ratcreature | Network

New Year's Resolution - Read for fun!

I want to read for fun, for pleasure, to reread old favourites, to read fan-fiction and not to be waylaid by 'should read..' or 'best of...' I'm planning to visit brick-and-mortar bookshops and take my own sweet time browsing and selecting a book to read. I'm going to pick a book which I want to read right now this minute, not one which looks interesting and will just be added to the TBR pile.

Inspired by this Tom Gauld cartoon which I have printed out and stuck on to the fridge.

bluapapilio

Watch on YouTube

@ Spotify

I don't know how long I'll live,
But I know how I want to live
Happiness, unhappiness, wealth, poverty—
I'm the one who decides
Don't touch 🎤
Fukuyama Masaharu - Seiiki [translation]

Current Mood: impressed

princessofgeeks

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

halfshellvenus

My pseudo-LEGO steamship project is done. This one was sturdier than the steampunk magic shop I built last year (different manufacturer, too). I only had to superglue one piece that kept disconnecting, although the silver... ballast tanks (? Whatever those are on the boats?) don't fully connect (they need some re-engineering), and those and the yellow tanks fall off easily. Still, super fun to build:

The Amazon link for that set is here.

I'll be going out for a bike ride soon. The rain has stopped for now, and we're not being plagued by the cold fog, so there should be some good weather ahead at least for a week. I rode outside TWICE in the last 6 1/2 weeks. That's how bad it's been— only a snow climate would have been worse! Not a typical winter for us at all.

I'll be riding during the 49ers playoff game. On purpose. I've hardly watched any games this season— too many injuries, so it's a nail-biter every time whether they'll squeak out a win. Still angry about the Super Bowl they lost, with too many key injuries over the course of the game. I think that was the Niners' year to win, and the referees lost it for them with questionable calls.

In garage biking, I'm almost to the end of Orphan Black, which is sad. I've really enjoyed it. I'm also close to the end of The Walking Dead, after which I'll have to try one of the spin-offs for biking purposes. I need really engaging TV for garage-biking, and a high level of peril accomplishes that nicely. I've also been watching Is It Cake? out there. I enjoy that series, though I'm getting near the end of its last season as well. I can't fathom why the S3 contestants are so prone to baking vanilla cakes, though. Do you want your cake to impress the judges with its flavor, if the win comes down to that? Then WTF would you pick vanilla? It's as "meh" as you can get. OTOH, I personally would not risk matcha or Earl Grey as a main flavor, either. Those are acquired tastes. And S2 Miko's propensity for using mango always seemed risky. People tend to either love it or hate it, and I'm on the "hate" side.

Monday will be my first day back at work, after 3 weeks off. It's been great— I'm not ready to go back. I got virtually no home projects done during that time off (doesn't that always seem to be the way), apart from Christmas stuff. But the relaxation was nice! \o/

trobadora

How is tomorrow Monday again already?! Someone stole my weekend!

According to yesterday's poll, approximately 75% of respondents think about structure in some fashion while writing. POV sections, parallels and repetitions got the most votes.

As for me, I used to always pay attention to structure especially in terms of parallels and mirroring sections and such, even for very short pieces, but I lost that a little bit in recent years. I need to focus more on that again - I always felt it made things better! But for longer pieces, structure is still a basic part of how I conceive of a story.

One of the most obvious structuring elements is with multiple POVs, and I always try to have them alternate in a clear pattern. For example, my Yuletide fic this year has four chapters, structured by location, and the POV pattern was AAB-BBA:

Chapter 1 - POV A
Chapter 2 - POV A, POV B
Chapter 3 - POV B
Chapter 4 - POV B, POV A

The story is mostly written in close limited 3rd person, but I also started each chapter with a more distant/mythic omniscient POV and then zoomed in on the character.

60% of respondents agree that no poll is complete without tickyboxes. My people! *g*

I haven't been keeping up with Star Trek for ages, but I was curious about the upcoming Starfleet Academy show and looked into things a little. And video reviews aren't usually my thing, but I just watched most of this video, and it makes it sound very promising! Here's hoping.

Today's writing

Instead of working to finish anything, I've started something new. Why, brain, why?

WED Question of the Day

Poll #34070

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 22

View Respondents

What POV do you like to write in?

View Answers

first person
6 (27.3%)

second person
3 (13.6%)

third person omniscient
7 (31.8%)

third person limited
20 (90.9%)

other (see comments)
0 (0.0%)

What POV do you like to read in?

View Answers

first person
11 (50.0%)

second person
3 (13.6%)

third person omniscient
15 (68.2%)

third person limited
18 (81.8%)

other (see comments)
3 (13.6%)

My writing preferences for fanfic and original fic are ...

View Answers

the same
12 (54.5%)

different (see comments)
6 (27.3%)

I only write one of these
4 (18.2%)

My reading preferences for fanfic and original fic are ...

