#author: vimeddiee

[yeehanfrf]

Week 13 Recs: It's about the Yearning

Week 13's theme was "It's about the yearning," or fics with an emphasis on pining, mutual or otherwise.

Behind the cut, you'll find the recs gathered from the Yeehan community, organized by rating and then alphabetically by title!

Not Rated

This Year by CommonNonsense [8,835 words] Reccer comment: "extra cute, deliciously drawn out stuck-together-in-a-cabin pining"

The holidays are not kind to those on their own. Hanzo, at least, has never been overly invested in this time of year--but McCree, as he often does, changes things, and when a mission sees them snowed in together on Christmas Eve, there is no way to avoid it.

General Audiences

It Ain't Easy by KittenzCaboodle [29,426 words]

It’s St. Patrick’s day and Hanzo does not have a green shirt to wear.

This is not ideal.

On his quest to borrow one and properly join in on the planned celebration at the base, both he and Cole reminisce about how life has changed since Hanzo joined Overwatch. -

Fic written for YeeHan Week 2022!

Teen and Up

Dreamlike by mataglap [4,063 words] Reccer comment: "I FOUND IT!! there's a surprising amount of dream kiss fics"

Hanzo is used to bad dreams, and he never would have expected that a good dream would end up haunting him the most.

Flowers Like Ashes by NoirSongbird [8,266 words] Reccer comment: "Hanahaki, rated teen! There be angst 👀"

The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from one-sided love, where the patient coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. The infection can be removed through surgery, but the feelings disappear along with the petals. Hanzo Shimada is desperately in love with Jesse McCree -- the flower petals he coughs up whenever McCree so much as looks his way are plenty of evidence of that. It is unfortunate, then, that McCree utterly despises him.

Hiraeth by robocryptid [11,947 words]

After discovering that the mercenary Reaper is his old commander and mentor, Cole takes some time to get his head on straight. Hanzo refuses to let him do it alone.

Or: the author gives Cole Cassidy the kind of feelgood, big emotions, rite-of-passage road trip usually imagined for American teenagers, except this time it's for two grown-ass vigilante murder dudes.

Just Once by Vimeddiee [2,534 words]

Cole dreams that he’s kissing someone.

Sweet Dreams by Dracoduceus [5,134 words]

Hanzo’s dreams started to leak into reality and it becomes harder and harder to deal with, especially with his unresolved feeling toward Cassidy.

Tell Me by Akiko_Natsuko [27,728 words] Reccer comment: "pretty okay ff with past blackwatch Cass/Scion Hanzo"

They had me years before, a fling that had ended without names being exchanged and with an unspoken farewell. Hanzo had never expected to find the Cowboy again, let alone on the day he joined Overwatch. And he was unprepared for the fact that the man that he had never managed to forget, was unable to recognise him the day he finally gave Cassidy his name.

Unaddressed by robocryptid [11,100 words] Reccer comment: "the first chapter is amazing"

He gave twelve years of his life to the original Overwatch. He’s seen dozens of MIA cases, investigated more than a few of them himself. It’s not new. It’s just that now the organization’s so small; it makes it feel a lot more personal.

Winston gave the order. He can’t argue with the logic that he’s the one whose background best fits this particular task. But it was Genji asking him directly — trusting him with this in a way he knows it’s hard for Genji to trust — that made him agree to it.

So he rummages through Hanzo’s desk in search of anything that could help.

Undisclosed Desires by Calardes [12,751 words]

An unexpected dream forced Hanzo to reassess his relationship with a certain cowboy.

Now he could think of little else but how much he wanted to kiss him.

Wake-up Call by fishpoets [2,149 words] Reccer comment: "Love realization"

Falling in love is deceptively simple. Admitting it is trickier.

Mature

All the Little Pieces by KittenzCaboodle [57,890 words]

Cole Cassidy had not known peace ever since Hanzo Shimada had been thrust into his life, but - with some "time" - realizes that maybe it's not so bad having him around.

In fact, maybe it was always meant to be.

Foxhole Dreaming by fishpoets [18,569 words] Reccer comment: "And there was only one bed"

After Hanzo and McCree are ambushed on an undercover mission and McCree is injured, they need to hide out in a secret bunker that McCree knows of while they wait to be rescued. The prospect of a few days in close-quarters alone with McCree wouldn't be a problem, except for one thing: Hanzo's feelings for the gunslinger don't stop at friendship.

i could love you (for the rest of my life) by fwop [3,494 words] Reccer comment: "Oh. *Oh*"

“--if you had just listened to me for once, instead of running off--”

He’s gesturing wildly with his hands, more expression on his face than Jesse ever thought he’d see, more expression than Hanzo would ever like to show (if he had his way). He probably hasn’t even realized what he looks like right now. Instead, he’s doing his level best to cuss Jesse from one end to the other. He’s spittin’ mad.

Oh.

Source of Light by YourAverageJoke [WIP; 10,745 words] Reccer comment: "unfinished but still sweet"

Hanzo wonders if perhaps he had realized it before. Cassidy has been a constant in his life lately, a steady presence he isn’t even ashamed to admit he’s more than a little fond of. It certainly explains how he ended up here; it had seemed natural, after having sat on his bed for hours, staring into the cold, dark abyss of insomnia, to seek out his favourite source of light, especially after he had spent almost two weeks in its constant glow.

Sharing a bed trope with a small twist, some insecurities, lots of sap, and a happy ending.

Explicit

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by KittenzCaboodle [34,828 words] Reccer comment: "18+ and one of my favorites"

The man first in line for the Shimada throne was the last picture that Cole had been given to memorize. Hanzo Shimada. They had said it was unlikely that he would be sent, as he was too important for such menial tasks, but he was the next likely candidate according to Genji.

He gazed longingly towards the door, aching to step outside and get a fresh breath of the cool night air. As he silently grumbled about the sweat rolling down his back, the bodies grinding against each other in the club making the place hot and steamy in all the wrong ways, he saw him.

