(There will be a longer story coming soon that will have some of what follows in it ...)

______


Clint used to crawl into a bit of a shell at Christmas time. He remembers the last one he spent at his house -- his mother had tried to decorate (she used pine branches picked in the park). His father was drunk as usual, but a mellow drunk for a change. There was a small present for both him and Barney, and for a moment he could pretend that his father actually cared (although it was clear that the gifts has been picked by his mother).

A week or so later even that was gone, as his father wrapped the car around a tree with his mother in it. Clint and Barney spent a cold night alone (the heating bill hadn't been paid) until the morning, when the doorbell rang and there was a police officer in uniform, and a social worker wearing a concerned expression.

After that, for the next few years Clint's holidays were spent waiting, for something or someone -- he wasn't sure what. But no one ever came, so eventually he stopped.

He once told all this to Natasha, who doesn't remember any holidays at all. She does remember the cold though (they had that in the Red Room, oh yes...). Since then, she has made a point of spending the day with Clint -- they don't do much, have a couple of drinks, some takeout, maybe watch a movie.

But they're doing it together, and that itself is a gift.

oh this makes my heart ache. but also very glad that they found each other. <3

yeah -- sometimes, the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT a train. :-)

Oh, my goodness, I love this.

Thanks! Sniffle. Our poor dears ... But, yeah.

Makes me want to hug them both. If I could without, you know, having them kill me.

I'm sure during the annual Christmas ceasefire they will just hug you back! :-)

oh ouch, wow... poor kids... but theyre starting their own new traditions *hugs them* excited for the longer story, I'm sure it will be as equally awesome as this drabble!

God this is heartbreaking- and I love the realistic aspect of it all. Especially because I work in the system and I see this sort of stuff every day. Holidays can be really horrible for so many people.

Can't wait for the rest, though and I hope they'll manage to have some happiness over the holidays.

Rest will come soon (possibly tomorrow ...) although it's not so much about the holidays. More about the cold.

My heart breaks a little for both of them, poor kids that they are... But then you make it all better by giving them each other and time together, lovely <3

Check your e-mail, dear, for a small present. :-)