onceuponaswanqueen

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Fanfic recs for May and June

Here are the best fics I read in May and June, and as always thank you to the @fanfic-reading-challenge for forcing me to branch out and read more fics.

hold the rock by avocadomoon (sansa/tyrion, game of thrones)

"Nag? No. A bad wife nags. A good wife advises," Tyrion said. "And you are a very good wife." "Thank you, my lord," Sansa said. "Now comes the part where you tell me I'm a very good husband." "You are passable, my lord," she said, and Tyrion laughed.

holy shit. this isn't even my ship and this is one of the best things i have ever read.

2. just watch me bloom by kelsey0 (casey/izzie, atypical)

Casey Gardner can't stop thinking about that tweed suit. x In which having fun with clothes leads to a haircut which leads to a lot of self-realizations that they (yes, they) weren't prepared for. Non-binary Casey, post-season 3, title from Hayley Williams.

give me all of the non-binary casey fics please. this one is excellent. also izzie is incredible in this one. five stars.

3. dear reader by ficdump (jess/rory, gilmore girls)

jess gets the right support this time. he becomes a real family with luke, tries his very hardest to love rory right (the way he knows he can) and says yes to new things, all while facing both heavy mental health challenges and unexpected thriumps. he mostly has one hell of a fucking year. season 3 from jess’ pov, and if things worked out a bit differently (edit: a lot differently). every chapter will be one episode! please give it a chance :)

the season 3 rewrite of our dreams. it's everything you could want. a jess who communicates. a lorelai that understands (to a certain degree), and just so much good shit.

4. breathing underwater by nekara (will/elizabeth, pirates of caribbean)

In the end, ten years aren’t actually all that much.

in which elizabeth says fuck you to the rules, and does whatever the hell she pleases.

5. so it goes by heavencent (emily/paige, pretty little liars)

Paige notices Emily during tryouts. She has a strong kick, good form on her strokes, and the shiniest hair Paige has ever seen. Paige-centric, canon compliant. Pre-series to 1x17.

one of the greatest tragedies of this show is that paige never got the treatment the other love interests did, and this is so good at showing parts of paige we never got to seem, it's dark and it hurts, but it's so so very good.

6. call you home (series) by madelinedear (tony & peter & may, mcu)

sometimes family is who you're born with. and sometimes family is a spider boy, a rich not-dad, and a kickass aunt. (or; tony, may, and peter find a place in each other's lives)

JUST SO FUCKING GOOD. found family deluxe.

7. burn the pages (but you can't erase it) by kitsunerei88 (percy weasley-centric, harry potter)

Percy has always walked a half-step out of beat with the rest of his family. He isn’t cool, not the way that Bill and Charlie are; he’s staid and stuck-up and boring. He doesn’t enjoy pranks, and he doesn’t like surprises at all. He likes the stability and order provided by rules, and he’s always had a fairly low tolerance for chaos. And then the war— In so, so many ways, his parents and brothers and Harry had an easy war. They spent most of it hidden, truly hidden, where any discovery could mean death. Percy had spent the war out in the open, at risk of being a target at any time. They had no need for moral ambiguity, no careful balancing act of appearing to conform while covertly sabotaging You-Know-Who’s aims. His parents, his brothers had the luxury of never knowing whether their actions had directly led to the death of anyone—and of never having to grapple with whether it was justified.

fantastic character study. there is so much really good post-war percy stuff but this is just the cream of the cream or whatever they say. elite.

8. fall into the river by oisin55 (ceclia, the hunger games)

"Oh, no, not Cecelia," gasped Effie Trinket as the woman from District 8 walked up to the stage after her children were torn from her. This is the woman that even Effie felt for. This is the soft-spoken, shy young girl who became one of the deadliest tributes in Hunger Games history. This is Cecelia Rheys. This is the Fifty-Seventh Annual Hunger Games.

so all of oisin's stuff is incredible but i have a soft spot for this one. it really shows how the games can destroy you and that winning is just another way to die. it's dark as hunger games fic should be and it just hits every beat perfectly. (not compliant with songbirds or sunrise)

9. to be loved with gnashing teeth by jay (buck/tommy, 911)

Everyone knows. Somehow, immediately, everyone knows. Which Buck supposes makes things much easier, especially with the way they all go soft and happy. For just a second, Buck thinks he sees his parents share a look out of the corner of his eye, but he chalks it up to paranoia. They didn’t know this about Buck, so they’re probably just caught off-guard—and anyway, Buck doesn’t care what they think. Really, he doesn’t.

this is really more a story of buck finding his worth, and his REAL family supporting him, it also have hints of a future tommy/buck/eddie pairing which was refreshing and nice.

10. spare the rod by penandinkprincess (joel & ellie, the last of us)

“I was just…I was wondering what you do. You know. For like…punishment.” She interrupts him. She needs to get the answer already, needs to know what to expect before she drives herself crazy with anticipation. “Well I was more into grounding than goddamn child abuse.” “Grounding like…” Her face scrunches in confusion as she dares to look at him. The word is foreign and the best guess she has doesn’t seem right, but she also doesn’t know what else it could be. “Like being…in the ground?” Joel stares at her for a long, long moment before he speaks. “Jesus fucking Christ.” (after they settle into jackson, ellie realizes she doesn't know how joel will punish her if she messes up) (it quickly becomes a problem she needs to solve)

THIS WAS THE BEST THING EVER. Funny and sad, and just so so in character.

11. two-player by avocadomoon (mel/langdon, the pitt)

Mel might have to get a new couch.

this was the fic that made me ship them. i didn't see it at all before i read this, and it just works so perfectly, and is already going down as a fandom classic i am sure.

12. in between days by orphan_account (percy/oliver, harry potter)

Wherein book 7 is completely ignored because wars don't tend to happen so quickly; Percy Weasley runs a safehouse [because that's as close to administrative work as you can get in a war], and everyone gets a chance to play minor character bingo. Get your cards and markers ready!

THIS IS SO GOOD. I love this, it feels realistic and just... perfect.

13. ashes and flame (every you and every me) by freneticfloetry (peeta/katniss, the hunger games)

Peeta comes home, still unsure what the word means.

perfect look at pre-epilogue mockingjay that deals with both katniss and peeta's trauma in a believable way.

14. age and wisdom, or, never underestimate a crone by seekeronthepath (augusta & minerva, harry potter)

Augusta Longbottom, Dowager Lady of the House of Longbottom, and Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, exchange letters as Neville (and Harry) make their way through Hogwarts. After first year, they start interfering

In which women get shit done. harry gets a little less responsibility and a lot more help. it's told entirely through letters and it's wonderful. the sequels have drarry if that is something you like.

15. as you send, so you receive by polish_amber (buck & bobby, 911)

Buck and Bobby's text messages through the years, from [Sent 16:37] Hi Evan, please make sure you bring photo ID on Thursday. We will need it to complete those last pieces of onboarding paperwork to [Sent 13:17] Yeah well you are my kid. – Or, the progression of Buck and Bobby’s relationship from probie and captain to father and son as told by text messages (and the occasional missed call and draft message they can't quite bring themselves to send).

a fic told entirely in text messages, and it's such a beautiful evolution to read.

16. faulkner and lenotre by bigmammallama5 (kara/lena, supergirl)

A bakery/bookstore au. To clarify: the one where Kara owns a pastry shop and Lena owns the neighboring bookstore.

i don't usually do no powers!au for supergirl with very few exceptions, this is one of them. this fic is so fluffy and just feels like a warm hug. it's fan-freaking-tastic.

17. we have all the time in the world (to get it right) by kaydeefalls (nick/charlie, heartstopper)

In which Charlie's friend group adopted his impossible straight boy crush while he was in hospital, and now he might just have to deal with the fact that Nick is…maybe not so impossible after all. (Canon divergence AU: Charlie already has a proper boyfriend when he first meets Nick in year 10. It changes some things. They still get there eventually.)

this was so good, it was such a refreshing and interesting take on them getting together and nick realizing his bisexuality.

18. it used to be if you don't like it you could just leave by thought (caleb/essek, critical role)

In which the humans do a politics, the Xhorhasians learn about potato's, and everyone decides five hundred years of living in disguise and on the run isn't actually a great life plan, Essek.

this was excellent. just. a perfect post c2 fic that covers everything you would want for our wizards.

