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mysticalchild_isisA fic rec list for my Marvel OTP. Separated by universe*.
*tsukinofaerii has a great post with a quick rundown on all the main universes.
Last updated August 5, 2014. New recs marked as such.
Also, for the curious, I have a tl;dr post on some of my policies, preferences, and opinions when it comes to Avengers fic recs.
616!verse (i.e. normal comics canon)
After Spring by Simmysim.
Summary: Steve wants to upgrade his relationship with Tony.
Length: Short
Notes: Adorable proposal fic. Steve tries to find an appropriate time and place to propose, but the universe seems to be against him. Features a good conversation between Steve and Jarvis. This leads straight into Without Limitations; Absolute by Onewayfreak, which is the hot and porny wedding night sequel (the LJ link at the bottom of After Spring is broken; but the AO3 link here works).
All That Remains by Kikijun.
Summary: After Steve's death, Tony takes in a girl who had been part of a secret project involving Steve's DNA. Complications ensue, especially when it ends up that Steve isn't dead, after all.
Length: Novel
Notes: Set post-Civil War in a universe where Secret Invasion never happened. One of the better Tony/Steve kidfics out there, as Maria is a very real, complex character with actual problems that come from having been part of a shady government project. Steve and Tony have a past established relationship, only adding to the issues they have to sort out in the present upon Steve's return.
Beneath the Armor by Nix.
Summary: Tony is forced to reveal his identity after his armor is compromised, and Steve finds himself reevaluating his teammate.
Length: Medium
Notes: An alternate take on the identity reveal, set early in the Avengers when Tony still has the chest plate. Steve has to find a new balance once he knows the truth.
Birds Do It, Bees Do It by Garrideb.
Summary: Three times that three pairs from the Avengers danced. (Early Avengers: Hank/Jan, Post-Red Zone: Carol/Wanda, New Avengers: Steve/Tony)
Length: Medium
Notes: All three segments are excellent, but the Steve/Tony one is particularly well characterized, and generally sort of adorable.
Classic-verse Series by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: AU conceived as a modern retelling of early Avengers. The Avengers find something interesting in the Arctic, which works out much better than sci-fi movies would lead you to expect.
Length: Nine stories of varying length, many of them epic.
Notes: Definitely gen to pre-slash when it comes to Steve and Tony, but their growing friendship is a big focus. Generally, it's a fantastic way of updating the original Avengers storylines.
Conjugate by Valtyr.
Summary: The New Avengers get their powers switched around. Peter sniffs people. Steve sticks to things. Logan lies around and drinks beer. In a surprising twist, Steve and Tony make out.
Length: Novel
Notes: Valtyr's execution of the concept- the Avengers swapping powers- is letter perfect. The plot is excellent and unfolds well, and the developing relationship between Steve and Tony is smoking hot. This was also one that I found myself appreciating even more upon a re-read.
Crack the Shutters by Deviouslint.
Summary: Tony wakes up to find that Steve has been sketching him.
Length: Snippet
Notes: Short and sweet established relationship piece. I love seeing Steve the artist, and Tony's reactions to him.
Diplomatic Relations by Nix.
Summary: Aliens made them do it (but with plenty of enthusiastic consent).
Length: Short
Notes: Hot and sweet take on the classic cliche. Bless those aliens. Nix's characterization tends to run on the slightly softer side, but in a nice way. New Avengers era.
Easel Fic by Simmysim.
Summary: Steve finds something that used to belong to him at an auction.
Length: Short
Notes: Just a fluffy gen-ish piece set in the early Avengers days, with deft handling of the characters. Steve finds something that used to belong to him, and Tony is himself.
Firsts and Lasts by Simmysim.
Summary: When Tony was a kid, he thought Captain America was the ~*dreamiest*~. Steve finds out, and gets his hands on the old uniform.
Length: Short
Notes: Basically, an established relationship PWP, but a hot and adorable one.
Full Body Workout by Nix.
Summary: Hank has a lab accident, and Tony and Steve bear the consequences.
Length: Short
Notes: Excellent use of the sex pollen trope. The Hank and Clint reactions are golden. Classic Avengers era.
Greyscale by Jazzypom.
Summary: Steve draws Tony, and after all these years, he's now seeing him for the very first time.
Length: Medium
Notes: I adore stories featuring Steve's artistic side, and this is a lovely one, set early in the New Avengers era, as Steve sketches Tony repeatedly and finds himself pining a bit. There's an equally lovely remix/follow-up, Scale and Perspective, by Harmonyangel. (It's from Tony's POV, and is also rather less unrequited in nature.)
Hidden Truths by Penumbren.
Summary: In which Tony is oblivious and Steve is not.
Length: Medium
Notes: A classic Avengers identity porn bit. Steve confronts Tony during a sparring session, and words (and more) are exchanged. First time.
Imitating Art by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve's a visual kind of person.
Length: Short
Notes: I can't resist a Steve as artist piece. Especially one that includes both humor and sex.
I Never by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Kang had been defeated, they had four hours to kill before the press conference, and they were reduced to playing a party game Steve strongly suspected had been made up by 13-year-old girls.
Length: Short
Notes: Sort of an amorphous late 90s team lineup. After defeating Kang, the Avengers come back to the Mansion and play "I Never". Hilarity ensues, and revelations are made. Basically pre-slash.
It's the Simple Things by Onewayfreak.
Summary: Steve is definitely an ass man.
Length: Short
Notes: Just what it says on the tin. A hot PWP of Steve appreciating one of Tony's features.
Learning Opportunity by Nix.
Summary: Kate drops into the New Avengers quarters looking for advice. She finds something else.
Length: Short
Notes: Kate Bishop (of the Young Avengers) catches Tony and Steve having sex. A good use of third person POV for a hot and sweet established relationship fic.
Momentary Paws (or, DO NOT WANT) by Velithya.
Summary: Tony gets turned into a tiny, adorable kitten.
Length: Long
Notes: Totally cracky but also completely delightful. Tony can still communicate through Extremis and maintains his human intelligence. Fluffy pre-slash, New Avengers era.
Muscle Memory by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve has forgotten everything since Project Rebirth, though he finds himself rather drawn to Tony.
Length: Short
Notes: Sometime pre-Disassembled era. A nice exercise in making Steve look at his current life through new eyes, including the on-again-off-again relationship he has with Tony.
Orbiter Dictum by Schmevil.
Summary: Steve is at the sink, washing the few dishes that pizza for two generates, when he realizes that Tony is in love with him.
Length: Medium
Notes: Set sometime post-Disassembled. Tony's been worrying about Steve. Steve has an epiphany. The switching POV and the timeline shifts are a little distracting, but it's a well-characterized story.
Paradise Found & Trouble in Paradise by No Silence Here.
Summary: The New Avengers – or, more specifically, Steve and Tony's relationship – face their most persistent enemy: The Media.
Length: Medium
Notes: Steve and Tony vs. the tabloids, plus the rest of the New Avengers reactions. Funny and cute.
The Privileges of Familiarity by Nix.
Summary: Steve goes looking for Tony, but he's having a hard time asking for what he wants.
Length: Short
Notes: Established relationship, pre-Civil War New Avengers era. An exercise in writing porn from Steve's POV, using his general vocabulary.
Refracting, Converging by Dome_Epais.
Summary: Tony's new project deals with sex tapes and consent. This feeds into the relatively new relationship he's started with Steve.
Length: Medium
Notes: I really like the grown-up and thoughtful exploration of a couple of various kinks (especially voyeurism and exhibitionism) that goes on here, and the established-but-still-new relationship vibe Tony and Steve have. There are a few things about the overall feel and pacing that don't completely work for me, but well worth it. Pre-Civil War New Avengers era.
Resurrection, Reconstruction, and Redemption by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Doom brings Cap back from the dead, whereupon he has to deal with Doombots, Red Skull, the Mandarin, Registration, a bunch of bickering superheroes, and Tony's apparent nervous breakdown.
Length: Novel
Notes: The fic that pretty much launched the pairing. Set shortly after Steve's death and ignoring Secret Invasion; Steve gets brought back and he and Tony sort things out while dealing with attacks on all sides. There are several more completed stories in the series. Really good in-depth look at some of the various issues of Civil War, and how they might have played out.
The Roughest Day by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Steve is in a motorcycle accident, Tony catches a cold, and someone is after the New Avengers.
Length: Novel
Notes: Well characterized and very plot heavy, as the Avengers (pre-Civil War era) try to figure out who is targeting them and what exactly is going on. Meanwhile, Steve and Tony are in an established casual relationship, but are both looking to make it something more, though as per usual, they have a lot of misunderstandings. Has a short follow-up fic, Things Are Looking Up.
Sentinel Event by Truthiness_Aura.
Summary: In which we discover why Logan smokes cigars, what the sparring room in Avengers Mansion smells like, and why Steve is stealing Tony's t-shirts. Also known as the Steve gets turned into a werewolf fic.
Length: Medium
Notes: Steve's new senses reveal certain truths he wasn't even aware of. Nice pacing and lots of great details, and not particularly heavy on the supernatural element. It's set in a sort of mesh-up of various 616 eras and team lineups, where the Avengers are in the mansion, but Logan and Peter are on the team.
this time tomorrow (where were we) by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: After everything goes to hell during Secret Invasion/Dark Reign, Tony goes to see Wanda, and she sends him back in time to just after Steve surrendered during Civil War. Tony tries to prevent tragedies, and right past wrongs.
Length: Novel
Notes: Long, plotty, and deals with a ton of dangling threads. Dorky re-wrote things for the better while still maintaining the proper tone, and facing up to all sorts of emotional fall-out from Civil War. There are some points where the pacing is a bit odd, and I feel like the ending is a bit abrupt, but well worth it.
Truth by Valtyr.
Summary: Captain America takes truth serum. Tony is all over that.
Length: Short
Notes: Hilarious established relationship fic, set in the New Avengers era. Valtyr has a letter-perfect Steve-on-truth-serum, as he horrifies the other Avengers, and delights Tony.
The Wages of Sin by Jwaneeta.
Summary: Tony wants to retrieve some stolen tech without interference. Steve interferes.
Length: Short
Notes: Pre-Avengers Disassembled, one of Tony's casual inventions gets him in trouble. Especially when Steve realizes just who the sexbots are modeled on.
When the Lights Go On Again by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Aliens have invaded earth, and the Avengers are scattered. While Steve leads the resistance, Tony once again finds himself playing captive scientist. In the midst of a violent alien regime, separated by seemingly insurmountable boundaries, Steve and Tony have nothing to keep themselves going but each other.
Length: Epic Novel
Notes: Set in the late 90s Busiek-era Avengers. The authors went all out on this story, really developing the plot, the aliens (and their culture), and all the many threads. Steve and Tony's slow-growing romance through notes is almost incidental to the rest of the story, though there is some pay-off at the end. Also includes a hint of Carol/Wanda. This one is seriously long, but a classic of the fandom.
Without Irony & Per Expectations by Tsukinofaerii.
Summary: Sometimes, when a drive is completely broken, the only thing to do is wipe it clean and start over. When he wakes up, Tony has no idea who he is, or what he did to end up where he is. Depending on who he talks to, he was a villain or a hero, a genius or a degenerate. What he is now is still up for debate, but it doesn't look like he's going to have much time to figure it out.
Length: Novel
Notes: A slightly A/U take on Dark Reign/Seige & the Iron Man: World's Most Wanted brain delete. Tony wakes up with no memory in a screwed up world, and Extremis is having issues. When he starts to work things out with Steve, Tony has to wonder if he ever even wants his old memories back. Long and plotty, and might be a bit confusing if you're not familiar with the comics in question.
