Volunteer to host or co-host an All The Things Friday Session and suggest ideas for All The Things Friday sessions. Go! :D

February is out for me because coworker will be on vacation for most of the month and I'll be pulling mad overtime but can I ask for the first Friday in March?

I can't for the life of me think of a topic that isn't narrow.

Edited 2013-01-18 08:03 pm (UTC)

Friday March 8th is International Woman's Day I believe. Just throwing that into the pot :)

I had fun hosting over Christmas, and would be happy to do so again. Alas, I work full time so that makes it difficult. EXCEPT I am looking at orthopedic surgery, which will lay me up for a few weeks. I don't have a date yet, but it may be soon. Once I do, I'll get back to you and send you a list of possible Fridays. :-)

I'm planning on hosting a discussion on "Marriage and Commitment". :-)

Oh God, I'm gonna feel bad, but not, blowing my own horn, or whatever the phrase is.

1) One of my favorite stories that I've read, and I think it certainly deserves more love at least on LJ, is frea_o's The woman in the crosshairs (http://frea-o.livejournal.com/7195.html). Second chapter is here (http://frea-o.livejournal.com/7118.html). No warnings that I can think of and I think it's PG - 13 rating. I love the idea, the entire concept, Frea's fun and precise style, I really love all of it. It's a unique approach to Clint and Natasha, and among all hobbies and pastimes people tend to give Clint, the one used here might make most sense. Lovely and fun and amazing work. You'll laugh all the way through, and you'll feel very happy at the end. :)

Another thing I read recently, and it's just MINDBLOWING is franztastisch's Strange bird (http://franztastisch.livejournal.com/214265.html). PG - 13 and no warnings, I think. In which Natasha Romanoff's life was saved by a man who was once a hawk. It reads almost like a fairytale, but not quite, the pace is patient, slow, just right, it's written through Natasha's POV which is just wonderful, and it tells a story about those unspeakable things that define us. It's just completely, completely wonderful. Go read! It will leave you with a happy sigh and filled heart. :)

2) The first thing I created for this fandom was Kobayashi Maru (http://archiveofourown.org/works/465017) (which turned into a monster and spawned more stories in that same universe and I am sure everyone here has had enough of me and this 'verse and babystories, but guys, please don't kick me out. LOL). M rated, but there isn't anything too explicit. Warnings.... ? Canon compliant violence, but nothing worse than that. On a more serious note, I rarely manage writing something that long and posting it as a completed work and I truly didn't expect people to like it at all, and I was in for a surprise. This bar here is awesome because I feel there's room for diversity and different opinions and views; different approaches we take with these characters. There's even room for babyfic! And kidfic! And nobody is being nasty about it! Thank you all for that. :)

3) Something I'm most proud of? Oh boy. I am torn between Red Thread series (http://head-on-home.livejournal.com/tag/series%3A%20the%20red%20thread) I'm co-writing with cybermathwitch.... which can best be described as really intense look at Clint and Natasha dynamics. It's M rated, NSFW stuff, warnings - past abuse, consensual violence/violent sparring, violent sex, blood, it is kind of dark - ish. What I love about it the most is the process of coauthoring and the metaphors we're playing with and I just love Natasha's journey here, her search for her self, for her own design; and how Clint is traveling along and helping her on the way. My other favorite is Only human (http://head-on-home.livejournal.com/17204.html), where I decided to twist a cliche around and it resulted in an emotional story. I mean, in this one Natasha is trying to get pregnant, and when it doesn't go smoothly? I was just surprised myself how she ended up reacting. It's M rated and not safe for work, and I suppose it could be triggery because of fertility issues.

The best thing? I really love everything I wrote for this bar and this pairing, I had fun with all my fics and that's the biggest reward for a writer. :D

Edited 2013-01-18 06:57 pm (UTC)

I loved The Woman in the Crosshairs! For all the reasons you said :D Ooo, and adding Strange Bird to my bookmarks to read; it sounds right up my alley.

