Ficrecsinc.
In honour of Bandombigbang, the9thdoctor would like to present her Bandom Fic Rec list.
These are pretty much all total AU fics, because I’m not a huge fan of ones set in real life. There are a few non-AU fics though, so I’ll mark those out in case you want to skip them (I wouldn’t, because they’re brilliant…), Also, most of them are various flavours of slash - but there is genfic, I promise. Well, ONE genfic. Well, one genfic that could read as preslash if your goggles are on too tight.
Anyway, for your reading pleasure here they are - complete with squee.
First up, Frank/Gerard fics. This is my My Chem OTP because if I’m brutally honest, they’re the two hottest. Also, I genuinely like the dynamic between the two in fandom. People usually write Gerard as quiet and shy and Frank as loud and outgoing which makes for interesting reading, especially carried over to an AU setting. Frank/Gerard fics as a whole tend to be long and plotty. This is not to say that there isn’t a whole world of PWP fic out there, of course, but something about the two of them and the authors they attract seems ideal for more epic stories.
The Unholy ‘verse by bexless: http://www.waxjism.org/bex/b07_unholy.html
Up The Line by tabula_x_rasa: http://tabula-x-rasa.livejournal.com/351478.html
Anatomy Of A Fall by novembersmith: http://archiveofourown.org/works/155168/chapters/223138
Up Till Now by bellheim: http://bellheim.livejournal.com/278198.html
Gerard Way’s (Vampire) Detective Agency by jjtaylor: http://jjtaylor.livejournal.com/343396.html
Nightswimming by waxjism: http://www.waxjism.org/shame/stories/nightswimming.html
The Holly Golightly Club by fluffontop: http://fluffontop.livejournal.com/521654.html
Thing-Thing by sinsense: http://sinsense.livejournal.com/428267.html
The Fall And Rise Of The Black Parade by wordslinging: http://wordslinging.livejournal.com/13483.html
Can Never Wrong This Right by theopteryx: http://theopteryx.livejournal.com/21648.html
Deadly Masquerade by rhymer: http://rhymer.dreamwidth.org/440.html
Now, Pete/Patrick fic… If you’re working your way through this list, then a. Go you! And b. You’ll have read quite a few Pete/Mikey fics as well. Don’t get me wrong, I like Pete/Mikey as a background pairing, but really my heart belongs to Pete/Patrick. Pete is insane and Patrick is (usually) laid back, and I adore the overturning convention in Pete/Patrick fic where the more *conventionally* attractive one is the one who is usually pining desperately over the one most people overlook. This pairing tends to get quite soulmate-y at times, mainly because Pete makes it totally obvious IRL that he adores Patrick, and you get the feeling that Patrick is kinda embarrassed, but loves the attention all the same.
In Between Arms by alfirin_kirinki: http://damagereport.livejournal.com/6129.html?format=light
This Glorified Graffiti by cityfibers: http://cityfibers.livejournal.com/2686.html
Many Things Lacking Names by provetheworst: http://provetheworst.livejournal.com/325828.html
BeWentzed by scribblinlenore : http://scribblinlenore.livejournal.com/473276.html
Turn My Head Into Sound by ficbyzee: http://ficbyzee.livejournal.com/224156.html
Interesting by valerie-z: http://valerie-z.livejournal.com/772198.html
Concatenation, The Birth Of Babel, And Other Acoustic Rebellions by swanswan: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7133/chapters/9225
Nightingale (And Not The Lark) by redorchids : http://redorchids.livejournal.com/62107.html
The Phrase That Pays by ladyofthequill: http://ladyofthequill.livejournal.com/16903.html
This Story’s Going Somewhere by jamjar: http://jamjar.livejournal.com/99731.html
The Sun Always Shines Here by alwayseven: http://alwayseven.livejournal.com/208230.html
Panic! At The Disco fic is kinda interesting because I don’t actually have an OTP. I enjoy all possible combinations including GSF. Earlier fics tended to be more geared towards Brendon/Ryan due to the hero-worship Brendon had for him... Later on though, after the split, Brendon/Spencer becomes more popular probably because of the idea that they *both* left Ryan for each other. Either way, the other two are usually getting it on in the background of the fic.
