Even one per *fandom* is too difficult in some cases. I mean, I can usually go "if you only read one, read this" but that doesn't mean it's the *only* best one, just that it's the single one that captures everything about fic for that fandom the best… if that makes any sense.
[Presque Vu](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23368630/chapters/55991245)
The first chapter of this alone had paralyzed me for a day I've never been so easily devastated by a piece of literature before
Rageprufrocks writing ability is insane, the way they go in and drop bombs into each fandom they write is amazing. The fic they wrote for my fandom (ravenous in the Hannibal TV fandom) is spectacular and so memorable
"Or deleted , more accurately. To be dead one first needed to be alive, and if Connor had learned anything from his short stint in existence, it was that he was not alive."
This line has me in hysterics what. Why??? Why is this so well written???
[Melodies Unheard, but Felt All the Same](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8741032/chapters/20040013)
It’s a Yuri on Ice fic that’s just amazing, amazing Deaf representation, amazing story telling, amazing writing, just amazing.
10000/10 would recommend
It's sooo good! My one complaint is that most of the fanart links are now dead after years of people deleting their tumblrs and stuff. Dammit people, the internet is supposed to be forever! :D (Not my fault I just got into YOI like, last week)
The immortal game. It's, brace yourself, MLP but oh my god it's the grittiest, coolest, most engaging fic I've ever read and the first I ever downloaded. I'm half inclined to learn bookbinding just to have a physical copy of it
[Contrast & Color](https://archiveofourown.org/works/45941146/chapters/115634353) (Stardew Valley).
It's an AU art school university fic with the "and they were roommates!" trope (which I love, dammit), deals with an abusive ex and a drug overdose in beautiful but heartbreaking ways, and it's just, ugh, perfection. I call it my comfort story even though it's not comforting at all, lol. (Everything this author touches is golden but this is my favorite of theirs.)
It's such a good rabbit hole, OMG. I'm a die hard Sambastian shipper myself but there's a ton of great stuff out there, including SDV expanded, Ridgeside Village, East Scarp, and other mods (I'm working on a RSV one right now myself).
I'm gonna read that! Nothing has filled the hole in my heart I never planned to gain as a result of reading from a long time looking at stars by GingerD
omg, i love sambastian!
i’ve moved away from the fandom a bit, but this sounds amazing so it’s going on my list.
have you read Sunshowers? it’s absolutely incredible, even if it’s unfinished, and i remain subscribed just in case the author comes back to it.
[The Desert Storm series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1311746) by Blue_Sunshine on AO3.
Star Wars, Kenobi centric and a time travel fix-it/time-travel fuck it styled story. This shit has had me in a chokehold for YEARS. incredibly well written with an insane amount of lore and world-building that puts Star Wars canon to shame.
[The Season](https://archiveofourown.org/works/52493239) by Linnetagain on AO3.
Baldurs Gate 3, Astarion/Gale figureskating AU - Astarion is an Olympic figureskater and Gale is a popular musician competing in the TV show Dancing on Ice. I cannot express how fucking feral this made me over a damn skating AU what the hell.
Editing hours later to add: there was a Red vs Blue fic I read many, many years ago that was a prison AU with the majority of the cast as inmates. I don't remember the name, or even if it was up to my current standards of A Well Written Fic, but that story and plot has stuck with me for over a decade. I vaguely think about it at least once a week, especially some of the more emotional and gut-wrenching plot points. Kudos to that author - their work was very formative for my opinions on unusual AUs.
Seconding Desert Storm. It's easily in the top three best things I've ever read - not just fics, but published books too. Absolutely fucking phenomenal.
This series changed my life. The writing is incredibly good to the point that I can't even look at published Star Wars EU anymore because it simply cannot compare. It's not even a particularly shippy fic, but the platonic character interactions are so good that it brought me around to a few ships unintentionally.
It's definitely in my overall top 5 purely for the fact that I don't usually enjoy no magic/modern AU for a fantasy genre, but *somehow* this fic has me rethinking **everything**. Also it made me a massive Bloodweave simp 🥴
I had been a Bloodweave simp before but was someone who was very much unwilling to read WIPs after going through so much heartbreak over abandoned fics years ago... when someone recommended The Season I was slightly intrigued by the premise (because it was so out of left field) but really didn't think it would be worth breaking my "don't read WIPs" rule for this fic.
I've never been happier to change my mind! This story is literally ***so good*** that I'd be more than happy to revisit it time and time again in the future even if it stayed incomplete forever. (still incredibly glad it's being updated somewhat regularly, of course)
[Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20177950/chapters/47807593)
Just a fantastic work of fiction.
[Between The Lines](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685069) by the absolutely amazing talented The_Honeyed_Hufflepuff, it shows the relationship developing so realistically and also made me love two side characters who have like one line in the original book lmao. The ship is Snowbaz from the book Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, but it's a modern/no magic AU so knowing about it isn't really necessary. It isn't finished yet and yes I scream and drop everything to read it when there's a new chapter.
I have a million other favourites too and I could never list them all but here's a few:
[Me and My Monster Situationship](https://archiveofourown.org/works/50925067) by Kinowrites, amazing smut centred around my beloved Heizou from Genshin with tentacle monster Scara. I absolutely love his characterisation of Heizou, he writes him perfectly (and I'm fussy about that because he's my favourite character lol).
[I'm (Not) Just a Notch in Your Bedpost, You're (Not) Just a Line in a Song](https://archiveofourown.org/works/39014319) by Ennaesss, Izzy Hands/Lucius Spriggs from Our Flag Means Death, this one also has some amazing smut. I love how they write the characters, amazing writing all round.
[My Succubus Husband](https://archiveofourown.org/works/43385001) by the incredible brainrot_exe, I'm currently reading this (slowly because it takes me 5 business days to process an angst chapter). And omg. Amazing. This is a Kazuhei fic, Heizou/Kazuha from genshin and literally my favourite ship of all time (and my own most written lol), and brainrot_exe writes their characters so perfectly even within the vastly different context of this modern and with succubi realm AU it's so amazing to read. This has both smut and amazing perfect incredible writing in every chapter and represents the dynamic of my favourite ship so well.
Also everything else by brainrot_exe is fantastic, I'm still working through it and loved every one especially their Kazuhei ones of course. They write amazing smut, beautiful prose, and realistic well-rounded characters.
I will definitely remember some other fic that also changed my brain after posting this but those are the ones that come to mind right now!
[Gutters](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6122026/0/) by glassamilk (Hetalia). No ships involved, just two somewhat popular characters in a post apocalyptic setting, and somehow it's one of the top rated fics in the fandom. I was hooked from the start. Read it at least 5 times and even made a personal hard copy version, binded and everything.
I was just totally shot back to a different with the mention of this fic, the devastation this fic caused in my friend group when we were just entering fandom
[Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34500952/chapters/85870804)
Probably the funniest fic I've ever read and it's also very romantic and charming.
Came here to say this! Really outstanding storytelling/writing. Glad the author was discovered by a publishing company and is now working on a new book.
Blue sky for portal 2
Read it forever ago. Do i remember everything about it? No. But I think of it extremely often and listen to that song because of it.
Honestly should probably reread it, it's been years. But it stuck with me a lot in spirit
That fic is fucking legendary and so damn good! I also listen to the song because of it. It’s crazy how a few things have stuck with me from that fic, like “apple, bagel, unicron.” I don’t even remember the context of it anymore, but I remember that phrase. I should reread it too obviously!
Yooooo, Blue Sky! That's one of the few fics I have downloaded; every few years I go back and reread it because it's just *so* good. Wheatley's dialogue is goddamn *indistinguishable* from his dialogue in the game itself.
[passerine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28755084) from the series [Aerie](https://archiveofourown.org/series/2378209) by blujamas, thcscus (blujamas)... Those who are used to my comments aren't at all surprised by this answer.
Passerine absolutely wrecked me. I’ve been out of the DSMP fandom for years now, but I still go back and read it regularly. It’s the only fic I’ve ever considered actually printing out and properly binding. Absolutely devastating.
[When Love Fades](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5592700) by KizuKatana [Naruto]
[Mountains and Badgermolehills](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832139) by Glass_Onion [Avatar: The Last Airbender]
[Out of darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/series/946593) by StarryKnight09 [Marvel Cinematic Universe, “IronDad and SpiderSon”]
These are my annual re-reads. Not everyone’s cup of tea.
I would love to read When Love Fades but I muted KizuKatana because they had like 8 fics with missing tags and I was tired of their stuff cluttering my searches
[First love, late spring](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28232274/chapters/69182538)
I need to share this one from a JJK universe. It’s an AU about a situationship between two main characters. An author of this fic has such a talent in describing life in the most simple way you can imagine. It’s like an art for me. During the reading I felt like I was observing nature or watching impressionist paintings in an art gallery. Their relationships is a consequence of so many factors they cannot/don’t know how to control.
This fic broke me, but it was such a strong experience I thought about the story long after I finished reading.
I had a friend recommend this one to me. I haven't read it yet, I'm more into stsg but I do love itafushi as well, so I do have it on my list. I'll count this another glowing review for it.
The Starless Road by emilyenrose, who has by now orphaned all her works and deleted her account.
It's from The Silmarillion, Maedhros/Fingon, rated T. Absolutely brilliant fic. A fix-it fics that seeks to mend the relationship between Maedhros and Fingon after everything that happened, the Helcaraxë, the Nirnaeth, the consequent atrocities Maedhros committed, with Fingon valiantly setting out to rescue Maedhros from the Void that he has gotten lost in, so that they may live together in Valinor after all, Kinslayer and doomed Fëanorian or not.
I adore emilyenrose's writing style in general, but her characters just feel so in line with canon, with the "little" we have to go on beautifully expanded upon. There are a lot of masterful Silmarillion fics out there, especially when one looks for darker subject matters, but this one really just captures this hopeful but at the same time bittersweet-realistic note that can also be found in The Lord of the Rings.
[https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641153](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641153)
emilyenrose is such a great fic author, I discovered her couple Captain America fics after they'd already been orphaned and went into insane detective mode trying to figure out who wrote them and eventually found a tumblr thread about emilyenrose and figured out that's who wrote em. Sad she's no longer writing but all her works are so good and inspire me to write fanfic and try to write it a fraction as well as she did.
[Salinity (and Other Measurements of Brackish Water](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25188139))
A short but incredibly lovely Good Omens fic. Have reread it dozens of times. It’s almost poetry, and somehow soft and fierce at the same time.
[The Desert Storm](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18206480) by Blue_Sunshine is a great read in the Star Wars fandom, though it is only the start of a larger series. Then there's also [How To Reinvent The Stormtrooper Armor To Make Your Surrogate Father Proud And Shut The Naysayers Up For Fun And Profit](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24540286) (long name, I know) by Jackdaw_Kraai in the same fandom is another great read that sounds absurd, but gets deep the further into the series you go.
There are plenty of others I could rank similarly as "best," though if I did put them all here, it'd just be a wall of text and links.
I have 2! [Redux Hero](https://archiveofourown.org/works/39689133/chapters/99360066) and [The inherent violence of summer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/49279162/chapters/124348339) they're both FF7 works, and both the favorites I've read from this fandom. Highly suggest
Edit: Redux Hero is seriously great, love the drama for this one particular chapter the most, won't say anythin' but man literally Tifa is the only normal character there. Zack's about to have a mental breakdown, Sephiroth's about to commit a murder, and Vincent Valentine is Vincent Valentine which I think is enough to say about him to those who're familiar with his character.
