mcugen | Entries tagged with fic recs

( I don't think any of this is spoilers, but cut just in case: )

So I'm biased as this was a gift-fic, but it's also an amazing and eerie look at Natasha's sense of self when her memories are constantly being changed.

(And has a bonus cameo of Winter Soldier.)

a matter of circumstance (1097 words) by TLvop
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America (Movies)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov
Characters: Natasha Romanov
Additional Tags: Names, Identity, Trying to Reconcile Natasha's Age and Experience, Natasha-centric, non-archive warnings see note
Summary:

Names are not prophesies, but they have power.

Seven times Nataliya Alianovna was twenty years old.

sholio

Hollow and Honeycomb (11167 words) by antistar_e
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Captain America (Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Sam Wilson (Marvel), Riley (Captain America movies), Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Wings, Backstory, Non-Linear Narrative
Summary: Several years before Sam was born, a Supreme Court ruling decided that those who carried and visibly expressed a hereditary winged trait could not be mutilated, amputated, or otherwise altered without their consent, nor could they be discriminated against for housing, employment, etc. based on their possession of wings.

The world that Sam grows up in is one that remembers when it had been different. [Wing!fic AU.]

I just read this and had to run over to rec it, because it is AMAZING. The worldbuilding is incredible, and it slots perfectly into canon, the AU differences working seamlessly with what is already there. Sam, Sam, Sam! And Steve, and Bucky, and OCs so vivid that I'm sad they aren't actually going to be in the movies. There is lots of good fic in this fandom, but I think this is one of my absolute favorites, the kind of story you come back to again and again because it's not only amazing fanfic but good fiction, period.

newredshoes

The Dud by

nimmieamee (7500 words)
Oh man oh man oh man. Incredible narrative voice, really rich and engrossing world-building and atmosphere, a total period piece. A neat take on how Bucky and Steve get to be friends as kids, as well as a good look at what it means to be a chronically ill child in the '20s with the eugenics movement going on in the background.

“You don’t want me to pay you?” Bucky hazarded.
“No,” said Steve. He continued to stare at his knees. Thinking. Evidently he and Bucky were not square, not even after Bucky had saved his life.
“Well, you’re welcome,” Bucky muttered, after a minute.
“I gave you a paper,” Steve clarified.
“You can’t give somebody a paper instead of thanking them!” Bucky said.
“Sure I can,” said Steve. “Just did. Can take care of my own problems anyway. But thanks, if it means that much to you.”

elenafic

It probably says a lot about me that the following story is basically the apex of post-Cap2 fics. I'm serious guys, this is basically all good outcomes for the Winter Soldier, and if you aren't reading it yet, you should be.

Title: This, You Protect
Author: owlet
Fandom: Captain America (movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Chapter Count: 4/?
Summary: The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

newredshoes

Hollow and Honeycomb by

antistar_e (11K, wingfic)
Oh wow, guys, this one is an insta-rec. Really vivid characters, wonderful Sam Wilson voice, awesome worldbuilding. Between the '30s and the present, it became okay to keep your wings.
“Yeah, I know, I know. I’m not defending it, it’s just what we had to do, back then, to give anyone a chance.” He glances over, watching Sam absently straighten out his flight pinions, and his voice softens. “I wish it hadn’t taken so long for things to change.”

Repetition of position by

acaramelmacchiato (1900 words)
Because of course you needed Natasha and the Winter Soldier going undercover at a chess competition. Funny until it socks you in the gut, of course.
“Alright then, Scary Kasparov,” said Natasha in English, and headed to the door. "Let's get to it."
“What?” said the Winter Soldier, whose perfect understanding of English stopped just short of jokes.

On the Road by

kilicakes (1500 words)
Post-Winter Soldier Bucky takes refuge in a shed in Tennessee somewhere. Did you like that kid from Iron Man 3? If so, you're in for a treat.
Bucky was relieved to find the square little structure on the outskirts of town. Sure, it was small, but it looked like enough to at least stay the night in.
But Bucky didn’t expect to be lobbed in the head by a stray potato upon entry.

newredshoes

Transient, Transition by

BethCGPhoenix (1900 words)
"To everyone who doesn’t live there, D.C.'s just a convenient reservoir for an entire country's emotions. Steve can relate." A really lovely look at Steve figuring out the nation's capitol and how it is one lives there.
He worries for a moment that the people standing behind him will recognize him. But here, Steve's more recognizable when he wears a mask.

