Tony had literally pushed them all out of the way in his one man stampede to avenger's tower.
"I'm pretty sure he's trying to cash in on Peppers time off."
"I didn't need to know that Bruce. Maybe we should go out for the day."
"What do you have in mind Tasha?"
"Laser tag? No wait, paintball!"
"Natasha, do you think getting shot at is really a good way for me to avoid stress?"
"You can be on Steve and Thor's team."
Bruce nodded, knowing that Steve would take a bullet for his team mates, even if it was just paint.
"So Thor, Steve and I against you and Clint? That doesn't sound fair."
"Steve is extremely talented with a gun, it's just paintball."
"Natasha…"
"Fine Banner, you, Thor and Steve make up one group; Barton and I are by ourselves."
She pouted as she re-entered the car that they had vacated just moments ago and gave the cab driver directions. The rest of the team got in, Bruce was filling Thor and Steve in on what the objective of the game was. Natasha was smirking and Clint was glaring at her, knowing he would be her main target. It took almost an hour and a half to get there, although with Thor constantly asking if they were there yet it felt much longer. As soon as they reached the entrance Natasha and Clint were recognized.
"Claire? Ray? It's good to see you again?"
"Still remember us?"
"Hard to forget you two, that was the most intense paintball match I've ever seen."
Natasha smiled and handed over her credit card.
"Game for 5 please."
"Alright, will you need extra padding Ray?"
Clint mumbled under his breath and shook his head, shooting Natasha a glare, she responded with a toothy grin. They were all handed their guns and padding, as soon as they reached the field Natasha and Clint practically disappeared, Steve saw a flash of red hair followed by a paint ball hitting him in the chest.
"I guess the game has begun."
Before they could move they were attacked by paintballs that seemed to be coming from the trees. Thor was shooting wildly while Bruce and Steve were being more careful. They were running around trying to avoid being hit and failing miserably. Things were quiet around their area for a few minutes.
"Tasha and Clint have most likely opened fire on each other."
Just as Bruce said that they were joined by the Hawk himself.
"Alright, I'm joining your team. Natasha is a monster and needs to be taken down."
Thor laughed and followed Clint to where he believed Natasha was hidden. It was like a game of cat and mouse, except here the mouse was clearly the winner. They ran around for another three hours, shooting every time they saw a flash of red but never hitting. They were however demolished, every inch of them was covered in paint. They kept seeing her weave in and out of the trees, getting extremely close to them.
"She's teasing us, I swear to god that woman is downright deadly. Thor where is your gun?"
Thor looked down to the empty space where his gun was previously resting against his leg.
"I do not know Clint."
Suddenly they were all attacked by extreme amounts of paintballs, it seemed like every inch of their bodies were covered in paint. They were all sore and had all run out of paintballs. Steve opened his eyes to see Natasha jump down from a tree, free of any paint with both hers and Thor's guns.
"I win. Hey Bruce you were right, you are looking a little green…and red, and blue, and yellow."
She giggled as he tried to wipe some paint off his face. She started to run towards the exit once Bruce began to chase her and try to hug her.
"Lady Natasha looks happy, happier than she did several days ago."
Stave and Clint looked up at Thor and smiled, realizing that what he said was true. They heard Natasha shriek and they ran to catch up and see Natasha up a tree and Bruce waiting at the bottom with his arms open.
"You can have a hug once you get all the gear off."
As soon as the boys got the gear off she leaped of the tree branch and into Thor's waiting arms.
"I don't know about you guys, but I had fun."
Thor gave her a big squeeze while she rested in his arms.
"Indeed, this game of paintball was great fun and entertaining. However I am famished."
"Since Stark isn't here to suggest it how about Shawarma?"
Bruce looked at Natasha from where he was wiping the paint off his face and smiled.
"How about that hug now."
Thor set her down and she gave Bruce a warm hug. He hadn't noticed how tiny she really was. Her hand found his to pull him towards the exit once she pulled away, hi hand easily swallowed hers.
"You have really cute hands."
Natasha arched her eyebrow and allowed herself to giggle.
"Thanks Bruce, I hope that's not the only cute thing about me."
"You're cute all over Tasha. Like a cute cuddly teddy bear."
She laughed and allowed him to swing his arm to rest it over her shoulder.
"Hey babe- I mean Steve?"
Steve smiled at Natasha's slip and turned to look at her.
"Yeah?"
"I think Banner is giving you a little competition for my heart."
"Oh really?"
