klance starter pack fic list
making a klance fic rec list of the absolute must-reads all in one place! this will be in no particular order and is mainly for my use since the fandom is p dead lol.
Summary:Â Lanceâs nightmares are getting out of control. Itâs affecting his and the teamâs performance, but heâs at a loss for how to fix this. Apparently sleeping next to a warm body helps.
This was the first klance fic I read and it made me fall in love with this ship. Iâve re-read this fic multiple times since then and itâs a one-shot, quite short and sweet. I love it!Â
never saw you coming by dimpleforyourthoughts
Summary:Â Three months in space on his own would have been fine. Three months in space with Lance McClain is a whole other fucking story.
This fic. This fic ruined me and literally left me sobbing at 3 a.m. Itâs also a one-chapter fic but has a hefty word count of 45K+ words and functions more as a drabble than anything. Itâs a giant character study into Keith and his relationship with Lance and just how he grew up, met Shiro, etc. This fic made me fall in love with Keith as a character and is so so stunning.Â
so why donât we fall by aknightley
Summary:Â Five times Lance used a pet name for Keith, and one time Keith used one for Lance.
Keith has no basis for having a relationship with someone, so heâs trying to follow Lanceâs lead.
So anything by aknightley is pretty much a masterpiece but I especially adore this fic because its one of their much more lighter, softer ones and has Established Relationship Klance, so if you want a short 5+1 things fic that skips over all the angst and pining and goes straight to fluff, this oneâs perfect for you! Itâs such a sweet portrayal of Keith and Lance and just had me smiling at my phone.
part 1:Â there nestled against his pulse by hiuythn
Summary:Â "Found you!â Lance says, vaulting over the back of the couch. He lands with a soft thump that bounces Keith up in his seat. "Hey, Iâve got a question for you. You donât have to answer it, but, uh, have you met your soulmate?â
âNo,â says Keith, âI havenât.â
part 2: this is what love looks like: by hiuythn
Summary:Â Unlike Keith, Lance has to be dragged by his feet, bound and gagged, into this love. If there was a contest for the art of self-denial, heâd be the reigning champion.
part 3: roll credits by hiuythn
Summary:Â When Allura said, âYou will explain everything to me,â she wasnât kidding.
âCan you still hear him?â she asks. Sheâs got a fucking datapad. Sheâs taking notes.
âYes,â Keith sighs. âHeâs still singing Backstreet Boys.â
[post-TNAHP/TWILLL. Some asks from tumblr, some headcanons/extra scenes I havenât shared yet.]
SOULMATES KLANCE!! That is definitely my favorite Klance trope and this is definitely the fic that started that obsession. Very famous in the fandom, this is a good 55K+ word, soulmate AU set in canon verse that has everything you could ever want: Enemies to Lovers, Langst, Regular Angst, Pining, Almost Major Character Death, etc. You should also definitely check out the sequel that follows major events from Lanceâs point of view. To be honest, I actually love the sequel more because itâs such a beautiful deep-dive into Lanceâs psyche and what makes him tick and also explores Lanceâs experience at the Garrison and deals with out of fic events. But you definitely have to read TNAHP to understand the sequel! The sequel honestly made fall in love with Lance and heâs now my favorite character in VLD so. The sequel is also actually longer than the original fic word count-wise (the sequel cuts off at around 59K words, the original is at 55K+) and is a must-read if you enjoyed TNAHP!
Thereâs also a third part that Iâve linked, which has extra scenes and drabbles and is honestly so so cute and such a good dose of fluff after the angst and hurt/comfort of the first two that I couldnât NOT include it.Â
Summary:Â Keithâs jetpack malfunctions.
So this is definitely the most angstiest and saddest fic Iâm reccing so far. It absolutely ruined me and made me cry and re-evaluate all my life choices. Thatâs all Iâm going to say. If youâre in the mood for some straight-up, hardcore Langst, this oneâs for you.