19. and many graces by enroix (peeta/katniss, the hunger games)

The love is too big for either of them to swallow, and it devours them both. The love survives, or they do. What Peeta holds onto when he loses everything else, and what he finds after. (Or: Peeta hijacked, Peeta rescued, Peeta recovered.)

i feel like so many mockingjay fics focuses mostly on katniss' trauma and forgets peeta's but this is entirely about peeta's trauma in three parts of mockingjay, while he is captured, when he is in 13 and the pre-epilogue era in 12. it's just so damn good.

20. from the ground up by marviless (buck/eddie, 911)

or, the story of how buck discovers he has a six-year-old daughter, spirals a bit, becomes an astronaut in training, kisses the love of his life, makes lasagna, and learns that his heart might just be the perfect place to build a home, all in seven days.

i am a sucker for all buck finds out he is a dad fics, and this was actually a really refreshing take on it. buck & eddie as girl dads is an added bonus. also june is such a sweetheart.

21. paper dragons by per_mare_ad_astra (albus/scorpius, harry potter)

(In which Albus hates his job at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes with a passion, but the French boy who visits the shop every day and keeps smiling at him might make him change his mind.)

this was excellent. i really enjoyed the banter between rose and albus in particular in this. it's also interesting to see albus and scorpius get to know each other in an environment so removed from the scars from the past.

22. a girl, a boy, and a graveyard by celaenos (lex & lena, background kara/lena, supergirl)

Eight days after the conclusion of Lex’s trial, Lena steps across the threshold of their apartment and knows abruptly that she can’t live there anymore.

another absolute heartbreaker of a banger from celaenos. she never disapoints.

23. patron saint of lost causes by themetaphorgirl (the bau, hotch/haley, james/alex, criminal minds)

They all ended up at boarding school for different reasons, but they ended becoming a makeshift family of their own. And thank goodness for that, because they might not survive the school year without each other.

this is so good. the characterization fits so well. and yes its angsty as hell all, but just..so so good.

24. ten prides in portland by leiascully (hardison/elliot/parker, leverage)

Ten years of Pride Month celebrations at the Bridgeport Brewpub; or, How Eliot Spencer Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Being Queer; or, The "Be Gay" Part Of Be Gay, Do Crimes.

this is a gooddamn masterpiece and that is all i need to say.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Best fics I read in April

I didn't read that much in April compared to the other months this year and I didn't fall in love with as many fics either. But here are the top 9 fics I read in April.

i think with my heart (you fuck with my head) (dan/blair, gossip girl) by lilyevans

"How is it, that when she watches a seemingly obscure French documentary about an Orangutan, she’s somehow more smooth butter than the knife that cuts it?" // Blair Waldorf and Dan Humphrey are not friends. They saw a movie. Or five. It was winter. They were lonely. So why do they keep trying to find excuses to keep each other around? (Diverges from canon from season 4 ep 17)

2. you can see it with the lights out (sam/steve, mcu) by defcontwo

“Will you believe me if I tell you that this is a normal thing that happens between two guys that are friends?” Sam says, and yeah, he’s pretty sure that that came out as weak as it sounded in his head. Steve leans up on one elbow, looking down at Sam, that same crinkle around the edges of his eyes noticeable even in the gloom of the motel room light. “I know it’s been seventy years since I last had sex with a man but I’m still pretty sure that’s bullshit, Wilson.” Sam Wilson falls in love. Like everything else, it's a process.

3. coronas of wolf-teeth and rivers (catelyn centric, game of thrones) by dialux

Robert dies at the Trident, and Ned dies at the Tower of Joy. Catelyn sits in the Red Keep, on a throne of swords, alone and afraid. She lifts her chin, proudly. There is a crown braided into her hair, a son at her hip, seven kingdoms watching to see her falter. Catelyn straightens her back, and becomes the queen she’d never imagined herself to be.

4. vice and failure (pike centric, critical role) by beeclaws

‘Allow yourself some vice and failure. We'll still love you just the same.’ Pike, and the woman she never let herself be.

5. my heart still beats and my skin still feels (sansa/edmund, game of thrones, the chronicles of narnia crossover) by lastwingedthing

The Queen in the North finds a husband from a very strange land.

6. oh, i'm gonna let the future in (albus/scorpius, harry potter) by thealmostrhetoricalquestion

Al doesn’t know what he’s doing. Not just with the new apartment, but with his life in general, and it doesn't help that his family quietly looks down on him. It feels as if they’re always waiting for him to do something spectacular, but without actually expecting it of him. They’ve given up on expecting anything of him. Al only speaks English, and he sings in the shower, badly. He likes tea, and he cleans when he’s stressed. He sees a therapist. He has a total of two friends, and one of them is his cousin. He isn’t smart; he’s simple. He wishes that could be enough.

NB: this is more albus character centric than an scorbus fic, but scorbus is endgame

7. lily's potter (lily/draco, lily/lysander, harry potter) by alpenglow

"But what if I keep it? What’s the contingency plan there?” She took a seat next to Lily. She spoke slowly, as if she was thinking about it for the first time, too. “Well, I mean, you keep your baby. You raise it. You love it. It goes on to do wonderful things because it’s a Potter.” Lily snorted. “It’s a Potter?” “Why not? I mean it’s just as much you as whoever is the father. Why shouldn’t it be a Potter first?”

8. unwire the good (alex/lena, supergirl) by celaenos

“I can look into some more information on foster care. If you want.” It’s the third time that she’s offered help in the last month and a half, and it sounds just as sincere as the other times. She’s not pestering. She’s just… offering. Suddenly, Alex doesn’t know why she’s been brushing Lena off. The Luthor thing hasn’t been an issue for over a year, now. Alex saw firsthand how devoted a friend Lena can be with Sam. And, it’s not as if Alex’s life is full of friends right now, she’s got plenty of room. (Or, Kara goes to Argo City, Alex gives adoption a real try, and accidentally falls in love with Lena Luthor during the process.)

9. where the lines overlap (bellamy/raven, miller/monty, octavia/maya, octavia/lincoln, clarke/lexa, the 100) by bythelightofthenight, millerbellamy

When Raven Reyes climbed out of a window, still in her wedding dress, she had no idea what was ahead of her. or - a friends au.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Favorite fanfictions I read in March

Here’s my top thirteen fics I read in february in order of when I read it:

Eden, Nevada (abby/kane, abby/kane/bellamy, abby/everyone, kane/everyone, the 100) by ChancellorGriffin

Marcus Kane has sex for a living. Love, however, is another story. Over a span of twenty-two years, he rises from the lowly role of concierge at the Paradise Hotel - the legal brothel owned by his parents - to its owner and manager, a pillar of the community with a staff of his own. But when the two most powerful forces of nature in a dusty one-horse Nevada town are a queer feminist sex mecca on one side, and a sinister fundamentalist cult on the other, nothing and no one is safe from the impact of their collision.

This fic is a pure masterpiece. Look, everyone knows that Claire is THE kabby fic writer, but this fic is just out of this world amazing. Sure, it's pure filth, but the PLOT MAN. It's so good. And Claire finally returned to this fic after a couple of years of it being silent. AND ITS JUST SO GOOD.

2. a blessing in disguise (suki/eve, eastenders) by layeredlesbian

How did the news of the Panesar matriarch's new relationship spread around the Square? How did various Square denizens react? Multiple POV of folks receiving the news, particularly known ally Honey.

Yes, I am still in my sukeve era, but this fic has me captive. I've read it, maybe six times these last few months, so yeah. OUTSIDER POV FOR THE WIN.

3. long exposure (sarah/hank, parenthood) by ofstormsandwolves

He hasn’t given long exposure photography much thought outside of his work, though. Has never considered how it captures movement in long, drawn-out brushstrokes and how that could be applicable to a real life situation. That is, until Zeek dies.

This piece is so beautiful. Just.. so good.

4. dawn is coming, open your eyes (percy character study, harry potter) by dialux

You are not courageous. Your dreams have always been the bravest parts of you. [Percy Weasley, post-war, pre-reconciliation. The world is broken and he knows it better than most, but Percy's also broken as well. Fixing one might just mean fixing both.]

Holy shit this fic changed me. It's a take on percy redemption i have never read, a take on post battle wizarding britian i have neve read, and overall this fic is amazing.

5. hold me closer (suki/eve, eastenders) by layeredlesbianism

Suki and Eve go to Honey and Billy’s wedding, dealing with events both past and present together.

A canon fill in on where Eve was during the wedding, this fic goes from fluffy to angsty in ten seconds flat much like the wedding did, and it's just so wonderful. Perfect canon fill in.

