Juulnaâs 2021 Multi-Fandom Fanfiction Rec List - Part One
(Yes, I realize this is a year late, but this year's been a bit nuts. I still hope you enjoy these fics anyway!)
Based only on what Iâve read with my own eyes this year!
Follow me on my journey into what, at times, wasâŚ
âŚactually rather calming! Perhaps you can find some comfort and entertainment, fluff and angst and romance and friendship, smut and a distinct lack of it, space adventures and fantasy and modern adventures, serial killers and good guys, redemption and reconciliation and learning to become someone completely different â there is so much here I read that stuck with me over the past year, and the 2021 Fanfic Reading Challenge ( @fanfic-reading-challenge ) allowed me a new way to keep track of all of my favourites. So props to that event! Definitely participating again (considering I run the event, yeah, that's probably a given lol, but full disclosure).
Without further ado, here were my 2021 fic favourites!
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Fandom: Marvel (Comics & MCU)
Blood Makes Noise by @cluegrrl
The Enchantress had the perfect plan to trap Thor, but a misfire puts Steve and Tony both in the hotseat. Reacting to each other in increasingly strange, but intimate ways, they struggle to make sense of things as the spell draws them closer and the changes become unignorable.
By Guidance of the Stars by GuardianMira
Steve is a space outlaw and Tony is a blue-skinned alien prince who stows away on his ship. According to Steveâs Mark, theyâre soulmates. Too bad Steve doesnât know Tonyâs full name and Tony doesnât know soulmates are a thing for humans. Maybe theyâll work it out once people stop shooting at them.
For You, Sir, Always (The Fairy Godfather Remix) by @veldeia
Unable to find a replacement for the toxic palladium core of his arc reactor, Sir has gone into cryostasis to wait for a day when science has advanced enough to provide a solution. While he is indisposed, it is my all-important task to decide when that time has arrived, and to select the person who shall bring him back to life.
When Tony comes back from a very bad D/s date, in pain and abandoned by his dom, Steve offers to help Tony out and give him all the aftercare he so desperately needs.
Chasing A Ghost (Sound of Footsteps Remix) by @captainneverever
Tony finds traces of his possible soulmate in archival records.
If You Want to Live (The Historical Present Remix) by @sineala
The Civil War is over. The SHRA is gone. Steve has been brought back to life. He's settling into his new duties as America's top cop. His longtime friendship with Carol Danvers -- Avenger, former director of SHIELD, and former leader of the pro-Registration forces -- is now a tenuous one. But something is very wrong in the world. This isn't how it was supposed to be. Someone is missing.
Tony Stark was killed at the age of seventeen, and it's up to Steve to travel into the past to save a man he doesn't remember from a man he knows all too well: a mysterious assassin from another time and place, a man with a metal arm. And the truth is more complicated than anyone could ever have guessed.
And Their Hearts Are Guarded By Dragons by @imaginaryelle
After an ambush by an unknown dragon and rider pair, Tâny searches for his dragon partner, Ferroth. In a desperate flight to prove Ferroth still lives he finds Sâteve and Libereth adrift and injured from a battle he can hardly imagine existing: dragons fighting dragons. Together, Sâteve and Tâny navigate tangles of time travel, villainy that challenges their most dearly-held truths, and the budding of new love.
A getting-together Marvel 616/Dragonriders of Pern AU (no prior Pern knowledge necessary).
Even the Light is an Illusion by @mizzy2k
Death threats are an unfortunate side-effect of being Tony Stark, so he's learned to ignore them. The problem is, when someone really wants you dead, hiding your head in the sand just kinda exposes your ass.
But it's not just Tony's behind on the line. Whoever wants him dead wants him to suffer first, and they're willing to do anything to make that happen. Tony knows there's only one way out. To save Steve, the Avengers, and the general public, Tony has to die. Of course, death isn't always the end, and Tony does what any other self-disrespecting scientist would do: he finds a way to fake his death and avenge his own murder.
