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cap_ironman2017-07-19 06:17 pm
Rec Week 2017: Angsty Wednesday
We all love Steve and Tony, but sometimes they're just not very good at being happy, are they? (And sometimes we don't want them to be happy anyway.) There is just so much drama and uncertainty - and let's be honest we like the sad and dark feelings that evokes in us. So, today is the day to rec all you favorite angsty fanworks!
Note: Please mark major warnings for your recs, and if you have time, let us know why you’re reccing it!
Rec Week 2017 Themes and Schedule
Cap-IM Sunday, July 16th: Rec all your favorite works created for one of the Cap-IM challenges
All-New Monday, July 17th: Works newly posted during the last year
Artful Tuesday, July 18th: A rec day highlighting Fanart specifically! Come and rec all the art.
Angsty Wednesday, July 19th: Bring on all the angst!
Fluffy Thursday: July 20th Rec our favourite warm fluff works
Fix-It Friday, July 21st: All fix-its, all day.
Kiss It Better Saturday: July 22nd: Hurt/Comfort of any kind
For anyone new to rec week you can find out more at our Rec Week 2017 intro post.
This year we have three ways to share recs:
1) comment on the day’s Dreamwidth or Livejournal post
2) Reply to the day’s tumblr post
3) Post to tumblr with the tags #capimrecweek
4) Tweet links to your rec posts @cap_ironman using the hashtag #capimrecweek
Have fun! And remember that you can go back and add more recs to the previous days if you missed out or thought of something new, even after a new day has rolled over. While we especially encourage works produced in the last year, old favourites are welcome as well on all of the other days!
Reccing for all days will remain open for a while until we will compile a round-up of all the fanworks that were recced at the beginning of August, so please feel free to come back and rec and point people at the posts/reblog the tumblr posts. Have fun!
no subject
Give Me What You Left Behind and Remake the World with Me by navaan (616)
Summary: Tony lies in a comatose state when Steve tells him a truth he can never be allowed to know. Steve’s plan had been to keep the man in an unbalanced state until it was too late until he could show him the new world he would create and now he’s robbed of the chance. But Tony’s AI is around. Now… Now he may have the perfect and final chance to make Tony stand with him, even if he won’t ever have what he really wants.
Comment: THIS IS SO EVIL and this is all I’m going to say. READ IT. SO EVIL.
Hide and Seek by MsErmestH (616)
Summary: When Tony had volunteered to spy on Steve, he justified it by saying that he had the best chance to do so undetected. They needed to learn about their enemy and pick up any leads about the Cosmic Cube shards. In reality, all Tony was doing was participating in some elaborate self-punishment for not stopping this nightmare.
Comment: POOR AI TONY and all of their messed up relationship with some very good lines!
Siege by Kiyaar (616, tw noncon)
Summary: Set during 'Casualties of War.' Tony meets with Steve to tell him something important. It all goes to hell after that.
Comment: So you know all that UST during Casualties of War? Here’s the solution, and it’s dark.
Make This Go On Forever by aslightstep (616)
Summary: We have got through so much worse than this before/What's so different this time that you can't ignore?
Steve and Tony are soulmates. Steve and Tony love each other. These two statements might have nothing to do with each other.
Comment: Soulmates angst with beautiful narration.
Boys Without a World by Muccamukk (616, major character death)
Summary: As Steve struggles to find meaning in a world where Tony did not return after Onslaught/Heroes Reborn, an apparent stranger wearing Iron Man's armour may offer him answers, or maybe just more questions.
Comment: I’m sure you always wanted to cry at a kidfic.
Breaking Point by Comicsohwhyohwhy (616)
Summary: Tony is in his cell, and Steve seems to be losing it. Carol has to make a decision.
Draws on everything by Hickman in Avengers and New Avengers, specifically on Avengers 37.
Comment: Hickmanvengers angst where everything hurts and nothing is solved. Also featuring a great Carol.
no subject
Summary: A fic about a blowjob as an apology for what Steve doesn't remember, inspired by the most recent issue of New Avengers #3, Avengers #1, and Hickman's comment. Spoilers for New Avengers #3 and recent Avengers issues; mildly dubious consent in that one character doesn't have the context the other does for what's happening (not that I think it would make much more sense to him then).
You Started by a_sparrows_fall (Marvel 616)
Summary: Steve and Tony are working together on rolling out the Fifty State Initiative when tragedy strikes, but that’s not even the worst of it.
Mindwipe ficlet on Tumblr by laireshi (Marvel 616)
(No summary, just sadness.)
