fandomtownies | Atlas Gym, Thursday

So it had been almost two weeks since those adventures in Umbridge Town, and Alec was finally feeling okay enough about it to function again. He'd spoken to someone out on the deck today, he'd participated in class... and while he was on such a roll, he thought it might be time to go and get his bow back.

It was a nice bow. He kind of missed it.

So that would be him poking his head inside the gym. "Hello?"

Clint didn't hear the hello, but he did notice someone poking their head in, so that got his attention enough for him to turn his music off. "Hey," he said with a nod. "Can I help you with something?"

"...Hi." Sorry, Clint, Alec wasn't staring or anything, but it was an unsettling thing to realize the guy who had alternate-universe-shot him was actually fairly good-looking. Don't worry, he was moving past it. "I'm Alec," he said, taking a few steps forward into the gym so he wasn't awkwardly lingering in the doorway. "You might not remember, but we... ran into each other a couple of weeks ago?"

Or more accurately, Clint's arrow had run into him. Same diff, really.

It was fine for Alec to kind of stare, since Clint kind of stared back to try to place him, and perked up when he recognized him. "You were the one with the bow, right? I'm glad you came by," he said. "Come in, I have it in the office. I wanted to make sure it stayed safe."

It was kind of the least he could do, after everything.

Alec nodded, heading briskly after him. Which didn't take much, because long legs and all.

He didn't necessarily feel like he had to fill the walking time with conversation, but after a moment he added lamely, "Sorry for shooting at you."

"I'm sorry for actually shooting you," Clint replied with a sigh. "But I think people are pretty much letting it go since everyone's okay. I'm not sure I agree with that, but that could just be me."

"You weren't the worst part of my week," Alec said, deciding to leave it at that. "So I'm past it."

That part, anyway.

"Yeah, you weren't the worst part of my week either," Clint admitted. He went into the office and came back out with the bow, handling it gently as he offered it to Alec. "This is a nice bow. I'm glad someone else around here knows how to appreciate a weapon like this."

"Thanks," Alec said, taking it just as gently. Having its weight in his hands again was surprisingly comforting. "I'm used to being the one with the bow, back home. The... people I fight with prefer contact weapons, so I'm still not used to having other archers around." Which, well. "Probably explains why I wasn't checking the rooftops the other week."

"Yeah, I don't do that, normally. I mean, I go up on the rooftops, but it's more to just look around, not to shoot at anyone," Clint said. "The people I fight with like close contact too. I still don't always understand that."

"I don't mind it," Alec conceded, "but shooting from a distance is always my first choice."

Easier to keep an eye on the whole fight and look out for Jace and Izzy that way.

"My sister fights with a whip," he added, oddly motivated to share. "I'll never get that."

"My partner likes to get right up and stab people. At least with whips, you're still a little ways away," Clint said with a laugh. "But yeah, I can't keep track of people if I'm up close. I like seeing the whole playing field, you know?"

"Exactly." Huh. It'd been a while since Alec had heard anyone talk about fights more strategically than 'Let's charge at it and hope for the best.' Jace. "It's the best way to keep track of the people on your own side. Make sure they're doing okay."

Awww, now Clint felt really bad about shooting this kid, because he was clearly a good one. "And warn them about what's coming, and figure out what people's next move should be."

Overprotective archers who put other people first had to stick together!

"And target the most pressing threats instead of just lashing out at the first thing that comes near you," Alec continued. "Which is harder to do from up-close."

"Plus, there's a certain kind of pleasure in taking out a threat before it even knows you're there," Clint said with a smirk. "Which is maybe a little not-brave, but I'm okay with that."

CLINT. THAT WAS NOT FAIR. YOUR SELF-ESTEEM WAS NOT SO GOOD.

"All in the name of looking after your team," Alec agreed with a nod.

...Yeah, Alec wasn't so huge on self-esteem either.

"Anyway," he said, hoisting the bow into a position where he could carry it a little more easily, "thanks for giving this back."

