Would she have skipped out if she'd known who she was meeting? Maybe. Or maybe she would have given herself a small anxiety worrying over what to wear and say when meeting one of their world's OG heroes. Either way, Coulson probably knew exactly what he was doing when he'd kept their identities secret from each other.
Daisy orders her own beer, also one of the selections on tap, and then she folds her arms on the table to lean into the conversation. It's a sign of her sincere interest in whatever he has to say.
"Well, he's the one who recruited me to SHIELD," she explains, her fondness for the older man clear in her voice. "To his team, specifically. We've been through a lot together over the years. He's kind of become the closest thing I've ever had to a father."
The story is familiar, having been pretty much the same thing Coulson did with him. "Looks like he's still out there adopting people," he laughs. "And it makes sense why he set this up. Coulson did the same for me, before the Avengers." He remembers that moment in his life so well, and he's sure that Daisy does too. It's one thing they have in common.
Clint always feels a little off when he meets up with someone who knows who he is, but he doesn't know them. He feels like he's going in missing key information, and that his footing is off. So, instead of letting things get quiet and awkward, he says, "so, what made you want to go on a blind date? And are you disappointed that it's me," he laughs.
He's actually really curious about the why, and he hopes she's not disappointed. He certainly isn't.
She's heard about Clint and the others from Coulson over the years, mostly in relation to missions, history lessons, or the occasional rant (reserved for Stark), but he'd always been tight-lipped about their personal lives. So while she feels like she knows the man sitting across from her, she doesn't know him — but apparently Coulson wants her to get to know him. And as strange as it is considering why they're here, she wants that too.
Laughing at his self-deprecating joke, she shakes her head again. "Why would I be disappointed at being set up with someone who actually understands the life? That's a big improvement over most of the people friends try to set me up with."
Because it really is a relief to know he's not going to be intimidated by the fact she has powers, inconvenienced by her rushing off to missions, or have uncomfortable reactions to her scars. (Which is already thinking too far ahead, what the hell, Johnson.) But that's not answering the bigger question.
"My friends always mean well. I guess it's a hazard of being the last uncoupled one standing, but I just... wasn't ready until recently." Her tone turns more serious because now seems as good a time as any to show this particular card. "I lost someone, and it took a long time to come to terms with it. But now that the world's healing and things are better... Well, Coulson gave me the face and I couldn't say no."
If he knows Coulson at all, he'll understand the power of the patented Face.
"That's definitely a plus," Clint agrees. Laura had been understanding about him being away so much for a long time, he has to admit, but eventually, even she'd had enough of it, and she was part of the life before they'd ever gotten married. He likes that Daisy gets it, that if something happens during this date, he might get called away. Hell, depending on her abilities, she might even want to come with him. It's appealing to him in a way he hadn't expected. He's surprised that he wants that, especially since he'd thought he was perfectly happy being casual.
"Lucky for me, my friends are all over the place, so I haven't been pressured by anyone but Coulson. But the power of that face explains why I'm here too," he laughs. The server delivers their beers and Clint orders them some finger foods to share with an offhand comment of, "any food allergies or dietary restrictions?" and then ordering accordingly.
He takes a sip of his beer and continues, "So I guess if we expect this to go on to a second date, we should air all the dirty laundry." And by that he means mostly himself. Losing someone is different than getting a divorce. "I lost my family during the snap, my wife and my three kids," he explains. "And then when we fixes it, Laura and I just couldn't get back on the same page. I did some things... well. I'm not proud of them. Not like, cheating, but you know. Other things. And well we've been divorced for a few years now, and we co-parent. So, if all that is a hard no, we can just enjoy our drinks and be friends."
His wife and all three kids? Shit. He says it so quickly, already moving on to the next part before she can fully process what that must have been like for him, but her heart aches for all those years of grief he'd endured. Honestly, it's not surprising that he and his wife struggled when they came back — an experience like that changes a person on a fundamental level. She doesn't need to know the 'things' he'd done — her own spiral after Lincoln's death is a damn good example of a poor coping strategy in the face of loss.
"It's not," she says softly, watching him with sympathetic understanding. "I grew up bouncing between an orphanage and foster homes, so I appreciate a father who doesn't abandon his family even when things don't quite work out. I'd be out that door in a second if you said you had nothing to do with them anymore."
She appreciates his honesty and putting things out there like that. It's why she just gave him a glimpse into her own difficult past, though she still has a whole closet full of trauma tucked away for a rainy day.
