Avengers Fic: Five Times that Clint's Old Loves Helped Him Out
Title: Five Times that Clint's Old Loves Helped Him Out
Paring: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Rating: T
Words: 4000+
Warnings: Minor Movie Spoilers
Notes: Sequel to Five Women Clint Barton Loved and the One Man He Loves
Part 1
4. Natasha Romanoff
“Hey,” Natasha says, as she enters his and... well, just his apartment now. “Don’t get up or anything.”
“I believe the door was locked,” Clint states, glaring up at her. He doesn’t really want to deal with her, deal with anyone right now. Phil is gone, killed by Loki while Clint was the trickster’s plaything.
“Please, like that has ever stopped me,” Natasha says. “You need to clean up, I got a job for us.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Clint says, taking a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle.
“Clint,” Natasha says softly. “This is important.”
“Is the world in danger?” Clint asks. “Are aliens falling from the sky again?”
“No,” Natasha says.
“Then its not important enough,” Clint states. “I’m not interested.
Natasha pursed her lips as she gave him a long look. “I need your help.”
“No, you don’t,” Clint says, “You don’t need me, you never have.”
“Did you know that Tony hacked the systems of the hellicarrier just before Loki attacked it?” Natasha asks.
“You mean just before I attacked it?” Clint corrects.
“No, before Loki attacked it, you weren’t yourself,” Natasha says, correcting him. “Regardless, Tony Stark has a backdoor into the system.”
“So?” Clint asks.
“Fury is up to something,” Natasha states. “You weren’t the only pilot to take off during the lockdown, one used Fury’s personal overrides. I need your help in finding out what he felt was so important to get off the helicarrier.”
“Why should I care?” Clint asks.
“Because I need my partner,” Natasha states. “I need my back up. Or would you prefer I go out without someone, because if you don’t come with me I will and then you can add my name guilt.”
“You wouldn’t, you’re bluffing,” Clint says, slightly horrified at the idea of Natasha going at it alone.
“Try me,” Natasha growls.
They stare at one another, but in the end Clint gives. He can’t take that chance. They meet with Tony and Bruce, who give them the information that leads to a small hospital in Michigan. There’s nothing special about the town as far as Clint can tell, besides a lot of churches.
There’s a local hospital, which is where the trail leads them. They inspect the hospital, slipping in and out. Its a small hospital, clearly meant to take care of the local population and if there are any major problems with a patient to transport them to one of the bigger hospitals over an hour away by car. The odd thing is the equipment, which is far too new and advanced for such a small hospital. That has SHIELD’s and therefore Fury’s fingerprints all over it. There’s also the underground isolation ward that neither of them can get to without actually working at it.
They end up in the vents, which means Clint is in charge and Natasha is cursing mentally. She’s not as good as this as him, but they make their way over the ward.
“So what exactly are we looking for?” Clint asks, glancing through the vents, but not paying attention.
“We’ll know it... Clint,” Natasha says softly and suddenly. “Help me get this open.”
“What?” Clint asks, starting to turn, so he can help her. “You find it?”
“I think so,” Natasha says, there’s something off in her voice, which is worrisome, because Natasha is almost always calm and collected. He glances at her and realizes whatever she’s found is causing a jumble of emotions in his partner.
“Easy,” Clint encourages softly, moving to help her get it open. As soon as she can, she slips down and into the room, leaving Clint left to open it further for his larger body.
He follows a moment later, his attention more on Natasha that he doesn’t notice the figure in the bed until he breathes out a soft, “Barton.”
Clint’s attention snaps toward the man, “Phil?” It is him, pale and injured, but breathing and smiling at him. Clint has to touch, hand going to cup Phil’s cheek. The other man leans into him.
“You okay?” Phil asks.
“Doing a lot better now,” Clint answers honestly, leaning down to press his lips to Phil’s forehead. “You’re alive, Fury said...”
“Thought I was..” Phil says, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Clint says softly. “You’re alive, and we’re going to get you out of here. Right Tasha?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Natasha promises. “You stay here.”
Clint nods, and watches as she goes over to the vent. “Tasha...” He calls as she’s about to jump up. She pauses looking at him. “Thank you.”
She smiles at him, “Aren’t you glad I talked you into this one?”
“Definitely,” Clint agrees with a smile that only grows when he turns to look back at Phil.