View Answers

the same
14 (63.6%)

different (see comments)
8 (36.4%)

I only read one of these
0 (0.0%)

I want a story from the POV of a tickybox

View Answers

yes! ticky that box!
18 (85.7%)

????
5 (23.8%)

NO
2 (9.5%)

Tally

( Days 1-5 )

Day 6:

alightbuthappypen,

badly_knitted,

brithistorian,

carenejeans,

china_shop,

cornerofmadness,

goddess47,

luzula,

ofmonstrouswords,

sanguinity,

shadaras,

sylvanwitch,

the_siobhan,

trobadora,

ysilme

Day 7:

badly_knitted,

brithistorian,

carenejeans,

china_shop,

cornerofmadness,

goddess47,

ofmonstrouswords,

shadaras,

sanguinity,

sylvanwitch,

trobadora

Day 8:

badly_knitted,

brithistorian,

carenejeans,

china_shop,

cornerofmadness,

goddess47,

ofmonstrouswords,

sanguinity,

shadaras,

sylvanwitch,

trobadora

Day 9:

badly_knitted,

brithistorian,

carenejeans,

china_shop,

cornerofmadness,

goddess47,

sanguinity,

shadaras,

sylvanwitch,

trobadora

Day 10:

badly_knitted,

brithistorian,

carenejeans,

china_shop,

cornerofmadness,

goddess47,

luzula,

sanguinity,

shadaras,

sylvanwitch,

trobadora

Day 11:

china_shop,

trobadora

Let me know if I missed anyone! And remember you can drop in or out at any time. :)

snickfic

Incredible work by Noel's socmed person. The combo of text and image is *chef's kiss*. Original is here on his official insta. (No I am still not over Liam appearing on Noel's socials in case you were wondering!!)

tozka

🎬 The Residence: Created by Paul William Davies. With Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Molly Griggs, Ken Marino. Inside the White House's staff residence and the lives which workers share with the First Family. 🔗

Binge rewatched The Residence today and I liked it much more this time around (tho I still think it's a bit too long).

In my first watch, I was too anxious to get to the solution and it became frustrating when they went on tangents. Knowing the solution and watching it again was much more fun. I enjoyed the humor more and caught some things about the murder motive that I missed the first time around.

I wish they'd do another season, or even a movie! I love the Cordelia Cupp character.

sholio

I FOUND IT AGAIN. I read a post on Tumblr a while back on a particularly nicely done instance of color symbolism with Londo on B5, and I finally found it. (More beneath the cut.)

( Spoilers for the whole show )

boxofdelights

We were walking the dogs yesterday and I took a photo that got 405 favorites and 226 boosts on Mastodon:
( A little free library in a tree trunk, and the book I took from it )

Neighborhoods always feel better with Little Free Libraries.

roga

...........see I made that previous post and now now I finally feel like I can make a post about normal! life! stuff! and fandom!!! this is exciting.

I will just say that I am, as one would expect, WELL on the Heated Rivalry train. After finishing the show and the main youtube-reaction-podcasts/videos, I needed more so I went ahead and read the books the show was based on, and then immediately read the other books in the series, and my MAIN loves are Ilya and Shane, my close second favorites are EVERY SINGLE OTHER SHIP IN THAT SERIES, I am so far gone my god. I'm now debating whether I need a break from hockey novels (to be clear, a break means moving on to fics), or whether I should continue to Rachel Reid's standalone hockey novels, despite the fact that her books make me, well, very distracted when I should be working, which is not ideal. I think maybe it would be smarter to hold off for the weekend.

For now, I have written zero words of HR fics but have many ideas, so if anyone has any idea of how to get writing without a yuletide deadline forcing me to, please let me know! Also: if there are any HR fic exchanges I am happy to hear about them. I'm not in any HR-dedicated discords and do not think I will stumble upon such an exchange independently.

Other than that, more fandom yays:
-The Pitt season 2 \o/
-Stranger Things final season! That one is less of a \o/ lol, but I still enjoyed watching it, criticisms and all. I love those kids.
-A Thousand Blows is back for the second half of its season! I haven't watched it yet but I loved the first half and can't wait for more.
-New Josh Charles show aka Best Medicine! Okay, it's not great yet, but I'm giving it a chance.
-Avengers Doomsday trailers! I have them but I love them ugh Marvel are truly assholes for doing this to me.
-Over on AO3, spqr has been posting Masters of the Air fics which have been so great they have sucked me right into that fandom.
-(Interspersed, of course, by HR fics, naturally)

And on the local theater front: I went to the new production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle yesterday, at Habima theater. Other than being one of my favorite plays, and absolutely timeless in message, it was such a gorgeous production. Beautiful set design, including a constantly shifting backdrop of sand art that was sculpted live by the actors on stage; beautiful compositions and singing; great acting, and a great translation. It was maybe a little more immersive than Brecht would have liked, but sorry dude, if you don't want me getting emotionally invested in your characters you should have stopped writing emotionally investing stories!)

I couldn't find a trailer for the production, but if you have any interest in what it looked like, there are snippets of the stage and cast here.

case posting in

fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6946 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 46 secrets from Secret Submission Post #992.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

roga

I wrote this on the week of October 13th – maybe one or two days later – and never finished the post, so never posted the post, and here I am stuck in this limbo of how do you post about anything when I still haven’t addressed That. So I will just was that now and take it from there.

( flashback to October musings )

sanguinity

Is it too late to post about Yuletide? Surely not!

For Yuletide 2024, I tried to pick up a Hornblower-TV pinch-hit. Alas, even though I had the first part of the story written, I wasn't quick enough to get assigned the pinch-hit. Which turned out just as well, because the story stalled out and while I told myself I could post it as a treat, I never finished it. I ended up quasi-trunking it that spring as a hopeless job.

