Before the War - {Clintasha} - {Pre-Avengers} [#Wattys2019]

Prisoner of SHIELD; Prisoner of HYDRA

There's a note at the end explaining the future of this story and why I waited so long to post this! 

"T-Tasha?" Clint Barton was extremely groggy. He felt Natasha's cold fingers gently clamp onto his jaw and lift his head up so he could look straight forward.

"Wake up, Clint. You're taking out the Ringmaster tonight, remember? It'll be a show these people never forget." Natasha rubbed a thin foam pad against some pale powder foundation, then began dabbing it over her best friend's face. Powder dust went everywhere, making the archer squirm and cough. Natasha did her best to keep him still. They couldn't know who he was...or else the Ringmaster would have someone execute her partner on sight.

Clint whined as he tried to wipe his face, but Natasha swatted his hand away. Her nails caught his skin, leaving little white scratch marks. "I'll be in the shadows, you'll be in the spotlight, therefore..." She popped open another makeup pallet from the pile of cheap supplies she bought at a nearby Target before they arrived at the circus tents, "you need more makeup. You've sat through this before, stop whining."

"Some acrobat woman who couldn't speak English would do my circus makeup as a kid. She just did a stupid purple bullseye around my eye and made my hair stick up all over the place with this damn oil that was impossible to get out." Clint sighed and went to rub his hand over his face again, but immediately remembered the heavy makeup and put his hand down. "She took care of me when I was sick, though." He shook his head, then laughed a little. "But I still can't get over how she almost killed my hair with that oil."

Natasha smiled and picked up the pallet with the heavy pigment eyeshadow colors. She rubbed the brush around in the royal purple powder. "Close your eyes."

"Nat, don't do the same thing...they'll know." Clint groaned as he stared at the now purple bristles of the brush.

"Just shut up or I'll put more powder on your face." Clint grimaced as Natasha covered Clint's left eyelid with the purple eyeshadow, allowing it to look messy. She then moved on to use the eyeshadow to draw two perfectly round circles around the same eye. When she was finished, the archer had a target covering nearly half of his face.

"I figured the first time I did makeup on someone, the person would maybe be like a male model...or a female friend...but I got stuck with you." It just earned her an eyeroll from her fellow agent.

Natasha put the brush down on the table, then closed the pallet before putting that down next to the soft-bristled makeup brush. The assassin picked up a small black container, unscrewed the cap, then dug three fingers into its contents.

"What's that?" Clint straightened up in the chair. Natasha didn't make eye contact with him.

She shook her head once, her then red hair covering her face as it swayed. "Nothing. Just gel."

"I already have some in my hair, okay? Put it down." Clint pressed his hand against the chair's arm, ready to push himself out of it, but Natasha shoved him down.

"And it may or may not be purple."

Clint gave her a pathetic sigh, seriously not wanting purple gel in his hair. "Natasha..."

Natasha clicked her tongue. "Oh, relax. It'll wash out." She added a smirk at the end. "I think."

Clint racked his mind for an excuse. "But...I...I showered this morning... I can't go around SHIELD with purple hair. Do you know what Fury would say?"

"Did you lose a bet?" Natasha figured Fury would have some kind of snarky comment. She smirked at Hawkeye, who just rolled his eyes again. "And if it annoys you that much...well, I can tell Fury to move you to a freaking office job."