Ultimates!verse (aka 1610)
age is an irrational number by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve and Tony grow old together.
Length: Medium
Notes: Established relationship futurefic. Largely domestic fluff, with an Extremis twist thrown in. Maybe a bit softer than the usual Ultimates characterization, but perhaps age mellowed them out.
Dutch Courage by Jazzypom.
Summary: Tony's secret is revealed, Steve is at a loose end and well... they make out?
Length: Medium
Notes: This one manages to show off the slightly more compassionate sides of Steve and Tony without making them OOC from Ultimate canon. Steve's still spun from Gail and Jan, and Tony's dealing with his medical problems. They manage to help each other out, a bit.
NEW Got You Under My Skin by
SakuraTsukikage.
Summary: Steve Rogers goes to Tony Stark's birthday party. Things progress from there, with a lot of flirtiness leading to propositions, and propositions leading to, well, what comes next, and Steve isn't even sure what he wants after that.
Length: Long
Notes: Not exactly the usual take on Ultimates!Steve, but a nice lengthy, porny fic that's well worth the read.
Rock Splits, Records Fall Down by Valtyr.
Summary: AU at the end of Ultimates 2. Time passes. The Ultimates try to work out where they're going and what they're doing, with a moderate level of success.
Length: Long
Notes: I'll admit the Ultimates aren't really my favorite, but Valtyr manages to get a little of the classic Avengers feel in there, without being OOC for 1610. There's a nice progression of Steve and Tony becoming friends, having a few fumbling encounters, and slowly moving towards something more.
Take Two And Call Me In The Morning by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony has a medical miracle. Steve is one up on Chuck Norris.
Length: Snippet
Notes: A hilarious take on a particular cliche.
Tears Will Be Mandatory For This Event by Valtyr.
Summary: Written for the Cap-Ironman post celebrating the NY marriage same-sex marriage laws - Ultimate Steve and Tony respond to the new laws.
Length: Short
Notes: Totally freaking hilarious established relationship piece.
Marvel Adventures: Avengers!verse (i.e. all-ages line)
The Beauty Asleep In The Workshop OR Sleeping Tony by Cookinguptales.
Summary: In which Tony mouths off to a witch, catches up on his beauty sleep, and learns that True Love might not be such a crock after all. (His status as a princess, however, is still debatable.)
Length: Long
Notes: An excellent fairy tale fusion- it's still very much the MA!verse, with just a little Sleeping Beauty thrown in. The Avengers have to find Tony's true love or else he might never wake up. Steve frets a lot.
Bizarre Love Triangle by Panickyintheuk.
Summary: Once the idea was in his head, he’d started picking up on all kinds of things, like the way Stark talked about Iron Man with such affection, and seemed to share so many of his mannerisms, and was constantly working on ways of improving the suit. It was obvious.
Length: Short
Notes: Identity porn hilarity. Steve thinks Tony is in love with Iron Man. Steve might just be a little jealous.
Community Service by Valtyr.
Summary: Spiderman and Tigra discover that matchmaking is harder than it looks when they try to set up Tony and Steve.
Length: Medium
Notes: This one is hilarious and letter perfect for a MA!verse fic. The dialogue between Tigra and Spiderman could have come straight out of the comics.
Doctor's Note Required by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony gets amnesia from a blow to the head, and starts hitting on Steve. Steve's worried that it's all the head injury.
Length: Short
Notes: A perfect segue from silly MA hijinx into deliciously hot porn.
The Engagement Series by Nightwalker.
Summary: New York legalizes gay marriage, and Steve proposes. The Avengers party down.
Length: Three stories (so far) from short to medium length.
Notes: Hilarious and adorable and all sorts of fun, as MA!verse fic should be.
Frolic and Play by Marinarusalka.
Summary: The Avengers go ice skating. Certain members are better at it than others.
Length: Short
Notes: Cute and fluffy pre-slash story. Tony is really not good at ice skating. That doesn't stop him from teasing Steve.
Instant Karma’s Gonna Get You by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: Cap is disappointed. Predictably things start to Go Very Bad for Tony.
Length: Medium
Notes: All sorts of things go hilariously (and somewhat painfully, even for the reader) wrong for Tony when he disappoints Steve. But it all gets better in the end.
Joining the Team by Seanchai.
Summary: How Storm came to join the Avengers in MA!verse.
Length: Short
Notes: Storm-centric and basically gen, but well worth the read, as it's a nice back story for the universe.
On the Record by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony vs the tabloids is an ongoing battle. These headlines might be the winning shot.
Length: Short
Notes: Tony tries to hide tabloid headlines about Iron Man and Captain America from Steve. Of course, it ends up that the headlines are Steve's fault... Generally adorable.
Sex, Lies and Newsprint by Nightwalker.
Summary: What the tabloids say, versus what actually happens, as Steve and Tony begin (and continue) a relationship.
Length: Novel
Notes: An in-progress series of stories about the progression of Steve and Tony's relationship. Wonderfully adorable and funny. So far, there are eleven of twelve completed stories.
Some Assembly Required by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony Stark is trying to set up a new superhero team when he's given a sex change, courtesy of Victor von Doom. He copes with that about as well as you'd expect.
Length: Novel
Notes: Just at the beginning of the MA!verse (and tying in the Iron Man MA canon, as well), so Steve doesn't know who Iron Man is, which throws some identity!porn on top of it all, as he and girl!Tony stumble into a relationship. Valtyr does an excellent job of dealing with the issues of a genderswap for the people involved, as well as maintaining the plot.
These days, they say 'making sandwiches' (or, Ooops!) by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: Cap and Tony are just giant saps. Mostly Cap. And someday, Peter will no longer be traumatized.
Length: Short
Notes: Peter and Jan walk in on Tony and Steve kissing in the kitchen. Peter's inner monologue (and quips) are hilarious.
Two Lines Meeting by Rengdoft.
Summary: Steve is unable to see the big picture, Tony pays attention to the details and croquis happens.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony and Steve, as per usual, lack decent communication skills. Good thing Tony is willing to pose naked for the sake of Steve's art. First time, featuring artist!Steve.
Movie!verse (aka MCU)
The Act of Creation Will Be Your Salvation by Scifigrl47.
Summary: When Tony Stark was seventeen years old, he built his first AI. On that day, he ceased to be his father's creation, and became a creating force in his own right. That one act likely saved his life, and not always in the most obvious ways.
Length: Novel
Notes: A wonderful construction of Tony and his relationships with his bots. Dummy in particular functions as something of both a mirror and an avatar for Tony. Additionally, this story has a nice gradual build of the relationship between Steve and Tony after the end of the movie. There is now a sort-of-kidfic sequel, Bedtime Stories and Nightmares, as well as several other related stories. Last of all, there's a crossover story, Dot To Dot by Sam Storyteller involving the Hawkeye And Anklebiter AU.
Arms And The Man by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: His best friend keeps cockblocking him, his relationship guru is a computer, and he might be gay. The future is very complicated.
Length: Long
Notes: Steve comes to terms with the future, his own sexuality, and his attraction to Tony. JARVIS helps. Tony is Tony.
Average Avengers Local Chapter 7 of New York City by Hetrez.
Summary: Steve and Tony accidentally start a national do-gooders association and fall in love.
Length: Medium
Notes: This story contains a fabulous exchange where someone tells Steve that doing the right thing gets boring after awhile, and Steve responds, "You’re wrong... the right thing is always the scariest, and the weirdest, and the saddest thing you'll ever have to do. If you're bored, it's because you've stopped doing it and you didn't even notice." Additionally, there's a lot of great humor.
bedrock and brick by Lyra_Wing.
Summary: Immediate sequel to the movie, wherein Tony builds Avengers Tower. Or plays interior designer, take your pick.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony designs a place for each of the Avengers in his tower, as they all become a family. And then there's the whole getting closer to Steve thing. There are lots of small character moment touches that really make the story.
Better Off by 51stCenturyFox.
Summary: Tony wants to help Steve get everything he deserves. Steve deserves everything.
Length: Short
Notes: Tony starts creating an online dating profile for Steve, mostly to hear Steve talking about himself. Steve has no interest in dating someone he meets online. A great short, coming together piece, with a lot of character moments packed in.
NEW Bond Has It Covered by Sara_holmes.
Summary: Tony thought they had trouble getting along when they were dealing with a major global crisis. Apparently that had nothing on how they fell apart when they weren't distracted by smashing aliens.
Length: Novel
Notes: Post-movie, the Avengers are living in the tower, but are on a forced stand-down. They aren't doing well with the down time, particularly as Clint is still dealing with his post-Loki trauma, and Steve and Tony have a lot of unresolved sexual tension.
Cold Making Warmth by Sheafrotherdon.
Summary: Steve settles upon the few things he knows for sure: that the days are short, and it's cold, and he doesn't mind looking dumb for making the effort. So screw the protocol, whether it exists or not – he's giving gifts.
Length: Short
Notes: An established relationship fic, in which Steve puts a lot of thought into buying the Avengers presents. Lovely.
Come At Me by Closer.
Summary: Steve gets a lesson in pop psychology, drives a roadster, fends off an aspiring killer robot, conquers Tetris, wins a quarter, buys pants, battles the undead, and falls hard for Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.
Length: Novel
Notes: An excellent Steve/Tony/Pepper story that explores Steve's personality as he settles in and starts to fall for both Tony and Pepper. There are two more stories in the series, one that's Bruce/Natasha centric, and one that is Clint/Coulson centric.
Deck The Halls With Daddy Issues by Freneticfloetry.
Summary: Tony Stark doesn't do Christmas. But Steve loves Christmas, and he loves Steve, and he's going to try. Which doesn't necessarily mean he'll be any good at it.
Length: Medium
Notes: All the many crises they face are hilarious, and all of the team details are fabulous. (Such as Thor's cooking habits...) Established relationship, but still early on.
Deep Waters by AlchemyAlice.
Summary: His power's running low, the arc reactor flickering. Cold, rancid sewer water is rushing into the fissure at his torn up shoulder, filling up the gaps, rising along his neck in frigid fingers. He's been like this before.
Length: Medium
Notes: An exploration of Tony experiencing PTSD after getting doused during a battle with the Avengers. When Steve figures it out, he just wants to help, even though they aren't particularly close (yet).
Dreaming Electric by jukeboxhound.
Summary: New York City is still rebuilding in the wake of the Chitauri army when the biotech virus Extremis is released, upgrading a lone domestic terrorist into a posthuman threat. Tony would’ve been happy to keep going on playing with alien tech in his lab, saving average citizens as Iron Man, and pretending not to notice these other people moving into his tower, but sometimes a person just can’t have nice things.
Length: Nove.
Notes: An excellent movieverse take on the Extremis story, taking into account how things would be different in the movieverse, yet staying true to the heart of the story.
Dreaming Together by Often_Adamanta.
Summary: Just because his future involves more penis than he’d expected doesn’t mean that Steve’s given up on happily-ever-after.
Length: Short
Notes: Established relationship. Steve realizes that he wants kids with Tony. Misunderstandings and meltdowns ensue. Also, Thor is hilarious.
(First Impressions Are) A Work in Progress by Porthos.
Summary: Tony has a point system for the times he can get Steve to be less than perfect.
Length: Long
Notes: Howard had wanted Tony to be more like Steve, which only adds to the tension between Tony and Steve as the team comes together. Tony enjoys pushing Steve's buttons in order to make him seem less perfect. Eventually, though, they start working things out. There's a nice slow build to the relationship, and both Tony and Steve are well-characterized. This was published just pre-movie, so some things aren't totally in line, but it's excellent.
