through the multiverse

cherry ✪ 21 ✪ fic writer & reader ✪ #tagging system

[dcfanfictioncatalogue]

through the multiverse

my name is cherry [21], and welcome to my catalogue of dc fanfiction. lost a beloved fic, something you forgot to bookmark in time and would love to read again? i will find it for you! wanting to read a specific type of fic, but are too tired to go through all the effort of wading through ao3's search brackets? I will create a list!* submit recommendations, promote your own fics, or just lurk to see what i post next! click on this guide here for a comprehensive look at how i tag my posts. follow this link to an organized compilation of all of my posts per character. *please do not resubmit requests; I take a while to form rec lists. please give it 3-6 business weeks -- though any longer than that and you're free to pester me again lol

main dc blog | ao3 account | neocities

[dcfanfictioncatalogue]

spotlight #3

a few general yj98 fics from 2025-2026 that I either read a while ago or found while searching for my bart allen recs! all of these are short & worth a read & I've ranged them here from angst -> humor.

two passing, sinking ships by ommlett @ommlett. 3k, T, gen. summary: greta hayes and anita fite haven't really talked since… the whole… everything. neither really wants to. a roadblock named snapper carr gets in the way. my notes: I swear I had been looking for something exactly like this for AGES. I thought I was crazy imagining all of the beef that greta & anita would have but this captures it PERFECTLY & really just. go read it. please por favor

&&

Mutual Acquaintance by Programmable_Boy @endollvors. 1.4k, G, gen. summary: you know when a friend comes out, but not to you, and it turns into a who's on first sketch? my notes: transfem lonnie always wins!! plus I love cissie flying off the handle at the smallest thing it's very in character & I like how this interaction slots into yj98 canon

&&

what is in a name? (besides a bunch of letters and syllables, that is) by birdlord5000 @birdlord5000. 4.6k, G, gen. summary: "forget whatever we were originally gonna do tonight," cassie said, dropping several plastic bags loaded with thai food and a 12-pack of beer onto the kitchen counter. "I'm recruiting you all to help me find a new hero name." my notes: love the names chosen, love the characters' banter, all members of the yj98 cast here incl anita & greta & cissie so I'm happy

[dcfanfictioncatalogue]

bart allen 2026 fic recs

for @gnomewithalaptop who submitted a request last YEAR omg so sorry & @cashmerecorey who was also looking for bart fics. these are all bart allen centric fics I enjoyed that have been released this year so far! since it was requested they stay gen, I've put mostly genfics, but a couple shipfics really stood out to me so they go under the cut!

The Unicorn Tree by Earthshine @radioactive-earthshine. 1.6k, G. summary: bart allen clings to something he left behind and never got experience and hopes his niece and nephew never look back longing like he did. my notes: a bittersweet retrospective of childhood. I really enjoy the "older" bart look here, because it's not as common throughout bart fic & he matures here without losing the core of his character.

&&

670,616,629 mi/h by neptunesenceladus @neptunesenceladus. 600, G. summary: it's summer and bart is homesick for somewhere that was barely home. my notes: very short but very well done, I think this is an excellent little character study of bart's melancholy & sense of displacement in the 21st century.

&&

And normalcy's boring / I'm over with that by dickweed7 @dickweed7. 4k, G. summary: bart makes the young justice team an official tiktok account. my notes: while the summary is really silly, & it's tagged crackfic, there are some genuinely really sweet moments that highlight the characters' personalities very well -- definitely more broadly yj98 than specifically bart (though it's his POV!), but well worth a read.

&&

Not Choosing is Also a Choice by Programmable_Boy @endollvors. 3.5k, G. summary: iris is a little late rescuing bart from earthgov's labs. my notes: definitely more about iris than bart but I think bart's characterization here is excellent for the AU that this takes place in -- a lot of fics don't explore that sharper, meaner edge of bart's that here I think really take up page space & culminate in that really fascinating ending to this piece.

⇘     click for shipfics     ⇘

Summer Nights (Under the Fireworks) by flashbrainrot @flashbrainrot. 2.7k, G. summary: bart was screaming into his pillow when his phone rang. kon. kon, probably the only great part of moving to kansas. my notes: adorable! adorable & really, really good. I like how interwoven these two characters' comic stories are in this fic, & how natural this feels. kon's anxious need to blend in combined with bart's carelessness about standing out is exactly what makes these two work as their civilian selves.

