Dancing in the Dark (for farmboyhawk)

[study_in_scarlet]

They didn’t get a lot of time off together, at least not enough to make a trip away worthwhile, so for this one weekend they decided to stay in the city and play tourist for the day.

They had started with a walk through Central Park before grabbing an early lunch at one of the city’s many street vendors and then wandering through the American Museum of Natural history. Natasha found the Hall of Minerals fascinating while Clint had gotten a kick out of all the dinosaur bones. They both enjoyed laying under the big blue whale with all the normal people.

Afterwards they went to a nice restaurant for supper, blending into the crowd of normal couples as best they could and Natasha actually forgot if she was playing a role or being herself as they finished their wine and shared their desserts.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely as they left the restaurant, stepping back into the cool night air. Nearby a busker played guitar and sang with surprising melody and soul, barely seeming to notice as people threw change into his open case, so caught up was he in his music.


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[study_in_scarlet]

As much as she enjoyed it hard and fast like in the airplane bathroom, moving slow and gentle like this had every cell in her body thrumming. She loved the feel of his hands roaming all over her, of being able to press herself close to him and feel his warm, wet skin against hers.

His hands were magic, and forever careful with her. Sometimes she thought he knew her body better than she did, and the way he kept his touch soft seemed to prove that. She still wasn’t feeling completely right, but he seemed to sense it and with each touch and each kiss he brought her back to herself.

Wrapping her arms tighter around him she buried her face in his neck and rotated her hips, her movements shallow, just wanting to keep him close, wanting to keep him inside her, filling her. The kisses were just as slow as their building crescendo; slow and tender and full of more meaning than words could express. She thought she could stay like this forever.

His words against her ear made her smile and contract around him just a little harder. He knew how she felt about the word ‘perfect’, but the more he said it the more used to it she was getting. She knew what he meant now, that she was perfect for him, and that she could accept as she felt the same way about him. “And you’re beautiful,” she replied. She knew it wasn’t a term men tended to appreciate being called, but it was true. He was the most beautiful person she had ever met. Nobody could deny his physical appeal, but he had a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul, and he made her feel like maybe she could do, that her beauty wasn’t all on the outside.

[farmboyhawk]

It was strange, being called something like that, as opposed to the compliments about his performance or his fitness that he could relate to. Clint knew that he wasn't a handsome man and had never put much thought into that. He had enough other bullshit to deal with.

But he thought, he could accept Natasha seeing him like that easily. They were beautiful for each other, and that was really all it needed.

He answered her with a smile that carried just a hint of embarrassment, glad that his skin was too flushed to show his cheeks suddenly burning, and gently caressed her lips with his fingertips before pulling her in for another kiss. From slow and tentative it went again to an aroused battle of their tongues when Natasha teased him with her muscles closing around him tightly.

His hand on her ass tightened, pulling her flat against him for a few quick tight thrusts in response, her soft flesh exposed to the flexing of his abdomen muscles teasing her.

Holding her right there, he buried his face against her neck again, panting, warm, intense shivers of lust running down his back and pooling deep in his groin, demanding for more. And at the same time, his body refused to let go, make this end already when she felt so fucking wonderful around him.

"You're driving me crazy, you know that?"

[study_in_scarlet]

Clearly not a compliment he relished, but he accepted it gracefully. Despite what Clint thought of himself Natasha found him to be very handsome, from those soulful eyes that she could never quite determine the shade of, to the smile that made her want to smile too, not to mention those strong arms that could hold her so tightly yet gently. She thought every inch of him was beautiful, and maybe another day she would make sure to give every single inch her undivided attention.

Returning the kiss, she moaned into his mouth when he pulled her closer, thrusting into her as she stayed tight around him before he fell still again, just holding her against him.

Smiling at his words, she went back to teasing his ear, knowing how much it got to him. “Do you want me to stop?” she replied, knowing full well what his answer would be.

[farmboyhawk]

"Yeah, right."

Clint laughed quietly and held her just tighter against him. It was nice that they could share such harmless, light moments during their nights - or mornings, in that case - together too, apart from all the adrenaline and ecstasy. He definitely never got tired of her smile and if anything it made him just long for her more.

That chuckle turned quickly into a moan though, with her mouth so skillfully teasing a very responsive spot. Shivers all the way down his neck spread warmly in his chest and left his heart beat faster than it already did. That sweet tension in his loins grew until it couldn't be ignored anymore and his hips started pressing into hers in short, tight thrusts, relishing every second of her slick flesh pressing against him, engulfing him.

