Iowa Bros in Space! The Spacening. Starring James T Kirk and Clinton Barton

[smartass_captain]

Fighting with Verity had done something for Jim despite all the vitriolic feeling swimming around his system. It had made him determined to go home. It wasn't as though he couldn't anymore. He knew exactly where the doorway leading back to the Enterprise stood. It was just...making himself open the door. Jim stands in the long hallway lined with doors to other worlds, staring intently at the 'Caution: Radiation risk' etched into the glass of his world's door. Shaking fingers reached for it, to push it open. Retracted.

He couldn't do this. No, bullshit. He was Jim Kirk, he could open a stupid door. Just. Not at the moment. Apparently. Jim shouts a string of fluent Orion curses at the door before stalking back off into the Nexus. To the plain door with the sideways 8 on it that leads to CLint's world. He pulls up a chair and waits. Clint would come sooner or later. He'd ask him to come with. Been meaning to show him around the ship anyway, might as well do it now.

Why couldn't his time have comms anyway? Jim smacks the back of his head against the wall while he waits, idly replaying the argument between himself and Verity in his head. What better way to kill time than to hate yourself?

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[brave_heart_verity]

As soon as Clint steps through the door, his phone has a signal again. That means all those messages people have been leaving him are being delivered. There's a lot of beeping.

Two texts are from Verity.

Clint, I need to talk to you.

It's important. Avengers-level important.

...make that three.

I'm waiting at your portal for the next hour. That one's from about 40 minutes ago.

[aw_hawkguy]

"Wh-oh, hey." If Jim's still with him, Clint holds up a hand. "Hang on." Checking his phone, his brows climb, and he texts back:

Just got back, on my way. What's up?

"It's Verity. Looks important."

[smartass_captain]

Jim had been going on about how Clint could charm the clothes off a nun with those pool skills he has, but stops and turns around when the summons goes out.

"What's V...oh. Is she okay?" The events leading up to this evening come back in a rush and Jim is all business again.

"Clint. Is. She. Okay. There was a lot of shit going on earlier I didn't tell you about." Not because Verity said he would. Partially because of that. It definitely wasn't spite though. Petulance maybe.

[brave_heart_verity]

Please just hurry.

She's not doing this over text. She's still not sure she can do this in person.

[aw_hawkguy]

"She doesn't say, but she's by my door." And that's as much as Clint will say, before breaking into a run.

[smartass_captain]

"She better be." Jim grinds out through grit teeth, before sprinting off after Clint to keep up.

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity looks much like how Jim left her: physically fine, hugging her knees, and generally miserable. She looks up when she hears the running, frowning a little when she sees that Jim's here too. But of course he is. They're practically attached at the hip these days.

"Hey..." And that is all the preamble they get. "So you remember when I took you to the hospital and took care of all those insurance forms and things? Well you really shouldn't be so trusting with your personal information because it let me get into the Avengers computers and, long story short: you get a two year head-start to keep the world from being destroyed."

She opens a hand, revealing two thumb drives. "Everything you'll have access to about the incursions. Enjoy the new timeline."

[aw_hawkguy]

Clint skids to a stop when he sees Verity, concern etched in the lines of his face--that's not good body language for anyone.

The betrayal is a surprise--she took his information, hacked the Avengers, and stole data? But that barely has time to register, overwhelmed by what follows. "Wh-?! The world destroyed? Verity, what happened? Are you okay?" He crouches down next to her, trying to wrap his head around this.

[smartass_captain]

Jim stops a few feet back. She's pretty much exactly like he left her. And still glaring at him.

Well.

That's to be expected, isn't it? There's a brief moment Jim will be ashamed about later where his blood boils and he almost snaps at her. It's gone a moment later and he sighs, looking anywhere but at her face. They're both still upset about before, clearly. But she's okay, and that's what matters.

"YOu're okay." It's not a question. JIm is beyond relieved. "And I didn't tell him, by the way." Truth, and maybe a hint of accusation there. "So you might want to explain." He backs off. She doesn't want him to be here. He's tempted to just leave.

[brave_heart_verity]

She's skipping over any questions or statements about being okay. Of course she isn't okay. Don't be stupid.

"I didn't have time to read it all, but from what I understand, our section of the multiverse is collapsing around us. Incursions open between two weakened universes and the Earths crash into each other unless someone destroys one of them first. Maybe with a head start..." She shrugs a little. She's about run out of steam now. "You should go. And don't worry, I'll lose your number. I know the last thing either of you want is to worry about a liar and a coward."

[aw_hawkguy]

Clint needs a moment, a little openmouthed, to wrap his head around this. Once he does, though, his jaw firms, he takes the thumb drives, and places a hand on Verity's shoulder. "Thank you. We can talk about the rest later. I've gotta get a start on this, but... there'll be a later, and we talk. I won't be mad." He means it. Before straightening up, he gives her shoulder a little squeeze. "You're not a coward, Verity, or you never coulda done this. You wanna come in for some coffee while I get going?"

He lets go of her shoulder and straightens up, glancing to Jim and mouthing, "you didn't tell me?"