&&

Sunshine in the Rearview Mirror by SleepySpeedster @sleepyspeedster. 21.4k, T. summary: set three years after the conclusion of impulse, it's summer in manchester, alabama once again. preston lindsay, now eighteen years old and enjoying his last summer before college begins, finds himself once again reminiscing on the past and on bart allen. three years and there's been no word from his best friend. but one day he reappears and neither preston or bart are the same again. my notes: definitely cheating since the reason it was updated this year & not in 2023 is on a technicality... but it's worth reccing. preston POV bartpreston & a nice long fic that feels like a trip down impulse 95 memory lane.

if you liked any of these fics, be sure to leave a kudos & a comment on 'em!

[dcfanfictioncatalogue]

fall-winter 2025 stephcass fic recs

I read basically all of the stephcass-centric fics posted in 2025, these are are my top 2 favorites of each month! will be posting a spring-summer 2025 later :]

july. As I climb into an empty bed by zeetannas @zeetannas (1.5k, G) && if you’re gonna be the death of me that’s how I wanna go by suzukiblu @suzukiblu (200, T).

august. I Wish I Could Have Held You for a Little Longer by tothefiniteyou @tothefiniteyou (1.8k, T) && i want your things in my room by Nightmare_Before_Light_109 (2.4k, M).

september. Stick ‘n Poke by strawberrykitkat (1.9k, T) && Gotham City Shippers and the Case of Spoiler and Cassandra Wayne by NoctisVonReturnsis (4.3k, T).

october. "become faster" by EdmundPevensiesQueen @edmundpevensiesqueen (6.3k, M) && the rest of this author's stephcass week fics (25k, M-E).

november. To Have & To Hold by thedunce @cashmerecorey (29.3k, T) && Like A Hoodie by casscain203 @casscainmainly (3.2k, G).

december. beverly hills by holyarcana (5k, G) && In Torpor by astral_plant (2.1k, T).

[haveyoureadthisdcfic]

two passing, sinking ships

Have you read two passing, sinking ships?

Yes, previously

Yes, now that you've recced it to me

No

Voting ended onMar 1

Authour: @ommlett

Subfandom: Young Justice

Media: Comics

Relationships: Gen (Anita Fite & Greta Hayes)

Year: 2025

Rating: Teen

Warnings: None

Summary:

Anita sits in the driver’s seat, smiling a little tensely. “Hey. Snapper asked me to pick you up. You can toss anything in the back.” Greta smiles back, feeling like her teeth are more like bared fangs than a smile you give a friend. “Thanks. I don’t really have anything.” She slides into the passenger seat and focuses more on buckling her seatbelt than strictly necessary. Greta Hayes and Anita Fite haven't really talked since … the whole… everything. Neither really wants to. A roadblock named Snapper Carr gets in the way.

Submitted by @starshine

Submitter's comment:

MY GODDDDD THIS IS THE DEFINITIVE ANITA & GRETA FIC EVER. the author respects both characters so so much and it comes out in their awesome characterization!! both sets of feelings are handled with so much care!! TEENAGE GIRLS BREAKING DOWN IN A CAR TOGETHER WHAT MORE COULD YOU NEED.

[altyrnyte]

incoming cissieanita fic. perhaps even soon. it depends on how motivated i feel to edit

[altyrnyte]

posted !

[zahri-melitor]

A request: I haven’t had a lot of time to look for l new fic to read recently; anyone have any 2025 published recs of comics-based fic?

