A huge rec list post

[xlivvielockex]

I had a few people asking me for C/A recs so I figured instead of PMing and replying back, I would just do a mega big list on my LJ. So here goes, there is a lot here, a lot of different genres/ideas/ratings. Hopefully something for everyone or if not, maybe just understand why I love this pairing and it's fandom. Feel free to pimp, link, direct, etc to this post

As of right now there are almost 2000 fics on the main C/A Archive, Just Fic. So picking just a few or so was a damn near impossible task. There are a lot of great stories I left off this list so if you have some recs dear to your heart, please leave them in the comments.

Huge thanks to the MGs for putting up with me and my "what was that story where Cordy and Angel had the food fight?" type of questions for the past four days. You girls are the best. *hugs*



ANGST/GRIEF

Per Me Si Va: Parts One, Two, Three by damnskippytoo
Damnskippytoo has written me fluff before, she's written hot smut, she's written delicious angst but I can't recall anything as dark as Per Me Si Va. It is so not a happy story, you've been warned. She wanted to challenge herself to write a darker Cordy based on this prompt from samsom Angel’s soul is taken from him and Cordelia must find the devil to get it back. So she goes to the crossroads at midnight in some dusty little county in Oklahoma or Arkansas (because it wouldn’t be the same as California) on Halloween and makes a bargain.

Washer at the Ford by lostakasha (R)
Lostakasha sums her fic up better than I ever could "This ficlet takes place during the ATS Season 5 episode, You’re Welcome. It’s been done many times, but I wanted to try my hand at filling in the gap from the night Cordy tells Angel “There are no people like us,” to that next morning. What happened? What else did they say, or not? And what did they do? Here’s my take on it all." It's such a beautifully captured moment with the perfect voices for both the characters. The use of Celtic mythology is so perfect that I don't want to spoil it. (If you want to read more Lostakasha C/A fic, she has a journal for it )

Undrowning by hannasus (PG)
I have this thing for fics set Post-You're Welcome, fics that show the gang actually mourning Cordelia and going through the process of arranging her funeral. Undrowning is one that gets recced a lot and rightfully so. The little Cordelia quotes are so heartbreaking and appropriate. I dare anyone not to be moved by this piece.

The end to the light by erin_starlight (PG)
Remember how I said I have this thing about Post-You're Welcome fics where the gang mourns Cordy? Well this is another beautiful one as seen through Spike's eyes. He is an outsider as he watches these newfound friends mourn the passing of a family member, someone they all truly cared for and loved. It is also interesting to see how Spike views the gang, and Angel as well.

Three Stories by psychofilly (PG)
Yes, another one Post-Cordelia's death but this one takes a different turn. It shows, through Wesley's eyes at the start, the effect the visions are having on Cordelia, on Angel. The second story is all Angel, his regret, his grief. The third part, well I'm not going to spoil anything. And I suggest reading the comments as well. :)

Dangerous Type by mph0506 (R)
In addition to the post-Cordelia death fics, I also really like fics that explore the time after Angel fired the gang. The Beige!Angel as it were. In this fic, Cordelia has a pretty gruesome vision and Gunn and Wesley are unable to help. Being Cordelia, she decides to go out on her own and save the girl. Only Angel shows up as well. He's not a welcome sight to say the least.

Don't Fear The Reaper by Mab (NC-17)
Wolfram and Hart unleashes a killer virus on the world that causes people to age rapidly. Angel gets a first hand look at old age as everyone around him falls prey to this virus, even Cordelia. This is another one of those angsty, heartbreaking C/A fics. Warning for gore.

I Won't Fall Asleep by seekingwords (R)
Post-Cordelia's death, this fic is a little different as it's written in the first person by Angel. I can't say much more without giving away the plot but it's heartbreaking, especially the last few lines. Here is someone desperate with grief, trying to grasp for any bit of hope.

Angel, Hear My Cry and Ghosts by samsom (NC-17)
Angel, Hear My Cry was for the Stranger Things Smutathon that Samsom and I started last year. Basically cause you know, there isn't enough C/A smut. Rather than just write straight PWP (which she is AMAZING at), she wrote Angel, Hear My Cry, a story about Cordelia and Angel moving on during BTVS S3. The sequel, Ghosts, picks up with more desperation, angst, and The First taunting Angel.


