i want to tell you this story without having to confess anything.

[aimlessness]

CHARACTERS: francis and clint barton!
LOCATION: deck 10 common room.
WARNINGS: trainwreck incoming.
SUMMARY: are you my mother father?

[ clint's not a kid person. it's...it's not his thing. he's not cut out for it, so it's weird in ways he doesn't know how to deal with that there's a kid that belongs to some version of him running around with a bow and arrow and--

well, it's weird. just as weird as most things on this boat tend to be, and clint considers seriously pulling his blankets over his head and sleeping this off too, but he's well past the excuse of exhaustion and all the rubble's been washed out of his hair, so he pulls his jacket on, sticks his gun into his belt and goes to see the kid.

here goes nothing. ]

Comments

[aimlessness]

[ throwing tony under the bus: practically an american past time. clint should probably feel a little guilty about it, but needs must. ]

Cut him some slack. Getting spacenapped can throw anyone off their game.

[ me included, he wants to add but doesn't, because that isn't something clint's advertising. ]

[willpunchfaces]

I guess. You're taking it pretty well, though. [Francis manages a faint smile] Can't say I'm surprised, considering your namesake.

[aimlessness]

I've learned to take things in stride.

[ if a freak out was to be had, it would be had later. but all in all, this wasn't the weirdest thing his life had dropped on him. all things pale in comparison to being spacenapped. ]

If you're not panicking, I'm not panicking.

[willpunchfaces]

I'm not panicking.

[he was intently curious, though, just ... watching Clint. trying to work him out a bit without asking questions. but there is one pressing question he can't let hang any longer, so]

Are you - are you an Avenger? Back home, I mean.

[aimlessness]

[ clint's quiet for a minute, studying him. avengers, well. that was a thing that had just happened, and clint wasn't sure himself whether he was or he wasn't. he'd never been considered for the avengers' initiative, he'd just hopped on board because he could help and he wanted to help, to wash some of the red from his ledger.

whether he was actually on it though... ]

Too early to call. I might be, depending on how the debrief goes.

[willpunchfaces]

Do you want to be?

[aimlessness]

[ that pulls clint up short.

he hadn't really thought of it, not beyond the initial flurry of battle and saving the world. and now he was here and these were the only people he knew and if this all turned out to be some crazy team building exercise he was punching fury in the head.

but did he want to? did he want to be a goddamn avenger or whatever ridiculous name stark came up with next? ]

You sure know how to ask the hard questions, don't you?

[willpunchfaces]

[for Francis, it's more just a sense of continuity. this guy isn't his Clint, but he wants him to be like Clint, and the Avengers ... they were something his dad believed in. something he believes in. it's childish, he's sure, and he's just setting himself up for heartache, but he just. needs this one thing to be the same, at least. to know that no matter the universe, Clint Barton wants to protect people]

Learned it from my dad.

[aimlessness]

Nice to know my alternate's raising his kid right.

[ of course, there's still the matter of an answer. of deciding his loyalties in a split second, which isn't actually the hardest thing, because his loyalties are with natasha first and shield second, have been for a while, but where the avengers fit into that is a tricky thing to decide. ]

I'm S.H.I.E.L.D. If they tell me to suit up, I'll suit up.

[willpunchfaces]

Raised. He raised me right.

[it's a distinction he feels like he needs to make, because his dad isn't around anymore, and it's important people know Clint did right by him while he still had the chance]

Mom mentioned S.H.I.E.L.D. a few times when I was little. I guess it's the next best thing, huh?

[aimlessness]

Raised.

[ well, fuck. the past tense can never mean anything good, ever. there's an awkward pause, clint shifting inside his jacket. ]

Sorry.

[willpunchfaces]

Don't be. It's fine. [Francis shrugs, examining an arrow]

Don't suppose you'd ever be up for target practice, though?

[aimlessness]

[ clint'd call bullshit on that, but he remembers when he was a kid, remembers shrugging things off and how much he'd hated when people kept pushing. so he lets it go. ]

Sure. Maybe I can even teach you a thing or two.

[willpunchfaces]

You really think so?

[aimlessness]

I've got some moves you've probably never seen.

[ which might not be wholly accurate, if his father was clint barton, but hey. clint could try. ]

[willpunchfaces]

Hah. I doubt it. [cocky little brat] Wouldn't mind testing that, though.

[aimlessness]

Sure you want to go up against the best marksman in the world?

[ modesty is for lesser souls. ]

[willpunchfaces]

Pretty sure I can handle it.

[aimlessness]

Next time then. Better practice, in the mean time.

[ because this should end on a good note. this should end happy, and clint should move out before he fucks it up in some ridiculous way, as he seems to be doing with everything these days. ]

[willpunchfaces]

Yeah, practice.

[so few happy notes in his life, this ending on one would definitely be appreciated, especially since he's still trying to wrap his head around the whole thing in the first place]

[aimlessness]

[ clint tugs his jacket into place, then crosses his arms over his chest. well then. ]

You got my comm number. If you need anything...

[ the just call hangs there. clint's not really sure how he'd do at parenting, but he can offer help. ]

[willpunchfaces]

[Francis keeps his gaze a minute, then starts fiddling with an arrow, nodding]

I won't, but I'll keep you in mind if something comes up.

[aimlessness]

[ and it's enough. that's all he could ask because he's not this kid's dad, right? clint nods, has an awkward moment where he wonders just what to do ( hair ruffling? handshake? ) before he raises on shoulder in a shrug and nods. ]

Alright then.

[ and then he vacates the scene before he actually does do something awkward. ]