Summary: Natasha finds out that Clint has Asperger's syndrome, otherwise known as high functioning autism.
Clint sat at the table in the fancy restaurant, Natasha sitting with their mark. She was perfectly in Clint's vision, not so much that the mark would suspect him though. Clint pulled up his suit jacket to check the time, 9pm.
Classical music was playing in the background as Clint looked around at the other tables.
"We should do this more often?", "How many partners do you have?", "watch the guy back there" Clint read on their lips. He observed the waiter cleaning a cutlery with a napkin, eww. That's not sanitary.
The two guys next to him stood up as their dates pulled up outside the restaurant in a taxi.
"Wait your tie", he fixed one of their ties. Clint took in a deep breath as he pulled at his shirt, the itch was unbearable.
Clint closed his eyes, blocking everyone out.
"Clint!" Natasha shouted in his ear. Clint looked up towards her empty seat and then towards the bathroom, not flinching for a second despite her shouting. Natasha was glaring at him.
"What can you see?" Clint suppressed the temptation to grin.
"The guys to the right of me are carrying guns on their back trousers. They've had 2 whiskeys each then switched it for water. The guys to the left are civilians; they're on their first date. The mother is a single mother with a small child at home. She keeps checking her phone. The guy in the grey suit to the left of the mark has a brief case. Contents are locked. The mark has the key. It's sticking out of his back pocket when he sits down. The guys behind me are armed, handguns. They also have small children at home. Yoghurt and paint stains on their shirts. I think they're together. Isn't that cute?" Natasha rolled her at me, "continue".
"The two table in front are civilians. That would be a problem if they catch me. They'd be on their way. Best plan of action is get the mark alone, get the key. I'll get the case. At least get the mark out of the restaurant", Clint advised while looking down at an exact match of the case.
Natasha nodded slightly, "how are you anyways". She asked into a phone as someone walked by. "My shirt is itchy and I want to die", Clint grinned. Natasha laughed and headed back to the mark. She apologised for her absence.
Clint stood up and walked to the front desk of the restaurant.
"My date didn't show up, here thanks anyways", Clint said as he tipped the waiters. He trusted Natasha to get her part done. All she has to do is show her breasts and she has guys ogling over her. The marks men watching his every move. Clint headed into the hotel which the mark was staying in.
"I'm ready when you are", Clint told her as he sat down opposite the lifts. "Is this your hotel? It's so fancy and expensive looking", Natasha warned him of their approach. Clint stood up and headed straight for the lift. He pressed the button and got in the same lift as Natasha.
He gave her a once over as any man would. Natasha would hit him if he did it when they weren't on a mission, plus he had way more respect for her than that. The mark pressed the button for the top floor.
"What floor?" The mark asked Clint, who felt nauseous straight away. He'd recognise that voice anywhere. "24 for me please", Clint asked him and he pressed 24.
"Thanks", he responded as the lift ascended.
"I've had so much to drink", Natasha giggled as she lost her balance, stumbling against the lift controls. She hit the button to stop the lift. Clint switched the cases as she did. He grabbed onto the rail for balance.
"Oh god I'm so sorry", Natasha laughed again at her mistake. She pressed the button for the lift to continue. Clint hurried out of the lift when it stopped on his floor. He headed straight for the second room on the left. It was an empty hotel room. He'd wait there until Natasha was in the lift heading down.
Clint closed his eyes, take in deep breaths. He blocked out the sounds of Natasha kissing and moaning. She didn't have to do that, not anymore. She'd been with Shield for 2 years now. She could get evac, but Natasha found evac to be sloppy.
"If I had my bow I'd shoot that ass in the head", he told her through he comms. Clint shook his hands out as he waited on her to finish. "I'm in the lift. You have 8 seconds", Natasha responded to him.
Clint grinned, he loved a challenge. He hopped off the bed and ran for the lift. It stopped with Natasha inside. She was straightening out her hair. Clint took off his jacket and put it around her as they headed to their actual hotel.
"Thank you", Natasha said as they both visibly relaxed once they were alone. "Someone was in here", Clint warned her as he grabbed his bow and an arrow. "The window is open, we left it closed. The files are cleaned up and that glass was moved", Clint pointed out.
Natasha smiled at him, "that was me. You're not watching carefully enough". Clint relaxed and nodded. He drew back the arrow and threw it in the quiver, placing the bow beside it. Clint took off his shoes and socks and left them by the door before lying on the bed.
"I'll be here while you shower", he informed her. Natasha smiled at him, he knew so well. Perhaps a bit too well.
"You did good today. A few unnecessary details but still good", she said as she stripped in the bathroom. Clint nodded. "You too, some things didn't need to be done. It's over though", Clint responded to her. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The lights were flickering and annoying him.
The sound of the shower brought a consistent sound for Clint to relax. The thought of Natasha having to have sex with mark, over taking any sexual feelings he had for her right now. The thought of it made him feel sick.
Clint opened his eyes when the shower turned off. He stood up and went to the window.
"The police are at the hotel", he told her. Natasha shrugged. "Did you kill the mark?" He asked her. The mission didn't call for it.
"He admitted to having sex with kids much younger than me when I tried to get him to stop. He didn't deserve to live", Natasha a 22 year old told Clint who was only 2 years older than him. Clint thought about it then shrugged, "fair enough".
"You can turn around now", Natasha told him as she got under the covers. There's only one bed.
"Are you okay with this?" He asked her. Natasha smiled and nodded. The last time they slept in the same bed, Natasha tried to stab him.
