#i rec like top 3

[alligaytorswamp]

tagged by @carlhppr 💘 list 8 shows to get to know me

i don't think you will learn anything about me this is just the stuff i was very crazy about at some point in my life 😶

mob psycho 100

demon slayer

spy x family

love live school idol project

uta no prince sama

the future diary

danganronpa

when they cry

tagging @yutagirlie @quincytatas @yukinyaminyato

[benevolenterrancy]

Swords pining for each other's cultivator is my new favorite type of pining. Love your NieYao content! <3

I don't suppose we could get Baxia or Hensheng throwing a tantrum while Jin Guangyao / Nie Mingjue are away, leaving their owners to deal with the embarrassing aftermath?

Also, do you have any recs you'd recommend with these two?

this is the exact moment Nie Huaisang realised he was going to have to start meddling in his big brother's love life (con't: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Hensheng, on the other hand, doesn't throw tantrums but WILL sulk...

[amelia-mariee]

how much time is supposed to pass before you bring up your various obsessions to your roommates you just met

[redfurrycat]

🤠📜🐓Retelling, Backstory & cie Fic Recs🐓📜🤠

Check the Top Gun Masterlist post for the latest updated version. 💕

Ao3 Authors: AnadoraBlack, Barnes_Brain, Bartonfink, Bitter_Rabbit, Blood_mocha_latte, Booklover03, Bottledyarn, Cedricslove, Charlie_mou, ChexMix, Cltbsl, Comin2U, Content_Scrapbooker, DancingDisaster, Davidbyrne, Dracculaura, Drh0rrible, Earthangel_44, Fadedseas, Fuddlewuddle, Gamerring, Greatea, Greenstuff, Happypuppys, Haridwar, Heroic_pants, Indybob, Iridescent, Kiddi, Lesbiseresin, Llewellynprince, Lovelybattle, Martian_potato, MerielTLA, Midnights, Mtnofgrace, NikkiTe, OfTheDirewolves, Orphan_account, Pado_hyuck, Parcels, Percyjacksonfan3, Perishablealex, PerpetualDusk, Rararatatouille, Renai_chan, S_bean, Silvermoongirl10, Softerepilogue, Soisserieux, Stardustsunflower, Takingovermidnight, Teacupivy, The_Splendid_Wren, Thewonderzebra, Valkyrie_the_Bogwitch, VarjoRuusu, WaffleToaster, WhisperingNights.

> Post-Mission

Top Gun: Maverick retold by Fuddlewuddle {E}

I'll ride in this life with you

Rooster is called back to Top Gun along with 11 other pilots for an important mission. Not only does he have to deal with the unresolved issues with Maverick now the Captain is going to be the one training them, but he's also been assigned to live with the one person who seemingly lives to infuriate him; Hangman. He'll be lucky if he even makes it to fly in the mission in the first place. (Or, my alternate take on the events of Top Gun: Maverick if Rooster was made to live with Hangman).

Promise me, Just hold my hand

It follows Rooster and Hangman's relationship over the months and years following them getting together. Each chapter will be a difference slice of life--some will be between the end of the previous fic and the epilogue, and some will be after the epilogue. It will also expand on Maverick's developing relationship with Cyclone as hinted at in the previous fic.

Living after midnight, loving 'til the morning, then I'm gone. by WaffleToaster {E}

Nobody thought their actions back in the winter of '85 and beyond would end up having these consequences. A story woven from past mistakes, indecisions and loss that eventually helped shape his world and upbringing. But despite all the hardships one thing was for certain, Jake Seresin was destined to fly and he knew the Navy was where he belonged. A slightly altered kind of retelling that includes Jake 'Hangman' Seresin being Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky’s lost son, a story about revelations, love, loss, friendship and most importantly family. Where two rivals find out they may not be so different from one another and their journey to understanding, unity, serenity and eventually love. First by hating, then by loving and finally understanding and helping one another find a place they both deserve. Just not in the same order.

Stress Relief by lovelybattle {E}

Rooster stood in front of a door that was identical to his own that was just down the hall. He couldn’t bring himself to raise his arm and knock. He’d already been standing there for a good five minutes, frozen. He had been laying in bed that night unable to sleep, which wasn’t anything new, as he stressed about his upcoming suicide mission. He was restless, his mind had made a split second decision and his feet had followed.

I used to hate you by AnadoraBlack {M}

When Bradley Bradshaw and Jake Seresin first meet at Top Gun, they immediately decide that they hate each other. . It takes a looooooong time for that to change...

Now Say it Back by Earthangel_44 {E}

It's been two years since they broke up. Two years of Jake trying to forget the heart break of the day Bradley Bradshaw walked out of his life like Jake didn't mean anything. But as fate has it they are both recalled to Top Gun for a special mission and Jake is determined to not repeat past mistakes. What he doesn't count on is Bradley Bradshaw. AKA: An Angsty backstory to why there was so much bad blood between them during the movie and the story of before it all started.

Men Like Us by DancingDisaster {M}

Seresin men love with reckless abandon. It’s put every man before him in the ground. Jake refuses to be buried. He flies like he has nothing left to lose (he doesn’t), a one man army (he is), leaving everyone else in the dust (so they don’t leave him). Admiral Kazansky claps him on the shoulder, says he expects great things from him, and Jake’s smile is feral as the rest of his flight school cohort looks on in disbelief. Hangman, they all say, like Jake’s entire personality was a long con, and he ranks first in class. Rooster doesn’t look at all. (They've got history spanning the better part of a decade and they are absolutely, positively not over it.)

All The Love You Left Me by llewellynprince

Secret Keeper {T}

Jake Seresin is a lot of things, and Javy has been his secret keeper since the beginning.

Come on, Come on, Darlin' {M}

Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw was born to love and he's going to spend the rest of his life writing the Encyclopedia Britannica on Jake Seresin, Callsign: Hangman.

Unwritten {M}

Jake is a work-in-progress. Like all those unfinished stories people start and never finish that everyone forgets long before there’s any chance of an ending, happy or otherwise.

Only The Good Die Young {M}

Seresins are warriors. They die young and they die bloody. They’ve got a debt somewhere one of them forgot to write down and now the rest of them are paying the price. Jake Seresin comes from a long line of fighters and desperados and gets an itch under his skin whenever he stops moving. Seresins are a law unto themselves and great men have tried to make it otherwise, and failed. Bradley Bradshaw was born with roots so deep the shifting of the tectonic plates can’t move them. There are mountain ranges less stubborn and more self-aware than he is. Javier Machado has beaten Bradley Bradshaw into the ground exactly three times in his life before the idiot finally realized. It might have been a bit extra, but Javy knows where all the bodies on the Seresin Ranch are buried. (AKA this time Jake comes from a loving, if tragic, family and he and Bradley still can’t get it right the first time)

invisible string by Bartonfink {M}

Bradley Bradshaw meets Jake Seresin. Bradley Bradshaw hates Jake Seresin. Bradley Bradshaw wants Jake Seresin. Bradley Bradshaw’s getting too old for this shit. Or: Before Top Gun, they're two kids who keep running into each other at the worst possible time. A study of fate and courtship over borders, milestones, and fifteen long, tension-filled years.

Don't Leave Me Hanging by NikkiTe {T}

Hangman met Rooster and Phoenix when they were in Top Gun years ago. Now they are called back to Top Gun for a secret mission. But there is a complication, Hangman and Phoenix know that Rooster hates Maverick for reasons unknown to them. They try to protect him, keep him flying, motivated, happy, and as far away from Maverick as they could. Unfortunately for Hangman, he recognizes that his friend looks good. And there's also the way Rooster looks at him that is a little different than he did years ago. ~~~~ Or a retelling of the movie, mostly from Hangman’s POV. Also added a really really protective Hangman in the story who has no idea that he's feeling more than friendship towards Rooster.

