Announcing: The TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge
Hello, fellow Magnus Archives fans! Can you believe it’s already been almost two months since the finale? Thankfully, even without our beloved podcast putting out new content, our fandom is full of immensely talented, creative people creating fic, art, and other fanworks that we can all enjoy together. Whether it’s hurt/comfort soothing our pain, fluff warming our hearts, or AUs taking us on new journeys, fan creators keep these beloved characters with us.
Now, we’re excited to host an event to show our love for the works creators have poured their talent and imagination into, and appreciation for the people who made them. We are thrilled to introduce the TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge!
Beginning on May 16 and continuing through 2021, every other week we will be posting “challenges” with prompts encouraging you to spread the love for different types of fan content. These prompts will include things like characters, relationships, story events (such as “Scottish honeymoon”), genres (time travel AUs, crossovers), or even fandom trends (“Teacher Jon,” “Gerry lives”).
Leave a comment on a favorite fanwork, read a fic from an event you never got around to, post a fic rec (or even a rec list!) so others can enjoy them with you. Not only will you be giving that ever-craved and cherished feedback to fan creators, but you may even help other fans find their new favorites. Whatever your level of comfort or energy, every little bit is valuable!
We have a long list of genres, characters, trends, and tropes to draw on for the prompts. If you’re not inspired by the round’s prompts, keep an eye out for future ones!
We’ll see you next week with our first set of prompts for the TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge!
[EDIT: Updated from weekly to every other week.]
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Rec List for TMA Fanwork Appreciation Round 1: Nostalgia!
I wish I had kept better track bookmarking and categorizing the fics I read early on, since there were so many good ones that lured me into binging fic before I even caught up with the series. I gathered a few together below!
searching for a light, for a right by @kalgalen
(In which Jon finds out society is wrong about what a romantic relationship should be.)
The thing that lured me into reading TMA fic before catching up was the CANON ACE CHARACTER tag’s siren call. I had read through the entire thing at one point. This is one of the first ones I read, and it hit me on such a deep emotional level that this fandom would have people who would understand and protect and celebrate what I am.
A Weather in the Flesh by @cuttoothed
"There is a span of years where Jon doesn’t touch anyone other than the occasional hand shake. It’s not so bad. He’s never been someone who’s needed physical affection."
Jon has never been any good at making people want to stick around.
An emotionally whumpy exploration of touch starvation with the full brunt of our Season 4 pain before the finale soothed any of it. This beautifully written fic just grabbed me by the throat and went “you WILL cry about this character” and sure enough there is a specific sentence where I lose it each time. This was also the first TMA fic I recced to a friend!
Knit Two Together by @angel-ascending
Five times Martin knit something for Jon and one time Jon knit something for Martin.
A lovely 5+1 fic following the emotional arc of Jon and Martin’s relationship through knitted gifts (including ace socks!!). I really love “through the series” emotional explorations like this one, but am especially attached to it because it’s written by a past-fandom friend I got into the show and who I was delighted to see start writing for it.
Fate, or Something by @protectmartinblackwood
He sets his book aside and turns fully towards her, betrayal clear on his face. "A blind date, really?"
Jon makes the frankly terrible decision to go on a blind date with one Martin Blackwood. Fate ensues.
I know this fic ends up on tons of rec lists, but it deserves it so it’s going here too! It was honestly baffling to be in a fandom where the Big Fic Everyone Talks About was one I loved just as much. I remember the day before TMA 159 dropped, after months of anguished suspense over the direction of the show--I was stuck in a hotel room on a business trip, reading the final happy chapter of this fic and just feeling so warm and happy. Even if the show wouldn’t allow Jon to save Martin (which thankfully, it did!!), I had this fic.
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge - "Oh My God, They Were Office-Mates" or Martin Lives On The Archives Period:
@themagnuswriters
by @judesstfrancis (i know i already put one of his fics on the other rec list but her writing is great so here's another one)
jonmartin speedrun, enemies to friends to lovers, 9k
summary: Rose scented laundry detergent. Running into Jon in the breakroom. Running into Jon on his way back to his desk. Rose scented detergent. Running into Jon. Roses. Jon. Roses, roses, roses.
~~
this one was so fun to read because it's basically "what if at first martin fucking hated jon, actually?" and then jon starts being nice after prentiss and martin is like "wait. oh. oh no." and it's all very good
there's also some bed sharing and martin writing romantic poetry
please go read it
by @quantumducky
jonmartin (pre-relationship, kind of becoming friends), sickfic, hurt/comfort, 4k
summary: Martin gets sick while living in the archives. He's sure he can deal with it himself- just sleep it off, no need to make a big deal of it.
Jon, it turns out, doesn't agree.
