Title: Suspicions

Series: Sleeping Beauty

Author: Proclaim Thy Warrior Soul

Rating: K

Disclaimer: I own the Avengers...on Bluray - but that's it :( Not mine, never will be!

Summary: Tony thinks there's something wrong with Clint. Steve thinks he's paranoid, but you know Tony. He can never leave well enough alone...

Suspicions

"So... Have you noticed anything about our favourite, non-redheaded assassin lately?"

Steve looked up from his sketch book with a frown, pencil poised mid-flow. "What do you mean?"

Tony took a long, drawn-out inhale of his coffee cup before shrugging and depositing the apparently empty mug on the counter with more of a clunk than was strictly necessary. "Well. He's usually so much more..." Tony pulled a face as he gestured vaguely with his hands.

Steve's eyes drifted from a flailing Tony to the man in question. Barton was sprawled haphazardly on the three-seater in front of the muted TV. His arms and legs barely fit alongside his muscled frame but the archer was blissfully out for the count, his soft snores in sync with the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

"More... awake?"

Tony hummed in consideration. "I was thinking more along the lines of 'BAMF-ninja-assassin-I'll-stab-you-with-my-bow-if-you-dare-look-at-me-while-I'm-sleeping'. But, hey, awake works just as well."

Steve rolled his eyes as he dropped the pencil into his lap, carefully closing his book and safeguarding his sketch for later. "I don't think Clint stabs people with his bow, Tony."

Stark snorted, brows furrowing with consternation. "Kinda missing the point here, Cap."

Steve took a moment to study Tony whilst trying to gauge exactly where the billionaire-playboy was coming from. Stark wasn't known for noticing things that didn't pertain specifically to his own self. It was out-of-character enough to give Steve reason to sit up and pay attention. Figuratively speaking.

"What exactly are you getting at here, Tony?"

Stark shrugged, leaning one hip against the counter as he considered how best to phrase his observations, but, for once, words failed him. Clearing his throat, Tony made his decision and pushed away from the counter, stomping towards the sleeping assassin.

"Tony. What-?"

"A little demonstration, Cap. Watch and learn."

"Wait. Tony, maybe that's not-"

Steve ignored the clatter of his sketch pad and pencil as he jumped to his feet, fully prepared to insert himself between a startled assassin and the reckless owner of Stark Industries.

Except Clint didn't stir.

Not when Tony loomed threateningly over him. Not even when the billionaire prodded him none-too-gently in the face with a pointed finger.

Huh.

"Maybe he's just tired, Tony. He's-"

"-not been on a S.H.I.E.L.D sanctioned Op in weeks. I checked. And JARVIS says he's not left the Tower in a few days... Hell, even the Avengers have had a quiet few months." Tony paused mid-rant to take a breath, eyes wide with concern. "This isn't normal, Cap."

Steve remained quiet as he absorbed the new information. Admittedly, he'd learned very little about their archer in the few months since they'd been thrown together as a team. When not on Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. business, Barton kept to himself; either training with, or taking care of, his prized bow. The archer rarely sought to join them at meals or their scheduled movie nights. In fact, now that he took the time to think of it, Steve couldn't remember the last time he'd had a conversation with the spy that didn't revolve directly around their current mission.

It was a sobering thought; one that sat uncomfortably heavy on his chest.

"We could talk to Natasha. She'd know if there was something we were missing...right?" Steve suggested on a whim.

"Widow's AWOL right now. Off playing Queen Assassin for Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. - in the middle of God knows where, I might add." Steve realised that this particular course of action had already crossed Tony's mind. Tony really was worried.

"No," Stark continued as he caught Steve's gaze with a determined glare of his own. "We're going to get to the bottom of this one ourselves."

Steve didn't know how to respond, the crease in his forehead deepening as his unease grew. Tony, accepting his silence as approval, nodded once before stomping from the room, his gaze lingering on the sleeping assassin as he went.

Dropping back into his seat, Steve ran a hand through his short hair and sighed. Stealing a moment to collect his thoughts, usually a common occurrence after any lengthy conversation with Stark, the super soldier reached for the sketch pad that had fallen at his feet, straightening the pages that had crumpled during the fall.

Steve froze as he caught sight of the drawing.

It was his sketch of Clint from a few days ago. Their archer was sleeping, head pillowed on one arm as he'd given into apparent exhaustion whilst cleaning his bow.

Flicking through the pages, ignoring those of Natasha, Bruce and Tony, Steve sought out his drawings of Clint. There weren't many, but those that were there held the hauntingly familiar theme of the archer being out for the count.

Was Tony right? Was Clint hiding something from them? If so...what?

Part 1 of the Sleeping Beauty series:

Clint's successfully hidden his narcolepsy for years. S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't know; Nat certainly doesn't know - although she has her suspicions that something isn't right.

The only person he'd ever told was Coulson. But then Phil's dead, so it's a moot point.

Now - after Loki, the Avengers Initiative and being forced to move into Stark Tower - Clint's not sure he'll be able to hide it for much longer.

But he'll be damned if he won't try.