Strange and Wonderful Things

Katie | She/Her | 29 | Multifandom Chaos & Fic Recs Icon by @earliglowedits. Header by @wendinella on Instagram. Theme by @starlightthemes

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Katie's Fic Rec Master List

I wanted to make a master list of all my favorite fics in the hopes of introducing others to the fics I love and showing my appreciation for all the work authors do. I’ve also done like four fic rec lists in the past (you can find them here), and it’s time I organized everything into one list that I can update as I go. I will also make this a page on my blog so you don't have to scroll through this massive post.

UPDATE 1/25/2024: Hello! So it turns out Tumblr has link and character limits on posts now, which means I can't make this rec list as long as I'd like, and I don't want to make multiple lists. So I took a page out of Lou (@impossibleknots)'s book and made a spreadsheet! You can find it here, and I'll be updating that rather than this list.

I aimed for a mix of what I call “classic” fics and some lesser-known fics to give something for everyone. I have a lot of fandoms and I’ve been reading fics for a long time, so this is a pretty extensive list.

Updated: November 29, 2022 (minor edits made 11/22/2023)

Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra

God Bless the Child by slacktension (T, 9,391 words, complete)  Missing scenes from Legend of Korra 01x08: Mako, Bolin, and Asami are stuck in jail after the raid on the Dragon Flats District. I really liked how this fic touched on Mako and Bolin’s childhood working for the Triple Threat Triad.  Warnings: references to past violence, swearing  Ships: Mako/Asami 

Keraunopathy by celluloid (@miikkasakari) (NR, 15,000+ words, incomplete)  Mako’s relationship with lightning has changed a lot. He first learns of lighting bending when he reads a book of Iroh quotes. After a fire bender kills his parents, Mako’s relationship with lightning changes, even after he learns to generates it himself. I really liked how Ari made lighting bending a big deal again—in ATLA it was a huge deal, then in LOK it became much more common and less dangerous. Mako and others being able to lightning bend with ease is glossed over, and I enjoyed Ari’s take on Mako learning to generate lightning.  Warnings: mentions of abuse and violence, character death  Ships: None 

No Church in the Wild by slacktension (M, 4,000+ words, incomplete) Mako and Bolin’s childhood, from before their parents die to living on the streets to meeting Korra. I really liked how slacktension explores how Mako and Bolin’s relationship changes once their parents are killed and they are forced to live on the street. Slacktension really dives into how Mako became Bolin’s caretaker and parent, doing his best to keep himself and his brother alive on the streets and with the Triad.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse, descriptions of violence, character death, discussions of death, drug and alcohol use, smoking, swearing  Ships: None

Big Time Rush 

Where I’ll Be Found by kasuchi (@kasuchi) (T, 6,104 words, complete) After Jo leaves for New Zealand, Kendall has a hard time coping and starts to crash and burn. Luckily he has his family and ‘90s music to help him. I loved how kasuchi used '90s song titles for each section (I forgot about Kendall's long-lost '90s music addiction!) and tried to stick with artists that would probably exist in the BTR universe. I liked how they dealt with his breakup with Jo in the show, but I liked how kasuchi took it an extra step and really made Kendall crash and burn. The best part of BTR is the friendship/family element—the boys and Katie and Mrs. Knight (and even Kelly and Gustavo) are really a family, and kasuchi did a great job of showing that. I also liked how kasuchi did the "turn real things into fake things" that Nick always does.  Warnings: underage drinking, swearing  Ships: Kendall/Jo, Kendall/OFC 

Chronicles of Narnia

A Call Rattling in Her Bones by dirgewithoutmusic (@ink-splotch) (G, 3,145 words, complete) Susan Pevensie returns from Narnia changed. She is a woman pretending to be a child, a queen without her kingdom. She has lived and lost and loved in ways her classmates will never know or understand. In England, the trees are only trees, the water only water and nothing more. So she adapts: she joins the newspaper, throws herself into her studies, and makes a new life for herself. Then her own horn calls her back to Narnia and a Lion tells her she can never return. So Susan decides to live, to build herself a new life in England. Her life will no longer be anything but her own. I feel like a lot of people hate on Susan for choosing to live and move on rather than dwelling on Narnia, and it’s nice to see a take on post-Narnia Susan that doesn't do that. Susan is a fascinating character, and as usual Inky really does her justice here. Warnings: major character death  Ships: None

A Power in Every Breath by PanBoleyn (G, 3,288 words, complete)  After the lies of Shift the Ape, religion in Narnia starts to change. The Great Lion hasn’t been seen in generations, so Narnians begin to turn to new gods: the Seven Friends of Narnia. I really loved this exploration of a Narnian world that didn’t end in The Last Battle but instead got to grow and change. I loved the exploration of the religion and mythology of Narnia, and especially how each of the Friends of Narnia came to be associated with specific animals, virtues, and symbols. Religion isn’t always one-size-fits-all, and I loved how this story dives into that.  Warnings: None Ships: None

A Sea of Golden Sand by Andi Horton (K+, 121,897 words, complete) The Horse and His Boy from the Pevensies’ point of view. Prince Rabadash comes to Cair Paravel to ask for Susan’s hand in marriage. All seems well, and Susan decides to make a visit to Calormen. Upon arriving in Calormen, however, it becomes clear that things are not as they seem and Rabadash is not the charming prince he claims to be. Andi Horton captures C.S. Lewis’s writing style perfectly, this reads almost exactly like one of the Chronicles of Narnia books.  Warnings: references to violence   Ships: None

Counted Among the Traitors by WillowDryad (T, 73,916 words, complete) Ten years into the Golden Age, evil forces are at work in Narnia, causing High King Peter to lose faith and trust in his brother. Edmund must work to clear his name and save his brother before it’s too late. This was one of the very first fics I read and fell in love with way back in 2012. Each chapter had me enthralled and waiting for more. WillowDryad does a great job of developing the Pevensies and writing them as adults who have reigned for ten years. I have been endlessly inspired by WillowDryad, and I highly suggest checking out the rest of their work.  Warnings: graphicdescriptions of violence, illness, discussions of death   Ships: None

Into the West by elecktrum (T, 89,879 words, complete)  A year after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, a curse Jadis put on Edmund is awoken. Peter and Philip must adventure to the Garden in the West to retrieve the only means of saving Edmund's life and breaking the curse. If you like tales of adventures and family and heroes saving the day, this is the fic for you. This is the fic for me and I have reread it a bunch of times. Every character, from the Pevensies to Aslan to the smallest OC, has a unique personality and brings something to the story. The Pevensies have such a wonderful dynamic with each other and the other residents of Cair Paravel (especially Peter and Edmund and Oreius), and I just want to jump into this world and live in it.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, discussions of death  Ships: None

Nighttime Demons by Sentimental-Star (T, 45,000+ words, incomplete) After Colin Pevensie returns from the war, he notices that his children are not as he left them: Peter is more grown-up, Edmund is no longer beastly, and Susan and Lucy are no longer the little girls he remembers. Told from the point of view of Colin, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, this is a wonderful story exploring the effect Narnia had on the four Pevensie children and how Aslan can affect even those who have never met Him. I like how Sentimental-Star touches on why Susan decides to stop believing in Narnia and examines the relationships between each of the Pevensies and their parents.  Warnings: descriptions of violence, discussions of death, panic attacks    Ships: None

No Greater Love by WickedForGood13 (K+, 14,311 words, complete)  The aftermath of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Peter and Edmund have a lot to talk about following their return from Narnia, and hopefully they can heal some of the rift between them in the process. I love a fic that explores the impact Narnia and returning to England had on the Pevensies, and WickedForGood13 does a great job at it. This fic focuses on Peter and Edmund, but Susan and Lucy also make appearances.   Warnings: references to past violence, dissuasions of death   Ships: None

Only Children by Thalion King’s Daughter (K, 74,110 words, complete) A Golden Age tale following the adventures of Jaer and Jaerin Peridanson, sons of Lord Peridan, as they come to live at Cair Paravel with their family. What they hope will be a peaceful move takes a turn when Peter is captured by Ettin Giants. This story follows Thole and A Blessing of Rain by elecktrum as Jaer and the others race to rescue Peter from the Ettin Giants. I love Jaer and Jaerin, they have such a lovely dynamic with each other and the Pevensies. Jaer, Jaerin, and their family fit perfectly into the world of Cair Paravel, and I love how Thalion King’s Daughter gives Lord Peridan a backstory and more depth than he got in The Horse and His Boy.  Warnings: implied/referenced violence, discussions of death   Ships: None

Return and Pushback by summer_days (@squirrel-princess)(T, 13,000+ words, incomplete) A year after they left, the four Pevensies return to Narnia and start to push back against what they find there. This Narnia is wild and dangerous, but she cares for her people and will do anything to protect them. I am obsessed with sentient Narnia and I adore the Pevensies with subtle Great Cat traits. A Narnia that is sentient and takes care of her people brings so much more depth and heartbreak to the Telmarines’ invasion and the Pevensies’ return to Narnia. I loved how Summer explores the Pevenies’ connection to Narnia, especially Peter’s, and delves into the magical aspects of Narnia.  Warnings: descriptions of violence  Ships: Past Peter/OFC

