for raisedawidow
The television lied.
The Hallmark cards lied.
He was sure his boss and friends had lied as well when it came down to everything.
Father's day was not at all relaxing. Of course, Clint had grown used to the days where he would be woken up from sleep by either Sofiya bouncing on his side of the bed. Or, just recently, the baby monitor going off in Lincoln's room as he started up. He told everyone that he had lucked out when it came to Link. He slept through most of the night. He figured after baby number one, he was a baby pro. Link fell for all of the tricks he learned with Sofi when she was just a couple months old and both he and Nat didn't know what the hell they had gotten themselves into. It seemed to work by the looks of it. Sofi hadn't died yet by some idiotic accident even though Clint was more of an overprotective father than he would have intended to be. Things were double-checked when it came to baby and toddler proofing their home. When he used to have his standard-issued weapon from work carefully locked away in his bedroom closet. The fears of the kids somehow getting into that overtook him to the point where he just left everything explosive, sharp, etc at work now. No one seemed to mind. Clint was a good worker, a little hot-headed. But dedicated enough that they didn't question it.
He didn't expect silence or relaxation on his father's day because he hadn't gotten that from the moment Sofi was born -- and he really couldn't picture life without the loud. It started with breakfast. Green eggs and ham from their favorite bedtime story, Mommy had been the angel who made sure the house didn't burn down and the eggshells weren't cooked into the fluffy, green scrambled eggs. A finger painted picture with letters he assumed meant 'I love you, daddy' but four-year-old scribble was something the four-year-old mind could only read. After she stumbled over what she had written while sitting on his lap in the kitchen, it turned out to actually be the next great American novel with symbols and the sparse letter or two. Lincoln's only gift to him was that he was just laying back, chilling in his favorite spot in the house. A place where there was just enough shade and just enough sun to make it the perfect napping spot. Clint only knew this because when it was his day off and he had the chance to spend it with the children. They napped for about four to five hours in that spot. Sofi curled up against him, using him as a pillow. Lincoln usually safely tucked between his torso and his arm to make sure his boy didn't roll over and hurt himself.
Next was a facebook photo op because they had decided going to the zoo on Father's Day was the best idea in the world. As well as everyone else in town. Sofi and Clint got face-painted by someone who actually could be heckled down when Clint felt like heckling (and there was no way he was spending eight bucks on a face-painting) before they went on their little adventure. Clint and Nat interchanging 'Please don't run away Sofi'. Clint pushing the stroller because he just felt the need too or being pulled away by Sofi who saw one of her friends from the neighborhood and thought since it was Father's Day, she got the opportunity to show off her dad. He was just waiting for when Link got older and the arguments turned to 'my dad can beat up your dad' because he was sure it was possible. He was sort of a badass; which was something he would chuckle as he gloated to his wife. Clint was just glad that this time around, Nat had joined them at the zoo. The last time, Sofi almost managed to talk her dad into trying to steal an otter. Or buy one. There wasn't many things he wouldn't do for her; so he honestly needed Tasha for a buffer. Otherwise they'd be living on the streets with all of Sofi's toys.
Dinner was spent with his brother and his family. Barney's ex-wife had been nice enough to drop off his kids, Edith and Rick. A nice good ole fashioned BBQ before Clint realized all he truly wanted to do was go upstairs and sleep.
It was somewhat ending in his eyes the moment Nat showed up at their bedroom door. Sofi had been put down for the night. Clint was hugging a pillow, not even having bothered to wash off the face-paint yet as he listened to his son's noises over the baby monitor. A little rumble there. A coo here. His breathing somewhat leveling out before Clint pushed his head up, glancing over his shoulder at Nat. "...think 'm too old for this." He was looking forward to vacation from work, however. He was due for it. Staying at home with Sofi, Link, and Nat all day. Potentially giving Nat some time to escape for her own mental health. Possibly managing to get someone babysit for the weekend while they escaped together.