He Didn't See That Coming.

5.5

•••;)•••

Pietro woke one morning about two weeks later. He heard Clint talking, presumably on the phone.

He was feeling much better, completely over the pneumonia.

He sighed, swinging himself off the bed and into a standing position. He grabbed his crutches and walked out into the hallway, where his saw Clint.

As expected, he was on the phone.

"Yeah...I know, I really should come out to see you soon."

A pause.

"That sounds like a good idea, actually." Clint nodded, glancing at Pietro and smiling.

"Yeah. We'll talk soon. Bye."

Clint kissed Pietro, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Who was that?" The younger spoke softly.

"My brother."

"Barney?"

"Yeah. I wanted to know if we could head out to see sometime."

"All the way in Texas? Why not he come out here?"

"Because..." Clint couldn't thing of a valid reason. "...because his daughter?"

Pietro shook his head, laughing. "Can you even take off of work?"

"I'm sure I could, I haven't asked yet."

"I am not sure about this."

"C'mon, honey. You haven't even met him in person yet."

"Fine."

Clint hugged him tightly but carefully.

"Thanks babe, we'll start planning later."

Pietro wrapped his arms around Clint, his unbraced legs knocking together and nearly causing him to collapse, but he was caught by his boyfriend.

"I gotcha." He whispered in Pietro's ear.

"I know." He closed his eyes and exhaled contently. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Clint lifted him up, carrying him to the couch.

•••

"This is B-Bandera?" Pietro wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"Yeah." Clint laughed at his reaction.

"It is...it is so tiny."

"Yeah." He watched Pietro.

"I did not know such small place exist in A-America."

Clint chuckled. "There's smaller places than that."

"Really?"

"Mhm." Clint shifted position, moving his hand Pietro's thigh to put his arm around the younger's shoulders.

Pietro leaned into Clint's embrace.

Clint shut the laptop, kissing Pietro's cheek.

He played with his partner's silver hair, lifting him onto his lap.

Pietro's thin frame fit right against Clint's chest, like two pieces of a puzzle. He could hear Clint's heartbeat in his ear. The older just held Pietro tight, never wanting to let go.

Pietro scooted up into a different position, kissing Clint lightly.

"I s-should go get dressed." He grabbed for his crutches, but was lifted up by Clint.

"I could carry you." He carried Pietro into the bedroom.

"You could." His laugh was a sweet sound to Clint's ears.

Pietro began the painstaking process of applying his braces.

"We have to go shopping today, yes?" He tugged at the velcro on the aide.

"Yeah." Clint got dressed himself.

Pietro pulled the white ankle brace on, sighed, and gave up. He laid on his back, trying the straighten out his fingers.

Clint started to do the velcro.

"No." Pietro said quietly, sitting up.

"What?" Clint looked up. He hadn't heard him.

"I can do it." Pietro latched the braces around his legs.

He grabbed the crutches, pulling himself to stand. "Let's go, then."

Clint walked tiredly after him, hating shopping. He hated being around so many people for so long. Pietro, on the other hand, had no problem with going out. It confused the hell out of Clint.

"Come on, Clint." Pietro tugged on a hoodie, leaning on the wall.

"Coming, coming." He sighed, slipping on his shoes.

They drove to the closest store.

Clint walked beside Pietro into the store. He wished he could hold Pietro's hand while they walked, put his arm around Pietro's waist. To tell everyone that the silver haired man was his. Instead he just strode beside him, watching the faint smile on his boyfriend's face.

"How are you so damn positive?" Clint mumbled.

"I have pretty much been t-through worse in any s-situation, so nothing really bothers me."

"Still, for someone with trust issues, you're able to trust strangers around you."

"I do not have to, Clint. I only have to t-trust you."

Clint kissed Pietro on the cheek, causing him to giggle and blush.

Pietro limped through the aisles with his boyfriend, enjoying his company. He loved doing things with Clint, big or small. Whether it was watching movies on the couch or going to therapy, he always felt more comfortable if Clint was present.

Clint was asking his opinion on what he should make for dinner when Pietro noticed someone staring. Nothing out of the ordinary.  He smiled at them, letting them know he noticed. The person quickly looked away.

Clint put an arm around Pietro's shoulders, smiling as well.

"I'll scare 'em away for you." He referred to the onlookers that stared at Pietro wherever he went.

"No, no. Leave them be. Maybe they are curious."

Clint sighed. "So that was a yes on the spaghetti?"

"S-sure."

"Okay, c'mon, let's go." Clint tossed the supplies into the cart.

Pietro nodded, stiffly limping after his significant other.

He walked slightly ahead of Clint, grinning. "You are so slow." He laughed.

"Oh, shut up." Clint kissed him.

I'm going to marry this man someday.