The Lion and the Fox by Rayven49 (T, 125,579 words, complete) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as told by Peter and Edmund. Here is the story of how Edmund changes from a bratty little boy to Just King and repairs his relationship with his brother. I love how Rayven49 explores Peter and Edmund’s relationship and how it grows and changes throughout LWW. There’s angst and heartbreak but there’s also joy and heartwarming moments. I really loved reading Edmund’s transformation—he becomes a full, three-dimensional character and gets to fully grow and change. The lion and fox metaphor is frequently used in the fandom, but I think Rayven49 uses it in a way that's not forced or cliché.  Warnings: descriptions of violence  Ships: None

To the Radiant Southern Sun by Wordsintothevoid (T, 6,000+ words, incomplete)  “An exploration of love, grief, and finding faith again.” After the train accident, Susan is left alone to mourn her family. Eventually, she resolves to forget about Narnia, not let her grief consume her, and live her life the way she wants to. I loved Wordsintothevoid’s characterization of Susan, she really did Susan justice here. This whole story broke my heart, especially the scenes of Susan packing away her siblings’ belongings and writing down her stories of Narnia. Susan gets to be angry at the injustice of being left alone, and she’s given space and time to feel everything and process all her emotions. I loved how Wordsintothevoid played into Susan's supposed love for nylons and lipstick as a sort of coping mechanism, both for being essentially banished from Narnia and for her family's deaths. Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, suicidal thoughts, grief Ships: None

Descendants 

Beautiful Scars on Critical Veins by aletterinthenameofsanity (M, 3,398 words, complete)  Auradon trapped the VKs on the Isle for twenty years, leaving them to rot and starve and die. Mal knows the pain of starvation, the pain of death and abuse and doing anything and everything to protect your gang, your family. Nothing changes once she gets to Auradon, except now her magic is free. Mal is Fae and she is a Dragon, and Auradon will learn that Mal and the others are not the villains of this story—they are the heroes. My favorite kind of Descendants story is one that isn’t Disney-fied and truly shows the horrors of the Isle. I love the concept of using Mal’s full potential for fae magic, and aletterinthenameofsanity delivers. Mal is protective and ruthless and badass, and this story showcases that perfectly. Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, character death, mentions of abuse and violence, swearing  Ships: Mal/Evie

I Don’t Know if You’re Looking for Romance by hara_leah (@thesunoneyelashes) (T, 2,372 words, complete) Everyone has a mark: the place where they first touch their soulmate, black until they make contact with their soulmate. Evie, Mal, Jay, and Carlos aren’t all soulmates, but you can choose your soulmate, right? I love a soulmate AU, and I especially love Harley’s take on it. It’s not dark like many other soulmate AUs, and I think it’s a very interesting take on the differences between Auradon and the Isle.  Warnings: descriptions of violence, descriptions of abuse, swearing Ships: Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos, Jay/Carlos, Jay/Mal 

In Loco Parentis by RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Worlds) (@unapologeticallyjaylos) (M, 81,699 words, complete) Jay and Mal are two runaways with a knack for illegal activities and adventures. They are perfectly happy with just the two of them—they might be broke and struggling, but at least they have each other and the grand adventure of being runaways. But when a car crash unexpectedly brings Carlos and Evie into their lives, Mal and Jay’s little family gets a little bigger—and a little more complicated. I really liked the Core Four’s dynamic in this one: a reluctant family, but a family nonetheless. They have a lot of demons to face, but they face them together. I really liked how Mal especially is given the space to face and then move on from her all-encompassing need for revenge and do what’s best for her and her friends. This is a very heavy story, please be careful and heed the warnings and tags.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse (including sexual abuse), discussions of rape, references to child pornography, abusive relationship, brief nudity, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, crime, violence, alcohol use, homophobia, swearing  Ships: Jay/Carlos, Mal/Evie 

Mistaken for a Miracle by RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Worlds) (T, 112,000+ words, incomplete) What does love mean to two boys from the Isle who have never experienced it before? Do they even deserve love after everything they’ve been through? These are the questions Carlos must wrestle with as he finds himself falling for Jay. I really liked how RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Worlds) showed Carlos and Jay’s growth and gave them room to process their traumas and didn’t rush them into a relationship. This is tagged underage, but that’s only because Carlos and Jay are 16-17.   Warnings: descriptions of violence, descriptions of abuse, implied/referenced sexual content, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, swearing  Ships: Jay/Carlos

This is Not for Us to Ponder (This Was Preordained) by ElixirBB (E, 15,427 words, complete) Ben decides to let Isle kids come to Auradon Prep, but his kind action has unexpected consequences. Aurardon learns the hard way to never underestimate kids who have revenge on their minds and nothing to lose but each other. I don’t normally go for Jay/Mal fics, and I generally don’t recommend E-rated fics, but this one is so good: the romance (for lack of a better word, this is certainly not a romance story) doesn’t overshadow the other relationships, and the more explicit scenes are tasteful and add a lot to the story. I really enjoyed ElixirBB’s exploration of the relationships between the VKs and the people of Auradon. This is not the Disney version of Descendants and has some very dark themes—please heed the warnings and tags.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence and torture, graphic descriptions of abuse, explicit sexual content, character death, underage drinking, imprisonment, swearing Ships: Jay/Mal, background Mal/Evie, background Jay/Carlos, background Mal/Evie/Jay/Carlos 

WAR by hara_leah (@thesunoneyelashes) (T, 1,951 words, complete) Soulmates feel each other’s pain, carry each other's cuts and bruises and scars. In Auradon, soulmates are celebrated, and discovering yours is akin to marriage. On the Isle, soulmates are a sign of weakness, a burden to never speak about. When Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos learn that they are soulmates, they are determined to love freely. So the Isle kids band together to take Auradon and stand up to the adults that banished them. I love Harley’s soulmate AUs because she uses soulmates to showcase the differences between Auradon and the Isle while not being too dark.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, graphic descriptions of abuse, major character death, mentions of past prostitution, swearing    Ships: Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos, Audrey/Ben, Gil/Harry/Uma  

We Gotta Be Free by siriuslyrose (@siriuslyrose) (G, 14,139 words, complete) Opening the barrier was supposed to make the VKs safe from their parents and from the Isle. It was supposed to give every Isle kid a chance at a better life. It was supposed to make everything better. So why didn’t it? Delving into the logistics and emotions of the barrier coming down, this fic explores the friendships between the Isle kids and the Auradon kids. I really liked how Mel made the Descendants 3 ending make sense and really showed how opening the barrier would impact the Isle kids. Warnings: references to abuse, references to violence, swearing Ships: Ben/Mal

We Talk Just Like Lions (But We Sacrifice Like Lambs) by Chill_with_Penguins (T, 9,951 words, complete) After the events of Descendants 2, Mal tries to put the Isle out of her mind but realizes she can’t. After all, you can’t bleach and princess away sixteen years of pain. A queen has to look out for her people, no matter what the cost. So Mal and the Isle kids come together to finally take back what’s theirs. I have read a lot of Descendants fix-its because canon stinks sometimes, and this is one of my favorites. What I liked most about this story was how, instead of bringing the Isle kids to Auradon, the VKs return to the Isle and make it better. This is the Descendants 3 movie I wanted to see. Chill_with_Penguins’s version of Mal is everything: badass, powerful, ruthless, and magical, but still wanting to do right by her people. This fic hurt, but in the best way. Warnings: descriptions of violence, references to abuse, PTSD, swearing Ships: Ben/Mal, Mal/Evie  

Glee

Promises Broken by GleekMom (M, 93,061 words, complete)  Blaine is removed from his home after CPS finds out that his parents have been abusing him. Blaine goes into foster care and then to Sydney House, a group home for LGBTQ+ youth. While he’s there, he learns that sometimes family can be found in unexpected places. I really liked how Kurt and Blaine’s relationship and Blaine’s relationship with New Directions is portrayed in this: they struggle and make mistakes because they’re teenagers dealing with very serious matters, but they right their wrongs and make it through in the end. I also really liked how Chess the musical was integrated into the story. This story deals with some very heavy topics; please heed the warnings and please be careful.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse and domestic violence, discussions of past underage prostitution, implied sexual content, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, drug and alcohol use, homophobia, divorce Ships: Kurt/Blaine, Burt/Carole, background Finchel 

Straight Campby foraworldundeserving (T, 138,520 words, complete) Nick and Jeff (the Warblers) and Blaine are sent to Wildwood Springs Health Camp for the summer. Will they make it out, or will this experience destroy them forever? Sarah does an amazing job of fleshing out Nick and Jeff, developing their relationship, and balancing very heavy angst with friendship and even some romance. I also really love the OCs Scott and James, they are some of the best-developed OCs I’ve read. This is an incredibly sad story, though it does have a happy ending. This story is set at a conversion therapy camp and deals with very heavy themes, so please be careful. Warnings: graphic descriptions of abuse and domestic violence, graphic descriptions of self-harm, graphic descriptions of attempted suicide, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, descriptions of drug addiction and past underage drug use, homophobia, bullying, conversion therapy Ships: Nick/Jeff, OMC / OMC

