by rory midhani
I’m kicking off the New Year by sharing my ten all-time super-top number-one most-favorite fan fictions. I’ve been reading and writing fic since like 2007 and I’ve kept at least one of these stories with me that whole time. All of these are on my Kindle, even though I could probably recite them from memory by now.
Biography, by CanadaBadGirl
Pairing: Helen and Nikki, Bad Girls
Plot: A superbly in-character AU in which master composer Nikki Wade agrees to let award-winning actress Helen Stewart follow her around and get to know her so she can portray her properly in an upcoming biopic. This is the first fan fiction I ever read, and I haven’t been the same since. I went on to write hundreds of thousands of words about these two.
Length: 67,000 words
Despite her reservations, Helen had gone out into the rain with Nikki. They’d followed a trail through the woods for about half a mile and Helen was surprised at how much the canopy of the trees protected them from the downpour. Helen had been walking slightly ahead of Nikki when they’d emerged into an overgrown field on the far side of a particularly dense thicket. The sky seemed to have brightened and the rain had become more of a drizzle. She stopped abruptly and looked around. The whole world looked freshly washed and leaves shivered in shades of emerald as water pearled and dropped from their tips. The silvery sky lent a slightly surreal atmosphere to the scene and she felt the stillness seep into her.
She’d pulled the hood off her head and listened to the whisper of the rain and the patter of water as it dripped off the trees in the woods behind them. She could smell the dampness of the ground under her feet and she’d closed her eyes to concentrate on the faint, heady aroma. Eyes still closed, she’d turned her face up to the sky and welcomed the soft caress of the rain. Her lips curved into a smile and when she’d opened her eyes, they’d looked straight into Nikki’s.
Coin Laundry, by goldflecks
Pairing: Naomi and Emily, Skins
Plot: An AU that will make you forget about fucking Skins Fire. It’s Naomi the artist and Emily the accountant and the story of how they meet one day in a laundromat and it derails both their lives. Completely in character, savagely romantic. The whole thing is just breathlessly written and really funny too.
Length: 79,000 words
Emily gasped at the shock of her bluff actually being called and Naomi took advantage of her parted lips to dart her tongue softly between them, tasting her mouth, the heat of it spreading throughout her entire body. I’m going to take this feeling with me, she thought. Because I can never be this girl’s friend. Her heart contracted painfully as Emily slowly pulled back. And here comes the goodbye, in three…two…one…Emily’s tongue slipped against hers, Emily’s mouth opened as Emily moaned into her, and Emily’s hand finally let go of the brush as she reached down to cup her face, deepening the kiss. The brush fell to the floor as Naomi pulled them both down the couch so that Emily was lying full length above her as her hands immediately grabbed for her, holding her there. Oh god, went her brain. Oh god, oh god, oh god.
Her hands tangled into the red hair, stroked around the back of her slim neck, traced down over the worn tshirt feeling the shape of Emily’s shoulder blades, before they slid down her back, curved around her waist and slipped under the cotton to feel her warm skin. Their tongues lashed together as the heat overwhelmed them, Emily’s fingers digging into her head as they tried to meld themselves together. Emily’s mouth tasted sharply of Corona and lime, and some kind of vanilla lip balm. She’s kissing me, Naomi’s brain finally caught up. She’s kissing me and she’s not stopping.
A Pirate’s Life for Me, by RaceTheWind
Pairing: Bering and Wells, Warehouse 13
Plot: Every ship in every fandom has a pirate AU, but this is the best pirate AU of them all, and the best Warehouse 13 fic, full stop. (Which is saying something; there are so many delicious Bering and Wells fics on the great wide internet.) H.G. is a pirate ship captain (obviously) and Myka is a do-gooder first mate of a Warehouse-type ship (again, obviously), and they throw each other’s lives off course so good when H.G. rescues Myka from the cruel seas.
Length: 56,000 words
H.G. Wells was widely acknowledged as an excellent swordswoman. Her battles in the service of the Warehouse were still the stuff of Agent legends and her blade was whispered to have bested every foe it crossed.
But in Myka Bering – a woman raised from birth by a father who had no son and therefore passed all his skills and expectations on to her – Wells found her equal.
Myka wasn’t just good with a blade, she was a natural. And not just with the rapier or the cutlass, but the longsword, the knife, the sabre, even the katana: Anything with an edge to it, she handled as if it were merely an extension of her arm. What had begun as a friendly offer to help Myka regain reflexes dulled slightly by injury soon turned into a daily duel that would have made even the most hardened swordsman gape. The entire ship became their sparring circle, leaving the crew to make sure they stayed out of the way (while they placed wagers).
Various Paige + Emily stories, by Joseph Dougherty
Pairing: Emily and Paige, Pretty Little Liars
Plot: Not only has Joseph Dougherty written some of the best episodes of Pretty Little Liars, he writes fan fiction about Paige and Emily for Amazon Worlds! This man is a national treasure. All of his novellas will make you swoon until you pass out or vomit rainbows. Each of them is set on the same timeline in an alternate world where Paige and Emily meet each other at Rosewood High in 1964. (Bonus: Mona and Ali are really good in the last book!)
Length: Novella-length
There was no one on the street, no one walking in the storm. Even if there had been, someone on the sidewalk would not have been able to see that the two girls sitting next to each other on the glider were holding hands. The table would have blocked their view. But there was no one on the street. No people, no cars driving by. Just the rain. The Earth might have been uninhabited, except for the two girls on the porch holding hands.
Feels Like Home, by missema
Pairing: Redguard Dovahkiin and Aela the Huntress, Skyrim
Plot: It really bums me out that there’s not more RPG femslash. The possibilities in Skyrim and Mass Effect alone are endless. This is my favorite Skyrim fanfic. Aela is such an arrogant badass, but she meets her match in the Dragonborn.
Length: 19,000
The business of Skyrim isn’t about love. The people of the harsh land, the native Nords and those who choose to settle there among the ice plains and marshes, aren’t generally looking for love. There is peace in the wind swept plateaus, and even a luxurious sort of solitude, but seldom do people expect to find love.