Here are some of my favourites though…
A Love Song By Any Other Name by formerlydf: http://formerlydf.livejournal.com/63456.html
Into The Woods by manipulant: http://bandombigbang.livejournal.com/102072.html
But Not The Song by ignipes and emilyray: http://shacklesnchains.livejournal.com/446.html
And Some You Do For by softlyforgotten: http://softlyforgotten.livejournal.com/186212.html#cutid1
Need You Wild by allfourinches: http://allfourinches.livejournal.com/8902.html
The Negotiation Limerick File by passé_simple: http://passe-simple.livejournal.com/15496.html
Everyone else and genfic:
Objects In Motion by airgiodslv: http://airgiodslv.livejournal.com/520692.html
The Hammond Affair by queensheep: http://queensheep.livejournal.com/8484.html
Absence Sort Of Does Make The Heart by cimorene: http://www.cimorene.net/cimorene/band/absencesortofdoes.html
Waking Life by mahoni: http://mahoni.livejournal.com/541172.html
These are pretty much all total AU fics, because I’m not a huge fan of ones set in real life. There are a few non-AU fics though, so I’ll mark those out in case you want to skip them (I wouldn’t, because they’re brilliant…), Also, most of them are various flavours of slash - but there is genfic, I promise. Well, ONE genfic. Well, one genfic that could read as preslash if your goggles are on too tight.
Anyway, for your reading pleasure here they are - complete with squee.
First up, Frank/Gerard fics. This is my My Chem OTP because if I’m brutally honest, they’re the two hottest. Also, I genuinely like the dynamic between the two in fandom. People usually write Gerard as quiet and shy and Frank as loud and outgoing which makes for interesting reading, especially carried over to an AU setting. Frank/Gerard fics as a whole tend to be long and plotty. This is not to say that there isn’t a whole world of PWP fic out there, of course, but something about the two of them and the authors they attract seems ideal for more epic stories.
The Unholy ‘verse by bexless: http://www.waxjism.org/bex/b07_unholy.html
Basically, one of the best known AU fics out there. Gerard is a Roman Catholic priest and Frank is a trainee tattooist with stigmata. It’s obviously packed to the gills with pining and UST, but instead of that being the driving force behind the excellently thought out and fast-paced plotline, it all feels very natural. There’s even some Mikey/Ray, which is usually pretty adorable. If you’re interested, the sixth guy, Brian, is My Chem’s ex-manager. There are two sequels, which get better and better, so read those as well. They’re massive though, so settle in with a glass of wine. And read the rest of bexless’ bandom fics while you’re there. The Cinderella one is pure genius.
Up The Line by tabula_x_rasa: http://tabula-x-rasa.livejournal.com/351478.html
The massive WWI AU. Don’t let that put you off - I didn’t read it for a while because I thought it sounded too depressing, and it kind of is, but it’s beautiful at the same time. Basically, Gerard the Red Cross ambulance driver and Frank the Corsican sapper fall in love in the trenches, while Panic! At The Disco work towards their epic group love affair and Captain Pete never wants to let go of his Lieutenant. The characterisations of everyone blew me away - and this contains most of Bandom. Bill Beckett talks to the war poets, Gabe Saporta is the shellshocked Chaplain, Ray and Bob the army doctors… the author seems to have picked just the right roles for everyone. Just give this one a go, seriously.
Anatomy Of A Fall by novembersmith: http://archiveofourown.org/works/155168/chapters/223138
A HS!AU and Ghost story in one. Gerard moves to a new town and meets Ghost!Frank in the woods. I love her version of HS!Gerard, especially his wonderfully realistic relationship with Mikey, Ray and Bob both get their moments to shine and the angst is very nicely done - never over done. I’m not usually a fan of Ghost!Fic because of the obvious character death issues, but she’s gotten around that in a really interesting way. There’s a coda to this fic as well, which I absolutely adore, and highly recommend after reading the fic because it ties up everything nicely and never fails to give me a warm fuzzy feeling…
Up Till Now by bellheim: http://bellheim.livejournal.com/278198.html
I honestly don’t know how to describe this fic. I love everything about it, especially the dreamy way it’s written - keeping the reader on their toes about what’s actually going on. (I still haven’t decided on what I think…) Basically, Gerard the depressed artist has a terrible relationship with his uptight brother and starts talking to the little sketches he draws of an imaginary band and accidentally creates his own life. It’s gorgeous, and I love Frank’s… certainty about everything.