FLUFF/COMEDY

Radiance by Loki (PG-13)
This is another one of those stories that gets recced all the time and well, it totally deserves it. Angel and Cordelia are invited to Sunnydale by Willow, who is celebrating one month being magic free. Of course, Cordy's part demon and the Scoobies don't know. There are some really great Buffy and Cordelia scenes, something I kind of wish we could have gotten once the two of them grew up a little. A very mature fic that lets the characters grow up and now fall into the old patterns of characterization.

Armadillos and Salsa by Syn (R)
So this has two of my favorite pairings, Cordelia/Angel and Wes/Faith. And there is some Gunn/Fred too. It goes AU after Calvary, where the gang heads out to see the Burkles to heal from the whole "an evil thing took over Cordelia's body and tried to end the world." It's really laugh out loud funny and touching. I would have KILLED for this to be the end of S4.

The Evil Zipper by katiesangels (PG-13)
Totally lighthearted and fun C/A, which is a nice change because the pairing does have a lot of angst. Cordy is trying to get ready for a date and is having some serious trouble with her zipper. Angel is the only one around to help. The ending is cute and will bring a smile to your face.

Dick Clark with Extra Cheese by Kelly22 (NC-17)
Takes place in S3, Cordelia is worried about her weight gain. It's got that great floundering dorky Angel that I love and a Cordelia, who despite being a Seer, still has the same worries every woman has. And there is some really adorable Fang Gang moments, which always make me smile and warm the cockles of my cold heart.

Untitled Cup Challenge by psychofilly (PG-13)
I have no idea why this one makes me laugh so hard but it does. I think the whole idea of Angel having to "ooze into a cup" is just too damn hilarious. Angel, Cordelia, fertility clinic...go!

Damn The Torpedoes! Full Speed Ahead by Misty Flores (R)
AU in S3, the gang manages to rescue Connor from being kidnapped. Angel, totally feeling the moment, declares his love for Cordelia. And well, you know, wackiness has to ensue! The voices, the back and forth between Cordelia, and getting in Cordy's headspace will seriously make you laugh.

Bad Timing by Kelly22 (PG-13)
It starts out with a food fight and then the Scoobies show up unannounced. When Spike blows into town, looking for Buffy, well, come on, you know what's going to happen, look at the category! Who would have thought Cordy and Spike would turn out to be BFFs? LOL S3 cuteness of course, cause I'm a sucker for the whole Angel and Cordelia as parents to Connor thing.

The Memories We Make by damnskippytoo (PG)
I had to rec this cause well, it was written for me, how could I not? The Gang takes Connor out for his first Halloween (so naturally it's AU). It's adorable, cute, fluffy, and totally makes me squee. :)

Unexpected by rgw (NC-17)
Angel and Cordelia are invited to Xander and Anya's wedding in Sunnydale. Once there, of course, there is only one hotel room in town, with only one bed. Anya is convinced they are sleeping together, Spike admits his feelings for Buffy to Cordelia, there are bachelor and bachelorette parties, a wedding, and well yeah, sex.


PWP
Let's admit it, we're all just here for the prons so these won't have much of a "review" to go with them. Just sit back, grab BOB and some batteries, and enjoy the hawtness.

The Way It Has To Be by samsom (NC-17)
If you ask me who the best C/A writer still writing today is, I'm going to say samsom hands down. This is a bloodfic and basically PWP but the whole taboo nature is what makes it so appealing. Set in ATS S1, it's a question a lot of us have asked before. How does a vampire deal when his secretary's time of the month comes along?

Deluge by LittleHeaven, Storm Front by starlet2367, and Of Bollywood and Spells by LaLa247 (NC-17)
All three stories came from the same challenge "the worst night of Cordelia's life, rain, sex on/in Angel's car" so that is why I've included them all here.

Where There's A Wall, There's A Way by Gabriella (NC-17)
Cordelia. Angel. Dimly-lit club. Hawt sexxings.

The Watcher by Christie (NC-17)
Wes as a voyeur to Angel and Cordelia. More of the A/C/W side but still very very hawt.

24/7 by Dock (NC-17)
This sort of has a plot, if you squint. The trope of "Oh noes! We has to pretend to be married!"

Playing With Fire by seekingwords (NC-17)
Cordelia. Angel. Shower. And testing their limits.

