I’ve been seeing this asked for a lot, and since I am a really prolific reader of this ship, I thought I would present to you:
THE CONSENSUALGANLINK REC LIST
These are all fics I have personally read and enjoyed. Most of them are “Explicit” rate. So please heed all tags and all archive content related banners.
All of them are EXPLICITLY CONSENSUAL relationships.No non-con. No rape. Not abusive. No Stockholm Syndrome. Several have a delightful amount of kink. All tend to highlight my favorite relationship trope: Idiots in Love (Seriously, They Are Idiots, Your Honor). Sometimes enemies-to-lovers, sometimes not. Mostly plot driven LongFic with robust worldbuilding, as well as a couple charming shorter adventures/one shots.
NOTE: This list is in no way intended to negatively reflect or comment on fics that do have non-con elements. There are very well written ones out there. This is simply in response to seeing a lot of asks for specifically consensual ganlink flavored fics.
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100% Ganlink Romantic Glory (AKA the stuff we shippers live for):
The flagship of the NOTHING EMBOLDENS SIN SO MUCH AS MERCYseries,where sideways-of-Majora’s-Mask Link travels downriver of time in a neverending groundhog day in an effort to save Ganondorf, after realizing the story he thought he knew might not be as black and white as he was led to believe. For what good is a Hero if he doesn’t save everyone? StudioRat creates a profoundly cohesive world that retroactively draws in the lore from other games and and fleshes it out with their own world building. The narrative challenges the understanding of game play we saw it through the POV of two children and slams it full of nuance, bring the subtext of OoT into the spotlight. Is Ganondorf evil? Its a matter of prospective and bias isn’t it? A young king, trying to protect his people, and playing a delicate game of war and political intrigue as he tries to escape the destiny thrust upon him by the Gods, his mothers, and demons that aspire to see The Great Destroyer return. The problem is, the one Power he believes strong enough to do so is a mythical weapon held by Hyrule royalty. And then there is the matter of the tiny Hylian madman that strolled right into the middle of his plans, who seems to know impossible things about Ganondorf himself, the true reasons of his campaign into Hyrule, and That Which He Desires Most. This is a delightful slow burn is riddled with realistic human emotions and miscommunication to where you become direly invested in Link and Ganondorf achieving a Happily Ever After. SWORDS OUR LAW, the prequel, offers backstory on the First (failed) Attempt of many by Link in this life to prevent Demise from claiming his destined vessel, and explains a lot of his actions in EAST WIND that is not apparent from Gan’s POV (including a massive spoiler at the end you wont want to miss). MOONRISE, of this series, is an equal delight, and is the work that originally inspired EAST WIND. I won’t give away spoilers, but it has a very satisfying ending.
In Defiance of Fate and All Interested Parties, the fabled Hero of Legend shows up at the Great King Ganondorf’s front door, Sword that Seals the Darkness strapped on his back - and instead of fighting him, salutes him as a friend and offers him a drink. Together, the King and Knight decide they don’t want to be pawns on someone else’s chessboard anymore and embark on their own journey. Updating Mondays and the first of three acts almost complete, Act One is charmingly written with snappy one-liners and thoughtful narrative. Not set in any particular game, this one uses Legend of Zelda world-building at large to bring us a new adventure, as new reincarnations of familiar characters, and promises to send Ganondorf and Link on a delightful slow burn journey of temple crawls, shenanigans, and whump. The original temple designs are a treat in-and-of-themselves, I’ve fallen in love with too many background characters thus far, and am here to curl up in a blanket on my couch and read as these two idiots learning how to Navigate (-bad pun drum roll-) each other. SaltySaph has given me a reason to look forward to Mondays.
