Unfit for Society Recs

Captain America

A Man Takes His Sadness Down to the River (The Consolation of Philosophy) by dorian_burberrycanary
Steve had meant to stay forever and didn't last a year. He meant to return right back to when he left, but that doesn't work out the way he planned either.

Turns out a lot can happen in nine months. Long, meditative series in which Steve decides to come back rather than staying in the past, and shows up after the events of TFATWS, needing to make amends to both Sam and Bucky.

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Star Wars

Reprise IV by Elfpen
As he comes into his power, Anakin Skywalker has never known a universe without both Ben and Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, as Palpatine’s schemes draw taut against a galaxy in crisis and Obi-Wan chases shadows, Ben must contend with his past colliding with his present while Anakin uncovers the truth of the dark and light within himself. Changing the fate of the universe is too lofty a task for a single person; all must work together in balance and harmony to ensure that Hope does not die to darkness. Part 4 of the Reprise AU. Well worth a read along with the rest of the series (previously recced).

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Avengers

reasons why you don't want to talk (about reasons why you don't want to talk) by napricot
Bucky is doing fine after the Blip. He has his amends, he has his exit strategies, he goes to therapy. Steve's gone, but that's fine, Bucky can deal with that, even if he can't deal with feeling like a ghost in the apartment that Steve left behind. But when Steve returns, they'll both have to deal with how to rebuild a friendship and a home that are haunted by the ghosts of who they used to be. Their methods of doing so are perhaps less than ideal, what with how they involve more sex and stealthy surprise interior decoration than any actual communication. Maybe that's all they need to make a new home together. Highly enjoyable! <333

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Avengers

360-degree feedback by bysine
This is an AMAZING story that starts when Wenwu haunts Wong and generally makes life more interesting. <333

interlude: call to Ipoh by snsk
Master of Mystic Arts? That's not a real Masters. A sweet conversation between Wong and his mom.

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Ms. Marvel

Paristan by avani
Sana Ali leaves home behind, and finds home anyway. This is a fantastic peek into Sana's head as she moves to Jersey City to live with her family. <333

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Enola Holmes

i'll hide underneath my pride by buries
Tewksbury invites Enola to join him at a country house party with some old friends. Of course, while they're there, a case appears for her to solve. I really enjoyed this! It was everything I love about these two characters together. <333

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The Iliad

subtle of soul and deathless by betony
Helen and Aphrodite, ten different ways. Really lovely look at Helen and her relationship with Aphrodite over time.

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Avengers

Gallop about doing good by gloss
"Cats?" Peter B. asks. "No, there's nothing in my universe about cats and Spider-Man. Looks like you're special once again, Miles. Invisibility camo, venom shock, now kitty-whispering? Congrats!"

Spider-Man helps everyone. Brooklyn's cats seem determined to take advantage of that fact. Adorable!

Live By My Own Law by scioscribe
What was he going to say, that he was holding on to some idea of manhood that didn't even stem from his own people? He was down for revolution, not the petty shit of rebellion: he liked most of his father's traditions just fine. He just wasn't pinning a corsage on his chest, marking him out as T'Challa’s new boytoy. AU where Erik comes to Wakanda as T'Challa's betrothed. Great character voices.

ON THE COVER - RED WHITE AND BLACK | New York Magazine | Dec. 30th, 2024 by miabicicletta
NYMag on the life and death of Natasha Romanoff. GROSS SOBBING

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Avengers

Two Colors, White and Gold by Carelica
Compelling AU where Bucky comes to in a bunker in Siberia after the end of the world (or so he thinks), and survives in the aftermath.

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Crossovers

Captain America/Brooklyn Nine Nine

Welcome to the Party, Pal by gwyneth
Steve Rogers goes into a bar and meets...Norm Scully! This is incredibly fun. I made the :D:D:D face the whole time I was reading it.

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Avengers

carried to space on a dolphin balloon by napricot
THE MOON LANDING IS REAL NOW: STEVE ROGERS IN SPACE, PROTECTING PLANET EARTH! And maybe finding love with a buxom space babe??

"Jesus Christ," Sam mutters. "This Steve on the moon conspiracy is getting out of control."

Except it turns out that it might not just be baseless conspiracy theory fodder for the tabloids. Not when Natasha has returned, alive and well, and certain that Steve, their Steve, will come back home too, if he hasn't become totally lost in the vastness of spacetime. Ha! I enjoyed this a lot.

you liked it then you should've put ten rings on it by laiqualaurelote
"When did you even get to meet my dad?" Shangqi demands. "You're in supervillain prison, surely they don’t let you guys mingle."

"Mahjong night," says Erik, deadpan.

Other people look for retirement homes for their parents. Shangqi has to check out prisons. While sorting out his father's incarceration in Wakanda, he unexpectedly reconnects with his old college roommate, the villain formerly known as Killmonger." I enjoyed this a lot

Urban Legend by gwyneth
"People are saying I’m fake?" Could they really not compare his recent photos to the newsreels and article photos and his films from the war? "They’re saying I was never found and I’m just…some guy wearing a Cap uniform?" Steve discovers modern day conspiracy theories about Captain America. Oh Steve.

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Avengers

the barred window and the locked door by icoulddothisallday
Six times Steve protected women's right to choose. Oh Steve. *sobs*

Three years outside Columbus, Ohio by miabicicletta
It is strange, she thinks, as they return home, relieving the babysitter and ensuring none of the safe boxes have been found or tampered with. All her life, Melina has been taught the essential value of precision. Lack of precision meant misunderstanding; misunderstandings created mistakes; mistakes lead to failure.