~~
this is definitely one of my favorite season 1 fics (though to be fair the same could be said about the rest of this list)
it's actually very soft and there's a bit of angst but martin's unreliable narration caused by his brain being fried for being sick is absolutely delightful and the ending is very nice and left me smiling for a very long time
by @vigiloaudiosupervenio
jonmartin (pre-relationship), bonding over wine, feelings realization, 10k
summary: “Because you’re stressed. And so am I,” he replied. He twisted to reach into his satchel, then pulled out a corkscrew. “And I don’t know about you, but relaxing is all but impossible for me, so once in a while it’s nice to cheat and get some help with it. Usually I just sit and unwind with it at home, but I figured…” He reached out and offered the corkscrew to Martin. The universe’s strangest olive branch. “Unless you’re opposed?”
Jon’s question was not a challenge, nor was it laced with any suggestion of expectation. It was just clarification; an offer to back out if Martin truly was uncomfortable with the prospect of getting wine-drunk with Jon.
It's been about a week since Martin temporarily moved into the archives, and between the fear caused by Prentiss and the confusion caused by Jon suddenly being a bit nicer, he's been a bit flustered. This has not gone unnoticed by Jon, who is nothing if not someone who tries to take initiative.
~~
jon and martin get wine drunk in the archives
that's it that's the fic
it's great and it's funny and it's actually kinda angsty at some points but it's mostly fluff and two idiots drinking wine
what else could you ask for
by @stopitjon
jonmartin (pre-relationship), nightmares, hurt/comfort, >1k
summary: “Martin, I’m—” He broke off with a shiver, whether from cold or fear he couldn’t say. A search for his professional composure turned up empty, so he’d have to settle for ‘not completely deranged’ and hope that Martin would forget all of this by morning. “I apologize if I woke you.”
(JonMartin Week #1, combining the prompts "Comfy Jumpers" and "Nightmares")
~~
this is very short and very angsty but i have a soft spot for season one jon and martin late night companionship
featuring jon's terrible self care and martin exasperatedly taking the matter to his own hands
by @voiceless-terror
jonmartin (pre-relationship), late night conversations, ace martin, internalized aphobia, hurt/comfort (kind of), >2k
summary: “No, it’s- to be frank, I don’t think I’m cut out for all that.” Martin toyed with the mug in his hands, gazing into it like it held the answers he needed. “I’ve uh, tried to go on a few dates, meet people, that sort of thing. But they all expect something at the end and it just never feels right, I can’t explain it. Like there’s something missing. ”
In which Jon and Martin are more alike than they thought.
~~
i'll be honest every single piece involving ace martin has a special place in my heart
as an ace person, having jon as canon ace is incredibly important to me, and seeing people in the fandom not only making ace jon content, but also headcanoning other characters as aspec makes me indescribably happy
this fic is very sweet, and though jon and martin are still in that "not exactly friends, not exactly not friends" period, their conversation is very nice, and reading this really warmed my heart
i can't recommend this fic enough
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge: Time Travel
What a lovely way to pay homage to my favorite type of fic when I first joined the fandom! I read so many time travel fics near the beginning, and while I haven't picked up any new ones lately, I still have a list of favorites!
(For @themagnuswriters fanwork appreciation challenge, round two!)
Below the cut since this one is a bit long:
the garden of forking paths | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: bibliocratic | tumblr: @bibliocratic
Whatever he had predicted might happen, Jon wasn't expecting to survive upon demolishing the Panopticon. He certainly wasn't expecting to be rescued.
Instead, he wakes up in an alternative universe where he's never been the Archivist, and Martin Blackwood doesn't exist.
Martin Blackwood wakes up somewhere else entirely.
I consumed this fic all in one sitting and adored it! An unconventional take on time travel (mixed with reality hopping) that was really captivating and heart-wrenching.
The Path of Least Resistance | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: chermit
Sasha fixed Tim and Martin with a glare that was deathly serious. “But why should that stop us? It is— or was, I suppose, given... everything— our literal job to investigate supernatural events. If the police won’t figure out what happened to the Institute, we’ll do it. Doesn’t everyone deserve that? Doesn’t Jon deserve that?”
In the face of an unyielding apocalypse, the being that was once Jonathan Sims has a final, desperate idea. The archival assistants pick up the pieces.
I am obsessed with the concept of this fic! Jon goes back in time and kills his season one self, then kills Elias, so Sasha, Tim, and Martin are the only ones who survive from the Institute. They then embark on a quest to figure out what happened. It hasn't updated in a while, but I'm including it because I think it's still fascinating as-is and it truly is my favorite time travel fic in the fandom.
tapes winding forward | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: skuls | tumblr: @ghostbustermelanieking
Martin gets a closer look at the calendar, and his breath catches in his throat. He's gotten a look at the year, and it's wrong, it's all wrong. 2018. October, 2018. Right there, in Martin's own handwriting, on a Saturday, he's written things on little dates that Martin can't read, because he can't take his eyes off the year. 2018. 2018. They look differently. They have scars they don't recognize. Their hair is longer. 2018.
