Ok, so it's been like a day and people have favorited the story and someone even followed it! I don't know what that means, but I'm pretty sure that's really good! There are a couple things I want to address, starting with when I'm going to publish new chapters. Right now, I'm on spring break, so I'm going to try to write as many chapters as I can, and publish them every week on Saturday. I'll try, at least. I have a vague idea on where all the characters will end up, so please let me know if you have any ideas that I might be able to incorporate into the story! I don't know really know about all this, ya know, visitors, favorite, follow and whatever else, so bare with me!
Please forgive any spelling/grammatical mistakes. Constructive criticism is always welcomed. (This story is AU btw)
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the Avengers (or recognizable characters/items) in this story. But the OCs or random characters, I just made up.
Clint heard the alarm he ignored every morning go off. But he was already awake. In fact, he didn't even sleep. He spent all night tossing and turning, thinking about the non-existent love triangle between his best friend, and his best friend's girlfriend. Even though he hoped no one would ever find out, everyone and their mother knew. He expected Steve to be furious with him, but he was amused. Steve thought Clint would never have a chance because of Natasha's serious infatuation with him. After about 20 minutes day dreaming about unrealistic situations involving his imaginary love triangle, Clint realized it was 7:27.
"Crap." He said out loud.
He rolled out of bed and carefully put on some jeans he found laying around, and saw, what smelled like a clean Nike shirt, on his dresser. He was halfway down stairs when he heard the hushed sound of his father sobbing. Clint sighed and started back up the stairs until he heard the fragile sound of his dad's voice.
"Eura, is that you?" His father called out hopefully.
"Nope dad it's just me." Clint answered as he walked into the compact kitchen.
"Oh, sorry son. I made some waffles, they're in the oven. Be careful though, they're a bit hot." His father warned, with pride. He had a depressed look in his eyes.
His father was trying to be strong, and he knew that. But sometimes he wished he acted like a human.
Clint stared at his father and his façade before reaching into the oven. After pouring some syrup on them, he rapidly consumed them, as he was going to be late.
"They're cold." Clint frigidly remarked.
"Look Clint, I'm trying. It's not my fault she-"
"Whatever, I'm gonna be late."
He didn't want to hear it. He felt that if it was said out loud, it was really happening. That it wasn't just a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. The last thing he wanted to worry about was where his mother was. And what she was doing the, with whom.
"Why me?" He complained as he was walking to Chargaff High.
Clint arrived at Chargaff 20 minutes later. And, like always, arrived late.
"Ah! Mr. Barton, you decided to show. How exciting." Mr. Kimball announced monotonously.
He ignored his history teacher and sat next to his desk partner, Tony Stark.
"Hey." They both greeted.
"Did you hear about the Facebook Fan page?" Tony whispered with mock curiosity.
"Um, no?" Clint replied, genuinely wanting to know what he was talking about.
"Oh, well it's about you and Natasha, or Clintasha, as some would call it." Tony answered with his trademark smirk.
"There's a page for that?" Clint questioned.
"Actually, no. He's just being a jerk again, Clint." The two men turned around and saw Pepper Potts holding her pink fuzzy pen. "There's no such thing as a 'Clintasha Facebook Fan page' and if there is, you can bet Starky here has something to do with it."
Tony laughed noisily, and caught Mr. Kimball's old, hardly functioning, eyes.
"Excuse me, 'Starky'" Mr. Kimball said with air quotes. "Is there something you want to share with the class?"
Tony rolled his eyes dramatically. "Well, if you insist." He began.
"I was mocking Clint about his crush on Natasha, sorry Nat." He turned to Natasha and Steve, who were entertained by the story. "Um, where was I? Oh ya! I told him that there was a Facebook Fan page for 'Clintasha' and he believed me, you should've seen his face!"
"Ok Tony, we get it." Mr. Kimball said while somewhat laughing.
"Alright Mr. K, I'll let you get back to your lesson." Tony winked as he leaned in his chair.
Clint shook his head and prayed his friends would drop the topic come lunchtime.
The bell rang for lunch. Clint was asleep in his 4th period Algebra 2 class, so the noise was a rude awakening. So was the fact that his friends were probably waiting to imitate his reaction about the whole fan page situation. So he reluctantly grabbed his bag and went to the front steps of the school to meet his bothersome friends. He saw Natasha cuddled up to Steve on the top steps and he shuddered. Even though Steve was his best friend, he hating seeing them together. He took a deep breath and walked out the front doors and out towards their usual hangout during lunch.
"There's the other half of 'Clintasha'." Tony joked and everyone, except Clint, laughed. Their foreign friend, Thor's chuckle was more audible than the rest.
