Clint's POV :)
Title: Knight in Leather Armor
Author: Cindy Ryan
Pairings: Clint/Natasha
timeline: pre-movie
Clint Barton didn't think he and his partner Natasha Romanoff had gotten compliant. Didn't think they'd gotten to the point where an op was routine. He thought they treated each mission like it was new. Even if it was their day to day job Hawkeye hadn't realized they'd fallen into a routine.
Routines were bad.
It made people make mistakes; deadly mistakes.
They weren't there yet….their partnership too new.
That reasoning had almost cost Hawkeye a partner and his own life as well.
Amazing how long a second could be. It was the setting sun that had caused Hawkeye to even see the small throwing stars in the first place.
Pure damn luck.
If he'd blinked at the wrong time he would've missed them.
That simple and that frightening.
There'd been no time to shout a warning.
Only time to react.
Even as Hawkeye tackled Nat to the ground he wasn't sure he'd been fast enough. Wasn't sure how many throwing stars there were.
He knew one had penetrated his vest.
One had sailed by his right ear.
The location of the others: unknown.
The only good thing was the gunfire had stopped. Clint wanted to ask if Nat was okay. He could see surprise, confusion
and a tiny bit of fear in her green eyes. However from the way he had landed it was hard to breathe with her arms pressed into his rib cage.
Hawkeye could feel blood on his chest but because if was between them he wasn't sure if it was hers or his.
Correct that Clint wasn't sure if it was her blood and his blood.
The star had definitely hit him.
Hawkeye hadn't always been the noble good guy. He'd strayed; straddled the line between good and evil. More often than not Clint had let the good guys sway him simply because he hated seeing the innocent suffer. If picking sides meant he could prevent that in the end the fights and battles were worth it.
What would be worth it today would be the pain he was feeling.
Hawkeye would endure the pain if it meant he'd achieved his goal and Nat hadn't suffered more than bruises.
Becoming romantically involved with your partner was as bad as the ops becoming routine. Perhaps more so. The person became a liability if things went south. Something for the bad guys to use against you. What he had with Natasha was different than anything Clint had felt in the past with other woman.
It was a bond in the truest since of the word.
Sure they got on each others nerves just like every other couple. Still when push came to shove she stood by his side and he by hers. So tackling Nat out of the line of fire was just another ordinary thing. Something he'd do again and knew she'd do the same for him.
Time finally snapped back into reality and Nat pulled her hands free noticing the blood. Clint still didn't have his breathe back, still couldn't talk to ask the one thing he desperately wanted to.
The fact that she was moving was a good sign. So was the worry in her voice.
"Clint?"The Black Widow asked.
With a groan Hawkeye rolled onto his back as Nat sat up. He felt her frantic movements as her hands searched for a source of the blood. Finally Clint got enough of his breathe back to be able to speak. He glanced down and saw the wound wasn't too bad; not life threatening.
"You do not always have to be so noble."Natasha stated.
That remark caused Clint to grin and he gently captured Nat's right hand stopping her.
"It's a partner thing."Hawkeye replied as she broke his grasp and peeled the rest of his vest away. "See, just a scratch."
Slowly sitting up Clint saw the fear slowly drain from Natasha's face and the professional mask slip back. Still he wanted to reassure her even with the unknown danger still on the roof and the surrounding buildings. Unprofessional on his part but something Clint had to do. He captured Nat's right hand in his once more forcing her to look at him.
"See,"Hawkeye stated calmly. "Nothing. I've cut myself worse shaving."
"That was too close."The Black Widow acknowledged as she glanced around the car they were behind.
Barton took that opportunity to make sure Nat wasn't injured. To make sure the blood on her clothes was his. She was right that had been far too close…..they hadn't had a near death incident in awhile.
"Yeah it was."Clint agreed solemnly."For a second I thought I hadn't moved fast enough."
Hawkeye saw Nat's professional mask falter for a moment and it was back to being Clint and Nat; not Black Widow and Hawkeye.
Natasha leaned in and kissed him quickly. "Thank you."
"What partners are for."Barton replied as they both rose to a crouch behind the sedan "Any sign of our ninja friend?"
"No."Romanoff replied. "I think they cut their losses and left."
As they fell back into work mode Clint realized sometimes routine was a good thing. He took comfort at having Nat by his side. He was lucky to have her as a partner both professionally and personally.
end
