The Present
A dirty motel; Libson, Portugal
Clint watched Nat as she spoke. Not doing well either. His brain mentally tagged that information. Which shoved him into
not serious mode. Because there could not be two serious people on a team. Ever.
"
Happy I'm gone." Clint smiled crookedly. "
Apparently I hog too much of the bed and act like a three year old high on sugar."
Which was Laura's actual words as she had booted Clint from the house. The retirement hadn't sat well with Clint. He had started the kitchen remodel six times. The first time he had gotten as far as to de-door all the lower cabinets before stopping. Of course Laura snapped at him. The cupboards needed doors, as she pointed out, with a baby in the house. No words were spoken of the fact that baby Nathaniel wouldn't be walking any time soon. Still Clint had put all the door back on the lower cabinets. The second time he de-doored the upper cabinets.
Laura had made him put them back on when the project ended there. And thus is continued. He stripped the floors, but never re-waxed them. He tore down one wall's wallpaper, but didn't paint. Both Cooper and Lila were amused at the
talks their parents had. Of course they loved all the time Clint spent playing with them. Something Laura enjoyed watching. But she could see Clint was suffocating at the forced isolation. She held him through the nightmares, but she knew he wouldn't be better until he let himself atone for Petro.
The day that Natasha called Clint for him help, he and Laura were nearly having another argument. The two loved each other, would do anything for each other. Including a swift kick in the butt (no swearing around the kiddos).
"Go Clint." Laura had said even before Clint had managed to open his mouth.
"
I," Clint started. "
You don't even..."
He trailed off as Laura pressed a kiss to his lips. "I know that look Clint Barton. Go save the world."
"
Laura." Clint kissed his wife back. "
I said I was here to stay."
Laura let out a full bodied laugh which ended in a snort. "Yes. And I fully expected you to keep that promise for about two weeks." She glanced over to the crib where Nathaniel was sleeping. "You lasted two months." She turned back to her husband. "And now you're driving me up the wall. You, Clint Barton, are like a three year old who just discovered sugar."
Clint's mouth ticked upwards in a smile. "
I'm not that bad."
Laura snorted again. "I was going to make you sleep in the barn with that freaking tractor."
Clint raised an eyebrow and clutched at his breast, fake wounded. "
You wouldn't!"
"Shh." Laura hissed even as she tried to hold back her own laughter. "I was. Or I was going to call up Captain America and have him haul you out of here. One of the two."
Clint leaned forwards and kissed his wife again. "
What did I ever do to deserve you?"
"Beats. Me." Laura replied between kisses. "Lord knows you screwed up."
Clint snagged another kiss. They had been over this, and it didn't hurt anymore when she pointed out his indiscretion with Bobby. She was right, and Clint tried every day to prove to Laura how much he loved her.
"But you're a good man. So go. We'll still be here when you come back."
"
I love you." Clint said as he pulled away.
"Love you too." Laura echoed back. Words that she had echoed again just before Clint had ended their call.
"
Nathaniel's still not sleeping through the night. But Lila's taken to the role of older sister like a fish to water." Clint flopped down next to Natasha. He took a sip of coffee moaned at how good it tasted. Not as good as the stuff Stark got for him and Laura, but it was hot and coffee. Which made it good, even when it was crap.
His free hand snagged the abandoned headset and shoved it on his head. It was still silent, and would probably be until the morning when the household staff awoke. Hopefully there'd be something going on soon. Like other arms dealers showing. Or even the leader of the Ten freaking Rings himself. Anything. At least it was more interesting when they were undercover busting heads for information. This waiting was killing him.
"
Any movement?" It was a good thing Laura convinced him to go. Not only would be keeping the tractor warm, Widow would have been out here on her own and probably breaking down too. last time he saw that look on her face, it was the first time they meet. Damn, there he went being serious again.
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mickilennial
