Story: "Hairpins" Part 28
Apr. 23rd, 2014 12:08 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, 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. Skip to Part 30.
"Hairpins" Part 28
"Well, I can just custom-order the pajamas, make a note to take care with the measurements, and not mention that to Steve," said Phil. His fingertips danced over the screen, taking color chips from Steve's clothes and furnishings.
Steve actually did like red, white, and blue. Phil didn't want to dress him as an icon when he was supposed to be relaxing, though. He moved those to the bottom of the page. There were a lot of earth tones: rich chocolate browns, warm tans and ivories, dusky blues, a whole swath of dull greens that must have reminded Steve comfortably of the Army. A smattering of brighter colors hinted at Steve's taste for art. He seemed to like the pure primaries. Phil moved those up the page.
"Steve enjoys art. Let's see what we can find in that area," Phil said. Several sets of pajamas appeared, including one eye-searing Warhol Chihuahua print. "Oh god no, less modern pop and more Norman Rockwell."
"More like this?" JARVIS asked. The offending image vanished, replaced by a t-shirt with children cuddling.
"Hmm. Steve doesn't mind wandering around the house in an undershirt," Phil said. "Add sleep shirts to the list of possibilities along with regular pajamas." The image floated to the top of the page. "Come to think of it, check other examples of Americana. Skip the stars-and-stripes stuff, but ..."
"Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet?" JARVIS said, a smile audible in his voice.
Phil laughed. "Yes, exactly. Images of nostalgia. Something to help Steve bridge the past and the present."
JARVIS offered samples of baseball footie pajamas and a deep blue t-shirt featuring a 1957 Chevy. "Closer?" he asked.
"Somewhat. You're drifting back to red, white, and blue though," Phil said.
"Statistically speaking, it's that or the earth tones, and Steve does not seem to share Bruce's desire to fade into the woodwork," JARVIS pointed out. "May we consider those colors if they are not in a flag-like configuration?"
"All right, that's a valid point," Phil said. It felt good to hear JARVIS come out of hiding a little more, showing his own personality beyond the scope of formal search protocols. One thing Phil could do for him was simple inclusion. "I like the Chevy t-shirt but that's a little after his time. Maybe look for characters or concepts familiar to Steve?"
"Searching," JARVIS said. The page flickered with fresh images, only some of which Phil recognized.
"Wait, I like this one," Phil said, grabbing a Mickey Mouse baseball uniform. "This has definite potential. I remember Steve following baseball, and Mickey Mouse is a good piece of cultural art."
"Found it," JARVIS said, his voice satisfied and a bit smug. There on the screen was Babe Ruth's 1938 Dodgers uniform. It would be no trouble at all to turn that design into a set of pajamas and add a pair of house shoes.
"That's it," Phil agreed. "That's perfect." He entered the order. Phil was coming to rely on JARVIS for his insightful judgment, even as JARVIS was trusting Phil enough to reveal more of his true nature.
There was no way to know if Steve would ever show interest in game night, or if he'd accept when Phil felt ready to invite him. Just in case, though, the pajamas would be waiting for him.
Task complete, Phil set aside his Starkpad. Then he changed into workout clothes and headed for the gym. An hour's exercise would give him a good excuse to take the shower he already wanted.
* * *
Notes:
Andy Warhol was a pop artist famous for vivid color contrasts. See the Chihuahua pajamas.
Norman Rockwell specialized in nostalgic art. See the t-shirt with children cuddling.
Sleep shirts are an alternative to pajama sets or onesies, usually worn with pajama bottoms. You can mix-and-match sleepwear separates, or add pretty much any loose comfy tee to a pair of sleep pants.
Americana is the cultural material of the United States, and something categorically precious to Steve. "Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet" is the tagline of a classic Chevrolet commercial. It plays on common motifs to evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Phil is starting to realize that it takes a little extra effort to coax JARVIS from computer mode into something more social. There are tips for including people with disabilities or from disadvantaged groups. Similarly interfacing human and AI people requires some forethought to accommodate their differences.
Shyness can be a personality trait or a contextual feeling. Both are okay, but sometimes people feel limited by their own shyness or don't want to see it hindering a friend. There are ways to make places more welcoming for shy people and to talk with them comfortably. Know how to teach children about social interactions. You can overcome shyness and learn to participate more in groups. While JARVIS is snarky and voluble with Tony, he is far more unobtrusive and diffident around other people, unless either coaxed or provoked.
