Gently

17. Whisper, Whisper

There was a well-known correlation in S.H.I.E.L.D that went like this: the lower the agent's access level, the more ridiculous the rumours and stories about this agent or that agent were going to get. In his time, Clint had heard a fair few about certain S.H.I.E.L.D 'legends' (apparently Agent Lebron deactivated sixteen IEDs in the space of five minutes using nothing but a knife and fork; that Atlas statue outside the Rockefeller centre had been rigged up as an electromagnet by Agent Xing to keep a prison van from being car-jacked; somehow, Agent May had rescued a bunch of other agents with the help of a small herd of horses and one penknife; and not forgetting Agent Harrison, who fought off several blue sharks without scuba gear to protect his unconscious, floating charge), but as he and Bucky made their way to Fury's office – taking the broken-lift-route – there was only one person making the rounds today.

"… America's old sidekick…"

"… survived a 1000ft drop…"

"… -handedly took out an entire Nazi POW camp…"

"… said that all the kids wanted to be like Bucky…"

Glancing at Bucky out of the corner of his eye, Clint couldn't help but smirk. He could only just hear the whispers that followed them down each corridor of HQ, which meant that Bucky would have no problem hearing the younger agents singing his praises. If the look on his face was anything to go by, he was lapping it up.

"Think your head'll still be able to fit in Fury's office?" he joked as they entered a quieter staircase.

"You're just jealous it's not you they're gossiping about."

"Hey, I had my time. It was glorious, but I had to step aside."

"Why? Was the smug look starting to become imprinted on your face?"

"No – had to make way for hot pieces of gossip like this latest big-shot they're talking about."

"Yeah, I've heard about him. He sounds like a pretty incredible guy."

"Okay, seriously now. There's a door just here, and you need to be able to get through the rest of them while you still can." Bucky laughed, the sound echoing down the stairwell just as the whispers echoed down the corridor.

"… kicked a Nazi in the backside with his hands tied…"

"… as a kid spy who went behind enemy lines…"

True to form, the rumours started getting more realistic as they climbed (and Clint was going to have words with Fury about putting more staircases in this place – one between each floor at opposite ends of the corridor just wasn't funny), and neither Bucky nor Clint had a problem with this. Then they hit level five.

"… sidekick gone bad…"

"… in Russia, of all places…"

"… equivalent of the Bogeyman to kids over…"

Growing concerned, Clint slid a sideways glance at Bucky. The other man's expression had changed; through the lower levels he'd been somewhat proud of the rumours, grin spreading with each tale of grandeur that reached their ears, but now it had hardened into smooth nonchalance. He even managed to flash a smile when he realised Clint was looking, and assured him in the next stairwell that he could handle that kind of talk. So, with the barest hint of trepidation, they carried on up.

"… guy who took down an entire anti-Communist group in Hungary…"

"… best killer in the business…"

"… an ex-senator without leaving a trace…"

Clint could see it in his eyes – these comments weren't going unheard, but neither were they being ignored. "Just block them out, yeah? It'll pass," he muttered once they were alone, his hand automatically ghosting over Bucky's hip.

"I know," Bucky replied in a low, tight voice. There was a deep hurt in his eyes, one Clint wished he could wipe out somehow, because God knew that if he had the time to stop and kiss away all of Bucky's troubles and insecurities he damn well would. Instead, he settled for squeezing his hand reassuringly, and started up a meaningless conversation about nothing in particular as they stepped out onto the next level.

"… involved in an attack on the leader of Serbia…"

"… scientist's wife and family to force him to leave…"

"… good agent or not, he could still have triggers in that messed up –"

The only warning Clint had was Bucky's head snapping round in the direction of the last muttered words; acting just as quickly he grabbed him by the wrist, picking out the nearest door and forcefully pulling him into the blessedly empty room; Bucky started pacing as soon as Clint locked them in.

"Asshole!"

"Bucky –"

"Did you hear what he said?"

"Yeah."

"I bet they'll all say stuff like that up here, won't they?"

"I don't know, but –"

"Does Hill know? Does Fury?"

"Probably, but Buck, you just gotta ignore it –"

"Oh, sure, that's easy for you to say!" Bucky scoffed. "You can literally just tune people out when the bullshit starts flying."

"That doesn't mean I don't hear it to begin with."

"Right; but they don't say half the stuff about you that they do me, huh?"

Clint blew out a breath sharply. "We don't have time for this, Bucky."

"They think I'm gonna turn on them, that I still have the Winter Soldier programming on the back-burner –"

"Maybe, but –"

"Next they'll start saying stuff about me and the team!"

"They won't –"

"They think they know what's going on inside my head, Clint!"

"Exactly!" Clint near-shouted, reaching forward and gripping Bucky's shoulders firmly. "They have no idea what they're talking about, Bucky. But you know the truth – you and me, and Steve, Tasha, perhaps even Coulson and Fury. And that is what matters here." He moved his hands up, framing Bucky's jaw, and stepped close enough that they were almost chest to chest. "Forget about the rumours," he said softly. "I do."

Bucky breathed out shakily, anger and hurt still battling for dominance on his face. "Even when they're true?"

"Even when they're true." His thumbs stroked along Bucky's cheekbones, trying to sooth the roiling emotions that were just beginning to fade. "Would it help if I kept talking?"

A moment later, Bucky nodded. "Maybe a little," he mumbled, fingers tugging at the tight fabric of Clint's uniform.

"Then that's what I'll do." Clint leaned in for a quick kiss, taking Bucky's hands in his own again as he smiled at him. "Ready? Just a couple more floors to go."

They made it to the end of level seven without any further incident. Despite Clint's best efforts, Bucky still needed to take a minute in the stairwell at the end of level eight, and as he waited for him, a hand on resting lightly on his thigh, Clint added another (urgent) item to his 'Talk to Fury' list.

AN: Prompt: "Bucky going into a SHIELD office for some reason and being followed around by whispers behind his back: equal recognition of Captain America's sidekick and one of the most illusive bad guys. Eventually, it gets under his skin and Clint's there to the rescue (of the SHIELD people)?"

This was a toughie. Not totally 100% happy with it, but I've done all I can. :/