So, people don't really post recs here all that much any more do they? Well, Imma change that, because guys, you gotta read this if you haven't already. I reread it recently and was reminded all over again just how wonderful it is. It's Steve/Bucky and Clint/Nat, but I promise that those pairings are largely irrelevant. The most important thing is that this Clint is fucking stunning.

the hurts of human life by actonbell

"Oh, well, you know," Steve tried, but Clint tilted his head, still keeping Steve's eye, and said, direct as Sam that day by the reflecting pool, "You don't know how to handle it, do you?"

"Excuse me?" Steve said, only out of the pure reflex politeness Sarah Rogers had bred into him before he was six years old.

"Grief." Clint's look was unsparing, merciless, but held no judgement, either. "The loss. The pain, the anger...." He waited, but Steve couldn't say anything any more than he could look away. "So you tried to make a deal. Dedicate your life to what's left, do what you can do. Strike a bargain that would make it all go away -- only you can't. It won't. And it never will."

Steve's throat was dry, so he took a long drink of water, and then another one, trying to think of something to say that wasn't How do you know? or No I'm fine thanks or even just Fuck you, but when he looked back up, Clint was actually smiling, a little. "Or you can tell me I'm wrong."

COMMUNITY BANNER: This month's banner is a lovely blast from the past by perpetuations! If you'd like to make a banner for our community, especially any seasonally themed ones, we'd love to see them! Send them in to be_compromised@hotmail.com
( A couple of things to note )

ALL THE THINGS FRIDAY: Want fun Friday things? You can sign up to host, suggest ideas, and see what’s coming up at our new Sign Up Post. No hosts on the post means no ATTF, so please do join the fun!

SECRET SANTA: It's October - no, I have no idea when that happened either - which means it's Secret Santa sign up time again. Watch this space for the Secret Santa 2016 sign up coming very, very soon! (No, really, just give me a minute *grins*)

IN THE WIDER WORLD WIDE WEB: Comment with things happening and recs relevant to our interests! It'd be especailly great to see more recs happening on the comm :)

Hello wonderful bar, it’s October once again and that means it’s Secret Santa sign up time! Please read the following information carefully – we like to tweak things to try and make them better so there are some changes – and please do follow the instructions for the sign up form because it makes everything easier. Thank you!

TIMELINE

REQUESTS: from now until 09:00 GMT Saturday 15th October
CHOICES POST: will go up ASAP after and be available until 17:00 GMT Friday 21st October
ASSIGNMENTS SENT OUT: by 23rd October at the latest
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Midnight (whatever your time zone) Sunday 4th December
GIFT POSTING STARTS: 19th December

THINGS TO KNOW

An exchange is where you sign up with ideas for what kind of gift you’d like and what kind of gift you'd like to give, then everyone gets a gift and makes a gift, and it's all anonymous until reveals at the end. For this exchange gifts can be EITHER a fic OR a gift basket.

This post is to sign up to take part in the exchange. We also like to have a graphics team to make banners for all the gifts. If you would also like to make other graphics goodies, pinch-hit, beta read, and cheerlead, THANK YOU. You can do any or all of these extra things regardless of whether you’re in the exchange or not – either comment to this post or wait until we have a post later on calling for volunteers.

RULES

1) THE RULES OF THE COMM APPLY

2) Your gifts need to have a focus on Clint and/or Natasha – solo or as friends, partners, lovers, colleagues, spouses, enemies… We love other characters and welcome fics with all pairings and no pairing group gen fics, but the focus of our comm are on these two. SEE THIS POST and message a mod if you have any questions.

3) Fics must be a MINIMUM of 1,000 words and a MAXIMUM of 10,000 words. Gift Baskets are the arty option, but should be the equivalent of the same length fic. They can be made up of art (such as a wallpaper, painting, picset, fanvid, or graphic manip), a fanmix (minimum cover and 5 tracks), icons (minimum 10), or a combination or any of these, or a combination of these and a short fic (minimum 500 words).

4) This is an anonymous exchange, so don’t reveal who your giftee is until after the reveals!


TROUBLESHOOTING

If at any point during this exchange you feel you won’t be able to submit your gift by the deadline please do let us know straight away by email or PM. We don’t yell, we just want to make sure that everyone who participates gets a gift.

To keep things fair, for participants, pinch-hitters, and your mods, if you don’t submit by the deadline a pinch-hitter will automatically be assigned. If you submit by the agreed extension date the pinch-hit will be a community gift. If you don’t submit by the extension then whatever you create will not be posted as part of the exchange and the gift for you will be reassigned as a community gift. We’ll still love you, but please be considerate of your fellow bar members and mods – unlike Santa’s elves your mods can’t work logistical magic.


( how to take part )

Okay then. HERE WE GO