#caiowe fic recs

[eulaties]

MAHOYAKU FIC RECS ★ CAIOWE ★ #31

fics that have an asterisk (*) in front of them are my personal favorites!

this list was last updated on 7/9/23.

NOTE: these fic recs contain the ship cain/owen.

if you want general mahoyaku fic recs click here

if you want ozfiga fic recs click here

if you want lenofau fic recs click here

*rather, its base and apex are curvilinear • one-shot

SUMMARY: "owen has done part of the stealing, an eye for an eye, a gift for a theft. and it is the humans, as ever, who plunder the rest. no man could be a knight and a wizard, and no man ever wanted to be near a wizard. so the knight is knight no more.”

TAGS: non-linear narrative, recurring references to owen’s past, owen taking cain’s eye, angst, blood and injury, meeting again, developing relationship

*get a hold of you • one-shot

SUMMARY: “owen is still staring in on him from the other side of the window, and all cain can see is a reflection of himself. it’s his own face, angular and boyish, and his own hair, red in a manner that whispers of shattered pasts, but the smile that sits atop the illusion of himself is wide and close to sickening. the eyes, his eyes, are the same, but it has been that way for years. it’s familiar now, against his will.”

TAGS: set before 1st anniversary story, developing relationship, eye trauma, cain working through his feelings and owen being a little bit of a cunt (the usual)

*at the point of the sword • one-shot

SUMMARY: “you also forget, mister knight, that i am a wizard of the north.” he violates cain’s space, as he delights in doing: his breath ghosts over cain’s face, cain’s own caught in his throat, his eyes locked on this unwanted matching set. “i could kill you,” owen whispers, barely moving his mouth, much less his body. it feels like his gloved finger has slowly traced cain’s jaw.”

TAGS: character study, developing relationship, a fic revolving around owen’s deaths and subsequent revivals, the sheer homoeroticism of sparring with your mortal enemy, owen-typical blood and injury, wanting someone you love to kill you can actually be so personal

*axis, tilting • one-shot

SUMMARY: "hey, owen," murr asks one day, eyes wide and voice lilting, sing-song. "what’s it like to die?"

TAGS: set before 1st anniversary story, owen character study, tension, developing relationship, owen pushing others away but slowly learning to open up.....we love to see it, i really like the pancake scene bc i could totally envision it happening, fluff

*dust and gold • one-shot

SUMMARY: “cain, who’s an idiot and will probably die soon, who comes asking for magic tips even if his teacher is supposed to be the stronger wizard alive. owen looks at him, auburn in his hair and spring in the way his lips curve upwards, and thinks fool, and also dunce. it’s full of fondness, which scares and irritates him in equal parts.”

TAGS: owen character study, fluff, angst, developing relationship

NOTES: i love how this fic discusses owen’s past in regards to his life after he was “set free” and before he was summoned as a sage’s wizard!! its rare to see caiowe fics focus on that

*ceux qui rêvent • one-shot

SUMMARY: "if you need saving, i'll come running, you know." there isn't a smile on his face, but there's something glimmering in his eyes, owen notices. "i'll be by your side, owen. i told you i would be." 

TAGS: spoilers for 1st anniversary story, fluff, light angst, comfort, owen singing, trust, mutual pining, true love right here...

NOTES: i could literally go on and on about this fic its perfect and i love it so much. highly recommend

*the heart of a ghost • one-shot

SUMMARY: “a moment of silence trapped both of them, with nothing but the faint sound of the music seeping through the cracks. a slow but beautiful song meant for lovers, its tranquil tempo highlighting cain’s erratic heartbeat. maybe cain would get blasted off the balcony and would end up ruining arthur's gardens below, but the proposition so easily rolled out of his tongue like it had been kept safe somewhere, tentatively waiting.”

TAGS: fluff, romantic ballroom dancing, mutual pining, soft vibes, i always imagine a pink evening sky when reading this

NOTES: this fic is amazing omg.....made me feel like i was the one pining

*a farewell, to all woes I was meant to sow • one-shot

SUMMARY: “cain decides to confess to owen everyday until he gets a proper answer.”

