(One of two ficlets I wrote after watching the Age of Ultron trailer.)
Unbreakable:
It wasn't uncommon that Agent Romanov and Agent Barton found themselves pinned down behind a small barricade, hopelessly outgunned and outnumbered. Fate found them here regularly, sometimes wounded, sometimes running low on ammunitions, sometimes with backup a good distance away.
Budapest.
New York...
Today the assassins were lucky enough to get a combo deal. Low ammo, Clint's shoulder was dislocated pretty badly, and the Avengers were kliks away...
Now as Natasha looked at Clint, their backs against the concrete slab that the battle had provided as cover, they knew they were surrounded in all sides, knew there was no way to fight Ultron and his clones, knew that this might be it. She felt a twinge of relief in her heart. Clint had been her friend, her protector, her convenient lover and her other half. Steve had mentioned once that it was like God made them to be best friend soul mates.
And Tasha liked that. Clint was part of her life, a part of her life she couldn't live without. She couldn't think of anyone better to fight and die beside. Reaching over, she took his free hand and squeezed, pulling him into her little world of calm for just a second.
The battle around them had become muted, and she leaned into him, her head on his neck for just a moment. Leaning over to her, he pressed a kiss to her hair, giving her hand a firm, but gentle squeeze back.
They didn't speak a word. They just looked at each other. She knew he knew what she was thinking. He always knew. She knew that he knew that everything went better when they were a team. They were an unstoppable force together and their compatibility is what made them strong. There couldn't be one without the other.
Letting go, the pair moved like one, turning to face their enemies. If they were to die here, they would die as a team. Because together everything works.
Together in life or death, they are unbreakable.