Love Is For Children ~Hawkeye & Black Widow (Part One & Two)

London Talk

A week had passed and things were back to normal. Well, normal to the extent where they were both acting their asses off to pass off as normal. If it weren't for the fact they were such good spies, their lies would have easily been acknowledgable to one another. After their 'one off' the two of them lay under the stars for as long as they could before the cold started to set in, and once they started to shiver they emerged from the rooftop and made their way back to the apartment. After small talk and separate showers, they went to bed without even so much as mentioning what had previously happened -instead, they went over and over it in their own heads while laying awake for hours on end. 

Clint undoubtedly enjoyed the 'one off', but the guilt had started to creep in. He'd lied to Natasha, he'd lied straight to her face for weeks - she asked if there had been something between them more than friends before her memory loss, but he said no. Clint's guilt grew more and more everyday, like a lump under his skin that itched and burned. He'd made love to her for the first time in months, but he knew to her it was just a one night stand that she could easily forget about. Now that he'd felt her again, the cravings he got were persistent and showed up at all times of the day - like the guilt lump under his skin, so was she. 

Natasha wasn't handling it all any better than what he was, she too was itching to feel him against her once again. She'd thought it would be a good idea because to her in the past sex was nothing but a mechanism to distract or win over somebody, it was never something she'd done just for fun. Being under those stars opened a lock inside her head, but she just couldn't see behind the door. She'd felt something in her chest that confused her and thrilled her all the same, but she assumed Clint was okay with that being a 'one off', so all she could do was wallow in her confusion and pray it would go away. 

"Morning" Natasha smiled as she came into the kitchen. Clint was bent forward scouring the fridge when she came in.

"You sleep well"? Clint was a master at small talk, especially to avoid conversation that could lead to an awkward end. 

"Yeah" Natasha answered. A beat of awkward silence passed by before Natasha found reason to speak again. "What are you looking for"? Natasha pondered, watching as Clint stood up straight from the fridge before shutting the door. 

"I was looking for food" Clint chuckled. "I forgot to go grocery shopping this week, so help yourself to some crappy cereal while I go get some decent food" Clint avoided her gaze as he left the kitchen - he always loved it when she wore simple things like a shirt and jeans, it was such a 'Nat' thing.

"Oh wait, I'll go with you" Natasha pulled his wrist slightly, but instantly pulled her hand back when Clint tensed under her touch. "I need to pick up a few things too, so I'll come with" Natasha did her best to give off a casual smile but she felt so unbelievably anxious. "If that's cool"? Natasha asked quietly, watching Clint's face for any reaction possible.

"Sure, of course that's fine. I'll treat you to a decent breakfast on the way" Clint smiled in return, fighting off the urge to hold her hand as they walked out the door.

--

As they sat facing one another in a small cafe on the corner of a relaxed street, the conversation on work flowed naturally as they enjoyed their croissants and coffee. "So, when are you next off"? Clint took a huge bite out of his croissant before licking the crumbs from his lips - catching Natasha off guard, but for a mere brief second. 

"Next week they're deploying me to London to investigate a newly found weapons ring, because S.H.I.E.L.D have their suspicions it's more than just guns, and more like atomic bombs" Natasha shrugged her shoulders while sipping her cream coffee.

"Holy shit" Clint laughed while sitting back in his chair. "Well, you're looking at your partner for the mission" 

"No way" Natasha laughed too, wiping the corner of her mouth.