#ava barton

“’always works. eventually.” stark had quit helping clint with his new ideas for tech ( read as: new ideas for new arrows )... a while ago. that was the simple, non specific answer. the alternative was admitting that his half serious idea for a coffee arrow had finally been too much, and now, he was back to the before of the aid of stark industries : tongue stuck between his front teeth, focus solely upon the various tools and pieces of equipment before him. “what kinda a world are we living in, when a daughter can’t even keep faith in her old man?”

adrian: I didn’t mean for that to happen

“murder is pretty frowned on, in most circles,” most. not ALL, but they both knew that. much as her lab partner was getting to her ( she’d only been dealing with him for a short while, but there were only so many more passing comments of ‘smile’ and ‘dark makeup makes you look intimidating’s that she could take ), she COULDN’T exactly go with it. “my dad would probably get mad i dragged you into it.”

she wasn’t sure how long she’d been sat there, exactly - takeout coffee cups now COLD in her hands but the desire to find something to do with all her skittish energy not yet OVERWHELMING. someone else might’ve knocked a couple times and then left without an answer to return another time. another person entirely may have called ahead. neither thought had really crossed nikki’s mind, the only logical course of action, in her eyes, being settling down across from her cousin’s apartment door and waiting. waiting, and waiting, eyes half shut and head tilted back against the wall, right up until the older appeared. “hey-” she’s groggy to start, that’s true, the long wait not exactly helping - but there’s a strange mix of emotions weighing that single word down as her gaze meets the others, and a sort of defeat to how she continues, “’brought you coffee. s’cold now, i THINK.”

ft. @ava-bartcn

ava was the only reason that he’d made an effort. and he’d probably have admitted that, if he were asked - not the sort of guy to keep such things to himself, at least not anymore. the suit was a little worn ( it was not his wedding suit, contrary to what theora had asked when he’d first shown it to her ; that remained in storage ), and he’d had to get help when it came to making himself more presentable, but the thought of her... made him want to make the effort. she’d have probably accepted him as anything, and that was - it was NICE, that sentiment that he could be who he was and still be valid - but she was... more. better. strong and sharp and compassionate and loyal and so undeniably ava. ava who was FIERCE in how much she cared. ava who snort laughed when she’d called him ‘aids’ on reflex, so much and for so long that he’d almost been concerned. ava who looked - “beautiful.” it was a better GREETING than he could have come up with, if he’d been prepared, eyes wide and drinking her in. he was going to ask her to dance, and now... “you’re beautiful. red is your color.” 

[ outgoing message // enoby ✌️ ] : did i get a writen warning [ outgoing message // enoby ✌️ ] : cause if not i think im llowed to legally sue [ outgoing message // enoby ✌️ ] : what did we even dirnk last night [ outgoing message // enoby ✌️ ] : cos i think i need a stcmach pump [ outgoing message // enoby ✌️ ] : avaim not even kidding i didnt evenffeel this bad after i did a speedball that one time my head is in a toiltebowl

“i won’t be offended if you don’t recognize me.” not by much, anyway. it’d be a little tough to accept, but...- who’d blame her? not everyone was quite as good with faces as she was, and the way she understood it now ( years later ; only old enough after time gone by to be told how the cookie had crumbled ), ava had been through a lot. remembering one snot nosed kid from over a decade before, one kid that if she were her, she would’ve blocked from memory - it probably wasn’t TOP priority. “i mean, last time you saw me i’m pretty sure i was still eating sugar from a bowl between meals, so...” this wasn’t planned. she told herself that, at least. she didn’t mean to run into her. had certainly not sought such a meeting out, because she was lonely, because this school was filled with more people she didn’t know than ones she did. not at all.