6. footprint(s) (lou/debbie, nine ball & the crew, ocean's eight) by emkat97

You didn't think Nine-Ball would make it through the entire heist without hacking into everyone's phones, did you? or, Six Times Nine-Ball Was A Pretty Good Friend and One Time Lou Miller Was, Too.

brilliant piece. loved it so much.

7. over salt sea and flowerdeep fields (jade/kit/elora, willow) by pirateygoodness

Everything feels the same, and everything feels different, all at once. Because the victory, the heart-pounding elation of fighting the Crone and rescuing Airk and actually doing it, that's incredible. It's everything Kit ever wanted. Everything her bones knew she needed when she'd dreamt about having adventures. But it fades, quickly. Into sore shoulders and bruised ribs and the realization that they have to sleep and eat so badly. + (Kit and Jade and Elora and the long journey back from the Immemorial City, sorting out all the things that love and home can mean.)

i've never read this pairing before, but holy shit this just made so much sense on ever level. the relationship negotiations in this is really good and feels really realistic. just wonderful all around.

8. shelf awareness (james/lily, harry potter) by ghostofbambi

It's too far out of her way and she's wasting so much money, but Lily can't help but return to the bookstore every weekend, where her passion for good literature has, perhaps, been unexpectedly reignited by the messy-haired, pun-making, rather handsome bloke who works there.

i'm usually not super into muggle AU's for HP, but Jily just fits so well for these romcom kind of vibes. And this IS romcom vibes. Excellent wonderful romcom vibes.

9. summer wine (ace/nancy, nancy drew) by lilypottersghost

nancy and ace fall in love over a sun-kissed, wine-drunk summer. (or: the one where nancy, ace, and the drew crew work at a winery.)

this is so good, a slightly different look at the season 1 storyline just without the murder and ghost stuff and nancy knowing from the start that ryan is her biodad. it's excellent. the crew dynamic is great in this, nancy & ace are EXCELLENT in this.

10. can't leave this part out of the story i write (helena/myka, warehouse 13) by zornslemon

Myka knows her life would be a lot easier if she could just fall in love with Pete. The trouble is she can't. And just to make matters worse, she also can't stop thinking about HG Wells.

We all know that the final season of wh13 was a travesty, and this fic does such a good job in fixing it without erasing anything. it's kind to pete and to myka & hg. it's all in all, a wonderful fix it.

11. feet been draggin' cross the ground (buffy & dawn, buffy the vampire slayer) by celeanos

"I'm coming with you," Dawn says immediately, cutting Buffy off. There is no way that she's letting Buffy try to ditch her again. If anyone comes near her with chloroform, she's still got that taser in her hoodie pocket. The sides of Buffy's mouth tick up into a small smile, and Dawn relaxes. "Of course you are," Buffy says. As if there was never any doubt.

wonderful post canon character study of buffy, what it means to be a slayer when you no longer have to be, buffy's relationship with dawn, and to a certain extent faith.

12. i'll be home at last (emily/aria, pretty little liars) by lco123

Alison leaves town and this time, no one tries to stop her. Aria comes back home. In the aftermath of two breakups, Rosewood watches something unexpected happen.

A wonderful, short piece on aria and emily falling in love post-canon seen through the eyes of those who know them.

13. rhythms (brittany/santana, glee) by thefooliam

When Brittany graduates and moves to New York, Santana realizes that all her dreams are coming true, just not how she expected.

the characterization of this is so good, Brittany maybe in particular but also all of Santana’s insecurities. I loved this and I loved the more realistic truth of Santana dropping out of college and how hard it is to find a job that fulfills her. This is technically a sequel but I didn’t read the first part either so it’s easy to just jump into.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Favorite fics I read in February

Here's my top ten fics I read in february in order of when I read it:

A Stained-Glass Variation of the truth (suki/eve, eastenders) by youmakemefeelstill

After witnessing an incident at the Minute Mart, Honey comes to an unexpected realisation about her former friend and a certain ex-solicitor.

Sukeve is my new hyperfixation, but I only picked one fic for this rec list and it's this one, because Honey & Suki are so important, and this fic was so wonderful, also I'm a sucker for a good outsider POV.

2. The Tough Get Going (out of town) (wesley/lilah, ats) by thinlizzy2

In the aftermath of the Beast's attack, Wesley and Lilah decide to get as far away from Los Angeles as possible. That decision has consequences that change things for them, those they left behind and possibly the whole world.

This is possibily one of the best things I have ever read. It fits canon perfectly, it fits these characters perfectly. And it's just a gooddamn marvel of a fic.

3. a game of two halves (jess/jules, bend it like beckham) by partypaprika

Jess and Jules may be professional football players, but they're still working some things out...

Look, we all know these two were madly in love, and this fic is such a good getting together fic for them. the characterization is spot on, especially of jess and how much extra she has to work through. i love it.

4. what you see is what you get (if you're looking hard enough) (the mentalist, gen) by sixthlight

Patrick Jane is only human.

This is a fucking fantastic steampunk AU, that just has to be read. It works wonderful in canon and it's a thrill from beginning to end.

5. on my way now (juliette/avery, nashville) by thisjoyandi

Juliette, Avery, and finding their way back to one another. 'I miss him so much. When I was on tour, sometimes I’d wake up thinking he was beside me, and I’d be devastated when I realised he wasn’t.'

The reunion we deserved. This covers the period that Juliette is in rehab after her suicide attempt, and it's such a good character study of juliette, and i love the way she heals in this, and the way she deals with her trauma, it's really beautiful.

6. friday, i'm in love (lizzie/darcy, the lizzie bennet diaries)

“What’s the difference between gossip and rumors?” Emma asks on the first day. “Rumors are almost always false,” Lizzie explains. “Gossip almost always makes them true.” William Darcy starts as a rumor. The one where they're high school teachers.

Brilliant. Hilarious. Wonderful.

7. there goes the last great european dynasty (edwina/friedrich, bridgerton/queen charlotte) by apinchofm

An unmarried Diamond would not do and luckily for Queen Charlotte, she has an available nephew and a young woman jaded by London society

The love story Edwina deserved. This is such a good fic, and I love it so much.

8. fuck it, i don't care what they say (would you rather be straight?) (isobel character study, fbi) by dxringred

She’s 19 when she first kisses a girl.

fucking brilliant character study of isobel as a lesbian, that fits pretty well into canon (at least till around s5, early 6 as that is as far as i have gotten on fbi), but it's so good. just urgh, brilliant work.

9. the things we do deserve their rightful names (jess/rory, gilmore girls)

rory finds jess interesting, but there's no time to process that when she still has so much to do before starting yale. | literati!yale au

fucking fantastic yale au, beautiful, wonderful, works so well for them. the friendship between lane & jess is also pure gold in this. also this gives lane the life she deserved as well.

10. there are worse games to play (peeta/katniss, the hunger games) by belmione

"In this moment I'm not sure how I've said no to him for fifteen years. Peeta Mellark hasn't smiled like that since the day on the rooftop of the Training Center before the Quarter Quell." My take on Katniss's decision to have children with Peeta.

This one is abandoned, but ends up at a pretty satisfying point, it's a wonderful story and it deals with trauma so wonderfully, there is a lot of child birth in this one though, so if that triggers you or you rather not, this is one to avoid.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Best fics I read in January

This is a little late, but here is a rec list of all the best fics I read in January in order of reading. There are 13 in total.

room 615 (clarke/lexa, the 100) by steadywomp

Clarke Griffin is not nearly as enthusiastic as her friends to start the new semester. Maybe, it's because she's a transfer, new school already tainted by the bad experiences of the last one. Maybe it's because her mom hasn't called, or because her ex won't stop calling. No matter what it is, it's all made worse when she finds out that her room is directly across from the RA. An RA who she can't stop thinking about.

i am always amazed when i find clexa fic i haven't read or even had on my radar. this was just so incredibly good. the vibes are perfect. the characters are perfect. the story is good. all around incredible.

once more (from the top) (oliver/felicity, arrow) by writewithurheart

In the aftermath of his fight with Ras Al Ghul, Oliver finds himself somewhere unexpected: his hospital room when he first came back from the Island. With a second chance to right the mistakes he’s made since coming back to Starling City, what will Oliver do to save the people he’s loved and lost? Will he be able to change his past or will be he forced to watch history repeat itself?

