#howlsmovinglibrary

[inapixelbloom]

My Archive of Our Own Wrap-up

I wanted to put together a thank you to all the fanfic writers who have gotten me through this year.

This wrap-up is me going through my history month by month to see which fics I’d visited the most (because you can be damn sure I read through them over several days, again and again).

So this is a celebration of the wide variety of fics I’ve read and/or bookmarked and/or subscribed to. Thank you to every writer on this list for keeping me entertained.

To every fanfic writer I've had the pleasure of reading the words of, and there are so many more of you than just this list of people, I want to thank you so very much of trusting your creativity to us readers. You are my rock, my joy, my comfort, and so many other supporting adjectives that I just want to give you all hugs and money for the holidays.

I started 2025 with: Eye in the Firestorm by Yukihanna

Fics I kept coming back to in 2025

January

And They Lived Happily Ever After by @ginger-floor-goblin

Critical Role (Vox Machina), rated M. Completed 2024-10-25.

DEFINITELY SPOILERS FOR C1/LoVM! Proceed with caution! He looked into her eyes, the eyes he knew so well, and saw fear there. But he also saw the anticipation, the excitement, the joy. They sparkled, as they always did. She was studying his face carefully, her arms wrapped around his neck, anticipating a response. She smelled of flowers, of fresh air. She was warm and there and gods, he was so incredibly in love with her. Especially now. “That is the best news I’ve ever heard,” he said softly before kissing her. Keyleth and Vax get their happily ever after, because I said so. So there. Take that, Mercer. Apparently, this is the 1,000 Vaxleth fic on this site, so yay!

February

Pieces Still Stuck In Your Teeth by @howlsmovinglibrary

Baldur's Gate 3, rated M. Completed 2024-05-23.

“I mean it,” she said. “Don’t kill anyone, Astarion. You’ve gotten what you wanted. Seven thousand lives was enough.” “I don’t take orders from you anymore. You just said so, yourself.” “The moment you kill someone,” Rose replied, “is the moment I'll know that my next task is to stop you.” “Darling,” Astarion grinned, “I would sincerely like to see you try.” -- The Vampire Ascendent has crossed a line. Eleven years after making the biggest mistake of her life and losing the man she loved, tiefling wizard (now Archmage) Rosalie decides it’s time to put this Astarion in the ground for good. Hopefully, both her head and her heart are strong enough to see this awful task through to its end. (A lovers-to-enemies, ‘we’re divorced and going to make it everyone else’s problem’, Vampire-Ascendent-aesthetic-but-make- it “I can STILL fix him’ fic)

March

Exposure to Sunlight by LibbyLune

One Piece, rated T. Completed 2021-01-10.

Sanji never escapes from the Vinsmokes as a child, and Zoro finds himself in the path of Germa 66 after the disaster at Sabaody.

April

From a Swell in the Ocean by @goose-smoothie

Critical Role (Vox Machina), rated M. Last updated 2025-01-23.

“Hello there,” Vex greeted as she waltzed into the cell, “I’m Captain Vex’ahlia of the Vox Machina, and we’ve just seized this vessel here for stolen property belonging to the crown of Emon. Now, seeing as we’ve found you as a prisoner on this ship, I suppose that makes you the enemy of my enemy. So I’m going to ask this once; to us, are you friend or foe?”

May

Utilities Included by @strawhattery

One Piece, rated E. Completed 2024-04-19.

Mold in the shower, burns on the carpet, and nothing but hot sauce and pickles in the kitchen. Sanji doesn't know it yet, but the apartment he's moving into—and the alpha he's sharing it with—will change his life.

June

Burning Man by @neonglaceon-main

One Piece, rated M. Completed 2023-01-22.

“You’re lucky, Zoro,” she had spat, eyes turned up towards the sky, like she was trying to hold in tears. He'd never seen Kuina cry before. He’d never seen any expression on her face other than her teeth gritted in determination or her grinning in victory. “I want to be the greatest swordsman too. But girls grow up, and their bodies become weaker than men's. I’m never going to be the greatest.” Kuina tells him this, and Zoro can barely comprehend the words she’s saying. He thinks of the countless hours he’s spent training by the river bed, the green locks of his hair left on the floor after Koushirou helped him shear it all off, of the people he thought of as family a lifetime ago calling him by a name he despised. Zoro puts a hand to his chest, where he’d hastily wrapped bandages earlier that day, remembering how his body had begun changing and he didn’t understand why- “You’re lucky to have been born a man, Zoro,” Kuina finishes lamely. Zoro sees red.

