Ashes to Ashed and Dust to Dust

Untitled Part 1

The call came in the middle of Avengers movie night, Tony was steadily getting more drunk, Steve being confused about the movie-Maze runner- and Bruce being devious tells him that it's a metaphor for life, a maze with no apparent out unless you have a differently wider brain. The escape is death, everyone looks at the screen in horror and Nat is quick to switch movies to Percy Jackson and the sea of monsters. Clint yells at the screen at each inaccuracy, having read the books.

Thalia's death plays out and Thor, drunk off his feet starts singing a ballad to a great soldier's death which Clint rolls his eyes at "at least this scene is correct. Nevermind. Demigods and technology do NOT work together you idiots!" He yells, Nat laughing at him as he throws a piece of popcorn to hit Clarisse in the eye. The phone rings, loud but not clear over the music so nobody pays attention, focusing on the screen where Percy and Clarisse are battling it out on the weird structure until Jarvis pauses the movie "Agent Barton it will appear that your phone is ringing and has been for the last 5 minutes" he informs and Clint sighs, draping himself over Steve and Thor's lap's to get to his phone which is still playing best friend's brother into the night.

Nat eyes him and softly says "glad I don't have a brother now". Tony's laughter is undeniable as it echoes through the practically silent room. Clint presses the phone to his ear and waits for someone on the other line to speak, when they do Clint is left speechless "Major Barton" is said into his ear and it feels like the floor has been swept out from under him as he takes deep breaths. It takes him a moment to answer and when he does his voice sounds rough "yes?".

The man on the other side breaths deeply before answering with a curt "you are being deployed to Iraq in 10 hours, be ready at the helicarrier" he says and hangs up. Clint holds the phone to his ear for a while more, the movie and team falling into silence once more in his mind. As the shock of going back into battle settles in his eyes go blank, his muscles relax and he instinctively reaches for his side-arm, a dessert eagle usually at his hip.

He ignores the rest of his team in favor of going to his room to get ready, he pulls his army uniform from the back of the closet and irons it, eyeing his hair which is NOT up to standard and sighs. He grabs a pair of scissors and heads back to the common room where the tv is turned off and everyone is just chillin "I've got an op tomorrow" he informs, shoving the scissors at Bucky. Metal clinking against metal. Bucky looks at him confused, eyes that shine without the hostility of the Winter soldier but a look that Bucky didn't have but Clint just smiles at him and goes to sit on a bar stool, angling himself so Bucky can easily cut his hair "military standard" he says quietly so the rest of the team don't hear.

They don't need to know that Clint is going into a war zone for an unrepresented amount of time, it would just worry them. Bucky raises an eyebrow but runs his fingers through Clint's hair and the gentle snip-snip of the scissors is surprisingly loud in the basically silent room. Clint looks down at the counter top and thinks back to his days in the army, before SHIELD. A body count, bombs, gunfire, blood, bodies, dead comrades. It all flashes in front of him and he shudders, Bucky runs his Metal hand down Clint's jaw in a move that could be adjusting his grip or moving his head to cut hair but it's gentle and it's all Clint needs to bring him back to the present.

The team eyes the tv screen with interest and Clint smirks as he lightly turns his head to see them, Bucky tightens his grip on Clint's hair and gently yanks his head back in position. Clint rolls his eyes in amusement and lets out a small sigh as he tilts his head back, seeing Bucky and almost involuntarily waving sarcastically. Bucky raises an eyebrow and smirks around the scissors where he has them clamped between his teeth. Clint feels Bucky tap on his shoulder and looms back at him where he's holding the scissors out toward him.

He takes the scissors and stands up, ready to leave but Bucky grabs his arm and as Clint looks at his eyes, seeing resentment as he glances to the hair falling into his eyes. The rest of the team have finally put on a movie and are now watching The Lion King as Simba sings about how he's going to be a great king "-I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware. Well I've never seen a king or beast with quite so little hair" Clint sings along while raking his fingers through Bucky's hair. The irony is unprecedented. He eyes the hair and remembers how Bucky used to look during the war. He starts snipping away "I'm gonna be the main event, like no king was before, I'm brushin' up on lookin' down, I'm workin' on my ROAR" Clint sings as he combs Bucky's hair.