Fic Recs

I'm limiting each category to just 10 fics, so naturally there will be a lot of fics I love that get left off. (Plus, I'm trying to cover a variety of fandoms/ships.) Over time, I might add more recs to each category, but I wanted to stick with 10 each to start with so I don't overwhelm myself.

Kpop - Idols

This category includes canon compliant stories, canon divergent stories, and AUs that still concern idolhood.

Maybe the Truth

  • SHINee | Minho/Key | Minho POV
  • Mature | 54K words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Character Study, Queer Themes, Slow Burn

Minho grows up, grows into his idol career, and grows increasingly aware that he might have been lying to himself about some things.

MY NOTES HERE

Remember What You Told Me

  • SuperM | Kai/Taemin | Kai POV
  • Teen | 6K words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Accidental Marriage, Not Actually Unrequited Love
  • Written for XXL X-over Xtravaganza

Kai panics when he wakes up after a drunk Vegas marriage to Taemin.

MY NOTES HERE

Jasmine, Deflowered

  • NCT & Seventeen | Xiaojun/Jun | Xiaojun POV
  • Explicit | 8K words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Porn with Plot, First Time
  • Written for XXL X-over Xtravaganza

Xiaojun goes over to Jun’s dorm for a hookup…dressed as Princess Jasmine.

MY NOTES HERE

On Fire

  • SHINee | Minho/Key | Key POV
  • Mature | 11K words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Character Study, Queer Themes
  • Written for Summer of SHINee Round 4

Key struggles with self-esteem and also struggles to realize he’s crushing on alleged straight boy Minho.

MY NOTES HERE

Self Made

  • Ateez | gen | Jongho POV
  • Teen | 23K words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Character Study, Queer Themes
  • Written for 2022 Trans Jongho Tag Flood Event

Jongho confronts the narrow scope of masculinity he operates in at the same time someone tries to expose his transgender identity to the public.

MY NOTES HERE

One More Time

  • OnlyOneOf | KB/Yoojung | KB POV
  • Teen | 54 words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Character Study, Queer Themes
  • Written for Yuletide 2022

KB and Yoojung fail to kiss twice, but the third time is the charm.

MY NOTES HERE

Look at You, Look at Me

  • Ateez | Seonghwa/Hongjoong | Seonghwa POV
  • Teen | ?K words | Work in Progress
  • Canon Divergent, Body Swap, Queer Themes
  • Written for Transteez Fest 2022-2023

A sasaeng curse results in Seonghwa swapping bodies with the local 7-Eleven clerk Hongjoong, which results in Seonghwa starting to realize some things about his gender.

MY NOTES HERE

The Desires of the Deligent

  • NCT | Johnny/Mark | Mark POV
  • Explicit | 11K words | Complete!
  • Canon Divergent, Age Swap, Queer Themes, Religious Themes
    • Written for Johnmark Fest 2023

Johnny thinks his hyung Mark needs a break; Mark thinks he needs to keep distance from his grew-up-hot dongsaeng Johnny.

MY NOTES HERE

Like Like a Child

  • Seventeen | Seokmin/Jeonghan | Jeonghan POV
  • Mature | 7K words | Complete!
  • Canon Compliant, Missing Scene, Post-Break Up
  • Written for Kpop Olymfics 2023

Jeonghan and Seokmin never broke up because they were never together, but unresolved feelings spill over while filming IN THE SOOP.

MY NOTES HERE

Kpop - Not Idols

I mainly read idolverse when it comes to kpop, but some fics are too alluring for me to resist.

Not Kpop

I've read a lot of fic in my time, so trying to limit this list to 10 is really daunting. I tried picking the stories that I personally consider foundational or aspirational.

Away Childish Things by lettered

  • Harry Potter | Harry/Draco
  • Teen | 154K words
  • Post-Series, De-Aging, Slow Burn, Unreliable Narrator

Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

I've been emotionally divorced from the HP franchise since the earliest rumblings of Rowling's transphobia, back when she was making her "whoopsies, I didn't mean to Like that tweet" excuses. But I spent a lot of time reading HP fic as teenager, and every now and then, a craving will hit.

Of the drarry fic posted post-series, this is the clear stand-out to me. It became an instant favorite three times while I was reading it. The construction of the story fascinates; it's writing goals for me, to be honest.

Due to the unique story construction, it's also a rare case of “it’s better to know as little as possible going in,” hence the author's vague summary. What I will say is that this fic satisfies a lot of my favorite drarry tropes, including kidfic, realistic depictions of life after Hogwarts, acknowledging that Harry is a high-functioning emotional fuck-up, and intense pining.

Flock Together by TCG

  • Haikyuu!! | Takeda/Ukai
  • Explicit | 164K words
  • Missing Scenes, Queer Themes, Rural Setting

As a closested gay man living in a rural area, Keishin has mostly given up on his love life. When the charming new teacher Takeda moves to town, he starts to wonder if that could change... and what it would mean for him if it did.

This is a a highly underrated Haikyuu!! fic due to being a rarepair. In my opinion, it's one of the greatest examples of what a fic can do. I love fics that expand on what is already present in canon, taking it in a direction canon would never go but feeling as if it could and should be canon.

This fic explores the lives of the litt-seen adult cast members, particularly the coach and the teacher advisor. It creates an astonishing sense of place and such rich interior lives, with the actual canon storyline as a mere backdrop. Just really incredible stuff and I wish more Haikyuu!! fans read it. Even if you don't know anything about Haikyuu!!, it is exceptional.

Known Associates by thingswithwings

  • Captain America (MCU) | Steve centric, multi-ship
  • Explicit | 295K words
  • Canon Divergent, Queer Themes, Political Themes, Histroy

Steve Rogers isn't a self-made man. Or, how a tough little Brooklyn fairy got turned into Captain America, and then turned back.

My favorite thing about fanfic is queering mainstream properties, and this fic delivers and then some. Truly above and beyond...

Steve Rogers as a "man out of time" serves as such an interesting medium to explore how sexuality and gender is affected by culture and thus different from place to place and time period to time period. Honest to god, I consider this fic a good starting point for exploring modern queer history in the United States, especially since the author ends the fic with a bilbiograpjy citing all the sources referenced for you to check out.

This is flat-out one of the most detail-oriented, well-researched stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. It's long as hell, but worth every word, even if you aren't a fan of canon.