Natasha and Clint walked down the street, coffee cups in hand, talking and laughing like friends, which they were. They walked into a park and took a seat on a bench, and Clint draped an arm around her shoulders and the back of the bench. He took a sip of his coffee, scanned his eyes over the outdoor scene, and cleared his throat.

"So...you hear any more about Eden? Have you heard from her since the kiss?"

Natasha shook her head dejectedly and looked down at her coffee cup. Clint patted her shoulder and sent her a small sympathetic smile.

"Give it time, Nat. Give it time."

"She's driving me crazy, Clint. First, she kisses me, then she doesn't talk to me ever again? What the hell is wrong with her?" Natasha balled her fist in a dangerous mix of anger and frustration. She was still thoroughly confused about her feelings and thoughts, and she wasn't even sure if seeing or talking to Eden would help straighten things out, but she wanted to try. And regardless of her confusion, she knew enough to know that the lack of contact between the two of them hurt her. "I...I miss her."

"I know you do." Clint breathed a deep breath. The next thing he said, he had to be careful. Calculated. "You know...you could always make the first move. Send her a text or a call."

"I...I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I...I..." She sighed. "I don't even know what to say. What if she brings up the kiss?"

"Just...be honest. With her and yourself."

Natasha sighed. She knew she couldn't avoid Eden forever, not that she would want to. Her confusing feelings and the kiss aside, it was refreshing to have a girlfriend that she could talk to and hang out with that wasn't affiliated with the Avengers or with SHIELD. Eden was a good listener and somehow, no matter how outrageous the issue, had numerous amounts of wisdom that she would give to the redhead whenever she needed it. In a sense, she liked Eden and wanted to be close to her, to have her in her life, but how deep was this feeling, this...wanting?

Reluctantly she pulled out her phone and opened her messages, scrolling a bit before she stopped at Eden's name. Seeing her contact picture sent a small pang of pain into her heart and a whole new wave of nervousness set in, halting her from opening the conversation.

"What do I even say, Clint? 'Hi Eden, sorry I've been ignoring you the past few days, it's just that your kiss sent me into a downward spiral into myself and now I'm overthinking every though and feeling I've ever had about you?'"

Clint shrugged. "I mean, I wouldn't say that exactly, but you can be honest and tell her that you've been doing a lot of thinking over the past few days. Or, if you want to go your usual route, which I do not recommend by the way, you could lie and say that you were away for work and couldn't get to your phone. That shouldn't be too hard since you lied to her about your name."

Natasha didn't miss the disapproval in his voice, but shook it off and looked back down at her phone, the blue cursor blinking as it waited for her to start typing her message. Deciding to just be simple, she typed out a simple "hey," hit send, and waited rather impatiently for a reply. After an obscenely short amount of time, Natasha slammed her phone—albeit gently—down onto the bench, covered her face with her hands and threw her head back, and let out a very guttural groan that caused the archer to release a deep throaty chuckle.

"Why hasn't she responded yet?" Natasha's muffled voice sounded from her covered mouth.

"You know it's only been what like..." Clint turned his wrist and checked an imaginary watch, "two minutes, right? She could be at work right now. Be patient and give her time. Who knows, she might be mad at you."

Natasha removed her hands from her face and shot a glare at her friend. "Please don't say that. That is the complete opposite of what I need to be hearing right now." She released a long and exaggerated sigh as she once more checked her phone and saw that it had gone onto three minutes of Eden not responding to her text.

"So you don't approve of me lying about my name..." Natasha broke the growing silence and said the first thing that came to her mouth, wanting nothing more than to take her mind off her phone and unanswered text. Clint frowned and took Natasha's half-filled coffee cup in hand, holding it up and silently asking if he could finish it. Natasha nodded and stared straight ahead, her eyes connecting with a pair of ducks swimming side by side on the pond in front of them. Normally she, like Clint, was a big coffee drinker, but she was much too distracted to drink it. Clint started chugging that caffeine, and when he looked back at her, his frown had softened.

"I...I understand why you did it, but no. No, I don't approve. Lying isn't right way to go about connecting with someone." Natasha's mouth opened to correct him no doubt, and Clint raised his hand, stopping her. "Regardless of how you want to connect with them. What do you think is going to happen if she finds out the truth? Do you even plan on telling her the truth?"

"I would like to, but I'm probably too deep into it now."

"Well, if you just lied about your name, it shouldn't be that bad. I think you'll be okay. She might be pissed for a day or two, but that's probably the extent of it."

