#-fuck the living dude who ruined her career is THE relationship dynamic of all time

[imfamou69]

this shitty little mobile game that i hardly even played set something off in me and i will never be the same

[inmyarmswrappedin]

Can you rank the isak/Jonas friendship in terms of friendship dynamic and the characters individually

Hi anon 🍃 lol sorry, this is so late. I hope you’re still paying attention to these. 

Isak/Jonas: It's funny because, in hindsight, I feel like other remakes developed this friendship more, or gave them more dialogue so that certain things were explicitly expressed (like the Jonas' remorse about the homophobic jokes of yesteryear), or they simply come across as closer friends because we get more insta content. But I think that both Isak and Jonas are fully realized characters. I love Jonas Vasquez and I can totally see why Isak idolized him, even when Jonas was a little shit. And I just about adore Jonas' reaction to Isak coming out, it feels 100% true to his character to take it in, put himself in Isak's shoes and say the one thing Jonas would like to hear if he were telling Isak about a girl. Isak and Jonas may not necessarily be the closest Isak and Jonas pair, but they feel like two good, teenie male friends, and that counts for a lot in my book.

Shay/Marlon: Surprise? I love these two and I think they're tight as fuck. I'm basically headcanoning here, but I think one of the reasons Shay isn't out to everyone yet isn't so much because what other people might say, but what Marlon might think. (And here it helps that Marlon is fairly woke, but nowhere near tumblr standards. We know Marlon will react well because he's a Jonas, but there's some room for uncertainty.) As for Marlon, while I think he's pretty self-centered, I can't help but have some fondness for this dumb teenie who's so devoted to his friends that he's selling his meds in order to make their band happen. I mean, it seems like he's financing their soundcloud rapping career all on his own, and I'm supposed to frown upon his drug dealing ways? Absolutely not. Anyway, I love that Shay and Marlon are friends from way back. I love that Marlon is such a lesbro and that Shay knew she needed to become bff with a white guy for protection.  

Lucas/Jorge: Remake Jonas stans will argue that this or that Jonas figured out early on that their Isak was gay, but Jorge was the only one who canonly noticed early on and tried to be there for Lucas without pushing him. There's a reason that the Spanish boy squad isn't homophobic (and yet, as per one of Lucas' videos, not immediately educated about everything ever) and it's because Jorge would have never allowed that shit. And you know it. Jorge loves the shit out of Lucas, and Lucas knows that he's loved. Sometimes a best friend that you know will always be there is way more important than a love story, and this is true for Lucas Rubio.

Matteo/Jonas A: I was really, really conflicted about these two. I'm more of a David fan, and I generally don't care for Jonas A. But after some soul searching, I realized I couldn't list Matteo any lower than this without feeling like a TRAITOR to him, and for all his faults, Jonas A is a fairly good friend. I feel like there's a lot of love between Jonas and Matteo, but at the same time I also feel like there's nothing much that binds them together? Like, I actually think as the years go by, Hanna will become Matteo's go-to confidante over Jonas, because I feel like she and Matteo have more in common. But that's just, like, my opinion, man.

Lucas/Yann: I'm only rating them this high because I really love Yann, despite how dirty the writing team post s2 did him. The thing is, many Jonases do make homophobic jokes in s1, but the one big gay joke Jonas makes in s1, about Isak only liking gay songs, was not what Yann said in s1. He said Lucas only liked songs for virgins. (I haven't watched s1 a lot so I might be missing some examples.) So I just don't get why Yann had to be scapegoated like that. I would've been fine with it if they hadn't made Yann leaving Lucas at the bench the damn cliffhanger for episode 6, if episode 6 had started with that scene and finished with the table football scene. But Skam France didn't want to have it like that, and yeah, it still bothers me. But I do like Yann, and I thought he was a great friend in s1 and s2.

Lucas/Kes: I feel like I don't have a ton of insight into this friendship, because Skam NL favors visuals over dialogue a lot. I feel like Lucas and Kes are only friends because they're both cool kids in the same way and they go to the same school, but nothing beyond that. Lucas comes across as a free agent, and Kes and Noah read as much closer with each other. That said, Lucas and Kes have the most sexual tension out of any Isak/Jonas pair (I'm thinking specifically of that dancing scene in the cabin episode), in a sort of unspoken way. I don't think Kes is into Lucas necessarily, but I feel like he does pick up on Lucas' crush subsconsciously and fucks with Lucas' head to test his reaction. So they're not the closest of friends in my opinion, but they have a unique dynamic among the pairs.