[holybats]

this is what I have for now but I can go rooting around for more:

fic: fatherhood by starlingsinwinter (Restricted) https://archiveofourown.org/works/62380168

Jack feels like he’s somehow ended up coparenting his own child with a stranger, and Wayne has become the “fun parent.” As though Jack is the strict, boring one for not approving of Tim swinging through downtown Gotham with a grappling hook, getting beaten up at all hours of the night. “I’m your father,” he says. Tim huffs, his breath fogging up the car window. “Whatever.”

published 2025-01-21 notes: Tim & Jack Drake post-Robin: Unmasked, but pre-Identity Crisis

fic: I couldn't hide from the thunder in a sky full of song by Luvo (Restricted) https://archiveofourown.org/works/71325636

"I feel stuck," Cassie says. "I feel terrible, all the time. I can't stop—I'm stuck. Everything's good now, but I can't stop waiting for the next terrible thing to happen. And the other day, a herd of centaurs went on a rampage in Gateway, so I was trying to reign them in, you know? And when I was doing that, a building collapsed on me. I wasn't hurt, because I don't get hurt, but it was small and dark, and I was running out of air, and I—I thought that maybe, that was it. I…I wanted to just stay there and lie down and—but I couldn't. I can't. I'm supposed to be a hero, I'm supposed to be Wonder Girl, I'm supposed to save people and lead the Teen Titans and I can't get hurt and a building fell down on me and no one could tell— And you— When is it my turn to have a mental breakdown in Paris?" Tim gapes at her. The cracker he was about to eat falls quietly onto the couch. "Cassie," he says, "What the fuck?" Cassie bursts into tears.

published 2025-09-24 notes: Cassie Sandsmark & Tim Drake, takes place in that nebulous post-TT03, but pre-flashpoint era that only really exists in our head & hearts.

fic: Last, Lonely, and Wretched by Havendance https://archiveofourown.org/works/68377541

Trapped under Deathstroke's influence, Cass makes her escape when she is suddenly transformed into a cat. A.k.a: the angstiest ever fic where Cass gets turned into a cat and gets petted and called a good girl a lot.

published 2025-07-29 notes: post-Titans East, tt03 storyline, canon divergence AU. Features Cass, Helena, Barbara, Tim, and Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe

fic: Tale of Two Birds (life worth missing) by Mothonthetube https://archiveofourown.org/works/63854434

“Damian... Damian, are you with me?” he cradled the back of Damian’s head with one hand and, with the other, he gently pushed his shoulder to roll him onto his back. He scanned his body for injuries. He almost flinched back. Instead of the usual grey colour on Damian’s chest he found red. Not blood. Red Kevlar. Green shoulders, uncovered arms and two green gloves tied together by some metallic, enormous handcuffs. Bruce’s eyes shot up to his face instantly, his stomach tightening. White lenses met his; white lenses surrounded by green, hidden under dark locks of hair, blinked back at him. Tim. Tim, his other Robin. It was Tim. [In Bruce's defence, if your two sons practice vigilantism under the same name and wear the same haircut and similar costumes, there is no way you'll never mistake one for the other.]

published 2025-03-14 notes: Infinite Frontier Era fic!!! Doesn't touch on a particular storyline, but it's very enmeshed in that canon. Features Tim, Bruce, & Damian.

[gnomewithalaptop]

oooh do you have any cass cain fic recs?

absolutely, anon! in fact, I have several!

to be buried alive by FromStarstuff - oh my GOD this fic makes me insane. Cass and Dick share Batman after Bruce dies -- does a truly EXCELLENT job contrasting their opposing views on what it means to be Batman and their contrasting relationships with Bruce

You Know What You Want, You Know What You Need by @the-blue-phantom - Cass and Steph get fake IDs and go to a gay bar. AMAZINGLY cute -- I go back and reread this one all the time whenever I need a pick-me-up <3

one plus one, easy math and two plus two, it's not that complicated and by @vibrantstarfire - Kon and Cass are each other's fake dates to fancy events and work out their sexualities along the way -- legitimately some of my favorite fics for both of them

what it means to be alone but not lonely by the riveroflight - canon-compliant character study about Cass and her experience with romantic love. I'm always a sucker for some good aromantic!Cass, I shan't lie

tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine and you do not have to be good by @luvo27 - ohmygodddd these are THE cass depression fics of all time. genuinely some of the most in-character angst I've ever read in my entire life -- it's essentially cass digging herself out of her passive-suicidal tendencies one step at a time, featuring her relationships with Babs, Tim, Steph, and the art of knitting

thawed out my freezerburnt feelings by theriveroflight - Cass tags along on Rose Wilson's solo quest after she quits the Teen Titans. something about riverflight's writing style is so crunchy to me, and I love seeing the rosecass dynamic explored!

