This took longer than I thought. I wanted to finish and post something else, first, but decided this was more fun. Inspired by a prompt on AvengersKink. *gg* Also, stay tuned for that other short story I just finished, featuring Hawkeye and Black Widow. (Another reason why it took me so long to post this here.)

Sunflower Fields Forever

"I got him", Clint told the others.

"Good", Steve answered.

"He isn't smashing stuff or so, is he?" Tony asked. "Cos it seems to be pretty quiet on your side."

"No, he's not smashing things."
Clint folded his arms across his chest.
"In fact, he seems quite happy."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"What's he doing?" Tony wanted to know.

Clint grinned.
"You wouldn't believe me", he said.

"Right."
Steve again.
"As long as he's not damaging anything, fine. Wait until he's de-hulked and then, take him back to the quinjet."

"Will do."

The connection went quiet.

"Well … He's not actually damaging stuff but they don't come for free, you know?" the old guy standing next to Clint pointed out.

"I know, but – look how happy he is."
Clint nodded at the Hulk. The big guy was smiling while he picked more sunflowers.
"Do you have the heart to tell him to stop? I mean, he's finally found flowers he can pick without crushing …"

The old guy watched the Hulk for a while.

"Someone's still gotta pay for them", he finally said.

Clint nodded.
"Of course."

Nick Fury stared at the sheet of paper in his hands. In his years as director of SHIELD, he had seen many things. Fought many a battle, bureaucratic as well as the more physical ones. This here, however, was a first.

"That's – correct me if I'm wrong but – expenses for twenty dozen sunflowers? What the -?"

"Picked by the Hulk", Maria Hill added.

Fury almost admired how she managed to keep a perfectly straight face.

"Who handed this in?" he demanded and immediately went on: "No, let me guess. Stark?"

"Barton."

Barton. Not entirely unknown for pulling a prank now and then. Though those more often than not involved him collaborating with Romanoff to scare the heck out of new recruits. This sunflower-thing wasn't his usual style.

Fury glared at Hill.
"Let me guess again: He was grinning."

"He also gave me one of the sunflowers. Courtesy the Hulk."

Fury's one good eye narrowed.
"One."

"Yes, sir."

"So what happened to the other two hundred and thirty-nine?"

"You know –"
Tony cast a long look at Avengers Tower's living area.
"I really feel like I'm living in that Van Gogh painting."

"Let me guess."
Clint dropped on the couch and put his feet on the couch table.
"Not the one featuring the stars."

"I'm really sorry, guys."
Banner took off his glasses and started to wipe them with the hem of his shirt.
"I can't control the Other Guy. Not really. I mean, most of the time, I don't even remember –"

"Nonono, it's great!" Tony cut him off. "So bright and cheerful. I like it. It's like –"

"- living in the mind of a slightly demented artist with an unhealthy fixation on sunflowers?" Clint suggested.

Tony grinned.
"If you think this is bad, wait till you see your room."

"My –"
Clint jumped to his feet and dashed out of the room.

Banner looked after him.
"You didn't really decorate his room with sunflowers, did you?" he asked.

"Of course not. I'm not suicidal. But I couldn't let him have the last word, right?"

Banner shook his head and laughed.