This chapter is Steve. They are at the Barton Farm in Age of Ultron and Clint overhears Steve during a nightmare.
Clint sighs in his bed for the third time. Careful not to wake Laura. God he couldn't sleep. He sits up and crawls out of bed, carefully stepping into his slippers. Laura stirs in her sleep but otherwise doesn't wake up. Tiptoes out of the room, leading to a hallway. He heads to the kitchen at the end of the hall.
Clint sits down and sloshes his drink around in his cup. Nothing new, just a shot of whiskey, in which he downs in a matter of seconds. Clint reaches for the bottle and sits there letting his thoughts get the better of him.
After a quite a few drinks and more berating statments about himself. He realizes that his eyes are drooping so he decides that he should to go to bed. Upon his walk back he hears a thump in the other room. He looks to the door and recogniezes in as Steve and Bruce's door. He walks in carefully, already knowing the door would squeak at a certain point, which he avoided with ease.
He runs into Steve thrashing around on his bed with a book on the floor next to him. So that was the thump. Bruce has woken with a start and is now kneeling next to the bed in an attempt to wake Steve.
Clint goes up to them and taps Bruce on the shoulder, not wanting to startle the scientist. Bruce looks at Clint and he can see the fear in his eyes. Clint takes over the job wordlessly.
He sits Steve up, dodging the punch that inevitably would come, Clint sits behind Steve and wraps his arms around steves chests so Clint's face is about shoulder high. He starts whispering reassurances into Steve's ear but Steve still isn't waking up. Clint knows that it's not good to wake someone but he doesn't think he has the strength to hold on anymore. Clint grunts as Steve breaks free and pins him down on the bed.
In a flash Steve is on top and his hands are wrapped around Clint's throat. This is when bruce jumps in. "Steve," He whispers urgently. "Stop. You're hurting Clint." After not stopping Bruce looks helplessly at Clint, who is wheezing as the Captain's hands claw at his throat.
Clint knows what is happening inside of Steve's head. Well, he doesn't know, but he has a guess that it has to do with what Wanda put inside of his head. Clint suddenly becomes aware of how lucky he is. Cap could've killed him in a second.
Clint chokes more and sputters as excess saliva gets caught in his throat. Bruce is getting concerned. He looks to Steve and then to his hands. Well, here it goes. Bruce lunges at Steve and shoves him off of Clint. Clint takes the opportunity and rolls off the bed. He lends gracefully and sinks too his knees gasping and holding neck.
He then becomes fully aware that Bruce is the one now under Steve. Clint stands up and pulls Steve off the bed. Grunting under the bulk, he pins Steve to the floor. THe fact that no one has awoken is a miracle in itself. They sound like a stampede.
Steve looks at him and Clint glares right back. Clint has used this techniche with Natsha more than enough times. Steves eyes become clearer and they are less glazes over. He can actually see Clint.
"Clint?" Steve looks around. "What…" One promised that Steve will not attack he goes to help Bruce up, who is frozen on the couch.
"You had a nightmare." Clint's voice is gravelly and broken from the partial damage to his vocal chords. Steve looks at him with large blue eyes clouded with guilt. "I'm sorry...I...I didn't mean to...oh my god...are you okay? Who...who did I even hurt." Steve stammers out.
"It's fine. But I recommend that you get up. Trust me, the floor is not the best place to nap." He gives a chuckle and turns to give a dry cough. Steve winces then looks remorsefully at his hands.
"It's okay Steve. It's not your fault." Steve smiles at the attempt of making him feel better.
Clint looks to Bruce and then takes his leave. Just as he is about to open the door "Clint? Thank you." Steve says before standing up and sitting down on the bed. Clint smirks and turns on his heel to his own room.
Steve is left staring at the ceiling as he processes what happened. He hears Bruce's breathing even out and assumes that he is sleeping. Steve shudders. He witnessed it all over again. Bucky fell. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have let Bucky join 'the howling commandos' And now because of him he's dead.
Steve wallows in his thoughts and he deliberately remembers choking Clint. His throat constructing under his fingers, Steve rolls onto his side and pushes the memories away. After a little bit his breathing calms down too.
Clint is back in his room. He stood by the door smiling as he looks at Luara sleeping peacefully in the bed. He walk over to the bed, not making any noise, and comfys himself under the blanket. Luara sense his presence and rolls onto her side. He smiles and wraps his arm around her before he too joins the land of dream.
Sorry for not updating my schedule has been catching up to me and I completely blanked out. The reviews really do help because Iwhen checking my email It reminds me. Thank you so much, more chapters coming up.