July

One Time Thing by @naromoreau & @summerofspock

One Piece, rated E. Last updated 2025-10-26.

Sharing heats and ruts is nothing but convenience for Zoro and Sanji. Two times a year they fuck like animals and then go their separate ways. Even if separate ways is just down the hall. It works for them. That's what they tell themselves anyway. Then a poorly timed heat makes a mess of everything.

August

Mask by Hailfire_73

Marvel Cinematic Universe, rated T. Completed 2018-11-14.

The Avengers find an orphaned Peter Parker at an Osborn research facility, and after they help each other escape, Tony thinks it's probably a good idea to take him home and have him go undercover as his son to expose Norman and link him to his crimes.

September

drop them bones by @foggynitefic

One Piece (Live Action), rated T. Last updated 2025-09-05.

To get to the Grand Line and leave the East Blue, they have to pass through Loguetown. But that means they have to get to Loguetown first. Or, Sanji starts finding his place with his new crew.

October

Wait, What?! by @chaoticdumbassrogue

Star Wars Rebels, rated G. Completed 2022-06-18.

Kanan was dead, then he wasn’t. Hera was dying, then she woke up. Zeb went to bed while visiting his grandkids, and woke up alone. Sabine had an accident in Wild Space, now she’s home. Ezra was lost in Wild Space, now he’s back with his parents. So how did they wake up in the Clone Wars?

November

Baby Mine by @freshie-owo

One Piece, rated T. Last updated 2025-11-17.

In the dead of night, a teenage boy and a baby show up at the Baratie.

I'm finishing the year with

I Care About You - Invisimech drabbles ( + larger overarching narrative) by cargonomics

sharpen and turn by StarryCleric

Here with me by ArbuscularMycorrhizal

Champion Bound (series) by EchoingArias

Fics saved in 2025 (my notes in bookmarks)

The Arrangement by @goddessofroyalty - The one where Sanji and Zoro might as well use each other to solve their urges.

remedy and relaxation by @ivelostmyspectacles - The one where Orym helps Ashton with period pain.

Something in the Water by pieces_of_ate - The one where Zoro and Sanji have a really bad day involving a fall into some cave water and also an old man with a fictional grudge.

The Fourth Ring by @vamillepudding - The one where Astarion escapes Cazador and meets Gale's mum. And then Gale. And then Gale and Astarion fix each other.

Toska by @bigrhet - The one where Astarion and Cassius (Warlock!Tav) go through the motions of BG3… and also Cassius' own horrid history motions back.

The World You've Grown by Nightwinging_It - The one where Tim's kidnapped/rescued by the BL2 team, and he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

To Ashes by Nightwinging_it - The one where Tim and Gaige hate having to tell people they're trying to kick Aurelia's ass.

The Courage or the Fall by @rowyndodendron - The one where Caleb would rather freeze than show his scars. Molly convinces him not to freeze instead.

Husband and Wife Reunion by MorganNerdzKvM - The one where Liu Kang and Kitana don't quite have the happily ever after, but it's pretty damn close.

How to Save a Life by anthea_tesdinic - The one where Sanji and Zoro are cold. And they know how to fix that.

Learning to Listen by @fivedayslater - The one where Sanji's time on the rock may have made Zoro assume his soul-mate was dead.

First Breath of Air by @hazel-athena - The one where Sanji is rescued from Germa as an adult.

To You, Formerly Me by @trixree - The one where Sanji has to forgive himself.

Bite the Hand by @blasphemlm - The one where Sanji recovers from torture and discovers there's some missing memories.

Retrograde by @hazel-athena - The one where Sanji has amnesia and Zoro suffers a bit.

moonlighters by evils - The one where Sanji joins Zoro's two years.

The New Avengers: Are They Real People? by BB Urich by hellsbells1109 - The one where the New Avengers are on a group chat.

Just Do The Thing by @sugarskies - The one where Bob does the dishes.

A Marriage of Convenience by @conceptstage - The one where Caleb goes to "marry" Beau all for a book, but Beau uses this circumstance to escape from her abusive parents.

Deep in the Lungs by gremlinbehaviour - The one where Azune has a plant growing in his lungs, Teor is restless, and Hal is a dad.