We’ve Got Tonight by katjandante (T, 23,895 words, complete) “Kurt tries to measure Finn’s life in love, but it’s so much harder than he remembers it being.” Kurt, Blaine, New Directions, and the Hudmels come together to remember Finn and mourn his death. I know there are a lot of fics about Finn’s death out there, but for me this one was different. It gave me closure in a way that many other fics didn’t, and it was so easy to connect with the characters’ struggles. This fic is emotional and raw and it feels very real. I shed many tears while reading this.  Warnings: major character death, sexual content, underage drinking, homophobia Ships: Kurt/Blaine, Burt/Carole 

Harry Potter 

He Will Have Powers the Dark Lord Knows Not by dirgewithoutmusic (@ink-splotch) (NR, 11,809 words, complete) What if Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, had been born a Squib? Harry Potter cannot do magic, but you don’t need magic or powers to teach or play Quidditch or make friends. In this world, Harry is still friends with Ron and Hermione, and he still plays Quidditch and sneaks around school under an Invisibility Cloak and saves the day year after year. There are many things in this magical world that don’t require magic at all. But Harry also befriends Anthony Goldstein, whose big sister is a Squib, and instead of using magic he uses theory and books. Harry learns you don’t have to have magic or powers to be a hero, even if you are the Chosen One. I love Inky’s exploration of the nature of magic and how it can be both inherent and earned through hard work and studying. I especially love how Harry’s relationships with Filch and Mrs. Figg change when they and Harry have more in common.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, mentions of abuse, bullying   Ships: Ron/Hermione  

Look Beyond What You See by hachoo (K+, 59,561 words, complete) Deathly Hallows from the point of view of Fred and George. After the Battle of Little Whinging, it becomes clear that there is more to George’s ear injury than meets the eye. Fred and George have to learn how to cope with the side effects of George’s missing ear and the realities of war. I love how hachoo portrays Fred and George’s relationship and keeps their sense of humor without forgetting that they’re nineteen-year-olds who voluntarily join a war. Fred and George are given a lot of depth that I think they were missing in the books, and it was really nice to read them as well-rounded characters. I cry every time I read this, even though I know exactly what’s going to happen.  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, descriptions of blood and injuries Ships: None  

Stay Ahead and Stay Alive by aletterinthenameofsanity (T, 16,737 words, complete)  Ron Weasley, a sixth son of a seventh son, grows up in his brothers’ shadows: Bill is a curse breaker; Charlie a Quidditch star and dragon tamer; Percy Prefect and Head Boy and Ministry official; Fred and George are businessmen and inventors. No matter how hard he tries, Ron always falls short of living up to his brothers. When he comes to Hogwarts, he finally has the chance to change his fate and do something for himself: Ron Weasley becomes the first Weasley in three generations to be Sorted into anything but Gryffindor. This is a fantastic take on Slytherin Ron: he gets to exist and find himself outside of his family and Harry and the war, and I feel like he truly lives up to his potential instead of being side-lined. Aletterinthenameofsanity writes Slytherins so well, giving them personalities and traditions and development beyond being evil blood-supremacists.  Warnings: None  Ships: Ron/Viktor Krum, Ron/Blaise Zabini, background Draco/Harry, background Percy/Marcus Flint, background Tracey Davis/OFC

The Heir of Something or Other by dirgewithoutmusic (NR,  14,305words, complete) When Harry Potter is under the Sorting Hat, he doesn’t whisper “Not, Slytherin, not Slytherin.” Instead of Gryffindor, the Boy Who Lived is Sorted into Slytherin. Harry’s path is not easy, and at times he considers running back to Privet Drive. This world is much like the one where Harry Potter wears red and gold on his robes: Snape still hates him, and Draco Malfoy is still a bully, and Harry still saves the day year after year. However, when Harry overhears that there’s a girl crying in the bathroom when there’s a troll on the loose, he isn’t the only one who hesitates: Millicent Bullstrode hesitates, too. In this world, Slytherins fight side-by-side with Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs, and old grudges are finally put aside. I really love this take on Slytherin Harry, and I really like the parallels between Dumbledore’s relationship with Tom Riddle and Dumbledore’s relationship with Harry. Harry as a Slytherin gives more depth to his relationship with Tom Riddle and Dumbledore, and it feels like Dumbledore is seeing Harry as Tom Riddle and thus makes the same mistakes.  Warnings: major character death, mentions of abuse, bullying   Ships: None

The Life and Times by Jewels5 (M, 613,762 words, complete) The tale of James and Lily’s sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts, how they joined the Order of the Phoenix, and how they went from enemies to friends to lovers. I really liked how Jewels wrote James and Lily and the Marauders’ dynamic: true to the little we know about them from the books, but fleshed out into full characters. Jewels gives all the characters personalities and backstories, even more minor characters like Lily’s parents. Jewels’s OCs are also extremely well-written and developed into full characters with their own plots and personalities (I especially loved Donna Shacklebolt).  Warnings: canon-typical violence, graphic descriptions of attempted suicide, implied sexual content, minor character death Ships: James/Lily, Frank/Alice, James/OFC, Lily/OMC 

The Marauders Get Sorted by byebyebluejay (G, 4,356 words, complete) Remus Lupin has never had a friend before, and he’s the first werewolf to ever attend Hogwarts. Needless to say, he’s pretty anxious. After a terrible train ride, Remus is Sorted into Gryffindor, the House for the brave at heart, and meets Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. I loved this glimpse into the origin of the Marauders.  Warnings: descriptions of panic attacks  Ships: pre-Remus/Sirius

How to Get Away With Murder 

The Art of Holding On by IronicAppreciation (NR, 5,143 words, complete)  Somehow, between the murders and the law school competition and her father’s drama, Laurel found something she didn’t expect: a family. She’s not sure when Micaela, Oliver, Connor, and Asher became more than classmates and coworkers, but here they are, sitting in their decrepit house at four in the morning, falling asleep on the couch because they can’t be bothered to go upstairs. The found-family dynamic we all deserved from season 5.  Warnings: mentions of past violence, swearing  Ships: Connor/Oliver, Laurel/Frank, past Laurel/Wes 

Safety Net by a_good_soldier (T, 1,281 words, complete) After Murder Night 2.0 at the Hapstall mansion, Connor and Michaela show up at Connor and Oliver’s apartment, scared out of their minds and barely holding it together. Even though he has no idea what’s going on, Oliver tries his best to take care of Connor and Michaela. I liked how Frank filled in some of the missing scenes from 02x09 and dove into the effects Annalise and Sinclair’s murder had on Connor and Michaela.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, panic attacks, ableist language (crazy, insane, etc)  Ships: Connor/Oliver  

Julie and the Phantoms 

Are You for Me or Against Me (Hold Yourself Against Me) by siriuslyrose (@siriuslyrose) (G, 14,094 words, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU in which Caleb adopted Willie. Five times Alex thought Caleb hated him, and one time he was proven wrong. I love Mel’s writing, and this does not disappoint. Mel does a great job of integrating Carrie and Bobby into the group and creating the character of good dad Caleb. Also I love Willie’s dog. Warnings: descriptions of panic attacks, homophobia, swearing  Ships: Alex/Willie, Flynn/Carrie, Bobby/Reggie, Julie/Luke

Far Away From Hurt Is Where Healing Occurs by chickwiththepurpleguitar (@chickwiththepurpleguitar) (G, 12,299 words, complete) After the Orpheum, Julie has to explain to Ray that there are three sort-of-ghosts living in their studio. Luckily, Ray is the best dad ever, but when caring for the boys means forgiving Bobby/Trevor Wilson, Ray finds it a little harder than he expected. Sometimes time really does heal all wounds. I love how Lilly explores the relationship between Bobby/Trevor, Ray, and Rose, as well as the relationships between Luke, Alex, and Reggie and their parents. Warnings: homophobia  Ships: Julie/Luke, Alex/Willie 

First Things First by Irratia (@on-irratia) (NR, 8,670 words, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. Three firsts in Alex and Willie’s relationship: meeting the parents, sharing clothes, and sharing a bed. This is a lot of fluff and it’s so sweet. I love supportive Molinas/found family, and this fic delivers. Warnings: panic attacks, homophobia  Ships: Alex/Willie

Gave Me No Compasses, Gave Me No Signs by weneedglitter (@weneedglitter) (G, 5,611 words, complete) After the Orpheum, Julie discovers her powers go beyond magic hugs, and the bond she has with Alex, Reggie, and Luke is stronger than she thought. This is pretty similar to Know That It’s Probably Magic by thessalonike (starblessed) (it was inspired by that fic), but the premise is just different enough to make it special. I really loved Morgan’s take on the Orpheum and how Julie was able to pull the boys to her. Warnings: None Ships: pre-Julie/Luke, pre-Alex/Willie 

