Thanksgiving Recs! AVG, TW, HP, TFTF, Merlin, NV, dS, WC, & Spider-Man
"Thanksgiving" as in this is what I was reading while unhooked from life support the internet. To be fair, one of them I did read Tuesday while waiting in the doctor's office, but all the rest were read down south. Given the time available, I made it through quite a few words, especially considering I still managed to get as much work done as I could without being able to research items. It helped that I had a run of really good reading and there wasn't a bad one in the bunch. So, now for the fannish version of Monday morning quarterbacking.
[Do note that I'm not generally going to add any additional warnings for things the author already mentions in the tags and headers. so be sure to check them over - well, or don't, if you're impatient and absentminded like me, but I'm feeling the urge to forewarn you that just because I don't individually comment on it, doesn't mean there aren't consent issues, bestiality, and PTSD flashbacks.]
Figure Drawing by
thingswithwings
Length: 20.685 words
Fandom: Avengers
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Steve/Bruce
Summary: When he gets back to New York, Steve only lasts five days living in Williamsburg before he packs up again and heads, shamefaced, to Stark Tower. The people are nice enough, but they're a kind of rich that Steve doesn't know how to deal with, and the neighborhood is crowded and strange, with too many eyes on him all the time.
Reccer's Notes: Steve/Bruce was stretching my brain, but this fic was very enjoyable. I loved the dance between their personalities and the slow build.
Make One Dream Come True (You Only Live Twice) by
beardsley
Length: 14.099 words
Fandom: Avengers, Captain America
Rating: R
Relationship(s): Steve/Bucky
Summary: Five times the Winter Soldier evaded capture. In which there are tuxedoes, vodka martinis (shaken, not stirred), fakeout makeouts, massive property damage, a shark pit, and Steve has an Ursula Andress moment. But mostly, in true James Bond fashion, villains are seduced to the side of good.
Reccer's Notes: Avengers with a definite James Bond flair - that is, there are tuxedos, a cruise ship, monologuing villains, a destroyed hotel room, orders disobeyed, fights on the roof of at least one moving car, and sleeping with the enemy. And the aforementioned shark pit, of course. Fantastic Steve POV for a an amazing fic.
And We'll Be Complicated by
ingberry
Length: 18.565 words
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Stiles/Derek
Summary: Stiles already had his hands full with the case he was working on for the enigmatic Mrs. B. He really didn't need this too, but there was no changing the fact that he no longer remembered Derek Hale or anything connected to him. And no one could figure out why.
Reccer's Notes: Stiles is working a tricky but average case of supernatural hijinks when he suddenly turns up perfectly normal - minus a few memories. Stiles isn't terribly concerned; there aren't any big holes, after all, and there's still his dad, and Scott, and - God - the high school adventures alone. This Derek person couldn't be that important, right? (The way his no-really-it's-not-haunted-just-opinionated house is really comfortable with the guy is making everything confusing, though.) A fic just tricky enough you don't see the utterly simple ending coming, which makes it a really good read. This one is getting stashed in the good for re-reading pile.
Of Hoof Picks, Centaurs, and Flight by
blamebrampton
Length: 21.461 words
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Relationship(s): Harry/Draco
Summary: Harry has promised that he will not do anything to upset the new head of Magical Creatures. Even if it is Draco Malfoy. When three centaur foals appear in Cumbria, far from the Forbidden Forest and all too close to Muggles, Harry’s promise is thoroughly tested. To say nothing of his equestrian skills.
Reccer's Notes: Thoroughly enjoyable romp! Everyone's grown up (mostly) and it's a lot of silly situations tempered with competency as Harry and Draco try to ensure the wizarding world continues to slide under the muggle radar. Draco is a particular delight and I highly recommend it.
Treading Water by
tsukinofaerii
Length: 37.020 words
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Allison/Derek/Stiles
Summary: Investigating whatever's in the water of Beacon Lake should have been an easy way to pass the summer. Should have been. But one dip in the lake is all it takes to set off a reaction that lands Allison, Derek and Stiles neck-deep in hot water. And Scott? Scott has the world's worst timing.
