Terminal Illness
A character is dying on a known clock, and the story is about what they — and the people who love them — do with the time. Some fics walk all the way to the end; others find a reprieve; all of them are clearly tagged for readers choosing how much heartbreak to sign up for.
What is Terminal Illness in fanfiction?
A character is dying on a known clock, and the story is about what they — and the people who love them — do with the time. Some fics walk all the way to the end; others find a reprieve; all of them are clearly tagged for readers choosing how much heartbreak to sign up for. With over 15,000 works on Archive of Our Own, Terminal Illness is one of the most beloved tropes in fanfiction.
Why readers love Terminal Illness
A deadline makes every ordinary moment luminous, and these fics distill love to its essentials: presence, honesty, and the courage to stay.
Examples of Terminal Illness
A bucket-list road trip narrated by the healthy partner who is not coping as well as they pretend, or a character spending their last months writing letters for every birthday they'll miss.
Best Terminal Illness Fanfics
The highest-rated Terminal Illness stories across all fandoms on AO3.
Before Dawn
by yeet_all_the_thots
On ordinary missions, when he was alone or tailing a normal group of two to four lower rank slayers, he was able to keep her by his side. But when it came to missions with higher rank slayers, or large groups, or pillars, he left her in the Ubuyashiki family’s care. Most often, that meant Kiriya and
з чого б не були створені наші душі
by ua translations (StarlessRebel)
Уві сні ця рука ковзає вгору по Реґулусовій шиї та обхоплює його обличчя. Він тулиться до неї, заплющивши очі, насолоджуючись цим відчуттям. Без маски, без холоду. Більше не занімілий перед відчуття тепла мозолистих пальців на його щоці. І ось це якраз той самий тягар, котрий стає дедалі важчим, кот
A Life Rewritten (90 Aesdrew au)
by Twisted_Tongues
Andrew Kreiss, an only child to a mother whom has fallen terminally ill, begins his final year of schooling at a private catholic school.By miracle, he makes not one but four friends. All of whom are vastly different than any sort of person he could have imagined to meet.One boy is an embalmer by tr
A Sky Full Of Stars
by wild_iwaslivid
It's March, and Viktor knows he doesn't have long left to live. His friends only know that his health isn't great, but not that he's dying. How could he tell them? What could he possibly say to Jayce? No, better to just keep quiet. Then the unthinkable happens: Ambessa Medarda, for reasons of her ow
All Tomorrow's Parties (Part Three)
by fairlightscales
There's only three things that's for sure,Taxes, death and trouble.
Only way is Up
by Ivrey_SHows
The downfall of the Korblox Administration had come and gone. Scientists and soldiers and the like who committed atrocities behind closed doors were trailed and put behind bars to rot for their crimes. Except Subspace.Through bribery and good behaviour and a god-sent of a lawyer, he managed to be
If Tomorrow Never Comes
by DWCNIHFE
Five years after Dean Winchester walked out of Castiel's life without explanation, Sam arrives at Castiel's apartment carrying a cardboard box. Inside is an old leather bracelet, a letter addressed in Dean's unmistakable handwriting, and a stack of DVDs with a single instruction. Watch them first. A
In her light
Completeby Ammocharis
He promised to protect her, and he failed twice already. There won't be a third time.After escaping the Wraiths, a strange illness plagues Delta as he vows to keep his distance from Anya. He starts coughing up sharp black crystals made of dramaxil. He accepts his fate and plans for his departure. Ex
heaving through corrupted lungs
by myotheraccount
муковисцидоз, Ilya learns this word when he is two years old and his Mama is very sad. She has it too. Alexei is spared, but she has given it to him and he thinks, if something can be from his Mama, surely it must be good. Да, because she is good. (Or, Ilya has cystic fibrosis).
Never Say Die!
by Eberrytas
Where are you?" Sherry asks, her voice more muffled and distorted than normal. "I can't pin your location- it's like you vanished off the face of the Earth. What the hell is going on?" "Uh-" Leon glances around at the chaos, and at the strange people he's stumbled on. "…Well, Dorothy, I think it's s
Akakuro Oneshots
Completeby zuzu418
No summary provided.
Enlightenment by Degree
by Daegaer
Ni Jianyi is the youngest PhD in his university and finds nothing much is left as a challenge. He has no idea what to do next, until he realises there are other positions he could be the youngest ever to achieve.
When You Are Old
by starscannan
“Top up?” A voice asked. Remus, although nodding vaguely, was barely paying attention. He only snapped back into reality, when the glass reappeared on the counter with a gentle thump. He unfolded a crumpled note from his pocket, sliding it across the bar as his fingers gripped around the cool glass.
Chance
by Holly_Sinn
One year after leaving Runway, Andy Sachs' life is falling apart at the seams. Bruised and broken in more ways than one, fate delivers her, quite literally, right back into Miranda's arms when she needs her the most. Okay, maybe it wasn't fate. Maybe it was just a crack in the pavement she'd tripped
Lux in Tenebris
by donewithlifefornow
Lee Chan has six months left to live. His body is failing, his fellow hunters see him as a liability, and the only thing he has left is the ghost of his own talent. He refuses to die in a hospital bed, hollow and alone. Choi Seungcheol has been alive for four centuries. He has outlived lovers, frien
Please forget me (not)
by iateabug
No summary provided.
Uncle Cedric
Completeby WolfsbaneKnight
His mother stood over the grave and the show she’d been putting on for others crumbled. Tears ran freely from her eyes as she stood not caring for the rain that spat down upon her. With only her family as witness she wept openly for their loss. Looking past his mother’s form, Cameron’s eyes found th
Equanimity
by dkspeace
(n) evenness of mind, especially under stress. Eva Stratt relives Project Hail Mary eight times.
Stranger's Heart
by Tharja
Brando wasn’t supposed to go looking.He only wanted to know who the heart belonged to.A name turns into a street.A street turns into a house.And a house turns into a boy he can’t seem to walk away from.Wilson Evans died months ago.That’s what everyone says.Brando isn’t so sure anymore.He definitely
Scenes from two Marriages
by ohnoanno
At the age of fourteen, Maekar is married off against his will in a kingdom in crisis and sent to Starfall to live with the Daynes—and a woman he has never met before. More than ten years later, he suddenly finds himself a widower and, once again, in an arranged marriage.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many Terminal Illness fics are on AO3?
There are over 15,000 works tagged with Terminal Illness on Archive of Our Own.
What fandoms have the most Terminal Illness stories?
Popular fandoms for Terminal Illness include Supernatural, Doctor Who, Banana Fish.
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