#sorry anna romegaketh i'm just always going apeshit over your writing

[oplishin]

my mount rushmore of shield fics

for anon and also @sarahcakes613! this was supposed to be a shield fic rec list, but i think that would be somewhat dishonest framing. seth is My Guy, and you can definitely see that in this list.

main bullet points are going to be the main recommendation, indents are going to be other highlights from the author, although you should read All Their Work.

see your world in traces by @puppiedogs, a fic so good that it was the catalyst to what's been my longest stay in an online fandom. it is genuinely THE fcw ambrollins fic.

secondhand smoke, which is so good i literally can't re-read it because i know it will derail my entire day because i will think about it so much. incredible characterization/interpretation of the pre-betrayal ambrollins dynamic. if you've heard me talk about Them, this is the work for you. also a really charming framing device.

with no space between us: without spoiling the whole thing, it is an ambrollins fic about the phrase "i love you," and it is gorgeous and hurts deeply.

a blanket recommendation for everything by aistic. straight up, it is difficult for me to pick an individual fic because their writing is just that strong. if i had to pick one, it would be symmetry. this was the fic that made me realize, oh. seth rollins is a character i see way too much of myself in. (read all of them. go. oh my god, go. the seth understander. THE seth understander.)

everything looks better with a view by saccades. this is genuinely my favorite characterization of both rolleigns and roman. ever. i just. i can't even give you a summary really. the prose is incredibly strong. i love the use of flashbacks. it's set in 2021 which is such a juicy time in their relationship.

saccades has only written One other fic on their ao3 account, and it is also excellent rolleigns stuff. john cena is there and his specific brand of evil dom is fantastic. champagne problems. again, great characterization of both roman and seth. and cena!

the best part of believe is the by @romegaketh. highlighted because this is the fic i most wanted to talk to and the fic the least people have read. jumping up and down i'm so glad i get an opportunity to talk about this fic. i mentioned that there are 2 fics that have utterly changed my relationship with professional wrestling. the first is see your world in traces and the second is this one. kayfabe and storyline are sentient creatures drawn from blood wrestlers can interact with. demons to ally with and communicate with and lie to. it's exceptional. it's so crazy. it makes me crazy. it literally changed the way i think about wrestling stories. please for the love of god read this fic. if you've seen my analysis of the parts of tyler black that hunter stripped away know that i was thinking about this fic. if you've seen me talk about the almost physical weight of roman's storylines kNOW THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS FIC. excellent prose excellent and painful and repressed characterization. if you get anything from this list please let it be this fic. i legitimately thought about it for months after i first read it.

i have to run but also read her codyseth. and this seth piece framed through the lens of abo gender shenanigans. it is suchhhhh good characterization of everything seth/dean cannot and will not let himselves have. Edit: HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT POCKET

i'm sorry for the lack of ambreigns!! read literally everything by @apgeeksout, their stuff is so so excellent aurdgrgg