I did not know that was your first fic in this fandom O.o That is a long, complex, first fic, wow this fandom must have hit you with the ideas bat! No gentle, toe-testing the waters for you, heh.

Out curiosity, is red thread darker in tone/twistier than stuff you've written before? (I don't think I've divided into your non/pre-Avengers stuff yet.) Just wondering if you're like me in that Master Assassins seems to have done that. THE METAPHORS! Ahem. Yeah, love those :D

Aw, shucks. *blushes*

dude, you stole one of my recs! i can't stop reading that poem/fic/meta by alwayslera. i so owe a comment on that but it's been siting in my brain just percolating. :)

and i remember reading both of the fics you mention in a span of a single night when i was totally stalking your LJ going WHO IS THIS PERSON AND WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

good thing nobody ever introduced us. ;P

1. My favorite lesser-known C/N fic is Bows and Catapults (http://archiveofourown.org/works/499158) by Sproid (G, No warnings) in which Clint and Natasha are foster children together and you should read it because damn.

2. My first fic in Avengersland was called "Walking on My Skin Again (http://archiveofourown.org/works/398579)" (R, Character death as in the movie) which is Clint/Natasha/Coulson and IDEK if I ever shipped it, but I came out of that movie the... third? time needing to write about grief, and that's what happened.

3. My favorite fic I've written in Avengers fandom is my love letter to Steve Rogers, (sleep wake hope and then) (http://archiveofourown.org/works/412288) (G, no warnings) but my favorite C/N is my Secret Santa gift, Wild Dedication (http://archiveofourown.org/works/631706). (PG-13, no warnings.)

Bows and Catapults! BOWS AND CATAPULTS! <3

Have I read your first one? I don't think I have. (I can see myself getting a long reading list from this post *rubs hands together excitedly*) I know I've read (sleep wake hope and then) though because I'm never going to forget that one; it's amazingly good :D

Love this post!

Okay, one of my favourite stories that I think needs more love is Here the City Code is Lock and Load (http://archiveofourown.org/works/497651) by Sproid (Explicit for smut, no warnings). It's a post-apocalyptic AU and I love the way Clint and Natasha's feelings for each other is described.

The first fic I wrote for this fandom was Tightly Wound (Teen verging on M, no warnings used) (http://archiveofourown.org/works/408748) I think my understanding of the characters has deepened since then, and my writing style has improved. But the essential things have stayed the same.

My favourite thing that I've written is my current WIP, Worlds Collide (M, warnings in each chapter) (http://archiveofourown.org/works/631609/chapters/1142438). Some parts have been a joy to write, others caused me a lot of frustration until they came together. I've pushed myself in a lot of areas, and it is a fun writing challenge!

OH MAH GAWD WOMAN YOU STOLE ANOTHER OF MY RECS!!! Srsly, this is getting ridiculous. I need to get in the game. ;)

I remember that story!!! I think that was the first things of yours I ever read. It might have even led to stalking. And I'm so excited that youa re jumping into the land of WIP with Worlds COllide. It's been a great journey so far. <3

(1) My rec:
Perhaps surprisingly, it's not a Clit/Natasha piece at all. It's a T-rated Clint/Coulson piece (and that from someone who'll never write slash and is occasionally squicked by it). And it wasn't exactly underappreciated -- thousands of hits and kudos -- but may not be known to Clintasha fans so I thought I'd count it anyway. It's called "Still Officially Lost" (http://archiveofourown.org/works/385871) by Pollyrepeat. Why do I love it? Well, apart from the fact that it extremely witty and well-written, it was the first (!!) Avengers story I ever read, based on the favourites list of a regular reader of my Star Trek stuff. And it got me hooked. And thinking, "I'd like to try that fandom." And, ultimately, it got me here. :-)

(2) My own first Avengers fic?
"Going to Ground" (http://archiveofourown.org/works/520261). I came out of the movie wanting to know more about Clint and Natasha, what she said to make him smile at the end, what they did after they got in the car, and how they "levelled out". Done a thousand times, I know now, but I didn't know that then) so I wrote my own version. It's rated "M" because I'm a coward, but not really graphic. Was I happy with it? Yeah. I admit, I was. Am. Again, it ... got me here.