Martino/Giovanni: The thing about Giovanni is that I've had enough of this dude, essentially. I liked him well enough in s1 and s2, but I love Jonas V more than any Jonas and I really disliked how Giovanni was hailed not just as a better friend than Jonas V, but also the gold standard of what a best friend should be. And it's just weird as fuck to me that every remake Jonas should be compared not to the Skam character, but to a copy of this character played by a more conventionally attractive actor? And like... Don't tell me that's not a factor on why Giovanni has such a fandom, because I saw with my own eyes how Chris/Eva shippers reluctantly shipped Eva/Gio over Eva/Federico, because Giovanni is more gorgeous (and tbh, a better actor) than Federico. But anyway, Martino and Giovanni are fine, I'm just really tired of people bringing Giovanni up in any discussion about the Jonases.

Robbe/Jens: I watched Wtfock before s3 started, and I just never got the appeal of Robbe. I couldn't imagine why people were looking forward to his season because there was nothing interesting about him as far as I could see. (Whereas I find Yasmina more interesting.) As for Jens, I thought the actor was better looking than the one playing Luka, so it's one of those cases where I wondered why anyone would ship Jana/Luka based on looks alone, lol. And then s3 came along, and for whatever reason, the writers decided that they were going to make a plot point of Robbe urgently needing a place to live, and Jens turning down his requests to stay over. It's just so unlike what I'd expect a best friend to do, that I can't fuck with Robbe/Jens at all. I don't care if Jens later became the biggest LGBTI ally, that's a dick move.

BONUS

Cris/Amira: I don't really consider them an Isak/Jonas pair because they only have like... two scenes that I'd call Isak/Jonas scenes. Cris only ever crushed on Amira in my mind, and only ever ruined Amira's relationships with dudes in my mind, so they don't have that Isak/Jonas history. But I really love how Skam España approached and adapted this friendship for Cris. I love not just that Amira is Cris' Jonas, but how she is Cris' Jonas. They're childhood friends who are becoming two different women, and yet that's not a cause for them to grow apart, but to love and value each other more. Sometimes remakes rely on Skam for exposition, like we have to assume a remake character did this thing because that's the reason the Skam character did it, even if it's not actually stated in the remake in question. With Cris/Amira, Skam España actually relies on Skam to provide some context for who Amira is and what she gets out of her friendship with Cris before we've actually watched her season. We don't know everything that Amira went through when she started wearing hijab, but we can guess based on what we saw in Sana's season. And that's why the Amira/Cris friendship is so powerful, because Cris constantly professes that their friendship is forever. It's one of the cases where knowledge of Skam actually compliments the remake, rather than Skam doing heavy lifting for the remake.

[woodsbane]

Have you been apart of the sterek fandom forever? Do you want some nostalgia? Well here are some fics that if you’ve been around you have probably read over and over, and here they are again. AKA the sterek fic rec thats been a long time coming. If you’re relatively new, I suggest these as they have kind of been the top sterek fics since the relationship began. Enjoy!

 Fireman Derek’s Crazy Pie (Cheeseburger Baby) 17,698 | Teen and Up

“He can't blame me for the fact that I live in a building full of people united in the singular effort to ogle Hot Fireman as often as humanly possible."

Laura laughs, loud and echoing in the empty restaurant.

"Hot firemen can make a girl do crazy things," she agrees, nodding towards her brother's name on the menu. "Derek won't let me date anyone from his company, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the eye candy."

"Send them my way," Stiles suggests, finally loading up a forkful of pie. 

"Apparently I'm incompetent enough that I need to be babysat at all times, because it would be cheaper than dispatching a truck every time I try to use a kitchen appliance."

 According to Plans  72,744 | E 

Five times Stiles and Derek pretend to be boyfriends, and the one time they didn't have to pretend at all. (Or: in which Stiles' plan for senior year is completely ruined by a supernatural creature stalking him.)

By Any Other Name 33,090 | E

He doesn't know his name, he doesn't know who he is, and neither does the werewolf he's on the run with. But he's pretty sure they hunt monsters, because they seem to be really good at it.

Moonwalkers  531,781 | E

Stiles had his entire Seven Years of Hogwarts all planned out:

Prank and Prank Hard. Woo Lydia Martin. Avoid detention and Potions at all cost. Have crazy fun.

Enter brooding werewolf to send this plan to the bottom of the Black Lake.

