What's left of us (for broken_arrow)

[russianchildatprayer]

The fire is spreading fast. The gamemaker wastes no time blowing up his arena, now that the winner stands.

She should be in the elevator already. The heat is unbearable, scorching the small hair of her arms where her uniform has torn, and stinging in countless ulcerous open wounds.

This one will scar.

There is no reason to linger. The other four are dead, she’s made very sure of that. Some put up a fight and suffered more than she would have wanted. But by now they all made it. They’re all relieved off what Dreykov still politely likes to call life.

All but one.

She could still end it. Her guns have drowned in that acid pool on the first day already and her last knife is stuck to the hilt in his liver. She can’t near him again if she doesn’t want to end up like him after all. But there’s enough rocks around. Worst case, she’ll burn her fingers while smashing his skull, before he has to suffer much worse pain.

The thick iron of the artificial walls, the faded layers of grass bred miles under the surface, just for this one purpose of yet another natural selection for Dreykov’s likes… All is glowing with the flames closing in around her. She can feel the hairs on her neck rise, smoking from the heat.

Still she keeps the door of the elevator open with her good arm, refusing to let it carry her to safety, to care, to the proud shimmer in Dreykov’s eyes and another nightmare to come by.

She shortly wonders if she should try take him with her. Maybe they’ll show mercy for once. He’s stood against her until the very last minute, after all. And even in that last fight she’s been nothing but lucky. It could be her bleeding out on the ground just a few meters away now.

She could try but the girl who’s been trained since before she even had been able to understood why and for what, knows better. The elevator won’t move if she drags him along with her. The doors won’t even close.

Only the strongest survive.

She’s been praying that he’ll pass out in these terrible few seconds of uncertainty, of trying to make a decision that’s long been made for her. She should know better. If a God exists, he has never taken particular interest in her life.

He turns to her, and she can see his eyelids are on fire. His lips form words that she can’t hear with one eardrum ruptured since day 3 and the rising noise of trees falling, barrels exploding, rocks crashing.

Maybe she’ll be able to tell herself for a while that he wants her to run.

But the part of her that turns away and takes the elevator to safety because there’s never been another way for her, knows better.

His last words were that he’ll find her.

She wishes, he could. Probably that’s why she left him alive. For the smallest chance that he’ll come for her, this time without making a stupid mistake. That he’ll be the one to finally put an end to it.

Only there’s no way he’ll make it out of there. There is no way out. They have made sure.

She won’t sleep better with that knowledge on her mind but that isn’t the point. Nightmares of seeing her lover burn to death is the easiest punishment she can wish for.

***************

Nightmares were hardly a rarity since Washington, but this was the first time Natasha awoke screaming. Still caught up in too bright, too detailed pictures burning behind her closed eyes, she realized too late that she was far too close to the edge of the bed. Before her instincts could kick in, she went to the floor, tangled in sweat stained sheets and landed on the very same shoulder that desperately needed a timeout anyway.

And that had been the last fucking time to take painkillers before going to sleep.

After she could breathe without wincing out in pain again, she left the bedroom to put together some kind of breakfast and a new load of meds. A postcard in her mailbox immediately made her forget about patching up that shoulder new. She couldn’t help but wonder how Steve had found her. It seemed, she had taught him better than she had realized.

Sam and him hadn’t found anything yet, that amateurishly coded card said. He wanted to know if she was okay. Saying they could use a hand. Sure they could.

He was stubborn, she had to give him that. She wondered if he’d still be once he found out the rest about her, all the stuff that was openly out in the world after Washington. And he would. Once they found Barnes and he would go back to a normal life… Steve would get to know the whole truth about her, sooner or later. There probably wouldn’t be postcards with smileys on them then anymore.

Time for another relocation, it seemed. She had waited for weeks, something that was far too dangerous anyway, and by now all hope was gone that at least a message of Clint might eventually catch up with her here. Hell, there was no telling if he was even still alive. Maybe the buzz out there had at least died down enough by now to try and find out that. The nightmares wouldn't go away from sitting and lying around in apathy much longer, that was for sure.

