[ 004 ] ♐ [ Action ] / [ Video ]

[bettercallit]

[ It's late evening, which is quickly turning into night, and the blizzard is slowing to a stop, flakes of snow still falling down around him, but the ferociousness of it has calmed enough to be out in it, standing upon the masses of endless white, and in the middle of building a line of uncannily familiar looking snowmen. One, however, is distinctly a lady snowman because of the extra mounds positioned just so. He doesn't have a family to call his own, not anymore, and without really realising it this is the best he can come up with when regressing into an eight year old.

Clint's grinning, cheeks patchy with red where the cold's bitten him, and he's wearing the usual jeans and a t-shirt with a jacket that's far from appropriate. But he doesn't care, he's enjoying himself, maybe a bit too much, and there's a black Labrador - Fury - bouncing up and down in the snow with his tailing swishing from side to side and tongue lolling out.

He turns the camera onto the snow Avengers, seven figures standing one next to the other and distinguishable, and then grins into the device. ] So, what do we think? Hang on, don't tell me. I know. [ Far too serious, with a dry tone. ] I should've been an artist.

Comments

[debrief]

[ There's no outward reaction except for a slight clenching of his jaw, an answering squeeze of Clint's fingers. ]

I see. She's welcome to come by, then, and I'll talk to her when she does.

[ He trusts Clint's assessment, though. ]

[bettercallit]

Sure she'll be glad to hear it. [ There's a slightly pause, and then, sheepishly. ] Promise I'll return her when she's done.

[debrief]

Does she have a proper home?

[bettercallit]

[ Mouth curling up at the corners, Clint glances at him, but, really, it's not as if he didn't wonder it himself. ] You worried I'm gonna be adopting her, too? She's got some bodyguard who takes care of everything, so you can relax.

[debrief]

We both know that I'll end up taking care of any strays you drag in. [ It isn't entirely true in that Clint does take care of people as well, but it is true in the sense that Phil is the one who thinks of things like eating regularly, of gloves and warm jackets in the snow, of sleep. All the little things.

And it is true that he will take care of anyone Clint deems worthy of bringing in (cf. Natasha). ]

[bettercallit]

I take care of them. [ Sort of. But Phil is right, Clint thinks about the bigger things, a roof over their head, safety, a friendly face, because half of the time those were what he lacked. The details? Those he relies on Phil for more than he probably should. ]

It's a weird situation. Someone's got to look out for the kids. Right?

[debrief]

You know, if you wanted, you could probably get more involved. I'm sure whoever runs the Youth Center wouldn't mind some help.

[bettercallit]

And you don't think they'd take one look at me and close all the windows and doors? [ But, joking aside, he could fit some time in. ] Guess they could do with someone around who doesn't cramp their style.

[debrief]

They would do no such thing.

[bettercallit]

Yeah, maybe. [ He falls quiet for a minute, the snow under foot and Fury's panting the only sounds, and then breaks it as they approach the apartment entrance. ] Think I might. Being that age is bad enough without getting dragged away from everything you know, and a familiar face around regularly can make a difference.

[debrief]

[ Squeezing Clint's fingers briefly before letting go to unlock the door. ] Good. I think you'll do well there.

[bettercallit]

[ He tries hard not to smile, but does anyway, hand suddenly cold despite the gloves. But he sticks closer and follows him inside, and if there was ever anything that he wasn't sure about then he forgets after that. ]