Chapter 5
As Clint’s first week in the house comes to an end, Phil can only be glad no fights broke out within the household. On a behavioral level, Clint is nowhere near being one of Phil’s most difficult charges. However, that doesn’t mean he’s had an easy transition into the household. His interactions with the other house members are slim, he doesn’t speak in group, and he isn’t much better during his one-on-ones. The biggest struggle of them all, though, has been the nightly nebulizer treatments. He will fight tooth and nail so as to not do them, but Phil has found that if they do it away from the rest of the house the boy won’t fight as much.
Today’s Sunday, though, which means it’s a day for everyone to relax. There’s no set wake up time, no classes/tutor sessions, chores are able to be done at a leisurely pace, and overall everyone is in a relatively good mood. It’s a day that Phil often looks forward to, so as the morning went on he was glad that things were going smoother than other moments of the week had been.
But he knew that this wasn’t something that could last long.
“Thor! Games on!” Steve shouted from the living room just as the opening music for NFL Sunday Gameday began to kick in.
Clint had been walking down from his room to go grab some water just as Steve yelled up the stairs, and had he not been able to feel the vibrations in the stairs he feared he would easily have been tackled by the running blonde man. Luckily he moved out of the way just in time, though, he did stumble as he reached the bottom step, and the only reason he didn’t trip completely was due to a set of arms balancing him out.
“Need help walking now, too?” Bucky snorted as he removed his hands from the boy’s upper arms.
“Didn’t need your help,” Clint grunts as he pushes the older boy away from him rather harshly.
“You’ve said that a couple of times now, and yet I keep on having to help you,” Bucky said as he shoved the boy back, much lighter than Clint had done.
Regardless of how light Bucky shoved the boy Clint appeared to not be okay with is and soon enough a fist was being drawn back. Just as Clint was about to take a swing as the significantly bigger boy, he felt someone grasp it from behind as another arm wrapped itself around his chest.
“Nuh-uh, Clint, breathe. We’re not starting fights this early in the day especially about something silly like this,” Phil says in a booming voice as he begins to guide the boy into the family room so that they can have their sit down earlier than anticipated. “Go sit down Clint, and Bucky if you don’t behave you’ll be spending the rest of the day doing all the chores on the chore wheel.”
“I didn’t even-” Bucky begins to argue only to get cut off.
“Don’t wanna hear it right now. Just behave and watch your football game. No more taunting.”
As Phil shut the door he couldn’t help but sigh as he began to rub his temple to fight the building migraine. As he turned around though he couldn’t help but frown at how Clint has once again sat himself on the floor, back against the wall, knees tucked up under his chin.
“Come sit up on the couch, Clint,” Phil advises. The boy scoots forward towards the couch until he is positioned in front of the coffee table right in front of the couch, however, he remains sitting on the floor. “Alright then, let’s sit here.”
“You can sit on the couch,” Clint says when he sees Phil beginning to adjust himself on the floor in front of the boy, the table being the only barrier between the two.
“As can you, but if you prefer to sit down here I can make do with that,” Phil says and gives the boy a moment to move, however, when he doesn’t he continues. “What happened with Bucky?”
“He’s stupid!” Clint couldn’t help but immediately reply.
And, honestly, this is the most honest Clint’s been since getting here. While Phil doesn’t like the kids calling each other’s names, in Clint’s case this is the closest thing they’ve had to a breakthrough during their one-on-ones.
“Alright, let’s try to think of a different word to use. What occurred that makes you think he’s stupid?”
“H-he-he just is! He thinks cause he’s older that he knows more and can do more, but-but I know things, too! I’m not just some little kid!” Clint can’t help but seethe, resting his forehead between his hands in frustration.
“You’re very smart Clint, very resourceful and intuitive. You can’t let Bucky’s teasing comments get to you like this, though, alright? I don’t think Bucky is stupid, but I know that sometimes he speaks before thinking. And he’s not the best at realizing when he’s pushed buttons a little too hard. But, once people tell him he’s really good at backing off. So you wanna know something that you can potentially do?”
“What?”
“During group, something we often do is if there are any grievances between housemates you’re allowed to talk it out during that time. And that way you can also make it known to everyone what certain things you don’t like being said or done to you.”
“He’ll just call me a whining little kid,” Clint said, now looking up at the man again.
“No he won’t because that’s not what group is for. Group is meant for conversation,” Phil says to the boy genuinely. “Would you like to try doing that later today?”
