Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was Bruce's shift to take care of Clint. Since the incident where he got deaged there was always one of the Avengers with the now eight year old boy.

Tony was over at Baxter Building to talk to Reed. He wanted to have his boyfriend back as soon as possible. They even asked Hank Pym for help and he was there with them. One week ago, when the Avengers helped the Fantastic Four with a huge amount of Doombots, Clint got deaged. Not only his body, his mind as well. He was a little boy again. They didn't find out how and why he had done it so far but now they had an eight years old assassin to take care of.

Bruce had made some space in his lab on one of the tables and had handed him a coloring book and a pack of crayons and the boy colored everything in it purple. They had to replace the purple crayon twice last week.

“That's boring, Bruce,” he wailed after a while and rocked his chair backwards and forwards.

“Maybe if you try another color?” Bruce suggested when he took a look at the purple pictures in the book.

“What are you doing?” Clint asked instead.

“Uhm... that's a cell culture... uhm... science stuff.” He gestured vaguely in the direction of his lab table.

“And what's that?” Clint pointed at the whiteboard on the side of the room.

“That's... math.” Bruce sighed. He was never good with children.

“And why didn't you finish that?” the boy asked, his head cocked and looked at the equation he had written on the board. Bruce turned around and looked at the board as well.

“I... I forgot to buy batteries for my calculator and I can do it another time. It's not important. More important is to get you back to your old self.” Bruce explained. “Why don't you play with that Game Boy Tony bought for you?”

“That's boring as well. Why do you need a calculator for that?” Clint pointed once again at the board.

“Because it's complex and... and... why do you care?” He huffed finally and furrowed his brows.

“If I tell you the answer can we go out? It's boring in here. I want to go to the zoo.” Clint whined and bobbed up and down.

“What do you mean you tell me the answer?” Bruce stared at the whiteboard and then at the boy.

“If you want me to I can tell you the answer but...” Clint bit his lips and looked around. “But don't tell my dad. He doesn't like it.”

“Wait, wait, wait... are you trying to tell me that you can solve this equation?” Clint nodded and took the whiteboard pen and started to scribble beneath Bruce's equation with his little boy scrawl, a concentrated expression on his face, his tongue between his lips and his brows furrowed. And after a few minutes he put the pen down and turned around.

“Can we go to the zoo now?” he asked once again.

“How... I mean... how did you...” Bruce looked at the whiteboard, at Clint, back at the whiteboard and ran his hands through his hair. “That's complex mathematics and... and you...”

“Mr. Johnson said I'm good with numbers. But please, don't tell my dad. He...” Clint stopped and looked at his hands and swallowed.

“He what?” Bruce hunkered down beside Clint and took his hands. “He can't do anything to you ever again, Clint. We've told you.” The boy looked at him very earnestly and nodded.

“Yes. And you are not mad at me?” Clint added.

“What? No, why would I be mad at you?” Bruce knew that Clint got abused from his father but no one took the time to ask him why.

“Because I'm a fucking weisenheimer?”

“Did he say that?” Bruce asked and still stole glances at the whiteboard beside them from time to time. Clint nodded again.

“He always used to say I should shut my trap and that I'm a fucking smartass or a weisenheimer.”

“Oh my god, this.. this is awful.”

“You don't tell him?”

“No, no, Clint. I won't tell him. But am I allowed to tell Tony?” Bruce looked once again at the solved equation and shook his head slightly.

“Will he be mad?” Clint asked cautiously and bit his lip.

“Tony? Never! Quite the contrary. He will be excited.” Bruce smiled when he saw Clint's face break into a relieved smile. Even as little boy Clint liked Tony.

“Bruce? What is a smartass and a weisenheimer?” The boy asked and looked curious up at him.

“That's... something really rude. You better forget it. You've said something about a Mr. Johnson?”

“Yes, he's my teacher. He sometimes gives me books about numbers.”

“And you read them?” Clint nodded vehemently.

“Of course. They are fun. Numbers are fun. They always fit together. Can we do that if we don't go to the zoo then?”

“Yeah, I guess we can do that. Do you know what a mathematical proof is?”

“Yes.” Clint nodded again and bounced on his toes. Bruce rose and went to one of his file cabinets, searched for a file and then he wrote a few equations on another whiteboard. He gave Clint a StarkPad.

