#skyisgray

[hazel-wand]

This is another recent reread that I really enjoyed. Featuring highly-caffeinated medical personnel, Steve’s lack of a self-preservation instinct and mob enforcer Bucky with a very 80s taste in baby names.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[mitsususu]

There are over 50,000 Stucky fics on AO3. If you’re new, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when there is so much to read. All this talent; where to begin? Below are 5 stories to get you started:

“This, You Protect” (T, 64k) by owlet

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

+ Post Winter Soldier, this story is part of a series spanning 264k words. It follows Bucky as he discovers coffee, navigates his identity, makes new friends, and reconnects with Steve. 

-☆-

“4 Minute Window” (E, 24k) by Speranza

"Look, if they catch me," Bucky muttered, "they're either going to kill me or they're going to put me in a box with a little window and—Steve, I can't."

+ Post Winter Soldier, this story is part of a series spanning 148k words. Bucky has regained his memories. Through covert communication, Bucky and Steve work together to escape the intelligence agencies trying to lock Bucky away.  

-☆-

“The S. Rogers Memorial (it’s NOT a shrine) to J. B. Barnes” (T, 18k) by SkyisGray

When the Avengers realize that Steve doesn’t have anything to remind him of Bucky Barnes, they embark on a project to track down Bucky memorabilia. But it seems that Steve isn’t the only visitor to the (unofficial) J. B. Barnes memorial (which is totally NOT a shrine, Tony).

+ Post Avengers (2012). As the summary says, the Avengers give Steve thoughtful and meaningful items to cheer him up. Their kindness inadvertently foils Hydra’s plans.

-☆-

“before we can breathe easy” (T, 22k) by belovedmuerto

No one touches Steve.

Bucky sets out to do something about that.

+ Post Winter Soldier, this story is part of a series spanning 76k words. Bucky has not fully recovered, but tries his best to give Steve more hugs. A soft story about stepping beyond comfort zones to make steady progress towards healing.

-☆-

“United States v. Barnes, 617 F. Supp. 2d 143 (D.D.C. 2015) (T, 20k) by fallingvoices and radialarch

The Associated Press @AP Winter Soldier set to stand trial for Washington D.C. massacre and treason apne.ws/1og6SWE

+ Repeated from the Winter Soldier Trial list. A courtroom drama as told by tweets, interviews, trial transcriptions, e-mails, and news broadcasts. Love declarations of the century.

-☆-

*More Stucky Recs here

[reredundant]

In keeping with the Spartan decoration, Steve doesn’t have many possessions besides his kitchen things, clothing, and some momentos. Tony had surrendered a bulky trunk with most of Steve’s and Bucky’s war possessions, in addition to some knick-knacks that Howard had managed to track down from Bucky’s cousins — like sketchbooks, the aforementioned pictures, and some articles of clothing that neither of them would wear again for various reasons.     His team members, and Darcy, are constantly urging him to go shopping, fill in the place, collect clutter like everyone else in the 21st century seems so eager to do. Steve had made one attempt; he bought a potted plant with unnecessarily confusing care directions, and had no inclination to repeat the experience. “That plant is really fucking dead,” Vanya comments.

SkyisGray (x), The Blind Leading

[stellahibernis]

Saturday morning fic rec:

Author’s summary:

When the Avengers realize that Steve doesn’t have anything to remind him of Bucky Barnes, they embark on a project to track down Bucky memorabilia. But it seems that Steve isn’t the only visitor to the (unofficial) J. B. Barnes memorial (which is totally NOT a shrine, Tony).

Words: 18 332, Chapters: 1/1

Fandoms: Captain America - All Media Types

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Bobbi Morse, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanov, Thor (Marvel), Jane Foster (Marvel), James "Bucky" Barnes

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Additional Tags: Canon couples, Plus Clint/Natasha, Artifacts, Teamwork, Memorials, Rotating points of view, sad Steve, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes

My notes:

This is a totally adorable team building fic, and I really like how they were all just wanting to do something nice to Steve who had lost everything.

[mitsususu]

Everything is cool when you’re part of a team, everything is awesome when you’re living out a dream. (and living with found family) Below are my Top 5 Favorite stories:

“Make Way For Ducklings” (E, 28k) by hetrez

Bucky says, "Do you know, after you leave -- every time you leave, after the doctors have taken my mask off, I walk around this place and try to find everywhere you've been. Was your hand on the toaster? Did you lean against the doorway? Where were you on the couch? I haven't seen your face in seventy-five years, not really."

