but this is what went through my head when i saw this pic the first time: so this one time in the circus... and then coulson said... but this one guy...

i just think clint is really chatty and natasha finds it calming because it silences all the crap that's going on in her head

A/N So this started off in the spirit of the prompt but got bittersweet really quickly based on the photo. Sorry?
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“And then Fury suspended me for a week. I know he still has the feather boa though.” Clint prattled on, telling meaningless stories. It was his way of repairing the frayed bonds of their partnership after the heartwashing.

“What color was the boa?” Natasha asked. We’re good Clint.

“Lime green.” Clint said with a smirk. “Now that the superhero boy-band has disbanded, wanna come to the Manhattan safehouse for a drink?” Come home with me and stay for a week.

“Not tonight.”

Natasha quickened her pace. She knew without looking behind her that Clint would be giving her puppy dog eyes. For a secret agent he was terrible at hiding his emotions.

“See ya soon Nat.” Why won’t you let me love you?

They went their separate ways with a brief hug. Natasha fought down a sense of loss as they broke contact.

It took forty minutes on the subway to get to her apartment. It felt like four hours. Natasha hadn’t been lying when she said she was tired, the events of the past few days were catching up up with her. She went through her security measures on autopilot, checking the alarms, traps and hidden weapons. She spent a brief moment wondering whether she should start her report before stripping off her clothes, falling facedown on her bed and closing her eyes. Clint’s face appeared in front of her, denying her sleep. She felt a pang of regret for not taking him up on his offer. It was ridiculous. Loki's plots and the Chitauri Invasion had knocked her off balance and made her overly emotional. She should call Mark with the blue eyes who thought she was Natalie Rushman from Legal. Or Sam with his talented hands who thought she was Talia Rollins from NYU. Or Tim with the body of a Greek God who thought she was a bartender from New Jersey. Any of those men would make a good distraction.

She reached for her phone and without conscious thought she dialed Clint’s number. The phone rang. A woman’s voice answered.

“Hey, I’m sorry but Peter can’t-”

“Oh I’m sorry. Wrong number,” Natasha said, her tone effortlessly polite.

Natasha turned off her cellphone and threw it against the wall.

Avengers Tower. Five months later.

Darcy admired Clint subtly from across the room, or as subtly as she could six drinks into the night. She gave herself points for not actually drooling.

“You do have the day off tomorrow,” Jane told Darcy meaningfully with a nudge in Clint’s direction.

“Do I look home-wrecking slut?” Darcy asked, appalled. “Wait, don’t answer that.”

“He’s available,” Natasha spoke from behind them. “And he likes you,” she told Darcy.

Darcy choked on her drink at Natasha’s sudden appearance. “So you two aren’t...”

“No. We’re not dating.”

“Are you secretly a nun?!” Darcy blurted out.

Natasha raised her eyebrows at Darcy’s rudeness, but softened the look with a smile. “We’re best friends. It’s enough.”

no i mean

^ That. *wibbles*.

What she said.

I second this comment.

Oh, Natasha. Their relationship is very clearly complicated and heartbreaking in this *sniffles*

Edited 2012-07-21 01:45 pm (UTC)

Okay, so beside the massive feels this gave me, the list of men that Natasha thinks of is actually a great aspect that doesn't get brought out enough. The idea that she has other lovers, that she links them effortlessly with the personas and the people they believe her to be, is a really good one. And then she calls him and it's not him and... oh, my heart.

Thanks to everyone who replied to this! (I'd reply individually but I don't want to make too much work for the mods).

Sweetwatersong- put all of her lovers together and what do you get?

no, no it's fine! reply and much as you want! i will be vigilant in making sure they appear! :D