You met a few more times in the library. Each time brought the two of you closer together. You loved the kids, and Clint was surprised that you weren't uncomfortable dealing with Lila when she had a meltdown after a long day at school. You were quickly becoming friends with the whole family.

"Can we go to the park, Daddy?" Lila asked, tugging on her dad's sleeve.

Cooper's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Yeah, can we? I want to show (Y/N) how good I am at the monkey bars!"

"I guess we can go. But I doubt (Y/N) wants to spend her day off chasing you around the playgrou-"

"I'd love to!" You said quickly. The truth was, the only plans you had that day were to go home and watch TV with your (pet). You weren't going to pass up the opportunity to spend more time with Clint. "I'd mean, if that's okay with you."

Clint looked surprised. He smiled. "Sure." He lowered his voice and turned away from the kids, "You know you don't have to if you don't want."

"No, really. I want to come. It'll be fun."

- - - - -

And it was!

It turned out that Cooper is a little acrobat. He crossed the monkey bars, then went backwards, then pulled himself up and hung from his knees. "Tada!" he exclaimed while you applauded.

Lila brought you several dandelions that you put in her hair. She insisted that you put some in yours too, so you did.

Nathaniel cried when you and Clint attempted to put him in the swing, and screamed once the swing started moving. So you both decided to stick with the slide with him.

After a while of playing, Cooper ran up to you. "(Y/N), can we go on the trail? There's ducks and stuff. And I have some of my sandwich left from lunch that we could throw at them!"

You looked up to where he was pointing. There was a little dirt path that looked like it circled the large pond. There were indeed 'ducks and stuff,' and several flowering trees bent down and skimmed the water with heavy branches. It was beautiful.

"It sounds good to me, but you need to ask your dad first," you said.

The boy nodded, smiling, and left. He ran up to Clint, who was on the other side of the playground helping Lila tie her shoe. You couldn't hear them, but Cooper was waving his arms excitedly and pointing to the path around the pond. Clint squinted at the trail, then looked across the park to you. You shrugged, holding on to Nathaniel as he scooted down the little slide.

Clint nodded to his son and waved you over. You smiled. "Come on, little guy," you said to the baby. You held both of his hands and helped him waddle over to the others. He gurgled and laughed the entire way, and your heart swelled.

Clint picked him up and buckled him into the stroller. "Let's roll," he said, gesturing to the path. You took Lila's hand and Cooper bolted ahead, yanking a half-eaten sandwich out of his pocket as he went.

"Take this, ducks!" He hollered, surprising you by chucking the whole thing into the pond. It landed with a plunk, and sent a few ducks scattering away from the splash. They quacked indignantly. The boy laughed hysterically at the fowls' confusion.

"Well, that was unconventional," you stated, holding back a giggle.

Clint shook his head and chuckled. Then cupped his hands around his mouth. He shouted, "Nice one, Coop! Next time you might hit one!"

"Ah, so you're encouraging him to torment poor, innocent ducks?" You asked teasingly.

"Innocent?" He looked at you, a twinkle in his eye, "You've obviously never been chased by an angry duck." He shivered at the thought.

You laughed. "But they're adorable!"

"Not when they have their bill clamped down on your seat meat!"

This made you laugh even harder.

Lila giggled too. "Haha, 'seat meat!'"

You both chuckled at her remark. She continued, laughing and singing, "Seat meat! Seat meat!" She let go of your hand and skipped over to her brother, who was still yelling at the ducks. "Hey! Knock knock?"

Cooper looked at her. "Who's there?"

"Seat meat!" She burst out laughing!

Her brother looked confused initially, but soon was laughing and chanting 'seat meat' too. They yelled their new phrase at the increasingly disturbed ducks, who honked their disapproval.

"Look what you've started," you said, shaking your head.

He looked down, grinning. "I don't know what you're talking about."

You continued making your way around the pond. The two older children skipped ahead, every once in a while coming back to show you a cool rock or a worm.

An elderly couple came from the opposite direction, strolling leisurely. When they met you, Clint, and Nathaniel on the path, they stopped. The woman greeted you.

"They're beautiful children."

Her husband added, "You two must be so proud."

Your eyes widened and as did Clint's as he smirked.

"Oh, uh, they're not- we're not-" you coughed, "I'm not... theirs." You flicked your palms out in a sort of 'no, no, no' gesture.

The couple gave you a confused look. Clint looked at the ground. You knew he didn't want to say why mommy wasn't around.

"Their mom-" he began.

You stopped him. "I'm their aunt." You tried your best to sound sincere, knowing that you're an awful liar.

"Oh!" They said in unison.

"Well," the woman said, "They're still beautiful children."

"Thank you." Clint smiled.

"Have a good day," you said. They nodded and continued on their way.

After they were out of earshot, Clint looked at you. "Thanks, (Y/N)."

"Any time," you said simply.

The kids had taken to skipping rocks on the beach, and the baby had fallen asleep in the stroller. His pudgy cheek smushed against the cloth side and made his lips pucker.

You and Clint found a bench near where the kids were playing and sat to watch them. You sat quietly for a little while, sometimes laughing at Cooper who was still making war cries as he hurled pebbles at unsuspecting ducks.

You were about to make a comment about the ducks when suddenly Clint turned to you. "(Y/N)?"

"Hmm?" You were surprised by the sudden urgency in his tone. As if, if he didn't say what he wanted to now, he'd never get another chance.

He must have realized the abruptness. He settled back in the seat a little and cleared his throat. "Do you have plans tonight?"

"Not really. Do you need me to watch the kids?"

"What? No. Nothing like that. Actually, I was thinking of asking Nat to watch them."

You waited for him to continue.

"Wanna go out for dinner tonight?" He paused, then clarified, "Without the kids."

You furrowed your brow. Wasn't this going a bit fast? The man just lost his wife eleven months ago. I mean, sure you liked him. He was casual and funny, and loving to his kids. But he was also still grieving.

"Are you su-"

"Yes, I'm sure." He looked over at Cooper and Lila playing on the beach. "You've seen how bad I am at this. And you're... amazing, and the kids love you, and I... really like you too.

"You're intuitive and kind. You always know exactly what Lila is trying to say, like you can read her mind. It's like you read my mind just a few minutes ago with that older couple. You're just... amazing," he repeated.

You weren't sure what to say to that.

He smirked. "So where do you want to eat?"

You laughed, "I haven't said I'd go with you yet."

"Well?" He cocked an eyebrow at you.

"You know that diner up the street? The old fashioned one where the waitresses still wear skates."

"Sounds good," he said, "I love their milkshakes."

"Eh, the coke floats are better."

"When has a coke float ever been better than a milkshake? There's no comparison!"

"Whatever you say, brother."

He snorted and you laughed, leaning back on the bench.

Soon Lila and Cooper came running up the beach to you. "(Y/N), daddy, look what we found!"

Cooper held out an oyster shell in his palm. Lila bounced up and down beside him. "Isn't it pretty?"

"Wow! I wonder how that got there," Clint said.

You added, "It is beautiful!"

"This is the best day ever!" The little girl exclaimed.

And you couldn't help but agree with her.