Chapter 2 Not another babysitter

Cheese nuggets, I got a butterscotch cake for my birthday :D

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Livia leaned against the wall of the SHIELD briefing room, arms crossed, watching as Nick Fury paced in front of her. She had heard this speech before—don't cause unnecessary damage, don't go rogue, don't freeze people unless absolutely necessary. Blah, blah, blah. Her focus, however, wasn't on Fury this time. It was on the guy standing next to him.

Clint Barton aka Hawkeye.

Livia arched a brow as she took him in. Casual stance, smirk just waiting to be used, and a quiver slung over his back like he was auditioning for Robin Hood: SHIELD Edition.

"I don't get it." she finally said, pushing off the wall. "Why am I getting a guy this time?"

Fury sighed as if he expected this. "Barton's not your babysitter, Arcane. He's your mission partner."

Livia's lips curled into a smirk. "Right, because all my other mission partners weren't just conveniently attractive women. Almost like someone was setting me up."

Clint let out a short laugh. "You think Fury's playing matchmaker?"

"I think Fury has a sense of humor." She shot a pointed look at the director. "Which, honestly, is concerning."

Clint grinned. "Well, hate to break it to you, Princess Frostbite, but I'm not your type."

Livia snorted. "Trust me, Legolas, I figured that out the moment I saw your haircut."

Fury rubbed his temple. "And here I thought I'd have to force you two to get along."

Clint clapped his hands together. "Oh, we're getting along just fine." He turned back to Livia. "So, what's your deal? You punch things, freeze things, or just talk really fast until the bad guys give up?"

Livia grinned. "All of the above."

Clint nodded in approval. "Nice. You and I? We're gonna have fun."

Fury sighed. "God help me."

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Livia Arcane & Clint Barton's First Mission Together

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

Objective: Intercept and apprehend a rogue ex-SHIELD scientist attempting to sell classified tech on the black market.

Livia adjusted her earpiece as she perched on the edge of a rooftop, eyes scanning the neon-lit streets below. "Alright, Legolas, where's our guy?"

Clint's voice crackled over the comms. "First of all, not my name. Second, he just entered the club—north side, red awning, two bodyguards."

Livia's sharp blue eyes locked onto the target. "Got him. So what's the plan? You take the long-range approach and I just waltz in and flash my dazzling personality?"

Clint chuckled. "Something like that. I'll keep an eye from up here, but this is your show, Frostbite. Try not to freeze the bartender."

"No promises. And it's Fracture."

Livia leaped from the rooftop, landing effortlessly in a side alley. She adjusted the cuffs of her dark leather jacket, shaking out her shoulders before strolling toward the entrance.

Inside, the club pulsed with bass-heavy music, flashing lights illuminating the dance floor. The air smelled of expensive cologne and bad decisions. Livia moved with purpose, slipping through the crowd, eyes locked on their target—Dr. Martin Kessler, a former SHIELD scientist with a penchant for selling secrets.

She stopped at the bar, ordering a drink she had no intention of touching. "Tell me, Barton." she murmured into the comms. "on a scale of one to ten, how stupid would it be to flirt with the target to get close?"

"An eleven."

Livia smirked. "So you are worried about me."

"Nope, just worried about what I'll have to put in the report when this goes sideways."

Kessler moved toward a VIP section, his two guards keeping a close perimeter. Livia took that as her cue, casually walking up and flashing her best disarming smile.

"Dr. Kessler." she purred, tilting her head slightly. "Mind if I join you?"

The man blinked in surprise. "And who might you be?"

"Someone who appreciates a man with a brilliant mind." She leaned in just enough to make him uncomfortable. "And I hear yours is very valuable."

In her earpiece, Clint groaned. "You're insufferable."

Kessler chuckled, clearly pleased. "Well, my dear, perhaps we should discuss business somewhere more... private?"

Bingo.

Livia placed a hand on his arm, lowering her voice. "Lead the way."

As Kessler turned, Livia acted fast—her free hand shot up, touching the glass in his hand. A thin layer of ice spread instantly, and before he could react, she slammed his frozen drink into his face.

