Author's Note: Sorry! So late in posting… bad me…

Disclaimer: Don't have anything to do with Marvel and their wonderful play-land of creations … sigh…

Knowledge

Bruce looked up from his morning paper with a smile as he heard the distinctive click, click of heels approaching the kitchen. Since Pepper had already left for work (promising she would be back in time for Tony's movie marathon) the doctor suspected it to be Natasha. Sure enough the female assassin made her way into the kitchen and offered Bruce a warm smile.

"Morning doc."

"Good morning," Bruce returned the smile. "Feeling better I see."

"Much better," Natasha nodded, making her way to the coffee machine. Bruce opened his mouth to comment further but paused as Clint slouched through the door.

"You look worse than Natasha did last night," the doctor commented, arching an eyebrow as the archer slumped into a seat and dropped his head onto his crossed arms. Behind Bruce, Natasha chuckled.

"Tony's fault," Clint grumbled. "And I'll bet he's not going to be dragged out of his bed at stupid o'clock."

"You're presuming he's even gone to bed," Bruce commented. Clint merely grunted. Natasha sat down opposite Bruce, the two exchanging an amused look. The doctor shook his head slightly and returned a more serious look to Natasha although not too sombre. "You slept well?"

"I did," Natasha nodded. "And I'll admit I did stand up a little too quick when I got out of bed but other than that I am feeling much better."

"Good," Bruce nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. Natasha turned her head slightly so she was side on to the door. The doctor glanced up at the clock, also hearing the sound of footsteps approaching.

"Steve's early," he commented. Clint let out another grunt but did not raise his head. Natasha raised an eyebrow in the archer's direction before shaking her head.

"It's not Steve."

"Good morning!"

This time Clint did raise his head.

"Thor, buddy, indoor voice, please," he groaned, letting his head drop again. Thor frowned concernedly.

"Are you unwell?" he asked, crossing the room and placing a hand on Clint's shoulder. Natasha scoffed.

"Self inflicted, don't give him any sympathy."

"Tony inflicted," Clint corrected. Thor nodded knowingly, taking a few steps away in the direction of the toaster, pulling a box of pop tarts from the cupboard above. The god of thunder quickly proceeded to heat his food, making his way back to the table, dropping ungracefully into one of the seats. Shoving one of the tarts into his mouth he looked around the table.

"Natasha! What happened?" Thor leant forward suddenly, noticing the wound on the assassin's head. Natasha took a deep breath, bracing herself for an onslaught of fuss from the Norse God. Bruce arched an eyebrow, shaking his head slightly as indeed Thor proceeded to fuss over Natasha, apologising profusely for his absence and demanding every little detail.

"Perhaps you should sneak off?" the doctor leant over and whispered to Clint. The archer raised his head, blinking blearily at Bruce before glancing over at Thor and Natasha. With a faint nod he clambered to his feet, offering Natasha a faint smirk as he made his way toward the door. He stopped however as a figure blocked his way.

"Oh. Good morning," the archer forced a smile at Steve. The soldier returned a nod… and proceeded to slip past into the kitchen. Clint clenched his jaw and inhaled deeply. Rolling his eyes he let out a weary sigh and continued on down the corridor.

x-x-x

Clint's eyes flew open as he felt a sharp blow to his chest.

"Wakey, wakey Legolas," Natasha whispered. Clint curled his lip up and closed his eyes again.

"The first film's boring," he replied quietly. "Nothing happens."

"Well it's just finishing."

Clint opened his eyes again just in time for Tony to instruct JARVIS to raise the lights.

"I slept through the whole film?" Clint asked, stretching his arms out.

"Good thing you don't snore," Natasha smirked. Clint rolled his eyes slightly before turning his attention to the rest of the room, everyone else also stretching and adjusting to the change in light.

"I enjoy these motion pictures greatly but I am unaccustomed to sitting still for so long!" Thor stood and stretched his arms over his head. Bruce smirked and turned to Steve.

"What do you think so far then?"

Steve blinked rapidly as he looked back at the screen but his lips curled into a smile.

"I enjoyed it," the soldier nodded.

"Told you so," Tony grinned before turning quickly to Clint. "Right Barton, I've waited long enough. I want details."

Clint rolled his eyes, knowing full well what the billionaire was talking about.

"There's nothing to tell Stark," he shrugged.

"Nonsense," Tony leant forward, ignoring Pepper's elbow digging into his side. "How did you propose?"

"Does it matter?" the archer sighed as he noticed a slight frown pulling on Steve's brow.

"What is this?" Thor too wore a frown - but for a different reason.

"Barton and Natasha are married," Tony explained quickly, instantly returning his attention to Clint. "Come on! Did you get down on one knee?"

