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swissmissficrecs · 3 years

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Favorite Sherlock Holmes fics from 2020

Usually I put a bunch of explanations and disclaimers on these lists but you know what, it was a weird year and I’m not going to try to justify or apologize for what I read or didn’t read so here are my favorites that were completed last year, in descending order of length:

and your very flesh shall be a great poem by CaitlinFairchild (151K, E, Johnlock) After a tragic confrontation with terrible consequences, Sherlock and John follow Mary as she flees to America.

Drawn to Stars by Silvergirl (107K, E, Johnlock, Sherlock/OMC) After the Culverton Smith case Sherlock is clean, working, and looking for a romantic partner—since John has told him that’s what he needs. Shame John didn’t mention he was interested in that role himself, before Sherlock went off to Rome with a gorgeous Italian copper to try to fall in love and become a complete human being. (This one is very slightly cheating because it was finished on 30 Dec 2019, but it didn't make it onto my 2019 list because I didn't read it until after I'd made the list. And it deserves to be on a Best Of list, so here it is.)

Thermocline by J_Baillier (83K, M, Johnlock) John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

Do No Harm by Calais_Reno (79K, T, Johnlock) In 1923, Dr John Watson is on trial for the murder of his lover, Mary Morstan, a writer of popular mysteries. If convicted, he will hang. Sherlock Holmes sets out to prove his innocence, but finds himself more and more infatuated with the handsome doctor, and deeper and deeper inside the bohemian world of London's painters, playwrights, and poets. Will he uncover the evidence needed to acquit him in time?

To Be Human by ohlooktheresabee (78K, NR, Johnlock) There is a serial killer on the loose with a penchant for collecting the brains of his victims. Sherlock, John and Scotland Yard are on the case, but something about the chosen victims has Sherlock on edge. While they piece together the clues that will lead to the killer, John begins to realize that the way his best friend thinks may sometimes be more a hindrance than a help….

immediate and inglorious by simplyclockwork (72K, E, Johnlock) Bodies are showing up in back alleys, with no sign of a struggle, no trace of drugs. If not for the strangulation bruises on their necks and the scythe carved into their left shoulders, they could have died peacefully, in their sleep. With New Scotland Yard dumbfounded by the Grim Reaper Killer case, Sherlock is called in to consult. The more he investigates, the deeper Sherlock finds himself drawn into the work of London's newest serial killer. As his views of good and bad begin to blur, he risks losing himself to a darkness he never imagined. And, even more pressing: where does John Watson, grieving ex-boyfriend of the Grim Reaper's latest victim, fit into all of this?

Curtain Rising by tiger_in_the_flightdeck (61K, E, Johnlock) A disgraced television star is the target of a series of death threats just after a theatre production’s adaptation of The Sound of Music is announced with her as the lead. The suspect list is a mile long and growing, Rosie Watson is in the spotlight, and Sherlock might be getting too fond of his time on stage to focus on the case. With opening night approaching, can he and John figure out who wants their client dead before her final curtain rises?

The Fire Finds a Home by fearfully_beautifully_made (61K, E, Johnlock) After Sherlock and John decide to give having a relationship a go, this is how their relationship starts to develop. There a little bit of plot, if you squint, but it was mostly an excuse to write John and Sherlock having sex in a lot of different ways and learning to love each other.

Borrowed Ghosts by DiscordantWords (57K, M, Johnlock) In the aftermath of the Culverton Smith case, John spent one painfully stilted afternoon hanging out with Sherlock. He counted the minutes, finished his tea, and left for home without ever clearing the air between them. And once he'd left, he found it very hard to go back.

You Might Just as Well Be Blind by ArwaMachine (56K, E, Johnlock) When a serial killer starts targeting couples, Sherlock and John must do what they have to do in order to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately, John already has a girlfriend. Surely pretending to be in a relationship with Sherlock won't pose any problems with his relationship, will it?

The Broken Tether by J_Baillier (54K, M, Johnlock) Maybe he thinks that you only enjoy his company because of the Work, because of the way his dazzling intellect shines when he's in his element, but the truth is this: it is when he is at his most human, most bare, that you feel closest to him.

how the light gets in by subtext-is-my-division (Quill_A) (54K, E, Johnlock) Red wine always makes him tipsier than usual and he finds himself saying, the words slurring a bit. “You know, I’ve got to ask. Do you always shoot cabbies for people you barely you know?” John meets his gaze over the rim of his glass, and there’s something there that Sherlock can’t pin down. “Not for everyone,” he says, meaningfully, pointedly, his smile all teeth.

Erosion by saintscully (53K, E, Johnlock) Sherlock’s father falls ill, leaving the surviving family members broken and rudderless. James Sholto shows up in London unexpectedly, his intentions unclear. John has to navigate the consequences of crime, illness and death and their impact on his frayed relationship with Sherlock.

Hold You Like a Weapon by MissDavis (52K, E, Johnlock) Eurus shows up at 221B Baker Street in labour. Things go downhill from there.

Chances Are by Berty (51K, M, Johnlock) Sherlock is spending some time in his mind palace - so far, so normal. But why is John there, why do things keep changing and why are there only two exits from the sitting room at 221B, neither of which seem to go anywhere useful? It's a case like no other for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.

Sine Nomine by SilentAuror (45K, E, Johnlock) As Mycroft reviews the footage from Culverton Smith's morgue, he revisits his original question: whether John Watson would be the making of his brother, or make him worse than ever. He's come to a conclusion, but decides to give John one last chance. So he gives him a choice.

Cockaigne by HollyShadow88 (38K, E, Johnlock) When John’s contacted by an old uni friend about problems in his new art exhibition, he doesn’t think it will be worth Sherlock’s time. After a glance of the crime scene, however, they’re both pulled into the project in ways John didn’t expect. Will a week of erotic performance art finally be enough to bring them together in the way they both secretly hope? (Spoiler: it’s a tropey fic, of course it will)

Written in Ashes by 88thParallel (37K, M, Johnlock) Sherlock becomes the prime suspect in a homicide case, and recently unearthed memories of his childhood are complicating matters. It's up to John to track down answers — can he help Sherlock before it's too late?

A Desperate Indulgence by LollipopCop (34K, M, Johnlock) John thinks it's 2012 after waking up with amnesia, having no memory of Mary. Sherlock, exhausted from years of tension and hiding his love, pretends they got married instead.

Inhale With Ease by Vulpesmellifera (25K, E, Johnlock) In the years after Vivian Norbury's capture, life seems to work out just as John planned. He's got that respectable job at the surgery and goes home to his wife and child. He joins Sherlock on cases a couple times per week. It's a rhythm he can live with - just enough adrenaline highs to balance out the drudgery of a normal bloke's life. Until a pandemic, and Victor Trevor, arrive in London.

The House on Rue des Boulangers by Berty (24K, M, Johnlock) After being invalided out of the army and without any other prospects, John Watson has relocated to a small town in northern France. Now he has to decide what to do for the rest of his life. One morning there's a mad stranger in his garden chasing a swarm of bees, and it seems John's decision is made.

High Mountain Tea Leaves by disfictional (23K, E, Johnlock) A mountaintop robbery on a Japanese-occupation-era train where the only item stolen was a small case of mysterious tea leaves in a backpack? An ideal Christmas gift, two days late. Sherlock convinces John to travel for tea.

Detours by saintscully (22K, M, Johnlock, Sherlock/OMC) During the better part of the first year following Mary's death and the events at Sherrinford, Sherlock and John are slowly rebuilding their lives and their friendship. All seems (relatively) well and John takes comfort in once again being a father, a doctor and a friend. An unexplained shift in Sherlock's behaviour catches John by surprise, and he begins to worry about his place in his friend's life. John has to examine everything he thought he knew about Sherlock, himself and their relationship in order to win his rightful place yet again.

hands full of matter by simplyclockwork (21K, E, Johnlock) When Sherlock is captured in Serbia, Mycroft cannot afford to involve the British government in his rescue. Instead, he sends John. After two years spent thinking Sherlock was dead, John finds himself navigating not only Sherlock’s rescue but their fractured friendship as well.

The Victim Experience by J_Baillier (16K, T, Gen) A case takes Sherlock and John deep into the seedy underbelly of the haunted attractions industry. With audiences craving more and more intense experiences, is a real murder the next logical step?

On the Fence by BeautifulFiction (13K, T, Johnlock) The murder of the King's College fencing champion leads to revelations about Sherlock's past. Will it be the point that tips them from friends to lovers, or will they remain on the fence?

Plus bonus ACD era:

"Baker Street: The Sleep of Reason": A Memoir by John H. Watson, M.D. by Gaedhal (98K, M, Johnlock, Johniarty) This is a Victorian Era story in the "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) Ritchie-verse. The main characters are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson and is from the doctor's memoirs. It was written before "A Game of Shadows" so there are differences in this story and film canon, mainly in the person and backstory of one particular character.

The Taste of Truth by sanguinity (25K, T, Johnlock) Two and a half years after Reichenbach, John Watson discovers the magical tree that caused Holmes to fake his death.

The Adventure of the Vatican Cameos by Garonne (18K, E, Johnlock) How should one behave when waking for the first time in the bed of one's dearest friend? Holmes and Watson solve a case in Catholic London while navigating the turbid waters of their new relationship.

Hot Water by wordybirdy (13K, E, Johnlock, Watson/Gregson) Dr. John Watson's libidinous affair with a respected Scotland Yard inspector abruptly judders to a halt when the former meets a certain Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, for the very first time. The attraction between the two is strongly mutual, but misunderstandings only multiply and tensions abound, as all three men attempt to deal with the new situation.

#rec list #best

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atruththatyoudeny · 3 years

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Happy 28th! I’ve read so many awesome fics this month! Make sure to check them all out. As always, all my love to all the authors in this fandom ♥

➻ don't want to fight you | starryharry | enemies to lovers - enemies to friends to lovers - pining - mutual pining - angst - fluff slow burn - no smut - 124k Louis hates that it’s familiar. He hates that sparring Harry is familiar because they train together. He hates that he even has to spar Harry at all, because Harry is good. Louis wonders what his life would be like if him and Harry didn’t hate each other. He can’t picture it, really. The incessant bickering that often turns into real arguing, the nasty looks, the eye rolls, the middle fingers. It all feels very necessary at this point. Or, the one where two fighters can also be lovers because routines are never permanent.

➻ we are ghosts amongst these hills | louisgaynkles | Soulmates - reincarnation - historical - slow burn - angst - fluff - 84k Harry spontaneously buys a house in Yorkshire because the universe, or fate, keeps leading him to it. What he didn’t know, is that his new house comes with a past that seems to be mysteriously tied to his own life. Before he knows it he finds himself travelling back in time, stuck in the middle of a century old love story. Featuring Louis as a farmer with a passion for gardening, Zayn as the heir to the local manor, Niall as a pub owner with a secret, and a truly underappreciated Liam. Based on Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

➻ through the wheatfields and the coastlines | thepolourryexpress | farms - cowboys - angst - implied/referenced homophobia - implied/referenced gun use - humor - smut - 53k “You’re not from around here, are ya?” Hot Cowboy asks, tracking his little lamb with his eyes. Louis frowns slightly, having thought he was doing pretty well at not sticking out like a sore thumb. It’s not like he’s not from around here — it’s not his first summer he’s spent at his grandparents'. But he supposes that the Manhattan city lifestyle that he’s used to is always going to shine through. “I’m visiting family for the summer,” Louis explains, cheeks a little pink. “Trying to get some work done without distractions.” Or, alternatively, the one where Louis needs inspiration, and a certain cowboy and his lamb are the perfect distraction.

➻ An Irrationally Strong Bond Between Two People | jishler | dystopia - friends to lovers - angst - first time - 18k Before The Advancement, most human lives and careers were plagued by irrationality and a lack of productivity. This was largely the symptom of what scientists refer to as “interpersonal passion,” which included two separate (though often conjointly occurring) phenomena: “love,” and “sex.” “Love” was a pre-Advancement word which referred to an irrationally strong bond between two people, which caused its sufferers to prioritise their fellow “lover,” as well as the integrity of the malignant bond itself, over vital things such as workplace productivity. Taken every two weeks in pill form, The Drug immediately removes interpersonal passion from the human psyche. Children’s friendships do not have the capacity to develop into full-fledged “love” since they are not yet adults. Every person over eighteen takes The Drug gladly, grateful that it allows them to be productive, clear-headed, and rational members of society. A few weeks before Louis’ eighteenth birthday, Harry and Louis fall in love. (Based on the book Louis writes in indiaalphawhiskey's Our Lives, Non-Fiction.)

➻ And When It's Time | larryftnoctrl | Soulmates - soulmate-identifying timers - 6k Louis wants a soulmate, Harry loves his free will. They don't exactly go hand in hand. Prompt: AU where you have a countdown on your wrist for when you're going to meet your soulmate and if you miss it the time will reset. Louis/Harry keep having awful luck and always are missing their time until one day they don't. Maybe the other one is scared/has anxiety about meeting their soulmate? Maybe one time they're in a relationship so they intentionally miss their time? Who knows! But they finally meet :D

➻ made for lovin' you | cuddlerlouis | a/b/o - enemies to lovers - hate to love - soulmates - hurt/comfort - angst - fluff smut - 53k “I’m in,” is all Louis receives. He blinks a few times, making sure he’s reading this right. “For real?” he asks, just to be a hundred percent sure. “Yes,” pops up. “How do you wanna pursue?” The alpha adds, like he’s on a special mission or something. “I’m gonna call us a cab to go to mine. Once I know it’s here, I’ll leave and join you there,” Louis explains. “I’ll text you to go around five minutes before it arrives, so it doesn’t look suspicious, and our friends don’t notice us leaving together.” “Noted.” So Louis does, and ten minutes later, he’s sat in the backseat of a cab, next to Harry Styles, the person he hates the most but unfortunately still finds attractive. They’re on their way to fuck in Louis’ flat. Splendid. - Or the one where a quick, horny decision ruins Louis’ summer plans, but may also lead to unexpected discoveries. Featuring the road trip of dreams, misunderstandings, and a bit of fate.

➻ deFENCEless | solvetheminourdreams | neighbors - enemies to lovers enemies to friends to lovers - gardening - fluff - humor - banter - no smut - 27k "I moved here first," Louis says with finality, crossing his arms over his chest. Harry shoots him an unimpressed look before leaning forward, leaving only a tiny gap between them. "Then get the fence first," he whispers, lips a mere inch or two away from Louis'. When Louis butts heads with his new neighbor who loves to garden a little too much, all he can do to protect his yard (and heart), is keep on building up his fence(s).

➻ Canyon Moon | delsicle | a/b/o - werewolf - soulmates - childhood friends - friends to lovers - arranged marriage - mutual pining - hurt/comfort - angst - 41k For as long as Louis has remembered, he has been promised to be mated to Harry, his best friend and the future pack alpha. But Louis’s heart belonged to the forest and to the hunt more than he could ever imagine it belonging to Harry. Then Harry’s father dies in a violent accident, and Louis’s future alpha disappears on the wind. An A/B/O Lion King AU

➻ only guilty of loving you | sweetrevenge | a/b/o - strangers to lovers - blind date - soulmates - fluff - angst - mutual pining - smut - 22k After Harry gets set up with his co-worker's alpha friend Louis, he's expecting some pleasant conversation, free dinner, and maybe a new friend. What he doesn't expect, however, is that Louis' arrival in his life begins a life of crime Harry never knew he had in him. A You've Got Mail!AU with a twist.

➻ 'Til Everything Changes | lovelarry10 | a/b/o - older characters - brokend bond - loss - falling in love - fluff - implied mpreg - smut - 57k Harry’s nose twitched as he caught a scent on the breeze, one that sent a shudder through his whole body. His eyes closed subconsciously, and he lost himself in the heady scent, the vanilla top notes, and the more woody undertones, making every hair on Harry’s body stand on end. That was how Harry discovered this man was an Alpha. “Jaz, Harry, this is my Uncle Louis. Lou, this is my girlfriend Jasmine, and her dad Harry.” "Lovely to meet you,” Louis grinned, leaning in and kissing Jasmine’s cheek quickly, a respectful Alpha gesture. Harry held his breath as Louis stuck out a hand, taking it almost reluctantly, certain the Alpha would pick up on his own scent and the nerves flowing through it. “Hi, Harry.” “Hi,” Harry said, his voice low and raspy, still affected by Louis’ scent. “Nice to meet you.” ~~~~ Harry’s an Omega who has been alone for too long. Louis’ an Alpha who is scared to find love again. Thanks to the meddling of Harry’s teenage daughter and her boyfriend, the two seem destined to meet, and it might just change everything they thought they knew about their lives. Will they find what they didn’t realise they’ve always wanted in each other?

