Clint got released two weeks later. Tony persuaded them to move in with the Avengers at least 'till Clint recovered. He had a few good arguments.

Clint was never alone and JARVIS kept an eye on him while they worked. It was the perfect solution. Coulson was happy to see Clint interact with his friends. Clint never had many friends but the Avengers stole his heart. He trusted them and they trusted him. Phil realized that his family gained more members.

Tony wasn't sure if he made the right decision as he invited Coulson into his home. The Agent was a highly reserved bad-ass and the past week had been even more strenuous than they were used to. Coulson's mood had been frightening broody. He yelled and snapped at every human being. Minutes before a meeting Steve had pushed Tony 'accidently' into a door just to claim they had to visit infirmary immediately to check him out for injuries.

Thor claimed he had to visit his mother because he forgot her birthday, Phil new enough about mythology to know that Frigga had reached an age where women rather deny they were born at all than celebrate. Thor got grounded and had to cancel his date with Jane. Phil was at least gracious enough to let him choose. House arrest or Phil would tell his mother that she raised a liar. It wasn't hard to choose. Banner was clever enough to dig himself in his lab and Natasha had just watch the spectacle with a smirk.

"Oh god," Tony groaned. "They're on their way."

"Why did you offer to let them stay?" There was sarcasm in Steve's voice.

"I thought it … it was the right thing to do," Stark confessed. Steve had to smile and praised himself for his good influence on the billionaire.

"I don't like house arrest," Thor pouted. Natasha got up, "You're lucky he just grounded you," she walked away with a grin on her face. She knew Phil got unbearable when he wasn't able to spent time with Clint for days because of his busy schedule but once they were together for a few minutes his mood changed instantly.

"I don't want to know what she meant," Tony rubbed his face, "I don't even understand what the hell Clint sees in him."

"Me neither," Banner put in his two cents.

"Love is…a strange thing," there was nothing Steve could say, he wanted to defend Clint's feelings but he didn't understand it either, "but it seems Phil cares about him too."

"Seems that way," Tony remembered their last op.

"Hey guys missed me?" Clint appeared with Natasha and Phil in tow minutes later.

"Not really," Tony mocked. Clint played hurt and put a hand above his heart, "You wound me my friend."

"You'll live," Tony smirked.

"Sit down," Coulson interrupted, it wasn't the first time he visited the mansion and Jarvis actually authorized him to use the kitchen. "What do you want?"

"Let me help," Clint walked in the direction of the kitchen.

"No," Phil glared.

"Yes," Clint didn't back down. Steve frowned at Tony, "That's new," he mouthed, Stark nodded.

"No, that's my last word," Phil tried to stay hard.

"Yes," Clint passed him.

"You'll sit down and watch," Coulson called out.

"Hahahaa, you wish," they heard the amusement clearly in his voice.

"Damn brat," Phil muttered and followed, ignoring their grins.

"Hey what do you want?" Clint reappeared. They shrugged in surprise. "Casserole it is," he vanished again, leaving his stunned teammates behind.

"Ok I'm too nosy to stay here," Tony strolled into the kitchen, followed by his equally nosy friends.

"Let me help," Clint demanded. Phil swatted his hand away giving him a glare. "Okay," Clint pouted and sat down.

Phil sighed, he took two potato peeler and various vegetables, "You can help with the vegetable," he sat down next to Clint.

"Let us help too," Steve rolled up his sleeves before he got a knife.

"Let me finish the rest," Phil said after a long while. "Do you want to walk around for a bit?"

Clint shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah," he got up and walked up and down the kitchen, he had promised Phil to stay close. The older man kept a close eye on his lover while he finished peeling the last vegetable. Clint's doctor suggested Clint to stay longer but the young man refused. Phil had tried to persuade him to extend his stay but Clint hated infirmary too much.

"Phil?" Coulson looked directly at Clint waiting for him to continue, "I don't feel so good."

Phil got up like a flash and put an arm around his husband, "You need rest but you never listen."

"I don't want you to worry," Clint placed his forehead against Phil's.

"I worry more when you push yourself far enough to confess you feel sick," his tone softened. Gone was the moody Agent they had to endure the whole week.

"I know," Clint whispered. "Get some rest before dinner, okay?" Phil placed a soft kiss on Clint's lips.

"I look after him," Natasha appeared, she had brought Phil's bag into Clint's room.

"Thank you," Tony rubbed his ears to make sure he wasn't suffering from sudden hearing loss but it was real, an honest and warm thank you had left Phil Coulson's mouth.

"Stop starring, it's rude," Phil interrupted Tony's thoughts.

"That's more like you," Tony blurted out.

Phil raised a brow. "I'm indeed capable to show human emotions," he said.

"We can see that my friend," Thor looked thoughtful.

"He would never put up with me if I try to control him," Phil justified his demeanor.

"He orders you around," Banner looked up from his magazine.

"We're both a little bossy but yeah I let him have his fun and I like having his attention," Phil explained.

"Your love runs deep," Thor's eyes gleamed.

