recs and links

"I wanted you to have a good Christmas,” she says. “Now that you’re back home. We really didn’t have much Christmas stuff in the house, and I thought—well, you love Christmas.” “Sort of,” Grace says. Frankie chuckles at that. “I’m so glad you’re home. I don’t want you to be disappointed.” Frankie tries to give Grace a nice Christmas. This is very sweet.

“Angel, why didn’t you just tell them you were Jewish?” “But I’m not! That would be lying!” Crowley raised an eyebrow. “You’re not… not Jewish. You’re as Old Testament as they come. And it would’ve worked. Probably.” “I’ll be sure to remember that one,” Aziraphale said haughtily, “the next time I am besieged by— by holiday influencers.”

Hermione trying out for Bake Off is Harry's idea, and once they've worked through all the details of her appearing on muggle TV, she agrees it's a good one. It could be fun, maybe even low stakes enough that she won't get too competitive. The real question is whose idea was it for Draco Malfoy to try out? This is a really sweet story of Hermione giving Draco a chance after she learns he's grown up and turned over a new leaf. And also they are both on GBBO, though it's a lot less about baking than you'd think.

This is an adorable modern AU where Omera and Winta help the Mandalorian and baby Yoda celebrate Christmas. Also it has the most amazing title ever.

If you have ever wanted to cry with Bruce over dead Robins, this is a story for you.

Amazing Tim/Kon fanvid. #i'm not crying you're crying

What are you supposed to do when you've been fired from your sweet job in Hell for thwarting the schemes of Satan, you've got a swanky flat in Mayfair, and you're looking for an excuse to spend all your time in someone else's bookshop? Obviously, you turn to the dubious world of short-term vacation rentals. The resulting Airbnb property has been variously described as "an instagram trap," "a vampire den but make it botanical," and "the weirdest bed and breakfast in the shared history of beds and breakfasting." Hee!

This is a really beautifully done post-Endgame fix-it for Natasha.

An injured and exhausted Jason succumbs to homesickness. A much better reunion for Jason and Bruce than canon.

Dominic teaches Mary how to shoot. Mary has some ideas. This is both sweet and hot.

A lovely, wistful coda to Crooked Kingdom, in which Inej reunites with her parents and Kaz meets the family.

The Waynes go to see Hamilton and many feelings are felt.

“I bet you that you can’t bring over five friends for a birthday party. Friends meaning they’re not legally related to you. If you lose, we get to hold it over you ‘til next year. If you win... I’ll talk Roy and Kory into letting you come to space with us.” Damian’s eyebrows twitch. His face is otherwise carefully blank, but Jason recognizes his calculating mood anyway. Dick gives Jason a funny look-- a what-the-heck-do-you-think-you-are-doing look-- but Jason knows what the heck he’s doing, so he ignores it. For the moment, he just has to hope that Damian finds space more appealing than not having a birthday party. Despite what Jason might think, Damian has friends, tyvm. Oh heart. (I also enjoyed the other stories in this series, especially the first one, about Steph.)

Really lovely mutual, stoic pining between Mando and Omera on Sorgan.

In which Karen Page rescues baby Groot. This is adorable.

It becomes a second-Wednesday-of-the-month official tradition, and they follow it religiously. Nothing less than a full-scale Arkham breakout is enough to justify calling off Batman and Robin Ice-Cream Night, and even then, when the night is finished and they limp back to the Manor, bruised and hurting and tired to the bones, Alfred will be waiting with two bowls of ice-cream. Or, the one in which ice-cream makes everything better. Oh my heart. #I'm not crying you're crying.

Jason decides to give Damian the musical education he never asked for. Predictably, things escalate. ahahaha this is so great.

Long, lovely AU where Bucky frees himself from HYDRA in 1968 and goes to Peggy for help.

Three snapshots from Bucky Barnes' life. Lovely.

map of gotham city

Steve gets turned into a frog. Bucky has to deal. This is ADORABLE.

Question: How do you tell your sort of girlfriend and the metahuman teens you’ve sort of adopted that you were and still are considered a sex symbol to an entire east coast metropolitan area? Answer: You don’t. Ha! I keep wondering if Dick is semi-famous in Titans and this story is a cute take on the question.

All the cats in Gotham City are being kidnapped! Who could the culprit be? this is a lot of fun with some Bat/Cat flirtation thrown in.

Steve and Natasha's friendship post-CATWS.

“I didn’t expect you to stay,” she said. She thought he’d make his appearance after dinner and then leave before drinks, but he’d stayed through the piano recital for two glasses of whiskey. The remains of the second one was on the desk. He drained what was left and set the glass down. His gaze shifted back to her face, focused and black. “You’re here,” he said, as if that was the answer to everything. Lovely Kaz/Inej, slowly figuring out how to be together.

A few months after the Battle of Yavin, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker explore an ancient Jedi Temple. Like any decent Jedi Temple, of course, there were traps: Leia and Luke are both pulled by the Force into their own respective fantasy worlds, where everything is perfect. However, they're not the only ones stuck in a false paradise: Darth Vader is trapped in a dream of his own... and the three worlds are beginning to merge into one. I enjoyed this. Oh Skywalkers.

Death likes humans, but their lives are so short that she usually only gets to see them twice, and they don't remember one of those. Natasha is different. this is lovely.

While screwing around with a time machine, Damian accidentally brings 8yo Bruce to the future. Oh my heart.

Terry needs help keeping vigil by an ill Bruce's bedside. But the old man had kids once, didn't he? Are the bridges he burned unable to be rebuilt? As he observes, Terry definitely starts to wonder how this family used to be. Heartbreaking.

Long, interesting AU where James and Lily survive, and that changes everything.