"Even when your team is a little more powerful than you are."

This was definitely a self-esteem-free zone.

"And you're welcome. I'm glad I still had it when everything was over. I would have felt bad if I'd lost it. If you have any trouble with it or anything, you can... I don't know, come back and maybe I can help, or something."

"Yeah, tell me about it." He didnt't sound bitter or anything, though. That was just the way it was, and Alec was used to it by now. "And I'll keep that in mind. It might be nice to practice with someone who knows what he's doing with one of these."

With the Olympic feeds over for the day and feeling kind of inferior after watching too much track and field, Kitty had decided putting in a little time here would make her feel like less of a slacker. And she was glad for it once she got to witness a singing workout, putting herself just outside his line of sight to see how long it'd take him to notice her.

Clint was at the punching bag, hitting in time with his music more than out of any kind of anger, and his focus had gotten very narrow. Natasha would have been very disappointed that his creeper sense of being watched hadn't kicked in yet.

He was probably lucky she liked him too much to give him the heart attack that would come with her phasing through the bag unexpectedly.

Instead she stepped to just behind the bag and waved. See, much nicer.

That was definitely nicer, although Clint still jumped a little and cut himself off mid-chorus. "Uh, hey. Have you been standing there long?"

"Uh huh," Kitty said, smiling. "I didn't realize you were that into it."

And yet she stuck around instead of going elsewhere like a normal person.

"I... get very into my workouts," he said awkwardly. If he didn't mention the singing, maybe she wouldn't either. "How are you doing?"

Ah deflection, one of his best skills.

"Good. Entertained." Did she really have to mention the singing otherwise? "Couldn't sit on the couch anymore, though I'd come here for a while."

"I'm not nearly as entertaining the Olympics," Clint insisted. "But I have to admit, I'm always glad to see you."

"You're just saying that so I don't tease you," she... teased.

Clint gasped and put on an exaggerated look of offense. "I would never compliment you just in case that might make you feel too nice to tease me," he said. "You can't tell me you don't think music makes working out go faster."

Kitty smiled, but admitted, "I can't tell you that. Half my workouts are dancing. Though music's kind of necessary there."

"What kind of dancing do you like to do?" If Clint perked up a little, it couldn't be helped.

She was happy to provide happy visuals!

"Ballet, mostly, but modern dance too," she said. "I haven't taken classes in a while, so I come here to do it."

Oh yes, Clint was having nice mental images now, thank you very much.

"Modern dance I would have expected, but not ballet," he said. "You don't seem... I don't know, stuck up? Aren't ballerinas supposed to be prima donnas and all that?"

"A myth," she said. "...Some of the time. You get your good and your bad and the bad ones are the ones you hear about the most. I've been working since I was thirteen, I'm pretty sure that counteracts some of the diva attitude."

Though she could still throw bratfits from time to time! That was something, right?

"Oh, only some of the attitude?" Yes, Clint had picked up on that. "I guess it's good that I already learned not to make you mad?"

"I didn't mean it like that!" she laughed. At least, she hadn't consciously. "I am a completely pleasant person and if you don't agree I'll swat you."

"Oh no, anything but swatting," Clint deadpanned. "That might sting for a whole second."

Just for that, she went to swat at his arm. (Because she was not going to turn down an opportunity to touch an arm even for a second.)

"That's what you get," she said, mock-seriously.

Clint tried not to laugh as he rubbed his arms, but he wasn't successful at all. "If I call you Twinkletoes, are you gonna swat at me again?"

"Yes," Kitty said. "Mainly because it sounds like you're calling me the worst codename ever."

Said the former Sprite. Sprite, dude.

"You have to admit, no one would ever think that codename applied to you," Clint said. "The downside would be not being able to call it out in a fight without cracking up."

"What, you don't think I look like a Twinkletoes- Yeah, I can't say that seriously," she said. "Can't be done."

Atlas Gym, Thursday

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