Fandom The Avengers (2012)
Character(s)/Pairing(s) Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Tony Stark; Phil Coulson/Clint Barton
Genre Deleted Scene/Friendship/Slash
Rating PG
Word Count 957
Disclaimer The Avengers c. Marvel, Paramount
Summary The battle against Loki is over. Clint goes to clear his head for a few moments and encounters Tony, who's figured out maybe Phil had not been talking about a cellist after all.
Warning(s) spoilers for the movie, character death
NotesI went looking for Phil/Clint fics recently and they kind of inspired me to write one. This wasn't quite what I set out to do, but I might springboard off of this fic and do a pre-movie fic later. Admittedly, I'm taking some liberties.
The Bow Master
The battle was over. Loki was in Thor's capable guard. The Avengers gathered at Tony's tower. With its self-sustaining power, the tower managed to avoid the sweeping blackouts throughout the city. The structural integrity was still intact despite the damage sustained as well. Tony opened the private guest rooms to the Avengers so everyone could clean up and prepare to go on their separate ways if they so chose after Thor returned Loki to Asgard.
Clint and Natasha shared a room. He let her use the shower first. It was easy sharing a room with Natasha. They knew how to coexist. After his own shower, Clint checked on the small case on top of the dresser and then placed it in his pocket. He looked at Natasha when she gently placed three fingers on his shoulder. His hair was still damp but hers was already blow dried and curled. His eyes searched her face.
Natasha pointed to the right side of her chest and then she spread her hand, touching her thumb to the left side of her chest. Her fingers remained stationary. She was fine. Clint nodded and then he spoke in a quiet voice so he would not be too loud, "I'm going to go out on the balcony for a bit."
Natasha took his hand and squeezed it. She touched his watch, tapping her fingernail against the side near the hour they were to leave. Both Clint and Natasha were still on active duty for S.H.I.E.L.D. Clint nodded and then slipped out on the balcony once she left.
He could see ambulances moving along the streets along with the police and firefighters. There was rescue work everywhere the resources could stretch. Clint walked over to the railing, making sure things were sturdy, and then leaned on the railing with his arms draped over it. The air smelled of dust and death. His shoulders lowered and he tugged gently on his top lip with his fingers in thought. His eyes darted about the city, but they did not seem to register every action he spied.
Movement to Clint's right at the same height as his balcony drew his attention. He looked over and saw Tony exit from the room next door onto the balcony. Clint carefully reached into his pocket and discreetly placed his hearing aids back in his ears. Half-way through the battle, he lost his left hearing aid. Then somewhere in all of the shawarma, his right aid failed, but his quiet nature helped cover for the fact he could not hear in that kind of situation. Clint always made certain to have a replacement set somewhere safe that he could easily access, though he could not always get to the aids immediately. He placed the case back in his pocket and walked over to the side of his balcony closest to Tony. The balconies were large and wrapped the length of their rooms. There was a gap in-between their side railings.
Tony walked over and looked at Clint. "I saw you put those in." His hand touched one of his own ears subconsciously. "You had one of the more interesting files." Tony watched Clint's expression intently. "I also read that you lost that hearing in Seattle years ago."
"Yeah," Clint said, "and your point?" Natasha filled Clint in on what occurred while he was possessed on the helicraft. He knew about how the scepter increased everyone's levels of aggression. He also knew that Tony seemed to win Bruce over by calling him a "giant green rage monster." Clint wondered if this was Tony trying to reach out to him in a similar manner. His body angled slightly away from Tony.
"Phil told me once that he met a master of the bow in Seattle," Tony said. "He let me assume he met some cellist. The way he spoke about this person was warm, gentle, and, frankly, obvious. I offered to fly him out to Seattle whenever he wanted. I didn't want him to give up on them." Tony's gaze met Clint's. "I know why he didn't take me up on the offer now. I think that 'bow master' was you."
Clint straightened slightly. His eyes narrowed and his fingers curled. Then his body relaxed. "I met Phil in Seattle." He would not deny what Tony implied. "If you've come to tell me he's dead, Natasha told me that already." His jaw tightened and then relaxed. He was one of the best agents. He was in control.
"I'm talking to everyone," Tony said, though his eyes seemed to note the intermittent tension in Clint's body language. "I'm going to do some renovating. Everyone gets their own digs. If you've got any requests, I'll see what I can do."
Clint looked out at the cityscape and then back at Tony. "You've heard the stories. I stick to the rafters at S.H.I.E.L.D." He shifted his weight. "No bright colors?" Clint knew his carnival past must have had at least a brief mention in whatever Tony read. He hoped Tony understood what he implied.
Tony nodded and his eyes affirmed he knew Clint's motivations. "Of course," Tony said. "Also, you can ask for things. This tower is going to be for all Avengers." Tony held Clint's gaze a moment longer. "Anyway, I need to check on some things. I'll let you do what you have to do." Tony took his leave.
Clint's eyes followed Tony and then they scanned the horizon once more. He walked out to the edge of the balcony and leaned over it, seeing all that he could see before retreating into the tower to find Natasha so they could make final preparations to see Thor and Loki back to Asgard before checking back in with S.H.I.E.L.D.
The End