#I was writing this while I was talking to ELRO XD

[peanutbutter-doodles]

The Fallen Angel.

Characters: Paul Stanley, Ace Frehely, Mystery character.

Pairing: Spacechild.

Setting: ????

Au: Fallen Angel.

Summary: ‘’Now….’’

‘’Fall.’’

Those were the last and haunting words Paul was told and heard once he fell through the white clouds into the deepest depths of the darkness he feared as he screamed all the down. Flailing like a dove who didn’t know how to fly yet due to being so young but in this case his wings were being burned and clipped as he was falling.

Burning deep into his soft plush skin, blood were pouring from the wounds that were being made each second he cried out. His frightening screams and cries filled the skies with horrifying sounds that people looked around to see the source, the earth shook as….

__________

⚠️Warnings: i'm in a good mood I swear, Blood and injury, mentions of shit(it's not what your thinking it's not that), horror, symbolism, Fallen angels, religious themes, Au, oneshots, Angst, Hurt/comfort, implied torture/sex, Heaven, Ask to tag.

Comments and Reblogs, are Deeply appreciated!

Also on A03

‘’You are banished from this very heaven’s you’ve stand on, no longer you’ll be an angel once you’ve fallen or call yourself a saint after what you have committed down on that sinful land that those people called earth. You’ll no longer bare the wings of angelic nor the halo that hangs above that foolish head of yours, or call this place…home. The very place you were born into, call the people you’ve known as friends or family here now known as just acquaintances due to you betraying your them, your own kind.’’

‘’You disgust me, them, all of us.’

‘’Heaven is ashamed of you.’’

‘’As of today, you are no longer welcome here…Stanley.’’ 

‘’Now….’’

‘’Fall.’’

Those were the last and haunting words Paul was told and heard once he fell through the white clouds into the deepest depths of the darkness he feared as he screamed all the down. Flailing like a dove who didn’t know how to fly yet due to being so young but in this case his wings were being burned and clipped as he was falling.

Burning deep into his soft plush skin, blood were pouring out from the wounds that were being made each second he cried out. His frightening screams and cries filled the skies with horrifying sounds that people looked around to see the source, the earth shook as the screams intensified as the falling did, his tears flew off as he screamed. His clothes were turned into nothing but scraps, his wings were becoming black as the night yet there were red as blood spurted out more from the wounds.

Some People watched from the distance, seeing the holy light from the open skies the people always pray to. Watching the skies bare it’s light on a figure as they watch the whole thing in silence or in awe. Amazed or scared from what they are seeing in this moment in time, not moving at all due to the unknown. They all just watched as they heard the violent screams of an angel who was falling from heaven.

They Just watched.

As rain started from the skies, pelting the ground with droplets of water. Animals ran to take cover as did the humans, going into there huts or caves for which they’ve callen home all these years to them, ignoring the anguished screams that was still roaring through the skies or the ground shaking from the angel’s suffering, the feather wings that were burned off were now on the ground as kids were collecting before heading inside. 

‘’Mama, Mama! Look what i got!’’

The child said, jumping around with a feather in hand. Smiling with glee, calling for his mother to tell her what he had collected.

‘’What is it, sweetie?’’ The mother asked, smiling. Turning around, picking her child up carefully as she looked at him happily. 

‘’What have you found now, My Son?’’

She asked, Quizzically. 

Her son smiled. Giggling, his face glowing as he showed his mother what he had gotten from the outside.

‘’This!’’

‘’A feather?’’

‘’Not just any feather, an angel feather!!!’’ He exclaimed, cheerfully.

‘’An Angel feather? Where did you get that?’’

‘’It was on the ground, outside was being strange.’’

‘’Strange, how honey?’’ The mother questioned, a bit curious.

‘’Well…the ground was shaking, noises were getting um…BEW!!’’ 

‘’Loud?’’

‘’Mhm.’’ The Boy nodded, but not before saying….

‘’Loud and there was a light from a sky.’’

‘’A light? What kind of light?’’

‘’A bright one, the sky was opened.’’

‘’The sky was…opened?’’

‘’Yup!’’

The mother’s face twisted with concern, the child played with the feather. Running his little hands over the white and black parts as he stared at it with awe and admiration. Mother carried him to the window, not a care in the world in the boy’s face at as the mother looked out.

And to her shock, the water became blood as the skies closed on it’s. She leaned her ear against the window for a second, hearing….