(3) What am I proudest of?
Oh, here comes the pimping ... ;-) I'm quite pleased with "In the Service" (http://archiveofourown.org/works/543070) (T-rated for action violence). It has a theme (freedom of choice/conscience in the carrying out of orders) and allowed me to shine a light (however obliquely) into some ugly dark corners I've encountered in my professional life. But my real baby is still and forever my very first ever fan fic, in the Star Trek: Voyager fandom (I won't bother linking to it here because it's a bit of a niche market), a post-series piece called "Choices." It burst the Gordian knot that had kept me from letting people see what I'd "made up", allowed me to create a whole universe to which I have been writing ever since, and -- here's the best bit -- according to one of my readers, it was discussed extensively at a Star Trek Convention in London this summer. (The Holy Grail of geekdom!!!)

So, yeah. Happy Friday! (Scampers off to read "Strange Bird".)

ETA ratings in two places where I forgot to include them.

Edited 2013-01-18 09:08 pm (UTC)

I absolutely LOVE Still Officially Lost, though I wouldn't put it anywhere near Clint/Coulson territory because if it were I wouldn't have clicked on it in a million years. Clint&Coulson BFFery however... :P

And In The Service is fantastic. <3

1. Um. I'm really not sure what to rec here. A Thousand Words by recessivejean I feel should have more love [C/N, R, no warnings, 1000 words] It doesn’t happen the way Clint thought it might. (when it does, he sees it could never have happened any other way)

On tumblr, hoursago's avengers tag whch is actually mostly Clint is great. [All gen to be the best of my knowledge]

And then this by nympheline on tumblr that I call #27 IKEA [C/N, PG-13, tw: domestic abuse, ~300 words] Once a month Clint and Natasha pretend they have normal lives

2. The first thing I wrote for this comm was طائر غريب (Strange Bird) [C/N, PG-13, no warnings, 5,000+ words] Natasha Romanov’s life was saved by a man who had once been a hawk, though she did not know this at the time. anuna_81 gave me lovely reviews for it in the comments above. *hugs her*

3. Strange Bird also falls here, as I have only written two things for this comm and I am prouder of that one.

I've read that IKEA one, bittersweet and amazingly good :D I'll have to check out the others! And why have I not read Strange Bird?! Y'know, I went looking after it was recced above and I found it in my bookmarks three times *head desk*.

I love these posts because I haven't read pretty much every story recc'd so I have some new tabs in my ongoing fanfiction reading browser. Also, I like being reminded of people's first stories because I probably read them way back when, but it's been months since reading them.

1. I'm going to go with two lighter stories for this one. We often rec the amazing angsty, thinky thoughts stories (for very good reason), but I decided to rec to funny stories that I really liked. First is A Dog with No Name (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8463766/1/A_Dog_With_No_Name) by Maxiekat. It's a cute one shot that ties into the Matt Fraction's Hawkeye universe. It's basically a quiet moment in the park between Natasha, Clint, and his dog Arrow. The second story is Nobody Puts Dummy in the Corner (http://frea-o.livejournal.com/6130.html#t13554) by frea_o. This is one of those rare stories that makes you actually laugh out loud. The dialogue in this, especially between Tony and Natasha is hilarious. I also will forever have the image in my head of Dummy wearing a fez.

2.This part is a little weird for me because I rarely talk about my own stories. My first story is Bad Sun (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8220503/1/Bad-Sun). I wrote this last summer and basically I was exploring if there was a middle ground for these two having children. At the time I saw a lot of stories that either wrote that they would never have kids or they would be a completely normal domestic family. I went with somewhere in the middle and I thought it was a good writing exercise and there are parts that I like, but I think I didn't quite accomplish what I set out to do. Luckily now, there are a slew of lovely authors that have dealt with the topic in a much more nuanced approach (for example anuna_81). That wrong has been righted by much better authors.