The Only World We've Got by

andibeth82 (2800 words)
Sharon Carter, and where she gets her toughness. I always love seeing stories about Sharon and Peggy and how they're close; this one has bonus excellent Natasha too.
“Your mother was not wrong to reprimand you,” Peggy says with a voice that sounds like it’s seen war, and Sharon is not yet old enough to understand that it has. “But you were also not wrong to fight back.”

newredshoes

I have been collecting a bunch of recs that I haven't been sharing here. Mea culpa! There are all kinds of good ones to be had, though.

( 10 fics, mostly Cap-cast-centric )

kate_nepveu

So, so many. Excerpted from recs posted at my journal, and broken up by theme.

( Two fics about media representation )

( The Sholio section: heartwarming gen team stories )

( The OC section )

( Bucky backstory & adjusting stories )

( The Sam section )

( Miscellaneous team-ish stories )

( Relationships can be complicated but it all works out in the end. )

( Silly. )

I will attempt to not let so many of these build up in the future . . .

ashen_key

To admit my own bias, this story is one I beta'd. But even if I hadn't, this is an utterly delightful fic set before the first Captain America movie. For those who know the canon it's crossed with, the Archie narration is perfect, and for those who don't, it's a fun outside POV fic with a really great period feel to the narration and style.

Another witness (1089 words) by FiKate
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Nero Wolfe - Rex Stout, Captain America (Movies)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Archie Goodwin, James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Fritz Brenner, Nero Wolfe
Additional Tags: POV Outsider, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Friendship, Brooklyn, 1930s
Summary:

Archie Goodwin's investigating a case and has to haul out to Brooklyn to get an art student named Steve Rogers for Nero Wolfe to interview. A brief glimpse into Steve and Bucky's lives before the War and Archie in the midst of an annoying case. Thank you to Ashie for betaing.

The next witness was out in Brooklyn and I wasn’t bringing the sedan out that way, I’d take a cab and the client could eat it. It took the cabbie a bit to find the address, but I did and went looking for number 5C and the Barnes’ residence where Steven Rogers was living.

Current Music: Wild Romantic Blues - Boardwalk Empire OST

sholio

I've been craving proper Sam wingfic, and then THIS came along! :D Absolutely perfect character voices, a very MCU-compatible plot, Tony being a wonderful supporting character, and just general perfection.

Wishbones (3374 words) by freshbakedlady
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Sam Wilson (Marvel), Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Thor (Marvel)
Additional Tags: Wingfic, Consensual Magic Use
Series: Part 1 of Blessed are Those
Summary: Sam went from working at the VA to teaming up with Captain America to assisting on a crew of superheroes. Magic shouldn't be a big step from that, but defending Central Park earns him an unexpected favor, and Sam isn't sure he wants to accept.

elenafic

Fair warning, I’m basically living the Sam Wilson appreciation life 24/7 these days.

Title: By Proxy
Author: lonelyantics
Fandom: Captain America (movies)
Characters: Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, James “Bucky” Barnes
Summary: Some days Sam doesn’t understand how he’s still alive.

Title: Bring Us Back a Souvenir
Author: newredshoes
Fandom: Captain America (movies)
Characters: Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers (through texts), James “Bucky” Barnes
Summary: Even with all his hair hacked off, he doesn't look like a Bucky, Sam thinks. Maybe as some sort of stupid joke, like naming your most vicious dog Sweetpea. Steve's told him the stories, and he's seen the old newsreels; he knows what this Barnes guy used to be like. But it's not like knowing what to look for is going to magically make some spark rise to the top. This isn't an excavation.

Title: No Angel
Author: Domenika Marzione
Fandom: Captain American (movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (movies), The Avengers (movies)
Characters: Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov
Summary: The flightpath of Sam Wilson from Afghanistan to DC.
Notes: If you’re only going to read one, read this one.

