Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It belongs to Marvel and sadly I'm not part of it.
Rating: T, to make sure.
Pairing: Clint/Phil
Warning: borrowed Characters from Ultimate Spider-man (Cartoon), guilt, violence
A./N.: The idea popped into my mind while I watched the Ultimate Spiderman cartoon, to be honest Coulson is the main reason I watch it, even though he's kinda awkward.
The cartoon makes me laugh but sometime I experience the strange 'what the hell' moment.
You know, when you stare at your T.V., mind blank "..." and you can practically see the withered bush rolling through the prairie of your chamber.
Dum-dum-dum.
Silly but I watch it anyway :p
I hope it provides some enjoyment
:::::::::::::::
"Hey love," Clint settled down on the edge of his lover's bed. "I'm finally a member of the Avenger initiative.
I had a long way to go but after I saved Stark's ass on a few occasions I'm finally in.
I promised to keep them safe and intend to keep my promise," he bent forward to peck his sleeping lover on the lips.
His husband was in a coma for four weeks now.
He commissioned to function as a liaison between the Avengers and SHIELD.
Four weeks ago he went into the field together with Captain America and his men but the mission went south and Coulson ended up with a piece of shrapnel close to his heart and a cracked skull.
The doctors said that there was still a chance that he might wake up and Clint clung to his hope like he would to a lifeline.
The first week he drowned his sorrow in alcohol and got into frays more often than not.
After Natasha punched some sense into him, he decided to take some time out.
Clint couldn't bear SHIELD and the wannabe super heroes Fury recruited.
They were one of the reasons Phil was relieved to get a new assignment, not to mention his crush on Captain America.
The older man missed the kids, though, he grew fond of them over the months he had to keep an eye on them.
His lover was too kind hearted at times.
It was the third mission the Avengers did together with the wannabes and they screwed up, royally.
Spiderman and Nova got into an argument and led the enemy right to Phil and his Agents.
They had no chance.
Octopus and his men were outclassing the Agents; no matter how good Phil was.
Clint was angry at them for not paying attention.
He was angry at the kids for being reckless but they were just that, kids.
What angered him most was the discord within the Avenger initiative itself, they were on their best way to become friends but Clint wasn't sure their disputes would allow that in the long run.
Phil loved his super heroes and that made it worth to fight for them.
It was Clint's job now to keep them safe and make a real team out of them.
Fury gave him some time off to cope with the events.
Clint had explained to him what he'd planned and why, the older man had nodded and advised to be careful.
Phil would never forgive Fury in case Clint got hurt.
"I heard you succeeded," Nick lingered in the doorway.
"Yes." Clint stroke Phil's cheek, "I'm an Avenger."
"How long?" Nick studied his sleeping friend.
"Until he wakes up," a small smile tucked on Clint's lips. "If they'll have me that long."
"I give you two weeks to piss them off," Fury stated amused.
"Just two?" Barton faked to be offended, "and I thought I'm a valuable asset."
"That's why I want you back as soon as possible, Agent," it was Fury's way to say that he was always welcome to return and that he had people who cared for him.
"You wake him up," Clint got up and gave Phil one last peck on the lip, "and I'll come back immediately."
"Deal," Fury agreed.
::::::::::::
"So Hawkeye, where are you from?" Tony asked nosily.
"I'm pretty sure you know that," Clint was sure Stark hacked his file.
"There are a few blanks I can't fill," the billionaire shrugged, more like over a decade of blanks.
He kept his true occupation a secret, because Phil was the only Agent they actually trusted enough to cooperate with and Clint didn't want to be Agent Barton for a while.
Agent Barton failed his lover while Hawkeye accomplished a mission on the other side of the world.
He blamed himself for not being there when Phil needed him, maybe that was the reason he wanted to keep an eye on them, and the new kids.
Clint wasn't so sure himself.
But he knew that he needed a distraction and wanted to keep Phil's dreams and beliefs alive.
"You have to find out for yourself," Clint clicked his tongue.
"Why are you helping us?" Steve crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"I have a few hidden talents and I want to use them in a good way," that was the truth.
"You spent quite some time at JDC when you were 16." Tony studied his behavior.
"In what?" Steve asked.
"Juvenile Detention Center," to Tony's surprise it was Clint who explained it to Cap.
"Does that mean you're a criminal?"
"Yes," Clint confessed. "I tried to do the right thing, the wrong way."
"Are you a rightful man now, Mr. Barton?" Steve was such a nice guy, Clint thought, no wonder Phil adores him.
"Yes, sir. I do my best," the archer replied.
Steve was searching for something in Clint's eyes and that made the archer nervous.
After a long time Cap nodded, obviously satisfied with what he found there, "Welcome."
"Thank you, sir." Clint shook his hand.
"Who's the cupid?" Hulk strolled into the foyer of the Stark mansion.
"Hawkeye," Clint introduced himself. "Nice to meet you Hulk, Dr. Banner, whatever."
Hulk snarled but Clint held his ground, "Don't make such noises J. Jaw, you're not a dog and I'm no fucking dinner."
Hulk looked at him in surprise before he laughed, "Dream on Cupid."
"Watch it big guy," Clint glared at him, he started to like the green guy.
"New addition to the team?" Spiderman dangled from the ceiling.
Clint's eyes hardened, arrogant little prick, "Hawkeye", he said, his tone was a little frosty.
"What can you do? Shoot laser beams? Fly? You're super fast? Or strong?" he guessed and guessed without giving Clint a chance to reply.
"I'm an archer, kid," he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Archer?" Peter said dumbfounded. "Really?"
"You're not even a super hero," Iron fist complained.
"Mr. Stark does not possess super powers either," Clint pointed out.
"Helloooo, he has his armor. All high-tech and stuff." Cage appeared, he and Iron fist were practically joined at the hip.
"Your kindergarten, Stark?" Clint mocked.
"Funny, Barton," Tony grunted. "They are SHIELD's trainees. We teach them a few things at times."
"Maybe you should do a better job," Clint couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Guilt glittered in Tony's eyes, "Accidents happen."
"It wasn't our fault what happened to Coulson," Peter muttered, he still felt guilty.
"Coulson?" he wanted to know what they had to say.
"A friend," Steve said. "He was working for a special Agency. He got hurt during an attack."
"Is he?" Clint faked sympathy.
"They say he's in a coma but they won't let us see him," Tony stated, Coulson's condition was so secret that it was even for Stark impossible to hack the file.
"I hope he'll get well soon," or I kill you, Clint thought bitter, no matter what he believes in.
"Yeah." Tony lowered his gaze for a moment, "He wasn't our handler for long but we like him. He was one of the first persons Cap saw after they defrosted him, and Coulson helped me through a lot of trouble at the beginning of my career as a hero."
"Sounds like a great man," it was so like Phil.
"Let me show you the mansion," Tony motioned him to follow, putting an end to their conversation.
"It's huge," the biggest room Clint ever had was Phil's apartment.
Clint moved in with his handler after their first year.
Coulson said the Helicarrier wasn't a place Clint should have to live in.
Too cold and repellant, he said.
"Better than a circus trailer, right?" Tony smiled.
"By far," Clint agreed but not as great as Phil's apartment.
It was theirs by now but for Clint it would always be Phil's apartment.
It wasn't a problem, he chose to call it that because Phil was the first to take him in, permanently.
"You can move your stuff in here," Stark offered.
"I don't own much," he jiggled the bag in his hand.
"Oh." Tony ordered Jarvis to make up a list with all the things Clint needed.
"It's not necessary." Barton tried to make him see sense but to no avail.
Stark was determine to provide anything Barton needed.
It was embarrassing.
He felt like the young orphan boy he once was.
One more charity case, one of many...
"Thank you Mr. Stark," he thanked.
"Call me Tony."
"Thank you Tony."
"You're welcome," the man left.
::::::::::
"Doombots to your right," Cap warned.
Clint was near a nervous breakdown, it felt so wrong without Phil in his ear.
Sure they had many separated mission the last months, during their career in general, but he knew he would hear the voice he loved so much once he set foot into HQ.
But that wasn't an option, because his lover wasn't there.
He got lost somewhere inside his head and couldn't find his way back home.
"Keep your own ass safe, Cap," Clint warned in return.
Taking out the doombots to his right and the one behind Rogers.
"I'm impressed," Steve praised, the archer wasn't even looking when he fired his arrows.
"I told you I have hidden talents," Clint reminded him.
"Sorry I doubted it, smart-ass," Steve threw his shield at a bot.
"Watch your language, old man," it was hard not to smile while he bantered with Captain America.
"Watch out." Clint fired three arrows at a huge bot which appeared miraculously behind Iron Man.
"Thanks buddy," Tony kicked the remains of the bot.
"Where are Thor and Hulk?" Steve gritted out, he threw his shield against a wall, the shield bounced off the wall and hit a bot from behind, then it bounced off the bot and decapitated another one.