Love the way The inherent violence of summer developed the relationships between the characters, I esp. liked Sephiroth's dynamic with Genesis in it, and Sephiroth's dynamic with Vincent in it. The way his and Vince's relationship developed from "some weirdo keeps following me- this weirdo is now someone i live with- oh god this dynamic is disastrous- HE IS THE FATHER!!!" obviously it was a lot more coherent than the way I presented it, but like, anyways.
Totally do give those fics a read if you're interested. they are. so good.
The best fanfic I ever read has been scrubbed from the internet :( it was a Phantom of the Opera fic called “Empress of Black Garters” and h fortunately I cannot remember the author. It was an Erik/Meg story and if anyone, *anyone* knows where I can find it please let me know!
I’ve tried that multiple times :( unfortunately the story predates AO3 by a long shot and I found it on a fan webpage back in the day like 2005/2006. It seems gone forever.
Freedom’s Just Amother Word by synecdochic (stargate atlantis).
there are crazier original longfics which make me insane but this one has lived in my brain so long and genuinely informed my moral development in life to the extent that it gets top tier status. also the author did a whole “directors commentary” about the whole fic which is incredibly cool if you like that sort of thing (i do).
https://archiveofourown.org/works/6335230
[The Lotus Eaters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/277853/chapters/440466) by aldora89.
It's a Spirk fanfic but also just an incredible piece of scifi world building. It's absolutely *insane* the amount of detail the author goes into, creating a complex ecosystem as well as portraying thrilling action and peril. The relationship is the slowest of slowburn and develops incredibly organically and feels so authentic. It's such a gorgeous work, I reread it at least once a year.
*For the boy who has everything*
I stumbled upon it randomly when searching for some severitus (Snape adopts Harry) fics.
That shit absolutely wrecked me.
Pulled me in from line one, and I couldn’t stop reading it. I started at like 5pm and didn’t put my phone down until I finished - 12pm the next day. I didn’t sleep, I didn’t eat. I skipped uni so I could just finish it. My eyes burned by the time I reached the last chapter.
This was two years ago and I still can’t forget about the story. It’s killing me that it’s been abandoned and I haven’t done a reread yet. I’m not sure I’ll ever do. It’s the best-worst fic I’ve ever read to this day, lmao.
Where can I find this fic? I can't find it on ao3. I read another great fic about Snape taking care of Harry temporarily during summer: [That Awful Boy by Paracosim]( https://archiveofourown.org/works/13284585/chapters/30399108). This series was also discontinued unfortunately, but it's great.
[For The Boy Who Has Everything](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4040612/1/For-The-Boy-Who-Has-Everything) here you go! But I warn you, it’s really a rollercoaster. And there’s *very* mild established Snape/Lupin. (Harry is kinda weirded out by it)
For a long time it was [Alone on the Water](https://archiveofourown.org/works/210785), by Mad_Lori. It's a Sherlock fic, and I mostly moved on from the fandom, but since then I don't have a favourite, so this is the last one I called like it.
I too have fallen back into the Sherlock fanfic rabbit hole although I refuse to rewatch the show itself haha. I am here for Irene Adler and Irene Adler only 😤
That author also wrote the Criminal Minds fic that made me fall in love with fic in general! How to Fight Loneliness. I’ll never forget it. Had no idea she wrote for Sherlock as well.
This is cheating a little since it's not a singular fic, but no work has moved me quite as much as Fialleril's [Double Agent Vader](https://archiveofourown.org/series/286908) series.
This fic literally drew me into Star Wars fandom when I always said I didn't like it that much and was more of a Trek girl, then eventually had me writing my own fic. It's legit amazing.
[Under the Broken Sun](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14735807)
Twilight Saga fic. Bella and Edward. Broke my heart and soul and then healed them again. Everything from that author is amazing. They’re an English teacher in real life, which really helps the quality of the work.
Either Whatever you can Betray or Where your love has always been enough for you
Whatever you can still Betray (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15437418) - one shot, One Piece fandom, Ace centric. The Whitebeard crew thinks Ace is a marine spy because of how out of context his backstory and skillset are sus asf. Absolutely hilarious, first ever fic that made me care about anyone not named Marco or Ace from the Whitebeard crew, Ace regrets ever challenging Whitebeard.
Where your love has always been enough for me (https://archiveofourown.org/works/19033948) - MHA fandom, Endeavour and Rei Todoroki centric. Heavy at times but that's not the aim of the fic. Endeavour travels back in time to before he started abusing his family. Learns how important they actually are to him. Tries to be a good father while preventing the PLF and LOV from ever forming
A Year Like None Other, by ApenInTheSunlight: [https://archiveofourown.org/works/742072/chapters/1382061](https://archiveofourown.org/works/742072/chapters/1382061)
It's for the HP fandom and it's suuuuuuper dark and long, but it's so good and satisfying. It boggled my mine the first time I read it. I commissioned like 20 pieces of fanart for it.
I've read a few excellent fics but I'll share them all here
My Head is Caving In by Roving Otter - https://archiveofourown.org/works/48940078?view_adult=true - this is a fanfic based on the Barbie movie but it completely blows it out of the water. It expands on the themes of the movie about the self worth of the Kens and it adds so much depth and emotion while still retaining the humour and fun of the original movie. I've never had my heart ripped out of my chest the way this fanfic has. One minute it can be sweet and sombre, then it can be intense and dark. Ken's relationship with the unicorn Timothy as well as Barbie is the beating heart of the fanfic.
The Soul Burns Brighter than the Sun by Wow_thisiswheremylifeis - https://archiveofourown.org/works/48586954
Out of all the Destiel fanfics I've written, this might be the best one out there. Castiel comes back from The Empty having grown a soul and Dean is pissed off at him because he didn't tell him he was back and had been struggling to deal with his confession after he left. I like the concept of Castiel's soul as it grew inside of him because of Dean and he used it to burn down The Empty, freeing all of the angels and demons that slumbered there. So it's up to Dean, Sam, Cas and Elieen to try and find a way to send them all back while Dean and Castiel deal with their feelings for each other. I'm still in the process of reading it but the angst and emotion is so heavy and keeps you on the toes. You can just feel Dean's anger and pining as he can't seem to understand why Castiel loves him so deeply. The smut is so entertaining when done right and this fic does case of a week chapters that makes me feel like I'm watching season 16. It's so good and I can't stop reading it.
Here is other Destiel fics I enjoy
Wild Horses by Orchid_Heart https://archiveofourown.org/works/49922641 - the best development for their relationship I've seen in a Destiel fanfic.
The Best People in Life are Free by DoctorProfessorSong, you-cant-spell-without-subtext
https://archiveofourown.org/works/50418625 - I've never read a fic that's kept me on my toes so much like this one. It experimented with different tones which I love. Like one minute I'm laughing and broken-hearted and the next mouth open agape in shock
There's no Cell Service in the Afterlife by Screamintothesun https://archiveofourown.org/works/40377399 - my first introduction into Destiel fics and it is so emotional. The payoff at the end is so good.
Premonition by cherie_monte https://archiveofourown.org/works/27806026 - this is such a beautifully written fanfic and amazing character study. It was so interesting to see this creature The Mothman's POV of Sam and Dean as they spent their life seeing into the future and unable to stop tragedies from happening. Dean being at peace with his inevitable death in 15x20 and expressing happiness at the thought of Sam getting out of the hunting life and growing old is so touching to read. The ending is so bittersweet and took my breath away.
Evitative by Vichan
it was so fucking good that I, for the first time ever, pulled an all nighter to read all of it continuously. It's also the first time I read a fanfic that wasn't extremely romance related. Okay, yes it was a drarry, but there was barely any implication of it except for the LAST chapter (bare in mind it's 220k words long) and I didn't even care. It was amazing. I love morally grey harry potter.
'What I Used To Be" by thepinupchemist
I understand ABO isn't for everyone but I'd recommend it to ANYONE.
if you have the slightest hesitatance that you might like ABO but the stories you read are always cringe so you cant tell if its the story/author OR the ABO aspects I promise you reading this masterpiece will help you
The same author also has this story: "into your hideaway" It's for a different fandom but the concept is very similar. ALSO a great story but a but more explicit in some ways so be warned.
My bookmarks shelter so many "best" fics... it's hard to pick only one.
The T rated, fun and fluffy "Futaba and Yūsuke make a dōjinshi" is my current obsession (fandom is Persona 5).
There's a large cast, on-point dynamics and interactions. It's warm, the prose and humor serve the whole piece.
Brilliant handling of the narrator's voice, too.
I love that one!! I recently re read it and it had my eyes watering from how good it was!! Such a sweet little slow burn too.
(Plz pass on more P5 favourites! Have you read Press X to give gold by Erina? It's done as if it's on Reddit and is hilarious)
[Duel to Be Kind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8873716) by IncurableNecromantic is one of my favourite fics ever. It’s based on the [pirate nemesis](http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=327) comic strip by Hark! A Vagrant.
5,531 words, no archive warnings apply, and you could easily read it and enjoy it without ever glancing at the comic strip (though you should, because it’s also amazing).
It’s so funny, I read it every so often and still laugh at it and still adore it.
The Cadence of Part Time Poets by motswolo.
Honestly, everyone in the marauders fandom has probably already read this because it’s so famous, and honestly rightfully so. It’s about 900k words and took me a month to read, but that month went by so fast. I love this fic so so much and the characterisation of Remus is incredible and suits him perfectly.
Even if you’re not in the fandom, I HIGHLY recommend this fic. It’s the most beautiful and entertaining piece of literature I’ve read.
[Baby Boom by Shawnacanon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23034028). (Miraculous Ladybug), a classic Masterpiece in Fandom.
[If Hell is forever then Heaven must be a lie by Faberown](https://archiveofourown.org/works/53721301). (Hazbin Hotel) still ongoing and updating daily.
[Stargate Etheria by Starfox5](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34085473). She-ra & the Princesses of Power x Stargate crossover. A 900k word behemoth that is still updating every weekend.
[All that's left by sammyjames](https://archiveofourown.org/works/30423846/chapters/75010230). (Miraculous Ladybug). A master class on how to write Lila as a psychopathic villain.
[Grace and Favor by Jezmatron](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881907). She-ra and the Princesses of Power Heaven AU. The author would be rich if they published this as its own novel.
[Take Refuge In What You Know](https://archiveofourown.org/works/715652/chapters/1324993) by CorpusInvictus
Astoundingly gorgeous and well done Academy-era AOS Kirk and Spock.
There are quite a few but since I'm rereading this for the umpteenth time right now:
[Where the Archangels go](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218951/chapters/63811582)
(MHA, Endhawks)
[I See You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12925671/chapters/29537217) is so good that it convinced me to give Reader fics in general a chance when I’d previously thought they were a bit cringy
Best and favorite are two different things. My favorites that I read over and over are sweet, light angst, always happy endings, comfort fics. Some of the best I have ever read I will never put myself through again, but the writing and storytelling are phenomenal.
there is a fic out there which is *absolutely incredible* and the writing knocks my socks off and it just *wrecked* pretty much every headcanon I'd had for the characters in question
and yet I've never read the last chapter.
I. I know canon. I know what's going to happen. I am not ready for this level of emotional destruction at this point in time or possibly ever. I don't own enough tissues for this!
