#the majority of this fandom looks at this game through a black and white lens

[dimitrscu]

I've been in enough fandoms to know that this whole "radahn was beating malenia" thing is going to be one of those "fandom delusions" that will keep going on and on no matter what. It will not die. If the discourse comes up again on Elden Ring's anniversary, the same people will bring it up once more. Just fandoms being fucking exhausting, like clockwork.

Oh yeah for sure I don’t expect this to ever go away or anything. The whole “this vs that” has been a thing in quite a few fandoms for me too. I still remember the witcher fandom back in the day with whole Yen vs Triss thing and oh boy was that exhausting.

It’s funny how all this died down and then all it took was the game award hype to bring it back up again. Mainly the discussion surrounding the game being nominated for best narrative. You wait it’ll win goty then it’ll all come up again

[gotgifsandmusings]

My idiocy, reading lenses, and GRRM

So, I was away all weekend with family things. But as I said, I wasn’t able to stop thinking about my most recent podcast and the feedback I’ve received in reblogs, @’s, my inbox, direct messages, and replies. Which like, an absolutely sincere thank you for anyone who took the time, in whatever capacity.

For anyone who doesn’t know, Julia and I recorded a UBS episode called “is GRRM literal garbage,” which we were using as a platform to talk about the flaws of ASOIAF, while sort of being playful about the way that online dialogue puts things in such, you know, black and white terms. People are perfect or they’re toxic and garbage, right? And because of that, there are a lot of times where we feel—or really where I feel, cause it’s just my own thoughts I’m vomiting here—like content creators who at least like, *try*, really do receive unfair criticism.

But yeah, most of the feedback we got was very negative. Particularly, Julia and I—we’re two white women, and we recorded a segment on racial portrayals and racism in ASOIAF, since there are so many problems on this front that we felt disingenuous not doing it. We made sure to call out how we are white before entering into this discussion, and also said something like, ‘hey, if we miss something or if you disagree with us, please tell us so we can engage, because we are limited by our own lack of experiencing racism.’ (And anti-semitism is...not at all of the same vein; nothing pisses me off more than when white jews try to distance ourselves from our racial privilege, to be honest).

Well, not surprisingly at all, we missed stuff! Because of course we fucking did. And it wasn’t just that, but we also put ourselves in a position of saying, “oh we’re apologetic of Martin” and then trying to like...come up with reasons for what are obvious problems through the lens of intent or some shit, which is just...so not what should do ever. Hell, it’s not what we should do with any topic, let alone one where we’re entering into the conversation from such a place of privilege. So yeah, we missed stuff and we sounded like we were apologizing for racism which is not only not our place, but not even what we set out to do.

This wasn’t unique to the problems of racism in ASOIAF either; I received a lot of asks saying that it really felt like I was trying not to let my lens of Martin be challenged. And really ruminating on all this the past few days...there’s a ton of truth to that. Which is a bit silly, because I never exactly thought myself as holding Martin up in the first place—just what I got out of these book series. So what was it I was resisting?

It was Gretchen ( @gnelliswriter ) who ended up framing everything to me in a way where these things that were concatenating—all this criticism that I trying to absorb and understand, finally clicked. Because she talked about the balance of the 3 lenses: Doylist, Watsonian, and Reader Response. Which is also like, viewer response and gamer response, of course.

When she said this, it was just like...“Oh.” Because, Julia and I focus a ton on Doylist vs. Watsonian, you know? Watsonian being a character-level analysis, like “Cersei did this because she was feeling X.” Doylism then looks at what the author is trying to say. “Martin had Cersei do this because he was making a point about Y.” Julia’s the one who explained this to me in the first place—my background is engineering and I hadn’t done any type of literary analysis until the Arianne reread.

However, in terms of dialogue surrounding media, there is quite clearly a third lens. Reader Response is the *reader’s* takeaway. “Cersei did X and regardless of what Martin wanted that to mean, here’s what the message was that I saw, here’s how I reacted, and here’s the implications of it” (or just some aspect of this).

Which...this is the most obvious thing, because it’s the ONLY THING I talk about with Game of Thrones, right? Like, I say GOT isn’t worthy of Watsonian analysis, because it’s not, but then the series of retrospectives Julia and I do where we’re desperately hunting for a Doylist rationalization also reveals that...D&D don’t really have much to say anyway, and they don’t seem to particularly care. Then in these essays, we always go on and say, “Well okay, regardless of that, HERE’S the implications, and they suck donkey dick.” And fuck, I wrote an entire piece on the difference between intent and result, and why results really really matter.

So this whole thing, like... I don’t know, I realize I’m not an English major or anything, but in some ways I kind of feel like Reader Response is actually the only lens that matters? (I can hear the gasps from my academic friends right now.) Or at least, it matters the most heavily, because that’s where engagement is, and that’s where the dialogue occurs that fosters empathy and understanding. I suppose most stories I consume do also foster empathy in some ways (unless they’re nihilistic piss slop), but they’re not ever going to replace the experience of hearing a diversity of voices and viewpoints on something.

For example, with Legend of Korra, which I love, I had zero problems the first time I heard the line in the end about how Korra “needed to know what true suffering was so she could become more empathetic.” I thought the intent was clear, and it was a powerful way of showing someone recontextualizing their trauma and finding a healthy state of mind. However, after reading what many women of color in the fandom wrote on the matter, I understood why that had felt offensive to others, and why it was so uncomfortable to have had two white men put those words into the mouth of a brown, bisexual female protagonist.

So now I’ve like, written fix-it fic of that moment. Because the Reader Response to Korra’s words created that dialogue where otherwise my own lens wouldn't have been challenged, even as a bisexual woman myself. White women simply don’t have a history with the trope of being beaten to “learn respect” that women of color have in media. That’s a privilege, so learning about it was really important. All I want in life is to somehow work towards a world where people don’t feel like shit. The more we learn about the shittyness that exists and try to understand it, the better equipped we will be to fix it. Why *wouldn’t* we prioritize a lens of analysis that can bring that about? 

Honestly, as soon as Gretchen labeled “Reader Response” a third lens, it’s like the clouds parted, and the sun shined onto my own striking idiocy with how I’ve been talking about everything and framing everything (I think we’re going to do a joint piece on this soon). Cause like, it *is* deeply hypocritical—my approach to GRRM compared against my approach to D&D. I say it’s because of “benefit of the doubt”, and that’s a thing, but that doesn’t really explain what was actually happening, it’s more of “I don’t really want to think about this cognitive dissonance”, and it certainly doesn’t help me grow from what went so wrong on the podcast. I was using it as a rhetorical crutch. 

Like, before Gretchen parsed this out with me, I kind of thought a laser-focus on the flaws of a story was just someone being “too Doylist.” But that’s not actually a thing. How would that be one? You can’t try and figure out what an author is saying ~too~ much, though I guess if you only care about what the author’s saying you may, idk, not feel as into the characters or something.

No, what it is, is Reader Response and how you felt interacting with media, which...media is not created or consumed in a cultural vacuum. If I believe media analysis matters, which I do, it’s because of Reader Response. I’m not trying to take “death of the author” to the extreme, but there is a point where whatever authorial intent exists just doesn’t matter. There are impacts reading stories have on people, and on conversations.

So all of this makes how Julia and I approached a podcast about ASOIAF’s flaws all the more stupid. Because basically what we did was read out a laundry list of problems, which are all Reader Response by nature; if we happened to think it wasn’t much of a problem we’d say so (like when I said that I didn’t think Arya and Sansa’s scripting as sisters was sexist, which like...I’m sorry, but I’m sticking to that one), but otherwise the conversation was kind of us going, “oh this is an issue, but here’s maybe a Doylist or Watsonian reason for it.” And that’s...not constructive? I mean, what does that even do?

What should have been a tip-off, too, is that the only time we didn’t do this was when Julia tried to come up with an explanation for Dany’s scene with Irri, and I got really pissed because I just didn’t see any value or justification in it. As a queer woman, my reader response to that was super, super negative, and I had no patience for anything else. Well, Julia and I are limited by our own lenses and backgrounds, so apply that to other issues, and we don’t have experiences where we would get pissed about stuff about which other people are probably seething. But that doesn’t mean the people who are seething should have to listen to the bullshit of “well here’s a point you can consider that makes this gross ass thing valuable!” What the hell do we know about it?

Which, it wasn’t really what we were trying to do, but it absolutely is what the podcast ended up being. And frankly, it’s not like I’ve ever gotten positive or worthwhile takeaways from the way Martin portrays race, with maybe a small exception being the in-verse prejudice against Dorne getting deconstructed within Dornish POVs. That’s just because it even further hammers on POV-bias and shines a lens on Westerosi perspectives in a rather stark light, though I still question its effectiveness. And sure, you can apply that deconstruction elsewhere in the story and assume everyone is an unreliable and biased narrator (they are), but what value is there in Dorne being the only place that actually gets a closer inspection?

And even if Martin is doing something to a point, that doesn’t make it a helpful point or a necessary point. Like, oh we now know Dany’s in way over her head, and doesn’t understand the political or cultural complexity of where she’s trying to rule or what she’s trying to accomplish. Okay, but I’m about 99% sure that same point could have been made with Essosi POVs?? And almost certainly a lot better and clearer???

For fuck’s sake, if we hadn’t had any female POVs for the first three books and people were telling me, “oh it’s to make a point on women’s place in this society,” or idk to prove how unknowable women are to our male protagonists or some shit, there’s no way I’d even be reading this series. And it’s not as though I have any patience for super stereotypical jewish portrayal; it’s just that that’s not exactly possible in ASOIAF. If it were, you can sure as hell bet that I wouldn’t appreciate two goys telling me it’s all for the greater good of writing a...really gross world, or showing how much a character appreciates jewish culture. That doesn’t make any goddamn sense!

Look. Julia and I have gotten a lot out of Martin’s critique of the patriarchy. You can bet your ass a large reason for that is because there’s so many female POVs, not to mention male POVs who are also victims of this horrible setting, such as Theon and Aeron being victims of sexual assault (Theon’s chapters being a much more intimate look), Jaime struggling to define himself in a martial world now that he’s lost his hand, Sam’s trauma from his abusive upbringing, and so on. Julia and I also give Martin leeway because looking at his work chronologically, things do seem to be improving. Which...yay? Snaps?

But really, it’s something @witabif said to me that stuck in my craw as I was talking this out with pretty much anyone in my proximity the past few days: I have a huge tendency to take *my* positive reactions and takeaways to ASOIAF and apply them to Martin’s intent. I think the conflation of Reader Reaction and Doylism is the largest part of that, but what’s funny is I work overtime to not do that, especially with GoT. How many times have I said “we can’t know what’s in D&D’s head,” or steel-manned some dumbass plotpoint of theirs?

At the end of the day, all we really have to judge content creators on are their bodies of work. It’s why I say “it’s the pattern.” And Martin’s pattern? It’s one of a dude who is a pretty skilled storyteller, but also very much out of his depth in a lot of departments. Does he do better than most other 69-year-old white cishet men living in New Mexico? Probably. Is he making an effort to be more thoughtful as times go on? I mean...it feels that way in some places, but that doesn’t erase what’s hurtful in the books now, or what’s ugly, or most importantly, what’s shaping a large part of our cultural conversation because let’s be honest here: these books are hugely successful and have that power. This is why I’ve talked over and over again about fiction mattering. Fuck, this is why I engage with GoT at all and think it’s worthwhile looking at its flaws.

Really, ASOIAF isn’t any different. I mean, it tells a coherent story, so it’s different on that front. And I do find some of the takeaways of the books valuable. I also stand adamant that what Martin does with close PoV is impressive, and he is a gifted writer who can tease out nuance quite well. The battle between good and evil truly is within the human heart, and the experience of reading the books, and then rereading them where you find these other depths, has been one of an engagement I haven’t quite matched elsewhere yet.

But, part of liking something and caring about something means a willingness to engage with its flaws, no matter how deep or uncomfortable they are. Engaging shouldn’t be excusing, and even if I’ve found ways to tease out meaning (for instance, Cersei and Taena’s scene lands one way for me, but not at all the same way for many other wlw readers), my personal reaction and truth is...just that? And I do suspect that a lot of times, I’m seeing something there he didn’t see at all. Which is a tension I should have been digging into this whole time.

Looking back at the podcast, it was a horrible fucking structure for it. I don’t even know if it should have been an episode, to be honest. Because like, aside from just explaining what these problems were, and maybe sampling meta of people who had written on specific issues, there’s not much to add. We can’t proclaim someone to be literal garbage (which was part of the joke of the title), nor can we we proclaim them to be good enough, because...who the fuck are we anyway? I think what we could have done is had discussion about how to engage with deeply flawed media, as kind of a “Here’s all that’s wrong...so, what now?” thing, but we didn’t even discuss our approach beforehand.

I’m thinking about pulling it out of the feed entirely, and please let me know your thoughts on that. On one hand, I think it’s important to not hide from our mistakes and to allow a pathway to grow from them. For that reason, and because I just really want to after taking in this feedback, I’m working on a direct follow-up episode to it for the near future. On the other, I don’t want subscribers still hearing a conversation that’s out-of-balance and problematic, and I can see no reason why the follow-up discussion episode would require the former episode in the feed. I’m leaning towards the latter, but definitely value everyone’s input in the matter.

After typing all this out...it’s not complicated: it comes back to me not wanting to challenge my views on Martin. I didn’t. But now they have been, and it has been because of how amazingly thoughtful this fandom is, as well as the responses and suggestions I’ve received. And you know what? Yeah. I’m disenchanted with the guy. It’s not like a lightswitch, but seeing the misalignment between *my* reader reaction and *his* pattern/messaging has been eye-opening, embarrassing, and frustrating. He’s just some dude with a fairly unique approach to genre fiction and a few good ideas; there’s areas where he excels, and areas where he needs a lot of improvement. A lot.

I’m still going to say stop bothering him about writing speed and stop consulting actuary tables, because that shit is creepy. But otherwise, he’s welcome to fight his own battles. God knows he has the resources. I still think I will land in a different place with how effective his scripting of women is, among other things, and I look forward to continuing to have spirited discussions about all of that. However, it’s now with full cognizance that it’s our reactions and experience to the media that we’re discussing, and my own has diddly squat to do with Martin’s intent.

Which I should have realized from day fucking 1.

[super-queer-hannibal-obsession]

The M/M Shipping Thing: Misogyny, the Male Gaze, and Feminist and Queer Representation

Follow up post to this one, here. Read this to see my thoughts on the importance of allowing women to see men through a lens where male sexuality is something to be celebrated, not feared. Seems like a lot of people can relate to this, and I just love talking about it so have some more of my thoughts.

First of all, it’s a numbers game…

Going off of this point by @colt-kun which I’ve copied and pasted here. This gives a great overview of a purely statistical analysis of why m/m ships are more common.  

“There’s also the sheer numbers to take into account.

Take the first Avengers movie as an example (because frankly its one of the few recent blockbusters with two female speaking roles). Two females, Black Widow and Maria. Then eight males, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk, Loki, Fury, Coulson.

Not counting polyships/selfships for ease of math, and using the characters cisgender identities bc that is what they are largely seen as (no disrespect meant to any trans/nb interpretations)

Possible f/m ships: 16 (35.5%) Possible f/f ships: 1 (2.2%) Possible m/m ships: 28 (62.2%)

That’s not even accounting for screentime, character chemistry, interaction times, etc. thats just the NUMBERS.

