Hey guys.
GUESS WHO'S BACK? BACK AGAIN?
YEP. ME.
If you guessed otherwise, you are incorrect and will be obliterated in.. I honestly don't know. Um, maybe a few weeks? So, whatever it is you want you better get it now.
Or else..
I am so so sorry to those who asked for a one-shot. I was even more busy than anticipated but I promise I will write them.
Anywho, let's read that new chapter, yeah? Yeah.
And now Chapter Nine: Of Ice Cream and Deep Conversations..
Tony's POV
"Ice cream? Really?"
I turned to Natasha. "What? Is there something wrong with rich, creamy, frozen deserts?"
She rolled her eyes. "No. There's nothing wrong with that.. It just seems a little, I don't know, childish."
I shrugged. "Sometimes it's okay to be a child."
She opened her mouth to object, but closed it, smiling instead. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Great. Now, let's go! The guys'll be waiting."
The redhead rolls her eyes and hopped on her bike. We ride over to the park where our group said we would meet up. It was one o'clock, and we had said to meet up around one fifteen. Knowing the others, they would be early and we would end up being the only ones getting there when we actually said we would. It's how we all function.
The park was only a few streets down from Natasha's house where the two of us had met up. And, sure enough, our friends sat on benches with ice cream cones or cups in their hands. Steve and Thor were talking about something that seemed to be very serious judging by their facial expressions. Bruce was nodding along with them which sparked my curiosity; Thor and Bruce almost never agreed on ideas or opinions or... Well, anything.
This must be big.
Natasha and I parked our bikes on a nearby rack and locked them to the metal pole. We sauntered over to the stand selling the delicious treats, pulling out our wallets in the process. Little kids surrounded the man handing out cones and cups full of the ice cream of the children's choice. When we were finally first in line, Nat ordered the Mint Oreo while I went for the Moose Tracks. We then payed for them and turned to sit with our friends.
Steve looked up and gave a small smile. "Hey, guys. How's it going?"
Nat shrugged and I gave an eye roll. "Fine, I guess. Is Clint coming?"
The tree behind the three of them suddenly rustled and something flopped down, hanging from the tree.
"I'm already here."
That he was. Clint was grinning like a madman and I couldn't help but smile back. The blonde laughed and I did my best to contain my fluttering heart.
Steve, however, looked concerned. "How long were you up in that tree?"
"Since I came here," was the reply. "Which was at ten this morning. But I had my earbuds in the whole time, so when you three got here I decided to wait in order to surprise you guys."
Steve's shoulders relaxed in what I assume is relief.
Where they talking about him? I couldn't help but think.
Bruce tilted his head in curiosity. "Did you already get some ice cream?"
Clint's smile faltered for a second. "Uh... No, actually."
The blonde swung himself back up to the branch he was hanging on and proceeded to let his legs dangle from the tree. He let go of the bark and landed gracefully on the grass. Clint turned to us with a sheepish look on his face.
"Neither my dad nor brother would give me any money; not that I actually asked. I just knew they wouldn't."
"I could buy you one," I offered.
Clint's head shot up, his hands waving in dismissal. "No, no; it's okay. You wouldn't want to waste your money on me."
I rolled my eyes. "Try me."
I motioned him to follow me and he did so begrudgingly. He ordered a small Rocky Road which I immediately changed to a large.
"I already told you: don't waste your money on me."
I shook my head. "It's not wasting if I provide you with something."
Handing him his cup, he takes it with an annoyed look and a small/really cute blush on his face. The two of us headed back to our group, sitting in between Steve and Thor. Natasha takes a bite of her ice cream and waves her spoon around.
"So, what were you listening to?"
Clint looked up and tilted his head in an adorably curious sense. "What do mean?"
"I mean," Nat takes another bite. "What kind of music were you listening to in the tree? You said you had your earbuds in, so what kind of music do you like?"
"Oh," he said. The blonde knit his eyebrows. "Well... I really like this one genre, but you guys probably haven't heard of it. And you'll most likely hate it-"
"It doesn't matter if we like it or not, Clint," Steve said. "We just want to know what kind of tunes you like. That's all."
Clint looked skeptical. "I still don't know."
"Alright," Bruce had an understanding look on his face. "How about we all ask each other questions and not just you. Would that be better?"
