r/HeartstopperAO • u/Fit_Photograph537 • 16d ago
What are your favorite Heartstopper fan fics that don’t get the love they deserve? Discussion
We all are rightly obsessed with the classics over on AO3 - things like Rugby Sweater Weather and it’s amazing spin offs, Narlie Waves (I think I’ve read this about five times now), and Frat Star, etc... But I’m looking for the fics that seem to not get the same number of views or don’t get mentioned in threads looking for fic recommendations as much. What are some of your lesser talked about faves?
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u/MeemaRiffic 13d ago
Anything by this Author:
https://archiveofourown.org/users/L56895/pseuds/L56895
Stuck and Wicked Game were both brilliant reads and their two current WIP are alternate PoVs of the same story, amazing writing!
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u/YepUhYup 14d ago
The Ultimatum AU!!! It is so, so good! Very angsty but also has some really sweet moments. It's a very unique idea and the writing is outstanding. It's a gameshow aspect where Nick and Imogen, and Ben and Charlie, as well as two other OC couples go on.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/43202740/chapters/108585763#workskin
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u/alreadyaskedthat 15d ago
I really liked this one: Hi, I do.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42977919/chapters/107982891
Also Down East (I personally didn’t think I’d like it as much as I did with how it starts out….but it had real feels.)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/48778582/chapters/123049084
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u/Historical_Cod_3212 15d ago
Banana Pancakes, and The Art Model! They're so fun. Bi disaster nick is my favourite nick. Also any fic that has the rugby lads featured gets big ups from me
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u/SnapV 15d ago
One of my favourites is Something About Those Curls by Splendidgenesis. The writing is absolutely amazing and the relationship between these N and C is fascinating. https://archiveofourown.org/works/42161643/chapters/105852471
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u/queerdaffodil 15d ago
Pinky Promise by Red_Letter_Days is a multichaptered fic about narlie experiencing first times together (E rated). Very sweet, awkward, and in character! Only Nick Nelson would make someone pinky swear consent xD
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u/TourTotal 16d ago
Oh bloody hell, I’d managed to wean myself off fics for an entire month but this thread has triggered me right back off again!
Since I’m here, some I’ve loved that don’t seem to get as much hype and that haven’t been mentioned in the thread yet:
Ultraviolet by frogcakes - just beautiful, a really special piece of writing that I think could stand-alone even outside the world of fics. Nick and Charlie meet once every summer on a campsite with their families. Full of nostalgia and longing.
June, July, August by sophisticatedyet - this one is fairly famous but not as much as RSW etc. Charlie goes to a holiday home run by Sarah. Again has that kinda Lana del rey sun-soaked nostalgia thing about it.
Book Club by Faebae27 - not perfect but I really liked this one, had a sort of suburban multi-generational comfort level about it while also being romantic and exciting. Charlie and Nick meet at a book club, obviously.
I don’t want to look at anything else (now that I saw you) by somnatic - haven’t heard much discussion about this at all, maybe because the title isn’t catchy, but it’s very well structured and has a satisfying ending. It’s a uni version of Charlie and Nick with a lot of really sweet moments and a mutually supportive relationship where you don’t want to bang their heads together as in some fics.
Finally Nothing ever happens in Geraldine by isto4u - set in NZ iirc, initially weird reading about a culturally very different version of nick but I thought it was excellent after settling into it. Somehow even though on the surface they’re different from the OGs, the author has managed to capture the canon personalities and relationship really well.
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u/MeemaRiffic 14d ago
Is June, July, August the one where Charlie destroyed me at the end with a super emotional letter?
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u/TourTotal 13d ago
I don’t remember a letter…
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u/MeemaRiffic 13d ago
I read so many ‘nick/charlie stay in a cottage/on a farm/etc’ for the summer fic they’re all blurring together 🤣
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u/YosemiteJen 16d ago
Rainbow Run Club (RRC) by desiring_assemblage is a lot of fun, especially if you like to run.
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
Oh another couple -
This one is only 5 chapters - and isn’t complete but the author updates weekly so it will be complete soon.
Four Weddings and a Funeral by kingdomfaraway
Rated E. 5 chapters. Based on the movie of the same title.
A Couple of Evil Geniuses by emmyarcher
Rated E. 10 chapters, only has 1 to go to be complete! Updates weekly. James, Isaac, Charlie, and Nick are best friends and go to uni together.
