Just a Rec List

Chaotically organised fics

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Derry Girls

fish out of water by humanveil

When he thinks of home, he thinks of England. He thinks of his mother and his mates and the life he’d left behind. Or rather: he does. And then he doesn’t.

It’s not hard to pinpoint why.

Percy Jackson

The FIA Universe by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

First Fic: “This… this would qualify as a mental breakdown, right?” Triton asked, frowning over his shoulder to where Percy was still fuming in the corner. The lady at the counter curiously glanced over before lifting a questioning brow. “My brother – half-brother, technically, I have much better breeding – decided to run away from home to where our father can’t reach him and now he won’t leave. And now I can’t leave unless he leaves,” Triton continued. Percy opened his mouth to object that wasn’t what happened at all, but the tyrant only waved a hand to silence him. “He’s seen war or whatever, so if you could maybe just drug him then I’ll throw him into a suitcase and we can be out of here by the Summer Solstice!”

Silence. Finally, the woman cleared her throat and turned to Percy.

“I’m guessing he’s the one you want checked into the mental hospital?” She asked. Triton gasped as Percy punched the air in victory.

“Aha!”

Or

Getting in trouble works a little differently when your parent is an all-powerful god. Sometimes you have to escape to the land beyond gods and get your immortal brother turned human to drag you back so you can be exploded a million pieces. You know, normal teenage stuff.

Laws of the Sea by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

"Thank you," Percy said, accepting the tea gratefully. He wasn't a big tea person overall, but his stepmother had a very good knack for it. Godly power, or whatever. "And thank you for not hating me anymore. I know you aren't thrilled about my existence-"

"No need to thank me for not being Hera," Amphitrite dismissed. Percy took a sip of tea. "That is what you meant, isn't it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. For once, Percy learned from his mistakes and stayed quiet, though he did give her a bashful smile to confirm the sentiment. "Hm. Well, either way, I owe you thanks. Not many children would agree to spy on their father for me."

Percy put the cup down. "I'm not spying on him," he reasoned. Amphitrite scoffed. "I just happen to be in many of the places he is when he's in the mortal world." A long pause followed, and Percy rolled his eyes. "Yes, he was seeing a mortal woman. Her name is Lea."

"You owe me twenty of your mortal dollars, child."

Percy bitterly slapped the paper bill on the table between them.

Or

Amphitrite has an odd quest for Percy. Strangely enough, it might be the only quest Percy has actually enjoyed.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Arrow by Nahgeluide

The obligatory fic where Toph finds out about … Aang's tattoos? And everyone else's as well.

When in Doubt, Go to the Library by Returquoise

"I am Wan Shi Tong, He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things, and this is my library, my domain," he answered instead, "Who are you, mortal?"

The boy hesitated but answered, "I... was Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. My... the Fire Lord has banished me, with no recourse to return."

aka

Wan Shi Tong adopts Zuko AU

Afternoon Tea by toribird

Of all the places he could have walked into--of all the tea shops in Ba Sing Se--(of which there are many)--he had chosen the one that Prince-fucking-Zuko worked at.

Or: Early on during his time in Ba Sing Se, Sokka stops for a cup of tea. This small action changes everything.

A House Built With Many Stones by JustAnotherGhostwriter

Or: The father Zuko acquired, the five siblings who adopted him, and the one blood tie he fought to claim back.

In an effort to spare his nephew many years of pain, Iroh orders that nobody tell Zuko of Ozai’s cruel, empty promise that Zuko could return to the Fire Nation if he captured the presumed-lost Avatar. Zuko growing up thinking he has no way home changes a lot. And also changes nothing at all.

To Have and to Hold by JustAnotherGhostwriter

Five times Katara hugged Zuko, and one time she didn't.

Canon-divergent after the Final Agni Kai.

Since We’ve No Place to Go by mosylu

Zuko thought he left his teenage dirtbag years behind him. But on a snowy night, someone from the worst days of his life comes into the tea shop he runs with his uncle. When the snow gets worse and she's stranded after closing, what is there to do but offer her a place to stay for the night?

Setting Things Right by megSUPERFAN

He carries not only his own wounds but the wounds of a nation. By right of Agni Kai, he is Firelord.

There's so much to do- but he has never been less alone.

(Zuko's road from comet to coronation.)

Sonething like friendship (or maybe even family) by eurydicees

5 ways Zuko showed his friends he loves them, and one time they did the same for him. A story in the five love languages.

Avengers

Rain, Sleet, Snowed In by UrieNanashi

Look, sometimes, when it rains, Darcy Lewis lets a homeless guy sleep in her car.

The Worst Summer Vacation by mysterycyclone

The last thing he remembers is leaving school. It was a half day, as he’d finished his exams early, texted May about staying over at Ned’s place, sent another text to MJ and then a twitch of his spider senses--

Then a pinch at his neck, like a bee sting, but deeper. Darkness. Then here.

Huh. Kidnapped. That’s new. If he was less emotionally dead from finals and sleep deprivation, he’d probably have a stronger and much more appropriate reaction to that.

At least he's got Captain America and the Winter Soldier to keep him company.

This has been a public service announcement by Nokomis

First Fic: Peter’s first post-mission Avengers hang out goes about as well as one would expect.

The Assembly Line by JustAnotherGhostwriter

“Doctor Banner is only here to track the cube,” Nick Fury said, entering the room with something that reminded Jane of a school principal. But... more deadly. “I was hoping you might join him. I did not, however, invite Doctor Foster.”

Jane raised her eyebrows under Fury’s pinning stare, refusing to be intimidated. Refusing to react as every other eye in the room quickly swivelled to find her. Refused to look at Thor as he let out a sharp little cry of surprise that was almost her name.

“I brought her along. I need her,” Tony said without missing a beat. “She’s my emotional support astrophysicist. I have a doctor’s note and everything.”