(Sacred) In the Ordinary  (THIS IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE) 78,759 | E

The Pack, after college, graduate school and the starting of careers, comes back to Beacon Hills. Nothing's gotten less complicated after all this time. Based on a kink meme prompt that grew legs and got serious. Note: This is a whole lot of pack!fic with a very slow build Derek/Stiles.

 There’s Monsters at Home  83,575 | E

“How did you get past the wards?” Derek had put them up, with Peter’s grudging assistance, after the Alpha pack had made themselves at home a few times too many.

The guy pulled a face. “You mean the wards a five-year-old girl with the mental ability of a goldfish could deconstruct?” He blinked wide eyes at Derek. “Gee, I don’t know. It’s bound to go down as one of life’s great mysteries.”

Derek despised him.

 Hide of A Life War  26,102 | E

“We have received confirmation that there is a hostage situation in progress at a warehouse compound two hours out of Los Angeles, following a multiple-vehicle pileup on Highway 101 this morning...”

The one in which Stiles has lived to (legal) adulthood and, along the way, become a bit of a badass himself.

 Baking My Way Into Your Heart  178,630 | M

Derek is an uptight college student, all work and no play. His carefully scheduled life is thrown kilter when his regular barista is replaced with someone new. 

 Living With Lycanthropy 44,905 | E

AKA: The Sterek Rival Bakeries AU

Wherein they both own bakeries, Stiles tries not to run his grandmother's legacy into the ground, Laura wants to be a better alpha, and Derek can't seem to get Stiles' attention the regular way - so naturally, he accidentally initiates a prank war.

(Or, if Teen Wolf was more like Gilmore Girls, with everyone far too invested in whether the Hale boy and the Sheriff's kid will work it out, and Laura Hale wrote a handbook for alpha werewolves.)

Pack Dynamic for Dummies 36,682 | Teen

Stiles isn't sure how a Pack is supposed to work, but he's pretty sure that this this disorganized jumble of people and events doesn't quite qualify. He has to hand it to Derek though, he keeps trying. And Stiles has never been one to stand quietly on the sidelines.

Gravity’s Got Nothing on You  83,979 | E

“Three weeks,” Derek says.

“Still don’t want to,” Stiles says.

“I’ll pay you,” Derek says, and that… that has Stiles interested. Alf’s Antique’s may be a great job, but it’s not a high-paying job, and half of Stiles’s tuition is coming from financial aid, so…

“How much,” Stiles asks, “are we talking here? Because I know your family, dude. And it’ll be kind of awkward after.“

“My family thinks you’re some sort of fucking gift to the world,” Derek seethes, like he’s jealous, “they’ll probably be pissed at me when we break it off, so don’t worry about that. Five hundred bucks.”

“A thousand,” Stiles says, because screw ethics. Also, the Hale family is loaded. Derek can deal.

There is a brotherhood 21,004 | E

So far, college has taught Stiles three things:

1) Eight am classes are cruel and unusual and should be avoided at all costs, even if it means having to enroll in something truly hideous instead, like Econ 101.

2) Dorm security is just as tight as Stiles’ orientation leader had promised it would be, and the dude guarding Scott’s dorm in particular does not respond well to bribes.

3) Mrs. McCall clearly had no clue what she was talking about when she’d insisted that Scott and Stiles needed to branch out and room with strangers, so it’s all her fault that Scott ended up with a total dick of a roommate and Stiles got stuck all the way across campus with some guy who has a girlfriend two towns over and is thus never around.

Or, the one where pledge brothers Stiles and Scott start a prank war with Derek Hale's fraternity.

 Hope is the thing with feathers 28,959 | Teen and up 

Stiles is ten when he saves the Hales from their burning home and Derek from a wolfsbane bullet, and this establishes a pattern that seem to continue indefinitely.

"Then he's facing a burning home, and he wraps the hood of his sweatshirt around his mouth before he pushes the door open and steps inside. There's Mr. Hale asleep - he hopes asleep - on the couch, next to - Stiles thinks that's his brother but there are so many Hales, who can keep track. He rushes over and starts shaking him, can see the rise and fall of the man's chest so he knows he's alive, but he's not waking up. He shoves away his hood so he can shout, "Mr. Hale! You have to get up, there's a fire! Mr. Hale, get up!" Nothing, he's not even twitching, both of them taking in deep even breaths like they're having the most peaceful of rests, and Stiles is going to cry. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" There's a moment, where all Stiles can hear is the blood rushing in his ears and not the roar of the flames or the creak of wood, then with a violent, silent pop it's all back and both of the men are gasping awake, eyes open and jumping to their feet. "

 Lead You Home Again 49,962 | E

The first time Derek meets Stiles, the kid’s brown eyes are wide, and he’s staring up at him with a mischievous grin as he tugs at the arm of Derek’s first ever Batman figure like he’s trying to separate it from Batman’s body.

