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ysabetwordsmithThis story is a sequel to "Love Is for Children," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," and "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," and "Birthday Girl."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanova, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hulk, Steve Rogers, Betty Ross, JARVIS, Bucky Barnes, Nick Fury.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Mind control. Inferences of past child abuse and other torture. Current environment is supportive.
Summary: A mission in Russia introduces the Avengers to the Winter Soldier. Steve wants Bucky back and will stop at nothing to make that happen. Everyone else helps however they can.
Notes: Asexual character (Clint). Aromantic character (Natasha). Asexual relationship. Sibling relationships. Fix-it. Teamwork. Canon-typical violence. BAMF!Avengers. Bucky!whump. Vulgar language. Drama. Rescue. Hurt/Comfort. Emotional whump. Survivor guilt. Friendship. Confusion. Mind control. Memory loss. Slow recovery. Nick Fury makes stupid-ass decisions. Fear of loss. Arc reactor. Fluff. Nonsexual ageplay. Making up for lost time. Tony Stark has a heart. Games. Trust issues. Safety and security. Howard Stark's A+ parenting. Obadiah Stane's A+ parenting. Brian Banner's A+ parenting. Food issues. Multiplicity/Plurality. Sleep issues. Non-sexual touching and intimacy. Yoga. Personal growth. Family of choice. ALL THE FEELS. #coulsonlives. Competency.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2, 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, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31, Part 32, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, Part 37, Part 38, Part 39, Part 40, Part 41, Part 42, Part 43, Part 44, Part 45, Part 46, Part 47, Part 48, Part 49, Part 50, Part 51, Part 52, Part 53, Part 54, Part 55, Part 56, Part 57, Part 58, Part 59, Part 60, Part 61, Part 62, Part 63, Part 64, Part 65, Part 66, Part 67, Part 68, Part 69, Part 70, Part 71, Part 72, Part 73, Part 74, Part 75.
Here ends "No Winter Lasts Forever." Thank you all for sticking with the series this far! I love your input. Final thoughts on the story overall are welcome, in addition to reactions on this specific chapter; see the preliminary notes for a peek at what some of my practice goals were here. I also have a list of favorite photogenic scenes from the whole series for fanartists to consider, partly compiled from audience requests.
The next story in this series is still under construction The sequel "Hide and Seek" is now available. I do have some other stuff to post. I'm going to switch fiction posts from daily to Monday-Wednesday-Friday to leave me more time for separate writing projects that I need to complete.
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.
"No Winter Lasts Forever" Part 76
Back in the common room, they turned to games. Natka pulled out the Russian version of Scrabble and challenged Bucky to a match. Phil was pleased to see her make the overture after standing back while Stevie and Bruce monopolized Bucky earlier.
Clint tensed, though, and that worried Phil. "Are you okay?" he murmured.
Clint just shrugged.
"Do you want to play with Natka?" Bucky asked him.
"I don't like Scrabble," Clint said. It was true that word games held little appeal for him. "Besides, she asked you first."
"You can pick the next game, and I'll play whatever you want," Natka offered.
"Okay," Clint said. Then he climbed onto the couch, not perching atop it as usual, but down on the cushions. Phil sat down and let him snuggle up. Sometimes Clint preferred cuddling to playing, particularly when he needed comfort. Meanwhile Tony, Stevie, Bruce, and Betty played a round of Concentration with their homemade cards.
Bucky won the Scrabble game by a sizable margin. Strategy and vocabulary, Phil thought. That's another good sign for his memory recovering.
When Bucky moved to the couch, Natka came with him. Stevie and Bruce gravitated toward Bucky. They made a comfortable pile together. "Can we have snacks?" Bucky asked then. "I want pirate cookies."
What ...? Phil thought, baffled. Then he remembered the Pieces of Eight label on the Starkbars, complete with eyepatched parrot. "Pirate cookies, coming up," he said aloud. It made sense given that Stevie hadn't eaten as much at supper. I'll need to keep an eye out for that when he's this little, although it seems that Bucky has the matter well in hand. Sure enough, when Phil came back with the box, Bucky took it from him and distributed the snacks.
Next Clint pulled out Life and invited Natka to play. Then, to Phil's surprise and pleasure, Clint beckoned to Bucky as well. "The original version of this dates from 1860 -- The Checkered Game of Life -- and the modern version first came out in 1960. I don't know if you're familiar with the old one or not, but I thought you might enjoy this," Clint explained to Bucky.
Phil smiled. Clint must have looked up the history, he thought. Clint's minimal schooling meant that he rarely did such things, but hanging around with scientists made for slow improvement in his willingness to ferret out information in that manner.
