#and it was just a great reminder how impactful little things like fic recs and comments and such can be

[hardly-an-escape]

gonna scream about something in the tags real quick

[spnfanficpond]

Pond Diving - Imagineteamfreewill

Welcome to today’s Pond Diving Spotlight! We hope that you enjoy this little insight to our members and perhaps even find some useful tips for your own writing. Happy reading!

Want to volunteer, send us an ask! We’re looking forward to learning more about all of you! Not sure what PD is, you can learn more here.

“Don’t Be Koi About It” - All About You

Name: Meg

Age: 20s

Location: United States

URL: @imagineteamfreewill

Why did you choose your URL: I first started out structuring my stories as imagines, and the “Team Free Will” part was pretty obvious.

What inspired you to become a writer: Reading Supernatural fanfiction inspired me to get back into writing, but I’ve always enjoyed it. My mom likes to talk about how when I was in Kindergarten, I drew a picture about how I wanted to be an author and now I write in my free time.

How long have you been writing: According to tumblr, I’ve been writing fanfiction since 2014, but I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.

What do you do when you are not writing i.e. Job/Hobbies etc? I’m a music teacher, so I sing and play piano, and I’ve played a bit of cello and tenor saxophone as well. I love movies, baking, sleeping, and a few video games.

How long have you been in the SPN Fandom? I joined sometime around Season 8 or 9, I think. I don’t really remember!

Are you in any other fandoms and do you write for them? I really enjoy Marvel and I’ve read a lot of Marvel fics, but I don’t write for them. I like a lot of TV shows (New Girl, Parks and Rec, The Good Place, Outlander, etc), but I wouldn’t consider myself part of the fandom.

Do you do any writing outside of fanfiction? If so, tell us about it? I love to write poetry. I had a poetry blog at truenorth-ink a while ago, but I haven’t updated it recently at all. Most of my poems aren’t published or posted anywhere.

Favorite published author: I love some of the early series by Rick Riordan and I also really enjoy poetry by Nikita Gill and Atticus. Lately, I've really been getting into Leigh Bardugo's books.

Have you ever read a book that made an impact on your life? Which one and why?: I think "East" by Edith Pattou really affected me! I read it when I was in 6th-8th grade and I think about it often. I think it's something that really stuck with me and got me interested in fantasy books so much. I read it at least once a year.

Favorite genre of fanfic (smut, angst, fluff, crack, rpf, etc): I love angsty stuff, and most of the time I prefer it when it has some fluff mixed in. Straight fluff is often hard for me to read because I need something that’s more realistic for my own life and point of view. I also really like whump, but that can be a lot sometimes so it depends on my mood.

Favorite piece of your own writing: I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I loved writing Back to the Start (my mermaid series) and The Switch (a canon-divergent apocalyptic Reader x Sam series). Right now, I'm really enjoying my Consort series (a Goddess!Reader x Dean series). Creating my own rules in my own little universes is one of my favorite things to do, especially since I can’t always do whatever I want in real life.

Most underrated fic you have written: Empire. I loved getting to write Boyking!Sam because it was so different from my normal Sam stories and I did a lot of research for it. I’m pretty proud that the story never got too bloody or gory, too, so if you want some Boyking!Sam that’s not drenched in blood (for lack of a better term), I’m your girl!

Story of yours that you’d most like to see turned into a movie/tv show: Probably Back to the Start or The Switch. I think those two series would be amazing to see with J2, the rest of the cast/characters I included, and special effects! There’s so much I’d want to explore with both of them that I didn’t put into the series.

Favorite Tumblr Writer(s): @luci-in-trenchcoats, @sunlightdances, @supernaturalfreewill, @lipstickandwhiskey, @smol-and-grumpy, @percywinchester27, and @kaz2y5-imagines

Favorite fic from another writer:  I don’t think I could pick just one, but I’ve read all of @sunlightdances Dean fics multiple times. Her works got me through some pretty sucky times in my life and I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of her writing! I’ve also been reading her Bucky fics recently and it’s made me love Marvel fics even more than before!​

Favorite character to write: Sam Winchester

Favorite Pairing to write: Reader x Sam (Reader x Dean is a close second)

Least favorite character to write (and why): I don’t like to write for Crowley or Gabriel. Gadreel is hard for me even though I can do it, but I don’t understand Crowley or Gabriel’s personalities at all because they’re literally so far away from mine.

Do you have anyone you consider a mentor? No, although @lipstickandwhiskey and @kaz2y5-imagines really encouraged me in my writing!​

Do you have any aspirations involving your writing? I would love to write a non-Supernatural work of fiction to publish, but that’s a long way off.

How many work-in-progress stories do you have: Oh Lord, I have so many! I have at least four series and two one shots in the works right now. I've also got over 100 one shots/series plotlines written out in the notes on my phone and various Google Docs.

What are you currently working on? I’m currently working on a Cinderella series, my Underworld series, my Puer Rex series, my Consort series, an Author!Sam fic, and an Author!Dean fic. I also write stories for my Words series now and again.

“Pond Diving” - All About The Writing

What/who has had the biggest influence on your writing? Reading other people’s work. The intense storylines of @luci-in-trenchcoats ’s fics have gotten me to be more bold with my writing and the emotions and description in @supernaturalfreewill’s works have inspired me to let my work have more feeling.

Best writing advice you've been given: Not necessarily writing advice, but I was once told that anything worth doing is worth doing at least a little bit every day. Think about it—if you wrote even just five minutes a day, how much better will you get over the course of a month? A year?

Biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your writing: Repetition of words and commas. So many commas and so many uses of the same word over and over again. It’s a hard balance between using the word and using synonyms without sounding like I’m sitting there googling synonyms for “said”. I also tend to spend a lot of time on things that I think are super important but aren’t really important in the long run. I’m wordy as hell and my writing would be dull if I didn’t edit it as thoroughly as I do.

What aspects of writing do you find difficult when you write fanfiction? A lot of times I have these ideas that I think would make a great series but I don’t think through them, so planning out the plot of a series (or even a standalone fic) beforehand is something I struggle with.

Is there anything you want to write but are afraid to (and why): I would love to write more fics that have the characters dealing with severe mental disorders or that take place in a mental hospital, but I’m afraid that I’ll portray something wrong and solidify harmful stereotypes about what it’s like to deal with those things.

What inspires/motivates you to write: Honestly, just wanting to write things that I enjoy. Sometimes I get sick of reading other peoples’ stuff since it’s not exactly what I want, so I just write my own!

How do you deal with self doubt: Understand that sometimes it happens. You’ll doubt yourself—everybody does. If I’m doubting myself or my writing, I’ll take a break until I remember why I write. Then I’ll remember that yeah, writing for an audience is fun, but I write because I have cool ideas I want to explore, not because I need the attention or love of strangers. Lastly, I’ll reread my old fics, especially the ones I love, and then I’ll go back and edit old fics that I haven’t looked at in a while. That way I can see how I’ve improved and I don’t feel so terrible anymore! Reading my own fics is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, and I’ll read through my masterlists every once a while just to remind myself of the things I’ve loved, where I’ve been, and where I’m going.

How do you deal with writer's block: Like I said, I reread old fics and edit old fics that I haven’t looked at in a while. Seeing the things I’ve done before always helps to focus me. I’ll also read other people’s stuff or talk about headcanons with some friends to try and find some inspiration.

Do you plan/outline your story before you start: Lately I have been, but only because my periods of intense inspiration and productivity are getting farther and farther apart because of my job. I’ve found planning it out to be more and more helpful, especially for my series. A lot of times if I get a great idea, I’ll outline the whole plot or any significant details I want to put in that one shot/series so that I can come back to it whenever I have the time or I’m inspired for it again.

Do you have any weird writing habits: I write best in places that are unfamiliar to me or in places/times where I shouldn’t be writing. Class? Writing. Airport terminal? Writing. 4am when I have to be up at 6? Writing.

Have you ever received hateful comments on your fic and how do you deal with it? Not that I remember! I feel like there’s probably been one or two over the years, but I probably just got upset about it with my friends for a while and then got over it.

Conversely: what’s been some of your favorite feedback on your fanfic? A long time ago, when I was writing Back to the Start, I had one person who sent me asks for every single series update. I screenshotted them and saved them on my laptop. There’s one particular one where they say that they’re happier because of my writing and honestly, isn’t that what we all strive for? That people’s lives are better because of our stories? I’ve also had some pretty great friends recently who’ve made it a point to reblog and send asks/messages on all my works, which has been so meaningful that I never replied to the asks. They’re sitting in my inbox and I go through and reread them sometimes when I’m feeling down.

If you could give one piece of advice to a new and/or struggling writer, what would it be?  ​Write down everything. If you come up with an amazing piece of dialogue, even if it’s just one sentence or one person talking, or if you come up with something you’d think would be a great title��� WRITE IT DOWN. It doesn’t matter if it fits into whatever you’re currently writing or not, it’ll come in handy! I don’t know how many times I’ve gone through my idea list and found really obscure lines/titles/inspiration that didn’t make sense when I wrote them down, but are now exactly what I need to finish a fic. Even if you don’t end up using it, jotting down your ideas is still writing, and that’s good practice!

[shireness-says]

Birthday fic recs: @welllpthisishappening

It was @welllpthisishappening​‘s birthday yesterday! Laura is consistently one of my favorite authors, and a dear friend to boot. So, for her birthday, I’d like to recommend some of her deep-cut, hidden gem fics - favorites of mine I think everyone should be reading all the time. Go read them and check out her seriously impressive fic page. The organization is downright inspiring.

Thank you for your friendship and your fics and your willingness to listen to me have a conniption about not-your-hockey-team, darling - I hope the next year gives you all the joy that you deserve!

Start Spreading the News

Emma Swan is just looking for something that’s hers. She’s fairly certain she’s found it in New York, with a group of friends and a good job and picture frames on her apartment walls. But then the past she’s spent so long trying to ignore shows up where she least expects to find it – wearing pinstripes in right field at Yankee Stadium.

More Famous Than A Yankee Can

He knows it’s not a dream. He’s had this dream before. Finding her again and talking to her again and wearing pinstripes. They usually aren’t all the same dream. So this has to be real. But the last place Killian Jones ever expected to see Emma Swan was while he was wearing those pinstripes. With her standing on the bleachers in Yankee Stadium.

I’ve read these fics three times this year. Maybe four. I love it every time - there’s romantic type miracles and pining and fate and I can’t resist it. It’s everything you need to cheer yourself up in these weird stressful times. Every time I read one these, I immediately have to go tell Laura that it’s So Good because I just can’t resist. That good.

What Used to Be Limes

Killian Jones is ready for his rookie season in the NHL. He's got a hell of a shot. An almost acceptable amount of confidence. And a roommate he doesn't want to check. Plus, his best friend. Who he's hopelessly in love with.

A Rooting Interest

Emma's only doing Ruby a favor. And playing bartender is kind of funy — especially when the guy in front of her keeps smiling and looking up how to make drinks. She doesn't want to make a fool of herself. That seems inevitable, though. Once he leaves the tip. Two tickets to a hockey game. And the good-looking guy from the bar turns out to be the star of the New York Rangers.

Look, obviously Laura has proved she’s the master of hockey fics with her Blue Line stuff. But! These are a great pair of hockey fics not from that ‘verse. Disaster rookies! Emma who doesn’t know a thing about hockey! Flirting galore! If you haven’t read these already - you need to get on that right away. And then join me in my quest to remind Laura that if she ever has hockey feelings that don’t fit into Blue Line, she could totally add on to these ‘verses and no one would complain. Or at least I wouldn’t.

Feeling As Good As Love

Emma is excited about this weekend. It's always good — this thing they do, with the house and the ocean and the friendship that seems to stand the test of time. But now, there's an added bonus. Because this year she and Killian aren't just coming to the house on the beach with that friendship moniker hanging over them. They're coming as a couple. A real couple. That kisses. Regularly. And Emma's excited about that too. She just didn't expect her friends not to believe her.

I am, admittedly, biased, because I all but demanded that Laura write this. But that’s only because it’s so up her alley, as demonstrated by the masterpiece that ensued. The banter! The cliches list! Emma’s righteous (and warranted) anger! It’s everything the prompt demanded and more than I could have imagined. Perfect.

In Case of Emergency, Call...

Killian Jones does several things on Thanksgiving: breaks his ankle, meets a very loud redhead in the ER, tells his best friend he loves her. None of them were part of his plan. The plan only involved cookies.

This is a little bit of an odd one - because Emma’s not even there for half the fic. But her presence and her absence and her impact is just so palpable. That pining, man! I live for that pining. The best kind of friends-to-lovers, with plenty of Killian and Ariel banter and a little dose of fake married because why not. What else could you ask for?

Gone the Way of the Dinosaurs

Emma doesn't entirely understand the town of Storybrooke. It is, apparently, the kind of place with story time at the library and spring festivals on Friday night and unfairly attractive people with blue eyes who know all the words to the dinosaur song her kid is also inexplicably singing. She doesn't understand the town of Storybrooke yet, but maybe Emma is willing to do a little research.

I love librarian!Killian. I love tiny!Henry. Put them together? I’m a sucker for it. It reads so believably, both for Emma and for Storybrooke. And I think Laura might have been channeling her own shoe collection, which I find so charming. And you can learn about dinosaurs! And what names they have! Read it in the name of paleontology. 

Wrap Around Your Dreams

Emma Swan is not a very good witch. She’s emotional and prone to immediate reactions and neither one of those things are currently helping her when the body count in Storybrooke is on the rise. And there’s far too much blood at each crime scene and far too much magic and Emma has no idea where to look next. So she does the almost human thing; she starts making a list. Of clues and ideas and the absolute desperate hope that the killer isn’t what she’s certain it absolutely has to be. The last thing she expects is for the notebook to start writing back.

This is a perfect Halloween-type fic. I love epistolary fics and pen pal fics, but I’ve never seen anything like this before or since. The idea of them reaching out across all kinds of magical barriers because fate just gets me, man. Plus, the suspense is absolutely palpable. And the ending! Perfect. Another of my regular rereads. 

All Was Golden In The Sky

Magic is dying. Emma knows it. She can feel it, the emptiness rattling around in her, like it’s trying to make sure she disappears as well. What she doesn’t know is what to do about it, because, suddenly, there is a man in Storybrooke claiming she’s the Savior and a seeress certain a prophecy promises the same and the last thing she expects is for her minimal amount of lingering power to pull her away. To New York City. And another oddly familiar man with blue eyes and a smile that sinks under her skin and makes magic bloom in the air around her. Things are about to get interesting.

I was just enthralled the whole time this was posting. There were so many twists and turns, but everything still weaves together absolutely perfectly. Plus, canon has been adapted so well in this. I don’t even know how to start describing this fic - but trust me, you’ve got to read it. 

Out Of The Frying Pan

Emma Swan is only doing this for one reason, well, make that two. To get her show's numbers back up and, maybe, impress her son. She doesn't like admitting to that second one though. Killian Jones is doing this for absolutely, positively, just one reason. To expand his restaurant. And maybe get Regina off his back. So that's kind of two reasons. Neither one of them is doing a year-long Food Network all-star competition because they're celebrity chefs and there's not really any other choice. Of course not. And neither one of them is enjoying it because they maybe, kind of, sort of enjoy each other. That would be insane.

Ok, this one may not be that overlooked as much as it’s my FAVORITE THING ON THE PLANET. This is a perfect fic. Every time she posts another sequel one-/two-shot, my heart sings. It’s so good. The way Laura paints this competition, and lets everything grow over the course of weeks and month, is perfect - plus, there’s all the romance and Captain Cobra feels you could ever want. If you haven’t read this yet - Get On It Today.

Check out her fics on Tumblr and Ao3, and make sure to give her and them lots of love!

[foxymoxynoona]

to the anon simping for JK, you are not alone my friend. My bias is Namjoon but my ✨thirst ✨ for JK is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I kid you not. My friends will just facepalm when I randomly video call / message them and say “I wanna suck his dick so bad.” “Do you think JK will let me tie him as I suck his dick?” “This is what I’m going to wear on my date with JK” OR OR OR “I wanna peg JK, ya think he’ll be up for it?” I’m crazy, I know. It’s the product of reading countless JJK fics, what the fuck. I even have a bts fic rec blog but I should change it to JK fic rec blog coz I honestly only reblog and scream how much I love authors who write JJK ff. But tbh we need more BTS ff, most of what I see write JJK fic hehe is it because he’s easier to predict? All tropes suit that mf. But on God, it will be OVER for me if I read Namjoon fics. That man is legit so hot, sexy, smart, funny. My friend is done with me because she innocently sent this pic saying Namjoon is the type of person who has mirrors in his ceilings AND i legit reply “imagine him fucking you, like he’s on top and you could see in the mirror how hard he’s thrusting into you. And you can see his back muscles and fat ass.” Ok ok ok this is getting out of hand. I shall yeet myself out 🤠 or write this fic myself because fuck am i horny 24/7

🥵 my friend. ice water for all of us. Ice water is the new holy water, get with it.

