clint "idk the archer or something" barton (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
brandingproblem) wrote2025-03-24 12:12 pm
brandingproblem) wrote2025-03-24 12:12 pm
And by some people, you mean your boyfriend. [Just saying! Just saying.]
I think we got the start of something we can work with here. [Just to ease back from the teasing to the actual meat and potatoes of work.] We don't need complicated. Honestly, if you just make a grappling hook that fits on an arrow, I can do the rest with some rope, but we can try and be a little more professional. I've got my very own blacksmith on call, right? [He shoulders Tony playfully.]
I think we got the start of something we can work with here. [Just to ease back from the teasing to the actual meat and potatoes of work.] We don't need complicated. Honestly, if you just make a grappling hook that fits on an arrow, I can do the rest with some rope, but we can try and be a little more professional. I've got my very own blacksmith on call, right? [He shoulders Tony playfully.]
[ One day in early August, Clint will find a small bundle outside of his dormitory door - if he opens it there's a note: For protection. One use each. No promises. Miss Romanoff wanted to see if something could work, maybe if you tied it to an arrow? - William. Inside the bundle is a handful of wooden pieces with a rune drawn on them. One of them does have a small hole in it where string could be threaded through to be worn, if wanted. ]
There's a spider kid. He doesn't look like a spider, so you can't tell from just looking at him.
Bruce is on my team. If you've ever seen a guy who is huge and angry and green, that's Bruce's other half.
Bruce is on my team. If you've ever seen a guy who is huge and angry and green, that's Bruce's other half.
[ Huge, angry, green other half...? ]
oh you guys have a persona?? user????
or is it more like that other guy in our court - nahobino - who has something kinda sorta similar to a persona? but it's actually totally different??
also wait why is he a spider if he doesn't look like a spider?
[ You Americans are all high key insane. ]
oh you guys have a persona?? user????
or is it more like that other guy in our court - nahobino - who has something kinda sorta similar to a persona? but it's actually totally different??
also wait why is he a spider if he doesn't look like a spider?
[ You Americans are all high key insane. ]
Fufu honey I need you to know
that I do not know what a persona user is
He has spider powers, he just doesn't look like one.
that I do not know what a persona user is
He has spider powers, he just doesn't look like one.
What happened to you makes me sad.
[She is bright and beautiful and wonderful and makes him both confused and happy, makes him alarmed and tired in a way that's familiar when dealing with kids.]
It shouldn't happen to anyone.
[She is bright and beautiful and wonderful and makes him both confused and happy, makes him alarmed and tired in a way that's familiar when dealing with kids.]
It shouldn't happen to anyone.
I- Mean Strange, yeah... [ A beat, he clears his throat. ] Look, it's tough out there for wizards. Market's completely oversaturated; so I'm helpin' him out with a referral or two. Sue me.
[ Tony playfully elbows him back. ] You've always had your own blacksmith on call, I just used to go by somethin' different. [ There's a smirk on his face when he follows it up with. ] But I'm the Metal Whisperer, now, don'tcha know.
[ Tony playfully elbows him back. ] You've always had your own blacksmith on call, I just used to go by somethin' different. [ There's a smirk on his face when he follows it up with. ] But I'm the Metal Whisperer, now, don'tcha know.
oh
right
you know the ufo i summon?
al azif??
that's my persona
[ Yes, they have a name. ]
...does spider kid have a name?
right
you know the ufo i summon?
al azif??
that's my persona
[ Yes, they have a name. ]
...does spider kid have a name?
Helping him out in plenty of other ways that I don't need to know about, too, I'm sure.
[He scrunches his face at the name. What. Tony.] No, you're definitely not. You might as well stay Iron Man if you're gonna have a blacksmith-y nickname. It's still so useful and evocative. Hey, you think the fairies have ever heard any Black Sabbath? [Someone get thee some bards and form a metal band. C'mon. Surely they can figure it out.
And of course it's right in the middle of the cajoling that he has to hit Tony over the head with the whammy:] I don't forgive you, you know. [And don't worry, he's going to let that sink in for a beat or three. For what it's worth, Clint doesn't look mad or upset or anything other than still kind of having a smile about Iron Man, actually. He shrugs a shoulder.] Or guess it's really more that I can't, I s'pose. Can't forgive you for something if I don't know what I'm forgiving.
[He scrunches his face at the name. What. Tony.] No, you're definitely not. You might as well stay Iron Man if you're gonna have a blacksmith-y nickname. It's still so useful and evocative. Hey, you think the fairies have ever heard any Black Sabbath? [Someone get thee some bards and form a metal band. C'mon. Surely they can figure it out.