From his pocket, he pulled out the crumpled piece of paper that Darcy had scrawled on, cackling at their joke as she used the car hood as a desk.

~~~

What if Jane Foster had been (sort of) invited to the Helicarrier to help track the Tesseract? A slightly different look at the events of The Avengers.

Merlin

Garden or Graveyard by ShanaStoryteller

Merlin has a secret. Arthur, it turns out, also has a secret.

It's the same secret.

Wooden Dragons by CaffeinatedFlumadidle

“You-” Ygraine said, stepping up to point a finger in Uther’s face. “You are a liar and a murderer. The fact you think someone as sweet and caring as Vivienne is destined to marry you is a tragedy in itself, but if you expect me to hand over my brother’s rightful claim to Camelot’s throne-”

“My claim to Camelot’s throne,” Uther threw back, face growing more red as Arthur looked between his parents in utter bewilderment. Merlin didn’t blame him. He had envisioned Uther and Ygraine’s love story to be more… well, less based in war and battles.

Ygraine’s eyes narrowed as she grabbed a goblet of wine and threw it in Uther’s face. A few of the guards shifted, but Uther only raised a hand to pause them, spitting out the wine with furious eyes.

“You,” Ygraine said coldly. “Are unworthy to sit upon a stool, let alone a throne.”

From a few feet away, Balinor scoffed as he sipped from his own goblet. “I kind of like having her as a hostage, Uther. She livens up the place.”

Or

In a desperate attempt to save Arthur at Camlann, Merlin tries to reverse time. It works perhaps a tad too well.

Thick as Sorcerers by CaffeinatedFlumadidle

Arthur watched, unable to fully comprehend the events that had seemingly just crashed and burned in front of him rather than calmly unfold. He turned to look at the other knights who only shrugged as Mordred sank lower into his seat, lips pressed into a pout as he picked at his food.

“I…” He started and paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts “Why do you want Merlin to like you so badly?” He finally sighed. Mordred stopped playing with his food, glancing up before looking at the door the servant in question had exited through

“Because he’s Merlin.” He said as if that provided any sort of answer.

Arthur didn’t deserve this. He did his best to be a good person. Maybe this was some kind of divine intervention saying he needed to up his charity game. He needed to give the lower town a bigger tax break or something. Perhaps ride out and save three more damsels than usual.

"He has a point," Gwaine piped up as he inhaled another mead "He is Merlin."

Or

Merlin hates Mordred and Mordred is determined to put an end to that. Arthur is convinced that this child is after his man.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The Questing Princess by JustAnotherGhostwriter

When the magic of the Kingdom of Resembool starts to fade, leaving the kingdom as easy prey to King Bradley of Amestris, the princess-heir, Winry the First, sets out to find a prince who can come back to Resembool with her to fight Bradley and secure the throne. The best prince for the job, she's been told, is being held captive by a sorcerer. Winry supposes she'll just have to rescue him, then. How hard can it be?

The unofficial ending can be found here

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Avengers

Between a Rock and a Hard Place by ciaconnaa

Ever since her mother died a few years back, Michelle's relationship with her father became strained in their grief. Things became distant, silent, and at a few times, a bit tense. But never, ever, in the past four years, did Michelle ever think their relationship could sour so severely, it could never be good again.

But one night, after she's forced to show up at Peter's covered in bruises and in need of stitches, she remembers that even the most unsuspecting dormant volcanoes can erupt.

The Roommate by layersofart and Niitza

In which Steven G. Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, gets a roommate. Who rapidly turns into his "roommate"—in the euphemistic sense of the word.

It takes SHIELD and the rest of the Avengers an absurd amount of time to notice.

Silhouette by mariana_oconnor

After a mission in Mexico goes wrong, SHIELD Agents Barnes and Rogers are given the job of hunting down the notorious Hawkeye and the Black Widow, the only problem being: no one even knows what they look like.

On the other side of the law, Clint's enjoying messing with their new SHIELD shadows, especially seeing how close he can get to Agent Barnes without him realising, but he makes the mistake of getting attached, and that makes everything more complicated.

Slide to Answer by relenafanel

First Fic: "What do I do?” Steve appealed into the phone. “I’m freaking out.”

There was silence on the other end of the line. It lasted so long that Steve pulled the receiver away from his ear and frowned at it. Pay phones were old. Maybe this one wasn’t working despite the obvious dial tone when he picked up.

“Ok,” a stranger’s voice said over the phone. “First acknowledge the fact that you dialed the wrong number, but be quick about it because my cab is a few blocks away from my own plans and I’m about to drop some truth bombs on you.”

NYE Pact Mentality by relenafanel

“I came out to Peggy last night. We were playing a game where everyone made up one resolution and then put them in a hat. I got ‘find a boyfriend’.”

“You came out to me this morning,” Bucky observed, squinting at him. “I think. Jesus, I’m pretty sure I drank that whole bottle of vodka myself. Since when have you wanted to find a boyfriend?”

(Also known as millennials spending a year trying to find love and falling on a lot of dicks instead)

Captain ‘Socialist Rage Muffin’ America by mybrotherharry

It takes three months of dating Steve Rogers for Tony to understand why Aunt Peggy once shot at him in sheer frustration.

Alternately titled, Honey, I committed treason again.

It’s not the most conventional life, but that’s why I love it by Keira_63

First Fic: It was eleven months, three weeks and two days since Clint had been at the farm.

It was time to stop making excuses.

It was time to visit Darcy.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Maestoso by novalotypo

Edward Elric is about eleven when he stands up, makes an extended effort to knock as many books off the old bastard’s shelves as he can, and says, “Fuck the military. Al, you interested in music at all?”

Everybody's got their own ideas of retirement.

The Elrics don't even do retirement, what with the world trying to blow itself up every other month, but this shit has got to take the fucking cake.

Four Scotch Whiskeys and a Side of Fate by Tierfal

Roy is expecting to spend another Friday night in the company of his best friend (scotch) and his worst friend (Jean Havoc).

That is not what Roy gets.

Anywhere, Always by Tierfal

First Fic: Al's in Xing, and Ed's in Creta – everybody got what they always wanted.

Right?

Harry Potter

Careless Whisper by GhostofBambi

Answer to the prompt, “I left my phone number on the bathroom stall wall and you text me about your day and your frustrations for a month & it’s really nice and cute but I still don’t know who you are,” with some twists and differences.

back to work by TheTartWitch

The day the Minister is killed, Percy is filling out paperwork at his desk.

The day Voldemort dies, Percy has successfully retained his life and his job. Unfortunately, his ability to trust anyone ever again and his family count among the things he's lost.

Two Quidditch Captains Walk Into a Bar by rainybookshopspoetry

First Fic: Marcus isn't about to sleep with the resolutely heterosexual keeper of one of the most respected teams in the League, but he’s also had rather a lot to drink, and Wood’s gaze has dropped to his mouth three times in the last five minutes, and despite what he pretends sometimes, Marcus is only human.

Evitative by Vichan

In the summer before his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry is drawn to a room in Grimmauld Place. Like the Gryffindor he is, he enters the room without fear. The room is a library, and Harry is surprised to find that he’s eager to learn.

Then he gets the bad news: he’s been accidentally expelled from Hogwarts, and he needs to be sorted again. Everyone is confident that he’ll go straight back to Gryffindor, but with what he's been learning, Harry’s not so sure.

Somnia by silver_fish

From the time they’re eleven years old, Ron is always there to help him find his peace in those dark and lonely hours of the night. Turns out, Harry has helped Ron find his too.

Harry Potter x Avengers

The Triumph of These Tired Eyes by AnarchicMuse

In the several millennia he had existed Loki Odinson, Norse God of Mischief and Lies, had been many things, he had been a liar, a warrior, and a trickster, just to name a few, but never before, in his thousands of years of existence had he been a loving father, but all it took was a single glance at the perfect little creature before him and he knew, he was gone.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

rumour has it by suzukiblu

“I seriously have no idea how Zuko has gotten this good at making tea,” Sokka says, taking a sip of his. He doesn’t even particularly like tea, but Zuko’s is great. Definitely an improvement from the Western Air Temple. They’re in Iroh’s tea shop, because it was there and they had some time to kill.

“Takes after his uncle, I guess,” Toph says, and Ty Lee laughs on the other side of the table. “What’s so funny?”

“Well, you know,” Ty Lee says with another bright little laugh, waving them off.

Derry Girls

A Bold Move by fleurlb

Orla and Sister Michael crash through a societal norm that doesn't need to exist.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

all the self-loathing in the world won't change a thing ('cause you can't go back, darling) by Yevynaea

Esdras Al-Ridha is born in 1899, in his mother’s family home. His birth certificate, when it’s written a month later by Dr. Yuriy Rockbell, will declare his name Edward Elric. It will name his mother Trisha, and it will say nothing of her white hair. It will say nothing of the blue desert sky he first opens his eyes under, the way he is passed to relative after relative and is held and blessed by each.

(Even before the war, tensions are high, and hatred is brewing. Tirzah holds her newborn son, with eyes as gold as his father’s, and pale-sun hair halfway there, and she decides that if Ishvala wants him hidden, then Tirzah will not brand him where his genes have not.)

Merlin

Dirty Laundry by MerlinLikeTheBird

*Secrets* are a castle's currency.

Or, Merlin joins the Camelot sewing circle.

everything that i am by theotherpacman

When one of Camelot's outlying villages reports being attacked in their dreams by a malevolent sorcerer, King Arthur answers the call, taking with him a band of only his strongest and bravest knights.

And Merlin, of course.

But when Merlin volunteers -- against Arthur’s express orders -- to take a curse intended for Arthur, the king is forced to face the fact that his trusted servant may not trust him in return.

5 times Arthur warms Merlin up by feyver (itsnautica)

Arthur spends a lot of time keeping his manservant warm.

A 5 times fic filled with blankets, cuddling and angst.

Chaotic Siblings by GalaxyThreads

Morgana manifests her powers as a child and Arthur learns to be a supportive brother. Now, the duo works behind Uther's back building the family they wanted and protecting those with magic. Because magic isn't the problem. Uther is.

In which Merlin Reveals His Magic, Arthur Embarks on a Quest, and Uther Absolutely Does Not Admit He Was Wrong, About Anything, Ever. By Alex51324

Pretty much what it says on the tin. Set somewhere around early-season-two-ish, dealer's choice whether it's gen or pre-slash.

Arthur Knows About Merlin’s Magic by onceandfuturewarlock

First Fic: Merlin had a tendency to say some strange things, but--

"You," Merlin jutted his chin out obstinately, and jabbed a resolute finger at Arthur, "owe me a hug."

--but this was by far the strangest.

how long can anyone try by orphan_account

"You're not just an ill-starred sorcerer who only knows a few cleaning spells, are you," Arthur said dully.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

you were cool by hot_leaf_juice

“I guess I just didn’t feel like that with Mai.” said Zuko, “She didn’t have anything do with any of them.”

He knew that Sokka and Suki were looking at him without understanding. Mai had spent months working with Azula. Up until that day, she was loyal to the fire nation. Her dad was the governor of what used to be Omashu. How could she not be part of it?

As the World Should Be by MuffinLance

When Azula is ten, father agrees to off his firstborn in exchange for power. As the firstborn, she takes some minor offense to this.

Or: Zuko is born second. His big sister shuts the Dum-Dum up before he can mouth off enough for an Agni Kai. Three years later, the Gaang have to deal with fourteen year old bright-eyed imperialist Zuko on their trail.

the kids aren’t alright by A_Confused_Kitten

First Fic: A story, in which, Zuko never hunts the Gaang, and accidentally starts a rebellion by being known as a travelling firebender. He just happens to be wanted for treason.

fire and revenge can both keep a bed warm by chaoticsandstorm

Mercy was not a word familiar to Azula.

She knew when to let things go – for all that she excelled in making others suffer, she knew that it was pointless to make them suffer needlessly. Give them what attention they deserve, and no more. Torturing someone who wasn’t guilty? A waste of time and resources. It was not mercy, just practicality and ruthless efficiency.

(Azula, in a world where things were just a little less crazy, her brother a little less absent, and her faith in Ozai a little less overwhelming)

close your eyes, make a wish by Silverwolf329

“Shit,” Toph grunts, and promptly drops them all into a pit, shutting the ceiling and encasing them in total darkness. The raiders they’re fighting are good, fast and clearly experienced, and Toph is starting to get irritated and just a little hungry.

Katara and Sokka freeze instantly. The raiders do too, albeit with a bit more cussing. Aang switches from airbending to earthbending so that he can see and Zuko… keeps fighting?

(aka It's Time For More Group Therapy With The Gaang)

The Old Master by SpaceWall

Iroh discovers he can heal after Zuko’s Agni Kai. The fact that he’s a waterbender can only mean one thing, really. At sixteen, he would have been a terrible Avatar. As an old man, he is both totally unprepared and absolutely unflinching.

Avengers x Harry Potter

On Punching Gods and Absentee Dads by Enigmaris

Harry finds out that his dad is alive, has been the whole time. Instead of being overjoyed, Harry's disgusted. His dad left earth and abandoned his friends. Every painful thing he's ever gone through can be traced back to one man. Now Harry's got super strength he can't control and an almost unnecessary amount of magical power. His dad might be living it up with the Avengers now but not for long. With the help of his friends, Harry comes up with a plan for revenge. Get ready Avengers, Harry's out to punch a god.

Avengers

In Your World by suspendedinice

Steve Rogers hadn't expected to befriend Peter Parker at all, but somehow the kid had become a regular fixture in his life. So seeing him this upset was distressing, to say the least.

“Everything you represent is everything I’m supposed to- supposed to…” He trailed off, staring down at the streets a thousand feet below him.

“What do you think you’re supposed to be, Peter?”

