#I don’t do multi-centric fics much

[occasionallyprosie]

What are your LU/LOZ First headcanons?

Personality, trauma responses, family role (big brother, father, only child, etc), favorite foods/colors/season, anything!

I've never written First before, I don't see that much of him either and I'm working through fanon stuff while waiting for my paycheck to get the Hyrule Historia(is it Hystoria?), but I'd love to hear your headcanons for him!

[ghosts-and-blue-sweaters]

Tommy sighs, and some of his anger is blown out through his nose and into the salty breeze. He’s quiet for about a minute before he says, “Do you want me to go in with you?”

~~~

Ghostbur stares at the list, and then looks up. He can see structures at the end of the path, behind some leafy trees. Wooden structures. Houses. A little village.

Ghostbur doesn't visit many villages—he doesn't remember any from Alivebur, either—mostly because they tend to be far away from the main parts of a server, and it takes a while to get to them.

~~~

Even so, Tommy’s heart pulses in his head, and his feathers are raised all over him, and he feels cold instead of hot even though his hair feels sticky.

~~~

When Philza saw Ghostbur for the first time, he gasped.

~~~

Wilbur wonders if Techno ever feels like this, around Tommy. This warm bursting inside his chest, like his heart is expanding past his ribs and slowly tearing through his skin. This explosion in slow-motion, a cacophony of colors and heatwaves and emotions, collecting in a storm cloud inside Wilbur’s brain. This feeling that’s so loud, and yet so quiet at the same time.

~~~

Wilbur loves her.

~~~

Tommy exhales softly. "Why aren't you saying much? You're all closed-off and stuff. That's bad, y'know. It represses trauma and locks up all your thoughts with a teeny tiny key and throws it out the window. Stuff like that." He waits. "Puffy says that's bad for you. Did she tell you that? About repressing things? Wil?"

~~~

Tommy presses his lips together. “Hey, if you- if you’re tired or anything, we can sit down. We don’t have to keep walking if you’re feeling bad.”

~~~

He wonders now, as he holds a tiny glass in both hands, walking from the kitchen to the den. It's the smallest glass he owns, he's sure; he'd spent way too much time looking for it earlier, opening cupboards and peering behind dishes and even checking underneath the sink. It's the only glass that'll fit the contents made for it—which, of course, is a flower. A very small, very tattered, very weak blue flower, all but one petal torn off.

~~~

Techno flicks his eyes to Ghostbur’s face, watching the ghost’s nostrils flare gently every time he breathes. Blanket covered chest rising up and down. Ghostbur doesn’t look like he’s in pain. That’s good.

Even so, Techno drops one hand from his chin and lets one elbow slide off his knee, reaching his arm forwards in order to lay his palm across Ghostbur’s forehead. A bit cold.

[awwyeah107]

2024 Fic Recs

Hello and welcome to my fic recs from 2024 post :)

Like in 2023, the vast majority of fanfiction I read has been Tolkien-centric; my hyperfixation is still going strong, lol. I also got into Longmire (the TV show; I haven’t read the books yet), so there’s a handful of Longmire fanfics in here too. And as I said last year, buckle up, because it’s a pretty long post (this one’s got roughly 80 fics, not counting series!).

For each fic, I’ll give a one-sentence summary and then my thoughts on the fic! I’ll also mention whether the fic is a oneshot, doubleshot (2 chapters), or a multi-chapter fic, as well as the fic rating. I’m sorting the Tolkien fics into series, topic-based, character/time/place-focused, AUs & others, and then I’ll put the non-Tolkien fics at the end. I am including in-progress fics in each of those categories.

Credit to @cafekitsune for the galaxy banners used to separate the sections :)

Intro: What to Expect & Fics Legend

Expect: Lots of angst—LOTS of it. I didn’t realize how much there was until I went back through all of these! Also a bunch of fluff and hurt/comfort. Majority of fics are genfic. Mostly Silmfics; some Lord of the Rings and/or Hobbit characters are featured. Most fics are rated T, with a few rated G or M.

Do not expect: Stories with a focus on romantic!Russingon (or any other first cousins x cousins ships), smut, or excessively gory or dark stories. No E-rated fics.

Notes about formatting: Sometimes, the bullet points may be spaced out a little strangely; that’s because Tumblr won’t actually tag more than 5 people at once in a set of bullet points, so I have to space them out in order for people to get tagged properly. When a fic has quotation marks around the summary, that means it’s taken straight from the summary of the fic. Occasionally, I’ll consider a fic to be rated differently for my personal taste than it’s marked on AO3, and in those cases I will mention that. For example: G [AO3 rating] / T [personal rating]. Otherwise, ratings are from AO3.

Fics Legend/Key These emojis are used to denote any stories that have the following elements, and I’ll do my best to put appropriate warnings/mentions of certain potentially triggering topics as well, when needed. Most if not all the stories do have necessary tags or content warnings given by the author, so if I miss something, the author and/or the fic tags should tell you about it. My apologies if I do miss anything.

🔒 Fic only available to AO3 users

🩸 Features somewhat shocking or graphic violence and/or heavy topics (including abuse, severe trauma, mental illness, etc.)

*️⃣ Features background romantic!Russingon or other cousin ships

🏳️‍🌈 Features LGBTQ+/queer ships and/or characters (for those who do or do not prefer to read fics with queer ships/characters. If you have any questions about this, feel free to send me a DM.)

✍️ Fic is in progress/incomplete

Also, this may go without saying, but I feel like it does need saying: Your mileage may vary with these fics, especially those that are not particularly fluffy. So, read what you’re comfortable with, and don’t read or skip what you aren’t.

I will tag authors who are here on Tumblr; I've included multiple fics by the same authors, so I will only tag each author once.

To all the fic authors, people posting meta/analyses, and fan artists: Thank you for sharing your work with the world. Your stories, musings, and art have brought me a lot of joy (and frequently, encouragement) this past year, and it’s still kinda crazy to me that I can read or see it for free. Because you loved canon enough to make something from it, and you wanted to share the results of that love with others. Thank you. ❤️

Series

Annaáuchiwee by @thegreenleavesofspring (Brievel on AO3) & The_Anonymous_Coauthor 🩸✍️ - [Modern AU] The story of how a biker thug scrapes a street rat up off the street and discovers, for the first time in thirty years, that he has a conscience, which leads him halfway across the country and into a lifestyle of love and sacrifice that he had long forsworn. (In-progress series of 4 works, multi-chapters, T) Y’all. Y’all. I cannot recommend this series enough. If you follow my sideblog, @fandomsandfairytales, you have almost certainly seen me posting about this over there. This series is essentially set in the Sons of the Star universe, which is a “sons of Fëanor as a biker gang” modern AU, but it’s a step to the left of that AU. Annaáuchiwee is focused on the modern equivalent of Celegorm, named Riser Way, and his journey (both literal and figurative) to become an honorable man. I absolutely adore the characters and writing in this series. There’s so much: humor (and lots of it), angst (and lots of that too), violence, domestic fluff, thoughtful moments, and so much character growth. I get excited every time I see an update in my inbox! (Warning: The series features a fair amount of violence, and it deals with heavy topics, including trafficking, rape, and child abuse.)

On Elrond Peredhel by @elvinye (leodesic on AO3) ️*️⃣ 🏳️‍🌈 (Russingon + biological son Gil-Galad; prominent in one work) ✍️ - "A series examining Elrond's kidnap-adoption [and Elrond himself] from a variety of different characters’ perspectives." (In-progress series of 13 works, oneshots and doubleshots, all rated T or G.) I enjoy reading lots of different perspectives on kidnap fam, and I love how this series explores a huge spectrum of characters’ reactions to a very Noldorin Elrond. It’s so well-written and gives me major Elrond feels. Seeing Elrond through so many different lenses is really cool; I think leodesic does a great job handling each character’s inner narrative and also showing Elrond as a kind and caring yet assertive individual, no matter what that character thinks of him. If you are into pro-Fëanorian kidnap fam, you’ll like this series!

Quenta Nossëo by HonoraryDawn ✍️ - Elrond accidentally travels through time and space and arrives in Valinor just in time for Fëanor’s birth in the Years of the Trees; Elrond decides to change history and raise Fëanáro himself. (In-progress series of 2 works, multi-chapters, T) This is such a cool series! I love how it changes history, and all the twists and turns throughout! Nature vs. nurture is a key theme in Fëanor being raised by someone other than Finwë, and Fëanor’s development and the way tensions rise differently in Valinor in the Years of the Trees are fascinating. Highly recommend! (I also recommend Fanarts for Preventative Measures by Leira_E, which has several pieces of fan art and fan-written blurbs for the first installment in this series.)

Horrible Goose Fingon by @pearlescentpearl (PandaFlower on AO3) - Fingon, having experienced life in Beleriand, wakes up in the Years of the Trees Valinor and immediately decides to make it Morgoth’s problem. (In-progress series of 2 works, oneshots and multi-chapters, all rated T or G.) Fingon hits the ground running here, and his quick deductions and planning are so much fun to read! I enjoyed his interactions with Maedhros and with Ingwë’s family, and I’m looking forward to more.

Topic-Based

Post-Thangorodrim

I went through a period of time where I was really into rescue-from-Thangorodrim and post-Thangorodrim fics, so here are my top Maedhros-Thangorodrim-trauma recs from this year!

The Shackle by @valarhalla (Elisif on AO3) 🩸 - Fingon rescues Maedhros from the cliff of Thangorodrim. (Oneshot, M) This fic was exactly what I was looking for when I was craving a rescue-from-Thangorodrim fic!!! Masterfully written. It really depicted the sort of state Mae would have been in, neglected and hanging from the cliff as he was. The entire thing is SO angsty and incredibly heartrending and I loved it. (Warning: Graphic descriptions of injury, bodily fluids, and the effects of an extended period of physical neglect.)

Open Wounds by @markedasinfernal (theeventualwinner on AO3)🩸*️⃣ - “Maedhros' post-Thangorodrim recovery.” (12 chapters, M) I devoured this fic over two days and oh my goodness. What an amazingly well-written piece. I loveddddd all of the medical terminology and the very analytical (though never at the cost of emotional, or vice versa!) way Maedhros’ healing was approached. There’s so much angst and tension amongst the rest of the sons of Fëanor and Fingon as well, yet it is borne out of care for Maedhros, and that care is shown very clearly in all their interactions with Maedhros himself. The richness of the relationships in this fic is really beautiful. (Note: Any Russingon in this fic is very, very lightly implied. Warning: Descriptions of injury, physical trauma, and PTSD.)

Whoops, They’re Both Asleep by until_the_stars_are_all_alight - Findékano comes to visit Maitimo when he hears his cousin wanted “Káno” and finds Makalaurë [Kan��finwë] is already there. (Oneshot, T) A short, absolutely adorable oneshot! It’s only 350 words, but everything is so well-portrayed: the tension between Fingon and Maglor, the way Maedhros is dealing with his recovery, the affection he has for both his brother and cousin. I’ve reread it a few times now and I love it more every time.

No Resemblance by Elisif - Nolofinwë struggles to recognise his nephew after his rescue from Angband. (2 chapters, incomplete, T) This is SO PAINFUL and angsty and so good. From Fingolfin barely recognizing Maedhros for who he was (when Fingon brought him back) to all the memories of young Maedhros in Valinor, it’s shot through with feelssssss.

Dawn by potatoesanddreams - Maedhros’ first sight of the Sun. (Oneshot, T) A proper drabble clocking in at 100 words. I really enjoyed this one—I was fascinated by the second person point of view for Maedhros! The descriptions are so evocative and eloquent.

More About the Things that You Take With by @imnotdyingbutyouallare - Maedhros struggles with Maglor cutting his hair. (Oneshot, T) There is so much gentleness in this fic despite how much Maedhros is still suffering, and so much awareness of each other on both Maglor and Maedhros’ parts, which I loved. Even a “simple” thing such as cutting Maedhros’ hair is difficult for him, and I could really feel the fragility of Maedhros’ state of mind throughout. So, so good!!!