Clint sat quietly for a bit, but Phil could tell the boy was thinking about it all. He could see the thoughts swirling in the boy’s head with how fidgety he began to become the longer he stayed silently sitting. Just as Phil thought the boy was going to speak up, though, someone knocked on the door only to then have the head of Nick Fury pop in.
“Just wanted to let you know I’m here, but you guys can finish up your conversation,” Nick said as he noticed the two were having a serious moment.
However, before the man could retract his form, Clint was standing up exiting the room leaving Phil to assume their conversation was over.
“We’re just about done. How about us three go talk in my office?” Phil says as he also stands and begins to make his way through the living room, placing a gentle arm around Clint’s shoulder as he guides him into his office space.
The second Clint walked through the doors he was quick to shrug Phil’s arm from his shoulder, however, much to Phil’s pleasure the boy seated himself in a chair rather than the typical spot on the ground Clint likes to take. Nick then grabbed the chair beside the boy, giving him a small smile as he noticed the boy kicking his legs back-n-forth on the seat since he couldn’t quite reach the floor.
“So I know you’ve probably got a lot on your plate today, Phil, so we can jump right into it: how was your first week here, Clint?” Nick asks, turning between Phil to the boy.
“It was fine, got new hearing aids,” Clint replies.
“That’s good. Yeah I heard from your doctor that we got your physical done, and I’m glad that we’re getting everything taken care of. I’m a little bit more curious on how your week here at the house was?.”
“Like I said, it was fine,” Clint said again, though, this time he’s quick to throw a glare up at his social worker.
“Alright, well, we’re gonna look at your folder for the week, so I just wanted to give you a chance to discuss anything I see in it. I’m guessing I’m gonna be getting nothing but fine remarks,” Nick states in a neutral voice.
Upon that statement, Phil can’t help but notice the subtle change in the boy’s body language, which from past experience he knows is what Nick was intending for. He knows Nick doesn’t actually care what the folders say. Sure he likes to know how his charges are doing, but he doesn’t care whether they behaved incredibly or poorly that week according to Phil’s flow sheet. What he does care about is making sure the kids own up to what they do, whether good or bad. He likes communication, which is why Phil has always thought of Nick as his favorite social worker.
Nick gives the boy a moment to speak up, however, when he doesn’t he turns back to Phil and extends a hand out for the folder from the week. Inside was a report from Phil, Maria, Sam, and a general comment sheet from the other workers in the house who may have had small interactions with Clint throughout the day but not enough to get their own sheet.
“Hmm, this is interesting,” Nick states as he skims through the papers. “Seems like you’ve been marked for having a couple of spats with housemates and you’re not participating in group or with the counselors. Oh, wait, this is good, or rather it’s fine, though. Seems like you haven’t had problems doing your chores and following most of the house rules. Oh, and Sam gave you good marks on doing your school work.”
“See? Fine,” Clint says, though, you could tell that he didn’t actually believe Nick would think his write up was fine.
“Actually when we look at the overall ranking for yourself this week I think you fall under having some rather poor behavior. There’s a lot of needs improvement marked down, huh, strange, there’s even some needs improvement marked under personal habits. Should I set up a lesson to teach you how to use silverware and how to take a proper shower?”
Phil could see the anger growing on Clint’s face with every comment Nick made. He knew this is what the older man was trying to do; he was trying to get Clint to realize he’s allowed to express his feelings and emotions, however, this time around Phil isn’t sure it’s in the best interest of Clint for Nick to be doing this. However, it seemed Phil chose to jump in a bit too late.
“Nick, I don’t think-” Phil starts only for the small boy seated on the seat jumps upward, chair crashing onto the floor in the process.
“You’re such a dick! You pretend that you care about kids but you don’t! You probably just like going around finding broken kids and pushing them as much as you can only to always come back and tell them they ain’t worth shit. Well it won’t work on me, alright?! That paper doesn’t say shit, I’m fine!” Clint screams, and before he could approach Nick and do god knows what, Phil was able to rush around the table and restrain the boy back.
Now Phil’s used to swearing in the house, however, Clint’s the youngest ward he’s had, and he won’t lie by saying the boy’s strong language threw him for a twist. He also was slightly surprised at what the boy chose to say because it actually did share some of his current emotions.
“Clint, breathe, okay? Breathe, calm down, and I’ll let you go,” Phil states as the boy struggles against his chest.