"Nice," this time it was Clint who was impressed.
"Just twenty left," Tony informed, earning a growl from Clint.
After they finished off the opponents Thor and Hulk made their appearance.
Barton made a note inside his head that he had to tell his lover that Captain Steve Rogers was able to curse like a sailor when he thought no one was listening.
:::::::::::::
"How are you today?" Clint entered medical. "I brought you flowers. I know it's cheesy but I thought it's better than the smell of disinfectant," he put them down on the table next to the bed.
Nick was generous enough to provide a bigger bed to make it easier for Clint to get in to bed with Phil.
"I miss you," he wrapped one arm around his husband's middle. "We defeated an army of doombots today. Captain America seems to be proud of me. I'm sure you're proud of me, too.
I behave and follow his orders, mostly. Did you know that he curses like a sailor, no he puts even the sailors to shame.
He was cursing rather colorfully while he walked along an empty corridor at Stark's mansion, after the fight. Of course the corridor wasn't deserted, but they always think it is.
I think Jarvis teams up with me. I like him. Your kids are safe, too.
Parker is nerve-wrecking, I finally understand why you were so exhausted after your shift.
But I think that's because he's an adolescent, right? They're supposed to be difficult, and bitchy," he remembered his childhood and his rather inglorious criminal record certificate.
"Luckily SHIELD gives a damn about prior convictions. Sometimes I believe it's a basic requirement for becoming an Agent. Natasha is in Cambodia right now but she's fine, so don't worry about her okay? She sends her regards.
I think she will be home by the end of the week.
We found the edition of 'the old man and the sea' you like so much, Nat will read it to you next time she visits okay? You know I'm not good at it, I prefer to listen. Especially to your voice.
I hate the feeling when I'm out in the field and have to listen to someone else. Nothing against Cap, sir, but I don't like listening to him.
Director Fury sounds familiar, tough. I find it kind of soothing," he took a deep breath and exhaled loudly
"Five weeks Phil, don't you thinks that's long enough? I'm lonely and utterly lost without you," he took one of Phil's hands placing it against his heart.
"Can you feel that? My heart is beating for you but it feels cold right now. I need your warmth to go on.
Your smile, the sparkle in your eyes, the hidden touches while we're out in the field, the barely noticeable changes in your voice only I understand."
Clint closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep while he listened to his husbands breathing, it wasn't the same but calming as well.
::::::::::
"Where have you been?" Steve waited for him.
"Did you stand there all night?" Clint frowned.
"Jarvis informed me about your return," Cap explained.
What else, Clint groaned inwardly. "I was out. I wasn't aware that I have to inform you about every part of my life, 24/7," he hated it when people presumed they have the right to control him against his will.
"We were worried, actually." Steve's gaze softened, "We care for our own, Mr. Barton."
"I'm not used to it," aside from his family at SHIELD no one ever cared.
"Get used to it, then," the old soldier turned around and left.
Clint sighed, he had to come up with a good excuse to sneak out to visit his husband.
"Avengers assemble," Tony's voice boomed through the mansion.
Five minutes later they were on their way to Alaska.
"Damn." Clint shivered, he hated the cold.
"Are you okay?" Steve cast him a worried look.
"Can't stand the cold, sir," he flexed his fingers to keep them as warm as possible, firing his bow would be complicated.
"You can thank A.I.M. properly when we find them," Tony's tinny voice joked while he scanned the area.
Clint saw a movement in the corner of his eyes and pushed Cap to the ground. "Found them," the archer stated.
Tony fired his repulsor, taking out two armed guards while Cap deflected the laser beams from their weapons with his shield.
"Calm down big guy," Clint fired an electro-arrow.
It was just a matter of time that Hulk would break through the ice and kill them all.
"Hulk, think before you act or do you want to kill us?" Clint made a flip and hid behind a block of ice.
The green ball of energy calmed down a little.
Clint narrowed his eyes. "Robot is approaching," he yelled, an 8 feet monstrosity was on its way, rocking the ice beneath them.
He always admired the truck drivers on the ice road but at the moment it seemed just plain stupid.
Being an Avenger, or asset, wasn't less dangerous and he knew he would look at them with admiration again; tomorrow, with a cup of hot cocoa and his thickest jumper.
Tony gave his best to distract that thing while Steve aimed at the robot's hydraulic system.
Hulk on the other hand had different plans and jumped that thing.
Clint ran to provide backup, firing an arrow after the robot threw Hulk to the ground.
He hit the visor and let his arrow explode, hoping it would crack the glass.
Luckily it did and Tony fired a repulsor blast at the robot's head, causing it to explode.
Hulks fall had cracked the ice and Clint felt how it gave in under him, the dark cold water was swallowing him.
Hulk got up and smashed the ice jumping into the icy flood to rescue his cupid.
"How is he?" Steve ran over to them after he knocked out the last enemy.
"Cupid cold," Hulk looked worried.
Tony called the Quinjet and ushered them into his plane. "Undress him," he ordered Steve.
The super soldier did as he was told and wrapped Clit's shivering form in four warm blankets while Tony flew them out of there and back home.
"That was brave," Steve rubbed Clint's back.
"I c-call it s-stu-pid" his teeth chattered, that was what Phil would tell him.
Stupid risk, but good job. Followed by a glad your okay.
"No." Steve shook his head, "you risked your life for your friends, that is brave."
"Friends?" Clint blinked stupidly.
"Of course." Cap had the nerve to sound slightly offended.
"Never had many friends," he shrugged and hoped the old man would drop the topic.
"Me neither," Cap smiled at him before he engaged Bruce into a conversation.
It didn't take long for them to start a fight about how they should have worked together instead of personalized.
Clint sighed, they had a long way to go.
::::::::::::
With the Skrull invasion it got more and more difficult to sneak out without raising their suspicion but he managed to see Phil three times a week.
He told them he was visiting an old friend. An 80 years old woman who cared for him when he had no one to rely on.
They believed him, for now.
"They're constantly fighting these days and I have no idea what to do. I know the Skrull are shape shifters but we have to work together, hand in hand, to destroy the thread.
It would be easier if we'd know more about each other. Do you remembered the time Hydra replaced Nat? We knew it the moment she set a foot into your office.
A team should have to see such things. Especially after working together for over a year.
I like them, Phil. I really do like them and it hurts to see them that way.
Distrust dominates everything right now and I hope we will find a way out of this mess.
Don't get me wrong, love but I'm glad you don't have to see that.
I got hypothermia the other day, I forgot to tell you I'm sorry. I know I have to report injuries as soon as possible.
But it wasn't too bad, aside from the fact that Captain America undressed me," he shuddered.
"I'm sure you like that, don't you? I can feel your naughty thoughts," or rather imagine that he would have them if he were awake. "I caught a cold, though, and they wouldn't let me see you.
Your doc said I could harm you and I'd never do that. I didn't see your kids for a while but Nick says their doing good. They start to realize what it means to be a team.
I hope so or I'll kick their asses. One more hurt Agent because of their stupidity and I take over their training.
Nick isn't a fan of my idea, he said he wants the kids alive, broken heroes are useless to him.
As if I'd break heroes. Only Agents. I still feel a little guilty for the Agents who dropped out after I was done with them but Nick is the one to talk, he holds the highest dropout record of all times, followed by you and Maria," he fell silent.
The room was too bright for his liking and the smell was disgusting, the flowers he brought only helped to a limited extend.
He tried different kinds of flowers but nothing overlaid the clinical smell.
Phil hated med bay just as much as Clint did, maybe even a little more than Clint because his beloved archer ended up there too often for his liking.
The older Agent had confessed it during a long night in a car while on a stake out.
"Don't die okay?" the fear grew more and more heavy in his chest. "They say your chance to survive this is decreasing with each passing day. But I won't give up on you, on us.
I need you Phil. I need you."
::::::::::::
"Stop arguing," Clint yelled. "We have to come up with a plan to get Cap back and we can't do that while we fight each other."
The Skrull invasion was over but the distrust was still a constant reminder of his failed attempt to bring them together.
It had hurt Clint as they pointed their fingers on him the moment they knew they had a Skrull Agent in their midst.
He shouldn't have been so surprised about that, he was the new one after all.
Ex-delinquent and pigheaded.
It crossed his mind to leave right then but he promised Phil to continue his work.
"Yeah, then make a plan genius," Tony hissed. "There is nothing we can do. We don't know where he is and who kidnapped him."
"You can figure it out," Clint said frustrated.
"Tell me how Mr. Dream-dancer." Stark crossed his arms in front of his chest.
Clint shook his head, "Jarvis get me the camera footage from the parking lot and all areas around."
"Stop," the archer pointed at a glass front, "increase by 50 percent. Look for that car and send me the coordinates." Clint headed out of the mansion leaving a stunned Tony behind and a very surprised Dr. Banner.
