#i know i've recced all of these before but they're my favourites for a reason

[epiphainie]

i really enjoy your writing and i was curious about what your favourite bucktommy fics are 👀👀

(only if you feel like answering!)

thank you! i feel like i keep reccing the same fics but i adore them a lot sooo... i'll try to mention more this time:

(edit: putting it under read more bc it got really long)

one way trip to the sun by @newtkelly i've read this twice, i adore the writing, the film homages, the nonlinear format. it's made for me

what the agony had been for by @alchemistc honestly, anything by catie but this is one of my fav tommy focused fics and it being by buck's pov is a feature

a promise of forever by @firehose118 i love the flavor of domesticity bucktommy have in this one, it's so comforting

identify me by @kinaaaard i dont know how to explain it but this fic ruined me for some reason

histocompatibility by @rcmclachlan loved it on tumblr, loved it on ao3 again

five ways to fall in love with the man in the mirror by @userautumn i've just read this this morning and it managed to make me cry with its less than 2k words, it's gorgeous

baby, if you think you're able (you need to take this rough medicine) by @dadbodbuck best smut muah

rule four (you were only waiting for this moment to arise) by daisyblaine (idk if they're here) anything with these vibes is made for me honestly, just this liminal piece of character study

an outlier that should not be counted by @dadvans this is a classic to me

old dog new tricks by @watchyourbuck this one makes my brain go brrrrrr age gap smut you will always be famous

mr july by @lazybakerart this is how i aspire to write in buck's pov honestly, his voice is so good here, so buck

jealousy doesn't always come with green eyes by elizabethgee my fav jealousy fic

Versatile by cjr2 (please tag the writers if you know theyre here) i remember this making me laugh out loud

like sun on my skin (so this is love, i know it is) by @buckera im a slut for these types of flash moments on a theme fics and this is so sweet

Awful quiet here since love fell asleep by @cecilyv @liminalmemories21 one thing about me: the first thing i read when i get into a ship is the breakup fics and this is so beautiful my absolute fav

display me by WallabyWhump i think about this all the time, fav smut oneshots top contender

get undressed, leave a mess (worry 'bout it after) by @prettyboybuckley i read this before i watched the show and it changed my brain chemistry, it's so filthy (positive)

[elle-thereafter]

Perc'ahlia Smut Fic Recs

After S3E3 of The Legend of Vox Machina dropped the stats on my smut fics jumped overnight which was entertaining. Which strongly indicates a lot of you are looking for some sweet Perc'ahlia smut to follow-up the delights provided to us by the animated series.

Myself and some folks from the Perc'ahlia Week Discord server are very happy to provide a list of our favourites. Some of these (including some of their summaries and tags below) will contain spoilers beyond tLoVM S3E3 so tread lightly into the cut if you care deeply about spoilers. Assume every single one of the fics below contains explicit sex between Percy and Vex. I've included the AO3 summary and the helpful Additional Tags from AO3 to help you zoom in on your favourite thinigs and avoid the things you're less fond of.

After Dinner by Lycaboros

Summary: Vex has some definite ideas for this evening's activities. AO3 Tags: Sex Toys, Toys, Riding Crops, Teasing, Orgasm Delay/Denial

Bathing for Fun and Profit by ViciousRhythm

Summary: The bath sex we all know happened and the sex on a pile of money that Vex'ahlia deserves. AO3 Tags: spoilers for episode 81, Bath Sex, Incredibly self indulgent, sex on a pile of money, PWP

the beast you've made of me by seimaisin

Summary: Vex finds herself transported to her very first Wild Hunt. Percy and Orthax are determined to make her first time a memorable one. AO3 Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Werewolf Sex, Tentacles, Bondage, Animal Transformation, Chases, Dominance, Consensual Non-Consent, Erotic Horror

before those hands pulled me from the earth by worth_the_risk

Summary: Vex knew the gods were still living, sequestered behind the Divine Gate as they may be. She knew their interactions with those who still walked Exandria were limited, but purposeful. She had never had reason to thank any of them. Now, she may have to consider it. AO3 Tags: Explicit Sexual Content, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Explicit Consent, Risk Waxes Poetic About Scar Tissue Again, Past Character Death, Canon Compliant, If you're here from TLoVM and have not listened to C1 here there be spoilers, Scars, Cunnilingus, Love Confessions, Campaign 1 Spoilers through Episode 72-74-ish?, Vaginal Sex

charmeause by anonymous

Summary: Percy takes the material of the hem between his fingers and absently feels at the embroidery, eyes locked onto her and her scrunched nose of confusion. “When you said you’d be right back, my mind had gone to those little rabbit slippers, not… lingerie.” AO3 Tags: Lingerie, PWP, Cunnilingus, Post-Canon, established marriage, Gratuitously sweaty Percy, Stripping, Houston they're in LOVE, Blow Jobs, Light Dom/sub, Fluff and Smut

Comparative Anatomy by Shippeh

Summary: Percy drags Keyleth to a frat party on an errand to find numbers for a project, and ends up discovering something (or someone) a lot more interesting. AO3 Tags: College AU

Control by subtropicalStenella

Summary: Percy needs to sleep, and take better care of himself, but he's also a stubborn bastard and needs to be tricked into it. AO3 Tags: Dirty Talk, Mutual Masturbation, Fantasizing, Multiple Orgasms, Erotic Electrostimulation, Prostate Milking, Overstimulation, Praise Kink

Courage To Go On by subtropicalStenella

Summary: It's That Scene, because we love to fill in fade-to-blacks and I love the powerplay of "I open the door, COMPLETELY NAKED." but also I love damaged people and working through that damage. AO3 Tags: First Time, Porn with Feelings, Rough Sex, Desk Sex, Light Dom/sub, Light Bondage, Introspection, deliberately ignoring that introspection, Banter as Foreplay

darling, so it goes (some things are meant to be) by mischiefseven

Summary: It's the night before the fight with Vorugal, and Vex has left too much unsaid for far too long. AO3 Tags: Past Character Death, Love Confessions, Life-Affirming Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Debauchery by ladyofrosefire

Summary: If one knows where to look, there is a shop in Emon where one can find all manner of delightful things. Vex lures Percy into it one afternoon while they’re in the city for business. Or: Percy gets pegged. AO3 Tags: Pegging, Sex Toys

Deifying (flew like a moth to you, sunlight) by ladyofrosefire

Summary: Percy and Vex share a lazy morning shortly after their return from Pandemonium. AO3 Tags: Episode: the Search for Bob Spoilers, Cunnilingus, sun freckles, mild blasphemy, Morning Sex

Disciple by ladyofrosefire

Summary: Vex has a new house, new boots, and a very attractive partner who wants to please her in every way he can. That's a recipe for an excellent night. AO3 Tags: BDSM, Dom/sub, light boot worship, Cunnilingus, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Domme!Vex, Riding, Praise Kink, Fellatio, Verbal Bondage, Aftercare, PWP

everyone can see (few can test by feeling) by mischiefseven

Summary: Vex needs distraction. Percy is delighted to oblige. AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Cunnilingus, Oral Sex, Inappropriate Use of 16th Century Italian Literature

everything has changed (and now it's only you that matters) by rozegold

Summary: Vex takes care of Percy after his second brush with death. AO3 Tags: Blow Jobs, Post-Chroma Conclave

The Feathers in Her Hair by pagerunner

Summary: When Vex starts making changes to the distinctive feathers she wears, Percy begins to suspect she's sending him a sign. Perc'ahlia fic, written between episodes 62 and 63, but without specific spoilers. AO3 Tags: None

A Game of Later by thereafter

Summary: An evening at the opera escalates. Some things are better left unresolved, at least for a little while. Shameless smut, in three acts. AO3 Tags: Cock Warming, Dirty Talk, Established Relationship, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Power Dynamics, Public Sex, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn IS the plot, Vex'ahlia is a Little Shit, Percival is also a Little Shit, they are both little shits

Get your hands dirty by umwelt

Summary: It’s not his handwriting. He hasn’t seen ink in weeks, too scrapped for coin for the luxury. The P starting at the base of his hand, affording the traitor his distinction, his name eating up the space of the pad of Percy’s left thumb. Opens his palm. Yes - on the inside of each finger, a name: Doctor Ripley. Lord Briarwood. Lady Briarwood. Sir Kerrion Stonefell. AO3 Tags: Whump, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Percival "Percy" de Rolo III Has Issues, Traumatized Percival "Percy" de Rolo III, Campaign 1, Mutual Pining, Alternate Universe, Percy is the pact weapon AU, Magical Tattoos, me: so. tattoos hot. percy hot. the list hot. what if… all three??, Mild Gore, Injury Recovery, Magical Prosthetic. sort of., henna, Rated for smut in last chapter, Comfort Sex, Woman on Top, None of the angsty tags apply to the sex, Follows Campaign 1 with some extra TLOVM ~flavor~ in places

Grey by percivalium

Summary: There’s a rumble of gruff voices at the table as various other diplomats react to Daventine’s outburst. Silverware clatters, glasses and crystal goblets tink and the general hubbub of the biannual trade route summit create a very unique mashup of noises in the dining hall. And Vex’ahlia couldn’t give a single shit about any of it. AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Vaginal Sex, Wall Sex, Quickie, Sneaking Away to Fuck During Dinner, Established Relationship

hard to talk (when i'm with you) by percahlia

Summary: Percy's pretty sure at this point that his wife's favorite hobby is showing up and knocking the breath out of him, one way or another. AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Blow Jobs, Desk Sex, Under-Desk Blow Jobs, domestic sex, Post-Canon, Semi-Public Sex

Have some fun tonight by steelneena

Summary: Ever since that night at the lake, Percy and Vex have made a habit of getting carried away rather often. But it’s really whose house – and more importantly, whose bedroom within said house - they’re in that makes things…tenuous for Percy. It just so happens to be Vex’s dad’s house. And they just so happen to be Vex’s dad’s bed. In Percy’s defense, Vex hadn’t exactly told him until it was too little too late. AO3 Tags: Early 2000's aesthetic college halloween party, to keep with the theme, Mirror Sex, Accidental Voyeurism, brief mention of recreational drugs, Percy is relatively inexperienced still, Vex is very loving, Vaginal Sex, Biting, Dom/sub Undertones, stupid halloween jokes and passtimes, may have been lightly influenced by Scream, Playful Sex, love is best kink

How the Other Half Lives by sabinelagrande

Summary: Percy knows what he likes. He thinks so, anyway. AO3 Tags: Femdom, Dom Vex'ahlia, Dom Percy de Rolo, Sub Percy de Rolo, Under-negotiated Kink, Floor Sex, Self-Discovery, 094-e095 Timeskip, Dom/sub

If You Wanna Be Mine by ViciousRhythm

Summary: For all that Percy can sometimes be really eloquent, he's sometimes really…not. AO3 Tags: Car Sex, just barely touches on dom/sub dynamics, Modern AU, Alternate Universe - High School, Humor

I'll Shout From the Mountains (Love Looks Good on You) by Aesthetic_Pigeon

Summary: Vex is tired of Percy working late into the night and decides to set things right. AO3 Tags: Episode: c01e095 One Year Later…, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Cunnilingus, Vaginal Fingering, Praise Kink, Coming In Pants, Percival "Percy" de Rolo III Has a Tremor, Idiots in Love

Insight Check by percivalium

Summary: Grey Hunt patrols are long, a bit tedious and solitary. Vex'ahlia must find ways to entertain her brain while performing her Grey Hunt duties out in the Parchwood. One defiantly un-ladylike thought may have caused her some brainrot… and she needs to find a certain Lord of Whitestone to make it a reality. Hopefully he believes her when she claims otherwise. AO3 Tags: Episode: c01e095 One Year Later…, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Some Plot, Surprise Blowjob, Torn Clothing, Manual stimulation, Oral Sex, Dirty Talk, Desk Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Clothes-on Sex, Doggy Style, Hair-pulling, Consensual Kink, Top!Percy, Vex Hands Over the Reins, Ball Massage, Praise Kink, Implied Consent, Mutual Masturbation, Hand Jobs

I wanna make you hungry (then I want to feed you) by writerthewriter

Summary: Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III was not a religious man, yet for one so faithless, he spent an awful lot of time on his knees dedicated to worship. aka the one where percy really loves going down on his wife. AO3 Tags: Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, percy likes going down on his wife, Vaginal Fingering, Masturbation, Face-Sitting, Light D/s Dynamics

Jumping the Gun by LadyOfSnakes

Summary: Percival has done something very stupid and very dangerous. Vex is not okay with this. Spoilers through episode 73. AO3 Tags: First Time, Angry Sex, Oral Sex, Explicit Consent

A Lesson in Manners by pagerunner

Summary: Vex may usually be the one to call the shots where intimate matters are concerned, but that isn't to say that Percy doesn't have his own ideas. This one might prove to be especially captivating. Spoiler warning for a couple details post-episode 94/early 100s. AO3 Tags: None

Lost in the Woods with You by Her_Madjesty

Summary: When Percy stumbles away from the group, it’s…mostly by accident. AO3 Tags: Sex Pollen, Feywild Arc, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Multiple Orgasms, Oral Sex

Point Made by sabinelagrande

Summary: An argument is interrupted. AO3 Tags: Post-Chroma Conclave, Vaginal Fingering, Percy makes that +6 DEX work for him

Press by modal_contingency

Summary: Vex is unfailingly good at reading people, and Percy can be the easiest of reads. AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Dom/sub, Dirty Talk, Begging, Breathplay

The Private Games We Play by pagerunner

Summary: After game night ends, Vex and Percy decide to delve more deeply into what went on during their explorations of a certain tavern cellar. Yes, this means pretty much what you're thinking. Set just after the post-episode-115 one-shot helmed by Grog. AO3 Tags: Post-Campaign, Grog's one-shot, the meta is strong with this one, and i should not be entrusted with such inappropriate interpretations of game mechanics

