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[redrooms]

"You've reached Natasha Romanov. Please leave a message."

Comments

[awwnoun]

[ Stubbornly: ] Not if you told me it wasn't bad enough to warrant taking pain pills, Natasha, don't start.

I didn't -- [ He sighs and pulls away from her, trying not to wince as he attempts to drag himself to his feet. ] I didn't come over here to get scolded, jesus.

[redrooms]

[Sometimes she just can't help herself, but she regrets it as soon as he pulls away, and she makes a gentle grab for his hand.]

I'm sorry, Clint. I'll stop.

[It's a rare apology, but she's sick of fighting with him.]

[awwnoun]

[ She actually apologizes, which is why he stops and looks at her for a long second before letting out a little sigh and settling back down. He's tired of fighting with her too.

Another long pause, and then he turns to press his face against her neck and wrap his arms around her. It hurts, yeah, but he needs the physical comfort more. ]

... Al died, last night.

[redrooms]

[Natasha sighs, resting her chin as his shoulder as he settles back in.]

I'm sorry, Clint. I didn't know. How did you find out?

[awwnoun]

He texted me. And I called him and listened. [ To another person. The third person in the month he's been here. ]

MY TYPOS!!!!

[redrooms]

[Of course he did. Natasha resists the urge to squeeze him a little tighter, not wanting to hurt him.]

You didn't have to do that alone. One of us could have sat with you.

[awwnoun]

It didn't last long enough for me to come find one of you. I just didn't want him to be alone.

[redrooms]

[Natasha gets it, but she's worried about him. She can't help it.]

You don't have to be alone, either. You don't have to put on a brave face all the time, Clint.

[awwnoun]

I know. [ He holds her a little tighter, pain be damned. ] What do you think I'm doing right now?

[redrooms]

It's a start.

[Very, very gentle teasing. She stays silent for a moment, just holding him, then speaks up again more quietly.]

I know I've been... difficult lately. I'm sorry.

[awwnoun]

Don't be. [ Clint mumbles. ] You've had a lot to deal with and you're supposed to be the level-headed one, so I get it.

[redrooms]

[Natasha laughs a little, rolling her eyes.]

I haven't exactly been "level-headed", either. I haven't been dealing with any of this correctly.

[She knows she's been a jerk!]

[awwnoun]

That's kinda what I meant. [ Clint says with a halfhearted little smile. ] I mean you're supposed to be, especially out of the what - four of us? And it's hard to do that when you've got so much piled on you.

I'm trying to - I don't know. Be who everybody here thinks I can be, I guess. I don't know if it's working.

[redrooms]

[She hums thoughtfully, straightening the back of the collar of his coat so that it lies flat.]

And who do you think they expect you to be?

[awwnoun]

Hawkeye. [ Sniff. ] Which is fair.

[redrooms]

Don't be vague. You're very good at being Hawkeye when you aren't setting ridiculous, unrealistic expectations for yourself.

[awwnoun]

But that's what I'm good aaat, Natasha. [ He whines, over the top. He also deadweights on her because why not. ]

[redrooms]

[Natasha lets out a quiet, complaining sound, though she doesn't move. You're heavy, Barton.]

It's at the top of your list of talents, right below draping yourself all over me. Archery is down around number ten.

[awwnoun]

Well, that's mean. [ Clint says, but he's grinning up at her from where he's flopped out entirely in her lap. ] I'll have you know Archery is number nine. Number ten is inventing sweet arrows.

[redrooms]

I should have never given you any of those silly arrows in the first place. I ruined you.

[Admittedly, he's invented much fancier and much more useful arrows since then, but she isn't going to tell him that.]

[awwnoun]

[ He makes a face up at her, very maturely sticking out his tongue. ]

I'm fine being ruined, I guess.

[redrooms]

[She smiles down at him, covering his mouth with her hand and completely ignoring the slobber that entails. It's a relief to see him being silly, even if it's just temporary.]

And how are you doing with the bow I gave you? Hitting the target every time yet?

[awwnoun]

[ Good that she ignores it because he definitely licks her hand. As for the question, he only sort of falters. ]

Yeah, definitely. [ He doesn't want to ruin the joking. ] That's my whole schtick, Nat, come on.

[redrooms]

[She notices, but she figures he doesn't need another serious conversation, so she wipes the spit off on his coat and ignores it.]

Of course it is. How could I doubt you? You'll be terrorizing the town in no time.

[awwnoun]

I'm already terrorizing you. [ Nyeehhh. ]