Owner	Pose
Kate Bishop	Kate was feeling pretty proud of herself. She'd helped someone. Okay, so it was the cutest case ever, but still, she felt proud. Tommy Doherty, all of 12 years old, had come into her office looking for help. Someone had been stealing his paper route papers before he'd gotten a chance to pick them up and deliver them. The office had been laying into him, and was *this* close to taking his route away if he didn't start coughing up papers on time, and they weren't terribly sympathetic to his claims that it wasn't his fault. He had 22.50 in quarterse and rumpled bills - all he had left of his route money, and he'd asked for her help. Turns out his papers were being dropped off on a corner, by a storefront, and the shopkeeper had been moving them aside when he swept his shop front.. Not remembering when he was done to put them back, or realizing the distress he was causing for poor Tommy. All it took was a bit of surveillance, a quick talk to the man suggesting he switch the time he swept his walk and voila! Mystery solved. Kate had taken the misplaced bundles and thrown them out, and declined Tommy's money. Even so, she was celebrating her success with a slice from Gino's.
Clint Barton	Clint had long since moved out of the neighbourhood but the pizza kept him (and Skye) coming back. This time he was on a solo pizza run, for their usual pie and a six pack of the frou-frou beer they loved so much. Oh and an extra silce for his new friend, the one-eyed dog that he'd seen on his last couple of visits. Apparently the mutt liked pizza. Pushing through the doors of Gino, Clint grins, "Hey Gino., hey Joe, hey...Kate?" Clint stops seeing Kate in the shop. "Hey been awhile, how goes?" he asks.
Kate Bishop	Kate's *just* paid for her slice, and slides a slow, easy grin Clint's way. "Well if it isn't the man who styles himself by my name. And too late, so sad, already paid for my slice, so no mooching a freebie today." She reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind an ear, and tries to make the gesture look easy and carefree. It's mostly anything but, but hey, it's Clint. He's quite liable to miss all the obvious signals. That, and Kate really isn't the best at flirting. She's a whole lot better done up nicely in a ballgown and making grown men think she likes them a whole lot more than she does while donating money to whatever cause the affair is being held for. Kate Bishop: fund-raiser extraordinairre.
Clint Barton	Clint rolls his eyes, "Yeah, I work two jobs I can afford not to mooch," he says good naturedly as he makes his way to the counter and gives Kate a brotherly hip-check. "And it's /our/ name, Ms. Hawkeye Investigations," he says. Yep, totally clueless. He looks over the counter at Gino. "Here for the regular order and my extra slice for my friend around the corner." "Sure thing!" Gino calls from the kitchen. "Just a sec." Clint nods and leans against the warmer, arms crossed. "So how's the detective thing working out?" he asks. "Fully of leggy da- I guess, um dudes, who are desperate for your help?" he asks trying to put a female twist on the noir detective tropes.
Kate Bishop	It's about when Kate's fingers settle behind her ear that she clues in to exactly what she's doing and draws herself up to a tidier height. "Riiight. The day job. And don't be dissing the agency. We do good work. Helped someone today after all." So far she hasn't clued in that Clint's 'friend around the corner' is *her* 'friend around the corner' - well, more like denizen of the alley, but that's just semantics. "Haven't seen much of you around lately. And haha, funny stuff Hawk Guy." Yeah, she's heard what Gino calls him. "You just keep that name, and I'll keep mine, and watch what you say about the dudes. Who says I like dudes anyway?" Film noir references going straight over her head.
Clint Barton	Clint grins, "Yeah? That's awesome Kate," he says. "And I'm not taking shots at your agency, just surprised me to see the name on a flier is all. Though that's some serious legwork there, the one I saw was in Greenwich Village." Heck of a radius of advertising for a one woman operation. "And yeah, moved to Manhattan with my girlfriend... who I've yet to introduce you to, man I suck at this stuff, but yeah, moved to Greenwich a friend from work gave us a killer deal on a brownstone. You have to see it," he says, Gino clears his throat when the plate with the single slice of pizza is produced. "Here you go, if you want to feed your friend the pie will be ready in five." Clint turns smiling, "Thanks Gino," he takes the slice. "Hey Kate, you like dogs?" he asks her, slice in hand. "And I am pretty sure you like dudes," he thinks, he never saw her dating anyone. "Or, well I know they like you."
