#i think this is the longest rec list i've ever made

[hedwig221b]

Do you have recs for omegaverse? Or some of your favorites on hand? I've read and loved everything you've shared and written so far and I just can't get enough! :D

I love abo so much and I'm proud to say it. Here's probably the longest fic rec list I've made...

Feral Formalities by Aleandri

"There was silence as no one seemed to breath at the table.

Derek had just gifted Stiles, an unmated Omega, with food.

Right in front of another Alpha.

Who he was on a date with.

To discuss being heat partners…."

In which, Stiles presents as Omega, and everyone wants a piece of the alpha-baby-making ass!

Hung The Moon by BurnItAllClean (nrnyx)

Slowly Stiles got control of himself again. His heart calmed. His breathing evened out. The anger was gone. In its place, a bone-deep weariness settled. He couldn’t do this. He wouldn’t survive this.

Meant to be One by sunhazeheart

His nerves felt like a live wire was running hot beneath his skin, hands fidgeting with the silken material of his robe. If he had the concentration to spare, he might had worried about tearing it.

It was all he could do to sit there at the vanity, eyes squeezed shut, and try to give in the constricting pressure around his chest that said that he was about to fall into a panic attack.

Breath in. Breath out. His own heartbeat rushed in his ears.

Being mated to the reclusive king with a frightening reputation to his name, bundled away from his home and father, and then surrounded by underwhelmingly distant faces hiding secrets was not how Stiles Stilinski imagine spending his life soon after turning eighteen. He can only remind himself that it is for the good of his people, both old and newly acquired. But, perhaps first assumptions are made too hastily and a fated match can be made, even surrounded by threats of war, revenge and death’s waiting embrace.

My Wolf by Dexterous_Sinistrous

“If he wants to mate Stiles, why not let him?” Jackson asked, ready to part with Stiles if need be.

“Because if I did that, I’d be demoting Lydia,” Alpha Stilinski replied.

“We don’t even know how good of a Beta he is,” Lydia countered, bristling some that her status was being challenged.

“That’s because he’s not a Beta,” Alpha Stilinski stated. “He’s an Alpha.”

Love's Violent Delights by Dexterous_Sinistrous

Derek caught the way the man’s eyes looked over Stiles before lingering on his ass. He waited for the clerk to place the key on the counter before he reacted.

Stiles startled at the loud noise, turning away from the pamphlets in the display box to see Derek pinning the clerk’s head against the counter. He drew in an even breath, looking between the struggling man and Derek.

Derek briefly looked at Stiles, hesitating before he saw the gleam of excitement in Stiles’ eyes and the hint of lust in his scent. “Ever look at him, or any other Omega, like that again, and I’ll slice your eyes out with my claws.” He shoved the man back, not caring of the commotion that was made as he snatched up the key from the counter.

All Derek Ever Wanted by Dexterous_Sinistrous

Stiles knew Derek always wanted a big family. And, for the longest time, he thought he'd be the one to give it to him. Life, devastatingly, has other plans.

Prompt: "I've been thinking about omega stiles n alpha derek. They're trying to hav a baby. But one day stiles go to the doc, n he imply that stiles can't get pregnant. Stiles keep it secret and try to make derek divorce him."

Summer Contest by kits_lightning

The moment Derek stepped into the fighting ring and faced Stiles he remembered why he was doing all of this.

The omega gawked at him and barely paid attention to the other competitors Talia was mentioning and Derek smiled at the thought of having all of his attention. Stiles blushed from the tips of his ears to his neck and began to run his fingers through his hair while looking away.

Derek began to wonder how far down that blush traveled when he shook his head and tried to focus on the imminent battle. He caught the last of what his mother was saying. “—have a good fight and good luck.” More clapping and the horn that signaled the beginning of the fight sounded.

The Alpha and his Spark by sandyde03

Stiles is pregnant. Derek is perpetually horny and possessive. Stiles is confused. Not by Derek sexing him up. He loves that. It’s the fact that ever since he started to show that he was with pup everyone has been avoiding his eyes.

The Best Things in the World Must be Felt with the Heart by solostsobroken

The Argent family had been kidnapping and illegally selling omegas for years. When FBI Agent Derek Hale and his team go and raid their home, they find, rescue and free dozens of omegas. That was ALL Derek had expected to be doing. What he hadn't expected was to find his own mate, Stiles, chained up with the rest of them. Seeing the omega severely sick and injured, Derek is determined to nurse him back to health. As he slowly learns more about his mate, he stumbles upon a mystery from Stiles' past that may just turn into the biggest case of his lifetime. Derek is determined to figure it out, no matter how long it takes.

The Hills Call

Five years ago, Prince Derek of the Hale Empire had fallen for the son of a Baron, Genim of Stilinski. His mother had not approved, and after some time imprisoned Genim escaped to the Dukedom of the Shore, where he was taken in by Duke Christopher and Lady Allison. Now, Prince Derek is on his deathbed from a poisoning and it is up to Genim, now called Stiles, to nurse him back to health. Wary of the Hale Empire, Stiles returns with their young son to see if he can heal Derek of his illness and escape the threats he still feels from the Empress herself.

Waiting Games by Jerakeen

Being an only child and heir to the throne, Stiles had always known he may not have the luxury of marrying for love. When he’d realized he was an omega to boot, things had taken an even more uncomfortable turn for him.

Omegas are rare. An omega as the heir apparent is almost unheard of.

Which is why there is no wiggle room when it comes to the tournament.

Wants & Needs by MadcapRomantic

Derek Hale has been participating in the Beacon Hills Mating Run for a decade, each year coming up without a mate. His mother, convinced this is his lucky year, persuades him to run one last time.

Enter Stiles, a young Omega with an unwanted Alpha nipping at his heels.

Family or not, Peter is determined to have Stiles.

But convinced they are True Mates, there isn't anything Derek won't do to keep Stiles safe.

When All the Pieces Fit by NARKOTIKA

"Does he even realize? With the cooking and cleaning andandand—now this fucking baby?" Isaac fumes.

Said baby waves its fist in the air, and Stiles bends to haul him onto a hip. The baby babbles something and Stiles nods his head with complete seriousness, as if everything out of its mouth is perfectly sensible and coherent. Then the kid starts mouthing at Stiles' nipple through his dress and everyone goes dead silent.

"I'm going to wife him so hard," Ethan announces, and they all break out into argument over who has the best chance at mating the boy in the river.

Under the Golden Moon by NARKOTIKA

Derek doesn't know how long he sits in his wolf skin, on his haunches, observing Stiles as the sunbeams slant through the trees and cast slashes of light across the omega's willowy form. The boy has his feet in the water, a babe on his hip, a bright smile on his face as the other younglings splash around and soak his garb. The creamy skin of his thighs peek out from the slits running down the sides of his draping skirt, and Derek has never wanted anything more than he wants this beautiful being of the woods.

Angel Choirs and Magic by LadyDrace

Derek has been very, very patient, and has shown frankly incredible self-control in the face of brutal teasing and flirting for two months. But now it's time for the mating run, and he's about to get his reward.

Except for how maybe it's actually Stiles getting a treat.

Win/win.

Where the Shadow Ends by Green

Derek goes undercover to Delphi to figure out what's wrong with the oracle. He doesn't mean to fall in love.

Pride and Place by DarkAthena (seraphim_grace)

Derek Hale, Earl of Osterbrook, has inherited, following the death of Lord Montfort, a run down house in Yorkshire he neither needs nor wants, convinced his staff are robbing him, and with the mystery of a missing ward, he manages to get himself talked into a ridiculous bet, that he cannot pass as a steward until Midwinter, nearly two months away. So can he maintain the charade? Find the missing child? and manage to turn the shambles of a house around, or will he give up and let Peter take the thousand pounds he bet.

Are You the One? by Venrajade

Derek's sister works for a television network with a dating show that claims that they are able to find someone's True Mate. Cora steals a scent sample from Derek and matches him to an Omega applying to the show with a 99% chance of them being mates.

Which means Derek is now a reality dating show star. Shit.

And the Cold Pulls You Down by blacktofade

“Do you believe in ghosts?” Stiles asks Derek one night after he’s settled into bed, listening to the sound of Derek brushing his teeth in the bathroom.

“Ghosts?” Derek asks, voice muffled by toothbrush and paste as he stands in the doorway to stare at Stiles. Or, the one where Stiles is 99.9% sure their house is haunted and no one believes him.

