Mine Would Be Him (Clint Barton x reader x Everett Ross)

Chapter 8

You and Everett did your best to keep your promise to each other. Every available chance, you made a point to spend time with him, just the two of you. That's how it was now. All your time was split between Clint and Everett. They never made up. Whatever came to the surface during their infamous fight seemed to have driven them apart permanently.

Things became harder after Everett joined the CIA. You had been so proud of him when he called to tell you about it. Even over the phone, you could tell how excited he was and you were truly happy for him, even though you knew it would make your friendship that much harder. It seemed like every time you were home, he was out of the country and vice versa. He was diligent in his attention to you though. He called you twice a week without fail, no matter how many years passed.

But while your relationship with Everett stalled, you and Clint continued to grow impossibly close. Over the years, the pair of you became a legend at SHIELD. You were Fury's most trusted and highly regarded agents, and his eventual appointment as director cemented your place in the organization's ranks. There wasn't a single person in all of SHIELD who didn't know how well the two of you worked together, which meant that you were consistently partnered up for almost every assignment. Between that and your already strong friendship, Clint Barton eventually became your whole world without you even realizing it.

And, unfortunately, it never occurred to you to question what he really meant to you until she walked into your life.

Laura was pretty in a simple, practical way. She wasn't a high-maintenance beauty, but she had long, dark hair and an easy smile that made her instantly likable. You had to admit that she was the type of woman that you would have picked out for him. Her gentle nature was exactly what he needed. In any other situation, you would have taken to her in a minute. But in any other situation she wouldn't have been sitting in your house with her hand resting on his thigh.

He had brought her here to meet you, which you felt must have meant he was serious about her. In spite of his good looks, Clint had never dated as much as people would have expected. There had been some first and second dates here and there, but he was very perceptive about people and it never took him long to figure out that someone wasn't right for him. And due to the nature of his job, he never believed in getting into a relationship that was doomed to fail. The fact that he was sitting beside her and looking at you hopefully told you that he believed her to be "the one."

You had exchanged pleasantries and engaged in some small talk, but you had let Clint take charge of the conversation. You just didn't know what to say to her. Deep down, you were busy fighting the urge to rip her hand off his leg, and possibly off her own arm. His dating had never really bothered you before, and you couldn't figure out why it was bothering you now. She seemed like a nice girl. There was no reason for your intense dislike of her.

Your thoughts were interrupted by her saying, "Clint, honey, before we go, could I speak to y/n alone for a minute?"

Clint looked at you and you nodded your head ever so slightly.

"Sure," he said. "I'll wait outside."

Once you heard the door close, she said "I've been bugging him about my meeting you for awhile now. He talks about you all the time. I felt we should get to know each other."

You simply kept looking at her, unsure of what to say.

"You know," she continued, "it bothered me at first, all his talking about you. I'm sure you know what I mean. I didn't know if I could be with someone who was so close to another woman. To put it simply, I was jealous. Then he told me about a mission you went on in Arizona. The one where you-"

"I know which one," you said. You had only been to Arizona with Clint once.

"He explained to me about his responsibility to you, and your responsibility to him. He said he had let you down. That's when I began to understand."

"Understand what?" You asked.

"That I'd never understand, not really. Even if I marry him one day, give birth to and raise his children, spend a lifetime with him, there's a part of him I'll never be able to relate to...but you will. You're a very important part of his life. You're a very important part of him. And I want you to know that I'll never try to come between you. In fact, I hope you and I can be friends."

She seemed sincere as best as you could tell. You weren't sure whether what she said made you feel better or worse though. It should have made you feel better, you knew that, but somehow you were hoping she would threaten you and then you would have an excuse to get rid of her. Instead, she was being every inch the kind human being she appeared to genuinely be.

"Thank you," was the only reply you managed. It didn't feel like an appropriate response, but it was a safe one.

"I better go. Clint's waiting," she said, standing up. "I'm really glad we could talk."

When you heard the front door shut behind her, you got up and walked over to the window and watched them leave hand in hand.

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Your evening was spent sitting alone in the living room thinking about Clint and Laura. You'd never really thought about him getting married until now. As selfish as it sounded, you couldn't help but wonder what your life would be like if he did get married. He'd move out, of course, which meant you would be living all alone for the first time since you were a teenager. But what else would change besides that? You'd have to share him with another woman. She would be his wife and the future mother of his children. She would be the one he would come home to and take in his arms. And you would be his....friend? Coworker? Clint Barton was the most important person in your life, and you would no longer be his.

"What are you still doing up, baby?" The subject of your thoughts asked as he walked into the room. You had been so preoccupied that you hadn't heard him come home.

"Just thinking," you said, looking up at him and smiling slightly. You noticed that he still called you "baby." His term of endearment had never made you feel as much as it did that night.

"While we're on the subject, what did you think of Laura?" He asked as he sat beside you and wrapped one of his strong arms around your shoulders. You shifted your body so that your back was resting against his chest. As you concentrated on his gentle breathing and his familiar scent, you thought to yourself how right it felt being with him like that. Everything about Clint felt right. Part of you wanted to tell him she was wrong for him and that no good would come from them being together. But as you turned to look at him, you saw in his eyes how much he needed you to approve, so you did the only thing you could for the man you loved so much.

"She's a great girl, Clint. I'm really happy for you."