Hearts Collide

Warning: use of the word 'dammit' by Tony once. I know this is random, but I promised someone I'd put up warnings if i use any type of swear word and I feel like I forgot to put it up the last few chapters...sorry :/

Alex smiled contently as she felt Steve trace circles on her back and lifted her head up from his chest to gaze at him.

"Someone's a bit touchy today," Alex joked sarcastically as she rested her head on his arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you," Steve rambled.

"I wasn't sleeping," Alex chuckled. "I was just too lazy to move. Plus, you're warm," she pointed out before burying her face back on his chest.

Steve smiled as he rested his chin on her head and inhaled her scent.

"Yup. I'm just going to stay like this all day," she mumbled before she kissed his collarbone.

A few moments afterward, the sound of music playing could be heard coming from the pile of clothes on the floor. Alex groaned slightly before she rolled off of Steve's bed and began searching for her shorts where she had her phone in.

"Hello," she grunted into the speaker before checking the caller ID.

"Hey, Alex," she heard Tony's voice say.

"Dad," she stated nervously. "Hi. What's up?" she asked awkwardly.

"I just finished my meeting and am heading to the lab. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

"Ummm, I'm fine, I guess."

"That's good. Anyway, Steve got out of S.H.E.I.L.D's hospital wing, so you can see him later if you want to."

"That's great," she smiled as she looked back at the bed where Steve was giving her a questioning look.

"So I'll meet you in the lab in five, okay?"

"What?" Alex asked surprised.

"Yeah, there's something I want to show you."

"Umm sure," she stated as she began scrambling to get her clothes. "I'll see you soon," she finished as she hung up and shoved her tossed her phone on the bed.

"What's going on?" Steve asked as he watched Alex frantically put on her shorts and tee shirt.

"I have to meet my dad in the lab," she replied as she slipped on her shoes and began walking toward the door. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Wait," Steve began. "You forgot your—"

Alex turned around and saw Steve blushing and gesturing at her pink bra on top of his pants and boxers.

"Thanks," she sighed as grabbed the pink bra, took off her shirt, and began to put on. Steve's face turned a brighter red at the sight of her bare chest, causing Alex to grin at his embarrassment. "You know, you don't have to be embarrassed. You already saw me naked," she flirted.

"I-I—" Steve began, but was cut off by Alex's lips pressing against his.

"It's okay," she assured. "I think it's cute when you get all flustered," she smiled before leaving.
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"So what is it that you wanted to show me?" Alex asked as she entered the lab causally.

"How did I get here before you?" Tony questioned as he gave Alex a suspicious look.

"I was playing 'Cooking Mama' on the 3DS you gave me," she lied plainly.

"Really?" Tony scoffed. "Cooking Mama?"

"I was really into it!" Alex defended, trying to play off the fact that she was actually in Steve's room.

"Okay…anyway, come check this out," Tony stated as he gestured to the table in back.

Alex walked to the back table and spotted a thick metallic bracelet sitting on top. She scrunched her face in confusion before asking, "You wanted to show me a bangle? Because if it is, I've seen plenty of them being sold by street vendors"

"It's not a bangle," Tony stated unamused by Alex's sarcasm. He walked over to the back and picked up the bracelet, aiming it at a pile of scrap metal before pressing a small button on the side of the bracelet.

Alex watched as a tiny piece of metal shot out of the bracelet and created an electrical field around the scrap metal. "What-what is that?" she asked hesitantly.

"It's a defense weapon I made for you," Tony answered. "Now if someone tries to hurt you, you can—"

"Kill them?" she scoffed disgusted.

"Alex, you can't kill anyone with this," Tony assured. "Just think of it as a stun gun. Here," he stated as he handed her the bracelet.

"No!" she exclaimed as she pushed the weapon away. "I'm not using that to hurt anyone."

"Alex, you're being irrational. That Olga woman pulled out a gun on you."

"And Steve protected me!" she defended as she slammed her hand on the table.

"Well, he wasn't there when the other two guys tried to shoot you," he argued, his voice rising in volume.

His words stung Alex and she said nothing as she gave Tony a hurt look.