With his hand still holding her close to his body he took her along on that more demanding ride, his head falling back as a strangled moan left his lips, giving away his faltering control.

[study_in_scarlet]

Natasha felt his laugh reverberate through her and smiled brighter in return. She loved that even in these heated moments they could still make each other laugh, even if only for a moment. The building tension couldn’t be ignored, however, and when Clint finally started moving in earnest Natasha matched his rhythm.

When he threw his head back she leaned in again, placing open kisses over his chest, pressing her breasts against him, her nipples still hard and sensitive. She ground her hips against him, tightened her muscles around him, and slid one hand down his chest and around his back, teasing the top of his buttocks. Raising her head again she attacked his lips once more, sucking his tongue and swallowing his moans as their pace quickened.

[farmboyhawk]

Clint murmured something that surely would have spelled out "tease" if Natasha hadn't been so busy attacking his mouth with her tongue. That way it was more of a very satisfied purr with where her hand was. He scooted them a few inches away from the tub edge to give her more room to play.

His hips moved harder against hers now, giving her something to feel both under her caressing hand and where their bodies were joined closely. His skin burned from the gentle touch of her lips and he thought, he could very well get used to that. Maybe they should take a little time when next time the mood was right and no water was in the way, just for such tender touches.

Right now she had him much too caught up with her tightly working muscles. As slow as their pacing had built, as quickly she lead his body into growing need, his cock rock hard and throbbing inside of her, his movements far more determined, aimed to hit certain spots of her just right. A little teasing bite of her lower lip mixed into their passionate kiss when the next lustful shudder all through his body had him closer to the edge than he liked it.

[study_in_scarlet]

She couldn’t get a good grip on his ass, not like he had on hers, with him sitting down, but that didn’t stop her from massaging the strong muscles under her hand, relishing in how they felt as he moved and thrust.

He changed the angle just enough that his next thrust made her gasp, her fingers tightening just a little on his flesh. “Right there,” she murmured, closing her eyes and tilting her head back in pure and utter pleasure. Her legs around him tightened, drawing him in as far as possible. She felt him shuddering, throbbing, and knew he was close, but he was doing a damn good job catching her up. Still, she couldn’t resist the urge to trace her fingers along his tailbone, teasing just at the top of his cleft. “Come for me,” she purred, consciously clenching her muscles even tighter as she drew back before taking him all in again.

[farmboyhawk]

A very Italian sounding curse passed Clint's lips before he hid his face tightly on Natasha's neck, his whole body going taut like a bowstring. There were nights when he would be ready and waiting for her for hours, and then, just like that, she had him with that wicked tone in her voice and the perfect way to move around him, to touch him exactly in the right places in the right moment. No chance to hold back, that sudden heat in lower regions hit him like a freight train. He could just hold on to her tightly and put as much effort in the last of his movements as possible, holding her as close to his body as the position allowed.

He was proud, somehow, that he could hold back from biting down on her skin again, instead just kissed and licked the traces of salt away there while he panted and moaned against her, completely caught in an only slowly dying aftermath.

"Um... sorry..."

This time she would impossible miss that he was blushing.

[study_in_scarlet]

She felt his whole body tighten up before he let go, throbbing and exploding inside of her. She continued to move, milking every thrill out of him, softly caressing his shoulder and his ass until she felt him slowly coming back down.

Leaning back to look at him, she moved her hands to either side of his reddened face and met his gaze straight on. “Don’t apologise,” she said, stealing a slow kiss. “That was so hot.”

Grinning at him, she continued to rotate her hips, still stimulating herself even as he began to soften inside of her. “I always go first,” she continued, and it was the truth. It was very rare that Clint didn’t make sure she had her needs fulfilled before he let himself go. “It’s nice to know I can still shake your control and win a round or two once in a while.”

[farmboyhawk]

"Easily", Clint murmured, still a little caught up, leaning into the touch of her hands with half closed eyes.

Her words were calming enough, and even more, feeling how hot that whole thing had made her, that she was in fact still pretty much turned on and there was no way in hell he would leave her unsatisfied. As wonderful as she felt around him, he tended to go oversensitive after coming and gently, carefully guided her away from him to be able to touch her better.

A wicked note added to his blissed out, exhausted grin, he brought his hands to her crossed legs, easily handling her body with the strength in his arms, and made it to spin her around, having her lie back against him now, with her gorgeous body all his for playing. His hand was back on her nipples immediately, continuing that game of tugging and kneading while the other came to rest between her legs.