Torture by psychofilly (NC-17)
This is a Cordelia/Angelus story where Cordelia takes advantage of a chained up Angelus to come to a little understanding.


FRIENDSHIP

Two Breathe by Ebonbird (PG)
In the summer after To Shanshu in LA, Cordelia, Angel and Wesley have to adjust to living together in Cordelia's apartment. They are all healing, each from their own injuries, some physical, some emotional, and some nothing more than ghosts.

The Case of the Missing Santas by Little Heaven (G)
Cordelia's first Christmas in Los Angeles and you know it's not going to go right. Nice little Cordelia, Angel, and Wesley friendship/case fic set between “Parting Gifts” and “Somnambulist”.

Best Thank You Ever by Paranoia Doll (G)
Another Cordelia, Angel, and Wes friendship piece. Can you tell that I like the three of them together? Based on this quote from Guise will be Guise:

Cordy sits down in the big chair behind Angel's desk.
Cordy spins the chair in circles: "Hey, look at me. I'm Angel!"
Wesley: "He doesn't generally spin that much."


LONGER FICS

Angel's Songs by damnskippytoo (NC-17)
I should have recced this story first. It was one of the first C/A stories that I ever read. I guess they are right that you always remember your first because I'm always harassing Debs about this one, how it's stuck in mind. It's Schmoppy Angst, and yes, there is such a thing as DamnSkippy will show you. It's set during Christmas of S3 but no Darla, no Connor, no Groo. Angel surprises Cordy with something she really wants for Christmas as per the author's summary. :)

A Mother's Love by Anne (NC-17)
Anne is one of the most recced writers in the C/A fandom outside of Starlet. There are so many stories I could have picked by her but I chose this one because well, it made me cry like a child with a skinned knee. Cordy makes a choice to save Connor, to take him away from his father and his "family" to raise him in an alternate dimension. She's trapped, disconnected from her friends, and she has to rely on Skip for help. (This was before the S4 Skip is evil reveal). It's long, I will warn you, but so worth it.

Long Time Coming and the unfinished sequel A Crisis of Faith by Becjane (NC-17)
This is an AU BTVS S3 story. Not AU in the whole they are all humans in High School Musical but in that after Angel returns from Hell, this story is very different from what we saw. Becjane incorporates traits and ideas from ATS and brings them over to create a fantastic story with Cordelia, Angel, Wes, and Faith being their own "Core Four" if you will. Wes/Faith pairing as well.

Two Steps Back by Yahtzee (R)
Yahtzee is, imho, one of the C/A greats. She's left the fandom, won't write Whedonverse anymore, but she was nice enough to archive all her old fics. This one is great. Angel is given the chance to go back in time, to change everything. But the question is, where does he start? Where did it all start to go wrong?

Queen of the Night or Heat Stoke or Beacon or Snow Angel by starlet2367 (NC-17)
Now I've recced more than one story by an author here but I think if you pick any of these four stories by Starlet, you're picking something good. Starlet is known as the Queen of C/A and reading these, it's easy to see why she's got that title. Summaries for each of these can be found on her Main Angel Page

Into The Past and Now on to the Present by Anne (NC-17)
Wolfram and Hart send Cordelia back in time to London in the late 1890s. Well, big surprise who she runs into there. Cordelia is alone and has to use her brains to keep herself alive.

Gloomy Sunday by Chatty (NC-17)
This is a great little piece with Season 1 ATS Angel and Cordelia. A moment of comfort between Angel and Cordelia leads to something a lot more. The voices are fabulous and it flows really well.

Back and Forth, Moving Forward...Mostly, One Hundred Uncertain Steps, Stumble and Fall, Along The Way by Daisy (NC-17)
The "Back and Forth" series is the kind of romantic fluff that I'm a sucker for. Angel and Cordelia have sex in Pylea and thanks to Angel's odd state there, Cordelia ends up pregnant. Coming back to LA, only to have Angel leave for three months, doesn't exactly put them on good terms when he returns. If people thought Queen C was bad, Queen C pregnant takes the cake.


RECCED BY OTHERS
I have a lot of C/A fics bookmarked to read that I haven't yet. These were recced by other people and I've got them in the pipe to read when I have time.

