In which Kurt considers who to write in for the Teacher of the Year award. This fic gives some really brutally insights to Kurt and Blaine, but I thought the tone that the author struck in their considerations, particularly in Kurt's internal POV, really fit with them as characters. It's a fic that packs a meta punch, but the blows are pulled just enough to allow for understanding and a fair measure of forgiveness.

In which Finn and Cooper get into a bit of a best man competition, but luckily Kurt and Blaine still manage to have the best wedding ever. UGH, MY FACE. MY EYES. MY HEART! DON'T. I JUST. Baaawwwwwwww. WEDDING FIC!!!!! SOTTOVOICE!!!!!!! *shakes fist full of damp tissues*

Oh my GOD, so cute.

In which Burt centers himself with a drive the morning before Kurt graduates. Burt Hummelllllllll. ;__;

In which Tony and Steve become friends and eventually something more with the help of boxing robots and baseball and kickass elderly women and an entire mansion's worth of superheroes both powered and mundane. WHELP, THIS FIC. An explosion of Tony feels and Steve feels and Steve/Tony feels nestled skillfully between beautifully insane moments of family and togetherness (refreshments provided by Clint and Miriam, soundtrack provided by Chumbawamba). But honestly, this fic was a true delight. It was continually surprising reactions out of me, whether it was a laugh or a coo or a moan or a tear, and I really have to hand it to a fic that can keep me not only engaged but on my toes for nearly 40000 words.

In which "Attempt" is the operative word on this particular tin. For a fic that revels with unholy glee in the chaos and downright awfulness of wedding planning, there is a really surprising amount of unaffected love to be found here. All told, it strikes a clever balance between sour and sweet that ends up quite delicious to the taste.

In which Clint and Natasha try to level out after the events of the movie, and find it both easier and harder than anything they've done together before. Wahhhh, this was beautiful, full of both the soothing and the painful kinds of tenderness that I've come to associate with gyzym.

In which we see what comes after the events of the movie. There were some timeline-related things here that didn't track for me, but oh my GOD, the character dynamics. I just love them so MUCH.

In which Kurt and Blaine have a perfectly normal amount of physical affection in their relationship, despite what the show wants us see (or uh, not see). OH GOD, THEY'RE JUST SO LOVELY AND SO HOT.

In which Santana wants Kurt and Blaine to do something crazy for their bachelor's bash, and it comes out that Kurt has always wanted to go down on a girl. Brilliant drunken confession, meet brilliant drunken execution. I just love the Klaintana dynamic so muhuhuhuch. It really didn't hurt that this fic was also very hot.

In which Steve's refractory period is AWESOME. Related to valtyr's age is an irrational number. I just want to put this out there though:

He blinks up at Steve from the bed where he’s been flipped, and Steve is all naked determination, his hands on Tony’s arms, pinning him in place.

“I may swoon, that was so masterful,” he says, only like seventy percent joking, because Steve can wrangle him anytime. Yippie-ki-yay.

In which they never met in high school and instead meet on a film set--Blaine the big Hollywood triple-threat-media-crossover-megastar who hasn't come out yet, and Kurt the Broadway veteran who wins Blaine about the way he did in S2 (i.e. a patented combination of caring patience and stubborn refusal to put up with crap). This fic was pretty fucking delightful, not the least because of the Tumblr posts interspersed throughout. I thought the fandom meta was hilarious and creepy and BRILLIANT, tbh. Especially in the seventh part, which had my emotions doing hairpin turns, misting up from pride to tearing up from laughter in the space of three images. All in all, a cleverly self-aware and deliciously extensive romp in the world of fannish wish fulfillment.

In which Brittany says that Kurt was her best kiss, and suddenly everyone wants in. Hahaha, S1!ND shenanigans, what a beautiful branch of fanfiction you were.

In which Tony is kind of an asshole, and Steve patently isn't, except that neither of those things are really true, and that's kind of wonderful. Awww, sexual-tension-fueled antagonism, I think I forgot how much I love you.

