Friends With the Monster

A New Mission

"You're in trouble too?" Natasha asks with a muffled chuckle.

Clint shrugs as steps out into the modern hallway, marble tiled floor with it's impressively high ceilings.

Agents are bustling here and there, all in their professional suits with the symbolic eagle on everyone's shoulder. Barton, however, is in a graphic tee and sweats with a weak explanation;

"I called Coulson a 'jackass' and he had the nerve to throw his disgusting bagel and a nasty coffee at me."

Natasha tucks her hands into her pockets, "What did the principal have to say about your food fight?"

Clint mimics the boss, deepening his voice for a full effect, " Change your clothes Barton, and get your ass on that flight to Prague. "

She's distracted, "You're on the Prague project?"

"Jealous?"

"A bit."

Clint winks, "Don't worry, your inbox is full."

"Oh good,' she genuinely takes a breath, hiding behind her one liners, 'I thought I was getting a burn notice."

"Huh," he yawns, unamused.

Behind the eyes of a gifted archer and talented spy, she sees a tired father. Lila Barton must not be sleeping again, keeping Clint and Laura up all night.

"ROMANOFF!" Fury yells from inside the conference room. Anyone in the vicinity is trembling while Natasha just snorts.

"What'd you do?" Clint asks cautiously.

"I couldn't leave it alone."

"Leave- what? Oh." He connects the dots back to their previous texting exchanges and utters the following in the absolute nicest way possible, "You're crazy."

She shrugs and pushes through the large door with the S.H.I.E.L.D symbol in the middle.

Natasha hates the way the left door always squeaks as she enters one of the few rooms she considers a safe space.

A tall man in a black jacket lifts one eye up in a 'greeting'. With his other behind an eye patch he mutters pointedly;

"Lock the door, please."

Natasha's shoulders swing back around as she rotates to tap the keypad on the side of the entry point.

"I am very disappointed in you, Agent Romanoff."

He might be accentuating every word but the spy can see through his harsh persona.

Natasha settles at the side of the dark conference table within the dimly lit room and looks over his shoulder to check a lowered screen.

"You take an all expenses paid vacation slot, just to put your nose where it doesn't belong."

Romanoff smirks, sensing a playful undertone. He doesn't scare her now that she knows she still has her job- or anytime really. She's afraid of one thing and one thing only: Not being enough.

"You're a damn nuisance and you know it,' the director continues, 'Here."

Fury reaches for the remote attached to his hologram and opens a file labeled 'Avengers Initiative'.

Romanoff leans forward in eager anticipation. With her hands folded, she studies the screen and tries her best to contain the excitement bubbling up inside.

She always gets her way. Especially with Fury.

"I proposed an idea," Nick circles the table, lifting his remote to show a sample profile for the Kree.