Kate Bishop	"Gotta walk the blocks to make the bucks," Kate quips. "Not that I really expect much business from that neck of the woods, but you never can tell. And besides, my biggest competitor isn't in that neighbourhood, so a girl does what a girl can do, right?" Besides, she travelled a lot of distance when she did her patrols, switching the area she covered each night to spiral outward. It wasn't a perfect system, but it covered a lot of ground, and so far she thought she'd been doing well. Kate has cut her slice in half while she's been talking, ever so neatly wiping her fingers on a paper napkin and thanking Gino for the loan of the knife - the knife she also wipes off before handing over, handle first. "Nah, I don't really like dogs. They're so needy." Kate grins. "Like most of the guys I know." Of course, she's cut her pizza in half because of the skinny little mutt living in the alleyway. It wasn't like she cared, she told herself - or she'd be here every day feeding him, right? Or have done something sensible like call animal control. Still, she had a soft spot for him. Noooot that she'd admit that to Clint. "Okay, I like dudes," Kate admits. "Well, men. Dudes sounds so frat house."
Clint Barton	Clint grins about the competition, "That the one who's using bad words?" he asks remembering the line from her flier about being the PI without the profanity. "That's Jones from Hell's Kitchen right?" he hand't had the pleasure but he'd heard about her exploits. "And your ad will definitely get Cap's business, what with the lack of futzing profanity," he adds cheekily. "If someone ever steals his shield or whatever." "But seriously Kate, glad to see you're out there doing good." Then at the mention of dogs being like the boys she knows. "I'd say on behalf of men, 'hey' but nah, that's mostly true. Though shouldn't be so hard on dogs though, dogs are cool." He chucks his head towards the door. "C'mon, I want you to meet one. A dog, not a boy, or a frat bro..." he adds of that last comment. Clint reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a leash and a collar, purple of course. He'd made up his mind, he was going to take Lucky home with him, at least until he could find a place that could take him. Unless of course he and Skye could find a way to work him into their crazy lives.... maybe? He wasn't sure, but he had to admit, he hoped it'd work. He'd always wanted a dog.
Kate Bishop	Kate laughs, taking her slice, neatly halfed on its paper plate, and heading towards the door. "Hey, use whatever you can to get the business, right? Figured there was no way in heck JJ could say that. Mostly a marketing gimic. I expect her to come knocking at my door and kicking up a fuss any day now." She pretty much meets up with Clint at the doorway, noting the leash and collar. It's about then that it tweaks that maybe... just maybe.. they've got designs on the same 'friend'. "Uh.. you know, I'd just like to say, DIBS!" Like they were in gradeschool calling out for first go at a toy. Or, you know, yelling 'shotgun' for the front seat passenger's seat. Something like. Only it was over a dog. In an alleyway. A dog she didn't really want, but somehow, because Clint looked like he was about to claim it, she suddenly had this overwhelming urge to call her own. If the dog were a slice, she'd lick it. The ultimate in claiming of things.
Clint Barton	"True enough," Clint says of marketing her business. "Well, I hear she kicks hard so watch yourself and worst comes to worst put an arrow in her knee," he says. There is a smile at that. "How's your practicing coming, up to six arrows yet?" he asks. He pushes backwards through the door out of Gino's so-so AC to the muggy heat of New York in August, with that old penny smell in the air. He raises a brow at the dibs. "Dibs? Dibs on what? My pizza? That's for the dog." He shakes his head. "Now who's the moocher?"
Kate Bishop	"She's gotta catch me first in order to kick me," Kate smirks, easily pushing through the door first. "And if you want to know if I'm up to six, you're just going to have to make that an official challenge. I don't brag or give up my secrets that easily. But I do like a butt whooping in the morning. That's if you're up to it. I mean, I know how humiliating it must be to be beaten by a girl on a regular basis." Kate traipses towards the alleyway. "Dibs on the dog. I don't want your pizza. Got my own, see?" And she dangles one of the half-slices in the air to proove it. Certainly hoping for the doggo to notice and claim her, making Clint's possible protests to the contrary moot.
Clint Barton	Clint rolls his eyes. "So not running, I'm an Avenger, it's not dignified." He does follow her out of the shop though, walking quickly. "Pff, hey, who was it who taught you those tricks anyhow?" he asks. "But sure if you want a showdown I'm game. Just don't cry when I win, I hate crying," he teases. Then he blinks. "Dibs on the dog? How do you even know about the dog? And you just said you didn't like them. Are you just messing with me?" he asks, as his pace increases to keep up. Sure enough Lucky, Pizza Dog, whatever his name is in the alley in all his one-eyed glory. He gives a bark and runs towards the pair of them his untrimmed nails skittering on the hot concrete.
