"-And then it was like: Well if you're gonna talk to me like that, maybe I should just snap your neck..you know?"

Clint nodded, sipping the chamomile out of the mug he stole from Bruce a few years back.

He and Natasha were having their bi-weekly tea party in the vents. It just became a tradition from when Clint and Natasha needed to complain about strangers, or even their family/coworkers. The tradition lost when the Avengers split, as they no longer needed to go into vents.

Natasha her eyes peeping out from her Black Widow mug sighed, "So how do you like the tower so far?"

"Eh," Clint shrugged. He liked it better before...now everything seemed somewhat tense. Occasionally snapping quips would pass between members that were once closer. But to be fair, it was only Bucky, Steve, and them at the tower, apart from the avengers who had continued to live here even when the Avengers split.

Natasha nodded, grabbing the teapot which was plain black, "I understand, it all feels...forced."

Clint was just about to respond when he heard a clunk coming from the opening of the vents. He and the redhead stared intensely at each other, their eyes having a conversation. Natasha pulled a knife out of the sable belt around her waist so swiftly it didn't make the familiar hiss of silver. Clint carefully allowed both mugs and teapot to rest behind them. He didn't feel like cleaning the shattered glass.

Natasha moved away from her sitting position, her back no longer resting on the cool metal walls of the vents. The ex-assassin perched herself like a bird, better for the razor-sharp blade to be thrown to an unexpected guest.

However, the guest didn't seem so unexpected when he called out from around the corner, "Who's there?"

Natasha and Clint frowned. How the hell did they hear them?

"Show yourself," Clint demanded.

Natasha still looking alertly at her friend, "Get behind me."

Clint mentally scoffed, but nevertheless obeyed. She was right, he was disarmed. But still..he wasn't helpless. He still stood with a prepared attitude.

Slowly a boy came out of the corner, on his hands and knees. Everyone calmed down at the sight of each other. It was a just a te-

"Who are you?" Natasha interrogated her fingers still gripping onto the blade. Okay so maybe Natasha didn't calm down.

"Your Black Widow and Hawkeye…" He murmured loud enough for the heroes to hear.

Clint knew he should be professional about the situation, but a warm feeling spread through him like butter. Someone knew him? And not just: It's Black Widow and some guy with a bow n' arrow!

Natasha seemed unphased by the comment, "That I know. Who are you ?"

The boy, despite the redhead's threatening tone, remained amazed at the sight of them. Clint noted the childlike wonder on his face, despite him appearing to be fifteen or sixteen.

"I'm Peter Parker."

Clint nodded, acting as if he knew the name, clicking his tongue and giving him a sideways glance, "And you're here because?"

"Oh!" The boy, Peter, beamed for he knew the answer to this, but his face quickly fell when he remembered why he was hiding in the vents, "..I'm hiding from Mr. Stark."

Natasha raised a brow and CLint spotted her fingers somewhat loosening their grip, "Why?"

She said it more like a demand than a question.

"Well obviously I'm gonna walk into the lab and he'll say, 'How was school kid?' without putting down his screwdriver. And then I'd have to A) Lie to him, or, B) Tell him that I did awful on my test."

Natasha and Clint exchanged glances.

"And then he'd be so disappointed in me and then...I just.." He ended with a sigh, pulling out a white packet covered with ink. The two heroes assumed that was the test in name.

Natasha tilted her head skeptically at the boy, every second her grip loosening slightly on the knife, "Come closer."

Peter's eyes immediately traveled to the knife. His eyebrows knitted together. Nevertheless, he still moved forward.

Now the three could see each other clearly.

"Here uh, let me see the test," Clint insisted sticking a hand out.

Peter flushed slightly making it look like he was just trapped in a blizzard. He gave the older man the paper. Natasha adjusted her legs to a more comfortable position.

The two looked at packet their eyes scanning through it all as Peter bit the inside of his cheek.

"You got a C+," Natasha stated, Peter wasn't sure if she was talking to him or not.

Clint exhaled puffing his cheeks out as he blew out the air, handing the paper to the teen, "You didn't fail, I don't see why he would be disappointed and why d-"

A voice from underneath the three called out, "Hey Fri, where's Pete?"

"Mr. Parker is above you, sir."

"Ah..I..what?"

"In the air ducts with Mr. Barton and Miss Romanoff."

They could hear the billionaire sigh despite the height, "Kid, wanna come down?"

Natasha moved her head, directing him to an escape.

He went to it, but paused before going down, "Thanks."

The two heroes smiled.

"No problem kid."

Peter dropped himself drop to the floor. Wincing at the impact that quickly faded after a few moments.

"Geez, kid you alright," Mr. Stark questioned talking a step closer.

"Yep!"

Mr. Stark offered a small smile, "Why were you in the vents, bud?"

"Bud? What are you, Steve?" Clint called from above with a laugh.

"No one asked," Tony scoffed with a roll of his eyes, "So?"

"Can I not say?"

Mr. Stark paused, thinking it over, "If you really don't want to tell me, you don't have to, but I'd like to know."

"Well," Peter began, "I...here."

Peter handed his mentor the test.

Tony frowned, then handed it back to Peter, "It's paper Kid."

Peter shook his head sadly, "I got a C.."

Mr. Stark scoffed, "I don't care, I know you're a fucking genius."

"Language," Peter muttered, a smile teasing his face.

"Now who's Steve, Birdbrain!"