A Private Vex Tape by inheritanceofgeek

Summary: Percy has been at the International Convention for Technological Innovation for 4 days and is already going stir crazy with how much he misses his wife. Lucky for him, Vex'ahlia is an innovative woman who misses him just as much as he misses her. And hey, what are webcams for if not to record home made sex tapes? AO3 Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Sex Tapes, Mutual Masturbation, Sex Toys, Vibrators, Married Life, Mentions of Taryon Darrington, That 7 hour time difference hurts me too, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Fluff and Smut

Put your arms around me, baby by steelneena

Summary: He's not quite sure how he ended up here. He, Percival de Rolo, of all people, who hadn’t wanted to stay in Emon for the summer, who’d wanted to go back home after his year exchange ended, remain cooped up in his room at home with his experiments and his books, was naked in a lake at night, kissing a beautiful woman – also naked – in his lap who could, if he was quite honest, do far better that his wiry, nerdy, early-gone-white self. AO3 Tags: Skinny Dipping, First Time, Hand Jobs, Virgin Percy, Love Confessions, Modern AU, kind of a college au, slight D/s overtones, love is kink, Enthusiastic Consent

remember me love, when i'm reborn by worth_the_risk

Summary: After Elysium, before the Core Anvil, before - well, before. AO3 Tags: Campaign 1, Spoilers through C1E106: The Endless Atheneum, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Life-Affirming Sex, Rough Sex, Vaginal Sex, Established Relationship, Introspection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, anticipatory grief

Respite for the Restless by pagerunner

Summary: It's been a difficult, troubling day. Sometimes the best you can do is reach for each other. Percy/Vex vignette, set at the mansion after episode 106. AO3 Tags: None

Satin and sweat by umwelt

Summary: Vex bites Percy’s lip in the hopes he gets the message. His fingers slow, only movement at all because she can feel every twitch deep in her cunt. Sorry - she, the lady robbed in a magpie’s iridescent blacks and whites, hostess of the soirée, bites the lip of this bespectacled owl of a man in the hopes he gets the message. It is a masquerade, after all, and one should keep up appearances. AO3 Tags: Campaign 1, Could be an AU could be canon compliant who knows!, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Vaginal Fingering, Hand & Finger Kink, Quickies, Semi-Public Sex, Clothed Sex, Shameless Smut

scarcely can speak for my thinking (what you'd do to me tonight) by worth_the_risk

Summary: “Is it terrible that we are abandoning our best friend’s first state birthday dinner?” The airy tone of her voice suggested she had already divined precisely how she felt about it. “I think Keyleth will forgive us for the excursion, if she even notices our absence.” AO3 Tags: Secret Marriage, Quickies, Cunnilingus, Blow Jobs, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Campaign 1, Spoilers through Episode 95: One Year Later…, Spoilers for The Legend of Vox Machina, Vaginal Sex, Established Relationship, Competency Kink

Second Watch by threepwillow

Summary: Depleted spell slots and some near-death experiences leave an abridged, mansionless Vox Machina camping out under the stars; but now Vex'ahlia's husband is in a mood, and who knew gnomes were such light sleepers? AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Hand & Finger Kink, That 22 Dexterity Tho, Post-Canon

Seen by subtropicalStenella

Summary: Percy acts smooth but it's a mask over an excitable, anxious dork and we love him for it AO3 Tags: Teasing, Cock Tease, Prostate Massage, Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, Face-Sitting, Percy has some internalized prudishness and it's adorable, and he's an anxious dork, Dirty Talk, Masturbation, Titfuck

someone ought to corrupt you on the dance floor by blackglass

Summary: It's Senior Week and the twins' birthday and Vox Machina is headed to the club to celebrate. With only a week left until they all graduate and go their separate ways, Vex decides she's done with wondering "what if?" Percy is not prepared for what's about to hit him. AO3 Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Porn with Feelings, Racebending, Everyone in Vox Machina is multiracial, except percy, Palest white boy to ever be a pale white boy, Background Vax/Gilmore, Background Kash/Keyleth, Clubbing, Grinding

Spoiled by thereafter

Summary: Percy schemes. Vex'ahlia is spoiled. AO3 Tags: Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Established Relationship, Light Dom/sub, Mirror Sex, Multiple Orgasms, Orgasm Delay, Porn with Feelings, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Power Dynamics, Softdom Percy, Vex Gets Spoiled

Stand and Deliver by ladyofrosefire

Summary: Percy really just wants to get ravished by a famous outlaw. Vex. He means Vex. AO3 Tags: Sexual Roleplay, Gun Kink, Outdoor Sex, Consensual Kink, Consensual Non-Consent

the sweetest distractions by rozegold

Summary: Coaxing Percy out of his workshop is something Vex has become very good at over the years, but sometimes she has to fight dirty for his own good. AO3 Tags: Fluff and Smut, Domestic smut, Happily Married Banging, Several Years Post-Campaign, Vex In Percy's Coat, Unconventional Usage of Percy's Workshop

take a step that is new by Griftings

Summary: Or, the one where Vex is enthusiastic, Percy is unsure, and… well, basically there's a threesome. With Jarett. AO3 Tags: Fluff and Smut, Crack, Threesome - F/M/M, PWP, Sort Of, like there's sort of a plot but it's honestly almost entirely just sex

Taking a Break by Lycaboros

Summary: Percy is TRYING to get some work done. It's not working very well for him. AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Interrupted Sex, Rough Sex, Desk Sex, Under-Desk Blow Jobs, post campaign one, Edging

a teaching moment by rozegold

Summary: Percy's eager to branch out and, well, how can Vex say no to that? AO3 Tags: Oral Sex, Blow Jobs, First Time Blow Jobs, Strap-Ons, Vex Teaches Percy About Blow Jobs, Finger Sucking, Percy's Got A Bit Of An Oral Fixation

under your moonlit gaze by seimaisin

Summary: Vex, Percy, the hot springs, and sex. With a brief interruption from Scanlan. AO3 Tags: Fluff and Smut, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot

Unwind already by unknownlifeform

Summary: Percy gets pegged by Vex for the first time. Things that help this activity: Percy relaxing and unclenching. Things Vex has to coax Percy into doing: AO3 Tags: Pegging, Anal Fingering, Rimming, Established Relationship, First Time Bottoming, Porn with Feelings, they are in love your honorand also they are silly!!, this is a being stupid during sex propaganda account, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot

we are learning to make fire by mischiefseven

Summary: The citizens of Whitestone celebrate Winter’s Crest. Their lord and lady have a much more personal celebration of their own. AO3 Tags: Married Sex, Desk Sex, Cunnilingus, newlyweds, Fluff, Consensual Kink, Explicit Consent

whatever you do (do it for me, baby) by mischiefseven

Summary: Percy finds something that belongs to Vex. After testing, he takes it upon himself to make some improvements. AO3 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Dildos, Mutual Masturbation, Pegging

what she wants by rozegold

Summary: Vex has discovered quite a lovely thing because of her relationship with Percy: ladies get what they want. Except sometimes, they don't. AO3 Tags: Vaginal Fingering, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Vex Can Dish But She Can't Take, Percy Gets Some Payback

when the wicked play by seimaisin

Summary: Vex and Percy only know each other online, through their favorite video game. They're both taken by surprise when their flirty, competitive relationship turns into a long-distance erotic game. Except, it may not be as long-distance as they think, and Percy is definitely more than Vex realizes. His family's fame leads them to a real-life collision, and suddenly everything is way more complicated than it seemed on the internet … (abandoned but fun) AO3 Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Nude Photos, Online Friendship, Cybersex

you'll never know unless we go by sabinelagrande

Summary: Nothing about this goes right, but it's perfect. AO3 Tags: Rough Body Play, Rope Bondage, Resistance Play, Hair-pulling, Rough Sex, Maledom, Dom Percy de Rolo, Sub Vex'ahlia

[batsplat]

batsplat! soo i know u mostly do stats and things like that for older riders like the aliens and stuff but im trying to compile a lil list of my fav pecco's races (i will have to rewatch his moto3/2 years and prob his first years in motogp coz iwas not watching every race back then) but id love to hear some of ut thoughts

if u dont care about it lol its okay just ignore this, lots of hugss

yes! of course! I ended up just giving my top 25 picks in the style of the recs lists I've done for other riders (maybe a lil less detail, he's still young) - so a mix of his best wins, great fights he was involved in even when he lost and just... plot-relevant races (aka title deciders). including a few picks from the early years!! tbh it's pretty slim pickings from the first two motogp years, but moto3/moto2 are certainly more fruitful. anyway, I reckon this ended up being... reasonably exhaustive. does admittedly feel a bit silly summarising races we all watched a few weeks ago, but while I'm already here... for posterity. favourite races get an asterisk. my personal top five are... hm... assen 2016, aragon 2021, indonesia 2023, jerez 2024 and sepang 2024 maybe

le mans 2015*: pecco has a good habit of having fun milestone races. this is his first grand prix podium finish - and the whole thing is very dramatic, a lot of pack racing involving a bunch of different battles with a bunch of different riders (including an early battle between pecco and fabio). eventually, the fight for the win comes down to a tight four-way contest that involves pecco as well as fenati, bastianini and kent. not quite enough for the win, but pecco is happy enough with his podium

mugello 2016: just one of those moto3 races. just one of those mugello races. I could try and give the race a pithy summary but 'tis a fool's errand. there's a pack of like... a lot of riders, they're all going at it, just constant chaos. pecco is right in that leading pack throughout and is doing plenty of tussling (shout out to the overtake on the outside of arrabbiata ii, gorgeous). with three laps to go, pecco gets caught in the slipstream and falls back to tenth, he's seventh headed into the final lap... eventually, he's one of five riders to cross the line at almost the same time

assen 2016*: speaking of milestones. all time banger of a debut race win, I think I'd get the circuit tattooed on my arm after this too. I'd probably name my firstborn child after the place. this is a proper assen dogfight for basically the entire way, with pecco quickly working his way up from tenth to the grid (some... bold overtaking moves) to briefly lead before getting mired in the pack. you never know which way this one is going, it's drama all the way - and the screenshot in the middle is what the state of play is in the penultimate corner (pecco is the white-ish bike). photo finish. 10/10 first race victory, truly no notes (well, maybe a few)

qatar 2018: pecco's first win in moto2 and... well, look, it's a slow burn. while there's stuff going on behind him (including alex marquez suffering from a rather odd mechanical issue), pecco's race is pretty dull viewing until two laps until the end. but there IS a last lap duel and a cute little cut back courtesy of pecco, a neat bit of race craft that would stand him in good stead over the years

austria 2018*: one of the best victories of his title-winning season. a bit of an... odd start, where he seems to initially get a good launch before sliding backwards, the race builds from there as pecco chases down title rival miguel oliveira. once pecco reaches the other rider, he does a lot of stalking and studying of his title rival while the action is mostly focused behind them... and then with a few laps to go, the duel gets going. some pretty wild riding by pecco's standards, like that bike is SKIPPING and weaving and sliding around. oliveira deploys some very respectable race craft to continue to keep pecco behind him - and it all comes down to a last lap duel. and it's... it's just great. block pass into the penultimate corner becomes a dovi-style cut back in the final bend. well worth a watch

phillip island 2019: the strongest race of pecco's rookie premier class season deserves a mention here. you only start hearing about him around halfway into the race - but as ever at phillip island there's plenty of fun action up front. pecco fights his way through the field from fifteenth on the grid, posting very respectable lap times indeed until he reaches the pack. excellent bit of tussling from there behind the duel up front... not quite enough for the podium, but he's hardly far off

misano 2020: first premier class podium! extra impressive since it was his first race back from a nasty leg injury sustained at brno. another one where he's working his way through the field - much of his race has him running in a little four-pack of him, mentor valentino rossi and the two suzukis. brave ride especially given his physical situation that also showcases his defensive skills... and he gets to limp onto the podium

qatar 2021: pecco starts his first race with factory ducati on pole position. one of those qatar races, y'know... a bunch of riders who look for much of the race like they could theoretically challenge for victory, a fair few overtakes, a rider working his way through the field for the victory. the ducatis all get a lightning start as the yamahas get swallowed - and it's actually a bit of a frustrating race from pecco's pov, given how much of it he led. eventually he fades... but he still snatches a podium in the run to the line

portimao 2021: a nifty ride powered by pecco's frustration. plenty of pace in hand but ended up qualifying all the way down in eleventh (after his pole position lap + lap time record got deleted for a yellow flag infringement)... which means he never really had a hope of challenging runaway race leader fabio. still, he fights his way through the pack for second - eating away at his rear tyre, forcing him to mount a stern defence to hang on to the position

aragon 2021*: the first ducati victory at aragon since the circuit's debut in 2010 - and a fittingly casey-esque performance from pecco. he leads the whole way but is put under a thorough examination from marc marquez throughout the duration of the race - a physically diminished version, yes, who nevertheless won at both of his other specialist tracks that year. the action remains subdued until three laps to the end with marc stalking and studying pecco, while pecco puts on a display of stubborn obliviousness towards the pressure he is being put under. when the duel breaks out, pecco is flawless in cutting back on marc after every overtake. without question one of the most impressive debut wins in modern motogp

misano 2022: due to issues with the new ducati as well as his own errors, pecco's 2022 title campaign gets off to a decidedly rocky start. by the time motogp goes off for its summer break, pecco is 91 points adrift off the championship lead. then he locks in and goes on a tear - misano is his fourth consecutive win, sealed in his confrontation with enea bastianini (his second that year after le mans). this is one of those phillip island 2009-style 'edging you with the concept of a duel more than actually duelling' type situations but, well, it's an impressive bit of defending and very close in the end

