#happy holidays...? from hawkeye

[nocontext4077th]

[canlifechillforasecond]

L'Shanah tova to Hawkeye Pierce specifically

[tiredandoptimistic]

I've seen the take floating around that Henry's death at the end of season three was unnecessary, so now I'm feeling the need to ramble a bit about why it had to happen that way.

We all know that the vibes of MASH gradually shift over the run of the show, and that the first three seasons are a lot more lighthearted overall than the later ones. More Requiem for a Lightweight, less Death Takes a Holiday. While the show is never exactly "hijinks at the front" and does have some early episodes that lean into darker themes (such as, famously, Sometimes You Hear the Bullet), it's still more comedic than dramatic in the early years.

Because of this tone, the audience is set up to expect things to be a little angsty here and there but still turn out alright overall. Sure, soldiers die all the time (even named ones like Tommy), but all the main characters were supposed to get out okay. From a Doylist perspective, they need to survive because they're leads on a show and they're getting paid to come back regularly. Not Henry though. McLean Stevenson chose to leave after season three, and the writers had to give Henry a proper sendoff.

I'm not feeling the need to go on a tangent right now about how great Henry is, but rest assured that I love his character. The show makes it clear that he's the one with the most waiting for him back home. Sure, Trapper and Frank have wives and kids too, but Henry gets multiple episodes about how much he loves Lorraine and even home videos of his happy domestic life. Plus, he's got a baby son born while he was overseas, someone he desperately wants to meet. Out of all the characters, he's got the most American dream and apple pie life waiting for him across the ocean.

All of that makes Henry a great person to send home, and it's why he could never make it there.

Once Stevenson decided to leave MASH, Henry was fated to leave as well. He got the discharge letter and the celebrations; everything all the characters had been dreaming off since their deployment. It would have been so easy to just let him return to his family. He's off the show either way, why couldn't the writers let him be happy? Because it's a fucking war, and even a plane home doesn't guarantee anyone's safety. The show needed to kill Henry off to remind the audience that they are watching a tragedy dragged across dozens of countries and millions of people. The closer they let him get to home, the more pointless his death was in the grand scheme of things; the more important it became.

Killing Henry is how MASH fully lived up to it's own expectations. The show is full of little tragedies and people with rich lives who never returned to live them, but we never really felt that loss as more than a concept. Sure, Tommy is instantly likeable and his death his deeply impactful, but we the audience only get the implication of Hawkeye's deep friendship with him. Henry is someone we've come to love on our own. All these deaths are pointless and cruel, none of them had to happen. Because we've spent three seasons getting to know and care for Henry (and are aware that the writers could have easily let him live), we finally feel that pointlessness.

Going forward after Henry's death, nothing is quite the same. Death is suddenly a true option, and no one is entirely safe from needless tragedy. When Trapper goes home and Hawkeye doesn't get to say goodbye it isn't just sad because he can't throw his friend a party or give him a hug, it's heartbreaking because he doesn't know that Trapper will even make it back to Boston.

Going home will always be the ultimate goal of all the characters, but it can never be a simple "get out of trauma free" card. The war will always follow them.

[dearmash1975project]

It is March 18th, 1975: the Vietnam War is a month away from officially ending, Towering Inferno is top of the Box Office Charts, and like every Tuesday night you tune into CBS to watch your favorite evening TV shows. Only tonight is the season finale of the 3rd season of M*A*S*H, and it is an episode that will drastically change the course of the series; an episode that will touch its viewers so deeply that it will stay with them for decades after. Or, as my mom puts it, one that “impacted a generation.” Needless to say, heavy spoilers ahead for the episode and the show.

Season 3, episode 24, “Abyssinia Henry” aired at 8:30pm on Tuesday March 18th, 1975. The episode followed the M*A*S*H crew bidding a fond farewell to lovable Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, who had finally received his long-awaited discharge. Over the course of 3 critically acclaimed seasons, M*A*S*H carved a place for itself in the weekly rituals of millions of Americans. Many of these viewers were children, who watched such shows as M*A*S*H, Happy Days, and All in the Family, alongside their parents and older siblings. The characters they saw weekly on the TV became not only a part of their routine, but members of the family. Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles– most children see such relatives a few times a year at holidays and family gatherings; but Hawkeye, Trapper, Margaret, Radar, Klinger, Frank, Father Mulcahy, and of course Colonel Blake–they were in your home, laughing along with you and your loved ones, weekly.

But again, tonight’s episode is different.

A tearfully fond farewell to Henry at the chopper pad is followed by the episode’s final scene. It is set in the operating room where, as always, the laugh track is silenced. Even writing this, I can feel my heart sink into my stomach as I picture Radar O’Reilly pushing through the doors of the O.R.

The camera holds on Radar as he delivers the news that Henry Blake’s plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan. And like millions of other Americans, the final words of the episode ring in my ears: “There were no survivors.”

Radar exhales to the silent room, the camera pans around to the shocked faces of the other characters; the sound of sniffles and their shining eyes the only expressions of grief visible over their masked faces. During the post-fade tag a montage of Henry plays; not that many people remember this part– I certainly didn’t until I forced myself to rewatch the episode on a full rewatch of the series. And like those shocked viewers in 1975, the sweet montage of our beloved Colonel does little to soothe the brutality of the preceding scene.

I was aware that letters were sent into CBS addressed to the M*A*S*H producers after the airing. In his 1998 interview for the Television Academy, creator Larry Gelbart discussed the reception of the episode and the letters that followed. He also mentioned his reasoning behind the choice, and why it was done. Actor McLean Stevenson (Henry Blake) wanted to move on to other things, and Gelbart, along with producer Gene Reynolds, felt that the death of a beloved character would be a poignant reminder that the show takes place during a war; and in war, people who are loved die.

In his interview, Gelbart explained that he and Reynolds responded, by hand, to the letters with this reasoning. He also said that to some he mentioned the recent news story of a plane of Vietnamese refugee children that crashed after leaving Saigon [the first flight of Operation Babylift, as it was known, crashed in early April, not that week in March. But memory is elusive, and the point still stands]. Gelbart and Reynolds invoked this association to have people consider the mechanisms that made them care so deeply for a fictional character, but not for real victims of war.

I remember sitting in the quiet archives center reading room in the basement of the National Museum of American History, opening up the manila folder and beginning to read through the letters. I set up my appointment to see the M*A*S*H Collection over a month earlier, as the collection is housed off site and had to be delivered to the archives center. The archives team was more than gracious to me, and I would not be doing this project without their help.

Now early July, I began to flip through the letters, hand-written on various stationary, until the unmistakable sight of a child’s handwriting came into view. I think Brian’s letter was the 4th or 5th in the first folder (folder 22), and reading it stopped me in my tracks. I know I’m not the only one who would react that way after reading “I am really sad” and “age 11” in such short succession. It had never occurred to me that these letters, of course, would also have been written by children.

I was 17 when I watched the episode, and even going into it with Henry’s fate pre-known to me (the follies of the digital age where spoilers are readily available, as well, I suppose, as the nearly half a century of cultural consciousness on the topic) it was still devastating to the point of heavy tears. How then, must a child of 11 have felt? Not only in watching a beloved (if fictional) friend die so suddenly, but then having to wait until the next season (which would not air until September, perish the thought!) These were questions I found myself asking, and though the idea of tracking down these children (now adults) would not occur to me until a few letters later, I figured this letter’s author would be a perfect narrative start for this project...

Credits: Screenshots from The New York Times Timesmachine, 03/18/1975, page 1 & 75. Script photo by @mashhistorian, whose article is very good: https://themashhistorian.com/2025/03/03/script-spotlight-42/ Larry Gelbart’s interview with the Television Academy: https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/larry-gelbart?clip=21088#about NPR Article: “Remembering the Doomed First Flight of Operation Babylift.” https://www.npr.org/2015/04/26/402208267/remembering-the-doomed-first-flight-of-operation-babylift Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives (SOVA): “M*A*S*H Television Show Collection, 1950-1984, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.” https://sova.si.edu/record/nmah.ac.0117?s=0&n=10&t=C&q=NMAH.AC.0117&i=0#summary

[togrowoldinv]

The Sweetest Treat

Kate Bishop x Female Reader

Kate invites the Barton’s to New York for Halloween and you spend the night watching her shine with happiness

Note: Woohoo flufftober! Here’s another soft one!

Flufftober Masterlist, Main Masterlist

When Kate said that her Avenger friend, Hawkeye, was going to bring his kids to New York for Halloween, you weren’t sure what to expect.

She had only just started dating you when she met Clint and all of her life began to change. It wasn’t easy on her to lose her mother to prison, but her relationship with Clint and his wife helped her feel better.

You just know that you’re grateful to them and can’t wait to meet them today. Kate has her apartment decorated for the holiday and is practically bouncing off the walls excited for them to arrive.

“Do you think we bought enough candy?” Kate asks as she waits by the door.

“I think we have enough for all of New York,” you joke. She nods seriously. “Kate, baby, don’t worry. There’s plenty for Clint’s kids and plenty for trick or treaters.”

“You’re right,” Kate says. “I just want to make sure they’re happy. I had a great time meeting them at Christmas, but what if things aren’t as good this time?”

“It’s going to be amazing, Kate Bishop. You’re amazing and there’s nothing that’s gonna change that,” you encourage her.

She smiles and hugs you. Your head falls perfectly against her chest as you soak up the warm affection.

