25 Unicorn Street, Monday Morning

[so_hawkward]

If Clint needed a sign that Black Cat's bad luck mojo had worn off of him, it was that the first portal he'd taken from New York had brought him right to Fandom last night. He'd tried to sneak into the house without waking Kitty up, but that had been a completely futile effort, and she'd made all sorts of noises when she saw what a walking bruise

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[whenshewasnice]

Maybe Natalie had a sixth sense for these things. Or maybe she just had a portal layover in Fandom, on her way back to Brazil from another fortnight-long stint at university in Toronto.

Either way, here she was, ringing the doorbell.

[so_hawkward]

Clint didn't get many visitors, so he wiped his hands off and went to the door, grinning when he saw Natalie through the peephole. "Hey! What are you doing here?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Layover between university and home." Well, work. But the terms were all hazy. "Fun with portals, as they say."

[so_hawkward]

"I took a portal yesterday from visiting my brother and I was amazed that it worked right from the start," Clint said. "Do you want to come in? I've still got some coffee left."

[whenshewasnice]

"And was it your brother that beat you up?" Natalie asked conversationally as she moved to step in.

[so_hawkward]

"Heh, not this time. It was a whole bunch of bad guys who got what was coming to them," Clint said. "I was trying to stay out of trouble, if you can believe that."

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't know if I can believe that," she replied, the trademark mildness masking whether she was serious or not. "Are you okay?"

[so_hawkward]

Clint shrugged, leading Natalie into the kitchen and getting out two mugs for coffee. Occasionally, he had decent host skills. "I've been a lot worse. I'm mostly annoyed with myself for getting into trouble when I promised Kitty I'd be good. Speaking of which, are you staying out of trouble?"

[whenshewasnice]

"No one's made any attempt at my life very recently," Natalie replied with a very small shrug. "And I've said no to drugs at university. So, I guess."

[so_hawkward]

"Is that something you worry about a lot, people making attempts on your life?" Clint asked.

[whenshewasnice]

"We have security following us everywhere, so not really," she said. "Of course, the security's there because such attempts might happen."

Ah, the life of someone tied to a high-ranking political figure.

[so_hawkward]

"That sounds kind of exciting," Clint admitted. "Though maybe also annoying after a while. And good job on not succumbing to drugs. I'd have to frown at you and act all adult like and that'd be awful."

[whenshewasnice]

"I know," Natalie deadpanned. "Especially because I'm twenty and a Chief of Staff, and I'm honestly a little surprised you're not trying to drink coffee right out of the pot right now."