"Yes, don't touch me though", she warned him. Clint thought about how he recognised the mark in the lift. Why didn't he recognise the face though. He hardly ever forgot a face. That voice though. He remembered that, vividly.
"Mm Clint? Clint?" Natasha mumbled as she woke up. She searched the room for her partner. They were waiting on evacuation. Natasha yawned as she glanced around their hotel room searching for Clint. Natasha sighed and headed over to the open window.
"How the hell did he get up there?" She asked before putting on sneakers and a hoodie. On second thoughts she grabbed a blanket too, most likely Clint wasn't properly dressed for the roof either. Natasha shimmied her way out of the window and leaped over to a balcony railing a foot away. Clint gave her a look like as if she was the crazy one.
"What are you doing up here?" He questioned her. Natasha pulled herself up and snuggled into him. "It wouldn't be if you had more normal hiding spots", she muttered as she wrapped the blanket around his naked chest. Clint squinted his eyes and threw the blanket off him.
"You didn't have to follow me up here", he argued as he leaned into the touch, avoiding the feel of the blanket. "I just needed a minute alone", Clint continued. "Well I'm here now and I ain't leaving", Natasha argued back. Clint nodded, knowing she wasn't moving.
"What's bothering you?" Natasha asked him. Clint sighed. It's the rules, he can't talk about it. He kept silent, glancing up at the stars every so often.
"Clint I'm not moving until you answer me", Natasha folded her arms. She wanted an answer and wasn't taking no. "Lights", he muttered, finally giving in. Natasha frowned because to Clint that was a sufficient answer.
"That's bullshit Clint. What's really bothering you?" Clint stiffened. He kept his eyes focused on the tiles of the roof. "Sorry", he mumbled as he rubbed the blanket between his fingers only to throw it away again.
"What's really bothering you then?" Natasha asked him. Clint sucked in a sharp breath. "Lights", he muttered in a quiet tone.
"Ugh if you're not going to answer me I'm going back inside", Natasha told him as she climbed down and back in thought the hotel window. She kicked her shoes off as she climbed back into bed. "Stupid Clint and his stupid secrets", she mumbled as she fell back asleep. He can deal with whatever is bothering him himself. If he was just going to joke when she was being completely serious than he doesn't deserve help.
Natasha woke up to her phone ringing, she slept in longer than expected. Natasha grabbed the phone from the locker, frowning at the fact that Clint hadn't come down yet. He'd been up there 6 hours now.
"Romanoff", Natasha answered the call. It was Coulson on the other end. "Pick up is in 10". Everything was already packed.
"Tell that to Clint, he hasn't come down from the roof and he's being an ass about it", Natasha groaned. "How long has he been up there?" Coulson's tone changed instantly.
"Over 6 hours", Natasha told him. "I'll be there in 15. Do not engage", Coulson informed her.
Natasha frowned, "what's going on?" Coulson arrived as he said 15 minutes later on the dot.
"Coulson what's going on?" Natasha asked as she opened the door. Coulson walked in carrying a blanket. "I left a blanket up there with him", she frowned at his antics.
"Just listen for my instructions", was all the information she got from him. Coulson quickly made his way up to the roof. He sighed at the state that Clint was in. He laid on the roof on his side, the blanket beside him in a ball. He was physically shivering. Clint's eyes were drooping.
"Clint do you want to come downstairs, come inside", Coulson asked him. Clint shook his head, "no no no no no no no no no no". He sung the no's in a sing song tone. "I have your blanket in your hotel room", Coulson told him as he stayed at a safe distance, to Clint from freaking out. "Not going downstairs", Clint yawned.
"Natasha I need you ready at the window, Clint's not going to be happy about how I'm going to get him down", Coulson instructed Natasha and waited for her to confirm her location. Clint eyed Coulson wearily. Coulson dragged Clint down off the roof.
"No no no no no", Clint screamed and kicked trying to get away from him. Clint slipped out of his arms, only for Natasha to catch him. Clint squeezed his eyes shut, covering them with his hands.
"Lights. Lights. Lights", Clint rocked back and forth in her arms. Coulson switched off the lights leaving them in the dark. Clint buried his head in her chest. His breathing slowly calmed down. Natasha mouthed to Coulson, "what the hell?" She rubbed her fingers through his hair.
Coulson sighed, "Clint has Aspergers. It's why he has perfect aim with a bow and arrow, although he gets a bit over simulated sometimes. The lights were what triggered him this time". Clint sat up, wiping his eyes.
"Sorry", he mumbled as he stood up and changed into new pants and put a t shirt on. Clint sat back down, cuddling into Coulson. "It's wasn't these lights", he mumbled into Coulson's suit jacket.
"Clint please tell us what is going on", Coulson asked him in a gentle tone. "No. We go home", he argued back.
"Clint we go home but first tell me what upset you. We want to avoid it next time", Coulson told him. "He was in the circus. He thought me to use bow. He corrected me when I got it wrong", Clint told them. By corrected they both knew he meant hit. "The swordsman", he mumbled his name.
"He admitted to having sex with kids younger than me. Did he?" Natasha couldn't finish the question. Clint shook his head, "no no no no no". He sung the words. Coulson sighed and held Clint tighter. Clint squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out memories. Memories he'd rather erase. Natasha held his hand and put the weighted blanket over the three of them.
"Alright let's go home. We can watch a Supernanny on the plane", Coulson told him after a while. Natasha and Coulson grabbed their bags and followed them out the door.
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