Of all the people in the world, Hanzo Shimada, the worst possible person, had just walked through the door and was putting their entire Blackwatch mission at risk.

Somehow, Cole had to distract him long enough to for Genji to get out, and he was willing to do whatever it takes, even if he was caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

But when the Devil buys you dinner and is one of the nicest people you've ever met, then things get confusing.

Crossing Stars by ceasefire [3,488 words] Reccer comment: "Young angsty yeehan has my heart forever"

Hanzo Shimada sneaks out to meet his lover with the help of his brother. Unfortunately, it seems that this will be the last time that they will see one another, and Hanzo decides to throw caution to the wind and do what he really wants for a change.

Not That I'm Complaining by robocryptid [28,981 words] Reccer comment: "I've only read this about a hundred million times, no big uwu"

An AU in which both Shimadas join Blackwatch, and Cole Cassidy falls in love dick first. Approximately 50/50 porn to feelings.

Tell Me Yer Name by kylar [23,161 words] Reccer comment: "YOUNG ANGSTY YEEHAN HAS MY HEART FOREVER"

Hanzo escapes the castle for a breath of fresh air following a particularly difficult day with the clan, and finds one in a mysterious, handsome American cowboy that instantly earns Hanzo's attention. Hanzo knows from subtle clues that his presence in Hanamura could mean trouble for his clan and himself, but that doesn't stop him from carrying on a secret affair with the charming cowboy. It's just a fling though, and he knows it will end eventually. He'll be able to put the cowboy behind him and continue on with his responsibilities and duties to the Shimada Clan. Little does he know, it won't be that easy, and the cowboy's short presence in his life will have a dramatic and devastating impact on everything that is to follow their little affair.

to lie down with dogs by motorghost [65,540 words] Reccer comment: "This is one of my favorite fics in this fandom. I really like the character dynamic here."

Hanzo and Cole are on a top-secret reconnaissance mission in the industrialized wasteland of post-Crisis North Dakota, hunkered down in a factory ill-fit for human occupation. Cole seems fine with the situation, but Hanzo's doubts extend far beyond their little room.

To Share (Cake) is to Care by spinel [4,679 words] Reccer comment: "funny pining with an extra hilarious dose of obliviousness"

“Howdy, Hanzo.” McCree smiles sunnily. “I'm guessin' Athena didn't give you a heads up. My quarters—all of Wing 3's quarters are flooded. Angela's with Genji, Lena's in Angela's room, Lúcio and Hana are in the break room, Torbjörn and Reinhardt both snore like you wouldn't believe, Zenyatta's in Genji's room, and Athena won't let me use the training room for a nap.”

It takes a moment, but then Hanzo's eyes narrow. “Athena told you I had a futon.”

---

And that's it for the Week 13 recs! Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a recommendation.

If you happen to find a fic you love using this rec list, be sure to leave the author kudos and a comment! Even "I found this fic because someone recced it" is a lovely thing to say.

Come back next time for Week 14: "Mermaid for Each Other," celebrating MerMay with mermaid and other sea creature fics.

In the meantime, you can also check out the Week 12 recs here, or check the full list of past and future themes here.

---

Curious about the icon and some of the fic titles? This rec blog supports #EndOTWRacism, a fan campaign asking the AO3 to make good on its 2020 promises to address racist harassment on the site. Fans of color deserve to feel safe and welcome in fan spaces. To learn more, please visit @end-otw-racism and read their Call to Action.

[otakuapproved]

Under the Aegis

Synopsis

It has been 1000 years since the first wielders who were meant to bring peace to all races perished, leaving their work unfinished. Since then, 49 generations of wielders have come and gone all unable to fulfil their purpose- till the most recent generation. Follow the young chosen ones as they strive to find the missing piece to complete the sacred ritual to bring peace - while trying to stay alive as assassins constantly attempt to take their lives.

Rating

5/5

Genres

Drama, Action, Fantasy, Romance, Comedy, LGBTQ+

Status

Complete

Episodes

93

Author

VIMEDDIEE

Type

Webtoon

Notes

This is another work of art I can talk about forever! I’ve reread this so many times and I will most definitely reread it again!

Under the Aegis may seem like a typical fantasy drama at first glance, but it is so much more than that. It tackles very real situations like stereotyping people on the basis of their nationality or race. It also presents compassion and understanding as a basis of world peace, which I know is quite obvious but the way it is written makes me want to believe that this could someday be possible. That humans could see beyond religion or nationality and see the person beneath all that. That kindness and compassion can help us understand one another enough to not want to hurt each other anymore.

Same-sex couples are also represented very nicely! And the ending is SO satisfying! It has an epilogue that is an instant serotonin boost! The art is also so pretty! And the couples are so cute <3

[skyaches-aa]

Anyways , here’s my shitty PowerPoint presentation on why you should read Under the Aegis , by vimeddiee ! It’s labelled shitty for a reason. You can read the comic right here , and the author has links to their social media to get more of their content.

[prettyboynightwing]

2, 9, & 15 for book asks?

Thanks for asking! I really had to think about 2 and 15 for a while

2. Top 5 books of all time

I’m gonna cheat by listing some series along with single books. My top five are books that I somehow always come back to, in a way. I prefer fantasy but also enjoy many other genres. In doing this ask, I find that I’m still captivated by many of the same books as I was when I was a kid/teenager. I’m a sucker for good world building and the two series listed below have great concepts in my opinion, and that’s why they are so memorable and enjoyable to me. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve also enjoyed more mature books. The first three on the list are the kinds of stories I want to jump right back into and enjoy the adventure. The other two are not books that I reread often, but still the stories, themes, and questions stay with me. They are… haunting

My Top 5:

1. Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

2. Fablehaven series, Brandon Mull

3. Graceling trilogy, Kristin Cashore (I think there may be a fourth book now actually)

4. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

5. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr

9. When do you tend to read most?

Because I’m going to grad school in the evenings and working full time during the day, I don’t have a lot of time anymore for pleasure reading, sadly. So most of my reading happens late at night, after work and class, and it’s mostly webtoons because I feel like they’re a more manageable medium for the limited time I have.

