>>I, like everyone else, love that Natka can trust Steve enough to be tickled. <<
Yay! I'm glad this worked out so well.
>>It definitely has something to do with trust, but I think there's another layer too. She is Natka here, not Natasha. <<
A very astute observation.
>> Yes, they are both her, but in many ways they are distinctly different aspects of her identity. Natka is younger and far more innocent. In some ways, she is the aspect of Natasha's personality that pre-dates the Red Room and all her spy training. As such Natka can access things that Natasha, as the adult, no longer can.<<
That's true. Natasha is very good at compartmentalizing different identities; it's part of her job as a spy. It's also part of what keeps her even functionally sane. *ponder* And it really, really complicates her relationship with her teammates -- especially Tony and Bruce-and-Hulk. There's a lot of dissociation going on there. But it also means that the hidden parts of Natasha can find a way out through Natka.
>> They are neither as separate nor distinct as Bruce-and-Hulk, but there is still an element of difference there, just as Tony Carter is different from Tony Stark and Flip is different from Phil. <<
Yes, exactly. I try very hard to write the characters as different in their adult and child modes, yet still recognizable as the same person.
It makes me wonder, a little, who else might be able to tickle Natka. Uncle Phil could, I think, but that's likely it at this stage. Clint and Tony are too much the pranksters; Bruce-and-Hulk are gaining ground but not fully trusted yet; Betty is too new.
I suspect that Natasha as an adult isn't ticklish yet, but might be able to get there now that she has an idea of what it feels like. It's something that she and Steve might work on together, if it occurs to them as a private teambuilding activity.
Re: Barks
Yay! I'm glad this worked out so well.
>>It definitely has something to do with trust, but I think there's another layer too. She is Natka here, not Natasha. <<
A very astute observation.
>> Yes, they are both her, but in many ways they are distinctly different aspects of her identity. Natka is younger and far more innocent. In some ways, she is the aspect of Natasha's personality that pre-dates the Red Room and all her spy training. As such Natka can access things that Natasha, as the adult, no longer can.<<
That's true. Natasha is very good at compartmentalizing different identities; it's part of her job as a spy. It's also part of what keeps her even functionally sane. *ponder* And it really, really complicates her relationship with her teammates -- especially Tony and Bruce-and-Hulk. There's a lot of dissociation going on there. But it also means that the hidden parts of Natasha can find a way out through Natka.
>> They are neither as separate nor distinct as Bruce-and-Hulk, but there is still an element of difference there, just as Tony Carter is different from Tony Stark and Flip is different from Phil. <<
Yes, exactly. I try very hard to write the characters as different in their adult and child modes, yet still recognizable as the same person.
It makes me wonder, a little, who else might be able to tickle Natka. Uncle Phil could, I think, but that's likely it at this stage. Clint and Tony are too much the pranksters; Bruce-and-Hulk are gaining ground but not fully trusted yet; Betty is too new.
I suspect that Natasha as an adult isn't ticklish yet, but might be able to get there now that she has an idea of what it feels like. It's something that she and Steve might work on together, if it occurs to them as a private teambuilding activity.