Gerard Way’s (Vampire) Detective Agency by jjtaylor: http://jjtaylor.livejournal.com/343396.html
Oh wow. This is just huge - and the sequel is even bigger. Brilliant world building here, with a few tweaks this could easily be an original novel. There are a few things I’m not 100% sold on - Gerard and Frank’s relationship is a little too sudden maybe, but it’s incredibly well plotted out, with lots of little things coming back later to tie the plotline together. She’s obviously spent a lot of time and work on this fic where Gerard the almost Holmesian detective solves the murder of Pete Wentz the vampire rights campaigner along with Frank the valet. Also has some lovely cameos from the rest of bandom. Read this one for the plot rather than the slash.
Nightswimming by waxjism: http://www.waxjism.org/shame/stories/nightswimming.html
Probably the Gerard/Frank to end all Gerard/Frank. Gerard moves back into his mother’s house after SVA and starts hanging out with Frank - the friend of his little brother. The age gap is nicely handled, and never gets too squicky, mainly because it’s written from Frank’s POV and you can just tell how painfully in love he is, despite all Gerard’s faults. I genuinely get all emotional alongside Frank as his parents keep them apart, despite the fact that Frank is so obviously a little shit to them - and the author really gets under the skin of Teenage!Frank. Bonus Mikey/Pete pairing at the start which is following on from the prequel fic, and Mikey/Alicia at the end, which is just adorable.
The Holly Golightly Club by fluffontop: http://fluffontop.livejournal.com/521654.html
The INOK ‘verse fic. It takes scenes from the video and weaves them seamlessly into a huge, sprawling plot about teenage angst and croquet. The characterisation is marvellous, with Gerard the weird art nerd and Frank the hyperactive geek just trying to escape highschool unscathed. She’s also included a truly lovely take on Mikey/Pete, which ends up taking over half the plotline, but still works. Her Mikey is especially good, because of, rather than despite him saying very little.
Thing-Thing by sinsense: http://sinsense.livejournal.com/428267.html
The other INOK ‘verse fic. Very broadly the same plotline as The Holly Golightly Club, but then it’s tricky not to write INOK fic without the band being geeks who get bullied by jocks. This one differs due to the age gap - Frank’s younger in this one, and Gerard spends quite a lot of time stressing about how he’s only fourteen, but it still works. I guess Frank’s age could be a bit squcky if you have a problem with it, but if not it has some absolutely hilarious lines that keep me laughing long after I’ve finished, and the dialogue is absolutely spot-on.
The Fall And Rise Of The Black Parade by wordslinging: http://wordslinging.livejournal.com/13483.html
I think this is the only proper Black Parade!AU I’ve found, but fortunately it’s an incredibly clever take on the concept behind the album. Basically, Gerard finds the meaning of life in purgatory. It’s all very symbolic, but she’s done such a good job with weaving in the songs and images from the album and the video for ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ that it all ties together seamlessly with the plot. I love the character’s backstories and the first time I read it, I had to listen to the album again just because it fits so well that it’s hard to imagine the songs aren’t the soundtrack to the fic.
Can Never Wrong This Right by theopteryx: http://theopteryx.livejournal.com/21648.html
I think that if I could choose one bandom fic to be made into a movie, I would pick this one. It’s almost-but-not-quite an Indiana Jones AU - by which I mean that it’s all set in 1949 with some lovely period touches and Gerard as a bumbling archaeology professor and Frank as his assistant who secretly pines after him. They manage to get accidentally soul-bonded to each other by means of an ancient Mayan McGuffin which is obviously a marvellous way of getting them into bed with each other with lots of ‘oh, but he doesn’t really WANT ME’ angst. After you’ve finished, I highly recommend checking out her art, which is some of the best in bandom.
Deadly Masquerade by rhymer: http://rhymer.dreamwidth.org/440.html
Ah, the things people can do in the wonderful world of bandom AU’s… This fascinating fic manages to seamlessly combine some of the ideas behind The Black Parade and the Killjoys ‘verses with The Scarlet Pimpernel, with Gerard and co. rescuing people from the guillotine and Frank trying to infiltrate the heroic band for the cause of the glorious revolution… and if that’s not enough to make you want to give it a go, I don’t know what would be. It’s technically genfic, but I think there’s more than enough pre-slash to earn it a place in this section. I really like the style of this, as she’s obviously given a lot of thought to make it read like one of the original Scarlet Pimpernel novels. Bonus points for the notes at the end.
Now, Pete/Patrick fic… If you’re working your way through this list, then a. Go you! And b. You’ll have read quite a few Pete/Mikey fics as well. Don’t get me wrong, I like Pete/Mikey as a background pairing, but really my heart belongs to Pete/Patrick. Pete is insane and Patrick is (usually) laid back, and I adore the overturning convention in Pete/Patrick fic where the more *conventionally* attractive one is the one who is usually pining desperately over the one most people overlook. This pairing tends to get quite soulmate-y at times, mainly because Pete makes it totally obvious IRL that he adores Patrick, and you get the feeling that Patrick is kinda embarrassed, but loves the attention all the same.
