FIC: Tangled Up In Blue - Chapter 2 (Clint/Natasha)

[im_ridiculous]

Title: Tangled Up In Blue (Chapter 2: I am a man of constant sorrow) (WiP - Ch.2 of ??)
Author: im_ridiculous
Fandom: Avengers - Clint/Natasha
Genre: AU, angst!crack
Rating: MA - for mature audiences. (Adult themes, lots of angst, vague-ish references to alcoholism and physical abuse, a smattering of f-words (not gratuitous, in my opinion. I swear they're

Comments

[workerbee73]

gorgeous fucking prose

Because I haven't talked at you NEARLY enough in the past 24 hours, here: have another long comment

[im_ridiculous]

:O ...

\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/

Honestly, this chapter has been such a BASTARD of a thing, I had no idea - NO idea - whether I really like it anymore, or if I could just live with it because it was just acceptably better than the clusterf(&% it was before, and so this comment? This makes me teary. Legit tears. And also squeeish at, like, dog-hearing levels of squee.

Thankyou. So much. I just... am thrilled and so, so excited that you like it. *ridiculous seal claps of joy*

there is so much to be had. layers upon layers to unfurl and i know you planned it that way.
Yay, I'm so glad that worked for you! This is literally half the length it was originally, and so much had to be stripped out and remoulded that you always worry that if someone didn't see the first overfilled draft, then this is just going to be too vague. Phew. And if, y'know, you ever want to discuss or speculate about any of those layers (in all your enormous amounts of space time. snort.) you know where to find me. :)

And dude. Yes. Unreliable narrators FTW.

and

Re: Because I haven't talked at you NEARLY enough in the past 24 hours, here: have another long comm

[workerbee73]

WE CAN NEVER TALK TOO MUCH IN ONE DAY. YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID. ;P

And Clint here, while knocked around by life, has never actually had to kill someone. And I think maybe it's THAT hard edge that he doesn't have here. More lost, less dangerous, maybe?

i think that's it. and bob and i have written him intentionally dark, innately so, as in killing became an outlet for that clint just like music became an outlet for this one. (he has talent, and on some level he enjoys it-- all the things that make for a good hobby; there's a lot of dark buried in that earth.)

i'm still thiiking the abyss/earth stuff are pretty much first counsin metaphors. after all, a chasm is just simply the ground flayed wide open. it's all dirt just the same. ;)

Re: Because I haven't talked at you NEARLY enough in the past 24 hours, here: have another long comm

[im_ridiculous]

YOU ARE RIGHT AGAIN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING.

bob and i have written him intentionally dark, innately so, as in killing became an outlet for our clint just like music became an outlet for this one.
DING DING DING DING DING - WE HAVE A WINNER.
Yep. That's it. Because, *facepalm*, of course you're right. Again. The earth and the abyss - two sides, same coin. That's our boy. YOur Clint is my Clint exposed to epic tectonic shift and erosion. Or, as you more elegantly say: a chasm is just simply the ground flayed wide open.

I hereby declare us the winners of all the internets.

[angela_n_hunt]

Bee beat me to it. Pretty much everything she says here and then some. Wow.

a) I love that song. LOVE.

b) The way it flows in and out of this chapter is just amazing.

And can I just say that the idea of Nick Fury as a glowering banjo player cracks my ass up? Even the bratty little sister. It's a fantastic mix. And OMG. Weddings. Poor Clint. Playing weddings is only ever wonderful or hell. (I've got a lot of musician friends.)

The language is amazing and wonderful. The pacing is wonderful. The imagery is also amazing and wonderful.

You keep on keeping on. This was totally worth the wait.

[im_ridiculous]

Ooooh Ms Q! Thankyou!
You KNOW I love that song, and well, I did promise you it had a bigger role to play - I'm glad it didn't disappoint!

The song and the memory and all that being mixed up was actually one of the very first ideas/scenes/bits of this whole fic. And so of course, actually writing it was a freakin' nightmare, just too, too much. And I was so sure I wanted that scene, but finding a way into it? Freakin' impossible, for some reason. IMPOSSIBLE!!!

can I just say that the idea of Nick Fury as a glowering banjo player cracks my ass up?
You absolutely, absolutely can!! Cracks mine up too, but just... I don't know, fits in my head :) And as for weddings... well, exactly my friend. Exactly. There was originally a whole beginning section about how weddings made Clint sick, but it was all just too much, and I figured people would probably know where he was coming from anyway :)

The language is amazing and wonderful. The pacing is wonderful. The imagery is also amazing and wonderful.This is the most wonderful comment, because

[angela_n_hunt]

Hee! Ms. Q! I like that!

No, you did not disappoint in the slightest! It was a perfect integration of the song.

Yeah, finding your way into a scene is sometimes murder. I've had that happen to me on more than one occasion. I usually end up beating my head into a wall into something jogs loose.

And d'aw!!! You're welcome! I was so thrilled to see that there was a new installment.

[im_ridiculous]

Hee :) Well then. Ms Q it is!

