Love Is For Children - Turn That Cliche On It's Head: Comment Fic-a-thon Friday!!

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16 November 2012 @ 10:21 am

Turn That Cliche On It's Head: Comment Fic-a-thon Friday!!

So a little over a month ago we discussed fanon clichés and why we love them. Some were fandom-wide favourites, others were new to many shippers but embraced just the same! So there is no denying that there seem to be some general themes among the general Clint/Natasha shipper's headcanon.

This Friday, I say we flex our imaginations and writing muscles and jot down a drabble that has Clint/Natasha going AGAINST the popular fanon consensus. (OPPOSITE DAY!)

Now, I don't mean AU fics, please keep their characterization and background the same, because obviously some things are set in stone. But it would be a neat way to challenge yourself while still exploring these characters and their relationship, because sometimes using fanon clichés is a a bit of a short-cut.

Some ideas to show you what I mean:

What if Clint actually HATES country music/rock n' roll or the stereotypical midwestern Americana trappings - because it reminds him of his early life in the circus/when he moved around a lot and so he actually prefers the anonymity of urban areas and the security of having one reliable bed/home base on the heli-carrier. Maybe Clint is actually more comfortable in more European settings because there are less memories there.

What if Natasha refuses to let Clint sew her up on the job because his stitches are sloppy and she can't afford to have visible scars when so many of her missions require revealing clothing.

What if Natasha is not at all turned on by caveman!Clint (and kinda resents it because she can defend herself) but prefers sophisticate!Clint in a tux.

What if Natasha realises she's in love with Clint during a boring, regular Thursday afternoon when she catches him stocking the fridge with her favourite food.

What if Clint is the more level-headed of the two because he's always so removed from the action. Clint is a SNIPER. Someone who lies in wait for days, never moving from his objective and sees the big picture. Natasha must think on her feet and might be more rash to rush into things.

Popular clichés/tropes included (but were not limited to):
+ Natasha drinks vodka/tea
+ Clint drinks bourbon/whisky/beer
+ Clint is a handyman/mechanic - especially to a treasured classic car or motorcycle
+ Clint likes country music or classic rock
+ Natasha is oblivious to popular culture
+ Clint has a never-ending list of nicknames for Natasha & team
+ One of them realizes their love after the other is shot/steps in front of a bullet for them (or some other epic near-death encounter that forces one of them to face their feelings)
+ Clint being in love with Natasha almost from the day they met
+ They don't act on their feelings for years
+ Natasha is a ballet dancer
+ Clint can play the guitar/sing
+ Natasha is very reserved/has a dry wit and is slow to warm to the team
+ Clint is a good cook and Natasha is not
+ They both hate hospitals
+ Natasha has never had sex off the job/for fun until Clint
+ Natasha has never had anyone go down on her until Clint
+ They have multiple safe-houses around the world
+ Clint gets kidnapped all the time
+ They keep separate rooms but share a bed every night/have trouble sleeping without the other
+ Natasha doesn't have any other close friendships on the team
+ Clint is intelligent but does not flaunt it
+ Natasha doesn't cry in front of people
+ Natasha is the more cautious of the two of them
+ Natasha doesn't sleep with her marks
+ Natasha doesn't want a relationship/Clint falls in love first and must wait for her
+ They like watching bad action movies
+ Having different definitions for the words "love", "partner" and "children"
+ Clint knows as many foreign languages as Natasha
+ Red Room has done something to Natasha so she cannot have children

So I encourage you to pick a cliché from the list (or think of your own, perhaps a pattern you've noticed in a bunch of fic) and then TURN IT ON IT'S HEAD. NOTE: this is not an attempt to shame or harsh the squee of people who love or have written fic using the clichés above (hell, I'm guilty of both!) so please NO BASHING. This is meant to be a FUN CHALLENGE and I hope everyone in this bar enjoys it!

Please write your title, cliché, rating and any warnings at the top of the comment (or in the subject line if applicable) IN BOLD FONT. Try and post the entire work in the comment (if it's short enough), or if not, post a link. Multiple people can take on the same cliché.

Tags: all the things friday, fanwork rec fridays

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noblealice.livejournal.com on November 16th, 2012 03:26 pm (UTC)
in the cheap seats, pg, clint likes country music

(this is a bit of a cheat, as it is from an already posted fic, but I thought I'd post an example to get the ball rolling)

He rubbed a hand over his face, suppressing a groan. “Please don’t tell me we’re doing Anchorage, I hate having to pretend that the security guys can take me in a fight.”

“A fight during intermission is the perfect distraction. I’ll leave in tears and subdue our wannabe assassin.”

He didn’t have to fake his grumpiness as he slouched back in his own seat, scanning the program to see how long they had before intermission. Maybe if he could come up with an alternate plan, Tasha would drop this idea.