Persons in Mirror by Maryperk recced by moscow_watcher at buffyversetop5 in this post. Here is what moscow_watcher had to say.
Post-NFA, NC-17 for language mostly. Spuffy, Xander/Anya, Angel/Cordy, Willow/Oz. The fic starts as a "mirror" story: Sunnydale teenagers Buffy, Spike, Willow, Xander, Angel, Cordelia watch the popular show Joan the Vampire Slayer about Joan, Randy and their friends who fight vampires in a little town Rainypeak. On Halloween Buffy and her friends go to the costume shop and get invitations to a party organized by show's creator Jake Wheaton. As soon as they're there, a spell reverts them into their true selves. They find out that The First and The Beast have brainwashed Scoobies and Fang Gang, but Giles had found a way to disrupt their spell for a brief moment of time, so he used the show about Joan to trigger their memories and the Halloween party to gather them without raising the suspision...

Swan Song by samsluvharrison recced by damnskippytoo at buffyverstop5 in this post. damnskippytoo knows her C/A fic. She recs great stuff and I just haven't gotten around to this story. So trust her when she says it's good. Here is what she said:
A xover with BtVS post season 4 Angel. Angel must go to Sunnydale to assist with The First reluctantly leaving Cordy still in a coma. Things with Buffy are cordial but strained. Cordy wakes up and head to Sunnydale to help out. Great characterizations with a dramatic twist that will gut you. Simply one of the best post S4 AU fics out there. Multi-ships mentioned/implied.

Bound by Inamorata recced by samsom at buffyversetop5 in this post. Another one that I haven't gotten around to reading but honestly, with how amazing Samsom writes, she's got good taste.
Bound, by Inamorata. Part of a duo that came and went before I could blink, and left the C/A ship with a breathtaking body of work while they were around. I had a hard time choosing between Bound and Another Life, but I chose Bound because it's a little more uplifting, and ends on a hopeful note. Cordy and Angel After Doyle, a solid plot that I'd kill to have thought of, and Angel slowly realizing what Cordelia means to him. If it's not love yet, it's very close to it.

Matchmaker by hello_spikey recced by moscow_watcher at buffyversetop5 in this post. Another rec from Moscow Watcher that I haven't had time to read yet. Someone needs to pay me to read fanfic. LOL
Complete, PG, AtS s3/BtVS s6. Buffy/Spike, Angel/Cordelia. Back in 2001, when UPN bought BtVS, networks had "no crossovers" politics - so in canon Angel never visited Sunnydale and Spike never went to LA in 2001-2003. Ficwriters don't concur... Writer's notes: "Someone once commented that they'd seen fics where Spike would decided to help Buffy and Angel get together, but had never seen the reverse. So I thought, "Well, actually I think Angel would be adorkably bad as a matchmaker." The result: funny, touching, insightful story with great character voices.


WIPS

Consquences by Cordelia's Destiny (R)
I will come right out and say that I don't think Consquences will ever be finished. But it's worth a read for the five parts there are. This one has a pairing for everyone it seems, that is what makes it so great. Spike/Buffy, Cordelia/Angel, Xander/Willow, and Joyce/Giles. Each pairing is developed and really just right in character. It takes place in BTVS in an AU after Lover's Walk.

Shadows Still Remain by addie_logan (NC-17)
Most Spuffy shippers know Addie. She writes amazing Spike/Buffy but she tried her hand at Angel/Cordelia and well, she's just as good in that pairing too. Cordelia finds herself brought back to Earth but nothing is the same. Post-NFA. Again, it's not finished but it has 10 incredible chapters.


CORDELIA/ANGELUS

I'm going to preface this by saying that I cannot stand fluffy bunny Angelus. The Angelus that I interpretated from canon was a mean sonofabitch who was called The Scourge for a reason. He doesn't love, he doesn't care, he doesn't have compassion, he doesn't deserve any kind of forgiveness. He is a creature that will stalk, rape, torture, and kill everything dear to his target, and not neccessarily in that order. He is the one who drove Drusilla mad, killed Jenny Calendar, and was going to suck the world into hell. Most of these stories have a RAPE WARNING or at the very least are very dark and twisted. This is the warning. You will not find any stories here where Angelus takes Cordelia on a date, buys her roses, or tries to romance her. You've not going to find Cordelia falling in love with Angelus after he rapes her. THESE ARE REALISTIC PORTRAYLS OF RAPE/NON-CON. They are twisted, dark, evil, and oh so worth reading.