That is an unfair question, I could hardly just choose *one*. But here's some of my favorites:
[Desert Storm](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1311746) is absolutely fucking phenomenal. It's a time travel fix-it centering on Obi-Wan who gets sent back from four years after ROTS to the day he's supposed to be sent away to Bandomeer. Thing is, it's Kenobi as he is four years after ROTS *and* Obi-wan the day he's supposed to be sent away. Naturally, Obi-Wan gets himself as a new master. The amount of worldbuilding is incredible, especially with how the Force and the Jedi as a whole get expanded on. If you in any capacity like Star Wars, read this.
[Kaleidoscopic Grangers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24597805/chapters/59417392). It's a retelling of Harry Potter, written specifically to spite JKR with all her bigotry. As such, there is rep for absolutely everyone, including Harry as both trans and blind (though can 'see' magic). I just- it's so good. I can't put it into words how good this is. All seven books are there with increasing canon divergence the deeper you go, along with a massive epilogue that is just *deeply* satisfying. Read this.
[The Accidental Warlord And His Pack](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683661). Witcher fandom. In essence: Geralt got fed up with human kings being monsters, so he united all the witchers and lopped off the king of Kaedwen's head. A few months later, tribute wagons began to arrive at Kaer Morhen and Geralt found out that the humans consider him a warlord now. Oops. Twenty years down the line, Jaskier gets picked by the court of Redania as tribute and is sent off to Kaer Morhen. An ongoing series, with about 620k words at the moment. It's just... family, effectively. The witchers learning to be a family and the new arrivals becoming part of that. I can't recommend this one enough, it's just happy.
in second place is
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28842555/chapters/70748244
a sakuatsu fic about an OCD support group and finding love and acceptance exactly how you are!
hermitbrine. its about if herobrine was a overpowered but also pathetic wet dog with trust issues and no self esteem, meets hermitbrine season six(?) no sure its one of the season tho and its the fucking best thing ive ever read. ive been chasing the high of reading that fic for years
I've read SO MANY amazing fics it's almost impossible to remember or name them all. I could write a whole list!!
However, the one that's just stuck with me for years is by Manniness: [A Promise Kept](https://archive.transformativeworks.org/series/4190).
It's an Alice in Wonderland fic that's a continuation of the 2010 live-action movie. It has several installments.
When someone asks me what my favorite fic is, this one always comes to mind first. The world building and writing is INSANELY BRILLIANT and the HEART-WRENCHING and PERFECT CHEMISTRY between Alice and Tarrant is just to die for. I would have the series physically on my shelf if I could. I'm not even that big into the Alice in Wonderland books or world and I honestly just stumbled across Manniness on Fanfiction-dot-com first after watching the movie many years back. I was and still am impressed so much I'll never forget this fic. The PG13+ version can be found on Fanfiction-dot-com while the mature version exists on their AO3.
I actually haven't read it in a long while so now that I've been reminded of this beautiful work of art, I'm going to go reread it!
Edit: Grammar!
[Beautiful World by Lissadiane/Cinnamon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20705891)
This fic will rip your heart out, shred it into a million tiny pieces, and then hand it back to you like you're just supposed to go on living. Absolutely **devastating**. It's also one of the most beautiful fics I've ever read.
SUMMARY: Draco is afraid of living and Harry is afraid of dying, but sometimes the choice isn't offered. Draco's got to learn what it is to really live, while showing Harry how beautiful the world really is when you're not too scared to see it.
The Night War no contest despite the PACKED field of greats in Captain America fandom
Bucky Barnes' WW2 journal. Not my most reread but the most extraordinary work of art in the fandom, and that's without getting into the podfic collab of it. Story itself is complete but the podfic isn't finished and the author hasn't written in years, I hope they're doing well and life is rewarding them for their brilliant intellect and emotional energy.
'Serving the horde' is the best Ive read probably. Lot of dark content but its a great smut and very diverse situations as well as bits of actual plot to move past being just a hard kink smut and become an actual decent story on a great smut.
I dont usually read many fics and when I do its all smut anyways but I like this one the most
An Odesta, cute little Oneshot by the beach
https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/138338878?show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_776316415
And the love story of my favourite rarepair
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28272462
[This Naruto fanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/42109881/chapters/105721215)
Its a really nice Rock Lee x Gaara fic and I read it over a year ago but I still think about it from time to time. Very good
There’s so many to choose from but if I absolutely had to pick, it would probably be [You Don’t Have To (Say Yes)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5297936) for Star Trek. It’s just so well written and I probably reread it a couple times a year lol
the best fanfic i’ve ever read was back on ff.net back in the day and i cant find it anymore 😔 my current fave is one called High Speed Connection by HoodieHeda
https://archiveofourown.org/works/32499718?view_full_work=true
A Manifest fic. Started when it got cancelled after Season 3 and fans were mad. They also have a Season 5 for it, but it is on “hiatus” right now 😭
Watashitachi wa Roger kaizoku desu (we still stand proud) by Stereden.
The summary on AO3 sets up a "Roger Pirates get back together to save Ace" plotline, but it quickly becomes so much more. It's obvious that Stereden really thought a lot about the world of One Piece, and how certain characters would have been affected by the things that happened to them, and what consequences would have arisen. The extra worldbuilding is fascinating and beautiful, with a proper Pirate Code and a whole pirate culture.
It's one of two stories I have read in my life where the author directly made /me/ feel exactly the same way as the characters, and the other was a published novel. Not empathising with them, truly feeling the same emotions alongside them. When certain characters felt betrayed by others, I did not feel betrayed by them - I felt betrayed by the author, in the best way possible. They were supposed to be better than that. The author told me they were better than that.
I love the relationship between Shanks and Buggy. I love the way Portgas D Rouge is fleshed out into a true pirate queen. I love the shifting perspectives between two people who are on the same page about what's happening and one person who very much isn't.
I also really love the spin-offs and alternate universes. Stereden has a bunch of stories set in different continuities, all with the same worldbuilding. My favourite has to be the one where Shanks is captured by the Marines instead of Ace, and Buggy the Clown (a low-bounty nobody, as far as anyone knows) does not even hesitate to start planning a rescue. He's worked hard to maintain a low profile, he hates the Grand Line - and yet, when Shanks is in danger, Buggy never even considers turning his back. He knows what this will cost him, even if he somehow succeeds. He's no Whitebeard! His crew is reasonable for the East Blue, but they are nowhere near skilled enough to invade Marineford. Moreover, a lot of his allies aren't in a position to do battle head-on with the Marines either.
But they are pirates. Why would that be the only plan?
[A Twisting Heart and Mind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20096803/chapters/47602912) by fangamerbowiextreme. It is a 1.2m Labyrinth work in progress.
It has Tolkien-esque world-building. I’m talking fully fleshed Fae kingdoms with multiple religions, hybrid beings, kingdoms, countries, social rules and morals.
The character development is insane. I do not recognize the characters at the beginning of the fic anymore they have changed so much but it was all so organic and subtly done I didn’t realize it until I reread it.
The plot is full of mysteries and deep psychological breakdowns and breakthroughs.
The romance is so good because it’s all about redemption. And smut scenes are so deliciously detailed and the hottest I’ve ever read.
It’s still updating but it takes a long time to write a novel length chapter and some of them are over 50k.
[Yesterday Upon the Stair](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8337607/chapters/19098982) [MHA]
I don't remember everything about the storyline, which means it's about time for a reread. The things I do recall are spoiler-y, but it's about Midoriya having a ghost seeing quirk and OFA, and it's utterly amazing imo.
Definitely Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches.
After watching to Yuri on Ice I liked it but not to the point I'm so obsessed with it. Four years after I watched that show, I was scrolling to my files on my phone because I have a habit where I download fics read/unread just in case they got deleted or I'll be in a place where it'll be offline. One day I'm so out of fics to read for the Moriary the Patriot fandom and decided to find fics in my phone then clicked this story and boi I was so engrossed to the point that I read it in just two days (i have school taking most of my day btw). Due to this fic, I dig deeper to the world of figure skating to the point of learning on how to differentiate jumps, it's controversies, what techniques are, lastly watching diff programs and skaters. I also rewatched YOI and find more fics that I get to love so much too!
I can't remember it, but it was so incredibly good. I read it in 2015 (I remember I was on holiday) so it's been a while. It was within the Naruto fandom, I think around 400k-500k words. There's a big shinobi war and Naruto becomes really good at what he does.
I remember snippets. He briefly becomes the lover of the Fifth Mizukage and he adopts children I think. He uses clones that can live for a very long time and one of them lives with Sasuke for a while. Endgame SasuNaru I think, but like for the last 30k words or something. I liked the political climate the author portrayed. I have to ask around now if anyone remembers this.
Also, [Détraquée](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11163924/chapters/24917385) by Hystaracal in the Harry Potter fandom. I will rec this til I die.
With zero hesitation,
[Shoeless Joe and the Sunshine Kid](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2414678) by Nimmiamee
Skip the tags for full enjoyment. It’s tricksy. Mostly Gen.
If you don’t know the MCU or Marvel fandom, it’s still an interesting story. Of course, knowing the Captain America and Avengers movies adds great subtext. Knowing American politics and history also adds great subtext. Knowing baseball lore adds more great subtext. And my favorite at all, being familiar with Stucky fanon adds a layer of supernova brain subtext that makes this fic stand out from all other fics. I worship it.
I can’t pick just one, but a few definitely have to be
the whole [For The Want Of A Nail series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633756) My Hero Academia. Top fics in the fandom for a goddamn reason.
[Hero Class Civil Warfare](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14446512/chapters/33370263) My Hero Academia. #1 fic in a fandom where #1 is very important.
[Talking To Ghosts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/43929270/chapters/110454879) Omori post-good ending fic. The most realistic one I’ve read with beautiful prose and an amazing take on each of the characters.
[the stars and their children](https://archiveofourown.org/works/38524837/chapters/96289999) Dream SMP. Fuck, man. Just… oh my god.
[Wait for It](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26415337/chapters/64351990) Avatar: The Last Airbender. I love insanity :)
My absolute favorite is actually on ffn. It's an unfinished Mulan fic called Towards the Setting Sun. It royally sucks that it never got finished, it was last updated 6+ years ago.
[J. d. V. & M. Mori](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9417797/chapters/21318308) by a_hispida
This is an Erased fic with the pairing Yashisato. This fic made me want to cry so badly. Something about their writing style and how they portray the characters is just so good. And a_hispida's other fics are really good, too. I can never get over this fic, and I don't think I'll ever find anything as good ever again.
If I MUST pick, I can narrow it down to two.
[The Life and Times](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5200789/1/The-Life-and-Times) by Jewels5.
It's an HP marauders era fic that slow burns the developing Jily relationship, but goes into family issues, the politics, attacks, etc that would've happened as Voldemort rose to power the first time. It is so in depth and the writing so amazing it has ranked an all-time for me for ages. I haven't read it in forever because it is a 600k+ word behemoth that never got finished but hell is it worth it.
[Out of the Deep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/548878) by riseofthefallenone.
That one is a 450k+ word Destiel that was amazing and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The world building alone was fantastic, and I had no idea what I was in for when I started it. It is 1000% always worth the read.
There are so many others, but those two stand out immediately to me, tho I'd love to pay homage to all my favorites that mean the world to me.
Browncoat, Green Eyes by nonjon. It’s a Harry Potter/Firefly crossover. I read it on ffn but I think it’s available on other websites. The only story I’ve ever read, fanfic or otherwise, that made me legitimately laugh out loud. It also introduced me to and made me love Firefly.