aragon 2022: the most significant thing to happen in the race from pecco's pov was nothing he himself did, but instead when a rather... eventful first lap courtesy of marc wiped out pecco's chief championship rival fabio quartararo. given the big points swing in pecco's favour, it will have somewhat changed his approach to this race... nevertheless he fought hard for the win, ending up in another fight with bastianini - with his future teammate narrowly getting the better of him this time out

phillip island 2022*: look. it's a phillip island dogfight. they're good watches. even by that circuit's standards, the leading pack in this one is rather substantial, and you would not be able to guess which riders end up in the podium fight after the first few laps. while pecco's title rival once again fails to see the chequered flag, he fights in the lead group throughout - eventually securing a well-earned podium behind the fairy tale winner. an exciting race that goes a long way to securing pecco the title

sepang 2022*: pecco's first match point race - and he does like a bit of drama in sepang late in his title fights. this one can be recommended to both fans of tense duels and fans of extended shots of ducati personnel pacing nervously around as they weigh up the merits and pitfalls of team orders, in a welcome throwback to valencia (and indeed sepang) 2017. fabio puts in a strong performance to keep the title fight rolling to valencia, but pecco refuses to settle for second and bests bastianini in another duel to virtually wrap up the title

valencia 2022: committed myself to including title deciders in these things since they are important races, even though the vast majority of them are deeply mediocre viewing experiences. this one is no exception. bar a fun scrap between pecco and fabio early in the race, pecco mostly just does his best to keep it upright as he rides home to his first premier class title. hardly his best performance, but he did what he needed to do

sachsenring 2023: the stage of the season where jorge martin is beginning to emerge as pecco's main title challenger - and he confirms his new status in emphatic fashion at the sachsenring. a race that culminates in a last lap duel, rare in this era, where jorge just about holds off pecco in what remains perhaps his best premier class victory

indonesia 2023*: for much of that weekend, it looked like pecco's title bid might be in serious trouble. jorge's momentum has been steadily building - helped out by a period in which pecco was physically impaired by a nasty crash at catalunya. here, pecco finds himself stranded on a lowly thirteenth on the grid. jorge wins the sprint in emphatic fashion and takes the lead in the championship standings... but momentum once again swings on sunday. pecco puts together an inspired comeback ride and scythes his way through the field to secure what should have been second, if his title rival hadn't ended up crashing out of a comfortable lead. in the end, jorge earns the dubious honour of boasting the then-shortest ever period as championship leader, while pecco takes the spoils and reclaims the lead in the title race

phillip island 2023*: a twist on the classic phillip island dogfight - with pecco's title rival the runaway race leader for much of the race while the battle for the remaining podium positions raged behind him. really, this should have been a damage limitation race for pecco, but eventually jorge's tyre choice comes back to haunt him. an exciting ride from the first-time winner and a starring performance from pecco within the pack

thailand 2023*: the most memorable part of this race is pecco's two-in-one overtake attempt - just goes wrong, mainly because jorge sends him to the car park, but it's still some of the best late braking you'll ever see. it comes during pecco's extended fight with both title rival jorge and brad binder, an exciting three-way tussle that goes down to the very last lap

valencia 2023: another title decider, and this time a more assured race from pecco. features an early tussle with an enthusiastic jorge, who drops back - then definitively ends his title hopes by sending marc to the moon and himself to the gravel. from there on, pecco can ride it home in style. still not the most thrilling of races unless you're conceptually really into ktm riders fluffing their lines

jerez 2024*: after a rocky start to the year, pecco needed a win here to begin to turn his season around. he gets an excellent start - and the best thing about that race (and quite possibly the season) remains the first lap two-in-one overtake on the jerez back straight. after an early tussle with his main title rival jorge, the race win eventually comes down to a confrontation between pecco and a late-charging marc. top two duel of the season

le mans 2024: pecco and jorge take turns to lead the way - it's a race that's very much gradually building to its climax. much of the excitement is provided by marc cutting his way through the field from a poor qualifying, and the three riders converge right at the end to hash out the podium positions on the very last lap

thailand 2024: given how rare it is historically for two title contenders to dominate a wet race, both pecco and jorge's performances at this race deserve a fair bit of praise. pecco rides an assured race, taking advantage of an early jorge mistake to hit the front - before having to deploy some robust defending to keep marc behind him until marc crashes. from there, pecco brings it home fairly comfortably - his first win in the wet and one that keeps his title hopes alive

sepang 2024*: the battle between title rivals might have only lasted a few laps, but it's the single best w2w fight we've had in years... and you have to go very far back to find two title rivals racing each other quite so fiercely. fantastic racing and fantastically brave by the pair of them - especially by jorge who had considerably more to lose. settles down after that when tyre pressures doom the rider in second, still more than worth it for that initial stretch

catalunya ii 2024: again. including title deciders out of a sense of obligation. I'm not convinced any pecco fan will be rushing to rewatch this race unless you're a real aficionado for exercises in futility. pecco still does what he has to do and puts in an impressive final performance of the season, put under some sustained early pressure from marc before eventually pulling clear to comfortably secure his eleventh win of the season. an impressive count by any measure, albeit not enough to take the title on this occasion

[landhoe-norris]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers! Spread the self-love 💞

thanks for this jo! just what i needed today (i did get two and i'll be answering that one as well).

Life After You - Lando laid his hands on the lifeless chest of his fiancé's body, dressed in the suit he was supposed to get married in. He wanted to cry, to scream, to punch something. Everything had been taken away from him in the blink of an eye, and yet he couldn't mourn it. Not in the way he was expected to. He had shed tears when he had gotten the call, the voice on the other end telling him the man he was supposed to marry in two weeks had died in a car crash. But since then, there had been nothing. And now, on the weekend that was supposed to be the happiest of his life, he was watching his future being lowered into the ground.

This is the first multi-chapter fic I ever finished, and it holds a special place in my heart. My writing style has definitely evolved since I finished it, but there's just something about it that still makes me proud and warms my heart whenever I think about it. it's based on the movie catch and release.

all you have to do (stay) - Lando doesn't quite know how it had evolved to this, how he had become the grid's trophy or consolation prize in some instances. All he knows is that it fills a void, gives him purpose, and makes him feel wanted. He loves taking care of them. But who's taking care of Lando?

This is my all time favourite fic I've written, and the one I had least problems with (re: inspiration, time, and editing). Everything just seemed to click—I’d get ideas easily, scenes flowed naturally, and I didn’t have to wrestle with the plot or struggle to get it right. It was one of those rare times where writing felt effortless, like I was just putting down what the story wanted to be.

worship me beneath the sheets - It's so sensual, the way they're moving together, and Charles is lapping up the attention he's getting from both men. It's what he thrives on, craves, one of the reasons he became a model in the first place. All eyes are on him, always. He looks back up at Max only to see that he doesn't have his attention anymore, and neither does Daniel. He's looking over their shoulders. Charles wants to look behind to see what has captured his attention, but he's fairly stuck between their two bodies, so he doesn't; he just looks expectantly at Max as he holds out his hand. Charles can see a mop of curls come into his vision out of the corner of his eye, grabbing at Max's outstretched hand or Best friends Daniel and Max meet strangers Charles and Lando at a club and take them back to their hotel.

This one kind of just came alive. I don’t really remember writing it; all I knew is that I wanted to write something hot. The story took shape almost on its own, with each scene building naturally, and before I knew it, I’d crafted something I was proud of. It’s one of those rare pieces where every word felt right, and I barely had to go back to edit. I love how it turned out—like the story knew exactly what it wanted to be from the start! It's one of the very few stories I've written where there's no Carlando.

Black Velvet - Lando has gone through a lot in his life. When he was 13, his mom went missing, and he was left with a dad who wanted nothing to do with him. All of this has caused abandonment issues that make him cling to anyone who shows him kindness. When he starts working at Sapphire, a strip club owned by Lewis Hamilton, he finally starts figuring himself out. But what he doesn't realise is that he's launching a chain of events that can ultimately lead him to lose everything he holds dear to his heart while simultaneously resurrecting the ghosts of his past.

This fic is a labour of love and comes from blood, sweat and tears (and I'm not being hyperbolic). I went through hell as I wrote it, was accused of plagiarism because this is a stripper fic, and apparently you can only have on stripper fic in this fandom. But I poured everything I had into this story, fighting through doubt and criticism because I believed in it. Each chapter was a battle, yet it’s one of the pieces I’m most proud of <3

Impractical Magic - Charles and Lando were born into a family where falling in love means you end up dead. They take different paths in life, Charles wanting nothing more in life than to feel the exhilaration love brings, and Lando too afraid to ever put himself out there. When Charles gets into trouble with one of his boyfriends, Lando must figure out how to help him while trying his best not to fall in love with the one man who can take his life apart, Detective Carlos Sainz.

I'm quite proud of my chaptered fics, much more than I am of the one shots I've written. This one was for the first Carlando Winter Break Exchange, and I left it way too late and was fighting against time and myself the entire time I wrote it, and yet I enjoyed the hell out of it, and am proud to say that I wrote this :)

[non-un-topo]

6, 18, and 22 for the writing asks?

Hello, thank you!! <3

6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?

So many omg. I'll make a little list off the top of my head, but I have been thinking about making a proper rec list! (Some of these are locked and only accessible to people with an ao3 account btw! And I also just realized these are all the canon universe lol)

all this time by @knoepfchen

Lovely Nile POV 'coming-of-immortality' fic that takes place just after the events of the movie. Just some excellent characterization and I love the way the whole team's dynamic is written. Feels like a special feature.

A Glacier Moving Through You by harryhotspur

I've recc'd this before, and I always will. About Joe and Nicky in New York during the AIDS crisis, while Joe is getting a Master's in medieval studies and Nicky is training to be a paramedic. Just such a beautiful, painful, heartfelt story that feels so true to the characters and real life. I think about it constantly.

no one does it better by @maddielle

Old man discovers the modern porn industry and thinks he and his husband can do it better. Just an absolutely delightful fic ft. team shenanigans, Joe and Nicky sexting and figuring out modern technology, and some of the best and most realistic smut I've read. They're soft guys, but they can be freaks too.

Leave the Window Open by superblackmarket

By one of my favourite fic authors. Very hard to pick a favourite fic of theirs, but I do re-read this one a lot. It's got something to it that makes my heart ache.

Conviction by @fadagaski

Unfinished/wip, but I adore this fic and it's definitely worth the read. Centers on Joe, Nicky, and Booker together on a delicate mission in the Philippines just before the events of the movie. Intense and wonderfully in-character, with very well-written OCs.

world enough and time by @raedear

A huge comfort fic to me. In which Andy has to go to the dentist, and Joe and Nile stay back and have a long chat about dreams and immortality and loneliness. There's just something I absolutely adore about this fic that makes me keep coming back to it. Maybe the shift in mood between each scene, maybe the way the dynamics between Andy and Nicky, and Nile and Joe are written. Maybe it's all the love Andy has for her family.

18. Answered!

22. Do you know how your fic will end before you start writing?

Generally, yes. I usually map out the whole plotline on a different document, but sometimes I just write as I go along and surprise myself! The only reason I like having the ending planned is because I love to mix in themes and motifs and make sure they're consistent throughout the whole fic. It always has to end with some sort of revelation or something dsfgfd

[marley-manson]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 🤍

Thank you!

lol I only have five fics posted so I'm gonna do this for vids instead.

Wreck

There's exactly one shot I might go back and change if I could now, but honestly this is probably my favourite of my vids. It accomplishes, imo, what I always want to accomplish with a vid, which is both being visually engaging and fitting the music in a satisfying way, and essentially being a visual essay with a thesis statement. I feel like the essay part works on multiple layers too, where the basic point (Guts' violence is self-destructive) should come across pretty clearly, but there are a lot of little nuances that reasonably only I will ever know lol.

Like for example there's a set of three shots towards the end: a monstrous arm reaching out, a sword-strike, and a monstrous arm falling severed to the ground. Those three shots form a coherent whole, but they're taken from three very different scenes, which, put together, draw a throughline between Guts' rapist, Guts' abusive father figure, and Guts' urge to fight monsters.

Ultimately I made this vid for me, and my intended audience is happy with it.

The Moon Will Sing

I feel like this one was very successful on an emotional level. Every time I watch it there are several moments that give me shivers, and it never wears off. It's a love letter to Casca, and you can feel that imo. Plus I'm very proud of just being able to make a Casca vid that's about her life and her accomplishments and disappointments, and not romance lol.

Long Black Coat

This is the earliest completed vid I still have and yk what it holds up. The song edit is smooth enough that I completely forgot I edited the song until someone mentioned how cut up it was lmao, since it's one I never listen to outside of rewatching this vid; the music is illustrated by the visuals very well imo, it has a good sense of rhythm; and while it's still pretty linear it's not completely linear lol, which was an accomplishment for me when I was like 18.

Tropic Morning News

The fugue state I went into while making this was ridiculous, and then I spent the next few days rewatching it like 50 times. The hypomanic obsession has worn off and it's not quite as perfect as I thought during that week of making it lol, but it still holds up pretty well imo, and it was a memorable experience. It's the only vid I've ever made with a constructed reality element so it's a successful experiment too. I think it comes together overall, and it's a good portrait of Hawkeye/BJ as a ship.

Waltzing Along

I'm saying this vid instead of my most recent pretty much solely because it was my first Mash vid, I feel like they're ultimately pretty equivalent. But yeah like, going in I was extremely skeptical that Mash would work as a source for me, because it lacks a certain cinematographic polish lol. It's not super visually interesting and a lot of significant moments are portrayed almost solely through dialogue. But then I started this and I was like oh okay I can work with this, nice. So I have this vid to thank for all future Mash vids, and for helping expand my resourcefulness as a vidder.