Summary: Keith is touch-starved to the point of stupidity. Lance helps. Lance tries to help. Lance tries.
akjdjdjdjd THIS FIC IS SO SOFT AND SWEET AND CUTE. at this point, this list is basically just becoming hiuythn fics but I canât help it! I had to include this fic after the damage the last one did. If katabasis is everything sad, skin hunger is everything happy. its a s3 AU with no clone!shiro and is more of a crackfic than anything, dealing with Keith going through Galran puberty and is hilarious and sweet all at the same time. we also get broganes and the way Klanceâs relationship builds up is j *chefâs kiss* Itâs a p short one-shot (only 12K+ words) and definitely the best thing for a pick me up! Slav and Keithâs interactions are also hilarious.
nothingâs quite as sweet by dimpleforyouthoughts
Summary:Â Keith is a barista who hates his job. Lance works at the cat shelter across the street.
So this is another gem by the amazing dimpleforyourthoughts and this fic is literally a ray of sunshine in this cold, dark, desolate world. It has kittens, coffee, side Shallura and cat cafes. Need I say more? Definitely an A+ comfort fic for the bad days.
Hearts Donât Break Around Here by klancekorner
Summary:Â Lance and Keith have been best friends since first grade. Lanceâs brain is always on overdrive and Keithâs blunt, realistic ass can never keep up. They both come to realize that sometimes you can learn a lot about loving yourself by loving someone else.
This is literally my favorite Klance fic ever, Iâm sorry to all the masterpieces on this list and to all the others as well but this fic has my heart for all of eternity. Itâs a 135K+ word monster of a fic and took me a good 2 days to finish and took my sanity as well. Itâs such a raw and real fic and the way it captures Lanceâs anxiety really hit me in the feels and made me fall in love with him further. I know what most of us are thinking- a friends-to-lovers fic? Really? But trust me give it a shot, the pining, the writing, the resolution, EVERYTHING is so good, you *have* to read it.
Summary: This multi-chapter fic chronicles the lives of a hockey player named Keith who gets enlisted into figure skating lessons by his brother, Shiro, to "work on his footworkâ. There he meets a pompous - yet talented - figure skater named Lance and gets swept away by both the sport and the skater.
Or: the not-so-simple story of two people trying to navigate the complexities of living in an ever changing world and face the traumas theyâve buried far away from the sunlight.
(Russian Translation https://ficbook.net/readfic/5434480)
THIS FIC IS INCOMPLETE! I know most of you all will skip this because of that but itâs such a good fic that I had to include it despite that fact. It perfectly captures my Winter Olympics obsessions (Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno ftw) and has such good broganes and side Shallura. Itâs also one of the few fics that acknowledge how talented and brilliant my Lancey boy is and has Keith showing him the appropriate amount of respect and amazement. I loved it and I do hope you love this incomplete 200K+ word fic too!
Summary:Â âAm I really going to have to explain this to you?â
âNo, Iâm totally fine with you shutting up right about now.â
Hunk cups his hands around his mouth. âYou. Are crushing. On Keith.â
Or, a college AU featuring coffee shops, silly rivalries, motorcycles, arcade games, friendships, and lots of warm, fluffy feelings that are both confusing and delightful all at the same time.
One of the best Klance College AUs out there! It has awkward first impressions, Influencer Allura, and Keith on a motorcycle! Itâs such a readable fic. It also sees the relationship slowly sort of dissolve into a benefits one and has such a natural flow to the relationship. Itâs one of my most re-readable favs so defo check it out!
just come to me once by laallomri
Summary:Â Lanceâs smile widens. He leans forward, and the prickling in Keithâs chest gives way to butterflies, fluttering wildly in his stomach, and oh wow has Lance always had this many freckles, has he always had eyelashes that long, has heâ
Lance pokes his cheek, right over the Galra mark. Keith blinks.
âI canât believe you and your mom have matching face tattoos now,â he says, and itâs so fucking dumb, but itâs exactly the kind of dumb thing Keith has longed to hear, and before he knows what heâs doing heâs surging forward, almost knocking Lance back against Redâs paw, and throwing his arms around him.
In which Keith lives on a space whale, goes on a road trip, and (eventually) gets a boyfriend.
I donât even know how to encapsulate what this fic made me feel. It feels like the last day of school, the feeling you get when the ending credits roll on a really good Pixar/Disney movie. The feeling that songs like Fireflies or I Lived make you feel.Â
This fic also features a lot of POC, trans and queer rep and I for one loved all the Indian stuff in it. Itâs also one of the few fics where Krolia and Keithâs relationship is explored in canon without being depressing so ofc i love it!!
