recs and links

He has to ask. “Does he do this ... To the others?” “What? Does the notorious Red Hood waylay honest vigilantes, fight them, and then proceed to make out with them? You think that’s his dastardly plan?” Dick is soaring through the air. He can't shrug, and Babs wouldn't see if he did, so... Babs makes an harrumphing noise, which means she's considering it. “B does go offline after some of their fights...” Dot, dot, dot. Babs is very good at making insinuations that even Dick can’t miss. Hee! Hilarious and hot Dick/Jason. (could use a line edit)

"Luke. Are you seeing this??" "I'm seeing it." "Uh, no. If you were seeing this, then you would see that this--" She pauses, does some Vanna White arms-- "obviously has Lorelai Gilmore written all over it." 'This' is a shower curtain covered in cartoon hippos with really big eyes. The eyes of some hippos who have been dabbling with some illegal substances. (As hippos do.) Just between you and her, Lorelai's not really that into it. She is not the same woman who once fell in love at first sight with what her mother christened a "semi-pornographic, leering monkey lamp." She's got higher standards for her semi-pornographic interior design decisions these days. But. The hippos have 'Luke will freak in the face of us!' written aaaall over 'em. She has to at least tease him with the horrifying possibility of a life where this dwells in their bathroom. "You know what," Luke says then, with this appraising little nod, "yeah. I can see it." Ahahahahaha! This is an adorable and pitch-perfect post-series Luke/Lorelai story.

Loki falls to earth and ends up with a suburban family. Things, as always, are more complicated than that. I enjoyed this a lot - I liked the Fredericksons and how Loki slowly came to belong to them, and they to him, and how Thor never gave up on him, and the slow unfolding of the plot. It reminded me of the good things about the Percy Jackson books for some reason, which I also really enjoyed.

The Puppet Master really is a fearsome enemy. He’s wreaked havoc with the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Avengers, and has still somehow lived to fight another day. Apparently, though, all of those teams of heroes, which all could rightly lay claim to the title of ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!’ have nothing on a prawn, a creature of indeterminate origin with anger management issues, and a flock of chickens. Kermit gets kidnapped and Thor assembles the Avengers to save him. This is hilarious.

At seven, Lilo wants to grow up to be an intergalactic space hero. Stitch shows her how to build plasma guns (Nani puts them on a high shelf), how to rig up a can opener and a radio into a machine that will open a portal to an alternate universe (Nani says she can't do it in the house) and how to first swallow and then regurgitate useful objects, like handcuff keys or quarters (Nani, though disgusted, can't help but be impressed). She and Stitch roam the forests and swim the ocean and are the best of friends, and though Lilo doesn't talk much to other kids, she has Stitch and she has Nani and they are all she needs. She dreams at night of a future among space aliens, green and wriggly, tall and blue, grave and comic and of infinite variety, and when she wakes she can still see their cities behind her eyes, gleaming and verdant. This made me all teary and achy in exactly the same way as the movie. *sniffle* Oh, my heart.

Zuko falls at the North Pole, and when he comes around he's not sure if he's more angry at the Avatar, his uncle, or himself. A story of emotional growth and tea with too much salt in it. AU from "The Siege of the North Part 2." Highly enjoyable story of Zuko getting to the point of making the right choice a lot earlier, thanks to extended exposure to the Northern Water Tribe and the gaang.

Really stunningly written story of Steph and Jason patrolling a Gotham where Batman doesn't have a Robin.

Of course the lesson to be learned was that love (read: sex) conquers war. (Peggy was always quick with lessons.) And that lesson is an important one, because Peggy Carter is determined to conquer Steve Rogers, and by extension, America. Churchill would give her a medal if he knew. Thank God he doesn't. really lovely first time for Peggy and Steve, with a spot-on Peggy voice.

“Enjoy your brooding time,” Steph said, dropping down the fire escape. “And thanks again!” Maybe there was still a chance of salvaging that burned bridge, Tim thought. He didn’t know where to even begin repairing it, but just the idea of it made him feel lighter. He could plan. He could figure it out. Those were things he was good at. Tim tries to make amends with Steph after her brush with the Black Mercy. *sniffle* This made me all achy in the chestal area for them.

How Darcy came to work for SHIELD. Hee!

Really lovely, low-key Dan/Dana.

Exactly what it says on the tin. Hee!

"So, Styx," Darcy says, sliding onto a barstool as Clint pays for their beers. "Best band ever or best band ever?" He slides a mug her way, one eyebrow quirking up, and Darcy's had enough to drink that she can't help but think I like the things his face does. "This is a trick question, right?" he asks with a little laugh. "There's only one right answer, if that's what you mean. C'mon, soldier boy," she pokes him in the shoulder, "don't make me sing the Jeopardy theme song here." Clint pretends to ponder for a moment, until she pokes him again. "Best band ever?" "Exactly," Darcy says with satisfaction. "Tell him what he's won, boys!" He grins and takes a swig of his beer, just a touch self-consciously, and it's even more endearing than she could have thought possible. Lovely just post-movie Darcy/Clint.