‘’PLEASE, HELP ME!!! PLEASE!!!’’

“”MAKE IT STOP!!!’’

‘’MAKE IT STOP!!!’’

‘’MAKE IT STOP!!!

‘’KILL M-!’’

The mother took her ear away from the window, her eyes trembled as those words echoed through her head. Lips trembling, holding her son close to her as she could, She gulped…

Knowing exactly who it was.

That voice.

That voice that was always sweet and known when they’ve talked or sang, that voice when her husband had him over for some festivities, that voice that talked to her child with kindness like no other.

That voice….

Was…

Him.

‘’Mommy?’’ The child quietly said, touching her brown locks. Trying to get her attention as she stood in fear and realization as the outside roared with thunder, muffling those anguish cries and the shaking of the earth. ‘’Mommy?’’

‘’Mama?’’

He said, snapping his mom back to reality as her breath became more shaky and shuttery as the blinds that prevented light from coming into the house and concealed the the reddish droplets that pelted from the sky. She turned to him, tightening her hold on him. Rubbing her hand through his hair. Petting him softly, as she tried to keep calm.

‘’Yes, sweetheart?’’

She breathed, looking into his eyes. Those sweet eyes of his, that reminded her of her…

Husband.

‘’Are you okay, mama?’’

She stared, then look back out. 

Rain was getting more heavier, the ground became reddier each second as the lightning grew louder than life, almost hitting the ground in different sections of the village. Almost hitting a farm, the homes where the people lived and almost starting a fire.

More animals ran as they heard, making frightening noises but not as frightening as the angel did just noises you heard from animals when they seek shelter. The wind got intense as the door almost flew open but luckily they were block thanks to locks and bolts and sometimes boulders.

Boulders that were big as day, like the one beside the house.

Waves clashed against each other as it was war, the sky turned blacker and the mother turned white.

Thinking about her answer, leaning her ear against the window she heard…

“ACE!!!’’

The words echoed, pulling from the window. She turned once more to her child, looked him dead in the eyes and…

‘’Where’s your father?’’

Thunder crackled.

Ace ran as fast as he could through the forest, breathing heavily. Almost tripping on rocks, fallen branches, anything in his wake as he ran like hell. Getting coated in red from the rain, his outfit was ruined, his hair, everything except his eyes as they were trembling with fear. Hoping what he saw wasn’t real as he ran to the light that was becoming dimmer each second the sky was closing.

Ignoring the signs, the tree’s falling. Almost killing him but he prevailed as his boots were being ripped apart and filled with mud each time he stepped or slid on something that made him fall. Busting his nose, that was bleeding. 

Dripping down his face, into his mouth. Swallowing as much as he could, trying to make it. His heart raced with fire as he heaved. Heart palpitations skyrocketing as he didn’t stop to rest or breath for a sec.

His mind was cluttered with one thing and one thing only as his locks of silver flown with the wind as He….

‘’SHIT!!’’

Jumped over a cliff, as time slowed. Tree’s were struck, falling as ace right now. Holding his breath, his heart stopped, lightening roared, the waves clashed as ships were getting harder and harder to steer as Ace was bombarded with thoughts of loved ones. Memories he dearly held to his heart as….

Badum.

Badum.

Badum.

Sweat drips.

He gulps.

Eyes forward.

Mouth open.

A Word.

‘’Please, god. Let me get to him. Please.’’

‘’Let me see Paulie.’’

‘’Let me see My angel, you’ve thrown away because of….’’

‘’Me.’’ 

Badum. 

Ba-.

!!!CRASH!!!!

He makes it.

Barely, but he makes it.

Immediately running again as the skies began to clear as they were closed, the red became water again. Clear as glass, winds dying down like the wilts of a dying rose as the sun comes out from within the clouds as Ace grunts.

Legs hurting so much from running, he wants to stop but can’t due to wanting to find his angel who had fallen from heavens above and hoping he’s not dead from a mighty fall that would or not kill him. Maybe even paralyze but he digress, as blisters began to form on the soles of his feets as his boots tore from the speed he was going as it was race.

Race against what?

Time. 

How much longer will it be for him to get there and see his angel alive or dead? How long it’ll be if he keeps running like this and does not die from the lack of air in his lungs? Or his body is overproducing so much sweat he looks like he can melt away in a flash? How long can he live for what he did to make his angel fall and be no longer the heavenly being he once knew?