3. The story I'm most proud of is Dancing with Myself (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8268434/1/Dancing-with-Myself). This story came out of nowhere. I was listening to the song Dancing with Myself and I all of a sudden had an image of Natasha dancing to the song, bouncing around, her hair flying. And I couldn't get the image out of my head and so I went to write it and it morphed into this longer, vignette styled story following the partnership and eventual relationship of the two. This was the opposite experience of Bad Sun. I set out not to do much and ended up writing a story I was really proud of.

Finally, I just have to say, one of the best parts about this fandom is that there is kind of an agreed upon canon, while there is lots of room to play and discuss with each other different ideas. I love reading a story and seeing something amazing, like fez wearing Dummy, and adopting it into my canon. There is no environment of "dude, stop stealing my ideas". I like seeing people exchanging ideas and adopting them. I feel like that's surprisingly rare in fandom.

Nobody puts Dummy in a corner is so much fun, love that one :D

ETA: I remember reading Dancing with Myself- good choice of music! Fits a lot of my headcanon, so of course I say that :P

Edited 2013-01-18 09:48 pm (UTC)

Rec: Of Languages - team, outsider opinion, Thor being intelligent (even from Asgard), and Clint and Natasha being comfortable with each other - all things that make me roll over with gleeeee.

First: Well, first fic for MCU fandom was a quick Sif/Loki thing I wrote for norsekink back in May 2011, but pretty sure that's not what you mean ;-). First Avengers/C&?N fic I wrote is:

Firebird: PG, friendship/relationship, Natasha's drunk on vodka that came from a bottle which only has Cyrillic letters, and she's telling Clint about fire.

And I still really like it, and how Clint and Natasha formed in my head with their friendship/romance/whatever they have. She trusts him enough to get drunk around him (and when she gets drunk she gets bitter and anger), and he'll just watch her, carefully, and let her talk - both to keep an eye on her, and also because he doesn't particularly like being around drunk, angry people, so he will be still. I am also fond, in a way, that Natasha tells the whole story, and misses her own point at the end.

Proud: Two fics are tying! For various reasons:

keeping your head above water - three different gender-swapped 'verses + normal 'verse, alternating POV, and yet it's the same story across all of them. I'm really, really proud of the differences Clint and Natasha have across genders and 'verses while still remaining, at the core, the same people with the same relationship. [warning - deals with the fallout of a mission that involved what was at BEST dub-con]

And

as a badge of a beating heart is my Natasha's manifesto on life, shown via clothing colours. They expect her to wear black; she doesn't. I think that sums up a lot of my Natasha, really - she's alive, and she's going to live.

Discussion: I'm not sure my ideas have changed so much as deepened and matured. I saw Natasha and Clint as BFFs who were pretty much married, who kicked back with bad actions movies and were very, always, comfortable around each other. Not particularly fucked up or dark in their relatiosnhip at all. My views since then have just matured with discussion, but basically remained the same.

Edited 2013-01-18 09:55 pm (UTC)

OH I ADORE OF LANGUAGES!!!!! AND "AS A BADGE OF A BEATING HEART". ADORE!!! Everyone go read these two!

And now to the three different recs!

1) A fic you may have missed if you weren't around for the prompthathon is jacedesbff's Slippery Slope (http://sandbattles.livejournal.com/12712.html#cutid1). It's really fun, and showed me that fanfic can be unique is all sorts of ways (it's also image intensive). Natasha and Clint poster each others walls.

2) No comment. It wasn't written under this identity, and it was very very terrible. But it got me writing again, so I hold a special place in my heart for it.