Build Us a Home by Sourwolf and Stilinski (Kitsune_Moonstar)

When it came time for Stiles to take his tour, he hadn't expected that many alphas to try and court him with the houses they built. And he hadn't dreamed Derek Hale might build him a home that suited them both.

Made Your Mark on Me (A Golden Tattoo) by writteninthewolfstar

Beacon Hills High and Lycan Heights High are well-known enemies. Derek Hale, Lycan Heights' star quarter-back, is well-known for being aggressive and arrogant.

Imagine Stiles surprise when he discovers that Derek Hale is actually his soul-mate.

Knot Thinking With Your Head by KnottheWolf

The first time Sam met Stiles he had no idea who the Omega was, nor did he have any clue that the Omega was already in a series relationship. When he met Stiles, he was hungover and had a massive pounding headache that was killing him to have his eyes open. The Alpha instantly ran to the nearest bathroom to puke in the toilet, before splashing cold water in his face and sighing with relief when the pain was barely there anymore.

Flushing the toilet he left the bathroom so he could make himself a cup of coffee, and then start figuring out how to make the best first impression with the other Alpha’s in the fraternity.

Now all he wanted to do, when he spotted the Omega was get all up on that cute ass.

A 5 + 1 things kind of fic

Empty by modestfuckup

Stiles stops listening to the words the doctor is saying, a stream of tears rolling down his face. His training taught him he has to remain calm. He uses a tissue to blot at the tears as his mind already turns to what is going to happen now. The doctor is talking about his options, and treatments he could undergo, but Stiles knows none of that will work.

He’s infertile.

With no way to supply his alpha with an heir, he is practically useless.

Or the one where Stiles is an infertile omega, and society dictates that if an omega is unable to carry on the alpha's lineage, an alpha is allowed to take another omega. Stiles hides his condition from Derek while he copes and starts the process of finding a new omega for him.

Elskende by DarkAthena (seraphim_grace)

Stiles is an omega concubine, kept sequestered away in the city of Beacon Hills, waiting for his lord Gerard Argent when the Wulver take the city and the alpha takes the omega.

Sex and Violence by halcyon1993

Derek is a feared mafia boss. Stiles gets turned on watching him work.

The Spoils of War by halcyon1993

Alpha Derek is a commander in the Roman Army, tasked with pillaging settlements to claim them for his own people. When he comes across a pretty young Omega during his latest conquest, he can't resist taking him as his personal prize.

Cut to the Bone by standinginanicedress

“Not that it’s any of your god damn business, but my name is Stiles. Do you need something?”

The alpha grins. All teeth, shiny white, straight as an arrow. He’s got this sculpted perfection to him that Stiles is sure has worked on all the omegas he’s ever encountered before, but Stiles stands his ground and narrows his eyes. “A date.”

Stiles looks him up and down, slowly, from the black shoes on his feet, to his uniform khakis and blazer littered with pins, to his face. He frowns, makes a face, and says, “pass.”

Helen of Troy by standinginanicedress

Stiles can fake laugh, fake smile. He can play coy and he can be demure and barely eat anything in front of them, and he can sit still and do his little song and dance of feigning interest.

But this is a little out of his scope. They want him to fully become someone else. They want him to be who everyone wants him to be, and it scares the shit out of Stiles, because he doesn’t know if he can do it for hours and hours while cameras watch his every single move. It’s a lot. It’s more than he bargained for.

And, for a cherry on top:

Yes To Heaven

Stiles ruined him. The damage was irreparable. He didn’t want the food that wasn’t made by Stiles or shared with him; the water tasted stale; the clothes were asphyxiating and scratchy; the air was wrong, wrong without Stiles’ scent in it.

Fuck, what was wrong with him? How could that pretty little thing change him so much? He had an iron grip on his control before, being in tandem with his instincts, but within weeks, all of it was gone. As soon as he thought of Stiles, though, of his scent, his moans, and the little wrinkle on his forehead as he orgasmed, his mind settled.

What was life before Stiles? Everything was somewhere far, far away, forgotten, bleak, and meaningless. Derek thought he knew what light was as he looked at the microscopic dots of the stars above. Then Stiles came into his life and showed him the sun.

Take Me Away From Here

Derek Hale looked terrifying. With his broad frame and muscles, with his wild black hair and thick beard, with his eyes the color of blood and fangs of a killer. Despite his kindness and his apparent attraction to Stiles, he was still a stranger, a predator, a wolf.

The thing is, Stiles would deal, but others might not. People found Lord Hale horrid, monstrous and unapproachable.

If Stiles stood behind him, no one would touch him. He’d be safe with the wolf. If not from him, then definitely from everyone else. And that was enough.

Other fic recs: pack mom!Stiles | angsty fics | historical AU | baby/mpreg | outsider POV | possessive Derek | smut | hurt/comfort | magical Stiles | mafia | Stiles gets kicked out of the pack | BAMF!Stiles

[veryace-ficrecs]

Hobbit Culture and Customs Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

Lionheart - A Marriage Day in the Shire by Windholm - Rated G

Hobbiton was bustling with excitement, the entirety of the Shire was... Or Just a little fanfic about Frodo not following Gandalf, Bilbo and the last elves to Valinor, remaining instead to be with his one true love, and the very day their union is finally coronated...

Leaves of Years by StalwartNavigator (Fallwater023) - Rated G

"Frodo and Sam had wandered off a short while ago, and he could just make them out, sitting in a clearing that caught the last of the daylight. It looked like they were weaving flower crowns." Boromir is oblivious, Merry is panicked, Pip is also a bit oblivious bless him, and Frodo and Sam are done waiting.

Now See Here by onward_came_the_meteors - Rated G

"It's, ah… what, now?" Boromir asked. "Rock, paper, scissors. I know what you're thinking, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate--" "No, but… what, now?" Oh. This, he hadn't thought of. "Do they not have rock, paper, scissors in Gondor?" Frodo asked. Pippin and Merry also looked quizzically toward Boromir, who shifted his shield. "I suppose not, since I've never heard of that in my life." "You explain it then, Pip." ______________________ A mishap while traveling leaves the Fellowship with an unlikely solution. And no, Aragorn, no one cares what the game was called in Rivendell.

Tea's At Four by firesteel - Rated G

“Er, hello? Are these the Halls of Mahal?” Thousands of disbelieving eyes stuck to Bilbo as he stepped forward cautiously, already quite fed up with the rudeness of dwarves. Who puts an anvil there? Nobody answered. “I’m looking for dwarves. Thirteen of them-- not anyone, mind you, but thirteen very specific dwarves.”

From the crowd, thirteen voices start yelling at the same time.

Midwinter by determamfidd - Rated G

The different peoples of Middle-Earth have their own ways of farewelling the old year and greeting the new. Each race has its own rich customs and traditions to mark the winter solstice and the longest night of the year. Each is as distinct and unique as snow is to fire.

(But as the wise know, people are always people.)

A Confusing Hobbit Afterlife, as told by Frodo Baggins by Tamloid - Rated G

Frodo Baggins, like most hobbits, never really expected to have an afterlife. It was perfectly pleasant here in Yavanna’s Garden, he supposed, it’s just...where in the world was his Uncle Bilbo? And why was there a large mirror behind Bag End?

The Hobbit Way by ChisakiTenko - Rated T

Bilbo was known for being patient, but one thing he would sit on no longer was his dwarves and their lack of proper breaks! It was high time someone taught them how to do things the hobbit way - with lots of singing, dancing, eating, and a cute fauntling running about.

Slipper by Saentorine - Rated G

Pippin is caught stealing extra portions of the company's provisions, and Aragorn and Legolas connect over a particular way Elven fathers get their children's attention.

Petals to the Metal by Tamloid - Rated G

Dwalin, son of Fundin, was one of the mightiest warriors of his generation, but even he couldn’t hold out against such a relentless foe. It seemed that he would have to be the Daisy King.

The Statute of Finwë and Míriel by bunn - Rated G

Bilbo Baggins has left the Shire forever, and gone to live in Rivendell. He's beginning work on his Translations from the Elvish, and has started on translating an obscure text which puzzles him greatly. Elrond has some helpful ideas.

when i consider everything that grows by wrishwrosh - Rated T

Frodo was not precisely certain what a hobbit in love was supposed to do. He had taken to staring at the ceiling while thinking about Sam’s eyes, and frequently reliving in his mind’s eye every time he had ever made Sam laugh. In which Sam is Frodo’s first love, and Frodo has no earthly idea what to do about it.

