My own (wishful?) thinking says they're trying to work something out because seeing him there does make sense. To me at least.

(If anything I would squee about a scene showing bow and arrows in Natasha's room/apartment/her private space.)

I think I would love subtle indications, as well! It would give us all those lovely stories like we've gotten trying to place him in IR2 or where she is in Thor. Sometimes absence is better than having him being in the movie with wrong things going on.

Couldn't agree more! Fuel for the fic factory ;)

When it comes to canon I'm in the "they're not actually sleeping together/in a relationship" camp, so something like that I wouldn't find believable.

I was hoping we might have a scene in the beginning where he gets benched because of the whole being possessed by Loki thing, and then reunites with Natasha at the end for the final fight.

(my spec for the movie is she finds a replacement partner in Bucky while Clint's not there and when Bucky goes rogue, Clint comes back...)

My point is, and you just drove it home for me, regardless of what theory or speculation anyone might subscribe to, the franchise is at a point where you can't have a SHIELD heavy movie, which features Natasha and not have Clint around even briefly. It just doesn't make sense.