Chapter 9
There was never a time Clint didn't miss his Iowa roots more than navigating New York traffic. Luckily creative driving was mandatory for all New Yorkers and he still made good time by breaking most of the laws of the road. He (illegally) parked in front of Charlotte's building before taking the steps quickly. He took a moment to make sure everything was where it should be before knocking on the door.
It took long enough for the door to open that Clint had to fight himself from fidgeting.
"Fuck of course you’re on time. That's actually a really good quality. I like that in a date. I just don't have it today apparently." Charlotte said as she opened the door. Her hair was wrapped in a scarf and it looked like hot rollers sat under the fabric. She was wearing a pretty sun dress and only had make up on one eye.
Clint honestly thought she looked amazing. He was also grateful she didn't seem inclined to look away from him while talking. He still had no idea how he was going to tell her the whole deaf thing. He had no idea why he worried about it so much. He was deaf, it was a thing. Everyone he worked with knew. He still kicked their collective asses on a regular basis. It shouldn't be a big deal to tell a pretty girl what everyone else in his life knew.
Still everyone else in his life seemed to know he was currently a fucked-up mess and Clint didn't feel like sharing that particular news with Charlotte yet.
"What can I say- they teach it at super hero school." Clint joked to try to put her at ease and get his thoughts out of his own head. He glanced around Charlotte and saw Lizzy on the living room floor playing with a plastic kitchen set. Mostly it seemed she banged the plastic pots together and laughed at the sound. "How about I entertain the little one and you finish getting ready?"
"Yes. Okay. I'll only be a few minutes." Charlotte said looking flustered.
Clint's ego wanted to say it was because of him, the light purple button up Tasha picked out for him looked awesome and he knew it. He also knew she was more likely flustered by running late. Still a guy could dream. Charlotte disappeared back into the master bath while Clint knelt on the floor with Lizzy.
When Charlotte came back out fifteen minutes later Clint tried to pretend he retained his dignity when his date found him draped in a blanket like a cape and sparkly scarves and drinking out of a plastic tea cup.
Charlotte's laugh was totally worth whatever dignity he had left once he noticed her standing there.
Natasha would never find out about the tea party.
Natasha probably already knew.
~&~
Seeing Clint draped in her scarves did wonders for Charlotte's nerves. She quickly snapped a picture on her phone, she wondered if Clint was indulging her because she was pretty sure a super spy would be able to hear her. Still when he looked up at her he looked surprised and then sheepish.
"You took a picture didn't you?" he asked.
"I'd tell you but then you'd try to make me delete it and I need something for future blackmail." Charlotte joked. "I'm surprised you didn't hear me coming."
"Yeah, about that," Charlotte watched Clint rub a sheepish hand over his neck, "I'm deaf. Broke my hearing aids today and I don't have a spare pair right now. I should have some new ones in a couple days though. I can read lips though."
"Huh, was not expecting that one. So, I guess that just means less talk in the car tonight." Charlotte said. She was surprised but, in the end, it didn't make much of a difference she guessed. If there was a second date she could look for some sign language classes on YouTube. If she practiced her Spanish that way she could learn a bit of ASL too.
"When we get to my place JARVIS can also project shit on the wall if you're not looking at me." Clint quickly said.
"Tony Stark?" Charlotte asked laughing.
"Tony-Fucking-Stark." Clint told her.
"At least you're never bored." Charlotte commented before she bent down to gather Lizzy. When she stood back up she saw Clint automatically grabbing the bag she packed full of Lizzy's toys. She didn't think about the spare pair of clothes she tucked at the bottom of the bag. She liked to be prepared.
They didn't talk on the way down the stairs. There was no way to look at each other and talk in the narrow stairwell. Clint opened the car door for her and she quickly strapped Lizzy into the waiting car seat. Charlotte gave Lizzy one of the Spanish board books from Esme to play with on the drive.
Clint also opened her door and Charlotte did not blush. Nope. She did not.
They kept the conversation short as Clint carefully navigated the New York City streets. Honestly the quite drive helped Charlotte relax a bit. She hadn't expected to be so nervous.
All day though one thing after another went wrong.
Lizzy spilled juice all over the first outfit she had on. Once Charlotte changed her the two-and-a-half-year-old managed to get into the syrup Charlotte left on the counter after breakfast and get it all over her hair. By the time six rolled around Charlotte was half ready and praying that Clint would be late.
