Love ya folks, I really do! :D Onto the next before Mechanics in the morning!
Reviewers!
Niom Lamboise; Shhhhhh.. We don't know that for sure! I don't think there's any apology planned for a while actually.. I dunno man! Glad you're enjoying it! :)
m klindt; Hello there! Glad you're enjoying it! My pleasure to comply with that request!
AleuStark; I was literally just about to post this chapter then you reviewed and I couldn't just not reply to you! Technically yes, they know where they are, they know they're at the circus. Weather or not they find out where the circus is easily will be decided by how mean I feel tomorrow! :P Just.. I'll make sure lots of comfort. Or I'm scared you'll hurt me now o.o Glad you're enjoying it my dear! :)
Disclaimer! Y'know what, not writing it anymore! Just look at the other chapters you meanies!
Silence filled the space for the longest time. The only break to it being the odd rattle of chains that the archer was currently attached to.
Clint, though, was silent and still. Tony was beginning to wonder if he had blacked out from pain or annoyance or something. Because one minute he was screaming the place down, calling the two circus acts every name under the sun while pulling and yanking at the chains attached to his wrists. Tony could do nothing but stare, never seeing the guy so worked up before. It stopped all too suddenly though, Barton's head fell a little towards his chest and his eyes closed. If he blacked out though, it would be gradual, right? Wouldn't just lose energy all together?
Only way to end this thought process, this near half hour of silence, was to ask.
"Robin Hood, you with me?" He called to the archer, voice just above normal level to try get through to him incase he was unconscious.
"Just let me think." Clint snapped back through a growl, Tony's eyebrow arching in curiosity.
Sure, the guy had a right to be annoyed. Tony just couldn't tell right now if he was annoyed at the circus acts for trapping them here, or at Tony for starting this whole thing. Snapping at eachother wouldn't help things though, so for once, Tony decided to take the high road and ignored the anger in him.
Nothing would help them, really. Unless Cap somehow managed to realise they were in trouble, got the location of this place, and burst in to save them in the next few minutes. Unless something like that were to happen, they were stuck, they were trapped, and there's no point trying to think any different.
Guess spies minds don't think like that though.
Now that Tony was really looking at Clint, not like the past while where he was trying to avoid the archers face, he noticed that Barton's head would peek up the slightest and look around every now and again. He'd mumble something under his breath, shake his head, then go back to staring at a spot on the ground for a while more.
This happened a few times, and each time Tony really wanted to ask what was going on, but didn't want to break his concentration again. Whatever was going on in that spy mind anyway, it would probably be better and less confusing to him if he never found out!
"If I had Jarvis.." Tony started, a plan in his mind. He was cut off though, Clint sending a death glare his way.
"But you don't." He growled out, shocking Tony a little bit. He didn't know if he liked this kind of Clint or not!
"I know.. Just spit-balling some.." He started quietly. He felt like such a scolded child right now, and it was the first time (of what would in the future be many) that Tony saw Clint's dad eyes. It was freaky!
"Just don't, ok? This isn't a situation you can just throw money at and it'll all go away! You don't have a suit, you're tied to a chair, you have no training in this subject and honestly look like you're about to pass out! So, just let me work this out before they get back and st-.." Clint sighed, his head falling again as if he had given up. "Just shut up and let me think.."
To say he was a little gob-smacked at the outburst would be an understatement! Sure, everything Clint said was true, but still! Tony didn't have a suit, and they wouldn't take money from him. He did have combat training, but what use was that if he was tied to a chair? He didn't know how to escape, never learned how to undo knots while your hands are tied in them. So, he stayed quiet, let the Hawk work through whatever was going on in his mind.
Tony didn't know how many ideas Clint went through in his head over the next few hours, he had been counting but he figured he had a bit of a concussion because his attention quickly wavered and he could feel himself slipping every now and again.
One of the times he slipped, he definitely saw that mission Barton was someone he liked. He was definitely someone Tony could put all his trust in.
This one simple encounter told him that;
"Hey! Stark, look at me." Clint's voice was stern, and it was only when the voice hit his ears that Tony realised his head was dropping and he couldn't hold it up much at all. Whatever they hit him with before Clint came did some real damage.
He complied anyway, looking up to the archer. It was weird, he was tied to a roof, facing the nightmare he probably spent the better part of his life trying to avoid, and yet he was sending Tony worried eyes.
"Five, nine, three, seven, one." He listed off calmly, slowly, and Tony furrowed his brow in thought. "Repeat it for me. Five, nine, three, seven, one."
Ah.. testing..
"Five, nine.." That's all he could remember, and the two Avengers frowned a little at the result.
