Marvel Universe/Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth dying for here:

These are recommendations made by Tropers for Fan Fics, all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be Zapped. Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

Do warn when a fanfic may head into homosexual or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.

Fics featuring the X Men may also appear in X-Men.

Authors, and Websites
That Damn MPreg by Fullmetal_Cute
 * Recommended by User:Jen 176
 * A series AU drabbles about Wiccan and Hulkling and their brood and the rest of the Marvel Universe in the advent of Teddy becoming preggers. This is only a minor complaint, but as much as this troper loves this universe and the OCs Fullmetal_Cute comes up with, she still fills disappointed that there are several of her favorite characters in the current Marvel Universe that don't show up in this series. But besides the point, this is an awesome series with many Crowning Moment of Awesome and Crowning Moment of Heartwarming.

elspethdixon and seanchai
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * This dynamic duo team already have their names all over this page and I cannot simply find a way to stress just how amazing they are. The authors have an OTP in the form of Captain America//IronMan, and though the shipping is important, their stories stand up on their own power and quality writing. These stories are frankly, well, awesome. On top of the sheer awesome of the plots and their ability to make marvel plots work, there is also the spectacular funny that is woven into all their stories in the sort of way that you don't realize half the moments until you read them over again. The characters in their hands are living, breathing people and have forces of personality that shine through no matter the circumstance. The authors have an amazing grasp of characterization, as well as plot, pacing and how to make a character-driven ensemble peice work without turning into Four Lines All Waiting, and still managing not to neglect the fact that this is a superhero fandom and it deserves action sequences that are as awesome as the character plots. They also have an impressive working knowledge of Marvel Canon and aren't afraid to weaponize it if need be. On top of being absolutely fantastic when they team up, Elspethdixon and Seanchai are both excellent writers for this fandom when taken at their own merit, so I would recommend checking them out individually as well as together.

General Fics
''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''

The Shocker: Legit by Max Landis
 * Recommended by User:Luc, User:Nerdorama, User:Stratagemini, User:Jefepato, User:Jonn
 * Synopsis: The Shocker decides that because good always triumphs it's time to become one of the good guys. With hilarious and frequently epic results. Along the way he runs into secret conspiracies, unexpected nemeses and triumphs, with a Little help from his friends. Complete.
 * Comments: The Shocker: Legit is probably the best written fanfic I've ever read, in terms of sorting out the psychology of superheroes and supervillains. Makes major use of Technical Pacifism and Good Feels Good. Gets slightly Gary Sueish towards the end, but remains well written and well thought out. Vanished from Fanfiction.net some time ago; I just found this mirror, so a Keep Circulating the Tapes mindset may be required.
 * User:Nerdorama: THANK YOU! I thought this fic had vanished completely. It comes with my highest possible recommendation, especially for the first half or so.
 * User:Arbane: I thought it got a bit too cosmic by the end, but the first half is indeed quite good.
 * User:Stratagemini Possibly the greatest Marvel Fic ever created. Ever. There are so many Crowning Moments of Awesome That you will lose track of them. And the Shocker's snide cynical outlook on Heroism makes him oddly endearing. A Must Read.
 * User:Jefepato: I feel weird about this since the author himself tried to delete it -- I heard that this was because he hoped to get Marvel to actually publish it as a comic (which, as much as I love this story, isn't bloody likely) -- but this story is too good to pass up all the same. Read it. Now.
 * User:The Otaku Ninja: I admit that I really like this story, though by the end it kinda turns me off a bit. If this were a comic (minus the annoying MartyStu-ishness), I would definetly read it.
 * User:Bio D: I loved this. Barring the jarring moment right before the final assault, which is where most of the Mary Sue allegations probably come from, this is just a joy from beginning to end.
 * User:Soulseller: Plot and characterisation are good. No Marty Stus in sight since every moment has appropriate build up. What's turning me off the fic however is the treatment Black Cat (and the other few women) get. Every other character is beautiful built up, gets awesome mments and stays IC - but Feicia gets demoted to love interest and does nothing else but looking sexy and needing to be protected. Another thing is having a villain protagonist that's supposed to be sympathetic - I mean, the first chapter goes quite distance to explain how hes not a murderer - but than you make him call his girl friend slut or whore. Especially jarring when you consinder that Shocker shows almost no negative behaviour to Rhino or any of the mutants involved. Yeah, not ideal writing for half of the population.

