Sorry! Long week! Have some chapters of some fics written though, cause I had alot of time!
And hello followers! Nice to meet you all!
Now, onto the next!
Reviewers;
Niom Lamboise; Really glad you're enjoying it :) Hope you like the rest! :)
DISCLAIMER; STILL DON'T OWN!
He couldn't remember the last thing he remembered
How fucked up was that?
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember.
Something happened, that's all he knows.
Something happened to have him currently lying in the back seat of a car, Natasha speeding her way down some highway. Something happened to have her talking way too fast, to have Wanda beside her talking equally as fast.
Something happened to have Pietro unnaturally quiet.
That last point had him more worried than anything.
He was lying across the back seat of the car, what confused him most was that his head was resting on Pietro's lap. The kid was just watching the pair in the front of the car, but his hand was lazily running through Clint's hair which nearly lulled the archer back to sleep.
"It's happened plenty of times before." He heard Natasha say, but his eyes remained trained on the underside of the speedster's chin. He had some stubble that Clint has never noticed before. He always thought of clean shaven when he thought of Pietro. "We usually force him to rest it off, but couldn't do it this time obviously."
"Can we go to your place?" He asked quietly, smirking to himself when he saw Pietro leap from fright. The kids eyes were on him in an instant, and Clint could swear he saw relief in them. Did something really bad happen? "You know how much I hate Stark's place."
"Sorry Hawk." Natasha laughed, and he rolled his head to look at the back of hers. Wanda was looking back at him with a smile. "Already called ahead. Steve's insisting."
"Well, what the good captain wants.." He laughed out, giving a slight grunt then as he tried sit up.
Pietro's hands moved away, but remained close incase Barton needed some help, he assumed. Natasha shot him a look real quick that told him to lie his ass back down, and after years of teaming with the deadly assassin, he knew better than to disagree.
Pietro's lap was surprising comfy anyway.. And he just somehow knew that one thing that calmed him down was someone playing with his hair.
"I allowed know what happened?" He whispered to Maximoff when the girls were busy chatting once again, and something passed Pietro's face that Clint couldn't quite decipher.
"You don't remember?" He whispered back, his hand pausing in it's playing, and Clint found himself wishing it hadn't.
A simple shake of his head had Pietro sighing. He gave the archer a little smile then, one that Clint couldn't help but return.
"Bad attack." Pietro said so quietly he could barely catch it, and Clint knew why. Whenever he had a bad panic attack, a bad flashback, Natasha always tried hide it, always told the others not to mention it because more often than not it managed to trigger another one. But something about the softness of Pietro's voice, something about how easily he said it and how little a deal he made about it, something about the way his hand resumed playing with the strands of the archers hair just had a calm feeling flowing through his body rather than a panic stricken one.
"Well.. That sucks." Clint said with a slight grin, his eyes slipping closed as he found it more and more difficult to stay awake. The only good thing about wearing himself out to the point of collapse after bad missions was that he was so exhausted afterwards he just slept like a baby!
Pietro didn't say another word, he didn't need to. He just let Clint slip into a sleep. The sounds left, the pain left, the bump of the road left. But the feel of the hand running through his hair stayed, and it lulled him into one of the nicest sleeps he's had in a long time.
He hated this tower. So damn much!
It was probably some psychological thing with him. Since it became basically Avenger's HQ, he just seemed to associate it with missions, with going into Hydra territory looking for Loki's sceptre. That damn sceptre..
That blue orb, the infinity stone they later learned, that damn sceptre that managed to turn him into a mindless zombie and attack the city he loved..
Don't Clint.
Breathe.
He took a deep breath with his eyes closed for a moment, probably earning a strange looks from those in the living area with him, but they should be used to this by now!
A week since his attack and he still hasn't gotten all the details. Pietro seems cautious around him, and he noticed the Wanda watches him a lot more carefully aswell.
He really hoped it wasn't a violent attack. He had them a lot after the New York battle. Whatever flashback would go through his mind would have him attacking anyone near him. Natasha sported a nice broken wrist for a while after one incident at the dinner table.