Things to do in New Jersey when you're dead by dorcas_gustine (Marvel 616)
Summary: Tony misses Steve. Tony brings Steve back. There's something wrong.
I’ll remember best of all, all the things we didn’t say by dorcas_gustine (Marvel 616)
Summary: Steve comes back and everything's gonna be alright. ...Right?
Some Other Beginning's End by missbecky (Marvel 616)
Summary: Tony feels sick to his stomach. It can't be true, it can't be. Because Steve is fine. He looks perfectly fine. He isn't sick or poisoned. He has the super soldier serum and he is Captain America and he can't die again, not when he's just come back.
Coping by nightwalker (Marvel Adventures)
Summary: Steve Rogers is very good at surviving, whether he likes it or not.
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I sorta tried to list these from 'least angst' to 'most angst' (well, to me anyway). I might make an 'angst with happy ending' list too!
Also, please mind the warnings on the fics if you haven't read them already. The bottom half of the list all have unhappy endings.
no subject
Special favorites of mine:
Interrogation (616, HYDRA!Cap and consent issues) series of 3 short fics.
“I’m artificial intelligence, Steve. I don’t have a body. You can’t hurt me.”
Steve looks at him with dark eyes. “Are you sure of that, Tony?”
Comments: I'm not actually sure if all three of these take place within the same timeline or are just thematically linked, but Laireshi does a scarily plausible evil!Steve.
Make-Believe (616) Hickmanvengers ficlet
It's all right, he's saying. I didn't just betray you and everything you stand for. I'm not lying to you. I lo—
Comment: Possibly my favorite Original Sins-based fic out there.
Downwards, Ever Faster (MCU, CA:CW, break-up fic/unhappy ending)
"I love you, Tony," Steve says, and Tony believes him.
Tony never thought he could be so happy. Maybe after New York and Sokovia his luck has finally turned. He looks forward to the future--with Steve at his side. It's perfect.
That is, until Lagos happens, and the Sokovian Accords are thrown between Steve and Tony. Good thing Tony knows that they can get through anything together. Can't they?
Comment: Most of Laireshi's angst fics are short (the better to rip you apart with quickly with no words wasted), but this one, written for the 2016 BB, is 30k words worth of gradually worsening pain. I prefer to avoid both the MCU and fics where my OTPs break-up for good, and yet I'm reccing this, so take that as a double (triple?) endorsement.
no subject
Summary: Steve Rogers, super soldier. It’s amazing really that it takes them all so long to work out just what the serum can do… but given enough time all things become apparent. This is a story about love, and loss; the things we would do to be true to ourselves and true to our hearts; and the prices you must pay to do that.
Comment: answers the question: 'how does steve cope with living forever?' NOT WELL.
Changeling series by Sineala (616)
Summary: A Siege/World's Most Wanted AU in which Tony's brain deletion proceeds a little differently. (Not a fix-it.)
Comment: do you want to cry?
A Face to Meet the Faces That You Meet by valtyr (616)
Summary: Identity porn after Cap's death.
Comment: V classic, soft angst. I miss valtyr's fic.
The Sound of Wings by Ayien (616)
Summary: And Steve realizes, as he stares into Tony’s dull eyes, that it won’t be long before Death is back, this time for both of them. Contains spoilers for Secret Invasion and Civil War.
Comment: I've probably read this like 80 times and it makes me cry EVERY TIME.
Lost Chances by laireshi (616, tw rape aftermath)
Summary: Steve comes back to himself after Secret Empire and realizes he's Done Some Things.
Comment: hey, this fucked me up! I'm still really upset about it! How dare!
Compilation Error by laireshi (616)
Summary: The first time Tony Stark kills Steve Rogers is an accident.
Comment: holy shit. I went in not really expecting this premise and maybe expecting something mildly heartwrenching but there's something about tony trying AS HARD AS HE POSSIBLY CAN and everything ending in abject FAILURE in the end.
no subject
Angst but with an happy ending. MCU, Civil War Fix it. Steve writes Tony letters but he never sends them.
Letherwards by therobotmuse
This is a long series not finished (if I am not wrong) but I think the last story in the series could be easily read as a conclusion so I decided to post it anyway. Angst (A lot) post Civil War in 616 comics. The warnings are inside, by the main ones are self harm, suicide, blood. Hopeful ending!
And The Void Would Be Calling by jadedoll
Amnesia fic, sort of, where Tony finds himself in a Tony who is in a relationship with Steve. Angst and things get better. mcu.
Changes on our hands and on our faces by laireshi
616 Steve and Tony end up in the Civil War zone of Secret Wars, each of them faced with the CW’s version of the other. Angst! But also fix it!