➻ Mind Over Matter (You Under Me) | youreyesonlarry | ice hockey - hurt/comfort - angst - fluff - major character injury - pining - unrequited love hospitalization - smut - 74k It’s dark outside when Harry finishes practice for the day. -------- Prompt 21: Harry stopped playing hockey (after 10 years of a professional career) because of a severe injury. The dream he worked so hard for vanished in the blink of an eye. His family insisted that he had to go to physical therapy, even if it only helped his health. Cue to personal assistant Louis, the most efficient and kind PA one could hire

➻ Rooms on Fire | softfonds | a/b/o - actors - famous/famous - friends with benefits - secret relationship - 34k Ten years ago, Louis helping Harry through a heat was the start of a romance that ended in heartbreak. Now, Harry's marriage is over thanks to his husband's very public infidelity, and Louis is fresh off a Golden Globe win. The last thing they both expect is to be cast in the same movie.

➻ Stumbling Into Your Arms | sunshineandthemoonlight | a/b/o - strangers to lovers - college/university - fluff - 7k Suddenly, Harry’s nose was brushing against Louis' neck, where his scent was overwhelming. Harry jerked his head to the side and took a deep breath of air, trying to clear his nose of Louis’ scent. ‘Don’t get slick, don’t get hard, don’t get slick’, he repeated to himself in his head, like a mantra. Louis and Harry are university students heading home for the holidays. Harry quickly becomes enraptured by the attractive alpha standing across from him in the train carriage, who has a heavenly scent and a gentle smile.

➻ Little by Little | nonsensedarling | mpreg - non traditional a/b/o - exploring sexuality - exploring secondary gender norms - gender identity strangers to friends to lovers - mutual pining - fluff - slow burn - 65k Harry Styles is an omega who works at the London Planetarium, has lived in the same flat for ages, and is happy enough on his own. When he gets home from his first (horrible) attempt at dating in years, a new pregnant neighbor knocks on his door after smelling his cooking. He and Louis quickly become close, but their friendship gets complicated when Harry begins questioning who he is and what he likes. Or Harry discovers figuring out who you are is more complicated than a potato metaphor.

#28th appreciation #fic rec #monthly reads #monthly fic rec #my reads #larry fics #completed fics

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morifinwes · 3 years

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Lauraa I finished all the fics, apart from decay (currently reading that now) and I love it sm! Especially the lip gloss one lmao the whole thing was so hilarious to me XD but also like the concept of lwj wearing lipgloss is >>> -yibobibo

@yibobibo then i'm going to rec you some more!! the lip gloss one was !!!!! ajsksks yes!! lwj wearing lipgloss is just so!! good!!

modern

this one is the painful one i talked about:

visitations by var_abelasan (12K, wip, divorced wangxian, post divorce, most of this is angst, uhm lowkey don't but also do want wangxian to end up together, it's messy, the jiangs & lans are shitty, wwx was in prison (brief mentions of that but it's kind of a major plot point), mxy & xy are the little brothers he never wanted but wwx picked them up anyways)

"Wei Ying-" Lan Zhan says, stutters, "I'm sorry."

And now Wei Wuxian sees it, the red rimming Lan Zhan's eyes, the rumpled edges of his blazer. There is an old, familiar urge for him to reach over, to hold Lan Zhan's hand and smooth his hair, to tell him that everything will be fine.

"We're all a bit sorry about this, I think," he says instead, and finds that he means it. For Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji and everyone else in that Guanyin temple, the pain must be unbearably fresh, like skin just flayed open. But Wei Wuxian's chest had been cracked open a long time ago, his wounds licked and cauterized and sewn shut over five long years - Ever hurting, but a dull, constant ache, "It's really alright, Lan Zhan."

Five years after being accused of corporate espionage and losing everything, the Guanyin Scandal breaks open and Wei Wuxian finds a familiar face at his door.

please don't let me be misunderstood by sysrae (3K, partly deaf!wwx, lwj notices, nobody else does though, idk wwx is like made out of fucking steel or some shit)

Lan Wangji has known Wei Ying for a fortnight, the first time he sees him get hit by a car.

light by redkosmos (10K, blind!lwj, which causes angst, but they manage it, best friends to lovers, fluff, lwj being insecure and feeling like a burden, college au kind of? but it doesn't matter too much)

The realization slowly dawns on him.

He can never again see the brightness of Wei Ying's eyes, the way they crescent when he smiles, never again see the rich black of his hair, the mess of it in the early mornings, never again see the beautiful tan of his skin, the beauty of the scars and marks adorned on it, how he wears his clothes, how it hugs his frame beautifully, how he looks like he's adorably swimming in cloth when he wears Lan Zhan's, and-

(Lan Zhan loses his vision in a car accident and learns to cope with it.)

don't leave me by trippinonskies (19K, brief very brief mention of lwj cheating, he doesn't but wwx is afraid lwj is cheating on him or just wants to break up with him, (he doesn't), marriage proposal, lwj acting distant = wwx's insecurities show up, fluff, angst and comfort)

Lan Zhan! Where are you lost today?” Wei Wuxian finally asks, at the end of his patience.

Lan Zhan looks a little guilty as he looks at Wei Wuxian, “Sorry, just a lot of work to deal with.”

Lie.

If there is one thing Lan Zhan can’t do, it’s lying. Especially to Wei Wuxian. But he doesn’t question Lan Zhan. He just accepts the reply, too scared to know that he is right. Too scared to know the truth.

// or where Lan Zhan is too hung up in planning the perfect proposal and ends up accidently ignoring Wei Wuxian making the other think that he wants to break up //

want you closer by xiaobucephalus ((3K, HORSES, only in the background tho, but wwx is an equestrian vet, which is so fucking valid bro, the lans own horses, a sick bunny, lwj the bunny parent!, super cute, dark bay throughoutbred chenqing is honestly so valid)

“Thank you,” Lan Zhan said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Don’t thank me, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying laughed again, his voice warming the chill of fear that had settled in his chest. “I’ve been looking for an excuse to get into your hutch for a while anyway.”

safe in your thoughts by anonymous (20K, it's a cherry magic au???? (i haven't watched it, but you have i think?), horny lwj but only for wwx (always for wwx))

Wei Wuxian learns three very important things on the night of his twenty-seventh birthday.

One, that Lan Wangji is ridiculously funny, which Wei Wuxian had known before but what Wei Wuxain hadn’t expected was Lan Wangji to be funny at his brother’s expense.

Two, that Wei Wuxian had finally gone mad, absolutely mental at the ripe age of twenty seven because nothing else would explain the third thing he had learnt.

Third, and the most unbelievable of the lot, that Lan Wangji wants to fuck him.

iura by yoo_im_finally_writing (1K, only added bcs op is right and wwx would've the cutest german accent, it's more fun if you understand german so hit me up if you want translations for the german sentences)

Wei Ying calls in the middle of the night to talk about German law, and Lan Zhan tries very hard not to fall asleep. Or at least, not to let Wei Ying notice he's falling asleep. (As best friends do.)

breathe in the air, the last of its kind by wereworm / @neverdoingmuch (27K, getting together, jealous!lwj, but also kind of supportive, brief mention of cheating bcs of miscommunication, no actual cheating tho, college au, lwj pov)

Following Wei Ying’s line of sight, Lan Wangji can barely prevent a smile from crossing his lips when he sees the short row of rabbit statuettes placed at the front of the display. Silver, with bright gems for eyes, they look elegant yet lively and animated.

“A-Yuan would love one of those,” Wei Ying murmurs, almost as if to himself.

Lan Wangji frowns; the rabbits, while cute, don’t seem like a suitable gift for Wei Ying’s A-Yuan.

...

It’s only when he glances back at the rabbits and notices what has been placed on display behind them, that the pieces fall into place. They’re engagement rings, there’s no doubt about it. Lan Wangji feels his heart sink – Wei Ying isn’t just dating A-Yuan, he wants to propose to him.

Or: the five times Lan Wangji thinks that A-Yuan is Wei Ying’s boyfriend and the one time he learns the truth.

paint smears on sunny days by snowshadowao3 / @angstsexual (53K, getting together, art teacher!wwx, single parent!lwj, they're rich if i remember right, wwx & lwj are both good with kids!!!, this is so good actually, fluff)

To say that he runs to his car would be incorrect, as he is a Lan, and running is both undignified and unnecessary unless in immediate danger. Nor does he slam his key into the ignition, or aggressively swerve around the cars on the freeway, or have a mild panic attack at the fact he is picking A-Yuan up late from school for the first time ever.

He comes close, though.

By the time he arrives, it’s 4:35PM, and he has imagined about fifty different worse-case scenarios. The door is partly open when he gets to it, a messy label of 104B—Art Room scrawled with chalk on a placard next to the faded wood. As he opens it fully, he expects to see a wailing, terrified child, or perhaps a scene of utter misery and betrayal.

What he finds is his son, hands covered in paint, being sung to by a beautiful, dark-haired stranger.

“Ducks live in the pond, yellow ducks, happy ducks!”

Lan Wangji stops in his tracks.

(Or: Falling in love with your son’s art teacher, in five parts)

no bunny compares by gusucloudbunny (4K, god this is cute, fluff)

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian cornered his friend one week before his birthday. “If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”

Lan Wangji furrowed his brow at Wei Wuxian, not exactly sure how to answer that question in a truthful manner that didn’t involve confessing his undying love for his best friend.

Wei Wuxian is on a mission to get Lan Wangji the perfect gift for his birthday. What Wei Wuxian doesn't know is that the only thing Lan Wangji truly wants is him.

wei wuxian's week of realizing things by photojenny (12K, i have read this multiple times, i always forget what happens, idk why but my notes say it's good, the tags say drunkji makes an appearance and i'm always up for that)

"Lan Zhan, do you like Mianmian?" asked Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji blinked, and stared. It was not the first time Lan Wangji had questioned the perceptiveness of the boy he had a crush on. Wei Wuxian had been smart in the class they had taken together. Yet time and time again, Wei Wuxian had tested the old wisdom that there are no stupid questions.

---

Lan Wangji must figure out how to confess when Wei Wuxian is the most oblivious person he's ever met.

are you my wisdom tooth? because i'd like to take you out by yellowcarnations (1K, crack, fluff, lwj stop flirting with a stranger, even if he is your husband, drunkji but make it to max level)

Lan Zhan wakes up and he has no idea where he is.

There are bright lights and his jaw hurts, he doesn't who this man next to his bed is but oh he might be in love, maybe, probably, definitely.

–

based off that guy-forgets-who-his-wife-is-and-hits-on-her vid but its wangxian.

beep! goes his heart by wearing_tearing (3K, fluff, lwj is like "he, he likes me right? he likes me" and everyone is like "yes, yes he does")

“Wei Ying’s heart monitor,” Lan Wangji starts.

Wen Qing blinks at him. “Yes?”

“It beeps.”

“That’s… what they generally do, yes.”

“The beeps change,” Lan Wangji continues, “when others are around.”

Wei Ying’s heart only sings for Lan Wangji.

canon

obedient and bellicose by thunderwear (19K, lwj is cursed by the lan elders, they notice too late, fix-it fic kind of?, lqr being a good uncle and lxc is a good brother, wwx accidentally uses the curse but he doesn't know about it)

It took Lan Wangji a long time to realize he was cursed. Too long really, anyone else would have noticed so much sooner. The problem was, he liked following the rules.

Ella Enchanted AU that no one needed but I wanted.

hello my old heart, how have you been? by ravenditefairylights (10K, amnesia, fluff, wwx taking care of lwj, so much fluff and softness, angst too but not that much)

The issue is, Lan Wangji brings his thoughts back before they stray too far, that it is impossible for someone to be in his bed, unless Lan Wangji himself invited them. He has not. He would remember doing so, and besides, all his night clothes are still on and there is no headache to imply that he was inebriated last night. No, the situation is simple.

There is someone in Lan Wangji’s bed. It is impossible for anyone to be in Lan Wangji’s bed, and yet that doesn’t seem to have stopped the stranger.

or lan wangji wakes up, and wei ying is there. he doesn't understand how or why, and he can understand even less why his hallucination of wei ying is so insistent on bathing him, and braiding his hair, on holding him and fixing his clothes. why the hallucination of wei ying seems so happy to see him.

teach me the way by likeafox (58K, rogue cultivator!wwx, horny wangxian, lwj wants wwx to teach him how to be a good lover, ....wwx is a virgin, the porn is the plot, but there's less of it than i thought)

"I do not wish to leave my future spouse… dissatisfied with my intimate knowledge,” Lan Zhan says, very seriously. “I am hoping to find an instructor, to better prepare myself for such matters."

Wei Ying feels his mouth drop open. He's pretty sure the Second Jade of Lan just told him he's a virgin who wants to learn how to do sex good.

Rogue Cultivator Wei Wuxian is the stuff of local legends. Some of those legends are even true! The ones about his tremendous experience in bed, on the other hand, are not so true. Which becomes a problem when Lan Wangji, on the verge of an arranged marriage and worried he won’t know how to please his future spouse, enlists Wei Ying's help to teach him the art of love-making. Wei Ying's great at improvisation, though, and is pretty sure he's got this sex mentor thing under control. What could possibly go wrong

other aus

of god: my love unholy by tunnelodfawn (3K, tw blood / war, dark!lwj, god!wwx, kind of poetry)

Lan Zhan takes everything as a sign from his god. The blood staining his fingertips—a holy anointment. He sanctifies himself through blood. The strings of his guqin gleam red in the sun—a divine blessing. This is an instrument of destruction. A single note—a cry of power—and in this note the voice of his god unravels the earthly threads tethering man to earth.

The Yiling Patriarch blesses Lan Zhan with war. Wei Wuxian blesses Lan Zhan with agility. Wei Ying blesses Lan Zhan with love.

The base of the Yiling Patriarch’s shrine is the home of Lan Zhan’s knees. He worships. There is something of the blasphemous and the unholy in his prayers. He prays not for victory but for the sight of Wei Ying. Bless me with your presence, he begs.

Or, wherein, Lan Zhan bridges the gap between the mortal and the divine—the worshipper and the god—with blood.

the river and the sea by sasamelons / @sasamelons (7K, soulmate au, arranged marriage (wangxian with each other), they're both kind of dumb but i love it)

Lan Wangji gritted his teeth, wishing to just be left alone. "I am looking for my soulmate," he ground out.

"Oh."

It took Lan Wangji a few moments to realize that Wei Wuxian had stopped following him. When he looked back, the other boy seemed to be frozen to the spot, eyes wide and lips still parted. He quickly looked away when he saw Lan Wangji looking back. "I see. Well, have a good trip!"

At six years old, Lan Zhan met his soulmate on the streets of Yiling and promptly lost him again.

At sixteen years old, Lan Wangji met his betrothed and was determined not to like him.

#so...i realized i forgot to check the things i already listed but? i tried to avoid listing fics twice?#yes i've mostly been reading oneshots these past few weeks idk why but i can't seem to find any long fics #or at least not ones that i like #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #wangxian fics #mdzs #mdzs fic #cql fic #the untamed #aamna tag #we're almost through the rec list now? i have so much open but idk why i add so few #i'm just really picky when it comes to which ones to write down and which ones not #and then this became a kind of comfort list?#idk?#but also ANGST #not Angst but ANGST #fun fact: Angst means fear in german

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wangxianficrecs · 4 years

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❤️To be of use by Erisette

❤️To be of use

by Erisette

not rated (I’d say G), 53k, lan wangji & lan sizhui, wangxian in spirit, although wwx hasn’t showed up yet

Summary: Love was not forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, despite what was whispered by the common people and, often, even by the other great sects.

(Or: how Lan Wangji became both a father and the object of worship to a generation of juniors in 13 easy steps 13 long years)

My comments: I'm just gonna start with the fact that Author's notes every chapter were both entertaining and educational and I loved every one. End of PSA.

This story was extraordinary: it sucked me in so hard, which is kind of hilarious, because it's this gentle tale of a man learning to be a parent and show his love and expand it to encompass his child's friends. This doesn't seem so gripping from the outside, and yet... AND YET! Here I am, thinking I could have read another 50k or so.

But really. It's so incredibly lovely. There's pain and grief and coming through it to discover love and family and in them purpose and hope for the future. And lwj is such an amazing, patient, THOUGHTFUL teacher to these kids, too. (You can see Author's experience w/children shining through.) Sizhui is Best Boi, of course, but Lan Jingyi won a special place in my heart, here, for being such a bright, curious, loving soul.

This is the one where lwj lets the kids keep little notebooks about the rules, to write notes about how they contradict each other, or aren't clear, or don't work for whatever reason, and then has a little discussion seminar about it. He's so fucking awesome, I love him so much. And the kids, too.

ETA: This is now a series (Home is where the heart lives) and part 2 is in the works, and I'm so excited!

13 years, 33 lashes, found family, accidental baby acquisition, parent-child relationship, kid fic, seclusion, teacher lan wangji, lan sizhui is best boy, lan jingyi is best brat, parenting, soft, domestic, cloud recesses, fluff, worldbuilding, Inquiry, adorable juniors, ducklings, brotherly feels, growing up, lan wangji is a good dad, education, teaching, favorite, (even without wwx, imagine that), covers almost 10 years from wwx’s death, character study, family feels, age appropriate philosophical musings, WHY RULES, feel good fic, comfort fic, @quicktothebatjalopy

[I photoshop-created awkward ten-year-olds Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi. What do you think?]