He had no idea what triggered the attacks, no clue how to stop them. All he could do was handle them, and hope to whatever lord is out there that he doesn't do some serious damage to either himself or those around him.
"Now I know where I know you from!" Wanda cheered out of no where, and Clint had to open his eyes to see who she was talking about. His mouth formed an 'o' shape when he realised it was him.
"Uh-oh." Steve snickered from next to the archer, taking a swig from his beer with a smile the Captain usually got when he did something mischievous.
"You're the archer Hawkeye!" She said with a grin, and the whole room's eyebrows raised.
"I think they already know that." Pietro said to his sister, and Clint could hear him trying to hold back a laugh.
He looked to Natasha by his side and gave her a wink, he knew what Wanda was getting at, and the wink to Natasha was his way of letting her know it was nothing to be spoken aloud! She just grinned and nodded, always amused by his circus stories! More so the pictures, because god damn that purple get up was the most embarrassing thing he ever donned..
He remembered doing some shows around the area of Sokovia alright, near the end of his run with the group, when he was at his best, when the circus was at it's best! He never thought that the twins would have seen him though, but Pietro across from him just seemed dumbfounded so he obviously didn't remember.
A knowing grin spread across Wanda's lips, and he just knew she was in his head right now.
"I am." He replied with a nod, taking a swig of his own bottle. "Well observed!"
"You HAVE to teach me that trick with the spinning person!" She grinned, shooting up from her seat like an excited child. He couldn't hold back his laugh.
Sure, it had been a while since he's done any of his old tricks!
"Why not." He laughed, chugging down the last of his drink before standing. "If Captain Rogers agrees to be my assistant!"
"Assistant to a carnie trick?" Steve asked with an eyebrow raised, but the smile he held told Clint he was only teasing. "Oh I dunno.. You might have lost your touch through the years.."
"It doesn't matter." Pietro said suddenly, cutting Clint's smart comment off. He looked to the kid with an eyebrow raised, the other three in the room doing the same. "He has to rest."
"It's just a little shooting, kid." Clint sighed, shaking his head at the comment. "I've done it with broken arms and concussions."
"Well, I wasn't there those times." Pietro replied with a frown. Clint couldn't figure this kid out. One minute he'd be joking, and the next he'd be like this.
He just waved him off with a laugh and went to the little kitchenette to get some apples. "Relax worry wart! It's just three arrows! I can do it with my eyes closed!"
"I thought the trick was eyes closed!" He heard Wanda call, he had to smirk at her memory. He juggled three apples in his hand as he walked back into the sitting area.
"Good point. It will be with my eyes closed!"
He frowned a little when he noticed Pietro was gone, glancing to the side he could just see the retreating back of the speedster as he walked down the hall that led to their bedrooms.
He didn't like upsetting the kid, he really didn't. But it was just a trick, and Wanda had asked. He could hardly turn them down.
He squinted a little when the all too familiar thump of a migraine started behind his eyes. He'd have to take some pain killers in a few. Right now though, he handed Steve the apples with a grin.
"It's easy!" He cheered, seeing an uneasy face on the Captain wasn't something he'd ever get used to! "One on your head, one in each hand. Hold your hands up and out, I'll block one side of each apple with a piece of paper, eyes closed, shoot three arrows at the same time, simple!"
The laugh Natasha gave was just as priceless as the look on Steve's face that earned it. He was as white as the paper the archer was currently drawing a little target on.
"The great Captain America, survives a plane crash, and is afraid of a little arrow." Clint laughed, letting Natasha take the paper and set the Captain up while Clint went to the cabinet in the room to get his bow and arrows.
"I have to what!?" Steve suddenly yelled, and Clint grinned to himself, figuring that Natasha told him the last little bit of the trick.
"Oh yeah! You have to spin around!" He cheered, taking a knee a little away from Steve and nocking three arrows like it was nothing. He had to do this 360 days a year, night after night. He could do this in his sleep.
Wanda was watching on like an excited child and it was nice sight!
Their parents. He doubted they went with whatever home they were put into after being left alone, at least the homes he was in would never take him and Barney to a circus. Most times a treat was just an extra slice of toast in the morning. Their parents much have taken them before their passing, so this would be a good memory for the girl. How could Clint pass this up knowing that!?
