25 Unicorn Street, Wednesday

[so_hawkward]

While Clint and Kitty had managed to get a tree well before Christmas, they hadn't actually finished decorating said tree. In their defense, they were very busy--well, Kitty was busy, Clint was just lazy--but now that it was close to the holiday, they had set aside time to finish decorating.

"You know, I think we actually did a good job picking this stuff out," Clint said. After a moment, he added, "I probably shouldn't sound surprised about that, should I?"

[For Kitty, or any phone calls!]

Comments

[throughaphase]

"You should not sound surprised," Kitty said, looking for the right branch to hang something off of. "Because we are awesome, and also capable adults."

Most of the time, anyway.

[so_hawkward]

"Together, we're capable adults. Separately... well, neither of us makes the best decisions." Mostly Clint, but Kitty did some crazy stuff too.

[throughaphase]

"I make great decisions," Kitty said. "...Mostly?"

[so_hawkward]

"'I'm going to go for a late night walk by myself while I'm being stalked by ninjas. Surely nothing will happen to me,'" Clint said, giving her an amused look.

[throughaphase]

"I didn't know I was getting stalked by ninjas yet," Kitty protested, picking up an ornament. "Besides, I beat them up and nothing happened to me."

[so_hawkward]

"Well, that's because you're gifted and amazing," Clint said, grabbing an ornament himself and looking for a good spot for it on the tree. "Are you sure everyone at home is okay with you sticking around here with me?"

[throughaphase]

"Yeah. I kind of wish I stopped in there earlier this week, but I got to see Ben and the others for Hanukkah and I can have mini-Christmas when I'm there... whatever days I'm there next week, so it works out," Kitty said. "Besides, last year at this time I was still throwing fits over being asked back, me being away for a week isn't a huge deal."

[so_hawkward]

"Okay, good," Clint said, feeling reassured. "Barney and I have never been big on presents so I sent him a gift and I figure that's enough. I'll probably be back in New York soon anyway to check up on him. I like the thought of just being with you and the dogs a lot more."

[throughaphase]

"Agreed," Kitty smiled. "Besides, it's about time we had our holidays, when we figure out how we want to do things."

[so_hawkward]

In the past, the idea of sharing a holiday with anyone (except maybe Barney, but he didn't count) would have made Clint freak out, but the idea of coming up with things he and Kitty both wanted seemed surprisingly nice. "Yeah, I like the sound of that," he said, hanging his ornament. "For one thing, doing this today was a good idea." That they'd totally stumbled on but shhh, details.

[throughaphase]

"Why's that?" Kitty asked, though she got a little distracted by what looked like something in the ornament she was holding.

[so_hawkward]

"I don't know, I just think it's nicer than decorating earlier and having everything sit around until today," Clint said, giving Kitty a curious look. "Hey, are you okay?"

[throughaphase]

"Yeah, it looks like the ornament's doing a thing again," she said, moving closer to him so he could see. "It looks like us."

[so_hawkward]

Clint looked at the ornament and had a moment of confusion before-- "Hey, it's old us," he said. "Not that we don't still look good."

Theirs were some blessed genes, clearly.

[throughaphase]

"We do," she said, peering at what looked like an older girl coming into view. "Is that Lexi?"

[so_hawkward]

Clint watched the girl go over and give his older version a hug, and made a choking noise. "Oh god, I think it is. Where did you get this ornament?"

[throughaphase]

"With the others. I saw something like it yesterday in one, too. Not this," she added quickly. "She's not tiny anymore. Should I feel this old?"

[so_hawkward]

"No, because she's supposed to be tiny," Clint said. "But she looks happy. And we don't look that old, really. That's... kind of cool to see, actually."

[throughaphase]

"That she looks happy or that we don't look that old?" Kitty teased.

[so_hawkward]

"More the first one, but the second part's good too. It means no getting killed by bad guys while we're still really young and pretty," Clint said.

[throughaphase]

"Yaaay, we don't orphan our kid!" Kitty said, but she was actually kinda serious about that.

[so_hawkward]

"And it doesn't look like we've totally messed her up either. Considering she's got me to work with..." Clint trailed off and laughed, but he was only partly joking.

[throughaphase]

"Please, I bet you're awesome," Kitty said, and paused for a moment. "Think we should read anything into the fact that Fandom keeps showing us stuff like this?"

[so_hawkward]

"I think we could at least consider that it might happen," Clint said. "It could still be Fandom being nice to us, but I don't mind seeing this sort of thing more than once."

[throughaphase]

"Yeah. It's probably a good thing the idea of this doesn't freak you out," she half-teased. Half, because even a year or so ago the idea scared her a little, and now it scared her a little to get too hopeful.

[so_hawkward]

"It's... a little scary," Clint admitted. "It's just... safer and happier than I'm used to thinking about my future being. But it'd be nice if things turned out this way. I don't think I'd have any complaints."

[throughaphase]

"Good, Lexi and I are awesome," Kitty smiled. "And you can totally have a safe and happy future. Stranger things have happened."

[so_hawkward]

"Like half the stuff in this town?" Clint said, giving Kitty a soft nudge before glancing at the ornament again. "You look pretty happy too. Looks like you can have a safe future too."

[throughaphase]

"Yeah." She didn't think that was possible all that offen. "Wish someone could hold up a newspaper with 'Mutant Rights Accepted' or something across it..."

[so_hawkward]

"Unfortunately, I think that might be asking a little much of a Christmas ornament," Clint said, slipping an arm around Kitty's waist.

[throughaphase]

"A girl can dream," Kittysaid, leaning into him a little. "I'd be good with this."

Still felt weird to say out loud, like she was jinxing it.