It is poetic the way it happens for those in the icy north – they are almost always caught by surprise. Battle and harsh weather are expected, famine and natural disasters are anticipated, bandits all too common. But love and all the complications and benefits of it cannot be prepared for in advance and seldom foreseen. the surprise is what makes the Nords fall harder, because it is always true and strong when it hits them, just like the hearts it inhabits.
Heavy is the Head, by devilinacardigan
Pairing: Mellie and Olivia, Scandal
Plot: What if Mellie divorced Fitz, ran for president, hired Olivia to manage her campaign, and fell in love with her? I know, man. I know. That’s the dream. I love Mellie and Olivia more than words and I hate Fitz as much as I have ever hated any fictional character in my life. More than Delores Umbridge, even? This story makes me very happy.
Length: 4,000
Mellie turns toward her and looks into the mirror behind them as Olivia pulls out a tube of lipstick. She drags the color across Mellie’s bottom lip before stopping and staring at the plump flesh. Mellie feels something deep in her gut clench. Then Olivia kisses her. Gently at first, waiting to see if Mellie will allow it and she doesn’t even like the woman 50% of the time but Olivia’s mouth is wet and sweet and willing against her own. It’s enough. It’s too much.
She groans and leans into it. Pulls Olivia’s legs down and around her waist tightly and it’s been so long since she hasn’t had to kiss someone for the cameras. Since she sincerely meant it. Stephen is sweet, a great match for her, but he’s not who she dreams about.
Boston Marriage, by Jae
Pairing: Paris and Rory, Gilmore Girls
Plot: Amy Sherman Palladino might as well have written this fic for how in-character it is. The dialogue is so perfect, especially everything that comes out of Paris’ mouth. Sometimes in my waking dreams, this is exactly what happened when Rory went to Yale.
Length: 5,000 words
“You’re kidding again,” Paris said.
“Well, babbling. I like that too.”
“Babbling,” Paris said thoughtfully. Then she stood straighter and put her arms behind her back. “As I was saying. I would like to make you a proposal, and I would like you to do me the courtesy of seriously considering it before making a decision.”
“You have my undivided attention,” Rory said.
“I think that it’s time that you face the fact that you will never find happiness with a man.”
Another Country, by tryfanstone
Pairing: Jill Pole and Susan Pevensie, The Chronicles of Narnia
Plot: There are very few things in literature that make me as mad as what C.S. Lewis did to Susan Pevensie. What a load of misogynistic bullshit that guy hurled at her! So this little ficlet that puts Susan back in the world of Narnia and lezzes her up and uses straight-up biblical apple imagery to do it? Yes, please, and may I have another.
Length: 2,300 words
In fact, it was not a good night at all. Peter and Edmund seemed tired and strained. Lucy’s laugh was too high and the lights too bright. Susan went past, dancing, in the arms of one man after another. Jill felt small and young and out of place, and after midnight when she could leave quietly she slipped away to the stables and buried her face in Puzzle’s mane. She felt rather queer and all choked up, as miserable as if she was getting a cold, but no one got ordinary illnesses in Narnia. She sniffed twice and told herself to buck up, and she was just thinking about patting Puzzle on the nose and going to bed when she heard footsteps behind her.
She turned round.
Susan was standing in the doorway. She was smiling very faintly, and her gown in starlight was all gauze and iridescence and her skin inside it as white and soft as a Christmas rose. Her hair had come loose and hung in shining waves over her shoulders, and her eyes were very bright.
What Love Is, by Semerket
Pairing: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, DCU
Plot: I’ve read probably 50 fics where Harley and Ivy finally admit they love each other and Joker is the worrrrsssst. This is the very best one of them. It’s intense and kind of dark and but also delightful.
Length: 58,000 words
The rage was now being augmented by a stream of tears, “And you know what makes me so sick? I mean, it makes me physically ill, Harley. The very idea, that after everything I’ve done for you- everything I continue to do- I actually have to compete with that son of a bitch for your affection! I spend all this time and energy on someone that wouldn’t know the definition of a healthy relationship if her life depended on it, which judging from your injuries- it does depend on it. Honestly, I don’t know why I bother with you anymore! You’ll never want me the way I want you!”
She turned as though she were about to leave, but then she spun back around to face the blond, “But how dare you come into my house and tell me that I don’t know what love is!”
Five Firsts for Jenny and Vastra, by gnimaerd
Pairing: Jenny Flint and Madame Vastra, Doctor Who
Plot: Jenny and Vastra are one of my favorite fictional couples ever, and there are so few well-written stories out there that really do them justice, but this one just nails it from every angle. It’s their first meeting, first blood, first argument, first kiss and first time. It’s as sweet and funny and sexy as the characters themselves.
Length: 7,000 words
Another pause, and then Vastra decides that for goodness sake this is all entirely ridiculous, and crosses the space between them and takes Jenny in her arms and kisses her, in the manner suggested by many romance novelists to be the most effective. (Vastra, much to her own shame, has developed a bit of a habit for human romance novels. Jenny reads them all the time – penny dreadfuls and the like – and she started lending them to Vastra and now somehow Vastra has more than Jenny does, although she keeps them hidden under her bed because she’d never hear the end of it if Jenny ever found them).
This kiss is substantially better than the first, though. Jenny makes a sound in the back of her throat like a startled child and throws her arms around Vastra’s neck and Vastra thinks – goodness, how very endearing, and holds her close, and feels her soft and warm Jenny’s mouth is. Her long, thin fingers have found the lesser crests on the back of Vastra’s head and the touch of her hands there is… inspiring, to say the least.
Your turn! Please share your all-time favorite femslash fan fics from any fandom in the whole world!
So excited to read the Paris and Rory one later!
so much same.
One of my all time favourites is this amazing Hermione Granger/Leslie Knope one called Diplomatic Relations
Oh my gosh, what a perfect pairing that is!
I’ve never watched Warehouse but after reading some AU crossovers featuring HG and Wells I’m definitely going to give it a chance. First by reading this fic, then maybe actually watching the show.