15. Recommend and review a book.

So in that vein, I’m gonna cheat again and do a WEBTOON, but I also recommend any/all of the books and series listed above.

I wasn’t on WEBTOON until 2019, so I don’t know how I found this story, but I’m really glad I did! It’s called Under the Aegis, and was created by @vimeddiee. Completed in 2017 with 93 episodes, including the hiatus and post-completion content, it’s not too long of a story, but it’s a great one that I reread at least once a year, but usually more than once.

The author created a really intriguing world with compelling lore. The foreshadowing is excellent and the story is really well-paced. I loved the individual characters’ development and also how the characters’ relationships with each other developed throughout the story. It’s funny and lighthearted at times, but also serious and tear jerking at others. It has canonically LGBTQ characters and disabled characters and magic and action and romance and so much more! The character designs are wonderfully cute and unique.

In this world, there are seven separate races. Each race has a unique magical weapon that was owned over a thousand years ago by the first Wielders. The weapons choose a new Wielder from their race each generation. Tensions between the races are high and the only thing holding the weak peace together is the latest generation of Wielders, the first group in over 90 years to live to adulthood. While the races are pretty separate, the Wielders themselves are tied together by fate and magic. Should one die, they all die; and a new generation begins. The first Wielders didn’t live long enough to complete their mission, but this generation is determined to finish what the first Wielders started, even though they don’t know what is yet. They must dive into the past to uncover the secrets of the ritual that created the Wielders in the first place, all while searching for their missing seventh member. Ancient enemies work in the shadows to prevent the Wielders from reaching their goals. Will the Wielders of this generation be able put aside their personal and cultural differences to come together and finish the first Wielders’ mission, before they meet the same early end as the generations before them? Link below!

I hope I was able to give you some good answers! Definitely let me know if you’ve read any of the above, or are now inspired to!

[blueinkblot]

For the technoque ask: allegory and simile

thank you for asking!

Allegory: What is the theme of your current writing project? Is there a message you’d like readers to consider?

I've got one that's a Beauty and the Beast retelling that's about being able to ask for help and understanding that hyperindependence can be a trauma response

I have another about a heist team's hacker joining the villain that's about knowing one's worth and doing things and people that meet your needs and standards.

I have a third (that I've previously mentioned here) that's about women helping women and might feature time travel

Simile: Tag two writeblrs whose WIPs you admire OR tell me about two authors who impacted your writing.

Ooh! Gail Carson Levine was the author who got me into writing - her book Writing Magic is pretty amazing. I'd recommend her work if you like retellings of well-known fairy tales - hers isn't, but they're really interesting fantasy stories. I recommend The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Ever, and Ella Enchanted.

I'm gonna mix and match this and say I've got a huge artist crush on @vimeddiee (also peep their art blog @vimeddiart) and ESPECIALLY their webcomic Under the Aegis.

[vaguely-concerned]

WEBCOMIC RECS

I’ve been reading a whole lotta webcomics lately, so here have some recs: 

THE MEEK by Der-shing Helmer

My holy grail of webcomics: funny and touching, great characters, amazing art and stunning worldbuilding. If you’ve never read a webcomic before, this is a good place to start. Light NSFW in the first chapter due to some (non-sexual) female nudity, so keep that in mind. 

NO END, a Post-Apocalyptic Romance by Erli and Kromi

AKA the webcomic that already had me more than convinced and then introduced a beautiful clever redhead for me to give my entire heart to. Some excellent Queer Content (every main character is LGBTQ+ in some way!), wonderful clean art and engaging characters; it’s all here, folks. Some graphic violence, as the zombie apocalypse genre sort of invites, but I’d say most of it is just the characters interacting. 

QUICK$ILVER by Emily Smith/Cryptovolans

This comic has one of the funniest, most energizing main characters I have ever seen; he is hilarious. The art style - watercolours! so cool! - is beautiful and unique and fits the noir themes perfectly. More of that Queer Content we are all here for.

SHADERUNNERS by Capp and Lin

Incredible fantasy world building meets a 1920-ish vibe! Very queer, very well thought out, very compellingly drawn, on top of an intriguing basic premise. (What if the prohibition... but colors?!??!!? Take my word for it it’ll make sense once you read it, such a cool concept)

THE OTHERKNOWN by Lora

Excellent space opera! The comic that sent me down this new webcomic hole in the first place. I love everyone in this particular bar, but I love Demeck and his weird, wonderful expressions the most. 

UNDER THE AEGIS by vimeddiee  

It’s got everything; touching coming-of-age-esque team building antics, ~*romance*~ both queer and otherwise, beautiful art with such immersive attention to detail, great worldbuilding, fish- and bird boys (!), dastardly ancient assassination plots... go read it, you guys! The author also has a new comic HERE that looks super amazing, please check it out! 

[yeehanfrf]

Week 11 Recs: He's a Magic Man

The Week 11 theme was "He's a Magic Man," or recs featuring the mystical, the magical, the fantastical, and a lot of werewolves, apparently! (If you missed your chance, monsterhuggers, don't worry: we'll have a monster-centric theme when spooky season rolls around!)

Behind the cut, you'll find the recs gathered from the Yeehan community, organized by rating and then alphabetically by title!

Not Rated

What Lies Undone by AsheRhyder [8,117 words]

There are rules to this sort of thing. Not the common sort, made to be broken and bent and outright ignored, but the old kind, made for dealing with dangerous things.

And they are all dangerous things, in Overwatch.

McCree survives by knowing which rules to break and which to obey and when to do the opposite of what he usually does. Dangerous things stay dangerous because they can change - he knows this all too well.

