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alto-tenure · 1 year

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River, River, I actually believe you owe me a RWBY rec list anyway, so....

yeah ok I did say that. fair enough!

I've separated these fics into a few distinct eras, because I think the show's long-running status has impacted characterization over time -- not to say that older fics aren't still worth reading, but there might be some things that are different (e.g. pre-V4 there was a lot of speculation that Blake was an orphan, pre-V8 there were a lot of V7 ending fix-its and such). Tossing you in the deep end with ship names sorry you're going to have to figure it out yourself <3

BEACON-ERA (V1-V3) - publication dates from July 2013-October 2016 (when V4 started releasing)

clinging to a little bit of spine by rwbyfics | T | Monochrome | 10.9k

Blake was the black water lake where people went to drown, she was fifty stones in each pocket and breezeblocks strapped to broken ankles. Sinking wasn't an option for Weiss, and it never would be.

A heartfelt exploration of Weiss's and Blake's relationship as it stood back in the Beacon arc.

Loyalty by Texan_Red_Rose | T | Monochrome | 59.6k

When pressed, will Weiss use her head or her heart?

AU - the Huntsman system is more militaristic, among other things.

V4-V7 - publication dates from October 2016-February 2020 (when V7 ended)

Celebrity Matchmaker by Texan_Red_Rose | T | Blake/Weiss/Yang/Pyrrha | 29.4k

Weiss, this season's lead on a reality show, has made it to the finale, where she must choose to marry one of three finalists. Then, Remnant gets to approve or nix the union, and that SHOULD be the hardest part of this. But when the choice is between Blake, Pyrrha, and Yang, how can she decide?

A funny Bachelorette-esque AU that chooses to sidestep love drama in favor of the polycule.

The Fairest by periferal | T | Calichrome | 42.3k

Mirror mirror, on the wall, am I the fairest of them all? And if I'm not, who will it be, please oh mirror, show her me- Blake finds a girl standing alone in the woods.

A great use of the fairytale allusions.

V7 hiatus-V8 - publication dates from February 2020 to March 2021 (when V8 ended)

like punching in a dream (wait, i don't ever want to be here) by nirav | T | Bees Schnees | 6.6k

Her ribs ache from the explosion in the desert, the one that sent her careening off target and let her mark get away, and she knows that Weiss and Yang will surely be home soon enough, if only to burn the evidence of their relationship to the ground. There’s no telling which of them had set the charges that nearly blew her up. Yang was the engineer, but Weiss was the planner. Even odds.

And from here on there will be a lot of Bees Schnees on this list! Kicking this off with a bang. Technically a sequel to another fic, part of a larger Mr. and Mrs. Smith inspired AU.

Books & Behaviors by GreekLetter | T | Monochrome | 65.3k

After an unforgiving life event, Blake Belladonna decides to move away from the town she's lived in for years. Taking a job in Vale, where she knows no one. As she sets out to make a new life for herself, she knows there's two things she needs. A good coffee shop and the perfect bookstore. Maybe finding a pretty girl at the bookstore isn't so bad either.

A slow burn modern AU that I enjoyed a lot.

The Official Ace-Ops Communications Channel by HopeStoryteller | T | Gen with various relationships | 10.6k

In light of the Amity Communications Tower project, General Ironwood decides it may be a good idea to have a communications channel among everyone working on it. Nobody really wants to talk about what happened the last time the Ace Ops had a group chat. Whatever it was, it won't happen again. Probably. After all, it's not going to stay just the Ace Ops.

Minor pairings include: Fair Game, Frosen Steel, Renorarc, Bumbleby, Schneewood Forest, and Elm/Vine (name I can't remember rn).

every siren went silent by lescousinsdangereux | T | Bees Schnees | 11.9k

“You are so smooth, Weiss,” Yang breathes and — god help her — her lips brush just so against the shell of Weiss’s ear. “Good to know that you aren’t affected by Blake bending over to line up her shot right now. Or by the fact that I wanted to keep you in my room for several more rounds, that morning you left.” Oh no, Weiss thinks.

Everyone's sports in this AU are very well chosen, though I wouldn't have expected some of the choices made for the characters -- it still works.

tell me what you mean when you scream by nirav | T | Bees Schnees | 10.6k

“They were your best friends once,” Ruby says, momentarily gentle. “And they’re still some of my best friends. Just-- one day, okay? No bachelorette party, no rehearsal dinner, nothing like that. Just stand up with me, be cordial to them, and then you never have to see them again.” Yang whines, slumping back against Ruby as she’s shoved out the door, half for show and half because she has six months to prepare herself for being in the same room as Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee for the first time in ten years.

