Story: "Birthday Girl" (Part 4 of 18)

This story is a sequel to "Love Is for Children," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys," "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. 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.

Begin with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.  Skip to 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.

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Touch Aversion

As part of the three_weeks_for_dw project (running April 25-May 15), I'm posting some content just to Dreamwidth. This is a good opportunity to seek new readers for your blog and new blogs to read, and to recommend stuff you enjoy on other people's blogs to help them make new connections too. Previously we discussed "Skin Hunger."  Continue to later sections: "Primates Need Touch," "Self-Soothing and Self-Control," "Compassion and Gentleness," "Creating Safe Space," "Building Trust," "Healthy Vulnerability," "Coping with Emotional Drop."


"Touch Aversion"

Touch aversion is the counterpoint to skin hunger. Some people prefer to abstain from physical contact with other people. This is also known as chiraptophobia, touch avoidance, or tactile defensiveness. It can be considered a subtype of sensory defensiveness. There is a quiz to explore whether you have touch aversion.

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Nature Photos

 See the Rollright Stones.

Muse Fusion Open!

The April 2013 Muse Fusion is now open.  Come give us prompts or claim some for your own inspiration.  You don't have to be a Torn World member to play.  We have a travel contest closing at the end of April and then May will be Sea Monster Month, so those are good targets if you want a theme.


What I Have Written

"Stinging Like Nettles" -- a poem introducing a Northern girl, Lekeeth, with touch aversion.

"Swift Travelers" -- 14 lines, $5
Your prompt about traveling insects led to the free-verse poem "Swift Travelers." Nleimen draws cartoons of insects.  

"Wandering the Heights" -- 98 lines, $24.50  SOLD
Lekeeth, a young girl with touch aversion, becomes more adventurous as she approaches the time when she'll join an age-set. There is also a sequence where she sympathizes with Taiv, someone I thought likely to suffer from pregnancy-caused hypersensitivity. That's not approved yet so I'll need to check with the character owner. 

Read "A Thorny Problem"

You can now read my poem "A Thorny Problem" on Torn World, illustrated by ellenmillion.
Adarla's opinion of roses changes over time.

If you like this poem and want to see more like it, please consider sending me credits or karma through Torn World's crowdfunding options.  Not a Torn World member, but still want to support the work? I have a permanent PayPal button on my LJ profile page.

Poem: "Stinging Like Nettles"

This is the freebie for the April 2013 Muse Fusion.  It was inspired by a prompt from ellenmillion, along with some requests I've gotten for showing touch aversion as an everyday challenge rather than something that has to be "cured."  This poem also fills the #17 "Onslaught" line in the Rainbowfic Sunlight list.

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One-Card Draw

 alexseanchai is hosting  a one-card draw.  One card is free; donations get you more.