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Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairings/Characters: pre-Angel/Xander-ish
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~146,000
Author: lit-gal
Website: Litgal's fanfic
Summary: When Xander has a little heart to heart with Angel, he inadvertantly changes the world by sharing a few truths. The most significant changeis a slowly building relationship between Angel and the boy who taught him a few unpleasant truths about destiny and morality.
Why: First, pairing clarification. This story is, strictly speaking, gen. It features a relationship between Angel and Xander that generally fits into the mentor category, and not the love interest category. However, there are definitely moments where, if you're not comfortable with the idea of an Angel/Xander pairing, you're going to be pretty uncomfortable. This story reads like it's leading to Angel/Xander, even if it never actually happens. So if that's not your pairing of choice, be forewarned. (And likewise, if it is your pairing of choice, please note that you're probably going to be screaming in agony when it ends without getting them together.)
That said, this story kind of ate my brain for a couple of days. It takes on the idea that Angel was so busy idealizing Buffy in the beginning that he never actually realized who and what she was: a teenage girl. This story starts with Xander pointing out that little fact, and then looks at the relationship that develops between Angel and Xander from there. I really love the way that Litgal used this one event to start so many ripples going. It was really fascinating for me to see where things changed and where they stayed the same. I got a huge kick out of the relationship between Angel and Xander. Even though it felt awkwardly in-between in some respects, it worked perfectly for the story that Litgal was telling. I also really liked the moral issues that got brought up throughout the story, as Litgal had some points to make that had never occurred to me before. And none of the characters were villainized in making those points, which I definitely appreciated. Litgal did a spectacular job of creating an alternate path for things to have taken. Really, the only complaint I could possibly have about this story is that there isn't a sequel!
Kin of the Heart by Litgal
Pairings/Characters: pre-Angel/Xander-ish
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~146,000
Author: lit-gal
Website: Litgal's fanfic
Summary: When Xander has a little heart to heart with Angel, he inadvertantly changes the world by sharing a few truths. The most significant changeis a slowly building relationship between Angel and the boy who taught him a few unpleasant truths about destiny and morality.
Why: First, pairing clarification. This story is, strictly speaking, gen. It features a relationship between Angel and Xander that generally fits into the mentor category, and not the love interest category. However, there are definitely moments where, if you're not comfortable with the idea of an Angel/Xander pairing, you're going to be pretty uncomfortable. This story reads like it's leading to Angel/Xander, even if it never actually happens. So if that's not your pairing of choice, be forewarned. (And likewise, if it is your pairing of choice, please note that you're probably going to be screaming in agony when it ends without getting them together.)
That said, this story kind of ate my brain for a couple of days. It takes on the idea that Angel was so busy idealizing Buffy in the beginning that he never actually realized who and what she was: a teenage girl. This story starts with Xander pointing out that little fact, and then looks at the relationship that develops between Angel and Xander from there. I really love the way that Litgal used this one event to start so many ripples going. It was really fascinating for me to see where things changed and where they stayed the same. I got a huge kick out of the relationship between Angel and Xander. Even though it felt awkwardly in-between in some respects, it worked perfectly for the story that Litgal was telling. I also really liked the moral issues that got brought up throughout the story, as Litgal had some points to make that had never occurred to me before. And none of the characters were villainized in making those points, which I definitely appreciated. Litgal did a spectacular job of creating an alternate path for things to have taken. Really, the only complaint I could possibly have about this story is that there isn't a sequel!
Kin of the Heart by Litgal
