The Prince of the Tower

Chapter 7: I Got a Mom Now

As Steve had predicted, it didn't take long at all for the paperwork to go through. And as K had predicted, Fury was highly interested in even the basic information that was on the paperwork.

But now, Steve was just looking forward to seeing the look on both K and Clint's faces when he got back — and he was sure to tip Scott off as well. After all, he and Jean had a big hand in making sure this came together too.

When Steve got to the tower, Clint was directing a game of darts with gleeful abandon between K and Thor. He kept chanting about how he would get to play the winner — so of course, when Jean arrived, she cheated slightly and moved the target on Thor's turn.

"Guess you'll have to play your mom," she sang out — which prompted Clint to run over to hug her.

"That was going to be the outcome anyhow," K pointed out.

"You would lie to our honored guests?" Thor chuckled. "Nay; I had the upper hand."

"I'm not lying," K said. "But you go ahead and tell your ego whatever you need."

Clint giggled and then grinned up at Jean. "Do you wanna play? You'd have to not cheat, though."

"I don't know; that sounds too hard," she teased right back, brushing his hair back with a fond smile.

"Actually," Scott said, "we brought something for your mom."

"Already?" K said, shaking her head. "You guys are quick."

"Told you we'd handle it," Scott said with a smirk as he handed her a neatly pressed envelope.

K gave him a little smile as she took it then waved Clint over to open it up with him. "You want to read it over? Make sure they spelled your name right?"

Clint's eyes went wide. "Is that... does that say you're my mom now?" he asked, his voice going softer with every word as he made his way over.

"It should," K said. "I haven't read it yet either. Thought we could look it over at the same time."

Clint nodded, unable to hide his smile. "Okay, yeah. Let's do that."

K nodded and spread the contents of the envelope out in front of them, with Clint almost reverently, quietly pouring over it.

"What do you think, kiddo?"

"I think... they got your name wrong," Clint said. "I don't see any K's in here."

K looked it over and shook her head. "No ... that's me. That's what my parents called me anyhow. The 'j' is soft ... 'Lil-ya'."

"That's really pretty," Clint said softly. "How come you don't use it?"

"I guess I've just been using K for so long ..."

"Well, I like 'mom'," Clint said with a decisive little nod, halfway curling into her and not about to let go.

She smiled to herself and pulled him tighter to kiss his head. "Sounds good to me."

Clint stayed curled up with K for a good long time, until he was half afraid to open his eyes again from the snuggle in case he had dreamed it — but eventually, he did let go of K and scrub his hand over his face. "I... um..." He glanced over K's shoulder to where the other heroes were watching — all of them with various looks of pure joy. Jean and Jan were the only ones not trying to pretend they weren't crying.

Clint glanced one more time at K before he darted over to the group — surprising everyone when the first person he went to was Scott, who crouched down to catch him when he launched.