I LOVE TIME TRAVEL FIX ITS. And this is no exception. It's really good. As a great twist near the end. And this is just brilliant.

give up trying to save us (charlie & tori, charlie/nick, heartstopper/solitaire) by maycollins

"There’s this moment in the car when everyone goes quiet, like it’s barely sunrise, but the day’s already been too long, and we just don’t have the energy to say anything else. I can’t stop looking back at Victoria in the rearview mirror, squished in the middle seat of Nick’s little Fiat. I remind myself. She is here. She is alright."   Starting from the end of Solitaire, an exploration of Charlie and Tori's relationship and a journey to healing.

this is such a good depiction of mental illness and how healing isn't linear. it's just fucking beautiful and worth the read.

there is a place i call my home (nate/jenny, gossip girl, a series) by lizwas

au from 5x21 onward, but takes place years in the future. Jenny comes from London to spend a summer in the Hamptons, and reconnects with her old friend Nate.

i'm always going to be weak for jenny & nate and this series is just perfect. it makes so much sense. both for jenny and for nate. and it's just beautiful. full circle. perfect. bonus for background dair and no chuck what so ever.

listen closely and the stars will sing (lena/kara, supergirl) by celaenos

Lena casts her mind around for the last time she felt this unmoored, this off-balance, by a woman, and can't come up with anything. Kara Danvers is unlike anybody that Lena has ever met; the sweetest, bubbliest person Lena’s yet to come across, and simultaneously one of the saddest, who is probably lying to everyone that she meets. It’s an impossible contradiction to wrap your head around, and Lena should probably stop hiding in this bathroom and trying. (Or, Kara and Lena get parent-trapped into a relationship by a goofy little alien.)

so i haven't met a celaenos fic i don't love but this one takes the cake. it's the ultimate s2 au fic, and honestly myka is so fucking adorable.

to hold moonlight in your hand (dany/sansa, game of thrones) by eggandcheese

“Surely you didn’t expect to come all this way for just a kiss,” Sansa dared to propose. Dany’s brow quirked and her lips parted in a tentative smile. “I am not foolish enough to ever expect anything from you, Lady Sansa,” Dany averred. She shifted forward, holding her gaze and toying with the coppery ends of Sansa’s hair. She grazed her knuckles along Sansa’s chin, uttering softly, “But I certainly hoped for more.” -- The quiet moments history will never know of Sansa and Daenerys finding love in each other, had she gone to Dragonstone in Jon's stead. Mixes book and show canon, up to Jon leaving for Dragonstone after which I attempt to fix everything.

just read it. honestly. you won't regret it. happy endings all around. the dany on the throne we deserved.

the third option (peter-centric, tony & peter, mcu) by uncertainly_principle

Homecoming AU. Ben and May divorced before Peter’s parents died, so when Ben is murdered Peter goes into foster care. It takes just a tiny taste of superpowers for Peter to decide he doesn’t want to put up with his horrible foster father anymore—the streets are infinitely more appealing. All he wants is to be Spider-Man anyway. So he leaves. Simple. Simple, that is, until Iron Man needs Spider-Man’s help. Peter isn’t about to turn down an opportunity to fight alongside Tony Freaking Stark, but he also isn’t going to let his hero know that his recruit is a fifteen-year-old homeless dropout. So they strike a deal. Peter will help Tony. In return, the mask stays on. And that’s when things get complicated.

this fic will change your life. it's hard and messy. and it will hurt you. but it will be worth it. the story is so good. the characters are so great.

the victors of district twelve (lucy&peeta&katniss, peeta/katniss, the hunger games) by dustyattic

What if Lucy Gray survived that night in the woods with Snow? What if she made it up north, found those people rumored to be surviving without the Capitol, and realized District Thirteen wasn't quite as obliterated as she'd been taught? And what if, sixty-five years later and after watching a certain Mockingjay end Snow's reign, she came back to District Twelve? This is the story of Katniss and Peeta meeting Lucy Gray Baird, and learning her story-- the story that Snow so desperately tried to erase.

i'm fucking obsessed with the idea of lucy living and meeting everlark, and this is one of the best i've read so far. it's hard and rough. and super painful at times. but it's so good.

after all the smashes (pacey/joey, dawson's creek) by misspermascowl

A look at what (could have/should have) happened after Pacey carried Drunk!Joey up the stairs.

this is the best characterization of both joey and pacey i have ever read. it's worth it just for that.

i've been afraid of changing ('cause i've built my life around you) (nico/karolina, runaways) by somniatoressinespe

“You know you've always wanted to give my mom a coronary,” Nico pitches with a conspiring tone, hand cupping her mouth and a spark in her eyes Karolina likes a bit too much. “I don’t know about that. Your mom kind of adores me.” “I know!” Nico throws her hands in the air with such flair Karolina is half expecting her to break out in a song, “It'd be weird, if you weren’t so damn likeable. Whatever, give your mom a coronary, then.” “That I can get behind.” “Good. Date me.” She chokes on her coffee, barely avoiding a full on spit take by sheer strength of will alone. “What?” she chokes out when she feels like her lungs have gone back to reside in her ribcage instead of wandering around her oesophagus. Nico ignores Karolina's struggle for air with nonchalance and takes her hand in hers kneeling on the kitchen's crumb covered tiled floor. “Karolina Dean, will you date me to piss off our families?" or "karolina ends up dating her best friend, what could go wrong?"

fake dating gallore! it's so good. also we stan comics!background karolina in his one. the characterization is spot on. the vibes feel right. it's non!powers, non!murderous parents au, and it just works so brilliantly. gert is also spot on the whole time.

the rose of jericho (ianto-centric, jack/ianto, torchwood) by kaydeefalls

Post-CoE. When Martha Jones encounters a dark UNIT cover-up in the wake of the 456, it's up to Gwen's new Torchwood team to bring the truth to light -- and save Ianto.

THE PERFECT FIX IT. It's so good. The new Torchwood team in this is great. The case build up is fantastic. MARTHA JONES OUR SAVIOUR. Just all around fantastic fic.

blackbird (veronica/logan, veronica mars) by alilamba

LoVe, Ballet AU. Veronica moves across country for her senior year of high school, because apparently her life wasn't challenging enough already. At least when she fails she'll be wearing a tutu.

I don't read much AU for LoVe because it's their history that makes them so interesting to me, but this fic just worked for me in every way. the way canon gets incorperated into this whole new world is flawless. the characters still feel like logan and veronica even in this different universe. it's all round just smashing.

running back home to you (elphaba/galina, wicked) by mayverix

It was wishful thinking. It had to be the truth. Glinda may not know much but she knew performance, and the more she thought about it the better it fit. Elphaba’s death didn’t make sense. Glinda had seen it with her own eyes and had stupidly believed that was proof it had happened. Elphaba’s melting shadow had been wearing the hat. Glinda wasn’t sure of the scientification of melting, but surely either all or none of her clothes should have melted. Surely Elphaba herself shouldn’t have melted. Fiyero’s body was missing, and Elphaba’s hat was in her hands. Glinda stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she realized she must have been crying. She looked crazy. It didn’t matter. Elphaba was alive.

run and read this. just do it. won't regret it. will fix all your problems.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

[onceuponaswanqueen]

supercorp au: kara is the new girl at lena’s high school and lena takes immediate interest in her. they fall in love.

+bonus:

[onceuponaswanqueen]

BEST READS OF 2024

I read 677 fics last year and here are my favorite fics from last year. There is 41 recs under the read more from 911, atypical, dawson's creek, dcu, gilmore girls, glee, grey's anatomy, harry potter, holby city, legacies, leverage, once upon a time, percy jackson, rizzoli and isles, roswell new mexico, she-ra and the princesses of power, supergirl, svu, and the 100

These are in order of when I read them:

close my eyes and stumble (right into your love) by hmslusitania (buck/eddie, 911)

Eddie's PTSD is just that little bit worse and when he moves to Los Angeles, instead of joining the LAFD, he joins dispatch. Which is all good and fine, except for this one firefighter he keeps ending up talking to.

THIS IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BUDDIE FICS. It's just so good, and it just works so well. Them getting to know each other under fairly normal circumstances and the way Buck heals himself, it's just beautiful.

2. it was the end of a decade, but the start of an age by ForForever19 (olivia/original female character, svu)

'Olivia Benson has a tally. Of all the people who have left her, whether they've died or left willingly. One even managed to do both at the same time. The list, by anyone's standards, is far too long, and she repeatedly asks herself how she's managed to survive this long.' OR Olivia finally, finally gets a hug. Well, eventually.

