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

Whiplash

Clint felt out of place.

He squirmed in his uncomfortable black suit and pulled at his bow tie before looking off to the side and catching Bobbi staring at him. The look on her face read she wanted him to stop acting unprofessional. The archer shot her an apologetic look, dropping his hand to his side. He rarely did undercover work at banquets; he always made sure to avoid being chosen to be the one in a suit and tie. He managed to be the guy holding a bow in the shadows for so long.

As the two agents walked side by side and mingled with the crowd, they were approached by a woman with her brown hair swept into a neat bun and wearing a black blazer with several military medals over the left breast.

Bobbi plastered a fake smile on her face as she turned and made eye contact with the general. "General Hale! My fiancé and I were just talking about you. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Adrianne and this is Jeremy Brandt." Bobbi casually motioned to Clint, keeping her eyes on Hale.  "Are you speaking tonight alongside General Talbot?"

Hale smiled before answering. "Unfortunately, no, but I am looking forward to what they have to say for the future of our country."

"You would think President Ellis would be here if they were talking about the future of the country." Clint's remark earned him an elbow to the ribs. The archer winced and adjusted the black canvas bag draped over his right shoulder. Bobbi had left him in charge of the guns, but she didn't know Clint had brought all his gear with him. He wouldn't be restrained in the monkey suit forever. 

"President Ellis has asked General Talbot and Secretary Ross to speak on his behalf, remember, honey?" Her eyes spoke a thousand words to Clint, but to everyone else, she seemed kind and amused by her "fiancé's" forgetfulness. 

Clint smirked and held his hands up so they were parallel to his shoulders. "Hey, I probably had my hearing aids out when that was announced." 

"No need to apologize, Mr. Brandt." General Hale offered a soft smile to the agent before turning to Bobbi. "I should get going. Jeremy, Adrianne, it was nice meeting you." With that, the general walked past them and into the crowd. 

"Brandt?" Clint turned toward Bobbi and cocked an eyebrow. "Why couldn't we go with something else that's easier to spell? Like Renner! And you can spell that frontwards or backward."

"Drop the idiot persona, Barton. They'll know something's up, and the two people we're supposed to protect will end up dead. Clint rolled his eyes and offered his arm. 

"Whatever, let's just go," Clint responded, watching as Bobbi interlocked her arm with his. "How do you feel?" The archer quietly asked as he angled his head slightly toward her. After all, Bobbi seemed uncomfortable as she moved in the dress and heels. 

"If I fight anyone tonight, I'm going barefoot."

"At least you're not restrained in this suit. I can't breathe..." Clint pulled at the neck of his tie again as an attempt to loosen it, but it did not help. He turned his head to Bobbi. "Just let me take off the tie..."

The other agent rolled her eyes. "Leave it alone." 

They mingled with the crowd as they slowly made their way over to the side of the elevated platform serving as the stage. A sleek black podium set front and centered. A short man with greying hair and a small dark mustache walked up the short flight of stairs on the side of the stage and across the stage. Clint's attention immediately went from Bobbi to General Talbot now standing behind the podium, his hands against the metal podium. 

"You don't do a lot of undercover work, do you?" Bobbi's reaction was monotone. She never turned her head toward her new partner. 

"I do most of my work in the shadows. If I wouldn't have gotten injured, I wouldn't be here. Next time, I won't get injured," Clint responded appropriately, pulling some black sunglasses out of his jacket pocket and sliding them over his eyes. "I think I'm gonna head backstage...and make sure Secretary Ross and General Talbot aren't gonna be stabbed in the back."