You Broke My Will, But What a Thrill by soisserieux {_}

Bradley shrugs. “No one there knows about us yet. We didn’t really get together until after we graduated, and I don’t know about you, but I haven’t really mentioned to anyone that I’m dating the Jake Seresin.” “Are you trying to decide how to tell them?” Jake asks. Bradley settles back into his chair. “Actually, I was considering what would happen if we didn’t.” “If we didn’t tell them?” A mischievous grin appears on Bradley’s face, and holy shit, that’s another one of Jake’s favorite expressions. “I was thinking about challenging you to a competition.” Jake grins. “I’m listening.”

 it's lily's world and sereshaw are just living in it by pado_hyuck {T}

Little Chick

It was supposed to be a normal exercise. Well, to be fair, it was a normal exercise. They got their asses kicked by their instructor, who Hangman (oh so conveniently) dragged out of the Hard Deck the day before being introduced, as they prepared for their new mission that brought “the best of the best” back to Top Gun. Only the aftermath changed everything he ever thought about Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. - a single parent au

I won't let go 'til the end by cedricslove {E}

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Bradley asked in a gentle tone, hands softly rubbing his shoulders. “Nothing,” he said, unwillingly tensing at his own response, knowing it would give him away. Bradley sighed, “Why do you always do this? You shut me out.” Re-telling of Rooster and Hangman's relationship from Hangman's perspective

show me again by dracculaura {E}

He hasn’t had a roommate on land-based assignments in years, not since flight school, so it takes him by surprise. He just isn’t used to it, not anymore. And he’s especially not used to sharing a room with fucking Bradley Bradshaw. (jake and bradley are roommates during their time at topgun)

Callsigns by Valkyrie_the_Bogwitch {M}

Callsign: Rooster

Callsigns are a tricky business, both ultimate weakness and greatest strength. These are some loosely connected vignettes around how Rooster earned his feathers, for the good and the ill of it.

Callsign: Hangman

Callsigns are a tricky business, both ultimate weakness and greatest strength. These are some loosely connected vignettes around how Hangman earned his noose, for the good and the ill of it.

so sorry mama by drh0rrible

Eight Weeks {T}

Rooster finally gets called up to attend Top Gun. He is determined to outfly his ghosts and graduate top of the class. There are a few obstacles in his way. -- Rooster, Phoenix, and Hangman's eight weeks together at top gun.

I Love You Honey, Give Me A Beer {T}

Hangman’s POV of the bar scene scene in TGM, or: Jake being a pining idiot

Don't Hate The Player {E}

After the mission Rooster can't settle back into his skin. -- Champagne, drinking games, and conversations on the beach with Hangman and Rooster.

Too Good To Be True {M}

5 Times Someone Finds Out Rooster and Hangman are Together + 1 Time Jake Needs Reminding

bombs are falling everywhere (it's heartbreak warfare) by blood_mocha_latte {T}

He doesn’t really remember the first time that he met Jake Seresin. (Or, the childhood friends to enemies to lovers to rivals to lovers we all desire, coupled with angst with a happy ending and a side of icemav)

low key in love by iridescent {T}

low key in love

Bradley runs warm by nature, always has. Today, half an hour after exercise, he’s practically a radiator. He figures he can be generous enough to share the surplus heat rather than suffer through the nuisance of watching Seresin gradually edge closer to hypothermia. (In which Hangman is often freezing and Bradley, who is a human furnace, notices and starts feeling begrudgingly obliged to do something about it.)

And If Your Heart Surrenders by perishablealex {E}

Bradley is wearing his aviators and his mustache has beer foam on it. Jake reaches out and brushes his thumb tentatively over the foam, hand lingering on Bradley’s jaw. He feels Bradley smirk a bit as he reaches over to place a hand over Jake’s thigh. He leans in and Jake holds his breath, but Bradley just brushes his mustache against his cheekbone and then the shell of his ear. Bradley says it softly into Jake's ear. Mine. And Jake runs. Or: A retelling of Jake's life, from his life at home, his time at the Naval Academy and first time at Top Gun, The Mission, and finally, the aftermath.

Beaten and Blown by the Wind by martian_potato {T}

Jake Seresin is the best of the best. He’s always been, because he hadn’t ever let himself be anything else. In high school, that meant being the varsity swim team captain and graduating top of his class. At the Naval Academy, that meant being the fastest 200 meter freestyle swimmer they’d ever seen, meant being Valedictorian of his class and graduating with an aerospace engineering degree. At the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, it meant getting the top scores, it meant being sent to Top Gun. In the Navy, it meant being the only current generation Navy pilot to have a confirmed air combat kill since Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He’s worked hard to be where he’s at today and he’s never been afraid to flaunt it. Even if it means that his only constant, his only comfort, is the ghosts of the people he’s lost that dog his every move. - This is a story about how Jake collects Admirals as father figures, falls in love, loses people, and comes out on top.

Handle With Care by Barnes_Brain {E}

Ever since he could remember, Bradley wanted to be a pilot. When he was seventeen his dad, and Ice, pulled his papers from the Naval Academy. When he was barely 22 they did it again and pulled his wings out from underneath him. Stamped with a Do Not Fly he’d been delegated to Catapult Officer. After a particularly long deployment, and a very short fight, Bradley gets his chance at becoming a Naval Aviator as he’s always dreamed of. Once he’s got his wings of gold he meets Jake “Hangman” Seresin, another young pilot. He’s cocky, headstrong, handsome, brash, witty, striking, and most of all oblivious to the fact that Bradley is not flight deck crew anymore, or the son of the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. So maybe Bradley has the hots for the obnoxious pilot who looks like a Greek god. And maybe he doesn’t want to scare him off. Sue him.

the man had killed the thing he loved (and so he had to die) by orphan_account {T}

Jacob Seresin was born and raised weak. Delivered prematurely, he was small and fragile; a pitiable baby who always needed to be watched over. His conception was welcomed, his birth, undesirable. (or: Jake Seresin throughout his life.)

Obviously by lovelybattle {E}

Jake groaned into the kiss, gripping at Rooster’s shoulders. Rooster pushed him against the door, hand roaming up and down his sides. He reached under Rooster’s shirt, running his fingers over the muscles that flexed under his touch. Rooster groaned and moved his lips down to Jake’s neck, making Jake moan under his breath. “Um- I should probably-” Jake fell off into a moan as Rooster sucked a spot into his pulse point. “Hang on I-” Jake tried again, “Rooster, I need-” Rooster just hummed, running his tongue over the mark. “Bradley, I need to tell you something.”

still got that old time feeling by haridwar {E}

This was where Bradley’s head had been stuck for the entirety of his trip home. Flying in to San Diego from overseas had given him ample opportunity to overthink. Not about his impromptu homecoming though, or the fact that he would be stopping by his childhood home for the first time in well over a decade, or what it would be like to retrace his steps through Top Gun again like the first time around wasn’t difficult enough. No. His mind was stuck inexplicably upon Jake goddamn Seresin, and his goddamn stupid handsome face, and the fact that he still had way too many feelings for a guy who had walked out on him without so much as a backward glance. Or: yet another retelling of TG:M which covers some of the hangster subtext Tom Cruise neglected to include in his movie

Guardian Goose by Comin2U {T}

Goose didn't mean to stick around when he died. But here he was, attached to 3 people and still yelling at Mav 30 years later. ________________________________ aka Guardian Angel Goose is tied to Iceman, Maverick, and Bradley and proceeds to spend 30 years yelling at all of them for being idiots in some fashion. Though only 1 of them can see him

mark on you by drh0rrible

Training Montage {E}

No matter where in the world you found yourself stationed, Navy bars were all the same. It was a comfort really, a nice bit of stability in a life defined by chaos. It starts in a Navy bar, and then another one, and another one. A one night stand, to half a relationship, to exes, to maybe something again. Another history of Rooster and Hangman

Carved on my Heart by ChexMix {G}

Jake's heart is a place for all types of stories, collected over the years, etched in with fine pen. Pain and failure and heartbreak and success and trust and love. Or: It'll take time. Some may even say it's impossible. But when has that ever stopped Jake Seresin? In which Jake "Hangman" Seresin learns to slow down and open up. One impossible step at a time.

why’d you wait so long (to tell me you need me) by thewonderzebra {E}

“Can you promise me something?” Jake calls into the darkness. Bradley tries to keep his muscles from tensing up at the thought of the broken promises he’s weathered in his lifetime. He slips his hands under the shirt Jake is wearing, palms and fingertips on warm, soft skin acting as a grounding mechanism. “That’s dangerous,” he warns. He knows he would do anything, say anything if it means never losing Jake again. But in their profession, promises are never a guarantee of permanence. Still, Jake seems aware of the danger and is determined to forge ahead, fearless as ever. “Promise me that we’re forever.” OR A retelling of TG:M explaining the background of Jake and Bradley’s relationship, and how it comes to evolve.