The guards moved fast, but Livia was faster. She ducked under the first punch, twisting around and kicking the second guard in the chest. The first reached for a gun, but Clint's arrow landed between his fingers, pinning his sleeve to the wall.

"Really, Barton?" Livia quipped, dodging another swing. "No kill shots?"

"Fury said apprehend, not eliminate. Try following orders for once."

Livia rolled her eyes, forming an ice blade in her hand. "Fine, fine." She slammed the hilt against the second guard's temple, knocking him out cold.

Kessler scrambled back, panic in his eyes. "W-Wait! We can make a deal!"

Livia leaned down, gripping his collar with one hand while ice crackled in the other. "Bad news, Doc. You already made a deal—with the wrong people."

She hauled him to his feet just as Clint strolled in, bow in hand. "Took you long enough." she teased.

"Yeah, well, I was enjoying the show." Clint smirked. "Now, let's get Sleeping Beauty here back to HQ before Fury has a heart attack."

Livia slung Kessler over her shoulder and sighed. "Another day, another rogue scientist. Think we'll ever get an easy mission?"

"Not if you keep flirting with the bad guys."

Livia groans. "I wish it was a bad woman next time"

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Recon Mission – Clint & Livia

Perched on the rooftop of an old apartment building in Brooklyn, Livia leaned against the ledge, peering through a pair of binoculars. Below, their target—an ex-SHIELD turned arms dealer—was blissfully unaware of the two agents watching him.

Clint Barton stretched out beside her, hands behind his head, looking entirely too relaxed for someone on a mission. "You know, this would be a lot more interesting if something actually happened. I hate these 'hurry up and wait' jobs."

Livia snorted, lowering the binoculars. "Says the guy who once spent three days in a tree waiting for a target."

"Hey, at least that was in Fiji. Nice weather, good breeze. This?" Clint gestured vaguely at the dimly lit Brooklyn street. "This is just depressing."

Livia smirked. "You sure you're not just getting soft, Barton? I can handle this alone if you wanna go grab a coffee and knit a sweater or something."

Clint scoffed. "Excuse you, I don't knit. I crochet."

Livia gave him a slow side-eye. "...You're joking, right?"

Clint wiggled his eyebrows. "You'll never know."

She huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head as she turned her focus back to the target. A few moments of comfortable silence passed before Clint, in the most casual tone possible, said. "So… have you talked to Nat lately?"

Livia hesitated for half a second—just half. Then, without missing a beat, she replied. "Which Nat?"

Clint smirked. "The one you're obviously into."

Livia scoffed, feigning nonchalance. "Oh, please. I'm into a lot of people."

Clint nodded sagely. "Right, right. But only one makes you act like a nervous wreck when I mention her name."

"I do not act like a nervous wreck." Livia deadpanned.

"Mm-hmm." Clint hummed, propping himself up on his elbows. "You know, you're really subtle. The way you look at her? Totally not obvious. Nope. Not at all."

Livia kept her expression neutral. "And how's that?"

Clint grinned. "Like she hung the damn moon."

Livia exhaled sharply through her nose, refusing to dignify that with a response.

Clint, however, wasn't done. "It's cute, really. The way you pretend you're not into her. The flirting, the lingering stares, the way you—"

"You crochet, Barton."

Clint blinked. "So?"

"So, your opinion is invalid."

Clint gasped, clutching his chest. "Wow. I open up to you about my secret artistic talent, and this is how you treat me?"

Livia smirked. "Oh, my bad. Please, tell me more about your fragile masculinity."

Clint chuckled, shaking his head. "You can deflect all you want, Arcane, but I know what I saw."

Livia kept her focus on the mission, ignoring the warmth creeping up her neck. "And I saw our target slip into that building five minutes ago while you were busy playing matchmaker. So maybe do your damn job?"

Clint's grin widened. "You're blushing."

"I will push you off this roof."

"See, this is why I like you. You keep me on my toes."

Livia groaned, already regretting ever working with him.

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Clint leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He'd been watching Livia for weeks now, ever since she'd nearly frozen a guy's entire arm off while simultaneously trying to flirt with him. The woman was a walking contradiction, a chaotic mix of icy power and awkward charm. And her crush on Natasha? Well, that was just the cherry on top.

