#gory fics

[hazbinficrecs]

Have you read anything new that really stands out to you? There been so much post since Season 2 and I'm struggling find the best new ones

Ooh, good question! So, here is my post of Season 2-specific fanfic recommendations, but that's a slightly different question to "what NEW fics do you enjoy", because there are some new ones that don't take Season 2 into account (as well as a couple I've read since making that post), and there are some real gems from that crowd, too!

So, for new favorite fics that DIDN'T make it into that post:

Post Season Mix by sorcerousfang (Rated T, no ships, series, complete, CW: graphic depiction of injury) is a GORGEOUS take on Alastor's injury and his trust issues, and especially his contentious relationship with Husk. The two fics in this series are called "I Don't Care (But I'm Here)" and "I Can't Trust (But I Have No Choice)", and they tell the same exact story from the perspective of Husk and Alastor, respectively. The perspective shift is GLORIOUS, and both fics also make brilliant standalones.

And for a COMPLETELY different (read: smutty) vibe, Taking In the View by keelywolfe (Rated E, RadioApple, ongoing) is a real treat for fans of voyeurism! @keelywolfe said it was just gonna be a couple snippets of Random Writing Exercise, but the plot may or may not be sprouting legs, and even if it doesn't and this is all we get, what's there is fantastic and I highly recommend giving it a read!

And in yet another case of Vibe Whiplash, Alastor Marries the Chair by CeilingFrog (Rated G, RadioRoller aka Chairlastor aka RadioChair, oneshot) is 384 of the funniest words I've ever read. If you have like 45 seconds to spare, I highly recommend reading it. XD

And I can't leave out my other favorite RadioRoller fic, Keep Rolling Rolling Rolling by @cyanjockstrap (Rated E, RadioRoller, complete)! Yes it is rated E, yes Alastor *does* fuck a chair, but if you would prefer to avoid the Chairfuckening, Chapter 1 works as a perfectly lovely standalone fic in which Alastor forms an emotional bond with the rolling office chair he'd been stuck to for most of Season 2.

[hazbinficrecs]

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

This is the most well-researched fanfiction I have ever read, and so heartfelt!

It explores a world in which Alastor wakes up in the Hazbin Hotel shortly after the Season 1 Finale as his 11-year-old self, having been "purified" by Adam's blade, cleansed of his memories. And oh my GOODNESS, the amount of detail @hismercytomyjustice brings to the exploration of "how would Kid-Alastor respond to these circumstances" is SO detailed! You truly believe this kid had woken up fully expecting it to be the 1910s; the author went as far as to ask and answer the question of "would a child of his class in this time period in New Orleans be familiar with elevators, and if so, how familiar would he be?".

And even beyond the truly staggering amount of research that comes through in this fic, the story and characterization are each gorgeous in their own right! Mind the tags, because it gets decisively dark (Lute in particular had made it clear in Hazbin canon that she saw no harm in slaughtering a sinner child, you can imagine where that goes), but oh my goodness does it do such justice to everyone's characters. The Alastor+Angel friendship in particular is gorgeously rendered! And it's truly shaped my headcanon for how Angel would act around kids.

And the way the plot thickens from there is EVERYTHING!! Gorgeous premise, execution, and characterization, and it'll teach you history, to boot!

[hazbinficrecs]

Shades of Agony by SolCaeruleus

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

This fanfiction by @solcaeruleus single-handedly changed my mind about the value of whump.

So I'd never been a fan of the fanfics that put their main characters through Pain For Pain's Sake, because too often I felt like the characterizations suffered for it. And oftentimes, they do! Either the one being put through pain loses their character in favor of becoming a capital-V Victim at the cost of all other traits, or those around the "whumpee" become universally Kind Caring Compassionate types, even if they're more likely to react to this character going through pain in a different way.