Reccer's Notes: I wasn't quite sure what I was going to be getting into with this one, but I figured it could either go very wrong or very right. Fortunately, this one falls down on the side of very right. There's history but not too much baggage (something you can trip over and impale yourself on in Teen Wolf) and lots of pretty visuals. I will note that there's a confusing stretch with some rope wherein I kept trying to figure just how long it was, the likelihood of being able to procure it, and what the hell Scott and Stiles were doing in the meantime, but don't think too hard about the details when you get to that section, roll with the story instead, and you'll be good to go. *quietly stashes in the re-read pile*
His Fate Will Be Unlearned by
scifigrl47
Length: 94.274 words
Fandom: Avengers
Rating: R
Relationship(s): Steve/Tony
Summary: Tony Stark spent his childhood making weapons, filling the hole his father left in the world when he succumbed to alcohol, grief, and his own demons. At the age of fifteen, he ran away from home, and made it as far as MIT before all of his responsibilities caught up to him. Now seventeen, he just wants to finish his degree and escape from everything connected to the Stark name.
Steve Rogers crashed into the icy North Atlantic in the 1940's, sacrificing himself to save the world. He never expected to wake up, and now that he has, he's not sure he's glad. The US Army has other plans for him, but for now, Steve is slowly learning to live life in the 21st century, and taking classes at Boston College. He's beginning to suspect that there is no escape.
Boston College is on the T's Green Line. MIT is on the Red. The two lines meet at the Park Street Station, and so will Steve and Tony.
Reccer's Notes: SHIELD didn't chip Steve out of the ice, General Ross did, and that's a left turn with significant consequences. This AU also alters the time lines a bit and Tony is a wee 17 years old, working on his Master's at MIT and nominally escaping from Howard's thoroughly pickled madness that Obie's hiding from all and sundry by riding on the back of Tony's genius. Meanwhile, Steve's been set loose enough to take classes at Boston University, but there's a sharp eyed archer perched on the roof across from his apartment in charge of holding the leash. [In the course of finalizing this post, I just realized the header warns for Major Character Death but it's Howard, so no worries. (Sorry, Howard. Sort of. Okay, no, mostly indifferent.)]
Who's Right/Who's Left by
khaleesian
Length: 35.232 words
Fandom: The Fast and the Furious
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Dom/Brian
Summary: What if Brian had been on the right? If you change one thing...you change everything. Takes place at the end of 'the Fast and the Furious'.
Reccer's Notes: A fic I've been looking at for a long time before finally breaking down and starting Friday night. So, the crucial thing is that this takes place between the first and second movies, and that means it doesn't have your typical-rec-for-me happy ending, which I knew going in, thus the long wait despite the fact it's (still relatively) new TFTF fic by Khaleesian. Anticipating them ending up really damn pissed off at each other, the actual ending was more along the lines of impressively large pile of new baggage between them and needing breathing space, and that was actually a relief. Whew! And we all know the general direction they're driving in, right? Right. The premise is that the places of their cars were switched and there's a pretty big difference between the Supra and the Charger when it comes to being hit by a semi-truck. Brian doesn't remember who he is, but he's latched onto Dom, and Dom finds himself an unwilling caretaker of a buster that's halfway between someone he knows and someone entirely unexpected.
[Note: I had already written this rec before the news yesterday, so it's a bit surreal to post it now.]
Para Bellum by
Destina
Length: 51.464 words
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Arthur/Merlin
Summary: After Merlin goes missing, Arthur forges new alliances to repel a deadly threat to Camelot. Nothing will stop Arthur from finding Merlin, and nothing will stop Merlin from protecting Arthur -- no matter the cost.
Reccer's Notes: Sequel to The Stars Above, Stones Below, which is an excellent fic, but it's not actually necessary to have read it in order to follow this one. It opens with Arthur and Merlin having been quietly handfasted and Merlin serving as the court sorcerer as all lies quiet for the time being. It's shattered in short order, however, and when Merlin is kidnapped, Arthur will move heaven and earth to reclaim him. But Arthur, too, is in danger, and Merlin will use whatever means necessary to protect him, prophecies be damned.
I will admit there were a couple sections I skipped/skimmed, but that's actually still a recommendation in this case - I was suffering from familial induced sensory overload and those bits were tense enough that my already wired brain meant I had to scroll a bit and then pick things back up. It's a very good story with excellent writing, so I feel fully confident in assuming the parts I missed were just as good. The ending had a fascinating twist that if Destina decided to write another fic in this verse (this is the second one, after all), then I would certainly look forward to reading about how it played out.
Mad Science by
queerlittlething
Length: 2.696 words
Fandom: Night Vale
Rating: PG
Relationship(s): Gen-ish (Various Mentioned)
Summary: Charlie joined Carlos' team hoping to gain some practical experience, contribute to his field, maybe get a paper published. He definitely wasn't expecting...well...Night Vale. (A series of vignettes about everyone's favorite scientific researchers and their handsome leader.)