 Polarity by Chris Myers
 * Recommended by: User:Bufu, User:Stratagemini
 * Summary: When a Romero-style zombie outbreak hits, three supervillains, led by a long time loser, find themselves doing whatever it takes to save themselves, and eventually, the rest of humanity.
 * Comments: Much Better Than It Sounds. If you liked The Shocker:Legit at all, you should love this fic as well. Tone is remarkably similar to that story, as is the Shocker-centric viewpoint. Sounds like a very stupid premise, but definitely worth the time to read. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts if you've read it.
 * User:Less Then Zero: Start with "The Shocker: Legit." Take away the worst Mary Sue aspects of the Shocker. Add about twenty IQ points to the Rhino to make him simple instead of retarded. Throw in the drunken snark of Boomerang. And set the whole thing during a zombie uprising where the mystics and the heroes are stymied in their efforts to halt it. Sharp writing, snappy dialogue, zombie gore, out-of-left-field team-ups, an eye on continuity, nods of respect to "Legit," great characterization; it's all in there. The end (it's 37 chapters long!) gets a little wash-rinse-repeat, but the writer seems to have nailed the voice of Herman Schultz without it going over the top. Highly recommended, especially if you liked the first 2/3rd's of "Legit."
 * User:boomslangvenom: Troperific, and very much aware of it. Characters stay in character, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall, and Myers focuses on the villians without having to hand the heroes the Idiot Ball. This is just plain made of win.
 * User:Spooner Wilkins This is the zombie arc that Marvel should have done instead of those 4-5 different minis that they called "Marvel Zombies"
 * User:Eugenitor: This is actually something of an answer to "Legit". The other fic is even cleverly referenced; "The Shocker: Legit? Eh, I'd say it's about two-thirds plausible." The Civil War arc is heavily slammed.
 * User:Jader: Great Googly-moogly, there's a sequel! Transistor by Chris Myers
 * User:London Purple: The best fan fic I've ever read. It just about stays grounded where "The Shocker: Legit" got too much Mary Sue-ish, and if Legit gets its own page on this site, then Polarity easily deserves one. Discovering there was a sequel was more welcome than receiving a lifetime supply of oreos and sex with supermodels.

Office Hours and The Wisdom To Know The Difference by Tartanshell
 * Recommended by User:Polaris
 * Summary: AU, crossing over the Spider-Man, X-Men and Daredevil movie-verses. The first story posits a friendship between Peter Parker and Hank McCoy, if Hank were a professor at Peter's school. The second, longer fic is Peter dealing with Hank's secondary mutation (into blue, fuzzy Hank), and trying to help Hank through it-- by forming a superhero self-help group.
 * Comments: Way better than I can convey. The voices are spot on, and it's just the sort of thing Peter would come up with, too.

Running The Risk by Gekizetsu
 * Recommended by User:Polaris
 * Summary: Avengers + Iron Man movieverse, well into movieverse future. Sometimes Tony is popular in all the worst ways, and the Avengers keep discovering that being his friend can be terrifying.
 * Comments: As the author notes, this can be read as preslash, but it definitely doesn't have to be.

The Mutant Problem By Xenokattz.
 * Recommended by User:SAMAS, User:Stratagemini, User:myrdschaem
 * Synopsis: X-Men Movieverse: After Charles Xavier admitted to the "Black Tuesday" event of ten years ago, where he was manipulated into making a telepathic attack on all the Mutants in the world then all the baseline Humans, a Genetics Professor and freelance photagrapher by the name of Peter Parker writes an online Op-Ed in the New York Times about the incident.
 * Comments: (added to by godborn). If you're looking for a movie-verse x-men fic, there is little to top this. The writer's attention to detail is spectacular and the characters are lovingly rendered. Beautiful, in character stuff.
 * Note: this is less a story, and more a series of articles as if Peter was actually writing them- it takes a look at the individual characters, their quirks, stuff like that.
 * User:myrdschaem: If this was a really series I could only guess how much critical acclaim and awards it would get. Really outstanding work.