“I don’t know. Brave. Strong.” He paused, taking a gulp, “Straight.”

Porcelain by GalaxyThreads

In a split second decision, Loki saves Hela from Surtur rather than leaving her to die. The aftermath is both so much better and far worse than anyone could have predicted.

Five Times Steve Came Out by Accident, and One Time He Came Out On Purpose by Suspendedinice

Steve really needs to break the habit of blurting out the first thing that comes into his head.

“Right.” Steve replies with a frown, giving up on his newspaper for now, folding it up neatly, “I suppose I’m bisexual then.”

Did he say that out loud?

Judging by the way Tony’s mouth is hanging open, he’s pretty sure he did.

If Lost, Please Return To Peter by GalaxyThreads

Loki and Peter become unlikely friends. Chaos follows.

0-0-0-0 by suspendedinice

Steve lost his soulmate a long time ago. Now his timer has started again, but he's adamant that Bucky Barnes will remain the only love of his life.

Steve could almost laugh. His plan was always to apologise to his new soulmate once they finally met; he’d have a heartfelt conversation with them, take all the time they needed to ask questions and then part ways, as painlessly as possible given the situation.

The new plan is to not let this guy drive a knife through his throat.

To Hold a Candle To by UrieNanashi

“In my defense this was set up super last minute. But really, Illuminati? I work for the FBI.” He chuckled a little.

“Bullshit you do.”

He stopped abruptly, tilting his head to look at her. Darcy reassessed, he maybe wasn’t as forgettable as she’d though. He had some crazy looking eyes... “Darcy Lewis, right?” He asked dropping all pretense.

....

“Need me to walk you back?” a cheerful voice called from behind.

Darcy flipped him off over her shoulder.

-----------

Or- Darcy Lewis had a life before New Mexico. She's got her own weirdness going on. After the events of Winter Soldier she ends up on an unwanted road trip with Hawkeye.

How To Train Your Dragon

Empirical by GalaxyThreads

Five times the riders realized they didn't know Hiccup as well as they thought, and the one time they knew him better than the rest of Berk.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Avengers

Repeat After Me by battybatzgirl

Tony’s face hardens as he says, “What kid.”

“I don’t know, some twelve year old—”

Below him, the kid coughs out, “Fifteen.”

“—Fifteen year old—”

Tony scrubs a hand across his face. “Don’t tell me he’s wearing a dorky shirt with a chemistry pun on it.”

Rhodey frowns. That was oddly specific. Glancing down, he looks at what little he can see of the kid’s shirt—which isn't much since there’s so much blood now, but what could be once called a cartoon joke is printed on it. “Um, yeah?”

“Son of a bitch.”

…

Otherwise known as how Rhodey finds out about how old Peter is, and how badly he needs to beat Tony with a stick.

Tennessee Outreach for Spider-Man (and friends) by Ciaconnaa

To: keenharley

From: tstark

I’m regretting this offer already.

But anyway, I’m the one that upgraded Spidey from pajamas to multi-million dollar spandex. It’s been good for him, but it’s not something he’s used to and that, combined with his occasional dumbassery, breaks or rips my hard work. The main source of his upkeep is his webs. And he's been busy. Needs some extra hands. That’s where you come in. I’ve sent over basic schematics of his suit and his web-shooters. It won’t run on Windows XP, so you might have to go to a library.

To:tstark

From: keenharley

I hate you. Also, we don't have a library so jokes on you

or;

in an attempt to help Harley beef up his college apps, Tony offers Harley a remote Stark

aiding and abetting: a peter parker saga by robinbuckley

Bucky Barnes stands in the middle of the produce section at Peter’s local supermarket, staring unblinkingly at the display of oranges like he’s having some kind of a war flashback.

“Finding everything okay?”

The Winter Soldier starts a little. “Yeah, no, I’m good, just—” he finally glances at Peter and squints. “You don’t even work here, do you?”

“No, but I know this place like the back of my hand.” He glances into the mini cart Barnes is pushing, which is full to the brim with junk foods: tootsie pops, cookie dough, Cheerios, and kettle cooked chips. “Have you considered, perhaps, a vegetable?”

or: 5 times peter parker runs into the rogues separately + the 1 time they work together as a team

In For A Penny by gender_bender08

Peter meets Daredevil when the man saves him from a shootout.

He meets Deadpool when the guy’s trying to steal a car.

He meets the Punisher when Red brings him to the gym.

He meets Jessica Jones when she corners him on a streetlight.

He meets Hawkeye when Jessica’s hired to solve one of his assassinations.

All of this to say, he meets a lot of people before he meets Tony Stark.

Daredevil

5 times foggy met daredevil (and 1 time he didn’t) by AsperJasper

The new arrival on the scene was definitely not a cop. In fact, Foggy had no idea who he was or what he was doing or how he’d taken out two men in ten seconds. Broken one of their arms, it looked like.

Especially considering he had what looked like a shirt maybe tied around his eyes? Like a ninja. Or a pirate. A pirate ninja who’d swooped in and beaten up the muggers like it was no big deal.

The corner of the pirate ninja’s mouth twitched, even though Foggy had no idea what he could possibly find funny at the moment.

i never could forgive myself for leaving out (you’re the one, you are the only one) by AsperJasper

It didn’t take too long to fall in love with Foggy.

In fact, it took all of two months. The thing was just that Foggy was the best thing to ever happen to Matt. He was kindness and warmth and laughter, and even if living with him took (a lot of) adjusting, two months in Matt caught himself wondering what it would be like to kiss Foggy.

But Foggy wasn’t his, he wasn’t dating Foggy, he had absolutely no right to feel like this just because Foggy had found somebody to date.

Heroes and Villains by AsperJasper

“…Matt?”

"Hmm?"

"Care to tell me why I just got an email containing two tickets to Hero-con including VIP passes?"

"Because I forgot to change the email that autofilled when I was buying two tickets to Hero-con including VIP passes?"

"Okay, fair. The question I should have asked, then. Why did you buy two tickets to Hero-con including VIP passes?"

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The Man Behind the Myth by ohmytheon

When Roy is picked to be the subject of an article about the military, he's not sure what to expect, but as it turns out, a man is only as good as the people that support him.

Merlin

For Your Information by reni_days

Merlin sighs. "After your...announcement," he explains, "your father decided he needed a bit more information. Which is apparently where I come in. I'm sort of like his gay tutor, it's hard to explain."

Into Perdition by athousandvictories

“Aren’t you worried you’re going to get her pregnant?”

Arthur looks indignant at the insinuation, despite the fact that his hair is still sticking up in the back, and his tunic is still askew. “No?”

“All right. I just thought… you know. You being the king’s only son, and Sevain being an ambitious chap, it could cause quite a bit of--”

“We don’t do anything that could result in--Christ, Merlin, it’s just none of your business, is what it is.”

The Account of Sir Percival by Zaadi

Arthur, Merlin and several knights of Camelot have been forced to seek shelter in the enemy kingdom of Cameliard. Arthur and his men must hide their identities; Merlin is drawn to the freedom of magic permitted by King Leodogran; and all soon find themselves caught amidst Cameliard's own political struggles.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

put the weight on me by Orphan_Account

“I think he’s sick.” Bato says flatly. “So unless you want the next meeting to include the Fire Lord puking all over the budget scrolls, maybe see if he's okay?”

Hakoda glances up the hallway, like perhaps Katara will appear and take over dealing with the prickly teenager. Of course, his daughter is off treating injured refugees with the Avatar, and Bato is still staring at him expectantly, arms crossed.

“Fine,” He sighs, and he claps Bato on the cheek before heading into the room.

Or: Zuko falls ill not long after Ozai's defeat. Hakoda sits with him and learns some unpleasant truths about his childhood.

Sifu Azula by orphan_account

“If Zuko is my big brother, and you’re Zuko’s sister, does that make you my big sister?”

“Yes,” Zuko said brightly.

“No,” Azula said, at the exact same time.

---

Or, Azula teaches Kiyi firebending, real manners, and a few other things.

this love burns so yellow (becoming orange and in its time, exploding) by meliebee

Ten months after Zuko is crowned at seventeen, he faces his first coup.

the absence of heat, excess of destiny by theycallmesuperboy

Sokka is born in the dead of winter with a red dragon curling down the left side of his back.

Zuko is born in the sweltering heat of summer with a sword down his spine.

—

He doesn’t want to talk about it when their gazes turn on him. They make assumptions— is it someone he left behind in the Fire Nation? He looks away when he agrees with them.

Toph brushes past him when they all part ways. She says, “I know you’re lying.”

Watch the Bright Stars by JustGettingBy

The Palace can be a lonely place, especially for a kid. Luckily for Zuko he's got his older cousin around to show him the ropes.

OR

The five things Zuko admires in Lu Ten and the one thing he doesn't.

Agni Kai Abuse by mindbending

Zuko groans. “It’s illegal to ban Agni Kais without a constitutional amendment, and that’ll never happen because it’s ‘a blatant affront to tradition.’”

"Babe," Sokka says with an indulgent smile. "Have you considered that you just need to honor tradition instead? Really embrace it?”

“...what’s the plan?”

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Set in Stone by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

“Find Medusa?” Percy spluttered, trying and failing not to sound indignant. “Nobody wants to find Medusa. You run into Medusa while trying to retrieve your uncle’s stolen lightning bolt and then mail her head to the gods after she keeps talking about how your eyes are like your father’s.”

From behind him, Piper raised a single finger. “When you mail what to whom?”

Percy glanced over his shoulder to give her a shrug. “Don’t worry about it. I was twelve,” he said before turning back to where Gabe was still fighting against the ropes binding his hands together. “Do you have any idea what to do with him?”

Nico leaned over, craning his neck to better peer at the hot sauce that still stained Gabe’s face despite the years of statue-ification. “Um, we could see if your dad wants to turn him into a fish or something?”

Percy grimaced. If Gabe Ugliano was a fish, then he’d be forced to hear the man’s voice in his head for years to come. But also, he could maybe mount him on a wall, so perhaps it wasn’t an entirely terrible idea.

Or

Medusa’s sculptures are mysteriously coming back to life. Percy doesn’t think murder is an unreasonable action given the circumstances.

The Dragon Prince

Moonberries and Ghosts by SoloraGoldsun

After being un-ghosted by the elves of Silvergrove, Rayla decides to return home with Callum to celebrate her birthday.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Mama Bear by Burnt_Ashes

“You are about to die in front of the entire Fire Nation court, why are you laughing?”

“Because you failed your mission, Yon Rah,” she said through her laughter.

“Have I? Explain.”

“You really are an idiot. I thought that was just a stereotype of ashmakers, but no, you really do have smoke for brains.”

“Explain yourself, woman!”

Kya sobered herself and looked right into Yon Rah’s eyes.

“I am not a waterbender.”

…

Instead of just outright murdering Kya in her own home, Yon Rah decides to take her captive to have a grand execution of the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe in the Caldera. Of course, this gets thwarted by the fact that Kya is not a bender at all.

The Sun will Rise Again (With the Two of us as Friends) by spideygirl1809

For a hundred years, war and devastation consumed the world. Aang was one of only people left to remember that it ever used to be different. To remember that there was a time when sixteen year old boys weren’t dressed in armor and sent to commit acts of violence, and twelve year old kids weren’t meant to stop them. To remember having friends in the Fire Nation. To remembers walking through Caldera City with Kuzon, choking on Fire Flakes, and watching street performers.

So now that Zuko was here asking for redemption...well, being friends sounded better than being enemies.

Maybe their friendship was destined to be. Maybe together they could bring back some of what was lost.

(AKA, After Zuko joins the Gaang, Aang gets to know him and they become friends).

The Adventures of Captain Rin by spideygirl1809

First Fic: "Rin deserted the army under the reign of Fire Lord Ozai. She’d seen shit. But being alerted that an assassin had breached the front gate, then discovering that the Fire Lord was missing? That was terrifying.

Finding said Fire Lord three hours later eating fire flakes with his feet dangling over the edge of a five-story building was just...Rin wasn’t even sure what to make of that."

Zuko is a little shit, and his blue spirit skills are going to drive his head of security up a wall. Literally.

Among The Leaves by neighbourhoodspider

“Come on outside. It’s fun.”

“Okay, but if I fall, it’s your fault.”

“You won’t fall.”

--

The five times Zuko and Katara meet in their treehouse, and the one time they don't.

Zutara neighbours AU - starting from when they are children.

A Brilliant Deduction by azenki

The ‘thing’ in question is a roughly-cut stone, attached to a length of blue leather with a simple steel clasp. Zuko looks up at Sokka. “What is this?”

Sokka grins. “It’s a betrothal necklace!”

Zuko chokes on his own spit.

Or: five times Zuko catches Sokka with a betrothal necklace, and the one time he doesn’t.

Amateur Theatrics by Haicrescendo

[“Draw a portrait, Sparky,” she says, “It’ll last longer.”

Zuko does not draw a portrait. Zuko gets up and disappears to wherever he’s been sleeping (alone and far away, like he’s hiding, even though sound carries too well in this temple for him to keep his screaming nightmares to himself), and Toph thinks for a moment that she’s run him off. She hasn’t run him off.

Zuko returns in a matter of minutes, holding what’s clearly a book in his hands.

“Hasn’t…” he begins, anxious without fail every time he brings attention to himself, “Hasn’t anyone ever read to you?”]

Or,

Toph thinks books are stupid. Zuko disagrees.

isn’t this the vision that you wanted by nebulastucky

Firelord Zuko - ender of the Hundred Year War, ruler of the Fire Nation, payer of respects and reparations - takes advice and counsel from representatives of every nation, division, and specialty.

But teenage boy Zuko - friend of turtleducks, wielder of fun looking swords, stumbler over words and feet in the presence of cute boys - only listens to two people, and they are conspiring together to ruin him.

or: Iroh just wants what's best for his nephew, and Katara just wants to know everyone's business.

Avengers

in technicolor by deniigiq

Brett sighed and looked down at the folder in his hand.

“Your name is Peter, right?”

“Lawyer.”

“Peter, we haven’t even started talking. Let’s just take a minute to ease up.”

“Lawyer.”

“Bud, we haven’t charged you with a crime. This is just talking.”

“Law. Yer.”

Goddamn.