Reccer's Notes: Up for bid- wait, no, wrong writing twitch. ANYWAY (yes, that one's better), then there's Night Vale. Lovely read from the POV of one of Carlos' scientists as they integrate into the distinctly unusual world they've found themselves in (small towns are never normal you know) and cohere as very intelligent, mutually awkward coworkers. Sweet and adorable in the fantastically off-beat way of Night Vale with the grace note perspective of an outsider looking in.
Blueprint by Journey
Length: 61.049 words
Fandom: Due South
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Fraser/RayK
Summary: The one after the adventure where Fraser's living in a small Christmasey town and Ray comes to help him build his new house, and then ends up staying forever after their first date goes swimmingly.
Reccer's Notes: I think I found this one via someone searching for it (and that's where I actually picked up the summary at). To be honest, the (eventual) sex was a bit over the top for me in this context, but everything around it was positively delightful.
Copycat by
IamShadow21
Length: 10.318 words
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Gen
Summary: Peter busts into a dingy apartment, expecting to find the artist behind a forgery racket. That's exactly what he finds, but the artist in question isn't anything like the sort of person he expected to find, and rather than having answers, he's got a far bigger mystery to solve.
An AU where things are very different, but the important things are the same.
Reccer's Notes: The things which are different, as referred to by the Summary, are that Neal Caffrey is an eleven year old painting prodigy and neuroatypically autistic. A forging ring is using him as a meal ticket when the FBI White Collar division raids the building where they have him stashed, leaving Peter an even bigger problem. The glimpses we get of Neal from Peter's POV are a delight - canon Neal has all the mischievousness of a child, after all, so it definitely suits - and June as his near ideal foster parent is both obvious in hindsight and well executed. Heartwarming, too, for that matter. It's a good, solid story with excellent characterizations that made for a fantastic, memorable fic.
The Sky Receding by
kiarasayre
Length: 7.105 words
Fandom: The Amazing Spider-Man
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Peter(Penny)/Gwen
Summary: Penny Parker navigates the waters of relationships, heroics, and the best way to stuff the crotch of a superhero costume.
Reccer's Notes: I remember that this one was warmly received when it first appeared but, like so many other fics, I just hadn't gotten around to reading it. Fortunately it was one of those I had stashed this weekend because it's a very nice slice of a spin on the story of Spider-man, aka Penny Parker. Penny just happens to be female, but there aren't a whole lot of other differences besides passing as a guy in the suit (it's easier that way, except maybe for the multiple sports bras). She's still in love with Gwen Stacy, trying to keep her safe, and reluctantly learning that loving someone doesn't mean wrapping them up in cotton batting and bubble wrap. As is often the case with Spider-man stories, there's plenty of snark (always a highlight) and keeping the truth from Aunt May is... well, no one said Penny makes good decisions, but it's definitely entertaining.
Be Those Seasons, Made Up and Undone by
twistedingenue
Length: 11.091 words
Fandom: Thor, Avengers
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Clint/Darcy
Summary: A week into living at Stark Tower, Darcy Lewis wakes up underneath a table. It’s a perfectly fine table, more than tall enough to be sleeping under, but she’s trying to figure out why she’s underneath it.
Reccer's Notes: A Darcy POV that lets her lead the fic in the balance between being, well, Darcy, but not farcical and, instead, capable enough to roll with the punches and to stand her ground, or just plain hang on and soldier through, when it's called for. I love Darcy as the "average Jane" (so to speak) of a fic, and this is a very nice entry in the category.
Love is for Children and Other Lies by
Fahye
Length: 30.095 words
Fandom: Avengers
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Tricky question! See Reccer's Notes addendum.
Summary: War is the child's emptiness, the surrender of identity, the transformation into a simple system: purpose goes in, action comes out. (Natalia Alianovna Romanova, and everything that she became.)
Reccer's Notes: Another one I heard quite a bit about when it first emerged, but just didn't quite make it around to reading it until now. A long Natasha character study that spans decades from her childhood in the Red Room to the aftermath of events from the movie, and that I generally don't have enough words to do justice to. This is an ambitious fic that delivers on its promise.
Relationship Addendum: I would actually call this Natasha centric, gen-ish sort of fic. Natasha has a few encounters, both under orders and not, and the header tags for asexual character. There are a few potential relationships, but there isn't one endgame and a relationship definitely isn't the focus. This is one of those fics that highlights the limitations of our common categorization.
