Story: "Hairpins" Part 3
Feb. 24th, 2014 12:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," and "Green Eggs and Hulk."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, JARVIS, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Bruce Banner.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: This story is mostly fluff, but it has some intense scenes in the middle. Highlight for details. These include dubious consent as Phil and JARVIS discuss what really happened when Agent Coulson hacked his way into Stark Tower, over which Phil has something between a flashback and a panic attack. They also discuss some of the bad things that have happened to Avengers in the past, including various flavors of abuse. If these are sensitive topics for you, please think carefully before deciding whether to read onward.
Summary: Uncle Phil needs to pick out pajamas for game night. He gets help from an unexpected direction.
Notes: Service. Shopping. Gifts. Artificial intelligence. Computers. Teamwork. Team as family. Friendship. Communication. Hope. Apologies. Forgiveness. Nonsexual ageplay. Nonsexual intimacy. Love. Tony Stark needs a hug. Bruce Banner needs a hug. #coulsonlives.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2. Skip to Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8.
"Hairpins" Part 3
After a session in the gym, Phil reveled in his decadent shower. There were mobile jet nozzles in all the walls and a rainshower grille overhead. If he rolled his shoulders just so, two of the jets focused precisely on the knots that always formed between his shoulderblades when he practiced on the firing range. The hot water remained at the perfect temperature, no matter how long Phil stayed in the shower.
When he finally stepped out, the bathroom tile felt warm and slightly rough underfoot. He never had to worry about putting his bare feet on a freezing floor or slipping on a smooth wet surface. Tony had not just an exquisite grasp of luxury, but also an engineer's approach to preventing potential problems before they could occur.
I am definitely getting spoiled by living here, Phil thought as he dried off. His fingertips traced over the unbroken skin of his chest where there would have been a scar if Loki's spear had pierced flesh instead of the Life Model Decoy. Then he popped his service pistol out of the gun safe in the shower, and went to get dressed.
Phil could see Pepper's hand in the decoration of his apartment, all done in warm neutrals and handsomely practical furniture before he arrived to add his personal touches. The Shaker table and chairs in the dinette were antiques. The open floor plan was all Tony, though, letting Phil see much of his space all at once, with enclosed den and bedrooms for security. Thinking about Tony's marvelous designs made Phil want to do something for him in return, which led his thoughts back to the puzzle of the pajamas.
I'd better begin with the easier selection, and work my way up to the harder one, Phil decided. He knew Natasha better than he knew Tony, so that would give him somewhere to start.
Phil sat down with his Starkpad and reopened his saved search. He had plenty of places that sold adult-sized footie pajamas, but none of the pictures really grabbed him. Well, some of these companies do custom orders, he mused. Maybe I can find something better and just ask them to duplicate it in the right size. He began typing in fresh terms.
Searching children's clothes didn't turn up anything more appropriate, though. Phil mentally dropped down a step and started thinking about basic concepts. Natasha likes red, black, and white, he recalled. He ran a quick search on symbolism and psychology of color to see if that would give him any ideas. Red is pretty but probably too energetic for this purpose. Lighten it to pink and ... no, she doesn't like pink very much. Black is stable and grounding, but doesn't suggest a childhood atmosphere. White is peaceful and youthful. Phil tapped a thoughtful fingertip against the frame of his Starkpad. Maybe a white background with something else to liven it up?
Natasha liked both Russian and American culture. She held a particular fondness for symbols of ordinary life, although it could prove difficult to predict which details would catch her interest. Phil searched through cultural icons of Russia, considering then discarding Baba Yaga and the firebird. Wooden toys were popular but not often depicted on other objects. As Phil browsed a list of animals, he found the imperial eagle and the Russian bear.
* * *
Notes:
Fancy showers may include a variety of features. Here are some examples of shower jets that spray water from the sides, and tips on choosing the right multi-jet system. Rainshowers are big sprinkler heads or grilles that produce a wide soft spray; read about choosing a rainshower. Yes, having a big shower with lots of attachments is a luxury -- but these folks wreck their bodies on a regular basis. As Phil demonstrates, they have a need for more than a measly trickle of water.
Underfloor heating is not just comfortable, but also energy-efficient. Heat rises, so this warms a room very effectively.
Shaker furniture is simple and beautiful. Phil's dining furniture resembles this set of table and chairs.