Martin seizes the calendar off the fridge and goes back into the living room. Jon's still at the coffee table, poking through the tapes piled there, but he looks up when Martin comes back in and says, "Martin, where…" with a familiar bite in his voice.
Martin ignores him, stops him mid-sentence to say, "Jon, what have you heard about time travel?"
---
Martin and Jon wake up two years in the future. It goes about as well as can be expected.
I loved the sort-of-flipping of the typical time travel trope in that s5 jmart goes back in time but s1 jmart also goes forward in time! Another fic that I read all in one sitting and adored immensely. The season one Jon/Martin dynamics in this are fantastic!
The Future's Calling, and It's not Pretty | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: StormStuff | tumblr: @storm-does-stuff
"Oh, shut up," the doppelganger said, crying and laughing. He looked like Martin, but that couldn't be right because Martin was watching this all unfold. "Now, I'm sorry to just pop in, but I have no clue how long I was in the halls - yes, I know you know - so I'm probably about to pass out. Sorry."
True to his word, he slumped down against the wall. Somewhere, a tape recorder clicked off.
"Alright," Tim said when the silence got uncomfortable, "We're not going to try and pretend that wasn't supernatural, right?"
(or, a time travel au, but this time with monster!Jon)
Time travel but with Jon's consciousness confined to the tapes! Martin carries him around, and typical time-travel-esque shenanigans ensue. The 'Jon is tapes' is a very interesting twist on typical time travel fics, and I had a lot of fun reading this!
Unravel | gen, rated T | Ao3: falling_forever | tumblr: @falling-forever-upwards
Jon has a freaky monster doppelganger locked in document storage and is trying very hard not to have a breakdown about it.
He's not succeeding very well.
(Or; trust, and identity, and becoming.)
A time travel fic that focuses on season five and season one Jon's relationship! I really enjoy the exploration of the nuances of Jon's relationship with himself and just in general the mixture of character study and time travel fic. It also has a nice bit about gender exploration, with season five Jon using they/them pronouns.
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So I don’t know how to write recommendations but it’s round 6 of @themagnuswriters Fanwork Appreciation Challenge, one of the prompts is mythology AU, and this seems like a great opportunity to remind y’all that if you aren’t reading AppleSap’s Like Real People Do, you should be!
It features Jon as the weird little librarian man we love, except he’s also a weird little librarian dragon who lives in the archives and hoards stories! And Elias, of course, ‘forgets’ to tell the assistants this salient fact about their boss.
Those of you who follow me know I am something of a dragon enthusiast, but this fic especially has some of the most fascinating dragons that I’ve seen in any media; there are different species/abilities related to the Fears, of course, but the cultures and magic and attitudes toward humans and feeding that we’ve seen so far, and the mysteries still unfolding about what dragons are and how they form, are incredibly interesting!
Plus there’s some delicious tension with the assistants discovering they have a dragon as a boss and dealing with that in their own ways, them meeting other dragons, Jon’s relationship with other dragons as a centuries-old being (love Jon and Georgie’s friendship in this fic) and more! It’s amazing. Go read it!
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge: Nostalgia
I started listening to TMA and engaging with fandom just over a year ago. For the first few months while I got caught up on 160+ episodes, @this-is-such-a-bad-decision would send me spoiler-free fics she found and thought I’d like. Among these were:
Scritches for the Archivist by @solitaaaaaairrrre
Leitners have... interesting affects, at times.
(Or, Jon comes across a Leitner that makes everybody think he's a cat, and deals with the ramifications thereof. Of which there are a lot.)
This fic is my first TMA bookmark on ao3, and I am still so very fond of it. I remember sitting by the pool last summer and discussing every chapter with @this-is-such-a-bad-decision and just completely losing my mind about what an insanely fun premise this is.
(I also learned to knit because of this fic!)
Beastly Behaviour by @primtheamazing
“You need to learn a lesson,” she says, and there’s blood speckling her lips now. She’s overstraining herself. He needs to stop her, calm her down. “And until you learn it you will suffer, just like you’ve made me suffer.”
“Mum, I think you need to--”
It turns out that when his father had called his mother a witch, he had meant more than Martin realized.
I’m pretty sure this fic influenced my hatred of Elias more than the actual podcast. When I started reading this fic, I was in like,,, early season 3 and Elias wasn’t even really an antagonist yet. But this fic. This fic. I have never hated a character more than I hated Elias in this fic. Bastard.
