Chapter 28 ━━ The Game’s Not Finished, Bro

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Still in the building, Clint is on the run from Tracksuits who are chasing Clint through the rest of the floor, and with nowhere else to go, he jumps out the window and right into the Rockefeller Christmas tree. With two properly placed arrows and a soft 'timber,' Kate sends the tree careening down onto the ice skating rink below.  

Heather is the first to arrive at Clint and help him to his feet. When Kate is quickly able to create enough of a diversion on the ice to get the three or them to safety. But, the only way off the ice is up a set of stairs, which is now populated with dozens of Tracksuits. 

Seeing no other option, Clint decides it’s time and stuffs a bunch of trick arrows into Kate’s holster. The only way to get out of this is to work together. "Here, take these." 

"No way. Is it time?" Kate asks with wide eyes. 

"It’s time." Clint confirms and scans the area whilst Heather loads his handguns with enthusiasm for action. "All right, guys. Let’s give ’em hell." 

With the signal, Heather bombards the first batch of Tracksuit with his bullets in no time. As trick arrows fly through the air, the trio manage to subdue every single Tracksuit Mafia member coming at them on the ice. 

When one of their moving vans starts careening towards the ice, Kate unknowingly grabs a Pym arrow and sends it flying, shrinking the vehicle down to size. 

"That was cool." Heather comments, watching the tiny truck with amusement. 

"What happens now?" She asks concerned, but Clint can only shrug. 

"I’ll have to ask Scott about that." He says, but an owl then swoops in and carries the little vehicle, and the little Tracksuit Mafia members inside, away. "Well, there’s that. Let’s go." 

"Kate, your mom just came out the side door." Grills informs Kate from the comms. 

"Copy." Kate replies and turns to the Avenger, breathing heavily after the fight on ice. "I gotta go find her." 

"You okay?" Clint asks with concern. 

"Yeah." Kate nods when a bullet skimming by and then sees Kazi with two other Tracksuits. 

"Just go." Clint demands, shooting an arrow and splitting it with a second which Kazi catches when it is just inches from his face. 

"Nice shot!" Kazi yells across the rink. 

"Yeah, no shit!" Clint yells back and aims to shoot another arrow when a gunfire hits the air, where Kazi holds onto his shoulder, and falls on his knees. 

Heather holsters his gun back on the gun holder and turns to see Clint giving him a look. "What? I was bored." 

"We need to find Kate-" 

Before either brother can take any action, the electric sound of a Spiderbite fills the air and smashes into Heather's back and lightning tendrils envelopes his body as he falls screaming to the ground, writhing, legs rigid, from his neck down he's numb, and terror flares inside him.  

Clint falls next to him, an unexpected force, pulling him backwards to knock him down to the ground. It is Yelena Belova, who is supposed to be unconscious. 

"Big bro, I didn't... I didn't see the spiderbite coming. Mm, was a nice touch. God, this is such a confusing erection." Heather remarks, gritting his teeth to bite down the pain. "You can't ever tell anybody about this." 

"I'll never tell anybody. Promise." Clint groans from his spot on the ground, still laying on his back before Yelena pulls him back to another round of battle. 

Heather is desperately trying to reach the spiderbite which he successfully fails over and over again. "Come on!" 

Meanwhile, this whole time, Clint has been fighting off Yelena on the ice. Yelena’s mission is still to kill Barton, which she’s coming very close to doing with each kick and punch. The two battle back and forth across the rink, with Clint, sometimes getting the upper hand, and other times, Yelena. All through it, Clint tries to reason with the Crimson Widow and explains that he didn’t kill Natasha and he misses her, too. 

Somehow Heather manages to pull out the device on his back and limp towards the fight. He cannot let her kill Clint. 

It’s only when Yelena draws her gun to finish the job, Heather throws himself in between to stand as a shield to his brother. 

"I can't let you do this." Heather says, not daring to move his eyes from her. Her hair is slightly messy with the fight, but still looks good. 

