Our Othersides: An Avengers/ Demigod Fanfiction

Our Othersides: Chapter 8

Hey everyone, I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long. My life has pretty much been turned upside down in the past couple months and I've been busy with AP classes in school. I'll try to update more regularly now. Please keep reading and comment! Sorry that this one's short.

Sapphire:

    I stood outside the doorway watching the sunset turn the sky orange and red. The cool air carried up scents from the forest below. I had become accustomed to the scent of the other agents around, but the location was different from where the Helicarrier had been stationed last night.

   Taking a deep breath, I smelt the rich earth and heavy pine below. A bird called out about a mile out but other than that, the only noise was peepers and the wind rustling branches. I skimmed the thick woods to see if anything was amiss. Once again, nothing.

    I was on night duty again, hopefully for the last week, but wanted nothing more than to be inside with other people.

    I heard a light thump behind me on the metal grate, almost imperceptible for the normal range of hearing, but loud in my ears. It was accompanied by a steady, familiar heartbeat and I relaxed against the railing but didn't turn around.

    "Good evening Agent Barton," he sighed and walked up to the railing next to me. He didn't look over, just started out at the tree tops.

    "How did you know it was me?" His voice was rough as he glanced over at me, but it was nice to hear someone talk.

    "You're not getting rusty. Sorry, picked that up," I looked down and sighed, knowing that some people did not enjoy me reading their thoughts, especially people with a history of dark secrets. "I heard your jump down and smelt you too."

    "Do I really smell that bad?" He made a face, scrunching up his nose. "I know Natasha's been bugging me to take more showers but I didn't know I was that bad."

    I smiled, glad that he was making a joke. "No, you smell like the metal and leather from your equipment, as well as oak, pine, and something darker. Everyone has their own unique scent."

   I didn't tell him that the darkness I smelt wasn't a physical smell but the emanating pain, fear, anger, and self-disappointment he gave off slightly.

    "So, the Director still has you on night watch?"

   "Yup, hopefully my last week. He seems to think that since I don't need to sleep, I have nothing better to do with my night time. That and the fact that he finds my ability to sense movement in a dark forest from a mile away useful."

    "It's not so bad; at least you have a view. My first watch duty was basically babysitting."

    "I can't see that going over too well." We both laughed quietly  and then went quiet. I realized that this was what Tony and Bruce meant by saying that Barton was only truly threatening from a distance: he could be friendly to anyone up close but was especially deadly farther away when he could use his bow.

    He cleared his throat after a few minutes. "Thank you, by the way, for healing my ribs. I don't think I said that earlier."

   Barton fiddled with his bow and I smiled. "No problem, I'm just sorry that there was a reason I had to fix them."

   My Bluetooth buzzed in my ear and I flinched. I had had Tony turn the volume down but it still sounded like someone was telling next to my ear.

    "I have to go, I just got called down to conference room 320," I sighed trying to think of a way to get out of night watch for this. Agent Barton put his bow away and stood up straight.

    "I'll cover for you, it's on level three," he offered. I paused and then walked towards the door.

    "Thanks Agent Barton." I pulled open the door and light shown out from inside.

   "It's Clint," he called out, still looking out at the forest. I smiled, glad that he wasn't avoiding me as much as other agents besides the Avengers were. I sent him a thought as I closed the door behind me.

    "Goodnight, Clint."