All TUA Feedback Fest

This is it! We made it to & (for most folks already) through Apocalypse Day!

A shout-out to the wonderful Mods of TUA Feedback Fest! Without them, this event would (probably likely) not have occurred. Thank you for creating & hosting this event!

And now… for my last recommendation post (for the near future.)

Lem’s Top Five TUA AO3 Writers:

hujwernoo ObliqueOptimism VeteranKlaus aletterinthenameofsanity siriuspiggyback

+1

Gin_Juice

Lem’s First Five- OK it is Lem’s First Four Fics That Came to Mind to Recommend to Someone Wanting to Read TUA Fic for the First Time Because Choosing a Fifth Only Led to Wanting to Choose a Sixth, a Seventh, & so on…

“Where All Ladders Start” by twosidedcoin Klaus & the Hargreeves After Preventing the Apocalypse; Rated: T

The “on some days, in some ways” series by pprfaith A Fix-It AU; Both Written Works Rated: T

“Happy Twenty-Third” by schmelia A Canon-Compliant Script Set Pre-Canon; Rated: T

“for the ones who try again” by hujwernoo Part 8 of “Comes and Goes (In Waves)”; Ghost!Klaus & Five vs the Apocalypse & Commission; Rated: M

Truly, you should start at Part 1 & not here, but I am a heathen who started here. RIP.

@alltuafeedbackfest

Two WIPs came to my mind earlier today, & from what I could quickly see (before typing & posting this), they do not appear to have been recommended already. Additionally, I began TUA Feedback Fest with an @alltuafeedbackfest-only post, & who doesn’t love a good bookend?

My final post for this event will be out later tonight! (’Thus this post’s title.)

Surprising probably uhhh no one, I go absolutely WILD for Klaus and Dave, but this list is the restrained edit. It deffff could be longer. This ship means so so much to me, and that is absolutely the product of reading such incredible, beautiful fic about them. I have never before felt as strongly about a fictional couple, which I guess means it’s my first actual otp? So so many thanks to the writers who wrote fic about these two and taught me what longing and love are.

Ten Months by @fanthings​

It makes him sad, sometimes, that in order to find acceptance, Klaus has to travel back fifty years into one of the bloodiest wars of American history. Most of the time, he doesn’t care. His family probably doesn’t even notice he’s missing anyway. — Dave is looking at him, eyes soft and heavy lidded. “What did you say to that guy?” he asks, head resting on the wall, body turned towards Klaus. “Ah,” Klaus laughs, dropping his hand to take a drink. “Just mouthed off. You know how I am.” “That mouth will get you in trouble some day,” Dave says softly. Klaus looks up, swallowing. “Some people like my mouth,” he says. “I do.”

Rating: M⎜Word Count: 122k+⎜In Progress (10/14)

Fuck. Fuck! I can’t explain how much I love this fic. I’ve gone out of my mind over it. It’s so so good. Covering Klaus’ ten months in Vietnam, and his and Dave’s relationship. It’s so well written and detailed and all the characters even OCs are so well-realized and realistic. Dave is fully fleshed out too, with strengths and flaws and his own person, not Klaus’ prop. It made me realize that Klaus and Dave fighting is my favorite thing, because then they get back together. They always work to fix things with each other and ahhh god I’m emotional just thinking about it I adore this fic.

Oddities Observed, Vietnam 1968 by @charmingpplincardigans​

“There are people who care whether you live or die,” Dave said, because he felt it needed saying. He couldn’t imagine not caring. This man was erratic, but he was also fragile in a way Dave couldn’t quite put his finger on given how he was apparently also indestructible, and deeply intuitive about people and their moods. When he wasn’t as high as the army doctors’ pills and black-market heroin would allow, he was paying attention. Dave knew, because while Klaus was paying attention to the others, he was paying attention to Klaus. “Do you think?” Klaus pulled a joint out of his metal cigarette case, lit it, and took a hit. He offered it to Dave, who didn’t take it. He was always offering his things to Dave, even when he knew they weren’t things Dave wanted. “Yes,” he said. “I do.” (Or, Vietnam, but from Dave’s point of view.)

Rating: M⎜Word Count: 17k+⎜Complete (1/1)

An absolute classic. I don’t think I’ve seen it on other lists this week and that’s simply a crime. One of the first Vietnam fics I read and still one of the best! It’s got such a good blend of that lethal combination of all Klaus and Dave fics - on fire with the fear and violence of their situation, but so full of tenderness and love. It’s got desperation, in the best way. It’s beautiful.

the kind of love i’ve been dreaming of by katplanet

“You agreed to be a designated driver,” Klaus says, because of course he’s as good at this as he is at every other thing he and Dave have done in bed together. “All your stupid Varsity Lacrosse friends started annoying you, so you were looking for someone else to talk to. And lo and behold, a sad twink in a crop top, alone on the couch with a half-finished vodka cranberry.” “What’s a twink?” “Me,” Klaus says. “I’m a twink.”

Rating: E⎜Word Count: 6k+⎜Complete (1/1)

The only explicit fic I’ve ever recced? I don’t read too much smut, but this fic. The tenderness in this fic is enough to kill you, and then also there is smut, which is a potent combination! This is the fic that gave me my Klaus and Dave tag, because reading this fic, I cried and came to some realizations about Love.

Slow is in My Blood by @sunriseseance​​

Dave touches him, sometimes. In dances through root systems lit by a diffused moon, Dave puts a hand on his lower back, his arm, his shoulder. To help, he says. Your balance, he says, it isn’t good. I don’t want you to fall. These pits are endless, he says. You don’t like the dark. A touch to help. It helps. A meditation on Klaus and allowing himself to be loved. Dave doesn’t die at the end.

Rating: NR⎜Word Count: 1k+⎜Complete (1/1)

It’s so so gorgeous. It’s Klaus making the decision to love and be loved, even as he considers all the frightening ramifications of it. It’s had a huge impact on the way I think about their dynamic. I love it so much.

My night sky by apathyinreverie

The first time Dave sees Klaus, he is wearing nothing but a bloody towel, clutching a briefcase to his chest like his life depends on it and looking up at him with big eyes from where he is sitting on the floor next to his cot. And immediately, Dave is spellbound. Over the ten months they know each other, that doesn’t change.

Rating: G⎜Word Count: 3k+⎜Complete (1/1)

Such a great look at Klaus from Dave’s outside, but smitten perspective. Almost like a character study of him, during a time when he’s going through so much. And it’s so well-written - right from the start there’s a line about Klaus being made of contradictions that has stuck with me for so long.

Bad Habits by @siriuspiggyback

Dave shook his head. “I wasn’t asking you to- I wanted to talk. That’s all. Not-” “Why are you making this so difficult?” accused Klaus. “I made you mad. So I was going to suck you off, so you wouldn’t be mad anymore,” he said simply, like he was explaining something obvious. Or, after a lifetime of sleeping with guys just to get off the streets for the night, Klaus has a bad understanding of consent. Dave isn’t okay with that.

Rating: T⎜Word Count: 3k+⎜Complete (1/1)

And if we are talking about things that have stuck with me, this fic is one that I must have read so early on that I just folded it in with my baby developing Klaus and Dave dynamic headcanons, and it’s never left me. I think this is the only one on here that is set in some kind of post-not-apocalypse where they are navigating what a ‘normal’ relationship looks like for them.