It takes the boy a couple of breaths, but he does manage to calm himself down on his own.
“Clint, can you look at me?” Nick says this time, his figure now crouched down on one knee so that he is below Clint’s height. The boy huffs out a couple more times before his eyes lock on the older man. “I know you probably don’t see it right now, but I do care about you and that’s why I come by to check on how you’re doing. But I want you to listen to that statement again: I come here to know how you’re doing. I’m not coming to read what Phil and Maria and all the other staff members have to say about you and how they think you’re doing. If that’s all I cared about I would have them just fax me a copy. Your name has quite literally been on my desk for two years. Believe me when I say I’m invested in how you’re doing, and I want to make sure we can do everything possible to make sure the system doesn’t fail you anymore.”
Clint’s eyes at one point or another turned away from Nick, however, by the way his body actually appeared to visibly relax, everyone could tell he was still listening.
“M’sorry I yelled at you,” Clint manages to force himself say, though, you can tell it is a genuine apology.
“It’s okay, Clint, I’ve had some much nastier things said to me,” Nick says now back in his tall standing stance. “Now, I’m not gonna push you to talk to me today, but I will be coming back next Sunday again. I’m hoping next week we’re able to talk about things before I see your folder, okay? For now, though, is there anything you want to say or ask me?”
There was a clear moment when a thought popped into Clint’s head, however, there was also a clear retraction of the idea of asking. Nick was going to encourage the boy to speak up, however, with a subtle nudge from Phil, Nick decided to allow the boy to decide for himself he wants to bring it up. It took a couple more moments before finally the boy was taking a big breath and looking back up to the two adults.
“Where’s Barney?” Clint all but whispers.
And honestly, Phil is shocked they’ve lasted a week without the boy questioning the whereabouts of his brother.
“Your brother was taken to the local precinct for assault a couple weeks ago. He had his preliminary hearing where the judge set out a bail, but last I was informed he hadn’t been able to post bail. So right now he’s waiting for sentencing which will probably be in a couple of weeks,” Nick explained.
“D-does he know I got caught, too?” Clint asks innocently that Phil nearly couldn’t hold back his coo.
“I wouldn’t say we caught you, kid. You were a missing kid and now you’re not. But yes he was informed you had been found during his bail hearing through his lawyer.”
“Can-uh- is there- um, can I see him?”
Nick and Phil both have to look away from the boy’s hopeful eyes because, honestly, they don’t know how to answer him. In cases of runaway siblings, it isn’t always the best to bring them back together especially when one of them is now in a custody sort of setting. On the other hand, the boy hasn’t asked for anything else since being found, and this could be used as a way to gain more of his trust.
“It’s something we can look into, bud,” Phil says, now crouching down similar to how Nick had earlier. “There are no promises because jails have a lot of regulations and you’re gonna be starting real classes with Sam soon, so that on top of our group and regular sessions you’re gonna have a lot on your plate. But we can look into it, alright?”
“I’ll be real good, I can be real good,” Clint mumbles while looking down. “Just maybe?”
“We can definitely give you a maybe,” Nick says while shuffling the boy’s hair up.
As Clint shot the man a beaming smile, Nick wished the two a good week before exiting the office.
“Clint, what do you think of us finishing our one-on-one after dinner tonight? We’ll probably have group around five-ish, so that gives you a bit of time in between to relax and do your own thing,” Phil says as he begins to collect some stuff from his desk.
“Alright,” the boy says without question before walking out of the office leaving the older man to chuckle at how nonchalant and sporadic the boy’s mood can be.
After the meeting with Nick, Clint had gone to go seek refuge in his room, however, after being up there for just a bit over an hour Scott– one of the staff members that apparently works mainly weekends– made the boy come downstairs for lunch and hopefully to get him to interact with everyone else. Maria smiled upon seeing the boy and she was glad to receive a smile back, however, you couldn’t help but sigh when no one else in the house acknowledged the boy and instead all kept up with their own group conversation.
Lunch seemed quiet, though, Maria knew it wasn’t. On one side of the table Bruce, Natasha, Pepper, and Thor all were talking and joking amongst each other, however, her eyes kept going to Clint who remained silent the entire meal. She could see his eyes on the group, though, it was fixed more with a look of confusion than desire to enter the conversation. As if even with his new hearing aids he was having difficulty deciphering who was saying what or maybe things were just clustering together. Regardless of what it was, it was definitely something Maria was gonna ask Clint about or at the very least mention to Phil so he could try to figure something out.
