forhawkeye | [Homeplot 2009] Decompression

See, what it all boils down to is simple: it’s been a very long twenty-four hours. Between the invasion and my own personal drama, it’s something of a relief to just relax, even if it’s only for a little while. There are still too many unanswered questions -- Why am I back? Why did they come with me? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? -- but there’ll be time to answer them later.

There are about twenty different kinds of pizza lying around -- ranging from pepperoni and cheese to some ridiculously organic vegan thing -- and the amount of junk food piled on the kitchen counters could feed an entire college dorm for at least a semester. Despite all that, Felix insisted on making enough of his 'famous chicken cardarelli' for everyone. Admittedly, it’s sort of nice having some real food to balance out everything else.

And as for Alice, well, I sent Tommy to go get her some bunnies.

It’s not a party by any means, but that’s just about the last thing we need right now, anyway, especially for the people who got a crash course in war yesterday. Copious amounts of alcohol, maybe, but a party? Yeah, not so much.

"I'm federal agent Jack Bauer, and today is the longest day of my life," voice overs Kiefer Sutherland from the episode of 24 playing in the background.

"Yours and mine both, Kief," I mutter under my breath. "Yours and mine both."

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"As close as I ever get," he told her and he scratched his head with his left arm as he spoke.

"I was hoping to just have a beer and avoid dealing with the whole thing altogether."

"Ah, avoidance," I say, lifting my chin from my knees long enough to nod. "As far as tactics go, it's a classic."

"It's worked pretty well for me in the past," he agreed. "In our line of work if you put something off long enough then, sooner or later, the whole island is exploding, you're about to die and all the awkwardness is forgotten."

Or you have Central Park ninjas attack in the middle of the Most Awkward Date ever. It's a really good thing Clint knocked Eli out. I'm not sure what else would've made that night get any worse.

"I'll be sure to find you next time something's about to explode, then, make it easier on both of us."

"I'd appreciate it," Cable told her and then took a deep drink from his beer.

"I don't expect you to like me," he started again after a brief pause. As much as he would have honesty preferred to avoid a serious talk, he had decided that he probably shouldn't. "I'm well aware that I'm not an easy man to like."

Kate was hardly the first person to lose her temper with him, after all.

"But, and I mean no disrespect when I say this, I still have a lot more experience then you do. So I think you should still train with me, even now we're no longer on the island. I would hope that you're still willing."

He still wasn't convinced that their return was both what it seemed and permanent but there was no harm in planning in case it was.

I'm quiet for a second, mulling the offer over. The Avengers have never been particularly forthcoming with the whole training thing, and for all that Luke and Jessica have sort of watched over us, they haven't been much help in that area, either.

"I'm not leaving my team," I say slowly. "Which isn't a no, by the way, but I just wanted to be clear on that. I'm open to it. I want to learn, I just...don't want to leave my team."

"I wouldn't ask you to," he replied. "It's good to have people watching your back."

"Yeah, it really is," I say. For all that Eli's been an ass for the past day, I know he'd be there in a second if I got in over my head. That's what teammates do. Laughing a little, I shake my head and add, "And just for the record, I don't hate you."

Cable raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm flattered," he replied.

The depressing part was that, however dry it sounded, he was actually being sincere. Not being hated was a marked improvement over a lot of his relationships.

"You should be," I reply, equally as dry. "The list of people I don't hate is actually pretty small, all things considered. You're part of an elite group. Feel special."

[Homeplot 2009] Decompression

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