Jarvis did as he was told and the archer was determined to save the old soldier.
He observed the building for a moment and decided to use the air vent.
It wasn't easy to find Cap's exact position but after what felt like ages he could see him beneath him.
The room was empty except from Rogers.
Clint dropped into the room without making a noise, startling Cap.
"Hush," the archer put his index finger over his lips. "I get you out of here."
"Barton?" Cap's eyes were unfocused.
"Yes, sir," the archer confirmed. "Give me a second to open the cuffs... Done."
"Thank you, kid." Cap tried to get up, Clint gave his best to steady the other man but he was huge and heavy.
A guard came into the room to look for the source of the voices.
Clint raised a weapon and shot the man.
Iron Man and Hulk stormed the building after Clint and Cap were halfway through it.
"Nice of you to show up," the archer hissed.
"Could have waited for us," Tony huffed, taking out three guards.
:::::::::::
"How are you old man?" Clint strolled into the living room.
"Good, thanks to you, kid," the soldier was thankful for Clint's help but it was reckless. "But don't do that again."
"We would never have gotten to you in time," he argued, "we were arguing so much."
"We have to work as a team. I know you meant well but you endangered yourself and me."
Clint couldn't believe what he was hearing, "I endangered you? I got you out of there."
"And I am thankful," Cap truly was, "but you could have gotten hurt. What if Tony and Banner weren't enough to fight of the enemy? but you're not there to help?"
Clint gathered all his willpower together not to blow up on the man. "I understand but in my book, no one gets left behind," he turned around and left.
"CLINT," Cap called after the archer but he didn't listen.
:::::::::::
"Nick," Clint sneaked out of the mansion and headed straight to HQ. "What happened?"
"Calm down, Clint." Nick put a hand on his shoulder, "He woke up."
Clint looked at him with big eyes, his breath was labored and his hands shook. "Awake," he mumbled.
"He will be fine," Natasha wrapped her slender arms around him. "He made it."
"Can I see him?" Clint's mind raced.
"Soon," Nick promised. "His doc needs a few more tests."
Natasha guided Clint to a chair in the waiting area, "He asked for you."
"And I wasn't here," he felt guilty.
"You had more important things to do, Agent," Fury reminded him. "How is it going by the way?"
"They make progresses but then they make two steps back," Clint sounded sad, "and, sir? Nothing is more important than Phil," he smiled fondly.
"I know," the director was Coulson's best friend after all. "Do you want to resume your duties, or do you need more time?"
"One more week, sir."
Fury nodded.
"How was your mission, Nat?" two days after she returned from Cambodia, SHIELD sent her to Europe.
"Boring but that made it easier," she huffed. " Some men are so easy."
"We are men Natasha, we aren't good at suppressing our needs," Clint's tone was light.
"You can," she praised. "I saw that a lot of times. Men and women don't stand a chance against our dear Coulson. I heard that even before that you had a talent to be an ice block."
"Thank Nick for that, he trained me that way," Clint smirked at the older man.
"Credit where credit is due," director Fury wore a very smug expression.
"You can see him now," Doc Evans stated.
"How is he doc?" Clint needed to know before he saw Phil.
"He will make a full recovery. No lasting brain damage or other effects. His heart is healthy and his mind as sharp as it used to be," the man smiled, the scans were all positive.
"You can't promise that, not now," Clint knew that some effect might not appear on the scans.
"Believe me Clint, I know," he reassured, he had the best equipment and enough experience to make the promise to sooth his friends pain away.
"Thank you, Mike." Clint was grateful for his friends attempt to make him feel better.
"One more thing," the doc got their attention. "I don't want to see any of you in bad shape for at least a year."
Clint laughed and that was enough for them to know that the archer would be fine.
::::::::::::
"Clint," Phil's voice was weak.
"Hello sleeping beauty," Clint stopped at the foot of the bed.
"I don't bite," Phil joked to ease the mood. He could see how scared his lover was.
"But I might break," the archer whispered.
"I'll glue you together, then," the older Agent promised.
He held out his hand for Clint.
Clint took a step forward and took the hand. "I missed you," he got into bed, placing their intertwined hands on top of Phil's heart.
"I'm sorry." Phil kissed the top of Clint's head, "It must have been hell."
"That's an understatement, sir," the younger man took a deep breath. "I couldn't bear to work with SHIELD. My memories were haunting me everywhere I went.
The mess hall, firing range, your office, my official quarters, even the meeting rooms and the hallways, and especially the word Agent."
"Doc says you visited me almost every day, staying for hours, cuddling with me," Phil felt loved.
"I made it my goal to continue your work and after a few events I wasn't able to come every day anymore."
"It's okay," it truly was, "it's not a big deal, you have a job to do Clint, and your job is important."
"You're more important." Clint snuggled closer.
"I know how you feel about me and that makes me even more proud of you," the older man smiled.
"I made friends, kind of. And that without your help," Clint wanted to see him relax. "Sleep and I'll fill you in the next time you wake up, okay?"
Phil nodded and closed his eyes, he hated it to be so tired.
"I love you, sir."
The Agent fell asleep with a gentle smile on his lips.
:::::::::::
"Get out of the way old man," Spiderman mocked. "Leave it to real super heroes."
Clint gritted his teeth. "Not going to happen kid," he fired an acid-arrow and melted on of Whiplash whips.
"White tiger, take out the soldiers to your right," Cap ordered.
"Not a good idea Cap," Clint interrupted. "Their suits contain some sort of poison, we need long distance weapons to take them out."
The archer stopped the Tigress with a dragnet-arrow. "I said no," a second arrow blew up the soldier.
"Hawkeye stay cool," Cage alias Power man stated. "We are super heroes man. Isn't our first fight."
"But you do act that way," Clint seethed. "Cap tell them I'm right."
"He is right," Cap agreed
"Thank you," Clint fired six more arrows while Tony tried to protect civilians.
Hulk smashed Whiplash with a well aimed right hook. "Good job, big guy." Clint was happy to see one person who actually made progress during their time together.
"We won, we won," young Peter Parker cheered, patting Iron fist on the back.
"Hawkeye we need to talk," Cap took the surprised archer aside.
"We have to make them understand that teamwork is significant," Clint sighed.
"Clint, you have to stop to erode my authority in the field. We can talk about it afterwards but not in the middle of a fight. You're always against my decisions."
"Going against you was not my intention but it was important," the archer had every right to state his opinion on a matter. "Sometimes plans have to be remodeled within the blink of an eye. You're a soldier, you know how things work."
"I know that no one follows a leader who has no authority," Cap lectured.
"No one wants a leader who disrespects his men's opinions," Clint said calmly. "I'm out."
"What?" Cap gasped in surprise.
Clint stomped away. "I said I'm out," he said over his shoulder. "Was nice working with you guys, for a while."
"Where's Cupid going?" Hulk watched the archer walk away.
"He quit," Cap said. "He thinks I disrespect him."
"I'm with Cupid," Hulk stated.
"I have to say that Legolas has a point." Tony knew he wasn't an angel either, "Maybe we do behave kinda childish and selfish."
"He told us last week that we behave like them," Cap nodded in direction of Spidy and his team. "Is he right?"
"Yes," Hulk grumbled.
"After today, I have to agree green guy." Tony opened his visor, "We should find him."
::::::::::::::
"Welcome back Agent Barton." Fury smirked, he was two days early.
"I'm happy to be back, sir." Clint smiled back.
"Go and see your man before I drag you down there," Nick winked. "Take the day off and report to me tomorrow morning, 0900."
"Yes, sir." Clint strolled happily down the corridor, "Home sweet home."
"You look tired." Phil put down the magazine Natasha left on his bedside table.
"Look who's talking." Clint studied the dark rings under his lover's eyes and the too pale skin.
"Come to bed," Phil lifted the blanket. "I know it's not even noon," he read the expression on his archer's face, "but you're tired and bruised."
"How do you know I'm bruised?" Clint frowned.
"The way you move and now come here, or do I have to make it an order?"
"Yes," Clint whined, he missed getting orders from Phil.
The older man raised a brow, "Come again?" Barton hated orders.
"I miss you ordering me around." Clint got rid of his dirty clothes and crawled into the bed. He just wore his boxers and undershirt.
"Hmm," Phil made a mental note. "I'll remind you of that next time you curse about orders."
"Never about yours," Clint closed his eyes.
"Nick told me what you have done while I was... asleep. Seems you left some things unsaid, like killer robots and hypothermia, or the accusations you had to endure during the Skrull thing."
"I'm a criminal and tend to sneak around a lot, of course I'm the first they accuse."
"Doesn't make it right," Phil whispered against his hair. "I know how much it pains you."
"I'm fine." Clint stroke Phil's belly, "Losing you hurt by far more."
"You didn't lose me."