In which Steve gets lost time-skipping and ends up using Tony as a fixed point. Alternatively, in which Steve sees Tony as he grows up, and Tony just sees Steve, always. Guh, this was all kinds of brilliant.

pphhhhwoaaarrrrr. Translated into real words: holy shit.

In which Kurt ends up at OSU and meets Blaine, a young teacher there. Oh man, this series. What began as a very enjoyable and sexy little oneshot blossomed into a really lovely series that celebrates embracing, and trusting to, and believing in love when you know it's right, while still remaining very enjoyable and sexy throughout.

In which Mercedes and Quinn have a talk about being human. OMG, yes, please. Post Prom-asaurus love-in for two characters who are never cut enough slack. :'))))

"And then Tam Lin spends the last several verses transforming into a variety of problematic objects that Janet has to accept and love anyway before the magic finally leaves him and he becomes a naked man. Ladies and gents, may I introduce you to season3!Blaine. If one of the main themes of this season hasn’t been peeling the Blaine onion, I don’t know what the hell it’s been doing."

In which Cooper tries to be the best brother he can be. Non-canon Cooper characterization, but one that was interesting to read. All of these stories are lovely, but some of them, like 17 at the airport, are really, really something.

In which John moves back in with Sherlock after Mary dies, bringing his son Hamish and a thousand echoes of the past into the rooms of 221B. This is gorgeously, perfectly rendered. Sparse and considered in all the best ways.

In which we see Kurt feel the distance between them, and then we see the sweet relief of that distance resolved. Ahhhh, these two. My heart.

In which Blaine is an artist who's still searching for something, and Kurt is the teenage runaway who walks right into his life and changes everything. This fic should be the worst. Really, the absolute dregs of the worst. And I'm sure to some it will yet be. But to me, this is the sort of fic where after you finish it you stare at the computer for a long while in dumb incomprehension, and then you numbly close your laptop, and then you wander outside blinking up into the sky, and then you finally, finally ask yourself if that really just happened. And the fact is that it did. Out of a smattering of disparate tropes that shouldn't work for you came this story of art and love and terrible need and miraculous solutions, and it was something unquestionably beautiful and you read it. And really, it's moments like these that I'm in fandom for, and I wouldn't trade that for the world.

In which Dum-E is a good robot. Oh my GOD. I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS. AND THEY'RE MOSTLY ABOUT A ROBOT??? I JUST. DOES NOT COMPUTE? EXCEPT SOMEHOW IT COMPUTES PERFECTLY?

In which Tony seduces Bruce with casual sexual propositions and extremely uncasual core-deep understanding.

In which Tony has never been so wholly fine with getting his ass handed to him twice in one day. Hahahaha, shit, this actually works pretty well as movie canon for the fact that it was written ages ago. Angry!sex apparently transcends canons.

In which they're trapped into a huddling-for-warmth scenario. This was both very cheeky and deeply unfunny, a surprisingly emotionally resonant combination that felt very right for these two characters in this particular situation.

In which everybody needs to make sure that Chandler knows Kurt and Blaine are IN LOVE, okay, and he CAN'T get in the way of that. Hahahahaha, this was adorable. And all the voices were so well done!

In which Mike is a good friend, and toothbrushes figure prominently. Excuse me while I go weep into my hands at how precious and perfect this is. MIKE CHANG.

In which Kurt and Blaine meet via what's said on the tin. Oh. My. God. This was the cutest, most adorable thing ever. Indulgent, but effervescently so, and utterly charming because of it. I'm with the author, man, I want ALL the snippets from this universe. ALL OF THEM.

In which Cooper and Blaine continue to talk it out, when that's necessary, and cuddle it out, when that's necessary, too. Continuation of lookninja's Anderson brothers bonding in LA series. This was quieter and lovelier than ever, and I really loved it for that.

In which Kurt comes home for the first time since moving to New York, and the need to be as close as humanly possible overwhelms them almost before they know it.

Cemeteries are just the Earth’s way of not letting go.
Let go.

