The Life That Pietro Saved

4.5

Clint jumped off, grabbing Peter and breaking his fall.

"Clint! Are you okay?!"

"Mhm..." He groaned, sitting up.

Peter was already running around without a scratch.

Clint seemed to favor his left arm, but didn't say anything as he climbed the stairs, picking up Pietro with a groan. He got to the stairs where there wasn't a threat of falling before setting Pietro down a little harder than he intended.

"Sorry." He rubbed his shoulder, standing back up and picking up Pietro again.

"Are you alright?" The speedster looked him in the eyes concernedly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Clint's voice was strained. He was in pain.

The archer set his boyfriend back in his chair, wincing.

"Clint, you are not okay. We go down to medical wing. You are hurt."

"No, I'm good. I'm good." Clint touched his shoulder and quickly recoiled.

Pietro's cold hands brushed the area, causing Clint to hiss.

"Come. You are going to medical."

Clint sighed, giving up. "Okay."

•••

"It's a grade two sprain, it'll take about four to six weeks of rest to heal." The nurse grabbed fabric out of a cabinet.

"Shit." Clint muttered.

"What happened?"

"Fell off the rafters." Clint responded calmly.

The medical professional knew Hawkeye's behaviors and didn't question it.

"Okay, you're going to have to wear a sling." He handed Clint the fabric sling.

Clint sighed, nodding. "Thanks, doc. I'll get out of your hair now."

"Until you get hurt again."

"Yeah."

Clint stood and Pietro followed him out of the room.

"You have to wear the sling." Pietro insisted.

"I can't afford this. Not now. How am I gonna take care of you if my arm's in a sling?"

"We will figure it out. Now put it on."

"No..." Clint whined.

"I swear to god, Clinton, I will withhold sex until that thing heals unless you let it rest. Okay?"

"But Pietro-"

"No. Rest, Clint. You will only hurt yourself more."

Clint slid the sling around his neck, pouting.

"Good boy." Pietro teased.

"Oh, fuck you."

"Yeah, if you keep wearing sling you will be able to."

The archer knew they still wouldn't be doing it on a regular basis until his boyfriend's injuries healed and he was comfortable with it, but Clint wanted to make him happy.

Clint grinned flirtatiously, putting a hand on Pietro's back. He then proceeded to wink.

"Agh, you are so cheesy." Pietro hit his arm playfully.

"But you love me anyway." Clint kissed the top of Pietro's head.

Pietro giggled and held Clint still to kiss him on the lips.

•••

It was later that night and Clint had to help Pietro get into bed, a task he was yet to preform efficiently by himself.

Clint put his good arm around Pietro's waist and Pietro wrapped his arms around Clint's neck. He was able to pull Pietro up and set him on the bed.

"Thanks." Pietro kissed Clint, pulling him down into bed.

"No problem, honey." The archer removed the sling, setting it on the nightstand before curling up next to Pietro and falling asleep.

He was back at the farmhouse, he needed to get away from the tower for a while. Pietro thought he was on a mission. The avenger didn't have the heart to tell his partner that seeing him in so much pain and struggle was too much to bear. He would be back by morning, anyway.

Nate and Cooper ran out to hug him, and Clint reacted as normally as he could with a broken heart.

Laura stepped out of the house. "Clint?"

He nearly broke down right there.

She recognized the expression.

He walked into the house and straight into their old bedroom, eyes burning with unshed tears.

Laura followed, locking the door.

"Clint, are you okay?" She sat next to him.

He shook his head slowly, breath shuddering.

"What's wrong?"

"H-he woke up." Clint felt the tears coming now.

"That's good, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah. But...but, uh, they weren't sure how bad the damage was...and..." He felt Laura rub his back in a friendly gesture.

"Yeah? How bad is it?" She looked concerned.

"He c-can't move, Laura. From the waist down, it's just...the nerves just cut off. I can hardly watch him...it's just so bad."

Laura nodded comfortingly.

"And he's...he's so sad, Laura. He cries, he wakes up at night having panic attacks. He's so damn stubborn about it, though, and refuses to admit that anything's wrong."

"He's gonna be okay, though. They can fix it?" Laura asked him hopefully.

"No. No, it's shattered. The bullet, it shattered part of his spine and the cord is mostly severed...he's had an operation already, and they were able to get a little bit of feeling back, but that's it."

"I'm so sorry, Clint."

"They don't think he'll ever walk again." Clint sobbed. His throat grew raw and he coughed, unable to breathe through the tears. "He's in so much pain all the time."

"He'll be independent once he heals though?"

"Somewhat... Now...for now, I carry him, mostly. He uses the wheelchair sometimes, but...he's too weak. And too stubborn, you know how he is." The archer felt a tear slide down his cheek.

"He doesn't have the upper body strength. He...jesus, he can't even sit up straight yet. T9 and 8 were shattered, so that means from here," He drew a line across his upper abdomen. "Down, is paralyzed."

He saw, in his mind, Pietro, black back brace strapped tightly over his torso, sitting weakly in that damn hospital issued chair.

"I mean, a person who wasn't in a coma for six months would have trouble with this. The fact that he's too skinny and too weak doesn't help. It's just killing me inside, to watch him hurt so bad. He doesn't even know I'm here. God, I hate myself for that. It makes me sick, that I'm lying to him."

"It's gonna be okay."

"I don't think it will be...he almost died for me, Laura. He almost died. Now because of me he needs help sitting up...I'm such an asshole. It's all my fault."

"He knew what he was doing when he saved you. It's not your fault."

It's not your fault.