For America by Autoschediastic.
Summary: "Tony, for the good of the country, we should get married."
Length: Short
Notes: Steve wants to make a strong, visible stand on the issue. Tony didn't even realize they were dating. Excellent first time fic, especially as the author really has Tony's voice down.
NEW Hashtag Finally by Wordsplat.
Summary: Tony doesn't ever actually ask the Avengers to move into his house, steal his wifi, eat all his food, and become the best family he's ever known. They do it anyway.
Length: Medium
Notes: Compliant for the Phase 2 movies (IM3, Thor 2, Cap 2). Funny and adorable teamfic (including Rhodey and Sam), and I love the fact that for once Cap is up to date with technology.
Homefront by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: Steve Rogers is a capable leader, a kind and cheerful man, a good friend, a strong role model, and a loyal soldier. He's also teetering on the edge of suicide.
Length: Medium
Notes: A story about Steve's issues, and one that handles them delicately. I like the fact that Tony gets to be the strong one in this.
Honey, I Can See The Stars by Twentysomething.
Summary: Tony and Steve spend a lot of time together, as Tony tends to drag Steve around while buying him extravagant things. Clint and Natasha snark, Coulson frets, and Steve's still adjusting.
Length: Long
Notes: Funny and wonderful with all sorts of perfect character moments. The developing friendship and relationship is very natural and true to character. Also, Coulson's reactions to everything are just hilarious.
Indecent Proposal by Gyzym & Siria.
Summary: On the plus side, marriage is bound to be easier than proposing.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony keeps trying to propose. Apparently, the universe hates him. Wonderfully adorable.
NEW Iron Man: Director of S.W.O.R.D. by Pookaseraph.
Summary: In the wake of the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Avengers need to pick up the pieces, and figure out where to go from here. Tony had a plan, at least he thought he had a plan, but Steve Rogers seems to have blown most of those out of the water.
Length: Novel
Notes: Phase 2 Compliant, post Cap 2. Very plotty, as Tony sets up SWORD as a replacement for SHIELD, and he and Steve move from friends to lovers.
It Will Probably Accelerate by Northatlantic.
Summary: Steve's perspective of the assembly of the Avengers after the dust has settled and the rebuilding begins.
Length: Long
Notes: An excellent Steve-centric fic, as Steve pays homage to the remnants and memories of the Howling Commandos, learns to live with the Avengers, and starts to get to know Tony in particular.
The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark by Jibrailis.
Summary: After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve.
Length: Novel
Notes: The summary doesn't even begin to do this one justice. It's a fantastic combination of fairy tale, mythology, folklore, and general Tony-ness. Tony and Steve end up out on a lonely, desperate quest with Sif and Loki, as Tony slowly forgets everything. Beautiful and fascinating.
life as a tree house by Kellifer_Fic.
Summary: Tony finds out that when it comes to Avengers, you can't adopt just one.
Length: Medium
Notes: When Tony takes pity on Clint, it sets off a chain reaction that involves all of Avengers moving in with him. Mostly a team bonding fic (particularly Tony and Steve), but with an excellent stolen tech storyline as well.
Love among the Hydrothermal Vents by DevilDoll.
Summary: In which Namor has a thing for Steve, an octopus has a thing for Tony, and Steve and Tony eventually have a thing for each other.
Length: Long
Notes: An amusing fake relationship story, where Tony and Steve pretend to be engaged in order to discourage Namor from his courtship of Steve. Funny and charming, with a great take on Namor.
Magnetic by Boombangbing.
Summary: Tony and Pepper are in a committed relationship, everyone knows that. Tony still flirts relentlessly with Steve, though, and Steve doesn't know what to make of it. Then he starts having weird feelings about Pepper too, and he really, really doesn't know what to make of that.
Length: Long
Notes: A Steve/Tony/Pepper story that actually works quite well in the movie!verse canon. Now with a prequel & several follow-up stories.
many names in history, none of them are ours by Aubkae.
Summary: Steve's not sure if he'll ever understand Tony Stark, but it's good, living here. If he still wakes up sometimes convinced this was all a dream, well, it's better than it was before, and that's something, isn't it? The Avengers live in a world that both glorifies and fears them, but they know each other now behind the scenes.
Length: Novel
Notes: A good post-movie story dealing with the various problems that the Avengers face as they become a family, and as Steve and Tony in particular grow closer together. The relationship flows very naturally, and while this is very Steve/Tony centric, the rest of the team gets plenty of screen time.
Miles to Go (Before I Sleep) by SakuraTsukikage.
Summary: Steve has trouble sleeping. Tony comes to bed late. All the little ups and downs of a relationship, how to negotiate the space between two people. Established relationship.
Length: Short
Notes: A nice early-on established relationship piece, where they're still figuring out how they fit together. And now, there's a companion fic, Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown.
Mr. July by Jibrailis.
Summary: Steve poses nearly naked for a charity calendar. Some villains are rather inspired by the view, and begin trying to get him naked at every battle. Tony ends up being the one trying to protect Steve's virtue. Tony hates his life.
Length: Long
Notes: Hilarious and brilliant, with all sorts of great Avengers team moments (such as Thor's solution to the situation, and Clint's snarky comments to Tony).
A Partial Dictionary Of The 21st Century By Captain Steve Rogers, US Army by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: Steve is adapting well to the new millennium, and he has the dictionary to prove it.
Length: Medium
Notes: A great character piece about Steve as he adapts to the modern world, with the dictionary format as frame.
Phil Coulson is Not the Avengers' Public Relations Manager by Scifigrl47.
Summary: From the Avengers Case Files of Phil Coulson: Grocery shopping is necessary, Tony's a little too proud of his tech, Captain America's lost on the streets of New York, and sometimes social injustice just happens.
Length: Medium
Notes: Loosely set in the same universe as "Some Things Shouldn't Be a Chore" (see below), but stands on its own. Teamfic of random hilarity and awesomeness. Steve/Tony pre-slash (with Clint/Coulson). There are now quite a few excellent stories in the "Phil Coulson's Case Files of the Toasterverse" series.
Pigeonville, USA by Sheafrotherdon.
Summary: Day 214 on the campaign trail of Steve Rogers for President. Twenty-sixteen's turning out to be a hell of a year.
Length: Short
Notes: Steve is running for President and Coulson is in charge of security. A great riff on one of the plots that showed up in comics. Has Steve and Tony in an established relationship (sort of background), a hilarious Darcy, and some Clint/Coulson. Now with a sequel, Situation Normal, Tony Stark Involved.
Ready, Fire, Aim by Gyzym.
Summary: There's no "I" in "Avenger." Steve and Tony don't get along at first, but things start to get better, especially after the Avengers end up moving into Tony's New York mansion.
Length: Novel
Notes: All the Avengers get some great character moments, and the progression of Steve and Tony's relationship is well-paced and generally awesome. There is now an equally awesome sequel, Situation Normal: All Fucked Up. And now, also Momentum, which is Steve's POV for the events of Ready, Fire, Aim.
Rom-Commed By Fate (Or JARVIS) by Leashy_Bebes.
Summary: The best thing about being an Artificial Intelligence is the ability to parse, filter and modify the things people say until you've got the cause to do exactly what you wanted in the first place. Or, in which JARVIS cock blocks Tony into having an actual relationship.
Length: Long
Notes: JARVIS plots to get Tony and Steve together, and to keep them together. A story that's strong on the situational humor, but also has some great moments of character introspection, including Tony's when he figures out just what JARVIS is doing.
Semaphore by Devildoll.
Summary: "I’m trying to like you, Tony. You’re just making it very hard." Tony and Steve very slowly find their way into being friends, and eventually, more than friends.
Length: Novel
Notes: This is full of all sorts of excellent little details, from the various everyday habits of all the Avengers, to their various interactions with the other Marvel teams, to a fantastic senior citizen OC with a still of doom. The progression of Steve and Tony's friendship/relationship is very slow but quite honest.
signed, steeped, delivered by Gyzym & Siria.
Summary: Steve makes Tony tea. Tony has a meltdown, and calls Rhodey and Pepper.
Length: Short
Notes: Adorable and fluffy, and a great display of Tony's friendships with Rhodey & Pepper, as he freaks out over his feelings for Steve.
Some Things Shouldn't Be a Chore by Scifigrl47.
Summary: Steve takes things like personal responsibility and respect seriously. Tony's got people he pays to take care of that kind of thing, and anyway, he's pretty sure that he's going to die of some exotic disease in his workshop, because Dummy's still a little spotty about what is 'clean' enough to put on an open wound.
Length: Novel
Notes: Adorable, hilarious family fic. The mess in the Tower leads to Steve calling a family meeting, and things snowball from there. Every one of the Avengers is well-characterized and awesome, and in general, this story is a perfect balance of humor and poignancy. On top of it all, it's an excellent Tony/Steve pre-slash story. Now has a number of sequels, some in progress.
(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) the Highway to Hell by What_alchemy.
Summary: Steve Rogers never expected to find himself back in his original body. He also never expected Tony Stark.
Length: Novel
Notes: An encounter with a mysterious crop circle leaves Steve back in his original body, and Tony without the shrapnel and arc reactor. In the process of dealing with it all, the two get involved in a relationship. A number of difficult decisions and unexpected turns follow, with an excellent emotional arc.
These Three Things Remain by Siria.
Summary: Steve then and now, and the things that change, and the things that remain the same.
Length: Medium
Notes: A character study of Steve when he was young, during the war, and after he was unfrozen. Includes a lovely progression of his relationship with Tony, from tension to friendship and beyond.
This is the half-light; see me as I am by Sidney Sussex.
Summary: Tony poses for Steve's sketching. It turns out there's more than one way of being naked.
Length: Short
Notes: As is probably already obvious, I love seeing Steve-as-artist, and this is a wonderful rendition. Steve sees a naked photoshoot of Tony, and can't stop thinking about it (or sketching it).
Tomorrow Belongs To Me by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve wakes up in the 21st Century. He doesn't think much of it, and it's dubious about him. He meets a Norse God, joins a superhero team, and feels terribly awkward about the whole momument at Arlington he's rendered obsolete by not being dead. Meanwhile, Tony is trying to make his mark on history by being the man who finally drove Nick Fury over the edge.
Length: Novel
Notes: An epic pre-movie take on the MCU Avengers. Tony and Steve clash, struggle, and eventually start finding some common ground (as well as dealing with their mutual attraction). Meanwhile, the Red Skull and Loki are after the cosmic cube. Valtyr is great with dialogue and makes great use of the supporting cast. Loki's characterization falls a bit on the woobie-ish side, but that seems a popular take in the movie-verse.
Two Out of Three (Ain't Bad) by Plingo_Kat.
Summary: From a kinkmeme prompt wherein Tony realizes he's got a thing for Steve, and tries to go to his friends for advice/help in wooing a guy from the 40s.
Length: Medium
Notes: Generally hilarious and adorable. Also, makes great use of the rest of the Avengers, and the ways they tease (and occasionally advise) Tony about his crush.
variable skill sets by Gyzym.
Summary: In which Captain America can do (almost) anything, and Tonk Stark has daddy issues--who's surprised?
Length: Short
Notes: Established relationship. Steve and Tony go shopping, and a small child attempts to manipulate Steve. Some of Tony's childhood issues are brought to light. Funny, but also a nice look at some of said issues.
Variations in Modern Dance by Pookaseraph.
Summary: There's only one thing in the world that Steve has decided the 21st century isn't alright with: not wanting to have sex. Sadly that seems to be the one thing the Serum couldn't fix, and it's playing hell with his ability to deal with his feelings for Tony. Thankfully Tony is a brilliant engineer, and he might be able to find a solution, or maybe he'll realize there's nothing there to fix.