“Okay, Clint. You try to prove that these equations are correct and I go to make a phone call.” And when he saw the horrified expression on the boy's face he added immediately, “I'll call Tony, not your father. Promise.”

“Okay,” Clint took the Pad and sat down at the table again, his coloring book forgotten.

“Tony?” Bruce said into the receiver when the other man had answered the call. “I need you here. No, asap! It's... something you won't believe if I tell you. Come over and see for yourself. Oh, and if you want to you can bring Reed and Hank with you.”

Chapter Text

Natasha thought it was really funny. Four grown men, scientists, stood in Bruce's lab and watched Clint doing an intelligence test. The boy sat at the table, his tongue between his lip and scribbled at his StarkPad. Everything he wrote got projected onto a screen in front of Tony, Bruce, Reed and Hank and they talked whisperingly to each other and gestured with their hands. Jane sat beside Clint and looked over his shoulder and talked quietly to him.

“You knew that, didn't you?” Steve asked and pointed with his chin in Clint's direction.

“To a certain degree, yes. I knew that most of his 'dumb high-school drop-out persona' was only that, a persona. He never told me details and I've never asked.” She turned her head to look now at Cap and he nodded.

“Yes, that's what I thought.”

“He had to hide it when he was a child. His father hated it when he knew more than him and therefore he beat him.” Natasha whispered and pressed her lips together when she saw the boy turn his head and smile in her direction.

“Why do you tell us now?” Steve watched Tony, Bruce, Reed and Hank now, still whispering and gesturing with their hands.

“It's... it's an exceptional situation. He needs help and they need to understand.”

“But I mean... someone had to notice something. He solved an equation on college level Bruce said. Without calculator. He solved it in his head. Why didn't someone notice?” Steve still watched the boy now concentrating on his test with Jane beside him.

“Maybe they did. But then, his parents died when he was eight and he was in the orphanage afterwards. You've ever been in one of them? They don't have time to care about children with special needs and Clint's brother wasn't helpful at all. And then they ran away to the circus.”

“Yeah. God, can you imagine what he could've become with proper promotion?”

“As annoying as Stark?” Natasha asked and shrugged slightly. “No, seriously. I know exactly what you mean but... if he would've wanted to change anything he would've done it, believe me. He loves his job and the life he has now.”

“Tony will rip him a new one for not telling him about his skills.” Steve smirked slightly and Natasha nodded.

“Or die trying.”

“Do you think they will be able to fix him?” Steve looked at Clint again, still writing concentrated on his StarkPad.

“I hope so. I want my best friend back, Stark his lover and you your best sniper.” She pursed her lips when her phone beeped, a message from Agent 13.

“Your girlfriend. SHIELD found something. You want to come?” She asked and Steve nodded. Maybe to run a chance of meeting Sharon made this decision easier.

“Why did you never notice something?” Bruce whispered and glared at Tony.

“Because he wasn't bored when he was with me?” Tony glared back and he was right. They've been at the zoo thrice since Clint got deaged – he loved the tigers –, they played computer games together, he went to Tony's workshop with him where he could tinker with all the stuff there. He didn't have time to get bored.

“But... it's a good thing, that he was bored, wasn't it? I mean, no one would've suspected anything.” Reed looked at the other three men.

“Holy mother of god, I guess I have to apologize to him when he's back to his old self,” Pym muttered when he looked at the results from the intelligence test. “He has 158! Fuck!”

“What?” Tony turned and stared at the screen behind him, his brows furrowed and he folded his arms in front of his chest. “I'm so going to tear a strip off him,” he muttered.

“That's only four points below you, Hank.” Bruce said and rubbed his chin with one hand.

“Guy is a genius and no one knew.” Reed added.

“I'm so going to knock the stuffing out of him,” Tony was still grumpy and stared once more at the screen.

“Okay, but that's not the problem, is it?” Jane came over to them and had heard the last few words. “Problem is, he's still a child and we need to get him back to himself.”

“Yes, that's true. And then I'm going to rip him a new one.” Tony grumbled.

“Uhm... I'm an astrophysicist. I don't know much about...” Jane started but a glance from Tony shut her up.

“We need every input we can get right now. And now we need to find a fucking solution.” He said and looked over to the boy, sitting on the table and shooting at test tubes with a self-made rubber-band slingshot and paper balls. And he hit every time.