habits by rararatatouille {_}

Jake and Bradley come together in a series of jagged stops and starts. They fall apart in the exact same way. In which habits are hard to break, even for the people we love most.

on the other side by bottledyarn {T}

Between the scenes of Top Gun: Maverick, Jake and Bradley are falling in love and everyone knows it. Except Jake and Bradley.

everyone knows something I don't by greatea {E}

Rooster interrupts him, and damn it, that smirk is back from the bar. "Ah, so you paid attention to who was in the same year as me, Hangman? My my my darlin', I didn't know I left that much of an impression on you." With a scowl, Jake just shrugs his shoulders. "Gotta pay attention to the competition, right? Not that you turned out to be much competition after all, a bit too slow for me." "Ah, well, that might be true for my flying, but it certainly doesn't carry over into other aspects of my life, darlin' ," Rooster says, smirk almost painted onto his face, looking him up and down. - or the 5+1 fic where Jake doesn't realize Bradley is flirting with him, and the one time he does.

Burned on the back of your eyelids by The_Splendid_Wren {M}

They say when you're near death your life flashes before your eyes and he's had a long, complicated life. The first time he remembers trying to etch a memory on the back of his eyelids he's eight years old. His mom uncovers the piano in the living room and begins tapping at the keys, the notes to a song he's long since forgotten echoing around the living room. He can hear the melody as the wind whips past his ears and the wreckage of his plane crashes far below on the ice mountain side. Or Bradley contemplates the moments that stuck with him as he descends to the ground after ejecting in the woods - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

ride or die by parcels {T}

He’s newly thirty-five when he meets Bradley Bradshaw, the arrogantly charming graduate with a stupid name and a pornstache that makes him look like he’s stepped straight out of the 80s. From first glance, Bradshaw makes his vision tunnel, and Hangman can’t tell if it’s from jealousy, or admiration (he doubts it), or.. something else. orrrrr falling in love with a Naval Lieutenant is easier than it sounds and even less practical than one might initially think.

apple juice by cltbsl {_}

“I can’t do this.” Jake pulls away to inspect his face, this is some sick joke. Shock is written all over his face, there is so much anger, so much betrayal, so much sadness coursing through his veins he can’t even bear to look at Bradley anymore. Jake’s losing his mind, and laughs. “You could’ve just left me alone.” Jake breathes out, shaking his head, tears now flowing freely from his eyes. “You could’ve left me alone, but instead you kiss me, and tell me the same damn thing you’ve been telling me from the very beginning.” Jake snapped. Bradley stares at him with broken eyes, and opens his mouth to say something, but Jake holds up his finger. “You keep shutting me out,” Jake sighs, “This time you don’t get too.” He grabs his door handle and yanks the door open, not before looking at Bradley one last time. “Just stay away from me.” Jake spits, climbing into his car, and driving away.

Life Still Goes On by Renai_chan

Got to Make It on My Own {E}

Jake and Bradley spend one night together under the heavy, heavy influence of alcohol. It does not go well. But it goes worse for Jake than it does for Bradley because he wakes up with a bonding bite and his new alpha nowhere to be found. When they're recalled for a special training detachment eight years later, Jake finds out that Bradley doesn't remember giving him the bite at all and Bradley finds out about it for the first time. It still does not go well.

Always by greenstuff {E}

Jake meets Bradley for the first time when they're eighteen. This is the story about how they fall in love, break up, and then spend years finding their way back to each other. A modern Persuasion, if you squint a bit.

Left Hanging by takingovermidnight {T}

When Jake Seresin adopts the attitude that later earns him his "Hangman" call sign, Bradley Bradshaw cannot help but feel somewhat responsible.

got to get your lovin' (one more time) by Percyjacksonfan3 {E}

When the first opening for an assignment comes his way he grasps it with both hands. It’s long, it’s far away, and it’s a distraction.It’s that mission that he gets his first and so far only kill, marking him as the only Navy pilot in active duty to have one.A couple of the TOPGUN graduates text him congratulations when they hear.A couple of them don’t.Jake grits his teeth and moves on. It's the backstory breakup fic that I couldn't not write after watching this movie, along with these two figuring themselves out after the events of Maverick to realize they actually did belong together all along.Also Phoenix and Coyote are the best friends two disasters like Rooster and Hangman could ask for, and I love them.

Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Earthangel_44 {E}

“Do you?” Bradley counters. Jake’s face morphs into confusion. “Do you want a divorce?” Jake is quiet and the quiet is scarier than when Bradley didn’t think that Jake would take the ring from him. “I don’t know.” Jake says softly and he looks lost. He looks small and Bradley’s heart hurts in his chest. “I love you.” Bradley says breaking the silence between them and a smile twitches over Jake’s face. “Do you?”

Rare by lovelybattle {E}

Bradley didn't think anything of all the different people he met that day. He couldn't even remember most of them. It was completely normal to meet people that you'd never see again in his line of work. What wasn't normal was the new bright red mark that he found on his arm when he got home. A soul mark.

You'd Say "I Love You and How Proud" by Comin2U {T}

Someone once asked Natasha where she got her ability to survive anything. It take her years before she learned it was a hereditary thing. ________________________ The one in which Natasha is Maverick's biological daughter but it's a little more complicated than that.

slow down (you're doing fine) by charlie_mou {M}

"But have you ever thought about what happened after?" Suddenly, Jake felt like the tone alarm was going off and he was stuck in the cockpit with the hydraulics out. "After?" "His dad died before he even turned three. His mom died a week after he turned nine. Have you thought about what happened after?" Or, Seven years after their break up, Jake and Bradley are finally about to admit why it happened. But instead of resolving whatever there is between them, Bradley starts giving Jake heart attacks while in the sky - and Jake has a feeling it's all about more than flying. Going to Maverick for advice might just clear things up for him.

Sereshaw (Taylor's Version) by s_bean {M}

Sparks few instantly, wingmen become friends, who then become lovers. Miscommunication lead to fall out. Unsaid words since the twist of fate when it all broke down. I don't know about you, but the story of us might be ending soon. Or: The story of Rooster and Hangman who are DEFINITELY exes.

A Kiss with a Fist by MerielTLA {E}

"If we´re both single by a certain age, we will marry each other" but they´re rivals making a drunken bet and they will do anything in their power to sabotage the other´s relationships because they´re secretly in love.

(sometimes I feel) like a monkey pilot by charlie_mou {_}

Mav’s both eyebrows twitched. “That does sound like it’s going to be a problem.” “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, making himself look straight ahead, avoiding eye contact. “He’s a shithead in the same way you are.” “Bradley,” Mav said, and he was using that tone, the one that made Bradley feel like he was fifteen again. “What? It’s true. He has the same lack of brain-to-mouth filter, doesn’t know when to quit, I can go on if you want,” he said, but Mav didn’t take the bait. They marched down the tarmac, getting closer and closer to the others’ hearing range, and Mav was still staring at him, expecting an explanation. He sighed. “He’s my ex-boyfriend.” “Your—” Mav exclaimed, falling a step behind Bradley, before catching up, striding inches away from Bradley’s side. “From before?” "Yep." “Why didn’t you say anything?” God, why was this tarmac so long? “As much as I’d prefer to avoid him, orders are orders, Mav.” Or, it's time for the special detachment and Bradley's decisions from five years ago are finally catching up with him.