An alternate take on Teen Wolf, wherein Stiles and Derek are childhood friends, and things unfold from there.

 Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble 13,363 | Teen and up

When potions prodigy Stiles blows up one cauldron too many during one of his ‘experiments’, he gets assigned to making Wolfsbane Potion for the new groundskeeper. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the guy wasn’t you know, terrifying.

This is Ridiculous 35, 818 | E

There's a unicorn in Beacon Hills. A fricken' unicorn. In fricken' Beacon Hills, California. And it turns out that unicorns aren't drawn towards virgins in a happy-go-lucky let-me-lay-my-not-at-all-metaphorical-horn-in-your-lap way. No. They kill them. And guess who's the only virgin idiotic enough to get sucked into the Beacon Hills supernatural scene? Stiles, that's who.

 Mating Habits of the Domesticated Werewolf 35,458 | M

Derek doesn’t do pining. He doesn’t. So when it becomes clear that Stiles is much more interested in having Derek as a new best friend than a boyfriend, he puts on his big boy pants and makes it fucking work. He becomes the best goddamn friend a spastic teenager could ever hope to have.

 Wayward and Down  32,331 | E

Pack is family. Family is everything.

This is Stiles' senior year, and it's nothing he could have imagined.

or

That time it took not one, but two separate troll attacks and a malevolent coven of witches for Stiles to figure out how he felt about Derek.

Tremble  58,990 | E

Stiles may be cursed but that doesn’t mean he’s going to lay down and die. He’s going to fight. He won’t stop, he can’t stop. If he does, they win.

Permanent Fixture 80,777 | E

Derek is Scott's older brother. Stiles is Scott's best friend. Derek is falling in love with Stiles. This is a bit of a problem.

Bogarted 3,126 | M

Alternate Title: "Dick Failwolf, Private Eye."

(Or, Derek's hit with a Film Noir curse, which forces him to narrate his own life in luridly-detailed prose.)

DILF  30,871 | E

"Today is Scott's first day of kindergarten and Derek is terrified."

 A Thousand Fiery Suns of Angst- Just Press Play 20,934 | Teen and Up

All Stiles wants from life is to learn to control his magic, keep his grades up, and not die horribly while saving Beacon Hills from supernatural threats. It's all going pretty well until Derek Hale, werewolf extraordinaire, has to go and ask him on a date. That asshole.

 Stilinski’s Home For Wayward Werewolves 35,197 | Teen and Up

“At least your puppies knock first,” Stiles snorts. “Here I thought their alpha raised them to be well-mannered.” 

“There’s a sign,” Derek responds stiffly. 

Stiles, whose curiosity outweighs even his hardest of grudges, abandons his chilly façade of nonchalance in a heartbeat. He jumps right up and all but pushes Derek out of the way in his effort to get to the window, and sure enough when he leans outside there’s a laminated strip of cardstock duct taped to the vinyl siding: 

DON’T FORGET TO KNOCK Stiles gets cranky when we scare him

---

Or, in which Stiles Stilinski moves to Beacon Hills for his junior year of high school and accidentally adopts a pack of teenage werewolves.

I Can’t Get Enough (Of You)  10,480 | Teen and Up

Fact: Derek Hale hates Potions.

There are a number of reasons why this is so. For one thing, Potions is really not Derek's strong point. (There's a reason he's banned from using the kitchen at home.) For another, the Potions classroom is dank and dim and spending more than an hour down there at a time makes Derek’s skin crawl.

And then there’s Stiles Stilinski.

He doesn’t need an explanation.

The Socioeconomic Repercussions of Mutually Assured Destruction 15,285 | E

"The trouble with having the kind of brain that likes to write essays on male circumcision for an Economics class, is that it also likes to turn PowerPoint presentations for Biology into odes on the perfection of notorious bad boy Derek Hale’s backside."

 Linski’s Late Night Antidote to Lame 13,865 | Teen and Up

Where Stiles has his own college radio show, and the mysterious, faceless Derek is his number one fan.

Also there's this really hot guy he keeps meeting in the library who totally hates his guts.

28. Every Step You Take 49,347 | M

Stiles accidentally ends up magically bound to Derek. It’s super.

