Lauren's morning turned out better than she expected. After her eventful run-in with Tony that officially (in her mind) removed her status as unemployed. She was thankful for the distraction that Clint's presence offered her. It wouldn't do for her to dwell on the fact that Tony now had her best friends' names and will be looking them up. She'll let her paranoia spiral out later in the safety of her room. It made talking to her two friends about her housemates more urgent than it was. Which just meant she had to talk to them now.

Tony really tended to stir things up wherever he went. Which can be both good and bad. It depended on who you asked really.

Also, she still had to talk to Steve about everything. Again… Sober...

She sighed internally. She was being a bit rude. She hasn't heard a thing of what Clint was saying. Thankfully, he hasn't noticed or didn't mind.

When Tony left they started talking about tattoos. Their topic eventually spiraled into talking about Japanese role-playing games and just video games in general. She wasn't that well versed in the topic but Clint seemed to be happy to let her listen to him rambling. Between his rambling and preparing breakfast (that she let get out of hand) she was sufficiently distracted.

She wasn't too worried about the amount of food she made. As her mom said, "There can never be too much food." She was also confident that the team wouldn't let any of the food go to waste.

"Welcome back Cap!" Clint greeted Steve as he exited the elevator with James, who Clint greeted with a jerk of his head.

"Mornin' guys. Couldn't' resist the call of the kitchen Lauren?" Steve teased as he put down the bag he was carrying. He shot her a grin of amusement.

She shrugged her shoulders in reply. It slipped her mind that Steve told her she didn't have to cook today. She felt her ears warm at the implication of a hangover he undoubtedly expected her to have after last night. She was glad that he didn't say anything though. She didn't really want Clint to know about her less than stellar habit, yet. Though she had no doubt that James already knew about it. Knowing how close the two were.

Steve opened his mouth, probably to ask her how she was. But hesitated, eyeing Clint who was taking out the bag's contents and set them down on the counter. "You good?" He finally asked just as James finished setting the plates and cutlery out for them.

His mindfulness reminded her how thankful she was that Steve had a heart of gold. His careful choice of words held no hint of her possible hangover. Which she wasn't, but he didn't know that.

Her suspicion that James knew about what had happened was confirmed by his amused grin. What made these two super-soldiers such good men?

She beamed at them and nodded in response. She started to heap food onto their plates. It was her way of telling him that they'll talk about it later.

Other than that, breakfast was a pleasant affair. It was littered with idle chatter led by Clint and the sounds of people eating.

An hour later the two super-soldiers were washing up the dishes. Clint had already slunk away, he clearly had no intention of helping with the clean-up. Not that they were complaining. It gave Lauren a chance to talk to Steve (and James by default).

"Sorry about that… Last night I mean." She started once she caught Steve's eyes. "I don't usually... I mean I tend to drink often but… yeah. That doesn't happen most of the time." It was odd. She knew exactly what she wanted to say. But once she opened her mouth the words felt jumbled up.

The scarce words she managed to say wasn't a lie though. It was unusual that she'd fall asleep while drinking, much less while talking to someone. Maybe it was the pent up stress from everything. Regardless, she just wanted to thank the man for taking care of her. But why did it seem so hard?

She fidgeted as she tried to untangle the words she wanted to say. She felt like a kid trying to explain herself to her parents. That was new. "Uhm, yeah… And thanks… for… for bringing me to my room and all. You didn't really have to! I used to sleep on my couch a lot when I was younger… and the couches here are really comfy… and…" She was cut off by an amused chuckle.

She wasn't sure which of them made the sound. Not that knowing would help. They both looked amused. She really wanted to get this over with but her mouth was not cooperating.

"You don't have to explain yourself you know." Steve started. His eyes softened, likely noticing her discomfort. " Things happen… Besides I don't think it would've been right for me to just leave you when I'm could bring you to your room."

"Still…" She tried to protest. James visibly amused as he watched them talk.

"Arguing with him about it won't convince him you know. This punk's one stubborn ass." James commented with a smile.

Lauren realized that he was right and let it go. But just as she was going to reiterate her thanks her phone chimed with a message.

When are you free?

It was from Cervus. She did want to meet him but didn't expect that it'd be this soon. Wasn't he tired from traveling? She sent out her response.

I'm free, but are you sure? I can meet you at the bookstore on 5th Avenue. It's close to where I'm staying so just tell me when you're near.