I will stand by there is nothing NOTHING wrong with thirsting over boys as long as you aren't actually harming them, yourself, or your significant other. It can be really tricky with fictional/celebrity characters because you can just project perfection onto them. DO IT AND HAVE FUN.

Just remind yourself of their human flaws if you feel like it's impacting your real life relationships. But like, I don't know fam, let ladies be horny. It's such a great way to play around with and discover all sorts of things we like or that IRL partners may not be up for (.... not speaking from experience or anything.... 😆)

I think JK is both more predictable but also just more transparent. He's easier to capture the highs nad lows because I don't think he's as good at hiding it as the other guys. I think he also feels like he's still in a more exploratory, malleable stage than the others, who got to establish themselves outside of the public eye a LITTLE more. It means we can project things onto him more easily without it feeling like we're messing him up in fiction. At least that's how it feels to me! But I do want to write more about the others, and have plans to both in some focused stories and some off-shoot short stories of those characters in my current stories ;)

[dorky-thighchi]

please I am in dire need of some slightly unknown/underrated daisuga fic recs master

forgive me anon it took me so long to reply :( but here are the following fanfics i recommend you to read. These fics deserve more kudos and hits! and I added some famous fics on the list because i forgot to add these fics on my previous fic recs list: daisuga fic recs 1 . And if you wanna discover more there are other fic recs posts; daisuga fic recs 2 | daisuga fic recs 3

here’s my fave daisuga being dorks to cheer you up!!!!daichi leaning on suga (suga’s legs)

LONG POST AHEAD AND PLEASE READ THE TAGS AND WARNINGS BEFORE READING!!!

amor et anima by theroyalsavage (cupid and psyche au)

The god of passion falls in love with a mortal man. The rest, as they say, is history.

me, i fall in love with you every single day by earlgrey_milktea (fluff)

They wrestle a bit, Daichi dropping the ladle into the pot as Koushi clings to his middle, refusing to let go. Their laughter fills the kitchen as the curry pot bubbles merrily, and Koushi thinks---not for the first time and definitely not for the last time---that there is nowhere else he’d rather be.the story of daichi and koushi, how they fall in love and never really stop.

Anywhere Else He'd Rather Be by hobbitfromtheshire (fluff)

Suga gets cold. Daichi helps him warm up.

Strike That Pose by fog_mind (Model au)

Daichi 'These shorts are too small for volleyball' Sawamura

In which Daichi is called by a modelling agency to help out and he meets a certain angelic model

First Snow by Feelsripper (First kiss/Fluff)

Walking Suga home had started out as a joke between the two of them, until Daichi realized he sort of liked it way more than he should have.

Speechless by tricerasaurus (Hotel au)

Daichi Sawamura had never in his life had trouble finding the right thing to say.

That is until an unexpected guest enters his life.

Koushi Sugawara and the Heir of Slytherin by Killthespare (Hogwarts au)

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir beware.

Meanwhile, Suga struggles with his family's reputation. A few trouble-making Gryffindors (and one Slytherin) meddle in Daichi's love life. And, through it all, Hinata finds a very strange diary.

i love you by sugacookie (Fluff)

Daichi and Suga were sleeping shirtless in the same bed. So what? It’s not like that hadn't happened before. They had sleepovers all the time, and often chatted as they changed after practice. It was nothing new, so Suga shouldn't be acting this way, but he couldn't help it.

I Don't Love You (I Always Will) by shingekinoboyfriends (Slowburn)

Things take time. Anything that’s good, anything that matters – things like love don’t happen in an instant, the way they do in movies. They grow. They bloom.

Root of the Root by SedentaryZebra (Canon compliant)

When an extremely famous pop star comes out as gay the day before Suga’s third year of high school begins, he thinks the only impact on his life will be the extra chocolates he will need to buy to console his mother.

He’s wrong.

And That's The Way It Should Be by ofperspicacity (soulmates au)

AU where you only see your colors when you meet your soulmate (and you lose them when they die)

Everything in Sawamura Daichi's life was completely average, thank you very much, until the day he saw his colors and Sugawara Koushi was to blame.

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond by themorninglark (confessions)

Suga has learned to solve his problems, save for one.

It's their graduation day, and he's staring at it.

if i tremble by crunchrapsupreme (smut)

Suga is trying to stay pieced together, but he's gradually being torn apart, broken up into a thousand little pieces, self doubt weighing his body down like a ton of bricks.

But luckily for him, Daichi isn't willing to let him break that easily.

a heavy leaf to turn by lavendrsblue (slowburn)

There’s a part of Daichi that burns steady and silver, a part that wouldn’t be there without Suga and everything he’s given to him in the years they’ve known each other.

Daichi never thought he would see them grow apart.

Iridescent by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead (dragonriders au)

Each year, flocks are formed by putting two senior dragon/rider pairs, two intermediate pairs, and five rookie pairs together. This year, Riders Sugawara and Yaku have been put in charge of Trainee Flock One. They'll have to convince the rider trainees to get along, get the dragons to cooperate - no one is sure how they ended up with every single "problem" dragon - and hopefully keep their intermediate riders, Oikawa and Nishinoya, from arguing too much over whose dragon is better.

winner in the whirlwind by tothemoon (fluff)

In which Suga beats Daichi at games and the latter finds someone to cherish.

(Or, snippets of encouragement and care under the guise of foot races, mischievous bets, and late night sessions of Mario Kart.)

You don't have to lie to me by flabmil (fluff)

Sugawara is strong, but Daichi is there to remind him that he doesn’t always have to be.

Answers Without Questions by SecretMaker (slight angst and smut)

Koushi had learned a long time ago to stop wanting things. He learned to stop wishing, letting his eyes linger too long, wondering what it would be like if only.

There were no if onlys in Koushi’s life.

Years by dawnstruck (fluff)

New Year's Eve. Koushi claps his hands and prays.

A Moment's Grace by shions_heart (smut)

After a botched mission, Daichi and Suga flee to a safe house. A black eye and bruised ribs do nothing to decrease Suga's libido, however.

The Difference Between Kisses by Navybluewings (fluff)

Sugawara isn't expecting much attention when being paired up with Daichi for the kissing booth. It's no secret that the captain is attractive inside and out, a feature that hasn't been lost on the female population or the third year setter. Still, Suga is in no rush to tell Daichi this, content with pining for his best friend in silence.

But the reveal of Suga's sexual orientation and Daichi's curiosity will change their relationship forever. And Sugawara isn't sure if that's a good thing or not.

Big Dai Energy by LessonsFromMoths (single parent au)

Two years ago, Daichi's world turned upside down when his sister and her husband died, orphaning their kids. Daichi made the decision to raise all 3, hoping to make his sister proud. When he decides to move across town to be closer to his friends, and a new person is thrust into their life: Sugawara Koushi, kindergarten teacher extraordinaire.

Chaos, love, and family ensues.

Sugar and Spice by RiChanasaurasRex (omegaverse au/smut)

After constantly seeing each other on campus but having no idea who the other is, Daichi and Suga are both dragged out by their friends to make them forget about each other. Of course, they end up at the same club and, of course, smut ensues.

i could show you incredible things (in the shower) by bishounen_curious (merman au/college au)

Being a siren at college is hard. But finding time to sing in the shower while also not accidentally putting your roommates under your thrall is even harder. Especially when one of your roommates is kinda cute.

bring it here, lover by melonstars (canon compliant)

"Y'know, my students think I have a wife."

Koushi doesn't keep it a secret that he's married. He just hasn't said who it is to his class of 8-year-olds.

I love you enough to give you my everything by Nishinoyass (fluff)

Sugawara is terrified of coming out and he's also in love with Daichi.

Make Out With Me? by GordandV (college au)

“Daichi, I know this is weird and I don’t know you, but my friends dragged me to this party and my ex just walked in so please make out with me,” begged Sugawara, Daichi immediately setting his drink down on the floor and cupping Sugawara’s face between his hands which were surprisingly cool before kissing him.

Captain of the Year by Uniblabblab (smut)

Daichi has won the Captain of the Year award, and the team decides that they will go out for BBQ. Suga can't wait to feel up his Captain till they get home, and for some reason he keeps reminding Daichi about a bunny that he needs to take care of when he gets home.

amor et anima by theroyalsavage (cupid and psyche au)

The god of passion falls in love with a mortal man. The rest, as they say, is history.

me, i fall in love with you every single day by earlgrey_milktea (fluff)

They wrestle a bit, Daichi dropping the ladle into the pot as Koushi clings to his middle, refusing to let go. Their laughter fills the kitchen as the curry pot bubbles merrily, and Koushi thinks---not for the first time and definitely not for the last time---that there is nowhere else he’d rather be.

the story of daichi and koushi, how they fall in love and never really stop.

Anywhere Else He'd Rather Be by hobbitfromtheshire (fluff)

Suga gets cold. Daichi helps him warm up.

As much as you want by twilightlynxx (fluff and smut)

In which Daichi had too much on his plate to worry about the stress of exams and Sugawara makes the perfect tutor.

“Suga you’re… kind of beautiful,” Daichi heard himself say the words, but he couldn’t remember saying them. His vision only seemed to consist of Sugawara.

Booty Call by stillnotovermylordsixth (canon compliant)

“You are not framing a teacher just to get in my pants,” Daichi warns.

“Aww!" Suga whines. "But why not? It’s so romantic!”

“Suga.”

Suga crosses his arms over his chest with a pout.

dogs are great by aalphard (fluff)

prompt fill for "i met you last night when you were drunkenly patting my dog in my backyard at 3 in the morning and when i asked you what the hell you were doing you slurred something about dogs being great and then you threw up on my feet and then fifteen minutes later you were passed out on my couch so that's why you're here right now also what the fuck is your name and why were you patting a dog in a stranger's backyard in the middle of the night" | or the one in which daichi finds a drunk guy in his yard after going for a walk with his dog and lets him crash in his couch for the night.

we live in the now by laurenshappenstobemyhusband (future fic)

"Daichi, quick, you have to come with me to the bar."

I'd go anywhere with you. "What is it, Suga?"

"Oikawa's going to be there with Iwaizumi, and we're going out to drinks with them. Also, we're dating."

The only thing Daichi could bring himself to say was, "Oh, alright."

A Simple Man by daphnethewriter (smut)

Daichi isn't hard to please, but that doesn't mean Suga won't put in the extra work to make sure his boyfriend gets exactly what he deserves.

A study in love by phroobin for Telenovela (fluff)

'Really, Suga and Daichi just make sense.' (A study of the relationship between Suga and Daichi)

Destined to Love by 1redblackflannel (omegaverse au/smut)

It was all because Daichi’s father and Satoshi, the head butler of the Sawamura family, had decided to interview applicants for a vacant butler position.

Daichi is the alpha-heir of the Sawamura family, a very rich and influential group who owned many multi-million dollar companies.

Suga is an omega who has applied to be a butler.

They meet again after many years and decide that maybe, they were destined to love each other.

you are not immune to the boy of your dreams by bokkun (canon compliant)

Before starting his day, Sugawara Koushi remembers five things:

1. Always eat breakfast 2. Always check your stuff before leaving the house 3. Say goodbye to the demon sleeping under your bed 4. Pet the stray cat (or cats) outside your home 5. Don’t fall in love with your cop of a best friend

It’s really simple. Just five things Koushi needs to remember.

Forgotten Papers by letsdoaskit (fluff and slight angst)

Daichi asks Suga to bring him some papers he forgot at home, but why can't Suga enter his classroom?

when the letter says a soldier's coming home by karasunonolibero (angst with a happy ending)

Koushi grabs his arm, hand shaking as he scrawls his address on the inside of Daichi’s wrist. “That’s my college address. Write to me there. And when you come back, I’ll be waiting for you, so find me. Please.”

The smile Daichi gives him is tinged with melancholy. “You shouldn’t wait for me, Koushi. With your looks, you’ll have boys falling at your feet. Take one of them.”

Koushi shakes his head. “Please.”

“Okay.” Daichi brushes a lock of hair from Koushi’s face, squeezes his hand, and then he’s gone.

or, the year is 1968 and all Koushi can do is wait for Daichi to come home.

Weather the Storm by HamletsProzac (smut)

“You could download Tinder.”

Literally nothing good ever comes from following that advice, but Daichi had gone and done it anyway.

Nothing good ever came of following Kuroo’s advice either, and he’d done that too. But really, considering the circumstances, what else was he supposed to do in the middle of a hurricane?

A Tinder hook up turns into kinky sex turns into two nerds pining: a saga.

Ice Bath by stumblinginthestars (fluff)

Coach Ukai decides to test out a new cool-down technique after summer practice one day. Daichi tries not to worry when Sugawara doesn't seem to be handling it as well as the others. He fails.

stupid about you; or, the misadventures of one sawamura daichi by asphodehls (fluff)

Daichi thinks early mornings are shit.

Then the most beautiful man in the world starts frequenting his usual coffee shop, and maybe the early mornings aren't so shit anymore.

If only he could work up the courage to talk to him.

What it says on the box - Daichi has one brain cell and it's entirely dedicated to falling in love with Suga.

Devil's Trap by farethy (talonyth) (smut)

There is a devil hidden in everyone, even in the most angelic being called Koushi Sugawara.

Punishment by carriecmoney (fluff)

Suga must've been a bad man in a past life; not only is he cursed to be a distance runner, but he also has a crush on a discus thrower. Aesthetically, of course. Track and field!AU.

I Could Have Danced All Night by Rinoa11 (12 dancing princesses au)

Daichi has returned from the military, an injured useless soldier with a sick mother. He is taken in to become a palace gardener under Keishin and is sucked into the mystery of the six beautiful princes of the castle who disappear each night and return with ruined dancing shoes. When times get desperate Daichi can no longer ignore the mystery of the six princes before him. Who are they? What is going on? And will he discover their secret or face the punishment of death?

sugar and salt by foreverwonder (detective au)

When a dead body was fished out from the waters of Tokyo Bay, Detective Sawamura Daichi and his partner were assigned to the case. What was first thought to be a straightforward homicide turned out to be the prelude to something more dangerous and Daichi vowed to get to the bottom of it.

He just never expected to fall for the victim’s lover.

The Beast Dancer by Rinoa11 (fantasy au)

The Legend tells of a great Beast bringing destruction to the town, sent down by the gods to punish them for their mortal folly. For ten days and nights the Beast wrought tremors and chaos on the earth, causing panic and terror to spread throughout the land. Until one day a brave hero sealed away the beast after a grand fight.

The Legends also say that the Beast Dancers who seal the Beast away are destined for paradise. Suga wondered about what paradise was like. The priests in the temple told him that he would live a life of bliss as thanks for helping to seal the Beast away. All Suga hoped for was that it would be filled with fields of flowers as far as the eye could see.

It is an honour to be chosen.

a little lost by lavendrsblue (fluff)

Daichi slaps a hand over his face, muffling a groan. Having a kissing dream about Suga while they’re literally sharing a bed—what could be worse, honestly.

The night before Nationals, they're supposed to get eight hours of sleep. Daichi gets considerably less.

not the same night out by suhoya (fluff)

In which Kuroo thinks it would be a good idea to invite his friend Sugawara to their weekly night club visit. Daichi gets easily distracted (forgets how to dance), thinks a lot (and imagines), drinks (doesn't know what), and meets love.

That’s all i can recommend you to read! there’s a lot of amazing daisuga fics i didnt mention here and i wanted to add more but there’s a limit so keep searching for more. Kudos to all writers out there!!! I’ll try my best to make more fic recs so we can appreciate more writers and their stories! Have a nice day! Don’t forget to compliment the author’s work(s)!!!

[floraone]

So, Rec'tober is almost over and I come in at the finish line.

But I wanted to write a special kind of fic rec, something beyond what I normally do. And so I target this post not towards our little corner of the internet that have read every big fic that was posted in the last two decades, but towards those who pop in from time to time, to those that loved Sailor Moon in their childhood and youth and feel that pinge of nostalgia for the world. This post is for you!

Not everything in the Sailor Moon franchise survived the test of time. There are parts of canon we REMEMBER differently - we remember what it made us feel at the time, but re-watching it, it just doesn’t have the same impact. We grew up, and we STILL LOVE THE FRIGGIN CONCEPT, but we notice the flaws we didn’t notice before. But we want that back - we want the feeling that we had watching the show when we were little. We want that wonder, that newness, that full heart about how GOOD and wholesome Usagi is, we want the miracle romance, we want our favorite characters but how they grew with us in our heads.

And well, there IS a place where we can find this fix of what it felt like. And it’s preserved in a treasure box of fanfiction. Of people who write these characters as they might be today, of people who take their essence and make it new.

So, this list is filled with tons of fics that tried to re-create canon with that affectionate, nostalgic feeling. I specifically for this list chose fics that dealt with canon themes - either through fix-it fics that took specific episodes and put their own spin to it, or to spins on canon, the what ifs - what if this specific choice weren’t made, what if the break up arc didn’t end, what if we took this plot point and spun it somewhere new, playing with the things we vaguely remember to have loved so dearly. (Though, of course, the world of Alternative Universes and Non-Senshi fics is vast, and if you are looking for a fix of that, please check out @uglygreenjacket ‘s elaborate worlds and @queenrisa14 fantastic AU spins out especially for this purpose!)

