🏷️ Friends To Lovers
319 entries tagged with this trope
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Alex and Poppy are best friends who take a trip every summer. Two years ago something went wrong and they haven't spoken since. One more trip to fix it. The tension between 'we're just friends' and 'we've never been just friends' is unbearable.
Hook, Line, and Sinker
Tessa Bailey · 2022
Fox is the charming player everyone underestimates. Hannah is the serious film scorer who sees right through him. He falls so hard, so fast, and he's terrified she'll never see him as more than a friend.
Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren · 2018
Macy and Elliot were childhood best friends who fell in love through words. Something tore them apart. Now they've run into each other again. The dual timeline reveals what happened piece by piece.
The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller · 2012
Patroclus tells the story of Achilles — from boyhood friendship to the Trojan War. You know how it ends. You read it anyway. And it DESTROYS you. The last page is one of the most devastating in literature.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other from school to university. They're together, then apart, then together, then apart. The miscommunication is painful because it's so real. Rooney writes love like a wound.
Beautiful World, Where Are You
Sally Rooney · 2021
Four people. Two couples forming. Long emails about capitalism, beauty, and whether anything matters. Rooney's most ambitious book. If you liked Normal People, this is the grown-up version.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
Julia Quinn · 2002
Penelope Featherington has loved Colin Bridgerton for years. He's never noticed. Then he does. The Lady Whistledown reveal is EVERYTHING. Fan favorite of the series.
When He Was Wicked
Julia Quinn · 2004
Michael has been in love with Francesca for years — while she was married to his cousin. After tragedy strikes, guilt and desire collide. The most emotionally complex Bridgerton. Real grief, real love.
To Catch a Firefly
Emmy Sanders · 2024
Emmy Sanders weaves a tale of friendship blossoming into something more in 'To Catch a Firefly'. It's a beautifully written story that captures the essence of young love and the magic of second chances.
Secrets of a Summer Night
Lisa Kleypas · 2004
This novel kicks off the Wallflower series with Annabelle Peyton, a woman determined to find a husband. The chemistry between her and the dashing Simon Hunt is palpable, making for a delightful read filled with humor and heart.
Sweetest Scoundrel
Elizabeth Hoyt · 2014
Hoyt's tale of love and intrigue features a strong heroine and a charming scoundrel. Their relationship is filled with tension and passion, making it a captivating read.
Him
Sarina Bowen · 2015
Jamie Canning and Ryan Wesley were best friends at hockey camp — until a secret kiss ruined everything. Years later, they're forced back together on the same college team.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown
Talia Hibbert · 2020
Dani is a PhD student who doesn't do relationships. Zaf is a rugby player and secret romance reader. A viral rescue video makes them fake-date.
Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating
Christina Lauren · 2018
Hazel is the most chaotically lovable heroine ever. Josh is the calm to her storm. They keep setting each other up on dates. None of them work.
The Proposal
Jasmine Guillory · 2018
A spontaneous proposal rescue leads to fake dating and real feelings. Nikole's life gets turned upside down when she helps a stranger out of an awkward public proposal, and suddenly she's fake-dating a charming baseball player.
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Poppy and Alex have been best friends and vacation buddies for years. After a falling out, one last trip might be their chance to fix everything—or lose each other forever.
Fix Her Up
Tessa Bailey · 2019
Georgie asks her brother's best friend Travis to help her get more confident with men. What starts as practice becomes the real thing.
The Royal We
Heather Cocks · 2015
American student Bex falls for Prince Nicholas at Oxford. Their love story becomes complicated by royal duty, media attention, and family expectations.
The Cheat Sheet
Sarah Adams · 2021
She's been in love with her NFL best friend forever but won't risk the friendship. He's been in love with her forever and everyone knows it except her. Peak pining energy.
Just Last Night
Mhairi McFarlane · 2021
A tragedy shatters a friend group and forces Eve to confront her secret feelings for someone who was always off-limits. McFarlane writes the messiness of real love like no one else.
The Love Wager
Lynn Painter · 2023
After a disastrous breakup, she bets her neighbor she can get a boyfriend before he gets a girlfriend. The fact that they keep 'practicing' dates with each other? Totally irrelevant.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Two friends build video games together over thirty years. It's about love, creativity, and the stories we tell through play. Made everyone on BookTok ugly-cry.
Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren · 2018
Macy and Elliot were inseparable growing up — sharing a closet full of books and unspoken feelings. Then something happened and she vanished. Eleven years later, he walks back into her life.
Just Last Night
Mhairi McFarlane · 2021
One night changes everything for Eve's tight-knit friend group. Secrets unravel, grief hits hard, and the person she's always wanted gets further away. McFarlane writes heartbreak like poetry.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other through high school and college — always connected, never quite right. Rooney writes miscommunication as an art form. The TV show is perfect too.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together. Their creative partnership spans decades of love, rivalry, and tragedy. Not quite romance, not quite friendship — something more complicated and true.
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Poppy and Alex are best friends who vacation together every summer. Two years ago, something happened and they stopped talking. One last trip to fix it. Emily Henry at her most charming.
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Poppy and Alex are polar opposites who vacation together every summer — until two years ago when everything went wrong. She has one trip to fix it. Emily Henry at her most charming.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other through school and university. They keep finding and losing each other. Rooney writes intimacy and class with a scalpel. Will make you ache.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together. Their creative partnership spans decades. It's about love, art, identity, disability, and the games we play — both digital and emotional. One of the best novels of 2022.
Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren · 2018
Macy and Elliot were best friends who shared books and secrets in a closet turned reading nook. Then something happened and they didn't speak for eleven years. Dual timeline perfection.
The Boyfriend Effect
Nisha Sharma · 2022
Lina is a doctor who needs a fake boyfriend for family events. Enter Benjamin, her colleague who's been quietly in love with her forever. South Asian rep that feels real and joyful.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together. Their partnership spans decades, through success, betrayal, and a love that defies easy definition. Not-quite-romance that hits harder than most romances.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other through university, miscommunicating in ways that feel painfully real. The most realistic depiction of how class and insecurity ruin love. Spare and devastating.
Just Last Night
Mhairi McFarlane · 2021
Eve has been in love with her best friend's boyfriend for years. Then tragedy strikes. McFarlane writes grief and unrequited love like a punch to the chest.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other through school and university. They keep almost getting it right. Rooney writes miscommunication like a blade. The show captured it perfectly.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together for thirty years. Their relationship is everything and nothing at once. Not a love story. Not NOT a love story. One of the best novels of 2022.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together for thirty years. It's about love, art, collaboration, and the games we play with each other's hearts. Made me cry three separate times.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
The Marauders era, told through Remus Lupin's eyes. This fic is so well-written that people forget it's not canon. Widely considered one of the greatest fanfics ever written. Bring tissues.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida and dorkorific · 2017
The Marauders' years at Hogwarts, told through letters, diary entries, and ephemera. Watch Sirius and Remus fall in love while navigating friendship, pranks, and adolescence.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Sirius is a disaster gay who can't text properly. Remus is a PhD student with too much patience. Somehow, they make it work in this modern AU romance.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream and WhatAreFears · 2014
In 1945, Steve Rogers jumps from a nosediving plane and wakes up in 2012. He lives for two years in the modern world, putting down roots, making friends. Then the Winter Soldier happens.
