Upstairs: With Oswin

[hasthehighground]

When Clint walks into the bar... he doesn't want to be here.

He hurts, all over, with a headache and bandaging across his back, and pain medicine working with the lack of sleep. Even after 12 hours crashed at Stark Tower last night.

But he owes someone an apology. So he gets a bottle of water, and takes off his sunglasses (tucking them over his shirt) before making his way upstairs.

He stops at Oswin's door, leans his good shoulder against the wall, and knocks.

If it's a little quiet, well: he's a little freaked out.

Comments

[souffle_girlek]

"That's... good, right?" Oswin asks hesitantly. "I mean. You're glad about that?"

[hasthehighground]

Clint blinks. "-- Yeah," he says. "I mean, I didn't get to kill him -- something about an interworld diplomatic incident, or some bullshit like that, and a ton of people died who didn't have to, but -- it's better than the alternative."

[souffle_girlek]

"That's good, then." She's almost painfully relieved to hear him sound like... well. Like him, again. "Should I apologize for not dropping something on your head?" She heard that comment about a hard reset - honestly, it hadn't occurred to her.

Generally she tries to not hit people about the head.

[hasthehighground]

"-- No," he says, drawing it out. He hesitates for a long moment. "If you hadn't managed it the first time, I-- think I would have killed you.

"So I'm glad you didn't."

[souffle_girlek]

"I. Um."

She fiddles with the tea-rag, awkwardly.

"There's a doctor. Not, um. Him, of course. But she... she helps." Oswin explains, made hesitant again.

"She said I should avoid you."

[hasthehighground]

Clint winces.

"Yeah," he says, quiet. "That's... fair. I -- can promise that in 43 years this is the first time I've ever had... this happen. But I can't -- promise it won't again. They're ... going to be putting me through two weeks of quarantined testing.

"And I hurt you."

[souffle_girlek]

"Not badly." She bristles, the same way she did at Alana when the topic was brought up. "You're my friend, you idiot. Besides, it's not like you're exactly winning this alien-invader arms race. You're the one that walked into the rooms of someone that's been called a Dalek."

[hasthehighground]

He blinks at her.

His brow furrows.

"Had they... met you?"

[souffle_girlek]

"Yeah." Her smile is a crooked, long-weary thing.

"He had a point... but why do you think I don't like doctors? The definite article thinks I'm the epitome of evil."

[hasthehighground]

"Well," Clint says. He won't mention the circumstance -- he's still not sure the connection between Oswin and Clara -- but he sounds confident: "He's a fucking asshole, so nothing lost."

[souffle_girlek]

Oswin snorts with unexpected laughter. It's not that Clint's wrong, per say, it's just she wasn't thinking to hear it like that.

"Well, so's your alien, so there."

[hasthehighground]

Clint smiles at her.

Normally, here, he'd ask for a hug. She looks like she could use one.

To be honest, he could use a hug as well.

But... if he was her, he wouldn't feel safe.

"I should probably get heading back," he says. "Get my sleep in while I can."

While he still has access to Nat.

[souffle_girlek]

She nods, her hands twisting in the tea towel again.

"You're not... I mean. You'll come back." She refuses to make it a question. A question he can deny. A statement he should have a harder time with.

[hasthehighground]

Clint nods.

If Fury asks him to put a gun in his mouth, then no.

But until that day, yes.

He stands, carefully. "I still owe you a roadtrip, don't I?"

[souffle_girlek]

"You better believe it, mister." Oswin agrees, firmly. "One completely sans dinosaurs. I'm afraid I have to insist."

[hasthehighground]

Clint considers, briefly, letting her know that birds are technically dinosaurs.

He decides against it.

"Roger that. No dinosaurs. I'll put it on the itinerary."

He hesitates at the door, then just smiles at her, and leaves.

That... could have gone a lot worse.