Story: "Birthday Girl" (Part 1 of 18)
Apr. 22nd, 2013 09:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis story is a sequel to "Love Is for Children," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys," "Saudades," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," and "Touching Moments," "Splash," and "Coming Around."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanova, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hulk, Steve Rogers, Betty Ross, JARVIS.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Inferences of past child abuse. Current environment is safe.
Summary: Doombots crash a beautiful spring day in the park. The Avengers clean up the mess. This includes Natasha's rather confused longing for something she never had: a birthday party.
Notes: Asexual character (Clint). Aromantic character (Natasha). Asexual relationship. Teamwork. Canon-typical violence. Friendship. Confusion. Hulk is a genius too. Multiplicity/Plurality. Fluff. Making up for lost time. Birthday. Cultural traditions. Games. Gifts. Cake. The cake is never a lie! Tickling. Trust issues. Safety and security. Non-sexual touching and intimacy. Personal growth. Family of choice.
If you've been reading this series for the ageplay, that's about half of this, and everything in the story angles toward it. If you read between the lines you'll see some darker psychological stuff, mostly relating to Natasha and Bruce. The tone is mostly fluff.
A note on feedback: While it's not necessary to comment on every post I make, remember that I don't know who reads/likes things if nobody says anything. Particularly on long stories, I've discovered that I get antsy if there's nothing but crickets chirping for several posts. So it helps to give me feedback at least once, even if it's just "I like this" or "This one doesn't grab me." First and last episodes are ideal if you rarely feel inspired to comment in the middle.
Anonymous commenters: You don't have to specify exactly who you are, but it helps to have a first name or nickname or a username from some other service, so I have some idea of who's saying which and how many different "Anonymous" folks there are. You can just type some kind of identifier at the end of your comment.
Skip to Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18.
The sequel is "No Winter Lasts Forever."
"Birthday Girl" Part 1
A beautiful spring day drew people outdoors in droves. They filled the parks and spilled out into the streets. Naturally Victor von Doom decided to ruin this idyll with an attack on New York. The Avengers dealt with the Doombots while the Fantastic Four went after Victor himself.
Most of the heroes came through combat unscathed, but the Doombots managed to drop an entire truck on Captain America. Agent Coulson called for immediate extraction so Captain America could be hustled to SHIELD medical in time to set the broken bones before they healed in all the wrong angles. Iron Man took out his extreme displeasure on the remaining robots.
The citizens of New York likewise expressed their resentment over the villain's intrusion. Agent Coulson surveyed the aftermath of the battle, noting examples of their outrage. A small Hispanic gang had beaten one Doombot to scrap with a garbage can and several crowbars. An unknown party or parties had locked another onto a lamppost with bicycle chains. The SHIELD technicians will be delighted to get their hands on a relatively undamaged specimen, thought Agent Coulson.
Hulk walked through the remnants of a birthday party. Brightly colored paper lay scattered around, trampled into the short green grass. A Doombot had faceplanted into the rose-pink cake. The balloon vendor's cart sprawled on its side, surrounded by balloons. "Sad," Hulk said, his massive shoulders drooping.
"Yes, it is," Agent Coulson agreed. He jotted down what identifying details he could make out. The Avengers would want to know what happened to the children, and if possible, make up for the spoiled party. "We'll do what we can to make things right."
Hulk lifted the cart and set it upright, though it sagged over a broken wheel. Black Widow and Hawkeye picked their way through the wreckage. He rested a light hand on the small of her back. She looked down at the ruin of cheerful colors, torn paper blowing in the spring breeze, her face an impassive mask. Agent Coulson worried about her; Black Widow could be unpredictably sensitive or indifferent to matters concerning children.
"Pretty," Hulk said as he reached for the remaining balloons.
"Whoa, hey, careful!" Hawkeye exclaimed, waving his hands at Hulk. "Those balloons will pop if you squeeze them too hard -- make a loud noise. You might not like that."
