March One Shot Staff Picks

Every month, we rec under-appreciated one shots we simply adore. So get comfy, check out these short reads and try something new, and be sure to leave them some love.

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"Those Who Wait" by BookwormBaby2580
Mike & Bella, Romance, MA/NC-17

Summary: Because nice guys shouldn't always have to finish last.

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Wayward Girl: I have found yet another wonderful story written by BookwormBaby2580. This time, though, she paired up Bella with Mike Newton. *gasp* I know you are skeptical, but "Those Who Wait" has me willing to root for Mr. Golden Retriever himself. The author has created a very likable (and believable) Mike who you can't help but love. This one-shot is well written and has all the elements of a good story, go check it out!

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"Lepidoptera" by smexy4smarties
Renee & Charlie, Hurt/Comfort, Post-BD, M

Summary: lepidoptera: Gr. lepidos "scale" and pteron "wing." Any of a large order of insects, including butterflies, that as adults have four wings covered with minute overlapping and often brightly colored scales. Brush the scales away and... Canon. NEHEA entry

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RaindropSoup: Smexy4smarties is refreshingly smart. Brilliant, really. She has taken what is often a predictable, shallow, and overlooked character and given her a depth that left me aching—for both Renee-centric fics and the character herself. Renee is not who we think she is, not for the reasons we assume and always portray. Using the bare-bones of a character SM left us, Smexy4smarties has fleshed out a canon Renee with a haunting voice, a painful perspective, and startling realism, all the while answering a few questions. What happened between her and Charlie, when they were young and when she left? How do Bella and the Cullens—and Charlie for that matter—tie the loose ends that was once Bella's human life, post-BD? "Lepidoptera" is not about a how a seemingly scatter-brained woman thinks, but how she feels and is perceived. It could not have been better written. It's a one shot you'll never forget. Be sure to stop by and leave some love.

(Be aware that this was written for The Never Ever Happily Ever After Contest and tied third place in the public vote. No fluff or rainbows—except for Renee's outfit—here, which suits this spot-on characterization perfectly. And because it's sadly beautiful, captures the feel and essence of "Lepidoptera," along with further explaining the title, here's the quote used in the one shot:

"Imagine what it would be like to hold a butterfly in your hands, something bejeweled and treasured, and to know that, despite your devotion, it is dying by degrees." — Jodi Picoult, Harvesting the Heart)

Have you read one of fics mentioned above?
Tell us your thoughts in a comment below and give the fandom even more reasons to check out
these little known one shots!

One shots recs are tweeted various Fridays for six months.

V Wicked Tease 03/01 – 06

"With You I Am Complete" by Jasper's Woman
Rosalie & Edward, Romance/Family, AH, MA/NC-17

Summary: Rosalie and Edward both have broken and hardened hearts. Their families have tried to help. Will fate and finding each other help them heal? Or will they hurt each other? Rosalie's a full figured woman in this story!

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*** Chapter 6 Teaser ***

Carlisle walks to his house as quietly as possible opens the door. He's sure Rosalie's sleeping and doesn't want to wake her up. Imagine his surprise when he sees his daughter lying on the couch asleep with a strange man sleeping on top of her. He wants to yank the fucker up and throw him out. He restrains himself knowing his daughter would not just let anyone in the house, let alone sleep on the couch with her.

He lets go of his fatherly concerns and coughs to awake them up. Nothing happens so he coughs louder and both awaken by the noise. Edward and Rosalie catch each other's eyes and realize they are laying down, him on top of her. It feels right to them somehow, but then Rosalie catches her father standing there with concern and anger written on his face.

She pushes Edward up. "Dad! You're home, what time is it?"

Carlisle looks at Edward then back at Rosalie.

E/B teasers accepted quarterly: January, April, July, and October

Wayward Girl Found Completion with "Crashing Head On" by @LisaHR79

"Crashing Head On" by HopelessRomantic79
Emmett & Bella, Romance/Friendship, All Human, MA, Complete
Summary: Tempers flare and personalities clash as Bella cares for an injured Emmett, but does that hate translate into love? AU/AH.

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One of the most unloved couples in the Twific fandom is Emmett/Bella. Anyone out there who enjoys the pairing knows that good Emmett/Bella fics are sometimes a challenge to find, I usually have to search for awhile before I come across something I really enjoy. "Crashing Head On" was one of the first Emmett/Bella stories I read and has stuck with me ever since.

Emmett is a star hockey player at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has a promising career ahead of him. Bella goes to the same school and is dating Edward. Bella and Emmett's mothers are best friends and when Emmett is in a car accident, they ask Bella to help him recover. The only problem? They can't stand each other. Here is what Bella has to say about their relationship:

It was the first time I was actually glad Emmett and I had gone to the same college. He and I had never gotten along, no matter how much Renee and Esme tried.

