Atlas Gym, Sunday Evening

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Well. This week had been a particularly illuminating for Tony.

Which would be why he wasn't sure if he wanted to go to the dorms just yet. He'd have to go back to China soon enough, but for now...

Yeah, he was a little lost. Which was why he somehow ended up in the town gym, looking around for someone who had been possibly more screwed up in that universe than him. Congrats on that, Clint. You win a prize!

"Hello?"

Comments

[so_hawkward]

Clint wasn't really ready to face anyone tonight, not even Natasha, so instead of going back to his place, he'd headed for the gym, and ended up just sitting in the back office, trying to get past the numb feeling that thinking about the last week brought on. When he heard the hello, he figured he was hearing things, but he got up and came out of the office anyway. "Oh. Hey Tony," he said. "What are you doing here?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I'm... not really sure," Tony admitted, looking just as young as he actually was for a moment.

[so_hawkward]

Clint remembered doing some horrible things, but he'd also been under mind control. You know, again. Tony, on the other hand, hadn't been as far as Clint could remember. He was still piecing together if any of it had been real, and he imagined Tony might be doing the same. "How are you? All in one piece?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"In one piece." For all that counted for. "I think Mr. Rogers' world was right about me."

[so_hawkward]

"Oh yeah?" Clint asked, leaning against the front desk. "What does his version of the world say about you?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I'm the person who killed Captain America there."

Yeah. That's. Normal.

Oh god, Clint. Clint, abort. ABORT, CLINT. CRYING TEENAGE TONY STARK IS INCOMING. ABOOOOOORT.

[so_hawkward]

Clint winced at that, completely unable to believe that any Tony Stark in any universe could kill Captain America. Oops. "Hey, you didn't kill anyone here. That was my job, remember?" he said, trying to tease but ending up with a lump in his throat instead.

DAMN IT, TONY. DAMN YOU AND YOUR CONTAGIOUS TEARS.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

LOOK, FEELS LIKE THIS JUST HAPPEN. OKAY? THEY JUST HAPPEN.

"I did everything there without being forced to. I helped them. You were--you couldn't stop it."

[so_hawkward]

Clint laughed shortly. "Yes I could have. I should have been able to break out of the curse. I shouldn't have gotten cursed in the first place," he said. "The things I did... none of them had to happen." He stared down at the desk for a moment, trying to keep himself collected. "That wasn't real, right? All those people... they're okay?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Aaaaall the feels. All of 'em.

"Everyone seems to be okay. Other than, you know, knowing all this stuff about themselves."

All this evil stuff.

"...I need a drink."

And people are surprised he grows up to be an alcoholic. Honestly now.

[so_hawkward]

"I already knew what I was capable of," Clint said bitterly, watching Tony for a moment. "Don't go anywhere." He pushed himself away from the desk, went back into the office, and came back out a few moments later with a bottle of vodka and two plastic cups. "If anyone asks, I didn't do this," he said, pouring some vodka into each cup and offering one to Tony.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I own a bar," Tony assured him, already lowering himself down to sit on the floor, back against the desk. SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE. WARNING SIGNS.

That cup of vodka? Went down pretty quick for someone his age. Without a single hack at the burn in his throat.

"Nice."

[imablackwidowbaby]

Natasha was looking for Clint when she went to the gym, having already checked every likely high spot. She was not expecting to find Clint and a teenager, but stranger things had probably happened.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"Gun lady!" Tony called, holding his plastic cup up in a salute. Why yes, yes he was on his way to being trashed. Why do you ask?

[imablackwidowbaby]

"This should not be surprising," Natasha said wryly. And, to be fair, it wasn't, although the venue and company maybe were.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I'll pay you back for the vodka," Tony promised her solemnly. "Wait--you're not here to kill me, right?"

[imablackwidowbaby]

"No," Natasha said, looking mildly offended. "If I was gonna kill you you wouldn't see me first. And yes, you will."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"Good." He patted the floor and offered over the bottle. He was a sharer. "We--" he waved at himself and Clint. "--are terrible people. Who do terrible things."

[imablackwidowbaby]

It was generous of him to offer her her own vodka. Natasha took the bottle from him and took a drink directly from it. Whatever, vodka killed germs.

"No, you're not," she said. If it sounded kind of blank, that was because she was not at all good at this part.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Proven fact there.

"I killed Captain America." No, you didn't, Tony. For the love of god.

70% guilt. Tony Starks are made of 70% guilt. The remaining percentages involved alcohol, womanizing, and genius.

[so_hawkward]

"Hey Natasha. Look who I found," Clint said, motioning to Tony. "Or, actually, I guess he found me. And now you found us! Awesome."

[imablackwidowbaby]

"Clint," Natasha said, trying to sound disapproving and not like she was about to laugh, "are you giving a teenage Tony Stark alcohol?"

[so_hawkward]

"You can't tell me that whatever the hell this last week was doesn't warrant alcohol," Clint said. "It might have seemed like a better idea before I started drinking too."

[imablackwidowbaby]

"And here I thought bad ideas were supposed to sound better after you started drinking," Natasha teased.

[so_hawkward]

"I realized it was a bad idea after I started, but I didn't really care by then," Clint said. "You should join us. We can share."