"I haven't played before, but I've heard of it," Bucky said. He leaned over the colorful board as Clint unfolded it. "Hey, Stevie, you want to play a game? You too, Bruce." Bucky tugged them gently into place beside him.
"Dunno how," Bruce said, and put his fingers in his mouth.
Phil realized that he'd seen Bruce play more games like Concentration that could work solitaire, rather than board games that required partners. This could be a useful development, he thought. Like Tony, Bruce was capable of teaching himself how to do things that he'd missed in childhood, but he preferred finding someone to show him instead. Maybe it will encourage Bruce to play more different kinds of game.
"That's okay. We'll teach you how to play. Come on, it'll be fun," Bucky said.
Bruce nodded. He squirmed under the shelter of Bucky's arm. Bucky hugged him close.
Because Phil was watching for it this time, he noticed when Natka locked onto Clint as her guide. She mimicked his selection of a game piece. Well ... 'fake it until you make it' is a valid technique for emotional growth, Phil reminded himself. Just because she doesn't always show pleasure, doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't feel it. Even if she doesn't play for fun yet, she may still learn how.
"There's room for one more," Clint said, looking at Betty and Tony.
"Yeah, who else wants to play with us?" Bucky asked.
Tony glanced from Clint to Bucky, then crinkled his nose. "I've played that game plenty of times," Tony said with a flick of his hand. "Let Betty play with Bruce." He turned his attention to some chirping, warbling game on his Starkpad.
Phil realized that Tony had largely quit resorting to electronic companionship on game nights, preferring his new playmates. Now he's reverting to that again, Phil thought. We need to get some games for seven or more players. Most of what they had now capped out at six or less. Remembering Thor, Phil added, The larger the player pool a game can accommodate, the better. Otherwise we'll just wind up in the same position every time we add a person.
Betty settled into place near Bruce to play Life. Bucky read the rules aloud before they started, apparently his custom for unfamiliar games, based on Stevie's attentive body language. Natka followed Bucky as intently as she did Clint. Even Tony glanced up at them.
If Tony had known about Bucky's teaching mode, he might not have given way to Betty so readily, Phil thought. There will be other times, though.
The game itself flowed smoothly, with Bucky and Clint helping the less confident players as necessary. They went through the routine of spinning the wheel, drawing cards, then moving their little cars around the board. Nobody balked at handling the play money. Phil quietly filed this in his "success" category.
They shuffled groupings again after Stevie won the game. Clint got up, looking for something more active. Tony dug into the toy cabinet. Betty drifted over to see what Tony was doing.
Phil sat back, not feeling compelled to push anything. He just let them explore and play and mingle as they pleased. Time spooled past, a lazy Saturday evening free of obligations or expectations. They all needed the opportunity to relax after missing last week's game night.
Phil looked around the room and enjoyed the quiet scene. It had taken a lot of work to get here, but they made it. He knew they had a long way to go still. Clint and Tony had built a toy catapult, mostly from popsicle sticks and rubber bands, which they now attempted to refine for consistent aim. Meanwhile Betty assembled a cunning fortress from blocks to pit her defensive engineering skill against Tony's offensive engineering skill and Clint's aim. On the couch Stevie and Bucky cuddled closer together, Bruce and Natasha plastered against them. Phil smiled. No matter how long it took everyone to adjust, they had already made the most important accomplishment.
We got Bucky back.
* * *
Notes:
Scrabble is a word game available in many languages.
Playing together has many benefits. Parents need to teach children how to play together and how to get along. Cover topics such as aggression and withdrawal, positive peer interactions, and cooperative activities. Show older children how to play with younger children. This may seem like basic stuff, but remember that most of the Avengers had little or no opportunity to learn these skills as children -- and they're not alone in that.
Children need hugs and snuggles, especially when upset. Touch comforts them through everyday stress and major disasters alike. Adults benefit from loving touch too. This is especially crucial for skin-hungry people like Clint and Bruce.
Concentration is a memory game. The smarter Avengers play for three matches, while others play for two: also a good trick for accommodating age differences or any other large gap in skills. You just need extra cards. I found some printable cards and there are many sets to choose from, so you can make your deck as big as you need to accommodate extra matches or more players. The Avengers are playing with the scientific elements rendered in crayon, so theirs is a big set. You can buy element flashcards, although you'd need to sleeve them to cover one side in order to play Concentration; with printable flashcards you could just cut out the one side and have blank backs.
Life is a popular board game based on typical experiences people have.
