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Tuesday, December 30th, 2025 09:01 pm
Fandom: Heated Rivalry
Characters/Pairings: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Yuna Hollander/David Hollander
Rating: Teen
Length: 1443
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: toomuchplor on AO3
Themes: canon LGBTQ+ characters, Family, Established relationship, Missing scene

Summary:
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. ~ Thoreau
Or;
What happened when Yuna and Shane were talking.

Reccer's Notes:
I wanted this scene when I watched episode 6, and toomuchplor wrote it! This is what happens between Ilya and David when Shane is outside talking with Yuna. It's also about David observing how in love Shane and Ilya are, and about David and Yuna gradually getting to grips with all the revelations. It's wonderfully written, and just exactly what I'd hoped someone would write. Also, toomuchplor is in the vortex!! *excited noises* (this is plor's 3rd HR fic).

Fanwork Links: Keep Pace

Tuesday, December 30th, 2025 06:05 pm
Fandom: Night at the Museum
Pairings/Characters: Jedediah/Octavius
Rating: T
Length: 15,551
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] flowerdeluce
Theme: Amnesty, (Five) Things, Essential Starter Recs, Friends to Lovers, Heists & Capers, Just Plain Fun, Magic, Research, Slow Burn, Uncommon Settings, Working Together, Worldbuilding

Summary: After discovering how lucrative ‘publicity stunts’ are for the museum, McPhee organises a series of art exhibitions in the museum’s gallery. The installations are refreshed weekly, leaving Jed and Octavius only brief windows of time to explore each one.

Reccer's Notes: An absolutely gorgeous fic which integrates real-world museum exhibits; they all sounded so unique and fascinating it made me want to visit my own local museum, too!! The slow build up of the boys' relationship is also just delightful as they explore these new worlds and the many other ways the museum's magic animates each unique exhibit.

Fanwork Links: On Every Horizon
Tuesday, December 30th, 2025 05:50 pm
Fandom: The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Pairings/Characters: Luo Binghe/Shen Qingqiu
Rating: M
Length: 33,372
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] ratjamtime1EndRacismintheOTW1
Theme: Amnesty, (Not Really) Unrequited Love, Casefic, Character Development, Clones & Doppelgangers, Favorite Fanworks, Fix-it, Identity Porn, Loyalty Kink, Secret Identity Reveal, Spells & Curses, Trauma & Recovery

Summary: Luo Binghe is setting the beginning foundations of his attempt to prove himself the righteous cultivator Shen Qingqiu could welcome back to his side (and possibly love but let's not get ahead of ourselves here) when he hears his master's life is in peril. He leaps at the chance to prove his goodness and worth to his master.

Luo Binghe learns his master is not the man he thought he was.

AKA

Shen 'Airplane wrote this for an orgy wife plot/love confession but I'll be damned before I do anything like THAT' Qingqiu vs Luo 'If it were not for Shizun, I'd kill everyone on this mountain and then myself' Binghe, FIGHT

Reccer's Notes: Out of all the 'Binghe fights the System and finds out Shen Qingqiu's true identity' fics out there (and there will never be enough to satiate my cravings), this one is my favourite. Please don't be turned off by the grammar: this is such a perfect dissection of the many different parts of Shen Qingqiu slash Shen Yuan, following Binghe through a series of important memories as he pieces together the truth and reaches the core of the rift between he and his Shizun. It just feels so perfectly... conclusive: when it ended all I could do is sit back and bask in the satisfaction because it felt like such a perfect ending for them both!!

Fanwork Links: Peel You Open (Like A Flower, Or An Onion)
Tuesday, December 30th, 2025 05:32 pm
Fandom: The West Wing
Pairings/Characters: Sam Seaborn/Josh Lyman-focus; also includes Sam/OMC, Josh/Amy and Josh/Donna
Rating: E
Length: 347,597 overall
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] jaegecko
Theme: Amnesty, Ambiguous Relationships, Backstory, Character Development, Epic Works, Fandom Classics, Getting Back Together, Missing Scenes, Mutual Pining, Politics, Research, Series

Summary: The Turningverse is a series of stories that interweave with both canon "West Wing" episodes and each other. Each one is self-contained, so feel free to begin anywhere you feel moved to do so.

Reccer's Notes: THE big Sam/Josh fic, and it earns all of its accolades! The author is incredibly knowledgeable about the day-to-day realities of political campaigners and White House staffers, flawlessly interspersing their own original scenes with canon. And the central relationship is so perfectly, tragically flawed: two men who are intrinsically drawn to one another, struggling to overcome the lack of privacy inherent to their position, burgeoning resentment, and some of the most heart-breakingly realistic internalised homophobia I've read in a long time. And that's not to mention the fic's version of Lisa, Sam's initial fiance, who becomes a very important character just as flawed and with just as complicated a relationship with Sam and Josh as they have with another. I devoured these fics and never wanted to stop!