TAGS: character study, owen-centric, angst, they both go on a mission to the north, first kiss

NOTES: the sequel to “the heart of a ghost”!

*everything is a western wizard’s fault • one-shot

SUMMARY: “every time he waved at owen and tried to approach him, owen scowled and cast a teleportation spell right away, leaving a mystified cain behind. bradley and mithra also seemed awfully keen on gifting him alcohol and inviting him out to drink, both with knowing grins on their faces. just what in the world happened last night?”

TAGS: fluff, mutual pining, the wizards drinking in the lounge, cain being a little dum, flustered owen, humor, so cutee

*a moment of peace • one-shot

SUMMARY: "owen scoffed, ignoring him. 'o so brave mister knight got bit by one of the poisonous spiders in this area. isn't it hilarious?' yet owen's voice seemed to lack any humor. cain thought it was quite soothing when owen talked so close to his ear, like a whisper. or maybe he wasn't thinking straight anymore.”

TAGS: established relationship, fluff, cain sleeping on owens lap and owen singing to him....real disney princess moment

*there's nothing for the sky to offer • one-shot

SUMMARY: “don’t go,” those words slip past cain’s lips before he could think, like a plea he had been holding back, a phrase he failed to swallow down his throat and bury deep inside him where no one can reach. just like that day. their eyes meet, a mix of blazing ruby and shimmering gold, a blend of conflicting desires that neither of them understood, remaining at the tip of their tongues to rot. and almost like a moth drawn to a flame, owen stays.

TAGS: prose, relationship study, set around winter holidays (festive season), spoilers for 2nd anniversary story, mutual pining, i love the vibes of this fic, also the yearning here....... 

NOTES: deadass this fic made me cry like. its not even supposed to be sad but the writing was just that good

*bittersweet • one-shot

SUMMARY: “i’m saying that," his voice is unusually quiet as he continues, "i have two eyes, but there's only one of you.”

TAGS: the mortifying ordeal of being known, emotionally repressed owen, confessions, first kiss

*lent lily • one-shot

SUMMARY: “owen has never been one to indulge in emotional desires. except for when he's around the knight.”

TAGS: character study, developing relationship, fluff, comforting hugs

*kiss with a fist • one-shot

SUMMARY: “of course i know how to dance, you dumb knight,” owen scoffs, taking cain's hands off the sage and grabbing his wrists.

TAGS: developing relationship, romantic tension, owen is good at waltzing

crisis mess • one-shot

SUMMARY: “the day after the tree was set up, the sage furthered owen’s misery by announcing what they called a secret santa.”

TAGS: secret santa, light angst, fluff, i especially liked the restaurant scene it was so cute, they care about each other......

la di dah • one-shot

SUMMARY: “the courtyard is a good place for singing and dancing.”

TAGS: fluff, dancing in the courtyard to happy music, friendship, set before 1st anniversary

my dove • one-shot

TAGS: owen transforms into a dove to visit cain, fluff

irreplaceable • one-shot

SUMMARY: “what cain could remember about his very first impression of owen, even before the attack started, was laying his eyes on the man and some part of his brain telling him very clearly that’s a corpse.”

TAGS: cain’s pov, developing relationship, character study

behind these golden eyes • short drabble

SUMMARY: “owen always hated the color gold.”

[eulaties]

MAHOYAKU FIC RECS ★ GENERAL ★ #30

fics that have an asterisk (*) in front of them are my personal favorites!

this list was last updated on 7/9/23.

NOTE: this is an assorted collection of fic recs for mhyk, including ships such as bradnero, shymurr, misuruchi, and shinoheath. not spoiler-free!

if you want caiowe fic recs click here

if you want ozfiga fic recs click here

if you want lenofau fic recs click here

*fault lines • multi-chapter (2/2) • bradley/nero

SUMMARY: “how is it that their relationship has been reduced to this stupid, childish masquerade, where every single thing that bradley does seems to be stepping on nero’s toes?"

