New York City, Thursday

[so_hawkward]

Rooftop potlucks were a typical event at Clint's apartment building, so he hadn't been terribly surprised that Thanksgiving was treated as a more special version of that. There weren't many residents who had family around to visit, or to invite over, but that at least meant they were spending the holiday around people they actually liked. It also meant Kitty was getting a lot of fascinated attention, which Clint was trying not to notice or worry about. Besides, he had bigger things to worry about, like the fact that Grills had somehow acquired a deep fryer for the turkey, and was poking away at it.

"Are you sure those things are allowed here?" he asked for possibly the third time. Or fifth.

"I told you, it's totally safe up here. And besides, the cops have better things to do on Thanksgiving than come up here, and they certainly ain't gonna arrest you, right Hawkguy?"

Clint... wasn't entirely sure about that, to be honest. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, awkwardly ducking away to look for Kitty. Someday, that answer would get old, but he was pretty sure it was still okay now.

[For Kitty! NFB and all that jazz.]

Comments

[throughaphase]

Nope, so not surprised. "Why not?"

[so_hawkward]

Clint shrugged. "Lots of reasons. I'm not super religious, I haven't always had a steady place to stay at the holidays, it's a lot of work to keep a tree alive and all that... it's just never been a big deal."

[throughaphase]

"It's not really a religious thing, you have a steady place now and trees come fake and pre-lit these days," she pointed out. It wasn't really her holiday so she didn't really care, but still.

[so_hawkward]

Clint ducked his head a little, looking embarrassed. "Yeah, I know. One of those pre-lit ones might be nice. I was more thinking about lights for the place, in Fandom. 'Cause a tree would just be for me and Natasha, but lights would be... you know, normal. Is that weird?" He really shouldn't have had to ask someone else for verification of proper celebrating - especially someone who didn't even really celebrate the holiday - but that was Clint's life.

[throughaphase]

"Nope. Lights are pretty. That's why they're going to be all over my bar," she said. "Go for it. You might as well do something to celebrate if you'll be around for the holiday."

[so_hawkward]

"I don't know what I'm doing next week, let alone next holiday. But I might be around," Clint said, smiling a little. "Really, it depends on what you're doing, I think."

[throughaphase]

"Well, if you give me that kind of power I'm gonna say right off that I'm spending it with you," Kitty smiled. "Otherwise I hadn't thought about it."

[so_hawkward]

"Then let's say I'm going to spend it with you, and we can figure out the rest later?" Clint suggested.

[throughaphase]

"Sure. Does this mean I get to book you for New Year's, too?" she checked.

[so_hawkward]

"I don't see why not. Especially New Year's Eve. Any holiday that involves kissing, I'm laying claim to right now," Clint said.

[throughaphase]

"So that means Valentine's Day, too," Kitty told him. "...We need more kissing holidays."

[so_hawkward]

"Birthdays count too," Clint said with a grin. "And there could be Christmas kissing or something."

[throughaphase]

"Ooh, mistletoe. We can keep that up from now until like, January, I think," she said with a smile.

[so_hawkward]

"See, you're so smart," Clint said, leaning over to give Kitty a kiss on the cheek.

From over by the fryer, that got a "Woo!" from Grills.

"Okay, we can't come here anymore," Clint said.

[throughaphase]

Kitty laughed and gave Grills a wave, slipping her arm around Clint's waist. "They're just having fun. We can come back as much as you want and they'll be so used to it that they won't say a word."

[so_hawkward]

"They're going to talk about us, and it's going to be weird," Clint said. "I'm not a center of attention type of guy."

[throughaphase]

"And what are they going to say?" she asked. It was possible she was entirely used to her friends taking too much of an interest in her love life.

[so_hawkward]

"That they don't know how you put up with me. Same thing everyone else says," Clint replied with a laugh.

[throughaphase]

"Oh, is everyone saying that?" Kitty laughed.

[so_hawkward]

"That's what Barney says. And Tony, even though he hasn't met you. And I think the bike messenger is hoping you'll switch teams," Clint said.

[throughaphase]

"Well I do like her hair," Kitty admitted. "Anyone who says that just doesn't see you like I do. Naked."

[so_hawkward]

"I have had a nicely low number of accidental naked incidents here," Clint said, at least partly joking.

[throughaphase]

"Aww, does that mean I won't see any?" Kitty teased.

[so_hawkward]

"You'll get some non-accidental nudity if you play your cards right," Clint said, complete with an eyebrow waggle.

[throughaphase]

"Ooh. And today I'm thankful for a boyfriend who'll take his clothes off..." She was even good and didn't say it too loud so anyone would talk.