But in November I finally figured out what its plot needed to be (sadly, it would require a complete rewrite!), and then one of the Yuletide 2025 requests was even a better match for the overhauled story than the original 2024 pinch-hit would have been. So I rewrote it, and published as a Yuletide treat, hurrah:

The Worst Part of Waking Up for BromeliadDreams

Bush/Hornblower

Hurt/Comfort, Dying Declarations, First Kiss (is also the) Last Kiss (or it should have been damnit), Everybody Lives (as embarrassing as that is for some), When He Made This Bed He Wasn't Expecting to Wake Up In It, Episode: Loyalty

Summary:

At the end of Loyalty, Bush is too late to save Hornblower. With his dying breath, Hornblower requests a kiss from Bush…

…only to wake up a week later and discover he's going to live after all. Damnit.

The title btw, was only meant to be provisional, but it was as sticky as fuck and time was tight and I never got around to changing it. I do realize it's the perfect title for a Folgers Incest fic (and I had a serious conversation with myself about whether I really wanted to waste such a great title on the wrong fandom), but in the end I don't have any real ambition to write Folgers Incest fic. And anyway, it's funny. So there it stayed, sorry for the earworm.

This morning I was tidying my WIP folder, archiving the stories I've finished since the last time I cleaned up, and remembered I still had the first version of the story, which is in Bush-pov. I still like it very much, and it's mostly all stuff that doesn't appear in the rewrite, except by implication.

So this morning I published it as a bonus:

Too Late, Too Late

Hornblower/Bush

POV William Bush, Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Episode: Loyalty

Summary:

Bush is too late to the beach to stop the firing squad.

Bonus Bush point-of-view on the beach scene.

One of the things I love about fic is that there doesn't have to be one canonical version; you can post alternate povs and alternate endings, and bits and bobs and scraps of things. And a lot of times people enjoy them! And if they don't enjoy them, they don't have to click. It's great.

So if Bush-pov on the beach scene is the kind of thing you might enjoy: enjoy!

snickfic

One of my favorite aspects of Yuletide has become making a list of stuff from the tagset that I'm interested in checking out and then orienting my fall reading/watching around it. I'm generally bad at reading on a theme, but it turns out "maybe I can write this for Yuletide" is a theme that does work.

I thought this year I'd record for posterity what all I tried:

The hits:
Moby Dick reread
Red Rooms (2023)
The Shadow of the Leviathan
The Secret of Chimneys
Short films My Sister and the Prince, Corvidae, Serpentine, Possibly in Michigan, and The Vampire Gastelbrau

The misses:
Strangers on a Train - did not enjoy this! DNFed with 60 pages to go!
Pern reread - wooof the misogyny
Crooked House (2017) - a deeply mediocre Christie adaptation
Battle Royale (2000) - idk man, it was fine?
The Starving Saints
The Incandescent
Rotherweird
The Ascent of Rum Doodle - this was Too Silly

The... other?
Crash (1996) - I can't tell if I liked it, but I wrote a fic for it, so!

oursin

Last week's bread held out for most of the week.

Friday night supper: ven pongal (South Indian khichchari).

Saturday breakfast rolls: Tassajarra method, 50:50% wholemeal/strong white flour, maple syprup, dried cranberries, turned out nicely.

Today's lunch: game crumble - the game mix (partridge, pheasant and venison) casseroled in red wine with onion, garlic, bay leaf, juniper berries, coriander seed, 5-pepper blend and salt, before putting the crumble topping (mixture of approx 2:1:1 wholemeal flour/strong white flour/pinhead oatmeal) on for the final half-hour; served with tenderstem broccoli tips which I cooked thusly - sizzled some chopped ginger and cumin seeds in oilve oil, turned the broccoli in this, added some water and steamed for half an hour, turned out rather well although I think the original recipe said fennel seeds....; and stirfried tat soi.

rthstewart

it's [almost] heeeeeeeeerrrre

threesentenceficathon begins 17 January.

Schedule is here.

Dust off those prompts!

wychwood

Friday morning we had about 8-10cm of snow and public transport wasn't running, so I worked from home. All the main roads around me were clear pretty much throughout, but side roads etc didn't get clear - and then everything half-melted and refroze so anywhere that still had snow got pretty miserable. The pavements on my way to church yesterday had about 3-4cm of lumpy ice, and it was not a fun time, although it also didn't feel particularly dangerous as long as I walked carefully.

At ten minutes before Mass we had six people in the building including me, the priest, and one other altar server. As we went in we'd hit about twenty, and by the end of the homily we were up to 45, which is a bit under half the usual number (although there were a lot of unfamiliar faces, possibly coming to a closer church than they would usually attend?). I was very surprised by the number of latecomers; I left home half an hour earlier than usual, to be sure of getting there OK, and it's not like anyone didn't know there was ice everywhere. I can understand not coming in those conditions, but just, idk, leaving at the usual time? that seems weird to me!

Anyway, it's warmed up a lot today and has been raining for a couple of hours; remnants of the packed ice will no doubt hang around for a while, but hopefully most of the pavements will be more-or-less clear tomorrow morning when I leave for work.

Dad's off to France again this week, so I'm back over there next Monday for the week. My chances of ever catching up with the laundry are receding into the distance and I'm starting to feel stressed about the weekend after, since I'll be there until Sunday morning, then into a double choir rehearsal, then back in the office on the Monday. Probably it will be fine but I need to do a lot of thinking about food planning etc at some point this week. I was having such a nice relaxing time too!!!

rthstewart

The spousal unit and I spent 5 days in Normandy, France last year touring D-Day sites as well as Mont Saint Michel and a bit of Paris. We stayed in Bayeux (Tapestry!) and spent two days touring the British and Canadian becahes and sites, and then the American sites. We were able to go back and spend a full day at Pegasus Bridge and the Merville Gun Battery.