"Yeah, I definitely wouldn't even think about not being around for them. Grew up in the circus, you know? I was really young when I lost my parents and my dad really wasn't much of one," he adds with a shrug. There's a lot more to it than that but it's not first date subject matter, so he's happy to let it lie for the time being. "They still live in Iowa, on the farm, but I converted the barn into a guest house, which is where I stay when I'm there. The kids also come here to New York for long weekends, parts of the summer, you know?" He definitely spends as much time with his kids as he can, even with the time limitations the job.
"Now that all of that is out of the way," he says with a laugh, "what do you like to do? Like for fun? Do you live here in New York?" Not that distance will really put a damper on any future relationships considering both of them can move around pretty easily.
"Did you pick this bar or did Coulson?" he adds after a thought. He's sure that it was Phil.
He grew up in the circus and his family lived on a farm. It's so wildly beyond everything Daisy's ever known that she can hardly wrap her head around either fact. But there's anything thing they have in common — losing their parents, though he'd at least known his for a little while, it seems. There are so many questions she wants to ask, but they really aren't first-date material.
"Coulson definitely picked the bar," she informs him with a laugh. "And he said he's picking up the tab. This is all a bit too high-class for my taste, I'm more of a comfortable chill local place girl."
She takes a sip of her beer before tackling the rest of his questions. "I've got an apartment here — SHIELD bought a building a few years ago and it's got all sorts of security bells and whistles. My sister stays with me whenever she's in town, but she's usually off on long-term missions these days. And... for fun? I honestly don't know, it's been a long time since I was able to think about having fun. What about you? Same questions."
So I guess I'm making Natasha not dead - Steve either!
Clint feels himself relax in relief, glad that she's more of a dive bar kind of woman, since he is too. "Thank god," he says, "I don't even really like craft beer, to tell you the truth. Too fancy." He'll drink it, especially if it's all they've got available, but it's not his preference.
Their apps are delivered as they're talking and Clint nods in thanks to the server. He doesn't look away from Daisy though, since this seems to be going better than he'd thought it would.
"I sort of on a building over in Bed Stuy. It might not quite be legal but we're working on that side of it. There was definitely an exchange of money so..." He's sure that Daisy understands the less than legal means he might have gone through to get the building, so he's not going to explain that he handed over several million dollars in cash to a shady guy that called him Bro. Nat's working on getting him the proper ownership paperwork. "So I live on site."
He takes another sip of beer and adds, "Maybe our second date can be over that way. There's a delightful dive bar just up the block from my place. No craft beer to be seen."
As for fun, "I've been dating, for fun. But it's not going well. Something about lacking shared life experience, as Cap's told me. My dates haven't liked it too much when I cancel the second date because I need to destroy a couple hundred killer robots, you know?" He's sure she does.
Daisy would bet good money that Coulson chose this place precisely to arrange this cascade of relief as they both discover yet another thing they have in common. They're down-to-earth people, not live it up with the rich people. Greasy pizza or burgers and cheap beer are so much more appealing to her than a night at a fancy restaurant, and she has a feeling Clint would agree.
A not-quite-legal building, huh? That's definitely a story she wants to hear sometime because she can imagine a dozen different scenarios that might have led to such ownership. He's a good man, so she doesn't assume it's anything questionable or nefarious, but from Coulson's stories, Clint does have a way of getting himself into interesting situations.
"There's definitely a reason I don't usually consider dating 'normal' people," she agrees with a nod. "But most people at SHIELD are at least a little intimidated by me, so that rules out a lot of options there too."
A second passes, two, and then she decides to just go for it. Let out another secret in case he's not already aware, because just like with his family, it's better to know now if it'll be a problem. So, averting her eyes to look around the bar while offering a casual shrug, she adds, "Plus, there's the whole being Inhuman thing that not everyone's ready to deal with."
Or even tolerate, though she doesn't peg the Avenger as being that type of bigoted asshole.
"And don't get me started on the people that just want to bag an Avenger. Like. I'm definitely not worth the hype, but you save the world a few times and everyone is looking to get a piece of you." In his case, it had mostly been sex that people were looking for. There were a few that tried to hang around for a couple weeks or months, but even the most steadfast had eventually given up because of his schedule, or his dedication to his kids, or one of the many other failings he knows he has.
When she admits that she's Inhuman, Clint gives Coulson even more props. There's definitely a reason that he'd set them up. Clint doesn't care that she's enhanced, or Inhuman. As long as she's on the right side, which it's clear she is, he doesn't even need to know what her powers are.
