It Only Takes a Second

clint

(A/N: Hi everybody! Welcome to the first part of the epilogue series! Sorry that it's taken me so long to update, but life got crazy and, come to find out, these chapters are going to take me considerably longer than expected to write! I just wanted to give everybody a few heads up before diving in, because it's important to know when reading.

First off, each epilogue will feature the future of one character, and one character only (unless otherwise specified in the chapter title line). So this one with be about Clint, and Clint only. It will feature other characters, but it'll only talk about Clint's future. In Bruce's chapter, it will only talk about Bruce's future, etc. Know that because of this, I will try to keep each character's storyline and timeline consistent throughout the other epilogues, but I (alas) am human, and do make mistakes. Along with this, just know that canonic timelines in all epilogues are practically nonexistent, and I'm involving characters (especially in Clint's chapter) that I know very little about.

Also, we're going to pretend that the Barton farm is in upstate New York and not in Iowa.

With all of that out of the way (thanks to those who read all of it. If you didn't, can't say I blame you), lets get into the epilogues! Thanks to everyone who is still reading-- I hope you're still enjoying! Stay safe and healthy everyone!)

*

"You did what?" Clint groaned, slapping a hand over his face.

"It's just one date. Seriously, Clint, you'll be thanking me later," Natasha replied nonchalantly, as if she hadn't just thrown a huge curveball at her best friend.

"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed. "So when is this blind date supposed to be taking place?"

"Tonight. You're picking her up at six."

"I'm sorry, my hearing aids must have just acted up because it sounded like you said tonight," Clint chuckled in disbelief.

"No that's right. Tonight, at six," Natasha repeated, flipping the page in her book.

"What?! Tasha, why would you do that?!" He exclaimed, shooting out of his chair and beginning to pace.

"Because I knew if I didn't spring it on you, you would try to find a way to get out of it. And trust me Clint, you need some action," she shrugged, turning another page, completely unbothered.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that," he brushed the comment off. "But I'm still not happy with you."

"You'll get over it."

"I hate you."

"It's mutual."

"Can you at least tell me her name?" Clint asked, spinning around. For the first time, Natasha looked up at him with a smile.

"Laura."

*

Clint's left leg bounced subconsciously, and he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of the car Tony had let him borrow for the evening. The GPS had given him directions to get to Laura's apartment, but it had directed him through the busiest part of the city and he was currently stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Glancing at the watch on his wrist, he groaned.

The time read 5:48, and the GPS was telling him that even without the traffic that he was stuck in, it was going to take 10 minutes to get there.

As much as Clint resented the fact that he had been set up against his will, he didn't want to blow off this poor girl that Natasha found. He wished desperately that Natasha had at least given him her number, so he could let her know he was going to be late.