However, be aware that the final fic of the series (the intended second-last part) was never fully completed. As a result, the series never reached the point where the couple gets back together for good. I recommend ending with 'Interlude for two voices' if you can't bear that; I sure stayed there for a while until I could bring myself to go on! :')

Fanwork Links: The Turning universe
Saturday, December 27th, 2025 08:06 pm
Fandom: Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry
Characters/Pairings: OFCs, Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Scott Hunter/Kip Grady, Hayden Pike, Troy Barrett, mentions of many HR characters
Rating: Teen
Length: 6937
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply. Some mentions of homophobia and slurs.
Creator Links: corsi on AO3
Themes: Outsider POV, Unconventional format & style, Epistolary, Worldbuilding, Fans and fandom

Summary:
yara [profile] troycabaret

tried to get oomf into hockey and now she's obsessed with FUCKING HOLLANOV? THEY'RE 50 YEARS OLD

Or: Ten years, as seen through fandom.


Reccer's Notes: This is courtesy of a rec in [personal profile] cathexys' journal. It's another fic told through snippets from invented social media posts across about ten years, following the development, within the universe of Heated Rivalry, of hockey rpf fandom, mainly focusing on Hollanov (Ilya/Shane). It's extraordinarily well done, and although the story of Shane and Ilya's decade-long love affair is the core thread, the real tale is of the rpf fandom, specifically a few devoted fans. The poignancy and brilliance of this fic is the portraits it paints of fanwriters and young fans, immersed in the fandom while they grow and develop, moving through their own life stages and dramas while posting about the hockey players they love, especially Hollanov. And in the end, of course, the Hollanov truthers are resoundingly vindicated. The formatting makes it clear that we're seeing posts on tumblr, livejournal, AO3, Reddit, Twitter, etc., with different types of fandom on each platform. Hilarious and touching, this is a wonderful read, and the details are meticulous and very funny.
PS: It may help to know in advance (as these may be hockey rpf terms with which I was unfamiliar) that 2481 is code for Hollander/Rozanov (their jersey numbers), and 2435 is Hollander/Pike. Some details in the fic will probably only make sense if you've read the books.
PPS: Also, there's a fictional recs list by "ice knives" partway through, and I want to read ALL OF THEM!

Fanwork Links: Love Takes Miles (read it in creator's style if you can, for the formatting)
Thursday, December 25th, 2025 11:57 pm
Fandom: Original Work, Christmas Tales & Traditions, Barbie
Pairings/Characters: OCs; a child & her faithful dolls.
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 612
Content Notes: No Content Warnings Apply
Creator Tags: Barbie Dolls, Christmas, Christmas Tree

Creator Links: (AO3) [archiveofourown.org profile] Rubynye; (Dreamwidth) [personal profile] minoanmiss; (Tumblr) [tumblr.com profile] rubynye

Theme: Amnesty, Female Relationships, Action/Adventure, Comfort Fic, Female Friendships, Folklore & Fairytales, Teams

Summary: All around her spread the magnificent brilliance of the shining tree, its decorations alight and glittering.

Author’s Notes: Merry Christmas to my dear friend Amaebi!

Reccer's Notes: A little girl’s Barbie dolls come to life to keep her company on Christmas Eve. The author maintains a keenly lived-in sense of scale; acting as a team in the fashion of the Madagascar Penguins, the dolls scale the California redwood heights and marvel in the celestial lighting of the Christmas tree (while remaining vigilant against the approach of the Parents—or, worse, the Kitty!)

A nostalgic snapshot of the fierce Velveteen Rabbit Reality of our imaginary friends.

Fanwork Links: How to View a Christmas Tree, by [archiveofourown.org profile] Rubynye for [personal profile] amaebi.
Part 18 of How To Indulge Your Writerly Soul.
Thursday, December 25th, 2025 10:07 pm
Fandom: Chen Qing Ling; A Christmas Carol
Pairings/Characters: Meng Yao | Jin Guangyao, Jin Guangshan, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Wen Ruohan, Background & Cameo Characters
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Length: 7,500
Content Notes: No Archive Warnings Apply, (although Jin Guangshan is his own content warning.)
Creator Tags: Minor Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Inspired by A Christmas Carol, Crack, Christmas Crack, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Jin Guangyao is gonna soften his dad's heart if it kills him, Jiang Cheng wasn't even supposed to be here today, Lan Wangji is only here for the snacks, (Wei Ying is the snack), Daddy Issues: The Play, It's WangXian but that's not the focus here

Creator Links: (AO3) [archiveofourown.org profile] Mikkeneko; (Tumblr) [tumblr.com profile] mikkeneko

Theme: Amnesty, Uncommon Settings, Crack, Crossovers/Fusions, Humor, Research, Trope Subversion & Inversion

Summary: It's Christmas Eve in the Jianghu, and Jin Guangyao is determined to show his father the meaning of charity and generosity and the brotherhood of man if it kills him.