Is that why Pietro walked off..? Does he actually remember it and doesn't want to remember his parents?
Why doesn't he know much about this pair that have shared his life for so long. .?
"It's fine! You'll be fine, I promise!" Natasha's laughing words hit his ears as he closed his eyes and it caused him to take pause.
The headache thumped, he could feel his hands shake.
"It's fine. You'll be fine, I promise." Natasha whispered to him, but he was taking no notice. He needed out of this place, he needed to get out and go find Wanda, he needed to apologise, he needed to seek her forgiveness. He needed to sort things out for Pietro, he needed to help her bury him, he couldn't let anyone else do it! So he trashed in the bed, even as Steve held him down by the shoulders.
"He's dead!" He rasped out, trying to hold back sobs that were threatening to take over his body. "He jumped infront of me! He saved me, and now he's dead!"
"Clint!" Her voice broke through to him, and in a blur Natasha came into sight right infront of him. Steve and Wanda were either side of her, but she was the one with her hands on his cheeks. "You're ok, you're safe."
The bow and arrows were no longer in his grip. He panicked for a moment and looked to Steve, afraid that he let the arrows fly with shaky hands. No arrow was in him, so that was one thing to lessen his worry.
"You're ok." Natasha said once more, her hands leaving his cheeks when he came a little more back into the present. "Know what triggered it?"
Bow? No, he used that plenty of times since his last one.
Circus memories? They were different flashbacks.
It was the same flashback as the one last week, only shorter because Natasha knew how to bring him out of it.
What was the same between these two times..?
"Pietro.." He whispered with slightly wide eyes, stumbling to his feet and running off in the direction of the speedster's room.
Both times Pietro was involved. Both times, he had a silly disagreement with the kid. Both times he upset Pietro, both times one of them stormed off and left the other alone. Both times ill feelings were present between the two.
Pietro was causing these, and he had no clue how to stop them!
Confrontation. That's all that was running through his mind. Confront the problem, analyse the problem, if needs be take out the problem.
He didn't knock, he swung open the door once he got to it and glared at the startled kid sitting on the bed, he was sitting there reading the back of a dvd case.
"If you wanted to catch me naked.." Pietro started with a slight smirk, and Clint shook his head quickly. The migraine was getting worse, why was it getting worse?
"I just.." He started, finding that he couldn't actually find the words though.
I just wanted to make sure you were ok?
I just needed to know you're still alive?
I just need you to explain why the fuck you didn't let me die?
I just want to sit with you?
I just want to be with you?
I just don't want us to fight anymore?
I just can't have us fighting anymore..?
I just need you..?
That's what the similarity was. Those two times, sure, he upset Pietro. And that may be part of the reason. But the other reason is Pietro wasn't around. When Clint was upset, or annoyed, those two times, he wasn't around Pietro.
I just need you.
"I just wanted to say sorry.." He eventually said, Pietro had obviously realised that something was wrong, because he was off the bed and infront of Clint now. Those eyes were on. Those eyes he saw a week ago in the back of the car.
"For out there?" Pietro asked with an eyebrow raised, waving the archer off with a smile when he gave a nod of confirmation. "I just want you relaxing, Barton. So we can get out of this tower and back to the nice little farm."
"You still want to go back there?" Clint asked in slight shock, his migraine beginning to lessen. Damn, just being around him even helped. "Even after last week?"
"Well, I don't get to see you topless nearly as much here."
Clint rolled his eyes at the speedster's smirk, shaking his head as he turned to leave the room. Here he was thinking Pietro was serious about wanting to live at the farm! "You're an ass."
"If you can't face them yet, I'm about to watch a movie" Pietro said softly, causing Clint to pause with a hand on the door. "Hurt Locker. Natasha recommended it. Might be a good distraction."
"Your sister teaching you to read minds or something?" He asked quietly, debating if he should stay in here or not. Be better than facing Natasha. Be better than facing the scrutiny of Wanda. His headache wasn't as bad in here, and he really wanted to stay with him.