(Brett's encounters with Team Red/vigilantes and their weird fucking way of helping)

All good things come in threes by Bergen

“I know all about your secret identity.”

A beat of silence. “Um,” Peter said, bunching his sweater in his hands. “Which… which one?”

--

Peter has three secret identities: Spider-Man, the superhero who swings around the city to save people. Parker Benjamin, who gives Tony Stark unsolicited advice on his research. And NightMonkey, the Instagrammer who keeps uploading increasingly popular but embarrassing drawings of Iron Man.

And he can juggle them all just fine, thankyouverymuch.

2 AM Crime Scenes (And Other Unlikely Places to Make Friends) by southby

Kayla Faucheux is an overworked EMT who is unlucky enough to get called to one of Deadpool's latest crime scenes. She knew she pissed off her supervisor enough to get stuck with the night shifts, but this whole thing has Kayla wondering if she happened to piss off the Universe as well.

Oh well, at least she got to one-up Mike from Berkley.

Prick.

adventures in illegal weapons production and distribution by anticomedygarden

Peter creates knives that are undetectable by metal detectors. Predictably, this causes some chaos.

Based on ch 7 of deniigiq's 'in technicolor.' If you haven't read it, go read it! And then read everything else they've written because it is all absolute gold.

They Never Went Further, They Never Went Back by EachPeachParePlum

The vigilante Iron Man is in the habit of showing up at a fight and disappearing again when it's done, whether the Avengers want his help or not. Steve has had more than enough of it, which is why, when Bucky finally manages to get him with a tracker before he flies off, Steve isn't going to let little things like a broken leg, an overprotective boyfriend, and a mysterious satellite deadzone get in the way of tracking him down.

Their - okay, fine, Steve's - truck breaking down on them might be a bit more of an obstacle, but at least the mechanic they've found, a guy called Tony, is nice enough to put them up - or should that be put up with them? - for a few nights while he works on repairing it.

5 Times an Avenger Realised They Don’t Know Steve + 1 Time 1 Did by WendyDarling95

A witch sends Steve back mentally and physically to who he was in 1941, and now the Avengers are starting to realize that while they've known Captain America for years now, they may never have met Steve Rogers. Takes place in 2016

5 chapters of an Avenger realizing Steve is more than he seems + 1 where someone knows him very well

He’d Like To Come and Meet Us (But He Thinks He’d Blow Our Minds) by ceealaina

Injured and on the run, Steve and Bucky take shelter at a mechanic's shop. Delayed car parts and snowstorms ensue as they find themselves falling more and more for Tony -- and there's something about the man that seems almost familiar...

t-shirts by KiwisAndTea

First Fic: A collection of one-shots centered around Peter Parker's favorite shirts. They serve only two purposes:

1. to embarrass Peter

2. to make Tony Feel™ Things

Merlin

Secret Whistle by thenerdyindividual

Merlin can't understand those stupid complicated hand signs Arthur uses on a hunt, but they figure out another way to communicate.

or: 5 times people were confused by Arthur and Merlin's secret language, and 1 time everyone understood.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Spiderman x Deadpool

Viral by Juilliancares

The whole world thinks Spider-Man and Deadpool are dating, and it all starts because of a TikTok. Or: 6 times the internet speculates that Spider-Man and Deadpool are together, and 1 time it's actually proven to be true.

Scatterbrained and lost in love by jilliancares

“Who flirts with someone when they’re in a committed relationship?” Wade gapes. Spidey’s in a relationship? “I’m sorry,” Wade blurts. “I didn’t realize—” “Whatever,” Spidey interrupts. He takes a step back, standing right on the edge of the roof. “You should’ve told me. It’s not fair to make someone think—” he cuts himself off. Shakes his head. “Whatever,” he repeats. Or: Spidey overhears one side of a phone call between Wade and his daughter, Ellie. Wade's starting to realize that he probably should've mentioned he had a kid sometime in the last five years.

hey you (who the fuck are you) by fancastical

For some reason, Peter thinks Deadpool knows his secret identity so he thinks it's not a big deal to chat with the merc in his civilian identity whenever he bumps into him in various locations. Wade, meanwhile, is confused on why a cute but grouchy nerd keeps talking to him like they know each other but hey, it's New York! Eccentrics are everywhere and this guy is really cute and doesn’t seem to mind hanging out with him! The T rating is specifically and entirely the fault of the title (and all the other cursing that happens after the title).

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The Incomprehensible Riza Hawkeye by najio

Rebecca struggles to understand her roommate's sense of humor. Then Riza comes home from a war, and Rebecca struggles to understand her at all.

How To Train Your Dragon

Soaring Soul, Burning Heart by Burnt_Ashes

In this world, Hiccup never tried taming the Monstrous Nightmare in the Killing Arena in front of her entire tribe. She never even graduated from Dragon Training. She left Berk and tried her best not to think about it. Until a familiar face shows up at a tavern years later and she gets her past thrown right back in her face. … Or, in other words, Hiccup is a woman, Astrid is a man, and canon was intentionally and lovingly laid to rest and then picked apart for my pleasure. This is a genderbent!Hiccstrid, Dragon Master!Hiccup AU that nobody asked for, but I’m writing anyway.

Harry Potter

firepower by cassiopeia721

Harry James Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, Chosen One, etc. is a squib with no knowledge of the magical world. By general consensus, he is most useful as potions ingredients. General consensus being unanimous agreement by everyone except one Harry James Potter. But who cares about his opinion anyway? (aka: Harry is having a good day, until the part where he gets teleported into a creepy graveyard with some even creepier... cult members?)

We’ve Been Waiting for You by pancake_surprise (keenbean)

It's a race to St. Mungo's on the morning of Teddy Lupin's birth. One will win, all will cry. A.K.A. a ficlet featuring the rest of the Marauders et al gushing over a newborn Teddy Lupin.

Family Relations by orphan_account

( “Why’re you studying with Padma—” “—It’s Parvati, Ronald—” “—Parvati, sure. Why’re you studying with her?”

“He looked tired and there weren’t any other open tables at the time,” Parvati spoke up, sounding rather absent from the conversation. “He’s been good company, until recently.”

Harry winced. She sounded unimpressed.

“I just thought you were related,” Ron said blandly and Harry had to physically restrain himself from bringing his head down against the table. For fucks sake, Ron. Hermione’s very obvious pre-rant intake of breath sounded like a fucking gunshot, what with how loud it was.

“—Ronald! Just because they’re both Indian doesn’t mean—”

“—We are. We’re first cousins—”

You could hear a pin drop. Harry’s surprised gaze snapped over to Parvati, who saw his confusion and looked at him like she’d never quite seen him in person before.

“Beg pardon?” )

In which Harry realizes that not even he's exempt from how interconnected magical families are.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Academic Excerpts and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being Studied by Scholars Who Make It Their Full Time Job by Vinces

Zuko and Aang conspired early to keep the Firelord’s identity as the Blue Spirit a secret. Zuko unmasked would only make his spot on the Dragon Throne more tenuous during a time of upheaval in the post-war Fire Nation. Nevertheless, the post-war academics are on it. Who was the Blue Spirit? Aang and Zuko try their best to play it cool. Aang’s pretty successful… Zuko? Well, he’s trying his best. -- Or where two-thirds of the story is historical “articles” set in and referencing the world of Avatar and one third is Zuko (and Aang) navigating a world where there are academic papers speculating about the prison breakout they did together.

Vigilante Zuko AU (A:tLA) by Burnt_Ashes

First Fic: Zuko, being raised in the world of lies and secrecy that was the Fire Nation palace, knew how to spot a scheme a mile away. That didn’t always stop him from falling for them, especially Azula’s, but he did usually know when something was up. He’d fallen for so many of his father and sister’s traps before. But he wasn’t going to fall for this one. … Zuko realizes his Father’s cruelty in sending him after the Avatar way sooner than he does in canon, and because he is thirteen years old and a drama king to boot, he takes inspiration from his mother’s old plays and becomes a vigilante instead. The Fire Nation soon learns to fear the Blue Spirit, while Aang and company are both intrigued and suspicious.

Grassfire by TheBestLouise

Uncle Iroh took a more creative approach to fostering Zuko's appreciation of other cultures. Or, Zuko goes to an Earth Rumble and becomes a rabid fan. When he realizes the Blind Bandit is teaching the avatar earthbeinding, he gives up his quest and decides to pursue other projects. Fire Nation Rebellions, secret airbending societies, and long dead relatives turn Zuko into everyone's Problem. Somehow, this is all Iroh's fault. His apologies might mean more if he could stop smiling like a proud parent.

By Agni’s Grace by Urge

"She offered her prayers and thanks to the gods, particularly whichever one had decided to take mercy on her brother’s fall. She felt a breeze brush past her bangs, one that sounded like a sigh, and thanked them more fervently. She hesitated, then continued with the request that had been resting heavily upon her heart. “Please let Mother keep loving me. Please let Zuko keep loving me,” she whispered, not sure who she was asking anymore. She did not bother asking for her father’s love."

Post-Canon Fire Lord Zuko (and his staff) by RejectsCanon

First Fic: “I just wanted to introduce myself. Your uncle had told me his niece had been thinking of applying to work in the gardens, so I thought I would introduce myself.” Fire Lord Zuko was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck and a slight blush crawled up his cheeks. Oh my Spirits, Hana thought. Our Fire Lord is adorable. Or, 5 times the palace staff were protective over their Fire Lord because they all love him to death, and 1 time they had someone else do it.

Taking a Break (In) by Duckduck_Scribblerswan (Caellie_E_and_Vaye_R)

After a few agonizingly slow seconds of exhausted, confused pondering, Zuko decided there was only one logical conclusion. “You’re right," he told the assassins, "I’m here to help you kill the Fire Lord.” Like a genius. Caldera City is holding a festival to celebrate finally having enough funds to hold a festival! Although Zuko originally deemed himself too busy to go, Sokka managed to cajol him into attending his own party, in a knock-off Blue Spirit disguise for security purposes. Zuko sneaks back into the palace right in time to catch a group of assassins sneaking out. They failed to find the Fire Lord and assume he's reinforcements. Zuko needs to find who ordered a strike on him before they do something stupid, like order a second one. Obviously, the most reasonable thing to do is join the assassins and hope they don’t figure out who he actually is. Obviously. There’s literally no other option. Feat. Zuko's only two coping mechanisms (mortal peril and improv theater), the world's most incompetent hit team, and another knock-off Blue Spirit who's determined to prove this "Li" isn't who he says he is.

The Cycle by Angelknives

Annya is old. She’s been part of the palace staff for years, and when Izumi arrives, she often finds herself waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Estelle is Trying Her Best but Those Olympians Make it Like...Really Hard by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

First Fic: Poseidon keeps getting offerings from Percy’s baby sister. He doesn’t quite know how to feel about this small child vying for his attention…At the very least he would keep Zeus from blowing up whenever her prayers interrupted council meetings. Or Rick Riordan gave us Estelle Blofis and I am thrilled. She's going to get Poseidon to attend family events even if every god on Olympus kills her.

Son of Sea Foam by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

“She’ll never claim me,” he whispered. Silena shook her head, eyes wild as she looked around for anyone who could be watching. “My mother doesn’t remember half of her children as it is,” she said with a note of bitterness. “If you do something to impress her, it won’t matter. Return the bolt in her name. She’ll claim you if you act the part. If you stay unclaimed then they'll figure out what you really are," she said, squeezing his hands tightly. Percy's heart sped up. "I - I don't know the first thing about Aphrodite-" "My mother was born of sea foam," Silena cut him off. "And if you're really who I think you are... you are the sea. You can pull this off," she said and touched his cheek. "Get the bolt. Survive," she said. Percy swallowed. "What if I can't act the part?" He asked. Silena's expression went blank for a moment. Slowly, she slipped off her bracelet and placed it in his hands. "If you're going to be one of us... you better learn." Or AU where Percy has to hide the fact he's a Big Three kid otherwise he'll be killed on the spot. Unfortunately for him, unclaimed kids tend to raise the most suspicion... but he might have found a loophole in the form of Aphrodite.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Avatar: The Last Airbender

from the ashes by dxncingquxxr

the five times zuko dies and the one time he lives

a subtle electric fire (asef-verse) by agni_kai

First Fic: a subtle electric fire

"Suki," he says, muffled. "Suki, tell me to stop crushing on the hot single dad at work."

Suki doesn't look up from painting her nails. "Go out and bag yourself a DILF, babe."

---

Zuko's insistence that it's him and his kid against the world is being seriously tested by Izumi's new teacher.

Sokka's determination to ignore hot parents is waning more and more as he gets to know the single dad of the new kid.

Everyone else is just waiting for them both to get their acts together.

Fullmental Alchemist

Make Your Pointe by ShanaStoryteller

Ed doesn't know how he got himself into this situation.

And by situation, he means dancing the lead role in a ballet he barely knows.

Dreaming in Red and Gold by Batsutousai

When Drachma agrees to meet for peace talks at Briggs Fortress, General Roy Mustang is the one sent to represent Amestris. It just so happens that the Drachmans have their own Amestrisan, who is far too skilled at turning the most tedious of discussions into an exciting time.

Happiness and Love Revolve Revolve Around You by Batsutousai

Mei visits Xerxes as a princess of Xing, and Al finds himself falling in love with her.

a terrifying clamour of trumpets by ShanaStoryteller

Edward grabs Marcoh’s arm and says, “That stone – what can it heal, exactly?”

The old man’s eyebrows rise to his forehead, and he looks like he already knows the answer when he goes, “Why do you ask, Edward?”

There's no metallic footsteps so there’s no way Al’s close enough to hear them. “I’m sick,” he admits after another moment of deliberation.

Merlin

Me @ Merlin Writers: What if You Didn’t Murder My Favourite Characters by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

