Organized by length, with (occasionally incoherent) teeny bits of commentary from me (in teeny font).
I may have forgotten some. I did this by skimming my saved fics list reeeally quickly, so some were missed (and others weren’t on the list at all and I only remembered them last minute). :/
Oneshots
Check, Please! by eilowyn. Post-Series, R.
In some happy post-NFA world where Cordy comes back, Lorne opens another club (this time with a classy restaurant attached), and Spike and Buffy are finally reunited, Angel has the brilliant idea of a double date. Yeah, Angel’s idea. It’s his inner dork at play, because Buffy, Cordy, and Spike all know this is a bad, bad idea.
Never has a fic been quite so fun, the four sets of relationships quite so flawless.
A Day Out by kantayra. Season 4, R.
Early summer after Season 4. Buffy decides to spend a cloudy day at the mall, only to discover that a certain annoying, hyperactive, peroxide vampire had the same idea. Much wackiness ensues.
Pure fun ‘n games, with a side of UST.
Domesticity by gabrielleabelle. Post-Series, PG-13.
Detailing one day in the life of our couple. We’ve seen them in battle, and we’ve seen them in bed (or, well, missing the bed). Now we get to see them in the happily ever after as they contend with flooded apartments, grocery shopping, and nosy teenage Slayers.
Y’all know I love domestic!Spuffy, right? And this one’s believable and in-character and amusing in all the best ways.
Gordian Knot by slaymesoftly. Season 6, PG-13.
What if Buffy had wanted to talk about Halfrek after the interminable birthday party?
Twisty, irrational, jealous Buffy is at its best when it’s played for humor. Case in point…
Her Right Hand by gryfndor_godess. Season 9, PG-13.
After Buffy loses an arm, it’s up to Spike to comfort her- but she’s far from comfort.
Angst warning doesn’t begin to cover how affecting this fic is. Bitter and painful and perfect in how much it hurts.
Hers by gryfndor_godess. Season 9, PG-13.
This follows from the S9 preview pages of Buffy and Spike at her party.
I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS and all of them come from fics like this one, okay? :D
Kaleidoscope by lirazel. Post-Series, PG-13. (follows Prism)
“Can you tell me, is this love that I’m seeing?” One by one, the people in Buffy and Spike’s lives try to add up the obvious.
Everything I’ve ever wanted from post-series reunion fic.
Midnight at the Olive Garden of Good and Evil by angearia. Post-Series, G.
Two vampires with souls, the women who love them, and the date night that brings them all together.
Entertaining to the nth degree.
Prism by lirazel. Season 7, PG-13. (followed by Kaleidoscope)
Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to really see the truth of things. Other times…well, people do say that context is everything, right?
Quality Spuffy and Potentials characterization. Perfect fic is perfect. *nods*
Unspoken by anaross. Post-Series, PG-13.
“I’ve always envisioned him giving Buffy a garden that he could never go to in the daytime, to give her something alive for a change.” James Marsters.
EVERYTHING IS QUALITY AND NOTHING HURTS.
Who Needs Five Gold Rings? by slaymesoftly. Post-Series, PG.
Dawn gets into a bidding battle on eBay…
Unrepentant fluff, you know how it’ll end but you don’t care at all because it’s so cute! :D
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Medium Fics (2-10 chapters)
Amnesia!Spike by mahaliem. Season 6, R.
Spike loses his memory.
Ridiculously fun, endearing Spike, gratuitous Spangel and Spander just ‘cause. :D
Autumn Sunsets by hollydb. Season 5, NC-17. (companion: This Simple Phrase)
Buffy asks Spike to help her with her Thanksgiving dinner, and is determined to keep Xander’s prophecy the previous year of a “new tradition” from coming true. The PTB, unfortunately, have other ideas.
This is where I go when I want pure fluff, snarky and sweet and festive (also kind of porny).
The Choice by anaross. Season 6, R.
Is it so much to ask- that Buffy just love him back?
I don’t think another fic has ever left me quite this broken- and then made me reread. Multiple times. And broke me every single time.
The Dating Game by msclawdia. Season 5, PG.