(It will.)


Author’s Notes: You know, throughout this fandom I've seen fans extend grace towards all sorts of morally grey characters. There are Xue Yang stans, Su She truthers, Wen Ruohan fuckers and Meng Yao apologists, I've even seen Jin Zixun have something like a redemption arc! But the one thing I've never, ever seen is a redemption story for Jin Guangshan.

This fic isn't one either.

… Thanks for reading! I'm so sorry.

I referenced this copy of Charles Dickens' ACC while writing this fic. How come nobody told me Dickens was such a fuckin' comedian? The adaptations only ever quote the dramatic lines.


Reccer's Notes: This is one of the most meticulous, erudite, and considered pieces of crack I’ve ever read; the characters themselves are constantly lampshading the incompatibility of the crossover. Mikkeneko manages, somehow, to keep everyone in character while shoehorned into the Christmas Carol roles and to transpose this Christian morality play into the context of a Xianxia China unbothered by missionaries—demonstrating a thorough understanding of both the canons she’s Frankenstitched together. There’s a smidgen of Shakespeare in there too; the Christmas Carol scenario is a stage play, presented by Jin Guangyao in a Hamletesque ploy to lay a ruler’s sins bare.

Fanwork Links: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35699251
Thursday, December 18th, 2025 06:21 am
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairings/Characters: F/M; Emily Prentiss/Spencer Reid, Aaron Hotchner/Jennifer "JJ" Jareau; Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Emily Prentiss, Penelope Garcia, Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, Henry LaMontagne, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 50,833
Content Notes: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, bittersweet ending, canon-typical violence, colorism, period-characteristic prevalence of smoking, period-characteristic attitudes toward mental illness, PTSD, war-typical gore
Creator Tags: Alternate Universe - Historical, Everybody's Looking Sharp, Get Some Benny Goodman on the Radio, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Author is a Research Nerd, And Not Ashamed of It Either, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, Alternate Universe - 1940s
Creator Links: (AO3) [archiveofourown.org profile] mosylu, (Dreamwidth) [personal profile] mosylu, (FF.net) [fanfiction.net profile] mosylu, (Tumblr) [tumblr.com profile] mosylufanfic

Theme: Amnesty, Mystery & Suspense, Uncommon Settings, Casefic, Characters of Color, FANCAKE IS FIFTEEN, Fandom Classics, Historical AUs, Research, Women Being Awesome

Summary: Historical AU. In 1947 New York, a motley group of strangers are about to come face-to-face with the idea that you can catch a criminal from within his own mind.

Author’s Notes: Honestly, this came about because of Garcia's hair. Yes, Garcia's hair. Follow me here. There was an episode where she was wearing it in this marvelous retro-40's do, and I started picturing how she'd look in a whole 40's ensemble. And then I started picturing the entire cast in 40's styles. (Boy howdy, would it suit Reid, and Morgan would rock a fedora like nobody's business.) Then I started thinking about how different their lives would have been sixty years ago, and then the social and cultural upheaval of an entire nation coming back from WWII, and . . . well . . . enjoy.

Historical Note: Shell shock was the World War I term, and battle fatigue the WWII term, for what we now call PTSD.


Reccer's Notes: A post-WWII noir mystery AU in which an oddly assorted bunch of cops, academics, veterans, and civilians, coordinated by their friendly neighborhood reference librarian and gossip networker, band together to solve some violent local crimes—and proceed to pioneer criminal profiling in the process.

(When this fic debuted in October 2010, the mystery of Reid’s chronic migraines was an ongoing canon subplot; this setting provides a ruthlessly plausible explanation. That’s all I’m going to say.)

Fanwork Links:
AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3161369
Fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6391786/1/War-Crimes
Thursday, December 25th, 2025 09:23 pm
Fandom: Metal Gear Solid
Pairings/Characters: Snake/Otacon
Rating: G
Length: 13,779 (1:33:04)
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] thelonebamf
Theme: Amnesty, Ambiguous Relationships, Angst (With A Happy Ending), Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Trauma & Recovery, Pre-Canon

Summary: Snake returns from Operation N313, lauded a hero and finds the latest shipment of Foxhound recruits already at the camp. Still struggling to sort out his thoughts about the mission, he finds his attention drawn to one rookie in particular, a scrawny, unassuming runt who can't seem to stay out of trouble.

