Skye sighed quietly, she had held onto a slim hope that Clint had forgotten what they'd been discussing but that was apparently not the case, dropping her hand she curled it around his arm where it disappeared beneath the hem of her shirt.
"Fine, we'll talk but could we do that after you get dressed? And preferably in a room without a bed?"
It was a strange request and Skye knew that, but at the moment she honestly didn't trust herself to be in a room that housed a bed with him virtually naked, the pull between them was strong and even now she found her gaze locked upon his bare chest.
"I think that's doable," Clint murmured.
When Clint turned to retrieve his clothing from where it had been carelessly discarded the night before, Skye had to bite her lower lip in order to stop herself from groaning as he bent over to gather up his jeans. That ass is a work of art.
As Clint unfastened his towel Skye turned and started towards the door, if she stayed in the room she had a funny feeling that she'd likely end up pinning him to the bed and licking her way along every glorious inch of Clint's scarred, muscled body.
Once in the hallway with the door closed Skye took a deep cleansing breath, as she made her way down the hall Skye busied her hands with combing her fingers through her hair.
Stepping into the lounge she scanned the spacious area, her eyes swept over the couch before darting back and widening as she caught the barest glimpse of Jemma underneath a larger, very masculine body.
"Holy, hot half naked assassin," Skye mumbled, wide-eyed.
"You know, if I didn't know better I might be jealous about that remark."
Clint's husky whisper by her ear made Skye jump, turning side on she waved a hand vaguely towards the pair entwined on the couch as she whispered;
"Am I seeing things or is my best friend and the closest thing I have to a sister currently lying under and making out with a hot, seriously buff, half naked Winter Soldier?"
"Barnes, didn't your mother teach you to be a gentleman? Let the poor woman up for air," Clint called.
Skye saw the reaction almost immediately as the muscles in that bare masculine back tensed at the same moment as she heard Jemma's soft gasp. Skye felt her lips twitch with barely contained amusement as she called out;
"Jemma, I didn't know you had it in you."
"Skye! Don't make it sound so….so tawdry, he's my soulmate," Jemma squawked in response.
"Oh? In that case now you know what I was going through."
Crossing to the couch the pair was entangled upon Skye crossed her arms over her chest, studiously watching Bucky as he carefully extracted himself from Jemma. He got points in her mental notebook for his careful tenderness with Jemma, when he stood at his full height Skye realised he was probably an inch, almost two taller than Clint.
Stepping up to Bucky, Skye uncrossed her arms and extended one hand out to Bucky's chest – pointedly ignoring Clint's low growl of disapproval from behind her – poking him sharply with her index and middle fingers Skye said firmly;
"You hurt her and I'll make you regret it. Winter Soldier or no I have a few tricks that I'm pretty sure you won't expect, Barnes."
Skye had to call on every ounce of May's training not to visibly flinch as those piercing blue eyes scanned over her studiously, she had the distinct impression Bucky was assessing her for strengths and weakness.
Tightening her lips and straightening her shoulders Skye arched one brow in silent question; they stood like that for a few minutes before Bucky's lips twitched into a slight grin moments before his low chuckle reached her ears.
"Doll, if I hurt her you'll have to get in line to kick my ass right behind me and probably the punk."
Bristling at the nickname Skye balled her hand into a fist and swung out at his right shoulder putting all her strength behind it as she groused;
"Don't call me Doll, my name is Skye."
"Old habit Do…Skye, Jemma's lucky to have a friend willing to stand up for her. Not many people have the guts to stand up to the Winter Soldier, let alone threaten him." Bucky's low voice was strangely conflicted.
"Well that's me, occasionally suicidally stupid, you'd think I'd have learnt my lesson after two shots in the stomach but apparently not," Skye mumbled as she idly tugged at the hem of her t-shirt before looking to Jemma and remembering why she'd been about to seek her best friend and surrogate sister out.
"Oh, speaking of stupid mistakes, Jemma, do you happen to have your kit with you? Wait, why am I asking that, you never go anywhere without it."
At Jemma's raised brow Skye felt her cheeks burn. Turning her back to Bucky she dropped her gaze to her bare feet to shield her face behind her hair. A couple of breaths later she mumbled;
"Please tell me you've still got morning after pills and birth control shots in there?"
"I do….. why? Wait, Skye, you didn't!"
Jemma's tone went from cautious to outraged in under a minute, the sudden sound of a slap echoed in the quiet room followed shortly by Clint's muttered curses. When Skye glanced up she saw Clint rubbing his upper arm momentarily before Jemma's face was right in front of her.
"Not intentionally!"
"Wait, why would Jemma be carrying birth control supplies with her all the time?" Clint grumbled while rubbing his arm still.
"Bobbi."
Skye blinked, looking to Jemma as they both spoke at the same time, unable to contain her laughter Skye shook her head slightly before wrapping her arms around Jemma and hugging her tightly.
"Bobbi?"
"She and Hunter are…." Jemma trailed off glancing to Skye as she didn't know how to finish that sentence.
"Spur of the moment with their sex lives at times. Poor Mack often has to clean various surfaces in the Playground after they've defiled them. Apparently Hunter wasn't a boy scout, he isn't always prepared."
"Ah, now that comment in the kitchen last night makes perfect sense as well as your embarrassment," Clint stated as he dropped heavily into one of the couches.
Skye watched silently as Jemma spared Bucky a long glance before she headed off towards her room, turning towards Clint she sat down on the coffee table facing him and was aware of Bucky settling onto the other couch in her peripheral vision.
"So where were we? Before I got distracted by tall, dark and deadly over here," Skye stopped speaking briefly to wave one hand towards Bucky before continuing "making out with Jemma?"
