Chapter 1
“Agent Barton, this is Agent-“
No. This couldn’t be happening, there’s no way this was even possible. Natasha gripped his wrist tightly, before he could do something stupid, a movement the girl – no woman – standing front of him didn’t miss, all traces of the smile previously present on her face disappearing.
But as he looked into her flashing eyes, taking in the way her jaw clenched and unclenched as her full lips, whose curves and softness were something he’d spent hours memorising, pressed into a flat line, only one word came into his mind.
Fuck.
Puente Antiguo.
2011.
“Hey dude who’s always shadowing me and Jane,” Darcy said as she climbed up the roof to sit next to him.
Clint mentally sighed, again. He rolled his shoulders before turning to level Darcy with what he had hoped was an exasperated expression.
“I can see someone is glad to see me,” she replied dryly.
He simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for her “move of the day to get Mr. Amazing Arms” to talk. One of these days, his defenses would crumble down because it was only the beginning of the third week of Darcy’s quest and he actually liked her company and enjoyed the time they spent on the roof. Mostly because when he didn’t reply to anything that she’d say, she’d get flustered and would start pouting before telling him that she’d be back the next day. And okay, he found it to be a bit endearing.
"How long do you think you'll resist me, soldier?"
Not to mention he had freaked out last Thursday when she didn’t show up at all, only to find her sleeping on her desk in Dr. Foster’s lab. He berated himself for staring at her sleeping form from the lab's window like a creep, but he couldn't deny the way relief spread through him at the sight of her.
“Okay, so question of the day. Why are you wearing a short sleeved tee-shirt, not that I’m minding the view in any way, while in a desert during winter?” she asked grinning up at him after sitting down cross legged.
“That’s rich coming from the girl wearing a hideous sweater that looks like it was knitted by a bear,” he said before he could stop himself. Damn. But it was an ugly green knitted sweater showing a cat wearing a Santa hat with red sequins, you can’t blame him.
She laughed did a little victory dance. “He speaks!” before adding, “That voice is going to do amazing things for my fantasies, you know? I mean, yeah the looks did seem to do the job but that voice? Thanks, I might even break my own record of bringing myself to an orgasm.”
No, I don’t know. Tell me more, he thought to himself.
“FYI, you look adorable while blushing,” she said as she pulled out a bar of chocolate from her jeans' pockets, before ripping off the wrapper. “Want some?”
He shrugged before making a move to break off a corner. She pulled the chocolate out of his reach and grinned cheekily at him, “You only get to eat it if you talk. I’m not complaining about the fact that I can rant about anything to you but you’re human too, even though you work for a super secret government agency. So talk.”
Clint sighed before asking, “Blackmailing is a crime, you know? Besides, I'm one of the best out on the field and I have a license to kill.”
“It only counts as a crime if I’m trying to get myself out of any illegal activity. Or gain any valuable information,” she gasped dramatically before continuing, "Wait, I do want to know your name. Arrest me officer?” she asked with a wry smile.
He sighed. “Who bugs a guy for two weeks to know their name, Miss Lewis?”
She made an irritated noise in the back of her throat. “See? Your guys know everything. It’s discerning. And to answer your question, a guy this girl has been trying to ask out for two weeks. Would you really go out with me if kept calling you Mr. Amazing Arms? Also, it’s Darcy. Miss Lewis sounds like an old librarian’s name”
“Mr. Amazing Arms does seem to be doing good things for my ego,” he said as he nibbled on a square of chocolate.
“So you would like to go out with me?” she asked as a beautiful smile grew over her face. Oh fuck me.
Just then, a crash echoed, followed by vicious cursing. Darcy rolled her eyes before getting up to see what instrument decided to give up on Jane this time. As we was leaving she threw the remaining bar of chocolate at Clint, who caught it with ease.
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Shadow,” she said with a mock salute.
“Barton. Clint Barton,” he said to her retreating back.
Darcy stopped in her tracks to turn to look behind at him. “Okay that’s not a deal breaker. At least I won’t be changing my name to something random after the wedding,” she laughed and continued as Clint choked on another piece of chocolate, “Thanks for giving me so many ideas for fantasies Agent Barton,” she purred before climbing down the roof.
Yep.
Clint was pretty fucked.
Tromsø
2012.
“I see that you still have this ugly sweater,” he said, as one of his hands reached up inside to splay against her back.
“It’s my lucky sweater. It’s also the reason why you started talking to me in the first place,” she said gripping his shoulder as he hummed in agreement while he bit her ear lobe.
“Natasha had called me,” Darcy mumbled, throwing her head back against the wall, stretching her neck to give him easier access as he sucked on it.
He pulled back to ask her, “Yeah? What’d she tell you?” as he ran his thumb along her jaw.
Darcy pulled his head down by his neck and nibbled on his lower lip, “That you weren’t yourself. That they were going to do everything to bring back my dorky boyfriend back” she sighed before reluctantly pulling back. She scratched her fingers against his stubble, and had to blink back her tears at the adoring expression present on his face. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Your boyfriend, huh?”
She rolled her eyes and put some more distance between them. “Really Barton? It’s been a year and you’re only realising it now?”
“Not many people would want to be together with the guy that helped Loki try to take over the world,” he murmured in her ear, enjoying the was she shivered.
“Mind control doesn’t count. If it’s any consolation,” she said, running her fingers through his hair, “He tried to kill me and Jane back in New Mexico.”
He chuckled as he pulled away from her, “Yeah, my girl did look amazing while she saved those puppies,” before reaching down to wrap her legs around his waist as he hoisted her up.