So far away from me by sineala
Captain America has a new hotline, and Tony calls for angsty reasons. I love this short story so much. Warnings: mentions of alcoholism.
Deep in the heart of me by finely honed
This is an AU where Steve is a tattoo artist and Tony is still the Stark Industries CEO (but no superpowers and superheroes!). Also, Steve is a father. This is a long story full of struggle and with mentions of PTSD (Steve's), trust issues, alcoholism.
Hard reset by kiyaar
616, not a fix it. Post the whole mess with the Illuminati, Steve follows through with his threat to beat Tony bloody (no Superior Iron Man).
Never let you go by laireshi
Warnings for rape (not graphic) and stockholm syndrome, basically. A Steve from another universe kidnaps 616!Tony.
(I am trying to not rec the same fics already recced, because I would honestly rec everything by laireshi)
For the angst, I also decided to add some fanvideos. I LOVE fanvideos, now and then I just wander around youtube finding new ones. So here's some sad CW mcu fanvideos.
Extremis AU by Fiernstone
(Warning: character death) This video has a whole plot, and it is so masterfully done that it looks like an amazing(ly angst) AU.
Pieces by Lucy'sHeart
This video use some great quotes, especially the first one. CW related (mcu).
battlescars by lilian hearts
(bonus for Tony using the phone Steve gave him)
Photograph by LT
Post CW, angst with such a soft beautiful song (and quotes masterfully embbed in the video)
no subject
The author marked it as CNTW, but you should definitely read the warnings beforehand.
Summary: Zombie apocalypse AU. Steve Rogers is rescued ten years after going into the ice to find the world taken over by the undead, with the man who brought him out being none other than his old flame, Tony Stark. Believing that the serum running through Steve's veins is humanity's last hope for finding a cure, they begin the long journey south in order to meet up with Tony's other contacts - dealing with hordes of biters, living people of varying trustworthiness, and Steve's own unresolved anger toward Tony for his role in the War along the way.
Comment: I'm still traumatized by this fic. It's beautiful and feels almost cinematic with its descriptions and progression, don't get me wrong. I rarely cry at fic but this one left me sobbing for an hour and empty inside for days, and I read the rest of the Noir tag for 2 weeks looking for happy fic to heal my heart afterward.
Ambling Madly by madness_and_smiles (Noir)
Summary: It's 2010, and Steve still doesn’t have his mask, or his shield. He doesn’t read in the papers about flying women or blind men running around on rooftops. He is so far from 1944. “What happened to everyone? Why does no one pilot The Iron Man? The Spider, and The Wolverine? Where are the Banshees? Why is the world so…” Why is the world so gray, Steve wants to ask.
Comment: I JUST CAN'T DEAL WITH STEVE AND TONY BEING SEPARATED BY TIME, I GUESS?
no subject
Comment: Poor Steve, he has just lost his Tony. But it’s even worse than that. Just a brilliant coda for the end of the episode.
AA post Season three art by shaliara
Comment: It’s a lovely scene of Carol comforting Tony post “Death of Captain America” and it’s forever edged into my memory.
Some Other Beginning's End (7486 words) by missbecky
Summary:Tony feels sick to his stomach. It can't be true, it can't be. Because Steve is fine. He looks perfectly fine. He isn't sick or poisoned. He has the super soldier serum and he is Captain America and he can't die again, not when he's just come back.
Comment: It's the ultimate unhappy ending fic and Tony's feeling are at the horror of losing the person he cares most about are so well explored. ;_;
Minutes to Midnight (3257 words) by Woad
Summary: The Illuminati wipe Tony's memories instead of Steve's.
Comment: Multiverse, incursions and a lot of guilt. There is this gut wrenching meeting with another Tony that makes this one of my all time favorites. And that end…
Lost Chances (2250 words) by laireshi
Summary: “No,” Tony says.
But Steve already knows what Tony lying to his face looks like.
Comment: Non-con happens in the flashbacks and Steve has to come to terms with how he hurt Tony when he had not really been himself and how maybe it doesn't matter that it wasn't "his" fault. Things are just painful and complicated and the fic does the PERFECT job of conveying that.
Most Faithful Mirror (4815 words) by Kiyaar
Summary: After the events of Fear Itself, Tony is in rough shape. Feelings and porn ensue.
Comment: This just hurts in exactly the right kind of way. A lot of complicated emotions get not-really-worked out during sex and it’s like a punch to the gut.
Zugzwang (2353 words) by Woad
Summary: His package comes back marked "undeliverable."
Comment: Deathfic. This is the SAD ending for Civil War and I love the way Woad writes it.