We were just two different people. It was totally cliché, but I was the nerd, and he was the jock, simple as that. We'd never run in the same crowd, and had slipped into something like cool indifference leaning towards loathing when we were teenagers. Our moms had hoped we'd become a couple, but there was no way in hell that was ever happening. He always had a new girl on his arm, and I was a serial monogamist. The only two guys I'd ever even kissed were Jacob and Edward, and I didn't even want to know how many women Emmett had locked lips with, or worse.

Needless to say, Bella and Emmett are not happy when "The Mothers" propose the arrangement, but they know there is no other choice. What starts as a relationship full of bickering and annoyance turns into something more when the pair spends more time together.

HopelessRomantic79 always sucks me in to her stories and "Crashing Head On" is no exception. If you are looking for your first Emmett/Bella story, give this one a try, you won't regret it!

If you know of any good Emmett/Bella stories, I'd love to read them. Leave a link for me in the comments below, would ya? *winks*

Until next week...

"The Wolf Prince" by @BlackImprint & Writer-in-the-making16

Have you ever wanted to like a pairing or have pondered giving it a try, but just ... can't ? Either because of principle or because it's ... disappointing, an easy answer? Or maybe, because you just don't like the guy? Well, have I got a story for you to check out that falls in many of those categories but is so easy to adore: "The Wolf Prince" by BlackImprint & Writer-in-the-making16.

The pairing: Jacob and Renesemee.

Before you turn your no-wolf-or-Jacob-tails and run, hear me out.

I think we can agree that when it comes to Jake, the fandom is divided into three groups: the ones who don't like him, the ones who are completely indifferent to him, and those who truly love him. I wholeheartedly believe that all three of these groups can appreciate "The Wolf Prince" and fall in love with it.

It is about a dream come true, a fairytale—one, based off Beauty and the Beast. It is so well written, intriguing, and different—but with canon details sprinkled here and there—that I couldn't put it down. I even read it twice. Like most fairy tales, it starts with a curse, and the authors weave such a beautiful and detailed story in third-person narration that I, a person who really prefers first-person narration, find myself lost in their non-Twilight world of opulent castles and common villages, spooky forests and stunning, rose-vine-covered gardens of the Beast, which of course has his most-treasured (and damning) single rose.

Wayward Girl Found Completion with "Never Saw That Coming" by LJ Summers

"Never Saw That Coming" by LJ Summers
Leah & Charlie, Humor/Romance, Wolf Pack, MA, Complete
Summary: Winner of Best Overall in the Twilight Gem Pearl Round, this is the story of how Leah Clearwater met her biological match in the last man she would have expected. Rife with snark, Leah's spirit isn't broken, but made whole. Sixth in my Imprinting Series.

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When I first stumbled upon this story, I did not think I would enjoy the pairing. Leah and Charlie?! They couldn't be more different or more incompatible...or so I thought. How wrong I was! LJ Summers has written an original imprinting story that is funny and very enjoyable to read.

Leah has finally moved on from Sam thanks to her imprint: the one and only Charlie Swan. It is difficult for Leah to be apart from her imprint, but she is afraid to let Charlie in on the secret. Instead, she stalks him. That's right, Leah stalks Chief Swan. It is amusing to read her inner monologue and awkward encounters with Charlie. The confident and snarky Leah Clearwater disappears when she's around her imprint:

He stopped, pursed his lips under his mustache – I never thought a 'stache was sexy before I imprinted on Charlie Swan, but I sure thought his was – and looked me dead in the eye. I felt my mouth go dry but I took a long breath through my nose to try to calm down. I was doing great, but then he did something I didn't expect.

At all.

He reached out to me and surrounded one of my shoulders with his hand. "So, did ya mean it, Leah? You and your mom taking pity on an old guy?" He chuckled so I could see he was joking as he slowly dropped his hand.

But inside, I was torn. It wasn't my mother I wanted him to see – it was me! What the hell could I do about that?

"Well, I – I haven't really a – asked her," I stuttered. Stuttering! When did I start that nonsense? I was turning into Jell-O, right here on the street! "I could, um, invite Bella and the twins, if you want. Make it kind of a deal, you know." I'd have to tell Bells what was up, too. Then, she could help me cook! Yeah! Charlie needed someone who could feed him, that was for sure... I could learn to do that. I could totally learn. Of course.

Looks like Leah has turned into a bumbling Bella *snickers*. With Leah's rambling thoughts and Charlie's awkward demeanor, this fic is filled with good laughs. It is a quick read -- only 8 chapters -- but tells a great story in that short span.

"Never Saw That Coming" is part six of the author's series Imprinting: The Mating Imperative. You can view the other installments on her fanfiction profile.

That's all from me this Saturday. I will see you next week with another completed story! Until next time...