3) I think the best of my fics is Fun and Games (http://archiveofourown.org/works/638215), which I wrote for the Secret Santa. But really, it's pretty tough to chose between my fics, because I am just that fabulous (and where is the Tony Stark icon when you need it?). :P

I just found Slippery Slope yesterday -- what fun! And yes, Fun and Games was adorable. And yes, you are fabulous, my dear. Here, have a shirtless Renner as your reward! :-)

My rec is All Your Metal Armor (http://archiveofourown.org/works/476375) by surrealis on AO3 (rated M, for non-graphic sex and angst). I think it was one of the first fics in this fandom I'd read and it struck a chord with me. I hadn't even watched the movie then, but it got me hooked on Clintasha ;)

As for my first fic, here's Art Nouveau (http://archiveofourown.org/works/617227/chapters/1113399), which was written for dictator_duck's hometown challenge (First chapter is PG for movie type violence, chapter two is M for smut). I'm quite happy with it, it's written in first person from Clint's POV (he just wouldn't let me write it any other way, so it's all his fault!) and I think it turned out quite funny. What happened was that I sat in the car and listened to a song and just knew that Clint sang that song to Natasha to let her know he'd fallen for her :) I love the dialogues, and I always found those hardest to write.

As this is the only thing I have finished in this fandom so far, that is also the fic I am most proud of ;) However, what I'm really proud of is my beta work. I think I beta'd 5 stories for the Secret Santa? And a few others in between ;) I love it and am always amazed at what you guys (you know who you are!) come up with and I am so glad you trust me with your works :D

Whoop whoop! And YAY *first fic happy dance*

PS. Psst, your first fic link does not go to the fic I think it's supposed to :S</small)

Edited 2013-01-18 10:59 pm (UTC)

1) That's hard, I mean my definition of good writing extends to many levels. I don't really feel people are under valued as much as people just skim over things and miss them.

I would have to say the extreme lack of anything het and even C/N compared to Clint/Coulson on A03 always amazes me because still it's the dominate sexual standard. So generally whenever I see het on there, I'm like "wow this will be totally under valued" because of how strong the M/M fandom is on there. The stats alone from the mods/admins at the 2012 blew my mind.

But as far as reading C/N there usually reading anything by anyone-- SidheRa is a safe bet. On LJ, well everyone's present and account for, right? :-p

2) tell us the first thing that you wrote/made in this fandom.

Prompts from the avengerkink, I always learn a fandom that way. It's always gen stuff I start with just because I don't like too much romance and I'm not particular shippy as a person. I develop ships I prefer after writing a few. But it was Clint based because I decided real fast he was my fave despite the fact that I totally prefer RDJ as a talent to Renner or Johansson.

3) One of my current faves that has C/N that is Principles of Fluid Dynamics (http://archiveofourown.org/works/560118/chapters/1000390) by hannasus.

I generally as a rule don't feel pride over my work if anything it's a sense of wondering if I took some drugs and signed up for a public whipping. Generally speaking, I feel pride if some betas it and makes it looks pretty at their hard work and skill to make it look nicer... but uh I tend to subscribe to the belief that some of us can write and others of us are better never doing it aka me.

I find reccing hard in general because SO MANY THINGS :D But yeah, sometimes it's nice to point things out and go, 'did you miss this? Because it looks like you missed it.'

Do you have a link or something to those stats? *is curious*

Just read Principles the other day, really enjoyed it!

Oh, no *hugs* at least feel pride that you stood up and said this is mine, I made this. Because making something isn't easy, the doing of it, the actual sit down and WRITE and finish. And ideas! Own 'em, 'cause the thinky thoughts Bang Your Head gave me are golden :D

I love your recs, Of Languages is wonderful!

And your stories, I would love to see more of the keeping your head above water fic, it was lovely.

<3 You posted this to the main post, not ashen_key's thread :).

1) I'm going to rec athena4lynn's Vibrate to that Iron String (http://archiveofourown.org/works/538214). It's gen/friendship fic more than it's romance, but it's so beautifully written and it's such a great look at Clint losing his hearing that doesn't magically handwave it and everything is suddenly okay. I like it because everybody in the fic has something to overcome, and the characterization is pretty dead-on. Plus, any fic where Natasha literally sits on Clint to get him to listen to her is going to make me laugh (also guilty of that because it's just a funny mental image). There's a really touching scene near the very end that still makes me go back and reread every few weeks.