Tony sighed. Yes, he needed to find a solution. He wanted his Clint back.

Chapter Text

“You've had one job! One! To shoot with that gun on Captain America! That's the star-spangled guy in his red and blue suit with the big shield in his hands! And not their goddamn pet-archer! One job and that's too difficult for you?” Van Doom was furious. He paced in front of the pitiful mercenary who was pale like a sheet right now.

“They said you're an excellent shot but...” he grumbled something in a language none of the mercenaries understood. “I wanted Captain America in his pre-serum state and now we don't even have the archer whom you've deaged.”

“Sir, I... I shot at him but the ray bounced off of his shield and hit...” the man started but when he saw the glance through his mask he shut up immediately.

“Get me the archer!” Van Doom snarled and the mercenaries hurried out as fast as possible, glad to still be alive.

Clint was quiet when he walked with Tony through the cemetery. He had grabbed his hand and held it tightly and Tony had to swallow. They went to the rows with the simple and plain graves and stopped in front of two small headstones. One read Harold Barton, the other one Edith Barton and the years of their births and their deaths.

“Are you sure that this are my mom and... and dad?” the boy asked and looked up to Tony. He hunkered down to be at eye level with him.

“Yes. They died twenty-five years ago, Clint. He can't do anything to you ever again. You don't have to fear him anymore.” Tony still held Clint's hand when he saw him swallow nervously.

“What happened?” He asked surprisingly calm and then Tony gave him the sunflowers they had bought and the boy put them on his mother's grave.

“Your father was drunk when he and your mom drove back to your home. They had an accident.” Tony explained and Clint nodded.

“He always was drunk.” He bit his lips. “What happened to Barney?”

“He was at home with you.” Tony said and Clint nodded again. He couldn't tell him that it was Clint who had killed him later. At least not right now.

“I don't remember any of this.” Clint bit his lips again furrowed his brows.

“I know. That's because of the weapon you got hit with. But Bruce said, he, Betty, Hank and Reed are close to a solution and then you are yourself again.”

“What...” Clint started, licked over his lips and looked at his shoes. “What if I don't want to be myself again?” He asked and it was as if someone would rip out Tony's heart. He didn't know what to answer and so he just ruffled Clint's head and rose. He took his hand and together they went back to the gate to leave the cemetery, the boy followed quietly.

Tony was still wrapped in his thoughts when he felt Clint's hand tighten around his.

“Tony,” he whispered and the older man looked up to see five guys around his car, one had an arm around Happy's throat and pressed a gun at his temple.

“Give me the boy,” one of them said and grinned. Tony shoved Clint protectively behind himself and glared at the guy who had spoken.

“No,” he just said, one hand on Clint's shoulder. The guy with the gun pressed it even tighter against Happy's head and he could see the slight panic in his driver's eyes.

“Sorry, but I can't do that.” Tony shook his head and gritted his teeth.

“Do you want him dead?” The man pointed at Happy now.

“No, but I can't give you Clint.” He looked at Happy who blinked twice. He understood. When Tony nodded slightly Happy went limp and that distracted the guys for a second. He elbowed him in his guts while Tony yelled, “Run, Clint! Hide!” and attacked the guy who had demanded that he should give him Clint. One man wanted to follow the boy but Tony had seen it and kicked him in his stomach. He crumpled down and Clint ran back into the cemetery. Two guys attacked Tony while the third fought against Happy. Then Tony heard a sound that made his blood run cold.

Muffled screams from a child and he made the mistake to look back. Apparently there was another guy on the cemetery, searching for them, and Clint ran into him. He had grabbed the boy, held him pressed against his chest and had a hand over his mouth. The guy behind Tony used this momentary lapse of concentration and he could land a blow against his head. Tony slumped down onto one knee and the guy who had Clint dragged the struggling boy to a van.

“Clint!” Tony yelled before he got another blow on the head and lights went out.

Chapter Text

“Well, despite the fact that you're not able to listen... this time it wasn't a bad move. Buy one, get one free.” Doom looked down at the two unconscious Avengers. Stark and the deaged archer.

Grigori had tied Stark but the boy just lay beside him and out cold. He sighed.

“Lock them up. I will deal with them when they are conscious again.” He grinned and his goons hurried to fulfill his wishes.