Deadpool's Awesome Fanfiction by Emeraldjewel
 * Recommended by User:Love Is Weird
 * Synopsis: The merc with a mouth, in his usual awareness of the continuity, realizes that he is in a fanfiction and decides to correct some common issues with the medium.
 * Comments: This is Deadpool at his fan fic best. He's totally in-character, it has a Parody Sue (who gets killed, of course, this is Deadpool we're talking about), and he's hyper-aware. Twilight-bashers, go forth to the second chapter. PG-13, it has guns.

Devil in the Details byy Ultiman92
 * Recommended by: User:The Otaku Ninja
 * Synopsis: Mephisto got more out of the deal than anyone ever suspected. The real One More Day.
 * Comments: For anyone still seething over the sheer idiocy that was "One More Day", which utterly destroys 20 years of Spider-man continuity (And yes, I'm still bitter about it, why do you ask?), Ultiman92 gives us a plausible reason for why Mephisto would want Peter and Mary-Jane's marriage, namely to get a truly loyal Ghost Rider. Sadly, this is only a one-shot story, but it lays the groundwork for a possible story. (Hint, hint, Marvel!) I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a bright spot in this whole mess.

Breaking the Deal by NKSCF
 * Recommended by User:Keene The Man
 * Synopsis: Spider-Man encounters the former Dr. Strange, who tells him that the deal with Mephisto caused more damage than anyone could possible have imagined, even though Spider-Man has no memory of making such a deal.
 * Comments: Utterly brilliant, guys. Spider-Man, Mary Jane, and a whole lot of guest stars have to fight to restore the world to the way it's supposed to be, even though the author hints that the ending won't be too happy, as there are consequences for making deals with the devil. Although it's not finished, it's about to do so once the epilogue's released, according to the author's user page. Go and check it out! It's awesome!

Legends by Clownwithachainsaw
 * Recommended by User:Bulletproof Idea
 * Synopsys: Set in the future, where Dr. Doom killed almost every hero after taking away their powers, and then erased them from everybody's memories, reducing these once great figures to nothing more than characters in comic books. However, one of the surviving heroes decides to honor their legends and reforms the Avengers.
 * comments: This is epic. The author has stated that two of his inspirations were Batman Beyond and Kick-Ass if that's any indication of how awesome it is. The characters are all refreshingly different from their namesakes, the ending is heartwarming, there are twist around every corner, and the story's climax lasts for three chapters.

Oxygen and Shades Of Gray by llnbooks
 * Recommended by User:Windona
 * Synopsis: For Oxygen; 'When you're a Human Torch, oxygen can be your best friend or your worst enemy.' Shades of Gray is the sequel. Johnny Storm is trapped in a metal box impervious to anyone's powers by Doctor Doom until they admit defeat; however, Doctor Doom does everything with a purpose.
 * Comments: It is fantastic. The logic works well, Doctor Doom's Batman Gambit is well thought out, and everything is in character. It mainly contains movie elements, but is admitted to be a fusion of what the author has seen.

The Cavalry by Adrian Tullberg
 * Recommended by Thanos 6
 * Synopsis: A short fic, but marvellous none the less, exploring an unforseen effect of Marvel's Civil War.
 * Comments: To say too much gives it away, but this explores what the mutant reaction in general should have been to the SHRA. There's an offscreen Deus Ex Machina that undoes the end of House Of M so this story can work, but does anyone really care about that crap? The last few lines are chilling.

Legacy of Slaught by MechaUltimaZero
 * Recommended by User:Eva Unit 01
 * Synopsis: A series of one-shots about the Carnage symbiote bonding to various other characters after the death of Cletus Kasady. Murder Ensues. Currently featuring the Hulk and Mister Fantastic, with a poll on the author's profile for subsequent chapters.
 * Comments: This fic is dark. Very dark. Advisable that you read this around nine in the morning, with orange juice, donuts, and other feel-good devices to counteract it. You have been warned.

The Classicverse by elspethdixon and seanchai
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Synopsis:Done by the wonderful Seanchai and Elspethdixon whose works are all over this page, this is a retelling of the glory days of the Avengers, back when it was still only Thor, Cap, Tony, Hank and Jan. It starts with Cap getting thawed from the ice, and all goes from there, condensing and redoing many original storylines, though on an admittedly quicker and more condensed timeline than in canon.
 * Comments: Very, very awesome, and faithful to canon though it is canon viewed through slashgoggles as Cap//IronMan is still the authors' OTP.
 * Seconded by Maki P. The authors really know their comics, and this Troper's humble opinion this story is better than other retellings of the Avenger's early days. Also, I'm not a fan of slash, but it works well in this story and it's not intrusive at all.