It was a perfect integration of the song.
THIS MAKES ME VERY HAPPY, WOMAN. THANKYOU. \o/

I usually end up beating my head into a wall into something jogs loose.
Honestly? There was so much beating of my head with this chapter, if it had been literal, I would have beaten myself to a bloody pulp. It would have been very, very ugly. Thank goodness for themonkeytwin kindly leading me away from the wall and sitting with me while I babbled, and anillogicalmind's cold compress on my forehead and telling me it was all going to be ok :)

PS - TUIB Enterprises thanks you for your patience, and wishes to advise that we will do everything we can to make sure your next newsletter is delivered in a more timely fashion *G*

[alwayslera]

This was AWESOME <3 Really beautifully written. Right amount of angst balanced with the right amount of evidence to justify it with the right amount of prose. Love love love.

[im_ridiculous]

...meep. Thankyou! So much! That's really kind and I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

(Meanwhile, I just (...I may have just done some stalking. I admit nothing.) discovered your 'Love you like a love song', except I'm an idiot who evidently doesn't titles properly, because I just read your last chapter first... *facepalm*

IT WAS GREAT! I need to go leave you a comment, and then, y'know, go back and read the rest now that I've spoiled the ending for myself :) )

[alwayslera]

hahahahaha, thank you! You didn't really SPOIL anything for yourself, I promise you. It was mostly an excuse to write chapters 1 and 8. Everything in the middle happened so the rest could happen.

[im_ridiculous]

Yeah, it's all good - I tend to assume fics will end up happily ever after, so in this case my suspicions will have been confirmed before I even get to any potential angst! :) I am looking forward to it, because as you can see from this, there's been a decided lack of Clintasha fluff in my life of late!

It was mostly an excuse to write chapters 1 and 8. Everything in the middle happened so the rest could happen.
Oh my god, tell me about it!! :)

[alphaflyer]

Wow. That was ... a lot of angst to swallow over lunch. And man, did it go down easy. Wonderful piece, and I don't always cope well with A/Us. :-)

Oh, and is it just me, or is this wonderful fic the transcendental retribution for Jeff Bridges taking the 2010 Oscar over Jeremy Renner, for playing a drunken country singer?

[im_ridiculous]

Oh I'm so sorry! Maybe I should include a digestion warning? :)

I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and you know what? Until very, very recently, I would have said I was actually, actively, 'just not that into' AUs. So I know where you're coming from, and how I ended up here is really anyone's guess.

All I can say about it is this: fandom slope is damn slippery. :D

Oh, and is it just me, or is this wonderful fic the transcendental retribution for Jeff Bridges taking the 2010 Oscar over Jeremy Renner, for playing a drunken country singer?
:O ... I am actively channelling so much Crazy Heart in this fic (seriously, The Weary Kind has its own chapter all sketched out *whistles innocently*), so HOW HAD THIS NOT EVEN OCCURRED TO ME?!? BECAUSE HENCEFORTH, YES, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS.

[alphaflyer]

Glad I could get that straightened out then ... :-) 'Cuz much as I like Jeff Bridges, the Best Acting award is NOT a lifetime achievement thing, and Renner was BETTER. (Same thing happened to Ralph Fiennes, when they gave supporting actor to Tommy Lee Jones for phoning in his performance in The Fugitive, instead of Fiennes for being the most gorgeously creepy Nazi EVER). But I digress. The Oscar nominations came out yesterday, and I'm sulking. Again.

[im_ridiculous]

Ha! I see your Oscar disappointments and raise you Gwyneth, who should NEVER have won for Shakespeare In Love over Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth, and Russell Crowe, who should have won for The Insider, not Gladiator. Much as I love Gladiator. Or Baz Luhrmann not even being nominated for Moulin Rogue, much like poor old Tom Hooper for Les Mis, who made some really interesting (and brave) directing choices that MADE that movie...

...sometimes I think the Oscars actually ARE just lifetime achievement awards, to be honest. *joins you in sulking*

[anillogicalmind]

Okay. So. First off, I am so ridiculously happy you posted this flipping gorgeous piece of work - honestly, it's brilliant, and the narrative perspective you're working from here is beautiful. AND I LOVE YOUR ANGSTY CLINT, SO STICK WITH HIM.

It's all just so well done, so... well done :)

I'm so excited for what's to come in this work, but take all the time you need, because it is so, so worth it.

[im_ridiculous]

Awwww thankyou lovely one :D For this comment, and for holding my hand through the early days of 'here. *shoves overwritten fic at you*... what the hell do you think I should be doing with that then, huh?'

:D

ALL THE TWIRLS TO YOU MY FRIEND. ALL OF THEM. <3

[anillogicalmind]

You are so welcome my friend.

TWIRLS YOU BACK.

*skulks off to go read all of the incredible meta that has appeared on this gloriousness in my absence, and to gawk.*

[im_ridiculous]

Oh my goodness, I know right?
There was a bit of a Clint meta explosion.... Bee and I have been talking a bit about the differences and similarities between my Clint and the equilibrists Clint, and it kinda spilled over here!

I see more discussion in our future once I get into the Nat sections...

Oh meta. So much fun :D