Crossposted to Dreamwidth where there are
comments. Comment here or there. ♥ Blue :)
[Do note that I'm not generally going to add any additional warnings for things the author already mentions in the tags and headers. so be sure to check them over - well, or don't, if you're impatient and absentminded like me, but I'm feeling the urge to forewarn you that just because I don't individually comment on it, doesn't mean there aren't consent issues, bestiality, and PTSD flashbacks.]
Figure Drawing by
thingswithwings
Length: 20.685 words
Fandom: Avengers
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Steve/Bruce
Summary: When he gets back to New York, Steve only lasts five days living in Williamsburg before he packs up again and heads, shamefaced, to Stark Tower. The people are nice enough, but they're a kind of rich that Steve doesn't know how to deal with, and the neighborhood is crowded and strange, with too many eyes on him all the time.
Reccer's Notes: Steve/Bruce was stretching my brain, but this fic was very enjoyable. I loved the dance between their personalities and the slow build.
Make One Dream Come True (You Only Live Twice) by
beardsley
Length: 14.099 words
Fandom: Avengers, Captain America
Rating: R
Relationship(s): Steve/Bucky
Summary: Five times the Winter Soldier evaded capture. In which there are tuxedoes, vodka martinis (shaken, not stirred), fakeout makeouts, massive property damage, a shark pit, and Steve has an Ursula Andress moment. But mostly, in true James Bond fashion, villains are seduced to the side of good.
Reccer's Notes: Avengers with a definite James Bond flair - that is, there are tuxedos, a cruise ship, monologuing villains, a destroyed hotel room, orders disobeyed, fights on the roof of at least one moving car, and sleeping with the enemy. And the aforementioned shark pit, of course. Fantastic Steve POV for a an amazing fic.
And We'll Be Complicated by
ingberry
Length: 18.565 words
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Stiles/Derek
Summary: Stiles already had his hands full with the case he was working on for the enigmatic Mrs. B. He really didn't need this too, but there was no changing the fact that he no longer remembered Derek Hale or anything connected to him. And no one could figure out why.
Reccer's Notes: Stiles is working a tricky but average case of supernatural hijinks when he suddenly turns up perfectly normal - minus a few memories. Stiles isn't terribly concerned; there aren't any big holes, after all, and there's still his dad, and Scott, and - God - the high school adventures alone. This Derek person couldn't be that important, right? (The way his no-really-it's-not-haunted-just-opinionated house is really comfortable with the guy is making everything confusing, though.) A fic just tricky enough you don't see the utterly simple ending coming, which makes it a really good read. This one is getting stashed in the good for re-reading pile.
Of Hoof Picks, Centaurs, and Flight by
blamebrampton
Length: 21.461 words
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Relationship(s): Harry/Draco
Summary: Harry has promised that he will not do anything to upset the new head of Magical Creatures. Even if it is Draco Malfoy. When three centaur foals appear in Cumbria, far from the Forbidden Forest and all too close to Muggles, Harry’s promise is thoroughly tested. To say nothing of his equestrian skills.
Reccer's Notes: Thoroughly enjoyable romp! Everyone's grown up (mostly) and it's a lot of silly situations tempered with competency as Harry and Draco try to ensure the wizarding world continues to slide under the muggle radar. Draco is a particular delight and I highly recommend it.
Treading Water by
tsukinofaerii
Length: 37.020 words
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Allison/Derek/Stiles
Summary: Investigating whatever's in the water of Beacon Lake should have been an easy way to pass the summer. Should have been. But one dip in the lake is all it takes to set off a reaction that lands Allison, Derek and Stiles neck-deep in hot water. And Scott? Scott has the world's worst timing.
Reccer's Notes: I wasn't quite sure what I was going to be getting into with this one, but I figured it could either go very wrong or very right. Fortunately, this one falls down on the side of very right. There's history but not too much baggage (something you can trip over and impale yourself on in Teen Wolf) and lots of pretty visuals. I will note that there's a confusing stretch with some rope wherein I kept trying to figure just how long it was, the likelihood of being able to procure it, and what the hell Scott and Stiles were doing in the meantime, but don't think too hard about the details when you get to that section, roll with the story instead, and you'll be good to go. *quietly stashes in the re-read pile*
His Fate Will Be Unlearned by
scifigrl47
Length: 94.274 words
Fandom: Avengers
Rating: R
Relationship(s): Steve/Tony
Summary: Tony Stark spent his childhood making weapons, filling the hole his father left in the world when he succumbed to alcohol, grief, and his own demons. At the age of fifteen, he ran away from home, and made it as far as MIT before all of his responsibilities caught up to him. Now seventeen, he just wants to finish his degree and escape from everything connected to the Stark name.
