A little late to the party due to my vacation, but after reading this, the wheels are turning...

My burgeoning head canon has Clint having had a fling with Melinda May at some point (strictly friends with benefits, although igrockspock turned that into a former marriage, in her wonderful story Two Truths and One Lie.) We know May has Nat on speed dial, so what do they text each other about that won't pass the Bechdel test??

It amazes me how characters can evolve and emerge on "paper" completely different from how we thought they would. Over the past year and a half, Clint Barton has done that to me. He has emerged as a OIF/OEF veteran who, while he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, is much more passionate about his work, his comrades in arms, and his friends than his external demeanor may show. He's turned out to be a cynic with touches of idealism buried deep beneath. As a result, he's emerged -- for me, at least -- as the type of guy who can't have a casual fling.

Tash, on the other hand, has been very closed-off. She cares about her work, her fellow agents, and her friends, but she's also got a boat-load of trust issues as a result of her time with Red Room. Thus, friends are few and far between; a true romantic relationship hasn't been a reality for her.

This particular head canon has turned my story idea completely on its proverbial ear, and I'm having to re-think my entire POV. Augh.

Right now, my brain has also grabbed on the possibility of May/Coulson -- past and future. (For this I blame Ming-Na, Clark Gregg, and Twitter.) Given that Clint and Tasha worked closely with Coulson, it seems conceivable that they knew about any past history between he and May. I keep rolling around ideas about how his "death" -- and subsequent "resurrection" -- might affect interactions between May, Clint, and Tasha. Nothing concrete yet, just a general sense that it's just kinda there, in the background.

It does lead me to think that there might be a slight feeling of betrayal or frustration because May, knowing Coulson is alive, has backed off of her casual/friendly conversations with the two master assassins, usually sticking to business; she doesn't trust herself not to give it away, especially given Tasha's interrogation skills. And, because of the obvious complications, they haven't exactly seen May to confront her about it.

Needless to say, I don't see a fling or FWB relationship with May. But I'd love to see the moment they find out Coulson's alive and May's known (and worked with him!) for quite a while...