Give Me Something to Hold On To by sunsetcurbed (@sunsetcurbed) (T, 47,148 words, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. As Kay puts it, “Alex and Willie meet young, fall in love young, and fall apart young. But some things have a way of making sure they’re meant to be in the end.” I was hesitant on this one at first, because I don’t usually go for breakup stories, but Kay’s writing won me over. This story is so well thought-out and beautifully written, and Kay captures the emotions of a breakup perfectly. As you might expect, this is a sad story, but I promise the end is happy. Warnings: alcohol use  Ships: Alex/Willie, Julie/Luke, Wille/OMC

Heaven Has Got Nothing On Us by spiral_the_pretzel (T, 5,072 words, complete) After he dies, Willie realizes he can’t see color. For five years his world is black and white: until he meets Caleb Covington. Willie joins the Hollywood Ghost Club with the promise of getting color back, but soon realizes it’s not at all what he thought it would be. Rainy gives a very interesting take on how and why Willie joined the Hollywood Ghost Club. This is a fascinating take on the relationship between Willie and Caleb Covington. Warnings: character death, discussions of death Ships: Alex/Willie

How Long Till My Soul Gets It Right by partyghost (Arokel) (G, 1,351 words, complete) Willie spends his life looking at the stars, knowing he’s destined to uncover the secrets of the universe and maybe even get a constellation named after him. But he dies before he ever gets the chance. This is probably my very favorite Willie fic ever. This story gave me Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe vibes (that’s a compliment, I love that book). Warnings: character death, car accident  Ships: Alex/Willie

I’d Fall Anywhere With You by novaquill (NR, 59,297 words, complete) Everyone has a soulmate, except for Alex…or at least that’s what he thinks. The boys of Sunset Curve learn that soulmates can be found in unexpected places, and sometimes the soulmates that really matter are the ones you choose yourself. It’s not until after he dies that Alex realizes a mark has finally appeared on his skin. I love a good soulmate AU, and this did not disappoint. I loved this fic because it explores the boys of Sunset Curve’s friendship and how best friends can be your soulmates. Warnings: major character death, discussions of death, implied/referenced abuse, homophobia  Ships: Julie/Luke, Alex/Willie 

Know That It’s Probably Magic by thessalonike (starblessed) (@julies-butterflies) (T, 4,652 words, complete) “A study in grief, loneliness, and the nature of haunting.” Julie thought Alex, Luke, and Reggie were haunting her house, but Flynn might be onto something when she says the boys are haunting Julie. This realization brings Julie’s world crashing down. They can’t be haunting her, right? This fic is beautiful and deep and perfectly written to be emotional without being over the top. There are amazing Double Trouble moments, and Flynn especially is very well-written. Warnings: discussions of death  Ships: None

Lie a Little Better by @willexxmercer (NR, SMAU on Tumblr, complete) Modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. Alex needs a getaway from the hectic Hollywood life, so he goes to a resort in Canada. While there, he falls for Willie Covington, nephew of Caleb Covington and the one person Julie and the Phantoms swore to stay away from. When Caleb finds out about Alex and Willie, well, you can imagine what happens. I love this SMAU because it’s sweet but also suspenseful and keeps you wanting more. Kit is masterful at the cliffhanger and makes you really, really hate Caleb Covington. Warnings: manipulation  Ships: Alex/Willie

My Safest Place to Hide by @willexxmercer (NR, SMAU on Tumblr, complete) A Willex modern everybody lives/nobody dies AU. When Alex gets sick on their honeymoon, Willie must put his worries about Caleb and the gossip columns aside to take care of him. With Caleb threatening to make Willie’s life worse, Willie learns to lean on his husband and friends and accept their help for once. Kit does a great job of world-building using only texts and social media, and each chapter leaves you wanting more. Lots of sweet Willex moments and hating Caleb Covington moments. I also love Kit’s OCs. Warnings: implied/referenced abuse   Ships: Alex/Willie, Julie/Luke, Bobby/Reggie, Flynn/Carrie/OFC

Raw Nerves Can’t Kill Me (But God Do They Want To) by HearJessRoar (@hearjessroar) (G, 1,083 words, complete) Julie has a bad day, and it’s up to Flynn and the boys to cheer her up. I love Jess’s portrayal of the friendship between Julie and Flynn and the boys, it’s so sweet and the boys just want to help. Warnings: None Ships: pre-Julie/Luke

Spider, Beetle, Bee by by WhatsYourNameMan (@wr0temyway0ut) (T, 8,970 words, complete) Alex and Bobby—though they aren’t Alex and Bobby yet—meet for the first time on the playground in kindergarten. From there, they become each other’s best friend and favorite person. They’re inseparable, and not even death can tear them apart. I saw Jamie (@bright-patterson)’s art on Tumblr and knew this would hurt going in, and yet I still cried the entire time I read it. I really love Rio’s handling of Bobby/Trevor: acknowledging what he did (and giving a reason that’s not “he’s a terrible person”), allowing the boys to forgive him, and making him a part of the family again. Bobby is depicted as just as valued and important to Sunset Curve as Alex, Luke, and Reggie. I promise it’s not all sad: there are so many moments of joy and friendship to balance the heartbreak. It’s Not Sunset Cis Either is essentially canon in my mind and Netflix can’t tell me otherwise. (You will need an A03 account to read this) Warnings: major character death, implied/referenced abuse, transphobia, homophobia, dysphoria, some misgendering and dead naming, drug and alcohol use, grief, swearing  Ships: Alex/Luke, Alex/Willie 

The Spotlight’s Your Hiding Place by WhatsYourNameMan (NR, SMAU on Tumblr, complete) Enemies-to-lovers modern AU. Nick, Willie, and Bobby are in Julie and the Phantoms’ rival band. After discovering that Caleb Covington has been abusing Nick, Willie, and Bobby, JATP comes together to help their rivals escape Caleb’s control. Full of drama and angst, but also the fluffy moments Rio does so well. Each chapter left me on the edge of my seat and wanting more.  Warnings: descriptions of abuse  Ships: Alex/Willie, Bobby/Reggie, Flynn/Carrie, Julie/Luke

Lab Rats/Lab Rats: Elite Force (Disney XD)

Because Family Matters by scribbler123 (T, 150,514 words, complete) A series of one-shots exploring Chase’s relationship with his wacky, wonderful, loud, bionic family. I really liked how scribbler123 looks at the relationship between Chase and Spike and makes Spike his own character rather than just a glitch in Chase’s bionics.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, bullying  Ships: None 

Cacophony by Duck_Life (T, 26,209 words, complete)  During “Taken,” Bree is captured by Krane and turned into one of his bionic  soldiers. Nine months later, Krane is defeated and the Triton App is disabled. Bree must reconnect with her family while reconstructing the past nine months and making peace with what she did. I really like how Bree’s character is written and how Duck_Life explores the relationships between Bree and the rest of the Davenport-Dooley family. Bree’s struggles aren’t watered-down, she faces real problems and has to confront and process the trauma of the nine months she was under Krane’s control. Warnings: canon-typical violence, character death, PTSD  Ships: pre-Leo/Taylor

‘Cause It Feels so Frightening (Hits Me Like a Bolt of Lightning) by aletterinthenameofsanity (M, 5,407 words, complete) They’re heroes, they’re saviors of the President and princes and the world itself. They’re the best humanity—and Caldera—has to offer. But they’re also survivors, lovers, children, and they’ll do what it takes to protect those they love. When Chase and Kaz are captured by shapeshifters and a death rattles the Elite Force, the world learns what its heroes are truly capable of. I love Tasha's protectiveness and how this fic touches on the Lab Rats' relationship with Donald. Honestly he's not the best father, and I liked how this fic acknowledges that and the darker side of the show. Sometimes the show and the fandom forget that a lot of the characters are essentially child soldiers, especially the Academy students who were never given a choice but to be Krane's soldiers or Donald's heroes. Arguably, Adam, Bree, and Chase were never given a choice either—they could have (and did) walk away, but they're guilted into coming back. I love Chase and Kaz's relationship and Bree and S-1’s relationship—neither are ships I was ever really into, but I am now sold on them. I suggest reading part two of the Dares to Claim the Sky series first. (You will need an AO3 account to read this)  Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, graphic descriptions of abuse, descriptions of torture, implied sexual content Ships: Bree/S-1, Chase/Kaz, past Chase/Sebastian, past Kaz/OMC,

Rat in a Cage by Duck_Life (T, 5,016 words, complete) Adam, Bree, and Chase are taken by the government in “You Posted What.” Bree tries to stay hopeful that the government agents will see that they’re on the same team, but it’s hard to believe when every day brings new struggles and horrors. Meanwhile, with the Lab Rats in a detention facility and Donald in jail, it’s up to Leo to convince the public that his family should be let go. I really like this take on the Lab Rats being taken by the government. Discovery was the biggest threat on the show before Krane, but if the Lab Rats had been taken it would have been “Disney-fied.” I like how Duck_Life’s take is realistic without going over the top or being gory.  Warnings: descriptions of torture, imprisonment Ships: None

Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus/Trials of Apollo

A Flashback and a Film Reel by ybeecharmer (@yrbeecharmer) (M, 62,000+ words, incomplete)  Ten years after the Second Giant War and seven years after Nico broke Will’s heart, Nico goes on a mission to the Ancient Lands with Percy. Only to turn up, injured and fading, on Will’s doorstep. Will and Nico learned long ago to expect the unexpected, but this was not part of either of their plans. Apparently the Fates or the gods or someone had other ideas. I liked how Will and Nico get to process both their relationship and break-up as well as all their trauma from life as demigods. Katherine gave a really good, in-character reason for Nico breaking up with Will, and I also liked their reasons for having Will be where he is in his life as well (no spoilers!).  Warnings: graphic descriptions of self-harm, alcohol and drug use, implied/referenced sexual content, PTSD, depression, swearing  Ships: Nico/Will, past Will/OFC, past Will/OMC, past Will/Connor Stoll, past Nico/OMC

Altri Cinque Minuti (Five More Minutes) by AthenaFire (T, 17,646 words, complete)  Mortal/real world AU. Will, Nico, and the others attend Chase-Dare University together. Each winter, they make a trip to Rachel’s house in New York. They call the trip Saturnalia, after their old camp director Mr. Brunner’s obsession with Greek mythology. This is mostly fluff and friendship, but there is some angst too. I really liked the friendship and Solangelo moments in this (also Nico with Estelle is the cutest thing). Warnings: discussions of death, swearing Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, Frank/Hazel, Leo/Calypso, Sally/Paul    

As the Ichor Flows by Phrophetsam (@phrophetsam) (T, 32,000+ words, incomplete)  After they return from Tartarus and win the Second Giant War, Percy and Annabeth are not the same. They are angrier, darker, and more powerful than ever. Told by friends and enemies and family, this is how two of Olympus’s greatest heroes destroy the very beings they were meant to protect. I love dark Percabeth, and boy does Phrophetsam deliver. I am 100% of the opinion that if Percy really wanted to, he could bring the gods down by himself (and if Luke had managed to sway him the Titans would have won the war, but I digress). Percy only becomes more deadly when he’s fighting with or for Annabeth. I especially liked Phrophetsam’s interpretation of the Olympians and their views on Percabeth turning against them. Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence,  implied sexual content Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, Frank/Hazel  

Bloodlines by peachsocks (@peachhsocks) (T, 61,512 words, complete)  After the Second Giant War, Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood after avoiding his friends (and everything demigod) for a year. Exhausted and traumatized from the past six years, Percy thought this month at Camp would be a time to reconnect and take a break from quests. Joke’s on him for thinking the gods would ever change. When he, Nico, and Thalia have the same dream about a group of young demigods, Percy is forced to deal with everything he’s been through and stop pushing his family away. I love how peachsocks gives Percy (and the others, especially Annabeth and Nico) a more realistic reaction to everything that happened during Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus. Warnings: canon-typical violence, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, minor character death Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, pre-Piper/Thalia

Gods at the Dawning of the World by FractalBeliefs (M, 34,587 words, complete)  A Solangelo AU based on The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. After the Second Giant War, the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter find themselves at war with each other. Nico tries to stop the war, but can he keep history from repeating himself? After all, war is what demigods seem to do best. I’d read The Iliad and The Song of Achilles before I read this. I knew exactly what was going to happen. I still cried for half of this story. The parallels between the stories of Achilles and Patroclus and Nico and Will are very well done: subtle but not so subtle that they go right over the reader's head, but also not forced or obvious.  Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, implied sexual content, discussions of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and Nazis Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will

How Icarus Fell From the Sun by fictionbyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet (T, 57,942 words, complete)  “Nico felt like Icarus. Fly too close to the sun, and your wings will melt. Fly too close to the sea, your wings will grow heavy.” Nico swore he wouldn’t let anyone in—the last time he had done that was with Bianca, and she had joined the Hunters and died and left him alone with a broken heart. He tried to let Percy in, only to fly too close to the sea and drown. Then he met Will, and, against his better judgment, Nico decided to fly too close to the sun. I loved how fictionbyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet gave Nico and Will's relationship a realistic (and very in-character) progression and depth that the books kind of skipped over. I also really enjoyed how they incorporated Icarus and Plato's soulmates into Nico's story. I feel like Nico's trauma and everything he went through went unaddressed and under-appreciated in the books for the most part, and it was nice to see it acknowledged and how it has impacted every facet of Nico's life and character. Warnings: canon-typical violence, homophobia, outing of a gay character, character death Ships: Nico/Will 

Of Gods and Men by plottingalong (@plottingalong) (T, 39,687 words, complete)  The old order is changing: the rules are different, old gods are awakening. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, must come to terms with his own mortality…or lack of it. Plottingalong does an amazing job of showing how Percy’s relationships with his family, his friends, the Olympians, and even Camp Half-Blood itself change as he does. This is the best take on Percy becoming a god I have ever read. Plottingalong explores the nature of immortality within the PJO universe and really brings a different view of Percy’s godhood. Percy the god is different from—but still, in so many ways, the same as—Percy the hero, and I love how Plottingalong explores that. The story is grounded in the mythology of the PJO universe, but also ties up some loose ends in the universe really well. Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, discussions of death Ships: Percy/Annabeth, background Nico/Will, background Frank/Hazel, background Sally/Paul 

Percy Jackson, Son of Aphrodite by wysteriaxx (NR, 34,000+ words, incomplete) “A half-blood of the eldest gods/Shall reach 16 against all odds/And see the world in endless sleep/The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap/A single choice shall end his days/Olympus to preserve or raze.” Everyone knows this prophecy. Everyone assumes it means a child of the Big Three—but there is one Olympian who is just as old: Aphrodite. I really liked this different take both on the Great Prophecy and on children of Aphrodite. Aside from Piper (and maybe Selina and Drew), Aphrodite’s children are generally pretty shallow in the Percy Jackson universe. This fic goes beyond cabin stereotypes and allows the children of Aphrodite to be more than just gossipers.  Warnings: canon-typical violence Ships: Percy/Annabeth, Nico/Will, Jason/Piper, Selina/Beckendorf, Sally Jackson/Poseidon  

Slowly Dying by Valkyrie_Kain (NR, 66,000+ words, incomplete)  Pain and suffering have always been Nico’s best teachers. After the Giant War and his stay in the infirmary, Nico takes what little parts of him still remain and waits for his inevitable death. Unfortunately for him, Will Solace, Clarisse La Rue, and Salem, daughter of Dionysus, are more stubborn than he thought. Though not even all of Will and Salem’s magic can fix everything. My favorite thing about this fic is that Nico is given the chance to process his trauma on his own and with support—a lot of fics I’ve read kind of rush his healing process or make Will the cure-all for Nico’s trauma. Nico comes to want to work though his trauma rather than have it forced upon him. I also loved how Clarisse gets to shine: the books paint her as a bully and little else, and I liked seeing a different side of her. The two main OFCs, a daughter of Dionysus and a daughter of Aphrodite, are amazing. Aphrodite’s children are often one-dimensional and shallow, and Dionysus’s kids get barely a footnote. I especially liked Valkyrie_Kain's exploration of the “madness” aspect of Dionysus.  Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, graphic descriptions of self-harm, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, PTSD, eating disorders, discussions of death, underage drinking, discussions of sex  Ships: Nico/Will, OFC / OFC

The Great Techno-Pop Debate of 2011 by cali-chant (girls_are_weird) (@girls-are-weird) (T, 5,500 words, complete)  When Will, Kayla, and Austin learn that Nico’s favorite genre of music is techno-pop, to say they’re shocked is an understatement. Who would have guessed that Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades who dresses exclusively in black, doesn’t have eau du MCR running through his veins? So they take it upon themselves to introduce Nico to emo music. There’s a little bit of angst, but this is pure fluff for the most part. I liked Cali’s use of Austin’s POV and the way they had Nico explain how he relates to “Welcome to the Black Parade” but doesn’t really like emo music.  Warnings: discussions of death, mentions of fascism  Ships: Nico/Will 

The Logistics of Falling in Love by Fl_utterby (T, 72,000 words, complete)  College/mortal AU. If asked, Nico would say he isn’t a romantic. Will would say the same about himself (except they both totally are). If asked again, Nico would say Will is definitely not in love with him, no way. Will would say the same about Nico (except they’re both very wrong). This is the story of how they fell in love, told through books, music, and steady employment. I really liked Nico’s progression from someone who is kind of a jerk and won’t let people in to someone who is proud of himself and working to let people in again. The character and relationship development Nico and Will go through is so well-done. Warnings: None  Ships: Nico/Will, Percy/Annabeth, Frank/Hazel, Jason/Piper, Piper/OFC 

Too Much Too Soon (And Now You’re Coming Unglued) by buoyanysaturn (@buoyantsaturn) (T, 22,342 words, complete)  College/mortal AU. When Will meets Nico freshman year, he thinks Nico is the love of his life. Then things go bad and Will can’t be around Nico without crying or fighting with him, and Will has to change his entire life. Three years later, it’s Will and Nico’s final semester of college and Will is finally forced to take that dreaded math class—only Nico’s in the class too, and worse the two end up being project partners. Feelings get in the way, and before they know it Will and Nico are secretly dating again. I love CJ’s writing so much, and they do a really good job of showing Will’s more overbearing side and demonstrating how that impacts his relationship with Nico. Will and Nico’s relationship is far from perfect, and I like how CJ gives them time apart to come to terms with what happened and grow as people.  Warnings: implied/referenced sexual content, mentions of internalized homophobia, mentions of outing of a gay character Ships: Nico/Will 