First Fic: Returning the Favour

Really?" Arthur asked, brushing the dirt off of him as he glowered at the man. "Again? I had it under control - and we aren't allies!" He added heatedly. Balinor shrugged, looking nonplussed by Arthur's anger as he stroked the dragon's wing.

"I know." Balinor said simply. "But I promised my son I wouldn't let you die."

"Your...You have a son?" Arthur demanded. Again, Balinor shrugged. "Why does your son...? Nevermind. Don't save me again!" He snapped, pointing a finger at the man. He turned to stalk back to the horse only for a column of fire to blow past him. The prince jumped. He spun around to tell the man off again but immediately noticed one of the remaining bandits who had been slowly creeping towards him burnt to a crisp. He looked back at Balinor.

"Sorry."

Or

Balinor lives. Arthur will do pretty much anything to get the man to stop saving his life.

Dragged Down and Hellbound by CaffinatedFlumadiddle

"I don't think you understand," Merlin said as he started walking backwards, brows wrinkled in confusion. "I can rip your throat out with my teeth and drink your blood. Does that not bother you?" He asked. Arthur finally glanced up from the papers in his hand to look at him, pausing his steps altogether. Merlin waited.

"...Merlin, you fell over trying to put boots on." He said. Merlin grimaced, looking down at his feet.

"I hadn't realized you were supposed to wear them all the time." He muttered, uncertain what this had to do with the fact he could murder everyone within a ten mile radius. Arthur sighed. "And those are bold words from someone who can't dress himself!" He added indignantly. Another sigh. Humans did that a lot as it turned out.

"Merlin, that's your job."

"And I've taught you several times. It isn't that hard."

"No, I - " Arthur started and closed his eyes. "I don't have time for this."

Or

After living with demons for sixteen years, Merlin decides to explore his human side by venturing to Camelot. Also, he has a destiny to unite his species and bring magic back into Camelot, but he's not too worried about that.

Harry Potter

A Love Potion by Liepe

The Slytherin House, more specifically Pansy and Blaise, have been unamused by Draco’s behaviour lately. It has been decided that the perfect punishment would be to give Draco a love potion that would make him act like a love sick puppy around Potter. Nothing happens and the Slytherins can’t figure out why.

Avengers

It’s the Little Things that Matter by TunaFishChris

Wanda has a lot of time to reflect and come to some decisions about herself during the Rogues' exile. When they're pardoned, she decides that she's going to make things right: with herself, with the team, and with the world.

In other words, we have enough evil!Wanda and bitch!Wanda fics. So here's a complicated-snarky-hero-awesome Wanda fic.

Series: History and Science Fiction by MemoryDragon

Steve learns history through the use of television, and he starts to see that neither are really that bad. And through it all, he might just have found a family.

in an empty moral space by blueh

“Bring Spider-Man to us, Mr. Stark,” High-heels says and rattles off an address. “If that bug isn’t here in the next twenty four hours, then your intern gets it. We are not going to ask a second time.”

There’s a pause.

Then, “You want Spider-Man?”

“In exchange for your intern,” High-heels affirms.

“Spider-Man,” Mr. Stark repeats. He sounds more amused than worried for Peter’s apparent safety.

also known as: Peter Parker is held hostage…in order to get to Spider-Man. Throw in some Accords reconciliation and, well, Peter’s life just got a whole lot weirder.

Birthday For Two by Inkinmyheartandonthepage

“I’m going to meet MJ and Ned,” Peter said casually even as his palms grew balmy, and his heart rate kicked in his chest.

“Now?” Tony’s brows pulled tighter together.

Peter nodded as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I’ll be back later.”

“It’s the middle of your sisters’ birthday party,” Tony said slowly.

“Yeah, well,” Peter shrugged and took in a shaky breath. “Ned and MJ wanted to celebrate my birthday too.”

OR

Tony forgets that it's Peter's birthday too.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Zuko Has A Cat (Or More Accurately, A Cat Has Zuko) by Stressball

Instead of being exiled on a boat, Zuko is dropped off in the Earth Kingdom. Eventually a certain crazy old lady finds him, and he is subsequently adopted by her cat. Based on an idea by MuffinLance

We Dance To Fast Music by entity9silvergen

Zuko didn’t like to dance. Neither did Mai. But Ty Lee did and they’d do it for her. Fortunately for them, Ty Lee cared about how they felt and wanted to show them just how wonderful music could be. All Zuko and Mai knew were slow dances, the things of ballrooms and romance. Ty Lee only knew the dances of friendship, freedom, and fun.

The Family You Choose by TunaFishChris

Some people are born with soulmarks. Zuko has them, but his grandfather burned them off because they "make you weak."

Team Avatar has a few things to say about that.

An Age of Blossoms by agustsea

Sokka has been an unfortunate victim to many uncomfortable realizations in his life.

When he was sixteen it went like this. The deranged, reckless, fire-breathing prince that chased them across half the world was, as little as Sokka wanted to admit it at the time, actually kind of cool. Now, he’s twenty one, sparring across from that same prince– now a king– in a small courtyard at the heart of the Fire Nation, and he realizes that not only is the Fire Lord actually kind of cool, he’s also really pretty.

OR

After the war, Sokka goes to the Southern Water Tribe to help his people rebuild. Five years later, he accepts the role of ambassador to the Fire Nation and returns to a city and a man that are almost unrecognizable.

Spider-Man x The Fantastic Four

Super Hero After School Club by YouWannaGoBro

When the Fantastic 4 are saved by a scrawny nerd who appears to have no idea that he has super strength, how else could they return the favor but to help him understand and control his powers? In which Sue, Ben, and Reed are trying really hard to prevent this kid with powers from turning into another weirdo New York street super villain, Peter is trying to pretend he hasn't been doing the hero thing longer than all the Fantastic 4 members combined, and Johnny is trying to get a hot date.

Weaving Spiders Come Not Here by Mizzy

People are treating Peter oddly. Really oddly. It turns out they're being nice to him because they think his boyfriend cheated on him. …with Spider-Man. It's honestly quite tiring pretending to be jealous of yourself.

Trial by Fire by Iamujerarana

Johnny's been more of a pest than usual lately, and Peter can't figure out why, or what's with all of his truly bizarre behavior. Or, Johnny tries to ask Peter out in the most outrageous ways, and Peter's too horrified (and busy fantasizing about murdering Johnny) to understand what's happening. ***** Knives, Peter decided as he watched Johnny sweet-talk the concierge. When he killed Johnny, knives would be involved. Or maybe swords. Like, the giant curvy kind. Johnny flashed his most charming smile at the concierge No, Peter thought, scowling at Johnny. There would definitely be poison. Johnny slid his finger along the concierge's hand, and the concierge blushed red. The really painful kind of poison, Peter thought. The kind that made your insides shrivel up. Screaming in pain, the whole bit.

Avengers x Daredevil

My Guardian Avengers (Can I Get a Refund) by prettybirdy979

‘I can see you have it,’ Captain America says in a deadpan that would put Brett to shame. Matt just grunts at him. You know what? If these arseholes want to deal with the scum of Hell’s Kitchen, they can deal with it. The man stumbles to his feet and half walks, half falls in Matt’s direction. Matt just looks at Captain America with a dark smile. ‘You want to deal with these assholes? They’re all yours.’ * Or Daredevil needs to protect a certain law firm in Hell's Kitchen. He's a little slack about protecting this Matt Murdock fellow though, and the Avengers are only too happy to step in to help. Matt is SO not okay with this. (Shut up Foggy, so what if it's his own fault!)

Avengers

tell me what you want what you really really want by mindshelter

First Fic: if you wanna be my lover (you gotta get with my friends)

MJ still remembers Ned’s initial disbelief when Peter—infamous for missing class back in sophomore year, suspended for two weeks freshman year—finished his bit of the group write-up four days early. The work was perfect, and so was Ned's chemistry grade. After that it was Peter this, Peter that, Peter parted the Red Sea, it’s true, MJ, I was there; I saw it. MJ, hey, are you listening?

Then Ned says, “We should invite Peter to join AcaDec.”

or;

peter isn’t rock bottom on midtown’s social ladder; he’s underground. friendless, rumoured to get into street fights. ned declares him bestie material anyway, and mj catches feelings.

she also meets tony stark(?) in foodtown, of all places, and makes a spider-man(??) sighting.

Tremors and Tribulations by Fernandidilly_yo

Tony feels a prickling behind his eyes as the man continues on about Howard Stark and his greatness. He feels breathless as he stares at his mother’s coffin. He feels lightheaded as he stands here, the only Stark left in existence.

Tony takes a deep breath of frigid air and slips the sunglasses on with fumbling fingers. And then, when his hands won’t stop trembling, won’t stop giving him away, Tony stuffs them into his pockets. Pretending for the world that he isn’t falling apart, because that’s what he’s supposed to do.

(Or: Nine times that Tony Stark's hands shook, and one time they held steady)

how long until spring (i miss you) by mindshelter

It’s nothing personal – they just didn’t know each other; she usually belonged in another sphere than him, in posh galas, dull board meetings, catching snatches of sleep on overseas flights. He was decades younger, a burst of energy and intelligence that Tony wanted to hone, nurture, and keep close to the ground for as long as he could.

So, when she approaches Peter on the lake house’s dock, both of them swathed in black and sorrow and asks if he wants to join her inside to see the message Tony left behind, he says no.

(set immediately after endgame.)

This Isn’t A Love Song, This Isn’t A Fable by rayrae118

Steve's not OK with people's perception of Captain America, no matter what he says or how much he pretends otherwise. It's like no one in this time period realizes that there's more to him than a spangly outfit. And yes, he's including the Avengers in that.

... or, the one where everything's all right, until it's not.

Series Held Together

First Fic: Held Together by Spiderwebs by TunaFishChris

Steve is not coping well in the twenty-first century. At all. Three months after the Chitauri invasion, he decides he's had enough.

But just as he's about to end it all, he runs into the new hero in town.

Welcome to Planet Queer by TunaFishChris

The Parkers have never really talked about sexuality of the LGBTQ+ community. Neither positive nor negative things. So Peter had hoped that when he told Aunt May that he prefers boys that she wouldn't do something drastic and out of the blue, like kick him out, as if she were a queerphobic Transformer.

Except now, he's on the street, and has no idea what to do next.

Luckily, the Avengers have his back.

(Un)Fortunate Circumstances by lomku

Or how Steve wakes up from the ice in the SHIELD facility, runs into Tony, and kind of kidnaps him in his bid for freedom.

Harry Potter

Hogwarts, to welcome you home by gedsparrowhawk (FaceChanger)

“You understand, Professor,” Harry began, after a moment, “that I don’t have my N.E.W.T.s. I never even finished seventh year. Between everything, I never had a chance the first time around, and then afterwards there didn’t seem to be much point. Hermione argued for it, of course, but I was so tired of Britain. So technically, I am completely unqualified for the position.”

“Quite a way to begin an interview, Mr. Potter,” McGonagall said, dryly.

Or, three years after the war, Harry Potter becomes Hogwarts' newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

A Young Radical’s Guide to Love by Blamebrampton

Memories of the war are still fresh, which is all the excuse Decent People need to do appalling things. In this quietly waged conflict, Draco Malfoy is happy to be on the right side of things for once, and even happier to find he’s not alone.

Doing the Lamberto Walk by Blamebrampton

There are only three traditional choices for the cashed-up hero after victory. Harry Potter is too young to settle down and provide the wizarding world with a happy ending, and has too acute a sense of humour to spiral downwards into a spectacular flame-out. That leaves a life of good works. Choosing to lead it in Muggle Brixton comes with its own set of challenges, including Malfoys in the biscuit aisle.

The Spellmaker by SonnyGietzel

Latin; a dead language with no practical applications except perhaps the deciphering of old texts and as a particularly quaint party trick. Thankfully, as Harry finds out, Latin is not as dead as he was first taught when he decided to learn the language. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, of course; he loved Latin, and would have been proud to know it even had it been as useless as it was pretty. But in the world of Wizards, the world of Magic, Harry realizes his rare talent with words is particularly valuable, and allows him to use magic that no one's ever heard of, that no one's ever seen. But as time goes on, and he becomes more and more entangled in the webs spun by those around him, he starts to realize just how deep the magical rabbit hole goes and how dangerous power like his can be. All Harry had ever wanted was for the world to make sense.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Month

Marvel

Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail by MusingsOnBuckyBarnes & Owlet First Fic: The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

Average Avengers Local Chapter 7 of New York City by hetrez

Steve and Tony accidentally start a national do-gooders association and fall in love.

Changing Fate by melWinter

Loki was supposed to go back to Asgard to assume control of the throne after saving Thor on Svartalfheim. He was supposed to be the portent for Ragnarok...too bad fate didn't ask for his opinion. After all, fate didn't plan for Loki to find an abandoned baby elf. Nor did Loki plan to discover how intriguing Jane Foster can be. And what the heck do the Avengers and his trickster of a daughter have to do with any of this? Loki makes a different choice. But can Loki truly escape the fate that has been his since the beginning? Can the trickster learn to love? With Thanos rising and the infinity war looming, the universe may come to an end if the nine realms can't reconcile with the prince it once rejected. Eventual Jane/Loki. Warning: Loki and Hela snarkiness, Tony cockiness, Thor cluelessness, and random cuteness of Loki dealing with being a dad.

secret keeper by jilliancares

Ellie stares at the new arrival, gaping. All the evidence points to one obvious answer, but this guy looks nothing like the Spider-Man Ellie recognizes — mostly because he isn’t wearing the suit. “Crappy day to get kidnapped, amirite?” he says, crouching next to Ellie and deftly untying her restraints. “Looks like these guys were amateurs, though. They didn’t even lock the windows.” In which Ellie accidentally becomes the one person who knows Spider-Man's identity. She doesn't tell her dad.

Harry Potter