Length: Medium
Notes: From a kinkmeme prompt, "Steve is asexual and biromantic. The team has zero problem with this. Steve, and the rest of the world, do." The author handles the topic deftly, and weaves an excellent and enjoyable story.
The Very Secret Diary of Captain Steven G. Rogers in the Twenty First Century by Ykoriana.
Summary: A kinkmeme fill, in which all of the Avengers mack on Steve, and he writes about it a la Secret Diaries style.
Length: Short
Notes: Hilarious, and I love the fact that Tony actually wins Steve over by being classy (or as classy as Tony gets).
A Very, Very, Very Fine House by Wanttobeatree.
Summary: The Avengers take initiative. Or, the story of how a group of remarkable people came together to drink cocktails, eat ice-cream and wait for Fury's call. Post-movie.
Length: Novel
Notes: A nice post-movie slow build to becoming a proper team; rather Steve-centric. He starts to get to know the rest of the team, including Tony, better, as they eventually all move in. Pre-slash. Also, the main plot is mostly teased at for the promised sequel, The Only Living Boys in New York, which is WIP that hasn't been updated in a while.
NEW Who's Scruffy Looking? by JenTheSweetie.
Summary: “I don’t know,” Steve said, after Tony finished a six-minute ode to The Dude’s beard. “I mean, I’m not really a fan of beards.” Tony gave Steve a look of such horror that Steve almost wondered if he’d misspoken and casually mentioned that he’d been tossing puppies off the top floor of Stark Tower.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony has a number of reactions to Steve's comment about not liking beards. They're all hilarious.
Iron Man Noir, 3490!verse (i.e., the one where Tony is Natasha), Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Crossovers Between Universes, and Complete AUs
As Passionate Machines by Sinuous_Curve.
Summary: Steph makes the mistake of asking, “What do you do for fun?” one afternoon when she and Tony are alone in the mansion, when they’re both sweaty and pleasantly sore from a couple hours spent sparring.
Length: Short
Notes: Steve/Tony femslash; pretty much the movieverse version of always!female Tony & Steve. A PWP with homemade fucking machines.
Clint Barton, Boy Detective by Damalur.
Summary: The Avengers are getting a team pet.
Length: Short
Notes: 3490 meets movieverse. Clint is trying to figure out why Toni is acting weirder than usual, and apparently, doesn't get metaphors. The sequel, Live Kree or Die, is a hilarious Carol/Jessica Drew centric sequel. I always enjoy seeing my OTP from the POV of other characters, and both of these stories are excellent for that.
Heart of Steel by Muccamukk. WIP
Summary: Steve wakes up in the mid-twenty first century, the Golden Age of America, and doesn't like what he finds. Fortunately, Tony has some ideas.
Length: Unfinished, but already very long.
Notes: I generally try to avoid recommending unfinished stories, but this one is an awesome marriage-of-convenience, cyberpunk, near-future powered AU that features several of the various Avengers in interesting roles. It hasn't been updated in almost two years, but maybe someday the author will finish it.
I Know in My Heart by often_adamanta.
Summary: Dr. Rogers finds himself with a famous and notoriously difficult patient - Tony Stark.
Length: Medium
Notes: A no-powers AU where Steve is a doctor and Tony is his patient. Cute and fluffy and generally adorable, especially if you like a medical AU.
If We Never Got This Second Chance by Pookaseraph.
Summary: When Tony and Steve’s son from the future, Jake Jensen, arrives at Avenger’s Tower, the two of them are forced to confront some hard truths: Tony that he might not actually become a horrible father, and Steve that he might not be able to set aside his discomfort with sharing a child with another man. When they both get a second chance at a first try at fatherhood, it’s up to the two of them to learn from their own future's past.
Length: Novel
Notes: Crossover with The Losers, in which Jensen is the son of Tony and Steve, created in the lab by Hydra. A kidfic that reflects the difficult reality of raising children. Additionally, a sort of twice-told tale, wherein both halves of the story are excellent.
Indelible & A Long Hard Road by Penumbren.
Summary: When an experiment goes awry, Tony thinks he may have found an answer to his problems and Steve faces something he's been avoiding for a very long time.
Length: Novel
Notes: An accident in Reed's lab causes the Tony from Iron Man Noir and the Tony from post-Seige 616 to swap places and memories. Inevitably, 616!Tony meets the Noir Steve Rogers. Complications ensue, especially as life in the 616!verse hasn't been so great for Tony. Meanwhile, 616!Steve has to face up to some things as he gets to know Noir Tony. The sequel, "A Long Hard Road", is set in the Noir verse, and deals with the fallout of events there.
Ironsides by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: Antonia Carter Stark takes no shit and no prisoners.
Length: Long
Notes: Another movieverse AU, wherein Tony was always Antonia, and in this case, Peggy Carter was her mother. I really like when authors take the time to imagine how Tony being a woman would change things, both small and large, such as in this one, where Clint was the one who went undercover to evaluate Tony, instead of Natasha. There's also a great build in the relationship between Steve and Tony, and I always appreciate a Steve who is more confidant when it comes to sex. Also has a timestamp in the same verse, looking back on Tony and Rhodey's friendship, and forward to Tony & Steve's child.
Living In The Future by Closer.
Summary: Eighteen-year-old Tony Stark is the boy genius who woke Captain America, and now he's stuck with him. That's not a bad thing, but between Steve's wide-eyed wonder at the new world and Tony's little fanboy crush, the awkwardness just keeps happening.
Length: Novel
Notes: Adorable Iron Man: Armored Adventures fic, crossing over with the Ultimate Spider-man cartoon. The tone is perfect for the universe, and the slow build of friendship and attraction between Tony and Steve is just so satisfying.
Look Here, Look Back, Look Ahead by Marinarusalka.
Summary: Iron Man Noir. September, 1941: Returning from a mission as Iron Man, Tony Stark crash-lands in the Carpathian Mountains and is rescued by Captain America. The two heroes team up to investigate Nazi activity at a mysterious castle. But Captain America is keeping secrets that could destroy their new partnership before it has a chance to begin.
Length: Novel
Notes: A really nice combo of Iron Man Noir with Captain America. It's got a good plot, and I like the way the relationship plays out. This one might be a bit confusing for someone who hasn't read Iron Man Noir, but a Wikipedia summary might be enough.
Mechanic A/U by Ironfries, Valtyr, and Vespasiana.
Summary: A mechanic AU comic wherein Steve tries to woo mechanic!Tony with broken appliances.
Length: 11 comic pages
Notes: Lovely artwork and a fun story.
red, red, gold by Pprfaith.
Summary: Her name is Tasha Stark, and you won’t break her.
Length: Short
Notes: 3490 meets the MCU, basically. A really interesting exploration of what an always-a-woman Tony would be like.
Revise, Rebuild, Repeat by Muccamukk.
Summary: In the wake of the Sentient Armour's attack, Natasha Stark reassesses her priorities and begins to put her life back together. Meanwhile, Steve tries to be helpful.
Length: Medium
Notes: Set in the 3490!universe. The author takes what was a pretty silly canon story (the Sentient Armor) and does some interesting things with it. I really like the characterization of Natasha (whom we really know almost nothing about), and the way that she and Steve have an on-again-off-again casual relationship... that the events of the story make them think a little deeper about.
some day they'll go down together by Snowdarkred.
Summary: It's a hard decision to make, but Steve can't let Tony go alone. He just can't.
Length: Short
Notes: A no-powers teen AU, with Steve and Tony as friends with a hint of more.
somewhere over the wormhole by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: Being a superhero is hard: you miss a lot of appointments. Alternatively: dimensional travel brings gender issues which aren’t really issues in the end. MA+3490 crossover with bonus!1610.
Length: Short
Notes: MA!verse Tony & Steve end up in 3490!verse, and meet their counterparts. And then the 1610 versions come along... and a lot of coffee is consumed. Cute and fluffy.
NEW Vanilla Human Problems by Manic_intent.
Summary: Written for the prompt: "AU where Tony isn't Iron Man. He's a consultant for the avengers, so they still live in his tower, he still builds/improves their gear, but he never invented Iron Man. He's still close to the team, and is still a genius, so as the non-superhero member, he gets kidnapped. A lot. The team becomes increasingly protective of Tony."
Length: Short
Notes: Tony's a regular non-superhero consultant for the Avengers. He's still Tony. The Avengers stalk him for his own good after yet another kidnapping.
We Learned By Doing by Jibrailis.
Summary: The one in which all the Avengers are women.
Length: Medium
Notes: A short but brilliant look at what the movie might have been like had all the Avengers (including Fury & Coulson) been women. In just a few word sketches, the author manages to convey some of the differences and difficulties each hero would have experienced, had they been born women.
When They Finally Come to Destroy the Earth (they'll have to go through you first) by AlchemyAlice.
Summary: In which Tony Stark went to boarding school with Bruce Wayne, and the road to becoming a superhero is not smooth.
Length: Medium
Notes: This is a genius crossover between DC & Marvel (mostly movieverse for both, with comic elements), in which Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne became friends when they were young, and kept the connection through becoming heroes on teams. It's a series of non-chronological snippets, but the author really has a good grasp on both characters. And there's a small but lovely bit of Tony/Steve on top of all the gen awesomeness. There is also now a sequel, leave them stunned and stuttering.
White Rabbit by Valtyr.
Summary: Marvel Adventures Tony Stark meets Ultimate Steve Rogers.
Length: Short
Notes: The two most diametrically opposed universes meet: MA Tony winds up swapped out with Ultimate Tony; Ultimate Steve takes care of him. Interesting all around. There's a sequel by Paxnirvana about what happens when Ultimate Tony gets back, (The White Knight is) Talking Backwards.
Resources
Captain America/Iron Man Ship Manifesto by Elspethdixon, a detailed and thoughtful piece about the relationship
An Issue by Issue Guide to The Avengers for The Iron Man / Captain America Fan by Grey Bard
Tales of Suspense, a Steve/Tony fanfiction archive
Cap_Ironman @ LJ, the main LJ comm for the pairing (There's also one here,![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
cap_ironman, but it gets less traffic)
Cap/Ironman Story Finders, an LJ comm for fic finding
Avengers Story Finders, an LJ comm for more general Avengers fic finding
Kink Memes. There are several, some more active than others:
-Avenger Kink (@ LJ), mostly movieverse, though related comics posts are also welcome
-The Avengers kinkmeme (@ DW) for all universes/incarnations, though weighted towards the comics
-The Captain America kinkmeme which is mostly movie!verse
-The Tony Stark kinkmeme, which is pretty much dead, but has some old stuff on it
Final notes:
Just be aware, most of these stories are adult. Also, last but not least, if any of the authors don't wish to be linked to, just drop me a line and I'll take it down.
*
tsukinofaerii has a great post with a quick rundown on all the main universes.Last updated August 5, 2014. New recs marked as such.
Also, for the curious, I have a tl;dr post on some of my policies, preferences, and opinions when it comes to Avengers fic recs.
616!verse (i.e. normal comics canon)
After Spring by Simmysim.
Summary: Steve wants to upgrade his relationship with Tony.
Length: Short
Notes: Adorable proposal fic. Steve tries to find an appropriate time and place to propose, but the universe seems to be against him. Features a good conversation between Steve and Jarvis. This leads straight into Without Limitations; Absolute by Onewayfreak, which is the hot and porny wedding night sequel (the LJ link at the bottom of After Spring is broken; but the AO3 link here works).
All That Remains by Kikijun.