breakdown by @leucisticpuffin 🔒 - Maglor breaks down and Maedhros struggles to comfort him. (Oneshot, T) Oh my goodness, ugh. This is soooo painful and I love it. I feel terribly for Maglor, and for Maedhros feeling so helpless. What an angsty vignette of their relationship in the immediate aftermath of Maedhros’ rescue.

Let them see! by BarbieBlue - Maglor attempts to console Maedhros in a difficult moment during Maedhros’ recovery. (Oneshot, T) I loved reading this fic! I felt the acute frustration on Maedhros’ part that he can do so little and Maglor’s intense guilt. Maglor’s compassion and determination to prove to his brother that he cares is very compelling. (Fingon’s bewilderment at the end is rather hilarious, too.)

Us Against the World by @annoyinglandmagazine (Caranthirwasalesbian on AO3) - It’s the first feast after Maedhros’ recovery, and he realizes only having one hand makes table manners difficult. (Oneshot, G) To me, this fic really demonstrates how much the sons of Fëanor care for each other, and I simply adore it. It’s a beautiful picture of love on a practical level.

Crablor

Oneshots of our favorite singing elf-turned-crustacean, Crablor!

Soft-Shelled Soul by @thescrapwitch (theScrap_Witch on AO3) 🔒 - Maedhros learns from Námo that his brother has been transformed into a crab, and he is determined to find him and bring him home. (Oneshot, G) I really enjoyed this lovely Crablor story! I loved the fact that it was Maedhros and Celegorm who found Maglor—it makes perfect sense to not only have Maedhros, the caring older brother, searching but also Celegorm, the one who knows animal languages. Everything back in Valinor (the reactions! Maglor’s new living space!) are wonderful, too.

The Trial of Crablor Fëanorion by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - Maglor, in crab form, is put on trial for his crimes. (Oneshot, G) This fic could very well go in my humor section as well as the Crablor section. I found myself laughing throughout, and even typing this I’m smiling just thinking about it. The format of a court trial record is delightful, along with all the shenanigans included for the sake of the record!

lured to be loved by LadyHaleth - Elladan and Elrohir search for their long-lost grandfather…who they discover has been turned into a different form. (Oneshot, T) A sweet adventure! Elladan and Elrohir’s dedication to finding and caring for Maglor is so admirable, and I enjoyed their dynamic as twins and with Maglor. The details in every scene really make this fic! (And don’t miss the awesome art in the middle, since the art and fic were one of the TRSB collabs for this year.)

Humor

to speak, to scream and laugh with the echo by @artandsuffering (Tamatoa (SaltandtheSoul) on AO3) - When Maglor wakes up in the past after the Fourth Age, he decides to make it Sauron’s problem. (Oneshot, T) This fic is SO FREAKING FUNNY. The understated humor in this is incredible, and I love the phrasing throughout. The framing of the atmosphere of Angband as a corporate workplace of sorts (while still being fully in Middle-Earth, of course) simply makes this fic.

This Battle Could Have Been An E-mail by @tilion-writes (Tilion on AO3) ✍️ - A series of emails in Maedhros’ inbox throughout the ages. (4 chapters, in progress, T) INCREDIBLY hilarious. The email addresses, the domains for the email addresses (nargothrond.com! himring.net!), the email sign-offs for each of the characters, the subject lines, the files, the messages (including punctuation and tone of professionalism, or lack thereof) from each character—all of it was priceless.

Please Do Not by @mynameisjessejk - “In which Maedhros has all the foresight of the House of Feanaro and uses it entirely to prevent brother and cousin shenanigans.” (Oneshot, bullet-point, T) This fic is absolutely hysterical. I probably broke something trying so hard not to laugh (I was reading this when there were people around). The phrase “the transitive property of Finrod” still lives rent-free in my head months after I read it XD This fic also turned out to be really heartwarming and gave me many feels. So, so, so good.

How Dare by @catkin-morgs-kookaburralover (ATalkingCat on AO3) - The palantir experiences Pippin picking it up. (Oneshot, G) I laughed out loud multiple times reading this. It’s a short, delightful read with a VERY snarky palantir point of view, and I highly enjoyed it!

Give A Whistle by Prackspoor - “After the sacking of Ost-in-Edhil, the Dark Lord Sauron ordered his prisoners crucified and carried at the head of his army as banners so that their approach would strike fear into the hearts of his enemies; no one could have imagined that the last resistance of the Elven City had no plans to go out quietly… literally.” (Oneshot, T) A VERY humorous, somewhat dark oneshot (with a second chapter solely for references). It’s very Monty-Python-esque, with some direct Monty Python references, so if you enjoy that sort of humor, this will be right up your alley. The sympathetic orc captain point of view is fantastic! (Warning: There’s a few dark mentions/descriptions of torture.)

Romance-focused

Tax Fraud and Picnics by @thesummerestsolstice - Haleth and baby Erestor convince Caranthir to go on a picnic. (Oneshot, G) I’ve got three words for this fic: SUPER. DUPER. CUTE. This fic is as sweet as candy. I adore how much Caranthir loves Haleth, and the light humor sprinkled throughout made me grin (the Caranthir-Turgon arguments over taxes will never not be funny to me).

Mending by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - “Caranthir sits by Haleth’s side as she dies and thinks of his family, his life, and his craft.” (Oneshot, T) Very sweet! I loved how the story wove Caranthir’s memories into the present day (pun very much intended), and his love for his craft is so beautiful. I also really enjoyed the visitors at the end :)

Your Eyes Are Like Knives (And I Really Like Knives) by @sweetteaanddragons (Drag0nst0rm on AO3) - Haleth knows that Caranthir is hiding something, and she is determined to find out what it is. (Oneshot, T) I saw that this fic was going to be part of TRSB 2024 a few days before the fics all got released, and I was so excited to read it! I had a fantastic time eagerly devouring it with much excitement and laughter, and as per usual, I thoroughly enjoyed Haleth flustering Caranthir.

Yours Dearly, Most Sincerely by Drag0nst0rm - “Five times Nerdanel had to help Feanaro write a letter, and one time he returned the favor. (And two times they had to write a letter alone.)” (Doubleshot, T) This fic both filled me up with the love Fëanor and Nerdanel had for each other (and their sons!) and ripped me to pieces with angst. The way Nerdanel often balances out Fëanor’s fiery spirit when it comes to composing a letter—and the way he chooses to listen to her!—is wonderful to read; the scene with the third letter practically gave me a heart attack from how adorably fluffy it was. Of course, this makes it all the more heartbreaking when they are apart. A very emotional read all around!

Breaking Into Light by @starspray ✍️ - Glingaereth happens to meet Fingon, the crown prince of the Noldor, and the two begin to take an interest in each other. (4 chapters, in progress, T) I haven’t read any Fingon x OFC fics before, and I really liked this one! Glingaereth and the other original characters stand well on their own, and the chemistry between Glingaereth and Fingon feels natural. I also liked the outside perspectives of the Noldor royal family and the uneasiness amongst the Sindar about the sense of doom following the Noldor.

Nothing in the World is Single by StarSpray - Eärendil and Elwing become friends…and then more. (5 chapters, T [AO3 rating] / G [personal rating]) This is so sweet! I really enjoyed this fic—the easy pacing, Eärendil’s friendly nature, and Elwing’s more reserved personality all combine to make a great read. The descriptions are wonderful, and I liked Eärendil and Elwing’s adventures.

Character, Time, or Place-Focused

Kidnap Fam

What matters is ‘you’ and not the state of you. by @havenotwillnotreadthebooks (EclecticKefi on AO3) - “Maglor contemplates the Peredhel that he and his brother have taken in, then contemplates the effect of this new life on Maedhros.” (Doubleshot, T) This was such an enjoyable read! I loved reading Maglor’s reflections, especially on Maedhros as a father figure to Elrond and Elros. I also enjoyed reading how the twins’ nature as peredhel (and being somewhat eldritch to boot) affects their domestic life with Maglor and Maedhros.

I keep my enemies closer than the mirror ever gets to me by EclecticKefi 🔒 - Elrond and Elros hide in Maglor’s closet and overhear Maedhros and Maglor talking. (Oneshot, T) This fic is both heartbreaking and heartwarming in multiple ways. The two peredhel have seen far too much trauma and suffering in their young lives, but their empathy is really sweet. Also, I’m always a fan of eldritch!peredhel, so I liked the notes of that scattered throughout the story.

On Monsters and Lullabies by Tilion - Maglor is the one the twins like, not Maedhros, and Maglor confronts his brother. (Oneshot, T) I will never tire of the angstiness of Maedhros and Maglor arguing over the twins and the role they play in their lives, nor how Maedhros becomes someone the twins can trust. Maglor’s softness with the twins is so sweet (baby Elrond and Elros are ADORABLE), and the reflections (both Maglor’s and Maedhros’) on how much Maedhros had changed since being in Valinor are really well-written.

And Love Grew by @polutrope (polutropos on AO3) ✍️ - Maedhros and Maglor deal with the aftermath of their attack on Sirion, and Maglor leads their host—including two young peredhel and their caretaker—to Amon Ereb. (6 chapters, in progress, T) A wonderfully complex, angsty, deeply woven tale. Every character and relationship has so many layers, and polutropos does a great job of exploring the darkness of the Oath and the ripple affect it has on the sons of Fëanor, their followers, and the people of Sirion.

And when we’re in the dark, it echoes in your heart by ElectricKefi - Elros unintentionally triggers Maedhros’ Sauron-related trauma. (Oneshot, T) Poor Maedhros AND poor Elros! The idea that the peredhel with Maia blood would bring back Maedhros’ memories of being tortured by Sauron—especially when Elros is trying to help him—is so sad. I loved the instantly-on-alert Maglor who is there to de-escalate the situation, too.

though the shadow closes in by millyfaraway - Maglor and Maedhros strategize to keep Elrond and Elros safe. (Oneshot, T) I really like the dialogue and OCs in this one! The discussion of Sauron and Morgoth’s desire for the peredhel, the plans to keep moving, and the connection Maedhros and Maglor share all flow quite well.

First Age Beleriand

Finwëons & Fëanorians:

Mind the Gap by Tilion - Maglor visits Himring. (Oneshot, T) Loved reading this!! Great characterization of both the characters themselves and their relationship. They are SUCH siblings in this, and I really enjoyed reading them snarking at each other and checking up on each other and seeking to ensure all was truly well. I’ll also never pass up a scene with Maglor braiding Maedhros’ hair.

The Light Behind Your Eyes by Tilion ✍️ - Scenes of Maglor and Maedhros after Thangorodrim. (2 chapters, in progress, T) I love how beautifully this portrays Maglor and Maedhros’ relationship. It balances the past and the present really well. Even though Maedhros is still clearly suffering from his time in Angband, this fic has a calm tone to it, and I can see the healing taking place in Maedhros’ spirit. A lovely read.

Scribbles and Squabbles by @dreamingthroughthenoise (Alantie on AO3) 🔒 - An argument between the Fëanorians, through letters. (7 chapters, T) This was a delight to read! Humorous at times, and heartfelt at others. I could pick up on the underlying hurt and desire to be seen that sparked the argument, and the love and care rising from the letters as things resolved. (The very clear and present sass was quite fun, too.)

Gingerbread Cookies by Elisif - Aredhel and Fingon supervise Idril and Tyelpë while they make Christmas cookies. (Oneshot, G) This is such an adorable fic—tiny Idril and Celebrimbor are so cute, and I loved Aredhel and Fingon’s brother-sister relationship. Their interactions have such fond sibling energy!

A Mere Shadow by Elisif - Maglor comes to visit Maedhros and is reminded of Thingol’s Quenya ban. (Oneshot, T) So good and so sad! I could immediately feel the shift in Maglor’s mood when Maedhros inadvertently reminds him of the ban, and the sorrow oozing from both brothers, as if from a wound.