She stared at her phone for a while, thinking of what she'll say to him.

"Everything alright?" Steve asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I just remembered that I have to go out today. Do you guys need anything? I can get it for you if you want." She replied

Steve paused, thinking, before shaking his head 'no'.

"James?" She confirmed.

"I'm good. But I do want you to tell me something though." He replied, which made Lauren raise an eyebrow in question. Judging by Steve's eye-roll it was probably something related to her drinking.

"Why do you call me James?"

So Steve really did tell him about last night. That or he was genuinely curious.

"Personal preference I guess?" She answered. By his tone, she expected him to tell her to use his nickname.

It never came. He just gave her a small but genuine smile and a nod. It told her that he was actually happy about it. She idly wondered if it had anything to do with the thing with Tony but the thought was quickly forgotten when her phone chimed once more.

I'll see you in an hour.

"I'll go in about an hour. Just text me if you guys change your minds." She told them pushing herself off the barstool.

Just as she got off, Clint seemingly appeared out of nowhere and asked, "Mind if we tag along?"

She was about to ask who was the rest of "we" when Natasha entered from the elevator greeting everyone.

Her mind raced through acceptable excuses that she could use and came up blank. She'd prefer that they don't meet Cervus. Not yet at least. She couldn't think of a believable excuse for a friend from Japan coming over stateside just to check on her.

So she awkwardly told Clint and Natasha that it was okay and sent off a message to Cervus that they'll be having company.

I have company tagging along. Help?

Cervus replied almost instantly. He didn't even bother helping her with an excuse and just called her troublesome. She couldn't help but visibly sigh that earned her questioning looks from the superheroes but she waved them off.

She went off to change her clothes after she told Natasha and Clint to meet up at the tower's entrance in an hour. Her mind was instead trying to find a way to explain how a friend from Japan managed to travel to the other side of the world at the drop of a hat.

She later decided (realized) that she didn't have to explain herself. If they didn't ask that is.

So an hour later she met up with Clint and Natasha with her mind ill at ease. Clint and Natasha were fine to follow her along. They said they just wanted to get out of the Tower and had no plans whatsoever. She suspected that they were lying. The more paranoid part of her said that they already found all her secrets. Her more rational paranoia said they just wanted to "check her out" so to speak. She's learned to mute those voices out. But she hoped that Iris didn't ask Cervus to do something outrageous. No person, no matter how stubbornly lazy (or just stubborn or lazy), they were could go against Iris. She'd know, she tried.

Speaking of Cervus, the bastard. He stopped replying after he texted that he was near their meeting place already. She was still unsure how to approach the situation, but hopefully, she'd be able to wing it.

They entered the store and her she eyes immediately caught onto the only person in the store with a man-bun rested on top of his head.

His hair apparently had grown long enough to stop sticking out of the bun that made him look like a pineapple once upon a time. She met his dark brown eyes that were similar to her own. Though his eyes always looked like he just woke up from a nap, which probably wasn't far off. She hasn't spent a lot of time with him but they communicated frequently. He often stopped replying in the middle of a conversation because he'd nodded off. Their conversations often started with him complaining about her more troublesome friend. His words, but she wholeheartedly agreed.

He subtly nudged his head towards another bookshelf in front of him. Quickly realizing his intention, she made her way towards it after briefly checking to see where Natasha and Clint went off to. They were off looking around but were still close.

She was about to say something when her phone pinged with a message that said:

Black Widow and Hawkeye… Seriously?

So he wanted to be even more subtle. It was inconvenient but it'll do.

Yes, seriously. But please don't sell me out. I was already planning to tell them.

She replied back. Looking towards him to see his reaction but was met with a deadpanned face. She quickly looked away and decided to browse the shelf of books.

Cervus: Troublesome woman.

Lauren: Thanks, did you just get here?

C: No. Been here a few days.

L: WTF and you just tell me now? Seriously. Wait… You already knew! I didn't even have to ask you to hide it from them. Fuck you.

She glared at him. If looks could hurt…

L: Bah, when are you leaving?

C: Tomorrow, probably. Iris hasn't told me to return yet. But since you don't seem as troubled as she thought you'd be, I'll probably be okay returning without her say.

L: Why'd she send you anyway? Doesn't she need your brains for something?

C: Told her the same thing but she insisted. Didn't help that she had backup. Troublesome women.

