The Mothering Thing of Us by QuickYoke and ratherembarrassing is the Cartinelli Fic That Proves Sometimes Love Needs A Second Chance.
Running a secret government organization, trying to foster a relationship with your estranged teenage children, and falling in love with a famous actress has never looked so good.
Peggy Carter has led an eventful life. She’d served in World War 2, been married and divorced, mothered two children, and left behind multiple people she’s loved in the name of saving the world. Now in her forties, she still has no time to slow down. Or any idea how to go about fixing the mistakes she’s made in her personal life over the years, even if she did have time.
The last time Angie Martinelli saw Peggy, she’d still been a waitress with Broadway dreams and an intense crush that she’d thought was returned. Until Peggy left and quietly ended their friendship, that is. Twenty years later, she’s made a name for herself in Hollywood as Angela Martin, accomplished actress. But when she comes face-to-face with Peggy, it’s incredibly clear that those romantic feelings for the beautiful Brit are not a thing of the past.
It turns out that rekindling those forgotten feelings isn’t difficult at all. But will Peggy let her guard down enough to actually let Angie in or will she continue to make the mistakes of her past?
Pros
The journey these writers take you on as a reader is profound and relevant. Even though you (likely) will not be able to personally relate to Peggy’s situational struggles due to her career as a spy, her issues with being able to voice her feelings and be vulnerable is beautifully understandable.
Angie is a ray of sunshine and is such a straight shooter, you can’t help but love her and root for her at all points in time. All of the characters, really, even the side characters are drawn so well. In a story that is only three chapters long, the writers have created a depth of personality in every character. You can truly see who they are and how they became who they are.
Heads Up
Violence is depicted a handful of times, as Peggy is the leader of a black-ops organization against a crime syndicate.
There are mentions of period-typical homophobia from a couple of side characters.
Conclusion
Everything about this fic is an absolute win. The primary relationship, of course, is the romance between Peggy and Angie, which blossoms beautifully. Their chemistry is palpable from the moment they reconnect and every single scene they have together grows their intimacy. There are a handful of times where Peggy’s decisions make you want to shake her for pushing Angie away. But at the same time, you want to hug her because you know where she’s coming from.
There is also a strong and brilliantly written plot about Peggy and her two teenaged children who live with their father. Peggy’s love for them is clear in her thoughts, but their estranged relationship – that is fully explained in flashbacks – is heartrending, as she fumbles in trying to reconnect.
All of the plots and character developments weave together to seamlessly create such a wonderfully told tale. In the end you are just left feeling all of the feelings and needing these intricately drawn characters to get their happy ending.
Excerpt from The Mothering Thing of Us – The Cartinelli Fic That Proves Sometimes Love Needs A Second Chance
At the edge of the main ballroom, Peggy blinks through the haze of low chandelier lighting and cigarette smoke, trying to see a way clear through the press of people. Her shoes are pinching and she really does want to get through the latest reports from the Syrian border.
“Peggy,” someone says, touching her arm, and a flash of light from a nearby photographer blinds her for a second.
Her days in the field are significantly less than what they once were, but she keeps up her training and would give most of her agents a run for their money on the days when she’s had enough coffee and a good night’s sleep.
So she is distantly surprised when her body doesn’t react as she would expect. Quite the opposite; she doesn’t react at all.
She would know the heat of that touch anywhere, knows it somewhere visceral before she even thinks the name, and when the sparkle of light clears from her eyes, she is astounded to find Angie Martinelli gazing up at her, exactly as Peggy knew she would be.
“Angie,” she breathes, a smile breaking her face in a way that feels familiar and utterly foreign. “My goodness.”
Angie beams at her, steps in close and pulls her into a hug that Peggy returns too tightly. It has been an age since they last saw each other, and Angie still smells exactly as Peggy remembers.
Eighteen years is a long time to forget something so intangible, but standing in Angie’s embrace she feels something she didn’t even know was there, tight and twisted inside of her, unspool as she exhales, a sound of happiness trickling out with it.
Someone bumps into her, or maybe into Angie, and even then she doesn’t let go right away. When they do part, Angie’s hands smooth down both of Peggy’s arms to take her hands and keep her close. “Wouldya’ take a look at you, Peg. My god!”
Peggy is forty-six years old, and the look Angie gives her makes her blush.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Peggy says, taking in the slink of black satin draped about Angie’s body, the flare of her eyeliner and the sculpture of her hair. Angie is a vision, and Peggy cannot look away.
She never could.
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Bits And Bobs
- Fandom: Cartinelli (Peggy Carter and Angie Martinelli from Agent Carter)
- Length: 59,286 words
- Author: QuickYoke and ratherembarrassing
- Rating: E
- Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore
Rating Guide: G= General, T = Teen and up, M=Mature, E = explicit
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