Author Notes: The story starts off before Iron Man 2. Clint and Natasha still running missions as ordered by Phil Coulson and Director Fury. What if Clint and Natasha developed a relationship outside of partnership? Basically This story follows the Marvel movie-verse but takes place during the characters off time.
Warnings: There is some cursing and smut.
Chapter 1
Sitting in the conference room, impatiently tapping her fingers on the long table. Listening to the clock tick, becoming more annoyed by each second. 'I am going to kick his ass' she thought to herself, letting out a loud sigh.
"Romanoff, any idea where you partner is?" Coulson asked her checking his watch again.
"I don't know, he will be getting fitted for a tracking device ." She growled.
Finally the conference doors opened, Agent Clinton Barton walking in as if nothing was wrong. Natasha starring daggers at him.
"What?" He asked.
"Your late AGAIN! Your team leader on this mission and your late!" Natasha scolded at him.
"Yea, trying to get Agent May to drop us in country us, instead of some newbie." Clint leaned over the table opposite of her, before sitting back in a chair.
"You two done?" Coulson asked, both Agents responded by shaking their heads, arms crossed in front their chest. "Ok then, Barton is team leader for this mission. Objective is to eliminate Hunter Paige and his crew. They have been traveling up and down the Horn of Africa, destroying villages and selling off the villagers. 3 days is your time frame to survey and eliminate the target. Any questions?" Both nodded sideways indicating they didn't. "Zero contact until the third day for extraction. Please don't kill each other. You'll be leaving in two hours. See you for debrief." Coulson said sliding both folders across the table, before leaving the two Agents alone in the conference room.
"Sorry I was late." Clint breaking the silence that filled large room. Natasha making the eye contact with his hazel eyes. Letting out another sigh in defeat.
"It's fine, Agent May will be flying us?" She started going through the file.
"No, she is on another mission." Clint said quickly, getting up and heading out the door before Natasha could get her hands on him.
It never took Natasha long to get ready for a mission, a quick raise off in the shower and putting on a fresh catsuit. Tossing clean underwear, bras and socks into the backpack, along with her hygiene bag. She didn't need much for five days. Tightening down her thigh holster and snapping her underarm holster securely to her body. Giving her barracks room a quick once over before departing, looking down at her watch. She still had 1 hour and 45 minutes to kill. Deciding to grab the book she has been reading, and left her room.
Clint was ready to leave out on mission, bag packed, quiver filled, and meal waiting for them to depart. He was searching for someone he trust to fly them to Africa. Clint could hear Natasha after action report, the pilot could have been better trained. That's her biggest grip, every newbie wants to fly S.H.I.E.L.D's top Agents and then can't handle hostile air space. It was almost her default negative comment on any of her reports.
Walking up the cargo ramp into the belly of the airplane. Natasha laying across the seats reading her book. Taking in the calm before the storm. He always found peace wherever she is.
"Found anyone to fly us that would not kill us?" Natasha said behind the pages of her book.
"Nope, it looks like we are going to have Agent Lane fly us there." Clint said in defeat.
"Agent who?" She asked placing her book on her stomach.
"Exactly" Clint replied with a disappointing groan. "but I did bring burgers from the joint you like."
"That you like. I was wondering what you were going to bring." Natasha said more excitedly. Between Clint and Natasha it became tradition who ever was team leader for the mission, brought food for the flight.
The sound of a footsteps approaching, Natasha propping her book back up, not wanting to deal with the green pilot. Clint standing up greeting the pilot, leading him to the cockpit, going over the details of location.
"мы собираемся умереть" Telling Clint they were going to die in her sarcastic tone.
"Not helping Romanoff." Clint yelled over his shoulder at her.
10 hours later...
A little rough on the take off, but rest of the flight was smooth. Both Clint and Natasha rotating turns co-piloting. Clint being the last one to co-pilot while Natasha slept for the remainder of the flight.
"Romanoff we are approaching the drop site." Clint appearing from the cockpit. Natasha already standing triple checking her gun magazines and loading the rounds securely into her gun before holstering her weapons. Putting a parachute sack on her back, and positioning her bag the front of her body. Clint opening the cargo hatch of the bird revealing dark skies. He placed his bags the same way Natasha had hers.
"Ladies first" Clint motion for Natasha to jump first.
Natasha fearlessly taking the lead and jumped out of the plane. A flash of red was the last bit of Natasha he saw. A smile pulled at the corners of his, finishing his count to 15 before following her.
She was able to land on her feet, and run off the speed. Before crouching down looking around the area. Securing the zone that her partner would be landing in next. 'Africa at night is peaceful.' She thought to herself as the sound of her partner landing next behind her. After a few minutes later Clint the all clear.
Both releasing the parachutes as they headed south. 6 miles to hike to the desired location Clint had picked to run surveillance from. The sun teasing the horizon as they arrived at the location. A rock formation providing the perfect protection.
Climbing up the backside of the formation, and scaling to the front, both not talking while the secure their site. Natasha laying flat on top of a rock with binoculars looking out and scanning the lands in the direction that Hunter Paige's compound is located.
"3 klicks out, southeast." Natasha told Clint, as she remained on the rock keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding area. Clint moving around the rock formation setting up boogie-traps at any access points. Just incase someone wanted to seek up on them. Dropping his gear, in the depression a rocking landing, where they would be setting up camp. He opening his bag, grabbing a canister of water and a zip lock of jerky. Taking a sip of water before crawling across the rock and laying next to completely still Natasha.
"My turn" Clint said trading the water for the binoculars.
"I think we should plan to go in at night and eliminate everyone else in their sleep." Clint looking out at the surroundings.
"Agreed" Natasha said. Thinking about how she would prefer to go in her sleep, peacefully and when that time comes. Not by someone else hand.
Natasha sliding down the rock, sitting against the rock and pulling out the field laptop. Reexamining the layout of the compound as well as the area around them. Being a top agent at S.H.I.E.L.D. meant she had to embrace the suck almost every mission. Hot and sweaty surveillance before the deadly assault. But at least her partner and best friend was there suck with her. This isn't the first time they have been stuck in the middle of a hot foreign country waiting to extract or kill a target. As long as Clint had her back they both will be getting out of Africa alive. Like her partner she had always had a his back, ever since he was sent to kill her, and he made a different call. He brought her in and taught her how to trust, and rely on him. She also cares for him more than just partners.
Clint sliding down the rock taking a sit next to her and looking over her shoulder on the laptop screen. Both agreeing going through the west wall would be the best entry point. Clint pointing out he could get them over the wall, they start there from the second floor and work their way down.
"Go room by room together." He told her.
"If we split up we will be done in half the time." Natasha suggesting.
"Or we can do that." He really didn't care as long as the mission objective got accomplished. They would stay put for the 36 hours and would attack the following night. Natasha volunteering to pull first watch, seeing that she was the last one to sleep on the plane. Clint watched Natasha crawling back up the rock, a smile pulling at his lips.
Clint was a reckless young man the first time he saw Natalia Romanova, on an Interpol wanted picture. He was assigned to take her out. He saw something within her that didn't yell killer. He saw a small child beneath the fiery composure. After-all, she was barely 16 years-old when she became a wanted fugitive. It's been a little less than a decade since he walked Natalia Romanova aka the "Black Widow" through the doors of S.H.I.E.L.D. Whenever Clint is having a rough day he thinks about the look on Coulson face when Clint walked in his office with her.
Clint repositioning his bag, laying on his back rest his head on top of it. His bow near his fingertips and placing his quiver in between his legs. Quickly falling asleep only thinking of the fiery red head keeping watch.