TAGS: relationship study, angst, pining, relationship status: its complicated

NOTES: the summary excerpt i put does not do this justice so just do yourself a favor and read the fic!!! the bradnero characterization is so amazing incredible showstopping

*wishbone • one-shot • bradley/nero

SUMMARY: “early as sin, and nero was already fighting a panic attack over a room full of stolen objects worth pounds more in diamonds than he was. fuck’s sake, he thought, slightly hysterical, the mirror’s embedded with rubies. it’s 13th century, the hell is it doin’ in a room with me?”

TAGS: canon-compliant, character study, cooking, found family, fluff, light angst, intertwined paths...

*you’re the reason i believe in ghosts • one-shot • bradley/nero

SUMMARY: “nero wishes he could go back.”

TAGS: drabble, hurt no comfort, angst, bittersweet ending

*(our) time is running out • one-shot • bradley/nero

SUMMARY: “sometimes it feels like bradley has a pit in him that burns hot where nero’s feels empty, cold.

TAGS: pre-canon, relationship study, memories, hurt no comfort, angst

*drunk off this sweet mood • one-shot • shylock/murr

SUMMARY: “murr's found something new that catches his eye: the barkeep at the bennett bar.”

TAGS: even more pre-canon, murr’s pov, back when shylock and murr first met, bantering, enemies to ???, murr before his soul shattered (loathsome murr), reading this makes my heart ache....

*capulet garden • one-shot • shylock/murr

SUMMARY: “he jests at scars that never felt a wound. all shylock can do is watch.”

TAGS: pre-canon, passive aggressive flirting via shakespeare, romeo and juliet references, prose, soul shattering, angst

*odds and ends • one-shot • shylock/murr

SUMMARY: “murr seems to consume all of his thoughts; and so, shylock knows it is love.”

TAGS: present-day canon, shylock’s pov, character and relationship study, the amount of pining here is off the charts, shylock waxing poetic about his love....classic western wizard things!

*how easy you are to need • one-shot • shino/heathcliff

SUMMARY: “so heathcliff keeps himself in check, muzzles his hypothetical non-platonic feelings, and smiles gratefully when shino appears at his door. that’s the safest option.”

TAGS: heathcliff's pov, fluff, yearning, childhood friends mutual pining you all know how it goes

*3 different ways to annoy heathcliff blanchett • one-shot • shino/heathcliff

SUMMARY: “his first thought was: ah, shit, he’s pretty. his second one was: wait, since when has he worn glasses?”

TAGS: shino’s pov, he is down bad, mutual pining, fluff, humor

a couple’s room • one-shot • shino/heathcliff

SUMMARY: “there's only one free room at the hotel, and you know how the story goes. they only had one bed.”

TAGS: mutual pining, fluff, they r so silly

unexpectedly • one-shot • shino/heathcliff

SUMMARY: "when he had stepped into that room earlier, the last thing heath had expected was to get confessed to.”

TAGS: sickfic, accidental confession, fluff

what words cannot say • multi-chapter (1/2) • shino/heathcliff

SUMMARY: “when you can't apologize, what else is there to do?”

TAGS: character/relationship study, bittersweet, unresolved ending

you, who are no one • one-shot

SUMMARY: “in his quest to understand desire, nero learns it.”

TAGS: pre-canon, nero character study, angst, set shortly after his departure from the bandit gang

requited but unequal • one-shot • bradley/nero

SUMMARY: “nero has no shortage of dissent, and almost he speaks it, but of the many things time has taught him, utmost is: he cannot expect bradley to ignore the thrill of life no more than he can expect to get drunk off water. for all they share in common, the sharp divide in how they each see life is too big to surmount. he tries not to think about it.“

TAGS: pre-canon, the fracturing of their relationship, angst

beast • one-shot • shylock/murr

SUMMARY: "shylock nudged his way through the open door, eyes wide with disbelief. if the figure hunched before him was murr, it was a version of murr that looked as though it had been dragged straight through hell and back. murr's bedroom was made nearly unrecognizable. the blueprints and sketches for new creations that usually hung on every open inch of wall were torn down, laying on the floor, reduced to shredded piles.”