(Take note that these stories prominently feature stories revolving Usagi and Mamoru and the Miracle Romance, since that is my absolute jam. (Though it didn’t even used to be my most favorite part of the story growing up!) And some categories feature more stories by the same authors (for instance those that just like to dabble in What Ifs  - a not all TOO common trope, though I hope it were!))

So, let me transport you back into your childhood:

What If’s:

Forget Me Not by Antigone2 What if, post-stars, Usagi was suddenly the one to forget Mamoru for once, and he had to try really hard to make a new good first impression? This plays off all my buttons, and @idesofnovember is a master of making you remember the small details of these dorks that were so special.

What If by Antigone2 Canon had the habit of making Mamoru forget his memories, and @idesofnovember is a master of taking this trope and making it better. Here, Usagi wonders if Mamoru would have ever dated her if it weren’t for their history, and Setsuna, fed up, makes it happen.

Desperate and Divine by Antigone2 (Rated M) This story will always have a giant place in my heart: What If Mamoru never remembered after Beryl’s defeat, and Usagi was trying to get that one special night of closure. This had such an impact on me, reminding me how much I loved these characters, that it caused me to start writing fanfiction once more.

Royal Pain and Similes by Antigone2 What If the Senshi had found out Usagi is Serenity, but never that Mamoru is Endymion in this spectacular pinefest that will make your heart bleed.

Coming Of Age by Kasienda What if the R story arc surrounding Chibi-Usa was a little more sensical, a little more tragic, a little more realistic? This kid shows up in front of Mamoru’s door, Sailor Pluto informing him she’s from a great war in the future and him being the only one of age, he is now her legal guardian. Watch Mamoru and Usagi becoming parents to a war-traumatized Chibi-Usa, and all the struggles with it.

The Reveal by Kasienda This is a series of unconnected fics set in first season primarly and beyond, and it reinvents that crucial moment where the superhero personas of our favorite characters are revealed over and over and over again, because that moment can never be special and new enough.

A Craving for Milkshakes by Kasienda What if during first season, a monster-of-the-week had caused Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon to be telepathically linked? Watch how it would progressively have changed their dynamic in this endearing, sweet story!

Wring My Emotions and interpret canon anew:

Six Birthdays by Kiyoshi Dot This Fic reads like a poem, and it runs your through the ups and downs of the Miracle Romance via gifts Usagi receives forher birthday through the years, and it has the feeling of the Manga written all over it.

Aisuru, Mamo-chan by ellephedre Post-stars, Mamoru receives a package from Harvard. In it are all the letters Usagi wrote to him while he was dead during Stars. And yes, this read is as painful and therapeutic as you imagine it is.

Song for a scribbled out name by Antigone2 Centered in the first season during the anime’s Evil!Endymion arc, this little story teases you with what might have become of this enticing little nugget of piney, deliciously angsty plot!

The Odds Considered by Kiyoshi Dot Takes you through the secret romance of Usagi and Mamoru in the first season in this hauntingly beautiful way of forming words, and made me hurt in the way I always wanted the manga to hurt me.

Resiliency is My Mask by MamaLadyKT This is an episode fix surrounding the time Usagi was nearly suffocated by a monster-of-the-week in the infamous Saori-episode, and Mamoru cares a LOT about it.

Feel Good Little Moments with these characters as we remember them:

Je t’aime by Antigone2 A snapshot moment where Usagi uses the disguise pen to sneak into a university event of Mamoru’s and takes him for a little test. This little story feels so delightfully, essentially THEM in the way they behaved during later seasons of the anime that it makes my chest feel light and happy!

Day Of Delinquency by UglyGreenJacket A snippet of a moment that captures the humor of the series as my heart remembers it, in which Haruka takes Usagi on a joy ride, Usagi lands them in jail, and Mamoru and Michiri have to bail them out.

Distractions by Antigone2 follows Mamoru unsuccessfully trying to help Usagi study and it feels like home.

The Untouchable King in the Day and Night Lacunae Series by Tina Century What if we let @tinacentury show King Endymion the Sailor Moon Crystal series? This is exactly as delightful as it sounds.

A Romance For The Small Things by amomo Newest on this list, @spider-momo wrote these fall-themed snippets of Senshi interactions in the way that feel so painfully right and homey and warm they are bound to make you ache to re-acquaint yourself with these old friends of yours.

Public Eye by Antigone2 Canon never gave us a terrible lot of interaction between Usagi and Tuxedo Mask or Mamoru and Sailor Moon. This is a cheeky and delightful little ficlet about Mamoru having to pretend he has No Relations Going On With This Superheroine.

Rainbow by Kasienda I’m pretty sure I put this fic on every fic rec list I ever wrote, but @kasienda encapsulated everything I love about Mamoru and Usagi’s dynamic in the first season of the anime and made my heart ache in its simplistic beauty.

The Space Between by Uglygreenjacket This series of ficlets explores the space between R and S and gives you that sweet feeling of Usagi and Mamoru tender baby love as we were used to in S!

A Week With Mamoru Chiba by Dreams In Pink This fic takes us through a series of Mamoru-centered mini-stories in a mostly first season second that feel so delightfully warm and funny it will warm your heart.

Flower Power By irritable-vowel-types Do you miss the absolute ridiculousness that were these show’s monster-of-the-week, or Tuxedo Mask’s outrageous speeches? This fic is a crackfic, and yet it somehow manages to feel EXACTLY as ridiculous and not a tad more than those original canon monsters.

All’s Fun With Love and Orbs by irritable-vowel-types This is set in Super-S, and reads like an episode as it should have been. What if one of the Amazon Quartett’s shenanigans was to flip all love into hate for one delightfully hilarious read?

The Thing About Your Transformation by AngelMoon Girl Delightfully funny, this little ficlet explores the fact that Mamoru can’t quite deal with the fact that for a short moment before every battle, Usagi may be all glitter, but she’s also briefly naked as she transforms.

Shall We Dance by ncisduckie A snippet in time and a secret relationship as Serenity and Endymion share a bittersweet dance.

And, if you still want more, I wrote my own canon spins, too. Most notably, the Ikigai and Yugen duo (Rated M), in which I tried to hand-pick everything I loved about the Sailor Moon story, manga and anime and all, of all the seasons, and tried to reinvent it in a way that felt contemporary and told one consecutive narrative within the anime setting. And in contrast to that for the manga meets anime setting, my story Priorities (Rated M) tried to encapsulate what the feeling of reading the Manga for the first time felt like to me, but now with a very adult and mature and heart-aching spin to it.

This list I gave you is non-exhaustive. There are many, many more where they come from. And if you need a fix of Sailor Moon nostalgia, they are waiting for you. Have FUN!

(And if you liked any of them, please consider leaving the author a review, so they will keep motivated to supply us with such beautiful, free, nostalgic treasures!)

[bouncyirwin]

A Different Kind of Fic Rec

So ... you know how there’s good fic, and then there’s next tier fic? Like the kind that blow you out of this world? Ones that change you as a person? 

Those are rare gems across different fandoms. They’re just a handful really, but they’re so dense you come out a different person once you finish reading them. 

Without further ado ... my favourite next tier fics. Across different fandoms. 

Kill Your Heroes || Naruto || 272,492 words || Ongoing It's time to stop waiting for other people to save you. A story about fear, resilience, and Sakura.

** If you love Sakura centric fics, drop everything you’re doing and read this

backslide || Naruto || 128,352 words || Complete Naruto’s friends are gone, his lover is dying, Konoha is destroyed, and Madara’s second return has pushed the entire world to the brink. Hunted and harried, Naruto is sent back in time to upend Madara’s plan before it even starts, and sets about changing everything. Butterfly effect nothing: the world is at stake, and Naruto is hardly about to let it fall to ruin once more. Not while he’s still breathing.

ANBU Legacy || Naruto || Ongoing ** Absolute Favourite of All Time Vol. 1 - Complete - 196,000 words Vol. 2 - Complete - 210,000 words Vol. 3 - Complete - 217,000 words Vol. 4 - Complete - 250,000 words Vol. 5 - Ongoing 

ANBU Legacy is a collaborative serial novel based on the world of Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. It follows an alternate timeline, taking place in a Konoha where the Yondaime defeated the Kyuubi — and lived. Set approximately four years after that event, Legacy is focused on the young men and women of ANBU, who took the vow to defend the Hokage and their village at all costs.

** If you love badass ANBU, team bonding, Kakashi Hatake, Gemna Shiranui, angst, All the Good Gay Shit, you NEED to read this. 

A Twist In Time || Naruto || 247,537 words || Complete With Konoha on the verge of destruction, Sakura is sent on a last-resort mission to save her world by travelling to the past. Join her in coping with her old body's shortcomings, testing the natural laws of time, falling in love all over again, and rediscovering who she is. Time-travel. SasuSaku.

** Coming from someone who actually hates SS, this fic is. Mind. Blowing. It’s Sakura-centric and features AMAZING character growth. I think I’ve reread this one 5+ times waiting for updates.

The Lives Worth Saving || Naruto || 134,188 words || Abandoned Naruto, at 26, has lived through 10 years of war. At the end, with nothing left to call home, he sends himself back to the beginning, to the day of his younger self's graduation, in an attempt to change it all. Time travel AU.

** That this fic is abandoned is an absolute tragedy, but it doesn’t stop me from rereading it endlessly. 

House of Crows || Naruto || 400,508 words || Complete KakaSaku. War is coming to Konoha and Sakura is far from home, uncertain of her future. But one thing is for sure, Sakura will protect her unborn child at all costs, whether it be from Konoha's enemies... or from its own father.

** This fic is so powerful it sent me into actual depression for like 2 weeks lmao

Pulling My Weight || Naruto || 375,630 words || Ongoing During the mission to Wave, Sakura realises that she has to become a better ninja for her teammates' sake and be someone they can depend on. She vows to take her training seriously, and receives help from the most unlikely of sources; Genma Shiranui. The two form an unlikely bond and stick together through thick and thin, while Sakura improves and meets other people along the way.

** So, so entertaining, but above all so satisfying. I must’ve reread this one 4 or 5 times while waiting for updates. 

Will of Fire || Naruto || 223,234 words || Complete Forced to flee their village and the new regime, the loyal shinobi of Konoha must find a way to preserve their way of life and take back their home. As they fight for their future, Team Seven struggles to overcome the past. KakaSaku

Once More, With Feeling || Naruto || 127,462 words || Complete Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.

** I read this one a very long time ago but it resonated so deeply (despite being in first person)

Stripped Bare || Naruto || 295,128 words || Complete When Sakura wanted a change of pace, she hadn't expected THIS! Now she's on a mission with Kakashi, masquerading as a dancer at a club far away from home and she finds herself forced to explore her own powers of sexuality and seduction. KakaSaku LEMON

** so IMPACTFUL. This is not a light read by any measure. 

Double Edged || Naruto || 347,047 words || Complete  Seduction is like a double edged sword. You never know when you'll go from being the seducer to being the seduced. KakaSaku

The Window || Naruto || 165,171 words || Complete Kakasaku Sakura always wanted to see Kakashi unmasked. This was a bit much though...

to memory now I can’t recall || MCU || 102,600 words || Complete  While on a mission storming a HYDRA facility, James Buchanan Barnes touches one of the many strange alien devices collected by the Red Skull. He does this, in fact, twice— in the past, and in the future.

Next thing he knows, Bucky Barnes is opening his eyes in the 21st century, which is full of great gadgets and coffee, and at least includes his old pal Steve. (And, inexplicably, a different Stark.) Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier finds himself in the middle of World War Two, helping Captain America hunt down HYDRA (which is at least familiar), pretending to be Bucky Barnes (which is not), and figuring out the very noisy group of soldiers who call themselves the Howling Commandos.

** GOOD SHIT, my dudes. I’ve lose count of how many times I’ve read this once. Definitely more than four times. 

The Twice-Told Tale || MCU || 15,789 words || Complete For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.

** SUCH an entertaining read. I’ve read this one definitely more than 5+ times. 

The Act of Creation Will Be Your Salvation || MCU || 84,678 words || Complete When Tony Stark was seventeen years old, he built his first AI. On that day, he ceased to be his father's creation, and became a creating force in his own right.

That one act likely saved his life, and not always in the most obvious ways.

** This fic will ruin you in the best ways. Worth many, many, many rereads. 

The Third Option || MCU || 220,962 words || Complete Homecoming A/U.

Ben and May divorced before Peter’s parents died, so when Ben is murdered Peter goes into foster care. It takes just a tiny taste of superpowers for Peter to decide he doesn’t want to put up with his horrible foster father anymore—the streets are infinitely more appealing. All he wants is to be Spider-Man anyway.

So he leaves.

Simple.

Simple, that is, until Iron Man needs Spider-Man’s help. Peter isn’t about to turn down an opportunity to fight alongside Tony Freaking Stark, but he also isn’t going to let his hero know that his recruit is a fifteen-year-old homeless dropout. So they strike a deal. Peter will help Tony. In return, the mask stays on.

And that’s when things get complicated.

** If you love angst, this is the one for you. Also worth many rereads. 

Anew. || MCU || 130,298 words || Complete In death, there was no glory, no redemption, no salvation.

Only darkness and ice—or that was what Tony thought. He closed his eyes in a Siberian bunker and opened them again on his 41st birthday, with War Machine flying into the distance.

a study in scarlette || Case Closed || 214,688 words || Complete There are people who want to live forever, and then there is Shinichi, who just wants to live a little longer than this.

** One of like, my top 10 fics of all time across any fandom. 

When Pandora’s Box Is Opened || Case Closed || 299,231 words || Complete After two long years as Conan, the time has finally come for the ancient battle to come to an end, and fate will determine whether the Silver Bullet will survive the shot, unless Shinichi can put his faith in the enemy that was destined to be his ally...

... Yeah I did this because I was bored oops

[lululawrence]

lululawrence’s December 2018 Fic List

Click here for previous months’ fic lists

It’s December! As usual, it has given us many glorious fic reading opportunities, both those that are holiday focused as well as Louis birthday focused and totally not December related at all. I loved so many while I was trying not to go completely insane with the craziness that is also part of the season, despite not having gotten to nearly as many as I wanted to, but here are the ones that really helped me survive the past month.

The Lace That Saved Christmas by @alarrylarrie / Larrymama15 What a great way to kick off a fic rec, honestly. This fic was so cute and sweet and pure and lovely and all things good! Plus a bit saucy hehe Manda uses her words for good once again and blessed us with a Christmas fic this time. Defo a great fic to reread every year hehe

Just Say the Word by @louandhazaf / YesIsAWorld I am horrifically behind on all of the girl direction fics from the exchange, but this one was fantastic. The TENSION and the sexiness from a fucking kiss!!! I’m telling you, i was fanning myself reading it and it was a bloody kiss! Anyway. You have to read this if you have even considered girl direction, because it is soft and wonderful. And who doesn’t love pining idiot girls in love?

Treat Mothman With Kindness by @lesbianiconharrystyles / flowercrownfemme Okay yeah this fic was fantastic in the most crack fic way. It was crack, and yet not. It was soft and lovely and pining again and like…mothman Harry? You know you want to. hahaha The entire cast of characters is fabulous, though. Especially the lesbian cats.

The light is coming by @pocketsunshineharry / ishiplouis Okay so like. This fic has everything I love about A/B/O in it haha It’s angsty with a touch of softness and the kind of gritty animalistic undertones that can come with A/B/O fics that I kinda adore. Louis is pregnant and a bit feral as an omega and Harry is the softhearted alpha baker who just wants to take care of him. There is nesting, fighting of instincts, and all sorts of wonderful things. A fab read.

There’s really nothing better (than a beautiful boy in an ugly Christmas sweater) by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed / we_are_the_same This is another adorable pining Christmas fic featuring a meet cute, punny Christmas sweaters, and a bet. Hehe It’s adorable and cute and I love it. A completely fluffy and soft read that is perfect for a cold night snuggled beneath blankets.

The Christmas Lift by @homosociallyyours / homosociallyyours Fake dating! Misunderstandings! Annoying but affectionate coworkers! Annoying saxophone playing neighbors! This fic has them all and it’s all done to PERFECTION. I was still thinking about this days later, which is always a good sign. Another great read.

Holiday Greetings (And Gay Happy Meetings) by @2tiedships2 / 2tiedships2 This is actually the first half of the fic! I haven’t gotten a chance to read the second half yet, so it’ll probably be part of my January list, but this first one is SO GOOD. I loved how she worked the fact that Louis and Harry had not only met before under less than stellar circumstances, but things just worked together so perfectly. It’s such a fun fic and I can’t wait to see how it all comes together for Louis’ birthday in the second part.