See the baseball onesie pajamas, Chevy shirt, and Mickey Mouse baseball pajamas.
Babe Ruth was a famous baseball player. This site has some information about his later career, along with a picture of the Dodgers uniform from his coaching season. It combines Steve's home timeframe, his favorite team, a famous player ... and then the house slippers are modern.
Washing eases guilt. Humans seem to have an instinctive desire for water when they feel spiritually or morally dirty, and they want to wash their hands or bathe. Phil is working through the guilt from what he did to JARVIS, but he still really really wants that shower. He just doesn't want to be as conspicuous as bolting for the bathroom for no other obvious reason.
[To be continued in Part 29 ...]
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, 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. Skip to Part 30.
"Hairpins" Part 28
"Well, I can just custom-order the pajamas, make a note to take care with the measurements, and not mention that to Steve," said Phil. His fingertips danced over the screen, taking color chips from Steve's clothes and furnishings.
Steve actually did like red, white, and blue. Phil didn't want to dress him as an icon when he was supposed to be relaxing, though. He moved those to the bottom of the page. There were a lot of earth tones: rich chocolate browns, warm tans and ivories, dusky blues, a whole swath of dull greens that must have reminded Steve comfortably of the Army. A smattering of brighter colors hinted at Steve's taste for art. He seemed to like the pure primaries. Phil moved those up the page.
"Steve enjoys art. Let's see what we can find in that area," Phil said. Several sets of pajamas appeared, including one eye-searing Warhol Chihuahua print. "Oh god no, less modern pop and more Norman Rockwell."
"More like this?" JARVIS asked. The offending image vanished, replaced by a t-shirt with children cuddling.
"Hmm. Steve doesn't mind wandering around the house in an undershirt," Phil said. "Add sleep shirts to the list of possibilities along with regular pajamas." The image floated to the top of the page. "Come to think of it, check other examples of Americana. Skip the stars-and-stripes stuff, but ..."
"Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet?" JARVIS said, a smile audible in his voice.
Phil laughed. "Yes, exactly. Images of nostalgia. Something to help Steve bridge the past and the present."
JARVIS offered samples of baseball footie pajamas and a deep blue t-shirt featuring a 1957 Chevy. "Closer?" he asked.
"Somewhat. You're drifting back to red, white, and blue though," Phil said.
"Statistically speaking, it's that or the earth tones, and Steve does not seem to share Bruce's desire to fade into the woodwork," JARVIS pointed out. "May we consider those colors if they are not in a flag-like configuration?"
"All right, that's a valid point," Phil said. It felt good to hear JARVIS come out of hiding a little more, showing his own personality beyond the scope of formal search protocols. One thing Phil could do for him was simple inclusion. "I like the Chevy t-shirt but that's a little after his time. Maybe look for characters or concepts familiar to Steve?"
"Searching," JARVIS said. The page flickered with fresh images, only some of which Phil recognized.
"Wait, I like this one," Phil said, grabbing a Mickey Mouse baseball uniform. "This has definite potential. I remember Steve following baseball, and Mickey Mouse is a good piece of cultural art."
"Found it," JARVIS said, his voice satisfied and a bit smug. There on the screen was Babe Ruth's 1938 Dodgers uniform. It would be no trouble at all to turn that design into a set of pajamas and add a pair of house shoes.
"That's it," Phil agreed. "That's perfect." He entered the order. Phil was coming to rely on JARVIS for his insightful judgment, even as JARVIS was trusting Phil enough to reveal more of his true nature.
There was no way to know if Steve would ever show interest in game night, or if he'd accept when Phil felt ready to invite him. Just in case, though, the pajamas would be waiting for him.
Task complete, Phil set aside his Starkpad. Then he changed into workout clothes and headed for the gym. An hour's exercise would give him a good excuse to take the shower he already wanted.
* * *
Notes:
Andy Warhol was a pop artist famous for vivid color contrasts. See the Chihuahua pajamas.
Norman Rockwell specialized in nostalgic art. See the t-shirt with children cuddling.
Sleep shirts are an alternative to pajama sets or onesies, usually worn with pajama bottoms. You can mix-and-match sleepwear separates, or add pretty much any loose comfy tee to a pair of sleep pants.