(You may wish to REBLOG as a signal boost for this author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

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larrydoinglaundry · 3 years

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Ah, thank you so much for tagging me @stylesthebrave 😏

1. when did you start writing? I think my first proper touch to writing was when I was 15 and it was a fanfiction. It was... Very cringe. Oh god.

2. what fandoms do you write for? As of right now, only One Direction. I used to write Adam Lambert fanfics and hate to brag, but I was the shit in there. Entering a fandom this big where I am nothing but a flea is very humbling lol

3. do you write better in the morning or at night? My imagination runs wilder at night, but I can write just as easy in the morning. Just takes a little bit more time.

4. what music do you listen to while writing? Very often I listen to nothing. I find music disracting when I try to get something done, my brains just physically can't multitask haha. Except when I write smut scenes, then I often listen to music. Versace on the floor and I don't wanna live forever for soft explicit smut. Yes, that's a thing.

5. what do you/ plan to major in at college? (if you’re not going to college, what are you up to?) I'm a last year nurse student, trying to get my thesis done by the end of the year but you know, covid makes things hard.

6. do you outline before writing a story? Basic lines, yes. Then I struggle with filling the blanks. My current project started out as a 'I wanna write a short one shot about edging' and now it's 53K words and I'm like ok I don't know how that happened.

7. do you write multiple stories at one time or only focus on one? I may have lots of WIPs, things I need to get out of my system, but I usually only focus on finishing one story at once.

8. do you write every day? Definitely, at least something. It can be easy to just stop once you feel like you have a block, but if you force yourself to write through it, even if you don't necessarily like what you write, it goes away a lot faster.

9. what are your goals for your stories? (& do you want to become a published author one day?) Bring joy to at least one person, I guess? I write in English, which is not my native language, so I don't really have big dreams.

10. favorite work of yours? As in something that I have written or...? Nevermind, let me use this space to praise my favorite fics that I have NOT written:

Something that I keep going back to, is one of the first fanfics I read in this fandom in which Harry is an actor and Louis is a nurse, and as a result of their one night stand, Harry gets pregnant. 83K. You can find it here.

Another favorite of mine is an A/B/O fic, in which Louis is a beta nurse (I swear I am NOT projecting myself into these nurse fics lmao) and Harry is an alpha, with a fictional knot-based cancer that drastically affects his self-esteem and sex life. While as a nurse, I could never imagine myself forming a friendship or a relationship with a patient, especially when they are in such vulnerable state, and I despise it when some fics just dive right into it, but it somehow works in this one. It's also the only Alpha Harry fanfic I have enjoyed reading. Entire series is 25K. You can find it here.

As for my own works? Probably something I wrote for another fandom. It was about a young fashion mogul who fell in love with a troubled, young boy. It was and still is, I think, the most kudos'ed fic inside that fandom. It's a small fandom, so it's not a lot, but still. I wrote it in 2014, so it's uh, very cringe, but with that one, I truly realized how much I love writing.

As for this fandom, I like my current work, but it's still under construction🤫

So I say my smuttier than smutty A/B/O one shot, Omega Harry and Alpha Louis. 5K. Right here.

Please do this if you see this and want to share your story! I love seeing these by other authors.

#fanfic

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diyeoracha · 4 years

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IwaOi Master Fic Rec List (50+ Fics)

Hello! In celebration accumulating over 190+ bookmarks on my AO3 account featuring IwaOi and Iwaizumi coming back into the manga (and for his (almost) birthday), I decided to create a masterlist of all of my favorite fanfictions in order to keep myself organized as well as contributing to more traffic on those works! I decided to split the works up by my own self-imposed genres, such as angst, coming-of-age (or the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope that we all love which depicts how their relationship changes as they grow up and will mostly be canon-compliant), and alternate universe. With the revival of Iwaizumi in the manga, alternate universes will be broken down into adulting AU where he and Oikawa’s diverge differs from in canon and actual, legit AU where there’s basically no volleyball.

I’ll include the title, link, word count, fic summary, and my own commentary (mostly for my own personal entertainment). While the AO3 fandom has been going strong since 2014, I personally have only been reading IwaOi fics for about 3 months, so I will most likely be recommending some cult-favorites, especially since I’ve been reading my fics by sorting through the tag with the most kudos.

My absolute favorites (or the ones where I personally push onto my IRL haikyuu friends) will be denoted with ♡ in increments of 1-3 with 3 ♡ being an absolute must-read. Fics marked with a * indicate that Iwaizumi or Oikawa or both are professional athletes because that’s honestly my Favorite Trope. This is incomplete as I got distracted while re-reading a lot of these and have only gone through half of my bookmarks, but feel free to check my own page here for the rest of them! This took me about 9 days to compile (aka this was in my drafts for about 9 days) but I do hope you guys enjoy reading these and leave comments and kudos!

Adulting AU

*♡♡Thirty Years and Change (the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad)

Word count: 19k

Summary: It’s July 10th, 2024, and Oikawa Tooru is an Olympian. His smiling face airs on an NHK promo every 45 seconds. He’s captain of the national men’s volleyball team, reigning star of the professional leagues, and he hasn't spoken to Iwaizumi Hajime in two years.

Thoughts: THIS IS IT. THIS FIC IS GOD TIER. They’ve been separated but now are falling back into old habits and there’s a confession on the line? Akaashi is in here and he’s pretty funny. I reread this all the time.

*♡♡♡the courtship ritual of the hercules beetle

Word count: 66k

Summary: Tooru is pretty sure he could manage the mating habits of a mosquito. It’s the mating habits of people he can’t seem to get right.

Thoughts: Absolutely the best IwaOi fic I’ve ever read. I’ve reread this about 4x and I always pay attention to a new sentence or detail that leaves me breathless. The characterization is pretty spot on, and I have to admit that this fic made me appreciate IwaOi a little more. I’ve cried countless times too. A cult-favorite but it doesn’t have nearly as many hits as it deserves.

♡days fall away

Word count: 17k

Summary: Except now he’s back home, so close to his old haunts and to Oikawa himself, and it's—weird.

Thoughts: They’ve separated for a bit but now they’re back in the same city and learning to be around each other again. Cue teasing from the biological and Seijoh family

it's been so long (nobody knows me the way you do)

Word count: 8k

Summary: Tooru hums, only half-listening. Somewhere along the way, Hajime’s palm has settled itself over the curve of Tooru’s cheek, thumb tracing over the line of his jaw.

Thoughts: They’re living together post-college feat. snapshots from their lives before getting together and their Seijoh team! It’s really soft but it manages a humorous tone as well.

Time

Word count: 5k

Summary: When they're twenty-three, their story only begins.

Thoughts: A piecewise fic told from Oikawa’s point of view. The tone is almost chatty but it really fits the pacing of the work as you get snippets and sentences of their relationship throughout the years

♡Almost a Stranger

Word count: 16k

Summary: Iwa-chan's leaving Japan. Tooru's not sure he can forgive him, but he's not going to admit his long-held feelings, either. A trip to Miyajima complicates everything.

Thoughts: They go on vacation right before Iwaizumi leaves Oikawa for a year. Oikawa ponders their relationship.

where fireflies never die

Word count: 4k

Summary: >>Oikawa: Hey Iwa-chan >>Oikawa: Did I ruin it?

Thoughts: Oikawa is a mangaka and basically writes his best selling series based off of him and Iwaizumi. This was pretty angsty ngl with a lot of introspection and second-guessing.

In the Business of Love

Word count: 22k

Summary: Meet Oikawa Tooru: He's a best-selling shoujo manga artist, a hardcore romantic and you won't believe where he's getting his lovey dovey fodder from...Enter Iwaizumi Hajime: He's Oikawa's best friend, a realist who also happens to be a wedding magazine writer despite not believing in romance...

Thoughts: Mangaka Oikawa but this is basically a rom-com lmao

Alternate Universe

Even Heroes (have the right to dream)

Word count: 20k

Summary: Oikawa Tooru, ace reporter of the superhero beat of Asahi Shimbun, hates superheroes. Or maybe he just hasn’t met the knight one yet.

Thoughts: Superhero-hiding-his-identity-Iwaizumi and begrudging Oikawa? Sign me up. This fic spent a little more time on worldbuilding than eventual romance, but it is still absolutely unique and entertaining

The secret omega

Word count: 17k

Summary: Iwaizumi’s annoying as fuck best friend. Who absolutely, definitely, no matter what, cannot find out that Iwaizumi is an omega.

Thoughts: A/B/O dynamics where Iwa is the omega and Oikawa is the alpha. 90% plot building which is pretty nice.

Conquering the Great King

Word count: 105k

Summary: Oikawa's lips twitched into a smirk and he brought them hovering just over Iwaizumi's, "One time thing, Two time thing, what's it matter as long as it's not a Relationship thing?"

Thoughts: Malicious and flirtatious Oikawa meet immovable object Iwaizumi. They’re businessmen trying to navigate friends-with-benefits and love all at the same time. A+ sex scenes tbh.

♡Infinite Risks

Word count: 8k

Summary: “It’s my fate,” Oikawa responds slowly. He’s crying.“It’s too lonely,” Iwaizumi’s heart sounded broken. “And I’m not there with you. Not really.”

Thoughts: Edge of Tomorrow AU!!!!! Please watch Edge of Tomorrow first because it’s truly a brilliant movie that I wholly enjoyed and this fic reflects that. This also made me really sad so Beware

*♡Something Like Us

Word count: 28k

Summary: Friends since childhood, Oikawa and Iwaizumi now live together, both playing for the National Team. It's no secret that athletes who are bonded perform better. So if the two of them happen to bond...It'd be for the good of the team, right?

Thoughts: ABO dynamics (and somewhat canon-compliant) as they’re roommates, on the national team, and try to navigate being “fake” mated while harboring feelings

And All the Prince’s Men

Word count: 65k

Summary: “Father only loves that which he owns, and I am the one thing that can never truly be his.”

Thoughts: Royal bastard son Oikawa and his servant Iwaizumi. An enthralling read and universe. The romance takes a secondary seat here as it focuses more on plot and world-building.

♡long nights, no peace

Word count: 18k

Summary: It's the steady knowledge that Iwaizumi Hajime will always be someone that he can rely on, that no matter what the world throws at the two of them, they share in a piece of each other's soul.

Thoughts: Pacific Rim! AU. Otherwise known as my favorite types of AUs because they’re basically soulmates (platonic or not,, but they’re not platonic here)

♡(sing with me) A Song of Conquest and Fate

Word count: 26k

Summary: When Seijou receives a missive from Aobajousai to discuss a potential peace, its emperor Oikawa Tooru could not have foreseen the series of events that would follow.

Thoughts: Warring states/historical fantasy AU. The world building is amazing and this author has great control over her language use

Cotton Breathing

Word count: 13k

Summary:

Thoughts: Long-distance and summer only but childhood friends Iwaoi!!! A dreamy summer piece and reading it almost makes me feel like I’m in a Studio Ghibli movie because of the mood it puts me in

Similar Creatures

Word count: 53k

Summary: "What's your name?" "Whatever you want it to be."(Or, Oikawa gets directions from an attractive stranger on a street corner.)

Thoughts: Iwaizumi is an escort and Oikawa needs a fancy date

Space

Word count: 44k

Summary: Tries not to think of his rooftop garden, or the apartment he used to inhabit, or Hajime’s broken expression on the night they whispered their goodbyes before Tooru’s launch, attempting to push it all to the back of his mind behind visions of this alien world terraformed

Thoughts: Oikawa’s in outerspace. They’re separated. This left me feeling pretty empty ngl.

♡here comes your man

Word count: 8k

Summary: Iwa-chan, it reads, Have a good day today! Good luck! <3 <3 <3Suga chokes. It’s hard to imagine anyone calling the scowling and fierce Doctor Iwaizumi “Iwa-chan.” But marriage probably comes with all sorts of liberties.

Thoughts: Doctor AU where Iwaizumi and Oikawa’s relationship is pondered by Suga

In the Telling

Word count: 6k

Summary: Muggleborn Iwaizumi could not be less impressed with pureblood Oikawa Tooru.

Thoughts: Harry Potter AU where they’re in the same year and aren’t really friends but are also friends

♡♡The Loyalty of A Traitor

Word count: 76k

Summary: Iwaizumi Hajime was an undercover officer with a single objective: Infiltrate the Seijoh Syndicate of the Yakuza and tear them down from the inside out. His primary target was the boss, Oikawa Tooru. The job itself was simple enough, until Iwaizumi got in too deep and absconded not only from the mission, but from the city itself.

Thoughts: Oh fuck this was Good. Yakuza boss Oikawa???? Disgraced Iwaizumi??? Do they fall in love (again)?

and suddenly, we were traitors

Word count: 17k

Summary: "sorry, it's just... you’ve been amazingly kind to me these past few days. ...but i'm still not sure who you are.”

Thoughts: The amnesia fic this fandom needed

Trial by Fire

Word count: 78k

Summary: (lawyer!AU - in which Iwaizumi loves his objections, Oikawa is beautiful, and they have more chemistry than two opposing attorneys probably should.)

Thoughts: Hot

dear diary, i met a boy

Word count: 15k

Summary: Iwaizumi's first impression of his upstairs neighbor involves getting woken up at two in the morning to the sound of Oikawa singing along to trashy pop music. He'd thought it would get better, but it all just goes downhill from there.

Thoughts: Model Oikawa and salaryman Iwaizumi meet and try to make it work

on shipwreck shore

Word count: 8k

Summary: “I’m going to murder you in cold blood and feed you to the basilisks,” Iwaizumi says conversationally.“You can’t do that, I’m your boss,” Oikawa sings, positively sparkling. “Also we’re partners, which means,” he points at Iwaizumi and leans in, “you’re stuck with me.”

Thoughts: Detectives but they’re actually funny

♡Lockdown

Word count: 72k

Summary: Within the first few months of his stay, Oikawa gets caught up in a war between cellblocks, becomes a prime target, and must decide just how far he's willing to go to protect Iwaizumi Hajime.

Thoughts: Orange is the New Black AU!!! Im a sl*t for tatted Iwaizumi

an allegory of all the things we could’ve been

Word count: 16k

Summary: “I don’t know anything about some red string,” Iwaizumi murmurs into the cracks of Oikawa’s skin, “or even about lifetimes or fate. But no matter where you are, I’ll find you. Gods or otherwise.”

Thoughts: Reincarnation AU throughout the timelines. A good soft read that leaves you sort of empty

Angst

Timeless (We Have 30 Days)

Word count: 12k

Summary: Or AU where you're branded 50 days before you die. But Oikawa doesn't tell anyone so now there's only 30 days left.

Thoughts: Ahhhhhhhhh tears

the weight of water

Word count: 6k

Summary: “Again,” he says, the smallest tremor in his voice, and Oikawa blinks at him a moment before smiling, soft and sweet. “Iwa-chan,” he replies, and Iwaizumi closes his eyes. “Again.” “Iwa-chan.”

Thoughts: Death fic

open when

Word count: 1k

Summary: Iwaizumi knew it was coming, but it still hurt. It still hurt when he opens one letter and drowns it in the tears he cannot keep at bay.

Thoughts: It takes only 1.6k words to make me cry

Canon Compliant/Coming-Of-Age

♡♡i sing the body electric

Word count: 8k

Summary: It was never part of the plan, falling in love with his best friend, but then again, most things in Iwaizumi’s life that involve Oikawa rarely unfold the way he thinks they will.

Thoughts: A beautifully introspective piece told from Iwaizumi’s point of view. It’s wholly intimate and it toes along the lines of pining and soft angst. It’s told in snippets from their lives growing up together.

♡we can do better than that

Word count: 16k

Summary: Oikawa and Iwaizumi go on a road trip during the summer after their high school graduation. It doesn't go as expected, but maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

Thoughts: There’s a lot of character analysis and it takes a step away from the casual banter they’re always portrayed to have and focuses on the intricacies of their relationship. The tone is almost a little more melancholy. (also they have to share a bed! trope)

♡when it starts to rain, they go inside

Word count: 33k

Summary: “Where?” starts Iwaizumi.“My parent’s old lakehouse, silly, didn’t you hear me the first time?”OR: Oikawa takes Iwaizumi to his lakehouse for two weeks, post-graduation.

Thoughts: Oh This Is It IwaOi stans. This fic really solidified my own headcanon for Oikawa (spoiler alert, OP isn’t too fond of Oikawa but she fleshes out his character and his idiosyncrasies so well that you can’t help but be drawn into all of his imperfection) and this fic respects Iwaizumi as well. It has absolutely great characterization and the fic ends on an ambiguous note.

to be first, to be best

Word count: 26k

Summary: Hajime is apparently something of a masochist, and as he stares down at the tie-dyed AREA51 T-shirt in his hands, he thinks “I’m totally in love with this asshole, aren't I?”