"You should know that being Inhuman doesn't bother me. I mean, it really shouldn't bother anyone, but it doesn't affect whether or not I'd wanna go on a second date. Which right now, I definitely do."
Who knows, by the end of the night they may never want to see each other again, but for now, he thinks that they're getting along well and he'd really like to see how deep that goes.
Oh, she definitely knows all about people wanting a piece of you once you've reached hero status. Little girls having posters of her on their bedroom walls is cool; guys talking about how badly they want to get in her pants is not. Back at the start of all this, she'd thought the Quack fanfic was the worst she'd have to deal with, but the extreme fanboys had proven her wrong time and again.
It's like a weight lifts off her chest and she can breathe a little easier when he says that what she is doesn't bother him. Being an Inhuman is part of her core identity and she's fought for years against the horrible prejudice her people still face even after all the world has been through. That Clint accepts this part of her isn't surprising, yet it still means the absolute world to her.
Clearing her throat, she shifts to humor to cover her emotions, her tone and expression turning toward teasing. "Wow, he's already talking about a second date. Someone's confident. We haven't even finished our first round yet."
Clint arches an eyebrow at her, and says, "well, I'm hoping for a second date. Coulson's been right so far, tonight." He's actually pretty impressed. Phil's found him a woman that seems to like similar things to him, has enough notoriety to not want him only because he's an avenger, and has had seemingly the same bad experiences he's had with dating.
Add to that the fact that his kids aren't deterring her at all, and Clint's pretty sure they'll get along at least in the short period. "You want another round at least? Can you commit to that?" he teases, popping a truffle parmesan fry into his mouth. God, this place is way too fancy for him. It reminds him of one of Tony's events or something, like that one right before Ultron...
Well. That's enough of that. He's here to have a first date with a beautiful person that he's enjoying the company of, not think about Ultron.
Coulson has been right so far, and she's glad to know he won't gloat about it too much. He just wants to see her happy, and she's pretty sure that's all he wants for Clint too. Her father figure's always seen the potential in people; maybe now that extends to their romantic lives as well.
Making a show of really considering the idea, she tips her half-empty glass from side to side to watch the amber liquid move. Finally, she decides, "I suppose I could do another round."
She can't keep the rouse up for long though, a grin spreading across her lips as she reaches for her own fry. It's definitely on the fancier side, but it does taste good, at least. "So, if we did go on this hypothetical second date, what would you suggest? Activity-wise."
Clint eyes her beer and his own and then says, "well, the second round doesn't have to be here, now does it?" He's sure there are many bars around the area that aren't quite this upscale where they can enjoy some normal beer and some normal food. "But I am glad that you want to have a second."
He takes a moment to think about the question before shrugging, "I mean, it's New York. There are loads of things we could do. I'd do a baseball game, if you were interested, pay for some overpriced beer and hot dogs. Or we could see a movie, or a concert, but I think that the best date would be to grab some takeout and head up to the rooftop of y building."
He takes another fry before continuing, "it's got a great view of the city and there are those fairy light things so that it's not too dark to see. One of the tenants has a nice little garden up there too, you know, for ambiance. And I'd put on some music. But mostly, it would be nice to just keep getting to know each other."
He does have a point about them easily being able to switch locations if they wanted. It might be nice to find somewhere more comfortable, or at least somewhere she doesn't feel like the other guests are judging them because they know she and Clint don't belong.
But his idea for a second date sounds... perfect, honestly. Given how chaotic her chosen career is, she isn't really a go do stuff girl in her rare off hours. Whenever she has a free night, she would just as soon grab a pizza and stream a movie with her niece, though these days Alya prefers documentaries that threaten to put Daisy to sleep after a long day. But still, contrary to what most people probably believe of heroes, a quiet night in (if a rooftop can be considered in) seems like a really great option.
"I really like the sound of that." They've barely known each other for half an hour and she's already contemplating a second date. A thought occurs to her and she looks around for a moment, contemplating if she really wants to make that leap, and then she looks back at Clint with an expression that's equal parts challenge and hope. "You know, we could always do that tonight. I mean, why wait? Unless someone else is using it or something."
Clint is relieved when she likes the idea for a second date. Some people think that he's just trying to get them into bed considering the proximity to his apartment. That's not usually his goal, honestly, it just really is his favourite place to be during his off hours. His bed being close has a lot to do with it, but not often when it comes to his dates.