“I love you. Did you know that?” Kate asks.

“Mhm, I sure did. I love you too,” you say.

You stay in each others arms until you’re interrupted by a knock on the door. Kate opens the door.

The youngest kid practically barges in before he’s held back by his mother.

“Hi everyone,” Kate says, her smile beaming. “Come on in.”

“Thank you, Kate,” Laura says. You recognize her from photos that Kate brought home after Christmas. She hugs Kate and looks to you. “And you must be, y/n.”

“Yes ma’am,” you say. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Laura says. Her attention is stolen by her young son running around the apartment already. “Excuse me.”

“Hey Kate,” Clint greets her now. He looks at her almost softly. You know she values his place in her life.

“Hawkeye,” she greets him with a laugh that he shares.

“Lila’s been excited to see you again,” Clint says quietly so only you and Kate and can hear him. “She thinks you’re cool. Her words, not mine.”

Kate’s eyes shine at his words. You can already see the impact this family has on her.

Lila and Cooper had made themselves comfortable on the couch. Kate leads you over to the teenagers.

“Hey guys,” Kate says. “This is my girlfriend, y/n. Y/n, this is Cooper and Lila.”

“Hey, nice to meet you both!” You say. “Kate told me all about the card games y’all played at Christmas. If we ever play, just know you’re all going down.”

“We’ll see about that,” Lila says. You like her already.

“What have you been up to?” Kate asks Lila.

They catch up on life and you love watching them interact. Kate seems lighter already. A few hours pass and it’s time for the kids to get ready to go trick or treating.

Nate is dressed up and so is Cooper. He doesn’t seem like he wanted to but his little brother wanted to wear matching costumes.

“Do I have to go?” Lila asks her parents. She’s not wearing a costume, but they still want her to go walk around with them.

“She can stay with us,” Kate jumps in. “We’re going to pass out candy.”

“Please Mom, can I?” Lila pleads.

“Alright,” Laura agrees. “Be good.”

“I’m always good,” Lila says.

“I know,” her mom says. “All three of you be good.”

You all nod and see the rest of the Barton’s out of the apartment. Kate turns on a fun Halloween playlist and you give out candy as the trick or treaters come. You love watching her interact with the kids. She always compliments their costumes.

The night is winding down and Kate is giving out candy to the last few kids in the building. You sit on the couch and sip on a warm apple cider.

“Can I ask you something?” Lila suddenly turns to you and asks.

“Sure,” you say, sitting upright a bit more. Her tone seems serious.

“How did you know you were in love with Kate?” Lila asks. She looks away like she’s scared of the answer.

“Oh, well it was a really interesting sensation. I just kind of looked at her one day and I thought yeah I love this girl,” you say. “It wasn’t some epiphany as much as it was just something that felt right.”

Lila nods and her eyes tell you she wants to say more.

“Why do you ask?” You press.

“No reason,” she shrugs. “I just- I might be at that point with someone and I was just curious.”

“Ah, I see,” you say. The girl smiles nervously. “Follow your heart, Lila. And you just might find that it leads you to the place you’ve always belonged.”

“Thank you, y/n,” Lila says. She hugs you.

“Of course,” you reply, hugging her back.

“Aw man,” you hear Kate’s voice. “I’m going to replaced by you now.”

“No one could ever replace you Kate,” Lila says. Kate sits next to her on the couch and wraps her arm around her shoulder. “Y/n is cool though.”

“Isn’t she?” Kate asks. “I got the best treat of all.”

“You’re an absolute cheeseball,” you tease her.

Kate smiles softly. You end up turning on a movie and relaxing until the rest of the Barton’s get back to the apartment. You enjoy hearing about Nate’s night.

Kate lays down with you that night so content that it makes you emotional. You kiss her softly and fall into a deep sleep.

She’s the sweetest treat indeed.

[remyfire]

First off, happy holidays if you celebrate! Second: I don't know if you're interested, but I had a head cannon I had to yell at someone, and since you enjoy MASH, I thought I'd share :)

So, throughout the series, we see Hawkeye and Margaret's relationship growing from total animosity and antagonism to definitely dear friends by the end. And there's also sparks of attraction there, too (and not just Hawkeye making bawdy comments)! Realistically, I don't know that I could see a full-on relationship either during or after the war. They both seem to want totally different things in life.

But... what I like to think is that they kept up correspondence after the war and maintained their very close friendship (that is akin to friends with benefits but kind of more? Like very emotional too?). They are the one person the other can lean on in times of sadness, anger, and frustration, but also joy and happiness and delight. Also, but... they totally are so passionate when they're together.

For example: Margaret gets married again. Things don't work out. She retreats to Maine to get away, and when they're together, Hawkeye totally takes care of her (if you know what I mean 😉 ).

Maybe alternately, Hawkeye has a bad breakup or something sad happens in his life. Margaret is there for him and they're soft and tender with each other.

So, tldr: Hawkeye & Margaret are besties that have a physical relationship when they need someone to hold, and they love each other dearly!

OUGH, this is such a dear series of thoughts and I'm so tender about all of them!!! ;v;

Honestly this is the way I most often see their relationship going postwar, that deep queerplatonic love for one another, colored warmly by them no longer being afraid of their mutual attraction. It's true, they might want different things in life, but they were two of the few people who were in that hellscape together from the very beginning. They've witnessed each other's growth in ways that they never could've fathomed happening when they first met. It's impossible for them to pretend that there isn't a part of their souls that are intrinsically linked now after surviving all of those horrors.

I really do believe that regardless of where either of them might settle down after the war, their orbits will inevitably make them meet up over and over again. They can be catty and playful with each other in a way that is difficult for them to find with anybody else. And god knows them entering into the era of free love will provide many delightful opportunities for them to hook up without as many judgmental eyes on them for doing so.

Anyway, sorry, I'm rambling, but I am tender :) Thank you for sharing!!

[hard-core-super-star]

i think i love you still [K.Bishop]

pairing: kate bishop x reader

summary: you've spent four years trying to understand the complicated mess of thoughts that make up kate bishop. after dealing with the pain of her absence, and the more significant pain of her return, you finally get it right.

warnings: none; light angst with happy ending; childhood best friends to idiots in love who are too stubborn to admit it; my writing style changing ever other paragraph

wordcount: 2.8k

a/n: this very loosely follows the events of hawkeye up until the day before the christmas party. it's also heavily inspired by babyblue by xana. you don't have to listen to it for the fic but it's an incredible song and i can't recommend it enough. enjoy! <3

* * * * * * *

People say absence makes the heart grow fonder but you call absolute bullshit on that.

Although to be fair, the problem isn’t the saying. The problem is Kate Bishop.

You’re definitely not the first person to think that, and you certainly won’t be the last considering the kind of person Kate is, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be upset about it. Especially considering the years that have passed.

You’ve always given her the benefit of the doubt, not because you think she deserves it but because you would have driven yourself crazy from the amount of unanswered questions Kate left behind. Or more specifically, from the fact that she left you behind with no explanation.

Kate deciding to leave you and Bishop Security behind to go to university outside of the city wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was her refusing to tell you about her decision until the day she had to leave, making sure to tell you how unambitious she thought you were for taking the job her mom offered you as her secretary.

You still didn’t know what hurt more, her disappearing from your life or the insults she hurled your way before she left. Kate Bishop has many flaws and being an overachiever is definitely near the top of the list. Hence the amount of effort she put into shoving you out of her life.

It should have made working with her mom incredibly uncomfortable but Eleanor seemed to understand your pain better than you could have imagined. Being left behind by the young archer wasn’t an experience that was unique to just you and yet it didn’t make you miss her any less. You're usually good at ignoring the pain her absence left inside you but tonight is different. You look around the bustling party, the smallest of frowns on your face.

This was definitely the worst part of your job. You didn’t mind the long meetings, the stacks of reports you had to look through every day or even the miscellaneous tasks that Eleanor assigns you because you’re the only one who won’t complain about having to bring her another cup of coffee every few hours.

All of that was nothing compared to having to go to stupid galas with even stupider people. You’ll never understand why your boss insists on you accompanying her to every Bishop Security gala considering the lack of something to do. You have a sneaking suspicion it’s her way of trying to get you to interact with more people to hopefully find a way to get over Kate but you’ve never questioned her about it.

You catch sight of your boss while scanning the room for something to take your mind off a certain purple archer and she calls you over to her. You force a smile onto your face as you approach her. “Is everything okay?”

“You don’t have to sound so formal, y/n,” Eleanor says with a small smile. “We’re out of the office.”

“Right. My question still stands though.”

She affectionately rolls her eyes at your insistence. “Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted you to hear the news from me. Kate is home for the holidays…and she’s coming tonight.”

You force yourself not to react even though your first instinct is to run as far away as possible from the party. You try to be calm but your voice comes out a tad harsher than intended. “And I’m supposed to be interested in that information because?”

“Because she’s been looking your way since I called you over.”

Your eyebrows raise in surprise and even though you really shouldn't do it, you lift your head up and scan the room for Kate Bishop. You don’t have to search for long. Even with the years gone by, your eyes are immediately drawn to her tall, suit-clad frame. She meets your eyes from across the room and you swear everyone else disappears until only the two of you remain. You notice the clench in her jaw even from this distance and you hate yourself for finding it extremely attractive.

Some things never change.

“You should go talk to her.”

You tear your gaze away from Kate to stare incredulously at Eleanor for even suggesting that. “I’d rather get fired than spend five minutes with her.”