Something Blue by starlightment
Summary: When Lance gets dumped by his fiancĂ©e just days before his entire family is flying out to visit, he finds himself trapped in a monumental lie. Now, with no bride-to-be, and no guts to admit the truth, heâs in desperate need of a pseudo-sweetheart â and fast. And Keith just so happens to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Fake dating Klance!! A truly blessed trope. We also see pining Keith and this is just such a well-written Modern AU, it had to go on the list!
part 1:Â Read All About It by starlightment
Summary: Keith is Altea Highâs star athlete. And Lance, a wily reporter for the school newspaper, is crushing hard. The only problem? Theyâve never actually met before. So when Lance decides to broadcast his long-hidden feelings in an explicitly romantic exposĂ©, he ends up accidentally sparking a school-wide epidemic. Suddenly the entire student body is in on the drama, but are words truly enough to win over the schoolâs enigmatic heartthrob?
part 2: Read All About It: part 2 by starlightment
Summary:Â With a year of college and long-distance dating under their belts, Lance and Keith return home for the summer only to realize that life still has a few more challenges in store. Sequel to âRead All About Itâ.
This is another masterpiece by starlightment!! I honestly canât decide whether I like this better than Something Blue, but if youâre in the mood for high school feels and public confessions, this is definitely for you! Lance is also portrayed in such a talented light and I truly loved his characterization in the fic. Here, we have very heavy Langst and Lance pining instead of pining! Keith for a change too.Â
Part 2 is incomplete as of now but whatâs there is very funny and sweet and a must-read if you loved the first one. Honestly, itâs kind of an extra scenes/moments work and has some post-fic things as well which I love to see since it has College Klance.
open your arms to me by aknightley
Summary:Â Lance quickly finds Keithâs communication signal and hits call.
A few seconds later, he realizes what heâs just done, panics, and immediately slams the âend callâ button.
âShit!â he hisses through his teeth, throwing the tablet on the bed and recoiling away from it like itâs a poisonous snake rather than innocent alien technology. Its screen goes blank again, wiped clean the way he wishes his impulsive action could be. âWhat am I doing?â
So like I said, I love aknightleyâs stuff (seriously- they could write their grocery list and Iâd eat that shit up) but I love S4 fix-it fics with Long Distance Klance and BoM Half-Galran Keith and this one honestly takes the cake. It has such a nice build-up to the relationship and the pining is just amazing.
pushed up the window to kiss you off by aknightley
Summary:Â A series of conversations between Keith and Lance when theyâre apart but together, and the effects unrelenting thoughts can have on a very confused boy.
The worst part of deciding to leave had been telling Lance his plans â no, the worst part had been that Lance had understood.
Another Klance S4 fix it fic by aknightley but this one is my more preferred one since it skips all the pining and goes straight to Established Relationship Klance, which aknightley honestly writes so beautifully!! Their relationship is also a secret and I truly loved the humor and how we see Keith deal with being a BoM member and all the bloodshed and sadness that comes with it.Â
all my reasons why, by tylerproposey
Summary:Â It starts off as an infatuation, nothing more than admiration for the entrancing blue eyed boy. It turns into a crush - something heâs never had - and suddenly every shade of blue reminds him of Lance. It ends with love, something deep and turbulent, really he never stood a chance.
This fic is very similar to never saw you coming and is honestly one of those hidden Klance gems that everyone HAS to read it. It once again shows Klance from Keithâs perspective in canon and the way the author captures Keith and Lance both is just stunning. Iâd recommend reading the other fics by tylerproposey as well- Iâm not including any on the list except for this one since itâs just *that* good. Their other fics are more Modern AUs and more plot, less pining than this one but equally as fun to read!
Summary:Â âDo you play guitar?â Lance asks, holding up the pick.
âYeah,â Keith replies
âAre you just saying youâre good, or are you actually good?â
âActually good,â Keith says defensively. âAnd why do you care anyway?â
Lance narrows his eyes at him. âI donât know if I believe you.â
âIâll prove it,â Keith says before he can think.