let's not talk about it by procrastinationfairy - another Cass figuring out her relationship with romance, but this time it's all wrapped up in her complicated feelings surrounding Steph and vigilante-ism and the inability to find the right words. SUCH a good character study

my body lies facing the sky in the backyard by Luvo - another Luvo fic! this one features a similarly wet and sad Cass -- this time she and Tim take a road trip to go visit the house she grew up in. augh the way Luvo writes their friendship makes me want to eat the moon

Reading and Literacy by Betty - this one is a case fic/character study from all the way back in 2005 that I just have a real soft spot for -- I don't know what it is about Cass and Tim's time in Bludhaven post-War Games, but something about it just clicks for me. POV Tim, but the focus is definitely on Cass

Terms of Use by @kiragecko - this is a fun spin on alternative forms of communication for Cass! I'm always a sucker for a fic that explores Cass's complex relationship with language, and I love the way the author writes her dynamic with Tim in this!

again, if I missed any must-reads, or if anyone has written something they want to self-plug, please feel free to add on! I am always on the prowl for more cass-centric recs -- they're truly some of my very favorites

[dcfanfictioncatalogue]

hihi ! saw your flashfam reccs from a bit ago and wondered if you had any wally west centric ones? any of his ships are fine, really just trying to find fics where he’s actually There instead of just mentioned lol

if you are still looking for some, here some are! I am definitely going to continue looking for wally in the future, because you're completely right about how completely sidelined or mischaracterized he is.

cause you're safe like spring time (short days, long nights), by dorier. 1k, T, background dickroy. summary: sleeping in the bed of the truck with his two best friends, all wally can think is that he's never seen stars like this before.

&&

a different type of worldview, by poppiesandsunflowers. 2.8k, G, wallinda. summary: nowadays, wally spends more time teaching his kids how to ride a bike than he does saving the world.

&&

you grow up and you go on, by poppiesandsunflowers. 3.3k, T, background wallinda, graphic depictions of violence. summary: wally hasn't heard from his father since he was fifteen.

&&

[LOCKED] your love not to grow cold, by orphan_account. 1.7k, T, wallinda. summary: linda quietly wondered if this was what married life was like: discovering new ways to fall in love with your partner all over again.

[arrow-ettes]

dying by cupid's bow

 Cissie glanced down at her palms and felt a phantom hand cupping hers, a thumb brushing across the imperfections in her skin. Something clicked.

“Cass?” she asked quietly.

After a beat, Batgirl reached up and slid the cowl off of her head. 

𓇢𓆸 chapter one of three

𓇢𓆸 2.7k words

𓇢𓆸 cissie/cass, set during bg2000

[vechter]

here are some fics from my beautiful mutuals that left me in shambles this month:

those million tons of light by mintchocochips absolutely devastating donna character study set right after countdown with a heavy focus on kyle. stunning prose & the most authentic consideration of donna's identity torment nexus + her relationships with all the people in her life. gorgeous allusions + superb examination of canonical moments

Moments After The End by vividities short ficlet for titans/yj graduation day #3 exploring dick's immediate reaction to donna's death. bonus appearance from roy; succinct & gutting with some heartbreaking imagery & dialogue

Passiontide by bigdamnher0 dick in his spyral era. consideration of the impact of nightwing #30 with the most gorgeous and chewy prose. heavy focus on bruce & the kind of devotion they have for each other + a wonderful insight into some of the grayson '14 elements

with golden string by FromStarstuff donna character study. the thesis. will leave you devastated but heart-fulfilled for the kind of love dick & roy have for donna. gorgeous consideration of donna's personhood + the impact of having all that history encased in her + what a terrible and beautiful thing it can be

all we are is an aching that can barely be filled by 2mad4plaid dickroy in outsiders era my absolute beloved. gorgeous depiction of the push and pull they have in this era + insightful consideration of how differently they grieve for donna. compelling character work with beautifully depicted chemistry