5. Cami Townsend
“Well, if it isn’t The Circus Freak.” The voice, and Clint knows that voice far too well, because its one of the main reasons he does NOT talk about his past, at least not anything before the army. He certainly didn’t expect to hear it while he was out with the rest of the team, relaxing after a long day of press conferences and interviews.
He can feel himself tense up as he turns to look at her, “Cami.” She hasn’t changed much, a little harder, but still a beautiful woman. Clint is older now though, he’s seen better, he’s had better, and been dumped by better, and is in a committed relationship to another better. Both are seated next to him, both, he realizes are responding to body language. No, wait, Phil was responding to the comment, but Phil has access to his file and knows without Clint having to tell him. “You’re looking... well.”
“You don’t seem to be doing bad yourself,” Cami says with a smirk and a jerk of the head that says ‘for a freak’.
“I’m sorry,” Tony pipes up from behind Clint, and the other man turns to see that not only are Natasha and Phil ill at ease, but the others aren’t as well. “Just who are you exactly?”
“I’m an old friend,” Cami answers.
“Really?” Tony states, looking at Clint, who nods.
“He followed me to sniper training,” Cami adds. “Like a little puppy.”
“You were in the army?” Steve asks.
“Still am,” Cami replies, glancing at him. “You?”
“Nope,” Clint replies.
“Nice of you to waste all that training,” Cami says, disdainfully. “Except I suppose you probably thought the circus training was good enough.”
“Circus training?” Tony asks.
“He didn’t tell you he grew up in a circus, had an act and everything,” Cami informs them all.
“Huh, guess that explains that maneuver you pulled against the doombots last week,” Tony muses.
“Doombots?” Cami questions.
“No, I learned that one from Natasha,” Clint corrects.
“He had a shooting act,” Phil states, “You see the results of that training daily.” Phil glances around the table at the curious expression. “Its in his file.”
“Yeah,” Clint replies. “The bots that attacked the UN last week, they were made by Doom.”
“Hence the term ‘Doombots,” Tony replies, taking a sip of his drink
“Clinton took out a number of them,” Thor adds.
“What were you doing in that mess?” Cami asks, looking absolutely confused.
“Saving lives,” Tony replies, “With us.”
“Well, you’re an Avenger,” Cami replies.
“So is Clint,” Steve said.
“I don’t think she realized that, Cap,” Bruce says softly, glancing up from his drink. “I think she came over here to try and embarrass him in front of us, but he’s our teammate and hearing you talk down to him is making me a little angry”
Cami swallows, paling visibly at that.
“You should probably go now,” Natasha says softly. “I think your friends are ready to go.”
Cami glances back at her group. “Yeah, I think so.” She pauses. “It was good seeing you Clint.”
Clint watched her leave before turning back and looking at the table.
“Please tell me you did not date that woman,” Tony says after a moment of silence.
“Heh, my taste got better as I got older?” Clint suggests as an excuse.
“I’ll be sure to mention that to Ms. Jenkins the next time I speak with her,” Phil says quietly.
Clint’s head snaps to look at him. “Laura? Why are you in touch with Laura?”
“She wanted updates on you,” Phil replies, ignoring the the questions of ‘Laura? Who’s Laura?’ from the others, mostly Tony. “So we’ve kept in touch.”
“Why didn’t she ask me?” Clint asks.
“Well, at the time, you were still unconscious,” Phil replies with a slight smile. He pauses, before adding, “We write letters.”
“Seriously?!” Clint asks, stunned.
“She thought it was appropriate,” Phil replies with a shrug.
“Who is Laura?!” Tony said, loud enough that some of the people from the other tables turned to look.
“Laura, she, she would have been high school sweetheart, if I went to high school, but I didn’t go,” Clint replies. He feels a hand come to rest on the small of his back and he glances over at Phil who gives him an encouraging smile. There’s a few more questions, before Bruce starts talking about his first girlfriend, which leads to all of them talking about their lives and loves. The Avengers might rib him about the Circus, but now he gets some semi-embarrassing about the others.
Its the wee hours of the morning when Phil and him have finally made it to bed, “I don’t want to be thankful to that woman for anything, but I think she sparked one hell of a bonding session.”
“Yeah,” Clint agrees, “They had my back there.”
“Of course, they did, you’re a team,” Coulson says, smiling softly as he’s starting to drift off.
“Thanks to you,” Clint murmurs, kissing his lover softly, before drifting off.