Buffy decides that the best way to get rid of the smitten Spike is to give in and date him, since there seems no more sure-fire way of making a guy leave town.
Denial Buffy, entertaining premise, quick dialogue.
For Want of a Back Porch by gryfndor_godess. Season 8, PG.
Buffy used to worry that she couldn’t love. After Twilight, she’s afraid to love. But can she and Spike just be friends? Buffy, Spike, and their balcony, with a side of Dawn and Xander.
GG writes some of the most moving Spuffy I’ve ever seen, and this one’s my favorite of them all. Sweet, introspective, and the perfect blend of shippiness and characterization.
Something Furry this Way Comes by mefiant. Season 6, NC-17.
A fluffy interlude set somewhere around early S6 Spike and Buffy are NOT together, and no mention of Buffy’s death is made. Spike makes his animal magnetism known, but not in the usual way.
Kitties!
Where Pies Go When They Die by ghostyouknow27. Post-Series, R.
Hell, as it turns out, serves a great cherry pie.
It’s rare to see a completely original fic, not an AU but a new take on characters with an unexpected plot. This fic did it for me. Oh, and Supernatural elements (the show, I mean. Well, also the word.) for those who enjoy crossovers. Those who don’t *raises hand* won’t even notice
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Lengthy Fics (11-30 chapters)
Always Wait for You by slaymesoftly. Post-Series, PG-13.
It is more than ten years after the events of NFA and we find Buffy in a familiar place - sitting in a crypt with a stake in her hand.
Spuffy!kids with actual personalities, Spuffy angst that isn’t quite as sharp as usual- s’fun reading!
Alternate Season Six by eowyn315. Season 6, up to NC-17 (series of four long fics).
An alternate season 6 branching off from “After Life.”
This is the bar by which I measure every single AU fic. Original plot, Spuffy so angsty/perfect it hurts, and a Buffy/other relationship that’s treated well (for the first time in all of fanfiction? Who knows? :D).
Anticipation by 2writers4spike. Multiple Seasons (6, pre-series, 1-3), NC-17.
Having no idea how it happened, Spike finds himself back in 1977, reeling from a newly acquired soul and more guilt than most could handle. After dodging Drusilla, his main focus is getting back to his own time and back to Buffy in Sunnydale so that he can atone for all he’s done. That is, until he sees the newly born slayer in 1981 and goes off in a new direction. Can he stop the events that brought misery to Buffy’s life, or will he be forced to watch destiny destroy the woman he loves all over again?
This isn’t a story about Spike taking Angel’s place. I appreciate that. And also time travel and stuff!
The Best Man by dorianskitten. All-human, NC-17.
Buffy Summers has paid her dues. She’s spent years climbing the ladder at Caritas Weddings and is one final perfect wedding away from being made a full partner. No worries. She’s a professional, capable of handling anything that comes her way. Of course, she’s never dealt with a Best Man like William Pratt before.
Betcha thought this list wouldn’t have any all-human fics, y/y? :D But this one made me love William for the first time, so…
Borrowed Time by msclawdia. Season 6, R. (sequel: Getting all Chosen)
Response to Shan’s challenge 285 at the Bloodshedverse, wherein Joyce survives but other major S5 events occur. Buffy is ripped from heaven, etc, but will Joyce’s presence ease the Slayer’s burden?
Tiny change, highly enjoyable outcome.
The Butcher by dampersandspoons. All-human, NC-17.
A story of young summer love that turns into so much more. He gives her what she needs without ever knowing. She cuts him down without realizing how far she’s gone. A story where time has no meaning and love that might have a limit.
I assumed that this was serial killer fic originally. Then I read it and kept waiting for the murders to start. Yep. :D Well-crafted, unique presentation that works effectively to give the whole fic a surreal feel.
Closer and Closer by dampersandspoons. All-human, NC-17. *WIP*
Spike Pratt is eighteen, pissed off, fresh out of jail and thrust into the arms of his stuffy uncle, Rupert Giles. Their history is unclear to Rupert’s co-worker Joyce and her daughter Buffy, but what is abundantly clear is everyone’s inability to communicate. The game of push me pull you can only last so long before someone finally gets close enough to make contact. And when they do… what secrets will they find?
