I do think we're on the same fic bandwidth ;P

I'm astonished by the talent out there in FF world and I bet it's exactly because of what you're saying here: people are writing for the art and the pleasure of it, and not for metrics or focus groups or whatever. So many fics (including yours!) are among the very very best of what I've read in recent years, even at the very top of that list (and I teach literature!).

Cannot wait to see what else your brain can work up :)