I’ll Be Cleaning Up Bottles With You On New Year’s Day by @sunriseseance

Sitting behind him on the windowsill, in a truth that still feels false, is Dave. Quiet, right now. Rubbing Klaus’s neck. Kissing it occasionally. New clothes, even, though still only things Klaus saw Dave wear in life. The closest he came to fancy enough for New Year’s was the outfit he wore on the night they first kissed. The dates still get muddled in his head. Dave still smells like Dave. Klaus can bring that back, too. The earthy-clean skin, the slight scent of sweat, the cotton of the polo. Something else, underneath all that. Something that Klaus could recognize anywhere, could follow to the end of the world, could die to protect.

Rating: NR⎜Word Count: 1k+⎜Complete (1/1)

I know I’ve recced this and her fics before but this fic is so incredibly beautiful that it really is the perfect fit for being the final one I rec for this event. Reading it feels like warmth. It’s a concentrated dose of the exact kind of happiness that Klaus and Dave share at the best of times. I love it, and I love them, and I love her, and I love everyone in this fandom who is sharing their love with everyone by posting their creations <3

Last post for today! I promise! (You would not believe how long one of these takes to type up.)

Here’s some character-centric fic recommendations. I highly recommend each of these!

Remus’ List of Klave Fanfic Favorites - @tuafeedbackfest​

Thank you to all the writers in this amazing fandom who worked hard on making and sharing their stories with us, without you the fandom wouldn’t be the same!

Bad Enough for You, by thehoundisdead (Gen) “Dave can be bad. He doesn’t want to be but he can. He wants to spoon Klaus; to gather him up tight enough against his chest to hold all of his pieces together, to let him relax for once. He wants to take a bath with him and shampoo his hair and make him breakfast in bed and wrap him up in his softest blanket. But that’s not what Klaus wants, at least not yet. Dave has a strong suspicion that Klaus has never been treated softly by a partner. So, bad boy.” Modern Dave, Oneshot, 8,752 Words.

Late Shift at The Umbrella Café, by intravenusann (Teen and Up) “Klaus and Ben have the afternoon shift together almost every day. But not every day are the customers as nice — or as hot! — as this new Dave guy. Or, in other words, a story where Klaus gets his life together enough to get a boyfriend.“ In-Progress, 6/8 Chapters & 45,563 Words.

At the Edge of the Universe, by VeteranKlaus (Teen and Up) “There is a knock at the door. With a heavy sigh, Klaus untangles himself from the mess of Dave’s limbs with a mutter of ‘I’ve got it’. They rarely get visitors out here, their closest neighbour being about three miles away, and Klaus didn’t even hear a car or see any headlights outside. He opens his door, expecting to see old Mrs Richards asking for one of the dog treats they always keep for the occasions her dog runs off. He does not, however, expect to see his siblings - all of them, standing outside his door. Well, Five is being held up by Diego, and Vanya is being carried by Luther, but they are all there, on his doorstep, on this evening in 1970. Or, Dave doesn’t die, but he and Klaus get injured and discharged. They move to a little cottage in the countryside and live together, perfectly content, until they get a group of surprise visitors. Five tries to send them all into the past to avoid the end of the world, and is drawn right to Klaus.” In-Progress, 12/? Chapters & 44,787 Words.

5 times the hargreeves’ didn’t understand why dave was with klaus, plus the 1 time they did, by iamnotalizard (Not Rated) “The 5 times the Hargreeves siblings don’t understand why a guy like Dave is with Klaus, plus the one time that they do. Or: Dave is a closeted dumbass.“ Oneshot, 4,174 Words.

cryin’ for no one (no one but you), by MildeAmasoj (Teen and Up) “Klaus Hargreeves, it turned out, only got more interesting the more he got to know him. As if appearing out of thin air was not enough, he was undeniably the weirdest, craziest and wildest person Dave had ever met, and he could not, for the life of him, stop thinking about him. Or, Dave, Klaus, and falling in love.“ Oneshot, 3,517 Words.

Sealskin, by intheflowers (Mature) “Dave is a lighthouse keeper on an isolated island. It’s a lonely life until a mysterious man washes ashore.“ Selkies, Complete, 19 Chapters & 68,887 Words.

I Took a Week Off Work And My Brain Didn’t Know What to Do With That, Clearly, by ObliqueOptimism (Not Rated) “Dave is shot and dies a week into Klaus’ trip in Vietnam, when they’re still barely more than just strangers. Somehow, it doesn’t change a thing between them and the two still fall in love all the same, even with Dave being a ghost now.But it changes other things.“ Oneshot, 8,145 Words.

Details series (Choirs Threaten in Voices I Only Feel & See It Through), by VeteranKlaus (Teen and Up) “The last time Klaus saw his siblings was at Allison and Patrick’s wedding. A lot had changed since then; including the not-so-accidental, irreversible loss of his sight. There’s no time to tell them that, though. Not with the return of their long-presumed-dead brother and the impending apocalypse. Plus, it doesn’t matter. He’s got Ben as a good seeing-eye ghost.” Blind Klaus, In-Progress?, 2 Works & 66,351 Words.

Knots and Nos, by hujwernoo (Mature) “Dave learns a few things about Klaus. Klaus learns a few things about consent (mainly: it exists).“ Oneshot, 2,318 Words.

in the mountain of the crouching beast, by patrocluus (Teen and Up) “Dave catches his eye later, when they’re sitting next to each other in the bumpy truck, men jostling into each other on all sides; the corner of his mouth quirks up a little, just enough to make Klaus’ heart jump in his chest. He doesn’t remember the last time someone looked at him like that: like they have a secret to share, and that secret is the most important thing in the world, even if that world seems to be ending around them. Or: It’s 1968, and deep in the A Shau Valley, Vietnam, Klaus meets a man who feels like home.” Oneshot, 8,203 Words.

Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene, by ObliqueOptimism (Not Rated) “Klaus says so many horrifying things so casually, and it makes Dave worry.“ Complete, 3 Chapters & 7,165 Words.

Such A Dubious Soul, by siriuspiggyback (Teen and Up) ““Well, if someone would pretend to be my boyfriend…” Klaus trailed off suggestively. Dave was struck with the sudden urge to say yes. Honestly, Dave wanted to agree to anything, as long as Klaus would smile at him again. It would be reckless, and mad, and impulsive, and Dave was none of those things. And yet… “I’ll do it,” Dave said.“ Fake Dating, Complete, 10 Chapters & 16,001 Words.

It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You), by thefangirlingdead (Mature) “The first time Klaus gets drunk, he’s only thirteen years old, and it’s all downhill from there. At least, until he meets Dave.” Complete, 23,914 Words.

Wild Eyed Boy by intheflowers (Mature) “Klaus dropped into Dave’s life with a flash of blue light. It was the first time Klaus suprised him, but it was far from the last, and while at first he’d wondered if Klaus was maybe a little mad, it wasn’t long before he was certain that he really, definitely was. Not that it mattered much. Klaus had stolen his heart long before then.“ Complete, 18 Chapters & 64,414 Words.

Dead & Born & Grown [teen rating. klave. major character death. afterlife] “No, no, no, no, no, I can’t go back, I can’t go back!” Klaus cried out. He felt himself fading, and he knew that he would find himself back on the sticky floor of the rave soon enough. Then, following some desperate instinct, Klaus jerked up out of the barber’s chair, brushing past his father and back out the door. He wasn’t going back.