Of Shields and Love by Porphyrios - Rated T

As the dwarves began to sort the hoard of precious items, they discovered that Smaug had brought things from some undiscovered hoard in the north when he took the mountain. Tensions rise as the elves seek to reclaim their lost treasures from Gondolin. Most interesting of all is a shield…

Fairy-tales, Cabbages & Potatoes by bunn - Rated G

"Many's the talk I had with [Bilbo] when I was a little lad" Sam Gamgee says, and then much later: "I wonder if we shall ever be put into songs or tales...you know, told by the fireside, or read out of a great big book." So here is young Sam Gamgee hearing far-off tales of Elves, Bilbo Baggins, trying to piece together the tale of the Silmarils for the first time, Frodo Baggins being a wild young mushroom-stealing tearaway who matures into an earnest scholar, and Merry Brandybuck and Sam Gamgee getting started on their great Conspiracy.

[lululawrence]

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 💞

HIIIII omg I love whoever started this going around so much and THANK YOU for sending this to me!!! I also got this from @haztobegood and @allwaswell16 so thank you to ALL OF YOU really! I love love love this kinda thing and hope I haven't missed all of your lists... i'll have to be sure to look for those here soon hehe

Anyway, in no particular order, here are my fav fics I've written... (I think... lol favorites are HARD):

I'm Praying (that you don't burn out or fade away) - This was my big bang for this year and man it was a JOURNEY to write. I first came up with the idea as almost a crack fic idea back when I first was listening to Satellite... you know... when it was first released. lol I just didn't have the time or energy or anything to write it but I held onto the idea for ages and had it mostly brainstormed and everything! And then the time came to write it and... I couldn't find my notes. Anywhere. No idea what happened to the fic idea or my ramblings about it so I just did what I could with recreating it from memory and I still didn't know where or how or when it would end exactly, I just knew their journey would be over when it was over, and they spoke to me. When their story was done, I knew. And I am still so fucking proud of how it turned out and @moon-sun-thyme made the most incredible and gorgeous art for it, truly. Just. Probably gonna forever be one of my favorite fics I've ever written.

What I Have With You (I don't want with anyone else) - ohhhhhhh THIS FIC OKAY. It's my aspec alpha babies fic. I wrote it as a collaboration with @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed for @1dreversebang a few years ago now and it is still so special to me. I got to really delve into the aspec identities by embodying both Louis and Harry with one of those identities (aro Harry, ace Louis) and then added some non-traditional omegaverse dynamics (alpha/alpha) AND one of my all time favorite tropes, FAKE DATING! It was also a journey to write this fic and I worked so hard to make sure I really felt like I was doing justice to our identities and trying to give good and valid and understandable representation to them, and I really think I was able to achieve that. Some of the comments have been the most thoughtful and humbling and just beautiful I've ever gotten as well, which is just the cherry on top, right? So yeah, this baby defo gets to be on this list for sure hehe

You Don't Care About Me (One More Night) - This fic is one of those instances where you write what you want to read, you know what I mean? I had been craving a fic like this one, and I'd read some similar ones but I wanted MORE. The more I thought about it, the more the idea shaped up, and before I knew it I had (I wish I was joking) something like SIX PAGES of brainstorming with the timing laid out and what would happen when to make sure it was slow burn enough but also character development at the right pace and also just... everything I wanted, you know? I've never outlined a fic to that level before and I probably never will again, but after outlining it like that, I then went and wrote this fic, which was the longest fic I'd ever written to that point, in less than a month. It just flowed from me every time I sat down at my computer. It turned out exactly as I had hoped, and it is one of the few fics of mine that I have gone back to read repeatedly. I've not actually read it all the way through repeatedly, there's usually just bits and pieces I'm craving at the moment, but that's still far more than I generally do with my own fics. So I'll take it hehe

a moon, a rainbow, and a carnation - Okay okay okay, there's a lot about this one that makes this one something I'm super proud of, even though it feels ridiculous because it was a fic I wrote for this year's @wordplayfics, but there's a lot of reasons why I really am proud of it lol For one, I'm still new to writing Oscar and Pedro, and I love them SO much but I've only written them in one fic previously (and it isn't even out yet lololol) but!!! Its only the second fic I've ever written with a decent amount of Spanish in it. The lovely @nouies has been so kind as to cheerlead me about the pairings as well as help me with the Spanish, and we have had SO much fun omg. She helped me SO MUCH with this fic, and I so appreciate it and am so happy with how it was able to turn out because of her help! I also tried a new footnotes thing with the translations that turned out to work even better than I anticipated, and that just makes it even better, right? So yeah. I'm proud of it because I did all of that AND ALL WITHIN A WEEK. YASSSS

'Cause What I Want Came True - Okay so once again this one is one that Lou indulged me on because who doesn't love Diego Luna, hmm? lol but I was struggling with Wordplay again and suddenly I came upon a few quotes and an entire soft and hazy idea presented itself that I just HAD to write. It is almost semi-stream of consciousness while also not being quite that way, and I just really REALLY love how it turned out. I've actually already gone back and reread this one and the previous one on this list since publishing, and they've only been out for a week or two at this point. That's impressive and very rare for me. So yeah, quite proud.

I am missing some others that I would probably say are favorites, but you did limit me to five. lololol and These were the five I thought of off the top of my head haha so they will do for now hehe THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking and letting me ramble about my fics for a little bit!! sorry this got so looooong....

[mostmagical]

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 ❤️

sunny........ I swear I did not mean to leave this in here for a whole month.... I thought it'd be a week or 2 or max...... forgive me.....

honestly most of these will be based on nostalgia and how the fic felt to me rather than what I think is my best writing but I THINK that's how fic and fandom should be

Consequences of Dating Blindly (Miraculous) - I LOVE THIS FIC. It's goofy and silly and came about from a series of me posting into the void and mutuals bouncing off of me and it was so fun... Made me feel like I was going back to my roots because fanfiction was always sort of in the crack treated seriously realm for me when I was younger

Fate, Destiny… A Hamster (Miraculous) - I feel like it's almost a cop out to put my most popular fic here but the memories I have associated with this fic made finding that hamster worth it. I feel like I made so many friends and mutuals through writing this fic and that just made me so happy…. It's also my longest completed fic which is always a win

Heartbeating (Mass Effect) - LET'S DO RECENCY BIAS NEXT. I'm still feeling shy.... but I'm really excited to be dipping my toes in another fandom. I feel like this is really try-hard but what's wrong with that. SOMETIMES WE TRY HARD!! Full disclosure this ask was answered late because I knew you wanted a Garrus fic on my list so here you go. It's your fault.

Losing Sleep (Miraculous) - I love dumb conversations about nothing, I love fluff, I love quiet moments, and I just WAH... This will always be one of my favorites. Short, sweet, and it made me feel better when I had a bad day. This was flash fiction that I wrote in a few hours so I was happy when it seemed like other people liked it too <3

unnamed unfinished fic from 2011 (unnamed fandom) - sorry Sunny.. do not come for me for no link...... This wasn't the first fic I ever wrote, but it was my first multi-chaptered fic in a small subsection of a subsection of a popular fandom. I never imagined many people would read it, but every time I posted, I'd get new readers and my favorite writer at the time eventually picked it up and I was STARSTRUCK. It was honestly a bit embarrassing. Writing this fic though was kind of this moment for me where I realized, "I can write. I can create stories that people want to read," and I feel like I've been riding that high ever since. I think about it a lot and I don't know if I'd be writing now if I didn't have this fic. I gotta finish it one day.

[beyondplusultra]

mango hiii!! do you have any fic recs? my trust in your taste is absolute after you've obliterated me with your 2/2 comic with that war of vaslav nijinsky quote <3

Hello hello!! First of all, I'm glad you liked the comic! It was a joy to make, and an even greater joy to see how people have reacted to it :)

As for fic recs, here are a few of my all time favorites!

2/2 fics that will make you stare at the ceiling for an indeterminate amount of time as you contemplate life:

you've got me seeing through different eyes by futuresoon - this is the First Ever Shuake Fic I ever read and I immediately spiraled into the abyss from which I've never managed to crawl out. It's a very popular fic, so chances are you've read it already, but it's absolute peak 2/2 bad end content and I'm obligated to put it in every rec list

One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy by telekinetics - cries

Last Night on Earth by TzviaAriella - CRIES

Long fics that made me read long fic:

Black Star by HassouToby - This is pre-Royal, and for the longest time was what I accepted as my headcanon for what happened after vanilla's events. Not akeshu, but has some of my favorite characterizations of all the phantom thieves I've ever read, and honestly just a completely wild ride that WILL suck you in.