Ignoring her slightly dizzy condition, due to a few days without enough food, as much as the new warm, wet spots staining the bandage under her shirt, Natasha went back to the bedroom to pack her things. If Steve had found out where she was, chances were too big that someone else would too, to linger much longer.

Comments

[russianchildatprayer]

"Shouldn't be a problem. I seem to remember there's some pretty... explicit shops in town."

Natasha sucked in another breath and pressed into the firm touch of his hand gladly, feeling her cheeks flush a little, and that certain warmth coiling right below her spine. She had always loved how Clint and her could go from goofing around to incredibly sexy within a matter of seconds, and especially today, they both needed it equally, if the heat rising from certain body parts close to her wandering lips was any indicator. Well, at least there was no danger of getting cold anytime soon...

With a little purr on her lips, she brought them from his hipbone slowly more to the middle of his body where she could still feel and taste on the tip of her dancing tongue what they had done earlier. For a moment, she just breathed against his skin, dragging out the teasing, to enjoy feeling him get excited for her again, and placed a few open-mouthed kisses here and there.

"Tell me what you feel like doing right now?"

That deep, seductive tone in her voice was back, letting him know she could think of a few things herself of course, but she always liked to hear his ideas.

[broken_arrow]

Clint growled deep in his throat when she reacted so willingly to his touch. He had planned on bunking out here and not leaving until they needed some necessities, but maybe a quick trip into town a little sooner than that might not be such a bad thing...

His breath hitched and he held it a moment before letting his slowly as her breath played over his skin, teasing him and making him shiver, though it had nothing to do with being cold. In fact he was feeling quite the opposite right now.

“Um, well, not to be boring... but maybe we should move somewhere more comfortable first,” he answered, screwing up his face at how lame that sounded. He could have asked her for pretty much anything and she probably would have complied, but she wasn’t the only one who worried. This position hadn’t exactly been easy for her with both their injuries and he figured she could find a much more comfortable one with him flat on his back.

[russianchildatprayer]

"Told you, you always have the best ideas."

His face was so adorable, Natasha just had to sit up to kiss that frown away. They couldn't stay the whole day in bed of course - though she had a feeling, they would try - because sooner or later they'd have to refuel their energy... But just spending the next hours lazy, enjoying each other and pretend that nothing else existed sounded just about perfect right now.

She untangled herself from that blanket and shook out that arm a little she had just laid on. Then she let her hand travel idly over Clint's chest and down to where his new found interest was very visible by now, giving him a nice firm squeeze before standing up.

"Come on, hotshot."

She made a show of swaying her hips on the way to the bedroom, knowing how quickly that could drive him crazy. They did share a certain preference for specific body parts after all... Once next door, she leaned over the bed a lot deeper than necessary to straighten out the sheets and covers. If he looked close enough, he might actually see that the new rising heat between them didn't leave her unaffected at all...

[broken_arrow]

Natasha wasn’t put off by the possible mood dampener at all, and in fact she reacted rather enthusiastically to the idea. Grinning into the kiss, he sucked in a breath when she let her hand wander, giving him just a brief reminder of what was to come, not that he needed it.

When she got up and walked away he was left watching her with a goofy expression, watching as she put on a show just for him, only for him. Okay, yes, he was the only one there, but that wasn’t the point. When she was like this, teasing and relaxed and oh so real, it was always just for him.

Getting to his feet to follow her, he stopped just inside the doorways a moment to admire the view before stepping forward to run his hands over her perfect ass and grip her hips, pulling her back against him.

[russianchildatprayer]

Natasha kept up her little show and gasped as if she hadn't felt him near her, turning her head to him with big eyes and her lower lip drawn between her teeth. Of course she made no move to pull away from him, but rather started grinding her ass against his crotch, with that same look of innocence from under her lashes from before.

"Oh, so you're in charge now, hotshot?"

Her voice was all sugared roughness, warm honey on a growl of pure, demanding arousal. An unashamed moan mixed in it when she leaned down even deeper, resting her weight on her shoulders on the mattress, to bring her hands to her bare breasts and squeeze them tightly.

