Protective

                                    

                                          
Pepper and Darcy had stayed at home with Thor, Tony, Clint and Natasha while everyone else was out.
Jane needed to stock up on supplies, having come to New York without so much as a suitcase, not intending to stay this long. Maria had accompanied her, and they took Bruce with them. The toddler had become quite close to Jane over the past few days, having followed her round the lab floors constantly.
While Steve had gone with Phil to get some food in; the cupboards having been empty for far too long and the women in the tower were far more successful in avoiding the task
                          
Thor, Tony, Clint and Natasha spent hours happily playing games, drawing and watching films; easily occupying themselves while the adults went about their day.
                          
Pepper and Darcy were in the kitchen when they heard yelling and banging from the lounge;
"I knew it was too good to be true" Pepper sighed, placing down her coffee to follow Darcy
                          
They were both shocked to discover Clint and Natasha fighting; the two hadn't had so much as a disagreement the entire time they'd been kids, yet here they were kicking and punching, shouting and screaming at each other. Natasha screamed as Clint yanked her hair, and Clint recoiled as she retaliated by biting him hard enough to draw blood.
                          
Pepper grabbed Clint before he could get another hit in, and then glared at Tony and Thor who were cheering and encouraging the younger kids in their violent outburst. Darcy intercepted Natasha as she lunged at Clint again, scooping her up; attempting, and failing, to calm her down.
                          
"Dude, what the hell?" she asked, almost as shocked as Pepper who was still trying to wrangle Clint
                          
"You two, out!" Pepper said, motioning her head towards the door as she looked to Tony and Thor, who sighed but did as they were told.
                          
Darcy sat, still clutching Natasha as Pepper started the questioning;
"What on earth is going on?"
                          
The two kids looked at each other, locked in a staring contest that both were too stubborn to break, each equally unwilling to speak
                          
"Clint?"
                          
"Why me first?!" he asked, exasperated
                          
"You're older" Pepper informed him simply
                          
Clint glanced sadly over to Natasha before looking back up to Pepper and shaking his head
                          
She sighed before asking "Natasha?"
                          
Natasha didn't say anything, but her lip started to quiver and she clutched Darcy's shirt in her fists
Both adults knew what was coming before the tears started to fall
                          
"Natasha, what's wrong?" Darcy asked gently, shifting her weight so she was facing her
                          
"C-Clint doesn't want to be my f-friend any more" she wept
                          
Both women turned their attention on the young boy, stood awkwardly and now had a silent tear running down his face
                          
"I didn't say that" he muttered, sounding hurt; clearly trying to keep his emotions in check
                          
"You d-didn't want to play w-with me! Y-you said I couldn't p-play because I'm a g-girl" Natasha stuttered between sobs
                          
"We was gonna play wrestling; me, Thor and Tony" Clint explained quietly to Pepper "Tasha can't play cause she's a girl" he added, avoiding eye contact with Natasha as her crying started to cause erratic breathing and gasps
                          
Darcy raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders to Pepper while she tried to sooth the nearly-hysterical girl on her lap
                          
"Okay, not that wrestling is okay; but why can't Natasha join in wrestling?"
                          
"Because she's a girl, and she's little. And I didn't want her to get hurt" Clint rushed to explain
                          
"You don't think Natasha can handle herself?"
                          
"I just didn't want her to get hurt" Clint whispered again "Like before" he added with a sigh
                          
"Like before?" Darcy questioned, more to Pepper than Clint. But Pepper shrugged; unsure what he was referring to
                          
"When we first came here, she was hurt real bad, even though she pretended it was okay; it wasn't. I couldn't stop them people from hurting her" Clint told them sadly, more tears falling from his eyes, "I didn't want her to get hurt" he repeated. Natasha had stopped sobbing now, crying silently as she listened to what Clint said
                          
"I'm sorry Tasha" he whispered, finally meeting her eyes with his own
                          
Natasha climbed down from Darcy's knee and ran into his arms. She clung to him tightly, wrapping her arms round his neck as if she couldn't get close enough to him. She was on her tip toes while Clint bent over slightly, compensating for the height difference. He stroked her back soothingly and buried his head in her hair.
                          
Pepper sank onto the sofa next to Darcy; who was watching the exchange with avid interest;
"Don't you just want them to get married?!" she gushed with a smile as the two of them ran off hand in hand
                          
"Sometimes, it almost feels like they already are..."