2) The first thing I wrote for The Avengers actually isn't published anywhere because I never finished it. My sister and I were watching Burlesque one night (she likes that movie. I like Christina's voice, so I was just listening) and we started joking about what an Avengers burlesque show might be (Peggy's the dance coordinator because she teaches Steve how to dance! Clint and Natasha troll the newbies! Bruce runs the bar, Tony does the lights). I tried writing it but lost interest. My first published piece is a crossover with Chuck, where Natasha and Carina Miller from that show team up. But the first Avengers only fic I published was Subliminal Imagery (http://archiveofourown.org/works/533356), in which the Avengers watch Up. Yeahhhh.

3) The thing I'm proudest of? Um. Huh. I guess it's Nobody Puts Dummy in the Corner because it was the first time I tried to write in multiple Avengers' perspectives and for longer than 1k. Everybody got a perspective but Clint and Thor. If we're talking about research-wise, though, that would be Rascals, Scoundrels, Villains, and Knaves because I've never been interested in history.

Oh, that Burlesque inspired one sounds fabulous, because Peggy would be an awesome coordinator. :D

My rec is one from well before the movie--I was beyond excited when I found it then, which probably should have clued me in to how this pairing was going to play out with me. one single static frame (http://postcardmystery.livejournal.com/46881.html) by postcardmystery, explicit.

The first thing I wrote in Avengers was you need a rock not a rolling stone (http://archiveofourown.org/works/366960), which is Clint/Darcy, but which has a really strong Clint & Natasha partnership. I got it finished days before the movie came out, but it ended up meshing really well with the movie-verse. The first (only) Clint/Natasha I wrote was ...and we are nowhere, but, man, we're alright (http://archiveofourown.org/works/620183) for dictator_duck's Hometown challenge. It was fun to write and I'm happy to have finished *something* with those two together.

Story I'm most proud of is doesn't matter if i bleed (http://archiveofourown.org/works/423448), which is Clint/Coulson but again, a strong Clint & Natasha partnership (I'm sneaking up on them!)

Edited 2013-01-18 11:27 pm (UTC)

Seconding! :D

Which one would you list in the first fic/works list? Because parternship counts in my book, but writer's choice :)

So many fics to read *is excitable*.

Oh man. This is fun.

1) I'm not sure if this counts, but ...and we are nowhere, but man we're alright (http://archiveofourown.org/works/620183) (rated PG 13 for implied sex tastefully done) by topaz was one of my FAVORITES to come out of the hometown challenge. I absolutely loved it and have reread it a number of times.

2) Technically the first thing I wrote in this fandom was In The Dark, The Dawn (http://archiveofourown.org/works/639421/chapters/1158989) but I didn't share it til much later. The first thing I think I shared with the fandom was Love You Like a Love Song (http://archiveofourown.org/works/632228/chapters/1143677) which is unapologetic fluff all over the place. Probably the first thing. I think. Anyways, that's what I'm putting down. I wrote a lot before I joined be_compromised and dumped fic down your throats. :p

3) Ah...I think I have to say that my favorite thing that I wrote was You Don't Have to Leave to Arrive (http://archiveofourown.org/works/632310/chapters/1143814). I don't know. I am just amazed that people actually read what I put up hahaha.

Dude, I just read the first two chapters of In the Dark and I'm digging the hell out it! I can't wait to get to all these other stories.

Still owe you feedback on 'i will write revolutions...' btw. cannot get that fic out of my head. <3

1. Calculated Risks (http://archiveofourown.org/works/437767?view_adult=true) by somuchust
(rated M for explicit sexual content and some violence)
A summary of how Natasha and Clint met: lies, semi-public sex, attempted murder, rough sex and an invitation. In that order.
Funny and hot and awesome.