Steve Rogers crashed into the icy North Atlantic in the 1940's, sacrificing himself to save the world. He never expected to wake up, and now that he has, he's not sure he's glad. The US Army has other plans for him, but for now, Steve is slowly learning to live life in the 21st century, and taking classes at Boston College. He's beginning to suspect that there is no escape.
Boston College is on the T's Green Line. MIT is on the Red. The two lines meet at the Park Street Station, and so will Steve and Tony.
Reccer's Notes: SHIELD didn't chip Steve out of the ice, General Ross did, and that's a left turn with significant consequences. This AU also alters the time lines a bit and Tony is a wee 17 years old, working on his Master's at MIT and nominally escaping from Howard's thoroughly pickled madness that Obie's hiding from all and sundry by riding on the back of Tony's genius. Meanwhile, Steve's been set loose enough to take classes at Boston University, but there's a sharp eyed archer perched on the roof across from his apartment in charge of holding the leash. [In the course of finalizing this post, I just realized the header warns for Major Character Death but it's Howard, so no worries. (Sorry, Howard. Sort of. Okay, no, mostly indifferent.)]
Who's Right/Who's Left by
khaleesian
Length: 35.232 words
Fandom: The Fast and the Furious
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Dom/Brian
Summary: What if Brian had been on the right? If you change one thing...you change everything. Takes place at the end of 'the Fast and the Furious'.
Reccer's Notes: A fic I've been looking at for a long time before finally breaking down and starting Friday night. So, the crucial thing is that this takes place between the first and second movies, and that means it doesn't have your typical-rec-for-me happy ending, which I knew going in, thus the long wait despite the fact it's (still relatively) new TFTF fic by Khaleesian. Anticipating them ending up really damn pissed off at each other, the actual ending was more along the lines of impressively large pile of new baggage between them and needing breathing space, and that was actually a relief. Whew! And we all know the general direction they're driving in, right? Right. The premise is that the places of their cars were switched and there's a pretty big difference between the Supra and the Charger when it comes to being hit by a semi-truck. Brian doesn't remember who he is, but he's latched onto Dom, and Dom finds himself an unwilling caretaker of a buster that's halfway between someone he knows and someone entirely unexpected.
[Note: I had already written this rec before the news yesterday, so it's a bit surreal to post it now.]
Para Bellum by
Destina
Length: 51.464 words
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Arthur/Merlin
Summary: After Merlin goes missing, Arthur forges new alliances to repel a deadly threat to Camelot. Nothing will stop Arthur from finding Merlin, and nothing will stop Merlin from protecting Arthur -- no matter the cost.
Reccer's Notes: Sequel to The Stars Above, Stones Below, which is an excellent fic, but it's not actually necessary to have read it in order to follow this one. It opens with Arthur and Merlin having been quietly handfasted and Merlin serving as the court sorcerer as all lies quiet for the time being. It's shattered in short order, however, and when Merlin is kidnapped, Arthur will move heaven and earth to reclaim him. But Arthur, too, is in danger, and Merlin will use whatever means necessary to protect him, prophecies be damned.
I will admit there were a couple sections I skipped/skimmed, but that's actually still a recommendation in this case - I was suffering from familial induced sensory overload and those bits were tense enough that my already wired brain meant I had to scroll a bit and then pick things back up. It's a very good story with excellent writing, so I feel fully confident in assuming the parts I missed were just as good. The ending had a fascinating twist that if Destina decided to write another fic in this verse (this is the second one, after all), then I would certainly look forward to reading about how it played out.
Mad Science by
queerlittlething
Length: 2.696 words
Fandom: Night Vale
Rating: PG
Relationship(s): Gen-ish (Various Mentioned)
Summary: Charlie joined Carlos' team hoping to gain some practical experience, contribute to his field, maybe get a paper published. He definitely wasn't expecting...well...Night Vale. (A series of vignettes about everyone's favorite scientific researchers and their handsome leader.)