This story wasn’t complete when I started reading, and every single update made me crazy. There’s a long stretch of chapters towards the end where Jon and Martin are falling in love and everything is fine and good and they aren’t quite happy but at least they’re safe, but Elias is looking for Jon and you know they’re going to be torn apart. It was absolute agony to experience through serial updates, and I’m so glad I got to. This is still one of my absolute favorite fics in the fandom, and probably the most influential for my own writing.
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TMA Fanwork's appreciation challenge: Nostalgia
by @themagnuswriters
To Hold You in Your Arms by @boredshyandbi
jonmartin, pre-relationship, cursed leitner au, hurt/comfort, ~40k
summary: I wish I were anyone but me, David wished. I wish I had a different face that people would like.
Or Martin makes a very big mistake on a late night in the Archives which may or may not involve a Leitner and a certain Head Archivist.
~~
this one hurt in the best possible way. for some reason I love reading the archival staff get cursed by Leitner's, it's a great time. At the beginning this story scared me a lil bit but I was so intrigued by the story that I had to read it, and I'm glad I did
An Oath, Until the End by @ostentenacity
jonmartin, scottish safehouse fic, 8k,
summary : Or, five times Jon makes Martin a promise, and one time he keeps it.
---
"Normally, in a situation like this, I'd advise you to split up, travel separately," says Basira. Before either of them have a chance to argue, she holds up a hand. "But for obvious reasons, that's a terrible idea right now. So. Keep an eye on each other. Don't make any scenes. Don't go off alone, and don't let each other go off alone." Her voice goes wobbly again at the end of that sentence.
I will always be a sucker for soft and angsty jonmartin and this is one of the first ones I read. I loved their dynamic in this so much. I hadn't even caught up when I read this but after I was like, 'I need to get to the scottish safehouse part'
It's a Quiet Room That Calls My Name by @primalrageanddumbassery
jonmartin, scottish safehouse fic, hurt/comfort, 2k
summary: Jon has been so distant since they arrived at the cabin. Martin wants to believe that he's giving Martin space, but the voices in his head have all but convinced him otherwise. The Lonely is returning, if it ever left at all.
Ahhhh! This was my first real comfort fic. Sooooo good for the comfort part of hurt/comfort. But it's got that angst too cause I'm a sucker for pain. In the spirit of fanwork appreciation I will be transparent. According to ao3 I've visited this over 40 times. COMFORT FIC Y'ALL. I appreciate you fanfic writers <3
Beloved of Jon by @bittterblue
jonmartin, angst, amnesia, 12k
summary: “Oh,” says Jon, numbly. “You don’t. Remember? Um. It’s complicated. What… what do you remember?”
Martin seems to shrink in on himself a little. It hurts to watch, especially after how Jon’s seen him so painstakingly grow back into his openness over the past few weeks.
“I don’t know,” he says. “I don’t – I don’t.”
“But you remember me?” says Jon, and he tries to keep as much feeling out of that question as he can.
---
For no reason that Jon can tell, Martin forgets.
THE ANGST. Emphasis on the HURT part of hurt/comfort but I loved it so much. Ahhhh. Lovely pain for jmart with a soft comforting ending *chefs kiss*
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Rec List for TMA Fanwork Appreciation Round 1: Office-mates!
OH BOY I LOVE THINGS ABOUT THIS TIME PERIOD. I am sure I’m forgetting so many good ones, so am going to be digging through all the other rec lists I can find for this, but here’s mine! @themagnuswriters
A Martyr in My Bed Tonight by FlYiNgPiGlEtS
After the Prentiss incident, Jon ends up being Martin's unexpected emergency contact.
This one dives deep into the Martin hurt/comfort right after he settles into the Archive, and just as deep into Jon fretting and fussing and looking out for him.
Missed Messages by @cirrus-grey
The day after he moves into the Archives, Martin gets a new phone. He’s able to see all the texts Prentiss sent in his name. And all the ones Jon sent in return.
Oh this one is a DELECTABLE slideshow of watching Jon’s professional distance crumble into blatant worry and concern as captured by the texts and calls sent to Martin’s missing phone while Martin was trapped by Prentiss. And Martin getting to read it all as Jon helps him settle in :3c
roses, roses, roses by @judesstfrancis
Rose scented laundry detergent. Running into Jon in the breakroom. Running into Jon on his way back to his desk. Rose scented detergent. Running into Jon. Roses. Jon. Roses, roses, roses.
Anyone who’s read my pinned jonmartin timeline knows that I’m very dedicated to the idea that Martin didn’t fall for Jon until Jon started showing him kindness, and this was the first fic I ever read that included that and it made me SO HAPPY. Enjoy the ride as a Jon-resenting Martin finds himself falling for him.
A Home for What Loves You by @thewrongshop
Jon and Martin end up investigating Carlos Vittery's basement and finding the entity formerly known as Jane Prentiss together.