If you want a list of the Bering and Wells eps only, I will give it to you! Just let me know!
Yes, and you can not worry too much about season four and I highly, highly recommend ignoring the very existence of season five. You will be far happier that way.
Agree.
I feel like I’m in the middle of a sports movie – I’ve been training for the “best femslash fic of all time” question for sixteen years, but it’s time for the big bout/comment and here I am choking, unable to think of anything.
Take your time! Don’t give up!
montage of me opening five million different archives, scrolling endlessly, opening dozens more tabs, sighing nostalgically, wincing nostalgically, and finally emerging into the light holding this timeline over my head.
Here is the first Harry Potter f/f slash I ever read (so at the time as a 13 year old it was the greatest thing in the entire world):
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/103613/1/Hermione-s-Heart
Shortly after that I got into Buffy, and I remember bookmarking this writer’s personal webpage in AOL to check on updates for this Willow/Tara soulmate fic (featuring a crossover characters from Greek mythology and ER):
http://home.surewest.net/lcountry/totg01.html
I started my pattern of following authors into fics about canons I’d never consumed early. Here’s a lovely story about a boarding school in the past (that also somehow started me feeling comfortable with identifying as butch):
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1580744/1/Special
I remained a Kitten Board regular long after Tara died and it dissolved into entirely alternate universe fics. Here’s an old favorite where they meet as contestants on Survivor:
http://www.uberwillowtara.com/survivor01.htm
Around this point I was really into South of Nowhere, but my favorite author of the era has deleted her stuff in that fandom, and I can’t find anything that compares at all.
Here’s another amazing fic for a show I never watched, in which women get each other pregnant through powerful magic:
http://scurvyknavery.livejournal.com/41808.html
I could never get into R&I, because I was still bitter about the cancellation of Women’s Murder Club. The series below is fantastic, but note how you can’t even tell that it’s a series because pre-AO3 archiving websites are tragic and difficult:
http://ralst.com/ChargeLiteBrigade.HTM
At one point, not sure why, I’d read every fic in existence about these two quirky British detectives whom I’ve never met(/watched):
http://archiveofourown.org/works/309935
Oh, right, the long stretch of time where I thought only of Glee:
Here’s an epic length fucked-up-in-the-future Faberry fic that I think serves as a metaphor for the fandom somehow?:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/272258
Here’s one twice-as-long Brittana in-the-past and in-the-circus AU filled with fluff and intrigue and atmosphere:
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7922642/1/The_Knife_Throwers_Daughter
And here’s the Brittana fic I wish the characters were actually living in (branching from the show after Heart):
http://archiveofourown.org/works/369536
You already named one of my go-to recs from the Warehouse, so here’s a 1920s AU I like just as much:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/323589
Guess I should probably stop holding out hope for this Swan Queen WIP now that I realize it hasn’t updated in almost two years, but it’s so great I’m going to recommend it anyway:
http://archiveofourown.org/series/29748
The wonderfully unexpected Pitch Perfect fandom emerged around then; here’s the fic I’d taken as headcanon before PP2 was announced:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/700380
It’s probably not entirely clear from these recommendations, but my favorite genre is actually short and fluffy. Here’s an adorable Game of Thrones canon-era fic in which Margaery and Sansa get married for politics:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/170197
And now I feel we’re basically caught up to the present? So I’ll leave you with my favorite Carmilla fic (so far):
http://archiveofourown.org/works/2753234
I think your link to the GOT one is wrong, FYI!
whoops! I am sorry I directed y’all to Homestuck by accident, worst possible outcome.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/1701974
Well, that is a masterpiece list. I honor you.
That is an amazing list. Also, wow, the Kitten Board. I haven’t thought about that place in a loooong time. Remember when they made t-shirts on Cafe Press? Yeah, I had one of those.
Truth and Measure. There is nothing better. I say this with 15 years of fanfiction reading under my belt. What? You don’t read The Devil Wears Prada Andy/Miranda fic? Now you do.
Bookmarked!
Seconded! That fic is fantastic.
There is an in progress Devil Wears Prada where Miranda is an ancient Egyptian pharoah and and Andy is her wife… it’s so good, but unfinished. I’ll see if I can find it.
THIS THIS THIS A THOUSAND TIMES THIS.
I love Truth and Measure so much. (And The Parting Glass. Sob.)
You are absolutely right. Anything by Telanu, but Truth and Measure is a masterpiece. I’ve read plenty of actual books that pale in comparison.
I became utterly absorbed by Skins fandom and its femslash fanfiction in 2009 between S3 and S4 and I’ve never entirely given up reading about those generation 2 girls. Though it may be blasphemous to admit, the AU pairings – Katie/Effy, Katie/Naomi, Effy/Naomi etc – are the ones that have stuck with me.
So: ‘To Bedlam and Part Way Back’ (http://archiveofourown.org/series/12844), a Katie/Effy series, that I read when it was initially being written and posted on Livejournal but then lost along the way. I found it on Archive of our Own very recently and blasted through re-reading and re-feeling. I love this story.
Man, it was difficult to pick just one Skins story but I wanted to choose one that other people could actually read. Thank goodness that I saved every story that I liked to my computer!
Oh, Katie + Effy is one of my favorite ships ever. It makes more sense than pretty much anything else in the history of fiction. (Katie Fitch was my favorite Skins character of all the seasons.)
I did wonder while picking the story how likely it is that you would have come across it before. I have always appreciated that you also love Skins!
I know Heather, I KNOW!, why they dind’t happen????, i question myself everyday, they make so much sense, they be so good together
I sendo you a message about this fics you got, could you please please please answer me?
This is the big one, the most celebrated fic in the Rizzles fandom “Calamity Jane Meets Dr Isles, Medicine Woman”.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7789660/1/Calamity-Jane-Meets-Dr-Isles-Medicine-Woman
It’s 50! chapters and 289,975 words.
But my absolute favorite fic is a different one by Jo, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” which is a heart-achingly beautiful Rizzles AU set in 1959. Just lovely and painful and hopeful all rolled together.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9114761/1/Are-You-Lonesome-Tonight
Brilliant, thank you! (50 CHAPTERS!)