"No but it was close to it. They said you would wake up, but you didn't. They said your chance is good just to tell me that you might die. Depending on your will to live and the time you spend asleep," tears slid down Clint's face.
He allowed himself the freedom to grieve.
"I was somewhere in a dark room. I could hear voices, but I didn't understand what they were saying. I felt something close to being touched, but I'm not sure what exactly it was.
It felt cold and abandoned. I remember looking for you," Phil's eyes were wet.
"I'm so glad," Clint mumbled against Phil's chest. "I'm so glad you're back. I need you more than anything. Your voice, your eyes, your dry humor... I missed you so damn much..."
Phil tightened his hold around Clint, letting him cope with the pain and relief that flooded his whole being.
"... I thought I could make them see reason, I thought I could make a difference. I thought I could make it easier for you when you come back, less stress, less worry..." he let his lover ramble, never loosening his tight hold.
::::::::::::
"Almost one month and still not a trace." Tony sighed, it was frustrating. "The kid is good, or he left the country."
"I miss him," Cap confessed. "He is smart, maybe a better soldier than I ever was."
"It's probably connected to the huge hole in his life. I have absolutely no idea what he did during that time."
"The big guy misses Clint terribly." Bruce cleaned his glasses, "He's still pouting and doesn't want to come out."
"Serpent squad attacks a money transporter, sir," Jarvis switched on the news.
"Avengers assemble," Tony sent out the signal.
SHIELD was already there as they arrived.
Eel and Cobra had taken hostages. "Let them go, they have nothing to do with all that," Cap spread his arms to signalize that he meant no harm, not now at least.
"Do you think we're stupid?" Eel hissed. "The moment we let go of them you'll attack," he eyed his fallen comrade.
Iron Man had knocked her out and Eel wasn't stupid enough to believe that they stood a chance against them.
"Come on, we can handle it nice and easy or messy. It's your choice to make," Fury appeared next to Cap.
"What will you do, throw with cotton balls until we bleed?" hostages were the perfect shield against trigger happy soldiers and super powers.
"Last chance." Nick raised a hand and touched his ear piece, "Surrender or die."
They chuckled at him.
"Agent, take them out."
Barely a second later Eel and Cobra went down both spotting a bullet whole between the eye.
"Back to base Agent, report to Hill."
The Avengers looked around for the sniper, they had checked out their surrounding before they threw themselves into the fight but none of them spotted a sniper.
He must have been up there at the time they arrived.
"Was that necessary?" Tony opened his visor.
"They or the civilians. The answer is easy," Nick nodded his goodbye.
Cap approached the dead bodies of Eel and Cobra, these snake-humans were dangerous but it gave SHIELD no reason to simply shoot them dead.
"Their sniper is good," Tony stated. "Two clean shots from that angle is almost impossible. Not to mention the self-confidence to take these shots while the hostage could move any moment."
"SHIELD has a lot of scary people," Spiderman dangled from a lantern. "Where is your guy with the toy bow?"
"Vacation," Cap said. "What are you doing here?"
"I was on my way home as I noticed the commotion," the young man replied.
"Good to see you here," a familiar voice stated. "Saves me the trouble to call a meeting."
"Agent Agent," Tony's eyes went huge.
"It's good to see you Coulson." Cap took the man into a hug, "We thought you're still in a coma."
"I woke up a few weeks ago and I'm not cleared for field work yet," the Agent explained.
"What are you doing here, then?" Cap chided.
"I command the cleaning crew. It's better than nothing at all, boredom was killing me and the director was kind enough to give me at least that," he pointed at the dead bodies.
"Why didn't you call us?" Tony said hurt. "We were worried."
"We didn't hear about it either," Peter frowned behind his mask, "and the helicarrier is a paradise for rumors."
"You're wrong young man," Coulson said in his monotone voice. "Secrets remain secrets and common knowledge spreads around."
"So all the naughty little secrets are actually facts?" Peter shivered that was just, urgh.
"Wait," Peter yelled, startling them all. "Does that mean you ARE married?"
"Yes." Coulson lifted his hand, wiggling his fingers, "and I didn't call because the doctors had the opinion that my troublesome husband alone caused more than enough excitement for me.
I quote: Your husband and Mr. Stark would be overkill."
"I take that personally," Tony pouted.
"I see where he got that idea," Phil nodded to himself.
"Hey," Tony frowned. "I'm nothing like your husband," he paused. "I didn't accidently marry you in a drunken state did I?"
Phil raised an eyebrow that was disgusting, "No Mr. Stark we are not married."
"Thank god." Tony placed a hand above his heart.
Before Tony had the chance to comprehend what was happening he kissed the ground. "Apology," a woman ordered, her foot kept his head on the asphalt.
"tschorry?!" he mumbled and got up after she released him.
"Don't tell me he send you to watch me," Coulson stated dryly.
"Nope I volunteered," she looked around. "It was either me or Agent Quartermain, and it was Fury's call to send a babysitter."
"I'm too old for a babysitter, Agent."
"I know but it's your first day at work after your... accident. We care for you, sir, live with it," she granted him a rare and gentle smile.
"Hey, beautiful. I'm Tony," Stark couldn't stop himself.
"I know who you are," she sounded bored. "I'm Agent Romanoff, also known as Black Widow."
"Black Widow?" Tony made a step back, eying her suspiciously.
"She's one of our best spies." Coulson explained, "and deadly like her name giver."
"I'm sorry I have to interrupt your little chat but we have work to do, sir. You have an doctor's appointment at 4 p.m. and your hubby will shoot me in case you don't make it in time."
"And I tell him you cause me stress, Agent. First class ticket for a third eye," Phil stated, without a hint of emotion but Natasha knew him too well to fall for that. He was teasing her.
"Mr. Stark, Mr. Rogers," Phil walked over to a broad looking Agent.
"I have missed him." Tony said fondly, "having him around makes the world a little bit better again."
"I know what you mean." Cap watched the Agent go, "Dangerous and kind, he found the perfect balance."
"Hey, does anyone realize that he's GAY and MARRIED?" Peter pointed out, Agent Coulson married? That was scary.
"As long as he's happy," Steve shrugged, he had a crush on Stark, who was he to judge?
"There is a happiness in his eyes when he talks about him that makes it all alright," Tony envied the Agent for such a deep love.
"Let's go back," Cap ordered. "Our work is done."
:::::::::::::
Two weeks later Cap and his team ran into a trap.
A.I.M. had lured them outside of town. Somewhere into an industrial quarter.
"We need help," Captain America yelled.
Tony nodded and tried to make contact with Fury.
"Stark," the older man's voice hollered through his armor.
"We could use some help, sir." Tony transmitted their location.
"I'll send my best team," Fury disconnected the call.
"SHIELD sends help," Tony informed his friends.
Thirty minutes later a SUV arrived near the area.
"One SUV?" Tony asked disappointed.
"Maybe there are more on their way," Cap caught his shield and threw it again.
"Hulk smash giant wasp," he jumped the elephant sized wasp.
"Couslon," Tony cheered. "Welcome back in the field, sir."
"Focus, Mr. Stark" Coulson ordered and fired at a second wasp with a huge rifle.
The metal skeleton of the robot melted and revealed the electronic underneath.
A shot rang out and hit the energy resource, the wasp exploded.
"Good shot, help Widow." Coulson spoke to a teammate via ear piece.
A black shadow appeared next to Cap and startled him.
He threw his shield at the new thread but the man was too fast and jumped behind pile of rubble for cover.
"Your aim is off old man," a very familiar voice came from behind the rubble.
Clint got up and ran in the direction of six armed soldiers.
He took them out with ease, he shot four before he even reached them and stabbed the other two.
Cap stared at the man, he wore a black jacket with the SHIELD insignia, black cargo pants, combat boots and shades.
Armed to his teeth.
Clint made a flip backwards and conjured his bow from the back of his jacket, the emergency arrows were strapped to his back.
Phil ordered him to use real guns for this one.
It was easier to carry a huge amount of ammo than arrows.
His husband was a little over protective since his brush with death.
The acid of his arrow burned through the metal of the wasp and Natasha could leave her hiding place.
She beat the living daylight out of eight men without a single drop of sweat.
"Clint," she yelled, pulling her weapon. The archer ducked and she shot the man behind him.
"Situation under control," Phil's voice appeared in their ear pieces.
"Back to base, damage control arrives in 10 minutes."
"Copy that," Clint replied. "I missed him," he smiled at Nat.
"NOW." Phil hollered.
Clint and Natasha hurried into the SUV before the Avengers got a chance to question them, they had six hours until they had to be in Atlantis.
:::::::::::
"I demand answers," Cap cornered Fury the next day.
They tried to get information the day before but Fury and Coulson were untraceable.
"About what Captain?" Fury gave Hill a file and a short order.
"About our backup team yesterday," Tony clarified.
