Breaking In, Shaping Up, Then Checking Out [@banner-and-barton]
Natasha catches her own tell, stilling her fingers against the table. She can hear the desire to persuade her of his point of view in his words, but she’s set on her course - because he’s not the only one who wants to protect his partner. Everything she does is designed to ensure his safety, in the hope that one day her debt will be repaid.
She looks up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Another way? If you have a suggestion, I will listen. If not, this is done my way. As I’m running the mission, it’s my choice.” This is something she would only do for him - willing to take on his counsel if he’s able to offer it. She’s secure in her own instincts, but she’s well aware that her insistence on relying on them can blind her to other avenues.
“Can’t I just infiltrate them somehow? I mean, they don’t know me, right? And you know quite well that I can play the bad guy pretty good. So maybe I can find out enough things to make it safe for you and me to get to them, without getting hurt or tortured. I just… I don’t want you hurt, Natasha.”, he said, his voice quiet as he looked at the woman, chewing on his lips from the inside.
He always tended to do that when he’s nervous, but usually, he could stop himself from doing that. Not now. This was about Natasha. And Natasha was way too important to him.
Natasha watches the nervous tic, hating that she’s brought it to the fore. She reaches over, wrapping his fingers lightly around his wrist to assure his attention. “Not bad enough for this,” she says, and there’s a fleeting moment where she wishes he was. It’s not as though she desperately desires to be tortured - it’s simply the easiest way in. They’ll be careless, gloating in front of her in a way that they won’t with anyone else.
“Come on. We should get back to the office,” she says by way of response, draining the last of her beer. “We’ll have a meeting with Coulson, talk over the options.”
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inheritorofmemories reblogged this from bannerandbarton and added:
“Joke,” Natasha says after a moment, toying with her food. “Not like you to be so touchy. You should go home, Clint. Get...