Summary: After Steve's death, Tony takes in a girl who had been part of a secret project involving Steve's DNA. Complications ensue, especially when it ends up that Steve isn't dead, after all.
Length: Novel
Notes: Set post-Civil War in a universe where Secret Invasion never happened. One of the better Tony/Steve kidfics out there, as Maria is a very real, complex character with actual problems that come from having been part of a shady government project. Steve and Tony have a past established relationship, only adding to the issues they have to sort out in the present upon Steve's return.
Beneath the Armor by Nix.
Summary: Tony is forced to reveal his identity after his armor is compromised, and Steve finds himself reevaluating his teammate.
Length: Medium
Notes: An alternate take on the identity reveal, set early in the Avengers when Tony still has the chest plate. Steve has to find a new balance once he knows the truth.
Birds Do It, Bees Do It by Garrideb.
Summary: Three times that three pairs from the Avengers danced. (Early Avengers: Hank/Jan, Post-Red Zone: Carol/Wanda, New Avengers: Steve/Tony)
Length: Medium
Notes: All three segments are excellent, but the Steve/Tony one is particularly well characterized, and generally sort of adorable.
Classic-verse Series by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: AU conceived as a modern retelling of early Avengers. The Avengers find something interesting in the Arctic, which works out much better than sci-fi movies would lead you to expect.
Length: Nine stories of varying length, many of them epic.
Notes: Definitely gen to pre-slash when it comes to Steve and Tony, but their growing friendship is a big focus. Generally, it's a fantastic way of updating the original Avengers storylines.
Conjugate by Valtyr.
Summary: The New Avengers get their powers switched around. Peter sniffs people. Steve sticks to things. Logan lies around and drinks beer. In a surprising twist, Steve and Tony make out.
Length: Novel
Notes: Valtyr's execution of the concept- the Avengers swapping powers- is letter perfect. The plot is excellent and unfolds well, and the developing relationship between Steve and Tony is smoking hot. This was also one that I found myself appreciating even more upon a re-read.
Crack the Shutters by Deviouslint.
Summary: Tony wakes up to find that Steve has been sketching him.
Length: Snippet
Notes: Short and sweet established relationship piece. I love seeing Steve the artist, and Tony's reactions to him.
Diplomatic Relations by Nix.
Summary: Aliens made them do it (but with plenty of enthusiastic consent).
Length: Short
Notes: Hot and sweet take on the classic cliche. Bless those aliens. Nix's characterization tends to run on the slightly softer side, but in a nice way. New Avengers era.
Easel Fic by Simmysim.
Summary: Steve finds something that used to belong to him at an auction.
Length: Short
Notes: Just a fluffy gen-ish piece set in the early Avengers days, with deft handling of the characters. Steve finds something that used to belong to him, and Tony is himself.
Firsts and Lasts by Simmysim.
Summary: When Tony was a kid, he thought Captain America was the ~*dreamiest*~. Steve finds out, and gets his hands on the old uniform.
Length: Short
Notes: Basically, an established relationship PWP, but a hot and adorable one.
Full Body Workout by Nix.
Summary: Hank has a lab accident, and Tony and Steve bear the consequences.
Length: Short
Notes: Excellent use of the sex pollen trope. The Hank and Clint reactions are golden. Classic Avengers era.
Greyscale by Jazzypom.
Summary: Steve draws Tony, and after all these years, he's now seeing him for the very first time.
Length: Medium
Notes: I adore stories featuring Steve's artistic side, and this is a lovely one, set early in the New Avengers era, as Steve sketches Tony repeatedly and finds himself pining a bit. There's an equally lovely remix/follow-up, Scale and Perspective, by Harmonyangel. (It's from Tony's POV, and is also rather less unrequited in nature.)
Hidden Truths by Penumbren.
Summary: In which Tony is oblivious and Steve is not.
Length: Medium
Notes: A classic Avengers identity porn bit. Steve confronts Tony during a sparring session, and words (and more) are exchanged. First time.
Imitating Art by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve's a visual kind of person.
Length: Short
Notes: I can't resist a Steve as artist piece. Especially one that includes both humor and sex.
I Never by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Kang had been defeated, they had four hours to kill before the press conference, and they were reduced to playing a party game Steve strongly suspected had been made up by 13-year-old girls.
Length: Short
Notes: Sort of an amorphous late 90s team lineup. After defeating Kang, the Avengers come back to the Mansion and play "I Never". Hilarity ensues, and revelations are made. Basically pre-slash.
It's the Simple Things by Onewayfreak.
Summary: Steve is definitely an ass man.
Length: Short
Notes: Just what it says on the tin. A hot PWP of Steve appreciating one of Tony's features.
Learning Opportunity by Nix.
Summary: Kate drops into the New Avengers quarters looking for advice. She finds something else.
Length: Short
Notes: Kate Bishop (of the Young Avengers) catches Tony and Steve having sex. A good use of third person POV for a hot and sweet established relationship fic.
Momentary Paws (or, DO NOT WANT) by Velithya.
Summary: Tony gets turned into a tiny, adorable kitten.
Length: Long
Notes: Totally cracky but also completely delightful. Tony can still communicate through Extremis and maintains his human intelligence. Fluffy pre-slash, New Avengers era.
Muscle Memory by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve has forgotten everything since Project Rebirth, though he finds himself rather drawn to Tony.
Length: Short
Notes: Sometime pre-Disassembled era. A nice exercise in making Steve look at his current life through new eyes, including the on-again-off-again relationship he has with Tony.
Orbiter Dictum by Schmevil.
Summary: Steve is at the sink, washing the few dishes that pizza for two generates, when he realizes that Tony is in love with him.
Length: Medium
Notes: Set sometime post-Disassembled. Tony's been worrying about Steve. Steve has an epiphany. The switching POV and the timeline shifts are a little distracting, but it's a well-characterized story.
Paradise Found & Trouble in Paradise by No Silence Here.
Summary: The New Avengers – or, more specifically, Steve and Tony's relationship – face their most persistent enemy: The Media.
Length: Medium
Notes: Steve and Tony vs. the tabloids, plus the rest of the New Avengers reactions. Funny and cute.
The Privileges of Familiarity by Nix.
Summary: Steve goes looking for Tony, but he's having a hard time asking for what he wants.
Length: Short
Notes: Established relationship, pre-Civil War New Avengers era. An exercise in writing porn from Steve's POV, using his general vocabulary.
Refracting, Converging by Dome_Epais.
Summary: Tony's new project deals with sex tapes and consent. This feeds into the relatively new relationship he's started with Steve.
Length: Medium
Notes: I really like the grown-up and thoughtful exploration of a couple of various kinks (especially voyeurism and exhibitionism) that goes on here, and the established-but-still-new relationship vibe Tony and Steve have. There are a few things about the overall feel and pacing that don't completely work for me, but well worth it. Pre-Civil War New Avengers era.
Resurrection, Reconstruction, and Redemption by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Doom brings Cap back from the dead, whereupon he has to deal with Doombots, Red Skull, the Mandarin, Registration, a bunch of bickering superheroes, and Tony's apparent nervous breakdown.
Length: Novel
Notes: The fic that pretty much launched the pairing. Set shortly after Steve's death and ignoring Secret Invasion; Steve gets brought back and he and Tony sort things out while dealing with attacks on all sides. There are several more completed stories in the series. Really good in-depth look at some of the various issues of Civil War, and how they might have played out.
The Roughest Day by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Steve is in a motorcycle accident, Tony catches a cold, and someone is after the New Avengers.
Length: Novel
Notes: Well characterized and very plot heavy, as the Avengers (pre-Civil War era) try to figure out who is targeting them and what exactly is going on. Meanwhile, Steve and Tony are in an established casual relationship, but are both looking to make it something more, though as per usual, they have a lot of misunderstandings. Has a short follow-up fic, Things Are Looking Up.
Sentinel Event by Truthiness_Aura.
Summary: In which we discover why Logan smokes cigars, what the sparring room in Avengers Mansion smells like, and why Steve is stealing Tony's t-shirts. Also known as the Steve gets turned into a werewolf fic.
Length: Medium
Notes: Steve's new senses reveal certain truths he wasn't even aware of. Nice pacing and lots of great details, and not particularly heavy on the supernatural element. It's set in a sort of mesh-up of various 616 eras and team lineups, where the Avengers are in the mansion, but Logan and Peter are on the team.
this time tomorrow (where were we) by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: After everything goes to hell during Secret Invasion/Dark Reign, Tony goes to see Wanda, and she sends him back in time to just after Steve surrendered during Civil War. Tony tries to prevent tragedies, and right past wrongs.
Length: Novel
Notes: Long, plotty, and deals with a ton of dangling threads. Dorky re-wrote things for the better while still maintaining the proper tone, and facing up to all sorts of emotional fall-out from Civil War. There are some points where the pacing is a bit odd, and I feel like the ending is a bit abrupt, but well worth it.
Truth by Valtyr.
Summary: Captain America takes truth serum. Tony is all over that.
Length: Short
Notes: Hilarious established relationship fic, set in the New Avengers era. Valtyr has a letter-perfect Steve-on-truth-serum, as he horrifies the other Avengers, and delights Tony.
The Wages of Sin by Jwaneeta.
Summary: Tony wants to retrieve some stolen tech without interference. Steve interferes.
Length: Short
Notes: Pre-Avengers Disassembled, one of Tony's casual inventions gets him in trouble. Especially when Steve realizes just who the sexbots are modeled on.
When the Lights Go On Again by Elspethdixon & Seanchai.
Summary: Aliens have invaded earth, and the Avengers are scattered. While Steve leads the resistance, Tony once again finds himself playing captive scientist. In the midst of a violent alien regime, separated by seemingly insurmountable boundaries, Steve and Tony have nothing to keep themselves going but each other.
Length: Epic Novel
Notes: Set in the late 90s Busiek-era Avengers. The authors went all out on this story, really developing the plot, the aliens (and their culture), and all the many threads. Steve and Tony's slow-growing romance through notes is almost incidental to the rest of the story, though there is some pay-off at the end. Also includes a hint of Carol/Wanda. This one is seriously long, but a classic of the fandom.
Without Irony & Per Expectations by Tsukinofaerii.
Summary: Sometimes, when a drive is completely broken, the only thing to do is wipe it clean and start over. When he wakes up, Tony has no idea who he is, or what he did to end up where he is. Depending on who he talks to, he was a villain or a hero, a genius or a degenerate. What he is now is still up for debate, but it doesn't look like he's going to have much time to figure it out.
Length: Novel
Notes: A slightly A/U take on Dark Reign/Seige & the Iron Man: World's Most Wanted brain delete. Tony wakes up with no memory in a screwed up world, and Extremis is having issues. When he starts to work things out with Steve, Tony has to wonder if he ever even wants his old memories back. Long and plotty, and might be a bit confusing if you're not familiar with the comics in question.
Ultimates!verse (aka 1610)
age is an irrational number by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve and Tony grow old together.
Length: Medium
Notes: Established relationship futurefic. Largely domestic fluff, with an Extremis twist thrown in. Maybe a bit softer than the usual Ultimates characterization, but perhaps age mellowed them out.
Dutch Courage by Jazzypom.
Summary: Tony's secret is revealed, Steve is at a loose end and well... they make out?
Length: Medium
Notes: This one manages to show off the slightly more compassionate sides of Steve and Tony without making them OOC from Ultimate canon. Steve's still spun from Gail and Jan, and Tony's dealing with his medical problems. They manage to help each other out, a bit.
NEW Got You Under My Skin by
SakuraTsukikage.