Looking things up and sharing knowledge are learned skills. Parents can nurture intelligence and encourage learning in their children. Clint sometimes feels self-conscious about his shortchanged formal education. Despite his low self-esteem on education, he's not stupid, and being around smart people who love knowledge is starting to rub off on him. People can also learn things by teaching others, which has many benefits. However, new skills need to be taught in small steps; it's not effective to shove people into groups and just tell them to get on with it.
Some children prefer to play alone rather than in groups. If they're naturally introverted, that's fine, and they shouldn't be pressured into communal play. Children who are shy, anxious, or withdrawn may want to participate but hang back due to fear of rejection or other reasons. Parents should think carefully to discern which is the case. There are ways to help shy children interact. Another factor is that gifted children may prefer older friends rather than age-mates, and are more likely to have just one or a few close friends than many casual friends. Look how tight Tony and Bruce have been; that's a classic example, and it's no accident that fans adore them for it. Bruce is naturally shy, introverted, and has been brutalized so much that he's permanently uncomfortable with attention. Tony is bifocal -- he can both generate his own energy alone and draw it from other people -- but he's terribly vulnerable to rejection. Shyness is complex, but increasing withdrawal is a warning sign that usually means something is wrong.
"Fake it until you make it" is one approach to cultivating positive emotions and pursuing happy activities on the premise that the body can influence the mind. The drawback is that this technique can feel horribly misaligned or dishonest if the fake part is too far from the current reality. The trick is to take small steps, as recommend for using positive affirmations, so that you're working with believable ideas laid in a path toward your goal. Natasha's emotions are so stunted by her past that she doesn't have many other options than going through the motions and hoping to learn what genuine, positive feelings are like. Occasionally they do shine through, just as she gets flashes of anger or fear; but often she just does things because everyone else is.
There are tips for learning a new game yourself and teaching someone how to play. This an area where the Avengers are very well set, because Steve and Bucky enjoy guiding people, Clint has family experience with games, while Bruce and Tony (and apparently Stevie too) love having someone teach them things. Thus what's a tedious part for some families is a main attraction here. There are instructions for making old games more interesting and building your own board game. Board games are great for teaching rules, systems, and organized thought.
Certain toys tend to inspire creativity in kids. Categories include art, craft, and musical toys. Every toy cache should include some kind of building and craft toys -- stuff that people can use to make their own playthings.
LJ user Freshbakedlady tipped me to an adorable Tumblr post, "Recess Break IV," featuring cosplay of Bucky, Tony, and Natasha playing on swings. I suspect this is exactly what would happen. The whole series is on the Winter Soldier tag.
~ MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ~
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanova, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hulk, Steve Rogers, Betty Ross, JARVIS, Bucky Barnes, Nick Fury.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Mind control. Inferences of past child abuse and other torture. Current environment is supportive.
Summary: A mission in Russia introduces the Avengers to the Winter Soldier. Steve wants Bucky back and will stop at nothing to make that happen. Everyone else helps however they can.
Notes: Asexual character (Clint). Aromantic character (Natasha). Asexual relationship. Sibling relationships. Fix-it. Teamwork. Canon-typical violence. BAMF!Avengers. Bucky!whump. Vulgar language. Drama. Rescue. Hurt/Comfort. Emotional whump. Survivor guilt. Friendship. Confusion. Mind control. Memory loss. Slow recovery. Nick Fury makes stupid-ass decisions. Fear of loss. Arc reactor. Fluff. Nonsexual ageplay. Making up for lost time. Tony Stark has a heart. Games. Trust issues. Safety and security. Howard Stark's A+ parenting. Obadiah Stane's A+ parenting. Brian Banner's A+ parenting. Food issues. Multiplicity/Plurality. Sleep issues. Non-sexual touching and intimacy. Yoga. Personal growth. Family of choice. ALL THE FEELS. #coulsonlives. Competency.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2, 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, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31, Part 32, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, Part 37, Part 38, Part 39, Part 40, Part 41, Part 42, Part 43, Part 44, Part 45, Part 46, Part 47, Part 48, Part 49, Part 50, Part 51, Part 52, Part 53, Part 54, Part 55, Part 56, Part 57, Part 58, Part 59, Part 60, Part 61, Part 62, Part 63, Part 64, Part 65, Part 66, Part 67, Part 68, Part 69, Part 70, Part 71, Part 72, Part 73, Part 74, Part 75.
Here ends "No Winter Lasts Forever." Thank you all for sticking with the series this far! I love your input. Final thoughts on the story overall are welcome, in addition to reactions on this specific chapter; see the preliminary notes for a peek at what some of my practice goals were here. I also have a list of favorite photogenic scenes from the whole series for fanartists to consider, partly compiled from audience requests.