Plus I'm pretty proud of it in general, like the death verse came together so well, I love my choice to show Tommy and Henry before the lyric reaches 'death row,' to add that little retroactive realization of why they're here. And intercutting Hawkeye getting out of the bus with Hawkeye helping the North Korean dig a grave, leading into Hawkeye supporting all his friends... Hawkeye.mp4. It also has a slightly stronger emotional core than my most recent one, probably.

Also I showed it to my dad and it made him tear up lol so I consider that a win.

[modernmanblues]

hiii sorry i'm so slow 🫠 a lot going on at this time of the year as usual but i'll try to get back to you faster!

BUT i finally got to listen to 10cc and i love it sm!! i realised i've actually heard i'm not in love before and always loved it, and i'm mandy fly me might be my fav out of the songs i listend to so far! this sound is definitely right up my alley and i'm so surprised i never really listened to them before (even though i always saw their albums while browsing vinyl stores bc they're always at the very beginning bc of their name lmao)

so tell me more about eric and what it is about him that you love the most? 👀

oh i love all of these films as well! jimmy dean and jusy garland hold a special place in my heart :') and i've been meaning to do an all-time fave list for the longest time but i always forget about it haha. i really love musicals and british kitchen sink so off the top of my head i'd say west side story, a star is born, a taste of honey and billy liar! but there are many many more

and i write too! i've been trying as long as i can remember but i feel like i really got into it and realised a lot about writing only just recently. do you have any writing routines or tips that help you with it?

i wanted to read on the road for the longest time!! yes, reading is also one of the things i really got into again recently after a break! the biggest reading discovery of this year for me definitely was james baldwin, i adore his writing style, it's exactly the way i'm trying to write too. what are your favourites and recs?

-☃️

hello there!

and it’s no worries, take your time :) i was telling the person i am a secret santa for that i may be slow with responses as well so it’s alright, take as much time as you need!

HANG ON you listened to ‘I’m Mandy, Fly Me’ and actually LIKED it?! oh bless your little heart. i know it may not mean much to you, but it does to me. it makes me happy when i get anyone to listen to 10cc and they actually end up kinda digging them, so thank you for that. you’ve made my night 🥹 Mandy is perhaps one of my favourite 10cc tracks. like i mentioned in my previous response, that song has touched me on a more personal level, so for anyone to listen to it and enjoy it means the world to me.

oh dear, i think the question here is what don’t i like about Eric dearest? my darling, i could go on day long digressions about him if i’m going to be honest, but i’ll make this one brief for the sake of time. right, well for starters, and in my humble opinion, he is the epitome of what makes someone the perfect musician/songwriter. his excellence as a multi-instrumentalist, music producer and music engineer is unprecedented. not to mention, his devotion to what he loves doing in his professional life extends to his personal life as well. his deep infatuation with cars, interior design, travelling and all his other hobbies outside of music is something that resonates with me and one of the first things that drew me to him. i love how passionate he gets about anything and everything he’s into, and i think i can attribute that to him being a true aquarius. now i don’t normally believe in all this astrological nonsense, but i do feel that me being a gemini might be the reason i’m so enamoured with a sweet, calm and passionate aquarius such as Eric Stewart. the bottom line here is, he’s the entire package. i’ve searched far and wide for a musician/celebrity that i can relate to the most and it’s him. we both have gone through similar struggles in life, but funny thing about that is we both speak about our struggles with a sense of optimism, which could very well be attributed to our resilience to such adversities.

as far as writing goes, no i haven’t got a routine. i come from a long line of writers so i feel privileged to have the gift of coming up with poems, story plots, sonnets what have you, all in my head! anytime. anywhere. drives me crazy sometimes. anyway, i do believe Beatle Paul once spoke about having the ability of coming up with song lyrics on a whim. beautiful thing isn’t it, writing? i think anyone who has the gift of writing/songwriting should cherish and foster it, as i do.

oh yes, On The Road has really touched on a personal level this year especially, when i decided to pack my bags and travel 4 days to move from new york to this magical land called california. i do feel like the main protagonist in On The Road, Sal in many ways (minus all the obscenities he gets himself into in the book). Jack Kerouac, is a brilliant author and i do highly recommend you have a look at On The Road. really, it will change your life.

and James Baldwin, eh? well that’s an unfamiliar name but i’m intrigued now that you’ve mentioned him. i’ll have to check out some of his work.

thank you for this wonderful discussion, i do hope we carry on like this. by the way, how’s your christmas decorating going? have you done any holiday shopping yet? (assuming you celebrate christmas. if not, just ignore). i still have to do some decorating at my new place, but i’m just taking things one day at a time. you know how it is.

right well, talk to you soon. thanks for the wonderful chat :)

[searidings]

Okk First of all I love almost all of your fics. They all feel very cathartic in the end like sweet sweet payoff even when the beginning are sometimes too heartbreaking. So thanku for writing those angst with happy ending.

Now I wanna ask which is your all time favorite fic that you feel got the characterization of kara and lena closest to the show, since you have no bookmarks . Also which fic is that you go back to most often from time to time.

godddd asking me to pick one of anything is an extremely tall order, the best i can do for you is a handful:

people will say we're in love by @takethegrasskara is the best exploration of kara's character i've ever seen

i need you to pencil in the rest by @mooosicaldreamz is probably my favourite characterisation of lena post-reveal

and then truce by @itllsetyoufree, would you forget me? (do i know you?) by @hrwinter and the love of forgetting by kl_morgan are probably my favourites in terms of story and all-round canon-ish characterisation, and all of these are fics i've read multiple times!

[maraudersmap123]

My Fic Recs

Hey guys, so after many many years of having this account and posting on it, I have decided that im finally going to post my fic recs. I've been writing fics myself for around 3 years now, and I have been reading fics for much longer. so it's fair to say I have compiled quite the list. I love all of these pieces so much, and I think the authors are just amazing. So I hope you all enjoy these are much as I do. I might even start posting these more often, monthly maybe if I have enough because I think it's a great way to bring recognition to great writers on this platform.

Some of the summaries are by me and some are just copied and pasted from the post.

Firstly I'd like to recommend my favourite author for harry potter fanfic, who inspired me to start writing in the first place. This is the only rec I have from Wattpad so I thought I would do it first. They also write for almost everyone, so it doesn't really fit in with the rest.

Harry Potter One Shots (Vol. 1) - @everlovingdeer

SIRIUS BLACK

Study Buddy by @unfortunatelysirius - "You’re Sirius’s History of Magic tutor, but it occurs to you that maybe he doesn’t need the extra help."

They're Just Girls by @hermioneshandbag - A Sirius version of the Jily love story.

Smile by @midnighttmarauder - Sirius gets a letter from home and the reader comforts him.

Babe, you're a habit by @jamcspotters - Muggle au. “The number one rule of friends with benefits is no feelings involved, and, you think you just broke it.”

Don't You Mind by @hermioneshandbag - Friends to lovers but they both think it's unrequited.

The Five Times Sirius Felt Time Stop by @wizardwritings - "Sirius Black could only recall five times in his life when he felt as if time stopped. All those times just happened to revolve around you."

Wasn't Expecting That by @spideyxxboi - "You and Sirius have a secret relationship and don’t know how to tell the other boys until they accidentally walk in on something they weren’t expecting."

About what I said last night by @rainandhotchocolate - Sirius and his girlfriend get into a fight before she leaves for a mission where she is injured.

potter. by @mellifluousmalfoy - Soulmate AU and friends to lovers in one.

How to Fall in Love: For Dummies by @wizardwritings - "Modern AU. you and Sirius have been best friends for years now, but after six months of living with him, you realize that maybe you liked him as more than a friend. The plan? To make him realize the same thing in just three, foolproof steps."

the feeling that we're meeting by @writesowhatnext - "Sirius Black has never liked the reader and this he made known. Maybe it’s because she’s a Slytherin. Maybe it was the bat-bogey hex. Strange, though, how things change with a war in full throttle."

The risk of love by @with-love-anu - "Sirius had been your bestfriend since forever. Things change when he runs away from home"

Baby Fever by @vampirestookmydoubts - Sirius and the reader disagree on having a child.

The way you look at her by @theweasleysredhair - Maybe there really is a fine line between hate and love.

Style by @userinejghafa - you’re the only one for sirius black and the thought overwhelms him.

REMUS LUPIN

Cold Cold Cold by @pronqzz - Essentially where Remus and the reader have some relationship problems.

Happily Ever After by @sleekeazyz - Pretty much post-war fluff with a hint of angst.

This isn't how it ends by @lilysevans-archive - The beginning of the relationship between the reader and Remus with a bump in the road. A headcanon.

Drunk by @futurewriter2000 - Remus puts his drunk girlfriend to bed.

White Lies by @jamcspotters - “I’m sick of you lying to me, Remus. Aren’t we best friends?” with those words, you turned around, walking out of his dorm with heavy steps and an even heavier heart.

Full Moon by @theweasleysredhair - After a particularly bad full moon, Y/n decides it’s time to admit that she knows all about Remus’ little secret, especially since she’s known for years.

Reasons by @drxcodormixns - “I said you couldn’t fall in love with me, but I didn’t say I couldn’t fall in love with you.”

Selfish 1/2 2/2 by @aspiringauthorintraining - best friends realise and eventually confess that they in fact love one another.

Only Love by @imaginesfrommetoyou - Remus and the reader have a secret relationship.

My Heart by @swellwriting - James' sister confesses her feelings for Remus in the infirmary

JAMES POTTER

Promises by @jamcspotters - “After days of hiding from your best friend, forced proximity may just be what it takes for secrets to be revealed.”

Why? by @futurewriter2000 - Jily but with the reader not lily.

Players Cigarette Mate by @amarauder - "in which a girl's bad habit turns into a good one."

The Girl Next Door And The Five Times She Stopped Time by @wreckofawriter - "James slowly begins to fall in love with the girl next door'

misconceptions by @siriusmuch - "james has been telling the marauders all about just how amazing you are. one day, you overhear and get the wrong message from the conversation."

After Quidditch by @intoanothermind - "I was almost too late and almost lost the best thing that happened to me in my life because I was too stubborn"

Always have by @awritingtree - "James and Y/N have always been two peas in a pod, never straying far from the other. Even through James’ endless pining and ramblings about his ‘Lilyflower’, Y/N never left his side. But what happens when Lily’s rejections go too far one day? And what happens when Y/N realizes she’s starting developing feelings for her best friend?"

DRACO MALFOY

The Relationship Formula by @wizardwritings - An arranged marriage between two purebloods.

Play Pretend by @wondernimbus - "in which two people are forced into marriage; reader falls in love. draco doesn’t."

THEODORE NOTT

Stoic Manners and Shy Smiles by @imintofictionalmen - Theo and reader catch feelings for one another but Theo isn't to good at communication.

Did I Mention by @kayesfictioncharactershusbands - "You didn't know when it started, or how it started. You just hate Theodore Nott. And same goes for him. But what if did I mention he also likes you? But one certain word made you slapped Theo because he was jealous. That you didn't know of."

[fangirlmedstudentblog]

Ann's 2022 Wrapped pt 2(A)

So, here's part 2 with my yearly recap in fandom that I'm guessing you all will like more, the FANFICTION RECOMMENDATIONS!!

Top fics of this year

According the ao3 wrapped, I've managed to read as many as 3.5k fanfics this year, which roughly amounts to 10 fics a day 😱 and a total of 115 MILLION word over the span of a year, which is amazing, considering all the time I've spent working in the hospital (because yes I was an intern), studying AND playing Genshin.

Since I'm tasking myself to rec fics from as many of the fandoms i read fics for (of which there are many), I'll limit myself, and it proved to be as hard I had thought it would be.

My list is in no way even close to an exhaustive fic rec list for the pairing. It has some gems to get you started if you're new to the ship, or some fics to re-read, if you've already read these. If there is a podfic of the fic, I'll include that too! Podfics deserve more love and are a boon, allowing us to listen to our favourite stories while doing other work or playing games! They're one of the top reasons I've not fallen asleep while completing exploration in Genshin Impact lol.

In the m/m fics, i don't write the ship name with the top/bottom fixed in mind as i always headcanon them as versatile. (I know some people like to read fixed dynamics for certain ships, so this is just a fyi for them.)

Do check the tags of the fics before reading and check the author's pages for further fics to read!

All fics are complete unless mentioned otherwise.

Fandoms/Ships covered:

1. Draco/Hermione from Harry Potter

2. Merlin/Arthur from BBC Merlin

3. Peter Parker/Johnny Storm from Spiderman and The Fantastic Four comics

4. Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale from Teen Wolf

5. Namjoon centric BTS fics

6. Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto

7. James Bond/Q from James Bond (Craig) movies

Covered in part 2(B) because too many links lol

8. Frank Hardy/Nancy Drew from Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series

9. Prapai/Sky from Love in the Air

10. Batman / Red Robin comics

11. Miscellaneous fic recs

Pairing: Draco/Hermione aka Dramione from Harry Potter

Fuck JKR and any and all transphobes. Her world of HP was the first serious series that i read and grew up with, so the emotional attachment i have with this series is a lot. So while i don't support her in any way or form, fanfics are fair game for me.

I discovered Dramione when i started reading fanfiction and came across this rather lovely dramione fanfiction called Simply Irresistible that opened my eyes to the pairing. I'd always liked Draco as a character with unrealised potential. And Hermione is and always has been my favourite character from HP. The sweet sweet potential of Dramione combined with the excellent fanfics on ffnet dragged me in and hasn't let me go even now, to be honest. This pairing has so many EXCELLENT fics i simply can't even think of picking my top fics. So I'm just listing the top 6 dramione fics i re-read every year.

1. Rewritten in Time series by ScotlandEvander Rated T

Scared and tired, Draco Malfoy decides to take matters into his own hands. Using a potion, he travels back in time, finds himself in his eleven year old body with all his memories from the past seventeen years. Using this knowledge, he sets out change time. His first mission: befriend Harry Potter. His second: Keep Harry from doing death defying acts. (Turns out harder than Draco had envisioned.)