[broken_arrow]

She was very convincing. Had Clint not known her as well as he did he might have bought the innocent act. Well, had he not known her and had that innocent expression matched the rest of her body’s movements, which is most certainly did not. Groaning as she ground against him, his fingers tightened on her hips, keeping her press close.

“I wouldn’t say that...” he replied. Even if he appeared to be in the more dominant position right now it was clear that Natasha was still very much in charge, not that he was complaining. Not one bit.

This was probably the worst position they could be in right now with her resting on her injured shoulder and him standing on that hurt leg, but when she started moaning and touching herself he couldn’t quite bring himself to pull away. They should be taking it easy and trying to get back to their top shape for whatever might lie ahead, but she was just too fucking hot like this, practically begging him to take her .

[russianchildatprayer]

As big as temptation was to provoke him further with these alluring movements of her hips, until he would just lose it and take her the way she needed it... A dull throb down her left side soon enough let her know, her shoulder wouldn't agree with that. If she didn't want to keep that annoying problem, she couldn't pull such stunts.

Well, no one was to say they couldn't improvise really well. Suppressing that little unnerved grimace, Natasha slowly pushed herself up on her good arm, rubbing her ass back against the solid, heated body behind her in the motion until she was standing right before him, her good arm reaching back to pull him in for a hungry kiss.

It was very satisfying to feel him press into her that hard again after their previous encounters. She couldn't help a needy little whimper on her lips as she undulated her body against his, feeling every inch of his bare, warm skin against her. That impressive libido on both sides doubtlessly came from years of chastity by a good part, but mostly it was just that... The need to feel him close, his breath, his hands, his mouth on her, the reminder of how much she meant to him and he meant to her, until everything else was silenced.

Her hand fell from his neck down to his hip and deeper to grab the delicious firmness that was his butt tightly while she circled her hips against him, breaths turning into pants all too soon. She wanted to touch him everywhere at once and not stop until they both passed out, but he was right about one thing... They should get more comfortable for that.

"Get that fine ass of yours on the bed, Barton."

[broken_arrow]

As she pushed back up to stand in front of him, making sure to keep as much contact between them the entire time, Clint’s hands roved over her body, one slipping down along the juncture of her leg to her inner thigh, close but not quite touching her sex, while the other slid along her flat belly to hold her that much closer. Clearly she had come to the same conclusion he had and he was grateful that she had chose to move because he wasn’t sure he would have had the strength to.

Returning the kiss greedily, he matched the movement of her hips and held her flush against him, her back warm against his chest. They should probably be resting, taking some time, but he was already so fucking hard for her again it was ridiculous. Fortunately he wasn’t the only one as while he could have stopped if she wasn’t ready to go again, he was happy to not have to.

The hand on her stomach rose higher, brushing the underside of her breasts as she broke the kiss and he let out another growl when she proceeded to grab his ass. Both of them seemed to have a fetish for that particular body part, and both of them definitely had good specimens to work with. That was probably half the reason behind it, to be honest. Clint had always been more of a breast man, and Natasha certainly had fantastic tits, but he’d never really appreciated the posterior before she’d let him get his hands on hers. And so much more.

“Yes ma’am,” he replied, voice deep and rough. Still, it was with great reluctance that he finally let her go, though not without first bringing his hands up to give her breasts a playful squeeze. Stepping back he limped only slightly as he rounded the bed before dropping himself down on the side of it. Piling the pillows behind him he swung his legs up onto the bed and lay back before giving her a very inviting look marred only slightly by the pain of the movement and the relief to have his leg up again. “Now c’mere.”

[russianchildatprayer]

Natasha frowned a little when she realized Clint was still in more pain than she had hoped. The new rising worry would have dampened the mood if he hadn't been so clearly hot for her. Still she made a mental note to go as easy as possible on him. There were so many things they could do without exhausting each other's leg muscles out...

Her body burned for him, just from these small promising touches a second ago, making it all but easy to not take his invitation immediately. The wish to wind him up further, to see him shiver and hear him moan for her, was stronger.

