This is my first try at a darker themed story...would love feedback.
Disclaimer: I do not in any way profit from the story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator.
Clint has dealt with a lot of shit in his life, so much so that it's almost the short bright sunny periods of his life that actually unsettle him. And as much as he hated to admit it, being part of the avengers team has certainly been among those. He might not be the most social guy in the world, but there was a sort of comfort to being surrounded by people he trusted, even when he didn't necessarily like them all. When the other shoe finally dropped, he was almost relieved in a way.
Pain and suffering he was familiar with, getting captured by a bad guy and tied to a chair buck naked while his pet monster tenderizes him with a little saliva before taking a bite out of his shoulder was hardly the worst thing that has ever happened to him. He can't help sneering when Coulson arranges for him to talk to a shrink, and scares the young pimply kid sitting across from him so much that he'd probably need to get a lot of therapy himself.
The first time he realized that there was something not quite right was after their next mission. Steve had pulled him in for a celebratory hug after the goo monster of the week had finally exploded. Clint knew he was more of a stickler for personal space than most other people, but his usual reaction to its invasion was annoyance, not dread. The sudden flashback to inhuman claws gripping him tightly took him by surprise, and he didn't realize he was clawing desperately at the other man's shield, trying to push him away, until Steve let him go like a hot brick and stepped back.
"I apologize, Clint..I didn't mean to hurt you, I guess I still forget my strength sometimes."
Steve's puppy dog eyes almost makes Clint want to assure him that he had only used a very reasonable amount of force in the hug, but he needs that excuse, so he just nods and mumbles , "Don't worry about it."
Clint knows from the prickly sensation at the back of his neck that he's being watched, and turns to see Natasha watching him almost clinically.