The Brigverse series by TzviaAriella - Akeshu pirate AU. Do I have to say anything else here. The third installment of the main series is currently ongoing as of this post's writing!

The Liminality series by MistressEast - NG+ with a twist. It's. It's so good you guys.

The Next Time Around by chashmish - No powers AU, this fic is about Akechi and Akira reuniting and rekindling a relationship during the events of Makoto and Ann's destination wedding in Italy. It's a fic I always fall back on when I want a feel-good time!

One-shots that rewired my brain chemistry:

you have to let it breathe, my love by ThirtySixSaveFiles - No powers AU, an akeshu love story that starts when the two of them meet in a wine shop.

hold my hand by relationshipcrimes - Gen fic, Akechi and Futaba bonding time, because Akira left Tokyo, and on this particular day Akechi is her only key item choice.

(don't shoot) the messenger by shouldbeworking - Ryuji is the center of a misunderstanding. This one never fails to make me laugh!

before midnight by specterthief - You guys know how during third sem, Maruki wired Sumi's parents to think she was at gymnastics boot camp or whatever? Yeah what the FUCK was up with that.

anywhere, i would have followed you by shantealeaves - MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH. I've only read this fic once. One time. Ever. It's imprinted into my brain. Mind the tags!

[dreadpirateella]

23.) What is one of your favorite TMNT fics?

28.) What is one thing you would like to see explored more in TMNT art/fics?

OH BOY DO I HAVE ANSWERS TO THESE (thank you SO much for the ask!)

and if you ever want a bigger list of recs, you can go thru my bookmarks on ao3! (@/DreadPirateElla)

For 23, here's a few of my absolute fav fics of all time:

The Super Special Secret Recipe Raph Hot Chocolate Saga by Jinx72 (this one's a series!!! Every installment is so wonderful I love it sm)

Stranded Lullaby by DaFlangstLairde

I May Be Invisible, But I Still Look Good by Dandy (this one can be read as a stand-alone but the other additions in the series are also just so wonderful)

Every Night the Longest Day by ashtreelane (this fic made me lose my mind it's written so well)

A Useless Death by Stories_Plus (Donnie centric!!! And the best time loop story I've ever read)

the carol that you sing (right within your heart) by stardustcoral (I think I've read this fic like 10 times I love it so dearly. It's just such a comfort fic for me bro)

And again, I have a bunch more recs on my ao3 if you want them!

And for question 28:

I desperately need more fics about Raph & Donnie bonding over getting integrated into / taken control of by the Krang. I've only seen it like once but I think they'd definitely find comfort in the fact that someone else understood what it was like to have the Krang force their way into your brain.

I also just want more big bro Raph stuff. There's plenty of it out there, but I always want more 😭 I just LOVE when Raph is like their second parental figure (even tho the reason for that isn't great in the fics where it happens). It's just so adorable to me when the other 3 bros follow after Raph and seek him out for comfort and just trust him like they do. I love love love Raphael

[incalculablepower]

some fics i've liked lately

it's been a weird year. when i made this list of recs back in january i fully intended it to become a monthly thing, but life happened and then i guess it just kept happening. in early 2023 things were ramping up in my new career, i was practicing and playing a lot with my band to prepare for our first show, i was settling into dealing with depression and anxiety with medication, i was getting over a miserable breakup. then i fell in love. i lost my job (the best and most favourite job i've ever had) abruptly this past may. this is my longest period of unemployment since i was a teenager and while you think it would be the best time to lose yourself in fandom, i felt the opposite. fandom was such a lifeline to me when i had a miserable job and was in a bad relationship and needed an escape but i was very present in my own life this summer. i took my partner to visit my family and spent a lot of time with friends and played shows (and recorded some music... shameless self promo once again) and in between i watched so much star trek on my couch. this is such a long preamble to explain why i haven't been fandoming as much lately and why idk if i'll write anything again anytime soon (let's say, once i have a job i want to procrastinate at) but -- i HAVE been reading fic! not as much as before, but i have been, and there's enough for a fic rest list so that's what i'm giving you today. when times are dire [podfic] - @aibidil

drarry. i have such a soft spot for middle aged draco and harry falling in love, the relationships they have with their friends and their grown children. @aibidil reads her own podfics and it's an utter delight. i usually only listen to podfics or audiobooks when i'm doing work around the house but i can going on walks with my headphones just so i could listen to more of this one.

purple haze by @ashesandhackles

romione. i was so so honoured to see this pop up in my ao3 gifts during @thethreebroomsticksfic pride fest this year. it turns the well tread romione ground of shell cottage and the yule ball over a bit, using them as settings to explore a confusing mix of jealousy and sexuality for ron and hermione. ashes knows i love mess with these and it captures that teenage chaos wonderfully, then lets them laugh at it as secure and settled adults.

crookshanks by @ala-baguette

gen. warning that this is a tearjerker, especially if you've ever loved and lost a pet. i think the pure and simple expressions of love and gratitude from crook's pov here would be a comfort to any pet owner.

at some point this year, i got REALLY into the idea of a one-sided dramione. it's hard to look for, especially since it's such a popular ship but i managed to find a few that scratched the itch until i find the time and/or motivation to write one of my own new years eve by 2daughtersofathena, the guardian angel by mylifebelongstothebbc, and a boy of hans by elixirsoflife. the last one being my personal favourite, a grim take on the hanahaki disease trope.

every mother is a grave by witchofimber

this was recced by @whinlatter in @thethreebroomsticksfic discord (btw i feel like no one on my followers lists needs anyone to remind them to read beasts -- but please read beasts) and when i saw "gillian flynn treatment" in the tags i slammed the mark for later button. this is probably the most balanced and realistic portrayals of molly weasley and her role as a mother that i've ever read in hp fic. it's not weasley family fluff but it doesn't devolve into something so flat as bashing either. molly is regular mother with flaws and strengths like anyone else and how they amplify and shift with love and grief and pain and stress and duty and pressure. every single relationship she has with her children is uniquely expressed and the way it ties the past to the direct aftermath of the war is so well done and a great way to organize this giant, messy family. particular care here went into fred and george, giving them their own identities in a way that can be difficult, given the source material. a favourite line:

“Probably have tried to make us name the twins after them.” He stopped laughing, sucked in a breath. “Do you want to?”  For a second she considered it. It would be wonderful, getting to use those names again like living things. But -  “No,” she said. “I - if they were alive, I’d have said no, so I’m saying it now. Let the boys be their own people.”  The truth was that she didn’t want to lose her brothers. To have their faces erased in her memory, painted over with her sons. To have to say no, not THAT Fab, I mean UNCLE Fab - he died before you were born. Anyway, she liked the names Fred and George. It was easier like this. 

the scrunchie by @saintsenara

another fic i've meant to read for ages and finally got around to just yesterday. the background drama of these side characters as a cheap scrunchie from boots floats around them is so perfectly teenage. reminds me of the other series i loved as a teenager around the time HP was coming out: georgia nicolson and gossip girl. i could also compare it to derry girls a little, how despite the environment surrounding them these girls are still being girls, arguing about stupid things and getting crushes on boys and having the absolute most ridiculous blowout fights with your sister (parvati and padma's portrayal here is probably my favourite i've ever read!)

i also can't leave without reccing @saintsenara's wip, one year in every ten. i can't get enough of a good case fic. tomarry/harrymort (both versions of this ship, oddly, apply to this fic) is not something i've ever sought out but i really think the way it's handled here could win over any non-believer. it's sharp and funny in a way that makes it turns into poignancy hit even harder. i screenshotted two full phone screen pages of chapter 27 so i could go back and read them over and over. it might be one of the best things i've ever read from ron's POV (emphasis mine):

It had been a long ten years, with a chair at their table always left empty and a hole in their hearts always unfilled. Grief was exhausting and boring and dully painful, like a slightly sprained ankle which you can still walk on, but which always bothers you a little bit.  But there had been love among the grief. There had been love before the grief - indeed love had caused the grief - and there had been love after. His love for his parents and his siblings had changed, the way wine left in a barrel changes and becomes richer and deeper. There was more sorrow in the love, as he threw a quaffle around with George and saw the tired lines at the corner of his eyes. There was more recrimination, more struggle with the mistakes they had all made in the past, as he finally sat down and had a real chat with mum and dad about how a lifetime of corned-beef sandwiches and maroon jumpers had made him feel. But there was more joy there too. And with joy came forgiveness and understanding and hope and fun.

image used is wildflowers (1915) by tom thomson

[meidui]

i'm answering all 30 fic writer asks as seen on kelly@fohatic's blog 😽 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

1. What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? How did it turn out and would you do it again? fool's gold was a 1872 fic and it was one-sided dialogue but with no quotation marks, so it was supposed to read like somebody from timely was telling you about what happened! i liked it but i don't know if i would do it again because it's just stylistic, i think it worked for 1872 because it suited the small town setting

2. How many fics did you work on this year? (They don’t have to be finished or published!) i have too many wips but i posted 56 fics on ao3 this year!