Agent Coulson froze. He'd seen people react badly to balloons or fireworks that sounded too much like gunfire. It made sense that Hulk had an increased startle response after his experiences. Frightened Hulk tended to raise the collateral damage quotient by a sizable margin.
"No bloons?" Hulk said mournfully. He gave them a pleading look.
"You may play with the balloons if you wish, Hulk," Agent Coulson said. "Just be careful with them. Don't smash anything if the balloons pop." The Avengers were trying to give Hulk more opportunities for interaction after a battle. Broadening his experiences beyond violence might help him stay calm.
"Such silliness over a bit of rubber," Black Widow said in a cool tone.
"You have something against balloons?" asked Agent Coulson. If she does, better to find out this way than by causing an incident, he thought.
* * *
Notes:
Idyll refers to a scene evoking the delights of nature. Most often this refers to a rural setting, but parks and other idyllic areas are gaining popularity in cities. There's a strong aspect of fantasy to this as people like to imagine the world being nicer than it is. Hence the heightened reaction when Dr. Doom -- with his particularly technological flavor of villainy -- ruins the illusion.
The Fantastic Four are a team of superheroes based in New York. They are opponents of Dr. Doom, and allies of the Avengers.
Increased startle response is a common symptom of PTSD. Sudden motions or noises may remind the survivor of hazards. Any loud popping sound -- balloons, fireworks, a car backfiring, etc. -- can sound like gunfire and have a negative effect on anyone who's been shot at before. I typically write Hulk as having a low startle threshold, but that applies to a lot of the other Avengers too, just not all in the same ways.
There are tips for staying calm in a stressful situation and how to practice calm in everyday life. The Avengers are helping Hulk develop a more balanced life so that he has experiences other than just violent ones.
[To be continued in Part 2 ...]
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanova, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hulk, Steve Rogers, Betty Ross, JARVIS.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Inferences of past child abuse. Current environment is safe.
Summary: Doombots crash a beautiful spring day in the park. The Avengers clean up the mess. This includes Natasha's rather confused longing for something she never had: a birthday party.
Notes: Asexual character (Clint). Aromantic character (Natasha). Asexual relationship. Teamwork. Canon-typical violence. Friendship. Confusion. Hulk is a genius too. Multiplicity/Plurality. Fluff. Making up for lost time. Birthday. Cultural traditions. Games. Gifts. Cake. The cake is never a lie! Tickling. Trust issues. Safety and security. Non-sexual touching and intimacy. Personal growth. Family of choice.
If you've been reading this series for the ageplay, that's about half of this, and everything in the story angles toward it. If you read between the lines you'll see some darker psychological stuff, mostly relating to Natasha and Bruce. The tone is mostly fluff.
A note on feedback: While it's not necessary to comment on every post I make, remember that I don't know who reads/likes things if nobody says anything. Particularly on long stories, I've discovered that I get antsy if there's nothing but crickets chirping for several posts. So it helps to give me feedback at least once, even if it's just "I like this" or "This one doesn't grab me." First and last episodes are ideal if you rarely feel inspired to comment in the middle.
Anonymous commenters: You don't have to specify exactly who you are, but it helps to have a first name or nickname or a username from some other service, so I have some idea of who's saying which and how many different "Anonymous" folks there are. You can just type some kind of identifier at the end of your comment.
Skip to Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18.
The sequel is "No Winter Lasts Forever."
"Birthday Girl" Part 1
A beautiful spring day drew people outdoors in droves. They filled the parks and spilled out into the streets. Naturally Victor von Doom decided to ruin this idyll with an attack on New York. The Avengers dealt with the Doombots while the Fantastic Four went after Victor himself.
Most of the heroes came through combat unscathed, but the Doombots managed to drop an entire truck on Captain America. Agent Coulson called for immediate extraction so Captain America could be hustled to SHIELD medical in time to set the broken bones before they healed in all the wrong angles. Iron Man took out his extreme displeasure on the remaining robots.