He hadn't been.
The quite drive gave her a moment to center herself and relax. It was dinner and a movie. Something she'd done a thousand times before.
Never with a guy who saved her life but still it wasn't like it was her first date ever.
The niggling voice in the back of her head reminded her it was her first date since right after college and her dates in college weren't typically the personal kind.
She told that voice it could fuck right the fuck off. She'd had relationships before- real ones. It'd just been awhile. Still a date does not a relationship make. It was an audition to see if they liked each other enough to keep auditioning to get a peek at each others baggage.
Charlotte had her own luggage and she'd bet Clint had plenty too. She liked him so far. He seemed like a good man who cared a lot about the people in his life. She thought she'd like to take a peek at his baggage.
It only took about half an hour before Clint pulled into the private garage under Stark Industries. They walked to the same elevator as before.
"Welcome back Agent Barton, Ms. Matthews and Ms. Elizabette." The same disembodied voice (JARVIS Charlotte reminded herself) said from the ceiling. The words were also projected on the side of the elevator.
"Hey Jar, how's dinner looking?" Clint asked.
"Agent Barton, all of my sensors indicate dinner is complete and will be ready to serve when you arrive at your apartment."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, apparently the sky robot did more than she imagined. Maybe the tabloids got something right for once- Tony Stark could be planning a robotic world take over and they'd never see it coming.
"Thanks Jar. I appreciate it." Clint said. Charlotte personally thought that politeness to the possible future robot over lord was the best idea. The elevator shot up toward the top of the tower. Lizzy reached out and tried to grab the words projected onto the stainless side of the elevator.
When they reached Clint's apartment the door opened as they approached.
"I'm guessing JARVIS provides security too?" Charlotte asked curiously.
"If you weren't with me or on a special list he'd lock down the elevator the minute you tried to get up to the Avenger floors and when the doors open you'd have a team of us waiting to see who you were." Clint explained.
"So, no surprise parties is what I'm getting." Charlotte joked. She made sure to look directly at Clint when she did. It seemed rude somehow to have everything she said projected and not make the effort.
"Yeah, not a lot of us are big on surprises." Clint laughed.
"I can't imagine why. Oh! Before I forget I brought a bottle of wine. It's not Tony Stark level wine but it's a decent bottle." Charlotte made sure to finish her sentence before she reached for the bag over Clint's shoulder and began to dig for the bottle of wine she'd tucked among Lizzy's toys and her wallet.
"Aha!" she said triumphantly lifting the bottle out of the bag. She looked up to see Clint smiling down at her.
"I'll grab glasses." he said.
~&~
Clint wiped his sweaty palms against his jeans as he turned to the kitchen to grab wine glasses. He put the glasses on the counter and went to grab the food out of the oven. It looked good but honestly that didn't mean much. Still between JARVIS and him, he made something good. Probably.
He brought the glasses to the table that totally had been in his dining room before.
He didn't just get a dining table because he worried Lizzy might fall off one of the bar stools at the kitchen peninsula.
Nope. Natasha already promised to never shut up about that one. Of course, that was after she helped him put it together, so he figured she supported him.
Charlotte looked amazing in her light blue sun dress. The light summer color of the dress seemed to make her brunette hair even darker. She'd done her makeup in warm gold tones that set off her red lips perfectly. Clint thought he might see a tattoo peaking up over the open back of the halter dress and goddamn did he want to find out for sure. The scar from the battle cut across her right shoulder and Clint loved that she hadn't even tried to hide it. All the scabbing was gone, and the scar stood angry and red against her pale skin. She wore it like a badge and Clint respected the hell out of that.
Suddenly the condoms Natasha had pointedly left in his bedside table seemed like less of a laugh and more of a hope. Clint watched Charlotte settle the two-year-old in the spot he'd set for her earlier. He'd had JARVIS deliver a booster seat with a little tray on it earlier that week. Charlotte smiled at him gratefully when she'd seen it, so Clint figured he did something right. He'd been able to find almost the exact same one that Charlotte had in her kitchen. He decided not to mention the bed rails and toys he'd had delivered for the guest room just in case Lizzy got sleepy and went to bed early.
He didn't want to look like he was expecting anything. Still it seemed Pepper somehow had gotten all of them on SI payroll and a healthy amount appeared in one of his bank accounts and he had no idea what to do with it. Plus, he could always send the toys with Lizzy when they found whoever her parents named to take care of her.