[smartass_captain]

We were fighting, she wouldn't let me help. Said I'd go running to you right away.
Jim's hands talk for him. Genius level repeat offender means he's gotten pretty decent at sign language since coming here.

Jim sighs and drops his head. She's still acting like he hit her or something. For how bossy she can be, she's surprisingly delicate.

"Ver." He's not looking up. "I don't fucking hate you or anything." He shouldn't really be surprised that Verity was bailing on him. Everyone did that, eventually. But he cared about Verity, dammit. He sucks in a deep breath. "I'm not walking away unless you tell me to fuck off."

[brave_heart_verity]

The reassurances get a little smile from her. She wouldn't have blamed him for being done with her, but it's nice to know he's not. "Thanks, Clint. I'll come make you coffee if you want, but I don't think I could stomach it right now." If he's got a hand to spare for helping her up, she'd be grateful.

Verity doesn't know sign language, so, she misses all of that. She does notice that Jim needs to calm the fuck down. Her entire world is going to die. Most people would give her a pass on being delicate at the moment. Or has he forgotten what Spock went through?

"Do you like me enough to not yell at me anymore?" It's the kindest reply she can manage at the moment.

[aw_hawkguy]

Clint has done more than his share of technically-wrong-but-for-the-right-reasons things. He just took over an apartment building so some decent people could have a life, as a for-instance. With the flash drives in one hand, he does in fact have one to spare for helping her up.

"You're not up to coffee? Damn, this is serious." Opening the door, he adds an over-the-shoulder question to Jim: "are you free for this, or do you need to get back?"

[smartass_captain]

Her mother might still have a chance if--okay, no. He knows how much that wrecked Spock. It's why he doesn't want Verity to experience it. He remembers how it hurt both of them. Getting throttled by his Spock, sharing a mind meld with the older Spock. He'd do anything to save Verity from losing her mother as well as her world. But it's too late.

"Don't got anything to yell about."

Jim wishes Verity was a touch telepath right now. He could explain all of it so much easier. Instead he moves around to grab the door to Clint's world so he can help Verity in.

There's nothing he could say that wouldn't be a fake smile (he's very good at those but fuck it all, she can tell because that counts) and a bold faced lie. So he doesn't say anything and follows them in.

[brave_heart_verity]

Would either of them mind if she just hugs them both for a minute or two? Because she could really use the hugs right about now. Also, the hugging is a lot easier right now than having to try to say things out loud.

[aw_hawkguy]

Hugs are good. Verity can have all the hugs she wants. They've got two years, they can spare two minutes.

[smartass_captain]

Jim doesn't mind exactly. He's just not expected to be included in this. He was pretty sure she was still pissed at him or didn't even want him around.

As such he looks a little bit shocked when it's his turn, giving Clint this kind of bewildered expression before he wraps Verity up in his arms and holds her close as long as she needs it.

And usually Clint's the awkward one.

[brave_heart_verity]

Maybe Jim should stop assuming the worst and accept the fact she's contradictory sometimes (or more accurately, full of antisocial defense mechanisms). There are more hugs in it for him that way.

"I talked with my mom." This is directed at Jim since Clint doesn't know what they were fighting about. "I explained what's happening and made sure she had a way to get here. Whether or not she comes is entirely up to her, now. I know that's not what you want me to do." He's going to have to live with that, and so is she.

[aw_hawkguy]

Clint isn't privy to the situation, but he's picking up the clues pretty quickly. The world is ending, her mom is in it--but has a way to get to the Nexus. And she and Jim were arguing about that? It would explain his mood when he met Clint.

[smartass_captain]

"You did what you could." Jim hopes he means that enough not to set her off. He doesn't want to fight anymore. She had done what she could. Jim would have done more, but Jim isn't Verity. He Holds her close and nods against her so she can tell he's listening.

He'll shuffle her into Clint's world though, to get her out of the public eye in case she needs or wants some more privacy.

"I'm glad you talked to her though." At least he means that 100%?

[brave_heart_verity]

She doesn't need them to agree with what she did. She'd like them to accept that she's made her choice. No more fighting. There's no more fight in her. She's no hero, not like them, and she has nothing left to fight for.

"Me too." She'll lean on Jim if he lets her, letting herself be shuffled around. "...where were you guys and what happened to Clint?"

[aw_hawkguy]

"We went to a bar," Clint explains, "where the little blue guys and the big green guys don't like getting beaten at their own hustle." Closing the Nexus behind them, he goes to open the door into his apartment. It looks like Barney's out flirting with the neighbor again. "Good news, though, space medicine is awesome."

[smartass_captain]

Goddammit Clint. They weren't going to tell Verity about the barfight. You putz. Jim is already giving him a look from the safety of over Verity's head. Seriously, that is the worst way to open a story ever.

"I took your advice," Jim clarifies. "And asked Clint to come with me back to the ship. So...so I wasn't using the door alone. We were near a star base, so the plan was to go out for a few drinks and relax." Truth, all truth. That was the plan.

[brave_heart_verity]

Oh, Jim. She doesn't need to be told what happens next. She knows you both.

"Well. So long as you're okay." That's the only important thing right now. It would always be the most important thing, but today she doesn't even care about the rest of it. "So they have Kree and Skrulls too?"