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11 : STARK AND BARTON'S EVIL PLAN
Day 1: An Overheated Training Room
Tony and Clint made good on their promise. The next day, they tampered with SHIELD's training schedules so when Steve went for his regular workout in what normally would be an empty gym, it would now be full of the young female SHIELD cadets training initiation. Steve entered before stopping in place.
"Captain Rogers, we apologize if we interrupted your workout, but there was a scheduling conflict"
Steve had a sneaking feeling he knew the source of the conflict. "No, don't be sorry. I'll just stay over here on this side" he said as he walked over to the punching bags.
Steve kept to himself as the females underwent their initiation. But the handsome super soldier caused the cadets to become distracted as he swung punches against the bag.
Tony, Thor and Bruce entered the gym to train alongside Steve, but upon seeing the cadets, took a seat on the bleachers. Clint entered a few moments later, prompting Tony to give him an evil grin and a thumbs up. Bruce noticed this.
"Please tell me you didn't organize any of this just to annoy Cap"
"A magician never tells his secrets, so why should I?"
Bruce sighed in annoyance and could only watch the cadets become more and more distracted.
Clint upped the ante by paying the janitor to crank up the heat. Steve could feel the added temperature, resulting in him removing his shirt and tossing it to the side. This action resulted in the audible gasps and near faints of the women, except their special instructor, Agent Melinda May, who kept her admiration hidden.
Clint and Tony giggled like schoolgirls as Bruce and Thor shook their heads in disapproval. Steve's workout was now the focus point of the entire gym, from his cardio stretches, to his balancing challenges.
"What's the commotion here?" a voice curiously asked from the doorway. Tony turned to see Natasha and grinned.
"Why, the greatest show on Earth, of course" Clint replied, stifling a laugh. Natasha was confused as she turned her attention to the group of people in the gym. Confusion turned to dismay when she saw every female there gawking at her boyfriend.
Steve did a final swing and landed perfectly on his feet. Applause rang out, causing him to be startled, unaware of the admirers.
"Here. I think you may want some water" a girl said from behind him. He turned to see a blonde holding out a towel and a water bottle to him. He took them.
"Thank you, Sharon"
"You're welcome, Steve"
"Here for a training?" he questioned, just as Natasha marched over to them.
"Captain Rogers. Director Fury wants to see you at his office" she said, briefly casting a glare to Sharon.
"Oh. Alright. I gotta go, Agent Carter" and with that he exited. Natasha walked back to the bleachers and walked out those doors.
"Lil Red didn't show jealousy, but was quick to intervene" Tony noted.
"She actually got a call from Fury requesting herself and Steve. They're on their way to Jordan" Bruce replied.
"Or are they?" Clint replied as he and Tony left, part one of their plan complete.
Day 2: Lunch with Captain Rogers
Natasha sighed when she saw poor Steve swarmed with young admirers. Whatever Tony did, it worked as the girls wouldn't let up, and Steve being Steve, never lashed out at them.
She walked towards them, and they slowly began dispersing once they saw the steely gaze of annoyance on her face.
"Sorry, girls. I need Captain Rogers for the next little while. Aren't you all meant to be in weapons training?"
They quickly dashed away. Steve smiled.
"Thank you" He whispered.
"Anytime, darling" she replied. "Sitwell wants to see you in his office, so I'll see you later, yeah?"
"Alright".
They glanced around before giving each other a quick kiss. Steve headed to Sitwell's office, where he was tasked with a hostage retrieval mission.
"Your file will be deliver to the tower. We'll inform you when you depart" Steve nodded and exited. He felt his stomach rumble, so he decided to go and meet Natasha for lunch.
Steve got his food and sat down, but Natasha had yet to arrive. He spotted some of the girls from before and hid his face while they got in line. Unfortunately, one of them still spotted him.
"Captain Rogers, can I sit with you?" Sharon Carter asked shyly. He sighed.
"Of course, ma'am"
She sat beside Steve. He scooted away a little bit but soon the table flooded with Sharon's friends. Sharon kept sliding closer to Steve to fit the incoming occupants, making Steve very uncomfortable. She scooted closer until there was no space between her and Steve. The Captain was visibly uncomfortable being near her. Agent 13 still thought that Steve was single, so she was heavily flirting with him in front of her friends.
Steve's face lit up when he saw his friends walked into the cafeteria. Tony and Clint were bickering as usual while Bruce and Thor were casually talking. Tony spotted Steve among the girls, and couldn't hold back his laughter, leaning on Clint to prevent himself from outright falling over. Steve mouthed "help me" to them, but the billionaire and archer walked away, while Bruce and Thor were trying to not get into the crossfire.
Natasha finally entered, but cast a stony gaze towards Steve, who had instantly jumped up from his seat.
"We'll, ladies, my friends wants me to sit with them, so I must go" Steve said, not waiting to listen to the girls protests and made his way over to Natasha.
Steve sat down next to Thor and opposite from Natasha who glared at him with an unreadable look. Clint observed the interaction closely. Steve ate his food, trying to avoid the piercing eyes of Natasha. She folded her arms and looking like she was about to kill someone, namely Sharon Carter.