When there’s a large disparity in character gender then yeah, you’re going to see a heavy inclination to m/m ships because that’s really ALL THATS POSSIBLE. The fans have a natural desire for more story and romances, they want to world build and AU. We’ve done that since stories were first told.

So of COURSE you’re going to see a lot of women - of all sexual orientations - leaning towards m/m pairings because when there’s only potatoes at the buffet… you eat the potatoes. Think of all the shows an movies with only one female character in a cast of men. Is it really difficult to see WHY there’s a lot of m/m ships there?”

Mainstream media is male-centered and male-dominated.

Going beyond just the numbers the fact is that in the majority of popular films and TV shows many of the female characters aren’t well-rounded or on screen as much as most of the men. There is a tendency for women to be the secondary characters or maybe to have one main female character. This makes it hard to really relate to and invest in a lot of the female characters out there. Not that people don’t, but it’s not going to attract a huge following.

Take Supernatural (low hanging fruit I know) where even if there are a large number of women that appear throughout the series, there aren’t many that stick around(and let’s not even go there with all of the deaths and how sexist that is right now ha)or interact with each other in a way that would lead to a lot of shipping. Even in my lovely Hannibal fandom, the Marlana ship which people love and people write for just isn’t going to have as much of a following just based on the fact that they aren’t the main characters. And Marlana is a good example of a w/w ship where they aren’t objectified, don’t die, and still it’s a secondary focus. There obviously are some exceptions, but they are few and far between.

The Male Gaze:

Also, women (and any gender that isn’t cismale) are trained to see film through the male perspective. Film and TV is usually shot with the male gaze, so women learn to see through this lens. We grow up learning to empathize and put ourselves in the shoes of male protagonists because otherwise we would have very little media to enjoy. I think this is part of why it’s natural for women to ship m/m ships. I also think that shipping men and sexualizing them can be a subversion of the male gaze and is an empowering way to flip that script for many women.

We could go into a whole other discussion on internalized misogyny and patriarchal culture and why there are some not so great reasons women might gravitate towards m/m ships, but I think it’s important to see all the reasons why this is and to not demonize women for doing something that makes sense both statistically, sociologically, and psychologically, etc.

Men rarely have to put themselves in the shoes of women in film. So, I do feel like there is a difference between straight dudes watching lesbian porn and women who thoughtfully engage in a m/m ship. You can’t ignore the gender politics at play and how these factors interact. In an ideal world, people of all genders and sexualities could enjoy bodies without all the baggage of sexism and homophobia, but sadly that’s not our world.

This famous, awesome thread really sums it up:

Disclaimer:

I do think there are women who fetishize and act awful when it comes to m/m ships. (I also realize there are lots of other intersections at work in film such as race and class that I’m not really addressing.) Especially those who don’t do any of the emotional or intellectual work around the history of the queer community and who don’t engage in activism of that sort. Plus, if you are a straight woman who loves and supports gay male ships but you’re grossed out by queer women or you’re objectifying actual queer men in your life, it’s time to check yourself and stop that.

Homoerotic Subtext:

Also, women, and queer people across the board, have been trained to read subtextual clues like pros. Women are especially adept at reading into stories since they are so rarely represented in positive ways. Queer people do this, too. It makes sense that women, especially queer women, would pick up on interactions that have homoerotic subtext easily. And, since film is male dominated, it is much more likely the subtext will be between two men. Also, let’s just face it, the history of film is male centered and homo eroticism is a big part of it, and it’s usually about good looking white dudes. The LGBT community itself still has a long way to go in portraying and magnifying people of all genders and sexualities more equally.

The weight of the male gaze on queer women.

There’s also the problem of objectification. I like to write, read, and see fan art about w/w ships, but there’s always that weight of feeling like you’re objectifying women all over again and feeling unsure about it. Honestly, I think that many of us in fandom should probably do what we can to write more femslash and write original queer female characters, but there are a lot of reasons why these ships aren’t as popular as m/m ships. There’s a lot of baggage around portraying women and female sexuality. And lesbian sex is so objectified that it can be a minefield to navigate even when(once in a blue moon) a good f/f ship opportunity comes along. But, even with that, there are some thriving ships such as Korrasami and Clexa(oh look another queer woman is dead. This is why we can’t have nice things). Queer women do celebrate and create fandom around good w/w ships when we get the chance. 

Misogyny and Mocking Fandom:

Lastly, and I’ve read lots on this before so this is just my take, people tend to demonize fandom and m/m shipping because it is something that is driven by women, mainly made by women, and made mostly for other women (and nonbinary folks, too).

Even in the LGBT+ community, there is a lot of misogyny. Cis gay white men are the face of that movement, and they often don’t realize the sexism that is still alive and well in the community. It’s easy for people to laugh at, mock, and critique shipping because it is very much a space not created by men. I also think it’s easy for some privileged gay men to point out perceived injustice but not realize the sexism inherent in what they are saying.

Fandom is very much a place where women explore their sexuality and can enjoy seeing men being acted upon, not just being the actors. It’s no surprise that women are intrigued by the sexual politics of queer men given the messages about being penetrated and being acted on that women get all the time. Analyzing sexual dynamics through a m/m relationship makes a lot of sense psychologically as it isn’t tied to a male/female gender dynamic in the same way. I think it’s a very natural way for women to see sexuality , and things like dominance and submission, as a personal preference and the beauty and excitement of different ways of expressing sexuality.

People like to enjoy women’s work while also mocking it.

Also, I know many queer men who enjoy m/m smut, fan art, etc. from fandoms where I’m sure that 90 percent of the work is being produced by people who aren’t cisgay men, and are very likely people who identify as women. So, while I know that some queer men are cool with it and some aren’t cool with it, I think it’s important to keep in mind that many of them are benefiting and enjoying from the work that female driven fandom is creating.

In conclusion:

Once again, it’s important to not be a homophobic, fetishizing, clueless person. I see instances of problematic behavior and thinking among women who ship men together often, and it’s a problem and needs to be called out when it happens. But, for all that is holy, stop acting like all of these women are gross, homophobic fetishizers and look at all the reasons why m/m shipping is such a phenomenon. I always think being self-critical and analytical is important. It’s also good to listen to different perspectives because these are intersectional issues with valid discussions to be had.

Sorry this was so long. I really could go on and on, and this is what happens when I miss writing feminist/queer theory papers. ;)

[notdeadjack]

annual freaking rec list: 2016 edition

(aka the rise of voltron)

Fandoms represented in this list:

Naruto - 25 fics Haikyuu!! - 33 fics  Borderlands - 1 fic   Yuri!!! on Ice - 6 fics   Zootopia - 2 fics   Marvel - 8 fics   Star Trek - 2 fics   The Hobbit - 5 fics   Teen Wolf - 4 fics   Harry Potter - 6 fics   Fantastic Beasts - 4 fics   Game of Thrones - 2 fics   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 1 fic    Free!! - 1 fic      Boku no Hero Academia - 21 fics    Voltron - 133 fics    One Punch Man - 11 fics   

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265 fics under the cut!

To quickly get to the fandom you’re interested in: Hit [Ctrl + F] or [cmd + F] and type in the fandom name in the little box that appears in one of the corners, and it’ll jump you to the right place. Or you might have to click the down arrow in the box a couple of time. Either way, it’ll get you were you want to go eventually. Faster and more accurate than scrolling anyway.

(This also works on the mobile version of Chrome: Open the drop down menu, click “Find in page” and type in the desired word. There should be a bar with yellow marks appearing on the side that you can tap for instant relocation.)

There will be stories that deal with mentions of suicide, self-harm, incest, dub-con, non-con, drug use, abuse and such. I’ve done my best to add proper warnings but please make sure to read the authors tags first! I’m also willing to trigger check a fic for you if the warnings are fuzzy. Just message me which fic and what to look out for and I’ll get back to you asap.

Oh, and pay no heed to whomever is put before the “/” or behind it, as it doesn’t necessarily denote which one tops.

If you find any dead links, incorrect/missing information or if you’re the author of a fic and want me to remove the link from this list, please contact me and I’ll take care of it :D

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Naruto

yep. still naruto trash apparently

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https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7569102    It Started Over Coffee by Rasengan22    89k, AU, Naruto/Sasuke, romance, fluff, 

Naruto's polite gesture wins him a new friend. A very witty, charming one at that. 

this is just a pleasant read and honestly you can read it without any prior knowledge of the fandom and not miss anything.

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http://cywscross.tumblr.com/post/137996998075/shikanaru-if-it-catches-your-muse-or-uraichi   by cywscross   1k, Shikamaru/Naruto, drabbles,  

onesingledreamer asked: ShikaNaru, if it catches your muse, or UraIchi ;) I have a weakness for rare pairs and your characterizations are always badass yet on point. :))

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/62512    Stepping Stones by tuesday   10k, Lee/Gaara, Various, 

A generation stumbles to adulthood; a tentative truce turns into a lasting friendship; a war passes; and through it all, people try to find their way together, and Lee tries to figure out his relationship with Gaara.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/3380381    Through The Spines Unfurling (Five Things You Should Know About Cacti) by mstigergun    12k, Lee/Gaara, kid fic, 

Lee accompanies a trade delegation to Suna for the change in scenery and to enrich his son's education. He learns a great deal about cacti.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/502185    Rose Tinted by PhePhePhe    3k, Kakashi/Sakura, injury,

"Stay," he half-groaned. Sakura paused, tempted. "You have no idea what you're saying." "I may be an old man, but I'm not senile yet."

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/502183    Placebo by PhePhePhe    2k, Kakashi/Sakura, pining, side SasuSaku,

Sometimes fantasy is enough. 

Written well pre-ending, but works very well with canon. Which means: Ouch.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/956948    Lens of Truth by kanames_harisen     25k, Kakashi/Sakura, injury, canon character death, minor gore, 

Her short nails, jagged from battle, dug painfully into her palms as her mind raced to catch a fleeting thought. There was something - something terribly important - that they were missing. Something obvious. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/724003    Red Rag Top by rabid_behemoth    2k, AU, Kakashi/Sakura, bittersweet, nostalgia, regret, 

He scanned the parking lot for the familiar red glint of his car, but his eyes were drawn to pink instead. Her short hair fluttered in the breeze, and maybe that was what attracted his attention. Or maybe it was the fact that she was scrawling 'WASH ME' in the dust on his back windshield.   

. http://archiveofourown.org/works/702846    Duet (Elegant Bindings) by kanames_harisen    5k, Kakashi/Sakura, voyeurism, angst, minor character death, protective stalking,  

And he prayed for someone to stop up that gaping hole and reapply the dye. Sakura was never meant to be monochrome.   

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/4849811    I Might Need You More Than I Think I Do by YamatoMyTomato (KinoKahn)    35k, Yamato/Kakashi, getting together, awkward sexual situations, 

A mission goes badly, and everything starts to fall apart (or maybe it's falling into place). Tenzou isn't sure where he stands anymore, but he is sure that Kakashi's skin is the warmest thing he's ever touched. 

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http://rilina-fic.livejournal.com/7702.html    Four Weeks of Rain by rilina    1k, gen, 

Rainy season comes to Konoha.  

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/4525815    An Invincible Summer by ShanaStoryteller     133k, canon-AU, gen, Naruto/Sasuke, genderfluid character, 

When Naruto is five, he's gutted by a drunken civilian and presumed dead.

Six months later a girl with ash pale hair and dark blue eyes enters the Academy.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5256338     As Is the Sea Marvelous by blackkat    58k, Tobirama/Madara, fix-it, 

Tobirama is willing to give absolutely anything for Hashirama and his dream.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6840838    Dreamcatcher by Airyo     71k, canon-AU, Itachi/Hinata, non-massacre, branch Hinata, 

Nothing about Itachi, she realized uncomfortably, was ever by accident... Nothing about Hinata, he realized with exasperation, could ever be considered normal. 

.  

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6798397     open season by sazzafraz    7k, Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura, 

The way Sasuke comes home is less myth and more devastatingly embarrassing happenstance.   

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6437860    Castling by svana_vrika    19k, Shikaku/Asuma, power dynamics, shadow bondage, rough sex, 

To protect the king, you need to develop the rook  

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6064288    Unto The Breach by LasySwitch    1k, Naruto/Various, time loop, angst, character death, 

The first time he saw the world rolled out in plains of red and grey he was not so suddenly surprised. When he opened his eyes to a white ceiling and lumpy mattress, lungs clear of blood, eyes clear of ash; he was. The seventh time, he was not.  

love this. a more “realistic” take on the time loop trope.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/5944584    For Warmth by aintitnifty    3k, Team 7, h/c, waff, 

“Don’t panic, Naruto tells himself. It’s the first thing that pops into his mind, and the voice in his head sounds suspiciously like Kakashi: Just don’t panic.”

Kakashi is down for the count, and it's up to the kids to save the day.

. 

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6452965    A Consequence of Loyalty by leathansparrow    52k, canon-AU, Itachi/Shisui/Kisame, non-massacre, 

On a mission into Rain country, Itachi encounters a very large man in a red and black cloak who tells him: “I’ve only ever seen one person use crows as you do.”

He cannot take the man’s further advice: “turn back now, if you value your life.”

Everything changes. 

. 

http://archiveofourown.org/works/625517   An Unexpected Homecoming by Chrononautical    130k, canon-AU, Minato/Kakashi, 

The Reaper dies and those who were sealed alive are released. 

.  

http://archiveofourown.org/series/308052    Brilliant, Nervous Glory ‘verse by Chancy_Lurking     36k, Shino/Kiba/Hinata, side Neji/Tenten,   

The war is over, the truth is out, and Team 8 is doing the best they can to adjust.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3746824     Documenting Acceptable Levels of Insanity for the Shinobi Lifestyle by Aishuu   11k, Naruto/Sasuke, outsider pov, psychiatry, Saki-verse,    

When rumors of Sasuke dressing in drag reach Konoha's higher-ups, Team Seven is required to report to the village's "shinobi evaluator" to determine if Sasuke is too crazy to remain in service. Pity the evaluator.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/4017499      Complications by thefairyprincev (QueenOfThePolarBears)     52k, canon-AU, Hashirama/Madara, gender changes, trans character, misogyny, misgendering, accidental pregnancy, 

In which Madara is a girl. And so is Hashirama. "But... Hashirama is a boy's name..." "It- It's complicated." And it is, it really is. And then it just gets worse.

A story about the lives of female Madara and transgirl Hashirama told in six parts.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/1540754      The Second by Makkoska     10k, Tobirama/Hashirama, Hashirama/Madara, incest, angst, unrequited love, canon character death, 

There are certain things given, like his love for Hashirama or his brother’s love for Madara, and as hard as he tries, Tobirama is never able to change them.   

.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11458228    Better Man by Kakashisgf    179k, Kakashi/Sakura, post-canon, infidelity, 

Sakura and Sasuke have been married for over a decade, but things are far from perfect, and Sakura's beginning to realize that maybe she deserves better.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8187845     Muddy Water by DimiGex     13k, Genma/Sakura,   

Sakura has spent her whole life trying to measure up and when a difficult mission comes up, she leaps at the chance to prove herself. Disobeying orders might get her killed, or it might lead her to realize she doesn't need anyone else's approval but her own.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6161044     Soulmates by moor    49k, canon-AU, Kakashi/Sakura, minor Itachi/Sakura, age-swap, mentioned rape, violence, 

Age-swap AU. A series of interconnected one-shots.

