Drabble 5: Recruitment

Clint fingered the string of his bow nervously. Fury had seen something in him that Clint wasn't even aware that he had. Sometimes he hated that annoying personality trait where he didn't like people but he was good with them. Somehow always making the right call even though all logic said otherwise. With Natasha, Wanda, and hell, he hadn't even known who the hell Scott Lang was until Sam had called him, asking him to go pick up "Tic-Tac." For some reason this felt like one of those times.

He had briefed himself on this 'Phantom' kid on the way over. Media both loved and hated him. He also had a horrible media name-Inviso-Bill. And, while it made him laugh, you'd think they would be able to come up with something better than that. The reports go back to a few years ago, and it was amazing to see the progress and growth in the young boy. He went from a scrawny dweeb just flailing around to a semi-muscular hero in just the span of a few years without any training whatsoever. And, according to his files, he saved the world. Or, at least Amity Park that is.

All he had to do was wait. Which, given that he had a lot of patience when it really counted, was really no issue at all.

Especially if your target wasn't all that stealthy...

He hopped from one rooftop to the next, going straight for the explosion that erupted from a local hangout called the Nasty Burger. It wasn't hard to spot Phantom, with his stark white hair and intoxicating green eyes that reminded Clint of acid. They looked like they could see right through him. And who knew? Maybe that was a possibility.

Thankfully his outfit choices had grown with him. Instead of the black and white spandex, he wore a black shirt similar to Clint's material and style wise, with a green trim that matched his eyes. is pants were obviously armored but they were made to look like a pair of black cargo pants. His boots were still white, an he had ditched the long Cinderella gloves for some white fingerless gloves. He had a slim vest on over everything, that somehow made the green D logo on his chest stand out more.

Clint watched from his perch as Danny threw up a hand to shield a green energy blast, looking almost bored with his attacker.

"Come on, Skulker," Phantom said. "You've been going on about how you're gonna mount my hide on your wall for years, and have you ever come close?' Phantom said it in such a mocking, condescending tone Clint almost wanted to hit him. The only reason he didn't was because he was laughing as well. So the kid had a mouth. Clint smirked as he knocked an arrow, prepared to pull back his string if he had to.

But he didn't.

Instead, he watched as Phantom blasted his attacker. After that, he went to the large silver man and took the tiny green blob from his suit. Clint watched in awe as Phantom opened up a portal of some sort, large and full of green swirls that were almost hypnotizing. He threw the little green blob in and blasted the suit, permanently destroying it. Clint stood and walked forward, arrow still on his string, but a sort of unique laziness tot he way he held it, and to the way he walked.

"Hey, there," he said casually as he walked up to the boy before he could quite literally disappear. Phantom stopped in his tracks, tensing up greatly at the sight of Clint. He pulled his hood up, hiding his bright hair and tan complexion, but not his piercing eyes or the white glow that seemed to never leave him.

"Who are you?' He demanded. Clint had to readjust his hearing aids or something. Anything to get rid of that annoying echo-y sound he heard whenever the kid spoke.

"My name is Clint Barton. Also known as Hawkeye. Don't worry, I'm a good guy like you." Clint smiled warmly at the kid, but Phantom just gave him a weary look.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Avengers?"