(High school marching band/Battle of the Bands AU. Keith is the new kid, Lance is trying to prove himself, Pidge is a musical prodigy, Hunkâs tired of stereotypes, Shiro and Allura are just trying to get people to stop calling them âMomâ and âDadâ, and Bruce Springsteen is still the Boss. Donât ask about the lions.)
this is a fic very similair to the feels invoked by just come to me once by laallomri and I enjoyed this so much- it had me laughing out loud and rolling on the floor with all the shenanigans of the gang. I also love the side Shallura and Pidge, Hunk and Lance are just the right amount of crazy and weird in this!! The way Keith slowly finds a family in these crazy weirdos and also opens up to his dad is so sweet and made me cry. Such a good HS/band AU! Itâs also perfect for 70s/80s rock n roll music geeks and really explores the music aspect of things!
all of these stars will guide us home by mayerwien
Summary:Â The space museum volunteers au, aka âmy God, itâs full of snarks.â
Okay, damn I just canât stop coming with all the Klance HS/teen AUs. But this one I had to put in because itâs just another one of those funny, smiling at my screen ones and I also adore the angsty broganes we see in this fic- once again, a Keith POV that shows him finding a family amongst Lance, Pidge and Hunk. It doesnât have much (any) Allura in it but I can excuse that for how good it is!
Fake It Til You Make It by nikkiRA
Summary:Â âNo, itâs not that ââ Keith tries to backtrack. âWe just â we ââ he isnât sure what heâs going to say, he just knows he has to say something before he and Lance are forced to have sex with some weird alien species, while also keeping the weird alien king happy enough to create an alliance with them.
But not for the first time and not for the last, Lance pulls through.
Of course, this time pulling through almost gives Keith a heart attack, because Lance slips his fingers through Keithâs so that theyâre holding hands.
âWhat Keith here means to say,â Lance says, and although his voice is steady, he is gripping Keithâs fingers so tightly itâs painful. âIs that we canât mate with your people, although we, um, appreciate the offer, because, well. We already are. M-mated, I mean. With, you know. Each other.â
Fake dating Klance once again! In canon this time and I mainly read it because it was written by nikkiRA (whose Solangelo stuff I adore) but I truly loved it! It is quite explicit though, since it has a (sort of) sex pollen trope as well so if youâre in the mood for smut, Iâd definitely recommend this!
part 1: house on fire by ilgaksu
Summary:Â When Lance McClain is eighteen, he qualifies for the Olympics.
When heâs nineteen, he meets Keith.
Correlation does not mean cause, until it totally does.
part 2: two ways to skin tonight by ilgaksu
Summary: âYou can do this,â Keithâs coach tells him at seventeen, hand on his shoulder and nerves in his eyes. Keith looks down at the chalk against his hands, stark and messy against the black of the gloves. He adjusts one of the straps again. Flexes his hand. Nods.
This is definitely one of the best fics Iâm putting on this list! I originally read it because I found aknightleyâs drabbles set in the same universe (which you should ALSO read it- soo good) and I honestly did not expect to love it as much as I did! If youâve had a huge Olympics or AFTG phase like me, this is perfect for you. It also so nicely incorporates Social Media into it- which is one of my favorite tropes and this fic has to be one of my favorites under that trope. Itâs such an inspiring collection (called âthe greatestâ) and truly captures the vastness and importance and beauty of the Olympics/competitive sports and interweaves so many conversations about LGBTQ+ athletes into it that I love it. The author creates such a realistic and fleshed out world that I kind of got RWARB vibes. All in all, a must-read if you love AFTG- itâs actually inspired from the really famous AFTG fic about the Minyard-Josten rivalry!
it grows stronger by tylerproposey
Summary: College campuses are a cesspool of awkward encounters. Some more unnerving than others, as Lance comes to find. He thinks itâs important to note that in all those instances, Keith is there to witness them. Actually, thatâs unfair. Admittedly Keith happens to be useful in getting him out of those situations. Affection, as it goes, grows stronger when youâre constantly being âsavedâ by a protective rival â but mostly friend at this point.
