Marvel: Short Stories

Story 5: Hit and Miss

Missouri, 2016

"Come on, Vi, you have to hit this one," Clint says in your ear. The sound of his teasing laugh makes you lose focus and lower the bow in your hands.
"I can't do it if you're bitching in my ear, can I?" You snap. He grins like a child and begins to adjust your posture.
"Head up, eye on the target. Just pull, breathe and release," he instructs before taking a step back. A brisk wind runs through you as you pull back the bowstring, let out a deep breath and lift your fingers, releasing the arrow. Time seems to slow as the arrow hits its target. A rush of excitement runs through you as you jump and giggle at your success.
"I hit it! I did it! In your face!" You shout through your laughs. He takes the bow out of your hand and places it on the beer crate beside him.
"I think we need a break, don't you?"
You frown. "What, am I getting too good for you, Barton?" You tease. He flashes a short, sarcastic smile at you before picking up his beer bottle and making his way towards the house.

As you push open the front door, you hear Laura call your name from the kitchen. You place the bottle your carrying on the side table and head through to join her, leaving Clint alone with his children.
"Are the two of you finished out there? You've been out there all day!" She says as she dices an onion.
"You'll have to ask your husband, it's completely up to him," you say as you place a piece of carrot in your mouth.
Clint brushes past you and places a kiss on his wife's cheek. "Just a few more hours, honey?" Laura sighs as Clint grins.
"What are you doing out there, anyway?"
You sit at the counter and place another piece of carrot in your mouth, earning a warning glance from Laura. "You know what Clint's like when he's challenged. He can't back down until he's proven himself."
"You know what they say, Vi; anything Violet can do, I can do better."
You shake your head. "I don't think you're remembering that correctly, somehow," Laura says to your surprise. You nod gratefully to her and spin the chair around to look out of the window.
"What do you think about using each other as the target?"
Clint seems to agree with the idea as he leans against the counter. Laura, on the other hand, has a horrified look plastered across her face. "Are you trying to get each other killed?"
"It wouldn't be the first time," Clint jokes. You roll your eyes and slide off the stool, your boots hitting the ground hard. You wander to the mirror and tie your long dark hair into a ponytail.
"Whilst you're still breathing, call the children through for dinner," Laura says to the pair of you. You grin and walk through to the lounge, leaving the two of them alone.
You sit on the sofa beside Lila and glance at the book she's reading. "Any good?" She struggles to peel her eyes from the words on the page as she considers the question. "Your dad liked that one as a kid. I remember your gran reading it to us when we'd have sleepovers," you continue, hoping to grab her attention.
For a moment you give up hope and look over to the youngest Barton sibling, Nathaniel, before Lila speaks faintly. "Dad told me it was your favourite."
A strange warmth fills your heart as a smile widens across your face. You nod and lift yourself to your feet. "Come on, twerps. Mom says that dinner's ready." None of them move. "Hey! I said move it, before I convince your dad to make you clear out the garage!" Each of them smile and follow the smell of home cooked food through to the kitchen.

The garden of the Barton house is even more beautiful in the night. Laura hung string lights through the trees when they first moved in, illuminating the lawn beneath it. The air is nippy, but the stars above are bright enough for you to not care. Clint steps out onto the porch and hands you another beer. "You're leaving again, aren't you?" He asks as he looks out onto his property.
You take a sip of the beer and rest it against the wooden railing. "Hong Kong needs me, Clint."
"We need you. This is your home. This is where you belong!"
"This is your home. I lost my home a long time ago." You recognise the sadness in his eyes as he recalls the day you lost it all. "It's only for a few more months. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"But it's never permanent, is it?" He asks harshly.
You take another sip of your drink, this time it burns your throat as the emotion makes it sensitive. "You know I can't stay in one place for long. There's a whole world out there and I want to explore it. The bad guys don't disappear when you step out of the country, you know?" You feel a rush of coldness as he simply takes another swig of his drink.
"Let's go for a drive," he suggests, providing a sense of relief. You pour the rest of the liquid down your throat and follow him to the truck, climbing into the drivers seat before he gets the chance. "No chance!" He snaps.
You tease, "Anything Clint can do, I can do better, right?" He shakes his head, welcoming defeat as he slides into the car seat beside you. You turn the key in the ignition and follow the tracks to the main road.