"So." Clint began casually, as Livia scrolled through mission reports on a nearby tablet. "Nat was saying she's trying out that new Thai place downtown. You should go with her. You know, bond over…espionage and spring rolls."

Livia didn't look up from her tablet. "I'm busy." she mumbled, her tone clipped. "I have...important paperwork to file. On…ice sculptures."

Clint chuckled softly. "Right. Ice sculptures. Because that's definitely more interesting than spending time with…you know…'Natasha'." He emphasized her name slightly, just to see Livia's reaction.

Livia finally glanced up, her brow furrowed. "What's with you, Barton? You got a quota for mentioning Romanoff's name today?"

Clint shrugged innocently. "Just making conversation. Besides, I thought you two were…close." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You know, partners in crime. Or, in your case, partners in freezing crime."

Livia's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, a telltale sign that Clint knew he'd hit a nerve. She quickly looked back down at her tablet, feigning interest in the reports. "We're colleagues." she said stiffly. "That's all."

Clint grinned, enjoying her discomfort. "Sure, sure. Just colleagues. Like how you and I are colleagues. Except you don't stare at me like I'm the last slice of pizza at a SHIELD potluck."

Livia glared at him, finally losing her cool. "I do not stare at her!"

Clint raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, you got me. You just…admire her… dedication to…uh…fitness?"

Livia opened her mouth to retort, but then closed it, realizing she was playing right into his hands. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "Just drop it, Barton." she said, her voice low and dangerous.

Clint chuckled, but decided to back off for now. He knew when he'd pushed her far enough. "Alright, alright." he said. "I'll drop it. For now." He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "But seriously, the spring rolls. They're amazing."

Livia rolled her eyes, but a small smile played on her lips. She knew Clint was just teasing her, but she also knew he was right. And deep down, she kind of appreciated his...unconventional way of trying to help. Or at least, she would appreciate it, if he would just shut up about it already.

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Mission: Cold Front

A light snowfall dusted the rooftops of Budapest as Livia crouched beside Clint on a ledge, peering through binoculars. Natasha was already inside the building, working her way through security while they provided backup.

"Remind me again why we're on overwatch duty?" Livia muttered, adjusting her earpiece.

"Because someone—" Clint nudged her shoulder with his elbow. "—doesn't know how to keep a low profile."

"Hey, that was one time! I did a few low profile missions....."

"One time? Arcane, you froze a guy solid in the middle of an arms deal. Pretty sure that's not subtle."

Livia huffed, exhaling a misty breath into the cold air. "At least I get results."

A soft chuckle came through the comms. "Focus, you two."

Livia's grip on the binoculars tightened at the sound of Natasha's voice. She was moving swiftly through the compound, her tone calm and in control.

"She sounds hot when she's bossy." Clint muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Livia to hear.

Livia shot him a glare. "Shut up."

Clint smirked. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just observing. You go all still and quiet whenever she talks. It's cute."

Before Livia could threaten to freeze his boots to the roof, Natasha's voice came through again. "I need you two ready at the south exit. Package is secure, but I tripped an alarm."

"On it." Livia ignored Clint's smug grin as they packed up and moved toward their extraction point.

They reached the alleyway just as Natasha emerged, sleek as ever, a flash drive clutched in her hand. A group of guards came rushing after her, guns drawn.

Livia stepped forward, summoning a jagged lance of ice in her hand. "Mind if I take care of them?"

"By all means." Natasha replied smoothly.

Livia smirked and slammed the ice spear into the ground, sending a ripple of frost outward. The guards feet froze in place, ice creeping up their legs before they could react.

Natasha gave an approving nod. "Efficient."

"Hot." Clint added, grinning at Livia's flustered expression.

Livia groaned. "You're the worst."

As they made their escape, Clint elbowed her again. "Come on, tell her, already."

Livia shot him a glare. "Tell her what?"

"That you think she's—"

Livia clapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish. Natasha raised an eyebrow at them, clearly amused.

Livia cleared her throat. "Let's just focus on getting out of here, yeah?"

Clint gave her a knowing look, but thankfully, he let it drop—for now.

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This is fun