“Then you’re lucky we’re not at work,” she says with a playful glare. “Come on, y/n, how long has it been since you’ve seen her?”

She already knows the answer. She was the one you called to pick you up from Grand Central Station after Kate left you behind to chase after…whatever it is she was hoping to find out there. You’re not sure if you’re hoping she found it or not.

“That doesn’t matter. She’s visited New York how many times since she started college?” You let the question hang in the air for a few seconds to avoid sounding as bitter as you feel. “And how many times did she come to see me?”

The older Bishop woman raises her hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, I get it. I won’t push. Just think about it?”

She walks away from you with a small smile, probably going off to find Jack to tell him all about yet another failed attempt at getting you and Kate back on speaking terms again.

When you turn back, Kate’s gone and you do your best to ignore the ache her absence leaves inside you.

You decide to go back to your apartment a few minutes later which means you successfully miss the drama that unfolds. What you don’t miss is the news report recounting the events or the text from Eleanor telling you you don’t have to go to the office for the next few days. You find it strange but you’re not about to say no to some much-needed time off.

That does mean you miss Kate’s surprising return to Bishop Security which leaves you completely unprepared when she shows up at your door with a ridiculous request and an even more ridiculous outfit.

“I need you to take care of my dog for a few hours.”

That’s the first thing she says when you open your door. No greeting. No apology. No explanation as to why she has the audacity to ask you for a favor after avoiding you like the plague for almost four full years.

Unfortunately for you, your anger is momentarily forgotten at the sight of the adorable golden retriever standing happily at the brunette’s side. “Since when do you have a dog?”

“Since last night,” she replies with a shrug. “I saw him outside of the party yesterday and my heart wouldn’t let me leave him behind.”

You have no doubt that she was trying to be cute with that reply but all it does is make you remember all the reasons why you should slam the door in her face. She seems to read your mind just from the shift in your facial expressions because she ‘accidentally’ lets go of the dog’s leash and lets him run straight into your apartment.

“Listen, I can explain, and I will, just not right now. But I promise you it’s important.”

Of course.

You were kidding yourself if you thought Kate had actually changed. It’s always been this way with her. There’s always something to chase that’s infinitely more important than you. So important, in fact, that she can’t even stop for five seconds to explain what the hell is going on.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Kate.” There’s a flash of something in her eyes, maybe it’s regret or maybe it’s disappointment, but it’s gone just as fast as it came. She opens her mouth to say something but you interrupt her before she can dig herself into a deeper hole. Yet another habit that you’re sure she hasn’t learned to break. “It’s fine, just go.”

She hesitates for a second before giving you a small nod and walking away. You watch her go just like all the other times before. Except this time there’s an excitable dog waiting inside your apartment. You try not to think about how badly you wish the furry companion by your side was Kate instead as you go about your day.

To no one’s surprise, you don’t hear from the archer for the rest of the day. You would be disappointed if you weren’t so used to it. At least this time, Kate’s broken promises only result in you having to take care of the golden retriever, who you’ve affectionately started calling Lucky, and nothing else…or so you think.

It’s not until late morning the next day that your door receives another urgent knock. Lucky immediately reacts, jumping down from the couch and running over to the door, his tail wagging rapidly as if he can tell his new owner is waiting on the other side. You chuckle despite yourself before following after him. “I don’t think you’re getting this dog back, Kate.”

The smile on your face disappears once you take in her appearance. Her face is littered with small cuts and you can see the outline of a bruise forming on the side of her jaw. Your eyebrows furrow the longer you look at her but the answer is given to you by the purple costume she’s wearing. Even without a bow in her hand, it’s obvious what her outfit represents and you can literally feel your heart sink into the depths of your stomach.

“y/n-”

“No. Save it.” There’s a mix of concern and frustration in your tone but you don’t have nearly enough time to figure out which feeling is stronger. “Just take your dog and go.”

“I can’t,” she says, tinges of desperation painting her voice. “I owe you an explanation.”

You scoff. “Oh, you owe me much more than that. You have no idea what the last four years have been like for me.”

The brunette takes a step forward, clearly asking a silent question. “Then tell me what I’m missing. Help me make it right.”

“I’m not a stupid Avengers mission, Kate!” You hate the way your voice breaks under the weight of your repressed emotions. “If you're looking for someone to save, you're in the wrong place. I don't need you. Not anymore.”

You're ready for that to be the end of the conversation and you reach out to grab hold of Lucky’s leash. You're about to hand the leash over to Kate when her next words stop you in your tracks.

“What if I need you?”

You stare at her with wide eyes almost not believing what you've just heard. Four years of silence and absence. That's what it took to hear those words you've desperately longed for.

But it's not enough.

“You're a little too late.”

She wants to fight back against your words. You know her well enough to recognize that spark of determination in her eyes. Despite what you've just said, a part of you hopes that's what she's going to do. That this time she’ll fight for you.

Instead, all you get is a mumbled apology as she snatches Lucky’s leash and walks away again. You shouldn't have expected anything different…but you did. You expected whatever mess she seems to be in to be more than enough motivation to fix what happened between the two of you.

Kate Bishop is many things but predictable isn’t one of them.

The next few days go by far too slowly for your liking. Eleanor denies your request to go back to work (multiple times) and without a place to travel to for the holidays, you’re stuck in the one place you’d rather not be. You don’t think there’s a single corner of New York that won’t remind you of the one person you don’t want to spend any more time thinking about.

It’s not until the day before the Christmas party, a party you helped arrange even though it’s definitely not a part of your job description, that you run into the purple archer once again. Or more specifically, she runs into you.

You’re on your way out of your apartment despite the heavy rain that falls outside. You open your door expecting to be met with an empty hall only to find a soaking-wet Kate Bishop standing on your doorstep, looking like the world’s largest golden retriever. You do your best to ignore the way your heart skips a beat just from the mere sight of her. It takes a few seconds for you to get over your shock but you manage to find your voice. “Kate? What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry, I know I’m the last person you want to see right now.”

You briefly consider slamming the door shut in her face but decide against it. For the moment. “That didn’t answer the question, Bishop.”

“I just…” She sighs. “I had to see you again.”

“So you decided to walk here in the pouring rain?” You’re stuck between wanting to call her an idiot and wanting to admit how cute she looks. Yeah, you’re still a sucker for her puppy dog eyes.

“I know I don’t deserve another chance after everything I’ve done but please. I can’t keep this inside any longer. I need to talk to you.”

A long moment of silence goes by before you make up your mind. You might be signing yourself up for more disappointment but you have too many unanswered questions to let her walk away again.

“Come in before you catch a cold,” you say as you open the door wider for her.

She wastes no time in complying and you’re almost certain the shakiness of her hands has less to do with the rain and more to do with her nerves. You take a deep breath to calm your racing heart before shutting the door and following after her.

She stands awkwardly in the middle of your living room, her eyes scanning every picture frame and random poster that adorns your walls. You can tell the realization she comes to by the subtle slouch of her shoulders. There’s not a single thing in your living room that carries the memory of her. No pictures, no posters, no trace of the role she played in your life at some point.

“Let me get you a towel or something.” You start to walk away but a hand on your wrist stops you. You let her turn you around, not putting up any sort of fight as she pulls you in closer to her.

You wait for her to say something but all she does is stare into your y/e/c eyes, her grip on your wrist tightening ever so slightly. You can practically see every thought that flickers through her mind and you want nothing more than to spend the rest of the day deciphering the walking contradiction of feelings that make up who she is.

“y/n…” Her voice trails off as her blue eyes travel down your face. You’ve never seen that look before but you’re almost certain you know what it means. And it makes your head spin. “I shouldn’t have walked away. Not the first time, not the last time. But I…I’m so afraid of hurting you. Again. I thought dealing with my feelings would be easier if I was away from you but I was wrong. All it did was make you a stranger and you have no idea how much I regret that. How badly I want to make things right between us because I…I love you. I always have. And I can't go another second without you knowing that.”

You’re stuck between who you’ve been and who you want to be.

You’ve spent the better part of four years cursing Kate for leaving you, regretting the love you couldn’t help but foster for her, wishing she had never stepped foot into your life. But now…with her standing in front of you, looking at you with sincere eyes strong enough to make any other girl weak in the knees, you accept the truth you’ve been pushing away for so long.

You don’t blame Kate for leaving. You don’t regret the years you spent by her side. You don’t wish you never met her. You don’t hate her.

You love her.

It’s been that way since the day you met her and no amount of stupid mistakes or misunderstandings can ever change that. Hell, not even both of your stubborn personalities could change it.

“Say something,” she whispers. “Please.”

She leans in toward you. It’s a small move but you pick up on it immediately. Your breath catches in your throat before you do the only thing you can think of.

You close your eyes and take a leap, trusting Kate to catch you.

And she does. For the first time, you embrace the uncertainty that makes up your strained relationship and she doesn’t leave you hanging. She meets you halfway and the feeling of her lips against yours holds a promise you know she’ll fight tooth and nail to keep. She's not leaving.

This time, and every time from here on out, she's staying. And that's all that matters.

[girlonthefireescape]

Cookies & Christmas Memories (Kate/Yelena)

Thought I'd share a Christmassy snippet from my current WIP (Brought a Knife to a Gunfight). I'd originally planned to post the full story before the end of the year, but I've still got a few edits left and then it goes to my beta.

