Bucky had feared that his stomach would drop right down to the floor when he read the message Clint had sent him. 'We need to talk when you come home' never ended well for anyone and while Bucky barely remembered anything from before Hydra, even he knew that.
So to say he was on guard when he entered their suite was an understatement.
"Clint?" he carefully asked into the living-room and was met with a pacing Clint.
"You're here. Good," he said and stopped to sit down on the couch.
"Good, really?" Bucky asked and Clint shrugged, which made Bucky sigh. "Okay, let's get it over with then. What do you want to talk about?"
"Why are you with me?" Clint asked without any preamble and Bucky needed a second to understand the meaning.
"You mean, why are we together?" he asked for clarification and Clint shook his head.
"No, I mean why are you my boyfriend?"
"Where is that coming from, suddenly?" Getting together with Clint hadn't been easy, because the guy was stubborn as a mule and he could be really fucking oblivious, but in the end Bucky had made him believe that he wanted him and so now he was a bit worried that maybe the message didn't stick.
"Let's be honest here, I'm not that attractive and you could do way better than me. I bet Steve wouldn't say no to you," Clint said and avoided Bucky's eyes.
"What do you mean you're not attractive, whatthefuck, Clint?"
Clint threw up his hands. "I'm a walking tragic human disaster and you now it. I'm not young anymore, I am always sporting a bruise somewhere even if I just slept for a day, I drink straight from the coffee pot and am so clumsy people have laughed in my face when I told them I'm an Avenger. So the question here is, why are you still with me?"
"This is what you wanted to talk about?" Bucky asked him incredulous and Clint nodded.
"Yes, and I need you to answer honestly."
"First of all, you are my walking tragic human disaster and I would not trade you for anyone else. Secondly, you are a goddamn endearing walking tragic human disaster and I love seeing you shuffling around, still so tried and bleary eyed that you don't even think about getting a mug."
Clint wanted to protest that, Bucky could tell, but he went right on. "Did you know you make this cute little 'Aww, no' sound whenever something doesn't go your way or you drop something? Because I love hearing that. And I love how contradictorily you are. Yes, you are constantly bruised and clumsy as hell, I'm actually a bit concerned about that, because I'm afraid someday I'll turn around and you will have tripped over your own feet and broke your neck, but on the other hand, you are this amazing marksman, who is an invaluable asset to the team and you are so goddamn graceful when you fight and,"
Bucky fully intended to go on, he could after all for at least another ten minutes, but Clint clasped both hands over his mouth.
"Okay, I get it, I'm awesome and you are smitten with me."
Bucky carefully pried the hands off his mouth and made sure Clint was looking him in the eye when he said "No. I am in love with you."
"Yeah, you say that now," Clint began and Bucky talked right over him.
"And I'll say it in a week, in a month and even in two years. You just watch me. I can be stubborn as well."
"Don't I know it," Clint mumbled and then wrapped his arms around Bucky's neck.
"You're not regretting this?" he asked into Bucky's skin and Bucky squeezed him.
"Not one bit."
"Good," Clint said and toppled them over on the couch, not without crashing into the table and sending the plate with pizza flying to the ground.
Clint stared at the mess for a few seconds before he whispered "Aww, pizza no" and Bucky pressed a kiss into his temple. This was exactly why he loved the guy.
