#the fanfic authors curse just decided TODAY was the day i must suffer for my sins

[crazylittlejester]

yo everyone share what crazy thing happened to you today because NO ONE i know had a normal day?? I’ll go first: I woke up with no hearing in my left ear and minimal hearing in my right, it then came back in the middle of the day randomly, and now it’s gone again lmao 🫶

[theprairienerd]

Fanfiction Writers Appreciation Day: Coco Edition

Today is the day where we as consumers of fan-made content show our appreciation for those that take the time to write stories that extend universes, fill in gaps, and leave us wanting more. And since I am always a slut for good fanfics and making lists, I have put together a collection of my all-time favorite works of fanfiction. I decided to split up the fandoms, because having them all together in one post made Tumblr mad. I tried to get them all done by the 21st, but the universe conspired against me. So I’ll be posting different lists for different fandoms throughout the week.

But this post is about Coco.

Coco surprised me. When I watched it on Netflix, purely on a whim, I wasn’t anticipating falling head over heals in love with the characters and the story and the music. Immediately after finishing Coco I began looking up fanfiction. And there are so many good writers in the Coco fandom. It was hard to keep this list a reasonable amount. But I did! So without further ado, let’s get to the fics!

Down to Dust by @pengychan

Soccoro Rivera accidentally gets herself cursed on Dia de Muertos and needs the blessing of her friend Cheque to send her back home. But when Cheque can’t give her the blessing, the Riveras must search for another of member of his family to do it before it’s too late. A complex fic with complex characters and very well written.

El Amor Domestica el Corazón by @seasidefanasties

WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU  WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU WEREWOLF AU

El Camino a Casa by Bookwormgal

Ernesto skimps on the poison and Héctor is able to make it back to Santa Cecilia... but not back home. Aresenic poisioning is unpleasant.

I’ve noticed that we as a fandom love to make poor Héctor suffer.

Elegy by @dogbearinggifts

It’s Dia de Muertos, 1942, and Imelda Rivera finds a familiar red book amongst the possessions of the recently deceased Ernesto de la Cruz. A fresh take at the “someone other than Miguel gets cursed and sent to the Land of the Dead” idea. Héctor and Imelda both need hugs.

I’m Lost and I’m Found by @loracarol

Instead of poison, Ernesto gives Héctor a potion that turns him into a werewolf. Three years later, Imelda runs into a giant wolf with strangely familiar eyes.

This fic isn’t finished, but it’s really good. It definitely satisfies my need for werewolves and romance. And if you are a fan of SeasideFantasies’s fic, or werewolves in general, you’ll really like I’m Lost and I’m Found.

La Guitarra by @dogbearinggifts

Based on the idea floating around here on Tumblr that the famous skull guitar is actually Héctor’s alebrije. The first fic is chilling and the last fic gave me all the feels.

Like a Gentle Refrain by Bookwormgal

So it didn't matter how good Héctor looked, cleaned up and well-dressed as her brothers settled him into a chair. It didn't matter how she couldn't seem to drag her eyes away from him or how it felt like a phantom heartbeat was racing in her ribcage. It didn't matter that the shy and uncertain nod of greeting seemed wrong and part of her wanted to reach out to him.

She had to remain firm. She needed to keep her distance. It would make things easier. It would hurt less this way. She just needed to do the smart thing. Though that would be trickier when her family seemed to be conspiring against her.

This fic... is.... so good. Just read it.

Little Bones by The_Mad_Hatter

Héctor gets roped into helping out at an orphanage outside Shantytown. And because Héctor is a good Papá he sticks around. If you need a good cry, or just want to read a fic that will rip out your heart, shove your heart into a jar of alcohol, light that jar on fire, throw said flaming jar into the window of your home, breaking the glass and burning your house down, all the while asking for more because it’s so just heartbreakingly beautiful - this fic is for you.

Neither Can You by @babycharmander

In the months following Dia de Muertos, Héctor is attacked and he and the rest of the Riveras must learn how to deal with the resulting trauma. For the record, it’s not nearly as depressing as it sounds. Don’t get me wrong; there are sad bits, but there are parts that literally made me laugh out loud as well. 

Pepita and Dante need a buddy cop spin-off.

Pan Dulce by papergardener

While the Rivera family are adjusting to life with the long-estranged Héctor, Imelda realizes she has forgotten what his favorite pan dulce, or pastry, is. And in true Imelda Rivera fashion, she will stop at nothing to covertly figure out what it is. This fic is funny, heartwarming, and just so incredibly.... sweet. *ba dum tis*

Reflection by @beckytailweaver

It’s Dia de Muertos and a seventeen year old Miguel is upset that one of his childhood dreams will never come true. Luckily Papa Héctor is here to make it better. This one made me cry. Partially because it was three in the morning when I read it, but mostly because I can relate to Miguel in this one.

Somos Familia by @whattimeisitintokyo

Ernesto grows a conscience at the last minute, letting Héctor go home to live his life with his family. This fic had me laughing and crying in equal measure. It also includes art by the author which just adds to the charm:

(Art by WhatTimeIsItInTokyo)

The Bedside Ghost by @pengychan

Instead of killing him, the bell accident leaves Ernesto de la Cruz paralyzed from the neck down. He is soon visited by the ghost of Héctor Rivera, who tells de la Cruz he can let him die, but only if he tells his family what really happened that night in Mexico City. If you like dark with a (relatively speaking) happy ending, you’ll like this fic!

The Musician with Poison Tears by @sweetiepie08

Eighteen year old Miguel travels to Mexico City to visit family and to see if he can find the mysterious ghost that haunts the old train station. Spoilers: the ghost is Héctor and he just wants to go home.

The Road Home by FernWithy

After the events of Dia de Muertos, the Riveras on both sides of the veil must learn to cope with the murder that shaped their family’s lives for generations. It alternates between Enrique’s (Miguel’s papa) and Héctor’s point of view, deals with themes of forgiveness and moving on, and has some really cool OCs. Also, Héctor writes an opera about Vikings which is neat.

The Way You Keep Me Guessing: Coco Teacher AU by @slusheeduck and @im-fairly-whitty

If you are invested in the Coco fandom even in the slightest and you haven’t at least heard of the Coco Teacher AU.... what are you doing? Set in modern-day Mexico, local Hot Teacher(tm) Héctor takes in his kid cousin Miguel after an accident kills his parents.

Un Mundo Raro by @starberry-cupcake

“All these years I’ve been clinging to the past, trying to fix my mistakes, trying to get back to Coco…” He didn’t know what to do with his hands so he took off his hat and played with its frayed ends, witnesses of the afterlife he was describing. “But you became... you”, he gestured at her, all-encompassing, as if he couldn’t encapsulate the grandeur that she was. “All the things you told Ceci that you are, how could I live up to all that? How could someone who has been clinging to the past, never moving forward, ever catch up with someone who became... all of you”

Another fantastic slow-burn reconciliation fic that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Seriously, I can’t recommend this fic enough.