Jon and Martin grow closer after being trapped together by Prentiss, but the part of this fic that really drew me in was their dynamic after they moved back to the Archives. There’s a touch of realism in all the horror absurdity, like navigating awkward dates or ‘should I date my employee’ dilemmas that makes the characters so human.
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Rec List for TMA Fanwork Appreciation Round 2: Event Weeks!
I got so overwhelmed by the thought of all the event fic I’ve enjoyed that initially I was just going to focus on reading and commenting on ones I missed, but I’m going to throw a VERY INCOMPLETE little list of gems I’ve found along the way. I cannot emphasize enough how incomplete this is. I will probably revisit this prompt later to add more.
All of these are small one-shots, so if you haven’t had time to dig into the longfics usually included in rec lists, these may be for you!
Semblance of Touch by @acemartinblackwood
Martin comes to terms with how he feels about touch in a relationship, a difficult task fresh out of the Lonely with an expectant Jon.
It’s so hard to narrow down recs from the Ace Martin Blackwood or Aspec Archives events, but I have such a soft spot for fics with touch- or kiss-aversion, and the intimacy and trust that can shine through navigating those boundaries. Also I LOVE the way all this ties into Martin’s post-Lonely trauma and Jon’s dedication to trusting and respecting him.
library ghosts, or something like that by the_nerd_youre_looking_for
Sasha James was cursed a long while ago. . . . Sasha had needed to get used to it. To break the curse, she has to be "truly seen.” And she has no clue what that means.
I just found this one a couple days ago, and it’s such a delight to find works that focus on genuine Jon & Sasha friendship!! Sasha is trapped haunting a library, and Jon takes it upon himself to find a way to break the curse.
Perchance to Dream by @voiceless-terror
“It’s just…kissing. Lips. Ugh.” Jon smashes his fork rather violently into a dumpling, sending bits of food flying across the table, one of which hit Tim directly above his eye. “I eat with my mouth.”
In which Jon comes out to Martin. Twice.
Rye consistently writes some of my favorite S1 archives friendship fics, but this one just made me flail with how much I love a more-relaxed-than-usual Jon being candid and ridiculous and comfortable with the others. Even just skimming it again to write my comments is making me grin.
A Survival Received by @cuttoothed
Jon and Martin talk about their scars.
Give me any softness about Jon’s scars and I will just go to PIECES. This one hits me right in the gut with Jon’s self-image issues and his worry that his own pain is a burden to others. The way Martin’s response conveys so much love and acceptance can’t be put into words, so just read it!!
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge: Round 1
The TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge is an ongoing event to show love to fan creators and appreciation for fanworks, based on different prompt themes every other week. You can make a post recommending a fic on the theme, reblog your favorite art, leave a comment or some nice tags, send an appreciative message to someone whose work you enjoy--whatever you feel inspired to do!
This round’s prompts are:
A fic that you’re nostalgic for - Something that you read when you first got into fandom? Something that made you love a character? Whatever this means to you!
“Oh my god they were office-mates” - Fanworks about the time period Martin was living in the Archives while Jon stayed to work late into the night.
Bonus Challenge! Leave a comment on a fic with fewer than 10 comments.
Fic recommendation lists are our lifeblood, so if you put one together based on the appreciation challenge, add the #TMA FWAC tag and @ us @themagnuswriters so that we can reblog it!
For more details, feel free to check out our pinned post.
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Rec List for TMA Fanwork Appreciation Round 3: Lunch Dates!
[[screeches in on the last day]]
I love season 2 jonmartin lunch date fics like you wouldn’t believe and will devour every single one I can find so if you know of any more I MUST find them
Lunchtime Revelations by @cirrus-grey
Martin invites Jon out for lunch. It goes surprisingly well.
Lunch date fic AND ace fic in one?? This one hits that note I love so much of how much Jon wants to trust Martin at this time, letting himself be vulnerable for a moment even as he tries to keep his walls up.
Open Windows by @somuchbetterthanthat
Jon, to Martin’s utter wonder, flushed bright red. “I wasn’t —” he began and then scowled. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not — I realize what this looks like. I’ll just leave.”
A peek into Jon and Martin's relationship in the middle of season 2.
Oh the pining is SO strong in in this one, soft and sad and warm. And the adorable hesitant awkwardness, and oops accidentally asking the other out on dates, and--
For the Sake of Sunlight by @apatheticbutterflies
Martin does everything he can to lure Jon out of the Archives and get him some fresh air and sunlight. If that means spending some time having lunch with him, it's a sacrifice he's more than happy to make.
I LOVE the dynamic in this one, the banter with the looming weight of care or worry underpinning all of it, all of the double meanings.
New Habits by @cirrus-grey
Martin brings Jon tea. He's never done that before.