the raging storm of a foreign war, and a face i'd seen before by @arafinweanappreciation (TelerinJedi on AO3) - Finarfin comes to Beleriand. (Oneshot, T) This fic is short yet so expressive!! I love Finarfin seeing Tol Sirion and him talking about avenging his son in such a terrifyingly calm manner.

Ill-Tidings by TheScrap_Witch 🔒 - Maedhros brings news to Curufin that Nargothrond has fallen. (Oneshot, T) Poor Curufin 😭 This fic has all the dad!Curufin feels!!!! Curufin’s humanity (or elvish equivalent, lol) shines through in this fic in his anguish over his son. His grief and rage are so palpable (and so well-written!).

Too Big, Too Heavy by @hwestalas - Maedhros visits the new High King of the Noldor after the Dagor Bragollach. (Oneshot, T) Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Fingon’s grief over Fingolfin is so raw and real, and I love how he tries to keep it together but fails in the face of Maedhros’ calm, devoted friendship. Such a great read.

ever an anguish that pursued by @thelordofgifs (TheChasm on AO3) 🩸 - Maglor tries to save Maedhros from the fire, but he keeps waking up. (Oneshot, T) UGH SO ANGSTY. So so angsty. All of the “what if”s that Maglor dreams could have happened are so terribly sad, because he can see so many ways out that don’t involve Maedhros jumping into the chasm. (Warning: suicide and multiple near-suicide attempts.)

stone on the board by @dalliansss - The Finwëons play games with politics in Beleriand at Mithrim. (Oneshot, T) So good! Love the politicking going on in this fic, primarily between Maedhros and Finrod. Quite an intriguing read.

there's no timer on grief 🔒 by Kat_isaconfusedbean - After Losgar, Amras mourns. (Oneshot, T) This is SO painful. Especially for how short this fic is. My heart aches for Amras (and for Celegorm). I love Celegorm coming to comfort his brother, along with Huan.

Unrepentent by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - Maedhros will not give up on obtaining the last Silmarils. (Oneshot, T) The Oath has Maedhros in its grip so tightly in this fic (along with his own memories and experiences), and it’s horrifying yet understandable to see him act and think the way he does. I love the dynamic between Maedhros and Maglor in this fic, too.

the ways of birds by @welcomingdisaster (welcoming_disaster on AO3) - “When Maglor is captured in the aftermath of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, he doesn't expect a rescue. (for the prompts maglor + maedhros + "need to keep quiet" & "roadside wound tending.”)” (Oneshot, T) SO MUCH MAGLOR WHUMP. And so much tension, too. I could really feel Maglor’s raw, gritty pain and the ugly experiences he endured. It made the comfort part of “hurt/comfort” that much more relieving when he was, indeed, rescued.

Non-Finwëons:

Mad, Not Angry by AfricanDaisy - Young Thranduil is woken from a thunderstorm, and searches for a source of comfort: his father. (Oneshot, G) SO so cute! I could really feel Thranduil’s panic in searching for Oropher, and then his simultaneous relief and upset when he did find him. The descriptions are vivid and well-crafted, very fun to read!

no vela, no orion by TelerinJedi - A comment from Andreth’s sister causes her to wonder if she is in love with Nóm (or vice versa), and it is harder to have a discussion with him about this than she thinks. (Oneshot, G) The adolescent awkwardness and embarrassment in this fic brings me back to my teenage days XD This is really sweet though, truly. A light bit of fluff!

Second and Third Age Middle-Earth

living arrows sent forth by @balrogballs (timelessutterances on AO3) - Thranduil and Elrond discuss fatherhood at Arwen and Aragorn’s wedding reception. (Oneshot, T) SO. SO. GOOD. I seriously love the phrasing in this one, as well as Thranduil’s and Elrond’s characterizations, their long-held opinions and memories of each other, and their discussion of parenthood. Thranduil is so snarky and Elrond so earnest. Phenomenal all the way through.

rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated by @lighttrls (thunder_and_stars on AO3) - Unaware of elves’ habit of sleeping with their eyes open, Estel finds Elladan unmoving with his eyes open and thinks he must be dead. (Oneshot, T) POOR BABY ESTEL aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. The angst is off the charts in this one; my heart was breaking for tiny Aragorn. I was so glad that his assumption was corrected, in the end.

i'm fine, i prom- by thunder_and_stars - Elladan and Estel are captured by orcs and tortured. (Oneshot, T) Oh my goodness, I wanted to kill each and every orc right along with Elladan. The descriptions of the orcs’ actions, their impact on Estel physically, and the impact on Elladan emotionally were so vivid. It’s some good, heavy whump (with some comfort at the end).

sticks and stones may break my bones by thunder_and_stars - Some people don’t like the fact that Estel lives with the elves. (Oneshot, T) Once again, right there with one of the twins on wanting to beat up people for mistreating Estel. The way Estel tried to hide his injuries and then admitted what happened and what was said and done to him was so sad. Lots of hurt/comfort here.

A Long Way To Go In The Morning by @nocompromise-noregrets (likethenight on AO3) 🔒 - “The night before the Fellowship of the Ring leaves Rivendell, Elladan and Elrohir give Aragorn some encouragement.” (Oneshot, T) I really enjoyed this one! Elladan and Elrohir are such good brothers to Aragorn, and the way they lifted his spirits was really sweet. I liked the discussion of mortality as well as the hopefulness that the twins had about the Quest and Aragorn’s success.

Advice Unlooked For by sehellys - Aragorn talks to Elladan and Elrohir when they return from the Wild, and then he goes to the Feast in the Hall of Fire. (Oneshot, T) The descriptions in this one are simply beautiful—and so is the dialogue! I loved the shift from serious to “shenanigans mode” after the twins update Aragorn on what’s going on in the outside world.

Re-embodiment in Valinor

Red, Red Moon (Keep On Rising) by Tilion 🏳️‍🌈 (Celegorm/Oromë features somewhat prominently, especially in the back half) - Celegorm wakes up outside Mandos with two silver-haired elflings and no memories; he sets off to bring the boys to their parents and figure out his identity. (24 chapters, T) This was such a fun fic to keep up with as it got updates! Celegorm and the twins (kidnap fam 2.0, one might say) were incredibly adorable. I loved Legolas and Tauriel’s inclusion, and I highly enjoyed the whole identity crisis Celegorm went through (seriously, it was awesome). Celegorm feels SO Celegorm to me in this fic: cocky, rough around the edges, more caring than he’d like to admit. Overall there’s so much to this fic, and the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.

Hemlock and Niphredil by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - “In Fourth Age Valinor, Elrond and Thingol connect over a shared love of gardening and grief for their daughters.” (Oneshot, T) I had never really thought about Elrond and Thingol’s similarities before this fic, and I loved getting to read them interacting and forming a friendship! Both have lost daughters by the choice to give up immortality, yet they have quite different personalities (and a complicated family tree), and it’s beautiful to see them connect through their shared experiences. (It’s also interesting to read Thingol portrayed in a more sympathetic light than most fics—yet not without his imperfections, certainly.)

Memento Vivere (Remember, You Must Live) by Drag0nst0rm - “Maedhros and Maglor have a long overdue discussion of what happened at the edge of that chasm - and what happened after.” (Oneshot, T) UGH so GOOD and so ANGSTY. There are so many emotional beats in this fic, and I found myself bracing for each one. I painfully love Maglor’s instincts when it comes to protecting/taking care of Maedhros after all these years, and how he doesn’t want the people he loves to be hurt because of him—though he has been in so much pain himself, and Maedhros sees that. Really, really good. (Warning: Discussion of suicide.)

White Water Flowing by StarSpray ✍️ - In Valinor and homesick for Imladris, Celebrían decides to build a new one. (6 chapters, in progress, T) This is such a lovely fic!! I’ve really enjoyed reading it. I love Celebrían’s characterization—many people underestimate her, and it’s wonderful to see her bloom after healing in Lórien. She simultaneously has a gentle soul and an admirable tenacity and drive. I also love reading her interacting with members of Elrond’s family and seeing how those relationships develop.

Handle with Care by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - “When Fëanor left the Halls of the Dead, he did not expect Mahtan to be the one waiting for him.” (Oneshot, T) I loved this!!! I don’t see a lot of Mahtan and Fëanor interactions, and I really enjoyed reading their conversation. (I grinned at Mahtan telling Fëanor off about Nerdanel. I haven’t seen that before and I’ve really wanted to, so it was quite satisfying.) It’s clear that they both carry a lot of grief, and they have a familiar relationship underpinning everything.

From Ruins We Grow by TheScrap_Witch 🔒✍️ - Fëanor learns how to live again (and how to garden!) when he is returned to life and placed under Yavanna’s responsibility to tend a small corner of Valinor. (7 chapters, in progress, T) I get so excited whenever I see an update for this fic in my inbox! There’s so much feeling in this fic, which is very fitting for Fëanáro’s fiery, intense character. It’s in turns amusing and exasperating to see him humbled by learning a new craft, yet I always find myself rooting for him in his endeavors. I love the relationships he forms with the visitors to his garden, and all the sweet memories of his sons practically make my heart melt.

AUs

In-Universe AUs

An Unexpected Rescue by SpaceWall - Fëanor realizes that someone has taken on the form of his half-brother Fingolfin, and that the real Fingolfin has disappeared. (Doubleshot, T) This is SUCH a cool AU!!! I really enjoyed reading this one. I love Fëanor’s insistence on figuring out what happened and finding Fingolfin, though of course in denial that he cares for his brother deep down. I’d say more but I don’t want to spoil it!

Will You Greet the Daylight Looming? by Tilion - Maglor persuades Maedhros to live. (Oneshot, T) Oh, this fic is terribly, delightfully angsty. I love how Maglor and Maedhros’ relationship is portrayed here, and the vivid imagery really brings it to life. Lots of thee/thou and ‘dearest’ language, too!

Reforged by theScrap_Witch 🔒🩸🏳️‍🌈 (background Celebrimbor/Gil-Galad) - Maeglin survives the fall of Gondolin, and Celebrimbor and others help him to find his way to healing. (20 chapters, G [AO3 rating] / T [personal rating]) What a story. Just—what a story. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion and growth and change and just, wow. I am so freaking proud of Maeglin in this fic, and I love his characterization. He digs his claws into life and doesn’t let go, and it’s incredible to see his transformation over the course of centuries. I also loved the inclusion of many other Second and Third Age characters in this story and how Maeglin’s life becomes intertwined with theirs. This fic is angsty and agonizing on so many levels, but it is fiercely emotional and cathartic in good ways too. I really enjoyed getting to follow along with this fic as it was published!

Scion of Mystery by Tilion 🏳️‍🌈 (minor Erestor/Curufin) - Elrond is determined to uncover Gil-galad’s true parentage. (7 chapters, T) Absolutely BUCK WILD Gil-Galad theory. Complete and total plot twist that I did NOT see coming until a few sentences before it was revealed!! Elrond’s shenanigans along the way to uncover Gil-Galad’s parentage were so much fun to read. Features kidnap fam and Celrond, along with other Fëanorians.

Parley AUs This is a subset of in-universe AUs where someone other than Maedhros gets taken at the parley with Morgoth. Apparently this was the year for me to get into parley AUs, and it even inspired me to write my own, lol!

The Price We Pay by theScrap_Witch 🔒🩸 - “In which Makalaurë goes to parlay with Morgoth, Findekáno still performs his dramatic rescue, and Maitimo struggles with both his little brother’s recovery and his responsibilities as king.” (Oneshot, T) This fic yanked out my heart and stomped on it and then tossed it off a cliff for good measure. I’ve read a few different Maglor-is-taken-at-the-parley fics, but oh boy, this one poured on the FEELS. Everything in this fic is heartbreaking—from Maglor’s belief that he is a “pretty bird” meant to sing to Morgoth, to Maedhros’ distrust/fear of Fingolfin, to all of Maglor’s brothers’ pain over his traumatized state—yet there is an undercurrent of hope that slowly rises throughout the story. It’s so well-written, and I highly, highly recommend it.

