Family Meme

FAMILY MEME

( credit for original meme goes to singularjustice @ memebells on LJ! )
How does it work? Simple! Choose a relationship (or roll for one, if it suits your fancy), and then RNG for a situation! That, or just go straight for whatever situation appeals to you. These are all fairly vague: just something to start you off!

The only request is keep it family-friendly. If your thread is going to go somewhere darker, please post clear warnings or move the thread to a musebox.

PARENT-CHILD

ROCK-A-BYE How do you get a fussy child to sleep? Read them a story, sing them a lullaby, or just let them stay up until they exhaust themselves? Whatever the choice, it is time for bed.

FOR THE FIRST TIME You've never met this person in your life, but it turns out they're one of the two reasons you exist. Maybe they walked out when you were young. Maybe they never knew you were born. Whatever the reason, it is now time to meet them.

PAST MIDNIGHT That curfew was set for a reason. Now it's two AM, and your kid is just now dragging in. Maybe they're drunk. Or got into a fight. Or just had way too much fun snogging their new love interest. It's time for them to face the music.

NEW HOME It's the first day of your new life together, as parent and child. Whether it's through adoption, a basket on the front steps, or a wish come true, both of you are going to have to learn to take your steps together.

HOLIDAY It could be Christmas, Easter, or just a birthday, but it is time to celebrate! Get together for some good old-fashioned family fun.

TAKE TO WORK DAY What your parents do for a living is the quickest thing that can turn a kid from boring to the coolest on the block. So whatever the job, from accountant to zookeeper, go to work!

YOU'RE NOT MY REAL DAD Being a step-parent (or step-child, for that matter) can be tough. Problem is, you're stuck with each other. So whether you're yelling or just having an awkward conversation, it is time to work things out.

UNEXPECTED GUARDIAN So you're not the parenting type. Too bad. Situation calls for someone to step up to the plate and look out for this kid, and you're the only one near base. Have fun with that.

SIBLINGS

PROTECTIVE BIG SIBLING Okay, look. No one gets to mess with your sibling but you. Your little brother or sister is in trouble; let them know you're going to be the one to take care of it.

RUINING THE NIGHT So your sibling has a hot date. You know what that calls for? Making their lives a living hell.

NEWCOMER Who is this new kid in your house? Your family has adopted, and now you have to call this stranger family. Welcome them into the house, or let them know how much they aren't wanted.

BLOOD BROTHERS So maybe you aren't really related to this person. That doesn't matter. You're going to change that, right now. In this moment, you will become family. Nothing can break this bond.

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT It's the middle of the night. Your car is broken down, or you're drunk, or you need bailed out, or you just got beat up, or someone just broke up with you. Whatever just happened, it's time to call your sibling and hope they can bail you out.

SIBLING RIVALRY Nobody understands what jerks siblings can be! Always in your stuff, messing up your relationships, getting in your way — it's time for an all out brawl, whether that means yelling, pranking, or fists flying.

LONG-LOST...? Maybe you've heard of this person. Or maybe they are entirely new to you. However, you've gotten the information that you're more than strangers: you're family. Welcome to each other's lives.

ALL ALONE Once your family was whole. Or maybe it never truly was. Whatever the case, the world is a big, dangerous place, and you've only got one person left to rely on: your sibling.

UNCLE/AUNT/NIECE/NEPHEW

SENT AWAY There's something bad going on at home, and you've been sent away to "safety." Problem is, how safe is this relative really? Are they the kooky, cool kind of aunt, or are they a crazed uncle after your fortune? Time to find out.

TAKING YOU IN Something's happened to your niece/nephew's parents, and it's time to step up and do your family duty. They've got nowhere else to go, after all.

THE ONE WE DON'T TALK ABOUT So maybe the family is a little bit... ashamed of you. You're a bit mad, or you've done something they just don't like. Yet you want to be part of your niece/nephew's life, and whatever their parents say, you'll find a way.

GRAND ADVENTURE Maybe you came out of nowhere, or maybe you've just been keeping secrets. But you aren't an ordinary aunt/uncle, and it's time to take your niece or nephew on a very wild ride.

LIKE A PARENT TO ME Sure, you have parents, but this person is who your parents should be like — or maybe who you feel should be your parent in the first place. Let them know how you feel about them.