An open floor plan minimizes dividing walls. While popular for new construction right now, it's not actually a recent idea; it also appeared in many Victorian floor plans. You can see some modern examples in the Iron Man movies showing Tony's various buildings.
Color symbolism includes associations with various colors. Different cultures sometimes have different ideas regarding colors, but there's a lot of similarity.
Cultural icons of Russia include a bear symbolizing the nation.
[To be continued in Part 4 ...]
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, JARVIS, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Bruce Banner.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: This story is mostly fluff, but it has some intense scenes in the middle. Highlight for details. These include dubious consent as Phil and JARVIS discuss what really happened when Agent Coulson hacked his way into Stark Tower, over which Phil has something between a flashback and a panic attack. They also discuss some of the bad things that have happened to Avengers in the past, including various flavors of abuse. If these are sensitive topics for you, please think carefully before deciding whether to read onward.
Summary: Uncle Phil needs to pick out pajamas for game night. He gets help from an unexpected direction.
Notes: Service. Shopping. Gifts. Artificial intelligence. Computers. Teamwork. Team as family. Friendship. Communication. Hope. Apologies. Forgiveness. Nonsexual ageplay. Nonsexual intimacy. Love. Tony Stark needs a hug. Bruce Banner needs a hug. #coulsonlives.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2. Skip to Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8.
"Hairpins" Part 3
After a session in the gym, Phil reveled in his decadent shower. There were mobile jet nozzles in all the walls and a rainshower grille overhead. If he rolled his shoulders just so, two of the jets focused precisely on the knots that always formed between his shoulderblades when he practiced on the firing range. The hot water remained at the perfect temperature, no matter how long Phil stayed in the shower.
When he finally stepped out, the bathroom tile felt warm and slightly rough underfoot. He never had to worry about putting his bare feet on a freezing floor or slipping on a smooth wet surface. Tony had not just an exquisite grasp of luxury, but also an engineer's approach to preventing potential problems before they could occur.
I am definitely getting spoiled by living here, Phil thought as he dried off. His fingertips traced over the unbroken skin of his chest where there would have been a scar if Loki's spear had pierced flesh instead of the Life Model Decoy. Then he popped his service pistol out of the gun safe in the shower, and went to get dressed.
Phil could see Pepper's hand in the decoration of his apartment, all done in warm neutrals and handsomely practical furniture before he arrived to add his personal touches. The Shaker table and chairs in the dinette were antiques. The open floor plan was all Tony, though, letting Phil see much of his space all at once, with enclosed den and bedrooms for security. Thinking about Tony's marvelous designs made Phil want to do something for him in return, which led his thoughts back to the puzzle of the pajamas.
I'd better begin with the easier selection, and work my way up to the harder one, Phil decided. He knew Natasha better than he knew Tony, so that would give him somewhere to start.
Phil sat down with his Starkpad and reopened his saved search. He had plenty of places that sold adult-sized footie pajamas, but none of the pictures really grabbed him. Well, some of these companies do custom orders, he mused. Maybe I can find something better and just ask them to duplicate it in the right size. He began typing in fresh terms.
Searching children's clothes didn't turn up anything more appropriate, though. Phil mentally dropped down a step and started thinking about basic concepts. Natasha likes red, black, and white, he recalled. He ran a quick search on symbolism and psychology of color to see if that would give him any ideas. Red is pretty but probably too energetic for this purpose. Lighten it to pink and ... no, she doesn't like pink very much. Black is stable and grounding, but doesn't suggest a childhood atmosphere. White is peaceful and youthful. Phil tapped a thoughtful fingertip against the frame of his Starkpad. Maybe a white background with something else to liven it up?
Natasha liked both Russian and American culture. She held a particular fondness for symbols of ordinary life, although it could prove difficult to predict which details would catch her interest. Phil searched through cultural icons of Russia, considering then discarding Baba Yaga and the firebird. Wooden toys were popular but not often depicted on other objects. As Phil browsed a list of animals, he found the imperial eagle and the Russian bear.
* * *
Notes:
Fancy showers may include a variety of features. Here are some examples of shower jets that spray water from the sides, and tips on choosing the right multi-jet system. Rainshowers are big sprinkler heads or grilles that produce a wide soft spray; read about choosing a rainshower. Yes, having a big shower with lots of attachments is a luxury -- but these folks wreck their bodies on a regular basis. As Phil demonstrates, they have a need for more than a measly trickle of water.
