In Fair New York, Where We Lay Our Scene - Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter 7

Wade was settling in nicely.

Of course, the room was now smothered in stuff. It had lost its 'adult' feel and gone straight to 'junkyard'.

Phil couldn't be bothered chiding him.

Clint had disappeared, working on whatever it was he was working on. Every night Clint crawled into bed exhausted, but refused to admit what he was working on.

So, with Clint pretty much out of the picture, Phil and Wade fell into a sort of routine.

Phil woke up at dawn, and did some work in his study until Wade woke up, usually around midday, and Phil cooked the both of them breakfast. And then they...hung out.

Phil was introducing Wade to Captain America. Wade had jumped on the topic after Phil had, finally, shown Wade his Captain America memorabilia and they had begun watching all the old tv shows.

Clint snuck in every so often to proclaim them dorks, pointing out they'd all met the real Captain America. Phil had thrown his pillow at him.

Phil had also been researching schools in the area. If Xavier wasn't taking him for a few years, they'd have to school him somehow. Clint had suggested homeschooling, but Phil wasn't sure if that was quite the way to go. Then again, as Clint had pointed out, between the Avengers they pretty much had everything covered.

"Maybe ask Tony what he's doing with Peter," had been the final note on the subject.

Wade was feeling more comfortable around them too.

He was laughing more, and wearing more of those skirts that Clint had bought him. He still looked a bit nervous every time he came out in a new outfit, but Phil made sure to be only positive.

In the nights he and Clint wondered what had destroyed his self-confidence like that, for a kid who could survive a bombing he was terrified of how they were going to react wearing a dress. Clint had shrugged it off, in a the-world-is-harsh-for-orphans sort of way, but Phil noticed him complimenting Wade every time he saw him.

The whole thing was...odd. How easily they had integrated Wade into their life.

Wade fit in. He and Phil shared their love of superheros, Clint and Wade shared their love of awful jokes, video games and excessive sweets.

It had been almost a two months, and it was working.

They hadn't been out of the house much. Fury had taken them both off the active list. He'd stopped by twice so far, for updates. Phil told him the same thing both times. Wade hadn't shown any signs of rebellion, or brainwashing, or anything HYDRA related. He was acting like a normal kid.

And both times Fury had reminded him that Wade wasn't a normal kid, he was a mutant and a suspect in a HYRDRA bombing. Not to get attached.

Phil didn't want to admit he already was.

Nick knew though. He always knew.

Phil was just grateful Fury hadn't decided to take him away because of a confliction of interests.

"Morning dorks," Clint chimed, coming downstairs to the kitchen.

Phil rolled his eyes as he flipped the pancake. "You've already used that line."

"Stick to the classics right?" He sat down across from Wade at the table. "Nice top."

Wade looked up shyly. "Phil bought it for me last week."

"Yeah I figured what with the Captain America on it." He gave Phil's back a hurt look. "Cos apparently I'm not cool enough to be on your t-shirt."

Phil placed the final pancake on the plate. "They don't sell Hawkeye t-shirts in kids sizes." He gave Clint a mischievous look. "Mostly for your female fans, I think."

Clint ran a hand through his hair. "I am devilishly attractive."

Wade tried to smother a laugh, and Clint gave him a hurt look as Phil placed the pancakes between them.

"I am attractive," Clint protested.

"Of course you are," Phil assured him as he sat down next to him.

"Not as attractive as Captain America," Wade sang.

Clint gave Phil a desperate look, and saw him hesitating.

Clint slumped. "And here I was, going to show you my new project."

Wade perked up. "It's done?"

"Yep."

"Are you going to tell us what it was?" Phil asked dryly.

"Nope." He folded his arms. "I'm hurt."

"I'msorry," Wade blurted.

"Hmmph," Clint replied.

There was a silence and Wade turned his puppy eyes to Phil.

Phil sighed. "Fine. You're just as attractive as Captain America."

Clint didn't respond.

"Maybe more," Phil conceded.

Clint grinned at him. "I'll take it."

XXX

"Are your eyes closed?" Clint buzzed.

Phil put a hand on his hip. "No."

"Yes!" Wade's hands were over his eyes.

"Good enough," Clint said as he threw open the door.

"Oooh," Wade gasped as he walked in.

Clint scratched at his neck. "Yeah, I mean, you were right, you know, before, about your room being too adult. Not that we're kicking you out of that room! Cos I get that you might have settled in there, but I figured you should have a proper room too and so I...yeah."

Wade stepped forward, looking around.

Phil slid next to Clint. "Did you knock through that wall?"

Clint shrugged. "A few years back actually, just never did anything with it."

Phil kissed him. "It's fantastic."

And it was.

The room had been repainted, refurnished, completely redone. What used to be two empty rooms had been remade into a proper bedroom, clad with Captain America posters.

"For me?" Wade asked.

"No I was getting sick of Phil taking up all the space in my bed."

Phil elbowed him in the stomach and Clint had the good graces to pretend it had hurt.

"Yes, for you," Phil told him.

"Oh."

"Yep." Clint said. "Want me to show you around?"

Wade nodded.

Clint flourished his hand, and began circling the room, noting all the features he had added in. Phil leant against the doorway and watched with a small smile.

This was what a family was supposed to be.

A family.