I'm much clearer now than I've ever been

[radiantly]

WHO: Angelica Jones & Clint Barton
WHERE: Central Park
WHEN: Wednesday at 4:30 pm.
WARNINGS: Nope
SUMMARY: Angie and Clint go on a leisurely jog for fun.
FORMAT: Starting quick, but it's Hallie's choice

[ Angelica actually likes jogging. She likes that it gets her heart rate up and gets her out of the house and moving. It provides a nice distraction from the stresses of running the school and running a household. Since she's not super active as a hero anymore, it's a good way to get exercise. But it's also something Pietro can't stand doing at all, so her usual jogging partner is her dog, Raffi.

Of course, Raffi is along for the jog today, but so is someone else. She'd been surprised that Clint would suggest they meet up, though not in a bad way. She just always sort of figured he was Pietro's friend and he probably still thought of her as just a kid. Which, in someways, she still was, though she had a lot of grown up responsibilities resting on her now. But they would have a lot of things to talk about anyways, seeing as he was probably Pietro's oldest friend, even if he'd been replaced as his closest friend by Bobbi.

She adjusted her hat, pulling it snuggly over her ears. Raffi tugged on her leash, waiting for them to get started. ]

This should be fun, don't you think?

Comments

[trickshot]

_{( He covers the bashful embarrassment that hits him with a too-loud laugh. )}

Yeah? Well, when you're a punk superhero that no one likes, your only options are pretty much other punk superheroes that no one likes.

Or Steve. But he likes everyone except, well, MODOK.

[radiantly]

You're too hard on yourself. [She pulls on Raffi's leash again.] Plenty of people like you.

[trickshot]

Really? What a relief. _{( He scoffs, at that. Not like he thinks about what people think of him all the time, or anything. Bee-pug has stopped to rest, or just sit around useless. Eventually Clint picks him up and tucks the small, fat pug under one arm. )}

Point being, that's where we were at when we met.

[radiantly]

And look how far you've come. Both of you. I mean, you're both practically functioning adults.

[trickshot]

I wouldn't go that far. Doesn't Pietro still spend his time lounging around your place and making creepy puppets?

[radiantly]

[Ugh. Don't remind her.] Practically functioning adults. He still could use some work, okay?

[trickshot]

Or maybe just a less creepy hobby.

[radiantly]

I really hate those things. [She sighs.] Does Bobbi have any weird habits that drive you up the wall?

[trickshot]

_{( Clint laughs--almost nervously? )} Oh, no. Bobbi's got no flaws that I'm going to talk about.

_{( And then, with a very small roll of his eyes-- )} As everyone likes to remind me all the time, if anyone's screwing up, it's me.

[radiantly]

We all make mistakes, but relationships require two people. [She pulls at her dog again.]

[trickshot]

_{( Running his free hand through his hair-- )} Yeah, no, what I meant was--

I dunno, Angie. Do you ever just get lucky sometimes, and then get scared of screwing it up? That's kind of how it feels with me and Bobbi.

[radiantly]

I feel that way all the time. [Though perhaps not for the same reasons he does.] Everyday I'm lucky to be alive. And sometimes I wonder if what I'm doing with these extra days is what I should be doing. I mean, look at where I am now, compared to where I was back home. Whoever would've thought I'd have ended up like this? Mostly retired from being Firestar? Running the Xavier Institute? Married to Quicksilver?

[She laughs softly.]

But it's different with you and Bobbi. You two... I mean, everybody knows you two go together like... birds of a feather.

[trickshot]

_{( He smiles, ruefully, at the first part of what she says. They all have hard lives, to be sure, but Angie's probably been through more than most. It makes him proud, in a way, but also kind of embarrassed. That she should be so strong, when he can't get it together. But then he laughs it off. )}

...you think so, huh? Well, then it's gotta be true.

[radiantly]

Look, I'm not the best judge of these things. [After all, she would've bet her life that she'd have married Vance, and that Rich and Nita would've made it work out.] But you guys have been together for a really long time. Even here. You two have made it work in spite of everything. And when you messed it up, you still stuck it out. That has to mean something, right?

[trickshot]

Well, that's what I'm banking on. Still--keep your fingers crossed, for us.

_{( They turn a corner and Clint pauses to set Bee-pug down again. )}

How's that going, by the way? The almost-retired thing.

[radiantly]

It's different alright.

[She watched the dogs, laughing at them softly.]

But it's more like how I always saw myself. I never asked to be a mutant. I never wanted to be a superhero. That life was thrust upon me, and I'd like to think that I met the call. But all I ever really wanted was the 2.5 kids and the house with the picket fence, you know? Being an Avenger was a dream come true, but I guess I always knew it wouldn't be a forever thing for me.

[trickshot]

I guess we really do all come at it from different angles, huh? _{( Because he thinks the day he stops being an Avengers is--oh, wait. That's already happened. And he did not like the results. )}

[radiantly]

I think anybody can be a hero. But for some of us, it's meant to be forever.

[trickshot]

It's forever no matter what, Angie. Even if you do it for a day, or thirty years.