In Between Arms by alfirin_kirinki: http://damagereport.livejournal.com/6129.html?format=light
The Pete/Patrick AU of my SOUL! A WW2 AU - complete with cameo from the My Chem boys from their ‘Ghost of You’ video. This fic is basically just everything that I love about this pairing, with Pete the Airbourne Ranger only finding out what he wants from his life when he meets Patrick the radio operator. The ending gets me Every Single Time and the historical details are brilliant. There’s some wonderful writing here that really matches up with the fic and the time period and sometimes hits like a punch to the gut with the sheer depth of feeling involved. I literally can’t recommend this story enough.
This Glorified Graffiti by cityfibers: http://cityfibers.livejournal.com/2686.html
One of the major tropes in Pete/Patrick fics is ‘Pete bares his soul through his lyrics and Patrick is the only one who gets them’, and this is one of the best. A very short Office!AU fic where Patrick is obsessed by the graffiti that keeps appearing in the bathroom at work that uses FOB lyrics to perfection. I would sincerely love to see more of this ‘verse, but I don’t think we’re going to get any.
Many Things Lacking Names by provetheworst: http://provetheworst.livejournal.com/325828.html
Stunning magical realism AU that feels like a dream. The writing is quite spare at times, but it adds to the whole mood of the piece. Pete wakes up one morning without a shadow and meets a very quiet Patrick who has secrets of his own. With some lovely cameos from Bill Beckett and Gabe Saporta, this fic is like nothing else out there. There’s also an interesting Pete/Bill thing carrying on through the first half of this fic, which is written as a lovely ‘friends with benefits’ thing with surprisingly little drama.
BeWentzed by scribblinlenore : http://scribblinlenore.livejournal.com/473276.html
A wonderful re-write of the film ‘Bedazzled’ in which Pete is the devil and Patrick is bored with his life. It’s pretty much a straight copy of the film plot, but the characterisations just work somehow. This is Pete at his infuriating, but lovable best, and Patrick is grumpy and charmed by him totally against his will. The relationship between the two is slow building but satisfying despite the odd circumstances. If this is what they’re even slightly like in real life, all the stupid outfits Pete can talk Patrick into make a whole lot more sense.
Turn My Head Into Sound by ficbyzee: http://ficbyzee.livejournal.com/224156.html
A non-AU fic for you! Also, porn. The premise is that Patrick has stage fright the first few times they perform live and Pete takes it upon himself to help cure him. The line "I don't know how you came to the conclusion that forcing me to hide an erection while singing was the best way to help me deal with stage fright," is pretty much all the explanation this fic needs, but I love the Pete POV and tiny!in-control!Patrick is always a Good Thing in this fandom. Basically, this is Patrick’s voice porn. Woot.
Interesting by valerie-z: http://valerie-z.livejournal.com/772198.html
Also non-AU, where the boys are friends-with-benefits and Patrick thinks Gerard is ‘interesting’. Pete is such a good friend that he decides to play sex-whisperer. There are some awesome lines in this, and her characterisation of Gerard is fabulous. It’s also unusually angst-free because both Pete and Patrick are totally oblivious to the fact that they might as well just be married. This is absolutely hilarious from start to finish - I honestly laughed out loud at some points.
Concatenation, The Birth Of Babel, And Other Acoustic Rebellions by swanswan: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7133/chapters/9225
An FOB sci-fi AU involving the whole band. Another piece of fantastic world-building, that actually benefits from the lack of explanation. Interestingly, this focuses more on the music that Pete and Patrick create than the relationship between them. They all live in a universe where music is restricted and Patrick is the good boy who lives his life by the rules while Pete is the rich boy who ends up loving him. The idea behind the fic works incredibly well with the pairing and band and I wouldn’t mind reading more in the ‘verse.
Nightingale (And Not The Lark) by redorchids : http://redorchids.livejournal.com/62107.html
Almost, but not quite, a CSI crossover, this has Brendon/Ryan and Jon/Spencer as well as Pete/Patrick. If you’re in the mood for plotty pining and UST with a happy ending, this is the fic for you. The Pete/Patrick is absolutely beautiful, even if it gets slightly creepy sometimes as Pete the late twenty-something cop meets Patrick the sixteen year old son of his boss and falls in love. Patrick doesn’t take no for an answer despite Pete trying to be the voice of reason. Personally, this fic really makes me believe in *true love*, and the plotline reads like a true episode of a crime show which keeps the reader interested throughout the fic. It also gets pretty porny at times. Which is nice.