General Audiences

And Time Passed by Tevokkia [4,108 words] Reccer comment: "Sweet and innocent; will make you cry in a good way. Vimeddiee did art for it too"

A small cowboy in a large hat wandered out of the mist one day, and asked a lonely young dragon to be his friend. Such requests hold great weight out on the edge of reality, where the dragon kept his cave. The dragon and the little boy shared secrets and adventures.

And time passed ...

... until the little boy grew up.

Teen and Up

Fool's Gold by leoandlancer [193,940 words] Reccer comment: "I REMEMBERED ANOTHER MONSTERS, DRAMA, & EERIE THINGS BEYOND OUR MORTAL COMPREHENSION"

A vast and powerful dragon hires a surprisingly lethal monster hunter in order to kill an upsettingly big bug. It's not ideal, but they work on it. (Hanzo is pretty sure McCree can kill anything and both of them are trying not to be quite so in love with someone who can and probably will, kill them. Dragon and Monster Hunter AU)

Heartless by AsheRhyder [6,504 words]

Once upon a time, a wicked sorcerer cut out his heart and sealed it away. He hid it in a needle, put the needle in an egg, put the egg in a duck, put the duck inside a rabbit, and put the rabbit in a box on an island at the end of the world. So long as his heart was safe, nothing could kill him. Or so the legends say, anyway. Nowadays, people know what a silly story that was. Nobody bothers with rabbits anymore.

Cole Cassidy has no heart.

Sideshow by Kestrel_sama [5,414 words]

Hanzo manages to steal a night for himself at an American circus. What he finds there is no ordinary freak show.

So Nice to Meet You by fishpoets [9,142 words]

There it was again, something pale that shifted in the shadows - a mass of pure, white fur. Jesse stared. The wolf – for that's what it was, a huge, white wolf, sprawled out in front of the kitchen doors – raised its head, and stared right back.

(Five times Jesse interacts with Hanzo's daemon, plus one)

The Looking Glass by firefly_quill [9,509 words]

Hanzo lives a quiet life in his small magical antiquities shop, just far enough off the beaten-path. Quiet, at least, until Ana arrives with a magic mirror and a request. Modern fantasy AU.

Written for the McHanzo Reverse Bang 2018.

Turn Around, Lie Down (Come Home) by AsheRhyder [17,455 words] Reccer comment: "i loved this werewolf au fic"

In the dark, snow-filled night, a wolf howled.

Run with me. Eat with me. Sleep beside me. Be pack.

Mature

Cast No Shadow by PersonalSpin [46,029 words] Reccer comment: "a HDM-esque daemon AU"

Jesse McCree knows better than to trust a man without a soul. A His Dark Materials AU about things said and unsaid, and those you stay and those who leave.

(Not that kind of demon, this kind of dæmon.)

Death's Best Man by deliciously_devient [Series; WIP; 16,901 words] Reccer comment: "The Death's Best Man series by deliciously_devient is a must. It's one of the first I read when I got into the fandom"

Jesse is fifteen years old when he earns a favor from Death.

Kelp(ie) by Wulpia [5,734 words] Reccer comment: "Achingly poetic"

When biologist Hanzo goes on a trip to a remote reservoir in Scotland to study the flora of a lake there, he finds something far more interesting, ancient, and potentially deadly.

Not Another Moment by Author of Kheios [30,431 words] Reccer 1 comment: "a harry potter au, a small nsfw scene, is a long oneshot and cole is a single dad, mutual pining. Not Another Moment by author of kheois"

Reccer 2 comment: "The OW-HP crossover fic none of knew we needed"

Years ago, Cole retired as the Defense Against Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts to raise a little girl. Now, she's old enough to get accepted, but she dislikes the professor who took his place, and he has to intervene.

Hanzo has heard so many stories about the the man, the myth - nay, the legend - whose post he took at Hogwarts, yet not in a single one of them did anyone say anything about how attractive the Deadeye Cowboy is. But even if the man's daughter didn't hate him for no apparent reason, Hanzo can't afford to fall for someone who would kill him on the spot if he ever found out Hanzo's true nature. So of course, he falls head over heels.

Explicit

All That We Were, Are, and Will Come to Be by Dracoduceus [Series; WIP; 30,894 words]

His instructions were deceptively simple: visit the planet Hanamura and bring back two of the sons of the famous Shimada Clan.

McCree, captain of the Santa Fe and an independent contractor that worked with the Overwatch space station, should have known better than to think that anything about this would go according to plan.

Away by Vimeddiee [29,154 words] Reccer comment: "Light on the magic lore, strong on the feelings"

Hanzo awakens to the feel of grit in his eyes and the crunch of sand between his teeth. This in itself doesn’t rudely force him into consciousness, but the insistent flicking against his nose that he groggily attempts to bat away, does.

“High tide’s coming, you better nap someplace else.”

AKA I wanted to write Cassidy as a slappy boy so I DID.

Call of the Wild by deliciously_devient [Series; 4,712 words] Reccer comment: "Pretty sure the Call of the Wild series is the actual, literal first OW fanfic I read"

The moon is full, and the air is full of....promise.

Clipped Wings by Vashoth [14,631 words] Reccer comment: "possibly the first magic AU I read in this fandom, and the intrigue of it has stuck with me ever since"

Any hunter worth his salt knows that you should take all possible precautions to avoid messing with the Fair Folk. Most of the Fair Folk, however, don't really give a rats ass what precautions are taken and delight in messing with anything unlucky enough to get within arms reach.

Or: Hanzo is in way over his head and Jesse is loving it.

Dangerous Phases by Vrunka [13,593 words]

There are eight phases in a moon cycle. Eight phases in thirty days. And then it repeats. Over and over. Hanzo Shimada never really saw a reason to care. The moon comes, the moon goes. Hanzo Shimada also never really saw himself getting into an explicit sexual relationship with a werewolf. But well...these things do happen.

