-IronHawk-

Rhodey had decided to watch the game, which game, Tony honestly didn't know, at Steve and Bucky's house. This meant Tony could dress for his date without the peanut gallery.

Tony applied extra antiperspirant under his arms, "Jarvis, why do they call it the peanut gallery?"

"Its origins may be in the audience of the Howdy Doody show," Jarvis started.

"I remember that show."

"According to Wikipedia: 'A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest and ostensibly rowdiest seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle the performers. Phrases such as "no comments from the peanut gallery" or "quiet in the peanut gallery" are extensions of the name' End quote."

"Well, it's nice to dress on my own without the peanut gallery," Tony pulled on a pair of black jogger pants and a soft gray t-shirt. He glanced through his sneaker collection, grabbing his electric blue high tops, "I need a pop of color."

He was deciding between his plain black hoodie or his black hoodie with a gray horizontal stripe when his doorbell rang.

"Sir, if I may, the sweatshirt with the gray stripe is a slim fit. It will showcase your shoulders and trim waist."

Tony grabbed the hoodie at Jarvis' recommendation, "You, my friend, are quite fashionable for not having a body." Tony made his way to the front door as he thanked his AI.

At the door, Clint was rocking back and forth on his heels. He was in a workout outfit, like Tony, long pants and jacket. Smiling broadly, he leaned to kiss Tony hello.

Patting his pockets, Tony had his phone and wallet. He stepped back and grabbed his sunglasses from the entry table. Closing the door behind him, Tony accepted Clint's hand as they made their way to the truck.

"Trapeze, huh? I guess someone had dreams of flying through the big top."

Clint bit back a laugh, "you could say that."

Tony side-eyed Clint, the other man's shoulder shook in silent laughter, "Come on, Legolas. Spill."

"Kinda grew up in the circus. It's where I learned archery. I'm not great at the trapeze or high wire but I'm better than the average person."

"Huh, grew up in the circus." Tony stared at Clint, nodding slowly, "You did, didn't you? How is that possible? Where your parents performers?"

They drove through Tony's neighborhood and connected to the main road. Clint shrugged nonchalantly but didn't settle back into his relaxed stance, "Nah, we were foster kids. Shuffled from one place to another. Things weren't great at the group home and one day, Barney, that's my older brother, he said to grab my stuff. Carson's Traveling Circus would take us if we worked hard."

Recalling that Clint had mentioned his brother had left him for dead, Tony used the rest of the driving time to the gymnasium to distract Clint with silly questions about circus life. The tension was gone and Clint was openly laughing as he explained how to give an elephant a bath, "The worst was when Ellie peed, it was like a fire hose."

"Her name was Ellie the Elephant?"

"Eleanor the Elephant but I called her Ellie."

Arriving at the gym, Clint removed his jacket to reveal a tank top. Tony was captivated by Clint's toned arms. Who knew that arms turned him on? Seriously? An arm kink? What is happening, Tony asked himself as his suppressed the urge to lick Clint's biceps.

A light cough took Tony out of his head and he had to take his eyes off of Clint's glorious arms. A staff person was standing next to Clint, the gym's logo splashed across the front of their t-shirt. Tony threw out his hand to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Tony. I'm Alexi."

Clint led them through the gymnasium to a long section along the far wall had trapeze bars hanging from the ceiling with large nets below. The rest of the gym was filled with mats, balance beams, parallel bars, and high bars.

"So, when are you going to come work for me?" Alexi asked Clint.

"Sorry, man. I am full up with jobs right now. Maybe I can fill in now and then."

"Yeah, yeah," Alexi nodded to Clint and turned to Tony, "have fun."

Surprised, Tony asked, "Aren't you going to show us the ropes so to speak?"

"I'll handle the lines from below. Clint will take care of you, up top."

Turning around, Tony saw Clint dropping his pants to reveal his gym shorts beneath. Biting his lip, Tony held back a snort. For someone who had such an impressive physique, Clint sort of had chicken legs. He did have a very nice ass. Very nice.