Summary: Steve Rogers goes to Tony Stark's birthday party. Things progress from there, with a lot of flirtiness leading to propositions, and propositions leading to, well, what comes next, and Steve isn't even sure what he wants after that.
Length: Long
Notes: Not exactly the usual take on Ultimates!Steve, but a nice lengthy, porny fic that's well worth the read.
Rock Splits, Records Fall Down by Valtyr.
Summary: AU at the end of Ultimates 2. Time passes. The Ultimates try to work out where they're going and what they're doing, with a moderate level of success.
Length: Long
Notes: I'll admit the Ultimates aren't really my favorite, but Valtyr manages to get a little of the classic Avengers feel in there, without being OOC for 1610. There's a nice progression of Steve and Tony becoming friends, having a few fumbling encounters, and slowly moving towards something more.
Take Two And Call Me In The Morning by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony has a medical miracle. Steve is one up on Chuck Norris.
Length: Snippet
Notes: A hilarious take on a particular cliche.
Tears Will Be Mandatory For This Event by Valtyr.
Summary: Written for the Cap-Ironman post celebrating the NY marriage same-sex marriage laws - Ultimate Steve and Tony respond to the new laws.
Length: Short
Notes: Totally freaking hilarious established relationship piece.
Marvel Adventures: Avengers!verse (i.e. all-ages line)
The Beauty Asleep In The Workshop OR Sleeping Tony by Cookinguptales.
Summary: In which Tony mouths off to a witch, catches up on his beauty sleep, and learns that True Love might not be such a crock after all. (His status as a princess, however, is still debatable.)
Length: Long
Notes: An excellent fairy tale fusion- it's still very much the MA!verse, with just a little Sleeping Beauty thrown in. The Avengers have to find Tony's true love or else he might never wake up. Steve frets a lot.
Bizarre Love Triangle by Panickyintheuk.
Summary: Once the idea was in his head, he’d started picking up on all kinds of things, like the way Stark talked about Iron Man with such affection, and seemed to share so many of his mannerisms, and was constantly working on ways of improving the suit. It was obvious.
Length: Short
Notes: Identity porn hilarity. Steve thinks Tony is in love with Iron Man. Steve might just be a little jealous.
Community Service by Valtyr.
Summary: Spiderman and Tigra discover that matchmaking is harder than it looks when they try to set up Tony and Steve.
Length: Medium
Notes: This one is hilarious and letter perfect for a MA!verse fic. The dialogue between Tigra and Spiderman could have come straight out of the comics.
Doctor's Note Required by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony gets amnesia from a blow to the head, and starts hitting on Steve. Steve's worried that it's all the head injury.
Length: Short
Notes: A perfect segue from silly MA hijinx into deliciously hot porn.
The Engagement Series by Nightwalker.
Summary: New York legalizes gay marriage, and Steve proposes. The Avengers party down.
Length: Three stories (so far) from short to medium length.
Notes: Hilarious and adorable and all sorts of fun, as MA!verse fic should be.
Frolic and Play by Marinarusalka.
Summary: The Avengers go ice skating. Certain members are better at it than others.
Length: Short
Notes: Cute and fluffy pre-slash story. Tony is really not good at ice skating. That doesn't stop him from teasing Steve.
Instant Karma’s Gonna Get You by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: Cap is disappointed. Predictably things start to Go Very Bad for Tony.
Length: Medium
Notes: All sorts of things go hilariously (and somewhat painfully, even for the reader) wrong for Tony when he disappoints Steve. But it all gets better in the end.
Joining the Team by Seanchai.
Summary: How Storm came to join the Avengers in MA!verse.
Length: Short
Notes: Storm-centric and basically gen, but well worth the read, as it's a nice back story for the universe.
On the Record by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony vs the tabloids is an ongoing battle. These headlines might be the winning shot.
Length: Short
Notes: Tony tries to hide tabloid headlines about Iron Man and Captain America from Steve. Of course, it ends up that the headlines are Steve's fault... Generally adorable.
Sex, Lies and Newsprint by Nightwalker.
Summary: What the tabloids say, versus what actually happens, as Steve and Tony begin (and continue) a relationship.
Length: Novel
Notes: An in-progress series of stories about the progression of Steve and Tony's relationship. Wonderfully adorable and funny. So far, there are eleven of twelve completed stories.
Some Assembly Required by Valtyr.
Summary: Tony Stark is trying to set up a new superhero team when he's given a sex change, courtesy of Victor von Doom. He copes with that about as well as you'd expect.
Length: Novel
Notes: Just at the beginning of the MA!verse (and tying in the Iron Man MA canon, as well), so Steve doesn't know who Iron Man is, which throws some identity!porn on top of it all, as he and girl!Tony stumble into a relationship. Valtyr does an excellent job of dealing with the issues of a genderswap for the people involved, as well as maintaining the plot.
These days, they say 'making sandwiches' (or, Ooops!) by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: Cap and Tony are just giant saps. Mostly Cap. And someday, Peter will no longer be traumatized.
Length: Short
Notes: Peter and Jan walk in on Tony and Steve kissing in the kitchen. Peter's inner monologue (and quips) are hilarious.
Two Lines Meeting by Rengdoft.
Summary: Steve is unable to see the big picture, Tony pays attention to the details and croquis happens.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony and Steve, as per usual, lack decent communication skills. Good thing Tony is willing to pose naked for the sake of Steve's art. First time, featuring artist!Steve.
Movie!verse (aka MCU)
The Act of Creation Will Be Your Salvation by Scifigrl47.
Summary: When Tony Stark was seventeen years old, he built his first AI. On that day, he ceased to be his father's creation, and became a creating force in his own right. That one act likely saved his life, and not always in the most obvious ways.
Length: Novel
Notes: A wonderful construction of Tony and his relationships with his bots. Dummy in particular functions as something of both a mirror and an avatar for Tony. Additionally, this story has a nice gradual build of the relationship between Steve and Tony after the end of the movie. There is now a sort-of-kidfic sequel, Bedtime Stories and Nightmares, as well as several other related stories. Last of all, there's a crossover story, Dot To Dot by Sam Storyteller involving the Hawkeye And Anklebiter AU.
Arms And The Man by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: His best friend keeps cockblocking him, his relationship guru is a computer, and he might be gay. The future is very complicated.
Length: Long
Notes: Steve comes to terms with the future, his own sexuality, and his attraction to Tony. JARVIS helps. Tony is Tony.
Average Avengers Local Chapter 7 of New York City by Hetrez.
Summary: Steve and Tony accidentally start a national do-gooders association and fall in love.
Length: Medium
Notes: This story contains a fabulous exchange where someone tells Steve that doing the right thing gets boring after awhile, and Steve responds, "You’re wrong... the right thing is always the scariest, and the weirdest, and the saddest thing you'll ever have to do. If you're bored, it's because you've stopped doing it and you didn't even notice." Additionally, there's a lot of great humor.
bedrock and brick by Lyra_Wing.
Summary: Immediate sequel to the movie, wherein Tony builds Avengers Tower. Or plays interior designer, take your pick.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony designs a place for each of the Avengers in his tower, as they all become a family. And then there's the whole getting closer to Steve thing. There are lots of small character moment touches that really make the story.
Better Off by 51stCenturyFox.
Summary: Tony wants to help Steve get everything he deserves. Steve deserves everything.
Length: Short
Notes: Tony starts creating an online dating profile for Steve, mostly to hear Steve talking about himself. Steve has no interest in dating someone he meets online. A great short, coming together piece, with a lot of character moments packed in.
NEW Bond Has It Covered by Sara_holmes.
Summary: Tony thought they had trouble getting along when they were dealing with a major global crisis. Apparently that had nothing on how they fell apart when they weren't distracted by smashing aliens.
Length: Novel
Notes: Post-movie, the Avengers are living in the tower, but are on a forced stand-down. They aren't doing well with the down time, particularly as Clint is still dealing with his post-Loki trauma, and Steve and Tony have a lot of unresolved sexual tension.
Cold Making Warmth by Sheafrotherdon.
Summary: Steve settles upon the few things he knows for sure: that the days are short, and it's cold, and he doesn't mind looking dumb for making the effort. So screw the protocol, whether it exists or not – he's giving gifts.
Length: Short
Notes: An established relationship fic, in which Steve puts a lot of thought into buying the Avengers presents. Lovely.
Come At Me by Closer.
Summary: Steve gets a lesson in pop psychology, drives a roadster, fends off an aspiring killer robot, conquers Tetris, wins a quarter, buys pants, battles the undead, and falls hard for Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.
Length: Novel
Notes: An excellent Steve/Tony/Pepper story that explores Steve's personality as he settles in and starts to fall for both Tony and Pepper. There are two more stories in the series, one that's Bruce/Natasha centric, and one that is Clint/Coulson centric.
Deck The Halls With Daddy Issues by Freneticfloetry.
Summary: Tony Stark doesn't do Christmas. But Steve loves Christmas, and he loves Steve, and he's going to try. Which doesn't necessarily mean he'll be any good at it.
Length: Medium
Notes: All the many crises they face are hilarious, and all of the team details are fabulous. (Such as Thor's cooking habits...) Established relationship, but still early on.
Deep Waters by AlchemyAlice.
Summary: His power's running low, the arc reactor flickering. Cold, rancid sewer water is rushing into the fissure at his torn up shoulder, filling up the gaps, rising along his neck in frigid fingers. He's been like this before.
Length: Medium
Notes: An exploration of Tony experiencing PTSD after getting doused during a battle with the Avengers. When Steve figures it out, he just wants to help, even though they aren't particularly close (yet).
Dreaming Electric by jukeboxhound.
Summary: New York City is still rebuilding in the wake of the Chitauri army when the biotech virus Extremis is released, upgrading a lone domestic terrorist into a posthuman threat. Tony would’ve been happy to keep going on playing with alien tech in his lab, saving average citizens as Iron Man, and pretending not to notice these other people moving into his tower, but sometimes a person just can’t have nice things.
Length: Nove.
Notes: An excellent movieverse take on the Extremis story, taking into account how things would be different in the movieverse, yet staying true to the heart of the story.
Dreaming Together by Often_Adamanta.
Summary: Just because his future involves more penis than he’d expected doesn’t mean that Steve’s given up on happily-ever-after.
Length: Short
Notes: Established relationship. Steve realizes that he wants kids with Tony. Misunderstandings and meltdowns ensue. Also, Thor is hilarious.
(First Impressions Are) A Work in Progress by Porthos.
Summary: Tony has a point system for the times he can get Steve to be less than perfect.
Length: Long
Notes: Howard had wanted Tony to be more like Steve, which only adds to the tension between Tony and Steve as the team comes together. Tony enjoys pushing Steve's buttons in order to make him seem less perfect. Eventually, though, they start working things out. There's a nice slow build to the relationship, and both Tony and Steve are well-characterized. This was published just pre-movie, so some things aren't totally in line, but it's excellent.
For America by Autoschediastic.
Summary: "Tony, for the good of the country, we should get married."
Length: Short
Notes: Steve wants to make a strong, visible stand on the issue. Tony didn't even realize they were dating. Excellent first time fic, especially as the author really has Tony's voice down.
NEW Hashtag Finally by Wordsplat.
Summary: Tony doesn't ever actually ask the Avengers to move into his house, steal his wifi, eat all his food, and become the best family he's ever known. They do it anyway.
Length: Medium
Notes: Compliant for the Phase 2 movies (IM3, Thor 2, Cap 2). Funny and adorable teamfic (including Rhodey and Sam), and I love the fact that for once Cap is up to date with technology.
Homefront by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: Steve Rogers is a capable leader, a kind and cheerful man, a good friend, a strong role model, and a loyal soldier. He's also teetering on the edge of suicide.
