CHAPTER 25
Clint's POV
I stared at him, before suddenly turning to Natasha, "... It's your fault".
She smirked, "And how did you work that out?".
"You're the one wearing the lipstick" I shot back and she sighed, "Your the one who kissed me".
"Hey, you kissed back and never forget it" I growled.
"But I wouldn't have if you hadn't kissed me in the first place!".
"You said it yourself you like it!" I exclaimed.
"Yea. Well. It's still your fault" She huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at me.
"Brucey, Mom and dad are fighting in the kitchen!" Tony whined and both Natasha and I turned to him, glaring, "Shut it stark".
He pouted, "They don't like me anymore".
I turned back to Natasha, "Ok. It was both our faults that we got caught. You had the lipstick. I kissed you. Deal?".
She smirked, nodding once, "Deal".
"So you two together or what?" Stark asked a few seconds later.
"No" I growled and he held his hands up in defence, "Hey, don't kill the messenger... Capcicle here wants to know as much as I do".
"Their personal life is none of my business Stark" Steve replied sighing, "As long as it doesn't effect the team, I don't mind WHAT they do".
Natasha grinned, "Thank you Steve".
"Aw you guys are no fun" Stark grumbled, throwing his hands in the air, "I'm going to the lab".
"Not so fast Stark" Natasha called after him and he stopped, spinning around to face us once again, "What? What could possibly be, in this entire world, more important than science?".
She pointed at me, "Him".
Stark glanced over at me, "... Ok, yea, fine, you got me there. But what has 'him' got to do with anything?".
"COBRA" She replied, and immediately, all eyes were focused on us.
Natasha continued, unfazed, "Fury refused to send us in. Why don't we send ourselves in?".
"You do know that's not rig-" Steve started but she cut him off, "Who cares wether it's right or wrong, Cap? One of own was captured, tortured, beaten within an inch of his life, and you propose we simply sit back and not do anything about it?".
Steve remained silent.
"SHIELD doesn't own the Avengers. Fury set them up, sure, but he doesn't own us. The only two people on this entire team who work under his orders, are me, and Clint. I have no problem going against him, and Barton over there is hardly in fighting condition, so we're not gonna be a problem".
"... The crazy-ass Russian chick has a point" Stark finally said and Natasha glared at him, "Call me that one more time".
"Ok, ok, sorry Nat, won't happen again" He replied quickly and she smirked, turning back to the others, "So? We all in agreement then?".
"... I'm in".
We all turned to Bruce in surprise.
He was one of the LAST people I'd thought would accept.
He dropped his gaze, "I mean... It's not fair is it? Clint got kidnapped by them, and the only thing stopping them from being put behind bars for it... Is a 5-letter code. The only thing stopping them from getting what they deserve, is a slip of paper. A slip of paper that will later be destroyed for evidence... I don't know about you guys, but It doesn't make much sense to me".
We stared at him.
Stark whistled, "Jeasus Banner, that's gotta be the longest thing I've ever heard you say... Makes perfectly good sense too".
"I take it you're in as well then?" Natasha asked him and he nodded, smirking, "Try keeping me back".
We all turned to Steve.
He shifted uncomfortably under the sudden amount of attention focused on him.
"Cap?" Natasha asked quietly.
He remained silent.
Stark swore, "For FUCKS sake Rogers. You have to be kidding me. You're actually HESITATING on this? You get a chance to get payback on the men who tortured Clint for SIX. FUCKING. WEEKS. And you're refusing? I thought you were better than that Cap. What happened to laying on the wire for your men? Where did that go? Does it mean nothing to you anymore? Does it mean NOTHING AT ALL? Are you honestly telling us that you refuse to get your soldier justice? Is that it? Cause if that's the truth, I quit. The Avengers are about protecting this world, but how can we protect this world when we refuse to protect our own? We can't. We WONT. So it's your choice Rogers. Do you want this team to work?".
I stared at him.
Stark possibly just got himself kicked out of the Avengers.
... All for me.
Steve slowly looked up at him, "... One condition. That's all I ask".
"What, Steve? What do you want? To tell Fury? To notify SHIELD? To let all the bad guys get away?" Stark yelled.
"No... None of those" Rogers replied calmly, before suddenly smirking, "But I get to drive".