Those sweet doe eyes, the black locks of hair he loved stroking along with those gorgeous white wings that were soft as a pillow or bed, that body that was always a delight to look at when those intoxicating moments would arrive when their feelings grew stronger for another like their different souls. That voice of his that would bring him down to earth when things get tough or the way it would echoed throughout his head when….

The angel moaned out his name.

In ways he never imagined, anyone else would despite their differences with each other yet….

It worked and he still wanted to work, no matter what anyone else thought.

No matter what they say.

God say.

Anyone say.

Nobody has a say for what they’ve both done and will do once they’re together again if….

The angel’s still alive, that is.

‘’Paulie…please be okay.’’

Hours past, a light shone on the fallen branches in the middle of the forest as things became calmer and lighter for the ones in the village and forest but things weren’t calmer or lighter at all for one individual of them all.

The crying hasn’t stopped, the bleeding hasn’t stopped gushing out from the back of the angel who’s lying in the middle of the forest, covered in dirt and soaked with blood as the final parts of his wings were burned off.

Releasing a harrowing scream from his hoarse throat, laying there naked in pain, filth and whatever that made him look….

Like a filthy sin he was, as he heaved.

Tears stopped running, burying his face in the dirt to hide from the world or anyone that would see the very angel that fallen thus was banished by god for….

Committing a sin.

A sin he felt wasn’t a sin but…

A sin that felt more like a blessing.

A blessing that made him feel more human and more angelic but….

One that caused him to be cut out from heaven.

One he doesn’t know how to feel nor explain but one that….

He won’t make again.

As he laid there, the sun shined on him more as he shook from the cold that was coming. He looked around, he was alone yet surrounded by an abundance of once white flowers that showed off their pureness, angelic, innocence to the world now coated in his….

Filth.

The red dripping off from the flowers, onto the muddy ground. The petals falling off like the last feathers, their heavenly appearance gone just like his. His browns no longer shined brightly nor reflected his happiness, his hair no longer curled or done beautifully now it’s just a mess like a rat’s ness.

Nails that were once pristine were also coated in blood, his fingers trembling from the cold and the more blood that was gushing from his back he looked….

Like a bloody mess.

A bloody mess, that was surrounded in darkness yet the sun was the only thing keeping him company. Giving him comfort in his time of anguish and pain as whimpered and cried away the hours that went past.

Just laying there, punishing himself.

His mind.

Body.

The decisions he made by giving his body away to….

A human.

He should just rot away, he thought. But no….

Life had other plans.

Plans that would…

Start a new chapter in this life.

As the angel whimpered, the weather became normal as the animals did. All was quiet until…

‘’Paul!’’

A Yell was heard.

‘’Paul, where are you!!!’’

Again.

‘’Paulie!’’

Again.

‘’Curly!!!’’

And again, interrupting the angel’s pain and cires as the yells got louder. The angel shook from the pain, trembling as he tried to move. Sticks, bugs, sharp things under him moved with him as he crawled and screamed…

‘’Ace!!!’’

Hoping it wasn’t a hallucination, he yelled once more as tears started.

‘’ACE!!!’’

He cried, trembling as he got up. Trying not to stumble, yet fell into a muddy pile of feces but he got up and ran.

His legs weak, he ran.

‘’ACE!!!’’

Leaves crunch underneath his dirtied foot as he grabbed onto a tree almost falling once again but he prevailed.

Breathing heavily as he…

Swallowed.

‘’ACE!’’

He cried, once more as it echoed.

Crying out his lover’s name, falling and stumbling into things then falling on a fallen tree crying out the name that made him fall in the first place.

Heaving, gripping the tree as he released one more cry that rocked the whole world once more.

!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEE-!!!’’

He screamed, coughing out blood from so much yelling and crying as he fell onto the tree as his eyes closed almost…

Going into the darkness, thinking all is lost and that this is a worse place than hell until….

‘’Paul!!!’’

‘’Paulie-!’’

‘’Paul!!!’’

His eyes opened, trembling as he saw….

Ace standing over him, dirtied and bloodied like him. Staring at him with those eyes of his with worry as Ace crumbled to the ground in horror, seeing his lover in a grotesque way made him rumble with disgust almost causing him to puke as he smelled shit and blood that was running down his body but…

He pushed back the puke, swallowing it down whole and gently touched Paul with his bare hands ignoring the blood, the smell that was getting worse each second he was near and…

Embrace him in his arms.