Length: Medium
Notes: A story about Steve's issues, and one that handles them delicately. I like the fact that Tony gets to be the strong one in this.
Honey, I Can See The Stars by Twentysomething.
Summary: Tony and Steve spend a lot of time together, as Tony tends to drag Steve around while buying him extravagant things. Clint and Natasha snark, Coulson frets, and Steve's still adjusting.
Length: Long
Notes: Funny and wonderful with all sorts of perfect character moments. The developing friendship and relationship is very natural and true to character. Also, Coulson's reactions to everything are just hilarious.
Indecent Proposal by Gyzym & Siria.
Summary: On the plus side, marriage is bound to be easier than proposing.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony keeps trying to propose. Apparently, the universe hates him. Wonderfully adorable.
NEW Iron Man: Director of S.W.O.R.D. by Pookaseraph.
Summary: In the wake of the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Avengers need to pick up the pieces, and figure out where to go from here. Tony had a plan, at least he thought he had a plan, but Steve Rogers seems to have blown most of those out of the water.
Length: Novel
Notes: Phase 2 Compliant, post Cap 2. Very plotty, as Tony sets up SWORD as a replacement for SHIELD, and he and Steve move from friends to lovers.
It Will Probably Accelerate by Northatlantic.
Summary: Steve's perspective of the assembly of the Avengers after the dust has settled and the rebuilding begins.
Length: Long
Notes: An excellent Steve-centric fic, as Steve pays homage to the remnants and memories of the Howling Commandos, learns to live with the Avengers, and starts to get to know Tony in particular.
The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark by Jibrailis.
Summary: After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve.
Length: Novel
Notes: The summary doesn't even begin to do this one justice. It's a fantastic combination of fairy tale, mythology, folklore, and general Tony-ness. Tony and Steve end up out on a lonely, desperate quest with Sif and Loki, as Tony slowly forgets everything. Beautiful and fascinating.
life as a tree house by Kellifer_Fic.
Summary: Tony finds out that when it comes to Avengers, you can't adopt just one.
Length: Medium
Notes: When Tony takes pity on Clint, it sets off a chain reaction that involves all of Avengers moving in with him. Mostly a team bonding fic (particularly Tony and Steve), but with an excellent stolen tech storyline as well.
Love among the Hydrothermal Vents by DevilDoll.
Summary: In which Namor has a thing for Steve, an octopus has a thing for Tony, and Steve and Tony eventually have a thing for each other.
Length: Long
Notes: An amusing fake relationship story, where Tony and Steve pretend to be engaged in order to discourage Namor from his courtship of Steve. Funny and charming, with a great take on Namor.
Magnetic by Boombangbing.
Summary: Tony and Pepper are in a committed relationship, everyone knows that. Tony still flirts relentlessly with Steve, though, and Steve doesn't know what to make of it. Then he starts having weird feelings about Pepper too, and he really, really doesn't know what to make of that.
Length: Long
Notes: A Steve/Tony/Pepper story that actually works quite well in the movie!verse canon. Now with a prequel & several follow-up stories.
many names in history, none of them are ours by Aubkae.
Summary: Steve's not sure if he'll ever understand Tony Stark, but it's good, living here. If he still wakes up sometimes convinced this was all a dream, well, it's better than it was before, and that's something, isn't it? The Avengers live in a world that both glorifies and fears them, but they know each other now behind the scenes.
Length: Novel
Notes: A good post-movie story dealing with the various problems that the Avengers face as they become a family, and as Steve and Tony in particular grow closer together. The relationship flows very naturally, and while this is very Steve/Tony centric, the rest of the team gets plenty of screen time.
Miles to Go (Before I Sleep) by SakuraTsukikage.
Summary: Steve has trouble sleeping. Tony comes to bed late. All the little ups and downs of a relationship, how to negotiate the space between two people. Established relationship.
Length: Short
Notes: A nice early-on established relationship piece, where they're still figuring out how they fit together. And now, there's a companion fic, Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown.
Mr. July by Jibrailis.
Summary: Steve poses nearly naked for a charity calendar. Some villains are rather inspired by the view, and begin trying to get him naked at every battle. Tony ends up being the one trying to protect Steve's virtue. Tony hates his life.
Length: Long
Notes: Hilarious and brilliant, with all sorts of great Avengers team moments (such as Thor's solution to the situation, and Clint's snarky comments to Tony).
A Partial Dictionary Of The 21st Century By Captain Steve Rogers, US Army by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: Steve is adapting well to the new millennium, and he has the dictionary to prove it.
Length: Medium
Notes: A great character piece about Steve as he adapts to the modern world, with the dictionary format as frame.
Phil Coulson is Not the Avengers' Public Relations Manager by Scifigrl47.
Summary: From the Avengers Case Files of Phil Coulson: Grocery shopping is necessary, Tony's a little too proud of his tech, Captain America's lost on the streets of New York, and sometimes social injustice just happens.
Length: Medium
Notes: Loosely set in the same universe as "Some Things Shouldn't Be a Chore" (see below), but stands on its own. Teamfic of random hilarity and awesomeness. Steve/Tony pre-slash (with Clint/Coulson). There are now quite a few excellent stories in the "Phil Coulson's Case Files of the Toasterverse" series.
Pigeonville, USA by Sheafrotherdon.
Summary: Day 214 on the campaign trail of Steve Rogers for President. Twenty-sixteen's turning out to be a hell of a year.
Length: Short
Notes: Steve is running for President and Coulson is in charge of security. A great riff on one of the plots that showed up in comics. Has Steve and Tony in an established relationship (sort of background), a hilarious Darcy, and some Clint/Coulson. Now with a sequel, Situation Normal, Tony Stark Involved.
Ready, Fire, Aim by Gyzym.
Summary: There's no "I" in "Avenger." Steve and Tony don't get along at first, but things start to get better, especially after the Avengers end up moving into Tony's New York mansion.
Length: Novel
Notes: All the Avengers get some great character moments, and the progression of Steve and Tony's relationship is well-paced and generally awesome. There is now an equally awesome sequel, Situation Normal: All Fucked Up. And now, also Momentum, which is Steve's POV for the events of Ready, Fire, Aim.
Rom-Commed By Fate (Or JARVIS) by Leashy_Bebes.
Summary: The best thing about being an Artificial Intelligence is the ability to parse, filter and modify the things people say until you've got the cause to do exactly what you wanted in the first place. Or, in which JARVIS cock blocks Tony into having an actual relationship.
Length: Long
Notes: JARVIS plots to get Tony and Steve together, and to keep them together. A story that's strong on the situational humor, but also has some great moments of character introspection, including Tony's when he figures out just what JARVIS is doing.
Semaphore by Devildoll.
Summary: "I’m trying to like you, Tony. You’re just making it very hard." Tony and Steve very slowly find their way into being friends, and eventually, more than friends.
Length: Novel
Notes: This is full of all sorts of excellent little details, from the various everyday habits of all the Avengers, to their various interactions with the other Marvel teams, to a fantastic senior citizen OC with a still of doom. The progression of Steve and Tony's friendship/relationship is very slow but quite honest.
signed, steeped, delivered by Gyzym & Siria.
Summary: Steve makes Tony tea. Tony has a meltdown, and calls Rhodey and Pepper.
Length: Short
Notes: Adorable and fluffy, and a great display of Tony's friendships with Rhodey & Pepper, as he freaks out over his feelings for Steve.
Some Things Shouldn't Be a Chore by Scifigrl47.
Summary: Steve takes things like personal responsibility and respect seriously. Tony's got people he pays to take care of that kind of thing, and anyway, he's pretty sure that he's going to die of some exotic disease in his workshop, because Dummy's still a little spotty about what is 'clean' enough to put on an open wound.
Length: Novel
Notes: Adorable, hilarious family fic. The mess in the Tower leads to Steve calling a family meeting, and things snowball from there. Every one of the Avengers is well-characterized and awesome, and in general, this story is a perfect balance of humor and poignancy. On top of it all, it's an excellent Tony/Steve pre-slash story. Now has a number of sequels, some in progress.
(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) the Highway to Hell by What_alchemy.
Summary: Steve Rogers never expected to find himself back in his original body. He also never expected Tony Stark.
Length: Novel
Notes: An encounter with a mysterious crop circle leaves Steve back in his original body, and Tony without the shrapnel and arc reactor. In the process of dealing with it all, the two get involved in a relationship. A number of difficult decisions and unexpected turns follow, with an excellent emotional arc.
These Three Things Remain by Siria.
Summary: Steve then and now, and the things that change, and the things that remain the same.
Length: Medium
Notes: A character study of Steve when he was young, during the war, and after he was unfrozen. Includes a lovely progression of his relationship with Tony, from tension to friendship and beyond.
This is the half-light; see me as I am by Sidney Sussex.
Summary: Tony poses for Steve's sketching. It turns out there's more than one way of being naked.
Length: Short
Notes: As is probably already obvious, I love seeing Steve-as-artist, and this is a wonderful rendition. Steve sees a naked photoshoot of Tony, and can't stop thinking about it (or sketching it).
Tomorrow Belongs To Me by Valtyr.
Summary: Steve wakes up in the 21st Century. He doesn't think much of it, and it's dubious about him. He meets a Norse God, joins a superhero team, and feels terribly awkward about the whole momument at Arlington he's rendered obsolete by not being dead. Meanwhile, Tony is trying to make his mark on history by being the man who finally drove Nick Fury over the edge.
Length: Novel
Notes: An epic pre-movie take on the MCU Avengers. Tony and Steve clash, struggle, and eventually start finding some common ground (as well as dealing with their mutual attraction). Meanwhile, the Red Skull and Loki are after the cosmic cube. Valtyr is great with dialogue and makes great use of the supporting cast. Loki's characterization falls a bit on the woobie-ish side, but that seems a popular take in the movie-verse.
Two Out of Three (Ain't Bad) by Plingo_Kat.
Summary: From a kinkmeme prompt wherein Tony realizes he's got a thing for Steve, and tries to go to his friends for advice/help in wooing a guy from the 40s.
Length: Medium
Notes: Generally hilarious and adorable. Also, makes great use of the rest of the Avengers, and the ways they tease (and occasionally advise) Tony about his crush.
variable skill sets by Gyzym.
Summary: In which Captain America can do (almost) anything, and Tonk Stark has daddy issues--who's surprised?
Length: Short
Notes: Established relationship. Steve and Tony go shopping, and a small child attempts to manipulate Steve. Some of Tony's childhood issues are brought to light. Funny, but also a nice look at some of said issues.
Variations in Modern Dance by Pookaseraph.
Summary: There's only one thing in the world that Steve has decided the 21st century isn't alright with: not wanting to have sex. Sadly that seems to be the one thing the Serum couldn't fix, and it's playing hell with his ability to deal with his feelings for Tony. Thankfully Tony is a brilliant engineer, and he might be able to find a solution, or maybe he'll realize there's nothing there to fix.
Length: Medium
Notes: From a kinkmeme prompt, "Steve is asexual and biromantic. The team has zero problem with this. Steve, and the rest of the world, do." The author handles the topic deftly, and weaves an excellent and enjoyable story.
The Very Secret Diary of Captain Steven G. Rogers in the Twenty First Century by Ykoriana.
Summary: A kinkmeme fill, in which all of the Avengers mack on Steve, and he writes about it a la Secret Diaries style.
Length: Short
Notes: Hilarious, and I love the fact that Tony actually wins Steve over by being classy (or as classy as Tony gets).
A Very, Very, Very Fine House by Wanttobeatree.
