Highlander Holiday ShortCuts

When I initially ran the matchups, AO3 gave me so many repeats, I decided to make a spreadsheet and do matching manually. I combed through previous fests on AO3, LJ, and DW, as many as I could find, and made this spreadsheet.

I don't know that we'll be able to achieve this ever again, but I was able to make sure no one was writing for anyone they had written for previously (though it is possible I missed someone)—with the exception of mackiedockie writing for dswdiane, which hadn't happened in 16 years.

And so, with no futher ado:

A Christmas Toast by dkwilliams for adabsolutely
Closing Up Shop by Merfilly for pennywashburne
Secrets by dswdiane (pinch hit) for Black Dwarf
A Lesson in Steel by Raine_Wynd for coralysendria
Cornuacopiae by merriman for havocthecat
Temporis Partus Maximus by Banbury for morgynleri
Properly Executed by Nicky_Gabriel for Banbury
Kastagir's Hotel Américain by pennywashburne for Merfilly
Follow The Gleam by hafital for raine
The Road Forward by havocthecat for argentum_ls
Tales of SG-1 by Morgyn Leri for teratornis
Destinations by dswdiane for hafital
Silver Seed by adabsolutely for nicky_gabriel
Midnight Train by mackiedockie for dswdiane
Metaphorically Speaking by argentum_ls for brightknightie
Orogenesis by Teratornis for killabeez
Hakobore by Brightknightie for merriman
Hard Truths by Black_Dwarf for mackiedockie
Prophecies For An Immortal by coralysendria for dkwilliams
The Pirate, The Rebels, The Thief, and Her Lover by killabeez for unovis

Prophecies For An Immortal by Anonymous for dkwilliams 
Category: Gen, M/M
Characters: Duncan MacLeod, Methos, Agnes Nutter
Fandoms: Highlander: The Series, Good Omens (TV)
Summary: Methos meets Agnes Nutter.

The Pirate, The Rebels, The Thief, and Her Lover (An Unlikely, but Nevertheless Absolutely True Tale) by Anonymous for unovis 
Category: F/F, M/M, F/M
Characters: Amanda Darieux, Duncan MacLeod, Methos, Mazikeen, Israel Hands, Evelyn Higgins, Robert de Valicourt, Gina de Valicourt, brief appearance by Ned the Jungle Cat
Fandoms: Highlander: The Series, Lucifer (TV), Our Flag Means Death
Relationships: Amanda Darieux/Mazikeen, Duncan MacLeod/Methos, Gina de Valicourt/Robert de Valicourt
Summary: Every great pirate story has one thing in common: a treasure of unimaginable worth.

And that's a wrap on Shortcuts for this year. Thank you so much to everyone who participated and wrote such amazing gifts! Happy New Year to all. Sending you wishes for better times and health and happiness.

Metaphorically Speaking by Anonymous for brightknightie 
Category: Gen
Characters: Richie Ryan, Angie Burke
Summary: While enroute to start a new life, a roadside breakdown changes Richie’s plans.

Orogenesis by Anonymous for killabeez 
Category: Gen, M/M
Characters: Duncan MacLeod, Methos
Relationships: Duncan MacLeod/Methos, Duncan MacLeod & Methos
Summary: Orogenesis — A series of geological processes caused when two tectonic plates repeatedly collide, resulting in the formation of mountain ranges. Sometimes you find peace in a pile of rocks.

Destinations by Anonymous for hafital 
Category: M/M
Characters: Duncan MacLeod, Methos, Connor MacLeod, Joe Dawson, Amanda Darieux, Richie Ryan, Hugh Fitzcairn, Rebecca Horne, Darius
Relationships: Duncan MacLeod/Methos, Connor MacLeod & Methos
Summary: The double quickening at Bordeaux has unexpected side effects. It take years for Duncan and Methos to come to terms with what it means for their relationship. It take years for them to understand all the implications.

Reminder that we will take a break from posting tomorrow, to allow everyone a little time to catch up.

Follow The Gleam by Anonymous for raine 
Category: Gen
Characters: Ceirdwyn, Matthew McCormick, original characters
Relationships: Ceirdwyn & Matthew McCormick
Summary: The story of how Matthew and Ceirdwyn met.

Cornuacopiae by Anonymous for havocthecat 
Category: Gen
Characters: Rebecca Horne
Summary: A tale of a crystal and the land it protected and life renewed.

Temporis Partus Maximus by Anonymous for morgynleri 
Category: Gen
Characters: Methos, Joe Dawson, Darius, Rebecca Horne, Amy Brennan-Thomas, Original Male Character(s), Richie Ryan
Summary: Sometimes you don’t notice how you find yourself in the center of the great birth of a new time.

Happy holidays, adabsolutely and pennywashburne!

It's fic time! You all rock.

A Christmas Toast by Anonymous for adabsolutely
Category: Gen
Characters: Amanda, Duncan, Methos, and Joe
Relationships: Amanda Darieux & Duncan MacLeod, Duncan MacLeod & Methos, Joe Dawson & Duncan MacLeod
Summary: Three Immortals and one mortal sit in a bar on a snowy Christmas Eve, thinking about both the past and the future.

Closing Up Shop by Anonymous for pennywashburne
Category: Gen
Characters: Rachel Ellenstein, Joe Dawson
Summary: Rachel is putting things into order, finishing this life in this place when a man walks in.

Please contact me via message if you have any questions or issues with your assignment. Remember: do not contact your recipient for any reason! If you need to clarify something, please reach out to me or havocthecat and we will contact them for you.

Link to the betareaders available/wanted post.

Sign up here.

If you need an AO3 invite, please contact the mods.



For those with a need to review AO3 processes:
HLH Shortcuts AO3 Signup Guide by @teratornis
HLH Shortcuts AO3 Submission Guide by @teratornis
How to Default

Your mods strongly encourage the use of betareaders, whether affiliated with the exchange or outside the exchange:
Betareaders Wanted/Betareaders Available

In case you need to review the 2025 dates:

• Sign Ups: October 1 to October 11, 2025 11:59PM CDT on AO3
• Assignments handed out: no later than October 14, 2025
• Default deadline: November 20, 2025
• Submission deadline: December 15, 2025
• First story posted: December 20, 2025

Please share far and wide.

 Belated but heartfelt thanks to lferion for contributing paid account time to the community. Thank you, kind fairy godperson!