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Fanfic Recs / Iron Man

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Proof that the remaining 10% is worth building your own armor for.

These are recommendations made by tropers for Iron Man fanfics, all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be zapped. Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

Do warn when a fanfic may head into sexually explicit or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.


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    Authors and Websites 

Metal Heart

  • Recommended by:
  • Comments: Fics set in an AU where Tony is a woman. May have been inspired by the fic Your Fixed Point by quigonejinn. Sadly, it has not updated since 2008.

Amonitrate

  • Recommended by:
  • Comments: Has a consistently high quality collection of Iron Man fics (many of which are character driven, canon-compliant, and good enough to make you feel like you were hit by a shovel) ranging from one-shots to a short novel.

Tony and Pepper

  • Recommended by:
  • Comments: A web site dedicated to all things Pepperony.

    General Fics 
Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.

Stark Transcendent by Roarian

  • Recommended by: rc48177
  • Status: Ongoing
  • Synopsis: "Let the future tell the truth, and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which I have really worked, is mine." — Nikola Tesla (1856-1943). An idea of what would have happened if, while in that cave in Afghanistan, so close to death, he caught the attention of beings more powerful than he could believe. A much darker yet hopeful path opens up for Tony Stark and he takes it.
  • Comments: A fun, action packed but also still very smart story that keeps you want to keep going until the end.

The Kids Aren't All Right by M (Archived here)

  • Recommended by: Lavanya Six, Polaris, Jonn, herpaderpgirl, Thalassa, Long Live Humour
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: It's been 'a hell of a year' since industrialist Tony Stark owned up to his alter ego in a move that stunned observers and longtime aides alike. With the US facing unprecedented homegrown suicide attacks, Iron Man's contribution to national security is more than ever under scrutiny. As she follows Stark during a year of crisis, exclusively for Vanity Fair, Christine Everhart explores the many contradictions of the man behind the mask, uncovers tales of personal loyalty, patriotism gone awry and corporate betrayal, and asks whether Iron Man is the embodiment of an outdated American fantasy — a self-made, unilateral, technological solution to hopelessly complex problems — and whether he can survive the violent encounter with reality.
  • Comments: A smart and insightful look into the reality of Iron Man.
    • Desperately needs a follow-up. As of Iron Man 2, the "self-made, unilateral, technological solution to hopelessly complex problems" is working, making this hand-wringing Jossed!
    • Very well-conceived and well-written, the story reads (and looks!) like an actual Vanity Fair biographical piece on Tony Stark as written by Christine Everhart. Thoughtful, smart, and definitely worth reading.

Revision by Kadigan

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Dormant
  • Synopsis: A canon-compliant expansion story of Tony Stark's kidnapping in Afghanistan.
  • Comments: This fic is well written and emotionally compelling. It truly expounds on how bad the Afghanistan incident was without adding in unrealistic details; for example, a decent portion of the story focuses on Stark doing physical therapy (in a cave! while held by terrorists!). Don't fret too much about the on-going status, as the story is currently at the night before Tony Stark's escape (and the writer has not abandoned the story).

Firefighter by A Wandering Minstrel

  • Recommended by: peppermintflame
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Pepper Potts goes for a job interview with Tony Stark. She has no idea what she's getting into. But then again, neither does he.
  • Comments: Very short, but funny. It's like a cut scene from the movie.

Books and Backchat by A Wandering Minstrel

  • Recommended by: peppermintflame
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Pepper and Tony discuss literature. Sort of.
  • Comments: Another short fic from WM, but again, fun.

Squirrelly Business by Lord Yellowtail

  • Recommended by: Looney Toons
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Movie Iron Man meets the one and only Squirrel Girl.
  • Comments: A nice short story that explores what the Ultimate/Movie version of Marvel's indomitable Squirrel Girl might be like, and how she and Tony might meet.

Hazard Pay by Perri Smith

  • Recommended by: Tabby, Jonn
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Pepper is trapped when danger hits closer to home than anyone predicted.
  • Comments: This is some of the best action writing I've read in a long while. Well-paced and exciting and always easy to follow, and everyone gets their turn to shine.

Almost No One Makes It Out by atra

  • Recommended by: Lavanya Six, Jonn
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: What would have happened if Tony hadn't been born filthy rich? A military AU.
  • Comments: Solid fic. In a world where Tony was born in the gutter and not with a silver spoon in his mouth, The realistic consequences follows after his Afghanistan adventure when he doesn't have money and influence to protect himself. The altered character dynamics, especially between Rodney and Tony, are a big draw. The author's writing style sucks you into Tony's head.

What happened to the burd? by Jonn Wood

  • Recommended by: Liangnui
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A vital question is answered. Set after Iron Man 2.
  • Comments: Essentially, What Happened to the Mouse? made into a cute, funny little oneshot that is sort of like shaved ice on a hot day.
    • Writer's note: Um... thanks!