In spite of having just exploded, another violent shudder of lust ran through him when he could feel how wet she still was, perfect, tempting slickness that had nothing to do with the cooling water.

He could also feel himself on her he ran his fingertips through her folds, teasing, circling her most sensitive spot, and that was hotter than it probably should be.

"Love to come inside you", he murmured into her ear. "Love it how you feel."

With his palm slowly, tightly rubbing over her clit, two of his fingers slipped back inside her to continue where he had stopped just a little earlier.

[study_in_scarlet]

What she didn’t say was that she had the advantage of already being thoroughly satisfied before getting into the tub, while Clint had been half turned on himself at that point, but she didn’t really have to say it. He knew it, but of course that wouldn’t stop him from making sure she came again before they were finished.

Once again she let him move her however he wanted, though she did let out a light laugh when he suddenly turned her around in the water and pulled her back against his chest. He wasted no time once he had her in an easier position for his wandering hands, and her laugh turned quickly into a moan.

She didn’t try to answer, but she loved it too. From the very beginning it had been like that for them, from that very first time she had assured him they didn’t need protection. S.H.I.E.L.D. made sure all their agents were in peak physical condition so they knew they were both clean, and after what was done to her in the Red Room Natasha had no worries about ever getting pregnant again. The sex had been bare and natural from the beginning and she definitely preferred it that way.

She was still incredibly turned on, and it wasn’t going to take much for Clint to tip her over the edge, especially using those amazingly skilled hands of his. Arching her back and grinding her hips, she pressed herself into his touch, throwing her head back to rest on his shoulder.

[farmboyhawk]

"Just like that, beautiful. Let go."

Clint closed his lips lightly enough not to bruise around that certain spot under her ear when he fault her tense up and drew back his hand just long enough to add a third finger. Softly stretching her, circling, answering the thrusts of her hips until he was buried deep inside her and his curled fingertips hit that perfect spot inside of her.

Again he couldn't help but realize how very sensitive she reacted just to the smallest touch of her hardened nipples and made sure only to caress that tender area with the rough of his fingertips to not make it worse. He made a mental note to go easier on her next time they were entangled in a wilder game and instead sucked that little spot of her neck a little harder between his lips to distract her, while his fingers kept on working her slick tightness relentlessly.

[study_in_scarlet]

She let out a moan, long and low, when he pushed three fingers inside of her, crooking them and thrusting until he hit just where she needed him. He picked up a rhythm, barely giving her chance to breathe, but his touch on her breasts remained gentle, though it was still enough to get a reaction. Maybe all the teasing he’d done through her clothes over the weekend had chafed and left them sensitive, she wasn’t sure, and right now she didn’t rightly care, not when he was making her feel so good.

Tilting her head so that he was at a better angle to that spot of skin he found so fascinating, she continued to writhe and ride his hand until he finally brought her off for the second time that day.

She was definitely going to need a hearty lunch after this to get her energy back up.

[farmboyhawk]

The water was getting too cold for comfort by the time, Natasha's breathing evened out, so Clint postponed any kind of cuddling to a later point.

He still went carefully, easy on her when he drew back his hand, waiting until she felt completely relaxed in his arms. A tender kiss onto her neck followed, and a short but tight hug, a very satisfied sigh rumbling in his chest, before he lazily reached for the tub plug with his toes and opened it.

Natasha still felt completely soft and exhausted against him, so kept her in his arms when he got up and angled for the next towel to wrap her into, soft, slow caresses rubbing her skin dry before she could start to freeze.

"You good?", he asked with a smile. "We can try the pasta in the freezer for lunch if you rather take it easy for the rest of the day."

[study_in_scarlet]

She sagged back against him as she slowly came back down, her breathing slowly evening out. She wanted to stay there, safe and loved in his arms, but the water was growing cold and despite the heat outside she could already feel a chill running up her spine.

He lifted her up with him like she weighed nothing and she didn’t protest. Clint never made her feel weak, he knew better than anyone how strong and dangerous she was, but he liked to take care of her, and sometimes it was nice to be taken care of.

“Good is a bit of an understatement,” she said, grinning at him as he toweled her off. Taking the towel from his hands, she wrapped it around herself before stepping out onto the mat, beckoning for him to follow her. “We have plenty of time to relax, but today I think we should go to one of your favourite restaurants, maybe take a walk along the beach, and go to bed early to get our clocks reset. What do you think?”

