#fancyeyes

Hey! I’m guessing you’re here bc of the @jilyarchive question I commented on? Have you already read that one? 😅

Unfortunately, I have to say that there are no other stories like Love and Other Tragedies in my opinion — that story is in a league of its own!

I tried my best to get to that level when I wrote my canon Jily fic What Are You Doing To Me? but alas!

If you are that same anon who wanted a fic where James is bossy/has a temper, he does start of as a jerk in that story (but not at all in a dark way), so it might be what you’re looking for!

So glad you asked! Obviously I’m still reading a ton myself, so this list is going to keep growing 😄 I tend to skew to M stories.

TIFF’s FAV JILY LIST:

You probably have already seen my newest obsession: The Bet by @smileyjily (If you really want perfect Marauder characterization, feel like Lily was a perfectionist and James was a bit of a lovable prat sometimes, love pranks, the handling of deep topics, sultry hookups)

If you wanna ugly cry because of how unfair Jily’s lives are whilst also getting turned on and wowed at every turn: Love and Other Tragedies by Fancyeyes (Seriously this is so good — I have never had a story make me cry this much and just start blabbering to my bf. If I was trying to go for the tone of any story before writing WAYDTM, it was this one. I mean, it’s way out of my league, but one can dream 😅)

If you love The Bachelor and want to bite your fingernails off because of sexual tension (and how hot James is): Eligible by @elanev91 (Already read twice — so worth it)

If you’re into sports and a James that is completely devoted to a Lily who has to realize her feelings because she’s too busy trying to be an Olympian: Golden Waltz by newromaantic (really cute and fun, I’m normally not even into skating, but it had me YouTubing performances like crazy, not M)

If you want something different and are feeling a little dark and want to give into the naughtiness of a bad James: Ruin by baguette2016 (very dark themes, sexy af)

If you just want to see James get psychologically tortured to completion (not dark, more delightfully indulgent scenario) : It’s My Party by Oynnej

If you want a quick, sexually charged, hot hot hot strangers meeting at a bar while he’s performing (seriously, James is so hot here): Dive by @elanev91

And obviously anything @scriibble-fics writes is instant smutty gold!

Oh boy! I feel like these authors are gonna get a restraining order for how much I gush about their fics, BUT, here we go:

You know I love me some The Bet by @smileyjily. The characters felt very real and flawed but lovable and you could relate to their triumphs and fuck ups. The plot was super tight and cohesive and obviously the Jily was great! I am also a huge fan of the little canon references and tie-ins along the way. Love love love ❤️

Now there are so many good choices, but these are 2 I loved so much, I read them twice in the past year already:

Love and Other Tragedies by Fancyeyes. This one started out unlike any other Jily I’d ever read, so off the bat, that was very exciting. It was dark and sad and smutty and all things I love. I have to say, on the reread I did realize that I wish there was more of a payoff with Jily being happy (I mean, after how much they had to suffer to get together) and that directly influenced WAYDTM, bc I think you guys EARNED READING FLUFF as much as they earned having it as a couple. You know, it makes all the suffering worth it a little bit. But yes, I have never cared so much about an original character, let alone cried for one 😢

And for massively AU: Eligible by @elanev91 ! James is the Bachelor (🌹!) and Lily’s his producer and it’s a master class in pining and sexual tension and just hot damn, you never want it to end. So so good.

Hi hi! DO IT. IT’s SO GOOD.

Okay, now your questions: no there isn’t a lot of Sirius/Lily past the first few chapters. He’s kinda an absentee boyfriend. Some of Lily’s thoughts at the beginning put me off too, but I’m pretty sure it’s on purpose so you can see her grow and develop her viewpoints later.

Their relationship kinda is there to set the scene and start all the tension! (I love drama! Can’t you tell 😉) Makes it an even more we-really-shouldn’t-be-doing-this vibe for Jily. (There’s no cheating though.)

But yeah, Sirius does NOT take to it well. More drama.

I think it is compliant with that scene... but most of it takes place the summer before and then during 7th year where Jily are both Heads.

Also, besides how good the Jily gets, it also just has a killer mystery plot.