A/N: DON'T ASK where this idea came from! I felt a story-idea coming, sat down and… BAM. We'll see just what my head cooked up this time…!
DISCLAIMER: OH, PLEASE…! NOOOOPE. I seriously don't own ANYTHING. Just… borrowing a beloved character. (starts purring) And coming up with all sorts of insane messes for him. BUT, the point is, ME NO OWN.
WARNINGS: Mentions and more likely than not description of violence… Some vulgar language (so not for Steve's sensitive ears)… WEIRDNESS in heaps, as per usual with my tales… OI, don't stomp each other on your way out!
Okay, because stalling is rude… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.
(EXTENDED VERSION OF A SCENE FROM ONE OF MY OLD 'SOS' TALES)
What Makes a Hawkeye
Water
It was the perfect summer day. Sun was shining, yet it wasn't warm enough to feel uncomfortable. Everything about the secluded little swimming-spot was perfect. The trees surrounding the almost white, soft sand. The clear water. Clint Barton's favorite part, however, was that for once his father was sober. Even in a good enough mood to prepare sandwiches for them.
Unfortunately Barney seemed determined to ruin the pleasant day. His older brother argued their father over anything imaginable. Apparently even the sandwiches were soggy. And as per usual, their father was too eager to rise to the bait.
It broke Clint's heart, even if he would've never admitted as much. There wasn't supposed to be fighting today. They promised, because it was his birthday! It was the only gift he asked for!
In the end Clint escaped to the water. There, with his ears under the surface, no arguing could be heard. There was just peace, and the soothing feel of the gentle waves caressing him. Clint didn't think he'd felt that good and relaxed in… he had no idea how long.
Unfortunately, that was when fate decided to start operating against him.
The problem was that Clint was only five at the time. Too young for a parent to take their eyes off during swimming. And he had too little swimming experience.
Clint had no idea how far from the shore he'd ended up until it was too late. Or how deep the water was. He didn't notice until he ran out of strength.
Panic flared while the child splashed, fighting to keep himself from sinking. "Dad…!" His small, petrified voice was nowhere near enough to carry to the shore. Especially with how loud the fight between his father and brother was getting.
For a few, terrifying seconds Clint's mouth slipped under the intensifying waves. Sheer terror beginning to take over, he struggled and struggled. But despite his young age he knew that it wouldn't be enough. Tears filled his desperate, wide eyes while they stared at the two people screaming at each other, a miserable distance away.
"Dad…!" he tried, putting his all to the effort. "Barn…!" The two didn't so much as glance his way.
Then a particularly strong wave came, and swept him under.
The water was darker than he'd anticipated, when it was trying to drag him under and crush him. Clint's lungs burned and he opened his mouth for a scream. Which only intensified the sensation of suffocating.
Clint realized that this had to be what drowning felt like, and had never been quite so scared in his entire life.
As someone small even for his age, Clint made up for what he lacked in size with his stubbornness. He fought a war, and somehow managed to break the surface once more. He gasped anxiously, and tried to look towards the shore. His father and brother still hadn't noticed a thing.
Clint gathered every little ounce of will he had left for his one last attempt. It wasn't much. He hoped from the bottom of his furiously hammering heart that it was enough. "Dad…!"
His cry went unheard. A second later another wave came, dragging him down. Clint knew that he wouldn't have enough strength to swim up again. All the five-year-old could do was sink helplessly, the sunlight streaming from up above blinding him.
Just before darkness came Clint was sure, for the first time in his life, that was going to die.
Clint woke up in a hospital. His father was nowhere to be seen. His brother, who sat sulking in a corner, seemed genuinely sorry despite trying to hide it. His mother told him, with tears in her eyes, that he had a pneumonia. The child had no idea what that was. He did understand, all too clearly, when his mother whimpered that he almost died. Eventually a nurse had to give her medicine to calm her down. Clint trembled, feeling colder than ever before. His heart still hammered from sheer terror. He wanted someone to tell him that he'd be okay, that he was safe. He needed a hug. None of the people around him realized to give him one, and he had no voice to ask for it.
In fact, Clint didn't utter a word for three full weeks.
His father remained missing for a week. Until Clint woke up one night to the far too familiar noise of his parents fighting. The debacle ended to the unmistakable sound of flesh meeting flesh, then stairs creaked. His father smelled of alcohol, sweat and tears. Clint couldn't stop shivering and tried to pretend that he was asleep as the bed dipped under the man's weight. He stared at the wall with wide eyes while his father broke down to sobs.
That night Clint only slept for an hour. And dreamt of the waves swallowing him. The following morning he found his parents from the kitchen, his father with a bottle of cheap whiskey and his mother with a bruise on her face. Both had been crying.
"Your mother and I talked", his father announced. "I, ah… misjudged your skills. And…" The man swallowed loudly. "I'm… sorry." The man met his eyes only briefly, as though too afraid to look longer. Strange. Grownups weren't supposed to be scared of anything, Barney always said so. "Before I take you swimming again you need lessons. I'm going to give one this weekend. How does that sound, son?" He was too young to hear and understand the desperate hope.
Clint shook his head vehemently. Because no matter how hard he tried to trust his father, he couldn't. He never felt safe around water since.
TBC
A/N: Poor, poor Clint…! He sure didn't have the best family. (winces) We'll see just what he'll encounter next…
Sooooo… Was that any good? At all? PLEASE, do leave a note! I LOVE hearing from you.
In any case, THANK YOU so much for reading! Who knows. Maybe I'll even see you again one day.
Take care!