DON'T TELL MOM Aunts and Uncles have special qualities. Like, sometimes, being a bit more lenient than Mom and Dad might be. So you have a, er, sensitive problem? It's time to run to them.

IN A RELATIONSHIP

NEW BABY ON THE WAY The panicking is already over, but there are still preparations to be made. Maybe you need to set up the nursery, or you've got the best idea for your soon-to-be child's name.

ROMEO & JULIET You love this person. Perhaps more than life itself. But it is time to break the bad news: your family will never approve.

I THINK I MIGHT BE PREGNANT Somehow, you are pregnant. And you think you know who the father is... time to break the news.

WHILE YOU WERE AWAY... You've been gone years, only to come back and find your beloved has a child... with your eyes.

OTHER

Of course, you are free to make up your own scenario, or do a relationship not done here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There's a small smile aimed at Clint as she turns out the light after getting the last of their three kids down for the night. Lila and Cooper tucked in their bed, and Nathaniel's in his cradle.

He's finally starting to sleep through the night, which is a blessing and a half. Laura loves their kids, but she's glad they're getting past the 2 AM feedings stage. For the most part.

She catches his hand tugging him down the hall. It's nice, having a little time to themselves again. That moment when the kids are asleep and all the chores are done.]

Do we dare try and watch a movie?

[A light question, looking up at Clint with a slightly raised eyebrow. When was the last time they watched something that wasn't Disney? How many times have they seen Frozen now?]

We could make popcorn.

[Thank god for that. Despite how nervous he was when he'd found out she was pregnant the first time, Clint wouldn't trade their kids for anything in the world. It was the entire point of his deal with Fury from so long ago, keeping his family safe and giving them as normal a life as he could. But even though he'd done as much of the parenting as he could every time he was home between missions, trying to take some of that burden off her shoulders, he has to admit it's always a relief when the newest baby's sleep becomes actual sleep and not just intermittent napping. He's used to going without sleep, but that doesn't mean he really likes it all that much.]

[He's standing in the doorway watching her say good night to Cooper, just enjoying being able to be there to see it - he was already grateful for what he had, but after Sokovia and coming closer to dying than he ever had before he's even more so now. Clint smiles back at her when she approaches him, linking their hands together and following her wherever she leads - he really has no preference for what they do now, so long as the kids stay asleep.]

Yeah, if you want. Maybe we can actually finish it this time, instead of getting ten minutes in and having to go handle a nightmare.

[Don't ever mention Frozen. Ever. He loves his daughter but he wants to barbecue that fucking snowman.]

[It's always nice when he can be here for a while, with her and the kids. Getting to see the way that their faces light up when he walks in through the door. How good night always takes a little bit longer when he's home, because they want to steal as much time with their father as they can. It always makes her smile, take joy in the little things, in the fact that he comes back to her safe, which she never takes for granted.

She holds onto his hand, just enjoying the feel of his hand against hers, and how nice it is to be here together. She worries for him, but she knows how important what he does is. She trusts him to come back, as well as to do what's right. It just makes the time they have together something she always cherishes.]

It's probably pushing our luck, but let's see what happens. I can't remember the last time we actually finished one. We can see what's on Netflix?

[She is glad that Lila is so enthusiastic about something, but she understands Clint's annoyance. Having heard do you want to build a snowman roughly eight thousand times, she knows the feeling.

She tugs him into the kitchen and gets out the popcorn. It's almost begging for something to happen, but well. It's worth trying for. And she always enjoys whatever time they get. She loves her kids to the end of the earth, but it's nice to have moments like these. Calm and quiet and having him next to her again.]

Sounds good to me. Although right now just being able to sit down sounds good to me.

[Having dinner with two kids and a baby could be challenging, and they'd been wound up that evening for some reason, so after they'd finished Clint had taken the older two out to run off some of that pent-up energy in the fields with a strange mish-mash of Hide and Seek and Tag, with some much-reduced Red Rover thrown in for good measure, before trying to catch fireflies in jars (and setting them loose, of course). He's in very good shape, the habits of physical fitness not abandoned even with retirement, but children's energy is a whole different ballgame to even the best adults. At least they should sleep well tonight, himself included. He's also never going to admit he's kind of worn out by his kids to anyone but Laura and maybe Steve or Banner, because every single other person who knows about the family will forever give him hell about it and make jokes about getting old. He's not giving them that ammunition.]