Maria!” A voice dralled on, drawing her attention back to the rest of the table. As she turns her head back to her four main wards she noted that it was Natasha who had called her. “Can we go outside?”
“Yeah that sounds like a good idea, it’s a beautiful day outside, I was even thinking we would do group in front of the fireplace tonight,” Maria said with a smile.
She notes the four smiles being casted back over to her as well as one intrigued look. Without another word, though, the four smiling faces are quick to put their dishes in the sink and enter out the back door. Maria can’t help but be hopeful as she sees Clint get up to put his stuff in the sink that the boy follows the other kids outside, however, she frowns when she notices the boy just moving to do dishes.
“Are you still on dish duty, Clint? Who’s supposed to be helping you?” Maria says as she stands from the table.
“I didn’t know when the wheel switches but I think so,” the boy mumbles shyly. “Bucky’s been doing them with me.”
“We switch during group on Sunday, and since Bucky isn’t here right now I’ll help you with these,” Maria says with a smile.
“Where’s Bucky?”
“I believe Phil took him, Steve, and Tony out to a movie for their monthly adventure.”
In all honesty, Maria should have realized that Clint may have been a bit upset about not being included in the group's outing since he is one of Phil’s wards, however, she wasn’t expecting the solemn expression that took over his face. In fact, she actually hadn’t even noticed the boy was put off by the whole thing until she was reaching for the last plate to dry. No one could miss the way the boy was practically biting his lip off to prevent himself from making any noises, as well as the slightest bit of moisture building near his eyes.
“Clint, are you okay, sweetheart?” Maria says, kneeling in front of the boy like so many adults had been doing to him all day long. Rather than actually replying Clint just furiously nods his head as he’s quick to bring the sleeve of his hoodie up towards his face to wipe anything away from his eyes. “Hun, it’s okay. If you want to-”
“Can I go outside?” Clint manages to rush out, and though Maria would rather talk to the boy she knows she hasn’t built the relationship Phil has been working on, and doesn’t want to hinder any potential progress that has been made.
“Of course, honey, go on and join everyone outside,” Maria says, now standing, allowing for the boy to quickly run by her.
As Clint got outside he couldn’t help but mentally burrate himself because why was he getting so upset that Phil didn’t invite him to the movies? On top of him being new in the house, he hadn’t behaved well this week. He had nearly fought two people today alone, so it shouldn’t be a shock at all...but for some reason he was still hurt by it all. Wiping at his face once more, he began to walk into the yard where he was quick to note Bruce and Thor were playing a game of HORSE while Natasha and Pepper seemed to be laid out tanning while each reading a book.
Not exactly knowing what to do, Clint made his way over to where the two girls were sitting so that he was near the group and Maria couldn’t force him inside to talk about anything more.
“Hi Clint, decided to finally give us all a chance into proving we’re not all rude?” Pepper says with a smile to the boy as she marks a page on her book.
“I-I never thought you were rude,” Clint says while giving the girl a confused look, head tilted to the side.
“The faces you give us all during lunch and dinner would say otherwise,” Natasha says this time.
“Yeah, you’ve got a very expressive face,” Pepper chuckles, flipping over so that she’s now laying on her stomach and tilts her sunglasses down ever so slightly.
“Oh, um, I can’t- I couldn’t-, uh, it’s hard to hear what everyone’s saying when everyone talks at the same time or there’s different conversations. I get confused,” Clint explains while tucking his knees under his chin and turning his body to look towards Thor and Bruce since he felt Natasha and Pepper weren’t his biggest fans.
“Oh my god, I didn’t realize that,” Pepper says in a voice so genuine that Clint is more than slightly shocked. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to come off as a bitch right now, just we’ve had new kids come into the house who think they’re too good for everyone. Like never talk to anyone and just like act judgey about everyone else’s issues that are mentioned during group.”
“S’okay, I’m used to it,” Clint says before going back to watching the guys play.
“So how come you didn’t go with Phil and the rest of your group?” Natasha asks the boy, curious as to why he had been left behind.
“Wasn’t invited.”
“Well, that’s not too surprising. Phil likes to wait for us to adjust before we’re allowed to go on adventures out of the house,” Pepper says.
“Well, we can go on adventures within the house, c’mon let’s go do something, Clint,” Natasha says.