Of a Linear Circle (series) by flamethrower

First Fic: In September of 1971, Severus Snape finds a forgotten portrait of the Slytherin family in a dark corner of the Slytherin Common Room. At the time, he has no idea that talking portrait will affect the rest of his life.

When It Returns by academicdisaster

‘You’re late, layabout,’ Malfoy drawled, pushing the whiskey over to him. ‘I’ll have you know that I am very busy maintaining a whole house and garden by myself now.’ ‘Oooh, the dead husband card. Before any alcohol. Is that a record?’ Harry's husband is dead, and Malfoy is the only one who gets it. Or, the one where they drink at a straight man pub, renovate a house, and learn how to find joy again.

Percy Weasley and the Prefect Job That Isn’t A Vanity Role by adiduck (book_people) and joisbishmyoga

In Which Prefects Have Very Specific Training And Delineated Duties, Namely Handling Exactly One (1) Dormful Of Kids -OR- Percy Is Dorm Mom To Five Boys And No One Else -OR- In Which McGonagall Pictured Prefect Oliver Wood For Two Minutes, Turned Green, And Gave Percy The Badge Despite The Sheer Number Of Responsibilities He Already Had, And It Did Not End In Disaster The Notes For A Fic That Will Not Be Written No, Really, It Won't, Please Don't Ask A Place on Earth by louisfake "Right," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "I'm supposed to believe that the Gryffindor war hero caught the former Death Eater singing Muggle pop like a lunatic in his dormitory and didn't immediately share the news with his pack of admirers?" Harry couldn't help it, he snorted a little. "As if they would ever believe me, Draco." Draco drew himself up, ready to launch into some other tirade, so Harry held up a hand; "What would I even say? I saw Draco Malfoy being joyful and free. How is that a joke?"

Merlin

Next to You (It’s the Rule) by LunaMyLove

Arthur and Merlin have a special relationship. They always have, even when they were prince and servant. While many question it when first noticing, eventually it becomes an understanding in Camelot—and even among some other countries—that where there is Arthur, there is Merlin. And, where there is Merlin, there is Arthur. Or Arthur and Merlin's relationship as witnessed and explained by others. Also, or Five times someone realizes that Merlin is the Queen, one time Merlin realizes it himself, and one time he owns it.

The Hunt for Red Emrys by Darkbluedark

King Arthur sets out to keep his promise to the spirit of the Druid boy by repealing his father's ban on magic. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, for reasons including but not limited to the following: (1) He can't change the law until he understands magic better, but no sorcerer is willing to explain magic to him until he changes the law; (2) The sorcerers all have some strange obsession with Merlin, which is awakening all sorts of feelings in Arthur that he really doesn't fancy examining too closely; (3) He is starting to feel like the butt of some Druid-population-wide inside joke involving the mysterious phenomenon called Emrys; and (4) Oh yeah, Morgana is still trying to kill him. Thus he embarks on a journey of discovery, diplomacy, accountability, and self-improvement, and maybe even falls in love along the way.

Open Eyes by N16

After Merlin experiences abuse at the hands of a visiting lord, Arthur decides his manservant needs to learn how to defend himself. But Merlin is unimpressed with Arthur's solution, and Arthur is forced to confront some unpleasant truths about what happens right under his nose. How can he protect a kingdom when he can't even protect those inside his castle? One-shot.

Descendants

till death do us part by RottenKidNextDoor (Portal of Words)

"the first time jay killed carlos, they were sitting in the foyer of hell hall and carlos was worried about the blood on the floor." or jay and carlos have an agreement to kill each other to exploit the magic barrier's healing ability when things go too far. killing for mercy isn't as easy as it sounds.

death came to visit me so sweetly by tobiko

Do you know what it feels like to die? The Isle kids do. It's not something that they like to talk about.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

Marvel

Bizarre Love Triangle by panickyintheuk

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.

A Partial Dictionary Of The 21st Century By Captain Steve Rogers, US Army by copperbadge

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

i may have a bit of a bias by kellifer_fic

Having an Iron Man and Captain America plush duo on your desk that you can place into compromising positions is a totally valid way to amuse yourself.

she blinded me with political science by thingswithteeth

Darcy watched the Avengers defend New York from over two thousand miles away. She could look out her window if she wanted to watch the aftermath. She watches the news instead, and realizes one very important thing: the Avengers have a bit of a PR problem.

This, You Protect by owlet

The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

To Me by Asidian

On the anniversary of Loki's birth, a feast is held in Father's hall. This, he thinks, is as it should be: this is as it is every year, with lively music on the harp, with men and women dancing, with all his favorite foods. Except this year the foods are not the ones he prefers, after all, but those favored by his brother. And the music is not harp music but the blaring of horns. And when Father calls attention to the assembled throng to give a speech for the occasion, he does not mention Loki at all.

He proclaims the meal in honor of Thor's prowess as a warrior. He announces that the firstborn prince has bested his training instructor this day.

The boar meat, spicy and rich on Loki's tongue, is suddenly tasteless. He puts his fork down amidst the wave of applause that floods the hall; he watches as his brother, golden and triumphant, stands to accept his congratulations. The child thinks, perhaps, that this is some ruse. His family, too, scold him for his pranks, and perhaps they have decided to show him what it is like to be on the receiving end.

But the jest, if jest it is, grows long.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Eight Principles of Yong by psocoptera

The pen is mightier than the sword, or how Zuko saves the day via the power of good penmanship.

A Long Way Home by sushigal007

For three years, Zuko searched for the Avatar. But he'd never really thought that much about what would happen once he succeeded.

Alternatively: Zuko actually has a plan for catching the Avatar at the North Pole. Somehow, it works. But after a few days of pai sho and tea, he begins to wonder if maybe it would've been better if it hadn't.

Harry Potter

Reparatio by astolat

Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”

“You want the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry said, flatly. He’d half expected as much; it was the only thing he had that Draco could want—

“Don’t be stupid, Potter,” Draco said. “I want my reputation back.”

Slithering by astolat

Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.

Cake by astolat

Harry tried not to care when after the war, everyone he knew seemed to have made an agreement to stop paying attention to birthdays.

Trust and Vows by Skullshy

Hermione Granger, an unremarkable Muggleborn in a sea of Purebloods, abruptly slams into Theodore Nott’s orderly but soulless life. Nothing is ever quite the same again.

Heal Thyself by astolat

"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.”

“What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

“Oh, I thought you might,” she said. “Well, goodbye.” And off she wandered again in her addled way.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

Avatar: The Last Airbender

a nation, held by snowdarkred

It doesn’t take long for the rumors to start.

The Fire Nation prides itself on its civilization. It isn’t like the other, lesser, nations who throw their children away by sending them into war. Those uncultured and unfeeling savages who are destroying their own future faster than the Fire Nation can save them from themselves.

Every Fire Nation child goes to school. They learn reading and writing, the illustrious history of their country, and what will be expected of them as proper, upstanding Fire Nation citizens. They are to be protected, because children are the future glory of the nation.

The crown prince is thirteen when his father burns his face in front of an audience of hundreds.

All The Gentle Creatures by Haicrescendo

It’s said that you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat animals. Zuko may be loud and stubborn and sharp but all the woodland creatures love him.

The Good Vanilla by Haicrescendo

Sokka’s beautiful friendship with Zuko doesn’t start with breaking Dad out of jail. That’s just what he tells people.

Sokka’s beautiful friendship with Zuko started the day he realizes that he knows how to cook.

Feat. breakup cake, an attempted assassination, and eating out of the pan like dirty heathens.

Merlin

From the Start by CrzyFun

"You... assisted me in my fight against the bandits. For that, you have my thanks. I'm an honorable man and I repay my debts. Leave now and I will not hunt you."

"Assisted? I'm pretty sure I saved your life."

"I had the situation perfec- Are you trying to make me reconsider letting you go?"

It was supposed to be a one time thing. Arthur let the sorcerer run off with his life in return for him saving Arthur's. He had never expected to see the boy again, especially not only two days later in Gaius's chambers.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

non native ceramics by silentwalrus

Ed opens up the catacombs on the first of September, clapping his hands and then watching the stones part like the swish of a theater curtain, pouring over each other to reveal the dark, blocky tunnels beneath.

An Interesting Trip by ShanaStoryteller

Everyone's born with their soulmate's first words to them written on their skin, and that should make things easy, but it really doesn't.

"Roy has alternatively despised his mark and clung to it like a lifeline. Colonel. Just one word, right at the back of his foot. His literal Achilles’ heel."

Spider-Man

of things unknown (but still longed for) by aloneintherain

Peter Parker can’t walk around with the same daemon as Spider-Man. But she’s going to settle one day, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Silence is Golden by GloriousBlackout

Peter doesn't say a word during his first six months with the Ravagers. Yondu learns to adapt to having a silent shadow following him around.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by BeanieBaby

I kept him ‘cause he’s small and fits into spaces others can’t. Good for thievin'.

Harry Potter

Spider in the Roses by HauntingOpal

When Pansy Parkinson, Tracey Davis, and Daphne Greengrass start 4th year, they expect a silly tournament and more study time. Instead they get an abused Harry Potter who isn't a Potter at all, a mother who wants her son back, and a Slytherin Triwizard competitor who owes a debt to Harry Potter. Not to mention a twinkly eyed headmaster whose careful plans are being torn to shreds by very protective Slytherins.

House Proud by atolat

His house liked Draco Malfoy more than him.

All the Little Things by MyWhiteKnight

Oliver just wanted to beat the Slytherin in the House Cup this year, and find a good seeker to replace his friend and mentor, Charlie Weasley. Instead, he found the beginnings of an unbreakable bond between himself and one curly-haired witch.

What started as helping a lonely first year gain her bearings in a new world evolved into having their own analyst for Gryffindor. As time goes on, life develops in a way he never saw coming.

Series: we must unite inside her walls or we'll crumble from within by dirgewithoutmusic

stories for the ladies of hogwarts, who cry, waver, giggle, trespass, and who deserve our respect all the same

First Fic: overemotional: in defence of cho chang

Cho cried and she survived Pansy Parkinson's cruel jabs about a dead boy. She wept and she passed all her classes, kept up with Quidditch, watched fairweather friends scatter in the cold wind. She got very good at wordlessly summoning tissues and she joined the DA against her parents' wishes.

They had told her to behave, begged her, ordered her, as the threatening darknesses of the world clung close even inside Hogwarts, and Cho walked out to the little pub in Hogsmeade and wrote her name down on Hermione's list.

I hope someone in the DA told Cho that she ought to have been in Gryffindor.

I hope she laughed at them, hard.

Integrity. Truth. Honor. Dedication. These were the tenets of her House, of the blue and the bronze, the eagle called raven (called nerd, called stuck-up, called so many things that were not their names). Bravery was only one way to be a hero.

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

Avatar: The Last Airbender

letter to the editor by aloneintherain

No one knows that Dante Basco, an emerging writer with a growing readership, is actually Fire Lord Zuko.

Not even his editor.

Legacies by WildInkling

Long after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender, a lone historian finds the personal journal of Prince Zuko. Little does she know that he was also the mysterious anonymous author who took the world by storm. The world will never be the same. Inspired by and directly links to aloneintherain's Writer Zuko AU.

Treachery of the Highest Order by LoserLife592

Sometimes life is unfair. Sometimes the universe likes to kick you when you're down. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

But there a still lines that need to be drawn. And this? This is beyond that line.

(or, You Think You Know A Guy)

A Dragon’s Instinct by AelinCreativ

Zuko is banished. Never to return to his Nation unless he does the impossible. But when Agni, Dragon of the Sun, gives Zuko a mission, he has a new purpose in life besides pretending to still be loyal to his father. With Azula playing defense at the palace, Zuko has the whole world to search for answers and the people who Agni says will be Champions of the Elements and help him restore balance to the world. He has his own secrets to keep while he's at it. With an uncle he can't trust and a crew of misfits on his side, can Zuko do the impossible and stop the war in time to save his people?

He's thirteen and the Spirit's have big plans for him. Is one teenage dragon enough to save the world?

a distant yesterday by aloneintherain

Iroh had been worried that the gentle tea server from Ba Sing Se wouldn’t survive the Fire Palace. But he can see traces of him in this young prince, this almost-Fire Lord.

Ozai didn’t crush Zuko the way he had intended. He survived. He grew strong, and gentle, and more honourable than Ozai could ever imagine.

And Iroh is so proud of him.

Follows Iroh’s thoughts on his nephews in Book 2 and Book 3 and beyond.

Quiet Like a Fire by WhatWouldJackSparrowDo

Things Azula is surprised by:

- her father's death at Zuko's hands (however supposedly inadvertent)

Things Azula is not surprised by:

- Zuko's complete and utter lack of a plan afterwards

(Zuko's aim on the Day of Black Sun is a little off. Ozai gets struck by his own lightning. Azula grudgingly takes care of the rest.)

Derry Girls

the derry catholic gays club by wafflesofdoom

claire hadn't exactly planned on becoming all of her best friends fairy gay-mother.

or, the one where literally nobody is straight.

Harry Potter

rather start a family than finish one by elumish

He knows, knows deep in his soul, that if Potter ever wanted to take over Britain, he could do it, and most of them would probably just cheer along.

