I can't m i s s.

“Hey…maybe we can -I don’t know, I’ll account for you to Fury, I’ll do what I have to, you kind of deserve a trip home Barton, to be with the family you’ve done so much to protect.” 

He could feel her piercing blue eyes tracing over him, and it was in a moment such as that that he wished he wouldn’t have to look to her... And yet he did, arms still crossed, but his own bright optics met hers, and a quaint smile crept across pale features. It didn’t matter what others said about her, she did, in fact, have a heart in that chest cavity of her’s.

“I... I can’t. Not yet.”  What?  “I just got here. Leaving already wouldn’t look good.”

“As long as we acknowledge that I am closer than you are on the scale of perfect to duck tape being improvised as a band-aid.” she said with a small laugh as her gaze reconnected with his, looking him up and down. “I do miss those kids of yours Barton.” she said as her tone depicted something more, in all honesty she’d missed him, the person who had brought her to this world. The person who kept her centered when everything turned chaotic. 

“... I’m sure they miss you too.”

Involuntarily, he crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging as a frown pulled at his lips.

“I guess even the coldest of us have a soft spot for someone.”

“What are friends for after all Barton, I mean considering your hairs no longer long enough for me to hold back the morning after.” she said, teasing lacing through her voice as smirks started to rise at the corners of her lips, watching his hands before diverting her attention to scanning the rest of the room. 

“As true as that may be, family dinner is important too, as is family time... Even if it is spent on the floor in wrestling matches... or watching the stars.”

“Okay…I promise end of uncomforting jokes.” she said moving her shoulder to graze against his, wanting to get more sincere smile this time around. “With my word, hopefully it will, but hey if you want to be a boring responsible grown up, just give me the word and we’ll get you there safe.”  

She couldn’t help but grin at the chuckle at the reassuring chuckle. 

His lips pulled into a true smile this time as their shoulders brushed against one another, and the man nodded, looking down to his hands, which were interlaced.

The man chuckled, shaking his head.

“Speaking of ‘crappy porch,’ that thing does need a new coat of paint, doesn’t it?”

I doubt it? Really, no worries, Stark, I was just joking around. Oh yea? I figured he would have some ideas in that skull of his. Oh, you know, kids are willing to do just about anything that has to do with unhealthy food and superheros.

“and the lot of you are already starting to waver…I mean besides the guy that can’t get drunk and the other that drinks swimming pools worth of mead.”