A fun chaotic rom-com esque AU.

here i sit like a beginner beginning again by nirav | T | Bees Schnees | 52.5k

She turns her back on Yang and busies herself with the backpacks, leaving Yang with half a cup of coffee and an unfamiliar feeling in her gut, half the long-standing apprehension of trying to find her family and half something new and scalding and tied exclusively to the way her hands want to reach for the guarded set to Blake’s jaw as much as they want to reach for the familiarity of Weiss’s hand in hers.

Bees Schnees The Mummy AU. Fascinating in its worldbuilding and its portrayal of the character relationships.

jigsaws and pieces we made to fit by FaultyParagon | T | Fair Game | 41k

Clover is not a father, nor does he ever intend to become one. Then, he meets Qrow Branwen, and suddenly he finds himself with eight surrogate children, all with a different name for Qrow- a different bond. What he doesn’t expect to find out is that Qrow never wanted to be a father, either, but now he’s in it too deep. So… Clover’s got eight kids too now. Oops. -aka Clover falls for an oddly loving, domestic, awkward duncle!Qrow and doesn't know how the whole step-dad gig is supposed to work when they're not officially dating or anything. V7 domestic FairGame.

Exploration into chosen families that makes me soft.

All Together (Together) by KatQuasar | T | JNPR Berries | 28.2k

After everything, JNPR move into a house together as a team and two established couples. But things are a bit more complicated when there's feelings under the surface that are suddenly dug up when frictions arise between them individually. What happens when everyone's in love with each other?

A sweet fic set in a softer universe. Minor Bees Schnees.

sing for me, my meadowlark by FaultyParagon | T | Gen | 10.3k

Roman Torchwick is confident that he will one day reign supreme. Being a father was never in those plans. He’s always been weak for ice cream, though; and if he can make his ward smile on top of that, then he shall do whatever it takes- even if it kills him. -aka Roman and Neo’s relationship from Neo's childhood till V3, explored through a series of vignettes.

A note on canon compliance -- this pre-dates Roman Holiday and thus is not compliant with that (and Neo's backstory as portrayed in those portraits, which is essentially a summary of the novel).

she's got a halogen heart by hittingonallsixes | T | Weiss-centric RWBYJNPR polycule | 8.9k

The summary was fighting me and didn't want to paste, but TL;DR: Weiss goes out for dinner with her partners, slice-of-life chaos.

The Gang Kidnaps A Child by Kablob & mylordshesacactus | T | Gen | 10k

Summer, Taiyang, Raven, and Qrow would normally never stay at a place as disgustingly Atlesian as this. Unfortunately, it's nearly midnight and they don't have time to find another hotel to—hey wait a second, is that a fucking kid?

AU where STRQ adopts Cinder. (You'll note that if you look in the tag around the time this was published there are a lot of AUs where something changed for Cinder, whether it be STRQ adopting her or Rhodes just being less of a dick.)

The Lucky Merman by TheCraftyNinjaCat | T | Fair Game | 39.7k

Beloved by everyone and leader of King Ironwood’s prestigious Ace-Ops, Clover seems to be the luckiest merman in the ocean. His only secret; his unwavering interest in the human world, the bane of the king’s existence. At least he's good at keeping it a secret, and his friend Robyn is always down to help him indulge. He has nothing to worry about.

Then he rescues human prince Qrow Branwen from a sinking ship, and things get much more complicated.

An enjoyable TLM AU.

Hereditary by Riggy_Minus | T | Gilded Rose | 173.6k

Ruby Rose, a girl who always wanted to be a huntress, finds herself elevated to Beacon Academy two years early. With no real friends save her sister, she does her best to adjust before the machinations of those plotting against the peace that the world of Remnant has known her whole life become too much to handle.

Incomplete series, but some enjoyable plots and dynamics between the characters. I especially enjoy the Lancaster slow burn dynamic.

Volume One: Winter & Spring by tkss | T | Gen (hints of Catmeleon, Freezerburn, Monochrome) | 120.6k

Crimson Silver was raised in Evernight, taken in by Salem after being found missing one of her silver eyes on the night her parents were killed. Weiss Schnee failed her trial against the Arma Gigas and instead applies to join the Atlesian military. Blake Belladonna goes undercover as the human Dusk Nightshade to infiltrate Haven Academy and spy for the White Fang. Yang Branwen is the bandit princess of her mother's tribe and possesses the power of the Spring Maiden. Team WYCD arrives at Haven Academy, each member with ulterior motives -- but doubts and hopes alike work to change the course of their future, and the future of Remnant. Or: the WYCD AU. Ruby is a servant of Salem. Weiss followed in her sister's footsteps. Blake never left the White Fang. Yang was raised by Raven as the Spring Maiden. None of Team RWBY ever made it to Beacon, yet Team RWBY still formed... albeit under different circumstances.

Fascinating that Weiss would, in most circumstances, be the worst leader for team RWBY -- but under these circumstances, she has to be.