Parable of the Friend at Midnight by dustorange tim centric with a gorgeous juxtaposition of his relationships with jack & bruce. bonus features from alfred and dick. stellar internal voice for tim and as always, dustorange's prose is beautiful and layered; reads so authentic to how tim was in this era

memories {like water slipping through your fingers}. by SHINeeNAilee dickroy but make it canon divergent: roy meets ric grayson. there are layers to every moment and mack does such a wonderful exploration of how well roy knows dick & how terrified and untethered ric is till this moment. insane chemistry work

i'm in the business of losing your interest by mintchocochips babs character study set during NML. absolutely stunning insight into some of the behind the scenes moments of barbara's competence and grit. all her complexities are beautifully considered and her desperation + how tired and scared she is, are all tied together wonderfully

burning money by yutro canon divergence where willis todd lives and comes out of prison into a world where jason is dead. absolutely devastating character work and prose for his grief. every vignette packs a punch + a wonderful examination of the dubious ethics of child sidekicks in a way that feels like it could fit right into canon

[dcfanfictioncatalogue]

spotlight #2

more recent reads! these are both (somewhat) recent releases (from this year, at least) -- I'm at the point in my dc fanfic journey that I just sort by recently updated because I've read everything on the first two "sort by kudos" pages & there are so many talented people putting out fic every single month

Every Beginning is a Promise, by Zahri. 6.7k, G, gen, 6/6. summary: they're his partners. his soldiers. they're still children. // the conclusion of five first patrols of bruce with his robins. my notes: CUTEEE!! love the comic pulls for these -- I've only read one or two of the comics included, so this was also super interesting to see where everything fits. love the bruce characterization here, really strikes a blend between him as a difficult but incredibly caring & thoughtful man

&&

Mains and Crosses, by silver_penny. 12.1k, T, gen. summary: mia gets one of those looks on her face, the kind that means he is never, ever going to catch up. “this is bigger than detective club, kyle.” that’s how he knows it’s serious. my notes: I've really only read a few gotham academy comics, but this was a gorgeous little character study, and I'm always a complete sucker for maps as robin. highly recommend!!

ask box is open for requests ++ find my fic rec libraries organized here

[lieu42]

Hey freaks if anyone wants to get weird on a monday night i just posted more dysfunctional n52 timkon

superlove, run by melo

warning blood sex drugs violence ... be careful ! read warnings!

[vechter]

here are some fics that i've read in the last few months that broke my brain a little:

usher down the sky by mintchocochips dick and cass centric, set in the batman reborn era. stellar writing that captures their core truths so, so well: their shared ghosts of bruce and blüdhaven are always present and always aching

bleeding-heart doves by wraithwings cass and rose centric, set at a canon-divergent point in batgirl '08. fantastically evocative writing, amazing voices for both of them with some really visceral imagery. cass will actually break your heart unless rose does it first

objects in a mirror by clytemnestras short but gutting character study for babs, cass, helena and steph. each vignette is beautifully written and is so authentic to canon

door, opening by cowboysorceror multi-chapter case fic from jason's pov with a wonderful emphasis on his brotherhood with dick. amazing world-building and research seem to have gone into this fic and it's just so deliciously full of hauntings (still a wip but it's closing in on the conclusion)

abide the son by tnevmucric cass and dick centric vignette. the writing is so gorgeous and it's a very wonderful depiction of a less fraught dynamic between them

north star by starlingsinwinter desert baby arc from grayson '14 my absolute beloved. wonderfully poignant examination of the dick & bruce dynamic and a gorgeous insight into some core dick grayson-isms

incomplete/thoughts of total defeat by karples roy centric with a focus on donna and dick. absolutely adore the author's voice for roy and a gutting snapshot of the kind of demons that plagued roy in this era

Birdcage by nighhtwing (divineauthor) dick centric one-shot examining some of the spyral aftermath wrt bruce. this one will actually leave you physically sick because... he's really never going to recover from that kind of devotion, is he?

last light in a darkened room by bigdamnher0 tim and dick centric. case fic. the way tim and dick watch and see each other. tim's near palpable hunger for brotherhood versus dick's staticky performance buckling under the weight of tim drake's little brotherism. absolutely wonderful (warning for csa)

Some nights. by run_and_coke cass centric one-shot set in the current batgirl run, focusing on the civilian cast. absolutely wonderful voice for cass with a very authentic and snappy internal narration. gorgeous understanding of her character motivations

[havendance]

Barbara Gordon Fic Recs

Because she kicks ass :)

Accipitrid by shobogan <1k, complete. A snapshot in an AU where Dick  was paralyzed by the Joker instead of Barbara. Featuring Barbara making a new start as a vigilante in Blüdhaven.