Clint looked at Bruce with a certain relief that sparked a bit of envy in me. "If that's okay, yeah. I'd like that."
Steve nodded and smiled at the blonde next to him. "Okay, then. Ask me a question."
An innocent grin appeared. "What's your favorite color?"
I couldn't help it; I laughed and fell on the ground. Natasha rolled her eyes and Thor chuckled, amused by our friend's antics. Bruce gave a laugh at Steve, who had a look of utter confusion on his face.
"Uh, well..." Steve blinked once. Twice. Three times. "I'm not entirely sure. Red, blue, and white are my top three right now. And yes, my family and I are very patriotic."
Clint nodded. "Cool. We almost never celebrate anything, but one time my brother and I managed to get a couple of fireworks and shoot them off for the Fourth of July." He smiled. "His pants caught fire when he dropped a sparkler that hadn't gone out yet."
Natasha and I laughed at how casual he sounded.
Steve shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips. "You make it sound so natural."
Clint shrugged. "Part of my charm, I guess."
I huffed. "Yeah, sure. As if you had any."
Clint looked incredibly affronted by that. His eyebrows knit together and his mouth was agape.
"Excuse mua?" With each syllable, he snapped his fingers in a Z like motion. "Watch what you say, peasant. I will castrate you without a second thought."
I gulped and felt my eyes widen in fear. Natasha was laughing her ass off and Steve was just as scared as me.
"Um," Bruce had a dazed expression on face. "You don't really mean that do you?"
Clint ate a spoonful of his ice cream. "I do, actually."
"Wonderful," I muttered. "I've always wanted to have my-"
"Tony!" Steve flushed a deep red.
"You're just too innocent, Stevie-kins." I stick out my tongue and internally smirk at the blonde's eye roll.
Thor took a huge bite of his ice cream, coating his lips with a blue substance. I can only assume he had chosen blueberry or birthday cake.
He smiled at my facial expression of disgust. "Who shall ask the next question?"
Bruce raised his spoon. "You just did. But I think Tony should have the second question."
Thor pouted in a hilariously childlike manner. I leaned my head back in thought.
"Hmm... Hey, Nat?"
The red haired girl looked up. "I thought I told you not to call me that."
I winced. "Sorry. But my question for you is... Do you.. like... someone?"
Natasha immediately flushed red. Clint grinned.
"Ooh. Someone's blushing."
"Can it, Barton," she snapped, a faint smile on her face. Wait a minute..
Does... Does she like Clint? No. No way. Clint is a snarkier, athletic version of me. She couldn't possibly like him... could she?
"Alright, my turn," Natasha grinned and looked around the group. "Now, who shall be the next victim?"
Simultaneously, we gulped in fear. Natasha closed her eyes in thought, circling her finger around in the air.
1..
2..
3..
4..
5..
6-
"Clint!"
"Dammit."
A chorus of laughter rang out as Clint flushed in embarrassment.
Natasha's expression became serious. "Clint, who keeps calling you?"
Silence. The blond teen sighed and curled into a ball, his legs crossed and arms folded. A look of fear came into his eyes before he buried his face into his arms. After a few brief seconds, his shoulders started shaking. Bruce stood and sat next to Clint, putting his arm around his friend. Clint instantly began to sob, and the sound broke my heart. Steve slipped his jacket off and placed it on Clint's back.
We sat there for a while, silently comforting our friend in pain, before he finally looked p at us. His beautiful eyes were tinted red, and shinning streaks ran down his face. He sniffled, wiping his eyes and nose, before taking a shuddering breath.
"My dad," he said. "I-It was my dad."
"Why are you always so scared to answer?" Thor asked, a sorrowful look on his face.
Clint swallowed and ducked his head back into his arms. He mumbled something that none of us caught on to.
"What'd you say?" Bruce asked.
Clint's head snapped up. His eyes filled with rage and pain.
"Because he beats me."
He bolted, feet slamming onto the pavement as he took off, leaving his ice cream behind to melt.
I DID IT.
I DID IT.
YES.
Again, I deeply apologize for not updating sooner. The school had a lot more work for me to do than expected and I was off track for a while afterwards. It'll take me a while to return to my normal updates (on Saturdays), but school is almost out and I'll be back to normal before you know it.
Thanks for reading, and don't forget your complimentary sock on the way out. Not socks. Sock.
Until next chapter..