This scene is from chapter one and rated G. (The full story is rated M.) It takes place on Christmas Day.

Full fic summary for context: "What do you mean you’ve brought the woman who tried to kill you home for the holidays?"

Set post-Hawkeye. After clashing over the number of forks a single person should own (as well as a bunch of other things), Kate and Yelena crash the Barton family Christmas.

(Comes with a dash of angst and a sprinkle of holiday cheer!)

- - -

Cookies & Christmas Memories

Once Yelena’s gotten the hang of it, she's bizarrely adept at sliding a knife under the dough and picking up even the most delicate shapes without tearing them.

"How are you so good at this?" Kate's trees and stars stick to the wood no matter how much flour she sprinkles on the table.

"I'm good with knives. How are you so bad at this?" Yelena cuts out a snowflake. "You need to add more flour."

"I already did that."

"You need to add more flour to your dough, not the table," Lila explains. "It's too greasy."

Kate still struggles, but the extra flour helps. The first batch goes into the oven, and within minutes, the room fills with the sugary aroma of her childhood. December afternoons spent in the kitchen. Her dad's booming laugh when he found her drawing stick figures in the melted chocolate she'd spilled on the counter.

"Aunt Nat said that one summer you kept pestering her so much about Christmas that she put on Christmas music and sang carols with you in July."

If Kate wasn't surreptitiously watching Yelena, she would've missed the subtle flinch at Lila's mention of Natasha. For a split second, Yelena looks lost, a barely-there frown on her face.

"I don't remember that."

Before Lila can ask a follow-up question, Laura gently cuts in. "You were so young, it's unlikely that you would."

Yelena glances at Laura and returns her focus to the task in front of her. She fidgets with the butter knife—they only have one spatula��scoops up her reindeer, and places it on the baking sheet, right next to Kate's snowman.

They mess around with icing and decorations until the sun slowly dips behind the horizon. The kids are still hunched over the table, busy decorating the last of the cookies, when Kate sets the stainless steel bowl on the drying rack.

"Nate, no!" Lila squeaks as a deluge of rainbow sprinkles whooshes onto the table. "Quick! Catch it before it goes on the floor."

They both dissolve into giggles.

The lock of the dishwasher clicks into place. Laura straightens and stretches her arms above her head. She points at Yelena. "I've got something for you."

She disappears into the living room and comes back with a book. "Nat loved this one. I thought you might like to have it."

Yelena stares at the paperback for a good few seconds before she accepts it. "Thank you."

- - -

The full story should be up on my ao3 early in the new year. Happy holidays!

(Photos are mine. Please don't reuse.)

[hawkeyejrhuntress]

Goodbye 4 Now! Bishova Holiday Challenge!

Bishova Holiday Challenge future:

As of today, the Bishova Holiday Challenge Is over. Week 5 voting is done, and winners will be announced shortly. Week 6 voting and best writer voting will also go up shortly as well. Both polls will be run simultaneously.

 So, for the elephant in the room, last week I went on a rant because I was noticing the stories did not have a lot of the holiday part which to me is a big part of the challenge…. I mean look at the name. First and foremost, this was not geared towards any one story… I know some people assume it was, but it wasn’t. Another thing I think people thought was voter fraud. I will say when the voting numbers jumped, I did look at the stories closely to see if the stories were really being read and even reach out to the writers and ask what the stats for their stories were. And the reports I got were comments were low, but hits and kudos were high which led me to interpret that the voting was legit and no problems there.

So back to the rant why did I go off my rocker? You see when Hawkeye came out it was marketed as a winter tv series. I mean it came out November, the final episodes had a massive tree, it had the trope of Clint potentially missing Christmas with his family and so on. And yet it was still an Avengers series, kickass fights, humor, and putty arrows. Here is where many in the Bishova Community fell in love with the idea of Kate and Yelena. Two badass independent strong women who would be part of the future of the MCU.

So, when I created the challenge last year my two goals were to get more Bishova stories as well more stories that gave the same holiday feeling we got from the series. That was my goal this year as well. I am happy to say thanks to some awesome writers that the first goal was achieved, the 2nd one fell short this year. I think for me that why I went off the deep end. I was chasing a fantasy. Also, I think there was some confusion that the challenge had to include Christmas. The reason it was called Holiday challenge was I did not want just Christmas, writers could have reconned our characters to celebrate Hannukah, Kwanza or something else. The only stipulation was it was a winter holiday. It could have also been something where the characters ruin the holiday because they hate it. I think that was lost in translation. Regardless, it does not excuse my rant last week. So, I apologize to all the fabulous writers who participated. Without yall this challenge would be dead in the water like them great whites sharks that keep getting murked by killer whales.

I do not know if this challenge will be back next year. I am not sure if people even want it back after my tantrum last week which is fair. If it does come back, it will be different how I do not know, but it will be. I think I will still list some holiday prompts if the challenge is not back cause my mind is a scary place and I need an outlet. So, for next year I do not know what the future holds. Plus, I think right now since we have not seen Kate and Yelena on screen together in years the fandom is in a lull, so hopefully that changes. Anyway Happy Holidays to all, be on the lookout for the last two polls and everyone be safe. Also special thanks to the following Writers who participated….. YALL ARE THE ROCKSTARS!

CelticKitten25

Writer_At_ Heart

Chi_Raven

DoomTheShroom

19harmony

LostParkMih

Gayasawindow

Zarkosaur

pepperbrook_99

ooga_94_booga

[swan-of-sunrise]

Hawkeye (Part III)

Summary: On Christmas Eve, (Y/N) and Steve receive some shocking updates from Clint and after the archers’ fight against Kingpin, the Tracksuits and a Black Widow assassin out for blood at Rockefeller Center, the exhausted duo accepts their hospitality.

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 4.5k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: Hi guys! I'm feeling a bit better now, so I've returned with a longer chapter filled with holiday fluffiness! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Hawkeye (Part III) December 24th, 2024 Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn (Previous Chapter)

“I still can’t believe that people really used to decorate their Christmas trees – their very dead, very dried-out Christmas trees – with lit candles.” (Y/N) shook her head in amazement as they slowly walked past the crumbling gravestones and carefully avoided the piles of snow resting atop the frozen grass on the way down the slope to their parked car. “I mean, weren’t they afraid that they’d accidentally burn their houses down in exchange for a little holiday cheer?”

Steve nonchalantly shrugged and hitched Carina higher up on his waist. “Arsenic was in practically everything, cocaine was prescribed by doctors as medicine, and people guzzled down pure wood alcohol throughout the entirety of Prohibition; trust me, candles on Christmas trees were the least of our worries. Our tree caught fire once when I was ten or eleven and after Ma put it out, she scraped together enough money to buy a secondhand strand of lights and we never put candles on our tree again.” After taking note of her stunned silence, a mischievous smile broke out across Steve’s face. “If you think that sounds crazy, then you probably don’t wanna know why we had to stop putting strings of popcorn and cranberries on the tree…”

“And you’d be absolutely, positively, one-hundred percent correct, sweetheart.”

The morning of Christmas Eve saw the Rogers-(Y/L/N) family visiting the graves of Sarah and Joseph Rogers at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn’s sole Catholic cemetery; they’d brushed clumps of snow and wayward leaves off the two weathered gravestones, laid bouquets of red and white poinsettias and recounted stories of Christmases past in a continuation of Steve and Sarah’s old yuletide tradition. Typically, Steve never cried or showed much outward emotion whenever they’d visited his mother and father’s gravesite, but that morning he couldn’t seem to keep the happy grin off his face as he held his infant daughter in his arms and explained to his parents that they would soon be giving them a second grandchild. Seeing her husband so happy about having another child and being able to experience the entire pregnancy alongside her always succeeded in causing her heart to warm in her chest, but there was something special about watching him tell his parents about the life that so many people believed – including himself – he’d never be able to live. It’s also given me several ideas of what to do with him after we put Cari down for her nap, she thought with a sultry inward smile, ideas that are a little too risqué to voice in the middle of a Catholic cemetery.

(Y/N) was in the middle of strapping a squirming Carina into her car seat when her cell phone rang. “Sweetheart, could you get that for me?”

“Of course.” He jogged around the car and climbed into the passenger’s seat, grabbing her phone out of her purse and humming in interest when he noticed the name on the screen. “It’s Clint.”

Glancing up from the buckle, (Y/N) shot her husband a knowing look and slowly replied, “That can’t be good…”

Steve nodded in agreement before swiping a thumb across the screen and putting the call on speakerphone. “Hey, Clint; (Y/N)’s hands are a little busy, so I’ve got you on speakerphone. What’s up?”

“Are you guys home right now?”

“We spent the morning laying flowers at Steve’s parents’ graves, and we’re just about ready to head home,” (Y/N) explained, a knot of apprehension beginning to fill the pit of her stomach as she detected the uncharacteristic unease in the archer’s voice. “Why do you ask?”

“We got it wrong, (Y/L/N); it was Eleanor Bishop the whole time. Kate’s mom killed Armand, framed Jack for the murder and forged his connection to Sloan Limited. She’s been working for Kingpin for well over a decade, and Kate only just found out.”

(Y/N), who’d just given Carina her pacifier and a kiss on her forehead, sat back and watched her daughter for a moment before sighing to herself, imagining the overwhelming anger, confusion and hurt that the twenty-two-year-old must’ve felt in reaction to the devastating news. “Poor Kate…how’s she holding up?”

