#but themmmmmm and thiiiis and more thing sith them i wanna chat and plot with ya and ahh&hh

[movedto-mastcrmarksman]

Others would take Clint as a downer, or their expressions would paint with concern. They might suggest that he get out here or offer some kind of alternative, worry even that he's already breaking sobriety although most probably didn't know that he was trying now.

He may have been avoiding McCoy because he would 9be on his ass about the glass in his hand; it would have been coming from a good place. However, he wasn't being a downer. Not really, he was challenging himself and proving that he had the power to make good decisions and right choices for himself. Later, he'll talk to his friend about the challenge and wants.

For the moment, for the night; he's just settling into his second, fourth, ninth chance. Clint wasn't going to exclude himself from the celebration, not directly involved, but watching from near enough.

❝ Use and abuse, but I got 'ere. Proved I could make it. ❞ He mumbles, but Jim seems to get what he was saying. Clint's thinking about that, the aptitude tests and interviews. The answers he had spun, half truths and hoping that he wasn't caught out to be some fraud; he wasn't a fraud but he didn't believe at the time he was going to be cut out for this.

A certainty that he was going to wash out. That's not the case anymore.

Clint laughs when Kirk ponders if his poison was the adrenaline. That's always been his poison, ❝ I wasn't the clearest about what I was doing before all this, but adrenaline has always been my mistress. I use to do stunts dropping from a hundred feet, no, uh, safeties or anything. ❞ He's done a lot more than that, and Clint will still brag about that life if even the chance. Risk the chance of being found out he use to run with some the biggest con artists on Earth.

The new captain doesn't miss a beat with that reminder that Clint's not sure why he's denying that his life was getting better, turning around. I'd rather drink apple juice with you was not comradiery that Clint had ever known. While his brother and him may have defended each other from their father, but life earlier on had everybody survive for himself.

Such a sentiment isn't one that he has known, ❝ Honestly, a cold glass of milk with chocolate in it would be my substitute. ❞ A light suggestion if there are any futures where Kirk shares a drink with Clint. He's saying nothing on the proud comment, when he had announced how long and it hadn't been that long, he's managed to battle his liquor demons off.

A smile is earned with a laugh, glad that the glass doesn't go to waste, and Jim's boisterious becomes infectious, ❝ Guess I must'va been saving that for you. ❞ He comments as Kirk downs the glass in a go.

Clint was excited, he may not seem like it and that's a lot of bullcrap about Starfleet and sciences thar he doesn't care for. No excitement there, but he passed the piloting courses; its nothing like what he use to doing, but he liked it. ❝ Oh, I am. ❞ Deathly terrified, hated the idea of no dirt and blue skies; but he's always was one for challenging death. Space is death (and disease adds another voice), he really did spend too many nights at McCoy's.

❝ Definitely not looking back. Nothing in Iowa will be missed, certainly no worse place than Iowa. ❞

Jim  doesn’t  view  his  friend’s  melancholy  as  rain  on  his  parade.       rather,       he’s  almost  scared  to  ask  what  the  cause  is.       the  amber  glimmer  of  the  liquid  resting  idly  in  his  glass  doesn’t  go  unnoticed.       doubt  virtually  bubbles  in  his  throat,       but  before  it  can  form  into  words  stringing  a  question,       he  shoves  them  down  in  the  depths  of  his  heart.

he  trusts  him.       although  they  are  not  yet  as  close  as  they’re  destined  to  be  in  the  following  years,       there’s  an  inexplicable,       established  system  of  gravity  between  the  sun       &       the  moon,       both  equally  in  need  of  each  other.       ❝          yeah,       i  remember.          ❞       he  confirms  quietly,       barely  wiping  the  grin  off  his  face  with  Clint’s  commentary.      

❝          it  sounds  like  alcohol  had  its  uses  for  you  when  you  needed  it,       but  that  doesn’t  mean  it  has  to  stick  around  forever.          ❞       he  adds  as  he  recalls  his  interview.       he’s  convinced  that  the  real  reason  they  let  Kirk  in  was  so  that  he  would  shut  up       &       stop  being  disrespectful,       annoying       &       a  proud  display  of  ego  with  a  basis  in  his  aptitude  tests.      

those  on  the  Enterprise,       especially  Clint,       are  not       EMPTY       people.       not  talent,       no,       empty  hearts       &       minds                             there’s  no  such  concept  on  his  ship.       holy  shit,       he  has       HIS       ship.       he  reaches  for  the  other’s  glass  slowly,       his  index  finger  drawing  a  circle  on  the  rim,       his  grip  gently  undulating  the  liquid.      

❝          what’s  your  poison  now       ?       we  always  switch  one  thing  for  the  other.       is  it  the  adrenaline  rush  of  being  in  near-death  situations       ?          ❞

clearly,       they  have  plenty  of  those  in  Starfleet.       there  will  be  no  shortage.       his  words  are  mere  quips       &       that  fact  is  revealed  when  his  tone  shifts,       losing  its  mirth  for  sincerity.       ❝          i’m  proud  of  you,       you  know       ?          ❞       a  shake  of  his  head,       he  sighs  into  the  glass  he  brings  to  his  lips.       ❝          i’d  rather  have  apple  juice  with  you  than  have  this  by  myself,       but  i  better  not  let  it  go  to  waste.          ❞       with  one  motion,       he  finishes  off  the  glass.

boisterous       &       bright,       Jim  continues  to  act  like  Jim.       ❝          get  excited       !       we’re  gonna  have  so  much  fun  out  there       !       i  won’t  even  look  back  at  Iowa,       not  even  once.       i  don’t  think  so.       i'm  not  sure  if  you  will  either.          ❞