.

.

Haikyuu!!

since this is the gay volleyball anime, the majority of the fics have implied or featured side ships and i can't be bothered to tag them cause y'all already know which ones it is.

 .

Everything and anything written by buu http://archiveofourown.org/users/buu/pseuds/buu   

i pretty much spent a couple of days reading through the majority of their archive and it's all golden (not to mention the delightfully varied collection of kink fics). some favourites includes: confession http://archiveofourown.org/works/2620328 (confession) untitled http://archiveofourown.org/works/3288854 (casual touches + ) hands v2 http://archiveofourown.org/works/2559677 (hand kink) praise http://archiveofourown.org/works/2525891 (praise kink) am i gay? please help http://archiveofourown.org/works/2546768 (37k, firsts)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5103569   More by someonestolemyshoes   3k, Kageyama/Hinata, kissing, frottage,

Hinata isn’t sure when friendship with Kageyama escalated quite this far, but he doesn’t really mind it. In fact, he’d maybe go so far as to say he enjoys it; he likes holding hands on the walk home, and he likes that Kageyama buys him meat buns after practice and he likes that they get to sit just a little closer together when they’re watching movies or playing video games or even just doing homework.

He likes a lot of things, but his most favorite part is the kissing.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5028493     operation: find out if hinata has a hot bod by day   1k, gen, humour,

Kiyoko compliments Hinata's body. It turns into a chaotic mess where the team (aka Tanaka and Nishinoya) tries everything in their power to get a glimpse of Hinata shirtless.

Hinata is oblivious and Kageyama is stressed out.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2007114     If They'd Stop Dancing Around Their Fucking Feelings... by PrussianBluu     5k, Kageyama/Hinata, minor sexual harassment,   

Kageyama is emotionally incompetent. Or just really stupid. Or maybe a bit of both. Nonetheless, he doesn't know what the hell his feelings toward Hinata are doing anymore. He pisses him off, yeah, but why?

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/4591029    Shoreline by Latios     53k, AU, Kageyama/Hinata, mermaids,    

Hinata Shouyou and his sister are sent to their grandfather's for the summer, and he's absolutely sure he's going to be bored for a majority of it, Alone with only a beach to keep him company.

He's terribly mistaken.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/1656539     SLAMMING the setter lmao sports by swiftonthedownside     10k, Kageyama/Hinata, 

*beatboxing* chapter fic

they're going somewhere to do some kind of practice match who cares

freaking love this. 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2378366     Skinemax by animehead     1k, Kageyama/Hinata, pwp,  

With what they’re watching, it was bound to happen. 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3683922     Crowchildren by crypsis     58k, AU, Kageyama/Hinata, various, death, character death, bittersweet,  

Kageyama is a crowchild, tasked with carrying the souls of the dead to their final resting place. The first time he meets Hinata is when the boy is on his deathbed. It seems like an ordinary encounter, though Hinata proves that he is anything but, sending them both on a journey of life, death, friendship, and love.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3811387      silver lining climbing on my desire by drunkonwriting     5k, Kageyama/Hinata, crossdressing, smut,  

“There's a girl sitting at Hinata's desk, for some reason. He marches up, intent on demanding what she's doing there and what happened to Hinata when she looks up at him with wide eyes and a red face and—

Holy shit, she’s Hinata.

Hinata with carefully styled hair that looks softer and wilder than his usual raggedy mop, Hinata with glossed lips and eyeliner, Hinata in the short skirt and blazer of the girl’s uniform. He’s wearing—he’s wearing stockings.”

tsukishima dares hinata to go the entire day dressed as a girl. tobio has unexpected kinks.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2140482  Two suns in one sky by Triana   17k,gen, minor Kageyama/Hinata, Natsu & the Team, fluff, protectiveness, injury,  

Hinata has to bring Natsu to Karasuno Volleyball Club. The girl charms everyone and easily blends in, but Kageyama Tobio isn't that easy to give up. Although, due to some unforeseen events and an unlucky weather forecast, he might want to change his mind in order to prevent something truly horrible from happening...

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2816054   something old and something new by kittebasu   17k, Kageyama/Hinata, bed sharing,  

And Kageyama could pretend like he didn’t care one way or the other all he wanted, Shouyou wasn’t going to let him pout his way through winter holidays with that grim-reaper look on his face.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6374221     Point of View by LoudLucy     1k, Ennoshita/Tanaka, pining,  

Chikara spends a lot of time looking at Tanaka.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5794009   reading between the lines by murakamism   4k, Kageyama/Hinata, fluff, pining,  

Kageyama is selfish.

This is what he thinks when he lets Hinata sit so close to him that their sides press together. Hinata’s babbling, lunchbox empty on his lap. Kageyama chews carefully for once. He tries to concentrate on the food instead of the warmth at his side, practically cocooned into his ribcage.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6361276   Absolutely, Yes by garbagecannot   3k, Ennoshita/Tanaka,

Send help ASAP, because Tanaka Ryuunosuke has the biggest, stupidest crush and he just doesn't know what to do.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6378142   tobio by cornbreadkent   8k, Kageyama/Hinata,  

“Tobio doesn't suit you at all,” Hinata says, and Kageyama is caught off guard enough to forget his intentions for a moment. “You're too awkward and scary for such a cute name.”

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6076395     Written in the Stars by nicolet   34k, Tsukishima/Yamaguchi, pining, misunderstandings, jfc just talk to each other,  

This is Kei's and Tadashi's journey together through the years, as they discover what it really means to fall in love with your best friend. 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3346724    In Transit by Mysecretfanmoments    4k, Kageyama/Hinata, physical proximity, 

Hinata finds that he likes standing close to Kageyama on buses and trains. It doesn't mean anything--probably. Maybe.  

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/4213860    wanna turn off all the lights by Authoress    3k, Hinata/Kageyama, masturbation, voyeurism, D/s undertones, 

The next whimper is louder, longer, and accompanied with a breathy gasp and the twitch of Kageyama’s sneakers on the tile floor. Realization hits Hinata like a freight train, and he whips back around the corner, leaning against the wall himself, covering his mouth with his hand, eyes wide. 

yesssssss  

. 

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2507660    Up In My Head I'm Your Girlfriend by dirtbag     4k, Asahi/Nishinoya, rule 63, 

When you’re as scary-looking and emotionally fragile as Asahi, a crush can only end in heartbreak. Especially a crush on another girl, and especially a crush on Nishinoya. 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7304422     Pink Polka Dots by Esselle    10k, Kageyama/Hinata, clothing kink, frottage,  

‘They have made it through less than one week of living together and here's Tobio, standing in the doorway of their cramped bedroom, the question on his lips about going out to grab dinner dying a violent death as he catches sight of Hinata standing in the middle of the room and twisting his lower half in place to survey how he looks in a skirt.

A skirt. Hinata is wearing a skirt.'

--

Whatever Tobio thought he was signing himself up for, when he agreed to room with Hinata in college, it wasn't this.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6103802    Twitch by CheekyBrunette     72k, Kageyama/Hinata, bullying, panic attacks, tourette’s, 

"He was aware of the itch he’d feel before he shook his head or scrunched his nose. He recognized the impulse to move, but he didn’t realize how compulsive the behaviors had become. He had to shake his head. He had to scrunch his nose. He had to shrug his shoulders over, and over, and over.

It wasn’t until he was nine-years-old that Shouyou realized he couldn’t control his movements like other kids could."

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7457695    Pretty by someonestolemyshoes    3k, Kageyama/Hinata, fluff,   

"Kageyama is pretty. It’s just a fact, something Hinata has grown accustomed, like how Tsukishima is tall and Suga is nice and Tanaka is loud; Kageyama is pretty. He’s never really questioned it, either, because lots of things are pretty - flowers, and sunsets, and his mum when she wears her hair all sleek and straight and lines her lips in red and the point is, pretty isn’t weird at all.

But what is weird, very weird and very not normal and probably very not okay, is the fact that Kageyama is really, really pretty and it makes Hinata want to do things."

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6640387     Surviving His Skin (Kageyama x Hinata) by ThatGinjahNinja     13k, Kageyama/Hinata, 

"Both looking up at the same time, Kageyama realized where he was and what he had just done and exactly who he had just done it with. It was irresistible, and his hands flew up to cradle Hinata’s flushed cheeks, as he pulled him in powerfully for their first kiss."

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6513565     Hold On To Me, Just For A Little While by petmunchkin     5k, canon-AU, Kageyama/Hinata, established relationship,character death, disability, bittersweet,  

A terrible accident robs Kageyama of his eyesight.

That same accident robs Hinata of his life.

It doesn’t mean they can’t still be together. For a little while, at least...

.

http://archiveofourown.org/series/460189    Speed Demons series by Esselle    22k, AU, Kageyama/Hinata, street racing, car sex,   

' “Starting tonight. You—” Daichi says, pointing at Kageyama, “—will be giving him—” he points at Hinata, “—racing lessons.”

Kageyama looks like he has swallowed ten lemons. Hinata, on the other hand, is just baffled.

“Wait a minute,” he asks. “Why is he giving me racing lessons?”

“Because I am absolutely, without a doubt, a hundred percent, better at racing than you are,” the mechanic replies bluntly. “And even if you race every day for the next decade, and I go blind, you still wouldn’t be a better driver than me.” '

--

All Hinata has wanted his entire life is a racetrack under the wheels of his car and a crew at his back. When he's offered a spot with the crew of Karasuno Auto Shop, he could have it all. There's only one thing blocking his path to the starting line: an absolute(ly smoking hot) asshole of an auto mechanic by the name of Kageyama Tobio.

(i’ve clearly spent to much time in the weird parts of the internet because i felt the urge to clarify that with the “car sex” tag, i meant that they have sex inside of a car, not with a car)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6400633     Learning Us by Tsucchi    42k, Ennoshita/Tanaka, slow burn, implied homophobia,  

Tanaka Ryuunosuke had a lot to learn - about himself, about Ennoshita Chikara, and that "happily ever after" is rarely a direct path. 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7955074     Dreamless by Esselle    15k, AU, Kageyama/Hinata, smut, incubi, 

'Kageyama is relatively sure that the creature in his bed isn't human, but he doesn't know what it is, either. But this is not why he suspects he's dreaming.

He thinks he must be dreaming because the thing, whatever it is, is impossibly, breathtakingly beautiful. The little arched eyebrows and upturned nose and small, pouty smile on its face have his breath coming short; and the way it'slooking at him, like it's thinking about devouring him whole, makes him want to run and hide, or drift closer and let it happen, he isn't sure which.

Even without any previous experience, Kageyama knows what it wants. But no one has ever, ever wanted that from him before.'

--

A boy and a demon may know very little about each other, upon first meeting. But what they can't say in words, they make up for with sound and light and touch; and maybe, they learn by taking each other apart, before they piece one another back together again.

  .

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5873884       Shut Up by surveycorpsjean      3k, Tsukishima/Yamaguchi, 

"I want one day for Yamaguchi to turn to Tsukki and say “shut up Tsukki” and watch as Tsukki’s world crumples around him." - stressedanime @ tumblr

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7228768       Lock and Key by surveycorpsjean     8k, Tanaka/Tsukishima, possesive behaviour,   

Together, they're two cogs that meld, the odds and ends meeting that never met before.

Despite what the world says, they were meant to be together.

Strings and all.

.

.

Borderlands

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5405723    Not Jack by vickjawn     297k, Timothy/Axton, h/c, alcohol abuse, mental health issues, torture, abuse, injury, off-screen non-con, violence, sex work, non-consensual body modification, mind control, suicidal thoughts, healing, happy ending,  

When Axton and Gaige bring a scarred, Eridium-addicted Timothy Lawrence back to Sanctuary, he agrees to tell his story, from the moment Athena left him in Jack's hands on Helios to the very last thing he remembered before waking up in the Crimson Raiders HQ. After that, it's a matter of healing and coming to terms with what happened to him at the hands of Hyperion, but that's a long, dangerous road to trek down, both mentally and physically. Friends new and old are there to help him, but they can't hold his hand forever. With the threat of a war looming on the horizon and Hyperion gaining wind of Timothy's location, it's only a matter of time before things take a turn for the worse.

legit one of the best fics i’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, i kid you not. it is long, plotty with beautiful characterisation and character growth. it deals with some seriously dark topics, but it focuses strongly on the healing aspect. also, one of the very few times flashbacks are handled so damn well you barely notice them.

.

.

Yuri!!! on Ice

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8242556     Praise Please by surveycorpsjean      5k, Yuuri/Victor, praise kink   

Viktor is a good coach. Strict, talented.

But Viktor is kind. He gives praise like a waterfall, overflowing and loud and it makes Yuuri drown.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8579203     hair by buu     4k, Yuuri/Victor, hair kink, 

It's Victor, of course. He looks the same as always, but something about that long hair framing his face, strands dipping over one eye makes him look softer. Yuri feels a little dizzy watching, like he's stepped through some time portal, like he's small again and watching awestruck as Victor spins on TV. Except this time, Victor is looking back at him, tilting his head so the hair folds over his shoulder.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8643673    hungry, but i'll hunger on by incode    6k, Yuuri/Victor, praise kink, body worship, 

Yuuri has been learning to reach out for what he wants.

(Yuuri is not used to having power, being strong. He’s used to feeling weak. He is used to being told what to do and doing it, and Victor has unlocked something vital and feral inside him; he’s made Yuuri into something new, or maybe Yuuri has created it himself with his inspiration. In any case, he’s not interested in unraveling now into the sweet, pliant thing Victor is used to, the shy doll, whimpering and soft, from their previous times together. Suddenly, Yuuri doesn’t want to be coached, doesn’t want to be patronized. He lets his body make a decision, for perhaps the first time in his life.)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8640379    Celebration by MemeKonYOI (MemeKonYA)    2k, Yuuri/Victor, 

“You seduced everyone out on the rink today,” Victor whispers, lips still brushing against the back of his hand. “Everyone was enthralled. You were amazing. Stunning.”

“And you?” Yuuri asks, not because he holds any kind of doubts about how Victor felt about his short program —he can still feel the searing heat of Victor’s lips on his, like a brand, invisible on him, burning in the best ways, reminding him of how Victor will always meet him where he stands, even if he has to run for it, work for it, grow for it— but because he loves knowing Victor is amazed by his skating, by him, and he’s greedy about the feeling he gets from that knowledge.

(Or: Yuuri and Victor celebrate after the Cup of China.)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8644615    When He’s Not Even Trying by qwartooty    2k, Yuuri/Victor, 

“Do you have any kinks?”

Viktor looked down at Phichit, surprised. “Excuse me?”

“Fetishes. Turn-ons. Things that make you go, ‘Oooh! Wow! Yeah!’”

“I know what a kink is. Why are you asking me that kind of question?”

“Don’t look so scandalized. It’s for my psychology project. Which I just told you about, but you were too busy drooling over Yuuri to listen,” Phichit said.

(post episode 7 - In which Viktor is enlightened, Phichit is a little shit, and Yuuri frantically searches for ways to keep surprising Viktor)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8420320    Touch and Go by Ashida     3k, Yuuri/Victor, 

Victor couldn’t figure out whether Yuuri Katsuki was utterly dense, truly not interested, or if he was in fact the biggest tease to ever skate the ice.

.

.

