A/N: Don't hurt me. *runs and hides*
There was only so much a man could take, and being in love with someone you couldn't touch was pushing Clint Barton to his limit.
They had regular sessions together, or "mini-dates" as Clint himself had decided to call them. Talking, laughing through sessions of kissing and deep breathing exercises that always ended with Bruce stammering out an apology, his face flushed green and the emerald eyes staring back at him with lust so sad that Clint couldn't even manage to pleasure himself properly afterwards.
It had been three days since he'd they'd last tried, and Bruce seemed to be avoiding him. He purposely waited outside the lab and Bruce was always gone when he got there, and never even seemed to sleep in his room anymore.
There was no wonder he started having erotic daydreams about Thor.
It started out innocent enough.
After the last mission with Black Widow and Captain America had gone so badly Nick decreed that all further black ops were suspended, though there had been no repercussions from that. They'd all waited with bated breath for the Russians to attack and nothing happened, which was worse than if it had.
Bucky and Natasha were fine, Nick continued to say whenever asked. They were still being safe and staying away, though Clint didn't know all the details. Things seemed to be going on without him these days.
So when he did start to get lost in his thoughts it was not on a mission, it was while he was hitting a punching bag and practicing several takedowns.
Thor came into the gym unexpectedly, calling out, "Good show!" and causing Clint to fall over onto his back, wincing.
The thunder god ran to him and he put up a hand, shaking his head. "I'm fine," he said, standing.
The two men looked at each other silently, the tension in the room building with each moment which Clint broke by laughing. "Sorry, I just…I guess that one won't work."
Thor smiled and patted him on the back, walking towards the weights.
Clint sat on the mats, catching his breath and watching at the same time. Thor was adjusting the weights accordingly before lying down, pushing up several hundred pounds. Clint stared, suddenly lost in thought.
He remembered when Thor had kissed him, how strong the god's muscles had been under his fingers. His mind wandered and he imagined Thor getting up off the machine, walking towards him and taking off his shirt before grabbing Clint and kissing him as powerfully as he had before.
He imagined Thor's hands under his shirt, on his skin, and on his dick.
Clint shivered.
The thought of Thor's power working on him was enough to make him bite back a moan.
"Nice, isn't he?" came a voice to his right, throwing cold water on the daydream.
Luke Cage stood stock still, his arms crossed and his eyes blazing with fury though he smiled.
Clint swallowed, looking away. "Um…I don't…"
Luke put his hand on Clint's arm and he winced as Luke whispered by his ear, "You can't fool me Robin Hood. I know what it looks like when someone's checking another guy out. And by the looks you were throwing Goldy's way a minute ago I imagine your mind was wandering off to far better places. Am I right?"
Clint tried to move and Luke held him there. Thor didn't seem to notice either of them.
"I wasn't…I was just…"
Luke laughed. "Thinking about him fucking you? Cuz I've felt him under me, Robbie. He's everything you're imagining and more. You want him, you'd better fucking fight for him. He might be gaga over you, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let it happen as easy as you think," Luke growled, letting him go with a push.
Clint blinked at him. "What? He's…he…"
"He wants you an awful lot, Robin Hood. I know, he's told me."
Clint looked at Thor again, who sat up from the press. He'd barely broken a sweat, but he was drinking water. Suddenly he stopped, pulled the water from his mouth and looked their way.
Or rather, Luke's way.
Clint felt like he was invisible then. He'd seen Thor staring at the man before, but it was different now. In Thor's eyes there was no one else and Clint swallowed the tiny slivers of jealousy before whispering, "I think you're wrong."
Luke didn't seem to hear him, running over to Thor and picking up the god's water before drinking it himself. Clint watched Thor talk animatedly with Luke, but there was an underlying current there.
Thor was in love.
But not with him.
Not anymore.
Clint grabbed a towel and threw it around his shoulders, leaving the gym in a rush. He just happened to bump right into the person who'd been avoiding him.
Bruce apologized. "I'm sorry, I…Clint."
Clint crossed his arms. "Oh, so you do remember me."
Bruce blushed, looking down. "I just…I'm sorry. Things have been…it's…"
Clint grabbed his arm. "I know it's hard, Bruce. We're going to figure this out. I know we are. Trust me. Please."
Bruce smiled, sighing. "I want to, believe me, it's just…I think it's a lost cause," he looked over through the glass gym window, "And I think it's hurting you."
Clint looked at Thor and Luke, who had switched places now. Thor was spotting Luke as he used the bench press, staring down adoringly at the other man.
"It's…"
Bruce put a hand on Clint's arm. "I think we should stop."