The team never has a talk like that, but then they never really need to. The Avengers Initiative will grow, but the bond between the original six is cemented in a bar.
Paring: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Rating: T
Words: 4000+
Warnings: Minor Movie Spoilers
Notes: Sequel to Five Women Clint Barton Loved and the One Man He Loves
Part 1
4. Natasha Romanoff
“Hey,” Natasha says, as she enters his and... well, just his apartment now. “Don’t get up or anything.”
“I believe the door was locked,” Clint states, glaring up at her. He doesn’t really want to deal with her, deal with anyone right now. Phil is gone, killed by Loki while Clint was the trickster’s plaything.
“Please, like that has ever stopped me,” Natasha says. “You need to clean up, I got a job for us.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Clint says, taking a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle.
“Clint,” Natasha says softly. “This is important.”
“Is the world in danger?” Clint asks. “Are aliens falling from the sky again?”
“No,” Natasha says.
“Then its not important enough,” Clint states. “I’m not interested.
Natasha pursed her lips as she gave him a long look. “I need your help.”
“No, you don’t,” Clint says, “You don’t need me, you never have.”
“Did you know that Tony hacked the systems of the hellicarrier just before Loki attacked it?” Natasha asks.
“You mean just before I attacked it?” Clint corrects.
“No, before Loki attacked it, you weren’t yourself,” Natasha says, correcting him. “Regardless, Tony Stark has a backdoor into the system.”
“So?” Clint asks.
“Fury is up to something,” Natasha states. “You weren’t the only pilot to take off during the lockdown, one used Fury’s personal overrides. I need your help in finding out what he felt was so important to get off the helicarrier.”
“Why should I care?” Clint asks.
“Because I need my partner,” Natasha states. “I need my back up. Or would you prefer I go out without someone, because if you don’t come with me I will and then you can add my name guilt.”
“You wouldn’t, you’re bluffing,” Clint says, slightly horrified at the idea of Natasha going at it alone.
“Try me,” Natasha growls.
They stare at one another, but in the end Clint gives. He can’t take that chance. They meet with Tony and Bruce, who give them the information that leads to a small hospital in Michigan. There’s nothing special about the town as far as Clint can tell, besides a lot of churches.
There’s a local hospital, which is where the trail leads them. They inspect the hospital, slipping in and out. Its a small hospital, clearly meant to take care of the local population and if there are any major problems with a patient to transport them to one of the bigger hospitals over an hour away by car. The odd thing is the equipment, which is far too new and advanced for such a small hospital. That has SHIELD’s and therefore Fury’s fingerprints all over it. There’s also the underground isolation ward that neither of them can get to without actually working at it.
They end up in the vents, which means Clint is in charge and Natasha is cursing mentally. She’s not as good as this as him, but they make their way over the ward.
“So what exactly are we looking for?” Clint asks, glancing through the vents, but not paying attention.
“We’ll know it... Clint,” Natasha says softly and suddenly. “Help me get this open.”
“What?” Clint asks, starting to turn, so he can help her. “You find it?”
“I think so,” Natasha says, there’s something off in her voice, which is worrisome, because Natasha is almost always calm and collected. He glances at her and realizes whatever she’s found is causing a jumble of emotions in his partner.
“Easy,” Clint encourages softly, moving to help her get it open. As soon as she can, she slips down and into the room, leaving Clint left to open it further for his larger body.
He follows a moment later, his attention more on Natasha that he doesn’t notice the figure in the bed until he breathes out a soft, “Barton.”
Clint’s attention snaps toward the man, “Phil?” It is him, pale and injured, but breathing and smiling at him. Clint has to touch, hand going to cup Phil’s cheek. The other man leans into him.
“You okay?” Phil asks.
“Doing a lot better now,” Clint answers honestly, leaning down to press his lips to Phil’s forehead. “You’re alive, Fury said...”
“Thought I was..” Phil says, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Clint says softly. “You’re alive, and we’re going to get you out of here. Right Tasha?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Natasha promises. “You stay here.”
Clint nods, and watches as she goes over to the vent. “Tasha...” He calls as she’s about to jump up. She pauses looking at him. “Thank you.”
She smiles at him, “Aren’t you glad I talked you into this one?”
“Definitely,” Clint agrees with a smile that only grows when he turns to look back at Phil.