The citizens of New York likewise expressed their resentment over the villain's intrusion. Agent Coulson surveyed the aftermath of the battle, noting examples of their outrage. A small Hispanic gang had beaten one Doombot to scrap with a garbage can and several crowbars. An unknown party or parties had locked another onto a lamppost with bicycle chains. The SHIELD technicians will be delighted to get their hands on a relatively undamaged specimen, thought Agent Coulson.
Hulk walked through the remnants of a birthday party. Brightly colored paper lay scattered around, trampled into the short green grass. A Doombot had faceplanted into the rose-pink cake. The balloon vendor's cart sprawled on its side, surrounded by balloons. "Sad," Hulk said, his massive shoulders drooping.
"Yes, it is," Agent Coulson agreed. He jotted down what identifying details he could make out. The Avengers would want to know what happened to the children, and if possible, make up for the spoiled party. "We'll do what we can to make things right."
Hulk lifted the cart and set it upright, though it sagged over a broken wheel. Black Widow and Hawkeye picked their way through the wreckage. He rested a light hand on the small of her back. She looked down at the ruin of cheerful colors, torn paper blowing in the spring breeze, her face an impassive mask. Agent Coulson worried about her; Black Widow could be unpredictably sensitive or indifferent to matters concerning children.
"Pretty," Hulk said as he reached for the remaining balloons.
"Whoa, hey, careful!" Hawkeye exclaimed, waving his hands at Hulk. "Those balloons will pop if you squeeze them too hard -- make a loud noise. You might not like that."
Agent Coulson froze. He'd seen people react badly to balloons or fireworks that sounded too much like gunfire. It made sense that Hulk had an increased startle response after his experiences. Frightened Hulk tended to raise the collateral damage quotient by a sizable margin.
"No bloons?" Hulk said mournfully. He gave them a pleading look.
"You may play with the balloons if you wish, Hulk," Agent Coulson said. "Just be careful with them. Don't smash anything if the balloons pop." The Avengers were trying to give Hulk more opportunities for interaction after a battle. Broadening his experiences beyond violence might help him stay calm.
"Such silliness over a bit of rubber," Black Widow said in a cool tone.
"You have something against balloons?" asked Agent Coulson. If she does, better to find out this way than by causing an incident, he thought.
* * *
Notes:
Idyll refers to a scene evoking the delights of nature. Most often this refers to a rural setting, but parks and other idyllic areas are gaining popularity in cities. There's a strong aspect of fantasy to this as people like to imagine the world being nicer than it is. Hence the heightened reaction when Dr. Doom -- with his particularly technological flavor of villainy -- ruins the illusion.
The Fantastic Four are a team of superheroes based in New York. They are opponents of Dr. Doom, and allies of the Avengers.
Increased startle response is a common symptom of PTSD. Sudden motions or noises may remind the survivor of hazards. Any loud popping sound -- balloons, fireworks, a car backfiring, etc. -- can sound like gunfire and have a negative effect on anyone who's been shot at before. I typically write Hulk as having a low startle threshold, but that applies to a lot of the other Avengers too, just not all in the same ways.
There are tips for staying calm in a stressful situation and how to practice calm in everyday life. The Avengers are helping Hulk develop a more balanced life so that he has experiences other than just violent ones.
[To be continued in Part 2 ...]
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 06:28 am (UTC)*Has a moment of silence for the lost cake...*
--Siren
Yes...
Date: 2013-04-23 09:21 pm (UTC)I find that Avengerfic lends itself well to beginning in media res because the audience already knows what canon-typical violence looks like and the real focus of the story is often on something else as a result of the conflict situation.
>> I had the scenes playing through my head like a movie thanks to your great details and clarity XD <<
Yay! I've always been good at description, but the 'cinematic' flavor is relatively new for me, something that has developed in the last few years as I've explored scriptwriting and comics. Once I start thinking about camera angles and such, it seeps into the writing if I'm working a piece that reconates with that. So the combat scenes in my Avengerfic tend to draw strongly on the movies.