And of course it's right in the middle of the cajoling that he has to hit Tony over the head with the whammy:] I don't forgive you, you know. [And don't worry, he's going to let that sink in for a beat or three. For what it's worth, Clint doesn't look mad or upset or anything other than still kind of having a smile about Iron Man, actually. He shrugs a shoulder.] Or guess it's really more that I can't, I s'pose. Can't forgive you for something if I don't know what I'm forgiving.
[ There's something she's learned. From Joyce, from Hopper, from Erik, from Clint. Eleven slightly pushes up on her knees to gain a little more height, and then she gives Clint a kiss on the forehead.
It's what adults she trusts do to her for comfort and affection. So it's what she does to Clint now. ]
Kali escaped. She was 008. Older than me. Didn't grow up in the lab. The last few years, it was just... me.
It's what adults she trusts do to her for comfort and affection. So it's what she does to Clint now. ]
Kali escaped. She was 008. Older than me. Didn't grow up in the lab. The last few years, it was just... me.
[ The brief smirk on Tony's face is positively wicked, but he says nothing about all those things Clint doesn't need to know about.
Aaaand then his face falls. And keeps falling. Until Clint gets done with his explanation that he can't decipher what Tony's weird behavior is about. Okay that's- Doable. Tony can do this. ] Just- Apologizing for busting your balls so much, man. [ His too loud laugh probably makes it clear that he doesn't know how much more detail he needs to give to make this clear. He takes a big breath, and decides to just- Go for it. ] About... The king, I mean.
Aaaand then his face falls. And keeps falling. Until Clint gets done with his explanation that he can't decipher what Tony's weird behavior is about. Okay that's- Doable. Tony can do this. ] Just- Apologizing for busting your balls so much, man. [ His too loud laugh probably makes it clear that he doesn't know how much more detail he needs to give to make this clear. He takes a big breath, and decides to just- Go for it. ] About... The king, I mean.
[Look. It's a little bit fun. Consider it his own way of ball busting, just in a way that's perhaps slightly less damaging. Clint's face freezes in stone when the actual topic is dropped. Easy smile and searching eyes turned cold and stiff.]
That's a turnaround for you. Given how much you were enjoying bringing that up at real inconvenient moments. What, you do another trade with him and decide he rubbed you the wrong way?
That's a turnaround for you. Given how much you were enjoying bringing that up at real inconvenient moments. What, you do another trade with him and decide he rubbed you the wrong way?
No, I just- [ Tony sucks in a breath. ] Kinda- [ He swallows. ] Completely... Misreadthesituation. [ Ahem.
Assholeassholeassholeasshole. Dickheaddickheaddickheaddickhead. ]
Assholeassholeassholeasshole. Dickheaddickheaddickheaddickhead. ]
[Is there a word for something slotting into place and shattering all at once? There's probably a German word for it, but in spite of knowing German, he can't think of one that's quite the vibe of the mental sensation this knowledge has on him.]
You fucking-- [misread the situation??? what- how the hell did-] This entire time, you really thought I-- [was boyfriends with king fuckface, king of the fuckfaces???
Clint runs a hand over his face, then back through his hair, turns and takes a few paces away, turns and comes right back. Opens his mouth like he's going to start shouting, closes it again. Looks around, grabs Tony by the arm, drags him to a quieter corner and keeps his voice low.]
Just so we're crystal clear, do you understand the situation now? Are you sure?
You fucking-- [misread the situation??? what- how the hell did-] This entire time, you really thought I-- [was boyfriends with king fuckface, king of the fuckfaces???
Clint runs a hand over his face, then back through his hair, turns and takes a few paces away, turns and comes right back. Opens his mouth like he's going to start shouting, closes it again. Looks around, grabs Tony by the arm, drags him to a quieter corner and keeps his voice low.]
Just so we're crystal clear, do you understand the situation now? Are you sure?
[ Okay, ow buddy; the heart thing means he bruises like a banana. ] Yes, Jesus, I understand. [ Don't make him say it, man. Just don't. ] The King's a fuckin' asshole, I get it.
[The bruising is unfortunate. But ultimately fine. Clint's fingers shift, adjust, grip firmer, a little tighter. And then--]
You're damn right. [--he lets go. Shoves his hands in his pockets and looks somewhere between furious and panicky.] How'd you figure that one out?
You're damn right. [--he lets go. Shoves his hands in his pockets and looks somewhere between furious and panicky.] How'd you figure that one out?