Americana is the cultural material of the United States, and something categorically precious to Steve. "Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet" is the tagline of a classic Chevrolet commercial. It plays on common motifs to evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Phil is starting to realize that it takes a little extra effort to coax JARVIS from computer mode into something more social. There are tips for including people with disabilities or from disadvantaged groups. Similarly interfacing human and AI people requires some forethought to accommodate their differences.
Shyness can be a personality trait or a contextual feeling. Both are okay, but sometimes people feel limited by their own shyness or don't want to see it hindering a friend. There are ways to make places more welcoming for shy people and to talk with them comfortably. Know how to teach children about social interactions. You can overcome shyness and learn to participate more in groups. While JARVIS is snarky and voluble with Tony, he is far more unobtrusive and diffident around other people, unless either coaxed or provoked.
See the baseball onesie pajamas, Chevy shirt, and Mickey Mouse baseball pajamas.
Babe Ruth was a famous baseball player. This site has some information about his later career, along with a picture of the Dodgers uniform from his coaching season. It combines Steve's home timeframe, his favorite team, a famous player ... and then the house slippers are modern.
Washing eases guilt. Humans seem to have an instinctive desire for water when they feel spiritually or morally dirty, and they want to wash their hands or bathe. Phil is working through the guilt from what he did to JARVIS, but he still really really wants that shower. He just doesn't want to be as conspicuous as bolting for the bathroom for no other obvious reason.
[To be continued in Part 29 ...]
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-26 06:30 am (UTC)Yep, I've seen those, and even used one. You have to be a lot more careful not to burn things.
>> There was a period of gasoline powered washers too. <<
0_o
>> I'd think a wire rack for making toast might be the level of their appliances. <<
That may be true.
>> It's questionable as to how often they would have had more than a radiator or a gas 'stove' (these are between a woodburning stove and a virtual fireplace.) They likely lived in places that had been carved down and down and down, so someone is renting what had been a pantry. <<
That's one possibility. The other is that they were in places that were always big ratty apartment buildings with tiny hovels inside.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-26 12:04 pm (UTC)Could be; or something built on 'settlement lines' but not all of the logic followed. The stair shown in the recent movie implies an apartment above a business, though it also could have been to get rooms without an internal door/to avoid the dark corridors.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-26 03:36 pm (UTC)That makes more sense.
>> Could be; or something built on 'settlement lines' but not all of the logic followed. The stair shown in the recent movie implies an apartment above a business, though it also could have been to get rooms without an internal door/to avoid the dark corridors. <<
True. I liked one particular part of Steve's modern apartment -- the open shelves used to separate two areas, filled with dishes and stuff. Fit right in with something else I already had going, so I've borrowed that.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-26 06:07 pm (UTC)Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-26 09:08 pm (UTC)Yes, exactly. Tony likes open floor plans, but not all the Avenger apartments are laid out the same way. Steve and Bucky have theirs divided with shelving and movable panels, instead of asking Tony to add more solid walls. Steve likes the light flow, but they grew up in such cramped spaces that too much open area makes them feel like peas rattling around a bucket. So that's how they personalize their quarters.
>> That looked like a display bowl, but then maybe Steve eats oatmeal out of it. <<
Well, there wouldn't be much point to a regular-sized cereal bowl for him. I've written Steve eating out of mixing bowls. I figure he has some of the classic ceramic ones.
I really liked the shelves in the movie because they held an assortment of cups and bowls and things, but not all matching. It looked like MCU Steve was doing exactly what mine does: picking up whatever looks vaguely familiar from thrift stores or garage sales.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-26 09:27 pm (UTC)Or at least something he wanted for a still life. Naturally, once acquired it would be part of his kit. And yeah, a cereal bowl would be useless for cereal.
Maybe Steve should design some corrugated metal bowls for Ben (and all the art fans).
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-29 08:49 am (UTC)*laugh* Steve probably does collect interesting objects for still life art. My favorite is to include several ordinary objects and one strange one, like putting a bejewelled ball in a bowl of fruit, or a raygun amidst the knicknacks on a coffee table.
>> Maybe Steve should design some corrugated metal bowls for Ben (and all the art fans). <<
Actually Tony is the one developing unbreakable dishware for superheroes. Yes, I do intend for some of that to wind up in Ben's hands, but that's way-a-lay down the line. Stuff's still in alpha-testing.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-29 01:58 pm (UTC)I could see Steve picking up interesting things and they are nearly antiques but he doesn't think of them that way because there is no way for him to remember what happened after he went down in the plane.