I love how this one has Martin *start* bringing Jon tea in season 2, which is a headcanon I have but almost never see! But also all the meaning behind it and the progression from their dynamic in season 1! This little fic just hits so many things I’m dying to see explored in fic, like Jon’s recovery period and physical therapy, the battle between Jon’s urge to trust Martin and the suspicion he forces himself to keep, and just...the love language beginning to build.
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge: Lunch Dates
For round three of @themagnuswriters fanwork appreciation challenge! I've only got a few for this one since I don't read as many season two fics, but these are the ones I've really enjoyed!
List begins under the cut:
.
eight things jonathan sims knows about martin blackwood | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: angelheartbeat | tumblr: @thoriffix
1. He takes his tea with a generous glug of milk, no sugar, and honey.
2. He's always wanted a dog, but has never been allowed a pet.
3. One of his prized possessions is a vintage record player.
4. He likes to garden.
5. His favourite flavour of ice cream is strawberry (but he thinks it's a boring choice).
6. He knows how to knit.
7. He hates wearing ties.
8. He loves Jon.
A series of missing scenes throughout the seasons! I really enjoyed the level of detail in these and the quiet sort of intimacy they had. The season two lunch date one is number two!
Reconnaissance | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: boredshyandbi
Entry #1
12 September, 2016—09:04
Subject: Martin Blackwood
Current level of suspicion: high
Subject status: passive
Observer’s notes:
Goal of observation is to determine severity of subject’s alleged lies and identify causes of subject’s recent abnormal behavior. Subject has demonstrated increased preoccupation with observer’s mental and physical well-being e.g. subject’s placement of jar of Prentiss’ ashes in observer’s office, subject’s repeated insistence on the observer “getting some rest”, and subject’s hovering in office doorway Friday morning until observer was able to present empty mug as evidence of having drunk all his tea. Additional cause for suspicion originates from subject’s references to his own deceitful activities found in letter addressed to subject’s mother.
Not sure whom he can trust, Jon keeps a close eye on Martin. A very close eye.
Jon suspects Martin of Gertrude's murder and takes notes on his actions as they spend more and more time together. I really enjoyed the format of this fic, and I thought this fic handled Jon's season two paranoia very well.
Lunchtime Revelations | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: CirrusGrey | tumblr: @cirrus-grey
Martin invites Jon out for lunch. It goes surprisingly well.
This has a lovely combination of season two lunch date growing-closer vibes and discussions of asexuality, and I love how soft Jon gets about Martin recognizing the asexual flag 💜🤍🖤
For the Sake of Sunlight | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: WhyNotFly | tumblr: @apatheticbutterflies
Martin does everything he can to lure Jon out of the Archives and get him some fresh air and sunlight. If that means spending some time having lunch with him, it's a sacrifice he's more than happy to make.
Some lovely lunchtime conversations! The line 'it's not manipulative if he's helping' is very Martin, and the idea of Martin taking Jon to a restaurant further and further away each time in order to get him more sun is very sweet.
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge: Event Week Fanworks
For @themagnuswriters fanwork apprecation challenge round two--a list of event week fics that I've really enjoyed!! I have a lot of favorites, so I've tried to whittle it down to one fic per event. There are still quite a few fics, so you can find the list below the cut!
As To Be Understood | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: SupposedToBeWriting | tumblr: @organchordsandlightning | event: Archival Pride
Fleeing from unimaginable terror in a cargo van, Jon and Martin take a moment to collect themselves. Martin examines himself and his connection to the Lonely, as well as what Jon means to him.
I would be remiss if I didn't recommend at least one fic from Archival Pride! Every single fic created for it has been wonderful, but I really liked this one in particular because of the way it deals with both Martin's experience with the Lonely and his own feelings with his grayromanticism 💚🤍🖤
A Survival Received | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: cuttooth | tumblr: @cuttoothed | event: Jonmartin Week 2021
Martin takes Jon’s hand—the burned one—in his, and presses it to the pale, silvery scar on the right side of his belly.
“When you see this scar, does it remind you of the fact that my appendix burst when I was twelve and I almost died?”
*
Jon and Martin talk about their scars.
I have a lot of feelings about fics that discuss Jon's feelings about his scars, and this one dealt with it beautifully! The idea that scars equate survival had me tearing up a little, and this fic is definitely part of my ideal post-200 scenario.
The Notes Inbetween | jontim, rated T | Ao3: voiceless_terror | tumblr: @voiceless-terror | event: JonTim Week
At first, he thinks it’s the radio. It’s not uncommon for these stores to play classical music, trying to add an air of sophistication in what’s otherwise a dark room of dusty knicknacks. But when he walks towards the noise, he instead finds Jon sitting at the bench of an old wooden upright, his posture straighter than Tim’s ever seen it, hands moving slowly but deftly across the keys as he leans into each note.
