Long Lost Love Now Found
"Brandt, where have you been?" Benji asked as the man entered the team's house.
"Family reunion."
"You have family reunions?" Jane wondered aloud.
"My brother wanted to see me." he admitted.
"Your brother? There's nothing about him in your file." Great, now Ethan's in on this. Brandt thought.
"No one is supposed to know we're related or that the other exists, but I'm telling you guys because he's going to be working with us for a while."
"Clint!" a familiar voice yelled. "I told you to wait!"
"Brandt's" grin turned positively wicked as a copy of him entered. As Ethan stared he noticed minor scarring on the first Brandt's forearms.
"What's going on?" Benji asked quietly, looking highly unsure.
"Agent Clint Barton, at your service." the first one said.
"For what agency?" Jane demanded.
"Classified."
"Guys, this is my twin brother." Will sighed.
The IMF agents learned just how crazy Clint was the next day when they were doing extreme training in the training room. They had been working on fast descents down a rope as if it were a helicopter while aiming at various targets. Clint didn't do the same thing as the rest-slide down with one hand and shoot with the other-he hung upside-down wiith his legs as he fired two guns at the targets.
He made every shot.
"Damn, Clint, what kind of training do they put you through?" Will asked, obviously astounded.
"You have no idea." the other smirked.
"Seriously, who do you work for? Your aim is better than Ethan's, and I didn't think that was possible." Benji asked.
Clint looked to will as if for advice. The latter nodded. "They can be trusted."
Barton sighed. "I work for S.H.I.E.L.D. Codename: Hawkeye. Partner to Black Widow . . . most of the time, she's my closest friend.
"You're Hawkeye?" Benji gasped.
"Who?" Jane asked.
"THe guy that assassinated some of the most illusive arms dealers? Blew up part of Big Ben and the Vatican? The guy's a legend!"
"Yeah, I guess." Clint muttered, looking embarrassed.
Awkwardly, he backed out of the room, not liking the attention. Spies usually didn't. He returned a few moments later, bow in-hand and quiver strapped to his back.
"Now that you guys know who I am I can get some real practice in."
"Real practice?" Jane looked offended at the implied insult.
"Guns are great and all, but they aren't nearly as stealthy as my bow."
"You're just saying that because you're a ninja with that thing." Will pointed out.
"I'll have you now that I'm still the best agent S.H.I.E.L.D.'s got." Clint defended.
"And the craziest one." Will muttered. "Seriously, who else regularly jumps off of high places with no safety wire?"
Ethan, who had been silent up until now, cleared his throat. "I seem to recall you and Benji making me climb up to the 130th floor with glitchy adhesive gloves recently."
"Yeah, but he jumps out of buildings with only his bow with him."
"I have arrows made specifically for that!"
"Ethan, why have you been so quiet since Clint introduced himself?" Jane asked suddenly. She had nocided the way he kept his eyes on Barton when the man wasn't looking.
"Clint and I have actually met before." Hunt announced.
"Really? When?" Benji asked, practically bouncing.
"Before I married Julia. I originally thought Brandt was him with amnesia or something until I read his file."
Barton was staring. He actually remembers me?
Ethan's eyes locked with his when Jane spoke. "How did you know him?"
"Yeah, how Hawkeye?" Will looked angry with his brother for not telling him that he had known Will's team leader.
Without another word, Ethan jerked Clint forward by the man's lapels. Only a moment's hesitation surfaced before their lips crashed together. Clint surprised his twin further by dropping his bow-something he almost never did considering how much he loved that thing-to entwine his fingers in Ethan's hair. Benji, Jane, and Will couldn't move due to the shock when the pair finally parted.
"We were lovers until I was stationed in New Mexico to deal with an angry god-turned-human and had to leave. And then I joined the Avengers . . . it was a mess." Clint sighed, looking up at Ethan. "That's why I jumped at the chance to work with IMF."
"How long had you two been dating?" Jane voiced the question on everyone's mind.
"Three years, seven months, and ten days." Clint rattled off. "I have an eidetic memory just like Will."
"Good, Lord. Is it midnight already?" Benji asked as he glanced at his watch. Will nodded.
"So, can we go to bed now?" Clint asked.
"We don't have any apare rooms." Jointed out. "Where will he sleep?"