I Lost You Once, But I'll Love You More Than That by PerpetualDusk {E}

As hard as he would love to forget about the time where Bradley, Javy, Natasha, and him, had all went to the same Naval academy- Bradley being two years older than them, but managing to stick to Jake's side, and make time for their friend group-, and had become familiar with one another, than their time at Top Gun shouldn't have been anything short of a friendly reunion. Except, it wasn't. Not in Jake and Bradley's case, for the most part. For them, it was a back-and-forth game of pushing each other's buttons, in which, most cases, Jake would be the first one to comment something that would rile Bradley and get him to fight back, to continue and escalate their verbal war where both of them were too stubborn to back down or admit they were both wrong. That was their thing, however. It was always about pushing the other's buttons- albeit light bantering when they dated-, and that worked for them. The bickering and the arguments happened occasionally, but they never got bad to the point where they plunged a knife deep into the other's gut and twisted it slowly, killing them from the inside. Perhaps, what worked for them was just bound to explode in their faces- and it did, which is why they are the way they are.

obliterate me by fadedseas {T}

Jake Seresin comes from a long line of men that burn bright and fast, and flame out just as quickly. He knows that Bradley Bradshaw is his soulmate. He knows that he is destined to die young. He knows that Bradley Bradshaw is going to end up killing him one day. But Jake Seresin refuses to go quietly. Or a Cursed Soulmates AU in which all the men in Jake Seresin's family die young at the hands of their soulmates. And then Bradley's name appears on Jake's wrist.

Coming Home by mtnofgrace {T}

Top Gun Maverick if Iceman had lived. Icemav raised Bradley, and Ice is determined to get him back home.

gold rush by gamerring {_}

All his life, Jake Seresin has wanted to live his life as loud as possible. So that when he dies, people can place flowers on his casket. When the light hits him, sunbaked and smiling and grinning. He's whole and happy and everything he could ever want. He bites down on his teeth. Later, he hunches over the porcelain, petals falling out of his mouth, and is already one step in his grave. - Flowers, fighter pilots and the true fatality of your feelings spilling out.

in this world, it's just us (you know it's not the same as it was) by happypuppys {_}

He changes in the bathroom quickly, brushing his teeth and fixing his hair before he walks out, rolling his eyes when Bobby wolf-whistles. “Really objectifying me.” Bradley grabs his phone, and Bobby laughs. “You just look like you need objectifying.” Bobby replies, laughing again when Bradley wrinkles his nose. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave that to Jake.” “I don’t even like him.” He argues, but even he can hear how much of a lie that it sounds like. or, the story of Jake and Bradley, from childhood to what comes after the mission

it was only ever you by haridwar {E}

Different lives, different faces, different names and identities. Centuries of chasing. Those eyes, that soul, still inexplicably the same. It was both a blessing and a curse that Jake was the one forever burdened to remember first. or: soulmates au where they reunite once they've recovered memories from their past lives

Hangman Origin by Bitter_Rabbit {E}

When they first meet, they aren’t Rooster and Hangman. Not yet. They are just Bradley Bradshaw and Jake Seresin. ----- Strangers to Lovers to Exes to Lovers, because we all know they had history!

share the same space for a minute or two by heroic_pants {E}

He notices a guy standing against the wall of the admin building looking down at his phone, maybe waiting for someone. One of their class probably, judging by his khaki naval uniform, and the way he holds himself. He’s tall – though Bradley thinks he’d probably be taller, just by a little – and he looks like a naval Ken Doll, handsome in a real Kennedy-wealthy way, blonde hair neatly cut and combed back. He looks like a jock in a teen movie, ready to go beat up some nerds. Bradley knows the type, through high school, college, and definitely the academy. All cocky hotshots with an ego the size of the Sun. Bradley doesn’t expect the guy to look up and meet his eyes. The guy half-smiles, kind of a smirk but it doesn’t feel mocking, it kind of warms his whole face bringing out his dimples – and Bradley is too caught off guard to do anything but look through his Dad’s old aviators before they’ve passed him by anyway. ***       Rooster and Hangman get to Top Gun in 2008, the first time, and an intense rivalry develops into something else that echoes back when they return eight years later...

We Were Nothing by Renai_chan {M}

Jake and Bradley were together during their first stint at TOPGUN. Bradley breaks it off with Jake afterwards. Later, they meet again at the special detachment training, and Bradley tries to rekindle their once-upon-a-time romance. Except Jake doesn't know what the hell Bradley's talking about.

If I Could Turn Back Time by Earthangel_44 {E}

In the wake of Bradley’s death, Jake sells his soul to go back in time and save him. The only catch: they can’t be in love. AKA: The angsty demon timeloop au

Back and Forth in Love by WhisperingNights {M}

“Oh Rooster, tell me you didn’t fall for the cis hetero man,” Phoenix sighed, following her friend's line of sight. He took a large gulp of his beer, not denying it. “He’s an asshole, literally the straightest man in the bar. Something happened in Japan, didn’t it?”

there's oceans between you and me (once again) by davidbyrne {E}

Bradley doesn’t really know when it ended. If he’s honest, he doesn’t know when it began, either. He and Jake are like the tides, pulling in and pushing out on an endless cycle with no discernible edge. Sure, there’s a pattern there, but Bradley can’t find it, can’t control it. Or maybe he can, but he doesn’t want to. If there’s an end to be found, he doesn’t want it. Even if that means he’ll be dragged out every time he’s pulled in. Or bradley's afraid of fate, and jake doesn't believe in it

I Am Yours by Booklover03 {_}

Being an Omega with a mating bite and a half-finished mating bond without his Alpha in sight is hard. Hiding the fact that he’s a mated Omega is even harder. What happens when years later he meets his Alpha again? Especially when the other man doesn’t seem to acknowledge the bite mark he left on the Omega years prior.

Running Rings Around You by Content_Scrapbooker {T}

Hangman and Rooster had a deep and complicated history, even before the special detachment that would change both of their lives. But in the spirit of secrets coming to light, they both probably would have appreciated it if no one had found out they were married in the middle of the mission.

racing ghosts by stardustsunflower {T}

Jake hasn’t seen Bradley in almost two decades, and hasn’t seen Maverick for longer than that. But here they are again, the people he’s supposed to work with to save the country or the world or something, and hopefully not die in the process. Bradley is still just as angry as he was back then, which Jake doesn’t want anything to do with anymore. He got caught up in that mess years ago, and he isn’t about to do it again. Really. He’s staying out of it. So far out of it.

On Your Mighty Wings by VarjoRuusu {T}

Maverick has spent more than thirty years looking for the child he never had the chance to know. One dead end after another, one loss after another, and now when he finally has a chance to get to know the man his son is now, it could all be taken away from them in an instant. Or Jake is actually Maverick’s biological son…

If you find yourself thinkin' About that boy from East Texas by Kiddi {M}

“Funnily enough,” he decided to say, hoping he was reading the situation correctly, “this isn't the first sunrise we’ve had, is it?” Jake chuckled softly and made a small noise, “no it is not,” he agreed, “just as pretty though,” “No matter where I go,” he retraced old conversations, “the sunrise always feels like back home.” They settled in comfortable silence for a bit before Jake spoke, “it's been a while since we’ve seen each other,” he said, looking down at the sand, “Spain was it?” he looked over at Rooster, “the last time I saw you?” A little bit of shame and guilt rose in his chest, neither of them kept in touch after Spain but Rooster always felt like it was his fault, “yea, it was,” he nodded, “you haven't changed a bit though, still as annoying as ever,” he laughed, and so did Jake, “but you’re still one hell of a pilot,” Or Bradley and Jake haven't seen each other since running away from their feelings and now they have to realize that they never really went away in the first place

Somewhere on the East Side of Sorrow by softerEpilogue

Devils in the Canyon {M}

Rooster pitches down, too steep and too fast, daring Maverick to follow. Mav matches him, foot for foot, and they hurtle down, spiraling and twisting around each other in a deadly dance. “What’s past is past,” Maverick says, voice g-strained. “Pull up, Rooster.” To hell with you, Rooster thinks, and even he doesn’t know how literally he means it. Or It takes Rooster and Hangman ten years after they meet at flight school to get their shit together. It takes longer than that, a suicide run of a mission, Maverick's god-and-logic defying luck, and Iceman's indomitable common sense to get him and Maverick to sit down and talk.