Empty Nights by Anonymous This is the fic that was written for me for the Tomlinshaw exchange! And unfortunately the only one I’ve been able to read from the exchange at large as of yet. Sigh. I’ll get to the others hopefully in January! Anyway, this one was FAB. It was so painful and angsty and awkward and lovely but all without being too much. So many feelings and it all comes together so so so perfectly and they are truly the answer to all the upset surrounding them and how healing and beautiful is that? Anyway. It’s a really really great read, and this person’s very first fic ever! I loved it.

Her Love On My Lips by @suddenclarityharry / FallingLikeThis SO SOFT! SO SWEET! SO PERFECT! I loved this fic and the way Tabby imbued so much emotion and feeling into the words. It’s so impactful while still being short somehow. I adored it. So, if girl direction is for you, you will LOVE this fic. If it isn’t for you, fine, but you’re missing out on a hella amazing fic here.

Winter Drabbles by @homosociallyyours / homosociallyyours These three drabbles came together to tell a longer story arch and it was so lovely. Such a sweet little taste of how they are together. I really liked them!

Drabbles by @laynefaire / Layne Faire (HisDarlin) The only other drabbles I’ve read as of yet, because I am woefully behind on pretty much all reading, but these are all amazing as well! This collection holds the drabbles Layne has written for the previous drabbles fests as well as the winter drabbles she wrote, so just hop on in and enjoy the ride, because they’re all wonderful.

Christmas With The Devil by @taggiecb / taggiecb Are you seeing a trend with my reading this month? I focused on shorter fics because I couldn’t handle anything long, and JUST LIKE ALWAYS Lacey took her Satan/Santa series and ramped it up a bit more with this one. How does she always infuse so much melancholy and fear and just…full-bodied emotions into her soft and happy fluff? She does! Just a touch of this and a pinch of that and it comes out to be this completely delectable experience of a fluffy cake. So anyway. That got out of hand, but all the same, this is a fab addition to the series and I highly recommend it.

Make my wish come true by @tommosgun / Star_Henderson Listen. Shar is one of the first writers i followed in this fandom and I’ve never looked back. This fic reminds me so much of why I fell in love with her stories to begin with. They’re so fun, there’s always an emotional bond that is so strong and so immediate and the way she writes it is like exploring something new. I can’t even explain it, but this fic is defo a Shar classic that was so fun for Christmas.

Set Your Heart A-Whirl by @becomeawendybird / QuickedWeen The first of six fics from our Secret Santa fic exchange, I’m kicking it off with this one because IT WAS WRITTEN FOR ME!!! We all wrote a fic based on the same prompt, and this one was just beautiful. It was so soft and sweet and cute and funny and ahhhhhhh! A true pleasure. You’ll love it. Go read it. hehe

Do Not Falter (There’s a Star Ahead) by @londonfoginacup / LadyLondonderry This was Emmu’s fic for Molly and NESTING OMEGA HARRY!!! Oh gosh this fic made me squeal softly into my pillow as I read it. I loved it. I’m sighing again just thinking about it now.

Twinkle Lights and Snowy Nights by @haloeverlasting / haloeverlasting This was the fic Brit wrote for Bri and SHE HURT US ALL. There is so much emotion and fear and hurt and yet love. So so so much love! And healing! Gahhhhh it’s beautiful and art and poetry and makes you just want to cuddle in some blankets. It was glorious.

You Should Be Here With Me by @dimpled-halo / dimpled_halo Jacky like… took Emmu and wrapped her up into a fic from the bubble tea to IKEA to just… ALL OF IT. Another fab A/B/O fic that is so soft and rife with miscommunications and good intentions and fixing what was messed up and just. LOVELY.

This Christmas by @suddenclarityharry / FallingLikeThis I might have commented on this fic twice and not even realized, but that’s okay because Tabby deserves all the comments on this fic. It is such a great read, featuring Exes to Lovers, and has flashbacks that fill in the back story as we go. It’s a wonderful read with just the right touch of pain and angst and just. Sigh. Wonderful.

love isn’t brains, children, it’s blood by @briannamarguerite / BriaMaria Bri went and wrote a full on Buffy fic for Tabby for the exchange!! It’s hard core and wonderful and Zayn as Spike kinda made the entire fic for me. Like, Harry as Angel and Louis as Buffy was already pretty amazing, especially when I realized Steve was Giles, but then Roman Kemp was tossed into the mix with Liam and I was just like the shock emoji the entire time I was reading. It was wonderful and such a great read! 

Forget the Silent Nights by @londonfoginacup / LadyLondonderry As of writing this up, I still haven’t finished the last chapter of any of the three advent fics from this year, but it’s okay because I adored them all. This one was such fun reading from all the varied POVs and having little snippets of their history mixed in with the present story! I loved reading the insanity every day. You’ll have to go as Emmu how much of the fic is based on real life, too. The answer might surprise you. hahahaha

Santa Baby Honey by @sadaveniren / SadaVeniren Crack fic meets advent fic in the very best of ways. hahaha I died laughing so many times while reading this and went screaming to sada about it and it was just. Such fun and so insane and great and just. Do yourself a favor and read it because it’s a fucking TRIP.

hymns for restless stars by @turnyourankle / turnyourankle This fic had such feeling!!! Famous/non-famous!!! But of course, it’s complicated. Never so easy as just that. It’s wonderful and so soft and worrying and painful and lovely and made me cry just a touch. hehe This was the perfect addition to the other perhaps more lighthearted advent fics because while it was also lighthearted, this one also gave a dose of heavier emotions too.

And that’s it! I have SO MANY MORE Christmas fics to catch up on, so most of my January reading will probably be that. Get ready! hehe Happy belated Christmas for those that celebrate, Happy New Year to everyone, and ALWAYS Happy Reading! Please remember to leave kudos and comments (and reblog their fic posts, if they link them!) to show your appreciation!

[justicecaballer]

i thought about lisa lisa and jotaro today and it turned into like... a pseudo fic proposition that turns into a part 3 rewrite 

i’m like in no position to talk about jotaro YET i feel, because i haven’t finished part 3 or whatever other parts he may be in but i think it would be SO easy for him to be. different. with just a few minor tweaks. that i don’t go into here, but anyway. (there’s a fic rec below the cut there also)

author of this fic in the comments: imagine lisa lisa with jotaro

me, my heart crushed because i've been presented with perfection and denied it in one blow:

god no that would be so good though. she'd put him in his place but like also i think their interactions would be SUPER interesting cause neither are all that forthcoming but i think they’re like... very similar in that, but the causes of it are totally different and

lisa lisa is stoic with an undercurrent of positive energy and jotaro is stoic with an undercurrent of negative energy

i feel like jotaro would actually take what she says to heart / internalize / uhh whats the word. he doesnt respect anybody but he'd respect her because she's bad*ss and so similar to him, outwardly. jotaro doesnt care about what anybody says until lisa lisa tells him hes acting shamefully and he doesnt say anything but inside hes like oh..dam

my fic where holly is like my grandmother is coming to visit, i think you’d like her! please be on your best behavior jotaro kun! and hes like tch dont tell me what to do b*cnh... like i give a crap about some old hag

and his mom is mentions off-hand a couple stories she heard about her growing up and it's unbelievable but also very vague and jotaro's like yeah right. anyway

and then joseph comes to visit too it's a family thing. and holly is like papa where's grandma? and joseph's like oh we were supposed to catch the same flight from uhhh venice or something but her flight in got delayed so she’s on her own. and holly's like oh no! isn't she too old to be traveling alone? and joseph's like (hearty laugh) she'll be fine and then later joseph tells jotaro some more stories about her and jotaro's like ok.......................whatever leave me alone but then she finally shows up and its like wtf. why is this woman 20. isn’t she my great grandmother

ok maybe at this point she looks like... 40

so anyway lisa lisa and jotaro in the same room is like 2 icebergs and he just kind of stares at her for a little bit and is like tch... i dont see what the big deal is and her eyes narrow a little bit and shes like nice to meet you too, jotaro kun.

and jotaros still not impressed but then at some point maybe danger happens or maybe shes just training in the yard but she shows off her MAD SKILLZ and hes like huh. ok. maybe you aint just a useless old woman after all

and she like IDK hardens some blades of grass into razors and shoots them at his head, stopping them right before they hit and is like "you'd do well not to judge something something bla bla bla" its very cool and kind of chastising and hes like .............sure. and walks away

anyway at some point jotaros being a douche about whatever current situation is happening (this is probably the beginning or just before the beginning of the part 3 rewrite) and lisa lisa calls him out on it because he's a stupid bratty teen who thinks he knows everything and even though he is smart admittedly and he can punch things pretty hard he has a lot to learn about RESPECT and also. combat. and teamwork? and consideration. you don’t have to like everyone or follow all the rules or whatever else doesn’t align with your worldview but take a second to think about others and how you impact them and how they impact you. be appreciative. you never know when you'll lose someone you care about and then it's too late for should-haves and would-haves

and maybe he thinks about his mom on the floor, sweating and shivering on the kitchen tile. maybe he thinks about her in the other room, burning up with fever. maybe he thinks, “it’s her own dam fault for not learning whatever sh***y joestar magic was passed down to her” but maybe it’s accompanied by an unease, a shifting in his gut, a tension in his shoulders when he thinks of the empty space behind him as he leaves for school in the morning.

when they leave for egypt, he glances at lisa lisa from the corner of his eye. she has her shades on, and she is unreadable as ever, poised and cool in the back seat of the car. he was always annoyed whenever his mother told him he reminded her of her father, of her grandmother, but he can, grudgingly, see it. he knows they’re cut from the same cloth.

he spots the tightening of her lips and forces his jaw to unclench and maybe he finally starts to understand.

[almea]

Can you make some fic recs of your fav bees fics pls?

I kept putting this off because I knew it’d take me ages to make a list and ‘d ramble on and on, but I read a new fic this morning that I fell in love with so I was like, I need to answer that fic rec ask just so I can include this.

The post got ridiculously long because of my rambling and I didn’t want to put everything under a read more, so I’m making a bullet point list and then putting all my rambling after the read more. Also, some of my ramblings could probably be considered kind of spoilery for the fics if you don’t want to get spoiled for why I love them lmao.

world in colour

you’ve got me seeing stars by @twelveclara

what i’m trying to say is i think i love you again by @twelveclara

find each other in the darkby @yangonfire 

Brighter and its extrasby @y8ay8a

these rumors they have big teeth 

bet on it 

wings of wax 

Flight Risk 

Trust the Sun 

softly dreaming 

Home

world in colour is the fic I read this morning that I immediately fell in love with. It’s a colour based soulmate AU, and I always love soulmate AUs, but colour based ones are especially great with RWBY since there’s an in universe importance to colour. It’s very introspective and most of it takes place before Blake even meets Yang, but god I love reading about Blake’s musings about colours and what they mean. And she’s like. Such a disaster once she meets Yang.

The summary says it’s a series of slightly canon-divergent one-shots, but there’s only one chapter right now so I don’t know if it’s a series of connected one-shots that take place in the same universe, or a series of standalone one-shots that take place in separate universes. If it’s the latter, then I’m at least in love with the Bumbleby chapter from Blake’s perspective. If it’s the former, Blake’s initial reaction to Yang is going to make it sting in a whole different way when she runs.

you’ve got me seeing stars by @twelveclara I love how cute this fic is. I love that it’s Blake and Yang falling in love in a world where they don’t need to fight a war. I also really love Sun being the oblivious narrator in the first part. It cracks me up every time I read it because he’s so clueless, but he’s so sweet about it once he finds out.

what i’m trying to say is i think i love you again also by @twelveclara except this one is more “Erin, why?” because she’s trying to kill us with angst. One of my favourite things about this fic is how the past and the present are interwoven together and being told at the same time. I think it’d take away from the impact of the fic if it had been told in chronological order because there’s something the way we’re told Blake and Yang’s relationship is Complicated and then shown how good and easy it used to be and how strained it is in the present at the same time that hits really hard. Like, you’re constantly being reminded of this beautiful relationship that they lost and I love it because it hurts so much.

find each other in the darkby @yangonfire I love Beauty and the Beast Bumbleby AUs so much. I especially love them when Yang is Belle. I love both of them in both roles because they both have traits of both, but Yang as Belle is rarer so it’s always a delight when I find one where she is. Blake and Yang still haven’t actually met yet, but I’m looking forward to where this goes.

Brighter by @y8ay8a The thing about this fic that I find hilarious is that (I think???) she mentioned it started off as just being a way to write about Blake and Yang having sex, but she ships them so hard that it ended up being about Feelings. It really shows now that she’s revising the chapters because the original version of first couple of chapters didn’t have a lot of Feelings, but now there’s so much. 

The ffn.net version has the unrevised version of chapters 5-7 and is “complete,” but the ao3 version is slated to have 9 chapters so I’m super curious about what those last two chapters are. Also, it gets real angsty towards the end because it’s “mostly canon compliant except Blake and Yang are secretly in a sort of relationship,” so volume 3 happens.

There’s also a series of extras that act as a prequel to the main fic. This one’s a lot of Feelings and Blake realizing she’s pining while Yang’s oblivious to just how much she adores Blake. You could probably even read it as a standalone fic if you’re not interested in Blake and Yang having sex in the main fic.

these rumors they have big teeth I’m a fucking hoe for fake dating and this was the first one (and only one for a while) that I found for Bumbleby and I love it so much. Especially because it’s also a celebrity AU. One of the most interesting points in this fic is Blake and Yang technically not really knowing each other before they start the fake dating thing, but also having this secret history that no one knows about. I really love the last scene in the second chapter. It just hit me right in the heart.

bet on it This is a short little one-shot by the same person who wrote the fake dating AU that’s a lot of fun. It’s got Blake and Yang both pining for each other but being disasters about it and Sun trying to profit off their disaster-ness. Spoiler alert, he kind of fails.

wings of waxThis one’s a series that’s set in a high school/modern AU. I really like the way they write both Blake and Yang. And apparently I really love out of order storytelling because that’s also something I really enjoyed about this series. The different parts are arranged in chronological order in the series page, but if you look at the dates they were put up, it kind of jumps around. There’s something about not starting with all the pieces and jumping around the timeline to fill in the blanks that I really like. Also, two of the fics in the series are restricted so you need to be logged into ao3 to see them. One of them is the beginning of the series where Blake and Yang go from being acquaintances and classmates to starting their kind of relationship.

Flight Risk I really love the warm fuzzy feelings I get from this fic. There’s a period where there’s some really sad stuff that really got to me, but after they get past that it’s all the warm fuzzy feelings. And all the team RWBY interactions are really sweet in this. Along with Blake’s family and Yang’s.

Trust the Sun This one’s like a complete 180 from the previous one because there’s so much angst, but I love it. It’s written in second person, which I know not everyone enjoys, but I love second person when it’s done by someone who knows what they’re doing. I feel like it’s really good at conveying emotions in a way that makes me feel them as strongly as the characters. But anyways, it’s a really interesting take of Blake where she does come back and mends her relationship with Yang, but she doesn’t let go of her guilt for a very long time. It was written before volume 5, so obviously it doesn’t quite line up with the development she had in volume 5, but I still really enjoy it. There’s also a desperate kiss in the rain, which I’m All About.

softly dreaming This one’s like, a really interesting mix of angsty and cute. It’s set in a post-volume 4 period where Blake came back but things are still bad between her and Yang, and Blake has a dream where she’s married to Yang. So a Yang who’s in love with Blake and married to her and showers her with affection while looking at her with all the love in the world? Adorable. Precious. I love it. But with a Blake who can only remember a Yang who hates her and thinks she deserves that? Heartbreaking. And the ending is Blake waking up and it hurts even more.

Home And I’m finishing this up with another disgustingly cute one. It’s really just about Blake and Yang having sex for the first time, but it’s cute. It’s filled with love and affection and it’s so sweet.

There’s probably a ton of other fics I could list, but I’m tired and had to rewrite most of this twice.

[archangelgabriellives]

Lurking behind the trees

I finally finished my fic for the Gabriel monthly challange for January. Cutting it a little close, yeah?

Word count-4800 (yeesh)

warnings ~ snarky language, mild fight scene

A/N ~ As I was reading through and proofreading this, I got the feeling it was a little Sam heavy.Gabriel is still what I would consider a main character, though. I really wanted to get that BAMF Sam in this fic, but maybe it detracts a little bit? Eh, I’m not sure. I’m going to post it as it is and still tag it for the GMC, but, Admins, feel free to make a judgement call. 

Let me know if you like it! Or if I was way off base.

***

It feels like they had been here forever.

Dean reminds Sam of this many times. And every time Dean brings it up again, Sam has to remind him that it had only been a day. But after each rise and fall of the distressingly unfamiliar sun in the sky, Sam is starting to feel the same way as Dean.

But they were surviving in this weird jungle universe. Priority number one, obviously, was to find a way to get back to their own world. They walked as far as their legs would take them, searching for anything out of the ordinary, something that may be a doorway, something that would connect them with Jack, as he may be the only one who could retrieve them from this place.

After four days, Sams' hope was wearing thin.