Boys Like Us
scribblemoose · 2018
Sirius and Remus navigate the complexities of teenage love at Hogwarts. The slow burn and character development are exceptional.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2005
The original Marauders fic told through notes, letters, and conversations. Before All the Young Dudes, there was this masterpiece of humor and heart.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU where Sirius and Remus are university students who start texting. What begins as casual conversation becomes everything. The format is addictive.
Brooklyn on Fire
kaesaria · 2017
1940s Brooklyn. Steve and Bucky navigate friendship, war, and feelings they can't name in a world that won't accept them. Devastating and beautiful.
The Arrangement
rfsmiley · 2014
The story of how their Arrangement really worked throughout history. Six thousand years of pining, divine comedy, and love that transcends Heaven and Hell.
The Student Prince
FayJay · 2013
Modern royalty AU where Arthur is a prince attending university and Merlin is his roommate. The chemistry between them burns slow and bright.
With You I Serve
Hella · 2013
From Brooklyn to the war and back again. The complete Steve and Bucky love story told with historical accuracy and emotional depth.
Of Leaves and Stars
irrationalmoony · 2014
The Marauders' seventh year through Sirius and Remus's developing relationship. Captures the magic of young love in wartime with beautiful prose.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2013
The complete WWII-era Steve and Bucky story. From Brooklyn to the war to the aftermath. Epic historical romance with incredible attention to detail.
Flying Lessons
LovelyThings · 2015
Poe teaches Rey how to fly. The flying lessons become something more as they fall for each other. Set during the sequel trilogy events.
Clean
olivieblake · 2016
Draco and Hermione keep running into each other after the war. They're both broken. They don't fix each other — they just learn to coexist. Quietly devastating.
Azoth
zeitgeistic · 2013
Harry and Draco become potions partners for their Eighth Year project: making the Philosopher's Stone. The alchemy is a metaphor and I'm not sorry for crying.
Helix
Saras_Girl · 2017
Draco runs a tea shop. Harry keeps coming back. It's soft, it's warm, and it's like being wrapped in a blanket. The coziest Drarry you'll ever read.
Foundations
Saras_Girl · 2016
The Turn sequel/companion where we get to live in the domestic bliss timeline. Harry as a dad, Draco being soft — it's everything you wanted after Turn.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
The fic that launched a thousand TikToks. Remus Lupin's life from age 11 to the end, with Sirius as his constant. You WILL ugly cry. You WILL never recover.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through texts, social media, and group chats. Remus and Sirius meet by accident and it's the most charming thing you'll ever read.
The Shoebox Project
dorkorific & ladyjaida · 2005
THE OG Wolfstar fic. Started in 2005 with handwritten letters and polaroid art. It invented Marauders fandom culture. Incomplete but iconic — you need to read it.
Of Leaves and Stars
samesizefeet · 2021
Marauders era Wolfstar that focuses on the quiet moments — library study sessions, stolen glances, the agony of not knowing if your best mate feels the same.
Soft as it Began
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2014
1930s-40s Brooklyn to the war and everything between. The way this captures young Steve and Bucky figuring out what they mean to each other is art.
Gravitation
Odsbodkins · 2015
Post-Winter Soldier recovery fic focused on the Avengers becoming a real family. Steve and Bucky orbit each other like magnets. The domesticity is healing.
i'll walk you home (in the morning dew)
Zutarafanficwriter · 2020
Post-war Zutara where they slowly realize that the friendship they built during the war was always something more. Soft, domestic, and exactly what your heart needs.
Once Around the Sun
eleventy7 · 2020
A year in the life of Katara and Zuko after the war. Each chapter is a month, each month brings them closer. Beautifully paced — you can feel the seasons changing.
The Sea's Daughter
Advait_1611 · 2021
Gender-swapped Percy retelling that keeps all the heart of the original while adding a fresh perspective. Annabeth falling for a female Percy? Sign me up.
University of New Rome
PJO_Lover · 2020
Post-series college AU at New Rome. Percy and Annabeth navigating normal life after saving the world multiple times. The domesticity after all that trauma hits so good.
The Architect of Olympus
SilverTonguedSlytherin99 · 2015
Annabeth-centric fic about her designing Olympus while dealing with PTSD from Tartarus. Percy is her rock. The architecture nerd content alone is worth it.
Performance in a Leading Role
Mad_Lori · 2011
Hollywood AU where Sherlock and John are A-list actors cast as lovers. Method acting becomes real feelings becomes a media firestorm. One of the most celebrated Johnlock fics ever.
Twist and Shout
gabriel & standbyme · 2012
Vietnam War era AU. Dean and Cas meet on the beach. Then the war happens. This fic is LEGENDARY for making people sob. It's a rite of passage in fandom. You've been warned.
Alone on the Water
Mad_Lori · 2011
Sherlock is dying. John is there. That's it. That's the fic. 5k words that will absolutely obliterate you. Read it once, think about it forever.
Soft as it Began
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2017
Pre-war Brooklyn. Steve and Bucky navigate the Depression, queer identity in the 1930s, and a love neither can name. Historical Stucky that feels like holding your breath for 120K words.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
bohemia · 2014
From Brooklyn to the war to the ice. The full Steve-and-Bucky timeline written with the gravity it deserves. If you want one fic that captures everything about Stucky, this is it.
The Bittersweet Between My Teeth
TeamFreewill · 2015
Modern AU college Percabeth. No gods, no monsters — just two people figuring out that best friends can be more. The mundane setting somehow makes the feelings hit harder.
The Sea Glass Necklace
greenconverses · 2012
Post-series domestic Percabeth. College, arguments about architecture, Percy being obliviously sweet. The comfort fic for everyone who grew up with these characters and wanted more after the books ended.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
THE Marauders fic. Seven years at Hogwarts through Remus's eyes. Friendship, first love, and the looming shadow of war. 500K+ words that made an entire generation of readers fall in love with Wolfstar.
The Last Enemy: Atrament
CH_Darling · 2020
Marauders era retold with the scope of literary fiction. Dark, politically complex, and emotionally brutal. Makes ATYD look like a warm-up. If you want Marauders treated as serious literature, this is it.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU. Remus and Sirius meet through a wrong number text. Told entirely through texts, tweets, and group chats. Format fic at its absolute best — hilarious and surprisingly emotional.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
One of the OG Marauders fics. Follows Remus from childhood through the First War. Predates ATYD by a decade and still holds up as one of the most emotionally rich Wolfstar stories ever written.
The Shoebox Project
dorkorific & ladyjaida · 2005
THE foundational Wolfstar fic. Mixed media — letters, notes, scribbles. Set during Hogwarts years. Never finished but every Marauders fan has read it. Changed the fandom forever.
Soft as it Began
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2017
Pre-war Brooklyn. Steve and Bucky in the 1930s, figuring out what they are to each other while the world closes in. Historical Stucky that reads like literary fiction.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
A collection of letters, journal entries, and Howling Commandos history. Told through documents, building a love story across decades. The format fic that made an entire fandom cry.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
bohemia · 2016
Post-Civil War. Steve finds Bucky in Wakanda. Recovery, rebuilding, and remembering how to be human. Tender, patient, and beautifully paced.
The Last Olympian (Annabeth's POV)
greenconverses · 2009
The Battle of Manhattan from Annabeth's perspective. Every moment she watches Percy and worries hits different when you're inside her head. The definitive Annabeth POV fic.