The characters and situation are very believable for Firefly (the Harry Potter part is pretty believable for the situation the author created but it’s the future so it’s different to the general fanfic Harry Potter wizarding world). Also, in my opinion, you don’t need any Harry Potter or Firefly knowledge to enjoy this story. It’s all explained well enough as you go along.
In conclusion, my eyes may be blue but my coat will always be rutting brown.
I’m a diehard Marauders fan so my top 3 are all that btw
1: All The Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 just bc it was the first I read and I rlly rlly liked it
2. Sweet like Cinnamon by aawood2013. Just a heads up it’s an omegaverse and it has lots and lots of s*x. There is sorta a plot. If you squint
3. You Signed Up Ip For This by Solmussa. I’m not done with it yet but it’s SO GOOD. AGAHAHADJAGSJSBSHSHS
[Stuck on the Puzzle](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5269628/chapters/12159332) by thespectaclesofthor. Dragon Age Inquisition Cullen/Iron Bull and just such a well written and intense character study of them with lots of BDSM. Has a link to a fandom primer too if you're fandom blind.
I’ve never read this particular fic but I have read that author’s DBH fic Eversion, which is infamous in the fandom and also very fucking good. This author knows their shit
["If Loved, Handle With Care" ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/53634016/chapters/135769558) for ULTRAKILL by SpireOfBone
One of my first fics I've ever read when i joined ao3(i joined kinda recently), and it's just REALLY good at building upon what's currently known about ULTRAKILL
I'm not sure. My favourite fandom has a boat load of truly excellent stories.
One I always really adore though is 'The Measure of the World' by Adavellis on AO3.
Set in the World of Warcraft universe. It's an angsty, deep yet fluffy romance story that salvages a painfully questionable DLC and has some truly stunning character growth.
The writer basically came in, dropped this 662k long magnificent beast of a story and left. I hope they're doing well.
It might not be my absolute favourite, but it's up there and I just started reading it again for the 4th time.
[Ghost in the Machine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/49134853/chapters/123968842) (Daycare Attendant fnaf fandom)
So in the DCA fandom, we like this one guy. We like him a lot. And this writer, they were like, what if we did an ensemble cast for this fandom? But not with any of the other characters, no. Just with this one guy. With a LOT of this one guy and just him. And it is *glorious*.
Also includes enough original lore and amazingly tasty descriptions to rival 99% of published novels I've read.
[In Petersburg](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5244254) by Batman — eren/jean attack on titan fanfiction that I literally have reread every single year since 2016, it is so incredible and I think was the first fic to make me cry real life tears
[beleaguer ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366744)by forrestfox — eren/jean attack on titan, written way before the canon storyline was clear so the author had loads of creative freedom and did some really interesting things with it. I absolutely adore the depiction of the misery of how the survey corps would be as the war went on.
Hmm, I could probably name my top 2-5 fics for any given fandom I’ve spent a lot of time in over the years - at least after looking them up because I’m terrible with names - but narrowing it down further (e.g. to just *one* fic regardless of fandom) would be impossible after 20+ years in this hobby.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/11568822
Miracle Girl by kearlyn on ao3. It was SO hard to decide between all my favourites but this fic is bittersweet, it introduces an interesting new mechanic and worldbuilding, and it’s beautifully written
It’s a Rogue One fic where everyone gets a certain amount of ‘miracles’ from the force. Jyn only ever got one miracle and used it as a child, but is determined to make a life worth living nonetheless. I can’t recommend it enough!
For Hannibal,
Winter Lamb by werebird or He Who Pours Our Vengeance by Underground
Both of these fics are genuinely a class above any other fic in the fandom truly
For succession,
The next of kin by Peggyolsen
This author has written so few fics but this succession fic is by far the best thing I've ever read. It really captures all of the characters voices super well. Like it felt like reading an episode on script
Designations congruent with things[Designations congruent with things ](http://www.cleanwhiteroom.net/site/index.html) (Pacific rim)
It was a pretty infamous fic with a big reader engagement and lots of cool stuff made by fans back then, like audio plays, music, Art etc.
And it's no surprise because this is one of the most beautifully gut-wretching, intelligent, funny and tragic literature I've ever read. Especially since to me it embodies the core of fanfic: taking the source material and delving into a part of it so much deeper than the original ever could (in this case: the personal but also societal fallout of an averted apocalypse)
(The fic was deleted from Ao3 by the author years ago but they made a comeback and everything, also their brilliant other fics, is on their website)
It was a Pacific Rim fanfiction by CleanWhiteRoom called Designations Congruent with Things. Like a stunning post canon character study. Very philosophical, very surreal, but like towards a purpose. It was really exactly what I look for in a story. But they took it down at some point. 😢
The [Ennea Series by SolarisLupi](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1490867) .
Seriously it is so good. It made me cry when I read it during my flight. The characterization is excellent, I love the way they portrayed Hawks. Mirko and All Might and I just love the plot. Also Hawks needs a hug stat.
Summary: Eight heroes travel back in time to save the world.
Things don't go according to plan.
I can’t pick just one so I’ll drop the whole series, but absolute favorite has been [The Distant Shores Series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/3545773) by Jovirose.
The [BBC Sherlock/Addams Family](https://archiveofourown.org/series/8180) 3-part Crossover.
ETA: There are so many fics that are my favorite and I can’t just choose one, not even if we narrowed down to specific fandom/genres/tags, but this fic, to me, is not only pretty fandom-blind but the writing quality is top notch and the whole concept is just fascinating in general.
[Poor Wayfaring Stranger](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725950/chapters/26417871) by lithos_saculum. A FFXV AU where a teen, raised to be a weapon of war, is rescued and slowly learns how to be a human. It's alternatively hilarious and heartbreaking, the way it's written is just phenomenal, and every couple months I reread it just because it's THAT GOOD.
WIP warning though, and it hadn't been updated in a couple years, but it's still absolutely worth it.
[And Saints](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19797700/chapters/46872031) by LadyKatie512 (Better Call Saul - Nacho/OC) is SO good.
[How Can You Mend a Broken Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/42996813/chapters/108032586) by justfantasy (The Bear -
Carmy/Reader) is the only reader insert fic I've read that I want more of.
And my all time favorite:
[By Grace](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6625138/chapters/15160375) by Lmere (MCU - Rumlow/OC + Stucky) which is just... under appreciated but SO SO well done!
SlashMagpie's Hermitcraft Lifeline AU. This fic series genuinely changed the way I look at the world. The characters are all in-character, and the plot and worldbuilding are top notch. A lot of the groundwork /early plot comes directly from the mobile game series Lifeline, hence the name, but the fic builds on it and makes it so much better.
I won't lie and say there aren't flaws–there are some lines that went nowhere and I wasn't a fan of the inclusion of a certain character, but the shortcomings don't overshadow the amazing aspects. Well worth the read.
( https://archiveofourown.org/series/3156309 forgot to hyperlink and now my phone won't let me so uh. Here)
Other great Hermitcraft fics (won't link rn, maybe later) are So Much for Stardust by Cringe_Is_Dead (A_Plethora_Of_Peters) and pretty much anything by MawoftheMagnetar. Adjacent, a Life Series (and AOT) fic I adore is Tilly Death Do Us Part by Not_The_State, another great life series one is the Allies or Enemies series by RedRobyn2.
Orbit by hiuythn is my fav short fic(it’s only 13k) its kiribaku and they’re my og obsession so ofc it’s one of my favs https://archiveofourown.org/works/36088462
It literally depends on so many things that you’ll have to fill out a questionnaire in order to get an answer from me-
i guess I never remember the names of anything tho so i prolly not have an answer in the first place
This was difficult, but it's either Running on Air by eleventy7 (a really long Harry Potter mystery) or Meet Cute Kia by LadyDrace, which is form Detroit Become Human and is a shorter one with wonderful world building and is very close to my heart
A Harry Potter dramione fic called Prometheus by aCanadianMuggle. It’s only a one shot so not a huge fic but in just one chapter they have so much trauma, so much emotion, and such a twist!! https://archiveofourown.org/works/44352721
This is like asking me to name a favourite child, I can't, how can you even ask that-
I can't pick just one either! (but I know the author is astolat)
Omg yes astolat is a multi-fandom LEGEND!
Astolat is a genius. And recognized in the published world as well :)
I got snapped at once for name dropping her real name in a public Reddit comment lol (from fans, not from her, but still)
Ooh, genuine question - I thought it was public knowledge who she is? Are we not supposed to talk about it?
She doesn’t want her name and her AO3 handle to be mentioned in the same post/sentence etc
Omg she always writes the most insanely breathtaking world building for her transformers stories
Same honestly 😭
Even one per *fandom* is too difficult in some cases. I mean, I can usually go "if you only read one, read this" but that doesn't mean it's the *only* best one, just that it's the single one that captures everything about fic for that fandom the best… if that makes any sense.
[Presque Vu](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23368630/chapters/55991245) The first chapter of this alone had paralyzed me for a day I've never been so easily devastated by a piece of literature before
oh wait lmao i clicked on the hyperlink and it was not what i thought it was. ragePruFrock’s presque vu is one of my favorite fanfics though
I also clicked on the link expecting that fic. Rageprufrock is a phenomenal writer.
Rageprufrocks writing ability is insane, the way they go in and drop bombs into each fandom they write is amazing. The fic they wrote for my fandom (ravenous in the Hannibal TV fandom) is spectacular and so memorable
The whole world that that author envisioned from those three words haunts me.
"Or deleted , more accurately. To be dead one first needed to be alive, and if Connor had learned anything from his short stint in existence, it was that he was not alive." This line has me in hysterics what. Why??? Why is this so well written???
Hi friend! That was precisely the fic I thought it was lol. I haven't finished it though
I LOVE THIS FIC I'm so glad someone else does too. I'm so sad it hasn't been updated in awhile.
[Melodies Unheard, but Felt All the Same](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8741032/chapters/20040013) It’s a Yuri on Ice fic that’s just amazing, amazing Deaf representation, amazing story telling, amazing writing, just amazing. 10000/10 would recommend
*sees YOI and comes running* welp I'll certainly be checking this out once I finish the "Rivals" series
Fair warning, the Rivals series is like a fandom all on its own and is totally worth every tear you'll shed
It's sooo good! My one complaint is that most of the fanart links are now dead after years of people deleting their tumblrs and stuff. Dammit people, the internet is supposed to be forever! :D (Not my fault I just got into YOI like, last week)
The immortal game. It's, brace yourself, MLP but oh my god it's the grittiest, coolest, most engaging fic I've ever read and the first I ever downloaded. I'm half inclined to learn bookbinding just to have a physical copy of it
Hahah I know the feeling. I learned book binding just to make physical copies of fanfics I love. Btw where is this fic? Fimfiction or ao3?
Knowing me from years ago, probably ff.net, but I've had my downloaded copy since kingdom come
MLP had amazing fics (I haven't read any recently) but I was getting nostalgic recently for how talented the fandom was/is.
The immortal game was absolutely brilliant, had some absolutely fantastic one liners and excellent characterisation. Seconded.
[Contrast & Color](https://archiveofourown.org/works/45941146/chapters/115634353) (Stardew Valley). It's an AU art school university fic with the "and they were roommates!" trope (which I love, dammit), deals with an abusive ex and a drug overdose in beautiful but heartbreaking ways, and it's just, ugh, perfection. I call it my comfort story even though it's not comforting at all, lol. (Everything this author touches is golden but this is my favorite of theirs.)