Fury sighed dramatically and ordered Phil and his team into meeting room 4.
"Yes, sir?" Phil ignored the audience. Clint and Natasha stood behind Phil.
"At ease," he gestured at the seats. "Sit down."
They did as they were told.
"Found a new job?" Tony mocked Clint.
"Eighteen missing years, Mr. Stark," he deadpanned, shutting Tony up.
Clint rested his chin on his hand his now ever present shades changed color with every move.
"Did you send him to spy on us?" Steve thought they were friends.
"No I did not," Fury's ear piece chimed up. "You have to clear this mess alone, I have a visitor," he left them alone.
To be honest Hill had only called to remind him that he had an appointment, in four hours.
"You're not working as a unit, your working against each other," the archer stated, "that is the reason some enemies are able to pick on you. They use your own weakness against you, and that is your insecurity and false pride.
It's not 1940 anymore or the middle of nowhere where you can pay people to forget they ever saw you, nor is this a huge charity case."
"We know that, Barton," Captain America gritted out, the kid was right. That made it all the more worse.
"Agent Barton, for your information," Clint wasn't an Avenger he was a SHIELD Agent.
"Agent Barton," Cap corrected his error. "Why did you put up with us when we're just unreliable individuals?"
"Because you're nice people and you have the right intentions. You could be a very great team but you have to act like one.
I like you guys, I really do and it pains me to see that you're digging your own graves, I know you like each other." Clint studied them, he missed them.
"Clint is right." Natasha glared at Tony, "You caused us a lot of problems the last few months, you and your spoiled trainees almost got our handler killed.
Phil is our family and we take it personally when people waltz into our lives and destroy all we have, intentionally or not," she lectured, her expression was neutral but her posture showed how dangerous she truly was.
"We did realize that the day Agent Barton left. We behaved like adolescence searching for approval," Bruce spoke for the first time in hours. "We try to work together."
"That's all I ask of you," a little smile found its way on Clint's lips.
"So these two are your responsibility?" Tony changed the topic. He felt very unwell.
"Yes," there was a fondness in the Agent's eyes they never witnessed before.
It was a look they would never have associated with the stoic Agent.
"What's your job?" Tony pushed further.
"Classified Mr. Stark. To be exact even our existence is classified," a fact Clint loved.
He felt cool whenever a junior Agent asked who he was and the answer the kid got was 'Classified'
"Come on, just a tiny, tiny, hint." Tony tilted his head to give the archer his best puppy dog eyes.
"Bullseye," Clint deadpanned, waiting for Tony's mind to catch up.
Tony worked through all his memories which contained Clint and something that deserved the term bullseye.
All eyes were on him but he didn't get it.
"Second hint: Serpent Squad," it was frustrating.
He used a bow, knew how to handle guns and never missed. It wasn't the most obvious hint but solvable for someone like Tony Stark.
"The sniper." Cap realized, the man who took two lives within seconds without questions and second thoughts. "You're an assassin."
"Harsh word." Clint liked his job, call it abnormal or not but it was a part of his life as long as he could remember.
He killed the first person when he was 14, it was self-defense but homicide nonetheless.
His second victim was a hustler, and drug addict, he tried to rob him.
Clint had punched him and the man's head hit the pavement the wrong way.
The third, he killed for money, and the fourth, and the fifth and all the others after that.
But never had he killed an innocent.
"What he does is not your concern, Mr. Rogers." Phil's tone was cold as ice.
It took Clint by surprise.
His lover was defending him, against his childhood hero, his idol and Phil did that for him.
"I'm sorry, I was out of line. I did kill, too, during my time as soldier." Steve was as surprised as Clint was about Phil's act.
"Fury wants us to work together," Phil ignored the apology and went on. "He thinks we work well together."
"Does that mean you're not our liaison anymore?" Tony asked in surprise.
"I'm still your link to SHIELD but we want to deepen the bond between us. That's why Fury came up with the idea to form a Avenger, SHIELD cooperation project," Coulson explained.
"Agreed," Tony said, he knew damn well that they had no choice if they wanted to keep their allies.
"Good," Phil looked suddenly really tired.
Clint's alarm, on his watch, chimed up. "Time for your trip to medical, sir," the archer got up, hovering over his superior.
"Again?" Phil sounded unnerved. "Their constantly probing and prodding me."
"Then don't get your skull cracked next time," the archer's voices sounded accusing.
"He has a point, sir." Natasha got up too, standing next to Clint.
"Up with you or I'll carry you down there," he warned.
"Don't you dare." Phil stood up on his own, glaring at Clint and his shit eating grin.
"Attaboy," the archer ruffled his boss's hair.
"Paperwork, one week." Phil replied, and Clint whined.
Natasha sighed deeply with satisfaction, same old, same old...
:::::::::::
"Does your offer to train the kids still stand?" Phil asked while he undressed.
Clint smiled at him. "Sure," he would make sure that they wouldn't get his husband or one of his friends killed, or themselves.
"I'm not up to it." Phil shook his head, he wasn't the same after his brush with death.
It wasn't the first time but it made him think and reevaluates his life.
Clint almost dropped the book in his hands, thousand thoughts were running through his mind.
"I want to work with you and no one else." Phil needed his husband near, "and I'm scared to go out into the field, not to mention how scared I am when you go."
"You can be the voice in my ear then," Clint put the book down and reached out to pull his lover onto the bed. "You know, like we used to work years ago. I hide somewhere and you keep me company from far away, out of harm's way."
"I think I like that." Phil closed his eyes, he could see the battle in front of him, feel the pain as the shrapnel cut through his vest and the sound his skull made the moment he hit the pavement.
"Shhhh," Clint took him into his arms. "I'm here, I'll catch you and I'll never leave you alone again," he resigned from his black ops position.
From now on he was Agent Barton, Agent Phillip Coulson's top asset and loving husband.
"I know," Phil wrapped his arms around Clint's middle and let out a content sigh. "I read your resignation. Thank you," he knew how much Clint loved his black ops unit.
"You're welcome," he rubbed Phil's back. "So when do I take over the wannabes?"
The older man chuckled softly, "Wannabes?"
"They will go as wannabes until they prove that they're more than that." Clint meant it.
"In two days." Phil rubbed his cheek slightly against the soft skin of Clint's naked chest, "and I will not tell them about you."
"I love you," Clint half-joked. "You know me too well."
"It's more fun that way," Coulson remembered that one of the junior Agents told him about Peter's lecture about how heroes must have super powers to count as heroes.
How wrong the kid was.
"You're a very, very sneaky man Agent Coulson."
"I got you that way," Phil remembered how he used other Agents and missions to get the archers full attention.
"True." Clint agreed, his chuckle vibrated against Phil's skin, "but Siberia would have been more fun without the gunshot."
"Mistake on my part," he believed his analysts as they told him the mission would be a cake walk, at least for their standards.
"Nah, I got shot so it was mine. Should have ducked faster."
"Care to explain how you plan to do that while your hands are bound behind your back?"
"You win," Clint gave in.
"I miss the old times," it was only Phil and Clint back then.
They needed a while to get used to Natasha but just because she interfered with their habits for a while.
She realized pretty soon how close Phil and Clint were and told them so, after that they were fine.
"Me too."
"I thought about buying a house." Phil wanted to tell his lover about it for days but a little voice in his head told him not to.
"Thinking about resigning?"
That was the reason he didn't want to, "I'm not sure when exactly, but I hope we reach that age."
"I will stand with you no matter if you want to retire or continue," it was the truth.
Phil had invested most of his life to keep people safe, he deserved to have a life of his own.
"You're the best." Phil yawned, "You never let me forget why exactly I love you."
"No, you are the best for keeping me."
"I wouldn't give you back for all the money in the world. You're mine," Phil said sleepily.
Clint chuckled softly and maneuvered Phil into a more comfortable position. "Good night," he placed a loving kiss on his lover's forehead.
::::::::::::
"You said you have a new trainer for us where is the guy?" Nova asked impatient, he wanted some action.
A little plastic arrow hit Nova on the forehead, right between his eyes, "aahh," they didn't wear their fighting gear.
His teammates jumped back looking around for the thread.
Within the next minute they all ended up with an arrow in the face.
"Damn suction pad, do I have a mark on my face?" White Tiger rubbed angrily over her forehead.
"Lection one: Keep your eyes open, nonstop. Lection two: Where do the arrows come from? Lection three: Stop fooling around," someone dropped from the air vent high up over their heads and landed gracefully next to Coulson.
The awkward Agent didn't seem so awkward that day, they never saw him that serious.
He was probably still angry for letting him down. "Agent Barton will look after you from now on," the older Agent informed them. "I will still keep an eye on you but he's the Agent in charge. Do you understand?"
"Yes," they said in unison before their eyes wandered back to the man, dressed in black.
SHIELD jacket, cargo pants and shades.