We’ve Written in Volumes (In Blood and Scars and Ink) 25,935 | E

Stiles is on his back on hard-packed dirt. He's cold and there are leaves stuck to his neck and there's a four inch gash in his side that he thinks he can feel his ribs through. There's so much blood around him he feels like he's floating on a pond and everything is so much dimmer above him than it was a minute ago, which is saying something because he's in the dark center of the forest in the middle of the night. And the worst of it is that he's alone, totally alone with the smell of his own blood drowning him and the soft side of him run through by a tree.

As his eyes slip shut, the last thing he thinks is, "This is going to kill my dad."

Electricity in the Contact 27,067 | E

In which Derek has been invited to the Greater Pacific Northwest Alpha Symposium (that's not what it's called, Stiles, stop saying that), and showing up unattached would mean an arranged marriage. When the rest of the pack objects, he agrees to let Stiles come along to pose as his mate. Derek is reasonably sure that he's not going to make it out of this weekend alive.

here is the deepest secret nobody knows 22,322 | Teen and Up

“Derek,” Stiles groans. “You have me. You’ve always had me, you absolute moron, how many physically impossible feats of life-saving heroics do I have to perform before you get it?” 

can’t be hateful gotta be grateful 6,260 | Teen and Up

"Be cool, Dad, we've decided to con Grandma."

(Or, the one where the Stilinski men drag Derek to Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's and she gets the right wrong idea.)

Noticed 35,179 | Teen and Up

Stiles left on a Tuesday. Nobody noticed. 

Losers 34,234 | E

Where Derek is new to college, eager to spend his time learning, and Stiles is everything he didn't want in a room mate. He's loud, he's into sports, and he keeps trying to make Derek do things.

Or, the one where Derek falls for a jock, Erica will cut you if you disturb her studying, and Jackson is a closeted romantic who pretends to hate everything.

35. Under Your Skin 12,207 | E

"So you decided hepatitis would be fun"; or the one about tattoos, waffles and ghouls.

[distant-rose-archive-blog]

Rose’s Captain Swan Fanfiction Treasure Trove

This mainly for my lovely friend Adira (who I JUST converted to OUAT) but might well post it for anyone who hasn’t read any of these fics. I would be surprised if they hadn’t because the majority of these have high popularity and would be what I consider classics. I love them all enough that I’ve downloaded them on my Evernote app and will reread them while I’m flying or on public transit. Anyway, these are my Top Ten favorite Captain Swan fics with my reviews/comments. Enjoy

You Play Ball Like a Girl by welllpthisishappening

Rated: M

Notable Features: Modern!AU, Boss!Killian, Slow Burn, Angst, Baseball & Killian (deadly as hell)

Author’s Description: Emma Swan had a plan. Get the story. Get the byline. Up her Twitter follower count. It was simple – she was going to take over the New York City journalism world. And she was going to do it from the sideline with a credential around her neck and a pen stuffed in her hair and a fierce determination no one was going to be able to put a dent in.It was the perfect plan.That plan just failed to factor in Killian Jones.

Rose’s Review: THIS FIC! MY GOD THIS FIC! I am in love with it and the author Laura (like full one girl crush on lovely lady. She’s just too cool and if I wasn’t engaged and she wasn’t married, I would like propose because this girl is my fanfic soulmate to the point my best friend is jealous even tho I have legit never met this woman, but that’s besides the point. I’m gonna stop embarrassing myself now. I need to shut up.) Anyway, sports centric isn’t normally a thing I go for because I’m a former athlete and the second I catch a mistake it’s an immediate turnoff, but Laura knows her shit. (Like really knows her shit. I can’t tell you how many times I cackled over her references to Melo being a selfish asshole and I love Emma and David’s rendition of the Giants/Pats rivalry! Also her reference to Derek Jeter’s walk up! OMG I promise I will stop right now but I’m so in love) However, you don’t need to love sports to love this fic, it’s just if you do it’s an added bonus. I love the development of Killian and Emma’s relationship even though the angst in this just kills me in the most delightful way. The Henry side story is honestly the best thing over and even though he’s not Emma’s son in this, the relationship between Emma, Henry and Killian really pulls at your heartstrings. I think one of the reasons I really love this fic though is how Laura handles Killian’s injury and how it affected his baseball career. It was incredibly realistic and I would know because an injury ruined my basketball career a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, so the scene where Killian is in the batting cage and hitting for the first time in a long time really hit home with me because I’ve been there. Anyway, why are you still reading this review, GO READ IT NOW! And also go read her outtake collection: Just a Bit Outside.