I’m pretty sure there’s a sequel too.
I’ve just finished calamity jane. I’m about to get started on the sequel, all 53 chapters :)
Olivia Pope in fenslash is a thing???? Are theses two a popular pairing??? Im so excited to investigate this.
Also, I was never much of a Paris/Rory shipper but this fic sounds good enough to convert me, thank you!
Yeah, Olivia and Mellie seems to be the only femslash that exists in the Scandal fandom, which is depressing considering the chemistry and potential amazingness between Olivia and Abby.
I’m so excited Skyrim, warehouse 13 and Gilmore girls. It’s all my favorite things.
…does anyone have any Madge/Katniss recommendations? Because I ship that, like, a lot. (One of my, like, 5 tiny contributions to ao3 was a Madge/Katniss fic, but it’s like, 3 paragraphs long, so.)
I mean I also ship Elizabeth Bennett/Charlotte Lucas, but I feel like YA fiction is more likely to have a femslash following than Jane Austen.
I’ll love you foreverrrrrrr!
Also: How to Mess Up Like a Dummy Because You’re a Dummy, Stop Being a Dummy: An Amy Santiago Report by Margo_Kim (Amy/Rosa, Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
found here (I never read Ari’s HTML articles, sorry :( ): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1214056
I would read Jane Austin fanfiction so much! Charlotte Lucas/ Elizabeth Bennett has so much possibility of being really bittersweet :'(
I’ve got to go semi old school and go back to Otalia (Guiding Light).
All the F*n angst in that storyline drove me to fanfiction!! And I have never looked back!
So many good stories, but one of my favorites by JD_Perry, Denouement.
http://incandescentfire.com/index.php?showtopic=2596
There are so many great fanfiction writers out there, but JD is one of the best. Her stories are funny, without trying too hard. And HOT without having to get vulgar or even worse repetitious.
Otalia! I haven’t heard any one say “Otalia” in so long! Five star reference!
I’m incredibly surprised no one has mentioned Neverland. It’s a Willow/Tara AU set in San Francisco. It is so devastatingly well done, it really raised the bar for me with regard to expectations of fanfic. A must read for any Buffy fan.
Seriously the best Willow/Tara fic I have ever read, hands down! I was really hoping someone would mention this fic, however a word of warning: it’s incomplete, yet still being worked on (since ’04!!).
A link for anyone interested: Neverland
Willow and Tara broke my heart so badly I didn’t think any fic could ever heal it, but I will try this one!
Oh my GOD. I remember when this fic started! I stopped checking back at some point and I can’t believe it’s still being updated. So excited to catch up now! It’ll be like time-traveling back to college.
I’ve been breezing through Neverland this afternoon and was very into it through about chapter 19 though at this point chapter 34 I’m like QUIT WITH THE STAMMERING AND MAKE WITH THE FUCKING ALSO WHY IS THERE ONLY TRIBADISM IN YOUR FANTASIES.
but I am like the least subtle romancer ever, maybes I am not the target audience.
ohhhhhmygod, Paris and Rory, my heart. I was surprised that there weren’t any pro/con lists involved, though.
also I just realized that I still haven’t gotten over my crush on Lane.
Lane is the dreamiest. Why was there never a Lane spinoff?
Attica! Attica!
Boston Marriage! OMG! Long time lurker here but I just have to register and comment after seeing this! It’s one of my favorite stories of all time. To be honest the reason I eventually stopped watching Gilmore Girls was because Paris and Rory had became such perfect romcom headcanon for me, I was just tired of watching Rory going through her unending list of loser boyfriends.
Heather I don’t know if you are aware of the marvelous author dollsome — she (well, I assume) has written some absolutely spectacular Paris/Rory stories that very much remind me of Boston Marriage. I will just give one example — short but sooooooo good! It’s called Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of with the killer tagline: “Edward Cullen tries to woo Rory. Paris does not approve.” It had me almost rolling on the floor.
Also, you are absolutely right every ship has a pirate fic :) But here’s the pirate fic that I think that ends all pirate fics: Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles. It’s a story about the ultimate tortured-romantic-couple-that-should-have-been: Buffy and Faith. The truly remarkable thing is that the whole story, not just a few lines of dialog, is written in a pseudo piraty/early modern lingo. It’s just so much fun (and a truly remarkable display of skill by the author). And surprise surprise, it’s also carefully planned, with slow roll out of the many BTVS and Angel characters and what looks like a very intriguing plot (I haven’t finished it yet). Faith is, of course, the pirate captain and Buffy the society belle. Just for added guilty pleasure, it also features a dashing Kennedy as the first mate and a shy Willow as Buffy’s babbling maid.
You are right that there are not many interesting Mass Effect stories (lord save us from all those Mary Sues). The one ship that I really love is Femshep/Miranda. I recommend another guilty pleasure romcom AU, this time set in high school: Summer Nights in Space Sadly it’s unfinished.
Well, these are excellent recommendations, and I thank you!
I started reading the fanfic , a Skins AU set in a modern circus, because I couldn’t get enough of Naomily, duh. But then there’s this whole Katie/Effy thing happening and the companion fic set in the same timeline, is just fab.
Also, yes, Katniss/Madge fic is something I can never find enough of.
I remember this one! There’s some saucy, saucy sexytimes in this one!
Okay friends, I view the show Sherlock with a lot of skepticism, but there is a 1950s butch/femme femslash AU called How the mouth loses its shape that is my FAVORITE fanfic of all time. It’s novella-length and there’s so much pining, I love it.
YES!!! Oh my god, YES!
Was wondering why no-one had mentioned it…!
Oh yes!
I dropped everything to read this story and was FLOORED! Annotations and excellent writing plus femslash. I am a very happy lady.
It’s 2:30 am and I am still up reading that story. And I normally want to love femslash and then it just fails to do it for me somehow, so this is marvelous!
Oh wow oh wow oh wow. I read the entire story in 24 hrs, no regrets at all. I’ve never read a fanfic so well researched. Thank you so much for recommending. Its like that Sarah Waters book, but more satisfying. I see no reason why this shouldn’t be adapted into a BBC tv film. I will write to them immediately and gush to them.