Phil smiled gently, "You can't even imagine how deep."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Lay down before you pass out," Phil pulled his lover closer. Clint pulled his legs up onto the couch and rested his head in Phil's lap. Their joint dinner was fun but it had been exhausting, too.

"I want to see that," Clint whined as Tony tried to change the channel.

"Okay, okay," Tony put up his hands in surrender.

"Why, you don't even like the movie," Phil nagged.

"I know." Clint snuggled against Phil, "but you do."

Phil's expression was absolutely heartwarming; you could practically feel the love radiating from Coulson.

"I still can't believe it," Tony muttered. He wasn't disgusted at all but he hadn't seen this one coming.

"How did it start?" Steve smiled at them. Clint looked so young while he lay there and even Phil looked years younger.

"Phil found me on the street," Clint held Phil's hand.

"You found yourself a stray?" Tony smirked at Phil.

"Yeah," he put his free hand on top of Clint's head, stroking through the soft hair.

"I left the circus, I loved to be an artist but I couldn't stand the life anymore. They taught me all I know but they didn't treat me well. No one ever did," he trusted them enough to be honest. "I was a mistake and my parents treated me like one. The orphanage wasn't homely either. They didn't have much money and they treated us like dirt. The next station was the circus. I had talent and they made me work hard. I practiced until my hands bled and my back ached. I got food when I was perfect, if not I had to go to bed with an empty stomach. I wasn't perfect at all but I learned fast. I had to learn fast. I love my bow," he smiled gently, "It's soothing."

"It was cold and rainy. He's a great pickpocket too. He stole my wallet and I caught him. I followed him into a back alley and he shot an arrow. Luckily he didn't aim to kill, I didn't know that back then but I'm grateful now." Phil sighed deeply, "I offered him a job and he agreed. After two years we met again. He finished his training and was assigned to O'Brian."

"I hate him," Clint closed his eyes, the movie wasn't interesting and he didn't need open eyes to recall the past.

"I know you do." Phil chuckled, "but I think he hates you more."

"Nooo," Tony mocked, "Sorry, what happened then?"

"Did you irritate him my friend?" Thor asked.

"Oh he did," Phil grinned. "O'Brian surrendered after the first week and he's a bad-ass."

"Nope. You're a bad-ass. O'Brian was just uptight," Clint interfered.

"After O'Brian Clint was assigned to Koslowsky."

"How long?" Steve's eyes gleamed.

"Two days," Phil raised a brow. "I'm not sure what happened."

"I hid her uniforms. She had to wear hot pants and a bra for the meeting; you can imagine that no one offered her a spare uniform," Clint didn't sound sorry at all. "What? We were in the middle of the desert. It was hot, the weather I mean."

"Uh-hu," Tony wiggled his brow.

"Oh, now I understand why the report vanished years ago," Phil nodded. "You're the devil."

"Nah, just bored," Clint said nonchalantly.

"Who was next?" Banner pushed.

"Hill, she survived him four months," Phil looked at Banner. "He disobeyed orders, didn't communicate with her and was … well his behavior wasn't the best. After that he was assigned to Boyd."

"He almost got me killed," Clint whined.

"I know that's why I took you off his team," Phil squeezed his hand.

"You always watched out for me," Clint squeezed back.

"I did."

"So nothing changed," Steve smiled, Phil was very protective of Barton.

"Nothing," Phil agreed. "Boyd ordered Clint to stay put even though he knew there was a bomb inside the building."

"My insubordination saved my life." Clint chuckled, "and people always said that's what gets me killed one day."

"What happened to Boyd?" Tony asked curious.

"He's somewhere in Siberia," Phil grinned, "Latrine fatigue for the rest of his life."

"Clint I want to apology for everything I ever said or will say that might offend you," Tony bowed before he refilled his glass. They laughed.

"Fury decided to assign Barton to me because it was my fault they had to put up with him.

The first few months were absolutely nerve-wrecking. We were constantly arguing and fighting, but things changed after I saved his life. I got hurt pretty bad and he stayed by my side the whole time. Natasha tried to persuade him to leave the hospital but he didn't. She was new, too and Clint didn't trust her at all. He stayed for days. The first thing I remember after I woke up was the feeling of a warm strong hand on mine. And there he was the undisciplined, disloyal menace of SHIELD. Holding my hand with worry in his eyes," Phil shivered at the memory. "That was the day I gained his trust and respect."

"I realized you truly cared. I knew you were different, no matter how much you played SHIELD's perfect soldier, your eyes gave you away. No one ever cared for me as much as you did," Clint caressed Phil's knee.

"Yeah and now you're stuck with a whole family," Steve half joked.

Clint just smiled.

"Please continue," Thor was fascinated by the story.

"We worked together for a few months and his behavior changed slowly but steady. He got rid of his authority problem. Almost. He's able to work with different handlers by now. Maria doesn't want to shoot him anymore. She's overly happy to give him back after a mission though," Phil laughed.

"I wanted to make you proud and nothing scared me more than your anger, that was disturbing. Still is," it was nice to let people in and Clint knew they'd never betray his trust. They were fucked up but good at heart.

"Coulson without Clint, that's what I call disturbing," Natasha settled down next to Thor.