"This is funny," He boomed while clenching his stomach and still laughing. Everyone in their group was staring at him with amused faces. "What it this 'Clintasha' madness anyhow?" He asked.
"You don't know what 'Clintasha' is?" Pepper questioned.
"No, not at all." Thor smiled his large, warming smile.
"Then why were you laughing?" Steve asked bemused.
"Because it is what you all were doing. So I simply joined in." He smiled once again.
Everyone began laughing again at his dorkiness, even Clint.
Afterschool, while he was walking home, Clint felt a vibration from his back pocket.
"Probably from Tony and his fan page." Clint laughed at his own joke as he pulled his phone and saw that it was a text from his friend.
Hey, come to the MET tonight –Steve
I can't, I have homework –Clint
Just finish it before 9 –S
Who's gonna be there? –C
Yes, Nat's comin –S
That's not what I meant –C
Clint's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Sure! Any way, everyone's going, Maria too ;) –S
Fine see you there I guess –C
Clint sighed as he put his phone back into his pocket. Steve had been trying to make him lose his virginity for months. But Clint didn't want to reveal to him, that he had already lost it. And that person made him vow he'd never tell.
Clint started running. He didn't know why. He just ran.
He arrived at MET and saw the place heavy with clubbers. He searched for his friends with a Corona in his hand, and saw Nat and Steve grinding rhythmically the music.
"They're like, penetrating on the dance floor." A female voice mentioned.
"Hah, I was just thinking that." Clint turned around to find Maria Hill standing next to him with a Dirty Shirley her hand. He was surprised, he didn't realize she would actually be kind of funny. Or funny to a buzzed Clint, at least. He observed Maria. She had her hair down, it looked as if she hadn't had the time to comb it. But she always looked like that. What confused Clint the most was that she was tilting her head and watching Steve and Natasha dance. She was smiling a sort of creepy smile. Maria noticed that he was staring and shook her head.
"Sorry I just always wanted to dance with someone like that."
"Oh, you mean penetrate on the dance floor?" Clint joked pointing his empty bottle at the couple, and they both laughed.
"Yes."
"Haven't you done that before with like, no offense, a lot of guys?"
"Ya, but I would want to do it with someone I loved."
"You think they love each other?"
"Ya. Don't you?" She turned to him.
"Well, in some ways I mean sometimes they-"
"I love you, let's dance."
Clint knew she was drunk and probably didn't mean it like that, but he was bored so he agreed.
"Alright, goodnight guys." Clint said to his friends as they all walked out of the club.
"Goodnight to you too." Steve winked, hoping his friend would get lucky.
"Whatever." He sighed.
They all went their separate ways. But Maria stayed with Clint as he walked through an alley as a shortcut to his house.
"You love her don't you?" Maria said two minutes into the alley.
"Excuse me?" Clint said hoping she'd drop it.
"Natasha, it's kind of obvious." Maria answered as she leaned in for a kiss.
"Um, what are you-" Clint gently pushed her away before she could throw up on the stained side walk.
"Hm, I didn't eat popcorn…" Maria said bewildered. "Oh, wait ya I did. Hm, or was that Pepper?"
"Maria you should go home and get some rest, here I'll walk you ho-"
"Mmkay, bye!" Maria blew an air kiss to Clint and ran away.
"What the hell?" Clint knew Maria was weird, but he didn't think she was as weird as this.
"Must be some new pill out there." He, once again, laughed at his own joke.
Halfway home he saw a familiar face sprawled out on the sidewalk by Evans Street.
"Oh God." Was all he could utter.
"Hey Clint." The mysterious woman said as she coughed up specks of blood.
"Mom, what're you doing here?"
"Oh ya know, laying around." His thin, frail mother laughed extremely loud, obviously high off of something.
"You're coming home." Clint stated sternly.
"No! Barry is sooo judgmental." She said while popping a pill.
"Mom! Stop. You're coming whether you like it or not."
Clint pulled his mother up and began carrying her home. He knew she wasn't replying because she passed out. Almost every time Clint would go out, he would find his mom on the streets. He never understood why, she had a someplace to come home to. She had people who cared about her. Clint would never forgive drugs for what they did to his poor mother.
He got home and laid his mother on the couch in the living room. He placed a bucket and a cup of water by her. It was 2 a.m. but he knew his dad was still awake.
"Dad, mom's back."
His father ran down stairs and rushed to his wife's side. He gently stroked her face as a tear fell down his.
"I'm sorry you have to do this Clint."
"Ya, me too."
Clint walked up stairs and slumped into his bed. He just wished he could have a normal life. He wished he could be Steve, or Tony. Their lives were perfect.
"Hell, anyone's life is perfect compared to mine."
He thought.
