Little Bird

Chapter 1

"You're gonna have to be better than that kid." A deep laugh echoed from the doorway of the apartment you had broken into.

Your head snapped up as you stared at the blonde man from across the room. He was beat up, broken nose, ripped shirt, his hair a mess. You stayed silent, straightening yourself up as you tried to keep it together. No one had ever caught you before. At least not since you were much younger.

"I was just, uh, looking for my friend's place. I must have gotten lost." You lied.

"Really kid? You think I'm gonna by that after I just watched you dig through my fridge for two and a half minutes? You can do better." He tossed a bag on the couch as he walked towards you.

You were frozen in place. You couldn't figure out why this guy was so nonchalant about the fact you had just broken into his apartment.

"You can put that watch back in my nightstand by the way. It's not worth anything." He cocked an eyebrow and gave you a knowing look.

You slowly reached into your pocket and pulled out the watch, holding it out for him to take, your eyes wide in shock.

"Thanks kid." He took the watch from you and tossed it over his shoulder onto the couch next to his bag. "So you hungry or something? I was gonna make some dinner."

"What?" You shook your head in disbelief. What the hell was wrong with this guy?

"I said I'm gonna make some dinner, do you want any?" He reiterated.

"Aren't you gonna call the cops or something?" You questioned.

"Look kid, I don't want the cops here as much as you don't want the cops here. Let's just let bygones be bygones." He walked over to the fridge pulling it open as he observed the contents. "Well no wonder you dug through here for so long I don't have shit in here. C'mon, lets got get Chinese."

You looked at him just absolutely flabbergasted, mouth ajar and everything. No one had ever talked to you like this, like, well, a person. The man threw his arm around you as he escorted you down the stairs of his shitty Brooklyn apartment and to the Chinese restaurant across the street. He insisted that you order whatever you wanted as you both sat down alone in the otherwise empty dining area.

"So how old are you kid?" He asked with his mouth half full.

"I'm 14 and I'm not a kid and I have a name." You sassed, picking at your food.

"Pretty sassy for a kid who just lucked out of getting arrested. So what is it?" He shrugged glancing up at you.

"Y/N." You bit your lip, looking back at him before returning to picking at your food.

"Well it's nice to meet you Y/N, I'm Clint." He smiled, food stuck in his teeth.

You hesitantly looked up at him but soon felt yourself smiling back.

"It's nice to meet you too." You replied, feeling yourself soften.

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It wouldn't be until much later that you would realize how much that night would change your life. After the two of you had finished your dinner you both had gone your separate ways, or so you thought. A few months later you had been going about your usual business of scrounging and stealing for food and change when you had gotten cornered in an alley by a few older boys were most definitely looking for trouble, that is until Clint dropped in out of no where and took care of the situation.

You two became very close after that and you eventually moved into one of his apartments. You even started calling him your brother because of how close you guys had gotten over the years and how much he took care of you. But it had been more than 5 years since those initial meetings and sometimes those memories of before seemed so far off they were almost like a bad dream you couldn't shake but Clint always assured you that you'd never be alone like that again.