Clint sighed.

"I was lying in a hospital bed with a blown knee, three broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken arm and the mother of all concussions," he arched an eyebrow. "I did not get down on one knee."

"So, what? You were just lying there battered and bruised and… what? Hey 'Tasha, how about we get married so we can pull each others plug?"

Natasha chuckled quietly as Clint smirked.

"Pretty much," the female confirmed. Tony shook his head.

"Disappointing Barton. Did you at least buy her a ring?"

Again Clint's eyebrow arched as his arm reached around Natasha's shoulder. Slipping his hand under the neckline of her v-neck t-shirt – earning a wide eyed look from several of his companions – he pulled out a chain which held a silver ring. Tony quickly shook off his surprise and clambered to his feet.

"Not bad," he admitted, nodding approvingly. "I guess having a gay husband has its advantages."

Natasha scoffed.

"Yeah, cause Clint is such a jewellery expert," she commented sarcastically, returning the necklace to under her t-shirt.

"But… what if you wished either of you to marry for real?" Thor – who had just been properly filled in on the situation by Bruce – asked, his brow still furrowed slightly. Natasha's eyebrow arched.

"I do not really believe in marriage."

"What about your hubby?" Tony asked after the brief silence that showed Clint had of intention of answering. The archer shrugged.

"At the time it was not an issue," he replied dismissively. Tony nodded understandingly.

"But now it's not. What if you meet Mr tall, dark and perfect… and gay… and you want to get married? Would you ask her for a divorce?"

Clint glared back at the billionaire but it was Natasha who replied.

"I would sign the papers," she confirmed. A brief silence fell but it was broken soon enough as Steve stood.

"I'll go fill up the popcorn shall I?"

Tony's mouth opened as the soldier grabbed up the bowls and briskly made his way toward the door but a well aimed cushion to the face silenced him. Quickly getting over his surprise Tony turned to look at Clint.

"What?"

"Marriage is a sacred commitment in the eyes of god between a man and a woman will you stop going on about how me and Tasha are married just so we can pull each others plug and why the hell bring up the fact that I can marry another man if I wanted?" the arched hissed. Tony frowned.

"He has to get with the times," he replied although he did lean back, a sign he was relenting. Clint sighed quietly and offered him a look that apologised for snapping but showed his gratitude the other man was on his side. Tony nodded and clapped his hands together. "Well everyone better go have a bathroom break or something. Next film goes on in ten minutes!"

x-x-x

Clint smirked as he felt Natasha's head getting heavier on his shoulder.

"You want to go to bed?" he whispered.

"No, no, it's ok," Natasha insisted. Two minutes later however; "Bed time."

Clint smiled to himself as he helped her sit up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tony asked. "Film's not finished."

"It should have ended five minutes ago. This ending drags on and on," Clint replied. The third film was nearing the end anyway and it was not like he had not seen it before. Tony gave a small nod in agreement and waved them on. Steadily the two assassins made their way up to Natasha's floor, the archer escorting the female into her room. Barely had she clambered into her bed and said good night and Natasha was sound asleep. Clint hung around for a short while, regarding his friend - his wife - thoughtfully before finally letting out a weary sigh and heading for the door.

Making his way back down in the elevator the archer made his way to the kitchen, pouring himself a drink. Leaning back against the counter he stared down into the liquid as he contemplated rejoining the others. He looked up startled as he heard movement by the door. A silent sigh escaped his lips as he found Steve carrying through some of the dirty dishes and rubbish from their selection of food.

"That the movie finished?" the archer asked, inhaling deeply as Steve just nodded. "You enjoy them?"

"Yeah," the soldier replied simply, turning away to put dishes in the sink. Clint frowned heavily.

"Would it really kill you to say more than two words to me?" the archer grumbled, pushing himself away from the counter. "I'm still the same guy you used to speak to all the fucking time."

Throwing what was left in his glass down the sink Clint turned sharply and made his way toward the door. A quiet sigh escaped Steve as the soldier bowed his head, a frown pulling on his brow.

"He has a point you know."

Another sigh passed Steve's lips.

"Don't start Tony," he said tiredly, looking up briefly at the billionaire standing in the doorway before returning his gaze downward.

"Come on Steve, he's had a shit couple of days, he just wants you to be a friend!"

"Well maybe we can't be friends any more."

A brief silence fell.

"Wow. Just… wow…" Tony crossed his arms as Steve kept his gaze fixed on the floor. "I know you were brought up different from us and all that man out of time jazz but open your damned mind will you?"

"Wh… no… I…" Steve looked back up but Tony had already turned and walked away, still muttering under his breath. The soldier let out yet another weary sigh, continuing quietly to himself. "That wasn't what I meant."