Thoughts: College roommates trying to navigate having feelings for each other while also dating others and not realizing that they’re jealous? A cult favorite.

♡things that change, things that stay the same

Word count: 8k

Summary: Oikawa realizes he's in love with his best friend; it sucks for a while. (But only a while.)

Thoughts: Ahh a slow burn featuring daily moments between Oikawa and Iwaizumi, and Oikawa starts to notice the little things. This was a cute read because Oikawa just comes off as wonderfully earnest. My first Iwaoi fic! And a great one because it really set the standard to how I interpreted their relationship.

it’s better than words

Word count: 3k

Summary: [ or : oikawa makes iwaizumi participate in three bonding activities for new friends, and iwaizumi just wants to know why oikawa's being so weird about this]

Thoughts: Soft pining, fluff, banter, and whispered confessions. This fic really nailed the banter of high school students really well.

♡shiver

Word count: 16k

Summary: Oikawa was always the brave one. Hajime just followed two paces behind.

Thoughts: Oikawa falls first and but Iwaizumi realizes his feelings later on! So soft, so slow burn, so much pining. We get to see their relationship through Iwaizumi’s eyes and actually read him analyze his own feelings.

♡we shine like diamonds

Word count: 26k

Summary: "You know Abe-kun from class?" they snicker, hands cupped around their mouths like they're passing along a filthy secret. "I hear his older brother is... gay."

Thoughts: Character analysis, homophobia, and coming of age makes a good and angsty iwaoi fic

terrarium

Word count: 11k

Summary: At this point, is he really happy with just staying best friends forever? Will he be writing journals and collecting rocks forever (he will, he knows, but that is aside from the point)?

Thoughts: Oikawa has a terrarium and names all of the rocks he puts in (that Iwaizumi gave him) “Iwa-chan #_”

Chasing Paper Suns

Word count: 10k

Summary: Post-high school, Oikawa makes it to the national volleyball team but Iwaizumi doesn't. The next three years become an exercise in growing up without growing apart.

Thoughts: This was pretty sad tbh. Of what it means to grow up together and then suddenly having to adjust to living without each other’s presence.

with every second that you could give

Word count: 9k

Summary: The journey of Iwaizumi and Oikawa going for gold.

Thoughts: Of growing up together, making decisions for each other, and wanting to be together

Only the jellyfish know

Word count: 6k

Summary: Their third and final year at Aoba Jousai has come to an end, and the guys decide to go to the beach the day after graduation.That day, the ocean water is salty, the watermelon is sweet, and the people are sweeter.

Thoughts: Established relationship

Smut

strange.

Word count: 1k

Summary: "god, i fucking hate you."oikawa smiles, cause he knows it's not true. he knows iwaizumi loves him, knows iwaizumi adores him. but he plays along."i hate you too,"

Thoughts: It’s hot

Say My Name

Word count: 2k

Summary: “Hey, have you ever tried saying my first name?” Iwaizumi blurts, and the thought jumps out of his subconscious only after he's posed the question.

Thoughts:

No Touching Allowed

Word count: 10k

Summary: “You’ve got one rule,” Iwaizumi winks at him.

Thoughts: ExoticDancer!Iwaizumi and stressed out/repressed businessman Oikawa also an AU.

Honorable Mentions

things wikipedia doesn’t tell you

pillow

Phone Home

Share my life, it’s yours to keep

in progress to you

no sleep in the city

The PDA jar

Kissmarked

#iwaoi #oikawa tooru #oikawa #iwaizumi #iwaizumi hajime #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #hq!!#hq fic rec #haikyuu fic #haikyuu fanfiction #id ask that u guys pls reblog if u can so more people can enjoy :') rly there are some Underrated works #and im surprised bc it looks like iwaoi is the most popular pairing in hq rn with the most fics #and there are iwaoi fics being uploaded like everyday #some of my favs were published in 2020 too

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mychemicalficrecs · 4 years

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Hello! I was wondering if you have any Frerard set in the ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge Era’, or around that time. Thank you! Also, I just wanted to tell you, I’ve discovered some of my favourite fics and authors because of you! 🥺 👉👈

Thank you so much for telling me, anon, that’s super awesome! I’m so glad you found works and authors you like through this blog 😊

Revenge Era Frank/Gerard

I'm Not Sleeping (Trust Me) by Dira Sudis (dsudis), 12k, Explicit. They didn't get any sleep while they were making the "I'm Not Okay" video.

Price Of Pretty by ladyfoxxx, 16k, Explicit. Set on the night of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The one where Gerard gets spanked for all the compliments he gets.

Sucker Bet by autoschediastic, 3k, Explicit. Since Frank's currently got a sloppy handful of Gerard's hard-and-getting-harder cock, oops kinda seems like an understatement. But Frank's a practical kinda guy.

you weaseled your way into my heart (and ferreted out my feelings) by akamine_chan, 5k, Mature. You gotta watch out for those bands with umlauts.

Postscript by brooklinegirl, 12k, Explicit. "How about you wait for it?" Frank's not sure where that comes from, but now that he's said it, he really wants it.

Kicked In The Balls by ladyfoxxx, 4k, Explicit. Baby's first bandom fic. Of course it's all about the stagegay.

Wipe Off That Makeup by SeraphStarshine, 2k, Explicit. Frank just couldn't seem to get his makeup right, so he asks Gerard for some help, and blowjobs ensue.

Up In Smoke by Ms_Chem_Queen, 3k, Explicit. Gerard and Frank get stoned on the tour bus after a show and all the other guys are out at parties. One thing leads to another.

Use Your Hands And My Spare Time by SeraphStarshine, 3k, Explicit. Frank cracked his eyes open slowly, expecting to see Gerard peering down at him, or maybe reading a comic book, and the sound he had heard was Gerard squealing over a particularly exciting action scene, but no - what met Frank's eyes was something entirely different. Or the fic where Frank catches Gerard getting himself off while he thinks Frank is sleeping.

...That's Romance Too by charmlesstrans, 6k, Explicit. A series of firsts. But not really.

Payback and a Microphone by MizErie, 3k, Explicit. Payback's a bitch. And Frank is hell-bent on making sure Gerard remembers that from now on.

the one where gerard gives frank his coat by forallthegodsdeparted, 2k, Mature. Inspired by that one pic of Frank and Gerard with take-out and a fan in a hotel lobby, where Frank is wearing Gerard's coat. There was gonna be sex, then both the characters and I got tired and decided to nap instead. Pointless fluff and confusion about veganism ensue.

Behind the Scenes by ViciousVenin, 4k, Explicit. On the set of the Helena video shoot, Frank and Gerard find some mischievous ways to pass the time.

If Love Is Blind by findingsaturn, 13k, Explicit. When Frank had dreamed about going on tour...well, he knew it would be perfect in its own way, but he never imagined it would be perfect quite like this. // or // Frank isn't particularly great at putting on his own stage makeup. One night, when he goes to Gerard for help, he gets a little more than he bargained for.

Gerard, meet shampoo. Shampoo, meet Gerard by Kyuko, 2k, General Audiences. Gerard has pretty hair, really. If only he fucking washed it. Basically, Frank forcefully washes Gerard's hair because I've got nothing better to do on a friday night.

Thank You For The Venom by Headfirst_for_helena, 53k, Not Rated. It's 2004 and My Chem are on tour. It should be a happy time, and yet Gerard finds himself spiralling, caught in a toxic relationship and addiction. The only people that can seem to get through to him at all are his bandmates, but that's becoming complicated too, as he's accidentally fallen in love with one of them.

#frank/gerard #frerard #fic rec list #revenge era

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rhosyn-du · 4 years

Text

Title: A Wonderful Institution Artist: @bidnezz Pairings: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, various background pairings Word Count: ~53k Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, discrimination against Downworlders, reference to rape, Clave-typical homophobia, implied character death, minor character death Summary: Magnus doesn’t have time for this bullshit. Warlocks are disappearing in New York City—five people in less than three months—and Magnus is determined to find them and protect the rest of his people from whatever took them. He doesn’t have time for politics, and he certainly doesn’t have time for whatever nonsense the Clave is proposing about marrying a Shadowhunter to a Downworlder as part of the new Accords. He doesn’t really have time for a pretty Shadowhunter who’s surprisingly kind to warlock children, either, but, well, he’s always been good at multitasking.

Alec always knew he couldn’t have what he wanted, but he’s spent the nearly four years since the newly-appointed Consul recalled his parents to Idris without explanation making the best of what he can have. When life suddenly offers up almost everything Alec actually wants on a silver platter, he can’t quite bring himself to trust it, especially when it comes with a million caveats and a side of impending disaster. But he knows how to handle disasters, even if the return of the Circle on top of Clave secrets that could destroy the Accords is way beyond the disasters he’s used to fielding. Hope, on the other hand? He doesn’t know what to do with that.

This fic was created for the @malecdiscordserver Mini Bang 2020.

Chapter Nine

“Izzy, I need your help.”

Izzy’s head snapped up from her microscope to look at her brother in concern. “One second,” she said, scribbling something on the notepad next to her. “I’m looking at those samples Luke sent us.”

“Yeah, no hurry,” Alec said, trying hard to calm his restlessness. It was huge progress that the werewolves were willing to share some of the information they’d gathered on the murdered mundanes, both in the investigation and in terms of relations between the Clave and the Downworld. His minor personal crisis could wait.

Izzy gave him a sidelong glance that made Alec realize he was doing a terrible job of not fidgeting.

“I’ll wait outside,” he offered.

“I only need five minutes,” Izzy promised, “and then I’m all yours. I just want to make sure I’ve got these calculations right before I draw any conclusions.”

In reality, it only took Izzy three minutes to finish, for which Alec was extremely grateful.

“What did you find?” he asked when she stepped out of the lab.

“There’s a compound in all of the blood samples,” she told him. “I think it might be why they were taken. And now that we know from Luke that they were all mundanes with the Sight and that it was probably the Circle buying blood from the demons, that might help us narrow down what’s going on.”

“It’s somewhere to start, anyway,” Alec agreed.

“So,” Izzy said, “what’s the latest emergency?”

“It’s not an emergency.” Alec shrugged, going for nonchalance. Izzy’s raised eyebrows told him he hadn’t quite managed it.

“Spill, big brother.”

“I have a date tonight,” Alec said quickly. “With Magnus. And I don’t really know— Look, can you just tell me if the shirt I picked to wear is okay?”

Izzy’s grin, which had been growing as he talked, turned into full-throated, delighted laughter when he finished.

“You know what, never mind,” Alec said, turning to walk away.

“No!” Izzy said, grabbing his arm. “I won’t laugh anymore, I promise. I’m just happy for you, Alec. Come on, show me your shirt.”

They’d almost made it to Alec’s room when they were interrupted by an urgent, “Sir!”

Alec turned, ready to face whatever new disaster had cropped up. He only hoped Clary hadn’t tried to sneak out of the Institute again.

“What is it?”

“An envoy from the Clave just arrived,” Underhill told him. “I thought you’d want to be notified immediately.”

Alec nodded. “Thank you.” Not that the Clave had told him they were sending any envoy. This was charmingly ominous.

He turned to Izzy, who simply patted his arm. “Go. I’ll find you something decent to wear tonight.”

“Something I’d actually wear, Iz,” Alec warned. At her nod, he added, “Thank you.”

The woman he found inspecting the ops center was younger than he expected, with blonde hair pulled back in a tidy braided updo and sharp blue eyes.

“Lydia Branwell,” she introduced herself as soon as Alec stepped into the room. “The Clave sent me to oversee a smooth transition of power for the newly appointed Head of the Institute.”

“Alec Lightwood,” he said with a tight smile. “Head of the New York Institute and Acting Head for nearly four years before that. I’m sure there won’t be any problems related to transitions of power.”

Lydia nodded. “Even so, with your recent wedding and the upcoming signing of the Accords, not to mention the return of the Circle, the Clave thinks it would be best if you had someone around to make sure things go smoothly.”

“So, you’re a baby-sitter,” Alec said bluntly.

“Some people probably think so,” she said, just as blunt. “It can’t have escaped your notice that there are those in Idris who are concerned about the prospect of someone married to a Downworlder running an Institute.”

“No, but I assumed that if there were any serious objections, the Council wouldn’t have given the Institute to me in the first place.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m the compromise,” Lydia told him. “From what little I’ve seen so far, you run a tight ship. Don’t screw things up, and I can be out of your hair in a month or two.”

“And what do you think about a Shadowhunter who’s married to a Downworlder running an Institute?” Alec asked.

Lydia shrugged. “I think there’s nothing wrong with a political marriage, and it would be silly to penalize someone for making a pragmatic decision.” She looked at him. “The only problem would be if your loyalty to the Clave were compromised. As long as it’s not, you have nothing to worry about.”

The words were simple, but they didn’t exactly give Alec hope. He was loyal to the Clave, but there were so many different things someone could use as an excuse to decide he wasn’t. This was not a complication he needed.

Alec put on his best professionally polite smile. “Why don’t you let me show you around?”

It took exactly a minute and a half for Magnus to realize that The Hunter’s Moon was maybe not the best place to take Alexander on their first date. It wasn’t that the atmosphere was wrong or that there was anything wrong with their drinks (although IPAs apparently weren’t Alec’s drink, either, but Magnus was determined to figure it out). It was just the way people kept watching them. Not overtly, of course. Just little sidelong glances that made it feel like they were on display.

“Perhaps a mundane pub would have been a better choice,” Magnus said. “We can always try somewhere else, if you’d rather?”

“No,” Alec said, shaking his head. “This is— It’s fine. It makes sense for people to be curious. We did just have a very public, very politically important wedding. It’s natural for people to be curious. They probably just want to make sure we aren’t on the verge of killing each other and breaking the Accords.” He took a deep swig of his beer, and Magnus noticed that his grimace was at least slightly less intense this time. “Besides, I can’t imagine being more comfortable surrounded by mundanes.”

“There is something to be said for not having to hide,” Magnus agreed. He nodded toward the pool table in the corner. “Do you fancy a game?”

Alec glanced over, a tiny smile appearing on his face. “Sure. Sounds fun.”

Two games in, Alec finally seemed to lose the tension that he’d been holding in his shoulders since he’d shown up at the loft earlier in the evening. They were well matched in both skill at the game and competitiveness, and they’d each managed to win a game.

“I think I’m going to grab another refill before I beat you again,” Magnus said, brandishing his empty glass.

“You mean before I beat you again,” Alec corrected with a grin.

“I said what I said.”

“Come on,” Alec said. “I might as well get another drink, myself.”

Maia, the werewolf bartender, greeted them with a smile. Magnus only knew her in passing, but she was one of the few people here tonight who hadn’t treated them any differently than any other patrons, and that went a long way in his book.

“What can I get for you boys?”

“A Manhattan for me,” Magnus said. He glanced at Alec, who looked no less lost than he had when they’d ordered their first round.

“Something that isn’t beer or too sweet?” Alec said after a moment of consideration.

“Gin martini,” Magnus suggested. “Extra dirty,” he added, with a grin for Alec, who responded with a tolerant head shake for his innuendo.

“Coming right up,” Maia promised, grabbing a shaker.

“I suppose we both have a healthy dose of the competitive spirit,” Magnus observed.

“I grew up with Jace,” Alec said. “I didn’t have much choice. And I’m sure it didn’t help that Izzy encouraged us both.”

Magnus was dimly aware of a phone ringing as he picked up their drinks. It wasn’t his phone or Alec’s, so he didn’t pay it much attention. He watched with interest as Alec sipped his drink, and for the first time, didn’t wince.

“This is nice,” Alec said, clearly surprised. “Salty and...kind of green?”

Magnus beamed, happy to have finally found a drink Alec liked. “That’s the juniper in the gin.”

“Wait, slow down.” Magnus turned around at Maia’s panicked voice to find her talking furiously on her phone. “Shit. Where are you? East side or west side? No, I’ll be right there, don’t panic.”

She turned to the other bartender on duty, shouting that there was a pack emergency and she’d be right back.

“No, don’t hang up,” Maia insisted into the phone. “I can— I’ll get someone else to call. You keep talking to me so I know you’re safe.”

She turned and grabbed the arm of the nearest person, who happened to be Magnus. “I need you to call Luke,” she said urgently. “Gretel is being hunted by a pack of demons over by Foley Square. I’m going after her, but I need backup.”

“Of course,” Magnus said, pulling out his phone.

“I’ll call Luke,” Alec said without missing a beat. “Magnus, can you make a portal to Foley Square?” At his nod, Alec turned back to Maia. “We’re not your pack, but we can be your backup until they get there.”

Maia gave him a quick, assessing once over, then nodded. “Thanks, Shadowhunter,” she said, before turning back to her phone.

Magnus wasn’t entirely sure where Gretel was, and he wasn’t as familiar with this part of the city as he was with other parts of New York, so they had to run a few blocks from the portal before they caught up with Gretel.

