mental link; day :052

[cognitived]

broodlyfe;

[ A spark, gleaming, glittering, a growing thread of consciousness where before there was nothing. The sense of growing awareness, slumber clinging, dragging him down even as he breathes. In, out, eyes open, know your surroundings--

He wakes, shaking off the vestiges of too long slumber, confusion seeping through the threads of connection. Hands reaching out, a wordless question, what happened? ]

errybody;

[ It doesn't take Clint too long to adjust. Sam's there, after all, all worry and relief, familiar. But after Clint takes the time to peel off heart monitors and check on Rey sleeping near him, there's a perfunctory knock on mental walls, a nest wide reach. There's too many empty spaces, dark where before minds gleamed.

He's been asleep for too long. ]

( Looks like I slept through a hurricane or two. ) [ wry amusement. ] ( Anybody up to giving me an update? )

Comments

[quivers]

[ The first Clint could be dead. For as long as she's been here, there's been no way to confirm or deny that possibility. It wasn't like she was replacing her partner, her mentor, her namesake, but it was still Clint she'd found here — a second chance.

Only she'd gotten worried a bit there. Days that he'd fallen asleep with no hint of when he'd pop back around. It wasn't long, but it was long enough. So when she hears his voice in the back of her head, relief vanquishes the heaviness that finally brings out a sigh. ]

( Geez, how old are you that you actually need nap time? )

[ She hasn't been worried sick about him or anything. ]

[cognitived]

[ He perks up a bit hearing the familiar lilt of her voice. Kate. Clint responds to her instantaneously, the edge of humor building into something true. He hasn't been in the mind to miss anybody, not under the deep dark of slumber for the past few days. But still. ]

( Sounds like someone missed her naptime. )

[ It's good to hear her voice. ]

[quivers]

[ It's not like she's going to admit her worry, but her own mind is a traitor. The clench of relief stretches through the course of her thoughts like taffy, almost like it's translating the helpless smile that isn't entirely visible but felt. ]

( Come on, someone had to play the role of "Grouchy Hawkeye" while you were out. Just kind of groaned a lot and kept some ice on my hip. Totally nailed it. )

[cognitived]

[ Yeah, yeah, they're too similar. Clint's already puzzled that out, but he's reminded of it again. Her relief ebbs at his mind, the impression of a smile he can't see. He'd tease her for being transparent, but he's just the same, grinning helplessly. ]

( Not much different from usual, then. ) [ ha! ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ Sam hadn't realized how much he and Clint were in each other's heads until Clint was gone and he felt the absence - and maybe not even until right now, when Clint wakes up. It's like a flood, as the faded mental link between him and Clint strengthens once again, the familiar presence of Clint's mind at the back of his. It's not quite as all encompassing as when Bucky'd woken back up and there was another piece of his brood back into place, almost whole, but it's still a hell of a lot.

He'd been sprawled out on the floor, bundled up in the blanket nest, not really asleep, but he sits up immediately when he feels the spark of Clint's mind returned to the Nest. For moment, he just breathes, in and out in time with Clint like they've done a handful of times before, right back in sync. It's - this is - well, shit.

There's no words, and he's pretty sure with the amount of poking he'd done at the faded connection between him and Clint, his shields were down enough for Clint to pick up at least some of just how damn worried Sam'd been and just how damn glad he is that Clint's back. It's probably better that way, when the last time they talked about something like that Sam got a little carried away. ]

'Bout time. I was starting to think you were aiming for Lifetime to pick up your biographical movie.

[cognitived]

[ As far as Clint was concerned, nothing changed. He went to bed one day, and then he woke up to Sam's mind sweeping through his like a flood. Too much, for the already sleep dazed assassin -- which is, in and of itself, unusual -- and his confusion surfaces, beating with each synchronized breath.

There's something not right, the subtle feeling that things changed, and it's the soft beeping off side that draws Clint's attention. He blinks awake, shoving up from the bed, dizzied, and glances around. Sam's in the corner, he knows, worried and relieved and ha hadn't gone anywhere, had he? But there's the slightly off tick of heart monitors, and soft breathing, and -- well hell, that's Rey right there.

What. His mind supplies, a wordless question, even as Sam speaks up. ]

Lifetime? Hell, that's shootin' small, Falcon.

[ Banter, easy, even as Clint picks off the monitors attached to him. He's been here long enough to guess what this means, after the few times he's seen Nestmates fall into coma. ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ If Sam hadn't already been aware that they were in pretty deep, he probably would've figured it out around the time that too much felt better. There's a part of him that wonders if maybe he should've caught on to it that first night they were jolted into anxiety, when the press of their minds together shifted from overwhelming to reassuring.

Doesn't really matter all that much now, though, and Sam attempts to get his own thoughts in order as he watches Clint untangle himself from the monitors, and keeps falling back on banter. It's a tendency they both have, really, easy to fall back into when there's something just under the surface that he doesn't know how to broach yet.

Instead, he chuckles. ]

Figured it was a step above Oxygen, and I don't know if we're exactly cut out for fairy tales.

[ He shifts to the side enough that there's room for two to sit on the pile of blankets, gesturing Clint over. ]

Come here, so we don't disturb Rey, huh? Let me take a look at you.

[shiro2hero]

[Weird how, for a second, it felt like drowning. Like being pulled down into somewhere deep. Bottomless. It takes him a minute to shake it off, or, more accurately, slam starry walls into place and peel himself back from it. It doesn't entirely work -- because of the whole "brood" connection. But it's enough to orient himself back where he is.]

[And quietly offer back:]

You're awake.

[cognitived]

( Shiro. )

[ Quiet relief, the soft edge of stars flitting at the edge of his mind. Well that's one accounted for, aside from Rey who slumbers away off to his right. ]

( How long was I out? )

[shiro2hero]

(A while. Days, I think. I think I lost track somewhere.)

[You know, since the whole 'mental link' thing sort of slammed it home just how deep the connection ran. Hard to handle it and pay attention to the date.]

(Are you all right?)

[cognitived]

[ That...sounds about accurate, and yet it settles uneasily beneath his skin. Clint doesn't like the idea of falling asleep and waking up at some unknown whim. ]

( As can be, yeah. ) [ wry. ] ( Feels like I just overslept. )

[shiro2hero]

(I'd say maybe you needed it, but I think we both know that's not the case.)

[It's not funny, either.]

(Do you remember anything that happened... before?)

welcome back nonna

[deployed]

[ Clint's faint spark of consciousness pings in the back of Bellamy's mind. The answering caress of his thoughts comes as if from a great distance. It's almost as if Bellamy's trying to communicate with poor cellphone reception; the impression of relief is static, muted but just possible to make out.

If he responds to Clint's question, it's lost. The connection is barely sustainable, and soon fades out again. ]