An Unlikely Romance - The Avengers (Part 2)

Getting Jumped In

You had to admit, after all you had come to know of Natasha and Clint, the last thing you expected was mercy. Yet honestly you couldn't have asked for a set of kinder or more understanding teachers in the first few days of your new life.

The subtle agreement you had given Fury must have been enough for him and his agents to start training you, because only two days after your beanbag-resting conversation with Fury, you were standing across from Natasha with hands raised and adrenaline surging. Thankfully, despite the woman's harsh demeanor, she didn't dive immediately into live sparring sessions - instead, Natasha focused entirely on you. Specifically, your stance, your awareness, and your reactions. That wasn't to say she didn't punish you for your mistakes or ignorance, but she did so in a far gentler method than the repeated skull-punches you were expecting.

"You need to work on your balance and get some consistency to your form," Natasha noted, roughly grabbing your elbows, forearms, and wrists while forcefully kneeing your legs into place. Her voice was firm, but not exasperated or annoyed, even though you were pretty sure this was the third time she'd stopped you from locking your knees in place.

"Sorry. The second you start swinging, I sort of... tense everything, even though I know you're holding back," you mumbled, the explanation not holding much weight now that you had given it so many times.

"Your memories only go back a few weeks, and you've only been in a life-or-death combat situation once," Natasha said in the way of an explanation, never meeting your eyes as she continued to scrutinize your body. "You're not used to thinking through things in the middle of an adrenaline rush, but you have to be to survive the kinds of situations SHIELD can put you in. Your body wants to initiate the fight-or-flight response, and so far it looks like flight is winning. You can't overcome that instinct in the heat of the moment; you'll just freeze up and your body won't react the way you need it to in order to survive. Fight isn't much better; if you're not thinking you become predictable and blunt, anyone fighting at this level needs skill as much as strength."

"I mean, I don't think the Hulk or Thor have that much skill, they seem to handle themselves pretty well."

"You get your hands on some Asgardian physiology or feel like exposing yourself to an unhealthy dosage of gamma radiation, and we'll find you a new trainer. For now? You need to loosen up, think fast, and be ready for pain."

Thankfully that warning was not followed by the punch to the head you were expecting. Instead she continued to instruct you on form, making sure that you were balanced and reactive to her movements. Clint was a bit more abrasive, but that was more due to the nature of what he was teaching you. He had apparently drawn the straw for weapon-based combat, and that included both teaching you how to fight when properly armed, and also how to fight against others who were far more well-armed than you.

It was a strange juxtaposition, but one that somehow actually helped you understand the differences between the most experienced and the most novice of weapon wielders. Every mistake you made burned into your mind almost as brightly as the clear successes Clint had, when he was actually trying. Even though each session was uniquely focused, you rapidly developed the feeling of being on both ends of various confrontations and disarming scenarios, from basic handguns to assault rifles, and even all the way to bows, a weapon he insisted on training you in despite being the only person you knew of to dare use one.

"Look, If I'm crazy enough to use one, you'll probably find someone else crazy enough eventually," Clint assured you as he ran you through a drill on averting a fired arrow from a bow for the thirteenth time, "and whoever you go up against won't be looking to poke you in the chest."