Ok, so I know I said I wouldnât include anything else by tylerproposey but I couldnât help it- this fic is definitely one of the best College AUs out there. Itâs so much more than a 5+1 fic!
i need someone like you to lighten the load by slowklancing (notanannoyingfangirl), sunnyjolras
Summary:Â Another scrap of parchment shot out of the cup, a fourth scrap of parchment, which made no sense at all, and the Headmaster grabbed it from the air, unrolling it and reading it quietly.
The entirety of the Great Hall remained silent. It was as quiet as a tomb.
âLance Ălvarez?â The Headmaster whispered, and then again, louder. âLance Ălvarez.â
// Lance and Keith have always been battling it out: on the Quidditch field, in the duelling club, for the best marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Keith always manages to come out in the lead.
Now, the Triwizard Tournament has been announced and Lance knows that Keith is going to beat him for the only open spot, even if he pretends that he thinks otherwise. But it doesnât quite go the way that Lance expects, and everything changes from there.
Hogwarts Klance AU!!! For the Twiwizard Tournament!! Such a long ride but so worth it- all the ups and downs of their relationship and Lanceâs life is EXACTLY like an HP book and I loved it. We also see Hagrid! Coran and DADA prof! Shiro so what more could I ask for? It also features Allura from Beauxbatons and Lotor from Drumstrang! It does follow HP canon in its ending, so it might be a bit lacking in that but i just adore the exposition of the plot so I couldnât not include it!
say my name (and every color illuminates) by parchmints
Summary:Â âWell, thatâs what you are, right? My subconscious talking to me? Thatâs what my aunt says dreams are, but itâs kinda weird that my subconscious hasnât seen the ocean before since Iâve been around the ocean my entire life.â
âWhat? No! IâmâIâm not your subconscious, Iâm yourââ Keith starts, but he slams his lips together in a tight lock, then looks at the waves, while Lance sits up taller and leans in closer to him.
âJustâ!â Keith starts, getting frustrated and pinching the bridge of his nose. âIâm real, okay? Weâre notâthis isnâtâweâre having a shared dream.â
Lance never thought he had a soulmate, but when he finds himself dreaming about a boy on Varadero Beach and in a southwestern desert, he learns they have an incredibly rare soul linkâ-one that allows them to form an unusually strong bond before they meet, but also exposes their greatest vulnerabilities to each other.
SOULMATES KLANCE!! this is also a fic by parchmints, who is another one of my fav klance authors and this is definitely my favorite one of theirs- its a must read if youâre a sucker for Soulmates Klance like me. The way they eventually meet also had me smiling at my phone so much!
theyâre gonna watch me disappear into the sun by basicallymonsters
Summary:Â Lance turns his face towards the tree line meandering off to the edge of the coast, feeling every system in his body light up simultaneously. âKeith.â
He lifts his wrists and Keithâs hands follow them up. He shifts closer on his knees, mouth turned down, desperate.
âSo you canât expect me to leave you here,â Keith says, âI know that Iâm asking you to walk away from your home. But youâre asking me to walk away from mine.â
(prompt: when they get to Earth, Lance wants to stay)
this fic is very similair to katabasis, in the sense that they both made me want to die. im not even joking, this fic put me off of reading klance for like the next 2 months because it was that fucking sad. so of course i need everyone to share in my misery.
no, but all jokes aside, this is an amazing fic that will absolutely change you forever. it is such a good exploration of lance as well, and how much his family means to him and for a fic of only 7K+ words, it sure has an impact.
life after death by taylortot
Summary:Â Fear clambers into his mouth and tastes bitter on his tongue. âWho are you?â It takes him a moment to register the sound of his own voice.
She stares at him. Blinks. âLance, please, this isnât time for one of your jokes-â
He furrows his eyebrows and struggles to sit up, to stop leaning into the cradle of her arms. âIâm notâIâm notâŠjoking.â
After sacrificing himself to save Allura, Lance wakes up in a strange new world where the only thing he knows is a deep connection to a boy he doesnât remember.
so this is another amazingly angsty beautiful fic WHICH IS ALSO INCOMPLETE by the way but the author is still replying to comments and thereâs only 1 more chapter left so hey, there is hope for us all! i just really love the deep love lance has for keith in this and how everything unravels slowly by slowly and we learn about how they fell in love, along with lance himself. you *have* to read this!