Yet here they are, a widow and the Red Guardian, capable of laughing at each other, at themselves to an extent, over one such instance; a misunderstanding that has led not to failure, but to clarification. Camaraderie, even.

"Good night. Try to resist murdering me in my sleep," Alexei says to her before turning out the light. A joke, incredibly enough.

"I would never." She rolls her eyes, but not before she drops a mocking little kiss on his forehead, smiles sweetly. "Easier to poison your coffee, my darling." The three years Melina spends with Alexei, Natasha, and Yelena. This is heartbreaking and beautifully done.

#wintersmolder by Ketita
SHIELD has fallen and the Winter Soldier is in the wind, and far more formidable than anybody thought.

Not only is he staying hidden from all the world's intelligence agencies (how), but he's doing so while modeling for fashion magazines (what), posting videos about himself (why), gaining an internet following that absolutely includes Clint (and to his regret, Sam), and punching a whole lot of Nazis (in the face. with bullets).

Steve is absolutely supportive, much to everyone else’s concern. HILARIOUS.

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Avengers

we sang dirges in the dark by Sanctuaria
After Ohio, the not-choices just kept coming. [...]

Except they are choices. She knows from the faces that haunt her dreams, the pacing at night, the vodka in the freezer, the hours she spends in the weapons cache with the doors locked, assembling and disassembling and assembling her sniper rifle again and again as the world closes in around her. Count the ceiling tiles. Just breathe.

They are choices, and Melina keeps making them. Excellent look at Melina.

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Harry Potter

Careless Texter by GhostofBambi
This is an amazingly hilarious modern, no-magic AU where James texts Lily but neither of them know who the other one is and they strike up an adorable friendship and get to know each other while also being too dumbstruck by each other to interact in person.

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Star Wars

time and time and time again by gigglesandfreckles
Force Ghost Obi-Wan gets to know Leia. <3

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Avengers

Out Of The Sky, Into The Flow by Dorasolo
Scott is about to promise Cassie the world, but Hope is still shaking her head and Luis is mouthing no, and with this A+ parenting team in his pocket, he chews his words thoughtfully instead.

Or, the Ant-Fam is having some post-Snap growing pains. Sweet and funny.

You Shake My Nerves by Arsenic
Carol finds Natasha and brings her home. Quiet, lovely, post-Endgame fix-it.

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Avengers

Five Times James and Sarah Made Each Other Happy (& One Time They Didn't) by marina
Does exactly what it says on the tin, and is really lovely in doing it.

home (where i wanted to go) by Contra
Taking Steve's choice in Endgame to a logical conclusion. Ouch.

To Boldly Go by heyjupiter
A brief but necessary coda to WandaVision in which we see where Monica goes next.

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Crossover

WandaVision/Star Wars

A Witch's Favor by phoenixyfriend
This is a fun crossover where Wanda (and eventually Monica) end up on Tatooine. Wanda is taken in by Shmi, and she ends up freeing the slaves, which of course, brings her to the attention of the Jedi Council. Anakin just wants to see his mom, and Obi-Wan needs so many drinks.

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Avengers

Drive It Like You Stole It: A Bodyswap by AggressiveWhenStartled
Steve and Bucky get bodyswapped. To fix it, they drag Peter Parker on the Worst Roadtrip Ever. I literally laughed out loud for almost the entire story.

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Star Wars

Where There is Quiet by Shadaras
This is a very sweet AU where the Jedi win against Sidious, and in the aftermath, Obi-Wan goes to Jedha to live with the Guardians of the Whills.

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Avengers

Code of Conduct by tryfanstone
Steve wins Bucky in an auction. Bucky is okay with that. This was fun.

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Lucifer (TV)

I Shelter You by firecat
Trixie helps protect Maze from nightmare monsters. <333

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Avengers

Never Look Before You Jump by oh_simone
When Steve goes back to see Peggy, things don't go exactly as he planned. This is a lot of fun.

The Parent Snap by follow_the_sun
AU where Thor gives Bucky the time stone and he uses it to rescue baby Thor, baby Loki, and baby Hela from Odin's parenting. Sweet and hilarious.

You Feel My Heat (I'm Just a Moment Behind) by innie
Steve and Bucky during the pre-war years, through Steve's artist's eyes. Achingly lovely.

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Spider-Man

fightin' for my trust (and you won't back down) by LullabyKnell
Jeff works on his relationship with Miles, and eventually, the truth comes out. Oh my heart.

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Avengers

Cat Nap by galwednesday
Objectively, losing the Bucharest safehouse and its contents was the least of Bucky's problems. The balding agent he'd seen directing the raid was apparently affiliated with SHIELD, which was a shadowy government agency that made representatives from other shadowy government agencies suddenly remember urgent appointments when Bucky tried to bribe, threaten, and otherwise shake them down for information on what the hell SHIELD might want with a former brainwashed assassin. Dodging SHIELD should be his number one priority.

Subjectively, he wanted his fucking cat back. AU where Steve and Bucky don't have any history but they meet when Steve accidentally kidnaps Bucky's cat. This is adorable.

Where The Moon Is A Pie by Vaysh
Bucky gets zapped to an alternate dimension where there never was a Captain America. He does find a Steve, though, who helps get him back home.

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