Stroking his head gently, as he too started to cry.

Tears streamed down his cheeks, as he held him close to him.

His fingers stroking through the tangled curls of his beloved, holding him close as the sun lightens them up.

The only thing protecting them from the darkness around them, the reality of what’s happening and how it happened made their minds run crazy, hearts beating frantically as it was thunder crackling, emotions running high as Ace tried to soothe himself and paul.

Running his hand down his bloodied back, feeling the wounds bleeding out.

Touching it lightly as he could, sent pain throughout Paul's body.

Paul whimpered, Ace pulled his hand away.

Comforting Paul with his words.

‘’I’m here, paul. You’re okay, your okay….’’

He repeated over and over, not knowing if Paul would be ok as he looked at his trembling hand.

Finger’s shaking, lower lip wobbling as he repeated those very words once again as he saw….

Bit’s of feathers on his hand.

Paul’s feathers.

That were once white now…

Black as the night.

He gulped, fighting back the puke again and the tears that were threatening to fall as he picked up Paul and walked away with him in his arms as the light still shined on them both leaving a trail of blood and….

Feathers. 

Marking the sight of the fallen angel who had fallen for a human like….

Ace.

‘’Mama! Look at papa's home! He’s carrying someone!!!’’

The child exclaimed, the mother running to the window. She looked, gasping loudly from what she’s seeing as she heard the loud gasps of the people coming out from their homes as the father walked through the village carrying someone.

Covered in blood and dirt.

That was dripping from them both as they walked.

‘’Sweetie, go to your room.’’ 

She uttered, eyes trembling.

‘’Why Mama?’’

‘’Sweetie…please go to your room, mama has to help papa…ok?’’

Her voice shocked, turning to her child. Seeing the eyes of innocence in them as she bent down and looked at him at all motherly, putting her hand gently on his shoulder as she said…

‘’Go to your room, and i’ll help you with your collection.’’

‘’You will?’’

‘’Yes, i will.’’

‘’Mmmhh…you promise?’’

Holding up his pinky finger to his mother’s face.

‘’Pinky promise?’’

The mother smiled, holding up her pinky thus connecting with her child.

Signifying her promise to him.

‘’Pinky promise, my son.’’

‘’Pinky promise.’’

The child went off to his room, as the mother watched on.

As her expression twisted, her thoughts plagued her as she stood.

Heart racing as…

The door opened, creaking loudly as it could.

Turning around slowly, she heard.

‘’Jeanette, it happened.’’

‘’What happened?’’ She uttered, eyes shaking as she looked down at the figure in Ace’s hold breathing slowly.

As she looked in horror and awe.

In horror from bloodied he looked yet still was radiant like the angel he was but he was no angel anymore.

He was…

‘’He fell.’’

A Fallen Angel. 

‘’Is he going to be okay?’’ she asked, looking him over as ace walked.

Placing him on the couch, covering him with his jacket.

Concealing Paul’s naked body, putting a pillow under his head.

Watching over him.

Tending to him.

Fingers stroking through his locks of hair.

Looking at him with a look that only a lover would know as…

‘’Ace.’’

‘’Mhm?’’

‘’Is he going to be okay?’’

Jeanette asked worryingly, bending down. Looking over at Paul as she reached for a towel nearby, wiping Paul’s face gently.

The silence grew between them, as the towel became coated more with the red and brown.

Tainting it, Like Ace tainted…

His lover.

Taking him away from the very home he called heaven.

Taking him away from his friends. 

Family.

Taken him away from everything he loved dearly and knew all because they….

Gotten close.

Became more than friends.

Became more than something.

Then just a thing, as they…

Made love.

Love that…

Gotten Paul to be banished all because of him.

Ace.

‘’Is he going to be okay?’’

Jeanette asked, again.

Snapping Ace out of his thoughts, he turned to Paul.

Then the outside.

Then his wife.

Then, finally Paul.

He took a deep breath, bending down.

Close enough to Paul, as he heard the shaky breath coming out from him as he said.

‘’I Don’t know.’’

Was in the mood to write, for angst and spacechild so here's some angst ;D.

i'm not going to apologize for what i've done in this, so catch me outside~ (i'm sorry.)