[But for the moment everything's quiet, they have as much of a plan of attack as they need for relaxing time, and there's no Frozen on the horizon. He loves Lila and will never take away something that makes her so happy, but he's also not stopping Cooper complaining about how much that movie's on the television, not to mention the soundtrack. Nat's even taken to singing it at him to torment him, which he really should've expected. But she's not there and so peace reigns as he preps his ever-present coffee to brew while Laura gets the popcorn.] What do you want to drink? Tea, water, something else?

I can imagine. The kids had fun though. If we're lucky, they might even sleep in tomorrow.

[Who is she kidding? Even if Nathaniel didn't wake up hungry, getting Lila and Cooper to sleep in is like a small miracle. They'll inevitably have two bundles of energy bounding into their bed at seven in the morning, making demands for breakfast that range from french toast to oatmeal, depending on the day and the weather. Not that she'd trade it for the world, but it has made sleeping in a distant fantasy.

She lingers in the kitchen for a moment, breathing in the scent of it as Clint sets the coffee brewing and the popcorn starts to softly pop. With three kids, every bit of quiet feels stolen, and it's nice to get to savor it.]

Tea- I think there's still some of the loose-leaf from Nat.

[She's not sure where it's from, but she loves it, though it's running low. Maybe some kind of chai, perfect with milk and a little honey. The popcorn's still popping and she walks over, just to lean up against him for a moment, fingers at the small of his back, just enjoying the moment, the way the stars glitter through the kitchen window. She accepts that eventually there will be another catastrophe, something horrible, and he'll have to go out there again, just like she knows he'll never stop remodeling their house. So she steals the little moments, touches, breathes him in and holds him dear.]

You just doomed us, you know. Now they'll be awake at 5:30 and want us to make breakfast and watch the sun rise on the porch while we eat.

[It's a bit of a joking tone and threat, but it's a real possibility with their kids. He's hoping Cooper at least will soon start getting into that whole tween/teen "I don't want to get up" phase because then at least that's one less child to juggle so early, but he's not counting the chicks before they hatch.]

[Still, what he proposed doesn't sound so bad. Kind of nice, actually. If he manages to wake up on time, he might just get the kids out of bed and do that, letting Laura sleep in. She doesn't get the opportunity enough.]

A little, yeah. [He reaches into the cabinet and pulls out the tin, glancing at it before reaching for the kettle to add some water to it.] I can look for it online later, it's gotta be available for order somewhere. [What he knows about tea he learned from the women in his life. He was halfway addicted to coffee way before he met any of them, and he'll still fight almost to the death to insist coffee's better. Except with Laura.]

[But while the kettle's heating and the machine is percolating, Laura settles against him. Not that he minds, of course. He smiles, a real one and not the joking or cocky ones he wears much more often around his teammates, getting down two mugs for their eventual drinks and then sliding an arm around her waist to pull her just a little closer. He still doesn't know how he got lucky enough to have someone so wonderful agree to follow him into this insane life he lives, but he stopped questioning it long ago and is just grateful that she did. Just knowing she and their children are there, that he has somewhere he doesn't have to be in control, or S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best agent, somewhere he loves everyone and they love him back... it's completely priceless.]

Maybe we should think about getting a sitter one night soon.

[She laughs softly, a slight shake of her head as Clint proclaims that she's just doomed them -- and he's probably right.]

Well, I can think of worse ways to start the day, if it comes to that.

[Truly, she does enjoy spending time with her family, Clint and the kids. Although it's nice when he can take them off her hands for a little bit, so she can take a long shower, or drink her tea and steal a couple moments of alone time. What they have is amazing, and there's not a day she's not glad for it. Even when the kids didn't sleep well, so they spend all day being grumpy, and no one wants to go to bed at bedtime, and the days peppered with arguments with each other... even on the rough days, it's still its own sort of magic.]

Thanks. I kept meaning to ask her where she got it.

[But it's always just so nice having Nat over, she inevitably gets distracted. She's so good with the kids, and it's nice to have her to talk to, and to make sure she's doing alright. Besides, who else could she conspire with for Clint's birthdays, or just conspire with in general?

The kettle's on and the coffee machine is starting to make that low rumble as the drips start to fall into the carafe, and she's leaning against him as he curls an arm around her waist. His life is insane, and she worries about him every time he walks out their front door with his quiver strapped in place, but she understands it. There's value in what he does. He's making the world a safe place for their children, so she tries to make their home a safe place for him (for everyone that happens to walk through the door). He pulls her in a little closer and she hums quietly at the contact, eyes half-closed for a moment as she soaks in the feeling.]