[farmboyhawk]

"You always have the best plans, dear partner of mine."

At the mention of certain perfect restaurants all around the neighborhood, Clint's stomach started grumbling at once and he suddenly was very much in a hurry to get dressed. A trip to the beach also sounded pretty perfect, but the walk down to Naxos and especially the way back up could be long and as Natasha said... They could use a bit of early rest today.

Fortunately, he had a solution for that ready.

"I'll wait outside."

This time basecap and glasses were taken along since noon heat was about to kick in, only his phone stayed were it was when he left, in a hurry to see if his beloved little baby was ready for a first ride. The little extension on the back of the house couldn't even be called a garage but for something that was more scooter than motorcycle, it did well enough. After giving it a few minutes to recover, the engine went back to work obediently and Clint could roll the little dark green monster to the front door.

"I'm afraid, I don't have helmets", he remarked, apologetically. "No one here is really wearing them. I promise not to crash us."

[study_in_scarlet]

Just the mention of food made his stomach growl, and he was out of the tub, toweled off and dressed in record time. “I’ll be a few minutes,” she said, amused as he practically ran from the house, leaving her alone to get ready. It could be just so he could more easily resist temptation and not distract her while she dressed, but she had the feeling he had something up his sleeve.

Dressing in a simple, powder-blue sundress, Natasha brushed out her hair, letting it fall in red waves to her shoulders. Applying a bit of light, neutral make-up, she strapped on her shoes and grabbed the small purse she had brought along. She hated carrying the things, but it was too warm for a jacket, and it probably helped to keep up appearances. Most normal women carried purses, right?

Slipping on a pair of sunglasses, she stepped out onto the front porch to find Clint waiting for her on a scooter. She had heard the sound of the engine coughing to life but had assumed it was a neighbour.

She tried to contain her smile.

“This is going to wreak havoc on my hair,” she said as she stepped down from the porch, locking the door behind her. To be honest, she was equal parts amused and excited. “You are full of surprises, Barton,” she said with complete and utter affection as she settled herself behind him on the bike.

[farmboyhawk]

"Just trying to blend in. The serpentines are a lot easier to come by on two wheels than on four."

Clint tried his best to sound casual and play it cool but... Natasha looked adorable. Simple, plain pretty and so much out of job, it nearly felt unreal. He couldn't help reaching back for a short caress of her knee when she was settled, shooting her a smile that was all affection.

"Hold on, signorina, we're going for a ride."

Before things could get too solemn, he quickly fled into another joke and started the bike before he could embarrass himself further.

His favorite place was still there, he had already seen that from the corner of his eye yesterday on their way up here, and not much had changed. Da Zio Turi still looked just on that side of shabby, with outside walls that could use fresh paint and half hidden behind an overgrown hedge, to keep the tourists away. But inside it was flawlessly clean and inviting. All wood and blue and white table clothes and curtains, with a perfectly working air conditioning and good old fashioned Italian country playing not too loudly in the background.

Also, Zio Turi made both the best pasta and homebrewn grog in Middle Europe and right now Clint felt as if he was starving. Sex with Natasha tended to do that to him.

There were few guests and the landlord personally welcomed them. Turi was fighting old age for a while now and didn't seem exactly sure where to place Clint's face, but his eyes were kind and honestly happy looking about meeting an old friend when they shook hands. They had hardly taken their place by the window when they were already presented with a big plate full of starters, dark bread and three different hearty spreads, all on the house.

Clint could already tell, this day wouldn't help that certain little tightness of his belt.

[study_in_scarlet]

Wrapping her arms loosely around Clint’s waist, she returned the smile and would have placed a kiss on his back through his shirt if she hadn’t just put on lip gloss. She settled for just resting her forehead between his shoulder blades for a moment before they were off.

The ride was fun and somewhat leisurely, the scooter not powerful enough to hit any really high speeds. When they reached their destination, though, Natasha’s hair was still windblown and tangled, but she barely gave it a thought beyond just getting it out of her face. Vanity was something she never had time for.

The place was rustic on the outside, and fairly concealed so to be difficult to find for anyone not expressly looking for it, but on the inside it was bright and inviting. Once inside they were treated like old friends, and the soft smile that settled on her lips wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The owner himself pulled out Natasha’s chair, and they were barely seated when food was already arriving.

Looking across the table at Clint, it was clear from her expression that she was instantly enamoured with the place. She had never set foot in it before, but she already felt like she belonged here, like she had been coming here for years. It was not a feeling she was used to.