The pale-furred werewolf was backed up to a brick wall, in full wolf form, facing off with half a dozen Ravener demons. She had several lacerations on her forequarters and was stumbling in a way that suggested she was already suffering severe effects of demon venom.

What surprised Magnus, though, was the woman who stood behind the demons, holding her own portal open.

It wasn’t that Magnus was surprised that Iris Rouse would summon a pack of demons, or even that she’d use them for nefarious purposes. She’d always skirted the edges of the law, and her attempts to breed new warlocks showed that she didn’t exactly care about the welfare of others or the Accords.

No, what was surprising was the vacant look in her eyes and the black veins running across her face and up her arms.

Before Magnus had time to do much more than register Iris’s identity and appearance, Maia had shifted to her wolf form and launched herself at the redheaded warlock.

“Try to leave her alive so we can question her,” Alec called as he pulled a short seraph blade from his thigh holster and expertly dispatched the nearest Ravener demon.

Between Maia and Magnus, it took very little time to subdue Iris. She was less powerful than Magnus to begin with, and she was also clearly not at the top of her game. If the strange black veins weren’t enough of a hint, her magic was muted and more erratic than it should be.

As soon as they had Iris contained, Maia rushed off to help Alec and Gretel with the remaining demons. Iris stared up at Magnus from where he had her pinned magically to the ground.

“Madzie,” she gasped. “Is Madzie safe?”

It wasn’t what Magnus expected, and he found himself nodding before he could even consider whether it was a good idea to answer.

“She’s safe. Far away from you,” he added.

Iris scowled at him, body shaking like someone in the throes of drug withdrawal. “You can’t keep her from me. But for now, she’s safe, and that’s all that matters.”

“Safe from what?” Magnus wondered. “Iris, what are you doing here?”

“Don’t you know yet?” Iris laughed bitterly through her spasms. “Valentine. He’s back, and he’s experimenting on Downworlders, on warlocks, making us—” She cut off into a pained scream, convulsing.

Reaching out with his magic, Magnus did his best to calm her, but without knowing what was causing the convulsions, he was at a loss. He was a decent healer when he knew what he was dealing with, but something like this, that he’d never seen before, that he knew nothing about other than “Valentine’s experiments,” was beyond him.

A hand landed on Magnus’s shoulder, and he looked over to find Alexander, helping Maia support an unconscious Gretel.

“I can’t help both of them,” Magnus said. “Not and keep Iris contained if she starts to recover.”

“We can take them to the Institute,” Alec said. “You can treat Iris in one of the cells, and we’ve got materials for treating demon venom in the infirmary.”

“I don’t think so,” Maia said. “I appreciate the help, but I’m not letting you take one of my pack back to your Institute.”

“Nothing will happen to her, I promise.” Alec said.

“Yeah, no thanks,” Maia said. “You might be all right, Lightwood, but I don’t exactly trust the rest of your kind. Take the warlock. She tried to hurt one of ours, so you can do what you want to her as long as you share whatever information you get out of her. The rest of my pack will be here soon, and we can take care of Gretel.”

Alec nodded with obvious reluctance.

“Luke has my number if you need more help with her injuries than you can give,” Magnus said.

Maia nodded her thanks, then motioned for them to go.

Healing Iris proved to be an involved process that required several potions the Institute kept regularly stocked and calling in Cat for help, but they eventually left her peacefully unconscious instead of convulsing in a well-guarded cell. A blonde Shadowhunter Alec irritably introduced as Lydia promised to call as soon as Iris regained consciousness, so Magnus portalled himself and Alec back to the loft.

“So,” Magnus said as they entered the loft, “this wasn’t exactly how I imagined our first date.” It wasn’t the most disastrous first date he’d ever been on, or even the first that involved a demon-related disaster, but it wasn’t exactly a success, either.

“Me either,” Alec agreed, tossing his jacket over the back of the couch. “But it was fun until, you know, demons. Maybe next time we should just stay in?”

Even tired as he was from the fight and healing Iris, Magnus couldn’t help the smile that split his face. Alexander wanted there to be a next time.

“Absolutely not,” he said. Alec looked at him surprised, and Magnus hurried to explain. “Alexander, I’m a warlock. I can portal us literally anywhere in the world. Maybe New York wasn’t the best choice under the circumstances, but you have to at least give me a chance to sweep you off your feet.”

Alec smiled one of those beautiful, genuine smiles that Magnus couldn’t get enough of. “I think you've got that covered regardless of where we are.”

“But no demons next time,” Magnus said, smiling back.

“No demons,” Alec agreed before leaning in to brush his lips against Magnus’s.

And maybe, Magnus figured, the date wasn’t a total disaster.

Alec couldn’t tell if there was actually something wrong that his subconscious was picking up on, or if he just wasn’t used to not being in crisis mode anymore. It had been almost two weeks since he’d gotten married, recovered the Mortal Cup, and rescued/captured Iris Rouse, and six days since the signing of the updated Accords. He and Magnus—and eventually Lydia, who it turned out was surprisingly easy to work with—had spent several days questioning Iris, gathering all of the information she had to give them about those who had captured her.

Iris had confirmed that she’d been taken by the Circle, and that Valentine was alive, which wasn’t news to Alec or Magnus, but now it was official knowledge, which was a huge weight off of Alec’s back. Iris hadn’t exactly been willing to talk to Shadowhunters, but her hatred for the Circle and the horrors they’d put her through proved greater than her hatred for those who had her imprisoned now. She’d told them that Valentine was experimenting on Downworlders, that he’d managed to create some kind of serum that allowed him to control warlocks—those that it didn’t kill, anyway—and he was using them to summon the packs of demons that were capturing other Downworlders. It sounded almost like he was building an army of mind-controlled Downworlders.

Much to both Magnus’s and Clary’s disappointment, Iris hadn’t seen Dot.

They’d sent Iris to Idris to stand trial along with a note from Alec that she’d been very helpful in providing information on Valentine and the Circle. Not that he expected it would have much of an impact on her sentence given all she’d done. If the Clave let her live, he would be very surprised.

What hadn’t gone back to Idris was the Mortal Cup, and maybe that was why Alec was so on edge. Consul Penhallow knew they’d recovered it, had known since the night it happened, but insisted that it was safer in a vault at the New York Institute that only she and Alec had access to than it would be in Alicante right now. Which, honestly, did not give Alec a lot of confidence in what the Council was doing or in the Clave’s ability to take on Valentine in any kind of meaningful way. Consul Penhallow promised to send word as soon as she deemed it safe to transport the Cup, but so far, she hadn’t sent it.

Magnus had gotten word of three more missing warlocks, but none of those disappearances had yielded any more information than they already had.

Then there was Clary Fairchild. Despite knowing that they were searching for Jocelyn, despite being involved in the process herself, she’d made repeated attempts to sneak out of the Institute to go looking on her own. She’d been working with Magnus to gather intel using the portal shard, which along with the information they’d gathered from Iris had given them a pretty good idea of what the inside of Valentine’s hideout looked like. Iris was able to give them a rough location and said she suspected the hideout was on the water, but that still gave them many square miles to search. Ragnor was working on getting a more precise location but tracking the potion he’d made for Jocelyn was apparently a long and involved process.

It was the waiting that was making him twitchy, Alec decided. Waiting and not being able to do anything. He was used to taking action, and there hadn’t been any actions for him to take since they’d sent Iris to Idris.

“Do you really dislike musicals this much, or are you thinking about work again?”

Alec let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and forced himself to relax into the couch and against Magnus’s side. “Sorry,” he said, attempting to turn his attention back to the dancers on the screen. “I guess I’m a little distracted.”

It was their fifth date. Alec was absolutely counting. Magnus had taken him to Tokyo and London. Alec had taken Magnus to his favorite burger joint in the East Village. They had miraculously entirely avoided demon attacks. And, yeah, it might be a little bit weird to be dating the guy he was married to, but it was the only thing in Alec’s life that wasn’t giving him a headache. Magnus was amazing and fun to be around and better at kissing than should probably be legal.

This was the first date they’d actually spent at the loft. During the course of their previous dates, Magnus had discovered what he insisted was Alec’s “tragic lack of cinematic literacy” and vowed to fix it. Which is how they’d ended up snuggled up on the couch eating pizza (Alec’s choice) and watching a film Alec was pretty sure was about a writer who's obsessed with a cabaret performer who can sing remarkably well for someone with tuberculosis (Magnus’s choice), but he honestly hadn’t been paying close enough attention to be certain.

It wasn’t at all how Alec had pictured this date going. He’d thought, or maybe just hoped, that Magnus’s suggestion they stay at the loft meant Magnus was just as ready as he was to take their physical relationship further. He’d been thinking about it half the day, and now that he was actually here, with Magnus, alone in their loft with a whole night to themselves, his mind was consumed with worries about work and everything that might go wrong.

Sometimes, Alec thought his mind was a real dick.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Magnus offered.

Alec shook his head. “I want to be able to stop thinking about it. I’m sorry, Magnus, this isn’t fair to you.”

“Seems like it’s not fair to you, either,” Magnus said with a shrug. “You’re the one spending your night off worrying about work.”

“I guess.” Alec didn’t want to admit that this wasn’t exactly an unusual occurrence for him. Before he’d met Magnus, most of his nights off were spent worrying about work, or his family, or the intersection of those two things.

Magnus sighed and paused the movie. “If the film isn’t enough to distract you, then we’ll have to find something else that can.”

It wasn’t, for a wonder, said with even the slightest hint of innuendo, but Alec arched his eyebrows anyway. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

“Well,” Magnus said, answering Alec’s teasing grin with one of his own, “I didn’t have anything specific in mind before, but when you ask like that, I think perhaps I have an idea.”

“Yeah?” Alec asked, leaning in and crowding Magnus against the arm of the couch. “What’s that?”

Magnus grinned, then held up the tiramisu he’d apparently summoned from the takeout bag they’d left in the kitchen. “Dessert.”

“I think dessert could definitely distract me,” Alec said, taking the container and plastic forks and deliberately placing them on the coffee table.

Magnus’s mouth was hot and eager against his own and sent all thoughts of Valentine and the Mortal Cup and Circle spies in Alicante flying out of his head. It amazed Alec, as it always did, how easy this was. Not the actual kissing—there was definitely a learning curve there, but he thought he was doing okay with it—but just being together, wanting each other, like it was the simplest, most natural thing in the world.

Alec let his hand slide beneath the hem of Magnus’s shirt, fingers tracing the ridge of abs under skin smooth as silk, and let his thoughts and senses fill with nothing but Magnus. The way Magnus’s mouth moved against his. The press of Magnus’s body. The tingle Magnus’s fingers left behind as they made their way down the side of his neck and along his collarbone.

Alec broke the kiss with a gasp, desperate for air, only to have his breath stolen in the next instant when Magnus’s mouth followed the same path his fingers had moments earlier.

“Magnus,” he gasped, arching into the touch. There was a thought forming there, something he’d wanted to do. Or to ask? If he could just catch it. “Magnus,” he said again, more firmly as if that could help corral his own thoughts.

“Hmm?” Magnus murmured, his mouth moving up the other side of Alec’s neck, tracing the shape of his deflect rune.

“We could—” The words were right on the tip of his tongue, the thought on the tip of his brain. “Could we—?” There. “Bedroom?”

Okay, so, not the most eloquent way he could have phrased it, but Alec thought he got the message across. He was actually pretty proud of himself for being able to form words at all.

At least, he was until Magnus pulled away.

“Alexander.” Magnus’s face was guarded in a way that made Alec’s guts churn. This was not at all the reaction he’d been hoping for. Or expecting.

“Do you not want to?” Alec guessed. He’d thought they were on the same page. Every touch, every kiss, seemed to indicate that Magnus wanted Alec just as much as Alec wanted him, but maybe he’d been reading the signs wrong.

“I do,” Magnus was quick to assure him. “It’s just, it’s rare that I’ve ever felt this way about someone, and—” He looked away. “And there are things I haven’t told you, things I probably should have told you a long time ago. Things I need to tell you before we take our relationship any further.”

“Magnus, you can tell me anything,” Alec said, ignoring the queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t want to imagine what kind of secret would make Magnus this nervous. “Or choose not to tell me, but if it’s worrying you so badly, I’m willing to listen.”

Magnus grabbed the tiramisu from the table, holding it out both in offering and like a shield between them. Alec took it and popped open the plastic container, then offered Magnus a plastic fork. Magnus had tried to insist they eat with actual silverware, but Alec managed to convince him it wasn’t real takeout if you did it that way.

Magnus took the fork, then spent a ridiculously long time poking at the dessert, before saying, “You never asked me why I put my name forward to be a part of this marriage.” His eyes were still fixed firmly on his fork. “And I know I offered an explanation, but it wasn’t precisely accurate.”

Alec frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t put my name forward at all,” Magnus told him, finally meeting his eyes. “I wasn’t the person the Downworld leaders chose. My name wasn’t even on the list.”

“But,” Alec said, “then why did you say you were?”

“The Spiral Council wanted me to volunteer, but I refused. But then we were sitting there in that meeting and…you looked so sad,” Magnus said with a helpless shrug. “Like you did when I asked you over for drinks. And I thought— No, that’s not true either. I wasn’t thinking at all, not really. I just didn’t want you to be sad anymore, and I guess I figured I could work out the details later.”

It was Alec’s turn to stare at the tiramisu. He didn’t know what to think, how to feel. “Do you regret it?” he asked finally.

“No,” Magnus said without hesitation. “I keep expecting to, if I’m honest, but no. I thought I could talk you out of it at first, and by the time I realized I couldn’t...” He shrugged again. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you looking that sad again, or the thought of you marrying someone else.”

“Magnus…” Alec struggled to find the words for what he was feeling. It was a lot to take in.

But whatever words he might have come up with were interrupted by a sudden, frantic pounding on the front door. Magnus sprang to his feet, rushing toward the door, Alec close on his heels. Magnus looked concerned, but not alarmed, so Alec figured he didn’t need to run to the other room for his weapons, but he stayed close to Magnus just in case he needed backup.

Magnus flung open the door to reveal a frantic-looking Raphael.

“What happened?” Magnus demanded. “Are you all right?”

Raphael shook his head. “Ragnor is missing.”

#malec #magnus bane #alec lightwood #fanfic

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imyourliquor-youremypoison · 5 years

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LotR fic rec - Éomer x Lothíriel (2)

This is the second part to this post (+ this one because this particular fanfic deserved a post of its own) because one does not simply stop at 10 éothiriel fanfictions when there are so many more to read out there. Binge reading is now a thing, I speak it into existence as I go from fic to fic for this one pairing.

Of Falcons and Mûmakil, by Lialathuveril (114k)

Set a year after the end of the Ring War, this is the story of how Éomer and Lothiriel first met, fell in love and got married. They managed to do this despite several obstacles on the way including his sister, her eldest brother and a foolhardy band of Southrons. I’ve tried to keep Éomer in character to how he’s described in the books, brave and strong, with a sudden temper but also with a keen sense of humour. Lothiriel I see as quite young (she's twenty at the time they meet) and not quite sure of her role in life yet, impulsive and warmhearted

I find once again Lialathuveril’s style. After reading several of The Moonlily’s fanfictions in a row I became used to her prose, but Lialathuveril is just as good even if it’s different. The main difference being that they each have their own way to write Lothiriel, but in this fanfiction I find she became of mix of each of these author’s preferred personality for her.

Despite how long the fanfiction is, it’s easy to read, and rather quick too. You just read chapter after chapter, devouring them all, and before you know it you’ve reached the end and long for more.

I particularly like that we get as much of Eomer’s thoughts on what’s happening as we get Lothiriel’s. It’s not restricted to a single point of view, which allows you to feel closer to Eomer’s character (because sometimes it’s not the case, since he’s present in the books/movies, the authors assume we know him and don’t need to be imersed in his thoughts, therefore they focus on Lothiriel whom we barely know anything about).

Open My Eyes, by The Moonlily (36k)

A young, unusual lady teaches the King of Rohan that some of the most important things you can't see with your eyes.

Very different take on the usual Eothiriel stories, I think it’s fair to say that I had a few expectations when I opened this fanfiction. While it is the usual high quality fiction provided by The Moonlily, some of those expectations were not fulfilled, which is partly to be blamed on me really. As the story progressed I tried to guess what would happen next, and in the end I liked the theory I came up with so much that I was a little disappointed by the final twist.

But aside from all personal feelings I still think that the final reveal wasn’t as dramatic as it could (should?) have been, given how much of a deal the characters made of it.

Other than that it was a very enjoyable story that I recommend to everyone, if only because it’s well written, not so long as to take a lot of your time if you end up not liking it, and because of how different it is from all other eothiriel stories I’ve read (which is 15 so far if you must know).

Second Time Lucky, by heckofabecca (14k)

When Lothíriel makes a hasty promise to a lady in distress, she must use all her wits to keep her footing. But there's more than one type of falling...

