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tony-starkrogers · 6 years ago

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The Massive SteveTony Rec List

Welcome to my Fairly Comprehensive, Ridiculously Long SteveTony Fic Recs, aka my collection of pretty much nearly everything I’ve read and loved so far over the years. This fandom is lucky enough to have some truly brilliant and dedicated authors, and I’m always discovering new fics to love, so I thought I’d share some of them with you! Fics will be sorted alphabetically tbh just because I suck at sorting stuff? Some of my personal forever-faves will be marked with ♡. This is by no means all of the fics this fandom has to offer, but if you’re new to the fandom, this should give you a good place to start, and if you’ve been a SteveTony shipper for a while, hopefully you’ll find something new! And if you do have a favorite fic that’s not on the list, please add it to the comments or rec it to me (because who doesn’t need more fics)!

Here’s just a few GREAT resources to check out if you’re looking for Even More fic recs:

@sabrecmcstonyficrecs - I mean, sabre is basically THE fandom resource? Any and all fic you’re looking for you’ll likely find here. ||| @findingstony - if you’re looking for a particular fic and don’t remember where you found it, look here first! ||| @cap-ironman - the place to go, especially for brand new fics! the fandom lives here ||| @nasaficsrecs - many good fic recs ||| @ishipallthings many wonderful rec lists ||| @sineala - the place to go if you are at all interested in 616 SteveTony or really anything in the 616 comics universe

I have lots of fics bookmarked on ao3: my bookmarks! You can also check out my other fic rec lists, and my general fic rec tag. Also while you’re at it maybe check out some of my fics?

And here are the recs! (under the cut.) Have fun reading and be sure to show your authors some love with kudos and comments!!!

♡ 1796 Broadway by rainproof, teaberryblue - M | 460,220 words

Captain America respectfully requests that all complaints be addressed to him in writing. On paper, the nice old-fashioned way, because the computer screen hurts his eyes.

Put your phone down, Tony.

absence makes the heart by fantalaimon - G | 4,835 words

“One night,” Tony says, and just flies himself bodily into one of the canary yellow beekeepers like a red and gold battering ram. “I ask for one measly night. One single goddamn night with my boyfriend—”

“Oh, is the boyfriend label on now?” Clint asks over the comms.

A Higher Form of War by sabrecmc - M | 292,114 words

Tony is a King with a surprising number of people out to kill him. Steve and the rest of the Avengers are fighting for Pierce's rebellion and end up with Tony as their prisoner. Oops.

A New Way For Us by ann2who - M | 24,435 words

They fight Thanos—and they’re losing. And before Tony knows what’s happening, he’s standing with Doctor Strange in front of the Eye of Agamotto and gets send back in time. Can he find a way to fix things this time around, or are they doomed to fall apart all over again?

♡ A Partial Dictionary Of The 21st Century By Captain Steve Rogers, US Army by copperbadge - E | 13,888 words

Steve is adapting well to the new millennium, and he has the dictionary to prove it.

age is an irrational number by valtyr - E | 8,749 words

Steve and Tony grow old together.

♡ All Roads Lead To by theappleppielifestyle - G | 13,155 words

After Obadiah's betrayal, Tony hides in the depths of the Midwest to become a mechanic.

The Avengers come into his life anyway.

All These Things I've Said by Amuly - M | 5,840 words

When Tony starts talking in a language Steve can't understand--the language of science--Steve figures he'll retaliate with a little foreign language knowledge of his own. Only once he starts speaking French around Tony, Steve finds that sometimes it's easier to say what he really wants to say to Tony in a language he can't understand.

Good thing Tony doesn't know French.

And The Void Would Be Calling. by jadedoll - E | 17,721 words

Tony could be suffering from amnesia, a hitch-hiker from a parallel dimension, a ghost or maybe a time-traveller. He's sure he could work out the answer if Steve would just stop pretending he was Tony's boyfriend.

♡ As Sharp As Any Thorn by RurouniHime - E | 47,027 words

It’s four days to Christmas, there’s a city in shambles, and the nation is in mourning because of the actions of a single man.

♡ Be No Stranger (All Your Saints and Soldiers Remix) by jibrailis - T | 5,973 words

That's the twenty-first century love song, baby. Glitz and glamour and every one of us is a liar.

Bizarre Love Triangle by panickyintheuk - T | 1,929 words

Once the idea was in his head, he’d started picking up on all kinds of things, like the way Stark talked about Iron Man with such affection, and seemed to share so many of his mannerisms, and was constantly working on ways of improving the suit. It was obvious.

Blank Slate - A Tony Stark Mystery by navaan - T | 25,381 words

He doesn’t remember who he is or who his friends are, but he knows he’s in a Nazi prison and needs to get away. He doesn’t remember anything about Captain America either, but the man seems to be the kind of guy you trust.And apparently they share more history than meets the eye at first glance.

♡ But Loving Him Is Red by theappleppielifestyle - Not Rated | 25,524 words

"It is- it is not just destined, Steve Rogers. It will reach through the decades, through entire universes if it has to. It will scour the galaxies without rest until the two of you are standing next to each other. Migardians- Migardians call them soulmates, I believe."

♡ Captain America, Undone by laireshi - M | 2,818 words

Steve thinks he can seduce Tony before Tony seduces him. He's very, very wrong.

♡ Captain !@#$*%& America by Wordsplat - T | 8,093 words

The first time Tony hears Steve swear, he's pretty sure it's a dream. The second time is a lot harder to dismiss, considering it's the middle of the afternoon and they're both clearly awake. After that, what else can Tony do but use science to get to the bottom of it?

Catching Lightning in a Bottle by sabrecmc - M | 120,650 words

College student Tony meets janitor Steve at MIT and they fall blissfully in love, until Howard happens and things fall apart. One divorce paperwork snafu courtesy of the ever-helpful Jarvis, and ten years later, Tony has to get re-divorced from Steve.

This does not go as he imagines.

♡ Cherry Ride by copperbadge - E | 12,318 words

A SHIELD agent named Roger Stevens told Tony that his nickname was "Cap". Tony didn't connect the dots until it was much, much too late.

♡ Counterpart by sara_holmes - M | 217,400 words

coun•ter•part [koun-ter-pahrt] [noun] 1. a person or thing closely resembling another, especially in function. 2. a copy; duplicate. 3. one of two parts that fit, complete, or complement one another.

Just because Hydra used the DNA of a Captain America from another dimension to create a lab-grown, six-year-old super-soldier, it doesn't mean that said six-year old super-soldier is biologically Steve's, right?

(Where Steve wants to ban Clint from bringing things home from alternative dimensions, until he doesn't.)

Dangerous Kitchen Tools by ladyshadowdrake - E | 18,330 words

Engineering prodigy, billionaire, and heir to the Stark Industries empire, Tony Stark turned the business world on its head by opening a restuarant and burying himself in the kitchen. Years later, he covers an informal evening cooking class for his friend and fellow molecular gastronomist, Bruce Banner, where he meets famously camera-shy comic artist Steve Rogers.

♡ Dazed and Confused by tsukinofaerii - M | 4,160 words

Captain America has a great many duties that need careful attention. He has to... uh... That thing where... Wow, Tony's pants are awfully tight, aren't they?

Dear Tony, by sirona - T | 5,925 words

Once the dust after what no one is referring to as "The Break-up" has settled, Steve starts writing and doesn't seem to know how to stop.

"death by coffee" and other search queries by goodmorningbeloved - T | 2,841 words

In which Steve's feelings are hopelessly obvious through his Google searches. JARVIS decides to step in.

Deep in the Heart of Me by Finely Honed (jaqen_hgar) - E | 255,926 words

There were days when the realization that he was someone’s father made Steve's head hurt, but mostly he was grateful that he could trust his instincts, because apparently Peter was what had been missing from his life. Yes, he still had lingering, unresolved issues from his time in the Army, and sure, he had what Bucky annoyingly referred to as a criminally untapped ass, and no life outside of work and Peter, but Steve was okay with how his life had turned out because of trusting his instincts.

Unfortunately, those same instincts had straight up betrayed him by going absolutely haywire upon being exposed to Tony Stark.

Do It Over by Sineala - T | 1,999 words

The last words your soulmate says to you are written on your skin, and you won't know who they are until they die. The thing is, Steve and Tony die a lot.

♡ don't know why it took me so long to see by goodmorningbeloved - M | 11,209 words

“Oh, watch this,” Natasha says, propping her chin against her knuckles and turning a sweet gaze on him. “Tony, what’s it like dating a superhero?”Tony bristles in irritation. “We’re not dating,” he snaps. “Captain America probably thinks he can get into anyone’s pants just ‘cause he’s got a mask, costume, and reputation, but not me, buddy. That shield? Gotta be overcompensating for something.” He adds, a bit petulantly, “Oh, and all that blue? Definitely more Steve’s color than his.”-

In which Tony is a genius in all matters except recognizing his boyfriend past a mask.

♡ Emanata (The Comics Will Break Your Heart Remix) by teaberryblue - T | 29,720 words

Steve Rogers has the opportunity to fulfill his childhood dreams of becoming a comic artist when eccentric billionaire, superhero patron, and obsessive comic enthusiast Tony Stark offers him a job drawing Iron Man.

But Tony Stark has no idea that Steve Rogers is really Captain America, the newest member of the Avengers.

And Iron Man has no idea that Captain America is really Steve Rogers, up-and-coming comic book artist.

And Steve doesn't know what to do about the fact that he's falling head over heels for them both.

♡ Engaging the Enemy by tsukinofaerii - T | 22,823 words

Iron Man is one of the more persistent villains that the Ultimates face, with a special fondness for one Captain America. As Steve starts to findout more and more about him, the lines between hero and villain begin to blur. Sometimes, you don't have to be on the right side of the law to be in the right.

even if the brain has forgotten, perhaps the teeth remember (or the fingers) by theappleppielifestyle - G | 8,906 words

Tony gets temporary amnesia.

Some things are clearer without his preconceptions dragging him down.

♡ Even My Phone Misses Your Call by rainbowninja167 - E | 10,869 words

Steve makes it all the way to Ohio before conceding that the post-Chitauri road trip might’ve been a mistake.

Or, ten times Steve has to call Tony to come pick him up.

Even Tony Can't Resist Puppy Love by Wordsplat - T | 7,766 words

In which there is a dinner bet, a com line confession, and, as usual, Loki's magical hijinks make Tony's life unnecessarily difficult.

Fairy Godmother by Amuly - T | 5,186 words

Auntie Peggy has been telling Tony stories about Captain America his whole life. Only problem is, the real thing just about measures up to the stories. Which means, of course, that Aunt Peg has to go to work, because an Aunt's work is never done.

Favorable Winds by RurouniHime - T | 2,056 words

Steve’s voice comes from behind, a sigh and a thump as his own pack hits the floor. “Sam. Meet Tony Stark.”

Follow in Your Footsteps by Sineala - T | 6,788 words

When Tony is twelve, his soulmate's name appears on his wrist. Unfortunately, it's hard to find out anything at all about Steve Rogers.

It turns out there's a reason for that.

Formerly by laireshi - T | 13,620 words

A week ago, he touched Steve at night. A week ago, he kissed him. A week ago, Steve kissed him back.

(A week ago Steve was dead, and Tony deleted his brain.)

The Foodieverse (series) by copperbadge, scifigrl47 - works G-T | 130,326 words in series

It's an AU where everyone works in the food industry. That makes total sense and is definitely not wildly irrational on any axis.

♡ Get Some Now by Sineala - T | 10,376 words

Avengers Mansion has a mysterious feline infestation. Meanwhile, Steve just can't figure out how to ask Tony out on a date. And the thirteen teleporting cats sure aren't helping matters any.

♡ Going on a Ride (series) by theappleppielifestyle - Not Rated | 14,306 words in series

"You want to take me for a ride on your motorcycle," Tony repeats, slow so he can process it as he’s saying it, "because you think my glasses are cute."

Hashtag Finally by Wordsplat - T | 15,208 words

Tony doesn't ever actually ask the Avengers to move into his house, steal his wifi, eat all his food, and become the best family he's ever known. They do it anyway.

How To Be a Truly Terrible Wingman by Wordsplat - M | 11,721 words

Prompt: "We were both playing wingman for our friends who have now decided to go home together, and after five minutes of conversation we fucking hate each other. Let’s bang it out."

♡ How To Excel At Supervillainy (and lose your heart to America) by Zekkass - E | 13,531 words

And that's how Tony's supervillainy hobby got way way way complicated.

♡ How to Lose a Super Soldier in One Easy Step by and_backagain, jibrailis - E | 18,248 words

Rogers jerks backwards, shock registering on his face, and Tony thinks, welcome back to the land of the living, Cap, looks like you're sticking around.