In which the Warblers are invited to perform on a holiday cruise ship, and something about the salt air and the Caribbean sun helps bring people together and feelings to light. What a fun 2011 winter hiatus era fic! There were some problems here and there that made this beast of a fic a bit difficult to contend with at times, but each chapter presented its own gems of emotional connection and delightful hijinx, so its 100,000+ words never felt like a burden. I'm always wary of travel fic, because sometimes people don't know how to make the locations serve the story, but I thought this fic really expertly struck a balance between experience porn and genuine plot elements. Overall, a really solid long fic that I enjoyed very much.

In which Blaine and Kurt get it into their heads that it would be better for them to take a break once Kurt leaves for New York, but there are pitfalls and heartbreaks to any break up, even an amicable one. A fic about growing apart badly, and growing back together inexorably. Just the way things should be with these two. Lots of great things about this fic: earned and really heart-breaking angst (LOTS of this, omg), a really great cast of characters both canon and OC (and speaking of, a great speculation on Glee club next year), actually believable depictions of college applications (and college relationships, and New York City), and some really over-the-top romantic moments and declarations (in addition to countless smaller moments that ultimately mean just as much). All in all this was a beautiful fic, but I'm glad I only came on board after chapter three. This is not the sort of fic you want to sit around waiting for, unless you LIKE staring at your computer monitor yelling "NO, FIX IT."

In which Blaine and Kurt make it a challenge to not touch while they have sex. UNFAIR. THIS IS WAY TOO WARM AND LOVELY FOR A PWP. Certainly sexy enough though, hahaha, shivers.

In which Kurt and Blaine have been attached at the hip since they were kids but now Blaine's been drafted and Kurt hasn't. FINE OKAY I GUESS I'LL TAKE THESE FEELS.

In which a newly single Kurt decides to add some excitement to his life, and excitement certainly comes in the form of two very enthusiastic brothers. Omfg, okay, so. First of all, this is an AU. A club AU. A club AU with Kurt, and Blaine and Cooper, who are step-brothers and not biological brothers in this fic. So to lay this out for you, this fic has no canon baggage, no biological incest issues, and a lot of dirty dancing leading to a lot of unrealistically awesome threesome sex, with one of the characters inhabiting the body of Matt Bomer. I'm not one for PWPs, but this one I'm gonna just have to say works.

In which we see Klaine in their immediate introduction to the afterlife. Spoiler alert: it's adorable.

In which Blaine comes back to school after his long absence and develops an immediate and completely, TOTALLY, 100% inexplicable dislike of Spain and everything Spanish. ONE WONDERS WHY. Aaaaahaha, precious.

In which Kurt and Blaine meet at a NYADA mixer in S1. This was adorable. Revisiting the ways that these two have matured over the seasons, and seeing how beautifully different it would have been if they'd matured together, was bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter.

In which there is a temperamental swan and a modestly sized duck. Sigh. I finally gave in and read this, and lo, it was just as adorable as everyone's always said it is.

In which John gets amnesia and mistakenly thinks he and Sherlock were together before he lost his memories, and Sherlock can't bear to correct him. So sorry it's taken me so long to read this, I should have known better, I LOVE dramatic irony, why did I deny myself this?? Ugh, so good.

In which John is Sherlock's guardian angel, and it's kind of a shit job. Hahahahaha, gorgeous. Which contains the line:

“I should put in for a transfer,” John says. “Go back to soldiers. They died a lot less.”

In which Sherlock is a fashion photographer and John is a model, and you know, somehow, it works. Delightfully zany and even more delightfully in-character.

In which sex changes things for them--not the sex itself, but what it ends up meaning to them, the ripples in and out that do so much more than indicate the epicenter. The structure here was masterful, intricate and fascinating. The prose, however, was so laden down with implications and connotations it was almost claustrophobic trying to read it. Sometimes I thought that was incredible and sometimes I thought it was horrendous, but it was a choice, and not necessarily a bad one. Anyway, this is certainly the kind of fic that would reward multiple readings.

I just love her and her silly, beautiful face.