TAGS: pre-canon, a fic exploring what happened when shylock found murr after his soul shattered, angst, hurt/comfort, fall from grace?, pain.......

CW: the descriptions of what happened to murr both mentally and physically after his soul shattered may be a little distressing to read

our final night alive • one-shot • shylock/murr

SUMMARY: “the night before murr’s soul shattered.”

TAGS: canon-compliant, relationship study, bittersweet, inspired by west rhapsody

familiarly unfamiliar • one-shot • mithra/rutile

SUMMARY: “it feels warmer lately.”

TAGS: drabble, fluff

warmth • one-shot • mithra/rutile

SUMMARY: "with rutile by his side, all mithra could feel was a lot of emotions and things that he has rarely ever experienced. but mostly, warmth.”

TAGS: drabble, fluff, i love how both misuruchi fics here are about warmth, btw i think this is an auto-translated fic so there may be grammar inconsistencies

the bandit’s kitchen • one-shot • bradley/nero

SUMMARY: “after barely managing to escape from figaro and the twins, bradley ends up at nero’s doorstep.”

TAGS: pre-canon, hurt/comfort, past memories

[eulaties]

MAHOYAKU FIC RECS ★ OZFIGA ★ #32

fics that have an asterisk (*) in front of them are my personal favorites!

this list was last updated on 12/30/22.

NOTE: these fic recs contain the ship oz/figaro.

if you want general mahoyaku fic recs click here

if you want caiowe fic recs click here

if you want lenofau fic recs click here

*as confident as memory (that is to say, not confident at all) • one-shot

TAGS: pre-canon, figaro’s birthday, character study, childhood, injury, yearning

NOTES: the title is a reference to a william maxwell quote: “what we, or at any rate what i, refer to confidently as memory – meaning a moment, a scene, a fact that has been subjected to a fixative and thereby rescued from oblivion – is really a form of storytelling that goes on continually in the mind and often changes with the telling. too many conflicting emotional interests are involved for life ever to be wholly acceptable, and possibly it is the work of the storyteller to rearrange things so that they conform to this end. in any case, in talking about the past we lie with every breath we draw.”

*spillage • one-shot

SUMMARY: “figaro takes a visit to oz's castle. it goes as well as you'd expect.”

TAGS: grief, angst, figaro as an outsider watching the fallout of arthur’s departure, attempted hurt/comfort

*history begins with the incursion of conquerors • one-shot

SUMMARY: “fortune favors him; the mirror in this room is at an angle that does not reflect figaro and cannot betray his smile, thinking of the indomitable oz smelling of roses. here is a conqueror, with blood staining his hands and the oil of dead flowers anointed on his hair. and don’t roses become oz, beautiful while being utterly unapproachable?”

TAGS: pre-canon, ozfiga in their conqueror era, yearning, unresolved tension, angst, introspection

NOTES: i always return to this fic whenever i want to read ozfiga...so good

*medice, cura te ipsum • one-shot

SUMMARY: “snow and i felt it was bound to happen. that boy we never could tame.” lower, he adds, “not even you.” figaro laughs, walking briskly, forcing lord white off. “i’m under no delusions that i ‘tamed’ oz. all i did was help make him tolerable.”

TAGS: the backstory, how they came to exist in each other’s lives, developing relationship, figaro-typical unreliable narration, memory

*on the brink of blossoming • one-shot

SUMMARY: “rather, in all the 2000 years i’ve known you, i don’t think i’ve ever seen these flowers bloom so brilliantly.”

TAGS: yokai au, romantic tension (??), whatever the hell ozfiga has going on

*no gold or glory, but peace • one-shot

SUMMARY: “a breathlessness, worse than what the walk out there had elicited, grips figaro.”

