Under or Over: Hawkeye & Black Widow

CHAPTER #50

After Romanoff got the information she wanted, she came out of the room.  In front of Barton she reported in to Director Fury.  Barton could tell she wasn't telling everything she knew, but didn't say otherwise.  Fury instructed them where to leave the twins for pick up.  Then he told Romanoff he needed to speak to her privately.  Barton rolled his eyes, but gave her space.  When Fury was done giving her orders, Romanoff helped Barton move the men.

"So what's next?"  Clint asked.

"We're going hunting for the next Council member."  Natasha said calmly.  "Director Fury said you're to continue the operation with me."

"Sure whatever," Clint grinned. "So are you going to tell me why you didn't report everything?"  She gave him a look that told him not to go there, but he ignored it.  "What are you hiding?"

Natasha didn't look at him, knowing he could read her eyes.  "I'm not hiding anything.  I'm doing my job."

He shook his head and pulled her to him. "Are you ever going to really trust me?"

She looked at him, "I do trust you."

"I hear a 'but' in your voice.  I'll wait Nat, but I'd rather you tell me."

Natasha pulled away, "come on we have work to do."

That was her M.O., when she didn't want to face herself or personal issues, she focused on business.  Barton, Romanoff knew, would stay on the invisible trail until he found what he was looking for.  Sooner than later she'd either have to ditch him or tell him the truth of what she wanted out of this operation.  Maybe she could distract him another way.  With that thought in mind, she smiled and joked with him as they prepared to leave the secret location.

They doubled up on Bird in motorcycle mode, zigging and zagging through the city to a private airport hanger.  That's where a quinjet awaited them.  Barton took the pilot seat as usual.  Bird went to stealth mode in the sky and tailed them.  

"We are going to Cairo, Egypt. That's where the next lead takes us," Natasha stated.

"Ugh, it's going to be disgustingly hot there."

"Be happy you're not on the hellicarrier. After the Hulk's assistance, Fury is not too happy. "

Clint laughed, "I wish I could have been there to see his face."

Natasha shook her head, "always the antagonist aren't you."

He smirked but said nothing.  Clint set the flight path and put it on auto pilot.  "Got anything to eat in this tin bucket?"

"I saw a cooler in the back, go check it out.  Get me a water while you're up?" She asked. "I'm booking us a two bed room at Ramses Hilton, in the heart of Cairo."

"Notice how we always start out in the nice hotels and usually end up in the slums?"

Her eyes twinkled, but she replied, "we go where the trail leads us."

"At least it's right on the Nile and tall enough to see most of the surrounding city," Clint said as he handed her a water.

She watched him eat a sandwich from a foil wrapper.  "See I knew you'd approve."

"Just tell me we don't have to get all dressed up the first night we're there."

"Whatever gave you that idea?"  Natasha's voice was neutral.

"It's what you always make us do.  For once I'd like to just check it out, before having to mingle with the uptight local business men."

She punched his arm playfully.  "Come on you know you love it; flirting with the ladies, pick pocketing the men."

Clint chuckled, "what's your plan Nat?"

"You can do what you want, I'm going out for some local cuisine."

"Bet you that Stark's going to be jealous when he hears we ate authentic shwarma sandwiches."

"I'm going to Abou El Sid, it's a little more classier.  The native upper-class prefer it when looking for a taste of their roots.  They also make a nice cane and tequila cocktail," Natasha advised.

He gave her a raised eyebrow, "and how do you know this?"

Dryly she replied, "do you really need to ask?"

"Okay so you're going out for drinks and dinner, then what?" Clint questioned.

She shrugged, "maybe dancing on the Blue Nile... who knows.  It's our night off, before the real fun starts."

"Fury gave us a night off?" Clint asked, almost choking on his sandwich.

"No, but I am."

There was something that bothered him about the way she said that, but he buried the thought.  "Maybe I'll join you for that tequila drink... maybe," he said as she smirked.

They slept in shifts, while the auto pilot took them to Cairo.  Once the quinjet was parked, they went to the hotel and checked in.  While Romanoff went clothing shopping for both of them, Barton first scoped out the area with Bird's assistance and later by foot.  He came back just as Romanoff was leaving, wearing a black dress.  On her it was sexy, even though she didn't expose flesh.

"If you care to join me, your clothing is in the closet," Natasha said as she departed.

After showering, he went for shwarma at the local restaurant, but then returned to their room.  He wanted sleep not dancing.  Barton knew that would disappoint Romanoff, but he wasn't in the mood for her games. 

** ~ ~ ~ ~ ~**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

When Natasha realized he wasn't joining her, she had fun with the locals.  Romanoff drank them under the table, but even though she had a buzz, she couldn't relax.  Her mind wouldn't shut up.  Their S.H.E.I.L.D. mission was not the source of the turmoil, but added to it.  Her personal investigation, is what drove her to buy a bottle and take it back to the room.  When she came inside and found Barton sleeping, she wasn't surprised. The dress came off and she put on the silk pyjamas.  Then bottle in hand Romanoff sat down facing the window, leaning against her bed.

Barton was awake long before Romanoff had opened the door.  He kept his eyes closed, but listened.  He could sense her restlessness.  When he heard the cap come off a bottle, a smirk passed over his lips.

"Want to share that bottle?" He asked the silence.

"If you want some," she replied.

Clint got up and opened the curtains further, then sat down beside her.  "Have fun dancing?"  He knew the answer, before she replied.

"Can't have fun, when my mind's on a mission."  Natasha sighed, took a gulp of booze and passed the bottle to him.

"Any idea where you want to start tomorrow?"

She smiled and it transferred to her voice, "don't I always?"

He knew it was rhetorical, so he didn't reply. Barton realized too that he had to pace himself with the drinking, or end up with a bad hangover.  Sensing she needed it, he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.  Romanoff let her head be supported by the bed, but her body leaned into his side.

"You know you can tell me anything... as you have in the past," Clint reminded.

She nodded and knew he saw the movement, even in the dark.  They sat looking out at the night sky and the city lights, passing the bottle back and forth.  When he next spoke, she wasn't surprised with his question.

"Does the council in some way have to do with your past?"

"Don't ask me to explain... not yet.  Can you do that for me... just wait?" Natasha asked, her voice almost childlike with its vulnerability in that moment.

"I will... for now," Clint said simply and left it at that.