Top Picks

Amateur Theatrics by galaxysoup
"In which Thor's primary problem-solving method (a mighty blow from Mjolnir) fails to have the desired effect on a magical artifact, and his secondary method (a mightier blow from Mjolnir) proves to be actively disastrous." AU from the movie, and mostly kidfic (tiny!Loki) with Clint as his main caregiver since the rest of the Avengers are... let's say, variously out of action (in quite believable ways). Hilarious and sweet as hell (possibly a bit of an id-fic, but watch me not caring).

Assets Out of Containment by follow_the_sun
"After CA:TWS, Bucky Barnes suspects HYDRA is running a project in a little place called Jurassic World, and decides to go poke it with a stick." Crossover woven in and around Jurassic World; Bucky is sarcastic and funny, and the guest stars are excellent.

Brothers In Arms by copperbadge
"Bucky Barnes gets a tune-up, a new pet, and a home." I want to adopt this fic and keep it forever. Great interaction between Bucky and the Avengers, with bonus!Clint and a really sweet look at Bucky and Steve's friendship

By Choice or By Habit by Sholio
"He is useful. He holds onto that. He is useful and a useful tool will not be thrown away." ALL the feels! And quite a few giggles.

Chance by SallyExactly
"Clint Barton's snap decision to re-interpret his mission orders means a new life for Natalia Romanova. She's only got the one shot at it, though, and "how to live and remake yourself in three easy steps" was never included in her assassin training." Breathtakingly perfect Natasha and Clint backstory epic, detailed and extraordinary; thank god the sequel is in progress. A must-read. KikiRec

Coulson's Eleven by copperbadge
After Vanko destroyed the Stark Expo, SHIELD instituted a Superhuman Detention program, designed to capture and hold dangerous people -- dangerous people like Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and others who made themselves noticeable. The superhumans SHIELD has imprisoned -- and some SHIELD agents themselves -- have other ideas about what constitutes 'dangerous'..." Well up to copperbadge's usual standards -- a tight, awesome au, with special guest stars, even. KikiRec

Culture and Other Balls of Twine by LithiumDoll
Epically perfect (and funny) post-movie road trip, starring everyone. KikiRec

Diplomacy by turtle_paced
"In the aftermath of the attack on Xandar, there's still the original problem of how a bunch of wanted criminals hand over a potentially universe-ending super-weapon (that they definitely aren't terrified of) to the authorities. Preferably without going back to jail. As the only one of the team with skills that can unironically be called "social," Peter thinks this one might be on him." Lovely interstitial bits before the epilogue.

Exclusive by copperbadge
"Heroes In Manhattan: From Captain America's Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers." A reporter is embedded with the Avengers for 2 weeks. Only it's cooler than that. Utterly brilliant. Read right now.

Family Ties by skiesovergideon
After he falls from Asgard, Loki lands in a Chicago backyard, and is taken in by the family. But there is magic afoot, nothing is as it seems, and even Loki can't resist a 3 year old. Really a fantastic read; epic and starring a mass of really well-drawn OCs, The plot is twisty and fun, the Avengers show up periodically, and Loki is a thing of beauty. READ THIS.

Gift of Asylum by carleton97 and Sister_Wolf
Hilarious Darcy/Clint Avengers story (post Captain America, pre-Avengers, so au as hell), watching the Avengers Project get off the ground through Darcy's eyes. Chapter 1 is unabashed smut; it mostly gens out from there until the last chapter. Everyone has a pottymouth. NC-17 KikiRec

Imprint by hetrez
"Cap settling in" fic -- he's giving teambuilding classes to SHIELD agents, and building a team of his own. (This story is totally gen; the series goes Steve/Bucky in the next story.)

I Shall Not Want Honour In Heaven by copperbadge
"Peggy Carter's life after the war: Howard Stark, Gabriel Jones, SHIELD, and a little boy named Nicholas." Possible-au that could and should be canon, and that fits gorgeously with the universe.

I Take My Chances by Seren_ccd
Seren's take on the Avengers turns them into the A-Team, hired to save Darcy Lewis' family business. Awesome au and a good adventure, with some lovely original characters, and a nice Clint/Darcy pairing. Het Big Bang NC17

No Magic Would Save Me by Arsenic
"Once upon a time, an angel with the unlikely name of Pepper came to the circus, and took Clint away." Killer young!Clint voice, great Tony and Pepper. Very solid kidfic; regency, somewhat steampunk au

The Price of War by shuofthewind
"Moving to Manhattan is supposed to be a stopgap until she gets her GED. Instead, she gets a sister (well, cousin, technically, but neither of them quibble), a degree, a firm, a devil, and a whole pack of monsters. God, she really should be getting therapy." Impressive, epic-length Daredevil AU in which it's Nelson, Murdock and Lewis, and things are a little different, but a lot the same. Matt/Darcy.

she blinded me with political science by thingswithteeth
"Darcy watched the Avengers defend New York from over two thousand miles away. She could look out her window if she wanted to watch the aftermath. She watches the news instead, and realizes one very important thing: the Avengers have a bit of a PR problem." Awesomely awesome Darcy/Bruce; lots of elements that turned up in other fics, but one of the best executions.

