You know what? I think everything I recced up there would probably be understandable without the show except maybe Attempting the Impossible, but... maybe even that. Ariaste has a really deft hand for characters. Oh, probably not the pumpkinpaix fic. That one is pretty dependent on knowing the MDZS canon. But the rest are good reads and no canon necessary (especially the HOA one, or the "OMG THEY WERE ROOMATES" one).