Natasha didn’t know how much time had passed, but she scrubbed almost every surface in the bathroom until it was sparkling clean and she was damn near exhausted. She was overdoing it, she knew that, but what else could she do? Her only hope was that she could wear herself out enough to call an early night and maybe sleep most of it straight through. If not, the idea of spending the whole evening with Clint, both of them ignoring the elephant in the room, or, even worse, talking about it... she couldn’t do that, not tonight. She just had to make it to tomorrow, and after that...
Just get to tomorrow first.
Putting away all the cleaning supplies she thought of drawing a bath and sinking under the water until it grew cold, but the guilt was gnawing at her, refusing to let her seclude herself entirely. It would be easier if this was her problem alone, but she couldn’t shut Clint out, he was hurting just as much as she was; more, probably, because he let himself feel it, something she hadn’t quite done yet. She was forever teetering on the edge and trying to hold herself there, because if she fell she wasn’t sure she could handle it.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she made herself leave the washroom only to find the house empty and silent. She had vaguely heard the door earlier as Clint had let Liho out, but Clint himself...
As she looked around the room she heard movement and followed it to a previously unnoticed hatch in the floor. Stepping down the stairs the first thing she noticed was the smell and it made her stomach turn. The second thing she noticed was Clint in his archer’s stance, bow drawn, arrow nocked. She smiled at the sight - of course he would have a hidden range set up here - but the smile faded quickly. It was all wrong, he was too tense, his body slightly shaking. Then she saw something she very rarely ever saw.
He missed.
Hoping that he hadn’t heard her approach, she backed up the stairs and retraced her steps before moving forward again, making sure to make a little more noise this time so he would for sure hear her coming. “Clint?” she called softly as she stepped onto the first stair.
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Just get to tomorrow first.
Putting away all the cleaning supplies she thought of drawing a bath and sinking under the water until it grew cold, but the guilt was gnawing at her, refusing to let her seclude herself entirely. It would be easier if this was her problem alone, but she couldn’t shut Clint out, he was hurting just as much as she was; more, probably, because he let himself feel it, something she hadn’t quite done yet. She was forever teetering on the edge and trying to hold herself there, because if she fell she wasn’t sure she could handle it.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she made herself leave the washroom only to find the house empty and silent. She had vaguely heard the door earlier as Clint had let Liho out, but Clint himself...
As she looked around the room she heard movement and followed it to a previously unnoticed hatch in the floor. Stepping down the stairs the first thing she noticed was the smell and it made her stomach turn. The second thing she noticed was Clint in his archer’s stance, bow drawn, arrow nocked. She smiled at the sight - of course he would have a hidden range set up here - but the smile faded quickly. It was all wrong, he was too tense, his body slightly shaking. Then she saw something she very rarely ever saw.
He missed.
Hoping that he hadn’t heard her approach, she backed up the stairs and retraced her steps before moving forward again, making sure to make a little more noise this time so he would for sure hear her coming. “Clint?” she called softly as she stepped onto the first stair.