"Who the hell wears shades inside?" Cage whispered to Iron fist, who shrugged in response.
"Hawkeye?" Peter barely made the connection in his head, he looked so different, all in black and eyes hidden behind his sun glasses.
"The one and only," he replied. "Twenty rounds, around the flight deck."
"What?" they groaned
"MOVE," he made step forward, the kids ran.
"Care if I stick around for a while?" Coulson smirked while no one was watching.
"Stay as long as you want to, sir," the archer mirrored the smirk.
They walked to the flight deck, side by side.
"Faster Nova you're known as a rocket and not a snail or do we have to pick a new codename?
Fantastic snail for example, or Squishy," Clint hollered across the flight deck.
Coulson couldn't suppress the chuckle that so desperately tried to escape his throat.
Most of the flight deck officers were laughing out loud, they loved their archer and his brutal sense of humor.
After twenty very long rounds without the help of super powers the kids slumped down in front of him, panting and gasping for air.
"Nova, team up with Spiderman. Power man, you and White tiger."
"I'm not on a team without Iron fist," Cage refused.
"You don't always have a choice. What if someone kidnaps him? Or he gets hurt? What will you do then? Hide in a corner and whine. Or will you man up and fight?" Clint eyed the kids.
"Come Ava." Cage gave in, the Agent was right.
"What's with me?" Iron fist asked disappointed.
"You will train with her," he pointed at a pretty woman behind him.
"How did you bribe her into helping?" Phil whispered after Iron fist made a move on Natasha.
"Not at all," Clint whispered back, leaning a little closer into Phil personal space as appropriated. "She's on a mission, just like me."
"What would that be?" Phil had an idea.
"Avenge Agent Coulson." Clint laughed and returned to his previous position.
Phil missed the warmth against his shoulder, "You do know that you are behaving like kids."
"Because we are huge kids, Phil. Nat and I will never grow up, outside of work of course, or at least not in the field. Ah, you know what I mean"
Phil knew indeed what his husband meant.
They were childish and a handful but they were SHIELD's top Agents, because they knew when they had to be serious and when they could loosen up.
"Ow." Clint grimaced, looking away for a short moment.
Nova had tried to accidently touch Nat's ass and got a right hook in return, knocking him on the ass. "I leave the sex education to you, sir."
"And I leave it to our education system," the older Agent clicked his tongue, "or Natasha."
::::::::::::::::
"His training is hell." Nova couldn't move at all, he leaned against the wall of Stark's living room.
Tony chuckled, "He makes real heroes out of you."
"We are heroes, super powers and all," Iron fist nagged.
"That alone doesn't make a hero out of you." Cap appeared behind them, startling them.
"Clint is as good as we are and he has no extraordinaire powers. He just is that good," Bruce put in his two cents.
"He is good that's true," Ava nodded.
"I asked around but no one wanted to talk about him. Classified they said." Peter pouted, he wanted so desperately to know more and he wanted to know who was stupid enough to marry Coulson.
"Did you find out about Coulson's husband?" Tony asked nosy.
"Stark." Cap groaned, rolling his eyes.
"No chance," Peter shook his head. "Just as classified."
"Who wants to marry Coulson?" Ava shuddered, "that's just ewww."
"Why is that?" Cap raised a brow.
"He's awkward and clumsy and old, he loses his hair," she summarized.
"That's because you're a child." Cap stated, Coulson was attractive.
"Developing a crush on our Agent." Tony smirked, but jealousy raged on the inside.
"No, just pointing out a fact," jealousy interesting, Cap grinned inwardly, mission one accomplished.
"Uh-hu." Tony avoided his eyes, "something about Black Widow?"
Cap knew that was just a diversionary tactic.
"Instead of 'Classified'? Nope." Cage sighed, "It's as if they don't exist."
"Maybe they don't," Tony shrugged. "They have given up their lives a long time ago. Serving an Agency and the world they live in. Noble."
"You mean like Clint?" Bruce asked.
"Yes. From abusing parents to the orphanage, to foster parents and back to the orphanage, from there to the carnival, and from their into jail." Tony played with a hologram of some machine.
"After one year in jail, he vanished from the face of earth. Until we found him, 18 years later. Phillip Coulson vanished at the age of 22. He was a marine. Ms. Romanoff vanished with 6."
"What's with their families?" Ava asked in a sad tone, she couldn't imagine a life without her parents or to cause them pain by vanishing.
"No family," Tony said gravely. "Clint's died in an accident when he was 5, his brother is dead. Clint must have been around 19 at that time. Maybe better that way. Coulson lost his parents with 14. Romanoff with 4. No relatives or godparents."
"That's sad," Cap felt tears prickle in his eyes.
"Most of the SHIELD Agents have no ties outside of the Agency," Stark knew how that felt.
No parents, just a kind-hearted butler who gave his best to raise him well.
"I should buy flowers for aunt May on my way back." Peter was glad for the mask which hid his red rimmed eyes.
"Explains why Agent Romanoff told us not to fuck up her family," Bruce liked the woman, she was the most beautiful flower in the garden of gods creations, so to speak.
"Let's start our training or Hawkeye will hunt us down," Cap got up from the comfortable couch.
The wannabes walked slowly, with aching muscles, into the training room.
:::::::::::::
"What did you learn last week?" Hawkeye assigned the kids to Cap for a whole week.
"That you're a slave driver," Nova blurted out.
Clint smirked dangerously, "Get your asses down to the training room. Hand to hand combat."
"Hah, that's easy," Peter cheered.
Clint just continued to smirk.
"Let me introduce you to Black Widow, Agent 13 and Agent Quartermain."
"Uhm, hi?" Ava waved clumsily.
"Hi young lady?" Quartermain winked at her.
She blushed furiously and he used the chance to take her into strangle hold.
"Let go of her," Cage wanted to protect her but Clint tackled him down, pinning him to the ground with a spiky little ball close to his mouth
"I know your skin is bullet proof but what do you think will happen when you choke on this little ball? Barbs aren't funny believe me I had my fair share of encounters," he whispered into the youth's ear.
Cage froze, too scared to move.
Natasha had restrained Iron fist in the meanwhile and Agent 13 had pinned Peter to the wall with his own web.
"You have so much to learn." Clint released Cage, "Do you think it's a game? You could get yourself killed. You could get friends, comrades and civilians killed. Do you want that?"
"No," they looked ashamed.
"What? I can't hear you," there was a sadness in his voice that made them frown. "Do you want to repeat your mistakes? Crack an Agent's skull open, maybe."
"It wasn't our intention to let him down," Peter tried to sound strong.
"I start to believe you the moment you prove that you mean it," Clint's tone was hard.
"How can we do that?" somehow they didn't want to disappoint the archer.
"Take it serious," he said simply. "Our job is dangerous enough, without coolness and friendly fire."
"Friendly fire, sir?" Ava dared to look at Clint.
"Cap told me that one of you almost hurt one of your own, because that person wasn't focused, or too busy to show off. I don't know, I wasn't there and I don't care," he was deadly serious
"A few years back, I lost a friend because he didn't pay attention. He was blinded by worry and I don't hold it against him. It's a natural reaction but we can't allow ourselves the freedom.
He tried to save the woman he loved and they shot him, after that they shot her. Killing their unborn baby, too. She didn't know or she wouldn't have been there.
A few years before that my partner died because I didn't listen, we were close to the mark it was just one step. His gut told him to get out of there.
I told him that he could run if he wanted to but I would get the job done. He got permission to scout our surrounding while I downloaded the data. All I heard was an explosion. There was barely anything left to bury.
We should have stayed together. We should have done it together, I should have listened,"
he came to an end. "So tell me how many ghost do you want to collect?"
They remained silent, thinking about what he said.
It hurt, a lot and they didn't even know these people.
"What's next, sir?" Cage gathered his courage and faced Hawkeye with a determined look.
"Hand-to-hand combat," the archer's features softened.
:::::::::::::::
"What are you doing?" Clint dropped down from the air vent in Phil's office.
"I made my decision," the older man seemed heartbroken.
"I found a house you might like," Clint went on as if Phil wasn't clearing out his desk.
"Yeah?" a very small smile graced the Agent's lips.
"Yeah," Clint smiled lovingly. "Wanna see it?"
"Sure," his hands shook slightly while he put his stuff into a box.
Clint walked around the desk and put his hands over Phil's, helping him to keep them steady.
They gathered his belongings together, taking their time.
"Come." Clint took Phil's hand and guided him to their car.
He ushered Phil into the car and put the box into the trunk before he got into the driver's seat.
They drove for twenty minutes, in silence.
It was comfortable.
"Here," Clint stopped the car in front of a two story house, surrounded by a huge garden and the most stereotyped picket fences Phil had ever seen.
The house looked well cared for, painted in a warm color.
The wood of the window sills and porch was made from a warm colored wood.