"Not really." Pietro laughed, Clint could hear the click of a dvd case and the tv on the wall being turned on. "But you had that look in your eyes when you came in. The one from the barn. So, relax for a while."
Relaxing for a while sounds perfect. So, he nodded and moved back to the bed, not making eye contact with Maximoff though. He put the pillow against the head board and sat back as the movie began, Pietro happily sitting next to him on the bed.
Silence enveloped them for the two hours. Not a word, not a sound. No an awkward moment.
It was a seriously nice silence, and a perfect moment, one that Clint could get used to.
When he woke, he was seriously confused.
Though his eyes were closed, the scent of wherever he was just wasn't familiar to him. Not his room, so he didn't go back there last night. Not a hospital, so nothing bad happened that had him strapped down for another stay in the psyche ward.
Just, somewhere unfamliar.
Clint Barton. Archer. SHIELD agent. Avenger. Little fucked in the head, gotta keep reminding yourself of this stuff.
Circus trick. Flashback. Pietro.
He opened his eyes with a curious pout when the last thought swam through his mind, the memories of last night slowly started slipping back into his mind.
They had settled down to watch a movie. He got about 40 minutes in before falling to lie a little more comfortably. About 50 minutes in before his head managed to rest against Pietro's side. About and hour before he couldn't remember much else.
You idiot.. You fell asleep here..
He was on his side on the bed, so when he opened his eyes he was greeted with the sleeping face of Pietro on the other pillow. One of his arms was behind his head, under the pillow, a comfort thing the guy must have. The other, well, that hand was resting gently on Clint's hip.
What's worse is, he didn't seem to mind. It was comforting, having someone's hand so protectively resting on your hip would make anyone happy.
But it shouldn't.
He shouldn't be happy about waking up here.
He shouldn't be happy that this was one of the only morning's he woke up voluntarily, not spooked awake or forced awake.
He shouldn't be happy that last night was the only night in a long time he didn't startle awake with nightmares.
He shouldn't be overjoyed waking to see Pietro so calmly sleeping next to him.
Yet he was. And it had him giving a relaxed sigh before nuzzling the pillow to try find sleep again.
It wouldn't come.
His mind was too focused on the hand resting on his hip, the weight of it, the feel of it, the tingle it managed to give him.
He wasn't lying down properly when he fell asleep, that much he could remember. So did Pietro position them like this? Did Pietro lie him down when the movie was finished and just automatically fall into this position?
Or did he even know Clint was still here?
Dammit, you gotta get up Barton.
If he wakes and didn't know that you were here then you're fucked!
Carefully, slowly, like he learned to do when slipping out of a stake out room with Natasha, he slipped the hand from his hip and got out of the bed. Without another sound, without a word, he left the room he was so happy in a moment ago and headed down the hallway.
"Well, look who decided to join us!" He froze when Stark's voice hit his ears, turning his head with an eyebrow raised to see himself, Natasha, and Steve sitting in the kitchen area with some breakfast. "We were about to throw some ice water over the pair of you."
Clint groaned a little and face palmed, making his way into the kitchen anyway.
"I just fell asleep watching a movie." He mumbled, busying himself by pouring a cup of coffee. "Nothing else."
"There we were worried about you.." Stark continued, and even though Clint was watching his coffee mug with his back facing the room, he could practically see the smirk across his face. "Then Romanoff and Wanda find you two all curled up in each others arms. I hope he took you to dinner first!"
"Tony." Natasha scolded, though Clint could hear the chuckle threatening to break through. He felt her hand on his shoulder then and he looked to see the 'You ok now?' face on her.
He just nodded and grabbed his mug of coffee, leaving the trio in the kitchen to go to his own room.
He didn't know what went on with Pietro last night. Definitely wasn't what Tony was suggesting, he'd remember if it was.
When in his room, he left the coffee on the night stand and stripped down, then headed into the shower while his mind wandered.
He never even let Natasha that close. And they've been partners for years.
Yet, all he wanted to do right now was go back to Pietro's room and act like he never left.
He let out a sigh as he stood under the stream of water, letting his forehead rest against the cold wall tiles.
What was this kid doing to him..?