Tony groaned. Something poked his side and his head felt like a punching bag after Steve had to blow off steam. The moment he opened his eyes he saw a face too close to his and he startled. But then he realized whose face it was: Clint's. The boy knelt beside him and looked down at him and it was his poking that woke him up. Clint became frightened when Tony scrambled awake so violently and he shrank back and retreated into one corner of the room, his legs drawn to his body, his arms wrapped around and his eyes as big as saucers. Warily he looked at him as if he expected... Oh goad, Tony thought groaning. He thinks I'm going to beat him!

“Clint! Clint, it's okay. It's okay. I just startled. I won't do anything to you, okay?” The boy still looked in his direction disbelievingly and Tony raised his hands in a defensive gesture, showed him his empty hands and carefully he sat up.

“I won't do anything to you. Promise,” he smiled reassuringly and finally Clint nodded but didn't move away from his corner.

“You made some noises while you slept.”

“Huh?” Tony tilted his head and looked at Clint. “What kind of noises?” he asked and the boy furrowed his brows. He searched for a term to describe it but then he just shrugged.

“Like this,” he said and repeated it. It sounded like a whimpering dog he had to admit.

“Oh.” Tony never realized that he made noises while sleeping and the grown up Clint never said anything. “That was just a bad dream. Nothing to worry about.” Clint nodded.

“Why do you have bad dreams?” he then asked and cocked his head in this typical Clint manner he always loved.

“You have seen the ARC reactor?” Tony pointed at his chest and when Clint nodded he continued. “Bad people had kidnapped me while I was hurt and locked me up in a cave. There I built the reactor. And sometimes I still dream of the cave and the bad people,” he explained.

“Tony? Why have these people locked us in?” He looked at the door and apparently he had tried to open it.

“I don't know, Clint. I don't know.” Tony shook his head and sighed but when he saw that Clint had calmed down he went over to him, sat beside him and placed his arm around his shoulder. And it nearly ripped his heart out when the boy leaned himself against Tony. He stroked his back reassuringly.

They sat quiet together, Tony had his arm still around Clint's shoulders, offering as much comfort as possible, when he finally heard a silent sound. He looked down to see the boy wiping over his face with one hand and when he realized that Tony saw it he tried to hide it.

“Shh... it's okay, Clint,” he murmured and stroked over his head.

“I... I didn't mean to...” Clint stammered.

“What? What didn't you mean to?”

“I didn't cry. I... I'm not scared.” He wiped again over his face and Tony could see his red rimmed eyes.

“It's okay. I'm scared as well. Everyone with half a brain in his head would be scared and that's nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Why are you scared? You are Iron Man!” Of course Clint had seen the suit. It was one of the first things Tony had showed him. He wanted to know if he remembered anything. He didn't but he thought it was mega cool.

“It's not wrong to be scared, it makes us careful. The trick is to stand your ground nevertheless. You know that, Clint. Not you, now, your older self knows. He's a brave man and he ever stood his ground.” Tony swallowed when he saw the boy nod.

When finally a few thugs opened the door and came in Tony rose and shoved the boy behind himself but two of the men, definitely brothers, laughed and wanted to grab him. But Tony knew how to fight. He got one down and two more goons hurt when he heard the muffled sound of someone hand gagging a child.

“Stop, Stark. Or I will hurt the boy.”

Tony closed his eyes and gritted his teeth but stopped. He couldn't risk that they harm Clint. He stepped back and glared at the man in front of him who held Clint in a tight grip. The boy still struggled and managed to hit the guy in his most sensitive spot and Tony couldn't repress a grin. That's the Clint he knew.

“Come on, Stanislaus,” he snarled at the man on the floor. Two guys grabbed Tony's arms and twisted them behind his back. He could feel the cold steel of handcuffs around his wrists and pressed his lips together.

The guys shoved him out of the cell. They led them through a few corridors to a room, sort of a conference room, and there was... Victor von Doom.

“Mr. Stark,” he said and pointed at one of the chairs while the one of the brothers shoved Clint onto another chair.

“I should've known it.” Tony tilted his head to the side and leaned back, faking a confidence he really didn't feel right now. Doom sat down as well and pressed the tips of his fingers together.

“I guess I don't need to ask you if I can convince you to build some stuff for me?” he eventually said and leaned back. Tony lifted his brow.

“Why do you ask when you already know the answer?”

