It took three weeks for Clint Barton to be given a clean bill of health and the second week into his convalescence Tony decided they would have a big party when he was better.

Steve was never big on parties, he always did the obligatory smiles and laughs but it was never the place for him. He didn't tell Tony though, smiling and nodding when his lover decided on the idea and avoiding Nick Fury's eyes when Tony asked him.

When they were about to leave Nick's 'office', Nick touched Steve's shoulder and asked, "A minute, Steve?"

Tony looked confused and slightly worried but Steve just nodded, smiling back at Tony once and saying, "It's fine, I'll be right up."

When he came back to their room Tony was staring at him accusingly and asked, "What was that about?"

He wanted to lie, but instead confessed, "Nick asked if I was all right with the party."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Because…?"

Steve looked away, blushing, "I'm not very good at parties. Nick…he knows that and just wanted to…be sure I was okay with this one."

Steve pulled off his shirt and climbed into bed, turning to look at Tony.

The other man was staring with wide, shocked eyes.

"No, no, it…there's no way," Tony said, apparently coming to conclusions on his own.

Steve braced himself and said softly, "Tony, it's…it wasn't…Nick and I…"

Tony laughed nervously and then stopped, looking hurt.

"You told me you hadn't had sex with anyone since the serum."

Steve didn't look away. "Which knowing that I slept with Natasha after Bucky died, you should have come to conclusion that I meant anyone normal. Natasha and Nick both have more to them than most humans, they're not as…breakable."

Tony blushed, embarrassed. "Oh. I forgot about Natasha."

Steve sighed, pulling Tony close but being rebuffed. "Tony, Nick and I were just purely for convenience. Neither of us had feelings for the other and it didn't last very long. A year, maybe."

Tony still looked put off, his arms crossed over his bare chest and making no move to crawl under the sheets with Steve. "Still. How the fuck am I supposed to compete with Bucky Barnes and Nick fucking Fury? Is he better than I am? Scratch that, I don't wanna know."

Steve laughed, forcing Tony over to him and pulling the other man close to him. He leaned over Tony and whispered, "I never loved Nick and the love I had for Bucky was nothing…and I mean nothing," he looked up at Tony and kissed him softly, "Compared to the love I have for you."

Tony smiled, "I love you," he said, kissing Steve.

Steve pulled him closer and their kiss deepened, tongues battling for dominance and Steve winning easily when Tony melted in his arms.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The scene I wrote as was is against the site's guidelines so I've posted it to my LJ and the editor for the site will not allow me to post a link though there is one in my author profile. My LJ name is kinneytaylor. There will be MANY scenes in this story I will have to do the same to, but I don't want to try and CENSOR them INTO SOMETHING MORE tame so this will have to do. Sorry.

Tony was beaming. "Hell yes. As soon as my brain and body are back online."

Steve leaned in close and kissed him quick before leaning over to turn off the light.

"Just let me know," he offered.

"Tomorrow morning. Or tonight, in the next two hours," Tony calculated.

Steve smiled in the dark, curling up against Tony. "I might be asleep then."

"Who said YOU needed to be awake?"

Steve kicked him and Tony yelped. He kissed the back of Tony's neck, pulling them close together. Even in the dark he knew Tony's toes were curling and that his breathing was slowing down.

"Tell me again why I'm in love with you," he whispered.

"Because I'm a better lay than Nick Fury, obviously, and…because we belong together."

Steve sighed, content.

"Of course. I'd forgotten," he whispered.

"I'll always remind you," Tony said.

Even in the dark he knew Tony was smiling.

Clint Barton was let out of the hospital wing but while he was determined to get back into the thick of things, Director Fury had decided to keep him off the roster for the time being. Despite his protests, of which there were many, Nick refused to budge.

"You need at least a week, get back into things, reconnect," Nick said, his eyebrow lifting.

Clint looked away and mumbled, "So that's it."

"Yes, Hawkeye. I trust there is no complaint."