The trouble is, terrible decisions usually have a terrible price, and this one is no different. Tony has a chance to save the day, but the cost may be more than Tony was ever expecting to payâŚ
World Acclimation by Del_Rion
When an unexplained phenomenon washes over the entire planet, the Avengers are left to struggle along with the rest of the population. Chains of command, relationships and friendships alike are put to the test as new biological imperatives take hold, and only one thing is certain: the world will never be the same.
Everybody's got a hungry heart. by Perlmutt
Tony Stark has never experienced a true heat due to the suppressants he's taking on a daily basis. Society accepts him as a beta, together with his friends and teammates and the alpha he's secretly in love with.
But some things are just too big to be kept hidden forever.
An unfortunate turn of events forces Tony to reveal his biggest secret to the world...
nothing left but scars by @tsuki-chibi
Steve wakes up to the fact that no one ever compliments or even says thank you to Tony, and that he has fallen into the same trap of painting Tony with a specific paintbrush.
This is how he showers a very confused Tony with praise to make up for it.
Rockabye by @bladeofthenebula27
Cute alphas didnât appear out of nowhere to help ruined omegas. That was a widely accepted fact.
Tony Stark had always known his life wouldnât be easy as a genius omega in an alphaâs world. But not even he predicted getting knocked up and forced to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere.
Drawn to You by @jellybeanforest-a-go-go
In a world where what one writes on oneâs own skin appears on their soulmateâs body in exactly the same place until itâs washed off or fades, no one has ever responded to Steveâs questions written in pen.
And once, out of sheer desperation: Wer bist du?
He has tried writing up and down both arms then across his stomach in pictograms when he reckons that perhaps his soulmate is a double amputee and illiterate, but nothing. No response. He is uncertain why he is so surprised. Everything else about Steve is broken, so why not his soul?
But when he points the Valkyrie downwards to crash into the deep, knowing he is about to die, he spares a few precious seconds to scribble one last message to his possibly-nonexistent, potentially-blind soulmate.
Twenty-five years later, Tony Stark is born with a single phrase on his left forearm written in messy old-fashioned script. And as he grows up, the words never change:
It is both a blessing and a curse.
Remix of âthe words written on our skinâ by Cathalinaheart. For the 2020 Cap-IronMan Remix Madness.
The Ghosts of War by @scifigrl47
Steven Rogers never wanted to be king, but he knows his duty, and he does it well. Lord Tony Stark, the king's appointed consort, does his duty as well, even though he'd enjoy his duty more if it actually involved sleeping with the king. As it doesn't, he's just resigned. The war that made Steve king and cost him nearly everything may be over, but a meeting of old enemies might stir up some ghosts none of them are prepared for.
Tony Stark Falls In Love With A Cat by shellhead
When Steve goes missing, Tony ends up finding him at an animal shelter. Volunteering.
Private Bookmark? by storiesfortravellers
The Avengers discover that there are fans who write explicit RPF fic about them.
Some of them are very confused. Some are proud. Some don't understand why everyone writes the pairings who aren't together but hardly anyone writes the couple who actually is together.
grey and other colours by Anonymous
Distantly, Tony hears Clint say something like, âNo, I definitely heard he was an equal opportunist. Like, equal-equal, no preference. Hey Tones, who are you attracted to more, dudes or chicks?â
He calls the last part out to Tony, who runs the words over in his mind and unthinkingly says, âIâve actually never been attracted to anyone, itâs really worrying.â
(Or, Demisexual and Demiromantic Tony Stark.)
Five Seconds by @elcorhamletlive
From the moment Steve suits up, he knows what heâll do.
The King and the Dragon by @memorydragon
After a big fight with Tony, Steve has gone missing. The last thing Tony needs when he should be looking for the leader of the Avengers is to be transported into a dark fairy tale to fight a dragon with a kingly version of Steve. But there are things that the King isn't telling him, and the dragon's eye is a familiar shade of blue...
5 Times Bucky Thought Tony Was Good For Steve +1 Time He Told Him by Anonymous
To say Bucky is unimpressed by Stark would be an understatement.