Or, a Pushing Daisies AU.

♡ I (created from fantasies) exist solely for you by Mizzy - T | 62,917 words

Six years ago, without the Avengers Initiative there to save the day, scientist Dr. Eric Selvig sacrificed himself to save the world, the almighty demi-god Thor was lost to a terrible storm, and vigilante Iron Man – spotted with a nuclear weapon trying to take advantage of the situation – was forever labelled an enemy of SHIELD.

This is a comic book office AU, where Steve is defrosted a year too late, Thor has forgotten who he is, and no one knows Tony is Iron Man. Also includes: office pranks, inappropriate post-it notes, and superheroes who like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain

Indecent Proposal by gyzym, Siria - T | 2,592 words

On the plus side, marriage is bound to be easier than proposing.

i stole the keys to this guy by kellifer_fic - M | 6,007 words

Where it was Nick Fury's idea, but he didn't mean it like that

♡ In Which Tony Stark Builds Himself Some Friends (But His Family Was Assigned by Nick Fury) (series) by scifigrl47 - works rated T-M | 343,010 words

Steve takes things like personal responsibility and respect seriously. Tony's got people he pays to take care of that kind of thing, and anyway, he's pretty sure that he's going to die of some exotic disease in his workshop, because Dummy's still a little spotty about what is 'clean' enough to put on an open wound. The rest of the Avengers are in this for personal gain, except for Clint, he just enjoys being a dick.

And some things shouldn't be a chore.

♡ i will never stop losing my breath (every time i see you looking back at me) by theappleppielifestyle - G | 3,222 words

In all fairness, Tony is on autopilot when this happens. He’s had a long, hard day, and it’s possible he hasn’t slept in several long, hard days. He’s already half-asleep on the couch and he’s relaxed and happy, which is a rarity on its’ own, and he’s comfortable enough to let his guard down and get his body to do all the work without switching his brain on.

That should’ve been enough of a warning sign, but apparently not: Tony stretches, says goodnight to his teammates and gets varied responses back, and then he kisses Steve.

He only realizes what he’s done after he’s started to lean back, opening his eyes to see Steve’s blown wide, staring at Tony with his lips gone slack and a tiny furrow between his eyebrows.

if they be worthy by theappleppielifestyle - Not Rated | 824 words

Everyone's staring, and Tony isn't awake enough to do anything but gape dumbly at the hammer in his hand."Huh," he says."Seconded," Steve says through his toast. "Tasha, go tell Coulson another one of us can pick it up."

♡ Last Train Home by erde - T | 10,983 words

Steve writes letters to Tony that he never sends. By the time he hands them to their rightful owner, Tony has had a brush with death, has retired as a superhero, and now has a small town workshop of his very own. But it's okay, Steve has gone into retirement too.

Like Gene Kelly in the Movies by lyra_wing - M | 11,449 words

Everything Tony Stark does is a dance. And it's super confusing for Steve.

Like Sunlight by sara_holmes - M | 8,309 words

Steve is used to the way it feels by now; a strange but gentle tugging connection under his sternum, warm tingles in his skin whenever they touch. That is, until Tony gets himself kidnapped. Then it kinda feels more like someone is trying to wrench his heart out through his ribcage.

Looking for Heaven by foxxcub - E | 31,950 words

When young Lord Anthony Stark learns Steven Rogers has enlisted in the army, he thinks he's seen the last of his tiny, headstrong, haughty stable boy. But four years later, Lord Stark gets an unexpected visit from Steve, whose mother has fallen gravely ill and into financial ruin. Even more unexpected, Steve agrees to a shocking proposal: they will marry, giving Steve the necessary funds to save his mother, and Tony the much-needed reprieve from harassing would-be suitors. It is a business arrangement, nothing more. But as time goes on and circumstances arise, Tony begins to learn that keeping his heart away from his husband is easier said than done.

♡ Love in a Time of Amnesia by Amuly - T | 6,241 words

Carol might have lost all her memories of her friends, but there's at least one thing she can know with absolute certainty: Steve and Tony are a couple. And if the rest of the Avengers insist on saying they're not, well: Carol will just have to put her amnesia to use, for the greater good.

♡ L☆VE by copperbadge - M | 3,773 words

Steve's favorite shirt is at the center of a debate about masculinity, sexuality, and whether or not he did in fact steal it like a thief in the night from Tony.

♡ Meet Your Heroes by Wordsplat - M | 4,130 words

Tony gets rescued by a highly concerned, very handsy Captain America. This is confusing for a number of reasons.

Momentary Paws (or, DO NOT WANT) by velithya - T | 16,834 words

WTF KITTEN

♡ Mr. July by jibrailis - E | 10,065 words

Tony is the only one who can defend Steve's virtue. Tony hates his life.

♡ Neanderthals In Tights (Also Known As a Football Game) by Wordsplat - T | 3,228 words

In which Tony supports Steve at his first big football game, with guest appearances by an exasperated Pepper and an embarrassed Bruce, because yeah, okay, maybe Tony's not really one hundred percent clear on the rules of this game. Why, exactly, are a bunch of neanderthals tackling his boyfriend again?

one hundred percent skill, fifty percent luck by kellifer_fic - T | 7,418 words

Where there is a poker game, a v-card and general misunderstandings

Orbiter Dictum by schmevil - T | 7,357 words

Steve is at the sink, washing the few dishes that pizza for two generates, when he realizes that Tony is in love with him.

Our Weight In Gold by ann2who - E | 33,607 words

It was every cliché he’d ever heard about. Every sappy thing they wrote down in the magazines, every single thing he had always hated about the myth. It was as though he had experienced life without sight, and was suddenly bombarded by a storm of color. It was all-consuming, and rushing through his veins like molten lava, like his whole existence was suddenly filled with sunlight. A door opened, and a myriad of emotions stormed through his body: confusion, disbelief, loneliness, and so much fierce determination that it almost knocked Tony off his feet. And he understood then, understood that these emotions weren’t his. They were Rogers’.

This is a story about fate, self-doubt, choice and eventually—love.

Over Sea, Under Stars by vorkosigan - T | 36,651 words

Tony gets the phone, but he never uses it and he never intends to. Or, he doesn’t until Steve starts texting him, asking strange questions about medication and mental health, which is when Tony gets worried.

♡ Phil Coulson's Case Files of the Toasterverse - works rated mostly G-T, | 287,890 words in series

Short stories from the Toasterverse

Place Your Bets by RurouniHime - M | 35,999 words

Steve Rogers may or may not have just picked up a prostitute. This may or may not be Tony Stark’s fault.

♡ Pulse, Beat, and Measure (series) by Sineala - E | 134,095 words in series

Two men. Two worlds. Life during wartime.

Ready, Fire, Aim (series) by gyzym - M | 63,019 words in series

There's no "I" in "Avenger."

♡ Relativistic Heat Conduction (series) by BlossomsintheMist - E | 70,484 words in series

Age of Ultron-based, but not entirely canon compliant. Written for the 2013 Cap-Iron Man Reverse Big Bang. Ultron has attacked, obliterating most of the world's superheroes and resistance in a matter of hours. The remaining heroes band together and share what strength they have to get through it, to survive, and defeat Ultron once and for all. Steve Rogers grieves in the wake of the disaster and the heroes' defeat, and no one knows if he will be able to provide the leadership they need--but Tony Stark isn't about to let him slip away that easily.

♡ Rom-Commed By Fate (Or JARVIS) by leashy_bebes - E | 14,387 words

The best thing about being an Artificial Intelligence is the ability to parse, filter and modify the things people say until you've got the cause to do exactly what you wanted in the first place. Or, in which JARVIS cock blocks Tony into having an actual relationship.

♡ Run Program: {x} by Amuly - M | 19,728 words

Taking care of Tony is a lot of work. Especially when you’ve only got one arm. And your code dates back to the 1980s.

♡ Secrets of a Successful Marriage by valtyr - E | 24,118 words

Tony Stark lives a double life; he's secretly the supervillain known as Iron Man. But his loving husband Steve has a few secrets of his own, as Tony is about to discover.

♡ SexyMechanic70 by Potrix - T | 2,449 words

“SexyMechanic70,” Natasha reads aloud, nodding approvingly.“Sounds promising,” Clint offers.“And look,” Bucky adds, “he didn’t even send a dick pic! And he praised your sketch which, by the way, is a totally lame icon choice.”Steve snatches his phone back, batting Bucky’s hands away when he struggles to reach for it again. “Cut it out,” he grouses. “Also, excuse me for not posting a picture of my abs.”“A true tragedy,” Sam sighs, earning himself an indignant squawk from Bucky and a betrayed look from Steve. “What? I’m just saying. They’re great abs.”“True,” Nat hums and bumps the fist Clint is holding out to her.

♡ Sixpence In His Shoe by scifigrl47 - M | 103,682 words

Steve and Tony should really read the fine print on what they're signing. Then again, some mistakes are not really mistakes.

♡ Soul Bomb by copperbadge - T | 1,944 words

Suddenly everyone in Manhattan has someone else's voice in their head. Tony got Steve's, for his sins.

♡ Stand Back, I'm Going To Try Science by Good_News_Everyone - T | 2,123 words

Soulmates are a rare and cherished thing, a simple touch of hands bringing love that lasts forever. By all the rules of romance, they're meant to wait for each other and to trust in the vagaries of fate to bring them together. Tony's never been good at waiting, and when he has science on his side, who needs fate?

♡ Start as You Mean to Go On by BlackEyedGirl - E | 2,612 words

Tony gets that the others think this is an ego thing - the way he can’t resist pushing Steve’s buttons. Honest-to-God, the guy just bugs him. Mostly because Steve is distractingly perfect, but a little bit because of the family history.

♡ Steve Rogers Is (Not) A Morning Person by theappleppielifestyle - Not Rated | 1,161 words

Dream, Steve decides. With that comforting knowledge, Steve takes Tony's face in his hands and kisses him.

(Spoilers: it isn't a dream.)

Steve Rogers Takes Offense and the World Gets Schooled by RurouniHime - T | 2,463 words

In which Steve has no idea how that got up on BuzzFeed (aka, because some people don't respond to anything but the direct approach.)

♡ Syzygy (a Kludged Together remix) by Mizzy - T | 20,198 words

When Tony Stark cut Steve Rogers' morning jog short to join him on a reconnaissance mission off the East Coast, Tony sure wasn’t expecting to end up stuck on a life raft in the middle of the ocean, Steve's hand knuckle-deep in his chest.

♡ Tales of the Bots by scifigrl47 (series) - most works rated M | 523,654 words

When Tony Stark was seventeen years old, he built his first AI. On that day, he ceased to be his father's creation, and became a creating force in his own right.

That one act likely saved his life, and not always in the most obvious ways.

The Best Policy by cylobaby27 - M | 22,724 words

Tony Stark breezes through life on bluster and bullshit. When he gets hit by a truth spell, he locks himself away in his workshop so he can find a way to reverse it without anyone finding out. So why can't he say no when Steve keeps asking to spend time with him?

♡ the family you choose by theappleppielifestyle - Not Rated | 7,385 words

“Just who exactly was my son making out with in a closet?”

“Tony Stark.”Huh.“You might know him,” Fury continues, and Sarah nods, furiously biting at her cheek so she doesn’t do something awful, like giggle.

♡ The Forever-Nighter by Wordsplat - T | 10,172 words

When Rhodey decides that Tony's been slacking lately and drags him along to the gym, Tony's fully prepared to duck right back out the door the first time Rhodey turns around. Then he sees Hot Blond Guy.

♡ The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark by jibrailis - M | 42,327 words

After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve.

♡ The Opposite of a Problem by Sineala - T | 2,490 words

"I promise to love, honor, and probably not obey you, and, uh, take you as my totally-unlawfully-wedded husband, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death do us part, or for at least the next seventy-two hours."

(Or: Tony and Steve get fake-married for the sake of the mission.)

♡ The Tchotchke Cha Cha by Arukou - T | 7,269 words

What started off as one impulse buy souvenir snowballs into a constant flow of knickknacks from all over the world, and Steve is starting to wonder if it's more than just Tony being nice.

♡ The Twice-Told Tale by arysteia - E | 15,789 words

For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.

Think of This as Solving Problems (That Should Never Have Occurred) by Sineala - T | 35,216 words

No one knows Tony is Iron Man. Then Tony gets amnesia, and literally no one knows Tony is Iron Man.

♡ Toasted Buns by copperbadge, scifigrl47 - E | 47,044 words

After seeing Tony naked and tanned -- all over -- in a decontamination shower, Steve realizes he may be in trouble. Tony, meanwhile, is definitely in trouble over those tabloid pictures of him sunbathing nude. The solution is clearly a tropical island getaway.