"I'll get you out and get some ice on wherever they hit." Clint said softly, shooting Tony a smile before going back into his little trance. He never told the guy they hit his head, yet he knew what to check for? Now that was skill, something only years of training, or injuries, could do to a person.
It was moments like that, little things like worrying about the other person instead of himself, trying to make sure they're calm even if he's freaking out. It was those little things that definitely made Clint the best Avenger.
The next time there was another sound, bar Clint's odd curse, was around dawn. The only reason Tony knew that was because the next sound was the shutter being lifted on the tent, and the little bit of light streaming in told him around what time it was.
He looked from the flap to Clint when he heard a whimper, shocked by the sound. Sure enough, Clint was rigid as anything, his eyes kind of wide and body tense. He must know what's coming..
"Hey.." Tony whispered harshly, trying to break through to the kid since he looked like he was about to have a panic attack! "It's alright, Clint. Look at me, it's fine! It'll be fine!"
He didn't look at him, didn't even acknowledge the billionaires words. He just stayed still, his fists going white from being gripped so hard. Tony sent a glare to the men coming into the tent. What the hell had they done to get the normally calm and composed archer to react in such a way!?
"Can't let you go until we're done, Stark." Trickshot said with a grin, twirling an arrow around in his hand as he approached behind Barton. Swordsman was beside him, a sack in his hands. Tony guessed he was about to be blinded again. "Can't have you getting the others and ruining things. But we will let you go eventually, don't worry!"
"What about Clint?" Tony spat out at the men, looking to Swordsman as he approached with the sack.
The rattling of chains made him look back to Clint though, and his heart sank a little. The poor guy was shaking now, his jaw locked painfully tight. He'd usually have a snappy smart-arse comment like 'Love me now, Stark?' or 'Please, I'll be carrying your ass from here!', just something. But there was nothing. Just pure fear.
"You'll see." Swordsman laughed quietly as he placed the sack over Tony's head, and the billionaire couldn't do anything to stop it. He was completely and totally useless sitting here and that pissed him off so much more than the actual situation they were in!
He couldn't hear much for a while, some slight intakes of breaths, the odd mutterings from the pair holding them captive, some laughs every now and again. Something whizzed past his ear and he couldn't tell if it was something being aimed at him or not.
Though he soon realised that nothing would happen to him.
Their target was Clint and Clint alone.
Tony's heart stopped when, probably twenty minutes in, the first scream ripped through Clint's throat and filled the room.
Never had he heard such an agonising sound. It was just after another whizzing sound passed his ear, and he figured it out. They were using the kid as a target. Shooting him with arrows.
He wanted to comfort the guy, because once that first scream left his body, they just kept coming. The sack prevented Tony from seeing anything that was going on but screams, whimpers, pleas, they were all being thrown out.
Barton soon begging 'Just finish it.' nearly had Tony screaming the place down himself.
Clint never gave up before, and he was in some pretty horrible situations! But this had him begging for it to be finished! Tony had to stay quiet though, because if he uttered a word or showed these guys that they were getting to him aswell, who knows how worse they'd punish the archer.
An hour. He counted an hour in his head before the screams finally died down, before the room fell conpletely silent bar some heavy breathing and occasional grunt.
The bag was lifted from Tony's head a short time after, and his eyes struggled to adjust to the light.
"There you are, Stark!" Trickshot cheered, Tony's vision a little blurry though as the man kneeled infront of him. "That's what he used to get for punishment! Bet you're glad you just got a shock, huh?"
The man patted Tony's cheek and stood to leave, his pal no where to be seen though, he didn't know when the swordsman left.
He looked to Clint and nearly got sick at the sight, his body screaming for him to get up and go over to the archer.
He was just dangling from the ceiling, not moving even a little. The only way he knew the kid was still alive was from the pretty damn unsteady rise and fall of his chest. But that really wasn't what Stark was focused on.
His vest had been ripped off of him, a target painted onto his chest, one of the ones Tony was shooting at yesterday. There were a number of arrows around him, they must have been pulled out of him because there were holes bleeding all around his chest and stomach. There were three left in, Tony realised they were the three that would cause most pain; one in the shin, one in the chest, and the last in his left shoulder.
Tony growled to himself and pulled at the bindings, a new found anger rising in his chest.
How the hell could they do such a thing!? They just used a human body as a target, for shits and giggles!
Something worse hits him though. And it was definitely something that had him sick to the stomach, more so than the shot up body of his friend dangling there.
'That's what he used to get for punishment!'
Used to get..
