A/N: Hi everyone! So in honor of Inktober I thought I would attempt to write a couple of oneshots! And here is the first! Hope you enjoy!
A Complete Ass
Clint groaned as he rolled over in bed. Lucky was barking at the insistent knocking at the front door. Clint pulled his pillow over his head and attempted to ignore the knocking, he had no desire to see anyone. A moment passed and the knocking only got louder and Lucky only got more anxious as he continued to bark. Clint let out another lengthy groan as he pulled himself into a sitting position.
"I'm coming, Lucky. Quiet down. Or Simone will have my head for waking the kids up too early." Clint grumbled as he walked through his apartment and to the front door. He looked through the peephole and was only slightly surprised to see his partner and best friend, Natasha Romanoff standing there. She, of course, looked perfectly polished in her grey skinny jeans, dark green top, and black leather jacket and boots. Instead of being at all excited or happy at the sight of her, Clint's stomach began filling with dread. He had been avoiding Natasha skillfully ever since the Avengers had seen Thor (and Loki as his prisoner) off to Asgard. He had even resorted to lying and telling Natasha that he was going to Iowa to spend time with his brother on their childhood farm.
"Clint! I know you're standing at the door! Lucky stopped barking! Now either let me in or I am going to get louder out here!" Natasha spoke firmly. Lucky was whimpering at his feet once he recognized Natasha's voice, scratching gently at the door and looking up at Clint, his one good eye giving the classic puppy dog look.
Clint groaned again as he opened the door.
The second Natasha walked in the door, Lucky leaped up onto her and began licking her face "Lucky! I missed you too. But really I am here to see Clint." She laughed as she lightly pushed the dog off of her.
"Why are you here, Natasha?" Clint asked flatly.
"You've been avoiding me" Natasha said simply "You've ignored every last one of my texts and phone calls. You had to know I wasn't going to let you do that forever."
"I would have thought you would have respected me enough to give me my space" Clint responded bitingly "How did you even know where to find me?"
"Well, when you kept ignoring my phone calls and texts… I decided to call Barney to see how you were doing. He told me he hadn't seen you since last winter." Natasha began walking into the apartment "So I called Kate and asked her if she knew where you were. She told me you were here in Bed-Stuy."
"I am never telling that kid shit again…" Clint said under his breath as he flopped on the couch.
"Don't blame her. She tried her best to keep your secret. I… I may have used the fact that I know she is afraid of me to my advantage and pulled the information from her." Natasha looked somewhat ashamed as she sat down next to Clint.
Clint gaped at her "You… you used Widow tricks… on Kate?" Natasha nodded once looking down at her hands "What the hell is wrong with you Natasha? She's just a kid! Not even eighteen yet!"
"I was worried about you Clint! That's what's wrong with me!" Natasha raised her voice as she looked up at him eyes flashing "No one has seen you in two weeks! Not since Phil's funeral. You came out of this horrible mind control situation with Loki and then dealt with the horror that was the Battle of New York and then? You found out Phil was dead. And then once the funeral was over, you fell off the grid!"
"Yea, Natasha! It was all horrible!" Clint yelled "Now what exactly do you want me to do?"
"I want you to talk to me!" Natasha yelled back "That is what partners do, you know!"
Clint gave a short laugh "That's rich coming from you, Nat. Getting you to talk when something is bothering you is like pulling teeth from a rabid dog!"
Natasha rolled her eyes "My being closed off and stubborn has never stopped you from being there for me when I need you. I am not going to not be there for you when you need me, no matter how stubborn you are being!"
Clint scoffed. "What makes you think I need you?"
Natasha faltered slightly "I know what you're going through. I know what it's like having your brain tampered with." Natasha said softly before the bite returned to her voice "Or did you forget all about how I was brainwashed for the majority of my life by the Red Room?"
Clint looked as though he had been slapped "No. No, Nat. I could never forget."
"Then why the hell are you avoiding me?!" Natasha raised her voice to a yell again. "I could help you Clint!"
"Because Nat!" Clint yelled, frustrated.
"Because why, Clint?" Natasha immediately yelled back "Really, tell me. I would like to know why my BEST FRIEND has been avoiding me for two weeks." She was looking at him arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"Loki wanted me to KILL you, Nat!" Clint shouted as he stood abruptly "He wanted me to do a whole list of horrifying things to you before slitting your throat with an arrow. And I can't get it out of my head that...that I was...I was actually gonna do it! I wanted to follow his orders! I have been having nightmares about it ever since. Every night that's the nightmare I have. That I actually killed you." Clint looked down at his feet before continuing in a much quieter tone "How could I face you when I WANTED to kill you?"
Natasha's expression softened "Loki had control over every aspect of your being, Clint. What you did and thought while under his control… that… that wasn't you. That was him."
Clint just shook his head in frustration as he spoke harshly "That doesn't take away the fact that I'm still having these horrifyingly vivid nightmares about killing you." Clint turned away from Natasha and rubbed his hands over his face. "I could still hurt you.
"You won't hurt me. I know you won't. Just… let me help you." Natasha reached out and attempted to place a hand on Clints arm, but he quickly pulled away from her reach.
"Natasha, I think you should go." Clint said without looking at her.
"Damn it, Clint! Why are you being so stubborn?" Natasha responded without moving.
Clint turned to glare at her as he sarcastically said "I don't know, Natasha. Why do you care so much?"
Natasha locked eyes with him as she returned the glare before she said "Because I love you, you complete ass."
Silence filled the room as Clint blinked at her, a look of complete confusion on his face "You what…?"
"Боже мой…" Natasha muttered as she rolled her eyes. "I said…" She stepped so that she was right in front of him "I love you, Clint Barton. Even when you are being an ass. THAT'S why I care so much."
"Natasha… I…" Clint looked down at his feet before he looked back up at her, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. Before Natasha could react to him crying, Clint pulled her into his arms and started speaking again "I love you too. God. I love you so damn much."
"Then please, Clint, please. Let me help you." Natasha pulled away from him so she could look him in the eyes "We have both always slept better together… And, besides, I need you, Clint. I don't think I can give you this space anymore. It's been killing me to be away from you." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck as she leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply.
Clint pulled away and began placing gentle kisses all over Natasha's face as he spoke "You're right. I'm so sorry, Tasha. I… I never meant to hurt you… I was just trying to protect you." He finally finished by kissing her gently.
"You never need to protect me from yourself, Clint." Natasha rested her head on Clints shoulder. "I am always going to be here for you."
"Thank you, for coming here today." Clint said softly before kissing the top of her head.
A/N: This was so much fun to write! Gah Clintasha is just my favorite! Hope you liked it! Tell me what you thought!