In which Cooper grew up before his time trying to make sure Blaine had the chance to grow up well. LORD ABOVE, DON'T DO THIS TO ME, WRITERS. ALL OF MY CO-DEPENDENT SIBLING FEELS, HELP. That being said, this fic is really gorgeous. The canon's not quite there, but I rather love the Cooper this author speculated on. You get a sense of him being an effervescent and outgoing guy while constantly being blindsided by his feelings as a terrified and only-too-loving brother. That contrast of his inside and outside, and how it's juxtaposed with his witnessing of Blaine's growth--his retreat into and eventual emergence from his shell--really worked. I honestly just loved these two boys, and how connected they were across so many kinds of distances except the most important one-- the way no matter what they kept hold of each other's hands. Really, it was beautiful. But you know, maybe I'm just an only child creying about what she'll never have, what do I know.

In which Kurt and Blaine are happily married in New York when Kurt gets in a terrible accident that results in amnesia, setting him back to age 14. One of those times when a terribly cliche premise yields to stellar writing and emotional realism. For how much you shouldn't believe it, you end up falling in love with this fic's Kurt and Blaine, the life they've built, the people they've become, the unflagging belief they have in each other in every iteration of themselves-- past, present, and future. A heartbreaking beginning that flows into an infinitely more heartwarming story that's worth every bit of the investment you put into it.

In which Toni's Iron Woman, and Steve can't seem to hold on to any of his beverages. In which the Avengers eat a truly staggering amount of food. In which Steve is Very Disappointed With the paparazzi. In which I laugh and coo obnoxiously for 33000 words.

In which the rule change is announced before Rue dies, and that changes everything. This left me with goosebumps everywhere on my body. Powerful and haunting and poignant.

In which Sherlock's Mind Palace has always had a throne room, though who sits on the throne changes over the years. This was exquisitely realized and wholly amazing.

In which Sherlock was born cold, except of course she wasn't. Ooooh, I liked this one even better.

In which Sherlock is striking and Joan Watson's never been more willing to take a blow.

In which there are other people at McKinley watching Kurt, not with disgust, but with envy. I love that fandom is curious about this girl and if she might be in the closet, about the strange ways she's like some of us (identifying and invested), but not (for having it living out in front of her).

In which Arthur lets Inception work a change in him, and sees Eames change, too.

In which Tony Stark is trans, and he can build anything--the body he wants, the identities he needs, the community he (everyone, really) deserves.

In which the story of Blaine's life isn't really his to tell, and isn't that the most fucked up thing you ever heard. Wow, I loved this. As usual, rm packs so much heart and pain and significance into such small moments.

In which Loki and Darcy join forces, for good or for ill, for Batman and apocalypses. I loved this in a deep and furious and overidentified way.

In which John sees people's red strings, and surprisingly, it only makes him turn out stranger. Not surprisingly at all, his string is attached to Sherlock.

In which Kurt starts up a casual support group for all the lgbt kids, and over the course of some Saturdays, impressions and bridges and hearts start to mend. There were some real gems here (lord, Sebastian TOTALLY could have left that comment), and I LOVED all the songs in the musical week. Perfect selections.

In which there is a PWP where the clothes come on, not off. SUIT-LIKE CLOTHES. MILITARY DRESS-LIKE CLOTHES. Sherlock, you are a man after my own kink set. Although honestly, some of Sherlock's voice here sounded a little off for me, but did I mention the suit porn? And the ending was perfect. And also the suit porn. That was actual porn. I apologize, but this is monopolizing a great deal of my mental capacity at the moment, I'm sure you understand.

In which Clint has another secret identity as a country singing sensation. Hahaha, so many things here that aren't my thing, yet absolutely became my thing for these 11,000 words, easy. The fact that I've found out I like a Toby Keith song, though, that might take a bit longer to come to terms with. And I'll never get over that ending. Perfection.

In which Blaine visits Kurt in New York, and comes wearing a present. Oh god, so many meanings in the last half of that sentence. This is not usually my kink, but it woooorks here. So many details that just brought this fic to stunning, sensual life.