We had lunch at the Ham and Jam creperie right across the street from the sadly closed Gondree Cafe. It's so sad now to think of the US going to war with its French and British allies because Drump psychologically needs to invade Greenland.

NGL it was awesome to see the inspiration for my stories in real life and to realized that yeah, I got pretty damned close. I cried a few times, thinking of how much I wrote, how hard I worked at it, and wondering if I would ever get that again. Wonderful. And so personally devastating too.

A few pics below.

Château de Bénouville

Posters on Av. du Commandant Kieffer, Bénouville, France which crosses the Caen Canal where the original Pegasus Bridge stood and Operation Tonga

Major John Howard Avenue, Pegasus Bridge Sign, and Marker where Horsas crashed

Wally Parr's Number 1 gun "I didn't know it was going to be a quiet war."

Ultra report on Operation Tonga

And last, the gravesite of Lt. Den Brotheridge (maybe not the first casualty of D-Day). As it turns out, there's a very different tradition between American vs Canadian/British fallen. Americans are collected in single, solemn, uniform sites; Canadian and Britsh are interred where they fell. So Normandy is dotted with scores of tiny church graveyards with Canadians and British who died there.

The stained glass windows throughout Normandy churches, including the cathedral in Bayeux, are a mix of traditional Catholic iconography and signs and insignias of the D-Day operations, including parachutes, flying horses, St George and the Dragon, eagles, and service insignia, all in stained glass.

rthstewart

No, don't panic (if you're still here and reading) not out, out as in dead. but on Tumblr someone commented, essentially, whoa, rthstewart is retiring? I didn't know she was that old. Yep. I'm old. Yep, I'm retiring 12/31/26 and will return to fic and chasing wolves and bears in American national parks. I am reminded of the Bujold quote, "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards". None of those really apply. In my field, reputation probably matters more than honor and if I don't stop soon, I won't outlive the bastards.

( about health )

Once you reach a certain age, I think we'd like to think there will be parties, balloons, and celebration of a 40+ year career. That there will be some sort of capstone. But, that doesn't seem to be the reality. ( short work blather )

So that's all the news here.

In other news, I realized I never shared a particular highlight. I finally made it to Normandy! It was magical. I'll post some pics of my time (2 DAYS) at Pegasus Bridge, Bénouville.

Here are two pics of the doggos! Kili and my Christmas present, Big Book of Bread, which is fabulous

.

And Kili and Komo at Christmas

cap_ironman_fe posting in

cap_ironman

This year, 76 wonderful works were created for our annual event!

Thank you all very much for participating, whether it was by writing, arting, submitting the prompts for the Community Gifts, cheerleading the creators, beta reading, leaving comments on works or guessing the creators! We hope you had lots of fun.

Here, finally, is the masterlist revealing the creators of each work created for the Cap-IM Holiday Exchange and Community Gifts event! Please remember to mind the tags and warnings for individual works, and leave kudos and comments on those you've enjoyed!

Drumroll please!

★ Afterglow by KandiSheek for xWinterDreamsx (MCU, 1308 words)

Steve had thought that it would feel more surreal, but in the early morning light, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Grass was green, the sky was blue, and Steve had slept with Tony Stark. Life was good.

★ Against All Arrangement by CapsicleRogers for wylanllupin (MCU, 28753 words)

When Tony's late father arranges for him to marry Captain Steve Rogers—the man's perfect alpha protégé—Tony is furious. This is just Howard's final attempt to control him, to prove an omega can't rule alone, to breed "superior" alpha genetics into the Stark line. The sex is incredible, but Tony refuses to let it mean anything. Suddenly he's pregnant, attracted, and convinced Steve's devotion is just dutiful performance.
Steve on the other hand has loved Tony for years, but has no way or to truly prove it to Tony, who resists every attempt. But Steve is patient and careful, hoping not to live out the rest of his marriage heartbroken, but he has no idea how to prove that his feelings are genuine. Through illness, danger, and resisting themselves, will Steve finally convince Tony of the truth? Will Tony be able to admit that he's been falling for Steve all along?

★ AI and the Wolf by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel-ambiguous fandom, 500 words)

ANTH-ONI is alone. Searching for a way not to be.

★ alone and flowered with frost by picturecat for EllyAvon (616, 5412 words)

There's a bluebird in the Arctic Circle.

It's like a bad poem, Tony thinks. Or maybe a good one, what would he know. The sound of birdsong over the howl of frozen wind is certainly remarkable.

★ Amour de soi (propre) by captainstars for LadyGigi (616, 3738 words)

SIM Tony gets stuck in a state of heat and is lost. He finds Capwolf buried in the ice and rescues him. Capwolf has no Idea where he is but his instincts force him to protect the omega he is stuck with.

★ ART FOR [Amour de soi (propre)] by captainstars for Cap Iron Man Community, LadyGigi (616, art)

SIM Tony ends up in Capwolf's world.

★ as alive as you need me to be by Kiyaar for jetskii (616, 2302 words)

The war dies when they're done killing each other. After, they have to live.