Modern Day AU at the intersection of Mafia and Fake Dating. “Link thinks his job is pretty easy. All he has to do is cook dinner and pretend to be someone’s husband only one night a week. The pay is incredible and the perks are appealing. So he doesn’t question who Mr. G really is, never asks why he looks so lonely when they part ways at the end of the night, never wonders why making the man smile and laugh has Link seeing his job in hues of pink. It doesn’t matter to Link if Mr. G is dangerous, he’s just playing house. Right?” This one shot is a treat. The author wraps the familiar setting of LoZ into a large modern day city and quickly makes us fall in love with just-wants-to-live-his-life Link and his three cats and Definitely-a-Mob-Boss fake husband. Compelling, well-written, and, as a real boon, on-page clear and consensual negotiation and contracts related to Ganondorf and Link’s arrangement. Theres some other twists, but I don’t want to ruin them. This one is just the right length for a one shot that it feels satisfying, but the world and characters are so compelling, it leaves you also hoping for more.
Five chapters in and already 77k words of slowburn, this is clearly a writer after my own heart. Takes place 20 years post-BotW; the Calamity was defeated, Zelda is now Queen, Riju has a small brood of delightful children, and Link is investigating rumors of reinstated Yiga Clan activity in the Gerudo desert. What he doesn’t expect to find is some young buck of a Gerudo man calling himself Ganondorf. Now Link has to figure out what he and his creepy mother are scheming to protect Queen and Country - and quickly finds himself in the deeper than he anticipated. The world building and plot of this one is a delight so far, I am particularly fond of the lynels and the way Gan keeps calling Link “Old Man” (the latter who keeps proving he’s still got it, even if he agrees He Is Getting Too Old For This). Does feature age!difference, but among consenting adults.
Set five years after the events of BotW, the Calamity has been defeated, and a very mortal Ganon reborn. The denizens of Hyrule struggle with not condemning the sins of the monster on the man, and he was placed under house arrest in Gerudo Town under the care of Riju. Link tried really hard to dislike Ganon and instead finds solace and similarity. Now he and Riju just have to convince the rest of lands and its races that Ganon deserves his freedom.
Currently in two parts: LET ME HOLD YOU, LIKE A HOSTAGE and its sequel CLOSE YOUR EYES, YOU’LL SEE THE DEVIL’S GRIN. Set in the game-universe of Breath of the Wild pre-calamity when Link was still Zelda’s knight, except Ganondorf is King of the Gerudo with Urbosa as his second-in-command. With the Hyrule King not willing to strike or talk alliances, the Gerudo decide to try to capture themselves a far more reasonably minded Princess instead. Except, what they get, is a sassy little knight that was playing as her body double. Shenanigans ensue, with part 1 building and establishing the relationship between Ganondorf and Link and part 2 doing a deeper dive into a more established relationship and the trials and tribulations that come with it. Hedge also has several other smaller stories and snippets based on their “botw ancient era AU” that are also worth checking out!
A What-If fix-it to their own story SORROWS COME NOT AS SINGLE SPIES. SORROWS is apart of StudioRat’s series BRANCHES AND FATE which features time-traveling sideways of Majora’s Mask Link’s trial-and-error run of scenarioes to save Ganondorf from the destiny thrust upon him a more platonic setting (theres some serious great Dad!Link vibes in this series if you are also into that). SORROWS could be read as tragic pre-Ganlink almost-Pirate AU, and KILL THREE AND LOVE THEE AFTER confirms this in a wonderful “What If” of a pivotal moment in SORROWS that leads us to both romantic Ganlink and a happily ever after. You could probably read this independently, but I do recommend at least reading SORROWS, if not BRANCHES AND FATE as a whole to really get a robust understanding of the plot.
Another glorious Time!Link-travels-back-in-time-to-save-Ganondorf, except in this one, Link’s adventure (seemingly) does not begin by choice. One moment he is in a cave, nestled in for the night with his trusty mare Epona, and the next, he’s on his knees at the bridge to Gerudo Valley, a much younger (and decidedly less evil) Ganondorf holding a weapon to his throat and declaring him a Hylian spy. It starts a journey for Link of unraveling questions about the past, discovering for What Purpose he was sent to this time, and maybe, just maybe, having a shot of forging a happier future for everyone. The original characters in this story are a delight, both among Hylian nights and the gerudo, with Kali being a favorite of mine. Twinrova also gets a larger and welcomed role. And the way the author works in The Hero’s Shade is fantastic.
