Love is for Children

an AVENGERS fanfic

by: EmilyHelene

A/N: Okay so I'm not sure what this is and it's my first time writing for the Avengers but I saw the movie recently and fell in love with the obviously dysfunctional yet deep and meaningful relationship between Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton (Black Widow and Hawkeye). There's just something about it that gets my OTP senses tingling and this is what came of it.

To everyone reading my other stories, I love you so much and I know that I am the worst updater EVER! I'm working on a few pieces now that I think you'll like (continuations and other chapters of stories), I've just been battling off depression, family stresses, school stresses and severe writer's block so unfortunately I neglected my fanfiction...I am so very sorry and you all deserve the highest of fives for sticking with me. From the bottom of my silly little heart, thank you. AND I'm going to stop before my author's note becomes longer than my fic...

Without further ado, I present a one-shot for the Natasha/Clint fandom of the Avengers community...


I all but scoffed as I stared him straight in the eye and said, "Love is for children."

My words relayed themselves over and over in my mind until I could barely stand it. Of all the words Loki had said to potentially discover a weakness I had hidden deeply beneath the tough exterior of an assassin, it was my own startlingly accurate realization that did me in.

The entire basis of my career was built upon strict fundamentals. Do not open yourself up to anyone for vulnerability equates weakness and weakness equates death. The principals were steadfast and simple and never before had I overstepped my boundaries in such a way as this. It was foolish and yet I could not take it back no matter how ruthlessly desperation clawed at my insides.

As I put one foot in front of the other, leaving Loki in his glass imprisonment where he belonged, I did my best to forget everything that had been discussed. Barton and I had history that dated back to a time that I myself am not particularly proud of and because of it, I was indebted to him.

Partners. That's what we were and it was the only label that had ever come close to establishing out relationship. Knowing that he had been compromised was one of the most surprising things I had heard in a long time and whether I admit it aloud or not, it did carry some weight on my decisions.

From my childhood, I had been trained not to feel anything for anyone and more specifically, never to accommodate any sort of weakness or grant preferential treatment. Barton's and my partnership in our line of work was dangerous. It was times like this that I remembered how threatening something as childish as love could be on our lives.

Perhaps what I felt for him was something other than love.

Or perhaps my statement was not far from the truth: the child within me sat clinging to this impossible ideology with an irreverent persistence. To love.


Reviews are like Christmas so please drop me one! Constructive criticism is ALWAYS welcomed and encouraged more than anything! One thing I find inappropriate for any story is leaving really rude comments; they don't make anyone feel good about themselves so what's the point? Advice for improvement? Bring it, baby.

Thanks for reading! (:

Happy Writing,

EmilyHelene