Charlie Barton

[trickxshcts]

“Well, there’s trouble and then their malicious.  Just stick with the mischief side and you should be fine.”

“You think my dad to be malicious instead?” He wondered. He wasn’t sure all of what his dad had done in his life, but he was sure it got worst than killing guys for money. 

[trickxshcts]

“Are you calling yourself trouble?” she asked, brows arching over eyes sparkling with laughter.  “And I’d certainly place a wager on that.”

“I don’t think causing trouble would be good for me right now. All I need is people on campus comparing me to my dad, ya know.” 

[trickxshcts]

“Well, yeah, but I’m looking for the good side of them being gone, thus the silver lining thing.  I’d prefer them…and I’d do without the presents if I could have them, but…”

“I don’t really celebrate that stuff, so I’m just... curious, I guess,” Charlie admitted. “It’s good though, that you miss them. It means you care, right?” 

[trickxshcts]

“I hate when my parents are away for my birthday…but I do like the presents I get as apologies.  Guess that’s a silver lining?”

“Isn’t the point of holidays to... spend time with them? Not the gifts?” 

[trickxshcts]

“Oh, trust me, give me enough free time and I will find a way to get into trouble. Ask anyone who knows me.”

“I’ve spoken to you like three times and I already know that, trust me,” Charlie claimed with a snort. “Planning on causing some havoc before summer ends?” he guessed. 

[adoredanvcrs]

Adore wasn’t her usual smiley self today, and that wasn’t a good sign in her books. An almost silent sign escaped her lips as she looked down at her phone in her hand. She’d been practically glued to the thing for weeks. “Why do people suck?” The blonde asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked at the person who had walked into the room. “Sorry, I’ll go and mope somewhere else.” She said, laughing to try to lighten her mood.

[trickxshcts]

Charlie paused at the door of the room, scanning it for a moment before he gave a shake of his head. “No, no. You uh. I think I’ve got the wrong room. This definitely isn’t where gymnastics is going to be held,” he claimed, trying to laugh as well because... she did so it felt right. “Are you okay?” 

[trickxshcts]

“Perhaps it’s a good thing you don’t know what it is. Just a robot.” he answered simply.

“A robot? You’re one of those smart engineering kids? Well... not smart enough not to get caught stealing, but...” he shrugged. His lips pursed as he tried to look around the other to see what he was really up to. “Do you have a date to that prom thing?” 

[trickxshcts]

“How old are you?”

“Um... I’m sixteen,” he admitted. 

[trickxshcts]

  HIS BACK HIT  the locker behind him with the force of the other's tackle, but he is taller and stronger than the other teen and wasted no time trying to push him back, fist already closed and aiming for Charlie’s face.

Charlie took the hit and stumbled, shoulder hitting the lockers. He let out a growl and charged at the other, leaping at him with a tackle. 

[trickxshcts]

“If you do, I think he’d figure it out sooner,” she pointed out.  “Trust me, it’ll be a lot easier if you’re upfront with him.  He’ll figure it out sooner or later anyway and that’s a fast way to not be trusted.”

“Who says I’m going to be around long enough for trust to matter? I’m just here ‘til dad gets back from the dead again.” 

[trickxshcts]

Somehow that didn’t surprise her, not given everything she’d heard about Barney.  She couldn’t imagine being a kid under his charge.  “Oh?” Kim considered it, but she didn’t think her dad would hold Charlie accountable for his father’s crimes.  “I think…I think he’d like to meet you.”

“I don’t think I’m going to tell him uh... who I am,” he admitted. “I mean, not yet, anyway. I don’t want the first thing for him to think was that I have my dad’s slimey face or something, you know? “

[trickxshcts]

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I have a little sway when it comes to this kind of thing. It shouldn’t be a problem to get you in. I’m not sure how he’ll react, though. He and your dad…” Her words trailed off with a slight shake of her head. “They’ve had a complicated relationship.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured considering dad throws things when Uncle Clint is mentioned,” He admitted with a lift of his shoulders. “I’m not my dad, though.” 

[trickxshcts]

Werner carefully thought over his words, but thought it best to not lie. “I am building a Doombot prototype. Father wants to see what I can do.”

“A doombot?” Charlie repeated. “Am I supposed to know what that is?” 

[trickxshcts]

 WHAT HE SHOULD  have done was walk away, he had promised his parents that his days of getting into school fights were over, but this kid was asking for it – almost literally too –, but what he did was push against the other’s chest with both of his hands.  ❛  come on, then.  ❜  

Charlie stumbled back at the shove before he charged forward to tackle the other. 

[trickxshcts]

“It’s the best.” Kim couldn’t keep the smile from curving her lips.  Becoming a Barton still ranked in the top events of her life…even though she knew some people would probably laugh at her for it.  “The family?  A little crazy, a lot overprotective…in a nutshell.”

“Yeah? Sounds kind of opposite of my dad,” Charlie admitted. Completely opposite, actually. He could remember being a toddler and being told to go across the street to pick up a drink for his dad. “I was heading over to meet him later,” he admitted. 

[trickxshcts]

“Normally, no, but…” she hesitated for a moment, deciding whether or not it was the right choice. He was Barney’s son after all, but her instincts were telling her that he wasn’t like his father. That there was something good about him. “I think I can probably get you in.”

“You can?” Charlie confirmed. “That’d be... I just want to meet him,” he admitted. 

[trickxshcts]

Werner paused with components in hand. He had been deciding on how to touch up the automated defenses on his Doombot design. Being interrupted derailed that train of thought, making him frown in disgust.

“Perhaps not, but don’t you people know how to mind your own business?”

“I’ve never been good at minding my own business,” Charlie admitted with a shrug. “So, what are you building?” he wondered. “You’ve taken quite a lot of stuff from here.”