"What do you think?" Clint crossed his arms over the steering wheel and rested his head on them to get a better look at the house and his lover.
"It's beautiful." Phil admired the woodwork, it was kind of soothing to look at the house.
The lights were on and he could see the living room.
The wall was painted in a warm color, the interior was classic and the people he could see seemed happy.
"It's ours, if you want to," Clint offered, he had talked with the owner a few days back.
"How?" Phil looked surprised.
"His company transferred him. He's working in California now, flying home as often as he can. His family stayed behind to sell the house. They can't afford a new one until this one is sold," Clint explained.
"I want it." Phil looked at the house again in awe. That was what he always dreamed of.
"Good." Clint pulled out his phone and gave them a call.
Phil could see them cheer in joy after Clint hung up.
"I love you Clint," Phil's whole body was on fire because of all the love he felt at that moment.
"I knew you'd love it," the archer smiled lovingly, he unfolded one of his arms and cupped Phil's cheek with his hand. His head remained on the steering wheel.
"You deserve that," he let his thumb slide over his lover's cheek, back and forth.
"We deserve that," Phil put his hand on top of Clint's, holding it in place while he leaned closer into the touch.
"We could adopt a dog, to keep you company," Clint suggested.
"I'd prefer children," Phil hoped he didn't ruin the mood.
He watched his lover intensely and his heart constricted with the lack of reaction.
"Are you sure?" Clint tilted his head a little.
"We don't have to," Phil backpedaled. "Having you is enough."
"Okay," Clint's eyes lit up.
"Okay, what?"
"Children. I'm okay with that," Clint clarified, "but you have to help me. My father wasn't the best role model."
"You're nothing like your father," Phil insisted. "You are your own man. Kind, protective and sober."
Clint's loving smile returned to his face. "I'm not sure about me, but I know that you'll be the best daddy, ever."
Phil blushed furiously, Clint chuckled and sat up. "We can move in next month," he pulled Phil into a kiss.
::::::::::::::
Four months passed and the kids made big steps in the right direction.
Clint was fond of them and they could feel it.
Beneath his tough and strong exterior was a caring man, who just wanted what was best for them.
The Avengers finally sorted out their rivalries and to everyone's relief Tony and Cap got over their sexual tension.
Clint had organized a date between Bruce and Natasha, a month prior.
He told both of them to meet him in front of the their favorite cinema, Bruce and Natasha thought Clint wanted to spent some time with a friend.
As they stumbled upon each other at the cinema and Clint was nowhere to be seen they realized that the sneaky bastard had set them up.
It turned out to be the best day in their lives.
Phil and Clint were happy in their house and used every free minute to enjoy the time they had.
But the peace didn't last long as two weeks later Dr. Octopus returned.
Phil was working on his book as the news station started to broadcast breaking news.
It was the Agent in him who always had the news on.
Phil liked to have time for himself and the things he loves to do but retirement was boring.
He was an Agent for too long to truly enjoy his time off.
Clint left the house early in the morning and returned in the middle of the night, or not at all.
Their quality time was cut short and it felt like it decreased steadily.
Before he resigned they were almost constantly together, except from Clint's solo and black ops mission, but the time in between was theirs.
Now, Phil was mostly alone.
Without Natasha, without Nick and the others.
His feelings about it were twisted.
He loved the safety and peace but he missed his friends.
Phil sighed deeply as he turned up the volume.
The ex-Agent almost dropped the remote.
:::::::::::::
"Stay put." Clint ordered, the kids weren't ready to face Octopus and his henchmen.
"We can help," Ava objected.
"Not this time." Clint shook his head, they couldn't see the worry in the eyes, he carefully hid behind his shades.
"Hawkeye, go!" Fury ordered.
The Avengers and SHIELD were fighting side by side, they got used to each other over the months and they actually enjoyed being brothers in arms.
Doc Ock was busy fighting off Tony while Steve tried to get Sandman.
Therefore Clint and Natasha had been more successful and neutralized Kraven the hunter.
Hulk turned his attention to Mysterio after he smashed Vulture into the ground.
SHIELD gave their best to support them and keep civilians out of harms ways.
Doc Ock knocked Tony out with an electric charge.
Steve struggled against Sandman's hold on him and Natasha hurried to his rescue.
"Watch out" a young voice called out behind her, she saw Power man pounce on Mysterio.
Hulk was thrashing around like mad, whatever the man made Hulk see was not pleasant.
"Calm down, big guy. It's an illusion." Hawkeye jumped on Hulk's back. "Backdown," he hissed at Nova.
"Cupid?" Hulk asked after he threw himself against a wall to get rid of the weight on his neck.
"The one and only," Clint sat now on Hulk's shoulder, he was grateful to be an artist.
"Cupid hurt," Hulk traced a huge finger down the archer's cheek.
"Just a little scratch big guy, come on we have villains to smash." Clint jumped from his friends shoulder and fired two arrows.
The first enclosed Mysterio in a dragnet and the second electrocuted him.
He ran further into the danger zone, sliding over the ground on his knees firing arrows before he rolled off and took cover behind a toppled car.
"5 of the sinister six are down." Natasha took cover next to him, "That leaves Doc Ock and forty guns for hire."
"We don't have much of a choice," Clint calculated the outcome. "We have to take out Doc Ock first. Tell Hill to get the mercs off our back. Where is Nick?"
"He argues with the national guard, they say we overstep our boundaries," she ducked just in time to avoid some shrapnel.
"What boundaries?" Clint groaned dramatically, "It's our town and national guard has nothing to counter, Mutants and super villains, and aliens."
"They feel left out," she shrugged, glaring at a soldier who was stupid enough to take on Hulk.
"Don't worry he's fine," Clint smiled at her. "Let's roll," he left his cover.
The kids were fighting mostly the mercs, one of them blew up a truck, cutting with his lightning bolt through the gas tank.
Doc Ock used the chance of distraction and took a minion's weapon, aiming for young Peter Parker.
Clint ran as fast as he could, shoving the kid out of the way.
The laser alike ray hit him in the side, letting his skin fuse with the fabric of his vest.
He crouched on the ground fighting for each breath. He hated burns.
"Clint," Peter tried to touch Clint but the older man swatted his hand away.
His whole body felt like it was on fire.
A merc appeared behind Spidy and there was nothing Clint could do to protect the kid.
Peter was too worried to notice.
A shot rang out and the merc's lifeless body fell to the ground.
"Was about time, sir." Clint smiled before he collapsed, he lay on the asphalt, avoiding to touch his side.
Ex-Agent Coulson took out a few more mercs with well aimed shots and martial art.
He let his elbow connect with the temple of a merc, turned around and broke a mercs ribs with the force of his kick.
The next merc didn't even see his death coming as Natasha appeared behind him to break his neck.
The hurt and breathless Agents and Heroes, especially the wannabes, watched in awe as Coulson and his Black Widow danced through the line of foes, taking them out with deadly gracefulness.
It wasn't hard to imagine that Clint was a part of this, under normal conditions.
Back to back, knowing every move of their teammates before they made them.
That was more than imposing.
To see SHIELD's, probably most deadly, three-party team in action made them evaluate what they thought they knew about their friends, and SHIELD.
While they decimated the mercs, Cap and Tony pulled themselves together and knocked Doc Ock, with the help of Hulk, on his ass.
SHIELD took them into custody.
"Hey, you don't have permission to get hurt." Phil kneeled down next to Clint, taking him into his arms without touching the burn.
"Hm, seems I overlooked that part in my contract," he gave his best to smile at the older man.
Clint admired his beautiful husband, Phil looked good in jeans and his tight black shirt.
"The medics are on their way." Phil stroke through Clint's sweaty hair, "I can't leave you out of sight, can I?"
The kids and Avengers gathered around them.
Clint's wannabes never felt so guilty in their entire lives.
"Naw, had worse. Some ointment and rest, and I'll be as good as new," Clint kept his tone light. "Do you think I can get nurse Betty. She's fun to banter with."
"I know what you're doing," Phil kissed his forehead.
"And what would that be?" Clint gritted out as a wave of pain took his breath away.
"Soothing my fears."
"Does it work?" Clint groped for Phil's hand.
The older man grabbed his husband's hand and lifted their joined hands up to his chest, close to his heart, "No."
"I lose my touch, then."
"No, I just know you too well by now," Phil sighed softly.
"I'm scared, sir," the archer confessed.
Phil gave him a reassuring smile, "I know, burns hurt like hell."
"Wait until they try to remove the fabric of my vest that fused with my skin," he huffed. "That fucking hurts."
"I know you can do it," he knew the archer could take the pain. "It's not the first time."
"It isn't but the last time wasn't so huge," he tried to get a look at his side.
Natasha placed a hand on his cheek to prevent him from looking. "You'll be fine," her thumb rubbed soothing circles over his cheekbone.
"I know." Clint said self-confident, "but a bullet to the gut and barbs are nothing compared to burns."
"I remember you saying something similar the last time the mini version of a barbed spear found its way through your thigh," Phil smiled down at him.
"With the wisdom of hindsight I dare to say that I was wrong," Clint joked.
"You have to stop that, you know. Getting hurt." Phil was scared, his burn could be more serious than they think, or he could develop an infection, or...
"Working on it." Clint tugged weakly on Phil's hand, urging him to bend forward. "Can I have a kiss?" he whispered into his husbands ear.
He could hear a soft sob next to him, it was Natasha.
She clung to his hand, desperate to sooth some of his pain away.
Clint needed them, they were all he ever had and needed to feel calm and loved.
"You don't have to ask," Phil breathed against the archer's dry lips before he locked them together.
"We are in public," Clint panted slightly after they parted.
"I'm not an Agent, I'm here as your beloved husband," Phil's lips were still close to Clint's and the archer could feel his hot breath against his skin.
"See ya in a bit," dark spots danced in front of his eyes, he knew the sign.
His body decided to shut down.
"Don't sleep," Natasha urged, while Phil looked at his archer in horror.
"Sir, you have to get out of the way," a medic ordered.
Captain America pulled Phil away from the unconscious archer.
:::::::::::
"How is he?" Nick strolled into the waiting room.
Phil raised a hand and held up three fingers, counting down.
At zero a bone chilling scream echoed through the hall of medical.
"I see." Nick took the last unoccupied seat.
The kids were pale.
"What are they doing to him?" Ava whispered softly.
"They remove the fabric that burned itself into his side," Phil spoke for the first time since they reached med bay.
"It's our fault, again." Peter drew up his knees and wrapped his arms around them.
"It is," Nick stated matter of fact, "and believe me it won't be your last."
"We should have listened." Cage stared at the opposite wall.
"You should," Natasha's tone was cool and hard. "You hurt my family again. First you almost killed Phil and now you almost took Clint from me."
"Nat." Phil looked at her, "Don't. They're children, they'll learn."
"They have to learn, now," she mastered the rules at the age of 10, they were almost adults.
"Take over their training until Agent Barton returns," Nick ordered.
They all had a huge pile of mistakes they carried around.
"Will he be our first ghost?" Nova didn't want that.
"Ghost?" Phil folded his hands together, like for a prayer.
His elbows rested on his knees and he rested his forehead against his hands.
"He said the dead will become ghosts," he clarified in a sad tone of voice.
"He will not die," Phil said louder than he intended to. "The wound will not kill him."
"He had worse," Nick nodded in agreement.
He had hired the best specialists for burn victims years ago and most of Clint's skin was still intact.
He was lucky that it was 'just' his side.
"How can anything be worse?" tears escaped Ava's eyes even though she tried to hold them back.
"I think you'll learn that soon enough," the director put an end to the topic. "I can't remember the last time I saw you in action, old friend."
"Five years ago, I think. It's more fun than paper pushing," Phil replied.
"Papers are less vicious," a grin tugged on Nick's lip.
"Not a bit of it," that coaxed a gruff laugh out of the director.
"Thank you for saving us, boss." Natasha got up and sat down on the ground next to Phil.
The older Agent got up, too and settled down on the ground, next to her.
He pulled her into his arms, her head was tucked under his chin. "You don't have to thank me."
"But I want to," she wrapped her arms around him.
"How long are you married to Barton?" Tony asked, he needed something else to focus on.
"Eight years," Phil smiled lovingly.
Cap felt terrible, "That's a long time."
"We're together for 12," the ex-Agent let out a sigh. "He proposed to me in the middle of an op. He said, he'd originally planned a nice evening with dinner, music and wine but he wasn't sure we'd make it."
"Barton was bleeding out from a gunshot wound to the shoulder, in the middle of a desert. We needed ages to find them," Fury added, they scared the hell out of him.
"Romantic," Tony said disdainful.
"In our line of work, every op could be the last. We don't have the time for romanticism." Natasha glanced at Bruce, who sat on a chair close by.
He was brooding but her gentle smile lightened his mood.
"Stark?" Fury addressed him, "Is it possible to design an uniform for Agent Barton that proves to be more... fireproof?"
Tony's eyes lit up and he turned on his engineering program, "I think I can come up with something, give me a few days and our dear Legolas will be fireproof."
Phil chuckled, trying desperately to keep his facial muscles under control.
That was why his lover tensed and mumbled something incomprehensible every time the elf hopped around the T.V. screen during their last movie night.
::::::::::
"You need rest," Clint's throat felt dry.
"Couldn't sleep," Phil smiled at him. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin a shade too pale.
"You can now," he swallowed, there was not enough spit to damp his sore throat.
Phil reached for the cup of water and helped Clint to drink, "Better?"
Clint nodded.
"You gave us quite a scare," the older man rubbed his tired eyes.
"I'm sorry," there was nothing else he could say.
They remained silent for a while.
"How are the wannabes?" Clint squeezed Phil's hand, his husband seemed lost in thoughts.
"Frightened."
"How come?" Clint frowned, did one of them get hurt?
"They almost got you killed." Phil smiled ruefully, "They think you might become a ghost."
"Naw, I'm far from it. I don't let a burn break me," he loved his job, and the good he was doing for the world.
Phil studied him for a moment. His eyes slightly wider than before.
Clint frowned "What?"
"Just thinking," he kissed Clint's knuckles, I don't let a burn break me, echoed through his mind over and over. "You have to stay here for a long time."
"My definition of long or yours?"
"Mine," Phil said apologetic.
"Damn," the archer cursed. "Where the fuck is Ock I'm gonna tear him a new one."
"The big house." Phil raised a brow, "and I don't think you're in any condition to fight anyone for a long time."
"Spoilsport." Clint laughed, his body relaxed.
They gave him their best meds but nothing could take the pain away, they just took the edge off of it.
"The kids are impressed," Phil smirked, Clint's childish outburst reminded him of them.
"Because I'm so awesome?"
"Not exactly." Phil pressed his lips together for a moment, "They are impressed that I, I quote, totally kick ass and they're impressed by your fighting skills, not bad for simple humans they say. But they absolutely don't understand why you and I are together."
"What's there not to understand?" he was honestly surprised. "You're smart, good looking and adorable."
Phil blushed a little. "The same goes for you. I think they're just too young to understand the true meaning of love. For them love is still based on good looks and popularity."
Clint nodded, "How are the others?"
"Cap is fine but he worries about you. I think he'll pay you a visit soon. Tony is working on a fireproof uniform. Bruce takes care of Nat. She's unharmed but your injury shook her to the core. The big guy is waiting for you. He said he'll kick your ass once you're healed."
"Wasn't my fault," Clint huffed.
"He volunteered to train the kids. Fury refused," Phil walked around the bed and slipped under the blanket.
"Good call," Clint winced in sympathy.
Phil was in such a brooding mood that it made Clint uncomfortable.
It worried him greatly.
"What's bothering you," the archer stroke Phil's head, using his good arm.
"Your injury got me thinking," he took a deep breath and exhaled audibly.
"What about?"
"I wasn't there to protect you," he felt guilty.
"What makes you think you could have prevented what happened?"
"I don't think I could have," Phil snuggled closer.
Clint frowned.
"I wasn't there," he repeated.
The archer finally understood the meaning behind his husbands words.
Agent Coulson was the voice in his ear, his constant companion.
Sometimes even in person but mostly as an observer.
He observed and analyzed.
He made knew plans, if necessary. Guiding him calmly through hell and back.
He kept him calm, offering comfort and a ray of hope whenever life sucked.
He provided backup. Determined to bring him home, preferably alive and in once piece.
"I love you Phil," Clint kissed the top of Phil's head. "I know that you're always with me, do you know why?"
Phil shook his head.
"Because you're here," he tapped against his chest, right above his heart. "I'm never alone."
Phil started to sob quietly.
Clint held him close, letting him weep.
::::::::::
After two weeks Clint escaped from med bay for the first time since he ended up there, and it would definitely not be the last time.
He wasn't fit enough to use the air vents so he had to walk along the corridor like anyone else.
Luckily, he was able to avoid Fury or the wannabes.
His side hurt and his little adventure was tiring but he needed it.
Med bay made him feel caged and the feeling as overbearing, letting the walls close in on him.
A shuffling noise caught his attention it was coming from Phil's old office.
He frowned and walked over there.
After a few more seconds of eavesdropping he decided to look inside.
What he saw took him by surprise.
His posture relaxed and he leaned against the doorframe in a nonchalant manner, arms crossed in front of his chest.
Phil was busy unpacking a box.
It was the box they had packed together a few months ago.
A huge smile illuminated Clint's face as Phil finally looked at him with a little smile on his own face, "Welcome back, sir."
The End