She knew immediately that it was a bad idea. Even beyond the fact that he was not kissing her back, it just felt weird. Wrong. Unfortunately, it took a second for her body to catch up to her brain, and when she finally pulled away, all she could do was return his shocked stare. Then it started to sink in.

"Oh… my… I am so sorry! I cannot even… omigodomigod!" Before she could do anything else embarrassing, she jumped off the bed and dashed for the door. Clint, however, caught her wrist before she'd taken two steps and pulled her back. She couldn't break free, but she didn't have to look at him either, so she just stood with her arm behind her back, blushing furiously.

"Asa, stop it. You don't need to be embarrassed."

She shook her head vigorously.

"Oh, yes I do. That was unbelievably awkward."

He chuckled, and more blood rushed to her cheeks.

"Well, yeah. But I am unbelievably attractive, and you are under a little stress. Come sit." She considered making a break for it, but he was strong, so she came and sat, still refusing to look at him. There was a long silence, which got more and more awkward until she finally started giggling hysterically. His low chuckle turned into a real laugh, and when they ran out of air, it was a little less awkward.

"Did you know that I had a brother?"

She glanced at him, surprised, and shook her head. He leaned back his head with a sigh and closed his eyes.

"Barney. We ran away and joined the circus together."

At first, he was hesitant, searching for the right words and forcing them out. The more he talked, though, the easier it seemed to get, so Asa just kept quiet and listened.

"It was just the two of us. Even when we were little, we did everything together. But then it was just us, and the orphanage wanted to separate us. Plus, the food was crap. So we ran away. We ran away from a lot of orphanages, actually, until we found the circus. That was where I learned to shoot." He was quiet for a long time, and Asa chanced a question.

"What happened?"

"He died. It was my fault." She started to shake her head, but he cut her off.

"No, Asa. It was. I was his older brother, and I was supposed to protect him. Instead…" he trailed off, then picked up again. "When you left, that last time, to get the stuff? I didn't think you were going to make it. I was supposed to protect you, and it was going to be my fault all over again." He looked her square in the eyes, and she could see him asking her if she understood. She chewed her lip thoughtfully.

She didn't remember her mother or older sister. The only real frame of reference she had for love was her dad, and her friends. She wasn't sure what it would be like to have a family, relations. A brother, maybe. She was positive she loved him, but kissing him had been… off. Was that what having a family was like?

Slowly, she nodded.

"So, does this mean that you'll beat up any boys that mess with me?"

He grinned, and she could see his relief.

"Absolutely."

She cocked her head thoughtfully.

"And teach me how to drive stick-shift?"

"Sure."

"And put me in headlocks."

He just smiled evilly, and she threw a pillow at his face.

"Jerk."

She left feeling much better about life, and wondering if maybe she couldn't take this job after all.

She was fiddling around with her new computer when the door opened behind her, and she jumped, nearly knocking over the chair.

Natasha Romanoff stood in the doorway, arms folded and with the most threateningly neutral expression Asa had ever seen. She wasted no time on pleasantries.

"You kissed Agent Barton."

Startled, Asa nodded.

"Don't let it happen again."

In spite of the very real danger literally on her doorstep, Asa pulled a face.

"Seriously, no worries. Done."

Natasha relaxed almost imperceptibly, and nodded curtly. "All right then." She turned to go, then stopped. She looked back over her shoulder at the floor near Asa's feet. "And thank you. For keeping him alive."

Asa stared after her in shock for a few seconds, then shrugged. She was alive. She went back to fiddling around on the computer.

Asa sat on the foot of the bed, contraband ice cream in one hand. She gesticulated with her spoon as she talked, and occasionally paused mid-sentence for a bite. Clint seemed too absorbed in his chocolate-y mess to offer much comment.

"So she just showed up in my room! Seriously! I thought she was gonna kill me." Clint rolled his eyes. "No, really. Hate to say it, but your girlfriend hates me."

Clint swallowed, then shook his head.

"Two things. One, Natasha's not my girlfriend. Two, are you alive?"

Asa gave him her best 'are-you-sure-you-don't-have-a-concussion?' look, but he just kept going.

"Have you been attacked in any way or found blue hair dye in your shower head?"

The look this time was more along the lines of 'are-you-sure-you're-not-INSANE?'

"No…."

Clint shrugged. "Then she likes you."

It was Asa's turn to roll her eyes. She took a massive spoonful of ice cream and stuck it in her mouth. "Whahever. Your gifriend's crazy."

And that was why, when Fury walked in a few minutes later, they both had ice cream smeared on their faces. He stared them both down, and Asa tried very hard not to giggle. Clint just went back to eating.

"I am going to pretend that I did not just see one of my top agents get in a food fight with a doctor."

Asa snorted, then clapped her hands to her mouth.

"Can he walk?" Fury jerked his chin in Clint's direction. Asa slid off the bed.

"Yes sir, as long as he doesn't push it, and," she turned to glare at Clint, "no fighting under any circumstances. Understand?"

He ignored her.

"Well, then, I want you both to come with me."

I know, I know; some of you hate me now. But this is what the relationship needed to be, so that's how I wrote it. I've got some fun stuff planned for the two of them, so hang in there. And don't worry; Asa doesn't end up alone. ;)

Are you ready? Here come the rest of the Avengers!