TW: Bartons

SHIELD Agent, badass archer, former circus performer, and ever-unchanging screw-up. When life hands you lemons, shoot them from 500 paces.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  Hey, don’t underestimate my security clearance. *waggles eyebrows*

*sighs and crosses her arms, leaning back against the counter* Look. I know that this is the part where I’m supposed to say something kind and supportive like “Take all the time you need” or “We’ll be waiting when you’re ready.”

We need you. Bad. So do what you need to do but. Get it together.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*chuckles awkwardly, ducking his head and rubbing at the back of his hair*

I don't know about all of that but if that's your idea of sweet talking, it's working.

*lets out a sigh* 

Look. I'm working on it. I'll do what I can.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *makes a face* Look. I respect Tasha. And I don’t need to know what she gets up to in her down time. *puts the cup on the drying rack* Some things are better left unknown.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*laughs* Yeah. That one's classified pretty high up, too.

*finishes the dregs of the pot, then gets up and takes his cereal bowl to the sink and rinses it out*

Anyhow, my point was that it takes time. Not that a I had a point. But I should have.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  I don’t know what kind of beds you’ve been hiding under but it sure isn’t mine. All that’s under there is dust bunnies and Chewie’s latest kill. *gets up and goes to the sink to wash her cup*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

You've never hidden under Natasha's bed.

*leans on his fist for a moment as if remembering something*

Ahh. Minsk. That was a fun mission.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  Yeah well. You know what my dad used to say. The man who checks under the bed is the man who’s hid under the bed.

*shrugs* Different training, whatever, takes all kinds.

*finishes her coffee*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*shrugs* 

That's where all the good shit is hidden, you know? *chuckles*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  None of you undercover spy bastards trust anybody. *sips* Well. The ones who are still alive don’t trust anybody.

That kind of shit doesn’t fly in an airfield. *laughs at her own pun*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*luckily Clint appreciates a good pun and he laughs along*

Nah. We do. We're just... picky. I mean for good reason.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *eyes harden* Good. Fuckers.

You let Tasha hit you on the head but then tell me I can’t? I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted. *winks*

*grabs the carafe and refills her cup*

*shrugs* I would. *sips her coffee* I think the bigger problem is probably you trusting us, though.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

Well I mean it was less her and more the railing. Plus I don't know if you have the same finesse. 

*waits to take the carafe back* 

I don't trust anyone. Don't take it personally.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *shakes her head and narrows her eyes* You’re not the one I want to punch. *jaw tightens*

Sorry. Didn’t mean to just… I just… I hadn’t realized that until just now. *takes a breath and straightens shoulders* So. How long are you gonna be gold bricking it up in here or are you ready to get back to work? Because Steve’s already got me pulling double duty at S.W.O.R.D. and with the Avengers. I mean I can do it all but it would be nice to have somebody to pick up the slack.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

Don't apologise to me. I punched a lot of skrulls on my way out.

*twists his mouth* Then Tasha gave me a good one and knocked me out. But that's between us.

*shrugs and moves the carafe around on the counter* Who's going to trust me at their back right now?

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  Yeah well. I hoped with the ribbons it would fit around your skull.

*makes a frustrated sound and grits her teeth* I told him what happened. The fucker knew. Goddamned piece-of-shit martyr complex bastard.

I’m gonna need to punch a lot of things. *shakes her head and sips the coffee*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

You know I'm here for you, but you'll have to find something else to punch because most of my bones just healed.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  Too bad I wasn’t here. Could have given you the mask so you had your costume all ready to go.

*shrugs* Yeah, I’m fine. I knew he was going to go. *scrunches lips to the side* You know he never told me about any of this? That’s some serious commitment to timeline fidelity. Jerk.

*face falls and eyes widen* Oh that bastard. *buries her face in her hands*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*holds the mask up to his face*

My size and everything.

*drums fingers on the counter*

*nods, unsure what to say, but lifts an eyebrow questioningly*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *snorts a laugh* Of course. Whole world’s going to shit, but don’t worry here comes Clint goddamned Barton riding in on a blaze of glory to save the day! *waves hands dramatically*

*sobers a little and turns the cup on the counter* Speaking of, I don’t know if Steve told you, but. Mar-Vell left. Went back. Whatever. He’s gone, I think back to the right spot in the timeline for him or whatever. *makes a face* I hate time travel.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*chuckles a little* Yeah. Well, I mean, I make it look easy, right. Almost like I could have done it in my sleep. That's how we did it in the big top.

