It's a Spider Thing. {Peter Parker and Natasha Romanoff}

{46} romanoff? I'll give you the scenic route

THE HYDRA BASE WAS LIKE A MAZE. Twists and turns with corridors one after the other- the only good thing was the lack of agents crawling about the place. Steve and Thor were keeping them occupied, but that could only last for so much longer.

As the trio marched down yet another seemingly endless hallway, Natasha stopped halfway.

Her eyes drifted to the ceiling, squinting slightly as she grabbed the hilt of her gun and whispered into the earpiece, "Stark check the floor above us."

"Nat?" Clint questioned. He had stopped once he realised that she was no longer on his heels.

Natasha didn't react to her name being called, she only continued to stare up at the ceiling as the brothers wandered back to her side. Barney glanced up as well, his forehead creased in confusion until he heard the sound too. Clint huffed under his breath and turned his hearing aids up even further, grateful for the enhancement Tony had added during their last update.

There was the distinct sound of shuffling and mumbling above them.

"Something's above us." Murmured Barney, eyes darting between Clint and Nat.

Natasha spared the ceiling one final, suspicious look before saying, "We should keep moving-"

A sharp crack cut off Natasha's sentence, joined by Tony's panicked yelling through their earpieces for them to move- Clint barely had time to react to the danger before he was dragged backwards by a hand that had gripped the back of his uniform; him and Barney both sprawled to the ground while the ceiling caved in behind them.

Natasha who had processed the danger quicker had ducked away in the opposite direction. Her hands flew to shield her face as the rubble fell between them.

No one said anything for a few seconds, all parties dazed as the debris settled.

Blearily, Clint blinked through the thick dust that had descended on the corridor and coughed into the comm set, "Nat talk to me." before he turned and hoisted Barney back to his feet. He unconsciously began dusting off some of the fallout of the ceiling from his brother's uniform in the process until Barney batted him away with a look of annoyance.

"Natasha?" Clint hissed again; his voice more urgent.

There was the sound of static before, "Relax. Anyone would think a ceiling fell on me." she coughed heavily, and Clint could hear her moving on the other side of the rubble.

For a moment, his whole body slumped with relief. He didn't know what he would have done if she had been caught beneath the rubble, and he didn't want to think about that sliver of possibility a moment longer with the way it made his chest tighten uncomfortably at the mere image. Instead, he let out a long breath and mentally thanked whatever higher being there was that she was alive before he straightened up again.

"Are you injured?" He questioned, pacing up and down as Barney leaned against the wall.

"No. It just missed me." Nat explained simply, soothing Clint's frayed nerves. I'm too old for this.

"There's no way through the rubble." Natasha announced, and Clint could imagine her scrutinizing the immovable chunks of cement in her way. "I'll have to go round."

"I can guide you." Tony's voice cut in. "Chuckle brothers; the cells are down the corridor to the right- you can't miss them. Romanoff? I'll give you the scenic route."

There was a small puff of air, "Great." she muttered.

As the duo turned to make their way down the corridor, Natasha's voice rang through the comm set one final time, making Clint pause mid-step. "Find Peter, Clint. Keep him safe for me."

"Copy that." He replied, satisfying the assassin for now as her footsteps faded away.

-

Shadows. There was a flurry of movement- combat? Peter's brain supplied as his body stiffened. He noticed the silhouettes that were cast across the wall outside his cell growing closer.

The sight of fighting made Peter's heartrate spike and his body unconsciously tightened in on itself. His hands trembled as they splayed across the wall. Peter felt sick at the idea of being dragged kicking and screaming to another experiment; he knew he couldn't take another session in the lab in fear of himself losing what little he had left of his sanity. The sadly familiar feeling of helplessness unfurled in his chest as hot, fresh tears cascaded down his cheeks while he struggled to breathe.

Tears blurred his eyesight and his shoulders drooped in resignation. His head lolled forwards when he felt small shards of glass scatter across his skin.

His heart jumped to his throat in fear and the teen made a choking noise as he pressed himself impossibly closer to the wall. As if he could somehow disappear into it and away from the outstretched hands that were slowly inching towards him- Peter could see them intricately despite his blurred vision. "No, no, no, no, no." He rambled, sobbing so hard that snot was running down his face and dribble down his chin- I can't do it again, no, no, no- "No!" He screeched.

Peter's hands shot out, forcing the strangers away.

"Don't touch me! Don't fucking touch me! Go away-" The anger that had laced his words gave way to desperation. Peter broke down. He wildly thrashed around before he started clawing at the wall; his fingernails began to bleed as he continued to heave and weep and scratch.

Clint was crouched a foot away. Barney hovered over his shoulder in the doorway.

The image of Peter flinching away from him, sobbing so hard that he was barely drawing in a breath and manically tearing at the wall was enough to silence them.

Clint didn't know what he had been expecting when they found Peter. Maybe a few bruises or a set of handcuffs- not a collar. Not a collection of bruises and a dark, rough burn running the length of his neck. The Peter Parker that he looked at now was far from the teenager who had lounged in Natasha's apartment and mocked him for trying to beat the redhead in video games- he might never be the same.

Hydra had ruined him. Tore Peter down until he was like an exposed nerve.

He swallowed thickly; throat tight. "Pete." The name was soft and hardly heard but it felt like it weighed so much to Clint. "Peter it's me." He pleaded, but the teenager continued to claw at the wall like that was all he was programmed to do; his blood smeared across the cold concrete. "Peter it's me- Clint. It's Clint!" He shouted over Peter's cries, suddenly having to fight back his own tears. Because this was his kid. His Peter Parker who annoyed the hell out of him and gave him someone to come home to after missions- he grappled with one of Peter's hands and forced it into his own tight grip despite the frantic squirming.

Peter pulled and shoved. He fought like he was being burned by that single touch- then Clint noticed that his usual strength wasn't there. That infuriating spider strength that the kid had used during every damn arm wrestle; wasn't there anymore. 

A/N

Well. Well. Well. It's almost the end! I am going to miss this story when it's over. :( Also Clint lowkey fussing over Barney is funny to me and also super sweet- I digress though.

Anywho! Let me know of any spelling mistakes! xoxo.