♡ Tony Stark Falls In Love With A Cat by shellhead - M | 6,887 words

When Steve goes missing, Tony ends up finding him at an animal shelter. Volunteering.

♡ Tony Stark and the Super Sleeper, or actually, Soldier by RurouniHime - T | 8,571 words

The one where Steve keeps falling asleep on Tony.

♡ Tony Stark Takes a Liberty and the Universe Thanks Him by RurouniHime - T | 1,512 words

In which people think they are entitled to Steve Roger's face (aka, because tomorrow is coming, and I hold out hope, Supreme Court.)

♡ Toy Soldiers by copperbadge - E | 44,241

When Steve Rogers, five foot four and a hundred and ten pounds, met Tony Stark in a bar, he didn't expect it to lead to a relationship. Or that Tony would find out he's not an art student during a SHIELD rescue mission in Afghanistan.

♡ Truth by valtyr - E | 2,677 words

Captain America takes truth serum. Tony is all over that.

♡ Two Out of Three (Ain't Bad) by plingo_kat - T | 9,449 words

It blindsides him one morning in the middle of his customary third cup of coffee; Steve walks through the door in loose cotton pants, shirt pulled up to wipe the sweat off his face from his usual morning workout, and Tony thinks: adorable.

♡ Unveil My Unsightly Heart by Mizzy - M | 43,019 words

Looking over an old prototype helicarrier for its future viability as a base for the Avengers should have just been a routine day full of bickering and non-adventure for Steve Rogers and Tony Stark.

But when they're catapulted into an alternate universe – where their alternate selves are married and battling with a mysterious threat – the two are forced to get over their differences in order to figure out what's going on, before it's too late.

Because there's more going on than meets the eye, and Steve and Tony falling in love might just be the most dangerous thing that can happen. Not just for one universe, but for all of them…

Wait & Sea by Lenalena - E | 53,244 words

In which Tony and Steve get sent on an undercover mission aboard a cruise ship to make contact with Hydra. In this AU the military has kept the discovery and defrosting of Captain America a secret, so Steve and Tony have never met before. Yet they are to pose as newlyweds....

Wash It All Away by ann2who - E | 8,634 words

Steve hummed, looking up at him. “All right. Strip.” Tony blinked at him. “Excuse me?” “Can’t very well wash your clothes while you wear ‘em,” he said and held out a hand expectantly.

What You Don't Know by Sineala - E | 9,808 words

In 1941, two strangers meet in a bar. And then Captain America meets Iron Man. And then Steve Rogers meets Tony Stark. They get it right. Eventually. And also they fall out of an airplane.

♡ when i run out of road, you bring me home by quidhitch - M | 18,466 words

“Oh, I won’t bother you.” The tone of Steve’s voice implies that he definitely will be bothering Tony, aggressively and frequently. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll keep to my farm, you keep to yours. Solitude together.”

Tony opens his mouth to argue that that’s not how this works, but he snaps it shut at the realization that Steven Grant Rogers is fucking with him. That twinkle in his eye has accelerated into a full-on glimmer, and the ends of his lips are twitching. Jesus, he hates this man. Or maybe he wishes he did. Tony can’t really tell the difference anymore.

♡ When I think about you by sirona - E | 11,955

Five times someone saw Steve sass the hell out of Tony and one time Tony finally bought a clue. Also known as the story of Captain Sasspants more than handling his own with Tony Stark at his most devious.

♡ When I Think (Oh, it Terrifies Me) by celli - E | 8,641 words

Look, some mornings you wake up and little green men are invading New York City; some mornings you wake up and you can hear Captain America's voice in your head. Tony has been an Avenger long enough that he saves his freakout for important things.

♡ will we ever say the words we're feeling by theappleppielifestyle - Not Rated | 1,673 words

He breaks off then, the realization of what he’s just revealed finally hitting him, and he stops, and Tony’s still staring.

(Or, Steve and Tony argue and Steve lets something slip.)

♡ With Words Other Than These by RurouniHime - E | 14,690 words

The way Steve’s beating that bag, though—Tony traces the cadence as well as the lines of Steve’s body, and wonders if he might not need to know about the mission after all. There’s a lot of tension knotted in Steve’s shoulders, a frenzy to each punch. The precision lacks. Maybe Steve’s just getting started, and if that’s the case, Tony could be here a long, long while.

with you by laireshi - M | 3,108 words

Sometimes Steve gets overwhelmed by how much he loves Tony.

Your Name on Every Wall by Sineala - T | 17,863 words

The Time Gem throws Steve into the past rather than the future, and in doing so, it gives him the opportunity to undo his past mistakes. But when it turns out that all of his mistakes involve Tony Stark, Steve begins to wonder if he's ever going to be able to mend things between them.

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Hey, the list did have to end at some point! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed these recs!

Tagging some people who might be interested:

@divine529, @sabrecmcstonyficrecs, @sineala, @ishipallthings, @itsallavengers, @nasafic, @estebanrxgers, @starksnstripes, @goodmorningbeloved, @goose-danvers

#stevetony #stony #stony fic rec #stevetony fic rec #stevetony rec list #stony rec list #superhusbands #my fic recs #fic rec

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arukou-arukou · 7 years ago

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Fics with roughly 5,000 hits or less

As part of fanfic appreciation day, allow me to post some fics I’ve enjoyed that I think are deserving of a little more love. These are all Steve/Tony, though the universes vary.

once a day, every day by @silkspectred Warnings: Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Suicidal Thoughts, Depression. Basically read the tags carefully before you go in. Why I love this: I love the way Silkspectred writes healing in general. Their approach feels deep and meaningful to me, and their fic, this one included, usually makes me cry, but it’s the good kind of crying.

When Our Day Comes by @thepartyresponsible Warnings: Sexual content Why I love this: Gosh, I am just a sucker for friends-with-benefits mixed with a dash of pining and a lot of misunderstanding. I am even more of a sucker for fics where Tony actively tries to take care of Steve, even if he goes about it in a roundabout sort of way.

Into Words by @dirigibleplumbing Warnings: Past non-con (off screen) Why I love this: I really like this approach to Tony’s inner self, where his genius is demonstrated to a certain extent. It’s hard for a lot of us to pull off the sense that Tony’s brain moves a million miles an hour, but I felt it here. I also generally enjoy these encyclopedia/definition style fics.

from the ashes of our pasts by @s-hylor Warnings: Amputation (off screen) Why I love this: This is another one of those fics about healing that just gets me right in the feels. I love how Ults has blossomed across fandom, and this is one of those ones that I think captures Steve so beautifully.

Shame by @one-and-five-nines Warnings: None Why I love this: I know this comic is about on tumblr as well, but it’s great to have it collected all in one place and to be able to comment on it freely. One-and-five-nines has such a distinctive, beautiful style, and I love the way they build story through visuals as well as the words on the page.

Easier (The Shame Remix) by @festiveferret Warnings: None Why I love this: My soft spot for the original Shame also runs to this fantastic remix, where Tony finds interacting with his tech so much easier than real people. (Shocking, I know.) Festiveferret is always careful to show characters actually talking and coming to an understanding, and I really appreciate that about their writing.

The White Star of Liberty by Ellidfics Warnings: None Why I love this: You may have guessed by my Persuasion rewrite that I’m a sucker for period pieces, so naturally I love this particular period piece. Ellidfics takes historical fictional material and yet somehow manages to imbue it with the characteristics of the characters we know and love.

All Roads and Unweaving by Night by lastdream Warnings: None Why I love this: In a similar vein to The White Star of Liberty, Lastdream takes historical fiction and puts it on our modern heroes, framing Steve as Odysseus and Tony as Penelope. These pieces are short and yet so lovely.

Never for the Dragon by @lightshadowverisimilitude Warnings: Body dysmorphia, body horror Why I love this: Ladyshadowdrake’s writing is always lovely, but this one in particular is one I remember years later, though it made me cry so hard I haven’t dared reread. Scenes from it come back to me with a wave of melancholy and I am always moved by them.

For Out of Many Waters and Crucible Illustrations by @musicalluna Warnings: None Why I love this: I’m cheating a little because these aren’t fics, but they are the illustrations which inspired some of my own fics, so darn it I’m going to rec them. Lu is so skilled at capturing the characters on the page, and her art has always served as an inspiration point for me, so you should definitely go give it some love. Also, Lu’s a pretty great writer, so while you’re at her AO3, you can also just dive into her fics as well.

Lost in a Sigh by orphan_account Warnings: None Why I love this: Until these past couple of years, music was a big part of my life, and I always love fics that pull me into the world of music again. I also love the setting of this fic, the way it feels so perfectly in its world and how the characters occupy the space given to them.

Fifty/50 by Mizzy Warnings: Sexual content Why I love this: Fanfic doesn’t lend us a lot of opportunities to experiment with form, but Mizzy pulled it off anyway, and thus endeared this story to my heart. I love the play of the fateful decision as it sprawls out on the page: not a choose-your-own-adventure but rather two-paths-in-a-wood.

#fic rec list #silkspectred #thepartyresponsible #dirigibleplumbing #s-hylor #one-and-five-nines #festiveferret #ellidfics #lightshadowverisimilitude #musicalluna #steve/tony #stony

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cap-ironman · 7 years ago

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2017 Holiday Exchange and Community Gifts Creator Reveals & Event Masterlist

This year, we got 102 works submitted for our event! That is amazing. Thank you all very much for participating--writing, arting (and knitting!), submitting the prompts for the Comm Gifts, cheerleading the creators, and beta-reading! We hope you had lots of fun :) The full event masterlist together with the creators of each work is here under the read more! IT’S LONG AND AMAZING.

