Duyên || Clint Barton

011 || deal

•••

"So I'm guessing I can't tell anyone this?" I asked as Fury came back into the room.
"Not if you value your safety or Barton's" Fury explained, his face still showing no emotion.
"Okay" I nodded, still slightly hesitant "another quick question : why have I been allowed to know all of this?"
"That's actually a good question" Clint said, turning his head to face Fury as well.
"To put it in simple terms, you were compromised the moment the wrong person saw you two together" Fury said, crossing his arms.
"Wait - you knew?" Clint asked, the look of confusion etched into his face.
"Yes. One of my top agents saw you two. You're lucky it was a friend and not foe who found out first"
"Why make me take you here then?" Clint asked baffled.
"I needed to test your loyalty, you succeeded"

"Wait - what do you mean I'm compromised?" I asked, starting to feel a bit ill.
"If we could find you, someone not so friendly could as well. I suggest you both take up my offer of assistance"
"What kind of assistance?" I asked frowning.
"A safe house. Somewhere off the books, you'd be safe to live out your lives there without fear of being found"
"Hang on - woah there. You want me to move into a safe house with Clint? We're not even dating yet!"
"Then you must cut off all ties - I told you Barton, this is why agents shouldn't be in relationships with outsiders" Fury replied, his tone indifferent. Clint just hung his head in shame, as if he was being scolded by his father for breaking something.

"That's not fair. This wasn't Clint's fault!" I protested, starting to get pissed off with how he was being treated "we are equally responsible here - but you're asking a lot from me. I have a roommate, a job. I'm studying medicine for gods sake, if I go to this safe house will I be able to get a residency? Am I even in any real danger?"
"If someone sees you as a way to hurt Clint, yes you are in danger" Fury states, "as for the medical degree, you should be fine to do that. Moving to a safe house doesn't mean that your life has to stop - it just means you're away from cities - you'd be in a small-town environment where it would be very hard to track you down"

I nodded slowly, taking all the information in.
"How long until it's unsafe for me to stay here" I asked in a small voice
"Considering that we found some activity from left-over KGB agents, it really isn't that safe anymore"
"Wait what? I thought we got all of them?" Clint exclaimed "Nat and I took them all out!"
Nick shook his head "we had reports of 5 potential members, last spotted just outside of New York"
Clint ran his hands through his hair angrily "it's not safe for you Grace. I'm so sorry to have put you in this position. I'll leave, it's not fair to put you in a situation like this"
He stood up from his seat and grabbed his coat, rushing towards the front door.
"No! Clint Barton you do not get to do this to me! Sit your ass back down right now or I swear to god!"
"Grace dont you see? You're not safe! I'm endangering you! I can ask you to give up your life here - you have family! Dalia!"
"I don't have family Clint! Dalia is all I have and she's with Lewis almost all of the time now! I mostly speak to her over the phone anyway. You don't get to use this as an excuse to bail" I shouted, tears springing to my eyes.
"Grace -" he trailed off, walking towards me slightly.
"You don't get to make me care and then walk away like it was nothing! Sure, this isn't a conventional thing to happen - hell, I'm not even sure if you really like me - but I'm not going to let you walk out of that door without you telling me point-blank that you don't care about me"

Clint stood silent for a while.
"I can't"
"Well then I guess it's settled" I said, calming myself down and turning back to Nick Fury who looked u comfortable in his seat, "I'll take your deal"
"Grace-"
"Shut up Clint"
"Okay"

Nick Fury grinned and stuck his hand out towards me, "I like her. She has you by the balls"
I snorted at his comment, and accepted his handshake, seeing Clint roll his eyes in my peripheral vision.
"I'll be in touch with details by tomorrow, until then Clint you have the rest of the day off. Pack your shit. This will be completely off the books, only us 3 will know. Be careful who else you tell" he said seriously, before exiting my apartment.

"What you said about me not caring - that's not true." Clint said carefully "I just didn't want you to be out in a situation like this"
"Well I am now" I shrugged "nothing to be done - but hey. He's getting us a house, it'll better than this piece of shit apartment anyway"
"Thats very optimistic of you" Clint chuckled weakly, pulling me into a soft hug.
"I'm sorry" he whispered, his forehead resting on the top of mine.
"It's okay" I replied, my voice hushed.
"I know this is bad timing - but you were just willing to get rid of everything for me..." he trailed off
"Yes?"
"Does that mean you'd say yes if I asked you to be my girlfriend?"
"Hmm I don't know - I'd normally give up living with my best friend for just some random hook up" I said sarcastically.
"Oh -"
"Of course I will be you idiot" I smiled, pulling him into a kiss, "now. Help me pack"