Inevitable
bananannabeth · 2016
Post-series. Percy and Annabeth navigate college, PTSD, and building a life after saving the world. The 'what happens after the hero's journey' fic that deals with trauma honestly.
The Pros and Cons of Breathing
amillionsmiles · 2016
Mortal AU. Percy is a swimmer, Annabeth is pre-architecture. College AU with sharp dialogue and real emotional stakes. Captures the Percy and Annabeth dynamic perfectly without any gods.
Things We Lost in the Fire
greenconverses · 2013
Post-Tartarus Percabeth. Nightmares, panic attacks, and learning to be okay again. The fic that actually deals with what falling into literal hell would do to two teenagers.
Five Times Percy Proposed
somethingmorecreative · 2015
Five times Percy tried to propose and failed spectacularly, and the one time it worked. Pure fluff with the signature Percy Jackson chaos energy. Short and absolutely delightful.
Son of the Sea God
Sassenach082 · 2012
Rewrite where Percy is more powerful and the world is darker. Takes the PJO universe seriously as high fantasy. The action is gripping and the Percabeth build is worth every chapter.
Ribbon and Shadow
gwynrielsmate · 2022
Gwyn and Azriel train together. The ribbon scene lives rent-free in your head? This fic builds an entire relationship from that foundation. Training-to-feelings pipeline done right.
Daughter of Wisdom
AthenasOwl · 2018
The Lightning Thief from Annabeth's POV, with expanded lore and a Annabeth who is more fleshed out than canon. For everyone who wished we'd gotten her perspective from the start.
Slow Show
mia_ugly · 2019
Human AU. Aziraphale runs a bookshop. Crowley is his neighbor. Six thousand years of pining condensed into one very British, very tender love story. The Good Omens fandom's crown jewel.
Twist and Shout
gabriel & standbyme · 2012
Vietnam War era AU. Dean and Cas meet in the 1960s. Everyone who reads it cries. THE legendary Destiel fic that transcends its fandom. Even non-Supernatural fans sob through it.
The Stars Are Falling
sofaritsalright · 2019
Post-season 3 Druck. Matteo and David navigate being out, being together, and being teenagers. Quiet, intimate, and heartbreakingly real. The queer coming-of-age fic you wish you'd had growing up.
The Last Song I'll Ever Write About a Girl
whokilledkate · 2022
Eddie lives. Steve brings him cassette tapes in the hospital. 1980s Indiana, secret feelings, and mixtapes as love letters. The Steddie fic that launched a thousand playlists.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2009
Marauders era from first year to the bitter end. Remus and Sirius navigate friendship, pranks, the war, and a love neither of them has words for. Old-school Wolfstar at its finest.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU. Remus texts a wrong number. It's Sirius. They become friends, then more, entirely through texts. Funny, warm, and the format works brilliantly. Peak comfort Wolfstar.
Wolves and Dogs
SkoosiePants · 2013
Modern AU. Remus is a quiet bookshop owner. Sirius is the chaotic dog walker who keeps barging in. The Wolfstar modern meet-cute you didn't know you needed.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE Marauders fic. Mixed media — letters, notes, doodles between the chapters. Sirius and Remus falling in love at Hogwarts. Never technically finished but still the gold standard. A fandom monument.
Soft Spot
wherehopelies · 2016
Modern AU. Bucky is a vet tech. Steve is an artist who keeps finding injured animals. They bond over rescued cats and mutual pining. Pure comfort fic that will fix your brain.
Tin Soldiers
idrilka · 2015
Vietnam War AU. Steve and Bucky serve together. The love story plays out against the jungle and the horrors of war. Short, devastating, and powerfully written.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2014
Told through letters, documents, and third-person accounts spanning decades. Steve and Bucky's love story as historical artifact. One of the most ambitious and devastating fanfics in any fandom.
The Laws of Gravity
greenconverses · 2010
Post-TLO. Percy and Annabeth navigate actually being together after years of will-they-won't-they. The adjustment is hilarious and heartfelt. Captures Riordan's voice perfectly.
The Atlas of Us
greenconverses · 2012
Percabeth through college. Long distance, growing up, figuring out who they are without quests to define them. Mature take on a beloved ship that respects the characters.
Let Me Count the Ways
Riptide_Monzaemon · 2020
Five times Percy was oblivious to Annabeth's feelings and one time he wasn't. Classic 5+1 format that's funny, sweet, and captures their dynamic perfectly. Pure serotonin.
Roommates
seaweedbraens · 2017
College AU. Percy and Annabeth are roommates by housing error. Neither wants to switch. Mutual pining in a dorm room with paper-thin walls. The logistics of sharing one bathroom are surprisingly romantic.
The Stars Are Bright
SilverSpeaker · 2019
Post-Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth deal with the trauma no one else understands. PTSD rep in a PJO fic that's both faithful to the source and emotionally mature. Healing isn't linear.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU. Sirius texts the wrong number. It's Remus. They become friends, then more. Told entirely through texts, Tumblr posts, and social media. Addictively readable.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE Marauders fic. Letters, diary entries, doodles. Follows the Marauders through Hogwarts. Wolfstar builds so beautifully you forget it ends in tragedy. A fandom monument.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauders era from first year through the war. One of the earliest epic Wolfstar fics. The characterization is so good it feels like reading lost canon. FFN royalty.
4 Minute Window
Speranza · 2015
Bucky keeps leaving packages for Steve. Each one is a piece of himself coming back. Speranza writes Stucky like a love letter to recovery and patience. Tight, perfect, devastating.
The Night War
pagination · 2015
WWI AU. Steve and Bucky in the trenches. The war is hell. They find each other anyway. Historical Stucky with prose as sharp as barbed wire. Hauntingly good.
Soft Spot
Nonymos · 2017
Bucky gets a therapy dog. Steve is jealous of a dog. The Avengers are a mess. Nonymos writes Stucky with humor that cracks you open when you least expect it.
Your Name on My Heart
Sena · 2014
1930s Brooklyn. Bucky gets Steve's name tattooed. In that era. The quiet bravery of loving someone when the world says you can't. Short and emotionally nuclear.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Anaklusmos14 · 2011
Percy as guardian of the hunt. Annabeth is furious. The gods are meddling. Classic FFN Percabeth with great action sequences and slow-burn pining that Riordan would approve of.
The Sea Speaks Softly
greenconverses · 2012
Post-TLO. Percy and Annabeth figure out what they are. College, long distance, growing up. Greenconverses writes the quiet moments between quests that canon skipped over.
Never Once
thetitancurse · 2021
College AU. Percy and Annabeth are roommates. They're just friends. Obviously. Everyone can see it except them. The mutual pining is aggressive.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
THE Marauders fic. 500K words covering Remus's entire life at Hogwarts and beyond. So well-written people forget it's not canon. Changed the fandom forever. More popular than some published books.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through texts, tweets, and group chats. Remus and Sirius are texting strangers who become everything. The format is genius. Peak comfort Wolfstar.
Swear By The Stars
SaturnMeetsMercury · 2022
Marauders era through the First War. The pacing is deliberate, the characterization is rich, and the Wolfstar romance unfolds against the creeping darkness of the war. Devastating in the way all great Marauders fic is.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauders era epic. Remus and Sirius from first year through graduation. The lycanthropy worldbuilding is incredible. An OG Wolfstar classic that still holds up. If you want the full Hogwarts experience, this is it.
