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

Chapter 14

Even though Clint went home like he promised he would, you stayed an active member of the Avengers up until the issuance of the Sokovia Accords. In all honesty, you weren't sure how you felt about the Accords. You simply refused to sign them because your loyalty was to your captain, not to a bunch of politicians who didn't have the first clue what all of you had sacrificed.

Your devotion to Steve was the same reason why you now found yourself riding in a government vehicle under arrest for obstruction of justice. Once you reached your destination, you got out of the car after your friends and lingered behind them. You were too distracted by the sight of the glass prison containing Bucky Barnes being unloaded to focus on anything else going on around you, until the sound of someone saying your name caught your attention. You peered past the towering frames of Steve, Sam, and the new King of Wakanda to see none other than Everett standing there across the room. Pushing between them, you started making your way over to him when the two armed officers on either side moved forward.

"Oh, stand down both of you!" he said, walking forward to meet you halfway. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Addressing everyone he said, "Come this way."

He led you all down a hallway, and after sending T'Challa to an office and leaving Steve and Sam with Tony, he put his hand on your upper arm and said, "Come with me."

He guided you to his office and, once you were inside, shut the door behind him. Wandering over to his desk, you picked up a framed picture that was sitting on the corner of it. You smiled when you saw that it was of the two of you.

"I always liked this picture," you said. He walked over and took it out of your hand before laying it face down on the desk.

"Have a seat, please," he said, motioning to the chair across from him while he sat down behind his desk.

Once you had settled in, he said, "Do you have any idea how much trouble you could be in for what you and your friends have done? Why did you even get involved?"

"Bucky is important to Steve. I wanted to help. Besides, I kind of know what he's going through."

Everett's raised eyebrows spoke for themselves.

"When Loki took control of Clint's mind, he used him against his fellow agents. He knows that he didn't have a choice, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't carry the weight of it around with him. Clint was at least lucky enough to have people who supported him and understood. Barnes doesn't have that."

"Where is Barton? I was surprised he wasn't brought in with the rest of you."

"Clint retired after Sokovia. He's spending all his time being a good husband and father."

He stared at you for a few moments before he reached down and you heard the sound of one of his desk drawers opening and then closing again.

"Stark is down the hall trying to convince Rogers to sign the Accords. It will make everything he did legal. This is my version of the same offer to you."

He handed you a file folder and, when you opened it, you saw that it wasn't a copy of the Accords inside.

"This is a new hire folder," you said, making it actually sound more like a question than a statement.

"Yes, it is. This is what I was going to talk to you about that last night in New York before I changed my mind. I decided it would be better if I came over here and settled in first. I thought, by that time, the Avengers would have spilt up again and you'd be in need of a real job. I had no idea you all would stick together this long. But, nevertheless, here we are."