Date night? Maybe we could go out for dinner.

[And he grins, that dorky one that really only comes out around his family - he always has too many walls up to be that relaxed and out of control even around his teammates, though almost none of them realize that. But Laura and the kids just turn him back into a big goofy kind-of-teenager and he doesn't regret it at all.]

Yeah, me too. I kind of like it, now that I'm thinking about it.

[They've got a few minutes before the drinks are ready and Clint's not at all opposed to spending them like this, just the two of them in the quiet while his highly trained and close to inhuman senses can detect his children sleeping contentedly upstairs. Everything's worn and broken in and comfortable, something he never gets anywhere else he's been. They've made this place a home, and the people in it are what make it fulfill that cheesy line for him - it's where the heart is. And a big part of his heart is right there in his arms, and he turns to kiss her forehead before bending down a little to kiss her lips as well.]

Not just dinner - we haven't gotten to do just about anything in... I don't even remember how long it's been. Whatever you wanna do, I'll plan it, we'll get out of the house for the night. Maybe even see if Nat can leave the team to fend for themselves for a weekend so she can cover for us here and we can go away for a couple of days.

[He'll do pretty much anything to please his family, but with a new baby they really haven't had a lot of time to themselves lately.]

Then I guess the big question is pancakes or french toast?

[The kids on the porch with plates full of syrup is usually a little bit of a mess, but the grins on their little faces is usually well-worth the cleanup. Maybe with some of the blueberries they picked up the other day, all of them out on the porch together as the sun rises. It's one of those things they don't do often enough. Much like this. The quiet and the calm and just relaxing into one another.

She smiles, warm with a murmur on her lips as Clint kisses her forehead, before bending to seal their lips together for a moment. She reaches up, softly brushing fingers against his short hair affectionately. They've been married for years and she's still hopelessly in love with him. Not that they don't argue, disagree, but that they always manage to work through it. They know what matters, and they trust each other, and that helps cut through a lot of things.]

Hopefully Earth's Mightiest Heroes can last a few days without Natasha. I like the sound of a weekend getaway.

[She leans up with a smile, stealing another small kiss. And she does. Because with three kids, it's hard to make time for themselves. A few hours at night, but with how young Nathaniel was, it wasn't like they could leave him alone. But he's older now, eating babyfood, and Natasha is always so good with the kids. It sounds fun, just having a few days to be themselves together.]

Edited 2016-07-28 07:21 (UTC)

Definitely pancakes. I'm not gonna have enough brains to do French toast before dawn tomorrow.

[French toast is a weekend brunch kind of food for him. Something that requires more steps than usual and slightly more time and ingredients, and so not something that can just be tossed off on the fly. Pancakes, though, aren't hardly nothing after years of practice, and if they want to get fancy he can just mix in different flavorings to batches of the dough, like those blueberries or chocolate chips or mashed bananas. Laura can probably tell he's already making a mental list, setting up a "plan of attack" for pre-dawn family breakfast - now that the idea's been spoken, it'll happen, even if it won't happen tomorrow due to tired.]

[But Laura apparently feels like kissing him, and he has no objections to that activity at all, since she's the most wonderful and beautiful woman on the planet and he's just as gone over her as when they started dating. Clint returns the kiss, keeping it light but letting it linger, his arm slowly tightening around her waist and pulling her closer to him, until the kettle goes off with a shrill whistle and he has to grab for the handle to move it off the active burner because the noise is so piercing it'll likely wake up at least one of the kids even though they're on the second floor. His coffee's also finished, at least enough to get him a couple of mugs, so he lets go of his wife to take the kettle in one hand and the carafe in the other and pour both mugs full of their preferred drinks.]

Never let Stark hear you say that, he'll gloat about it forever. [He'd been very proud of the epithet he'd given the team in the aftermath of the Battle of New York, so of course Clint had mentioned it to Laura, and it stuck. Okay maybe it was true, but Tony didn't need any more of an ego boosting.] But I'll give her a call in the morning, see if she can figure out a weekend to get over here. Where d'you want to go if she can? Or do? Or anything, really.

