Atlas Gym, Tuesday

[so_hawkward]

Clint was in a better mood today than he'd been in a long time, even after spending the morning dealing with far too many whiny old folks who didn't know how to use gym equipment properly. It was amazing what a successful date and some nice makeout time could do to a guy's spirits, especially now that he was doing his own workout, and his mind could wander. He was trying to keep the improper thoughts to a minimum, but it was really difficult.

[Open!]

Comments

[nottrivial]

Alec... wasn't sure what exactly he was doing here again.

Except that classes were over and he'd been spending way more time training than any normal person could be expected to. And the salle was fine, sure, but the salle did not have someone with awesome arms and a kind of really relateable worldview supervising it.

...Not that the arms were a significant factor or anything.

"Um," was the first thing out of Alec's mouth as he stepped inside, backpack hanging over one shoulder and his usual expression of perpetual awkwardness on his face. "Hey."

[so_hawkward]

Clint glanced over from where he was poking at the treadmill to turn it off, and smiled in surprise at seeing Alec. "Hey. What's up?" he asked, grabbing a towel to try to make himself a little less sweaty and a little more presentable.

[nottrivial]

That was okay, Clint. Sweaty and not-that-presentable were perfectly acceptable in this instance.

"I just thought I'd come by." It really was kind of a tenuous explanation considering all the stairs the trip had involved. "You... mentioned that was okay?"

Alec, he was not about to kick you out, good god.

[so_hawkward]

"Of course it's okay," Clint said, with no bit of mocking in his tone. "This is a public place, and I know you won't break anything." Well, nothing that Clint wouldn't end up breaking himself, at least. "You guys are starting classes again next week, right?"

[nottrivial]

"Monday," Alec confirmed. Like there was another day of the week that classes might start. "I'll have Ethics with Professor Skywalker, Drama with Professor Odinson, and Combat with a Professor Solo unless any of those go to RNG."

Drama had not been by choice.

"It was... sort of a strange selection."

[so_hawkward]

"Oh, you're going to have fun in Drama," Clint said with a laugh. "I mean, they all sound pretty good, but Thor... well, he's pretty special, let's put it that way."

[nottrivial]

"Drama wouldn't have been my first choice if the school had gone with what I put on the form," Alec admitted, a little dryly. "You know him?"

[so_hawkward]

"I know a lot about him, and I got to work with him once," Clint said. "He's very, very, very enthusiastic about just about everything. What were you hoping to get into instead?"

[nottrivial]

"I'd been hoping I could just stick with the first two." Because wow, he was not good at drama. "But. He was... on your team?"

Well, now curiosity was a thing that was happening.

"You started to go into it last time I was here, the whole team thing."

[so_hawkward]

Normally, Clint didn't like talking about himself or about what he did, but Alec's curiosity was hard to ignore. "Yeah, we were on the same team. Still are, I guess, but the team... it was kind of an accident," Clint explained. "My world was invaded by aliens, and the people who came together to fight them--some people were expected to be there, and some of us just happened to be left among the survivors."

Truth be told, he'd always thought Natasha would be good for the Avengers Initiative, as terrible of an idea as it was, but he'd never expected to get involved.

[nottrivial]

"Oh." That was... not what Alec had expected. Him growing up with a built-in team and all. "That must've been difficult. Adapting to fighting with new people, I mean."

[so_hawkward]

"Adapting is how I get by," Clint said with a shrug. "Stability has never really been part of my life, so rolling with the punches is a well-practiced skill for me. But I was appreciated for my skills, and that helped a lot."

[nottrivial]

"It doesn't bother you, having to relearn everyone's fighting styles all the time?" Alec wondered, completely sincere. "I mean, I'd think it would get... overwhelming."

[throughaphase]

Kitty being at the gym wasn't really anything new, and maybe she'd kind of been hoping to maybe run into Clint. (Shut up.) She wasn't used to dating someone she didn't live in the same house with, so after a couple days there was this want to make sure nothing had changed.

Which, it hadn't for Kitty, if the wolf whistle of greeting was anything to go by.

[so_hawkward]

Now that was a greeting that Clint could get used to.

"Hello to you too," he called, setting down the weights he was working with and grinning at her. "I'm assuming that was for me."

[throughaphase]

"Well, I meant it for some guy over there, but since he didn't respond..." she joked, walking over to him. "Thought I'd say hi."

And check him out a little. Or a lot. Whatever.

[so_hawkward]

Hey, that meant Clint got to check her out in return, so he couldn't complain. "I'm glad you came by. It's good to see you." It was weird to say that and genuinely mean it, and not just be saying it as a pleasantry.

[throughaphase]

"You too," she said, and admitted, "It was driving me a little nuts waiting till I saw you, actually."

She was not exactly shy on this subject, no.

[so_hawkward]

"So, you've been looking forward to seeing me again?" It was possible he kind of needed to hear that. "I mean, I've been looking forward to seeing you again too."

[throughaphase]

"Yeah, I have. I had a really great time, which I think might go without saying but I'm saying it anyway." She didn't know why she felt like she was being fourteen about all this.

Aside from the fact that fourteen hadn't been that long ago for her. Details.

[so_hawkward]

Clint totally hadn't spent some of the last few days thinking about how young she was and how young he wasn't, not at all.

"I'm glad you're saying it, because I like hearing it," he said, going over to her with a smile. "I've always liked getting to spend time with you, but last time was really good." In case she hadn't been able to tell from how long he'd spent kissing her.

[throughaphase]

"So, when is the next time?" she smiled, looking up at him.

[so_hawkward]

"Soon? I'd like it to be soon," Clint admitted. Really, he was just happy getting a next time, but...

[throughaphase]

Kitty couldn't help but smile at that, since she'd been hoping for something along the lines of 'soon' herself. "I work tonight and I'm busy tomorrow. Thursday? That soon enough?"

[so_hawkward]

"Thursday sounds great, but only on one condition," Clint said, trying to keep a straight face. "I don't think I can wait that long without a kiss."