Taste of Thai, Monday Evening

[so_hawkward]

For the first time in a while, Clint and Kitty were having a nice, quiet start to the week, with no threatening messages or running around in a foreign country trying not to get ninjaed to death. Going out to dinner together wasn't as much about celebrating that fact as it was about simply enjoying it.

"Why do all the good things on the menu have like, four peppers next to them?" he asked as they looked over the menus. "I just want to eat something good without burning my face off."

[For the lady!]

Comments

[throughaphase]

"You could ask them if they can make it mild," Kitty suggested. "Or if you burn off all your taste buds you might not realize how hot it is."

She'd prefer he not do that second thing, but she had to tease.

[so_hawkward]

"I like my taste buds just as they are. Maybe it's not really that spicy," Clint said. "At least they have real silverware here." Sorry chopsticks, Clint was never going to be a fan.

[throughaphase]

"Does this mean I should ask for chopsticks just to mess with you?" Kitty grinned. Someone was apparently feeling playful today.

[so_hawkward]

"You can get chopsticks if you want to use them, but I don't want to starve. I've got a physique to keep maintained after all," Clint said.

[throughaphase]

"And a very nice physique it is," she nodded. "I brag to everybody."

Not quite... because she didn't always have the opportunity.

[so_hawkward]

"Yeah, I noticed when a near-complete stranger asked if she could fondle my arm," Clint said. "I'm still trying to decide if that was flattering or not."

[throughaphase]

"Was that Irene? Because she agreed with me on the arms," Kitty laughed. "It's pretty much a miracle I didn't do that to you when we met."

[so_hawkward]

"I guess it was nice that she asked, at least. And you didn't take too long to get your hands on me," Clint said. "I'm pretty proud of myself for not grabbing at you too."

[throughaphase]

"Hey, it took, like, at least two months before I got my hands on you," Kitty protested. "That was me showing restraint."

No, seriously, that was her showing restraint.

[so_hawkward]

"I feel like Fandom got in the way," Clint said. "Also me being dumb and not realizing you wanted to get your hands on me."

[throughaphase]

"Not that dumb," Kitty assured him. "I was still in that 'I don't need a guy, that just leads to terribleness' mode. Until you kept taking your shirt off, anyway. And I wasn't sure if I was misreading you and you really thought I was just some kid or something."

[so_hawkward]

"Well you were a kid," Clint muttered, looking a little embarrassed. "I mean, you don't act like one, but still. There is some measure of cradle robbing going on here."

[throughaphase]

"Don't think of it as cradle robbing. Think of it as you being smart enough to snatch me up when you could," Kitty told him, smiling. "And it's not like our ages have been a problem ever."

Which she still did not understand. It went up there with them never fighting as things that just worked out for the best.

[so_hawkward]

"You don't act your age, at all. And you have even more life experience than I do," Clint said. "You've probably been more places and seen more than I have. Honestly, it's just nice to have someone around who understands my job. You know, my other job."

[throughaphase]

"Both of them, actually," Kitty pointed out. "It's much easier to be tolerant of everything it involves when you've seen what it involves."

[so_hawkward]

"I might end up with another mission soon. I've been hearing some things with my admittedly poor access to the grapevine, but things apparently aren't entirely quiet at home." Clint smiled softly at Kitty. "This time, I'll give you more warning if I'm going to leave so you don't feel like you have to find me."

[throughaphase]

"Just don't give me a heart attack and let me know you're okay when you can and it's all good," Kitty told him. "Can you say what's going on?"

[so_hawkward]

"If I ever reach the point of understanding what's going on, I'll let you know," Clint said, shaking his head. "It's kind of weird to think how normal my life was just a few years ago, and that was even with being involved with SHIELD."

[throughaphase]

"And then aliens show up and your whole world stops making sense?" she said.

[so_hawkward]

Clint nodded and cracked a smile. "And sci-fi movies are ruined forever. Except the ones with the sharks and stuff."

[throughaphase]

"As someone who got trapped in a convenience store with a couple of sharks, even those can get ruined," Kitty pointed out. "I get it, though. It was like that when mutants first became known as a thing. But if you look at it the right way, it also opens up so many new possibilities. Some of them are even good!"

[so_hawkward]

"Has anyone ever told you you're awfully optimistic for someone who's hated by large portions of society for no good reason?" Clint asked.

[throughaphase]

"I tried pessimism. It wasn't a good look on me," she said. "There's been a lot of bad stuff, but I've also done so many things I never thought was possible. I've gotta believe things will get better eventually. It's like any other civil rights issue, you just have to keep working at it till it happens."

[so_hawkward]

"For what it's worth, I hope you're right, and I hope it happens sooner than later," Clint said. "But pessimism's still easier. You can't be disappointed if you expect the worst to happen all the time."

There was a tiny amount of teasing there, at least.

[throughaphase]

"Soooo do you also go around thinking you're going to Lowe your house and jobs and we're gonna break up?" Also a little bit teasing.

[so_hawkward]

"We've got the house covered for quite a while, and I'm pretty sure Natasha and I could squat there and no one would care," Clint said. "I know I'm a pretty valuable guy and if I didn't get fired after the mess with Loki, I figure SHIELD really doesn't want to get rid of me. And with you... I don't know, you've put up with me for this long, right?"

[throughaphase]

"See, optimism," Kitty smiled. "Also you're not getting rid of me, so that takes care of that one."

[so_hawkward]

"I wouldn't want to get rid of you. You're good at this girlfriend thing," Clint said. "I'd be an idiot to let you go." Granted, he was an idiot a lot, but still, he knew what he had going for him.

[throughaphase]

"You really would," Kitty teased, smiling. "And if you ever find yourself doubting that, let me know and I'll show you another one of the things I got at Dite's."

Like she wasn't gonna drag that stuff out over time.

"Or I'll just find ways to be more supportive or whatever."

[so_hawkward]

"Supportive is nice. Dite's is nice too. They have quite the selection of stuff." That was a possibly wicked smile on Clint's face right now.

[throughaphase]

Kitty was a big fan of that smile. "Is that so?"

[so_hawkward]

"Uh huh. And for all her arm fondling, Irene is a really helpful salesperson. Especially when she's met the person you're buying for." It was nice how that worked.

[throughaphase]

"That's both intriguing and worrying," Kitty said, leaning on the table a little.

[so_hawkward]

"No worrying," Clint assured her. "I didn't get anything scary, I promise. This stuff is supposed to be fun, right?"

[throughaphase]

"And it is. I trust you," Kitty said. "And considering when I talked to her twice handcuffs were already coming up in conversation, I know how Irene's advice tends to go."

It ended in goody bags and awesomeness, that's how.

[so_hawkward]

"I think she knows we're just starting out with... you know, interesting stuff," Clint said. "She's being nice and gentle. I assume."

[throughaphase]

"Unless gentle's not the point, of course." Teasing again.

[so_hawkward]

Clint turned a little red at that and laughed. "Okay, good point. Have I mentioned lately how awesome you are? Because you're pretty awesome."

[throughaphase]

Did she say things sometimes just to make him turn red? Yep, she totally did, and it was great.

"Yeah, cradle robbing was definitely a great life choice," Kitty smiled.