Breathless by AcrobatElle

Rated: E

Notable Features: Canon Divergence (Season 5), Heart Sharing, Magic, Amazing Amounts of Smut, Angst, PORN WITH FEELINGS

Author’s Description: Emma and Killian share more than just a heart.

Rose’s Review: ­To say I love smut is an understatement and I’ve been reading it long enough that I no longer have any shame in regards to it. This fic is, without a doubt, a masterclass at what we call Porn with Feelings (IT FUCKING DESTROYS ME). It’s not just smut, but emotional and creative smut which is my absolute favorite. (Dude, I legit fanned myself at Chapter 2 because it was just so smutty and hot. I almost want to beg Elle to write “that one time on the Jolly” scene because my inner perv just needs it because dom!Killian is just as much my jam as baseball!Killian is but she’s got more important things to work on. Harbor in the Tempest? GO READ IT NOW!) Also I never felt so melancholic about smut until reading the later chapters of this fic because the layers of desperation, hurt and brokenness is just so poignant that it just grips your heart. Elle in general though is just amazing at smut and everything else really (just read all of her shit. Do it. And if you’re already read her shit, read it again because she’s amazing) but this is my favorite of her work, though her Wish!Realm AU is a really, really, really close second. (Legit would have made this list if I wasn’t such a lazy bastard. I was going to rec 15 but got lazy and chopped off at 10 because I’m horrible but yeah go read Make a Wish, especially if you were not happy with Wish!Hook because I sure as hell wasn’t.)

Unbreakable by xHookedonKillianx

Rated: M

Notable Features: Canon Divergence (Season 3), Bartender!Killian, Pregnancy, Fluffy Angst, Epilogue that murders you

Author’s Description: What if Hook was able to go with Emma and Henry when they left to escape Pan’s curse? With no memory of each other or Storybrooke, Emma and Killian meet in New York as complete strangers, both with broken pasts, and both with clean slates for their future.

Rose’s Review: I feel think this fic is on every fic rec list and if it isn’t, then it should be because it’s just so well done. It’s just –whale noises- so fluffy but angsty at the same time that it really murders you in the delightful. I personally loved all the references to the monumental moments in the canon being mirrored or echoed unknowingly by Killian and Emma during their time in New York, it’s just a really cool tid bit. Honestly what I love the most about this is the Captain Cobra bonding, even more than the Captain Swan moments. The fact that Killian bonds so much with Henry to the point where they still hung out while Emma and Killian were “on a break” (I refuse to think of it as a break up and wanted to make a Friends reference because I’m lame) just murdered my soul in the best way possible. I love Henry (he’s my little munchkin so I get super annoyed when fics essentially ignore his existence. I have legit stopped reading fics before because they ignored Henry) and he is without a doubt the center of the Swan-Jones family unit in this fic. I really loved the addition of Mac as a supportive character from Killian’s past and almost wish he was featured more in the story. Also I must say this is one of the very few fics that I’ve come across where Neal isn’t a complete and utter douche canoe. This is definitely one of those fics that is like a must-read for the Captain Swanners regardless of what you think of kid!fic.

Beyond the Horizon by alexandralyman

Rated: M

Notable Features: Enchanted Forrest!AU, Pirates, Princess!Emma, Faked Married

Author’s Description: When Princess Emma's ship is captured by the Jolly Roger and Captain Killian Jones, she offers herself as a hostage for ransom if he will let the ship and the other passengers go. With Emma, Killian remembers the honour he once held dear, and Emma catches glimpses of the gentleman Killian had been. Against all odds, the pirate and the princess begin to fall for each other.

Rose’s Review: Beyond the Horizon is the first Captain Swan fic I ever read and it really set the bar high. This is fic is unfinished and I am eagerly, eagerly waiting for it to reach conclusion. I don’t normally recommend fics that aren’t finished, but this is just so, so, so good that I can’t let my hang ups get in the way of recommending it for others to enjoy. I love the development of Killian and Emma in this story, and between Emma and the Jolly crew as she falls into the role as the mistress of the ship. (I legit just want to cuddle Fergus, he’s just so cute.) Anyway, I am really curious and eager to see where she takes the fic because it was my first and without a doubt one of my favorites. I have a massive need for Pirate!Captain Swan (and a massive lady boner for actual Pirate!Killian) and this is what started it.) Just –grabby hands- I want it finished so bad, but regardless this is worth a read because it’s wonderfully written and it will suck you right in. If you’re left begging for more like I was at the end of this, I encourage you to check out her outtakes collection: Interlude at Sea.