This is the fic that broke me for WIPs. UST, Spike and Giles, plotty, fun character study.
Closure by eowyn315. Season 4, R.
When Buffy finds herself assaulted after a Lowell House party with no memory of what happened, she turns to an unlikely ally to help put the pieces together and find the person who raped her.
Buffy, Veronica Mars-style. Need I say more?
Heart Don’t Lie by nautibitz. Season 4, NC-17. (sequel: At It Like Rabbits)
Buffy and Spike face the consequences of a ‘wild’ night together: a bundle of (possibly evil) joy! Much more than a “baby fic”, this is a multi-layered love story about learning to listen to your heart. It’s also chock full o’ freaky sex, fluffy bunnies, horny gods, catty brawls, cranky slayers, and the end of the ‘verse as you know it!
Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies! And also one of those awesome fics that’s crafted as well as the actual show and when everything fits together at the end it’s perfect.
Impossibly Delightful Flesh by sadbhyl. Season 5, NC-17.
The Scoobies have an accident that has them questioning the deeper issues of sexuality, gender, and the heart.
What could have been an excuse for porny fun becomes an exploration of gender identity and sexuality. Oh, and porny fun.
In League With Serpents by weyrwolfen. Season 6, PG-13. (sequel: Feathers and Forked Tongues)
When Spike wins something unexpected over a game of cards, he ends up with a most unlikely crypt-mate and a mission to help a newly resurrected Buffy. With an empathic serpent setting up shop in his head, a scheming warlock on his tail, and a bothersome change in his relationship with the Scoobies, Spike finds himself in the position to save the slayer he loves, the world, and maybe himself in the offing.
So cute you kind of want to hug it. And also Spike-centric without woobification. :D
Indigo Overture by rikki_oko. All-human, NC-17.
Spike’s just a drummer, content to live in lead singer Angel’s shadow. But when a certain blonde strolls in on Angel’s arm, will Spike be content to take the backseat forever? Loosely based on the eighties song, Jesse’s Girl.
Another all-human, this one a fic I read and reread all the time. Snarky UST is snarky. :D
My Life Closed Twice by anaross. Post-Series, PG-13.
Buffy seeks Spike’s remains, but then finds him in the most unusal place. Spike/Other, Spike/Buffy. Anaross says, “Not sure where this is going. But new fic. PWP—- Poetry without plot. :)
This might be my favorite fic ever. At times it’s the best poetry class you’ve ever had, at times it’s Buffy chasing Spike without hesitation, at times it’ll make you cry.
Strangers by sosa lola. Season 8, R.
Grief pushes Buffy to do something really stupid. Now she has to deal with the consequences. Things get more complicated when she discovers that Spike is no longer dead.
Hey, comics fans! When you’re feeling down because Buffy really isn’t pregnant with Xander’s baby, check out the original! :D Sympathetic towards all the characters and canon-adherent.
Superstar Revamped by kantayra. Season 4, NC-17.
AU of the S4 episode ‘Superstar’. With her friends brainwashed, Buffy must turn to an old enemy for help. However, soon she and Spike find themselves fighting a losing battle against the irresistible attraction between them.
Superstar!verse Buffy, with the vestigese of her old self and a healthy dollop of Jonathan love.
Tabula Rasa Ad Aeternum by kallysten & kantayra. Season 6, NC-17.
Goes AU at the end of Tabula Rasa. The memory crystal isn’t broken, and…
Randy and Joan Randy and Joan Randy and Joan (and also Giles and Anya and everything else that is right in the world).
Yellow Brick Road by hollydb. Season 3, NC-17 (series of medium-to-long fics).
A series rewriting Season 3, beginning with an alternate version of Season 3’s Helpless, in which the Council locks a drugged and powerless Buffy in with a certain bleached-blond vampire who already has two Slayers under his belt. Continues there in unfolding Spike and Buffy’s journey through acceptance, trust, and eventually love.
This series gives me feelings. Especially the first one. :D
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Epic Fics (31+ chapters)
And a Star to Steer Her By by sadbhyl. All-human, NC-17.
