Weee! Candy! Trick or treat!

She was going to murder Logistics, Natasha decided. When she got the energy for it. Sleep was a first priority. Forty hours of it, possibly fifty if she could get away with it, then some good coffee, a few blintzes from the deli down the street, and then she was going to track down every single intern in charge of arranging flights and luggage, and then she was going to disappear them to unlisted coordinates. Slowly. With malicious glee.

“You know,” Clint said as he pulled his old junker up behind their shared living quarters, “the look on your face has me a little worried.”

Natasha allowed herself to yawn. “I don’t know why. It’s only a few murders.”

“Give me a ballpark number.”

Natasha thought about it. “Seven?”

“No, Nat, you’re not killing Logistics.” Clint paused and side-eyed her. “Not even the little ones. They have families.”

“Fine. Ruin my fun.” She unhitched her seatbelt and sighed. Thanks to the mix-up, she still wore her blood-stained, battered, and sweaty tac suit, though she’d stored away the Bite gauntlets to charge on the drive. And she and Clint had picked a very civilian neighborhood for their latest home, which meant that they’d have to make a break for it or move very stealthily, since he wore his full tac suit as well and they both stood out like sore thumbs. “You want to go first, or me?”

He unhooked his seatbelt as well. “I don’t think we’ll actually have to worry about it.”

“We’re going to blow our cover.”

“Trust me.”

Natasha gave him a long look.

“No, it’s nothing like Oslo this time. Trust me.”

She arched an eyebrow.

“Or Cape Town,” he said. “Not even like Helsinki.”

“Well, if you say so.” Feeling distinctly vulnerable and strange, she picked up the duffel containing her weapons—at least Logistics hadn’t screwed that up—and climbed free of his car. The evening had just set in, and the neighborhood seemed pretty active. Lights were on all across their side of the street, with a couple of people outright sitting on their front porch. Natasha wanted to turn and ask Clint if he’d gone completely mad.

She didn’t get a chance. A young couple with a moppet in tow—a moppet in a pink tutu—rounded the corner. Natasha flinched, ready to reach for her weapon, but she felt Clint’s hand on her arm.

Instantly, the man’s eyes lit up. “Cool Hawkeye, bro,” he said, and Clint gave him a high-five as they passed, the moppet goggling at first Clint and then Natasha. She stayed absolutely still, even as the couple’s voices trailed behind them.

“Those costumes were sick. So realistic.”

“I don’t know. I thought his costume was supposed to be a little more purple? And what’s with all the blood? It looked so fake.”

Natasha finally put it together, and nearly had to laugh through her exhaustion. Indeed, Clint had a tired smile on his face as they climbed their front steps together. “Nice costume,” he said.

She shook her head at him and gently cuffed him on the shoulder. “Happy Halloween to you, too, bird-brain.”

What a fun little thing, sooooo good. :D

Thank you! *deep, sweeping bow*

Aw, no, not Logistics! Good thing they don't have to run for their lives - although I wonder if some of them have gotten the 'someone's walking on my grave' feeling and already run for the hills. Love it!

I think there might have been some spontaneous "I suddenly need a drink" feelings spread throughout that entire office....

Thank you!

Still grinning!

Loved this.

Why, thank you!

Aww maybe Logistics didn't screw up too badly. :P Thank you!!

They've only looked into witness protection a few times before this, I'm sure they'll be okay. ;) I'm glad you liked!

Wow, Natasha was really out of it to forget the date! But of course Hawkeye would remember. Priorities!

though she’d stored away the Bite gauntlets to charge on the drive.

I have this headcanon now that the gauntlets charge through the cigarette lighter like an iPhone.

That's one area where SHIELD R&D beats StarkTech: Natasha can charge the bite from a rental car. ;) I'm now laughing at this mental image and I share your headcanon. Brilliant!

Brill! :-)

Why, thank you!