Jon plays the piano and Tim appreciates.
I love JonTim and I love musician Jon and I love Jon reminiscing about his childhood and this has all three of those things 💛 A really sweet fic with equal amounts of seriousness and shenanigans.
Even for an Hour | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: silvercolour | tumblr: @silver-colour | event: TMA Fantasy Week
When you can only see the one you love during twilight, and must be separated from them during both the day and the night, the hours seem to go so very slow.
In which Martin is a spirit of the sun, and Jon of the night sky, and every twilight they meet again, and part ways again.
I love the concept of this fic! It's so bittersweet and tender, and the imagery of Jon and Martin as moon and sun spirits respectively is fantastic. I could read a hundred more fics in this AU 💛
Ink | jongerrymartin, rated T | Ao3: voiceless_terror | tumblr: @voiceless-terror | event: Gerry Week
“Mhm.” Gerry nods slightly, pen tapping against his sketchpad. He turns around, seeing the naked fondness in Martin’s eyes and has a particularly wicked thought. “Y’know, this is how he looks when he’s watching you.”
Martin sputters, turns a lovely shade of red. “W-What? Really?”
“No,” Gerry smirks. “It’s the way he looks at the Admiral.”
A few snippets in Gerard Keay's surprisingly domestic life.
I love jonmartin and I love jongerry and I love jongerrymartin, and this fic is tooth-achingly sweet! The doodles-and-notes-as-love-languages fits so well with jongerrymartin, and the bit about the post-it notes had me ;___; 💕
Particular | jongeorgie, jon/others, rated G | Ao3: Aza (sazandorable) | tumblr: @sazandorable | event: TMA Bi/Pan/Poly/Omni/Mspec Week
Jon does not like boys. He does not like girls, either.
Just, sometimes, he likes this one.
I like this fic partly because it resonates so well with my own experience with romance and partly because I love the exploration of Jon's experience with romance. The jongeorgie scene is lovely and the mention of the s1 archival crew at the end (and the implied jonmartin) was nice 💛
Letting Luck In The Door | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: cuttooth | tumblr: @cuttoothed | event: Jon Sims and Cats 2021
The man standing at the front counter is looking around anxiously, a bundled up jumper clutched against his chest.
“Sorry, we’re—” Martin begins, and that’s as far as he gets before the man unleashes a frantic tirade.
“Please!” the man says, “I need your help, I-I’m not sure they’re breathing.”
*
Martin forgets to lock up, and gets some unexpected visitors.
I was looking for a fic from the jon-and-cats event that I'd read and I got distracted by this one and immediately fell a little bit in love! I adore the kitten-related jmart meet-cute, and Tim and Sasha looking at Martin like 👀 when he comes to visit the kittens is very amusing.
a tale as old | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: bibliocratic | tumblr: @bibliocratic | event: Aspec Archives Week
"But the trees outside the forest had shed their clothes to bareness, and the welcoming touch of speckling frost had begun to settle upon the ground, and Martin’s mother grew weaker, developing a cough that rattled in her rickety lungs. And so, Martin of the Black Woods packed a small knapsack and ventured upon the winding pathways of the forest to seek out the beast who lived there."
Or: Martin gets his happily ever after.
I loved this fic a lot! Featuring monster!jon, fairy tale elements (and style of prose!), and ace Martin. The worldbuilding is wonderful and the imagery is stunning <3
thank god for wikis | jongerry, rated T | Ao3: PitViperOfDoom | tumblr: @pitviperofdoom | event: Aspec Archives Week
Gerry makes an important discovery about himself. Jon helps.
I said I was only going to do one fic per event week but I couldn't decide between these two, so here they both are! I particularly enjoy the depiction of demisexual Gerry figuring himself out within his relationship with Jon and Jon helping him find the label that works for him! I love fics that have Jon being confident in his own asexuality and supporting someone else who's also aspec, and this one is very sweet <3
And, because I'm not immune to self-promotion, a few of my own:
to grieve and to mourn | jontim, rated T | event: JonTim Week
Jon had mentioned to him once, more than a few drinks into a night out at the pubs, that he’s the type to mourn in private. So Tim isn’t surprised when he walks into Jon’s bedroom to see Jon sat atop his bed, hair tied up into an approximation of a bun and an array of papers spread out before him in a kaleidoscope of white and black. Nor is he surprised to see the cigarette held between Jon’s fingers, burning faintly orange in the low light.
.
In which Tim offers comfort, Jon makes arrangements, and bourbon is shared.
agony quiets to pain | jongerry, rated T | event: Gerry Week
Gerry steps out of the hospital doors, his body a mess of aches and pains and stark white bandages, to see a man who is not his mother sat atop the short wall outside the hospital doors.