★ Bare Metal and Bones by Naivelittleprincess for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 3109 words)

"I don't sneak around, your highness. I take. In broad daylight—“
Anthony's spine hit the hard edge of the sill. The Captain loomed over him as he uttered his next words very carefully. Deliberately. Like he was promising him a terrible gift.

"Much like a pirate."

★ Bat Snuggles by Fluffypanda for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 300 words)

Vampire Tony uses his bat form to get Steve cuddles

★ Blast it! by zappedbysnow for mountweazel_aka_fohatic_in_a_balaclava (1872, 410 words and art)

When Tony says, get out of the blast zone, you need to git and quick.

★ Call the Bots by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 200 words)

Steve's resting up in the hospital after a rough fight. Tony calls the bots.

★ The Captain's Bad Language by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, 400 words)

Spider-Man picks up a bad word from Captain America. Tony isn't impressed.

★ Caution: Too Hot!!! by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 200 words)

Tony visits the Avengers Compound to see how things are going. Accidents happen.

★ Come fly with me by cococris for picturecat (616, 3246 words)

Steve learns how to fly the armor. It has unexpected consequences.

★ Come Home For Christmas by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 800 words)

It's Christmas Eve. Steve is away on a mission, and Tony is at a charity event worrying about him.

★ Drama in the Group Chat by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 400 words)

Clint was trying to watch a movie. Why did Stark have to pick now, of all times, to mess up in the group chat?

★ Five Years Late (for Christmas) by CapsicleRogers for SoldiersShield (Marvel's Avengers, 11036 words)

It's Christmas on the Chimera and Tony's focusing on making up for lost time with Steve. Steve doesn't mind that Tony's going all out, but it's making it difficult to find a time to confess his feelings.

★ Floofy Cuddles by icrowler for DepressingGreenie (Avengers Assemble, Art)

★ Forgive not forget by captainstars for Cap Iron Man Community, soliloquent (616, art)

steve's been dead for years. tony builds versions of him, half-finished androids that never are quite right.

★ A Gold Haze by starvels for captainstars (616, 6079 words)

The armor is malfunctioning. Since Tony is the armor now, it means hitting his reset button is a hands-on job.

★ For the good of the Kingdom by SomeSortofItalianRoast for Cap Iron Man Community, wylanllupin (MCU, 3669 words)

His Royal Highness, Prince Anthony of Stark, Crown Prince and Heir Apparent to the Throne of The Kingdom of Manhattan must marry Sir Stephen of Rogers, Duke of Brooklyn, for ‘the good of the Kingdom’ by years end.

★ The Hangover by EllyAvon for iron_and_cum (sex_and_cum) (616, 6887 words)

(616 Invincible IM v5) but make it The Hangover. Tony's about to get married to Emma in Vegas and throws a bachelor party (Steve's there obvs). Everyone wakes up the next morning with no memory of what happened the night before, their hotel room in disarray, and Tony missing. THEY GOTTA FIND TONY WITHOUT EMMA FINDING OUT!

★ Home for the Holidays by bererjs for gryvon (MCU, art)

When two men find themselves alone for the Holidays they find out that they were never alone, and they have always had each other. Now they have to rush against time to go for home for the Holidays and to each other and their found family.

★ Home to Roost by BladeoftheNebula for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 3040 words)

He never meant for it to be a habit. Or something he did at all, really.

If he had to, he'd swear it to anyone - the first time was not his fault.

Every time after, however? He was absolutely pleading the fifth.

★ I can't be too late (to say that I was so wrong) by SomeSortofItalianRoast for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 655 words)

Post break up AU, running into each other accidentally over the holidays at the airport

★ I heard the risk is drowning (but I'm gonna take it) by wylanllupin for Reioka (MCU, 14814 words)

"The bond between people makes everything more magical than being strangers."

It sounds lovely, of course it does. That's why there are so many books, films and songs about it, still doesn't mean Tony can — or should, for all that matters — have something like that. He doesn't deserve it, no matter what Steve says. "Yeah, sure… whatever."

He thought the argument was over, but then Steve proposes an idea. "I bet I can prove to you that having a relationship is better than having new flings every day."

And that just sounds ridiculous.

or; In Tony's line of work, relationships are wishful thinking. He's fine with a fling here and there, but somehow his co-worker, leader, and somewhat friend, Steve Rogers seems to disapprove of Tony's lifestyle. He proposes an idea; them dating for ten days, to prove Tony how much better a committed relationship is compared to flings and that he deserves this love. Thinking it is a joke, he agrees, but having Steve as his Alpha is more than he ever dreamed of... but it's not real. At least not for Steve, right?

★ I see the stars (and they remind me of you) by cosm1cx for Damewhore (Avengers Assemble, 7883 words)

Tony and Steve are having a hard time in their relationship. In a desperate attempt to spend some much needed time together before the holidays come in full swing, Tony – with the help of the team – organizes a week-long vacation including him and Steve alone in the mountains, sleeping in a cabin.

This is the tale of their perfect-as-it-could be first day.

★ if you really hold me tight by ishipallthings for SomeSortofItalianRoast (MCU, 2670 words)

As Steve has learned countless times since waking up from the ice seventy years into the future—even great plans can go awry. A sudden storm on their drive has now left him and Tony finding refuge at a slightly run-down motel for the night to wait out the storm.
To make matters worse (or better), they’re not the only ones stranded here by the unexpected storm. Which is why they’ve ended up in a room with only one bed—for the both of them.