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.
"No Winter Lasts Forever" Part 76
Back in the common room, they turned to games. Natka pulled out the Russian version of Scrabble and challenged Bucky to a match. Phil was pleased to see her make the overture after standing back while Stevie and Bruce monopolized Bucky earlier.
Clint tensed, though, and that worried Phil. "Are you okay?" he murmured.
Clint just shrugged.
"Do you want to play with Natka?" Bucky asked him.
"I don't like Scrabble," Clint said. It was true that word games held little appeal for him. "Besides, she asked you first."
"You can pick the next game, and I'll play whatever you want," Natka offered.
"Okay," Clint said. Then he climbed onto the couch, not perching atop it as usual, but down on the cushions. Phil sat down and let him snuggle up. Sometimes Clint preferred cuddling to playing, particularly when he needed comfort. Meanwhile Tony, Stevie, Bruce, and Betty played a round of Concentration with their homemade cards.
Bucky won the Scrabble game by a sizable margin. Strategy and vocabulary, Phil thought. That's another good sign for his memory recovering.
When Bucky moved to the couch, Natka came with him. Stevie and Bruce gravitated toward Bucky. They made a comfortable pile together. "Can we have snacks?" Bucky asked then. "I want pirate cookies."
What ...? Phil thought, baffled. Then he remembered the Pieces of Eight label on the Starkbars, complete with eyepatched parrot. "Pirate cookies, coming up," he said aloud. It made sense given that Stevie hadn't eaten as much at supper. I'll need to keep an eye out for that when he's this little, although it seems that Bucky has the matter well in hand. Sure enough, when Phil came back with the box, Bucky took it from him and distributed the snacks.
Next Clint pulled out Life and invited Natka to play. Then, to Phil's surprise and pleasure, Clint beckoned to Bucky as well. "The original version of this dates from 1860 -- The Checkered Game of Life -- and the modern version first came out in 1960. I don't know if you're familiar with the old one or not, but I thought you might enjoy this," Clint explained to Bucky.
Phil smiled. Clint must have looked up the history, he thought. Clint's minimal schooling meant that he rarely did such things, but hanging around with scientists made for slow improvement in his willingness to ferret out information in that manner.
"I haven't played before, but I've heard of it," Bucky said. He leaned over the colorful board as Clint unfolded it. "Hey, Stevie, you want to play a game? You too, Bruce." Bucky tugged them gently into place beside him.
"Dunno how," Bruce said, and put his fingers in his mouth.
Phil realized that he'd seen Bruce play more games like Concentration that could work solitaire, rather than board games that required partners. This could be a useful development, he thought. Like Tony, Bruce was capable of teaching himself how to do things that he'd missed in childhood, but he preferred finding someone to show him instead. Maybe it will encourage Bruce to play more different kinds of game.
"That's okay. We'll teach you how to play. Come on, it'll be fun," Bucky said.
Bruce nodded. He squirmed under the shelter of Bucky's arm. Bucky hugged him close.
Because Phil was watching for it this time, he noticed when Natka locked onto Clint as her guide. She mimicked his selection of a game piece. Well ... 'fake it until you make it' is a valid technique for emotional growth, Phil reminded himself. Just because she doesn't always show pleasure, doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't feel it. Even if she doesn't play for fun yet, she may still learn how.
"There's room for one more," Clint said, looking at Betty and Tony.
"Yeah, who else wants to play with us?" Bucky asked.
Tony glanced from Clint to Bucky, then crinkled his nose. "I've played that game plenty of times," Tony said with a flick of his hand. "Let Betty play with Bruce." He turned his attention to some chirping, warbling game on his Starkpad.
Phil realized that Tony had largely quit resorting to electronic companionship on game nights, preferring his new playmates. Now he's reverting to that again, Phil thought. We need to get some games for seven or more players. Most of what they had now capped out at six or less. Remembering Thor, Phil added, The larger the player pool a game can accommodate, the better. Otherwise we'll just wind up in the same position every time we add a person.
Betty settled into place near Bruce to play Life. Bucky read the rules aloud before they started, apparently his custom for unfamiliar games, based on Stevie's attentive body language. Natka followed Bucky as intently as she did Clint. Even Tony glanced up at them.
If Tony had known about Bucky's teaching mode, he might not have given way to Betty so readily, Phil thought. There will be other times, though.
