last year i did a little end of year/smissmas list of fics i recommended (which you can find here) and i think was a pretty neat idea, so i'm doing it again! next year i might even be able to call it a tradition. again, this collection is largely nsfw, and largely sniperspy— more under the cut! happy new year <3 !!
the myth of sisyphus - yay_for_absurdism
despite this coming out a bit later this year, this fic feels like it's been with me for way longer. there are a lot of ways that folks in the fandom address (or ignore) the slapstick violence that comes with the territory of tf2 as a video game— and since sniperspy's inception, that violence has been typical for the pairing.
this fic doesn't let you take any of said violence for granted. the pain is indulgent, and the vivid descriptions of gore serve to highlight the conditions that might draw two utterly jaded mercenaries together for some recreational torture.
(series) guns to a knife fight - @lyricalt
four works ranging from gen to e, 14k
if you're a fellow enlightened sniperspy enjoyer, you'll know that tanya has been knocking it out of the park the past two years with her works in the fandom. now picture that delicious pairing Again. and they're all fucking and sucking.
by proxy (our introduction to the series) is a fic i've read over a dozen times, and each time i notice a new little quirk or some unspoken rule laid out between the spies and snipers involved. i'm a recovering comic nerd and i still can't get over the layers to the identity games being played in this.
for someone who claims to tell the same story over and over, this series is a fresh take on a ship that's been around for at least ten years. thanks so much for sharing it with us!
across enemy lines - prettyboypistol
alright, so i'm a sucker for kink negotiation that's baked into a fic, whateveerrr. and a sucker for degradee!sniper. and sadist!spy. speaking og, spy's sadism is so sweet in this story— i really admire the narrative opportunity of third person omniscient during a bdsm scene. sniper gets his wish of being thoroughly humiliated and beaten, none the wiser to how eager spy is to treat him to the exact experience he wants. chef's kiss.
you always eat the one you love - popitdontdropit
i love furries, man. the pred/prey elements in this fic are delicious, the fursona choices for the cast are charming, and the author takes such care in orchestrating the dynamic all these silly animals have. i sincerely wish that 2026 will bring the fandom more furry writing because this fic is absolutely precious to me.
i hope that sharing and recommending this fic will provide some inspiration to other talented furries who like tf2! it certainly inspires me <3
truck stop job - staticlown
ugh, everything i didn't know i needed until i read it. gas station cruising feels like it should be way more prevalent in fics with sniper, and yet this is the first i've read with the premise! sniper's shame is palpable, stifling in the best way. selfishly, i wish this was longer, but it'd be a disservice to the concept if there was a part two or some sort of series. it's very much a fleeting chance meeting, and similarly i feel lucky to have caught this fic on my radar.
dynamics - @presidentbungus
saving my favorite for last. THIS FIC. a fucking balm on my soul. explicitly transfem sniper, a wonderfully complex and charming characterization of miss pauling, sex that is stupid and hot and messy. it was so good that i've been lowkey dreading leaving an ao3 comment, because there's just so many details i love, it's overwhelming.
if you've never read sniper/pauling before, i beseech thee to start here. if you're someone who loves women— women who make jokes that don't land, who sleep in their own makeup, who fail to communicate in spectacular new ways each day— read this.
join me in the madness of a really well-written wlw tf2 fic that isn't a meaningless genderswap. (not to me, at least.)