the family evans by dirgewithoutmusic

What if, when Petunia Dursley found a little boy on her front doorstep, she took him in? Not into the cupboard under the stairs, not into a twisted childhood of tarnished worth and neglect—what if she took him in?

Petunia was jealous, selfish and vicious. We will not pretend she wasn’t. She looked at that boy on her doorstep and thought about her Dudders, barely a month older than this boy. She looked at his eyes and her stomach turned over and over. (Severus Snape saved Harry’s life for his eyes. Let’s have Petunia save it despite them).

Let’s tell a story where Petunia Dursley found a baby boy on her doorstep and hated his eyes—she hated them. She took him in and fed him and changed him and got him his shots, and she hated his eyes up until the day she looked at the boy and saw her nephew, not her sister’s shadow. When Harry was two and Vernon Dursley bought Dudley a toy car and Harry a fast food meal with a toy with parts he could choke on Petunia packed her things and got a divorce.

the girl who lived (again) by dirgewithoutmusic

Molly tried her best. When Harry had told them, Arthur had asked excitedly, "is this a Muggle thing?" Hermione had hurried out a "no!" and a frantic history of gender diversity in the wizarding world.

"It's just that I'm a girl," Harry had said, and Arthur had nodded and asked her about how telephone booths worked. He would call her by the right pronouns until the day he died at the respectable old age of one hundred and thirty three, and he would make it seem easy.

But Molly had to try. Hermione explained things faster and higher-pitched every time Molly messed up a pronoun. Molly frowned and muttered and put extra potatoes on Harry's plate at breakfast. Harry slept in Ron's room, which didn't bother either of them but which made Hermione scowl.

Harry got boxes of sweets and warm hugs, as Molly chewed things over. For her fifteenth Christmas, the Weasley sweater she would receive would be a bright, friendly, terrible pink.

The next time Harry visited, Molly put her on Ginny's floor to sleep-- for some definition of sleep that involved Hermione hissing threats at three in the morning if Harry and Ginny didn't "shut up about Wronski feints, do you know what time it is."

a snake in the den by dirgewithoutmusic

you know what would have been great? if ron got sorted into slytherin.

imagine– we have this kid on the train, the first friend harry meets, with his corned beef sandwiches and smudged nose. ron is eleven years old and he wants gryffindor, because he’s a weasley and that’s what always happens. but it doesn’t happen.

what a way to redeem slytherin house– or, god, at least complicate it. because ron is petty. he is mean and sharp and ambitious and jealous– and he is loyal to the ends of the earth. he is all those things, and he is and always has been good.

potter becomes before weasley in the alphabet, so harry says not slytherin please and gets told might as well be gryffindor. percy and fred and george are all sitting there in red and gold, ruffling the already-ruffled hair of the boy who lived, smug, and then ron sits down and the hat spits out slytherin!

the heir of something or other by dirgewithoutmusic

When kids in the Slytherin Common Room tossed jeers at the pudgy feet of Millicent Bulstrode, Harry rose up to do something about it. This Harry, now one of Snape’s own, got fewer House points lost but many more detentions– it had never been the colors on his hem that Severus hated.

This was not wishing Harry an easy path. This was not wishing the boy a warm House. This was Harry, three weeks in, sleep deprived and considering running away and going back to Privet Drive. This was Harry in the back of Potions class, blank-faced under Snape’s disdain the way he’d perfected under the Dursleys’s torments.

When Quirrell shouted “troll in the dungeons, thought you ought to know,” and Harry overheard that there was a girl in the bathroom crying, he still ran off to make sure she got out okay. He hesitated first, at the back of the little pack of Slytherin first years (at the back so that no one could get behind him)– he hesitated.

And Millicent Bulstrode, who could never quite keep her tummy tucked in enough, could never brush all the cat hair off her robes, never quite keep her temper in check, hesitated, too.

[lesbiansitara-moved-deactivated]

I wish that ao3 had an option to filter warnings (and tbh certain authors) out like I will never ever want to read it and just seeing it puts me off so much that often I end up closing my browser because that content upsets me so much lmao

[darcylindbergh]

There is a way to do this but I can’t recall how to do it. it’s something you type into the box for “other filters” or something, I don’t remember. who knows?? It’s not a great option, and I don’t know if you can sort out authors that way, but it’s better than nothing if someone can reblog this with how to do it!

[fordeductions-blog]

Alrighty friends! It takes some specificity, but you can do this. Let me show you how!

So I started with going to the Sherlock (TV) section of Ao3. On the right we find this lovely section! ((I know I’m going over things you already probably know, but I figure this post may go to new Ao3 users, so bear with me.))

Underneath this, I chose sort by Kudos, because that’s a quick way to find most popular fics, for the sake of this demonstration. 

With those filters on, we end up with this being our first two results: 

As you can see, we have Nature and Nurture by earlgreytea68, and The Internet Is Not Just For Porn by cyerus. So what if I am utterly sick of seeing earlgreytea68 on my list? Let’s pretend I’ve read all their fics, or that I just don’t like her, or whatever. I want this author out. I go to this section on the right: 

In “Search within results” I type earlgreytea68 into the bar, with a minus sign in front. This gives me the following page, upon hitting the sort and filter button:

There goes earlgreytea68! But now I’ve decided that Crack is just not my thing, I’m sick of that, too, for heaven’s sake, I want something reasonable in my gay slash fanfiction about detectives that solve crimes about glowing dogs and irish megalomaniacs. Heaven forbid this get ridiculous.

Well, then I add this to my search:

Which gets rid of everything with that tag. My results are now:

Performance in a Leading Role is now my first result!

You can do this as many times as you want; the biggest problem I have is trying to filter out multi-worded tags. For example, “Secret Relationship” is hard to filter. Better to go with authors you dislike or with words like “DubCon”. 

I hope this helps! Also remember that googling site:archiveofourown.org and then adding search terms will mean google searches Ao3 for you, and sometimes that works far better. 

Good luck!

[darcylindbergh]

An excellent in-depth guide! Thank you!!

[eyesofmedusa]

omg changed my whole ao3 rarepair game

[stucky-ficrecs]

An excellent guide to filtering on AO3!

You can filter out phrases by enclosing them in quotes. For example, if ABO and Hydra Trash Party are not your things, try:

-“alpha/beta/omega dynamics” -”hydra trash party”

[possibly-an-obsession]

I have more advice!

Say, you’re in your random fandom- I went with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, since I’ve been reading Iron Man stuff recently. Tony Stark is awesome.

But anyway, you’re on the page, and you see that there are 174,774 works! That is way too many for a casual afternoon’s browsing.

And you see that the first one is Peter Parker/Tony Stark and that is not your jam. It doesn’t work for you, or it squicks you, whatever. Wouldn’t life be easier if you could browse without seeing that pairing (or whatever pairing you don’t like)? You can!

First, click on that pairing tag(You may want to open this in another tab, actually.):

and it’ll take you to the page for that pairing tag. Click this button:

and then look at the address bar! The actual page is unimportant. Copy the numbers located here:

and go back to the original search page! Down on the side, in the same place you can get rid of other tags, type -relationship_ids:”the number you just copied”

Then hit ‘sort and filter’ annnd… magic!

The fics with that pairing are gone! You can also do multiple pairings, get rid of any tags you don’t like, and sort it by date or length or kudos, or whatever.

Enjoy.

[irenkaferalkitty]

I’d just like to add that these sorts of search modifiers ALSO WORK IN GOOGLE AND MOST RESEARCH DATABASES. The more you know.

[itsmajel]

Just a quick reminder that AO3 uses Lucene as a search and index engine.

That means you can pretty much use all the Lucene Query Syntax in the “Seach within result” field.

I don’t think AO3 indexes the whole fic for searching but definitely it’s meta data. Combined with Lucenes awesome query syntax you can do pretty much every search you heart desires.

Addtional Lucene Query Syntax that has not been mentioned yet and you might find useful:

Wildcard Searches

You can use wildcard searches within single terms. For a single character wildcard search use the “?” symbol. For a multiple character wildcard search use the “*” symbol.

AND/OR

Lucene allows you to combin terms through logic operators. You’re looking for fics that are either “reunion” or “enemies to lovers”?

Just put in >“reunion” OR “enemies to lovers”< into the field

and you end up with all the stories that are either or but not both.

But wait, now you’re looking for fics that are both “reunion” and “enemies to lovers” at the same time? Now worries Lucene got you covered.

Just change it into >“"reunion” AND “enemies to lovers”“<

and you’ll get all the fics that mention both “reunion” and “enemies to lovers” somewhere in their meta data (note: it’s not just tags. It’s also title, summary …)

Boosting

You can also boost specific terms when doing a multi term search.

You can use the “^” Operator followed by a number to boost a specific term.

Say you’re interested in fics that are either “first kiss” or “bed sharing” but you’re much more interested in “bed sharing” fics and feel they are more relevant.

You can use the search >“first kiss” “bed sharing”^5<

to manipulate the order of your results in a matter that the score of every fic that contains beg sharing is multiplied by 5. Therefore all fics containing that term are given priority and shown at the top of the list.

You can also combine all of the above, target specifc fields (that’s what you did with the “relationsship_id:xxx”) and many more things.

For more info about the Lucene query syntax check out Apache’s Lucene Query doc.

[thefriendlypigeon]

^ sharing this because we all love fanfics and @itsmajel is a freaking nerd 👌

[purlturtle]

Some of these searches can also be achieved via the “exclude” function in the search bar - this offers you for each section (ratings, category, relationships, tags, etc.) the most commonly used metadata for these fics, to check or uncheck (and thus exclude or not) as you please!

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

Harry Potter

Survival is a Talent by ShanaStoryTeller

“In the middle of their second year, Draco and Harry discover they're soulmates and do their best to keep it a secret from everyone.

Their best isn't perfect.

~

“Are you trying to get killed, Potter?” Malfoy drawls, stalking forward. Quick as a serpent himself, he reaches out and grabs the snake just below the head. It thrashes in his grip, but is no longer able to bite anyone. “This is a poisonous snake, and I doubt anyone brought a bezoar with them.”

Harry glares. He opens his mouth, and feels the beginning the snake’s language pass his lips, and this isn’t what he wants, what’s the point of insulting Malfoy if he can’t understand him –

Malfoy’s eyes widen. He slaps his hand over Harry’s mouth, “Potter, what the hell–”

Family is better than war, surprisingly by silverseed

“Lucius Malfoy was happier with his family than he had ever been as a child. That didn't mean he regretted his decision to become a Death Eater.

At least, he didn't until Draco started behaving suspiciously Light-inclinedly.

OR: A character study for Lucius in SIAT”

Never Grow A Wishbone by ShanaStoryTeller

“She almost smiles, and true alarm starts to build in his chest. “I’m afraid I’m not here for something so small. Professor Roberts has resigned.”

“Good,” Draco says honestly, “Would you like a list of suitable alternatives? I know a number of competent potions masters abroad, but then of course you’d have to hire another teacher to act as the Slytherin head. I’m afraid you’ve dried up all the half decent Slytherin Potions masters.”

“Not all of them,” she says quietly.

He blinks. She can’t be serious. “You can’t be serious.”

“Gravely,” she says, “Mr. Malfoy, I am not above begging.”

What the bloody fuck. “I don’t even like potions!”

~

Draco returns to Hogwarts.

He has a duty to his blood and his name and his house, and he will fulfill it.”

Life skills outside the curriculum by Endrina

“It was "Witch Weekly", of all people and organizations, the first to notice and comment on The Boy Who Lived’s absence from the ranks of first years at Hogwarts. The magazine went on to elucubrate that the young hero was studying at a foreign school, possibly Beauxbatons or Holzschuhkäse.”

Doer of Good Deeds by Lomonaaeren

“Ron certainly knows how to recognize obsession when he sees it, thanks to feeling some of the same with Hermione. And he would rather that Harry's obsession with Draco Malfoy end sooner rather than later. Otherwise, Ron's afraid that he’s going to spend the rest of his life hearing about how ugly all of Malfoy's girlfriends are.”

no place like home by dirgewithoutmusic

“When Petunia Dursley refused to take Harry in she forfeited his birthright protection, so Dumbledore took the baby to the safest place he knew: Hogwarts.

The applicable staff (mostly just… not Snape) took Harry in on a rotating schedule as he grew from baby to toddler to child. They traded extra credit for babysitting among the older students, and Harry grew up knowing a few dozen different laps that were safe and warm to nap in.

This was a Harry who grew up among books, among old transient walls and learned professors. They gave Binns night duty sometimes, and let him talk young Harry to sleep. This was a Harry whose world changed, on principle, daily. The stairs moved. The walls became doors. You had to keep your eyes open–you had to pay attention. So he did.

He grew up in a school. Knowledge was power, but knowledge was also joy. This was his sanctuary. There was magic in his world from birth.”

Merlin

Garden or Graveyard by ShanaStoryTeller

“Merlin has a secret. Arthur, it turns out, also has a secret.

It's the same secret.”

True Love by platonic_boner

“AU where soulmates can’t lie to each other.

(That’s okay, Merlin wasn’t planning to lie to Arthur anyways! Haha.. ha.. ha…)”

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Son of the Desert by ShanaStoryTeller

“Every time Edward sees the circle on the back Mustang's hand, he wants to scream, wants to reach across the desk and shake him, wants to wrap his hands around the older man's throat and ask if it was worth it, if this desk and his rank is worth the screaming, crying, writhing, burning bodies of his people -

"Something to say, Fullmetal?" Mustang drawls.

Edward snaps the file shut, "Nope."

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

Harry Potter

Actions Speak Louder than Words by SSAerial

“Stubborn child!” the hat suddenly boomed out with exasperation dripping his tone. “Better be Slytherin!”

Marvel

the conspiracy kids by tempestaurora