Post-V8 - publication dates from March 2021 to present

A Marriage Masquerade by Victorious56 | G | Hummingbird | 13.2k

Miss Summer Rose is to marry her childhood sweetheart, to the delight of all who know them. There are only two problems. Summer is no longer a biddable child, and the Honourable Taiyang Xiao Long is not her sweetheart.

A fascinating period piece featuring a ship that isn't typically my cup of tea, but makes it work nonetheless.

it's cooler than a knife, at least by bandiits | T | Bees Schnees | 8.9k

It starts with Ruby, who buys Weiss a sword, and goes from there - to a shrine on the wall, to gouges in the floorboards of a shared apartment, and confused feelings in the name of Athena. Or, you can buy a girl a sword, but you can't make the fools she's in love with realize they're in love right back.

modern AU + swords my beloved!!

show me everything and tell me how by ProfessorSpork | T | Gen (minor Bumbleby) | 20.1k

The second thing Blake notices about Sun Wukong isn’t his kind smile, or his concerned expression. It’s the way he wears his shirt open, proudly displaying the top surgery scars that accentuate his pecs: an underline in bold, declaring all that he is. Without thought, without fear. Blake’s never had that kind of courage in her life. - [Or: Blake & Sun & gender] [Or: How Blake Learned to Stop Worrying And Love Herself] [Or: Maybe the real they/them was the friends we made along the way] [Or: come for nb!Blake, stay for yearning bees]

I sent this to a friend of mine back when it was published who has never seen an episode of RWBY in xyr life, and it still managed to resonate with xem. I don't think any note I have to add to this can endorse it any more than that.

across the stars by CorvidFeathers | T | Bumbleby | 16k

Blake, running from her past and harboring a dangerous secret, would go anywhere the solar winds are blowing, so long as it gets her away; so she barters passage on the first solarship heading for the Outer Moons. If the Crescent Rose’s first mate is the most beautiful woman she’s ever met, that’s coincidence. Mostly.

Woooo okay we've gotten to the BBB fics I bookmarked from the 2021 event!! This was a really sweet and interesting AU.

back to places you run from by gayxiaolong | T | Bumbleby (minor Schneekos + Rainbow Quartz) | 42.4k

2 years, 8 months, 12 days. That’s how long Blake spent planning the heist of her dreams. It’s also how long she spent in jail. Now that she’s out, she gets to work. She’ll need a team of the best criminals she can find, a way to convince Yang to be her partner-in-crime again, and… a way to get back to how they were. Infiltrating and robbing the most exclusive event of the year might be easier than getting Yang to fall in love with her again. *** or, an Ocean's 8 au

I really enjoy heist fics, and I love the amount of thought that was put into this.

beyond this town lies a life much sadder by nirav | T | Bumbleby (minor Schneekos) | 25.4k

Yang Xiao Long has lived and died and lived again more times than anyone can count. She's spent centuries living a life in the shadows with her family and has never wanted anything more than that, until she wakes up one day from a dream that leads her to Blake Belladonna-- a new immortal unknowingly on the run from people hunting for the secret to her immortality-- and, for the first time since before written language was invented, finds herself wanting something for herself.

An interesting exploration of immortality and what forever truly means.

Caesura by Probably_Momo | T | Bumbleby | 19.8k

When up-and-coming cellist Blake Belladonna fired her manager, Adam Taurus, she thought she was finally free. But Adam’s obsession ran deep. During a botched attempt on her life, violin prodigy Yang was also gravely wounded. In the aftermath, Blake’s music was gone, silent. Her public reputation in tatters, Blake fled.

Three years later, Blake’s found her music again, jamming with friends and composing indie game scores. Her world is carefully rebalanced— until Sun shows her a viral TikTok video. There is Yang and her shiny yellow prosthetic arm. There is Yang covering the main theme from Blake’s latest project. [What can she do but play along?]

Music AU! A subject close to my heart.

Craving the Sky by najio | T | Bees Schnees | 205.2k

If it weren't for her grandfather, Weiss would have lost her wings at birth. If it weren't for her mother, she would have lost them as a toddler, when she was still too young to remember them. If it weren't for her sister, she would have lost them as a child, the moment she was old enough to be afraid of them. Weiss arrives at Beacon still counting down the days to her eighteenth birthday, when she will finally get rid of them for good. It's the obvious next step. Until, that is, her team does what they do best, and makes everything a whole lot more complicated.

The word count probably seems intimidating, but I promise you it is worth it. (I was keeping up with this fic as it was updating, so...uh...it wasn't as intimidating when I started, whoops.)

I posted about this fic a while ago too.

#rwby #fic recs #ok here goes with the ship tags these are for my organization so #otp: no longer pieces on the board #otp: feeling like a brand new day #ot3: beauty/grace/will punch you in the face #jnpr berries #bees!#hummingbird #if you want to know WHY a ship is named what it is whiskers you can ask me bc i love talking about the cleverness of rwby ships #BUT otherwise you'll have to figure out which characters are in them for yourself

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