“Better than I thought she would,” Clint replied, and there was a hint of pride in his words as he continued. “Eleanor’s turned on Kingpin and he’s gonna send a message to the city by attacking her company’s Christmas Eve gala, so Kate’s focusing on prepping for tonight’s fight. Those LARPers I told you about are giving us a hand, since most of ‘em are first responders when they’re not dressed up in costumes and pretend-fighting each other with fake weapons, and we’re gonna build as many trick arrows as we’ll need to take out an army of Tracksuits.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Steve’s hand twitch towards the glove box, where they both agreed to stash several weapons in the event that they were ever attacked by any new or former enemies. “Something else is wrong, isn’t it? Did Kingpin find out about-?”

“-No, no, it’s not that. Eleanor hired a Black Widow assassin to kill me; we had a scuffle last night but they retreated before they could finish their assignment. I just learned this morning that the assassin…it’s Yelena.” (Y/N) and Steve’s gazes met and their eyes widened in identical shock. “And this isn’t just an assignment for her. She’s here to avenge Nat’s death by taking out the one person she thinks is responsible.”

“…Clint, you aren’t responsible for the choices that Nat made. You know that, right?”

There was a slight pause on the other end of the call. “I know, Steve. But chances are she’s gonna show up tonight to complete her assignment, so I wanted to give you a heads-up in case she decides to go after you guys next.”

(Y/N) frowned. “You don’t really think that Yelena would-?”

“Nat told her about you, about how you were one of her best friends; if she’s targeting me, then there’s a chance she’ll target you, too. Just be ready for anything, okay? Booby trap the house Home Alone style if you have to, but don’t let your guards down.” The archer cleared his throat. “I’ve lost enough people in my life, and I don’t wanna lose any more of ‘em. You two read me?”

Although Clint couldn’t see them, a stoic-looking Steve nodded once. “Loud and clear. Good luck out there tonight, Clint.”

“And watch each other’s backs,” (Y/N) added, the barest hint of a smile beginning to play on her lips at the thought of the Tracksuits attempting to take on two skilled archers armed with the deadliest and most imaginative arrows in the world. “I’ve only heard stories from Nat about your plethora of trick arrows, so I look forward to seeing their aftermath on tonight’s newscast…but for Scott’s sake, maybe try and avoid using any Pym Particles.”

The archer chuckled. “Yeah, we wouldn’t want Hank to blow another fuse. I’ll be sure to call you guys after the firefight, okay?”

They bid one another goodbye and after Steve ended the call, he looked up at (Y/N) with a glint of determination in his azure eyes. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Biting her lip, (Y/N) backed out of the car’s backseat and closed the door before slipping into the driver’s seat and sighing. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Brienne,” They both recited at the same time.

Brienne, named for the popular character from Game of Thrones, was an A.I. home defense system that Tony bequeathed to them after his death; according to Pepper, he created it shortly after their engagement announcement as a wedding present but after the Accords and what happened in Siberia, he stowed it away in his archives. It was a thoughtful gift that provided them both with a sense of security, but the A.I. – similar to J.A.R.V.I.S. and E.D.I.T.H. – came with not only a distinct voice, but a distinct and booming yell that was triggered by any movement around the perimeter of their home. The one and only time they’d activated Brienne was when they resided in Maine, and the A.I.’s defensive techniques frightened a passing black bear so badly that it scurried up a pine tree and stayed there for hours. But while (Y/N) was still unconvinced that Yelena Belova would target her in revenge for her sister’s death, she was wary of Kingpin and his considerable forces uncovering her family’s involvement in Clint’s latest mission. I suppose that the annoying A.I. is better than nothing, (Y/N) thought to herself as she switched on the ignition and her husband’s hand moved to rest on her knee, the warmth of his touch working to comfort her as they both silently contemplated their friend’s imminent fight against Kingpin, the Tracksuits and a vengeful Black Widow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“-considerable damage to Rockefeller Center, namely its ice public skating rink and the world-famous Christmas tree. But thanks to the bravery and heroism of Avenger Clint Barton, JOAD Olympian Achievement Award recipient Kate Bishop and a group of off-duty first responders, several dozen members of the organized crime syndicate called the Tracksuit Mafia were apprehended by the NYPD and no injuries were reported by any of the gala’s attendees. Additionally, Eleanor Bishop, CEO of Bishop Security and mother of Kate Bishop, was arrested for the murder of Armand Duquesne the Third, and notorious businessman and crime lord Wilson Fisk was rushed to the Rockefeller University Hospital with life-threatening injuries. After the break, we’ll talk with an eyewitness who claims to have spotted the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man swinging near the scene-”

“All’s well that ends well, I suppose.” (Y/N) remarked with a content sigh, reaching for the remote on the empty couch cushion beside her and switching the channel, settling on a broadcast of A Charlie Brown Christmas before continuing. “I just wish that Kate didn’t have to go through the pain of losing her mother on Christmas Eve.”

Steve, who was sitting behind her and gently massaging circles across her baby bump, pressed a comforting kiss onto her shoulder and rested his cheek on the top of her head as she nuzzled closer to him. “Eleanor chose Kingpin over her own daughter, and now she’s gotta answer for that choice. But Kate’s strong, and if she had the strength to throw herself into danger to do the right thing, then she’ll have the strength to recover from this.”

Something in Steve’s tone of voice made (Y/N) crane her neck to meet his gaze. When she saw the conflicted emotions written across his face and the faraway look in his azure eyes as he watched the cartoon playing on television screen before them, she moved her arm back and softly brushed her fingers through his cropped blonde hair to coax him into looking at her; he blinked and after his eyes finally met hers, she smiled but continued to twirl her fingers around the longer strands of his hair. “What’s on your mind, sweetheart?”

Her husband remained silent for a long moment, only answering after (Y/N)’s free hand moved to rest atop one of the hands that was cradling her bump. “Christmas Eve, 2017. Wanda was off visiting Vision and I was alone in a run-down hotel room in Tunis, just waiting for Sam and Nat to come back from a meeting with one of her contacts. While I waited, I was watching this special dubbed in Arabic. I remember sitting there in that room just wishing with everything I had that I could’ve been here with you, and sometimes…sometimes, I try to imagine how different things would’ve been for us if I’d ignored the risks and the mission and come home for Christmas.”

(Y/N)’s smile faltered a little as she realized what he was tentatively referring to; late into December of 2017 was when she’d discovered that she was three months pregnant, and Steve wouldn’t find out about his daughter’s existence until the summer of 2018, when the Black Order invaded and they fought in the Battle of Wakanda. Steve met his daughter that day, only to tragically lose her several hours later in the Snap, and he’d suffered with the grief of her sudden loss alongside (Y/N) for five long years until Bruce’s Snap brought all the Vanished back. “Steve…”

“I know, sunshine, I try not to but I can’t help it-”

“Sweetheart, it’s okay,” (Y/N) gently reassured him and when Steve took a shaky breath, she cupped his cheek and traced the smile lines around his eye with the feather-light pad of her thumb. “You know that I don’t blame you for not being there, and you know that I’ll never judge you for wondering how different things might’ve been if you were.” Her hand repositioned his to cradle the top of her bump where the baby was currently shifting about, and she couldn’t help but smile at the tender look in her husband’s azure eyes when he felt their unborn child’s faint movements. “But can you feel that? The universe gave us a second chance, Steve; the important thing is that you’re here now, being a fantastic father to Carina and doing everything a loving, loyal husband is supposed to do for his pregnant wife, and every single day, I wake up and I thank the universe for giving us this second chance.”

The worry line between his brows smoothed out as his expression relaxed and he moved one of his hands to rest on the side of her neck, softly stroking her jawline with his thumb before asking, “Have I told you how much I love you today?”

“Twice, but I could always use another reminder.”

Steve’s lips quirked upwards in amusement at her words. “I love you, baby, with everything I am and more.”

(Y/N) smiled happily up at him. “And I love you too, sweetheart.” Her eyes fluttered closed as she pulled Steve’s face down and he bent around her to capture her lips in a languid yet passionate kiss.

“Lucky, do you really have to go and invade Indy’s personal space like that? I mean, c’mon, you literally just met the guy and you’re already sniffing his business! Boundaries, dude, c’mon.”

Pulling apart, (Y/N) leaned her forehead against Steve’s and let out a breathless chuckle. “I suppose we should be good hosts and check in with our guests. We’ll continue this later, Mr. Rogers.”

Eyes darkening with desire, Steve smirked and lowered his voice before replying, “I look forward to it, Professor (Y/L/N).”

They both stood up from the couch, with (Y/N) doing her best to mask just how much her husband’s use of her title had affected her and with Steve biting back the knowing smile that threatened to break out across his face, and held each other’s hand while they left the living room and strolled into the dining room; Kate Bishop, sporting fresh facial wounds and damp hair from her quick shower, was finishing up her bowl of Kraft Mac & Cheese at the table and giggling to herself while her Golden Retriever and their German Shepard lounged together on the floor by the food and water bowl. The young archer appeared to be in good spirits, despite her near deadly fight with Kingpin himself and aiding the police in arresting her mother for murder, but (Y/N) knew all too well that her cheerful mood would steadily dissipate once the post-battle adrenaline wore off and the reality of her situation set in.

“Did you want some more mac and cheese, Kate, or anything else to drink?”

