bettercallit | (no subject)

[ He can probably still here them, Stiles crooning to Fury as Fury's tail hits off of everything. He's a good five minutes, bending down to talk to the dog, letting him lick every inch of Stiles' face because at least someone is pleased to see him. Then both boy and not-quite-puppy-anymore wander in to the kitchen. ]

So you didn't get eaten by any zombies, right? I wanted to check up on you but I had to defend the forest and let me tell you, that totally sucked.

Well, it was a close call, but no. [ He's got mixed feelings about the face of the ghoul that came after him, and he's not really trying to hide it.

He stirs the mugs, dumping the spoon in the sink after, and pushes one along the counter top towards him. He's quiet for a minute, frowning, because if he knows about the ghouls then he's been back a while. ] If I'd known you were back, I wouldn't come to get you.

It's okay, I didn't have any ghouls of my own. Derek did though. [ He doesn't really want to talk about Derek at all. ]

But you and Fury made it through all right? [ He's not aware that Phil has come back, so obviously he doesn't ask about him. ]

Lacrosse come into it? [ He can add things up, and he gets the impression Derek is a no-go topic, so he doesn't ask. ]

Assassin. Not as easy to put down as people delude themselves into thinking. [ Natasha had some issues, and he's not seen much of Phil since, but everyone's alive, so there's that. ] That curse? Worst one yet.

[ Arms folding across his chest, hip leaning against the side, Clint looks him over. ] You okay?

[ He looks relieved to know that Clint hadn't come into any real harm, and he nods his head at the question. ]

I'm okay. [ A pause, leaning against the counter with an elbow. He almost wants to be as honest as he can, tell Clint that he doesn't actually want to be here anymore than he did before. ]

It almost feels like I haven't been gone at all.

[ He looks different, older somehow, and tired, the kind that a good night of sleep won't do much to erase. He remembers the phone call, still has the voicemail saved to his device, because as far as he knew Stiles wasn't coming back. A part of him wishes he could be enough of a reason to make him want to stay, but then why would he be? And Derek. There's something there he's definitely missing, something he wasn't going to touch because it's none of his business, but now he's starting to think maybe he should make it his business. ]

Feels longer from this side. [ There's a sad smile, and if he were the kind to put himself on the line when it comes to personal things, he might admit how much he's missed him, how good it is to see him again, as selfish as it is. ] You know you can always stay here if you need to, right? Someone might as well make use of my bed.

[ His eyebrows lift slightly, a small and crooked smile on his face. ] Well, you are cuddly but I think that might be illegal.

[ Sitting on the counter for a moment as he lifts the mug up and wraps his hands around it. ] It's been like a month for me, maybe more. I don't know. I wasn't expecting to come back in the middle of an apocalypse though. All those years of movie watching finally came into something good.

[ He stares at him, and a bit longer, and then snorts a laugh. ] Like to think I've got better seduction skills than that. [ He'll probably be up on the roof or flopped on the sofa, Stiles, don't panic. ]

And they say TV rots your brain. That told them. [ Fingers curling around his own mug, he takes a sip, enjoying the way it burns on its way down. ] Get to spend time with your dad while you were there?

[ Glancing down at his mug for a second. ] Yeah. Not doing too well on that whole front, but hey, being a teenager means disappointing your family.

[ He thinks about how he had to crawl towards his father - how he couldn't even make it to him. He thinks about his dad's face when Stiles had walked in with his face bloody and bruised. ] Right?

Edited 2013-01-16 00:45 (UTC)

[ The urge to take aim at each and every person who helped put that look on Stiles' face comes out in fullforce, and he puts down his mug, leans closer towards him, a careful hand going to rest on his shoulder. ]

Hey, outta all the kids I've come across? You're one of the good ones. [ Half a shrug. ] They're rarer than you'd think. If you were my kid, I'd be pretty proud.

You have no idea how much I need to hear that. [ He huffs out a laugh, a little sad sounding. ]

Everything back home was a mess. I thought - I guess I thought I could handle that because I was used to it, y'know? But it just got worse and I fucked up a lot. [ A huff. ] I hate that I got brought back because I don't really know if I fix things with my dad. Every time I think about it I just get this -. [ It's like a panic attack. ]

I'm not living in the City's forest anymore though, bonus, right?