[He's well aware of how much Laura had given up and had to deal with over the years to be with him, how much he owes her for all of that. For all of everything, for being as amazing and patient as she is, for tolerating his constant renovations, his absences from more family vacations than he'd attended, is job often making her live the life of a single parent. Yes she'd known what she was getting into, but he still felt she'd gone above and beyond and deserved everything she ever wished for. So if he can give her a dream vacation - at least with a time limit - he will.]

We can do pancakes. And we have those blueberries, though we should use those bananas before they start to get soft, you know how Cooper is about that.

[She smiles in the low light of the kitchen, catching that look on his face, and there's a quiet hum on her lips. She can see that they have a plan now; maybe not tomorrow morning, depending on when they get to sleep and how early the kids are up, but soon. One of the many nice things about living this far out in the country is there's no one around to care if they're eating breakfast on the porch at dawn in their pajamas.

They kiss, and his lips linger against her own and she murmurs sweetly at the feeling as his arm tightens around her waist. Her hands sliding up to curl against his shoulders, and she just enjoys the moment, being close to him with no rush for anything. At least, until the kettle starts to whistle. He lets so of her, and she tries to stifle her laughter as she listens for any hint of stirring above them. She doesn't have her husband's senses, but she is a mother of three.

But there's no sense of one of the children stirring, and so she slips away to grab the milk and honey for her tea. She grins as Clint points out that Stark would gloat, and she shakes her head.]

I'll never tell. [She smiles, slipping back over to the counter as she adds a spoon of honey to her tea and a touch of milk, before she returns them back to their places in the kitchen.]

Maybe somewhere on the coast? Dinner and dancing, definitely. It'd give me an excuse to put you in one of those SHIELD suits you still have in your closet. We could maybe check out a museum, or go swimming.

[Admittedly, she hasn't really gotten to wear a swimsuit since before she was pregnant with Nathaniel. There's the pond by their house that Lila and Cooper love to go splashing in, but it's not quite deep enough for adults. She means it, though. Just having a chance to breathe, to walk down the street holding his hand and just take in the sights without the need to have the kids be their primary focus, and give in to their own whims for a while. She's not so selfless to claim that she hadn't given anything up for him, but the truth was that it had been a choice more than sacrifice.

She'd loved him, and she still loved him. She wanted a life with him, even when that had involved SHIELD, meant that he couldn't always be here. They'd struggled with it sometimes, but remembering that they wanted the same things, that he'd be here if he could, always made it easier. She had believed in him, believed in what he was doing, knew it was important to him. So she took copious pictures, video, had diaries of the letters she couldn't write him. Tried to give him as many pieces of what he missed as she could.

She steals her mug off the counter, taking a sip as she pours the popcorn into a bowl with a smile on her lips. It isn't always easy, but she loves the life she has.]

It'd just be nice to be alone together for a little while.

Banana bread? [He can't help the automatic request, he really likes banana bread and will help make it if she wants him to and, well, he's at home to do so. But hers is delicious and hey, it's an efficient way to use up old bananas. He'll happily sacrifice banana pancakes for bread, they've got plenty of other things to put on or in pancakes anyway. But yes, family breakfast on the porch is a thing that will happen soon, probably within the next week. He still rises early most days thanks to habits from S.H.I.E.L.D., though 5:30 is a bit of a stretch even for him.]

[The kids would point and shriek at how sappy their parents are being, or at least Lila would, but Clint doesn't care right at that moment. They don't get enough chances to just do what they're doing, being together without anything else intruding, other responsibilities, other people. Not that he would trade anything in his life, but sometimes he does miss the simplicity they had before Cooper was born - having no one to worry about besides each other, no school projects needing to be done, soccer practices to go to, the worry that Nat or the kids will walk in on an intimate moment. But that's just something you have to deal with when you have a family, and the positives far outweigh the negatives - and make the moments you can get all the more precious. Hence the idea of a getaway.]

[But it's not easy to miss the face he makes when she mentions his S.H.I.E.L.D. suits - she knows he doesn't like them, finds them uncomfortable, despite them easily being the best suits he's ever worn, well-cut, well-tailored, fitting him perfectly. It's just... they're suits, and he doesn't like suits, finds them restricting even when they're not, hard to move in even if he has fought in them before on some undercover ops. But Clint also knows that Laura likes him in the suits, and, well... that excuses a lot. Because he greatly enjoys what comes after when he wears one.]

