The Flame (Avengers Fanfiction)

12-Kill Bill Vol. One

He had only wanted to talk to her.

He had only wanted to release some tension he's had since Laura had given birth to their beautiful, healthy son, Cooper. It had been sleepless nights ever since he was born. Both he and Laura have been stressed out and Clint just needed to release something. But Peyton wanted nothing to do with him. Nothing at all. He didn't know if he had ever seen her that angry. She couldn't even keep her powers under control. He snorted. Peyton could barely keep her powers under control.

And then, he had hit her.  Clint Barton had slapped Peyton Stark. She had cried in front of him. Hell, she looked like she was terrified of him. Peyton could have him dead with a snap of her fingers, but she was so scared.  She could have him arrested.

"Fuck." He muttered, leaning his head against the steering wheel. Clint had quickly left the Triskellion and now he was sitting in his car. The offices in the building all had cameras. Hell, he knew Peyton had cameras in her level in Stark Tower. If she wanted to, she could press charges.  Laura would leave him. She would take Cooper with her. He wouldn't have anyone. He would be alone. That anger that had bubbled

"Fuck! FUCK!" He screamed, hitting the steering wheel. The horn honked a couple of times and a few agents who were either walked to or from their cars turned to look at him. All of them wondering why Clint Barton, a top agent and Avenger, was sitting in his car and screaming.

-

Makeup covered up the bruised cheek. The video had been saved, but deleted off of SHIELD's servers. No one knew. I would never tell anyone what happened. No one would ever know what Clint had done unless I wanted them to know. It would be my secret. My dirty little secret. Is this how both of my mothers dealt with it? Only thinking of it as a secret? No. You were hit once, you asshat. They endured years of abuse, both physical and verbal. What do you think Clint's comments over the years were? It wasn't healthy either.

I pushed those thoughts away as Steve sat down next to me. I plastered a smile on my face as he held the large bowl of popcorn. He had asked me if I would watch a few movies with him so he would be more pop cultured. And even though I was in emotional turmoil, I wanted to be the one that he experienced Kill Bill with.

"So when you say this movie is bloody.." Steve says and I grin, reaching into the bowl of popcorn.

"It's bloody in the fakest way possible, Rogers. Don't worry, you can hold my hand if you get squeamish." I smirk and he blushes, "J, play Kill Bill Volume one."

JARVIS dimmed the lights, darkening the room as the movie started. Steve's eyes widened at the image of the Bride on screen, whimpering and bloody. I took a handful of popcorn once more, wincing at the mention of her baby and then the gunshot. Cap looked over to me, looking concerned as Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) started to play.

"Are you okay? We don't have to watch it." He told me and I smiled at him, shaking my head. I ate a couple of pieces of popcorn.

"It's okay, Steve. I can handle it." I tell him before looking back at the screen. My cheek throbs. Clint would never express any type of concern for me if I had flinched. He wouldn't have noticed it. "You didn't seem that fucking upset when you were all over Cap." Clint was jealous of Steve-Clint doesn't deserve to be on my mind. There is a six foot tall sweetheart next to me and I'm thinking of an abusive archer. As the first major fight scene started, I could see Steve's awe struck face.

-

Peyton had fallen asleep during the movie, leaning against Steve. Steve had noticed her eyes dropping at various parts of the movie and during the first half of the movie she curled up against him. He hadn't expected it, but he welcomed it. Natasha had told him what had happened with Peyton's pregnancy so Steve was glad that she was looking happy.

The elevator doors slid open as Steve was carefully sliding his arm out from underneath her. Tony walked out, eating freeze dried strawberries. The eldest Stark raised an eyebrow as he watched Steve carefully move, laying Peyton down on the couch. Steve pulled the blanket that Peyton had been using over her more.

"She never falls asleep during Kill Bill. She must be very comfortable around you, Rogers." Tony commented and Steve finally looked at him, pink tinging his cheeks.

"She seemed pretty tired." Steve responded, picking up the bowl of popcorn. He poured the extra popcorn into the trash can, setting the bowl in the sink. Steve, being the goody two shoes he is, even washed the bowl and left it to dry. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Yeah ever since she came back from D.C., she hasn't been sleeping as much as she should. Been on edge too." Tony says with a sigh. Steve noticed how worried Tony looked while he was staring at Peyton. His sister's body moved with every breath she took in her sleep.

"Steve, I say this as Peyton's brother so don't make fun of me here, okay?" The brunette said suddenly, turning to look at the ninety year old man, "My sister...my sister has been through way too much shit, especially this year and I-Don't hurt her, okay? I don't care if you two are just friends or whatever, don't hurt my sister."

"Tony, I would never try to hurt Peyton. And I wouldn't make fun of you because you care about your sister." The Captain responded as Tony nodded. Steve put on his leather jackets and said his goodbyes to Tony. Tony half-heartedly said goodbye, keeping his eyes on his sleeping sister.