25 Unicorn Street, Tuesday

[so_hawkward]

So, birthdays had never really been a big deal for Clint. At least, he hadn't let them be, because then he couldn't be disappointed when no one remembered or, even more likely, the whole day went to crap. However, Clint knew that certain other people wouldn't let him get away with not celebrating anymore, so he was up and dressed in real clothes, not lounging-around-the-house clothes, and he'd made sure things were clean and that Lucky had been taken care of - thankfully, he didn't want to be out in the cold any more than Clint did, so he was perfectly content laying next to one of the heating vents and snoozing. Clint was flipping through television channels at the moment, but he was almost tempted to lay down too. At least then he'd be really warm.

[Mostly for the girlfriend, but open!]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm Chief of Staff to the Hegemon now," she said. Not that she expected that to maybe mean much. "Peter won the election. There's a lot of complicated political stuff that means he doesn't have nearly as much power as Hegemons of the past did, but. Still."

[so_hawkward]

"Ah. Well, congrats to him." As much as that would mean. "Chief of Staff makes you sound all important and impressive. I'm honored you have time for phone calls."

[whenshewasnice]

"I make time somehow. In between ordering people around." She was only half joking about that. "How are you?"

[so_hawkward]

"Not bad. I'm not teaching this semester, so I have more downtime for practice and training." When the temperature got above freezing, at least. "And I'm trying not to think about being older today."

[whenshewasnice]

"... Is that some weird philosophical thing, or is it your birthday?"

Hey, it could've been the first thing, too! But she was betting on the latter.

[so_hawkward]

"It's my birthday, number 36," Clint said. "It's been peaceful so far, so I have no complaints." Honestly, he hadn't been sure he'd make it to 36 with the life he led.

[whenshewasnice]

"36?" Natalie teased, in her own super mild, deadpan way. "I thought you were 21 at most."

Well, mentally, maybe. Besides, she was an 18-year-old running a major political staff, she was allowed to make fun of him. Gently.

"Happy birthday, Clint."

[so_hawkward]

Oh, emotionally he was barely legal, let's be honest.

"Aww, thank you. Now my birthday's complete."

[whenshewasnice]

"Well, that was easy," Natalie snorted. "I'll have to remember that take on birthdays for mine in a month or so."

He was probably getting some kind of a present in the mail in a couple of days.

[so_hawkward]

"Make sure you call me so I can make sure you get your birthday greeting." He'd also probably make sure a present arrived for her, wherever she happened to be at the time.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie smiled to herself, just a little bit. As was her way. "I'll try to make sure," she said. "It's February fifteenth, for the record."

Day after Valentine's Say, because of course.

[so_hawkward]

"I'll be sure to mark that down." Or, you know, he'd get Kitty to remind him since she was good with that stuff. "I'm glad things are going well for you. You'd better make sure Peter does something nice for you that day too."

[whenshewasnice]

"We'll see," Natalie said. "Odds are he'll do something thoughtful and then pretend he didn't."

Yeah, she was pretty sure the smoothness of all her portal travels in the last six months was no accident.