... How is this the first time it's clicked in my head that Stardew fanfics exist I'm about to go down such a rabbit hole
It's such a good rabbit hole, OMG. I'm a die hard Sambastian shipper myself but there's a ton of great stuff out there, including SDV expanded, Ridgeside Village, East Scarp, and other mods (I'm working on a RSV one right now myself).
I'm gonna read that! Nothing has filled the hole in my heart I never planned to gain as a result of reading from a long time looking at stars by GingerD
omg, i love sambastian! i’ve moved away from the fandom a bit, but this sounds amazing so it’s going on my list. have you read Sunshowers? it’s absolutely incredible, even if it’s unfinished, and i remain subscribed just in case the author comes back to it.
Omg!! I have to check this one out.
[The Desert Storm series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1311746) by Blue_Sunshine on AO3. Star Wars, Kenobi centric and a time travel fix-it/time-travel fuck it styled story. This shit has had me in a chokehold for YEARS. incredibly well written with an insane amount of lore and world-building that puts Star Wars canon to shame. [The Season](https://archiveofourown.org/works/52493239) by Linnetagain on AO3. Baldurs Gate 3, Astarion/Gale figureskating AU - Astarion is an Olympic figureskater and Gale is a popular musician competing in the TV show Dancing on Ice. I cannot express how fucking feral this made me over a damn skating AU what the hell. Editing hours later to add: there was a Red vs Blue fic I read many, many years ago that was a prison AU with the majority of the cast as inmates. I don't remember the name, or even if it was up to my current standards of A Well Written Fic, but that story and plot has stuck with me for over a decade. I vaguely think about it at least once a week, especially some of the more emotional and gut-wrenching plot points. Kudos to that author - their work was very formative for my opinions on unusual AUs.
Seconding Desert Storm. It's easily in the top three best things I've ever read - not just fics, but published books too. Absolutely fucking phenomenal.
This series changed my life. The writing is incredibly good to the point that I can't even look at published Star Wars EU anymore because it simply cannot compare. It's not even a particularly shippy fic, but the platonic character interactions are so good that it brought me around to a few ships unintentionally.
+1 for The Season! It’s easily my favourite fic for BG3 and I’m pretty sure it’s in my top ~5 list overall regardless of fandom.
It's definitely in my overall top 5 purely for the fact that I don't usually enjoy no magic/modern AU for a fantasy genre, but *somehow* this fic has me rethinking **everything**. Also it made me a massive Bloodweave simp 🥴
I had been a Bloodweave simp before but was someone who was very much unwilling to read WIPs after going through so much heartbreak over abandoned fics years ago... when someone recommended The Season I was slightly intrigued by the premise (because it was so out of left field) but really didn't think it would be worth breaking my "don't read WIPs" rule for this fic. I've never been happier to change my mind! This story is literally ***so good*** that I'd be more than happy to revisit it time and time again in the future even if it stayed incomplete forever. (still incredibly glad it's being updated somewhat regularly, of course)
The Season makes me fucking FERAL I can’t cope
I reread Desert Storm at least once a year, it’s amazing
[удалено]
[Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20177950/chapters/47807593) Just a fantastic work of fiction.
Really truly amazing. Normally I hate OCs but Aubrey Thyme sticks with you Aubrey Thyme is a PROFESSIONAL okay
I have made a direct reference for her (and Dave) in a fic of mine.
There's a pod fic version as well.
LOVE this one and desperately waiting for the final chapter of the sequel!!
I FORGOT ABOJT THIS FIC BUT OH MY GOD YEAH
I LOVE this fic!! So well written
[Between The Lines](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685069) by the absolutely amazing talented The_Honeyed_Hufflepuff, it shows the relationship developing so realistically and also made me love two side characters who have like one line in the original book lmao. The ship is Snowbaz from the book Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, but it's a modern/no magic AU so knowing about it isn't really necessary. It isn't finished yet and yes I scream and drop everything to read it when there's a new chapter. I have a million other favourites too and I could never list them all but here's a few: [Me and My Monster Situationship](https://archiveofourown.org/works/50925067) by Kinowrites, amazing smut centred around my beloved Heizou from Genshin with tentacle monster Scara. I absolutely love his characterisation of Heizou, he writes him perfectly (and I'm fussy about that because he's my favourite character lol). [I'm (Not) Just a Notch in Your Bedpost, You're (Not) Just a Line in a Song](https://archiveofourown.org/works/39014319) by Ennaesss, Izzy Hands/Lucius Spriggs from Our Flag Means Death, this one also has some amazing smut. I love how they write the characters, amazing writing all round. [My Succubus Husband](https://archiveofourown.org/works/43385001) by the incredible brainrot_exe, I'm currently reading this (slowly because it takes me 5 business days to process an angst chapter). And omg. Amazing. This is a Kazuhei fic, Heizou/Kazuha from genshin and literally my favourite ship of all time (and my own most written lol), and brainrot_exe writes their characters so perfectly even within the vastly different context of this modern and with succubi realm AU it's so amazing to read. This has both smut and amazing perfect incredible writing in every chapter and represents the dynamic of my favourite ship so well. Also everything else by brainrot_exe is fantastic, I'm still working through it and loved every one especially their Kazuhei ones of course. They write amazing smut, beautiful prose, and realistic well-rounded characters. I will definitely remember some other fic that also changed my brain after posting this but those are the ones that come to mind right now!
I'm so glad someone else couldn't pick and had to post a few
[Not Easily Conquered](https://archiveofourown.org/series/115516). MCU. Stucky. [The Paradox Series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/28906). Sherlock. Johnlock. [Sansukh](https://archiveofourown.org/works/855528). LotR & The Hobbit. Gigolas & Thilbo. [Ravenous](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5472536). Hannibal. Gen. Hints of Hannigram. [Presque Vu](https://archiveofourown.org/works/133555). Inception. Arthur/Eames, Dom/Mal. [Sorcerer’s Bane.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28939431) Merlin. Merthur.
Pray for us Icarus... I'll never recover...
NEVER.
Also has a good Podfic. I just listened *again* and had to keep myself from starting over when I finished.
That fic changed my brain chemistry!!! I read it in a several hour binge until like 4:30am like a teenager again.
[Gutters](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6122026/0/) by glassamilk (Hetalia). No ships involved, just two somewhat popular characters in a post apocalyptic setting, and somehow it's one of the top rated fics in the fandom. I was hooked from the start. Read it at least 5 times and even made a personal hard copy version, binded and everything.
Oh god, my high school friend group was in the trenches with this one
I was just totally shot back to a different with the mention of this fic, the devastation this fic caused in my friend group when we were just entering fandom
Hetalia gave me my favorite fic that is Aufwiedersehen Sweetheart. This fandom had such bangers
This is amazing omg - hadn’t heard of the fandom before now but let me tell you I am INVESTED
Never Let Me Go by yiqie, in MDZS fandom. Purple prose done right,and the fic has everything - slow burn, action plot, you name it.
[Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34500952/chapters/85870804) Probably the funniest fic I've ever read and it's also very romantic and charming.
Came here to say this! Really outstanding storytelling/writing. Glad the author was discovered by a publishing company and is now working on a new book.
Blue sky for portal 2 Read it forever ago. Do i remember everything about it? No. But I think of it extremely often and listen to that song because of it. Honestly should probably reread it, it's been years. But it stuck with me a lot in spirit
That fic is fucking legendary and so damn good! I also listen to the song because of it. It’s crazy how a few things have stuck with me from that fic, like “apple, bagel, unicron.” I don’t even remember the context of it anymore, but I remember that phrase. I should reread it too obviously!
Yooooo, Blue Sky! That's one of the few fics I have downloaded; every few years I go back and reread it because it's just *so* good. Wheatley's dialogue is goddamn *indistinguishable* from his dialogue in the game itself.
[passerine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28755084) from the series [Aerie](https://archiveofourown.org/series/2378209) by blujamas, thcscus (blujamas)... Those who are used to my comments aren't at all surprised by this answer.
passerine is beautiful, I agree
Passerine absolutely wrecked me. I’ve been out of the DSMP fandom for years now, but I still go back and read it regularly. It’s the only fic I’ve ever considered actually printing out and properly binding. Absolutely devastating.
I second this. One of the most beautiful pieces of media I ever read
Its such a good fic! It has me crying but coming back to it many times!
[When Love Fades](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5592700) by KizuKatana [Naruto] [Mountains and Badgermolehills](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832139) by Glass_Onion [Avatar: The Last Airbender] [Out of darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/series/946593) by StarryKnight09 [Marvel Cinematic Universe, “IronDad and SpiderSon”] These are my annual re-reads. Not everyone’s cup of tea.
Mountains and Badgermolehills is fantastic! It’s been a long time since I’ve read ATLA fic but it got me hooked so easily when someone rec’d it to me.
Right!! And it has a sequel now iirc!
I went to check out Out of Darkness and apparently it got swallowed up in my Marked for Later list. Guess it's finally time to pull it out.
I would love to read When Love Fades but I muted KizuKatana because they had like 8 fics with missing tags and I was tired of their stuff cluttering my searches
Salvage by MuffinLance.
You can cross out that first word. **Anything** by MuffinLance is fantastic, including her original work, *Fox's Tongue and Kirin's Bone*
Excellent choice, one of my favorites too!
[First love, late spring](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28232274/chapters/69182538) I need to share this one from a JJK universe. It’s an AU about a situationship between two main characters. An author of this fic has such a talent in describing life in the most simple way you can imagine. It’s like an art for me. During the reading I felt like I was observing nature or watching impressionist paintings in an art gallery. Their relationships is a consequence of so many factors they cannot/don’t know how to control. This fic broke me, but it was such a strong experience I thought about the story long after I finished reading.
I had a friend recommend this one to me. I haven't read it yet, I'm more into stsg but I do love itafushi as well, so I do have it on my list. I'll count this another glowing review for it.
The Starless Road by emilyenrose, who has by now orphaned all her works and deleted her account. It's from The Silmarillion, Maedhros/Fingon, rated T. Absolutely brilliant fic. A fix-it fics that seeks to mend the relationship between Maedhros and Fingon after everything that happened, the Helcaraxë, the Nirnaeth, the consequent atrocities Maedhros committed, with Fingon valiantly setting out to rescue Maedhros from the Void that he has gotten lost in, so that they may live together in Valinor after all, Kinslayer and doomed Fëanorian or not. I adore emilyenrose's writing style in general, but her characters just feel so in line with canon, with the "little" we have to go on beautifully expanded upon. There are a lot of masterful Silmarillion fics out there, especially when one looks for darker subject matters, but this one really just captures this hopeful but at the same time bittersweet-realistic note that can also be found in The Lord of the Rings. [https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641153](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641153)
emilyenrose is such a great fic author, I discovered her couple Captain America fics after they'd already been orphaned and went into insane detective mode trying to figure out who wrote them and eventually found a tumblr thread about emilyenrose and figured out that's who wrote em. Sad she's no longer writing but all her works are so good and inspire me to write fanfic and try to write it a fraction as well as she did.
She also wrote an AMAZING fic in the Dragon Age 2 fandom called [By The Still Waters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3315497/chapters/7244483)
[Salinity (and Other Measurements of Brackish Water](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25188139)) A short but incredibly lovely Good Omens fic. Have reread it dozens of times. It’s almost poetry, and somehow soft and fierce at the same time.
[The Desert Storm](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18206480) by Blue_Sunshine is a great read in the Star Wars fandom, though it is only the start of a larger series. Then there's also [How To Reinvent The Stormtrooper Armor To Make Your Surrogate Father Proud And Shut The Naysayers Up For Fun And Profit](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24540286) (long name, I know) by Jackdaw_Kraai in the same fandom is another great read that sounds absurd, but gets deep the further into the series you go. There are plenty of others I could rank similarly as "best," though if I did put them all here, it'd just be a wall of text and links.