And Be Made Anew by Teleportation_Magic 5.7k, wip. This fic is about the messy aftermath of what’s essentially a choose who dies scenario where Barbara picks Stephanie over Cassandra. Excellent emotions so far. 

Being Wanted (The Aggravated Assault Remix) by Mara 1.1k, complete. A fun little fic in which Barbara is juggling demands of the entire superhero community at once as Oracle.

MAD World by Havendance 5k, complete. One of mine; Barbara finds herself transported to an alternate universe and needs to put her detective skills to work to uncover the secrets it hides.

Once You've Learned To Be Lonely by Dragonbat 1.1k, complete. This one’s interesting, written back at the beginning of the New 52, it reintroduces Cass into batgirl!Barbara’s life.

only to give contrast to the light by weird_bird (2weird4) 27k, complete. Pacific Rim fusion with a focus on Cass & Barbara. The way the author fuses the universes is very cool and Cassandra kicks ass as she should.

Oracle, Re: Birth by KamalasFanfiction 8.1k, complete. Barbara is trapped in the Clocktower while the New 52!Batgirl is running around outside, stealing her life. She fights back. Literally so good.

Push the Button and Pull the Plug by victoria_p (musesfool) 1.8k, complete. Jason & Barbara and some of their shared opinions toward the Joker.

Tea for Two by Zahri 1.8k, complete. Barbara Gordon & Sarah Essen over the course if No Man’s Land. A great look at their relationship.

Two, Divided by Zero by kerithwyn 1.1k, complete. During Zero Hour, Batgirl meets Oracle. Makes me a little insane.

When One Door Opens by orphan_account 1.5k, complete. Another Killing Joke AU and my favorite of the ones I found. Barbara becomes Nightwing after Dick is paralyzed and her emotions about the whole matter are just so good.

[havendance]

white knight | black knight

AO3 | CFAA | Superlove

Fandom: Birds of Prey

Featured Characters/Relationships: Helena Bertinelli & Barbara Gordon

Wordcount: 7900

Summary:

When breaking into the clock tower, Helena uncovers information that prompts her to view Barbara Gordon in a new light and leads to a new partnership between them. Officially a member of the Birds of Prey, the reality of Helena's role is something… messier. This may be a fresh start, but things have never been easy between Helena and Barbara and the weight of the secrets they keep threaten to tear things apart

My work for the @womenincomicsminibang! Welcome to some Helena and Barbara drama (I'm sure none of you are surprised). My partner for this event was @franollie, so keep an eye for her work! Hope you enjoy :)

Excerpt:

“The target just entered the building.”

“I’m moving,” Helena hissed into her comm, “I thought you said I’d have more time.”

“He is early,” Barbara acknowledged. “And you have time while he takes care of business inside. Just get into position as quickly as you can.”

“I’m working on it.”

Barbara didn’t acknowledge that with a reply.

Helena continued her scrabble over the Gotham rooftops. It felt alien, running around at night in plain black tactical gear instead of the Huntress, but Barbara had insisted.

“If we’re doing this,” she’d said, “I can’t have you being the Huntress. There needs to be nothing identifiable.”

“I’m not about to get caught,” Helena had argued.

“I didn’t get this far by taking risks,” Barbara had said and refused to debate further.

She’d said the same thing about her crossbow: ‘too identifiable’, which was the reason for the case strapped to her back.

“Are you sure you can use this?” Barbara had asked when she’d given it to her.

Helena had scoffed. “I can aim more than a crossbow.”

“If you miss…”

“I won’t.”

[gretahayes]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

“Haven’t seen you in a few days. Nobody has.” Dick raises his eyebrows at the door and quirks a smile. “Let me in?” Tim considers saying no for a moment. He really, really does. “It’s kind of…a mess.” “I’d be more surprised if it wasn’t,” Dick says. “Can’t I want to check in on my little brother?”

Tim has a daughter. He is the only one unruffled by this turn of events.