"He'll sleep with me." Ethan announced. "It wouldn't exactly be the first time."
The couple laughed a little as they left the others alone.
"I can't believe Ethan is gay." Jane breathed.
"I knew Clint was, but . . ." Will trailed off. "Then again, I had wondered why he was so upset when he learned he had to go to New Mexico."
"They probably need some time to talk." Benji stated quietly.
"Where the hell have you been?" Ethan breathed as he pulled Clint close when they reached the bedroom.
"I missed you, too, Ethan." Clint replied softly. "So, I hear you were married?"
Ethan froze. "About two years ago, yeah. I left her to keep her safe."
"Yeah, Will told me about it. But . . . where does that leave us?" Grey eyes looked uncertain for the first time in ages. Barton nervously fingered a long scar down his forearm.
"I would like for there to be an us again. While I was with Julia, I never stpped missing you."
"You're sweet, Ethan."
"Just don't tell the others."
Clint laughed as Ethan pushed him down onto the bed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say the others don't know just how corney you are."
"Oh, they know I am, just not how much so."
There was only an eyeroll in response before Ethan was dragged down into a bruising kiss. "You are still the strangest guy I've ever met."
"Okay, you can't do that to a man if you want to continue talking." Ethan whined.
"Maybe I just like torturing you."
"Maybe I should do something about that."
"Maybe you should."
When the pair didn't surface the next morning, everyone knew what had happpened.
"I guess they figured out their relationship status."Will muttered. "Still can't believe he never told me about him and Ethan." Now he was definately grumbling.
"Stop complaining, will. So they were-or are, I guess-dating. They're their lives." Benji rolled his eyes.
In the bedroom Ethan was just waking up. That was a great dream last night. Clint was even back. He froze, however, when he felt the warm body that was practically lying on top of him. Who the hell? He recognized the short, light brown hair and , upon further examination, the muscular arms and torso rang a bell as well. It wasn't a dream . . .
Before his brain caught onto the fact that the other man was still asleep, Ethan kissed him gently. Naturally, this caused Clint to stir.
"Morning, Hunt." His voice was still rough with sleep.
"I thought you were only a dream."
"I'm guessing it's a good thing I have a twin brother, huh?"
Ethan chuckled and leaned his forehead against Clint's. "You have no idea."
"Well, I've been looking for you for months, so I kinda get it."
"Just kinda." the darker-haired man agreed with a smile. "It's good to have you back."
"Great, now that that's settled, can I go back to sleep?"
"Of course." Ethan replied, smile softening as Clint's grey eyes slid closed once more.
H felt as if he was finally where he was supposed to be and with who he was supposed to be with. "Love you, Clint." he breathed as he joined his lover in the land of dreams.
Ethan woke next when Clint was kissing him awake. "Morning . . . again."
"By the way, Ethan, love you, too." the shorter agent grinned.
"You heard that?"
"I'm a spy; of course I heard you. I've been waiting on you to say that for years."
"Sorry I was so slow to catch on, then."
"You'd better be."
Ethan smacked him playfully on the arm before rolling over to be on his hands and knees above Barton. "So, how did you sleep, honey?"
"Fine, dear." Clint shot right back. "It was the first time in a while I didn't have nightmares."
"What about?"
"Budapest. When Natasha and I were pinned down, and I almost couldn't save her."
"You and she must be close." Clint recognized the insecurity and tinge of jealousy in his eyes as Ethan looked away.
Clint let his hand skim down his lover's body until he gently squeezed the man's package. "Not as much as I care about you, though." The brunette groaned at the combination of the pressure and the lust in Clint's voice.
"You-" Ethan broke off to kiss Barton, "have no-" another kiss, "idea what you do to me."
"Oh," Clint pulled Ethan's hand to his own growing arousal with the hand that wasn't holding Ethan's manhood, "I think I do."
"So they are alive." Benji said as Clint and Ethan finally entered the living room.
Barton was wearing his full S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform-vest with the agency's logo on it, black pants, gun holdsters, and all-but without his bow, seeing as he'd left it in the training room the day before. Ethan was only wearing a pair of jeans.
"Quiet." Barton's voice warned, though his heart wasn't really in it.
"So, you get your issues worked out?" Will asked, honestly curious.
