ATTF: when it's over (fights, breakups, and everything in between)

[geckoholic]

It is my pleasure to host the first ATTF of the year, and I bring you... pain. Muahahaha.

This week's theme is the darker/unhappier side of relationships. Especially if you have two personalities as potentially explosive as Clint and Natasha, issues are probably bound to crop up. They both have plenty, and it is likely that self-reliance was an essential survival skill for both of them in the past -- had to be, really. How does affect a relationship, getting used to sharing your life with someone, even the ugly parts, and giving up on fending by yourself? What about getting into a relationship, letting go of fear of abandonment or commitment, dealing with the time they have to spend away from each other, and living with the constant risk of losing your partner (in which ever way that is to be interpreted) in their line of work... all that must be hard enough, but if you add both their histories, there is SO much potential for issues to simmer, or boil over. And what happens then? How do they fight? How would they handle a breakup -- final or temporary -- and how would that change depending on the point in time at which it occurs? They are exes in the comics, how would you that translate into the MCU? What about past relationships? How would those shape and influence a current relationship between the two of them?

Soooooo. Any headcanons, ideas, fic recs? Revel in the sadness, bar patrons, and most importantly, share all the sad things with the rest of us. ;D

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4) Have a damn good time! (Because if that’s not happening then this post has clearly failed.)

Comments

[scribblemyname]

Honestly, I generally don't deal with their multitude of relationship issues when I write, though I enjoy reading it. Then I started writing "Share Your Air" and pretty much concluded my headcanon includes Clint possibly having serious fear of abandonment issues, which makes sense if you've been abandoned or almost killed by anyone you dared to love.

I'll sometimes write commentfics where Natasha has fear of commitment, but generally I believe more in simple trust issues and that by the time they work through that enough to have a relationship, they're strong enough to deal with most of the problems that crop up.

[geckoholic]

my headcanon includes Clint possibly having serious fear of abandonment issues, which makes sense if you've been abandoned or almost killed by anyone you dared to love -- this will never, ever cease to break my heart. But yes. Agreed.

generally I believe more in simple trust issues and that by the time they work through that enough to have a relationship, they're strong enough to deal with most of the problems that crop up -- ohh, very good point! The foundation will have already somewhat been laid by then, yep.

[scribblemyname]

How is it that my heart gets broken by them so often, and I still go back for more?

[geckoholic]

They've made us addicts. XD

[scribblemyname]

LOL Yes.

[findthesea.livejournal.com]

I ask myself this question every goddamn day. Or, more accurately, "why do I continue to WRITE about it?!" ;)

[scribblemyname]

:laughs in sympathy: The things I let myself write sometimes... I've given up thinking of myself as a fluff writer.

[findthesea.livejournal.com]

Fluff? What's fluff?? Not for the two messed up people that Nat and Clint are...hahaha.

[scribblemyname]

I write just enough that I used to get away with fooling myself. Now I know I'm an unrepentant writer of angst and how bad can I make my babies hurt?*

*with caveats and personal exceptions

[geckoholic]

I'm an unrepentant writer of angst and how bad can I make my babies hurt? -- that's pretty much been my prime directive from day one. ;D

[hanorganaas.livejournal.com]

I think the biggest fights they have is over Natasha opening up to him. Natasha is a introvert while Clint in my opinion is more of a talker. Being Deaf I feel Clint has trouble when people dont listen to him and easily gets frustrated when Nat ignores his pleas.

[geckoholic]

Yeah, that would make sense. Ahh, babies. ;_;

[happilydancing.livejournal.com]

I keep picturing their scene in the movie..I know they weren't fighting (Clint was being snarky but that seems to be his trademark)and picture arguments to be done in low, sexy voices. Maybe the quieter they get, the more serious it is? And when its just a stare-down, forget about it. ;)

[inkvoices]

Heehee, I can imagine SHIELD getting worried if the two of them become quiet. Or them moving into Avengers Tower and being much noiser than anyone expected until that first time they have a proper argument in front of the others, and they're just staring at each other with intent... Might freak Tony out ;)

[happilydancing.livejournal.com]

I just really need this submitted in fic form, please and thank you ;)

[geckoholic]

Yeeeees. Banter is for disagreeing about what to have for dinner, but the ~real disagreements are pretty much discussed non-verbally. I like that. XD

[alphaflyer.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I don't see them in a traditional relationship to begin with. You know, one of those where they actually live together, like a "normal"(ish) couple. Why I can't do the baby!fic thing, or the domestic thing, or the happily-ever-after thing.

In my head canon, they live apart, with keys to each other's places to water the dog and feed the cat, or check whether HYDRA has been over, look for clues as to why they haven't heard from each other in 6 weeks, or to sew up a battle gash when medical care is not an option.

I see them as drawn to each other in moments of crisis, or relaxation, or after a battle, or just because they ran into each other at a briefing and that t-shirt is like a neon sign that you need to get laid today, am I right? Total trust as professionals and as friends, with the occasional (and possibly quite frequent) benefit

But do a Tony-and-Pepper thing? Uh-uh.

So when they piss each other off (maybe because they ended up at the opposite side of an op, (oops, I told you free-lancing for that ledger of yours could have repercussions...) or because "you've been wallowing in that ledger thing a bit much lately", they may avoid each other for a while, knowing full well they will drawn into each other's orbit again before long.