Clint stared at him with wide eyes. "NO! Bruce, don't do this! It's just…"
Bruce shook his head, curling into himself like he was fighting something. Clint knew the monster inside of him was protesting and he reached out to touch him but Bruce yelled, "NO! Don't…don't touch me. I can't," he looked at Clint with bright green eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry, Hawkie."
He ran off and Clint just stared at him in shock.
Clint looked over at the gym window again, suddenly so angry.
It wasn't fair.
He forced himself not to run after Bruce instead going to Nick who was, as always, waiting.
The director of SHIELD was standing in his office, staring out the window.
"Hawkeye."
Clint swallowed and asked, "I want to leave the Avengers."
Nick turned and stared at him, eyebrow raised. "No."
Clint glared. "I'm leaving Nick and I won't…!"
"Because you're jealous of Thor and Luke! Because Banner broke it off with you? You're acting like a scared, crying little woman, Barton and I won't have it! Grow the fuck up!" Nick yelled, storming across the room and standing in front of him.
Clint's lips were pressed together so hard they were turning white.
"I know it's hard, Clint. I know it. I know the shit you've been through the past six months. But do you even fathom the horror that Bruce Banner has seen? Has DONE? Do you? The man left behind an entire LIFE to be here! He left behind a woman he loved enough to want marry, who he probably still loves to keep her safe! That's his MO. He protects people."
Clint's face was red and his eyes were filling with tears. "I didn't…he never told me," he whispered shamefully, staring down at the floor.
Nick took his chin in hand and made him look up. "I know. That's because he didn't want to hurt you. He spends every second not wanting to hurt anyone. Do you even understand what it TOOK for him to fall for you? How hard it was on him? He never even looked at another man the way he does you, and you're spitting all over it running away because he told you it was over. You're not EVEN GONNA FIGHT!" Nick pushed him back and spit out, "Go on then. GO! Be the coward I was hoping I would never get to see you be."
Clint turned and ran out of his office, tears falling down his face. He looked down at the ground but instinctively escaped towards his room where he fiddled with the door thumb print key, cursing. "FUCK!"
"Clinton?" Thor asked quietly, pulling him out of his misery.
He looked up, tears covering his face. "I…"
Thor was by him in an instant, his strong arms surrounding him. Clint leaned back, wiping his face. "I feel like such a girl," he laughed, looking up at Thor.
Thor wiped his face with one finger. "Never. What is hurting you so?"
Clint pressed his thumb to the keypad and the door opened. He looked at Thor. "I…I can't…I just…"
Thor smiled. "Do you want to go flying with me, Clinton?"
He blinked. "What?"
Thor took his hand and they walked away from his door, continuing down the hall. Several eyes were on them, and neither man noticed one in particular watch as Thor took Clint out the door and into the air, holding him under his arms.
Luke Cage swallowed the rage that boiled under his skin, stalking towards Nick Fury's office. The man in question was staring out the window once again.
"What did you do, Fury?"
Nick didn't move. "I have no idea to what you are referring."
"Thor just took Barton for a fly! Where the hell are they going and what the HELL did you say to Barton!"
Nick still didn't move. "I told him to stop being such a woman and figure out his shit because I don't want any cowards on my team," he turned, glaring at Luke, "Like you are."
Luke came at him then, put Nick easily had him bested, twisting Luke's arms behind his head and pressing his face into Nick's desk. "Fuckyou," Luke said, his words garbled.
"Ah, ah, ah, Cage," Nick let him go and he backed up, "You are a coward. What do you care? You don't even care about this place, remember? You have a mission to plan. Moses Magnum ring any bells, kid?"
Luke looked at him squarely. "You told me..."
"I told you we'd start when I was ready. But what have you done in the meantime besides fuck Thor and be jealous of Barton? Absolutely fucking NOTHING! You can't even FIGHT your own FEELINGS, how the hell are you gonna fight a man with powers over the earth itself? And while you were sitting on your ass, Barton is a free man and he's out flying with your precious little 'Goldilocks' ain't he?" Nick spat back at him, his grin malicious.
Luke's eyes widened and his jaw hung open. "What?"
"That's right. Go talk to Banner. Barton is free to have Thor fuck him all the way to Asgard if he wants. And you're losing your chance. Think on that. I'm fucking DONE with this shit," Nick said, walking past him and out of the room.
Thor put Clint down in a meadow surrounded by flowers.
It was the most beautiful place Clint felt he'd ever been, which made the tears come even easier.
Thor was silent beside him, stroking his back while Clint laid his head on the god's shoulder.
"Talk with me, Clinton. Please."
