Story: "Up the Water Spout" Part 2
Aug. 29th, 2014 12:09 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," "Hairpins," "Blended," "Am I Not," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Querencia," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," "Green Eggs and Hulk," "kintsukuroi," and "Little and Broken, but Still Good."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Natasha Romanova, Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Betty Ross, Bucky Barnes.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Mention of human trafficking and nonconsensual drug use. Slightly offstage sexual violence. Dubcon/Noncon.
Summary: Sometimes the Black Widow needs to hunt, and sometimes she needs help settling her personality afterwards. Uncle Phil arranges an extra ageplay session.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. BAMF!Black Widow. Black Widow is creepy. Spiders. Coping skills. Asking for help and getting it. Hope. Nonsexual ageplay. Caregiving. Competence. Girl stuff. Toys and games. Gentleness. Trust. #coulsonlives
Begin with Part 1. Skip to Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7.
WARNING: This chapter features Black Widow in action, albeit filtered through Phil's earpiece and other equipment. Think carefully about whether you want to read the icky bits.
"Up the Water Spout" Part 2
Agent Coulson watched as Black Widow stalked down the dark alley, no more than a shadow amongst shadows. The hotel entrances were guarded, but she had other options. Swiftly she scrambled up a water spout at the corner of the building and slipped in through the window of Dartmouth's room.
"Black Widow in position," she said a few moments later, her voice calm through the earpiece. The sound of a zipper and rustle of fabric signaled the change from black jumpsuit to the little red dress meant for tonight's hunt.
"Acknowledged," said Agent Coulson. He switched frequencies as he glanced up to the opposite roof. "Hawkeye, be advised that Black Widow is in position. Report."
"I'm in position too," came the reply. For an instant, light glinted on an arrowhead before the darkness swallowed it.
They waited nearly an hour, silent and patient, until the bugs in the hotel room picked up Dartmouth's arrival. "What the hell are you doing here?" the man demanded.
"I come with the room," purred the Black Widow.
He fell for it. They all fell for her, one way or another, twisted around her fingers like silk. "Well then ... get on your knees and make me feel at home."
"Oh, I don't think so," said Black Widow. "I think you've been a naughty boy and need to be punished." Slither of cloth. Creak of springs. "So I'm going to tie you up and do unspeakable things to you until you beg for mercy."
"Mmm, sounds hot." Dartmouth was a fool. They all were, in her grasp.
Agent Coulson listened to the familiar pattern of Black Widow tying a man to a bed. There were whispers, the swish of silk rope, and muffled moans. She had gagged Dartmouth, of course, to avoid interruptions. Or the chance that he might talk before she was finished. She liked to take her time.
The moans abruptly turned frantic. The bed knocked against the wall. Soft, wet sounds reminded Agent Coulson of last night's documentary with lions feasting on a wild ass. He kept one ear on the activity while scanning the street for signs of trouble. Long minutes passed.
"Gunman in the alley," Hawkeye reported. "Looks like Dartmouth's muscle is getting suspicous."
Phil flicked through camera feeds and assessed the situation. "Drop him."
The soft thwip of an arrow preceded the flump as a body hit pavement.
"Trash pickup in the alley," Phil murmured, putting a junior agent on that detail. Then he returned his attention to the main channel.
After quite some time, Black Widow spoke. "Now, I'm going to ask you some questions, and you're going to tell me everything I want to know. Or I'll start again from the beginning. I don't think you'd enjoy that nearly as much as I would."
A thin, broken voice coughed out names and addresses at her command.
That's interesting, Agent Coulson mused. I didn't expect him to know so much detail about AIM. Dartmouth was spilling enough to shut down a nice thick branch of AIM's latest effort at fundraising through pharmaceuticals. Then they could go back to dying of starvation.
Finally the recitation petered out. "Doctor," whimpered Dartmouth.
"Oh, you want to play doctor?" laughed the Black Widow. "Let's do that."
A few more details emerged in a panicky rush. Perhaps it had been too long between missions of this type.
Then came a more alarming, "Shoo, little sister."