3. What’s something you learned about yourself as a writer? that i dilly dally a lot to avoid writing smut scenes and that the discord sprinting bot is my best friend

4. What piece of media inspired you the most? probably endgame because we had the @stevetonyisendgame exchange and prompt fest this year, so i rewatched it a lot and ended up writing lots of endgame-adjacent/post-endgame!! they're so soft in that movie i can't help myself

5. What fandom(s) did you write for this year? all marvel except for one fic for game changers! i foresee house md fic in 2024

6. What ship(s) captured your heart? stevetony has always had my heart does that count

7. What character(s) captured your heart? i love steve rogers even more than i did last year

8. Did you write for a new fandom or ship this year? new ships!! i wrote steve/thor and steve/natasha for the first time for captain bottom bingo and steve/peggy for the first time for steggy secret santa

9. What fic meant the most to you to write? nobody saves me, baby (the way you do) because kristina@samcky had an unposted draft of it that she let me rewrite 🥺 so it meant a lot to me because she's all over that fic and i just love her with all my heart

10. What fic made you feel the happiest to work on? i think it's a tie between winged and how porcupines kiss because they're so fluffy! although this might a little biased because @capnstars drew the cutest winghead!steve art you've ever seen in your entire life for winged and @itsmaybitheway drew THIS PRECIOUS PORCUPINE!STEVE AND ARMADILLO!TONY for how porcupines kiss 🥺

11. What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing? probably hell and high water because i worked on it slowly for months which usually doesn't happen, and it might even be one of my favourite fics that i've ever written so i was really proud

12. What fic was the most difficult to write? Did you finish it? i don't think anything was difficult to write but new york is a hell of a town (and i'm brooklyn down) was so silly of me because it's set in august, but i wrote the first part in april and the second part in october and didn't really work on it during the actual summer 😶 like what was that?? why did i do that?? i'm so sorry

13. What fic was the easiest to write? into the forever and beautiful sky! it's a rocket-centric fic with rocket & steve friendship, i wrote it right after watching gotg vol 3 and it's just feelings vomit ahahah

14. What were your shortest and longest fics this year? my shortest fic was fool's gold which was 546 words and the longest fic that i wrote by myself (not just this year but also ever in all my life) was a rose by any other name which was 11.6k words! without caveats the longest fic is heartbreak prince, which i wrote with @areiton and it was 12k words!!

15. Rec a fic you wrote or posted in 2023 a beast of a burden is really special to me so i want to rec that one! because i wrote it for the endgame exchange that i loved so much and it was for mrsgingles, who is my favourite stevetony artist, and it reminds me of this summer, and it also feels like the truest love letter to endgame that i've ever written

16. What were you go-to writing songs? i don't have any! usually it's whatever i'm already listening to or a movie or show that i'm watching, but i listened to exo's lotto on repeat when i wrote hit the lotto because that's what the fic sounds like in my head and taylor swift's timeless when i wrote once in a lifetime because it was based on that song

17. What were your go-to writing snacks? NO TIME FOR SNACKS WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO KISS

18. What was the hardest fic to title? maybe lovelorn and nobody knows? i started working on it before 1989 tv came out and it didn't have a title for way too long, the google doc was literally just called "there are still beautiful things steve pov" and then it took me like 20 minutes of comparing 1989 vault lyrics to pick one 😭

19. Share your favourite opening line from the ice is getting thinner under me and you (a hockey au)

Steve is supposed to be at a bar downtown with the rest of his team. Steve is not supposed to be back in the emptied out stadium, his back slammed against the lockers with Tony's tongue in his mouth.

20. Share your favourite ending line i added the second last line for context but this ending line is my favourite because time has always been against steve and peggy, so i feel like the best show of how happy and safe they feel together is that they finally don't have to watch the clock or worry about time slipping through their fingers anymore 🥺 this is from from we were born to be national treasures

When she laughs, eyes glittering, he has the most peculiar feeling that he was always meant to end up right here, kissing the maroon lipstick off Peggy’s mouth, swaying under the sprig of mistletoe they never took down from Christmas as someone starts to shout a countdown to New Year’s. She cups his face and he smiles into the kiss, and neither of them bother watching the clock.

21. Share your favorite piece of dialogue from if my wishes came true (buckynat)

“You got that written down in your notebook?” “I don’t need to write you down to remember you, Natasha Romanoff.”

22. Share an excerpt from your favorite scene there were so many close contenders aahh but my favourite scene has to be the one from catastrophic blues when tony finally catches steve!!

“Then don’t make me hurt you,” Tony says, raising his palm and lighting up his repulsor. “I know you know what this does. You’re unarmed and backed into a dead-end alley. You’re not winning this one, kid, I can tell you that for free. Take off your mask.” The Vigilante glowers and stands his ground. “My whole life is dead-end alleys. I’m not taking off my mask.”

23. Share the final version of a sentence or paragraph you struggled with. What about it was challenging? Are you happy with how it turned out? the whole end part of near-death cliché took some wrangling just because i was trying to make it sound like something kang the conqueror would say haha

“I’ve killed a lot of Avengers and it all starts to blend together,” Kang says, “but I remember you because you always end up fighting for him. I admire the consistency. It’s rare.” “Him?” “You could be with Steve Rogers,” Kang says almost empathetically, and it’s like he has gently wrenched Tony’s heart out of his chest. When the repulsors on his palms falter, Kang continues in the same disarming tone. “I could send you back to the battlefield. You’d open your eyes and he'd be there.”

24. What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story? this is hilarious to me because the recurring motif in but saving what we love was supposed to be steve and tony calling each other's bullshit over the years but it ended up being overshadowed by star wars. so much star wars, in fact, that it warranted a "star wars references" tag

25. What did you use to write? (e.g. writing programs, paper & pen, etc.) google docs

26. If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year? all of i thought the plane was going down (how'd you turn it right around) for two reasons! one is that i feel like maleness informs a lot of their lives and experiences and for a while i didn't really get the appeal of genderbending them, but then i read all of isozyme's lesbian stevetony fics and i had an epiphany about genderbending being an opportunity for character and relationship study, and two is that once i had said epiphany i realised i actually had a lot to say so i wrote captain eve rogers in one go and now i love her so much

27. Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic? hmm i don't think so!

28. How did you recharge between fics? i don't think i really do that either

29. If this were an awards show, who would you thank? oh my gosh. with all the sincerity in my heart, every person who gave me a kudo or a comment or is subscribed to my ao3, recommended my fics or my blog, said in a reblog/tweet/discord message/dm that they liked one of my fics or it made them happy or they were excited about reading one, follows me on tumblr or looks at my gifs or likes/reblogs my posts, runs fandom events, shares their beautiful fics or art or edits with us, all the members of the steve rogers defense squad, truly everyone who i've had an interaction with (except the steve antis and bots in my block list 😠) because i'm so grateful to have this community and that we met because we love the same thing and we can make each other's days better. deactivating for 10 months was the right thing to do but i'm so happy to be back this time because of you

30. What’s something that you want to write in 2024? some of these have been cooking in my head for so long that they have TITLES

that famous happy ending (enchanted au)

play house (wandavision au)

plausible deniability (rival lawyers au)

wild and beautiful (feral/tarzan steve au)

yoga instructor steve and discharged air force pilot tony

prequel to kristina's beautiful ocean's 11 au, Give me a kiss before you tell me goodbye

[luninosity]