THIS IS SO GOOD. It lets Olivia heal from her trauma, find love and someone who finally puts her first. It gives her closure with Elliot. Just perfect. Starts after the 500th episode.

3. fallingwater by morningsound15 (casey/izzie, atypical)

“I don’t want you to be sorry, Casey. I want you to tell me what’s going on with you. I want my girlfriend to be honest with me.” “I’m not, though.” “You’re not what? Honest?” “Your girlfriend.” A brick, heavy in Izzie’s stomach for the last fifteen minutes, sinks deeper. “Oh,” she says. “So you are breaking up with me.” “No!” Casey is quick to correct. “No, I’m not breaking up with you.” A hand through Casey’s hair, rough and pulling at the already disheveled ponytail. “I’m saying this all wrong.” “What are you trying to say? You aren’t my girlfriend anymore but we aren’t breaking up? That doesn’t make any sense.” “I’m not—” A beat. Casey takes a breath, a deep shudder. Finally, quietly: “I’m not a girl."

Need no words. Just read.

4. Orchards by winlatter (ginny/harry, harry potter)

The orchard is a wild, thousand-flower, crumpled-gate, fall-down-fence sort of place, where things grow that you never asked for, that you’d never expect. The summer of ’96, the story of something flowery he thought he might have smelled at the Burrow.

This is the best piece of HG fanfiction I have ever read, and I read over 3 million words of HG fanfiction just in 2024. If you like them, this is a must read, if you don't, give it a chance and maybe you will. this covers the gap of that summer so well, and shows how ginny went from ron's little sister to someone harry finds himself romantically interested in.

5. to move with purpose by missgoalie75 (jess/rory, gilmore girls)

Rory doesn't say no to Jess and they proceed to spend the summer together, traveling from New York City to Venice Beach on an impromptu road trip.

Beautiful. Perfect.

6. Operation red dawn by antigvne (teddy/nathan, grey's anatomy)

"See, the thing is, she meets Riggs first." (or, teddy, owen, riggs, and megan in iraq, pre-series)

this fic changed me. it's written prior to the alison reveal but still works pretty well in canon.

7. when may met sally by seekrest (may parker & sally jackson, percy jackson & mcu crossover)

“What’s your name?” “Sally. Jackson,” she says, cheeks flushing in gratitude as she shakes the woman’s hands. “May Parker,” she replies warmly, taking her hand then clasping it with the other. “You’re gonna be fine.” Sally laughs. “I hope so.” Or, Sally, May and their two boys in New York.

this needs to be experienced. just beware it is canon compatible with the mcu, so the ending does hurt like a bitch, but it's so worth it.

8. i don't mind waiting (if it's for you) by princessfbi (buck/eddie, 911)

“Victim is Charles Dumont. Three gunshot wounds to the chest. Looks like an attempted robbery. There was a case of bourbon with a bottle missing and we found Charlie’s wallet tossed a few blocks from here. And Eddie?” Athena stopped just as she got to the door and turned him with a serious expression on her face. “There’s a witness.”  Her frown dipped under the professional mask she was known for and Eddie caught the flicker of concern pulling at her composure. “You know him?”  Athena pressed her lips into a tight line and nodded.  “Evan Buckley. He’s the bartender here. He was helping Charlie restock tonight when he heard a noise and saw it happen.”   Homicide Detective, Eddie Diaz, is called in to investigate the murder of a local shield and ladder bar owner. There he meets his only witness, Evan "Buck" Buckley.   AKA The Trashy Romance Novel Murder Mystery Buddie AU AKA Detective!Eddie Diaz and Bartender!Evan "Buck" Buckley

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD FIC. The characterization is spot on, the case is pretty interesting and the dialogue is just fantastic.

9. Second time around series by portraitofemmy & rizandace

On the morning after the worst day of Michael Guerin’s life, he wakes up in the last place he expects to be—in 2007, on the first day of senior year. Armed with knowledge of a future he now desperately hopes to change, Michael must retrace the steps of his past, as he builds a better future for himself, his family, and the man he loves. With the help of their loved ones, Michael and Alex find themselves presented with something almost no one gets: a second chance to get things right.

I am a slut for time travel fix it fics, but this just takes the cake. It also has a really interesting spin on it, I don't feel like spoiling. This is a series, of so far nearly 400k and it's not completed. I don't know if it will be, but as it is it ends at a pretty decent ending point.

10. but i've got a plan by the memoriesoffire (brittany/quinn, glee)

For anon, who wanted "Brittany comforts Quinn on her fat day" and got a Season 1 AU.

What it says on the tin, no pregnancy, just two girls falling in love and all the ways that is complicated for quinn. so beautiful.

11. the long and wondrous journey still to be ours by lavenderseaslug (bernie/serena, holby city)

Bernie finds herself with nothing to do and too much time.

Obligatory coffee shop au. this one is exceptional. pretty much follows canon history.

12. many miles to avalon by wistfulwatcher (emma/regina, once upon a time)

One year after the residents of Storybrooke are sent back to the Enchanted Forest, Emma is enlisted—sans memory—to become the Savior once again. Along with Henry, Snow, and Regina, Emma embarks on a journey to Camelot in order to find Merlin's powerful Twin Blades and save everyone. Except, a single savior cannot wield two swords, and as their quest unfolds, Emma and Regina begin to discover just how much more powerful they are together than apart. Post 3x11: Going Home AU.

Just read it. I always get suprised when i find older sq fics i haven't read that are this good. it's everything i wanted for 3b and surprisingly enough everything i wanted for a camelot arc to.

13. law of the lever by sharkfights (jane/maura, rizzoli and isles)

Her gut drops like a hot weight as she remembers the exact words Maura used before she ran out the door and back to the precinct. Wife.

I'm really picky with my rizzles fic and this just hit all the right spots for me. jane's internalized homophobia is especially excellently handled in this one.

14. tell me about despair by hattalove (buck/eddie, 911)

eddie's not entirely sure he believes in getting help, at least not for himself. there's only so much healing to be had for a body torn apart by bullets, for a mind that's only half there, for a man who's been leaving pieces of himself behind all his life with nothing to take their place. except, as it turns out, falling apart happens in increments, and healing does, too: it happens when you gnaw a hole in your lip trying to keep quiet only to have the words escape; when you realize that the ghost you've been seeing out of the corner of your eye is yourself; when your best friend smiles, and you allow it to take your breath away. it happens through the smallest of things: bird feeders, and cacti, and pasta shapes. meanwhile, the world goes on. (or: the entity often affectionately referred to as the unrepression fic.)

need to explanations. read.

15. as long as we stay together (if we just stay together) by herothehardway (catra/adora, she-ra and the princesses of power)

Adora is an Astrophysics PhD student who just can’t seem to write her dissertation. When the opportunity arises to work at the IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole, she jumps at the chance, even though she’ll be stuck there for six months during the Antarctic Winter. When she arrives, she discovers that her research partner is her former roommate, former teammate, former best friend, former, well, everything, who she hasn’t seen since they graduated from college five years ago.

I don't even really go here and this was still one the best experiences i have ever had reading fanfiction.

16. tell the truth (but tell it slant) by susiecarter

It takes a while for Batman and Superman to work things out, once Clark comes back from the dead. Pretending to date each other in order to explain why Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent are in the same place so often? Doesn't help as much as you might think.

I definitely don't go here and yet, this is in my top ten fics i have probably ever read. it made me fall in love with this couple, and the writing is just so good.

17. 30 miles east by teamsciencenerds (sam/alex, supergirl)

Alex realizes that she's spiraling out of control, so she drives to a suburb of National City and goes to an AA meeting, and that's where she meets Sam Arias. or Alex convinces herself to go to one AA meeting and now she's making a pie to bring to a barbecue, lying to Kara about where she keeps sneaking off to, and accidentally falling in love with a woman who drives a minivan.

I don't know how many times I have reread this. It's so so so very good.

18. waves (it comes and goes) by sunspell80 (buck/eddie, 911)

Evan Buckley left his past behind when he left home for good at age 19. But an unexpected phone call on a quiet shift disrupts the life he's built for himself: forcing him to confront his past in order to build a new future.

This fic hurts, but in all the right places. Both this and the sequel are hard to read but in the ways that you sometimes need. beware the tags!

19. write this down by mysteriesoflove (dan/blair, gossip girl)

“I am so going to regret asking, but—what exactly are you getting at, Blair?” Blair takes a deep breath, sitting up straight, and lets it all come out in a rush: “Come with me to Paris and pretend to be my boyfriend.”