What if Percy Did Become a God? by The Secret Life of a Fangirl (K+, 1,322 words, complete) More character study than plot, this explores what might have happened if Percy had taken Zeus up on his offer at the end of TheLast Olympian.  Warnings: None  Ships: Percy/Annabeth 

Would You Wait for Me as I Long for You by buoyanysaturn (T, 48,938 words, complete)  After the events of The Tower of Nero, Hades gives Nico a task—and an ultimatum—that takes him away from Camp Half-Blood for three years. Now that Nico has returned to camp, he needs to face what he’s done and the rest of Camp Half-Blood—not to mention a very angry and hurt Will Solace. I really like how CJ writes Nico: the same person we all know and love, but beaten down by everything he’s been through and just wanting to do right by the people he loves. I also really like Drew in this fic: she’s more than the bully Lost Hero makes her out to be, and she really helps Nico. CJ has officially started my obsession with the “Nico disappears for a long time and comes back miraculously out of the blue” trope. Warnings: graphic descriptions of self-harm, graphic descriptions of panic attacks, character death, canon-typical violence  Ships: Nico/Will 

Supernatural 

Ex Nunc by orphan_account (NR, 10,038 words, complete)  Death is the beginning and the end. Neutrality. He’s been around as long as God, though neither of them can remember who was created first. Death is lonely, doomed to carry the weight of all the souls he takes. The other Horsemen can take some of the burden, but sometimes even they aren’t enough. Or Team Free Will (and Crowley) as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I really like how this fic incorporates canon relationships into the AU (I especially like how Dean and Benny’s relationship is portrayed).  Warnings: canon-typical violence, character death, grief   Ships: Dean/Castiel, Sam/Jess, Dean/Benny

Free Falling by malagenabolakaful (T, 5,731 words, complete) Episodes 15x18-15x20 from Sam’s point of view. First Sam lost Cas, then Jack, and now Dean. His entire family gone, Sam spirals out of control—and never stops. He tries to live a normal life like Dean wanted, but it’s harder than it was when he left for Stanford or even that year with Amy. This is the best finale fic I’ve read and captures my feelings about episodes 15x18-15x20 perfectly. Malagenabolakaful gives Sam his voice back and explains why he chose a wife and kid and “normal” while still keeping in line with canon. This is a very, very sad story. Not a fix-it or AU.  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, graphic descriptions of panic attacks Ships: Sam/Eileen, mentions of Dean/Castiel, Sam/Mystery Wife 

Frostbite by abcdefuk-off (@abcedfuk-off) (T, 111,000+ words, incomplete)  When Sam was fourteen, he got severe frostbite that resulted in permanent nerve damage in his hands. This makes hunting difficult and sends Dean’s protective instincts into overdrive. Set in season one with pre-series flashbacks, this story is full of brotherly bonding and action as Sam and Dean work a case. I love all of Sam’s works, especially their episode tags.  Warnings: canon-typical violence Ships: None

Hello My Old Heart by AndSoIWrite (T, 42,000+ words, incomplete)  The story of how Bobby met Sam and Dean, and how they wormed their way into the old hunter’s heart. I love how Bobby is pretty clueless when it comes to kids (Sam’s five and Dean’s nine in this story), but he really tries his best to do right by Sam and Dean. Warnings: references to abuse and neglect Ships: None

Measure My Life in Coffee Cups by KCS (T, 27,195 words, complete)  Ten significant cups of coffee in Sam’s life, from hunting with John and Dean to leaving for Stanford to reuniting with his brother and everything that comes after. KCS takes a creative approach to showing Sam and Dean over the years—the coffee theme ties everything together so well, and the snapshots are extremely well-written. The final deleted scene (post-series end) is so good and arguably better than the ending we got (this fic was written after S10 aired, for context).  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence Ships: Sam/Jessica

The Winchester Three by insearchofcheez (T, 166,934 words, complete) Six months after Sam leaves Stanford, Sam and Dean get a call: their sister Laney is in trouble. They race off to help her, only to find things aren’t exactly as they left them. Turns out Laney has abilities of her own—abilities which might get her killed. I love Laney as a character, and I love how she and the boys interact. Insearchofcheez does a great job of incorporating Laney’s story and abilities into canon. Warnings: major character death, implied/referenced rape, canon-typical violence, underage drug use, hospitals Ships: None

Trialculosis Sam by fogsrollingin (@fogsrollingin) (T, 115,000+ words, incomplete) The long, drawn-out, AU version of Sam taking on the Trials. Set after the second Trial, this story follows Sam and Dean (and later Kevin) as they struggle to come to terms with Sam’s impending death and try to alleviate the effects of the Trials. I enjoyed this different take on the Trials and how Alexandria upped the stakes. I also liked how Alexandria changed the third Trial to make it more exciting and dangerous.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, illness Ships: None

The Maze Runner

Tommy by Marcellebell (@marcellebell) (T, 39,000+ words, incomplete)  Twelve-year-old Thomas must face the realities of the Glade while dealing with the fact that someone—or many someones—wants him dead. I love how the relationship between Thomas and Newt and Minho is portrayed in this fic. I also really liked how Marcie changed the story so Thomas and Teresa are brother and sister instead of love interests.  Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, descriptions of abuse, descriptions of panic attacks, mentions of suicide Ships: None 

The Mortal Instruments/Shadowhunters (TV) 

A Shared Life (The Male Drabble Alphabet) by RadientWings (@radientwings) (T, 35,798 words, complete) Getting together hadn’t been easy, so why would it be any different once their relationship is out in the open? Well, turns out staying in a relationship is both harder—and more enjoyable—than getting in one. An A to Z series of snapshots about Magnus and Alec’s relationship and life together. I love Magnus and Alec’s relationship so much, and RadientWings does a great job of bringing them to life.  Warnings: canon-typical violence, implied/referenced sexual content Ships: Alec/Magnus, background Clary/Jace

Forever and Always by ninwrites (@ninwrites) (G, 10,048 words, complete) Alec loves Magnus and wants to spend the rest of his life with him. Of course, in true Alec fashion, he doubts whether Magnus wants that too. Luckily, Alec has Jace and Izzy to talk him out of thinking Magnus wants anything less than to spend the rest of Alec’s life with him. I love a good proposal story, and I love Malec and everything they stand for. I love supportive parabatai, and Nin writes Jace and Alec’s dynamic so well. This story is so sweet and I smiled the entire time I read it.  Warnings: None  Ships: Alec/Magnus, mentioned Isabell/Simon, mentioned Clary/Jace 

I Was Born to Tell You I Love You by Ayanfe (@lacascabel) (T, 2,611 words, complete)  “Isabelle has just turned sixteen when she asks Alec a question that breaks his heart. Isabelle is nineteen when Alec tells her something she didn't know she needed to hear.” Alec never thought of Izzy as insecure: she wore makeup like armor and she always had control and confidence. Turns out, she’s more insecure than he thought. Good thing Alec, Jace, and Clary are there to remind her she’s loved. I really liked how Ayanfe writes Alec and Izzy’s dynamic and gives Izzy some more depth as a character. She’s always portrayed as very confident and self- assured (and she is), and I liked seeing this different side of her.  Warnings: None  Ships: Isabell/Simon

The Umbrella Academy (TV)

I’ll Never Ask for More by lunalou (@lunal0u) (G, 7,142 words, complete) Klaus has been gone for three days, supposedly doing “extra training” with Dad. None of them have ever gone on extra training this long, and Diego and the others start to worry. Diego never does find out exactly what happened to Klaus, but maybe he and Ben can keep Klaus from falling apart when he returns. I really liked the exploration of the relationship between Diego, Klaus, and Ben—they’re kind of the odd ones out (Allison and Luther have each other, as a child Viktor supposedly has no powers, and Five thinks he doesn’t need anyone), and the three of them have a unique relationship because of that.  Warnings: underage drug use, character death, mentions of abuse, Ships: None 

No Rest for the Wicked by InvitingNonsenseWorld (T, 30,054 words, complete)  After stopping the apocalypse, Klaus is totally fine. Being sober doesn’t suck, he’ll get to talk to Dave again, and he can handle the nightmares. No need to get the others involved, not when they have Viktor to focus on. Klaus is getting by fine on his own…until he isn’t. I really like how InvitingNonsenseWorld showcases the relationships between Klaus and the rest of the Hargreeves and gives them the time and space to confront their problems.  Warnings: implied/referenced abuse, alcohol and drug use, smoking, blood and injuries, discussions of death, Ships: Klaus/Dave

Say It One More Time (That the Universe Was Made for My Eyes) by CursedWonders (@cursedwonders) (T, 3,038 words, complete)  Before Ben died, he taught Klaus the constellations from the Academy rooftop. They would listen to music and gaze at the stars and pretend the ghosts that always followed Klaus didn’t exist. Then Ben dies and Klaus doesn’t know how to cope. Good thing he’s really good at pretending. Klaus and Ben have such a unique relationship, and I liked how this fic explores that. I love the song “Saturn” by Sleeping at Last (which is where the title comes from), it’s such a beautiful song and it fits this fic so well. Warnings: major character death, underage drug use Ships: None