The rest of the table was set with dark black plates that had a thin dark purple line rimming the edge. Tony stocked all of their apartments and did so in the colors of their uniforms. Bruce had green plates, Natasha's were black and red, Steve got red, white and blue and Thor had silver and red. Clint would bet a lot of money that Jane and Darcy's apartment was filled with stars. He'd have to ask Darcy next time he saw her.
Pepper had quietly told all of them they could redecorate but Clint liked the color scheme. Purple was cool.
Plus having dishes that matched was a novelty he found he liked. Hell having an actual apartment that was his and didn't have suspicious leaks was a novelty he liked.
Clint brought out the food and various serving utensils. He dished up both his and Charlotte's plates.
"I have chicken nuggets if Lizzy won’t eat this." he told Charlotte.
"Let’s see what she does. I'll cut her up some of mine. If she chows it down I'll grab myself some more, if not we can pop in the nuggets." Charlotte said. Clint nodded before taking a bite of his own food.
Disgust bloomed in his mouth. Whatever he'd just taken a bite of tasted nothing like any of the ingredients he had used. He tried to force himself to swallow and looked up just in time to see Charlotte about to take her own bite. He couldn't swallow his food fast enough to warn her and could only watch wide eyed as she put a fork full in her own mouth.
Clint had to give her this- she hardly changed her expression. Clint finally forced his bite down his throat.
"I have no idea what happened, but you do not have to eat that. Feel free to spit it out." He said quickly and passed his own (cloth, purple matching the plates) napkin to her. Charlotte snatched it out of his hand and Clint watched her delicately spit her food into it. He didn't blame her- whatever he'd just eaten tasted like ash and three-week-old garbage. He had no idea how he fucked up the recipe that bad.
"I'm sorry but what was that?" she asked. For a second Clint was worried he'd fucked up beyond belief, but he saw the crinkle of a smile around Charlotte's eyes. He smiled himself.
"I have no idea." Clint honestly said, "JARVIS helped me with the recipe and I did everything he said. Chicken nuggets for the adults too?"
"Chicken nuggets sound great." Charlotte full on laughed now and took a sip of the wine they poured. Clint nodded and got up and went back to the kitchen to grab the box he bought from the freezer.
Only to find the freezer completely empty. He opened the fridge to see more of the same. A single one of Tasha's Widow Bites sat in the vegetable crisper.
"JARVIS?" Clint asked staring at the Widow Bite.
"I apologize Agent Barton. When Agent Romanov found herself unable to check on the food while you picked Ms. Matthews up she requested Sir change several of my protocols. I was unable to alert you. Agent Romanov also cleared out your pantry if you were inclined to look there next." Clint looked over his shoulder and from Charlotte's shaking shoulders JARVIS not only projected his words for Clint but also said them out loud.
"Ahh, Tasha." Clint said as he buried his head in his hands.
"I have been told to inform you that Sir, Agent Romanov, Captain Rogers, Dr. Banner, Dr. Foster, Ms. Lewis, Ms. Potts and Prince Thor have ordered pizza and plan to start a Disney Movie Marathon on the common room floor." JARVIS helpfully added.
"Of-fucking-course they are." Clint muttered. He turned again to look at Charlotte who wasn't even bothering to hide her laughter now.
"So, my best friend is a super as- jerk face." Clint cut himself off as he looked at Lizzy. He'd already taught the kid a few swear words. He didn't want to teach her more.
"I see that." Charlotte laughed. Clint realized he really liked watching her laugh. Her nose scrunched up and her smile seemed to split her face in half. Her full lips pulled back from her teeth and Clint knew if he had his aids in her laugh would be deep and from her belly.
"Something tells me if we try to go out JARVIS will be forced to just bring us to the common room. Would you care to go on the world’s most awkward first date where almost everyone I know will be there and watch us?" Clint asked.
"I'd love to. At the very least I'll have a great story for Esme." Charlotte laughed. She quickly unbuckled Lizzy from the booster seat and propped the toddler on her hip. Her scar pulled white on the edges as her skin stretched and shifted while her muscles flexed to hold the toddler. Clint grabbed the bag of toys and the wine glasses and they made their way back to the elevators and down to the common room floor.
Clint was going to kick Natasha's ass when they sparred the next day. And Tony's too. Maybe he could prank Tony somehow. Glitter bombs from the air vents were always a good idea.