3. Rescued 3

"What the hell is that?" Fury stopped at the door of the conference room and pointed at Clint's chest, where Donut was curled up in her sling.

"My cat."

"Your what?"

"It's Friday, sir."

"I know damned good and well it's Friday. That is why we are having a department meeting."

"Friday is pet day, sir. We can bring in our pets. This is my pet. Her name is Donut."

"What motherfucking idiot names his cat Donut?"

Clint pulled her out of her sling and put her on the conference table, where in a fit of anxious curiosity she immediately started walking in circles.

"What the hell is your cat doing, Barton?" Fury watched her as she spun, a slightly horrified look on his face. "Is she possessed? What the fuck is she doing?"

"She's doing donuts, sir." Clint picked her up and settled her back in the sling, where she started purring. "Her back hips are deformed, so her left leg goes faster than her right. When she gets excited, she does donuts."

Fury peered at her. "Why is she frowning at me?"

Hill snorted a laugh.

"Because she was born that way, sir. It's just a weird, adorable deformity."

"She looks pissed off."

"She's not. She's purring right now."

Fury stood up. "You have a miniature cat who can't walk in a straight line and who looks perpetually pissed off at everyone, and you named her Donut."

For the first time, Clint had second thoughts about his plan for Pet Friday. "Yes sir."

Fury glared at him for a moment, but just then the door opened and Phil and the Cor-mmandos thundered in. Donut huddled closer and tried to hiss (she was not very good at it, due to her slightly disfigured jaw). Clint petted her with a heavy hand to calm her down.

Fury looked at the dogs as they romped about the room, Stevie jumping on and off an empty chair four times in a row while Bucky and Dum Dum barked at him. Phil settled his paperwork in front of him then snapped his fingers, and the dogs all rolled to halt at his feet.

Fury sighed. "What the fuck ever, Barton."

Phil looked up in surprise, and then down at Clint's chest. "Congratulations on the cat, Barton. It looks just like you."

Hill face planted on the table, laughing so hard she couldn't even talk. Natasha just rolled her eyes.

##

Less than six weeks later, Phil took on a god and lost.

Which was how Clint ended up with the dogs.

##