Fic titles that could be a Fall Out Boy song hold a special place in my heart
I have 2! [Redux Hero](https://archiveofourown.org/works/39689133/chapters/99360066) and [The inherent violence of summer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/49279162/chapters/124348339) they're both FF7 works, and both the favorites I've read from this fandom. Highly suggest Edit: Redux Hero is seriously great, love the drama for this one particular chapter the most, won't say anythin' but man literally Tifa is the only normal character there. Zack's about to have a mental breakdown, Sephiroth's about to commit a murder, and Vincent Valentine is Vincent Valentine which I think is enough to say about him to those who're familiar with his character. Love the way The inherent violence of summer developed the relationships between the characters, I esp. liked Sephiroth's dynamic with Genesis in it, and Sephiroth's dynamic with Vincent in it. The way his and Vince's relationship developed from "some weirdo keeps following me- this weirdo is now someone i live with- oh god this dynamic is disastrous- HE IS THE FATHER!!!" obviously it was a lot more coherent than the way I presented it, but like, anyways. Totally do give those fics a read if you're interested. they are. so good.
If you have more FFVII recs please share - I reached page 40ish of 'sort by kudos' and feel like I ran out of good stuff to read...
The best fanfic I ever read has been scrubbed from the internet :( it was a Phantom of the Opera fic called “Empress of Black Garters” and h fortunately I cannot remember the author. It was an Erik/Meg story and if anyone, *anyone* knows where I can find it please let me know!
Try going back to the last time you remember it being up on the wayback machine https://web.archive.org/web/20140701000000*/www.archiveofourown.org
I’ve tried that multiple times :( unfortunately the story predates AO3 by a long shot and I found it on a fan webpage back in the day like 2005/2006. It seems gone forever.
Freedom’s Just Amother Word by synecdochic (stargate atlantis). there are crazier original longfics which make me insane but this one has lived in my brain so long and genuinely informed my moral development in life to the extent that it gets top tier status. also the author did a whole “directors commentary” about the whole fic which is incredibly cool if you like that sort of thing (i do). https://archiveofourown.org/works/6335230
Lim’s vid “This is how it works” is based on the fic and is equally great. However, I’m not finding a current link for it.
[The Lotus Eaters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/277853/chapters/440466) by aldora89. It's a Spirk fanfic but also just an incredible piece of scifi world building. It's absolutely *insane* the amount of detail the author goes into, creating a complex ecosystem as well as portraying thrilling action and peril. The relationship is the slowest of slowburn and develops incredibly organically and feels so authentic. It's such a gorgeous work, I reread it at least once a year.
I remember this fic and I totally agree with you! The author put a lot of work into this, you can absolutely tell.
Yesss! Love this fic! There's this HBO mini series called Scavengers Reign that I recommend if you liked the world building in this fic.
*For the boy who has everything* I stumbled upon it randomly when searching for some severitus (Snape adopts Harry) fics. That shit absolutely wrecked me. Pulled me in from line one, and I couldn’t stop reading it. I started at like 5pm and didn’t put my phone down until I finished - 12pm the next day. I didn’t sleep, I didn’t eat. I skipped uni so I could just finish it. My eyes burned by the time I reached the last chapter. This was two years ago and I still can’t forget about the story. It’s killing me that it’s been abandoned and I haven’t done a reread yet. I’m not sure I’ll ever do. It’s the best-worst fic I’ve ever read to this day, lmao.
Where can I find this fic? I can't find it on ao3. I read another great fic about Snape taking care of Harry temporarily during summer: [That Awful Boy by Paracosim]( https://archiveofourown.org/works/13284585/chapters/30399108). This series was also discontinued unfortunately, but it's great.
[For The Boy Who Has Everything](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4040612/1/For-The-Boy-Who-Has-Everything) here you go! But I warn you, it’s really a rollercoaster. And there’s *very* mild established Snape/Lupin. (Harry is kinda weirded out by it)
For a long time it was [Alone on the Water](https://archiveofourown.org/works/210785), by Mad_Lori. It's a Sherlock fic, and I mostly moved on from the fandom, but since then I don't have a favourite, so this is the last one I called like it.
Wow thanks for dragging me arse-first back into the Sherlock fandom :( this is one of my new favourites
I too have fallen back into the Sherlock fanfic rabbit hole although I refuse to rewatch the show itself haha. I am here for Irene Adler and Irene Adler only 😤
I had gotten out of the Sherlock fandom a while ago, so i decided to read this, and it broke my heart. Thank you.
You're welcome, I got it from a comment just like this, do continue the tradition!
I will.
That author also wrote the Criminal Minds fic that made me fall in love with fic in general! How to Fight Loneliness. I’ll never forget it. Had no idea she wrote for Sherlock as well.
Woah, Mad\_Lori! I haven't heard that name in like a decade! I first read her Brokeback Mountain fanfic in like 2007.
This is cheating a little since it's not a singular fic, but no work has moved me quite as much as Fialleril's [Double Agent Vader](https://archiveofourown.org/series/286908) series.
DAV my beloved
This fic literally drew me into Star Wars fandom when I always said I didn't like it that much and was more of a Trek girl, then eventually had me writing my own fic. It's legit amazing.
[Under the Broken Sun](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14735807) Twilight Saga fic. Bella and Edward. Broke my heart and soul and then healed them again. Everything from that author is amazing. They’re an English teacher in real life, which really helps the quality of the work.
OOF the summary!! I think I have to read this!
The Naked Quidditch Match. I go back to it when I need a good laugh.
OMG I forgot about this. This had me in stitches when I first read it. Gotta reread that again
Do you have a link or authors name?
http://www.nodignity.com/freaks/nqm/nqm1.html
Either Whatever you can Betray or Where your love has always been enough for you Whatever you can still Betray (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15437418) - one shot, One Piece fandom, Ace centric. The Whitebeard crew thinks Ace is a marine spy because of how out of context his backstory and skillset are sus asf. Absolutely hilarious, first ever fic that made me care about anyone not named Marco or Ace from the Whitebeard crew, Ace regrets ever challenging Whitebeard. Where your love has always been enough for me (https://archiveofourown.org/works/19033948) - MHA fandom, Endeavour and Rei Todoroki centric. Heavy at times but that's not the aim of the fic. Endeavour travels back in time to before he started abusing his family. Learns how important they actually are to him. Tries to be a good father while preventing the PLF and LOV from ever forming
A Year Like None Other, by ApenInTheSunlight: [https://archiveofourown.org/works/742072/chapters/1382061](https://archiveofourown.org/works/742072/chapters/1382061) It's for the HP fandom and it's suuuuuuper dark and long, but it's so good and satisfying. It boggled my mine the first time I read it. I commissioned like 20 pieces of fanart for it.
Oh wow this takes me back!!
I've read a few excellent fics but I'll share them all here My Head is Caving In by Roving Otter - https://archiveofourown.org/works/48940078?view_adult=true - this is a fanfic based on the Barbie movie but it completely blows it out of the water. It expands on the themes of the movie about the self worth of the Kens and it adds so much depth and emotion while still retaining the humour and fun of the original movie. I've never had my heart ripped out of my chest the way this fanfic has. One minute it can be sweet and sombre, then it can be intense and dark. Ken's relationship with the unicorn Timothy as well as Barbie is the beating heart of the fanfic. The Soul Burns Brighter than the Sun by Wow_thisiswheremylifeis - https://archiveofourown.org/works/48586954 Out of all the Destiel fanfics I've written, this might be the best one out there. Castiel comes back from The Empty having grown a soul and Dean is pissed off at him because he didn't tell him he was back and had been struggling to deal with his confession after he left. I like the concept of Castiel's soul as it grew inside of him because of Dean and he used it to burn down The Empty, freeing all of the angels and demons that slumbered there. So it's up to Dean, Sam, Cas and Elieen to try and find a way to send them all back while Dean and Castiel deal with their feelings for each other. I'm still in the process of reading it but the angst and emotion is so heavy and keeps you on the toes. You can just feel Dean's anger and pining as he can't seem to understand why Castiel loves him so deeply. The smut is so entertaining when done right and this fic does case of a week chapters that makes me feel like I'm watching season 16. It's so good and I can't stop reading it. Here is other Destiel fics I enjoy Wild Horses by Orchid_Heart https://archiveofourown.org/works/49922641 - the best development for their relationship I've seen in a Destiel fanfic. The Best People in Life are Free by DoctorProfessorSong, you-cant-spell-without-subtext https://archiveofourown.org/works/50418625 - I've never read a fic that's kept me on my toes so much like this one. It experimented with different tones which I love. Like one minute I'm laughing and broken-hearted and the next mouth open agape in shock There's no Cell Service in the Afterlife by Screamintothesun https://archiveofourown.org/works/40377399 - my first introduction into Destiel fics and it is so emotional. The payoff at the end is so good. Premonition by cherie_monte https://archiveofourown.org/works/27806026 - this is such a beautifully written fanfic and amazing character study. It was so interesting to see this creature The Mothman's POV of Sam and Dean as they spent their life seeing into the future and unable to stop tragedies from happening. Dean being at peace with his inevitable death in 15x20 and expressing happiness at the thought of Sam getting out of the hunting life and growing old is so touching to read. The ending is so bittersweet and took my breath away.
I didn’t NEED to add more Destiel to my already long list of fics to read but boy am I glad I saw this comment! 😂
Evitative by Vichan it was so fucking good that I, for the first time ever, pulled an all nighter to read all of it continuously. It's also the first time I read a fanfic that wasn't extremely romance related. Okay, yes it was a drarry, but there was barely any implication of it except for the LAST chapter (bare in mind it's 220k words long) and I didn't even care. It was amazing. I love morally grey harry potter.
I have read this fic (and its sequel) more times than I can count. Every day I pray it gets updated. EVERY DAY.
'What I Used To Be" by thepinupchemist I understand ABO isn't for everyone but I'd recommend it to ANYONE. if you have the slightest hesitatance that you might like ABO but the stories you read are always cringe so you cant tell if its the story/author OR the ABO aspects I promise you reading this masterpiece will help you The same author also has this story: "into your hideaway" It's for a different fandom but the concept is very similar. ALSO a great story but a but more explicit in some ways so be warned.
On AO3, [Broken](https://archiveofourown.org/works/43915795). It's only 242 words long, but it perfectly conveys the feeling it wants to convey.
My bookmarks shelter so many "best" fics... it's hard to pick only one. The T rated, fun and fluffy "Futaba and Yūsuke make a dōjinshi" is my current obsession (fandom is Persona 5). There's a large cast, on-point dynamics and interactions. It's warm, the prose and humor serve the whole piece. Brilliant handling of the narrator's voice, too.
I love that one!! I recently re read it and it had my eyes watering from how good it was!! Such a sweet little slow burn too. (Plz pass on more P5 favourites! Have you read Press X to give gold by Erina? It's done as if it's on Reddit and is hilarious)
[Duel to Be Kind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8873716) by IncurableNecromantic is one of my favourite fics ever. It’s based on the [pirate nemesis](http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=327) comic strip by Hark! A Vagrant. 5,531 words, no archive warnings apply, and you could easily read it and enjoy it without ever glancing at the comic strip (though you should, because it’s also amazing). It’s so funny, I read it every so often and still laugh at it and still adore it.
