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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[throughaphase]

Kitty had learned in the course of this relationship that there were times she had to not push and leave Clint alone till he was ready to talk, but don't think that made her any less worried when he'd come home the way he had. But at least she had something right here to talk to him about rather than trying to immediately come up with ways to address the elephant in the room.

"Uh oh. I see tools," she said lightly, finding an unobtrusive spot to watch him work.

[so_hawkward]

Clint gave her a soft laugh. "I probably should have warned you before I got started, sorry. I figured I'd fix this step before it caved in or something. And late night stair climbing won't be so noisy."

Had he noticed this problem trying to sneak in last night? Maaaybe.

[throughaphase]

"There is the option to not climb stairs late at night," Kitty teased. "Though maybe phasing has spoiled me there..."

[so_hawkward]

"Well, us mere mortals have to settle for taking the long way around," Clint said. And okay, maybe he shouldn't have mentioned his mortality considering where Kitty was and all. "It won't take me too long, I think, and then it'll be good as new."

[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."