This, You Protect by owlet
"The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect" Bucky relentlessly protecting Steve from a distance, with constant, sarcastic, hilarious, occasionally touching internal play-by-play, bonus!Avengers, and terrific OCs.

You Might Need it Someday by seren_ccd
Clint is trying to guess Darcy's favorite 80s band, and other awesome stuff happens. Clint/Darcy, with great voices, and a guest shot from Val!

Vigil by LtLJ
"While waiting for Steve to get out of surgery after the events in The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson meets two of the other Avengers."

The Avengers

And I Will Hold On Hope by spirithorse
"Steve had been skeptical when Senator Brandt had said that they needed a dragon. He was a captain in the Army, not the Air Force. It was that kind of confidence that would get people to buy war bonds. The fact that they had managed to get a Firecracker meant that the dragon would just blend right in with the USO girls and his own costume. A Temeraire fusion fic." Very well done -- Liberty is one of my all-time favorite OCs, and the universes blend very smoothly.

The Avengers and Interviews by scifigrl47
"The Avengers are made up of a sharp-tongued billionaire with a short fuse, an easily insulted God, a traumatized scientist with BREATHTAKING anger management issues, a sullen and smart mouthed sniper, a spy with a cloaked past and the ability to kill with a look and Steve Rogers. How the hell do you think interviews go?" Starts more as meta, then devolves rapidly into hilarious interview fic.

Avengers: Epilogue by Sam the Storyteller
Really doesn't match my personal canon, but it's an excellent and highly amusing au tag to the movie. :) PG-13 mostly because Tony and Clint have potty-mouths.

Black AmEx by copperbadge
"Bruce isn't sure he wants to use a credit card Tony gave him. Steve isn't sure he even knows how." Good look at Bruce and Steve after the first movie (and at Tony, honestly).

Can't Go Back the Same Way You Came by Pell
Lovely, long, fix-it fic for the end of Thor. Banished to Midgard, Loki makes his way to New Mexico and tries to fix something he broke. Beautiful Loki POV.

Clint Barton and the Adventures of This, That, and the Whatsit by AlchemyAlice
"Clint is totally the John Connor of New York. Until he isn't." Part of a larger series, but stands alone nicely. Clint and the little bots are all adorable. Kikirec

Closing the Circuit by AlchemyAlice
"SHIELD's down, Captain America's AWOL, and on the whole, things are kind of FUBAR. On the other hand, Tony might have some semblance of a plan." An interesting take on the Avengers, going forward.

Comrades by Nefhiriel
"Five times Thor defended his friends from people who should've been on their side, and one time his friends defended him." Dead-on Thor POV, which isn't easy. (Also try Walking Wounded, in which Tony and Thor force Steve to let someone else take care of him.)

Contingencies by Misachan
"Clint knows it's only a matter of time before it happens again." More post-movie Clint brooding, but with a definite edge and ouchness that sets it apart.

Emotion in Motion by SmittyWing
Darcy/Clint smut. So hot, and so sweet. NC17

Direction by boombangbing
Very strong Steve/Darcy relationship series. NC17

Even Gods Do by Cluegirl
"Captain America doesn't have a good relationship with sleep anymore. Also, he's not a toy." More post-battle brooding and bonding, with some really nice character bits. And MarioKart. KikiRec

Fifteen Short Stories About Teamwork by BlackEyedGirl
Still more post-movie bonding: strong series of vignettes about team-building after the Battle of New York. KikiRec

For These I Watch Tonight by leupagus
Dum had once been arrested for wrestling a bear in a zoo and Jacques climbed trees as a relaxation technique, so Peggy really shouldn't have been surprised when she found herself in the forest three hours later with some mushrooms Jim had scrumped from somewhere and a large canvas sheet. [short but absolutely hilarious adventures with the Howling Commandos]

Frankenweenie, Eat Your Heart Out by intangible_girl
An AU where Bruce turns himself into the Hulk a little earlier than in canon. Like, 25 years earlier." Great take on a much younger Bruce/Hulk; Tony and Steve are also awesome. KikiRec

Frequently Asked Questions by mad_maudlin
"You appear to have some kind of chronic amnesia, such that you keep asking everybody these questions every five minutes, so I drove you over here and wrote you this awesome FAQ. You're welcome." [Kiki Says: I don't even know the basic premise of 'Secret Avengers', but this is hilarious and awesome and friendshippy.] Putting this in MCU even though its more comics based, because easier.

