This year, I was foolish enough to do not one but two holiday fic exchanges. Fortunately, I managed to a) finish things for both, and b) get absolutely amazing gifts in return!

For yuletide, my own fic is still anon, but I received Summer Rain, based on the song "Jolene." It reads as an original high fantasy short story with fun worldbuilding, political intrigue, and lots of play with genderbending, interesting female leads, and sexualities. I love it, and you should totally read it!

For alumpofcoul, I received A Friend in Need, by the superlatively generous ladydeathfaerie. It's a long, delicious Avengers fic in which Pepper, Phil, and Clint join forces to top Tony and help get him out of his head, and it's filled with all sorts of sexy kink. I'm so delighted by it (and a little disturbed at how apparently predictable my literary kinks are? :-D).

Finally, also for alumpofcoul, I Did a Thing.

Specifically, I decided that rather than picking a particular pairing and writing a story about them, it was a good plan to incorporate all of my recipient's pairings into a Choose Your Own Adventure erotic romp. All I can say is, hey, I had fun. :-D

You're a Good Man, Phil Coulson
by Sinope, for allofthefandoms
Rating: explicit (no warnings)
Kinks: many, mostly BDSM-related (see the endnotes if you want details)
Possible pairings: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson/Natasha Romanov, Phil Coulson/Pepper Potts, Phil Coulson/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Phil Coulson/Nick Fury, Phil Coulson/Steve Rogers, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson/Pepper Potts/Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark

Summary:
You are Philip J. Coulson: agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., mild-mannered spy, part-time resident of Stark Avengers Tower, and part-time babysitter for a team of agents investigating budding superheroes. It's a busy life, but the rewards are worth it.

(A kinky, polyamorous "Choose Your Own Adventure" fic.)

Spent this evening watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame on Netflix. I adored this movie when I was younger, and it's no surprise why. Cathedrals and medieval Europe, songs and hymns, pining and obsession, religion as a source of both evil and good.

But even more than that, it's easy to see the lessons I absorbed. Being different is nothing to be ashamed of. Chosen family will support you through anything. Those entrenched in structures of power will oppress the marginalized, all the while justifying it by Othering their victims.

I probably can't blame the movie for making me a liberal. It certainly didn't hurt, though.

Title: Perfect
Pairing: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, R
Length: 8,271 words
Summary: "But you were at least interested in men, right?" In which Loki left Clint with an extra gift, and everything is perfect, right up until it isn't.

Note: This fic deals with issues of sexuality and a subject that may be interpreted as dub-con. Please see the endnotes for spoilery warnings if you're concerned about triggers. It's also not exactly a happy story.

This is one of those stories that I'm really proud of.

Also available at the AO3.

( 'Let me know if I'm hurting you,' Clint says. )

Title: The Sixth of July
Pairing: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, and the various permutations thereof
Length: 14,206 words
Summary: Clint loves Phil; Phil has a Captain America kink; Tony likes sex. Omelets, Duck Hunt, power outages, and a very happy birthday ensue.

Note: This started as an idea for a PWP about Clint/Phil and Steve/Tony as established couples who spend an evening together. It ended up having even more lead-up sex, lots of fluffy feelings (especially of the C/C variety), exploration of polyamory, and just a bit of Steve hero worship. Despite the fact that it's mostly filthy smut, I'm actually pretty proud of it.

Fic contains various kinks, but everything's consensual; if you're concerned about triggers, everything is listed in the endnotes.

Also available at the AO3.

( It starts like this: 'I watched you while you were sleeping.' )

Title: Tilting into the Wind
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov. Explicit.
Length: 2066 words
Summary: Steve wants to stop time for a little while. Natasha helps.

Note: So quigonejinn wrote All things are well, which is amazing and heart-shattering, and I told her that it made me want to give Steve some nice fluffy sex to cheer him up. Then this happened, and "fluffy" isn't quite the right word for "Natasha fists Steve gently until he cries." Oops. Anyway, this story can be read as a stand-alone.

Also available at the AO3.

( He's suddenly reminded of the time that Natasha taught him to pilot the Quinjet, one hand on his shoulder as he took the pilot's seat. )

Title: Combat Ready
Pairing: Hawkeye (Clint Barton)/Phil Coulson. PG-13.
Length: 1061 words
Summary: Tony makes Coulson a field suit. Then he ends up enjoying the sight of it a bit too much for Clint's comfort.

Note: Another fluffy cookie for the #feelschatters. :-)

Also available at the AO3.

( 'I maintain, Man of Iron, that a flowing mantle would but enhance his virile form.' )

Hey look, I ficced again. Twice. (Though the other one's a silly cookie.)


Title: Conviction
Pairing: Hawkeye (Clint Barton)/Phil Coulson, Clint Barton/PJ. Mature.
Length: 8,407 words
Summary: Coulson gets reborn as a kid named PJ, Hawkeye's biggest fan. Now all he has to do is convince Clint to give him a shot. History repeats itself, but it takes time.

Note: Based on dizmo's scenario in Biggest Fan, but set a further ten years in the future. Can be read as a standalone. Immeasurable thanks to everyone in #feelschat for the cheerleading, but particularly to Erin for inspiring and encouraging all the PJ fic.

Also available at the AO3.

( He dreams about driving through the desert with Clint, bickering, debating the idea that the world still needs superheroes. )

Halp, I got eaten by a fandom. (Seriously, I haven't been this into a fandom -- reading, writing, thinking thinky things -- since Harry Potter, and it's been years and years since I was this passionate there. It's . . . fun, and scary, and really fun. Soon I'll be making Avengers icons and everything!)

Because I don't know how much of my flist is into Avengers, I've been starting to Tumble most Avengers-related stuff, like a post tonight about Loki, his altar in the museum, and the archaeology thereof. Who are y'all on Tumblr? Anywhere I should be following beyond Tumblr and AO3?

So, ah, I saw the Avengers. And then I started writing. And then it was over 16,000 words later, and I had this porny plotty D/s thing. Oops?

Title: Leaving Doubt to Fate
Pairing: Hawkeye (Clint Barton)/Phil Coulson, background Steve Rogers/Tony Stark. Explicit, with Dom/sub themes and play.
Summary: Clint doesn't have a functioning arm. Phil doesn't have a functioning body. They make it work.

Rejected titles for this story: "Ghost in the Machine," "How Clint Barton Got His Groove Back," "Phil Coulson Likes to Watch," "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

Note: This is completely movieverse only; there are various comics shout-outs, but other elements (e.g. Hawkeye's childhood) are entirely different. Also, like Jeremy Renner but unlike the comics, Clint's left-handed.

Also available at the AO3.


( Above a certain level of organizational importance, SHIELD agents don't get coffins. )

Preface: On our wedding day, I started calling marphod "spousey" as a term of endearment. So since the obvious plural of "spouse" is "spice," and I contain multitudes (or something), he calls me his spicey in return. Now . . .

( Silliness below the cut. )