Unmade by laireshi for Kiyaar (616, 3600 words) "He looked exactly like you," Tony hears himself say. "I knew it wasn’t you, but he looked like you, so I believed he wouldn’t hurt me." Why is he telling Steve that? "He told me you loved me," Tony continues. Maybe he just wants it all to hurt. Maybe if it hurts enough, it’ll finally end once and for all. All I Want For Christmas by scifigrl47 for Mozzarella (MCU, 6300 words) It's the Christmas season, and all Steve wants is a little privacy. All Tony wants is a date. All thanks to Justin Hammer- Wait, what?? by afincf_tirwer for adarksweetness (MCU, 2900 words) Tony ends up for auction at a charity ball. Steve ends up with a ticket. But with both boys smitten and unable to address it, well, that leads to complications. Which leads to this story. All the Difference in the World by Winterstar for Lunatical (Avengers Academy, 7200 words) It's Tony's luck that on his first date with Steve away from the Academy, they end up abducted by AIM agents and it looks like their boss just might reveal Tony's big secret. Ribot’s Law by Veldeia for Winterstar (MCU, 19600 words) Steve Rogers doesn't know he's Captain America. The ice erased his memories. It's up to Tony to convince him. And teach him how to be Captain America again. Soulmates by HeroSkatman for lazywriter7 (Ultimates, art) (art; no summary) This town ain't big enough (for the lot of us) by Bill_Longbow for Cap Iron Man Community (Multi, 1400 words) For the prompt: Identity Porn+Multiverse. Two Steve's from different universes get into a fight over which of their crushes is better: Tony Stark or Iron Man. A Wish Your Heart Makes by a_salty_alto for Cap Iron Man Community (Avengers Assemble (Cartoon), 2000 words) A fill for the Community prompt "Tony Stark: disney princess and friend to all living things." Conditioning by One and Five Nines for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, NSFW art) Fill for the prompt: Tony has some wild, possibly dub-conny sex with Winter Soldier!Steve. Coffee War Christmas by Neverever for Caped-Ace (Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, 7000 words) After realizing that he loves Steve, Tony finds out that he might have missed his opportunity to ask Steve out. Astable by Ironlawyer for ranoutofrun (616, 4100 words) Extremis was supposed to make him stronger, but after the fight with Mallen, Tony loses control and Steve struggles to handle a Tony who’s falling apart at the seams. Staking A Claim by ChibiSquirt for Leio_Rossi (MCU, 8700 words) When Sarah Gwen Rogers meets Natasha Stark, Tasha says, "My dad used to rave about you. That marvelous Captain America and how amazing she was, how good... It's too bad his little girl didn't follow in her footsteps." But as it turns out, there's rather a lot Howard Stark didn't know about Gwen. It Takes Only a Moment by Dophne for gottalovev (MCU, 3900 words) Steve and Tony have been in love for months and it took one stubborn tug and a giving mind for them to find out that the feelings were mutual. Eigengrau by vorkosigan for marinarusalka (MCU, 16800 words) Tony is captured; he doesn't know by whom, or why. He doesn't know how much time has passed since. What he knows is, he can now hear something in the adjacent cell, and that 'something' sounds a lot like Steve Rogers. I hope you have a White One (But for me it's Blue) by mitochondrials for fandomfrolics (Avengers Assemble (Cartoon), 1400 words) Tony's never really been a fan of the holidays, even now with Steve and the team. But that doesn't stop Steve from coercing him with cookies and ... Christmas trees? Enchanted by kikijpn1121 for Impala_Chick (Avengers Academy, art) Amora the Enchantress' truth spell worked... as not she had expected. So Much That I Wanna Do by ChibiSquirt for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 4900 words) Steve wants Tony, but Tony has a boyfriend. Then Tony's boyfriend talks him into a Public Use fantasy, and it's a little too tempting for Steve to resist. Based on this prompt: Tony is left out for public use, Steve takes his turn. I Search Myself (I Want You to Find Me) by tisfan for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 3100 words) [NSFW] 5 times Steve jerked off to Tony while out in the wilderness + 1 time he jerked off on Tony Almost Feelings by XtaticPearl for Neverever (MCU, 6500 words) Steve never knew what life he could have lived or how the present would have been different if he had died in the ice. He didn't think he would ever handle thinking about either without losing control. Tony doesn't want to think about how his life could have been different if Steve had never crashed or hadn't come back. He didn't think he could handle giving that much control to missed chances. It was probably ironic that such men should find each other. It was definitely amusing that they such men should love each other. Sleepy Boyfriends and Lovesick Fools by Lunatical for palindrome (MCU, 2100 words) For the prompt: Tony is always falling asleep in weird places; Steve loves carrying him to bed. (not) Chasing Tomorrow by Mozzarella for izazov (616, 2900 words) In which Steve Rogers makes the most of a time loop by falling in love Ghosts of the Gilded Age by teaberryblue for ladyshadowdrake (Marvel Comics, 20600 words) In 1883 New York, Tony Stark, millionaire inventor, is a man of science, reason, and a sense of humor that other people sometimes even appreciate. That's why he has no time for the latest popular obsession with seances, the supernatural, and the afterlife. Until a ghost finds him. Watercolors by palindrome for MiniRaven (MCU, 4300 words) At a masked art gallery event Tony hits it off with Steve, but they end up separating before they can exchange information. Cue Tony starting a mad search to find Steve. I Told You So by thudworm for dapperanachronism (MCU, 1900 words) Holiday Exchange Fill for the prompt: Steve and Tony are out one afternoon on a walk or some such. One of them ends up getting hit on very obnoxiously. The attention is very clearly making them uncomfortable. The other steps in and saves the moment, with an awkward follow up conversation once they're alone again. The light at the end of the tunnel by Shaliara for Ironlawyer (616, art) There is freedom there. Touch Wood by Ironlawyer for Cap Iron Man Community (Ultimate, 1900 words) Steve likes jerking off outside. He likes jerking off outside even better when Tony is there to watch. Maybe with enough duct tape by Bill_Longbow for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 3500 words) This was a stupid plan, so very, very stupid, but given the choice he would rather face one disappointed Steve than a horde of disappointed Carbonells. Even though Tony forgot to mention he broke up with his boyfriend and Rhodey refuses to dye his hair it might all work out in the end. Open for Christmas by FestiveFerret for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 9000 words) It was Christmas fucking Eve, in the middle of fucking nowhere, and his car was completely fucking dead. Fuck. Paper Boats by Juulna for Reddwarfer (MCU, 14200 words) Tony never thought that he'd be asked to come to Wakanda, let alone by Steve. What was even more unexpected was that Steve had no memory of the last two and a half years. Written for the prompt: 'Amnesia helps Steve/Tony forgive each other.' "Anger is like flowing water; there's nothing wrong with it as long as you let it flow. Hate is like stagnant water; anger that you denied yourself the freedom to feel, the freedom to flow; water that you gathered in one place and left to forget. Stagnant water becomes dirty, stinky, disease-ridden, poisonous, deadly; that is your hate. On flowing water travels little paper boats; paper boats of forgiveness. Allow yourself to feel anger, allow your waters to flow, along with all the paper boats of forgiveness. Be human." ― C. JoyBell C. east of my youth, west of my future by foldingcranes for MsErmestH (616, 2600 words) There are two sets of memories in Steve’s mind. Two lives lived. Are they equally real? Steve doesn't know anymore. Don’t Let Me Down (Got a Lot Going On Right Now) by sheron for soniclipstick (Avengers Academy, 5100 words) A failed chemistry experiment in the lab means Tony has to take off his gauntlet. In front of Steve. Who has never seen him without it before. Try Again by Impala_Chick for tsukiharu (MCU, 2500 words) For the prompt: AU in which Post-CACW!Tony is sent back in time (by Dr. Strange) to prevent War, but things go wrong and he meets Pre-serum!Steve. There Tony learns a lot of things about Steve (and ends up helplessly falling for him). Can You Feel My Heart Again by IndigoNight for Rowantreeisme (MCU, 5300 words) Tony has a nightmare and over reacts. The bots worry. And Steve is very stubborn. The Perfect Tree by MK_Yujji for frosted_astronaut (MCU, 4200 words) Who knew that finding the perfect Christmas tree could be such an adventure? The Sound of Bells by SarkaS for teaberryblue (616, Art + 510 words) Gift for lovely teaberryblue who wished for Steve/Tony Regency AU. I've done my very best and hope you'll enjoy your gift! Everything You Desire by cptxrogers for Cap Iron Man Community (Any, 4300 words) After a run-in with an unfamiliar villain, Steve ends up tied up and left with a vibrator up his ass. This is not the kind of battle he was expecting. Just as well Tony is there to help him out. Exposed by FestiveFerret, SirSapling for Cap Iron Man Community (Ultimates, 5900]) Of all the people Steve could be stuck with while this agonizing drug surged through him, of course, it had to be Tony Stark. A Proportional Response by MsErmestH for mitochondrials (Ultimates, 11400 words) Steve doesn't have a reason for cock-blocking Tony. No reason, whatsoever. Not even past by marinarusalka for XtaticPearl (MCU, 6100 words) Tony meets a painful reminder of his past, and Steve gets caught in the fallout. Headin’ Down the Atlanta Highway by fandomfrolics for PannaNat (Avengers Assemble (Cartoon), 4000 words) Tony and Steve are tricked into taking a road trip together. Cue lots of UST in a moving, compact space. The Persistence of Memory by ladyshadowdrake for laireshi (616, 4400 words) Director Stark has an office he hates, a job he doesn't want, and the fallout from a war he doesn't remember to handle. A late night meeting with Steve turns into an argument, but that's nothing unusual for them anymore. The way it ends is certainly new. Like Cats and Dogs by kenshincha for SarkaS (Avengers Academy, 1000 words) "This is so embarrassing!" Tony exclaimed, his hands firmly on his head. Loki sighed, looking at his nails. "Calm down." "Calm down?!" Tony snarled and took his hands down. The black cat ears on the top of his head angled back, and the black tail poking out of his pants swished in agitation. "It's not my fault you bumped into me while I was studying arcane lore in the Timeless Archives." Loki smirked. "Be happy you still have thumbs." All My Roads Lead Back To You by Reddwarfer for Dophne (MCU, 5700 words) Tony and Steve find their way back into each other's lives in the most Steve and Tony way possible. The only things that stand between them talking things out are one of them being a fugitive, the Accords, Everett Ross, Hydra, and their own stubbornness. In the Catacombs of Paris by Lets_call_me_Lily for Veldeia (Noir, Art) While exploring the catacombs of Paris looking for the magical ring of Princess Angelica, famous adventurer Tony Stark and his steadfast new chronicler Steve Rogers become trapped after a tunnel collapses... Serenity Oasis by FestiveFerret for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 19800 words) Waking up with the last six months erased from his mind was bad enough, but apparently some time in that missing period, Steve went from hating Tony to marrying him... or was it all a cover for a mission? You Want It Darker by laireshi for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 1800 words) When Steve kisses him, he tastes like champagne. Or: Hydra Steve has a gift for Tony. Pride by Meatball42 for MK_Yujji (MCU, 1700 words) This year, Steve wouldn’t have to watch the Pride parade from inside a cold, lonely suite while other New Yorkers like him celebrated. He would be a part of it, free to speak his mind, in this strange new world, in a way he’d never dared before. Black Silk and Plastic Touches by Caped-Ace for Sineala (616, 5600 words) They say you should try walking a mile in someone else's shoes. Well, the New Avengers are more the partying than walking kind, which leads to masquerade shenanigans and everyone dressing up in each other's worst costumes. Cue Tony hiding away in the workshop to make the perfect outfit for the occasion, with its silly half-cowl and low-cut neckline that should be illegal. Enter the long lost Nomad, the Tony Stark remix, featuring Steve with rollerblades. Retention by ranoutofrun for Shaliara (616, 3400 words) Steve and Tony find themselves in the hospital from a sudden and terrible attack, after cleaning up a dime a dozen villain wannabe on their date. One of them gets out relatively unscathed, as the other looks on, it becomes more apparent that this may not be entirely so. Unfound his Treasure by diabla616 for magicasen (Ultimates, 2800 words) A year later Steve Rogers again wakes up in a SHIELD medical facility, with no memories of having done this once already. In Your Warmth I Forget How Cold It Can Be by izazov for genderfluid_pigeon (MCU, 28000]) Tony's relationship with Steve Rogers was complicated at best, volatile at worst. It didn't change the fact that they kept ending up sharing a bed. And not in the fun way. Not again! by Lanidzac for kenshincha (Avengers Academy, Art) [Art Fill] Hogwarts AU: Slytherin!Tony keeps trying new experiments in the potion lab that keep exploding. Gryffindor!Steve is horrified and is trying is best to keep Tony from killing himself. Baby Alpaca Love Letters by FestiveFerret for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 5700 words) Someone is leaving beautiful, perfect, warm, soft, knitted gifts for Tony, and he'd really like to know who. And why. Hold on when you get love (so you can let go when you give it) by MsErmestH for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2500 words) Steve's thrown for a loop when dozens of babies, belonging to the Tonys and Steves of the extinct multiverse, mysteriously appear. But he's not confused to find out that there were universes where he loved Tony. He's only surprised to learn that there were universes where Tony loved him back. a kind of macabre and somber Wondertwin type of harmony by MsErmestH for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2800 words) Steve didn’t bring much with him when he left New York to explore the rest of America—just his motorcycle, the shield, a change of clothes, and the memories of his Hydra-counterpart. Now, after six months on the road, he's stuck in a hell of his own creation. It's a hell with no room for Tony Stark, who just happens to be standing in the middle of his motel room. it’s not the magic, darling (i was already under your spell) by soniclipstick for Meatball42 (Avengers Academy, 6300 words) When a lust spell cast by Amora goes awry, it’s Tony that takes the brunt of it. Steve’s sure Tony’s fine by now. After all, he flirts like he breathes, and someone is bound to give him a hand, or so the saying goes. Fortunately for him, Tony has a pet unicorn who’s happy to set the facts straight. With a little help from Natasha, of course. EVEN THE WIND CAN FEAR by clumsykitty for jiokra (Marvel 1872, 13600 words) In the lost town of Timely, things do not go well and with the appearance of a crossroads demon offering Tony something he wants above all things, only magic and a pair of extra hands can help the blacksmith succeed between demons and Pale Riders conspiring against him. Nothing to Forgive by Sineala for HeroSkatman (Marvel 616, 4800 words) Steve's roadtrip across America is derailed by the news that Tony's comatose body has disappeared. He unhesitatingly volunteers to join the search, even as he wonders what Tony will think of him when he finds him, and if their relationship can ever be the same again. between the stardust and the sand by adarksweetness for clumsykitty (MCU, crossover with multiple verses, 3800 words) In a world that's always changing, soulmates are a perpetual feeling. Or, Steve and Tony get a visitor from the far-flung future. (the more I get to know you) the less I know by Fluffypanda for Juulna (MCU, 7700 words) Everytime Steve thinks he knows something about Tony, it gets turn on it's head. aka Sam asks Steve to babysit his nephew, Tony gets kidnapped, and everybody learns something new. A dazzling place I never knew by PannaNat for diabla616 (MCU, art) What if Tony found Steve on his own and helped him adjusting to the new world? A small series of drawings. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woodchuck by teaberryblue for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel Comics, 2450 words) Steve paints Tony. The Thing About History (Is That It's Doomed to Repeat) by heartsandmuses for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 19200 words) As far as rough weekends went, this was, hands-down, the worst Tony ever had — and considering one of the runner-ups involved being kidnapped by a terrorist group and held prisoner in a cave with a car battery hooked up to his chest, that was really saying something. Still, at least there weren’t any dinosaurs in Afghanistan. All Better by FestiveFerret, SirSapling for Cap Iron Man Community (Ultimates, 4700 words + art) The first time it happened, Steve almost clocked Tony in the face. Do-Over by gottalovev for ChibiSquirt (MCU, 14578 words) Steve woke up six months ago into a future that leaves him indifferent. There is work, and not much else. His current mission is a basic search and rescue operation to retrieve an American who was kidnapped by a terrorist group ten days ago. He won't let the fact that the hostage is Howard's son be a distraction. Our Love Is A Ghost That The Others Can't See by Kiyaar for navaan (Marvel 616, 11329 words) Post-Civil War, canon-divergent from Director of SHIELD. In Tony’s dreams, he is back in the street, in a crater, the city on fire around him. Steve kneels over him and beats him to within an inch of his life. It’s his favorite place to go, these days. Like A Painting by magicasen for scifigrl47 (MCU, 3740 words) Tony wasn't sure what compelled him to go for it. A dare? Curiosity? A check on the bucket list? Either way, what mattered was that Steve Rogers had never found a challenge he wouldn't take. Ghosts of Fanboys Past by MiniRaven for thudworm (MCU, 11940 words) As a kid, Tony practically worshiped Captain America. He read every comic book, treasured every poster, every playing card. To say he was obsessed would be an understatement. Thank goodness Tony's early fanboy days were far behind him. Or, at least, they would be if AIM hadn't kidnapped Tony, reached into his time stream, and pulled out the six year old version of him who was absolutely smitten with Captain America. Or, as Tony liked to call it, Tuesday. After being rescued by the newly reformed Avengers, Tony realizes he's got a lot on his plate. Not only does he have to figure out how to send said kid back to the past, but he also has to deal with his teammate's strange infatuation with his younger self. Specifically tell his new boyfriend, Steve Rogers, that this kid is not adorable. You should not listen to him. You should not encourage him. Why do you let him say all these embarrassing things. Child, stop. You're embarrassing me. No, don't do that. Stop. Please stop. For the love of god, someone please shut him up! When I Say Team, When I Say Follow by navaan for foldingcranes (Avengers Assemble, 4788 words) The Avengers are back together, but what does that mean for his relationship with Steve? Out of Time by tsukiharu for vorkosigan (MCU, art) Tony goes back to when Steve hasn't taken the serum yet, falls in love, and asks Steve not to get on the plane (so he'd be able to stay with his friends, instead of lost and hopeless in the future). Except, Steve remembers Tony from that time and doesn't take the plane to be able to meet him again. Never Let You Go by cptxrogers for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel 616, 3300 words) It's the return of Tiberius Stone and his evil virtual reality technology! Things are just perfect for Tony. He is happy with his Avengers family, his company is doing great, and he and Steve are deeply in love and finally getting to enjoy their life together. So why doesn't it feel right? Tactical Field Care by Veldeia for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel Noir, 8410 words) One unlucky shot is enough to turn a mission in occupied France into a nightmare, but Steve isn't going to leave Tony behind, no matter what. The Icing on the Cake by teaberryblue, GrayJay for Cap Iron Man Community (Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heros, 1422 words) Tony Stark decorates a cake. (Don't) Want To Remember by laireshi for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel 616, 1830 words) After Civil War, Steve and Tony don't want to so much as even talk to each other--but then they're trapped in a snowstorm and are forced to cuddle. It works out better than expected. Easier by laireshi for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel 616, 757 words) 505 noun (informal) 1. The thing which is simultaneously keeping you alive and killing you, often used to describe a person who you're in love with (but who may be bad for you) Streetlight Sonata by Rowantreeisme for Lets_call_me_Lily (MCU, 2300 words) Steve Rogers can't sleep. He follows the music. Even When I Don't Remember by dapperanachronism for IndigoNight (MCU, 2500 words) Steve doesn’t remember him. More accurately, Steve doesn’t remember any of them, or anything before his kidnapping. But right now, Tony is selfishly only concerned over the fact that Steve doesn’t remember him. Do Me The Honour, It's For A Good Cause by laireshi for sheron (616, 2700 words) Tony finds the perfect way to make everyone trust Steve again: he just has to propose to him. Undercover Steve by Neverever for kikijpn1121 (Avengers Assemble (Cartoon), 3400 words) Steve pines for Tony while the team goes undercover as customers at a strip club. Always Honest by FestiveFerret for afincf_tirwer (MCU, 3800 words) “It’s a truth spell,” Clint admitted. “It forces you to answer any question asked with the truth, until it wears off.” A Life That's Full by fictionforlife for Fluffypanda (Marvel Noir, art) Noir, pre-serum Steve, adventure, and bed sharing. Curiosity Killed the Cat (Satisfaction Brought It Back) by Sandrene09 for Cap Iron Man Community (Ambiguous Universe, 23000 words) Written for the 2017 Cap-Ironman Holiday Exchange: Community Prompts: Tony has a major crush on Captain America despite not knowing who he is beneath the mask. He gets turned into a cat and the only way to turn back is for someone he loves to love him as he is. He obviously doesn’t have a chance with Cap. After wandering the streets, he gets taken in by an ordinary guy named Steve, who turns out to be pretty great, maybe even his chance at breaking the curse. The Price of Love by Ironlawyer for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 1600 words) Tony lingers, burned into Steve’s life and heart. How do you learn to live alone again? Nothing Much, but Everything by navaan for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 1500 words) It had always been that way between them and Steve had never examined it. Better than a Bodyguard by ashes0909 for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1800 words) Steve was making his way from the quad to a small, stony alcove to escape the sun when he heard someone sniffling. If I Didn't Have Your Love by laireshi for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 1600 words) “We need to end this,” Tony said. Steve felt cold all over. “I love you,” Tony said. “I will always love you. But I can’t do it.” He was shaking, on the verge of tears, and Steve understood something terrible had happened. To The End Of Love by laireshi for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2500 words) Steve's been married to Tony for years when the Stamford disaster happens and the Superhero Registration Act tears the superhero community apart. When Tony disagrees with Steve, Steve still expects Iron Man to follow him: he's his best friend, for one, and he's chosen to keep his identity a secret from everyone. But Iron Man also fights against him. And then Steve smashes his faceplate open. Selvedge by Justamanlymouse for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1600 words) Selvedge - The raw edge of a piece of knitted fabric. Steve Rogers lets his mind wander over his and Tony's relationship as he works on knitting Tony's Christmas present. Man is a Wolf to Man by Sineala for Cap Iron Man Community (616 AU, 4200 words) When Antonius is falsely accused and convicted of murdering an ambassador, he is condemned to death by the wild beasts of the arena. But the wolf sent to kill him is something rather more than he ever expected. A Gentle Touch by Dio_Pardalis for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1150 words) Clint showed Steve a particular competition program. The artist that he is Steve takes the chance to try some of it on his own with Tony as the target. Strangers Now by FestiveFerret for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 7650 words) Back in middle school, Tony Stark was Steve's whole world school until Tony's parents packed up and moved him to LA. Steve hasn't seen him in ten years, and then he bumps into the kid living in the dorm room across the hall - and it's Tony. But Tony doesn't remember Steve. A Gift for Past Joy and Future Gain by navaan for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2200 words) He wasn't exactly surprised to see Steve's very neat handwriting on the little tag, but had to admit his throat went a little dry when he recognized it. Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of by erde for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 3700 words) They were always close. They could have been holding hands, but they weren't. Steve eventually reaches out to Tony. Even after all that's happened, some things remain the same. Steve Rogers is Going to Hell by ChibiSquirt for Cap Iron Man Community (Ambiguous Universe, 700 words + knitting (photos)) Steve, being an old-timey soldier from before current gender norms, knits. That's... not exactly why he's going to Hell, but the two facts are definitely related. I Can't Exactly Hold Your Hair Back by SirSapling for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel Ultimates, 4000 words) Steve had never particularly been a person people had turned to for comfort when ill, he mostly just wished people better and went on his way. However, this is Tony, and a sense of obligation wells up within him that he needs to help, but he’s completely lost as to how. won't let it take you from me by navaan for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel Noir, 2100 words) Tony is injected with the Zemo formula and things don't look good, but Steve doesn't want to give up on him. Dungeoneering by ranoutofrun for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 1500 words) Whoever said Clint and D&D sessions don't mix? Sucker Punch by Sineala for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 20000 words) Steve never quite warms to Tony Stark, Avengers benefactor. The Molecule Man never strips Iron Man out of his armor. Life goes on for the Avengers, but as disagreements split the team -- and Shellhead and Winghead -- again and again, Steve wonders why Iron Man always picks Tony over him. And when Steve finds out, it happens in the worst way possible. Happenstance and all that by gottalovev for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 7400 words) It's been six months since the Battle of New York and Tony is exhausted. The last thing he expected on Christmas' Eve was to meet Steve Rogers again by accident, in Central Park. Heart With No Companion by laireshi for Cap Iron Man Community (616/MCU crossover, 1800 words) Hydra Cap captures MCU Tony and thinks it's a great idea to charm him into waking 616 Tony from his coma. A Catastrophe of Epic Pawportions by FestiveFerret for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 6100 words) Tony's being held hostage for his genius engineering skills again, but at least this time he has Steve with him. Well, and the rest of the Avengers. But they've been turned into kittens. Red by FestiveFerret for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 2600 words) Part of him wanted to remember what horrible thing he'd done. Part of him was deeply grateful that he couldn't. Be sure to comment on the works you liked! Were your guesses right? Are you surprised at something? The guessing post is still open for reaction comments ;) And finally, if you participated in the event, feel free to post your work wherever you want now! We will be reblogging every tumblr post tagged with #capimexchange in one of the first five tags. Thank you for a great event, 2017 Holiday Exchange and Community Gifts mods, Laireshi, FestiveFerret, Salmastryon, Navaan, Tisfan

