Ugh, I swear, people act like this is some modern invention, but I dug up some old forum stuff from like fifteen years ago that's actually... good? Not gonna name names, but there's this one where Velma's the one who gets the gang trapped in the spooky mansion, but it's because she's trying to test a theory about fear-induced hallucinations. The tension is all in the dialogue, Daphne's freaking out in the background, and the dynamic just works without being overly romantic.
Honestly, most of the stuff you find now is either pure smut or tooth-rotting fluff. I gravitate towards the fics that keep the mystery-solving front and center—the partnership clicks when they're piecing clues together, not just staring into each other's eyes. There's a short one called 'Variable Constant' out there somewhere that nails that procedural feel.
The pairing makes sense to me because it's about intellect and trust, not just attraction. I skip anything that turns Fred into a villain or makes Shaggy a punchline, though. That feels disrespectful to the original vibe.