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From down the hall, the sweet silence of the science lab is broken by swinging crooning, "This time I'm walkin' to New Orleans…" by someone a distance away, but the next verse is a bit closer. A bit clearer.
"I'm walkin' to New Orleans! I'm gonna need to two pair a shoes when I get through walkin' these blues…"
What is /happening/ out there? The door beeps as someone keys in a code. What?
"When I get back to New Orleans."
Clint Barton stands in the doorway with, I swear to god, a legitimate cane in hand, pounding out the beat of the song, slow and swinging while he croons away. And what the hell is the archer wearing but a bright red and white striped button down shirt that…doesn't look like anything he should own.
Barton hangs in the doorway for that verse, then hobbles in with a slight limp and still a swagger in his step as he pounds the floor in beat with the song, slowly spinning around in a modified two step for gimps. "I've got my suitcase in my ha-and. Now ain't that a shame. I'm leaving here today, yes I'm goin' back home to stay. Yes I'm walkin' to New Orleans."
Since when was SHIELD a song and dance troop?
Fitz was fairly certain Clint didn't technically 'own' it. Having is not owning, sir! Fitz was as he always was, working from blueprint he was sketching out to device. Somtimes the blueprint tracks what he made, sometimes he builds what he plans out and never are either option fast enough to move at the rate of his brainpower. He really needed to scribble faster. The jaunty singing though made the engineer snicker, "You know it's a right long trip from what aI heard. Without the Bifrost I don't remember it being at all close. What's with all the fancy dress?" The newst shiny Fitz-toy was sitting out, "Also you're just in time to see the newest modifications I've been Making to the B.F. reader. GOt to field test it yesterday. Workin like a dream!"
There's a click of heels adding a percussion to the back of Clint's song. "Dr. Fitz? Could I ask your for your help?" Her face is tipped forward, and she's clearly got something caught in long blonde waves. The dress is purple, gladiator style, the heels high and of a color to match. "I would normally just yank, but this chain was my great grandmother's…" She'll glance up, looking up and catching sight of Clint. "I'm not sure that shirt is your best style choice, Clint. Bit of a barber pole thing going on." She'll wink though, before giving Fitz big brown eyes in hopes of help.
Entering into the lab department only to find….Hawkeye obnoxiously singing, Oliver Queen sighs a moment. dressed in a brown leather jacket with a blue polo shirt underneath it, top button unbuttoned fashionably speaking. blue jeans adorn his legs and he wears standard shoes. His arms cross…before he hops in!
Wrapping an arm around Clint's shoulders as if to sing in tandem, he sings with him! "I''mm walking to New Orleaaanns…" he says as the singing gets more extravagent.
Archers, man. gotta love 'em. He gives a little finger-gun to Fitz. Was meaning to speak to him actually.
Having. Owning. Those are just /words/, Fitz. Don't get so caught up with /words/.
"Why the hell do you think I'm going to need two pairs of shoes when I get back to New Orleans?" Clint concedes the distance to Fitz with a crooked half a smile and a repeat of that verse, closing the rest of the distance slowly, favoring one leg.
An yet, he's joined! Grinning like an imp, Barton lashes an arm around Oliver's back, clasping the guy's shoulder from underneath. FINALLY! Someone who can appreciate Fats Domino! Barton launches into the next verse with Oliver, clapping the rich man on the chest with a tap of his cane. "You used to be my honey, Til you spent all of my money. No use for you to cry, cause I'll see you by and by. Cuz I'm walkin' to New Orleans."
Clint chuckles and squeezes Oliver's shoulder, giving him a little shake. "Hey, Queen. How's it going, man? It's been a hot minute." Thea's entrance and skepticism over his shirt has the archer plucking at the fabric. "You two have lived too long in the city. Mardi Gras is in two and a half weeks. I'm getting in the spirit. Putting in my time so I can head down for some R-n-R." Defending his outrageous outfit before turning back to Fitz once more. "Fitzy, if you were a woman, I'd kiss you when you say beautiful things like that. Update me on that bad boy."
Fitz couldn't help but grin. Clearning his throat he answered Thea, "Yeas I think I can help you." The diminuative Scotsman was amused, and concerned really. "I'm no jeweler but I think we can get it to manage." He pulled out the jeweler's specs and pointed as if 'face that way'. And without further trauma to teh chain did what any engineer would do: he cut the few hairs that were causing the problem. Oh c'mon he wasn't taking out chunks! "There we go, free as a bird."