#stevetony #stony #superhusbands #capimevents #capimexchange #masterlist

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ladyshadowdrake · 10 years ago

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The stone was ice against his flesh, leaching away the heat of pain and fever. He stirred slowly, sucking in a sharp breath as fire bloomed along his ribs and tore through his back. The sound he made was more the whine of a wounded animal than anything a man should make. He collapsed back to the floor, mind running in circles of painpainfirepainFIREpain. The air was moist with rain and electric on his tongue. His mouth tasted like copper and mud, his eyes couldn’t focus and the entire world was screaming, flashing fire, blackness. Nothing.

When he woke again, light filtered in through gaping holes in a stone wall. With a great effort of will and an explosion of agony, he rolled onto his back, screaming into the empty ruins. His left arm fell to the floor with a sharp clang, and he turned to see that where he expected pale flesh, he saw red infection lines and silver reflecting the light. He moved his fingers and the silver moved. His breath labored in his chest, and he stared wide-eyed at the silver fingers moving when he moved his fingers, silver skin rippling like liquid over metal muscles.

“No,” he croaked, but it came out a wheeze. He tried to stand, bending his right knee to push himself up, and more silver, pouring down his leg to a silver foot with silver toes that moved like real toes did. “NO!” he tried again, louder, but not stronger, his voice cracking and skittering around the walls.

He went lightheaded with his breath, shadows closing in over his eyes, and then blackness. Nothing.

Repeat: Wake, move, scream, burn, nothing. Nothing.

~*~

He might have been dead, or dreaming, or dreaming and dead. A samovar stood just to his left, scolding a candleholder. Behind them, a round pewter clock stood and glared. He closed his eyes, but he could still hear the teapot’s strong feminine voice, the candelabra’s frustrated whine, could feel the clock glaring. He asked himself how a clock could glare, and, despite the pain in his ribs, started to laugh. The samovar and candelabra’s bickering stopped while he gasped for air and clutched his side with right hand. He heard little metal feet clicking on the stone, and a cool, curved handle touched his forehead.

“Well, at least he’s still alive,” the samovar muttered. “No thanks to you,” she added. She had a young woman’s voice, smoky and attractive for all that it also echoed like it was coming from the bottom of her pot.

“It wasn’t my fault,” the candelabra complained.

“It is your fault, Barton,” the clock said mildly, but there was a hint of threat underneath.

He started to laugh again. These little inanimate things had voices, and their voices sounded smoky, and bright, and dangerous. Only after the laughter turned to sobs did he think to wonder if there was any reason that these inanimate things shouldn’t sound smoky, or bright, or dangerous. He didn’t think they should, but he also couldn’t explain to himself why they shouldn’t. He realized abruptly that he couldn’t think of a reason for anything – he didn’t think he should be waking up in a shattered stone room, but he didn’t remember where he should be sleeping. He couldn’t remember if he had parents, or siblings, or a lover, or why he knew down to his bones that all the silver covering his body waswrongwrongwrong. He didn’t know if had a favorite color, or if he had any friends and who they were – where they were.

