Fanfiction is a core element when you are a part of a fandom. Whether you write it or read it, it allows fans a chance to see exactly what they would have wished to have been a part of their fandom’s narrative.

The Once Upon A Time fandom is rich in producing fanfiction. On Archive of our Own alone, 36485 works have been published under the OUAT tag.

I have pooled together a list of the top ten most highly rated fanfics for five ships from OUAT. These include fics involving Captain Swan, Swan Queen, Outlaw Queen, Rumbelle and Captain Charming.

Captain Swan – Hook/Emma:

1. Unbreakable by xHookedonKillianx:

What if Hook was able to go with Emma and Henry when they left to escape Pan’s curse? With no memory of each other or Storybrooke, Emma and Killian meet in New York as complete strangers, both with broken pasts and both with clean slates for their future.

2. Out Of The Frying Pan by WelpThisIsHappening:

Emma Swan is only doing this for one reason, well, make that two. To get her show’s numbers back up and, maybe, impress her son. She doesn’t like admitting to that second one though.

Killian Jones is doing this for absolutely, positively, just one reason. To expand his restaurant. And maybe get Regina off his back. So that’s kind of two reasons.

Neither one of them is doing a year-long Food Network all-star competition because they’re celebrity chefs and there’s not really any other choice. Of course not. And neither one of them is enjoying it because they maybe, kind of, sort of enjoy each other. That would be insane.

3. Swear On Her Name by hooknleather:

“Who are you?” “Killian Jones, but most people have taken to calling me by my more colourful moniker – Hook.” Emma Swan was a fiery temptation he just couldn’t bring himself to resist. And their love story was the most amazing story of all.

[A canon fic, of the CS story from Killian’s perspective]

4. Kings and Queens by SoMuchTea:

Emma Swan is struggling as an actress. All seems lost until she manages to swing a spot on Kings and Queens, the most popular Medieval TV Show of all time. But here’s the catch: Emma hates being in love, and acting it is proving more tricky than she first thought. Her whole world is about to change, especially working alongside her new and mysterious co-star Killian Jones.

5. Every Letter by Bleebug:

A pen pal writing assignment connects a young Emma Swan with her best friend Killian Jones. Life sends many hardships their way, but their friendship remains solid through the years. As they both grow older and begin to realize what they want out of life, will their letters be enough?

6. The Trouble With Faking It by nowforruin:

Killian Jones is one drunken mistake from never setting foot on a movie set again. Enter Emma Swan, the woman his manager has paid to pretend to date him and clean up his image. It seems straightforward enough…but there’s always trouble with faking it. CaptainSwan.

7. Warm Nights and Firelight by Oubliette14:

When in the wake of a messy breakup Emma makes the impulsive decision to return home to her parent’s ranch in the Rockies, she certainly doesn’t expect to find a strange Irish guy living in what was once her apartment over the garage, and she definitely doesn’t imagine that the home she couldn’t wait to be rid of five long years ago would be the very place her heart begins to heal.

8. World Unknown by colormyheartred:

Emma signs up to be a test subject for a “guaranteed true love match”. The kicker is that she can’t see her match until their wedding day. The moment she sees him for the first time, she knows she’s doomed.

9. Poem Without Words by totheendoftheworldortime79:

Looking to make some extra money, college senior Emma Swan takes a post as a model for Professor Killian Jones’ art class. Sparks fly on both sides. Will they give into temptation?

10. Wedded Bliss and Asterisks by EmilyBea:

Emma Swan is an enemy of love who just happens to be an up and coming wedding dress designer. She’s convinced that true love is nowhere in her future but then she meets Killian Jones, whose magazine is covering the opening of her new boutique. Suddenly Emma finds herself drawing up new plans for her life, ones that seem to all be leading towards her own form of wedded bliss.

Swan Queen – Regina/Emma:

1. Send Up A Signal by coalitiongirl

Emma Swan is catapulted into stardom, the newest lead actress on a sanitized show featuring modern fairytales. Regina Mills is a long-undermined star with a chip on her shoulder and a thousand reasons why she’s invested. Naturally, they loathe each other on sight.

Their characters’ fanbases, however, have other ideas.

2. Miles To Go by RhysMerilot

Everyone has their own story, this one is theirs and it paints the picture of a love story that spans over two decades, with all the ups and downs and everything else in between.

3. She’s Already Ruined Her Makeup by deceptivelycomplex3925

“Emma,” Regina breathes a warning. Don’t do this, it says. She can hear it in her head, the husky lilt of Regina’s voice.

“I’m late with it, I know. I’m about five years too late with it but when have I ever been good with punctuality?”

She gets a laugh out of that, something like a sharp exhale, something choked and small and laden with fondness, and brown eyes start to glisten with forming tears. Emma hates that she’s the cause for this. She’ll ruin her makeup.

On her wedding day. This is her wedding day.

4. Kissing Regina Mills by misscanteloupe

“The name is just for show. It’s supposed to bring out some of your deeper desires. Spurs you to act on them,” Regina explains, even though Emma stopped paying attention several words ago.