Fitz snickered at the exclaim on the gadget, "Well then I suppose I'm no further behind then." 0-0 is not -1 last he checked. Announcing to all of them, or none of them, he carried on with, "Well I built the B.F. Reader, or the Beepy-Findy if you will, last week." He shrugged and offered, "If we cna call the hand radop a walkie-talkie we're calling the BF Reader what beeps and finds things a beepy Findy. The insurance lass approved this." Insurance?! Oh insurance could not cover this lab with as many near disasters it's created. "I modified itto detect electro-magnetic fields. We can use it to track electric currents to gravitational anomoly!" He might squee. Wait for it. Nope, just smiling ear to ear ever so pleased. Clintmight be right about him being indoors too damn long. "Soooo what's the now about New Orleans, and what can we do for you?" He looked up to Oliver not having lost that he had inquiry.
"Yes, indeed, Mardi Gras is in short order. I don't remember horrific striped shirts being a part of that celebration. Perhaps my educators missed something on that." Thea's tone with Clint is filled with dry humor, and just that hint of affection. "Wait.. did you just say you were going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, Clint?" There's a glint in brown eyes, before she's trying to find the end of the chain in golden curls.
"I'm just in the training portion of the carnival season." She will joke, before there's relief at feeling that chain freed, and no, there's not comment about the snips. "Thank you, Dr. Fitz." Her hands curl around that chain with a touch of reverence, a kiss blown his way. "New Orleans has the biggest party before Catholic Lent, Fitz. Drinking, drunking dittys, debauchery.. I hear it is a great time."
Ollie smiled big and warm to Clint as they just seemed to dance the day away! Regardless, he offers a small smile to Clint as they end their jaunty tune. "Good to see you too, Clint. Though you're looking a little worse for wear, not that it's a different look for you." a small wink the nas he crossed his arms and leaned against one of the desks. "I've been good though. Just dealing with life…how about you?"
Archery contests were going to become popular again, just watch.
A look then for Thea as he smiled to her warmly, approaching with a soft step. "Well hello there. Don't think I've met you before.." he extends a hand. "Oliver Queen. Nice to meet you." a soft smile then before he looks to Fitz. "Hey Fitz."
"This is what a working man looks like, Ollie," Clint chimes back with good-natured ribbing, familiar. Giving the man a once over. "Speaking of which, you look like you're between injuries. Are you feeling bored and itchy, yet?" Goading, now. Come on, one world-renowned archer with an ego CAN'T NOT goad the other world-renowned archer with an ego. It's an impossibility. "You're looking a little too well-pressed these days, all I'm saying. You sure you're not feeling soft?" With a bright smile and warmth that shown through the injured of the two archers.
Returning his attention to Fitz again and the promise of new tech. Mmm. Toys. "Beepy-Findy," Clint repeats. "I was going to suggest something else, but there's a lady present." Deadpanning that one, Barton plants his cane back to the floor and leans on it, leaving Oliver unaccosted for the moment aside from another clap on his shoulder. Fitz regaling him with stories about tech is about as good as it gets some days. "Eh, sound reasoning. We don't need a bunch of your fancy book learnin' lingo around here for our walkie-talkies. We're SHIELD, not MIT." Because if he's going to be an ass, he's going to go all the way. "Gravitational anomoly? So, wait, how sensitive is it? What's the range on this bad boy?" Interest making that perpetual grey storm in his eyes brighten for a bit.
"Yeah, what Thea said," Barton chortles over her teasing, flashing her a blink-and-miss-it wink. "New Orleans gets all that sinning done right and out of the way before Lent. And the shirt is terrible, but that's the point of the thing. Your education is seriously lacking if you've just heard about it, Thea. Mardi Gras is to be experienced, not just read about." Clint proclaims in an easy manner. "Mobile's got a great party too. Thinking about stopping there on the way down, swing through Nola, you should come with, Fitz. You need to get out of this place every once in a while. You're going to start becoming allergic to natural light like a vampire."
Fitz honestly can't wait to create targets for those. Cloaking devices, magnetic shieldling to warp an otherwise reliable trajectory, hover drones! Was it archery season yet? Yes, yes it may be. The archers weren't the only ones with some hubris. Fitz stood slightly straighter and rebuted, "I graduated SHIELD SciTech. We're what MIT wants to be when it's ready to get serious." There was a feigned serious expression regardless of his respect for peers. Hwa wasn't going to get all Tony Stark on MIT. "I-" He blinked and positvly could not fathom what else Clint might call the Beepy-Findy and didn't actually venture to ask. He glanced between Ollie and CLint and Ollie and then to Thea with that look of There's two of them again. keep your office locked.
