Bartoned

Chapter 4

The problem with farewell parties when you leave your job, is that you have them right at the end of your last day. That might not be so bad if you work in an office. It is less fun when you've been driving around in an ambulance all day and you have to change out of bloody clothes and try and shower and change at work.

You looked like shit. Or at least, you felt you did. Thankfully, aside from the fact that Chris was most likely going to finally make his move on you, there wasn't anyone you particularly felt the need to try and impress. These were work people. You'd all seen each other as rough as you had gotten. Covered in blood or shit. Emotionally and physically exhausted. This slightly frazzled and damp hair look wouldn't be judged. As long as you showed up.

You made it to the bar about 20 minutes late and everyone was already gathered around a few of the tables drinking and talking. No sooner had you stepped into the bar when another couple of paramedics bailed you up in the corner.

"Hawkeye is here," Grant hissed. He loomed over you but the look of shock in his deep brown eyes made him anything but threatening

"Yeah, I know. He asked if he could come," you answered.

"But..." Vikram stammered. "Why? How do you know him?"

"I know all the Avengers. Don't you? Like," you waved your hands around. You knew they must have met. Both these guys had been on duty when shit had gone down with the Avengers at some point or other.

"Yeah, we met them. We don't know them enough that any of them would show up as our date," Vikram said. "But if you know Scarlet Witch."

"Sorry, dude she's seeing Kari," you said with a shrug.

"What the fuck?" Vikram cursed.

"So that's how you two got offered the job huh? A little bit of nepotism?" Grant said. You didn't like his tone. Like he just figured out the scam where two underqualified women would have been offered a job with the Avengers before him unless there was a different motive.

"Actually," you hissed. "Tony Stark offered us the jobs before either of us started seeing anyone," you explained like you were lecturing a toddler. "Besides, Clint and I aren't seeing each other. We're just friends," you added, intentionally leaving out the part where you were having regular sex with the archer.

"Right," Grant said, obviously unconvinced. "So why is he here as your date?"

"He's not. I told him this was where I would be tonight. He asked if he could come."

Grant rolled his eyes. "Yeah, no possible motive there."

You rolled your eyes right back at him. "Okay. Think whatever you like. Can I go to my party now?"

They waved you on and you went in and started socializing. You rotated around as you nursed a drink. The temptation to drink heavily was there but with the new job in a day and the fact that you were sure Chris was going to make a move, you wanted to make sure whatever you chose to do was with a clear head.

Chris hovered. He was offering you drinks but not trying to force them on you. He was charming but definitely working an angle. Clint, on the other hand, you hadn't even spoken to all night. He'd been consistently bailed up by various people you knew and he seemed to quite like the attention.

"You know what I keep thinking about?" Chris asked, moving in a little closer to you. "That time you said you dreamt about me."

You choked on your drink, nearly spitting it on him. "I wouldn't read too much into that. It was weird. Mothra was in it."