"Move!" The former Widow exclaims, only now the gun shakes in her trembling hand and tears running down from the corners of her eyes. 

"You will have to kill me first." Heather states and Yelena slowly adjusts her gun in her hand, now pointing at him. He patiently waits to embrace the upcoming pain with open arms. If he is going to die, he is going to remember her this time. Every single thing about her. His Yelena. 

Heather's eyes observe her every feature, like she's the last drop of oxygen remaining until his eyes meet up with her again after several seconds. She is still there, pointing the gun at his head. 

A completely defeated Clint makes a familiar whistle sound. Yelena immediately recognizes it with a gasp and lowers the gun. How does Clint know that? 

"She talked about you all the time." Clint tells Yelena. "That never changed. She loved you, and always wanted you safe." 

Through tears, Yelena tries to reason that she could have stopped Natasha from the choices she made on Vormir, but Clint reminds her that it would have been no use. Natasha was the best out of all of them, and she made her choice. Letting out a strangled sob, Yelena says. "I loved her so much." 

"Me too." Clint responds and Yelena extends her hand, helping Clint up. He gives her a weak smile whilst placing his hand on her shoulder as an attempt of comfort. "I’m sorry." 

Yelena silently steps back and leaves, not forgetting to glance at her lover for the last time. 

Heather bites his bottom lip, thoughts all over his mind. Before he even thinks of his actions, his legs move in a hurry to chase after the blonde, only to stop to notice her waiting for him. 

He opens his arms wide for her. She sighs slowly getting in between his arms before he wraps them around her, inhaling her perfume as he sighs in content. He moves a strand of hair from her face. "We can't be together." 

The former Destroyer never understood his unhealthy obsession over blondes. But now he does. It never was about his childhood hero, Captain America or his favourite singer, Taylor Swift. 

He used to believe she's everything he wants but cannot have. It's all about Yelena Belova. Because it reminds him of her. His lovely best friend. 

He was searching for Yelena from strangers. 

He was whipped from the beginning and it's a never ending cycle of him falling over and over for her again and again. He loves her. He's in love with Yelena Belova. And he'll never stop loving her. Not then, not now, not ever. 

But Heather knows that he needs her to let go. Because when he stays, he destroys things. That's his nature. He is damaged beyond repair. And she deserves better. 

"I might not be a hero. But I want to use my ability to do the right thing for once." He whispers just inches from her lips, so close that he could feel her warm breaths against his skin. "I don't know how long it's gonna take to get over this. I may never." 

"Your heart is pure. That will be your curse." She affectionately strokes his hair in different directions. "But I understand." 

"You do?" 

"There are no shortcuts. Just take all the time you need." She places her small hand on his cheek, and he closes his eyes while leaning into her warmth. 

"Are you sure?" 

"100% positive." Yelena slowly nods and leans in to kiss the man that right then, she knows she is in love with. 

He kisses her back passionately, holding onto her face with his large hands as if she'll somehow vanish. 

"The game’s not finished." Yelena whispers to his ear and his lips start to form into that smirk of which has a smile tickle her lips. "Remember, I love you." 

Heather does speak as she leaves and then disappears into busy New York City. Her words seem to hang in the air until he digests them one by one. 

Heather sighs, already feeling empty and lonely. He turns to leave, only to pause as his eyes catch the sight of a figure, watching him. 

Charles Barton is sitting on the rooftop of a building with a fancy tuxedo, his feet dangling into the air and a champagne glass in his hand. He looks awfully similar to Clint where anyone might confuse him with the Avenger as per the numerous features he is sharing with his older brother. He looks younger though and everyone knows that Clint is just old. At least in Heather's eyes, he is.

And there's this sadistic smirk plastered on Charles's face, which he never saw on Clint. It makes him look devilishly handsome. 

Charles raises his glass in the air, mouths 'cheers' before gulping down the rest of the alcohol and standing up and vanishing into the night just like that. 

Heather stands there puzzled, trying to process what just happened.