In a graceful, fluid motion she got on her knees on the lower end of the mattress and slowly made her way upwards, her legs framing his, a predatory look in her eyes that matched the way her tongue swept over her lips perfectly. Her breasts swayed softly in the motion as she leaned over him and rubbed against his heated skin when she leaned down to kiss him, always careful to keep her body weight away from his leg as much possible. He tasted of need and a little sugar from their breakfast when her tongue sneaked into his mouth, claiming him as hers.

The soft purr on her lips quickly turned into a moan when she pressed her center against him and his hardness slided smoothly through her slick folds, so easily tempting to just take him immediately. That wasn't what she had in mind just yet though.

Slowly making her way back down, she kept her lips and tongue on him, sucking, kissing her way from his neck to his chest until her teeth grazed the tender skin of one hardened nipple, just begging to be bitten. Her hand dipped shortly between her widely spread legs, bathing in the growing wetness there until her hips bucked against her own movements. She tore it away reluctantly to wrap it around Clint's rock hard cock instead and started to stroke him slowly, lightly, a warm, smooth promise of what was to come soon.

Her eyes were firmly on him as she moved her mouth to his other nipple and tightened her grasp on him just the slightest bit, her tongue teasing the sensitive flesh another promise she intended to keep... But not before she hadn't completely driven him out of his mind.

[broken_arrow]

He saw her frown and inwardly cursed himself. Sure, there was still some pain, but not enough to detract from the pleasure that was to come as long as Natasha didn’t let her worry take over. She lingered a little too long on her feet and he was just about to start protesting when she finally climbed onto the bed and started crawling towards him causing his words to immediately dry up. He watched her tongue dart over her lips like she was sizing up her dinner, watched her perfect breasts hanging free and begging to be touched. When she kissed him he tangled one hand in her hair as he eagerly kissed her back.

He moaned with her as she rubbed against him. She was so warm and wet and inviting and he would have gladly let her take him right then, let her sink down over him and envelop him. Instead he ended up muttering in disappointment when she ended the kiss and moved lower, though that feeling didn’t last long. Never once did her lips leave his skin, her kisses tender until she reached his nipple and added teeth to the game. Sucking in a sharp breath, his eyes were filled with passion when he looked down at her, watching her watching him. His hips involuntarily bucked upwards when she wrapped her hand around him, using the natural lube of her body to stroke him with just the right pressure. His own hands slid along her ribs before cupping her breasts, feeling their weight before massaging them gently.

[russianchildatprayer]

Clint did exactly what she had hoped for, knowing her needs and desires just too well after all this time. He had her gasping and writhing against his hands in no time until she had to stop her eager sucking and biting. With both his nipples deliciously sensitive and red now, he pressed against her stomach, into her leisurely caressing hand even harder now, and she made a mental note to get back to this game later.

Forgotten seemed the pain for the moment, or at least overshadowed by growing lust. She could press into his rough, skilled hands and let herself fall completely, rub her center along his cock again in slow, enticing strokes while she still looked at him from hooded eyes, completely lost in the both arousing and calm, slow scene.

"Don't stop that", she murmured huskily and slowly reached behind her then to wrap her hand around him again, gently guide him until she could take him in, inch by inch, moaning and panting.

[broken_arrow]

The way she reacted to his touch just egged him on further. They both knew how to play each other’s body like a finely tuned instrument, knew what string to pluck what chord to play, to get the other singing, and it was clear that no matter how much time passed it was something they never forgot.

She was so hot, so inviting, as she rubbed her centre along his full length, coating him and heating him and making him so fucking hard. Her husky voice hit him right in the pit of his stomach, and he grinned despite the growing strain. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he muttered back, pinching her nipples just a little harder for effect before circling his thumbs gentle over them, gentle yet rough due to his callused fingers.

As much fun as the foreplay was he was glad she didn’t draw it out too long. She sank down over him, taking him in, sheathing him in her tight, wet heat. “Fuck,” he breathed, his eyes never leaving her face, watching every shift in her expression.

[russianchildatprayer]

One of the things Natasha loved so much about having sex with Clint was how honest he reacted to everything they did. While there were still times when she herself tried to muffle her sounds or hide her face on his shoulder, when she threatened to lose control over her body... That blissful look on Clint's face and all these delicious sounds he was making were an open book.