And this fanfic absolutely does NOT do any of that. This is a grisly, no-punches-held take on "how would Alastor react to extended torture, and how would those around him respond in kind", and it all feels SO real. Everyone responds to Alastor's pain in a way that makes sense for their own personalities, for the way they feel about Alastor, for their moral convictions/stances on torture, and for their priorities. Charlie's struggle with her pride comes through exceptionally well here, as does Vaggie's complex relationship with how she feels about Alastor's situation.

When I reached the end of this story, I stared at the wall for a while, and then went back for a cathartic reread. It earns every emotion its ending evokes, and it is a masterclass in trauma depiction. If you're in the right headspace for some Serious Pain, I highly recommend it!

[hazbinficrecs]

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

This RadioApple fanfiction by @number1trashenthusiast is a genuine masterpiece of writing. The character work, the plot intrigue, the pacing, EVERYTHING comes together beautifully in a true epic!

The plot is simple in premise and exquisite in execution. It covers the story of Alastor gradually learning to trust those around him, which sounds...far too bland for what it is. Every relationship is given weight in this story, every interaction feels real, and you can feel the bonds forged between the characters with every paragraph you read. Additionally, the mysteries this story offers are perfectly balanced against the answers the reader receives along the way, making it a marvelous reading (and rereading) experience!

At this point, the first story is complete, and the sequel is consistently updating, with much fanfare and sobbing each time, because holy SHIT this fic gets dark. But it earns its darkness each time, and the softness it is capable of means the scale never tips entirely into bleakness, there's always just that little bit of hope present. And it is a beautiful thing to witness!

[hazbinficrecs]

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

(CW: so much menstruation, but hear me out)

This fanfic started as a bit of a cracky theoretical: what if an entirely aro/ace Alastor decided that period blood was his new favorite food, and developed a series of "working relationships" with various individuals in Hell to just...kinda...schlorp that right outta there, no strings attached? No deals, just a clearly-defined tit-for-tat scenario? I didn't have a plot planned, and the closest thing to an "arc" I had in mind was "oh man, what if the others in the hotel found out he has this hobby?"

Then Vaggie took the reins of the plot, and I, the author, said "yes ma'am".

And now it's become an exploration of sexuality and the interactions between BDSM, physical attraction, intellectual attraction, and sensory pleasure.

So yeah, *slaps roof of fanfiction* This wild-ass premise can fit SO much plot and characterization! Somehow! The characters are steering this, and I'm just along for the ride.

[hazbinficrecs]

The Many, Varied Works of Otoshigo

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

This RadioApple author, @otoshigo, is one of my absolute favorites, and in many ways they are a complete mystery to me. While their writing style remains consistently clever, the genres their works dive into are WILDLY disparate. Mostly crack, but some stories dive into serious AUs, or Junji-Ito-style body horror, or "seriously what the fuck Lucifer", or the most adorable fluff, or the most viscerally uncomfortable Poking At Taboos you've ever seen.

And I freaking LOVE it.

Everything is well-tagged, so you don't have to worry about being jumpscared by anything, but do mind those tags, 'cause some of this author's stories feature A Lot!

My personal favorites (which are almost all crack to some degree, and only like...1.5 of the ones on this list are Taboo-Poking):

A Tail of Two Demons (T) - posted literally today, it's a "RadioApple for fans of them just Hating Each Other A Lot" fic based on Season 2 Episode 4! And while I'm down for RadioApple smooching it up or whatever, I am also a big fan of them loving to hate each other. <3

The Lamb Overlord (T but on the spicier end of the rating) - Lucifer tries to "Undercover Boss" the Overlords of Hell and shenanigans ensue. All I can say is, justice for Mortimer. Poor, beleaguered Mortimer. XD

Singing Your Praises (M) - Lucifer has a praise kink, Alastor has a bit too much fun with this fact. It goes from silly, to spicy, to genuinely sweet!

Summoning Akayuki-Sama~! (T) - Emberlynn summons Alastor. That...yep. Emberlynn summons Alastor. That's really all there is to say on the matter! Utterly hilarious, I let out a wheeze just seeing the title again while scrolling down Otoshigo's list of fics. XD

My Guardian Angel, the Devil (T) - The least cracky of this bunch, though the humor within it is still top-tier! This fic has SUCH a fun premise, executed brilliantly (and with fascinating detail given to the hotel's scenery)! Alastor wakes up in his human form with no memories more recent than his death, and Lucifer has to protect him from the perils of Hell while they figure out what happened to him.