2. Aww man, my first C/N fic kind of sucked. It's called Equilibrium (http://workerbee73.livejournal.com/134267.html) and it's more of a Natasha character study. (Clint took me a lot longer to figure out.) Rated PG-13 for abstract references to sex and violence. I posted the first chapter of Rest for the Weary (http://workerbee73.livejournal.com/137608.html) two days later (R for language and non-explicit sex). Can I count that instead? ;P

3. Favorite? Hands down, the equilibrists (http://bob5fic.livejournal.com/tag/the%20equilibrists), written with bob5fic (rated M/NC-17 for dark themes and subject matter, language, sex, the whole shebang), not only because it's a story I dearly love that pulls no punches and leaves no one above reproach, but also because, technically speaking, I feel like it's some of the best writing I've ever done. Of course, it helps to have a kick-ass partner in crime. <3

Edited 2013-01-19 02:35 am (UTC)

I'm home from work and full of yummy dinner! Now let's get down to the business of the best bar EVER!

1. ONLY ONE REC? So hard! The first that came to mind was Getting To Know You (http://archiveofourown.org/works/433362/chapters/734595) by QueenRiley (incidently, is this anyone at the bar because I'm HORRID remembering different names at different places. If this is you, please let me know so I can give you all the adoration HERE). While it's not rated nor does it use warnings, there is the disclaimer: Brief mention of potential child abuse, but nothing is graphic or described really. This fic gave me all kinds of head canon just because it put into perspective what Clint and Natasha would have been like when they were little and what they endured. SO MUCH LOVE for this story.

Also, I really love a love story in five scars (http://archiveofourown.org/works/484001) by littledust that was written for the promptathon. No warnings and it's rated T. There is SO MUCH story and history and love packed into those five scars. I love it!

2. In the Quiet (http://archiveofourown.org/works/402934) is my first story in this universe. I wrote it for a friend who was having a bad day and asked for fic. She's a Coulson/Clint shipper but she also mentioned Clint/Natasha. I'd had some C/N feelings in the movies (this was probably written after the third time I saw it in the theaters) an thought I would give it a go. Turned out that I liked it so much I thought I'd see if there was a community where I could post it and VOILA! I discovered the bar! (I keep telling that story but I really do count that fateful day as one of the best things that ever happened to me!)

3. One of the stories that I love the most that doesn't get a lot of love (and I blame my horrible inability to write summaries) is For Those Who Mourn (http://archiveofourown.org/works/503178) (rated T, mention of off-screen deaths, no warnings). I wrote it for a prompt Clint and Natasha in space from ashen_key and I meant to write crack but I ended up writing this sort of mournful piece that was a prelude of sorts to dealing with Coulson's death in Meet Me In the Aftermath (http://archiveofourown.org/works/632666) (rated T, no warnings, mention of canon death) and Steve mourning for Peggy (and the extent he'll go through to get her back) in Missing Person (http://archiveofourown.org/works/623210) (rated T, death fix, no warnings). I've got this thing for prayers and prophecies and this fic was a really good excuse to pull one out of left field and run with it.

I definitely feel more confidant about Natasha's voice since that first fic. She intimidated me so much that I almost didn't write that first fic but I'm really glad that I did because she has expanded my writing skills so much! I went back to an old fandom for a christmas present and was told that my first draft was a little TOO DARK. Me? Dark? Really? I was known as the Queen of Fluff for a really long time! For anyone to say that I'm dark is the highest of compliments.

But this corner of fandom is darker than most other places. Nothing about Clint and Natasha is easy. They're fighting every day to right wrongs and cross out ledger entries and just survive all the demons that haunt them. They are two of the hardest characters to write well but they are worth it. In the end, they are totally worth it.

Also, I have to say that this bar and the fandom at large IS AWESOME. I have a screen shot of the very first time that any of my stories got 500 hits on AO3 because it blew me away! I was in awe that so many people had read one of my stories. That simply didn't happen in other fandoms. I usually pick really obscure fandoms and I didn't think this was any different. Now I find myself all sad face because I only got 300 hits on a story that I was really proud of. Beth had to hit me in the arm and remind me that 300 is still REALLY AWESOME! This bar has spoiled me, though! And I love every minute of it!

I'm still hopelessly behind in reading and this list above and the Secret Santa list are definitely going to be kept in a safe spot somewhere so I can get reading!