Natasha nodded and smiled as Clint and Thor handed back the equipment. The guy behind the counter smiled at Natasha, he was clearly one of the people that was absolutely smitten by her.
"I see you gave them hell again Claire, you should become a spy or something. You're absolutely lethal with a gun."
Steve couldn't suppress his laughter.
"Actually I was wondering, seeing as you seem to enjoy paintball so much maybe you'd like to come back soon for a game..with me."
Steve suddenly stopped laughing and he stood up straight, now it was Clint's turn to laugh.
"Sorry bud, you're a little too late."
Natasha raised her hand to show the impressive diamond on her finger and nodded back at Steve who was standing with his arms crossed and an angry look on his face. He was clearly flexing. The guy behind the counted began to stutter and apologized as he walked away from the group.
"Steve, that was mean. You probably made him piss his pants with just the look you were giving him."
Steve game her puppy eyes and she rolled her eyes and smiled. Walking towards the waiting car.
"Friends, I require sustenance!"
"Right, Shawarma it is. We should go for froyo after. Actually now that I think about it that sounds like a great idea. Nat can we please get froyo? PLEASE?"
"Geez Clinton, what are you, five? You don't need my permission, we can go."
He stuck out his tongue at her and struck up a conversation with the guys in the car as Natasha looked on. Clint and Thor we're soon immersed in a thumb war that Clint lost miserably.
"Okay, yeah you won buddy. Ow"
He instinctively put his hand on Natasha's lap, waiting for her to inspect his thumb. She popped it back into place and continued the conversation she was having with Bruce. By the time they got their diner it was 8 and dark out. The people in the restaurant recognized them right away and their food was served to them in record time. Even Thor was too full for desert so they just decided to call it a night.
"Hey Clint, you have a bruise on your forehead."
"Yeah, from where your trigger happy ass hit me with a paintball."
"How about I make you a drink?"
"Make it two and you're off the hook…for now."
She smiled as they walked into the tower.
"Jarvis please inform Tony that we are on our way up; I don't want to walk in on him in a compromising position."
"Right away Mr. Rogers. Welcome back."
"Thank you Jarvis."
Steve pressed the button and leaned against the elevator wall.
"You Steve, I'm fairly certain Jervis has got a thing for you."
"That's nonsense Bruce."
Once they entered their living quarters they were greeted to the sight of a shirtless Tony Stark snuggling on the couch with a fully dressed and sleeping Pepper.
"You know Stark you look kind of adorable."
"Can it Romanoff, and keep your voice down."
She walked over to the bar and mixed Clint and the rest of the avengers drinks.
"None for you Tash?"
"I have something a little different for me."
She took a large tumbler and walked into her room, when she came back with a small amount of liquid in her glass.
"Cheers."
Thor could tell it was his birthday present and smiled at her. It didn't take long to find out that asgardian alcohol was loads stronger than their regular stuff. Natasha was absolutely plastered. Every time Steve tried to get her off the table and try to get her to bed she would hit him, she had even swung at Clint and Thor several times. Clint had randomly started making waffles and Thor was watching Natasha beat the crap out of Steve, Tony and pepper had already retired to their bedroom.
"Steve, you will have many battle wounds by the time morning comes. Maybe you should let lady Natasha go to bed on her own."
Steve looked exasperated.
"Hey Tasha, you want some waffles?"
She nearly trampled Steve on her run over to where Clint was holding a plate of waffles and she dug right in. Her eyelids began to flutter moments later.
"Francis, you are soooo pretty. I like your face."
Steve walked over to stand in front of Natasha.
"Oh hey Steve, where did you come from? You are pretty too, like super pretty."
She was speaking slowly, trying to enunciate every word but it was not working. She then face planted in the plate of waffles. The panic was visible on Steve's face.
"Don't worry capsicle, I slipped the Natasha dosage of sleeping pills into the waffles. It's something I'm accustomed to doing. You should have seen her in Rio a few years back. She was the life of the party. She bought me a pet iguana and an alpaca. Plus she told everyone her boobs were psychic and proceeded to tell fortune. As soon as I started to make fun of her she had me in a thigh hold."
Thor laughed and watched as Steve scooped his fiancée up bridal style to tuck her into bed.
"Our captain truly does love Lady Tasha does he not?"
"Yeah he does, she deserves it."
"You love her as well."
"I love her enough to want her to be happy, she's happy with Steve."
"Does it not hurt to watch the one you love be with another."
"It does, but I'd give my life just to see her smile. I can take some heartache."
The archer went off to bed leaving Thor to contemplate Clint's bittersweet view on life.