A One Time Thing (and Other Untruths) by weezly14

Rated: T

Notable Features: Modern!AU, Pregnancy, Slow Burn-ish, Mild Angst

Author’s Description: "She supposes the reason she tells him is the same reason she kept his phone number after all those weeks." Pregnancy has a way of throwing a wrench in one's plans.

Rose’s Review: Oh man, oh man, where do I start with this one because this is just a pile of angst, fluff and slow burn goodness. I totally get Emma’s headspace in this because if I ever found myself in her situation, I would probably make the same decisions she did in regards to Killian, but KILLIAN, oh man, his thoughts and feelings about becoming a dad slayed me. He just wants to be there and be with Emma so bad. This fic also has probably want I would consider to be the best characterization of Neal. I’m not a Neal fan in any sense of the word, but I’m not a fan over the top villianization (is that even a word? I’m pretty sure it isn’t but if Shakespeare and GWB can make up words, so can I!) of him. This depiction of Neal is perfect in my eyes because it’s very obvious that all of his dickishness based upon genuine fear that Killian is gonna replace him and that Emma is going to take Henry away from him, which in all honestly, as someone who worked in the Family Court system, this is a realistic and very common fear when there is a power imbalance between parents. (Not that I think that the power imbalance isn’t justified because it totally is.) If Neal lived longer in the series, I definitely think the relationship between Emma, Neal and Killian would have been exactly like this. So if you’re looking for realistic parent dynamics and Daddy!Killian feels, this is the fic for you (and even if it isn’t, read it because you won’t regret it.)

I Belong To You, You Belong to Me by phthalo

Rated: M

Notable Features: Canon Divergence (Season 5-6), Pregnancy, Time Travel characters, Bartender!Killian

Author’s Description: Three weeks after dragging your boyfriend's sorry ass out of the Underworld is not the ideal time to find out you're pregnant.It's probably also not the ideal time for Zelena's time portal to spit out some kid...a teenage boy with blonde hair and Killian's eyes.

Rose’s Review: I’m going to admit it now, I was rather dubious about this fic because of the description. I love me some baby!fic/pregnancy fic and I headcanon it all the time, but kids and time travel always stuck me funny (even in Charmed which was my fucking jam before anything else in life was) but I glanced at the kudos and the amount of comments, and thought to myself “well, if this many people like it, then there has got to be something good going on here!” And holy shit, I loved Ian. (I now officially headcanon that Emma and Killian’s eldest son is named Killian David Jones. It just needs to happen because it’s fucking perfect and there’s just too many Liams.) Ian is just a little snarky bae and I really loved the relationship between Henry and Ian. (Operation: Octopus for the win) They’re my perfect little babies. Also the amount of sass Ian sends towards Killian reminds me a lot of my own relationship with my father. (I’m such a shit to him but we’re super close and I’m legit terrified of pissing him off even though I’m fucking 23 years old. Ian also emulates that.)This fic played on a lot of my headcanons (like Captain Swan definitely banging in a field of flowers and totally escaping to bang in the Jolly) and I found Emma’s fears about Dark!Baby and her decisions around that to be completely in character. Killian is just a fucking saint (he’s not, but he definitely has the patience of one) and his understanding of Emma’s headspace in this (and in the show) is one of my favorites. All and all, this story is so massively fluffy that it makes up for all the angst that I read normally. Domestic!Captain Swan is slowly becoming my jam.

With Affection by PhiraLovesLoki

Rated: E

Notable Features: Modern!AU, Secret Admirers, Love Letters, Sassy!Emma, Lawyer!Killian

Author’s Description: Emma Swan isn’t a middle schooler. So why is she receiving notes from a secret admirer? She’s also definitely not a romantic person. So why is she writing back?

