[log] give me that sportsball I'm gonna throw it in the garbage [closed]

[awwnoun]

Characters: Clint, Natasha, Ecks, Davesprite
Location: Building 124
Date: Day 195, evening
Summary: Introducing: dog!
Warnings: None, at the moment.

124: This house, covered in snow, is dark and cold, but better than outside. The snow presses in on the windows and makes the roof creak and groan whenever it shifts, but it seems to be holding up alright. It's a standard, single-story house with a living room, single bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and dining room. The bedframe has been taken apart, and its pieces arranged neatly from largest to smallest on the floor. The house is sparsely furnished, unfortunately with mostly metal There's a back door leading off into darkness, but it isn't locked. There's a blue smear on the bathroom cabinet. "Hsiaoke Pass" is written in spray paint over the door facing the residential zone, and in sharpie on the back door.

Comments

[mrcreamsicles]

[A part of him can't help feeling awkward, like he's doing it wrong, but Clint evidently isn't bothered. It's... It's nice. Human contact, just for the sake of it.]

That's because it's true.

[He turns away and back to Lucky, whom he treats with some more petting.]

So you want to tell me about your dog? He looks like he's seen some shit.

[awwnoun]

[ Lucky is pretty much in heaven. He flops out on his back. Belly rubs, please and thank you. ]

He - he uh. [ Clint shifts a bit, frowning. ] Yeah. I picked a fight with his old owners. You know, the mafia guys? I think I told you about this - maybe not. There were a bunch of mafia guys in tracksuits, and I picked a fight with them, and Lucky tried to protect me from 'em because I fed him, I guess.

One of the tracksuits kicked him into oncoming traffic and I lost my mind at them.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Oh, man. Davesprite settles down the rest of the way to deliver the belly rubs double-handed. Who's a good dog? Lucky, that's who.]

The tracksuit Draculas?

[He remembers that. He also winces at the story.]

Jesus, that's fucking terrible. How could they do that on purpose? Even when I—

[Wait, shit, cutting himself off. Ignore that, nothing to see here, nope. Time to investigate if Lucky would like chin scritches.]

I'm glad you saved him.

[awwnoun]

Yeah, the tracksuit Draculas. [ Clint smiles a little at the mention of the name. Sometimes he forgets how much like Kate Davesprite can be. ]

But yeah. I'm glad I saved him too. He's a good dog. Best dog I ever had. [ Lucky's leg is kicking, he's so pleased to get scritches. ]

[mrcreamsicles]

[It's what Clint called them first! Calling them Draculas just sounds weird to him.]

I never had any pets, just crows that tried to roost on the roof and steal my stuff. I guess there was Jaspersprite on the ship? But he was Rose's cat, not any of ours.

[awwnoun]

[ He's just glad Davesprite goes along with his dumb names! Lucky casually just sneezes in his excitement, and Clint's grin get a bit bigger. ]

Jaspersprite, huh. [ A beat, and Clint rubs at the back of his head. ] Well, you can have joint custody of Lucky, if you want. That means you gotta feed him sometimes, though.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite looks back at the sneeze, blinking. Did... did he tickle his nose somehow? His hands pull back, and he might ask, but Clint gets him first.]

You kidding? I know I helped Dug out, but that's different when he can talk. I'm not—He's your dog, Clint.

[He's not even sure what to make of the offer.]

[awwnoun]

[ Clint raises his eyebrows. ] Yeah, I know he's my dog. I'm just saying I trust you to take care of him here and there if you want to. You don't have to.

[mrcreamsicles]

I'm just not used to someone offering to share the pet duties with me. I mean, I can help—I'm not going to do nothing when we're traveling together—but the joint custody thing? Feels oddly serious. Like yo, share my dog with me. Like adopting a furry baby when I'm not sure I'm ready to be a dog father.

[awwnoun]

[ Clint raises his eyebrows. ]

Yeah, now you know how I feel with the small horde of kids I've apparently brought in under my wing.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite lifts an eyebrow, and finally straightens back up from petting Lucky.]

That one's all on you, Clint. How many times have I ribbed you about it? You've got a full-blown daddiction and if you keep it up I'm staging an intervention.

[awwnoun]

[ Clint shoots him a little grin. Lucky huffs and stays flopped out on the floor. ]

What would an intervention for daddiction even look like?

[mrcreamsicles]

Hmm...

[He folds his arms as he considers.]

Everyone's in stiff, formal business suits. They call you Clint all—Clint.

[Stiff and formal as the suits.]

And if you complain about it they graduate to Mr. Barton. They hand you complicated papers explaining the costs of adopting a child with a bunch of legalese thrown in. Do you know what kind of lawyers it takes to adopt kids from other universes, Mr. Barton? They don't make interdimensional case workers. Get a hobby. Start collecting antique thimbles. Antique thimbles don't come with behavioral problems and existential trauma.

[awwnoun]

[ Clint's laughing by the end of it. ]

Antique thimbles? [ of all the things ] You don't know her, but that sounded exactly like Maria Hill for a second. Yeesh.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite shrugs.]

First thing that came to mind. Who's Maria Hill?

[awwnoun]

She's the director of SHIELD. Or she was, last time I checked. She's a real hard-ass sometimes, but she knows what she's doing. [ He's very fond of Maria, as much as she annoys him sometimes. ] She's a scary woman, too. So congrats on that.

[mrcreamsicles]

[His lip curls.]

Okay, well, I should go put my stuff away somewhere for the night, and then I'm gonna stuff my face with junk food. I can't be a scary hard-ass if I'm doing that.

[awwnoun]

[ Snort. Lucky sits up and gets to tangling himself up in between Clint's legs, and Clint waves Davesprite off with a bit of a smile. ]

It's a compliment, I swear. But yeah - go get settled for the night. We can talk more when you're done chowing down on Cheez-Its.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite gives him a thumbs up.]

Okay. Talk to you then, Clint.

[And he picks up his stuff to head deeper into the house.]