25 Unicorn Street, Saturday Morning

[so_hawkward]

One of the nice things about married life was that Clint was realizing how many things between him and Kitty just naturally went unspoken. Neither of them said anything about how it had been prom last night, and they hadn't said anything as they each checked to make sure the front door was unlocked before going to bed. Sure, he just didn't want to jinx anything, but it was just reassuring to know how much he and Kitty fell on the same page.

Clint hadn't bothered to set an alarm either, but it wasn't like he and Kitty had anything important to do before the dogs, or something else, woke them up.

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[ahawkwardphase]

Lexi, meanwhile, was pretty used to how these things went, too. And when she found the door unlocked and no one downstairs... well, she assumed for a second that everyone had been kidnapped or something.

And then she decided that was probably not what had happened on a portal weekend, and decided to surprise them. So she went to the kitchen, pulled out a chair so she could reach things easier, and started making breakfast, as per tradition.

She wasn't going to burn the house down, but she was also not quiet.

[so_hawkward]

Clint picked his head up as he heard sounds, and gently nudged Kitty. “I think we have an intruder,” he said.

[throughaphase]

Kitty was awake pretty much immediately as soon as he said that, and paused, listening. Why was there banging?

"What's she doing?"

[so_hawkward]

“We should probably go check. Maybe she forgot where we are?” Clint said, shifting and getting out of bed. “At least she’s giving me time to get fully dressed.”

[throughaphase]

“For once,” Kitty smiled, getting out of bed. “This is why you go to sleep prepared.”

Which was why she could wear her sleep clothes downstairs.

[so_hawkward]

"Hey, I put my shirt right here," Clint said, grabbing it quickly and throwing it on with his pajama pants. "Now I feel like I can say it - I really hope there's a small child in our kitchen, and not someone robbing us."

[throughaphase]

“Eh, Lucky would have taken care of a robber,” Kitty said. Rook less so.

There was the sound of something falling. Loudly.

[so_hawkward]

"Okay, let's see what's happening," Clint said, rushing out the door and down the stairs. "I hope there's not a thief down here, or they're going to get eaten by two big dogs!" he yelled.

[ahawkwardphase]

“I robbed you of your kitchen!” Lexi called. “The dogs are busy eating pancakes!”

It was a productive morning.

[so_hawkward]

"Oh no!" Clint said, looking around the kitchen and laughing. "Someone's been cooking using our stuff! I hope there's more pancakes for people."

[ahawkwardphase]

“If you’re fast!” Lexi promised.

Sure, the kitchen was a mess, there was Bisquick on the floor and she may have tried to make a batch with chocolate syrup cooked into it but you had breakfast made.

Meanwhile Kitty was tearing up and trying to not to show that she was tearing up.

[so_hawkward]

All that mattered was that Lexi was here again. Clint would eat anything she wanted him to, really. "You wouldn't eat them all and not save any for me and your mom, right?" Clint said, before noticing Kitty and quietly going over to her. "Hey, you okay?"

[throughaphase]

“Yeah,” she nodded, totally not sniffling.

Just, you know. Pregnancy hormones.

Kicking in upon a visit from your kid that you hoped you were having but weren’t totally sure about that yet.

She opened her mouth to say more, then decided she’d really start crying, so no.

[so_hawkward]

"I'm gonna go take care of Lexi, you just... take your time, okay?" Clint said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. Then he went over to Lexi to try to assess the mess she'd made. "Do we let you make breakfast at home? I feel like we don't."

[ahawkwardphase]

“You let me help,” Lexi said, which was sort of the same thing, right? “What’s wrong with Mom?”

[so_hawkward]

"Oh, nothing's wrong, she's fine," Clint said, suddenly realizing that for all he'd thought about Lexi showing up, he hadn't actually considered this particular conversation. "She's uh... well, she's just feeling a little emotional, 'cause we're so glad to see you again."

[ahawkwardphase]

“You see me all the time.”

Okay, every year. Whatever.

[so_hawkward]

"Well, we only get to spend one weekend with you a year. That's not nearly enough time," Clint pointed out. "But, uh, just as a heads up, things might be a little different if you come back next year too."

Especially if Kitty gave birth to a boy, then everyone would be confused.

[ahawkwardphase]

“...Why?” Lexi asked.

Not that she was worried, being used to bigger crises and all.

[so_hawkward]

If she didn't have such a tiny adorable inquisitive face, Clint maybe could have lied. "'Cause she's pregnant," he said, smiling nervously. "Surprise!"

[ahawkwardphase]

There were quite a few emotions that cycled through on Lexi’s face, and what she blurted out was, “Are we breaking the time-space continuum?”

It was important.

[so_hawkward]

Clint had to laugh at that, and he went to pull Lexi into a hug. "I'm sure Tony would have all sorts of theories about how this works, but no, I don't think we're breaking anything. We're very glad to see you."

[ahawkwardphase]

"Then it's about time," Lexi decided, hugging him back. "...Congratulations...?"

She hung around X-Men all the time, she would think she'd have a reaction prepared for this sort of thing.

[so_hawkward]

"We're very excited about it. Especially if it means we get you all the time," Clint said. "Your mom's just... it's a hormone thing. I'd say you'll understand someday, but I'm never letting any boy touch you."

[ahawkwardphase]

“Gross, Dad,” Lexi said. “Wait, you might not get me all the time?”

[so_hawkward]

"I mean, we're kind of assuming that it's a girl, but we don't know yet, and I don't want to jinx it and it's all a little new," Clint said, giving her another hug. "But hey, how are you doing?"

Look at that smooth topic change!

[ahawkwardphase]

"I'm good," Lexi said, because she had Questions, and they were all Very Big, and she was too young for an existential crisis. She didn't even know what an existential crisis was yet. "I'm getting A's, and the world hasn't ended, and the dogs like my food."

Of course, they were dogs.

[so_hawkward]

"You're getting A's?! You definitely got that from your mom," Clint said, grinning. "I'm so proud of you, and I'm sure the other me is too."

[ahawkwardphase]

"Thanks," Lexi said, beaming. Sure, she got compliments for stuff like that, but it was still nice to hear. "You said if I get all A's at the end of the year we can get another dog but I think that was more for you than me."

She was totally cool being used in this manner, FYI.

[so_hawkward]

"Hey, I'm just looking out for your needs, like a good dad," Clint said, nodding. "Smart, sweet girls shouldn't be limited to only two dogs in their life."

[ahawkwardphase]

"Uh huh. I've still got a lot more years till college," she warned.

Again: still cool with it.