The Epic and Wondrous Tale of the Librarian and the Demon Hunter by annella [47,403 words] Reccer comment: "Hands-down one of the best AUs I've ever read, and I want desperately for the author to turn it into a series of books"

Jesse's got a pretty good job as the librarian in a magical library. He spends his days cataloguing, tracking down rare titles, fixing up the occasional spell gone awry, and dealing with the smoke monster in the basement.

Then Hanzo Shimada, Demon Hunter, shows up to turn his world upside down.

Freedom's a Funny Thing by robocryptid [4,940 words] Reccer comment: "a deliciously unnerving trickster Cassidy with a side of sex magic"

Once a year, magician Hanzo must perform a ritual to bind the dragon spirits to himself. This year, something about the ritual doesn't quite go right, and he summons a trickster along with the dragons. Now he's stuck with the stowaway until he can figure out how to dismiss him. Luckily Cassidy seems mostly benign, if irritating and predisposed to dressing as a cowboy.

—

Originally for the Myth//Legend zine, but now with a couple bonus scenes. Consider this the director’s cut.

Ghost Stories on Route 66 by Nagaina [210,058 words] Reccer comment: "Monsters, drama, & eerie things beyond our mortal comprehension."

Hanzo Shimada is an expatriate student of the Fine Arts, attending college in what he assumes to be a reasonably sedate corner of the American southwest. Jesse McCree is an occasionally leather-clad NPS ranger whose duties extend somewhat further than shooing lost tourists back onto the clearly marked hiking trails. Something weird is going on in the desert south of Santa Fe and their lives unexpectedly come together in the middle of it.

In the Woods Somewhere by CorvidFightClub [WIP; 3,946 words]

Hanzo has spent years of his life a captive werewolf, fighting in underground dogfights for a master that values his ability to kill and nothing else. One night he's stolen from the back of a transport van and wakes somewhere new.

A small farm in the woods somewhere.

[The Big Long E-Rated Version of the fic of the same title I wrote for the Rising Moon Fanzine.]

Licensed to Slaughter by ChillieBean [16,910 words] Reccer comment: "ChillieBean's "Licensed To Slaughter" (explicit, 16K words) features vampire Hanzo and werewolf Cassidy caught in the midst of a small-town murder mystery. It has a great plot and is excellently written. 10000000/10!"

Hanzo, an author who is struggling with his murder mystery draft, decides to move across the United States, trading the bustling city for quiet mountain life for inspiration.

Little does he know that he lands right in the middle of a real-life murder mystery and is suspect number one.

Never Saw it Coming by Kestrel_sama [WIP; 12,794 words] Reccer comment: "a cute modern-with-magic AU"

Fortune-telling was just supposed to be a way to make some money for Genji's business. It was easy enough with the dragons whispering secrets in his ears, and the outfit certainly helped bring in customers. But it was a skeptic named Jesse McCree who turned everything on it's head.

Possess by sciencefictioness [3,978 words] Reccer comment: "This week's theme covers half my bookmarks, but this is the first story that came to mind."

Jesse closes his eyes and he is not at home anymore.

He is not alone.

Jesse is in a large, open room with a high ceiling full of exposed wooden beams and what looks like straw mats spread out on the floor.  Some of the walls are solid, others are made of paper.  Words come to Jesse to unbidden like memories that aren’t his own.  Dojo.  Tatami.  Shoji.  The characters on the pillars are kanji.    

Jesse is in Japan.  Parts of him, anyway.

There are people lingering along the edges of the room.  There are two figures in the center, one of them older with his eyes flashing eerie red, black hair greying at his temples.  In front of him is a boy about Jesse’s age— seventeen.  Eighteen, maybe.  He’s kneeling with his eyes downcast, long hair pulled up into a messy bun, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.  His clothes are hanging down off his left shoulder to expose an intricate tattoo, dragons and storm clouds and lightning in blue and grey and gold.  

He’s beautiful like nothing Jesse has ever seen, a tangle of contradictions.  He looks delicate.

He looks powerful.

He’s breathtaking and he’s afraid and oh, fuck.

He’s Jesse’s. 

Resonant by sciencefictioness [6,473 words] Reccer comment: "Resonant by sciencefictioness is pretty sexy"

The table seems endless stretched between them; polished wood, incense filling the room with smoke, ceremonial cups of sake. Jesse stares across the length of it, his gaze locked on Hanzo with an intensity usually reserved for the hunt, except he’s never been interested in any prey the way he is now; voraciously.

Savagely.

Teeth curve long out of his jaw, and his body rolls into the half-shift all on its own. Ears pricked, tail sprouting from the base of his spine, eyes lit up red. Hanzo is doing no better.

His eyes are black, pupils blown wide, nothing but a thin ring of gold set in an impossibly dark sclera. Jesse watches Hanzo’s horns lengthen, watches his claws extend. Watches his cheeks turn red, even more pronounced against the blue of his skin.

Everything goes sideways, as Jesse always expected it would.

It just doesn’t go sideways the way he expected.

Jesse had been ready for a fight.

Survival Instinct by mataglap [36,482 words] Reccer 1 comment: "OH, ha, also monsters, drama, & eerie things beyond our mortal comprehension"

Reccer 2 comment: "Survival Instinct, by mataglap, is one I've read multiple times"

Cassidy takes a new monster hunting contract. It's pretty decent as contracts go: the pay is good, the perks even better, and he's got two competent companions to fight at his side when the monsters come.

Then a third companion arrives and ruins everything.

Watcher in the Woods by Kalikuks [84,072 words] Reccer 1 comment: "Kali does a lot of monster and magic/fantasy fics, but if I can only choose one, this is it"

Reccer 2 comment: ""Watcher in the Woods" by Kalikuks 🥰 (explicit, old name for Cass) Blind Hanzo and eldrich being Cassidy. Buckle up cause is a long one with sequels!❤️"

Hanzo gets the uncanny feeling that he’s being towered over and instinctually tips his head up, even if he sees nothing.