Experimental Trial 1C: Stimulation of Blood Flow via Alternative Method by decayed - The one where Occtis determines just how impactful not having blood flow is.

To The Victor Belongs the Spoils by @ironicveghead - The one where Sanji is a prize to be won in a tournament of strength. Zoro wins.

---

I end 2025 having experienced incredible lows and upcoming amazing highs. I finished my Masters degree, I start teaching high schoolers English next year(!!) and finally feel like life is on track. These stories? Each of these stories, and the ones that haven't been mentioned, have kept me going.

From the bottom of my heart, I give thanks to each and every one of you. I wish you a fantastic 2026. <3

[galaxyostars]

My Archive Of Our Own Wrap-up

I wanted to put together a thank you to all the fanfic writers who have gotten me through this year.

This wrap-up is me going through my history month by month to see which fics I'd visited the most (because you can be damn sure I read through them over several days).

So this is a celebration of the wide variety of fics I've read and/or bookmarked and/or subscribed to. Thank you to every writer on this list for keeping me entertained.

My first fic of 2023: Finding the Balance, by Amberlioness

Summary:

Events following ‘Bound’, leading up to ‘Demons’. Trip and T’Pol begin to explore what their bond means and how it affects them. Follows “Beginning in Earnest”. I’ve tried to keep as close to canon as possible, while filling in events and back story as the muse commands.

2023 in fics I kept returning to by month

January

Brand New Day, by cecilyjones

Star Wars Rebels, rated T. Completed 2023-03-29.

The Force wasn’t the only great power in the Galaxy. There were also the laws of physics. Kanan was strong in the Force, but the bind he had gotten himself into had to do with physics. (My inevitable “Kanan lives” story. He survives, and the story unfolds from there. Some of it resembles the story we already know, and some of it doesn’t. The ripples travel out.) Update: Chapter 1-8 is a complete story, you can stop reading there and get some nice closure. After that, I’m just kind of adding as I get ideas. Mostly I just like seeing Kanan get to be a dad so that’s what I’m doing. Thanks!

February

Synced To You, by TuppingLiberty

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, rated E. Completed 2017-04-09.

Canonverse but Omegaverse: Though everyone can choose whomever they want as mate, your one true mate, the mate with which you 'sync', is your one best match in the entire galaxy. Poe recognizes Finn as his sync-mate immediately, but Finn is reluctant - extremely. Chapter 3 and various chapters thereon are explicit. This fic is now in epilogue-mode. Everything after Chapter 13 is epilogue. I will come back to it as it pleases me, which, right now, is often. :D

March

Poor Wayfaring Stranger, by lithos_saeculum

Final Fantasy XV, rated T. Last updated 2022-08-04.

Out on a mission, Cor Leonis finds a teenager, lost and sick and partway to becoming an MT. Against the advice of all and sundry, he brings him back to Insomnia. There's not a lot of love lost for MTs in the Citadel, but some of its inhabitants may still be young enough to put aside their prejudices.

April

Three Bullets, by The_Midget

Grand Theft Auto V, rated M. Completed 2021-01-27.

After Michael is shot in the street, his friends and family can all agree that it was an act of retaliation. However, none of them can agree on who pulled the trigger.

Bookmark note: The one where Jerry White is a piece of shit and also Trevor, Michael and Franklin have to deal with white supremesists. I don't think that's how supremesists is spelled. Lemme look into that.

May

Over And Over, by Nightwinging_it

Borderlands, rated M. Completed 2020-12-17.

Timothy Lawrence has resigned himself to his fate as Handsome Jack's property, even if it means losing himself. When an attempt by a friend to rescue him lands him in trouble with Jack, Timothy is banished to the casino as punishment. Angry and betrayed, Timothy is all too eager to seize the chance to escape, even if it comes in the form of a brash Operative. When Zane Flynt is hired to steal weapon schematics from Hyperion, he finds himself needing the help of Handsome Jack's Eridium addicted doppelganger. It's supposed to be a simple job, and he and the doppelganger will part ways the moment it's over. Only Zane didn't expect to get so damn attached to Timothy. (OR: Zane accidentally adopts Timothy, and chaos ensues)

Bookmark note: The one where Timothy's made to be hooked on eridium and Zane basically nurses him back to life.

June

Finding Home, by Iha_1419

9-1-1 Lone Star, rated E. Last updated 2022-08-08.