Glancing up and over at them, Kate adamantly shook her head and flashed them a bright smile. “I’m good, but thank you so much for the offer! Seriously, you guys have already done so much for me and Lucky; you made us a midnight snack, I got a post-battle shower and a fresh change of clothes, and I even got some Grade-A first aid.” The young archer beamed as she gestured to the bandage that stretched across the bridge of her nose. “I mean, who knew that Steve Rogers was good at first aid? I certainly didn’t! You must’ve learned during the war, right?”

“My mother, actually,” Steve corrected, tucking his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants and giving a surprised Kate an offhand shrug. “I picked a lot of fights with bullies when I was growing up and she was the one who patched me up after each loss.”

“And that never stopped you from confronting the bullies…” Kate looked between them both and shook her head in amazement. “I’m beginning to see why you two get along so well. I, um, I also just want you guys to know that I’m not gonna tell anyone about all this.” Her dark brown eyes met (Y/N)’s, her gaze filled with understanding and an earnest respect. “You were right when you said that there’s things you’ll lose living the life of a superhero; a couple of hours ago, I helped the cops arrest my mom for murder and now I officially have no family. I can’t even imagine the sort of things you two’ve lost along the way, but what you’ve got now? I sure as hell won’t be the one to take this away from you.”

(Y/N) gave the young archer a thankful smile. “We trust you, Kate. And since you’re now privy to some top-secret Avengers intel, I should probably share with you one of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a superhero.” Kate’s brow rose in interest and (Y/N) nodded towards the cluster of framed photographs that were hung above the dining room’s antique sideboard; there was one that showed (Y/N), Steve, Sam and Nat hanging out at a bar, another with (Y/N) and Steve posing next to Tony and Pepper at their engagement party, and one that was taken of the Avengers as they dined on Chinese food takeout and planned their time heist. The last picture was of Sam and Bucky with the Rogers-(Y/L/N) family on the day they broke the news of her second pregnancy to their best friends; Sam was holding Carina on his hip and Bucky tickled her sides to get her to smile for the camera while Steve’s arm was slung around the super-soldier’s shoulders, his other arm wrapped around (Y/N)’s waist and his hand joining hers in cradling her barely-there baby bump. “A family doesn’t always have to be the one you’re born into. Sometimes, it’s something you get to create for yourself.” Kate’s eyes started to prickle with unshed tears, and she immediately began to blink them away and mask her emotional response with a bright smile, which only made (Y/N)’s sympathy for the upset twenty-two-year-old grow. “This little gumball feels a little restless, so I’m gonna make some hot coca. I’d be more than happy to make enough for everyone…”

Steve, instantly catching on to her line of thinking, lifted their joined hands up and gave her knuckles an exaggerated kiss while subtly winking for just her to see. “Mmm, you know how much I love your famous hot coca, sunshine. You use real milk and imported Belgian chocolate, don’t you?”

“Of course, that’s how it becomes so rich and creamy. I even sprinkle a pinch of gingerbread over the whipped cream to give it that seasonal flair.”

“Gosh, I’d just hate for anyone to miss out on the experience of enjoying such a special beverage…”

Watching their staged exchange with a growing smirk, Kate burst into laughter and raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, I get the hint! I’d love some of your famous hot coca, (Y/N).”

(Y/N) beamed in triumph, giving Steve a chaste kiss on the cheek before releasing his hand and striding into the kitchen; as she assembled her ingredients and put the saucepan of milk on the stove to boil, she listened in on Kate and Steve’s conversation about archery, smiling to herself as she imagined her husband comforting their own children in a similar manner. Steve often doubted himself as a father, a habit he’d once confessed partially stemmed from never having known his own father, but (Y/N) never once doubted that the man who was patiently listening to an impassioned rant about the possibilities of various trick arrows in combat situations and even injecting his own opinions for Kate’s benefit was meant to be a father.

“Oooo, (Y/L/N)’s famous hot coca!” (Y/N), who was mixing the chocolate into the simmering milk, glanced over to see Clint enter the kitchen; the archer was toweling his hair dry, mindful of the steri-strips and bruises that littered his face, and the sight of his fluffed-up hair and eager grin forced her to stifle her chuckles. “Need any help with that?”

“Not with this, but could you grab some mugs from the cabinet for me?” He did as she asked, setting four mugs down onto the counter and nodding when she murmured her thanks. Seeing that he was preoccupied with examining the ‘America’s Ass’ mug that Scott sent Steve for his birthday, she took the opportunity to inspect his many visible wounds and winced in sympathy. “I’m looking at Yelena’s handiwork, aren’t I?”

Clint huffed out a humorless chuckle and nodded. “Yep. Not my first time having my ass kicked by a Black Widow, but I don’t remember it hurting as much as it does now.” He sobered when he caught sight of her concerned frown, slinging the towel he’d been using over his shoulder and giving hers a reassuring pat. “I got through to her in the end, and that’s all that matters. And for what it’s worth, she only really seemed pissed at me, so it’s safe to say that you and Steve are in the clear.”

Switching the burner off, (Y/N) took the saucepan off the stove and carefully began pouring the liquid into each mug. “I know that she just tried to kill you a couple of hours ago, but I still can’t help but hope that I’ll get the chance to meet Yelena someday. I spoke with Alexei and Melina over FaceTime after the Battle of Earth and I helped them arrange for Nat’s plot in Ohio…”

“But you haven’t been able to pass along the holographic puck she recorded Yelena’s message on,” Clint finished and pursed his lips in contemplation. “You told Alexei and Melina about the puck, right?” (Y/N) nodded as she reached into the refrigerator for a can of whipped cream. “It’s safe to say that before tonight, Yelena wasn’t ready to accept that Nat’s gone, but now? It’s possible that she’ll be ready for some closure, so don’t be surprised when you open your door to see her standing on your porch one day.”

While she added a sizable swirl of whipped cream to each mug of hot coca and finished them off with a sprinkle of gingerbread, (Y/N) smiled to herself and snuck a brief glance at Clint. “You know, Nat told me once that she counted herself lucky to have the three best siblings in the world; I’ll never forget just how happy that made me, because that was around the time I finally decided to go no contact with my family. She was my sister, in every sense of the word.”

“I know how you feel; back before Laura and the kids, Nat was the only family I had.” The archer’s voice cracked but he managed to muster up a reassuring smile for her. “I know that I wasn’t there for her when she needed me and that that’s something I’m gonna have to live with…” He peered out into the nearby dining room and watched Kate enthusiastically mime firing trick arrows as she talked to Steve, his smile softening and his blue-grey eyes filling with parental pride. “But I think that she’d be proud of what I accomplished with Kate.”

(Y/N) leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss onto Clint’s cheek before giving him a smile of understanding. “I think she would, too. Now c’mon, Hawkeye, let’s go deliver a little Christmas cheer and learn about all the possible applications of boomerang arrows before your guys’ ride to JFK gets here.”

Loading the mugs onto a tray, (Y/N) and Clint joined Steve and Kate at the dining room table, where they enjoyed their hot coca and engaged in a lively debate about the sort of trick arrows that the archers believed could work in a battle; (Y/N)’s hand absentmindedly rubbed across her bump as she watched Clint and Kate’s playful argument, her lips curving into an amused grin that only widened when she caught Steve’s azure eyes and he scooted his chair closer to hers so that he could drape an arm over her shoulders. Not quite how I pictured our little Rogers-(Y/L/N) Family Christmas going, she silently admitted to herself as she contently rested her head against her husband’s shoulder, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You still haven’t convinced me that boomerang arrows aren’t an excellent idea, Clint.” Kate stubbornly crossed her arms and turned to (Y/N) and Steve with an expectant look on her face. “Be honest, guys, doesn’t it sound like one of the best ideas you’ve ever heard?”

Ever the diplomat, Steve masked his chuckles with a contemplative hum and shrugged. “I’m not too sure how you’d be able to apply it, but it’s not a half-bad idea.”

Kate fist-pumped the air in triumph while an indignant Clint’s jaw dropped and he whipped his head around to stare at Steve. “Seriously, Rogers? You think it’s a good idea that an arrow should be able to fly back at you after you’ve fired it?”

“To be fair, he never said it was good,” (Y/N) pointed out. “What he said was that it wasn’t a half-bad idea.”

“Thank you, sunshine.” The archer rolled his eyes when Steve leaned over to plant a soft kiss onto her cheek and shot him a mischievous smirk. “All I know is that you could’ve taken out a helluva lot more Chitauri during the Battle of New York if your thirty-two arrows could’ve boomeranged back to you, Barton.”

Kate’s hand quickly moved to clamp over her mouth to muffle her laughter and (Y/N) masked hers with an unconvincing cough as Clint gasped in exaggerated outrage and made a rude hand gesture towards a chuckling Steve. “Damn, Clint, need some aloe for that burn?” Kate snickered and reached across the table to fist-bump Steve. “Thanks for the support, man!” The young archer leapt up from the table and hurried over to the duffel bag she’d deposited in the entryway. “And here, I’ve already thought of how I’d design the arrow!”

“Wait, Kate, you’re gonna trip the-”

“UNAUTHORIZED WEAPONRY DRAWN ON THE PREMISES, MY LORD AND LADY!”

Clint’s hand flew towards his hearing aid and Kate yelped in surprise, poking her head back into the dining room with a shell-shocked expression written across her face. “What the hell was that?!”

With a sigh, (Y/N) set her empty mug down onto her coaster and smiled despite herself. “Brienne.”