Their eyes lock, and Emma feels that same prickling sensation on the back of her neck.

“Is there… anything you want to do?” Regina asks finally.

It’s like a flick of a switch.

(It’s a late night in the vault and Emma accidentally kisses Regina Mills)

5. Our Bodies Making Poems by deemn

“Sometimes the constant roller coaster of your lives makes you forget what a luxury it is to be able to look at her.”

6. The Pronoun Game by msinformed13

“Kathryn watched Doctor Mills keep her arms locked around the blonde’s neck and press her lips to Professor Swan’s in a chaste kiss. So surprised by the action, she completely misjudged how close she was to the sideline, before she could do anything, she tripped over a water bottle, and landed flat on her ass.

7. So Does This Make Us Both The Other Woman by coalitiongirl

Set after 3b in a peaceful Storybrooke where Regina is with Robin and Emma’s fallen into a relationship with Hook.

Shame about all that subtext that’s rapidly threatening to become text.

Day 6: Trapped in an AU.

“They’re from the future,” Regina says.

“They’re married,” Emma says. “To each other.” She’s still standing in the middle of the room, utterly discombobulated.

Henry rolls his eyes. “Duh. Can I go get my Playstation?”

9. Step Into My Office Baby by foxbones

the one where they’re in an office.

10. Whispers In The Night by Delirious-Comfort

“Emma? Are you ready to share your story?” Paul, the group leader looked at her with encouraging eyes. She took a breath and nodded.

“Hi. So my name is Emma Swan. I’m 26. As most of you know I’ve been coming to this support group for a while now because..” her voice trailed off as she looked around the room. Everywhere she looked expectant eyes stared back at her. Well, almost everywhere.

Rumbelle – Gold/Belle:

1. Freeze On The Stones by Robin4

When Cora casts the curse, everyone suffers. Regina is married to the prince she never wanted. Gold tries to hide his affair with the librarian from Cora. Mary Margaret is drowning in debt, and Emma finds herself stuck in a dangerous town where no one is safe from the Evil Queen. This Storybrooke and its story are darker than the one you know.

2. From Shattered Places by lizandletdie

After suffering a terrible violation, Lady Belle finds herself alone and traumatized with a ruined reputation. Her father’s neighbor and creditor Mr. Gold says he’ll forgive his debt in exchange for her hand in marriage. She accepts, despite her reservations, but is he really what she thought he was?

3. Closing Time by Bad_Faery

When businessman Gold discovers that his favorite bartender is being forced to marry a man she doesn’t love in order to pay her father’s medical bills, he proposes an alternate solution.

4. Remedial French by extree

High school history teacher Mr Gold doesn’t much like himself for developing an infatuation with everyone’s favorite new English teacher. He’s so busy beating himself up over it, in fact, that he doesn’t seem to notice that things might not be as one-sided as he thinks.

5. Four Walls by Bad_Faery

A dying Mr. Gold is determined not to let his fortune fall into the hands of his greedy relatives after his death.

6. Shadow Manor by suchadearie

Mr. Gold sets out to find himself a wife that will bear him an heir for his estate. But his marriage to Belle French turns out to be a little more complicated than the mere business arrangement he had in mind.

7. Civilised Existence by Fyre

Rumpelstiltskin tells Belle to go. Belle goes. But sometimes, you can’t escape your happily ever after.

8. We’ve Never Met by prissygirl

Belle works in a large office building where she daydreams about the mysterious gray-haired man she sees through her window every day. She has almost given up on ever finding a way to bump into him. But unbeknownst to her, Mr. Gold has had his eye on her, too.

9. Fate Loves The Fearless by Crysania

It’s been tradition to foretell the future of those in Maurice’s family for as long as he can remember. When the fairies read Belle’s future they see great darkness there: she will bear the Dark One a child. Her father calls on the Blue Fairy to magically protect her from this fate, sealing her in a tower from which she can never leave.

Years pass until Rumplestiltskin realizes the fairies are hiding something from him in that tower and he will not stand for that. He intends to deal with whatever is in that tower, never realizing what fate has in store for him.

10. Where The Heart Is by Fyre

When you have a second chance at love, sometimes you have to take it.

Outlaw Queen – Robin/Regina:

1. Madam President by Verkaiking

When the woman he loves is elected President of the United States, Robin Locksley’s life is turned upside down. As they struggle to find a balance between her new job and his new title as Head of the Secret Service, an unseen threat dares to burn down what they’ve built together. Can they prevail?

2. Breaking In by SomewhereApart

Robin Locksley has hit rock bottom. A rash decision to help his family has lead to him nearly losing them instead, and now he’s woken up to discover he accidentally broke into in the home of a stranger — single mom and ad executive Regina Mills — while stumbling home drunk last night. Can these neighbors overcome their rocky start to find something they need in each other?