It just turned her on even more. When they were past teasing and finally joined, their hips intertwined in their most intimate embrace and she could feel him throb with need inside of her, she just had to stop for a moment. She had to watch him for a second, leaning over him with her good arm draped over his chest while her eyes sought his heated gaze, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"Love it how you feel", she murmured before leaning in for a deep, demanding kiss, hips just circling slightly to enjoy that perfect way of being close to him for a few moments longer before desire would take completely over.

[broken_arrow]

In that first silent, still moment after they joined he could feel his heart racing, his blood pumping, and as he stared up at her he almost forgot to breathe. She was a vision, with her skin flushed and her hair all mussed from their earlier activities.

Clint kissed her back eagerly, groaning a little against her lips when she moved, no matter how minimal. She was overwhelming his senses until all he could smell was her aroma, all he could taste was her lips, all he could feel was her smooth skin and her wet heat engulfing him. He loved how she felt too, loved how hot and tight she was, loved tasting the salt on her skin, loved seeing that soft smile on her lips when she wasn’t trying to devour him, which he also loved. He loved everything, loved ever second of this. “Love you,” he murmured against her lips.

It took him a second longer than it probably should have to realise what he had said, and luckily he couldn’t seem to speak or he probably would have started to babble and try to make excuses.

[russianchildatprayer]

Huh. Well, that was interesting.

Natasha's sex-addled brain needed a moment to catch up with these last whispered words on Clint's lips. Her body and her mouth against his froze for a moment while she tried to categorize this new development in her head, tried to find any knee-jerk reaction inside to this unexpected, nearly casual thrown in remark.

None of that happened, and after a moment of confusion she realized, there was nothing to be surprised about. She had already known, suspected at least. The feelings between them had always waited and played underneath the skin, never spoken about, never quite handled but always waiting patiently.

Maybe this was a good time to work things like that out. Not like they had anyone to answer about such things anymore.

But unlike Clint sometimes, she wasn't someone to blurt her feelings out easily, not even in the middle of fantastic sex, so she went for another soft smile instead, withdrawing just enough so Clint could see it.

"Promise you'll remember what you just said when we're done here?"

She finally moved her hips, still slowly, lifting herself off him enough so she could enjoy this beloved friction and stretch of him penetrating her again, causing her muscles to clench around him tightly. Just that perfect intimate heat that washed away all burdening thoughts and too deep feelings she didn't want to deal with right now. Later, with a clear head.

For now it was comforting enough to know they indeed had some very important things to talk about.

[broken_arrow]

Idiot, idiot, idiot! He hadn’t meant to say that. He had meant to tell her that he loved how she felt too, loved how wet she was, how wild, but apparently forming a sentence of more that two words had been damn near impossible in the moment. Clint, you dummy!

She froze, and he thought that was it. She was going to quickly climb off him and run, and leave him here to wallow in his own stupidity. It had been so long since they had been together and it was too soon to just blurt something like that out. And right in the middle of sex? Really?

“Tash, I...” he started to say, but he still couldn’t find the words. Should he take it back? Lie to her and tell her he didn’t mean it? Should he just jump in with both feet and confess everything? Oh man, she was pulling back, she was going to... smile at him?

Well, that was unexpected, but not as much so as her words that left him entirely speechless. She actually wanted to talk about it. Later, when they weren’t busy, she wanted to talk about what he’d said. He could only nod in response, then she was moving, riding him slowly, and it felt so good he quickly forgot any idea of talking right now. His hands moved to her hips, his thumbs circling over her hips bones as he pushed up to meet her. Oh yeah, talking could wait. Maybe he should have just gotten her to gag him.

[russianchildatprayer]

Clint's reactions still were all but subtle, and Natasha had to hide a grin when he visibly fought with his own bravery. She was ready to silence him with another deep kiss if necessary. Later, she would tell him how very happy she was that he had come out with this, at the most perfect time when they both needed something to hold on to so much.

