GLISTENING DIAMONDS.
001. ❛ heels and chocolate. ❜

"I MEAN, DID YOU see those heels?" A girl exclaimed excitedly, her platinum blonde hair shimmering under the store's bright lights. Diana Black smiled brightly as she gazed up at her curly-haired friend, Michelle Jones.

Mj let out a sigh, her eyes momentarily scanning the display window before settling on Diana. "Yes, Diana, I did. As I have with every other pair of heels in that store that you found fascinating." The two friends had went on a shopping expedition, and a particular pair of striking ruby red heels had captured Diana's attention with an unwavering grip.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Diana walked alongside Mj as they exited the store, turning her head to face her friend. "You could at least pretend to be excited, M."

Mj chuckled softly, her voice laced with a hint of affectionate exasperation. "Sorry, D, you know I'm not into shoes like you are. Besides, it'll be getting dark soon, and we should head home," she said, her concern palpable as she motioned toward the breathtaking sunset painting the sky with hues of purple and pink.

A mischievous grin spread across Diana's face as the vibrant colors cast an ethereal glow upon her features. "Oh, come on," she pleaded, a touch of adventure sparkling in her eyes. "We'll be fine. Just a little more time to enjoy the evening. And should anything happen, I'll protect you, my darling dearest M."

With a roll of her eyes, Mj playfully nudged Diana's shoulder. "Funny, but I'm serious, D. My dad will freak if I don't tell him I have plans. You know how protective he can be."

Diana's grin softened into a wistful smile. She sighed, a flicker of maturity shining through her usually carefree demeanor. "Yeah, I'll walk you home if you'd like; these streets do get dangerous at night. Trust me, I would know." She looked away from her friend, and at the jewelry store they passed by, a flash of mischievous flooded her eyes for a moment.

Mj returned Diana's smile, "Thanks, D," she murmured, a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes. The bond between the two girls ran deep, built on a foundation of trust and mutual support. Diana linked arms with Mj, their steps now directed toward Mj's home in a comfortable silence.

STEPPING INTO HER CLANDESTINE "base of operations," Diana Black peeled off her diamond-shaped eye mask, revealing a pair of piercing green eyes filled with a hint of weariness and defiance. She strode across the room, a space filled with an array of tools and gadgets, and reached for the chocolate bar, casually resting on a table amidst the chaos.

Sighing deeply, she settled into a sleek, black chair, her feet nonchalantly propped up on the table, legs crossed with an air of casual rebellion. "Let's see what we got today," she mused, retrieving a delicate ivory satin bag that emitted a tantalizing jingle as she gently tugged at its drawstring.

With gloved hands, Diana dipped her fingers into the bag, retrieving a tiny, glistening diamond. Holding it up to the moonlight that filtered through her window, she reveled in the way it danced and sparkled, casting fragmented beams of light across her face.

Taking a bite of the chocolate bar, Diana froze as a faint creak echoed from behind her. Her instincts sharpened, and she swiftly grabbed a discarded gun from the desk, spinning around with precision, and trained the weapon on the intruder's head. It was none other than Clint Barton, known as Hawkeye, a man with a reputation that had preceded him.

"Well, well, well, the famous Clint Barton," Diana taunted, her head cocked to the side, a smirk etching its way onto her lips. "To what do I owe the displeasure?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, a trademark of her defense mechanism against a world that had dealt her a painful hand.

With calculated nonchalance, she extended a peace offering. "Chocolate?" she offered, even as she kept the gun steady, an ever-present reminder of her complex nature.

Barton sighed, his exasperation directed not at the teenager but at the mission that Steve Rogers had entrusted to him. "Miss Black—"

"Ugh," Diana gagged at the introduction, her disdain evident. "Please, let's skip the formalities, Hawkeye. You're here for a reason. What is it?"

Clint rolled his eyes, a hint of frustration simmering beneath his composed demeanor. Stepping cautiously towards Diana, he halted as she swiftly disengaged the safety on the gun, asserting her control of the situation.

"Oh shit! I haven't offended the Avengers or something, have I? If it was about that one time, I—" Her faded German accent colored her words with different emotions.

His eyes met hers, attempting to convey the urgency that hung heavy in the air. "Look, I don't want to be here any more than you do, but Cap needs your help."