Suit. Yes, ma'am. [He answers to her before he answers to anyone, and if that's what she wants in a mini-vacation, that's what he'll give her. Something classy, something wonderful, something deserving of the woman she is. But that doesn't mean he can't tease her a little, and he grins that wide grin of his as he adds just a bit of sugar to his coffee.] So no gambling in Atlantic City? Don't wanna win that big jackpot and buy a mega-mansion somewhere in the Hamptons?

[She laughs softly at the request, but the smile that brightens her face makes it a fairly obvious yes even before she answers him. She likes cooking, honestly. She had when she was young, and even after college she generally preferred cooking for herself. And there's always something nice about it, cooking for the people that she cares about. And she does make a particularly good banana bread, her mother's old recipe, actually.]

Hmm, I don't know. You gonna help out?

[It's lightly playful, a tone that echoes in the curl of her lips as she looks up at him with a lift of one eyebrow. And oh, the kids would most certainly accuse them of being sappy. But Laura's alright with that. He's her husband, and she doesn't get to see him often enough, and the small moments, just being together... they make her happy. But she's certainly not turning down a weekend getaway, or the idea of getting him to dress up for her. And well, she hasn't really gotten to dress up for him since she got pregnant. It's something like a fair trade.

She knows that he doesn't like the suits, dressing up formal, but he does it for her, and she appreciates that. And, well, he never seems to complain too much when she's helping to get him out of them. It'll be almost like back before the kids. Kids she loves to death, but it's nice to just be them again for a little while. LauraandClint. Making time for each other is important, part of what makes their marriage so strong. It's hard sometimes, to remember, but it's always worth it.]

Good. Maybe I'll get a new dress, something fun.

[She did say dinner and dancing, after all. She matches his grin and there's a warmth that sparks in her eyes as she steps back in, curling one arm around his waist as she leans her head against his shoulder, snuggling into him a little, just for a moment. She doesn't need mansions, doesn't even particularly want them. This is good, this is them. Some day, maybe they'll need a couple more spare rooms, but she loves what they have.]

Funny thing: I actually like it just fine right here.

You still trust me after that last time? [The one where he measured salt instead of sugar and sugar instead of salt. To this day no one knows how he did that, least of all himself. The resulting mess had gone into the trash, not even being used to feed the birds since he was afraid it'd poison them somehow.] Made a mess out of that one. Dumb of me to do that.

[Truthfully he knows she forgave him for that mistake immediately, even if it'd taken the kids a couple of hours to do so. She always does, or almost always, taking everything he does with patience and understanding. He fucked up a lot more in the early stages of their relationship, but she stayed with him, talked to him, making him work with her on this thing that he kind of didn't feel like he deserved because she saw good potential for the two of them. And that potential had been realized, between them, the kids, the house, all of it, that quietly happy kind of relationship that no one in S.H.I.E.L.D. would expect the famed Hawkeye to have but was the driving force in his life. His work with S.H.I.E.L.D. was important, but his life here, on this farm, with his family, was his center. Kept him grounded.]

[Saved him from Loki's deepest control.]

[Clint sets down his coffee as Laura leans into him, not objecting to her doing so at all - he's even already planning out what suit he'll take on their trip, maybe even two. The fancy-clothes suitcase they've got stuck in the attic somewhere can hold more than one, even if she puts a dress or two in there. Maybe if Nat can get enough time they can extend it to three nights...]

New, fun dress, huh? What kind of dress are we talking about? [Because as much as she enjoys when he dresses up, he's the same in return. They both wear clothes that are just comfortable around the house and some of them are dresses for her, but "going out" clothing is a rarity with how rural their area is and the kids issue. Her wanting to get something new, something fun... it's exciting. He loves the fancy dresses she already owns, a lot, enjoys her wearing them because the beautiful dresses only show off how beautiful she is, especially when they dip lower in the front... ahem. But his own arm goes around her waist again as she snuggles in, turning to kiss her forehead once more - and then turning some more so he's properly facing her, taking her right hand with his left, and starting to move. He's not exactly stepping, more than swaying, and he begins moving her very slowly around the room in a kind of half-dance to a tune only he can hear. They've already had dinner, now they can have the dancing, right?]

We could pick a good one... big jacuzzi tub with all the massage jets... miles of wood floors in the halls for the kids to slide around on their socks... biggest, warmest bed you can imagine... your own private studio with so many windows the light's always perfect...