>> I can already sense the feels incoming for Natasha. <<
Yes, although she's got things shut down pretty hard right now. Whereas some of the Avengers response to stress by getting anxious or hostile, Natasha turns mechanical.
It's a key reason why she has such a complicated relationship with Bruce-and-Hulk, because Bruce also tends toward the emotionless side as he dumps all that stuff on Hulk.
>> She definently needs to be Natka for a while, and this is a great chance to explore her character a little too. <<
Yes, exactly. It takes a while for her to unpack, unwind, and open up but that's very much what she needs.
>> Beautiful update, I can tell I'm going to love it like the others :) <<
That's good to hear.
>> *Has a moment of silence for the lost cake...* <<
Sooth. I use small concrete details to underscore emotional content. So there's a running motif of happy things lost, broken, and abandoned in this scene.
It's also a way to emphasize the aftermath of battle, what a mess it makes, and how somebody has to clean all that up eventually. That's a major theme for this series, as contrasted with comic canon where the aftermath usually gets handwaved away.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 06:29 am (UTC)Yes...
Date: 2013-04-23 06:44 am (UTC)I make posts daily, barring complications.
>> I bet Clint knows how to make balloon animals... <<
He does, actually. Circus brat.
Yay! New fic!
Date: 2013-04-23 07:30 am (UTC)Re: Yay! New fic!
Date: 2013-04-23 10:33 pm (UTC)I like the juxtaposition of power and innocence.
>> I love when Hulk gets to talk. I think it's cute that he has his own words for things and people. <<
Yes. Hulk has his own perspective. He tends to focus on the more concrete aspects of reality. So that's interesting to explore.
>> I like how Clint is watching out for him and noticing that the popping sound might set Hulk off unintentionally. <<
Many active agents would have some experience with PTSD in its assorted manifestations. So SHIELD personnel probably know the most common triggers, how to avoid them, how to cope with incidents, etc. Some will do better than others. Clint may be a smartass but he's extremely observant, and he really cares about Hulk. So he's fast on the bounce when it comes to spotting things like this.
>> I'm still on your ageplay bandwagon, can't wait to see how Natka wants to have her birthday party and how it will turn out. :) <<
It's an interesting balance of what she wants ... and what she can understand.
>> Love your fics! <<
*happydance*
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 08:13 am (UTC)You're welcome!
Date: 2013-04-24 12:15 am (UTC)She has a tendency to shut down her emotions under stress, yes.
>> I can't wait to see where you're going with that (I think my own inner child can't wait for Natasha's party:)!)<<
It takes some time for her to work through things, but you should enjoy the party.
>> On another note, what's happening to Steve? <<
At the moment he's recovering from having a truck dropped on him. Don't worry, he'll be back later in the story. There are some interesting dynamics between him and Natasha.
>> Ah, I'm so looking forward for the next part! Thanks for this, and waiting for good things is part of the pleasure ; )! <<
Yay! That's good to hear.
Just spent an enjoyable hour or so...
Date: 2013-04-23 08:41 am (UTC)--Wynjara
Re: Just spent an enjoyable hour or so...
Date: 2013-04-23 08:43 am (UTC)A Balloon... For Me?
Date: 2013-04-23 12:20 pm (UTC)I love this, it looks great, I hope Steve is okay and that I can figure out how the OpenID works so I can comment with an actual name.
Re: A Balloon... For Me?
Date: 2013-04-24 04:01 am (UTC)*laugh* Bruce is more Eeyore though. Hulk ... honestly, Hulk reminds me of Pooh: a bear of very little brain and very much heart.
>> I love this, it looks great, <<
Yay! I'm happy to hear that.
>> I hope Steve is okay <<
Well, not uninjured, but not in any real danger. He will reappear later in the story.
>> and that I can figure out how the OpenID works so I can comment with an actual name. <<
When you go to make a comment, you should get a little list for Anonymous and OpenID, with a circle to click for which one you want. If you click on OpenID it should give you a box to type in your URL for some other service. The OpenID site itself is here:
http://openid.net/get-an-openid/
Meanwhile, you can just type in your preferred nickname or username at the end of your comment.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 12:26 pm (UTC)Yes...