Surviving was easy. The Winchesters were hunters. Finding food, water, shelter, that was no problem. Although, eating anything that first day was a litany of "You eat it." "No, you eat it first." After Dean lost the rock paper scissors game, the brothers learned not to eat the berries on the strange pine/willow tree. Not unless they wanted to spend half the day expelling all the bodily fluids from their person.

After a week, Sam wasn't sure they could ever find their way out.

Danger here was a constant. They were never seen, but at night, Sam would be woken up with the jungle whispering in a foreign tongue, sticks and debris shuffling around without care. Whatever was out there didn't care if they were known. Sam would sit up from his makeshift bed by the dim fire, Dean already awake and ready for a fight.

“What the hell is out there?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Dean responded while throwing more wood into the fire pit. "Whatever they are, they never come too close. I think the fire scares them."

After a quick scan of the forest surrounding them, Sam looks over to his older brother, notices the dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you even sleeping, Dean?" Was it just the shadows of the fire on Deans lean face?

Dean smiled at Sam, the kind of smile he uses when he wants to change the subject. "I'm fine, Sammy." He goes back to sharpening some sticks with a jagged rock.

That, of course, means Just drop it.

The things in the forest never came closer, just out of range of the fire light. Sam's grateful, but he wished they would just show themselves so he knew what was lurking in the dark.

 ~~

 Dean was going stir crazy, Sam could tell.

"I need some flesh to eat, Sam, or I might shrivel up and die! No more fruit!" Dean was pacing along a giant fallen tree that was their makeshift shelter.

"Dude, you could phrase that better. You sound like a cannibal or something" Sam said as he poked at the fire with a stick.

"Whatever, bitch. I'm gonna take my pointy stick and bring back a steak."

"Just be careful, jerk,” Sam said with a smile. “I'll start peeling potatoes."

Dean groaned at his brothers teasing him with delicious food. His mouth was watering at remembering anything cooked in lots of fat and grease, as he called back "I hate you right now. I'll be back later."

It was a little late in the day to go out, alone, in an unknown landscape, but Sam thinks Dean knows what he's doing. So he doesn't voice the small concern and continues to prod the fire.

As the sun started to set and Dean still hadn't returned, Sam is considerably more worried. He thinks he should go out in search of his brother, but it's dark now, and running off into the woods is a seriously bad idea. All he can do is keep the fire lit as a beacon and not panic too much.

Easier said than done.

 ~~

 Sam startles awake the next morning.

He hadn't meant to fall asleep, he needed to keep his eyes and ears open for signs of Dean.

"Dean?" he called.

No answer.

"Dean!" Sam scrambled to his feet, the dread bubbling up from the pit of his stomach.

"DEAN!" Any common sense Sam had flew right out of his body when he realized Dean still wasn't back. He ran off the way his brother left the night before, leaving behind his knife on the ground next to his makeshift bed. Sam weaved through the dense trees, vaulted over fallen branches calling his brothers name.

"Dean! Where are you?!"

He should have known better that to call attention to himself. Even back home he understood the necessity of stealth. A hunter needs to be able to sneak up on his prey, not call the monster to you. But when the only family you have left, and the only person stuck with you in a jungle wasteland, goes missing, the brain acts in mysterious ways. So when he circled around a massive tree trunk and had to skid to a stop he knew that he had made a huge mistake.

Three hooded figures, each brandishing some type of long wooden club, were blocking Sams path. And, although he couldn't see their faces, Sam knew he was in for a fight. They were shouting in a language Sam couldn’t begin to identify, but furious and enraged sounded the same on any tongue.

Sam got the message.

“I don’t suppose there’s any chance you’re going to attack one at a time is there?” Sam asked snidely, balling his fists and digging his feet into the ground.

No sooner than the words left his mouth, all three figures charged forward, brandishing their staffs viciously. Sam backpedaled a little, surprised at the sudden ambush. The quickest of the three, unfortunately the largest, drew his weapon back and with a deafening screech, swung at Sam with all its strength.

There was barely enough time for Sam to block the impact with a raised forearm, cursing through gritted teeth at the sharp pain. The hunter pulled his right fist back, and threw his entire weight and power into connecting with the face buried under the dirty fabric, his own cry echoing through the trees. He could feel bones cracking under his knuckles, and as he sent the monster tumbling into the leafy debris, Sam knew he wasn’t getting back up.

Chest huffing, Sam turned to the other two figures, head tilted and eyeing them angrily through his bangs. Their speed had decreased significantly, clearly not expecting for this seemingly easy fight to take this turn. Sam lurched forward, ready to take them both on, adrenaline pumping fast in his veins. He smoothly bent down and scooped up the discarded staff from his first victim, he needed it if he wanted to stand a chance against the last two. The few seconds of distraction allowed one of the beasts a swing of his own staff that connected with Sams side, knocking him to his knees. He saw the foot racing at him out of the corner of his eye, a swift kick to the face that knocked Sam on his back, blood starting to flow down his face. His vision cleared just in time to see two twin clubs raised over heads, ready to deal the death blow, and there was barely enough time to raise his own before they came down.

After blocking the double blow,the hunter brought his legs up, curled his knees to his chest, and kicked out at the closest attacker. Feet connected with the torso, sending it flailing to the ground. Sam assumed he must've winded it, because it didn't get up right away. Just kind if thrashed a little while it clutched at its chest.

Sam didn't see the fist coming down, smashing into his jaw. He cried out sharply as the pain rippled through his face, and he instinctively rolled away from the source of the attack. The last hooded figure was roaring what Sam could only assume was obscenities at him as he spit an unnerving amount of blood onto the ground. He tongued along his gums and groaned when he comes across a painful empty space in his teeth.

While the thing was still howling at him, Sam quickly rolled back over to his back, hoped his plan would work, and brought the heel of his boot straight into where Sam assumed it would do the most damage, right between the legs of his attacker.

Thankfully for Sam, it had the desired effect, because the unintelligible screaming quieted suddenly. With a painful grunt, the monster dropped to its knees, and one more well placed kick to the face had it spinning back into the ground, out cold.

Sam lay in the dirt trying to catch his breath. “I guess a kick to the dick is pretty universal,” he said to himself. As he pulled himself up and raked the leaves from his hair, he came eye to eye with one more opponent, the one he only winded.

“Great,” he grumbled. “Thought I took care of you.”

Sam leaned down to retrieve the staff he had abandoned, and wound up like it was a baseball bat.

“Let’s go, then.”

Sam must’ve had a particular glint in his eyes, or the smirk on his face was a distinct sort of evil, because that beast took one last look at Sam, ditched his weapon, and bolted in the opposite direction.

He almost let it go, he really did. But as his muscles relaxed and he tried to wipe the blood out of his eyes, Sams thoughts flitted back to Dean, and how his only lead was quickly getting away. If Dean had been captured, attacked or even…no, Sam couldn’t think that…

If these things hunted in groups, there must be a larger pack somewhere. And if they had Dean, Sam needed to move his ass to catch up to the fleeing beast.

Sam took off like a rabbit, trying to make up the lost ground between them. His long legs had no trouble closing the gap, but as he got closer to his target Sam had to slow down so he could advance with stealth. And soon he could hear other beings yelling in the unknown language he heard during his fight.

He slowed his steps to a cautious crawl, the name of the game now was recon. How many are there, do they have Dean, can he do this on his own.

Up ahead, there was a large clearing that the monsters had set up their sizable camp. Ducking into a large thicket of low trees and bushes, Sam took stock of what he was up against. Makeshift shelters made from fallen logs and leaves formed a circle at least one hundred feet wide, with a few groups of monsters sporadically lounging by a few of the throwaway huts.

And tied to a tree outside of the camp was Dean, a bit bloody but alive, surrounded by five or six guards that looked a little spooked.

Sam quietly let out a shaky sigh of relief that Dean was alive. But he kept his emotions in check. Right now, Sam needed a plan. It looked like the monster that Sam had chased back to the camp had alerted the group about the prey that had fought back, and more armed defenders scrambled to the edge of the clearing seemingly waiting for Sam to burst out of the trees.

Like he was that stupid.

Racking his brain for an idea of how he was supposed to fight what seemed like dozens of baddies and get Dean and himself out of there alive, Sam missed the first heavy foot fall off in the distance. He did notice the eerie quiet that had suddenly settled around him.

The frantic yelling from the camp fell silent. If there were any animals in the area, they had all skittered off and knowingly kept quiet.

As the second foot step echoed in the distance, Sam couldn’t keep the surprised gasp from escaping his mouth. His grip on the stolen staff tightened as he watched the small army keeping him from his brother raise their weapons and nervously shift in the clearing.

Another foot step came down, closer this time. The ground started to shake under Sams crouched legs.

“What the hell is that?!” Dean questions to no one as he doubled his efforts to escape his binds, clearly aware that something extremely bad was coming.

As the next booming foot step fell, a sharp, high pitched ringing echoed through the air. It started quiet at first, muted enough that Sam almost missed it. The unnerving footsteps were louder, closer, and the ground was rumbling so badly that Deans captors were stumbling and falling all over. A few had already run off, not willing to stay and find out who or what was coming.

The shrill noise slowly gained volume, increasing as the steps came closer. To Sam, yes, it was getting louder, but the way that the bodies in the clearing were dropping to their knees and clutching at their heads seemed like a bit much. Even Dean was trying to protect his ears by awkwardly lifting his shoulders, still tied to the tree, his face contorted into the familiar grimace of pain.

Sam was still unaffected. He watched the monsters rolling on the ground, howling in pain. He was plotting a course around the mass of crumpled bodies to retrieve Dean and run as far and fast as they could, then, all of a sudden, the writhing and the screeching stopped. In fact, as Sam looked out over the clearing, it looked like every being had gone stock-still, bodies arranged in the position of agony. The entire forest seemed petrified.

It seemed that everything but Sam had stopped.

Everything but Sam and the lumbering footsteps that boomed threateningly behind him.

Sam swallowed in fear. It sounded like something the size of a mountain was slowly stalking towards him. And only him. But he couldn’t run. Wouldn’t run. He wouldn’t leave Dean.

Through ragged breaths, Sam turned his head to see what horrors lay through the forest. Straight behind him, the trees seemed normal. But as his eyes traveled up the thick trunks, up past the high canopy, past a few birds frozen in flight, was a thing that Sam couldn't even begin to describe.

It was incredibly tall. The thing seemed to stretch on forever. Its head was high enough in the sky to touch the low clouds.

There were wings. Dozens of sets of technicolor wings,  glowing blindingly ethereal light that surround the entire body. And they didn't just come out of it back. They seemed to come out of everywhere, yet they didn't look like any were attached to the body. The largest set was massive, the bulk of them pushing past the clouds, unviewable to Sam down on the ground. The rest of the wings were smaller, sporadically jutting out over the creatures body.

Spindly appendages hung loosely down the sides of the torso. They were probably thick as tree trunks but looked as delicate and fragile as glass. All along the length were offshoots of the glassy skin that spread out in all direction. As the tendrils flowed up past the shoulders, they surrounded the head, creating amazing patterns and encircling it like a crown.

The face was unnerving, to say the least. There were no distinct features that Sam could identify. The only part that looked in any way familiar was the sunken pockets where he assumed eyes should go. Everything else was more coils of sleek membrane that sloped back and up to the sky, mingling with the others from the body.  

Inside its chest, the silhouette of what might have been described as organs were swirling wildly. Everything slowly undulated as it walked, yet the entirety of it felt sharp, like it could rip apart anything in its wake with barely a touch.

And Sam was right in its path.

He knew he should be silent. Stay hidden, let this thing pass by. He could figure out why he was unaffected by whatever powers of time it apparently had after he and Dean had gotten far away from it.

That's what the sensible part of Sams brain should have thought. Unfortunately, that bit of Sams brain wasn’t working right now.

As the gigantic being trudged through the clouds, Sam clumsily backtracked out of his hiding place, tripping over a fallen branch. The unexpected movement caused a sharp cry to escape him as soon as he hit the ground, a little sound of pain diluted in a shriek of horror.

He clamped a hand over his mouth as soon as the sound slipped out. His breath coming in harsh shallow gasps, Sam scrambled back into the thick brush and hoped that he was out of earshot of the being. He hid himself among the leaves and cursed quietly as he saw this giant thing slow to a stop and its head tilt to the side, like it was listening.

He watched as it stretched all of its wings out in every direction, its back straightening making it even taller. The feathers started shifting, spreading. Sams eyes grew wide as behind the feathers, eyes appeared to open all over the wings. Thousands of eyes of varied sizes, sprinkled randomly, looking out in every direction. They resembled human eyes, but the colorings were all different. Sclera, irises and pupils shifted through every color in the spectrum, pulled patterns out of nature into them and glinted playfully in the light.

Sam made the mistake of one loud shocked gasp, and fell back out of his hiding spot when every single eye suddenly trained themselves onto him.

The long arms moved slowly from where they hung at its side. They reached out to Sam as the being lazily began to crouch down, and the trees seemed to part of their own accord. Massive hands settled on either side of Sam, the featureless face coming closer and closer. Sam could only stare as a narrow slit opened along the face. He expected a mouth, with teeth and a tongue. But inside was the universe, swirling blacks and blues, neverending.

It spoke. A thousand voices rang from the open fissure, but no movement was needed. The sound was deafening, yet restrained. Melodious. It echoed with wisdom and brassy vibrations and the age of the world buried within its depths.

“What the hell are you doing here, Winchester?!”

Confusion colored Sams face, and his fear receded a bit at the odd outburst. “What?” he whispered to himself. “How do you know who…”

“Close your eyes you idiot!” the voice yelled at Sam, its wings twitching as it scrunched a little closer. “You’re gonna burn them right out of your skull!” Sam only looked up bewildered. “HEY! Close ‘em!”

“Sorry.” Sam mumbled as he quickly did as he was told, covering his eyes with his hands. “Um, what-” Sam paused, tried to gain a little control over his quivering voice. “Who are you?”

A noise Sam would describe as terrifying laughter reverberated around him, but the sound was good natured. It almost tickled. “Has it been so long that everyone’s forgotten me? I think you can move your hand. If you haven’t dissolved into a puddle of primordial goo or spewed fire hotter than a thousand suns out of your many orifices yet, I think you’re safe to look at me.”

“Yeah,I’d rather not just take you at your word and keep my organs in a solid form, thank you. Are you going to tell me who you are?”

The thing above him chuckled again, “Still so sassy, even in the face of mortal danger.” Sam could hear a quiet rustling around him, and then shivered when he felt something softly brush up his arm. It was warm, velvety. Safe flashed across Sams mind.

“What was that?” Sam asked apprehensively, although he didn't turn away from the touch.

“One of my feathers,” it answered softly. “Come on, open your eyes, kiddo.”

At the nickname, realization flashed in Sams mind.

“Gabriel,” he whispered as his hands dropped into his lap.

“Ding ding ding! Correct, Sam a lam! Here’s your prize.” The wing that had touched him earlier drifted up and touched his forehead gently. The broad tip of the feather trailed across then down Sam's blood stained cheek and jaw. The warm tingle of Gabriels Grace chased the soft path of the radiant plume, healing the cuts and cleaning his skin.

Sam closed his eyes at the pleasant feeling snaking under his skin. As the sense of the healing Grace faded, Sams hands skimmed along his freshly healed face, fingers prodding his jaw where he no longer had a painful gap of a missing tooth. His eyes slowly traveled up, confusion written in his features, and he stared blankly at the giant archangel. Gabriels mouth turned up at the corners, still gaping open in front of Sam.

“What are you doing here?”

“Really, Sam? I look like this and that’s the first thing you think to ask?” Gabriel sank his body down gracefully to curl up on the ground. “Not ‘How are you not dead?’, ‘Why do you look like that?’ or ‘Why has timed stopped around me like I’m the narrator in a Twilight Zone episode?’”

Sam would have sent a top notch bitch face towards Gabriel, but he didn’t know where to look at the archangel. Were there a set of eyes that were the main set?

“Or maybe a better question for yourself,” Gabriel slid closer to Sam, causing the hunter to shuffle backwards, “‘How is it possible for me to look upon the true form of an archangel and still find him so damn attractive?’”

“Okay,” Sam huffed, climbing to his feet, raking his hands through his hair and standing as tall as he could. Not that his six foot four frame would be able to intimidate a being who was topping out at two thousand feet. “I have no idea what's going on anymore. First you were dead and now you're not, everything is frozen-,”

A sudden thought crashed into Sam, and he froze.

“Am I… am I dead? That's it, isn't it. Oh, well, that’s just great.”

“You’re not dead, Sam.” Gabriel chuckled at the tiny humans’ snit. “You’re just...unique. I mean, it’s not everyday I come across someone I can really stretch out in front of. I knew there was a reason that I liked you.”

“Well, if i’m not dead, I need to save Dean. So, if you don’t mind, you can either help or stay out of my way.”

Sam ignored the lighthearted laughter around him as he turned to collect his frozen brother, on guard in case the world decided to spring back to life at a wave of Gabriels hand.

As he reached the edge of the forest, a small hand grabbed Sams shoulder before he could step into the clearing. He turned to see the all too familiar vessel of the archangel.