Zootopia  

yeah

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6017023   Fear by Ragamuffins   2k, minor Judy/Nick,  

It was almost hilariously ironic, that this one, tiny bunny scared him more than anyone else within Zootopia.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6261835     the plunge by brodayhey     10k, Judy/Nick, pining,  

Judy's life is nothing like a romance novel.

.

.

Marvel  

(all the franchise)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2578418   In Wade We Trust (We Are So Screwed) by dentalfloss   44k, Wade & Clint friendship, side Clint/Phil, minor torture, violence, humour,  

“Wade Wilson dropped by last night,” Clint explained, like it was any other Friday. “Brought pizza and beer.” There was a thoughtful silence through the phone and then: “You had a pizza party with Deadpool.” Phil said and Clint slid down the couch onto his back. Yeah, that pretty much summed up the situation.

Or: the one where Clint does something nice for Wade, and Wade decides to never let him go.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/1373596   Wiping Off The Dust by dentalfloss   72k, gen, de.aging, implied child abuse, trust issues, violence, h/c,  

Teenaged Clint, it turns out, is a little shit.

Naturally this makes him Tony’s new favourite person.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/278395    Safeword by melannen    5k, Steve/Tony, JARVIS, BDSM, bad BDSM,  

Tony Stark doesn't need to be safe, sane, and consensual. He has JARVIS instead. (Then he gets Steve.) 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3889561    Clint Barton's Super Secret Snipers' Club by sara_holmes    67k, Clint/Bucky, PTSD, deaf!Clint, 

Clint Barton's Super Secret Snipers' Club. (Invitation and pending mental health evaluation required.)

"When Steve brings Bucky back to the tower for the first time, Clint’s first thought is that Tony Stark’s pride and joy is quickly becoming a less of a very tall and expensive ‘fuck you’ in the faces of investors who don’t believe in self-sustaining energy, and more of a superhero rehabilitation center."

Boyfriends, compromises and learning to like oneself.

. 

http://archiveofourown.org/works/1581335    i was found and now i don't roam these streets by hipsterchrist    15k, Steve/Bucky, PTSD, hospitals, child sickness, healing, 

They’ve decided to start producing Bucky Bears again, now that he’s all shiny and redeemed and fighting for good on this big Avengers misfits team. "He has a little shiny gray arm," Bucky says, wiggling the stuffed arm in question, one of the tweaks made in the new model. It takes Steve a second to realize that Bucky’s got a small smile on his face, actually looks a little bit proud around the eyes.

Or, Bucky relearns himself and how to be on a team, the rest of the Avengers try to get answers, and everyone watches too much Criminal Minds.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/504186    baby, i’d victoria your secret anytime by ghostsoldier    4k, Wade/Peter, crossdressing, 

Peter’s known Wade for a while now, so he can maybe see how this makes sense -- like, maybe Wade has a thing about going commando and just happened to have an old girlfriend’s panties lying around, one thing led to another…but…

“And the bra?” Peter croaks.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/399351    And I'd Buy A Big House Where We Both Could Live by shinkonokokoro    59k, AU, Steve/Tony, amnesia, 

Missing: Tony Stark, billionaire businessman, heir to Stark Industries, reward: none

Only Steve didn't know that when he picked up the waterlogged unconscious man from the bank of a river.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3509063    the Steve Rogers problem by relenafanel   36k, AU, Steve/Bucky, fandom, 

Bucky doesn't consider his Steve Rogers problem as a problem so much as the solution he hadn't realized he was hoping for to help him through the transition from the Bucky Barnes he'd been before his accident to the new, shiny version of himself.

No, the problem isn't with Captain America and The Howling Commandos fandom.

The problem is the amount of porn Bucky managed to write and draw about Captain America before finding out that he's less than one degree of separation away from Steve Rogers. 'Less than' as in he's sitting across the table from him.

.

.

Star Trek

(TOS and AOS/XI)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/17969   Graduate Vulcan for Fun and Profit by lazulisong   15k, gen, Kirk.centric, secretly genius,  

It really does take a village to raise a Jim.

The members of the Kelvin's crew watch over Jim as much as he lets them.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/462930   We Two Alone by shoreleave   101k, gen, injury, drama, slavery, starvation, survival,  

Academy fic. Dr. Leonard McCoy thinks he has nothing in common with command-track cadet Jim Kirk, until a series of events forces them together. When a simple training mission is derailed into a seemingly hopeless situation, both have to learn to trust one another, and they’ll need all their wits and survival skills to stay alive.

.

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The Hobbit

(aaand some lotr)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/786339     Princes under the Mountain by Carcy     10k, Fíli/Kíli, 5+1, 

Fili and Kili are heirs and Princes Under the Mountain. They like being princes - they like the respect and the fancy clothes and sense of being needed. Sometimes though, they forget that they're princes. They've always been taught how to act royal so they never embarrass Thorin too much or make it awkward for him politically... But they grew up as exiled princes, they grew up learning trades and working for money and rolling up their sleeves ect. Sometimes they forget that they're not in the little village they grew up in.

Some of the servants, who have always worked for royals, don't know what to make of the sweet and charming young princes who seem to earnestly want to help and don't see why they shouldn't.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/641409     those who wait by sospes      4k Fíli/Kíli, pining,   

Fili knows that his brother is the one he was meant to love. It takes Kili a little bit longer to work it out for himself.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/921402    Signs by orphan_account    59k, AU, Thorin/Bilbo, various, domestic, deaf!Kíli,  

Thorin was certain he had a problem. After all, the man looked like a bloody grocer- like some curly haired, bright eyed, bushy tailed cherub: totally vanilla and not sexy in any way at all. At least, that was what Thorin was trying to tell himself.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/690469      Parallel by dothraki_shieldmaiden     116k, canon-AU, Fili/Kili, incest, slow burn, dub/non-con, violence,   

When tragedy strikes the Line of Durin, Thorin decides to separate his infant nephews in order to keep them safe. Sixty-five years later Fili is the bored, dutiful heir in Ered Luin while elsewhere Kili is simply trying to stay alive between alleyway brawls.

Everything changes when they meet and a connection is formed which seems nigh unbreakable.

At least until the truth of the past and their heritage is revealed.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8420206     The Other Things We Never Knew About Frodo's Soulmate by Tozette  7k, Frodo/Sauron, soulmates, 

Primula was red-faced and exhausted by the end of the birth, and if she made a rude gesture at her husband and turned away sleepily, well, the midwife had seen worse.

So Drogo was left holding the baby in bemused confusion. As new parents are wont to do, he counted all the toes and fingers, marvelled at the child’s eyes, and then set out looking to see if there was yet a soul mark on his son’s skin.

There was.

The script was all long tails and swoops that ended in jagged flicks with characters that seemed more made of unpronounceable accents than actual letter, but the hand that wrote it was smooth and practised, almost mechanical in its precision.

"Curious," said Drogo, peering at the mark upon his thigh. "I've never seen anything like it."

The midwife seemed baffled by it, too, and when Primula woke he showed her and then they were three for three.

.

.

Teen Wolf 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/1186243      Divided Loyalties by LennaNightrunner     154k, Stiles/Jackson, D/s,

Jackson returns home after a month spent in London trying (and failing) to start the next phase of his life there. Knowing now from experience that he’d be a fool to try to make it as a werewolf on his own, he asks Derek to take him in as a beta. Derek agrees on the condition that Jackson will do as he’s told. Jackson hopes that, despite the mess left in the wake of the Kanima, he might be able to repair his life in Beacon Hills. Of course, things haven’t really been going the way Jackson has hoped lately...

This is exactly the stackson fic i’ve always wanted to read. (you’ll def need knowledge of the happenings in s03a to follow the plot, since the author chose not to repeat the information)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8105281     I'll Dissolve When The Rain Pours In, When The Nightmares Take Me by clotpolesonly     38k, Stiles/Jackson, soulmates, dissociation, depersonalization, bed sharing, 

When Stiles finally managed to contort himself the right way without causing injury, he stared at the words on his inner thigh. And then he stared some more, long enough for the water to grow cold around him, wondering if this was part of the dream. Finally he decided that it had to be real only because his subconscious was not creative enough to come up with this.

There, in freckle-brown letters stark against pale skin, was the name Jackson Whittemore.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/2311607     let me keep you safe (let me just keep you) by tryslora    30k, Stiles/Jackson, fake relationship, possessive behaviour, scent marking, 

When Stiles shows up unexpectedly on Jackson’s doorstep in London, Jackson has to protect him from his pack and blurts out the first thing he thinks of: that Stiles is his ex-boyfriend. When Stiles explains why he’s there, the two find themselves embroiled in a plot to save each other’s lives, and in the process of making it through alive, maybe they’ll find out they aren’t lying about how involved they actually are.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/series/290306      I Hope You Die (I Hope We Both Die) series by taylorpotato    5k, Stiles/Jackson, hate sex, alcohol, 

This is what regret looks like: fucking in a bathroom, with the door locked, at some stupid party, because neither of you are supposed to want it.

.

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Harry Potter  

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/1113588    Business by esama    12k, canon-AU, gen, dark!Harry,  

The Dursleys didn't raise Harry Potter to be a very good boy.

Mildest of fusions with Sherlock Holmes

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/838184    Hit The Ground Running by Tozette   112k, canon-AU, slytherin!Harry, child abuse, 

The Horcrux in Harry's head wakes up and begins talking to Harry long before he's ever heard the name Voldemort.   

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7548181     Slithering by astolat     27k, Harry/Draco, post-war, 

Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6177703     House Proud by astolat    23k, Harry/Draco, post-war, 

His house liked Draco Malfoy more than him.

i love this kind of magic.

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https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4536005    Oh God Not Again! by Sarah1281    162k, Harry-centric, time-travel, humour, 

So maybe everything didn't work out perfectly for Harry. Still, most of his friends survived, he'd gotten married, and was about to become a father. If only he'd have stayed away from the Veil, he wouldn't have had to go back and do everything AGAIN.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/825875    All Life is Yours to Miss by Saras_Girl    114k, Harry/Draco, slow burn, 

Professor Malfoy's world is contained, controlled, and as solitary as he can make it, but when an act of petty revenge goes horribly awry, he and his trusty six-legged friend are thrown into Hogwarts life at the deep end and must learn to live, love and let go.

.

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 

tbh i don’t think i really have to tag these as emotional manipulation, dub-con and abuse since there’s nothing pure, innocent, happy, or healthy about the (canon) gredence ship or credence’s character in general but, yeah...

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8619118    I Felt Your Shape by th_esaurus    3k, Credence/Graves, dub con, emotional manipulation, abuse, body horror,

Graves gets to his knees. His palms slide down Credence's shoulders, to his chest, and Graves rests his head against the boy's thin belly, one ear to his stomach.

"There is nothing dangerous in you," he says. "Nothing at all."

He sounds—disappointed.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8713267    such as is common to man by imochan    7k, Credence/Graves, fix-it, emotional manipulation, 

Arriving in London, Credence finds a familiar face.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8635411   The Lord's Work by betts    15k, AU, Credence/Graves, abuse, religious guilt, h/c, dissasociation, 

When Credence met the man’s eyes, he felt a strong jolt in his gut, a profound instinct of sameness about him, in some way he couldn’t fully conceive. The dark thing residing inside Credence was maybe the dark thing in this man, too.

His hands began to tremble as they did when he was scared, but this didn’t feel like fear so much as a heady thrill he didn’t understand. “Hello, my name is Credence. I am calling on you and your neighbors with an interesting article.” He handed over a copy of The Watchtower. “I am wondering if you would be interested in reading this.”

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8677570    Show Me by callay    2k, Credence/Graves, possessiveness, public masturbation, 

“Tell me,” continues Graves, his voice even lower now. “Does this always happen when I heal you?”

“Always. When you – when you touch me.”

Graves takes a breath. Credence can hear it; Graves has drawn even closer, not so close that they touch but close enough that Credence can feel every scant inch of space between them. His voice is a low murmur. “And what do you do, Credence, when this happens to you?”

.

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Game of Thrones 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/813223    The Covering Sky by Rellie    136k, canon-divergent, Jamie/Brienne, slow build, 

AU, from the end of 3x07 in which the timeline is changed slightly and Brienne ends up as the reluctant guest of the Lannisters in King's Landing. 

.  

http://archiveofourown.org/works/1241512    The Seven Bind Their Fate by RoseHeart    191k, Canon-AU, Jamie/Brienne, slow build, UST, 

What if Jaime became a prisoner of Renly Baratheon, instead of Robb Stark, and he met Brienne earlier? This story delves into the changing nature of Jaime and Brienne's relationship in a time of war and shifting alliances and then explores how their journey, and the land, is changed by this small twist of fate. 

.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 

(no ship because turtle penises are scary)

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https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3624149    Underdark by Nekotsuki  43k, gen, Mikey-centric, injury, 1-pov,   

He’s hanging upside down in the middle of the great underdark, weighed down by a half hysterical turtle in the middle of a bunch of pipes and water and rock that are conspiring to kill us both off, and Leo still manages to sound like he Has A Plan.

an excellent example of “we’re injured and in deep shit and i’ve gotta get us out of here” fic that i adore. Also, Mikey really get to shine here, which is fab. Seriously, don’t let the 1-pov scare you off.

.

.

Free!

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/1856572    Catch A Falling Star by hoshruba      14k, AU, Haruka/Makoto, loss, pining, 

“Oh, darling, do you remember… what was his name? Makoto, was it?” Haru freezes in place, his breath catches in his windpipe like cloth on brambles. He feels Makoto stifle a gasp and try to shrink into himself.

“I asked if you ever saw him again.”

.

.

Boku no Hero Academia

(i did not end up with the otp i expected, but i’m so not complaining)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6961186     how they got detention for a week by eggstasy     5k, Bakugou/Kirishima, outsider pov,  

This is getting serious. Kaminari likes Bakugou well enough, as another individual in his class who is generally more capable than most of them and hasn’t yet tried to murder him personally, but that’s about where his good will ends. Especially where his best dudefriend is concerned (aside from Sero, but Sero isn’t a common sense deviant like Kirishima tends to be. Kirishima needs the supervision).

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6693406     How to Make Bakugou Katsuki a Decent Human Being by keptein    6k, Bakugou/Kirishima, 

A how-to by Kirishima Eijirou.

(Kirishima decides to make Bakugou the guy Kirishima knows he can be. Everything else snowballs from there.)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7192085     The Hard Easy by dirtbag     5k, Bakugou/Kirishima, kissing, biting, 

"So," Kirishima says. "Kissing lessons."   

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6895168    Bigmouth Strikes Again by dirtbag    1k, Bakugou/Kirishima, kissing, finger sucking, oral kink, 

"Do you remember that one time at lunch you were looking at my teeth and you had your fingers in my mouth?” Kirishima asks, all in one breath. "Can we do that again?"

works very well read after The Hard Easy, recced above. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6946963     Pop Rocks by dynapunk (tyelperin)    3k, Bakugou/Kirishima, 

As if friendship wasn't being hard enough, he had to go and catch feelings. 

.  

http://archiveofourown.org/works/3793852    Dulcet by Ringi    4k, Bakugou/Kirishima, 

He’s angry, and too embarrassed to specify at whom. There isn’t even any real need to be, and if he were smooth enough, he could have dished out some bullshit yet still acceptable reply. But instead, he chokes--stammers:

“What the fuck?”

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/6835363    safe & sound by Authoress     4k, Bakugou/Kirishima, mentioned character death, 

“I don’t need a friendly face,” Bakugou says, purposefully sitting in the seat furthest from Kirishima.

