And now we move a bit away from Loki to look at the rest of the team! Enjoy!
"You shouldn't have done that Clint!" Steve scolded the archer as he carried him through the base towards Furys office so they could give their report and go home. He was still dressed in his Captain America gear which was stained and newly torn in various places. His arm was around Clint's waist, supporting most of his weight much to Clint's annoyance.
"Its not that bad Steve, I can walk myself! That robot would have hit you head on, super soldier or not thats a hard hit. I calculated that I could make it without being hit, but I misjudged a bit!" Hawkeye protested, trying to glare sideways at Steve.
"And you got hurt! It exploded, and you got hit! I would have been fine." Steve was frustrated that he had been unable to protect the only team member that had been with him on this mission, but Clint wasn't having any of that.
"Well I'd do it again Cap, if only to piss you off!" he said with a smirk, causing Steve to sigh and shake his head. Then he stared at his empty hand in confusion before his eyes widened.
"Shoot, I forgot my shield back on the landing pad!" Steve exclaimed. He hated leaving his shield anywhere without someone he trusted near it, and even though no one would dare to touch Captain America's shield unless they were told to fetch it here on base he still worried. Clint, knowing how Steve felt about his shield, shrugged the larger man's arm off and limped a few steps away from him.
"Run back and get it, I'll start the report to Fury and then as soon as we are done we can just go back home. I need Bruce to fix me up and then a nice hot bath..."
"I'll just go get it after-"
"Steve. Go get your damn shield." Clint growled.
"Fine. I'll be right there." Steve grumbled, not wanting to leave Clint to hobble on his own to Furys office. He was no doctor, but he was pretty sure that Clint should not be putting weight on that leg.
Backtracking at a light jog, Steve only made it about halfway down the hall before a conversation caught his attention.
"Did you see him? Limping around like that with the Captain?"
Normally, Steve hated it when people listened in on conversations that were none of their business, but maybe he had been spending too much time with Tony who had an unhealthy love of eavesdropping or the fact that he was in the conversation because he paused behind the wall, leaning against it as he listened.
Around the corner three agents were talking, two men and a woman by the sound of it.
"Hawkeye shouldn't be allowed to be one the base, let alone go on missions with the Avengers. A traitor like him? With the greatest heroes in the world? I don't know what Fury thinks he is doing." snorted the female.
"Did you see all the cuts on the Captain? Probably his fault. You know, its only a matter of time before he ends up getting one of them killed." The man who had caught Steves attention scoffed. Steves eyebrows rose to his hairline. Why were they saying these things about Clint? The man was a dream on the battlefield, always shooting down enemies you hadn't even seen yet before you had to worry about them.
"Hawkeye should have been put down as soon as he was compromised, cured or not." The last man sneered, sounding disgusted.
Steve saw red and his blood began to boil. Squaring his shoulders as eyes narrowed and his mouth tightened into a thin line, Steve stepped around the corner while pulling his phone out of his pocket. The three agents straightened up when they saw him appear, eyes widening and faces paling when they saw his furious expression.
"You three. With me. Now." he forced out, glaring at them before turning and starting back down the hall towards Furys office while looking down at his phone, knowing the three agents would follow him without further prompting. He scowled down at his phone, pressing the '1' on the touch screen and feeling relieved when 'Tony' popped up on the screen. Thank lord for this...speed dial? Pressing send, he held the phone to his ear.
"Yellow! Cap, you figured out how to use the phone again, I'm so proud!" Tony cheerfully answered almost instantly.
"Not the time Tony." Steve said grimly.
"Woah, thats the serious Captain voice. What did I do to deserve the Captain voice?! Whatever it was, I blame Clint. It was his idea!"
"You didn't do anything Tony, and actually it is Clint."
"What's wrong?" Tony's voice instantly turned serious.
"Have Jarvis show you, on your way here, Clint and I need you to pick us up. Park outside the jet hanger I left my shield in there. We'll be out there in a few minutes, Clint's injured." Steve said, failing to keep the anger out of his voice. "Theres just one thing I need to deal with before we leave."
"Got it, be there in ten." Tony said before the click that signalled he had hung up.
Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Steve continued marching down the hall to Furys office, looking behind him only once to make sure that the agents were still following him. They looked ready to wet themselves, but they hadn't tried to run for it.
Slamming the door to Furys office open Steve stalking in to stand in front of Furys desk, scowling when the director looked up and raised an eyebrow. Clint looked shocked at the Captains furious expression. The three agents slowly stepped into the room, staying near the door.
"So these three agents made me aware of a problem one of my team member's has." Steve growled, crossing his arm over his chest. "These three agents spoke of how Hawkeye didn't deserve to be an Avenger and how he is a traitor. This insubordination should not be tolerated. How long has this been going on?"