"You were about to tell me who shot you twice in the stomach and how it happened."
Arching one brow upwards at the command Skye felt the hair on the back of her neck rise; leaning back she braced her hands on the coffee table and waited. She never had liked being ordered around as a child, nor as an adult, though it was different with Coulson and May.
"Was I?" Skye quipped.
Clint frowned at the snarky tone of Skye's voice, when he took in her body language he suddenly realised his mistake. He hadn't asked her to explain he'd all but ordered her to tell him.
"Ah, fuck. Skye, that came out wrong, I didn't mean to make that sound like an order."
"You think, Sherlock?" Skye stated as she kicked lightly at Clint's leg.
"She's feisty Barton; I think you're going to have your hands full with this one," Bucky all but chuckled in amusement.
"If I didn't think she'd kick my ass or try to kill me I'd likely put her over my knee for that feistiness, Barnes."
Skye's soft spluttering as her gaze darted between him and Bucky had Clint's mouth curving into a wicked grin, scooting forward so he was sitting on the edge of the couch Clint leant forward to settle his hands on Skye's knees.
"Skye, it doesn't sit right with me knowing that someone seriously hurt you and is still out there on the loose. Please tell us?"
"Actually, technically he killed her. She flatlined on me several times," Jemma's calm tone interjected.
It would have been impossible for Clint to miss Skye's wince, even had he been blind he'd have known as her whole body had tensed. Turning his gaze to Jemma he knew the moment her soft gasp reached his ears that his anger over that revelation must be showing.
"Jemma, remember the whole discussion Coulson had with us about not telling people I died? You know that always raises questions!" Skye muttered quietly.
Trying to remain calm after that particular revelation was virtually impossible for Clint, his hands tightened on Skye's knees as his mind whirled chaotically with the idea his soulmate had died on him albeit briefly.
Cool metal gripping his wrist drew Clint back to reality as his gaze darted momentarily to Bucky, inclining his head slightly he turned his attention back to Skye who was chewing nervously at her thumb nail as she studied him.
"How the hell is she still here then?" Clint barked.
The silence in the room was deafening as Clint slouched back into the couch, crossing his arms over his chest he looked between the two women, they appeared to be conversing silently similar to the way he and Natasha did on occasion, he could feel his patience wearing thin and eventually snapped;
"One of you, answer me please?"
"Coulson," Skye said simply as though that were answer enough.
"What about him?" Bucky's confused voice chimed in.
"We used the same drug that brought Coulson back on Skye, though I still don't know why he came running in yelling for me not to use it. Skye was dying on me any way, there are only so many times you can resuscitate someone before they suffer permanent brain damage," Jemma muttered sullenly, she was still a little perturbed about not knowing more about that miracle drug.
"Jemma, you're not helping the situation any!" Skye snapped before dragging her fingers through her hair.
Studying Clint, Skye suspected he was a split second away from storming off to look for Coulson for answers, pushing off the coffee table Skye took two steps forward and dropped onto her knees on the couch before moving to straddle Clint's thighs. Bringing both her hands to Clint's cheeks Skye whispered;
"Clint, breathe. Deep calm breaths and look at me. This is me still here alive and kicking despite Quinn's best attempt at knocking me off."
When she suddenly found herself crushed against Clint with his arms clamped vicelike around her, Skye's breath rushed out in a whoosh, Skye felt more than heard the feral snarl rumbling in Clint's chest as he growled;
"Quinn? Ian Quinn, the billionaire philanthropist?"
Sighing softly Skye dropped her chin to rest on Clint's shoulder, she hadn't realised that she'd let Quinn's name slip out, she had been more focused on trying to get Clint to calm down.
"And terrorist. But yes, that's him."
The sudden sting in her arm had Skye jerking within Clint's vicelike hold, lifting her head she turned her gaze onto Jemma as she was depressing the plunger of the syringe now lodged in her upper arm and petulantly muttered;
"Ow. Simmons what is it with you and needles around me? You're either draining me dry of blood for testing or randomly jabbing shots into me."
Clint's sudden rumble of laughter that vibrated through him somehow managed to defuse Skye's sudden annoyance with her best friend, holding her hand out Jemma popped a small pill into her waiting palm.
After swallowing it dry Skye pulled a face, leaning back against Clint's hold she frowned as her stomach growled loud enough for everyone to hear, groaning quietly she slumped into Clint and buried her face against the side of his neck muttering;
"Do you think breakfast is still on? I could really use food."
"With how much Steve and Bucky eat breakfast is usually a couple of hours and a buffet ordeal. But at the same time if it's finished it gives me an excuse to get you out of the tower and away from your over protective family."
"Feed me first before you start plotting more ways to try and wear me out, buster," Skye muttered against Clint's neck before forcing herself to push back away from him and onto her feet.
He followed her at once, though, his arm curling around her waist, his face nuzzling her hair aside so he could press kisses on her neck. "Oh, beautiful. You ain't seen nothin' yet."
Skye was about half a second from dragging Clint back to her room and ripping his clothes to shreds when Jemma's cough brought her back to reality.
"This is really, really distracting," Skye mumbled, her eyes locked with Clint's.
"I totally agree," Jemma said. Bucky hadn't even bothered to put his shirt back on, so Skye cast Jemma a sympathetic grin. At least Clint had covered up his muscles. Some of his muscles. Why didn't any of his shirts have sleeves?
"I haven't had breakfast either," Jemma said, linking her arm through Skye's and tugging.
Skye looked at Jemma just in time to see her friend blush scarlet as they heard Bucky murmur;
"Good idea. You'll need the energy, doll."