Kate Bishop	"As if. And if there is any crying, it's going to be you. Waa-waa. Bet you have ugly cry face, too." Kate laughs. "You are so totally on. usual place?" The usual place being the bow shop's back alley archery range. "And what do you mean I don't like dogs," Kate lies. "I love dogs. I live for dogs. And this dog is mine. See?" She hopes the dog doesn't make a liar out of her, and can't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he shows up, waddling his skinny butt and wagging his tail like she's a long lost friend. Of course, it's just the pizza he's happy to see, but Kate will take it if it shows up Barton. "Here pup. Hey dog. Gotcher pizza! Come to Katey!"
Clint Barton	"I'm an Avenger, we never cry. I think there's rules against it in the charter." He does give a nod for the place though. "Agreed,"he says firmly. "Uh-huh, nice memory you have there Katie," Clint says as he crouches down and offers the pizza after Kate. "C'mon boy, c'mon, come to Clint." The dog stops, tilts its head looking between the two of them, sniffing, considering them. In the end it's the pepperoni that wins out, and the dog makes his way over to Kate, snuffling at her half-slice of pizza. "Aww, Lucky," he Clint says slumping back onto his butt in the alley.
Kate Bishop	"Pffft. I want to see that charter. Hey! Actually, why haven't you invited me to be one of your fancy pants Avengers anyway? Afraid I'll show them how pathetic you actually are with tht bow of yours? Huh? Huh?" She considers giving him a hip check, but decides better of it. And, of course she gets to gloat when the dog picks her half slice over Clint's... "Say, what did you get on your slice anyway? Pineapple? Never saw Lucky the Pizza Dog here turn down a slice before. Not to mention, just what are you doing trying to take home a pet anyway? I thought you guys had Tony to take care of. Isn't that enough mascot for you Avengers?" Her fingers rumpled in the fur on.. well, she guessed his.. its?.. name was Lucky now. Lucky the Pizza Dog. Oh god, she just got a pet, didn't she? What on earth was she thinking. She didn't need a mascot.
Clint Barton	"Do you want to be? I thought you were living the glamourous life of a private detective?" Clint asks about the Avengers invite. "Though I warn you, rolling with a god, a billionaire, an android and the Hulk can be hard on the old ego." "Nah, it's just a regular slice. Maybe he doesn't like sausage? Too spicy?" he muses aloud. "Not taking it to the mansion..."Clint says. He'd thought of taking it home home but the mansion had staff and people who could take care of him. "Besides Tony isn't house trained and doesn't know how to fetch," he murmurs still lost in thought. "And what do you need a dog for? I mean, I thought you PI types were lone wolfs and all of that. Not like you guys to run with a pack."
Kate Bishop	"What do you mean what do I need a dog for? What do you need a dog for?" When in doubt, turn it around on your accuser. Make them defend themselves. "And where would you be taking the.. Lucky. I've seen your apartment, remember? There is no way you are keeping an animal in there. That's just cruel. It's barely right that you live there." Barbarian archer chic, wasn't that how he'd described it? Something like.
Clint Barton	"Um dog stuff obviously?" Clint fires back. "And hey! My appartment was great. Not that it matters, but don't live there anymore. I'm in a brownstone in Greenwich Village." It still feels odd to say it. Hell it still conjured up Beveryl Hillbillies vibes just to think of it, no matter how comfortable he'd become with the home he shared with Skye. "All the dogs are floofy, figured I should show them a real one?" Really, he didn't have a plan. He just liked the dog and it killed him to see him all alone on the street. "And does where you're living even allow dogs like Lucky?" he asks, imagining some swank East End penthouse or trendy loft, wherever post-millenial rich as hell vigilantes hung their hats.
Kate Bishop	"A brownstone? In Greenwich village? You?" Kate blinks at Clint. "Oh, haha. Joke's on me, right? There is no way you can afford rent in the Village. Not even with both your salaries combined. Not unless you've taken up crime on the side." She decides she's not really all the hungry after all, and feeds Lucky the second half of her slice. "Just what is dog stuff anyway? And never you mind if where I'm living allows pets." She had no clue if they allowed pets. Which meant she was sneaking him up the back stairs of the brownstone.
