#because the Reigen fic is going to have ten characters and ten ships and i might only tag one or the other to avoid the dreaded Wall Of Tags

[daughterofhecata]

(there is no third answer, if your number one way of filtering is another, choose which if these you're more likely to do, if you do both, choose which you do more often?)

[pockethep]

Can I ask your top 10 fav fics ever (from any fandom, if you don't mind)?

Also, just curious, is there a story behind your name "pockethep"?

I’ve had this Tumblr for a molten minute and originally it was a Pokemon themed blog before I deleted my side blogs (a choice I regret every day). The Pocket in my user came from “Pocket Monsters” and the HEP was just tagged on because a lot of pocket monster themes names weren't available but younger me wanted to be open to having a blog that wasn't just 1 thing.

Now for the fics…

These are in no order whatsoever. This is based purely on fanfics that I love that no matter what I keep going back to, there are honestly a lot I could put especially if I think harder but its late and I'm typing on my phone.

Yesterday Upon The Stair by PitViperOfDoom on AO3. (My Hero Academia)

Genuinely an amazing fanfic, probably the best BNHA fanfic I’ve ever read which is a strong title to hold. It even has its own TV Tropes Page. It was Published in 2016 and I read it religiously. It had it all, Queerplatonic relationships, Drama, Angst, heartwarming moments, and realistic character depictions. It’s one of those fanfics that most people in the fandom know as “One of the Big Ones”.

A Breach of Trust by Phantomrose96 on AO3 (Mob Psycho 100)

Another “One of the Big Ones” and another fanfic that I’ve been following since it was published way back in 2016 (a wonder how 2016 had a lot of really great fanfics just like how a lot of good writing came from the quarantine). This is such a good fanfic, that really expands past the base content of the manga/anime and has a well fleshed out world as well as characters. It’s a drama that has a good dose of angst and I love the way the relationship between Mob and Reigen develops.

Issho by ToastyToaster22 on AO3 (Mob Psycho 100)

Normally I’d try to keep it one to a fandom with these types of lists/asks but Issho was really good. Once again has the bonus of being a fanfic from one of my favorite anime/manga. But it highlights one of my favorite characters, Teru, in a way that develops him very well over the course of the series. Issho is just the first of ten parts and I'd recommend reading all of them.

Salvage by MuffinLance on AO3 (Avatar the Last Airbender)

One of my comfort ATLA fanfics. A great amount of humor, angst, and a lot of found family. I absolutely adore Hakodad pics and Zuko honestly deserves it but Salvage has the plus of adding more additional siblings and a cute isopuppy because Zuko really deserves it.

fool in the moon by arahir on Ao3 (Trigun)

Despite having read the Trimax manga and having seen the original Trigun anime, I didn’t actually start reading fan fiction for it until Trigun Stampede paraded through…And BOY was I missing out. Although fool in the moon is a recent addition to the roster of amazing pics, it’s up there as one of my favorite. It’s a vashwood fic with a healthy dose of angst and comfort. I don’t know what it is but Trigun writers all have the ability to write the most visceral things.

(HONORABLE MENTION: A Ship and his Anchor by DerringerMeryl who aced the Vash whump.)

Press 9 to delete this Message by moriturism on Ao3 (Jujutsu Kaisen)

One of the most cleverly written fics not just on this list but that I’ve read. I can’t recommend it enough, even to those that don’t ship satosugu. This is a hurt no comfort fic and the way my stomach sunk reading the date for one of the last messages is a feeling few people can replicate. It’s good all around. 11/10

Those Hands Were Meant To Love by Ahenix on Ao3 (Spy X Family)

I think this is one of the big fics for Spy X Family and for a reason. It’s fluff without plot, and I love a good bit of found family and fluff especially centered around my favorite “fake” family. I read this one a couple times last year because it’s cute and its only 6 chapters.

Cascading (In a good way) by Hubbleablubble on Ao3 (Genshin)

There are a lot of well written genshin fics but this one is my favorite both for the ship (Kaebedo) and that I enjoy the way the characters are written. I like how everyone was written in this. Although it’s only a chapter the pacing was great, especially as it told their story from strangers to friends to lovers. It also mentioned Khaenri’ah Royalty Kaeya which is a huge plus.

(HONORABLE MENTION Song of Resistance by TheOpticalMouse absolutely check this out, its a series of 2 fics)

Starstruck by shizuoh on Ao3 (Yuri on Ice)

All that needs to be said is that the author basically created the Actor Victor Nikiforov tag on ao3. It’s a fic that’s been there since around 2016 when the show debuted and it hasn’t left my favorites for a while alongside a lot of others. Featuring the aforementioned actor Viktor, a barista/babysitter yuuri, and Yuri as a child caught up between the two. There are a lot of great’s and this is one of them.

(HONORABLE MENTIONS: There are a lot of Yuri on Ice fics I could have put here so…Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart aches by Reiya (The Biggest Diamond among the rest of the diamonds), crust and sugar over by ShanaStoryteller, Where the Cliff Greets the Sea)

Academic Intrigue by kassvea on Ao3 (Word of Honor)

It’s a modern AU, college/university AU with well written characters that are true to the original source. It’s a story about starting over, especially given the scandal at the start of the fic. I love the connection between Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing in all forms of media but this is one of my favorites.

(HONORABLE MENTION: Sanguine by jaemyun this is one of the big word of honor fics and for a reason.)