Dear Klaus [teen rating. klave. hurt/comort] Klaus reached for the letter, curious, and took a look at the address. His heart skipped a beat.He knew that handwriting. Or, Klaus receives a letter from 1969.

dream me the world (something new for every night) [teen rating. klave. dave is one of the 43. time skips. fix-it] Dave said into the warmth of his mouth, “Maybe I dreamt you.” Klaus eyes sparkled with mirth. “Thanks for the straight teeth, then.”

oh doctor please, this don’t feel wrong  [explicit. klave. ptsd. hurt/comfort] Klaus wants Dave. Dave wants Klaus. It should be that simple, but things never are. (Set several weeks after The Ghost of Us by veteranklaus)

Old Friends/Bookends  [teen rating. no apocalypse. bi!diego. brothers being brothers] Diego didn’t mean to forget about Klaus, but between the impending apocalypse and Vanya’s new powers, the mystery of his brother disappearance had fallen by the wayside. It wasn’t until he received a phone call from the hospital that he thought to panic. Now he was stuck with a brother who didn’t remember him, and a family that had narrowly avoided ending the world by lack of communication alone. Great.

Such a Dubious Soul  [teen rating. klave. no powers. meet-cute] “Well, if someone would pretend to be my boyfriend…” Klaus trailed off suggestively.Dave was struck with the sudden urge to say yes. Honestly, Dave wanted to agree to anything, as long as Klaus would smile at him again. It would be reckless, and mad, and impulsive, and Dave was none of those things. And yet…“I’ll do it,” Dave said.

The Hidden Variables Theory  [teen rating. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense. time shenanigans] Something has disturbed the space-time continuum, and it’s up to Five to figure out what it is. With a bit of luck, and a lot of alcohol, he might even manage to do it before he snaps and murders his siblings.

Tombstones in Their Eyes  [teen rating. klave. ptsd. hurt/comfort. hargreeves family] His siblings don’t pay a lot of attention to Klaus, don’t notice the dog tags and new tattoos, but even the Hargreeves have to notice a missing limb.

you are in my blood like holy wine  [teen rating. wip. klave. au modern. slow burn. caretaking] Dave tries to be good to Klaus. (Klaus tries to let him.)

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SERIES 

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Closer I Am to Fine  The Hargreeves siblings, learning how to be a family. Notes:Assumes Allison wasn’t hurt and the apocalypse was averted. Each fic in the series can stand alone, and are from the POV of a different sibling.

Hope There’s Someone (Who Will Take Care of Me)

A Spirit Who’s Spent in Death (Do Your Weeping Now) [teen rating. wip. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] There’s something off about him - more so than usual. The way he moves, the way he reacts - or, the way he doesn’t - the way he looks at things as if he’s peering at everything through a rippling pool of water; it’s the way in which he sits and in his appearance, too. He moves as if he’s a ghost, or as if he might think that he is one.He sits, looking like a corpse among them, pale and wilting like a dead flower, and he hardly says a word. Diego doesn’t know what to do. Luther does.

At the Edge of the Universe  [teen rating. wip. klave. canon divergence. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Or, Dave doesn’t die, but he and Klaus get injured and discharged. They move to a little cottage in the countryside and live together, perfectly content, until they get a group of surprise visitors. Five tries to send them all into the past to avoid the end of the world, and is drawn right to Klaus.

Family Role  [teen rating. wip. klave. parent!klaus. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Klaus doesn’t want to go to the funeral. He’s got all the family he needs right here in the form of his deceased brother reading in the armchair nearby, his bookworm fiance mixing a cup of coffee in the kitchen, and the sleeping six year old on his lap. Or, in which Klaus meets Dave, falls in love, and finds himself with a six year old daughter and a relatively normal life and, somehow, arguably the most normal one out of his siblings now.

It’s All Over But the Crying  [mature. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Two days after Reginald Hargreeve’s funeral, Number Four finally showed up; striding into the academy with skin as pale as snow, lipstick and nails and clothes as dark as the night, and kohl-lined eyes as fierce as a feral wolf and a grin just as sharp.Or, in which drugs don’t affect the ghosts anymore, so Klaus, over the years, comes to live with his powers and learns some more. He’s not okay, but who needs to be okay when God herself doesn’t like you?

Soldier Boy  [teen rating. wip. klave. amputation. hurt/comfort] Klaus returned from Vietnam feeling a bit like a ghost, covered in dirt and blood, and all but dragging himself back to the Academy. It probably would have been easier to drag himself the way, too, what with a shoddy 70s prosthesis replacing his right leg. Who has time for the apocalypse when it seems like the worst has already happened?

There is Love with No Hiding [teen rating. wip. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] “He’s my… he’s my boyfriend.” He looks back at him and, with a small smile on his face, Dave nods, and Klaus turns back to Diego. “Yeah, he’s my boyfriend.” He laughs because that feels so good to say. Or;Dave doesn’t die and they return to the future after twenty-seven months in Vietnam. It complicates things, but maybe for the better.

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SERIES 

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Details  The last time Klaus saw his siblings was at Allison and Patrick’s wedding. A lot had changed since then; including the not-so-accidental, irreversible loss of his sight. There’s no time to tell them that, though. Not with the return of their long-presumed-dead brother and the impending apocalypse. Plus, it doesn’t matter. He’s got Ben as a good seeing-eye ghost.  

Gunfire Sounds Like Home  All of them have been trying to process what happened and are trying to be hopeful for the future, but Diego still feels utterly horrible, like the worlds worst brother, as he sits down in the sudden family meeting he called. “Klaus,” he states, looking at the four siblings in front of him, “hasn’t been seen for almost a week. "They search all his known spots: cheap motels, deep alleyways, old drug dens. In the end, they find him in a history book.Or, in which Klaus doesn’t return from Vietnam.

Marching Drums  Klaus post-vietnam

Numbers  The briefcase transports Klaus into a time to fall in love with a bookshop owner and photography enthusiast with soft amber eyes and a yellow star sewn into all of his clothes. And later, Klaus will stand next to that same man behind a fence, and he’ll hold his hands up to a camera and pray to a merciless god that his siblings open a history book and find him.

Specialize in Dying  Attempting to save them, Five tries to travel back in time with all his siblings. Instead, they go forwards into the apocalypse.Klaus sees all of the ghosts. 

A Spirit Who’s Spent in Death (Do Your Weeping Now) [teen rating. wip. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] There’s something off about him - more so than usual. The way he moves, the way he reacts - or, the way he doesn’t - the way he looks at things as if he’s peering at everything through a rippling pool of water; it’s the way in which he sits and in his appearance, too. He moves as if he’s a ghost, or as if he might think that he is one.He sits, looking like a corpse among them, pale and wilting like a dead flower, and he hardly says a word. Diego doesn’t know what to do. Luther does.

At the Edge of the Universe  [teen rating. wip. klave. canon divergence. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Or, Dave doesn’t die, but he and Klaus get injured and discharged. They move to a little cottage in the countryside and live together, perfectly content, until they get a group of surprise visitors. Five tries to send them all into the past to avoid the end of the world, and is drawn right to Klaus.

Family Role  [teen rating. wip. klave. parent!klaus. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Klaus doesn’t want to go to the funeral. He’s got all the family he needs right here in the form of his deceased brother reading in the armchair nearby, his bookworm fiance mixing a cup of coffee in the kitchen, and the sleeping six year old on his lap. Or, in which Klaus meets Dave, falls in love, and finds himself with a six year old daughter and a relatively normal life and, somehow, arguably the most normal one out of his siblings now.

