Duyên || Clint Barton

042 || deal

A/N: yes, I know this is far fetched. I don't really care

•••

"I still can't believe we're in a spaceship!"
Clint chuckled as I looked around in awe, Nebula holding back a smile from the pilots seat.
"It's nice that you're so cheerful" Rhodey commented, turning around to look at me, "considering what we've got to do"
I just grinned back, grabbing Nat and Clint's hands, lifting them up in the air as if proving a point, "got my two bitches by my side, in space, going to get my kids back. I'd say that means I have reason to be pretty happy"
Natasha snorted at that, smacking the back of my head lightly.
"I mean she's not wrong" Clint snickered, "this is the most hope we've had in years"
"Let's just hope it all works" Nebula added, eyes focused on bringing the ship down to hover over the ground.
"it will"
"It has to"

"Good luck" I murmured, hugging Rhodey tightly.
"Right back at ya blondie"
I snorted, moving towards Nebula.
"A hug for the road?"
The blue woman raised a metallic eyebrow, before stepping forward and embracing me briefly.
"For luck" she muttered, averting her eyes.
I smiled, squeezing her hand quickly to show I understood before making my way back over to the ship.
"Be safe, both of you!" I called, waving until the doors closed.
"They're going to be fine" Clint murmured, placing a kiss on my temple as he walked past me towards the pilots seat.
"I know, everything's gonna go as planned"
"Damn right it is" Nat exclaimed, starting the engine, "if not I'm gonna be pissed"
That startled a laugh out of me, following to buckle myself into my seat.
"Lord help the universe if that happens"

•••

"You've got to be kidding me" I groaned, my eyes set on the mountain in front of us, "are you sure we can't just fly up there?"
Nat snorted, already starting to walk towards it, "you know we can't do that"
Clint gave me an apologetic look before shrinking the spacecraft and putting it in his pocket, holding his hand out to me.
I took it with a sigh, beginning the trek.

"Now I can see why we were the ones who got this stone" I complained, head hanging back as I trudged up the last bit, "anyone else would've given up at the bottom"
"You almost did" Clint sniggered, smacking my ass to make me move faster.
"Well I didnt"
"You would've if we weren't here" Nat added, humour obvious in her voice, "besides-"

"Welcome"
The sudden voice made me jump into a defensive position, Clint and Natasha doing the same behind me.
"Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith. Grace, daughter of Devon"
The two assassins stalked forward, putting themselves in between me and the being.
"Who are you?" Natasha asked lowly.
"Consider me a guide, to you and to all who seek the soul stone"
"Oh good, you tell us where it is and we'll be on our way" she replied sarcastically.
"If only it were that easy" the figure spoke, stepping into the light and revealing his face. I shuddered slightly as I looked at the bright red skull that stared back at me, following him as he started to float towards the edge of the cliff, "What you seek lies in-front of you, as does what you fear"
"So we can just climb down and get it? Easy" I scoffed, peering over the ledge.
"In order to get the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul for a soul"
The three of us exchanged uneasy glances, the howling wind further adding to the uncomfortable atmosphere.

"He can't be serious"
"Looks like he is"
I gaped open-mouthed at the two infront of me, both already starting to talk about who should be the one to die.
"Wait a damn minute! Can't we think about other options before we resort to - to this?"
"Grace-"
"No! You're acting like this is it! But it's not" I shouted, whipping around to face the red-faced man. With a steadying breath, I strode towards him, fists clenched. "There has to be another way"
"A soul for a soul" the being shrugged, face uncaring, "that is the way it's always been"
"What if we return it afterwards? We just need to use it once, then we can return it to you"
"A soul for a soul"
Frustrated, I growled, using all my effort to not punch the man in the face right then and there. Brain racing desperately, I was distracted by sounds of fighting from behind me.
"No!"
I watched as Clint and Natasha started to fight, my hand flying to my tool belt and grabbing my dart gun, shooting both of them in the arm. They both fell to the floor, temporarily paralysed, ignoring their shouts as I turned back to the red man with increased desperation.
"There has to be something that you want! You said that you guide us to a treasure that you can't have, so what is it that you want?"
"I was supposed to be a god-"
"Didn't ask for a life story"
"The stone-"
"Well that's obviously not going to happen is it, what's something I can feasibly give you"
The man seemed to consider it, "freedom"
Now that I could work with.
"You seem to love yourself, considering the egoism, and you're trapped here. Have you ever tried jumping down there yourself?"
"What-"
"Hear me out! You're technically dead right? So surely by doing this you could release your spirit from this place and move on - maybe haunt some people"
At this point I was very aware that the darts would start wearing off soon, the disgruntled noises starting to occur behind me, and I tried to keep the desperation off of my face.
"I've never tried that before" he admitted, looking thoughtful, before a frown returned to his face, "but that would be helping you"
"If it even worked! Think about it, if it works, you're free. If it doesn't, you return here and I die anyway"
"That seems... fair"
"So its a deal?"
The being put his hand forward expectantly.
"You attempt to exchange your life for the stone, promptly freeing you and giving us what we need. If it fails I will exchange my life for the stone"
He nodded once. I shook his hand, carefully withholding a shudder at the chills that ran up my spine.
"The deal is done" he smirked, the expression looking wrong on his face.
"Grace - no -"
I turned around to see Clint, his head lifted barely a centimetre from the ground.
That just filled me with more determination, looking back at the man.
"Go on then"
He simply floated to the edge of the mountain, glancing at the Rocky formation one last time before falling off of the edge, silently.
Without warning Natasha jumped on me out of nowhere, pinning me to the ground.
"You're not fucking jumping!" She shouted, her eyes partially focused on Clint who was just regaining motion in his legs.
"I just sorted it out! I made him jump, see? I don't know if we'll get the gem or not from that yet but we'll know soon enough"
She just glared at me, grip not easing in the slightest.
"Clint don't you dare move" she added, voice icy, "I'm not dealing with you as well"
"Yes ma'am"
I struggled against her grip slightly, my eyes straying from her angry face to Clint's heavily guarded one.
"What did you want me to do?" I eventually said, sounding defeated, "let you die?
"Grace-"
Clint trailed off, eyes widening slightly as he looked at the horizon, a bright blue red light flashing down towards the ground.
Natasha immediately got off of me, settling into a defensive position above me, Clint rushing over to her side.
"Did it work?" I asked, scrambling to my feet.
"I - I don't know"