#tinzelda

[mitsususu]

Don’t change a hair for me, not if you care for me. Stay, little valentine, stay! Below are my Top 5 Favorite stories:

“Valentine’s Day was invented by Hallmark” (T, 2k) by inkdust

Valentine's Day was invented by Hallmark, and Bucky was just fine with that.

+ Post WS. Bucky discovers Valentine’s Day and gleefully dives right in to everything pink and red. Very sweet!

-☆-

“(760): I literally cut myself out of my pants. Waste. Of. Money.” (M, 7k) by relenafanel

Hey friend of Sam’s can I get an opinion on this outfit? Bucky texted, attaching the selfie taken in Sam’s bathroom mirror.

He received an answer almost immediately. Bucky was almost expecting a lecture, or at least a concerned question about who had stolen Sam’s phone.

He got neither.

New text from Steve: What do you want it to say?

Or: Bucky strikes up a flirtation with a stranger over text message in the month leading up to Valentine's Day.

+ Modern AU. Sexting, selfie tag-and-seek, and meeting your perfect fit. Sequel is also on Valentine’s, featuring an anniversary scavenger hunt

-☆-

“Wearing His Heart on His Sleeve” (T, 2K) by tinzelda

Bucky's ma sends him some of those little candy hearts with the sayings printed on them. Of course, overseas mail means they don't get to him in time for Valentine's Day, but he puts them to good use.

+ Post Azzano. Bucky uses candy hearts to communicate. Some things are hard to say out loud. Requited love!

-☆-

“Dust my mind for fingerprints (they are yours)” (NR, 1k) by boopboop

Roses are red, Violets are blue, The nazis are dead, I killed them for you.

aka Steve and Bucky have an ever evolving list of Valentine's Day traditions and writing bad poetry is just one of them.

+ Pre-War to Post CW. No matter how much time has passed, Bucky will always be Steve’s Valentine 

-☆-

“Let Me Count the Flowers” (T, 3k) by Kellyscams

When Steve walks into work and finds a flower on his desk, he thinks it's a mistake. But then there's another one the next day... and the next day... and the next day...

+ Modern AU. Steve’s secret admirer gives him a romantic-themed flower every day leading up to Valentine’s day. Cute and fluffy

-☆-

-☆- And an adjacent fic for the sheer amount of hearts! -☆- 

“I [Heart] You” (G, 1k) by writeonclara

“Steve’s been hit with a curse,” Natasha said. She said it calmly, so Bucky didn’t immediately go flying out of the apartment to tear apart the Tower in search of Steve. Then again, Natasha would probably be calm if New York City spontaneously burst into flames. He lowered the coffee pot and squinted at her.

“Of course he has,” he said. He felt, abruptly, exhausted. “What is it?”

“The witch kept ranting about sexual repression and archaic moral principles,” she continued blithely. 

“It’s not like you to prevaricate, Romanov.”

Natasha pressed her lips together. For a moment, Bucky thought she might start laughing. “It might be easier just to show you.”

OR: Steve’s been hit with a rather telling curse.

+ Post CW. Reposted from the Happy Fluff list. Cartoon hearts pop up whenever Steve sees someone he likes. The author has written lots of additional snippets in the comments, so check them out too!

-☆-  *More Valentine’s Day fics in the Holiday Sampler, Coffeeshop AU, and Only One Bed lists 

[histrionic-dragon]

Fic Ask Game! C, K and U

C: What member do you identify with most? 

(…I assume this means character….) Probably Steve, but pre-serum/pre-war Steve. I am torn between wanting a fairly quiet, creative career and reading lots of fantasy novels (it’s comics canon–Steve read classic adventure fantasy growing up!) and feeling obligated to do something/punch someone about injustice and general suckiness in the world. 

K: What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with?

Actually unrequited pining. 

Specifically, a pre-WWII story about Steve finding out Bucky’s in love with him and being baffled and flattered but … he just doesn’t feel the same way about him. (And feels kind of guilty about that, too, because he’s Steve–and pissed, because the one time somebody actually wants him, he doesn’t feel the same and that’s just not fair.) The story would be about both of them figuring out how to still be friends without accidentally hurting or using each other.

