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1
Clint Barton was a touchy feely, hugs and backslaps kind of person. Natasha noticed it after their first successful mission together when he casually threw his arm over her shoulders in the back of the jet (ignoring her look, since it was a question not an accusation) and outright hugged their handler, Agent Coulson, before they parted.
She remembered that her initial reaction was, 'Huh.'
2
For all that Clint was known as a loner, he could be as much of a people person as Nick Fury, and considering how many cards and cookies the Director gave her, that was saying something.
She was his partner now, not just thrown in on a mission with him, and they often passed through HQ together. Clint, and therefore Natasha, was stopped frequently on their way down the hallways to mention sports-related or personal things in passing.
A "Hey, how you doing?" of Clint's got a woman to stop and swallow down a reaction.
Instead of saying anything, Clint went over and hugged her. She hugged back.
Natasha watched and said nothing.
3
"They won!" Sitwell shouted, leaping from his seat with the rest of the crowd on TV at the actual football stadium.
Clint crowed and wrapped Sitwell in what could only be called a crushing bear hug.
Natasha dodged the one from Coulson.
4
"I haven't seen you in forever!" The pretty blonde wrapped Clint up in her arms with a warmth that had Natasha internally growling.
Outwardly, Natasha kept her claws sheathed and coolly shook the woman's hand because Clint was grinning like the best thing in the world had just happened by him bumping into her.
"Mock, this is Nat. Tasha, this is Birdie."
The blonde rolled her eyes and corrected him. "I'm Agent Bobbi Morse. You must be Natasha Romanoff. I've heard a lot about you."
"Good things, I hope." Natasha used friendly words because they were called for, not because she was feeling very friendly yet.
Bobbi just smiled. "Very good things."
Clint studied Natasha for a long time afterward. Finally, he said, "She's married."
5
Natasha kept vigil beside Clint's bedside. Whenever he needed anything, she was the first to be his hands, his feet... His ears.
Maria walked in, concerned frown crinkling the skin between her eyebrows. She nodded supportively to Natasha, then started to sit in the chair on the other side of the hospital bed.
Clint cracked open an eyelid and slurred out, "Don't I even get a hug?"
Maria's smile was bittersweet, but she leaned down and gave him an awkward, back-patting, half hug.
+1
Natasha couldn't tell if the weight of the whole world had landed on her shoulders with the fall of SHIELD or if it had finally fallen off at last. There was no master, no handler, no organization giving her orders. There was only herself.
She stepped into Clint's open arms and held on for dear life, letting the hug melt away the feeling of teetering alone on the brink.