It’s All Over But the Crying  [mature. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Two days after Reginald Hargreeve’s funeral, Number Four finally showed up; striding into the academy with skin as pale as snow, lipstick and nails and clothes as dark as the night, and kohl-lined eyes as fierce as a feral wolf and a grin just as sharp.Or, in which drugs don’t affect the ghosts anymore, so Klaus, over the years, comes to live with his powers and learns some more. He’s not okay, but who needs to be okay when God herself doesn’t like you?

Soldier Boy  [teen rating. wip. klave. amputation. hurt/comfort] Klaus returned from Vietnam feeling a bit like a ghost, covered in dirt and blood, and all but dragging himself back to the Academy. It probably would have been easier to drag himself the way, too, what with a shoddy 70s prosthesis replacing his right leg. Who has time for the apocalypse when it seems like the worst has already happened?

There is Love with No Hiding [teen rating. wip. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] “He’s my… he’s my boyfriend.” He looks back at him and, with a small smile on his face, Dave nods, and Klaus turns back to Diego. “Yeah, he’s my boyfriend.” He laughs because that feels so good to say. Or;Dave doesn’t die and they return to the future after twenty-seven months in Vietnam. It complicates things, but maybe for the better.

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SERIES 

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Details  The last time Klaus saw his siblings was at Allison and Patrick’s wedding. A lot had changed since then; including the not-so-accidental, irreversible loss of his sight. There’s no time to tell them that, though. Not with the return of their long-presumed-dead brother and the impending apocalypse. Plus, it doesn’t matter. He’s got Ben as a good seeing-eye ghost.  

Gunfire Sounds Like Home  All of them have been trying to process what happened and are trying to be hopeful for the future, but Diego still feels utterly horrible, like the worlds worst brother, as he sits down in the sudden family meeting he called. “Klaus,” he states, looking at the four siblings in front of him, “hasn’t been seen for almost a week. "They search all his known spots: cheap motels, deep alleyways, old drug dens. In the end, they find him in a history book.Or, in which Klaus doesn’t return from Vietnam.

Marching Drums  Klaus post-vietnam

Numbers  The briefcase transports Klaus into a time to fall in love with a bookshop owner and photography enthusiast with soft amber eyes and a yellow star sewn into all of his clothes. And later, Klaus will stand next to that same man behind a fence, and he’ll hold his hands up to a camera and pray to a merciless god that his siblings open a history book and find him.

Specialize in Dying  Attempting to save them, Five tries to travel back in time with all his siblings. Instead, they go forwards into the apocalypse.Klaus sees all of the ghosts. 

Greetings and Happy Transgender Day of Visibility!

Here’s a bonus fic-rec post for TUA Feedback Fest in celebration of today (March 31st) being (International) Transgender Day of Visibility. Huge shout-out & thanks to @dyll-pickless for the suggestion. You can check out their own TUA writings on AO3 here.

What I’ve Read:

“When Feet Hit the Pavement” by Coppercurls Part 2 of “the fix-it AU I need,” Rated: T Summary:

“Hello?”

“Vanya?”

“Yes, can I ask who’s—Lu-?”

“Yeah, yes, It’s me. Um, how are you? Still playing the violin?”

~

Vanya is fresh out of the hospital when her sibling calls on her for help.

I absolutely love this story and this series. You can feel the author’s care and intention in each sentence. If you enjoy Vanya and fix-its this may be perfect for you.

"Percentage Error (0.142 degrees incorrect)” by Fandoms_are_my_lifestyle Rated: G Summary:

  Seven has always felt different from his brothers.

 Not because of the Powers Thing™ - though that definitely did play a role - but because of something else. Something different.

 There was something that set Seven apart, and he just couldn’t quite name what it was.

Or: the trans!Vanya fic no one asked for

As the summary states, I did not ask for this, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Scenes transition from pre-canon to canon.

A Taste of a Poison Paradise  [not rated. wip. klave. vietnam] Peter isn’t sure if he can get his men out of the mess they’re in, but Klaus is sure he can help and so Peter is going to have to put his faith in a man who claims he can see the dead.

Ain’t Nobody’s Problem [not rated. klave. diego reaction] Klaus asks for help

Ain’t No Sunshine When You’re Gone  [not rated. klave. typical hargreeve family nonsense] Klaus rarely defended himself. Especially from the ones he loved.Good thing Dave was here to defend him.

And When I Look In My Window, So Many Different People To Be [not rated. bamf!klaus. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] If you were to go looking for Klaus, you wouldn’t look to the alleys where drugs are bought, or to a rave where you could lose yourself in dance, no. No, you would look to his garden full of protective herbs, to his bedroom at three in the morning where he tends to make magic amulets. Klaus grew into his power, both as a witch, and as the Séance.

Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene  [klave. vietnam] Klaus says so many horrifying things so casually, and it makes Dave worry.

Different as Can Be  [not rated. klaus and five bein bros] Five and Klaus aren’t as different as the others think.

Don’t You Cry For Me [not rated. klaus centric. good sister allison] Allison has returned to California for a few days, needing to get back to her life. She then got her hands on the many letters her siblings wrote her over the years and, having recently reunited with them, decided she’d finally read them. She wished she’d read them sooner

Dropped My Cassette Tape in the Bathtub  [not rated. klaus centric. good hargreeves being good] Klaus is getting really tired of getting kidnapped. 0/10 would not recommend.

Eudora Explains it All  [not rated. hargreeves family shenanigans] Eudora and Diego need a little help on a case, thankfully Diego knows someone who can talk to the dead.

Friends, I Too Feel the Temptation to Jump Aboard Passing Freight Trains and Journey to a New Life, but We Haven’t Thought It Through [not rated. klave. agoraphobia. typical hargreeves family nonsense] After getting sober, Klaus found a new way to cope with the ghosts.

I Took a Week Off Work And My Brain Didn’t Know What to Do With That, Clearly [not rated. klave. happy ending. apocalypse but like nah] Dave is shot and dies a week into Klaus’ trip in Vietnam, when they’re still barely more than just strangers. Somehow, it doesn’t change a thing between them and the two still fall in love all the same, even with Dave being a ghost now. But it changes other things.

Let The Fire Breathe Me Back Into Life [not rated. klave. afterlife. feral!dave] Klaus doesn’t only meet Reginald when he dies. He’d thank God for that, but she had nothing to do with it.

Party Tattoos [not rated. klaus centric. pre-series] Vanya gets a visitor late at night, and comes to realize she never truly understood Klaus after all.

Put Your Records On  [not rated. wip. klave] Klaus and Dave get their happily ever after.A story in four parts.

Scattered and Lost  [not rated. klave. good hargreeves being good] Diego finds Klaus in a bad way and decides right then and and there that he was going to help his brother. Klaus meanwhile is too busy worried about Dave, who is missing.

Status Quo [not rated. klaus centric. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Klaus and Luther make a bet.Turns out, it wasn’t a guaranteed win like Luther had expected.

The Glitter, Glass, and Blood [not rated. klaus centric. fives cares about klaus as god intended] Five is sitting next to Klaus in front of the MeriTech building and actually listens as Klaus talks about the osso buco guy.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SERIES 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A Friend of Mine [not rated. klave. vietnam. time travel shenanigans] Phil had befriended Klaus when he time traveled to Vietnam, now in 2019 he gets to talk to his friend again. 

Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes) [not rated. klave. parent!klaus. no powers au] Klaus finds the one person he’s willing to get sober for: his baby boy, Jackson.

five times fics (mostly about klaus if we’re being honest about ourselves, which we are) [not rated. klaus centric. typical hargreeves family nonsense]  listen sometimes y'need some wholesome fluffly humor. so many angsty fics out there. we all need to smile from time to time and as one of those writers who writes those angstsy fics it is nice to write the wholesome fluffy humor so here y'go my friends   

I’ll Dance Til I Die [not rated. klave. klaus centric. typical hargreeves family nonsense]  Klaus is a Ghost Empath. He doesn’t like it very much. The Ghosts Do.

Life in the City  [not rated. wip. klaus centric. typical hargreeves family nonsense] Klaus befriends an older Italian man while he’s a young homeless drug addict. It was honestly one of the best decisions he’d ever made.

Like Real People Do  [not rated. wip. klave. good hargreeves being good] Klaus deafens himself and his life gets so much better. His siblings have mixed feelings about this.

Prepare for Boarding  [not rated. klave. good hargreeves being good] Klaus has been mistreated in the past, but Dave wants to make up for it, wants to keep him safe and make sure he’s loved.

**My Self Rec Post!**

Hey guys! This is my post recommending my own stories that I feel you should check out! I don’t have a ton, so I’m just going to list all of them.. lol

I do have other stories I’m planning on writing as well, so if any of these peak your interest, definitely keep checking back for more!

**AS A WARNING: Most of my fics are pretty angsty/whumpy (that’s why I included the gif above haha)...I’ll add TW’s per story as a recommend though! So don’t worry!

Please, I hope you’ll enjoy! :)

My Multi-Chapters:

1- I’m Not Okay

Rated T - 16 chapters - 43,966 words - COMPLETE.

Summary- They stopped the apocalypse. Unfortunately for Klaus, that didn’t mean things would change for the better. Even though he felt he put forth his best efforts, his family evidently did not. When withdrawal symptoms bare down hard on Klaus, his family doesn’t seem to notice. Or, they simply don’t care. When time goes on and his symptoms only seem to get worse, Klaus is suddenly faced with the harsh realization that maybe this is more than just withdrawals...maybe he’s not okay.

TW: Major Character Death/Vomiting/Withdrawal/Terminal Illness/Cancer

NOTES: This was the first story I wrote for this fandom and the first story I had written in 10 years. It’s a little rusty, but overall I am extremely proud of this! (Warning though, it is pretty sad.) Hopefully all of the tender family bonding moments help offset all of the sadness!

————

2- The Only Hope For Me Is You (Sequel/Alternative Timeline to I’m Not Okay)

Rated M - 19/20 Chapters - 97,295 words - INCOMPLETE (See Notes!)

Summary- What if Dave never died in Klaus's arms? What if instead, he convinced Klaus to quit taking drugs while still in 1968; 'Causing him to start his withdrawals while he was still in Vietnam. If Klaus was too sick to fight, he and Dave would have never made it to the front lines. Meaning they discovered Klaus's cancer sooner—Was it soon enough to save his life?

TW: Major Character Death/Cancer/Vomiting/Withdrawal

NOTES: This story will top out over 100K words once it is complete and **The final chapter will be posted THIS Saturday** So don’t let the non complete tag worry you!! This story was my way to solve the ending in its predecessor. Just know that with this one—Not everything is always as it seems! You’ll know what I mean when you read the final chapter! Still sad, but adding Dave into the mix adds a lot of opportunity for tender moments, too! I personally prefer this one over I’m Not Okay. This one can be read as a stand alone piece, but it is technically a sequel!

————

3- What I Never Knew I Always Wanted

Rating: T - 12/17 Chapters - 79,837 words - INCOMPLETE (See notes!)

Summary: Klaus always knew he was a fuck up; a low life good for absolutely nothing drug addict. He’d made plenty of mistakes in his life, and he accepted it. But when his casual Tuesday fling winds up pregnant and doesn’t want the baby, Klaus can’t just abandon it...can he?

Klaus’s entire perspective on life changes when that sweet, innocent bundle of joy gets placed into his hands. In that moment Klaus knew he needed to change. He needed to be a better person, he needed to be there wholly for his daughter.

His past mistakes needed to be just that: Mistakes from his past; his present and future now solely revolved around keeping his precious baby girl happy, healthy and safe.

TW: Withdrawal/Ghosts/Mentions of Drug and Alcohol abuse/ Mentions of Past Physical Abuse/ Mentions of attempted Suicide

NOTES: This is a daddy!Klaus fic! My first attempt at major fluffy-ness (and I feel that I shockingly succeeded with this! It’s a miracle! Lol) but don’t let the adorable baby subject matter throw you, it is my story, there’s still plenty of angst! 12 of 17 chapters have been posted, but I’ve already written 14 chapters and I have them all entirely planned out already! I write every day guys, and I post every week, so you’ll never have to worry about me not completing a story. If I publish it, it’s getting finished. I promise!!

**This is my personal favorite story of mine I’ve written!**

I also have decided that this story will be part of a series with additional one shots that look into special little moments in their lives and there will be a SEQUEL for this one as well! :)

My One Shots:

1- Wore My Heart Out On A Chain Around My Neck (And Now It’s Missing)

Rated: T - 4,476 words - COMPLETE

Summary: Klaus would hold onto Dave’s dog tags; clutch them firmly within his palms and run his fingertips over the cool stainless steel memorabilia, cherishing the sensation of Dave’s name carved within the insignia against his skin. This was all that he had left of him; his only tether to Dave left in this world—his most treasured possession.

Or, Dave’s dog tags break, and so does Klaus.

TW: PTSD/Brief description of past drug and alcohol abuse/ Underlying health problem/Hinted Major Character Death

NOTES: This is my first installment for my Bad Things Happen Bingo card. Prompt: Most Treasured Possession Destroyed. This one I really went for it you guys, I’m extremely proud of how it turned out. There’s an unexpected twist to make this prompt all the more heart wrenching! I hope you’ll enjoy it!

2- Their Secondhand Smoke

Rated: T - 5,821 words - COMPLETE

Summary: Had he been in his right mind perhaps he would have realized his mistake, recognized the fact that the absolute worst thing to do when faced with a grease fire is to throw water on it, but unfortunately his brain was muddled by an abundance of drugs.

Instantly the flames expanded, reaching higher towards the rafters as it engulfed the entire kitchen in fire.

TW: Heavy drug use/Vague OR referenced sexual actions/Being trapped

NOTES: This is my second installment for my Bad Things Happen Bingo card. Prompt: Trapped in a burning building. This one is a bit of a scary subject matter as you could imagine guys! I tried to delve into the fear aspect and also somehow squeeze some tender stuff in.