Then she offers to go there now and Clint isn't about to say no.
"Let's do it," he agrees. "We can have our second date there too," he assures her. Hell, they can have all of their dates there. "No one else uses it unless we're having a building wide thing. My back door opens up onto the roof so it's not accessible to anyone else unless they come through my place."
He chugs the rest of his beer and signals for the server to come so he can get their bill, insisting on covering it despite Coulson's offer. "Don't wanna feel like Dad is paying for us to go to the movies or something," he laughs.
Daisy's never been a conventional date person. Hell, she can't even remember the last time she had a proper date. All of her past relationships had gone from acquaintances to together without any sort of dating and getting to know each other period, so she doesn't really care if this is considered strange or too fast or any of that. Nothing about the rest of her life is normal, so why should her dating life be?
She finishes off the rest of her beer as well, laughing at his comment as he pays the bill. "I'm gonna tell him you said that," she teases, having a hunch that Coulson will respond by actually buying them movie passes the next time.
Grabbing her leather jacket, she slides out of the booth and nods to the door. "Come on, Hawkguy," she says with a grin. "Let's see if you get lucky enough for that second date."
Clint wraps his arm around her waist as they leave the bar and only afterward does he consider that it might not be okay. "Sorry," he says, "this okay though?" He wonders where the building Daisy lives in is located because this bar is only a couple blocks from his, which is something he's sure Coulson thought of. He knows how much Clint loves his little rooftop, and likely could have anticipated them ending up there.
He guides Daisy through the streets even though he's confident that she doesn't need the help at all. He can't deny that he likes that about her; he's always had a thing for women that can kick his ass without even trying. Maybe that's why he's been so dissatisfied with the dating pool on the apps.
There's a little store on the corner right before they get to his building so he says, "all I've got upstairs is Natty light, so if you want something else, we'll have to grab it here."
When he asks about the arm around her, she's surprised to find herself saying that, "Yeah, it's okay." With anyone else she'd technically just met, it would have been an absolute, immediate no. Keep your distance because you haven’t earned even close to this level of intimacy yet. But with Clint, on some level he doesn't have to earn it. She trusts him implicitly because Coulson does, and that goes a long way. Not that she's ready to jump into bed with him just yet, he'll have to work at that one a little longer, but the fear of being betrayed that has lingered at the back of her mind for the past decade ever since Ward — that feeling is quiet with Clint. Of all the things she might ever have to worry about with him, she knows instinctively betrayal isn't included on the list.
The way they walk together is really nice too, unexpectedly so. There's no sense of him seeing her as someone needing to be protected that she's gotten from people who don't know what she's capable of, so while he does stay close while he guides her to his building, it's comfortable rather than stifling. It feels like some strange sort of revelation that she actually likes it.
"You know, I've actually never tried it," she admits, glancing over at him. "But I'll drink just about anything, so we'll be good." Looking at the street ahead, a smile tugs at her lips. "And just FYI, I definitely want to hear the story of how you semi-legally own a building."
"It's pretty much swill," Clint admits. "Like, the worst of the worst. I'm not even sure who left it behind, but I think it was from the last barbecue." He hasn't had time or the inclination to stock up on something better, "but it's fine in a pinch," he adds with a laugh. If there's a second date, he'll make sure he at least buy some pabst, even though that's not much better.
Once they get closer, he points the building out. "Oh, you mean this old thing? That's a story better told on a rooftop," Clint replies with a laugh.
The building itself isn't anything too special. It's made with red brick, south facing, with fire escapes and balconies around the back. There are only five floors, so there's no elevator, but it is in good repair. Clint likes it, it's got character, unlike the new sky scrapers that are being erected everywhere right now. Once they arrive, Clint opens the door for Daisy and tells her, "take the stairs all the way up. I'm right behind you."
Edited (Goose (the cat, not the flurkin) somehow pressed enter.) 2023-06-20 22:22 (UTC)
Daisy likes the look of the building because it's just a normal building. This is a place where locals live, the people who work for a living and want to be part of a community. It matches what Clint had said about them having building-wide events on the roof — that's the sort of activity she'd always seen in movies but never had the chance to be part of. But maybe she could be if things work out—
Those thoughts are immediately shoved back down, hidden away in the hopes that she won't talk herself out of this. Running when things seem too good is a bad habit of hers, along with running when things get hard. Flaws are probably something they should discuss at some point...