[He wants to give her all of that and more.]

Edited 2016-08-01 22:25 (UTC)

More or less. Might have to keep a closer watch on you this time.

[It had been the impetus for her putting labels on the nice glass containers that Clint had gotten her for Christmas a few years back. Aside from that time that Cooper had made her cinnamon toast and made the same mistake, it had never happened before. And Laura had just made sure he knew which container was which after that. After the banana bread incident, however, she just gave up and the all had neatly lettered signs taped to the lids that said sugar and flour and so on. It hadn't even occurred to her to hold it against him ... although she does still tease him about it sometimes.

She's already excited about this little plan of theirs. Where they'll go, what they'll see, just... spending time with him and having time to themselves. It's been a while since they've been able to do it, and she can't help the way that the thought brings a smile to her mouth, a hint of a murmur on her mouth. She just rests against him for a moment, enjoying the warmth, the feeling of his body against her own.]

Oh, I don't know. But I finally got the baby weight off, it'd be nice to show off, don't you think?

[There's a smile, a glint in her eyes, and she wants something nice, maybe a little slinky, maybe a low back or a plunging neckline, something that when she puts it on and spins around puts that look on his face. She likes dressing up, likes the way she feels in nice fabrics and how it's a way of getting out of that space of being mom, which always necessitates clothes that she doesn't mind getting dirty and that hold up to the rigors of having children.

She smiles as he kisses her forehead, and then she laughs softly, her smile widening as he turns her toward him, and then he takes her hand, and suddenly they're almost dancing in the kitchen and she leans in against him. Holding on as they move across the floor. He never stops reminding her why she loves him, following his movements to the beat of a song she can't hear.]

You start talking that way and you'll have a new list of projects. [The way the smile doesn't leave her mouth proves that doesn't really bother her, however. She knows he needs them, and since he does finish them, she doesn't have too much of an issue, even if it means she loses the downstairs bathroom / dining room / half the kitchen for a while.]

The Jacuzzi does sound nice, though...

[The smile was already there, because he has the most amazing woman in his arms and the kids are asleep and staying asleep and they really don't get to do this enough, but it widens as she teases him a little about keeping an eye on him. Just being together happens more so now that he's retired than it used to, definitely, but he'd still missed so many days, weeks - it added up to years away in the end, at least before the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. After that he still went out as an Avenger, but they weren't called on as often as he'd been just as an agent, and now he didn't go out at all. For as active a person as he is, he won't even try to deny that having a very extended break is nice. More than nice. A gift. Clint continues to drift over the floor, steering Laura around with him and swaying her slightly to the nonexistent beat, and that smile doesn't fade at all.] I don't mind you keeping a closer watch on me. I kind of like it, in fact.

[She'll be able to feel the small shiver that runs through him at her words, thoughts of her in all sorts of dresses running through his mind - she has less of an issue dressing up than he does by a long shot, but he likes it when she gets fancy for the same reasons she does him. The idea of her getting something new and possibly (probably) sexy does things to his brain that he quite likes and he holds her a little tighter, hand flattening against the small of her back for a moment. But he can't stop from voicing one specific thought he has.] You didn't need to drop the baby weight to show off, you're always perfect. [His next breath in and out is a little deeper, a little more shaky, his voice just a touch hoarser, only really noticeable to someone who knows him very well - like Laura.] God what you do to me...

[And much as he likes the direction his thoughts are turning, because Laura in a new dress and him in a suit and a private vacation means a few specific things are definitely going to happen, the kitchen not even half an hour after they finally got all the kids in bed is not the place for an early recreation (pre-creation?). It's just asking for some sort of interruption if they let themselves get carried away. Besides, it'd be a waste of good popcorn. So Clint takes a slightly deeper breath and reins himself back under control, having had way too much practice at it when he's been on duty and missing her, and presses a light kiss to her mouth once more before starting to pull back a little.]

Ready to go see what Netflix has to show us?

[And with no warning other than that he's bending, reaching down to hitch behind her knees with his right arm, keeping his left around her back to give her proper support, and with no hesitation sweeps her off her feet and into a fireman's carry. That smile has widened into a grin and a small laugh that stretches across his face, and he has absolutely no trouble supporting her weight.]

I'm thinking something light.