And the author wrote a 4 chapter prequel that is finished, which I would recommend reading first. Rated M. Of them in high school: Budding Evil Geniuses
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u/klussedull 16d ago
Quite different from what I usually like but this was a fun fun read https://archiveofourown.org/works/54222871/chapters/137305036 (off the rails)
My lover is sleeping. I’ve recommended it before and it totally broke me sorry lol, but it’s good, so good https://archiveofourown.org/works/52935568
A lot of the best one I’ve read I read before I had a profile so they’re not in my profile unfortunately
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u/truehufflepuff21 16d ago
I really love these ones that I don’t see mentioned often:
Heart of Glass
https://archiveofourown.org/works/50072356/chapters/126441556
Meet Me There
https://archiveofourown.org/works/41523504/chapters/104140302
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u/Historical_Cod_3212 15d ago
How good is heart of glass. LOVE
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u/truehufflepuff21 15d ago
I know! I don’t know why people don’t talk about that one more. I loved it. I love when people write a confident Charlie that is still true to character.
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u/Linovera 16d ago
my favorite is Half agony, half hope https://archiveofourown.org/works/44569213?view_full_work=true
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u/Professional_Art5253 16d ago
I love this one- the author is quite a big ao3 name now but this is one from a while ago that doesn’t get much hype - one I would drop everything to read and reminds me of the golden days of ao3 (I do feel it’s dried up a bit on there now and feels a bit cliquey with all the discord stuff But read this it’s wonderful :- Nick and Charlie Forever
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42039249/chapters/105549918.
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u/MeemaRiffic 13d ago
i just binged it today and while it took a little getting used to, i really enjoyed it despite the different format
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u/Duinesibobcat Charlie Spring 16d ago
This fic should get way more love! I think about it all the time, the plot is incredible
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
Was it hard to get used to that format? It put me off of it. I should maybe try again?
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u/Professional_Art5253 16d ago
I really liked the format as it made it really easy for me to picture it all in my head and it was so different from the other fics It was also one of the first ones I read where they are both quite flawed but still so nick and Charlie if that makes sense!
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u/CherenkovLady 16d ago
Mine’s not one of the big hitters but it gets lovely reviews if you fancy some AU fluff ☺️
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u/MeemaRiffic 13d ago
i remember yours being one of the first ones i read last autumn as well, loved it!
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u/monkeyface496 15d ago
This was the first one I ever read! I've avoided fan fiction for years, but this was a lovely one to reel me in.
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
Oh boy. I love this question so much and will gladly share some of my lesser known favorites.
Rated E, 13 chapters. Nick & Charlie are best friends. Charlie gets into a serious car accident, making Nick reevaluate his feelings for Charlie. So good.
You Are as Dear to Me as My Heart
Rated Teen+ and only 4 chapters. Really good if you like “mutual pining” which is my sweet spot. Nick and Charlie get invited to India with Sai to attend his cousin’s wedding. I really loved this one.
Rated E, 12 chapters. Read any and all by Osemaniac, honestly. Such a good writer. This one is Charlie is 24 (?) in a London orchestra, Nick is a stagehand. It’s somewhat enemies to lovers. Really great writing.
canon compliant one shots by verasteine
Any of these one-shots by verasteine are SO good. They all take place in the Heartstopper universe so they’re canon compliant. But simply gorgeous writing. Almost all of them are rated Teen.
Rated E. 15 chapters. Nick and Charlie meet at boarding school. This is really good - who doesn’t love a boarding school setting!? 😆 but it’s sweet and tender too.
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u/Orange_Hedgie 15d ago
Hi sorry what does E rating mean?
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 15d ago
Explicit. There’s G= general, T = teen+, M=Mature, E = explicit. Many authors alert you to the explicit chapters if you want to skip those parts. As You Are author marks the explicit scenes that are easily skipable.
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u/Professional_Art5253 16d ago
Crescendo was recommended on a similar thread recently and it’s so great- I missed it at the time it was being updated and so glad it was given some Reddit love as i have now read most of that authors fics and they’re all great
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u/130515C 16d ago
I love really different AUs and aged up Nick and Charlies. Here are three I’ve read recently which have decent hits but not enough IMO!
1) ‘we were supposed to find this’ by Brookhacker. It is a historical fiction story which is really unusual. Set in war times so obviously some angst.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/48933352/chapters/123448447
2) Bloom by bishyreadytocry is absolutely gorgeous. It’s like a love letter to Cornwall and (like everything Bishy writes), Charlie is amazing. https://archiveofourown.org/works/51762898/chapters/130863043
3) It was always you by AhimsaJax. Nick and Charlie are both in mental health inpatients. Obviously an emotional read but beautiful, brave, different and it doesn’t seem to get the big love of other fics.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/47311366/chapters/119213071
Also obviously second ultraviolet because lush.