Despair Like Poison by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - “Thinking that he’s protecting his family, Maedhros rides to the parlay alone, unaware that Morgoth has a different trick in mind.” (Oneshot, bullet-point, T) Sooooo so angsty!! I really can’t say much about this without spoilers, but aaaaaaaaa. Maedhros is firm about his decision to go, but he’s so gentle with his brothers at the moment of departure, which makes what happens after so much worse.

A Crown of Bones by theScrap_Witch 🔒 - Maitimo and Makalaurë are taken in the parley with Morgoth, and Tyelkormo must take up the crown. (Oneshot, T) I really liked this AU! Celegorm has a lot to deal with here, both in being the oldest Fëanorion and being king of their people. The reminder that he can handle himself in political situations and display his power in words—not just physical action—is fantastic, and the way he cares so deeply for his younger brothers and misses his oldest two is heartwrenching.

Boldness Be My Friend by @a-tehta (tehta on AO3) - Celegorm has been captured by Morgoth, and it is up to Aredhel and Huan to rescue him from the cliff of Thangorodrim. (Oneshot, T) This one is surprisingly humorous for being a rescue-from-Thangorodrim fic, yet also sweet! I really loved getting a Huan POV (so cool), and I enjoyed Aredhel getting to be the rescuer. (There is a bit of implied future Celegorm/Aredhel at the end, but it’s mostly, if not entirely, played for humor.)

Modern AUs

Little Stars, Little Souls by Tamatoa (SaltandtheSoul) - Fëanor looks for his second son, who is dressed up for Halloween. (Oneshot, G) SUPER. CUTE. This is some of the fluffiest fluff to ever fluff and I was just gobbling it up. Baby Maglor is the cutest thing and I love Fëanor as a dad here.

the adventures of Elf Guy by red_01 - “A group of friends obsessed with The Silmarillion discovers a guy who bears a resemblance to Maglor—and uncover the truth.” (Oneshot, T) This was so much fun to read (and highly amusing)! The Twitter format was a great choice, and I’m impressed by the dedication to it. I enjoyed the back-and-forth chaos, internet-typical keysmashes and all caps, and references to artists in the Tolkien fandom (e.g., Clamavi de Profundis, “Phobs-style” cosplays).

Cookies by Brievel 🔒 - Girl Scouts visit the Ways’ house. (Oneshot, G) This absolutely delighted me. I love everything about it—the POV of the girl scouts, the way they were all intimidated by Max, a cameo by Nell, Birdie yelling for cookies in the background. It’s so sweet and made me grin so much.

Valentines Flowers by Brievel 🔒 - “Max brings Misty flowers.” (Oneshot, G) Max and Misty are just straight-up ADORABLE. The way they interact and how they familiar they are with each other’s habits shows how comfortable they are with each other. They both are down so bad, and I love to see it. I also love to see Max doing something nice for Misty :)

Other Tolkien Fics

These are fics that didn’t fit into any other category or had less than three fics within each category.

Miscellaneous:

The War of the Ring by @winterinhimring (morwen_of_gondor on AO3) - The sons of Fëanor are re-embodied and sent to Middle-Earth to atone for their crimes during the Third Age when the Quest for the Ring begins. (42 chapters, T) PSA: if you’ve read The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, you must read this. Required reading. I am only very slightly joking. This story is absolutely PHENOMENAL. I was curious to see what the sons of Fëanor joining the Fellowship would be like, and I was blown away by how beautifully written it is. Y’all. It’s written in the style of The Lord of the Rings books. Like, legitimately. I never knew how much I needed to see the Fëanorions interacting with the hobbits, or showing the strength of ancient Valinorian-born elves in battle, and it all being written in true Tolkienian style is so incredibly wonderful. I can’t recommend this enough.

Joys to Come by @darkfrozenabyss - “Glorfindel, from Tirion to Rivendell.” (7 chapters, T) Loved this fic!!! I love darkfrozenabyss’ characterization of Glorfindel so much. There are so many emotionally powerful, simple and sweet, and feels-inducing moments in this story, and I really enjoyed Glorfindel’s family and how close he is with them!

Years of the Trees Valinor:

Little Father by feanorianswelcome 🔒 - “Maitimo finds little Atarinkë and brings him home for luncheon.” (Oneshot, G) Cute little Curufin oneshot with big brother Maitimo! I haven’t read a lot of Curufin & Maedhros together, so this was enjoyable (and very sweet).

Fine Feathers, Pretty Songs by an_evasive_author - Everyone loves tiny Findaráto (as they should). (Oneshot, G) SO. FREAKING. CUTE. All the fluff for Findaráto! I loved him so much (and the writing style of this fic, too).

Rings of Power:

Look into the Mirror (Tell Me What You See) by Drag0nst0rm - Second Age!Gil-Galad and Rings of Power!Gil-Galad switch places. (3 chapters, T) I have watched one (1) episode of the Rings of Power series, but I have thankfully read enough articles about it that I understand enough to read this fic! It’s a highly amusing and enjoyable read :) The difference in Gil-Galads is quite noticeable, and I loved seeing Second Age!Gil-Galad quite surprised at his (supposed) past actions in RoP, whereas RoP!Gil-Galad is a little less aware of the change in his surroundings (but everyone else certainly is).

Another Skin by crystal_buizel - Second Age!Elrond and Rings of Power!Elrond switch places (based off of “Look into the Mirror (Tell Me What You See)”). (Doubleshot, T) Another swapped places fic! Poor Elrond in both situations, but especially poor Second Age!Elrond. Like the other fic, I can’t say too much about it without spoilers, but this one is also enjoyable, with a bit more angst on the part of both Elronds.

Tumblr Oneshots:

just you wait by @lintamande - “being brilliant in mind and swift in action she had early absorbed all of what she was capable of the teaching which the Valar thought fit to give the Eldar…” (T) I really liked this oneshot! Galadriel in her youth is rather clueless when it comes to social interactions, though she is vastly intelligent in intellectual matters, and I can feel her frustration, restlessness, and pride so strongly in this. Really well-written.

Oropher and Celeborn have a conversation by @amethysttribble - At a party, Oropher and Celeborn talk about the line of Lúthien. (T) SO good!!!! I loved this so much. Oropher and Celeborn’s characterization and views on things make a lot of sense, and I love how their discussion flows. They are the last two of Doriath, and that weight on their shoulders is so evident throughout this fic.

Non-Tolkien Fics

Longmire

A Never Ending Bake Sale by ladygray99 - Walt and Henry spend a casual evening together at The Red Pony. (Oneshot, T) I absolutely loved reading this fic. I feel like ladygray99 really nailed the characters, their relationship, and their mannerisms. Everything in Walt and Henry’s conversation, said and unsaid, felt very natural and relaxed. You can feel the depth of their 38-year-long friendship and how comfortable with each other they are. Although I’ve only seen the TV show and not read the books, I liked how it incorporated things from both. A great read!

Every Page You Turn You’re Writing (Typing) Your Legacy by @cminerva and @whatamess 🔒 - “For nearly four decades, Mathias has found many reasons to admire Ms. Ruby Mason née Taylor and in that time Ms. Ruby has found just as many reasons to be fond—and so proud—of the man Mathias has become.” (Oneshot, T) Oh my GOSH. This fic is adorable and cringy (in the best way!) and so freaking cute. I highly enjoyed the descriptions of Durant high school in the early 80s, complete with a typing class; although I wasn’t alive at the time, it feels quite realistic. I loved seeing Mathias’ journey through high school into adulthood and the way his and Ruby’s friendship developed over time, from Mathias’ schoolboy crush to his respect for the amazing woman she is. Mathias and Ruby’s friendship has now become canon to me, to the point where I’ll watch episodes and get excited whenever these two characters (who, for anyone who doesn’t know the show, are minor characters and very rarely interact) get to see each other, even only for a quick nod or short smile.

Something New by cminerva - Though they’ve known each other for years, May Stillwater and Mathias Littlesun have never been friends—and indeed, they’ve been enemies before—but perhaps it’s time for something new. (Oneshot, T) I am now a May/Mathias shipper after reading this fic XD I really liked how this not only addressed the (admittedly few) interactions they had in the TV show but also added more “off-screen” ones to give more depth to their on-screen appearances. They have a lot of reason to dislike each other, but I loved how in this fic, they began to see reasons to respect each other and then caught feelings. So cute!

Quigley Down Under

Morning Sun by Brievel 🔒 - Matthew and Cora wake up together. (Oneshot, G) This fic is SO SOFT. I can totally picture this happening as an epilogue after the end of the movie, and I can hear their voices so well. The details are quite lovely. Quigley Down Under is a pretty niche film, but if you’ve seen it, you deserve to read this fic!

I mentioned this at the start, but I wanted to reiterate because I truly am very grateful—To all the fic authors, people posting meta/analyses, and fan artists: Thank you for sharing your work with the world. Your stories, musings, and art have brought me a lot of joy (and frequently, encouragement) this past year, and it’s still kinda crazy to me that I can read or see it for free. Because you loved canon enough to make something from it, and you wanted to share the results of that love with others. Thank you. ❤️

And thank you to all who read this far XD Hope you enjoy some (or all!) of these fics!

Other Fic Rec Lists: 2023 Fic Recs, Fic Recs for Elrond Week 2024 (on fandomsandfairytales)

[rweoutofthewoods]

Storyteller. That “Angst with a Happy Ending” girl

✩ She/her ✩ 22 ✩ Jewish ✩ marauders ✩ vld ✩

𖤓 LINKTREE 𖤓

PLEASE DO NOT PUT MY WORK ON GOODREADS!!

-Asks and Answers: #mere answering things ;)

-Disclaimer on triggering fics -Rules, permissions, and FAQs regarding my fics -Rules for podfics and translations

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WIPS

★ Every Omen in the Valley

╰┈➤ WIP | Jegulus. Soulmate AU, Sports/college AU. Enemies to friends with benefits to lovers. On hiatus.

★ the first day of death

╰┈➤ WIP | Canon divergence, horcrux hunting. James lives in the muggle world, unaware of magic. He meets Regulus when they both come to the cliffs to die. (Updates every Friday)

★ Tennesee Baby

╰┈➤ WIP | student x teacher. Regulus is an amateur writer hungry for more and James is his teacher.

★ prey

╰┈➤ WIP | Jegulus. a/b/o, canon divergent, horcrux hunting. Regulus is Harry's parent and survives the cave.

COMPLETED

★ anti-hero

╰┈➤ 237k words | jegulus (side wolfstar). Canon divergence. Regulus lives.

★ pathological people pleaser:

╰┈➤ 114k words | BPD James, James/Jegulus centric but multi-character and ship focused.

★ god bless america

╰┈➤ 84k words | Jegulus, wolfstar. Southern AU. childhood friends to lovers to exes to lovers AU. Set in the south in 2005 because I’m nostalgic.

★ Youngblood

╰┈➤ 75k words | Jegulus. The juvie AU. James and Regulus meet in juvie. They meet again nine years later and the past comes back to bite them.

★ antithesis

╰┈➤ 68k words | jegulus (band au!!)

★ Worst Case Kid

╰┈➤ 42k words | Jegulus, age gap. The tolerate it AU.

★Antipathy

╰┈➤ 36k words | cheating fic. Relationship study of toxic relationships and infidelity.

★ don’t call me kid (don’t call me baby)

╰┈➤ 18k words | Jegulus... infidelity, the folklore love triangle AU.

★ 27 club

╰┈➤ 27k words | Jegulus, MCD: loosely inspired by Nirvana, 1990s band AU

★ Noble

╰┈➤ 9k words | Lilycissa, Jegulus. Canon compliant but if lilycissa and jegulus were canon.

