At absolutely no point in the process of planning this has Steve considered that question, even indirectly.
What he wants to do is sit down and have a blunt conversation with Clint - about limits, lines, and desires. He's not gonna do that, because so far if he's figured nothing out, it's that there are more hard limits on what Clint trusts him enough to talk about than on his physical safety.
So, he's left trying to figure out both whether he wants a blade involved for his sake - and solid pain sounds pretty good to him right now too, but that's not the same thing - and how that changes the interaction with Clint, and Clint getting what he will admit to needing (or at least not deny wanting) out of this.
And to do it fast enough that Clint doesn't start feeling awkward or reading ulterior motives and traps into Steve's silence.
He shoves the sunglasses back on his face.
"Bring it. I'm not gonna go out of my way to let you land hits, but if you manage to I'll enjoy it." When in doubt, go with the truth. ...once he's worked out what the truth is, anyway. Might as well take as many of the 'safeties' off as they can.
no subject
What he wants to do is sit down and have a blunt conversation with Clint - about limits, lines, and desires. He's not gonna do that, because so far if he's figured nothing out, it's that there are more hard limits on what Clint trusts him enough to talk about than on his physical safety.
So, he's left trying to figure out both whether he wants a blade involved for his sake - and solid pain sounds pretty good to him right now too, but that's not the same thing - and how that changes the interaction with Clint, and Clint getting what he will admit to needing (or at least not deny wanting) out of this.
And to do it fast enough that Clint doesn't start feeling awkward or reading ulterior motives and traps into Steve's silence.
He shoves the sunglasses back on his face.
"Bring it. I'm not gonna go out of my way to let you land hits, but if you manage to I'll enjoy it." When in doubt, go with the truth. ...once he's worked out what the truth is, anyway. Might as well take as many of the 'safeties' off as they can.