ibelieveinarrows | But I stood my ground and I'll fly once more, it's the last oath that I ever swore

Steve is not having a good day.

That's fairly rare for him. Normally he can keep it together, or at least have the appearance of keeping it together. His bad days are quiet affairs, private ones, not the screaming, crying breakdowns he's seen some of the others come to. Usually.

He's not screaming now, but he is crying, curled in the quietest, darkest corner he can find to squeeze himself into. It's still too loud, too much. He's bleeding from crescents on his palm and if he keeps scratching at the skin around his ears he's going to start bleeding there too. He's not sobbing anymore, at least; tears are just slipping quietly down his face as he sits there, rocking slightly and trying to focus on the sound of his own breathing. Anything to calm down, to stop listening to all the thoughts that pass through his brain. To be better, like he usually is.

Clint is practicing, holed up with the targets and his weapons. And it is weapons this time, plural; his favorite bow is in his hands, quiver strapped across his back, but there's a gun lying on the bench and a target full of bullet holes instead of arrows among the ones he's been working with. He still likes his arrows better, but it never hurts to stay sharp with multiple weapons. He's considering trying throwing knives too.

But for right now, it's him and the bow and the bullseye. Anyone dropping by should maybe try not to startle him.

Coulson has files in hand, but he's not looking at them at the moment, his eyes closed and the other hand rubbing his temples. He needs a second before he can dive back into it. It's important, looking over the evaluations of the newest rescues, figuring out who needs to be put into safe keeping and who might be approached to help them out, but it's also hard to read about what these kids have been through. This girl is only a year younger than Darcy, and he can't stop putting his daughter in her place; it turns his stomach to think about it.

He'll go back to it, but he needs a moment first.

Loki is tied up, so securely that he can't slip the bonds, even just enough to get to one of the knives they missed when they took his weapons. It's for his own safety and everyone else's, this time, and just in the nick of time. It wouldn't have been much longer before he'd done something to endanger them all.

He isn't gagged, just tied, and he's humming to himself as he works against his bonds, not accomplishing anything but rubbing his wrists and ankles raw. It doesn't seem to bother him very much, but then, not much can get through the manic fog at the moment.

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Pepper has been doing a very similar job to Coulson. She lends a hand when they need it and she's not busy working with Tony and he's busy doing repairs on his ship at the moment.

She knocks on his door and has a cup of coffee in her hands. She knows what he's doing and who's on his mind, psychic powers not needed and she thought he could probably use the company, if not just the caffeine.

"Mind if I join you' she questions with a small smile.

He looks up at the knock, and despite the strain he has a smile for her when he sees her. "Not at all. Pull up a chair," he says, gesturing at the other side of his desk.

Pepper's always good company; he doesn't see her often, compared to some of the others on the ship, but it's always good to.

"Is there something that brings you here, or did you just come to visit?" he asks, though he's not particularly against either one. Well, unless there's something big going on, but he's fairly certain he'd have heard already if there was.

She smiles offering him the coffee. "Just a visit, don't worry. Nothing's exploded."

Which really, is not the worst thing that could happen but she's trying to be light.

"How are you?"

Well, it might not be the worse, but it wouldn't be pleasant, either. It's always good to know they won't be falling out of the sky yet.

"As well as can be expected, while we're getting things settled. I'll be doing better now that I have this," he adds with a smile, holding up the cup before taking a drink. "What about you?"

It is true and considering Tony is involved, it's always a possibility.

She nods. "I thought as much. It's been a little hectic everywhere." She smiles a little at him. "At least I think things should be calming down a little after the intake is done. Or well, ass calm as it ever is."

"I can handle our usual level of busy. This is pushing it." He probably wouldn't say it to most of the people on board with them, but Pepper is different. Not likely to take it as something to report to Fury, or something to crack jokes about, for one thing, which already takes out most of the non-former-student personnel.

He eyes the file in his hand for a second before shutting it and setting it on the desk, leaning forward against it. "What have they got you doing, when Tony can spare you for a minute?"

She nods, smiling a little tiredly at him. "I understand," she agrees. It's..." She makes a gesture with one hand.

A shrug. "Nothing interesting. Mostly just the intakes that you're not working on. I think they didn't want to stick you with everything."

"Head-spinning?" he suggests. "Tiring? Not leaving any space on anyone's desks?"

He smiles a little. "I appreciate the help. I know it's not exactly your job."

She laughs. "Yes, that."

That makes her smile and she leans over, touching him lightly. "I'm happy to do it. Besides, I don't think half the people on this ship know what my job is and if I keep agreeing to help I encourage a betting pool."

He smiles, shaking his head a little. "I would start it, but then I don't get to win it. Maybe I'll drop a few hints and see if I can get someone else to start one."

"You're a creative man," she tells him with a wink. "I think you could get something started."

"I do my best," he answers dryly, though the tone is ruined by the smile he's still wearing. He leans back in his chair, taking a long sip of coffee before setting it back down on the desk, looking at her more seriously. "While I've got you here, though, how does this group look to you so far?"

At the question, her easy smile grows just a little tight. "I was waiting for that," she says, though she doesn't sound pleased by it.

"From what I've seen so far, a quarter of the kids aree too lost at this point." It makes her wince but they've had worse intake sessions. "There are a few of them that they didn't get to yet, at least in my set, and the rest are..." she gestures for a moment. "They need time to recuperate before I can say anything."

He looks apologetic, but he doesn't stop her from going on. It's important that they know what's going on, as much as he hates talking about it.

He nods slowly after she finishes, tapping lightly on the desk as he considers. "That's what I'm seeing, too. I'd say closer to half of the files I've gotten through aren't going to be able to even get the offer. A lot of them are going to be hard to place safely, too. Some of them might be sticking around just to keep from endangering anybody else."

"Yeah,' she says with a shake of her head. "I thought you'd say as much."

She looks tird all of a sudden. Not worn down exactly but just a little tired, a little weaker than sh did before. "

But I stood my ground and I'll fly once more, it's the last oath that I ever swore

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