A Shot Through The Heart (Book 1 of Love, Monsters and Magic.)

Chapter 26

Natasha

Just as Pepper had said, she arrived within the hour. I greeted her out on the landing deck and hurried her inside and down to the medical wing. The walk was quiet, a comfortable silence rising between us. We reached Tony's room and I opened the door for Pepper who stepped inside and made her way straight for Tony. There was a deafening crack as Peppers hand collided sharply against Tony's cheek, her hand recoiling. I gasped but Tony raised his hand to signal that he was fine.

“I deserved that.”

“You're damn right you deserved that! You had me worried sick!” She cupped his face in her hands and looked over his body at the damage.

“I'm sorry, Pepper. I didn't mean to upset you.”

“I'm just... Going to... Leave. Yeah you get it.” I left the room and left them to their business. I thought it best to give them some much needed privacy. I needed something to do. I knew I had to steer clear of Loki down on the detention level under Director Fury's orders. So, I decided to take a walk around the aircraft carrier since there was nothing better to do.

Clint

The meeting in the boardroom came to a close shortly after Natasha had left to see Tony in sick bay. I left the table as soon as the meeting ended, mainly to put some space between me and Agent Black. I wasn't one for hitting woman, unless it was my current contract, but there was something about her that made me want to put an arrow through her eye sock. Her sharp tongue would look better stapled to my wall, I thought. I decided it wouldn't be the best idea to pursue Natasha down to the medical wing so I headed down to my home away from home, the training room.

Once I was in the training room, I stared firing arrows into the dummies like there simply was no tomorrow and with Loki on this ship, for all we knew, there might not be a tomorrow. He already had us dropping like flies; he stabbed me, blasted Stark, he had Thor wrapped around his little finger. God, if it came to it, he had the advantage. A major advantage. That's great, Clint. Any more morbid thoughts and you may as well just hang yourself know and save yourself some time. I sighed.

“Something wrong, Agent Barton?” Came an icy voice from behind me. I twisted around with my bow still in hand arrow pulled back and aimed straight between the eyes of... Agent Black? Aria Black blocked the doorway, leaning against the titanium door frame to the train room, arms crossed tightly across her chest and an amused smirk playing on the corners of her lips. She let out a low chuckle from her full ruby red lips before speaking once again in her bitterly cold tone, stalking closer to me like a predator hunting its prey. “Put that down before you hurt yourself.” She pointed an accusing finger towards my bow. I lowered only slightly.

“What do you want?” I snapped, turning away and continued to lodge arrows in the dummy on the far side of the room turning my back to Aria in a cold gesture.

“What? Am I not allowed to socialize with my team mates?”

“No.” I stated bluntly.

“Are we still upset with the events of earlier?” She pouted, mischief glistening in her eyes.

“Cut to the chase, Black.”

“All right.” And with that she stalked up to me, her voice silky rasps, her body close and her face a just a few centimetres away from mine. She parted her lips slightly as she stared down at my lips, her breath coming out in warm steady breaths against my cheeks. I stood my ground, knowing exactly what she had on her mind. She sure knew how to get right up under someone's skin. This close, I couldn't help but allow my gaze to drift down to Aria's nose, which sure enough, had crookedly set bones. Aria moved her face closed to mine, but I doubled over in fits of laughter causing Aria to stumble backwards a few steps. Natasha had done a nice job with her nose, I must say.

“What the hell are you laughing at?” She hissed, cheeks flushed red in either anger or embarrassment, or maybe it was a neat mix between the two. I raised a hand as I tried to contain my laughter. The hand gesture just pissed her off further.

“Oh...” I breathed, wiping a joyous tear from the corner of my eye. “Oh, I mean, not only did you think that you could actually seduce me,” I scoffed, “but that... That's some nose you've got there. Don't mind me asking, who done that to you or need I ask and just proceed to giving a high five to Natasha for her nice work?” By this point I was convinced that all Agent Black could see was red. Maybe her body was shaking violently with pure rage, but I couldn't see because I had doubled over again, letting out loud cries of laughter.

“What the hell? Clint, why...” Natasha's voice came from the doorway, trailing off as she tried to pin point what on earth was happening here. She must have heard my wails of laughter. I collected myself quickly as Natasha crossed the floor to where I was doubled over.

“Agent Black that was just a cheap way to get at Natasha. I'm sure it's not over the hard feeling about the nose readjustment,” I jested. Natasha flashed a warning glance at Aria.

“What are you talking about, Clint?” Natasha asked, not pulling her gaze away from Aria's.

“Oh, Agent Black here just tried to seduce me.” I snickered, as the last two words rolled off of my tongue in a seductive tone and flashed a mocking flirtatious smile. The next couple of seconds passed by in a blur but by the time I had even realised what had even happened, Aria was on the floor in a heap, clutching her face for dear life while Natasha just stood over her with a devilishly sexy grin plastered across her face.

“I have wanted to do that all day.” Natasha mused, walking out of the room with me at her flanks leaving Agent Black on the floor, glancing back over my shoulder at the squirming form of the floor.