I am not going to be able to write a comment to do this fic justice, I'm just not. Not only it this epic in that it's HUGE and I'm in awe of how much you managed to write, but every bit of it is just so. damn. good. This needs to be on every Avengers rec list and ought to be labelled a seminal fic in the Clint/Natasha fandom. Seriously.
I LOVE the amount of detail and worldbuilding in this. I love all the little things that you've thrown in, but espeically the hidden apartment that Clint and Natasha have with its twisty access, I really, really love that. I love that we get a complex, interweaving plot with bad guys that are actually scary, and bad guys who have different motives to each other even if they're technically on the same side, and conspiracies, and the fact that no one actually really wins, because that's not how life works. (Although at the same time I want them hunted down!!!) I guessed that there was something fishy with Aten with the first person narrative being different to the other fic sections, and the underlying current between her and Natasha, but I didn't actually guess who/what Atem was until close the actual reveal, and even then I was all 'but I need confirmation of this! And how does this work?!'
I love the banter, the dialogue, the hilarious moments, the sexy moments, the UST moments, the scary moments, ALL OF THE MOMENTS. The thinky thoughts and ideas on personality, memory, and self are wonderfully explored. Steve's toast at the end - “To knowing who we are,” he says. “More or less.” <3
I love that we get backstory, and not just backstory but backstory that itself is plotty and not only interwoven with the main plot but helps to inform the main plot. I love all of the cameos from the other Avengers, because of course Steve would help out like that, and Tony's bantering 'busy blowing things up right now' conversations are hilarious and perfect, and the two of them tricking someone into thinking that Iron Man was there when he wasn't, that is inspired. And Bruce! And Pepper! Everyone! The whole team coming together at the end, SO SO PERFECT, especially with Tony Stark there to be the one that says how it is - the idea that it's not about good and bad necessarily, but sticking together. The call back to how throughout the whole fic maybe Clint and Natasha have acted ambiguously, but that's not the point, the point is that Clint would get her back no matter what and Natasha would get herself back no matter what and that they stick together. And then here are these Avengers who also have helped throughout the fic and have their backs. LOVE.
Just, basically, I LOVE THIS FIC and I'm sat here listing all of the things that I love about it, but there is not enough comment space or thinky thoughts in the world. EPIC FIC <3333
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I LOVE the amount of detail and worldbuilding in this. I love all the little things that you've thrown in, but espeically the hidden apartment that Clint and Natasha have with its twisty access, I really, really love that. I love that we get a complex, interweaving plot with bad guys that are actually scary, and bad guys who have different motives to each other even if they're technically on the same side, and conspiracies, and the fact that no one actually really wins, because that's not how life works. (Although at the same time I want them hunted down!!!) I guessed that there was something fishy with Aten with the first person narrative being different to the other fic sections, and the underlying current between her and Natasha, but I didn't actually guess who/what Atem was until close the actual reveal, and even then I was all 'but I need confirmation of this! And how does this work?!'
I love the banter, the dialogue, the hilarious moments, the sexy moments, the UST moments, the scary moments, ALL OF THE MOMENTS. The thinky thoughts and ideas on personality, memory, and self are wonderfully explored. Steve's toast at the end - “To knowing who we are,” he says. “More or less.” <3
I love that we get backstory, and not just backstory but backstory that itself is plotty and not only interwoven with the main plot but helps to inform the main plot. I love all of the cameos from the other Avengers, because of course Steve would help out like that, and Tony's bantering 'busy blowing things up right now' conversations are hilarious and perfect, and the two of them tricking someone into thinking that Iron Man was there when he wasn't, that is inspired. And Bruce! And Pepper! Everyone! The whole team coming together at the end, SO SO PERFECT, especially with Tony Stark there to be the one that says how it is - the idea that it's not about good and bad necessarily, but sticking together. The call back to how throughout the whole fic maybe Clint and Natasha have acted ambiguously, but that's not the point, the point is that Clint would get her back no matter what and Natasha would get herself back no matter what and that they stick together. And then here are these Avengers who also have helped throughout the fic and have their backs. LOVE.
Just, basically, I LOVE THIS FIC and I'm sat here listing all of the things that I love about it, but there is not enough comment space or thinky thoughts in the world. EPIC FIC <3333