Comic booking it

[from_a_distance]

Clint was not one to frequent comic shops. In fact, he usually stayed as far away from them as possible--not because, like the other Avengers, he was afraid he might be recognized, but because he was pretty certain he wouldn't be, and that got a little old after a while.

But Coulson had been moping because he couldn't get in to get his Captain America comics for a couple months, and Clint didn't like to see Coulson moping, so he decided to stop by and pick them up for the agent. He'd probably just drop them on his desk when Coulson wasn't around, but at least he knew it would make the man smile.

Comments

[from_a_distance]

"Yeah, there is," Clint admits, hitting the button for the elevator. "But he doesn't like me back."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine frowned at that. "How come? I think you're great."

[from_a_distance]

"Well, thanks kid." He smiles at Blaine and steps into the elevator, pressing the button for his floor.

"The thing is...sometimes just because somebody likes you doesn't mean they like you like that."

[mediumdrip]

"Have you asked him if he does?" Blaine asks as he follows Clint into the elevator.

[from_a_distance]

"No. I couldn't."

He...really does not need to be having this conversation with an eight-year old.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine looked at him for a moment. "Aren't you the one that keeps wanting me to tell you how I feel?"

[from_a_distance]

"Because you know I'm not going to hate you for it."

[mediumdrip]

"And you think your friend will hate you?"

[from_a_distance]

"No, I don't think he'll hate me, but...I have to work with him, and it might be weird."

[mediumdrip]

"Okay..." Blaine said in that tone of voice where it was clear that he wasn't sure he believed Clint.

[from_a_distance]

"Am I gonna sound like a jerk if I say you'll understand when you're older?"

[mediumdrip]

"Yeah," Blaine says with a small smile. "But I guess I can forgive you."

[from_a_distance]

Clint laughs as the elevator comes to a stop. "Well, thanks. I wouldn't want you hating me."

[mediumdrip]

"No. I don't think I can do that. My mom used to say that hate was too strong a word to us for just any one."

[from_a_distance]

He smiles, leading Blaine to his quarters. "Your mom was pretty smart," he says softly.

[mediumdrip]

"Yeah, she was busy a lot but she was a good mom."

[from_a_distance]

"Sounds like it."

He presses his thumb to the pad outside his apartment, and the door slides open.

"Hey, JARVIS? Can we get Blaine set up on this thing?"

"Of course, Agent Barton. If Master Anderson would place his thumb on the scanner."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine looks up at the pad. He's pretty small even for his age so he has to stand on his tip toes to see what he's doing when he puts his thumb there.

[from_a_distance]

A bar of light scans over Blaine's thumb and JARVIS' voice says, "Identity, Blaine Anderson, accepted."

"All set, kid," Clint says and ushers him inside.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine keeps his eyes wide as he tries to take in everything. "Where do Captain America and Iron Man stay?"

[from_a_distance]

"Cap's down the hall," he says. "Tony's upstairs."

Clint's quarters have the most windows. Pretty much one entire wall looks out over the city.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine gets distracted by the view. "Wow," he says as he goes over to check it out.

[sonofcoul]

And there's a knock at the door behind them. Coulson waits out in the hallway, having no desire to just come barging in.

[from_a_distance]

"Yeah, not to bad, huh?" The view is pretty much Clint's favorite thing about living here.

He moves to the door when he hears the knock and smiles when he opens it. "Hey," he says to Coulson and then to Blaine adds, "Hey, kiddo, come meet my friend."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine turns from the view and looks over Coulson before walking over to meet him. "Hi," he says a little nervously.