"While I'd like to say," Fitz began, "That it can detect gravity disturbances when two Archers get into a pissing contest that it can put a meter on hubris? That's… nooooot quite how it works. But the small one pretty well. I'm making a far more capable modification to our aerial support units. Effectivly like putting a mirror on the jet. It won't bounce a signal back but deflect it sooooo they don't know they hit anything if theyr'e using sonar. Also radar deterrant. Effectivly able to close someone or something from being read by a machine." He paused and looked up processing 8 more things before inquiring, "Travel to New Orleans?…. now?" He looked around at the lab, shoulders slumping at being called a vampire. Ha ha guys. "Well… I've not had a pint in a while. And I haven't been South. I don't see why not?"
Thea will reach up, sliding the chain around to fasten it in the front. Problem solving 101 skills, there! She'll spin it back around, fingers brushing over it. She'll give her prettiest smile to Oliver. "Thea Harman. Pleasure." Her voice holds the right tone, the words the proper cadence, she's no public school girl. "Feel free to challenge him, Mister Queen. He needs a good dunning, now and again."
That smile burns bright with a bit of an edge as her eyes shift. "Don't you, Clint? And don't worry, I already have a hotel room reserved for the occasion of expanding my education. All in the name of education. It has nothing at all to do with the drinking and feasting and carousing." There's a twitch of her lips, before she just gives into the warmth of a chuckling smile. "I can try to get you a room in my hotel, Fitz. Food, drink, song, sin.. you could do it in the name of science! Yay!" Then she's beaming and laughing at the doctor, because he.. yeah. He's got it dialed in.
Then her eyes will complete the circut. "What about you, Mister Queen? Are you one to indulge before the Lenten Fast?"
Ollie looks at Clint and shoots the man a finger-gun. "Heh, don't talk shit if you're not in the physical state to take shit." he smiles softly to the other archer, razzing him in return. World renowned archers need to razz each other…it's tradition! chuckling softly, he turns his head to Fitz with a confused look on his face. "….beepy-findy? I already know Clint had a hand in the naming."
A chuckle then, a look to Fitz as he speaks his science. "Well said from our favorite Scotsman." he replies to Fitz's MIT comment. regardless, he listens to Fitz with a chuckle. "Well, I wasn't being serious about that…but if you really want to go, I can help with that."
Then the beautiful Thea gets his attention. "I dunno, if you asked, I might indulge in anything, Miss Harman." a wink and a smile before he looks to the others, keeping leaned agains that desk. "though…an archery contest with Clint sounds promising. so long as he's ready to get beat again." let the games begin.
Goading Fitz into some pluck himself, Barton's shoulders square and the currently injured man stands a little straighter in approval. Good man, Leo. Good man. And while Fitz tries to figure out what the heck Clint could've thought the Beepy-Findy meant, he can only smile slyly.
He's no public school boy, either.
"It doesn't bounce the signal, doesn't absorb it, but lets it slide off it, am I getting that right?" Barton brings it about. Possibilities running through his head. None of them probably very good for others. "Fitz, you're a genius."
Yes, he knows.
"Not now. Two weeks," Clint holds up two fingers. To make it better, you see.
Mention of him needing a good challenge and so on, Clint arches an eyebrow at Thea, the opposite side of his mouth curving. "Oh, Ollie's more than aware of all that. Someone needs to put the kid through his marks. Make sure he doesn't get lazy." Kid? He's 11 months younger than you, Clint. Calm down. Just one more familiar jibe in good-natured humor. "'Again'? Thea, give Oliver here a touch, I think he's got a concussion. He's clearly remembering things incorrectly." He sits back, sliding up a chair while Thea lays out the details of her trip, allowing Barton a bow of his head forward, rocking a little with humor and a quickly habitual lick to the corner of his mouth as he comes back up, smiling at Fitz. "It'll be good for you. I'll make sure you don't get too lost."