Especially if he goes to a thrift out of NYC, there are still closets and attics disgorging things that had been held back for best.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-30 06:55 am (UTC)Also true. The movies show him using metal containers because he breaks other stuff, but I think you're right about the texture problem. He'd need something like a foam coating over metal.
>> I could see Steve picking up interesting things and they are nearly antiques but he doesn't think of them that way because there is no way for him to remember what happened after he went down in the plane. <<
Yes, exactly. He also likes to use things, rather than have them thrown away.
>> Especially if he goes to a thrift out of NYC, there are still closets and attics disgorging things that had been held back for best. <<
True. One reason I have Steve's era-imprint as well as my own is that my grandparents, who came through the Depression, liked that kind of shopping. We hit a lot of rummage sales, and those had older books: Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Dick and Jane, Billy Whiskers, etc. If I start talking to someone of that age, I pretty much automatically fall into mode, and if they don't know me it's very startling, because I don't look like I should know that stuff.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-30 04:14 pm (UTC)You probably know the Bobbsey Twins then.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-30 04:46 pm (UTC)True. Silicone sleeves would be a great choice: durable as squishy things go, high temperature resistance, great grip, and replaceable when they wear out.
>> You probably know the Bobbsey Twins then. <<
I know of them, though I'm not a fan.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-04-30 06:21 pm (UTC)Have you seen the prototype 3D printed cast? The idea is to minimize the swampy skin problem and be able to beam a little additional healing (the latter was the point, but the former is a bonus too.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-01 04:11 am (UTC)Exactly. The oven mitts sometimes have that, and almost always bumps or lines for texture. There are grippy sleeves:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/SILICONE-COFFEE-CUP-SLEEVE-GLASS-SLEEVE-AROUND-SLEEVE-FREE-SHIPPING/1247675958.html
And here's a metal travel mug with textured grip:
http://www.absorbentprinting.com/drinkware/mugs-tumblers/stainless-steel-travel-mugs/16-oz-terrano-tumbler
>> Have you seen the prototype 3D printed cast? The idea is to minimize the swampy skin problem and be able to beam a little additional healing (the latter was the point, but the former is a bonus too. <<
Two different versions. The first was white and had no ultrasound, that's a later addition. Originally the idea was to prevent skin damage and provide greater support in the most fragile area of the body. They really need to get this into mass production but it'll probably be years before anyone can be arsed to do it.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-01 12:42 pm (UTC)Didn't know the ultrasound was a refinement.
I think for Ben the half-spheres patterns and something with crosscutting grooves would be the most useful. Alica might like the wraparound grooves especially if they made it easy to judge volume.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-01 06:07 pm (UTC)That would make me happy. Hmm, with 3D printers becoming more common, this has potential, although you'd need a really good scanner too.
>> I think for Ben the half-spheres patterns and something with crosscutting grooves would be the most useful. <<
Probably so.
>> Alica might like the wraparound grooves especially if they made it easy to judge volume. <<
My favorite tactile measurement trick is sticking my finger inside the rim of a glass or watering can. I read about it in a novel about a blind boy, years ago, and picked it up because it works. This has saved me many spills in dim light or containers that are difficult to gauge visually.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-01 06:23 pm (UTC)Yes, the scanning tech needs some work, but maybe someone is on that?
I know there is a development hacker space that's working on the next step from 3D printing, getting diemaking and milling, extruding etc also running in tandem with CAD on the limited run. (NPR should lead you to it, might be a MIT thing)
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-01 10:56 pm (UTC)Hmm, I've seen the medical printing of bone plates and other things to be implanted.
>> Yes, the scanning tech needs some work, but maybe someone is on that? <<
The research hospitals have the scanners now, just not widespread yet. You'd need a scanner and a printer in every hospital, like they have X-ray machines.
>> I know there is a development hacker space that's working on the next step from 3D printing, getting diemaking and milling, extruding etc also running in tandem with CAD on the limited run. (NPR should lead you to it, might be a MIT thing) <<
Good idea.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-01 11:29 pm (UTC)Hand
like the LEGO Braille printer, it puts things at a lower price point.
Re: Getting Through
Date: 2014-05-02 01:15 am (UTC)