The game itself flowed smoothly, with Bucky and Clint helping the less confident players as necessary. They went through the routine of spinning the wheel, drawing cards, then moving their little cars around the board. Nobody balked at handling the play money. Phil quietly filed this in his "success" category.
They shuffled groupings again after Stevie won the game. Clint got up, looking for something more active. Tony dug into the toy cabinet. Betty drifted over to see what Tony was doing.
Phil sat back, not feeling compelled to push anything. He just let them explore and play and mingle as they pleased. Time spooled past, a lazy Saturday evening free of obligations or expectations. They all needed the opportunity to relax after missing last week's game night.
Phil looked around the room and enjoyed the quiet scene. It had taken a lot of work to get here, but they made it. He knew they had a long way to go still. Clint and Tony had built a toy catapult, mostly from popsicle sticks and rubber bands, which they now attempted to refine for consistent aim. Meanwhile Betty assembled a cunning fortress from blocks to pit her defensive engineering skill against Tony's offensive engineering skill and Clint's aim. On the couch Stevie and Bucky cuddled closer together, Bruce and Natasha plastered against them. Phil smiled. No matter how long it took everyone to adjust, they had already made the most important accomplishment.
We got Bucky back.
* * *
Notes:
Scrabble is a word game available in many languages.
Playing together has many benefits. Parents need to teach children how to play together and how to get along. Cover topics such as aggression and withdrawal, positive peer interactions, and cooperative activities. Show older children how to play with younger children. This may seem like basic stuff, but remember that most of the Avengers had little or no opportunity to learn these skills as children -- and they're not alone in that.
Children need hugs and snuggles, especially when upset. Touch comforts them through everyday stress and major disasters alike. Adults benefit from loving touch too. This is especially crucial for skin-hungry people like Clint and Bruce.
Concentration is a memory game. The smarter Avengers play for three matches, while others play for two: also a good trick for accommodating age differences or any other large gap in skills. You just need extra cards. I found some printable cards and there are many sets to choose from, so you can make your deck as big as you need to accommodate extra matches or more players. The Avengers are playing with the scientific elements rendered in crayon, so theirs is a big set. You can buy element flashcards, although you'd need to sleeve them to cover one side in order to play Concentration; with printable flashcards you could just cut out the one side and have blank backs.
Life is a popular board game based on typical experiences people have.
Looking things up and sharing knowledge are learned skills. Parents can nurture intelligence and encourage learning in their children. Clint sometimes feels self-conscious about his shortchanged formal education. Despite his low self-esteem on education, he's not stupid, and being around smart people who love knowledge is starting to rub off on him. People can also learn things by teaching others, which has many benefits. However, new skills need to be taught in small steps; it's not effective to shove people into groups and just tell them to get on with it.
Some children prefer to play alone rather than in groups. If they're naturally introverted, that's fine, and they shouldn't be pressured into communal play. Children who are shy, anxious, or withdrawn may want to participate but hang back due to fear of rejection or other reasons. Parents should think carefully to discern which is the case. There are ways to help shy children interact. Another factor is that gifted children may prefer older friends rather than age-mates, and are more likely to have just one or a few close friends than many casual friends. Look how tight Tony and Bruce have been; that's a classic example, and it's no accident that fans adore them for it. Bruce is naturally shy, introverted, and has been brutalized so much that he's permanently uncomfortable with attention. Tony is bifocal -- he can both generate his own energy alone and draw it from other people -- but he's terribly vulnerable to rejection. Shyness is complex, but increasing withdrawal is a warning sign that usually means something is wrong.
"Fake it until you make it" is one approach to cultivating positive emotions and pursuing happy activities on the premise that the body can influence the mind. The drawback is that this technique can feel horribly misaligned or dishonest if the fake part is too far from the current reality. The trick is to take small steps, as recommend for using positive affirmations, so that you're working with believable ideas laid in a path toward your goal. Natasha's emotions are so stunted by her past that she doesn't have many other options than going through the motions and hoping to learn what genuine, positive feelings are like. Occasionally they do shine through, just as she gets flashes of anger or fear; but often she just does things because everyone else is.
There are tips for learning a new game yourself and teaching someone how to play. This an area where the Avengers are very well set, because Steve and Bucky enjoy guiding people, Clint has family experience with games, while Bruce and Tony (and apparently Stevie too) love having someone teach them things. Thus what's a tedious part for some families is a main attraction here. There are instructions for making old games more interesting and building your own board game. Board games are great for teaching rules, systems, and organized thought.
Certain toys tend to inspire creativity in kids. Categories include art, craft, and musical toys. Every toy cache should include some kind of building and craft toys -- stuff that people can use to make their own playthings.
