four; text

[iustitiae]

fuck.

[he kind of considers just leaving that but, as a afterthought tacks on:]

look, if anyone wants to ask the real me about anything happened, i'm here now.

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

Ultron did. It's... it's a long story.

But let's say, it's not unprecedented.

[iustitiae]

Your world sounds complicated.

[outstandingbalance]

Yeah. Probably.

[What? Is she going to deny it?]

But things are complicated here too, and where you're from.

[iustitiae]

My world is uncomplicated. It's just the shit we did that's messed up.

[outstandingbalance]

If you say so. I don't think I believe in an uncomplicated world though.

[iustitiae]

Less complicated than getting murdered by yourself.

[he's suddenly quite morose, but he's never been a very cheerful drunk.]

[outstandingbalance]

That would be a whole other level of complicated, even for me.

[She is once again glad there wasn't another version of herself out there.]

Hard to defend against yourself.

[iustitiae]

No kidding. No one knows you better, right?

[outstandingbalance]

That's what you'd think.

[Is it a good time for a rude question? Is there a better time? Natasha takes a drink before going there.]

He'd he do it?

[iustitiae]

[connor's hand shakes where he's holding the glass and he has to set it down.]

It's pretty gruesome.

[outstandingbalance]

Most ways to die are. One way or another.

[But it does seem like that was a question to far.]

You don't have to tell me.

[iustitiae]

[connor's quiet for a moment. it's a good out to take, and part of him really really wants to. but part of him wants to tell it, too, to get it off his chest.]

He wanted to replicate what we did to Sam Keating.

[outstandingbalance]

That seems needlessly complicated. [Professionally speaking.] But then he wasn't just trying to get you out of the way, huh?

[iustitiae]

No.

[she's right - his double wanted him to suffer. then again, maybe he wanted to suffer, too.]

[outstandingbalance]

Do you know what you're going to do if something like that happens again?

[She says it seriously, her tone carefully neutral. He should have the space to vent, but also&dmash;there's something to be said for offering solutions.]

[iustitiae]

Curling up in a ball and hoping it's over quickly?

[thats good right...]

[outstandingbalance]

Not exactly what I had in mind.

[iustitiae]

Do you have a better plan?

[outstandingbalance]

I might. You know how to throw a punch?

[iustitiae]

Not well.

[outstandingbalance]

You want to learn how?

[iustitiae]

[he considers the offer for a moment. now that she's said it, yes. he's so tired of being useless.]

I'd like that a lot, actually.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha smiles just slightly, a little sad he has to. But that's one way she can help out.]

In that case, you have yourself a teacher.

[iustitiae]

Thanks. Hopefully one of us will remember that after all of this alcohol is consumed.

[outstandingbalance]

Oh, don't worry about that. You won't be able to wiggle out of this that easily.