"Okay, mystery man," she acknowledges with a playfully suspicious look before starting up the stairs. The stairs aren't difficult, though she's definitely glad there aren't more of them. If he'd asked her to climb 20 flights, she'd have some strong thoughts to share. Five, though, she can absolutely handle.
Clint follows behind her and makes sure to not stare at her ass. He's trying to be a gentleman here, and it's working so far. When they get to the top of the stairs, he gently nudges her side to direct her to his apartment. He unlocks the door and opens it to let her in. When he'd bought the building, he'd just stayed in the same unit even though he probably could have moved things around to have a bigger one. He doesn't need the space since when the kids come, they just stay at the tower. They have bedrooms there, and Scott is usually around with Cassie too, so they all do family things together.
He opens the door for her to go in, revealing a modest loft style apartment (likethis), clean but well lived in, floor to ceiling windows on the left and a door that leads to the staircase just off the right side of the kitchen, leading up to the roof.
"Welcome to my place," he says, coming in behind her. He leads her to the kitchen and grabs the remainder of the beer then opens the door for her. This time, he leads her up and opens the door to the rooftop. Even though he's the only one with access through his apartment, he does let the other tenants come up whenever they want, and Mrs. Smith even has a key so she can tend to the garden). Thankfully there's no one up here now, leaving the space open for a pretty nice date.
Clint comes up behind her and passes her one of the beers before leaning over to look at the city. "So, better than the bar Coulson chose?" he laughs.
The apartment is different from what Daisy expected. Well, she's not entirely sure what she'd been expecting, but a clean little loft with big windows and an almost cozy vibe certainly wasn't it. The place is nice, though, really nice, and she can imagine feeling at home here.
She can imagine feeling safe here. That's the part that's a little scary.
Following him out onto the roof, the sprawling city before them is a stunning view. It's not perfect by any means, but it's the only hometown she's ever known, so she'll always have a certain level of fondness for the city. There's a growing list of people within it who she's fond of too.
"Oh yeah, much better," she agrees with a grin before taking a sip of her drink. The beer sits on her tongue for a moment while she considers the flavor. "It's not great, it's actually pretty terrible, but you know, I've had worse." She can't help but laugh as she wrinkles her nose at the can before shaking her head and taking another drink.
Clint comes up behind her and gently slings his arm around her waist. He'll remove it immediately if she doesn't want him touching her, but he has the feeling that she won't mind. "You get used to the taste, honestly. One more of these and you'll buy it yourself here and there, and then suddenly, it'll be all you buy," he laughs, taking a sip of his own beer. "I mean, I don't buy it exclusively but if I'm feeling a little sad and a lot trashy, I got for the Natty light."
He's angled more toward her than the view, but then, he's used to seeing it. What he wants to see is Daisy. She's looking out at the city, and Clint takes a moment to take her in. She's beautiful, of course, but there's something about the way that her eyes are shining in the reflection of the city lights. She loves this city, and he can tell. It seems like she's having a good time, too, which is nice to see.
"So, I'm really bad at first dates. Are there questions we should be asking each other? I don't want to ask anything triggering, and in our business, that could be anything."
Daisy's always been someone whose 'love language' was touch. If she ever went to unpack that particular part of herself in therapy, it could probably be linked back to her childhood of growing up in an orphanage and being constantly rejected by foster families. Being physically close to people is something she needs but never asks for, so every hug given or hand held is savored for the precious experience it is. Clint's arm around her is comforting above all, and she can feel her personal shields lowering further.
"You ask that like I have the answers," she counters with a shake of her head. "I can't remember the last time I had a first date. Hell, I might never have had one before. Most of my relationships have gone from 0 to 60 and skipped the in-between. Which might not say great things about me, now that I think about it..."
With a playful cringe, she realizes she's stumbled back onto a question she'd considered earlier. Might as well get it over with now. So after another swig of beer, she asks, "Speaking of, what would you say your flaws are? Mine include a whole host of rejection and abandonment issues, running when things get tough or seem too good to be true, and usually putting everyone else before myself."
Look, just because she doesn't actively see a therapist at the moment doesn't mean she's not fully aware of what they would say.
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Daisy orders her own beer, also one of the selections on tap, and then she folds her arms on the table to lean into the conversation. It's a sign of her sincere interest in whatever he has to say.
"Well, he's the one who recruited me to SHIELD," she explains, her fondness for the older man clear in her voice. "To his team, specifically. We've been through a lot together over the years. He's kind of become the closest thing I've ever had to a father."