Clint Barton	"You know Lara Croft? They just made a movie about her? Yeah, she's renting us her place in the Village for super cheap. We're friends," Clint explains without dropping that the famed adventuress worked for SHIELD. "So it works out, you should come by sometime, actually we're having a BBQ, you should come." A smirk then. "You can come visit my dog." "And you know, dog stuff! Fetch, sit, beg, feed him pizza and other things dogs eat." Lucky looks his way and pants. "See, he knows what I mean." Though he hasn't left Kate yet after finishing the pizza slice. He leans over and lays a slobbery pizza scented lick on her face. "See, I bet he'll do that when you're on the way to some gala."
Kate Bishop	"We?" There's a tremulous sound to Kate's voice as she asks, "You have a housemate?" She nods to herself. She's heard of Lara Croft. Who hasn't? And while it sounds improbable and unlikely that she'd rent a place to Clint, it wasn't impossible, and besides, why would he lie about something like that? Something she could easily check up and find the truth about. It's about then that Lucky licks her face. She can make a fuss (because YUCK, dog. Just licked her face. Ew.) Or she can suck it up and make like it was the best thing in the world. And given the bombshell Clint had just dropped about his abode, along with the 'we' that sounded suspiciously like girlfriend and not housemate... "Ha! See, he likes me best. You're just going to have to go rob another alley of its dog. This one is mine." The gala thing. He was probably right about that. Just what was she thinking? Why didn't she just let him have the dumb dog already? "So.. I was thinking, since the dog is clearly mine, mind if I borrow that collar and leash?"
Clint Barton	Clint blinks, he catches the tremulous tone, but doesn't connect it. "What you need a place to stay?" he asks. A swing and a miss there! "We've got three empty rooms and a basement, which is mostly an archery range. But yeah, we, my girlfriend Skye," he says. "She's great, she's learning to shoot, not as good as us yet, but she's got passion for it." He positively beams. And really. that's what carries him through the loss of Lucky. Skye, well that and he didn't exactly talk to her about the whole dog thing, which was a wrinkle unto itself. He sighs, and holds out the leash and collar. "Sure," he says offering it to Kate. "It's yours."
Kate Bishop	"Oh, no. I mean, sure, a nice place. But I have this brownstone." Okay, it's an entire floor of one, and in a good neighbourhood to boot, but he doesn't need to know that. "I mean, it's just this place and all.. but a girlfriend, huh? Wow. When'd that happen?" She pastes a bright smile on her face. "And how'd you convince her to take up a bow, huh? Self defense on her part, I bet. Only way she gets to see you?" Oh, it stung a little, even if he'd never given her any indication that he might be interested. Which was really how Kate's life tended to go. She wasn't surprised by this turn of events. Just.. a little heartbroken. Nothing she wouldn't get over, though, right? The leash and collar are taken with a mutter of thanks. "I mean, I just figured if you weren't using them anyway. He is kind of a cute dog. In that scruffy nobody loves me I live in an alley kind of way."
Clint Barton	"Sounds cool," Clint says of Kate's pad. "Have to say, living in a brownstone is pretty great." "And yeah, hmm, a few months after you last saw me. Almost didn't happen but Nat pushed us together and anyway, it's been really nice, and I haven't fucked it up." He pushes a hand through his hair. Kate had been there for the post-Bobbi period, when Clint's love life and life in general was sort of a mess and for what it's worth he does seem to be in a better place. Even with the disapointment of losing the dog. "No worries," he says after a second. "And yeah, he is," he gives a sniff and says, "Though totally needs a bath. Going to keep calling him Lucky?" he asks deciding to eat his pizza since the dog didn't want it.
Kate Bishop	Kate's fingers brush along the dog's coat. "Wow, who'd have thought. Clint Barton. Living with a girl. That's like all grown up and everything." She shakes her head like she can't believe it. Or maybe like she can. Like it's one of those things that you can picture ever so clearly in your mind.. only the picture was different, and it was you, not her, only now it's her, and the picture is still nice, just.. yeah. "I'm really happy for you," she says with a nod, standing again, hands curled through Lucky's leash. "Lucky? Yeah. Probably. Lucky the Pizza Dog. I guess it fits. A bath. A visit to the vet. Uh.. wow. Guess stopping for food and water dish and kibble and the works. Gee, Lucky, you're already costing me a fortune. I'm going to have to paper a whole new neighbourhood just to feed you."