Tell My Father (This is My Life) by aletterinthenameofsanity (M, 38,682 words, complete)  Ben pushes Klaus to convince Luther to let Viktor out of the cage in the basement. This changes everything: the apocalypse doesn’t happen, Klaus stays sober, and the Hargreeves siblings can finally begin to heal. I really loved how aletterinthenameofsanity explores each of the Hargreeves’ pasts and their powers, especially Allison and Five, whose sections were my favorites. Allison’s in particular gave the character so much depth and made her more relatable—her powers allow her to alter reality, and it was interesting to see how that would impact her throughout her life. I loved reading these characters exist and live and thrive without an apocalypse. Note: this was written before S3 came out, so Viktor is still Vanya.  Warnings: major character death, graphic descriptions of violence, implied/referenced child abuse, self harm, body horror Ships: Klaus/Dave, Diego/Patch, Viktor/OFC, Five/Delores

The Dead Aren’t Good Company by PosyPages (@thesevenumbrellas) (G, 14,763 words, complete)  They’d stopped the apocalypse and Five successfully transported them back in time to the Academy. Less than a month later, Reginald locks Klaus in the mausoleum again. This time, however, Klaus’s siblings are determined to do the right thing. This is the season 2 I wanted (though I loved the one we got).  Warnings: implied/referenced abuse,PTSD, discussions of death, drug use, descriptions of blood and gore Ships: None

The 100 (TV)

I’m Not What I Have Done (I’m What I’ve Overcome) by OsleyKomWonKru (T, 4,293 words, complete) What if Octavia took the Test instead of Clarke? How would the Last War end? I love Octavia, and I wish she had gotten redemption sooner in the series. I’m glad she got it, but I wish Spacekru and Clarke had tried to better understand what she went through in the bunker. This fic felt like a redemption and closure for her as a character, especially with Bellamy’s death.  Warnings: discussions of grief and death Ships: Octavia/Lincoln 

Young Royals 

And That’s How You Make History, Baby by waybeforeyourtime (T, 60,000+ words, incomplete) The story of Wilhelm and Simon: how they met young, fell in love young, and fell apart young, only to learn that some things were always meant to be and love is the most important thing. This is a story in three parts: Wilhelm, Simon, and Wilhelm and Simon. This is not one of those stories where they are apart for 99% of the story and then get together at the very end—them being together is part of the story, but it takes a while to get there. I loved this fic because Wille and Simon are given the time and space to grow and figure themselves out after the video and everything that came after. I also really loved Wille’s friendship with Maddison and Felice.  Warnings: implied sexual content, mentions of suicide, panic attacks, drug and alcohol use, mentions of racism Ships: Wilhelm/Simon, Wilhelm/OMC, Simon/OMC

Screwed by fandom_commitment_issues (@zee-has-commitment-issues) (T, 173,813 words, complete)  Erik lives, but the video of Wille and Simon still goes viral, August is still August, and everything is still a mess. Zee developed Simon and Wille’s relationship so well, and I loved how Wille has a real support system beyond just Simon and Felice. Erik is also developed into a real character with an excellent side-plot rather than just a plot device. Zee balances angst, humor, fluff, and romance so well throughout this fic. I laughed and cried but also yelled “f*ck August/Kristina” at my phone several times. I think it can be easy to forget that Wille and Simon are teenage boys caught in an impossible situation, but Zee captures that perfectly. Warnings: implied sexual content, implied/referenced alcoholism, implied/referenced abuse, descriptions of panic attacks, outing of a queer character, alcohol and drug use, mentions of restrictive eating Ships: Wilhelm/Simon, Erik/OFC 

Crossover:

Chronicles of Narnia x Harry Potter 

Noble Heart Such as Yoursby aletterinthenameofsanity (NR, 21,398 words, incomplete)  Harry Potter and Dean Thomas meet as kids, well before Hogwarts, and become best friends. One of Dean’s moms, Susan Pevensie, tells the boys stories about Narnia. Susan warns the boys not to put their faith and trust in gods and old men who claim to be good and wise. In this world, Harry has green on his robes instead of red and a family that loves him (and one that doesn’t). The kids have adults they can rely on, and cunning and ambition are celebrated instead of scorned. I never read crossovers or Drarry, but I gave this a shot because I love aletterinthenameofsanity’s writing. It did not disappoint. They meshed the worlds of Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia perfectly (and the mention of Hufflepuff Peter Pevensie!). I especially loved how they handled Susan Pevensie. She has a very special place in my heart, and I love to read stories where she gets to live and love and thrive post-Narnia. Comparing Harry and Edmund was brilliant (Slytherin Harry is my favorite Harry, and don’t even get me started on Edmund). The Slytherins get to grow and change and prove they aren’t their parents, and I applaud that. The main story is complete, the additional chapters are companion pieces. Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, references to abuse, mentions of racism, use of racist slurs, discussions of death Ships: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Susan Pevensie/OMC/ OFC, Tonks/OFC

[ilyarizzanov]

one thing I think people forget when discussing ilya is that, despite how fucking deep head over heels he is for shane, he still exists as a person outside of shane. he’s a captain, he’s a brother, he’s a son, he’s a teammate, he’s a friend, he’s a sexual partner. and he’s also bisexual. he isn’t “shanesexual”. he is bi. sexual. he labels himself as such in the books several times, even after they are married.

he is attracted to women. he likes fucking women. and by book canon, he attributes his attraction to men at “20 percent….maybe 30 percent”. he does have a preference for women. and I know that kills your yaoi dreams for that to be canon, but bisexual people/characters do not exist to fulfill your yaoi headcanons. they don’t exist to facilitate your threesome guilt. the fact of Ilya’s character is that he is bisexual, he prefers women, and he happened to fall in love with a man.

queer representation is so important, bisexual representation is so important, and I know that ilya being attracted to women is, for many of you, the least interesting thing about him (or often even irrelevant to you). but, to me, given the story at hand and the context of hollanov, I think it’s one of the most interesting things about him. and it’s also inextricable from his character. he is bi. he will always be bi. whether shane and ilya stay together forever or not. ilya does not only exist in the bubble of shane and who he is in relation to him.

[normal-about-hollanov]

I do genuinely think it takes approx 2 days of hollanov being out for the hockey bro podcasts to start implying that they somehow have an advantage bc they are fucking. as if having sex with a good hockey player somehow makes you better. it gets clipped n circulated online and it takes another week for #hockeyskillisstoredinthedick to start trending. when it finally makes its way to ilya he loses his mind. he posts 'is true. shame @/montreal was too homophobic to ever find out. maybe if they weren't so scared of dick their team would be half decent.' it takes two more days for the slang 'taking hockey cock' to become synonymous with shitty players who very suddenly improve for no reason at all

[raincitygirl76]

10/10, no notes.

[angelbabymikaa]

i love when my mutuals are mutuals with each other #myecosystem #myenclosure

[pookieshane]

favorite hollanov kisses 5/??

[gaynehollander]

A few years into Shane playing for Ottawa, one of the younger Centaurs, maybe Holmberg, comes to him with a problem. He has been sleeping with this girl for a while now and he's so into her but she travels for work and he knows she has a couple of regular hookups all over the place. So, since Shane - judging by Cap's reputation - has been in a similar position, he asks him how he convinced Roz to be exclusive.

Shane stares at him, uncomprehendingly, for a second before slowly replying, "...I didn't."

Holmberg gives him a deeply skeptical look. "I've seen the way you react when people flirt with Roz in front of you," he says, "there's no way you guys have an open relationship."

"No," Shane clarifies immediately. He would rather set himself on fire than have to live with sharing his husband with another person. "No, we're exclusive," he confirms, "but I never asked him to stop sleeping with other people. He just kind of... stopped. I didn't even find out until a few months after it happened so, I don't know, maybe just wait it out?"

Eventually, the Centaurs learn that, although Cap and Hollzy have clearly found in each other what most people spend their lives searching for, they are the absolute worst people to ask for any type of relationship advice.

[darlingofdots]

I really need people to realise that Ilya is functionally fluent in English even that first time in Regina. "You will not be so nice when we beat you" is a complex sentence construction! It's got a future tense and a conditional clause in it! He keeps making a couple of common-for-Russians grammar mistakes (mostly dropping words to reflect Russian sentence structure) and he has gaps in his vocabulary and listening comprehension is famously difficult, but his English is so fucking good. And you can just copy the way he talks in the show or the books! It's very consistent! Russian is way more complex than English and he definitely got some formal instruction before he went to Boston! I don't understand why he ends up talking like he's never heard of auxiliary verbs or pronoun declension before in fic when canon is so clear about his language skills

[elizabethtenderlyatomic]

If you're writing rookie year Ilya might run into trouble with English idioms, 'false friends' where a word in English might sound like a different Russian word, and long rambling sentences like the reporter at the All Star Game. He also might struggle with slang and English accents he's not familiar with (his draft options were Boston and Montreal which each have their own accents).