★ i was thirsty, and you wet my lips by Thahire for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 2429 words)

Steve thinks about it. Thinks about breaking out of his calm headspace he’s in, getting up to use the bathroom, wash his hands, get back into it. It’s too much. He can’t risk it. He has waited too long for this moment.

And it’s not like he minds the dull pressure in his gut. The opposite, even. He experimentally tenses his stomach muscles and jerks when a shiver zaps through him and jostles his full bladder. It takes him a moment to find his bearings after the feeling passes, pulse rushing in his ears.

After some deliberation, he shakes his head. "I’m fine. I’ll wait."

★ i’ve killed everything but my shame by soliloquent for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2300 words)

“I watched you die,” Tony says, quietly. “You had a funeral.”

Steve snorts. “You didn’t even care enough to give a speech. You’re only brave behind closed doors, crying over my body like a coward.”

That’s when Tony’s strength gives out, exhaustion leaking into his joints now that the adrenaline has nowhere left to go. He sinks to his knees.

★ i've lost all control by xWinterDreamsx for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2266 words)

Because he didn’t have his stress relief any more. Couldn’t count on Tony to notice the tick in his jaw or the tone of his voice and get them somewhere private so that he could take it all away for him.
Steve missed that perfect mouth.

★ In a Love Affair with Iconic Style by Reioka for wingheads (MCU, 16730 words)

Steve accidentally tells the world he's dating Tony while Tony is in France making a business deal. But they're not dating. Tony turned him down the one time he got the courage to ask.

★ Invictus by captainstars for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1902 words)

“You’re offering to give me a serum-enhanced suppository, with your dick. It’s going to be a little magical.” Tony grinned at Steve’s flustered blush. Years later, and he could still get Cap’s panties in a twist.

Tony forced his fists to unclench, because when had that happened? Albeit, having the guy you’d been in love with for a decade offer to heal you with his state-protected semen was due a little anxiety.

★ Involuntary Cowboy Christmas by WyrmsBlood for icrowler (MCU, 6615 words)

Fed up with his irresponsible behavior and less then stellar lifestyle, Aunt Peggy sends her nephew to stay at her ranch out west in Lehigh, Shield Star Ranch, for the holiday season.
Expecting nothing but grief and misery, Tony's misfortune might just turn around when he meets resident ranch hand, Steve Rogers.

★ Island Boys by Neverever for Thahire (616, 4523 words)

Steve's been hired to hunt down the Gentleman Pirate Stark during the Golden Age of Piracy. Stark blows up his ship and they are deserted on Ocracoke Island. They need shelter and find a deserted house.

★ It's Not The End (I'll See Your Face Again) by termtom for BladeoftheNebula (MCU, 1588 words)

Tony and Steve have recently started dating and Tony has something to confess about his past. The conversation doesn't go the way either of them expect it to.

★ The Lab Fort by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 300 words)

A mysterious structure appears in Tony's lab as he works on a project.

★ A Lesson in Subtlety by lomku for Cap-IM Community, wylanllupin (MCU, 1215 words)

Tony and Steve get called to a meeting with PR.

★ Lost (and Found) in the Tower by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 200 words)

Tony can't find Steve anywhere in the Tower. So he asks JARVIS and gets an enlightening answer.

★ Make it more than a shot in the dark for cococris (616, 13322 words)

Tony swallowed, trying to figure out how to answer that with honesty in a way that wouldn’t ruin things. He really didn’t want to ruin things. “I—help me out here, sweetheart. Why are you being so—determined—about this? Yes, okay, if the situation was different I’d honestly be thrilled if Steve was jealous and wanted me—but I am with you. I want you. So it’s moot. Pointless. Irrelevant.”

Jan looked at him consideringly. “Maybe not.”

★ Man Without A Soul by soliloquent for ishipallthings (MCU, 9687 words)

The serum strips Steve of his soulmark, because Captain America is loyal only to his country.

He falls in love with Tony Stark anyway.

★ Marrying Royalty by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 400 words)

Tony is a commoner marrying royalty.

★ My love, I'm in love with you by xWinterDreamsx for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1586 words)

"For a long time, I didn't know I loved you."

★ No Need For Isolation by Becci_chan for zappedbysnow (MCU,2499 words)

If Tony didn’t want them around, he had never invited them all to live in the tower in the first place. If he wanted complete solitude, there wouldn’t be a common room and Tony’s bedroom wouldn’t be on the same floor as everyone else’s. But why was his work always more important than Steve and the others?

★ Only this once, I have you by Alice216 for KandiSheek (616, 6225 words)

Steve & Tony got lost in a strange world together. But when Steve became a werewolf and got in rut, Tony took it upon himself to help his best friend (and secret crush) through it.

★ Open Your Eyes by dirigibleplumbing for annthonystark (616, 10759 words)

Tony, back in his physical body, is the personal captive of the Hydra Supreme Leader. He expects to be tortured; he doesn't expect to be raped.

★ Partner Material by gryvon for Becci_chan (MCU, 1219 words)

Peter hasn't been subtle about his dislike of Steve. JARVIS agrees with him and while JARVIS has been banned from trolling Steve, Peter hasn't. Yet. Still, he's not going to start something when they're supposed to be taking Morgan to see the Christmas decorations so he smiles and nods and politely greets Steve. He doesn't say anything, but he watches.