 Deeper Than Bone by Fire Tears
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Summary: Thor has already lost one shield brother. He will not lose another.
 * Comments: I have to recommend this for three major reasons; one because the characterization for Thor is great, two because honestly, Tony should have been exceedingly more broken at the end of Civil War than he was if we're taking his past reactions to things into account here, and three because, well, to quote the author; "I have also come to the conclusion that if Thor doesn't eventually give Tony emotional support in canon, then no one ever will again. Either that or Marvel now considers the Classic/Original Avengers' relationships to be officially null and void." It maybe pushes Tony a little far, but honestly, this is the same man who once tried to commit suicide via alcohol once because his life fell apart rather horribly.

 Urge  by  Hooded Crime 
 * Recommended by: User:Virusir
 * Summary: Evil has its own ways of hiding from plain sight, unless it decides to walk in broad daylight.
 * Comment: By far the most impressive and detailed one-shot that focuses on the realistic insight on the insane mind of Cletus Kasady before his transformation into an even more insane monster - Carnage. You will witness and be amazed on how the author successfully embodied the mind of the serial killer with the estimated word count of 17,550, where it shows Cletus' dominance, his intelligence, his evil nature as he tells his philosophy about humanity and the undeniable truth, everyone is evil.
 * This review was made possible thanks to the reviews of  HoistTheColours and  Lorien Urbani . Thank you, ladies. Your words were truly inspirational - literally.

Doom 2099 by Doom Scribe
 * Recommended by: User:Pacifist
 * Synopsis: Gypsy, Sorcerer, Scientist, King ... The man the 20th century vilified and called Doctor Doom has traveled to the year 2099 where the superheroes who once thwarted his plans at world conquest are no more. But his once pristine country of Latveria has been reduced to an inhospitable pool of toxic sludge by a madman wielding unearthly powers. Now Doom must renew his power from abroad in the strange new world of the future and in the realm of computer cyberspace, all while asserting his right to rule as ... DOOM 2099!
 * Comments: Picks up just as the Doom 2099 comic #38 ends with Latveria decimated and Doom forced to begin again. It has everything that makes Dr. Doom great. Intelligence, magic, science, arrogance, charisma, honor, and the unstoppable force of will that precludes any possibility but inevitable victory.

Fusion Fics
''No matter the fandom, there will always be fusion fics. These are the ones where casting is dead on, (or at least as close as possible) and characterization is generally kept the same. Not to mention they're just plain fun to read.''

The Snow Queen By Elspethdixon, separated into seven chapters: A mirror of steel, A Soldier and a Smith, Of the Library At the Young Woman's Who Understood Witchcraft, The Prince and the Princess, The Little Robber Boy, The Far North, and Who the Soldier Met There, and Of the Metal Woman's Palace and What Happened Afterward
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Sypnosis: A fusion fic of Hans Christian Andersen's story The Snow Queen, or, alternatively, this is the story of a soldier and a smith.
 * Comments: This is a fusion with a Hans Christian Andersen story, but you don't to know the original story in order to understand this fic. True to form, Elspethdixon has used Marvel canon and characterization well. Plus, it reads like an old fairytale and yet you're still able to point to each of the characters and know who they are supposed to be. The story is interwoven with continuity nods in a way that doesn't seem obtrusive, and the characters fit who they're supposed to be in the original fairytale, as well as still being themselves. And seriously awesome, too, especially once you get to the end and things pick up in the last chapter.

Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Resurrection, Reconstruction, and Redemption by Elspethdixon and Seanchai. (PG-13 slash, you have been warned.)
 * Recco'd by User:Joysweeper
 * Pairings: Captain America - Iron Man
 * Synopsis: At the end of Civil War, Cap is dead and the superhero community is divided and estranged. This fic fixes that.
 * Comments: Better Than It Sounds, I swear. Good writing, characters stay in character, events seem realistic, it's spiced with Crowning Moments Of Heartwarming. Frankly, all of elspethdixon's Avengers fics are good. It's also completed.
 * Rain Krystal: So wonderfully amazing, can't be seconded enough times. Also has sequels now. Read them. Do it. DO IT NOW.