I'm stil on this train, and i will not be leaving thank you very much. all of mysteryofloves stuff is excellent, but this fic made me laugh, cry and feel all the things.

20. with great power comes... a bunch of weird shit by c_and_b (lena/kara, supergirl)

lena gets bitten by a spider and things get a little crazy from there - if only because she starts interacting with her longtime crush kara danvers way more than ever

spider-man!au, absolutely hilarious.

21.  wrapped in books (series) by robinbuckley (jess/rory, gilmore girls)

Tolstoy whispers, He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began, and Jess sinks deeper into the love he’s been wrought with like a cancer ever since she said I’m Rory and he said I know. or: the one where rory stays broken up with logan after the three bridesmaids, and the open house at truncheon goes a lot differently.

i would rec all of robinbuckey's literati fic if i could, but i recced two last year as well. this is probably my favorite in canon/canon divergence fic of hers. it just works so very well. (and also, spoiler, but it gets the original planned gg ending and makes sense so that's a bonus)

22. The Last Something That Meant Anything by anonymous (percy weasley-centric, harry potter)

He's never felt like he stood much of a chance. alternatively, A timeline of events in the life of one Percy Ignatius Weasley. Before, during, and after the war.

i've never been much of a percy fan, this changed that. it's so so so very good. beware the tags tho.

23. the ashes left behind by freelancerrh (pacey/joey, dawson's creek)

The fire spread. The roof collapsed. The aftermath awaits.

I recced their other fic last year, but this one is better. it's absolutely heartbreaking. and it hurts. so much. but it's so well written and worth every ounce of pain it brings.

24. hunters and prey by northumbrian (harry potter, mostly gen)

February 2000 Newly Qualified (in record time) Auror Harry Potter remains obsessed with “The List.” The ten people still wanted for their part in the Battle of Hogwarts. Their capture is essential. It will bring closure to the events of the past few years. Harry has set himself a target. He wants to see “The Last Death Eater” and the other nine captured before the second anniversary of the battle. His attempts to meet his target will bring heartbreak, danger, pain, and a lifechanging injury for one former DA member.

all of his stuff is excellent, everyone who has read canon compliant post-hogwarts stuff knows this. but this fic. just i read it in one sitting and its over 120k long. it captivated me.

25. a little more time by jess pallas (harry potter, teddy-centric, remus/tonks)

DH Spoilers Was it possible to save two lives without altering history? Was it possible to given them a future twenty years after they had supposedly died? Teddy Lupin thought so

what cursed child should have been.

26. home is where i want to be (but i guess i'm already there) by percivaljackson (annabeth/percy, percy jackson)

“Annabeth panic-lied to her step-mom about being in a quote ‘stable and emotionally available’ relationship, and now she has to bring her imaginary lover home for New Year’s,” Piper explains, bringing her hands up behind her head and looking thoroughly amused. Jason nods, like this is a totally average occurrence. “You should bring Percy.” “That’s what I said,” Leo interjects. Annabeth buries her face in her hands.

i usually avoid no powers/no demi-god percabeth au's like the plague but this one just surprised me. it's such a good annabeth character study.

27. the dogfather (series) by hollimichelle

“I’m not a reverse werewolf either,” says the man. “I’m your godfather.”

the dursley's abandons harry and he gets adopted by muggles. it's such a good story. also sirius (and eventually remus) is there.

28. proof by orphan_account (harry potter, gen)

"Proofing, also sometimes called final fermentation, is the specific term for allowing dough to rise after it has been shaped and before it is baked." Less than a year has passed since the final battle, and the Ministry is already up to its old tricks. Harry would very much like them to stop ignoring due process, tossing people in Azkaban, controlling the press, and menacing the populace with dementors. He would also like, if at all possible, to bake a passable loaf of bread.

fucking perfect post-battle fic that deals with the immense amount of trauma that boy went through.

29. in the aftermath of this broken glass by foggyy13 (harry potter, gen)

She had never expected to become a mother. Not since she had left Vernon, anyway. She knew it was probably for the best, the fact that she never had children, especially when Lily had been good at laughing and singing and seeing the best in people and Petunia was sour and panicked and never knew what to do. She wasn’t Lily. That much was true. But she was all Harry had. She would have to do. *** Petunia Evans never wanted to be involved in the wizarding war. But when her sister saves her from her terrible fiance, she begins to bake for the young soldiers of the first wizarding war. She knows nothing about what they're fighting for, but cares for witches and wizards for the sake of her sister. And then, when her nephew turns up on her doorstep, Lily and James dead, Petunia does all she knows how to do. She cares for Harry Potter as though he is her own.

this fic made me cry actual tears.

30. when forever was a sentence (sentence to death) by forforever19 (josie/hope, legacies)

'It’s been three weeks since Hope sent Josie ‘the package.’ Sometimes, she wonders if she should have delivered it in person. More for safety, yes, but also because the last time she saw Josie was - Well. There are just some things Hope would really like to tell Josie in person.' OR Hope and Josie, and the year before forever.

perfect post canon fic of josie and hope finding their way (back) together.

31. i sing the body electric by nightshifted (clarke/lexa, the 100)

"I came for the music," Anya will say, years down the line, "but music... music is just a vessel. I stayed for the people."

fuck, this is good. it's not completed, but it stand wonderfully on it's own.

32. it's called contraband for a reason by coldmackerel (clarke/lexa, the 100)

prison comedy, told out of order and out of line. lexa has the worst prison id number ever, raven needs to expand her vocabulary, clarke can't mop, and putting octavia behind the kitchen line is tantamount to reckless endangerment. complete.

fucking hilarious. just the best.

33. all you have to do is call my name (i'll be there) by withmeornotatall

And, if all that wasn't enough, he's wearing a fucking backwards baseball cap which Eddie didn't know was a Thing for him until right at this moment. It should probably make the guy look douche-y, but the blinding grin on the guy's face is too reminiscent of the way a golden retriever's tongue lolls out of its mouth to do anything but add to the effect of Buck. Oh, fuck. "Hey, what can I get you?" Buck asks, pulling a pencil from behind his ear. "Uh..." Eddie's mouth is suddenly very, very dry. Buck purses his lips and ducks his head, blushing like he knows exactly what Eddie's thinking. "Coffee?" He raises an eyebrow and Eddie has to physically turn his head away from the pink birthmark over his eye. "Please." He croaks. (OR: Eddie Diaz needs to get away from his divorce and his stifling parents, so he moves away to a tiny town called Star's Hollow.)

wonderful au. perfect found family. all the cozy vibes.

34. keys by colormetheworld (jane/maura, rizzoli and isles)

"Ready?" she puts her fingers against the keys gently, and Maura grips the barre, hardly daring to breathe.

the ultimate rizzles college!au. it's one of the most beautiful things i have ever read, and i keep coming back to it. i think i have reread it once a year since i discovered it in like 2015.

35. all my best lies by remedialpotions (ron/hermione, harry potter)

In the summer before her sixth year, Hermione finds herself in sudden, desperate need of a date for a family event, and turns to Ron for a favor. But when one little lie spirals out of control, they both end up with so much more than they ever imagined.

in character and canon compliant fake dating sixth year ronmione fic. it's so in character and just so brilliant.

36. these strange steps by the memoriesoffire (quinn/rachel, glee)

Rachel, bottoming out completely, is doing a show in Vegas and, as a distraction from her life, gets dragged to a strip club by Puck. She hasn't seen Quinn in 8 years. This isn't how she wanted them to see each other again. Warning: D/s overtones.

this is a fandom bible for a reason. i don't really want to say to much, because not knowing exactly what to expect is what made me love this fic so much.

37. simple machines (series) by vexedquestion (hardison/parker/eliot, leverage)

Come hell or high water, Eliot is going to figure this out.

fantastic look at what it means to be queer.

38. mercurial high (a goddamn blaze in the dark) by lizwas (dan/blair, gossip girl)

Dan loves in a way that’s meant for daylight: hand holding and art galleries and cups of coffee and handwritten pages. Blair can only offer shadows. The dark end of the street.

angsty and beautiful, and a wonderful character study of blair.

39. the things i did by lolo_row (remus/sirius, harry potter)

. . . …Just so I could call you mine. (In which Remus Lupin rightfully deduces that something fishy is going on and refuses to (1) allow Sirius Black to rot in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit, and (2) allow Harry to be neglected by his horrible Muggle relatives.)

i'm somehow ever more picky about wolfstar fics because most of the newer stuff rubs me the wrong way, but i will always always always read stuff where remus and/or sirius raises harry and this is one of the best ones i have read.