The Telepathic Tango (T) - Another fun romp, featuring Alastor angrily humming "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt" on repeat because he's concerned Lucifer can read his mind!

The Radio Demon's Cursed Catastrophe (T) - Okay, so...I *wish* I didn't love this fic as much as I do. This fic pushes against some taboos in ways that would scandalize many, but DAMMIT it is also one of the funniest things I've ever read. The sheer quantity, quality, and duration of laughs this fic has given me, reread after reread, means I'm contractually obligated to share the hilarity. The plot revolves around Alastor being cursed by a witch and becoming Cursed Cat Alastor.

I Put a Spell On You (T) - This is some extremely morally dubious RadioApple, in that Alastor tries to love potion Lucifer, but it doesn't work on him, so he just kinda...rolls with it. Despite that premise, trust me when I say that this is SUCH a cute fic!!

[hazbinficrecs]

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

This fic...my goodness, this RadioApple fic by @gotllphi has altered my brain chemistry.

The concept is that Alastor, as a human serial killer, spots a disguised King Of Hell Lucifer Morningstar and decides to kill this random obnoxious blond. Lucifer humors him, and (with many bumps along the way, mostly caused by either Alastor's hubris or Lucifer's utter disregard for things like "oh wait, this guy isn't used to people randomly turning into birds, my bad") their relationship develops from there.

The fic features the most delightful iteration of Human Alastor I have EVER seen (notably: written prior to whatever Season 2 has in store for his backstory), and the perspective is exquisite - he is so clearly "Alastor as you know him, but younger, and not tempered by living in Hell for a century". He's still every bit that odd combination of Machiavellian and impulsive, he still has that charming showmanship and takes the same egotistical delight in his own mysteriousness...he's just, a little less sure of himself, a little more prone to human concerns like mortality. This is a version of Alastor whom you can easily imagine BECOMING the Radio Demon, but who most certainly is Not The Radio Demon Yet. This is a man whose internal monologue upon witnessing just about anything magical is "what the fuck, what the FUCK, what the ACTUAL FUCK" behind his strained smile, but who starts scheming the second he begins to get an actual handle on things. He has an oral fixation and little to no impulse control, and the comedy that arises from both of these traits is PEAK.

Meanwhile, the Lucifer in this story is the most eldritch iteration of Lucifer I've ever seen, who still really *feels* like the Lucifer from the show. He's distractable, he's silly, he will kick your ass if you threaten his daughter, he'll casually lore-drop about having designed the stars one moment and coo over ducks the next, he's an utter delight.

And as for their relationship, I can honestly say this fic is what truly opened my mind to exactly *how* BDSM can exist as a separate thing from sex. As much as their particular brand of BDSM goes far beyond any human equivalent, the relationship they form is just as emotionally-grounded as any found on Earth, and I think that's beautiful.

Also, for fans of world building, this fic takes a deep dive into matters of demonic contract law, as well as providing an in-universe explanation for several of the campier aspects of Hazbin's magic system! Truly fascinating stuff!

[hazbinficrecs]

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

This fanfic by @whimsywillowwrites is THE number-one gen fic for me. It is based around the concept of "Alastor gets accidentally summoned by a young girl, and Whoops He's A Dad Now I Guess". The Pilot!Alastor vibes are STRONG with this one, and while the story does get very dark (CW child abuse and general violence), there is SO much laughter to be had!

The author had had this art done of a scene from the first chapter, and I utterly adore it:

Also, there is an entire chapter devoted to Alastor thinking Owl City is a literal city populated by owls, it is an utter delight.

A rare example of a fanfic in which the OCs often steal the spotlight with their charm and personality (I will never not be thinking about the grandma twerking on the roller rink), I can't recommend this story enough!