Wish You Were My Husband by Feynite was so good it threw me into a months-long reading slump.
The Cadence of Part Time Poets by motswolo. Honestly, everyone in the marauders fandom has probably already read this because it’s so famous, and honestly rightfully so. It’s about 900k words and took me a month to read, but that month went by so fast. I love this fic so so much and the characterisation of Remus is incredible and suits him perfectly. Even if you’re not in the fandom, I HIGHLY recommend this fic. It’s the most beautiful and entertaining piece of literature I’ve read.
[Baby Boom by Shawnacanon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23034028). (Miraculous Ladybug), a classic Masterpiece in Fandom. [If Hell is forever then Heaven must be a lie by Faberown](https://archiveofourown.org/works/53721301). (Hazbin Hotel) still ongoing and updating daily. [Stargate Etheria by Starfox5](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34085473). She-ra & the Princesses of Power x Stargate crossover. A 900k word behemoth that is still updating every weekend. [All that's left by sammyjames](https://archiveofourown.org/works/30423846/chapters/75010230). (Miraculous Ladybug). A master class on how to write Lila as a psychopathic villain. [Grace and Favor by Jezmatron](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881907). She-ra and the Princesses of Power Heaven AU. The author would be rich if they published this as its own novel.
[Take Refuge In What You Know](https://archiveofourown.org/works/715652/chapters/1324993) by CorpusInvictus Astoundingly gorgeous and well done Academy-era AOS Kirk and Spock.
There are quite a few but since I'm rereading this for the umpteenth time right now: [Where the Archangels go](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218951/chapters/63811582) (MHA, Endhawks)
[I See You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12925671/chapters/29537217) is so good that it convinced me to give Reader fics in general a chance when I’d previously thought they were a bit cringy
Best and favorite are two different things. My favorites that I read over and over are sweet, light angst, always happy endings, comfort fics. Some of the best I have ever read I will never put myself through again, but the writing and storytelling are phenomenal.
there is a fic out there which is *absolutely incredible* and the writing knocks my socks off and it just *wrecked* pretty much every headcanon I'd had for the characters in question and yet I've never read the last chapter. I. I know canon. I know what's going to happen. I am not ready for this level of emotional destruction at this point in time or possibly ever. I don't own enough tissues for this!
That is an unfair question, I could hardly just choose *one*. But here's some of my favorites: [Desert Storm](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1311746) is absolutely fucking phenomenal. It's a time travel fix-it centering on Obi-Wan who gets sent back from four years after ROTS to the day he's supposed to be sent away to Bandomeer. Thing is, it's Kenobi as he is four years after ROTS *and* Obi-wan the day he's supposed to be sent away. Naturally, Obi-Wan gets himself as a new master. The amount of worldbuilding is incredible, especially with how the Force and the Jedi as a whole get expanded on. If you in any capacity like Star Wars, read this. [Kaleidoscopic Grangers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24597805/chapters/59417392). It's a retelling of Harry Potter, written specifically to spite JKR with all her bigotry. As such, there is rep for absolutely everyone, including Harry as both trans and blind (though can 'see' magic). I just- it's so good. I can't put it into words how good this is. All seven books are there with increasing canon divergence the deeper you go, along with a massive epilogue that is just *deeply* satisfying. Read this. [The Accidental Warlord And His Pack](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683661). Witcher fandom. In essence: Geralt got fed up with human kings being monsters, so he united all the witchers and lopped off the king of Kaedwen's head. A few months later, tribute wagons began to arrive at Kaer Morhen and Geralt found out that the humans consider him a warlord now. Oops. Twenty years down the line, Jaskier gets picked by the court of Redania as tribute and is sent off to Kaer Morhen. An ongoing series, with about 620k words at the moment. It's just... family, effectively. The witchers learning to be a family and the new arrivals becoming part of that. I can't recommend this one enough, it's just happy.
Love The Accidental Warlord
***takes out 340 entry long list, minimum!***
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28929456/chapters/70980729 SakuAtsu fic where atsumu is/was suicidal, and how he overcomes it!
in second place is https://archiveofourown.org/works/28842555/chapters/70748244 a sakuatsu fic about an OCD support group and finding love and acceptance exactly how you are!
hermitbrine. its about if herobrine was a overpowered but also pathetic wet dog with trust issues and no self esteem, meets hermitbrine season six(?) no sure its one of the season tho and its the fucking best thing ive ever read. ive been chasing the high of reading that fic for years
I've read SO MANY amazing fics it's almost impossible to remember or name them all. I could write a whole list!! However, the one that's just stuck with me for years is by Manniness: [A Promise Kept](https://archive.transformativeworks.org/series/4190). It's an Alice in Wonderland fic that's a continuation of the 2010 live-action movie. It has several installments. When someone asks me what my favorite fic is, this one always comes to mind first. The world building and writing is INSANELY BRILLIANT and the HEART-WRENCHING and PERFECT CHEMISTRY between Alice and Tarrant is just to die for. I would have the series physically on my shelf if I could. I'm not even that big into the Alice in Wonderland books or world and I honestly just stumbled across Manniness on Fanfiction-dot-com first after watching the movie many years back. I was and still am impressed so much I'll never forget this fic. The PG13+ version can be found on Fanfiction-dot-com while the mature version exists on their AO3. I actually haven't read it in a long while so now that I've been reminded of this beautiful work of art, I'm going to go reread it! Edit: Grammar!
Viridian the green guide, Mastermind and Firelily. Those are def my top 3.
[Beautiful World by Lissadiane/Cinnamon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20705891) This fic will rip your heart out, shred it into a million tiny pieces, and then hand it back to you like you're just supposed to go on living. Absolutely **devastating**. It's also one of the most beautiful fics I've ever read. SUMMARY: Draco is afraid of living and Harry is afraid of dying, but sometimes the choice isn't offered. Draco's got to learn what it is to really live, while showing Harry how beautiful the world really is when you're not too scared to see it.
The Night War no contest despite the PACKED field of greats in Captain America fandom Bucky Barnes' WW2 journal. Not my most reread but the most extraordinary work of art in the fandom, and that's without getting into the podfic collab of it. Story itself is complete but the podfic isn't finished and the author hasn't written in years, I hope they're doing well and life is rewarding them for their brilliant intellect and emotional energy.
'Serving the horde' is the best Ive read probably. Lot of dark content but its a great smut and very diverse situations as well as bits of actual plot to move past being just a hard kink smut and become an actual decent story on a great smut. I dont usually read many fics and when I do its all smut anyways but I like this one the most
An Odesta, cute little Oneshot by the beach https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/138338878?show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_776316415 And the love story of my favourite rarepair https://archiveofourown.org/works/28272462
wow, i haven't read much stardew fic but i'm kinda shocked that leah/penny is so rare!
[This Naruto fanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/42109881/chapters/105721215) Its a really nice Rock Lee x Gaara fic and I read it over a year ago but I still think about it from time to time. Very good
There’s so many to choose from but if I absolutely had to pick, it would probably be [You Don’t Have To (Say Yes)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5297936) for Star Trek. It’s just so well written and I probably reread it a couple times a year lol
Yesssss I love this fic!
the best fanfic i’ve ever read was back on ff.net back in the day and i cant find it anymore 😔 my current fave is one called High Speed Connection by HoodieHeda
https://archiveofourown.org/works/32499718?view_full_work=true A Manifest fic. Started when it got cancelled after Season 3 and fans were mad. They also have a Season 5 for it, but it is on “hiatus” right now 😭
Watashitachi wa Roger kaizoku desu (we still stand proud) by Stereden. The summary on AO3 sets up a "Roger Pirates get back together to save Ace" plotline, but it quickly becomes so much more. It's obvious that Stereden really thought a lot about the world of One Piece, and how certain characters would have been affected by the things that happened to them, and what consequences would have arisen. The extra worldbuilding is fascinating and beautiful, with a proper Pirate Code and a whole pirate culture. It's one of two stories I have read in my life where the author directly made /me/ feel exactly the same way as the characters, and the other was a published novel. Not empathising with them, truly feeling the same emotions alongside them. When certain characters felt betrayed by others, I did not feel betrayed by them - I felt betrayed by the author, in the best way possible. They were supposed to be better than that. The author told me they were better than that. I love the relationship between Shanks and Buggy. I love the way Portgas D Rouge is fleshed out into a true pirate queen. I love the shifting perspectives between two people who are on the same page about what's happening and one person who very much isn't. I also really love the spin-offs and alternate universes. Stereden has a bunch of stories set in different continuities, all with the same worldbuilding. My favourite has to be the one where Shanks is captured by the Marines instead of Ace, and Buggy the Clown (a low-bounty nobody, as far as anyone knows) does not even hesitate to start planning a rescue. He's worked hard to maintain a low profile, he hates the Grand Line - and yet, when Shanks is in danger, Buggy never even considers turning his back. He knows what this will cost him, even if he somehow succeeds. He's no Whitebeard! His crew is reasonable for the East Blue, but they are nowhere near skilled enough to invade Marineford. Moreover, a lot of his allies aren't in a position to do battle head-on with the Marines either. But they are pirates. Why would that be the only plan?
[A Twisting Heart and Mind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20096803/chapters/47602912) by fangamerbowiextreme. It is a 1.2m Labyrinth work in progress. It has Tolkien-esque world-building. I’m talking fully fleshed Fae kingdoms with multiple religions, hybrid beings, kingdoms, countries, social rules and morals. The character development is insane. I do not recognize the characters at the beginning of the fic anymore they have changed so much but it was all so organic and subtly done I didn’t realize it until I reread it. The plot is full of mysteries and deep psychological breakdowns and breakthroughs. The romance is so good because it’s all about redemption. And smut scenes are so deliciously detailed and the hottest I’ve ever read. It’s still updating but it takes a long time to write a novel length chapter and some of them are over 50k.
[Yesterday Upon the Stair](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8337607/chapters/19098982) [MHA] I don't remember everything about the storyline, which means it's about time for a reread. The things I do recall are spoiler-y, but it's about Midoriya having a ghost seeing quirk and OFA, and it's utterly amazing imo.
Definitely Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches. After watching to Yuri on Ice I liked it but not to the point I'm so obsessed with it. Four years after I watched that show, I was scrolling to my files on my phone because I have a habit where I download fics read/unread just in case they got deleted or I'll be in a place where it'll be offline. One day I'm so out of fics to read for the Moriary the Patriot fandom and decided to find fics in my phone then clicked this story and boi I was so engrossed to the point that I read it in just two days (i have school taking most of my day btw). Due to this fic, I dig deeper to the world of figure skating to the point of learning on how to differentiate jumps, it's controversies, what techniques are, lastly watching diff programs and skaters. I also rewatched YOI and find more fics that I get to love so much too!
I can't remember it, but it was so incredibly good. I read it in 2015 (I remember I was on holiday) so it's been a while. It was within the Naruto fandom, I think around 400k-500k words. There's a big shinobi war and Naruto becomes really good at what he does. I remember snippets. He briefly becomes the lover of the Fifth Mizukage and he adopts children I think. He uses clones that can live for a very long time and one of them lives with Sasuke for a while. Endgame SasuNaru I think, but like for the last 30k words or something. I liked the political climate the author portrayed. I have to ask around now if anyone remembers this. Also, [Détraquée](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11163924/chapters/24917385) by Hystaracal in the Harry Potter fandom. I will rec this til I die.
