Disclaimer: I own nothing

Rated: T

"Ban!"

Clint hesitantly let go of the arm he was tightly holding onto, seeing that Kagome seemed to know whomever had just tried to touch her shoulder.

Damn his reflexes.

"Ban, what are you doing?" Kagome asked with some surprise, knowing that he also hated these particular events and rarely attended like herself.

"Boss forced me to come," Bankotsu smirked, looking Kagome up and down and he whistled lowly, "Damn, looking good tonight!" His smirk only widened when her escort stepped forward with a frown.

"Are you a friend of Higurashi's?" Clint asked in a casual tone, but Bankotsu could hear the warning underneath said tone.

"Friend?" Bankotsu shrugged, "I don't have 'friends', but I guess Higurashi is the closest thing to one." He snickered when Kagome only shook her head and sighed.

"Why can't you just give a normal answer?" Kagome furrowed her brows and gave Bankotsu a deadpan look, "Nice to know that I'm 'closest' thing to a friend you have."

Then again, having 'friends' in Bankotsu's line of work was a certain weakness that he didn't need to have.

Clint didn't know what to think as he was able to read Bankotsu's body language (unlike Taisho's) and he could tell that the man was well-trained in physical combat.

And his answer.

It sounded like an answer he himself would give.

'An assassin? Here at Stark's party?' Barton could only wonder, having never seen Bankotsu before and since he was a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, he knew most of the assassins in the world.

The ones worth knowing about anyway.

'Either he's that good that he is completely under the radar or he isn't one at all and I'm just being paranoid.' Clint thought to himself and shook himself out of such thoughts.

He wasn't on his job, he was here as an escort of Kagome and nothing more.

He needed to relax.

"Why would Onii-san want you to come?" Kagome wondered out loud and Bankotsu shrugged. She then turned to Clint, giving him a smile, "Master Barton, this is Bankotsu Raiban. Bankotsu, this is Clint Barton – he is my new archery teacher." She introduced them to each other.

"What's up?" Bankotsu's smirk was razor sharp and Clint was wary to see that there seemed to be some recognition glinting in Bankotsu's cobalt eyes.

Did Raiban recognise him for who he really was?

"Not much," Clint answered, trying to stomp down his paranoia, "Just have a great time watching these fat cats eyeing Higurashi like the cute little chick she is." Teasing Higurashi should help with said paranoia.

And much like he expected, Kagome's pale cheeks immediately bloomed red in response.

"They only notice me because I'm Sesshoumaru's 'sister'," Kagome quickly waved it off, though her face was still scarlet, "I'm nobody special at all!"

"So modest, Higurashi," Clint smirked, rustling her hair much to her protest, "You're such a cute little thing, don't you know that?"

Bankotsu's brows raised at the scene, "Into older men, are we?" He asked of Kagome and easily dodged her punch when she halfheartedly threw it towards his face.

"Master Barton isn't that old!" Kagome pouted, turning towards the dark blond archer, "How old are you, Master Barton?" She asked.

"Thirty-five." He shrugged, not seeing the harm in answering and Bankotsu laughed out loud.

"I think an eighteen-year difference is a little much, don't you think, Higurashi?" Bankotsu dodged another swipe.

"We're not dating! He's my teacher!" Kagome huffed, rolling her eyes, "Besides, age is only a number." She muttered afterwards.

"Fine, fine!" Bankotsu surrendered, "I've gotta see the Boss now," He patted Kagome hard on the head, "See you again, Higurashi." With that, he was gone into the crowds of rich people.

"Quite a character," Clint noted dryly, "How do you know such a person?" He asked, telling himself to notify S.H.I.E.L.D of Raiban's existence. Hopefully, they already had information on him.

"We met under some... difficult circumstances," Kagome phrased it carefully, wincing when she remembered first encountering Bankotsu in the past, "But he's fine now."

"Right," Clint raised a brow and Kagome looked at him with that cute little pout, "I'd say let's go drink, but I didn't realise you're underage." He said in that dry tone.

"It's not like you told me your age!" Kagome retorted and stuck out her tongue just to show him how mature she really was.

Barton was about to respond with something sarcastic, but another male and very interested voice interrupted their conversation.

"Well, who is this pretty little lady?"