[paintalyx]

hey can you maybe recommend some of your favourite fics please!!

aaaah, i'm a little behind on asks because of college but i saw this and i couldn't help but scramble to respond as soon as i found the time!!!! i'm super flattered that you're asking me for fic recommendations, but you didn't specify any fandoms or genres so i can't guarantee that any of these will be your cup of tea (feel free to shoot me another ask if you'd like to elaborate though!!!!). i'll try to be as diverse as an unapologetic angstlord can be, so here we go:

(note: while i did my best to add cws, it's still possible that something slipped past me, so please be mindful. as a rule of thumb, i'm not going to add warnings for stuff that's already depicted in canon material)

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campfire in your chest (haikyuu!!, canonverse, tsukkiyama-main & kagehina-side)

Kei realizes in their second year of high school that he's probably been in love with Yamaguchi since they were ten. However hopeless he might be in handling that situation, Kei prays he's at least not as hopeless as Hinata and Kageyama. But he just might be.

four tags for you: pining, slow-burn, friends to lovers and unresolved sexual tension. this one's a classic, an old favourite of mine. i remember reading it on lunch breaks in high school while daydreaming about my crush and getting frustrated with tsukishima because "dammit, at least one of us needs to get it together and that won't be me anytime soon". also, once your done with reading this, please do yourself a favour and spare some time to check out the companion piece to this fic, "stay, stay, stay", which can be summed up simply as "meanwhile, kagehina".

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a soft place to fall (jojo's bizarre adventure: vento aureo, canon divergence, narancia/trish); cw: major character death

“This is my wound, too,” Narancia softly says, eyes shadowed by so many dark lashes. He presses down over her pulse, and Trish’s heart jumps to meet it. “And this is my heartbeat. I can be brave because you’re brave.”

In the ten days between Corsica and Sardinia, Trish learns about her new power, reflects on the past, and finds her reasons.

this deserves so much attention!! i love the writing style, the character interactions— everything just feels special and different! it's been a hot minute since i watched part 5, but i have distinct and fond memories of reading this fic. it really did trish's character justice and, as a sweet bonus, it successfully got me hooked on this adorable pairing.

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count the days until they blur, then keep on counting (mob psycho 100, canon divergence, gen); cw: torture, child abuse, imprisonment, starving

What Teruki wanted was power, right? What he wanted was to hurt people? Even if he didn't, he's got it now.

okay, this *may* seem bad, but it's hands down one of my all time favourite reads, not just as a fanfic. it has a happy end (worry not!), reigen being a reluctant disaster dad and teru— god, i love the way he thinks, feels, *copes* and changes as a person over the course of this fic. it shows all sides of him, the good, the bad and the ugly. he tries, he struggles, he relapses and recovers. some works just stick with you forever, and i'd be lying if i said that this one didn't change my life. like, i thought that it was the bee's knees the first time i read it and i was so mad that it had to end that i talked my friend's ear off about how unfair it was (though upon re-reading, when i was older and capable of understanding things a little better, i decided that the ending was perfect as it was). it's definitely not a work that i would recommend to someone sensitive, but i think i've established myself as someone who enjoys meaningful angst.

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storm shelter (genshin impact, canon compliant, gen); cw: animal death

Three different times, over the years, Diluc and Kaeya are trapped together in the snow.

i'm a sucker for unconventional sibling dynamics and messy, conflicted feelings and this fic *provides*. it's clear that diluc and kaeya care for each other deeply, but they're both stubborn dumbasses about it (mihoyo, let these two talk again, i'm begging you). though the scenario in each snippet is somewhat similar, pov shifts to kept things fresh and prevented the story from becoming repetitive.

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being a wingman is a full time job (genshin impact, canon compliant, chiluc)

“What are you doing in Mondstadt?”

“You didn’t show up this week!” Childe says. “Aether brought Hu Tao instead. She really handed it to me, but it just wasn’t the same.”

“You…” Diluc stops. “You came all the way to Mondstadt just because I didn’t show up?”

Oh?

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Kaeya discovers Diluc has a crush and, despite not being on the best of terms with his estranged brother, takes it upon himself to be the ultimate wingman.

this isn't among my favourite pairings for either party, but rumour says that if you say "oh, chiluc is just a crackship" enough times, you'll start shipping it for real so here we are. boy, where do i start?? a lighthearted, humorous fic every once in a while is good for the soul, basically a requirement. obvious idiot/oblivious idiot is a trope that i don't think i'll ever get tired of, but making the entire story be told from wingman's pov adds some extra spice to it.

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a cheap imitation (durarara, canonverse, shizaya); cw: graphic depictions of violence and gore

“Attached to your neck is a collar that will inject a poison into your jugular vein two days from now. Forcibly removing the device will also trigger the poison. Somewhere on this island is the antidote.”

His hands reached up to his neck and he felt the cool metal of the collar.

“Live or die. Make your choice.”

god. these two are so disgusting and problematic, i love them. this fic pulls no stops. the author really looked at these two dumbasses and said "yeah, the only way they'd ever get along realistically is in a life or death situatio— wait," and we gotta appreciate that. well-thought-out survival stories are a very specific niche that i've always enjoyed, so adding familiar characters into the mix can only get me more intrigued. author also snatches all my uwus for appealing to my inner neat-freak and consistently finding different ways to give the boys hygienic products. if you want drama, tension and survival with some humour sprinkled in for the ~flavour~, this is a perfect read!

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i admit i got a little carried away, but honestly??? who wouldn't when talking about something as wonderful as taking something that someone has poured their heart and soul into adding onto it out of love and passion??? i'm totally setting myself up for psychoanalysis with these recs, but tastes are subjective. i hope you'll find something of interest!! ^^