Edited 2013-01-19 02:56 am (UTC)

Fluff is where it's at, man. :P I love how easy it is for Clintasha to flip between darkness and fluff. Out of all the OTPs I've had, their's is perhaps the most versatile.

Reading all of those recs...

1) Known By Its Flight, by tielan (http://archiveofourown.org/works/600949), T, no AO3 warnings apply, SHIELD does not make weapons of its women – or, as Barton has observed with greater accuracy, SHIELD does not make weapons like Natasha out of their women. That doesn't mean a woman can't choose to make a weapon of herself.

I love this fic so much; it really delves into Natasha's perspectives pre-canon (earlier on in her relationship with SHIELD), and her relationship with Maria Hill. Both Maria Hill and Natasha are fantastic in this fic, and while Clint shows up as a non-speaking role, he shows up much more often unthinking-casually in Natasha's narrative and the author builds a really great sense of the growing trust and respect between the two of them. I love this fic!

Also if I can rec a vid, So What, by kaydeefalls (http://archiveofourown.org/works/620270), G, no AO3 warnings apply (some mild bad language in the song). So, so what? I'm still a rock star. A tribute to the kickass ladies of the Avengers cinematic universe.

This vid just makes me punch the air happily, haha. It's the vid in which Natasha, Jane, Sif, Darcy, Hill, Pepper, and Peggy all get to be FANTASTIC to really catchy music. Really well edited, too. Sooo lovely.

2) Don't Have Wings But Want To Fly (http://archiveofourown.org/works/429192), G, no warnings apply, There are things Clint likes about being human. There are things he misses, too.

The first fic I wrote in this fandom, only a week after the movie came out here. It's the first fic [definitely not the first fanwork, though] (on the kinkmeme, ffn, or AO3; idk about tumblr) in the genre "Clint used to be a hawk," which makes me really smug even though the idea wasn't mine! (Thanks to Ash for going "HEY YOU SHOULD WRITE THIS" and throwing the link to the prompt at me, haha.) It's vaguely C/N, but more in a "they are factually a couple" than "there is shippiness." It also started me on writing fairly serious fills for crack requests, whoops (though this one is a lot shorter/more narrative than most of my other fics).

3)... goodness, this one is hard. Not that I go around being like "my fics are awesome," but I don't really rank them in my head that often. So, okay: the one I am proudest of + my favorite.

I guess the one I am most proud of would be We Thought Wrong (http://archiveofourown.org/works/480930), T, no archive warnings and non-archive warnings in the first note (deals with the fallout of consensually murky sexual situations, and more [neither Clint or Natasha is vilified]) After Clint brought Natasha into SHIELD, they had sex. Three years later, she deals with the fallout.

I wrote this for hermyfan on the promptathon. I'm proud of it because this is a really tough topic for me, and because this is really my one major attempt to delve into Natasha's head (Clint is, as a whole, much simpler for me). I'm also proud of it because it deals with characters making the wrong choices, and people being wrong but not evil, and mistakes still leaving scars. And also because I got to deal with some of the fallout of Natasha's upbringing and the disconnect between "I know this was wrong," and "it still feels logical to me" which is, imo, one of the most fascinating disconnects people can have.

My favorite is I'm alive and I'm free (who wouldn't want to be me?) (http://archiveofourown.org/works/535022), G, no archive warnings apply (but snogging occurs between a character who is human and a human-bodied and -brained person who used to be an animal) Basically, this is a reverse-chronological character study about Clint Barton the ex-budgie and his feelings about food & community. Alternative title: Food Is Tasty And So Are Friends (Metaphorically)

Because Clint is a parakeet, and I am a person of simple tastes. *laughing* (This one is really light-hearted, and team-focused, and it makes me haaaappy.)

I'm alive and I'm free is SO AWESOME! That was the first story I read where I realized that I might just have a thing for people who used to be animals. The reverse-chronological order makes this simply perfect because the reader gets a growing sense of OMG!NOREALLY! as they read the story. Or at least I did!