k e y -

(): mature content <3: favorite, must read <3<3: yeeted me out of the solar system

• i would recommend ctrl+f if you're trying to find a specific ship, since everything is mixed together!

YUTA/SICHENG

• <3<3 photograph by berryboys https://archiveofourown.org/works/10601223 13k. the velvety rich, quietly beautiful, and deeply evocative tale of how yuta stole sicheng from jaehyun. this is the first nct fic i ever read, and it STILL makes me sigh dreamily, like, every four paragraphs. i think i might actually be in romantic love with this fic.
• <3<3 delta by minhyukwithagun https://archiveofourown.org/works/17241200 48k. i think about this fic all the time. this is one of those stories that stays with you outside of fandom life, that you grow attached to in every way, from the characterization to the style of prose to the interjections about mathematics and, of course, kites. a must-read.

TEN/SICHENG

• if i ever feel better by merteuils https://archiveofourown.org/works/21657514 3.5k. ten is a heartbroken figure skater and sicheng is his assistant coach.
• () no filter, no shame by 10softbot https://archiveofourown.org/works/19828795 4k. ten and sicheng fuck in a practice room. It's hot as hell.
• ()<3<3 portraits by mntsnflrs https://archiveofourown.org/works/25097110 6.7k. ten as the head courtesan of a duke and sicheng as one of the former escorts. that kind of beautiful fic that makes you want to sink into it like a good bubble bath.

MARK/JAEMIN

• all the things i know (that your parents don't) by jokheiz https://archiveofourown.org/works/23358778 5.3k. very sweet best friends to lovers au with all of those good teenage feelings.

MARK/RENJUN

• <3 better than any movie by third https://archiveofourown.org/works/18347879 11k. fake dating au that gradually and sweetly turns into something more.

MARK/DONGHYUCK

• lead the way (with your mouth) by slimequeen https://archiveofourown.org/works/14301303 1.4k. part of the "one by one" series that follows markhyuck through their high school relationship up until graduation.
• cherry, tells me by nascar https://archiveofourown.org/works/16131596 2.1k. 80s teenagers and a scene with a lollipop that will make your heart race.

JENO/'00 LINE

• safety is when i'm loved by you by vwmn https://archiveofourown.org/works/21710494 4.5k. doyoung is there to witness jeno crush on all of his friends (some sweet doyoung & jeno friendship moments uwu).

DOYOUNG/YUTA

• <3 basorexia by mouthbites https://archiveofourown.org/works/9440003 3.1k. sweet and hot little fic about yuta teaching doyoung to kiss.
• "stay gold, ponyboy" by yoonbot (iverins) https://archiveofourown.org/works/17153798 4.4k. doyoung really hates yuta, who's always offering him a challenge. it goes exactly where you think it's going.

JENO/JAEMIN

• () somethin' kinda crazy by jenuyu https://archiveofourown.org/works/17977925 20k. jaemin is on a dare to give up sex for 40 days. he meets jeno, who makes that bet hard to keep.

JENO/RENJUN/JAEMIN

• <3<3 blind in the fray by anonymous https://archiveofourown.org/works/21623788 16k. pacific rim au with established nomin and drift compatible renmin. a home run in every category--characterization, relationship development, plot, and more.

JENO/DONGHYUCK

• <3 first love/late spring by nascar https://archiveofourown.org/works/17921966 2.8k. donghyuck is bullied, jeno picks up the pieces. religious conflict, bathtubs, and some of the most inventive writing i've read in a long time.

JOHNNY/TAEYONG

• <3<3 more human than human by wentz https://archiveofourown.org/works/19795273 25k. blade runner au where johnny is a replicant and taeyong is his creator. the only fic to ever leave me shaking and lightheaded, in the best possible way. gorgeous; disturbing; an absolute masterpiece.

JOHNNY/TEN

• i don't belong (to anyone) by pinkwinwin https://archiveofourown.org/works/14414469 3.9k. johnten are ambiguously friends with benefits; ten struggles with letting his walls down.
• ()<3 pretty please by birbiebi https://archiveofourown.org/works/25667461 13k. "it takes four years, a global pandemic, and NYC's official government guidelines for safer sex for Ten to finally fuck his roommate." i could scarcely believe that this fic was the writer's debut--it's just that good!!

JOHNNY/MARK

• uneven by jokheiz https://archiveofourown.org/works/23394751 8.9k. mark and johnny are bros who uh...started fooling around somehow??

DONGHYUCK/JAEMIN

• ()star boy by mythological https://archiveofourown.org/works/22610848 10k. canonverse; friends with benefits to lovers. the characterization in this one was lovely!

CHENLE/JISUNG

• <3<3 california kids by bassbot https://archiveofourown.org/works/14535093/chapters/33583476 44k. jisung, whose unconventional chosen family sells weed in l.a., befriends chenle, who's visiting from china for the summer.

YUTA/JAEMIN

• first steps by bijyu https://archiveofourown.org/works/7995193 4.9k. yuta and jaemin grow up side by side; jaemin learns that first loves rarely last.

JAEHYUN/DONGHYUCK

• <3 so whenever you ask me again how I feel by sunlacie https://archiveofourown.org/works/21506347 15k. canonverse following jaehyun and hyuck through their years as idols and detailing how they fall for each other.

JAEHYUN/KUN

• () take me anywhere by wentz https://archiveofourown.org/works/22113367 8.7k. johnny and kun meet at a party and then go full garden state on all of our asses. delightful dialogue.

JAEHYUN/SEOKMIN

• cloudburst by lovefoolthatsme https://archiveofourown.org/works/20385202 1.8k. seokmin controls the earth and jaehyun falls in love with him.

DONGHYUCK/YANGYANG

• <3 pixel baby by ggemini https://archiveofourown.org/works/20387701 2.4k. yangyang is the protagonist of a video game, donghyuck is a boss he has to fight. creative and totally riveting, plus a light and a dark ending!

GEN/VARIOUS

• pretty nice, pretty sweet by miyukitsune (dons) https://archiveofourown.org/works/13684341 2.1k. nct's relationships through the eyes of aromantic jungwoo, who doesn't mind them one bit.
• the good reaper by imjaebabie https://archiveofourown.org/works/19098016/chapters/45375778 17k. doyoung is donghyuck's assigned reaper, but he can't bring himself to let donghyuck die.
• <3 to sprout anew by negi https://archiveofourown.org/works/25456354 4.9k. former soccer player yuta recovers from a car accident and comes to terms with a new way of life.