Chapter Text
Tony was an idiot, grade A. he didn’t deserve his degrees, Dum-E could have his Berkley doctorate for crafting purposes. He practically flew past his team, even avoided Widow with her steely glare of pain, not death, pain - inescapable eternal pain.
Yea he knew, he fucked up this was more important than Widows disapproval.
"Jarvis, open locker doghouse C"
He didn't really remember getting to his lab, barely brushed his fingers over his bots sensor pads he past them, and grabbed the small box out of the panel that appeared about of the seamless metal.
Just as fast, he was past the team their faces less angry and more confused this time, and then bouncing painfully down the stairs to Barton’s floor. He paused and rubbed his hand under his sternum and took a breath, stairs were not comfortable for his reactor, especially when hurried, he wondered if this is what if felt like for large breasted women. He immediately felt guilty all over again for all the crass remarks he’d made over his life, perhaps R&D could look into micro fillimented fabrics that could be adapted for bras. He shoved the thought aside for the moment, there was a more immediate issue at hand.
"Jarvis, is Barton in the vents?"
"Mr. Barton is currently at his monitor."
"Can you ask him to open the door? Let him know I won't stay if..."
The door slid open.
Clint saw his stupid out of breath idiot team mate at the door. He was clearly hurting.
Dumbass.
Correction, dumbass with a shiny box. Good. Peace offerings from Tony were always worthwhile. The man was nothing if not good at apologizing for his complete lack of social graces. Peculiar that he lacked so much when he was so very good at schmoozing.
He didn't wait for Jarvis to announce Tony’s presence but went to the door and grabbed the idiot genius by the arm was propelling him towards the couch before the bewildered ass-hat could realize he’d been admitted.
Tony found himself sitting and staring at Clint’s open hand.
"You brought a present. If it's chocolate I'll be severely disappointed and won't come out of the vents until Natasha corners you in the gym. Then I'll savor them." The archer grinned evilly at the prospect.
Tony didn't bother talking. It was hard for him to remain quiet even while he could barely breathe but he knew he talked too fast and apparently he twisted his lips too much to be easy for Clint to read. Instead he dropped the box in the outstretched hand and was really glad it wasn't chocolate.
Clint eyed the box for a moment before he flicked the small catch and it slip open.
Tiny little purple lumps of plastic? metal? he poked one of the 6 lumps and it didn't move.
Tony could barely remain quiet he couldn’t hold still at the same time. He was the kid who opens his gifts Christmas eve, and earlier if he could find them, he never ate birthday cake before gifts, waiting was not in his skill set. Watching Clint poke at the marvels of technology he’d been presented with irked so he plucks one of them out of the box and turned it to show Clint the tab on the bottom then mined putting it in his ear.
Clint’s face lit up.
STARK hearing aids! If he wasn't angry at the dumb genius he'd kiss him.
This was good for him this was good for the hearing impaired people everywhere. As soon as Tony was satisfied with his invention he's send it for marketability it would be amazing.
And they were fucking purple.
He flicked one on and slid it in, snagged the second possessively from Stark and repeated the gesture. There was the horrid sensation of the world dropping out and turning back on, like a bad take-off in an airplane and then everything righted itself.
"... because honestly it's kind of the best tech available, only it isn't available so really we should be even and did you turn them on before you put them in? Because you're still pouting, if I have to fish them out neither of us are going to be happy and you’ll definitely owe me more than my stolen cereal."
The sound was so good Clint almost forgot he was angry and nearly grabbed the man in a hug. He'll he might have kissed him after all. Sound never felt so right.
He had to wait for the little shit to stop blathering on but it wasn’t so bad; after all he finally had his revenge material.
"Oh know, we’re not even."
"Hey now I said..."
"Not when I could hear, " Clint cut him off, so he didn’t have to be apologized to again, it made him more uncomfortable than he’d like to admit. "Now, it's movie night. Jarvis, is everyone upstairs?"
"The team is gathering at this moment."
"Excellent, please queue the third file, I'll watch the rest later."
"Third? Jarvis?" Tony's voice definitely didn't quiver.
"Alright upstairs. Vengeance is mine tin can"
The clip wasn't long but Tony was as red as his suit by the end and the team had a great laugh at his expense before they turned on the movie.
Natasha wouldn't let him slink away to his lab during the movie either while Bruce kept bringing him more orange juice which would start the laughter all over again. They didn’t really see much of the movie too busy giggling and ribbing each other.
Even he was able to chuckle slightly through his embarasment by the end credits, though mostly because Thor had laughed so hard orange juice had come out his nose.
The team all drifted, exhausted from a long day of avenging.
Tony was finally able to make his break but was stopped by Clint calling his name. The archer looked at the man for a moment then cocked his head, "I forgive you utter stupidity."
Tony laughed; he still hasn't said he was sorry where Clint could hear.
"And Tony? Thanks for these." The archer moved his hand slightly, not really gesturing but still motioning to his ears.
"Any time bird brain."
"Ouch, insulting me again so soon … wonder how many videos that's worth to Natasha?"
Tony gaped as Clint left cackling.
In the end it was just another night in the tower. It's a good thing Tony has an entire wall for his doghouse.