A Draco centric Harry potter time travel fix-it! It's one of my favourite Harry potter fic to read, and offers the full experience from first to seventh year. Features an OC who is important to the story but not part of the main pairing. It's a fun series that is a slow burn with the dramione as they don't get together till a lot later.

The fix-it version of Harry is hilarious, especially as the years progress. Features lots of friendship moments between the characters and the romance is slow and subtle with hints throughout the series. I try to re-read this whole series atleast once a year.

2. Rewriting Destiny by WaitForTheSnitch Rated General Audiences

They all thought after Voldemort's fall that the world would get better. But they were wrong. The Death Eaters used politics to accomplish what Voldemort never could. And with the dwindling Wizarding population and no one left to fight, there's only one solution: to go back in time to before Voldemort rose to power, and fix what broke the first time around. Time Travel AU

Features Draco and Hermione as time travellers that go back in time to make sure Voldemort never rises to power. I love how the author writes the characters, and their interactions with each other. I'm a goner for good world building and this fic delivers in SPADES.

3. Measure of a Man by inadaze22 Rated E

To truly know someone is to differentiate between who they once were, who they are now, and who they're capable of being. Hermione realises the duality of one man as she rectifies what she knows of the past and begins to understand the pieces of who Draco Malfoy is now: a father, a son, and a man.

It is a post-hogwarts dramione EWE (epilogue what epilogue for those unaware of the term) fic with Hermione being tasked to take care of a rather unique case, and during the process, she learns and grows.

It is NOT a short fic at all, clocking in at almost 600k, and it is SLOW burn, that sometimes is a long low simmering roast. Narcissa in this fic is amazing. I personally wouldn't recommend this to be read in one sitting, and with having some fluff fics on standby for the in between breaks because it is heavy in places.

*Funnily enough all the fics I'm recommending above are LONG as fuck fics clocking in atleast 100k words or more. I really love reading long fics*

4. The Eagle's Nest by HeartOfAspen Rated E

Hermione's eighth year at Hogwarts is already going to be difficult in the aftermath of the war, but is further thrown into upheaval when Headmistress McGonagall orders a re-sorting of all students to promote inter-house unity. But when the Sorting Hat sends Hermione to Ravenclaw with Draco - and without Harry or Ron - how will she cope? [Epilogue? What epilogue?] Prevalent alchemy.

I love eighth year dramione fics! They have so many possibilities, with most commonly having Hermione coming back alone to Hogwarts without Harry or Ron.

In this fic, both Draco and Hermione discover the hidden depths in the other, especially Hermione, coming to know more about Draco as they progress through their eighth year at Hogwarts.

5. The Gloriana Set by ThebeMoon Rated E

The War is won, and Hermione Granger is back at Hogwarts as an “Eighth Year”, feeling reckless and determined to shed her prim bookworm persona. She will do as she pleases, and anyone who doesn’t like it will see the business end of her wand. Also returning is Draco Malfoy, universally hated but determined to restore his family’s name. Hermione’s hopes for a quiet school year are quickly dashed as she contends with mischievous First Years, killer plants, enchanted hair accessories, a totally inappropriate Moaning Myrtle, renegade Death Eaters, a nice vampire, a poorly named study group, a depraved party, and mysterious, threatening blood messages on the castle walls. We have redemption, partial redemption and (sadly or hilariously) no redemption at all. Throw in a snarky, disturbingly attractive Draco with his own secret agenda, and we have a very slow-burn Dramione with a side of who-dun-it.

This is one of my favourite eighth year dramione fics that keeps you engrossed throughout the fic and it also has a in progress podfic that can be found here.

6. Chronos Historia by In_Dreams

Hermione and Draco stumble upon a mysterious portal and find themselves hurtled back through time a thousand years. Forced to team up to find a way home, they quickly realize that much of the history they believed to be fact, wasn't true after all. A founders era, time travel Dramione.

As it says on the tin, with such an interesting take on the founders, i was intrigued. It was also my first founders era fic.

While this next fic isn't strictly a dramione but a Draco/Hermione/Theo fic so i couldn't resist but add this in, it's a personal favourite. It's spicy and a very well written throuple polyamourous fic, with the characters playing nicely off each other and another eighth year fic as well!

7. Sugar and Spice by InLoveWithForever

Contrary to what she claimed, it wasn’t grass and new parchment and spearmint toothpaste she smelled.

A mind-boggling amalgamation of confusion followed by a peripheral realization, and then instantaneous fear made her flush so severely that the room went fuzzy around the edges of her vision as she choked out the lie.

It was old parchment housed in the restricted section, tart green apples, and something spicy—not cinnamon, cloves?—that lingered inside her nostrils. She was woozy, her lids drooping heavily, even as a small part of her brain screamed at how wrong this was. A larger, louder part of her shoved the shame down in favor of baser instincts. Those instincts dampened and dissipated and the shame crowded in the further removed she was from the delicate, unmistakable scent wafting from the cauldron.

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Pairing: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon aka Merthur from BBC Merlin

Despite knowing about this show since 2014 (blame this hellsite) i only got the chance to watch this show in 2016 and boy did i fall headlong in love with this show and it's characters. I love that the fandom still remains active to this day, even a decade after this show ended.

And we all cry hysterically every Christmas Eve because that ENDING 😭 or maybe that's just me lol and the i reread that one post canon fic because i want to feel. And that leads to my first rec,

1. And like the cycle of the year, we begin again by katherynefromphilly Rated E

Set after the Merlin Series 5 Finale "Diamond of the Day".

For many long years Merlin waited.

For the other part of his soul, for the other half of his life. He was born to serve Arthur. So that meant he was also born to wait. Even if it took a thousand years. Even if the wait seemed never to end.

Until one day, suddenly, it did.

When Arthur stumbles from the Lake of Avalon 1,500 years after his death, he finds a world unlike the one he knew. Faced with the loss of everyone he loved, and the threat of impending prophecy, Arthur must learn what it means to be not just a king, but the Once and Future King. Merlin does all he can to guide him, even as he struggles to hide his love for his king, and his fear of losing him again.

Story includes sass, banter, horseplay, & True Love

It is part of a lovely series, We Begin Again which i read every year atleast once, it's a classic masterpiece that fulfils my S6 dreams.

2. Evil Overlord, Inc. by Footloose, mushroomtale Rated E

Merlin is a recent graduate with a double doctorate in metaphysics and physics. Arthur is a low-level paper pusher with a desk in the sub-basement of MI5. They live in a world with ridiculous laws and restrictions against anyone who might be supernatural in any way, shape, or design.

Merlin has huge debts looming over this head, a few quid left in his bank account, and no job prospects. Arthur is pushing thirty, in a dead-end job with no chances of promotion to fieldwork agent, and is thoroughly bored with his life.

One ill-advised Craigslist advert, five pushy mates, one nosy all-knowing sister, and a hacked email account later, Merlin and Arthur take the world by storm.

(Or, more precisely, they take over the world.)

It is one of my most favourite Merlin fics coming from the minds of the godly duo of Footloose and mushroomtale with excellent story, GORGEOUS art and bamf!Merlin and bamf!Arthur.

I'm honestly down bad for the art in this fic, especially spectacled Arthur and the art makes me feel things. If you ever find any Merthur fic, with either of the two author's involved in it's creation, it's a must read.

3. Shadow lord and Pirate King by Footloose, mushroomtale Rated E

A fast ship, a good crew, a treasure, a Clan to lead -- that's all Arthur Pendragon has ever wanted. He sits on the Council, he supports his father's kingship, and he keeps an eye on the Imperial Conglomerate when they come too close to Pirate space.

One day the Conglomerate infiltrates the Clans and poisons the King. Arthur must search for a cure to keep his father alive and the Clans from civil war.

An escape route, a sharp knife, a target, the shadows at his command -- that's all Merlin has ever needed. He fulfills his assignments, he uses the Sterling to sustain his once-royal House in their exile, and wages a private war against the Imperial Conglomerate.

When he learns of an elaborate plot to assassinate him, Merlin does the opposite of what's expected. He flees onto a Pirate ship.

There's a saying among the Pirates: that one's fate is written in the stars. Destiny will always set to rights what has been made wrong.

Arthur and Merlin know that they were meant for the other from the moment they meet. They can feel it from across the galaxies separating them. Nothing can stop them from being together or from fulfilling an ancient prophecy.

Another beautiful fic with gorgeous art, featuring space pirate!Arthur, ninja assassin!Merlin, secrets, plots for revolution and so much more packed in a nice long story with sizzling chemistry and GORGEOUS art.

The art for this fic graced my phone as wallpaper for a long while and if shipping wasn't like sky high i would have bought merch for the fic art, I'm serious.

4. Loaded March series by Footloose Rated E

Captain Arthur Pendragon has put together the best team of specialists that the SAS has ever seen, but when his superiors assign Lieutenant Merlin Emrys as his communications officer, Arthur does everything to make him feel unwelcome. Arthur's job is to protect and guide his team through dangerous missions, and he worries that he can't do that when the newest member has a mysterious background and acts suspicious when he thinks no one is looking.

As their assignments become more dangerous, Merlin can't help but to use his magic to keep his team -- even his prat of a Captain -- safe from threats they couldn't possibly understand. But when they are sent on a undercover operation against a group of zealots intent on a magical apocalypse, Merlin needs to confront his fear of discovery and derision, and to finally trust his team with his secret.

Arthur and Merlin rely on each other for more than the sake of their mission. The entire world is at stake. When they learn -- from dragons, no less -- that they are prophesied to restore the balance of magic to the world, they fight on regardless of the outcome, because duty, honour and loyalty is a far stronger driving force than destiny.

A completed series featuring Arthur, Merlin and the other knights as part of an elite SAS unit with the varying adventures they face that clocks in at almost 1.3 million words, it's a good, LONG read that'll absorb you thoroughly if you aren't careful and you'll emerge as a changed person.

It also has a in progress podfic, which has the first 5 stories in podfic form, which you can listen to here.

Actually do yourself a favor and go to both of these author's ao3 pages and read ALL of their Merlin fic and also fics they've written for other fandoms if they interest you, because otherwise I'll just keep on listing their fics throughout lmao.

5. Gadarene by unpossible Rated E

“You’re the Prince?” Merlin says, eyeing him. He hesitates, then adds, defiant, “The Mad Prince of Camelot.”

Arthur doesn’t move. There’s quiet for a long time, then he says it. “I am.”

“You don’t seem mad,” he says.

The smile wells up from somewhere deep, and very sad. “Well, Merlin,” he says, “give me time.”

This is also a very unique Merlin fic, that deals with reluctant slave master Arthur and slave Merlin working together to take down the villian, with lots of intrigue, lot of sexy times and a little coup, for added flavour.

Also has a lovely podfic !

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Pairing: Peter Parker/Johnny Storm aka Spideytorch from The Amazing Spiderman and The Fantastic Four comics

I've read the Spiderman comics as a teen and was introduced to the fantastic four via those. Peter's friendship with Johnny, especially their bantering is top class. Definitely see the spideytorch queen @traincat blog with their posts on Spiderman, fantastic four and Spideytorch, with this and this (being posts on why Spideytorch? and the second one has a brief comic book timeline of Spideytorch. I personally prefer comic book Peter Parker, fyi but i don't hate mcu!Peter. Also traincat has written many of the gems in this pairing so do check out their ao3 as well!!

1. Tales From The Back Pages by Traincat Rated T

Peter Parker was born with his words. Johnny Storm's been sure his will be said sarcastically since he was a child. Everything else more or less happens according to plan.

A first words soulmate AU.

This is a pretty good fic for those new to Spideytorch in general and is a rather lovely fic. It is basically Marvel 616 Spiderman and the Human Torch but with soulmates. I personally have read it soo many times i can recite parts of this fic from memory.

2. Work Song by Traincat Rated E

Peter Parker has his company, more money than he knows what to do with, and the echoes of a ghost in his head. Johnny Storm's lost his family, his home, and is clinging to the remnants of his old life.

"I’m here with you. That’s not nothing, right?”

“No,” Peter agreed. It definitely felt like something, all the way up here with Johnny so close they were almost touching.

Peter looked at him, at the full lips set in a slight frown, the sharp curve of his jaw, the way his hair fell across his forehead. He fit all the dazzling lights around them, warm like sunshine even in the middle of the night.

“Beautiful,” Peter said before he could stop himself.

This fic requires you to be a bit more familiar with the comic timeline, but in essence, (comic book spoilers ahead) in one of the comic book runs of Spiderman, there's a time when all of the fantastic four except Johnny Storm have vanished and Peter buys up the Baxter building (the F4's home) and he's pretty rich in this because a while before this he had discovered that doctor octavius had taken over Peter's actions via *science ish mind control' with him making a major company and everything.

It kinda has glucose guardian Peter vibes as well and some references to non con as well (not between the main characters). It is one of my favourite fics by Traincat and honestly if you're even somewhat familiar with the spideytorch comic book timeline, i can't rec this fic enough!

3. Always Glad You Came by aloneintherain Rated T

Spider-Man is a relatively new, controversial vigilante, and Johnny has a crush the size of the Empire Building. The Four - operating under the assumption that Spidey is an adult - do not approve.

“I just happen to think Spider-Man's cool,” Johnny says, matter-of-factly. “A hero can think another hero is cool without making it weird. I admire his aloofness. And his badass-ness.”

“His aloofness,” Ben repeats, chuckling into his mug of beer. It’s roughly the size of Johnny’s head. “Yeah, sure, I bet that’s all your admire, right?"

While i usually prefer comic book Spidey, this one is mcu Spideytorch, with teen!Peter and teen!Johnny that is one of my favourite mcu Peter fics.