ONESHOTS

★slow endings

╰┈➤ 6k words | Jegulus. Canon compliant, Harry's POV. Harry finds out about jegulus through letters after the second war.

★castles crumbling

╰┈➤ 11k words | Jegulus. Exploring their relationship in Hogwarts, James saves Regulus from the cave.

★bad idea right?

╰┈➤ 6.5k words | Jegulus. James and Regulus are broken up but they're dumb and have sex.

★I’ll stare directly at the sun

╰┈➤ 3k words | Jegulus. A small return to the anti-hero universe.

★you don't love me in a way I understand

╰┈➤ 3k words | Jegulus, inspired by Wishbone by Richard Siken

SOCIALS

find me elsewhere on…

★ AO3

★ TikTok

★ Pinterest

★ Spotify

FAQ

What's your update schedule?

╰┈➤ I update my main project every Friday, everything else happens as god intends it.

Can I dm you/come chat?

╰┈➤ OF COURSE. My dms are always open, pls feel free to come talk.

How do you write so much?

╰┈➤ Short answer, mental illness. Long answer, a lot of commitment, practice and obsession. If you're interested in my writing process here's the writing-related asks #mere's writing asks and answers and you can feel free to shoot me specific questions.

Can I send you fic requests?

╰┈➤ Yes you may, but I cannot promise I'll manage to write them! HOWEVER, I'd love to try or work specific things into fics if you want them.

PLAYLISTS

★ anti-hero

★ ppp

★ god bless america

★ Worst Case Kid

[sunnyshinesunshine]

A Tolkien Fic Rec

let the gods look down on this and wonder by @dialux & rainforezt - Aredhel-centric, 22.5k, rated T (complete)

This post canon Valinor fic has everything. Aredhel being a flawed badass. Nolofinwean drama. Complex mother-daughter relationships. Come for female-focused Silm Fics, stay for Aredhel breaking Valinor while dealing with her family. Cannot recommend enough.

A Boy, A Girl, And a Dog: The Leithian Script posted to Ao3 by GammaCavy (originally by Philosopher At Large) - Lúthien/Beren, 593k, rated G (complete)

A retelling of the Lúthien and Beren in script form based vaguely on Ol’ Will Shakes. I rarely read true canon compliant works, but this is worth every heart wrenching second. It’s funny, poignant, and deserves to be produced as an actual production. I would pay money to see it.

Aurë entuluva - series by @theheirofashandfire - multi pairing mainly Fingon/Maedhros, 589.5k over 17 installments, rated G-M (ongoing)

THIS. This is The Silm Fix-It. Begins with A Thread Unraveled, a Nirnaeth Arnoediad Ground-Hog day style fix-it centered on Maedhros, then expands. The author does a great job with the politics and the fallout of the Nirnaeth being a success and how that changes the rest of the events of the Silm. I especially love her characterizations of Melian, Finduilas, Turgon, and all the Brothers Fëanor.

The Last Spring by clothonono on ao3 - Finwëan fam + background Fingon/Maedhros, 26.2k, rated G (complete)

This right here is how I imagine the Family Finwë pre-canon. Fëanor brings his children to visit Tirion for the first time. The tension between the children of Finwë is delicious. The characterization of Fëanor is delicious. The foreboding ending, also delicious. This could be an entire six course meal if it was edible. Also baby Galadriel is amazing and terrifying.

As a Star Upon a Hill by @mynameisjessejk - Lúthien/Beren & Fingon/Maedhros, 11.9k, rated T (complete)

A fix-it au where Celegorm and Curufin decide to not be assholes, Beren and Lúthien steal all three Silmarils, and everyone agrees that dads kinda suck. Borderline crack, but such a feel good fic ugh it makes me happy.

Light Touched by whovianhiddlestoner on ao3 - kidnap + peredhel fams, 48.9k, rated T (complete)

Another (relatively) lighthearted fic where everyone who touches the Silmarils get to be Eldritch and Elrond has a lot of family reunions. Mainly set in the third age, ending in Valinor. Beautiful language all around, and also Maedhros’ hair is on fire. Which is awesome.

The Iron Ring by lulumiche on ao3 - Glorfindel/Maeglin, 39.2k, rated M (ongoing)

Post-canon in Valinor. Maeglin was actually in love with Glorfindel, which no one but Idril knows. Come for the discussions of homophobie in elf society, stay for some of the realest feeling characterizations I have ever read. Seriously, I don’t really like Maglor as Lindir but I ate it up here. Also lots of interesting magic.

The Silver Rule by SpaceWall on ao3 - Celebrían/Elrond/Gil-galad, 70.4k, rated T (complete)

More post-canon Valinor shenanigans. This time, Celebrían argues law, makes friends, and wants her husband back. I love breaking Valinor, and I especially love when Tolkien women do it. And let’s be honest, the Statute of Finwë and Míriel is utter balogney.

I Do; I Will by @littlewhitemouseagain - Fingon/Maedhros, 22.8k, rated M (complete)

The one in which everyone is on their worst behavior and the sons of Fëanor challenge Fingon to duels over his crown. I cannot emphasize enough how this is The Fingon Fic. His flaws are exposed and addressed in such a way that I’ve never seen before. The insights into the Fëanorians, especially Mae, are also really super poignant. This deserves so much attention.

Across The Table by Tuginda on ao3 - Gimli/Legolas & Glorfindel/Erestor, 9.5k, rated G (complete)

A conversation between two couples at Aragorn and Arwen’s wedding. Beautiful, sweet, and containing one of my favorite things: crotchety old Fëanorian Erestor. Somehow feels like both a conversation about dwarves and elves, and a lovely tribute to the Noldor.

+ 1

of drowning men by bimmyou on ao3 - Isildur/Valandil, 26.5k, rated E (complete)

The best Rings of Power fic I’ve read so far. Nails all of Isildur’s character flaws and gives such an incredible depth to Valandil.

[colesabi]

2024 Year In Review

Wow. 2024 was quite the year. It’s the first full year I’ve been back on tumblr consistently. It’s the first year I’ve also been consistently writing. I got into PT school. I got engaged. It’s been full of some high highs and some low lows. I found a community here that I cherish so much and frankly a reason to get up every morning. I spent a shitload of money on dolls… and you all supported that; so thank you. I don’t intend to stop doing that, so RIP my bank account…

I wrote so much this year. More than I’ve ever written before. I’ve finished 9 full stories. Wrote my first multi-chapter piece EVER; then wrote 3 more. I’ve shared random WIPs on here and gotten feedback and encouragement where I’ve never had before. You guys are so encouraging and lovely and I cherish that I can literally post something insane and you all just accept me for the deranged psychopath that I am. :3

I have no idea what 2025 has in store for me. I know it’s going to be busy and hectic (I start PT school in the fall) but I hope to stay engaged here and support and keep on being me, so look forward to that lol. 

Fic wise, I have plenty of WIPs in my inventory and am actively working on the honeypot sequel. Besides that, I have some goals to write some other ships, including Metaltango, Nivannedy and maybe Serennedy. I have some plans to go a little outside my comfort zone, so we’ll see how that goes but overall, I’m excited for some new opportunities in the new year and sharing that all with you guys. 

Okay, now I’m crying. 

Alright, now for the statistics I guess. 

2024 Fic in Review

Word Count: 113,069

Pairing/Character Breakdown

8 Leon/Chris

1 Leon-centric

Chreon

When Time Runs Out (E) 22k || What happens when Leon has outgrown his usefulness?

Fragment (M) 12k || It sticks with you (f/u to WTRO)

The After (E) 12k || a series of short stories (prompt based)

Home (M) 1.4k || All it takes is one word to completely upend everything. (MCD)

For Those Who Go Seeking (E) 32k || Leon is not sure how he woke up in a body bag in a morgue with no recollection of how he found himself in his current predicament but he’s quite sure something is very, very wrong.

Worst Nightmare (M) under 1k || Chris can’t shake the feeling.

Operation: Cobalt Saber (E) 25k || “It is my understanding that you and one of their captains have gotten quite close. Oh, what’s his name…” Simmons says, almost nonchalantly, one hand raising in the air to snap the middle and thumb together repetitively. It makes Leon flinch, the gesture and the man’s tone causing his stomach to drop with the implications. “Chris Redfield! Yes, that’s it.” He exclaims suddenly, a sneer spreading across his face as he finally lifts his gaze from the folder. Oh— Leon doesn’t like this. (or the Chreon honeypot)

Caught in the Interval (E) 3.5k || After the events of New York, Leon foolishly kisses Chris outside his hotel room. What follows is a chain of events Leon hadn’t considered as a possibility.

Leon-centric

Under The Skin (M) 2k || Months after the events of Valdelobos, Spain, a lingering unease begins to surface.

[starlightmeissa]

hello! i love all your writing so much - your characters are super unique and refreshing, i was so excited when i saw your new naruto si/oc. do you have any fic recs (any fandom)?

TY!! i dont really make rec lists often but here's some now!

(sidenote, i keep almost ALL of my bookmarks public on ao3, so if you ever want to see what i'm reading you can probably find it there)

I'll just stick to naruto recs for now!

Naruto

Stretch, Fold, Expand by SenjuMizusaya

Kazue has not always been Kazue, but this does not make her less of a Nara, or less of a kunoichi, or less of a sister. Only less gullible. (Semi-SI into the Narutoverse.)

self insert into shikamaru's sister. there's only three chapters right now, but the clan political intrigue is super promising, as well as addressing a lot of canonical sexism.

Fallow Fields by zarinthel

For every rising star that the shinobi world produces, a hundred other geniuses are chewed up and spit out. Seiko crawls out of that grinder, only to find that she still has the rest of her life to face head on.

another si that is named seiko. completely embarrassed that i used the name as well without realizing, especially since this fic is so excellent and i would hate to cramp on the author's style.

a fic that is more focused on a slice of life story than an endless power grind, though the si does get a chance to be badass and awesome.

Glass Marionette by Haunted_Frost

It takes time to process the memories, but by the time Kankuro becomes a student at the Sunagakure Academy, he's certain he knows: he's in the Naruto universe, a village away, and he's standing next to a ticking time bomb at all times. One that he has an unfortunate urge to hug and tuck in for bed. Well, at least he gets to indulge in his inner theater kid with the whole puppet thing. That's a bonus. If he can just manage to wait out the worst of it, he might even become strong enough to make a difference in the upcoming war.

si into kankuro methodically destroys canon and makes a happy ending for people in under 100k words. marvelous, gay, and it's suna centric.

If 3 Reincarnated Ninja Were Fighting a Moon Goddess and One of Them Got Killed With a Rock, Would That Be Fucked Up Or What by mordox

Three random idiots were transmigrated into bodies of Konoha toddlers during the kyuubi attack. Each thinking they’re the only one who remembers a past life, they each try to hide it. Coincidentally, they are all assigned to Hatake Kakashi’s genin team since they were only average academy students and don’t have parents to complain about their children being failed via bell test, which happened with the last three teams he was assigned. What follows is three fools trying to hide their knowledge from each other and their jounin-sensei while desperately trying to reach chunin fast enough that Kakashi can teach the actual team seven, and a jounin-sensei who is very confused by his three genin but has so few (read: zero) points of reference for normal twelve year olds raised during peacetime that he can’t tell if they’re weird or not.

fucking hilarious. i'm not usually into multi-inserts but oh my GOD these three are disasters, and kakashi is just so confused. a series of assumptions from all three PLUS kakashi convincing them all that they're Normal.

"i sure hope no one realizes i just used the acronym PTSD, as in the english letters in the middle of my japanese sentence." "oh, i didn't know PTSD was a term in naruto. wow."

it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. you can't look away.