The boy gives her a questioning look as if to ask if she’s serious. Since their one time at Target he and Natasha hadn’t really talked. And like his memories of her from that day weren’t the best, but at the same time she had been having a rough day so he knows she probably is actually nice and not always so hot tempered.
“Well?” she asks in an impatient manner.
“You wanna play with me?” Clint questions, head once again quirked to the side.
Natasha threw a glare to Pepper when she cooed at the boy before looking back to the smaller boy with an unimpressed expression.
“I’m 14, Clint, I don’t play. I’m just suggesting we do something so that you don’t have to keep looking like a kicked puppy waiting for Phil to come back.”
“Oh, yeah, I didn’t mean play. I don’t play either,” Clint stumbles over his words causing Pepper to stifle a chuckle, as he begins to get to his feet. “What do you wanna do?”
“How about we collect some wood so that Phil can’t say no to group in front of the firepit? It’ll also mean we get marshmallows for dessert,” Natasha suggests as she puts her bathing suit cover back on.
Clint doesn’t even reply; he just follows after the older girl over to the edge of the yard where they could find larger sticks. As the two begin to collect firewood, Bruce and Thor take over the chair Natasha had just been sitting on and look at Pepper with goofy smiles.
“Can’t believe we finally got a puppy!” Thor teases.
“Thor do not!” Pepper says while smiling as she lightly slaps Thor with her book. “Not to quote Bucky or anything, but he definitely does have a bit of a bite.”
“Not from what I see,” Bruce adds in before looking up to make sure they’re still far enough away that Clint wouldn’t be able to hear them. “All of his, like, machismo goes out the window at night or something. When I walk into the room to go to bed he’s curled up on his bed with his back to me and Tony’s side, but, like, he’s shaking like a leaf. Like he’s waiting for someone to come up and pull something on him. I don’t think he’s been sleeping cause there’s been times when I wake up at night and he’s just sitting up on his bed looking around the room. Tony and I have considered telling Phil, but, like, kids only been here a week so we’re thinking he’s still just adjusting.”
“Has anyone been able to confirm a story about him?” Pepper asks as she looks towards the two, very aware that Natasha is hanging out with him so that Pepper could get gossip but also with only the slightest bit of intentions to befriend the boy. Or at least so Natasha claims.
“Can definitely confirm he was a runaway and lived on the streets for the past two years. Can’t imagine being 10 years old and on the streets. Like I had bad foster homes, but I would have been dead or caught within a couple weeks if I were on the street,” Bruce says.
“Well he wasn’t alone. Heard Nick mentioning something about a brother. I guess that’s the only reason Clint actually got caught. His brother got arrested, and when they finger printed him they realized that these runaways were alive so they started looking for Clint again. Think his brother is older though, like aged out,” Thor adds in.
“Maybe we should force him to hang with everyone more, maybe he’ll stop just sitting on the floor then,” Pepper says while giving the boy one last glance before going back to her book.
“Did you have a nice time playing stick collectors?”
Clint had just walked into the kitchen to fill up his water bottle when the teasing voice came up behind him out of nowhere. As he whipped himself around, though, he already knew who he’d be seeing so the glare had already been present on his face.
“I wasn’t playing! I was just helping,” Clint says with a glare as he goes on with his original task.
“Nah I heard you got all excited when Tasha said you should go do something. Got all puppy-eyed and ready to play,” Bucky remarks back as he reaches over the back of the boy to grab an orange.
Clint could feel the anger he had felt pent up all day return to his chest, however, somehow he knew he needed to calm down. And more surprisingly he was able to calm himself down on his own.
“Whatever, I don’t care,” Clint mumbles as he tries to get around the bigger boy.
“What, no comeback of not being a kid? Huh, look at that, growing up right before our eyes.”
As Clint managed to push past the older boy, he also had to maneuver himself around Steve as well who had just walked into the kitchen. He figured since Bucky and Steve are best friends the blonde boy would also try to make some teasing comments, so he was quick to try and find somewhere to hide out until group session began. Because he was more concerned with getting out of the room, though, he didn’t notice Steve’s unimpressed, if not angry, look he had directed straight at Bucky.
Clint knew it was pointless to go up to his room cause he’d be told that group is starting soon, plus Bruce and Tony were up there working on some tech thing or another. Everyone else was in front of the couch watching the end of some movie, but Clint didn’t feel like sitting near them at the moment. Scared that Natasha had thought his play comment was more ridiculous than she had initially led on and got the whole house to laugh at him over it.