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! Tagged by @estrellami-1 - thank you, my dear! <3 Let's see, fanfic specifically, not original works, I imagine...well, I've got a lot! The question is, which... Okay, these are just my personal favs, not even necessarily the ones I think might be the best-written, and I'm also excluding co-authored fic because that would be a very different list! (For one thing, Amateur Cartography, with Reg....) 1. straight from your heart (Stucky) - lots of people seem to like this one (thank you!) and I do too - I love recovering!Bucky stories, I loved the premise (it was written for a fest prompt), and I love the idea of Steve and Bucky working out what they want to incorporate, and play with, and reclaim, as far as identities (and, okay, some kink; it's me!). 2. Like Sugar (Evanstan; series) - okay, this is probably cheating because it's a whole series, but I can't separate them! This might be the thing people know me for most, maybe, and it was at the time the longest and most detailed story I'd ever written, and one of those that was (mostly) easy to write - words and scenes just turned up and flowed. I sometimes go back and reread my writing and am honestly impressed by myself. I do love this whole giant thing. 3. tempt me, tease me (leave me breathless) & (baby won't you please) run your fingers through my hair (both Evanstan, both sort of gentle kink) - okay, this is also kind of cheating, because they're two separate stories - except they're sort of linked, in my head? They have vaguely similar premises, about Chris discovering some things about Seb's preferences, and love confessions, and kink, and comfort, and...I don't know, they just have a similar 'feel' to my writer-brain. They both have specific lines that I've put on "top ten favorite sentences I've written" lists before, and I love my writing at this point. 4. never mind the why and wherefore (Johnny Storm/TJ Hammond Fantastic Four/Political Animals no-powers AU crossover) - this is an odd random one but I genuinely love it! In the category of "stories I never expected to write"...and then friends made me think about it...and then suddenly it practically wrote itself and I had 45k of story. One of the best and most unexpected and consequently wonderful writing experiences I've ever had, plus of course TJ deserves all the happiness! 5. Know That It's True (Cherik, X-Men: First Class era) - pulling out a real old-school one: this was my first-ever X-Men fic! Well, to be fair, that depends on how you count - it's the first one I started writing, but then I stopped and wrote and finished something else short, and then went back to this one! These days my writing style has evolved a bit, and there're some things I'd do differently - but the sheer sense of fun to it, the absolute joy, the "oh gosh YES" rush of feels while writing, posting, being so nervous about it as a new(ish) writer...oh, I love it. And I tumbled into so many communities and friendships and fan events and fests and, oh, the shared love - really, without this, I don't know where I'd be. So that's always got to be on a list of favorites. *hugs you all* Tagging people, oh, let's see... @musette22 @significantowl @ninemoons42 @thebestpersonherelovesbucky @rozf and anyone else who wants to! love you!

[scribefindegil]

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❤

Yayy! Thanks Mary! <3 After agonizing it for a while, my top 5:

The Real World (Mob Psycho 100, post-Mogami arc) is absolutely my favorite fic I've ever written. It's some of my best prose, I'm really pleased with how concise and focused I was able to keep it despite touching on so many characters, and it let me distill down a lot of my thoughts on the themes of the show and why it's so important to me. And I wrote it during the absolute worst stretch of the curse, painstaking sentence by painstaking sentence over the course of half a year. I am so so so proud of it.

Fisherman's Knot (Gravity Falls, post-canon fic focusing on the Stans, their deeply-entrenched mental health issues, and their eventual recovery. Also there are selkies.) At 104k words, the longest piece of writing I've ever finished. Writing it was a journey; I took a long break but I'm so happy and proud that I managed to come back and finish it and that there were still people who were as excited as I was to get to the end. The response to this fic blew me away; it started out largely as a coping mechanism to deal with my own poorly-treated mental illness and I feel really honored that my writing resonated with so many people dealing with similar things. I grew so much as a writer over the course of it. Both the big moments of catharsis--Stan's glitter and Ford's realization by the harbor--were things that were so powerful and electric in my head that I worried I wouldn't be able to put them down in words that did the feelings justice, but I did!

Bloom (Discworld, a Glorious 25th of May fic set a few years after Night Watch) Everyone who sets out to write a Discworld fic is undertaking an extreme act of hubris, because not only are you trying to emulate a specific writing style, you're trying to write like Terry Pratchett, which as we all know is basically impossible. Still, I think I hit some good resonant Discworldy notes in this little piece and really nailed the Themes I was going for. Periodically the Tumblr post version gets a little burst of notes and it always makes me really happy that people are enjoying it.

First And Final Orders (Mob Psycho 100, Dimple character study) Hi. Have you heard of ring composition? I love ring composition. It is my single favorite literary device (and I love a LOT of literary devices), so I had to include one of my fics that makes heavy use of it. I also love pointing at a piece of media and going "Hey. Hey have you thought about how there's kind of some Discworld themes here? What if we thought about the Discworld themes together?" And ALSO i love DIMPLE!!! I hope this fic helps explain why.

Casualties (Gravity Falls, missing scene from the finale) So the reason this fic makes this list isn't so much its quality (though I do still really like it!) but the fact that it was my first-ever completed fanfiction. I'd idly poked at the idea of writing fic a couple times before but never made much progress. I hadn't actually done any creative writing for years at that point. I came to fandom late due to a combination of being scared of the internet and, when I did check out my real-life friends' fandom blogs, feeling like everything was so focused on shipping that there would be no place for me and the kinds of stories I cared about. Gravity Falls changed that. I'd made friends and felt like part of a community for the first time. I'd read fanfic that I loved and that focused on the sorts of relationships I really cared about. And so finally I decided that even though it still felt really scary, maybe I would try my hand at actually writing and posting a fic of my own.

360,000 words and 54 works later, I still think it was a pretty good idea.

[letapollojusticesayfuck]

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 ❤

Ah! Hello! Thank you!

Time for some self-reflection, I guess...

Lucy's Five Favorite Fics (in no particular order):

1. undeniable you (the currents pulling me onward) (T, 59k)

Kristoph Gavin is found dead in his prison cell, and Klavier Gavin is the prime suspect. With nobody else available to defend him, Apollo Justice flies in from Khura'in to take the case--but during the course of the trial and its aftermath, long-hidden secrets come to light.

This is probably the fic I'm most proud of! I wrote this during the summer of 2020, when I got the idea that I should try and write a continuation to the Ace Attorney series that ties up all the loose ends I was so frustrated with. It's my first ever casefic, and the longest thing I've published to date, and it's been long enough that I forget not everyone knows that This Took Up My Life For Months. It's got court scenes! it's got investigation! it's got the beginning of me shipping faraskye! it's got a happy ending!

2. perspective (T, ~4k)

Klavier Gavin, through the years. (an introspective look at the man behind the rockstar façade)

I wrote this one in a frenzied couple hours, but it's still close to my heart and informs basically everything about how I picture Klavier. Did I do a lot of projecting? yes. Do I also still stand by my headcanons? also yes.

3. Keeping All Your Hopes Alive (T, 3k)

After their chance to prove themselves as competent detectives with a big break in an important case goes south, Kay finds her partner Ema drowning her sorrows in their shared office. They have a heart-to-heart--which ends with Ema crashing on Kay's couch (and the acknowledgement of some inconvenient shared feelings between them).

SOOO this is one of those "scenes from a longer fic I'm going to write someday" fics. In my head I have a whole big casefic centered around Kay and Ema learning to work together as detectives roughly 6 years post-Investigations after they've been out of contact for years. I'm still super proud of this one and the mix of angst-to-feelings-resolution.

4. imperfect resolutions (T, ~3k)

When Miles Edgeworth returns to his office to find a stranger lying in wait, this time, the shot doesn't miss. In the immediate wake of his death, his family, friends, and acquaintances struggle with how to move on, and question whether they can leave the mystery of the Yatagarasu half-solved.

Gotta talk about this one with the recent Investigations news! A bad ending fic where AAI 1-1 goes wrong, and Franziska and Kay are left to pick up the pieces. I was really trying to capture the odd timelessness that happens when something tragic occurs, and the way you still have to deal with all the stupid little details of daily life. It's a little obscure, but pretty personal to me for Various Reasons.

5. scoop of the century (read all about it!) [+ sequel]

Working at a gossip magazine aimed at teenage girls is just a way for Apollo Justice to pay his law school tuition--until his article rating Klavier Gavin's outfits goes viral. After that, he's got half the Internet reading his articles, and it's inevitable that Klavier finds out.

What would a list of my favorite fics that I've written be without my article-writer Apollo fic? This one was partly borne from wanting to use fun formatting on AO3, partly from wanting to explore social media and Klavier Gavin, and partly from Having A Bad Fever And Thinking I Was So, So Funny. I never expected this fic to get the response it did, and I'm 100% telling the truth when I say that all the comments and kudos on this fic made me want to write so much more for the fandom. And then I wrote a sequel, two years later! Out of the blue! And I think that one's pretty cool, too.