This one is hot off the presses, and this particular writer’s first foray into Zelda Fic and ganlink. So, please go leave them comments and encourage them. Only a couple chapters in and I’m smitten, hopefully you will be too. Added bonus: Zelda/Nabooru is also in the tags. “A last-minute change means Link has to step in and be Zelda’s escort to this year’s peace summit. He’s not looking forward to stiff, boring meetings and tea with all of the assembled royalty across the nations, but there isn’t much he wouldn’t do for Zelda. He’s more than happy to fade into the background, but the Gerudo King is making that difficult…” Per the author, this is another one that is not set in any specific game-verse, but does seem to be drawing on BotW and OoT so far. Their Link is very endearing, that perfect balance of blushing idiot and complete badass. Spoiler alert: the sparing scene in chapter 2 is FANTASTIC.
Modern AU featuring a couple of short but steamy and delightful stories. The first features a Ganlink wedding and is equal parts funny, fluffy, and sexy. And the second an endearing snapshot that makes poor Link very late picking up Zelda from the end of her work shift. The banter between characters is great in these. The relationships are compelling and feel realistic.
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Central Focused Platonic Gan & Link (no other romantic pairings, you can put on your shipper goggles easy peasy):
The Hero of Time has awakened the Sages, cleansed all the temples, and solved all of the Demon King Ganondorf’s puzzles and trials. And now, he climbs the tower towards his final boss battle and to free Princess Zelda. Except, he’s had a lot of time to think about things in his weary heroics across Hyrule, questions about the actions of his supposed enemy that seem too philosophical for the fae mind of his fairy companions - like, why would his fated enemy lock himself up in a tower with the lock on the outside of the door? So, when Navi doesn’t seem to have the answer, he elects to ask the source directly. And more importantly, how can he convince Zelda and Ganondorf to get along? This is an incredibly canon compliant One Shot that has fantastic BiForce Triforce interaction, and though it is romance free, has a lot of subtext for shippers to cling to as they see fit or don’t see fit.
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And, if you don’t mind a little Zelda flavor to your Ganlink (Ganzelink):
This one likely needs no introduction, but still belongs on any GanLink rec list. Post-Breath of the Wild Link and Zelda are traveling through Hyrule, trying to figure out not only what their roles will be in this New Hyrule, but what they are in regards to each other as well. “She has no throne. Girls without thrones should not have knights, but hers won’t go. Princess Zelda – the girl who killed Calamity – would love to fade into legend, but Link’s bought a house, he’s fighting off monsters, and he’s selling giant horses to strangely familiar Gerudo men. She’ll never have any peace now.” - NOW COMPLETE. Please go read it. That ending. Y’all KNOW this was your ganlink gatway fic.
Pure comfort food, this fic is. Another writer that is able to hyper focus into the human condition and really wrap the reader’s emotions into what is unfolding for the characters. When Ganondorf and Zelda form a political marriage, it leaves Link scrambling to figure out where that leaves him in the aftermath. When he tries to be the honorable Knight and do the “right thing”, the monarchs protest quite thoroughly. The title really says it all. This is truly a story about finding peace and love (and happiness).
Honestly, the description speaks well for this one for itself: The strongest leaders in Hyrule struggle for power and alliances. Ganondorf is brought back from the dead and enters Hyrule to lay claim to it, but he has some interesting plans on how to get what he wants, and Zelda isn’t exactly opposed. But things never really work out the way you envision, do they? What starts out as the seduction of a queen quickly puts Gan in over his head. Who is this Hero and what kind of obstacle does he pose to Ganondorf’s plans to rule Hyrule?
Time!Link, now living in Termina, is alarmed when he crosses paths with Ganondorf. Or rather, his “what might have been” Termina double. The two grow closer until one day, Link is approached by a Sheik double - or are they? This is a really cool fic that really plays homage to the dark and a bit psychedelic feel of Majora’s Mask. Together the trio attempt to defy destiny, again, and find that some of their worst enemies they need to overcome are internal.
I think Strangerville is about as western as we get in this game, right? Check out this collab if you want some nice western wear for your ladies and gents.