“I told you, Sam, I like you. I’ll take care of this.”

Sam wondered when Gabriel had tucked himself back into his vessel. Where was he keeping that? he thought to himself.

As Gabriel sauntered confidently into the clearing, he lifted the veil of stillness on the world. To Dean and the monsters, it just seemed as though the sharp ringing noise simply had stopped. Bodies dragged themselves off the ground, looking at the others in confusion and bewilderment. Dean was the first to see the formerly dead archangel strutting towards him with a smug smile.

“Gabriel?” Dean yelled. “What the hell? What are you doing here?”

“Wow, bucko. Do you and your brother telepathically share stupid questions?”

“Sam?” Dean furrowed his brows in anger. “What did you do to him, you dick with wings?! I’m gonna kill you with your angel blade all over again!”

“How are you going to do that tied to a tree?” Gabriel asked as he rolled his eyes. His smile morphed into a smirk when Deans anger turned to embarrassment. Gabriel turned his attention to the crowd of monsters. “Okay, listen up you knock off jawas. This sack of meat,” he pointed fervently at Dean, who pursed his lips at the moniker, “is coming with me. I would say don’t bother stopping me, but please, do try. I could use the exercise.”

A murmur grumbled through the horde of monsters that had gathered at Gabriels appearance. It got louder and louder, practically screaming at Gabriel, brandishing their weapons at him.

“I don’t think their going to give me up that easy!” Dean called over the noise.

You may want to shut your eyes, Dean-o

Dean’s seen enough burnt out eye sockets to follow the order that wisps through his mind.

As the mob surged suddenly forward, battle cries screeching and ready to kill this new intruder, Gabriel raised his arms smoothly. With his palms facing out, he reached down deep into himself, dragging out his Grace in a blinding flare of golden light. The entire clearing was lost in the brilliant glow, and the angry yelling of his enemies became anguished cries before they were silenced all together.

The bright light slowly drew back, retreating into Gabriels vessel. The only sign left of the hooded figures were the large scorch marks in the ground, lightly smoking holes where bodies had fallen.

Sam rushed forward into the clearing to get to his brother, gently grasping Gabriels shoulder in a silent thank you as he passed by the smaller man.

“Dean. Hey, you can open your eyes now,” Sam said as he untied the rope at Deans wrists. As the bindings fell to the ground, Sam pulled Dean into a quick hug. “I’m glad you're safe, Dee.”

“Gosh, this is just a wonderful brotherly moment. Hits me right here.” Gabriel walked over, hand tapping on his heart. The brothers sheepishly detached from one another and shifted uncomfortably on their feet. “So I rescued your bro, killed the bad guys, saved the day all around, what do you guys wanna do now?”

“Uh, how about go home?” Dean suggested, a little venom in his voice left over from when Gabriel was still the Trickster. “We’ve been stuck here for too long and I’m sure people are looking for us.”  

“Go home?! That’s boring.” Gabriel replied. “You’re in a different universe, Dean. You don’t want to explore it at all?”

“If I still had my gun, I would shoot you,” Dean deadpanned at the archangel.

“”Dean, please. Just calm down a second. Gabriel, can you actually get us back home?”

“Of course I can. Jumping universes is easy peasy. But, seriously Sam, why?”

“Don’t whine just because you don’t want to go back,” Dean chimed in. “So snap us back. Let’s go.” He snapped his own fingers hoping it would prompt Gabriel to do the same.

“I know where all the dinos are.” Gabriel said in a sing song voice, nonchalantly looking anywhere but at Dean.

“Where the what are?” Well, that piqued Deans interest.

“Hmm?” Gabriel glanced back at Dean, his arms crossed, seemingly unconcerned with the hunters attention. “Oh, yes. The dinosaurs. I know where they like to hide.”

Deans eyes suddenly lit up, and Sam thought he looked like he might jump out of his skin with excitement.

“Well, why are we standing around here, then? Lead the way, short stack!”

“Hey! I’m an all powerful being. You should show me some respect or I’ll let the bad lizards eat you.”

“So I guess I don’t get a say in this?” Sam called as Dean and Gabriel practically skipped off together.

“Don’t worry, Samster.” Gabriel snapped his fingers as he yelled back over his shoulder. “Use your new cell phone to text your family. I’ll get you home. I’m a time traveling, universe jumping, sexy angel of the Lord, after all.”

Sam pawed at his pockets, confused until his hands discovered the cell phone Gabriels grace had materialized. He trailed behind Gabriel and Dean, jogging a little to keep up as he typed in Jody Mills’ number into the keypad from memory and sent her a message.

Hey Jody. Its Sam. Dean and I are safe. We caught a ride home. See you soon.

As he slipped the phone back into his pocket, Sam thought about what hunting with an archangel would be like, that is if he could convince Gabriel to stay. It was certainly going to be an adventure , because with Gabriel around, life would never be the same.

“Hey Dean, did you know I don’t need to wear the meat condom around your brother?”

“Ah man! Phrasing, Gabriel!”

----

This version of true form Gabriel is kind of a mix between the night walker from Princess Mononoke and an Angel from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Just creepy mixed with absurdity.

some tags

@revwinchester, @lacqueluster @archangel-with-a-shotgun  @ashiewesker. @gabriel-monthly-challenge

@azlinh @ourloveisforthelovely

[cywscross]

Just finished watching Nirvana in Fire and I'm feeling wrecked. Do you have any recs for other series that good?

Not really. Nirvana in Fire is imo one of a kind. I did try a few other dramas after it - The Princess Weiyoung - and it was okay, some scenes were very nice, main character had her badass moments, but it didn’t capture my attention the way NiF did, and admittedly, there were episodes I fast-forwarded through.

So then (I basically trolled mydramalist for a while) I tried Love Me If You Dare which is a totally different genre but I gave it a watch because Wang Kai (Jingyan) acted in it, and I was specifically going for dramas without the whole love triangle trope being thrown in my face, which this one didn’t have, and I actually did enjoy it. Main characters had good chemistry, there were moments where the girl felt a little superfluous to the plot to me but overall they kept me interested (and I didn’t even skip any episodes), and the plot had some nice twists. The top villain at the end felt a little bit of a let-down for me (SPOILERS: there were three main bad dudes, and I felt like they could’ve just ended it at the second tier but they threw in one more at the end, which was acceptable, not a totally out of the blue moment and I actually guessed who it was the moment it was hinted there was one last bad guy, but it still felt like they added him in just to throw in another twist and it sort of fell flat. It didn’t detract too much from the plot though so I was okay with it.

To be honest though, the male MC’s best friend was actually who I liked most in the show, I loved how supportive he was, not even just to Bo Jin Yan (male MC) but also Jian Yao (fem MC) once she became a part of their lives. He was always good for a laugh but he’s also really dependable, great with tech, and just basically my fave character of the show (which probably isn’t a good thing I guess??). So if you want, you could give this show a try even though it’s modern, not a period drama.

I also watched Memory Lost, mostly because when I read the synopsis, the assassination organization reminded me a bit of my two assassin!Stiles fics I’ve written recently and what I have planned for them, and also I’ve never watched something with an actual evil assassin group a the bad guy before so I had to give it a try, and I really enjoyed it too. It’s a relatively long one (three seasons) and no love triangle main focus where the fem lead is torn between two guys, and the assassins actually had really interesting backstories. I didn’t like the main bad dude much but the people he gathered under him were nicely fleshed out.

As for actual period dramas I’ve watched before, I would recommend Queen Seon Duk and Jewel in the Palace, both of which had me crying buckets. Jewel in the Palace was actually the first period drama I ever watched because my parents made me sit down for it, and like… no regrets, I loved it, but seriously they took angst and backstabbing and tragedy to a whole new level. It had a happier ending than Queen Seon Duk though, and both are very, very long dramas.

Sungkyunkwan Scandal was more light-hearted but had its serious moments, and I really enjoyed it. And The Four was something a friend of mine lent me, and I remember liking it but it didn’t leave as much of an impact as other dramas did. Still good, these are all good, so I hope one of them will get you hooked :)

[a-big-apple]

TAZ Fic Recs

I’m bad at keeping bookmarks or remembering titles or remembering authors’ names, so I’m keeping my TAZ recs in a post instead! There are TONS of great fics in this fandom, and here’s a surely incomplete list of some that brought me particular joy.

Newest additions to the list are at the top, last updated February 2020.

Hey hey, marry me Barry by @qpenguin98 - rated Teen and Up

If you want to just be emotionally shattered by romance in really lovely and positive ways, please read this fic. This might be my favorite Blupjeans story I’ve ever read. It’s beautiful, it’s skillfully and subtly written, it has great emotional payoff, and I cried a LOT. I don’t want to give too much description of the plot because it was really impactful going in blind, but it’s all about Barry and the rest of Lup’s family ganging up to make her (and themselves) really happy, and it’s beautiful.

because that’s what love is (equivalent exchange) by teacuptaako - rated Teen and Up

This fic broke me a little. It’s Barry’s POV on the Starblaster, getting to know everyone, falling in love with Lup, and trying to figure out Taako. This is a FAB outside perspective on Taako’s weird outer layers of personality. Plus Barry is just such a good dude, it’s impossible to not love this trip inside his head!

Dumb Interspecies Relations series by nah_tho - rated Explicit

If you’re into Taako and Brad Bradson, well, you’ve probably already read this series? But if you haven’t, DO. What starts out as a fun sexy romp gets plotty and full of worldbuilding, Taako is a fantastic mess, and Brad is trying real hard. This series is hilarious, hot, sometimes suspenseful, and the final story made me cry.

got a license to kill (and you know I’m going straight for your heart) by @hoothootmotherf-ckers - rated Teen and Up

THIS FIC WAS MY GIFT IN THE 2019 TAZ CANDLENIGHTS GIFT EXCHANGE, I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE IT. It’s so wonderful!! A multi-chapter assassin AU with some coffee shop and fake relationship in there too, unbelievable. Lup is a badass. Barry is adorable. They love each other, and also get shot at, and also fight Big Pharma. Please go read it, srsly.

After the War by theauthoress - Not Rated

This fic took a twist I haven’t seen before, and I loved it! Dredging up some good angst from Taako’s past and then from Kravitz’s, it delivers a punch and then soothes you again with some good sibling stuff. I don’t want to say more and give away the surprise, but if you like some Taakitz hurt/comfort, do check this one out.

Apogee by @charmandhex - rated Teen and Up

I admit, I am one of those who think Taako won’t ever forgive Lucretia, but that they can be civil again, and maybe even friends. This fic captures that so beautifully, how much history there is between them that neither of them can escape. It’s lovely, and Taako is baller, and I read it twice in a row.

you know, elf practice series by @anonymousalchemist - rated from General to Teen and Up

Yet another one that I can’t believe I didn’t already have on this list. I know the elf practice thing as a meme has mostly vanished into the tumblr ether, but these two fics are on my mind always. They’re just so unusual, and the kind of creepy that’s treated as matter-of-fact (which is the best kind of creepy). What if elves had to, you know, practice? To become elves? Just thinking about it gives me a shiver, I love this fairycore take on Taako and Lup and their upbringing.

the kid, the future forthcoming by @anonymousalchemist - rated Teen and Up

Seriously, how did I not have this on my list already, I reread it all the time! It’s so incredibly hard to make second person work, and this fic really works. It’s a short and compelling vignette of young Taako’s life, and young Taako-and-Lup’s life, and the difficulties of a scrappy teenhood. It’s a little heartbreaking, and full of perfect moments that I think about a lot. Also, tiny Barry cameo that gives me so many feels! Also also, just...the mood of it is so good, the inside-of-Taako’s-head feeling, wonderful.

Taking the dogs home by Anonymous - rated Mature

What an extremely quiet and beautiful story! Set after Story and Song, at Magnus’ house in an almost dreamlike country woods setting. Taako shows up out of the blue, perhaps escaping a problem he won’t discuss, and falls back into Magnus’ small town routine. There’s a lot of subtly layered domesticity and realistic, compelling Taagnus feeling. Also, a dog! 

Heads/Tails by unprofessionalbard - rated Teen and Up

Short and powerful! I loved this fic. A really well-characterized look at Taako and Kravitz, and how their jobs and their personal lives intersect and interfere with each other. I don’t want to give anything away because it unfolds really precisely, I think, so--just go read it! It’s awesome.

and at a certain age the child is grown by bimaukery - rated Teen and Up

This is a really beautiful, bittersweet modern AU. The IPRE family move into Angus’ grandpa’s house, while Angus is still there, and he can’t understand why. He watches them, tries in small ways to interact with them--as they try to figure out what to do about the little ghost haunting their new house. Honestly, go read this and cry over it for a while, it’s lovely.

The Shrike and the Thorn by JoyfullyyoursDav ( @keplercryptids ) - rated Teen and Up

If you haven’t had enough of crying about Taako and Lup, here’s a great fic for you. That Good Sibling Shit, flashbacks, memory loss, beautiful conversations, just...everything I could want in a lovely little package. Also, PLEASE check out this author’s other stories, so many great ones!

(when i think about you) flowers grow out of my grave by @phantomsteed - rated Teen and Up

This Taakitz fic is one of my fav kinds of modern AU: Taako works in a flower shop, Krav is a mortician, they meet cute and fall in love! The ensemble are all there in the background, including a very adorable Angus and a soon-to-be-married Carey and Killian, but what really got me about this is the gentle and steady way our favorite boys fall in love. There are also SUPER lovely illustrations by @karinhart sprinkled throughout!

a fool for lesser things by himemiyaa - rated Teen and Up

This fic charmed the PANTS off me, and made me teary to boot. Taako and Kravitz are new roommates in this community college AU (and, surprise, they end up together). I love the way Taako slowly opens up in this story, to Kravitz, to the community of friends Lup has built that he’s been keeping himself outside of, and especially to Garyl the cat. It feels so real, and like a reminder to myself to be more vulnerable in my own life! Please go read this, it will lift your spirits.

Among the Ruins by @distractedkat - rated Teen and Up

I don’t know how I went so long without finding this fic, and then for a little while I resisted because I wasn’t sure about the description. Finally over the weekend I read the whole thing in a sitting, and I’m SO glad I did. It’s fantastic!! This AU reimagines the canon if Taako’s time post-Sizzle It Up had gone differently. What follows from that is an engrossing and plausible version of events with lots of action, lots of funny lines, lots of feelings, and lots more Lup! There’s a little angst, a lot of twins and Taakitz goodness, and a wonderfully happy ending. If you’re looking for something nice and long to dive into, definitely try this one.

Angus McDonald and the Flight of the Flying V by @mystery-moose - rated Teen and Up

This was one of the first fics I read in this fandom, before I thought to keep track of things I liked or bookmark them to find them again. Then it turned up in @marywhal‘s rec list, and I was overjoyed to find it again! As the rest of this list will show, I have a special weakness for stories about Taako as Angus’ guardian, and this one really shaped my headcanons about their relationship. In the main portion of the story, a grown-up Angus with his own detective agency is working a case--with a bored and lonely Taako’s help. Interspersed with the mystery are flashbacks to their time on the road as Sizzle it Up with Taako and Company, achingly soft glimpses of Angus’ post-finale childhood as Taako and Kravitz’s sort-of-son. I think it was finished before the actual finale aired, so it isn’t entirely canon-compliant, but it captures the same tone beautifully.

i will buy the flower shop by @weatheredlaw - rated Teen and Up

I saved this fic for an emotionally rainy day, because I had a feeling it would brighten things up. It absolutely did! A modern restaurant AU with all the necessary found family feelings, and all of our favorite characters with lives that aren’t perfect but that get better with communication and vulnerability and persistent joy. If you’re looking for something poignant and satisfying, something to lighten a bad day, this fic is an excellent choice.

Taako and Hurley’s Maximum Fun Drive by detectivelion - rated Teen and Up

WHAT A ROMP! If you’re longing to get back to the high speed action of battlewagon racing, this is the fic to read. Set after the Day of Story and Song, the whole crew (Hurley and Sloane included, of course) face off in a madcap race that really recaptured the spirit of Petals to the Metal for me.

Bureau of Badass ( @bureauofbadass ) by @chemicallywrit  and @miceenscene  - rated Teen and Up

This fic almost feels too obvious to rec, and yet I can’t not. SUCH AN ENGROSSING READ! Take all your favorite characters, stick them in the 90′s, give them attitude and relatable problems, and put them on skates--then you’ve got this roller derby AU. I don’t even know what else to say about it, because if that doesn’t make you want to read it, nothing will. As of this writing it’s a WIP, but there are over 100 chapters extant to read and only a few more yet to come!

and the warmth will never die by Junkyard_Rose - rated Teen and Up

This is an extraordinary fic. It’s a modern setting AU in which Taako and Lup were separated as kids and have made lives for themselves while searching for each other, which is wonderful all by itself. What stands out about this one, though, is the non-chronological way it’s told. Every chapter gives little glimpses into the pasts and presents of both twins, sometimes the same events from different angles, revealing a tiny bit of new information each time. I never found it confusing, just extremely interesting and vibrant, and SO emotionally satisfying in the last few chapters! The prose is beautiful too, sometimes I read it aloud to myself!

songs for revelations by @weatheredlaw  - rated Mature

So many of weatheredlaw’s fics wreck me in a variety of ways, but this one is maybe my favorite. It only has two chapters so far, but it’s SO EVOCATIVE and unusual and sometimes I just sit and think about it and wonder what will happen next. It’s the soft-apocalypse-adjacent AU I didn’t know I needed. Or, if you want to get fucked up by something finished, try their series all the way across the universe!