"Care to elaborate on your opinion?" Coulson's cheeks turned slightly red.

"Every time someone borrows him Coulson's mood darkens," she explained, "he yells, he snaps, I mean you all ran from him all week... He almost ripped Fury's head of once."

"How did that happen?" Clint was curious, "You never told me about it."

"Uhm, he sent you on a mission and I came to know that the mission wasn't as easy as he told me it would be, else I would have never sent you. Fury knew that," Phil blushed, beating around the bush.

Natasha chuckled. "He yelled at Fury and threatened to shoot him in case you got hurt and Nick couldn't yawn for a week," she winked.

Their eyes widened. "Good you're a friend of Fury then," Thor sounded joyful.

"I had to handle extra paperwork for months," Phil mumbled.

Clint grinned, "Which mission?"

"Syria," Phil sighed.

Clint frowned. "I did get hurt then."

"You changed your mind?!" Steve tried to hide a smirk.

"I can't actually shoot my superior, can I?" Phil rolled his eyes, "and I was happy he survived at all."

"I broke my wrist," Clint remembered.

"Yeah," Natasha raised a brow, "and your skull, and one of your ribs and you tore your liver."

"Like I said," Phil inhaled deeply. "I was happy he survived."

"It was the last time for years I had to work without you," Clint realized. "He always sent the three of us, he still does if not absolutely necessary."

"Seems Tony isn't the only one who tends to get himself almost killed on a regular basis," Steve glared at his lover.

Tony grimaced, "Ha-ha." Clint enjoyed their banter.

"Please continue," Thor pushed.

"I followed him around like a love sick puppy," Clint remembered. "I watched him from above. I dragged him to the cafeteria with me. I did anything for his attention and I think one day he took pity on me."

"I was hopelessly in love with you and I just hoped you did what you did to signal that you feel the same," Phil replied, "that's why I asked you out."

"The date was fun," Clint's voice dripped with sarcasm. Phil snorted.

"That bad?" Banner broke his silence.

Phil clicked his tongue, "We got take-out, headed home, ended up in the middle of Chile, bruised and scratched, we saved the world, got patched up and fell into bed together. That was our first date."

Tony burst out laughing. "That was the adrenalin," he winked.

"Yeah and years of unresolved sexual tension," Natasha sighed.

"You're just jealous," Clint yawned.

"Definitely not," she made a face.

"We love you too," Clint's breathe evened out.

"How was your marriage?" Steve was curious.

"We had a little ceremony in a small church outside of town. Fury was my best man and Natasha was Clint's uhm best-woman," Phil winked at her. She flipped him off.

Tony choked on his drink at the thought, "Fury and Widow. I wish I had seen that."

"It was a beautiful wedding," she said, a gentle smile graced her lips. "I've got a copy of the video somewhere."

Thor cheered and persuaded her to bring the video along one day.

"I've never thought you could be human," Tony blurted out.

"I have to maintain a reputation," Coulson looked down at Clint.

"It's nice to know you're human though," Tony's eyes softened. "He loves you very much."

"I know," Phil sounded self confident. "I love him too. I can't imagine my life without him anymore. He's always around; whatever I do he stands beside me. I don't deserve him at all."

"Don't sell yourself short," Banner said, "He deserves unconditional love and protection and you're his choice. His heart knows what it deserves."

Phil smiled down at his lover, the flood of emotion was overwhelming but it felt good.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Stop fussing," Clint sighed. Phil brought him a pillow, "No."

"Phil," Clint said gentle. "I feel better and you can go back to work, really."

"No, I took personal leave," Phil lay down next to him; he liked the room Tony gave them.

"You don't have to," Clint shifted to get a better look at Phil. "You love your job."

"I love you more," Coulson watched his lover. "I meant what I said. You are more important. I neglected you for years. I realized that I can't have both."

"You can. It worked for years."

"It worked because you put up with all the shit."

"We work together, we go home together if possible, we share a home and duty. I like our life."

Phil licked his lips, "I want to spend more time with you, without paperwork. I want to eat lunch with you again, everyday. I want to take you out, like we used to. I want to treasure you the way you deserve it. I want the world to know that your mine. Are you crying?"

"Maybe," Clint sniffed, "but tears of joy. I'm not used to these kinds of tears; I don't know how to hide them."

"You don't have to hide anything," Phil put his hand on Clint's chest, "it's part of my job as a husband to encourage you to let out your emotions. I thought you know that by now. I'm not your father, I'm not your brother, I'm not a member of the orphanage and I'm not an artist. I'm your husband, I'm your friend, I'm everything you need me to be."

"I know," Clint smiled gently. "I would like to go out tonight."

"I don't think you're fit enough," Phil considered.

"Cinema? Picnic? Bar? HQ?" Clint used his best kicked puppy look.

"HQ?" Phil frowned, "absolutely not, no work. A bar is not safe enough. It's too cold for a picnic; it's not good for your health."

"What do you want to watch?" Clint got up to get his laptop, ignoring Phil's protest.

They went to their first date in months. Clint enjoyed the affection he got from Phil in public. It was pleasant to be a normal couple, no hiding, and no pretending.