The Phrase That Pays by ladyofthequill: http://ladyofthequill.livejournal.com/16903.html
This one is… tricky. Technically, I’m only reccing you the first chapter because she takes the fic in a direction that I’m not entirely comfortable with, where one of them is seriously ill. (It kinda hits some of my triggers, but if you’re not bothered by it then by all means keep reading.) Having said that though, the reason I’m reccing this is because the first chapter includes some of the sweetest and most awesome Pete/Patrick bromance in bandom. They’re both medical doctors and Pete starts off as a rewrite of House and a total tool, but what I love most is the way she’s managed to convey such an amazing connection between the two of them without actually bringing sex into it at all (At least in the first chapter.). Personally, I don’t think it needed any more parts - the first one was just perfect.
This Story’s Going Somewhere by jamjar: http://jamjar.livejournal.com/99731.html
I think this is totally unique in Pete/Patrick fic, if not the whole of bandom. It’s AGEswap, which is really interesting, since IRL Pete is older, but this posits the idea that Patrick is the college student when the band gets together while Pete is still in highschool, but it manages to keep the same characterisations of them both. It’s quite well written and even though the plot follows roughly the RL timeline that gets written about in countless other fics, it’s interesting enough to keep reading. I especially like Patrick trying to *behave* while Pete is trying to seduce him.
The Sun Always Shines Here by alwayseven: http://alwayseven.livejournal.com/208230.html
I’m reccing fics for a lot of different reasons - plot, porn, characterisation, style… This one? This one I’m reccing for the absolutely jaw-dropping sense of place. A college!AU set in Portland, Oregon that makes it perfectly clear that the author is in love with the city just as much as the characters are. Don’t get me wrong - I love the well developed characterisation and the plotline (while a little basic) is well handled and satisfying - but it’s the setting of this fic that really gets to me. The city, the house and the rooms, everything is just so real to me that I couldn’t not rec this. This fic pulls me in, sits me down and lets me watch the story unfold against the most beautiful backdrop in bandom.
Panic! At The Disco fic is kinda interesting because I don’t actually have an OTP. I enjoy all possible combinations including GSF. Earlier fics tended to be more geared towards Brendon/Ryan due to the hero-worship Brendon had for him... Later on though, after the split, Brendon/Spencer becomes more popular probably because of the idea that they *both* left Ryan for each other. Either way, the other two are usually getting it on in the background of the fic.
Here are some of my favourites though…
A Love Song By Any Other Name by formerlydf: http://formerlydf.livejournal.com/63456.html
Another non-AU fic in which both Brendon and Patrick are in love with their bandmates. It’s all a whole world of UST where the two lead singers spend their time writing an unrequited love song together. Meanwhile, Ryan and Pete start to get suspicious. I love the UST in this fic - the genre can sometimes get far too overdone, but this skirts the line between emotional and overblown perfectly. If you read this though, I seriously recommend the companion fic from Ryan and Pete’s POV here http://formerlydf.livejournal.com/77970.html because it provides the conclusion that the first fic misses by a mile.
Into The Woods by manipulant: http://bandombigbang.livejournal.com/102072.html
Almost AU fic where Brendon and Spencer the rockstars get sucked into a book of fairy stories and have to live them to the end. There are loads of cameos from other people in bandom and the whole story is immensely satisfying due to the absolutely wonderful burgeoning relationship that the author gives to Brendon and Spencer. You really get the feeling that it’s something that’s happening in real-time and not forced at all. Bonus points for the Frank/Gerard sub-plot and Gabe Saporta as a fairy godfather.
But Not The Song by ignipes and emilyray: http://shacklesnchains.livejournal.com/446.html
The only word for this is ‘Epic’. 200,000 words of fabulous world-building and angst in which ¾ of Panic! are slaves. (Yeah, yeah…) There’s surprisingly little non-con, and what there is of it generally happens off-screen. (But that’s not to say there isn’t ANY…) It contains pretty much the entirety of bandom and associated hangers-on, and every single one of them is wonderfully written and well characterised. Ryan, Spencer, Brendon and Jon are all such brave little toasters throughout the whole thing that it sometimes gets me quite emotional. I think almost every combination of PATD pairings manages to get represented during the plot, so it’s neither a surprise nor unrealistic when the fic reaches its fluffy, satisfying GSF-y conclusion. Also, I love the authors summary.