It isnât that he dislikes him. Itâs more that heâs a brand of indifferent that curdles with disdain on the rare occasion that Bucky catches him on the TV: Stark is glib and crass in a way his father never was, and he wears suits like heâd slipped out of the womb clad in Armani.
So itâs a surprise when Bucky moves into the Tower and finds that Steve actually gets along with the guy.
Stark's Moving Castle by @lomku
Steve has the great misfortune of being the eldest son of the family, destined to fail miserably should he ever leave home to seek his fate. But when he unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Steve finds himself under a horrid spell that transforms him into a small and fragile man. His only chance at breaking the curse lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Stark's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Steve must handle the heartless Stark, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, he discovers that there's far more to Stark--and himself--than first meets the eye.
Set On Fire by @allthemarvelousrage
She's not sure if she forgot to take her suppressants, or if something Wanda did screwed with her meds, but her world is on fire for the first time in years, and there's no one to help her through it... until there is.
Keep Me in Your Orbit by @moonlitmidnight-1
A post Civil War AU in which Toni knew Carol during the events of Captain Marvel, and was the person she gave the pager to.
ARC I: An Infinity In The Wings by @bad-days-and-beautiful-nights
Stephen and Toni met just before she's kidnapped. They spent the night together and when she returns, they strike up an easy friendship. Soon enough, Stephen falls in love with her, but by the time he realizes, it's too late. Hoping she never finds out, he gracefully steps back, trusting Captain America to be the right man for his best friend. But when Steve surprises everyone and Toni ends up at death's door for the fourth time, Stephen has to re-evaluate his life's choices.
Itâs time to come clean about Phil Coulsonâs death. Out of all the Avengers, Tonyâs reaction is the most surprising, and Phil must investigate it further.
Diplomatic Relations and Intelligence Failures by @scifigrl47
Maria Hill would like a night off, and maybe a date. She's not likely to get either one of them, so she's pretty resigned to long nights of protecting the world from behind the scenes. It's very satisfying, but not quite in the way she's hoping for.
Most people who know Maria are far too intimidated to make a pass. Luckily, the Lady Sif doesn't have that problem.
SHIELD Has Paperwork for Everything by @scifigrl47
Clint Barton knows where his loyalties lie, and they have more to do with his handler than his employer. Phil Coulson takes his responsibilities seriously, and a big part of his job is protecting the agent in his care from any threat to his well-being.
i am the heart of a murdered woman by @deathsweetqueen
After the regrettable death of her husband, Antonia Stark's life revolves around one thing and one thing alone: her four-year-old son, Peter.
And then, a vengeful ex-employee attempts to blow her up, and before she even knows what's happening, she and Peter are staying with New York's resident mobsters, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, who promise to protect her and her son from a looming threat.
The problem is that Toni knows these two men, knows them entirely too well.
When she was seventeen, they broke her heart.
Beyond That The Horizon by @kandisheek
When Tony's spaceship malfunctions and leaves him stranded on an uncharted snow planet he doesn't expect it to be inhabited at all. So when a wolf-like creature shows up and attacks him out of the blue he's sure it will be the last thing he sees. Instead it drags him to its wounded furry friend.
A Thing of Straw @kandisheek
King Rogers and prince Tony are arranged to be married. On their wedding night the King takes Tony to his room and while Tony isn't exactly eager to lose his virginity he's a little disappointed when the alpha doesn't do anything.
He never would have guessed that the King was already bonded to someone else. Let alone another alpha. Luckily Tony is nothing if not adaptable.
Truth or Dare by @las-lus
Tony suggests a game of truth or dare to Steve and Bucky. Maybe it was his best idea, maybe he will die of sexual frustration. Either way he is sure to enjoy the show.