Something must be going on between them, Clint thought.
Day 3 : A little surprise
"How was your mission today?" Natasha asked as Steve entered their apartment.
"It went smoothly enough. Sitwell put me with a new partner, though"
"What's his name?" she asked him without turning away from the sizzling pan of tomato sauce.
"Her name is Sharon Carter"
She stopped moving around for a second once the anime was uttered. Steve could feel the tenseness in her stance, wondering if one of the knives in her reach would be flung towards him. Fortunately she proceeded cooking. He knew Natasha wasn't fond of the woman. She seemed nice enough, even though she was quite overbearing.
"She's only a colleague to me" he said.
It's like he can read my mind, she thought to herself.
"I know. I just can't help but feel..."
He pulled her into a hug. "Trust me when I say nothing's happening. You're my girl"
She relaxed and sighed. "Alright, Rogers. You're off the hook. This time"
"Luckily for you there won't be a next time"
She smiled as she kissed him. The bubbling of the sauce interrupted.
"Dinner's ready"
Day 4: Someone had enough
The Avengers were asked to participate in a tactical training session against SHIELD agents. Clint and Tony cooked up another scheme and bribed the instructor to give them authority over the team selection.
First team consisted of Thor, Tony and Natasha. They and twenty others agent will be an offense team, while Steve, Clint and Bruce will be a defense team.
Natasha frowned with she heard that Sharon will be on the same team with her boyfriend. Agent 13 stood proudly beside Steve and he gave her a weak smile.
"Nice to have you on my team, Agent Carter"
"Likewise, cap" She replied and touched his arm.
Tony turned to Natasha, and could see a look. It didn't suggest anger, or ferocity, but it gave him the vibe she was prepared to killed someone.
"Ready to have some fun, Red?"
Natasha cracked her knuckles. "You'd better believe it"
Steve led his squad through the training setting, assigning Clint to sniping duties, Bruce on coordination, and Steve as the leader.
"Cap, Stark's got me" Bruce said via mike. Steve sighed.
"It's alright, Banner. Barton can scan the map, spot out targets"
"On it, Cap" Clint reported over the mike. Steve saw from the corner of his eye a flash of red hair shoot pass in front of him and smirked lightly.
Natasha was on Steve's tail every moment of the match, strategically never getting seen. It was very annoying to her to see the likes of Sharon Carter flirting with Steve, but couldn't do anything about it without drawing suspicion.
She began sneaking up on Steve, prepping to take him out of the game, and away from Sharon. As she approached to "slit his throat", he whirled around and pinned her to the wall by the wrists.
"Not so silent these days, Romanoff" he teased. She resisted against his strength.
"I'm mad with you, so I won't humour you"
Steve quirked an eyebrow. "Mad? Why?"
She sideways glanced towards an approaching Sharon. Steve copied and sighed.
"Carter, go aid Barton in taking out the other team. I've captured Romanoff"
Sharon nodded and left. Steve flipped Natasha around and ziptied her.
"Now be a good prisoner and come with me"
Natasha swore in Russian as Steve reported her capture to the rest of the team. Steve's squad defeated Tony's within a matter of minutes. Once Steve cut her loose, she stormed off.
Steve returned to his apartment later that night with a feeling his redheaded spy wouldn't be paying him a visit that night. He was proven wrong when he approached his bedroom door and found it locked from the inside.
"Nat? You in there?"
Silence.
"Natasha, you know nothing's going on, don't you? I'm all yours, and no one else's"
She opened the door. "You're damn right"
He took her hand and pulled her towards him. She wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm just scared I'm losing you"
"You're not going to. I mean it when I say I love you"
She looked up at him and kissed him deeply. They were setting up their mood when a tapping from outside made them freeze. They both turned to see Clint there, suction cups on his hands.
"I knew it!" they saw him say.
Steve stormed over and punched through the glass, pulling him in by the shirt.
"Barton! Explain yourself!" he demanded. Natasha glared at the archer, arms folded.
"I needed to know. You two were just too comfy with one another to be just friends"
"Doesn't give you the right to start spying on us. You betrayed my trust" Natasha said.
"I'm sorry. I just needed to know"
"Now you do. But I swear, if you breathe a word to Stark-"
"I won't, I swear. Just as long as you fill me in. How long has this been going on?"
Steve and Natasha proceeded to tell Clint everything. When they finished, Clint nodded.
"Well, congrats, you two. Steve, I don't think it has to be said, but if you hurt her-"
"I won't, Clint" he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"Right then. I'll head out" Clint went back to the broken window and perched.
"Remember, Barton. One word-"
"I swear. I wont say anything"
They watched as Clint climbed back up to his own floor.
"JARVIS, could you repair the broken window?" Steve asked.
"Right away sir" the AI replied. Glass filled up the empty hole. Steve felt a light bite on his shoulder.
"Ouch! Nat, what was that?"
"My mark. Just claiming you, is all"
Steve smiled as he guided her back into the bedroom.
A/N:
- Any review, critic and advice are greatly appreciated.
- Thanks to my proofreader for the great grammar checking and editing, Muldoon22 and CAMILLE JONES
- Next chapter: Target change!