"How are you doing?" Laura asks him as she snuggles against his body on the couch.
Clint looks at the scene before him and sees his family.
He sees Laura in her favourite socks, holding him and a mug of coffee close.
He watches Lila taking pictures on her phone, laughing in a way she hasn't in years.
Her camera captures Nate, who is sticking the bows from everyone's gifts onto his forehead. He grabs another one from the ground, and proudly places it on his brother's nose.
Cooper's smile is free of the grief of the recent months, and he is happier than ever as he continues to hand out gifts.
Lucky and Fanny are lying at the base of the tree, barking any time they see a gift they think would make a good chew toy.
Kate is sitting cross legged on the floor, looking right at home with the children around her. Her eyes light up in a way Clint has never seen before as she spots a brightly coloured box with her name on it, and the look of gratitude she gives Clint makes him think that the chaos of the week was worth it.
He glances over at Yelena, who has claimed the armchair and a glass of eggnog with more rum in it than should be allowed for so early in the morning. Her guard is down, and Clint is impressed with how quickly she falls into the comfort of the room. She leans forward as the kids open their gifts from Santa, and begins to tell them a funny story about her dad's Christmas antics from her time in Ohio.
His eyes drift to the stockings placed along the mantle. He can feel his smile grow wider as he sees the wear and tear that years of little children have brought upon them and he fondly remembers the first year he and Laura hung their stockings up.
The two belonging to Kate and Yelena are in much better condition, but they don't bear names just yet. That will come later in the day, when Clint has the chance to get the supplies, but for now, they serve their purpose. They have a lifetime to be used.
He lingers on the red one on the edge. Natasha's stocking is empty of gifts, but peeking out of the corner lies a photo strip brought by Yelena. Next to that is a more recent picture, one of the Christmas they spent at the Barton's in 2017. The images and carefully drawn name do not fill him with the pain they once did. Instead, all he feels is warmth of the love that will linger for the rest of their lives.
So when he turns back to Laura, he presses his lips to her hair and answers her question.
"I'm okay," he whispers, and for the first time, he believes it.
