widowing | contact.

[ he drops out of a tree when he sees her coming. clint's always been prone to high places, so high he can watch for approaching threats. not that natasha is a threat ( not to him, at least. ) but she's not the only thing moving around in here. ]

There's something I should tell you.

[ something he probably should have already but. ]

[ she takes a moment to give him a once-over, study his demeanor to see if she can determine what it might be about. she can't put her finger on it, and she doubts it's about anything that's happened on board or at home.

he's been keeping something from her, which doesn't make her angry so much as it makes her nervous, makes her skin prickle and her shoulders tense as the blades draw themselves together. it's not that there aren't secrets between them, it's that they're usually aware that there are secrets, that there's something one or the other trusts to know exists even if they're not up to sharing the specifics. that he hasn't told her about this until now -

well, whatever it is can't be good. ]

Okay. [ and then the room gets a sweep and her comm gets a check, to make sure no one's around and that it's not turned on to accidentally leak their conversation. ]

What is it?

[ maybe he should have brought this up sooner. maybe. but it felt like an ace up his sleeve, like insurance because what if they were holding out on him? two sets of eyes are better than one, and his counterpart--

well, it's done now. time to play the ace. ]

I've got a counterpart.

[ there's a twitch of his shoulders, almost a shrug. ]

He wants to meet you. The rumor, it tipped him off.

[ she nods once, she's already aware of him. they'd actually spoken once before, though they hadn't exchanged names; she'd found out through going over his post. ]

I can do that. When?

He didn't say. I'll put you in touch with him.

[ whether or not he'd be accompanying her to this meeting, well. that wasn't totally clear. clint wasn't sure what his role was supposed to be, but it made him uneasy sending her off to deal with this herself. ]

[ another nod as she gives him another once over. he's hiding his unease well enough for most not to notice, but she knows his tells. the idea of the two of them meeting in person clearly makes him uncomfortable, but she doesn't know why that would be, aside from the general trickiness of dealing with counterparts.

so she asks. ]

What did he want to discuss?

He wanted to tell you himself.

[ this feels like a dick move. it really does. he rolls his shoulders, hunching further into his jacket. ]

I'll come with. If you want.

[ she considers for a beat or two. she's sure that whatever his counterpart wants to discuss with her, she can handle it, even if they end up coming to blows over it, but that he's worried enough to offer his presence - not himself as backup, but as support, for peace of mind - is setting off all kinds of warning alarms in her head. ]

Can you be somewhere high?

I can be wherever you need me.

[ and so it is like an op now, which is marginally more comfortable. they treat it like a mission and then its easy to know which playbook to follow. clint in the sky, natasha on the ground, and everything that comes at them is neutralised.

he hopes. ]

Thank you.

[ and now that that's settled, now that both are feeling considerably more comfortable about the situation, there are a few more things she wants to know. she doubts he'll tell her everything, because they may be partners, but there's a difference between what you'll reveal to a partner and what you'll keep to yourself.

this isn't like that, not exactly, but she imagines it's similar. ]

You don't like it.

[ he doesn't lie to her. he doesn't, that's just how this goes. ( there's not a point because she'd know, she always knows, but ) but she deserves the truth and he's holding back enough of it. he can be honest with her about this. ]

No. I don't.

[ there's a pause, and then he crosses his arms, sighing quietly. ]

Is there a point in me asking why?

[ if it sounds accusing, it's not meant to. she just wants to know if she should bother if he's not going answer the question. ]

No.

[ there's an apology in his voice, because his loyalties always revolve around her but this is some fuzzy gray area he doesn't exactly know how to navigate. ]

[ she just studies him for a minute, as if she can somehow figure it out just by watching him. it doesn't take her long to simply accept it and nod. she doesn't like it either, if only because he seems so uneasy about the idea, but she understands it, and he's going to be there in case whatever he's fearing comes to pass. ]

Okay.

[ and then there's that moment where he just. he wants to reach out and grab her hands and say something incredibly stupid. he puts his hands in his pockets instead, nods with a certainty he doesn't quite feel. ]

Okay.

[ she does end up reaching out and taking his hand; or, more accurately, hers covers the back of his. not for the same reason he wants to take hers, but something close to it. maybe. if she could let herself give it a name. ]

Whatever happens, it's going to be okay.

[ odd that she's the one reassuring him when she's the one who's agreed to a potentially dangerous situation. ]

[ the contact holds his attention for a long moment. they aren't really...reassurance isn't an easy thing with them. he's still for a moment, letting himself get used to this, to her hand covering his, before her turns his palm up to meet hers and blows out a quiet breath. ]

I know. And I'll be your eyes if anything happens.

Exactly.

[ she's not really the type to give out reassurances that often, but things are different, here. not so much between the two of them, but the circumstances aboard are unlike anything else they've faced, even recently. maybe this kind of comfort is something they both need. ]

[ the silence stretches out, because what can he say to that? this is outside their usual realm. this is new territory and should be navigated with care.

he lets it stretch and then sighs, straightens up and takes his hand back. ]

Alright then.

contact.

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