When The Lights Go On Again by elspethdixon and seanchai.
 * Reccomended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Captain America//Iron Man and Warbird//Scarlet Witch
 * Synopsis: The earth is invaded by Rubber Forehead Aliens, which are a Proud Warrior Race of what are basically cat people with scorpion tails who, despite being on the run from the loss of their own homeworld are still sufficiently advanced enough to take over ours. Iron Man, beat to a pulp and being on their recruiting list decides to go undercover and see what sort of sabotage and spying he can do. Meanwhile on the outside, Cap is organizing La Résistance.
 * Comments: The story is very reminiscent of both Cap and Iron Man's origin stories, paying homage to both with Tony trapped once again by people who want him to make weapons for them (the first thing they ask for is a nuke) and with Cap fighting an occupying force that is dug in for a seige. This story likes to play with tropes, with many of the ones mentioned above like Higher Tech Species being a notable one. Needs a Better Description, because it's way too good to simply ignore.

This time tomorrow (where were we?) by Dorcas_Gustine
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairing: Steve/Tony (Rated R in some points, you've been warned)
 * Synopsis: Tony goes to see Wanda and suddenly Steve is alive and there are Skrulls! Or maybe Tony is just going crazy.
 * Comments: So good. Tony seems to be spot on, or at least, pot on for a Tony where everything seems to have gotten worse. Plus, Cap gets to use that armor from what a certain "What If?" storyline. Fanart!

SpiderMan hearts Jenny W by Snorpenbass
 * Recommended by Mechwar
 * Pairing: Peter/Jen
 * Synopsis: A drunken one night stand between Jen and Peter becomes much more via witty banter, a common interest in super-heroing, excellent bed related activities, and an unexpected kidnapping by a wizard in the past.
 * Comments: A hilariously entertaining romp that makes the pairing work quite well. Full of good dialogue and characterization, it turns what could have easily been another of Jen's random hook-ups and makes something heartwarming out of it.

Ere The Winter Storms Begin, also by elspethdixon, with help of seanchai. PG
 * Recco'd by User:Joysweeper. Again.
 * Pairings: Hank/Jan, barest hintings of Steve/Tony.
 * Synopsis: The Avengers have Thanksgiving together. Author's synopsis: "Fluff, wrapped around a gooey center of impending doom."
 * Comments: Jan making fun of how Steve peels potatoes, Thor bringing an ice boar piglet from Jotunheim, Hank trying and failing to properly ask Jan out, mocking It's A Wonderful Life. This is the best Fluff ever, and it reads like Original Flavor, even with the Subtext.

Captain America, Meet the iMac by Smilingskull
 * Recommended by User:Polaris
 * Pairing: Steve/Tony
 * Synopsis: He'd say he's fared pretty well in the modern age.
 * Comments: Movie!verse influenced. Steve adapts to the modern age, has coffee with Pepper, and is seduced by technology (and Tony).

Any Kinda Breath by Kaylee (slash, non-graphic sex)
 * Recommended by User:Jader
 * Pairings: Gambit/Iceman
 * Synopsis: Remy figures it must be pneumonia, but it turns out to be much, much worse.
 * Comments: Absolutely incredible drama and tragedy against a touching romantic background, with a fully explored plot. Together with the other (shorter) fics in this series, it drops perfectly into canon right after Gambit's trial in Antarctica.

Heart of Steel by muccamukk. (Eventual slash. PG-13) "Since he'd woken up, he'd felt a little bit like Gulliver, stuck in a different world that everyone claimed made sense but really didn't seem to for him. Only now, it seemed more like H. P. Lovecraft than Jonathan Swift."
 * Recc'd by User:Joysweeper
 * Pairings: Eventually Steve/Tony.
 * Synopsis: AU. Movieverseinfluenced!Tony. A 'verse where Steve Rogers is found and thawed out in the middle of the twenty-first century, a nasty and suspicious time called "The Golden Age of America". The government kept him locked up to experiment on, and Tony was only able to get him out by Citizenship Marriage, hoping to use him in changing the future of America.
 * Comments: Kind of a mix between man-out-of-time-in-a-dystopia, an arranged marriage, and speculative fiction. So far, pretty good.