The Map of the World
Siriusly_Prongslet · 2022
Modern non-magic AU. Remus is a cartographer. Sirius is running from his family. They find each other in a small coastal town. The setting is gorgeous and the slow burn is exquisite.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE Marauders fic. The one that started it all. Mixed-media format with letters, notes, and photos. Unfinished but what exists is legendary. If you've been in Wolfstar fandom, you've heard of Shoebox.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
bohemia · 2014
WWII era through the fall. Steve and Bucky during the war, knowing and not-knowing and not-saying. The period detail is rich and the longing is suffocating. Historical Stucky at its finest.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
Told through letters, documents, and historical records spanning decades. Steve and Bucky's love story pieced together like an archaeological dig. The format is groundbreaking. Will absolutely destroy you.
Tin Soldiers
idrilka · 2014
Modern AU where Captain America is a political figure in a world debating superhero regulation. Steve comes out publicly. The intersection of personal identity and politics is brilliantly done.
The Sea and Stars
greenconverses · 2017
Post-series. Percy and Annabeth at college trying to have normal lives while being anything but normal. The domestic Percabeth content we deserved. Growing up together never felt so real.
The Daughter of Wisdom and the Son of the Sea
AnnaAza · 2018
Modern AU where Percy and Annabeth meet in college architecture class. He's a disaster. She's organized chaos. The friendship-to-romance pipeline is adorable. Feel-good Percabeth for when you need a hug.
The Architecture of Us
WisdomDaughter · 2022
Annabeth designs buildings. Percy builds them. Professional AU where they've known each other forever and finally figure it out. The architecture metaphors for their relationship are brilliant.
The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn
Sahiya · 2014
Avengers Tower domestic bliss. Steve and Tony navigating feelings while living with a team of chaotic superheroes. The ensemble cast shines. Peak comfort Stony with banter and found family.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU. Sirius texts the wrong number. It's Remus. The entire fic is told through texts, groupchats, and social media posts. Somehow it's the most emotionally devastating texting fic ever written.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauders era from Remus's POV, year by year. The friendship, the war, the betrayal. One of the OG Wolfstar epics. If you want to understand why Marauders fans are the way they are, read this.
Choices
Lullabyknell · 2016
The first war. The suspicion. Remus and Sirius love each other but can't trust each other. Knowing the ending makes every moment hurt. If ATYD broke you, this will finish the job.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE Marauders fic. Letters, photos, notes passed in class. The multimedia format was revolutionary for 2004. Sirius and Remus fall in love while James chases Lily. It shaped an entire generation of HP fandom.
Soft Spot
Cleo4u2 & xantissa · 2017
Bucky wakes from cryo in Wakanda. Steve visits. The distance between who they were and who they are now is measured in decades of pain. Achingly slow reconciliation of two people who never stopped loving each other.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
Told through letters, transcripts, and historical documents. Steve and Bucky's love story spanning decades. The epistolary format makes it feel REAL. One of the most acclaimed Stucky fics ever written.
Your Bones Are My Cathedral
Mici (noharlembeat) · 2014
Bucky remembers in fragments. Steve fills in the gaps. The reconstruction of identity and love after trauma, told in shards of memory. Poetic and devastating.
Thermotemporal Equations
ghostsoldier · 2014
Steve keeps waking up in different times. Each loop teaches him something about Bucky, about himself, about what he's willing to sacrifice. Short, elegant, and packs an emotional wallop far above its word count.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Procrastinating_Author · 2018
College AU where Percy and Annabeth are at NYU. He's pre-marine biology. She's architecture. The mundane campus setting makes the residual PTSD from Tartarus hit harder. Funny and quietly devastating.
Gravity
thefudge · 2016
Set between Last Olympian and Heroes of Olympus. Percy and Annabeth figuring out how to be together after war. The transition from battle partners to actual couple is handled with beautiful realism.
The Sea and the Stars
alanabloom · 2016
Post-Tartarus recovery. Percy has nightmares. Annabeth has plans. They both have each other. The quietest Percabeth fic and somehow the loudest emotionally. Recovery isn't linear but love is constant.
Survival of the Fittest
Jedi Buttercup · 2015
Capture the Flag keeps getting more elaborate. Percy and Annabeth's competitive streak brings them closer. A lighter Percabeth fic that captures the Camp Half-Blood summer camp energy perfectly.
Something Permanent
greenconverses · 2018
Percy and Annabeth navigate adult life in New York. Apartment hunting, weird monsters in the subway, date nights interrupted by quests. Domestic Percabeth content that feels like a warm hug.
The Lightning Thief, Annotated
ananbeth · 2020
TLT from Annabeth's perspective. Every scene reframed through her analytical mind. Watching her slowly realize this Seaweed Brain might actually be something special is delightful. The footnotes are gold.
Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren · 2018
Macy and Elliot were childhood best friends who fell in love through words. Then something tore them apart. The dual timeline slowly rips your heart out.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together. Their creative partnership spans decades. It's a love story where love doesn't mean what you think it means. Will make gamers and non-gamers alike cry.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through texts, emails, and social media posts. Remus and Sirius's banter is legendary. The format is genius and the slow build from strangers to best friends to more is addictive.
Wolves Without Teeth
spaceaas · 2018
Post-Azkaban Sirius and a Remus who spent twelve years believing the worst. Rebuilding trust after betrayal (or perceived betrayal) is agonizing and beautiful. The title alone makes me emotional.
Soft Spot
dlot · 2015
Post-recovery Bucky learning to be a person again. Steve is patient. The softness is deliberate and earned. Sometimes the quietest fics hit the hardest.
Tin Soldiers
idrilka · 2014
Modern military AU. Steve and Bucky serve together. The 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' era tension is gutting. Idrilka writes military life with gritty authenticity and the forbidden romance aches.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
Told through letters, interviews, and historical documents. Steve and Bucky's love story across decades. The epistolary format is genius — it reads like uncovering a real queer history that was erased. Bring tissues.
Annabeth's Perspective
WisdomandSea · 2011
The Last Olympian retold from Annabeth's POV. Turns out she was panicking about Percy the ENTIRE TIME. All the moments we missed get filled in. The underwater kiss from her perspective? Perfect.
Something Permanent
bananannabeth · 2015
Post-series. Percy and Annabeth navigating college, PTSD, and trying to be normal after literally going through Hell. The domesticity mixed with trauma recovery is tenderly written.
To Build a Home
youngblood_oracle · 2018
Post-Tartarus. Percy can't sleep. Annabeth can't stop planning. They build something anyway. The quiet aftermath of trauma, told with aching specificity. These characters deserved a fic this gentle.
Love in the Time of Quests
greenconverses · 2012
Snapshots of Percy and Annabeth's relationship through the years. The humor is perfectly in character and the evolving dynamic from bickering kids to ride-or-die partners is so satisfying.
Wide Awake
SilverSky_Fire · 2017
Post-Stolen Century. Taako and Kravitz building a life together, with all the weirdness and tenderness that entails. A comfort fic that nails both characters' voices perfectly.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Two friends build a video game empire together. It's about love that defies easy categorization, creative partnership, and the games we play with each other. Will wreck you.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through texts, tweets, and group chats. Sirius and Remus meet through a wrong number. The group chat dynamics are so accurate it hurts. Pure serotonin.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauders era from Remus's perspective. His lycanthropy, his friendships, his growing feelings for Sirius. One of the OG Wolfstar fics that still holds up beautifully. The war encroaching on their youth is devastating.