Those evil bastards used to do this to a kid!? Barton was barely out of his teenage years, probably only 18 or 19, when he left the circus. He learned years before that, so if he got punished for not shooting properly, it was when he was still a young teen.
"Barton!" Tony shouted, trying to get any kind of response from the archer. His stillness was seriously scaring Tony, and the bleeding just wasn't stopping. They must have hit somewhere major to cause that much! "Come on man, you gotta get us out of here, remember!?"
"Come on, Romeo.." Tony said softly, losing all fight now as the siuation dawned on him. He tried shimmy the cahir a little to get over to the kid, wasn't working too well though! "Natasha will kill you if you don't wake up.. And she'll kill me then for not waking you!"
Nothing. This was getting annoying!
"I'll buy you pizza for a year!" Tony said a little louder, hoping that would be enough! "After I get you out of here, after we get out. After I get you back to the tower in a nice bed, get you patched up, get you beside Widow.. After I blow this place sky high for what it put you through, I'll buy you all the pizza and coffee you want!"
He wasn't used to this. It was getting to him, making him panic. There was his friend, hanging from the ceiling, probably on deaths door, and he could do absolutely nothing to stop it. This was his worst fear coming alive, it really was, and it was happening at a damn circus of all places!
"Don't think uncle Tony will ever be bringing the kids to a circus now.." He said quietly, watching the ground infront of him since he just couldn't stomach looking at Clint anymore. "Not that I'm allowed alone with them anyway! Laura ever forgive me for sending Coop home limping?"
Nothing. Again. Even talking about his kids won't wake him!
"We'll get out.." He whipspered after a good ten minutes, not knowing if it was calm himself or try get to Barton. He just didn't know what else to say. "And when we do, I'll order you the biggest pizza there is.. And twelve cheeseburgers.."
Wait..
Orders..
Natasha always gets him awake, gets him to do his physio or go for walks by ordering him to.
He looked up to Clint with a slight frown, maybe it was just Natasha that it worked with..
"Clint Barton! Wake up! We have to get out of here, that's an order!" He yelled in the most commanding voice he could muster, though it was shaky at best!
He grinned a little when he heard a splutter, dammit sometimes a bad past made for a great present! It was all Barton's order following that made this possible, made him so pre-conditioned that any authoritative voice seemed to work!
"S-sorry sir.." It was weak, but it was there. The archer found his voice again and it was like music to Tony's ears.
Next sound, not as much.
A horrible wet sounding cough escaped the archers lips, blood pooling at the side of his mouth from whatever internal damage was done. Tony's heart sank once more as Barton gave a pathetic whimper.
"Don't be sorry." Tony said sternly, watching with worried eyes as Clint tried open his own. "Just look at me. Francis, look at me."
Middle name. He only let Natasha use that. Anyone else would get a punch in the face for using it. He needed the guy to fire up a little though, needed to make sure he was alright, or as alright as he could be at least.
Tony gave a slight smile when grey eyes met his. They were dull, struggling to stay open, but they were there and that's all that matters.
"You're going to be ok. I'm going to get you out." Tony said as softly as he possibly could, and he could see some panic cross the archers features. He must have finally realised what was going on. "Hey! Relax! It's fine, you're fine."
Those arrows were giving him alot of pain. Tony could tell by the way the kids eyes kept darting to the one in his chest and back to Tony. Was he afraid to leave Stark's gaze..?
Well, yeah, you basically ordered him to look at you, idiot.
Arrows.. They were sharp.
Testing the bindings behind his back once more, he did notice that his hands could open a fair bit. And that arrow in Clint's shin looked at the perfect height..
Tony grinned a little and tried scooting his chair once again. He was going to help, he was going to get them out, if it was the last thing he did!
"Don't worry Robin Hood." He smirked, slowly making his way towards the archer. "I got a plan."
Clint's quiet chuckle was possibly the best thing Tony's heard in a while, and it brought a smile to the billionaires face.
"T-that always makes.. me worry.." He spluttered out, his head finally dropping as energy left him. Still awake though, cause he was still chuckling to himself.
Tony laughed a little himself. They shouldn't be, this was no where near a laughing matter, this was as serious a thing he had ever been caught up in.
But, as he made his way towards Clint inch by inch, he realised he didn't know if this was even in the archers top ten of horrible things that happened to him.
Maybe this was a laughing matter for the archer, because lets face it, maybe he's survived worse.
Tony was going to have to investigate that!
For now, though, he just made sure the kid stayed awake.
"Just trust me.. And stay awake!" Tony said quietly, sternly though, soon noticing Clint's eyes just peeking out at him. "I'll get you out of here, Hawk."
He owed him at least that much.