And so teasing ensued. Lauren teased him on his name origin as well as versions of 'lazy ass bastard' – to which he returned to her. If he was someone who was lazy because he was too intelligent. She, on the other hand, was too lazy to utilize her intelligence. According to their mutual friends at least. Occasionally they'd exchange looks and small grins whenever one of them would make a particularly witty comeback.

They were a bit too engrossed in their teasing of each other that neither of them saw that Lauren's companions noticed their increasingly unsubtle interactions. Clint elbowed Natasha to direct her attention towards them.

The two spies decided that watching them was infinitely more entertaining than browsing whatever books there were. Clint muttering that he wished he had popcorn.

They eventually stopped when Lauren finally noticed that Clint and Natasha were hovering in the bookshelf next to hers. She grabbed a random book by an author she knew and turned towards them.

Just as she started to tell them that she just had to pay for the book she grabbed, her eyes caught onto the display of Moleskine notebooks. She made a beeline towards the display. Her hand reaching for the one that caught her attention. She strained to reach it since whoever arranged the display decided to put it on the higher part of the shelf. She was surprised when she saw someone else pluck it off and hand it to her. She was more surprised to find that it was Cervus, who gave her a teasing smile (that was undoubtedly a jab at her height) and went off to pay for the book in his hand.

She had to collect herself for a few seconds before she could study the notebook. It had a plain blue-green cover that was more on the pastel side. She normally wouldn't go for anything light-colored but this was a Moleskine. A notebook brand she's always wished she could buy since high school. She figured the lighter-color would give her more incentive to take better care of it. She also impulsively grabbed a dark blue art sketchbook that was nearby and went off to pay for her items.

After she paid, Natasha approached her with a questioning eyebrow. Her eyebrows scrunched up in thought trying to understand what her red-haired friend was trying to say.

"What?"

The shocked expressions of the spies' faces made her feel like she missed something big.

"Seriously? Please tell me you're playing with me." Natasha answered, in a mix of amusement and surprise.

Lauren bit back a retort. She didn't see what they were trying to say. And their continued silence didn't help.

"Holy shit. Nat, I think she's serious."

"Yes, I am serious. And this is getting annoying." Lauren snapped when Clint's smirk pinched in his effort to stop himself from laughing. She was already tempted to kick him in the shin but Natasha slapped his arm instead.

"That dude that handed you the notebook." Natasha pointed out like it explained everything.

Her mind immediately went to hell. Did they already know about it? What was she going to do? How was she going to explain it to Steve? To Iris and Greez? Were they bringing her in?

But then she remembered herself and tried her best to push away her thoughts. It was never good to assume things. So once again, her eyebrows scrunched up in concentration- which was interrupted by Natasha who decided to end her misery.

"That dude was flirting with you."

Lauren felt like a deer in the headlights. She couldn't deny that there was something that drew her attention to Cervus. Not to mention that she also enjoyed spending time with him. There was an undeniable chemistry between them. But she was unsure if she even liked him beyond something platonic Surely whatever it was she had going on with Cervus wasn't what Natasha and Clint thought it was. Right? It's been a long while since she felt in love with someone. It didn't turn out too well, but that was a story for another time.

She honestly didn't know what to say to that but she tried. Her mouth tried and failed to open up and say something. In the end, she could only stare at their faces utterly speechless. Natasha had an eyebrow raised and Clint was staring right back at her. He looked amused and, maybe, surprised? She couldn't be sure. She was sure that he was close to laughing though… again.

Their little impasse ended when her phone pinged. Twice.

She opened the first one. It was from Cervus that said, "Good luck." Along with a cartoon sticker of a deer that was sticking its tongue out at her.

The second one was from a courier saying that her item was picked up and will take up to 2 weeks to arrive. It was odd because she didn't recall ordering anything.

"So… Are you guys ready to head back? Or did you want to go somewhere else?" She decided to ask completely ignoring the thing that had happened just a few moments before.

They both were good to go. But there was something about Clint's look that she couldn't help but feel like it spelled trouble.

A mysterious package for Lauren, and also, we get to meet another OC, who isn't technically an OC. I'm willing to insert a scene request or suggestion to this fanfic of whoever figures out who Cervus is. :D His name is actually a big clue. Message me your guesses!

Once again, thanks for reading! Stay safe~

Special mention of arsenous elation and u-niquette who's been helping me with this and who also encouraged me to write this. :D