Clint Barton	"I know right? Our friends keep bugging us, saying we're engaged. We're not though, god no, still not sure if we're the marrying type, but she's my partner. It's nice," he says. "How about you? Meet any nice guy in the detctive trade? Or one of those fancy charity things?" he asks getting to his feet and brushing off his pants. Pizza, consumed at near super speed. Mostly he just smears pizza grease on his jeans. "And thanks," he says of her being happy for him. The idea of her canvassing another neighbourhood makes him smile. "If you want I can put the word out to a friend of mine, she's sort of a social media expert, she might be able to get the word out enough to cover Lucky's expenses, consider me being a gracious loser."
Kate Bishop	"Me? No, still single. Still nobody worthy. You know how it is." She gives Clint a wink. "Partner, huh? Like work partner, too? That's gotta be rough. I guess you met her through.. I'm guessing SHIELD? Could be the Avengers. No.. There aren't so many single ones there. And they've all seen you go from bumbling idiot to where you are now. It's gotta be SHIELD." This last to herself mostly. "Happy for you, though. And sure, spread the word. I could use the work." Well, it's not like she was going to have trouble paying rent - she did have her trust fund after all, but not using it was almost a point of pride, especially since her father expected her to be a failure and come crawling back into the family fold. "I'd consider that a solid. But I should let you go. And get Lucky here some stuff before the stores close."
Clint Barton	"Yeah, SHIELD," he says realizing he totally breezed over past questions. "And she took up archery...." hmm. Why had she? To be with him? "Actually maybe it was to get close to me? Either way she's into it now. She's got her own bow, gave it a name and everything. Anyhow, not really work partners all the time, it's weird she does her own thing a lot, but I'm helping her get into the whole field agent thing." He gives a soft chuckle, "Well to be fair to the guys, got to be hard to be worthy of you Katie," he says. "You're pretty awesome." He gives her a punch to the shoulder. Well more a nudge with a fist, all brotherly like. Yeah, that clueless. "Hey no problem, and if you were serious about the Avengers thing, or you decide to be, let me know I'll vouch for you anytime." He stuffs his hands in his pockets and nods. "Alright, well go get Lucky his toys and have fun, but hey, my number hasn't changed and I got yours from your flier, don't be a stranger okay? It's stupid we haven't hung out sooner than this."
Kate Bishop	Kate takes the punch to her shoulder with good grace and an affected 'oof'. "Take it easy there, Barton. And she sounds wonderful. I'm glad you found her. Or, you found each other. I guess Nat found you two? Whatever, I'm glad." She shrugs. "I'll get back to you on that Avengers thing. I mean, it sounds really good on paper, but I have this dectective agency, and I just got a dog. Hey, have you met him? Name's Lucky. Lucky, meet Clint. Clint, Lucky." She bends down and waves one of Lucky's paws at Clint. "And yeah, we should hang sometime. I wasn't just joking about meeting up to shoot some arrows sometime. I could use the competition. Hard to find people as good with a bow as we are." She stands again. "See you around, huh?"
Clint Barton	Clint smiles and gives Kate a nod. "She is," he confirms. "And one of those," he says abotu who found what and with whom. They weren't even sure nine months in. "Wow, that's a really nice dog, when did you get him?" Clint asks, chuckling when she waves Lucky's paw at him. He bends down to give it a shake. "Don't worry, I'll come visit you too," he promises. Then standing again, he nods. "We definitely need to shoot, let's grab a session on the weekend? Er, next weekend? Text each other about the times?" he asks. Assuming the shoot is worked out, he nods, "See you around, Katie. Was good to see you."
Kate Bishop	"Oh, the dog? Had him for ages. Best. Dog. Ever." She lies like it's her mother tongue. And when Clint bends down, Lucky obediantly offers a paw, shakes, then licks Clint's cheek. "Sure thing," Kate says breezily of meeting up again for a session, and gives a smile as Clint takes his leave. But when he's gone, out of sight and out of hearing, her shoulders slump, the girl muttering. "Met a girl. She's nice. Head over heels in love with her. Haven't messed it up." Lucky gets a look and a sigh. "Why are men so stupid? Wait, why am I asking you, you're a boy too. Sure, he gets the girl, and I get you." Lucky, as though that's his cue to honour his new mistress, leans over and licks her hand. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Let's go and get you your things."