4. Spideytorch series by mizzy

A series of unrelated fics about my OTP, Peter Parker/Johnny Storm.

This series has some of my favourite Spideytorch fics not written by Traincat and of all of the fics in the series, my personal favourite has to be without a hitch.

This series is based on comic book canon, rather than mcu so do keep that in mind! It's a must read collection of Spideytorch fics!!

5. Better in Picture by weekend_conspiracy_theorist Rated Teen and Up

In which Peter Parker has no interest in sleeping with Matt Murdock, no matter what anyone seems to think.

Despite what it seems, it really is a Spideytorch fic! It has representation of one of the most underrated friendships of Peter and that is his friendship with Matt Murdock aka Daredevil.

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Pairing: Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale aka Sterek from Teen Wolf

I've read fics for this pairing for a year of two before even actually watching the show a year or so back lol. Reading up on the history of the pairing, thankfully i wasn't the only one who saw this ship as possible in the show (before the makers betrayed us fans). But yeah, I've always been down for bad boys in leather jackets with a heart of gold and Derek was a perfect fit. Plus Stiles stole my heart in the first episode. Scott, while a fine character, was written with a bit too much of the protagonist's halo effect for my tastes, if that makes sense, but that's just my opinion.

1. Play It Again by metisket Rated T

In which Stiles goes along with one of Derek’s plans and ends up in an alternate universe as a result. He should’ve known better. He did know better, actually, and that means he has no one to blame but himself.

“Laura wants to lure the kid in with food and kindness and make a pet of him, like a feral cat. Derek wants to have him arrested for stalking. They’re at an impasse. (And the rest of the family is staying emphatically out of it in a way that suggests bets have been placed.)”

It's a time and dimension travel fix-it fic, featuring soft!Derek, kick-ass!laura and lot of realisations on Stiles' part.

Comes with a Podfic

2. Gravity's Got Nothing on You by zosofi Rated E

“Three weeks,” Derek says.

“Still don’t want to,” Stiles says.

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

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

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

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

Or, the one where the Hale fire never happened, Laura is a nosy sister, Derek is desperate, and Stiles is the only one that can help. It's a fake dating au that is a comfort read of mine.

Also as a Podfic

3. Stop Crossing Oceans by greenleaf Rated M

“There are no absolutes, Scott! No hard rights or hard wrongs! The world doesn’t fucking work that way and we can’t afford to think like that, because people are going to die! We signed up for that the moment we got involved with all this!”

“We? We?” Scott hisses. “Don’t you think you? Don’t forget that you’re the one who dragged us into that forest the night it all started, Stiles. So if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s yours.”

Something inside Stiles cracks, so strong and so deep that he practically hears it.

A look into a what-if Stiles and Scott's ideological differences are so much that it fractures the friendship between Stiles and Scott and Stiles chooses Derek over Scott.

4. Stuck in Reverse by crazyassmurdererwall (smartalli) Rated E

Look, Derek is the worst. Everyone knows that. Their fearless leader is a total and complete failwolf.

Which means the rest of them? Are kind of the worst too. They’re a ramshackle, slap dashed, sorry excuse for a pack that’s about a half second away from getting one of them killed. And this is a problem, because Stiles would really like to survive high school. Thanks.

Still, nobody deserves what Derek has gone through. Nobody.

And it’s about time somebody told him that.

Stiles decides enough is enough and somewhat ought to appreciate Derek and make sure someone cares for him, and in the process, makes friends with Jackson and unites the pack into a much more cohesive team.

5. Will to Follow Through by owlpostagain Rated E

“It depends entirely on how you look at it, I guess,” Stiles shrugs. “On the one hand, instant healing and the apparently inherited ability to pull off leather at all times. On the other, serious attitude problems and a suspicious disappearance of eyebrows.”

“Even Derek’s?” Danny snorts, “that’s a lot of eyebrow to lose.”

“I know,” Stiles agrees. “You should see, it’s so weird. Every time I want to ask him where they go, except he’d totally eat my face off.”

“There are worse ways to die.”

Deals with the in-transition state of Stiles' crush on Lydia to his crush on Derek, featuring a solid friendship trio of Stiles, Lydia and Danny.

Also has a Podfic (locked, so requires an ao3 account to access).

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Pairing: BTS featuring Namjoon centric fics only

I'll admit that I haven't read much of new BTS fics since 2020, so this might be a bit dated, but all of these are solid gold. There'll be only 1 per Namjoon ship and 1 OT7 fic, which was a MASSIVE STRUGGLE I tell you, because there are SO MANY good ones, except for the OT7 fic, that one I knew instantly.

1. Kim Namjoon|RM/Kim Seokjin|Jin aka Namjin :

I cheated. I chose 2 by the same author metastacia BECAUSE I COULDN'T CHOOSE, both of these are SO SO GOOD. Both have excellent plot, world-building, pacing and will suck you in till you finish it all. I have followed both fics from their first chapter to their last and let me tell you each chapter update was an EVENT on my tl, with discussions, theories, everything. So many of us laughed and cried to these chapters and i personally remember the eager anticipation of reading it!

The Shaman and The Exorcist Rated M

Seokjin doesn't believe in ghosts. Which would cause a huge uproar if everyone knew since he's kind of a big deal at his university; he's a shaman who protects people from evil spirits. He doesn't remember where he got the idea to do this from, all he knows is that superstitious people pay good money.

Namjoon does believe in ghosts. Better yet, he can see them and he can expel them. But there's a certain phoney shaman at his university who's stealing all his clients in his exorcism business, and he's not happy about it because haunted people pay good money.

So, what do they do? Figure out whose closet is holding all the skeletons, of course.

KAIROTIC Rated M

The Grim Reaper, they called him. He was the weird kid in school who knew exactly when someone’s mother was about to die. They didn’t believe him when he’d said it, and they didn’t believe him when he said he wasn’t a psychic, and they didn’t believe him when he said he didn’t cause her death.

The Grim Reaper, they still sometimes call him. Legendary trial lawyer who became known for weeding out the bad guy no one else suspected and putting them in prison. It was almost like he had a sixth sense for it. Like no one was safe from him. Like the black cloud of death still follows him around and no matter how much he tries to shake it off, it doesn’t let go.

Seokjin wonders at what point death had stopped following him around, and at what point he’d started to become death itself.

in which Seokjin can see everyone's lifespan floating above their heads, numbers steadily counting down to their deaths. the numbers never change, or so he thought.

2. Kim Namjoon|RM/ Min Yoongi|Suga aka Namgi:

What rhymes with pug me by sequoiasem Rated T

namjoon and yoongi share a sweater (and also some feelings)

This fic is like a warm hug when you're feeling meh or like sitting by the fireplace wrapped in your cozy blanket with a cup of hot cocoa on a winter night.

THE FEELS

3. Kim Namjoon|RM/Jung Hoseok|J-Hope aka Namseok

The Universe Needs More You by AttilaTheHun Rated M

Kim Namjoon is in love, and Jung Hoseok is always dating someone else. This is perfectly fine, even preferable, because the universe likes to tell jokes and Namjoon knows it's best just to laugh along. He's certainly got nothing to complain about when it comes to the building blocks of his life, and dating is a lot of effort. Too much effort, really. So it's obviously fine.

But the universe's latest attempt at a comedy sketch, where Hoseok moves in with him, bringing the sun and a lot of tiny shorts, might actually make him insane.

We all need a little slow burn lovely namseok in our lives.

4. Kim Namjoon|RM/Park Jimin|Jimin aka Minjoon

things we turn away from by themarmalade Rated M

Jimin, beloved by thousands and starved for affection, finds what he craves so deeply in his massage therapist's hands and very intriguing side job.

This will feel like a long long hug, especially if you're feeling touch starved.

5. Kim Namjoon|RM/Kim Taehyung|V aka Taejoon

Hurt Locker by MmeIrene Rated E

Kim Namjoon, college student and outspoken omega, decides that he doesn't want an alpha to help him through his next heat.

Kim Seokjin, best friend, decides that is a Very Bad Idea.

This is my favourite Taejoon fic EVER, with soft and sexy times in equal quantities.

6. Kim Namjoon|RM/Jeon Jungkook aka Namkook

come take it (if you want a piece of me) by babyblue(rhnull)

Jimin forces Jungkook to make a Tinder, and there's no way that profile of Kim Namjoon is real.

Self indulgent, Namkook fluff with pining makes for a lovely read.

7. Kim Namjoon/Everyone aka OT7

What I Did On My Summer Vacation, by Kim Namjoon, Age 18 ½ by Runchrandom(infraredphaeton)

On his gap year, Kim Namjoon accidentally joins a gang, takes over that gang, becomes the leader of the South Korean Underworld, publishes his first mix tape and gets six criminal boyfriends. It's a busy twelve months.

-

"Hey, you're Rap Monster, right?"

"...Yeah."

"You're really cool, man! I've been listening to you for ages!" the guy practically bounces over the body, slinging an arm around Namjoon's shoulders. "You got a crew?"

Namjoon shakes his head slowly.

"Well, we can fix that."

My absolute favourite BTS fic of ALL time, that I re-read ATLEAST once a year. This author has written many excellent Namjoon centric fics, so rest assured you're in for a treat.

Features smart as hell Namjoon who somehow finds himself as the head of the Seoul underground and six boyfriends, and it all started with sucker punching someone in the face. Interested? Read on!

Pairing: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto aka Sasunaru from Naruto

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A classic pairing, which for many, as well as me, was their first anime m/m ship, if not their m/m ship ever. There's something hilarious that kishimoto, who wrote the women in Naruto so inconsistently and despite never wanting to, created a friendship that was so deep and with such homoerotic undertones, it surpasses the bond that the 'canon' heterosexual pairings have 😂

1. Kizuna Hikari by YoungAndOverIntelligent Rated M

The only reason Sasuke keeps coming back to Konoha is because of that mattress. The bed is his only respite. And perhaps the dumbass who owns said bed might be worth it, too.

Or, another canon divergence 699 that showers Sasuke with too much (deserved) love and attention that we all need for these unprecedented times.

Title means "Bonded Light". It'll make sense when you're about 100K in.

Remember the trope, "there was only one bed" ? This author took the trope and fit in 204k words of healing and feelings and character growth along with it that just moves you.

Sequel has POVs from the other characters as this one is from Sasuke's POV.

2. backslide by blackkat Rated M

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.

It's a time-travel fix it fic that has a not exactly unique concept, but the author portrays the characters so vividly they will stick in your mind forever.

It also has a Podfic by the awesome Opalsong (who is a prolific podficcer, check them out as well!) that is one of my favourite podfics to listen to, especially while traveling.

3. An Invincible Summer by ShanaStoryteller Rated T

When Naruto is five, he's gutted by a drunken civilian and presumed dead.

Six months later a girl with ash pale hair and dark blue eyes enters the Academy.

As you can see by now, I love my canon fix-its and this is that as well, but involving the Sexy no jutsu in a way I didn't imagine before reading this fic.

Naruto (or as she's known in this fic, Natsu Nami) is a bamf whose bonds with genin team and kakashi are a highlight of this fic.

Also has a Podfic

4. Forces of Gravity by Anxiety_Pickle Not Rated

The Rinnegan is hardly well understood; at the end of the world, Sasuke Uchiha takes a gamble.

In one world, Madara Uchiha wins. Sasuke escapes by the skin of his teeth and flees to the nearest dimension. Unfortunately, he has quite a few unintended passengers. Stranded five years in the past with the Akatsuki and the all too real threat of global extinction at his back, he decides that he'll be the one to stop the apocalypse - even if that means taking on the Akatsuki himself.

A time travel-dimension travel-canon divergence Uchiha Sasuke centric fix-it fic that has pretty good world-building. My favourite part of this fic are Sasuke's hawk summons! They're so interesting and lovely to read.

5. Corporate Secrets by Kizukatana Rated E

Everyone knew that Uzumaki Naruto was a businessman you didn't mess with. He was charismatic and able to win deals that left others wondering how they'd been talked into what they'd just signed. He was held up as an example of everything an alpha should be: strong, charismatic, and commanding. What they could never have expected was that Naruto was not, in fact, an alpha. In a society run by alphas, it was a secret that he kept closely guarded. As long as he never encountered his True Mate, he could keep his identity concealed behind scent blockers and suppressants. And with billions of people in the world, he didn't really have to worry about finding his True Mate. Right? Even if he did, Naruto was sure he would just kick the guy's ass and move on. He'd never met an alpha he was attracted to, or one that could match him. He wasn't worried at all.

Requires an AO3 account to access, but TOTALLY worth it.

One of my favourite A/B/O fics ever that has a pretty good world-building with respect to the trope and the characterization.

But then again, it is by KizuKatana, who along with blackkat (author of fic 2 in the Sasunaru rec list) are some of the most prolific authors in the Sasunaru fic-dom, who have written awesome as hell fics, so do check out their profiles!

Pairing: James Bond/Q aka 00Q from the Craig James Bond movies

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I love me some hardened spy and some bespectacled boffin being a pair of bamfs together. I'm still not clear why exactly why I started shipping this, oh wait, i know, that ENTIRE scene in Q's office where he calmly takes that gun from James.

1. Ordinary Numbers by BootsnBlossoms, Kryptaria Rated T

More than anything, Mike Taylor wanted to be ordinary. Being a genius, he learned early in life, meant people expected too much. A career at the MI6 Help Desk seemed the perfect way to guarantee a lifetime of obscurity, until he got a very unusual tech support call.

Requires ao3 account to read

🤌🏻 chef's kiss of a fic🤌🏻

Also has a lovely podfic which i love to listen to often.

2. Important Dates by AtoTheBean Rated E

After a brief attempt at retirement, James is back at MI6 and working hard to rebuild working relationships with his colleagues and friends. And he's making great strides.

Only Q continues to hold him at arm's length, maintaining a stubborn professionalism in their interactions that James remains unable to pierce.