He didn’t know his own name, or why he even thought he should have a name at all.

“Where am I?” he asked shakily, looking up at the samovar.

#stucky #beauty and the beast au #complete #novel length #ladyshadowdrake writes

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 2 years ago

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Hi! Just had a question about your grimm fic Besessenheit if that’s okay?

I know that it’s unfinished on ao3, but i wanted to ask if you plan on finishing it, because i saw in your first author’s note that you had already written quite a bit, which made me really excited because i really like it and think the way you write the characters and incorporate them into the plot is just amazing!!

Basically i’m being a nosy bitch and want to know more about the fic if at all possible :’D

Hi! This ask is very old (but, surprising no one, not the oldest one in the box)

I have come back to this story a few times to edit it - basically, I wrote myself into a corner I didn't like and getting out of the corner would require me to course correct a bit earlier on, and I lost the motivation to do it.

I do still remember it exists, and I've gone back to read it and poke it at a few times. I won't say it will never get an update, but I also don't want to give you any false hope.

#grimm #ladyshadowdrake writes

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 2 years ago

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Genuine trip as well that he's not only having to give up his title, but also would be getting chosen over all the ladies present - so this gold dragon would have had to ignore all the ladies on the hatching ground, every other potential rider on the hatching ground, march up the stands, and pick him out of the crowd. Probably not just a crowd, but one of the special boxes for the VIPs (I believe I remember those were up higher in the stands...?)*

Ahhhh, I’m remembering a Event that happened in the books, where one of the eggs didn’t hatch and everyone was like, oh well, but a Lord Holder's young son was like wait wait no it’s alive I can hear it, and he jumps into the sand pit and breaks open the egg. It turns out to be a runty white dragon that can neither fight nor mate and so they were like, he can have the dragon and not live in the Weyr and still be a Lord because he was the last of the line or something? Lessa's half brother?

And I also recall there was a Thing in the books where there was no female green riders in the time period (it was forgotten history that there ever were) and during a hatching this little green dragon wouldn’t pick and started trying get away from the boys trying to claim her, and one of the workers named Mirrim tried to boss the boys to get closer to the baby who was then like, ah you! And starts trying to head butt it’s way out to get to her and she’s like?? oh no stop your going to hurt yourself and oops she has a dragon and she’s the first female green rider in like 400 years. And it was the same hatching I think? Very eventful day lol

Back to Marvel tho, the little queen dragon is like, no I want you Lord Stark. Either after a long, heartbreaking event where a queen is seemingly stillborn and then Tony hears it and runs up to help her, or this little lady is “running” amok and making demands and Tony ends up trying to help out and oops. Either way he’s going to get in trouble for “ruining tradition” or “unjustly claiming a queen” or something.

He’s definitely the one that rediscovers the Dragons can Time Travel tho. And he totally improves the flamethrowers to a point where it’s better then the actual fire breathing and that ruffles even more scales. Jan should be the first female rider in an age cus they are the small, quick ones and she’s a trail blazer. Maybe she was supposed to be one of the ones trying to claim the queen Tony got and she gets the green and Tony got the gold oops

Steve being all out of sorts in the future with his Weyr, made up the Howling Commandos I assume, hearing second hand about all the ways Tony’s fucked with how things “should” be and so he’s even more emblematic of all the changes Steve is learning to hate. Plus if he’s a Ults Steve he could be like way more bigoted about a male queen rider, but a MCU Steve would be a more general “I don’t like the way you are doing things Stark”, who would probably be all “ I also have complaints about how I am doing things but that’s a me problem”

https://www.tumblr.com/lightshadowverisimilitude/716799770062176256/re-pern-the-time-travel-thing-was-part-of-og

@eak1mouse and I were just discussing an alternate option being Tony and the Gold egg being kidnapped together (for reasons. Or separately and just ending up in the same place), and the dragon literally hatching in his arms as he's trying to run away with the egg. (*not right now, can't you wait 20 gd minutes are you KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?!?!) And he's just as shocked as anyone when he gets rescued and the dragon is like, "no thank you, I'm plenty fine with mine own companion."

#ladyshadowdrake writes #ask ladyshadowdrake

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 2 years ago

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Last Words of WIP Meme

I was tagged by @onemuseleft!

Here’s a bit of Temeraire:

“Very good, Tenzing,” Laurence said softly. Tharkay nodded, and Laurence turned to set the men to work.

No pressure tagging @eak1mouse and @sweetlittlevampire and anyone else who wants to join in the fun!

#ladyshadowdrake writes #meme me

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 3 years ago

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A new chapter is up for Resurgence! You can find the link here.

Summary:

Laurence has successfully hidden as a beta the whole of his adult life. Being discovered as an omega is his worst nightmare next to losing Temeraire, but he will endure the former to avoid the latter.

#ladyshadowdrake writes #temeraire #laurence/tharkay #a/b/o au #extensive world building

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 3 years ago

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Truth or Dare!

If Truth, rec one of your own works!

If Dare, go invade some else’s inbox and tell them how much you liked one of their works!

Or do Both!

Okay, here's a few for different fandoms!

Marvel - Wolves in the World (stony) - steampunk, tons of worldbuilding, adventure fic! I really loved the universe for this one. To date, probably the most fun of my fics, imho.

Temeraire- Resurgence (Laurence/Tharkay) - A/B/O, truly massive amounts of worldbuilding, ocs have run amok, non- traditional a/b/o dynamics, slooooooooooooooooooooooooow burn. I basically decided to re-write canon and there are many many words.

MDZS - hmm the three I have in progress are all pretty different!

Songbird (NMJ/LXC, LWJ/WWX, others) - accidentally a beauty and the beast AU

Law of Unintended Consequences (LWJ/JC, eventually LWJ/JC/WWX) - accidental soulbond, hate sex right off the bat, canon appropriate time skipping, eventual happily-ever-after (but gonna be a rocky road getting there )

Leash the Wind (LWJ/WWX) - Captive Prince fusion, imperial!AU, eventually will be quite spicy, but much (much) worldbuilding in the meantime. Significantly less sex (so far?) than people probably expect going in 😅😅

#ask ladyshadowdrake #ladyshadowdrake writes #fic rec #marvel #stony #Temeraire #mdzs

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 3 years ago

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What is your most on brand fic you’re done? What’s your most off brand? What is a fic SOMEONE else has done that you feel like came from your own heart it was so perfect?

Tag people to also answer this if you want!

What a lovely ask!

Okay, so I think my all-time most on-brand fic would have to be Never for the Dragon. (Marvel, Stony) It's long, takes you through All The Feels, is intense, and pretty significant on the world building scale. I think this is the fic that I felt the most proud of when I finished it. It's also the one that impacted me the most in the writing. There were a few scenes that I did have to actually get up and walk away from my keyboard to calm myself down while writing, which is an extremely unusual experience for me. You know everyone probably has that one fic that they really want to get more attention and this is it for me. I imagine the tags and the length (understandably) frighten people off (and I have gotten the feedback, "I was nervous to read this because of the tags, but...") it is my baby.

My other most on-brand is probably Resurgence, just from the sheer amount of world building and research (which I love). I continue to learn so much while writing this one, and eventually I'll need to go back to fix some details I learned more about in later chapters.

As for off-brand, I feel there are two that are just (almost) entirely sugar all the way through, and that I actually struggled quite a bit to write as a result: To the Attic and Back Again (Marvel, Gen, Toystory AU) and Turn Around Three Times and Lay Down. (Marvel, kind-of Stony) I believe these were both prompts or events and I struggled the entire time feeling like "oh you poor thing, you got the wrong author for fluff." They did both come out very cute though.

Someone else's fic! This is tough because there are so many amazing authors and fics out there and I'm out in so many fandoms now. One that I come back to pretty often is The Stars and Scones Bakery and Coffee Shop, by callmearcturus and LuciaZephyr which I would recommend to anyone. You don't need any canon knowledge to enjoy it and it's a wonderful read.

No-pressure tagging @musicalluna @onemuseleft @eak1mouse

#ask ladyshadowdrake #ladyshadowdrake writes

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 3 years ago

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2, 17, 45? Or any combination thereof? :)

2. Talk about a notable time when a narrative or a character looked you dead in the eye and said, "Fuck your plan, here's what we're actually doing."

Oh, boy! Chapter 11 of Never for the Dragon. I won't go into details in case anyone wants to read it, but I had to actually get up and walk away from the laptop several times. It was this weird feeling for the whole chapter where I realized what absolutely had to come next and I was somehow unable to stop it. It was the strangest thing and closest to an out of body experience I've ever had.

17. What is your favorite line you've ever written?

I feel like maybe I should start recording my favorite lines somewhere. I know there have been times that I have thought, "That. That is my favorite ever," but I don't really remember any of them off the top of my head. Anyone who has a favorite line of mine, please share? 😅

I went poking about what I have posted and these stood out:

Sufficient and Condign:

Once, when he had been sitting in the cell on the Goliath for weeks already, almost longing for the noose if only it would put a period to the cloying purgatory, Tharkay had whispered back, "I have never loved anyone as I have loved you."

What Tharkay said in his own voice was, “Goddamn you, Will Laurence.”

Law of Unintended Consequences (actually the first 2 chapters of this story are very high on my "I'm proud of this" list)

Lan Wangji watched them stutter across the surface, observing the smoldering lines that bled away from their dancing feet, a whole network of lighting bolts, as if they were carving their history on the wood. The first reached his edge of the table, and then guttered out.

“Are you trying to send our sects to war?” Jiang Cheng asked, but his voice had turned baffled.

Looking up from the creeping sparks, Lan Wangji considered the question. Was he? Would it be adequate revenge to see the Lan and the Jiang sects spend themselves against each other? Would it give him any peace to watch Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen cross swords? Would it be enough to fill the aching void in his chest if they died that way, the brother who had not supported him, and the brother who had betrayed Wei Wuxian?

45. Name three of your favorite fanfic writers.

@copperbadge, LuciaZephyr, @sabrecmc

Ask me something.

#ask ladyshadowdrake #ladyshadowdrake writes

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lightshadowverisimilitude · 5 years ago

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The Uncle Trap

@sassassassins is phenomenal and has sent me so many pretty screenshots for my episode summary project!!

As a thank you: Post-cannon, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng forced to cooperate to rescue their disaster!nephew, with guest appearances from Lan Wangji, Sizhui, and a very startled troll.

~*~

The inn was neither the worst nor the best he’d stayed in during his travels. The wine was better than that sour swill from the last place, but, of course, it had nothing on Emperor’s Smile. The food was edible, the floor in his room was clean, and the table was not sticky. It was as much as he could ask for, and better than he had most days.

He was eating his way through a plate of greasy spiced chicken when a commotion at the door caught his attention. He blinked at the figure silhouetted against the last of the light. For one chest-compressing moment, he thought it was Lan Wangji, but then the figure moved, too animated, too quickly for Lan Wangji.

“Lan Sizhui?”

“Wei-qianbei!” He darted in between tables, gracefully avoiding hitting anyone, even when other patrons turned around quickly to see what the fuss was about.

Wei Wuxian watched, bemused, as Sizhui came to a somewhat messy halt in front of him and offered a quick salute.

“It’s Jin Ling,” he said in a rush that caught Wei Wuxian’s heart somewhere between his breastbone and his voicebox. “We were on a night hunt - it was supposed to just be a simple haunting!”

Keeping the rising panic off his face and out of his voice, Wei Wuxian pressed, “What happened?”

“It was so fast - something took him. I heard him screaming, and then he was gone.” Sizhui looked up at him hopefully, as though Wei Wuxian might snap his fingers and pull Jin Ling out of thin air. He filed that thought away - maybe he could do that, with the right set of spells - and stood quickly. He scattered a handful of coins on the table, probably too much, but he didn’t want to take the time to count them out.

As they ran out of the inn and down the street, Sizhui gave him a rundown of their hunt, the hungry ghost they’d dispatched, and the blur of motion that had snatched Jin Ling, screaming, from the back of their party. Wei Wuxian cursed again at his inability to fly, and made no protest whatsoever to jumping up alongside Sizhui for the trip. It would be quick by air, but convincing Little Apple to get him there any sooner than next week would have been a nightmare.

“Go to Cloud Recesses,” Wei Wuxian ordered, hopping down when they were a few feet from the ground in the last place Jin Ling had been seen. If there was some kind of junior-cultivator eating monster up there, the last thing he needed was having to keep an eye on Sizhui while he was hunting for his disaster of a nephew.

“Wei-qianbei!”