The Scorpion and the Frog by zarinthel

Maybe the fate of Uchiha Itachi and the Uchiha Clan could have been changed if Itachi had just had one more family member he could trust -- someone as powerful, invested in Konoha, and devoted to the clan as him. Someone with a little extra knowledge up her sleeve. Unfortunately for Itachi, the Uchiha's abysmal luck with siblings has given him… Kaeru.

another zarinthel fic bc they are a super skilled and i appreciate them. completed fic. a genuinely good subversion of usual si tropes while still making the si op and kick ass. she's just uh. a little mentally ill about it. the entire time. and we love that for her.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW! i hope you enjoy these!

[strangerfandomfiascos]

Hey everyone :)

I'm participating in WIP Wednesday for the first time ever and I made a poll asking what people would like to see (Link here)

It would be so appreciated if people could give me their thoughts on these snippets of my current WIPs ❤️❤️ Looking forward to posting on Ao3 as soon as I can! Some are much more developed or time pressing than others but I hope to have at least one out before the new year with the rest closely following 😊 Some of these paragraphs are also pretty disjointed/unpolished but lot of them are still in the early writing or editing stages.

Hope you enjoy!

WIP Wednesday Snippets for December below ❄️❤️✨️❄️❤️✨️❄️✨️❤️❄️❤️✨️

Multi-Chapter Steddie Steve Centric Fic (First Chapter)

“I don’t know what to tell you, Robin, I was just so excited for the working week that I couldn’t sleep last night” Steve deadpanned, ignoring the pit gnawing its way through his stomach and making his chest feel a little too tight. Thankfully, the joke had worked as he’d intended as Robin’s expression went from sceptical to straight up disdainful.

“Ugh, don’t remind me! I actually think I might die if it gets any hotter. I’ve tried talking to Keith about fixing the AC and all he does is grumble at me with a mouth full of Cheetos.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. My hair hasn’t looked this shitty since eighth grade, this humidity is awful for it”

“I don’t know about that, sailor boy. You forget that I also worked with you last summer so I know what you tried to hide under that hat when it couldn’t handle the humidity.”

Steve grimaced at the pet-name as his mind was suddenly assaulted by flashbacks of a Russian guard calling him the exact same thing at Starcourt, except he had worn a cruel smile in contrast to Robin’s playful one and had delivered a swift punch to the gut shortly after.

“God, I hated that stupid hat” he said with a shudder “and it didn’t hide shit, it only made me look worse.”

“Well, you don’t have to wear one for this job, at least. Just gotta put up with Keith and assholes who return their video tapes all tangled.”

“I’ll take Keith and tangled VCRs over screaming kids and floors that’ve been puked on any day” Steve replied, and he meant it. Working at Scoops Ahoy had well and truly sucked, even before all of the Russian and supernatural bullshit. He’d only been working there in the first place because his asshole of a dad had wanted to punish and humiliate him for not achieving good grades or getting into college.

‘Since your worthless hide can’t even get into goddamn tech then the very least you can do is find a job lowly enough to take you on so you can learn some fucking responsibility for once your goddamn life’ he had spat at him, full of virulence and contempt with the harsh aroma of whiskey accompanying every last syllable.

If he was being completely honest with himself, which was something that he also sucked at doing, Steve wasn’t entirely sure if he’d even wanted to go to college. He’d applied to the Scott Business School up at Indiana State because he didn’t know what the fuck else to apply for and he’d wanted to keep his dad happy plus stay relatively close to Hawkins so that he could still visit the kids. He’d barely looked into the university itself and it was the same story for the other couple of in-state techs he’d also applied for but in the end it hadn’t mattered, he didn’t get into any of them anyways.

Steddie Winter Exchange 2024 Oneshot Fic

“God, can we just go back to laughing like we were inside earlier?” Steve groaned as he carded a hand through his un-kept hair anxiously.

“Sure dude, I can go back to laughing. I mean, just looking at your hair right now is making me want to laugh my ass off” Eddie said with a wolfish grin.

Steve blushed and touched his hair again, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

“Shut up” he laughed nervously as he felt the flush creep up his neck and onto his cold cheeks. “I haven’t exactly had the kind of day that called for making myself look presentable.”

“No no, it’s cool man” Eddie continued to chuckle. “I actually like it when it’s super messy, it’s cute.”

What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck what the –

Steve could feel himself going even redder and he just hoped that the shimmery glow of the moonlight wasn’t enough to illuminate the colour across his otherwise pale features.

“It is not that messy!” Steve sputtered as butterflies swelled in his stomach, unsure if it was from annoyance, amusement, indignation or something else…

“And it’s not cute! I just haven’t had the willpower to do anything to it recently” he argued as the flutter in his stomach intensified when he felt Eddie’s devilish eyes on him accompanied by an amused smirk.

“Oh come on – you can’t tell me that this isn’t cute” Eddie suddenly leaned forward, grinning whilst he reached out and ruffled Steve’s hair, much to the other’s outrage.

“What are you, Eddie – no!” Steve squawked in protest, trying to lean away from Eddie’s batting hand and falling off his lawn chair in the process. Eddie just continued to laugh hysterically, tossing the his cigarette held in his other hand to one side and following Steve to the floor.

“Munson – hey! Oh my god, stop!” Steve cried, but even he couldn’t contain his own laughter now.

Eddie did not stop. Instead, he tried to pin Steve to the ground and it wasn’t long before the two of them were in an outright wrestling match on the dirty, cold patio floor.

“If it wasn’t messy before, it certainly is now!” Eddie cackled between laboured breaths, wrangling with Steve’s flailing limbs until he eventually lost the upper hand. Steve managed to hook a leg around Eddie’s waist and swiftly flipped the two of them over so that Eddie now lay back flat against the ground and Steve suddenly found himself on top, panting.

Multi-Chapter Edmund Pevensie Centric Fic (First Chapter - Casmund much later down the line)

Peter and Susan had only been five and four when baby Edmund had come along but their young age hadn’t stopped the two of them from being totally awed by the little creature they came home to one morning after spending the night at Aunt Mary’s. They had known that their parents had been expecting of course – there had been many days spent together as a family at home where Peter been diligent in his efforts in helping his mummy carry heavy objects around the house or pulling the chair out for her to sit at the dinner table, whilst little Susan had dutifully brought her sloshing cups of tea and platefuls of biscuits, all under the twinkling, watchful eye of their father. Fascinated by the bump that their mother carried for a number of months, knowing just how precious it was, they had spent countless hours huddled beside her on the sofa watching for the flutter of a kick, their soft fingertips gently feeling for the press of a foot or an elbow or a hand.

They knew what a baby looked like, having seen so many at the park or in London’s bustling streets but nothing prepared them for the one waiting for them bundled up in their exhausted mother’s arms that warm July morning.

It was as though two of them had been put under a spell the moment they had arrived atop of the stairs and peered apprehensively around their parent’s bedroom door, totally transfixed by the sight before them.

“It’s alright my darlings.” Their mother had said softly. “Come closer and meet your little brother.”

Eyes wide with curious mesmerisation, Peter and Susan had cautiously made their way to their parents’ bed where their mother lay whilst the bundle cooed and snuggled into to her. Their father stood beside her, looking tired but proud as he too had beckoned them to sit atop the covers.

“He’s so tiny” Susan had murmured as she had reached out a hand to gently stroke Edmund’s raven black hair and soft, pale cheeks.

“Can I hold him?” Peter asked tentatively, wanting very much to cuddle his baby brother yet being afraid to, for he had looked so small and fragile.

Helen smiled. “Of course you can sweetheart, come and sit up here with me” she’d said, allowing room for her two eldest children to sit closer beside her, being careful not to jostle her as they did so. Peter had nestled into her side whilst Susan had leant on him too before she showed them how to hold their new sibling and gently passed Edmund into the anxiously awaiting arms of Peter.

“What’s his name mummy?” asked Susan, whose wide, star-struck eyes never left the little baby in front of her. Helen looked distant for a moment, her kind features becoming filled with warmth, despite the bags beneath her eyes and her clammy skin.

“Edmund. This is little Edmund” she replied while her husband rested his hand on her shoulder affectionately.

“After your grandfather” he said fondly as he and Helen shared a smile.

“From the Great War?” Peter asked, staring down at Edmund in wonder, allowing him to wrap his tiny hand around his pinkie finger.

“Yes.” his father answered with a hint of sincerity to his tone. “He looks just like him. He’d be so proud of you, my love.” He added, squeezing his wife’s shoulder once more and giving her a knowing look.

“He has our eyes” Helen murmured quietly. “Just as Peter and Susan have yours.”

Multi-Chapter Snape & Lily’s Daughter/Harry’s Half Sister Harry Potter Fic (Prologue/First Chapter)

The forest surrounding Godric’s Hollow shook softly as whispering gusts of wind moved between the skeletons of trees. In the moonlight, each branch glistened with the sheen of autumn frost; each and every shape and shadow standing stark against the forest’s silvery glow. Leaves the shade of singed orange skipped along the cold forest floor with every sigh of the wind and far off sounds of a fox’s screech and an owl’s call could be heard as they were carried through the trees.

In the golden glow of the rustic porch at the back of the Potter cottage, a girl of eighteen sat upon the worn redbrick steps with her long red hair hanging loose past her shoulders and gloved hands wrapped around a steaming mug of pumpkin spiced tea. Her green eyes sparkled under the moon, radiant with you but also heavy with weariness as she gazed out at the looming forest past the red brick wall ending the Potter land.

“Lily?” a voice called from inside, followed by cautious footsteps.

“Out here” Lily called back as her heavy thoughts were interrupted and her gaze was pulled from the abyss of the shadowy forest ahead of her.

“Are you not freezing to death out here?” the voice of James Potter came fretfully from behind her as she turned to see her fiancé stood in the rustic old doorway. “I can feel the draft from the kitchen, are you alright? You’ve been sat out here for almost a half hour.”

“I hardly noticed how much time had passed until now until now” Lily admitted as she turned and gave him a soft smile. “I’ve been too busy staring off into the night.”

“Hmm” James mused. “That forest always frightened me as a child after nightfall, even if I’d spent the day playing in it with my father.”

“I don’t mind it. The sounds of the trees comfort me, even in darkness” Lily replied, eyes still looking to woods beyond the threshold of the Potter garden.

She was about to get up when she suddenly inhaled sharply, back straightening as one of her hands instinctively moving to her stomach.

“You alright?” James asked, concerned.

“She’s moving again” Lily said with a smile. “I doubt it’ll be long now.

James looked pensive for a moment, worry still etched into his features before he offered the red-headed girl a hand.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside, before you both catch your death.”

[mryaksalot]

Plans for the rest of 2024 and beyond.

2024 has been a turbulent year for me, to say the least. I went into this year with an entire agenda as for what I wanted to accomplish in terms of writing. Little did I know how differently things would turn out for me.

My mental health back in March/April was not great if I’m being honest. I found myself not having nearly as much motivation to write as I did before. I decided to take a break from social media, fic-writing included, in order to work on my mental health. I’m happy to report that I’m doing a lot better now, and my motivation to write fics has increased significantly since June.

During my time away from the internet, I had time to reconsider what my intentions were when it came to my writing. I always enjoyed writing for the fun of it, but I also wanted my stories to stand out from the rest. I wanted to create something that was entirely unique, something that I can look at and be proud of.

The following is a list of all of the things I want to accomplish for the rest of 2024 and beyond, highlighting future stories as well as major changes in regards to my writing.

Backstory AU/The Road To Success

I’ve always viewed The Road To Success as my flagship story. I created this AU all the way back at the beginning of 2021. Hours upon hours have been put into fleshing out this AU into the multi-chapter saga. So many changes had to be made along the way(including starting the whole story over from scratch back in 2022). The story is now over 140k+ words, and it’s nowhere near finished.