Wolves of the Black Lake
SkoosiePants · 2022
For everyone who needed more Marauders era. First year through graduation with a Wolfstar slow burn that aches. The Shrieking Shack scenes are beautifully reimagined.
The Shoebox Project
dorkorific & ladyjaida · 2004
THE foundational Wolfstar fic. A multimedia Marauders-era masterpiece with letters, doodles, and some of the best characterization in all of HP fandom. If you haven't read it, start here.
Soft as it Began
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2014
Pre-war Brooklyn. Steve and Bucky falling in love in secret during the 1930s. The period detail is impeccable and the tenderness between them is devastating knowing what comes next.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2014
Told through letters, documents, and interviews spanning decades. Steve and Bucky's love story as history. The epistolary format is genius — you piece together their relationship like a historian. Masterpiece.
The Annabeth Chase Project
dreamcloud · 2020
College AU. Annabeth needs a fake boyfriend. Percy volunteers because he's an idiot (his words). The friend group dynamics are hilarious and the 'oh no I have REAL feelings' moment is *perfect*.
Tell Me You Love Me
writergirl8 · 2013
Post-Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth deal with the trauma of what they survived. The nightmares, the flinching, the holding on. Writergirl8 handles PTSD in mythology context with real sensitivity.
Like a Tide Pulled to Shore
Lyricwritespjo · 2022
Aged-up Percabeth on a quest across the Mediterranean. Riordan vibes with romantic tension turned up. The banter is perfect and the quest stakes are genuinely exciting.
In the Spaces Between
greenconverses · 2011
Missing scenes and expanded moments from the original series. The conversations we never got to see. Fills in the emotional gaps perfectly — it's like deleted scenes from canon.
The Bet
Twilight_to_Midnight · 2009
Percy bets Annabeth he can go a whole month without getting into trouble. She bets he can't. The competitive energy between them is prime Percabeth. A fandom classic.
Tangled Up in You
Christina Lauren · 2024
Ren and Holland have been best friends forever. A road trip forces them to confront what everyone else already sees. Christina Lauren's signature banter and warmth throughout.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together for thirty years. It's a love story about creativity, identity, and all the things you can't say. Made me sob on a bus.
The Shoebox Project
dorkorific & ladyjaida · 2004
The Marauders fic that started it all. Hogwarts years told through letters, notes, and narrative. Unfinished but legendary. Every Wolfstar fan should experience this at least once.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauder era from first year through the First Wizarding War. One of the original epic Wolfstar fics that defined how fandom wrote Remus and Sirius. A classic for a reason.
Sea-Storm Eyes
greekgeek · 2017
A retelling of The Last Olympian from Annabeth's POV. Everything hits different when you see Percy through her eyes — the worry, the pride, the moment she knows.
College AU: New Rome University
percyjacksonlover · 2018
Percy and Annabeth at New Rome University, navigating college while being demigods. Monster attacks during finals, study dates in the library, and all the domestic Percabeth content you need.
We Could Be Immortals
greengrassgrows · 2019
Post-Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth dealing with PTSD while trying to be normal teenagers. The trauma bonding is handled with incredible sensitivity and maturity.
Divide and Conquer
child_of_athena · 2017
AU where the camps are at war with each other and Percy and Annabeth are on opposite sides. The star-crossed lovers angle gives Percabeth a Romeo and Juliet energy that works brilliantly.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Two friends make video games together for thirty years. It's about creativity, love, identity, disability, and what we owe each other. Made me ugly-cry on public transit.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other through school and college. They keep almost getting it right. Rooney writes desire and miscommunication like no one else.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through text messages. Remus accidentally texts Sirius's number. The texting format somehow makes it MORE intimate, not less. Iconic Wolfstar.
The Last Great Star
irrationalmoony · 2020
Marauders era through the first war. Follows Sirius and Remus from first year to the Fidelius Charm. You know how it ends and it still destroys you. Definitive long-form Wolfstar.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauders era epic. The worldbuilding around werewolf culture is incredible. Sirius and Remus fall in love between full moons and looming war. FFN classic that still holds up.
Puppy Dog Tales
swottypotter · 2021
Modern AU where Sirius fosters dogs and Remus works at the shelter. Pure serotonin. Every dog has a ridiculous name. Every chapter is a warm hug.
The Shoebox Project
dorkorific, ladyjaida · 2004
THE Marauders fic. The original. The one that defined how an entire generation sees Sirius and Remus. Includes art, letters, and ephemera. If you only read one Wolfstar fic, it's this.
4 Minute Window
Speranza · 2015
Bucky sends Steve postcards from around the world. 4-minute windows of contact before he vanishes again. The yearning is physical. Speranza at her most devastating.
Soft Spot
dropdeaddream, WhatAreFears · 2016
Steve and Bucky navigate the aftermath of everything — the ice, the brainwashing, the decades apart. Rebuilding love when you've both been unmade.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
bohemia · 2015
1940s Brooklyn and the war. Steve is small and stubborn. Bucky is scared and brave. Everything about their love feels like stolen time because it is.
Thermotemporal Radiation
FestiveFerret · 2019
Steve time-travels and relives moments with Bucky. Each loop changes something. The question isn't whether he can fix the past — it's whether he should. Heartbreaking sci-fi Stucky.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Tears_of_Mercury · 2020
Modern college AU where the Greek gods are meddling professors. Percy is a marine biology major. Annabeth is architecture. The gods just want them to kiss already. Same, gods. Same.
Salty and Sweet
greenconverses · 2012
Missing scenes and alternate POVs from across the series. Green fills in all the moments Riordan skipped — the almost-kisses, the worried glances, the quiet understanding.
In the After
sagansjagger · 2020
Post-Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth navigate PTSD, nightmares, and trying to be normal teenagers who happen to have survived literal hell. The mental health rep is incredible.
Architect of His Own Destruction
Ananbeth · 2021
Annabeth's POV through the events of Heroes of Olympus. The anxiety of not knowing where Percy was for months, the Tartarus PTSD, the love that holds on through everything.
The Duke and I
Julia Quinn · 2000
Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke of Hastings fake a courtship to solve each other's problems. Regency romance done right — the banter crackles and the longing is exquisite.
The Last Enemy: Howl
CH_Darling · 2022
The Marauders' Hogwarts years in excruciating detail. Remus and Sirius circle each other while the first wizarding war looms. This is the novel-length Marauders era fic to end all others.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU. Remus texts a wrong number and it's Sirius. The entire fic is told through texts, social media posts, and group chats. Pioneered the format and still hasn't been topped.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
Marauders era from first year to the end. OG long-form Wolfstar that made people fall in love with Remus and Sirius. If you read one Wolfstar fic from the early fandom, this is it.
Sirius Black's Guide to Dating for Dummies
Maraudersftw · 2020
Sirius writes a dating advice column despite being hopelessly in love with his best friend. The dramatic irony is delicious and James Potter is the best wingman in fiction.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE Marauders era fic. Letters, photos, sketches woven into a narrative of Hogwarts years. This shaped how an entire generation sees the Marauders. Legendarily incomplete but essential.
Out of the Dead Land
orphan_account · 2014
Post-Winter Soldier. Bucky keeps leaving gifts on Steve's doorstep and trying to kill him. Steve keeps letting him in anyway. The tension between violence and tenderness is masterful.
