Inspired by prompt from tumblr user koalablu -if you would like the post I can PM you the link (or try to).
Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or Marvel.
They were training. The Avengers that is. Just some basic things that they did three times a week every week. No matter how much Tony tried to get out of the sessions, he just couldn't, much to his annoyance. Apparently, he wasn't the only one annoyed. By Tony's presence, that is.
"Honestly, Cap. Why does Stark have to be here? It's not like he does anything anyway." Clint groaned glaring at the Iron Man clad…man, of course, the archer couldn't see the glare Tony was sending his way.
"He is part of the team and therefore needs to be present during these sessions," Steve stated blankly,
"Cap." The sandy-haired man said with a tone of annoyance and disbelief, "He really doesn't. All he has to do is be in the suit and let his computer do everything. Really, we probably don't even need him, just the suit." Ouch. That fucking hurt. "Besides, if he really was needed for training, then why not get him out of the suit for once and see if he can do even one bloody press up." The 'He's nothing without the suit' went unsaid but it hovered in the tense atmosphere. Tony growled but no one heard, stepping out of the Iron Man suit, Tony straightened up and stared at Clint.
"First of all, JARVIS assists me. He does not do everything. Secondly, Barton, I can't do press ups anymore due to this fancy little piece of tech in my goddamned chest. I also have to train to work the suit. Not that you'd know. Actually, I'd like to see you try to use the suit, to see how easy it really is." Tony explained cooly with a bite in his voice as he stared at Clint, challenging him and goading him with his amber eyes. The archer took the bait, delicately he placed his bow and arrows on the bench. With a smirk in place, Tony bowed and gestured for Clint to get into his suit. Reciprocating the smirk, Clint stared arrogantly as the suit closed up around him. "I suggest that we all take a step away." He informed the others and they moved to the safety spot in the vast training room.
—LINE BREAK—
Clint didn't know what to say to JARVIS once he was inside the suit. Images were all across the HUD, he squinted as his head began to ache.
"Up?" He said but nothing happened. Messing around he placed the hand repulsers facing down and managed to start the machine up as though it was a car. The thrusters came on and…Clint met the wall. He fell on his back groaning as he felt the pain through the suit. Growling at the sound of the team's laughter, he attempted to get back up. Commanding JARVIS to do…well, something. He tried to walk forward and found that the suit was extremely heavy and difficult to do so.
"Birdbrain, catch!" Tony shouted chucking a weight at the man. Clint tried to move his arms but not only did he accidentally shoot a repulser, he was also too slow to catch the weight that ended up smacking him in the suits groin. Clint could just feel it and winced.
"Alright, I want out."
"Are you sure?" Tony mocked, "I thought it was easy to control. Can't you just ask JARVIS to move it? He can do a lot, but if the suit had no one inside, I'd still have to remotely control them." Clint stumbled out of the suit, missing the grace that Tony had along with the normal elegance of a spy.
"The hell." The archer muttered staring at the suit with wide eyes,
"Think before you speak a-hole." Thing was, Tony actually sounded hurt…and hurt he was.
—LINE BREAK—
No one saw Tony for the rest of the day. You can beat him down, call him names, he was used to it. But never say he's replaceable. Because he was needed. He was important. He was.
Clint wandered down to the workshop later that evening. An apologetic smile on his lips and a box of pizza in his hands along with two drinks. Reluctantly, Tony let him in when the archer lifted the items up slightly in an offer.
"I got us a pizza to share. Also got you a blueberry smoothie." Tony did love his blueberries. "Look. I'm sorry. You are important to the team and I know this isn't an excuse but I had a nightmare about Loki last night and I took my anger and fear out on you. I don't think you realise how important you are to this team, Tony." He said quietly, genuine and shame evident in his tone, but Tony snorted in disbelief, "I was wrong and I am sorry." Neither said anything for a while, they just sat in awkward silence eating their pizza and drinking their drinks.
"The suit used to be heavier. When I escaped…when I escaped Afghanistan, the suit weighed a fucking ton. The only saving grace was that I had been doing so much manual labour, that despite losing weight and not eating properly, I still had muscle. Just enough to move in it. Though I reckon adrenaline helped." Tony murmured and thankfully Clint stayed silent, understanding that the genius would stop talking if he interrupted, "So was the Mark 1. The suits have taken time, but the weight got better." He took a sip of his smoothie, "I need to keep myself physically fit for fast reflexes because if I don't I miss something and people could die and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I caused more death. I can't do certain things because of this fucking arc reactor. I have smaller lungs than I used to because part of them were removed to fit this." He tapped the arc reactor roughly with his finger. "There are so many more things but what I'm getting at, is the suit can only compensate for so much, so I have to take the rest of the load."
"I'm sorry, Tony."
"I know. It's okay." They sat in silence once again, finishing off the pizza and their smoothies. They stared at each other, taking in the panda-like marks beneath their eyes. "Wanna get hammered and avoid our frequent night horrors?" Tony asked and Clint nodded in agreement.
—LINE BREAK—
Bruce walked passed the two later that night as he brewed himself some calming tea before he would go to sleep. He'd just finished an experiment so it was very late -or early in the morning, technically. He heard laughter and chatting, sneaking a look around the corner he spied Tony and Clint talking, bottles of beer and various other liquors surrounded them, most empty. The doctor smiled gently as he heard them talking about their nightmares and problems. Neither of them liked talking about their problems but at least they were doing so now, despite the unlikelihood of them remembering in the morning. He left the room quietly, clutching his cup of chamomile with a smile.
—LINE BREAK—
He wandered down to the communal kitchen in search of a bottle of water to take on his run as he couldn't find any on his floor. As the blond passed through the living room, he heard a faint snore. Turning in confusion, Steve couldn't help the massive grin that crossed his face. There on the sofa, Tony lay on top of Clint, who had an arm wrapped around the smaller man. They were fast asleep. No frown lines. Nothing but peace. Both had gentle smiles on their sleeping faces.
"JARVIS, get some pictures, please," Steve whispered as he left the room,
"I have already done so and will send them to your phone, immediately." Replied the AI with a smile in his tone…somehow.
"Thank you."
—LINE BREAK—
Slowly, the two woke up. Stretching after having the best sleep in…well forever. They stared at each other and smiled not fully aware of the other as they continued to wake up. Their eyes widened and they leapt away from one another.
"We will never speak of this."
"Speak of what?" Clint responded and Tony nodded.
Neither spoke about it…but that didn't mean they wouldn't occasionally sneak into one another's bed in an attempt to get a night of good sleep because they were friends. That's all. And sometimes friends need to cuddle for comfort.
Anyway,
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Hope you enjoyed this,
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Bye~