Date: 2013-04-24 04:41 am (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2013-04-26 07:33 am (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2013-04-26 07:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 12:28 pm (UTC)I love the ageplay stuff, especially as it's non-sexual. The sexual ageplay squicks me right out, mainly because, like your stories, I use a form of ageplay sometimes to work on my own issues. :)
Thank you!
Date: 2013-04-24 02:21 am (UTC)I'm glad this makes you happy.
>> I love the ageplay stuff, especially as it's non-sexual. The sexual ageplay squicks me right out, mainly because, like your stories, I use a form of ageplay sometimes to work on my own issues. :) <<
I'm not into ageplay myself, but yes, the sexual version creeps me out. With these characters in particular, sexuality is complicated -- to Natasha it's a weapon, to Tony it's meaningless, and so forth. Not something to bring into teambonding or healing space.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 12:30 pm (UTC)Could Shield get a weather balloon for the Hulk sometime? They could find a quiet rural area for a picnic and inflate the balloon. Hulk really needs Hulk size toys, regular balloons would be nearly pea size to him.
Thoughts
Date: 2013-04-24 04:51 am (UTC)*happy wave*
>>I love that you start with an army of Doombots wrecking a perfectly good day.<<
That's what villains do. They rain on everyone's parade.
>> Shield will have fun playing with the one tied to the lamp post. I wonder if anyone bothered to write rude messages on it before they called the cops to tell them where to pick up the garbage.<<
*laugh* That would be a riot.
>> Could Shield get a weather balloon for the Hulk sometime? They could find a quiet rural area for a picnic and inflate the balloon. Hulk really needs Hulk size toys, regular balloons would be nearly pea size to him. <<
Possibly. Balloons come in many different sizes, though. Hulk seems somewhere between half again and twice the height of ordinary folks, and several times wider. For him, a regular head-sized party balloon is probably about like a water balloon or apple balloon would be for anyone else. You can get 3-foot-wide giant balloons, usually made out of heavier rubber, so something like that should work for Hulk.
I'll have to keep this in mind for future reference. Hulk does need things in his own size. Tony accounted for that with the bath things in "Splash."
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 12:37 pm (UTC)- Mariposaluna
Yay!
Date: 2013-04-24 05:11 am (UTC)Startles
Date: 2013-04-23 01:31 pm (UTC)FYI, though I did not comment separately, I read and enjoyed the Schrodinger's Heroes/Avengers crossovers this past weekend.
Re: Startles
Date: 2013-04-24 03:55 am (UTC)Yes, that matches.
>> I've had one my whole life and only figured out why after being diagnosed with generalized anxiety as an adult. <<
Wow, that sucks.
>> Though Bruce's issues are clearly related to PTSD, they look an awful lot like anxiety/panic sometimes. <<
PTSD can have many different manifestations. All the Avengers have issues from their assorted horrific experiences but they respond in different ways. For Bruce, yes, it tends toward anxiety. Being hunted for years and not feeling able to trust yourself or anyone around you will do that. Though honestly, it dates back to the child abuse. Bruce has literally never been safe until recently, so he doesn't know how to deal with that.
>> FYI, though I did not comment separately, I read and enjoyed the Schrodinger's Heroes/Avengers crossovers this past weekend. <<
Yay! That's good to hear.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 04:55 pm (UTC)Also, I liked the nice detail of Steve's super-healing getting in the way of real healing.
Otherwise, what they all said :)
Yes...
Date: 2013-04-24 12:56 am (UTC)Phil and Steve are the most nurturing members of the team, along with Bruce. Clint is developing close ties with Bruce-and-Hulk so he's paying more attention to taking care of them now. This is complicated by the fact that people taking care of Hulk makes Bruce anxious. But really, they all look after each other now; the team is meshed enough that any pairing can be made to work.
