Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update. We no longer have Wi-Fi at my house so the only way I can update my stories is if I go somewhere with free Wi-Fi. I hope to update more often once I am done with school but I never know what will happen. Also I have been working on a chapter for this story but it is currently six pages and I'm still not done with it so I decided to post it as a separate story. Also if you have any suggestions for a letter just PM me and I'll try to work it. Thanks. Reviews also help so don't be afraid to tell me what you think.

This story is based off of something that actually happened to me the other day so some of this was what I was feeling at the time. I know technically you're not supposed to fall asleep after being dehydrated but I fell asleep for two hours after I was dehydrated so I don't know how true that is but whatever. Enjoy

D- Dehydration

Clint and Steve had been sent on a mission to Libya. It was supposed to be simple. In and out and get back home. It was the middle of summer. Libya was extremely hot too. They were to take out some Libyan arms dealer with extreme prejudice. It was supposed to be two weeks and then they could go back to the tower. It was originally assigned to Natasha and Clint but Natasha had gotten sick a couple of days before they were supposed to leave and Steve had been assigned instead. Clint also had just gotten back from a mission but the Council was adamant that Clint was supposed to have this mission. Fury and Coulson weren't too happy about having to send Clint back out into the field so soon after he got home but they couldn't do anything about it without forcing Clint to take some time off which he wouldn't do. So Clint and Steve were sent on the mission together.

Clint had been collecting Intel on the schedule of the target. They had decided that this would be the last day for collecting Intel, then they would make a plan, and attack within the next few days. Clint had left his bottle of water on the counter and it had been increasingly warmer as the week went on and it wasn't any different today. In fact it was hotter than it had been the whole time they had been there. Clint had arrived at his spying location at 7:30 in the morning. He wouldn't leave until about 8:00 that evening. So Clint was just lying on the roof of a building diagonal to the place where their guy had been staying. Clint had moved around the house a couple of times already to get a better view of where the target was. Clint knew that he had to move one more time in about a half an hour before he would go back to the safe house. It was now 3:00 and Clint was more than ready to get going. He was extremely thirsty, his mouth was dry, and he was starting to get a headache. There hadn't been a lot of movement all day. Clint had hacked into the security cameras in the house so that they wouldn't have to stay all night either. Clint moved his position for the finale time.

By the time 5:30 rolled around, Clint was feeling worse than he was a couple of hours ago. As well as being extremely thirsty, having a headache, and having dry mouth he now felt dizzy as well as starting to get a slight fever. Clint decided that he should probably head back to the safe house. He knew Steve would worry because he would be back earlier than expected. Clint just didn't feel right and he knew that was never a good thing.

Steve was sitting at the house. He kept himself entertained by drawing. He never why but whenever he was on a mission with someone he would always want to draw that person doing something while they were out doing their job. Last time, he was partnered with Natasha, she was out on a "date" with the target and he just found himself sitting there drawing her with Clint as they held hands in a garden of flowers. This time he was drawing Clint, Natasha, and their daughter Rowan. Rowan was just now over a year old and keeping everyone at the tower on their toes. Rowan got her father's eyes and nose, and her mother's hair and mouth. She was very easy going like her father until you upset her, then she got her mother's personality. When she wasn't feeling good she would only be soothed if she was in her father's arms. She would calm down if she was in Natasha's arms but she would still be unsettled. Rowan was a daddy's girl through and through. Steve had just finished his drawing and was about to go put it in Clint's room when Clint walked in the door. Steve turned his head when he heard the door open. He was surprised to see Clint standing in the doorway leaning heavily on the door.

"Clint? What are you doing back so early?" Steve asked concerned because it was never a good thing if Clint was early to anything unless it was back from a mission.

"What?" Clint asked confused. "Steve got anything to drink. I'm so thirsty." Clint stepped away from the door and that was when Steve got a good look at Clint. He noticed how pale Clint's skin was and how he barely seemed able to stay on his feet.

"Yeah." Steve said walking towards Clint and wrapping an arm around Clint's waist. He helped Clint walk into the kitchen and sat him down in a chair. Steve went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of Blue Gatorade. He handed it to Clint who immediately tried to open it but couldn't get it to work. Steve after seeing Clint struggle with the bottle took it from his hands gently and unscrewed the lid and set it on the table. Steve handed the bottle back to Clint and when their hands touched through the exchange Steve could feel how dry and how feverish Clint's skin felt. Steve finally understood that Clint was dehydrated and knew immediately that Clint shouldn't overload his stomach. Clint brought the bottle to his lips and started to drink. Steve's hand wrapped around Clint's and brought the bottle back down. Clint glared at Steve.

"Clint, you know you can't overload your stomach if you are dehydrated. I want you to take small sips of the drink. Okay?" Clint nodded in understanding. "Now, we need to get you into some cooler clothes." Clint nodded again. Steve got up and went to Clint's room where he knew Clint's duffle bag was. Steve dug around in the bag but couldn't find anything relatively cooler because all Clint had brought was jeans, t-shirts, and his uniform. Steve walked into his room where he knew he had a pair of shorts and a wife beater that Clint could borrow. Steve set the clothes in the bathroom and then walked back into the kitchen. He saw Clint had finished the bottle of Gatorade but wasn't looking much better. Steve grabbed another bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and opened it for Clint.

"Hey Clint," Steve said as he handed Clint the new bottle of Gatorade and took the old one from his grasp. "You want to go to the bathroom and change?" Clint nodded his head and Steve helped him stand up and got him into the bathroom. Clint sat down on the toilet and made no move to move.

"You think you can do it by yourself or do you need help?" Clint just stared blankly at Steve. Steve walked over and crouched in front of Clint when he didn't get an answer. Steve saw that Clint was fighting falling asleep so he just grabbed the hem of Clint's t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Steve quickly got the wife beater placed on Clint. Steve got Clint to sit down again after changing Clint into the shorts fairly quickly. Steve grabbed a few washcloths from the drawer and wet them under lukewarm water. Steve placed one on Clint's neck and used the other one to wipe at his face. Steve would re-wet the one he was using to wipe down Clint's face periodically. He would also swipe out the one on his neck every so often. Steve noticed that Clint had finished the Gatorade a while ago but decided that Clint should drink water instead for the moment so he filled up Clint's bottle from the tap. He went to swipe out the washcloth on Clint's neck when he felt Clint rest his head on Steve's shoulder. Steve tensed up at first not expecting it but he noticed how much cooler Clint's skin was. Steve could feel how even Clint's breathing was and knew the other man had fallen asleep. Steve set the washcloths in the sink and then gathered Clint into his arms. Clint mumbled something but just rested his head against Steve's shoulder again. Steve walked Clint to his room and set him on the bed. Clint rolled over and cuddled with a pillow. Steve turned on the fan and then left Clint to sleep knowing that Clint would be exhausted.