Fitz looked to Thea and blushed faintly in his ears taking that likely the wrong way. "I'm good finding a room I think, but I appreciate it." Oh the confusion. Hey at least he was polite about it. Looking between teh archers he itched the back of his neck always pleasantly assured that the agents he sent his toys out with were actually grasping the intent and aptitude of the device itself. "Yeah that's… pretty much it." Either that was more hubris or confirmation on the tech. Possibly both. "I'm working on a hand relay unit and then I was thinking of reaching out to Pym and seeing about a suit modification. Imagine that you will be able to sneak up on people to be super loud at them." yes, not without dry wit. "Ya know, I don't know I've really got to see much of the US since I've been here. Well aside from teh secret explodiated chemical lab. But aside from that Just really New York and Baltimore. I'm in. Do I get time to pack a bag this time first?"
Thea will give Oliver a dazzling smile. "I wouldn't tease Clint about his physical condition, he's got a secret weapon in his corner." There's a sly slide of her gaze at Clint, before her brows lift. "Two weeks. You want to do this challenge hung over, Barton?" Oh yes, her amusement is running high. "I am sure if Mister Queen had a concussion, he would have been sent to me, Clint." There's a slight click of her teeth, a dagger of warning in that gaze.
She'll shake her head, when Barton is making promises. "You might want to think about who it is saying they'll make sure you don't get too lost, Fitz." She has to poke the bear that is Barton. "Well, gentlemen, I've gotten the assistance I came seeking, so I will leave you to your plans for debauchery and archery. Thank you again, Fitz." There's a glance over. "Mister Queen, a pleasure. If you're ever injured, be sure to look me up in medical." A tip of her head as her eyes find Barton. "Clint, try to make a stop into Medical sometime soon, please?" She doesn't head off, just yet.
Ollie just smiles softly at the competetive nature between himself and and Clint. Either way, he seems rather happy in his present situation. Though Thea's flirtations are certainly noticed, Ollie simply nods. a chuckle then as he looks to Fitz "smart words, Fitz, smart words. But they, it is what it is…" gotta respect that hubris.
Then he speaks wit hThea, chuckling softly. "Sure thing, Thea. Though you should meet my sister…you have the same first name." a soft smile for her then.
"Two weeks is what Fitz here has got to pack a bag, if that's enough time, Fitz?" Barton clarifies and taps his cane on the floor, letting it rest against his leg afterward with both hands freed up and held out. "I've shot with worse than a sprained ankle. Oliver and I got a standing invitation rule in place. I'm ready to go, anywhere, any time." Phrasing. Completely at ease in his competance with his skill, though entierly lost over what that sharpness was all for. He grabs his cane and taps it again on the floor, looking back toward Fitz. "Yeesh. And I'm always quiet before I'm super loud at them." Liar. "Doesn't make this any less amazing. When you get to testing on vehicles, ring me up, Fitz." Because Barton lives to get his hands on SHIELD issue vehicles of insanity and go joyriding. Doesn't get to do it nearly enough.
Thea goes to take her leave and Clint's attention turns back in her direction. A corner of his mouth slides higher than the other, slightly enigmatic but not bawdy in any fashion. Barton nods, tapping his cane again. "Sure, Thea. I'll come by before too long, how's that?"
Fitz snapped his fingers and remembered the other thing, "Speaking of you needing to talk to Clint, I replaced your antacid tablets. We needed to borrow them as an alkalai soluable." His attention swiveled bakck to his primary test d- …expert, Clint and he gave him a flat denial. "I'm not putting a cloaking device on anyhting groundbased. You'd somehow help it finds its way into the Hudson and we'd have little way to find it. I am…" Dammit CLint. He sighed and looked at Clint and Ollie, "I am working on a new motorcycle design which may have… quiver capability as there's four of you shooting. And potentially a new web arrow I'mve been comtiplating improvements with but really? … just…" They're impossible to tell no to because they'd do as they will anyways. He sighed and sliiiiiid the beepy-findy reader closer to himself. Safer. "Two weeks I can do. It'll be fun."
"Just wanted to check on your recovery, of course." Thea will direct at Clint, before she's toying with an earring. "Make sure the ankle is up to snuff and all."
"Aww, how sweet of you, Fitz, keeping Clint from being blamed for things missing." She'll grin, as she turns to head for the door, chuckling as she hears the poor scientist already mentally losing the battle to try and keep the crazy archers away from things that aren't ready. "I don't know if New Orleans is ready for this, fellas." She'll joke, before there's a glance over her shoulder for Oliver. "Thea or Althea? Because the latter is my actual name, and you could see why I prefer the former. Now you two don't drive Fitz to the madhouse, and I'm sure I'll see you in Medical at some point!" She'll wave over her shoulder, before she's humming along the hallway.