Just Give Me A Reason

by SoaringOnImaginaryWings

Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff are not perfect. Their ledgers are full of red, their memories of pain and suffering, and their dreams of demons that will never leave them alone. Being an assassin does that to a person. But when they're together, they feel don't feel broken, just bent. Can they learn to love again? Songfic with Just Give Me A Reason by P!nk.

2. Chapter 2

Natasha sat on the rooftop of the apartment building she and Clint lived in. Residents didn't have roof access, but it was easy to climb up a few balconies and slip up to the roof. Really, if they didn't want people on the roof, they should have designed the building more strategically.

The sky was dark and dangerous, mirroring Natasha's mood. How poetic, she thought. A dark day for dark thoughts. She tightened her hold on her legs, sitting as though she was physically trying to hold herself together. Yup, poetic. Even in her thoughts she was sarcastic.

The sound of almost silent footsteps approached Natasha from behind. She knew immediately that it was Clint, and didn't bother turning around or reaching for one of her many hidden knives. Without a word, he sat down next to her, leaning back on his hands and legs dangling over the side of the building. He remained quiet, knowing that sometimes a meaningful silence is more valuable than wasted words.

As they sat, Clint noticed how tightly clenched her fists were and how her shaking was barely visible. She rarely allowed her emotions to show through the miniscule cracks in her stoic mask, and Clint was touched that she considered him close enough to see a piece of the real her.

Without a word, Natasha put her head into her knees and her shaking increased. Ever the calm one, Natasha's grand display of emotion stunned Clint. He recovered quickly enough and put a hand hesitantly on her shoulder. She froze, and slowly raised her head up to meet his eyes. She was not crying, only trying to maintain the little sanity she had. As they stared at each other, Clint saw all the horrors his partner had seen in the depths of her haunted green eyes. He tightened his hold on Natasha's shoulder and let emotion show through his sniper-sharp eyes. Without a word, he told her everything she needed to hear: he would be her rock, and he would never leave her, and he would stay as long as she would have him.

Natasha put her head down again as her shaking grew to a climax. Clint put his arms around her and held her while she fought her demons. He didn't move away from her, even when lightning flashed in the sky and thunder rumbled and it started pouring. He sat with her through the storm, both literal and metaphorical.

It was that moment that Natasha knew that Clint would always stand by her.