Clint got up from the chair and walked off, leaving Nick alone.

He left Nick's makeshift office and ran right into the person who had been avoiding him since he'd gotten out of the hospital. Bruce looked flustered, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Sorry," he mumbled, trying to walk off.

Clint grabbed his arm tightly. "Stop."

Bruce froze but still did not look at him. "I have important things to do, Hawkeye. If you need to discuss something there are many other…"

Clint squeezed. "Quit fucking with me, Banner. Look at me."

Bruce did, his face an impassive slate. "Yes?"

"Why are you avoiding me?" Clint asked, trying not to whine.

"I have no idea where you got the idea I was…" Bruce started and Clint grabbed him quickly, kissing him.

He kissed Bruce for a few seconds before pulling away, realizing he was not being kissed back.

Bruce looked very angry at him. "Are you finished?" he asked coldly.

Clint swallowed. "What's changed? A month ago you were throwing yourself at me, telling me 'I'm not finished' and now you act like I'm shit on your fucking shoe!"

Bruce looked away and said, "I realized there are things I didn't understand and now I do," he said simply before finishing with, "I will not be at your party tonight."

"Fuck you," Clint said, turning and walking away.

He hated how hurt he felt and refused to acknowledge why.

Clint did not stop till he was in his room and closed the door, lying on the bed and taking a deep breath then slowly letting it out.

"Focus, Hawkeye. Focus," he whispered to himself, closing his eyes.

His traitorous mind brought forth the blurry image of The Hulk's worried face as he held him tenderly and the said, "Hawkie, no," that accompanied it.

Apparently Bruce's subconscious self liked him a hell of a lot more than his conscious self did.

The party was in full swing and the guest of honor nowhere to be found. Steve sat next to Tony who was lamenting Hawkeye's quick disappearance after the beginning of the party but Captain America himself knew there were other reasons entirely for Clint's early night.

"He's having issues, Tony," he kept trying to defend Hawkeye but failed since Tony continued to pout.

They were having the party at Tony's "other" mansion and there wasn't a celebrity or second rate superhero left uninvited. Tony had introduced him to more celebrities than he had ever wanted to meet.

The other members of the Avengers were noticeably absent, Bruce and Clint but also Thor. The thunder god had declined the invitation for "important things" when Tony extended one.

Steve sat at a table in the far corner of the room, watching Tony go from table to table. He was the man of the hour and Steve could not help staring at him.

"A sight to see," came Natasha's voice from his left.

She sat down beside him, smiling at Tony before grinning at him.

"You are not jealous?"

He shook his head. "Tony is in his element here, there's nothing to be jealous of. He hasn't even batted an eye at a woman or man all night."

"Hmm," she said, scanning the room.

Her eyes stopped suddenly and narrowed almost into slits.

Steve followed her gaze, taking sip of his wine. When he came upon the object of her anger he almost choked.

Bucky was currently dancing with a woman he'd met earlier tonight named Jennifer Walters, a brilliant lawyer who defended superheroes almost exclusively and happened to be Bruce Banner's cousin.

She was wearing a purple dress, cut short and seemed to be enjoying herself entirely too much. Her jet black hair tossed as she laughed and the light reflected off her green skin beautifully.

Jennifer was also the She-Hulk, sometimes superhero. Steve had never seen her in action but had heard many stories from Nick in the past.

"Natasha, calm yourself," he whispered.

Natasha seethed and said quietly, "Eto shlyuha umret," making Steve laugh. (Kill that whore)

"Threatening to kill her is never a good place to start."

She glared at him and stood, heading towards them.

Steve leaned back, enjoying the show.

When Natasha was in front of them Jenny must have sensed her anger because she let go of Bucky immediately, hands up in surrender. Natasha advanced on her but Bucky grabbed her quickly before she could and kissed her quite soundly.

Jennifer made her quick escape and when the kiss broke Natasha looked behind them and then glared at Bucky yelling.

He kissed her again and Steve laughed, turning to look for Tony again.