"Look, Alex," Tony sighed. "You can't rely on him to protect you forever—I just want to make sure nothing is going to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me. And I can rely on him," she asserted.

Before the two could discuss anything further, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. They two turned their attention to the door and saw Clint standing there idly.

"Clint, what are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"I came to get you for your training," Clint answered nonchalantly. "You know— if you're up for it."

"Anything to get away from here," she muttered as she made her way out of the lab.

"Alex, wait!" Tony cried out.

"I'll talk to you later, dad," she sighed .

When she left, Tony slammed his fist on the table and muttered the word 'dammit'.
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"I can't. Believe. He made me. A stun gun," Alex grunted as she fiercely hit the punching bag in front of her.

"Woah," Clint said from beside her. "Easy, now. The punching bag never did anything to you." Alex gave Clint a slight glare and let out a small 'humf' before giving the punching bag one last hit. "Is everything alright?" Clint asked with concern in his voice.

"Yes!" Alex huffed, however, Clint stared at her in disbelief. "No," Alex muttered. "I don't know," she sighed. "I guess I'm mad again."

"What happened?" he asked as he took a seat on the gym bench and gestured for her to sit beside him.

Alex obliged and let out a long sigh before asking, "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Clint asked confusedly.

"How do you go around hurting people with your arrows?" she asked sadly as a frown appeared on her face.

"You make it sound like I'm some villain going around causing harm with my arrows," Clint joked.

"I'm serious!" Alex exclaimed. "How is it that you can aim your arrow at someone, knowing that it can hurt them, and still shoot?"

"Well," he began, "I know that hurting one person is a million times better than letting the that same person hurt a bunch of people."

"But what if the person you were hurting was only after you? Then what?"

"Does this have anything to do with what happened yesterday? Because if it is, then you should already know my answer is do whatever it takes to live. Didn't you learn the whole 'survival of the fittest' thing in school?"

"I didn't think that idea applied to using weapons," Alex scoffed. "But, I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," Clint bragged which earned him a playful glare from Alex. He chuckled softly before asking, "So tell me, how are you able to make weapons that are supposed to hurt people?"

"That's easy. I don't. I would never make anything that would cause a person serious harm. Even those arrows I made for you aren't meant to cause severe damage on to someone; they're just supposed to make your enemy freeze up so that you can stop them."

"Okay, then what about when you're fighting. You're inflicting harm on someone then."

"Not serious harm. I'm a noob at this, Clint," she pointed out. "Besides, I would never do anything to hurt anyone either."

"Do you mean just physically, or emotionally too?"

"What are you trying to say?" Alex questioned as she raised an eyebrow at Clint.

"I'm saying did you tell Steve about what happened when you we're drunk?" Clint asked bluntly.

"What?" Alex asked wondering how he knew about that. "No, I didn't. It's not important anyway. I don't even remember what happened."

"Really? So you don't remember this," Clint began as he stood up and reenacted the previous night. "Carry me!" Clint exclaimed as he raised his voice to sound more like Alex. "Come sleep with me. Muah, muah, muah," he continued as he made kissing sounds.

"That's not funny, Clint," she scoffed. "That didn't happen. I would never kiss you. I love Steve."

"Well, sober Alex might think she wants Steve, but drunk Alex clearly wants me."

"No!" Alex exclaimed. "You're lying," she began as she started hitting Clint's chest. "This isn't funny. I didn't—"

But she stopped when images of last night flashed in her head: stumbling into the elevator, crashing into someone, and kissing them. She thought it was Steve, but now she realized that all along, it was Clint.

"No!" she cried out as she buried her head in Clint's chest. "But-—but I'm in love with—"

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of the gym room door slam. When she looked up, she caught a glimpse of Steve walking out.

"Steve!" she cried out as she ran after him. "Steve, wait!" she exclaimed as she caught up to him in front of the elevator.

"How could you?" he asked as he avoided eye contact with her. "How could you kiss Clint and then tell me you love me."

"Steve—it's not like that," she cried. "Just let me explain."

"What can you possibly say to me now?" he asked as the elevator doors opened and he stepped in.

"Steve, wait. I –"

"No," he interrupted. "I can't deal with this right now. I'm sorry," he stated coldly before the elevator doors closed on a crying Alex.