“You can’t see me,” a deep honeyed voice rumbles from above, a good few feet above, Hanzo guesses.

“I—“

Hanzo’s reply is drowned out when the hunting party crashes through the foliage behind him and the screaming begins.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

AU Where Hanzo is Blind and Jesse is an eldritch being of sorts that drives men mad when they look upon him. They fall in love.

---

And that's it for the Week 11 recs! Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a recommendation.

If you happen to find a fic you love using this rec list, be sure to leave the author kudos and a comment! Even "I found this fic because someone recced it" is a lovely thing to say.

Come back next time for Week 12: "Simple Pleasures," or all the smutty PWPs your heart desires.

In the meantime, you can also check out the Week 10 recs here, or check the full list of past and future themes here.

[yeehanfrf]

Week 2 Recs: Feel-Good Hour

The Week 2 Fic Rec Friday theme was "Feel-Good Hour," or fluffy, heartwarming fics! Here are all the fluffiest fics recommended by the Yeehan community, organized by rating, then alphabetically by title.

General Audience

Blue Roses and Salted Caramel by AsheRhyder [11,135 words] Reccer comment: "Hanzo is the head of a post office and Cassidy is in need of his services."

Hanzo hated Valentine's Day and everything that went with it. This got exceptionally awkward for a man whose courier service saw business triple in the lead up to February 14th.

A series of 'special deliveries' between Mr. Jack Morrison and Mr. Gabriel Reyes drew his attention. Initially, it was because he wasn’t sure if it was the world's most polite form of hate mail or the world's most awkward flirting...

But then there was something about Mr. Reyes' son, Jesse, that kept him coming back...

From Another Room by acrxphxbia [3,822 words] Reccer comment: "I always come back to this because its just so freaking sweet I'll have diabetes"

Jesse and Hanzo have a lazy day together. They play some music. A birthday gift for my lovely wife, Tsol.

Keep You On My Side by maskedhero, radiantsaber [11,438 words] Reccer comment: "I don't know that it's necessarily gooey or fluffy, but I'm pretty sure this is the softest Yeehan I have in my bookmarks."

Hanzo Shimada has loved Jesse McCree for years.

And for years, he remained silent.

A Night of Firsts by KittenzCaboodle [13,752 words] Reccer comment: "I'd like to also rec one of my fics, if it's alright, which is just pure G-rated humor and fluff"

Out of every Overwatch and Blackwatch team member Cole had worked with, Hanzo Shimada was certainly not the worst.  He had met ruder folks, meaner folks, and Hanzo was… well, Hanzo was just kinda… there, sitting in the corner, rarely making a sound, like a stray dog that you had let in from the rain that wasn’t sure if a meal or a boot was coming its way next.

Hanzo seemed perfectly content to stay out of the spotlight, pulling more than his weight on missions, assisting around the base when asked, but never going out of his way to do or say much outside of anything related to work.  There were only a few souls he even felt comfortable being near - Genji, Ana, and Cole - but being near was a far cry from being relaxed around. - Hanzo agreeing so easily to accompany Cole on a mission in Japan was a surprise, not that Cole minded getting a chance to work more closely with the handsome fella.

It would be one of a few surprises they encountered that night, as they had a night of firsts.

Teen and Up

Dreamlike by mataglap [4,063 words] Reccer comment: "Another one where they meet in dreams and it becomes reality ♡⁠˖⁠꒰⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠⑅⁠꒱"

Hanzo is used to bad dreams, and he never would have expected that a good dream would end up haunting him the most.

A Good Time is Free by cocoabunny [2,385 words] Reccer comment: "this fic is so much fun and has the distinction of being perhaps the only fic tagged both 'assassination attempt' and 'fluff' I've ever read"

McCree and Hanzo are sent on an undercover mission to assassinate a bad, bad dude—except they mess up and get trapped in a mall overnight. How did two professional ex-assassins manage to get locked in, and how are they going to cope without murdering (or passionately kissing) each other?!

Just Once by Vimeddiee [2,534 words] Reccer comment: "sugar sweet fluff"

Cole dreams that he’s kissing someone.

Respite by CommonNonsense [5,732 words] Reccer comment: "This one is a delightful read. I enjoy how the characters are written!"

He freezes for a moment before he finally hazards a look down. Hanzo has apparently nodded off, lulled into a doze by a sake with a frankly alarming alcohol percentage, and managed to tip into McCree before he could fall over.

Honestly? Not the first time someone’s done this to him.

It is the first time that McCree hesitates, though.

you give me the most gorgeous sleep by JeziBelle [1,537 words] Reccer comment: "I've only finished one yeehan fic ever and it's cotton candy (and also contains my favorite weird Southern turn of phrase I've ever written). In hopes that attention will make me write again, I humbly submit it here."

It's not that Jesse's particularly fond of waking up alone, but he's more than happy to settle for however much Hanzo is willing to give him.

Which makes for more than a little confusion the morning he doesn't.

Mature

four days by feyhound [23,869 words] Reccer comment: "Now, if you're into pretend/fake relationship fluff like I am, PLEASE read this. It's an old favorite and I come back to it every time I need a serotonin boost."

“I have an embarrassin’ favor to ask of you,” Cole says.

Hanzo stares at him expectantly, a single brow arched. “And what is that?” he asks.

“Y’see, my family might currently be under the impression that I’m bringin’ home a date for a few days next week. And, the thing is, I don’t really have one. So, I’m currently S-O-L and would really, really appreciate it if you came home with me for a few days and, uh. Pretended. To be my boyfriend.”

He stares down at his plate and jabs a fry into the enormous puddle of ketchup gathered in the center of it. If only the fry could be his hypothetical four-day boyfriend, he thinks; it would save him an enormous amount of embarrassment. It would be tastier, too.