3. Amazing Grace by jadeddiva

There’s something about the feeling of something as sensual as this against her skin, a hidden secret under her clothes, which makes Regina feel good. Powerful, in this land where she is not the queen.

4. Remember Me by write4love8

Two years had passed in Enchanted Forest where many adventures of fear, friendship and romance occurred. Not that anyone remembers, thanks to Zelena.

Regina has awoken in Storybrooke, eight months pregnant with no memory of what had happened in the past two years, including meeting her unborn child’s father, Robin Hood.

5. Fire And Ice by ReginaPendragon

Can old rivals become new partners?

In the aftermath of a serious injury, Regina Mills’s dream of going to the Olympics is dashed when her partner leaves her to skate with another girl. Alone and unsure of her future in the sport, Regina resigns herself to finding a new partner.

Enter Robin Locksley: talented, handsome, and Regina’s former rival from the junior skating circuit. They meet. They clash. Their coaches think they’re the perfect match. Can these former competitors put aside their differences for a second chance at Olympic glory?

6. And You Can Have This Heart To Break by SuperBlur

It’s a repeated mantra, begging forgiveness – for everything he feels, but shouldn’t and for every feeling he should have, but doesn’t.

7. Kleptomania by Luthor

A series of snippets of Robin and Regina stealing from each other.

8. And Give Myself As Truly As An Arrow Flies by OnceUponAHappyTime

https://archiveofourown.org/works/4281915/chapters/9697956

Regina rides through the woods as a Regina rides through the woods as a poisoned arrow hits her. Robin Hood finds the dying Queen in the forest and forced by the poison introduced fever Regina lets Robin see more of herself than she ever wanted and Robin is ready to look behind the walls she put so carefully up arrow hits her.

Robin Hood finds the dying Queen in the forest and forced by the poison introduced fever Regina lets Robin see more of herself than she ever wanted and Robin is ready to look behind the walls she put so carefully up.

9. I Dreaded That First Robin, So by narcolepticbadger

“I love you. That means something.” He is desperate and urgent and so, so beautiful in his grief. Once she would have enjoyed destroying him. Now it is merely a formality, the necessary end to their affiliation, such as it was.

10. Rise And Rise Again by Rae325

It’s too much. A lifetime of hate and loss and injustice swirling back towards the surface and threatening to explode out of her. Regina feels ready to hurt the person nearest to her, the person who has already stolen so much.

Captain Charming – David/Hook:

1. Once Upon A Time In Neverland by youretheone

Charming and Hook’s relationship evolves during their time in Neverland. But in the end, how will they cope with the fact that Charming cannot leave the one place Hook swore he’d never return to?

2. A Different Kind Of Feeling by cptnmorrision&jmoftcolin1

Modern AU set in New York. Emma and David are siblings and roommates. Killian unknowingly moves into the apartment next door after being gone for two years due to a bad break-up between him and Emma. Eventually, they become friends again and try to rebuild their relationship.

However, it isn’t as easy as it seems. The spark that thrived between them during their past relationship isn’t there anymore. They aren’t as happy as they were before the break-up. Slowly, she notices that Killian smiles more around David and realizes that maybe it wasn’t her that Killian was meant to be within the first place.

3. A Different Kind Of Fairytale by youretheone

Step-siblings from a young age, Regina, and David both lose their chance at true love when they are forced to marry for the good of the kingdom. But they are given another chance at finding their true love again.

4. And The World Was New by captaincharming

Killian’s band performs at David’s favorite coffee shop and David can’t keep his eyes to himself.

Or…

How gorgeous, infuriating musician Killian turned beautiful, stuck-in-his-ways David’s world upside down.

5. A Mate by Any Other Name Would Sound as Sweet by luck_and_miracles

The five-times Charming didn’t like being called mate and the one time he did.

6. Who We Are by by Ecrivaisseur

An affair that started between Prince Charming and Killian Jones many years ago in the past is awakened when shortly after Mary Margaret and Emma get back to Storybrooke from being trapped in the Enchanted Forest, David learns that Cora and Hook are also in town, and he is forced to face the man he was once passionately in love with. David thought his feelings for him were gone, but old flames have a way of tempting the heart, and he’s not sure if he’ll be able to resist.

7. Too Late To Take It Slow by ShadowsLament

Being knocked unconscious shakes loose a memory, one David had apparently repressed, one that intimately involved a young Killian Jones.

8. Bail Me Out [Again] by orphan_account

AU — David & Killian’s words are often sharp and harsh.

9. Secret Admirer by suzdrabbles

Killian has a secret crush on David, and when Valentine’s Day comes around, he figures the best way to express his feelings is through an anonymous Valentine’s card. That way, David will surely never find out it was him. Of course.

10. Bright Stars by kingstanley

Their first meeting had been a passing moment – one of a million. They were two lost souls, one without his heart and the other without his freedom, and they wandered blindly into each other. They shouldn’t have been intrigued by one another, and they shouldn’t have found each other.

Did you read any of the fanfictions recommended here? If so, let us know on twitter @dailyfandomtv or comment below!