@starry-eyed-never-satisfied

@elrohare

@ohblackdiamond

@sluttery-withoutshame

@angelbambisworld

@krisspng

@insanityisdivine

@genesstankycodpiece

@speckster

@ladyshandioftheendless

and anyone else who'll read this~

So, tootalooo~

Love, Butters ♡

[gffa]

SO, HEY, YOU WANT A PRIMER FOR WHERE TO START WITH LORD OF THE RINGS/THE HOBBIT/SILMARILLION FIC TO READ? The other night @belldreams asked me if the fic I was currently reading (as I mentioned that I’d been enthralled by it) was accessible to a layperson and, sadly, I don’t think it is.  But then my eyes lit up with an unholy glee because I do know a bunch of fics that are great for a layperson to read! I assume that a person will at least have seen the movies and are thus reasonably aware of how Tolkien’s world is set up, but you don’t have to know the history of the world to start reading these!  This is a list that is aimed at gently easing a person into the wider fandom or just providing a starting place, if that’s what you want! LET’S INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME FUCKIN’ ELVES: ➡ I have a series of posts about The Silmarillion which are told in a Very Broad Strokes kind of way and not always in chronological order (so maybe you should start with the first fic rec instead? idk!) and they’re still in progress, but I had a great time with Let Me Tell You About The Silmarillion:  Part One, part two, part three, part four, part five.  (The rest are written, I just need to post them!)  They’re cute, ridiculous yelling about my Elf Feelings and won’t take a person that long to read.  (And it’s a lot of names to throw at a person, but, hey, you can always come talk to me spoonfeed you another overview, if you like!  ♥) ➡ Or you can listen to the audiobook here!  I warn, even with having the audio on in the background, it’s still a very dry and dense prose.  I love it!  But it’s definitely not going to be for everyone. ➡ But if the whole thing is too much and you just want an overview, I also really liked this series of Lord of the Rings Mythology (part 1, 2) that will take you less than ten minutes to listen to and they set up the basic structure of Powers in this world. ➡ A good quick overview (only 10 minutes of talking) on Feanor and the creation and then theft of the Silmarils.  It’s definitely more on the side of asshole!Feanor, but, well, they’re not wrong!  There’s a whole series of videos to tell about the history of Arda, all of which are generally under 10 minutes each and are good overviews!  Caveat:  Don’t trust the pronunciations here, they’re off sometimes.  But, then, that’s a thing all over--they’re hard! ➡ I also laughed at The Silmarillion in under three minutes, which acknowledges how much it skips/gives only the very broadest of strokes on (so you may be tempted to assume things, but there’s very often deeper reasons) but did indeed get the story in in under three minutes! OH BUT YOU WANT SOME FIC TO READ: The Silmarillion Rewrite by Jenavira - A fic that lovingly “translates” the Silmarillion from the admittedly very dry style Tolkien has and this is a great fic to start with if you want to get an idea of the shape of the Silmarillion.  It’s hilariously funny and does a great job of familiarizing you with the characters!  My only caveat is that you can’t take it as gospel, it’s not the same as reading the book yourself, because some things are open to interpretation--for example, in reading the fic, it sounds like the Dwarves gained sentience on their own, while in the book I think the takeaway is that Iluvatar granted them sentience, as he’s the only one able to give true life in that way.  I say this not to argue, but to remind potential readers that Tolkien fans have been debating this stuff for decades for a reason!  (And also I’m a Thingol stan for life, but I admit not everyone shares that bias with me.  XD) But absolutely read this fic, it’s hilarious and does a stellar job at being just a fun read and getting you to know who the hell Maedhros and Maglor and Finrod and all of those people are, the history of the Great War with Melkor and Sauron, how all of this is important to the history of Middle-Earth and the rest of the world. The Starlit Sky by Makalaure - You probably need a little context for this one, but it’s not hard to pick up!  Basically:  Once upon a time, a brilliant asshole made some shiny rocks that everyone wanted, Fantasy Satan stole them, he and his seven sons swore an Oath to get them back, a lot of really bad shit happened because they were bound to that Oath, and eventually two of the sons attacked the havens of Elrond and his twin brother Elros’ parents place and killed a bunch of them and then wound up with two Elflings on their hands.  There, now you can read the backstory of Elrond and Elros growing up in the care of Maedhros and Maglor and cry about feelings with me.  Because, yeah, by the end of this one I definitely had tears in my eyes for understanding how Elrond could love these Elves, even after all the terrible, terrible things they had done. WHAT ELSE YOU WILL FIND HERE: -  OR INSTEAD EXPAND ON THE CHARACTERS YOU ALREADY KNOW -  OR READ SOME FELLOWSHIP-CENTRIC STUFF, JUST ‘CAUSE THEY’RE GOOD -  NOW THAT YOU’RE MORE FAMILIAR, HERE’S MORE COMPLICATED FIC