[ Don't say Natasha. Don't say Natasha. ] 'M smarter than I look? [ A beat. He's gonna need a better excuse than that. ] Something about it didn't feel right, so- I put two and two together. [ Another beat. ] Well. Really it was more... Square root of the square of x-one minus x-two plus the square of y-one minus y-two. [ A third beat. To really sell it. ] Distance between two points, if you even care.
Stop. Talking.
[Actually just stop saying words, genuinely shut the fuck up, Do Not Open Your Mouth Further, though whether Tony listens to that or not is entirely up to Tony. And Tony's unfortunate impulses.
Take a breath. Nice and deep through the nose.]
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Tony. Because you're my friend. You have said and done some pretty horrible stuff to your friends before, but I'd like to think that if you hadn't misread the situation? That some of the things that came out of your mouth would not have come out. I'd like to think that you would have gotten really awkward and quiet and then said something else stupid and unfortunate to change the topic. So I guess this is kind of that, just really belatedly.
[Actually just stop saying words, genuinely shut the fuck up, Do Not Open Your Mouth Further, though whether Tony listens to that or not is entirely up to Tony. And Tony's unfortunate impulses.
Take a breath. Nice and deep through the nose.]
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Tony. Because you're my friend. You have said and done some pretty horrible stuff to your friends before, but I'd like to think that if you hadn't misread the situation? That some of the things that came out of your mouth would not have come out. I'd like to think that you would have gotten really awkward and quiet and then said something else stupid and unfortunate to change the topic. So I guess this is kind of that, just really belatedly.
[Oh no. Oh no, that's adorable. She's mimicking, she's had it done to her in times of distress, so she's doing it to adults. He can't even say it's not appropriate, just...it's odd and cute and funny. And sad. That she feels the need to take care of people around her.]
Did she already have a name before she was 008? [Since she didn't grow up in the lab. Kidnapped off the street and experimented on?]
Did she already have a name before she was 008? [Since she didn't grow up in the lab. Kidnapped off the street and experimented on?]
[ Eleven nods while settling back down. Her face isn't quite as childlike as one would hope now - a little more somber and a little more serious, just like when they originally met, when she was wearing the clothes. ]
Yes. Kali Prasad. I saw... a newspaper. In Hopper's files. 'Vanished - Indian Girl Missing in London'. [ She quotes the headline, mispronouncing it like Indy Anne and Lonn Donn. ] Last seen July 12. 1969. [ She says Nineteen-Six-Nine. ] She was... 5.
[ She'd taken that newspaper clipping when she ran away from Hawkins, and read it over and over again. ]
Yes. Kali Prasad. I saw... a newspaper. In Hopper's files. 'Vanished - Indian Girl Missing in London'. [ She quotes the headline, mispronouncing it like Indy Anne and Lonn Donn. ] Last seen July 12. 1969. [ She says Nineteen-Six-Nine. ] She was... 5.
[ She'd taken that newspaper clipping when she ran away from Hawkins, and read it over and over again. ]
[ Tony seals his lips shut. He just awkwardly stands there, feeling terrible, and Not Opening His Mouth Further. ] Mhm. [ Is his response when he dares make a noise. He follows it up with a hard swallow.
After a long, pregnant pause, he tacks on: ] Do you want me to say something else stupid and unfortunate to change the topic...? [ Because Tony would really like to do that right about now. ]
After a long, pregnant pause, he tacks on: ] Do you want me to say something else stupid and unfortunate to change the topic...? [ Because Tony would really like to do that right about now. ]
[The unfortunate thing is that he kind of wishes he did get any new surprises lately. His voice still hasn't healed--or hasn't returned, or hasn't worked yet. He feels like the only recent surprise he's gotten has been Tony apologizing for misunderstanding the entire Narciso situation. Is that good or bad? Hard to say.]
I'm going to go ahead and assume this means you did.
What happened?
I'm going to go ahead and assume this means you did.
What happened?
[Nat had talked to Tony, mostly because she had a bigger suspicion that his assholeish tendency was based on a misunderstanding of the understanding than him being an even bigger asshole about consent. But it was a conversation she needed to have for her own peace of mind with the capabilities of his powers.
But the text makes her wonder if he's still not able to use his voice. Hmm. He's having a time of it.]
Woke up with glowing eyes.
Heard Tony had horns.
Wasn't sure if anyone else had any... surprises.
But the text makes her wonder if he's still not able to use his voice. Hmm. He's having a time of it.]
Woke up with glowing eyes.
Heard Tony had horns.
Wasn't sure if anyone else had any... surprises.
I just have the wiggly tats as a surprise still. [he says not knowing he'll get some more bullshit down the line]
Can you control the glow? They do anything fancy for you?
Can you control the glow? They do anything fancy for you?
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