From here to infinity by everythingispoetry
"In a world where superheroes are still secret, Steve walks past a homeless man every morning on his way to work. Then they save the world together - but it's not enough." Slightly heart-breaking au.

Hard Rain Tesserae by framlingem
"Steve's sick of not understanding what's going on, and the team are not all that helpful, so he starts keeping an illustrated notebook for further research. With the help of wiki, Google and Logan he starts to settle in and find his place in the twenty-first century." Cool use of guest characters, especially Wolvie, and a solid depiction of Steve. KikiRec

He hit the heights at breakneck speed by pentapus, pollyrepeat
"In which Natasha gives the thumbs-up to Tony Stark and the Iron Man suit, the Avengers Initiative starts a little differently, and Tony finds himself spending a lot of time with assassins and/or spies." Great dialogue between the three teammates, and Tony is perfect.

How Come We Play War And Not Peace? by valtyr
Well-written and adorable beyond belief: Calvin & Hobbes style adventure with Tony as Calvin and his big blue dog, Cap.

how does that make you feel by ignipes
[Marvel Cinematic Universe]
"Sam inadvertantly becomes the therapist of all of Steve's damaged friends." [Kiki Says: Spoilery for Winter Soldier, and yes, Sam is made of win.]

I'm Gonna Be A Part Of It (Whether I Want To Or Not) by Fringedweller
Very strong and detailed "Darcy gets her life together" story, with some Bruce/Darcy (but it's way not the focus). Discussion of sex moves the rating to Mature, but there's no actual sex. Het Big Bang

Isn't This Nice? by cat_77
"Escorting three politicians to a SHIELD-sponsored meeting goes horribly wrong, as these things are wont to do." Team-centric adventure with excellent Hawkeye POV.

It's Electrifying by waketosleep
Darcy's POV is totally hilarious, and Clint's character is fleshed out nicely. Guest appearance by Tony Stark. (Sequel here.) KikiRec

Mama Bear by dsudis
[Marvel Cinematic Universe]
"How Natasha becomes Auntie Nat." I adore the characterization of Laura here.

Next New Message by fabrega
"This is how Clint Barton walks off his flight at LaGuardia, turns on his cell phone, and things go horribly wrong." Or, where was Clint during "Winter Soldier"? KikiRec

Night Run by ltlj
"An unknown group abducts Bruce Banner, and Tony has to work with Nick Fury to save him." Short but very solid Tony POV adventure; Tony and Fury are a riot (literally and figuratively).

One Single Yesterday by samalander
Madly adorable variation on the "Darcy teaches Steve pop culture" trope. There are Furbys and Nerf wars.

Paravigilante by turtle_paced
"Being besties with a guy who runs around in a mask at night beating up criminals has its issues. Or so Foggy�s coming to realise."

Pour Back The Ocean by imperfectcircle
"After the events of Age of Ultron, Wanda has to find a new place in the world. Contains team training exercises, expected grief and unexpected kindness." Lovely post-movie Wanda, very rich with characterization.

R&R by goseaward
Bruce fic, wandering around Stark Tower and making himself at home. Lots of Tony, bonus Pepper, and almost everyone else slides through.

Robot Trip by copperbadge
"Tony is driving from Malibu to Manhattan with a robot in the back seat and Captain America riding escort at Pepper's behest. What could possibly go wrong?" I love a good roadtrip story and this one is awesome.

Rowing in Eden by ancarett
Lovely long post-Thor fic: Jane works to repair the Bifrost Bridge before Midgard is once again cut off -- with Thor on the other side.

Samsara by xahra99
Post-movie caper fic. Clint and Natasha. In Tibet. KikiRec

Six Meetings Before Lunch by victoria p (musesfool)
Completely adorable Steve and Thor bonding. Link fixed

The Soldier And The Hurricane by copperbadge
"When the Winter Soldier fails to kill Howard and Maria Stark and is taken prisoner in the summer of 1967, his salvation comes in the unlikely form of a Russian-speaking, father-disobeying, endlessly-tinkering seventeen-year-old: Tony Stark."

Like a Mirror, Reflecting Me by ModernMyth
[Marvel Cinematic Universe]
"'It's scary, you know? Caring about people.' Fills in the blanks between Avengers movies, showing how Natasha and Bruce come to care about each other" Strong Natasha POV building a believable relationship.

