#cca2025

Moving right along - we told you there were a lot!

See below the cut for more much deserving nominees.

It's taken me a while to put this together. Work has been insanely busy - but when is it not. Here is my list of fics, with summaries and links that people might consider nominating for this year's Chipped Cup Awards.

Theorems and Thorns

When a stranger arrives at the Dark Castle, he disrupts more than just the laws of magic. His presence creates an intellectual and emotional triangle with Belle and Rumplestiltskin, as all three discover that matters of the heart follow neither scientific laws nor magical rules.

Categories: Best Secret Santa, Crossover

To See All That Might Be

Weird things start to happen when Belle explores the idea of getting a tattoo. Reality and unreality mix and mingle, and someone goes missing, but this is only the beginning of a new and deadly curse for the citizens of Storybrooke that could alter reality forever, when someone comes seeking revenge for what they believe happened, but was never true at all.

This could be nominated for Angst: Hurts So Good, Drama, Supernatural/Sci-fi/Horror, or AU: Once Upon a Time.

Dies Irae

A strange man confronts Doctor Belle French after one of her lectures and claims to need her help. He also claims to know that she is troubled, and can offer her protection. When events transpire that lead Belle to take up that offer, a desperate search begins to find a series of ancient artifacts, and Belle and her friends - both old and new - face increasing danger as they try to secure the artifacts for the powers of good before they can fall into very wrong hands, and possibly threaten every living thing in Storybrooke and beyond!

Categories: AU: Original

Secret of the Seas

Belle and Ruby take a much needed vacation, treating themselves to a fourteen day cruise. Jefferson is Head Miixologist aboard the ship, Secret of the Seas, and Gold is Deck Nine Supervisor, and amid much flirting, and false starts, holiday romances and forbidden loves ensue. Written from the Rumbelle Bingo prompts: Bed sharing, Vulnerability, Jefferson, Pesky Royals, Roses.

Categories: AU: Original

Time's Curse

Never fall in love - such is the admonition given to Rumplestiltskin. Blue sees fit to interfere with his plan to reach a world without magic by sending him there herself so that he can pursue his quest to find his son, but he is not alone in this world without magic, nor does it appear that he is entirely free to live his life as he would wish. In the course of his seemingly fruitless search for Baelfire, Rumplestiltskin takes a job as a history teacher at an exclusive private school, and there meets Isabelle - the French teacher. All of a sudden that interdiction against falling in love seems to be really important.

Categories: Angst: Hurts So Good, Drama, AU: Based on Other Media

On Whose Hands

Belle has no memory of how she has so much blood on her hands, but it seems the townsfolk have turned against her, blaming her for some unseen crime. Rumplestiltskin, under the control of the Dark One's Dagger, held by Zelena, suddenly appears and makes matters a whole lot worse. Canon compliant variation of what might have happened when Rumple was trying to warn the people of Storybrooke of Zelena's dark intentions during the time he was her prisoner.

Categories: Angst: Misunderstanding, Angst: Hurts So Good

Tuesday

When you go poking around in time, you might sometimes find that it pushes back, as Nick Rush finds out… the hard way.

Categories: Anyelle, crossover

Nobody Knew

Nobody knew the true cost of living with two lives in your head in a world where everyone else has forgotten one of them. Nobody except Jefferson, and when he'd finally reached the end of his rope and exacted his revenge on Regina for being the one to hurt so many people just to get her own happy ending, what could he do than give his all - give everything to reunite his two closest friends, and return to them the gift of true love?

Categories: Angst: Hurts So Good, Best BFF/Wingman

Inheritance

Seriousness and hijinks combine when Belle simply believes she has inherited an old cottage, and a house of gold, but all is not as innocent as it seems

Categories: Best One Shot, Comedy, Dark One!Rumple,

Modern Wonders

Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold, and when Regina casts Rumple's Dark Curse, just a few words here and there creates Storybrooke in a very different place, with a very different atmosphere, and very different issues to deal with. Alliances and enmity permeate the lives of the citizens of Storybrooke, (and beyond), as they tiptoe around the various dangers they face every day. Who is awake? How can they break the curse within a curse? And what of the power struggles rife both within, and outside of Storybrooke itself.

Categories: AU: Based on other Media, Drama

Bravery Will Follow

Belle is promised to Gaston, lord of a neighboring kingdom of barbarians who are seen as ogres in order to end the war. The Blue Fairy promises that she will help to bring safety to the kingdom of Avonlea so long as Belle performs a task for her, and in the heart of the forest Belle meets the Dark One, who offers her an alternative deal, warning Belle that the fairy will betray her. Belle rejects his deal, trusting Blue will do the right thing...

Categories: AU Based on other Media, Drama

The Language of Flowers

A series of courtship stories based on the mythology and lore of flowers and plants.

Follows is the full list of winners in the 2025 Chipped Cup Awards.