Reccer's Notes: This just works so damn well as an alternate first meeting for these two! It's such a dismal, pessimistic setting - as expected with this canon - but the way these two forge a connection, finding some degree of comfort and caring and hope - makes me really emotional! And I love the use of the book, as well! (Also somehow even though I always knew the Hal connection to 2001: A Space Odyssey I never noticed how Dave fits in to it, too?! 🤦)

Fanwork Links: Rat in a Foxhole [podfic], Rat in a Foxhole
Thursday, December 25th, 2025 09:12 pm
Fandom: The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Pairings/Characters: Luo Binghe/Shen Qingqiu
Rating: T
Length: 4,491
Creator Links: [profile] boomchick
Theme: Amnesty, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Mythical Creatures: Demons, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Spells & Curses, Trauma and Recovery

Summary: Luo Binghe's healing powers falter in the shape of the wounds Xiu Ya once gave him. He does the only logical thing--HIDES IT.
Shen Qingqiu knows something is wrong with his husband, but finding out what is going to hurt...

A sweet little post-canon fic about healing, plotted with and illustrated by the incredible Falcities for the SVSSS Gotcha for Gaza

Reccer's Notes: This is such a sweet, thoughtful fic! Binghe always tries so hard to be strong, and never really quite escapes the trauma reaction that he doesn't deserve help or that suffering is just something to be endured. In this post-canon fic, his husband gets the opportunity to tell him otherwise and show him just how much he loves all parts of him, including the demonic parts!

It also has quite possibly my favourite (and very appropriate to the themes!) no beta tag ever: No beta but we live regardless

Fanwork Links: blood, leave no stain
Thursday, December 25th, 2025 09:01 pm
Fandom: The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Pairings/Characters: Luo Binghe/Shen Qingqiu
Rating: T
Length: 3,248
Creator Links: [personal profile] marquisguyun
Theme: Amnesty, Character Development, Domestic, Happy Endings, Hurt/Comfort, Time Travel

Summary: Luo Binghe had suffered through numerous life-changing revelations since waking up on the floor of the woodshed. First he had thought he was dead and a ghost, then he'd been informed he was in the future, then they'd tried to tell him that he was a demon. But still, the most unbelievable thing this strange future version of his shijie had tried to convince him of was that he was married to their shizun.

Reccer's Notes: This was written for the prompt 'Time Travel - Character discovers future self is apparently happy in the MOST unlikely relationship', and truly I cannot think of a better canon ship for that than this pair 😄 This is so sweet, and baby Binghe's POV is so perfectly young and hurt and yearning and protective-instincts-inciting...! And then the canon couple themselves are just so very sweet and perfect... <33 Such love!!!

Fanwork Links: the future is a foreign country
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025 11:42 pm
Fandom: Game Changers series (Heated Rivalry)
Characters/Pairings: Hayden Pike & Shane Hollander, Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Hayden Pike/Jackie Pike, Montreal team ensemble
Rating: Mature
Length: 5450
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: gurlsrool on AO3
Themes: Friendship, Five things, Humor, Outsider pov, Established relationship, Canon LGBTQ+ characters

Summary: “I don’t hate him!” Hayden says, which is only true because hate doesn’t quite capture it. No, he despises Rozanov. In his defense, everyone with a pulse and without the last name Hollander does.

Or: 5 times Hayden doesn’t get Shane and Ilya’s relationship, +1 time he does.

Reccer's Notes: This is set just after the end of the Heated Rivalry book so I guess mild spoilers for ep 6 follow (it's really not very spoilery). In the fic, Shane and Ilya have acknowledged their feelings and are exclusive, and Shane's told Hayden, his best friend on the Montreal team. The story focuses on Hayden's incredulity and his conviction that Ilya Rozanov is a giant dick (which Ilya delightedly feeds into). The more Hayden learns about Shane's relationship with Ilya, the more horrified he gets (the bottoming, their mild D/s dynamic). Then, in the sixth part, he sees another side of Ilya entirely. The story's very well written and extremely funny, with brilliant characterization of Hayden, Ilya, and Shane. A ton of fun!

Fanwork Links: fresh out of any good judgment

Monday, December 22nd, 2025 02:55 pm
Sorted by category and fandom, all the amazing fanworks created by this round's participants, for your perusal and entertainment and with names attached! Now comments can be answered and works reposted all over the web, and pimping shall commence far and wide! If you haven't added your fanwork to the AO3 collection, and you want to, you can add it here: Holmestice Exchange - Winter2025. If your work has been on AO3 all along and is in a fast-moving tag ("Sherlock (TV)" or "Sherlock Holmes/John Watson", for example), you might choose to update its publication date to today, so that your work has its turn at the top of the tag.

Please come back and join us for our spring/summer round! Sign-ups will open in March. You can follow us at [twitter.com profile] holmestice (twitter), [tumblr.com profile] holmestice (tumblr), or [community profile] holmestice (dreamwidth) for updates!

And now, without further ado, the Grand Reveal!

Art )
Fiction )
Podfic, Original Music, Fanmixes, and Vids )