Bookmarked the Harley/Ivy one for later. They’re my favourite pairing :)
Can someone rec me some Root/Shaw (from Person of Interest)? I need it like air!
Seconded.
Well, there’s the Natural Selection series, which are my favourite, and they’re basically three long fics, and two one-shots, all set after season 3.
http://archiveofourown.org/series/127053
Then there’s Caged Animals, which is the highest rated Root/Shaw fic on AO3, and is set right after Root drugs Shaw and makes her hide in the subway station.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/2703182/chapters/6049658
And there’s also On Your Only Bones which is pretty dark and sad, but oh so good.
http://archiveofourown.org/series/170876
I LOVE YOU!
i recommend Calm Like A Bomb By andymcnope. You’ll find it on AO3
Can I reply even though it’s been ages? lol
aelysian is a writer I love because no matter how weird the idea for a fic seems for Root/Shaw, it turns out beautifully and totally in character.
Ionizable is another one of these wonderful people who write hilariously awesome things I’d never otherwise read, and leave you wanting more.
There’s some stellar RootxShaw fic on ao3. I highly recommend filtering for fics with the most hits or kudos and going through summaries for something that catches your eye.
I am so excited to read these!
in a while I’m going to come back with some killer Carmilla, Tombraider and pitch perfect fics because omg do they have some of the best writers in those fandoms
fingers crossed for working html.
Tomb raider (2014 game):
Tomb raider (2014 game):
Lara/Sam greatness http://archiveofourown.org/works/1155104/chapters/2342854
Pitch Perfect:
Road trip AND fake datinghttp://archiveofourown.org/works/1127150/chapters/2272743
1920’s AU !!! http://archiveofourown.org/works/2002959/chapters/4340202
Hot one shot http://archiveofourown.org/works/547476
Carmilla:
Another road trip http://archiveofourown.org/works/2484005
Angsty goodness http://archiveofourown.org/works/2770136
Oh, I LOVE Boston Marriage!
If you ever want to listen to this story instead of reading it – there’s a fantastic podfic of this story, read by exmanhater.
And I have to add my favorite cross-over fic ever to this list…
The Phases of Fire by Sharon Bowers, an incredibly well written X-Files/Silence of the Lambs (Dana Scully/Clarice Starling) story!
OMG I had forgotten about Phases of Fire! I read that so long ago I had forgotten it even existed!
Thank you for excavating that. Happy day. :)
Devastated that once again, being in the UK means I miss out on Paily action. :'( dammit amazon!
Also, props for going all the way back to Bad Girls. I swear that show and Nikki Wade in particular were my rock during my 90’s baby dyke years. That and Playing The Field.
I’d forgotten about Playing The Field! Thanks for that reminder.
I’m also from the UK and they’ve finally put PLL on Netflix over here, including new season 5 episodes every week. Bad timing on the Paily front.
Yeah I know I’m marathoning it right now! I still believe in Paily. So gutted r.e. Fanfic stupid non international amazon. Playing the field outed me to my mother…ah those terrifying days of my youth. I will never forget her disgust at walking in to find Lesbians on the tv. So glad she’s over that now.
So I haven’t read it in a long time and I can’t say whether it holds up but one of my favourite femslash fics from back in my glee days is the faberry fic Deus Ex Machina (ff.net) (lj) Quinn’s a ghost and Rachel falls in love with her (okay it’s a lot more complicated than that but like I said I haven’t read it in a while so I can’t remember exactly what goes on and unfortunatly the only warnings I can give are mentions of death.)
Deus ex Machina is a spectacular fic. There are certainly some dark moments throughout, but it still manages to be gloriously romantic and excellently written.
Two fic recs, both in the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes universe.
The first is called Lovely, main paring being Mary Morstan/Irene Adler. Part genuine adorable romantic thing, part realizaton on Mary’s part that her husband is sagging his very male best friend, it’s the first proper femslash fic I ever read and it is lovely.
The second is called How This Would End and the pairings are Mary Morstan/Violet Hunter and Sherlock Holmes/John Watson. It’s adorable and sad and an examination on homosexuality in Victorian england, male and female and it is far too short.
I hunted these down (Irene Alder is a “must read” for me) so for the folks who want to find them, here are the links.
Lovely – http://archiveofourown.org/works/582343
How would this end – http://archiveofourown.org/works/1609529
Well, shit. I hope my friends don’t expect to see me for awhile, because I’ll be in a fanfic coma with all of these recommendations!
ralst.com, look for Mira under the Law and Order: SVU section. The only fanfiction I ever dabbled in was Alex/Olivia, and Mira’s are the best. My three favorites are The Summary of Errors, 100 Things that Might Have Happened, and Five Kisses. All just breathtaking work. super old-school!
Jill and Susan!!!!!
Bringing it Home: A Splashley story.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7132375/1/Bringing-It-Home
Actually a very good story but so very hot.
Aww, Spashley. :) :) :)
*clears throat and cracks knuckles*
I love fanfiction so much and lately I’ve been trying to be less ashamed of it because as Heather has been pointing out, there are some amazing stories and authors out there. and as Robert Kennedy said “I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?'”.
So my favourite fanfiction of all time is already on this list.
Coin Laundry – Goldflecks is just insanely good. I exactly where I was when I got the notification that the final chapter of it had been posted and having my heart in my throat because this beautiful love story would be over (I was on my way to uni, I had to wait til my class was over to read it).
This one might sound strange but bare with me.
Hermione/Bellatrix:
These Gilded Chains We Wear – Kuraibites (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7755315/1/Those-Gilded-Chains-We-Wear)
I never really considered this ship until tumblr opened up my eyes. This story is incredibly well written and gets the characterisation of Hermione and Bellatrix perfect. It also has minimal Ron bashing, which is something that bothers me with a lot of stories with this pairing. Another thing that I really love about it is that it doesn’t shy away from all of the horrible things Bellatrix did. She doesn’t excuse it, she wasn’t secretly trying to bring down Voldemort, she was evil. And yet her and Hermione find each other despite that. It’s a slow burning story but because of that, it is so realistic. Lets be honest, these two have a lot to overcome, they aren’t just going to fall into bed together.