As he looked around for somewhere to seek refuge, the front door caught his eye.
Throughout the week he saw nearly everyone in the house freely walk out the front door and sit out on one of the rocking chairs on the front porch. He doesn’t specifically remember being told he could do that, but it wasn’t on the list of places that Phil had told him he needed supervision to be on. As he walked out the door, he even chose to leave the main door open and just shut the glass paneled one so that people inside would know he’s planning on booking it.
As he sits in the rocking chair all he can do is think. Not about just one thing, but about everything. He’s been here one week, and just everything is already so different. With so many thoughts going through his head, without even realizing it he took his hearing aids out because right now he didn’t want those other noises.
Barney’s in jail.
He has a bed.
He gets more than three meals a day.
No one’s hit him.
No one’s hurt him.
He can hear.
For the first time in nearly two years, he doesn’t hurt or ache.
People are calling him his name.
As thoughts continue to spiral through his mind, he doesn’t notice the flurry of movement going on just at the edge of his peripheral vision. He wasn’t able to hear people shouting his name out. And honestly he hadn’t even registered if he’d been outside long or not.
None of that registered until a hand was reaching out and gripping onto his arm.
“I got him!” Clint was able to read the lips of Scott.
Too shocked at the whole situation, Clint can’t help but flinch backwards as well as stay cowered in on himself. He’s hardly able to unravel himself as he’s pulled up from the chair, hand still gripped around his bicep, and pulled into the house. As he enters, though, Phil comes running from up the stairs and immediately is on his knees in front of the boy.
“I was so worried. We -- -- your name, why -- you answer?” Phil speaks, but he’s talking fast and Clint can’t hear and Scott’s grip on his arm is really tight and he doesn’t know what to do as he feels his breath get faster and faster while his chest becomes tighter.
Clint doesn’t really register what happens over the next couple of moments, but when he finally does come to he can hear his own voice mumbling over and over again.
“I was outside, was outside. Can’t hear, I was outside,” Clint says over and over before he manages to finally blink himself back into consciousness where the first and only thing he sees is Phil’s face.
“Hey, hey, buddy, it’s all alright. It’s alright, you’re back with us now and everything’s okay, huh? Yeah that was all scary I’m sure, for more than one of us definitely. You’re not in trouble, Clint, we all just got a bit scared and some people panicked,” Phil says.
His voice is soft and quiet but Clint can hear him loud and clear. The next thing he begins to realize is that his hand is pressed against Phil’s chest while the other one has part of Phil’s shirt tightly gripped in a fist.
“You with me, bud?” Phil asks as he notices the boy fully coming back to his surroundings.
“Y-yeah, I-I’m here, I’m okay,” Clint mumbles, slowly retracting his hand.
“Yeah you’re okay, some people overreacted a bit and things got out of hand. And for that I am very sorry, but you handled yourself very well. How are you feeling? How’s your chest?”
As Clint thought about the question he realized it was actually hard for him to breathe, but not because he couldn’t catch his breath. More so because it felt like his lungs were beginning to drown in on themselves a bit.
“S’tight, hard to catch my breath,” Clint answers honestly.
“Alright, well, I think we’ll double up on nebulizer treatments today then. Let's get that set up and then we’re gonna go outside for group, alright? Heard you and Tasha collected the sticks for a fire, that was a great idea.”
“Hafta do it in front of everyone?”
“ ‘Fraid so, bud, but don’t worry your doctor said if you need a session in the afternoon like this then we only need to do it for 10 to 15 minutes, so it won’t be the whole time.”
True to Phil’s words, the man was quick to set up the nebulizer up for the boy outside where Thor and Steve were strategically building the fire. Clint had gotten set up at a point where the smoke was away from him, and honestly Phil’s wondering if this is the way to show Clint he’s allowed to sit on the chairs by just setting him up himself. Regardless, the sessions quick to start from there. Everyone’s going around the circle doing their high and low until it gets to Clint.
All eyes fall on him, and he knows he can call out on doing it. Phil had reminded him so just before coming outside. But for some reason he felt the need to finally speak up in this group if he didn’t want any more moments of “miscommunication” to occur.
“Um,” the boy begins, and though it wasn’t even a word all eyes widened comically at the slightest bit of effort made. “Guess my high is that, uh, m’not hungry. But, um, my low is this nebulizer.”
It wasn’t deep or profound and didn’t share much of him, but Phil knew this was a transitional point.