Clint looked up, smiling. "I…Bruce…he broke it off. Said it was hurting me too much and that it was over. I talked to Nick and he kind of…well..."
"Scolded you?" Thor guessed.
Clint laughed, wiping his face. "Yeah. I just…it really is hard, but I just want to try anyway. I never want to stop trying, but if he doesn't want to I can't force it."
Thor nodded. "Love is hard, always. But I believe in the end when we find love, fighting for it is the only option."
Clint smiled at him, and then swallowed. "Thor, do you still want me?"
The thunder god stared at him. "Why are you asking me this, Clinton?"
Clint moved closer to him and put his hand on Thor's cheek. "A month ago, you said you longed for me. I just…I think…I could learn to love you, if I…"
Thor sighed, closing his eyes. Clint leaned in close and Thor opened his eyes, putting a hand over Clint's mouth. "You are telling me that you will suffer being with me instead of the monster? That you may learn to enjoy my touch? Yes?"
Clint looked away quickly and muttered, "He's not a monster."
"I do not believe the arrangement would be amendable to me, Clinton. I do not wish for my love to be suffered through. I would enjoy loving someone who wants me, and who I want back," Thor said, smiling sadly.
Clint looked up with a pout. "Like Luke?"
Thor blinked at him. "Lucas and I, it is not about emotions. We have an…arrangement."
It was Thor's turn not to meet Clint's eyes.
"I've seen you look at him, Thor. There's more to it than that."
"I barely know the man," Thor said wistfully, staring off into the sky.
Clint put a hand on Thor's shoulder. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're falling in love with him, right?"
When Thor met his eyes Clint gasped at the pain there. "He does not see me as more than a means to an end, Clinton."
Clint laughed, lying down on the grass with his hands behind his head. "He told me he was going to fight for you," he said simply.
Thor was silent, so he continued.
"That he knew you wanted me, but he wouldn't let you go easy."
Thor whispered, "I want very much to believe you."
Clint smiled. "Did you have sex with him?" he asked.
Thor looked at him angrily, his face red. "I do not believe that's any of your…"
"He told me you did. He wanted me to know it. I know what it's like to be pissed at someone trying to steal something you want, Thor. I wanted Tony Stark and I lost him, you wanted me and I wanted someone else. Do you remember how that felt? He loves you, or he almost does. No one gets that angry for only sex," he explained.
Thor's anger melted from his features and he sighed, smiling. "Thank you, Clinton."
Clint grinned. "Let's go home."
Thor frowned. "But I do not believe your problem has been solved."
Clint stood, stretching. The sun had begun to go down and by the time they got home it would be dark. "That's okay. I'll figure it out."
Bruce Banner was fighting a losing battle.
He sat in his room, hands curled into fists and eyes closed, meditating.
Breathe in, breathe out.
The monster inside of him was screaming and he could feel the change under the skin but he held it back with sheer force of will.
It had been the hardest thing he'd ever done, telling Clint it was over while his entire being was screaming for him to stop. This was why he decided then and there to cut off his emotions completely, forget feeling and live the life he'd hoped to live when SHIELD had recruited him.
The monitor on his wrist was beeping, a telling sign that his blood pressure was way over the norm but he tried to will it back to where it should have been, breathing deeply.
Suddenly there was a banging on his door, snapping him out of his reverie. He sighed, standing and opening the door.
Luke Cage stood on the other side and he looked murderous.
"What?" he asked and Luke pushed him aside storming into the room.
"Do you have ANY idea what you've DONE?" he yelled, pushing him.
Bruce growled at him. "You DO NOT want me to get angry. You know what would happen. And I have NO IDEA what you're talking about."
Luke ran a hand over his head and angrily yelled, pacing. "Your Robin Hood, you cut him loose! Thor took him to GOD KNOWS THE FUCK where and they're probably….! GOD!"
Luke punched the wall and a good sized dent appeared.
Bruce tried to process the words, his body shaking as he did so.
Thor and Clint.
Together.
He knew that was Clint's only other option but the anger that bubbled to the surface at the prospect made him want to scream. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"I…I want Clint to be happy," he said through clenched teeth.
Luke laughed crazily, pushing past him and into the doorway. "Well YOU'VE GOT YOUR CHANCE! I've been with Thor, and right now he's probably fucking your precious little Robin Hood twelve ways from Sunday. THINK ON THAT DOC," he growled out before slamming the door behind him.
Bruce fell to his knees, biting his tongue so hard he tasted blood. His hands were clenched in fists so tight his nails were making his skin bleed and he fought with his baser nature while the screaming in his head got louder.