Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel comics or characters or movies, and am making no money off of this fic.
AN: Written for the May 24th Winterhawk Mandatory Fun Day prompt: Captain America!Clint Barton.
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Of Falls and Fowl by luvsanime02
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Sometimes, not that Clint Barton would ever admit it out loud, the shield is really just in the damn way.
Sometimes, all Clint wants to do is to roll on his shoulder like he's used to doing, but he can't because there's a shield strapped to his back. And sure, rolling on the shield isn't going to hurt it any, but it does throw off his balance and landing just enough so that Clint always lands on his shoulder the wrong way when he's, for instance, jumping from one building to an adjacent one in a hurry because he's trying not to get killed.
Just little things like that are annoying, when Clint can't stop and think, only act, and now his shoulder is a dull throb where he's strained the muscles again. Natasha is going to make him run more drills after this, until he collapses from exhaustion. Clint's really not looking forward to that.
Clint doesn't have time to worry about the future right now, though. He has to focus on making the next jump. This is the last time that he goes around dressed in the Captain America uniform without a quiver of arrows on his back. He doesn't care that the shield can't be worn on his back at the same time without some major adjustments. He'll hold the damn thing. He'll-
Miss his next jump because his shoulder is messed up, hit the side of the building - bruising some of his ribs, not to mention his pride - and barely grab onto the fire escape to avoid dropping down fifteen stories. He grabs the railing with his injured arm, of course. Why not?
"Need a hand?" someone asks over the comms. A very familiar someone, whose voice is a welcome distraction, even though his tone says that he's silently laughing at Clint's predicament.
Clint has the worst boyfriend. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Clint snarks back, pulling himself up onto a landing and debating just hiding there until the fight is over. He's had enough humiliation for one day, really.
"I'm not the one who did a swan dive just now," Bucky replies. Unfortunately, he's right.
"The swan is a very graceful and noble bird," Clint says, despite the fact that he hates them.
"Swans are fast and vicious and a menace," Bucky retorts, and Clint agrees so much that he changes Bucky's status back from worst boyfriend to best.
"I like swans," Natasha says, her voice deceptively mild. Of course she does.
Clint finishes climbing back up onto the roof, punches out a guy, and wonders if he should try to get everybody's attention back on the fight. Instead, he says, "Okay, forget the swans. How do you feel about ducks?"
This is important. It says a lot about a man, his opinion on ducks.
There's a pause. "Adult ones, or ducklings?" Bucky asks finally. Clint can't believe that such a cute word just came out of his boyfriend's mouth. "Because adult ducks are evil, but the young ones deserve a chance to be raised away from the teachings of their evil parents and become good animals."
Clint can't fight the grin that appears on his face - doesn't even try. "Works for me," he says casually. "I was going to say that they're good with orange sauce, but I like your answer, too."
The shield blocks a lucky shot from someone behind him, and okay, the thing has its uses sometimes. Still not as helpful as his bow and some arrows, though. With a sigh, Clint focuses back on the fight, leaving the debate of fowl being useful for anything other than a meal behind them for now.