It unnerved her how calm he was about this, about everything, but then again, this was Clint. The last time he freaked out over something was when the kitchen at SHIELD headquarters ran out of his favorite dark roast. She tried to relax and focus on the water, lapping against the bank in a gentle and rhythmic motion as the soothing breeze blew.

She wasn't sure how long she was sitting on the bench with Clint staring at the water, but when she heard the soft ping coming from her phone, she practically shot off the bench in anxious excitement. She looked over at Clint and then back at her phone, staring at Eden's name on her screen.

"Well, are you going to open it?" Clint's smirk hit her a certain way, and Natasha felt the growing need to slap the shit out of him. He taunted her and she knew it, he wiggled his eyebrows and his smile was bright and wide, baring his teeth. His voice was playful, too playful for her liking right now, but he did help her...on numerous occasions. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, opening the text, her heart hammering in her chest.

Eden [4:15] Hey

Eden [4:15] What's up?

Nat [4:16] Nothing much...

Natasha debated on whether or not to lie, to say that he job kept her busy and that was why she hadn't talked to her. She didn't necessarily like the idea of lying to Eden—or anyone for that matter, not anymore—but she wasn't sure what she would say otherwise.

Nat [4:19] Im sorry I've eben avoiding you. I was really busy and just had a lot of things on my mind.

Nat [4:19] Been*

It was technically a lie, and Natasha was happy about that. The three little bubbles popped up on her screen and Natasha sucked in a breath.

Eden [4:21] Honestly it's fine. I understand. Things have been pretty hectic with me too. Turns out my brother and his bitch of a fiancé eloped and didn't tell the family. Now my mom's pissed and my dad's not speaking to him and when they do, they're screaming and arguing.

Natasha felt bad for her and wanted to do something to help her, but she could tell things were rocky between them, or at the very least uncomfortable.

Eden [4:22] Hey so listen

Eden [4:23] About the kiss

Eden [4:24] I didn't mean to make you feel weird. I realized I overstepped and I'm so incredibly sorry. Ever since the other day I couldn't stop thinking about what I did and I was way out of line. If you're not completely mad at me, maybe we can try again? I understand if you want me to back off. I just wanted to apologize.

Her heart broke. That was all there was to say at the moment. This whole entire time she had been worried about Eden being mad at her, when in reality Eden was the one that was worried. An enormous amount of guilt washed over her, and she regretted everything.

Nat [4:26] It's not all your fault. I'm the one that should be sorry. I could've just tried to talk to you sooner. Or not run out in the first place. I didn't mean to run out...I mean, I meant to, but it wasn't what I was planning on doing.

Nat [4:26] Do you think we can meet up?

Nat [4:27] Like to talk?

"So how's it going?"

"I'm trying to see if we can get together to talk."

Eden [4:27] I'm free later on today if you are? We can get a coffee or maybe dinner?

Eden [4:28] NOT LIKE A DATE! I'M NOT ASKING YOU OUT ON A DATE!

Natasha chuckled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Nat [4:29] I know I freaked out earlier, but you can relax. Dinner works. What's some place low-key where we can go?

Eden [4:30] I know just the place. I'll pick you up in an hour? If you're not busy? If so I can wait.

Natasha looked at Clint, his blue eyes looking right at her, soft and expecting her to explain the goings on with her and Eden. "What's happening? Why are you looking at me right now?"

"Do you mind if I leave?"

"Gonna meet up with Eden?" He raised an eyebrow and a smile stretched on his face.

"That's none of your concern."

"It is if you want to leave. Yes or no? Are you going to see Eden?"

"You're a piece of work, Barton. I don't know how Laura put's up with your nosy ass." She stood up from the bench, folded her arms across her chest, and sighed. "If you must know, yes, I'm meeting up with Eden. She's going to pick me up if I can leave now. So can I?"

"Why are you asking me?" he shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Clint..." she groaned, her voice strained and dangerous, though he knew she wouldn't do anything. He chuckled and waved a hand in her direction as he turned his head back towards the pond, his eyes quickly connecting with the pair of ducks.

"Go meet up with your girlfriend. I'll be fine here. All on my own. Just sitting here on the bench. With no one but the ducks to keep me company." He let out a dramatic sigh, his shoulders falling lip and his head hanging low. He put on an over the top sad face, and as Natasha gathered her stuff to leave and sent Eden a response telling her to pick her up at her apartment, his dramatic sighs kept getting louder and longer.

"Clint." She sent him a serious glare and he cracked under the weight of it, succumbing to a fit of laughter.

"Go on, I'll befine." Natasha raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious." She rolled her eyes and walkedaway from the bench, trying her best to ignore the grown man-child that shecalled her best friend. "Let me know how it goes!"