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[redrooms]

"You've reached Natasha Romanov. Please leave a message."

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@jwatson; text; Day 182

[jumpthegun]

[After the confrontation with Clint, John isn't feeling much like talking. He'll make this short and sweet.]

I've prescribed prescription-level ibuprofen for Clint. You should find the bottle tomorrow. Please make sure he takes it.

@itsybitsy; text

[redrooms]

More? Did you talk to him about this?

[redrooms]

[Of course. Natasha is impressed that he hasn't tried to play therapist in a while, actually.]

What is it?

[redrooms]

A lot can happen in a few days, Bucky. You just tried to convince me to let you punch House.

[jumpthegun]

Yes. And he's a bloody stubborn mule when he's a mind to be. You might want to let him know punishing himself with pain for things outside his control is just stupid. Maybe he'll take it better coming from you. What the hell do I know, after all?

[He might be a little miffed still.]

[redrooms]

[Oh, god. Thank you for making everyone's lives just a little harder, Clint.]

We've been friends for ten years, and I still couldn't tell you how to convince him of anything. I imagine your conversation didn't go very smoothly?

[jumpthegun]

Not particularly, no. I think telling him letting me prescribe would get you off of him was what brought him 'round. It's your problem to get him to take the things now, Ms. Romanov. I'm sorry, but he needs a therapist and maybe a good whack up the backside of his head. I'm not the first, and I'm not there to do it myself for the second.

action, day 186, evening probably

[awwnoun]

[ He's been quiet all day, distant, with his hearing aids turned off. The night before was... a mess. He's not doing well and he feels like he's going to explode if he keeps going the way he is, and - well, Natasha's right here. She's always here. He doesn't know who else he trusts more to get his head on straight.

So wherever she is, Clint heads over to her and sits down next to her, curling up against her side and resting his head on her shoulder. His hearing aids are in, now. He doesn't say much, just leeches warmth and comfort. ]

[redrooms]

[It's a little unexpected, and Natasha glances up in surprise as she sets down her tablet.]

Hi.

[She winds her arm around him, leaning close.]

Are you alright?

[definingfuture]

[He's just generally too involved in what he does. He cares, so sooner or later he's going to want to get into Serious Talks with his friends. Nat was lucky he managed to get distracted for this long.]

We need to stop this.

[awwnoun]

Yeah. [ A beat, as he curls more fully into her side. It's probably silly, since he's like six feet and she's... decidedly not. He aches so bad - his jaw even worse, after Lutha punched him. ] ... No.

[redrooms]

[Natasha smoothes his hair down absently.]

Do you want to talk, or just sit?

[awwnoun]

Did you talk to John? [ Talk, apparently. ]

[redrooms]

Yes. I'm supposed to scold you, but I didn't think it would do you much good right now. Why?

[awwnoun]

[ He shrugs lightly. ] I just figured he'd tattle to you.

[redrooms]

He thinks you're refusing to take the painkillers as a way to punish yourself.

[Which Natasha absolutely believes, but she's leaving him an opening to confirm or deny it.]

[awwnoun]

It didn't - occur to me until he said it. [ Clint mumbles. ] Maybe that's part of it, but I really don't want this place to run out of painkillers when I can function fine without them.

He reminds me of Steve sometimes, it drives me crazy.

[redrooms]

[Natasha rolls her eyes.]

Function. You're in pain all the time. I can tell.

[She's not going to turn this into an argument, really, but it bothers her. She hates seeing him like this.]

[advanced]

[He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, though he stands by his hatred of House.]

That was an exceptional case, you know what he did.

[awwnoun]

Yeah, and? [ Alright, so he can't hide it from her, he'll admit it. ] It's no different than falling off a building onto a car. I can deal. Other people might not be equipped to handle pain like this.

But whatever, the two of you won, so.

[redrooms]

Clint, this isn't an injury. How long have you been hurting like this? And it isn't a competition, either. We're trying to help you, not hold you down and shove pills down your throat.

[awwnoun]

I don't know. A while. [ He pulls his arms in closer, like warmth is going to help them stop aching. ] You could just believe me when I say I'm fine enough.

[redrooms]

[She knows she's right, but she doesn't want another fight so soon after that mess a few days ago.]

I'm not going to force you to take them, Clint. I'm going to strongly advise it.

[redrooms]

We took responsibility for you on the network, Bucky. Anyone you hurt is on our heads.

[advanced]

[Clint said much the same thing, but in kinder tones.]

I won't hurt anyone if I can help it.

[He can't make promises on if anything triggers him, but Bucky won't hurt anyone.]