(no subject)

[bettercallit]

☎ Call.
✉ Voicemail.
⌨ Text.
✔ Action.

Comments

» text

[thenormalsquint]

you don't call, you don't write. what do i have to do to reach you? send up a signal in the sky? messenger bird?

» text

[bettercallit]

Missing me already? Try the pigeons, they always know.

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[thenormalsquint]

next time, the pigeons, got it. this time, i'm going to ask you a question. you can say no, i won't be angry or upset etc.

» text

[bettercallit]

This sounds serious. I don't do well at serious.

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[thenormalsquint]

relax. it's not serious. i actually don't want anything serious. i just wanted to know if you were dating somebody because i'm looking for something extremely casual. you know, i have needs, you have needs, one hand washes the other, sex hookup thing.

» text

[bettercallit]

[ The reply this time is slower, but not because he's avoiding the question, more because he actually has to think about it. Is he dating someone? He's not entire sure. But casual hookups have never really been his thing, he doesn't see the point unless it means something at the end of it, even though the rumours around SHIELD might paint a different picture. ]

You're one of the good ones. Beautiful, smart. But casual's not something I've ever been good at.

» text

[thenormalsquint]

so that's a no to the entire thing. i respect that.

[She really does. Maybe if the City hadn't broken her heart so many times this summer and continued to stomp on the shards, she could have approached him differently. But Angela's no fool; she's not putting her hand in the snake pit again so soon.]

» text 1/2

[bettercallit]

It's nothing personal.

[ And it's not. He knows how easy it is to get hurt, and he's so used to being alone, the job taking over. Plus, if she knew half the things he's done, she might feel differently. ]

» text 2/2

[bettercallit]

I'm always good for grabbing coffee. Or something stronger.

1/2

[thenormalsquint]

[Her moralistic view of things has never been black and white, more varying shades of gray, flexible as she sees fit. If she ever knew the whats and whys, she'd understand. But that doesn't matter now.]

didn't think it was. seriously, it's fine.

» text

[thenormalsquint]

coffee's good. i shouldn't be drinking. trying to stay on the wagon and all.

» text

[bettercallit]

I tried that. I fell off. But caffeinated beverages it is.

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[thenormalsquint]

i fell off this summer. i'm trying to get over myself.

[And maybe not to care so much anymore. That feels impossible.]

» text

[bettercallit]

Got a shoulder here, too, if you need one.

[ But Clint loves her the way she is, and next time he sees her in person he's going to hug her. ]

» text

[thenormalsquint]

nah. i'll probably drive you to drinking instead. i don't want that on me :P

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[bettercallit]

If it does, I might get a good night of sleep out of it. No one loses.

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[thenormalsquint]

don't do that. that's how i got started.

» text

[bettercallit]

Is it a serious problem?

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[thenormalsquint]

my answer depends on if you're going to lecture me or not.

» text

[bettercallit]

I've always been more of the naughty school boy in the principal's office than the lecturing type.

[ But that doesn't mean he's not worried. ]

» text

[thenormalsquint]

[The reply only comes after a long fifteen minutes.]

sometimes.

[She doesn't even know why she's telling him. Maybe it's time she spoke up more.]

» text

[bettercallit]

From before or after you got here?

[ Because he knows he drinks more here, after everything he saw before coming, but because he spends a lot of time alone, and the ticking is always louder then. ]

» text

[thenormalsquint]

after. definitely after.

[She partied hard before, but now she doesn't even party. Here, she drinks to drown out the ticking, the loneliness, the constant feeling of being abandoned.]

» text

[bettercallit]

[ He doesn't ask what it was that started it, he can guess well enough, but he doesn't exactly close the subject off if she wants to bring anything forward. ]

It's got a nasty way of doing that to people. But, hey, if you're gonna do it, might as well do it with company, right? And I'd be offended if you got the party started without me.

» text

[thenormalsquint]

aren't you supposed to lead me away from temptation, not encourage me into it?

[Besides, if she had company, she wouldn't feel the need to drink so much, at least until she's so far gone that she passes out and can't hear the ticking.]