"Captain I realized that-" Fury started but Clint cut him off, only looking at Steve.
"Since Loki." the archer said. Fury sent him a warning look, but Clint refused to look back at his boss.
"And you knew?" Steve demanded, looking appalled at the director.
"Tasha and I stopped reporting it." Clint answered once again, throwing the three agents dirty looks. "No one will go on missions with me except for Natasha, and everyone that ends up being forced to go on missions with me normally fuck it up because they are so busy watching me instead of the target. They call me traitor when they think I can't hear, sometimes to my face, and act like I had control of my actions the entire time I was under Loki's control. I've even had one or two agents 'accidently' shoot at me during missions." when his friend grudgingly admitted the last part, Steve nearly saw red.
"You've allowed this?" he snarled at Fury.
"I can hardly control what my agents think Mr. Rogers." Fury said, attempting to regain control of the situation.
"Letting actions such as this go unpunished only reinforces incorrected opinions. You should have reassured them that what happened to Clint could have happened to anyone, and that it changes none of his abilities." Steves arms fell back to his sides, hands balling up into fists. "In my day, this kind of thing never would have happened."
"Don't tell me how to run my organization Captain." Fury growled, glaring at Steve with his good eye. "Watch out, you don't want to cross a line soldier."
"You've already crossed a line sir, against one of my team. I take personal offense to that, and I want these three punished."
"Oh shit, someone pissed off the Captain. I've been attempting to get a reaction like this out of him for nearly two years and you lot manage it in a few minutes. Where is the justice in this world?" despite his words, Steve was relieved and a little surprised to see Tony leaning against the doorway, iron man suit suitcase in one hand.
"Stark, what are you doing here?" Fury snapped, looking like Tony was the last person he wanted to see.
"Heard a few agents decided its open season on hawks." Tony said with a shrug, grinning at Clint who smirked back.
"I can assure you Stark, this had nothing to do with you and is under complete control-"
"Complete control?! Tony, these agents said that Clint should have been PUT DOWN, like an animal Tony! And Fury doesn't see how this is a big deal!"
"Thats why I'm here Captain." Tony said smugly, setting his case down by the door and strutting up to Fury's desk and tilting the little intercom mic towards him, pressing the talk button before anyone could stop him. "Hello there SHIELD agents, this is Tony Stark announcing that I am holding a meeting in the main hall, you know the one with the weird open ceiling to the second floor and the hallway showing and that balcony made for powerful speakers who need to tell you stuff? There. Five minutes. You better run to make it there on time, because this is big."
"Stark, you have no authority-"
"A person can have authority anywhere if they act like that have it." Tony cut the director off, smirking as he walked back to the doorway and picked up his suit. "Now Cap, carry gimpy with us, and yes I meant carry because I don't want to wait up- its more impressive if you stalk in, say what needs to be said, and then leave with a bang. Cant do that if we are waiting for Clint to hobble around can we?"
Without waiting for a response Tony left the room, obviously expecting them to follow. Giving Clint a slightly apologetic look, Steve once again wrapped an arm around the archers waist, this time lifting Clint a good four inches off the ground by holding him up to his side.
"Well at least you're strong enough to be able to carry me in something other than bridal style. Tony would have had a field day with that." Clint muttered as Steve started down the hall. "Dammit, this isn't even difficult for you is it?" Steve just have Clint a soft smile and sped up to catch up with Tony.
Steve and Clint both looked out at the gathered agents warily, standing behind Tony who was standing at the railing looking out at the crowd.
"Great, we're all here!" Tony began, voice easily carrying out over the crowd as they fell silent, everyone looking up at Tony. "So I heard today that the lot of you haven't been letting Hawkeye play with you! Not very nice if you ask me. Something about since he's been possessed it could easily happen again at any time or some shit like that? Am I right?" The crowd seem to shift, and Tony eyes hardened. He couldn't fathom what these morons were thinking, messing with Clint like this. The Avengers trusted him, and he had been cleared of all charges. Wasn't that enough? But he was practiced at this, talking to crowds he hated, and he easily put a cheesy grin on his face. "Well, I've got a bit to share with you if you don't mind. Loki, oh knock it off this isn't Harry Potter this is the real world and we don't flinch at names here! Ridiculous...anyway, Loki took over many peoples minds, and every single one of them was of convenience. Except for two. Clint was one of those two. I know when I brought up Clint you all sighed and expected me to say 'he was just there, it could have been any of you and how would you feel to be in his position?', but I'm not because thats bullshit."
Steve had now known Tony long enough to recognize when he was about to verbally shred someone to pieces, as it was one of the billionaires favorite past times. Clint obviously knew as well, because a smirk was fighting its way onto his face.