OR INSTEAD EXPAND ON THE CHARACTERS YOU ALREADY KNOW: In a Field of Blood and Stone by ScribeofArda - The Battle of the Five Armies, this time told from the point of view of the Elves.  One of my biggest criticisms of the movies (especially The Hobbit movies) is that they did the Elves so wrong and this fic can be read without having ever picked up any of the books, but I think it does a lovely job of showing what the Elves should be like, especially Thranduil.  There’s some great stuff with him and Legolas, as well as Bard and Bilbo have great roles.  Also, it’s just a incredibly engaging fic that adds such rich detail to that battle! Interrupted Journeys by ellisk - This series is legitimately my favorite in the entire fandom because you can read it without knowing anything beyond the movies (though, they’re not really movie!characterization and instead truer to how Elves really are) but you can also pick up so much on Sindarin politics, if you’re familiar with them.  The first time I read this series, I didn’t really know that much about who Thingol was, other than some Sindarin king, but I followed the context of the scenes referencing him just fine.  Later, once I was more familiar with the Silmarillion, I gained a ton of admiration for the thought that went into this fic, the history of the world, why most Silvan Elves loved Thranduil, but some did not and why a Sinda ruling Silvan Elves was still a thing even thousands of years later. But it’s also just an incredible series of stories about worldbuilding for Greenwood the Great, it builds up characters for important relationships with Legolas and Thranduil, ones that I deeply care about, and it has an incredible plot, that spans over a million words and never, ever stops being enthralling.  And yet my favorite moments are probably the quieter ones, the little Elflings getting into trouble in various ways, how their parents talk to them, as Elves do, and the absolutely stellar characterization of Thranduil especially.  My only caveat is to start with Part 3, because that’s when Legolas is born and I think it’s easier to get hooked from there! daw the minstrel’s fic - I love pretty much everything of daw’s, the Legolas’ childhood and stories about growing up in Mirkwood are wonderful.  There’s a fair amount of OCs (whom I have grown to love!) that you can skip over the scenes when they’re not interacting with a canon character (Thranduil or Legolas) if you like, but are ones I’ve found myself rereading several times because they just do so much good at plot and worldbuilding!  They’re all wonderful, but the ones I started with where All Those Who Wander, Good Neighbors, Legolas’s Begetting Day, and Growing Under Shadow.  They’re all set in the same universe at different points in his life and all fantastic! Ich Dien - To Serve the KingdomMissFaust - This was written before the third Hobbit movie came out but I love it and it’s one of those that I think a layperson could read just fine!  It’s been completely Jossed by BOTFA but I think it’s still readable and it does a much more gorgeous job of taking the movie versions (at least in the first two movies) and writing them with more care and staying true to their spirits.  Also, it’s just really cool worldbuilding! OR READ SOME FELLOWSHIP-CENTRIC STUFF, JUST ‘CAUSE THEY’RE GOOD: A Bit of Rope by Aiwendiel - “What if Gandalf had survived at Moria?” is the question this fic poses and it’s not especially a nice answer.  Things do ultimately work out but it kind of leaves you with the impression of the canon version of events, as difficult as they were, were what was necessary for the best outcome.  This one is something of an exhausting read, but in the way it’s meant to be, in how you absolutely feel Frodo’s journey with him.  It’s gorgeously told and I was absolutely engrossed by it and I think it keeps the spirit of the canon incredibly well.  And it’s basically like five novels worth and yet I tore through them at a speed because OMG SO GOOD. The River by Indigo Bunting - Another gorgeous Fellowship-era fic, where Legolas and Sam accidentally get separated from the main group and you think that it’d be such a random pairing and yet it works brilliantly well.  It adds such depth to both characters, it does beautifully at writing both of them and this world they’re in, and just slides right on by as you read it.  It doesn’t sound terribly exciting when I put it that way, but it really is! Far Horizons by Bodkin - While there are other post-canon fics that I love, I think this one has my heart in a way that others don’t, because it’s my favorite one for Thranduil and Legolas in the Fourth Age.  There might be some characters you’re not familiar with (like Elladan and Elrohir) but I don’t think there’s anything you can’t pick up from context.  