“Go tell His Excellency that the Jin sect leader is missing!” Wei Wuxian ordered. “I’ll probably already have him before you can duck around Old Man Lan to get to Lan Zhan, so just go.”

Face twisted with worry for his friend, Sizhui finally nodded and took back to the air. Wei Wuxian was vaguely surprised that he went so quickly, but, then, he must have been terrified for Jin Ling, and, of course, he would want Lan Wangji. Perhaps the greater surprise should have been that Sizhui came for him first, though that might have been only a matter of proximity.

It was full dark by then, but Wei Wuxian lit a fire talisman and did his best to search the area for any clues. Unfortunately, it was a crossroads, and well travelled, so he couldn’t pick out any footprints. He ventured a little ways off the road in the direction Sizhui had indicated, but he was worried that he might destroy some vital clue in the dark, and was forced to stop.

Sitting cross-legged against a tree, he pulled Chenqing out and cautiously played a few notes. His stomach twisted in knots as he did. What would he do if Jin Ling’s corpse came shambling out of the trees? In any event, he didn’t have to find out. He was playing softly so he didn’t accidentally summon a whole army, and the only dead he would summon would be those very close by. One lone spirit did manifest, a man dressed in ragged homespun with a gaping mouth. He wasn’t even strong enough to speak, so Wei Wuxian couldn’t ask him if he’d witnessed anything at the crossroads. After a few minutes of listening to him moan piteously, Wei Wuxian sighed and put him to rest. He continued to play, but no other spirits came to investigate.

As soon as the sky was light enough to make out the details of his own shoes, he was back on his feet and combing through the underbrush. A short distance away from the road, he found a tangle of golden threads caught on a tree branch, and some fifteen feet further on, a snapped branch even higher up. Whatever had taken Jin Ling, hadn’t carried him on the ground. It narrowed down the list a lot, but not enough to know what he was walking into.

“Hey, you!”

Wei Wuxian froze at the familiar voice and turned only reluctantly to see Jiang Cheng wading through the underbrush with a look on his face to make thunderclouds cry. He stopped when he recognized Wei Wuxian. Around his wrist, Zidian spit and crackled purple lightning.

“What the hell are you doing here? If you-”

Wei Wuxian interrupted him before he could finish that accusation and force Wei Wuxian to punch him in the face. He knew it would take a long time before they would have any real trust between them again, if ever, but if Jiang Cheng could suspect him of hurting his own nephew, his shijie’s son, Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure how they could come back from that.

“Sizhui brought me last night,” he said, turning away so he didn’t have to watch Jiang Cheng’s response.

Jiang Cheng grunted. He was silent for a moment, and then offered, “Ouyang Zizhen made it to Lotus Pier in the middle of the night.” He glared at Wei Wuxian, but jerked his chin up to indicate the fluffy bundle of gold threads in Wei Wuxian’s hand. “What did you find?”

Handing it over, Wei Wuxian returned to the trail of broken branches. Muttering under his breath something about how he would cut his nephew’s legs clean off this time, Jiang Cheng followed after him. Wei Wuxian glanced back at him as they drifted apart to look for further clues. Jiang Cheng looked pale and drawn, his mouth tight with anxiety and brows pulled together like they’d been sewn that way. He probably hadn’t slept any more than Wei Wuxian had the previous night.

“Anything?” Wei Wuxian called back when his scant trail of broken branches dried up and there were no more convenient wisps of fabric to go on. Couldn’t the boy at least have managed to drop some beads or something? He owed Jin Ling a lesson on how to be inconvenient to captors and make a good trail for his uncles to follow if he ever got snatched again. They had to get him back first.

“Nothing,” Jiang Cheng said after a tense moment. “Ouyang Zizhen said he was screaming murder like he was being eaten alive.” The last came out in a small, worried voice.

“No blood,” Wei Wuxian said, though the lack of it was not really a comfort. It had been raining the day before, hadn’t it? When had it stopped? He thought it had still been drizzling a little when he’d gone into the inn late in the afternoon, and Jin Ling would have already been gone for hours by that time. He was being dragged away screaming murder while Wei Wuxian was eating greasy food and congratulating himself on having enough money for an inn with clean floors and wine that wouldn’t burn through his stomach.

Sizhui wouldn’t have known exactly where he was, though Wei Wuxian did his best to make sure Sizhui had a general idea of his whereabouts in case he needed something. It had been maybe five hours of hard flying straight from the inn to the crossroads, so if it had taken a few hours on top of that for Sizhui to find him, and presumably some time trying to find Jin Ling himself, then whoever - whatever - had Jin Ling could be half-way to the moon.

They doubled back to make sure they hadn’t missed anything, and then turned without discussion for the road. There was a village a short way up the hill. With an angry huff, Jiang Cheng unsheathed Sandu and stopped in the road, glaring at Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian just stared back incredulously.

“Well?” Jiang Cheng demanded after a minute had passed in awkward silence.

Jiang Cheng couldn’t possibly mean for them to fight right there! Even if Wei Wuxian had taken Jin Ling, what good would it do for Jiang Cheng to kill him in the road with no idea of where he was being held? Wei Wuxian wanted to call him an idiot for it, but he also didn’t want to fight about it at all, he wanted to find Jin Ling. Wei Wuxian put a hand on Chenqing, but Jiang Cheng just rolled his eyes and held out his left hand impatiently. The gesture startled the breath out of Wei Wuxian’s lungs when he realized what it meant.

"It's too slow to walk," Jiang Cheng said ungraciously, but his eyes went left and right and his sword hand moved unconsciously over his stomach.

Wei Wuxian rubbed the back of his neck. Even though Sizhui was so much his junior (depending on how one counted years, they might have been about the same age) and his adopted son, it hadn't felt awkward to be carried by him. Jiang Cheng though…

Sighing, Wei Wuxian took Jiang Cheng's hand, and they jumped up on Sandu together. Jiang Cheng pulled Wei Wuxian against his side to make him as manageable a package as possible, but his hand was fisted in Wei Wuxian’s robes like his grip was the only thing holding them both up. Wei Wuxian almost laughed, remembering how impressed he'd been when Lan Wangji had carried him and Su She together on Bichen. Back then, Lan Wangji had carried him by the scruff like he was a naughty kitten. Jiang Cheng glared ahead as if daring Wei Wuxian to say a single word to him.

Because Wei Wuxian never had been able to let a challenge go unanswered, he made a loud noise and asked, “Can’t you go faster?”

They were too close together for Jiang Cheng to give Wei Wuxian the full benefit of his glare, but he still turned his head with his teeth clenched tightly together. If they hadn’t been going after Jin Ling, Wei Wuxian thought it was very likely Jiang Cheng would have thrown him off right then. Without even meaning to, he clutched Jiang Cheng tighter, just in case. The last time he’d been thrown from a sword in flight, the Burial Mounds had reached up and grabbed him out of the air, and things had gone sideways afterwards.

“Hey, hey, I’m kidding!” Wei Wuxian said, but Jiang Cheng still dropped him the last six feet when they came to the village. Wei Wuxian thought it was only polite to stumble and run headlong into a fence post, since Jiang Cheng had gone through the effort and all.

Looking pleased with himself, Jiang Cheng descended with something like grace. People were already starting to gather, since they had been seen while they were still in the air. It was a small village of only maybe two dozen houses clustered around a pair of roads with a single crossroads. Being so far up a mountain not known for anything in particular, they probably didn’t get a lot of visitors.

“A cultivator has gone missing,” Jiang Cheng said with no preamble at all. He glared around at the gathered villagers, already cataloguing them in his head like they could possibly be suspects. “What has been happening on this mountain lately?”

No one answered him immediately. They shot him a lot of nervous or annoyed glances. It was still early enough in the day that not everyone had left for the fields, and there were a dozen or so men and younger people sprinkled in among the old folks and children. They had started to mutter amongst themselves - who did this guy think he was, just making demands like that? Just because he was a cultivator and wore fancy clothes, he thought he could order them around?

“Ah!” Wei Wuxian said, dusting himself off and strolling over to lean on Jiang Cheng’s shoulder. He patted at Jiang Cheng’s chest, which got him a nasty glare, and continued, “Sandu Sengshou didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. He’s a bear early in the mornings! See, the cultivator is our nephew, and we’re worried, you know?” Jiang Cheng pinched him hard, but Wei Wuxian didn’t budge.

Sympathy rippled around the gathered cloud. An old granny even reached out to pat Wei Wuxian’s arm.

“Lots of folks going missing on this mountain,” she said. She only had maybe three teeth left, but her smile was kind. “Just last night, the woodcutter’s boy gone.”

Jiang Cheng stopped subtly trying to pinch the life out of Wei Wuxian’s side and they exchanged worried looks. Most creatures didn’t take a new victim until they didn’t need the old one any more. They had to hope there was more than one monster, or maybe Jin Ling had managed to escape and that was why it had gone after another snack in the night.

They questioned the villagers more in depth, Wei Wuxian letting Jiang Cheng go so he could help the old granny to her chair in the shade. There were ten small villages on the mountain, and this one was neither the biggest nor the smallest. No one could even agree on a name for it, but there were a dozen stories of children, mothers, fathers, old men, and young women going missing. A lot of it had to be an exaggeration, or there would be no people for a hundred miles around with how many folks they claimed had gone missing.

Always at night, they said, some giant shadow would swoop down and then the person would be gone, screaming high up in the air. The sound of their screams always went higher up the mountain, and thunder followed them. According to the villagers, no one had ever been recovered, and theories ran the gamut from an angry mountain god to wild, flying dogs. Wei Wuxian really wouldn't be able to handle it if he found a wild flying dog. It was bad enough that they ran so fast on the ground, giving them wings just wouldn’t be fair.

Wei Wuxian frowned as he listened to another such story, this time a whole village just vanishing overnight. Jin Ling had been taken in the morning, surely, and from a group of cultivators. The juniors were young, but they were a promising bunch, and a few of them were quite strong, even considering their youth. Sizhui, Jin Ling, and Ouyang Zizhen were already on their way to fame.

“Thank you, granny,” Wei Wuxian said. He helped her peel an orange and handed her a section to suck on before turning the task back to the woman’s youngest granddaughter and meeting Jiang Cheng in the middle of the road again.

“Could have been a hungry ghost,” Jiang Cheng said as they turned to walk shoulder-to-shoulder.

“Sizhui said they found and suppressed one. Could there be more?”

Jiang Cheng hesitated. “It’s a small area for two hungry ghosts that strong.”

“Hmm,” Wei Wuxian agreed. He took Chenqing out and spun her idly between his fingers while he thought. It was unlikely that they were making up all the stories wholesale. All legends started from some kernel of truth, and there were too many people reporting missing loved ones, and not just that they knew someone who heard once that so-and-so’s husband’s great uncle saw something.

“What has that fool boy gotten into?” Jiang Cheng gritted out. He unsheathed Sandu again, and Wei Wuxian didn’t even hesitate to jump up alongside him.

~*~

They did find another hungry ghost, just not a very hungry one. It looked like it had been a young girl in life, but it was barely even corporeal and its voice sounded like it was very far away. She couldn’t have been dead very long, and Wei Wuxian doubted she’d had any victims yet. If they let her go about her business, in maybe a decade or so, someone would come to the mountain to hunt her.

Where was Lan Wangji with his guqin when they needed to talk to a muttering spirit, anyways? Wei Wuxian put a hand out to stop Jiang Cheng from suppressing her. He put Chenqing to his lips and ignored the way Jiang Cheng’s own lips narrowed down into a disapproving line that reminded Wei Wuxian a lot of Madam Yu.

Still, Jiang Cheng didn’t try to stop him, just huffed out a breath and spun away. Wei Wuxian played, but softly, just for her. She hadn’t even really noticed them before, but after the first couple notes, she turned to face them. Her head dropped down toward her shoulder and she opened and closed her mouth a few times. Very faintly, Wei Wuxian heard a click-click-click noise, the memory of teeth.

He didn’t want to stir up her resentful energy anymore than it already was, so he just plucked at the ragged edges of her form with the music, nudged her along, suggested to whatever passed for a mind in a hungry ghost to take them to someone hungry like her. There was still something on the mountain grabbing people, and most creatures didn’t grab people except to eat them in one way or another.

She made an unhappy gurgling noise and fought against him, but finally relented. They followed after her. She was most visible in shadow, but the sun was bright, and they often lost her when she moved out from under the trees. The only way Wei Wuxian still knew to follow her was the tickling pull on the back of his neck.

Without making her into a real monster, they had to follow at her pace, and she hadn’t been dead long enough to realize that she didn’t have to walk like a human anymore. She was also a weak spirit, and it was difficult to hold onto her attention span enough to keep her going in the right direction.

Still, his playing called other spirits, and Jiang Cheng was kept busy fighting them off.