**I plan on having a blackout card for my bingo! So if you like these, definitely keep checking back on AO3!

**My Username is TwistedIllusions**

Thanks for checking these out! If you read any of them, I would absolutely love to hear from you! So feel free to leave me a comment with your thoughts and opinions if you’d like! I sure would adore it!! ❤️

@tuafeedbackfest

Greetings, everyone! Due to life, I was unable to type up a post for yesterday, so here’s a (belated) post for Monday, March 30th. Under the cut you’ll find some recs that are on my To-Read List, but for various reasons, I have not sat down to read them (or in some cases, each installment) in their entirety just yet. However, I know I’ll thoroughly enjoy these once I do. ~Lem

So I’m saying they are AU, and they are, but canon-divergent AUs. Apparently I don’t read many full divorced-from-the-source AUs. (Some other folks have recced ones like that for the @tuafeedbackfest so do go check that out!) These ones are all ‘what if it was like the show but’ kind of AUs, and I love seeing what changes and what stays the same.

hell of a feeling though by @agreatperhaps12

Klaus is never quite sure, until the moment he’s getting punched in the face, whether the ghost of Ben following him around is anything more than an extremely vivid hallucination.

Rating: NR⎜Word Count: 46k+⎜Complete (4/4)

This fic is extremely great. It starts pre-series, and then the third chapter tracks an alternative timeline to the show (although only slightly as the AU is only slightly divergent - until all of a sudden it is most definitely Not) and the last chapter is for the after. Basically every setting you could possibly want, and it’s all written so well with such great characterization of Klaus. It made me scream plenty.

If Your Life Won’t Wait by queenbaskerville

Klaus somehow, somehow, figures out how to manifest himself visibly, as some sort of shade passing as a living man, to talk a high-as-a-kite Luther into going home. He doesn’t touch Luther once, and his ghostly self feels a bit lightheaded, but he walks beside Luther until they’re back to the Academy and Luther has fallen asleep on the staircase.

“I’ll tell him I’m dead when he’s sober,” Klaus tells Ben. “I’ll do it.”

“Okay,” says Ben.

Klaus doesn’t.

aka, When Klaus dies on the dance floor, God kicks him out of the afterlife. But she only kicks him out halfway.

Rating: T⎜Word Count: 23k+⎜Complete (7/7)

I love love this fic! It’s such a neat idea, and the changes it makes in the timeline of the show - even though it only diverges from the end of 1x07 - are pretty huge. And then we get some family bonding via dealing with some incredibly hard to handle things, like Klaus being dead, and all the difficult but important conversations sorting that out entails. 

can i dream for a few months more? by intheflowers

A woman dreams of the child she gave away. It’s fine as long as she can deny what she sees. (When she finally wakes up to the reality of the situation it will be too late.)

On the other side of the world, a boy dreams of a woman he does not know. While he’s too young to understand who she really is, one day he’ll figure it out. (And by then he will have other things to worry about. By then, all he’ll really want is a safe place to sleep.)

Or: I go wild with the idea of Klaus having the power to dreamwalk and meeting his birth mother that way.

Rating: T⎜Word Count: 33k+⎜Complete (3/3)

I’m aware that I need to read alllll of what intheflowers has written, based on all the other recs I’ve seen, and also based on the fact that this fic is so amazing. Just gorgeously written, and such a cool concept that leads to both the painful hurt and the beautiful comfort. I literally just finished reading it but I have to read it again and leave loooong comments.

learn to live with it by Princex_N

Klaus doesn’t know where to start and doesn’t know how to stop.

He’s the only one who tries to get used to it, because what other choice does he have? The others still wait, still ask when he’ll be done playing around, still yell at him for being annoying, but no one seems to stop and realize that there’s nothing he can do about it.

Klaus gets used to it, but he’s the only one who does.

Rating: G⎜Word Count: 4k+⎜Complete (1/1)

A fic where Klaus has Tourette’s Syndrome, set pre-series (although there’s more fic in the series, including one with Allison set in the post-not-apocalypse). I haven’t seen anyone rec this one I don’t think but it’s really unique and it fits very well into the established facts of canon.

Comes And Goes (In Waves) series by hujwernoo

The apocalypse happens, Five arrives in the rubble, and his entire family is dead.

However, one of them has power over ghosts. And even if being dead seriously sucks sometimes, Klaus is going to be there for his brother.

There is an abundance of fics about Klaus surviving the apocalypse and being there for Five, and while I love those fics I wanted to up the angst factor by about 1000. So here’s one where he doesn’t survive, and is still there anyways.

I know everybody has recced this, but that’s just because it’s that good. A massive labor that absolutely becomes its own universe by the time it starts tangling up with canon in its 8th installment, ‘for the ones who try again.’ I’ll make special mention of the 6th one, ‘for the ones who need a hand,’ because I really like that one particularly. You’ve got to read in order on this one though!

The next two fic are ones that I really wanted to give mention to, but couldn’t fit in with any of my other lists:

once there was a tree by @giugiubees

She looks at the display on the wall. She’s dusted it countless times. There are many prized insects pinned within the gleaming glass case. The insects are rare or extremely beautiful or both. So it is odd, that in the corner, sits an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. It is yellow, but it doesn’t shine for attention. It sits quietly in its death, seemingly content to have simply lived at all. Grace blinks.

A fix-it where they dig Grace out of the ruins of the mansion but her memory files are damaged. Or, a robot coma dream sequence type of thing.

Rating: T⎜Word Count: 2k+⎜Complete (1/1)

It’s a lot of feelings about Grace and being a mom and being a robot and it’s written in this beautiful dreamlike way. There’s little moments of the Hargreeves as kids, and some moments set during the series, and it’s all swirled around together. It will break your heart. 

Out of the Woods by bob-fish

In 2003, they stopped the clock on the apocalypse. Back in 2019, they find they’ve accidentally declared war on the people who want it restarted. Can the Hargreeves siblings survive another full assault by the Commission? Can they escape to Five’s remote and inadequately-sized safehouse for long enough to come up with a plan? Do they stand a chance against the might of the Temps Aeternalis Commission? Will they all murder each other first? And why the hell did nobody think to bring toilet paper?

Rating: M⎜Word Count: 60k+⎜In-Progress (5/7)

For @alltuafeedbackfest my list of my all time favourite fics in this incredibly talented fandom. I would recommend every fic written by these writers so encourage you to check them out.

Thawed With Gentle Persuasion by feeling_warm_and_bright, thegoodlannister (Teen, No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: Every year, when the weather turns, the veil between the spirit realm and the place Klaus occupies becomes especially thin. The effects are… chilly. Diego curled around him? Is not.

My review: One of those wonderful fics where Klaus is sober and going through something he’s gone through so many times alone but now Diego’s here to look after him and share body heat. So lovely.

the sharpest lives (are the deadliest to lead) by holy_smokes (AU, Explicit, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: It’s been 11 years since Klaus was home. Nothing ever happens in that quiet seaside town. Nothing except that fateful night, eleven years ago.All he wants is to pick up from where he left off. Become a beautician, move to the city, meet a boy. His bosses, Five and Allison, are fascinated and wary in equal measure but it’s the son of a neighbor - clueless, gorgeous, cocky Diego - that he can’t shake from his mind.Do you try and evolve or do you try and accept who you are?

My review: Gorgeous AU in which Klaus has returned to his hometown after several years away and draws the attention of fuckboy with a heart of gold, Diego. Love the characterisation in this fic!

Some Days by AllHailTheUnderDogs (Series, Explicit, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: Not the fights themselves, those are nothing new. Instead they decide to try and act like a family when he puts a thug in the hospital.Because It’s only ever okay if Klaus is the one getting hurt.—–In which Klaus isn’t doing well without Dave and his families attempts to help make it worse.Now with Diego, Klaus can fuck that up all on his own thank you very much.