Title: Leviticus 25
Author: Domenika Marzione
Fandom: Captain American (movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (movies),
Characters: Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers
Additional Tags: Post-Captain America: the Winter Soldier, PTSD, Sam is good friend material
Summary: "You want to save Bucky Barnes? You are going to have to put your own house in order first because he is going to need a rock to cling to. You are not ready to be that rock for him. You owe it to him -- and more importantly, you owe it to yourself -- to figure things out, figure out how you can be happy in this time and place, whether or not Barnes is with you."

newredshoes

Two fics, two vids and an A+ artist with a large collection of pan-MCU work!

( Jim Morita, Bucky's sniper rifle, a little heartbreak, a lot of fun )

elenafic

These are like peanut butter and banana sandwiches for the soul.

Title: re: re: re: re: bad ideas you and clint barton have had
Author: lazulisong
Fandom: Captain America (movies), Hawkeye (comics)
Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers
Summary: You live with your best friend Steve in a giant tower in New York with seven or eight other crazy people and a cat named Cat and three robots and a voice that comes from the walls.

You're doing better now.

Title: Cliff Barton's Home for Wayward Mind Wiped Assassins
Author: roguewrld
Fandom: Captain America (movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Characters: Clint Barton, James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanov
Summary: “Where ever you were, whatever you did and whoever you did it for, it’s over. You need to pretend to be a person now, okay?”

Title: Manhunt
Author: Bouzingo
Fandom: Captain America (movies), The Avengers - all media types
Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov, Original Characters
Notes: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov take up about a paragraph of this story
Summary: Bucky and Clint go into the mountains to root out a gamma-powered serial killer.

theladyscribe

title: The Undertaker's Children
author:

rosepetalfall
fandom: Captain America (spoilers for Winter Soldier)
characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Rebecca Barnes Proctor, George Barnes, Winifred Barnes, Peggy Carter, Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan, Gabe Jones, Original Characters
word count: 14,522
summary:
Bucky’s dad always says what they do is important.

“We give people the dignity they deserved in life,” he says, seriously.

Uncle Danny laughs at that. “Jimmy-kid,” he says, “your old man has got some real trumped up notions of what it is we do. Death ain’t beautiful. We just help create the illusion that it can be.”

( minor spoilers for Winter Soldier in my comments )

fabrega

Four fic recs behind the cut!

( recs )

sholio

I went looking for older TFA-era fic (looking for missing scenes for the first movie, since most of the current batch of fic is TWS-related) and stumbled upon this little gem.

Five Tries (8935 words) by nimmieamee
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Captain America (2011)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Characters: Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes
Additional Tags: Kid Fic, Pre-Canon, Pre-Serum
Summary:

Four times Steve Rogers tried to find his best friend a family, and one time a family found him. Or, alternately, five times Steve and Bucky were nearly separated by adoption.

By now it's technically jossed all to hell, since it's pretty solid canon in TWS that they didn't grow up in an orphanage. But the emotional content of the fic, their love and loyalty for each other, is perfect.

sholio

As much as I've enjoyed the deluge of post-movie angstfests, sometimes you just want fluff and

Omnicat's Pay It Forward series really hit that spot for me. There are two fics in the series so far, Riviera Life and Fly on the Wings of Love, both of which are sweet and funny and still entirely in character. (The second one has lots of Tony, for extra bonus fun.)

Heroes, Soldiers, Fathers by

zelos is a missing scene for The First Avenger that I was recently linked to when I asked my flist for recs for those. This fic is about Steve's relationship with Col. Phillips (a character who has hardly any fic at all!) and also about Steve adjusting to his new situation and Bucky dealing post-torture.

newredshoes

~~One~~ Two! quick, drive-by recs, but oh dang, you're gonna love 'em.

think of it as personality dialysis by

KiaraSayre
Post-Winter Soldier crack that's briefly not but mostly is. Darcy takes Bucky shopping for some real outfits. I laughed a lot at this one.
"I strangled someone with a shoelace once," Barnes says. "Does that count as expressing myself through clothes?"

Men do not live only by fighting evils by

acaramelmacchiato
Sharon Carter fic, about her recruitment to SHIELD and her assignment guarding Cap. Wonderful, wry character voice, wrestling with doubts and certainties. Sort of heartbreaking and bittersweet ending; really rewarding, for something so short.
Another night he comes in with his lower lip split in half and a dark bruise on his chin. He looks sad, again, and tired, and the part of Sharon that took notes for the first time in Social Studies in sixth grade never wants Captain America to feel sad.