40. if it wasn't for second chances by alasse (buck & bobby, buck/eddie, 911)

When Buck doesn’t save Daniel, the Buckleys put him in foster care. Seventeen years later, Bobby meets a tall, lanky kid who can’t stop eating his pancakes at a church breakfast, and he gives him a phone number and an unconditional offer of help. A story about how Buck finds a chosen family, and with a few twists and turns, eventually gets to the 118, meets Eddie Diaz, and maybe finds himself a second and a third (or, an Evan Nash story).

hands down the best evan nash story there is. i love how in canon it is. also bobby's family is gold in this one.

41. ice cream before dinner by cloudydaisies

Missing Chris is less of an emotion these days and more of a physical entity. He’s sure everyone can see that he’s slowly hollowing himself out, that he can’t do much of anything else. But when Jee laughs at him trying to get his tongue to touch his nose, and Mara loops one of her arms through his to keep him from tossing the rest of his cup in the garbage, Eddie feels solid again. Maybe he likes yellow birthday cake ice cream after all. (or, gerrard messes with the team's schedules and eddie 'i just drove my son to flee the state' diaz is the only option to watch mara and jee-yun after school on tuesdays, which, shouldn't be a problem at all, right?)

this became a fandom favorite in record time for a reason. holy shit it's good.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

2024 Fanfiction Reading Stats

HELLO!

This is my stats for last year reading, much thanks to @fanfic-reading-challenge for all the inspo last year.

Overall I read 27 120 924 words of fanfiction, over 680 fics. I read 133 fandoms and 352 different pairings. Most of the fics were F/F parings (206 fics in total), followed by F/M with 173 fics in total. I read the most fics in January with 111 fics, and I read the most words in April with 3 717 274 words.

The longest fic I read was harry potter and the nightmare of future past which clocks in at 409 653 words.

When it came to word count, the fandom I read the most was Harry Potter, coming in with a whopping 8 124 311 words. Followed by The 100 with 1 586 461 words, and Glee with 1 519 830 words. When it came to number of fics I read, Harry Potter was still number 1, with 113 fics, followed by Glee with 54 fics and 9-1-1 with 43 fics.

So, what about ships?

The ship I read the most words of in 2024 was Harry/Ginny with 3 700 319 words. Followed by Clarke/Lexa from the 100 with 1 536 137 words. Third came gen fics with out any particular pairing (romantic or platonic) with 1 422 900 words, and in fourth (or my third most read actual pairing) was buck/eddie with 1 226 781 words.

In number of fics read, gen wins out with 50 fics, so not counting that, in number one we have buck/eddie with 40 fics, then harry/ginny with 34 fics and jess/rory with 29 fics.

I had 125 rereads in 2024, which comes out to roughly 18 percent of fics.

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Otalia kiss version 1 and 2 comparison

[onceuponaswanqueen]

HEARTSTOPPER COUPLES I FROM PAGE TO SCREEN

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Every Alex Manes Scene (203c/?)

+

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Welcome

The response to the Comment Bingo has been amazing so far! Let's keep that momentum going. If you want to join, you can play with the original card or choose one of the other available cards:

one designed for Beginners (new or nervous commenters)

a Fluff Edition to find/comment on fics with themed tags

This blog is intended to promote anything and everything related to fic writing and commenting. In the fandom ecosystem, both creators and enjoyers are essential, but especially active creators and enjoyers—by which I also mean interactive.

For now, this is what I can guarantee from this blog:

more bingo cards for readers, featuring a mix of old and and new commenting tasks

bingo cards designed for writers (daily writing tasks; prompt tasks)

resources on commenting: etiquette and how-tos, etc.

celebrations of commenters who earn bingo (✨victory badges✨)

fic recs from bingo players who post the works used to fill their cards

OG Bingo Winners Board: Single, Double, Triple, Quadruple, Quintuple, ✨FULL CARD✨

Fluff Edition Winners Board: Triple, ✨FULL CARD✨

Depending on level of interest, this could also be a space to host more ambitious events (ship- or fandom-specific comment drives, comment drives for categories of fic with typically less traffic, etc).

Always open to feedback and suggestions! Here's the running FAQ post for the bingo trial.

The goal is to foster as much positive fandom engagement as possible 💛 Keep fandom well fed!

no pressure, just tagging anyone who expressed interest in the bingo trial run:

@sanguine-tenshi, @mrprettywhenhecries, @tciddaemina, @tapedsleeves, @unquantifiablefucks, @1jet2unknown, @doctor-of-war-and-heartache, @sterekbros, @evanesdust, @g-arya, @suometar, @camaro-and-smokes, @dragonflylady77, @redfeathered, @iravenish, @nibupei, @larkandcarry, @im-psycho-btw, @luimagines, @kallisto-k, @yallwildinrn, @adhd-merlin, @ah0yh0y, @neewtmas, @six-demon-bag, @silent-silver-slip, @magniloquent-raven, @garden-variety-jumo, @autistic-katara, @ghuleh-recs, @kissingghouls, @thissortofsorcery, @the-ravening, @toburnup, @gunshou, @daddiesdrarryy, @starryeyedjanai, @cattailhighway, @hexiewrites, @to-spread-the-ministry, @skystamp, @goddamnedamericanjedi, @likeapaperplane, @forgottenkanji, @minnichan, @asoftspotforangels, @lungache, @the-marron

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount Q&A and Fireside Chat with Matthew Mercer & Marisha Ray

Bonus Screenshot:

[onceuponaswanqueen]

Vox Machina Class Features in Season 2 of TLOVM (Season 1)

[onceuponaswanqueen]

The Legend of Vox Machina

2x10 The Kill Box

[onceuponaswanqueen]

My 2023 Fanfiction Reading Stats

Happy New Year, everyone!

In this post, I'll be giving some stats over my fanfiction reading last year, and under the cut will be my 15 favorite fics I read last year (10 new ones and five rereads).

But first, some stats!

I read 17 890 498 words, that's 6 million words more than last year! I read 593 fics. 110 fandoms and 322 ships! That's double the amount of ships I read last year.

By number of fics, my most popular fandom was Harry Potter with a total of 89 fics. Second popular fandom was Gossip Girl, with 55 fics, and in third place we have Criminal Minds with 42 ships.

That means that Harry Potter is the only fandom from last year to break the top 3 again. Last year (2022) I read zero Gossip Girls fics, and only a couple Criminal Minds fics, so both those fandoms entered with a force.

When it comes to ships and word count, my three most popular ships were Dan/Blair (Gossip Girl) with 21 fics, and Emma/Regina (Once Upon a time) with 21 fics. Ironically enough, 21 was the highest number of fics read with a single paring last year (2022) as well though the pairings were faberry & swan queen. My third most read ship was Katniss/Peeta (The Hunger Games) with 16. Only one f/f ship in the top three, which i don't think has happened to me since middle school.

In terms of words, my most popular fandom was still Harry Potter (3 927 226 words), followed by the Hunger Games (1 274 229 words), and in third place General Hospital (1 006 643 words). And for pairings that is Emma/Regina (Once Upon a Time) at number one with 947 973 words, followed by Jason/Elizabeth (General Hospital) with 889 029 words, and in third place Ginny/Harry (Harry Potter) with 671 844 words.

I mostly read canon divergence (196 fics), then future!fic (not necessarily canon compliant) with 73 fics, and then post-canon fics with 66 fics.

I read 168 fics with f/f pairings, 161 ficswith f/m pairings (which damn, i haven't read this much het since i was in middle school), 166 gen fics, and 72 fics with a M/M pairing. I also read 20 fics with mulitiple pairingtype (ia both f/f and f/m), 1 fic which was nb/m, and 8 fics with a poly ship.

My avarage rating was 4 stars. My avarage number of words per fic were 30 204 words. I also had 55 fics that I had read last year, which is much lower than last year.

And now, my top fifteen fics I read last year, (in no particular order)

The Victors Project by oisin55

Before Katniss and Peeta, seventy-three children won the Hunger Games. Some were brutal. Some were clever. Some were lucky. A few were almost decent. These are their stories. This is the Victors Project. (Hunger Games, mostly gen)

THIS IS THE BEST FIC I HAVE EVER READ. Like it's so good, and yes it's long. Its 311k, but worth every second. It's no longer canon compatible due to Songbirds, but it's still worth the read. You will not regret it.