"Clint was chosen because of his knowledge of SHIELD and earth, sure, but he was also chosen because he is one of the best damn agents in this place. Only Coulson and Black Widow come anywhere near his level. He is a deadly assassin with instincts that don't lead him wrong, and he is so good at his job that he is on a team of superheroes, without actually having super powers or something that makes his super! You know why none of you were chosen by Loki? Because all of you are worthless. There isn't one damn special thing about you. You are the exact same as the drone next to you, and both of you can be easily replaced by the two drones behind you! You don't have the skills it takes to be noticed, and you aren valuable enough for alien radar to pick up on you. Not a single one of you. So when this man left my tower, stopped helping me with things or working with me on my missions, I assumed that you lot knew and appreciated the fact that if he is with you and your mission fails, it literally had no chance because Clint can succeed in anything."
Tony took a breath, smile gone as he glared out at the crowd. "Then I find out, that you lot are refusing to work with him, horrified that he is being allowed to be near you. Well I got news for you. Every time you go on a mission with a fellow drone agent instead of THE Clint Barton, your life is in that much more danger. And if any of you are feeling ashamed of yourselves, it's too damn late. Because he isn't yours anymore. Nick Fury doesn't own the Avengers, we can make our own choices. And as head of Stark industries I'm hiring Clint Barton as a security consultant or something. You know what, he can make up his own job title. You know why? Because Clint is one of my best friends, and friends of Tony Stark don't have to put up with this kind of shit. So he doesn't have to go to work somewhere where his biggest fault, his most guilt ridden moments are thrown back in his face. So breathe easy, and when you get shot during a mission just think about the fact that if you hadn't been so quick to blame and judge, you might have made it out alive, or unwounded. Thats all, have a nice life."
With a great flourish Tony turned, leading Steve and Clint away from the shocked and startled crowd. Clint saluted them with two fingers before Steve carried him away, openly grinning now.
"Thanks Tony." Clint said once they were down the hall close to the jet hanger.
"Don't thank me Legolas, I wasn't kidding you're ass works for me now." Tony said with a snicker, to which Clint rolled his eyes.
"Please, you try to order me around and I'll set Natasha on you. Or maybe Bruce, who will lecture you about being fair to me because as a team we are all equals." Clint shot back. Tony groaned.
"You drive a hard bargain Barton, deadly ninja or boring lecture. You truly are evil sir."
"Tony, if you came here in the suit how are we going to leave?" Steve broke into their bantering, even if he was enjoying seeing Clint so pleased after hearing what the agents had to say about him.
"I'm going to carry you while I wear the suit. Problem Captain?"
"Tony-"
"Oh relax, I zipped over in the suit because I knew you would need me. Besides, no one likes a cranky Captain America. Its too weird. And you'll be proud, I was responsible and called Happy to meet us here right in front of the hanger. Oh, look your shield." Tony picked up the shield that was leaning against the wall next to the door of the hanger and continued his way out. The workers in the hanger looked shocked to see Steve allowing someone else to hold his shield. The three Avengers ignored all of them as they made their way through the hanger, out and to the limo that was waiting. Tony opened the door and ushered Clint and Steve in first, before tossing in his and Steve's weapons and hopping in himself.
"Say hello to your new co-worker happy! This is Clint Barton, new head of security!" Tony said happily as Happy lowered the window between passengers and driver.
"Mr. Barton and I have met Tony." Happy said, smiling at his boss in his rearview mirror as he pulled out of the shield base.
"I thought I got to make my own job title Tony!" Clint complained, wincing as he moved his leg. "Can't I be...something cooler?"
"Oh like what?" snorted Tony, rolling his eyes.
"I'll get back to you."
"You two are unbelievable." Steve mumbled, shaking his head with a small smile.
"And if we've learned anything its that you still adore us."
"Me. He didn't defend you Tony, just me."
"He called me!"
"Only to help me."
"I'm very lovable Clint."
"Loving yourself doesn't make you lovable Tony."
"Ouch...that stings Clint. Right here." Tony put his hand over his heart, pouting.
"We're here boss." Happy said. Tony leaped out of the car, carrying Steves shield and asking Happy to bring his suit up. Steve carefully helped Clint out of the car and then acted like a crutch as the stubborn archer walked to the elevator.
"What on earth happened?!" Bruce exclaimed at the three walked into the living room of the main Avengers floor.
"Well-"
"Clint's injured." Steve cut in. Bruce's eyes widened.
"What get him down to the med bay why didn't you take him down there in the first place Steve, I expect this nonsense from Tony but come on..."
"Never get to tell my science bro stories because hes always in freaking doctor mode." Tony grumbled as he wandered over to the bar.
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