There was a high pitched squeal as Natasha ran through the tower, diving quickly behind Pepper where she clung to her legs and hid
Clint had been chasing her, something concealed in his hands
"Clint, what are you doing?" Pepper asked an air of tiredness in her voice. The two kids were either inseparable and incredibly sweet and caring to each other, or they fought and argued and wound each other up; it was one extreme or the other and Pepper was finding it difficult to keep up
Pepper leaned down to look what Clint held in his hands, while Natasha tightened her grip on Pepper's legs from behind
When Clint slightly opened his cupped hands Pepper recoiled with a shudder; in his hands was a massive spider. Natasha ran off again and Clint was soon on her tail
"Clint! Don't! Stop it Clint stop it!" she shouted as she quickly scurried over the back of the couch, receiving a glare from Pepper as she did
"What's up Tasha, don't like spiders?"
"Stop it!" she shouted, scowling at him. Somehow it had less effect when Darcy had put her hair in pigtails using red bows
"Clint" Pepper warned, as he set off chasing Natasha again.
She was too busy watching Clint behind her and ran right into Thor, rebounding off him and falling into Clint. Clint fell and released the spider, who scurried off before he could catch it again
"Aw, it took me all morning to catch that!" he moaned
Natasha stuck her tongue out at him, to which replied by pulling a stupid face. He pulled her hair, and she pushed him hard. Before it could escalate further Natasha was lifted into the air by Thor and passed to Pepper while he scooped Clint up off the floor
"You lost Boris!" Natasha accused from where she sat on Pepper's hip
"Who?" Clint, Pepper and Thor all asked
"Boris!" she insisted to three blank faces "The spider that lived on my window" she explained as Pepper lowered her back to the floor now the threat of a fight seemed to have passed
"But you don't even like spiders" Clint stated as Thor put him back on the ground
"I do when I'm not being chased by them Clinton!"
"Shut up Natalia!"
"Don't call me that!"
"Why not? Don't you like it Natalia?"
"Clint!" she warned, she looked angry but tears pooled in her eyes
"Natalia?" he asked with just a hint of a smirk
Pepper grabbed Natasha before she pounced. Clint watched as tears flooded down her cheeks even if she wiped them away quickly so he wouldn't see. And suddenly he realised what a jerk he'd been; he was bored, they hadn't left the tower in days and he felt a little stir crazy. That was no excuse, but it certainly helped to explain his behaviour.
Clint took a few tentative steps forward towards where Pepper had sat on the sofa with Natasha, Thor placed a warning hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off
"I'm sorry Tasha, I didn't mean to make you sad"
"I'm not sad" came her response; somewhat muffled by the fact her face was firmly buried in Pepper's neck
Clint glanced nervously to Pepper who shot him her 'you better fix it' glare she usually used on Tony
"Well, why're you crying?"
"I'm not crying" she lied, still refusing to look at him. "I'm mad" she told him
"Okay, well I'm sorry you're mad"
Natasha sniffled and wiped her face before turning to face him; eyes red and cheeks wet
"Why're you so mean?"
"I erm, I didn't mean to be, I was just teasing"
"Whats that?"
"Erm, teasing is when you say things you don't really mean"
"I don't understand" she admitted sighing
"Me either" Clint said, sighing dejectedly. He sat on the floor, where he saw Boris crawling under the table
He scrambled forward, reaching for him as Pepper, Thor and Natasha watched, confused
"Hey Tasha, look what I've got" he said happily. She climbed from Pepper's lap and crawled across the floor to sit in front of Clint
"Boris!" she exclaimed happily, hugging Clint enthusiastically while she struggled not to lose the spider once again
"Come on, you can show me where he lives" he told Natasha, gripping her hand in his while ensuring he still held her 'pet' with the other
"Want to hold him?" he asked when they reached their room
"Ew no" she said, dashing away from him, "he lives up there" she told him, pointing up to the top corner of the window.
Back in the lounge Thor was confused; "children are strange" he observed
"Not all of them, but Clint and Natasha; definitely" Pepper answered, flicking through a newspaper
"I do not understand what just happened"
"Me either Thor, but they're not shouting, crying or arguing, so as far as I'm concerned; it's all okay for now!"
I feel like I should warn you, we're nearing the end of the current 'fluff filled' section of the story...
And a quick reminder that reviews are always appreciated and thanks to everyone who has already!