Clint:
The night couldn't get any better. Clint was now with the girl of his dreams, that was all that mattered. They started leaving when everyone else started to and walked home just like every other day. Except they were holding hands and there no barriers between them, all the tension that had been building up for years had finally been torn down, everything was free. They came up on her house.
"You're mom going to be ok with you coming in this late?" he asked. He saw the lights on in her living room and that usually indicated that her sorry excuse for a mom was home. Even though Clint didn't really grow up with his mom he wouldn't take Nat's either. "You can always spend the night if you want."
"Na, I have a kick boxing match tomorrow afternoon and I need to be well rested for it." she said with regret in her voice.
"Ok, just text me I want to make sure your mom doesn't go crazy on you," he smiled. "more now than ever."
"Will do," she leaned up and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in. She pulled back her face from his and laid it on his chest. They stood there and hugged.
"See you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Definitely," he smiled and with that she ran to the back of her house and went around back to climb up her tree and into her room. He walked home with a little jump in his step and a happy song repeating in his head.
When he got home the TV was blasting so he knew his brother was home.
"Where'd you go hawk?" Barney had given him the nickname after he wouldn't come down from a tree for 3 hours while he watched from the top.
"Went to Tony's party," he said plainly.
"Yeah? And how was Nat tonight?" he asked. Nat had become like a little sister to him over the years.
"Um, she was nice," he said and then imminently regretted it. He knew Barney expected more than those few words.
"Nice? Just nice?" he turned around from his position on the couch and looked at Clint. "You hooked up didn't you?" he smiled.
"Barney- god no! You know the relationship between me and Nat its' very…" and he stopped and looked at Barney's face. It was eager with a smile, he looked like a kid that had just won a piece of candy. "Ok, yes we finally did. Happy now?"
"DUDE! Yes, finally! God I thought I was going to have to kick you in the ass! Rob owes me 10 bucks." He shouted through the house. He picked up his phone and called his co-worker Rob. "They did owe me a 10! Ha-ha!"
"We didn't do it or anything we just kind of…" Clint started to explain.
"Had some tongue fun?" he said laughing.
"Shut up Barney," he smiled and walked up stairs. He ran to his room and jumped in his hammock and stared at the sky. It was a clear night and he could only see a couple of stars because the lights of the city cancelled them out. He wished he could see them, they would be the prettiest thing next to Nat. At that exact moment his phone rang, he took it out and it was from Nat.
Nat: Everything's fine, she's passed out. Be at your house tomorrow after my fight.
Clint: Why don't I just come? I love you seeing beat the shit out of people.
Nat: Fine ok, Tracy's Gym tomorrow, 1:20 don't be late or you'll be the next person I beat up.
Clint: Deal, night Nat
Nat: Night- awesome night by the way
Clint: Ditto he put up his phone and looked up. His eyelids felt heavier as the darkness of the night and the taste of Nat on his lips put him in a deep sleep.
Natasha:
As soon as Nat climbed in her house from her tree she ran downstairs quietly and checked on her mom. She was passed out face down on the couch with her hair going every which way and a bottle of booze in the one hanging off the couch. He ran back upstairs, shut her door and locked it. Just then got a text from her dad.
Dad: On my way home, hope you're asleep. ILU
Nat always laughed at her dad when he used little abbreviations. Then she took her phone out and texted him that she was ok, and within a few minutes he planned to go to her match. Nat put up her phone and flopped down on her bed and smiled into the covers. She couldn't believe tonight. She went to the party lonely and wanting Clint, and she came back with a boyfriend and one of the happiest she had been in a long time. When Clint kissed her it honestly took her by surprise, but then fireworks exploded inside of her. Everything in the world seemed to suddenly make sense. And when Clint pulled back and she saw the face that she had known for her whole life and it was like she was looking at him for the first time. For the seconds that she paused she could see the doubt swirling in his eyes, he was so worried that she didn't feel the same way, but she put an end to those doubts by kissing him back. Her heart was beating so hard she could have sworn everyone in the room could hear it.
She would always hear people say how when you got a boyfriend everything in your friendship changes, that you start acting different around each other. Nat didn't feel that way around Clint, she wasn't going to act different- Clint knew the real her. She didn't feel like she was expected to act a certain way, Clint was literally her best friend that she was allowed to kiss and make out with now. They would still tease each other, drive each other crazy sometimes, go to each other's events, and hang out all the time- none of that was going to change. The only thing that was is that she didn't have to hide her feelings anymore. If she wanted to kiss him she didn't have to excuse herself to the bathroom and rinse her face with cold water and curse herself for letting herself feel this way. She could lean in and kiss him all she wanted, no rules. She usually wouldn't let herself fall for a boy. Emotions were her enemy, every single time she ever got an emotional attachment with someone they ended up leaving her. But she knew that wouldn't happen with Clint, they had been through too much to leave each other.
The thought made her smile, she slowly closed her eyes and was about to go to sleep when she heard thuds coming up the stairs.
"Dad?" she went and opened the door to see her dad. But she was disappointed by seeing her drunken mother stumbling up the stairs leaning on the wobbly stair railing. "Oh, it's you…" she whispered to herself and was about to close the door when her mom started yelling at her.
"Where have you been all night?" she slurred her words at her.
"Out," Nat said bluntly.
"With those god damn friends of yours? And what about that boy, you're always with?"
"What about him?" Nat shot back.
"Oh, god. You little slut you probably already have banged him." She downed another gulp of her beer.
"Shut up, he doesn't deserve to be talked about like that." Nat growled.
"Oh he doesn't now? You cunt, you are never home," she stumbled to the top of the stairs and was now only a few feet away from Nat. "Rather spend time with us, you're off ignoring me and your father"
"Well dads rarely home because he has to support us and your stupid drinking addiction, and you're always…" Nat stopped herself. She didn't want to get into this with her mother, not after this amazing night. "Never mind, I'm going to bed." And she closed the door.
"Don't you dare think this is over Natasha!" her mother screamed through the door. She heard her parents' door open and slam shut. She sat down with her back against the door with her head in her hands. Then she heard a car pull into the driveway and turn off. Finally her dad was home, but she wasn't up to opening the door and risk another confrontation with her mom even if it was to see her dad. Her dad deserved so much better than what his life was right now, and Nat wanted that for him; even if it didn't have her in the picture. She finally climbed on the bed and drifted into sleep with the feeling of love and happiness because of Clint, but worry and guilt when she thought the next days would bring with her family.