[ He's pushing himself up onto the counter top beside him, legs dangling still, and the hand on his shoulder turns into a loose arm around his back. He kind of wants to pull him closer, but he's a teenager, and after the comment about beds and illegal things, he doesn't want to freak him out further. ]

Hey, whatever it is, it can wait. You've got time here to think, plan out how to set things right, and whenever you get to go home again it'll work out. [ He sounds sure, convinced he can sort whatever it is out, and if his dad is anything like he's always imagined, he doesn't think he'll stay angry with him too long. ] You got some place to stay already?

Penny keeps my room open at the youth center. [ Pulling on a loose thread even as he sort of leans toward Clint. ] So I'm staying there until I can get something different, I guess?

[ Because he doesn't want to stay with Derek and Isaac anymore, they make him crazy and after everything, after the kanima and Matt and Gerard and the clusterfuck of everything back home he doesn't need that. Derek wants to make a pack, he can make a pack. Stiles wants nothing to do with it. ] Dude, I didn't mean to bring my emo with me. I just wanted to come check in on you.

Well, room's still available here whenever you want it, and the couch's a permanent fixture. [ It's not ideal, he knows, so he doesn't push, and now Phil's back he can't offer an actual room to call his own.

But that's the last thing he can take, really, Stiles being more worried about him than himself, and he knows he doesn't deserve that kind of concern, not from a kid like him, who's got everything ahead of him. He sighs, but he doesn't let himself think about it, just shuffles over the gap between them and wraps his arm more firmly around him, pulls him close, his other arm - mindful of the mug - gathering him in. ] You're more important.

[ He doesn't mean to, twists a little when Clint brushes up against the remainder of Gerard's message and he flinches. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the pull of air isn't that he opposes to the hug and more that he genuinely can't keep the note of pain out of his voice. ]

Crap. [ Face a picture of guilt. ] I really wanted to enjoy the Hawkeye hug. Uh. Don't worry?

[ He doesn't pull away exactly, but he does loosen his hold, and the casual non-expression he tends to wear twists into deep and obvious concern; the bruises go lower than his face.

He thinks of Derek, but then wonders if he would be that stupid. He tries to keep his tone light, soft. ] As long as you don't spread it around, Hawkeye hugs can be available whenever you need them. [ His eyes are asking what happened, but he doesn't voice it. ]

I got beaten up.

[ He shrugs one shoulder, uncomfortable for a second. Of course he has to lie. He can't really tell anyone that an old man beat the crap out of him as a message to some werewolves, can he? But he doesn't want Clint to worry, doesn't want him to share the same level of concern that his dad had. ]

It's okay, it was just some punk kids from another school. [ Smiling a little. ] I actually played a lacrosse game, can you imagine it? But they uh - didn't like it when we won.

[ He should have caught it sooner, remembers lies and excuses, time spent hiding and covering up bruises, and that's after joining SHIELD, back when he still didn't know how to keep his mouth shut when it counted. ]

Well, luckily for them, they're not here. [ He might have to kill them if they were. ] You won a game? [ It's not so much surprise as it is pleased, and he wishes he could have been there to see it - what's wrong with him? So much for not getting too attached. ]

Yeah, it was awesome.

[ And just like that he lights up. ] Like okay so it took me a while to get into the swing of things but I was on fire. First game not spent on the bench, cool, right?

[ Someone claiming to have been on fire could be a legitimate one, but it helps make him smile, put aside the damage, because focusing on the good is better, right? ]

Guess you showed 'em, kid. Bet they won't be benching you again any time soon.

They better not.

[ Grinning. ] I'm gonna get Scott to help me train over the summer so I can make first line next year.

Always been better at watching sport than participating, but there's plenty of room in the part if you ever wanna show me a thing or two.

Yeah?

[ Playing lacrosse with Hawkeye ... totally game. ] That sounds awesome.

Yeah.

[ He should probably try to do the active thing, he's letting himself go. And he should probably let go of Stiles, but he lets the closeness linger a bit longer. ] You sticking around? Phil should be back later.

[ Wait.

... WAITWAITWAITWAITWAIT. ] Phil's back?