Metal Birds?

10: Six Long Months

Six Months Later

Clint swung and Pietro dodged his fist easily, ducking down and sliding the the side. Pietro ran behind him and kicked him in the back of the knee, just hard enough to take him down. Clint yelped and fell to his knees, leaning back and reaching behind him to grab Pietro's ankle. He dragged the Sokovian forward and pulled him into a headlock, his other hand pinning Pietro's hands to his back.

Pietro sighed and hung his head. Clint released him and they both fell back, breathing hard. They had been training for the last hour and they had tied with the amount of times that had beaten each other. Bruises were slowly making their way to the surface of Clint's skin and he knew Pietro was experiencing the same dull ache of all over his body. Clint rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, fanning his face with his hands. He was bright red from the intense workout and he could feel the blood pulsing through his face.

"Good job, kid," he breathed out, blindly reaching a hand toward Pietro and patting his arm. Pietro hummed tiredly and forced himself to stand up.

"Food?" he suggested. Clint nodded and extended his arm. Pietro grabbed his hand and yanked him up off the ground. Clint shook his legs and took in a deep breath before actually walking. Pietro followed him out of the gym and they made their way down the air conditioned hallway and got into the elevator. Clint pushed the button and leaned against the wall, sighing happily when his hot face made contact with the cool metal.

"Jarvis, how ya doin' buddy?" Clint asked as he rubbed a particularly painful bruise on his arm.

"I am well, Agent Barton. How was your training session?" the AI replied, the automated British voice filling the elevator.

"It was great. Pietro and I tied by eleven each."

"Good to know sir. Would you like me to add that to the database?" Clint shrugged.

"Sure. Hey, is anyone still here?"

"Yes. Agent Romanoff is speaking with Mr. Stark in the kitchen."

"Can you tell them to make coffee?" Pietro cut in.

"Sure thing, sir." Jarvis' voice disappeared and Clint spun around so his back was against the wall. They were almost to the main floor, he noted, peeking at the small screen.

"So, Pietro, that was fun," he said sarcastically. Pietro rolled his eyes.

"I would have won if you just quit at the end."

"But that wouldn't have been fun."

"But I would have won," Pietro replied mockingly. Clint rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall, smiling as he looked at Pietro. "What?" the silver-haired man questioned, raising an eyebrow. Clint shrugged.

"Nothing. You're just really adorable." Pietro's mouth turned up in a shy smile and his face flushed pink, though it wasn't really distinguishable from the exhausted shade of red that was slowly fading from his skin. Clint noticed nonetheless and crossed the elevator in two short strides, stopping directly in front of Pietro and putting his hands on either side of the younger man's face.

"Clint." Pietro's voice was low in warning and his gaze flicked to the small screen. They were two floors down from the main level where the doors would open and anybody inside the room on the other side of the doors would see them.

"Pietro," Clint mocked, giving Pietro a lopsided smile. He leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to Pietro's lips, stepping back just as the doors slid open with a ding. Pietro rolled his eyes but the small smile stayed put as he and Clint exited the elevator and made their way to the kitchen.