"Miss me?" came the whisper at his right.

Steve grinned and said without looking, "Of course. Hurry now before Tony comes back."

Tony growled and kissed him. "Not funny."

He smiled. "It was to me."

Tony looked over his shoulder at Bucky and Natasha. "They do know there are people watching them right?"

Steve nodded. "Volatile love is hard not to act on," he said simply as Bucky pulled Natasha out to the balcony.

Tony laid his head on Steve's shoulder. "Tired."

"Let's go to the bedroom and sleep," Steve said.

"Not that tired. You go."

Steve yawned. "Are you sure?"

Tony nodded. "I'll try to get the party to break up but it won't be for another hour. I do have a reputation you know."

Steve grinned and kissed him again. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, I love you," Tony said, kissing him a third time.

"I love you too, Tony," Steve said, leaving.

The last thing he saw was Tony going over to Nick and clapping him on the shoulder laughing as Nick glared at him.

The first thing he felt when he woke was the pain.

Tony clutched his head, cursing and then winced at the light in the room.

"Owwww!" he yelled.

There was a murmur from beside him and he whispered, "Sorry Steve," before turning and hugging the lump next to him.

" 'sokay," came the reply, making him freeze.

That was not Steve's voice.

Tony shot up in bed, jumping out and staring at the surroundings.

He saw a room not unlike his own, but there was one noticeable difference.

A bow, nestled neatly against the wall by the other side of the bed.

"Clint?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Clint Barton rolled over, wincing and clutching at his own head and staring at him through his barely open eyes. "Tony?"

Tony dropped to his knees, nearly swallowing his tongue.

Clint sat up, his eyes wide. He pulled the blanket back, looked at himself and then at Tony.

"Shit," he said.

The silence was deafening and Tony looked so devastated that Clint fought the urge to run over and hug him.

"Tony, this…it can't be what it looks like," he said, taking in the lack of evidence they'd had sex.

No condom, no stains, there was nothing. It couldn't be what it looked like.

Tony didn't seem to hear him and instead whispered, "I really tried this time. I didn't even want anyone else, I…"

Clint got out of bed and came to Tony, ignoring the fact they were both naked. He knelt down and grabbed Tony's shoulders. "Hey, look at me!"

Tony did, blinking.

"We didn't sleep together, I'm sure of it. I…I wouldn't do that, I…" he tried to explain, suddenly feeling a large lump in his throat.

There was a knock at the door and both men jumped, staring at it with trepidation.

Another knock and a nervous voice asked, "Clint, are you awake?"

It was Bruce.

The bottom dropped out of Clint's stomach and he felt like throwing up. Tony stood, taking a deep breath. He nodded at Clint once and grabbed at his clothes, heading for the bathroom.

Clint grabbed his boxers and answered the door.

Bruce smiled at him shyly. "Hey, I…about yesterday…."

Clint smiled, knowing he must look odd. Every nerve in his body was on alert. "It's okay."

Bruce shook his head. "No I…" suddenly he stopped mid-sentence and his eyes widened.

Clint frowned. "Bruce, what's…?"

Bruce began shaking and he pushed past him, suddenly heading for the bathroom door and throwing it open.

Tony was only half dressed and suddenly Bruce looked between the two of them.

"I…I smelled your cologne," he whispered through his teeth, his voice shaking and Clint was alarmed to see his body was as well.

Clint tried to touch him and explain, "Bruce, it's not what it looks like! Someone must have done…"

Bruce pushed him off with such force he was thrown into the wall, and suddenly he grabbed Tony's throat, lifting him up.

"Br…" Tony tried to say, choking.

"MINE!" he yelled, suddenly turning green in front of Tony's eyes and he was thrown through the wall, landing in the middle of the hall.

There was noise, yelling, guns, and the last thing Tony saw was Steve Rogers, racing to the rescue and stopping, looking at him and then at Clint and whispering, "Oh."

The rest was blackness.