I may actually write this story, but I will have to give it an implausible “Duh, I’m an idiot, I do like you that way!!” twist at the end because I like happy endings too much. 

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

THIS IS HARD. I really need to make a fic rec list (or several) at some point, since a lot of my favorite fics are just one thing by that author. These are all people who have several works and I’ve read and liked the majority of them. 

1. Feather. A deeply-thought-out, wide-ranging universe that fleshes out the characters beyond what we see in canon. Hard to read the first time through, because people are accurately psychologically messed up, but so good and endlessly re-readable. You’ll notice threads running through stories, themes and minor observations that are beautifully internally consistent. I love the way she writes Clint; her OCs; the way Sam thinks about everyone’s trauma; and the beautiful fractured internal monologues that come from Bucky. Also probably the most pitch-perfect Tony Stark I’ve ever read–the bits inside his head are great. And there’s a short story from JARVIS’s POV….

And she fleshes out and explains things that aren’t explained in canon. Why weren’t Tony and Rhodey involved in shooting down the Insight helicarriers? Hydra had a plant try to take down Stark Tower from the inside, Tony had malaria to the point he was hallucinating (while still getting the Tower back up and running), and Rhodey was busy getting his suit operational after Hydra sabotaged it and then saving the president from an assassination attempt. There are multiple stories about what went down at Stark Tower that day and how Pepper hired Maria Hill in response and–it’s just amazing. The whole interconnected ‘verse is amazing. 

She’s also, under a different pseud, written some His Dark Materials fic that I found delightful.

2. MemoryDragon. Really good character insight, especially into Steve and Tony. Lots of charming Tony, Steve, and Steve/Tony stories, sometimes angsty, sometimes fluffy. I adore the one where Steve is turned into a cat–it’s funny and heartwarming, the characterization is good, and it’s an all-around comfort read. “History and Science Fiction” is also fun for slow-burn friendship-then-romance plus lots of geeky references.

3. TinZelda and Scappodaqui, mainly for their joint  Scraps series, although their solo stories are also great. I like epistolary fics, I like this take on Bucky (a slightly dreamy, introspective guy, the author/poet to Steve’s artist), and I like all the characters’ voices.

@girlbookwrm‘s Hundred-Year-Playlist is also rapidly approaching the list, but I’m slow reading through that so I won’t put it officially! 

[Edited to make links pretty]

[twoevansonecouch]

Seahorses by Tinzelda (AO3) and Poppyfields13fic (AO3)

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 31k

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes

Tags: Post-Captain America Civil War - Freeform, BuckyCap - Freeform, Kidfic, Dad Steve, Fluff, Domestic

Summary: Now that Bucky’s taken over the role of Captain America, Steve feels like it’s finally the time to start a family. Bucky doesn’t know what to feel when Steve breaks the news he’s going to adopt a baby. He wants Steve to be happy, but he’s worried it will affect their friendship. Once Steve becomes a dad though, Bucky can’t help falling in love with the baby. And maybe Steve will finally see Bucky in a different light.

Art by CapCarterandSarge (AO3)

(For the @thestuckylibrary-bigbang SBB 2017)

[stevebuckyfic]

 For five nights running Bucky had called Steve over to his bed, but other than saying Steve’s name, he never talked much. As long as the lights were on, things were like they’d always been. If anything, Bucky was a little less affectionate during the day—he didn’t throw his arm over Steve’s shoulder as they walked or bump their knees together under the dinner table.

[feathersandblue]

Steve looks for Bucky after the events in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

I really feel that this fic needs more appreciation. Totally underrated, where are the hundreds of kudos this one deserves?

In most fics, Bucky either only lets himself be found or comes to Steve after a merry chase, or he comes to Steve to stay. This fic found a great balance and really made me feel the confusion, the hurt, the angst Bucky would be going through after TWS.

I'd also recommend the author's other works, and I sincerely hope there will be more at some point... *hungry fangirl eyes, grabby hands*

[stevebuckyfic]

Steve looks for Bucky after the events in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

[fleetwoodmouse]

Holmes convinces Watson to take that trip to Mycroft’s estate but is bored to tears. He finds a way to amuse himself.