"How about something like, "I think you're interesting and would like to get to know you better, can I take you for dinner some time?"" Steve
"But, I've known her for years. Sort of. And that's really cheesy, she'll hit me if I say that!" Clint laughed
"Or say you're boring and she wants to know you less..." Tony snickered
"Ouch, she's not that cold hearted, just violent." Bruce groaned
"So what can I do? I can't just keep on like this, at the rate she's going she won't be comfortable enough with me until we're dead." Clint
"And in your profession, that's likely to be sooner rather than later. Especially if you're distracted by her every time you two fight together!" Tony laughed
"Or thinking about her whenever you two are apart..." Bruce smirked
"What are you boys talking about? Sounds like you're having a good time." Natalia appeared around the corner into Bruce's lab where the guys were standing around the work bench holding drinks.
"Oh, just some guy stuff, objectifying women, that sort of thing." Tony gave Natalia a playboy smile and downed the rest of his beer. "I guess we have to stop since there's a lady in the room. I have to get back to my training anyways. See you guys later." he waved a hand over his shoulder as he left the room.
Natalia scowled at Tony's retreating back and walked up to the work bench. " Thor's looking for you, Captain." Natalia nodded at Steve.
"Yes ma'am. See you later."
As the door closed after Steve left, Bruce looked between Clint and Natalia, who were both intently inspecting the blueprints on the workbench. Then he put down his drink and headed to the far side of the lab, where he started typing away at a computer monitor.
Clint looked up at Natalia, who was standing at the end of the workbench, quickly looked back down at the table, then realised he was acting strange and tried to cover by heading for the door.
"I've got to... get back to something." he muttered as he left. Closing the door quickly behind him.
"What's up with him?" Natalia asked Bruce, walking around the workbench and coming up behind Banner where he was hunched over his computer.
Bruce tried to pretend to ignore her and focus on his work.
"Banner?" Natalia's voice was cold and commanding. "You know what's up, don't you?" She suddenly swooped down on him, leaning between him and his computer, staring him in the eyes, as he tried to avoid her gaze by focusing on the keyboard.
There was a silent moment as the two had a stare-off.
"You know what it is." Bruce finally blurted out, looking up to meet Natalia's gaze. he smiled at her. "you know very well what's up with him." He pushed his chair back from his desk and walked back to the workbench, while Natalia stood frozen where she was, glaring after him. He began picking up the discarded beer cans and turned to face Natalia.
he smiled at her, enjoying that she was noticeably rattled by what he'd said. "You're a spy, you watch people, you don't need to be told. You know what he's thinking better than any of us." He carried the cans to corner and dropped them in the recycle bin.
"He's an assassin, he's used to waiting. It's your move now Ms. Romanova."
Natalia crossed her arms over her chest and let out a little sound of derision. Their eyes met as Bruce turned around and walked back over to her. They stood staring at each other for a moment. Then Natalia blinked, stood up straight and started for the door, her head lowered and her arms still crossed.
"We're the Avengers, Natalia. You don't have to watch your back with us, we're here to get your back for you." Bruce said in a quiet voice. He wasn't sure if she'd heard, as she walked out of the room without looking back.
Natalia walked down the hall a bit, then stopped against the wall and closed her eyes, leaning her shoulder into the wall and hunching up even further upon herself. She looked so weak and vulnerable. She felt weak and vulnerable. Hawkeye made her weak and vulnerable. She made a decision then, based on all her experience and years of training, knowing what she must do. She stood up straight, looking around to reassure herself that no one had seen her moment of weakness. Then she turned on her heal and headed back to her room.
She selected a small shotgun from among her personal weapons. She concealed it easily in the pocket of her loose fitting pants, tied her hair back and steadied her nerves for a moment. Taking a deep breath she headed to Hawkeye's room.
She arrived at his room with the shut door and empty hallway hardening her resolve. She could slip in, kill him silently and leave him to be found in the morning. There would be so much fuss over lacks security she would be forgotten.
She lifted her arm to knock on the door, hesitated for a moment and lowered it to the handle. She slowed turned the knob and opened the door. Stepping into the room she surveyed the sparse furnishings to identify potential weapons and traps. Jus routine for her. Hawkeye was hunched on the windowsill, looking out down over the city. It had started to rain gently, and the drops made Rorschacheque blots on the pane of glass.
Natalia had been so quiet coming into the room that Hawkeye didn't turn his head. He was focusing on something far away, or maybe something deep inside his mind.
Natalia stepped to the right and closed the door with a click, drawing her gun with her right hand as she did so.
Clint whipped his head around, surprised for a minute, then a look of shock overcame his face, before his handsome features settled into a resigned look of sorrow.
"Nat" He whispered, raising his arm up towards her, holding out his hand against the gun, but staying completely still where he sat.
"I've been compromised." Natalia said, her voice thick. "This will kill us both if we let it persist." She took a step towards him.
"Nat. You know I wouldn't do anything to risk you." Clint said slowly. "But, things are different now. You don't have to be a lone spy. We have the Avengers. We're a team now. You too. They all trust you. We all look out for each other."
"That never works, trust based on friendship and love is weak. You can only trust your enemy to try and kill you." Natalia clutched the gun tighter in her hand.
"Sometimes it's worth the risk. Because when it works out it's greater than anything you can find in mistrust and hatred. I just wish you could feel that." Clint locked eyes with Natalia. She held his gaze and lowered her weapon a fraction of an inch.
Finally she spoke.
"I'm scared." She said. Her voice was even, though Hawkeye could hear the emotion just below the surface. She was always trying so hard to hide her feelings.
"Natalia. There's no one here. Just you and me. I'm not asking you to trust everyone. I'm not asking you to trust me. Just give me a chance." Clint stood up slowly. Natalia didn't move, so Clint took it as a sign to slowly edge towards her, holding his hands at shoulder height until he edged up beside her, then he gently covered her hand with his and pried it out of her hands. He tossed it onto the far side of the bed and let out a sigh of relief. He lowered her hand with his and held onto it, then he brushed a strand of red hair away from her face and looked her in the eyes.
A single tear had run down her face.
"Maybe those things worth risking, are more important than life. Maybe death is preferable to living without knowing..." Natalia's voice was thick with pain and she stifled as sob as she trailed off. She stood stiffly for a moment, then threw herself at Clint, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder.
"Trusting people doesn't make you weak. Trust is hard. Maybe it will make you stronger." Clint whispered into her hair, stroking her long red locks with one hand as he held her close with his other.