“Even like this, you have to be a nuisance,” Jiang Cheng complained, flicking the lingering resentful energy off his blade. It spattered black on the ground and started smoking in the sunlight.

Wei Wuxian couldn’t stop playing or he’d lose the hungry ghost, so he manfully ignored the comment and continued up the path. She led them up some steep switchbacks, and then onto a plateau densely covered in pines. Once there, however, she stopped and gave Wei Wuxian a baleful look, refusing to go any further.

Not breaking the song, Wei Wuxian stepped sideways and nudged Jiang Cheng with one elbow. He nodded toward her, and Jiang Cheng stepped forward with a grunt to suppress her. Wei Wuxian was probably imagining her accustory shout, but it wasn’t his fault, really. He wanted to tell her that being a hungry ghost wasn’t any fun, and to hurry up and reincarnate into a better life.

“What good are you?” Jiang Cheng asked. “We wasted a lot of daylight and cleared out a few decades of haunts, and Jin Ling is still missing!”

“There’s something up here she was afraid of,” Wei Wuxian said, massaging his jaw. They had walked for hours, and it was harder to play soft and sweet and keep it so focused than it was to call up an army. He probably could have woken up every corpse and ghost on the whole mountain and not been as sore.

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Hungry ghosts don’t fear anything.”

“Everything fears something,” Wei Wuxian told him softly, and then pointed toward the trees. The wind was picking up hard, and Wei Wuxian’s hair was whipping around his face like a flail, lashing at his cheeks.

They moved into the cover of the trees, but they had only gone maybe fifteen minutes before they heard a whistle. Wei Wuxian recognized the tune and sighed aloud. At his side, Jiang Cheng went tight with blossoming irritation, and sped up his steps.

Jin Ling was sitting with his back to them, tossing seeds up into the air and attempting to catch them in his mouth. He missed three, and stopped to whistle another few notes of one of Wei Wuxian’s own songs. If he’d put any power into at all, he’d probably have a few hungry spirits of his own crawling up to him.

“You little shit!” Jiang Cheng snapped.

The seeds went flying into the air and Jin Ling jumped about three miles straight up. He held his sword in front of him, still sheathed, as if it would be any impediment to Jiang Cheng’s wrath at all. Wei Wuxian tried very hard to school his expression into something stern and disapproving, but the quick succession of expressions marching across Jin Ling’s face - shock, fear, stubbornness, back to fear - was just too much, and he had to hide his face in his hand. Relief poured through him in waves that almost came out as laughter, but then Jiang Cheng would probably turn on him, and he didn’t want to die.

“I should break both of your legs!” Jiang Cheng shouted, grabbing Jin Ling by one arm and giving him a good shake. “Do you know you’re a sect leader? I had two dozen disciples following after me! They’re crawling all over this mountain by now looking for you, and probably as many Jin disciples too!”

“Uncle! I can explain!” Jin Ling tried, but didn’t get any further than that before Jiang Cheng was shaking him again.

“I'll teach you to explain!” Jiang Cheng roared, somewhat nonsensically, but the effect was carried if Jin Ling’s wide eyes were anything to go by.

Unable to hold back any longer, Wei Wuxian burst into laughter. Both of them turned on him at once with identical expressions of outrage. It made Wei Wuxian laugh even harder. Zidian snarled as it lashed out at the ground, and Wei Wuxian jumped, holding both hands up in surrender.

“Alright, alright!” he called, dancing out of range of the whip while Jin Ling shoved at his uncle’s arm.

“Don’t attack him, he didn’t do anything!” Jin Ling said.

“How are you taking his side?” Jiang Cheng demanded, going splotchy with anger.

“I’m not! You’re being a bully!” Jin Ling returned.

“Okay, okay, no one is taking my side!” Wei Wuxian said, interrupting them before they started fighting for real. “Jin Ling, where are you keeping the woodcutter’s boy?”

Mouth already opened to shout at Wei Wuxian, Jin Ling stopped. His expression twisted in confusion. “What woodcutter’s boy?”

“You must have him somewhere, so people would think there was still a monster up here kidnapping people,” Jiang Cheng prompted. “Where is he? If you took him from his village, I will string you up by your ankles and leave you there until your head pops up!”

“I didn’t!” Jin Ling said.

Wei Wuxian drew in a breath to speak, but a sudden explosion of noise sounded deeper in the trees. At once, they pulled together. Suihua and Sandu came out with twin chimes, and Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng stepped apart to put Wei Wuxian between them. Eyeing the trees distrustfully, Wei Wuxian put Chenqing back to his lips and waited.

Another great crash sounded - certainly the thunder the villagers had reported hearing - and somewhere the splintering crack of a tree coming down. With a roar, a troll burst into their clearing. It was twelve feet tall at least, face more closely resembling the rocky mountainside where it made its home, teeth like broken stones in its mouth. It bellowed at them so loudly that Wei Wuxian could feel the wind of its rancid breath.

Before Wei Wuxian could get a single note out, the troll abruptly stopped. It made a peculiar choking noise.

“Did it swallow a bug?” Jin Ling asked incredulously.

“More like a bird,” Jiang Cheng answered.

The troll groaned, and then toppled over dead.

For several long seconds, they all three just stared at it in dumb silence. Jiang Cheng turned to give Wei Wuxian a suspicious look, but Wei Wuxian just shrugged at him. He hadn’t done anything, he’d barely even got a breath in.

“Uncle…” Jin Ling prompted with the same suspiciously narrowed eyes.

“I didn’t!” Wei Wuxian insisted.

“It didn’t just die on its own!” Jiang Cheng snapped, rounding on him.

Wei Wuxian thought about letting them think he had somehow killed a mountain troll with the power of his thoughts alone, but he didn’t trust Jiang Cheng not to take that seriously and start some new crusade against him. He was only just starting to get to the point where he could give out his name in a new town and not get mobbed by angry townsfolk.

The decision was taken from him shortly in any event. The distinctive song of a sword being dropped into its sheath had them all turning back to the trees. Lan Wangji stepped out from the shadows like a ghost himself, dressed splendidly in blue and silver, with only the smallest touches of white at the collar and the detailing on the breast.

“Excellency!” Jin Ling stammered.

“Excellency,” Jiang Cheng said flatly, glaring at Wei Wuxian.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian chirped and enjoyed very much the look of utter disgust on Jiang Cheng’s face.

“Mmn,” was all Lan Wangji had to offer.

“That damn Sizhui!” Jin Ling exploded before he could catch himself. “He was supposed to keep Hanguan-jun away, not invite him over!”

Jiang Cheng cuffed him sharply, and he ducked, already complaining at the treatment, and didn’t Jiang Cheng think that was too much, striking another sect leader when their sects were in good standing?

“The day I can’t cuff my own stupid nephew is the day I will take YungmengJiang to war against you!” Jiang Cheng said. He lifted his hand again, but he didn’t take another swing and Jin Ling, who danced out of his reach anyways.

“The Jin sect would grind you into dust!” Jin Ling declared boldly.

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened. Wei Wuxian hurried to put a hand on his arm. “Don’t kill him. He’s my favorite nephew.”

“I’m your only nephew,” Jin Ling reminded him somewhat peevishly.

“Maybe if you two are going to go around declaring war, you should do it out of His Excellency’s hearing?” Wei Wuxian asked with a laugh.

Jin Ling looked smug at the suggestion rather than rightly terrified. “That wouldn’t be enjoyable at all!”

Of course, once Lan Wangji had stepped into conversational distance, he was quick to give his bows and put himself behind his uncles. Wei Wuxian laughed at the color spilling hectic-hot across Jin Ling’s face as Lan Wangji observed him with what must be the expression he gave all the sect leaders when they came to him with their problems and petty disputes.

Slinging an arm over Jin Ling’s shoulders, Wei Wuxian tweaked the boy’s ear. “Oh, what fun we had together, right, Jiang Cheng?” He winked at Jiang Cheng, who gave Lan Wangji a sideways look before apparently deciding not to respond. Wei Wuxian patted Jin Ling on the shoulder. “You ever do anything like this again, and I’ll hold you down so your Uncle Cheng can do a good job breaking your legs, got it?”

“I only did it so you idiots would talk to each other,” Jin Ling muttered, but he ducked out from under Wei Wuxian’s arm and edged closer to Jiang Cheng.

“What a story they’ll make of this!” Wei Wuxian laughed. “A troll so big and powerful it took two sect leaders and the head cultivator to take it down!”

“And you,” Lan Wangji added.

“Ah, well, what did I do? Maybe I’ll be the one who writes the story about His Excellency sweeping in to save the defenseless Yiling Patriarch,” he suggested, peering at Lan Wangji sideways and laughing when he only nodded.

Making loud groaning noises as if they might fall over dead themselves, Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng retreated from them at once. Jiang Cheng had Jin Ling by the arm, but Jin Ling wasn’t fighting at all.

Jiang Cheng stopped a short ways into the trees and turned back to point at Wei Wuxian. “Come to dinner,” he said, but as if it were a threat instead of an invitation. Next to him, Jin Ling beamed.

Wei Wuxian stared at them both blankly. “What?”

“Don’t sneak through my territory like a thief anymore! Next time you come to Lotus Pier, come to dinner like a normal person and tell me you’re there to my face. Stop disrespecting me!”

As roughly as it had been delivered, Jiang Cheng’s cheeks were touched with pink as he stared Wei Wuxian down. Wei Wuxian had crept through Lotus Pier or the surrounding territory a few times since he’d taken to the road, following night hunts, and maybe, maybe, missing the taste of roasted lotus seeds and the floral scent of the lakes when the lotus were in bloom.

“I will,” Wei Wuxian said. What he didn’t say was that he thought he would never be allowed to walk upright into Lotus Pier again as long as Jiang Cheng was alive, and the notion was at once terrifying and filled him with smothering longing. Wei Wuxian didn’t trust himself to say anything other than that.

Glaring at him a moment longer just for good measure, Jiang Cheng turned away again. He could be heard lecturing Jin Ling halfway down the mountain, apparently intent on making him walk all the way back to Carp Tower.

“Lan Zhan, you saved me from an evil mountain troll.”

Lan Wangji hiked an eyebrow at him, but he was quick to reach out to catch him when Wei Wuxian fainted dramatically into his arms.

“You have to carry your damsel away now,” he prompted.

He didn’t have any right at all to be surprised, but he still was, just a little tiny bit, when Lan Wangji nodded and swept him up like a bride. Wei Wuxian laughed and squirmed to be put down, but Lan Wangji had decided on carrying him, and Wei Wuxian lacked every necessary kind of the strength it would take to get away.

Without even doing Wei Wuxian the courtesy of pretending to struggle with holding him, Lan Wangji carried him back through the trees, bypassing the massive body of the mountain troll. He did finally set Wei Wuxian down on his feet when they found Sizhui waiting somewhat sheepishly deeper in, a rawboned teenager sitting dazed at his side. Presumably, he was the woodcutter’s boy, and immensely lucky that Jin Ling had gotten his friends involved in such a ridiculous farce.

“A-Yuan!” Wei Wuxian said, putting both fists on his hips. “Who taught you this kind of mischief, hm?” When Sizhui only flushed and looked down, Wei Wuxian sighed longsufferingly. “Well, I guess you’re my kid anyways, huh? You’re lucky there really was a troll.”

Lan Wangji made a noise in the back of his throat and Sizhui flinched as though he'd been struck. He made a bow to Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, and then, more deeply, to the traumatized boy.

"Young Sir, please accept my deep apologies. If we had completed our investigation more thoroughly, you would not have been taken."

The boy looked up at him as though seeing through him. His mouth moved soundlessly.

"You will return him to his family and remain there for a span of three months," Lan Wangji said. "You will be helpful."

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian protested. "Three months?"

Lan Wangji met his eyes evenly. Wei Wuxian wasn't used to that immovable expression being turned on him anymore. He suddenly felt a lot of sympathy for those sect leaders trying to wheedle favors out of him.

Sizhui broke the tension by bowing again. "It is too lenient," he said.

"There will be more," Lan Wangji assured him. He turned away without another word, and Wei Wuxian slung an arm around Sizhui's shoulders.

"I'll work on him so you aren't copying lines until you're forty. Tell me you won't do it again."

Sizhui swallowed hard, but nodded. "I won't do it again."

Craning his neck to make sure Lan Wangji was out of immediate hearing range, he set his forehead against Sizhui's. "Thank you."

Sizhui sucked in a quick breath and pressed tight to Wuxian's side.

"Ah! Enough, let's get this poor boy home." He gave Sizhui a shake. "And get you settled in your new life chopping wood!"

#cql fic #the untamed #wangxian #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #jin ling #ladyshadowdrake writes

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