But he's conversationally fluent right from the start, even though he hasn't yet lived in an English-speaking country. He obviously worked very hard at it. Most Russian rookies aren't anywhere close when they come over.

By the time of TLG he's had a decade of English immersion for most of the year on top of that. He won't sound like a native speaker but in terms of understanding and making himself understood he's on par with the average native English speaker.

[raincitygirl76]

Yes! In Saskatchewan in December 2008, he’s only 17, and has always lived in Moscow. I’m repeating something I read a while back on Reddit from someone who lives in the UK now but grew up and did all their schooling in Russia.

It’s likely that by the time he started secondary school, Ilya was at a specialist sports academy in Moscow. He would’ve gotten a general education as well, but the primary focus would’ve been sports. For him by the age of 17 to be that fluent in English, he wasn’t just relying on whatever basic English classes were offered at his sports academy. He was likely using a fair bit of his scant free time to study English on his own. Intensively.

Now, given that Ilya was a teenage boy, I suspect a lot of his independent study of English involved watching American movies and TV shows, and reading trashy popular fiction, comic books, and sports news in English. I highly doubt he designed an independent course of study for himself at, say, 14, that involved reading Jane Austen or Charles Dickens.

But even if he wasn’t reading great literature in English, watching American movies and reading English books, magazines etc would give him an excellent grounding in the language. Trashy pop culture stuff is very useful for language acquisition. And probably much more directly relevant to an NHL locker room than Austen or Dickens.

But yeah, Ilya must have decided years before he was draft-eligible that he wanted to play in the NHL. And therefore by 18, he would need to be functionally fluent in English. He was probably very busy with school, elite hockey practice, and partying with Svetlana and Sasha. But he must have also prioritized carving out time to study English. Not lazy at all!

So yeah, it also drives me nuts when in fic, Ilya talks in broken English like a Russian gangster in a movie. Both book dialogue and show dialogue make it very clear that he is canonically fairly fluent in English by 17. And he only gets more fluent once he’s living in Boston most of each year.

Yeah, Ilya is self-conscious about his English being imperfect and accented. But most people who speak a second language are self-conscious about that. I started learning French at the age of 11, and am still self-conscious about my limitations in that language.

No matter how hard you work at second language acquisition, if you didn’t grow up with it as your mother tongue, it will never be as natural to speak and understand as the language you grew up speaking. That’s not an Ilya thing or a Russian thing, that’s a fairly universal human experience.

[elizabethtenderlyatomic]

Also, if writing fic, please check Google Translate or Wiktionary before deciding Ilya won't know a word. Many "big words" are recent borrowing from Greek and Latin and so are very similar! Like "genetic", but we can excuse Shane for not knowing this.

[sourdough-seal]

most important part of the writing process actually is when you loop a single song on max volume and stare at the word document and imagine the characters doing things for 14 hours. this is known as getting in the zone

[rainbow-femme]

I love confident smart competent Svetlana, but I do also need her to be a little bit pathetic and for a big part of her friendship with Ilya to be them lamenting how shit they are at relationships

Svetlana: RED ALERT

Svetlana: GENERATIONAL FUMBLE

Ilya: You asked about their favorite hockey team and then spent fifteen minutes roasting it didn’t you

Svetlana: I thought it was friendly banter and then he went to the bathroom and didn’t come back

Ilya: It’s not banter if you’re the only one talking and he’s sitting there silently weeping into his Bud Light

Svetlana: Remember when you told Jane how much you liked fucking me while trying to lock it down?

Ilya: 🖕😘

Svetlana: 🖕😘

[wyatthazy]

shane's baby + forehead kisses 🥺

[bees-reads]

After Shane and Ilya get married Ilya is so happy to finally change his pfp to be one of him and Shane. To piss Ilya off Hayden also changes his pfp to him and Shane. Cue different NHL players slowly changing their pfp to photos of them and Shane. It basically becomes and unspoken trend that when you enter the NHL you need to get a photo with Shane Hollander to change your pfp as a right of passage.

[transthatmasc]

Shane joins in after months of this by making his pfp a pic of him and his reflection in the mirror.

[adz]

one time this nondescript guy came into my dunkin donuts and ordered a small black coffee with blueberry flavor shot, and for some reason that peculiar order stuck with me so much that when, seven months later, i saw him in the parking lot walking towards the door, i quickly made a small black coffee with blueberry flavor shot. he ordered it and i was already holding it. 

i would describe his demeanor that second time as “incredulous”

[honeylemony]

What the fuck who drinks that

[adz]

it’s such a perfectly bonkers order because like, most unusual orders are maximalist and sugary but this one just combines the most basic drink with the most incongruous little add-on. it’s the order of a simple, regular man who has something wrong with him

[phage-necro]

this post always makes me laugh. this guy has the weirdest drink order and he probably never goes to this dunkin’ if it took seven months for the barista to see him again. so think about a coffee shop you go to so little you’re not even sure if you’ve gone there before and you walk in and the barista hands you the drink you were about to order before you even ordered it. he will remember that for the rest of his life

[hollandar]

Heated Rivalry — 1x06 ⤷ COMING OUT (part 1/2)

(sources below)

What Chaos — #1, #7 Gold Derby — #2 TV Guide — #3, #6, #10 Swooon — #4 Vulture — #5 Glamour — #8 The Wrap — #9

bonus:

x x x x

[damazcuz]

Insane to me that literally preschoolers learn things like "sometimes your experience is different from someone else's experience! Sometimes what you like isn't what your friend likes! Our differences make us all special and colorful and unique!"

And then 20-somethings with an internet connection will willfully unlearn this and post comments like "why is op saying 'everyone enjoy an orange today!'? I'm actually allergic to oranges and I dont like apples or bananas and I dont really want any fruit plus im not hungry right now and I dont have time or money to go buy groceries or transport to get there and the store is closed because its Christmas day plus there's a big hurricane so I dont really understand? Op this doesnt apply to me I dont get it? You need to apologize for trying to hurt me with this. I could have died. Why didn't you say something true about me instead?" and then they expect not to be told to shut the fuck up.

[guiltfactory-moved]

the "my favorite character did nothing wrong" mindset is completely unappealing to me because i love thinking about all the things my favorite characters did wrong

[ofteasandinks]

Kip (who is much more a menace in the books) Grady meets Ilya Rosanov and finds him hilarious. Anything Ilya dishes out, Kip can easily meet without being flustered or resorting to yelling (unlike the other hockey players). They hit it off well and have fun talking.

Kip, who knows that Ilya has called Scott a "fossil", a "dinosaur", and a "dad", teaches Scott how to fire back because as Scott's boyfriend, he does have to help him out. However, Scott just refuses to practice stooping to Ilya's level, so Kip has to be sneaky about it.

Kip starts referring to Ilya as "the baby" when talking to Scott trying to program the language into Scott's brain. "If you're old then he can be a toddler. He acts like one around you anyway." That's true. Scott's known Ilya for 8 years at this point and continuously forgets that the brat is no longer eighteen.

So Kip hatches his plan. He will teach Scott how to chirp Ilya without having to think about it. It's all about some neurolinguistic programming. Easy. Now after Admiral vs Raiders games, Kip asks Scott, "How as the baby today?" and at a certain point, Scott's adjusted to the termand replies with something like, "Cranky. He got a minor for slashing and got put in time-out only three minutes into first period."

And Scott and Kip just continue on with this until one day when they're all in the Kingfisher hanging out and Scott just naturally makes a comment about "the baby" to Kip right in front of Ilya, and Ilya just freezes. Shuts down completely for a good full minute before he can respond. Because it's very obvious from the conversation just who is the baby they are talking about.

"Who are you calling a baby?"

Scott, who realizes he might have finally flustered Ilya, just leans back and gives Ilya a smug but also affectionate smirk. "Honestly, Ilya, at this point, it’s just easier to categorize you as the 'baby' than it is to explain why a twenty-six-year-old multi-millionaire follows me around like a lost duckling just to tell me I’m old."

And later that night Ilya just has to call Shane about this and he's just yelling about the dinosaur having finally lost it and the world ending, and Shane is at first thinking their secret's out. However, once he drags the full story out of Ilya, he's just doing his best to hide his own laughter because "Yes, yes, he's losing it. No, you're not a lost little duckling. No, you don't act like a toddler around him....No, I'm not laughing. I...um...am crying over the obvious decline of a grea-decent hockey player."

[slaygentford]

now of course they try to make a Gretzky power play rule (rule they made that was designed to defang Gretzky bc of how he was dominating pps) for hollanov. the hollanov rule is that no two centers are allowed on the ice at the same time during a power play (because obv hollanov are playing on diff lines but together on the pp). what they don't account for is that coach wiebe very simply can and will switch them to the same line. and the league is like FUCK because now for MORE of the game hollanov is sharing ice time. so now they're like okay you know what the hollanov rule amendment 1 is that you can't have two centers on the ice ever. ilya simply switches to right wing. the league is like hollanov amendment 2 MARRIED PEOPLE cannot play on the same line. Shane files for divorce