Some Unspoken Thing by indybob {M}

With paths that have crossed for the better part of a decade, Jake and Bradley have a history unlike any other. A history that sees their relationship develop from best friends, to bitter rivals, to eventual lovers. The five times that Jake felt there was some unspoken thing between himself and Bradley, and the one time he decided to do something about it.

it’s always say goodnight & go by lesbiseresin {E}  

It’s hard to tell who actually walks into who, but if there’s one thing Bradley does soon become certain of, it’s that it isn’t his drink that sloshes all over the front of his shirt when he collides with the person standing in front of him. Bradley groans and takes a reflexive step back while the damage is still soaking in. “Fuck.” The person in front of him seems to share a similar sentiment. “Oh, shit.” “What the hell, man?” Bradley gingerly pinches the front of his now sopping-wet shirt between two fingers and unsticks it from his chest. Great. So much for a carefree night out. “You think I just wasted the rest of my drink on purpose?” (alternatively: the story of bradley bradshaw’s life, as told through making out with jake seresin.)

I’m alright with a slow burn by lesbiseresin  {M}

Maverick’s eyes lower to focus on the figure whose head barely reaches Copperhead’s hip, a blonde boy that looks to be around Bradley’s age. “And this must be Jacob.” “Jake,” the boy corrects. He only crosses his arms when Copperhead taps his shoulder in a silent reprimand, but Maverick doesn’t seem to mind. He laughs and exchanges an amused look with Copperhead before moving his hand into a similar grip on Bradley’s shoulder. “Well, Jake. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Maverick. This is Bradley.” Bradley blinks owlishly at them both until Maverick nudges him. “Hi.” (alternatively: jake & bradley over the years)

What's my worth? by WaffleToaster {E}                             

Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight… These were the only thoughts that rang through his head. Twenty-nine, thirty. Two breaths. One and two. They weren't friends, they didn't even like each other and whatever they had going between them meant nothing. And then the mission happened.   Or how Bradley and Jake went from hating each other to caring a little too much.

the stars align (just one time) by OfTheDirewolves {M}

In one world a prince fell in love with a lord but the world was cruel and they were robbed of the time they deserved... In another two pilots meet at top gun but it will take them too long to fully understand what they mean to each other. or Jake and Bradley fall in love over multiple lifetimes, will they finally get it right? or will they keep getting in their own way? A Bradley Bradshaw x Jake Seresin Reincarnation AU

top gun missing scenes by teacupivy {E}

the whole time, under the lights

Jake "Hangman" Seresin is unraveling the mystery that is Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, one thread at a time, if it kills him. They've been fighting and fucking for years, and everything comes to a head when they're recalled to Top Gun for a special training detachment and find themselves competing to be team leader.

as he falls from his perch

Bradley Bradshaw has a knack for losing people, either watching them go or running them off. Jake Seresin seems to just keep coming back.

Into the Light by silvermoongirl10 {T}

In a world where Goose and Carole Bradshaw didn't die and got to raise their son. Bradley doesn't get his papers pulled and meets Jake Seresin at the Acadmey and Flight School falling in love. The Dagger mission causes angst within the '86 class and Bradshaw family. Bradley and Jake are due to get married in four months and they've both been chosen as mission candidates, Maverick has been chosen to teach them and he is being harder on Bradley because he needs his godson to survive. Goose and Slider step in to help and everyone has to prepare themselves for the possibilty that the long awaited wedding could turn out to be a funeral instead.

A Kazansky Redemption by WhisperingNights {E}

This is a Kazansky love story. Can one win back the love of their life? Can the other find love in a storm of hate? **** “Sarah, that’s been over for 26 years, besides your my wife, remember? It wouldn’t be good to go tell a man I love him now would it?” Ice grinning playfully at her. She gave a small laugh that quickly turned into a cough, causing him to lean toward her in concern. “I’m alright, I’m alright, sit down,” she rasped, waving him off, then she looked at him “I love you Tom, but we both know our love was foraged in partnership nothing else. We did what was necessary for the safety of ourselves and your career. But it’s 2017, it's easier now. Sexuality rights are better, people are more open. I’ll never get to have a wife, but you Tom, you deserve to have a husband.” ***** Jake’s eyes landed on a figure in an awful Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses. His irritation instantly grew, the universe really must hate him.

don't need a reason to bleed until we're even by midnights {_}

he walks into the little bar and jake seresin is there, because this mission is for the best of the best, and jake is the best, he’s always been the best. best thing bradley ever had, that's for damn sure. or... another take on rooster & hangman meeting again as exes when they're called to TOPGUN for the mission.

[rotisseries]

ALRIGHT SO THIS MIGHT BE LONG. BUT I COME BEARING FIC RECS!!!

first off. since you said you were in an sskk mood. i'm going to recommend you my own fic 🫶 it's called the memory of your name and is an amnesia fic, which i've admittedly never read before. it's based on this prompt, which i just really liked :))

i also have to be seen in the light (but wander in the dark) by confusedwritingrat, which is basically just uh. a lot of akutagawa angst tbh. tw include torture and a LOT A LOT of injuries, it's a 5+1 of people not noticing when akutagawa was injured

How To Wreck A Schedule In One Easy Step by valleykey is transfem kunikida. that's it that's the fic (but holy FUCK is it a good fic, cannot recommend it enough)

Misunderstandings are extremely embarrassing by EMILEHCM is just. they're idiots. sskk but also dazai. all idiots.

Bad At Love by silent_knives_wielder is so so so good, it's skk soulmates and it's short but Silly :33

EHEHE okay so Striped and Destruction, Resolution by AliceInHyruleBastion are both sskk soulmates, the first is from atsushi's pov (and was written first) and the second is an akutagawa version, they're both AMAZING. liike geuinely so good that i binged every singe one of the author's fics afterwards like holy FUCK, they've got some more sskk but also a bunch of skk so definitely recommend their entire ao3 account bc i've got half of their fics bookmarked

dismal disquiet by Kala (assushi) is hanahaki and uh. it's short and it's painful. you should read it and then sob.

something to get used to by shipeo is so fuckign good, it's a character study on akutagawa and his partnership with atsushi set during the cannabalism arc, which is my favourite part and it makes me INSANE

now. now the series Soukoku Fics by NeonGanymede/StarshipDancer is a collection of all the author's skk fics. and when i tell you that i binged all 300k+ words of it over a weekend. it's INSANELY good, it's 90% domestic fluff with hurt/comfort and some angst, but the characterization and the dynamics are absolutely fucking AMAZING. there's also about 7 explicit fics, all in a row, but otherwise there's no smut and those fics are very easy to skip if it's not your thing. i sincerely recommend this series because the author Gets Them. if not all of them, there's an odango wedding one and the most recent one i'd recommend above all.

okay now i KNOW that you love cannabalism and blood and gore so here's a funky little vampire fic for you! i called your name 'til the fever broke by forest_raccoon is SO SILLY SO GOOD I'VE READ IT MULTIPLE TIMES IT'S SO FUCKING GOOD OKAY

idk if you like fyolai but Sins of Flesh by BoredsoIRead absolutely fucking blew my mind. they're so fucked up but so perfect for each other and so so fascinating. i LOVED this one.

It's Rotten Work by Egosdelirium is an skk fic, written during the wait between episodes after the one where dazai got shot.

also @/creantzy's bernadette fyolai animatic is a must-watch it literally changed my brain chemistry

so yeah!! hope you enjoy the fic recs :3

THANK YOUUUU I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THESE🫶🫶🫶

[lmaster37]

if you can, i highly encourage you to interact with fan artists of all formats, including fic authors, because even apart from that being really really nice for the artists, it's also good for you on a personal/selfish level !! it's a win-win situation !!

because let me tell you, there's a rush like no other when you finally get your shit together and comment on a fic that you've been rereading for years and the author responds (!) and tells you "That is an incredibly high compliment" (!!) and gives you a bit of insight into how they conceptualise the character (!!!) . like. oh my god i'm doing it i'm getting a good grade in Fandom

(engaging with fan art of all formats will also greatly increase fan artists' energy + desire to continue doing fan art, which, again, win-win situation !!)

[compacflt]

Do you have any nonfiction that you would recommend if someone was interested in the US Navy/military?

im probably not the right person to ask this bc most of my military knowledge hyperfixation is centered on the ARMY in the American Revolutionary War & World War II. It’s only pretty recently that i got into modern warfare as a topic, so let me just give some indiscriminate recs

Can’t go wrong with David McCullough‘s 1776, which is a great overview of the first year of the revolutionary war + the extremely fraught politics of trying to start a new nation’s military—really illustrates where a bunch of lingering schools of thought in our military originated from.