LJ user Freshbakedlady tipped me to an adorable Tumblr post, "Recess Break IV," featuring cosplay of Bucky, Tony, and Natasha playing on swings. I suspect this is exactly what would happen. The whole series is on the Winter Soldier tag.
~ MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ~
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 06:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 06:49 am (UTC)Thank you!
From:(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 06:53 am (UTC)-songspinner9
Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-27 07:06 am (UTC)Yay! I'm happy to hear that.
>> Intense and fascinating...the whole Stevie and Bucky dynamic was really well done and makes a lot of sense <<
I wasn't expecting Steve to age-crash like that on game night, but when I look back, it makes sense. He has almost no defenses against Bucky, and the urge to recreate that phase of their childhood was just overwhelming. Steve will be able to switch positions with Bucky, later, because that's a thing they do.
>> and the layers of Bruce and Bucky were quite interesting. <<
That's good to hear. I really enjoyed watching their new relationship develop, contrasted against Bucky's older bonds with Steve and Natasha.
>> I trust that the next bit will delve somewhat into whatever is going on with Tony and Clint? <<
The next story focuses primarily on Tony, somewhat on Bucky, with bits of other folks woven in. Tony has this bad habit of stifling things until they explode.
I'd like to explore more of what's going on with Clint, but he's not being as obvious about it. If I get to a Loki story eventually, Clint would be a major part of that.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 09:38 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-27 07:05 pm (UTC)Yay! It's good to hear that.
>> This last chapter just gives me the warm fuzzies. <<
That's what I was aiming for, a nice cozy conclusion to a story that has been an emotional roller-coaster.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 10:17 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-28 06:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 11:09 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-28 04:36 am (UTC)I'm glad you like it.
>> quieter than what one would expect from the avengers, but that's an interesting contrast too... and sneakily educational! <<
Well, there are lots of people writing adventure and smut. There are far fewer writing for readers who want family bonding, serious issues handled methodically rather than handwaved, or nonsexual anything. I like writing different stuff.
>> I like..and looking forward to the next arc. <<
Yay!
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 11:37 am (UTC)I'm sorry I haven't commented much over the last week. I seem to have trouble writing right now.
Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-28 12:36 am (UTC)I'm glad to hear that! Yes, this one was very complicated.
>> I'm sorry I haven't commented much over the last week. I seem to have trouble writing right now. <<
It's okay. Comment when you feel like it; I don't want to pressure people.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 12:20 pm (UTC)That was a wonderful and heartwarming chapter. Thank you for sharing this awesome story!
You're welcome!
Date: 2013-07-30 06:03 am (UTC)Sooth. It's not always easy, but Bucky pours his heart out for his people.
>> I guess he must have been like that as a child, too. <<
Yes, it manifested pretty early. This is one of the things that drew Steve to Bucky in the first place, how much he cares about people and tries to protect them.
>> That was a wonderful and heartwarming chapter. Thank you for sharing this awesome story! <<
*bow, flourish* Happy to be of service.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 01:10 pm (UTC)Helga
You're welcome!
Date: 2013-07-28 09:59 am (UTC)There will be more presently.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 01:25 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-28 08:44 pm (UTC)I'm glad you liked it!
>> When Tony couldn't play the game, especially as he wasn't even sure if he wanted Bucky there or not, even though he probably wanted too, made me feel bad for him. <<
That is something that needs attention. What's going on is that Tony's ambivalence about Bucky spills over to make Tony more hesitant about game night and social interaction in general. Their styles are different and haven't fully meshed yet. Sometimes even when people like each other a lot, it takes a while for them to find a comfortable working relationship.
>> Tony's doing better than me though, I probably would have had to take a deep breath and check some serious resentment in the bud there ;) x <<
It's a little more complicated than that for Tony. Sometimes when he really wants something, he just butts in to take it. But other times he convinces himself -- or tries to -- that he doesn't really want it. He's more inclined to the former with people he doesn't care about, and the latter with people he does. So that's something Bucky and Tony will need to work on over time.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 02:12 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-28 02:59 am (UTC)This makes me happy!
>>This one was very interesting since it was less about the game night and more about going through the motions of bringing someone into a closely knit group and I love the way it was handled.<<
It's very different bringing someone into a new group vs. an established group. The boundary tends to thicken over time, so you have to do more toward integration.
>> I think my favorite things would have to be how Tony and Bruce's eventually connection to Bucky turned out and <<
I wanted to explore relationships that don't usually get much airtime. Almost all the Winter Soldier action is Steve and Bucky; what's left is mostly Natasha and Bucky.
