Too Late To Apologise

7. The Hawk's Viewpoint

When Clint decided to skip gym and go directly to the café, he didn't expect to see Steve Rogers there.

As a spy, he always made sure that he wouldn't be in a very visible spot. He knew how to blend in and make it so that the people's eyes slid right past him. He wouldn't be a spy if he didn't know that.

So there he was, eating a chocolate cupcake with rainbow sprinkles on it (shut up, it was a guilty pleasure), while sitting in an obtrusive corner, with his back to the wall and having a perfect view of the entire shop. If anyone were to look at him, they'll see an ordinary and extremely bored guy who was minding his own business.

It was at that particular moment, when he was licking frosting from his upper lip, Clint caught sight of the Captain entering the café. Normally, Clint would have called him to share the table but that day, something was a bit off. The assassin narrowed his eyes as he took in Steve's body language.

Nervousness, eagerness, undertones of guilt...

Clint watched as Steve walked over to a waitress. She was pretty, he supposed (she paled in comparison to Natasha). Steve ducked his head and spoke with her, looking at her from under his eye lashes, with a shy smile on his face. The girl blushed and smiled back at him like an adoring fan. The realisation hit him like a runaway train.

Steve was flirting with her.

Steve was flirting with her.

All Clint could think was, but what about Tony?

Clint, by reading their lips, knew that Steve had asked the pretty blonde out on a date (you're already in a fucking relationship, what the fuck, Steve?), and she had accepted. He couldn't blame her. She looked like an innocent person and anyway, who wouldn't fall for the American icon when he batted his lashes and flashed his baby blues?

Clint Barton didn't have much friends. The only ones whom he could call his, the ones whom he knew had his back, were Phil and Natasha. For a long time, it was only them against the world. But then, the Avengers came into his life and Clint was wary about trusting them. They were a bunch of strangers with whom he was expected to work. And he had learnt his lesson about trusting strangers (never trust them, not unless you want to wake up with a knife to your back and a slit throat).

Tony Stark was the first person who made Clint feel welcome. He barged into Clint's space and made himself a part of it, regardless of Clint's wishes. They bonded over weapons, cars and pranks, even though the scientist was capable of pushing all his buttons. He later realised that it was Tony's own brand of testing and he respected that.

The point was, before Steve, Bruce and even Thor, it was Tony who earned Clint's friendship and trust (not full trust of course, that was reserved only for Nat and Phil). It was understandable that the archer felt a bit protective over the billionaire. He knew that Nat cared, in her own way, for him too, though she'll gut anyone who mentions that. He also knew that Tony was head over heels for Steve Rogers, who appeared, for all purposes, to be two-timing his friend.

Clint would have confronted Steve right then and there if it hadn't been for a chirp from his Starkphone. It was a message from JARVIS requesting him to assemble for a team meeting. It appeared like Steve hadn't received the message or, if he had, he was ignoring it in favour of his new... interest. Clint took the bag of pastries he had bought previously and slipped out of the café, while pondering on the latest developments.

The question was, should he or shouldn't he get Natasha's help in eviscerating Rogers?