“Okay, maybe not,” Kirishima says. He smiles. “But I made tea.”

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/4250985    Love Bites by Sleeves    1k, Bakugou/Kirishima, kissing, biting, 

‘ "You liked that," Kirishima says, not even bothering to hide the amusement in his voice. ‘

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7229989    A Little Love Never Hurts (Until It's No Longer a Little) by furihatachlookie    4k, Midoriya/Todoroki, pining, 

It all started at the Sports Festival, and it all goes downhill from there. For Todoroki, at least.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/4469489    Heavy petting by ImmaEatUrYaoi    7k, Bakugou/Kirishima, frottage,   

Kiripie and Bakagou does the sex at each other. Shameless, pointless, baseless smut.  

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/4333185     That's not a quirk, you dumbass. by ImmaEatUrYaoi    6k, Kirishima/Bakugou, fluff,  

Kacchan is being thirsty as fuk for Kirishima (but honestly who wouldn't be)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7142792     ragtag by SportsAnimeRuinedMyLife (KnightOfRage)     67k, Kirishima/Bakugou, violence, post-graduation,   

Kirishima Eijirou had enough to deal with before almost every pro hero went missing. But after an unthinkable disaster throws society into chaos, Class 1-A reunites and tries to figure out what went wrong and what exactly they're supposed to do next.

Or...Deku is missing, the pro heroes are gone, but Kirishima is trying his best.

very plotty, with excellent characterization and lots of love for the minor characters.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7618783     Present Mic’s Awesome Mixtape 2.0 by KuriKuri      10k, Eraserhead/Present Mic, pre-series, 

Hizashi is going to make Aizawa Shōta his friend if it kills him.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7829011     i feel your warmth, and it feels like home by trshchld     4k, Midoriya/Todoroki, pining, 

The five times where Shouto remembers that Midoriya is more buff than he lets on.

(alternatively titled the-one-where-shouto-internally-nosebleeds-and-tries-to-act-casual)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7826632     Tribute To by SugarMagic     5k, Shinsou/Midoriya, masturbation, fantasizing, praise kink,  

Shinsou makes use of an unconventional treatment for insomnia, and has someone on his mind.  

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7785463    take the path that moonbeams make by plantegg    8k, AU, Bakugou/Kirishima,   

"What could possibly be better than Disney World?" "Death. Or literally anything else." Or, a Disney World au where Bakugou is a grumpy janitor and Kirishima plays the park's Peter Pan.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8101432    waterlogged (red blue, green) by lein    8k, Midoriya/Todoroki, soulmates, pining, 

Izuku has never been one to curse but the only way to describe himself as his mother hugs him goodbye that morning, is royally fucked.

He’s really, truly glad no one in their class has a mind-reading quirk because from the minute his feet touched warm sand, his mind has been screaming in tune to the same famous classical overtures Tenya listens to when they study together. Occasionally, the music pauses just long enough for his brain to point out observations about Shouto that make Izuku want to stick his head under the waves and just breathe in.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8068954    you and I might just be the best thing by Poteto     13k, AU, Bakugou/Kirishima, 

Kirishima has the bad habit of falling in love with assholes - and then he meets Bakugou.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6713596    Fight club by xShieru    7k, Midoriya/Todoroki, frottage, 

In his defense, Izuku would mention the fact that they are fifteen and that sparring with an extremely attractive male – it‘s just the adrenaline rush, really - is bound to result in this. Social media had taught him that much, at least.

It‘s just his rotten luck that his 'handsome sparring partner' happens to be his friend Todoroki Shouto. Which is entirely unfair and really bad for Izuku‘s poor rabbit-heart.

(alternatively: Midoriya fights his sexuality, his inferiority complex, his feelings, and his crush)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8269168    marketable by eggstasy     6k, Kirishima/Bakugou, 

Jealous Inner Kirishima has a better vocabulary than Actual Life Kirishima, who just has to open his mouth to make stupid words fall out in the wrong order. Bakugou throws a laundered sweat towel at his face and says, “Quit leaving your shit downstairs,” and Kirishima answers him with, “Thanks for my towel washing it,” which leads to him sinking down in his chair and trying not to die.

People notice.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/4250985     Love Bites by Sleeves    1k, Kirishima/Bakugou, biting, sloppy makeouts, 

Bakugou doesn't pay attention to stupid shit like the color of someone's eyes or the shape of their lips or the way they walk, but for whatever reason he has instant recall of Kirishima's infuriatingly bright smile and every spike of his shitty ridiculous hair and the way he flicks his eyes in Bakugou's direction when he knows Bakugou is looking and every other excruciating detail of his existence like they're burned into his skull.

It doesn't help that Kirishima has him up against a wall right now, shoving all those little details right up in Bakugou's face.

.

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Voltron: Legendary Defender   

(i just ship them all, ok?)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7298179    bench press me by eggboi    1k, Keith/Lance, 

“The hell are you doing?” Keith grumbles out, body mid-push up. There’s a snicker behind him, too close to his ears, though Keith can’t really understand what would be so amusing about this. Then again, he’s not really sure why Lance is lying on him while he’s doing push ups either. Other than to be, of course, annoying.

“Nothing.” Lance finally says. Keith hears the grin in his voice, which only proves to irritate him a little more. ‘Nothing’ his ass. “Continue with what you’re doing, Mr. ‘I’m-Too-Good-For-Socialization’.”

(Lance, as always, tries to annoy Keith by making his exercise harder. It doesn’t work. At all.)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7214380    Kiss Me If You Want Me by Barkour    3k, Keith/Lance, sex pollen, sex comedy,  

Lance has an epiphany and Keith makes a confession. Also, they fuck.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7444777    kiss me (on the mouth) by ashinan    3k, Keith/Lance, frottage, hand jobs, 

The training room was the only place Keith felt fully in control. Until Lance walked in. Then - well, everything tended to get a bit heated when they were together.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7352212    we'll make it, you and me by asexualrey    6k, Keith/Lance, injury, 

"Keith, if we make it out of this alive, I'm going to kiss you."   

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7387033    Stormchasing by sinelanguage    18k, Keith/Lance, adventure, forced proximity, injury,  

This isn’t how Lance intended to spend his vacation, chasing after Keith’s premonitions. But here he is, and he’s one hundred percent blaming Keith for all the trouble they’re about to get into. Keith makes bad decision, Lance makes mistakes, and both of them are stuck together on a space pirate adventure neither of them asked for.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7381330    Your Grace Is Wasted by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)    12k, gen, 5+1, 

Five times that no one was thinking of Shiro as a dad.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7537744    Acceptable Behavior by eso (cazzy)    3k, Keith/Lance, frottage, biting,  

Keith's chest heaves with the exertion of dueling a killer robot while simultaneously managing to open the air lock door in order to save his fellow paladin's life, and Lance thinks, Oh, fuck.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7332526    the whole town's sleeping by astrainclinant     17k, Shiro/Keith, slow burn, pining, 

Of inevitability and stars.

Alternatively, how Keith and Shiro come together.

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http://archiveofourown.org/series/502696     After The Fire series by WineBoxConfessions    54k, Pidge/Shiro, alien marriage, trans character, memory loss, PTSD,   

He refused to let anyone know about the heavy arm draped over his chest. The firm hand on his shoulder designed to send a message to anyone nearby. Pidge didn’t expect things to stay the same. People do strange and extraordinary things when they’re under extreme duress…He hadn’t expected to lose his best friend completely.

such a good

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7452358     the electric synthesized pop ballad of why keith can’t have nice things by kay_cricketed     10k, Keith/Lance, a/b/o elements, 

Keith can't have nice things. That's it. That's the story.

(Or, in which Keith slowly learns that sometimes the best family is the one you make, Pidge has strong feelings about peanuts, Lance has a secret but would've spoken up sooner if he'd known it would break Keith's brain, Hunk is the actual best, and Shiro is just relieved he didn't have to give anyone the Talk.)

yes this is fantastic,. i love the take on the a/b/o trope.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7631584     what are you willing to do? by aknightley     3k, Lance/Keith, pwp, bareback, 

They fuck in the Red Lion.

"This is such a bad idea," Lance says, running his hands down Keith's sides and jerking his shirt out of his pants.’

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7374097    What a Healing Pod Can't Repair by Remember_Me     36k, Keith/Lance, angst, h/c, 

The compromised wormhole was ripping apart at the seams, sending everyone spiraling away in completely different directions. Lance could feel himself being pulled and bent in ways he was definitely not supposed to be. -- Stitching the team back together after everyone is separated is difficult, and for one Paladin rescue wouldn't be coming for a very long time.   

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7690066      pepsicola by stalemateBecks     10k, Keith/Lance, pining, 

It starts like this: Lance looking up at the scoreboard only a few days into his Garrison training and muttering to himself, “What the hell kind of a name is Keith?”

-- Or, Keith and Lance fall in love. Eventually.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7777147       blow me up by zxrysky     4k, Keiith/Lance, power bottom!Keith,    

Keith has no idea how this starts, whatever this is. All he knows is that Lance is hot, objectively, incredibly attractive with slim hips and tan skin and legs that go on forever, and yeah, Keith is attracted to that. Lance, for all his smart talk and irrational flirting with every girl he sees, is something that, weirdly enough, makes Keith like him.

Maybe it’s how unattainable he seems. Maybe it’s how fucking straight he seems, but after every mission he gives Keith this look, running his eyes up and down Keith’s body and giving him a tired, happy smile that makes Keith’s abdomen flip up and over inside.

-=-

Keith has a thing for Lance. He acts on it.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/series/520738      Make me come (again) series by MatrixCube     13k, Hunk/Lance, pwp, slight d/s, voyeurism, breath play, strength kink, rough sex,   

At the Garrison, Lance hooks up with people and enjoys life - if it weren't for a certain 'problem'. One night, he confesses to his roomie Hunk that he can't come from simply having sex with someone; he needs a bit more than that.

Good for him that Hunk is willing to help him out.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7739998      Take It from Me by onestrangenovelist     9k, Keith/Lance, kissing,   

“Well,” Keith says. “Are you going to kiss me back, or are you just that awful at kissing?”

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7579015       No Phone Service in Space by lemoninagin     6k, Keith/Lance, UST, awkward boners, accidental bondage, forced proximity, 

“Oh man, you’re actually kinda sexy when you’re being all cocky, oh no. What have you done to me?” Lance lamented, turning his head to the sky and doing a cross motion, hand skipping from his forehead, down to his chest, then across each shoulder in silent, dramatic prayer.

Keith couldn’t believe it. He almost threw Lance in the weird river nearby. “What have I done to you? Are you fucking kidding--”

Lance clapped a hand on each of Keith’s shoulders, his face set into rigid determination. “Keith, real talk. Can I kiss you?”

my absolute favourite trope is awkward boners ok? especially combined with forced proximity,it’s the actual best fucking fight me

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7452727     like the north star itself by raewrites     2k, Hunk/Lance, pwp, 

“You got plans, big guy?” Lance asks, grinning crookedly as he lifts his legs and hooks them around Hunk’s back, pulling him forward. Hunk stifles a laugh, opting to comment on the sharp boniness of Lance’s ankles instead, earning a half-hearted kick and a declaration to fight in return. “I’d win in a fight against you.” Hunk says, leaning over Lance to press the words against the flushed skin and fluttery pulse of the other’s neck, “I’d toss you over my shoulder like a sack of spare parts.”

Lance makes a low noise in the back of his throat like he wouldn’t particularly mind this.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7553101     A Regular Thing by cattchi     2k, Hunk/Lance, kissing, 

Lance has never been kissed and Hunk is a really, really, REALLY good friend

.   

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7762459    Ocean Frogs by surveycorpsjean     5k, Shiro/Shiro, smut, hella filthy,   

He's boiling.

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http://archiveofourown.org/series/522925     Real Lions AU series by Titans_R_Us     ~8k, gen, fluff, lions,   

“Should I be closing my eyes? I feel like this is something I should be closing my eyes to.” Pidge says.  

yesssss, this pleases me. so much <3

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7558720     You Smell Like Trash by BoxWineConfessions     29k, Canon-AU, Keith/Pidge, slow burn, 

“Garrison,” Keith hisses he turns his head in every direction trying to identify something, but can’t. “You’re a lot of trouble you know that.” He takes his knife from his belt and holds it in one hand. “Just follow my lead. You were kidnapped. You know, vulnerable smart shrimp.”

She feels the knife at her throat. Yeah. Like that explains it.

Or: Pidge meets a badly dressed smelly guy out in the desert. When he's not trying to get her killed, they actually make an okay team.

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http://archiveofourown.org/series/500086     Ventures in Viridian series by The Qing    ~35k, Lance/Pidge, slow burn, bickering, pranks, 

On the hunt for their lost comrades, Pidge and Lance trade barbs, boasts, and battle scars in the boundless void.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7499001     Shadows of Our Dreams by KUG    10k, gen, h/c, fluff, cuddles, bed sharing,   

-There comes a time and place where you don’t stand so tall-

The Paladins of Voltron have been reunited and are now resting and trying to heal, but nightmares tend to stick around longer than physical injuries. Time for a good ol' fashioned sleepover with the team.  

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7748638        bruises by Chaosandthecalm    3k, Keith/Lance, love/hate, 

"Show me how much you hate me.”

Keith wants to know what Lance's problem is. The answer might surprise him.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7502169     My Youth Is Yours by MilkTeaMiku    29k, Keith/Lance, fluff, kid fic, de-aging, 

An unforseen blast in the middle of a battle de-ages Lance into a child for a week.

Keith does not understand babies.

too cute 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7843912     Shiro is a Smitten Kitten by memoriesofrain     921 words, Shiro/Lance, pining,  

He didn't know how it happened, but Shiro found himself faced with an inevitable truth: he was head over heels for Lance.   

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7844677     Let The Water Lead Us Home by LynnLarsh     12k, Keith/Lance, 

He’d just wanted a glimpse. It was stupid and childish and selfish, but he’d just wanted one more look out on the ocean, one more peek in the window of his family home, just in case they never made it back to Earth. Just in case he never got another chance.

But this wasn’t the Holo-Deck from Star Trek. And this broken simulator tube wasn’t going to be able to do any of that for him, now was it?

A.K.A - Lance finds himself stuck in a simulation and Keith is determined to get him out.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7890214    The Game is up by WHUMPBBY    2k, Nyma/Lance, dub-con/non-con, bondage, alien sex, 

There was this prompt on Voltron kinkmeme about Nyma fucking Lance once he's tied to a tree that caught my fancy. This is what we're getting here, folks;] *********

He stepped to her first, with a curious tilt to his mouth that she suspected was supposed to look flirtatious. She hooked him in with just a look and a spark of interest, encouraging his silly antics with a smile and a nod. It was supposed to be a quick con, but she genuinely liked the boy from the first look - he seemed young, inexperienced and gagging for it.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7738513     Trembling Lips by nonna    17k, gen, 5+1, angst, whump, 

Lance is an emotional person who cries easily (and does the trembly-lip thing a lot) but tries to stay strong in front of the team.

OR

Five times Lance stopped himself from crying in front of his teammates, and the one time he couldn't hold it back.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7883014    thread our way through a string of stars by steelthighsvoideyes    22k, AU,  Keith/Lance,  

Lance is a humble astrophysics student trying to conduct research, which turns out to be a bit difficult to do when he finds a strange guy sitting in his customary research spot. A strange guy looking for aliens, no less.

