that I suck at writing romance.
Or, at least, that writing other kinds of scenes is much much much easier for me to do than all this relationship stuff. But it's done, go me. Now, if only I knew where to go next so I could crack 44K. I have less than a hundred words, surely I can do that...
FIC REC:
Five Worse Things You've Caught Me Doing, Iron Man with references to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Seriously, everyone should cross these two fandoms together ALL THE TIME.
And in other news, someone was wrong on the internet, and hopefully I set them straight. Yeah, someone on the IMDB Iron Man board
postulated that Tony was a Gary Stu and wondered if he had any faults.
To which I basically replied, "Did you watch the movie?" in a classic Guy Fleegman moment.
Other than the rampant substance abuse, the giant ego, the self-absorption, the Peter Pan complex, and the irresponsibility? Not to mention that he's a risk-taker with the impulse control of a gerbil on crack?
No, no faults at all.
And then they asked for examples. Because, clearly, I didn't make the case. I suppose that a gratuitous assertion may be just as gratuitously denied.
Rampant substance abuse: Got smashed on the plane on the way to Afghanistan. Was drinking in the FunVee in the middle of a war zone. Yinsen mentioned that he was crocked at a conference in Bern. "Give me a scotch, I'm starving." Come on.
Giant ego: "If my math is right--and it always is..." Granted, the man has the looks and brains to back up his giant ego (mostly), but the fact that he has one is clear.
Self-absorption: Forgot Pepper's birthday. Made Rhodey wait for him for three hours. Beds women indiscriminately and depends on Pepper and Happy to hustle them out. "I don't like it when you have plans." "Hey, Tony, remember me?" "Sure don't." Couldn't remember Christine's name either.
Peter Pan complex: Really, this is self-explanatory. He's thirty-seven years old and hasn't grown up. At all.
Irresponsible: Was playing craps rather than accepting an award, and embarrassed his best friend in the bargain. "I'm being responsible! That's a new direction for me...to take...on behalf of the company." Yeah, even Tony knows he's irresponsible.
Lousy impulse control: "Gotta run before you can walk." "I am Iron Man." "This is a flight stabilizer. It's completely harmless. ...I didn't expect that." Decided to try to break an altitude record and kept going even after Jarvis warned him about the icing problem, nearly died. Started the boots at ten percent power instead of something more conservative and probably hurt himself rather badly. Headed to Gulmira without so much as telling anyone where he was going or what he was doing--which could have gone disastrously wrong on so many levels, but he didn't even think about that. Trashed his workshop after Everhart showed him the pictures. Landed on his roof without taking the architecture into consideration (OMG THE COBRA).
Is that specific enough for you? I'm sure I can come up with more.
I mean...really. I shouldn't have to spell this stuff out for anyone who's seen the movie.