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Clint always feels a little off when he meets up with someone who knows who he is, but he doesn't know them. He feels like he's going in missing key information, and that his footing is off. So, instead of letting things get quiet and awkward, he says, "so, what made you want to go on a blind date? And are you disappointed that it's me," he laughs.
He's actually really curious about the why, and he hopes she's not disappointed. He certainly isn't.
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Laughing at his self-deprecating joke, she shakes her head again. "Why would I be disappointed at being set up with someone who actually understands the life? That's a big improvement over most of the people friends try to set me up with."
Because it really is a relief to know he's not going to be intimidated by the fact she has powers, inconvenienced by her rushing off to missions, or have uncomfortable reactions to her scars. (Which is already thinking too far ahead, what the hell, Johnson.) But that's not answering the bigger question.
"My friends always mean well. I guess it's a hazard of being the last uncoupled one standing, but I just... wasn't ready until recently." Her tone turns more serious because now seems as good a time as any to show this particular card. "I lost someone, and it took a long time to come to terms with it. But now that the world's healing and things are better... Well, Coulson gave me the face and I couldn't say no."
If he knows Coulson at all, he'll understand the power of the patented Face.
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"Lucky for me, my friends are all over the place, so I haven't been pressured by anyone but Coulson. But the power of that face explains why I'm here too," he laughs. The server delivers their beers and Clint orders them some finger foods to share with an offhand comment of, "any food allergies or dietary restrictions?" and then ordering accordingly.
He takes a sip of his beer and continues, "So I guess if we expect this to go on to a second date, we should air all the dirty laundry." And by that he means mostly himself. Losing someone is different than getting a divorce. "I lost my family during the snap, my wife and my three kids," he explains. "And then when we fixes it, Laura and I just couldn't get back on the same page. I did some things... well. I'm not proud of them. Not like, cheating, but you know. Other things. And well we've been divorced for a few years now, and we co-parent. So, if all that is a hard no, we can just enjoy our drinks and be friends."
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"It's not," she says softly, watching him with sympathetic understanding. "I grew up bouncing between an orphanage and foster homes, so I appreciate a father who doesn't abandon his family even when things don't quite work out. I'd be out that door in a second if you said you had nothing to do with them anymore."
She appreciates his honesty and putting things out there like that. It's why she just gave him a glimpse into her own difficult past, though she still has a whole closet full of trauma tucked away for a rainy day.
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"Now that all of that is out of the way," he says with a laugh, "what do you like to do? Like for fun? Do you live here in New York?" Not that distance will really put a damper on any future relationships considering both of them can move around pretty easily.
"Did you pick this bar or did Coulson?" he adds after a thought. He's sure that it was Phil.
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"Coulson definitely picked the bar," she informs him with a laugh. "And he said he's picking up the tab. This is all a bit too high-class for my taste, I'm more of a comfortable chill local place girl."
She takes a sip of her beer before tackling the rest of his questions. "I've got an apartment here — SHIELD bought a building a few years ago and it's got all sorts of security bells and whistles. My sister stays with me whenever she's in town, but she's usually off on long-term missions these days. And... for fun? I honestly don't know, it's been a long time since I was able to think about having fun. What about you? Same questions."
So I guess I'm making Natasha not dead - Steve either!
Their apps are delivered as they're talking and Clint nods in thanks to the server. He doesn't look away from Daisy though, since this seems to be going better than he'd thought it would.
"I sort of on a building over in Bed Stuy. It might not quite be legal but we're working on that side of it. There was definitely an exchange of money so..." He's sure that Daisy understands the less than legal means he might have gone through to get the building, so he's not going to explain that he handed over several million dollars in cash to a shady guy that called him Bro. Nat's working on getting him the proper ownership paperwork. "So I live on site."
He takes another sip of beer and adds, "Maybe our second date can be over that way. There's a delightful dive bar just up the block from my place. No craft beer to be seen."
As for fun, "I've been dating, for fun. But it's not going well. Something about lacking shared life experience, as Cap's told me. My dates haven't liked it too much when I cancel the second date because I need to destroy a couple hundred killer robots, you know?" He's sure she does.
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A not-quite-legal building, huh? That's definitely a story she wants to hear sometime because she can imagine a dozen different scenarios that might have led to such ownership. He's a good man, so she doesn't assume it's anything questionable or nefarious, but from Coulson's stories, Clint does have a way of getting himself into interesting situations.