Your Claws in Me
Lira · 2014
Steve and Bucky through the decades — 1930s Brooklyn to the future. The weight of time and what they've lost and found in each other is staggering.
Soft Spot
beardsley · 2014
Bucky adopts a cat. Steve melts. The cat is a metaphor for everything Bucky is learning to let himself love again. Short, sweet, and will heal your soul.
The Long Slide from Reckless to Feckless
enjambament · 2014
Pre-war Brooklyn. Steve and Bucky navigate their feelings in 1930s New York where being seen is dangerous. Achingly tender and historically grounded.
4 Minute Window
Speranza · 2015
Bucky starts leaving Steve increasingly unhinged presents. A bomb defusing manual. A grenade launcher. It's a love language. Steve speaks it fluently.
The Sea Speaks in Tongues
greenconverses · 2012
Post-war Percabeth navigating being together while dealing with PTSD, camp life, and being demigods. The domesticity mixed with lingering trauma is perfectly balanced.
The Last Olympian: Annabeth's POV
Anaklusmos14 · 2012
TLO from Annabeth's perspective. Watching her slowly realize her feelings while Percy carries the weight of the prophecy is devastating. The underwater kiss hits different from her POV.
Love and Other War Games
SilverTonguedSlytherin · 2013
Camp Half-Blood capture the flag gets intense. Percy and Annabeth's competitive streak is both hilarious and revealing. The tension between teammates who know each other too well.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Silverhuntresses · 2015
Modern AU where the Greek gods are a dysfunctional reality TV family and their kids are just trying to survive college. Percy and Annabeth's banter is golden.
Love Is Stored in the Dog
WardenOath · 2021
Modern AU. Bucky fosters dogs. Steve volunteers at the shelter. Every chapter is named after a dog breed and every dog is a metaphor for something Bucky needs to learn about love.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together for decades. It's a love story, but not the kind you expect. The ending gutted me. One of the best novels about creative partnership ever written.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
The definitive Marauders era fic. Remus Lupin's life from Hogwarts through the wars. The Wolfstar burns so slowly you barely notice until it consumes everything. 500K words and worth every single one.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
OG Wolfstar epic. Marauders era through the first war. The magic system additions are creative and the characterization of young Sirius and Remus is definitive for a generation of fans.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU. Sirius texts the wrong number. It's Remus. The entire fic is told through texts, social media, and group chats. Impossibly charming. The group chat chaos is TOO real.
4 Minute Window
Speranza · 2015
Bucky takes the damn plums. Steve follows. They go on the run together and the years of unspoken love finally crack open. Speranza writes Stucky like breathing — effortless and essential.
Soft Spot
Dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2016
1930s Brooklyn. Steve is small, sick, and stubborn. Bucky is in love and terrified. Pre-serum Stucky at its most intimate — the tenderness of two boys who can't name what they are yet.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
lyra_wing · 2014
Steve and Bucky through all the wars — WWII, the fall, the recovery. A love letter to their bond that spans decades and death and brainwashing and still survives. Compact and devastating.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
Told through letters, documents, and third-person accounts spanning decades. The love story of Steve and Bucky as seen by everyone around them. The epistolary format is genius. Will wreck you.
The Stalking Zuko Series
emletish · 2011
Katara's diary during Book 3. She starts writing about Zuko to keep an eye on him and ends up documenting falling for him. The humor is incredible and the character voices are perfect.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
WelshGirl4Life · 2013
College AU. Percy and Annabeth navigate dorm life, godly interference, and the transition from best friends to something more. The friend group dynamic is peak found family.
Eternity in an Instant
riptidescap · 2021
Annabeth's POV through the Titan War. Everything she was too busy or too scared to say. Percy is oblivious and she's drowning. The reframing of canon from her perspective is heartbreaking.
Wisegirl and Seaweed Brain
Jayfish · 2014
Post-HoO. Percy and Annabeth's life after saving the world — twice. College applications, apartment hunting, and being ridiculously domestic. Pure comfort Percabeth.
The Fall from Tartarus
flyingcrowbar · 2018
Tartarus broke them both. This is the aftermath — the nightmares, the panic attacks, the way they hold each other together when everything else falls apart. PTSD recovery Percabeth done right.
Construction Paper Hearts
HecateA · 2020
Teachers AU. Percy teaches swim class. Annabeth teaches architecture camp. Their students ship them before they ship themselves. Disgustingly wholesome.
The Bittersweet Between My Teeth
taylortot · 2020
Modern AU. Sokka runs a failed comedy podcast. Suki is his producer who actually makes it work. The banter is fantastic and Sokka's chaotic energy is perfectly captured.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other through school and university in Ireland. They keep almost working out, then not. The miscommunication is agonizing because it's exactly how real life works.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together. Their partnership spans decades, defined by love, jealousy, and creation. It's not a romance — it's something deeper and harder to name.
Soft Spot
kittymannequin · 2018
Modern AU. Bucky runs a flower shop. Steve is the hot guy from the tattoo parlor next door. It's soft, funny, and exactly the Stucky AU everyone needed. Peak comfort fic.
The Sea, Shining
greenconverses · 2017
Post-series Percabeth at college. Percy is a marine biology major. Annabeth is rebuilding Olympus. Their relationship deepens beyond battles. Domestic Percabeth with occasional monster attacks.
The Half-Blood Chronicles
stargazer1702 · 2020
Modern AU. Percy and Annabeth meet at a university classics program. The mythology is woven into real life beautifully. Their banter is peak Percabeth — sarcasm as a love language.
Slow Show
mia_ugly · 2019
University AU. Aziraphale is a humanities professor. Crowley teaches botany. They've orbited each other for years. The 'we've loved each other for so long it's become background radiation' energy is magnificent.
Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren · 2018
Macy and Elliot were inseparable childhood friends who fell in love—until a devastating betrayal tore them apart. Eleven years later, a chance encounter brings back everything they buried.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne circle each other from secondary school in Ireland to university at Trinity College Dublin. Their connection is undeniable, but timing and insecurity keep pulling them apart.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
The OG Wolfstar epic. From Hogwarts through the first war, every chapter feels lived-in. The friendship dynamics are as compelling as the romance. Written before ATYD but still holds its own.
Cubs
Sansa_Renly · 2018
Marauders era fluff where Sirius figures out his feelings for Remus with all the subtlety of a Bludger to the face. James's commentary is peak best friend energy. Light and warm.
The Life and Times
Jewels5 · 2009
THE Jily fic. Still incomplete and fans still mourn it. Lily and James's evolution from antagonists to soulmates set the template for every Marauders fic that followed. Nothing has topped the banter.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
Letters, memories, and the unspoken love between Steve and Bucky across decades. Told through documents and artifacts. The epistolary format makes every revelation hit harder. Widely considered the greatest Stucky fic ever written.
This, You and Me
thebrotherswinchester · 2014
Post-Winter Soldier recovery fic. Bucky remembers in fragments. Steve holds on with everything he has. The rebuilding of their relationship is patient and tender. Quietly devastating.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
SuperDanganRonpa · 2015
From Brooklyn to the front lines to the fall. The tragedy of knowing how it ends doesn't diminish the beauty of watching them love each other in the moments they have.