Dear Tarot and Divination Communities of social media,
Tarot and divination has always been this outlet of inspiration, these tools that constantly help me grow and become a better me. During my use of Tarot and divination, there was always one thing that I sought to be a part of, one thing that I was lacking, and that was a community. I know that community means a lot of different things to different people but as far as Tarot and Divination communities of social media are concerned, I find it such a profound place of expression, sharing, growing and truth. It isn’t always easy living in your truth, being accepted and feeling like you belong. I wanted to take this time to let you all in on some things that have been on my mind and heart recently.
You Are Wanted And Needed Here: I cannot count how many new blogs, and seasoned professional blogs that have helped me along my journey with divination. I learn so much from everyone’s perspective and unique way of doing things. Without your voice, your words, your videos, graphics, and perspective, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today. Your blog content and you being uniquely you has the potential to not only help yourself but other people, even if that wasn’t the original intention. You belong here. You have a place here to be yourself.
Pat Yourself On The Back: I am so proud of all of you. So many of you are just starting out on your journey and are accepting divination into your life, others are practicing readings for other people for the first time, while some of you are opening up your own shops and transitioning into the professional sphere of reading tarot and divination. There are some of you who have just reached year one in your businesses, those who have decided to purchase their first deck and those starting to get to know their deck(s), and some building beautiful Tarot and divination collections. You have no idea how incredible that is. No matter what part of your journey you are on, know that you are doing the best you can and you are right where you are meant to be.
There Are No Rules To Tarot: Let me repeat that again. There are no rules to Tarot. You can read Tarot and utilize divination any way you see fit in your life. I often see new readers become discouraged because they feel they need to do things a certain way in order to be considered valid. You are valid in every sense of the word. Still use a book while reading, that is fine. Don’t like to use the Rider Waite Smith, that is cool. This is YOUR journey. Experiment, have fun and find what works for you and let go of what doesn’t. Your relationship with your tools will always be a personal one. Tarot and divination has infinite uses. Allow your imagination to run wild. You have the final say so. Find your own voice and let it shine.
Encouragement: To all of you who have encouraged me on my journey with your reblogs, likes, comments, emails, messages, I thank you. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. I promise to try my very best during my free time to return the favor and be one of the many reassuring forces within this community that reminds you that you are amazing and your work is appreciated. I along with so many others are cheering you on!
It’s Okay To Question: You do not have to believe everything you read in books or take anything someone tells you, be it advice or information as pure fact. It is perfectly okay to have your own beliefs and to question the things you read or are told. You are free to change your mind or not agree with something if it doesn’t feel right.
Your Worth: You are important. It doesn’t matter if you only have ten followers on Tumblr, only make one sale in your shop every month or have five subscribers on YouTube. Your worth as a tarot reader or diviner is not based on those numbers. Similarly, there are going to be people out there that are going to try and bring you down because you are just being you, because you don’t do things the way they do, because they disagree with your practices or they just don’t like you for reasons you may never know. Do not allow others to remove your joy of Tarot and divination. Do not allow mean people to try and diminish your worth and stop you from being the best reader you can possibly be.
You Are Not Alone: To the many of you who are forced to hide their divination tools from family or friends, the people who feel conflicted about using divination because of their upbringing or previous/current religious beliefs, to those who hide their decks in shoe boxes under their bed, and those who can only be readers on the internet because they can’t be open about it in their everyday life, It is okay. You are loved. I and so many people are here for you. You are no less of a diviner or Tarot reader.
I am so happy to have a safe and welcoming space online to nerd out with Tarot. With your consent, I wish you all the very best. Thank you for being part of my journey, thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey and thank you for reading this incredibly long post.
[ EXPLANATION AS TO WHY ALOIS TRANCY IS NOT A SLUT. because apparently this is not universally grasped & I never want to see this topic debated ever again.