TK Strand’s life has been filled with pain and rejection. His parents, extreme traditionalists, hate him for being a male omega and have kept him isolated for most of his life. When he finds out that he is going to be bonded to an alpha named Carlos in his Uncle Owen’s pack, he doesn’t know what to expect. Years of enduring verbal and physical abuse from his parents have left him withdrawn and wary of his new mate. Carlos is determined to get the omega to trust him, but TK’s scars run deep and old habits are hard to break. Can Carlos and the 126 help TK overcome his past and embrace his future?

July

Ultraviolet, by @five-7

Borderlands, rated E. Completed 2021-11-11.

After all the shite they'd been through together, Zane doesn't quite know what to think of them. Amara might have an idea. [Shameless and massive Zane-centric fic]

Bookmark note: The one where Amara and Zane have a friends with benefits thing that accidentally falls into something more serious but then shit goes a little wrong and there's a few chapters where they're fucking dumb but it's okay because they eventually work it out.

August

Bless Those Tired Eyes, by thenewradical

The Martian, rated T. Completed 2015-12-20.

Johanssen suggests that Beck sleep in her bunk since it's closest to the med bay and Watney. This goes exactly as well as you would expect.

September

Sick Days Not Needed, by Jillie_chan

Star Wars Rebels, rated G. Completed 2015-02-21.

“You’re sick.” Kanan said, resting his hand on the back of the seat. “So?” Ezra asked, resting his head on his fist. “I’m not holding you back.” “Not holding us back?” Kanan echoed. “On missions,” Ezra clarified, “It’ll pass in a few days.”

October

True Colors, by Cinderpaw1, dancer4813

Critical Role (Vox Machina), rated E. Completed 2017-08-26.

Vex knew her father hated them. It had been obvious when he left their mother alone to raise a pair of twins by herself. But she had never imagined he would hate them enough to stick them in foster care only a few months after losing her. Now Vex is scraping by on the streets, using her artistic talent to make enough for her and her dog to eat, searching for the twin brother who had been taken away from her because of the system. She didn't realize that when her search took her to Emon, the bustling city held both promises for the future and ghosts from the past.

November

Struggle, by ela11

Mass Effect, rated M. Completed 2014-12-06.

Two people would have no idea of the struggle ahead of them… For their existence. For their love. (Femshep/Kaidan from Mass Effect 1 to 3 and a little beyond.) Contains canon, altered events, and new events. Alternative ending.

Fics saved in 2023 (My notes in bookmarks)

Two for the Road by Spacewidget - The one where Daryl and Connie pose as a married couple to gain access to a group. [The Walking Dead]

Run by justtakemehome - The one where Michael and Amanda De Santa get a bounty attached to their head and they basically have to Mr & Mrs Smith their way out of trouble. [Grand Theft Auto V]

Witch Ways by @aliquistis - The one where a druid learns to put up, like, and maybe even love Gale. [Baldur's Gate]

you can fake it for a while by nighimpossible - The one where Percy creates Vex's titles and a fake marriage, and they fall into a legitimate relationship. [Critical Role (Vox Machina)]

And They Lived Happily Ever After by @ginger-floor-goblin - The one where Keyleth and Vax get their happy ending. But also consequences to deals made. [Critical Role (Vox Machina) / The Legend of Vox Machina]

Pieces Still Stuck In Your Teeth by @howlsmovinglibrary - The one where Astarion lost all the kids in the divorce. [Baldur's Gate]

We Circle by Night by @insanitysilver - The one where Caleb goes back in time to fix his past, only to accidentally save Mollymauk from his demise. [Critical Role (Mighty Nein)]

I'm finishing 2023 with...

Ship to Wreck by Snailsol

Witch Ways by Aliquistis

Pieces Still Stuck In Your Teeth by howlsmovinglibrary

Resistance by ela11

Thank you to every fanfic writer whose work I've had the pleasure of reading this year. <3

[dragonageficrecs]

Fic Rec: The Fortress of Highever

Title: The Fortress of Highever

Author: howlsmovinglibrary

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 36,265 – Finished

Spoilers for: DAO

Admin L’s notes:

Alistair/Warden, Alistair/Female Cousland. Alistair is the best emotional support himbo. Pretend relationship, friends to lovers. Author tags are entertaining and accurate.