"Yes, little brother, Ethan and I are dating again." Clint sighed.
"You guys did at least get a shower, right?" Jane inquired.
The couple laughed nervously. "We figured we were missed at breakfast, so we thought it could wait."
"Go." Brandt ordered, pointing at the door.
"Fine, fine." Ethan surrendered.
"Separate showers." Benji added.
"Aaawwww . . ."
Then came Jane's controbution. "Ethan first."
"Alright." Ethan really looked like they wanted to go.
"Make it a quick one." Barton advised, running a finger down the other man's chest.
"See you in a few." Ethan gave him a brief kiss. "Love you."
"Mmm." Clint moaned softly in the back of his throat when Ethan kissed him again. "Love you, too. Now go."
"Aw, they're in the lovey-dovey stage." Will teased.
"You would be, too, if you hadn't seen the one you loved in three years." Clint defended.
"True." his brother relented, holding up his hands in defeat.
"So how did you two meet, anyway?" Jane asked, her curiosity getting the better of her at last.
"I was actually assigned to work with the IMF back then. I was assigned to a mission with Ethan that for some reason hinged on us playing a couple. One thing led to another and . . . well, you can guess the rest."
"And he never once asked who you worked for?" Benji looked unbelieving.
"He did, but I told him it was classified, and when he tried to hack into the systems he couldn't find any IMF records for me. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s firewalls were too much for him to hack into."
"But Ethan left Julia to protect her; why don't you think he might do the same thing do you?" Will was obviously worried about his brother.
"The main difference between Clint and Julia-besides the obvious, of course-is that I don't need to worry about him being able to protect himself." Ethan announced as he re-entered the room. "His status as one of the Avengers alone proves that, but he can actually beat me in a fight." He was still only wearing jeans.
"How did we not know he was one of the Avengers, anyway?" Jane wondered aloud.
"They were never able to get a picture of me; they just knew there was a guy named Hawkeye on the team. Will was the only one who knew everything about me."
"Glad you trusted us with your secret, then." Benji said proudly.
"Sadly, though, I won't be here long. This is just a training mission. But . . . if you wanted I could put in a request for Fury to transfer you to S.H.I.E.L.D. . . Having the notorious Ethan Hunt and his team on the Aventers would be a great addition."
Ethan beamed. "You know I'm in."
"Well, I guess we're all in." Will grinned.
"How do you know this Fury guy will approve?" Jane demanded, hands on her hips. She glanced at Clint as he leaned back into Hunt, whose arms were around his waist.
"Like I said before, I'm his best agent. I always get my way."
"Very modest of you, Clint." Will laughed.
"You know it's true!"
"How long until you tell him we're transferring?" Ethan asked.
"He already knows; I may have lied about the objective of this mission . . . I was supposed to get you to switch agencies."
"So you did it by seducing Ethan." Jane accused. "I knew we shouldn't trust him!"
Both Brandt and Barton had guns drawn on her in an instant. "Don't insult my brother." Will hissed. "I knew his objective this whole time, but it was up to him to convince you guys to transfer."
"And it was a convenient way to see Ethan again. How I-and I hope he-feel has nothing to do with my mission."
"You know I love you, Clint." Ethan whispered so that only he could hear. "Put the gun down."
Barton sighed and did as he was told. "You can either come with your team or stay and be reassigned." he informed Jane.
"I'm going." Benji stated. "I hear S.H.I.E.L.D. has better gadgets than IMF."
"Fine, I'll go . . . But I still don't trust you." Jane agreed grudgedly.
"Great! We leave tomorrow." Clint grinned. "At noon."
"That means we can sleep in!" Benji cheered.
"Among other things." Ethan smirked evilly, waggling his eyebrows at his lover.
"If we do that, we won't have time for a shower."
"Your point being?"
"I'll catch hell from Thor and Loki, because I always give them crap about them doing that exact thing." CLint whined.
"You know I can convince you otherwise." Ethan pointed out as he started sucking on the hollow below Clint's ear.
Clint gave a little moan at the feel of it. "Ethan, not here." he panted slightly as he spoke.
Without another word, Ethan dragged him out of the room, retreating back into his-their-bedroom.
"They're not exactly troubled if they have a problem with doint that in public, do they?" Jane asked.