Admittedly, I went a little overboard with how much thought and ideas went into this AU. I was not aware that this project would take so many months, even years, to put together. I don’t have an editor – I write, edit, proofread, and publish every one of my stories by myself. That takes a while to do.

Back in January 2023, The Road To Success went viral. This was around the time the 3rd and final season of the reboot came out, and AO3 was flocked with fans eager to catch the hype train. For a good few months, my story was gaining an immense amount of readership, which encouraged me to pump out as many chapters as possible in a short time frame.

But, like all hype trains, the excitement from the new season release cooled down. By the fall, the only fans left were diehards like myself. I was also experiencing some major burnout from pushing myself so hard. I had other responsibilities outside of social media like work, school etc. This burnout led to several delays of new chapter uploads.

During my break, I had time to rethink several components of my Backstory AU. I made a handful of changes to The Road To Success. The most prominent one was making the story much more Yakko-centric. I wanted to make a story showing how hard work and dedication to your craft can get you to places in life you’d never imagine. Yakko is the perfect character to convey that sort of message.

Initially, I wanted to include more character perspectives beside Yakko, but I ultimately decided to size it down. We’ll still see some of their perspectives (Wakko will get his own chapter at some point), but for the most part, the spotlight will remain on Yakko. This is his story, after all. Because of this, the current version of TRTS is much shorter than I originally drafted 2 years ago.

I have thought about expanding the universe even more with additional stories, but I have decided to hold off on that until I reach a certain number of chapters (you’ll understand when the time comes). I’m currently working on a 2-parter, chapters 17 and 18, which will take priority for the time being. I will save an announcement about bonus content for another day.

The Backstory AU has really become a passion project of mine. You can say it’s my magnum opus. I intend to take my time with future updates going forward. I used to pump chapters out as fast as I can, but I don’t really feel like I need to do that anymore. I feel like my content is better when I take my time to make sure everything is right. I want this AU to be executed to its full potential. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes.

Oneshots/Additional projects

I have always been open to doing external projects on top of working on the Backstory AU and The Road To Success. Though recently, I have cut back on the amount of oneshots that I put out. There are two reasons for this:

1. The time I spend on these oneshots takes away time that I could be spending to write up the next chapter of The Road To Success. That story is a much higher priority to me, so I would like to put my time and effort into that before I decide to work on something else.

2. There really isn’t much demand for me to pump out as many oneshots now than there was 2 years ago. As I said in the hype train analogy, when a show gets new seasons/episodes, it draws fans to social media – it gives fic writers the motivation they need to push out new content. But now that the Animaniacs reboot has ended, a majority of the casual fanbase who had jumped onto that hype train had left to other fandoms.

But while the Animaniacs fanbase is much smaller now than it used to be, it allows me to focus less on the demand and more on the product itself – that product is the Backstory AU. I feel like I can take my time on new chapters knowing the diehard fan base will still be there. As long as there is an audience, I will write for as long as I still feel value in my work.

With that being said, I am going to be putting most of my focus on the AU going forward, rather than adding onto the load. I feel less anxious that way, knowing that I have a clear path in getting a fic done with little delay.

However, I am still open to doing oneshots in the not so distant future; I’m just putting priority on a bigger project at the moment. That might offset some readers who enjoy shorter content, but do know that all of my oneshots currently posted will remain on the platform for anyone to enjoy. Not to mention all the other great content getting posted on AO3. We’re a small, dedicated community, working together to make content for our own enjoyment.

But while I’m cutting back on individual oneshots going forward, I have something that you might enjoy.

Splats Of Ink/The Drabble Collection

Back in January, I decided to try my hand at a drabble collection. I saw that a couple of my fellow Animaniacs writers were doing it, so I thought “Why the heck not?” So far, I have written 6 entries to the collection, all of which have received decent feedback from readers.

I’m really enjoying doing the collection so far, because it gives me the chance to write out those strands of ideas floating around in my head. None of the drabbles in the collection are directly related to anything major, but that was the intention. The drabble collection is like my own personal sandbox – a place where I can figure out what works and what doesn't.

I won’t say yet what you can expect for future ideas for the collection; the collection itself is sporadic for the most part. But I would like to write out some deleted/extra scenes from The Road To Success which didn’t make it into the story. There is a lot of cut content from that story which I feel is still worth sharing. Other entries will include character study, and characters which I feel aren’t shined upon that often.

These drabbles will take the place of oneshots, and will typically be released during a wait period(when I’m in the midst of working on the next chapter of TRTS). As I said previously, I will still do oneshots on occasion, if I am able to come up with an idea that I can expand upon. For the most part, however, expect much more of the drabble collection in the near future.

Conclusion

If you made it all the way to the end, I just want to express how thankful I am to everyone who has supported me and my fics after all this time. I’ve been at this for 3 years now. I have made several new friends during my time here, and I’ve seen the talent of so many people in this community.

With that being said, I will be taking my time with my fics going forward. That doesn't mean I’m gonna quit necessarily, but I will be taking my time with my fics to ensure that they can hold up to their full potential. As long as there is still engagement in the fanbase, I will continue to write fic for as long as I still hold value to my craft.

If you have any questions about any of the information above, do not hesitate to ask. I will answer any questions you have, whether it’s about the Backstory AU or another project of mine. I want to be as transparent to you guys as I can.

Cheers.

[mariejordans]

Do you know any good Limoreau fanfic recommendations?

omg yes i do! i made this post a couple of weeks ago and i regularly try to rb any fics i see in the gen v/limoreau tags (i usually tag them gen v fics if you want to go find some!), but since it’s been a while, i can do another ao3 recs list (not ranked in any particular order!)

1. Alone Together by RedheadAndProud713 (@redhead-and-proud)

Rating: M

the author has three fics out currently on ao3 and i’ve pretty much loved all of them, but this one-shot is my personal favorite. it’s a post-episode 6 canon divergent fic, in which neither marie nor jordan want to be alone after being in cate’s head, so they go back to marie’s dorm together and i’ll let you fill in the rest. it’s super cute, with a touch of angst and some smut, but overall a VERY good read!

2. girls just wanna have fun by Talariajetstream

Rating: M

this is THE what-happened-at-the-party fic to me. it’s definitely limoreau heavy, but i wouldn’t call it limoreau-centric, as it has a pov section for each of the main characters that attended the party. if the show never expands on what happened that night, as far as i’m concerned, this one-shot is canon to me 😭

3. Good Enough by misomadness

Rating: E

this is an ongoing, multi-chapter, what-if fic that starts off pretty canon but diverges pretty quickly. this fic is basically “what if marie had more control and agency over her powers” and overall is a total BADASS in this. instead of taking credit from jordan, her and jordan fight golden boy together and, together, become the guardians of godolkin.

4. Hyacinth by ImInHiraeth (@iminhiraeth)

Rating: T

another ongoing, multi-chapter fic that only has one chapter out, but just that one has me on the edge of my seat waiting for more! the premise is SUPER interesting as well, being an au in which marie has been kept in the woods since the death of her parents and i’m not joking when i say i’m dying to know what happens next.

5. Bad Luck by ButteredChips

Rating: T

ongoing, multi-chaptered fic with only one chapter out as well, but i’m SOOOO excited by this premise that i cannot wait for more! it’s a modern magical realism au in which godolkin is a university for magical beings. jordan is a shapeshifter who gets cursed and they enlist marie, a potion-making cursebreaker who happens to despise jordan, to help lift the curse.

6. Lilac Wine by notreallystraight (@notreallystraight)

Rating: E

last, but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, one of my favorite ongoing limoreau fics at the moment. if you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might know how obsessed with this fic i am, but if not, i am telling you right now: GO READ. it’s a soft limoreau-centric rewrite of gen v and i really don’t know what else to say other than go read. right now.

AND THATS IT THATS THE LIST (pt. 2)

honestly, there are so many good limoreau fics to choose from that it was SO SO SO hard to narrow down (i barely got it down to six 😭) so PLEASE go read and show some love to not only these authors and fics listed above, but to all limoreau/gen v writers, they certainly deserve it!!

[rewrittenwrongs]

Am very interested to hear more abt your WIPs

Akxjsonssnsjs okay okay! So.

The first WIP called Black bird fly! It’s a Tim-centric time travel fix it where Mr Mxyzptlk sends Tim back in time, saving his life as thanks for when he, Kon and Bart helped him. Most of the chapters are gonna be in Tim’s POV, the time he lands in is gonna be about a day before Jason’s death, so Tim in all his feral ‘I’m probably dead so there won’t be any consequences’ flies to Ethiopia and saves Jason himself. There’s a lot of found family, a lot of grief/mourning surrounding the old timeline, and everyone in the new timeline being concerned by all the trauma symptoms he displays. I’ve finished the first two chapters and most of the third, but I haven’t begun posting yet because I want to finish more chapters so I can post once a week, because I don’t trust myself to not touch it for three months as soon as I start posting. The paragraph I shared was from the third chapter, where Bruce is flying Tim (asleep) back to Gotham on the batplane (he called Wally to get Jason to Leslie quick as possible). It’s my main WIP and the fic I spend most my writing time on, and I’ve daydreamed enough ‘backstory’ for Tim to write like seven multi-chapters set in the old timeline…

The second WIP doesn’t have an offical name, and the only one I’ve come up for it so far is Future days of death, not because it makes much sense regarding plot but because it sounds cool. It’s a crossover between DC and Fablehaven, because I recently finished reading Dragonwatch and the world building is giving me IDEAS. I have a LOT of different ideas as to where the plot goes, and I haven’t written a lot of it, but it’s largely Constantine and Captain Marvel (/Shazam) centric, with a good focus on batfam and the Fablehaven characters. The idea that sparked this WIP was Constantine being captured by the Sphinx and kept in his dungeon where he meets Bracken. I also have a vague idea where he convinces Seth not to heal the demon whose name I don’t know how to spell and the three of them escape the dungeon with all of the artefacts, but that doesn’t fit with my other ideas, which is mostly the JL thinking Constantine is dead and freaking out and Captain Marvel knowing Something Is Up. I also like to think Coulter and Alfred were old tea buddies, and I have ideas abt Constantine being magically put to sleep and Vanessa taking control and saving his life. I’m also tempted to make Seth and Kendra school friends with Kon so he has Tim investigate Kendra’s disappearance/death, which would be an interesting can of worms.

The third WIP is one I’m writing for the @/wipbigbang, a Tim-centric Coraline AU. It takes place right after Red Robin, and he finds the door to the other mother (other father in this case, the bedlam takes the form of Bruce) like his second day back in the manor. It’ll follow the plot of the book pretty closely. Lot of family angst and trust issues and stuff, and I will address Tim’s interaction with Nyssa al Ghul because if no one else does then I’ll do it myself. It’ll have more interactions with the family post-defeating the bedlam and will definitely have a happy ending. I haven’t written a whole lot of it and right now the paragraph I shared is probably my fave ‘cause of how funny I find it.

[genericnam]

A Miraculous Ladybug fic that I might or might not write someday:

Marinette centric, long multi-chap

During an Akuma attack, Hawkmoth/Shadowmoth figures out Ladybug’s secret identity (no one else discovers it). Marinette returns from school to Hawkmoth/Shadowmoth standing in front of her burned down bakery, with her parents dead inside. 

Thinking fast, and running on adrenaline and hate, Marinette manages to dodge Hawkmoth’s attempts to catch her and she escapes with the Miracle Box, no Kwami lost. 

Marinette is left without anywhere to go, too scared to try living with any of her other family members. She begins to spiral, sacrificing her life as ‘Marinette’ in favor of being Ladybug as much as humanly possible. 

Regularly pulling all nighters and fueled by the energy boosts of having superpowers, Marinette and Ladybug both are messes. Chat Noir and all of Paris are concerned about Ladybug, and the entire class is worried about Marinette.

