Title: The Night Tears Us Loose
Pairings: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
Rating: PG13
Warnings: sleezy guys in clubs (not Clint) and a situation that implies stalking even though no stalking occurs.
Word count: 2870
Notes: Written for mcu_aufest Round 3, for Artemis_Day. Prompt: "Neighbours". Thank you to geckoholic for beta.

Lighting in clubs often makes people look weirdly otherworldly, throwing their faces into shadow in unusual ways and drenching them in colour that simultaneously makes them brighter and more washed out. She thinks this guy might be blond. He’s definitely white and taller than her, with great arms, slim hips and wearing the kind of clothes that say he didn’t think too hard before leaving his house but knows he looks good in most things. Including nothing, probably.

He turns and catches her eye.

Natasha reassesses. Definitely would look good wearing nothing.

Happy (late) Canada Day to the Canadians, Happy Independence Day to the Americans, and simply Happy July to everyone else! :)

~~~~~

"So what do you think of the fireworks, Nat?" Clint asked, a wicked grin on his face.

She studied the pyrotechnic blaze from their perch on a roof about a half mile away.

"Not bad," she admitted. "But not quite as colorful as I'd been hoping."

"Hey, it's hard to get a blaze like that going!"

"I know. Maybe if you had let me go in there with the C4 instead of just using the fancy explosive arrows…"

"Yeah, but then you'd have been busy hightailing it out of there and you wouldn't have been able to appreciate the Hydra nest going boom."

"This is true. Plus, now I get to enjoy some 4th of July fireworks with you in the best possible way," she said, smiling and giving his shoulder a playful nudge.

"Yeah," he said, wrapping a companionable arm around her shoulders. "Happy 4th, Nat."

"Happy 4th, Clint."