Another David McCullough shout-out: his The Wright Brothers is an excellent book about the origins of flight, AND it was the book right next to the picture of Ice and Maverick shaking hands on Ice’s bookshelf in TGM. So we know ice has read that one. I think you can’t go wrong at all with any David McCullough. I own like 5-6 of his books and he hasn’t missed once. (His best is John Adams but that’s not mil related)

Ron chernows biography of Washington goes into his military background (7 years' war) a whole bunch, and kind of elucidates how truly fortunate we were to have our nation’s first leader be a military man who really kinda didn’t want to be there. Some really good takes on leadership. Just beware that chernow does have a reputation in the history community for just makin shit up sometimes. If it sounds too cute/quaint to be true, it really might be.

u may be tempted: DO NOT read Brian kilmeade's Thomas Jefferson & the Tripoli Pirates, one of the few navy NF books I've read. I read it b4 I even knew who kilmeade was--didn't matter. it fucking sucks. he uses like 7 sources in the whole book.

Stephen E. Ambrose's Citizen Soldiers is a great WWII NF book about that generation of infantrymen.

The one big Navy NF book I've read recently is (not to brag but my personally signed copy of) Craig symonds' new biography of admiral Chester Nimitz, who was COMPACFLT during WWII's war in the pacific. I got a SHIT ton of professional characterization for Ice from Nimitz' life and this book--Nimitz also worked 18 hour days, was also separated from the love of his life for long periods of time in Hawaii, was also probably acutely depressed, etc.

okay: THOMAS E. RICKS. The Generals is SUCH a good book. Army leadership from WWII up through Iraq and Afghanistan. Focusing on how the Army used to relieve (fire) commissioned officers who couldn't hack it, and that's a huge part of why we won WWII, but somewhere between WWII and Korea, being fired started being super shameful (macarthur's fault if I'm reading it correctly) so mediocre officers didn't get fired and that's why the army has suffered shit leadership in every war since WWII. It's a HUGE thesis that he backs up so well. Would so recommend. I'm also currently reading his FIASCO about the fuck-up of Iraq. Also incredible so far.

Michael O'Hanlon's Military History for the Modern Strategist-- a post Civil War survey of military strategy on the campaign/operational level. Might be a good introduction to US military history, just giving a pretty broad overview of post-CW warfare, so that way you don't pick up a random book about the Korean War and go "wait what was the Chosin campaign again?" Interestingly written and I got to meet him and he wrote "wishing you the best" in my book after I told him I wanted to steal his job at Brookings someday, so admittedly I'm biased.

Lawrence Wright's The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State is not strictly military related, but it is one of the best-written and most illuminating nonfiction books I've ever read and I cannot recommend it enough.

For war fiction, my taste is v mainstream: Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy, Tim O'Brien's Going After Cacciato (imo better than the things they carried), Ahmed Saadawi's Frankenstein in Baghdad, Kevin Powers' The Yellow Birds, Cannot Miss Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front if you haven't read it, Hassan Blasim's The Corpse Exhibition: And Other Stories of Iraq... For specifically Naval lit: Run Silent, Run Deep is a pretty good classic, and this summer I read the 600-page behemoth The Caine Mutiny, which is about specifically WWII-era naval law... it's a brick. But it won a pulitzer and it's...passable. Kind of interesting at least.

[percyjacksonfan3]

Heyyyyyyy lovely how are you? Read any good fic lately?

Hello my dear! The answer to this is always of course, though I've been pinwheeling through different pairings and fandoms (though what else is new) because I haven't had a hyperfixation since Good Omens :(

I'll list a few from different recent fandoms. My bookmarks tend to be more mature or explicit ratings and longer fics because I love a good established dynamic

Mystrade (Mycroft Holmes x Greg Lestrade from BBC Sherlock)

I've been reading for these two since October now so there's definitely a few for them.

Paperback Writer by meansgirl

Rated E and totaling 82 265 words, this was an awesome fic where it's technically still canonverse only Greg is secretly an erotica author who just so happens to be Mycroft's favourite. So then of course Mycroft finds out.

Human Remains by Saziikins

This series lives in my head rent free and is so wonderful. It's canon compliant and a very slow burn of Mycroft and Greg getting together and then making a relationship work. Rated E, it's got 3 works in it and totals around 900k words, but the second work is a retelling of the first from Mycroft's POV instead of Greg's.

Pater Noster by manic_intent

Another rent free series, this one is Mystrade but set in the Good Omens universe where Mycroft is a high ranking demon and Greg a lower tier angel. So of course after being brought together a very human Sherlock, they fall in love. Eventually. I adored every bit of it, there's 3 works numbering at 26k words and it's so much fun.

Which brings me to some other recent goodies....

Ineffable Husbands (Crowley x Aziraphale from Good Omens)

Ah, my beloveds. I only listed three here but I have a ton of bookmarks saved for them that I am only too happy to share, should anyone need some recs

Not For All My Little Words by mia_ugly and soft_october

Rated E and about 8k words, this is set post season 2 and is Aziraphale and Crowley's reunion and apology.

you're not a religious person (but) by isozyme

Some snippets of Aziraphale and Crowley over the years. Historical fics for these two are some of my favorites and this fic takes us through some great moments to post season one. Super cute, rated M and nearly 20k words.

post-professional endeavors by darcylindbergh

A look at Aziraphale and Crowley figuring themselves out in retirement, as told from the POV of their poor realtor and other humans involved. I love outsider POV fics and this was top tier. Rated T and about 9k words, it was extremely cute.

Some honorable mentions:

What Spring Does with the Cherry Trees by riosnecktattoo

If you're in the NBC Good Girls fandom you'll probably already know this author, because everything they write is phenomenal, but this fic was lovely. A friends to lovers AU for Beth and Rio that still kept the original characterizations, I can't recommend it enough. Rated E, about 77k words.

Curse of the Green Hag by Moorishflower

A Xedgin fic for DND: Honour Among Thieves. It's a fuck or die curse fic with just enough plot for me to be invested. Edgin is great, Xenk is great, and the smut is great. Enough said. Rated E, 16k+ words.

The Veretian Flytrap by Just_Another_Day

A Dament fic for the Captive Prince fandom, this fic is a great twist on the canon story if Damen and Laurent were an Alpha/Omega pairing. Super in character and has all the greatness of the trilogy itself, I loved it. Rated E (obviously) and is 176k+ words.

Alright, I'll wrap it up here, but I hope there's something in here that interests you! If you want anything more specific (a certain fandom, pairing, rating, etc.) then just let me know and I will have another list for you asap <3

Anyone else with some good fic recs feel free to drop them in the replies or reblogs :)

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

Hey 👋

Favourite fall out boy songs??

Fake Out is probably my number one favorite, but the one I recommend to people who aren't super familiar with them is Hum Hallelujah, oddly enough. Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes is one of the songs that really hooked me on their sound and style, as well as The Kids Aren't Alright. and I'd always recommend Alone Together, Bob Dylan, The (After) Life Of The Party, Love From the Other Side, and Thriller! and also Saturday is just beautiful, I can't forget to mention that one.

[flockofdoves]

god i need to like never look at r/AITA again in my life. reddit is always showing its posts in my feed (which im actually looking at recently bc ive made so many asking for advice in random subreddit posts recently lol) and im getting so fucking angry at the amount of times ive seen something disgusting where someone is very clearly in the wrong and then all the top comments and the general ruling is NTA and when im like. ok i could at least release my anger with a quick 'YTA' comment without much other effort then its in fucking locked mode where only people with like multiple hundreds of karma in their subreddit can answer. and i guess of course people wasting all their time there have absolutely rancid misogynistic/fatphobic opinions

[hiddenbeks]

obsessed with doing this quiz for my ocs. i think its very important that we all know that celyn is 86% j*ghead

[capyclub]

.

[obstinaterixatrix]

TMBLR WONT LET ME EDIT THE REC I WANNA POST FOR TOMORROW THERE ARE 4 IMAGES!!! WHY ARE YOU THROWING A FIT

[zelda7999]

For you <3:

✨️ Out of the comments you’ve received on your fics, what are two or three of your favorites?

🏷 Is there a tag you like to search for when looking for fanfics to read?

🌻 How often do you read your own fics?