Reccer's Notes: Up for bid- wait, no, wrong writing twitch. ANYWAY (yes, that one's better), then there's Night Vale. Lovely read from the POV of one of Carlos' scientists as they integrate into the distinctly unusual world they've found themselves in (small towns are never normal you know) and cohere as very intelligent, mutually awkward coworkers. Sweet and adorable in the fantastically off-beat way of Night Vale with the grace note perspective of an outsider looking in.
Blueprint by Journey
Length: 61.049 words
Fandom: Due South
Rating: NC-17
Relationship(s): Fraser/RayK
Summary: The one after the adventure where Fraser's living in a small Christmasey town and Ray comes to help him build his new house, and then ends up staying forever after their first date goes swimmingly.
Reccer's Notes: I think I found this one via someone searching for it (and that's where I actually picked up the summary at). To be honest, the (eventual) sex was a bit over the top for me in this context, but everything around it was positively delightful.
Copycat by
IamShadow21
Length: 10.318 words
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Gen
Summary: Peter busts into a dingy apartment, expecting to find the artist behind a forgery racket. That's exactly what he finds, but the artist in question isn't anything like the sort of person he expected to find, and rather than having answers, he's got a far bigger mystery to solve.
An AU where things are very different, but the important things are the same.
Reccer's Notes: The things which are different, as referred to by the Summary, are that Neal Caffrey is an eleven year old painting prodigy and neuroatypically autistic. A forging ring is using him as a meal ticket when the FBI White Collar division raids the building where they have him stashed, leaving Peter an even bigger problem. The glimpses we get of Neal from Peter's POV are a delight - canon Neal has all the mischievousness of a child, after all, so it definitely suits - and June as his near ideal foster parent is both obvious in hindsight and well executed. Heartwarming, too, for that matter. It's a good, solid story with excellent characterizations that made for a fantastic, memorable fic.
The Sky Receding by
kiarasayre
Length: 7.105 words
Fandom: The Amazing Spider-Man
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Peter(Penny)/Gwen
Summary: Penny Parker navigates the waters of relationships, heroics, and the best way to stuff the crotch of a superhero costume.
Reccer's Notes: I remember that this one was warmly received when it first appeared but, like so many other fics, I just hadn't gotten around to reading it. Fortunately it was one of those I had stashed this weekend because it's a very nice slice of a spin on the story of Spider-man, aka Penny Parker. Penny just happens to be female, but there aren't a whole lot of other differences besides passing as a guy in the suit (it's easier that way, except maybe for the multiple sports bras). She's still in love with Gwen Stacy, trying to keep her safe, and reluctantly learning that loving someone doesn't mean wrapping them up in cotton batting and bubble wrap. As is often the case with Spider-man stories, there's plenty of snark (always a highlight) and keeping the truth from Aunt May is... well, no one said Penny makes good decisions, but it's definitely entertaining.
Be Those Seasons, Made Up and Undone by
twistedingenue
Length: 11.091 words
Fandom: Thor, Avengers
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Clint/Darcy
Summary: A week into living at Stark Tower, Darcy Lewis wakes up underneath a table. It’s a perfectly fine table, more than tall enough to be sleeping under, but she’s trying to figure out why she’s underneath it.
Reccer's Notes: A Darcy POV that lets her lead the fic in the balance between being, well, Darcy, but not farcical and, instead, capable enough to roll with the punches and to stand her ground, or just plain hang on and soldier through, when it's called for. I love Darcy as the "average Jane" (so to speak) of a fic, and this is a very nice entry in the category.
Love is for Children and Other Lies by
Fahye
Length: 30.095 words
Fandom: Avengers
Rating: PG-13
Relationship(s): Tricky question! See Reccer's Notes addendum.
Summary: War is the child's emptiness, the surrender of identity, the transformation into a simple system: purpose goes in, action comes out. (Natalia Alianovna Romanova, and everything that she became.)
Reccer's Notes: Another one I heard quite a bit about when it first emerged, but just didn't quite make it around to reading it until now. A long Natasha character study that spans decades from her childhood in the Red Room to the aftermath of events from the movie, and that I generally don't have enough words to do justice to. This is an ambitious fic that delivers on its promise.
Relationship Addendum: I would actually call this Natasha centric, gen-ish sort of fic. Natasha has a few encounters, both under orders and not, and the header tags for asexual character. There are a few potential relationships, but there isn't one endgame and a relationship definitely isn't the focus. This is one of those fics that highlights the limitations of our common categorization.
Crossposted to Dreamwidth where there are
comments. Comment here or there. ♥ Blue :)