"Black Widow ... did you release spiders into the playing field again?" Agent Coulson asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, sir," she said serenely. "They were most helpful in extracting answers."
Definitely too long between hunts, Agent Coulson thought.
* * *
Notes:
Describing a scene can get interesting when you use a prevailing sense other than the usual vision. Here I focused on sound, both because of the context and because Phil is hearing-dominant. Auditory learning is one common sensory mode. Here are some more excerpts about sensory modes. Learn how to describe the setting in a story.
A honeytrap or honeypot is a spy who uses sexual wiles to ensnare a target. They are usually, though not always, female. This was part of Black Widow's early training from the Red Room, and she's pretty much the best in the Marvelverse at this.
Torture or "enhanced interrogation techniques" is a way to force people to reveal information. Some people believe that torture works for interrogation, while others argue that it does not. Further consider that psychological torture may work better than physical methods. In my observation, torture can extract actionable information, but only in truly expert hands; most of the time it's just used as crude terrorism (which it does quite well) or personal gratification. Black Widow is adept at a wide range of torture and interrogation. She also has the knowledge of anatomy to minimize the risk of killing someone by accident, and the psychological knowledge to sift truth from lies.
[To be continued in Part 3 ...]
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Natasha Romanova, Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Betty Ross, Bucky Barnes.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Mention of human trafficking and nonconsensual drug use. Slightly offstage sexual violence. Dubcon/Noncon.
Summary: Sometimes the Black Widow needs to hunt, and sometimes she needs help settling her personality afterwards. Uncle Phil arranges an extra ageplay session.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. BAMF!Black Widow. Black Widow is creepy. Spiders. Coping skills. Asking for help and getting it. Hope. Nonsexual ageplay. Caregiving. Competence. Girl stuff. Toys and games. Gentleness. Trust. #coulsonlives
Begin with Part 1. Skip to Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7.
WARNING: This chapter features Black Widow in action, albeit filtered through Phil's earpiece and other equipment. Think carefully about whether you want to read the icky bits.
"Up the Water Spout" Part 2
Agent Coulson watched as Black Widow stalked down the dark alley, no more than a shadow amongst shadows. The hotel entrances were guarded, but she had other options. Swiftly she scrambled up a water spout at the corner of the building and slipped in through the window of Dartmouth's room.
"Black Widow in position," she said a few moments later, her voice calm through the earpiece. The sound of a zipper and rustle of fabric signaled the change from black jumpsuit to the little red dress meant for tonight's hunt.
"Acknowledged," said Agent Coulson. He switched frequencies as he glanced up to the opposite roof. "Hawkeye, be advised that Black Widow is in position. Report."
"I'm in position too," came the reply. For an instant, light glinted on an arrowhead before the darkness swallowed it.
They waited nearly an hour, silent and patient, until the bugs in the hotel room picked up Dartmouth's arrival. "What the hell are you doing here?" the man demanded.
"I come with the room," purred the Black Widow.
He fell for it. They all fell for her, one way or another, twisted around her fingers like silk. "Well then ... get on your knees and make me feel at home."
"Oh, I don't think so," said Black Widow. "I think you've been a naughty boy and need to be punished." Slither of cloth. Creak of springs. "So I'm going to tie you up and do unspeakable things to you until you beg for mercy."
"Mmm, sounds hot." Dartmouth was a fool. They all were, in her grasp.
Agent Coulson listened to the familiar pattern of Black Widow tying a man to a bed. There were whispers, the swish of silk rope, and muffled moans. She had gagged Dartmouth, of course, to avoid interruptions. Or the chance that he might talk before she was finished. She liked to take her time.
The moans abruptly turned frantic. The bed knocked against the wall. Soft, wet sounds reminded Agent Coulson of last night's documentary with lions feasting on a wild ass. He kept one ear on the activity while scanning the street for signs of trouble. Long minutes passed.
"Gunman in the alley," Hawkeye reported. "Looks like Dartmouth's muscle is getting suspicous."
Phil flicked through camera feeds and assessed the situation. "Drop him."
The soft thwip of an arrow preceded the flump as a body hit pavement.