>>Steve's emotional reactions to Bucky.<<
Of course, covering this is essential if they're together, because they are so tightly connected. Getting split up during the war really ripped them both to bits. It'll take a while to patch that back up.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 02:14 pm (UTC)Wow!
Date: 2013-08-03 06:18 am (UTC)That's really sweet.
>> It's truly one of the highlights of my day, getting to sit down and read another installment. I can't wait to see more! <<
I'm still working on the next story.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 04:04 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-08-03 06:08 am (UTC)They really have come a long way. It's fun to watch them unfold and open up to each other. I'm glad you're enjoying this so much.
*Applauds*
Date: 2013-07-27 04:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 05:54 pm (UTC)In response to the story, beautiful ending. I can't imagine a better way to end it, although seeing Tony revert to old habits worries me.
--Siren
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 07:48 pm (UTC)I got a friend of mine started reading this, and we wound up talking about how, if we had someone to be like Uncle Phil, we'd totally do this sort of non-sexual ageplay. Sexual ageplay squicks me out, and bugs her, but this? Heart squeezies.
So, we got together to do an art day last week. We had crayons and coloring books, and I brought out watercolors and my soft pastels, and we sat on the floor and drew pictures. It was great! And then to see you writing about art therapy and having the 'kids' doing fingerpainting?! Perfection.
We had so much fun with our art day that we're going to do it again (maybe with wet paint... the texture of paint on skin is so much fun.)
Thank you for writing this, and I'm so glad you're going to give us more! :D
You're welcome!
Date: 2013-08-02 03:11 am (UTC)Yay! I'm happy to hear that.
>> I really love that you worked art therapy into it!!! <<
It seemed like something they would enjoy, and several of the Avengers have some kind of creative talent. It's one of the best methods for situations where people have trouble articulating their reelings or problems.
>> I got a friend of mine started reading this, and we wound up talking about how, if we had someone to be like Uncle Phil, we'd totally do this sort of non-sexual ageplay. Sexual ageplay squicks me out, and bugs her, but this? Heart squeezies. <<
I think more people would consider ageplay or other types of inner child work if they had a good idea of what it could be like and what it can accomplish, and especially that it doesn't have to be sexual. Because for most people, childhood + sexuality = squiiiiiiick.
Maybe this will encourage more folks to try it. You don't even have to pretend to be little, really, just focus on a free and open state of mind where you can enjoy playing or painting or whatever.
>> So, we got together to do an art day last week. We had crayons and coloring books, and I brought out watercolors and my soft pastels, and we sat on the floor and drew pictures. It was great! <<
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing.
>> And then to see you writing about art therapy and having the 'kids' doing fingerpainting?! Perfection. <<
The universe does love synchronicity.
>> We had so much fun with our art day that we're going to do it again (maybe with wet paint... the texture of paint on skin is so much fun.) <<
That's a wonderful idea. Check out the textured fingerpaint suggestions in the links. If you're doing art for tactile stimulation, it's a good area to explore. Or with watercolor, look for things to throw on that will change how the paint behaves, like salt or alcohol; but you have to be more careful with those than just putting a teaspoon of sand into fingerpaint.
>> Thank you for writing this, and I'm so glad you're going to give us more! :D <<
*bow, flourish* Happy to be of service. Next story is another one-shot but I am still working on "Hide and Seek."
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 07:57 pm (UTC)I hope you still find creative pleasure with this series and continue it, I would love to read more. Even if it is pared down to every other day instead of the instant gratification hit of every day posting. ;)
-Skit
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-27 09:13 pm (UTC)-A
Thank you!
Date: 2013-08-03 06:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-28 02:02 am (UTC)Thank you. Thank you. And I am looking forward to the next one, whenever you can make it ... kiam ajn vi povos aperadigi gÌ‚in:★ whenever you can make it appear.
★ when ever you will-be-able to-cause-to-ongoingly-appear it
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-28 02:14 am (UTC)I want to go back and re-read the whole story at once now that it's complete! Thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. And for your well-researched notes, which like someone said a few days ago, almost always contain something that I needed to see. And for your detailed responses to my babbling in your comment section! I'm looking forward to your next story whenever it's ready.
Meg
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-28 04:07 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-29 06:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-28 04:57 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-29 10:11 pm (UTC)I'm happy to hear that.
>> It's interesting to see how you subtly showed Tony withdrawing from the group. It's a nice set up to the next story in the series. <<
Poor Tony, he has no idea how to manage his own impulse control. He can't really tell when it's a good idea to move forward or hang back. In this case, it's partly wanting to be nice and give other people space to play, but also partly denying what he wants or needs because he doesn't believe he can get it or deserve it.