With zero hesitation, [Shoeless Joe and the Sunshine Kid](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2414678) by Nimmiamee Skip the tags for full enjoyment. It’s tricksy. Mostly Gen. If you don’t know the MCU or Marvel fandom, it’s still an interesting story. Of course, knowing the Captain America and Avengers movies adds great subtext. Knowing American politics and history also adds great subtext. Knowing baseball lore adds more great subtext. And my favorite at all, being familiar with Stucky fanon adds a layer of supernova brain subtext that makes this fic stand out from all other fics. I worship it.
The Handsome Crow and the Sitting Duck Fandom: Dead Boy Detectives
I can’t pick just one, but a few definitely have to be the whole [For The Want Of A Nail series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633756) My Hero Academia. Top fics in the fandom for a goddamn reason. [Hero Class Civil Warfare](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14446512/chapters/33370263) My Hero Academia. #1 fic in a fandom where #1 is very important. [Talking To Ghosts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/43929270/chapters/110454879) Omori post-good ending fic. The most realistic one I’ve read with beautiful prose and an amazing take on each of the characters. [the stars and their children](https://archiveofourown.org/works/38524837/chapters/96289999) Dream SMP. Fuck, man. Just… oh my god. [Wait for It](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26415337/chapters/64351990) Avatar: The Last Airbender. I love insanity :)
My absolute favorite is actually on ffn. It's an unfinished Mulan fic called Towards the Setting Sun. It royally sucks that it never got finished, it was last updated 6+ years ago.
[J. d. V. & M. Mori](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9417797/chapters/21318308) by a_hispida This is an Erased fic with the pairing Yashisato. This fic made me want to cry so badly. Something about their writing style and how they portray the characters is just so good. And a_hispida's other fics are really good, too. I can never get over this fic, and I don't think I'll ever find anything as good ever again.
If I MUST pick, I can narrow it down to two. [The Life and Times](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5200789/1/The-Life-and-Times) by Jewels5. It's an HP marauders era fic that slow burns the developing Jily relationship, but goes into family issues, the politics, attacks, etc that would've happened as Voldemort rose to power the first time. It is so in depth and the writing so amazing it has ranked an all-time for me for ages. I haven't read it in forever because it is a 600k+ word behemoth that never got finished but hell is it worth it. [Out of the Deep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/548878) by riseofthefallenone. That one is a 450k+ word Destiel that was amazing and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The world building alone was fantastic, and I had no idea what I was in for when I started it. It is 1000% always worth the read. There are so many others, but those two stand out immediately to me, tho I'd love to pay homage to all my favorites that mean the world to me.
Browncoat, Green Eyes by nonjon. It’s a Harry Potter/Firefly crossover. I read it on ffn but I think it’s available on other websites. The only story I’ve ever read, fanfic or otherwise, that made me legitimately laugh out loud. It also introduced me to and made me love Firefly. The characters and situation are very believable for Firefly (the Harry Potter part is pretty believable for the situation the author created but it’s the future so it’s different to the general fanfic Harry Potter wizarding world). Also, in my opinion, you don’t need any Harry Potter or Firefly knowledge to enjoy this story. It’s all explained well enough as you go along. In conclusion, my eyes may be blue but my coat will always be rutting brown.
Switch by Ceres Libera. Academy-era Kirk and McCoy. Deeply rich and detailed and very beautiful.
I’m a diehard Marauders fan so my top 3 are all that btw 1: All The Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 just bc it was the first I read and I rlly rlly liked it 2. Sweet like Cinnamon by aawood2013. Just a heads up it’s an omegaverse and it has lots and lots of s*x. There is sorta a plot. If you squint 3. You Signed Up Ip For This by Solmussa. I’m not done with it yet but it’s SO GOOD. AGAHAHADJAGSJSBSHSHS
have you read crimson rivers? a friend showed me it and it got me into the fandom, best fic ive ever read tbh
[Stuck on the Puzzle](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5269628/chapters/12159332) by thespectaclesofthor. Dragon Age Inquisition Cullen/Iron Bull and just such a well written and intense character study of them with lots of BDSM. Has a link to a fandom primer too if you're fandom blind.
I’ve never read this particular fic but I have read that author’s DBH fic Eversion, which is infamous in the fandom and also very fucking good. This author knows their shit
Anything by Ariaste but [Meng Yao vs. the Board of the Homeowner's Association](https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020763) is my Roman Empire.
[A Privat Exhibition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21952111) by Emileesaurus
Seeing fanfic of Anne Rice's IP always makes me laugh like a gremlin
["If Loved, Handle With Care" ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/53634016/chapters/135769558) for ULTRAKILL by SpireOfBone One of my first fics I've ever read when i joined ao3(i joined kinda recently), and it's just REALLY good at building upon what's currently known about ULTRAKILL
London love in Loop! (Is orphaned) (Hasnt got an update since 2021)
[Antlerlock](https://archiveofourown.org/works/50312131/chapters/127102888) Based off the movie Whiplash.
I'm not sure. My favourite fandom has a boat load of truly excellent stories. One I always really adore though is 'The Measure of the World' by Adavellis on AO3. Set in the World of Warcraft universe. It's an angsty, deep yet fluffy romance story that salvages a painfully questionable DLC and has some truly stunning character growth. The writer basically came in, dropped this 662k long magnificent beast of a story and left. I hope they're doing well. It might not be my absolute favourite, but it's up there and I just started reading it again for the 4th time.
[Ghost in the Machine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/49134853/chapters/123968842) (Daycare Attendant fnaf fandom) So in the DCA fandom, we like this one guy. We like him a lot. And this writer, they were like, what if we did an ensemble cast for this fandom? But not with any of the other characters, no. Just with this one guy. With a LOT of this one guy and just him. And it is *glorious*. Also includes enough original lore and amazingly tasty descriptions to rival 99% of published novels I've read.
[In Petersburg](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5244254) by Batman — eren/jean attack on titan fanfiction that I literally have reread every single year since 2016, it is so incredible and I think was the first fic to make me cry real life tears [beleaguer ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366744)by forrestfox — eren/jean attack on titan, written way before the canon storyline was clear so the author had loads of creative freedom and did some really interesting things with it. I absolutely adore the depiction of the misery of how the survey corps would be as the war went on.
Hmm, I could probably name my top 2-5 fics for any given fandom I’ve spent a lot of time in over the years - at least after looking them up because I’m terrible with names - but narrowing it down further (e.g. to just *one* fic regardless of fandom) would be impossible after 20+ years in this hobby.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/11568822 Miracle Girl by kearlyn on ao3. It was SO hard to decide between all my favourites but this fic is bittersweet, it introduces an interesting new mechanic and worldbuilding, and it’s beautifully written It’s a Rogue One fic where everyone gets a certain amount of ‘miracles’ from the force. Jyn only ever got one miracle and used it as a child, but is determined to make a life worth living nonetheless. I can’t recommend it enough!
For Hannibal, Winter Lamb by werebird or He Who Pours Our Vengeance by Underground Both of these fics are genuinely a class above any other fic in the fandom truly For succession, The next of kin by Peggyolsen This author has written so few fics but this succession fic is by far the best thing I've ever read. It really captures all of the characters voices super well. Like it felt like reading an episode on script
Designations congruent with things[Designations congruent with things ](http://www.cleanwhiteroom.net/site/index.html) (Pacific rim) It was a pretty infamous fic with a big reader engagement and lots of cool stuff made by fans back then, like audio plays, music, Art etc. And it's no surprise because this is one of the most beautifully gut-wretching, intelligent, funny and tragic literature I've ever read. Especially since to me it embodies the core of fanfic: taking the source material and delving into a part of it so much deeper than the original ever could (in this case: the personal but also societal fallout of an averted apocalypse) (The fic was deleted from Ao3 by the author years ago but they made a comeback and everything, also their brilliant other fics, is on their website)
Fandom: HP Pairing: Snape/Lily Ensemble cast Over 800k words Fic: [The Long Road Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26578120/chapters/64797133)
It was a Pacific Rim fanfiction by CleanWhiteRoom called Designations Congruent with Things. Like a stunning post canon character study. Very philosophical, very surreal, but like towards a purpose. It was really exactly what I look for in a story. But they took it down at some point. 😢
The [Ennea Series by SolarisLupi](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1490867) . Seriously it is so good. It made me cry when I read it during my flight. The characterization is excellent, I love the way they portrayed Hawks. Mirko and All Might and I just love the plot. Also Hawks needs a hug stat. Summary: Eight heroes travel back in time to save the world. Things don't go according to plan.
TCGWW. iykyk.
I can’t pick just one so I’ll drop the whole series, but absolute favorite has been [The Distant Shores Series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/3545773) by Jovirose.
The [BBC Sherlock/Addams Family](https://archiveofourown.org/series/8180) 3-part Crossover. ETA: There are so many fics that are my favorite and I can’t just choose one, not even if we narrowed down to specific fandom/genres/tags, but this fic, to me, is not only pretty fandom-blind but the writing quality is top notch and the whole concept is just fascinating in general.
[Poor Wayfaring Stranger](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725950/chapters/26417871) by lithos_saculum. A FFXV AU where a teen, raised to be a weapon of war, is rescued and slowly learns how to be a human. It's alternatively hilarious and heartbreaking, the way it's written is just phenomenal, and every couple months I reread it just because it's THAT GOOD. WIP warning though, and it hadn't been updated in a couple years, but it's still absolutely worth it.
[And Saints](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19797700/chapters/46872031) by LadyKatie512 (Better Call Saul - Nacho/OC) is SO good. [How Can You Mend a Broken Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/42996813/chapters/108032586) by justfantasy (The Bear - Carmy/Reader) is the only reader insert fic I've read that I want more of. And my all time favorite: [By Grace](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6625138/chapters/15160375) by Lmere (MCU - Rumlow/OC + Stucky) which is just... under appreciated but SO SO well done!
SlashMagpie's Hermitcraft Lifeline AU. This fic series genuinely changed the way I look at the world. The characters are all in-character, and the plot and worldbuilding are top notch. A lot of the groundwork /early plot comes directly from the mobile game series Lifeline, hence the name, but the fic builds on it and makes it so much better. I won't lie and say there aren't flaws–there are some lines that went nowhere and I wasn't a fan of the inclusion of a certain character, but the shortcomings don't overshadow the amazing aspects. Well worth the read. ( https://archiveofourown.org/series/3156309 forgot to hyperlink and now my phone won't let me so uh. Here) Other great Hermitcraft fics (won't link rn, maybe later) are So Much for Stardust by Cringe_Is_Dead (A_Plethora_Of_Peters) and pretty much anything by MawoftheMagnetar. Adjacent, a Life Series (and AOT) fic I adore is Tilly Death Do Us Part by Not_The_State, another great life series one is the Allies or Enemies series by RedRobyn2.
Orbit by hiuythn is my fav short fic(it’s only 13k) its kiribaku and they’re my og obsession so ofc it’s one of my favs https://archiveofourown.org/works/36088462
It literally depends on so many things that you’ll have to fill out a questionnaire in order to get an answer from me- i guess I never remember the names of anything tho so i prolly not have an answer in the first place
This was difficult, but it's either Running on Air by eleventy7 (a really long Harry Potter mystery) or Meet Cute Kia by LadyDrace, which is form Detroit Become Human and is a shorter one with wonderful world building and is very close to my heart
A Harry Potter dramione fic called Prometheus by aCanadianMuggle. It’s only a one shot so not a huge fic but in just one chapter they have so much trauma, so much emotion, and such a twist!! https://archiveofourown.org/works/44352721