Author's Note: It's been so long… bad me! I am sorry – real life sucks. So – not much happening here I admit but it is a little longer than normal and I think that next chapter we might actually delve into the mind of Steve. A little. Maybe. Also I've actually ended up writing most of this on my phone on my work breaks so if predictive text has screwed up and I haven't noticed I apologise!

Disclaimer: Don't have anything to do with Marvel and their wonderful play-land of creations … sigh…

Knowledge

Clint stretched languidly as he made his way down the hallway towards the communal kitchen area. He could hear chatter coming from the room but he could not make out anything being said – although Thor's voice carried louder than the others.

"Clint! Good morning!" the Asgardian was the first to greet the archer as he appeared in the doorway. Clint gave the god of thunder a small wave, offering the other figures sitting at the table a smile. Bruce, Tony and Natasha all returned the smile – Steve never looked up from the cup of coffee cradled in his hand.

"Sleep well?" Tony asked, gesturing in the direction of the coffee maker. Clint nodded and grabbed a mug.

"I did thanks," he arched an eyebrow as he glanced at the clock. "Maybe a little too well."

Tony arched an eyebrow.

"Nest too comfortable?"

Clint smirked as he took a seat between Tony and Thor, opposite Natasha and Bruce and at the opposite end from Steve.

"I almost fell asleep in it," he admitted. "But I managed to drag my ass to bed."

Natasha arched an eyebrow.

"Nest?"

Clint smirked.

"I'll show you later," he said quietly. Natasha gave a nod as silence fell over the table.

"Well I had better head off."

Tony turned sharply to look at the soldier.

"Early for you isn't it?" the billionaire commented with a pointed arch of the eyebrow. Steve bristled slightly but gave a small shrug as he clambered to his feet.

"I have errands to run," he glanced around the table - or most of the table. Not that Clint looked up to notice. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

A brief silence fell as Steve left after the rest of the avengers bid their farewell.

"Sorry," Clint said quietly. Natasha scowled.

"Not your fault."

"You say that a lot," Clint smirked, taking a sip of his coffee. "And every time you're lying."

x-x-x

A contented sigh escaped Natasha's lips as she stretched leisurely, settling down into the masses of pillows that made up Clint's nest. The archer chuckled and flopped down next to her.

"Comfortable?" he asked, raising an eyebrow amusedly. Natasha simply snuggled further into the large soft pillows, shuffling about and stretching out her arms.

"I need to get Tony to put one of these on my floor," she glanced around at the cushions. "But in better colours," a coy smile spread over her lips. "You know… you could have some fun rolling about in here with someone – if you ever find yourself attracted to someone…well… gay."

Clint scowled and hit Natasha in the face with one of the pillows, although his expression was not too stern.

"Thanks Tash," he muttered. The female simply returned an innocent grin. Clint sighed. "So… does Steve come round here a lot?"

"Every morning," Natasha confirmed. "Nine o'clock on the dot. He stops in past for breakfast on his morning jog," her eyes narrowed as Clint sighed. "Don't you dare start avoiding him!"

"Why would I want to avoid Steve?" he muttered. "He's doing a good enough job of ignoring my existence."

"Give him time. He'll come round."

Clint arched an eyebrow.

"Notwithstanding the fact I can always tell when you're lying that was pathetic," he stated, leaning back in the pillows and closing his eyes with a tired sigh. Natasha rolled her head to look at the archer, frowning at his lacklustre demeanour. Returning her gaze to the ceiling she pulled a smirk onto her lips.

"Tony wanted someone to road test your new bow," she informed. "I aimed at Steve's head."

"You what?" Clint turned to look at the female with a horrified expression on his face. Natasha looked back at him briefly.

"He ducked," she shrugged but she could still feel Clint's eyes upon her. "He has quick reflexes."

Clint just sighed as Natasha waved her hand dismissively. Closing his eyes he settled down into the pillows.

"Who knows..." he screwed up his nose. "Maybe I'll be privileged and get a good morning at breakfast tomorrow…"

x-x-x

Clint sighed heavily as he looked apprehensively at his bedroom door. A quick glance at the clock reminded him he really should get moving. It was about ten past nine already. He didn't want anyone to think he was avoiding... Steve. Because he was not.

Taking a deep breath the archer determinedly made his way towards the door, jumping slightly as he found a figure leaning against the wall opposite, arms crossed, eyebrow raised.

"I was starting to think I was going to have to come in there and drag you out," Natasha commented. Clint scowled.

"Told you everything's fine," he grumbled, leading Natasha determinedly down the corridor towards the elevator.

"And I always know when you are not being truthful."

Clint just sighed and gave a resigned shrug. The two assassins continued down to the kitchen in silence. A loud, familiar voice drifting from the room caused the two to pause.

"Ah so you did show up then," Tony said, his voice drifting from the further away side of the kitchen which had the doorway that led in the direction of his lab.

"Of course I showed up," came Steve's somewhat defensive reply.

"Any errands to run today?" Tony continued. Clint scowled heavily as Steve's muttered reply was lost to his ears.

"Sounds like Tony's on your side," Natasha whispered from just behind the archer. Clint turned his head towards her although he did not fully look round.