Underfloor heating is not just comfortable, but also energy-efficient. Heat rises, so this warms a room very effectively.
Shaker furniture is simple and beautiful. Phil's dining furniture resembles this set of table and chairs.
An open floor plan minimizes dividing walls. While popular for new construction right now, it's not actually a recent idea; it also appeared in many Victorian floor plans. You can see some modern examples in the Iron Man movies showing Tony's various buildings.
Color symbolism includes associations with various colors. Different cultures sometimes have different ideas regarding colors, but there's a lot of similarity.
Cultural icons of Russia include a bear symbolizing the nation.
[To be continued in Part 4 ...]
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-24 06:52 am (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2014-02-24 07:32 am (UTC)Yes, that's true. Tony showered everyone with ridiculous amounts of stuff, right from the beginning. I suspect that Phil got extras, because Tony and Pepper knew him well enough to pick out a lot of things he'd really enjoy. Bruce got extras because Tony had promised him lab space.
>> But gratitude and his concern for unit cohesion are actual motives, and thus he's not actually being horrifically creepy. <<
Sooth. What matters is not just action alone, but the motivation behind it and the results after it. Most of what Phil does is honorably intended and works out well. The same is true of JARVIS, whose level of oversight in the tower is very dense.
It's far more than I'd want to live with, but not everyone feels threatened or reassured by the same things.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-24 01:09 pm (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2014-02-26 07:35 am (UTC)That does sound disconcerting.
>> But, you know, the idea of a shower like this being at Tony's place makes perfect sense to me, so it was a nice little detail. <<
Yay! I'm glad this worked for you. It seemed like the kind of thing Tony would do -- a clear extravagance, but one that is more thoughtful than it appears at first glance.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-24 04:17 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2014-02-26 06:36 am (UTC)I'm happy to hear that.
>> And the links are very timely, since we're planning an addition on the house -- two master bedrooms with a shared bath room. It'll have a walk-in tub, a 6-foot jetted tub, and a large shower. <<
*bow, flourish* Happy to be of service!
It matters a lot WHY you want/need a fancy bathing area. Do you have people of different sizes and/or functionality who may be using the same facilities? You'll need nozzles at different heights with controls that are easy to adjust. Do you have jobs or hobbies that will get you absolutely filthy on a semi-regular basis? You need high water pressure and probably a drain with wider holes than average. If you're not made of money, adjustable flow is advisable for times when you just need a rinse rather than a power-wash. Do you regularly tie your bodies in knots? A massage function with good aim would be helpful, along with either a capacious hot-water tank or a tankless "flash" heater. Do you have issues with stress or overstimulation? Consider gentle options such as a rainshower or waterfall spout.
And now you can see why the showers in Avengers Tower are tricked out so thoroughly, because all of those apply to somebody in the team, and some apply to everybody.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2014-02-26 02:56 pm (UTC)Chapter 9 (there is mention of kissing in this chapter)
Leaves:An Album of Sketches Mostly each chapter is a drabble and a half, some do have sex in them.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-25 03:20 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2014-02-26 06:29 am (UTC)Yay!
>> It's so deliberate. <<
Well, that is Phil's way of getting into BAMF territory. He is calm, thoughtful, and methodical. It's like the difference between a sniper and a machine gunner.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-01-20 07:19 am (UTC)/Embli
Thoughts
Date: 2021-01-20 07:58 am (UTC)Yay!
>> and I just noticed the gun safe in the bathroom and how Phil doesn't comment on it. Great showers and and a floor that most people wouldn't think too much about, yes. Gunsafe, no.<<
What characters notice and comment on says a lot about them. I have some who notice every meal, and others who don't pay any attention to food other than they must be eating some to stay alive.
>> Which both sets the scene and tells us something about Phil and what he's used to after years at SHEILD. And I just find that lovely. <<
I'm glad it works for you.
Let's just say, when crazy aliens and supervillains want you dead, you never want to be out of reach of a weapon -- especially if you've ever been ambushed in the bathroom. 0_o While modern guns usually can fire when wet, it's not good for them. So, gunsafe.