“in which peter, harley and ned ask the all-important question: WHO IS SPIDER-MAN?”

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The miserable have no other medicine but only hope by trying_to_remember_both_their_names_at_once

“You remember him,” Chit Sang sounded surprised.

“I remember all of their names,” Zuko admitted. While he was on the ship, his father had sent him every death certificate from the 41st division. There was never any other note, no words from the Fire Lord, just a piece of paper with the name, age, and rank of the soldier who died. Zuko had kept every single one on his ship, reading over every single one and committing their names to his memory. He couldn’t stop them from dying, but they were what motivated him to keep moving, to get back his honor so that he could help prevent deaths like theirs.

-

Chit Sang's brother fought in the 41st division. Unknowingly, Zuko had become a beacon of hope to those in the Fire Nation whose family had perished in the needless war, to the people who wished for a Fire Lord who will fight for their people instead of power. Chit Sang feels the need to let Zuko know this.”

Perfection is Overrated by JaggedCliffs

“For his first thirteen years, Zuko was raised in a palace. And yet somehow, it's the three years outside the Fire Nation that seem to count more – at least to the palace staff, who act like he's been raised by fox-wolves.

At first, this only annoys Zuko.

Until he begins to think that the Fire Nation needs more than a formerly-banished prince.”

all you have is your fire (and the place you need to reach) by agentcalliope

“In which there are hugs and laughter and tears, and conversations, as the gaang learn about Zuko's scar.”

Pacify her by Wxnderwell

“She’s always been compared to their father, while Zuko notably took after their mother.

It didn’t seem to occur to anyone that she too was the daughter of Fire Lady Ursa.

She half listens to Zuko throw his tantrum to get her to leave but Azula just sighs.

Zuko was too soft-hearted—too naïve to understand what she wanted from him.

It's always been easy for Zuko to garner people's affection. He had Mother's before she'd ran off and Uncle took him under his wing as if he was his own. It's stupid, and she hates him for it. Azula enjoyed watching him try to catch up to her, try to gain their father's approval like a stupid little turtle-duck.

such selfish prayers by andromeda3116

First Fic: “Katara's ambition, so long set aside for the good of others, breaks free and sets fire to her soul. Or, Katara has a vision of her canon future, casts it aside, and becomes a world-changing politician instead.”

portrait of a man on fire by cassiopeia

“In the wake of joining the Avatar, Zuko grapples with his identity.

Who is Zuko, if not the prince of the Fire Nation?

Under Sokka’s plan, no one will see their faces—not guards or prisoners or even the prison cooks. Still, Zuko can’t help but wonder what his—what the people of the Fire Nation would think, how they would act, if they saw him again.

For most of his banishment, the only Fire Nation people he interacted with were the crew of the Wani, who all resented being commanded by someone so young and hot-tempered. Even when he returned to the capital, he didn’t actually see that many other people. Those who he did see seemed to respect him—but that was when they believed he killed the Avatar. He’s sure that if any of them had seen him during his banishment, they would have treated him with contempt.

And now that he’s betrayed them all? Zuko can only imagine their disgust.”

close your eyes by andromeda3116

“for your eyes will only tell you the truth, and the truth is not what you want to see. –- Kanna escapes the Northern Water Tribe and travels south, always south.”

forgive my northern attitude by queersoverbeers

“Hakoda was not sure what he expected to find in this slowly approaching Fire Nation sailboat, but what he did find was certainly very far down on the list: A young boy, perhaps younger than his own son, with a bandage covering his eye, shaking violently in a fever-induced delirium.

“What does this mean?” Bato said, using the dull end of his spear to poke the boy's shoulder.

“Mom,” The boy weakly cried.

“I have no idea,” Hakoda said, feeling every bit as horrified as he always did when he learned something new about the Fire Nation.]

Or,

With Iroh wandering the globe after the death of his son, some of the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender get off to a late start— and get a little tangled along the way.”

Azula’s Angels by lookingkindofdumb

“When cornered in The Chase Azula switches from hunting the Avatar to kidnapping her brother. For his own betterment, of course. She can't have her brother slumming it in the Earth Kingdom.

Or, Appa and Zuko's life changing field trip.”

Voyage by amoeve

“When Zuko asks Katara to marry him, it is for love. But it’s also an alliance that shows the world that the war is truly over, and everyone wants to get in on the fun.

Everyone also wants them to observe every single tradition that the Fire Nation and Water Tribe have ever thought up for marriages, “to honour each others’ cultures and encourage a new era of harmony and understanding”.

It sounds reasonable until Iroh and Hakoda start handing them helpful transcriptions of ancient ethnographic texts.”

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

This is me just trying to record the best of the Fics I read in a week.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The 41st by turtleabyss

First Fic: "He burned for us," Chit Sang answers solemnly, eyes haunted as he stares into their little fire.

Loyalty Through Fire by terracyte

“Zuko, for all the loyalty he shows his nation and people, is not really prepared for them to pay him back in kind.”

all you have is your fire (and the place you need to reach) by agentcalliope

“In which there are hugs and laughter and tears, and conversations, as the gaang learn about Zuko's scar.”

Assorted Benefits of Alternative Exits by wonderwise

“A collection of loosely related stories about Zuko learning how to be Fire Lord and the palace guards and staff learning about the unique skills their new Fire Lord brings to the role.”

Firebender!Jet by suzukiblu

First Fic: “Katara’s fingers leave Jet’s temples and it is not just Lake Laogai that he remembers, not just the one made-up story to make what’s missing make sense that he forgets.”

this love burns so yellow (becoming orange and in its time, exploding) by meliebee

“Ten months after Zuko is crowned at seventeen, he faces his first coup.”

To Build a Home by Orphan_Account

“Never mind that he won’t be of age for another year-and-then-some. Never mind that he’s sixteen with bandages still wrapped around his chest and a more intimate knowledge of war than these men will ever have. He wasn’t old enough for his first Agni Kai. He isn’t old enough for the crown. No one batted an eye then, they don’t now. The prayer shawl is a familiar weight on his shoulders.

(Youth is no excuse, the generals hiss to one another.

You will learn respect, a palm of flames says.)

[Or: the war is over and it should be a relief.]”

it’s the illusion of separation by argentoswan

“Sokka takes a job washing dishes at the new tea shop in town. It's a great gig, until he finds out his only coworker is his old high school bully. Sokka really should quit, but he also really needs to afford rent.

Also, Zuko is kind of hot now.”

Fellow Prisoner Li by MuffinLance

“Early-Season-One Sokka finds an undersocialized firebender in the brig of Zhao's ship and brings him back to the Gaang, as one does. Good thing they've nailed down Aang's firebending teacher so early, this quest is going to be a snap, and definitely not involve any betrayals by any elemental teachers. Nope. Not a one.”

Avengers/Fantastic Four

country boy, i love you by PeterStank

“The elevator doors chime.

Johnny is a little bit like a dog, so even now he can’t help looking over at the sound of laughter and raised voices. Both of them are familiar to him and both of them are welcome; they sort of make his stomach swoop and then settle like a rollercoaster car doing a loop and levelling out.

Peter. Harley.

Peter’s big belly laugh dies in his throat the second he sees Johnny. He steps forward, brows furrowing. “Jay? What are you doing here? What happened?”

And Johnny is capable of many things, but ignoring Peter Parker is not one of them.

His mouth opens and the faintest, most strangled sound escapes, straining against the raw walls of his throat.

And then he just starts crying.

or: johnny relearns the meaning of home.”

[assorted-fics]

Avenger Series Favourites

*In no particular order, these are some of my favourites from over the years

Phil Coulson’s Case Files of the Toasterverse by scifigrl47 

First Fic: From the Avengers Case Files of Phil Coulson: Grocery shopping is necessary, Tony's a little too proud of his tech, Captain America's lost on the streets of New York, and sometimes social injustice just happens.

Phil Coulson's the one who's got to write this nonsense up, and he is not their PR Manager.

Workplace Hazards by AggressiveWhenStartled 

First Fic: Today, Peter was honest-to-god going to see Captain America himself up close, in person, and not from a rooftop or tiny crevice like a creepy stalker fanboy. 

Even better, he was going to watch Steve Rogers make history by soldiering his beleaguered way through the most intensely awkward and honestly ridiculous press conference in the history of ever-- jaw thrust out and spine ramrod straight. Trying hard to be polite and respectful in the face of adversity.

While a bunch of assholes with cameras and microphones shouted at him about Iron Man’s adolescent dick.

Peter Parker’s Home for the Wayward Villain by BeanieBaby

First Fic: A really long redemption story.

The Brotastic Adventures Of The Avengers And The Long Suffering Foggy Nelson by cosmicocean

First Fic: Honestly, Foggy’s just kind of grateful that the unconscious dude in the alley by his apartment isn’t beat up as bad as Matt was when he found him that first time.

He also kind of thinks it says a lot about his life right now that those are his feelings on the subject, but it’s best not to analyze that.

Where Foggy accidentally becomes bros with the Avengers, Foggy and Matt talk it out, and the Avengers and Matt don't seem to grasp the concept that the "s" in "friends" is there for a reason.

The Long Life of Loki Leifson by Irisunohimitsu

First Fic: Thousands of years ago, the Jotun came to Midgard. Certain of a Jotun victory, Laufey brought with him his wife and infant son. However, the Aesir triumphed and in the resulting chaotic retreat, the boy was lost. 

Meanwhile, Leif (minor OC) ventures out into the snow for firewood. There, amongst the pine trees he finds a monstrous babe with eyes of glowing coal, who changes at his touch to human form. Enchanted, Leif and his wife care for the boy as their own. Loki grows to a happy, precocious teen but alas, mortal lives are short and before he can pass on the secrets of Loki's nature, Leif is gone.

Left alone in the world, Loki is forced to discover his own immortality. He must face his own demons and discover that he might just be one himself.Several hundred years later, Jack Frost is the only name he is known by to any living soul. The world is not kind to drifters, so Loki chooses to live in the underbelly - and oh, does he thrive. Some parts of that dark underworld though, are too cruel even for him. A chance encounter whilst Loki lies and kills, in the service of liars and killers leads to an alliance as tenuous as the threads holding what is left of his morality.

Odin’s Son, Tyr’s Son by PeaceHeather

First Fic: For a fill in Round 17 of Norsekink: "Someone starts to notice that Odin treats Loki in ways that are neglectfull and borderline abusive and starts to feel very uncomfortable about it.

It becomes worse when people at court start to take after Odin's treatment of Loki. But they still don't feel comfortable voicing they're doubts out loud.

And then the lip-sewing incident happens and they can no longer sit idly by while this happens. So this person just stand up and calls the rest of Asgard out on this bulshit, seriously the boy just cut of some hair, it's not like it wont ever grow back on it's own again.

Bonuses: 10+ The person is higly respected and influential in Asgard. 100+ The person is Tyr. 1000+ Whoever it is, is not part of the royal family."

Wanda and Peter BFFS by TunaFishChris

First Fic: Nobody's thrilled at the idea of "that kid" Peter Parker on the Avengers team. 

Nobody's thrilled at the idea of "that weirdo" Wanda Maximoff on the team, either.

 Until they disappear, that is. 

Or, the one where Peter and Wanda are besties and the other Avengers are jerks until they realize how important and awesome they both are.

little windows by sheisraging

First Fic: Bucky looks at the paintbrushes Steve rolls nervously between his hands, at the box now sitting on the coffee table. He brushes his fingertips over the star. “You want to paint my arm?”

Steve Rogers vs the Media by eden22

First Fic: Encounters with the press are an inevitable part of the job when you're a superhero. Unfortunately, Steve isn't the best at navigating those encounters without stirring up controversy.

Stop Interrupting my grinding by rohkeutta

First Fic: “I tried to call Sam,” Captain America says, bewildered. He’s sprinting like Usain Bolt and doesn’t sound even a little out of breath. Fucker. “Who’re you?”

“Someone who’s watching you live on TV,” Bucky tells him as the tiny patriotic figure on the screen takes the turns like he instructed. Bucky should probably be a lot more freaked out about this, but honestly? After a tour in the Middle East and six years as a nurse in New York, even this isn’t enough to ruffle him. One sees a lot of shit in the ER. “Also, you better hang up now, that thing is behind the next bend.” 

“Uh, okay,” Captain America says. “Thanks?”

“Whatever,” Bucky says, disconnects the call and turns the TV off to get ready for his shift.

A Historical Relic and a History Professor Walk into a bar- by orphan account

First Fic: “What d’you what?” Bucky snapped hoarsely with a dignified sniffle.The man blinked very slowly. 

“Wanna pet my dog?”

AKA

History Professor, Bucky Barnes, meets Useless Avenger, Clint Barton.

the conspiracy kids by tempestaurora

First Fic: WHO IS SPIDER-MAN? 

The screen showed Peter Parker, sixteen years old and determined to prove the identity of Spider-Man over the course of the three-part documentary he was making, unknowing that it would become viral within days of the first part being released. Behind the camera, way off screen, was Harley Keener, Tony Stark’s other prodigy child, grinning like crazy as Peter started the documentary. Only a few people knew what was to come, and those few people were about to have a great few weeks.

“My name is Peter Parker, and with the help of my friends, Ned Leeds, Harley Keener, and my Aunt, May Parker, who provided me with a lot of red yarn for this project, we’re going to uncover the identity of Spider-Man.”

OR

"what if peter just decided to fuck with everyone who didn’t know he was spider man and make a documentary about him trying to uncover the Truth.”

Steve and Bucky are Fucking Weird (aka Sam Needs Better Friends: A Series) by neversaydie

First Fic: "Look, a dick is just kinda there, right? But a cock is, y'know, taking an interest and trying to get involved." 

He makes a wavy 'get involved' motion with his hand that Sam finds extremely disturbing. 

"If it's hard, it's a cock. Calling it a dick is just disrespectful."