That Which you Love || Clintasha One-Shots

Recovery Mission

Steve Rogers thought he knew his teammates well. He thought he could sense what they were going to do, like he could with the Howling Commandos. He could see when Bruce got angry and needed to calm down. He could tell if Thor was missing Jane or Asgard. He could see if Tony was frustrated about some machine gone wrong, but the pair of assassins were impossible to figure out. Natasha and Clint were a set. A pair. The few times Steve had seen them apart was when Clint was under Loki's control or when they were on solo missions for S.H.I.E.L.D.

He and the duo were standing in a Quinjet that S.H.I.E.L.D. had given them for the recovery mission of intel and freeing hostages from a cargo ship the global organization were using as a cover to transport arms and information to another country where it would continue being spread to different locations. It was too dangerous to share it across their networks due to hackers in different nations and restricted airspaces made it too hard to maneuver it by air. 

"Our intel says we have around three or four of the 'pirates', as we're calling them, on each level, plus five guarding the main computer. Our primary objective is to get the intel, however," Natasha explained. "We're dropping in by parachute and this must be stealth. No gunshots if it can be managed. If they know we're here, then we need to blast our way out until S.H.I.E.L.D. can send us a transport off the cargo ship or until we take it." 

"How many hostages?" Steve asked as he secured the shield on the newer, dark blue and brown, suit he wore. Clint stepped up to the hologram that was being projected to show the layout of the ship and the list of people that were captive. 

"Intel suggests that we have around twenty ship workers that are being held captive on the lower levels, but we don't know which one," the archer explained. "There were three agents keeping the information safe, so we can assume they're either being held with the other workers or were discovered and in that case are held somewhere else or..." He trailed off, his implications clear. Steve noticed Natasha look down, as if she were afraid of the second outcome. 

"I'll see if I can rescue the hostages. Natasha, look for the intel and see if you can clear the main computer. Clint, come with me and help with the hostages. In and out as soon as possible," Steve ordered. He saw the pair's eyes lock for a moment and Natasha's hands dart upwards and form signs in the air. Clint nodded, his head barely moving. 

"Got it, Cap," Natasha said as she loaded her guns in their holsters, handing Clint his quiver. He swung it over his back, but Steve noticed the odd size of a quarter of the arrows. They were shorter and more trick arrows based on the stripes of color by the arrowhead. 

Both agents slipped a parachute on as they approached the drop point. "Zone approaching in three, two, one," the pilot said from the cockpit as the back opened. Steve stepped to the edge and leapt off into the cloudy night. Clint looked to Natasha. 

"We're gonna find them, okay?" he said. She nodded and Clint realized how much more hard this was for her. She had a fake family as a girl, and she was emotionless for a large portion of her life, as well as the hostages being their miracles. 

She wiped something from her eye and nodded. "I know, I just-" she broke off. "What if they were found out?"

"They weren't," Clint said, still unsure himself. His hand touched her cheek and touched his forehead to hers. Her hand touched his cheek for a moment as he broke away and jumped off. He heard her run and leap off moment later. He pulled the cord on his parachute, letting the white cloth balloon and slow his fall. 

Steve was waiting for them as Natasha landed beside Clint. They took off the parachutes as Natasha ran towards the central computer. Steve nodded for the archer to follow him as Clint armed his bow with an arrow. Steve removed the shield from his back, holding it up carefully.