[ Or - Cassidy desperately needs a fake date to bring home to his family, and Hanzo never does anything half-assed. ]

Like that guy in the Odyssey by vaguely_concerned [5,924 words] Reccer comment: "not quite gooey, but as fluffy as it can reasonably get and incredibly heartwarming"

In which a pair of wanderers return home — some slice of outlaw life!

Never Say Never (say how you feel) by fishpoets [5,402 words] Reccer comment: "one of my favorite tropes, and very sweet to boot!"

A list of things Jesse McCree has never done:

- spent the night with a lover without having sex - kept a lover for more than a handful of encounters - had a friend-with-benefits he actually considered a friend - or had a lover he actually loved.

There's a first time for everything.

Explicit

Have and Hold by t_pock [2,716 words] Reccer comment: "This one also has smut but it's so fluffy and so heart-warming... yeehan marriage 🥺❤️"

Jesse always thought there’d be a firefight on his wedding day.

And that's a wrap on this week! Thank you to everyone who sent in a recommendation! Keep an eye out for next week's theme: "Right on Time," or modern/contemporary AUs.

In the meantime, you can also check out the Week 1 recs here or preview upcoming themes here!

[yeehanfrf]

Week 14 Recs: Mermaid for Each Other

For Week 14, we celebrated MerMay with the theme "Mermaid for Each Other." Here are mermaid and other sea creature fics from the Yeehan community!

Behind the cut, you'll find them organized by rating and then alphabetically by title.

Teen and Up

Heart of the Sea by Odds_Evens [8,824 words]

After a rouge fire throws Jesse McCree overboard he finds himself stranded on an island with only a shy mer for company.

Mature

Match Made Under the Sea by Mish_chan [3,469 words] Note: "The one above is the specifically YeeHan one of the series. Here's the main series: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2915367."

Hanzo has felt like he has never really fit in, with his bright orange/red and white coloration and being one of the only or very few hermaphrodites in his pod. That is, until he sees a rancher/escort mer...who has the same coloration as he does, and calls another hermaphrodite mer his father.

The Monster in the Lake by ieatgrassalot [6,855 words]

Cole, now retired, find his solitary new lifestyle a bit lonely. A few broken nets later, he finds himself getting to the bottom of this mystery and somehow solving the loneliness problem all at once.

Explicit

Away by Vimeddiee [29,154 words] Reccer comment: "This is about a selkie, not a mermaid, but the vibes are correct."

Hanzo awakens to the feel of grit in his eyes and the crunch of sand between his teeth. This in itself doesn’t rudely force him into consciousness, but the insistent flicking against his nose that he groggily attempts to bat away, does.

“High tide’s coming, you better nap someplace else.”

Drink Sweet Salt by Kalikuks [WIP; 57,245 words] Reccer comment: "It’s not been updated in a while, but what is there is still very enjoyable. It’s a mixed bag of angst, cuteness, oddity and hilarity."

Hanzo watches the lightning dance across the clouds and tries to summon his dragon spirits, met with not even the sight of them cresting from his tattoo but the underlying feeling of weak static crawling beneath his skin.

With his last deep breath before the tide rises fully over him, he curses at the sky.

In Your Embrace by Dracoduceus [4,335 words]

Jesse is fully expecting to have to fight and bribe his way back into Hanzo's good graces. After a long swim to bring back the fish that his adopted human fathers intend to raise and study, he goes to search out his pretty mate.

Turns out Hanzo has a much different idea of how McCree should show how sorry he is.

Of Scales, Sand and Sun by Kalikuks [2,767 words]

“Name’s Jesse, darlin’,” the mer, Jesse, replies with every bit of flirtation his lopsided smile lends to, “An’ you?”

“Hanzo,” the naga leans down closer to Jesse, “You can call me Hanzo, dear Jesse.”

Jesse chitters happily, lifts a hand to reach for one of Hanzo’s. The naga gives Jesse his hand, lets the mer show him attention and affection by kissing along his knuckles. Yes, today is looking to be more interesting than Hanzo had thought.

On the Shore by Dracoduceus [9,247 words]

His friends meant well.

That’s what McCree needed to remember.

His friends meant well. ----

McCree didn't have high hopes for the beach vacation that his friends dragged him to.

That all changed when he stumbled upon a private beach...and a very attractive man half-buried in the sand.

Singing Stones by Kalikuks [4,158 words]

“You are mine?” “Yes.” It is barely a whisper, and Seeker nuzzles the hand pressed to his cheek, “I’ve been lookin’ all over for you.” “And here I am,” the other mer purrs.

Sunlit Scales by Interrobang [28,346 words] Reccer comment: "Yaaay it made it and heres my rec Sunlit Scales in which cole is mer and hanzo fisherman. Theres smut but overall very wholesome and cute 😌"

A collection of stories about fisherman Hanzo and merman McCree. Absolutely filthy. (Gets fluffy in later chapters because...eggs. Still occasionally dirty af though.)

Tide by hunahuna_un [3,306 words]

Just two mers, swimming in the deep sea, chasing each other cause they're so gay.

- Just the thought of Hanzo doing the dance of the sirens made him groan, let alone seeing it, this close. Finally.

Never had Jesse felt this excited about the dance of their kind - enticing him, just so. Hanzo had captured him completely, lured him in from the first flick of his tail, the first gleam of interest flashed from his eyes. He tried to reach out to touch, but Hanzo swam just out of reach again, pulling an impatient growl out of Jesse.

---

We've reached the end of the MerMay recs! Thank you to everyone who submitted a recommendation, and to spinefrepple for suggesting the theme!

If you find a fic you love using this rec list, be sure to leave the author kudos and a comment! Even "I found this fic because someone recced it" is a lovely thing to say.

Come back next time for Week 15: "Loud and Proud," celebrating the start of Pride month with fics about LGBTQIA+ identities and/or Pride events.

