recs and links

AU where Karen Page is another of the girls in the Red Room. Really nicely done.

Debbie buys a gift for Lou. Ah, this gets the banter just right.

Sam takes Steve in as they both recover in the aftermath of the Triskelion. Oh heart.

Twenty-something Lara Jean Song Covey is a grown ass woman who doesn’t run when she sees an ex she never quite got over, who still fucks her up with a look across a crowded room. No. Twenty-something Lara Jean Song Covey puts her chin up and walks straight into the fray. Excellent future fic that made me all achy in the chestal area.

The Defenders get snowed in together. Adorable.

Bucky’d dragged him out to Grady’s and gotten him drunk on two glasses of beer and pried the truth out of him: that Steve had overheard the doctor tell his Ma that he’d likely be dead by New Year’s. “Bull-shit,” Bucky muttered; he hadn’t known what else to say, he’d been so shocked and horrified. “What God damned horse-shit. What is he, a medium? He can’t see into the future – no one can. You just stay in the goddamned game, Steve. You got cards in your hand, fucking play ‘em,” and that New Year’s Eve 1935, when it turned out Steve wasn’t dead after all, they had decided to give the bars a miss and just stay in and play cards together. ♥♥♥

Enjoyable case fic - I especially liked Beverley's no nonsense approach with the perp.

Hilarious, hot, and adorable seasonal Steve/Bucky.

His hands are soft against her, one sliding under the edge of her tank top, feeling her heated skin as he slips his other hand into her hair; Nick knows, now, there’s no going back after this. It’s all or nothing, cards on the table, and Nick’s finally ready to gamble it all. Lovely bit of Nick/Cassie future fic.

"I want you on the Behemoth because you’re the right person for the job. Find a crew, people you trust. It’s time." The idea that he could try the same charisma shit on her that he pulls with the OPA faction leaders or the head of some Inner corporation he’s trying to sweet talk is infuriating. “Spare me the speeches, Freddy,” she scoffs, “they’ve never worked on me.” To his credit, he drops the act, his face hardening as it typically does when the two of them are discussing a particularly tricky deal. “Fine. I need you on the Behemoth because I need someone I can trust. But I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you were the best.” Damn the man, she won’t let him flatter her. Drummer is such a great character and I love the backstory built for her here - her anger and her pragmatism and her determination to do well by her people - as well as filling in her relationship with Naomi, and why it ended the way it did. I enjoyed this a lot.

Fun casefic with a good Peter voice.

Really smart Prohibition-era AU, with excellent Attolia characterization.

So many delicious tropes throwing Strike and Robin together, until they finally take advantage of it.

Good look at Molly's devotion to the Folly.

Sometimes a family is a washed up cabaret singer and a Chinese street urchin.

Milagro learns to balance superheroing with college. Oh heart.

“They don’t need us, after all.” “No.” “It hurts,” he said, “Loving the young.” “Yes.” Seserakh comes to visit Tenar and Ged. Luminous. Really captures the feel of Earthsea.

Really lovely AU where Rachel walks away from Nick, and comes back with Astrid.

Peter wonders about the older version of Beverley, after. I especially liked his conversation with Lady Ty.

Calvin takes a moment to think about just how much of an influence his mother was on him, all the little things she did that he took for granted because of how young he was. Of course now that he and Susie have a family of their own he's gaining a whole new appreciation for all those small things. Calvin has learned to appreciate his parents. Oh my heart. #i'm not crying you're crying

Jack and Annie, building their life together after the movie. This is so warm and lovely and true to both of them.

Really excellent coda to the movie, with Rachel having lunch with Eleanor.

Oh this is a delightful look at the family Peter's put together for himself via the Folly, perfectly in tune with the tone of the books. Lovely.

Jessica is adamant that they are not a team and she is not participating in the Secret Santa exchange. Except they kinda are and she definitely is. This is adorable and yet still so very in character for Jessica.

Really good character study of D'avin.

One way reboot 218 could have gone, with really good Tahani characterization.

I enjoyed this slice of life look at Chidi and Jason's friendship. It's odd, but it works for them.

The woman leaned forward and folded her hands over her knees. “What would it take? For you to tell me about him?” A kiss, a quick tumble. Aphra had no idea what to actually say; there was nothing at all that she could think of that would entice her to speak. The truth of the matter was she was scared of that bastard and she didn’t know how in the hell to get out of the web he’d tangled up around her. And now she had this woman staring at her like she had all the answers. But Aphra had nothing. AU where Aphra is captured by Saw Gerrera's partisans and tries to flirt her way out of it while being interrogated by Padme. Really well done.

Once in a while, the group understands the readings surprisingly well. Sort of. This is adorable.

Michael, through the various reboots, growing to appreciate Eleanor. Nicely done.