William Rayne is the victim of a pirate attack that is destined to change his whole life.
In which the damsel is distress isn’t a damsel, the pirate captain isn’t whom you’d expect, and you’ve got a pirate!fic worthy of BtVS.
Harbingers of Beatrice by hollydb. Season 5, NC-17.
Set in Season 5, post Triangle. Wolfram and Hart, host of the greatest evil acknowledged on Earth, attempts to restructure the Order of Aurelius, one vampire at a time. A soul hampers one, a chip harbors another, and a Slayer stands between them. The pawns are in place; it is simply a matter of who will move first.
This fic. THIS FIC. Spike/Fang Gang friendship, an OC I don’t completely hate (these are rare, trust me :P), heartwrenching Spuffy relationship (I swear I skip straight to the parts that hurt because they’re so perfect). And also Darla. Darla makes everything ten times better. :D
Haunted by kantayra. Post-Series, NC-17.
AU after Dead Things. Seven years ago, Spike fled Sunnydale and his abusive relationship with Buffy. Now, he and still-best-friend Dawn are working together in their own demon hunting agency. However, when they’re called out to investigate a chain of supernatural murders at Cascade Mountain Lodge, they discover that Buffy’s on the case as well. Will they be able to solve the mystery before they become the next casualties? And what does the solution have to do with the events of seven years ago?
I have a weakness for post-Dead Things reunion fic, and this is the best of the lot. Demons! Vampires! Spuffy!
His Childe by kallysten. Season 6, NC-17 (sequels here).
“She understood, from the light in his eyes, that this was it. Her time was up. The Vampire Slayer was about to become a Vampire herself.”
Favorite vamp!Buffy fic ever. (*waves at sidewalksecrets*) Plus, Angel in a not-really-villainous Buffy/other role! And interesting childe/sire interpretation in this one.
Long Day’s Journey by anaross. Angel Season 5, PG-13.
Spike’s return, seen through the eyes of Angel and his friends. Oh. And he’s not allowed to see Buffy. Post Chosen. Spike/Buffy
So much more here than the Spuffy relationship, though it powers the fic forward indirectly. This is a Spike/Fang Gang friendship fic primarily, with some Buffy and Spike on the side, but it’s also probably the only fic I’ve ever read in which every single chapter is interesting enough to carry a oneshot. *nods*
Long Time Gone by bitterness. All-human, NC-17.
When Buffy and Spike were in high school, everything was nearly perfect for them— until she mysteriously disappeared. Now, five years later, Buffy’s returned for her mother’s funeral, and to take over caring for her sister, Dawn. Can Dawn and Spike ever forgive her for running away? Especially when she won’t tell them why?
Last of the all-human fics. This one has some funky pairings, but I zero in on the Spuffy and the angst and the adorableness and the plot and it’s all so incredibly wonderful.
Promises of Frost by eurydice. Season 4, NC-17.
When a snowstorm strands Buffy and Spike, they are forced to turn to each other for strength, especially when a missing Giles, mysterious visitors, and way too much magic threatens to turn it into a not so very merry Christmas.
Gratuitous adorableness, Buffy and Spike trapped together for an extended period of time. Also, just the right season to read it! :D
The Return by ya_lublyu_tebya. Season 6, R.
Riley Finn returns to Sunnydale, only to find that the woman he came back for is dead and buried in the ground. He stays, soon realising that everything has changed in his absence… not least the Slayer who is later brought back to life. He is soon to find that the rules this time around are different, with everyone playing a different role than before.
OH hai Riley Finn! Is someone writing you sympathetically? In a Spuffy fic? LET ME LOVE YOU.
Sang et Ivoire by hollydb. Post-Series, NC-17.
Spike, struggling with his soul and his love for Buffy, is offered redemption from a very surprising source. However, when signs of an uprising evil begin to appear, he must face his fear and guilt and return to the place it all began for him—Sunnydale.
SPIKE/GILES FRIENDSHIP. AND ALSO INTENSE SPUFFY. AND THIS IS A PERFECT WAY TO END THIS ENDLESS LIST.