Star Cake by @sparkly-angell
There was a tapping noise coming from their right and both looked back up to the barista. Buckyâs smile faltered. The man was shorter than him, although not as short as Steve. He had the sweetest of smiles on his perfect lips and happy wrinkles in the corners of his perfect hazelnut eyes. His hair, which looked perfect to comb with his fingers was a dark brown, almost black, depending on the lightning. Bucky gulped dryly.
He was wearing an orange polo shirt, which was probably the storeâs uniform, underneath a black apron. The color worked wonders with his brown-ish skin. He held up a notepad to their faces.
âWelcome to Star Cakes. My name is Tony, Iâm mute. Iâll be communicating with you through the notepad. How may I help you?â was written down, in an exemplary cursive.
âââ
Or where a cute little bartender named Tony meets a hot and very flirty couple. Some angst entailed, but lots of love too.
In the Roses by @sapphic-futurist
Tony was curled up underneath one of the old oak trees, enjoying the cooling evening breeze on his fur when everything changed. A flesh hand clamped down over the back of his neck and a metal one wrapped around his midsection, immobilizing him with a screech of alarm. In a tornado of claws and teeth, Tony was lifted off the ground and he twisted against Buckyâs hold.
The One Where Tony Is The Meat In A Supersoldier Sandwich by @amaluelmwood
Alternatively titled: 'What Crawled Up Tony's Ass?'
Tony spends three hours with a plug up his ass battling knock-off Chitauri robots in Central Park, then Steve and Bucky find out and, well, things go from there really.
The Alleyway Dame by ThatDamnKennedyKid
Never in the entirety of his sickly, bedridden little life has he ever met a dame who looked twice at him. Not only had she helped him, she was standing there still, smiling at him like he was beautiful.
"So, I'll be by your place at seven tonight. Barring any attacks of illness, of course. If that happens, we can just stay in."
Bloody hell, he was the luckiest son of a bitch in all of Brooklyn.
Until We Find Our Place by howtohold
Lord Stane, Tony's godfather and an extremely influential member of the Council, expressed concern over his godson turning into an oldmaid. It would undoubtedly bring massive shame into the royal family, he declared.
Lord Ross, another influential member of the Council, had jokingly remarked that maybe no single alpha can satisfy the prince. The implication was obvious: Tony might do better if he had two alphas. It was a jest, he said after.
King Howard, however, took Lord Ross seriously.
Tony's own father--the fucking King himself decided to marry his own son to two alphas: Lord Rogers and Lord Barnes.
Steve, Bucky, and Tony meet on Tumblr and get to know each other.
Poisonous Presumption by @shi-toyu
This was the worst assignment Davies has ever been given.
Sure, it sounded easy upfront â infiltrate the Avengers medical staff and use his access to find weaknesses and sabotage medical treatments â however, it was proving to be anything but. Davies did have medical training and experience, which was part of why Hydra had picked him for this assignment, but the task itself was⌠complicated.
When Tony Stark winds up in Avengers medical, an undercover Hydra agent sees the opportunity of a lifetime. It should be easy to tip the balance and send Iron Man into the waiting jaws of death... so why won't he die?
Second Chance (at happiness) @tsuki-chibi
Tony knew better than to play with alien toys. He really did. But there was just something so tempting about other-worldly objects. It turned out that he wasn't the only Tony Stark that felt that way. One explosion later, there's a brand new Tony in town. But there's something not quite right about this Tony and how he reacts to the team, the way he flinches away from Bucky or shakes when Steve picks up the shield or won't turn his back to Clint and Natasha.
It turns out that not every Tony Stark is as lucky as Tony, but damned if Tony, Steve and Bucky aren't going to fix that.
(or, the one where canon MCU Tony gets thrown into a fanon world and gets ALL THE LOVE from the fanon version of the team)
Husband Material by @newtypeshadow
All Tony wanted at this party on Xandar was to troll people who didn't recognize him, and fluster Steve in front of the Nova Corps by wearing a t-shirt with his shield on it.
Unfortunately, Tony gets more than he bargained for when his merch shirt for Avengers power couple Captain America and the Winter Soldier gives people the wrong idea about their relationship.