[She laughs softly, holding onto her husband and letting him lead as he guides her around the kitchen floor to the silent rhythm they're following. It was nice, getting to do this, having these moments, having him home. She knows that retired really means until the next inevitable crisis, but she's okay with that. It's more than they've had in a very long time. Usually there's a certain intensity to when he's home, that desire to soak up as much of his presence as she can in what time they have. He's been home long enough that it's faded a little, just this sort of... comfort. The warmth of being around him.]

Well, someone has to.

[Her lips curving into an almost-smirk as she looks up at her husband. They're close enough that she can feel it when he shivers, and it puts a certain light in her eyes. She loves him, still adores him after their years together. There's a shiver in her as he holds her tight and his fingers press at the small of her back, making her breath catch for a moment. He still does this to her, flusters her, and she can't help holding onto him a little tighter. To be fair, that shift in his voice, the way it turns downward always gets to her.]

Mmm, you're biased. But I do like hearing it. Besides, nothing wrong with having something to celebrate.

[She laughs helplessly when he picks her up, swinging her into his arms and all she can do is laugh and toss her arms around his neck as he carries her to the couch. He supports her weight easily, like it's nothing, and she just leans into him, the solidness of his chest. Archery does do amazing things for is arms and his abs, she can't help but appreciate it.]

Light sounds good. I know there were a few we wanted to see...

[But it's been so long she doesn't remember the titles.]

Not biased. Truthful. You can't be anything other than amazing.

[But he'll admit that having a little 'celebration' sounds like a good idea.]

[Clint meanders around furniture, toys, shoes, and some other things simply lying on the floor, making a mental note to do some picking up in the morning, to carry Laura into the den and the TV set up there. Carrying her is no trouble; she's small, and he is strong, thanks to the S.H.I.E.L.D. physical fitness regimen and his archery practice (the draw weight on his bows is ridiculous). More importantly, he likes doing things like this, stuff he hasn't gotten enough chance to perform in the past all the times he's been gone. All of his absences have only made him realize how important what he has here, in the home where his family lives, is to him. He knows he'll never be able to show her just how much she means to him, not only just for being herself but also for keeping the farm a home for him, warm and alive and welcoming, but he can try. Before he sets her down, he draws her up further for a proper kiss, starting light but deepening as he lets it linger, attempting to put everything he feels for her into that wordless action, his left hand pressing into and lightly stroking her torso as he holds her up. He's pretty sure she'll be able to read it - she has before, after all.]

[He pulls back after several moments to take a deep breath and rein himself back in once more before setting her down on the couch for real.] We should still have the list saved - go ahead and flip through it and I'll be right back. [They did kind of leave their drinks and the popcorn back in the kitchen, after all. He heads off to fetch them, picking up some of the stuff scattered over the floor along the way to just make it easier in the morning, and makes sure everything in the kitchen is turned off so there's no risk of burning the house down. That stove could probably stand to be replaced. But he grabs their mugs and the bowl of popcorn, heading back to Laura and the couch only a couple of minutes later.] Anything good?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Family Meme

FAMILY MEME

PARENT-CHILD

SIBLINGS

UNCLE/AUNT/NIECE/NEPHEW

IN A RELATIONSHIP

OTHER

hawkfam is totally bestfam. I hope this works, I'm excited, have dumb domestic nonsense

Now that I'm home! ohmygodineverthoughtidgettodothis

Me either! I am so excited :D you guys make me so happy :>

Seeing someone embrace the FAMILY aspect of their relationship makes me so happy you have no idea

okay okay so FAMILY THINGS are like my favorite ever. so yes, I am so so happy you have no idea.

Oh god yes I do, family/found family is my favorite thing ever to explore. Play, write, anything.

gosh me too. Clint and Laura adopting the Avengers is one of my favorite things. And their kids! <3

Yes oh my god yes, this is so perfect it's amazing. I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT FINDING SOMEONE ELSE

It is the best thinggg! And gosh ME TOO I will play family nonsense forever. :D :D

So we have collectively decided you're perfect and we're keeping you and we need your plurk name :3

now to see if I can do tags before I pass out /spent all night on plurk oops

Yeah, that's the big problem with plurk - it eats your attention XD Hence turning it off sometimes

I seriously need to get better at doing that, oops

I fail at doing that. Miserably. People there are just so fun!

So true! And it's a nice place with nice people. It's so <3

It's so insane XD But I like that kind of thing

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