Lance isn't going to stand for this.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7835008     Standing in the Eye of the Storm by erisgregory     1k, Keith/Lance, pwp, angry sex, frottage, 

shameless pwp set in the training room after a fight.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7834108    i'd get lost in space with you by TimmyJaybird    30k, Keith/Shiro, trans character, dysphoria, pre-series, pining, angst, 

Keith never expected to fall so hard for someone as he did Shiro. He never expected to find support in someone they way he did in Shiro.

He never expected to lose someone like he lost Shiro.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7939960     A Romantic Guy by MatrixCube    3k, Hunk/Keith, pwp, bruises, biting, intercrural, 

“You like that?”

Keith nods eagerly, looking down on Hunk’s hands wandering to the inside of his legs. The skin is more tender there, more sensitive, and wow, Hunk’s complexion is a nice contrast to his own skin—

I want him to grab me so hard that it’ll leave bruises. The sudden thought goes straight to his cock. He really, really wants that. “More,” he breathes, and can see Hunk smiling at him.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7918087    Another Love Of Mine by maxsaystowrite    13k, Alfor/Coran, pre-series, 

They were King and Advisor. They were Paladins. They were friends. Coran always knew he would be loyal to his king, he never thought he would fall in love with him, raise his daughter, be the last of his subjects. Loyalty and promises never fade. And love strikes more than once for some.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7344679     Boom Crash the Sound of My Ship by maychorian    40k, gen, action, h/c, sick!fic, PTSD, cuddling, (bed sharing, bonding)

After a Galra attack splits Voltron, the blue lion is damaged and falls toward the jungle planet below. Shiro follows, and now he and Lance are stranded in hostile territory, fighting to survive. Lance is injured, Shiro is having flashbacks, and help is far away. And the Galra just...keep coming. 

A fantastic read. The entire series, called Boom Crash, is magnificent. It handles trauma and the after effects, and how to deal with it in a very skilled manner. I love the interactions between the paladins, the bond between them and the one between Lance and blue is a delight to read. Also, as a bonus, Coran great role in this.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7851415     Dirty by Rambutans    5k, Keith/Lance, domestic nudity, fluff,   

Keith is a nasty dirty boy and Lance decides its his responsibility to clean him up.

(This is a gross domestic fluff fic about Keith's poor hygiene skills don't let the description fool you.)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7892755    sedated by Chaosandthecalm    3k, Keith/Lance, pwp, rimming, sex buddies, 

Sometimes Lance needs some help falling asleep. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7984711    adrenaline by Chaosandthecalm     2k, Keith/Lance, pwp, first time,   

Sometimes Keith just needs Lance.

the continuation of sedated, recced above

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7975522    Isn't There a White Knight by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)    7k, gen, 

Kink Meme FIll: "In the first episode, Lance says that Shiro is his hero. But Shiro is still just a guy in his mid twenties, and we've seen him join in on silly stuff ("Blam blam blam!").

So what I want is five times Lance sees Shiro do dorky, ridiculous things, and one time he realizes he'd still follow this dork to Hell and back."

C'mon, as if I could pass that up.

it’s important to me that Shiro gets to be a dorky twenty something and not just the responsible adult. also, i kept the tab open on my phone for about a week and whenever i saw the title i got that damn song stuck in my head.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7898674    Three Is Not A Crowd by HK44    8k, Hunk/Lance/Pidge, threesome, polyamory, 

He felt his face heat up, pressed his hand to the back of his head and gazed studiously at the wall. “Do you, Pidge, want to. Bang. With me. And- and Hunk.”

Her eyes flickered and she gazed studiously at the ground. “Um, sure. Sounds good.”

Whoever said three was a crowd, was a fucking idiot.

Edit: There is now a third part  which also features Keith \o/

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7971835    breathless by zxrysky    6k, AU, Keith/Lance, mermaids, 

"You shouldn't go out to the sea at night," their grandmother says. She's in a rocking chair, old and creaky, her withered body settled with a shawl around her shoulders, wrinkled fingers gripping the edges of the arm rest. "Don't risk it."

"Risk what?" Shiro asks, eyes wide. He's fourteen, just a young boy, on the cusp of maturity, arms wrapped around his younger brother as they sit before their grandmother.

His grandmother pauses for a while. "There is danger in the sea."

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7559206    A Song of Me Song in Need by vagrantBreath    9k, Lance/Shiro, depression, torture, 

Everything is okay. Got it? Lance is fine. Everything is fine. No one needs to worry about him.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7480611    Releasing Control by batbooty    1k, Lance/Shiro, fantasising, masturbation, 

Spicy bara titties thinking about your favorite blue paladin, at night (AT NIGHT).

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7888423    Massage by Minter_W    3k, Lance/Shiro, massage, fluff,  

Lance is so stressed out that it's causing his back to hurt; a lot. After Lance misses a training session, Shiro comes to check up on him. He ends up giving Lance a massage.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7938886    your hands in the holes of my sweater by ladyfnick   7k, Shiro/Keith/Lance, 5+1, polyamory, cuddling, bed sharing,

So it turns out that space is hella cold, so it's only natural that Lance ends up platonically cuddling with the other paladins. Well mostly platonically. Lance blames space for the mostly part.

(idk why but i really love that title??)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7924666    Intergalactic Space Lothario by NeedMoreCyanInk    4k, Keith/Lance, kissing, wrestling, 

“What the hell are you doing?” “I panicked.” Keith sighs deeply. He feels funny all over, all jumbled up and lightheaded. His face is so hot. “For once can you not think with your damn libido?”

Cabin fever is driving everyone nuts. Keith and Lance wrestle. 

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7957831    i can't help but want by aknightley    16k, Keith/Lance, slow burn, 

Lance deals with the aftermath of being sucked into a black hole and stranded on an alien planet.

When Lance wakes up, all he can see is blue. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7978024    For Science by kali_asleep    13k, Shiro/Pidge, slow burn, 

It didn't take five years of hurtling through space with a ragtag group of galactic defenders for Shiro to figure out which fires to put out, and which fires to ignore.

But when Pidge and Hunk's zany experiments - "for science" - start hitting close to home, Shiro starts to wonder if maybe there are some fires that are better left to burn.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7906597    A Shove Towards Love by General_Button     30k, Keith/Lance, alien rituals, soul mates, minor forced proximity, 

A simple rescue mission turns into chaos when the species on the planet Novaria take an interest in the lives of two of its paladins.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7520926    Let me be your Fairy God Bro, Cinderella by RebornFromSeas    807 words, gen, fluff, trans character,  

Lance is left with more questions than answers after Pidge's announcement, and wants to make sure she's okay.

supportive!Lance is my favourite

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7813126     Nightmares by Trashness    14k, Keith/Lance, fluff, bed sharing, 

Lance's nightmares are getting out of control. It's effecting his and the team's performance, but he's at a loss for how to fix this.

Apparently sleeping next to a warm body helps.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7406107    Short Hair by ElfGrove     6k, Shiro/Pidge, pining, PTSD, fluff, 

Just some quick, self-indulgent fluff themed around the changing hairdos of the two characters.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7801666    gabriel done came to me (and kissed me in my sleep) by ilgaksu    1k, Keith/Lance, backstory, Texan!Keith,  

“Dude,” Lance says, almost reverent if it wasn’t for the glee in his eyes, “How are you even real?”

this is beautifully written.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7794772    We Don't Fear Those Sleepless by NightsGears    13k, gen, implied relationships, PTSD, fluff, h/c, bed sharing, 

It’s difficult to tell how long after, especially when there’s no clock and the only others who could really tell what time it is don’t use the same system, but days, cycles, hours, ticks, or whatever later, the dynamics between the paladins shift from communal to familial.

Or, the team has sleepovers and work through their issues together as a family.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7811833    Last One Home by nawsies     6k, Lance-centric, minor keith/lance, isolation, 

After being flung through space Lance ends up alone at the far reaches of the galaxy waiting for a pick-up. It'll be a long time coming, but hey, at least the atmosphere wasn't 10% heroin.

"Sometimes Lance would sleep in Blue, her quiet whirring similar enough to the sound of the castle he could lie to himself, say he was back on board the ship and he’d wake up to Hunk’s cooking and Pidge’s latest invention...Lance enjoyed people, he enjoyed making other people happy and his own company was never as good as another person’s laugh at his joke, or even at his expense. The Paladins were the best people he’d ever met, family excluded, and he missed them more than he cared to admit. He’d been away from Earth for a long time now but it was only since landing on this planet that he really felt like he was away from home."

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7465554    Deprivation Clarity by milky (milky_teacup)    6k, Lance/Shiro, rough sex, wall sex, 

When Shiro's Galra prosthetic malfunctions, it takes patience and good leadership skills to wait out for assistance. 

holy hell

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7617793    Just Static by Jessadilla (wobblyarms)     84k, Keith/Lance, slow burn, h/c, pining, injury, 

--Static---- -iro, Hunk, Kei---, nybody? I’m---- -static-- --I’m sorry guys. This is all my-- --static--cc-- ---I found my coordinates. They’re-- -stttcc- -guys. I hear something--- --scccc- -end transmission-

Alone on a hostile planet, transmissions aren't getting through. How did it come to this?

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7727824    Feel the Bonds by amycoolz, SylviaW1991     53k, Keith/Lance, smut, 

Being a paladin of Voltron is honestly the coolest thing that ever could've happened to Lance, but the people who should know probably never will. What could his family possibly think of him being gone for so long? But he can't think about them. He can't. He has to defend the universe and apologize to Keith for being a dick to him. Again. And, holy crow, is Keith checking him out? Please?

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8031721     like honey by manamune    4k, Keith/Lance, dom/sub, 

Keith wants to lose control.

Lance has always liked helping people.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7991536    got got got it bad by kairiolette    10k, Keith/Lance, pining, 5+1, 

"He leans in to hook his arm around Keith’s shoulders in full. It’s right in Keith ear, when he speaks. “I have a crush on someone new, like, every week.”

“No—it's not someone.” Keith brings his head up, and it feels as heavy on his neck as if it were his center of gravity, and he meets Lance’s eyes with his own. Keith doesn’t mean to communicate something through their silence, he just kind of gets caught up in staring at Lance’s face, which tends to happen lately. Sharp features, cheekbones and chin. Impossible eyes and a loud mouth as expressive as his eyebrows. But Lance seems to come to some understanding on his own. He sits back in a rare, rare moment of speechlessness, that mouth of his slightly pursed and twitching in its search for words in what can only be, though Keith doesn’t know much about body language, immense confusion on the brink of realization."

Or: Keith acknowledges his feelings for Lance and promptly goes through the five stages of grief.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7991188     The Love of a Hero by quartetship    3k, Shiro/Lance, fluff, 

That guy's my hero.

Lance had always idolized Shiro, but never had he dared to believe they would grow to be as close as they had become...

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7644025     Being an Idiot (the story of Lance) by Holle_wood     11k, Hunk/Keith/Pidge/Shiro/Lance, polydins, langst, 

He’ll fake it till he makes it.

Lance is the dumb one (just not dumb enough).

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8073454     Eyeliner 101 by TinyShinyUnique     4k, Shiro/Pidge, fluff, 

Pidge is still struggling to get the feminine parts of her personality right. She has Allura for compassion, she has Lance for tips, but when it truly counts, her go-to-person is Shiro. Her little crush on him sometimes gets in the way though.

Or: Shiro teaches Pidge how to apply eyeliner.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8100694      blame it on the space booze by bishounen_curious     13k, Keith/Lance, aphrodisiacs, smut,

Lance was too much of an ass, Keith far too impulsive, and Shiro just wanted to have a good time. And, well, why exactly would they drink all that space booze when they had no idea what it actually was?

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8109046     That's Rough Buddy by JoyouslyNeonLeon    2k, Lance/Shiro, 

“Oh uh…okay...” Lance says, “what's his problem?” Pidge shrugs, grinning from ear to ear, “no idea man.” ------ In which Shiro has a crush, Lance is (mostly) oblivious, Pidge is planning something, Keith and Hunk are buds and I get my much desired beach fic.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7879444   Good Boys by Jennypen  18k, AU, Keith/Lance/Shiro, Lance/Shiro, voyeurism, exhibitionism, porn, 

Keith searches the wrong thing on pornhub and gets a whole lot more than what he bargained for. 

This is so good you guys *cries a bit*  Was reading this while commuting to school and had to quit at a vital point and then i spent the entire lesson thinking about what would happen next. i didn’t absorb a word the teacher said.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7569946    ghost of a king by ashinan    27k, Keith/Lance, h/c, injury, 

During a routine recon mission turned ambush, Lance and Blue must take drastic measures to ensure their survival. The aftermath leaves Lance lost and dreaming, and the team helpless to the possibility that, without a guide, he won't make it back. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8130655    need to believe you could hold me down by pageleaf    2k, Allura/Shiro, strength kink, slight dom/sub, 

"Oh," Allura says sheepishly. "Oh no, that was just me."

Shiro's eyes widen. "It...wasn't the shapeshifting?"

"No," Allura says. "Just my normal level of strength."

"Oh," Shiro says blankly. "Oh. Okay."

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8144162     Tidal by noero     1k, Keith/Lance, bed sharing, 

Although Keith may not consider himself a theorist, he figures the impulse that fuels his own inertia is the only force that can stop Lance’s aimless velocity. They just fit. Far be it from him question the laws of nature. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7679188     Under His Care by BoxWineConfessions     52k, AU, Shiro/Keith, slow burn, injury, 

Keith is living his childhood dream of co-owning the city's most famous motorcycle customization and repair shop. He spends a lot of time with Lance, Hunk, and his best girl Peaches (A 1972 Yamaha DS7). Life is pretty decent, even when he makes the mistake of answering the phone and Lance's mom is on the line chiding him about something he's pretty sure Lance is responsible for anyway.

Until the accident.

Apparently having a stupidly hot physical therapist is a pretty good pain killer.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8118802      Foundations by needchocolatenow     13k, AU, Keith/Lance, 

When Keith met Lance, it was over a briny sea.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8166058      Garden of Beginnings by needchocolatenow     5k, Keith/Lance, fluff, 

Hunk gets a criminal record, Pidge might have blackmail on Keith, and Shiro's wondering what happened to his shirt.

Keith and Lance fall into each other's orbit and keeps falling.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8157218      An Idiots Guide to Interpersonal Relationships.by Wishunew       5k, Lance/Shiro, pre-slash, 

Life is complicated, no one ever makes all the right choices for all the good reasons. Lance usually just gets by on luck. He's running out.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8224040     This Moment Alone by GlitchTheRoboticShadow    1k, AU, Keith/Lance, kissing,  

Lance wants to practice kissing with Keith. And Keith thinks that's utterly ridiculous. But what's even more ridiculous? He actually does it.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8137538      They Can Never Know by excadet, grosspaladin      6k, Hunk/Lance/Keith, masturbation, fantasizing, pining, guilt

They're in love.

All three of them in love with one another. None of them can know, they can't ruin their friendship so now it's their own dirty secret. What better way than to take it out by dirtying your sheets and fantasizing about the boys you can never have?

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7966024      Old Sick Boys by leporicide     15k, AU, Hunk/Lance, violence, 

Hunk has a violence in him that comes out in the ring. He's barely contained, body vibrating with unused energy. There's nothing more amazing than winning, than fractured jaws and broken noses, split lips and bruised eyes.

