12712/Widow and Arrow

Widow and Arrow
Date of Scene:	07 September 2022
Location:	Avengers Mansion - Back Yard
Synopsis:	Natasha talks to Clint about family and as Barton takes a rare vacation.
Cast of Characters:	Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton

---

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff is currently in the back yard of the Mansion. She's sitting over along the patio and mostly ignoring anything else going on. She has a book out in front of her that's written in some strange cyrllic text that isn't quite Russian in front of her. THe paper is yellowed, clearly very old and the cover is illegible to the point of almost making it non recognizable. She's not particularly paying attention to anything else around her, just casually reading. A rare quiet moment

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint is only at the mansion to grab a quiver between deployments because he's got precious few hours until he has to be back out again.. Which doesn't seem like a big deal since he's got a personal chuefer in the form of a Quinjet. The benefits of his double/triple life.

With stubble on his jaw, he comes down the back patio from the mansion wearing casual clothes: A button down red plaid shirt over a white tee and a pair of blue-jeans with cowboy boots. A baseball cap is worn backwards on his short hiar... and pair of dufflebags are carried, one in each hand. He looks like he's going somewhere, but pulls short seeing Natasha over there reading the original Anna karenina or something, so takes a detour to bring him closer.

"Sup, that looks boring as shit."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would take a moment to glance over at Clint for a moment, before sighing and going to close the book, "It's the written doctrine of the Tsarist secret police, the ones that were at the forefront of carrying out the pogroms before the first world war and controlling the serfs to a degree after they were freed. I'm reviewing it to look for doctrinal changes when they transitioned over to the Red and White Russians over the Russian Civil War when the Soviet regime took over."

Yes, it makes for boring reading unless that's your type of historical text. "So what brings you out here, Agent Barton? Are you looking to find something to amuse yourself or get some training in?"

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint stares at Natasha with progressively squinting eyes as she takes a deep breath and tries to explain Astrophysics (for all what she said made any sense to him), "So I was right, it is boring as shit." That's his final assessment. Both dufflebags are set down on a bench, fingers curling to work blood back into them. Whatever's in there is heavy.

"Neither. I'm going to my ranch for a few days." Which explains his cowpoke like get-up. "What about you? I'm having trouble believing your intentions were to sit around reading a book... you waiting for someone?"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would go to let out a sigh an dput her book away, "No, I was taking some time to analyse and review data from the past to see if there was anything useful. While ancient, I think some of the original operating parameters were applied to the first generation of Red Room training officers. They'd have come from that era or been trained by the survivors. So perhaps there's something to be gleaned. So, you're going on a trip then?"

She would look amused.

Clint Barton has posed:
"Hell, Nat. If you look hard enough, there's operating parameters from Roman soldiering in moonlandings.." Clint shakes his head and snorts a quiet laugh. His hands tuck into his pockets, thumbs hanging out across the seam. "That is correct, yes. To my ranch. Going to ride horses and other ranch shit." An amused expression on his face as well.

"There's no ancient books on pre-Regan era Soviet Union or I'd invite you along."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would glance over at Clint and deadpan, "Don't be silly, Barton. No matter if you've worked with Achileos in the field or not, there's not that much that's come forwards beyond discipline which any army from any era would have some variation of the same thing. And enjoy riding your bike."

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint shrugs indifferently, but doesn't offer much of an argument regarding her retort. "I probably will, yeah. I've got a dirt bike I've wanted to break in, but mostly it'll just be horses. Maybe do cow stuff, I don't know. I'm not even sure if I have any cows." He doesn't get to go to the ranch often.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod at Clint, "Well, you deserve some time to yourself. You have been rather active lately in field operations. You're allowed some time to relax. And ensure that you're having some communication difficulties along the way so you aren't put on emergency recall if something of a minor crisis comes up."

Clint Barton has posed:
"I always turn my do not disturb on." Clint flips his phone from out of his back pocket and twists it around in his palm with a flick of his thumb, then slides it back home. "It's also why nobody knows where my ranch is." Which is insane, really. SHIELD has to know right? Well, they do... but it's classified. Highly so. Specifically. Clint never asks for anything, so the one thing he does want, he gets. "Hopefully the world doesn't end while I'm gone, but if you keep reading that ancient tome, perhaps you'll be able to save it by boring the invaders to god damned death, eh?" Grinning teasingly as he reaches out for his bags.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would smirk, "Yes. I'm sure also that there are numerous ways to contact you that you can go out of your way to ensure aren't fielded. Let me know if you require some assistance in enusring that you have a few days of peace to yourself." Wait, is Natasha offering to help him run interference so he can have a few days to himself?

Clint Barton has posed:
"Just a day's all I need. I made promises." Clint jerks his bags off the bench and twists his arms around to let them hang down over his shoulders, elbows bent up against his chest. "You don't tell the kind of people I promised that you can't make the things I promised I'd be there for... they hold onto that for way longer than anyone should be comfortable with..." She had, he'd noticed. "Thanks, Nat. I appreciate it."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would offer up a smile. A rare one. "You'd do the same for anyone else in your position if they needed it. The least I can do is ensure that you have the time to yourself without interruption."

Clint Barton has posed:
"Well, yeah... I'm a good wingman, Goose." Clint popcultures, but nobody ever gets his popculture because he's old. Nat is older... but that's a different kind of old. "If they ask where I am, tell them I'm at a PTA meeting or something." He snickers and rolls his eyes at himself.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod over at Clint and deadpan, "The tribulations of married life." She would fold her hands together. "And I don't quite think that you could fly over like Maverick nor do you have Tom Cruise's looks."

Clint Barton has posed:
"You're damn right I don't. I'm much more of a Jeremy Renner." Clint jokes, rolling his shoulders to accomodate the weight of the bags. He glances over his shoulders at the mention of his married life, though. Nat's no dummy, she wouldn't say that if someone could hear her. "If I don't show up at least once a week, she's actually going to make me sign the papers this time. And I don't want to sign the papers."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would let out a sigh, "Then it's something you should prioritize." That's about as much as Natasha will say. Family is an important thing to fight for. If the saprk is there. Something that she goes out of her way to tolerate and even provide for Yelena. "Let me know if you need assistance in ensuring you have the time or need me to cover your shifts and field operations."

Clint Barton has posed:
"She's an accomodating woman." Clint says of Laura, despite his past transgressions, "We make it work." Then he nods and juts his chin out towards the Quinjet, "I should get going before it gets too late. So I can ride horses and other ranch shit." Said with a wink and a grin. "See ya later, Nat."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod, "Yes, I'm sure that I will. Enjoy whatever time you have over with your family and to yourself. I think doing it more often will help mellow you some."

Clint Barton has posed:
"I'm the Queen of Mellow." Barton says, stepping backwards a few steps with a grin, "I'm also growing a beard. Don't think about it too hard." Then he's boarding the ramp to the Quinjet and tossing his bags down on one of the long benches. Ready to prep, takeoff, and head home for a change.