style is less so, shifting from being wholly anchored in a particular moment to jumping to another wholly-anchored moment, tapping into just how disjointed, disconnected, Fraser is here. It's very effective, and a little disturbing.

note: The formatting in parts of this story went wonky when it was archived, with a few sentences split into two paragraphs, and some should-be-split paragraphs pulled together into one, but since the effect is to add to the disjointedness of the story, it sorta works. *g*

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This Error, by Pares and Laura Shapiro

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

9,750 words
added October 20, 2005

Authors' summary

Set post-"North". It was a waterfall.

Why you should read this

This picks up immediately after North ends, while they're still in the wilderness but are no longer simply trying to survive. As some of that tension leaves, other stresses start making an appearance. Fraser and Ray feel spot on to me here -- caring deeply about each other but not always managing to understand what the other one is really saying, because of their very different approaches to life. Watching them work their way past that barrier here is a quiet joy.

The above link goes to the story on Pares's site. If you want to read it on Laura's site, go here (it's up as a .txt file, formatted for email).

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Paths I Fear to Tread, by Cara Chapel

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

added October 20, 2005

Author's summary

Follow Without Pride - PIFTT 1. Mysterious gifts of money lead to old friends... and old enemies. Fraser/Vecchio. AU. Episode-related.

Breathe Your Breath - PIFTT 2. A game of cat and mouse in the wild outdoors leads to mayhem and tenderness, but not to a cashier's check. Fraser/Vecchio. AU. Episode-related. PG-13.

Day of Knowing - PIFTT 3. Ray Vecchio tries to overcome his doubts and Fraser tries to reclaim his life. Fraser/Vecchio. AU. Episode-related. NC-17.

Why you should read this

This is actually a series in progress, so far in three parts. It's clearly unfinished -- the third part ends on something of a cliffhanger. And given that the last part was posted in 2001, my guess is that it's never going to be completed. I'm hesitant to rec it because of that, but on the other hand, this is fantastic.

The premise is AU -- Ray never shot Fraser at the train station, and Fraser left with Victoria. I was hesitant when I saw that, but I trust Cara's writing, and I wasn't wrong to. She handles this beautifully, breaking Fraser in ways I wouldn't have believed in a weaker writer's hands, and not going the easy route of Love Fixes Everything -- Fraser's been damaged to the core, and it's a struggle to heal. Ray's facing a struggle of his own -- not just to help Fraser heal, but to deal with his own growing attraction to him, when he thinks of himself as entirely straight. All of this plays out against the gripping, well-told storylines about Fraser's life with Victoria and Ray's attempts to rescue him, then complications back home.

I desperately want to read the next, non-existent part, to find out what happens, but I don't regret having read the first three, even having been left hanging.

The links above go to the stories on Cara's site. The layout there is designed for 800x600 resolutions, and will be distracting at higher resolutions (the background image isn't wide enough, and starts to repeat).

Update: As I haven't been able to find a website for Cara since hers vanished in late 2005/early 2006, I'm giving up on trying to find these stories anywhere but the DSA archive. If someone knows of a new site for her work, I'd love to hear about it.

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Cold Heart, by Dorothy Marley

(slash - Vecchio/Fraser, Fraser/Cooper)

19,124 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

Fraser is acting strangely, and an unexpected visit from a man from his past only makes Ray more determined to discover what's wrong.

Why you should read this

This is a fairly disturbing read, for much of it -- this Fraser is broken, and knows it, and is too broken to care. Fortunately, Ray is there, in all his Rayness.

The writing is powerful; the imagery Dorothy surrounds Fraser with avoids being overbearing, instead building an oppressive sense of the world he's living in, while every one of Ray's appearances in Fraser's life provides counterbalancing imagery -- it's beautifully done, and gets right to the heart of what's shaped both men during their lives.

One note: This is technically a crossover with Twin Peaks, but the crossover part is more backstory than anything else.

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Lullaby, by Katrina Bowen

(slash -- Fraser/Vecchio)

2,792 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

none

Why you should read this

This is a charmer of a first-time story, full of humor and snark and that moment where one character takes the plunge and admits what he feels, not knowing how it will be received. It even manages to get in some hurt/comfort, which is always a plus.

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Stages, by Dorothy Marley

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

3,901 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

A small cabin, a cold night, two lonely cops.

Why you should read this

Dorothy calls this a PWP, but it isn't -- there's plot here, if a quiet, understated one. Her Ray is a little weary, a lot self-aware, and wonderfully brave. The writing is dead-on for me: voices, characterization, pacing, emotional tone, all of it. It's set during the pilot, after the battle in the snow, as Fraser and Ray deal with physical and emotional exhaustion.

It starts out warm and works its way steadily toward hot, then ends in a way that makes perfect sense and will leave you desperate for more.

Fortunately, there's a sequel.

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Stages II, by Dorothy Marley

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

5,198 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

When Fraser is transferred back to Chicago, Ray realizes that they need to have a little chat. This story is a sequel to Stages I.

Why you should read this

This is the sequel to Stages, and picks up shortly after that one ends. Without undercutting even a second of the first story's ending, it moves Fraser and Ray forward with an easy naturalness that completely satisfies me. And the writing, of course, is top-notch -- I don't think Dorothy Marley could write a poorly-written story if she tried.

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Moh Mear! by Karen Rossi

(slash - Fraser/Vecchio)

17,822 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

Ray's imaginative sex drive lands him and Fraser in a bind. Will Ben ever forgive him for this one?

Why you should read this

This never fails to make me laugh out loud. The situation itself isn't actually funny, but the writing nails the absurd aspects and leaves me giggling through much of it. and that's -- pretty much all you need to know. <g> Go read this if you need a giggle.

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Dark Time, by Katrina Bowen

The Sentinel/Due South
(slash - Jim/Blair, RayV/Benny)

8,309 words
added June 15, 2005

Author's summary

none

Why you should read this

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first DS/TS crossover ever written, which would make it worth reading just for that. Happily, there are more reasons as well.

Katrina has a deft touch with all of the characters here, including the secondary characters from Due South that appear (the story takes place in Chicago), and has both a plausible reason for Jim and Blair to be in Chicago, and a suitably wacky (yet genuine) case for the four of them to be caught up in. It's just fun, watching Jim be grouchily agreeable, Fraser be politely manipulative, Ray be snarkily abrasive and yet totally supportive, and Blair be focused and enthused. She really pulled off having these characters meet and be a bit taken aback by each other, but mesh into a solid working group.

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