“Your archer wasn't my target. I wanted Captain America. I wanted him in his pre-serum state. But apparently Trickshot, the second best sniper in the world, couldn't do his job.”

Tony's head snapped up. He knew that two men used the name Trickshot. Clint's mentor Buck – written separately as Trick Shot - and later his brother Barney but due to the fact that Buck Chisholm was dead this had to be... Barney Barton. The man grinned slightly when he saw that Tony knew who he was.

“But then, Mr. Stark, I had a good idea.” Doom rose and started to pace. Tony rolled his eyes. Why do all the evil villains have to act like evil villains from the old movies? he thought.

“I can still get Captain America and I can have worlds best marksman. You will stay here as bait for the good old Captain and my men will bring the boy... somewhere else. He will learn to be a sniper and he will be loyal to only one person. Me. Trickshot here will be his teacher.”

“Why do you tell me all this?” Tony finally snapped.

“Because I want you to know that it was you who led your lover in my trap. I want you to know that you will never see him again and if you see him it will be the last thing you see because afterwards you will have an arrow sticking in your head. I will raise him to be my most loyal servant and my personal bodyguard slash assassin. And I want you to know that you not only lost your lover but also your team leader. I want you to know that it will be your fault that Captain America will die very soon. That's why I tell you all this.”

“You're insane,” Tony spat and Doom just shrugged.

“Yes, maybe. You're not the first who said that to me. Your friend Reed told me a few times.” Doom nodded at the two brothers.

“Grigori, Stanislaus, take the boy home. And Trickshot, you accompany them. You and me, Stark, we're waiting here. I've heard that your Avengers together with Reed and his goons are on their way to us. I'm eager to welcome them properly.”

One of the brothers grabbed Clint and they carried him away. Tony tried to rise and to get to him but a few more of Doom's guys held him.

“Tony! Please, Tony!” Clint yelled and he could hear the fear in his voice. After all, he was just a little boy and not the tough as nails archer he knew.

“We'll find you, Clint. I'll find you!” Tony called and struggled against the grip that held him on the chair.

“No, Stark. No, you won't.” Doom chuckled and left the room as well.

Chapter Text

Tony could hear the fight, sometimes distant, sometimes as if they were right in front of this room. He banged at the door of his cell, tried to open it but it was futile without anything he could use. It went on and on and finally, after what felt like hours, someone opened the cell and he saw Natasha.

“They have Clint!” He hurried over to the door and out onto a corridor. It looked like a war zone, dead bodies on the floor, bullet holes in the walls, blood and dirt and parts of Servo-Guards on the floor and the walls and... everywhere. But Tony didn't take the time to look at them. He ran out to see the other Avengers and the Fantastic Four still fighting against Doom's goons.

“He's gone, Tony,” Natasha was behind him. “The moment it was obvious that he lost he disappeared.”

“What?! No! Please tell me that's not true! Tell me you captured the brothers and Trickshot!” Tony grabbed her shoulders and shook her and she let him. She knew that he was distraught. He could hear the Hulk roar and smashing something similar to a quinjet.

“No, they have Clint, it's his brother,” he slumped to the floor. A team of medics came over and before Tony could react they had injected something into his arm and he saw the world go dark. The last thing he saw was Natasha nodding at them.

Tony woke in the infirmary, apparently on the helicarrier. He could hear the constant hum of the engines. When he opened his eyes he discovered, that he wasn't alone. Bruce sat in a chair, scribbling on his StarkPad.

“Bruce?” Tony groaned and the other man put the pad away.

“Hey, how do you feel?” He smiled and leaned forward.

“As if a freight train ran over me,” he mumbled and wiped his hand over his face. He looked down on himself. At least, they didn't take away his clothes for one of those ridiculous hospital gowns.

“Yeah, sorry for that. But you've been a little bit... not yourself.”

“Clint?” Tony swallowed and looked at his friend who shook his head.

“No. But we have the weapon. That's good. Hank, Reed and Jane are working with it and I'll be over as soon as Susan is here.”

“Susan? Why would Susan come over?” Tony furrowed his brows.

“She'll stay with you. Tony, Sharon found something. She, Natasha and Steve are... they are in Latveria right now.”

“Oh god, did she tell them?”

“Did who tell what?” Bruce was a bit confused.

