ONESHOT WEEK #6

A/N: I'm SO SO SO SO SORRY this was a day late. I was totally unprepared. Can you forgive me if I say I was watching the Avengers? No? Didn't think so. And the surprise will have to be postponed to tomorrow. Sorry. But anyway thanks for the immense amount of positive feedback I've gotten on these, guys! It means a lot! And maKe sure to take the new poll on my page!

Enjoy the story, however awful or OOC it may be.

PUZZLE #6: You're in a room. It is a cube that is hard, solid, and almost impenetrable. There are no windows, doors, or any way out. The only thing in the room with you is a mirror and a table. How do you get out?

(If anyone gets that I'll be genuinely impressed)

Barton's Been Compromised

Nick Fury knows about the relationship between Barton and Romanoff, even if they don't know it themselves. Anyone with one good eye could see it on first glance. When Barton brought her back alive all those years ago, there was something in his eyes that begged Fury to let her stay. And out of pure sympathy, he agreed, under the conditions that she stuck close to him and became his partner.

It was one of the best decisions Nick Fury ever made. The Black Widow turned out to be an indispensable agent, who quickly rocketed her way through the ranks. She became quickly respected and feared throughout the agency. And, true to her word, she stuck close to Agent Barton – perhaps too close. The two became an inseparable pair. He began to find it weird if he ever saw one without the other. They were like two halves.

He saw the romantic attraction right away. Barton's pupils widened when he looked into her eyes. It was then Fury knew that the Hawk had fallen. He was only surprised when Natasha gave him the exact same look. Turned out the Widow had fallen, too. Fury couldn't help but internally smile. It was about time Barton found himself a lady.

Even though he was supposed to steer clear of the relationships between agents, he couldn't help but give subtle advice to the helpless Barton. The man had no clue how to make a move on a woman. He reminded him that there were no rules restricting relationships between agents, though the hint didn't seem to get through his thick skull.

Fury continues to do things like this, though less now. It seems helpless, but he hasn't given up.

And when Barton is compromised, he can see the toll it takes on Romanoff. She doesn't show, but inside she is mentally freaking out. He knows she is desperate when he sees her look at the profile of Barton on the computer screen, tracking his location. She never worries about Clint when he's off on a solo mission. Some people would think she is emotionless. This would be one of the times when they are proved dead wrong.

And if Nick Fury is asked if he knew anything about the relationship between Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff, he would deny it. And if asked if he cared at all about their relationship, he would simply scoff. After all, he has a reputation to keep as the poker-faced director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who doesn't stick his nose in anyone's personal business.

Phil Coulson has seen Agent Barton as a ward/friend ever since he recruited him into S.H.I.E.L.D. He has watched him grow from an arrogant teenager to an arrogant adult. He has risen through the ranks, becoming one of the top agents in the agency. Phil has always been especially close to him, and both of them feel sympathy toward the other for one thing – neither of them can find a lady. Eventually Phil finds one, a cellist from Portland, but it takes Clint longer, and comes in the form of Natasha Romanoff. Clint denies that she is "his girl," but Phil knows better. He sees that look in his eyes. Eventually, Phil sees Natasha as a close friend as well. He comes to trust her just as much as he does Clint. He is allowed to call her by her first time, but never Nat or Tasha. Clint, and Clint alone, has permission to call her those names. Anyone else will be promptly kicked in the balls.

Phil, noticing how awful his friend is with women, gives him advice. Clint always blushes when Phil talks about this with him. Most people would be surprised to know that Phil even had emotions to talk about emotions with. But even so, Clint doesn't listen to his advice. He's afraid that he might "ruin everything." Phil knows this isn't true. Natasha feels just the same.

And if he can't prove it then, he can prove it later. Fury sent her off on a solo mission in Russia when Barton was compromised. He gave her a call, telling her Fury needed her to come back. Natasha, immediately confused, refused. She was stubborn. She always finished a mission. Phil knew this, so he used the words he knew would convince Natasha.

"Barton's been compromised."

The sound of her pummeling Russian men on the other end of the line was reassuring. She cared about Barton more than a mission – and to her, a mission meant everything.

And when Phil was lying in a puddle of his own blood, alone, he could only think of one thing – the notes Natasha and Clint had written to each other, to be given to the other if they ever died, which were hidden in Phil's desk. They had all assumed Phil wouldn't be the one to die first. What fools they'd all been. Phil just hoped Clint would make his move on Natasha after this was all over.

Agent Maria Hill doesn't have feelings. Or at least, that's what everyone says. She likes that expectation, and she lives it down. She doesn't let anyone see her inside.

But, that doesn't mean she doesn't make good observations. She makes great observations. But, it doesn't take her level of observation to notice what's going on between Barton and Romanoff. Hill doesn't like to get involved in the relationships between other agents (mainly because she doesn't care), but they are hard to miss. They've been around longer than most agents, they're more well-known, and despite their best efforts, it's quite obvious what's going on between them. She hears the younger agents whispering and exchanging bets. She rolls her eyes and doesn't partake in those petty affairs, but in her head she subconsciously keeps tabs on them. It's not on purpose, but she can't help it. She doesn't know why. Maybe it's the teenage girl stuck deep in her. She thought she buried that part of her a long time ago.

Or perhaps it's the fact that she's jealous that she can't have what they have, and she prays that it turns out well. She doesn't want heartbreak within the agency. It will make deficiencies within everyone's work. And possibly ruin the lives of Clint and Natasha. She knows one can't live without the other. She's watched them. She's read the their mission reports. They rely on each other. Reading the reports, she can tell that for Clint, at least, on missions he only pays attention to Natasha. He protects her, but he does a crap job of protecting himself. That's why Natasha has to watch his back for him.

She appreciates and is jealous of what they have. But she would never admit that out loud. She has a reputation to live up to.

He tells him everything. And when he says everything, he truly means everything. There is literally a time when Agent Barton is working on something he assigned him, and Loki sits down and listens to the man tell him absolutely everything. And even though Barton is under his command and supposedly has no feelings for his real life, he can immediately tell that he is in love with the one named Natasha Romanoff. He talks about her like she is the god. Their history is complicated and intertwined, and he thinks that it's no wonder he's in love – he knows her like no other. He truly wonders what this woman is actually like – Barton makes her sound ruthless, beautiful, strong, but the best thing that ever came into his life.

Once Agent Barton finishes his tale, Loki stands up, continuing to hold his poker face. He pushes all thoughts of sympathy toward Barton out of his mind. This will make great leverage against him.

It is when he first meets Agent Romanoff that he realizes everything Barton told him about her was absolutely true. She is ruthless, strong, beautiful, and she loves Agent Barton with just as much passion as he does her. However, unlike Barton, she is in denial. She asks him about Barton, instantly setting off alarm bells and making him grin. This is great. This is leverage, but it still amuses him. He asks her if this is love, and she quickly denies it. Perhaps too quickly. Loki thinks she's lying. She explains her debt to Barton, but even Loki can tell that debt has been long paid off. She is simply masking her love. She is trying hard and doing it well, but not well enough. He can see right through her. He threatens her using her love against her, which she trembles at. He grins. True, afterwards he feels like a fool when she reveals the fear on her face was a ruse as well, but he still keeps to his word. He won't touch Barton, not until he kills her. Because he knows that is the one thing that will break her; the one thing that will take her down faster than any other. They may try to hide their feelings, but it's no use. A love the strength of theirs can't be hidden.