In the meantime, you can also check out the Week 13 recs here, or check the full list of past and future themes here.

---

Curious about the icon and some of the fic titles? This rec blog supports #EndOTWRacism, a fan campaign asking the AO3 to make good on its 2020 promises to address racist harassment on the site. Fans of color deserve to feel safe and welcome in fan spaces. To learn more, please visit @end-otw-racism and read their Call to Action.

[yeehanfrf]

Week 16 Recs: You Don't Want Sand There

For Week 16, we're celebrating the start of summer in one hemisphere and maybe providing some warmth for anyone missing it in the other hemisphere!

I asked for "summer vibes" and y'all didn't disappoint. Behind the cut, you'll find the fics gathered from the Yeehan community, organized by rating and then alphabetically by title.

General Audiences

A Summer's Promise by Rikkichi [9,254 words]

Hanzo was there, kneeling down by the water, and he had some kind of bread with him. Hanzo was tearing off small pieces of the bread and tossing it to the water, letting the fish swallow the bites whole. During all of this, Hanzo had a smile on his face. A smile that Jesse had never seen before, but that he definitely liked. It looked way better than the scowls Hanzo had been wearing a few days prior when they had met for the first time. "Hey there," Jesse said, grinning as he waved to Hanzo. Upon hearing a voice, Hanzo looked up very quickly, acting like a child that had been caught in the cookie jar. As soon as he saw Jesse, though, the other boy scowled and moved to stand up. That was when Jesse realized he had disturbed some sort of private moment, and he felt a pang of guilt. Hanzo had been enjoying himself, so why was having someone else here a problem?

Teen and Up

Mid-Mission Summer Break by wyntera [4,609 words]

With an afternoon to kill, McCree encourages Hanzo to have a little fun.

Seas the Day by PersonalSpin [3,198 words]

Overwatch beach episode, written for the Summer Gift Exchange on the McHanzo Discord!

the turning of the tides by fishpoets [5,431 words]

The end of summer doesn't have to mean the end of summer love. (Or, Hanzo goes for a swim, has a haircut, and feels a lot of feelings.)

Explicit

a cold breeze, a warm sea by extra kanin (gracon_bacon) [4,458 words] Reccer comment: "only got one this time but it's about a sweet, sweet vacation on a private island"

When you have only two days off in a month, you make the most of it. For lack of anything better to do during his rare vacation, Hanzo decides to go to a remote island with McCree. It's a day he will never forget.

Away by Vimeddiee [29,154 words] Reccer comment: "Viv's 'Away' is a masterpiece so pls go read it"

Hanzo awakens to the feel of grit in his eyes and the crunch of sand between his teeth. This in itself doesn’t rudely force him into consciousness, but the insistent flicking against his nose that he groggily attempts to bat away, does. “High tide’s coming, you better nap someplace else.” AKA I wanted to write Cassidy as a slappy boy so I DID.

Binary by mataglap [4,380 words] Reccer comment: "when I thought 'what's a summer vibe?' I thought 'Cassidy pulling the ~popsicle maneuver'"

Hanzo is arrogant and Cassidy is stubborn, which results in the world's strangest game of chicken.

Catch and Release by robocryptid [19,481 words] Reccer comment: "Catch and Release, of course. Lifeguard Cassidy as a damsel in distress and cyberninja Hanzo as his swoon-inducing savior!"

Lifeguard Cassidy works at a beach currently being terrorized by an octopus-obsessed omnic. Cyberninja is on the scene!

Coyote Lovely by t_pock [WIP; 38,969 words] Reccer comment: "Coyote Lovely (t_pock) always gave me summer-in-the-desert vibes, even though I don't know if it's set in that season specifically. Either way, it's one of my favorites even though it's not completed."

After a mission gone wrong, Hanzo and McCree must lie low in New Mexico for a week. Together.

In the Summertime by ChillieBean [41,644 words]

Halfway around the world, Cole starts a new lifeguard gig at Bondi Beach, Australia. A destination on his bucket list, he was expecting rescues, keeping people safe, laughing and joking with the locals. He was not expecting Hanzo Shimada.

on a day like this (it feels like summer) by motorghost [WIP; 4,504 words] Reccer comment: "this one by motorghost breaks my heart bc it has the loveliest liminal vibes, but it was never finished :( it's still great as a one shot though!"

Cole enjoys cushy undercover work as a lifeguard on a small, calm beach with a handsome local fisherman, but summer can't last forever. Or can it?

Today is a fine day for... by hunahuna_un [4,058 words]

After getting away from people, he takes another – closer – look of the picture he received. It is from Hanzo. And it is a picture. Hanzo is still home, laying lazily at bed, fresh out of shower, hair still dripping wet – and the bastard knows how Jesse is weak for that – naked in all his glory, holding only a small towel over his crotch, hiding his goods. Bridge piercing between his dark eyes, that promise naughty things. The nipple rings shine from morning light and his skin is still wet with droplets. Jesse lets out contented sigh and feels his cheeks becoming even more red. He curses and grits his teeth. He can feel his swimwear becoming tighter as his front gets interested in the picture he just saw. That goddamn son of a bitch.

---

That's it for Week 16! I hope you're feeling the summer vibes! Thanks so much to everyone who submitted a recommendation.

If you find a fic you love using this rec list, be sure to leave the author kudos and a comment! Even "I found this fic because someone recced it" is a lovely thing to say.

Coming up for Week 17: "Better Get Comfy." This one is another word count rec week, where the only criterion is that the fic be between 25,000 and 50,000 words.

In the meantime, you can also check out the Week 15 recs here, or check the full list of past and future themes here.

---

Curious about the icon and some of the fic titles? This rec blog supports #EndOTWRacism, a fan campaign asking the AO3 to make good on its 2020 promises to address racist harassment on the site. Fans of color deserve to feel safe and welcome in fan spaces. To learn more, please visit @end-otw-racism and read their Call to Action.