schneefink

March recs: four fics from the "various" section of my to-rec list that coincidentally all fall under "not too long and make me smile."

The Shadowhand's Prospects by

sansrecourse (Critical Role: The Mighty Nein)
2.5k, Essek/various, post-canon
Summary: “I think,” Caleb says, “that Essek should get married.”
The table explodes into an uproar.
Why I like it: Poor Essek xD This made me smile the whole way through. (Also facepalm. Caleb…)

Elder, an Aesthetic by

MarbleGlove (The Untamed)
8.4k, gen, fix-it
Summary: Wei Wuxian always enjoyed picking an aesthetic and really leaning into it. As an adolescent, he was joyous, entitled and high-born; during the war, he was dangerous and threatening. After the war, he was lost. But then he found his new aesthetic: Elder of the Jiang Sect.
Why I like it: Possibly one of my favorite fix-it fics for the fandom, and that is high praise considering how many there are.

if you liked it then you should've put ten rings on it by

laiqualaurelote (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings/Black Panther, MCU)
6.7k, gen, post-canon
Summary: “When did you even get to meet my dad?” Shangqi demands. “You're in supervillain prison, surely they don’t let you guys mingle.”
“Mahjong night,” says Erik, deadpan.
Other people look for retirement homes for their parents. Shangqi has to check out prisons. While sorting out his father's incarceration in Wakanda, he unexpectedly reconnects with his old college roommate, the villain formerly known as Killmonger.
Why I like it: Shangqi and Erik Killmonger met in college. Erik and Wu Xenwu meet in prison. Starting from this excellent premise this fic looks at and contrasts Shangqi and Erik growing up and also has a lot of post-movie family feelings and humor.

Respectability, Politics by

brawltogethernow (Spider-Man, Marvel comics)
4.3k, gen
Summary: Per the prompt, "the Spider-Man fic where anti-mutant bigots think JJ is one of them because of how he is about Spider-Man and he experiences no personal insight whatsoever in reaction to this but is so offended he dedicates the front cover of the Bugle to spotlighting the X-Men for like three days straight and Peter is keysmash feelings".
Why I like it: As the summary says. No idea how canon-compliant this take on J. Jonah Jameson is (…though from what I understand canon is so malleable in Spider-Man/Marvel comics that it seems rather likely) but a) I like it a lot and b) this is funny.