"I know you've had a crush on Ethan for a while now, but he is obviously happy with Clint. You need to stop giving my brother a hard time." Will snapped, getting annoyed with his teammate.
"Is that what you sound like during sex?" Benji asked rather abruptly. Neither oculd tell if he was serious or joking to try to defuse the situation. Will blushed a rather charming shade of pink at the question. Jane laughed at his embarassment.
"They're called identical twins for a reason." she laughed. "So, you're gay too, right? That's why we've never seen you with a woman?"
Brandt's blush got even darker as he nodde. "So are most of the guys we're moving in with: Thor and Loki are together, so are Tony and Bruce. Steve is single though . . ." he said thoughtfully.
"Got an interest in Captain America, do we?" Benji teased.
"He's nice . . ." Brandt was still lost in his thoughts as he said this. The blush finally faded from his cheeks.
"You've met him?" the other two asked together.
"Yeah, I was the one who picked Clint up from the Avengers' Tower, remember? He and I hit it off pretty well."
"So, you never answered my question."
"I'm sorry, Benji. What was the question again?"
"Was that what you sound like during sex?"
The blush came roaring back.
"I can't believe you did that back there." Clint laughed as Ethan pushed him against the wall.
"Is it really that surprising?" Brown eyes danced with laughter while he held the grey-eyed man captive against the closed bedroom door.
"No, but in front of my twin brother? That was just cruel."
"Do you really care, though? You used to love that kind of thing."
Clint's expression grew grim as he gazed at Ethan. "A lot has changed in three years. After being all but mind-raped by Loki . . ." he trailed off. "I-I don't know how to be close to people . . . anymore."
"Hey, ssshhh." Ethan soothed, pulling the hawk int a hug. "I haven't seen you this messed up since you came back from your Gamble cover."
That resulted in a dry chuckle. "I still have those tattoos. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to try to keep them covered with that tattoo-cover-up-crap while on a mission?"
"That mission really did a number on you."
"What do you expect? I almost got decapitated by a train!"
"You . . . never told me that."
"I didn't?"
"No, you just came back with your ears pierced and a bunch of tattoos."
"Oh . . . I'll tell you about it sometime."
"Why don't we talk about this when we're back at your place tomorrow?" Ethan suggested. "A lot has obviously happened to you since we parted."
"That sounds good. Tasha will want to have words with you, though."
"Let me guess; she's that best friend you mentioned? Your usual partner?"
"Yeah, she's like a sister to me; though, most of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers think we're involved."
"They're going to get quite the surprise when they meet me, aren't they?" Ethan chuckled.
Clint joined in for a moment. "Yeah."
"You know what would get your mind off of all this?"
"What?"
"A good prank on the others."
That got his attention. "What do you have in mind?"
"Do you still have those earrings?"
"Hey, team, want to go down the street to that bar all of you love so much?" Ethan asked, joining the others in the living room. "You know, to celebrate our new jobs."
"Sure!" Benji grinned.
"Of ocurse." Jane agreed.
"Yeah," Will muttered, "but where is my brother?"y
"He and I were going regardless of what you chose, so he took his bike and is meeting us there." Ethan explained.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Will asked.
"You guys find a table; I'll be right back." Ethan said as soon as they entered the bar.
"Where are you going?" Benji asked his back as the other man walked away without so much as another word.
The trio watched as their leader walked up to a strange man at the bar. The man was wearing a tight, black t-shirt, black jeans, and combat boots. The IMF agents could see obvious tattoos on his forearms-one of which reading "Gamble." The man's short, dirty-blonde hair allowed for the group to see the silver earrings in his ears.
"So help me, if he is cheating on my brother-" Will broke off as the pair turned around, drinks in-hand. The man Eathan was talking to was none other than one Clint Barton.
"What the-"
Jane was interrupted by Ethan's chuckle. "I told you their faces would make it worth it."
"You were right." Clint admitted, smiling.
"Since when do u hve tattoos?" Will asked curiously.
"About four years ago for a mission. I was supposed to be a SWAT officer that got fired, turned bad, and freed an international prisoner. The mission failed, meaning my old 'partner' beat me and the prisoner went to prison. S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted to use him for information, but they couldn't get him legally transferred over. The tattoos were part of my cover, as were the earrings." Clint explained. "That mission almost killed me."