Summary: The Avengers take initiative. Or, the story of how a group of remarkable people came together to drink cocktails, eat ice-cream and wait for Fury's call. Post-movie.
Length: Novel
Notes: A nice post-movie slow build to becoming a proper team; rather Steve-centric. He starts to get to know the rest of the team, including Tony, better, as they eventually all move in. Pre-slash. Also, the main plot is mostly teased at for the promised sequel, The Only Living Boys in New York, which is WIP that hasn't been updated in a while.
NEW Who's Scruffy Looking? by JenTheSweetie.
Summary: “I don’t know,” Steve said, after Tony finished a six-minute ode to The Dude’s beard. “I mean, I’m not really a fan of beards.” Tony gave Steve a look of such horror that Steve almost wondered if he’d misspoken and casually mentioned that he’d been tossing puppies off the top floor of Stark Tower.
Length: Medium
Notes: Tony has a number of reactions to Steve's comment about not liking beards. They're all hilarious.
Iron Man Noir, 3490!verse (i.e., the one where Tony is Natasha), Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Crossovers Between Universes, and Complete AUs
As Passionate Machines by Sinuous_Curve.
Summary: Steph makes the mistake of asking, “What do you do for fun?” one afternoon when she and Tony are alone in the mansion, when they’re both sweaty and pleasantly sore from a couple hours spent sparring.
Length: Short
Notes: Steve/Tony femslash; pretty much the movieverse version of always!female Tony & Steve. A PWP with homemade fucking machines.
Clint Barton, Boy Detective by Damalur.
Summary: The Avengers are getting a team pet.
Length: Short
Notes: 3490 meets movieverse. Clint is trying to figure out why Toni is acting weirder than usual, and apparently, doesn't get metaphors. The sequel, Live Kree or Die, is a hilarious Carol/Jessica Drew centric sequel. I always enjoy seeing my OTP from the POV of other characters, and both of these stories are excellent for that.
Heart of Steel by Muccamukk. WIP
Summary: Steve wakes up in the mid-twenty first century, the Golden Age of America, and doesn't like what he finds. Fortunately, Tony has some ideas.
Length: Unfinished, but already very long.
Notes: I generally try to avoid recommending unfinished stories, but this one is an awesome marriage-of-convenience, cyberpunk, near-future powered AU that features several of the various Avengers in interesting roles. It hasn't been updated in almost two years, but maybe someday the author will finish it.
I Know in My Heart by often_adamanta.
Summary: Dr. Rogers finds himself with a famous and notoriously difficult patient - Tony Stark.
Length: Medium
Notes: A no-powers AU where Steve is a doctor and Tony is his patient. Cute and fluffy and generally adorable, especially if you like a medical AU.
If We Never Got This Second Chance by Pookaseraph.
Summary: When Tony and Steve’s son from the future, Jake Jensen, arrives at Avenger’s Tower, the two of them are forced to confront some hard truths: Tony that he might not actually become a horrible father, and Steve that he might not be able to set aside his discomfort with sharing a child with another man. When they both get a second chance at a first try at fatherhood, it’s up to the two of them to learn from their own future's past.
Length: Novel
Notes: Crossover with The Losers, in which Jensen is the son of Tony and Steve, created in the lab by Hydra. A kidfic that reflects the difficult reality of raising children. Additionally, a sort of twice-told tale, wherein both halves of the story are excellent.
Indelible & A Long Hard Road by Penumbren.
Summary: When an experiment goes awry, Tony thinks he may have found an answer to his problems and Steve faces something he's been avoiding for a very long time.
Length: Novel
Notes: An accident in Reed's lab causes the Tony from Iron Man Noir and the Tony from post-Seige 616 to swap places and memories. Inevitably, 616!Tony meets the Noir Steve Rogers. Complications ensue, especially as life in the 616!verse hasn't been so great for Tony. Meanwhile, 616!Steve has to face up to some things as he gets to know Noir Tony. The sequel, "A Long Hard Road", is set in the Noir verse, and deals with the fallout of events there.
Ironsides by Sam Storyteller.
Summary: Antonia Carter Stark takes no shit and no prisoners.
Length: Long
Notes: Another movieverse AU, wherein Tony was always Antonia, and in this case, Peggy Carter was her mother. I really like when authors take the time to imagine how Tony being a woman would change things, both small and large, such as in this one, where Clint was the one who went undercover to evaluate Tony, instead of Natasha. There's also a great build in the relationship between Steve and Tony, and I always appreciate a Steve who is more confidant when it comes to sex. Also has a timestamp in the same verse, looking back on Tony and Rhodey's friendship, and forward to Tony & Steve's child.
Living In The Future by Closer.
Summary: Eighteen-year-old Tony Stark is the boy genius who woke Captain America, and now he's stuck with him. That's not a bad thing, but between Steve's wide-eyed wonder at the new world and Tony's little fanboy crush, the awkwardness just keeps happening.
Length: Novel
Notes: Adorable Iron Man: Armored Adventures fic, crossing over with the Ultimate Spider-man cartoon. The tone is perfect for the universe, and the slow build of friendship and attraction between Tony and Steve is just so satisfying.
Look Here, Look Back, Look Ahead by Marinarusalka.
Summary: Iron Man Noir. September, 1941: Returning from a mission as Iron Man, Tony Stark crash-lands in the Carpathian Mountains and is rescued by Captain America. The two heroes team up to investigate Nazi activity at a mysterious castle. But Captain America is keeping secrets that could destroy their new partnership before it has a chance to begin.
Length: Novel
Notes: A really nice combo of Iron Man Noir with Captain America. It's got a good plot, and I like the way the relationship plays out. This one might be a bit confusing for someone who hasn't read Iron Man Noir, but a Wikipedia summary might be enough.
Mechanic A/U by Ironfries, Valtyr, and Vespasiana.
Summary: A mechanic AU comic wherein Steve tries to woo mechanic!Tony with broken appliances.
Length: 11 comic pages
Notes: Lovely artwork and a fun story.
red, red, gold by Pprfaith.
Summary: Her name is Tasha Stark, and you won’t break her.
Length: Short
Notes: 3490 meets the MCU, basically. A really interesting exploration of what an always-a-woman Tony would be like.
Revise, Rebuild, Repeat by Muccamukk.
Summary: In the wake of the Sentient Armour's attack, Natasha Stark reassesses her priorities and begins to put her life back together. Meanwhile, Steve tries to be helpful.
Length: Medium
Notes: Set in the 3490!universe. The author takes what was a pretty silly canon story (the Sentient Armor) and does some interesting things with it. I really like the characterization of Natasha (whom we really know almost nothing about), and the way that she and Steve have an on-again-off-again casual relationship... that the events of the story make them think a little deeper about.
some day they'll go down together by Snowdarkred.
Summary: It's a hard decision to make, but Steve can't let Tony go alone. He just can't.
Length: Short
Notes: A no-powers teen AU, with Steve and Tony as friends with a hint of more.
somewhere over the wormhole by Dorcas Gustine.
Summary: Being a superhero is hard: you miss a lot of appointments. Alternatively: dimensional travel brings gender issues which aren’t really issues in the end. MA+3490 crossover with bonus!1610.
Length: Short
Notes: MA!verse Tony & Steve end up in 3490!verse, and meet their counterparts. And then the 1610 versions come along... and a lot of coffee is consumed. Cute and fluffy.
NEW Vanilla Human Problems by Manic_intent.
Summary: Written for the prompt: "AU where Tony isn't Iron Man. He's a consultant for the avengers, so they still live in his tower, he still builds/improves their gear, but he never invented Iron Man. He's still close to the team, and is still a genius, so as the non-superhero member, he gets kidnapped. A lot. The team becomes increasingly protective of Tony."
Length: Short
Notes: Tony's a regular non-superhero consultant for the Avengers. He's still Tony. The Avengers stalk him for his own good after yet another kidnapping.
We Learned By Doing by Jibrailis.
Summary: The one in which all the Avengers are women.
Length: Medium
Notes: A short but brilliant look at what the movie might have been like had all the Avengers (including Fury & Coulson) been women. In just a few word sketches, the author manages to convey some of the differences and difficulties each hero would have experienced, had they been born women.
When They Finally Come to Destroy the Earth (they'll have to go through you first) by AlchemyAlice.
Summary: In which Tony Stark went to boarding school with Bruce Wayne, and the road to becoming a superhero is not smooth.
Length: Medium
Notes: This is a genius crossover between DC & Marvel (mostly movieverse for both, with comic elements), in which Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne became friends when they were young, and kept the connection through becoming heroes on teams. It's a series of non-chronological snippets, but the author really has a good grasp on both characters. And there's a small but lovely bit of Tony/Steve on top of all the gen awesomeness. There is also now a sequel, leave them stunned and stuttering.
White Rabbit by Valtyr.
Summary: Marvel Adventures Tony Stark meets Ultimate Steve Rogers.
Length: Short
Notes: The two most diametrically opposed universes meet: MA Tony winds up swapped out with Ultimate Tony; Ultimate Steve takes care of him. Interesting all around. There's a sequel by Paxnirvana about what happens when Ultimate Tony gets back, (The White Knight is) Talking Backwards.
Resources
Captain America/Iron Man Ship Manifesto by Elspethdixon, a detailed and thoughtful piece about the relationship
An Issue by Issue Guide to The Avengers for The Iron Man / Captain America Fan by Grey Bard
Tales of Suspense, a Steve/Tony fanfiction archive
Cap_Ironman @ LJ, the main LJ comm for the pairing (There's also one here,
cap_ironman, but it gets less traffic)Cap/Ironman Story Finders, an LJ comm for fic finding
Avengers Story Finders, an LJ comm for more general Avengers fic finding
Kink Memes. There are several, some more active than others:
-Avenger Kink (@ LJ), mostly movieverse, though related comics posts are also welcome
-The Avengers kinkmeme (@ DW) for all universes/incarnations, though weighted towards the comics
-The Captain America kinkmeme which is mostly movie!verse
-The Tony Stark kinkmeme, which is pretty much dead, but has some old stuff on it
Final notes:
Just be aware, most of these stories are adult. Also, last but not least, if any of the authors don't wish to be linked to, just drop me a line and I'll take it down.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-01 06:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-01 02:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-03 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-10-31 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-31 05:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-09 11:30 pm (UTC)FYI, the link to It's The Simple Things actually leads to Without Limitations; Absolute.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 04:58 am (UTC)And thank you for the correction; I was swapping out a couple of broken links at once...
no subject
Date: 2012-02-06 02:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-07 05:31 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2012-02-21 07:37 am (UTC)Re: Thank you!
Date: 2012-02-21 11:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-06 12:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-06 12:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-08 02:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-08 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-10 06:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-10 06:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-15 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-15 03:12 am (UTC)The author seems to have locked her journal recently. I'll take it down for now, and put it back up if it gets unlocked.
brain...melts
Date: 2012-05-17 06:19 pm (UTC)So, yes, thank you so much for this, some of the stories I would have never found on my own...
But, I do want to as, do you not have any AU then? I read this wonderful story (http://archiveofourown.org/works/401038) just in case you were interested. I didn't know about the AU world at all, but I thought the Steve/Tony is there was simply delicious, oh yes, it is WIP, so maybe that's why? Anyway, Shasha out :)
Re: brain...melts
Date: 2012-05-18 01:04 am (UTC)Yeah, in general, I don't tend to link to WIPs, for a number of reasons.
There are a couple AUs linked to in that final section, but I'm not always a big AU reader (I love my canon), which is why there aren't that many.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-23 07:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-23 11:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-04-08 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-04-09 12:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-10 05:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-16 01:44 am (UTC)