When she isn’t paranoidly patrolling the city for days on end, Marinette crashes with Alya, Luka and occasionally Kagami. Her excuses growing weaker and weaker until she just stops bothering trying to explain things, walking out of class whenever she needs to be Ladybug, and climbing through her friend’s windows to sleep on the cots that they don’t even bother taking down anymore.

Marinette’s constant fear and overprotectiveness of the Kwamis leads to her regularly sacrificing her own needs for them, often choosing to give them her meals while she just barely makes due with the scraps she keeps for herself.

Eventually, things would catch up with Marinette, and the class (minus Lila) would realize the full extent of what she’s going through (they thought that she was staying with her grandfather, and she swore Alya and Luka to secrecy), obviously, this will not do, so the class and their parents all pitch in to help her out.

On the superhero side of things, Chat Noir, after figuring out Ladybug’s current situation, becomes even more determined to stop Hawkmoth/Shadowmoth from doing anything more, so that Ladybug won’t live in fear of visiting her own family.

Sooner or later, he and Ladybug take down Gabriel, revealing their secret identities in the process. Adrien is conflicted about his father being Hawkmoth, but after discovering that the man had killed the parents of one of his closest friends/love interest and completely destroyed her mental health, he can’t bring himself to have sympathy.

(On a side note, over the course of the fic, Marinette’s inner monolog slowly stops calling her “Marinette” more and more as she spirals and starts referring to herself only as “Ladybug” and “The Guardian”)

[feelingpoorly]

I disappear for a while then I come back to cry about being kink shamed, thinking I was over it and now feeling like I’m right back where I started again and haven’t written or worked on anything in months 😭

I’ve been posting this multi chapter fic in a fairly smallish niche fandom, especially for sickfic content. The thing is, I was getting pretty good engagement with kudos and some amazing comments etc. It’s been extremely obvious right from the start that it’s a blatant sickfic, the tags make it extremely clear, tagged as emeto etc etc

This is the second chapter that’s had actual emeto in, and I feel like it’s slightly more descriptive and graphic in this chapter than the last. As in, there is three lots of puking, it’s kinda centric to the chapter.

I posted this chapter, and suddenly… nothing. Barely any kudos and like two comments that were kinda weird and I didn’t know whether were good or not.

It sounds ungrateful but it’s not that at all. I’m not doing this for attention or “likes” but it’s kinda got in my head and made me really insecure, like the reason that it’s suddenly all gone really quiet is because my readers and people in this fandom are suddenly weirded out and grossed out by my writing. I know there have been a couple people who explicitly said they loved my fic as they are sick *this character* enjoyers and there’s absolutely no sickfic content in the fandom at all apart from me. But like, have I gone too far? Do people think it’s too much, too gross, have I weirded out the fandom?

I know it shouldn’t matter. If I was writing really graphic and pornographic smut, that wouldn’t matter. It doesn’t appeal to everyone, I personally don’t read it but like, writing that kinda thing really graphically is very accepted and normal. My emeto wasn’t even that graphic, just like, a standard sickfic amount. I’d like to think that the descriptions of vomiting weren’t like too explicit to be intolerable to someone who wasn’t explicitly into that. I do try and make my fics enjoyable as a whole and not just like pure emeto porn.

The insecurity of thinking that people now don’t like my fic anymore because it got too emeto and too graphic sickfic for them is just triggering a whole load of trauma and shame from the kink shaming I went through and I just can’t write anything and tbh I don’t want to update the fic anymore either even though I finished writing it months ago

Anyway this is just kinda a ramble but in case anyone is interested in reading it whether you’re in the fandom or not, I’ll link it anyway. I’m really not fishing for compliments, it just makes me sad that I’ve scared people away with too much emeto lol and they think I’m a psycho or something, but emeto is all I wanna write 😭

[fastcardotmp3]

🌟 Fic Writing Review 2023 🌟

tagged by my beloved and adored @fragilecapric0rnn & @gothbat99🩵

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

🎆 words & fics

424,406 words published to ao3

(who knows how many unpublished, I shan't be counting!)

25 published works (yes, many of those are because kas!chrissy and bear au are both structured into shorter snapshots/ episodes, but they still count because I wrote them!)

1 completed sequel (shining trinkets of grief) and 1 completed prequel (no one else will do) to fics written in 2022

🎆top 5 fics by kudos

The White Rabbit - In which Steve is trapped in the Upside Down, and even if his perceived death isn't real, the grief for him is. (63k)

METAMORPHOSES - In which Eddie was Kas and then he wasn't and he never got much of a say in the matter. (161k)

wish on an eyelash - In which Max watches Nancy and Robin grow into something more, all the while growing into herself. (18k)

no one else will do - In which before there is tragedy and before there is healing, there are a couple of dumbasses having sex (a someone else's favorite song prequel). (11k)

Unreliable Narrator - In which Eddie reads the audio book for Nancy's horror novel, and discovers some things about his own story in the process. (5.5k + podfic by @n0connections!)

🎆fandom fic events in 2023

@thefreakandthehair's Spring Fanworks Challenge: always; never again

Steddie Microfic monthly prompts:

July - here we go again August - butter cake September - wildfire October - more for your money November - rest stop December - fluke

[redacted] gift fic exchange for [redacted] (:

🎆continuing WIPs into 2024

Everything is forever and eternally up in the air, but here's what's probably coming with me into the new year! I am so grateful to have spent this year delving into worlds that made my brain buzz and getting to live in those worlds with such generous and kind souls in this thing we call fandom. I can't wait to continue next year 🩵

The Golden Afternoon - Sequel to The White Rabbit, Steve POV

The Hawk - Nancy-centric "The Bear" AU, Multi-POV

how the light gets in - Kas!Chrissy AU, Wheelingham, fridged girl x final girl

Uncle Eddie - the yet unposted full-length fic of this drabble, Eddie POV

🎆tagging with zero pressure and lots of love: @cheatghost @kkpwnall @stargyles @hellsfireclub @figthefruitfaeth @judasofsuburbia @capriciouslyterminal @seths-rogens @yournowheregirl

[autisticempathydaemon]

Cu-wip-osity Tag Game~!

@gingerbreadmonsters, @zozo-01, @ejunkiet, @romirola, and @pinksparkl, I can't believe y'all would doom me and everyone here KNOWING that I got so much shit in my WIPs how could you do this to me I love you so much

rules: reveal the titles of the documents in your WIP folder and tag as many people as there are documents. let others ask questions about the ones that interest them, and post snippets or explain the contents as you see fit!

putting all those under the cut because I'm not playing about how many there are and some are gonna be nsfw

Multi-chapter Fics:

I know some people (they would die for me): A Prissy Cinematic Universe (PCU) fic where Vincent and William hate, threaten, and then learn to accept Christian as Alexis's boyfriend

close your eyes (I’ll keep you safe inside): A PCU AU (yeah it has it's own AU to the AU that's how in this I am) where Quinn is going after his exes and Alexis is one of them

in a sky full of stars (I think I see you): A Lasko x OC fic where Lasko is crushed on by a ditzy, bubbly Empathy Daemon from so close but so far

all on my own (I know that I'm no superman): A Darlin/Sam-centric AU of the Shaws as firefighters and the Solaires as doctors

in this kitchen, baking (what a mess I'm making): A Great British Bake Off AU formatted as a teleplay/script

me and you (if I get you in a soundproof room): An 18+ Hudson/Unempowered!Neighbor fic featuring voyeurism, exhibitionism, and mutual masturbation.

One-Shots:

these things eat at your bones (and drive your young mind crazy): A PCU fic where Marie meet Alexis and they have an interesting conversation about non-consensual turnings

getting red in the face (you can call me obsessed): A PCU fic where Christian gets jealous of the attention Alexis gets at an event where he's working security

into darkness (your mercy came): A PCU, Alexis & Sam fic with "You came." "You called." vibes

can you teach me (how to feel real): An Anton/Love fic figuring out what Love likes now that they're not obsessed about Marcus

don’t wanna sit still (look pretty): An 18+ Dead Dove: Do Not Eat President Moore/Freelancer fic featuring non-con and forced feminization

could nourish you (could sustain you): A Sadism's Hold!Ivan/Baby fic told in a series of meals

why don't we meet for a chat (the three of us): An 18+ Huxley/Damien/Gavin fic featuring bondage, cockwarming, and cuckolding

I'll teach you (everything I know): An Alexis & William fic telling their relationship in a series of Go games

I cannot explain to you in anything I say (or do or plan): A PCU text-fic where Angel asks Sam if Alexis can be added to the Mates group chat

mister sandman (bring me a dream): An 18+, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat Blake/Dreamer featuring non-con group sex and gaslighting.

I could never rescue you (no matter how I tried): An Alexis & Sam fic exploring atonement without apologies through actions and letters that will never be sent

all that we intend (is scrawled in sand): An Alexis-centric fic exploring the Maker/Progeny bond and her feeling Sam's love for Darlin vicariously

not a day goes by (that I'm not into you): A DAMN Polycule timestamp-fic exploring a day in their apartment

give me therapy (I am a walking travesty): An Alexis-centric fic of one of her therapy sessions

tagging: @dominimoonbeam, @taelonsamada, @horrorscoupes, @lovelylonerliterature, @k9rage, @bvbyphoenix, @letsmakeitwrite, @themonotonysyndrome, and anyone else who'd like to join!

[dearinglovebot]

I've written a Jurassic World fanfic about Owen, Claire and Maisie trying to be a normal family after the events of JW Dominion. I would like to know how I can get my story to have more followers, any tips?

https://www.wattpad.com/story/365137152?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=story_info&wp_page=story_details_button&wp_uname=ThisMovieisRATEDPG13

as a disclaimer, there’s no GUARANTEED way to do this. a solid 75% of fic writing is pure chance. there are some fics that pop off that you absolutely don’t expect to and there are some that flop. that said, these are the things I’ve noticed over the years

platform is key. wattpad skews younger while a03 skews older. ff.net is older too but that place is basically dead in the water. a03 attracts people who’ve been in fandom for much longer and thus who know fandom etiquette of things like “kudos liberally” and “leave comments”. wattpad attracts newer (but very curious and excited) people who are just getting into what fandom is. highly recommend having an a03 presence alongside your wattpad one. (also, you can read, like, and comment on a03 without an account which you can’t do with wattpad anymore. this gives shyer readers the option to discover you)

reliability. people love when unfinished fics have posting schedules (they’re terrified they’ll be abandoned). a solid 50% of people won’t even start unfinished fics unless they notice you consistently update them. this is the hardest part of multi chapters. but committing to something like “updates every sunday” or “updates monday and friday” does assure more readers will give it a chance. remember, every chapter you post is a chance of someone new finding it, too

tagging is your best friend. keep them relevant, but also interesting. is there found family? tag it. is there hurt/comfort? tag it. is it established relationship or slow burn? tag it. tropes are like catnip to readers. not only does it make your fic easier to find in the mountains of jw fics, it immediately gives readers an idea of what they’ll be getting in the fic. they’re nosey creatures. use this to your advantage.

be your own biggest fan. feel completely free to make moodboards, fanart, playlists, etc about your fic. this both promotes it to readers on social media and shows that you’re confident in having written a good fic. people don’t want to hear “this kind of sucks haha enjoy” they want to hear “this chapter was soo fun. enjoy ;)”. show them that this is a fic they want to be reading

something really unfortunate about fandom is it is english (USian, canadian, british) centric. portugese is probably the only other language you’re gonna get major traction in (brasilians are built different. campeão do mundo 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷☝️). it’s not IMPOSSIBLE but it’s something to keep in mind. it’s not YOUR failure, it’s monolingual USians and their inability to use google translate

that said, writing fic is also a very organic thing. you can’t force it. it happens when it happens. and take everything into perspective. if 10 people liked your fic this week, that might not seem like a lot. until you imagine ten strangers coming up to you in real life going “this story is amazing”. that’s something to be proud of. be proud of yourself :)