Thank you so much to Caddis for letting me ramble about my own writing for a while here---now I'm thinking about all the things that are sitting in my drafts waiting to be posted. Soon, I hope! <3

[billsfangearring]

Monthly Fandom Faves: January 2023 (ALOTO Edition)

I want to get back into reccing this year! I previously did themed rec lists, but I'm going to experiment with unthemed recs of a few things I loved reading each month, split into separate posts by fandom. Here are my inaugural ALOTO recs, which are all Jess/Lupe this month. (No one is surprised.) They're also all WIPs, which I promise won't always be the case. I hope you enjoy!

Fics reviewed below the cut, from longest to shortest:

relief next to me by meyeri

I've nowhere to be, other than right next to you by @7central

A letter does not blush by @oldmannuka and @talaricula

Posting this early because (1) my cat's first adoption anniversary is Tuesday and she deserves my full attention and (2) I have no chill.

relief next to me by meyeri

(Jess/Lupe, E, 60k and counting)

Jess takes a final drag and maybe she performs a little, because she wants to see what’ll happen: maybe she licks her lips before, maybe she leans so the jut of her collarbone stands out underneath her shirt, maybe she makes a point to catch García’s eye when she inhales, when the smoke pulls into her chest, when she hitches her breath to keep it there. Because García is watching, she has Jess pinned with her eyes, and this is probably a goddamn catastrophe of an idea (come on, don’t shit where you eat, McCready) but something about it feels alive to Jess, feels jittery and itchy like the buzz of a radio, like a snakebite under her skin. It feels right when the whole fucking day has felt wrong.

relief is a devastating, atmospheric, and visceral immersion in Jess's mind if she and Lupe were casually sleeping together from the beginning, slotted very precisely into the spaces between canon. It encapsulates everything that I read fanfic for—emotional depth, evocative prose, and nuanced characterization—both for our main duo and for the fic's secondary characters, especially Greta, who add so much richness to Jess's life on the team. Jess retains her fierce protectiveness even amid her uncertainty about where things stand with the magnetic enigma that is Lupe García. I've reread each chapter many times and never fail to notice something new. Also, uh, it's incredibly hot. Trust me.

The reality of Lupe García, her brother, this person who shows her iron shell to the world and yet incomprehensibly and inconceivably shows her softness and delicacy to Jess, whose walk is an echo of Jess’s own and who strides through life like she’s carrying the whole thing on her shoulders, like she’s resigned to her solitude, and yet for some reason allows Jess to see the strain of it, just sometimes—like one day she might let Jess share the load of it.

Note: the first chapter (roughly 6k) was originally posted as a one-shot, so you can still give that a go even if you aren't interested in committing to a long WIP!

I've nowhere to be, other than right next to you by absurdcapybara

(Jess/Lupe, E, 55k and counting)

Lupe and Jess end up in New York City for the off-season. Most confessions can be made over a good ballgame. New York is the prime spot for those few exceptions that can’t.

In thinking about how to describe this fic, I keep coming back to how Lupe and Jess's relationship ebbs and flows like the tides. Their life together in New York feels very real as the intimacy and domesticity between them grows in fits and starts as they transition from being teammates and housemates to roommates with Only One Bed. This story is a full-body experience to read, and I read it much more slowly than my usual so I can relish absurdcapybara's gorgeous metaphors. They really get Lupe, my beloved, and also address how Lupe's insecurities and guardedness have real consequences for Jess. The 1940s New York setting and all it entails are ever-present in the fic as well.

Lupe didn’t know what lines were left between her and Jess. She didn’t know if they were friends or ‘friends’ or brothers or soulmates or ships passing or cars crashing, and for one wonderful moment, she didn’t care that it was so ridiculously undefined.

A letter does not blush by summerdrive and talaricula

(Jess/Lupe, T, 18k and counting)

In the 1943-1944 off-season, Jess and Lupe settle in New York together. This collection of letters between them and Esti, as well as some of the other Peaches, tells the story of those few months.

The wealth of tiny details tucked into the letters and notes—from Jess's inclusion of detailed weather information such as the dew point in her letters to the use of real newspaper clippings and such from the era—make this an incredibly immersive and entertaining fic. I have so much fun trying to piece together what's going on behind the notes every time this updates. (And I'm ashamed to say I figured out the unfinished hangman game immediately.) Our hermanos' relationship with the delightfully perceptive Esti is a particular bright spot in this fic, especially the contrast between Jess's fatherly generosity and Lupe's hesitance after the events of last season, and the authors nail all the characters' distinctive voices. This is unquestionably one of the most impressive epistolary fics I’ve read.

Note: All the letters/notes/etc. are written in the typical AO3 style as well below the images if you prefer to read in that format, but I had to include part of one of the images and nothing will ever be funnier to me than Lupe’s 23 Dec. ‘43 diary entry:

Jess in feud with ex who stole fishing spot = butch??? Investigate

All of my ALOTO fic recs can be found here. I hope you find something you like!

[sandorara]

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❤

Oh, this is so nice! And incredibly difficult, which has made me feel nice. Can you believe I have so many works I'm still pleased with that it was difficult to choose? What a pleasant feeling.

Anyway, in chronological order of posting, starting from the most recent. I've decided not to choose unfinished ones or co-authored pieces, so we're going decently far back right from the start.

1. See you in Eorzea - Yizhan & FF14, 69k, E I (M 28) picked up someone (M 2x) in a video game and I think they might be famous. Please advise.

Famous/non-famous MMORPG AU, meet cute in Sastasha. My longest work ever when I wrote it, and it was completed before posting anything. Still really happy with it, and, Yoshi-p should pay me royalties for how many converts it's created. I'm confident you do not need to know yizhan to enjoy it, if you would like to give it a try 💕

2. For the future you (the one without me) - Yizhan, 6.4k, T “Why Singapore?,” she’d asked him once, and he’d not known how to answer. An exploration of what may lie outside the few minutes the Vogue Film offered.

Inspired by a Vogue shortfilm Wang Yibo starred in, link to it can be found in the a/n of the fic. 9 minutes, very aesthetically worth it. I'm really happy with the atmosphere of this work, and I feel like it's very representative of my shorter, fleetier, ever bittersweet style. Am proud still. 🥺

3. Written, never said - cql - lwj & mianmian, wangxian, 6.6k, G ”I have a letter to deliver to young lady Luo Qingyang. It has arrived from Gusu today, with the quickest delivery.”

Thirteen years of correspondence, understanding and friendship.

My Mianmian and LWJ friendship agenda. Epistolary fic covering the years of WWX's death through Mianmian's eyes on the letters she receives and writes. I'm still happy with how this one conveys what I wanted to say. I'm pleased with it stylistically. And they deserved that friendship, IT WAS THERE, OK.

4. Sensations - ffxiv - wolexarch, 4.7k E ”Make it hurt, please,” he’d finally whispered, as each day, more of his body was being eaten away by the crystal, leaving him missing touch in places he did not know he’d wanted it.

A stand-alone AU within my wolfic series in which G'raha's crystallisation speeds up after the events of 5.0 and the completion of his mission. and with it comes loss of sensation. This one came to be when my dear friend @draiochteve prompted me to write "soft knifeplay". I love the bittersweet desperation and love I managed to convey in this one, and, I just want you to take note of the publication date: This was posted exactly a year before the release of patch 5.3. 😌

5. Nothing more than a willing substitute - ffxiv, asahi/zenos, 4.3k, E He would do anything to please his beloved Prince.

