Barton and the Baker

Chapter 18: Cooper

Y/N's POV

"Clint. Barton!" I lean back up, staring at him wide-eyed. "Wh... Did you just... Are you..." I feel heat flooding my cheeks.

He carefully takes my hands, as if I am liable to bolt from the room at any second, "Proposing? Well, that depends... If you say yes, then that's exactly what I'm doing. If your answer is no, then absolutely not. That's 100% not what just happened... you imagined the whole thing." He sits patiently, looking at me as I try to wrap my head around this whole scenario. I mean, this is so dream-like, it could be in some smutty fanfiction. "So," he smiles, interrupting my thoughts, "Am I proposing or not?"

I swallow hard, looking at him before giving him a mischievous smile, "Aren't you supposed to get on your knee or something? And isn't there supposed to be a ring? Some grand gesture of your undying love and fidelity?"

He laughs, "Geez, give a guy a break. I'm still in a hospital bed with a gown that doesn't even cover my whole ass." He laughs before looking over at Bucky, "You got it?"

I look over to see Bucky and Bruce standing behind the glass with large smiles plastered on their faces. Bucky brings in a small box before placing it in his hand and kissing my temple, "Say yes, Trouble. Put him out of his misery."

I grin as Clint opens the box and it reveals a solitary diamond, "Y/F/N Y/L/N, will you marry me?"

Tears slip down my cheeks as I smile before nodding my head, "Of course!" He slips the ring on my finger before pulling me into a passionate kiss.

"Finally," Bruce huffs, walking in to congratulate us. "When you came back from Tennessee with no ring, I was worried he was going to be an idiot and get cold feet."

"Yeah," Clint laughs dryly, "Turns out a near-death experience will change a man."

Everyone soon rejoins us in the medical bay before we make the announcement. Rebecca, of course, pops Bucky in the back of his head, "YOU KNEW!! YOU KNEW that Birdbrains was going to PROPOSE to my BEST FRIEND and you didn't say ANYTHING?!?"

"Doll, you have the subtlety of a shotgun. That's why I took your phone. They wouldn't have made it into the air before you were calling her."

"Yeah," she sighs, defeated, "That checks out."

We are congratulated by our family before they leave us alone to let Clint rest.

Over the next few days, Clint gets slowly stronger. We are finally able to get him out of the bed and up to our room. He is quite winded by the time we arrive. Tony knocks on the door before inviting himself in.

"So Barton, I have made arrangements to ship you and Miss Y/N out of here until you are finally useful to us again." He gives us an amused, sarcastic smile.

"And where, may I ask, are we going?"

"Well..." Tony looks over at me.

"Tony and I made arrangements with the kids for us to come and stay with Lila and Nate." I blush, clasping my hands together, "I love you and I just thought that you'd recover a little better away from here." I attempt to justify my actions.

Clint's POV

"Not to mention, we get to tell them about the engagement. Y/N" I take your hands, shaking my head, "Don't ever try to justify getting me time with my kids." I pull you into my arms, "God, I love you! When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning," you smile, relieved. "Nat is flying us to the farm."

I squeeze you tighter, "Thank you, Muffin." I place a gentle kiss on your lips.