But James doesn't want Q at arm's length, and so he takes a risk. But even a spy's instincts can run amok, and now James wonders just how long he'll be reaping what he's sown, and how many holidays it will take to win Q over.

A post Spectre fic, with Bond seeking to make amends with Q, but only to be met with resistance. A fic set in important holidays in Bond and Q's life, has groveling bond, something i enjoy reading any time.

3. Quriosity by dr_girlfriend Rated E

Bond finds himself increasingly curious about his enigmatic Quartermaster.

Excerpt:

"Your prior hotel is no longer secure, I will direct you to a new location. Your luggage has already been transferred. A field agent and medic from the Diréction Générale de la Sécurité d'État will be waiting at the side entrance. I have cleared them both personally." In contrast to his crisp dry English, Q's pronunciation of the French words was fluid and flawless, the throaty tone of the fricatives sending a surprising jolt of awareness straight to Bond's cock — all the more remarkable given his degree of blood loss.

"You're wasted on Q-branch, you have the voice for a phone-sex call-in line." The words slipped out of Bond's mouth without forethought, although he had plenty of time to think in the sudden pause that came afterward and stretched on for endless moments. Bond hadn't realized until now how Q was always there, with an immediate reply. In all their banter Q had never before been at a loss for words. Ever.

4. Redamancy by opalescentgold Rated M

If you write something on your skin, then it will show up on your soulmate's skin as well.

James doesn't quite fall in love over physics discussions and cheeky book quotes scrawled over his heart, coding and riddles inked onto his skin, but he comes close. He does.

And then he actually meets Q.

This is a soulmate AU with Holmes!Q that starts pre-Spectre and is a spectre fix-it that fits so many feelings in it, it's no wonder it's so long.

5. Red Queen to Overwatch by BootsnBlossoms, Kryptaria Rated M

After returning from the dead, James Bond moves into a new secure flat, only to find that his new neighbour is either: a scruffy teenager, a brilliant computer geek, a mad scientist, or the sexiest genius he's ever met. Two of these things turn out to be true.

Well, three, once the Red Queen gets involved.

Another beautiful, beautiful fic featuring Holmes!Q, that was one of my first 00Q fics and still remain in my top fics for this pairing.

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Part 2(B) continued here

[raziyekroos]

Sinssoshsosbsoqhdodvcusbaidvwocbwosvq.

Okay my name is Mahta (مه تا) but my online persona name is Asterin (cause it sounds nice and pretty).

I did celebrate Norouz yesterday. In my time zone it was it the morning so we did a bunch of our عید دیدنی yesterday… it was so exhausting. How about you?

Oooo i love fic recssss. I read more fanfics than book-books…😅 especially cause i dont have school this week im gonna be reading all of those you recommended✨

Also yes. If i could marry one person and divorce would never be an option it would be Julian. No elaboration needed, he is amazing and hot and wonderful and deserved better and i love him so so so much. If for some god forbidden reason he didn’t exist than i would marry Jem. He’s so precious and sweet but i still like julian better :))

I love magnus so so much too but tbh i dont think anyone (perhaps other than alec) is good enough for him. We would be too chaotic together and i can’t imagine him with anyone but alec.

Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane is the only politician to ever exist that we can idolize. He is my favourite politician.

I dont think you can imagine how happy and excited i am to get to know you. I literally don’t know ANYONE in real life who is a tsc fan (let alone another iranian).

Oh speaking of iran (not really but still) i freaked out when i found out cassandra clare was born in TEHRAN😭😭 when i was reading TOG i CRIED cause Cordelia was the first ever persian representation ive seen in western books and because of that she’s just special to me🥹

Oh girllll your real name is sooo pretty too 😍😍 I love it!! I really love all names that have مه in them, like مهتاب,مهیاس, مهتا, مهسا,... Cause like... I really love moon 🌚🌝🌚🌝

But your online name is so cool too 🤭🤭❤️ Soo I call you Asterin! Hello Asterin 🤭 is that Persian btw? I don't think I've ever heard it, maybe it's گیلکی?!

Ohh great! Here it was at 7 pm but my uncles came to our home right away so we kinda did part of our عید دیدنی too 🌝🌝

But yes it is kinda exhausting assdghjjj

I actually won't be going to that much parties this year, because I have to take my konkour exam this year so I have to study 💀💀💀 but I'll still attend a few more

I'm happy to know you like fic recs 🤭🤭 then I'll make sure to tell you whenever I see a good one^^ please do the same I'll be more than happy 😁

YES?!?! I mean Julian is just husband material dude 😭😭❤️ his only flaw was that I didn't like how he treated Magnus in TDA but then again, he was kind of an asshole to anyone who wasn't Emma and his family so I don't take it personally 😂

And I LOVE JEM TOO!!! he's just precious 🥺 he would definitely be my second choice too! Alongside James Herondale 👀👀 they're my unproblematic bebes

And I get what you say, the world does not deserve Magnus Bane :') and I don't think anyone deserve malec except themselves yes 🥺😭❤️

Oh I think I can imagine 🤭🤭🙈 I know other Iranian people who like Shadowhunters, but that's it. They haven't read the books 😭😭 they like SHTV and have no idea who Jem, Julian, Will, Emma, ... is 😭😭😭 and whenever I wanna tell them about sth I'm excited about they're like DON'T SPOIL IT like dude, you've been saying that for the last two years if you wanted to EVER read the books you've had by now 😭😭😭😭 and like, the only thing they do in the Iranian Shadowhunters Channel is updating about the lives of Shadowhunters actors 💀💀💀💀💀 they don't even know about Alastair and Cordelia like WHAT KIND OF PERSIAN ARE YOU 😭😭😭😭

soooo yeah I'm so excited to see you too 🙈🙈❤️ it's really nice to have another Persian babe here 🤭🙈❤️

And YESSS when I read that I was like wtfffff?!?! OUR Tehran?! How? When? Whereeeeee?!

And I know exactly what you mean, I'd never seen Persian representing in any books before :') except maybe A Man Called Ove, because it had a main character named پروانه too 🤭❤️

But Cordelia is just different to me, I always call her Leila cause it's more familiar for me 😅 and also ALASTAIR CARSTAIRS is also a precious babe and I love him 🥺🥺❤️❤️

[shoyoist]

Hello, loved your 1:44AM's Hanma Shuji, and was wondering if you could elaborate more on your favorite classic lit? I had no access to proper education on literature and always interested in seeking perspective from people who's well versed with it!

heyy <3 do you mean you'd like me to recommend you some of my favourites? i'm actually quite new to classic lit myself, and i'm just into reading and researching abt it all as a hobby, hehe — i've always enjoyed fiction where the writer projects a lot of their own emotion and experience into their writing, which is what you find in a lot of old novels.

if i find a writer's work interesting, i like to read more of their books instead of just going back to that one popular piece of theirs.

for example, almost everyone knows abt alexandre dumas's the three musketeers, and ofc there's many movies and stuff based on it. but i dont see often people talking abt one of his other books — the count of monte cristo. that's personally my fave work of his, and there's also a 2002 movie based on it. but i rarely see anyone that ISNT a huge fan talking abt it t_t

also fyodor's novel, the gambler. one of my favourite quotes of all time is from the gambler, "do you know that I shall kill you one day? i shall kill you, not because i shall cease to love you or to be jealous, i shall simply kill you because I have an impulse to devour you." you've probably seen the quote, i see it on those dark aesthetic pinterest boards a lot 😭😭 but idk if many people know where it's from.

some of my fave POPULAR books are frankenstein by mary shelley, the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde, and OMG pride and prejudice by jane austen <3 everyone ik is all over mr. darcy but i actually fell for elizabeth LMAO.

i also really like virginia woolf's writing. i started with orlando, and then to the light house, then the waves. her writing is sapphic, at least heavily implied to be (some people dont believe so but i do KSHJKDN) so i fall back to her works a lot.

one thing that i think everyone should really know and fully understand before they start getting into classic lit though, is that there is a lot of explicit, offensive and violent content. most of these novels were written in the early 1900s and before that. there's a lot of knowledge you can gain about major historical events and life back then in general. but very often, there's a lot of disturbing themes (even if it's not directly part of the plot), not limited to homophobia, religious discrimination, misogyny and racism.

so definitely be aware of each book's contents before you start reading.

OH OH!! idk if modern day works actually count as classic lit, but i think any novel/piece that has that level of depth and timelessness to it deserves to hold the title!! so i'll recommend ocean vuong's poetry with all my heart <;3 night sky with exit wounds, and on earth we're briefly gorgeous are both popular works AND FOR GOOD REASON!! they're so so so good ocean vuong is my favourite poet ever.

AJGMFH i'm rambling now and i'm not sure if this is what you wanted me to answer with when you asked this 😭😭 but yes!! if you want more recs, or if you have a different question, then lmk <33 as i said b4 i'm also new to classic lit, but i'd love to talk to you abt it if you like ( ^u^)

[thefairyletters]

✨ Spooky Recs✨

I read a lot of fanfictions... More than I am proud of. I thought I should recommend as I go before I lose sight of their existence among the sea of my favorites.

Since past few days I have been craving for some creepy, unnerving fanfics that will keep me restless and awake at night. I remembered my favorites and wanted to read more of the kind so I looked up, patiently going through each story that sounded compelling. I also revisited old stories for nostalgia's sake.

Of course, rare as they are, in Naruto fandom no less, it's even harder to find a horror and mystery fic that is well written, not dropped under 2 chapters, and really keeps your attention.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Comedy

I've rated 4 aspects of the work -

Writing – I don't judge writing based solely on the grammar and vocabulary. I also consider how the author expands upon a subject, if they are consistent with the facts, if they are able to keep the attention of the readers regardless of their creative writing skills.

Characters – If the characters are well-developed, in their given character, if OCs have any real significance to the story.

Plot – How gripping is the storyline, if the story sticks to its original plot, the structure of the story, plot holes.

Flow – Mother-of-slow-burn, slow-but-steady, steady, fast, I-am-speed

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When the flowers cry : TCOOKIES777 || M || AO3/FFN || SasuSaku || Goth Horror || Post-Canon, set during Blank Period || Ongoing

When one of the greatest medical-nin in the world goes missing in what should have been a simple delivery to the Land of Spring’s Hidden Snow Village, the rest of Team 7 must reunite to find her. But even the most powerful team of shinobi will find themselves challenged in a battle against the supernatural. With Sasuke's return, vengeful ghosts of the past will test him and his love.

My thoughts : One of the best stories I've read in a while, and top tier SS stories. I read this in one sitting. I never listen to music while reading, preferring silence, but for this one, I suggest you do as the author says. Also, keep some tissues and food with you. This story is major in mystery and minor in horror but otherwise full of SS fluff.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Flow: Steady, if a bit confusing (but that's why it's mystery)

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Kyuro : silver_shot || T || AO3 || SasuSaku || Mystery || Post-Canon || Complete

“Oh,” says Naruto, “well, its sort of like that. Except in this village, the story has a way more darker ending – it basically goes like this: the girl and the guy plan to run away together. The guy steals a bunch of treasure, and stashes it away. But then, when he goes to get the girl at her village, he kills her and decides to run away with all that money. But then he is killed by the guards of the girls village and now they're both dead and the treasure is hidden away somewhere”. Sasuke stares blankly at the blond, “that story makes no sense”.

My thoughts : I know you must be thinking the same thing as Sasuke – "makes no sense". I did too, but it's a pretty cool short story. It lies on the funny, creepy side that slowly starts to lose its funny touch. SS makes stupid mistakes later on but it could be because they are MCs. The ending is very ambiguous. It's not my favorite mystery but it is something. Enjoyable read but not something I will pick again.

Writing: 8/10

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 8/10

Flow: Fast

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Moon stuttering in the sky : xfrinz || T || AO3 || Gen || Mystery || Pre-Shippuden || One-shot

Kakashi is suspicious of many things about Haruno Sakura. Too many things about her don't make sense, with too many incongruous explanations.

My thoughts : Author of this story just summarised Pre-Shippuden in less than 4k words and made some tiny changes to it. Not much though. One of my favorite gen fics yet. Read it if you haven't yet. You'll feel more sad than thrilled tbh. But worth it.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: I-am-Speed

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Breath mints : silver_shot || T || AO3 || SasuSaku || Comedy-Mystery || Post-Canon || Ongoing (maybe)

Their home no longer exists with the life it once had – in fact no settlement thrives anymore; they exist only in a snapshot that contradicts time itself. Families within their own homes sleep in a slumber that they cannot wake from. Those that were chatting on the street prior to the event simply drop their heads and remain unresponsive.

My thoughts : I picked it up for Mystery but I stayed for Comedy. But of course that's not to say supernatural elements in this story is not it, but it sure pales in comparison to effortless humor in this story. Lee and Kiba pair is something you don't see often but they get along too well here. Charactisation is on point as well. SS angst! + NS angst (but it's downplayed)

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Flow: Steady

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The Curse : sincerelyLen || T || FFN || SasuSaku || Horror || Post-Canon || Ongoing

Team 7 is unexpectedly assigned an S-Ranked Mission involving an unsolved mystery of 10 years. An eerie adventure that will test their teamwork, strengths, and greatest fears. Do you believe in Curses?

My thoughts : My all-time favourite horror Naruto fanfiction. To me, this sets the standard of how mystery and horror elements should be handled. I have never been able to get this story out of my mind even it's been years. Perfect charactisation of Team 7 with Smart-yet-Stupid!Sakura, I-can-fight-aliens-and-reanimated-corpses-but-keep-ghosts-away-from-me!Naruto and I-dont-get-paid-enough-for-this!Sasuke. I especially love OCs here. They kinda reminds me of Pillars from KnY. You must read this story, loosely based on Zombie apocalypse + curse concept.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Slow-but-Steady

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Silent High : Istoria || T || FFN || Gen || Mystery || Post-Canon || Complete

A bit of the Silent Hill series mixed in with Naruto. Trapped in an illusion whose rules are unknown, they struggle to find answers before darkness consumes them.

