Fics with 5,000 hits or Less

[arukou]

 As part of fanfic appreciation day, allow me to post some fics I’ve enjoyed that I think are deserving of a little more love. These are all Steve/Tony, though the universes vary.

once a day, every day by @silkspectred
Warnings: Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Suicidal Thoughts, Depression. Basically read the tags carefully before you go in.
Why I love this: I love the way Silkspectred writes healing in general. Their approach feels deep and meaningful to me, and their fic, this one included, usually makes me cry, but it’s the good kind of crying.

When Our Day Comes by @thepartyresponsible
Warnings: Sexual content
Why I love this: Gosh, I am just a sucker for friends-with-benefits mixed with a dash of pining and a lot of misunderstanding. I am even more of a sucker for fics where Tony actively tries to take care of Steve, even if he goes about it in a roundabout sort of way.

Into Words by @dirigibleplumbing
Warnings: Past non-con (off screen)
Why I love this: I really like this approach to Tony’s inner self, where his genius is demonstrated to a certain extent. It’s hard for a lot of us to pull off the sense that Tony’s brain moves a million miles an hour, but I felt it here. I also generally enjoy these encyclopedia/definition style fics.

from the ashes of our pasts by @s-hylor
Warnings: Amputation (off screen)
Why I love this: This is another one of those fics about healing that just gets me right in the feels. I love how Ults has blossomed across fandom, and this is one of those ones that I think captures Steve so beautifully.

Shame by @one-and-five-nines
Warnings: None
Why I love this: I know this comic is about on tumblr as well, but it’s great to have it collected all in one place and to be able to comment on it freely. One-and-five-nines has such a distinctive, beautiful style, and I love the way they build story through visuals as well as the words on the page.

Easier (The Shame Remix) by @festiveferret
Warnings: None
Why I love this: My soft spot for the original Shame also runs to this fantastic remix, where Tony finds interacting with his tech so much easier than real people. (Shocking, I know.) Festiveferret is always careful to show characters actually talking and coming to an understanding, and I really appreciate that about their writing.

The White Star of Liberty by Ellidfics
Warnings: None
Why I love this: You may have guessed by my Persuasion rewrite that I’m a sucker for period pieces, so naturally I love this particular period piece. Ellidfics takes historical fictional material and yet somehow manages to imbue it with the characteristics of the characters we know and love.

All Roads and Unweaving by Night by lastdream
Warnings: None
Why I love this: In a similar vein to The White Star of Liberty, Lastdream takes historical fiction and puts it on our modern heroes, framing Steve as Odysseus and Tony as Penelope. These pieces are short and yet so lovely.

Never for the Dragon by @lightshadowverisimilitude
Warnings: Body dysmorphia, body horror
Why I love this: Ladyshadowdrake’s writing is always lovely, but this one in particular is one I remember years later, though it made me cry so hard I haven’t dared reread. Scenes from it come back to me with a wave of melancholy and I am always moved by them.

For Out of Many Waters and Crucible Illustrations by @musicalluna
Warnings: None
Why I love this: I’m cheating a little because these aren’t fics, but they are the illustrations which inspired some of my own fics, so darn it I’m going to rec them. Lu is so skilled at capturing the characters on the page, and her art has always served as an inspiration point for me, so you should definitely go give it some love. Also, Lu’s a pretty great writer, so while you’re at her AO3, you can also just dive into her fics as well.

Lost in a Sigh by orphan_account
Warnings: None
Why I love this: Until these past couple of years, music was a big part of my life, and I always love fics that pull me into the world of music again. I also love the setting of this fic, the way it feels so perfectly in its world and how the characters occupy the space given to them.

Fifty/50 by Mizzy
Warnings: Sexual content
Why I love this: Fanfic doesn’t lend us a lot of opportunities to experiment with form, but Mizzy pulled it off anyway, and thus endeared this story to my heart. I love the play of the fateful decision as it sprawls out on the page: not a choose-your-own-adventure but rather two-paths-in-a-wood.