>> Also, I liked the nice detail of Steve's super-healing getting in the way of real healing. <<
Few people stop to think about the drawbacks of superpowers, but I've tried to include some of that in this series. Super-senses are vulnerable to over-stimulation. That's a factor for all the enhanced characters, in different ways. Fast healing means that it's easy for things to heal wrong. The body will eventually correct even that, but the process is longer and really miserable. Soft tissue heals fast. Bone is slower, but if the broken ends are touching, it doesn't take all that long for them to start fusing, even if they're not aligned in the right position. Unfun.
>> Otherwise, what they all said :) <<
I'm delighted by the popularity.
Hooray!
Date: 2013-04-23 10:31 pm (UTC)~DancingEyes
Re: Hooray!
Date: 2013-04-24 06:50 am (UTC)I'm glad to have you back! It's okay if you lose touch for a little while. You can always return later when you have more time and catch up on whatever I've done in the meantime.
>> Love how you do this and I especially love the focus on Natasha for this story! <<
I'm happy to hear that. Natasha is so reserved, it took a while to catch her in the spotlight with an issue that primarily affects her, although there are threads of Bruce-and-Hulk in here too.
Following Along
Date: 2013-04-24 01:34 am (UTC)Re: Following Along
Date: 2013-04-24 06:57 am (UTC)Thank you!
>> I found "Love Is For Children", then I finished it and poof! There's more. Just got trailed along with them. I love them all! <<
Yes, this is a popular series, so I'm continuing it as I find more things to explore.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-24 03:19 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-04-24 05:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2014-12-31 06:38 am (UTC)So onto the actual feedback. I work best in stories where my empathy, compassion, intellect and interest are all pinged. Reading this series has been a balm. Even the angst and obviously dark undertones are soothing because it all makes sense to me. It created a fantastic head canon I know I'll be dreaming in for a long time.
I really enjoy how you have incorporated the canon into these intricately woven stories pulling them all in and yet giving them their own truths, stark in their raw beauty. It's delicious. And there is so much left to submerge in! I don't comment often, but I'll try to check in at the end of each story.
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you!
Date: 2014-12-31 07:08 am (UTC)Yay! Recs are love.
>> Splash and Touching Moments specifically. I've been devouring these stories. I started with those two and worked backward in this series and now I'm moving forward again. <<
That's good to hear.
>> You always ask for feedback and I felt bad I hadn't been leaving it all along. Frankly I was shocked to discover I even have a dreamwidth account, but it's very helpful here. <<
It's okay. Feedback is always welcome but never required. I mine fanfic for ideas that I can load into my original canons. It's a place for fun, practice, and attracting new fans. So low-pressure is the idea.
>> So onto the actual feedback. I work best in stories where my empathy, compassion, intellect and interest are all pinged. <<
In that case, I recommend Schrodinger's Heroes, The Blueshift Troupers, and Polychrome Heroics out of my original work. You'll probably also like the SH crossovers such as Schrodinger's Hulk.
>> Reading this series has been a balm. Even the angst and obviously dark undertones are soothing because it all makes sense to me. It created a fantastic head canon I know I'll be dreaming in for a long time. <<
I'm delighted to hear that. I wanted something that would be great comfort reading, yet still deal with all the serious issues these characters have that usually get glossed over in canon. Some stories are mostly fluff, some a lot heavier, most in between; I've tried to mark that in the headers.
>> I really enjoy how you have incorporated the canon into these intricately woven stories pulling them all in and yet giving them their own truths, stark in their raw beauty. It's delicious. <<
I have a method for writing fanfic: derive in, extrapolate out. I take something from canon, imagine how it might have gotten that way, and then think how it might develop in the future. So "Birthday Girl" is about Natasha's alexithymia and cultural isolation from her training, which show in canon; and how she's learning to work past those, now that she has a teamfamily to share her life.
>> And there is so much left to submerge in! I don't comment often, but I'll try to check in at the end of each story. <<
That would be lovely. Yes, the series has gotten pretty big.
>> Thank you for sharing this. <<
You're welcome!