But right now she didn't want to talk, maybe cuddle a little and make plans about what to make of this sudden emotional ripple in their relationship. Right now she wanted to fuck him.

So she was glad when he caught the hint and kept silent, giving in to her teasing movements instead. It was nice, the way he held her, how his hands tightened on her hips when she let her muscles work his hardness, intentionally this time... But again not quite what her body demanded right now.

Straightening back up she reached for one of his wrists and brought his clever fingers back to her breasts, biting her lower lip playfully as she slowly lifted herself off him again and brought her hips down a lot faster and harder this time. The moan escaping from her lips was deep and raw, speaking of still way too much pent-up passion just waiting to break loose.

Maybe it was good that they were still a little too banged up to go at each other with full speed. Probably they would have needed a doctor after that then.

The way it was, Natasha had to keep it slower than usual and couldn't bend her body into some of these creative positions they had tried in the past, but that didn't make her enjoy it any less. They were moving calmer than before, a tight, intense rhythm of skin melting into each other again and again.

She made it a torturous little game, working Clint up more and more with the tight squeezing of her muscles around him... Just to give him a break and nuzzle into his arms, with her body trembling heavily and her lips and teeth leaving marks on his neck and shoulders, whenever he was getting too close to the edge.

Already they were both covered in sweat and... well, other things again, after just washing up and she didn't regret it a little. It felt much too good for that. A steady hot build deep inside that soon had her hips twitch against his helplessly, searching for the last spark to let this fire loose, while Clint's name came from her lips between rough moans.

[broken_arrow]

His eyes moved to their hands when she grabbed his wrist, sitting up and away from him, but an easy smile settled over his lips when she moved his hand where she needed it. He quickly moved his other to match.

He moaned and muttered as she moved, his hands massaging her breasts and tweaking her nipples, calloused thumbs working over the sensitive peaks just how he knew she liked it. Blissful torture, that’s what this was, with her bringing him close then cooling them down for a moment to draw out the experience. He was panting and sweating beneath her, groaning with each mark she left on him, pinching her sensitive skin a little harder with each one. She was so fucking good at this, felt so fucking amazing, and if her goal was to drive him crazy she was doing a damn good job of it. His hips moved of their own accord, straining up to meet her, pressing closer, rotating and rocking.

He felt her getting close, felt her losing her control, the rhythm faltering, and he knew she was close. Sliding one hand down her torso, he searched with expert fingers between them to find her clit and applied pressure, rubbing at the swollen nub as he felt his own release approaching, egged on by his name, so broken, on her lips.

[russianchildatprayer]

Natasha had meant to held out much longer, stretch that game until they both couldn't take it anymore. But once Clint got these skilled fingers of his to work, it never needed more to have her lose control.

Her hips twitched against his hand, her muscles clenched around him uncontrollably when her world whitened out for a moment. She leaned back on his good leg with one arm with a throaty moan and rode out the waves of her orgasm, bringing her body down as hard against his as she dared without risking to hurt him. She loved it when he was that close, so unbelievable hard inside of her, when she couldn't make out if it was his or her own voice groaning in pleasure anymore.

The different angle hit just that one perfect spot inside with every thrust of her hips, leaving her breathless in a height that didn't want to end and her muscles contracting violently until all that tension released in a choked cry from her lips. Until something inside finally gave in to all that stimulation and a hot spray of liquid coated Clint's groin, right there where she had already left plenty of proof of her lust.

It could have been a curse or his name on her lips when she collapsed over his chest to catch her breath, she didn't really know. There just wasn't anything better than lying safe and warm in Clint's arms after exhausting herself out.

[broken_arrow]

His voice joined hers when her muscles contracted around him, squeezing him so tight with every thrust. If he hadn’t already lost the ability to breathe then the image of her riding him hard, her back arched and lips parted in a moan, would have done it. It was beautiful, erotic, like the most exquisite piece of art.

He tried to hold on, tried to hold out, but when she came so violently, coating him in a fresh wave of her lust, it wasn’t long before he followed her down, crying out his own release. He continued to move, the movements much slower and shallower, to prolong her pleasure, and when she collapsed on top of him he let his head drop back to the pillow, exhausted. Breathing heavily, he wound one arm loosely around her, wanting her to stay exactly where she was.

