Isn't Natasha canonically unaging, thanks to Red Room fuckery? (Even apart from being a comic character in a continuing franchise, I mean.)

In entirely unrelated news, OPI brought out a "Fifty Shades of Grey" polish collection and did NOT name a shade "Red Room of Pain". Wasted opportunity, man.

I may have a strong NOTP. Like, Angel/Cordy strong.

I always thought of myself as a fairly laid-back, live and let live type of person when it comes to character and pairing preference. Even Angel/Cordy was like, ehhh, it does not work for me whatsoever but if it's your thang, go fly your freak flag.

But then, someone on my Flist turned into a rapid Skye/Ward shipper (AoS) and OH MY GOD. I realized that I had not known the true meaning of NOTP before. I mean, I enjoy the show, but I am not even that fannish about AoS! But every time she happily burbles about her ship (which is often), I found myself getting a *visceral* reaction, like, a knot in the chest and nausea. It got so bad that I had to create a special filter. Who knew that could be a thing. It's just a dumb ship about a TV show for crying out loud.

(Oh man, the impulse to vent about what a terrible ship that is to everyone -- so difficult to curb. I can be internally judgy but I try not to be an obvious asshole when I can help it. But sometimes that's hard.)

Wonder if it the same one onmmy flist

t goes check your Flist

Nope. She's not on yours. It's a pretty popular ship apparently and I guess I understand how woobie!villain/ingenue can be a popular trope. But I just can't with this particular ship.

Well, Ward is a psychopath who murdered his brother and the rest of his family, and Skye unhesitatingly shot him when she got the chance. And even before that she came very close to saying "Let the bastard die in agony." It's kind of hard to find the "My love will SAAAAVE him!"

But a lot of fannish people are pretty young, and they connect with Skye, and Ward is objectively handsome and young enough to be a standard romantic figure.

Really, though, Ward is one of the things I love most about Agents. He was presented as Generic Hero to be Molded by Coulson, and by the end of the season he was My God, How Batshit Crazy is He?

Yeah, I have a similar NOTP reaction to Thor/Loki. Pretty though the actors are. Much as I admire Tom Hiddleston as an actor and, as far as I can tell, a person. Nope. Nope. Nope. Insert gif with the octopus running away here. And may those who do ship it enjoy the experience as much as they could wish. It's not for me.

I realized that I had not known the true meaning of NOTP before. I mean, I enjoy the show, but I am not even that fannish about AoS! But every time she happily burbles about her ship (which is often), I found myself getting a *visceral* reaction, like, a knot in the chest and nausea. It got so bad that I had to create a special filter. Who knew that could be a thing. It's just a dumb ship about a TV show for crying out loud.

(Oh man, the impulse to vent about what a terrible ship that is to everyone -- so difficult to curb. I can be internally judgy but I try not to be an obvious asshole when I can help it. But sometimes that's hard.)

I know your pain. Different show, different ship, same squick.

But then, someone on my Flist turned into a rapid Skye/Ward shipper (AoS) and OH MY GOD.

High five, Vonnie! I try not to be judgmental but that ship makes want to ask what's wrong with people who ship it.

Did they stop watching mid-season?

No, the one on my flist just keeps posting Skye/Ward recs, as if she hasn't noticed the show deep sixed her ship. It's pretty profound cognitive dissonance, IMO.