Disclaimer - I own nothing, just borrowing
Special thanks to my wonderful beta Black' Victor Cachat
Spies and Scientists
Chapter One – It was so obvious
"If you keep frowning like that, your face is going to stay that way," Laura teases as she winds her arms around his neck from behind.
"I'm still convinced they're messing with me," Clint murmurs defensively as he watches his best friend affectionately nuzzle, nuzzle, Bruce Banner before sharing a quick peck on the lips with the bespectacled man. The couple then return their attention to Nathaniel who was wrinkling his nose at their rare public display of affection. For a moment Clint feels an affinity with his youngest till the five-year-old launches himself at the pair for a group hug. Traitor.
"Well," Laura drawls as she moves around his chair and perches on the arm rest to take in his vantage point. Clint's arm snakes around her waist to settle a hand on her thigh. "They've been together for five years, and getting married in two days, so I think it's safe to say they're not."
He rolls his eyes at the teasing in her voice. "You could all be messing with me," he sulks, pouting up at her and earns himself a chuckle.
"I know you and Nat like to mess with each other, but this is a stretch, even for her," she consoles with a laugh. Laura was enjoying this far too much.
"I'm pretty sure she was joking about you wearing a neon pink dress to the ceremony, even if you are the maid of honour," she adds after a second.
"Stark offered to wear the dress," Clint says distractedly and Laura rewards him with a melodic chuckle. He knew Nat wasn't serious about the monstrosity she presented to him in his dimensions.
"You were with them for all of thirty seconds and you knew," he grumbles at her. That still kind of stung and he often wonders if his wife has the ability to read minds or she really is that good at reading people. Or at least better than him. Hmm.
She laughs again, melodic and sweet. "Five years ago, you were all standing in the middle of our living room looking lost and sorry for yourselves after having your asses handed to you," came the slightly blunt yet not unfeeling reply. "None of you really knew what you were looking for or needed, but whatever it was, Nat looked for it in Bruce and I've never seen her do that."
He waits a beat as that sinks in, remembering the quick glance Natasha shared Banner at the time and not thinking anything else of it. "I still don't know how any of this happened."
"Then it's a good thing we have a few years before you need to have the 'talk' with Coop," his wife's arm sneaks around his shoulder as she rests against him, her hand absentmindedly stroking his head like she does for the kids when they're ill or upset. "He's smart, sweet, and attentive," Banner's good qualities roll off her tongue easily as she had them prepared. "He's good for her," Laura concludes.
He makes a noise, not really agreeing or disagreeing. Laura's right, of course, she always is. After a long minute he sighs.
After a pause she bumps his shoulder. "She's good for him too."
He supposes that is how Natasha and Banner connected in the first place. She was good with him in the field. They developed the Lullaby in private, without distraction, something they rarely did in front of the team. Once established, their connection deepened and flourished into the strong coupling he now has the privilege to observe.
Clint often thinks if he had been privy to it he may have seen the attraction begin. Natasha doesn't expect or want his approval, and he would never attempt to give it. Clint trusts her ability to judge someone's character, and if she deems Banner good enough to spend her life with then that's good enough for Clint. He's just pissed at himself for missing the signs and that's embarrassing for him as he should see everything as an occasional glorified lookout, or so his wife, or Stark, like to remind him, though Laura phrases it much nicer.
In his defence, Natasha is the closest he has to a sister, and thinking of her romantically feels weird. She's never expressed interest in being in a relationship with anyone, seeming content to remain single.
He frowns at the couple as they release his squirming son, and he runs off to play with –correction, annoy– his sister. Banner's hand finds Natasha's, the gold band of her engagement ring flashing as their fingers slide between each other's, as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
Clint finds himself relaxing at the gesture. Of the two, Banner is more reserved, even if she, to other people, seemed to approach their relationship with her usual blend of neutral detachment. Clint can see through her façade, sees the tiny glint in her eyes, and notes the relaxed aura she exudes whenever Banner is around. Or at least he does now.
It is easy to misconceive the relationship as one-sided, Natasha giving more to the relationship than Banner. But a flick through the man's file, which Natasha will never find out about, reminded Clint that the scientist's heart had been broken before by walking away from his first love after his accident and Clint realised Banner was reluctant to expose Natasha to that. Clint couldn't blame him for that; he hides his own family in the middle of nowhere with plenty of contingencies in place for them if he ever has to walk away. He understands how hard it is to be in that position. There are times he wants more than that for Nat. Her heart is more fragile than she lets on.
She's changed so much since he met her all those years ago when she was barely more than a kid, full of so much anger. He's seen her simmering anger mellow, channelling it into helping people, unwavering in her dedication to cancel out her ledger. She is calmer than he's ever seen her, and not the façade she sometimes puts up. When she first came to the farm, she would hide her nightmares and sleepless nights from them, not wanting to be more of a burden than she already thought she was. She wasn't, not to them, but Clint and Laura were aware they never pushed her to talk about it unless she wanted to.
Now he rarely sees that far-away look in her eyes.
He eyes Banner for a second, noting the besotted expression he's aiming at Natasha as she tells him something Clint can't quite hear. It could be anything, and Clint bets Banner would be wearing the same attentive gaze, one which makes it clear he's utterly devoted to and enthralled by Nat. It's not the first time he's seen the look, won't be the last either. Nat's just as bad sometimes, she can watch the man for hours as he works quietly in the lab. Then there are times when they sync and their eyes would lock and it is as if the rest of the world disappears.
How the hell did he miss Nat falling for the freaking Hulk, when they were so obvious!?
"Aside from the kids, who else makes her smile like that," Laura surreptitiously points at the woman in question as she bestows a dazzling natural smile on her betrothed, as he returns one of his own, looking like love-sick puppies. Clint suspects it'll only get worse till they exchange vows. At least by then the rest of the Avengers and a few choice friends will have descended on the farm to watch the ceremony and he won't be alone in his aversion to their sickeningly sweet display. Stark usually voices his own sarcastic commentary which encourages rather than deters the couple.
"If you weren't happy for them, you wouldn't have spent the last two days in the barn building that arch for them to get married under," Laura says.
He is happy for them, he's just sorry he missed watching his best friend fall in love. Banner tugs Natasha into a loose embrace as they watch the Barton children run around the field chasing each other happily.
"I guess," Clint agrees after a moment.
"Just give me fair warning if you are going to try to give the big brother talk to the Hulk," Laura tells him with a consoling pat on the shoulder. "Nat and I will want front row seats."