Atonement by eighth_horizon
 * Recommended by User:Caysha, Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve/Tony
 * Warnings: Rated R, dark themes/situations, non con & con slash sex/torture
 * Synopsis: Avengers/Supernatural crossover in that the Winchesters don't appear but the lore (i.e. demons, seals and Castiel) will; AU branching from/roughly a year post-Iron Man movieverse and combining/screwing with Avengers comicverse, meaning most of the team is together, Hulk is already gone, Peter is around even though I guess he shouldn't show up until after Disassembled, and both Extremis and Civil War are far in the future.
 * Comments: Brilliant, just like everything she writes. Not as confronting as the warnings suggest, but definitely not light either. Certain points that sound like plot are brought up only to be glanced over again later and not looked at in depth, but still, the fic is worth a read, in my opinion. And it has fanart, so that's a bonus.

Engaging The Enemy by tsukinofaerii ""Steve's pretty enough to lure in ten Iron Men," Jan offered. "We'll doll him up and stick him on a roof somewhere. Ten minutes, tops."
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Iron Man//CaptainAmerica
 * Synopsis: Iron Man is the Avengers' main villain. He also seems to have a thing for Captain America. Plus, something else shady with the true purpose of SHIELD and what exactly Iron Man's motives actually are seems to be going on here...
 * Comments: This is a match made in Stockhlom. Iron Man is in the process of kidnapping his favorite hero for the fifth time and exchanging banter when the story starts, and the author seems to have done this in part to screw around with the tropes involved. Plus, this is utterly, absolutely beyond hysterical. Foe Yay cranked up high enough that even the rest of the Avengers can see it, and the best bit is, they're shipping it. There really are lines in here that are priceless, like this interaction where they're trying to lure Iron Man somewhere.

"Why didn't we think of that a year ago?" Luke complained. "Think of how much time we've wasted when we could have just tied Cap up and put him under a box."

"I'm still here," Steve felt the need to remind them.

"Quiet, bait," Spider-Man waved him off, making a shadow dinosaur, much to Hulk's delight."

Jump in the Fire by Gundam Kaizer
 * Recommended by EvaUnit01
 * Pairings: Carnage/Wasp
 * Synopsis: The Avengers encounter the symbiote serial killer Carnage, who they're not prepred to fight. Just as it looks like he'll kill 'em all, he proposes to Wasp and reforms.
 * Comments: MUCH Better Than It Sounds. This is what happens when you combine Heel Face Turn and Love At First Sight on someone as Ax Crazy and sociopathic as Carnage. Hilarity Ensues. REPEATEDLY. Note that it's set in the ''Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" universe, although it's blended with elements of Ultimate Marvel and 616 continuity.

Of Christmas and Dancing Mercenaries by Gundam Kaizer
 * Recommended by User:Eva Unit 01
 * Pairings: Deadpool/Ms. Marvel, hints of Franklin Richards/Hope Summers, numerous others mentioned (all het).
 * Synopsis: Generic Christmas party at the X-Mansion, Loads and Loads of Characters invited. Turns out Ms. Marvel enjoys dancing, but has no partner. Cue Deadpool.
 * Comments: This fic is WAFF to the core, and shows a much more benevolent side of Deadpool.

Sea Stars by Muccamukk
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: After being dead for two and a half years, Steve wakes up to find himself floating in the sea off of the coast of British Columbia. Things have gone from bad to worse since he died, and to make matters even better, Tony thinks he's a Canadian mechanic from Toronto, has no clue about this whole superhero gig, and would really rather it left him alone.
 * Comments: Intriguing, with a very interesting plot to deal with how Steve came back this time. Deals with Tony and his memory issues, with a nice background being that since Steve has been died things have really gone to shit for America, namely with everything being in utter turmoil. Unfortunately, the story is set in Canada instead. However, it's very worthwhile, with Tony's characterization being very interesting as who he was shines through, even though he has no clue what's going on. Plus, fanart.

Instant karma's gonna get you by Dorcas_Gustine
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Cap is disappointed, and thus things start to Go Very Bad for Tony.
 * Comments: It's all in the title, but honestly, as the author said; "You're probably here for the Steve/Tony, but know that this whole fic was born just because I wanted Peter to use that Zero Wing quote." The circumstances of said quote are brilliant, and utterly worth the payoff. Peter winds up stealing the show, just a little. Every time he shows up he says something bound to be hysterical.