Very, very nice and funny to read. This Lothiriel has nothing to envy to all the others I’ve read about though she is quite different, and maybe closer to what we imagine a Princess of Dol Amroth to be like.

Bound by Duty, by Lady Bluejay (99k)

Coming to terms with her arranged marriage, Lothiriel has to face returning to Meduseld alone. How will she cope with those who did not want a Gondorian for a Queen?

A liiittle bit of a slow burn, just enough to have me foaming at the mouth but not so long as to make me wish I’d never opened it. It’s good guys, it’s so good. Of course you’re going to tell me “why, yes, Alyssa, of course it’s good, this is lady bluejay” and you are right my friend, but it doesn’t hurt do say it twice. This is also one of the sexiest fanfictions I’ve read for this couple? I did not expect it, but the intimacy is treated in a very delicate yet bold way. Loved it. Read it.

Heart of a Queen, by The Moonlily (50k)

"You are a Princess of Dol Amroth, Lothíriel, and you were born as brave and proud as your brothers."

GOD this story gave me emotional blue balls! I am SO HAPPY it isn’t one of The Moonlily’s longer works because it could very well have ended me right then and there. It gives you an in-depth view of Lothiriel’s inner journey and thoughts as she gets familiar with Rohan and its enigmatic king. As a reader, I was just as frustrated as her in face of Eomer’s aloofness and cryptic behavior, maybe even more because I KNEW there was more to it, we just didn’t know what yet.

As always a nice, refreshing new light shines on the characters (still marveling at how the author can do that after writing so many fanfictions for this pairing) especially on Lothiriel, and while it is not my personal favorite take of her persona, it is still a pleasure to read, and a beautiful tribute to Tolkien and his work. Much like Bound by Duty, she is much more princess-ish and feminine and delicate - and everything you might expect a princess to be. Which is all fair and good, but I have a slight preference for the bold, adventurous Lothiriel.

See ya soon for another review of a The Moonlily fanfic (at this point I should just rename this fic rec to ‘the Moonlily fangirling’)

Game of Hearts, by hannah.jpg (31k)

Humiliated at her waning popularity in Minas Tirith, Lothíriel seeks to regain her reputation: by snagging the King of Rohan, of course. What could go wrong?

I had never read about a Lothiriel like this one before this story, and I’m not sure what to think about her. The story is quite short and well-written, I’ll say that first, and I don’t regret the hours spent reading it (I am a very slow reader) because I love reading about new ways this ship gets together, they never disappoint. But I’ll also say that Lothiriel did elicit some contradictory emotions. She gets through quite a bit of character development within 31k words, therefore at the end, she’s where I like her to be (so to say). However, at the beginning, I was very put off by her characterization, and I admit I (maybe) would have stopped reading had the fanfic been 50k+, but I’m glad I didn’t because she got back in my good graces.

The story is told from Lothiriel’s point of view, though to conclude, I’ll add that it was Eomer’s character that transpires the most, even if we only get to see what he thinks through the dialogue. I guess what you don’t say is as telling as the things you say out loud.

A Long and Winding Road (292k) by The Moonlily

To flee from a dreadful fate, she is sent into hiding. But how can she hide her heart from the man who also holds her secret?

Yeah, that’s right. Another fanfiction from The Moonlily. Another excellent story with good characterization, lovable side characters, heartfelt conversations by the hearth and painful mutual pining. This one made be very horny because the sexual tension between Eomer and Lothiriel was too much for me. Seriously, this story makes you lust for both physical and emotional intimacy, I am not alright as I write this, folks.

It’s also a slow, and I mean very slow, burn. Hold onto ya feels because you are in for a long, long ride my friends. I was just about to snap and maybe pop a vein or something when they finally acted on their feelings, I cannot stress this enough: it’s a slow burn.

Lady of the Sea (53k), by The Moonlily

How the horselord first met the mermaid.

Listen, I’m not going to say anything again, just accept that I will rec all of The Moonlily’s fanfictions and move on. I loved Lothiriel’s character in this one, I always do when she’s a bit on the feisty side, I don’t know I just think it really suits her and it compliments Eomer’s personality too. As usual, their meeting was excellent in its originality and the skillful way the author always writes that first encounter.

NOTE: I should like to add that if any of the authors whose works are mentioned in my fic recs see this, they are free to keep, use, do whatever they want with the cover(s) I made.

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shadowofmytime · 5 years

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>> some of my absolute favorites ! like and reblog if you save and enjoy ! happy reading and give some kudos to these amazing writers ! always feel free to send me some of your favorites ! ! <<

>> There is a bit so for your convenience they are in alphabetical order ! The ‘s’s are some of my all-time favorites ! ! <<

>> min yoongi x park jimin <<

All the seasons of your love - 5k+ [college au]

The movement in the library was still slow in the first week, so Yoongi could easily remember the few people who came by. That's why he pays so much attention to a certain dark-haired freshman who walks in on a Wednesday afternoon - or at least that's what he tells himself. He goes over to the front counter and asks Yoongi for directions to the Economy 101 session and, God, his voice is as sweet as his eye-smile.

Or how librarian Yoongi fell head over heels for cute freshman Park Jimin who, unfortunately, was very much straight - or so Yoongi thought.

Bon Voyage - 47.9+ [tourist! au]

Yoongi was meant to be taking the trip of a lifetime with his boyfriend. But now he's in Paris, alone and miserable. That is until he collides - quite literally - with one Park Jimin.

Boys who talk shit - 26k+ [college au]

When Yoongi enrolled in BTS (aka Boys who Talk Shit) Boarding School, he wasn't really expecting to be the only 'straight' (to be read sarcastically) guy in a room of seven geniuses (aka children aged five to ten, honestly). Plus four pet spiders. Yes, plural.

Chaotic episodes in A Place of Love and War, where Yoongi learns all about True Love via Park Jimin, Music and Marriage. Sort of. Brain bleach and earplugs are strongly recommended.

Conflicting arrangement - 162k+ [fake boyfriend au]

"Absolutely not," Yoongi deadpanned. "Namjoon-ah. I value you as a friend, and I think I'd even go as far as to say that you're my best friend, but absolutely fucking not."

"You owe me," Namjoon pleaded. "Come on, Yoongi, it's not a big deal."

"Your boyfriend's best friend's best friend needs a fake boyfriend to come out to his family this Chuseok, all the way in fucking Busan," Yoongi repeated drily without pause, making Namjoon wince. He flipped a page of his textbook, picking up his highlighter. "Not a big deal, Namjoon. Amazing."

Cotton Candy - 240k [high school rock band]

"He could get used to sitting next to Yoongi like this. To have him around. To have the band around. To smile and feel happy. To see Yoongi sitting in front of an instrument and having him play just for him.

'If this was my happy ending,' Jimin thinks, resisting the urge to lean his head on Yoongi's shoulder, 'if I wasn't who I am, I'd just let you have me whenever you want. You could have me anytime.'"

As spring turns into summer, school band Cotton Candy unexpectedly loses its singer and the members are forced to look for a new vocalist. Six boys find one in the form of the promiscuous pink-haired boy Park Jimin who makes a home in their hearts and finally finds a place he belongs

Daegu drift - 53k+ [motorcyclist / playboy au]

Jimin stops in Daegu for a big motor show and gets caught up with the locals. Specifically one Min Yoongi.

Sneak Peek:

Yoongi has his arms folded as he stares Jimin down.

“Are you going to join the rally, or not?”

Jimin takes his time answering because he likes the way Yoongi is looking at him. “Sure. I guess it could be fun. But you do realize none of you have a chance against a Bugatti, right?”

“It’s not the car that wins the race,” the other man says. “It’s the driver. You could have the fastest, best-equipped car in the goddamn universe, but if you’re a shit driver, it doesn’t make a difference.”

Goodbye from lonely - 65k+ [uncle yoongi!]

Park Jimin works two jobs that he loves and is going to college to get his teaching degree.

Min Yoongi is a personal assistant who hates his job and spits in his boss' coffee every day.

Kim Taehyung has been infatuated with his clueless co-worker for the better part of a year.

Jeon Jeongguk has a three-year-old daughter that he'd do anything for.

Somehow the tiny human brings them all together.

Tae is in love with Kookie -> Kookie's daughter takes Jimin's ballet class -> Yoongi is Kookie's stepbrother -> Jimin and Yoongi meet because of Kookie's daughter.

In your eyes (it’s where I wanna be) - 5.5k [coffee shop! au]

Jimin pauses with his marker inches away from the cup, because — is he really going to do this? Isn’t it a bit old-fashioned to write something flirty on a coffee cup? But no matter what his churning gut says about the danger and what the hell are you doing do you want to die, this guy is — with no better way to put it — totally Jimin’s Type with a capital T.

(Or: Jimin accidentally starts a nickname war with the cute blonde who likes his coffee way too bitter.)

Inked flowers - 6.4k [tattoo artist / florist au]

Something stopped him. A sound of a piano. He looked around and saw a light coming from the window on the other side of the street. On the third floor was an open window. A light and the sorrowful sound of a piano flew out of the room. Jimin looked closer and saw a figure or at least a top of someone's head.

The melody was so sad and sorrowful that Jimin wanted to cry. He started thinking, what could possibly go inside that person’s head? What were they thinking? Jimin just hoped that they weren’t sad and alone.

(let me see you) get high then low - 4k+ [photographer/model au]

"The light-haired model is the kind that fascinates Yoongi, and at the same time, he prefers to steer away from. He's all smiles and flowers, drawing you in with his cuteness until he's not anymore. Suddenly, he’s something else entirely; he's that false calm, the ocean that looks smooth on the surface but will drag you down to its depths if you dare to touch it."

Min Yoongi works in a photography studio with some (very questionable) friends that can't get any work properly done without making a bit of a fuss.

Park Jimin is a model handcuffed against his will and bored. Also a little bit horny, maybe.

Math Tutor - 11.7k [bad boy! yoongi]

Min Yoongi is the school's resident Bad Boy™. He's covered in tattoos, is pierced, curses like a sailor, smokes like crazy, doesn't give a shit about anything, possesses a hot temper that has people steering clear of him, and is desperately in love with Park Jimin, the adorable math nerd. When Jimin is tasked with tutoring Yoongi in math, who is in danger of failing the class and being held back a year, both boys are hesitant. Yoongi because he can't think straight around the boy with startling red hair, and Jimin because Yoongi is scary as hell and looks like he can easily kill someone. Gradually, though, the two grow closer, and Jimin finds that Yoongi is nothing like how he'd imagined.

Maybe I hate you can be our always - 35.9k [enemies to lovers]

When Yoongi thinks about it, really gives it genuine thought, it's possible that Park Jimin isn't the worst person in the world.

(Or, Yoongi and Jimin get off on the wrong foot.)

Ode to yoonmin - 4k+ [texting]

yoongi and jimin are in very much in love but they're the only ones who don't know it

chat fic with a bunch of bad jokes and memes ¯\_(ツ)_/

Out of my system - 101.6k+ [one night stand]

Yoongi likes one night stands and he understands how they work. What he doesn’t understand, however, is how he ended up in bed with a probably-not-legal kid crying in his arms about his broken heart, because he’s pretty sure (and correct him if he’s wrong) that a babysitting job was not what he was looking for when he went to the opening of his friend’s new club

Standing on the brink of 376 - 42.9k+ [street racing]

When Taehyung woke him up at three AM to go to a street race—an illegal one, no less—claiming it would help his social anxiety, Jimin never actually expected it to do much for him, except maybe make him cry hysterically. He found that he really wasn't too far off-kilter with that assumption, but it was only after he'd suffered through countless bouts of insecurity that he realized, hidden behind each stuttered breath, every inevitable tear, every spark of unavoidable fear, and even the customary cloud of cigarette smoke itself, lay a tremendous amount of affection for a certain platinum haired street racer that he can't even begin to justify. But when his opinion of fact, fate, and even life itself continues to blur with each push of the gas pedal, he thinks he just might be able to forgive himself for falling in love with a criminal, when the nonsensical moonshine of the present mutes the anxiety that had been a constant within his heart up until this November.

Strawberry lube - 82.7k+ [college au]

Yoongi remembers little to nothing of their crazy drunken night out. But of two things he's absolutely sure, one: he's not gay, two: he just slept with Park Jimin

The Paradiso Lounge - 192k+ [photographer/stripper au]

“Do I have to pay you for that service?”

This isn’t a dream (let me love you) - 26k+ [highschool au]

As captain of his high school’s basketball team, Min Yoongi dedicated all of his attention to his team and their games. His focus on the game never waned, not once for anything or anyone.

Well, until head cheerleader Park Jimin flashed his abs during a solo cheer and made him fuck up his shot

Trying to Behave (but you know we never learned how) - 329k+ [non-idol! au]

It's been years since Yoongi's last seen him and the younger boy is a shell of his former self in a way that makes his heart twist in his chest. And yet, after all this time and countless days of convincing himself to let him go, he's still unconditionally, head over heels in love with Park Jimin.

(Jimin and Yoongi grow up together.)

Valentino Summers - 657k+ [‘80s gangsters]

Whether or not Jimin was smuggling drugs really didn’t matter. He was hustling, and these days that was all there was to it.

Hustle and survive or struggle and die.

Y/N masterlist << check it out !! xoxo

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flowerfan2 · 5 years

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Something Blue - Bound To Be Together Alternate Ending

McDanno, E, A03. 53k in total; 7k this chapter - Something Blue

Author’s note: Towards the end of season 9 I spent a lot of time thinking about how I might fix or otherwise explain whatever craziness canon was going to give us in the last episode. This story came about as an explanation for a possible Steve and Cath wedding.

It’s sort of an AU alternate ending to the coda series in Bound To Be Together, but can also be read as a stand-alone story. Warning for angst and handwringing, but all in the service of a happy ending.

Thanks to all of you who read and enjoyed this fic, and ranted with me about Season 9. Writing this and getting to know so many other H50 fans has been a wonderful experience.

Summary: Steve and Catherine get married on a typically beautiful day, filled with all the joy such an occasion should bring. Danny doesn’t feel at all joyful about it, however. He feels miserable. Danny agreed to this, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Something Blue

The Kahala resort is undeniably beautiful. Danny enjoyed it a lot more, however, back when he was watching Grace swim with the dolphins. Standing up as Steve’s best man as Steve marries Catherine really isn’t any fun at all.

After the ceremony, Danny wanders off to the side, champagne glass in hand. The happy couple has chosen to bypass many of the classic wedding traditions, so fortunately Danny doesn’t have to give a formal toast, or sit through a first dance, or really do anything at all except stand around and keep a smile pasted on his face.

Danny declines a glass of champagne from a festively dressed server. He feels vaguely ill, overheated in his rented tux. Adding alcohol to the mix doesn’t seem like a good idea. Even the smell of the passed hors d'oeuvres is making him queasy.

He chats mindlessly with a guest who comes by and gushes about how beautiful the bride is, and how she had no idea Steve was even engaged. Danny doesn’t know her name – someone who works with Noelani, he thinks – but he can’t get up the energy to care. Eventually the guest moves away, and Danny risks a quick glance at his watch.

“Thinking of leaving already, boss?” Tani asks softly, coming to stand next to him. She looks lovely in her gown, a dark green which contrasts beautifully with her hair. “You okay?”

Danny struggles to focus on her words, and find some kind of appropriately convincing response, but he doesn’t come up with much. “Sure, I’m fine.”

Tani tilts her head at him. No point in feigning cheer with her, her bullshit meter is way too fine-tuned for that.

“I did not see this coming.” Tani slides in front of him, narrowing her eyes. “I’m guessing you didn’t either?”

Danny looks away. “Steve was gonna ask her to marry him, a few years ago. She told him later she would have said yes.” He shrugs. “Guess it was just a matter of time.”

“Yeah, but-”

“Just don’t, okay?” Danny can’t argue about this right now. Not with the DJ playing dance tunes and Catherine wearing a freakin’ full-on lace wedding dress and Steve’s ring on her finger.

“Sorry,” Tani says. “Really.” She puts a hand on his shoulder, squeezing briefly, her eyes searching his. “Wanna dance?”

Danny sees Grace coming towards them, looking ridiculously grown up and beautiful, but with the same look of concern on her face as Tani has on hers. Rude or not, he’s got to get out of here. He can’t face his little girl right now.

“Tani, do me a favor – dance with Grace instead.”

Tani nods, and turns to intercept his daughter. Danny strides away, across the courtyard and through the hotel. He almost manages to get away clean, but he’s outside waiting for an Uber when he hears his name being called.

“Daniel? Can we talk for a minute?”

It’s Rachel, of course. Danny wonders how many people saw her running after him as he made his escape. How many believed he and Rachel were an item again, when they arrived together, Grace and Charlie in tow.

“I’m not feeling well, Rach. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

She gives him a pained look. “I know this is hard for you, but it is what we all agreed on.” Her accent gets stronger when she’s upset, and from the sound of it, she hasn’t enjoyed the afternoon’s charade much either. “Are you having second thoughts?”

