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Fic Recs: Longfic #5
Dec. 21st, 2020 01:31 pmwhen i die i’ll sacrifice (more than enough for the afterlife) (41322 words) by notcaycepollard
Fandom: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Series: Part 1 of a flame in two cupped hands
Summary: The fall is longer than Natasha expects.
It’s tears cold on her face, teeth bitten all the way through her lip and the taste of copper in her mouth; she’s falling and falling and then, bracing for impact—she wakes up.
This is a fantastic look at a possible future for Natasha. When she hits the ground on Vormir her story ends there – and starts again years earlier, with new choices. I absolutely adore this kind of story – a fresh look at canon with a character making new choices that leads to very different outcomes. The rest of the series is also great, although should IMO be read in order.
Drive It Like You Stole It: A Bodyswap (28123 words) by AggressiveWhenStartled
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Series: Part 1 of The Old Codgers Greatest Hits Album
Summary: Steve had gone fully red-faced with pedantic altar-boy fury. “Did your computer forget how to Google translate?” he bellowed, sticking his head up and over. Bucky yanked him down again. “What are you even trying to say?”
Bucky tried to shake the sparkles off the grenade he had been planning on lobbing over the divider. “It sounded like Latin to me,” he said reasonably, pursing his lips and frowning at the explosive. It dripped a sparkle, and a puff of purple smoke curled up where it hit the concrete.
“That’s because you spent Sunday school flirting with Sarah Cunningham,” Steve accused, bobbing back up to throw his shield and ducking back down to dodge a shining ball of blue light. “You wouldn’t know Latin if it came up and kissed you on your ugly mug.”
“I’d sure know it if Sarah Cunningham did, though.” Bucky grinned, struck by the memory. “That gal really knew what she was doing.”
This story makes me hoot with laughter every time I read it, and the follow-up in the series is even better, IMO. The title absolutely gives away the story, but the plot isn't the point: the prose is hilarious, the banter is sharp, and the running commentary in Peter Parker's head is lifegiving.
Any Instrument (131102 words) by dicta_contrion
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Summary: Draco Malfoy wouldn't go back to England for anything less than an exceptional case. Being asked to figure out why Harry Potter can't control his magic might be exceptional enough to qualify.
Another long-after-the-War fic, I really enjoyed this one for its awesome magical worldbuilding and deeper exploration of the magical world, as well as some realistic insights into Wizarding politics.
Another Life (61860 words) by LullabyKnell
Fandom: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Summary: In one moment, James T. Kirk is the acting captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, on his way home to Earth after stopping the Narada. In the next moment, without explanation, James T. Kirk is an Academy cadet on academic probation again, barely a day before Nero will destroy Vulcan.
He dares himself to do better. And with a planet on the line and no proof but his own memories, he knows that "better" means he'll need some help.
This one is a really interesting time travel fic with some great character moments. When I first read this it was a WIP that was about 3/4 posted, and I remember thinking when I came back to the finished fic quite a while later that the climax/resolution wasn't what I was expecting. A solid read, and it's tagged as the first story in a series; I am hoping for more!