Your Blue-Eyed Boys
laiqualaurelote · 2014
Post-TWS. Bucky shows up at Steve's door. He doesn't remember much, but he remembers enough. The fragility of recovery is rendered with painful honesty. Prose quality is literary fiction tier.
Thermotemporal Equations
Bocchan · 2019
Steve uses the time stone to try to save Bucky — again and again. Each loop changes something. The temporal mechanics are creative, but it's the emotional escalation that makes this unforgettable.
University of New Rome
smartgirlsaremean · 2018
Percy and Annabeth at college in New Rome. The domestic scenes are pure comfort — grocery shopping, study dates, arguments about architecture. These two earned their peace and this fic delivers it.
The Annabeth Chase Project
greenconverses · 2016
Modern AU. Annabeth is a film student making a documentary about her best friend Percy. The realization that her feelings aren't platonic unfolds through the camera lens. Creative and charming.
Performance in a Leading Role
Mad_Lori · 2011
Hollywood AU. Sherlock and John are A-list actors cast as lovers. The line between performance and reality blurs. The meta-commentary on celebrity closeting is surprisingly sharp. One of AO3's most bookmarked fics ever.
The Progress of Sherlock Holmes
ivyblossom · 2011
Sherlock realizes he has feelings through systematic self-observation. It's exactly as Sherlock-like as it sounds — he treats his own emotions as a case to solve. Funny, tender, and brilliantly characterized.
Alone on the Water
Mad_Lori · 2011
Sherlock is dying. He has weeks. This fic is only 6k words and it will destroy you completely. Every sentence is precision-engineered to make you sob. The most emotional gut-punch in fandom history.
Twist and Shout
gabriel & standbyme · 2012
Vietnam War AU. Dean and Cas meet in the 1960s. Fall in love. Then the war happens. This fic traumatized an entire generation of fandom. If someone mentions 'the fic that made everyone cry,' this is it.
Ninety One Whiskey
komodobits · 2015
Military AU. Medic Cas and soldier Dean in Afghanistan. The prose is sparse and beautiful — every word earns its place. Short but hits with the force of something three times its length.
Dean Winchester Is Not Afraid
JessicaMDawn · 2015
Post-series domestic Destiel. Dean learns to cook. Cas learns to be human. Sam judges from the sidelines. The warmth of this fic is a balm after 15 seasons of emotional warfare.
Slow Show
mia_ugly · 2019
Human AU. University professors Ezra Fell and Anthony Crowley have been orbiting each other for years. The 6000-year pining energy compressed into a modern academic setting. Hilarious and deeply tender.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne circle each other through school and university, always almost together, never quite making it work. Rooney writes the ache of miscommunication like no one else.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie build video games and a friendship that spans decades. It's about love, creativity, disability, and the question of whether two people can truly know each other.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
THE Marauders fic. Seven years at Hogwarts through Remus's eyes. Friendship, love, war, and loss. More people have read this than some published novels. It IS the Marauders era now.
The Last Enemy: Death Is But Crossing the World
CH_Darling · 2020
An alternate Marauders saga that's essentially a published-quality novel series. The worldbuilding is immaculate, the characterization is breathtaking, and the war looms over everything.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
An OG Wolfstar epic from the FFN era. Pre-Hogwarts through the First War. Remus's transformations are brutal, Sirius's devotion is everything. Classic fandom storytelling at its peak.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through texts, social media posts, and group chats. Sirius texts a wrong number. It's Remus. The formatting is innovative and the group chat dynamics are perfection.
The Shoebox Project
dorkorific & ladyjaida · 2004
THE foundational Wolfstar fic. Letters, photos, notes, and narrative telling the Marauders' Hogwarts years. Abandoned but iconic. If you're in Wolfstar fandom, you've read this.
Wolves Without Teeth
dirgewithoutmusic · 2016
A Remus-centric fic about loving someone dangerous in dangerous times. The prose is literary, the characterization is nuanced, and the First War paranoia is suffocating.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
SuperLazyCrazy · 2015
Pre-war Brooklyn through the present day. The full Stucky love story across decades. The 1940s sections are rich with period detail, and the reunion arc is earned and devastating.
Soft Spot
CeeABee · 2018
Bucky runs a cat rescue. Steve volunteers. That's the premise and that's all you need. Domestic, cozy, and full of cats. The comfort fic you deserve.
Not Easily Conquered
dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears · 2015
Told through letters, interviews, and historical documents spanning decades. A Stucky fic disguised as a history book. The epistolary format is brilliant and the ending will destroy you.
Once Around the Sun
eleventy7 · 2013
A year in the life post-war, told through seasons. Katara and Zuko's relationship shifts gradually from friends to something more. Quiet, gentle, and beautifully observed.
Son of the Sea God
Sassenach082 · 2013
AU where Percy is raised by Poseidon. Different upbringing, same heart. The dynamic with Annabeth shifts beautifully when he's confident instead of confused. Epic and engaging.
Til Death Do Us Part
starlit_Seas · 2020
Post-HoO. Percy and Annabeth are trying to be normal after Tartarus. They can't. PTSD, nightmares, and clinging to each other because nothing else makes sense. Raw and honest.
Anabasis
Taaroko · 2016
A full retelling of the Percy Jackson series from Annabeth's POV. Fills in all the gaps, adds depth, and makes you fall in love with these characters all over again.
The Victor's Crown
ct522 · 2015
Post-Mockingjay. Katniss and Peeta rebuilding. The PTSD is unflinching, the healing is slow, and the love is hard-won. The epilogue we deserved, written with care.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
THE Marauders fic. Remus Lupin's life from childhood to the end of the First Wizarding War. This fic has its own fandom. Over 100M hits. You will ugly cry.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
One of the original Marauders epics. Follows the full Hogwarts years with incredible depth. FFN classic that defined the Wolfstar genre.
Choices
Maestro_Muse · 2021
Remus and Sirius navigate Hogwarts, identity, and each other. Beautiful character work and a Wolfstar that feels real and earned.
4 Minute Window
Speranza · 2015
Bucky leaves Steve a series of clues and caches as he deprograms himself. Steve follows. A love story told in dead drops and encrypted messages.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
romanoff · 2015
From 1930s Brooklyn to the 21st century. The complete Stucky story — how they loved each other through decades and brainwashing and death.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other from school to university. They keep finding and losing each other. The miscommunication isn't a trope — it's the entire point.
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Alex and Poppy are polar opposites who take annual vacations together. Two years ago something went wrong. One more trip to fix everything.
Just Last Night
Mhairi McFarlane · 2021
Eve's world shatters when tragedy strikes their tight-knit friend group. In the aftermath, buried feelings and secrets surface that change everything she thought she knew.
Beautiful World, Where Are You
Sally Rooney · 2021
Four people in their late twenties navigate love, friendship, and the end of the world via email. Rooney's most mature work. The emails will destroy you.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Two friends make video games together across three decades. It's about love, creativity, disability, identity, and the games we play with each other's hearts.
The Rachel Incident
Caroline O'Donoghue · 2023
Rachel and James are 20, broke, and sharing a bedroom in Cork, Ireland. She's sleeping with their married professor. He's in love with someone he shouldn't be. Messy millennial lit.