I would add screenshots of my fav comments- but all of them are TOO LARGE for me to share sdjkafhadsklf but just know if there's a long comment on my fic, it easily gets added to my favs. I know I have one of YOUR comments saved <3 <3 <3

As for tags... I don't really search for fics like that...? I just find them based on recommendations on Tumblr XDDD N once found I check the tags to see if there's anything I don't like, and if it's all things I'm okay with then it's free real estate :)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand I actually read my own fics a good bit. I enjoy them! that's why I write them to BEGIN WITH!! It is my guilty pleasure and damn it! I am going to enjoy it! I just reread one of the New Horizons chapters recently actually and melted at it. I adore it so so much, just cute lil sleepy times <3 -> this chapter

[rotisseries]

top five byler fics in your opinion go

YOU'RE MAKING ME PICK ONLY FIVE??? ok fuck. alright I'm listing in no particular order bc picking only 5 is hard enough I'm not gonna rank them

cheer up, baby by @perexcri. mike keeps getting flirted with and will is. so normal about it. I'm always gonna include this when asked for my favorite byler fics and MAYBE I'm biased bc it's based on one of my posts but idc

baby, we're perfect by @bookinit02. earth shattering, world shaking, life destroying. a fic of all time. can't tell you what this is about if you don't already know

chiron in gemini by babydraygen. this is actually part of a series and I haven't read the second fic yet but this is such a good one. also not exclusively byler this is more of a s5 fic in general. large byler focus though

you for me by fudgecakez. one of those really long one shots where not much happens and it's just a lot of character introspection but it was addictive. also mike is technically being haunted by vecna but the author made up new lore for that so it's a little confusing. the vecna bit is not the main focus though!

adulation by @smoosnoom. mike and will are just hanging out and then mike is like "hey why haven't we kissed" because that is a normal thing to say to your best friend

[leebitkitty]

oH MY GOD I ALS RNOR IMA NNOT OAKY IM PASDSED OUT RN... 🫠🫠🫠 GO READ RN

no nut november — i.n (loser #2)

pairing: yang jeongin x fem!reader

warnings: swearing, smut (18+), dry humping, messing around with clothes on

a/n: part of @gimmeurtmi and i's collab <3

word count: 2.9k

To say you were suspicious when Minho approached you at the surprise birthday party Jisung threw for him (over a week late) would be an understatement. He was one of the friends who would only come to you when he needed something, and you assumed this time was no different. 

“Happy birthday?” you offer, wondering if that’s what he was expecting. 

He’s unfazed by your greeting in the form of a question and just smiles, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans. 

“Thanks.”

You stare at him for a moment, waiting for him to get to whatever it was he wanted from you but he stares right back with that stupid grin of his.

“So, um, were you surprised?” 

“Not really. Hannie talks in his sleep and he crashed while we were watching a movie together the other night. But hey, anyway, you like Jeongin, right?”

You’d have whiplash by now if you weren’t so used to Minho’s abrupt subject changes. This one, however, did manage to catch you a bit off guard. 

“Of course I do. He’s a good friend.”

“But you like him as more than a friend.” He wasn’t asking, he was stating. 

You blink, stunned. “Wh- I don’t-”

“Come on, don’t play dumb. I can see the way you look at him when you think no one’s paying attention.”

Well fuck. If Minho of all people had noticed your crush on Jeongin, who else knew? Did Jeongin know? Did everybody know?

“Relax, I'm not going to tell him,” he continues when he sees the look on your face. That wasn’t necessarily what you were worried about but good to know nonetheless. He sneaks a look at the younger member from across the room as he talks. “I just thought that you should know that he likes you too.”

“What? How do you know that?”

“You know I’m like one of his best friends, right?

“I-I mean, yeah, but...”

“And we live together, he literally never shuts up about you,” Minho adds. He raises his eyebrows expectantly but you don’t say anything. You don’t know what to say. “You don’t believe me?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t believe you… it’s just, why are you telling me?”

Minho shrugs. “Think of it as a favor.” 

“Since when have you done anyone a favor?”

“Ouch.”

“I’m serious,” you insist warily. “You’re acting weird. Why are you suddenly so invested in me and Jeongin? You have to have some kind of stake in this.”

Minho sighs and drops his head, which confirms your suspicions. “Okay, fine. Here’s the deal...”

Jeongin’s pleasantly surprised when you approach him at Minho’s birthday party. You’re one of his good friends but it’s rare that the two of you ever spend time alone together. It’s not that he doesn’t want to, he just gets so nervous around you. He can barely get a word out when you’re in the room, which is why when he sees you making your way across the room he prays for strength and holds his breath. 

“Hey,” you say casually, sliding into the seat next to him, and Jeongin feels his heart rate pick up almost immediately. “Bored already?”

Jeongin chuckles. “What gave it away?”

“Well, you’re sitting over here all by yourself. It wasn’t very hard to guess.”

“Yeah, I guess I should mingle more,” he sighs and puts his hands on his knees to push himself up.

“Wait, but not now! I just got here.”

Jeongin’s half-relieved he doesn’t have to move from his spot, half-panicked because now he’s forced to have this one on one conversation with you. He started sweating the minute you walked in the door how the fuck was he supposed to get through this in one piece. 

“Oh, right, sorry.”

“Did you get Minho a birthday present?” you ask, thankfully skirting right past Jeongin trying to ditch you. 

He nods. “I did.”

“What’d you get him?”

“It’s a secret.”

“You didn’t get him anything, did you?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was in the mail?”

“No.”

“I forgot,” Jeongin admits sheepishly. “I always get the guys birthday gifts after the fact. I’m terrible at that stuff.”

“You can just add your name to mine, if you want,” you offer. “People group us together all the time anyway.”

“Wha- they do?” 

“Yeah, you know like whenever I show up at the dorms the boys are always like ‘Jeongin’s in his room’, ‘Jeongin will be right out’. ‘Jeongin isn’t here right now, I thought he’d be with you’. Do they not say that stuff to you?”

“Uh, no. Not really.” 

Probably because they all know about his giant fucking crush on you. 

“Oh.” 

You sound disappointed. Fuck. How does he always manage to put his foot in his mouth? 

“I mean, because they just tease me right in front of you anyway.”

“They just like giving you a hard time,” you reason. 

“So you’re on their side now?”

You crook an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize there were sides.”

“There are.”

“Then I’m on your side, obviously.”

“Really?” 

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Cause you’re friends with all of us, not just me.”

“Yeah, but you’re my favorite.”

Jeongin isn’t sure if he totally believes you but he’s elated regardless. He beams at you. 

“You’re my favorite too.”

-

He doesn’t know why, but after Minho’s birthday party, things between him and you feel different. The next time he sees you is on that Saturday, the fifth. You come over for game night like you do every weekend, and you take your spot next to Jeongin as usual. Everything seems normal. But it isn’t. Jeongin can feel it in the stiffness of your posture, in the nervous tapping of your foot against the hardwood floor. 

The night progresses as smoothly as any other game night, with Jeongin losing every single one, but he can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. 

You’re not mad at him, he knows that. You still laugh at his dumb jokes, you still let him cheat off of you, both good signs. 

When Felix calls for a break, Jeongin takes the opportunity to lean over and check in. 

“Are you okay?” he asks. 

You jump in your seat a little like you hadn’t been expecting him to address you, which was fair because he was usually too much of a coward to, and turn to face him. “Hm? Oh yeah, I’m fine.”

“Just fine?”

“Yup. Just fine.”

“Not good?”

“Neither good, nor bad,” you say with a shrug. 

“Why? Is something wrong?”

You open your mouth to answer but Felix’s voice from the kitchen cuts you off as he calls out to suggest that the group of you watch a movie instead of finishing the game of Uno you were currently playing.

“You never want to watch movies,” Hyunjin says, scrunching his face in confusion. 

“Yeah, you’re only suggesting that because you’re losing!” Seungmin adds.

Felix comes into the room, hands on his hips, and lips pursed. “Do you want to watch How to Train Your Dragon or not?”

-

Seven and a half minutes later, you’re all on the couch watching Hiccup struggle with his daddy issues. Jeongin didn’t have much say in the matter but you had seemed eager to watch the movie so obviously he was… also eager. To watch the movie. 