"There's definitely a reason I don't usually consider dating 'normal' people," she agrees with a nod. "But most people at SHIELD are at least a little intimidated by me, so that rules out a lot of options there too."
A second passes, two, and then she decides to just go for it. Let out another secret in case he's not already aware, because just like with his family, it's better to know now if it'll be a problem. So, averting her eyes to look around the bar while offering a casual shrug, she adds, "Plus, there's the whole being Inhuman thing that not everyone's ready to deal with."
Or even tolerate, though she doesn't peg the Avenger as being that type of bigoted asshole.
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When she admits that she's Inhuman, Clint gives Coulson even more props. There's definitely a reason that he'd set them up. Clint doesn't care that she's enhanced, or Inhuman. As long as she's on the right side, which it's clear she is, he doesn't even need to know what her powers are.
"You should know that being Inhuman doesn't bother me. I mean, it really shouldn't bother anyone, but it doesn't affect whether or not I'd wanna go on a second date. Which right now, I definitely do."
Who knows, by the end of the night they may never want to see each other again, but for now, he thinks that they're getting along well and he'd really like to see how deep that goes.
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It's like a weight lifts off her chest and she can breathe a little easier when he says that what she is doesn't bother him. Being an Inhuman is part of her core identity and she's fought for years against the horrible prejudice her people still face even after all the world has been through. That Clint accepts this part of her isn't surprising, yet it still means the absolute world to her.
Clearing her throat, she shifts to humor to cover her emotions, her tone and expression turning toward teasing. "Wow, he's already talking about a second date. Someone's confident. We haven't even finished our first round yet."
omfg the fanfic
Add to that the fact that his kids aren't deterring her at all, and Clint's pretty sure they'll get along at least in the short period. "You want another round at least? Can you commit to that?" he teases, popping a truffle parmesan fry into his mouth. God, this place is way too fancy for him. It reminds him of one of Tony's events or something, like that one right before Ultron...
Well. That's enough of that. He's here to have a first date with a beautiful person that he's enjoying the company of, not think about Ultron.
one of my favorite canon tidbits from the show
Making a show of really considering the idea, she tips her half-empty glass from side to side to watch the amber liquid move. Finally, she decides, "I suppose I could do another round."
She can't keep the rouse up for long though, a grin spreading across her lips as she reaches for her own fry. It's definitely on the fancier side, but it does taste good, at least. "So, if we did go on this hypothetical second date, what would you suggest? Activity-wise."
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He takes a moment to think about the question before shrugging, "I mean, it's New York. There are loads of things we could do. I'd do a baseball game, if you were interested, pay for some overpriced beer and hot dogs. Or we could see a movie, or a concert, but I think that the best date would be to grab some takeout and head up to the rooftop of y building."
He takes another fry before continuing, "it's got a great view of the city and there are those fairy light things so that it's not too dark to see. One of the tenants has a nice little garden up there too, you know, for ambiance. And I'd put on some music. But mostly, it would be nice to just keep getting to know each other."
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But his idea for a second date sounds... perfect, honestly. Given how chaotic her chosen career is, she isn't really a go do stuff girl in her rare off hours. Whenever she has a free night, she would just as soon grab a pizza and stream a movie with her niece, though these days Alya prefers documentaries that threaten to put Daisy to sleep after a long day. But still, contrary to what most people probably believe of heroes, a quiet night in (if a rooftop can be considered in) seems like a really great option.
"I really like the sound of that." They've barely known each other for half an hour and she's already contemplating a second date. A thought occurs to her and she looks around for a moment, contemplating if she really wants to make that leap, and then she looks back at Clint with an expression that's equal parts challenge and hope. "You know, we could always do that tonight. I mean, why wait? Unless someone else is using it or something."
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Then she offers to go there now and Clint isn't about to say no.
"Let's do it," he agrees. "We can have our second date there too," he assures her. Hell, they can have all of their dates there. "No one else uses it unless we're having a building wide thing. My back door opens up onto the roof so it's not accessible to anyone else unless they come through my place."
He chugs the rest of his beer and signals for the server to come so he can get their bill, insisting on covering it despite Coulson's offer. "Don't wanna feel like Dad is paying for us to go to the movies or something," he laughs.
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She finishes off the rest of her beer as well, laughing at his comment as he pays the bill. "I'm gonna tell him you said that," she teases, having a hunch that Coulson will respond by actually buying them movie passes the next time.
Grabbing her leather jacket, she slides out of the booth and nods to the door. "Come on, Hawkguy," she says with a grin. "Let's see if you get lucky enough for that second date."