Fluff: Family - Baby Steps, by @threepwoodmarley

Fluff: Comfort - Illness, by @peacehopeandrats

Fluff: Fix-it - Haunted, by @chickwithwifi

Fluff: Reunion - Finding You, by @silwenworld

Smut: Kink/BDSM - Talking on the Telephone, by @kelyon

Smut: Romance - Star Crossed, by @threepwoodmarley

Smut: Comedy - By Hook or By Crook, by @beeeinyourbonnet

Smut: Best First Time - Stay, by @goldenwingediris

Smut: PWP - Beasts: A Golden Cuffs Story, by @kelyon

Angst: Death - I Touched Your Face (and All Life was Erased), by @deliriumsdelight7

Angst: Hurts So Good - What If the Storm Ends and Leaves Us Nothing, by @chickwithwifi

Angst: Misunderstanding - On Whose Hands, by @eirian-houpe

Romance: Best Date (Overall) - Meal, by @peacehopeandrats

Romance: Best Courtship - Cactus, by @eirian-houpe

Romance: Best First Meeting - Stiltskin Abbey, by @threepwoodmarley

General: Best One-Shot - Gilded, by @beeeinyourbonnet

General: Best Series - The Language of Flowers, by @eirian-houpe

General: Best Novel Length - A Knack for Losing Everything, by @antikryptonite

General: Best Short Fic - The Goblin King, by @killingkueen

General: Best Holiday Centric - O’ Solstice Tree, O’ Solstice Tree, by @bearrycool

General: Best Crossover - Dark Science, by @peacehopeandrats

General: Best Dark Castle - The Midwife’s Tale, by @threepwoodmarley

General: Best Storybrooke - A Moment Alone, by @threepwoodmarley

General: Best "Missing Years" - Ruin, by @peacehopeandrats

General: Best Wish!Verse - Granted, by @peacehopeandrats

Special: Best Golden Lace - Never Let Me Go, by @thatravenclawbitch

Special: Best Woven Beauty - The Treasure in His Hands, by The Genius Calls You (AO3)

Special: Best Afterlife - Awakening, by @eirian-houpe

Special: Best Drama - Ad Luceum, by @reolf

Special: Best Comedy - Inheritance, by @eirian-houpe

Special: Best AU Original - Secret of the Seas, by @eirian-houpe

Special: Best AU Once Upon a Time - Stiltskin Abbey, by @threepwoodmarley

Special: Best AU Other Media - Time’s Curse, by @eirian-houpe

Special: Best Creature - The Lighthouse, by @killingkueen

Special: Best Unexpected Twist - I Touched Your Face (and All Life Was Erased), by @deliriumsdelight7

Special: Best Bobby Squared - Covetous, by @beeeinyourbonnet

Special: Best Trope - Wounds and Scars, by @peacehopeandrats

Events: Best Rumbelle Secret Santa - Gilded, by @beeeinyourbonnet

Events: Best Fluffapalooza Fic - Stranger at the Masquerade, by @winterelf86

Character: Best Belle - All Hail to the Days that Merit More Praise, by @threepwoodmarley

Character: Best Lacey - Courtship: A Golden Rings Story, by @kelyon

Character: Best Spinner!Rumple - Outside In, by @lotus0kid

Character: Best Dark One!Rumple - The Oldest Door, by @peacehopeandrats

Character: Best Wish!Rumple - Granted, by @peacehopeandrats

Character: Best Mr. Gold - Fire, by @peacehopeandrats

Character: Best Detective Weaver - Arson, by @peacehopeandrats

Character: Best Baelfire/Neal - Steps, by @peacehopeandrats

Character: Best Gideon - Baby Steps, by @threepwoodmarley

Character: Best (Worst) Villain - Regina in Spy, by @peacehopeandrats

Character: Best BFF/Wingman - Wounds and Scars, by @peacehopeandrats

Art: Best Fan Art - Belle and Rumpelstiltskin Dancing, by @deliriumsdelight7

Art: Best Cover Art - RSS, by @goldenwingediris

Art: Best Graphic Art - I Will Love You, by @chippedcupwrites

Art: Best AU in Art - Tavern Maid!Lacey/Dark One!Rumple Moodboard, by @notonlymice

Art: Best Fluff Art - Belle and Rumpelstiltskin Dancing, by @deliriumsdelight7

Art: Best Angsty Art - Perhaps You Are Haunting Me, by @notonlymice

Art: Best Smutty Art - Twice, by @notonlymice

Art: Best Use of Color - Rumbelle + Nutcracker Moodboard, by @notonlymice

Art: Best Video - It Was An Arranged Marriage, by @chippedcupwrites

Superlatives: Best Artist - @notonlymice

Superlatives: Best New Artist - @deliriumsdelight7

Superlatives: Best Author - @beeeinyourbonnet

Superlatives: Best New Author - @goldenwingediris

Superlatives: Best Rumbelle Fic - By Hook or By Crook, by @beeeinyourbonnet

Superlatives: Best Anyelle Fic - Tuesday, by @eirian-houpe

Superlatives: Best Anyem Fic - Five Times Ally Fell Asleep in Rush’s Bed (and One Time They Woke Up Together), by @notonlymice

THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!

Thank you to all the Rumbellers, Readers, Writers and Artists Alike, we have pleasure to present the nominees for the Chipped Cup Awards 2024. You can find the Full list under the cut (because it's long).

The link to the ballot form for voting will be posted on the final nominees post.

Happy reading and viewing everyone!

Holidays come in many shapes and sizes and at many times of the year, but most often our Rumbelle fandom loves to see our favorite couple celebrating together, or with family in the depth of winter.

In the category of Best Holiday-Centric, the winner of the 2025 Chipped Cup Award is: