Warnings: Swearing, References and hints at sex but no actual sex -interpret how you like lol! Pietro Maximoff lives, Wanda Bashing, Pietro is a good egg.

IMPORTANT: Laura Barton is Clint's sister! Clint is her children's uncle!

Starts at Iron Man 1 and goes through the movies to Infinity War. Not 100% Compliant though.

So this was supposed to be like a one-shot...it somehow turned out to be longer...actually, everything I had planned for this story vanished and I kind of just went with it. I am so sorry. I have no clue what I've done lol!

Key
"Italic sentences with speech marks will be the other end of a phone conversation."

Cross-posted to AO3 where there is also a collage.

The first time Tony and Clint crossed paths was back in 2008. Standing -well sitting and eating a cheeseburger actually, Tony's gaze fell across the crowd of reporters as he asked them to take a seat. His gaze landed on a sandy blond, who stood a little bit away from Pepper and a balding man in a suit. He thought nothing of it and began to tell everyone that effective immediately, Stark Industries weapons department was being shut down. After that Tony didn't think about the attractive man, in fact, he was too occupied that he forgot about him. Besides, he'd just returned from captivity, the last thing he wanted was sex.

At least, Tony would've forgotten about the man in tight leather pants, had said man not constantly appeared. The genius kept running into Agent Coulson and therefore, he ended up meeting Agent Barton. Surprisingly or perhaps unsurprisingly, the two hit it off rather quickly. They matched each other's snark and sass, both had the childish attitude and well, they both found themselves falling for the other. Falling as in love. Something neither thought could be possible. But with everything going on -Iron Man's creation, Obadiah's betrayal, etc.- they didn't really have time to do anything other than smile and greet one another in passing.

—LINE BREAK—

"Barton, where are you?"

"On my way to Mr Stark's house like you asked me to." The agent answered Coulson as he drove,

"I need you to step on it. Stane was behind Mr Stark's kidnapping. Now Miss Potts can't get a hold of him." Clint's foot pressed on the accelerator and he floored it, breaking many driving laws as he sped to Tony's,

"On it." He stated before hanging up and pulling a swift turn, dodging the cars that were honking at him as he went.

—LINE BREAK—

He found Tony deathly pale on the floor of the man's workshop. A robot was handing him a glass case with a reactor in.

"Good boy." Tony croaked as he smashed the case open exhaustedly and Clint raced over to help.

"We've got to go. Pepper's in trouble." Was the first thing the previously dying man said surprising Clint,

"She's with Phil and five other agents."

"Who?"

"Agent Coulson."

"Huh." He muttered but raced over to get his suit on, "They won't be enough."

—LINE BREAK—

"I am Iron Man."

With those four words, Tony realised that whatever thing-but-not-really-a-thing-because-nothing-happened he had with Clint was over. They wouldn't see each other again. Not really. So later that night, once Director Fury has left and JARVIS had rebooted, a knock came at his door. Curious, Tony wandered over and opened it. Cinnamon eyes widened in shock and surprise (hey that rhymes!), there stood Clint Barton. With flowers and chocolates. Along with a grin. Albeit a shy one.

"Hello…" Tony drawled in confusion,

"These are for you." The slightly younger man all but shoved the chocolate and flowers into Tony's hands,

"Thank you…are you alright, Clint?"

"I…" The man rubbed at his face, "I would like to ask you out to dinner. Please." Tony, despite hoping this was where Clint was going, was surprised. A gentle smile graced his lips,

"I'd love to."

Turns out Clint had it all set out. The man drove Tony to a restaurant, not telling the billionaire where they were going. They arrived at a diner. It wasn't the type of place Tony would go for dates, it was better and he loved it. The date was so casual and nothing like Tony's typical dates; the pair laughed and talked about everything and anything. Clint never pushed himself onto Tony, in fact, the man made sure to ask Tony questions -usually, the billionaire's dates would make sure they were the focus of the conversation. It was lovely. They had a great time and stayed for hours until the diner was closing.

Clint paid. That never happened. Tony had pulled his wallet out, preparing to pay when the sandy-haired man had snorted and told him to put it away

"…We need to pay." Tony said slightly confused,

"I need to pay."

"What?"

"Tony." His tone was surprisingly serious, "I asked you out -okay that makes it sound like we're teens, anyway, my point is that I asked you out on a date and therefore I'm paying."

"But-"

"Please." At the pleading in his voice, Tony's lips sealed shut. No one ever paid for him. Actually, no one had ever brought him flowers or chocolates either. It was…terrifyingly incredible.

He was driven home and Clint walked him to the door, it was like a cliché teenage love story. Especially when Clint stayed at the door and didn't enter.

"You're not coming in?" Tony asked in bewilderment,

"Tony, I didn't ask you out for sex. I asked you out because I like you. Besides, I don't think you're really up for sex and it would be a dick move to make you." Tony did a silence 'ba dum tcsh' sound at the pun, "Especially with what's happened the last few months." The man had a point, Tony didn't want to have sex, but since when do people care what he wants?

"Oh." Was all he could say and Clint leaned in pressing a gentle kiss on his cheek before pulling away, winking and leaving with a promise of a call. Truthfully, Tony didn't expect him to call back. But, Clint did.

—LINE BREAK—

Their kisses were gentle but desperate. Rough yet soft. Like two jigsaw pieces slotting together perfectly. They belonged together. Neither believed in love at first sight or soulmates, but what they had made them realise that maybe they were wrong. Actually, neither believed they would ever find love, but they did. They just had to say the words verbally and not physically.

—LINE BREAK—

Tony had already met Phil and Nick, but once the two learned about their relationship, they essentially gave the genius the shovel talk. See Phil looked at Clint like a younger brother, the two were practically family in all but blood (soon enough Tony became part of their little family and Phil…he was more or less the mother of their trio), Nick, on the other hand, was a surprise, he claimed he was telling Tony because if they ended it could make Clint mess up on missions, personally, the genius just thinks Fury cares about them. (Suspicions were confirmed when Clint told him that Fury all but said the exact same thing to him about Tony).

When Clint met Rhodey and Pepper…well, the archer was more or less terrified. Tony didn't know the full details as no one would tell him but considering how tense Clint would go whenever he heard the telltale sound of Pepper's heels clicking on the floor powerfully, Tony wouldn't be surprised if the freckled woman threatened to rip him a new one if he ever hurt the genius, Rhodey's words would've most likely been similar but probably didn't terrify Clint as his oldest friend wasn't as scary as his redheaded assistant.

Their relationship was a secret. Only those four individuals (save for Clint and Tony, of course) knew about them. No one else and they were happy to keep it that way.

—LINE BREAK—

They had been dating for just over a year as 2009 entered November. Barely even thirteen months into their relationship when their secret relationship took a big step.

"Honey I'm home!" Tony called, it was a little thing the two would say when one was left home alone. Oddly enough there was no response, "Clint?" He dumped his jacket on the sofa as he wandered further into the house in search of his boyfriend. "J, where is he?"

"Clinton is down in the workshop, sir."

"Alright -and hey! Why do you call him his name but refuse to call me anything other than 'sir'?" The AI didn't answer causing Tony to mutter under his breath as he wandered into the workshop,

"Can you believe him, Clint! My child calls you by your name but refuses to call me by my own! He could call me 'Tony' or even 'dad' because tech…ni…cally…" Tony's sentence drifted off as he stared at his partner down on one knee with a ring box open.

"Tony, I know it's only been a few months and I was actually going to do this on our anniversary but I chickened out and got distracted because you looked so fucking beautiful and you were laughing and just being adorable," As Clint rambled, the genius began to turn red in embarrassment, he wasn't used to people complimenting him like that -or at least not when it's genuine. "and…I'm rambling, god I suck at things." The man mumbled before coughing and staring deep into Tony's eyes, "Tony, I love you so much. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" He exclaimed and leapt into Clint's open arms, kissing the man greedily as hands moved everywhere.

—LINE BREAK—

Thankfully, gay marriage had been legalised in California a month after Tony returned from his captivity in Afghanistan. Their wedding was a month after Clint's proposal, on the 22nd of December. It wasn't anything big. Though a few more people found out about Tony and Clint's relationship due to them telling family. Along with Pepper, Rhodey, Fury and Coulson, they invited Rhodey's parents and older sister who had practically adopted Tony and were more than happy to go to the wedding and Clint's sister, Laura and her one-year-old son, Cooper.

Only those nine people knew about their relationship and now marriage (technically ten, if you included the person that married them). The press didn't know, neither did the public. No one who they didn't care about knew of them. It was perfect. They were happy with the privacy.

They spent their honeymoon in their suite drinking and celebrating gleefully in peace.

—LINE BREAK—

Rings worn privately on their ring fingers. On chains around their necks hovering over their hearts when they were in public. They had been married for about four months when things went downhill for Tony when Clint was away with Coulson on a month-long mission.

He was dying.

The thing keeping Tony alive was killing him.

There was no cure. He and JARVIS had looked extensively for one with no success.

Together they came to an estimation of how long Tony had before the Palladium would finish him.

He had until the end of May.

It was unlikely he'd live to his birthday though.

—LINE BREAK—

"Where is he?" Clint growled as he entered their Malibu home, he completely missed Natasha's presence as he was too blinded with anger and confusion,

"Oh thank god you're home!" Pepper said with a sigh of relief, "He won't listen to me or Rhodey and I don't know what to do, he's gone mad!" She exclaimed, "He's in the workshop." Clint just nodded and for a spy, he remained completely oblivious to Natasha and her calculating gaze.

"What on earth is wrong with you?" Clint shouted when he found Tony in the workshop looking like death.

"Hey, sweetcheeks." He murmured in a drunk-like manner,

"Have you been drinking again?"

"No. Just…something's going on."

"I am your husband. Tell me."

"It's nothing of significance, dear. How long are you staying?"

"Mission ended. I'm on holiday now." He answered tightly,

"Good, I was thinking of having a birthday party soon. You know? Like a few weeks before my birthday."

"Tony," Clint heaved a sigh and wrapped his arms around his husband, "What's going on? 'Cause you're freaking me out. I mean I was with Coulson, we were almost finished with the mission and then the TV shows you driving a racing car and being attacked!"

"What's the point of owning a racing car if you never drive it? Besides it's not my fault that loon attacked me."

"Something's going on and I'm going to find out what."

—LINE BREAK—

"So…are you two dating or just friends?" He would recognise that voice anywhere, turning sharply on his heel he saw Natasha leaning against the doorframe,

"Why are you here?"

"Spying on Stark. Psych evaluation. Also, trying to work out why he's giving all of his belongings away, making Pepper CEO and why he's become a lunatic. So friends or lovers or is it both?"

"You tell anyone and I swear to god Romanov, it won't be pretty. He's my husband." Clint stated through gritted teeth before backtracking with wide eyes, "He did what?"

—LINE BREAK—

Storming down into his husband's workshop, he saw Tony messing with the arc reactor, his shirt off too displaying morbidly beautiful lines of darkness. Suspicions confirmed.

"You're dying." It took everything in Clint to keep his voice and face blank, straight and emotionless, Tony startled.

"No." His answer was too quick for it to be true.

"Were you going to tell me?" Clint's voice noticeably cracked and Tony's silence was answer enough. "You bastard." Anger seeped into his voice, "You fucking bastard. How could you do that to me? Huh? Did you think for one moment how I'd feel if I came home just to trip over your dead body? You selfish fucking bastard!"

"What was I supposed to do? Tell you and spend my last few months with you upset and frantic? If I go out, I don't want people crowding around me making false promises that everything would be fine! I've thought this through, J and I have looked everywhere, there's just no cure!"

"Fuck you, Tony. Fuck you." Clint spat with tears in his eyes before turning on his heel and wandering back to tell Natasha and all but force her and SHIELD to help fix his husband. He didn't turn back for Tony. He didn't watch his husband fall to the ground sobbing his dying heart out. No matter how much he wanted to.

—LINE BREAK—

Clint was there holding Tony's hand as they watched Howard Stark's videos. He knew his husband wouldn't take it well.

They found a cure.

Tony had a new core for the arc reactor.

He was alive and well.

—LINE BREAK—

"I love you."

"And I love you." They said as they kissed passionately. Basking in each other's presence.

Anyway,
Thank you for reading,
Hope you enjoyed this,
Please review,
No hate -don't like, don't read

Bye~