There is no 'I' ... by Jadedoll
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Set in the movieverse, Tony gets an "upgrade" thanks to an incredibly creepy Justin Hammer, and giant bugs attack New York City so all in all, it's a fairly standard run of events for the Avengers.
 * Comments: This more resembles early 616 canon than it does the movieverse, as it mostly borrows elements of the movieverse that it likes (such as the arc reactor and JARVIS), and ignores the rest. This is probably intentional, as it was stated to be a blend of both. It's got good characterization, great touches of canon from several 'verses from 616 as it blends into the movieverse that you may have to look for to catch all of them.

Extinction by valtyr
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: The first time Tony met Captain America, he was riding a dinosaur. After that, things got weird.
 * Comments: Obviously AU just from the tagline alone, but stil extremely well done. The basic starting premise of the fic is that Tony is having an adventure playing security guard for a night in a museum. After that, well, to paraphrase the author, things get weird. The foreshadowing is there throughout the story but not too heavy, and while the premise starts simply, it quickly snowballs into much more, with fast pacing and fairly well-written action. Though the ending is rather abrupt, the fic is still tremendously well done, and this deserves its place on the list.

Enlightenment by crimson_quills
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: While Tony lies unconscious in the hospital, Steve contemplates his sacrifice, and Jan clobbers Steve with a clue.
 * Comments: Heartwarming, short, sweet. Even though the premise is someone being terribly unsubtle an blunt with a metaphorical clue bat, the whole fic manages to quietly understate things, and give realistic reactions on the part of Steve, avoiding outright a certain notorious fanfiction staple.

Beneath The Armor by crimson_quills
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Tony has to reveal his identity after being placed in a compromising position, and Cap hovers, reevaluating his assumptions when it comes to Tony Stark, his best friend, and where they fit together.
 * Comments: Greetings from the world of classic Marvel! This story has 60s canon, though with the telescoping effect of comic book timelines, the story is set in the 90s. Great characterization, and worth the read especially if you miss the "good old days" of the classic Avengers.

King of Infinite Space by elspethdixon and seanchai
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Tiberius Stone is back after having been put in a coma sometime after the events of Execute Program.
 * Comments: Interesting villain is a go! Tiberius Stone is back, and up to his old tricks; trying to ruin Tony Stark. The fact that he's wheelchair bound doesn't make him any less creepy or potent than he was in the comics, and he still smacks of the Manipulative Bastard everyone knew him for. This is interesting to see Tony interacting with Tiberius, the villian who was responsible in canon for severly compounding Tony's drinking problems and pretty much absolutely wrecking his life. Once again, he has a PR campaign, and he's not pulling his punches at all.

The Roughest Day by elspethdixon and seanchai
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Steve is in a motorcycle accident, Tony catches a cold, and someone may be after the New Avengers.
 * Comments: Truly excellent as is to be expected from the dynamic duo of this pairing, Sanchai and Elspethdixon. Characterization is good, and it probably says something about the Avengers that their equivalent of a good Slice of Life fic involves plots to have them all assassinated in various ways.

Contrasting by old_blueeyes
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: The Confession, from inside Tony's head, spun together with light and memory, ten million lines of broken code.
 * Comments: This person seems to have taken Civil War: The Confession and made it even more heartbreaking than it was to begin with by giving you an inside line to Tony's head.

I Never by Elspethdixon
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: The Avengers play "never have I ever" and it turns out that apparently, the secret to getting Tony to relax was forty-eight hours without sleep, mild blunt force trauma, and listening to his team trade embarrassing secrets with one another.
 * Comments: Freaking hysterical, very human, and did I mention that this thing brings the funny hard fast and consistent?

What Tomorrow May Bring by simmysim
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: After having returned to life, Steve still finds himself estranged from Tony. At least, until he shows up on Steve's doorstep and passes out there after Stark tower doesn't so much explode as the top three floors simply cease to exist.
 * Comments: Taking place after Dark Reign and the Secret Invasion, this is still a slash fic, though like a almost just about all of the fics on this list, the plot is easily at least as important as the romance.

