Death of the Dream, NC-17, non-con

[valtyr]

The discussion about Evil Steve reminded me of a fic I wrote a while ago and never posted to the comm.

Title: Death of the Dream
Author: valtyr
Beta: None
Rating: NC-17
Wordcount: 2k
Contents/Warnings/Spoilers: Explicit rape.
Summary: Steve comes back from the dead. Tony's not as happy to see him as he thought he'd be.

Read on AO3. Not kidding about the rape.

If you wrote a dark/evil Steve, maybe link the story in the comments? Would be interesting to see people's takes.

Comments

I have neither seen nor read <em>Gone with the Wind</em>

[muccamukk]

My reading that Tony was so deeply traumatised (by having his brain melted/reassembled and having all his friends 100% abandon him and having his best friend come back evil and having said now evil best friend rape him and forcing an unwanted and humiliating physical response out of him) that he pretty much went into shock.

Which I believe was the authorial intent.

YMMV.

[chaos-anomaly.livejournal.com]

I think that's exactly the reason why I'm not completely convinced it was adamant protestation against sex, Tony being in Shock threw me for a loop. (And the rose-tinted glasses, I think my brain didn't want to equate Steve being capable of Rape and therefore Tony must (consciously, subconsciously) want it.)

But now that you brought it up (Tony's mindset and what's he has been through before waking up), I can sort of see the evidence pointing toward actual Rape.

Also, I'm probably thinking more of what Tony would do after the act (see previous comment) that's "clouding" my judgement here.

[muccamukk]

I think, for me, dub con is more something the lines of:
1) Drunk sex where it's unclear that consent can be given.
2) Identity porn stuff. As in not knowing the real identity of the person you're having sex with (though in some states that's also legally rape).
3) One or both parties saying yes, even though they're pretty sure they don't want to have sex.

Dubious consent is unclear consent.

In this case, the consent was very clearly not given. Consent was, in fact, very clearly denied. Repeatedly. That makes it non-con.

The whole point of the story, as I understand it (in that it was brought up as part of discussion of Steve Being Evil), was that Steve had lost his connection to his own moral compass and turned evil. Being evil, he was very capable of rape.

Besides which, even if Tony did want it (even if he was married to Steve for ten years and they'd been engaged in mutually-pleasurable, consenting sex half an hour before), if he said "No," it's still rape.

It took various anti-oppression movements (largely feminist and gay rights-related) hundreds of years to get that legal definition.

[arysteia.livejournal.com]

It took various anti-oppression movements (largely feminist and gay rights-related) hundreds of years to get that legal definition.

*engraves this on our rings, and cries*

[tsukinofaerii.livejournal.com]

So, where would you like your internets delivered? (hugs)

[muccamukk]

Wherever is convenient is fine.

But, dude, I'm running out of ways to say "'No' means 'no'" here.