So yeah, it's a slow and quiet build, but it's like putting a sealed pot on a hot stove. Something's going to rupture eventually.
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Date: 2013-07-28 05:35 am (UTC)In the future, I hope to see Thor return and Bruce-and-Hulk learn to interact better with each other. I hope to see more of Bruce learning to value himself, too.
Thoughts
Date: 2013-07-28 05:56 am (UTC)You know, I didn't even realize how much of that was in this game night, until you stacked it all up like that. This made me look back at previous examples, and add things like not sitting on furniture in the usual manner (for which some people constantly harassed me when I was little) or hiding underneath things, playing with opposite-gender toys or changing game rules, etc. A lot of this overlaps with what neurovariant people do, but some is also really common for gifted kids.
I think ... you put together a bunch of superspies or superheroes, they are going to be mostly or all freaks, just like what happens if you assemble a really good think tank and for the same reasons. The farther out on the tips of the skill tree you go, the farther you tend to get from mainstream anything. Brilliant, highly skilled people tend to be weird. If you're lucky, they'll be proud of it; if not, they'll be insecure or broken.
So I think Phil as a handler must have plenty of experience dealing with people who think and act differently than usual. It's why the house rules are things like "Don't hurt yourself or anyone else" rather than "Play by the rules." It doesn't do any harm if they want to sit on the corner of the couch instead of the seat, or play Concentration for trios instead of pairs. If Tony's playing palmtop games or Bruce hides under the coffee table, Phil might feel concerned and want to make sure they're okay. But he's not going to drag anyone into a situation that makes them uncomfortable, because that's actively counterproductive.
I honestly didn't notice how much of this premise was spread throughout the series, but yeah, it's just everywhere. That it's okay to be yourself and do things the way you want to, and nobody will pressure you to fake being normal more than is comfortable for you, as long as what you're doing doesn't hurt anyone.
>> In the future, I hope to see Thor return <<
That's in the plan, if I have time to extend the series that far.
>> and Bruce-and-Hulk learn to interact better with each other. I hope to see more of Bruce learning to value himself, too. <<
Those themes comprise a whole story, and I'd really like to cover that in depth if I can. They have been making slow progress, but Bruce's resistance is going to bring it to a head eventually.
The next story deals with how Tony has been discreetly quashing himself, and what it takes to work through the resulting ruckus.
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From:(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-28 06:42 am (UTC)~ Mei Mei
(Note: I am also A Grateful Little Sister from chapter 30 but that is a lot to write every time. I figured I would post with what my sister calls me. If I am right it means Little sister in Chinese)
Thoughts
Date: 2013-07-29 09:36 am (UTC)Yay! That's good to hear.
>> When my sister told me that you posted the last part I looked at her and said "NOOOOOOO". After reading this chapter I think that this was actually a good place to end it. <<
All stories find their own resolution. I am working on a sequel.
>> I love Bucky's way of acting in Game Night. Thank you for the wonderful ride. It was well worth it. <<
That's good to hear. Each character has their own approach to ageplay, so it's interesting to watch that come out.
>> ~ Mei Mei
(Note: I am also A Grateful Little Sister from chapter 30 but that is a lot to write every time. I figured I would post with what my sister calls me. If I am right it means Little sister in Chinese) <<
That's fine, and yes, the translation matches what little I know.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-28 06:48 am (UTC)Wynjara
Thoughts
Date: 2013-07-29 08:06 am (UTC)Check. "Hide and Seek" has that. There are some aspects that involve other people impacted by Tony's behavior, but the core of it is that Tony overcontrolling himself goes to bad places.
>> For better or worse I tend to see a lot of my various- let's go with 'quirks'- <<
I use that term a lot.
>> in the Avengers, and one of the big ones is hiding what I feel if I think it will get in someone else's way, until it explodes messily. <<
I had to learn not to do that with writing, of all things. If I do it regularly, it's constructive and profitable. But if I go more than a few days without, I get restless, and then unsociable, and things spurt out sideways in a manner that can be harmful to anyone in range. Basically don't put a sealed pot on a hot stove because boom.
>> Seeing it from the outside, with someone (in this case, Phil) there to guide it to a less hazardous path, helps so much. <<
Oh, that's good to hear.
>>The extra links don't hurt, either.<<
I'm glad you find those helpful.
For the record...
Date: 2013-07-28 07:17 am (UTC)Re: For the record...
Date: 2013-07-28 10:26 pm (UTC)