"Trash pickup in the alley," Phil murmured, putting a junior agent on that detail. Then he returned his attention to the main channel.
After quite some time, Black Widow spoke. "Now, I'm going to ask you some questions, and you're going to tell me everything I want to know. Or I'll start again from the beginning. I don't think you'd enjoy that nearly as much as I would."
A thin, broken voice coughed out names and addresses at her command.
That's interesting, Agent Coulson mused. I didn't expect him to know so much detail about AIM. Dartmouth was spilling enough to shut down a nice thick branch of AIM's latest effort at fundraising through pharmaceuticals. Then they could go back to dying of starvation.
Finally the recitation petered out. "Doctor," whimpered Dartmouth.
"Oh, you want to play doctor?" laughed the Black Widow. "Let's do that."
A few more details emerged in a panicky rush. Perhaps it had been too long between missions of this type.
Then came a more alarming, "Shoo, little sister."
"Black Widow ... did you release spiders into the playing field again?" Agent Coulson asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, sir," she said serenely. "They were most helpful in extracting answers."
Definitely too long between hunts, Agent Coulson thought.
* * *
Notes:
Describing a scene can get interesting when you use a prevailing sense other than the usual vision. Here I focused on sound, both because of the context and because Phil is hearing-dominant. Auditory learning is one common sensory mode. Here are some more excerpts about sensory modes. Learn how to describe the setting in a story.
A honeytrap or honeypot is a spy who uses sexual wiles to ensnare a target. They are usually, though not always, female. This was part of Black Widow's early training from the Red Room, and she's pretty much the best in the Marvelverse at this.
Torture or "enhanced interrogation techniques" is a way to force people to reveal information. Some people believe that torture works for interrogation, while others argue that it does not. Further consider that psychological torture may work better than physical methods. In my observation, torture can extract actionable information, but only in truly expert hands; most of the time it's just used as crude terrorism (which it does quite well) or personal gratification. Black Widow is adept at a wide range of torture and interrogation. She also has the knowledge of anatomy to minimize the risk of killing someone by accident, and the psychological knowledge to sift truth from lies.
[To be continued in Part 3 ...]
CREEPY
Date: 2014-08-29 06:44 am (UTC)But it is so incredibly, effectively Black Widow--with an equally effective PG-13 filtering mechanism.
Which, given /my/ imagination, really can make it worse.
This is a trust fall between reader and author-- however long it takes to resolve the story, I /know/ you'll balance out the creepy bits well enough to make it worth what I put into reading it.
Re: CREEPY
Date: 2014-08-29 08:04 am (UTC)That's exactly what I was aiming for. I wanted it to be disturbing enough to feel in-character, but not so much as to drive off the audience.
>> But it is so incredibly, effectively Black Widow--with an equally effective PG-13 filtering mechanism. <<
Yay! I'm glad it worked for you.
Which, given /my/ imagination, really can make it worse.
>> This is a trust fall between reader and author-- however long it takes to resolve the story, I /know/ you'll balance out the creepy bits well enough to make it worth what I put into reading it. <<
I am honored. I try to let people know what kind of material they're getting into, both with individual episodes and a whole series. This is one where, even though there are some intense parts, the overall tone is very gentle.
Really, this chapter is the only "creepy" part. There's some emotional stuff in the next chapter as Phil catches up to Natasha. Most of this story is ageplay fluff, though.
Re: CREEPY
Date: 2014-08-29 08:10 am (UTC)If anyone read my journal today, I am /not/ my usual self, and am quite upset and frustrated. That puts any adverse results of reading this fic on /my/ head-- I read the warnings and clicked anyway-- but I think it /also/ shows the level of trust you've built with your other stories, especially the one that sucked me into the whole idea, "Love Is For Children."
Re: CREEPY
Date: 2014-08-29 08:22 am (UTC)Sooth.
*ponder* Which makes this an interesting story in a way I didn't recognize earlier. I write fanfic for fun but also to explore writing techniques where it doesn't matter if I mess up because it's not for sale. This story has an opposite shape compared to the usual, which builds slow and then peaks near the end. Here the highest point of tension is near the beginning, then the rest is all about returning to a more positive headspace and otherwise processing the aftermath.
