[no shit, he thinks. he'd spent those three months after he'd woken up doing nothing but "void stuff" and hating himself for not being able to walk properly. drinking all day and awkwardly shuffling around his penthouse-- it was like a glimpse into his damn future that he didn't care for.
you're not ready, is the thought that keeps echoing in his head, even though that's not a concept sterling archer should recognise. he always bounces back. he's the world's greatest secret agent. if he can't do that then--
his shoulder is tense under barry's grip and something flits across his expression for a moment, something like he expects barry to keep squeezing until the bone splinters under his fingers like it was a matchstick.]
I'm sorry, [he says.] about your leg. I should've just pulled you up.
[he's said sorry about the femur before, when trexler tried to snipe archer into odin employment to piss malory off, but archer never really seemed genuine about anything. he sounds it now-- with all the weight of actually coming closer to understanding how much barry had suffered with the damage he'd done. for no reason.]
no subject
you're not ready, is the thought that keeps echoing in his head, even though that's not a concept sterling archer should recognise. he always bounces back. he's the world's greatest secret agent. if he can't do that then--
his shoulder is tense under barry's grip and something flits across his expression for a moment, something like he expects barry to keep squeezing until the bone splinters under his fingers like it was a matchstick.]
I'm sorry, [he says.] about your leg. I should've just pulled you up.
[he's said sorry about the femur before, when trexler tried to snipe archer into odin employment to piss malory off, but archer never really seemed genuine about anything. he sounds it now-- with all the weight of actually coming closer to understanding how much barry had suffered with the damage he'd done. for no reason.]