Danny huffs out a bitter laugh. “Like you said, I agreed to this. Guess the joke’s on me.”

*****

Danny kicks his feet up on top of his carry-on and leans back in the uncomfortable plastic seat. It’s late, and LAX is quiet. He’s got almost three more hours before he needs to get in line to board his connecting flight to Boston.

He parted ways with Rachel earlier, after he walked her to her gate. She’s got a lot more flight time ahead of her, on her way to London for few weeks of vacation. The kids are joining her but traveling separately, all to enhance the optics of Rachel and Danny going off together for a long-awaited tryst.

Danny has just managed to doze off when his carry-on is yanked out from under his feet. He jumps up, instantly awake and ready to dash after the culprit, and sees Steve, carry-on bag in hand.

“You’re just asking for that to get stolen,” Steve says. His face seems to be undecided as to whether it wants to smile or apologize. There’s been a lot of that lately.

Danny has half a mind to slug his partner, but instead he finds himself moving in close. Steve’s arms come around him, folding him in tight, and Danny practically goes weak in the knees. God, he’s a sucker. But it feels like it’s been ages since he’s been here, since he and Steve last touched with any motive other than keeping up platonic appearances.

It’s been almost a week since Steve got married.

They finally board their flight. They’re not seated together, of course, that would have been too easy. Steve has managed to snag himself an aisle seat, and Danny’s got a window, several rows behind him and on the other side of the plane. Once Danny sits down, he can’t see Steve anymore, although he hears his voice as he politely helps another passenger hoist their bag up into the overhead compartment.

The kid next to Danny is restless, moving back and forth, constantly leaning down to rummage through the backpack he’s shoved under the seat in front of him. He seems to be traveling alone, busy on his phone, not making conversation with the woman seated on the aisle on his other side. Danny makes him out to be in his twenties. He’s got his music turned up loud enough that Danny can hear it through his earbuds, which is supremely annoying.

Danny tries to sleep, wishing that the idiot next to him would settle down. Finally the boy gets up to stretch his legs or storm the cockpit and Danny slides into a doze.

He rouses to the feel of something warm being laid over him and squints open an eye. Steve is in the seat next to him, and Steve’s sweatshirt is draped over Danny’s torso.

“You looked cold.” Steve’s face is blank, which generally means he’s concerned, and trying not to show it.

Danny lifts the arm between the seats out of the way and shifts, leaning his head on Steve’s shoulder. It’s a lot more comfortable than the cold plastic of the airplane window. He wonders briefly how Steve got the kid to switch seats with him, then realizes Steve traded his aisle seat for a squished middle one. Next to Danny.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Steve says softly.

They’re both beyond tired by the time they land in Boston. They make their way to the baggage claim in silence, taking turns watching for their bags and using the restroom. Danny avoids the mirror, not wanting to look too closely at the bags under his eyes. It makes him feel a little better that Steve looks beat too.

They hadn’t bothered reserving a rental car, or making any hotel arrangements. This wasn’t the carefully planned, eagerly anticipated trip that Danny once imagined they’d take together.

Steve is standing with their bags when Danny gets out of the bathroom, and they lug them on to a shuttle bus that goes to the airport Hilton. Fortunately there are rooms available. Danny wants to make a joke about how many beds they need, he thinks there’s a rom-com moment in there somewhere, but he’s just too tired.

Their room is sterile and entirely uninteresting but it’s got a bed and that’s all Danny cares about. Steve mutters something about showering but Danny just strips down to his boxers and passes out.

Sometime not much later he wakes up and sees Steve sitting on the edge of the other bed, looking lost, and his heart breaks a little. “Hey, come here.” Danny holds up the edge of the sheet, and Steve lurches over, scrambling under the covers as if he’s worried that if he doesn’t move quickly enough Danny will change his mind.

Steve’s warm and damp from his shower, and his hair smells like shampoo. Danny bundles him close and falls asleep with Steve’s arm heavy over his chest, his knees pressed up against Danny’s thigh. It’s the most comfortable Danny’s been in weeks.

Danny’s sense of time is all messed up, but they manage to sleep and doze and sleep again until it’s more or less morning. Danny showers and shaves and then goes downstairs to see what the rental car options are while Steve takes his turn in the bathroom.

Finally, after another shuttle bus and a relatively short wait at the rental car counter, they’re in their car and on their way. Steve insists on getting a Jeep. “There are mountains in New Hampshire, Danny,” he explains. Danny thinks that Steve has never been to Colorado, where he might actually see some real mountains, but that’s a trip for another day.

They drive sluggishly through Boston rush hour traffic, which doesn’t let up for over an hour. Steve mutters in annoyance the whole time, and Danny wants to pat himself on the back for not saying “I told you so” about how the Honolulu traffic everyone complains about back home is nothing compared to East Coast traffic.

Danny can see the U.S.S. Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument as they crawl along Route 93. He thinks that Steve would enjoy touring the city, checking out the Navy Yard and the museum, if they were here for that. Steve’s never been here before. It’s one of the reasons they picked New England for this – the landscape bears little resemblance to anywhere they’ve been together. No beaches and lush tropical greens, no desert, no Montana plains. Someplace new.

By the time they cross over into New Hampshire, Danny’s stomach is growling. They pull off the highway and find a diner, where they order giant plates of eggs and pancakes. It’s not nearly as good as what they usually get at their favorite Honolulu breakfast place. And there’s no coconut syrup.

They’re about to pay the bill when Steve gets a look on his face (it’s what Danny once called the constipated face, but he’s since decided that’s too kind). “I know things have been rough lately-”

“Not now.” Danny cuts him off.

Steve looks momentarily startled, then nods. “Okay.” And who says Steve hasn’t learned anything over the years? At least he’s figured out that prompting Danny into yelling – or crying, he’s not sure which is more likely – in the middle of a sticky diner in Londonderry isn’t the best idea.

They turn the radio on when they get back in the car, and Danny fiddles with the dial, trying to find something entertaining enough but mostly devoid of meaning. It’s hard to avoid love songs, though, or breakup songs. Luckily there aren’t many “you married your ex-girlfriend and pretended we didn’t exist in front of all our friends and family” songs in the top 40 these days.

When they get close to the town where they’ve reserved an airbnb they stop at a grocery store. Danny doesn’t tease Steve when he fills the cart with enough steak and hamburger to feed the team for a week, just makes sure they buy charcoal, too. And ice cream. The mood he’s in, he needs lots of ice cream.

They drive down a long, narrow dirt road to get to the house. The place isn’t much to look at from the back, but when they go inside there are windows stretching up two stories with a stunning view of a sparkling lake. The first floor has a kitchen open to a living room with two comfortable couches and a dark leather armchair, and a dining table off to the side. Upstairs is a landing that looks out over the living room, and past that are two bedrooms and a bathroom. Nothing fancy to take away from the beauty of what’s outside, but all very welcoming in woodsy shades of green and brown.

Danny opens the sliding doors to the deck, taking in the promised grill (which is, of course, gas, no need to have bought all that charcoal). He imagines coming out here early in the morning, drinking his coffee while the sun comes up over the lake.

There’s a small yard with a canoe pulled up out of the water. An aluminum dock stretches out away from the shore, with a speedboat tied securely to the side. Nice toys.

Steve hadn’t let him see any of the rental details, including the price. Said it was his treat. Danny had wondered if it was unfair, at the time, but he no longer has a problem with it. It’s a little petty, but Danny hopes it’s even more expensive than he guessed.

He goes back inside to help unpack the groceries, and sees Steve with his cell phone to his ear. “It’s Cath,” Steve explains. Danny wants to snatch Steve’s phone and hurl it across the room, but he refrains. Who knows, maybe Steve and Cath are having a critical conversation about their new wedding china.

Needing to put a little space between himself and whatever is so important that Steve still needs to be talking to Catherine, Danny goes out onto the deck again, and then down to the yard. He walks to the end of the dock and sits down, taking off his shoes so he can put his feet in the water.

The lake is cold and dark. Nothing like the warm, clear turquoise of the Hawaiian ocean. Danny takes a deep breath of the pine-scented air, and, remarkably, misses the salt smell of Steve’s beach. It figures that he’d get attached to that damn place.

At least Catherine hadn’t insisted on getting married at Steve’s house. Danny didn’t think he would have been able to go through with it, if she had. And despite his current state of misery, he knows there were good reasons to go through with it.

When Catherine called a few weeks ago with a lead on one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, Danny was more than willing to help her out. But then she revealed that she wouldn’t be able to get close to this guy unless she had the status of a married woman – and that being married to a particular former Navy SEAL would entice their target into thinking he could get something truly valuable from Cath. Danny had thought for sure that Steve would refuse.

Obviously, he didn’t.

To be fair, Catherine didn’t know – still doesn’t know – the true nature of Steve and Danny’s relationship. And although Danny is pretty sure that Five-0 suspects, he and Steve have never come out and told them, so they thought that the team would buy it.

And they did, as far as he can tell. It hurts, frankly, how easily they bought it. Despite everything their friends have seen between him and Steve, when Catherine showed up, everyone accepted that she was Steve’s soulmate, some magical creature who could waltz back into his life and be automatically adored. Sure, the wedding was put together quickly, but hey, look at those lovebirds finally getting their act together, how wonderful for them, let’s all help throw them a party to celebrate…

It makes Danny ache.

Only Rachel was let in on the secret, so she could help with their cover. It made sense - he and Rachel have been getting along well lately. Even Steve worried that they might get back together. So in the week before the wedding they played up the Rachel and Danny angle, Danny dropping her name into conversation more frequently and making sure everyone heard about a successful romantic dinner at Rachel’s favorite Honolulu hot spot.

Danny drew the line at a double date with Steve and Catherine, however. He had to retain some measure of dignity.

The pièce de résistance was Steve and Danny scheduling their honeymoon and vacation with their respective significant others at the same time, to give the rest of Five-0 a chance to really take charge of the team, fly without a net, etc. etc. Danny owes Steve $50 for that one, he’s still not sure how Steve got Tani to think it was her idea.

In theory, in the time that they are away, Cath will accomplish her mission, and the farce can be revealed. No harm no foul, life goes on.

Except Danny feels so goddamn awful, he’s forced to rethink the whole “no foul” business.

Danny pulls himself out of his thoughts as the dock vibrates with Steve’s footsteps.

“Mind if I join you?” Steve speaks in the same half-casual, half-tentative tone he’s been using for the past week or so.

“Sure.”

Steve sits down next to him, dangling his bare feet in the cool water next to Danny’s. Danny wonders how things would be different if this were another kind of trip - if Steve would be splashing him, poking him, shoving him off the dock. Following him in with a sleek dive, or a raucous cannonball. Wrapping his arms around Danny in the water, dunking him under and kissing him senseless when he came up.

“I really am sorry,” Steve says. Some kind of bird hoots in the distance, as if for punctuation.

“Don’t apologize,” Danny responds. He’s been over and over this in his head, and it’s not Steve’s fault. “I agreed to it.”

“But I’m still sorry. I hurt you. You can’t tell me I didn’t hurt you.”

There it is, then. The truth of it.

“Yeah,” Danny says softly. “You did.” He leans his head on his hands, elbows on his knees. “Or, really, the situation hurt. It wasn’t you.”

“That’s bullshit. Situations don’t just happen.”

“That’s remarkably perceptive of you,” Danny snaps, more sharply than he intended. He lets out a long breath, picking up his head to stare out over the lake. There’s a tiny island not too far away, trees sticking up haphazardly all over it, like Steve’s hair first thing in the morning.

“I should never have said yes to it,” Steve continues.

“We should never have said yes to it. But we did, and here we are.”

“And here we are,” Steve repeats quietly.

More long minutes go by. The goose or whatever it is hoots some more. Danny flicks a gnat away from his face, wishes he was wearing his sunglasses.

“I’ve gotta ask you something, Danny.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to fix this?”

The question takes him by surprise. “What?”

Steve looks at him sadly. “Did we screw it up too much, or do you want to try to fix it?”

Danny hears roaring in his ears. “Did I not just fly halfway across the planet on some lame-ass excuse just to do that very thing? What do you think we’re doing here? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Then why won’t you talk to me?”

Danny draws in a breath to yell some more, only no words come out. He shakes his head. “This is the weirdest conversation.”

Steve nods. “Kind of a role reversal, I get it. But Danny, to be clear, I do want to fix it. Us. Just so you know.”

Despite the fact that this should be obvious, it’s still good to hear. Danny feels himself relax a little bit more. “I figured as much, with all the eyelash fluttering.”

Steve snorts. “I do not flutter my eyelashes.”

“You totally do.”

Steve scoots a little closer to Danny, leans up against him and rests his head on his shoulder. Danny leans into him in response. He can’t help it, no matter how upset he is, his body wants to be close to Steve.

“Listen,” Steve says calmly. “I’m going to go back up to the house grill some steaks, put some beer on ice. We’re going to have a nice meal, watch some tv, and crash early. Sound good?”

Danny nods. “Yeah.”

“But tomorrow, we’re putting on our big boy pants and facing the music. No more moping. Deal?”

Danny wants to be annoyed – feelings don’t work that way – but it’s actually a relief to think there’s an end to this misery. Maybe super-SEAL Steve can just make it so. “Yeah. Deal.”

Danny plays around with the television while Steve grills, and puts on a documentary about the making of Game of Thrones. They eat sitting on the couches, beers on the coffee table, and argue about whether or not the writers treated Dany the way she deserved, and whether Bran could be a good ruler. Their banter almost feels normal.

After dinner they half-heartedly watch a few episodes of a cooking show, and then Danny cleans up while Steve goes upstairs with their luggage. Steve’s coming out of the shower by the time Danny goes upstairs, and he goes in to take his turn. The bathroom has a skylight in its slanted ceiling, but it’s dark now, and there’s nothing to see.

Steve’s in bed when Danny comes out, sitting up with his tablet on his lap. The bed is a queen, with a green and brown patchwork kind of quilt that Steve has pushed back. Steve’s wearing sweat pants and a worn Navy t-shirt, and looks about as non-threatening as a six foot tall guy in your bed can be.

Steve has unpacked their things into neat little piles in the drawers, and Danny quickly changes into his own sleep pants and t-shirt, trying not to feel self-conscious as he drops his towel and pulls on his clothes. It’s ridiculous, given how many times he’s been proudly naked in front of this man, but things feel different now.

There’s a rift between them, and Danny can’t seem to shake it. He thinks back to Steve’s question on the dock - do you want to fix this? Of course he does. He doesn’t understand what his problem is.

Steve reaches towards the light on the night table. “Do you want to go to sleep? Or read for a while?”

“Nah, I’m tired.”

Steve nods and turns off the light as Danny climbs into bed. It’s hard lying there without touching Steve, but Danny leaves a little strip of space anyway. Steve moves, and without conscious thought, Danny flinches.

There’s a long, awkward moment.

“I’m not going to do anything you don’t wanna do, Danny. But you acting like I might… it kinda stings.”

And doesn’t that pack a punch. “Fuck, Steve, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I’m just…” He doesn’t even know what to say, so he moves in close to Steve and wraps his arms around him.

“I miss you,” Danny says, his face pressed against Steve’s neck, “and I’m mad at you, and I want you, and at the same time I feel sick about the whole thing. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t know what to do.”

“I love you, Danny,” Steve says softly. “But I can’t make you forgive me if you don’t want to.”

“You think I don’t want to?”

Steve shrugs. “What do I know? It seems like it.”

“I’ll figure it out, Steve. I promise.” Danny lifts himself up on an elbow. He can’t really see Steve’s face, but he cups his cheek, and leans in for a kiss. Steve returns the kiss quickly, letting out a little sound of surprise.

They exchange gentle kisses for a few minutes, Steve lightly holding the back of Danny’s neck, then Danny pulls away and settles in his usual spot on Steve’s chest, cheek against the soft fabric of his t-shirt. Steve breathes heavily for a moment, rubbing circles on Danny’s back, and then presses a kiss to his hair.

“We’re gonna be okay, Danno,” Steve says, more confidence in his voice than Danny has heard in a while. “We’ll both figure it out. It’s gonna be okay.”

*****

Danny is awakened in the morning by the sound of his vibrating phone sliding off the night table and hitting the hardwood floor. He scrambles to reach it and hits answer when he sees that it’s Grace calling.

“Danno, you lied to me.”

Danny flops over on his back, glancing at the clock. Seven a.m., which means it’s noon in London. He wonders if Grace thought she was being considerate by waiting until seven to call him.

“Grace, it’s awfully early for this.”

“I think it’s kind of late, actually.”

Steve has clued into what’s happening by now, and has slid his head over right next to Danny’s so he can hear both sides of the conversation.

“What exactly are you mad about?” Danny doesn’t want to give away more than he needs to – maybe Grace is just peeved that Danny isn’t in London with them.

“The wedding, obviously. How could you not tell me what’s really going on?”

Danny sighs. “Because as mature and grown-up as you are, you actually aren’t eligible to be read into this op.”

“You can tell me. You told Mom.”