The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights
CH_Darling · 2020
THE Marauders-era fic. A multi-part epic covering their Hogwarts years into the first war. The worldbuilding is extraordinary. This IS canon for many readers.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
The fic that broke the internet. Remus's entire life from age 11 to the Battle of Hogwarts. Half a million words. More readers than most published novels. There's a reason.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
A pre-ATYD classic Wolfstar Marauders fic. Remus and Sirius from first year through the war. The OG long-form Wolfstar that set the standard for everything after.
The Ordeal of Being Known
louisfake · 2021
Modern AU. Remus is a teaching assistant. Sirius is running from his family. They find each other in a London that feels real. The therapy rep is phenomenal.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE original Marauders fic. Written in mixed media — letters, diary entries, notes. Shaped how an entire generation imagines the Marauders. Sadly incomplete but essential reading.
The Soldier and the Hurricane
romanoff · 2014
Brooklyn in the 1930s and 40s. Steve and Bucky before the war changed everything. Period-accurate, achingly romantic, and you know how it ends but you read anyway.
i'll walk you home (take the long way)
araephiale · 2020
Modern AU. Zuko walks Katara home from campus every night. They're definitely just friends. The mutual pining is tooth-rottingly sweet.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
WelshPiper · 2010
An original quest fic that feels like it could be the next book. Percy and Annabeth bickering across America with perfect Riordan-style humor. Pure nostalgia.
The Sea's Daughter
Maurader'sHeiress · 2014
Percy as a girl — Persephone Jackson. The entire series retold from a fem!Percy perspective. Surprisingly adds depth to the original dynamics and the Percabeth romance hits different.
The Friend Zone
Abby Jimenez · 2019
Kristen knows she can't have Josh — he's her best friend's brother, and she has a secret that changes everything. Funny, devastating, and impossibly romantic.
Of Leaves and Stars
esthree · 2021
A Marauders-era epic that focuses on the quiet moments — the in-between spaces where Remus and Sirius fall in love against the backdrop of growing darkness.
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Alex and Poppy are best friends who take a yearly vacation together. Two years ago, something went wrong. Now Poppy has one last trip to fix it. The pining will WRECK you.
Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2018
Connell and Marianne orbit each other from high school through university. They keep finding and losing each other. The miscommunication is agonizing. The love is undeniable.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together. Their creative partnership spans decades. It's a love story, but not a romance. About collaboration, ambition, disability, and what we owe each other.
The Last Enemy: Howling at the Moon
CH_Darling · 2022
The Marauders from first year to the first war. Remus and Sirius fall in love while the world falls apart. The TikTok-famous fic that launched a thousand edits. Absolutely devastating.
Text Talk
merlywhirls · 2014
Modern AU told entirely through texts, group chats, and social media posts. Remus and Sirius start texting by accident. It's funny, sweet, and somehow incredibly moving.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
The Marauders' years at Hogwarts with deep werewolf mythology and Remus/Sirius slow burn. One of the OG Wolfstar fics that defined the ship for a generation.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE legendary Marauders fic. Letters, photographs, pranks, and the slow realization that Remus and Sirius are in love. Set the standard for an entire fandom. If you know, you know.
All the Young Dudes
MsKingBean89 · 2017
Remus Lupin's life from age 11 to the first war. The Wolfstar fic. 500K+ words, millions of hits, the fic that made an entire generation sob. If you've only read one Wolfstar fic, it was probably this one.
Beautiful World, Where Are You
Sally Rooney · 2021
Alice and Eileen email each other about life, love, and whether anything matters. Meanwhile, they're both falling for men who might not be right for them. Rooney doing Rooney things.
The Measure of a Man
inadaze22 · 2020
Draco returns to England after years abroad. He's changed. Hermione doesn't trust it. inadaze22 crafts one of the most believable Draco redemptions in the fandom.
Somebody to You
writergirl8 · 2014
College AU where Percy and Annabeth are best friends pretending they're not in love with each other. Everyone can see it except them. The mutual pining is chef's kiss.
Wild
Seraphina_Snape · 2017
Geralt and Jaskier on the road. The pining from both sides is immense — Jaskier in his obvious way, Geralt in his stoic denial. Beautifully written Path fic.
The Right Partner
hendricksheathen · 2022
After Vecna, Steve and Eddie navigate recovery and something neither of them expected. The 80s setting, the fear of being seen, the tenderness — Steddie done right.
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Two best friends take one vacation a year. Then it all falls apart. A trip to fix what broke.
A Convenient Impracticality
waspabi · 2013
Eighth year at Hogwarts. Draco is inconveniently convenient.
Azoth
zeitgeistic · 2012
Eighth-year alchemy project pairs Harry and Draco. Transformative in more than one way.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
The original Marauders fic. Letters, doodles, banter, and love.
Playing the Game
Scribbulus Ink · 2015
Sirius pretends he's fine. Remus pretends he doesn't notice.
The Basement
hawkins86 · 2020
Will has loved Mike his whole life. Mike is figuring things out.
The Gaffer's Boss
afcrichmond · 2021
Rebecca and Ted find their way past everything in the way.
The Bookshop After Hours
ineffablehusbands · 2020
Six thousand years of pining. And then a very long kiss.
Whistledown's Secret
featheringon · 2023
Penelope and Colin and the truth she's been hiding.
Casting Moonshadows
Moonsign · 2007
OG Marauders-era Wolfstar epic. Years 5-7 at Hogwarts. Friendships, pranks, and the slow realization of feelings.
Brighter Than the Sun
LibraryofRuina · 2021
Mortal college AU. Percy is a marine biology major. Annabeth is architecture. They orbit each other. The chemistry is inevitable.
The Shoebox Project
ladyjaida & dorkorific · 2004
THE Marauders fic. Letters, photographs, and the story of four boys at Hogwarts. Before ATYD, there was this. Legendary.
Hook, Line, and Sinker
Tessa Bailey · 2022
Fox Thornton is the town flirt. Hannah Bellinger sees the real him. Friends-to-lovers in a fishing village with all the feels.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Sam and Sadie make video games together for decades. It's a love story about creativity, friendship, and the games we play. Will wreck you.
Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love
isthisselfcare · 2021
Draco is desperately in love with Hermione and everyone knows except her. The pining is Olympic-level. Comedy gold.
Unexpected Developments
Lauren3210 · 2009
8th year. Harry and Draco become friends before either realizes they're falling. The slow build of trust and warmth is exquisite.
Stag Do
ConstanceB · 2013
Modern AU. James's stag do throws Remus and Sirius into twenty-four hours of chaos. The disaster is perfectly plotted and the love is achingly real.
What the Night Sounds Like
Saras_Girl · 2022
Rebecca and Keeley build something unexpected after the season 2 finale. Found family vibes wrapped in a slow-burn sapphic romance. The warmth is extraordinary.
Invisible Ink
NovemberBlue · 2022
Colin and Penelope have been exchanging anonymous letters for years. He doesn't know it's her. She knows it's him. Lady Whistledown watches everything.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
olivieblake · 2023
This fanfic is a delightful journey of friendship blossoming into romance. The witty banter and character growth make it a must-read for any Dramione fan.
To Catch a Firefly
Emmy Sanders · 2024
'To Catch a Firefly' is a sweet and tender story that captures the essence of young love in a small town. Emmy Sanders beautifully portrays the journey from friendship to romance, making it a delightful read.
Secrets of a Summer Night
Lisa Kleypas · 2004
This book kicks off the Wallflower series with a delightful mix of humor and romance. The characters are relatable and their journey to love is both sweet and satisfying.