Kate gently prodded her nose. "Of course, it figures. Right before Halloween."
Clint eyed her. "What, like that's not normal?"
"I was trying to look nice. You know, not like I got my ass kicked. I had a thing."
"Well, you didn't get your ass kicked. If somebody asks, tell them they should see the other guy. That usually works for me. Well, no, okay, it doesn't. But sometimes it makes me feel better. And second. What thing?" Clint's eyebrow drifted further towards his hairline.
"You know, a thing."
"No, I don't know what you mean. What thing?"
"A date, Clint. Okay? A date."
"A date?" Clint looked as gleeful as anyone could with a black eye and arm in a sling.
"Yes, Clint. A date."
"What? Who with?"
Kate glared. "I haven't told you for six months, and I'm not telling you now."
"Ugh, you're such a killjoy."
"I'm realistic. Hawkeyes don't have the best track record with personal lives. I'm proceeding with caution."
"Caution is overrated."
"Says the man who just got thrown out a window."
"Well, I didn't realize you were so serious about them. Or so superstitious."
Kate stared. And stared.
Clint stared back. "Aww, Katie, no. Seriously? Seriously?"
......
"I think you look good," Clint's arm is slung around Kate's shoulder. "And the broken nose kind of fits with the character."
Kate shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I'm still mad that you wouldn't dress as Hot Lips..." she drifted off. "Well, I have to admire the audacity of a man who is coming dressed up as himself."
"What?" Clint tugged at his tac vest "Dress smarter not harder. Ten bucks says at some point someone shoots at me tonight. I'm just learning from my past mistakes."
Kate patted his cheek. "Yes, and we're ll very proud of you."
"Don't lie to me, Katie-Kate," he smacked a kiss to her forehead. "You're always proud of me."
"Uh-" Kate stopped paying attention, her eyes drawn to Sharon Carter, who was walking towards them.
Sharon, tall on a normal day, was wearing heels that had her towering over everyone including Clint. It took him a minute to get what her costume was — what looked like broken shards of glass (no...mirrors?) on a bodice, or a bustier, or corset — Clint didn't really know the difference between any of them — an upside down horseshoe hanging from her belt, a fan of what, on closer inspection, was a series of two dollar bills and, of course a necklace with the number 13 on it.
"Well, that's not even clever," Clint scoffed. "I mean you just came as you, too."
"Hawkeye," Sharon nodded at Clint. "And Hawkeye."
Sharon grinned at Kate.
Clint look from Kate. To Sharon..
Back to Kate.
Back to Sharon.
"Right, well, I'll leave you to it. I'll be at the bar if anyone needs me. Gotta love a Stark party."
"Did you know," Sharon completely ignored Clint, "that the two dollar bill is considered unlucky?"
"No, I did not," Kate also ignored Clint. "That's weird. It's money right? Who thinks money is unlucky?"
"The very superstitious?" Clint interjected. "And, please, nobody start singing."
"What do you have against Stevie Wonder? That's a great song," Kate pointed out. "Though that song's not terribly applicable for today. Well, I guess maybe. Since Halloween is a day for scary things, and some people are scared about bad luck, I guess. Speaking of, if you see Black Cat, do not piss her off today Clint. In fact, if you see her, just turn around, and walk the other way."
Sharon extended her hand to Kate, wiggling her fingers in an invitation. "C'mon, Hawkeye. You afraid of bad luck?"
Kate took Sharon's outstretched hand. "Haven't you heard? Hawkeyes are bad luck magnets. This was probably just inevitable, right Clint?" Kate threw Clint a wink before Sharon tugged her out onto the dance floor.
Well, Clint thought. There were worse things. She could have been dating Reed Richards.