He didn’t doubt her instincts; a distraction in the lobby would give her enough time to complete the mission. He just hated when she hacked in to get the security footage later and displayed it for all of SHIELD to see. Last time she grinned with an air of smug satisfaction while he had to fend off insults for two weeks. Didn't they know he had been letting the mall cops get the drop on him?

At least he could appreciate the show while he waited and soon he was so engrossed in the opera that he was almost able to forget about what his next move was.

People tended to make assumptions about him before they ever got to know him. Tony had rigged his shower to play a seemingly random and never-ending selection of honky-tonk whenever he stepped under the spray of water.

As embarrassing as it had been, he’d had to ask Bruce for help disconnecting it because Natasha wouldn’t let him shoot up the tile. Sure, he liked classic rock and country, could stomach it for a night or two, but after too long and it reminded him of his childhood in the circus. He couldn’t stop hearing the twang of a death-defying leap or the rumble of near-silence before a knife was thrown. The smoky voices of the trainers lulling their animals back to their cages and the fast two-step of the jugglers and clowns.

He was more at ease with instrumental music, no lyrics to distract his focus, just the hum of violins and the clear notes of a piano while he sat up high, watching everyone below move in sync with the orchestra.

The lyrics of the opera they watched were lost on him, so he concentrated on the sound of the vowels instead. He likes how they can be stretched out and twisted into new shapes, all at the will of the soprano. It's the same control he feels when looking down the sight of his bow.

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chrisfaithalin.livejournal.com on November 17th, 2012 01:33 am (UTC)
Re: in the cheap seats, pg, clint likes country music

Definitely like the switch to Clint liking the Opera and his reasoning for dislike of country or rock. Very interesting.

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Re: in the cheap seats, pg, clint likes country music -

crazy4orcas.livejournal.com on November 17th, 2012 03:23 am (UTC)

workerbee73.livejournal.com on November 16th, 2012 04:12 pm (UTC)

This is such a fun idea!!! **runs to check out some cliches**

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frea-o.livejournal.com on November 16th, 2012 04:16 pm (UTC)

I have a sinus headache and I made a pie last night. They say write what you know...

--

“You know he’s going to keep doing ‘dropping by’ until we agree.”

Clint pinched the bridge of his nose. Thanks to a warm winter where nothing had frozen over, sinus pressure was the constant companion he wished he could shoot with an exploding arrow. Contemplating Tony Stark’s idea of ‘a fun evening in’ changed the pain from sinus headache of suck to migraine of massive misery. But Stark had just called Natasha’s cellphone (“Hey, I’m in Chicago, you busy?”) and now they were in for an evening of whatever the billionaire had in store.

“I don’t want to live in New York,” he said.

Natasha opened their fridge to check the temperature of dough she’d made an hour before. “I know, but it would be easier to get back to the Helicarrier—I mean, he has a helipad—”

“I like Chicago. You can get Mama Corleone’s.”

“Oh, for—Clint, we can flash freeze pizza and keep as many in Stark Tower as you like.” Natasha’s look was more amused than exasperated. “Tell me that’s not your only holdout.”

“It’s not. I’m not sure I want to live in a superhero clubhouse with Mr…” Clint tried to think of an appropriate nickname for a man that donned a weaponized tin can to fight crime.

“Narcissism is the word you’re looking for. Hm. I’d like more time on this crust, but Stark’s going to be early if he shows up at all.”

“Is he bringing Pepper?” Clint liked Pepper more than the other Avengers, Natasha aside. Natasha could get along with anyone, provided she had a reason to. She was better at it than he was.

“I didn’t ask, but I’m making enough for four. Stark said he was bringing the entertainment.”

Clint studied Natasha for a long minute as she assembled the ingredients for the steak and kidney pie he adored. “Oh, God,” he said. “That expo—no, trade show, it was a trade show, I remember now. He wouldn’t stop yapping about it in the briefing. It was in Asia, wasn’t it?”

“Hong Kong.”

“You know what this means?” Because it was past five o’clock and they weren’t on call for anything below Dr. Doom levels, Clint headed to the wet bar in the corner and began mixing their drinks. A vodka martini for him, and her preferred Cuba Libre with Diet Coke.

“Yes, I do.” Natasha smirked. “For one of the smartest people on the planet, it’s taking him a long time to realize we’d move into Stark Tower if he stopped showing us action movies.”

“But you gotta hand it to the guy. He’s so proud of his really obscure acquisitions. Think of how much it would break his heart to find out you spend every movie secretly texting Bruce or reading TMZ.”

This time, it was Natasha’s turn to look sour. “If the movie he brings over tonight is as bad as the one he brought last month, I’d rather just break his nose, thanks.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Clint said, and clinked his glass against hers.

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noblealice.livejournal.com on November 16th, 2012 04:25 pm (UTC)

I love it! They're not living in Stark tower! They hate movie night! Clint like Pepper better than anyone else on the team! Clint mixing up drinks!

Hahaha, I can't wait to see what kung fu movie Tony's got for them from the black market. I can only hope it's badly dubbed!!