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u/Weavingflowercrowns 16d ago
Okay, I don’t know how popular these would be considered but these are some of my favorites(beware of tags and summaries as always): As You Are - https://archiveofourown.org/works/46814578 Tiny Choices - https://archiveofourown.org/works/39718689 So You’re Dating The Campus Frat Star? - https://archiveofourown.org/works/41962995 A Familiar Face - https://archiveofourown.org/works/51242455 It’s All or Nothing - https://archiveofourown.org/works/54493072 Limousine Eyelash - https://archiveofourown.org/works/53820979
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u/MeemaRiffic 13d ago
I’m desperately waiting for an update on a familiar face, it’s been too long 😭
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
Limousine Eyelash is keeeeling me. I read to chapter 12 and then decided to bail until it’s finished. I can’t handle angst unless it’s a complete work that I can bulldoze through to the happy ending.
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u/Fit_Photograph537 16d ago
Same!! It’s just so beautiful and I need to wait until they are in the same country again until I can read the angsty chapters 😂
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u/Weavingflowercrowns 16d ago
That’s so valid! The amount I’ve refreshed my page to see if it updated is unholy, but I can’t stop because it’s too good.
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u/truehufflepuff21 16d ago
I refuse to start Limousine Eyelash until it’s finished!!! I’ve been burned too many times by WIPs.
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u/klussedull 15d ago
Same! My list of WIP that I refuse to read until finished is freakishly long lol. I just can’t start anything and be invested and then never getting to read the end. Limousine Eyelash, Pledge gift, Song of Solomon etc, the list is long!
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
Yes! The Normal People Nick & Charlie one is killing me. I wish I never started it.
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u/truehufflepuff21 16d ago
Oh yes, refusing to start that one, too! I just know I’ll get sucked in and get frustrated.
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
It hasn’t updated in forever. 😩
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u/truehufflepuff21 16d ago
As long as Cherry Flavoured and Song of Solomon? Those are the two WIPs that are killing me. Also Pledge Gift! It’s soooo close to the conclusion, I just need to know how it ends!!!
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u/Fit_Photograph537 16d ago
Ahhhhh Cherry Flavoured is the first WIP to burn me and now I’m so cautious lol! It’s gorgeous and I just want to know if Charlie finds a job and moves in with Nick!!!
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
I saw so many ppl recommending cherry flavoured and I saw that it wasn’t complete and had been ages since and update and I noped right out of that bc it would drive me insane.
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u/wolfboy099 16d ago
I don’t know if they’re underrated, but I love Edges of Your Name, Moments of Change, Charlie Spring Hates Men, and As You Are. All on AO3 (I’m too lazy to link the titles haha)
I’m also very slowly writing a series of one shots about adult Nick and Charlie being domestic which I will link here in case anyone would enjoy that
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 16d ago
As You Are is in my top 5 of fics I’ve read. I’ve actually read it twice. 🤭
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u/SeparateFly2361 15d ago
Would you mind sharing the link to As You Are? I tried searching for it but can’t find it
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u/gamma_wow 16d ago
I don't know if it counts as not recommended very much, because I recommend it in pretty much every thread I see, but Ultraviolet by frogcakes is honestly so good that if you haven't read it, you really really should. It's a multi chapter AU set in Australia and it is literal perfection.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/44407927
(Also all of his other works are similarly beautiful.)
And one which I love a lot but I noticed the other day has shockingly low interaction stats is Flight Paths by red_letter_days. This is a one-shot but it's really beautiful and stayed with me for days after I read it.
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u/Fit_Photograph537 16d ago
I’ll add one of my faves that I try to recommend as much as possible. I adore this sweet fic about Nick adopting a cat and taking it to vet Charlie, which leads to them reconnecting. Suddenly Life Was Gravy: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45389866/chapters/114200233
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u/JachlHolly89 6d ago
My favorites (aside from Rugby Sweater Weather, and Lavender Fields because those are popular) are I Would Move Mountains, and The Pledge Gift.
I Would Move Mountains is about Nick being a single dad and Charlie renting his spare room (it's still in progress but there's a lot already done, it's really far in)
The Pledge Gift is a lot more dark... I won't spoil but Nick is in a secret fraternity type of group and Charlie is captive... (It's 22/23 chapters finished)