#arostine

I’m so beyond ecstatic that you asked me this. Thrilled. I’m going to have to rein myself in massively. My Ao3 bookmarks tab is expansive and it yearns to see the sun. 

I have read almost every explicit and mature Shyan fic on Ao3, and a majority of the teen rated ones, too. Exceptions for serial killer fics (each to their own) and some non-human Shane fics, which I used to think I didn’t like but then again there are several on this very list.

Obviously, there are some big-hitters in this fandom with over 2k kudos that I recommend whole-heartedly, but I’m assuming most have read those. Also, I don’t have to tell you that there are a handful of fic authors incapable of putting out a bad fic (See: Beethechange, loveontherocks, Sequence_Fairy, Blacktofade, Quackers, Drunkkenobi etc etc etc). These are our parents, they feed us, they care for us, they never do us wrong, I love them all. Read their fics, comment and kudos.

So, here are ‘underrated’ fics that I recommend whole-heartedly. Underrated here just means way fewer kudos than I think they deserve, or under 500 kudos. I will note, however, that I think anyone who uses their valuable time to write me my feelings pornography (and also regular pornography) deserves endless praise.

American Money

by WhatWereMadeOf

M

This is a criminally underrated fic. If you love your fish-out-of-water narrative, if you like your boys struggling to communicate with each other, if you like a competent, attractive Shane running from danger, and a sexy, solitary Ryan astride a motorbike, willing to follow a cute tall boy into basically any situation? This fic right here. 

Ten Minutes Away

TimmyJayBird

E

Why is face-shaving so sexy? I don’t know why I’m into it, but I am definitely into it. 

You want pining? You want touching? You want a little horny-but-make-it-feelings? Shane thinking this is too good to be true?

This fic has everything good, and it’s blessedly well-written at that. 

A Bar in the Mojave Desert

Arostine

E

The depth of the lore in this fic is phenomenal. Witch!Ryan, is the powerful (and hot) owner of a mysterious and magical bar in the desert, and Demon!Shane is the powerful (and hot) demon fascinated with Ryan’s power and influence and desperate to consume his soul. That makes it sound super antagonistic, but despite the stakes, they’re just all over each other and into each other and it’s incredibly hot and a really amazing read, and I love it. Sometimes I just zone out because I’m thinking about pool tables… 

Is it safe to just be who we are?

Loveontherocks

E

Okay, look, I’m going to embarrass myself trying to talk about how good Yesi’s fics are. 

I struggle to even put into words what this fic does for me. It’s immensely hot, masterfully written, and somehow also riddled with tender moments and emotional vulnerability. That’s Yesi’s power. Because I’ve already gone embarrassed myself by going too hard, let’s just throw another fic by her in there: 

no one’s got me quite like you 

T

This is 15,000 words of fake dating and pining and coming to realisations and the number one best almost-kiss I’ve ever read. We don’t deserve this, it’s too good for us. 

Seeing Ghosts

Blacktofade

E

I really didn’t think I’d be able to include this in my ‘underrated’ category, but somehow it is? This is searing, red-hot, straight-up sound booth sex. (From memory there are like 4 Shyan sound booth sex fics, and this is the best one in my opinion) 

I have a huge soft spot for fics in which Shane has a filthy mouth, and he’s giving praise but he’s a little mean about it and oh boy. This fic has that, and about 10 other things that I’m way into. I need to lie down.

With the Tide

YogurtTime

Alright, there are half a dozen mind-blowing Vampire Shane fics, and each of them activates the part of my brain that all people who grew up in the 80s or 90s have, called the Anne Rice Cortex, which makes you horny for vampires, even if you never thought you were horny for vampires.

THIS Vampire Shane fic is one of my faves, because it is definitely very hot, but what I really love about it is: the absolute gut-wrenching sexual tension, the pining and dangerous codependency/possessiveness and the twisty twisty last third of this fic, which is not content to rest on its laurels as simply a sexy vamp fic, but has lashings of actual plot. 

Okay sorry, I really told myself I was going to talk about fics that people maybe hadn’t read, but I can’t do a fic rec without talking about Beethechange

Every single Bee fic is precious to me, and I’ve read most of them upwards of 5 times, But I have a really soft spot for an idea whose time has come (T) because of the way it made me ugly cry. When I finished it I had to just like, get up and walk around and stare at the wall for a bit.

It came at such an interesting time in this fandom, and Bee is, as always, capable of completely rearranging my brain with the concepts she tackles, and this is a great example of that. This one’s a life-ruiner. 

I have… I have so many more. I have dozens of all-time favourites, I have hundreds of fics that have earned repeat reads. There are countless incredible authors who write Shyan and I feel like I’ve forgotten loads of them. Also, this list is horny as fuck, I’m really sorry.

welcum to surgery where spite rules. I got ortho JOINTS and spent 4 weeks holding 400 lb peoples’ legs in the air, hurting my back and being called “babe”.

i also saw literally two surgeries. knee replacements and hip replacements. i failed the practice midterm and the clerkship director was like “please make a study plan” and i wanted to be like HOW ABOUT I PLAN TO ROTATE ON A SERVICE WHERE I ACTUALLY LEARN LITERALLY ANYTHING

it could be worse? I guess? I mean, I’m going to spend a month wearing an iron apron watching someone stick a wire in people’s arteries while being massively irradiated, but I suppose I could have landed ortho. or transplant, where I only would have seen one surgery the entire month (my hospital does almost all the liver transplants in the state but pretty much no other transplants ever)

the thing is, our bariatric surgery track is super popular and I somehow managed to land it but when I asked if I was allowed to trade with another student, who might CARE about bariatric and who could give me trauma instead, I was told no ‘but I’m sure you will end up enjoying your rotation as scheduled’

literally no one enjoys vascular

THE SECOND RUN OF YOUNG AVENGERS (with kid loki) is not what this person is asking for but everyone should still read it as an entry-to-comics, it’s only 12 issues and a self contained story AND IT’S SO GOOD

Why CANT we make a decent movie about the fantastic four?

i’m enjoying your tags

when i go to hell i will have to answer for every one of my elaborate maedhros/sauron plot outlines and headcanons

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