It was recently updated since a huge hiatias so fingers crossed it will be finished.
Glee
Santana/Rachel
Somewhere we never lived – Rather Embarrassing. (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7794259/1/A-Place-We-ve-Never-Lived)
I ship Brittany/Santana something chronic, but this story is so good that I can forget all of that. Santana and Mike had a kid after a drunken hook up in college and now they co-parent him (their kid Jake is the cutest thing ever). I generally hate the “lesbian sleeps with a guy” trope, but this is written so well that it makes complete sense.
The thing I love about this story is it shows genuine growth from all of the characters. It’s also a slow burn so when Rachel and Santana eventually get together (I don’t think they actually are yet), it makes complete sense. Santana in the story is amazing, her and Mike’s friendship is so well written and Rachel is the star she was suppose to be.
The story is unfinished but as an added bonus there are a bunch of drabbles set in the universe if you check out the Jakeverse tumblr tag.
Santana/Brittany
Set The World on Fire – Cora709 (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7790714/1/Set-the-World-on-Fire)
Set in New York after Brittany graduates. She moves in with Santana, Kurt and Rachel and it deals with her and Santana figuring out their relationship and themselves in New York. I love this one because it’s how a Pezhummelberry friendship should be written. They all drive each other crazy but they are best friends and they are there for each other. Kurt and Rachel are written a tiny bit over the top but because of that I have genuine laugh out loud moments throughout it.
The author has written a few other shorter fics as well that are very well written.
Rizzoli and Isles
Untitled – Color Me the World (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9619177/1/)
This story has serious angst and deals with some pretty dark stuff but it’s incredibly well written and you feel it deep in your bones. I can’t recommend the author highly enough. All their stories are incredible but this one would have to be my favourite.
Law and Order SVU
Alex/Olivia
Flight Pattern Series – The Party After You Left
Alex and Olivia are my original OTP. They were the first ship I ever started reading fan fiction for and while I don’t really watch SVU anymore, they will always hold a special place in my heart.
This is an ongoing, four part story and it is long and exquisite. Alex and Olivia both have their demons but they are warm, sassy, driven and most importantly, so in love with each other.
I’ve tried to keep my list as short as possible and to my main fandoms.
I can’t wait to read some of the other recommendations in the thread.
Hermione/Bellatrix one is amazing!
Also Heather – Have you seen these two tumblr posts about Susan Pevensie?
They are just pure magic and I spend way too much time thinking about them, because fuck you C.S Lewis.
“A lion told her to walk away, and she did. He forbade her magic, he forbade her her own kingdom, so she made her own.
Susan Pevensie did not lose faith. She found it.”
The same author also wrote a great drabble about Peggy Carter and Susan Pevensie having tea.
http://ink-splotch.tumblr.com/post/69470941562/there-comes-a-point-where-susan-who-was-the
http://ink-splotch.tumblr.com/post/79664265175/i-was-so-tall-you-were-older-then-can-we
DID YOU JUST SAY SUSAN PEVENSIE AND PEGGY CARTER? I would upvote this 1,000 times if I could.
Here’s the Peggy and Susan having tea link: http://ink-splotch.tumblr.com/post/88025123164/drabble-fic-prompt-susan-pevensie-and-peggy :)
I admittedly only read Skins UK Gen 2 (Naomily) fan fiction so my knowledge of other femslash pairings is extremely limited. Paris/Rory and Millie/Olivia are a thing? I had no clue!
I came way late to the Skins fandom so it’s been a wild goose chase trying to track down some of the stories that were pimped and loved years ago (seriously, the Internet has bread crumbs for most everything else bit the fics I need to read!).
My favorites list includes no Keffy side stories (that pairing does not exist to me and it has ruined a countless number of otherwise wonderfully written Naomily stories).
Top Three:
*Transatlanticism — (Is it really a Naomily story? Eh…loved it anyway. It’s all in the Effy!)
*On Knots and Unravelling — (Kaomi FRIENDSHIP, clueless Naomi, Cook/Naomi bonding and a lovely Emily makes for an entertaining read.)
*Keep Yourself Warm (There’s just something about this completely AU pure Naomily love story…)
Do you have a copy of keep yourself warm? I’ve been looking for it for years.
I wish that the lesbians I knew were half as lascivious as the ones in femslash. everybody I know stands around looking indifferent and never buys anyone a drink for fear of looking like they give a shit, and seems like in femslash they give really good presents. I gave my girlfriend a present when we had been dating for two weeks, it was a lanyard that said “How’s your cervix? Talk to me!” and it was this weirdly big deal that I gave her a thing.
ha, true! also, that present is so good it belongs in femslash:
“i bought this for you,” regina drawled, slipping the navy and gold lanyard over emma’s head.
emma fidgeted with the empty clip of the lanyard nestled between her breasts and stared into regina’s eyes. “so thoughtful of you, madam mayor. but aren’t you going to answer my super amazing present’s question?”
“actually, miss swan,” regina started, gazing hungrily at the sheriff’s restless fingers, “it could use a little prodding.”
Wait, WUT? No SwanQueen? Let me fix that!
Fretting Over the Fate of Dinosaurs by harper_m
http://archiveofourown.org/works/947050/chapters/1849609
This was one of the first SQ fics I ever read and it blew me away. The writing is so in character and Regina is so devastatingly vulnerable. Only 35k words, so a drabble in the SQ world.
A Dark Ocean by chilly_flame
http://archiveofourown.org/works/805227/chapters/1518809
Regina is in a accident and when she wakes up thinks she is still Young Regina and married to the king. Emma takes care of her and teaches her the ins and outs of the modern world. Amazingly sweet and fluffy!
Paint It Black by wily_one24
http://archiveofourown.org/works/406033/chapters/669908
From sweet and fluffy to dark as fuck–this fic is NOT for everyone. I stopped reading twice because it was SO dark, but I pushed through and WHOA was it worth it. This is one of those fics you can *never* get out of your head and find your self rereading and thinking about basically forever.
