A/N: I was SUPPOSED TO type something totally different but this just begged to be unleashed. Watching 'Deadpool' made me all mushy and romantic. (smirks)
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE! If only…! But sadly, all I've got is DVDs and a couple of Hawkeye figurines. Which is totally unfair.
WARNINGS: CLAURA, fluff ahoy, a couple of adult-style mentions (hence the rating), weirdness… Uh, anyone out there?
Awkay, because the clock is unforgiving… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.
A Very Hawkeye Valentine's
For Laura Barton Valentine's Day certainly hadn't been full of chocolate, flowers and romance. Her youngest had spent most of the day crying his little lungs out over teething. Lila had thrown up five times over the past twenty-four hours and it appeared that she was also developing a fever. Cooper had spent most of the day in his room, politely yet firmly claiming that he wasn't hungry when she invited him downstairs for dinner. Her little boy appeared positively lovesick and once again it struck Laura that her babies were growing up far too quickly. Her mom had decided to enthrone the misery with a two-hours-long phone call. During those far from lovely couple of hours she'd been berated over how she should find a husband who wouldn't drag her to some remote farm and then abandon her there with three children. Eventually the wording her mom chose to describe Clint with made Laura hang up with tears in her eyes and a wailing baby in her arms. And all she had really, honestly wanted to do was to wish her parents a happy Valentine's Day.
Finally, all her little ones were more or less soundly asleep. By then the clock said eleven thirty in the evening and Laura was so exhausted that she would've had absolutely no problem with falling asleep the second she closed her eyes. Or actually, that wasn't quite true because she couldn't imagine finding any rest anytime soon. And it wasn't because of her children or mom.
Clint was on a mission. Which definitely wasn't anything new and even the year's most romantic day spent apart wasn't unheard of. That, of course, didn't make the worrying and longing any less crushing. If anything each day separated from Clint was worse than the last. Because she'd almost lost him numerous times. And no matter how hard she tried she couldn't quite stop herself from wondering when their luck would run out.
Laura was so consumed by that horrific, unimaginable thought that she shivered when her cell phone began to ring. She groaned and picked up more harshly than she'd meant to. "Mom, I told you not to call again today."
A few seconds of silence ticked by until a familiar voice finally spoke. It wasn't the one she'd expected to hear. "Happy Valentine's Day to you, too." Clint sounded a little confused, amused and absolutely exhausted. "And happy anniversary."
Laura's mouth opened and for a few second she couldn't quite decide what she wanted to do. Her eyes stung painfully for several endless moments. "Please don't tell me that you've had more pieces of you re-created."
Clint chuckled. "You're making it sound like I'd almost die on every mission I go to. Should I be insulted?"
Laura rolled her eyes, unable to stop the small smile that appeared to her lips. She lay down and closed her eyes, trying to imagine that her husband was right there beside her. "Clint 'four continents' Barton", she half teased, half accused.
"Hey, I haven't almost died in Australia and I've been there three times."
"Four. Remember Canberra?" Laura stretched, taking a more comfortable position. "Of course you don't. Nat dragged you home delirious with a pneumonia."
"But I didn't almost die."
"Now you're just jinxing it." It wasn't until then the absurdity of their conversation dawned on her. No couple should be talking this casually about… She gritted her teeth so hard that it hurt and frowned. "Are you okay? You sound tired."
"Yeah. Just a few bruises." Did he just yawn? It sounded oddly adorable. "I wish I was already home, so you could kiss them better."
Laura pursed her lips, trying to swallow past the ache that suddenly settled to her chest. "I wish you were home, too", she admitted. She refused to open her eyes and face the empty side of the bed. "I just crawled to bed. It's ridiculously huge without you."
"Oh? You're in bed?" The light tone of his voice worked like magic. "What are you wearing?"
Laura giggled. In a slightly more coherent state of mind she might've been embarrassed over sounding like a school girl. "No phone sex during missions. The rules, remember?"
"I thought we abandoned that rule after Singapore."
"Singapore is the reason we invented the rule." It was Laura's turn to yawn. "And trust me, it's not a pretty sight over here. I've been up for…" She frowned, trying to remember what time it was. "… thirty-two hours, I think, and I've had Lila throw up on me twice."
"My poor princesses." There was genuine pain in Clint's voice. She could only imagine how much it had to hurt to miss out on so much. Good and bad. First steps… Temper tantrums… First words… First fights… He had to gather himself for a long time. "Nate… Is he still teething?"
Laura sighed. She rubbed her eyes wearily. "Yeah. He's had it pretty rough but I think it's gonna be over soon." There was a silence and her eyes narrowed. "Clinton Francis Barton, are you moping?"
The quiet stretched a bit longer. "Your mom's right, you know? You could…"
"Don't you dare finish that thought!" she hissed. "It doesn't matter how much time you have to be away." Or how much it hurts sometimes, having to do so much all alone. "I'd never, ever change this, what we have together as a family, for anything. I wouldn't change any of this, not even a single day. And you're the only father I could imagine for my children. So you're stuck with me, Birdie. For the rest of our lives, remember?"
"Well. I knew it when I first met you." If Clint sounded a little hoarse she would've never had the heart to point it out. "You're mad."
Laura smiled. "So are you. Good thing we found each other."
"Out of all the ERs in all the towns, in all the world, I walked into yours." (1)
"And on Valentine's Day, of all days. That's almost disgustingly clichéd." Despite the years passed Laura's eyes still became warm and dreamy at the memory. "The next time I see Tony I'll tell him that 'Casablanca' is your favorite movie. He'd never let you live it down." Her grin widened. "I still can't believe that you've managed to talk me into watching it five times."
"You watched it again today, didn't you?"
Laura groaned. "I would've if it wasn't for the little beasts. But it's okay. I'd rather watch it with you."
"Just a couple of more days. I promise." Of course there were no promises in his line of job. But for just a little while they both preferred pretending that there were. "Now stop stalling and get some sleep. You sound like you're about to fall asleep on me."
Laura smiled. Without noticing it she'd snatched Clint's pillow and was no hugging it, imagining that it was his familiar, warm body instead. "G'night, Hawk. And happy anniversary to you, too."
No 'I love yous' in the middle of a mission. That was another rule. Instead she heard him starting to hum the very much familiar melody of 'As Time Goes By'. (2) And as she began to drift into sleep she could've sworn that for a few stolen moments they were together again.
Not much after Laura's breath evened out to sleep there was a knock. Clint lifted his head to see Steve. There was an apologetic look on the Captain's face. "Sorry, but… We have to go."
Clint nodded, managing a surprisingly convincing little grin. "Ay, ay, Captain. Just a sec, yeah?"
Once the team leader left Clint took a deep breath. For a moment he closed his eyes, summoning a mental image of his wife and children. Then he got up and left the room, fully ready.
After just three hours of sleep Laura woke up to her youngest starting to cry. She groaned, rubbing her face roughly with both hands. Then she got up and left the bed, fully ready.
Into battle. Separated yet together, gaining strength from one another despite the distance. The story of their lives. And they wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
End.
1) Altered quote from 'Casablanca'. (grins)
2) Another tiny 'Casablanca' nod. This happens to be the movie's theme song.
A/N: I ALMOST ended that with something FAR less romantic and optimistic. But then I decided that I couldn't do it to you on a Valentine's Day. See, even I'm capable of being a softie every once in a while? (grins)
So… Any good? At all? PLEASE, do let me know! That box down below in hungry and lonely and it's Valentine's, sooooo…
In any case THANK YOU, so much, for reading! Maybe I'll see you again…?
Take care!