A lot of the guys’ girlfriends were over so you asked Jeongin to share a blanket with you, seeing as there were only so many to go around. 

He agrees, of course, even though he isn’t cold. If anything, he’s overly warm. He hopes you can’t feel the heat radiating from his body. 

It’s hard to focus on the movie with you so close, not that he was really interested in it in the first place, but then you snuggle close to Jeongin and rest your head on his shoulder and his brain short circuits. You must feel his body tense because you sit back up immediately after, frowning. 

“No, you can lay back down,” Jeongin insists, going as far as craning his neck in the opposite direction to give you more room. 

“I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” you mumble. 

“Why would I be uncomfortable?” he asks.

“Because you’re being all weird.”

“I’m not-”

“Hey, you two,” Jisung hisses from the other couch, “could you keep it down? Some of us are trying to watch the movie.”

Jeongin apologizes and you shift away from him, crossing your arms over your chest. He’s really done it now. He tries to remedy the situation by scooting closer but you don’t even look at him. 

From across the room, Jeongin makes eye contact with Minho, who gives him a look as if to say what the fuck are you doing? 

Minho’s been trying to get Jeongin to make a move on you for months now, claiming to be tired of listening to him pine over you from afar, but Jeongin knows his friend really just wants him to be happy, put himself out there and all that. Minho’s been especially insistent ever since the eight of them made that stupid bet. He’s somehow under the impression that if Jeongin tells you how he feels it’ll eliminate him as competition. But for that to happen, you would have to like him back. 

He doubts he’ll win No Nut November anyway, girlfriend or not. Hell, half the reason he acts so strange around you is because he’s using up all of his energy trying not to get hard. All you have to do is smile at him and his dick will twitch in his pants. In fact, he knows tonight after you go home he’ll just lay in bed, hard and aching with thoughts of you as he wills his cock to soften on its own. 

But at least he wouldn’t be the first loser. Jisung made sure of that by losing on the second day of the month. Everyone saw it coming. 

Jeongin’s pulled from his thoughts by the sound of you yawning. 

“Are you tired?” he asks softly, not wanting to get scolded by his members for talking again.

“A little.”

“Do you want to lay down in my room? You could stay the night if you want, I know it’s getting late.”

“That’d be great, Innie, thanks.” You smile sleepily at him and reach for his hand. “Will you come with me? I don’t want to go by myself, I’d feel weird.”

Jeongin nods, brain going on autopilot as he takes your hand and leads you to his bedroom. No one questions where the two of you are going, either too engrossed in the movie to notice, or too uninterested to care. 

You flop down on his bed as soon as the door’s shut behind you. Jeongin chuckles. 

“Make yourself comfortable.”

“I will,” you hum. 

Despite the fact that the two of you don’t spend much time together, it isn’t uncommon for you to end up in Jeongin’s bed. He offers it to you whenever you decide to stay over because he doesn’t want you driving yourself home if you’re tired or if you’ve been drinking. He always takes the couch even though you’ve pointed out that his bed is big enough for the both of you. He doesn’t trust himself not to embarrass himself if he were to entertain the idea. 

“I know you wore jeans tonight so you can borrow something of mine to sleep in if you want.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I can just sleep in my underwear,” you say as you start to unzip your pants. “Unless that bothers you?”

Jeongin’s eyes widen at the sight and he spins on his heel to face the wall and give you privacy. 

“N-no, that’s fine,” he squeaks out. 

“You don’t have to turn away, Jeongin. It’s not like I’m a stranger.”

He ignores you and only turns back around once he hears you slide underneath the covers, knowing that he’d instantly get hard if he did any sooner. 

“I know, I just... uh, let me know if you need anything else,” he says and heads for the door. 

“Wait,” you call after him. “Won’t you stay with me?”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he says slowly. 

You huff in frustration and throw back the covers. “I-I don’t understand. I should have never listened to Minho-”

“Minho? What’s Minho got to do with this?”

You look guilty all of the sudden, and Jeongin’s drops as his brian conjures up every possible scenario that involves you and Minho talking about him. None of them are good. 

“Y/n?” he prompts again. 

“He told me that he knew I had feelings for you and that you had feelings for me too, and then he told me about that idiotic bet you all made and tried to get me in on it, I guess to seduce you or something? But obviously he doesn’t know what he’s talking about because you don’t even like me!”

It’s entirely too much information for Jeongin’s brain to process at once. All he can focus on is that you have feelings for him??? 

“You have feelings for me?” he asks, dumbfounded. 

“Did you listen to anything else I just said?” you huff. 

“Not really.”

“Yes, I’ve had a big fat crush on you for forever now, thanks for noticing.”

“Really?”

“Really. Are you going to make me say it again?”

“I kind of want to,” Jeongin admits, finally feeling brave enough to approach you on his bed. 

“That’s mean.”

“Why? I have a crush on you too, silly.”

You blink in surprise. “What?”

“Minho wasn’t messing with you. He was right.”

“You like me?”

“How could I not?”

“You have a funny way of showing it,” you scoff. 

Jeongin rolls his eyes at you and pouts. “You just make me nervous, okay? I can’t function around a pretty girl.”

“You think I’m pretty?”

He nods and takes your hand. “The prettiest.”

He’s not sure who makes the next move, probably you, but then you’re kissing. Your arms are wrapped around Jeongin’s neck, pulling him down close to you as he slips his tongue into your mouth. Clumsily, he climbs onto the bed with you and slots himself in between your legs, moaning into your mouth a little when his hand brushes against your bare thigh. 

You already sound breathy and desperate for him and it spurs him on further, hips grinding into you instinctively. He’s practically fully hard in his sweats, there’s no way you can’t feel it, but you don’t seem to mind. If anything, it turns you on even more. 

You’re the first to break away, though, pushing on Jeongin’s chest to put more distance between you. “Wait, wait, the bet! Don’t you want to win?”

He doesn’t even need to think about it. “Fuck the bet.”

Jeongin kisses you again, letting his hands travel beneath your shirt and up to your tits. He traces your curves, outlining each one, before moving down to your underwear. It seems that you have a similar train of thought because you reach for the waistband of his pants at the same time, but he stops you with a sheepish grin. 

“This is really embarrassing, but I haven’t jerked off in like a week so I won’t last long.”

You smile against his lips. “It’s okay, Innie. We can just go again if you cum too fast. We have all the time in the world now.”

The assurance is all he needs to relax. You begin to palm him over his sweats and it becomes very apparent to Jeongin that he’s going to cum way faster than he wants to. He whines, actually whines, and bucks his hips into your hand. 

“Shhh, the others are still outside,” you remind him. 

“S-sorry.”

You giggle and pull him in for another kiss as he fumbles for the waistband of your panties, wanting to make you feel good too. He dips his thumb beneath the fabric, lower and lower until you’re moaning and arching your back off the bed. 

“Fuck, yeah, just like that,” you whisper. 

Jeongin keeps his thumb on your clit, rubbing slow circles, while he works the rest of his hand into your underwear. He figures that if he can’t make you cum on his cock, his fingers will have to do. He’s been told that he has nice hands on more than one occasion, and he’s gotten good reviews from partners in the past, so it’s kind of like a failsafe for him. 

“Shit, you’re wet,” Jeongin breathes.

“Do you believe I like you now?”

For some reason, that’s what does it for him. He shudders and falls forward into you as he cums in his pants. 

“Oh god, sorry, sorry,” he groans. 

There’s so much of it too, it seeps through the material of his sweatpants and onto your hand and he’s mortified.

“Don’t be sorry, baby,” you soothe, rubbing his back as he comes down. “You told me it was going to happen, I expected it.”

“But still.”

“It really isn’t a big deal, Innie. If anything, I think it’s hot that I have that effect on you. And you can go again right?”

He nods eagerly. “Yes! Yeah, just give me like, ten minutes.”

You laugh and pet his hair. “Well in that case, I can think of a lot of things we can do in ten minutes, can’t you?”

nnn tags: @doesthismeannothingtoyou @yellowroses-world @allyoops @thelostverse @karlitaburrito @lydataylorsversion @septemberkisses @caticorn61 @multifandomtrash-dree @cixrosie @mchslut @cutiequokka