*sobers equally and nods* Man. Time travel just... *sighs*

You good?

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  They make it “au lait” and that’s pretty good. But it still makes a good cup of joe, too.

*rests her chin on her fist and smiles* Yeah. Saw it after they told me you were gone. It made me think of you. Figured I’d hold onto it until you came back.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*taps his fingers on the carafe, watching her for a while*

Thanks. I mean that. *shifts on the stool* I mean of course I came back. I just needed the right dramatic entrance. You understand these things.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *reaches into the bag and pulls out a coffee can* Got ya a souvenir. Sort of. But it’s that coffee with the chicory like they make down there. Thought you might like it. Tastes like bark.

Annnd. *makes a little fanfare sound* This!

*hands him the mardi gras mask with a grin*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*grins at the presentation* If you can see the bottom of the mug it's not coffee.

*takes the mask, his face relaxing* Aww. Who told you I liked purple?

*winks* Thanks, lady.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  "Sorta"? What, is he crashing on the couch for a while until he gets back on his feet or something?

Good enough. *takes a seat* Actually got ya something. *pokes the bag and grins* Wanna know what it is?

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

Well I mean as "ours" as any two divorcees can make anything. *runs a hand through his hair and shrugs* I don't really think about it much. Or I try not to.

*watches her for a moment, then gets the coffee anyhow, sliding a mug to her and drinking from the carafe* I hate surprises. Last good one I got was about my old man. So I guess that's a yes.

*sits across from her*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *rubs her hands together, trying to get circulation back* The hell are you talking about, Barton? Frank Gianelli, the photographer. Not Frank, Wade’s dinosaur.

The dinosaur would have been more useful in a fight.

*looks at Arrow* Since when do you have a dog?

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

Oh, yeah. That would make more sense. *rubs the back of his head*

He's Bobbi's.

*Arrow whimpers*

Fine. He's sorta ours. 

*jerks his thumb at the breakfast bar, still a little hesitant* Seat? I've got... really old coffee and a clean mug. I think.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  *shrugs out of her coat and stuffs her hat in a sleeve before she hangs it on a peg, then goes to the counter and sets down the bag*

*raising her voice* I hit a shark with another shark. That was fun. And then I had to save Frank because, surprise surprise, he’s useless in a shark attack. Monica was there. She helped. Even if she gave me shit about the name.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*squints at her, clearly confused*

Shit, Carol, I'm only mostly deaf. *picks up his hearing aide and puts it in, shaking his head* Why'd you take a dinosaur to a shark fight? That's too many teeth. 

*Arrow makes a whimpering sound and bumps his head against Clint's knee*

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  Yeah. Word is I had more of an actual vacation and I had to fight sharks. And other things. So.

*squints* Are you lip reading? *shifts the bag to rest on her hip and taps her ear* Put in your hearing aid. Come on, you know I don’t know sign language.

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*squints more* Sharks?

I punched a shark once. It was great. You should have Natasha tell you about that sometime. But I tell it better. With flair. Like a true big top brat.

*gestures to the counter so she can set her things down*

What's the fun in that, huh?

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

They Say Time Heals Everything But I'm Still Waiting

[scusemewhileipunchthesky]

  Yeah! Who else? *mutters* Asshole making me stand outside in the cold. *quickly scurries in and jogs up the stairs, dodging children and what appears to be a stray capybara, but might just be somebody’s mutt.*

*lets herself in* Hey, Barton. Heard you got back into town not long before I did. Figured I’d stop by. *grins and pulls off her hat, shaking out her hair* How ya been?

[arrowsoutyourass-blog]

*stares at her for a long time as if he can't quite figure out why she's standing in his apartment or who she is, but is really focused on her mouth while she talks*

*rubs a hand over the back of his hair*

Yeah. Something like that. *tilts his head again* Um. You know. *shrugs* Good. Not the most restful getaway I've ever had.