After "The Southern Raiders," Zuko offers to help Katara practice bloodbending. OMG YES. THIS. Ahem. I mean, this is a great story about consent and bloodbending and Zuko wanting Katara to dominate him, and how they're both discovering they enjoy it and, well, yes. I've wanted a story like this since the first time Zuko went to his knees in "The Western Air Temple," and this one delivers.

Sokka returns to the desert to excavate Wan Shi Tong's library. I enjoyed this a lot.

Jason's return goes differently when he stops off in Bludhaven before heading to Gotham, and decides to play some games with Officer Grayson. This is hot and heartbreaking and the ending. Oh my god, the ending. *sobs* Yes. This is what I wanted for him. What I still want for him. Oh, Jason. You can still go home.

Bucky and Steve steal a few private moments while on leave. Hot and bantery.

"There are traditions at the New Year. For good luck and all that." "Such as...?" "A kiss," Steve says simply. He's trying not to tense up through the shoulders, trying to let the chips fall as they may, but it's hard to just... put this out there, not when he's putting a friendship to risk too. He is sure he hasn't felt his stomach churn with nerves like this for years. "You want to kiss me." No, it's not a question. And again, because there's nothing else he can say but "...Yeah. I do." Steve and Bucky and a New Year's kiss. Sweet and hot and full of yearning.

Really lovely look at Bucky during the time he's Captain America. ♥

Cougar attempts to teach Jensen Spanish. Jensen's a little slow on the uptake. This is adorable.

Volatile and yet oddly, happily domestic Steve/Bucky/Natasha in which they are all alive at the same time, and slowly in the process of figuring out they should be together. ♥ there should be way more of this threesome in the world.

Socially awkward firebenders for the win! I mean, Mai gets tired of Sokka and Zuko going out drinking and decides to go with them. This is adorable.

Long, engrossing story of how Roque isn't actually dead and how the others finally start to forgive him. Also, Cougar is the best. ♥

"Fuck you, I'm staying," Jensen says, and tries to snug in a little closer, though that's hardly possible. "I need my cuddles." This is the best part. Sex is easy enough to find, even when you're a wanted man on the run (maybe especially when), but finding someone who'll let you cuddle with them while you sleep is a much more difficult prospect. Cougar's been Jensen's default cuddle target for years. Maybe someday, Cougar'll just let him do it, and not put up some bullshit token protest. But even if that never happens, Jensen's not gonna stop, because if there's any one of them who needs cuddles more than Jensen, it's Cougar. Bittersweet little story about Jensen and Cougar and how their relationship works. mostly.

Highly enjoyable story about how Jensen joins the losers, learns about sharks, and falls in love with Cougar. Great Jensen voice.

"What do you see in that guy?" "Josh. It's a career opportunity, not a marriage." "But don't you want to. Shouldn't . . . don't you want to be working for something real, Donna?" "I do. I am." Josh snorted. "Russell?" He spit the name out like spoiled milk. "No, for me. I'm something real, Josh." All the cynicism suddenly left Josh's face. Donna hadn't seen him look like that in a long time. When he spoke, his voice, and his eyes, were soft. "Yes. Yes, you are." Really lovely s7 Josh/Donna UST.

Adorable post-series Josh/Donna.

"I'm fine, you know," Mary says, getting out of the cab. She turns back, careful not to close the door on her dress or Sherlock's coat. "You might have stayed back at the flat." "Oh, no dear," Mrs. Hudson tuts, reaching up to tuck one of Mary's curls behind her ear. "We couldn't possibly." "Not when there's a chance you might strangle them both," Molly says with a smile. "You'll need Mrs. Hudson for alibi and I'll deal with the evidence, of course." "Arrested on your wedding day," Mrs. Hudson shakes her head. "It's going to take some doing to charm themselves out of this one." Mary laughs. "Not really, but I'm not going to tell them that. More fun this way." Mary keeps bailing John and Sherlock out of jail. It has its rewards. Hee! This is adorable.

In the end, there are no magical gifts for Sokka and he doesn’t go straight home, but a ship and a maiden are both involved. Kyoshi Island is on his way, after all. Standing on the deck next to Suki, watching her bright eager smile and the way she grips the rail as the prow slices through the waves on their way into harbor, it dawns on Sokka that this may not match the tales, but he can find nothing in this twist to complain about. Eeeeeeeeee! Written for me in the Lunar New Year exchange! Sokka and Suki being ADORABLY SWEET after the war, and then realizing that maybe there are still some things they need to work out with their relationship, but that the relationship is absolutely worth it. SO MANY HEARTS.