The Legend of El Diablo by CSI Clue

  • Recommended by: Lady Nomad
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Tony discovers the joys of yard sales and ended up setting off a huge chain of events.
  • Comments: This is a very funny fic. The characters are spot on and have some weird things that are explainable. There is also a sentient car and kittens in it. There is a good dose of Pepperony in it too.

Tony and Pepper Go To Target by A.j

  • Recommended by: Lady Nomad
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Exactly What It Says on the Tin.
  • Comments: It is hilarious when Tony discovered the wonders of Target after a slight malfunction in his thrusters. Pepper having to handle him. It does have some touching stuff at the end.

Concession by obsession_inc

  • Recommended by: Thalassa
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: "Once you consent to some concession, you can never cancel it and put things back the way they are." - Howard Hughes. Christine Everhart is assigned to write a story about Tony Stark at about the same time Tony Stark disappears. Christine then investigates and discovers more than she ever expected about Tony, as well as Pepper Potts. AU.
  • Comments: If you're looking for a happy, light-hearted Iron Man piece of fanfiction, this isn't it. What this is, though, is a dark, brilliantly written, insidiously chilling suspense mystery that slowly sucks you in with its believability, twists and turns, and character studies.

Heart and Souls by Aaron Cronin

  • Recommended by: Kirayoshi
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Set after Iron Man 2. Tony and Pepper begin to explore a closer relationship, while taking on business and medical crises, a new project with its own temptations, and mysterious goings-on in the Middle East.
  • Notes: Has a sequel, Vignettes.
  • Comments: Solid storyline that can easily fit after the second Iron Man movie, and explores the lives of the principal characters from there. More than just a shipper-fic (although there is shipping), there's also an intriguing mystery as Nick Fury wants Tony to investigate possible terrorist attacks in the Middle East that turn out not to be what either Fury or Tony expected. The sequel, Vignettes, tells more-or-less self-contained stories that follow through a quarter-century from the end of Hearts and Souls, reflecting on Tony and Pepper's family. Suspense, drama, humor, romance...as they used to say on the old Marvel covers, "Face it, True Believer. This one has it all!"

Your Fixed Point by quigonejinn

  • Recommended by: Joysweeper, Lavanya Six
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Think of it this way: identity is not a fixed point. Change eye color or cut off a finger, and only the strictest interpreter would say that a different identity, a different person, results. How much can you change about Tony Stark and still have Tony Stark? Fem!Tony.
  • Comments: It's bits of vignette examining how a female Tony seems different in the role, and also memories of things like Tony and Rhodey in college, not a rewrite of the story. This ships Tony/everyone and is rated, hmm, let's go R. Tony's still Tony, with maybe less emphasis on alcohol and more on sex, though there's hinting that male Tony is also bi. There is a link in the first part to the second.
    • Lavanya Six: By far the best genderswap fic I've ever read. It examines Tony Stark's life as it would be if he had been born a woman, instead of treating her as "Tony Stark with boobs" like most genderswaps would.

The Priming Game by amonitrate

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A canon-compliant fic that fills in the blanks between Rhodey and the military finding Tony Stark and when he finally gets to come home. The story explores the emotional aftereffects of trauma and examines the logistic issues of explaining (or not explaining) Stark's escape as Iron Man.
  • Comments: At 12,000 words, the writer goes into detail without getting bogged down. Really nice length.

Pressure Suit by to_the_wick

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A series of drabbles that "remixes" the Iron Man film from Tony Stark's POV. The series contains stories in small, emotionally resonant details, like why Stark prefers to keep dirt under his fingernails while Yinsen does not.

Backgammon by rmc28

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A short fic about Yinsen, Tony, and Backgammon.

Broken Inside by asthiathien

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A one-shot between Tony and Rhodey between Afghanistan and homecoming. A small exploration of the guilt behind Tony's decision to become Iron Man.

A Lonely, Lost Thing by PhoenixFalls

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: An exploration of the friendship between Tony and Rhodey at MIT. Spoilers: Tony is not doing so hot. Mind the tags.
  • Notes: First part of the Just As They Wished It To Be series.

Parity by Kiyaar

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A deleted-scene style story about Tony's three month soiree in an Afghan cave. Very much a character study. I won't spoil too much on this short fic, but it is compelling enough I have read it multiple times. It also veers into very dark territory, so heed the tags.

The Hardest Part of Your Job by quigonejinn

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: An AU where Pepper Potts is Stane's personal assistant.

    Shipping Fics 
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Resurrection, Reconstruction, and Redemption by Elspethdixon & Seanchai

  • Recommended by: AxidentalQuark
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Doom brings Cap back from the dead, whereupon he has to deal with Doombots, Red Skull, the Mandarin, Registration, a bunch of bickering superheroes, and Tony's apparent nervous breakdown.
  • Pairing: Steve/Tony
  • Notes: First part of the Resurrection-verse.
    • This fic is set in the comic-verse, NOT the movies.
  • Comments: This is probably the seminal Steve/Tony fic. Just about the first in fandom, one of the fandom's only real epics, and just generally one of the best Steve/Tony's out there. It deals with the fall-out from Civil War quite well; it doesn't allow anyone any easy outs, and yet you come out of it feeling like you understand and empathize with everyone more. It's got a very nice cast of supporting characters, who manage to share the stage with Cap and Tony without stealing the limelight from the main story. It's also long enough that there is a definite, substantial plot in there - as well as some adorable Steve/Tony bits. A bit comics!canon heavy - maybe not for fans just coming in from the movies, though if you keep a wikipedia tab open at the same time/have a rough grounding in the story, it should be easy enough.

