I'll stay with you (Clintasha)✔️

♥︎❁12❁♥︎ I want to feel pain

"We were walking along the road and then this old lady was in the way of a speeding car so..." Tony trailed off as Natasha looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Clint pushed her out of the way and he got knocked down." Thor continued. Jane gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"He'll be okay, right? Jerome?" Natasha turned to him and asked, trying to sound calm, hoping for an assurance and affirmation, the tears that had almost dried up now on the brink of overflowing again. Her voice quivered, and she had to swallow at times to keep her voice from breaking. Her eyes were red from all the crying, and there were wild flames of desperation and helplessness in them.

"He will be. He's brave, remember?" Jerome coaxed her, and helped her into a chair, keeping her in his embrace all the while.

They sat there for hours. Pepper and Jane had fallen asleep. Tony and Thor were closing their eyes for some rest. Jerome tried to keep himself awake to watch over Natasha. Natasha however, remained wide awake. She stared blankly at the wall opposite, her fingers nervously entwined in her lap as she waited for Clint's operation to be over.

The rest of the gang arrived after Tony informed them.

Maria went over to Natasha and hugged her. Natasha didn't respond, she continued staring at the wall, unblinking. It was worrying.

Natasha was a bundle of nerves, she could only rest easy after knowing that Clint was okay. But right now, as every hour, minute, and second passed, she felt her anxiety and worry draining the life out of her.

She couldn't lose Clint.

After a terrible 6 hours of waiting, the light on the sign above the door of the operating theatre finally turned off.

Steve was the first one to see it. He alerted everyone as the door swung open and a surgeon stepped out.

Removing his mask, he asked for Clint's family. Natasha was the closest he had to kin so she stepped forward together with Jerome.

She held her hands in front of her with knotted fingers much like a ball of yarn as the surgeon took a deep breath.

The rest of them looked on intently, keeping their ears sharp for the news that was to come.

"The patient's out of danger now although he had lost quite a bit of blood. But the impact to his legs has damaged the nerves in them. As they are linked to the spinal cord, the muscular contractions of the patient's lower body are now impaired." The surgeon said in a clinical tone.

Bruce looked down knowingly and sadly. The rest of them looked from Bruce back to the surgeon.

"What does that mean?" Tony asked before Natasha could. And whether she could was a different thing, her throat had been hoarse from all the crying and she didn't know if any sound would come out if she actually did speak.

"He may never walk again." Was the direct answer thrown at them, before the surgeon sighed deeply.

Natasha gasped and gathered all the energy she had left to ask, "Can we see him?". It came out as a helpless squeak.

The surgeon nodded to the nurse next to him and she showed them the way.

Natasha hesitantly pushed open the door to the ward and peered inside.

Clint lay motionless on the bed. He looked extremely haggard, with a giant stitched-up cut down his right cheek and a few scratches all over his face. His arms were covered but had sustained as much scratches and cuts.

The rest of them waited outside as Natasha entered alone. She had her hands cupping her mouth as she approached the bed, with tears encircling her eyes.

She say down on one side of the bed and took his hand in hers, bringing it to her face.

Then she felt him grip her hand.

"Clint..." He opened his eyes slowly and stared at the ceiling before turning to her.

"Hey..." He tried to sit up but felt something was wrong. Natasha stiffened but helped him up anyway.

He put one hand on his thigh and squeezed gently. He didn't feel anything. He frowned slightly before doing the same to his other leg, squeezing harder.

And his heart almost stopped.

He looked to Natasha and found her eyes glazed with tears.

"Clint, listen to me-"

"I can't walk anymore right?" His eyes penetrated hers as he searched for an answer in them. He hoped with his life that Natasha would say it was due to the after effect of some medication that would wear off soon, but deep inside he knew.

Natasha froze for a second and her eyes darted to her lap to avoid his soul-sucking gaze. She didn't know how to tell him without crushing his spirit.

"Look Clint, I'll be here with you, I won't ever leave you-"

Her heart skipped a beat when he chuckled and shook his head absentmindedly.

"At least I'm alive." He gave her an assuring smile and patted her hand, but his eyes glistened with a thin layer of tears.

It scared Natasha. He couldn't be taking this so easily.

"It's okay, Clint, you don't have to pretend to be strong. I understand, I'm here for you." She tugged at his hand.

"I'm really okay, Sweetheart. I'm just happy to be able to see you again." He folded her hand in his, his smile never ceased.

Seeing that she was unconvinced, he touched her face tenderly with the tips of his fingers and placed a kiss on her lips. Then he welcomed her into his arms and held her in his embrace.

He stared at the wall opposite while trying his best to blink away any tears that threatened to spill, and occasionally stroked her hair to keep up with the act.

When he finally managed to persuade everyone, especially Natasha to go home and 'have a good rest', Clint leaned back against the pillow and sighed deeply.

Through the little window on the door of the ward, one could probably see a patient angrily pounding on his legs in hope of feeling even a spark of pain.

A devastated youth on a tranquil February night.

🌿⚓️🌸❁🌸❁🌸❁🌸❁🌸⚓️🌿
Thanks for reading! Do vote and comment! Stay awesome xx