itâs all in my head by aknightley
Summary:Â "Uh,â Pidge said, "Lance? Buddy? Whatâs the deal?â
âThatâs Lance?â Hunk shouted, somehow still ramming ships away from the castle; Keith felt like bubbles were bursting in his head, effervescent pops of giddy fear mixed with conviction.Â
Lance, he thought, Lance feels like this. âThank God, I thought I was going crazy for a second.â
Another amazing must-read fic by aknightley that explores the paladin bond as a much more psychic connection and shows Keith and Lance both struggling to hide their feelings for each other through it! Must more be said? Go read it!
pepsicola by corydalis Â
Summary:Â It starts like this:
 Lance looking up at the scoreboard only a few days into his Garrison training and muttering to himself, âWhat the hell kind of a name is Keith?ââ
Or, Keith and Lance fall in love. Eventually.
corydalis has the absolute best klance drabble fics but i especially enjoy this fic because of the dual POV and how we see both characters grow from the Garrison itself and the slow build to a friendship and then eventual romance is to die for! very similar to never saw you coming, by the way.
Like Devo by surveycorpsjean
Summary:Â As rival jammers, theyâre 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 thatâs how they start dating.
The adrenaline rush I got from this is unparalleled! Both Keith and Lance are also absolute BAMFs and I love how fucking rogue the fic is. Itâs just a one-shot so Iâd defo recc it, but it is quite explicit so if thatâs not your thing, go ahead and skip it!
this is my idea (of love)Â by the-noble-idiot (noblegambit)
Summary:Â The first meeting between Crown Prince Lance of Altea and Prince Keith of Daizabaal was, to put it mildly, less than perfect.
ARRANGED MARRIAGE KLANCE GALTEAN AU!! this fic is so so so good and the build-up of their relationship over the years that we see in glimpses is so precious and amazing- and the enemies-to-lovers in this is to die for. My only complaint is that I wish it were longer!
you should date me by petalloso
Summary:Â âI can read you, Keith Kogane. Youâre tired and maybe a little sad, and this mask will lift your spirits, heal your aura, align your chakras. Trust me.â
âI chrusht myou,â Keith says through his fish lips, Lanceâs hands warm against his squished cheeks, his heart pounding ridiculously in his chest.
This fic is the defo THE best College AU out there and has SUCH similar vibes to Hearts Donât Break Around Here and Tramps like Us that I adore it. Itâs so kooky and weird and hilarious and lovely- exactly like college and I LOVE it. Klanceâs relationship dynamic in this is to die for and is so fun to read! It also shows Keith with dyslexia and ADHD, which is a new take since its usually Lance with ADHD but one I loved equally and the portrayal of ADHD is so refreshing to read if you have ADHD (like me) but can be hard for people without it to read since itâs a bit erratic and random. Iâd still highly recommend it!!
Love Bite(s) by ArchetypeOfAdespota
Summary: In which Keith gets bitten by a Love Bug, and Lance is less okay with this than anyone honestly expected.
This is literally the best Lovebug Klance AU out there and definitely started my obsession with that trope- Alas, there are none as good as this one! I loove how we see Klance trying to hide their real unrequited feelings and the amount of misunderstandings was so frustrating but written so well- the resolution was to die for! Iâd definitely recommend it! The authorâs writing style is very good and there is a second part to this fic that deals with a âwhat-ifâ where Lance was bit instead of Keith but thatâs incomplete so I didnât include it but you can check it out if you like this fic!
Objects in Motion (When Unbalanced) by Mytay
Summary:Â Lance and Keith are constantly being mistaken for a couple. Lance is highly offended. Keith is quietly outraged.
Pidge decides if she canât have peace, then she can write an epic scientific dissertation on the romantic failings of two exceptionally dense paladins.
This fic is going to be the last of this very extensive list and its honestly one of the most re-readable fics and is such a good crackfic with outsider POV on Klance! It also has 4 more parts that are one-shots/sequels set in the same âverse and you can definitely check that out if you want more Matchmaking Science Pidge.
Some other Klance authors Iâd recommend that didnât make it on this list:
Purpleneutrino (mackerelmademedoit)