Oldest one here and I will admit I'm impressed that I still think it's worthy of this list, five years later. One of my first 14 fics, and definitely the most wretched thing I had ever written at the time. Mayhap one may call it my descent into the filth-pit. Asahi just made me feral, and it worked out. My dear gf @g0g0mi just desrcibed this one as "iconic", so. Unrecruited obsession love, swordplay, bondage, choking... there are things. IDK. My brand started here, OK. And, I think it still holds up. 😎

Thank you for letting me do this, it was quite the mood-boost! Will pass it on. 😊

[howyouloveyourdragon]

if you don't feel comfortable reading, this is basically a notice saying that for now i am still on a break from posting but when i return, i think that my posting schedule will be changing from 3-4 to 1-2 fics/requests a week or random until further notice

i do not expect to be gone too long because im too feral for that but this is a general explanation i guess :)

!!TW!! E.D!! (eating disorder)

hi my lovies ♡ so you've probably already noticed by now if you have been following me for awhile that my posting schedule has shifted sporadically over the past few months and i post fics much less regularly than i did when i started out

if you have followed me recently then this will probably not affect the speed you see my fics in, this post is primarily so that my older followers know why i have been slower in releasing my series', wips, requests etc

i love posting for all of you and hearing all your positive feedback and comments but unfortunately my eating disorder has resurged and it's just not possible for me to prioritise posting over fixing this and my wellbeing as i've had a lot of not nice thoughts biting their way in again. i also don't think anyone will be surprised when i say that this fandom has also driven in some stress and discomfort recently so i need a break away from that as well even though so many people have been so nice to me on here

!! HOWEVER !!

i will still be posting as often as i feel comfortable with so this is not a goodbye and the longest i think i will be gone might be two weeks at longest (i'll put up another statement if it does end up being longer than that)

for now fic recs have been on hiatus because i plainly haven't had the time to read them but when i get back oh ho ho i have a big ole spam list for you

it means so much to me that so many of you have followed, interacted and supported me since i made this account in november, i never expected this to be more than just an outlet for my writing, i am so grateful to you all and for all of my beloved moots that i met here who are all the loveliest people ever i love you all very much and can't wait to binge your works when i return, enjoy the thea spam ♡♡♡

and to everyone who has gotten to the bottom of this page, it matters so much to me that people genuinely care about what i put out so thank you for listening and as far as interactions go, don't be afraid if you get a message or reply from @simp-aholic after interacting (which is still very welcome), that's my other account, i won't be checking this account too often during my break but im still fairly active over there ♡♡♡ i am aware that i do not need to explain myself but i did want to help anyone who might be confused, or not have got the memo that im on a break, understand where i've been and what to expect until i come back

you have all been so lovely to me,

mwah buh bye ♡

(also to all my moots tagging me i swear i'll get to it when i come back! i am very much looking forward to it!)

[perspicaciouslynameless]

Books I Read in 2022

Similar to last year, this will start with the overall visual summaries, followed by a full list of the books I read.

Overall statistics by genre

In a shocking turn of events, romance and sci-fi/fantasy remain the top. Surprising number of young adult books though.

Rating and count of book by genre

Overall higher ratings across the board, even though I had one- and two-star ratings this year, but none last year, and that's because...

Ratings and page count over time

Almost no three-star ratings this year! Did I read better books or was I more generous?

Content

Similar to last year. Funniest thing remains the number of books I happen to read that are set in space, though I think the majority of that is actually rereads, so the continuation of the trend is not actually surprising.

Gantt Charts

Longest was definitely Guards! Guards!, which was due to me reading it slowly and not finishing it before I had to return it to the library (twice) and then eventually buying it.

Overall thoughts

Some of this year's favourites are:

All the Jackie Lau ones - she's a very straightforward author.

A Pho Love Story - this was lovely. Vietnamese authors are killing it. I don't think I've ever read another young adult book that really drove home how busy teenagers are with school, extracurriculars, and home stuff, which made this potentially the most relatable teen book ever to me. I promise it's not boring, though.

The Taming of Mei Lin - short stories can be really perfect sometimes. This got to the point and was funny and sexy while doing it.

He Mele a Hilo - Ryka Aoki is an author whose voice and perspective I really, really like after having read two books by her, and I would love to read more.

All the Kate Clayborn ones - I was disappointed to realize that she actually has not written a lot of books! If anyone has recs of books like Kate Clayborn's, please please please tell me.

Charming as a Verb - I really enjoyed how conscious this book was of the main character's place in society and what the potential consequences of his actions are, especially when it came to the big conflict at the end.

The Death of Vivek Oji - very queer, very focused on community, very ouch.

Into the Riverlands - can I read a Nghi Vo book without being completely in love with it? (No.)

My goals last year were:

To be more deliberate in my book choices - I think we can just give up on this one, tbh.

To put a dent in all the books I own that I haven’t read yet - no comment :|

Full list of books read

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, by Benjamin Alire Saenz

A Match Made for Thanksgiving, by Jackie Lau

A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas, by Jackie Lau

A Fake Girlfriend for Chinese New Year, by Jackie Lau

A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day, by Jackie Lau

Iron Widow, by Xiran Jay Zhao

Life, the Universe and Everything, by Douglas Adams

The Taming of Mei Lin, by Jeannie Lin

A Pho Love Story, by Loan Le

Butterfly Swords, by Jeannie Lin

First Love, Take Two, by Sajni Patel

Through the Storm, by Beverly Jenkins

Donut Fall in Love, by Jackie Lau

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams

Just Business, by Anna Zabo

The Jasmine Throne, by Tasha Suri

Satisfaction Guaranteed, by Karelia Stetz-Waters

Ties that Bind, by Katee Robert

Animal Attraction, by Katee Robert

He Mele a Hilo, by Ryka Aoki

Mostly Harmless, by Douglas Adams

Delilah Green Doesn't Care, by Ashley Herring Blake

All Systems Red, by Martha Wells

Beginner's Luck, by Kate Clayborn

Luck of the Draw, by Kate Clayborn

Best of Luck, by Kate Clayborn

Missing Christmas, by Kate Clayborn

Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells

Charming as a Verb, by Ben Philippe

Rogue Protocol, by Martha Wells

Not My Father's Son, by Alan Cumming

Exit Strategy, by Martha Wells

You Had Me at Hola, by Alexis Daria

A Lot Like Adios, by Alexis Daria

Iron & Velvet, by Alexis Hall

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

The Death of Vivek Oji, by Akwaeke Emezi

From Bad to Cursed, by Lana Harper

The Girls I've Been, by Tess Sharpe

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins

Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

Slippery Creatures, by K.J. Charles

A Billionaire Between the Sheets, by Katie Lane

Waking Up With a Billionaire, by Katie Lane

Guards! Guards!, by Terry Pratchett

The Billionaire's Wake-Up-Call Girl, by Annika Martin

Into the Riverlands, by Nghi Vo

The Sugared Game, by K.J. Charles

Subtle Blood, by K.J. Charles

Her Big City Neighbor, by Jackie Lau

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton

Harrow the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail, by Ashley Herring Blake

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble, by Alexis Hall

A Lady for a Duke, by Alexis Hall

Partners in Crime, by Alisha Rai

[tavina-writes]

haha okay I saw someone in the comments talking about Chinese prestige television and WELL I am made for giving recs (bear with me some of these will be old and therefore have ehhhh eng subtitles) BUT lets go on a ride through "television this second generation chinese american's family thought represented the peak of television." (understand though that my family is into historicals, so we don't know anything about like, most beloved modern dramas etc)

No list is ever complete when talking about Chinese Literary or Television canon without mentioning Cao Xueqing's Dream of Red Mansions which, alongside being one of the greatest Chinese novels ever written has some truly stunning adaptations to screen. The two that I have seen recced most often by Redologists as THE adaptations are the 1988 version produced by Xie Tieli and at 735 is also the longest Chinese film ever made, or the 1987 TV show which remains the best and most popular TV show adaptation of the novel according to pretty much everyone I've met.

Next up, the 1994 version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms was considered iirc, one of the most expensive TV shows ever made, had over 400,000 cast members, live acted battle sequences for the major historical battles, and is and remains IMMENSELY popular as the gold standard of Three Kingdoms adaptations.

Da Ran Fang (2003) I think is also considered one of the gold standard dramas of depicting business and China in the 20th century. It won a bunch of awards when it came out and remains iirc highly popular! But I would rank this one as like, less well known and prestigious than the other two.

No list would be complete without THE classic Journey to the West adaptation either! The 1996 classic also features the most famous Monkey King who comes from a long history of their family playing the Monkey King and is incredibly well known and beloved in the Sinosphere.

I think yeah, these are some good places to start. I would not say that these are my MOST FAVORITEST cdramas or however, but you know, prestige television is like that in a way for me. (I also kept out anything that was a movie and not a tv show bc you asked for tv shows, but I'd say that like, there's typically a lot more prestige television in movies? if you want those as well hmu!) if you DO want my list of favorite cdramas feel free to hmu though.

I may also consult with both my parents and wider family members to see what they think are like THE tv shows of China so stay tuned for what they say as well! :D

I’m googling “best Chinese television show” , which I do realize is a very reductive question because if someone asked “hey what’s the best American television show,” it’d be impossible to answer because that’s such a broad category with such vague criteria. But contenders for that title would still jump to mind, right? Like it’s an impossible question, but it’s because you’re comparing Mad Men to MASH to Breaking Bad to I Love Lucy to The Wire to The Simpsons, not because you can’t think of shows that could make claims to that title. Anyway, turns out answering the question of “what tv shows are in the nation’s metaphorical canon” is perhaps difficult. Someone please tell me what China’s Twin Peaks is.