“Jon?”
that which glitters divinely gold | jonmartin, rated G | event: TMA Fantasy Week
“I like it here," Martin says. "And I… I feel like it likes me too.”
The stranger hums; it’s a lovely sound, like the clanging of morning bells. “It does,” they say, confidently and lightly, like there’s no room for argument in the matter. After a moment, they continue, more hesitantly, “I… I do.”
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge - A Fic You're Nostalgic For:
@themagnuswriters
(i tried to tag all the writers that have a tumblr blog but i might have missed someone, in which case please let me know so i can tag them<3)
jonmartin, safehouse, 1k, jon pov
summary: On their fourth day in the safehouse, Martin finds an old radio. He stumbles upon it while he’s cleaning the cabinets below the sink, dust and cobwebs clinging to it.
Or
Martin finds an old radio in the safehouse. It proceeds to play nothing but golden oldies, specifically love songs, as he cleans. Jon watches.
~~
this is just very soft and very nice, and like most fics on this rec list, i have it saved on my phone to read at 3am
it was one of my first tma fics to read
by @cirrus-grey
jonmartin, post-160, >1k
summary: SPOILERS FOR MAG S5 TRAILER!!!
A small moment, after the recorder turns off.
~~
this one is very angsty, but it also manages to be very soft. i read it a couple times and i may have cried once or twice thinking about anchors and the end of the world.
jonmartin, post-160, canon divergent (sort of), script format, >1k
summary: “Not worth risking you stumbling into the arms of some vengeful Avatar of This-Week's-Flavour-Of-Doom-And-Gloom over a bit of flappy wool.”
The remade world provides.
~~
i think this is my favorite script format fic. i may have read it too many times. it's very nice and very soft, and it features apocalypse boyfriends and skirt jon rights. please go read it
by @athina-blaine
jonmartin, season 1, canon divergent, hurt/comfort, ~19k
summary: “This is the Magnus Institute, not a creative writing course at university. If that doesn’t agree with him, he can leave.” There was a thud and the sound of rifling tapes. “He can take his bloody tea with him.”
Martin’s fingers tightened on the saucer. Oh.
-
Martin knows better than to talk about it. It's fine. He's fine.
~~
this is a jonmartin season 1 speedrun and it's GREAT
the whole enemies-to-kind-of-friends-to-friends-to-idiots-to-lovers is so good and the angst is very well recompensed by the end
it also touches martin's relationship with his mom and it's very painful but it's all very well done
i ended up reading it again after putting it on this list
by @punkfistfights
melanie pov, season 5, canon divergent (written before the first season 5 hiatus), background wtgfs and jonmartin, ~1k
summary: Melanie supposed it would’ve made sense to be angry when she and Georgie came across Jon for the first time since he’d started the Apocalypse but...she just couldn’t find it in her. She’d missed him. They hadn’t been especially close before she’d quit but she truly had begun to consider him a friend after losing the Slaughter’s bullet—she supposed that’s what shared trauma did to you. It made you bond with someone you otherwise absolutely would not have.
Or: Melanie and Georgie come across Jon and Martin. The world may be over, but none of them are done fighting.
~~
i cried so hard when i first read this one
it has some great jon-melanie friendship and i know i just said it made me cry but it also made me so happy to read
it was also one of the very first tma fics i read
by @judesstfrancis
jonmartin, no fears au, roomates au, office party, friends to lovers, 2k
summary: “Come with me then?” Jon mostly suggests it just to see the way Martin bristles at the idea. He’s not disappointed.
“What?” The question is nearly a shout. Jon tries not to laugh. “No! You’ve already told me your boss is meant to be there, he sounds like a creep.”
~~
i think this was the first au i read and i loved it so much
best friends to lovers is a trope that owns my heart. it is so soft. also so very funny. please read this, it's so good and it made me smile so much
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TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge: Round 2
The TMA Fanwork Appreciation Challenge is an ongoing event to show love to fan creators and appreciation for fanworks, based on different prompt themes every other week. You can make a post recommending a fic on the theme, reblog your favorite art, leave a comment or some nice tags, send an appreciative message to someone whose work you enjoy–whatever you feel inspired to do!
This round’s prompts are:
Time Travel AUs - Making it better or following the inevitable? Get out those Distortion doorways or cracks-in-the-world or time-twisting Leitner tomes, and dive into those time travel shenanigans.
Event week fanworks - The fandom has put together many events that generated incredible amounts of fic, art, and other lovely fanworks! Whether from the fandom's first big bang or from the slew of events leading up to the finale, this is the perfect time to catch up on fics you missed, or recommend something you enjoyed.
Bonus Challenge! Leave a comment (or a nice message in the tags) on a fic you've read but never commented on!
As always, we will reblog any fic rec lists for those that @ us or use the #TMA FWAC tag!
For more details, feel free to check out our pinned post.
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