My thoughts : One of the best mystery fanfictions I've read. I especially loved how this story handled Genjutsu in the best possible way it could without it turning into some cliche, ghost story. Though really, this story has shown what my greatest fear actually is. I will never be able to leave my back open to a wheelchair. This story has simple writing yet it gives you creeps with the twists and turns. A must read one because it is unlike any other in this list.

Writing: 9/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Steady

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Silence of the Damned : Daystar Clarion || T || FFN || Gen || Psychological Horror, Mystery(?) || Pre-Shippuden || One-Shot

When Naruto wakes up to a dead body in his bathroom, he begins a quick spiral into madness.

My thoughts : Listen to Halsey's Control while reading this. Quite chilling, deals with mental issues and morbid but in a fascinating way. It gives a new meaning to Dark!Naruto, but one that actually makes sense. I never saw the ending coming... I had something else in mind and I was convinced it would be, but nope. Here's a sequel to this One-Shot (Uzumaki's War) which I never picked up.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 9/10

Flow: Slow-but-steady

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To the Victor : Letta || T || FFN || NaruSaku || Psychological Horror || Shippuden || One-Shot

Naruto loses the fight and Sakura is a trophy of war.

My thoughts : A very twisted NS, if you squint. It's not horror but it might as well be... it is still a disturbing story to see from the eyes of Sakura. Quite chilling to be in Sakura's shoes. But I love this because it is one shot and I loved the ending.

Writing: 9/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 8/10

Flow: Steady

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Under the Skin : BukkakeNoJutsu || T || FFN || Team 8 || Body Horror || Pre-Shippuden || One-Shot

Your actions don't make you a monster. Your reasons do.

My thoughts : There's a reason why Shino is my favourite team 8 member. In my opinion, Shino is also one of the strongest Shinobi of his generation. His clan techniques are just that horrifying. This story is testament to that. He is so terrible.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Slow-but-steady

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Instant Message : Keelah || T || FFN || SasuSaku || Murder mystery || Modern AU || Incomplete

She gave him names to kill, in order not to be killed herself. But having blood on her hands was turning out to be much worse than dying. "…There's still round 2…3…4…" When does this game end? She asked. "Don't you see, Sakura?" He said, "It never does."

My thoughts : I read this story a long time ago and have read this twice. Personally, it has the most interesting concept of all stories in the list. It reminds me of Vocaloid series, "Bookmark of the end". Kind of. To those who are thinking of picking this up, go ahead! It's a great book and has one of the best suspense I've read in Fandom. BUT, it has been stopped in mother-of-all-cliffhangers and Author is MIA for 4 years now. But, all things considered, it remains to be one of the best stories I've read.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Steady

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Monomoth : Ohtze || M || FFN/AO3 || SasuSaku || Horror || AU || Incomplete

Everything ends, eventually. Eight years after the war, Sakura's unhinged and Sasuke's obsessed. The fields are filled with corpses.

My thoughts : I read this story right after "The Curse", my favourite. From what I remember, Sakura and Sasuke are both mentally deranged, in different ways. Lots of death and gore to stomach, so not for weak readers. There's no speak of fluff in this one. Zero, Zilch, Nada. I wouldn't call it your classic 'Horror', but it is very disturbing, so psychological horror is more like it. Don't eat food while reading this one. Did I mention how Sakura is mentally disturbed beyond help in this one? And Sasuke is obsessed. If these suit your tastes, go ahead.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Slow

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I hope you enjoy this list. Let me know your opinion in comments.

[autumn-foxfire]

apparently we have a pretty similar taste foxy! I love ittosara as well but I don’t really read fanfics about them, just the occasional fanart but their dynamic is not of my favorites. I agree with your point about people making zhongli the villain sometimes, even though tartaglia is one the characters whom I relate the most I still don’t think he was the victim there, the man himself is aware of his mistakes in canon. there’s this one fic that I can’t remember the name right now, that makes sure to remind us that childe is hurt but he’s aware that he’s being a hypocrite cause he used zhongli as well (the difference is that childe thinks zhongli faked their friendship while he considered zhongli a good friend/was in love with him regardless of everything) and he’s calling himself out and yet being reluctant to let zhongli back in his life. another fanfic that I enjoy a lot is called the autumn winds are sighing and is about childe, his siblings and zhongli bonding, you should check it out. I can look in my bookmarks to see if I can find other fics that you may enjoy if you want something to read about those two.

We both have impeccable taste, nonnie <3

I get frustrated with the portrayal of the "betrayal" a lot of the times because the fandom tends to hyperfixate on Childe's feelings as he's the one who showed the most emotion about it and don't tend to think about how complex the situation actually is.

I love fics that make Childe both hurt by Zhongli's actions but also aware that he himself is no saint, especially fics that acknowledge that Childe used Zhongli as well. My favourite thing about this situation is the miscommunication where both are at fault for their actions and lack of communication.

Childe, while honest about his actions, still used Zhongli even if he considered him a friend. Zhongli, knowing Childe was using him, uses him in turn but also considers him a friend. If Childe felt hurt by Zhongli after the reveal and starts avoiding him because he thinks Zhongli never considered the friendship they have to be real, imagine how that would come across to Zhongli! It would seem like Childe didn't return that friendship after all and has just ditched Zhongli the moment his mission is over

So in both situations, you have both of them thinking that neither of them consider the other as a friend and it's such juicy emotions to explore! Sadly the fandom never really seems to put themselves in Zhongli's shoes and just focuses on Childe's hurt, never really considering how his actions would come across in return. It's always Zhongli who has to fix the mend in their relationship when they're both being a couple of idiots.

And then there's also the added drama about Childe taking his hurt on Zhongli when he's not the only person who used him. It was his own archon that offered Childe up as a pawn after all but I rarely see anyone tackle the complex feelings Childe would feel about that which is a shame because it's such a good source of drama between Zhongli and Childe.

There's so much you can do with these two and it's one of the reasons I love the pairing! It's got all my favourite flavours rolled up into one neat package.

Thank you for the fic recommendation, I don't believe I've read that one before so I'll definitely check it out! If you do have any recs, I definitely won't mind taking them.

[queerofthedagger]

I haven't done any of my usual weekly recs in ages, so all the more reason to let myself be tempted by the @merlinbingo bonus badge for this month and spread some love! And what better theme for that than marriage?

That being said, some of these fics stretch the trope the tiniest bit. They do all have a wedding, a proposal, or a intended proposal though. Apart from picking my faves, I tried to vary it a bit, so only three out of these five are merthur.

This Dance of Days by kianspo

Pairing: Arthur/Merlin

Rating: Mature || Warnings: none || Word count: 8,090

Tags: Modern AU, Romance, Marriage Proposal, Established Relationship, flangst

Summary:

In which people get married, Arthur is confused a lot, Uther gives relationship advice, and Merlin isn’t scared, except when he is, but only a little bit. Also Merlin steals things, and Gwaine is up to no good.

Why I rec this: I love this fic so much because while Merlin and Arthur are, indeed, in an established relationship and clearly very much in love, there's still so much pining on both sides. There's such a well-handled undercurrent of realistic insecurity and hesitance to it, and it makes the eventual resolution so, so satisfying. I also just love how both Arthur and Merlin, as well as the rest of the cast, are handled, and the writing is absolutely fantastic.

A Happy Mistake by Polomonkey

Pairing: Morgana/Vivian

Rating: Teen || Warnings: none || Word count: 2,812

Tags: Modern AU, Humor, Weddings, Sharing a Bed, Banter, Enemies to Lovers

Summary:

“I don’t suppose you've considered the possibility of ceasing this farce and attending Gwen’s wedding alone like a mature, self-actualised adult?” “Shut up, Arthur,” Morgana and Merlin said in sync, which was a party trick they’d been perfecting for a while. Morgana absolutely refuses to show up without a date to her ex's wedding. Surely taking Vivian can't be so bad?

Why I rec this: I have such a soft spot for this pairing, even though I can't for the life of me remember how I got into it. This fic encapsulates perfectly why I love it; both Morgana and Vivian are their awesome, snarky selves, the tension is off the charts, and I laughed through half the fic. The wedding isn't Morgana's and Vivians, yes, but it's what gets them together and also, Gwen and Elena get married which is also pretty awesome.

Coffee and Cherries by FutureAlien

Pairing: Merlin/Arthur

Rating: Teen || Warnings: Chose not to use Archive Warnings || Word count: 4,542

Tags: Modern AU, Established Relationship, Banter, Fluff, Marriage Proposal

Summary:

Arthur knows for a fact, in that tiny kitchen at a quarter to three, after who knows how many cups of coffee, that he will never love another human so much as this.

Why I rec this: In fact, I've recced this fic before, but I cannot make a marriage (proposal) rec list and not put this on it. It might just be my favourite proposal fic ever; it's so, so tender from start to finish, the atmosphere is beautiful, Merlin and Arthur's banter and characters are spot on, and it never fails to put a huge, sappy grin on my face. I've re-read it so many times and it's fantastic every single time.

Like This by Monbanart

Pairing: Leon/Merlin

Rating: Mature || Warnings: none || Word count: 2,090

Tags: Immortal Merlin, Immortal Leon, Marriage Proposal, Fluff, Sexual Content

Summary:

No magic before coffee. Unless it's super duper important.

Why I rec this: Listen. I have such a huge, huge soft spot for this pairing, even if there exist like, 30 fics of them on ao3. And this one? This one is so, so soft (also, pretty hot tbh, especially the other parts of the series it belongs to.) I just utterly adore the idea of Merlin and Leon spending their immortality together, not to mention that this fic does brush upon Arthur too. They're just... so damn soft, and both idiots, and there's a small, brilliant twist to it to top it off.

After The Fire by Clea2011

Pairing: Arthur/Merlin

Rating: Teen || Warnings: none || Word count: 21,660

Tags: Modern with Magic AU, Breaking Up & Making Up, False Accusations, Apparent Infidelity, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Sex Tapes

Summary:

“Well,” Arthur said as he stood at the end of the aisle beside Merlin. “Look at this. Never thought we’d be here.” Merlin didn’t answer. It was too hard to stop himself from saying that he’d always thought that they would. Be there. In a church, in front of a minister. Together. Just not like this. In which Arthur and Merlin have a horrible break up. A year later they're best man and man of honour respectively at Lance and Gwen's wedding. And they can deal with that, they really can.

Why I rec this: Okay yes, yes I know this one seems to be a bit out of place on this list, but also, it's not. Marriage is a central theme and overall vital to the story, and not only Lance's and Gwen's, and I just love this fic to pieces. The angst is delicious, the pining is off the charts, the resolution super satisfying, and it all ends happily. The angst tag is serious though, so if you've come to this marriage rec list looking for heaps of fluff and nothing else (which... yeah. One would expect, I'm aware, but I'm a sucker for angst I don't know what you expected) then maybe this isn't the right fic. If you like to see them work for it though, it absolutely is. Just don't forget the tissues.

[lonelier-version-of-you]

Just wanted to say I really enjoy your posts and tweets! Henruss is very exciting to me and it's great to have somewhere to read about it :) I'd always loved Henrik more than any other character on Holby and his romance with Russ is one of the best storylines in years imho. It's a bit annoying they're dragging it out till the end but on the bright side I think it's nice we get to see Henrik "go after" Russ. Also for Michael anon I really liked S14E11 (Michael and Elliot in PJs).

Thank you! You're very kind.

Ironically, if you can believe this, Henrik hasn't actually always been my favourite character. I always liked him (as I said earlier, his Ford Pines vibes probably helped), but it took a while for him to become my absolute fave. When I first started watching -- well, technically the first character I loved was Jasmine, but the first ep I saw was her exit so. Awkward. Then my first proper fave though was Nina Karnik.

After she left, Oliver's brain injury storyline made him my fave. Then Ollie left, I stopped watching for a while because I was fed up of all my faves leaving... then I heard about Sacha's depression storyline because it was getting loads of hype and publicity (as it deserved), I got back into the show and caught up. A few weeks later, One Man And His God aired, I watched it, and it flipped this little switch in my mind and from then on I was devoted to Henrik Hanssen. Maybe because his mental health issues were starting to resonate with me a concerning amount. Maybe because I realised, with that episode, that they were actually writing him as bi on purpose (I'd joked about him having a crush on Gaskell before but didn't realise it was an actual thing until OMAHG). Who knows. Either way, I've been obsessed with him ever since!

And that's a load of information you did not actually need to know. My apologies.

But yeah, point is, Henruss is very exciting to me too. September 2018 me, watching One Man And His God for the first time and just being caught completely off guard by the Henrik/Gaskell romance, would NEVER have expected Henrik to get an actual coming out storyline three years later.

Honestly, what bothers me isn't that they're dragging it out 'til the show ends. It's that they're dragging it out for the wrong reasons. I don't want "omg Russ's daughter is pregnant and has somehow hidden it even though she's in her third trimester, omg she's tricked Henrik into keeping her pregnancy a secret, omg she's going into labour while the hospital is in lockdown, omg now Russ is angry with Henrik for not telling him his daughter was pregnant" and so on and so forth. I wanted the romance to build up slowly and gradually because of Henrik's difficulty coming out to himself and Russ's difficulty moving on from Ami. I wanted to see Henrik coming out to Jac, and to Dom. I wanted Henrik to talk about Gaskell and his feelings for him and how Gaskell's betrayal shoved him right back into the closet right when he was about to come out. I wanted to see all of that. Instead, he was rushed out the closet after one little conversation with Serena and apparently all his trauma and internalised homophobia is just gone now. Sigh.

And thanks for the episode rec for Michael anon!