What Now by Dock (NC-17)
WARNING RAPE! Angelus is a soulles bastard and Dock captures that perfectly. In a moment of pure happiness (without the sex), Angel loses his soul. Angelus makes a deal with Cordelia, her life or Fred and Connor's. Cordelia, ever the hero, sacrifices herself for Fred and the baby. This is not your victim falls in love with her abuser fic. It's a raw, realistic look at rape and it's aftermath on all people involved.

The Persephone Series by samsom (NC-17)
Cordelia, Angelus, and there really isn't more to say to it. It's dark and in the words of samsom herself "Like, needing a warning dark". She doesn't do the fluffy Angelus. He can't love. He's an evil fucking bastard and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Profaned by Dazzle (NC-17)
WARNING RAPE. Another story dealing with what would happen if Angelus got loose. This time, Lilah finds out about the Doximal, drugging Angel once more. It's a powerful angsty story about the time after, when Angel is back, Angelus is safely put away. Takes place in S3 after Connor is kidnapped so it's even more heartbreaking.

Perfectly Happy by Anna (NC-17)
WARNING RAPE, CHARACTER DEATH, & GORE Angelus (freed by another moment of happiness that was sexless) fixates on Cordelia, leaving her gruesome presents in the form of her dead friends. His plan is to destroy her, much like he had with Dru, and while she fights for longer than anyone should, she finally breaks but at the worst possible moment. A nice look at the dual natures of Angel and Angelus, the man and the monster.

Mouth by Syn (R)
TORTURE This story is just a short vignette. There is no exposition, just hints of how Angelus was unleashed. And Cordelia finds herself his prisoner. After months, she's no where near the strong, vibrant woman she was. He's destroyed her, like he's done with so many others. I just love the language in this one, the despair in the tone.

Funny by Anr (PG)
TORTURE, CHARACTER DEATH Something about this is written just gets to me. It switches back between first and third person. Another one where sex isn't involved in Angel losing his soul, just being truly happy. A very interesting look into a broken, almost Drusilla-like Cordelia, molded by Angelus' hand.

You Promised by samsom (NC-17)
CHARACTER DEATH, NON-CON KINDA As Damnskippytoo once said, this fic illustrates just how strong Cordelia really is. She keeps the promise that she made to Angel oh so long ago. It was written in the second person POV so it really takes you into Cordelia's headspace, what she is experiencing.

Who's Taming Who? by Califi (R)
I thought I might end on a C/Aus story that doesn't have rape, torture, gore, or character death. This one takes place during Eternity and Cordelia makes Angelus suffer in a way that only Cordelia truly can. I never thought C/Aus could be funny but this one is!


OTHER SITES FOR C/A FIC

Just Fic
The C/A Archive for the C/A centered message board Stranger Things. The Archive is HUGE and you could spend years and not get through all the stories.

Angel's Oasis
This is the secondary C/A Archive and has a lot of stories that never made it over to Stranger Things or into Just Fic. There are a lot of repeat stories though.

Devotion: A Cordelia/Angel Fanfiction Index
Devotion is actually not online anymore but thanks to the Wayback Machine, you can still get all the links. They are listed by genre.

Queen C Scribes: Angel section
Queen C Scribes is your one stop shop for all awesome things Cordelia. Their Angel section has some of the best stories by the best writers out there.

Volition
C/Aers LOVE their angst. You've got a vampire with a soul who can't be happy, a cheerleader with visions who are killing her. There is bound to be a ton of angst. Most of these stories do NOT have a happy ending. You've been warned.

ca_atlast
A great little Livejournal community that challenges writers with a really interesting set of prompts and ideas. In addition, it's a great housing point for some newer C/A fics that are public.

Go Team C/A Fiction
Another C/A archive with a lot of stories from a now defunt message board. There are some really top notch writers archived here, stories you can't find any place else.

Also check out my Delicious account where I am attempting to read and review every single C/A fic at JustFic.

Comments

[aygul.livejournal.com]

OMG, you are awesome! I've been trying to find some of these fics (including the one with the food fight). And there quite a few I haven't read. YAY.

Oh, jeez, I do vividly remember Don't Fear the Reaper...

[xlivvielockex.livejournal.com]

OMG, it's so haunting, it just stays with you long after you've read it. I read it maybe in 2008/2009 and I STILL remember Reaper.