In which we see them in their sickening new-relationship phase, and see how much it tortures Wes. Omg, cackling. Nostalgic perfection.

In which Darren has a hard time controlling his physical reaction when they are filming the "sex" scene in TFT, and Chris gives him hell for it. Oh, I loved this. Darren's voice was hilariously on-point, and Chris' quips were golden, too.

Talks about the structure of Glee and how it's not actually Dramatic Theater, but Epic Theater a la Brecht. Omg, this. is. perfect.

In which Artie keeps the Glee kids afloat through a lot of different methods (blatant trickery, ASL, sexual experimentation), but mostly through music and dance and /winning/. An off-the-wall (or maybe off-the-chain) S4 fic that's only crack in that Glee wishes it could handle this level of narrative mahem. Somewhere between the riotously funny revolving door of choir directors and the frank portrayal of kids who are disenfranchised by the world and determined to do something about it, I got whiplash from the gusts of awesome coming at me from every angle. And just as a note, Klaine is 100% preserved in this fic, despite the pairings listed. Just trust me, this fic's amazing and you want to read it.

"So, here's the thing. Sometimes vids are planned and sit in queues and on timelines and weeks pass. Other times, I spend a day crying into handfuls of Kleenex in the grip of an enormous hormonal mood swing and at the end of it, there's a vid, and it's to Sarah McLachlan. I'll leave it up to you to guess which one of those this is."

And sometimes you're the hormonal wretch who starts the vid still laughing at that intro and then finishes the vid with her hand clutching at her chest.

Oh GOD, I have no words. ;________________;

In which they follow each other through dreamscapes. Wow! So much footage combined into a really rather stunningly coherent narrative.

Oh my God, yes.

OMFG, YES, GOOD.

In which Blaine sees him shirtless for the first time over the summer, and then things get a little away from them for a bit. Omg, the end.

In which Jesse St. James is a Soloist, and that means everything. Omg, everything I like about Jesse, except rendered in serious terms instead of farcical ones. Jesse St. James, come back to meeeeeeee.

In which Burt might be a great Dad for Kurt now, but it took a lot of hard choices and hard thinking to get him to the point where we see him. Ahhhh, I didn't want to like this because Burt Hummel is perfect in my eyes and that's relentlessly not the case in this fic, but at the same time, the message here--that true change does happen--is so important and so wholly realized that I really have to applaud it.

In which Blaine's father is cursed with a quietness that comes between him and his son for years. This was so hard to get through because horrible things coming from a good place makes me want to put my face in the ground and not come up for a while, but it was worth it for the breakthrough. Those Hummels, man. They work magic. But apart from them, this was a terrifically compelling POV voice that illuminated so much in such touchingly intimate ways, which only added to how horrifically poignant his self-imposed silence in the narrative was. Don't do this to my heart, fanfic writers! (Except please, please, always do this to my heart.)

In which Burt hears the news about Karofsky and has to navigate the hard job of helping Kurt (and Blaine) process the news. What a lovely look into Burt's psyche. I liked that this fic didn't vilify Kurt's guilt reaction, but at the same time was firm about how unwarranted it is. And I liked Blaine's small role in this fic, his felt presence in their lives. And I really liked the ending, which was so beautifully, quintessentially Burt.

In which Blaine is a new delinquent roaming the halls of McKinley High and he won't leave Kurt alone (Kurt's not even sure he wants him to). While I don't dispute that this is a classic of the fandom, this fic is a strange beast for me. The first 10 chapters are extremely problematic and also just kind of bad. But after that something big starts to change for the characters, and the fic's style, quality, and emotional resonance started to quickly evolve alongside the plot's developments. The author's notes indicate the author got a new beta around that time, so kudos to the editor for nurturing that? Anyway, so while this fic is not consistently great, I do think in this case, the content trumps the form in which it's delivered. Overall, this is a poignant story about endurance, perseverance, and love, and the author grew a lot on the journey to sharing it. I respect that a great deal.