it's always darkest before the dawn

[forgothowtomiss]

These were dangerous times they lived in. Their heyday was passed, replaced instead with an army of villains, former allies, twisted by necessity. By the desire to survive. The need to live in a world of their making, a world where they could walk free and never mind the freedoms they had to relinquish first. Some accepted it, embraced it, made the best of a bad situation.

Others, like Clint, refused. He'd never been good at being told what to do anyway, this was just another situation with a yoke he wanted to lose. His registration wasn't compulsory, they couldn't demand it of him even if they'd tried, but he almost wished they would just so he could say the words. Make a stand to their face.

As it was, he fought alongside the same people he always had. He owed them more than he owed these pretenders, respected them more. Knew he could expect the same in return.

He'd been out on a patrol when he got the call. A time and a place, and he didn't need to ask who it came from, that was already understood, although the why was less so. He assumed it was because she had a lead, an in, and they were getting fewer these days but every inch counted. You couldn't afford to overlook anything.

The rendezvous wasn't far from his current position, it didn't take long to make his way there. Quiet, out of the way, a safe point where they wouldn't be seen, out of the way of HAMMER's patrol teams. He blended in with the gargoyles, hid among them while he waited, hunched his shoulders and kept an eye out.

Comments

[toxic_tsarina]

Natasha sighed wearily and let her exhaustion slip through. Looking sideways out at the city, she scolded, "Don't act that way, Clint, how long have you known me?"

She returned her cobalt blues to his eyes and frowned, arms softly folding in front of her. "It's a ruse. Just dabbling in the double-agent façade again. Someone had to reveal this asshole for who he truly is. You know I can do it."

She dropped her gaze over Clint's body and added, "Wouldn't be the first time we were on opposite side."

Only, last time it was because of the bounty on her head and he ended up as her savior.

[forgothowtomiss]

"Except it's not the tail end this time." It was the closest to agreement as she was going to get from him.

He took another step back, a search for breathing room, an attempted exit, he didn't know, but he hated this plan. It was them he didn't trust, not her, and of course she was the only one who could have taken on the job with any chance of success, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Didn't mean he had to agree to it.

"...You need somebody to come get you out if you need it," he added as he started to put the pieces together, and of course it was why they were here. It was the only reason it could have been. She needed someone to have her back from the outside. And he always would, for as long as she let him. "Somebody who knows which side you're on if the shit hits the fan."

[toxic_tsarina]

She let him retreat as far as he needed, understanding his actions and willinginly giving him the space he so required. Unless he went to leave her entirely, she would remain firmly in place, because he needed to understand why she made the decision.

Tasha watched him process everything coolly, gently tilting her head to the left. "It wasn't easy...at least, this part isn't. But it's necessary."

She wasn't one to fret over what others thought of her, but she did value trust, and if her team couldn't trust her while out in the field or when she took a place at their side, than what was the point?

"You were the only one I wanted to tell. Who I trust enough."

Nat cast her eyes to his feet and stared, "Clint..." but could't finish.