Popcorn Love by Chrmdpoet
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10028750/23/Popcorn-Love
And back to the fluffy. This is a modern AU with no trace of Storybrooke or curses. Even you have never watched an ep of OUAT (you lucky bitch) you will love it. According to the author she was offered a deal and this will be a book soon. Regina is a rich, successful exec and single mom with a crappy love life. She hires NYU student Emma to babysit while she goes on a series of blind dates. Fluffy hijinks ensue.
The Secret is in the Telling by pyrophoric
http://archiveofourown.org/works/583622/chapters/1048316
I once read someone on Tumblr say that they never worried about the shitty writing on OUAT and they never stressed about SQ, because to them this fic WAS the canon ending for this pair. I agree. Medium length for SQ this little 250k gem will keep you up reading until 6 o’clock in the morning. It is a fully fleshed out story with some of the best, if not THE best Emma and Regina characterization I’ve read. And it is also side splittingly funny–I was laughing until tears at times. Emma may always be an idiot to Regina, but Emma is HER idiot.
To Protect and to Serve by janemac24
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10327768/1/To-Protect-and-Serve
Do you remember (if you are old as dirt like me) when you used to go to Barns and Noble and search the gaymo section and pay $18 for a lesbian police novel that really sucked? Well thankfully the dark days are over and we have amazing works like this one for zero dollars. THIS FIC IS AMAZING. Yes, I am shouting over this ficlet (currently at 237K words and just finishing up) about sharp as nails yet emotionally broken detective Regina Mills and her new rookie partner and pain in the ass Emma Swan. I have reread this thing a thousand times and will probably hit a thousand and one today since the last chapter was just published.
There are SO many more amazing SQ fics out there that I have a wunderlist app just to keep them all organized, but these are some of my faves. Thanks for this post! I have so much new stuff to read now! :)
You have fine sq taste. I never made it more than a few episodes into the show (don’t get me started) but have ended up reading so much SQ fic because the pairing seems to have hit an EPIC note if resonance with so many. I think xena/Gabrielle is about the only other thst rivals it for sheer feels.
I don’t read much fanfic, but back in the days of Xena, I read a bunch. But Melissa Good’s stories were always the best and THEN the producers actually hired her to be a writer on a couple of episodes. Yep…I thought my run of fanfic picking should end on a high note, so I haven’t read any since then. But this list might convince me to check fanfic out again.
Going by number of times I have read it compared to all other fic my all time #1 has to be http://www.ralst.com/Spark.HTM Spark by Harriet Olivia/Alex from SVU. There are two sequels that I love as well, all of it can be found at http://www.ralst.com
Out of the Game by D.S. is another favorite that typically gets read every time I open the A/O door on ralst. http://www.ralst.com/OutGame.HTM
Yes, more ralst Alex/Olivia entries! And for hilarity, Del’s A/O stories on ralst are the beeeeest.
Also, I have about 32 hours of fic reading to do now. I’ve never read Paris/Rory but sounds like I will be in short time. The Helen/Nikki fic was consumed last night and for someone who generally avoids AU it was loverily. The only one on the list I had already read was Race’s Bering and Wells AU, which will be revisited for nostalgia. Moment of silence for what could have been.
Root and Shaw, man. That’s the note I will leave this on. Root and Shaw.
I don’t have favorite stories, but I do have favorite authors! I’ve been following possibilist for my Carmilla/Laura needs (which is helping tide me over until season two.) I’ve also always loved majesdane for Naomi/Emily. They’re both on Archive of Our Own, and they both write lovely, poetic pieces that rip your heart to bits before stitching it up again.
There is a distinct lack of Korra/Asami (from Legend of Korra) here. My current favorite that is completed is The Return by fembuck. It’s part of series, but each one can be enjoyed by itself.
Blergh.
I found it and then I lost it but I don’t even know if I could call it my favorite I was just so happy to find it. Forgot to bookmark it and was something so worth sharing/
None of the femslash pairings that I highly favour are readily available and I’m shit at writing.
I’ll just be grateful for the lovely helping of Ivy and Harley on my plate.
There were some new fics there that I will definitely have to read. However one of my all time favourites did not get mentioned: The Peekskill Roads series by Blitzreiter that is hosted on the Passiona and Perfrection site at http://www.ralst.com/PeekskillRoads1.HTM This is probably the ultimate Jo/Blair – Facts of Life fanfiction. It is huge and it is incredibly good.
The Peekskill Road series is the best fan fiction I have ever read. The work it must have taken to create this masterpiece is mind boggling. As I read the story it felt like I was watching a movie. It contained that much detail! Characterization was spot on. The author fleshed out all characters too. Not just Jo and Blair. Those two will always have a soft spot in my heart.
Pretty much anything by Rae D. Magdon is awesome and perfect. She mainly writes Mass Effect (Femshep/Liara) and Law and Order SVU (Olivia/Alexandra). My favorite by her is a novel length FemShep/Liara that covers the first game from Liara’s perspective. The writing is amazing and the smut is hot hot hot: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1027434
I cannot bel ieve there is no ST Voyager or Xena on here ;) OK, so I am showing my age.
My fave is the J/7 series by Gina Dartt. She even works them in, IN ORDER, and seamlessly, to the series! So you can watch and read into one nicely long series!
http://users.eastlink.ca/~ginadartt/J7fanfic.html
My favourite Faberry fic is a deeply romantic WWII drama where Quinn is a wounded soldier and Rachel nurses her back to health. It is an achingly gorgeous story called Sun Showers. As someone who has a near zero tolerance for gore and violence, I can say that although there are battlefield scenes, they are minimal; the true story is the careful development that takes place between Rachel and Quinn. (Also, anyone that loves Bomb Girls should definitely read this).
Thank you for this list. I had already read maybe half of these so I just read the others. Now working through the recommendations from the comments. Thanks Heather and all!