Tony took his own jacket off then following Clint's example, his socks and shoes.

"Want to stretch?" Clint asked him as he squatted into a deep lunge.

"Nah, I prefer to watch," Tony said as he stared openly at Clint's butt.

Shaking his ass, Clint smiled brightly as switched legs, "Come on, old man, stretch."

After stretches, they reviewed the equipment and lingo. "We'll try swinging and falling safely into the net. Then I'll show you how to hang from your knees. Sounds good?"

"Yup," Tony shook the net to check the tension.

Clint held out a safety harness, strapping Tony into it.

"You kinky bastard," Tony quipped, "we didn't even discuss my safe word."

Smirking, Clint leaned in and whispered, "my safe word is William Tell "

Rolling his eyes in amusement, Tony climbed the ladder to the shorter bar with Clint belaying for him. Once Tony was on the small platform, he unhooked his harness and connected it to the safety line. Clint scrambled up the ladder without a harness, hopping around the platform. He popped a kiss on Tony's cheek before sending his safety line below to Alexi.

Clint handed the fly bar to Tony, "Swing a few times then fall on your back. Alexi will keep you safe."

Tony wrapped his hands around the steel bar, tugging to test its pull.

"Yell out 'listo' when you are ready."

Inhaling for several seconds, Tony held his breath for several seconds before releasing it. He gripped the bar tightly and shouted, "Listo."

Tony swung out, his body hanging from the bar and flying through the air. It was exhilarating. He swung back and forth. He wanted to pull his legs up and hook them over the bar to swing from his legs.

"Tony, I know what you are thinking. Take it easy for your first time. Want to try dropping?" Clint shouted so he could be heard.

Tony tried to figure out when to drop, should he let go on his way back out to the middle or on his way back in? Deciding his was overthinking it, he let go as he passed the middle, curving slightly so he would land on his back.

He bounced on the net several times before he rolled towards Alexi. Scrambling out of the net, Alexi helped him to the ground. Tony whooped with joy, yelling up to Clint, "can I go again?"

At the ladder, Alexi tugged Tony back, "hold on, we have to switch lines."

Tony swung on the trapeze several times, getting a feel for it and the drop. He even managed to untangle his harness from the netting on his own, "can I swing from the knees now?"

Clint recliped the safety line, "go for it."

Swinging back and forth, he pulled his legs up until he was in position. Hooking them over the bar, he debated letting go of the bar. He waited one more swing before he released the bar. Swinging upside down, Tony let his arms hang as he swung from his knees, "Woo hoo!"

Back on the ground, Tony whooped again. Clint came down the ladder and picked up Tony into a bear hug. Clint spun him around and kissed him before letting go.

"Clint, this is so awesome," Tony couldn't stop grinning, "this is the best date ever."

"Good."

"Will you go? You haven't had a turn."

Clint nodded at Alexi and the two men went up the ladder without harnesses.

Tony called up, "don't you need me to belay your lines?"

"Nah, we are good," Clint called as he swung out to the other platform.

Tony heard Clint yelling, "hup," and then his brain short circuited as Clint swung through the air and completed a few flips before being caught by Alexi.

Clint had said he was better than the average person but it was very obvious that he was a liar. He was a lying liar who lies.

He was spectacular, well both Alexi and Clint were. They swung, flipped, and caught each other. Mesmerized, Tony couldn't take his eyes off of them. After about ten minutes, they flipped into the net and bounced off.

Tony only had eyes for Clint. His fit body glistening with a light sheen of sweat, his breathing slightly labored, his eyes shining. Good lord, this must be what he looked like during sex. Tony bit his lip, hard, as the urge to take Clint home was overwhelming.

-IronHawk-

A/N: Whew! It got a little hot for Tony at the end, didn't it?

If I have any details about trapeze wrong, please let me know. I watched a few videos and used Google to write this chapter.