Basically, Thranduil, Elrond/Celebrian, and Celeborn/Galadriel are all finally in Aman and they want to establish their own realm--this is the story of the difficulties of that.  It’s such a sharp and clever story, there are so many genuinely charming and hilarious moments, there’s a great polish to the way the story is told, and it really builds a community for these Elves in a way that is both pleasing to my id and to my nerdy worldbuilding/character-loving side!  And there’s even plot!  I couldn’t ask for more. NOW THAT YOU’RE MORE FAMILIAR, HERE’S MORE COMPLICATED FIC: And What Happened Afterarrogantemu - As much as I would deeply and truly love to shove this fic at everyone who’s ever flitted by the Tolkien movies at any point, it’s one where you need to know who these people are and their histories before you can read it.  You need to know who Feanor is, you need to know who Celebrimbor is, you need to know who the Valar are, etc.  Once you do, though?  Oh, this is quite possibly the grandest post-canon fic I could have asked for.  It’s everything I never knew I needed--Feanor and Fingolfin’s reunion brought me to tears, Frodo and Celebrimbor’s conversation made me physically ache for how perfect it was--and it’s written in such a gorgeously cathartic, beautiful way.  I felt the lushness of the world in all the little details and conversations written here.  I felt peace at what was put forth here.  I fell in love with Silm fandom all over again because this one sparked such love in me again. Return to Aman by bunn - This is the first fic of the author’s I read and I just sunk right into it and didn’t want to come up for air whenever I could read on it.  It’s the story of Elrond grabbing Maglor before sailing off to Aman at the end of Lord of the Rings and what happens from there.  It’s a gorgeous look at what happens when the main story is done, at Elven politics and characterization, and the Feanorians trying to heal.  It doesn’t negate what Maglor was a part of or what the Oath meant, what others suffered because of his deeds, but also it’s such a kind fic and so it’s incredibly Elven.  I fell in love with this and it breathes such life into all the characters (god, every single scene with Finrod makes me fall in love with him more, how is that possible, how am I not already at maximum Finrod love!? and yet LOVE HIM MORE I DO), it’s so sharp and clever, that I really loved it. Quenta Narquelion by bunn - This is the fic I was reading when bell asked me if it was accessible to a layperson and, for all that it’s a retelling of the events of The Silmarillion, I think it draws on too much context from before they got to Middle-Earth (it starts in the immediate aftermath of Feanor’s death) for that.  But once you know the shape, it’s a gorgeous story for breathing life into the characters and the events that took place--not shying away from the horribleness of what they’re doing, but also showing that they are still Elves, that they’re not just evil, because they weren’t.  There’s such charm and charisma in this writing, there’s such a strong sense of the world and how all the pieces were moving, and how it makes everything so interesting that I love it.  I especially recommend it for the Maedhros & Maglor & Elros & Elrond feelings because BOY DID I HAVE THOSE. Oak and Willow by Potboy - Marnie writes absolutely beautiful fic and this one is no exception!  This is another “gap filler” fic and I think it might not be wholly readable by laypeople just yet, but if you have a vague understanding of the Silmarillion, it’s GORGEOUS.  One of the things about Tolkien’s world is that it’s told from the point of view of the Noldor, so OF COURSE the other Elves all look like jerks.  What this fic does is then tell the story from the Sindar’s point of view and suddenly there’s a whoooole lot more context going on here!  It’s gorgeously done and, oh, if you like Galadriel or want Celeborn to have more depth, to understand why Galadriel loved him in this author’s hands, it’s a brilliant read for that.  Gap-filler or just really great characterization/worldbuilding, this fic covers both. This Taste of Shadow by Mira_Jade - This is a collection of various Tolkien prompts and there are so many incredible gems here.  It spans from the Silmarillion to The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings, it spans from the Elves to the Men to the Dwarves, they’re all here, at some point.  Sure, primarily it’s about Elves, but the Elves are the ones we know the most about, and I think you need to know The Silmarillion to read this, but once you have the shape of it, this is some fantastic filling-in-the-spaces pieces with a boggling amount of variety of characters!  You can skip around to your faves if you like, if a chapter depends on reading another one first, it’ll tell you, and so pick your beloved character and there’s probably a gorgeous fic in here about them!