Bury the Lead by @marywhal - rated Teen and Up

Such a brilliant story! High school AUs are hard to do well, I think, and this is one of the best. It’s an ensemble story but from Taako’s POV, filled with extremely relatable versions of all the characters we know and love. There’s newspaper nerdery, wicked cool language stuff, and a million great moments that made me laugh, or cry, or both. Even if you don’t like AUs, I urge you to try this one!

Patterns of Migration by goodnicepeople - rated Teen and Up

Let me preface this by saying that I really want to put EVERYTHING by this author on my list. Their stories are all incredible, soft and beautiful and painful in good ways. It was hard to choose a favorite to list here, but this one is really special and elegantly crafted. It follows Angus and Magnus as child and parent, a progression over time as Angus grows up and Magnus slows down. In later chapters the addition of Taako to the dynamic produces some really lovely scenes, and also some very sad scenes--I cried a TON reading it.

Angus McDonald and the Case of the Mysterious Butter Wyvern by yassan - rated General Audiences

This is one of the funniest fics I’ve read in this fandom so far, and one of the closest in tone to the actual show. THB plus Angus is a great equation no matter what they’re doing, but when they’re shopping for a birthday present for the Director it takes on a whole new level of crazy. 

what can the harvest hope for by lagaudiere - rated Teen and Up

I think this is the first story on this list from Kravitz’s POV, and it’s GREAT. Full of great Reaper Squad interactions and marvelous Taakitz scenes, alternating with a really interesting, sometimes a little creepy, examination of John Hunger in the Eternal Stockade. If you’re into gray-area redemption stories and Kravitz being wonderful, then this is for you.

Oh have you seen my ghost? by greenglowsgold - rated Mature

Let me say first: if abuse or assault with intent to rape are triggering for you, you’ll probably want to give this one a pass. If that’s not an issue, then this is an excellently written and heart-hurting story about Taako’s past with Sazed, as seen through an unexpected and dangerous encounter. It’s beautifully subtle, and the last few lines legit broke my heart.

Reverie - by ltdominic - rated Teen and Up

Update: Reverie is finished! And it’s so beautiful, everything the first chapter hinted it would be. It’s one of my favorite themes, fucked-up Taako recovering from losing memories and getting them back. It’s painful and lovely, featuring a family who can see that something is wrong but can’t quite fix it, intermingled with backstory flashbacks. This story really captures the day to day struggle; there’s a crisis, and improvement, but there’s no perfectly happy ending.

“Cute, but still fucked up.” - by writersstareoutwindows - rated General Audiences

If you’re looking for a short and sweet pick-me-up in your day, this is it! The author drops you into a pitch-perfect and adorable scene between Taako, Lup, and Angus. They’ve captured a teasing-but-loving dynamic between the three that made me grin like a lunatic.

Taste Test (They Were Delicious) - by @marywhal - rated Teen and Up

Another moving and wonderful Taako-centric fic, made up of a series of vignettes set from the Starblaster years onward. Each section features a different meal (with a recipe, which is exciting), and a beautifully-written glimpse into Taako’s relationships. Lup features heavily, as one might guess, but the real through line is Lucretia, who poignantly bookends the story.

it takes a village - series by neverwinter ( @nxymxrjr ) - ratings range from General to Mature

This series is a modern AU full of extremely beautiful and moving found family interactions, told mostly from Angus’ point of view, and heavily featuring Taako as his legal guardian. You will notice if you read through this rec list that Taako and Angus as flawed-father-figure-and-son is MY FAVORITE THING, and this author does it so, so well. There’s some good parenting, some good sibling stuff with Taako and Lup, lovely Taakitz romance, and frequent cameos by the rest of the TAZ family. None of the stories in the series are explicit so far, but mind the tags for things like mental health issues, past abuse, and blood. Also, DEFINITELY check out their other TAZ stories!

with a pace and fury defiant - by redqueentheory - rated Mature

This author explores Taako’s inner life post-finale and the darker emotions that could follow that glorious happy ending. When he locates Kalen, he and Merle plan a road/camping trip with Magnus as cover and set off to avenge Julia. It’s beautifully written, sometimes painfully emotive (in a good way), and describes so much of what I headcanon about Taako’s feelings and how he deals with them that it’s like the author was reading my mind. It’s WONDERFUL (but check the tags, there is some violence). Do check out their other work as well, especially if you are into Bradko!

running into the sun (but i’m running behind) - by @quillyfied - rated General Audiences

Set between Crystal Kingdom and 11th Hour, this is a fantastic THB bonding fic! The bubble cannon breaks and strands the boys in the middle of the Faerun countryside, forcing them into a road trip that alternates wonderfully between sweet moments, drama from the past coming back to bite them, and very funny goofs. Their voices feel really in character to me, and the tone of this story is light enough that it could be a bonus episode of the show. I absolutely loved it, and I reread it all the time! Also, if you are a Davenchurch fan, definitely read i have loved the stars too fondly.

Wizard of Fortune - series by @fiercebadrabbit - rated General Audiences

This author has resisted the temptation to make Taako a Reaper when he dies--instead, he becomes a servant of Istus, creating a unique, beautiful, fascinating version of the far future in the Balance universe. I LOVE IT, so so much. Taako’s unusual personality shines through in all of his interactions, viewed through the eyes of the strangers who benefit from the hand of Fate. The writing has a lovely, mystical feel, which is a style I adore! This author has also written some very charming Taakitz, so check that out as well.

UPDATE: When fiercebadrabbit asked for ficlet requests, I excitedly asked for more Taako as a servant of Istus--and got THIS WONDERFUL GEM in reply! Go read it for excellent sibling sass!

through the days you will dream of losing me and losing you - by @androidsfighting - rated Teen and Up

I love stories about memory, and this one BREAKS ME every time I read it. An exceptionally written look at Taako after the finale and how he recovers (or doesn’t) from the effects of the Voidfish. There’s some really excellent Taako and Lup scenes, some great Barry, some great Lucretia, and lots of very visceral prose about remembering and forgetting and the confusion in between. It’s fairly short, but packs a powerful punch. I feel like this is both the fic I’ve wanted since hearing the finale and also the fic I’ve been trying to write since finishing the finale, so it’s both perfect and intimidating!

Luster - by @lsunnyc - rated Mature

This one is a WIP, but nearly done and worth the wait! After the finale, Taako is abducted from the train on a business trip to Goldcliff. The story alternates between Taako’s perspective, imprisoned but viciously determined to escape, and the rest of the TAZ family trying frantically to track him down when they realize he never made it to his destination. It’s SO DAMN GOOD YOU GUYS. Taako is very in character here and his intelligence and power really shine under stress; the worldbuilding of the “prison” where he’s trapped is also precise and fantastic. Every day that this fic has an update is a Good Day for me. Keep an eye on the tags though, there’s some carefully written dubcon.

Our own, soft hearts - series by @wildgoosery - ratings range from Teen to Explicit

If you, like me, longed to hear more of Taako and Kravitz on dates, then this series is your antidote! They’re so in character, and they’re so in love, and their every interaction is so wonderful. This fic really brings me joy, and also is sexy as hell. Also, the most recent installment is a wonderfully drawn fan comic! The author’s other work is also sexy and great, do check it out!

<3 If you’ve made it all the way to the bottom of this list and want even more fic to read, may I humbly suggest mine? Mostly about Taako, light touches of angst, and hopefully prose that approaches the wonderfulness of the stories I’ve recced here. 

[flowersfangsandfire]

fangs recs fics

Day 2 of the fandom fic rec days!

One-shots

A Room for the Night - Theoroark (@theoroark) Rated G, Modern AU, Susan Reynolds, Maria Reynolds

Told from Susan’s point of view, this fic describes the arrival of Maria Reynolds and Susan at Burr’s home after leaving James Reynolds. This does not pull punches on how uncomfortable the situation is and subtly lets you know what an impact the abuse left on them. Also creepy Burr is creepy.

Back Up Again – Parks and Fluff (GamblingDementor) (@hamiltonandfluff) Rated T, Modern AU, Maria Reynolds/Hercules Mulligan Part 4 of the Parks and Rec AU series

This fic focuses on Maria’s coming into her own after the events of Honorary Schuyler Sister, and while her budding romance with Hercules Mulligan is part of that it is not the main focus (that said poor Maria her flirting isn’t very smooth). Everyone’s lives are slowly evolving, bringing about changes to deal with. If you love the women of Hamilton, this is the fic for you. Giving room for all the Schuyler Sisters to grow, it is a delightfully soft piece of happiness and fun.

First Semester - Theoroark Rated G, College AU, Angelica Schuyler Angelica begins her first semester at college and it is not the smooth ride you’d think it would be. This fic reminded me so much of that hellish first semester abroad, just the general unease and feeling untethered and keeping up a façade for your family and friends back home. That, and the casual racism and the way it can really gnaw at your self-esteem were spot on.

Her Happines - Theoroark Rated G, College AU, Angelica Schuyler (/Maria Cosway), Peggy Schuyler This fic is formatted as several phone conversations between Angelica and Peggy. Through the calls you see the relationship between the two shifting from Angelica being the older sister to Peggy supporting her in turn when she is discovering her sexuality. It’s so subtle and amazingly done, and a great peek into the relationship between Peggy and Angelica which isn’t explored much in fandom.

i can drive you wild all night - iaintinapatientphase (@iaintinapatientphase​) Rated M, Modern AU, Eliza Schuyler/Alexander Hamilton Part 1 of the maybe you and me should hang out some more series

Alexander and Eliza met at a club and had a one night stand. Eliza thinks they’re meeting up for a repeat performance except it turns out to be a date. This is such a fun fic with Alexander heading for what seems to be a swift rejection but it actually works for Eliza (who calls an Uber for the shortest ride ever omg)? These idiots can’t even do a one night stand properly of course they have to fall in love how disgusting.

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – Ianthine Rated T, Teacher/Parent AU, Thomas Jefferson/James Madison Part 1 of the say hi to the jeffersons series

Thomas Jefferson is that terror parent all teachers fear. James Madison is the new government teacher at his daughters’  high school. They also hooked up once, but try to forget about it and are just friends. Really. This is really fun but also has a good dose of angsty misunderstandings and feelings denial to balance the fluff. Also Patsy and Maria (Jefferson’s daughters) are little gems. And there’s a sequel!

Pick-Up - Theoroark Rated G, Modern AU, Martha Manning, Martha Laurens Ramsay Marta Laurens picks up Martha Manning at the abortion clinic featuring very absent John Laurens. It makes sense to me that in a modern AU there would be an abortion instead of a wedding (see this author’s fic The Marriage of Martha Manning for a canon era take on the marriage between her and Laurens). The horror of the short walk from the car to the clinic and back again is like a slap in the face, while the car drive with them bonding over the awfulness of the Laurens’ men  is very tranquil and melancholy in contrast. someone else’s story – iaintinapatientphase Rated M, Modern AU, Maria Reynolds/Alexander Hamilton Part 1 of the what it takes to survive series

This is filled with pain because it is what happened that summer from Maria’s perspective. All the awfulness, her trying to survive and keep her sanity by telling herself it’s fine as long as she doesn’t care and gets to keep what really matters (her daughter),  Hamilton’s knight in shining armour complex combined with being a self-absorbed hypocrite, James Reynolds being  a garbage molded potato peel…don’t read this and expect a romanticized “and all was well” story. Do, however, read this, because it is painful but also very insightful and respectful of  Maria without being patronizing or trying to ‘purify’ her.

when she is in her own country – fmajorhell (@shapechangersinwinter) Rated G, Selkie AU, Angelica Schuyler, Eliza Schuyler

Angelica finds a little girl wrapped in a sealskin on a family seaside trip. The little girl becomes her sister. Angelica really loves her a lot, and tries to make sense of things that don’t really make sense. It’s clear Eliza isn’t exactly your typical little girl, but then again she isn’t exactly outright strange. This is a gorgeous fic in an amazing AU, faery Eliza forever! See also this tag on tumblr for more selkieliza goodness (also check out this writer’s other monster AUs)!

you had to have him (and so you did) – Nakimochiku Rated E, Fairy AU, Alexander Hamilton/Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr moves into a new apartment and does not listen to his friend Theo’s warnings about it being haunted, which fairy Alexander Hamilton is very pleased about. Alex starts to spend more and more time at Aaron’s apartment and the two grow closer over Aaron’s uni work and other things. Alex definitely isn’t your friendly neighbourhood fairy friend, which Aaron seems to kind of know but ignores anyway. I love how sinister this is, despite the budding relationship between Aaron and Alex there’s always an edge. Also Theo is a gem, just listen to her Aaron!

[gffa]

Just when you think, okay, last week STAR WARS fandom was pretty good for fic, but it definitely can’t keep doing that every week, when n o p e, fandom puts out more fic that leaves me incoherent in both joy and suffering at the same exact intensity as previously. I will put this fandom up against so many others for fic that makes me feel things and leaves me feeling like, yes, this fic satisfied something in me in the way that fic, at its best, is meant to do! ✦ In All The World by Ammar, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 76.6k wip    The story of how Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi tamed each other, from Naboo to Anakin’s early days at the Temple. ✦ Sun Kissed by Vee017, obi-wan/anakin & cast, nsfw, past sexual assault issues, 81.7k wip    Being on a world that supports slavery is one thing. Buying a slave and bringing him into Republic space is entirely another. ✦ time to change the road you’re on by wreckageofstars, obi-wan & anakain & ahsoka & cast, 27.3k wip    The end of the Clone War is near - the fall of the Republic even nearer. Anakin Skywalker, caught up in the events that lead to the rise of the Empire and the loss of everything he holds dear, finds himself sent nearly two decades into the future. ✦ Let’s Kill Hitler by updiddlyupup, obi-wan & ahsoka & cast, 6.1k wip    Even in times of war, it’s not usual to wake up with a different Jedi Master than the one you had when you went to sleep. ✦ Equinox by lilyconrad, obi-wan/anakin, sith!obi-wan/sith!anakin, 4.3k wip    During the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan and Anakin crash on a remote planet and take shelter in the ruins of a grand estate only to find they are not alone. ✦ Ghosts of a Future Not Yet Past by LurkingCrow, obi-wan & luke & cast, 4.2k    On Mortis the boundaries between past, present and future are paper thin. As he ponders the unexpected vision of his former Master, Obi-Wan gets a visitor from the other end of the temporal spectrum. Feels ensue. Otherwise known as the “excuse to give a certain Jedi all the hugs” fic. ✦ Calm down, Anakin by DonkerRood, obi-wan/anakin, nsfw, 1.7k    Obi-Wan finds a better way than meditation to calm Anakin down. ✦ untitled by fireflyfish, obi-wan/anakin/padme & ahsoka, 1.1k    Pants and shirts flew through the air as Ahsoka sat perched on her master’s bed, watching him frantically panic over his wardrobe. ✦ A Walking Shadow by lilyconrad, obi-wan & anakin & padme & luke & leia & palpatine & cast, 74.6k    It is five years into the Empire’s ascension, an order built on the blood and bodies of the Jedi. None survived, they say, and the handsome, icy profile of Lord Vader plastered across every Imperial city leaves no room for doubt in the minds of many. But Vader knows there is at least one left, one that escaped him on Mustafar all those years ago. ✦ A Time For Thought by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel, obi-wan & luke & leia & han, 1.4k    “The Princess is right.” General Kenobi speaks up. “While on the Death Star, I was informed that a tracking beacon had been placed on this ship. Open the hidden compartments, Solo. We are not out of danger yet. The tracking beacon must be destroyed.” “You were informed?” Luke echoes the General, looking confused. “By who?” ✦ absolute power by cosmicocean, leia & luke & han & ben & cast, 8.6k    In the end, she takes the offer. In time, Luke will come to regret ever leading her to it. Where Leia becomes Empress with the intention of doing good, and falls so far. ✦ untitled by stonefreeak, obi-wan & cast, ~1k    Anonymous asked: I don’t think you’ve done a fic for where Chancellor!Obi-Wan actually present the evidence and starts the corruption investigation? ✦ Ben and Grandpa Go Camping by darthnickels, vader & leia & ben, 2.9k    post-ROTJ AU. Leia takes her young son to the one man she hates most– the man who may be the only one in the Galaxy who can help him ✦ untitled by legobiwan, obi-wan & dooku, ~1k   The Count took his napkin and dabbed at his mouth, placing it on the table and leaning back in his chair. “So tell me, Mr. Hardeen. How did you manage to kill the Jedi Obi-wan Kenobi?” full details + recs under the cut!