★ Perfect by zeerat for bererjs (MCU, 2922 words)

Every time Steve tries to propose, everything goes wrong, making him believe the universe has already answered the question he never got to ask Tony. But maybe the universe was just waiting for the perfect moment…

★ The Prince and the Painter by OscarTheSlouch for Fluffypanda (MCU, 25544 words)

Steve Rogers, art student and part-time employee at Erskine's Antiques and Watch Repair, does a favor for a strange man in a green coat. In exchange, Steve is granted one wish. Thinking of his stack of unpaid bills, he wishes that he didn't have to worry so much about money. Instead of funds in his bank account, Steve finds billionaire Tony Stark at his door with a bouquet of roses.

or

”What will it be, Steven Rogers?" asked the man in green. "True love? Absolute power? What is your heart’s desire?”

Right now, Steve's heart desired this commercial transaction to end. He wanted to sell the guy his paperweight and get him out of the shop. The man was obviously crazy, and Steve definitely hadn’t told him his name, so how did he know it?

“Don’t trouble yourself with the details,” the man said breezily, as if Steve had spoken aloud. “What about riches, Steven? Mortals always like riches. Do you desire riches?”

“Well, sure, I guess, but I’d settle for sixty plus tax.”

★ Put A Ring(ed tail) On It by Fluffypanda for CrayonsurPapier (MCU, 2565 words)

After three failed weddings, Steve and Tony are determined to make their fourth attempt a success, no matter what the world's villains throw their way.

★ Returning to Study by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1600 words)

Steve decides to return to study. Tony decides to get to know Steve better.

★ right where you left me by Thahire for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2238 words)

Steve can’t seem to stay away from the underground superhero sex parties, despite the ongoing Civil War.

Turns out, neither can Tony.

★ Set a Timer by Julien_Mayfair for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel comics, 1943 words)

Community Gift Prompt 196 - Cuntwarming

★ A Single Thin Straight Line by jetskii for citsiurtlanu (616, 30077 words)

After getting shot on the courthouse steps, Steve jumps through time, revisiting his most painful memories, as he struggles to process his feelings for Tony in the aftermath of the Civil War. What lays between them has always been fraught, as Steve guards the shameful secret of his soulmark. When Steve starts jumping through different realities, will he seek happiness and find a way to forgive Tony and himself – or accept that to be Captain America, Steve Rogers can't have a soulmate?

★ Situation Repeat by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel's Avengers, 300 words)

Steve is frozen in ice again.

★ Sodom by resurrectedhippo for starvels (616, 6072 words)

Memorandum for: C. DANVERS (Avengers Clearance Alpha, Power Level 8) and Dr. R. RICHARDS (Power Level 7)
AUTH: CO, SITE HB-1019
Preparer Initials: M.H.
Co-Signer Initials: N.F.

SPECIAL REVIEW: COVERT ACTION IN SUR KARA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MISSION #AB5291-R1-E1
Staff Report concerning Off-World Intelligence Activities
Notable Captives: Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Steve Rogers (Captain America)

★ Star Spangled **** by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (Avengers Assemble, 400 words)

Steve disappears from a party, so Tony goes looking for him.

★ Start Your Engines by SoldiersShield for soliloquent (MCU, 3597 words)

Hotshot rookie racer Tony Stark is a week away from the World Championship when his parents die in a car crash. He tries to outrun his grief across the California state line, but ends up stranded in the desert instead. Of course the only mechanic in a hundred mile radius would hate him on sight, right? If only Tony could figure out why he looks so familiar...

★ straw by wingheads for cosm1cx (616, art)

steve doesn't think it'll fit but tony says he'll make it fit.

★ the sunlight flaring in your body by Thahire for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 2905 words)

Tony squirms around, the feeling of being filled strangely satisfying, when other times it only makes him feel overstimulated. Maybe it’s the mood, early morning still, sun barely penetrating through the blinds. He sighs, allowing the feeling to settle in his body.

★ Take Us Back by citsiurtlanu for dirigibleplumbing (616, 11822 words)

When Steve tells Tony he wants to rekindle their relationship after nearly dying at Pleasant Hill, Tony declines, still guilt-ridden after their civil war. Then Tony learns that Steve might be Hydra, and he must determine not only the truth of Steve's allegiances, but just how much he fits into Steve's plans for the future.

★ Taken by the Sasquatch by BladeoftheNebula for WyrmsBlood (MCU, 6104 words)

Tony finally follows his dream of hunting for the elusive Bigfoot.
He gets more than he ever could've bargained for 😏

★ That big, ugly building by Julien_Mayfair for termtom (MCU, 2102 words)

He wishes they had a mirror so he could watch Tony’s hands on his body; his thumb’s over the vein on Steve’s cock; the fingers push in deeper, hooking forward.

★ A Timely Rescue Late One Christmas Eve by DarthBloodOrange (DepressingGreenie) for zeerat (1872, art)

Tony had not been feeling up to the crowds at Timely's Winter Festival this year. So, he slipped out of the crowd and went for a wander in the fading light. He hadn't expected to wander too close to the old Roxxon silver mines and the Savage Mountain.

★ To be Held by Something Reluctant to Let Go by Thahire for CapsicleRogers (MCU, 6574 words)

Tonight, at the banquet, he saw his worst fears come true: Tony courting the Princess, warm affection plain on his face. It was hardly the first time he’d seen Tony entertain a guest, but it was the first time he had looked truly content in someone else’s arms. The first time he hadn’t searched out Steve’s gaze across the room, a shared moment of stillness in their otherwise so busy world.