“I had to, monkey. How did you find out, anyway? Your mom’s a pretty decent liar, I thought she’d be able to stick to the story for at least a few more days.”

Steve snorts next to him, apparently in agreement about Rachel’s skills at deception.

“It was you, you gave it away.”

“I did not. I never said a thing.”

“Your face did,” Grace retorts. “You were so fake and annoying before the wedding, and during the ceremony you looked like you were going to hurl. You had me worried for Uncle Steve.”

“For Steve?”

“Yeah, I figured maybe he got cancer from the radiation, and he had to marry Catherine for the insurance, but Mom says that’s not it.”

Steve is shaking behind him, muffling his laughter into Danny’s shoulder. Danny swats him with his free hand and tries to focus on Grace.

“Your mother is right, Steve is fine, he thankfully does not have cancer or any other similar illness of which I am aware. And why would he need insurance from Catherine?”

“I don’t know, it’s a thing people get married for, how should I know? Mom always said your insurance was crappy, that’s why she tried to keep Charlie on Stan’s.”

The conversation is veering into territory Danny has no intention of exploring. “For the record, my health insurance is just fine, and so is Steve’s.” He takes a deep breath. “Grace, I really can’t discuss this right now. But Steve and I are fine. Hopefully I can tell you more in a few weeks, okay?”

“That’s not fair.”

“Can I talk to her?” Steve asks under his breath, pointing to the phone. Danny nods and hands it over.

“Grace? It’s Steve.” Steve rolls over and sits up on the edge of the bed, then gets up and walks out of the room with the phone. Danny is tempted to follow him, but then he decides he’ll just let Steve work his magic. Grace is much more likely to be satisfied with whatever Steve tells her. He tries not to take it too personally.

A few minutes later Steve returns and hands Danny the phone. He says a quick goodbye to Grace, who apparently needs to get ready to go out for lunch with her grandparents anyway, and hangs up.

“What did you say to her?”

Steve sits down on the edge of the bed, looking intently at Danny. “I told her that I love her and Charlie, and you, very much, and I would never do anything to hurt any of you. That you are the most important person in my life, and that nothing was happening that you and I didn’t plan together. I asked her if she could trust me on that, and wait to hear the rest of it for a few more weeks, and she said yes.”

Danny takes a moment to absorb this. “You told her that I was the most important person in your life?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Come here.” Danny pulls Steve against him, hugging him tight, and Steve squeezes him right back. “I love you, you know that, right?”

Steve nods against his shoulder.

“I do, Steve. I love you like crazy.”

They stay that way for a few minutes, and then Steve pulls away. “Okay if I go for a swim?”

Danny scans Steve’s face, but he can’t find any reason to say no, despite the fact that he’d rather keep Steve close. “Sure.”

While Steve’s gone Danny takes a quick shower, pulls on jeans and a sweatshirt, and heads downstairs to make coffee. There’s a thin layer of fog over the water, and he can’t see Steve. It’s not as if Steve can’t take care of himself in a lake that doesn’t even have any sharks in it, but he’ll feel better when he’s back.

Danny takes two cups of coffee and a towel out to the deck and sits at the table, letting his thoughts wander. He breathes easier when he spots Steve heading back towards the dock, his powerful strokes making ripples as he goes.

Watching Steve pull himself up on to the dock and walk towards the shore, water streaming down his body, is a view Danny will never get tired of.

Coming up on to the deck, Steve takes the towel from Danny with a grateful nod. After Steve dries himself off (also a great show) they sit together in silence for a little while, sipping their coffee.

“You know what I’m in the mood for?” Steve asks, breaking the silence.

“What?”

“Pizza.”

It’s still early in the morning, and Steve never wants pizza, but Danny isn’t about to object.

“Okay.”

By the time they get ready to leave the house, they still haven’t decided on whether to get take-out or go to the grocery store for the necessary items to make pizza from scratch. Danny used to do it all the time with Grace, so he knows they can do a decent job themselves, but then they see a pizza joint that opens early, and they decide to take the lazy way out.

They still have some time to kill so they walk around the little town for a while, browsing in a bookstore with a surprisingly interesting selection of books about mysteries in New England, and treating themselves to an overpriced pound of assorted gummies and chocolate covered fruit from a candy store. Danny buys them lattes flavored with real maple syrup, which Steve declares disgusting. Danny kind of agrees, although he’s not about to admit it.

Finally the pizza place opens, and they scroll through their phones as they wait for their order to be ready. Danny’s got a text from Grace apologizing for being a pain and sending him a bunch of cute emojis, which do their job and make him smile.

When their order is called Steve offers to pay – the first time that day, Danny can’t help but point out – and just as he’s digging his fingers into his wallet to extract his money, a ring flies out and clatters to the ground, rolling away towards the door.

The woman next to them at the counter dives for it and hands it back to Steve. “Got it!” she announces triumphantly. “You wouldn’t want to lose this.”

The tips of Steve’s ears have gone red, but he plays along, thanking the woman and stuffing the ring into his pocket.

Danny takes the pizza and they walk out to the Jeep. Danny is concentrating on not saying anything, because anything he says is just going to make matters worse. When they get inside, Steve starts the car, pulls out onto the road, and then glances at him pointedly before speaking.

“Okay, out with it.”

“What?”

“You’re dying to yell at me,” Steve says. “Go ahead, get it over with.”

“I’m not going to yell at you. Why would I yell at you? You haven’t even started driving yet.”

“Danny…”

Danny considers his options. Steve’s right, he’s probably not going to be able to keep quiet about this. Might as well get it over with or Steve will just keep bothering him about it. “Just wondering if that’s the same ring Harry gave you to use back in Laos. Or if you got a new one.”

A pause. Danny watches Steve’s face, but he doesn’t give anything away.

“And that matters… why?”

Danny shrugs. “Don’t know. But you asked, and that’s what I was thinking.”

“No, it’s not the same ring – Harry took those rings back.” Steve’s definitely got a tone, and not surprisingly, it’s fairly tense. “What, do you think I’ve had the rings sitting around my house this whole time?”

“How would I know? You never got rid of the engagement ring you got Cath.”

Steve’s fingers tighten around the steering wheel. “I didn’t know what to do with it.”

“Well, guess it’s a good thing you kept it.” Which is completely unfair of Danny to say. It doesn’t even make sense – Steve and Cath just used plain gold wedding rings in the ceremony, as it turned out, although Danny had expected to see the diamond make an appearance. He had, in fact, driven himself kind of nuts waiting for it to appear on Catherine’s finger in the days before the wedding. Not that he was looking that closely, or anything.

It’s only a few minutes’ drive back to the house, although it feels like forever. When they pull into the driveway, Steve turns off the car and sits still for a long moment, biting his lip. Finally he turns to Danny.

“You know, this hasn’t been fun for me either. When I wanted to ask for real, Catherine rejected me. Then she comes back and wants a wedding, not because she cares about me, but because I’m useful.”

“You looked like you were having fun, standing up there in your tux in front of everyone, professing your love and devotion.” Danny regrets his words as soon as they leave his mouth. He knows it’s not true, but he can’t seem to stop picking at this scab.

“Danny, if you think there is anyone I want to be saying those words to besides you, you really haven’t been paying attention.” Steve gets out of the car and closes the door, walking into the house without even a glance back in Danny’s direction.

Danny leans over and bangs his head against the dashboard.

The smell of pizza permeates the car. It’s not helping.

Danny’s torn between wanting to give Steve a minute or two to cool off, and knowing that time probably won’t make his fuck-up any less painful. Taking the pizza with him (it’s not the pizza’s fault Danny is a dumb-ass) he goes inside the house.

Steve is out on the deck, leaning against the railing.

“I’m sorry, babe. I was out of line. I’m sorry.”

Danny comes up behind Steve, puts his hands on his shoulders and leans his forehead against his back. “Please, you know I’m an idiot when I start running my mouth. I’m sorry.”

Steve turns in Danny’s arms, his face drawn, eyes flickering up to Danny’s and then back down again. “This hurt me too,” he says, his voice rough. “Why can’t you see that?”

Danny feels his heart break. “I do, I do see it. I should have seen it before. I’m sorry.” Danny tilts his head up and kisses Steve, who kisses back with more force than Danny expected, sending a sudden shiver down his spine. Steve practically attacks his mouth, biting at his lip, clutching tight at Danny’s sides.

Danny feels Steve shuffle him backwards, until he’s pushed down into a chair, Steve straddling him and grabbing his face with both hands.

The deck chair creaks and Danny turns his face just enough to get a full breath, holding Steve back when he tries to dive back in for more.

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Danny says. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“Danny…” Steve pants out, sounding desperate. “What do I have to do? Just tell me, I’ll do it, I don’t want to fight anymore.”

“We’re not fighting. It’s okay, we’re fine. I promise. We’re fine.”

Steve sags against Danny, still breathing hard. Danny strokes his hands up and down Steve’s back, trying to soothe him. “This was a dumb plan, okay? We both know that now, we got the memo. But the worst is over, right? No more watching the love of our life marry somebody else, no more having to pretend with fucking Catherine. That part’s all done.”

Steve squirms in Danny’s hold, and then sits up, the wrecked look on his face replaced by something decidedly more hopeful. “The love of your life?”

Danny rocks his head back, embarrassed, but he can’t avoid Steve’s gaze for long. “Yes, you goof. You’re the love of my life. I’ll write it on a pancake if you want. Now get off me, before I lose all feeling in my legs.”

Steve complies, lifting a long leg gracefully up and over Danny’s lap. “You couldn’t fit that on a pancake.”

“Two pancakes, then. Or one really big pancake.”

“Will you butter them for me?”

Danny accepts Steve’s hand and lets him pull him up out of the chair, his back protesting at the angle. “How about we reheat that pizza, and save the pancakes for later?”

*****

The next few days feel almost normal, although it’s downright strange to have all this time with Steve and so little to do. Unlike normal, though, they don’t fill their free time with sex. It just doesn’t feel right.

One afternoon they take the speedboat out. Once they get past the little island with the funny trees the lake opens up. It’s much bigger than Danny had realized, and they cruise around for an hour or so, exploring the little coves and looking for the bird Danny keeps hearing hoot at them.

“It’s a loon, Danny,” Steve insists. But Danny can’t take this seriously, as “you’re a loon” seems to be the only appropriate response.

They’ve turned off the boat’s engine, just letting themselves drift. The sun is warmer today, and Steve has stripped off his shirt and is lying back with his eyes closed. He looks like something out of a magazine.

“Naptime?” Danny asks.

“Yeah, you should try it.”

“Aren’t you afraid we’ll run into something?”

Steve sits up. “I put down the anchor. How did you miss that?”

Danny shrugs. “I was looking for the bird.”

Steve opens his mouth to say “loon” but realizes that Danny is goading him, and stops himself just in time. “Come on, come up here with me.”

Steve is stretched out on the deck by the bow, and he’s got a cushion under his head. Danny tosses his own shirt below in the little cabin and climbs forward, joining Steve on the deck. He lies down carefully, shuffling until his head is next to Steve’s.

The rocking of the boat is incredibly calming, and the heat of the sun on his skin quickly warms him through. He runs his fingers over the bumpy surface of the deck. “What if we never went back?”

Steve nuzzles Danny’s head. “You’d miss Grace and Charlie.”

“We could visit.”

“You’d get bored. You’re bored already.”

“Says the man who felt the need to tune-up our rental car yesterday.”

“It was making a noise.”

“It’s a car, it’s supposed to make noise.” Danny sighs, poking at Steve’s side until Steve wraps their hands together. “It’s just nice to be away, I guess.”

“Didn’t know you liked pine trees so much.”

“I don’t think it’s the pine trees.” Danny lifts himself up a little, leans over and presses a kiss to Steve’s cheekbone, his hair blowing down over his face.

“That tickles,” Steve responds, cupping Danny’s face to guide Danny’s lips to his own. “Mmm, better.”

They make out lazily for a while, and then Steve dozes off, resting his face against Danny’s bare shoulder. Danny considers ribbing him for falling asleep while kissing, but then decides to take it as a compliment.

Later that night, as Danny is joining Steve in bed – once again, both of them clad in t-shirts and sleep pants - Danny manages to put words to the elephant in the room.

“You, um, you don’t mind? That we’re not-” he waves his hand vaguely between them.

Steve shrugs. “It’s fine. Besides, for the moment, I’m married. At least until we file for divorce.” He doesn’t say it like a joke, more like a death sentence.

“Babe, are you… are you worried about committing adultery?”

Steve blushes. “No, of course not.”

He maybe is, Danny thinks. Who could have guessed? Danny gets in bed and scoots over towards Steve. “I was assuming we were both not engaging in… whatever,” he waves his hand again, “for the same reasons, but now I’m not so sure.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Steve says, clearly uncomfortable.

“I think it does,” Danny says gently. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

Steve purses his lips. “You already did.”

“You didn’t have sex with Catherine after the wedding, right?” Danny may have been upset at having to watch Steve go through with the ceremony, including kissing the bride, but not once has he doubted Steve’s fidelity.

Steve’s eyes widen. “Of course not, Danny, what do you think-”

“So you won’t be filing for divorce, it’ll be an annulment. As if it never happened.”

Danny’s not sure how this detail never occurred to Steve, but it clearly did not. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Oh.” A little smile pulls at the corner of Steve’s mouth. “An annulment. That’s, um, that’s better.” He glances up at Danny. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being divorced, if you meant to be married in the first place, but-” Steve sighs and ducks his head, leaning against Danny’s side.

“But what?”

“It felt like I was wasting it with her. The whole time, through the ceremony, and the reception, with all the flowers and congratulations and celebrating… I felt so empty. And then I went to find you, and you were already gone – which I totally understand, but still… it wasn’t right. I guess I wanted it to be special.”

Danny slides down and wraps an arm around Steve, taking a moment to judge Steve’s mental state before responding. He almost always laughs, no matter how awful Danny’s jokes are, but they’re on shaky ground these days.

“I’m sorry, babe,” Danny finally says, seriously. “I’m sorry you wasted your wedding virginity on Catherine.”

Steve barks out a laugh, and then Danny is laughing too, until they’re both clutching their stomachs and gasping for air.

“Guess you can’t wear white at our wedding,” Danny spits out between cackles.

“That’s offensive and archaic, I can wear whatever I want,” Steve replies, still laughing.

It seems to take forever before they calm down, one of them starting up again and setting the other off, but they finally relax. Danny rests his head on Steve’s chest, fingers playing idly with the collar of his t-shirt.

“So,” Steve says, “you, um, think we’re going to have a wedding someday, you and me?”

Danny is suddenly glad he’s got a shirt on, because otherwise he’d probably be sporting a full body blush. “If it’s up to me? Yeah.”

Steve squeezes Danny so tight for a moment he can hardly breathe. “I’d like that too.”

*****

Danny’s getting out the ingredients to make pancakes the next morning when Steve’s phone rings. Steve picks it up and answers, straightening his shoulders in a way that makes Danny stop rattling pans and pay attention.

“Okay. Understood. Understood.”

This side of the call isn’t very informative, and Steve has walked out onto the deck, clearly focused on the conversation. Soon Danny sees him shove his phone back into his pocket, and then turn towards Danny with a wide grin on his face.

“Danno?” Steve strides towards him and takes him in his arms. “It’s over. Cath’s op is done, the guy is in custody. We don’t have to pretend anymore. It’s over.”

“That’s great, babe-” Whatever else Danny was going to say is lost as Steve kisses him hard and long. Danny gives back just as enthusiastically, pulling away just long enough to nip at Steve’s jaw and suck at that spot on his neck that always makes Steve moan - and today is no exception. Danny’s practically humping Steve’s leg when Steve stops them and starts to tug Danny towards the stairs.

Danny nearly trips over his own feet in his hurry to follow him, and Steve beams back at him. They’re both stripping off their clothes as they go up, but Steve grabs Danny’s hands just as he’s about to divest himself of his briefs.

“Hang on, buddy, we need to make sure we’re on the same page,” Steve says, still grinning like a lunatic.

“I dunno, you get over your aversion to cheating on your not-wife?”

Steve’s smile gets impossibly wider, and he yanks his pants up off the floor, pulling out his cell phone from a pocket and stabbing at it vigorously.

“It’s not cheating if she says it’s ok – see?”

Steve’s pulled up a text, clearly from Cath, which says you have my full permission to ravish and be ravished. Danny’s kind of curious as to what exactly Steve asked, to get that kind of response, but that’s a question for another time. Right now, there are more important matters to attend to.

“So, which one will it be, then?” Danny asks, as Steve gets his thumbs under the waistband of Danny’s briefs and impatiently renders Danny naked. “Ravish or be ravished?”

Steve drops to his knees and smiles up at Danny, his hands already sliding up Danny’s thighs and making him quiver. “I’ll bet we can do both.”

They do.

#H50 #Hawaii Five-0 #mcdanno #Steve McGarrett #Danny Williams #my fic #Bound To Be Together #Alternate Ending

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