My review: A wonderfully complex look at Klaus and Diego getting together as Klaus works through his grief over Dave. This fic is so respectful of the Klaus/Dave relationship and its impact on Klaus, but is also a great Kliego slow burn.

just wanna break you down so badly (in the best ways) by spikeymarshmallows (Series, Explicit, No Archive Warnings Apply)

Summary: It had been three weeks. Three weeks of bullshit, aching sobriety, and he’d still been unable to conjure him. Ben was there. Countless ghosts had visited him, both in his conscious and unconscious state. But the one ghost he really wanted to see? Nothing. Nada. Zilch.Klaus was ready to give up. Until Diego forced him out of bed.

My review: One of my absolute favourite interpretations of Klaus and Diego’s relationships. These fics are delightfully kinky and the love and mutual respect between the boys is so beautifully illustrated, both in the scenes themselves and in the aftercare.

Takeaway by theoracleatlasvegas (Mature, Creature Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: 5 times Diego picks Klaus up, & one time Klaus did. Years and years, but Diego seems to always be taking Klaus home.

My review: I love fics that show the progression of Klaus and Diego’s relationship through the years, and this fic hits all the right spots. Klaus is selfish and Diego is proud, but they are both so vulnerable and soft for each other.

Friday at Four by Kliegology (AU, Explicit, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: Diego’s life takes a nosedive when he’s forced out of work and into an art therapy class. He’s clinging to his last shred of normality when he meets Klaus, who takes one look at him and threatens to tear it away.

My review: Wonderful ‘Diego falling in love despite himself with the weirdo in the cardigan’ fic. Love the ups and downs of their relationship and the sensuousness of it all. Also, Klaus’s outfits deserve a rec of their own.

Raising Five by thotgreeves (Incomplete, Teen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: “We’re being watched.” Five announces, appearing in the kitchen without warning and making Klaus almost spill his freshly made cup of tea all over the counter.  - “By The Commission?” Klaus asks, scrambling to pick up the first weapon he can find - a tomato. - “Worse.” Five shakes his head with the slow gravitas that only an apocalypse survivor can muster. “Child Services.”

OR the one where Klaus and Diego pretend to be in a relationship to adopt Five.

My review: Okay, so this one hasn’t been updated in nearly a year but I constantly go back to it because it’s so freaking funny and Klaus and Diego are such colossal idiots and absolutely made for each other.

FANART by @c0ffeebee

My review: Bee’s fanart is a godsend to Kliego fandom and if you haven’t seen their work please take a look and show them some love. Their digital art is so beautiful and soft, with an incredible use of light and shadow, and they capture the softness and affection between the boys. I literally cannot pick a favourite they’re all so good. Go look!

Bonus Klaus/Ben/Diego rec!

Every Me, Every You by harshmorninglight (Mature, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings)

Summary: Ben and Diego have a proposition for Klaus. Ben isn’t willing to take no for an answer, but that’s fine. Nobody knows how to get inside Klaus’s head better than him. 

My review: This is the most wonderfully fucked up fic I’ve ever read. This is dark, guys. It’s also single-handedly responsible for my obsession with dark Ben. I never wanted it to end. My heart ached for poor Klaus, so desperate for love and validation, so expertly manipulated by a Ben who (literally) knows his every fear and thought. If you’re looking for soft even numbers loving, this is not it, but holy hell it’s good.

Other favourite Hargreeves shipping writers:

sarkywoman

TheseusInTheMaze

Cunninglingust

Electra_XT

One heart for self-love on this self-promo list. I am pretty proud of the fic I’ve written in the past year for this fandom. My first ever foray into writing anything close to romance, my first ever writing for a ship - also my longest finished piece ever! I wrote a fluffy (by my standards) AU that is in a totally different world than canon, just for fun - all things I haven’t really done before. 

The support I got from the fandom is the only reason I wrote more than the first fic I published, and I’m so happy I did. I love you guys all so much, and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to create and share stuff that you enjoy!

Bad Stuff in a Bad Place - Rating: T⎜Word Count: 8k+⎜Complete (1/1)

The title is basic but also it’s fairly descriptive of what you’ll get in here. Pre-series, in his time with the police academy, Diego is out on a drugs bust and comes across Klaus. It’s a bad place, with some bad stuff.

Another Stupid Pointless Mission - Rating: T⎜Word Count: 12k+⎜Complete (1/1)

The sequel to Bad Stuff. Takes place a week or so later, and this time is from Klaus’ pov. It fills in some of the details that aren’t a part of the first one, and still is primarily about Diego and Klaus’ relationship during their pre-series years. 

(I might still write more in this series, basically a fic about each of the kids in this time period, and if I do, it’s Luther up next!)

Everyone Gets Here Eventually - Rating: M⎜Word Count: 47k+⎜Complete (3/3)

Dave is in the afterlife, and he’s waiting for Klaus to join him, but it’s taking a long while. You might notice it is Long. It was quite a project for me but I’m pretty happy with it! Featuring pining, longing, and yearning, and my absolute favorite pairing ever.

There’s a Reason They Don’t Make Punching Bags Out of Wood - Rating: M⎜Word Count: 4k+⎜Complete (1/1)

I’m pretty fond of this little fic! Basically Klaus has a complete break from reality, because landing in the midst of the Vietnam War after the kidnapping and torture and withdrawals? Feels pretty unreal. He’s not sure if this is more torture or if he’s dead and in hell or what, but he’s ready to play chicken with the universe to find out. Except. There’s this guy Dave.

Legwarmers -  Rating: T⎜Word Count: 8k+⎜Complete (7/7)

Yeah they are all about Klaus, obviously. I have predictable interests, I cannot change this. And maybe this isn’t exactly the right qualifier for these fics, but putting fic into categories for lists is actually really hard? Putting myself on blast for thinking that @tuafeedbackfest would be a cinch. But these are great fics where Klaus is. Having a hard time. 

Nobody Forgets Their First Time by @bentacles-hargreeves

There’s blood on his underwear and bruises on his skin and Klaus doesn’t remember how they ended up there.

Rating: T⎜Word Count: 1k+⎜Complete (1/1)

Ouch ouch ouch, this one is a tough read (watch out, most of this list is, unsurprisingly). Written for the ‘bloodstained clothes’ Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt, and also exploring that fun canon Klaus line about not remembering his first time. A really close Klaus pov that shows the way his thought processes work to try and distance and protect himself from the hurt he goes through - and it definitely does hurt.

doves and ravens fly the same by daemons

He’s no longer living, but not dead. Half in the void, half out of it. At the mercy of these humans and his ghosts alike.

or, klaus dies for his brother. again and again. him and god get to know each other a bit better.

Rating: M⎜Word Count: 10k+⎜Complete (2/2)

I lost my gd mind when I first read this fic. It hurts, so bad, and it’s so beautifully written, and so interesting the way it interacts with trying to figure out this particular bit of Klaus lore. It’s Klaus getting killed, a lot of times, and that’s already a lot to handle, but it’s really masterful with how it uses the situation to really dig into Klaus as a character.

A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall by @sunriseseance

In 1963, most citizens of Dallas had no idea where Vietnam was. He knew that because none of the people he passes as he walks look particularly dead inside. The sidewalk scorches his feet even though the sun hangs low in the sky. The air is hot and wet and it feels like a jungle growing in his chest.

aka, A Fourth of July fic about Klaus, trauma, family, and history. Takes place in 1963.