I absolutely adore the dialogue and the use of dramatic irony in this fic. Tension flows in the snappy banter between Alistair and Cousland, and between them and everyone else. Throughout the fic, the reader becomes familiar with Cousland's prickly demeanor that belies the character's biased understanding of herself as deserving of love. Cousland's demisexuality, and Alistair's acceptance of it as a welcome part of her, warmed my heart.

This fic is also part of the Alistair/Warden Canon and Canon AU ship rec list.

Summary:

Ismene Cousland knows that the only way Alistair can win the throne is with her help. But after finally escaping the confines of her noblewoman’s life, is marrying him to guarantee his success at the Landsmeet a sacrifice she’s willing to make?

Particularly when she knows that, no matter how she feels, their union will never be anything more than a marriage of political convenience.

--

Arranged marriage AU, slight canon divergence, an angry Cousland with extreme first world problems.

[bookcub]

Why do you consider A Gentleman's Guide to Vice + Virtue a magical realism/fantasy book? I just considered it queer historical fiction so I'd be super interested to hear your reasoning!!

Spoilers for those who haven’t read it!!! 

I totally forget the details because I was way more invested in the romantic plot, but the whole thing with the heart that can cure anything, and the wife being alive in some weird coma, and the alchemy aspect was very science-magic to me. It wasn’t a large part of the book, but between that, the adventure, the vague 1700s setting, I classify it as like fantasy lite. It definitely leans more towards the historical aspect, but the magic held a big enough role that I felt as tho I could call it fantasy. 

Thanks XD

[sublurbia]

READ! THIS! BOOK!

Title: The Wicked and the Divine  Author: Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie Genre: Graphic Novel Publisher: Image Comics Year of Publication: 2014 onwards

Synopsis!

Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are given the gift of amazing powers and absolute fame, but after two years, they die. 

The book follows Laura Wilson, who is a huge Pantheon fangirl. She makes friends with Luci, the latest incarnation of the devil, and gets drawn into their glamorous world. But then a group of people get murdered, and it looks like Luci did it, and suddenly the world of the Pantheon isn’t quite as amazing as Laura thought.

It is also super diverse! A majority of the cast is poc, there are pansexual, bisexual, and gay characters, trans and genderfluid/genderqueer characters, and the latest instalment of the comic introduced a canonically asexual character.

TL;DR

- Amazing world building

- A pantheon of decadent pop star gods

- Conspiracy and intrigue

- ALL OF THE DIVERSITY

- Discussions of gender and sexual identity

- The most beautiful artwork

[threefolddefencespeech]

A relic of the holiday, created by yours truly to record a groundbreaking conversation. Bask now in the wisdom of the Scribes my friends discussing pyjamas. @ashby-santoso @howlsmovinglibrary @quizzicalqueek

[cccrystalclear]

So I've played both Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age Inquisition, but have been dissuaded from DAII by multiple people who say it's not as good as the others. But your art makes me want to play it! How would you say it compares to DAO and DAI, would you say it's worth playing or not?

I played DAII before DA:O and DA Inquisition, and let me tell you I love DAII more than any of the other games. I know alot of people dislike DAII because of it’s storyline and how it was rushed but me and many others think that the characters in da2 were some of the best ones in the series, and it’s the characters that drives the game onwards, not the plot. I can tell you now that most people have a bias on the game they played first and fell in love with, which means the fandom is quite divided. But since you have played both DA:O and DA inquisition I find it 100% necessary to play DAII too. I can talk ages about how I love that game despite it’s flaws but I think you get my point, play iiittt

[howlsmovinglibrary]

So, this is a thing that happened (!!!!)

Thank you so much to all the lovely people who have come to this little blog in the last year. After like, a year of my blog staying consistently at 15-25 followers, for it to grow this much in the last nine months or so is freaking insane. Especially considering I still can’t talk a good book photo!!!

If I wasn’t in the throes of Nano, I would do something more, like a dedication post or a giveaway or something - but given how things are currently going, this will probably happen in the New Year instead. 

Thank you to all the mutuals who became **my first ever tumblr friends** and put up with me being an awkward nerd - I won’t tag people because I’d probably miss someone and I don’t want to seem exclusionary or anything to anyone new out there, but y’all know who you are! And the last thing I can say is that I literally gained *973 followers* in the span of nine months - so to any new booklrs who feel like they’re screaming pointlessly into a void, keep screaming, keep interacting with posts, and I’m sure that you’ll soon be noticed! :D

Thank you everyone!!