MCU Gen: Fic, fanart & recs

If you've been waiting since the first time it was recced here, as a WIP, I have great news for you, friends: This, You Protect by owlet wrapped up today at a glorious 64K.

It started off as a hilarious one-shot about the Asset's mission imperative switching from killing Steve Rogers to protecting him. As Barnes rediscovers himself and his humanity, he picks up an incredible cast of supporting characters (in every sense of the word) along the way. It's not just a long and funny story, though: it's got incredible heart and a poignant-as-hell look at what waking up in the future has done to everybody.

As far as I'm concerned, this is 33 espresso shots of pure joy, and every last chapter delivers. Do yourself a favor and read this. You'll be really, really happy you did.

Speaking of which, happy 2015, whether it's already reached you or if it's coming soon!

septembriseur has been alluding to this fic for months, and if you've enjoyed her amazing, chilling looks at the early days of SHIELD before, you're going to go weak-kneed over this latest. It's an intensely researched, long-view look at Howard Stark, and what kind of brilliant young man gets involved in the Manhattan Project and sucked into the Cold War as a way of running from Captain America and the war years. It's also a hard look at his other original sin, the supposed betrayal of Anton Vanko that drives Iron Man 2.

The characterizations are subtle and complex and messily, so vulnerably human. The Easter egg moments will absolutely give you a shock when you almost glide over them. This is absolutely a Peggy who builds an organization that thrives and yet has to be torn down; this is a Peggy who lives a life too, which I found myself so grateful for as I read. Howard Stark makes so much sense when you look at him laid out like this, and even if your heart will be a bit broken, this fic will pay you back for it tenfold. Read this fic; we've been waiting for it.

Prince of the Apple Towns by kvikindi (72K)
Howard Stark: his history told. As if it were that simple.

He's startled by the hand that settles on his shoulder: a heavy comfort, warm and gentle. Erskine's face suggests he's laughing at Howard a little bit, but it's not unsympathetic, that expression. "Fear not," Erskine says. "Your, how do you say? Fuck-ups. Are very much minor, so far. At any rate, this is what the work is for, yes? We break things, and then we put them back together."

Erskine doesn't, really. He works with living bodies. You can't do that with living bodies; you can't just put them back together again. But Howard appreciates the words, anyways.

"Okay," he says. "Okay, yes. Back to work."

If you want to see some neat collaborative storytelling at work, howtheymakeyouaweapon hosts both links to fic related to How They Make You a Weapon by monicawoe ("Lovingly detailed dark!fic about the process by which Hydra turned Bucky into the Winter Soldier") and the accompanying comics adaptations by luckyraeve of portions of the fic.

I liked the fic, but I'm loving the incredible art. Beautiful and distressing and very detailed and rich.

Songs of Innocence and Experience by kvikindi (Drabbles; ongoing)
So when I say these are drabbles, what I really mean is these are intense and complicated looks at Peggy Carter and Howard Stark and Alexander Pierce and Steve and Bucky, which are only "drabbles" inasmuch as they appeared as responses to Tumblr prompts first. Cannot recommend enough.
"It’s a new era. You’re a futurist, Dr. Stark."
"In my darker moments," Howard said. "I try not to be."

standing in a windy tunnel shouting through the roar by basset_voyager (5K)
Told in audio transcripts after the Winter Soldier's been brought in.
R: We were friends, we are friends. You’re my best friend.
B: My job was to kill you.
R: Yeah, but you didn’t.
B: Captain, you seem to have very low standards for friends.

great at pets by andibeth82 (2400 words)
Clint Barton, unofficial SHIELD pet-sitter. Just a freaking delight.
“Barton’s harboring pets,” Maria says as soon as Pepper picks up the phone. “A lot of them.”