Rating: NR⎜Word Count: 4k+⎜Complete (1/1)

God, what a fic. I recced it already this week because I rec everything by Oceansweather forever and always, but this one fits on this list too and it’s my list, so I make the rules. This is another fic that really gets in close to Klaus’ thought processes, but set this time after the show and has the loss of Dave and Vietnam War trauma to deal with. So so good.

Dropped My Cassette Tape in the Bathtub by @obliqueoptimism

Klaus is getting really tired of getting kidnapped

0/10 would not recommend.

Rating: NR⎜Word Count: 1k+⎜Complete (1/1)

The ‘would not recommend’ is part of the summary of the fic and refers to torture, not to the fic itself, which is great! It’s got an experimental kind of narration style that works really well for Klaus and for the situation. 

what greater sin was his by @ijustreallylovedaredevil​

Falling to your death takes far too long, Klaus decides.

Rating: T⎜Word Count: 2k+⎜Complete (1/1)

For a Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt ‘fall from a height.’ This author has quite a few filled prompts that are tua fics, and they are all good, but I picked this one specifically because I really like the narration style (and now I’m discovering that’s apparently what I get jazzed about in like, all of these. So I’m predictable in a lot of ways). It’s a great balance of disoriented and cogent, pain and humor - very Klaus.

All In His Head by @x-wingsandarchers​

Klaus has a migraine. Again. Ben is worried, but Klaus refuses to tell the others.

He really should’ve listened to Ben.

Rating: NR⎜Word Count: 6k+⎜Complete (1/1)

One of those cathartic fics where the fam gets to learn about some of the bullshit Klaus has to deal with and grow some perspective about it. Of course they learn it in a bit of a dramatic way, because of course. It’s from Ben’s pov, which works super well, because he’s in such a unique position of being able to see everyone from the outside, and there’s a moment with Diego that breaks my heart (in the best way).

i exist by umbrellakid04

“you aren’t a burden to us Klaus, y'know that right?”

She says like some sort of fucking mind reader and Klaus swears it’s the lingering cigarette smoke in his room that makes his eyes water. Honest.

aka, Basically Klaus has anxiety over his existence and is grieving Dave. Cue Vanya hargreeves being a good sibling, because Klaus rally needs a fucking hug

Rating: G⎜Word Count: 2k+⎜Complete (1/1)

@tuafeedbackfest

there’s so many good fics and series in this fandom that doing only one (1) rec post didn’t feel like enough so.. here’s more of the ones i love~*~*~

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5 times the hargreeves’ didn’t understand why dave was with klaus, plus the 1 time they did by @lizard-overlord [not rated. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] the 5 times the hargreeves siblings don’t understand why a guy like dave is with klaus, plus the one time that they do / or:dave is a closeted dumbass

Can’t Get Enough by @deathishauntedbyhumans​ [mature. canon divergence. klave] Klaus and Dave meet at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting and fall in loooooove. (Or, alternately, falling in love involves a lot more puking than Klaus wants it to.)

come and pick me up by fizzyshizz [general. hargreeves shenanigans] 5 times Vanya’s orchestra is introduced to one of her siblings and the one time no introductions are needed.

Dumb Luck by Becca_hay [teen rating. klave. meet-cute]  Dave is a dumb boy, who meets another dumb boy called Klaus and everyone else is confused.

His Sister Says So by otherhawk [mature. klaus centric. hurt no comfort] Klaus reads Vanya’s book in rehab, but that’s not how he found out about it.

I’ll Be Cleaning Up Bottles With You On New Year’s Day by oceansweather [not rated. klave. hargreeves family - background] Sitting behind him on the windowsill, in a truth that still feels false, is Dave. Quiet, right now. Rubbing Klaus’s neck. Kissing it occasionally. New clothes, even, though still only things Klaus saw Dave wear in life. The closest he came to fancy enough for New Year’s was the outfit he wore on the night they first kissed. The dates still get muddled in his head. Dave still smells like Dave. Klaus can bring that back, too. The earthy-clean skin, the slight scent of sweat, the cotton of the polo. Something else, underneath all that. Something that Klaus could recognize anywhere, could follow to the end of the world, could die to protect.

new year, new me (things always turn out how they’re meant to be) by Astronomical_Aphrodite [explicit. wip. klave. fix it. typical hargreeves family nonsense] When they traveled back through time, Klaus wasn’t expecting to be the only one who remembered.

Open for Business by lastyoungrene_gay_de [not rated. canon divergence. klave] Klaus makes an impulse decision and ends up starting a business using his powers to help people communicate with the dead, but it isn’t much like he expects it to be.

Pure Intentions (aka beach for jordan, aka pp payment) by @dyll-pickless [explicit. klave] These two idiots alone on a beach? Sure, that sounds PG to me.

Sealskin by intheflowers [mature. au. klave. hargreeves family situations] Dave is a lighthouse keeper on an isolated island. It’s a lonely life until a mysterious man washes ashore.

skirts and sweaters by slightlyworriedhuman [teen rating. autistic five. gender talk] “I don’t want to be a ‘cute little schoolboy’ anymore, alright?” Five snapped. For some reason, the thought of himself as a schoolboy was enough to make his skin prickle. Was it the implication that he was younger than the rest of them, less mature despite his life? …Yeah, it was definitely that. Absolutely.Five wants a change in wardrobe. His siblings are more than happy to help.

That Creepy Kid by @brionylarkin​ [teen rating. klaus centric] Klaus is creepy. He’s always been creepy. Sometimes this helps people, sometimes it hurts them. Either way, Klaus meets a lot of people and has a huge effect on every single one of them, OR 5 times Klaus is creepy without realizing, +1 time he admits it.

Turn It Up by Becca_Hay [teen rating. au. klave] Klaus and Allison run a popular radio show called Students And Spooks Radio and get a permanent sound tech engineer called, you guess it, Dave. Klaus doesn’t exactly hit it off with Dave at first but with a little help from tarot cards, tea and the flu, they get there in the end.

Voodoo Child by mace_fluff_button [teen rating. klave. big drama.] Klaus is a washed up child celebrity. Once the most talented medium in the world, he now lives his life scraping by on pocket change and hand outs from his foster sister, all the while struggling with drug addiction and the guilt of not being strong enough to give his dead brother a more corporeal existence, that only he, at peak sobriety could offer him. It’s not till a bad encounter with a cocky, self entitled internet celebrity has Klaus finally striving for sobriety, if only to get back at the smug bastard for the trouble and humiliation he caused he and his sister. When his new ambitions lead him to romance and subsequent heartbreak, will it be enough to drive Klaus back to his old and dangerous habits? And is his quest for revenge worth the cost of his life? What colors does Dave see when Klaus lays on the asphalt, motionless?

Your Love is With Me All of The Time by livid [mature. klave. typical hargreeves family nonsense] The noise that escapes him is high, and animal, and red.

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~FIC SERIES RECS~

Autistic Five by stillworriedhuman  Most likely a collection of all the works I have that have him either implied or outright autistic. It’s good to have things all together

i got soul, but i’m not a soldier by @karturtle 

Picture Book by Gin_Juice Step 1: Save the world (Done!) Step 2: Learn to get along with one another (Repeat as necessary) Step 3: Domestic bliss (Don’t worry, you’ll get there someday)

Prepare for Boarding by @obliqueoptimism  Klaus has been mistreated in the past, but Dave wants to make up for it, wants to keep him safe and make sure he’s loved.