I'll have to keep this approach in mind. I've got some original canons where it would fit very well.
>> If anyone read my journal today, I am /not/ my usual self, and am quite upset and frustrated. <<
*hugs* If you need more cottoncandy reading, most of Hart's Farm is also family fluff. I think most of the heavier ones have warnings at the top.
>> That puts any adverse results of reading this fic on /my/ head-- I read the warnings and clicked anyway-- but I think it /also/ shows the level of trust you've built with your other stories, especially the one that sucked me into the whole idea, "Love Is For Children." <<
I'm happy to hear that. A lot of folks have said they use this series as comfort reading.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-29 01:43 pm (UTC)-RockafellaSaint
Thank you!
Date: 2014-08-30 01:35 am (UTC)Yay! I'm glad that worked for you.
>> I must admit, I'm impressed by Phil's calm, I don't think I could be Widow's handler. <<
There are reasons why Agent Coulson is SHIELD's Mightiest Handler, and that calm is one of them. Black Widow is a challenging asset to manage.
>> I'm really looking forward to the next part! <<
That's good to hear.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-29 11:25 pm (UTC)Did Natasha really climb up a water spout? *hums song*
Clint!
I'm seriously creeped out by the spiders. Seriously.
♫♫
Date: 2014-08-30 02:37 am (UTC)When I read the title, and all the way through Part 1, I was thinking of weather waterspouts.
Re: ♫♫
Date: 2014-08-30 02:41 am (UTC)Tornado over water, that would probably be Thor's territory. Or Storm's.
Re: ♫♫
Date: 2014-08-30 02:52 am (UTC)Yeah, yeah, got it. :-)
Re: ♫♫
Date: 2014-08-31 03:04 am (UTC)Re: ♫♫
Date: 2014-08-31 03:33 am (UTC)Ditto, and I've even filked it. One day my wife started to step out the door and recoiled, wiping at her face and hair. "Phew! Some hyperactive spider must have been working all morning!" Presto!: The hyperactive spider went up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down and…
But unless you connect it with "Black Widow" → "spider", you don't get it. And I was thinking of battles on (or over) the ocean...
Thoughts
Date: 2014-08-30 07:00 am (UTC)I wanted to give people a good hint of what's going on in this scene, without squicking the audience.
>> Did Natasha really climb up a water spout? *hums song* <<
Yes, really. A well-anchored drainpipe makes a decent route up, if you're strong and agile. The catch is that they aren't always well anchored.
>> Clint! <<
Heh. Don't threaten his partner. You will regret it. Briefly.
>> I'm seriously creeped out by the spiders. Seriously. <<
Yay! They were meant to be creepy. Spiders touch an atavistic thrill of revulsion for most humans.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-31 03:22 am (UTC)Well...
Date: 2014-08-31 03:27 am (UTC)Phil of course is hearing-dominant, and that's part of what makes him such a good handler. Clint is sight-dominant, but also relates pretty strongly to touch. Steve probably started out sight-dominant but can work in any mode since he's poly-optimized. Bruce-and-Hulk are really fucked with a scent/taste preference.
Re: Well...
Date: 2014-09-01 02:59 am (UTC)Lumping visual and verbal modes ignores some real differences in the way some people process both visual information and words. I get a lot more from reading words than I do from hearing them (an hour spent in a lecture is generally not as useful as half an hour with the textbook). It's easier for me to write than to speak -- I can edit! MacOS drives me up the wall, because it's so visually-oriented.
Oddly enough I have no trouble reading maps, and my three-dimensional visualization skills are better than average (though like most humans, I suck at four). And I enjoy graphic novels, but can't draw beyond stick figures -- I just don't *think* that way.
In the "love languages" tests, touch comes out on top, with words second.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-10-23 07:41 pm (UTC)2) ...Daaaaamn. This is not exactly what I expected. I thought she was more the coaxing type until she got someone in an interrogation room. This has undertones of, well...rape. It's creepy, but oh does it fit your Natasha to a T...