[farmboyhawk]

The look in Natasha's eyes once more had Clint's heart swell with relief. His hand shortly brushed hers before he went for a first slice of bread to get his stomach to shut up.

"Kick my ass out of bed for a run tomorrow", he sighed, ruefully, before starting on what would probably be the most hearty meal in months.

"Are you feeling better?"

He really tried hard not to coddle her, but all that stress of the last days seemed to have gotten to her a little.

[study_in_scarlet]

“If you insist,” Natasha replied. Kicking Clint out of bed was certainly not top of her list of things to do, but as tempting as it was to lay around and be lazy for weeks she knew they had to keep in shape as well. It probably wouldn’t hurt her to get up and exercise a little herself, though she thought she might try something different, if only to give Clint a bit of time to himself to run on his own and enjoy this place at his own speed instead of feeling the need to be showing her around.

Selecting one of the dis to try, Natasha spread it over a piece of bread and chewed thoughtfully. It was sweet that he was concerned, but she hoped he didn’t let that put a stop to any fun he might have planned.

“Getting there,” she replied. “I think this is exactly what I needed.” After a full day of airplane and airport food, the fruit this morning, no matter how good, hadn’t quite cut it. The heavy bread and pasta would fill her and hopefully she would be back to rights by tomorrow.

[farmboyhawk]

"Well, wait until you see the main course."

Clint pushed that little hint of worry from his mind as good as possible. If something was really wrong, Natasha would tell him. And it had been a long travel.

Also, Italian air tended to make you hungry, so he wasted no time taking the leather clad menus from Turi when he came to take their order for drinks, and give Natasha hers. There were still not too many but carefully selected choices for both pizza and pasta available, but he already was pretty sure what this first exhausting day needed. No one mixed chicken and curry with the best noodles on the island like his old friend.

"The helpings are really big here", he warned Natasha, grinning. "So only go for the big plate if you feel up for it."

[study_in_scarlet]

Natasha ordered a glass of wine before regarding her menu. It was thankfully small, but everything sounded amazing so it was still a difficult choice. At least she could easily narrow it down somewhat by discounting the pizza, feeling much more in a pasta mood.

“I think I can handle it,” she replied with the barest hint of a smile as she settled on a dish. “I just might have to skip supper tonight and just eat dessert instead.”

[farmboyhawk]

"I think we can manage that. Italy is also known for the best ice cream in the world."

Their meals came soon and as expected were more than enough. Especially Natasha's plate was really loaded, and Clint couldn't help but grin... You didn't get it out of a gigolo, no matter the age.

Thankfully they were provided with two shots of aniseed brandy afterwards - again on the house - to calm the stomach.

That was when Turi pulled himself a chair to their table to sit with them for a moment. First Clint didn't really understand when he saw the grainy, slightly blurry photo in the old man's hand that he had taken off the wall. Then he read the name of the displayed fishing boat as Flying Seahorse and a shudder of memory like a stiff sea breeze ran down his arms. On that picture, a younger, tired looking guy whom he somehow couldn't quite identify as himself, balanced on the rail and threw an equally younger looking Turi a small net of sea urchins. The old man's memory might be slowly going to sleep, but a photo-optical mind obviously wasn't tricked so easily.

"You know, the old lady is still in the harbor."

It took Clint a second to put the heavy Sicilian dialect into coherent words in his head, and he probably looked pretty silly when with the bill for the lunch came a weathered looking key.

"Take her for a ride if you like."

While Clint still fought his surprise, the old man turned to Natasha and his smile deepened.

"You're Russian, aren't you?"

[study_in_scarlet]

The meal was more than filling, and it was all Natasha could do to finish hers, but after Clint’s teasing words she wasn’t about to leave even a morsel in her bowl. The brandy helped a little, though she was more than a little certain that she had overdone it and would regret it later.

Smiling warmly at Turi when he joined them at the table, she looked curiously at the picture before her eyes fixed on Clint’s face, carefully gauging his reaction. He looked a bit shaken, and clearly surprised, both by the photograph and the offer, so while he pulled himself together she was glad to engage Turi.

“Yes,” she answered, a little surprised herself. Her American accent was flawless, but apparently she still had some sort of tell that this old man could see. She thought about putting on a bit of an accent, but this trip was not about masks nor covering their tracks; they were here to relax and be themselves, and over the years the Russian accent was the one she actually had to put on, so complete was her transition when she worked to drop it. She went for the simple, honest explanation. “Though I left there many years ago.”