An Uncanny Likeness by outtabreath

  • Recommended by: Lady Nomad, Marlee Cross
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Pepper has her very own action figure and Tony can't keep his hands off of it.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper
  • Notes: There is a version with pictures here.
  • Comments: It is a very cute story that shows how much Pepper wanted Tony but kept on denying it. The image of Tony with a Pepper action figure is just adorable and makes you want Mattel to make a Pepper action figure.

Help Me by writingmonkey10

  • Recommended by: Lady Nomad
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Different take on IM2, Tony is dying of palladium poisoning but he has found a "temporary" cure with a twist. This is how he and Pepper get through it.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper
  • Comments: This is like Iron Man 2 if it just focused on the palladium poisoning and the relationship between Pepper and Tony. It feels like the movie, it is suspenseful and dramatic but there are some moments of humor as well.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by RoseCake31

  • Recommended by: Ectoplasm Cookie
  • Status: Dead
  • Synopsis: To get Tony out of the public eye after his recent announcement (See the end of the first movie), Pepper decides to take him to a remote island for some down-time.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper
  • Comments: This story was written before IM2 came out, so it retcons Tony's identity being non-secret and takes an alternate route. The first few chapters are mostly character building before it jumps into the plot, which is heavy on fluff but well-written. The story began to take a dark turn later on, and unfortunately ends on a cliff hanger as the author hasn't updated in over a year. It's definitely worth reading, though.

Change is Gonna Come by dress without sleeves

  • Recommended by: Zephyr77
  • Synopsis: Four times Tony Stark tried to convince Pepper to date him, and the one time he succeeded.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper
  • Status: Complete
  • Comments: This delightful little piece had the right amount of humour and fluff to power a small town. The characterizations and playful relationship of Tony and Pepper are spot on and just so cute that you would already think they are dating.

Salt in their scars by ophelia_hamlet

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Ongoing
  • Synopsis: Instead of becoming Tony Stark's PA, Pepper Potts joins VAST, an eco-friendly consulting firm. Being Pepper Potts, she manages to become CEO at 26. Being Pepper Potts, she still meets Tony Stark, but under vastly different circumstances.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper

12 Weeks by grapefruity

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Dead
  • Synopsis: Tony Stark is missing in Afghanistan. Pepper Potts in reluctantly serving as Obadiah's PA. Both are realizing how much they miss each other.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper

Green Laurel by VR Trawkowski

  • Recommended by: error-cascade
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Set after the events of Iron Man.
  • Pairing: Tony/Pepper
  • Comments: Pepper Potts is kidnapped, but the story avoids all the irritating cliches. Pepper is not helpless, unrealistically powerful, or the prop to someone's dark-fic fantasy. Instead, we have a Pepper who is powerful, competent, but very human; a slowly building romance; and a series of plot twists. Note that this fic is gloriously long.

    Crossovers 

A Man of Iron by Mr Chaos (link)

  • Recommended by: Clato Lawa
  • Status: Complete
  • Crossover with: Game of Thrones
  • Synopsis: Antony 'Tony' Stark is the arrogant cousin of Ned Stark whose made his fortune crafting fine weapons for the lords of Westeros. Tony leads a joyful life, doing what he pleases and leaving the politics of the realm to others. But when violent attack nearly ends his life, Tony decides to take action and creates a hero for the people to rally around... a knight known as Iron Man.
  • Notes: Other Marvel characters appear in later chapters, starting with Wolverine as a Dothraki bodyguard.

Meeting of Minds by starsoverhead

  • Recommended by: roguehistoria
  • Status: Complete
  • Crossover with: Knight Rider
  • Synopsis: Jarvis is following his usual evening routine when another presence surprises him. How can he not know of another artificial intelligence as advanced as he is?

Memories of Iron by becuzitswrong (link)

  • Recommended by: Atillart
  • Status: Dead
  • Crossover with: Worm
  • Synopsis: Taylor Hebert always triggered because of the bullying of classmates and a former friend. Here, instead of triggering, a cosmic entity gifts her with the memories of a man as talented as he was tormented. One who accomplished amazing things in his life. Now Taylor has the opportunity to use that knowledge to save her world. First, she'll need to save her own sanity.

a thousand miles and poles apart by paperclipbitch

  • Recommended by: Dame-Amaryllis
  • Status: Complete
  • Crossover with: Skyfall
  • Synopsis: Pepper laughs, and says that she was just going to charge lunch to Stark Industries; they exchange rueful smiles, the women with the credit cards to the world in their handbags.
  • Pairing: Pepper/Moneypenny


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