Snowblindness by CloudAtlas
"They were in the Central Alps in Austria, in December at night fall, because if Clint Barton was going to be compromised, he was going to do it properly. And apparently that meant doing so in stupidly inaccessible places in the snow." Or, Clint gets saved by the rescue mission from hell. Pre-canon

Source Code by Closer
"Steve finds himself in the unenviable position of having to either prove he's himself or listen to the news media continue to speculate that he's a robot, a clone, or a lunatic." Steve-centric story, with great Tony on the side.

Spark by Siria
"There's someone sitting on the porch." Tag to first episode of AoS, that really should have happened.

Spectrum by irnan
You're going to want to read almost everything by Irnan, because it's all varying degress of excellent, but if you start here, everything else in the Interesting Landings series will make a little more sense. Check the pairings warnings on her stories if that matters, as it changes without warning. KikiRec

still officially lost by pollyrepeat
Coulson learned to be dead-pan by making sure Clint Barton survived adolescence. Funny and touching, largely au origin story for Hawkeye; the Coulson voice is terrific.

there's trees in the desert since you moved out by irnan
"aka Team America's Excellent Adventure: wherein Natasha Romanov kicks off a road trip and talks about her feelings, Steve Rogers moves back to Brooklyn and learns to kiss (and talks about his feelings), Sam Wilson takes a sabbatical and racks up a simply astronomical cell phone bill (and talks about his feelings), and Bucky Barnes blows people up off-screen and (in a shocking twist) talks about his feelings." I am in love with this story. Excellently in-character Steve/Natasha, with bonus!AoS.

Unexpected Every Time by hariboo_smirks
Five Times Darcy walks in on Sif and Loki having sex. Screamingly funny, and oddly sweet in spots; Darcy's POV is perfect. KikiRec

We'll Run Like We're Awesome by themonkeycabal
Tony-is-Darcy's-father, but done integrating Tony into Darcy's life from childhood. Well-written, and everyone is absolutely believable (I expect nothing less from this writer).

We're Just A Bunch Of Space Cases by hariboo
An ill-advised bet leads to ill-advised science, or, Jane and Tony build a warp drive. ALL of the laughs.

well, let the drum beat drop by jonesandashes and pollyrepeat
Brillaint Tony voice, and the last scene alone is totally worth the price of admission. KikiRec

Which Part of You Will You Let Live Again? by lit_chick08
"Bucky survives the war but Steve does not. Eventually he ends up at the SSR with Peggy." Ignore the tags, this is gen and lovely.

Wingthieves by Sholio
Or, how they stole the wings from Fort Meade. Great Sam POV.

a world of darkness//a world of silence by Mizzy
"Clint and Natasha meet Bruce while on a mission in the middle of nowhere. It could be a coincidence if it was just them, but it's not." Team building, sort of.... (You can mostly ignore the tags.)

Agent Carter

Black Water Rising by Sholio
"An apparently abandoned Hydra facility turns into a deathtrap for Peggy and the SSR team. Set after 1x08." Sholio does it again -- suspenseful and claustrophobic.

vinegar and cellophane by oh_simone
"Daniel Sousa doesn't really end his SSR missions with explosions just to make life harder for Interim Chief Jack Thompson, but it sure is a nice bonus." Sousa POV on life after season 1.

Agents of SHIELD

Polyglot in Collective by BlackEyedGirl
"The thing she realises? It's not that Fitz and Simmons don't speak English, it's that Ward doesn't speak person." The Skye and Ward interaction is worth it.

Built On Questions (Mostly Unanswered) by BlackEyedGirl
"SHIELD rebuilds, and Skye has questions." Good (albeit au) addressing of many AoS post-S1 issues, particularly Fitz, and solid interludes with Skye and Ward.

the family jewels by owlvsdove
Skye and Trip reproduce. Cutely, of course. KikiRec

Guardians of the Galaxy

It Takes Two Thieves, a Maniac, and an Assassin... by Eclectic_Goddess
"By unspoken agreement, they take turns watching over Groot. It's not an exciting job at first." I have no resistance to Baby Groot. KikiRec

Prison Break #24 by Zinnith
"Rocket has twenty three successful prison breaks under his belt. This should be easy. Until it's not." Interesting POV on life as an intelligent animal (and the idiocy of other so-called sapient beings).

A Van, With Wood Paneling by missbecky
"The Milano just isn't big enough for all of them. Especially not when they're all still learning not to kill each other. And that's not even taking into account how big Groot's gonna get once he's done growing. So with great reluctance, Peter announces that he's in the market for a new ship."