Five Spuffy Fanfiction Recs (March 2025)
I read a lot of Buffy The Vampire Slayer fanfiction throughout March 2025. Here are five fics in particular that really stood out to me.
This entire list features the Buffy/Spike 'ship because I have extremely poor taste in poetry. Some of this is also NSFW, so read the tags! (Is it even Spuffy without the sexual havoc?)
Persephone the Wanderer by Kirinin
Summary: "When Buffy returns from the dead, she brings something unusual with her, and leaves something important behind."
Review: I'm a big fan of Season 6 Buffy fanfiction that messes with the resurrection spell in strange new ways, and even I did not see a couple of Kirinin's twists and turns coming. I really liked Buffy's characterization throughout, and if you're on the is-it-the-autism-spectrum-or-the-complex-post-traumatic-disorder struggle bus like I am, you're likely to find many parts of this fanfiction very relatable. The ending was maybe a little too quick for me (I have so many unanswered questions!) but it makes me hope that Kirinin might revisit the piece one day and create a sequel.
The Rocky Road to Dublin by Yawp
Summary: "In which Spike helps (a lot), Riley figures himself out (a little), Angel remains completely and totally Angel (more's the pity), and Buffy maybe solves her man problems once and for all. Oh, and Drac's coming to the party, too. What could possibly go wrong?"
Review: This fanfiction has the very dubious honour of making me like Angel and Riley a whole lot more than I do usually. And it takes place in one of my favourite cities in the world, Dublin, which is treated with a meticulous care one doesn't often find in fanfiction. This fanfic is very gay, very funny, and very sweet. I tend to find Buffy/Spike set in early canon S5 pretty unrealistic, but it took no time at all for me to get all wrapped up and swept away in Yawp's tale, and I genuinely laughed out loud several times while reading. Knowledge of Irish literature, history, or of Dublin's geography definitely enriches the reading experience, but is not required to fully enjoy this fanfic.
(love me) as much as your heart can stand by SummerFrost
Summary: "Still aimless after being pulled from Heaven and caught up in a dark sexual affair with Spike, Buffy forms an unlikely online friendship with a sweet, lonely poet named William."
Review: Do you love the poet Nikki Giovanni? If you don't love her after reading this fic, well, I get it, tastes are individual etc., etc., but honestly I will still be bewildered and confused. More seriously, this fic is really interesting, and it stuck in my head for ages afterwards. I also really like SummerFrost's writing style, something about it sticks to your ribs, a true masterclass in "show, don't tell." And, while I'm not a huge fan of the Nora Ephron oeuvre, I do think the "You've Got Mail"-style plot really works for the early 00s setting. (Knowledge of Mary Oliver's poetry might also enrich the reading experience.)
do you wanna break bread with me? by chasingfictions
Summary:" In which Spike (elder disaster bisexual) counsels Dawn (baby disaster bisexual), and accidentally causes the Scooby Gang to come out en masse."
Review: Are you bisexual? Good, so am I. And this fic is, frankly, very fun to read, even if you're not a bisexual menace. Unlike most of the fics in this list, the relationship at the heart of this ficlet is not Buffy and Spike, but rather Spike's platonic, brotherly relationship with Dawn. It's fantastic. I love it. So much of canon Season 6 of Buffy is deeply rooted in shame, and I love how this fic takes a look at sexual (in all directions) shame and tosses it straight out the window. Feels good.
Nail Polish by Zombie Lieutenant
Summary: "5 times that Spike has conversations with nail polish, and 1 time he isn't there."
Review: I love a 5+1 ficlet, and this one is particularly effective. It doesn't have a happy ending because it follows canon closely, but that's okay. The scene with Dawn and Spike in particular is well done. If you're looking for a short, poignant read that is a good example of what the 5+1 format can deliver, Nail Polish is it.
If you've read these and want to let me know what you think, leave me a comment! Or if you've read any interesting fanfiction lately, do get in touch.