OOM: 2011, San Diego

[redintheledger]

Saturday is a day that Natasha is determined to spend being lazy. She and Clint had gone to SeaWorld (and patched things up) the day before, and although she decided to try sleeping in a bed last night instead of on the couch, her insomnia didn't miraculously vanish.

She managed to have a lazy morning, at least. By her standards. But her personal revelation is an itch at the back of her mind, and it feels dishonest not to tell him. There are risks to saying anything, but then again, there always are. Despite her track record, she's rarely let that stop her.

About the time she hits half an hour spent scrolling through I Can Has Cheese Burger, she can acknowledge that she's procrastinating about it. Looking at LOLcats is an entertaining way to procrastinate, but procrastination it is.

It's not that Natasha can't think of ways to bring the subject up. Although she doesn't spend as much time seducing as people think, she can still think of half a dozen ways of saying 'I love you'. It's that...

This is Clint. And she's fairly certain that all she's doing is playing catch-up, which never gives anyone confidence for negotiating relationships.

She's also fairly certain that she's been glancing over at him a bit too often to play it cool, but these things happen.

"Hey, Clint?"

Comments

[hasthehighground]

"It's okay. Uh, what I was saying before..."

He's not looking at her, not really. He's focusing on her right hand, resting on the couch.

When he starts talking, he's calm. Not emotionless, but measured. "I have sex with a lot of people," is where he starts out, mouth twisting slightly. "Not that many, anymore, but probably three in a typical month. How often -- varies. Sometimes with strangers, more often people I know only in that ... context, and sometimes with friends. Um. Not work friends."

"Strangers are mostly women. Others, mostly men. If it bothers you, I could avoid having sex with friends. And... I might be able to cut women out?"

[redintheledger]

If he wasn't so focused on her hand, if he wasn't doing his Clint Thing of breathe-deliberately-and-focus, she'd make an observation about her cramping his style in Milliways. As it is, Natasha nods, more in acknowledgment of his words than an agreement to anything.

"No work friends is good."

She breathes in and out, her eyes going slightly unfocused as her thoughts turn inward.

"Gender doesn't bother me," Natasha says at last. "But I think normal friends...do."

[hasthehighground]

"Okay." He feels kind of stupid, now, worrying that she'd... well. Worrying.

He glances back up to her face. "I can do that."

[redintheledger]

Once upon a time, he'd probably have had cause to worry. But that once upon a time was a few decades ago, so Natasha just smiles at him. It's a small smile, but sincere.

"Okay," she says, and then, a touch slower, "Thank you for giving me options. I appreciate it." Particularly when she's gone and sprung this all on him in the first place.

"Do I need to give any myself? Or, is that something you're thinking about?"

[hasthehighground]

Clint blinks at her. He hasn't thought about that.

"I'll think about it."

All that's coming to mind right now is shit like sorry, I had a weird adolescence, and like hell is he going to start a conversation like that with anyone. Especially Nat, who was fighting World War II in her adolescence.

Instead he offers a hand to help pull her into his lap again, if she wants. He could do with hugging her.

[redintheledger]

She had more than a suspicion that'd be his answer, so she nods easily.

"Sure." She's at his place for a few more days, and then, well. Phone. Or visits. Milliways. They'll work it out.

His hand is accepted with a brightening of her face, and she crawls back over and settles on his lap, arm winding around his shoulders. Not that she was noticing any difficulty in breathing before, but it's easier when Clint has his arms around her. Hugs are good.

Hugs are very good at the moment. And later?

Well.

They'll deal with later when it comes.