5. Cami Townsend
“Well, if it isn’t The Circus Freak.” The voice, and Clint knows that voice far too well, because its one of the main reasons he does NOT talk about his past, at least not anything before the army. He certainly didn’t expect to hear it while he was out with the rest of the team, relaxing after a long day of press conferences and interviews.
He can feel himself tense up as he turns to look at her, “Cami.” She hasn’t changed much, a little harder, but still a beautiful woman. Clint is older now though, he’s seen better, he’s had better, and been dumped by better, and is in a committed relationship to another better. Both are seated next to him, both, he realizes are responding to body language. No, wait, Phil was responding to the comment, but Phil has access to his file and knows without Clint having to tell him. “You’re looking... well.”
“You don’t seem to be doing bad yourself,” Cami says with a smirk and a jerk of the head that says ‘for a freak’.
“I’m sorry,” Tony pipes up from behind Clint, and the other man turns to see that not only are Natasha and Phil ill at ease, but the others aren’t as well. “Just who are you exactly?”
“I’m an old friend,” Cami answers.
“Really?” Tony states, looking at Clint, who nods.
“He followed me to sniper training,” Cami adds. “Like a little puppy.”
“You were in the army?” Steve asks.
“Still am,” Cami replies, glancing at him. “You?”
“Nope,” Clint replies.
“Nice of you to waste all that training,” Cami says, disdainfully. “Except I suppose you probably thought the circus training was good enough.”
“Circus training?” Tony asks.
“He didn’t tell you he grew up in a circus, had an act and everything,” Cami informs them all.
“Huh, guess that explains that maneuver you pulled against the doombots last week,” Tony muses.
“Doombots?” Cami questions.
“No, I learned that one from Natasha,” Clint corrects.
“He had a shooting act,” Phil states, “You see the results of that training daily.” Phil glances around the table at the curious expression. “Its in his file.”
“Yeah,” Clint replies. “The bots that attacked the UN last week, they were made by Doom.”
“Hence the term ‘Doombots,” Tony replies, taking a sip of his drink
“Clinton took out a number of them,” Thor adds.
“What were you doing in that mess?” Cami asks, looking absolutely confused.
“Saving lives,” Tony replies, “With us.”
“Well, you’re an Avenger,” Cami replies.
“So is Clint,” Steve said.
“I don’t think she realized that, Cap,” Bruce says softly, glancing up from his drink. “I think she came over here to try and embarrass him in front of us, but he’s our teammate and hearing you talk down to him is making me a little angry”
Cami swallows, paling visibly at that.
“You should probably go now,” Natasha says softly. “I think your friends are ready to go.”
Cami glances back at her group. “Yeah, I think so.” She pauses. “It was good seeing you Clint.”
Clint watched her leave before turning back and looking at the table.
“Please tell me you did not date that woman,” Tony says after a moment of silence.
“Heh, my taste got better as I got older?” Clint suggests as an excuse.
“I’ll be sure to mention that to Ms. Jenkins the next time I speak with her,” Phil says quietly.
Clint’s head snaps to look at him. “Laura? Why are you in touch with Laura?”
“She wanted updates on you,” Phil replies, ignoring the the questions of ‘Laura? Who’s Laura?’ from the others, mostly Tony. “So we’ve kept in touch.”
“Why didn’t she ask me?” Clint asks.
“Well, at the time, you were still unconscious,” Phil replies with a slight smile. He pauses, before adding, “We write letters.”
“Seriously?!” Clint asks, stunned.
“She thought it was appropriate,” Phil replies with a shrug.
“Who is Laura?!” Tony said, loud enough that some of the people from the other tables turned to look.
“Laura, she, she would have been high school sweetheart, if I went to high school, but I didn’t go,” Clint replies. He feels a hand come to rest on the small of his back and he glances over at Phil who gives him an encouraging smile. There’s a few more questions, before Bruce starts talking about his first girlfriend, which leads to all of them talking about their lives and loves. The Avengers might rib him about the Circus, but now he gets some semi-embarrassing about the others.
Its the wee hours of the morning when Phil and him have finally made it to bed, “I don’t want to be thankful to that woman for anything, but I think she sparked one hell of a bonding session.”
“Yeah,” Clint agrees, “They had my back there.”
“Of course, they did, you’re a team,” Coulson says, smiling softly as he’s starting to drift off.
“Thanks to you,” Clint murmurs, kissing his lover softly, before drifting off.
The team never has a talk like that, but then they never really need to. The Avengers Initiative will grow, but the bond between the original six is cemented in a bar.