TAGS: pre-canon, wintertime, northfam & arthur exchanging gifts, yearning,  a hopeful ending

*ancient, ephemeral • one-shot

SUMMARY: “huh. all things considered, that’s nothing. drops of water in the ocean.” figaro’s smile becomes an insouciant smirk. he presses his hand firmer on oz’s and leans forward, inspecting him. “you had that answer ready. did you miss me?”

TAGS: yokai au, whatever the hell ozfiga has going on pt. 2, yearning, bittersweet but also hopeful ending, dreamy

voice of the night • one-shot

SUMMARY: “oz has a bad dream, and figaro just wants a kiss.”

TAGS: spoilers for oz’s affection story, nightmares, hurt/comfort, established relationship

matching feelings • one-shot

SUMMARY: “seeing the gifts oz gave them, figaro and arthur decide to find something for him too at the central marketplace. on the way, figaro also questions his feelings for oz.”

TAGS: fluff, gift giving, found family with oz figaro and arthur we love to see it, a fic that takes place after the christmas 2020 event!

night in our souls • one-shot

SUMMARY: “figaro and oz spend a quiet evening by the northern sea, contemplating mortality and eternity.”

TAGS: introspection, thinking about life

[eulaties]

MAHOYAKU FIC RECS ★ LENOFAU ★ #33

fics that have an asterisk (*) in front of them are my personal favorites!

this list was last updated on 12/30/22.

NOTE: these fic recs contain the ship lennox/faust.

if you want general mahoyaku fic recs click here

if you want caiowe fic recs click here

if you want ozfiga fic recs click here

*letters for sir faust • one-shot

SUMMARY: “despite all the centuries it's been since lennox last saw faust, he still writes a letter to his lord after leaving each place he looks in hopes that one day, he’ll be able to deliver them personally. perhaps the idea is sentimental and far-fetched, but the sir faust he knew—the one who led troops towards the goal of a world where humans and wizards could live together in peace—had a penchant for ideas of that nature.”

TAGS: pre-canon, canon-compliant, reflections on the past, the journey lennox took to find faust, grief, angst, references to bianca (eastern etude) and colin (southern etude), the fic ends with them reuniting again after many centuries (main story pt. 1)

CW: mentions of hanging in relation to bianca

*strangely familiar • one-shot

SUMMARY: “lennox already thought about faust a lot, but he thought about him a lot more. a certain tug in his heart called out to him, as if saying that his master is close by. then the appearance of the man before him left him standing there with mouth agape.”

TAGS: pre-canon, yearning, angst, on his long journey he meets someone who reminds him of faust too much

*sleep aid • one-shot

SUMMARY: faust, about to enter his bedroom leaned against the doorframe, arms across his chest. he averted his gaze from lennox before speaking again, focusing solely on the worn floorboards. "i’ll see you in here in a moment then?”

TAGS: present-day canon, comfort, soft vibes, drinking tea together and sharing a bed, developing relationship, forehead kisses!!!!

NOTES: i love them so much.......after everything they both went through this is the happy ending they deserve

*aorta • one-shot

SUMMARY: “the aorta carries blood away from the heart.”

TAGS: hurt/comfort, angst, you dont work as a serf and then as a soldier and come out of that with your humanity intact, healing from trauma

NOTES: god this fic just gets leno. one of the best characterizations ive seen

first hopes • one-shot

SUMMARY: “when asked about stories about his time in the central revolution army, lennox reminisces about the moment he met faust.”

because you’re here • one-shot

SUMMARY: “maybe dreaming had always been stupid, after all. but even his dreams could become pleasant if someone like lennox was next to him.”

TAGS: nightmares, hurt/comfort, they are incredibly soft your honor

like a sunflower • one-shot

SUMMARY: “like the sunflowers in the field and the sun, they’ll always end up revolving around each other.”

my only wish • one-shot

SUMMARY: “lennox reminisces about the only wish he's ever made, under the night sky, and is glad that it came true after so many hardships.”

heliotropium arborescens • one-shot

SUMMARY: “devoted attachment is the meaning given to the peruvian heliotrope.”

TAGS: fluff, living in peace, they are both so soft, cats