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He guides Daisy through the streets even though he's confident that she doesn't need the help at all. He can't deny that he likes that about her; he's always had a thing for women that can kick his ass without even trying. Maybe that's why he's been so dissatisfied with the dating pool on the apps.
There's a little store on the corner right before they get to his building so he says, "all I've got upstairs is Natty light, so if you want something else, we'll have to grab it here."
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The way they walk together is really nice too, unexpectedly so. There's no sense of him seeing her as someone needing to be protected that she's gotten from people who don't know what she's capable of, so while he does stay close while he guides her to his building, it's comfortable rather than stifling. It feels like some strange sort of revelation that she actually likes it.
"You know, I've actually never tried it," she admits, glancing over at him. "But I'll drink just about anything, so we'll be good." Looking at the street ahead, a smile tugs at her lips. "And just FYI, I definitely want to hear the story of how you semi-legally own a building."
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Once they get closer, he points the building out. "Oh, you mean this old thing? That's a story better told on a rooftop," Clint replies with a laugh.
The building itself isn't anything too special. It's made with red brick, south facing, with fire escapes and balconies around the back. There are only five floors, so there's no elevator, but it is in good repair. Clint likes it, it's got character, unlike the new sky scrapers that are being erected everywhere right now. Once they arrive, Clint opens the door for Daisy and tells her, "take the stairs all the way up. I'm right behind you."
goose wants to be a chaos flurkin
Those thoughts are immediately shoved back down, hidden away in the hopes that she won't talk herself out of this. Running when things seem too good is a bad habit of hers, along with running when things get hard. Flaws are probably something they should discuss at some point...
"Okay, mystery man," she acknowledges with a playfully suspicious look before starting up the stairs. The stairs aren't difficult, though she's definitely glad there aren't more of them. If he'd asked her to climb 20 flights, she'd have some strong thoughts to share. Five, though, she can absolutely handle.
Goose is always a chaos flurkin
He opens the door for her to go in, revealing a modest loft style apartment (like this), clean but well lived in, floor to ceiling windows on the left and a door that leads to the staircase just off the right side of the kitchen, leading up to the roof.
"Welcome to my place," he says, coming in behind her. He leads her to the kitchen and grabs the remainder of the beer then opens the door for her. This time, he leads her up and opens the door to the rooftop. Even though he's the only one with access through his apartment, he does let the other tenants come up whenever they want, and Mrs. Smith even has a key so she can tend to the garden). Thankfully there's no one up here now, leaving the space open for a pretty nice date.
Clint comes up behind her and passes her one of the beers before leaning over to look at the city. "So, better than the bar Coulson chose?" he laughs.
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She can imagine feeling safe here. That's the part that's a little scary.
Following him out onto the roof, the sprawling city before them is a stunning view. It's not perfect by any means, but it's the only hometown she's ever known, so she'll always have a certain level of fondness for the city. There's a growing list of people within it who she's fond of too.
"Oh yeah, much better," she agrees with a grin before taking a sip of her drink. The beer sits on her tongue for a moment while she considers the flavor. "It's not great, it's actually pretty terrible, but you know, I've had worse." She can't help but laugh as she wrinkles her nose at the can before shaking her head and taking another drink.
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He's angled more toward her than the view, but then, he's used to seeing it. What he wants to see is Daisy. She's looking out at the city, and Clint takes a moment to take her in. She's beautiful, of course, but there's something about the way that her eyes are shining in the reflection of the city lights. She loves this city, and he can tell. It seems like she's having a good time, too, which is nice to see.
"So, I'm really bad at first dates. Are there questions we should be asking each other? I don't want to ask anything triggering, and in our business, that could be anything."
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"You ask that like I have the answers," she counters with a shake of her head. "I can't remember the last time I had a first date. Hell, I might never have had one before. Most of my relationships have gone from 0 to 60 and skipped the in-between. Which might not say great things about me, now that I think about it..."
With a playful cringe, she realizes she's stumbled back onto a question she'd considered earlier. Might as well get it over with now. So after another swig of beer, she asks, "Speaking of, what would you say your flaws are? Mine include a whole host of rejection and abandonment issues, running when things get tough or seem too good to be true, and usually putting everyone else before myself."
Look, just because she doesn't actively see a therapist at the moment doesn't mean she's not fully aware of what they would say.
totally forgot to use the right icons. oops
lol i've done that too, no worries!
Re: lol i've done that too, no worries!
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