✦ In All The World by Ammar, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 76.6k wip    The story of how Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi tamed each other, from Naboo to Anakin’s early days at the Temple.    Chapter 14: This is an update rec and will focus on the current chapter, rather than the fic as a whole. I tried wait until there were at least two chapters of this one, but I love this fic so much that I couldn’t resist jumping on it as soon as I saw it updated and I just really, really love this fic a lot. It’s centered on a plot, that something is going on with someone having hired a bounty hunter to possibly assassinate the Queen post-The Phantom Menace, but of course it turns out to be so much more complicated than that, and it’s about Obi-Wan struggling to deal with the loss of Qui-Gon and getting to know Anakin and starting to teach him. So much thought and care has gone into the story part of this fic, just as much as has gone into the characters of the fic, that it’s one of the best fics I’ve read in the fandom and I look forward to every update on it. This chapter especially had me taking screenshots of it to remind myself of some of the stuff I loved because it hit me straight on with how good this fic is: Your focus determines your reality, Qui-Gon always said. It was one of those Jedi teachings that seemed strange, the first time you encountered it. Reality seemed concrete; unshiftabe, unyielding to the ideas of beings. Stone and duracrete cared nothing for your focus, your attitudes. If you thought that a durasteel wall would yield to you, it wouldn’t. Fools ran at durasteel walls and bashed their heads on it and bled. And yet: didn’t focus matter? This is in the middle of an investigation, while Obi-Wan is discussing a Naboo artist’s painting in the office of a person of interest, and the layers of the story here are fantastic–it’s a scene that’s about Obi-Wan on a case, it’s a scene about expanding the culture and history of Naboo, it’s a scene about the Jedi philosophy and what objectivity and focus mean, that it’s at the heart of the Jedi code. It’s this almost small scene amongst a bigger case fic story, but it had such an impact on me because it felt so incredibly solid like it could have been lifted right out of the GFFA itself, like this story is such an incredibly natural, organic extention of Naboo’s culture that it fit seamlessly for me. It’s not even really meant to be about that! It’s just adding in detail that would naturally come up in the story! And yet it’s one of my favorite things, for how well-written it is and how it balances characterization with it, it’s not just info dumping things on me, the reader. And it’s that incredibly enjoyable sense of solidity and smoothness (it’s so interesting to read about Obi-Wan digging into all of this! and teaching Anakin as he goes!) that make this one of my favorites in the fandom, too. ✦ Sun Kissed by Vee017, obi-wan/anakin & cast, nsfw, past sexual assault issues, 81.7k wip    Being on a world that supports slavery is one thing. Buying a slave and bringing him into Republic space is entirely another.    Chapter 28: This is an update rec and will focus on this chapter, rather than the fic as a whole. This fic updated after a long break on my birthday, which was another great present for me! The chapter is a little harder on the Jedi than I usually like to read/goes with canon, but one thing that really soothed me is that it was about them trying to find their way back, that these are good people who were lost in the darkness for awhile, that the reactions against them are from characters who are hurt right now and are upset and have a right to those feelings, but it doesn’t make me hate anyone. Plus, it’s another step closer to Obi-Wan and Anakin reuniting and even now their time apart is still very much focused on each other, how deeply they care about each other and how they’re each a catalyst for the other’s reactions, like, yesssss, if I can’t have kissing just yet, then I want them thinking about the other and getting mad because of what’s been stirred up on the other’s behalf! That is my jam right there. ✦ time to change the road you’re on by wreckageofstars, obi-wan & anakain & ahsoka & cast, 27.3k wip    The end of the Clone War is near - the fall of the Republic even nearer. Anakin Skywalker, caught up in the events that lead to the rise of the Empire and the loss of everything he holds dear, finds himself sent nearly two decades into the future.    Chapter 6: This is an update rec and thus will focus on this chapter, rather than the fic as a whole. This fic updated on my birthday and, shit, what an update it was because every time I think I can’t read it with my feelings on my sleeve again, the fic pulls out another chapter that just hits me right in the feelings place. The chapter once again does a gorgeous job of showing just what’s weighing down all of these characters, how much all of them have suffered and why they made the choices they did, how each one of them is understandable. Even when Anakin made such terrible choices, the only feeling I have is that I desperately, desperately want to save him, just as Obi-Wan and Ahsoka do. And Obi-Wan has something precious that needed him here more than anywhere else and the fic got that. And Ahsoka only had bits and pieces of what had happened and even living under the Empire wasn’t as heavy as finding out more. And one choice that was fascinating to me was that Obi-Wan held back on the worst of Anakin’s crimes–there’s no mention of the younglings he killed, for example. And I was all set to be, “HEY, MAYBE THAT’S A THING THAT SHOULD BE MENTIONED.” but what this fic does is beautifully shows that it wouldn’t have helped to tell that, it would have only crushed Anakin further, it wouldn’t have done anyone any actual good to tell that. And Obi-Wan not saying it felt like he made that choice, I thought about it from his point of view, and the fic doesn’t have to hit me over the head with it, I just got it, from the way he looked at Anakin, the way he hugged Anakin, the way he had hope in Anakin again, which was so much more important than coming down on him or crushing him for things his future self had done. And that choice was pitch perfect Obi-Wan Kenobi right there. I’m sorry to see them leaving Tatooine, those chapters were the ones that were the absolute best of the fic so far, but I’m also so eager to see where this goes and to see if Anakin can pull this off and already this fic has my fannish heart. I love it so much and I’m so glad it exists. ✦ Let’s Kill Hitler by updiddlyupup, obi-wan & ahsoka & cast, 6.1k wip    Even in times of war, it’s not usual to wake up with a different Jedi Master than the one you had when you went to sleep.    Eeeeee, omg universe hopping/time travel/??? fic! Where Ahsoka wakes up in a universe where Anakin Skywalker isn’t around and her Master is Obi-Wan Kenobi and I love it already. I would have jumped on this fic just for the premise alone, but it’s already engaging and has me hooked on it! I already love the echoes of both universes that are here–that Ahsoka remembers the canon one, while Obi-Wan clearly remembers an entirely different relationship with her, that both have an important connection there, but it’s not quite the same and it’s both a little heartbreaking and absolutely fascinating how they play off each other, how Ahsoka turns to him for help, but not quite in the way he’s clearly used to. And this Obi-Wan is different from the Master Obi-Wan she knew as well and it’s fascinating to see how different he is without having trained Anakin, how he had molded himself in certain directions and without Anakin to do that for, he’s still Obi-Wan, but not quite the same. And I love that it just quietly made me really sad, even as awful as canon!Obi-Wan’s life could be sometimes, there was such spark and life there. It’s a fic that’s just barely above 6k right now, it’s only two chapters, and yet already know that I want more immediately, because it’s moving at a good clip, not skipping over things too quickly, but it’s not dragging its feet, either, the Jedi get right into whatever the heck is going on and start trying to figure it out and that lends a nice sense of getting a move on. And, of course, I want to know what the heck is going on in the greater picture, too! What went wrong and where it went wrong and what should be the right series of events! :D :D :D ✦ Equinox by lilyconrad, obi-wan/anakin, sith!obi-wan/sith!anakin, 4.3k wip    During the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan and Anakin crash on a remote planet and take shelter in the ruins of a grand estate only to find they are not alone.    I was always going to be biased, since this was a birthday gift for me, it was always going to appeal to everything I wanted, but, oh, I genuinely love it and would have whether it was meant for me or not. There’s so much really beautiful imagery in the first chapter already, there’s so much lush description of the planet that Jedi!Obi-Wan and Jedi!Anakin land on, there’s such a feel of it being a gothic horror piece already, just from the atmosphere the fic paints. And already I love the little details, the way Obi-Wan and Anakin worry over each other, the way Obi-Wan tells Anakin to just sit down as he pours more energy into healing Anakin as best he can, no matter how much it costs himself, the descriptions of the mansion they find themselves at, and the killer cliffhanger ending, of course. I want the next chapter so badly already and I am so eagerly looking forward to the two pairs meeting each other and having to deal with seeing how much is or isn’t reflected back at themselves and whatever else will come from this story. It’s a great set-up and I’m going to be circling this one like a hawk, let me tell you. ✦ Ghosts of a Future Not Yet Past by LurkingCrow, obi-wan & luke & cast, 4.2k    On Mortis the boundaries between past, present and future are paper thin. As he ponders the unexpected vision of his former Master, Obi-Wan gets a visitor from the other end of the temporal spectrum. Feels ensue. Otherwise known as the “excuse to give a certain Jedi all the hugs” fic.    This fic is exactly what I want out of fandom–a giant excuse to let Obi-Wan Kenobi have a hug already. And it was so lovely to see a fic where I could absolutely feel the weight of Luke’s love for Obi-Wan, how much Luke understood the weight of what Obi-Wan had done for them all, without tearing down any other characters, but instead just recognizing everything that Obi-Wan had poured into this life. And, oh, it was such lovely writing, it was so warm-hearted, with that undercurrent of heavy pain and suffering that is this galaxy, but that there’s still good there, and what could have just been an iddy fic was instead one that really felt spot on, both in tone and how both characters were perfect, this fic got both Obi-Wan and Luke. Like, yes, this is the Luke Skywalker I know. Such a good fic, ahhh. ✦ Calm down, Anakin by DonkerRood, obi-wan/anakin, nsfw, 1.7k    Obi-Wan finds a better way than meditation to calm Anakin down.    What this fic does for me is hit me right in the iddy want, where Anakin is all restless energy and can’t calm himself down, he gets too wound up, so Obi-Wan finds a better way to help him–by fucking the noise right out of his head. I am so here for Obi-Wan with a gentle but firm hand on him, praising him when he’s good, but holding him down again when he gets too impatient, teaching Anakin to calm himself and wait for what’s coming, to trust that it will come, that he can trust Obi-Wan. And that Anakin will be rewarded with quiet in his head and it’s more than just Obi-Wan’s fingers in him finally, that he’s finally getting thoroughly fucked and it leads to this calm, content place for him, where Obi-Wan’s got this, got him, and he doesn’t have to worry about it. I will read that every single day of my life because Anakin Skywalker is going to need it for the rest of his life, too. ✦ untitled by fireflyfish, obi-wan/anakin/padme & ahsoka, 1.1k    Pants and shirts flew through the air as Ahsoka sat perched on her master’s bed, watching him frantically panic over his wardrobe.    Based on the fanart, this is an AU where Obi-Wan and Padme are Senators and are sort of kind of maybe courting Jedi Anakin together and, oh, this was a total scream, it was so much fun and fit the art so well and I’m just over the moon for Anakin being so entirely gone on these two ridiculously hot people, who are just the right amount of similar and yet still would give Anakin different things. It’s sexy and flirty, Anakin being so spun around these two incredibly hot people, the most beautiful disaster to their polished teasing, and it’s so good, I would read a hundred thousand words of this, easy. ✦ A Walking Shadow by lilyconrad, obi-wan & anakin & padme & luke & leia & palpatine & cast, 74.6k    It is five years into the Empire’s ascension, an order built on the blood and bodies of the Jedi. None survived, they say, and the handsome, icy profile of Lord Vader plastered across every Imperial city leaves no room for doubt in the minds of many. But Vader knows there is at least one left, one that escaped him on Mustafar all those years ago.    Final Rec: This is one of the earliest fics of Lily’s that I read and it’s created a special place in my heart because I love the concept, that Anakin redemption fics are incredibly special to me, and I felt like I went on a bit of a journey with this one, that I’d been following it for awhile and each update meant something to me. Ultimately this fic is about the path of redemption, that it’s not an easy road to step onto, much less walk down one that never really has a specific end, and this fic does a beautiful job with that, how Anakin does such terrible things and the ways he is or isn’t able to come back from them. And while I love canon a great deal, Anakin never really was redeemed, he died to save his son, he had one moment of selflessness (in a selfish way, honestly, because that’s Anakin for you, I love him so much) rather than actually doing any of the work, but this is a story that has a real cost for him. This is a story where it’s not easy, where he struggles, but it’s worth it in the end. Because his chilren love him, because Obi-Wan loves him, because he can’t hurt any more people that he loves. It’s a story that’s novel length because that’s what it takes to write Anakin’s redemption in full like this, and it’s about the fight on Mustafar going differently, that leaves Vader without the suit, and I love that Padme is such an important weight in this story, even as it’s largely about Obi-Wan and Anakin at the heart of it. It’s an entirely gen fic, this is about them as brothers, but my id was pleased because they’re both parents to the children, because Obi-Wan is the shining light in Anakin’s darkness, because Anakin is the reason Obi-Wan gets out of bed in the morning, because the ending of the fic was so very, very Anakin Skywalker, so desperate to keep the people he loves close and safe, so teetering on the edge of darkness because he doesn’t know how to handle things, because he’s so wrenched around on the inside, and how things end up… I definitely kind of got a little misty-eyed by the end, because it was the exact bittersweet notes that a fic like this needed. Which isn’t to forget that there’s actually a plot going on here! And world-building! There are a lot of really cool, interesting details and a genuinely intense final fight that has shades of horror in it in such a great way, the creatures that show up in this fic, the Sith artifacts that are used, are genuinely creepy and had me on the edge of my seat while I was reading because the action was so good! But, oh, the second to last scene (and, hell, the epilogue as well), especially with the kids, just hit me right in the feelings place and I can’t tell you how satisfying this fic was. It’s such a good, good fic for all these elements, for both of these characters, for fans of plot, for fans of having to work for redemption and how that makes it all the more satisfying, for fans who just want a good story. I’m sad to see the story end, but it was a great end and so incredibly worth reading. ✦ A Time For Thought by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel, obi-wan & luke & leia & han, 1.4k    “The Princess is right.” General Kenobi speaks up. “While on the Death Star, I was informed that a tracking beacon had been placed on this ship. Open the hidden compartments, Solo. We are not out of danger yet. The tracking beacon must be destroyed.” “You were informed?” Luke echoes the General, looking confused. “By who?”    You’ll probably need to have read A Time for Change before this one, though, the basic premise is that Darth Vader finds the Death Star to be an abomination, so the events during A New Hope go a little differently, and now that the Rebels have escaped, they’re discussing just what that even means. I especially enjoyed the balance between Obi-Wan’s history with Vader and not giving too much away, not trying to make him Anakin too much, because he’s truly Vader at this point, yet not forgetting the weight of all that context added in. That Obi-Wan still knows him best of all of them is there, even as they’re all important to this scene, and I really appreciated that, right along with this different universe they’re in! ✦ absolute power by cosmicocean, leia & luke & han & ben & cast, 8.6k    In the end, she takes the offer. In time, Luke will come to regret ever leading her to it. Where Leia becomes Empress with the intention of doing good, and falls so far.    I was intrigued by the idea of Leia as Empress and I’ve enjoyed fic by this author before, so I knew the writing would be lovely! And it definitely was, especially in the first half. I admit, I don’t buy that Leia would fall this way, I can’t see this happening to her, but I enjoyed the really pretty writing and the character moments and the plot of it and how this was a different universe and how this affected so many changes all over the place. I enjoyed reading it a lot! ✦ untitled by stonefreeak, obi-wan & cast, ~1k    Anonymous asked: I don’t think you’ve done a fic for where Chancellor!Obi-Wan actually present the evidence and starts the corruption investigation?    Another shorter piece, but one that I really enjoyed for the brief touches of characterization (Obi-Wan’s attempts to balance Anakin’s feelings with duty, how both pull at him, the choices he makes and how he does so) and just the really super fun continuing of a story where the Jedi are no longer quite so hampered by their being under the Senate’s authority, how they can actually start to do something and we get a really lovely look at how that might play out, how they start to look into things. I just really love this AU a lot and this was a fun piece to add to it! ✦ Ben and Grandpa Go Camping by darthnickels, vader & leia & ben, 2.9k   post-ROTJ AU. Leia takes her young son to the one man she hates most– the man who may be the only one in the Galaxy who can help him   I think one of the things that hurt most about this fic is that there’s nothing of Anakin in this portrayal of him, that I can’t see Anakin Skywalker in this character at all. This is just Vader and it makes me miss the character I love so much, even as he’s interacting with Leia and Ben, even as he’s almost more of a ghost in his own body than anything. Young Ben is adorable and Leia is appropriately angry and distant and everything hurts in just the way it should. ✦ untitled by legobiwan, obi-wan & dooku, ~1k    The Count took his napkin and dabbed at his mouth, placing it on the table and leaning back in his chair. “So tell me, Mr. Hardeen. How did you manage to kill the Jedi Obi-wan Kenobi?”    I am such a sucker for Obi-Wan and Dooku’s dynamic, that they’re at such odds with each other while there’s a connection there, while Dooku has an interest in Obi-Wan, because he would have been such a good addition to their side. This is just a small snippet of a larger scenario, but it works well on its own and it’s all about that verbal sparring with elegance that both of these characters have, even when Obi-Wan is in Rako Hardeen form. It was a delight to read and a fun piece to add to the collection of these two!