In the wake of Tony’s looming betrothal and an attempt on his life, Knight Steve and King Tony must finally confront their feelings for each other before it’s too late.

★ Together (At Long Last) by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 500 words)

Steve and Tony get drunk at one of the Avengers parties and manage to stumble their way into a relationship.

★ A Tsummy Situation by Neverever for Cap Iron Man Community (Marvel Tsums, Marvel Adventures: Avengers, 1330 words)

Tony Tsum clings to Steve every movie night. Tony needs to reclaim his seat.

★ The Underlings' Gift by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1100 words)

Steve's tired; the holidays were always rough. The last thing he wanted to hear from his soldiers was "Hey boss, we got you something, Merry Christmas!"

★ Vibranium-Capped Boots? by DepressingGreenie for Cap Iron Man Community (Avengers Assemble, 500 words)

Shuri is nervous about meeting the Avengers again after all that happened. But Steve Rogers helps out, in his own way (along with Stark).

★ We're All Born Naked, The Rest is Made Masterpieces by iron_and_cum (sex_and_cum) for Alice216 (616, 51097 words)

This is the life.
It is 1987. Steve Rogers is two years unfrozen into a political landscape that looks nothing like it was when he plunged into oblivion's beyond. There's a man in the White House who speaks in the tongue of certain death, he lives in a mansion on Fifth Avenue he once used to pass with his belly empty, and the easel gifted to him months ago sits unboxed, unused.
He used to think it was all... not fixable, but manageable. That people could live and exist and just be in peace if they all tried to mend what’s been broken these past few millennia or more – like that's not a tall order itself – or that at the very least, they could build a world where everyone striving towards better would be bolstered and those who wanted worse would be left behind in the dust.
And that’s the dream, isn’t it? That’s the dream. Dreaming is good. Steve dreams every night. He dreams of joy. He dreams of happiness and simpler things.
But, this is not a dream.
This is the life.
And life is not so simple.
All it takes is one voice - and one man's song - to change everything.

★ what remains by soliloquent for Cap Iron Man Community (MCU, 1754 words)

After nearly a decade out of the public eye, Steve Rogers agrees to speak.

★ what tomorrow could bring (today doesn't really know) by SomeSortofItalianRoast for Neverever (MCU, 3559 words)

Tony groaned as he wandered into his favorite coffee shop. He needed coffee. Lots of coffee. There was a hot blond guy sitting at his table. Sitting in his chair.

★ (what unmakes) a good man by mountweazel_aka_fohatic_in_a_balaclava for OscarTheSlouch (MCU, 10347 words)

A lonely, out-of-his-own-time Steve gets way too drunk on Asgardian liquor at the Christmas party and comes on to Tony. Tony knows better than to do anything about it, but exactly what you want is hard to resist.

★ wish/suck by annthonystark for resurrectedhippo (616, 1421 words)

He just needs Steve to come, he just needs to get through this.

He needs this to be over.

★ Wolves and Dogs by sexy_sinful_writer for Cap Iron Man Community (616, 2390 words)

In a Wolves' World, humans are the pets.

aka

Capwolf keeps Tony as a pet

★ [Art] X of Ruin by LadyGigi for Kiyaar (616, art)

Tony as the 10 of swords.

Were your guesses right? Are you surprised at something? You can post your reactions in our Cap-IM Discord server here!

And finally, if you participated in the event, feel free to post your work wherever you want now! We will be reblogging every tumblr post tagged with #capimexchange in one of the first five tags.

Thank you for a great event to start 2025 on!

🖤 annthonystark, Kiyaar, Neverever, and starvels
Your 2025 Holiday Exchange and Community Gifts mods

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RatCreature

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December 2022

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hunningham - New Year's Resolution
bluapapilio - 🔊 Daily music
princessofgeeks - NFL playoffs
halfshellvenus - Finished steamship!
trobadora - Write Every day 2026: January, Day 11
snickfic - (no subject)
tozka - watched: the residence
sholio - B5 color theorizing
boxofdelights - tree trunk library
roga - In completely different news
case in fandomsecrets - [ SECRET POST #6946 ]
roga - Six o'clock after the war
sanguinity - Belated Yuletide reveal: Hornblower, plus an extra
snickfic - final Yuletide canons tally
oursin - Culinary
rthstewart - 2026 Three Sentence Ficathon
wychwood - also have not finished reading one (1) actual book this year so far though i have purchased sixteen
rthstewart - Pegasus Bridge, Normandy
rthstewart - On the way out
cap_ironman_fe in cap_ironman - 2025 Cap-Iron Man Holiday Exchange and Community Gifts Creators Reveals & Masterpost

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New Year's Resolution

New Year's Resolution - Read for fun!

🔊 Daily music

NFL playoffs

Finished steamship!

Write Every day 2026: January, Day 11

(no subject)

watched: the residence

B5 color theorizing

tree trunk library

In completely different news

[ SECRET POST #6946 ]

Six o'clock after the war

Belated Yuletide reveal: Hornblower, plus an extra

final Yuletide canons tally

Culinary

2026 Three Sentence Ficathon

also have not finished reading one (1) actual book this year so far though i have purchased sixteen

Pegasus Bridge, Normandy

On the way out

2025 Cap-Iron Man Holiday Exchange and Community Gifts Creators Reveals & Masterpost

Profile

December 2022

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