Gently

25. On the Line

The silence buzzed in his ear as Clint stared at Maria Hill, wondering if he'd heard her correctly. She, in turn, watched him steadily, waiting for a response. He cleared his throat. "You want me to – what?"

Sighing, Hill rubbed her forehead. "The board would like you to bring your relationship with Agent Barnes to an end in order for him to fully excel in the new position we're offering him. Apparently, some members believe that you're… 'restricting' his potential."

Clint blinked at her, jaw open. "That's bullshit," he said.

"Agent Barton –"

"You're seriously telling me to do this?"

"It's not personal –"

"Telling me I'm a restriction on my partner's career progression? That's pretty fucking personal, Hill!"

"Barton!" she barked, eyes blazing, and he closed his mouth. "The board has made their decision – Barnes won't get this leadership role while the two of you are still together. It'll go to one of the other candidates, none of whom come close to his records. I'm sorry to be the one telling you this, truly, but if you want Barnes to succeed in S.H.I.E.L.D –"

"You don't know him very well, do you?" Hill frowned, and Clint stood up. "Our relationship is worth more to him than the job, Hill. Especially if these are the terms."

"They'll approach him as well," she warned him as he took his leave. He didn't answer her, fuming all the way home with the audacity of the board's request (what board? And who the hell was even on it?).

It was on that journey, however, that the real meaning of her words started to sink in; this wasn't a one-time ask. Whoever wanted to promote Bucky wanted to promote him badly and believed Clint was in the way, and not only were they going to try and get him to agree to this farce, they were going to try and make Bucky agree to it, too. And, S.H.I.E.L.D being S.H.I.E.L.D, they likely wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. He didn't know why he was so surprised, really. He'd been a burden to most people in his life: his father, his brother, Duquesne and Chisholm, even the Avengers sometimes. After all, he was just a guy with a bow and arrow trying to keep pace with power-laden supers and gun-wielding spies. It was only a matter of time before someone brought him down to a more appropriate level.

What hurt a little more was the idea that he was, indeed, holding Bucky back. From the minute he'd appeared in the twenty-first century, Bucky had had it tough – he'd had to deal with the knowledge of what he'd been forced to do by the Russians, then prove himself to Fury, then deal with the scrutiny and pressure from other agents who still believed him to be untrustworthy. All of this, while coming to terms with the new century, how it judged his preferences and how he was allowed to act on them… The last thing he needed after overcoming all of that, Clint concluded, was an archer trying to punch above his weight and dragging Bucky down with him.

When he finally stepped through the door to the apartment, the weight of his decision hung heavy around his neck, squeezing a little tighter when he took in the sight of Bucky sprawled easily on the couch, book in hand, iPod playing a gentle swing tune out loud that was making him tap his foot in time with the rhythm. "You know, I didn't go there often, but I don't remember Sweden being particularly exciting," he said as Clint closed the door.

"What?"

He waved the book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. "May recommended it. Wasn't sure I'd like it, but it's pretty cool. Think even you'd…" Trailing off as he looked round, his mouth crooked in a sympathetic smile. "Bad day?"

Clint didn't even care that it was obvious – he was already beginning to feel guilty. Part of him knew he shouldn't be, that really he should be angry at Hill and this mystery 'board', but as he slumped into the space on the couch Bucky made for him all he felt was a sense of inevitable defeat. "Hill called me in today," he began in a monotone. "She told me you were getting promoted."

Next to him, Bucky released a slow sigh. "Yeah," he said, "I had the same talk from Hand."

Something clenched in his chest, and he swallowed it down. "I'll go move my stuff out," he said, getting up quickly and hurrying to their room. Once he'd closed the door, he yanked out his hearing aids, blinking tears away from his eyes, and set about packing his clothes into a duffel bag. One draw of underwear and half a draw of t-shirts later, something in the corner of his eye made him stop; Bucky leant against the doorframe, watching him move with his arms folded over his chest, and when they made eye contact he straightened up slowly.

You're an idiot.

Surprised, and mildly confused, Clint watched as Bucky went to his duffel bag and began unpacking all the clothes he'd stuffed into it. Catching him staring, Bucky tapped his ear, and Clint slipped his aids back in with just a little reluctance. "I told Hand she could offer me the Seven Wonders of the World and enough money to bump Tony Stark down the billionaires list and I still wouldn't break up with you."

"You… You did?"

"Of course I did."

"Why?"

Throwing the last t-shirt onto the bed, Bucky came round to stand directly before him. With no finesse whatsoever, he pulled Clint into a firm kiss, ending it as soon as Clint processed what was happening. "That's why," he snapped, his grip either side of Clint's neck tight. "Next time you want to make a decision for me, how about talking to me first?" He let go, leaving Clint stood – a little dumbstruck – at the foot of the bed as he made for the door. "And don't ever doubt your importance to me again."

Alone, Clint finished what Bucky had started, and eventually dropped the empty duffel bag in its usual space. By that time, he'd worked out what it all meant: Bucky had turned down the promotion. Bucky valued their relationship more than he did his job. He had been right all along. With a groan, he dropped his forehead against the wall, realising he was the idiot Bucky said he was and already thinking of ways he'd have to make it up to him. Sex, he decided. And buying pizza take-outs for an entire month.

AN: Prompt: "Could you write a chapter, where Clint is asked to break up with Bucky, so that Bucky can accept a leadership position? Some may think that he is held back by Clint. Of course Bucky does not accept, he knows the truth ;)"