"Is that why you were kind of nervous about coming to LA?" Will asked.
"Yeah, actually. This baar was one that was involved in the mission, but no one seems to recognize-"
"Brian?" a voice asked from behind him
"Shit." Clint swore. "Spoke too soon."
He slowly turned around, noticing Ethan's hand was on the gun he always carried in the back of his jeans. Clint's old partner was standing there, gun drawn, staring at him in shock.
Immediately, Clint shifted back into Gamble's cocky demeanor. "Been a long time, Street."
"How are you alive?" he demanded.
"That, dear boy is above your pay grade." a male voice said as a shockingly familiar one-eyed black man walked up. "This team is going to be joining the Avengers Initiative as well." Director Nick Fury turned to the iMF agents. "Agents Carter, Dunn, and Brandt, come with me; since you've run into the other sub-team we'll leave now. Hunt, because of your relationship with Agent Barton, you and this team will ship out tomorrow."
"Yes, sir." both agents replied.
"Boss?" the forgotten Street asked.
"Listen to them and don't try to kill them. I need my best two agents alive." Fury ordered before muttering, "Even though you probably couldn't leave a scratch on them."
"I do recall beating Gamble once before, sir." Street argued.
"He was off his game, reckless, and on what was supposed to be an easy mission because of that stunt he pulled with Agent Romanoff." Cue pointed glare at Clint.
"But I was right about her." Barton defended. "And now she is one of our best assets."
"Whatever. Just do it, Street."
"Yes . . . sir." he replied unsurely, holdstering his gun.
"Where are the rest of the guys, Street?" Clint asked with a sigh.
"Otherside of the room. You're not going to try and kill me again, are you?"
"As I recall, you were the one who almost killed me last time we saw each other." Clint retorted.
"And I thought I was crazy when I thought I saw you on the news about that alien attack on Manhattan."
"Yep, that was me."
"I thought you said no one had managed get a picture of you?" Ethan remarked.
"One of the local reporters got lucky when we initially sent Loki back to Asgard, and they ran it once before S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to pay them off."
"Interesting, and you just happened to see this one transmition?"
"Apparently." Street replied as they approached the SWAT team.
"What the hell?" Sanchez demanded as soon as she recognized Clint.
"Don't kill him, boss's orders." Street grumbled, sitting down. "It seems Gamble is part of our new team."
"I'm Agent Clint Barton, AKA Hawkeye of S.H.I.E.L.D. This is Agent Ethan Hunt who is transferring to my team." Clint introduced them.
"I thought you were Brian Gamble; me ex-partner that turned rogue." Street stated.
"That was a cover from my mission." Clint admitted."All of it will be explained in detail tomorrow, but know for know that I'm not your enemy and that I've saved the world more times than I can count."
"How do we know we can believe you?" Sanchez asked.
"Besides the fact that your boss ordered it, and the fact that he's actually my boss, Nick Fury?" The Gamble attitude was showing through again.
"Clint," Ethan's voice was warning, "control your dislike for this division of the Avengers. You still have to work with them and share the Tower with them."
"But we get the better room, because Stark actually knows me." Clint stated. "I've got the room with ventalation system acces and access to the roof."
"Clint."
"Fine, but to answer your question, Sanchez, I've been with S.H.I.E.L.D. since I was eighteen." Clint informed them. "I could kill you a million different ways and no one would know it was me (unless I used my bow) or see it coming."
"You were always average at the target practice, though." Street argued.
"Wouldn't it be a little suspitious if the rookie never missed a shot?"
"Well . . . yeah."
"Okay, then." Clint smirked "I swear, the one me I dress like this-showing tattoos and wearing earrings-I get recagnized." he grumbled.
Ethan laughed, wrapping an arm around Clint's waist and kissing the top of the shorter man's head. "Well, we'll see you guys on the jet tomorrrow. Oh, and if you ever try to hurt Clint, I will end you myself."
"Well, this is nice and awkward." Tony stark said to the room full of the Aventers and its branches."
"Quite. Clinton, I believe you are the only one here with connections to everybody." Loki stated.
"Well, get used to each other, because you're all going to be living and working together from now on." Fury ordered.
Clint sighed. "Well this is going to be interesting."
~END~
EM