That is, until Lance.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8142797     equations for a falling body by csoru      25k, Keith/Lance, non-consensual drug use, dub-con, 

“So, good news,” says Lance, voice a little strangled. “I seriously doubt that’s a killer neurotoxin. Or knockout gas.”

Keith, Lance, an alien drug and an enclosed space, and what happens after.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7870165     Like Devo by surveycorpsjean      8k, AU, Keith/Lance, blood, bruises, injury, public sex, 

As rival jammers, they're rough, skating around the rink, giving bruises, bloody noses, broken ribs and snapped fingers-

But when the cops show up, Keith grabs his hand and yanks Lance into the storm drain.

And thats how they start dating.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8272118     All In by cheshireree     7k, Keith/Lance, 5+1, 

As far as Lance's teenage heart was concerned, apparently everything started and ended with him cradled in Keith's arms. Or something equally as embarrassing that Lance didn't really want to think about.

or, 5 times Keith carries Lance and one time Lance carries Keith.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8279633      own little, pack light by lein     12k, Keith/Lance, trans character, 

His name sounds nicer now, echoed in the metal walls of the castle, warmer and more natural, like it isn’t a cruel joke he’s force-feeding the world. Keith likes it more, sounds it out in his bedroom, wraps his mouth around it like it’s important.

He’s Keith, the red paladin, a defender of the universe. Shiro’s beside him and so is Lance. So are Pidge and Hunk, Allura and Coran. This, he thinks, toes curling in his boots, this is a family.

This is more of a family than he’s ever really had.

He likes it.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8341663      Damsel in Distress by birdzilla      6k, gen, humour, 

Somehow Lance always finds himself in trouble. Fortunately, his friends are always there to get him out of it.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8296028     Monster Lead Me Home by ColorWheel     7k, Hunk/Pidge, 

Pidge feels exhausted trying to fathom out the excuses anyone would have for acting like that. “I don’t want to hash out all of the reasons he’s not in love with me, today. It’s my birthday, let me have at least twenty four more hours to pretend that everything’s alright? I’m even going to let Allura do my hair today.” She flips her ponytail around haphazardly and even Keith can’t deny her that.

Pidge turns twenty one on a Tuesday, but she decides she won’t sort out this heavy weight in her life until Wednesday.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8302577     Like Forgetting The Words by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)    12k, gen, Shiro-centric, PTSD, 5+1, 

5 times Shiro forgot about his metal arm, and one time he was comfortable remembering.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7841764     call me, beep me by safra     85k, AU, Keith/Lance, fluff, waff, horrible pet naming habits, 

(00:31) Do you think she gave me the wrong number on purpose? (00:31) Or was it a genuine mistake? (00:32) Like maybe she writes funny and I misread it? (00:32) Some of the numbers do look a little dodgy... (00:33) Cause, you know, her threes could very easily be poorly formed eights? And maybe she writes her sevens like her ones?

(00:45) What (00:46) The (00:46) Fuck??? (00:47) Oh good, you are awake!

where lance messages the wrong number and things kind of snowball from there

One of the few fics that ever managed to make ME feel nervous and giddy about them meeting. Can easily be read without prior knowledge of the series.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8319058     Earthbound by GemmaRose    6k, polydins, OT5, mental link, emotional h/c, cuddling, galra!keith, 

Returned to Earth after several years in space, the Paladins must deal with the shock of being separated from their Lions. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8328523      A Ladder Most Handsome by wynnebat     757 words, Shiro/Pidge, pining, ust, 

The trend of Pidge climbing Shiro like a tree continues, but not quite in the way Pidge would like.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8140553     never saw you coming by dimpleforyourthoughts     47k, Keith/Lance, slow burn, pining, h/c, africa by toto, 

Three months in space on his own would have been fine. Three months in space with Lance McClain is a whole other fucking story.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8417293      what i have is right here by epiproctan     6k, Keith/Lance/Shiro, polyamory, getting together,  

ometimes it makes him think of their Garrison days. When Keith was a distant white-hot shooting star he chased because he didn’t know what else to do with him. When Shiro was something even farther, something brighter, the center of a galaxy that he never even hoped to enter. But all masses have gravitational pull. Everything in the universe attracts everything else.

Lance is grateful that theirs was strong enough to tug each other in.

or, a treatise on waiting

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http://archiveofourown.org/series/575692     punctum series by sublimation    6k, Shiro/Allura, praise kink, soft dom!allura, 

“You like that?” she couldn’t resist asking with a smile.

“Yes, Princess,” he answered without hesitation, with the same urgency as when she asked him tactical questions in the command room.

(Allura asks Shiro for a sparring lesson she didn't need)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8413471    Into the Skid by proleptic_fancy     23k, Keith/Pidge+Shiro, h/c, unresolved ot3 feelings,  

Stranded in dead space while the Castle undergoes repairs, everyone is starting to go a little stir crazy. A training accident drives a wedge between Shiro and the rest of the team, and things get complicated fast when Keith tries to bridge the gap.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8413474    The Finest Flower by mbaline     4k, Shiro, tentacles, 

After a bad crash leaves his Lion badly damaged and his supplies depleted, Shiro is forced to venture out into the thick jungle of this dark, quiet world in search of water.

He soon discovers that looks can be deceiving: this alien planet isn't quite as uninhabited as he first thought. 

the most consensual tentacle porn i’ve ever read, even if it’s still pretty dubious.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7425328    your claws in me by burlesquecomposer    49k, Keith/Lance, mind control, h/c, angst, happy ending, 

“Oh trust me. When I’m done with you, I won’t be able to stop laughing,” Lance says lowly, and his lips curl farther, and there’s something wild in his stare, and it hits Keith suddenly.

This isn’t Lance.”

Lance falls under the control of Zarkon's Druids, and although his friends manage to get him back, nothing is quite the same. Maybe the Galra succeeded after all. Maybe the Galra merely wanted to tear Team Voltron apart from the inside.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8373805     Your Love Has Shown Me Proof by freshia     13k, Keith/Lance, kid fic, future reationship, fluff, 

“This situation is a bit more complicated than we initially realized.”

Lance raises an eyebrow, but Pidge is the one to question that. “Define complicated.”

Allura takes no more time beating around the bush, “Well, I received a transmission. Keith and Lance--from the future, that is--would like to have their daughter back."

or: Lance and Keith deal with a walking spoiler, in the form of a little girl who just wants to get back to her own home.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8391862      Give Them Shelter by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)     3k, gen, fluff, team feels, 

Have some freakin' gen fluff, you goddamn animals.

In response to Day 15 of legendarydesvender's Inktober.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8387245     the currents you create by theoddoodisnude     18k, Keith/Lance, h/c, seasonal affective disorder, 

Some days, he woke up even more tired than he’d been when he’d gone to sleep, and willing his body to go through the motions was just—tough. Like wading through thigh-high water or running on soft sand that gave under the soles of his feet.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8400094     Voyager, there are no bridges (one builds them as one walks) by dawnstruck    4k, AU, Shiro/Keith, prince!keith, galra!keith, dark!Shiro, rough sex, humiliation, 

He wants to fight this human. He wants to fuck him. No, he reconsiders, his thoughts oddly distanced from his physical being. He wants to be fucked, to be held down and taken.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8300251     Routine Maintenance by VelkynKarma    50k, gen, Shiro-centric, PTSD, injury, mild gore, 5+1, 

Being an amputee with a prosthetic limb is difficult enough. Having a solid metal alien prosthetic forced on you by another species entirely is even worse.

OR:

Five times Shiro’s Galra arm caused him trouble in some way and another member of the team helped him out with it, and the one time the same arm is the only reason any of them survive.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7454385     Dirty Laundry by Gibslythe    85k, AU, Keith/Lance, slow burn, fake dating, homo/biphobia, pining, 

"Two whole months of free laundry in exchange for two weeks of being my fake boyfriend. Deal?” Keith hesitated for a moment. Was this really worth it? Hardly. Lance was an asshole, and he wasn’t sure what fake dating would entail. But, free laundry was free laundry, right? “Alright, it’s a deal.”

Or: Lance makes the mistake of telling his Mom he has a boyfriend coming home with him for Christmas. Keith makes the mistake of agreeing to be Lance's 'fake boyfriend'.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7780750    This love won't ever be convenient by Lynn1998     78k, AU, Keith/Lance, high-school, trans character, slow burn, trans/homophobia, angst, fluff, 

*Complicated by Avril Lavigne plays in the distance*

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8539195     a truth so loud you can't ignore by KaijuDork     9k, Lance/Shiro, pining, ptsd, fluff,  

Lance decides to start leaving anonymous notes for Shiro to cheer him up, and can't quite stop himself from expressing his age-old crush through them. He doesn't plan on actually confessing to the other paladin, though, because there's no way it could be mutual.

Besides, he never gets caught leaving them, so Shiro won't know that they're from him... right?

this is so damn cute i had to put my phone down in the middle of the paragraph in some scenes.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8481565    Out of the Cold by birdzilla     4k, gen, injury, hypothermia, sharing body heat, 

When Hunk and Shiro crash-land on a wintery planet, it's up to Hunk to keep Shiro alive and warm.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8465545     all we have to do aknightley     19k, Keith/Lance, pining, h/c, 

Keith gets hurt during a mission, and Lance is not sure how to handle that.

“Lance wakes up on the floor outside of the medical bay, jerking wildly, body a mess of aches and twinges.”

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8460238     I Have and I Always Will by HomebodyNobody    3k, Keith/Lance, 

Keith can't sleep and goes a-wandering. Right into the living room. Where Lance is. With his guitar.

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http://archiveofourown.org/series/549544    Connections series by Washipuppy   ~36k, wip, team, self confidence issues, h/c, cuddling,  

The mind is a tenacious thing. Once it grabs hold of a thought, a memory, or a problem, it can be hard to convince it to let go. Pidge has her drive to find her family, though right now she has these communication codes that could help her do that. Shiro has his past, though right now he has his a lion asking him for help and teammates who won't tell him what's going on in their heads. Lance has his doubts. And Keith... Well, he's convinced that Hunk is some kind of Sex God who has slept with both Shiro and Lance.

Now, how to prove that?

Meanwhile, Hunk is just doing his best to look out for everyone. It's like herding cats.

Hunk is great. I love Hunk. 

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8197430     Broken Cage by AshaCrone    35k, Thance/Shiro, a/b/o, body dysphoria, pregnancy, injury, suicidal thought, dub-con, 

Many things were lost to Shiro in the year he was a Galra captive. He escaped with a metal arm, a memory full of holes, and his body changed into an Omega that had recently given birth. All he can recall is someone there with him, holding each other's sanity together with their bare hands. He wants to remember... but he's afraid of what he might find.

Thace had never expected to meet the Champion. He had never expected to find something to care about after being cast out of the military. Together, they struggle to deal with being pawns in a bigger game.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8467450     Carrying the Team by maychorian     5k, gen, h/c, fluff, 

Everyone needs a piggyback ride sometimes. Hunk is (almost) always happy to provide.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8371768    Gifts of Rain by needchocolatenow     6k, AU, Lance/Shiro, human and animal sacrifice, gods, smut, 

Lance is the human sacrifice to Shiro, the wind god.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8505238     supermassive black hole by epiproctan    7k, Keith/Lance, friends with benefits, pining, 

“Keith has always known that he wasn’t going to get what he truly wants out of the arrangement, but he also hadn’t ever imagined that it would just…end.”

aka that classic fic where lance wants to stop hooking up but keith wants something else entirely

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8515021     "Platonic" Antagonism, or, the Unfortunate Versatility of the English Language by obstinateRixatrix    6k, Keith/Lance, 

“Maybe you guys got off on the wrong foot, but there’s really no point in pretending you don’t like Lance.” “That’s not it, I’m not pretending I don’t.” Sure, Keith’s not the easiest person to read, but he didn't think he was this bad. At least he caught wind of this frustrating miscommunication before it got any worse. Hunk really did have terrible taste in friends. “Of course I like Lance.”

His admission is punctuated by an almighty clatter as Lance, standing at the door, drops the box of metal he’s holding. “I knew it!” He yells, before anyone can say a word. “I knew you had a crush on me!” “What,” Keith says, out of lack of any coherent alternative. “My space-junk,” Hunk says, looking despairingly at the pile of odds and ends now scattered across the floor.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8520619     uh huh, honey by Reminscees    7k, AU, Keith/Lance, friends with benefits, pining, 

Keith knows he’s doomed the moment Lance rests his arm on the wall behind him, leans a little closer and asks what such a pretty face is doing in a place like this: a fraternity house neither of them even go to. Keith stares up into pretty blue eyes and a bright smile that promises a whole world of fun and tells him, “Waiting for you to get me a drink.”

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8546818     The Passenger by keir    7k, AU, Lance/Shiro, 

Shiro is rolling on another long haul, only a couple days left till he reaches the drop-off point. His semi purrs along the winding highways under the hot Texan sun with nothing but fields as far as the eye can see.

He does a double take when he sees someone walking on the side of the road, almost unable to believe that a person is hiking along the shoulder of the highway out in the middle of nowhere. His good conscience makes him pull over, the semi rolling to a rumbling halt fifteen feet or so behind the stranger.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8449300    Triple Entendre by QuillFeathers    4k, Keith/Lance, fluff, 

Keith knows the phrase. But the meaning of a string of words is more than just the paper definition.

Alternatively: Three situations Lance tells Keith "let's dance".

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8589091     You Can Hear it in the Silence by Luddleston     4k, Lance/Shiro, h/c, panic attack, first time, cuddling, 

“Lance had never seen Shiro like this. Half-curled in on himself, hand tight in the fabric of his shirt, breath coming in harsh, unwieldy gasps, eyes unfocused. Scared. He was practically hiding on a corner of his bed, refusing to look at Lance, and that. That was not reassuring at all.”

Shiro has a panic attack, Lance has no idea what to do, but things seem a little better in the morning.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7607410    The Coxcomb by surveycorpsjean     68k,AU,  Shiro/Keith/Lance, strippers, polyamory, threesome, fluff 

Lance takes the job for the money.

Love is apparently a package deal.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8559784     I Need a Hero by Jennypen    2k, canon-AU, Lance/Shiro, age swap, role reversal, pining,   

Garrison freshman Shiro has it bad for senior Lance.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7892101      The Expiation Expedition by IntelligentAirhead, obstinateRixatrix    40k, Keith/Lance, fake relationship, 

Lance is well aware that miscommunications can result in horrific, preferably avoidable mishaps, which is why he tries to circumvent them whenever possible.

It just figures that the state of an entire planet's fragile political climate rests on him running straight into one.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8626207     nothing's quite as sweet by dimpleforyourthoughts, thebrotherswinchester 50k, AU, Keith/Lance, pining, slow burn,

Keith is a barista who hates his job. Lance works at the cat shelter across the street.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8609821    Twitterpated by warschach    23k, AU, Keith/Lance/Shiro, domestic, polyamory, threesome, pining, 

Keith had a problem.

All right, fine; it was more of a dilemma.

He liked his roommates, like A LOT, but here was the issue they're in a relationship with other each.

Shit.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8620729    So Beautiful, Yet So Unaware by SouthernBird    2k, Lance/Shiro, pining, fluff, 

In which Shiro is a pining sap and picks flowers on an alien planet.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8581786     you had me at merlot by DJalien    17k, AU, Keith/Lance, alcohol, 

“Oh my God,” Lance says as he covers his face. Keith’s tinny voice blares from his laptop speakers: “What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.” See, this joke might have been funny if someone charismatic and charming had said it, but Keith’s flat voice and even flatter expression effectively kidnaps, tortures, and then decapitates any chance of it being remotely humorous.