“Or as I like to call her, the posthumous revenge of Tony Stark,” Steve added, his own grin dimming a little as a wistful gleam filled his azure eyes. “Wherever he is, he’s gotta be laughing his ass off right now…”

“Language!” (Y/N), Clint and Kate’s exclamation broke the tension and even Steve couldn’t stop himself from laughing along with them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Only one more chapter left, guys! (And don't worry, we'll soon find out who was watching (Y/N) in the last chapter) Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series, and I’ll be updating it every time I upload a new chapter. Enjoy!

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ziGMhEsAw833GQ9eV44nR?si=6dfead09c76848d5 

Hawkeye (Part IV)

Stumblin’ In Book VII: “Superhero Snapshots” Masterlist 

Tagging:  @mrs-obrien​​​​​ @lahoete​​​​​ @awkward117 @cminr @natdrunk​​​​ @momc95​​​​​ @savedbystyle​​​​​ @miraculouscloud @awkwardnesshabitat​​​​​ @marinettepotterandplagg​​​​​ @mangosandmimosas @supersouthy @benakenalove​​​​​ @brooke0297​​​​​ @hufflepeople​​​​​ @becausewelie​​​​​ @outoftheregular​​​​​​ @junipermurdock​​​​​ @ladydmalfoy @mads-weasley​​​​​ @username23345@crist1216​​​​​ @capswife​​​​​ @lilmschild​​​​​ @avngrsinitiative @crowleysqueenofhell​​​​​ @y-napotat​​​ @mary1raven​​​​​ @groovyqueer​​​​​ @ljej95​​​​​ @innersublimefury​​​ @prettysbliss​​​​​​  

[cowboylikemorgan]

CW: isolation, dead relatives, grieving, sad Peter Parker

Don’t think about MCU Peter Parker, spending the holidays alone after NWH.

Swinging around the city, seeing happy strangers with their friends & families. He has no one to reunite with, no one to go home to. Maybe he leaves some poinsettias or a wreath at Aunt May’s grave.

He checks in on his friends from ajar. Seeing them warm and hopeful puts him at ease.

He stops by Rockefeller Center, and sees Hawkeye. For a moment, he gets excited. Someone he knows! For a moment, he forgets about the spell. He wants to go say hi. Until the memory settles back in, and he remembers how alone he is.

Try not to think about it

[chryseis]

two tickets to the rabbit hole, please

I’m sorry I have not responded to your letters, I just wouldn’t know how to tell you what he has done to me. I've been really busy with school. I do not wish to make assumptions about your relationship with my father. I know better than most that he can be an awful difficult person, and I can only imagine how disappointing it was for you when he ended your apprenticeship early. However, I cannot deny (and I hope you understand this) that he cares for you deeply, even if he may not have ever shown it, especially on that last day. I am not making apologies for his behaviour, but I know that you were his most promising student, and I believe that you respect him, despite everything. This is why I am writing to you. I think that he is dying.

A selection of letters exchanged between Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye from 1903 to 1908.

Read on AO3

Happy holidays @waddiwasiwitch! I'm your @fmasecretsanta. I hope you have a wonderful new year!

[littlewitchbee]

@aicasey I need to apologize for absolutely butchering this ask. It’s tumblr’s fault for not letting me edit asks but also my fault for messing up the post in the first place 😅 And thank you so much for these thoughtful questions! I really appreciate them.

I’m so happy you decided to look into him some more! His life was really interesting. I also really enjoyed that video! It was very cool to see those two portraits compared in that way. The Madame X controversy seems so silly by modern standards! Then again, my entire twitter feed today has been people upset about the “cultural value” of modern/abstract art 🙄 I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same lol

In the context of the fan art I’ve made - specifically my fandom studies of Sargent’s portraits - he’s already given me a pretty solid foundation to copy. Roy and Riza are studies of these portaits. I can copy the poses, lighting, and the look of his brushstrokes (certainly not as masterfully or efficiently, but that’s why we study). We also have a pretty solid understanding of how they look and move from the manga and anime, but translating that to a more “realistic” style is hard to do without reference. I rely on features I’ve learned through observation and years and years of life drawing. It’s like the ring in Madame X - it’s just a blob of paint up close but your brain interprets it as a ring. I draw a blonde woman with bangs, a tattoo, and scars on her back and it’s Riza Hawkeye lol

I’d say we’re limited by our skill but that isn’t true. It’s probably cliche, I think we’re more limited by our imaginations. It would definitely be easier if they were real and could sit for a portrait, though. (But I think if that were the case I would be trying to steal Riza from Roy instead of painting them lol)

Thank you so much for all of your kind words and your support! They really mean a lot to me! (And thank you for pointing out the ring on Roy in my other art - I couldn’t resist 😌) I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday and I wish you a happy, fulfilling new year!

[hawkp]

@charleshawk4077 I’m still planning on circling back around and doing your second choice! Also, I don’t know why I chose a holiday?? And food??? And I didn’t proofread at all so proceed with caution???? Definitely could expand on the end if I ever come back and fix it to transfer to AO3.

It was so much fun though! Thanks for the suggestion and I hope you enjoy. :)

Charles says he misses cranberry sauce and it’s all Hawkeye focused on for days. For the past year, every time Hawkeye had the chance to make someone happy, he’s done everything in his power to make them so. Cranberry sauce shouldn’t be too hard to procure two days before Thanksgiving he thinks to himself …right?

He’s on his fifth connection when he finally gets through to the base in Seoul.

“Hi, hello. Greetings! Good holiday spirits and all that jazz.” He pushes the friendly tone. In reality he’d just come off of an eight hour O.R. shift and he’d rather be screaming. “I was hoping you could help me perform an early Christmas miracle. What? Sorry? This is—,” he lowered the timber in his tone, trying to get that southern twang just right, “this is Sherm T.. Potter. Sherman Potter. I’d like to see if I could get a case of cranberry sauce down here to my unit.” He pursed his lips, the way he’d seen the colonel do a hundred times. “PDQ!” He added. “It’d really lift these folks spirits if we had it in time for turkey dinner. You can?” He said excitedly, momentarily slipping back into his own voice. “Hot diggity dog! Private, you’re a real Clarence Odbody.” He spun in the chair, elated that he’d been able to seal the deal so easily. “Thank you. Uhuh, thanks so much. You too, Happy Thanksgiving!”

He dropped the phone back into its holder and clapped his hands together, grinning widely.

“Pierce.” He heard from the office entryway. He froze, then turned in the chair with a sickly sweet smile.

“Colonel!” He chuckled nervously. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“In my office?” He asked, with a brow raised. Hawkeye put an elbow on the table and smoothed his hair back.

“Can I buy you a drink soldier?” He said in the most sultry voice he could manage. Potter laughed, shaking his head as he walked past him and towards his office.

“Oh, Pierce.” He said, holding the door open with a hand. “PDQ was a nice touch.” Hawkeye rolled his eyes and broke out into a full body laugh. An exhausted, but nevertheless completely Hawkeye laugh.

The camp spent the next day brainstorming pseudo holiday treats with the limited ingredients they had on hand. Hawkeye was bursting with holiday cheer, annoyingly so, depending on who you asked. The only person that had been able to handle, as well as match his energy was Francis, and they ended the night drunk and happy in the Officers Club, singing every holiday song they could think of… as well as inventing a few new ones.

Hawkeye was still up before almost everyone else.

“Charlessss. Chuckieeee.” He nudged at Winchester’s side and Charles peered up at him.

“Pierceeee.” He echoed in sleepy irritation. “Go give your jolly’s to Hunnicutt.” Hawkeye shook his head, a wild look in his eyes.

“I’ve got a jolly just for you!” He said excitedly. “I waited as long as I could manage.” He snatched Charles blue robe off tithe hook above him. “C’mon. I’ve got a surprise for you.” Charles narrowed his eyes at him. “A good surprise, something you’ll love!” Hawkeye tried to placate. “Cross my heart.” Charles sighed, hoping that the holiday cheer that was spilling over the man, of which he was putting his trust in, was not a cover for a rotten trick.

“Alright.” He muttered, earning a yelp of elation from Hawkeye. “Alright, alright! Quiet down before you wake the beast.” He said in reference to their bunk mate. He stood and Hawkeye draped the robe over his shoulders as he slid his waiting slipper on. “And we’re going straight to coffee afterwards.”

Hawkeye nodded, holding the door open, his limbs bent in an almost vaudeville like posture. The sight of him made Charles snort.

He was led to colonel Potter’s office and immediately Hawkeye started to dance around a little crate that sat on the desk.

“Came in this morning. I wanted you to do the honors.” Hawkeye told him, wiggling a sturdy letter opener in his hands. Charles brow creased into a questioning line. “No jokes. I promise.”

The sincerity in his eyes was clear as day.

Charles carefully wedged the little knife under the lid and pushed, the pins popping up with a satisfying pop, and looked inside.

It was cranberry sauce, he realized to his heart's delight. But his taste buds dulled as he realized that the sweet, sweet nectar was swimming in broken glass.

“What?” Hawkeye said next to him, whispy like someone had died. “They didn’t pad it?” Charles gave the ruined food one last longing look before turning to Hawkeye.

