Duyên || Clint Barton

048 || heroes

•••

Wakanda was filled with the songs of celebration. Families were reuniting in front of our eyes, joy in all of their faces.
"Is Shuri here?" Lila asked, arm looped around mine, "we haven't seen her in ages"
"Yeah, I'm sure Nathanael would love to see her again" Pietro teased, nudging his youngest brother.
"Of course he would" Cooper added, snickering, "he loves her"
"Hey!" Nath screeched, blushing heavily, "I do not!"
"Sure you don't" Wanda smirked, patting his head lightly.
I made eye contact with Clint over their heads, a fond exasperation in both of our expressions.
"Come on now, don't tease your brother" Clint said, humour draining from his face at the words.

Noticing his changed mood, I unhooked Lila's arm and moved to wrap him up in a hug.
"I know" I hummed, my hand rubbing his back soothingly, "I know"
He breathed out shakily, pressing his head against my shoulder, "I'm just so glad to have them back" he whispered.
"We both are" I replied, pulling back to cup his face with my hands, "but they're here now. Safe. With us"
Clint nodded, pulling himself back together with a determined sigh, his eyes straying to our children behind me.
"We're okay, see?" Nathanael chirped, grabbing his fathers hand and placing it on his chest.
"Yes" Clint laughed, crouching down to pick Nathanael up, "Thank you"
"I helped" he grinned, turning back towards me.
"Yes you did you cheeky munchkin" I laughed, pinching his cheeks. He squirmed away from my fingers, wiggling in Clint's arms as he screamed.

"Why am I not surprised, you're all acting like circus performers"
The seven of us whipped around, seeing Nick stood there with crossed arms.
"Nick" I grinned, rushing over to him, ignoring the way I teared up as I wrapped the older man into a hug.
"You did good" he said, words almost lost against my hair, "you did good"
We broke apart, both smiling, and he moved to sweep all the kids into one hulking embrace. He then settled Clint with a look, gesturing for him to come and give him a hug. The archer stood defiantly for a few seconds, before a grin took over his face and he stepped into the hug.
"Now, tell me everything"

•••

"Is it okay to come in?"
Pepper smiled thinly, waving me into the room silently, her other hand firmly placed on Tony's.
I returned the smile, moving to sit next to her in the seat by the bed.
"How is he?"
She gave a breathy laugh, "Alive"
I nodded, placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder as I turned my gaze to the figure lying still on the hospital bed, burn marks leaving a cross-hatch scar on the side of his face. I frowned slightly, something about the scene looking slightly off - then it hit me.
"Oh Pep, his arm! I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay" she insisted, spare hand gripping mine, "Really it's okay. I'd rather have him here without his arm than..."
She trailed off, eyes becoming wet at the implication.
"Oh, of course" I cooed, "I'm just sorry I couldn't do more"
"You did more than I could ever ask" Pepper said firmly, holding solid eye contact until I nodded, her gaze seemingly drifting off into the distance, "I would've let him go out there... I was about to tell him to let go-"
"Pep we can't think like that, okay? You were doing what you thought was best. You were giving him peace"
"I almost gave up on him"
Her voice came out choked, tears now filling up her eyes. I frowned, slipping from my seat to crouch in front of her, resting my hands on her shoulders.
"But you didn't. You're here, sat with him right now. That's not someone who's given up"
She nodded, taking a steadying breath.
"You're right - of course you're right"
"Hey Mrs Stark, I - oh sorry I didn't know you had someone else here -"
I let out a small laugh, turning to greet Peter.
"It's okay Pete. I just came to check on Pepper. How're you?"
"I'm undusted so that's good" he smiled, the enthusiastic tone seemingly covering some trauma (not that I was surprised)
"That is good... anyway I'll leave you two to talk"
I stood up from the floor, placing my hand on Tony's for a fleeting moment before taking my leave.

•••

"I know that people are still injured and getting treated" Nat started, a smile creeping on to her face as she raised the bottle of vodka, "but I think we deserve to get shitfaced!"
I cheered, throwing my arms around her neck as I looked out upon the great hall filled with our fellow fighters, the party already in full swing.
Clint and I had put the kids to bed just half an hour prior, the twins joining in on the late night festivities with the rest of us.
"We definitely deserve it"
I snorted a laugh at Steve, who was half-draped over Bucky and Sam, shaking my head at him fondly as the two carted him away to the dance floor.
We had all had our reunions earlier, Bucky and Sam both receiving crushing hugs from both Nat and I (after a sobbing Steve had let them go of course).
"Y'know I never did figure out their relationship" Nat mused, taking a swig of the bottle as she watched them leave.
"As long as their happy I don't really care that much" I added, stealing the bottle for a sip, "God knows Steve deserves the love"
She hummed thoughtfully, her eyes unwittingly straying to the corner where Thor and Bruce stood.
"You do too, you do know that right?"
Nat just laughed, shaking her head at me and taking another sip.
"I'm serious! You waited this long, whats stopping you?"
Natasha fell silent, frowning in thought.
"I guess you're right"
"Yeah, obviously"
"I'm gonna do it" she grinned, having another deep swig of vodka, pressing a strong kiss to my cheek before striding across the room.

"What was that?" Clint asked, his arms sliding around my waist from behind.
"Natasha's finally making a move"
Clint's laugh tumbled through his chest, vibrating against my back.
"About fucking time"
We watched together, swaying to the beat of the song, as Nat inserted herself into the conversation, pulling Bruce into a deep kiss.
I cheered, clapping as Bruce flushed, his hands gently resting on her hips.
Clint turned me around, hand cupping my face, "Lets dance"

•••

The next morning, Dr Strange stood by the entrance to the city, opening portals along with his fellow wizards to help all the fighters return home.
"Where will you go?" I asked Steve, pulling him into a strong hug.
"The three of us are going to Sam's house for a while" he smiled, nodding his head towards Bucky and Sam, "he wants to see his family. It's the least we can do"
"And Marzia?"
"Going home to Budapest, she knows she's free to visit"
I nodded, hugging him once more before I let him go, watching him walk back over to the two.
"He'll be fine" Clint said, a reassuring smile on his face, "They've got each other"
I nodded, "I'll force them to visit at some point"
Our conversation was interrupted by the twins.
"Are we going to the farm?"
"That's home" Clint answered, a smile on his face.
"We've never actually lived there yet" Pietro added, "Will there be room?"
"Of course there's room! We'll have to redo a few but Clint does that all the time anyway"
"What about Auntie Nat?" Lila asked, ducking under Wanda's arm, "is she coming back too?"
"We should probably go and ask her, huh"
Lila ran over to her brothers, dragging them along excitedly as we approached Nat and Bruce, the question hanging heavily in the air.
"You coming with us?"
The two exchanged a fond look, reminding me of that conversation they shared at the farm almost a decade ago.
"I think we will, if only for a little bit" Bruce said, hand entwined with Natasha's.
"Perfect - there's just one place I need to go first"

•••

The door swung open, revealing Dalia's shocked face.
"Grace-!"
She stumbled as my fist connected with her face, hand moving to cup her cheek.
"That was for endangering my kids, bitch"
I stepped forward, kicking her once in the stomach.
"And that was for turning your back on family"