--

Keith accidentally starts a YouTube channel. Lance, of course, refuses to be left out. It goes about as well as you'd expect. (Ft. copious amounts of wine and a truly shameless number of references to MyDrunkKitchen, DailyGrace, and general pop culture)

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8678704    Guillotine by quartetship    3k, Keith/Lance, 

Whatever they are, they're frightening, but he likes them all the same.

Keith figures out his feelings and lets Lance know, little by little.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8465548     Smoke Signals by tango1_1    50k, Lance/Shiro, slow burn, pining, PTSD, adventure, 

When they say that life flashes before your eyes when you die, they’re lying.

Lance and Shiro get lost. And then, perhaps, they get found?

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7940305     We'll Make It I Swear by Shipperbitch    31k, Keith/Lance, slow burn, gore, amputation, panic attacks, pining, 

Lance loses his leg during a mission and it takes a toll on the team, especially Keith. Except Keith begins to develop feelings for Lance during his time alone thinking. And when Lance is healed up, he too has some emotional issues that surface. Eventually they work it out, despite the harsh ups and downs.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8693962    Expecting the Unexpected by Anonymous    6k, Pidge-centric, oviposition, egg laying, pregnancy, giving birth, 

Team Voltron come across a peaceful, non-humanoid alien. Sadly, it's dying, and it has one last wish: it wants to lay its eggs in someone's uterus so its unborn children won't die with it. That's how they always reproduce, by laying their fertilized eggs in a willing host. Pidge agrees to go through with it.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8384884    Crossing Lines by Methoxyethane    12k, Keith/Lance, a/b/o, omega!keith, beta!lance, UST, slowburn, 

Okay so in retrospect, sitting outside of Keith’s door while he was in heat was not Lance’s best and brightest idea ever. But Shiro was the damned alpha round here and if HE refused to do anything when Keith was suffering so much… Well Lance just couldn’t leave him alone. It wouldn't have been right.

hooooly fuck this is right up my alley and i am a dumpster. UST perfection.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8262017    Magic Me Some Love by KaSaPe     143k, AU, Keith/Lance, galra!keith, panic attacks, violence, 

When Shiro's arm gets cut off while he is trying to protect Keith, Keith doesn't see any way to save his life but to break into the Galra's castle and steal some of their magical medicine. But nothing goes as planned and when he exits the castle empty handed he is cursed to look like a Galra until he accepts his halfbreed status. He is convinced that he has condemned Shiro to death - and then he learns of a magician that might be able to help just in time.

Meanwhile Lance didn't expect a Galra to turn up at his door, demanding him to save his half dead (human?!) friend. And he certainly didn't expect to fall in love with him either.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8836030     of friendship & accidental dick pics by kagshina    6k, AU, Keith/Lance, high school, sexting, 

Lance shakes his head, “You send a guy one dick pic and suddenly you’re best friends,” he mutters.

(Or, to Lance’s misfortune, there’s not a guidebook on how to act around your new friend who used to be your rival and totally still is even though now you kind of definitely want to kiss him.)

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8772118    Induced by GemmaRose     4k, Keith/Lance, a/b/o, alpha/alpha, sex pollen, 

Alien substances can have unexpected effects on humans, sometimes pleasant, sometimes not. Luckily for Lance, Keith is more than willing to help him through his reaction to the strange plants of this planet.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8896312     Phantoms and Friends by Emerald_Ashes    2k, Lance/Shiro, h/c, 

After an accident during a training session, Shiro is left without his right arm for the night.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8897761    The Demon Haunted by slivered    5k, AU, Keith/Lance/Shiro, incubi, public sex, threesome, 

"Well, what sort of self-respecting incubus rocks a mullet, huh?"

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8756821    Heat of the Moment by GreyscaleCourtier     2k, Hunk/Lance, sex pollen, 

Lance gets stung by a venomous creature on an alien planet. The symptoms are... unusual, to say the least.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8780950    i see the sky is on the ground by epiproctan    4k, Keith/Lance, Lance/Blue, masturbation, fantasising, pining, 

Lance is pretty frustrated, but the Blue Lion is definitely willing to help her Paladin out.

.

.

One-Punch Man

because cyborg porn is exciting

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/5396942     Repairs by shaunhastings2012    1k, Genos/Saitama, unintentional orgasm, wire play, 

Genos needs to fix some of his wiring after a battle. It should've been a simple repair, but it wasn't going quite the way he'd expected. However, Genos didn't exactly mind what happened.

.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5739763    Distance Removed by General_Button    44k, Genos/Saitama, forced proximity, soul bond,   

Pain along his wrist fizzled into existence and then, like a switch, exploded. Saitama stumbled back, fighting the urge to shout, and waited for it to fade.

“What—sensei, are you all right?!” Genos was staring at him incredulously, his mouth agape.

“It’s like I said,” Saitama said, rubbing his wrist lightly. “Something’s happening to me."

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/5678506    After-School Karate Lessons by batneko    19k, AU, Genos/Saitama, masturbation, disability, 

Saitama has taught a lot of kids, is it his fault he can't remember this one?

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/5485139     Phantom Limb by batneko     4k, Genos/Saitama, accidental orgasm, hand kink, scent kink, 

Genos doesn't have a penis, but accidentally discovers his brain can make do.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6492796     The Apron by Bloodsbane    18k, Genos/Saitama, pining, UST, clothing kink, domestic kink, 

Shit.

The word buzzed around Saitama’s skull like a mosquito, one he truly had no chance of squashing between his fingers.Shit, he thought, observing his disciple/roommate/best friend as he scrubbed furiously at a spot on the floor with a rag. He was on his knees, bent forward slightly, putting all his weight into removing an ugly soy sauce stain.

The straps of the apron fell as if to purposefully frame his ass.

Fucking shit.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6184306     You Know The Fic by Akumeoi    28k, canon-AU, Genos/Saitama, slow burn, sex robots, 

Saitama rescues a robot who turns out to be a pirated sex-robot. Then it falls in love with him. This is not what he needed in his life. (Or maybe it was.) Disclaimer: This is not your average smut fic. Come for the smut, get hooked by the comedy, stay for the feels. Trust me.

contains no actual pirates

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/6353875     Cleaning Up by Guardian    3k, Genos/Saitama, somnophilia, dub-con, bathing, masturbation, 

All Saitama can feel is Genos's bare skin against his own, their bodies pressed together from head to toe. And it feels overwhelmingly good. Warm. Perfect.

It's the most awful thing that's ever happened to him.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7702978      Blood on the Ice by toastycyborg      73k, AU, Genos/Saitama, slow burn, mild gore, violence, 

Dragons have returned to Skyrim, but the hero of legend is nowhere to be found. There were stories, three years ago, of his emergence and incredible strength - until, one day, he disappeared. The dragons remain, and now there are only rumours - rumours that the Dragonborn hides from his destiny, that he became a nomad to live in peace and anonymity. There are also rumours of a traveller, a powerful fire mage and conjurer who came to Skyrim in search of revenge.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7568863    Outdated Technology by Hyenabutter (Koryos)    13k, Saitama/Genos, masturbation, 

Genos attempts to masturbate for the first time in four years. Saitama is there.

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/8055745      No Hard Feelings, Right? by Hot_Stuff, OldBeginningNewEnding    7k, Saitama/Genos, erectile dysfunction, fingering, first time, smut, 

“Well— I just….” Another deep breath. “...I just can’t…do it.”

“Date a man?” Genos’s heart deflated at the prospect, hoping his sensei would make this rejection quick and painless. “…A cyborg, none the less?”

“Wha— NO! I mean…Oh fuck, listen, Genos. I’m just going to say this once. I like you— a lot actually…but I just.” His sensei took a last deep breath calming his nerves while Genos’s core stood still.

“I just can’t get it up, okay?”

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http://archiveofourown.org/works/7515340     Extra Ordinary by choked_cherry     14k, Saitama/Genos, body worship, masturbation, frottage, minor voyeurism, 

Saitama and Genos have been living together for a year, and have discovered an easy, comfortable dynamic between the two of them until Saitama catches Genos doing something out of the ordinary.

.

Need more? Check out the other editions!

[theconservativebrief]

The major takeaway that many people gleaned from a recent paper by Morten Bay, a research fellow at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s Center for the Digital Future, was that the seemingly massive backlash against The Last Jedi, the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga, was driven by Russian trolls and bots.

Trolls and bots were, indeed, part of Bay’s research. But his study further concludes that much of the backlash was driven by political opportunism from the American alt-right, particularly members of that movement who were deeply involved in 2014’s anti-feminist and proto-alt-right Gamergate movement in the video game community.

Meanwhile, it found that while many believe the dominant response to The Last Jedi was overwhelmingly negative, the preponderance of bots and trolls on social media only made it seem that way. In reality, most viewers of the film seem to have liked it. (Vox’s sister site, Polygon, has more.)

But what Bay’s study really got me thinking about was how strange it was that Russian agents would focus on Star Wars, of all things, in what seems to be a campaign to spread dissension throughout America, dating back to before the 2016 election. Whether or not a Star Wars movie is good or bad has little bearing on the overall twists and turns of global geopolitics, and yet here was evidence that somebody in Russia sure disagreed.

Maybe the Russian bots that Bay identified are all extra-governmental, built by trolls with spare time on their hands and a grudge against Lucasfilm. Or maybe Bay’s findings are yet another example of how thoroughly Russian intelligence has zeroed in on the idea that white nationalism is central to driving a wedge into American society.

If the latter is true, then what’s most unnerving about Russia’s intelligence strategy and its connection to Star Wars isn’t what that strategy says about Russia, but what it says about us.

I don’t know if you heard, but there was a bit of a backlash against The Last Jedi. Lucasfilm

Whomever you believe is behind movements like Gamergate and the pushback against The Last Jedi, what they reveal about America in the 2010s feels a little hard to swallow at first: At this point in history, a lot of us — and especially a lot of young, white men — are centering their identities and their senses of right and wrong on pop culture artifacts, sometimes with a near-religious zealotry. Call it “fandamentalism.”

The most obvious examples are linked to the aforementioned movements, like how much of the early anger driving Gamergate stemmed from a number of essays that besmirched the “gamer identity” as one that was largely young, white, male, and obsessed with overly sexualized digital creations. But fandamentalism is also endemic in the anger that so many of these young men feel at the very idea of giant, well-established franchises evolving to be more inclusive of women and people of color. Indeed, the initial backlash to The Last Jedi’s predecessor, The Force Awakens, was driven by only a handful of people but based entirely on the film’s male lead being black.

However, it’s not as though there aren’t ample examples within more progressive communities as well. There is undoubtedly an increased desire among consumers to see massive movie franchises and other pop culture behemoths reflect the diversity of the world, not only because representation matters (and it does) but also because it creates a kind of virtue by proxy: I like this thing that makes the right progressive moves, and therefore, I am a good person.

All the while, massive entertainment companies turn representation and inclusion into excuses to make more money. That they’ve increasingly bet on diversity being the best way to rake in lots of cash is heartening for progressives in the sense that the entertainment companies believe that progressive causes are the “winners” of these crude economics. But there’s an empty cynicism to their choices all the same; a company like Disney sees diversity as a worthy goal second and a potential money machine first.

In and of itself, the idea of looking for meaning and a reflection of one’s own life in pop culture is perfectly fine. I would even argue that it’s the first step toward digging deeper into a work of art, because it leads us down a path of critical thought and invigorating discussion with friends — and maybe even a little bit of self-examination.

But here’s where things have flipped on their ear in the 2010s: Many fans of a work aren’t just looking for meaning in the work itself, but for the work to impart meaning upon them. Too often, they ask pop culture to fill the role that religion, philosophy, or psychology once did.

But pop culture is never going to be an easy fit for that particular task, because much of it is too dedicated to the pursuit of distraction — a worthy goal, but not one that’s going to give many people a better understanding of themselves, or a higher purpose.

And while I think there’s a lot of value in considering pop culture on a level deeper than, “I liked it!” (which is literally part of my job), the danger of fandamentalism comes from the ways in which it turns some pop culture properties into a belief system, into something so central to one’s identity that it becomes inextricable from the self. Once that happens, if somebody criticizes, say, “gamer culture,” it ends up feeling less like pop culture criticism and more like bigotry or bullying to the people who consider themselves part of gamer culture. It’s fandom as religion.

That’s what makes our online debates about pop culture susceptible to outside interference — and it’s why Gamergate has always explained the rise of Donald Trump and the divisiveness of the 2016 election better than almost anything else.

Some people really, really love the president. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

What’s been eerily notable about the last several years in American political discourse is how thoroughly everything about being a Republican or Democrat now flows through the model of fandom. Many people have equated politics fandom with sports fandom — you have a political “team” you root for, and you get upset when the other guys win — but I think pop culture is almost more useful as a lens.

Pop culture, after all, is largely built around stories, and stories have always been a way that we organize our various moral principles and ideas about the universe. The same is true of politics, in which a party’s platform is meant to stand in for a whole virtue system. No matter which party you support, it’s unlikely you support all of its policies, or even know that much about all of them. You probably have a handful of issues that you consider most important, then pick the party that most closely aligns with your beliefs on them.

Stories are also the likely reason for why pop culture has taken on a sort of religious significance to so many: Religion, too, is a series of stories meant to provide moral guidance and the like. But the underlying goal of religion is to take a stab at pondering or even providing answers to some of the deepest questions about the universe, and the best pop culture — the best art, period — is rarely so didactic. It finds more fascination with the process of questioning than it does any of the answers it might arrive at. Art and religion swim in the same pool, to be sure, but they practice different strokes.

Where all of these movements dovetail is in the eternal human yearning for easy answers, of the sort that suggest that a fundamentalist fervor for “the right” belief system will unlock the correct path. And many of the most ridiculous Gamergate memes, which celebrate the strength and resilience of gamers, don’t strike me as that far off from the sorts of fundamentalist Christian slogans I grew up with, reinforcing the idea of a chosen identity (centered on an interest or a passion or a religion) being oppressed by the larger culture, even if that chosen identity is part of a larger moment that dominates the culture. They’re all a seemingly self-evident hack toward righteousness.

This is where the genius of Gamergaters or Russian operatives or alt-right trolls comes in. They’ve transformed our natural desire for those easy answers, our natural desire to feel like we are right and everybody else is not, into a way to build a new belief system around everything from a political party to a Star Wars movie.

This approach seems to have found quite a bit more success on the right, which is more prone to authoritarian or fundamentalist movements. But it’s not as if the left is completely immune, not when the slightly more diverse casting of a major franchise movie is treated as an act of tremendous moral weight on the part of the corporations who make that decision.

I’m not suggesting that we need to completely change how we think and talk about pop culture. Arguing about pop culture is fun, and there are important discussions to have about how it reflects our own world back at us. But pop culture can’t replace a moral code or a belief system. There has to be a way to disentangle our feelings about the things we love from our self-worth. Religious wars might provide meaning in the short term, but in the long view of history, they almost never turn out well for anyone involved. Let’s not ignite a new one over pop culture, not even online.

Original Source -> Russian trolls used Star Wars to sow discord online. The fact that it worked is telling.

via The Conservative Brief