“Fuck, that was amazing,” he gasped between breaths, kissing whatever he could reach, which happened to be the top of her head.

[russianchildatprayer]

"This is gonna be Greenland all over again, right?" Natasha chuckled when she finally had enough air to talk again.

Well, Greenland without hunting polar bears or supervising from Hill in between fucking each others' brains out. But she could remember exactly this feeling. Completely worn out, happy, warm, secure and snug in the arms of a man who knew her so damn well, who devoted himself to her without ever expecting anything, who respected her and her life and her decision like no one else before.

Thinking about it, it was more than fitting and overdue that their lives had now washed them ashore together once more and that her only decision right now was him.

She nuzzled her face against the warmth of his skin with a deep sigh, breathing in the scent sex and excitement and all Clint, and let herself fall completely in this perfect sensation. Only the man who was important to her all around her, against her, inside her where she could still feel the faint hot throbbing of their game and his own spent lust.

And no listening to their phones with one ear. At least for the moment, in this house, not even living with the constant latent fear of an attack anytime soon.

Actually, so much better than Greenland.

[broken_arrow]

“Better than Greenland,” Clint replied, unknowingly voicing Natasha’s very thoughts. “We only gotta stop when we want to. Or, you know, when we need a rest.”

His eyes still closed, he grinned up at the ceiling, one hand trailing lazy fingertips up and down her spine. It was a strange feeling, knowing they were completely alone, that they were safe, that the could just stay like this all day if they wanted. Soon they would have to make plans, would have to move on, but for today, maybe a couple of days, they could live undisturbed in their own little bubble.

“By the time night rolls around I’m gonna sleep like a rock.” He was already blissfully exhausted and it was still early. He didn’t want to make assumptions, but he figured odds were good that this wasn’t the last round of the day.

[russianchildatprayer]

"Well, I might also be bribed in cooking something for us later. You know, to reload batteries."

Natasha finally gathered enough brains to push herself up a little, just enough to not put pressure on Clint's injured side, and looked at him with a small grin curving on her lips. Cooking wasn't her best trait, admittedly, but she would have it easier walking through the kitchen, bending and stretching, than Clint with his damaged leg. Her abilities would suffice for some stew or something.

"Sleeping sounds nice."

With a little sigh, she drew small circles with her fingertips on his shoulder. The dreams wouldn't stay away forever. It was good to know there was someone beside her to wake her if necessary.

[broken_arrow]

“You’re gonna cook?” he said, feigning disbelief and worry. He was a bit honestly surprised at the offer, though. Cooking wasn’t something Natasha really did much of, as far as he knew, nor something she did well, but how bad could it really be? He had eaten things in his life that no human should have to consume, after all, so at least it would be actual food, and after sustaining himself on canned goods for the past few weeks anything would be an improvement, right?

He hadn’t meant that they should sleep now, but if she was tired he certainly wasn’t going to argue. He hadn’t been sleeping well without her, and he was beginning to suspect she could say the same, so a little extra sleep couldn’t hurt. Besides, it wasn’t like they had a schedule to keep or anything. “Well, we’re already all settled in bed.”

[russianchildatprayer]

Natasha gave his shoulder a mean little bite for the remark but kissed the spot better immediately then. He had a point, of course. And that was why she would put extra effort in that diner later. No one was to say, she couldn't surprise.

She hadn't really planned on taking a nap but when Clint seemed to get her remark wrong, her body agreed with a long, deep yawn.

"Guess I've slept less in the last days than I should", she murmured. "Maybe we can lay down for just an hour or so..."

With a small sigh of regret she lifted herself off him and rested on her good right side, with the other arm gently draped across his chest, and nuzzled her face against his shoulder. Part of her wanted to stay awake, wanted to talk about... everything and what he had said before. The other, just as big part fought with the blissful exhaustion in her bones.

"Just don't let me sleep too long", she murmured, turning her head to smile at him. "I seem to remember there was something you wanted to tell me again..."