My number one fave is this Hermione/Ginny one: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3292970/1/Image-Of-You . Both characters are amazing I think, and Ginny’s voice especially feels perfect to me. It’s a long read, but ultimately pays off!
you are probably too young Heather to have really done the whole xena thang. But I do hope you read this comment & go find Vivian darkbloom’s mel/Janice stories. For those who don’t know, xwp Mel/Janice stories were spawned by a single episode in which the ww2 incarnations of xena & Gabrielle were a southern belle bookish translator & a potty-mouthed Indiana jones-esque archaeologist respectively.
Put simply, darkbloom’s writes exquisite, perfectly researched lesbian literature. If she had chosen to use original characters she’d be a serious celebrated author.
Her Mel & Janice stories are haunting, hilarious, rich in historic detail & just simply unforgettable. Read them.
I REALLY recommend this lovelies:
-UBER Xena. A little oldy, but still a treasure.
http://xenafiction.net/scrolls/windstar_and_zee_zoya.html
-DCU. So different! it’s about a transgender Stephanie Brown. Her struggles with being a woman stuck in a man’s body, her fears, and being a kick ass crime fighter.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/2209515
-Attack On Titan. An excellent Mikasa/Annie story. It’s so charming and funny.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/870590/chapters/2392098
-Avengers. Genderswap! Toni Stark/Stephanie Rodgers.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8269939/1/Right-Place-Right-Time
-Avengers. One shot. The dialogue is on POINT! Darcy Lewis/Lady Sif.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/450317
Woop woop- new reading material! The eternal quest for good fics don’t ever end does it?
I know it’s been said- but really do make sure you read Truth and Measure by Telanu. I stumbled across it one evening and finished it just as the sun was rising! Her other works are also great- especially ‘The Lily and the Crown’ (the pirate AU of the Mirandy fandom haha)
Otherwise, have you read ‘The Queen of Sunshine and Bright Things’ by RhoynishQueen? It’s fic set in last years Maleficent universe and is amazingly well written and well characterised.
Lastly there’s ‘Tammy Swanson-Swanson’s What to Do After Divorce Seminar Featuring Leslie Knope’ by Annakovsky which is a funny and totally hot Parks and Rec fic I really enjoyed!
It’s gotta be ‘Never Asked to feel your Halo’ by BattleKitten. Faberry is the ultimate OTP and i love slow-burn fics. close second is ‘Streetlights,’ the number one Jori fic ever imo. anything by amberpire is amazing. (and shout out to demondreaming for making me explode with feelings with every single fic. everything she writes is profound)
Wow, I’m very late to this conversation, but I couldn’t help myself, I had to throw in my two cents!
I’ll admit a lot of these pairings are new to me, and it makes me happy to see so much variety. My intro to fic was Xena, and I’m glad to see a few of my old time favorites recommended here in the comments. Nowadays I’ve been mostly into Root/Shaw, but I had a serious SwanQueen phase for a couple of years. There are some very, very good writers in that fandom (as one commenter already pointed out) and that’s the fandom that produced my all-time favorite piece of fic ever: maleficently’s ‘Somewhere, someone must know the ending’. Maleficently was a seriously talented writer who, unfortunately, stopped writing before she could finish The Fatal Plunge trilogy, which she started after ‘Somewhere, someone’. There are two complete parts, but the heartbreak of knowing I won’t ever get an ending for the third has (so far) prevented me from re-reading it (even though it’s amazing even as an unfinished piece). ‘Somewhere, someone’, on the other hand, is complete, and wonderfully written. It’s worth reading even if you’re not into SwanQueen, because it’s a non-magic AU, so if you don’t dig the whole fairy tale stuff, it’s still a great read.
Even though I’ve come across some really talented people who write beautifully for no reason other than sharing great stories with us, this particular one has stuck with me. 130,000+ words never felt so short.
I definitely want more Narnia and Tolkien Femslash.
But Susan’s fate is very misudnerstood. The way I see it is she’s the only one who was actually able to Grow up. Just like Utena.
http://jaredmithrandirolorin.blogspot.com/2015/01/how-do-conservative-and-liberal-writers.html
http://jaredmithrandirolorin.blogspot.com/2015/05/tolkien-would-have-wanted-his-works-to.html
I used to read femslash fanfic all day long in hs. Now that I work I have less time but still enjoy it. I read femslash pairings from my fav tv shows or movies so I’ll check out some of those. A friend even got me into a twilight fanfic on ffn, from russia with love, about the 2014 winter games. Bella is a US player, Rosalie a russian and sparks fly. I didn’t think I’d like it but I love this fic.
for any harry potter fans wanting some quality writing try http://archiveofourown.org/series/94087
its a marthon read but worth it in the end
La toute derniere Clash of clans hypocrisie est devenu algun jeu d’enfant grâce
à notre méthode.
Everyone needs to read The Journey of a Lifetime by Myx Nyx. It’s CSI’s Sara Sidle and Catherine Willows, a missed pairing I’m still bitter about. This story is beautiful, from the very beginning to the very end. I count it among my favourite literary works and reread it probably more than I’m proud of.
Hmm.
Oh, Max Black is your nick. I was just watching 2 broke girls and thought you were recommending a good story about them.
That is a bit sad.
Though a platonic 2 broke girls fanfic that focuses more on the building a businuess plot, or just a character expose would make me happy as well.
…probably pretty much all of it is going to be awkwardly average romance.
Heather, thank you so much for this list!!!
Also, I’m pretty sure Biography was the first fan fiction I ever read too! I love it so much. I know for sure though, CanadaBadGirl is the first ff author I read. She set the bar high! I watched the first 3 seasons of Bad Girls two years after the Nikki/Helen story had ended. I needed more and went to the internet and lucked up :) Changed my reading life and overall appreciation for all writers.
If you like Vastra and Jenny fanfic, please give my ongoing work a read. If that link doesn’t work, its on Ao3 and fanfic.net under my pen JMDeLoach.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/6786352/chapters/15506980
I love this: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270881
Avatar (2009), pairing Grace Augustine x Trudy
One of the best fanfics I ever read, sooo well written! <3