spooky arcana fanfic recs!
hello all! I realized that several of my favorite fanfictions for the Arcana fit the ~Halloween vibe~ and are very appropriate for spooky season. I thought I’d share my top recommendations (in alphabetical order) here. I’d love for people to add to this list–I definitely missed when the Arcana fandom was most active and I’m sure there’s a lot of really good writing that slipped my notice.
An important disclaimer: the usual warnings about not reading smutty content if you’re below 18 apply here. I also want to note that I tend to like pretty intense things. I have very few issues with gore/body horror/psychological stuff so I am really encouraging anyone who wants to read these fics to make sure you read the tags. (You can also feel free to message me and I can answer specific questions.) No noncon or dubcon here, though! Mostly just intense physical and psychological trauma…….plus smut.
Buried in Lilacs by ElizabethMarlowe: This one is basically an Asra character study, and it is fantastic. It starts off with a seemingly simple premise (MC touches herself in bed next to Asra), and the situation plays out as expected. Then it takes a sharp veer into nightmarish horror. Gorgeously written, you can really feel Asra’s emotions in this one. This is a oneshot and I am crossing my fingers that the author will write more for the Arcana because they truly have a gift. I’m extremely picky about my Asra content and this is perfect.
Destiny of Prey (series) by levrispero: This is (currently) a two-part series, plus a short interlude about Muriel, where MC is a vampire. It is modeled after What We Do In the Shadows rather than other, more “classic”, vampire content. This one is getting (slow, but regular) updates after it was abandoned for a year. Part one is two chapters of a back alley hookup between Julian and MC. It can definitely be skipped if smut isn’t your thing. The second part has one chapter of smut, which is clearly labeled and can be skipped as well. I love the world that the author has created here. It is also full of references to vampire media, from Twilight to Buffy. It is genuinely funny and fun to read, but isn’t just a crackfic. There’s a clear plot which borrows from canon but modifies it to fit the AU. I genuinely get excited when I see the author upload another chapter. This one is definitely the most accessible on my list and I highly recommend it.
How sweet is the affection of others to such a wretch as I am by SoftEigentlich: Another oneshot, which imagines what would happen if Julian was the one to bring the apprentice back to life with science, Frankenstein-style. I worship at the altar of Mary Shelley, so it was inevitable that I would love this. Julian’s lost the plot in this one. He’s ravaged by guilt and obsessed with saving the apprentice. He is so in love with you–it’s romantic and sickening at the same time. If you’re squeamish, do not read this one. Also fair warning: it’s basically a reader-insert, but you’re a corpse most of the time. So if you think that would make you uncomfortable, proceed with caution or skip it. But it’s one of my favorite fanfics of all time. (Also peep my convo with the author in the comments!)
In This Wretched World (series) by @teeth-farie: This is a collection of three birblian fics. Two of the three stories in the series are monsterfucking smut, but there’s attention to detail in them that I really appreciate. I grew up with a pet bird, and there’s aspects to Julian’s monstrous form in these fics that I can recognize as bird-specific behavior. I’m actually not a big monsterfucker (I joke that I only like monsters when they’re 95% human, like a vampire), but I will gladly make an exception for things that I feel really show off an author’s talent. And while the two smutty fics do not skimp on the sexy stuff, they’re actually very sweet and focus on the love and connection between MC and Julian. Part two of the series has no actual smut (just implied sex) and offers a glimpse into Julian’s psyche while he is transforming into a monster in the Hanged Raven. Really heavy and potentially triggering themes in that one. Proceed with caution, especially if discussions of suicide bother you. I want to emphasize that it’s written very well though! Also check out teethfarie’s other works–they’re great. This series is the most Halloween-y to my weird little self, but there’s horror (and sex) abound on their page.
snowghoul
jbbartram-illu
gummygunk
jacobvanloon
germansingergirl
janainaart
areudirty
dededos