And Some You Do For by softlyforgotten: http://softlyforgotten.livejournal.com/186212.html#cutid1
Absolutely gorgeous from start to finish. Almost non-shippy at all, but technically Brendon/Ryan, this is the slow story of Ryan opening a beautiful shop in a small town complete with mysterious backstory. The fic has artwork all the way through like a children’s picturebook. I can’t possibly say anymore about the plotline without giving the thing away, but believe me when I say this is well worth reading. I can just picture the movie of this - it would be a children’s classic if it wasn’t quite so… gay.
Need You Wild by allfourinches: http://allfourinches.livejournal.com/8902.html
Yeah… so… This fic is pretty much 70% pure unadulterated PORN! The other 30% is a combination of actual plot, being a werewolf in a popular band and (only slightly less disturbing than it sounds…) musings on what come smells like. Spencer is a werewolf for no apparent reason and Brendon smells nice. And like come. Or both. Whichever. They spend, like, two chapters being all UST-y about everything and then spend ten chapters fucking like bunnies. A huge excuse for cabin!fic!porn, that manages to be nicely kinky, well written and hot all at the same time. There is an awful lot about what come smells like though. Really.
The Negotiation Limerick File by passé_simple: http://passe-simple.livejournal.com/15496.html
Another impressive AU fic, with a Brendon/Ryan pairing and starring My Chem as international spies. It’s utterly ridiculous, startlingly well written and fabulously funny. Brendon discovers what My Chem do between shows and decides he wants to be a part of it. The author credits another fic, the excellent (but violent) Frank/Gerard ‘Tie Your Monster Down’ ( http://stereomer.livejournal.com/39807.html) for inspiration, and while it’s not, strictly speaking, in the same universe it’s along similar lines. Basically, another reason why I love the sheer inventiveness of bandom.
Everyone else and genfic:
Objects In Motion by airgiodslv: http://airgiodslv.livejournal.com/520692.html
Bill/Gabe fic IN SPACE! Sort of. They don’t actually really DO anything NC17, but the possibility is there at the end. Don’t let the warnings put you off this one. It’s *technically* slavefic, but Bill doesn’t really let that stop him from kicking ass all over the place. There are some lovely cameos from other bands, especially Panic! and My Chem, but the main thing for me in this fic is Gabe’s reaction to everything that happens. She’s done a really good job of writing someone trying hard to be cool in circumstances he can’t control.
The Hammond Affair by queensheep: http://queensheep.livejournal.com/8484.html
I’ve put this here because while it contains some Frank/Gerard and Pete/Patrick, it’s also pretty much everyone in bandom getting it on with someone else. This fic… Right, well, try not to laugh too hard about this one, but this fic can best be described as the ‘big gay bandom sequel to Jurassic Park’. No, I’m not kidding. Actually Jurassic Park. There’s dinosaurs and everything. The first part drags on for a while, but it gets better and better with lots of interweaving plotlines and some interesting characterisations. Quite simply one of the most bizarre fics in the fandom.
Absence Sort Of Does Make The Heart by cimorene: http://www.cimorene.net/cimorene/band/absencesortofdoes.html
This is possibly the most *domestic* fic on this list, and I’m not ashamed to say I love it. It’s a My Chem fic with a Ray/Bob pairing. I like this one because it’s slow and completely understated and sometimes it’s just nice to read fic about two completely normal adults falling in love with each other without any unnecessary drama. It’s an ultimate feel-good fic. There are two sequels to this, each one more domestic than the last.
Waking Life by mahoni: http://mahoni.livejournal.com/541172.html
I confess I have a soft spot for bandom crossovers, which is handy because I doubt there’s much that bandom HASN’T been crossed over with… Stargate, Discworld, Harry Potter, Anne Of Green Gables, Top Gear - you name it. Having said that, this is a gripping and spectacularly well written genfic (I guess it could ship either Frank/Gerard or Frank/Bob if you took a few steps back and squinted really hard, but it really doesn’t need a ‘ship to work.) which finally answers the age-old question of ‘What if Gerard and Mikey were Timelords who stole a TARDIS and met the rest of the band while storming the beaches of Normandy?’ It actually manages to be better Doctor Who fic than some ACTUAL Doctor Who fics I’ve read.