“I appreciate the sentiment, Pierce. I really—,” he swallowed as he looked up at him as saw tears glistening in the man’s eyes, “Pierce?” Hawkeye had been staring at the glittering burgundy mess but he sniffled sharply and wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. “It’s just cranberry sauce, my good man.” Hawkeye nodded quickly, trying to right himself. “What on earth is wrong?” The words were uncharacteristically soft and Hawkeye wrapped his arms tightly around himself, trying to somehow physically guard his heart.

He opened his mouth to speak and ended up just laughing at the fool he’d made of himself. Charles' worry changed to stubbornness and he stood straight and tall, waiting patiently for an answer.

“It’s really not— it’s stupid. Unnecessary.” He flicked a dismissive hand at the office doors, shifting uneasily on his feet as he fought a quivering lip. Charles could see the perfect image of a little seven-year-old Hawkeye in his head. “Go back to bed. Happy Thanksgiving.”

Charles didn’t budge, and Hawkeye caved.

“You said you liked cranberry sauce.” He shrugged, voice wobbling horribly as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor. Five-years-old now. “I wanted to make you happy. For the holiday.” He said, barely above a whisper. “It makes me happy… to see people happy.”

It was like a punch to the gut, sympathy and endearment taking his breath away.

“Hawkeye.” He said slowly, surprising even himself at the use of the name. “This is the single kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.” He reached a hand out to Hawkeye’s shoulder. “I don’t care that I can’t eat it.” He shook him slightly, dipping his head so that he could see how serious he was in his words. “I’ll never forget what you did for me.”

A smile started across Hawkeye’s face, blooming into a grin before he wrapped his arms around Charles in a strong hug. They both slapped each other's backs and laughed away any lingering embarrassment.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Pierce.” Charles said, his tone husky with the joy of the holiday.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Charles.” Hawkeye offered back.

And from that point on, Charles knew that this would be the happiest Thanksgiving he’d ever had.

[singlecrow]

Hello! For the ask game, if you'd like!!!

S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

T: Any fandom tropes you can’t stand?

Hi Parker! thank you for these!

S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

So AS YOU KNOW I love an AU. Daemon and Star Trek AUs, and also general science fiction AUs, apocalypse and Pacific Rim and dystopia AUs. I have occasionally done a lawyers AU too. And roller derby. I did a bakery AU once! I love an AU. Never been quite sure why, either; they just really appeal to me partly because they’re fun, and I think also because translating well-beloved characters so they’re the same but different is the sort of thing that can keep you busy on long train rides.

The other trope I love, and no one ever seems to do as much as I’d like, is “I thought you were dead!” I’ve written it once or twice but I’ve never done anything really substantial with it and I want to. It’s just such an all-purpose brilliant trope! It has angst and introspection and an occasion for one half of a ship/friendship to have a long dark night of the soul, and for the other half to have an adventure (or whatever it is they’re doing while they’re not actually dead) but also a solid happy ending with proper heart-to-hearts. Everything you need.

Worth mentioning “When There’s A Will, There’s a War”, an episode of MASH which I would like more if it committed to the bit. It does do this trope. For five minutes. You’re supposed to pay off this trope with the not-dead person walking through the door, to shock and delight. The episode does not do this.

(I do like it, for many reasons not least Hawkeye and Margaret Make Bad Puns and Throw Things At Each Other. but. hmph. I ask for so little.)

T: Any fandom tropes you can’t stand?

CHRISTMAS. On TV I don’t mind it, mostly. The MASH Christmas episodes are doing something specific which I enjoy, and the Doctor Who, Ghosts, Dinnerladies etc Christmas specials are just part of being alive and British at the same time. Actually, Dinnerladies has a lovely cosy Christmas 1999 episode and then the millennium episode has maybe the bleakest scene I’ve ever seen in anything and it’s under the credits. I respect the hell out of that.

Anyway, it’s the schmaltzy fannish Christmas trope I can’t stand, by contrast. The happy little story where all the characters hang up stockings and put up a tree and eat a turkey and the author’s preferred ship kiss under the mistletoe. Partly it’s because I’m a misanthrope par excellence, and partly because it’s so, idk, Western imperialist? And often, clueless imperialist: written by people who have never stepped out of their immediate cultural experience. We do exist, we happy few who don’t do Christmas and nevertheless write in English on the internet, and more to the point, we exist in fiction. This sort of fic always assumes that everyone is with the programme - that Christmas is a religious and/or secular holiday that everyone celebrates. There is one really popular Deep Space Nine fic on the AO3 like this, and putting aside that half of the characters are aliens (!!) it then tramples over Julian Bashir, who has the same British-Sudanese Muslim background that his actor has. And even if you put that aside it flattens characters with (probably) Christian backgrounds, too. You have Benjamin Sisko, who is a Black man from New Orleans and Miles O’Brien, who is a white Irish Catholic from the Gaeltacht. What do they have in cultural common? Maybe not that much! So it’s quite a lot of rage to extract from what are usually quite benign plotless fluff stories, but there we are. Thank you for giving me the first opportunity this year to air this Opinion. <3

[themculibrary]

Clint Barton & Bobbi Morse Masterlist

A Hunter's Flock (ao3) - MysteryGal5 T, 2k

Summary: "If your girlfriend's ex wants to visit from Phoenix, you do not buy him a plane ticket." "That's really specific."

The story of the time Lance bought Bobbi's ex, Clint Barton, a plane ticket while he was a government fugitive.

A Little Bit Rusty (ao3) - one_of_those_crushing_scenes T, 5k

Summary: The adventure is over. Black Widow is alive. And Clint is left with a letter that he doesn't quite know what to make of. Fortunately, he’s got a protégé and an ex-wife who know how to get answers.

Between Us (ao3) - StarsAnon bucky/bobbi T, 708

Summary: “So long as we’re in agreement we don’t tell Barton.”

“Oh, of course not. He’d never let us live it down.”

bomb in a birdcage (ao3) - andibeth82 T, 5k

Summary: “So what’s your story?” Bobbi asks when they’re roughly more than halfway to where Hill’s pointed out they should be tracking coordinates.

OR, the one where Clint is in the military.

but the sky is the same (ao3) - dirty_diana clint/natasha T, 27k

Summary: Takes place one year after Clint makes the unexpected choice to bring Natasha Romanov in from the cold. They've become co-workers and acquaintances, but Natasha is still as much a mystery to Clint as she was on the day he was first sent to target her. A story about making friends and making choices, set against the backdrop of daily life at SHIELD.

Disarm (ao3) - Kangofu_CB bucky/clint T, 23k

Summary: How exactly did Hawkeye recruit the notorious Black Widow?

The answer may surprise you.

graced (ao3) - teco clint/bobbi G, 2k

Summary: Bobbi drops by Clint's apartment with a gift for the holidays.

Hawkeye’s S.H.I.E.L.D Origins (ao3) - Isabellakirch110 T, 59k

Summary: Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye’s origin story and how he went from a contract killer to one of the finest Agents S.H.I.E.L.D ever saw. All of this was thanks to Phil Coulson who had the heart to believe in him.

Heart to Heart (ao30 - Siberianskys clint/phil M, 299

Summary: Prompts: Gay Couple, Divorced, Marriage of Convenience, Father & Son

Huntingbird, A History (ao3) - Sanctuaria lance/bobbi T, 96k

Summary: She hated him because hating him was easier than loving him. But it wasn't always like that. Once...once Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter had been happy. Story of how things came together and how they fell apart.

I’d Leave It All (ao3) - one_of_those_crushing_scenes background clint/laura M, 18k

Summary: Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton have been friends for a few years now, but Budapest is the first time that Black Widow and Hawkeye have been partnered in the field. They're both highly skilled professionals, so the mission should be pretty simple. Until they arrive and realize that they'll each need to face some unresolved issues from the past in order to get through these next few days.

Bobbi Morse doesn't trust easily—not since the last few people she trusted made her regret it. Still, she knows she can't take out this kidnapping ring all on her own. Calling for backup was the right choice, but can she deal with the consequences?

In Sickness (ao3) - angelt626 sharon/steve, clint/bobbi G, 3k

Summary: Sharon returns home to find her boyfriend in a much different state than she left him in, one that she's not seen before, and she's not pleased.

Just Katie (ao3) - paperback92 clint/bobbi T, 11k

Summary: Kate wonders what her place is in Clint's already hectic life.

Liminality (ao3) - slipperygaloshes lance/bobbi G, 2k

Summary: A meandering character study of Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter through the eyes of their family in the aftermath of Russia.

Or, the team packs up Bobbi and Hunter's belongings and learns a bit more about them as they prepare to send them off into the unknown.

pizza for two (and a dog) (ao3) - kadtherine lance/bobbi, clint/laura T, 1k

Summary: "I can't believe you come all this way to give me a pep talk."

"Actually, I came all that way to kick Coulson in the nuts. But May was there and the poor guy looked like a kicked puppy. I don't hit a man when he's already down. I wait for him to get up so I can knock him down again. I'll punch him when he's feeling better."

What It Seems (ao3) - sneakronicity clint/natasha N/R, 4k

Summary: Tensions run high when an old flame enters the picture, but things aren't always what they seem.

you can change right next to me (ao3) - rubys_ramblings G, 12k

Summary: Phil Coulson and Melinda May adopt and raise Skye.

You're Not Doing This Right (ao3) - one_of_those_crushing_scenes T, 2k

Summary: Clint and Bobbi are basically a couple of sex-obsessed thirteen-year-old boys, but they mean well, so Natasha puts up with them.

This is basically a standalone, but it also sets up the relationship dynamics for the next fic I'm working on.