Rose’s Review: Oh…my…god…this fic. This fic is just -whale noises- fucking everything. I love it. The snark, the romance and Tink! This is my favorite characterization of Tink! Also this characterization of Emma hit so close to home with me because I legit make up nicknames for everyone in my life even people I never approach (legit everyone in my phone is under a different name. I legit call my mother Madam President Furher because she’s a hard ass and my younger brother is Moose because he’s just a giant but that’s besides the point) so the fact that Emma did that just cracked me up. This is definitely the fic where I bonded the most or felt the most connection to Emma. I love reading for this Emma’s headspace. It’s legit a joy to read. Killian is amazing as usual. I love his letters to Emma, especially the ones where he got more authentic. Walsh, though, gave me flashbacks to my own failed relationships and break ups. I literally had a break up similar to the one that Emma has with Walsh so bravo though for douche bag realism with Walsh. Both of Killian’s and Emma’s backstories are heartbreaking in this and the level of intimacy without actual intimacy (until later on of course) is just astounding. Phira is amazing writer in general and I really recommend you read all of her works, but if you had to choose one, this is the one to read. It just hits you all over the place with feels, humor and realism. Once again, why are you still reading this review, go read the damn fic!

Separate Lives by lenfaz

Rated: M

Notable Features: Canon Divergence (Season 3), Fairy Tale Characters in the Real World, Detective!Killian, Angst, 

Author’s Description: Set after 3x20 "Kansas". After saving the town one more time, Emma decided to return to New York, leaving her past behind. Three years later, she realizes that might be not have been the best decision.

Rose’s Review: I’m not sure if lenfaz reads Janet Evanovich or the Stephanie Plum novels, but legit this story was giving me some Stephanie Plum realness with Detective!Killian and BailBonds!Emma. Except this is better than Stephanie Plum because Emma is just far more bad ass and mature (though relationship-wise is very Stephanie like.) Killian as a detective was complete roguish Joe Morelli realness in the best way. I really loved the addition of Killian being adopted into an Italian family and their protectiveness of him. Laura and her family made me crack up with all the references to him getting a haircuit. (Please don’t, Killian, I love you with longer hair.) It warmed my heart in the best way. I also loved the relationship between Killian and his partner. Killian almost never has anyone in his corner (which is a HUGE point of contention for me in the show because despite Emma’s loner-ness, EVERYONE is in her corner and Killian has like zero support and nothing made that more evident that 6x15, which slayed me in the worst way possible because I fucking love Killian.) Mac, Killian’s partner, is one of my favorite OCs of all time and I loved that he calls him “sunshine.” (Dude, I need the story behind that one so if you haven’t written it, please do. I will even slip you a twenty.)

Roses in December by just_another_classic

Rated: T

Notable Features: Canon Divergence (Season 3), Kid Fic, Fluff, Daddy!Killian

Author’s Description: In a flash of rainbow light, Emma remembers.

Rose’s Review: Surprise, surprise, kid/baby!fic on my reccomendation list. Yes, I realize that only a niche amount of fans like this type of fic, but honestly this is one of the best done baby fics I have seen. I think the best thing about it is that Emma’s focus the entire time is completely on her children and not on romance, which is realistic and should be expected. Her focus is not 100% on Killian, which tends to be done and honestly those type of fics turn me off. She comes off very realistic to me and that’s what I love the most about this. What’s also really cool about this fic is the engagement with the original source material - Peter Pan and the allusions made between what’s happening in the fic and the mechanics of the original play (clever girl!) Also, the way they deal with Zelena in this fic is honestly how I felt they should have dealt with the character on the show. Not that I hate Zelena (well maybe I do..kinda…sorta…the jury is still out on that one) but I always found their approach to the situation to be strange.

Strangeness & Charm by bluestoplights

Rated: M

Notable Features: Enchanted Forrest!AU, Battle Couple!Captain Swan, Adventure, Slow Burn

Author’s Description: Killian Jones is a pirate captain down on his luck after a falling out with the Evil Queen. Emma Swan just found out she is the Savior. Their shared goals bring them on an epic quest to liberate the kingdom once and for all. It's a lot easier said than done.

Rose’s Review: Not only is this beautifully written and engaging, but I seriously want there to be like a television series based off this one. Seriously, I loved it and the pacing of it would be perfect for season one of a really epic fantasy show (which I would totally watch the shit out of it and that scrape the internet for fic or maybe even finally get off my lazy ass and write fanficfor the first time since high school.) The pacing on this thing is on point. I am completely envious because I am such a slow build up writer that I couldn’t pull off something like this in only twenty-four chapters. I loved Killian and Emma’s partnership in this and how everyone just knew they were a perfect pair…except them. What I also love about this fic is that the author really seems to understand the tone of Once Upon a Time really well and stays very true to it. Not that this is a dig on other authors who go lighter or darker, but it’s a fic that seems very in tune with it’s source material which is a very rare find. I really loved the ending of this fic but at the same time I would be super excited if the author decided to write a sequel.