"Cap?" Diana's eyebrow arched in curiosity; her voice laced with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "As in Steve Rogers? What the hell does a fossil want with me?"

Clint measured his words, "He needs your unique skills, your expertise. We're up against formidable opponents, and having as many allies as possible would greatly benefit us."

"Hmm," Diana pondered, her gaze momentarily drifting away. She reluctantly lowered the gun, placing it back on the desk, "Yeah, I don't do well in teams and I have a physics test tomorrow. So, that's a hard pass."

Clint reached into his shoulder bag, placing it purposefully on Diana's desk. He unzipped it, revealing stacks of money, their presence gleaming with potential. The girl's lips curled into a sly grin as her gloved hand reached out and plucked a stack of cash from the bag, allowing her fingertips to graze the crisp bills. Her eyes gleamed with a mix of mischief and calculation as she inspected the currency, her mind racing with a million thoughts.

The girl grinned as her eyes looked down at the stacks of money, "You've almost got yourself a deal."

"Almost?" Clint raised a brow, seemingly getting frustrated with the girl by the second.

She relished in the power of her own indecision, knowing she held the upper hand in this negotiation. But she couldn't help herself from pushing further. "Yes, almost. You failed to mention where exactly we'd be heading."

Clint swallowed the lump in his throat, aware that the location he was about to reveal could be the make-or-break moment. He met Diana's gaze with unwavering resolve. "Berlin."

Diana's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and apprehension flashing across her face. "Berlin?! As in Germany?" Her voice carried a touch of incredulity, her mind racing to the memories of a past she had tried to bury deep within her soul. "No fucking way. Get out and don't bother me again, Barton."

Clint groaned in annoyance, his gaze shifting to the chocolate bar, still clenched tightly in Diana's hand. An idea sparked within him, a bargaining chip that might sway her decision.

"There's chocolate in the car," he revealed, his voice carrying a subtle note of indulgence, fully aware of Diana's weakness for the sweet temptation.

Diana's green eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight. Her guarded facade momentarily melted away, replaced by an unabashed grin that danced across her lips, reminiscent of a mischievous Cheshire cat. "Chocolate? You've got yourself a deal."

With that agreement reached, Diana set the stack of money back onto the desk, her mind already racing with the potential of what awaited her in Berlin. The allure of adventure and the scent of danger made it all worth it.

You see, Diana Black's past was a tapestry woven with threads of tragedy and neglect. Once, she had been a carefree and innocent girl, basking in the warmth of her mother's love and the mischievous adventures she shared with her older brother, Alexander. They were a close-knit family, and life seemed full of promise.

But fate can be cruel, and tragedy struck their lives like an unforgiving storm. Diana's mother was taken from them far too soon, leaving a void that seemed impossible to fill. The weight of grief settled upon their shoulders, casting a long shadow over their once-joyful home.

In the aftermath of their mother's passing, Diana's father, consumed by his own pain, withdrew into himself. The once-loving and attentive parent became a mere specter, lost in his own sorrow. Neglected and starved for emotional connection, Diana and Alexander grew distant from their father, the family unit shattered beyond repair.

Fleeing from Germany, Diana and Alexander decided to settle in the States, far from the horrors their home country held.

It was during this fragile time that Alexander, struggling with his own demons, ventured down a path of darkness. He became entangled in a world of crime, his nimble fingers and quick wit making him a renowned cat burglar. Diana, desperate for her brother's attention and seeking solace in his rebellious ways, followed in his footsteps.

Yet despite the uplifting, tragedy struck Diana's world once again, casting a deeper shadow over her already fractured existence. It was a cold and fateful night when she witnessed Alexander's untimely death, shattering what little remained of their dwindling family ties. The loss of her beloved brother tore at Diana's heart, leaving behind a void that seemed impossible to fill. The pain of his absence mingled with the guilt of not being able to save him, leaving Diana haunted by the echoes of her past and fueling her resolve to navigate the treacherous path she now walked alone.

Her criminal tendencies became a twisted expression of her desire for control and her yearning to rewrite the narrative of her life. The audacity with which she pursued her illicit activities masked the pain that gnawed at her core, a silent plea for someone to see beyond her façade and understand the depths of her wounded soul.