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She finishes tying the bow with a snug pull and he turns to look it over in the mirror. She should be happy; her best friend is getting married today.
Clint is getting married today.
He looks incredibly handsome all dressed up in his suit, a dramatic change from his usual jean and t-shirt ensemble, but she thought he looked handsome even when he was dressed down.
The consequences of falling for someone, she guesses; loving them even at their lowest points, their most under dressed points.
“Wow, Nat, where did you learn to tie bow ties like this?” He asks in awe.
Clint is getting married, but he isn’t getting married to her.
Not that she had ever been able to imagine herself in a white dress, walking down the aisle while Clint stared at her with all of the love in the world. Living domestically, maybe, in an apartment with his dog and her cat, but married? Never.
“You pick up a little of everything everywhere, I suppose.” She answers and he hums, impressed.
Her name is Laura. Her and Clint met in some less than romantic setting under less than romantic circumstances, but he’d fallen for her and she fell for him back. A year later, they were getting married.
Natasha wants to be jealous, but she can’t. Laura makes him so happy; she can see it on his face every single time her name is even mentioned.
She wants to hate Laura, but she can’t. Despite it all, Laura has been nothing but kind to her. She’s never tried to overstep her boundaries; she respects the friendship Natasha has with Clint. She’s not like them; she doesn’t work for S.H.I.E.L.D, she has nothing to do with the spy business. She’s just normal; a normal, brown eyed woman with a sweet smile.
Laura can give him everything; a house, a family, a normal life. Clint’s always wanted kids; he never mentions it, but it’s obvious. One day, he’ll want to retire, settle down, and Natasha doesn’t think she’d personally ever settle.
“Nat? You okay?”
She looks at him and he looks back, concerned. Concerned for her on his wedding day.
“I’m fine. I’m just…I’m so happy for you.” She says.
It’s not a lie. She is happy for him; she’s always happy if he’s happy and he’s practically glowing.
He smiles, that big grin she’s come to know so well, and she moves to him, lifting up onto her toes to press a gentle but firm kiss to his cheek.
A goodbye to everything they could have been; a goodbye to love.
If only she’d said something, if she hadn’t spent so much time trying to push him away. Now she’s forcing herself to let him go even though she wants him to stay.
Her lips linger for a moment before she pulls away.
Clint looks surprised, sad, and then solemn. She wonders if he knows.
“Don’t make Laura wait.” She says, a smile in place to bring his smile back.
Clint nods and he’s smiling as he walks to the door. He looks back at her.
“You coming?”
She doesn’t want to, but she nods anyway.
“Yeah. I’m coming.”