An Ever Fixed Mark by elspethdixon and seanchai
 * Recommended by Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Loki accidentally turns Tony into a woman. Steve is less than amused, and hijinks ensue.
 * Comments: Brough to you by the dynamic duo, this story averts all three laws of gender bending, the original premise is pretty cracky, though it quickly proves that in execution, it takes itself seriously. Also, be forewarned, this deals with some things that may set off triggers, like . It has art, too, so bonus points on that front.

<3 by tsukinofaerii
 * Recommended by: Myrdschaem
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Steve is >:[ when one of Tony's lab experiments disrupts his baking, but luckily, some \o/ comes out of it, along with a little ♥.
 * Comments: This is the peak of fluff, the candy aisle in the mall, the first ice cream in spring. It's absolutely adorable and I find it hard to believe there's a fluffier fanfic anywhere else. If you have time, check out the author because s/he rules.

Without Irony by tsukinofaerii
 * Recommended by: Myrdschaem
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: Sometimes, when a drive is completely broken, the only thing to do is wipe it clean and start over. When he wakes up, Tony has no idea who he is, or what he did to end up where he is. Depending on who he talks to, he was a villain or a hero, a genius or a degenerate. What he is now is still up for debate, but it doesn't look like he's going to have much time to figure it out. With a computer in his head screwing up and a country falling to pieces, options are getting limited.
 * Comments: Set after the brain wipe. Very nice use of format bending is impressive and is next to the characterisation one of the things which make this fic unique. Beware of somewhat Bittersweet Ending.

anyone else but me by Anon
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: The first thing Tony Stark said to Steve Rogers was, "Hey, you're Captain America." The second was, "Here, hold this." Steve and Tony according to Pepper.
 * Comments: From the fledgling kink meme founded for the new release of the Captain America movie, this fic is absolutely awesome, the narrative is just epic in the way that things are brought across. Seriously, a major revelation, the reaction to it, and the reaction to that reaction are done clearly in eight lines. The whole thing is done in Pepper's perspective, and she makes an excellent narrator. The fic is succinct in all the best ways, and the anon does an excellent job of capturing many things in the background without having to explicitly state much.

My Normal Approach is Useless Here by cradle_song
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Bucky//Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: "And now it was clear that there was no Bucky without Steve--and that there was no Steve without Bucky. No matter what form their relationship took, the two couldn't function without each other. Loving Steve meant, in a way, loving Bucky--and Tony found that he was surprisingly okay with that fact."
 * Comments: Once again from the kinkmeme, this fic takes place in the Movieverse, and as such has things like JARVIS and what happened to Bucky during Captain America the First Avenger. The characterization is great, even for characters mentioned in passing in the background. The author takes the romance up in a slow burn as seen through Tony's eyes, as everyone comes to terms with each other, and the new world they find themselves in. This fic is in turns melancholy, hilariously funny and heartwarming as the author explores how this could happen, and brings it together so naturally that you find yourself wondering why the hell this hasn't been thought of as a pairing before.

untitled by anon
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Tony//electronics, with some background Steve//Tony
 * Synopsis: If the sentient armor can do it, so can the coffee machine. Therefore, everything electronic eventually falls in love with Tony Stark. This is something of a right of passage among machines.
 * Comments: This is just hilarious. It's short, and wildly funny.

A Guilty Mind by kijikun and pandanoai
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Tony//Steve.
 * Synopsis: Tony has always been of the opinion that if it seemed too good to be true then it probably was.
 * Comments: Tony wakes up in a world three years before the Civil War, apparently having been hit with one of Loki's spells. Everything's just like he remembered; Wanda's sane; Scott Lang is still alive and Cassie is young; but worst of all, Steve is alive, and Tony can't handle this illusion.

Hold Me Down by seanchai and elspethdixon
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Tony//Steve.
 * Synopsis: After the Avengers fall apart, Steve sees Tony recharge.
 * Comments: Shower porn! Well, lighter porn. In any case, very hot, very full of feelings, and very, very excellent. It comes with a picture, too!

Only Smile When I Lie by feverbeats
 * Recommended by: Rain Krystal
 * Pairings: Doctor Doom//Loki.
 * Synopsis: Mortality, monsters, and supervillians in love. Sort of. No, it's probably love. We think? Even the author isn't sure.
 * Comments: A very well characterized and well-written look at a possible reason why Doom and Loki could be a pairing, and how, exactly, that would work throughout the years.