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He listened to the slow sound of a blade being sharpened. The smooth glide of metal over a whetstone filled the room, so much louder than it should have been. Louder than it physically could be, especially for him.Clint knew that it was because he was so focused on the sound. But that did not make it any less intimidating.
For the person sharpening the knife over on the other side of the room was Natasha Romanov. Former Red Room agent who was now waiting for the decision to find out if she would be allowed to join SHIELD. Something she was only trying to do thanks to him encouraging her. After he had been sent to bring her in. As a prisoner. Not a new recruit.
It was the only way he was able to bring her in though. Using words and an offer of safety worked where an arrest wouldn't have. He would have had to kill her otherwise.
Coulson had known that. It was why he sent Clint in.
He risked looking up at Natasha. She wasn't looking at him.
"How sharp are you trying to make that?" he asked.
She stopped and looked at him.
"As sharp as I need to make sure you got my point," she said, with a light tone that was scarier than a menacing one would have been.
"Your point being that I'm dead if they turn you away?"
"Exactly. You know you are smarter than your reputation leads one to believe."
That non sequitur was not aimed at his comment, he knew. But at the fact that he had managed to talk her into coming with him.
"That is on purpose," he said. "I prefer to be underestimated."
"I think we will make a great team," she said, smiling.