"What are you doing, Clint?"
Clint almost leapt into the air but instead fell from his seat. "Don't sneak up on me! How'd you even get in the house!" (Even after years of living with he and his brother's adoptive parents, he didn't consider this his house. It was just 'the house'.)
"Barny let me in. Anyway, come on, what is it?"
Clint held out his arm, on which there was a variety of scribbles. "Trying to terrorise an innocent girl."
"Or guy."
"Nat, I'm straight."
"Sure you are." Nat smirked, rolling her eyes. "Don't be surprised if she has an Adam's apple."
Clint did a fake laugh and handed the pen to Nat, like always. She began drawing a goofy-looking Mario on the inside of his arm. "Nat, got anything?"
Natasha did some ameteur private detective work to find people's soulmates. She always got accurate results so far but rarely got a case.
"Finished the Stark case. Science notes, anger management stuff. Easily Banner."
"Bruce Banner? His best friend? They'll never hear the end of it."
Nat nodded before pulling away from her artwork. It looked a bit more like Luigi but that made it even better. "I've already worked out who your soulmate is, you know."
Clint gave her a blank stare. "If you dare tell me, Tasha..."
Nat shrugged and smirked but said nothing.
~~~
A wide grin crossed Clint's face the next morning as he found writing on his arm. 'What the freaking hell is diet Mario doing on me?'
After that, as some sort of punishment or retaliation, there was an assault of gory sketches that appeared on the opposite arm and his legs.
Panicking slightly, Clint washed the remenants of the Mario from his arm in hope that the soulmate would back down. Just in case, he made sure to wear a long sleeve shirt.
~~~
That day, when Clint sat himself next to Nat during lesson - like he always did - the girl had mischief brimming in her eyes. "What?"
Nat had a wicked grin on her face as she whispered: "Your soulmate's in this class." With that, she pushed him onto his feet. "I want to view your heartbreak."
Clint scrambled back to his seat. He didn't want to meet his soulmate, for now. It was much too early in life and he wasn't ready. A whisper of "I can't" was all he could vocalise on the matter but Nat accepted it and quietened.
As the lesson continued, Clint became vaguely aware of the two new students - both of which were kicked out of their previous school. One hid their face while the other looked too intimidating to talk to. Both, however, seemed not entirely stable. Unnerved, he refocused on his work.
~~~
Laying idly on his bed, Clint found himself writing on his arm. It was a simple 'Hi' but he couldn't help but hold his breath.
"Don't bother" came the reply that made sickness and anger rise to the back of Clint's throat.
With a groan of frustration, Clint threw his pen through the open window using unnecessary force. For a couple seconds, he sulked before going to reclaim his pen.
"By definition of soulmate, I am required to bother. Sorry."
"Trust me, you wouldn't if you knew me."
Clint frowned. "I wouldn't be your soulmate, then." A smile was scribbled in response. His soulmate didn't seem to be that bad after all.