She pressed fleeting kisses against his jaw. “Your girl, huh?”
He rolled his hips against her pressing his, still-clothed, length against her core. Her panties were doing nothing to hide her wetness, the skirt bunched up over her hips and he enjoyed the way she moaned in his ear. “Mine,” he said resolutely, sucking another hickey along her pale neck. All mine, he thought happily.
London
2013
“Darcy, you could’ve been hurt!” he exclaimed as paced the length of the room they were in, running a hand through his hair stressfully.
Darcy frowned from her spot on the bed in his hotel room. “But I’m okay. And shouldn’t out be glad I helped save the world?” she asked, trying to joke but it came out all choked up.
Clint stopped in his tracks before looking at her fearful expression. He immediately walked over to sit on the bed before pulling her on his lap. “Baby, I’m not mad at you. But I saw the surveillance footages, Darcy,” he said as he tucked her head under his chin, and rubbing his cheek against the top of her head. “I’m proud of you but the fact that you could have died out there today still remains.”
"That’s rich coming from my adrenaline junkie boyfriend, ”Darcy muttered dryly as she wrapped her arms over his shoulders.
“Avenger, babe,” he corrected her as he chuckled, pulling her even closer to him before gripping her chin to make her look up at him. “Promise that you won’t do it again? Not put yourself in danger when you can be safe?*
Darcy scoffed, “That’s rich coming from you, Master Assassin. At least I knew what I was doing. I never know whether you’ll be alive after mission, forget about coming back to me given the circumstances of this over-the-seas relationship.”
“I do know what I’m doing as well, baby. Wouldn’t be the best if I wasn’t,” he smirked at her, before his expression softened. “I’ll always come back to you,” he said resolutely, leaning his forehead against hers.
Darcy’s breath hitched, as she asked, “Promise, loser?”
“Always,” he sighed against her lips.
New York
2014.
Natasha leaned again the door as she said, “Don’t do it. I know what you’re thinking and it’s going to break her.”
Clint looked up from his spot next to Darcy on the hospital bed, gripping her hand tightly. “Nat?”
“Clint, she needs you right now. Don’t you dare disappear on her. She’s not going to take it well.”
Clint turned his head away to look at Darcy. Her previously pale skin had taken on an ashy tone, skin sunken around her eyes despite the eye bags. Her lips were bloody and raw, no doubt the result of constant biting. She had a cut on her forehead and various others littered all over her body. Her skin should have never been marred like this, he thought gravely. Broken ribs, severely dehydrated, broken fingers on her other arm, he went over the list again, mentally, running his fingers over the bandages on her wrist. Her restraints had been cutting into her skin, cutting off circulation and because of how much she had to have struggled against them, they were wounded and bloodied when they’d found her.
She’d been abducted by HYDRA for two and half weeks. Two and half weeks he spent worrying in private because he didn’t want anyone to know about his relationship with her. Well, Natasha knew. So she would keep him updated on the situation because she was involved in the extraction directly and he wasn’t. They’d been together for 3 years now and he had hoped that maintaining their relationship a secret would keep her safe from any harm.
Turns out, HYDRA thought she would make a great pawn in their attempt to gain access to Jane Foster’s research.
Darcy’s eyelids fluttered open, wincing as the harsh lighting that was immediately dimmed by Natasha. At first Darcy seemed to be trying to remember where she was before her eyes widened and a worried expression covered her face as she started shaking with fear.
“Darcy, sweetheart? It’s me, Clint. We have you, baby, you’re safe,” Clint told her as he gently ran his fingers on her jaw. Darcy turned her head to look at him, with tear filled eyes. “Clint?” she asked, choking up.
“I’ve got you, baby. I’m here,” he said as he still gripped her good hand, with her squeezing his hand tightly, and leaned over, pressing gentle kisses against her forehead.
Darcy cried, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I wasn’t careful enough.”
Clint blinked back his own tears, “Ssh, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m here.”
Natasha felt terrible for Darcy knowing what would happen the next morning, that she won’t be waking up to Clint's worried face but a note instead, where he would try to explain the reasons why he had decided to break up with her. Abandon her, Natasha thought bitterly as she tsked and walked out the door. She could try to dissuade him, but it would be of no use. She closed the door on the couple, giving them the privacy they deserved in what little time they had.
Present.
“… As I was saying, Agent Lewis will be accompanying you on your mission in London. She’d been under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar for a while before she decided to join us. You might find her skills with an assault rifle to be… appealing. Also, a reminder from Director Fury- minimum casualties, Agent Barton,” Maria said with a knowing look.
Clint was thankful for Natasha’s grip on his hand that kept him grounded. He nodded in agreement to whatever it was that Hill had said before turning back to Darcy. She’d cut off about 6 inches of her hair. It now hung straight above her shoulders and was of shade a lighter than her natural brown. Still so fucking beautiful, he thought to himself. Her curves were still there, but she was a bit more leaner. And muscular. He could only imagine what those shapely legs would look like, thrown over his shoulder.
And she was definitely oozing confidence as she continued to glare at him before she swiftly turned around to walk away, her the sound of her boots moving further away, and damn if he didn't swoon at the sight of her hips in the catsuit.
“I’ll have you know that I trained her in hand to hand combat personally.”
He turned around sharply to glare at Natasha. “Why would you do that?”
She smirked before she walked away, “Because she wanted to kick your ass and frankly speaking, I wanted her to.”
Oh fuck me, he thought with a groan.