"I don't want them to take sides," he muttered. "No one should have to take sides."

With another heavy sigh the archer made his way into the kitchen before Tony could open his mouth again.

"Good morning Clint, Natasha," Bruce smiled up at the two, alerting Tony - who stood with his back to the two assassins - to their presence. Tony turned and offered the two a smile, holding out a freshly poured mug of coffee to Clint knowing full well he would have heard the short exchange between him and Steve. Clint took the drink with a small smile but his eyebrow arched purposefully. Tony briefly dropped his gaze sheepishly. Turning back toward the table he quickly looked over his options of where to sit. After only a brief pause the archer took the seat next to Bruce - directly opposite Steve. Inhaling deeply he chanced a glance up as he took a sip of his coffee but - as he had fully expected - something obviously very interesting held Steve's attention to the far side of the room.

And kept his attention for the rest of breakfast. Not a word left Steve's lips until his hasty departure as Tony and Bruce disappeared down to the labs and Thor made to leave to visit Jane.

"I'll walk down with you," the super soldier offered, climbing to his feet and offering the two assassins a parting nod although he only really looked to Natasha. The two SHIELD agents sat in silence for a moment following Steve's departure.

"Gym?" Natasha asked suddenly, tilting her head slightly. Clint's lips curled into a smile, on his feet before he even had time to nod.

x-x-x

Clint sighed quietly as he glanced down at his watch. Ten to nine. He figured that if he was in there early he could just drink his coffee and make some excuse about heading down to the practice range Tony had built. Save himself from another breakfast of Steve's unyielding silence…

"Ah – there is still human life in this place then."

Clint blinked rapidly as he looked up and found Bruce sitting alone at the large kitchen table. Offering the doctor a smile Clint made his way to the coffee maker.

"You been left alone eh?"

"Apparently so," Bruce shrugged. "Tony's either in his lab or passed out somewhere, Thor is still visiting Jane, Steve's… not here yet…" the doctor frowned slightly before continuing quickly. "And no sign of Natasha."

Clint arched an eyebrow.

"Natasha didn't say anything about going anywhere," he commented as he took a seat opposite Bruce.

"I'm sure we'll see her soon enough then. So… how you settling in to your new home?"

Clint couldn't help but chuckle.

"I never thought I'd say this but yeah – I really like it here," he tilted his head slightly. "Tony really went to town personalising everything."

"Yeah…" Bruce pulled a face although it was friendly and in jest. "He really did th…" the doctor paused as a shrill beep sounded from somewhere on his person. Pulling another face he pulled a small pager from his pocket. "Oh. Oh! I have to go… Tony's trying to blow his lab up…" he paused briefly as he re-read the message he had been sent, not even noticing the panicked expression taking over Clint's face that had nothing to do with the thoughts of explosions. "Maybe the whole tower…"

Clint exhaled heavily as Bruce scuttled off quickly, leaving him completely alone in the kitchen. At eight fifty-eight. Steve would be there in less than two minutes. Not that it would be a problem. Steve would just come in and find that there was no one there except the one person he wished to see least in the world and…

"Oh."

Clint looked up sharply, blinking as he found that indeed Steve stood in the doorway. Lowering the mug of coffee he had half raised to his lips he offered the soldier a meek smile.

"Hey…" the archer said quietly. Steve returned a smile – albeit somewhat forced – as he made his way over to the coffee maker.

"Where is everyone?" the soldier asked. Clint could not help but scowl slightly.

"Thor's still visiting Jane, Natasha's AWOL and Bruce is trying to stop Tony blowing us all up."

Steve nodded although he still had his back to the archer as he drank his freshly made coffee.

"So… Tony and Bruce are in the lab?"

Clint suppressed a sigh. He could see where this was going.

"Yeah, they're both down in the lab," his shoulders slumped as Steve turned towards the door. "Steve wait! Please, can we j…"

"I need to see Tony," Steve interrupted, already half-way to the door. Clint did not bother to argue, he simply slumped back in his seat, absently tapping his fingers against he handle of his mug. He did not react as the sound of heels clicked across the floor, slender arms slipping over his shoulders and resting on his chest. The archer sighed quietly and leant back. Had Tony been there he would probably have made some crude comment about how Clint's head was positioned against Natasha's chest but neither assassin particularly cared.

"Gym?" Natasha asked eventually.

"Gym," Clint agreed.

x-x-x

Once again Clint found himself making his way down towards the kitchen a little after nine o'clock. He had been awake for hours of course but it had taken a little while to talk himself into leaving the sanctity of his room. The archer had been excepting to find Natasha lurking outside his room again but there had been no sign of the female.

Slowly Clint made his way down the corridor, pausing as he approached the kitchen. Voices drifted out – Thor's voice carrying easiest of all – but Clint could tell it was a full house this morning, everyone was there. Taking a deep breath he slowly crept forward, glancing into the kitchen, scowling as he found that the only seat left was the one next to Steve – who kept looking anxiously at the empty seat.

Exhaling heavily Clint turned on his heel and made his way back down the corridor towards the elevator, deciding it was best to skip the awkward breakfast and just go straight to the long, heavy work out to try and clear his mind…