1. “Alois seduced the previous earl.“ Alois was forced into sex slavery at around eleven years old. A child cannot give consent in any capacity. He was repeatedly raped by Earl Trancy. You can’t argue that Alois “seduced” him regarding the simple fact that he is a child. However, lets take it a step further. He had no choice in becoming a bedmate due to the fact that the earl would have beat him into submission. Similarly those who were “favoured” were given “privileges,” these privileges being basic human rights. These privileges were food, proper baths, clothing and minor freedoms. The boys collectively were locked in a cold basement where sickness probably ran rampant, they were pulled off the streets being told that the earl would feed them. They didn’t get these proper meals and even if they had tried to turn down the offer, they’d probably have been dragged onto the cart/carriage/thingy regardless. They were treated as cattle, they were sexual objects and nothing more.
2. “Alois became the earl’s heir, he tricked the earl, he knew what he was doing.” Again, a child cannot give consent. Did he play on the earl’s greed? Yes, of course. What child, at eleven has full understanding on sex and can consent to it? None as far as I’m aware. Alois knew he could manipulate the previous earl and knew it regarded his body though I highly doubt he had the proper in depth understanding required to give consent. His actions also were likely out of instinctive survival as well because it was made aware to him the conditions they were living in and what he needed to do not to become another dead boy for them to toss out. He did what he had to do, what he had no choice in doing. He is a victim of sex slavery and a CSA survivor.
3. “Alois dresses promiscuously.” Alois prides himself on his appearance. He is aware of his beauty and how it is desired. He will use his physical features to manipulate someone, though note would not sleep with said person. And while he prides himself on his beauty, he also sees himself has worthless outside of this. He isn’t vain but rather so many people have boiled him down to nothing but a pretty blond. The previous earl treated him as a sex toy, he has been objectified time and time again. Alois has been made to believe that all he’s good for is sex. He believes that sex and flirtation is expected of him and this view is reinforced regularly. Everyone jokes about the “booty shorts” without any regard to the fact that the previous earl worshipped his legs and Alois took this to mean this is his most attractive feature both physically and personality wise. He sees himself as worthless outside of his appearance, outside of sex and believes this is how everyone else sees him. Not to mention Claude is likely the person who chooses Alois’ clothing for the most part.
4. “Alois flirts with everyone. He’s ‘easy.’” Alois does this almost instinctively. The previous earl didn’t take kindly to his silence and only stopped beating him when he batted his eyelashes and prettied up his words. Alois has been conditioned to flirt with everyone. He also will use flirtation and seduction to manipulate someone but has neither the intent nor the desire to sleep with them. See: when he wore Hannah’s clothing and spilled wine on Ciel. His only intent in that instance was to manipulate Ciel which, quite frankly, worked. He uses his physical beauty to get what he wants because it has been proven to be effective and because he believes it is all people want from him. He is constantly objectified, see: the first words Druitt says when he meets Alois. ( “What a beautiful boy!” ) Alois hasn’t “slept with” anyone except for the previous earl and that was against his will. And reread number 3 tbh.
5. Alois is fourteen and mentally ill, he still cannot give consent in any capacity. There are very few instances that I can see him engaging in sex in any capacity. One being that he was forced into it once more. This includes him attempting to turn down the person and they try to “convince” him. Due to how he sees himself, he would believe that he “had” to and didn’t have the choice of turning them down. Alois sees sex as a means to an end and nothing more. He does not want sex at all and the whole thing is incredibly unpleasant to him. As for mentally ill, he quite evidently is not entirely there mentally. Its likely trauma-induced borderline personality disorder with a couple of other things. His mental state is in such a disarray there is no way to determine exactly what he is suffering from. He has suffered an incredible amount that there is no mystery to his actions. ( Born into poverty, orphaned, experienced constant physical abuse, bother dies, forced into sex slavery, sold his soul. And thats just the surface of it all. ) There is honestly very few instances that I believe he could give consent and none of them lie within canon.
DON’T CALL HIM A SLUT. I likely missed something because this Is a very convoluted topic. Calling Alois a slut is automatically calling every CSA survivor, sex slave and rape survivor a slut. I literally can’t comprehend what mindset is required to believe that he is a slut. ]
First of all, thank you so so much to all my followers for 4k and for sticking with me through all these months and years and for being the most amazing people ever! I feel so happy to still be on Tumblr with you guys! So here’s to the great people I can’t stand Tumblr without :)
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