2. The Mad World Series by crimsonglass

Set in Summer 2003. One night in June, Ric kidnaps Carly and locks her in a panic room, drugging Elizabeth to cover his tracks. Before long, Port Charles is embroiled in scandal, corruption, and trauma that hits home for everyone. It will be a long time before anyone forgets Ric Lansing’s reign of terror or the evil simmering beneath the surface of the city. (General Hospital, Jason/Elizabeth centric, but with other ships as well)

This is a niche fandom and ship, but this was absolutely brilliant. All the parts are great, tho I really love All of Me and This Is Me, which revisits Elizabeth's rape and puts her center in her own story. Which the show just hasn't done in over a decade. And it's just so good. I've read almost all of crimsonglass's fanfic this year but this stands out to me as one I will proabably reread for years.

3. Truth and Measure by telanu

Andy doesn't leave Miranda in Paris, and learns that a single decision can change your life. But the main thing about decisions? You don't get to stop with one. (The Devil Wears Prada, Andy/Miranda)

This is a classic for a reason. I cannot believe I have never read this before. It left it breathless. It was so good, I just couldn't stop reading it. I finished in like two days and it's 271k long. It's just so addicting.

4. Roads Diverged by freelancerrh

The stick had two lines. Four alternate continuations from "Late." (Dawson's Creek, Pacey/Joey)

THIS IS BRILLIANT. It follows four different timelines from Late if Joey was pregnant, one where she keps the baby and raieses it with pacey, one were she has an abortion and tells pacey, one she raises the baby alone, and one where she has an abortion but never tell pacey. All four timeslines are excellent, and I love this kind of multiple timelines stories. Totally worth a read if you know the fandom and ship the pairing.

5. If You Never Bleed, You're Never Gonna Grow by mp143

For three years, she ignored the way she clung to updates about him from her brother, every little piece of his life he didn’t share with her in the course of a hookup. She disregarded the tightening in her chest and the fluttering in her stomach when they were together, noticing that he never stopped noticing her, anticipating her desires and giving them to her without her having to ask. And she refused to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t only about sex — not for her, and maybe not for him either. And that’s, of course, how she ended up here: huddled over a cauldron in the bathroom of her tiny flat, trying to work up the courage to prick her finger and pinch a drop of blood into the potion.

Best Harry/Ginny fic I read last year, hands down. It was so suprising, deals with why and how Ginny got pregnant so young and in the middle of her career. It also steers away from canon but honestly, it works better that way. Also the romance in this is spot on.

6. To Hold off the Lightning by cinnamonfiglatte

There’s no burst of dust, the way Faith expects. Only blood at her hands and blood at the stranger’s lips and the chilling sound of a death rattle fighting its way from his lungs. Or: Faith kills Allan Finch. The Scoobies offer her the literal crumbs of support she needs in order to not give in to darkness. Yes, this is another “Faith stays (mostly) good” season 3 AU. (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Faith/Buffy)

Works perfectly in canon and in character Fuffy fic, yes and thank you. The way the romance develops in this is so natural and organic, and it makes so much sense, and it never puts down on Buffy and Angel and it all just works. It's a slow burn and it so delicious i can't even. Read it!

7. There's a place I call my home by lizwas (Series)

au from 5x21 onward, but takes place years in the future. Jenny comes from London to spend a summer in the Hamptons, and reconnects with her old friend Nate. (Gossip Girl, Jenny/Nate)

I fell into a gossip girl hole this year, no doubt. and my favorite writer for this fandom is lizwas, but this series just stood out to me. i love jenny & nate and they are so underappricated and this series is so good, it treats nate with respect, it treats jenny with respect, it shows how people can grow and how people can grow together, and i just *chefs kiss*, the smut is pretty good too if that's your thing.

8. Who Knows, Who Cares by the_dream_team

Lily Evans liked girls. Well, she liked boys, too. Bisexual. That was the term she’d settled on." After 22 years spent in the closet, Lily is excited to finally start dating girls. In fact, she's quite determined to make up for a lifetime of relationships with mediocre men, and the messy-haired boy who works at the art museum isn't going to change her plans anytime soon. Definitely not. (Harry Potter, James/Lily)

This is a no!magic, coffeeshop au, AND ITS SO CUTE. It's the perfect winter rom com. It has Hallmark Christmas movies vibes but in a good way. It's just such a nice cozy read. And the James/Lily dynamic is spot on and I love it.

9. The Way The World Ends by KidA_666

“Age of Consent” by New Order blares out, loud enough for Jonathan to hear across the room.  He had been there when Steve chose it a few months ago during another war room: “‘Age of Consent’ is good, I guess.”  “It can’t be I guess, dingus!  It has to be enough to save you from a brutal interdimensional death!” Robin snapped.   Steve had rolled his eyes.  “What’s Vecna gonna want with me anyways, Rob?  I’ll do ‘Age of Consent.’”  Jonathan had known, that night, that it might be the wrong choice.  But he didn’t say anything because it had been years and he could be wrong and maybe some selfish, petty part of him didn’t want to give Steve the satisfaction of Jonathan still knowing. Something lifts Steve off of the couch. “It’s not working!” Robin screams.   And Jonathan knows why it isn’t working.  He remembers.  Whatever high school bullshit Steve has put him through doesn’t particularly matter in the face of watching him be destroyed and turned inside out.  So Jonathan, calmer than he feels, says, “It’s Hank Williams.  Do you have Hank Williams?”  (Stranger Things, Steve/Jonathan)

Why does this work so well? I have no clue but it does. It's childhood friends to enemies to lovers and it works so well in canon, like it fits right in and it's so great. I love this. It's not a pairing I usually read, but it took me by such suprise and totally worth giving it a chance.

10. The War is Not Over When The Soldiers Come Home by keepcalmsmile

DeFonda Hepburn had met many parents in her many years as a nanny, but she'd never met parents quite like the Potters. Strangely enough, they have more in common than she thought. (Harry Potter, gen with Harry/Ginny)

Outsider POV of Harry and Ginny as adults and parents. It's so good. It's canon compliant, and it's wonderful. I found a new love of outsider POV this year and this one is the best I read. I just.. wonderful.

Top Five rereads (In no particular order)

- by colormetheworld

No summary available but it's this after Jane's wife dies by Hoyt's hand, Jane transfer to Boston with her kids and moves in with Maura. This is a story about healing. (Rizzoli and Isles, Jane/Maura)

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of fiction I have ever read. This author is my favorite author in this fandom, and this work along with Keys, never fails to make me cry. It's wonderful.

2. I don't know how lovely you are by sungfsongsun

Emily-centric. Set after 1x09. Emily/Alison, implied Emily/Maya.

This fic is super short, 1345 words, but it stuck with me. It stuck with me so much I read it twice last year, and I have read it several times before this. It's just three short scenes with the other liars set after she came out, and an apparence by ali in the end. it's just so simple and so beautiful.

3. Bittersweet and Strange by speakpirate

Emily Fields doesn’t need either of them. But Rosewood is still Rosewood. Their students just might need them both. A story where Paige and Alison discover they have more important things in common than a mutual ex. (Pretty Little Liars, Alison/Paige)

This shouldn't work. I shouldn't love this as much as I do. Like I hate that trope of the bully falling for their victim, but it just works here. Maybe because they're adults, and they've grown, but this just fit so well. Such a treat.

4. Track changes by cairophoenix

Alex is an editor at a New York publishing house, and that means her life is going right. She has her apartment, and the gym, and Kara a subway stop away. So if her apartment’s always empty at the end of the day, that’s just how things are. She spends a lot of time at the office, anyway. She’s making it, and that’s something she can be satisfied with. And then a mysterious book arrives.

This is excellent. The slow burn is wonderful. Alex' journey is wonderful. A lovely little no powers AU with these two falling in love through copy editing. And it's so nice.

5. Game of Stacks by CommaSplice

When the Aegon Targaryen Memorial Library at Crownlands University loses its most recent library director in a tragic accident, President Robert Baratheon turns to his friend and colleague Eddard Stark to turn the library around. (Game of Thrones, Tywin/Olenna, Jaime/Brienne, Sansa/Margaery, Stannis/Asha/Davos/Cercei)

This fic is batshit in the best way. Like it's 100% Game of Thrones set in a university library. It takes turns and twist that you just never see coming. Also the ships are wonderful, the way they handle the Cersei/Jaime thing is so good, the suspense is good still on a third or forth reread. It's such a good story.