[inkvoices]

Yes :D That once they have each other that's it, however it goes they still hold a part of each other. The pre beong together I can see in a variety of wsys though.

[geckoholic]

I don't seem them going for anything in the neighborhood of traditional either, and I agree on a no to babies or rings in fic, buuuuuut, I'd still call what it is they'd have a relationship? Even if it's more of a friends with benefits thing? Ah, semantics, though. XD

[happilydancing.livejournal.com]

No ring, but she def rocks an arrow necklace so hmm....;)

[geckoholic]

Ohh, yes. That she does. XD

[alphaflyer.livejournal.com]

Yes. Like I said, "not ... traditional." It's one thing to be in a relationship, and another doing the thing society expects when you're in one. These two can be apart for months, and then he'll shoe up on her fire escape or find her in his kitchen, like nothing ever happened. They just ... are.

[geckoholic]

Yeah, but my point is, even then you'd have a push and pull, and a process, and possibly setbacks. They wouldn't have just come by such a deep bond, whatever it may be, without some bumps in the road, not with their history, right? That's what I meant when I said it's some sort of relationship, and as such, they'd have to have dealt with each other's issues at some point.

Am I making sense? Ah. It's past 1 AM over here. XD

[alphaflyer.livejournal.com]

I think we're in what my former boss would call "violent agreement". Nothing of what I said was intended to contradict anything you said ... ;-)

[geckoholic]

Lol, okay, in that case, glad to hear we're on the very same page. XD

[inkvoices]

I find I like Clint having been married to Bobbi, or at least having been in a longterm relationship before Natasha because that adds a dynamic for me of him being more experienced for it - whether that means jaded after a break up or btoken up or just comfortable with having had life experience.

And I like when Natasha has had her iwn share of relationships - the winter soldier or others. Or when the two of them are friends and with other people or looking at other people.

I have no headcannon on those, but once/if Clint and Natasha are together? For me that's it. I think they'd be willing to put the work in to get past any challenges. My angst would be if they're both together but bad for each other in a downward spiral of crime and assassinations Bonnie & Clyde AU style!

I could read a breakup but i don't think i could write it. Because woe :(

[happilydancing.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of Bobbi being an ex as well.

and well, this might be completely not Clint's character at all (from what I've seen of the comics, its not) but my imagined Clint from MCU is older and experienced and more comfortable with himself and doesn't let petty issues come between them-and is also very forgiving because he understands that Natasha has had a very rough past. He did too but that just helps him understand her better.

I think Nat has trouble committing herself because she is scared of the outcome...something could happen to her or happen to him and she may not even feel worthy. And you know how people make love and then tell each other 'I love you"? I have pictured them making love and having her tell him, "I don't love you" when they are done.

[geckoholic]

and well, this might be completely not Clint's character at all (from what I've seen of the comics, its not) but my imagined Clint from MCU is older and experienced and more comfortable with himself and doesn't let petty issues come between them-and is also very forgiving because he understands that Natasha has had a very rough past. He did too but that just helps him understand her better. -- I agree so much. I also keep my Clints separated, and view the comics version and the MCU version as very different in some respects. That the MCU one would be more... settled, in a way, than the comics one evidently is, is part of that. So, yes. Thiiiiis. /nods

[inkvoices]

Yes, I see Clint as older and more laid back with that as well, I think because of the way Jeremy Renner plays it and also his age in comparison to the rest of the Avengers cast. In the comics he comes across as younger to me, what with him originally joining as a kid compared to the rest of an established team, and just, yeah, how he acts.

I can believe any and all interpretations of Natasha, including this one. Which is one of the reasons I love her as a character.

[alphaflyer.livejournal.com]

I think I agree with everything you just said ... (Right up to what you could read but not write ...)

I have an addition, though. I'm developing a serious thing for Clint and Melinda May to have had a past fling/friends with benefits thing. After he broke up with Bobbi, maybe. During that op in Algeria...


"Are there any bars in the neighbourhood?"

"Algeria is a Muslim country, Barton."

"So? They were colonized by the French, for God's sake. Plus, they actually make wine here. It sucks, but it works where it matters."

Hawkeye, the Oenophile? Who knew...

"I think this time of night most places are closed, and the hotel bar is full of journalists here to cover the conference."

He slumps a bit against the steering wheel, deflated.

"Shit. I really need a drink. If only to kill the Cardassian grub worm in that dinner at the Wali's. Last thing I need is a case of Montezuma's revenge during a stakeout."

May looks at him. Really looks at him: Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye. Resting face by Epstein, body by Michelangelo. Comedic repertoire going back to Lenny Bruce. You could do worse for entertainment.

"Ever heard of a minibar? There's one in my room."

[geckoholic]

I'm always, ALWAYS here for Clint and May casually getting it on. GET IT, GIRL.

[scribblemyname]

Love this so hard.

[alphaflyer.livejournal.com]

Ten points to Gryffindor for spotting the self-indulgent autobiographical references ... ;-)

[inkvoices]

I can see this. Melinda is yet another competant woman and that seems to be Clint's type. Plus the whole 'cavalary' history suggests protective instincts (what with Clint being so awww, I broke myself) and being happy with the crazy (jumping off high places, no extraction, whatever - in fact maybe she was cavalry from him during one of those no extraction ops when suddenly extraction was needed?) Only maybe it doesn't end up working because Melinda likes organised chaos and precision and not so much with the haphazard crazy and she doesn't find Clint's antics amusing enough to stick with him?