+ Post Avengers (2012) to Post -WS. Steve hires new agents, bonds with the Avengers, and gets his Bucky back

-☆-

“How To Train Your Superheroes” (T, 3k) by StuckySituation

“But of course, no matter how much we practice on schedule, we will need to learn constant vigilance and manage to get our reaction times down to the minimum,” Steve continues and takes the last burger beef from the grill and puts it onto the table next to him.

Natasha has a brief millisecond to frown and think “Constant vigilance?”, before Steve kicks the grill so hard that the coals rain on top of the flammable carpet feets away.

“What the hell-!?”

“STEVE!?”

Steve is already sprinting towards the ledge. “First training session started! Wanda, Sam, Tony - someone CATCH ME!”

Then he jumps off the Tower.

+ Post WS. Steve has learned from the best. His high stress and high intensity trainings may be unconventional/extreme, but they get the job done. Featuring stuffed animal team mascots

-☆-

“The Ding Dong War” (T, 6k) by icewhisper

The year Hostess releases their limited edition Star Spangled Ding Dongs, they all suffer. (AKA no one should let Tony Stark have a credit card and history books never covered just how much of an asshole Steve Rogers really is.)

+ Post WS. Pranks gone astray and domestic life in the Avenger Tower

-☆-

“@sgtbarnes1917 and @cptrogers1918″ (G, 114k) by BayleyWinchester

Bucky Barnes broke Twitter with one photo

+ Post WS. Mixed media of tweets, interviews, photos, transcriptions, and news articles. Chapter 5 & 6 is a tv documentary of domestic daily life in the tower, and Chapter 75 is the marriage record reveal

-☆-

“The S. Rogers Memorial (it’s NOT a shrine) to J. B. Barnes” (T, 18k) by SkyisGray

When the Avengers realize that Steve doesn’t have anything to remind him of Bucky Barnes, they embark on a project to track down Bucky memorabilia. But it seems that Steve isn’t the only visitor to the (unofficial) J. B. Barnes memorial (which is totally NOT a shrine, Tony).

+ Post Avengers (2012). Reposted from the Starter Pack list. Nothing like friendly competition and personalized gifts to show your teammate you Care

-☆-

*More Avengers focused stories in the Starter Pack and Cooking list

[maxylovesfic]

Fic Rec Friday!

Series Title: Ipseity

Author: SkyisGray (@skyisgray)

Fandom: Marvel, MCU

Relationship: Stucky!

Locked on Ao3, so I can’t link here. Sorry! But if you’re a member, you can just search up the series name.

This is an absolutely extraordinary story. Bucky falls, is captured by Zola, and tortured. The trauma of which fractures his consciousness into a second personality. And then a third. And a fourth.

This story has changed the way I think of this character in canon forever. It’s completely immersive and utterly convincing. Bucky and his alters are so vividly distinguished and characterized. His journey through Hydra and Department X is harrowing, the promise of reconciliation with Steve is so hopeful, then so painful. And finally, his eventual acceptance of his own person (well, people) is one of my favorite sequences in this entire fandom—I literally re-read the last chapter every few months. This isn’t an easy story to read, but it’s fantastically done and its ending is absolutely worth the effort. Well worth the read for any Stucky fan.

[stellahibernis]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Saturday morning fic rec:

Author’s summary:

Steve is specifically told not to fraternize with the independently contracted Winter Soldier.

Words: 43 034, Chapters: 1/1

Fandoms: Captain America - All Media Types, Captain America (Movies), Captain America (Comics)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Winter Soldier, Nick Fury, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Thor Odinson, Sharon Carter, Phil Coulson

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/OMC

Additional Tags: Identity Porn, Stucky - Freeform, winter soldier - Freeform, Captain America - Freeform, Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers (2012), mercenary, abandoned buildings

My notes:

This is a great story of Steve living in the future and getting tangled with the Winter Soldier, only to then find out it’s actually Bucky, and then there’s a whole another bunch of issues he and they need to work through.

[slouph]

Four Brothers, Ipseity by SkyisGray