Avengers (2012): "Waking Up (3/6)" (Gen, Pre-Clint/Natasha)

[cybermathwitch]

Title: Waking Up (3/6)
Author/Artist: Koren M. (cybermathwitch)
Disclaimer: Not mine. If they were, there'd already be a Black Widow/Hawkeye movie.
Pairing: Gen (pre-Clint/Natasha)
Rating: R
Warnings: adult themes, violence, language, assassins are not always nice people
Spoilers: none
Type: Completed
Word Count: 341
Summary: Everyone starts somewhere.

Comments

[anuna_81]

HIIIIII.

So, back when we first met and only started discussing Clint and Natasha and characterizations and backstories and EVERYTHING. there was this bit you showed me. And, among everything you've written this thing here stands out. I always imagined Clint so ... solid and steady and here is the reason why. He's a man who knows his limits, his place, his boundaries; he knows where his 'light' ends and 'darkness' begins, and this is that fine line he... found and had chosen not to cross. (And it's dark and scary imagining he'd do something like this, because the man he later is, the one I usually write about, he wouldn't do it. But he wouldn't because he's done it and decided, no, this is not who I am.)

This makes me think of "Foolsom Prison Blues" of all songs, because of theisline - "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die". (Not sure if I ever told yout his? But I always wanted to.) One of the best songs ever written, and no less, a song about a sociopath, and insight into, what probably is scariest aspect of human nature. I don't know if you even had the song in mind, but this made me think of it (because that line, brilliant line, always gives me the chills) --- and I was like OH THIS IS THAT ONLY CLINT CHOSE NOT TO DO IT. Because it's not who he is, it's not why he does what he does. The darkness here is realistic, but still he isn't someone who's completely painted dark. On the contrary. Someone who has an aversion to pull a trigger? I think it says a lot about him, but damn, you made it complex and painted him in ... I don't want to say shades of grey (lol), but he is so not black and white, simple, clear cut deal.