“Trickshot. One of the guys who was with Doom was Clint's brother. Did Natasha tell them? I've told her. And Bruce, he knows that Clint is... is intelligent. What if he tells Doom? Right now he wants to raise him to be his personal assassin but what if he knows, that he can do so much more?”

“They will find him. And they will bring him back.”

Tony sighed and nodded. He looked at Bruce for a few seconds and then he swung his legs out of his bed.

“Whoa, whoa, what do you think you're doing?” Bruce wanted to stop him but Tony lifted his brow.

“Bathroom?” he said and pointed at the door.

“Oh... sure.” Bruce rose as well.

“And what are you doing?” Tony asked and knitted his brows.

“I'll accompany you.”

“I'm old enough to do this myself,” he muttered but Bruce didn't step back. “Fine,” Tony huffed and opened the door. But as soon as he was out on the corridor he started to run. And if he wanted to Tony could run very fast. Bruce needed a second and Tony used this and slithered around a corner. He opened one door and hurried into another room and then he held his breath. Two seconds later he heard Bruce pass the room he hid in, another, empty sick room. Carefully he sneaked out and left the infirmary. And now he couldn't repress a grin. Apparently Clint and his habit to flee out of infirmary rubbed off on him.

He left the room after listening if the coast was clear. No Bruce. But when he turned around a corner he heard the scientist come back and he slid into another room. And now he really couldn't repress a grin. It was the locker room. In one of the racks he found clean scrubs and white coats. With a shrug he changed, stole a pair of crocs – ugly but really comfortable he had to admit – and took the clipboard with the cleaning schedule beside the door. He also found some glasses.

He waited a few seconds before he went out onto the corridor. He could hear Bruce talk to someone but he didn't wait to take a look. He needed to reach the deck where his Iron Man suit was.

A few of the agents looked at him suspiciously but he ignored them. He remembered one of the things Clint told him. If you look like you belong there, no one will ask questions. And he was right. Tony made it to the right floor without getting stopped but when he activated the suit he heard someone arrive. Bruce.

“Tony, don't do that. Let Sharon, Natasha and Steve handle it.”

“I can't, Bruce. It's Clint. I... I just can't,” he said when he stepped into the suit and felt it close behind him.

“Tony, please...”

“I'm sorry. But I have to do this.” He went to the door, expecting that Bruce would try to stop him but after a second the man stepped aside, nodded and let Tony pass.

“Good luck,” he murmured and Tony patted his shoulder.

“Thank you.”

Two minutes later Tony was out on the flight deck and jumped. “Jarvis, next stop: Latveria.”

Chapter Text

“And you tell me this only now? Now that I've discovered it myself? God, you're so useless! I swear...” Doom stopped and shook his head. “Bring me the boy. Now!” he snarled and watched Trickshot – his brother – leave the room as fast as possible.

Ten minutes later he came back and the boy struggled in his arm and yelled and he even had bitten him. Little wildcat, Doom grinned.

“Leave me alone!” he wriggled and managed to kick Barton's knee so hard that he groaned painfully. Of course Doom knew about all his minion's weaknesses and he knew that Barton had a damaged knee and he also knew, that it was his brother – the now deaged boy – who had broken it a few years ago.

“Quiet, boy!” Doom snapped and the child glared at him but shut his mouth. “I want you to solve this,” he said and pointed at a blackboard with an equation on it. He had watched the footage of the boy in the room they had locked him in and he had seen that he had scribbled equations on a paper before he had destroyed it and flushed it down in the toilet.

“Don't know nothing,” the boy said and folded his arms in front of his chest.

“You do realize that this means that you know something?” Doom couldn't resist but Clint still glared at him.

“Solve this!” he pointed at the blackboard and both men left the room and locked it.

When he entered the room again two hours later he had to repress the urge to strangle that little brat. Not only had he not solved the equation, no he had started to draw all over the blackboard, the walls and the floor with the chalk he had given him. Victor could see all kinds of animals but mostly big cats, tigers, lions and cheetahs.

“What have you done?!” he yelled and the boy startled and stared at him wide-eyed before he hid behind a small cupboard.

“I still know nothing,” he mumbled when Doom approached him and dragged him out at his arm.

“I've seen it on screen. You know maths! And your... someone told me.”

“I know nothing. I'm just a fucking smartass.” Clint repeated but he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. He clearly expected to be beaten.

“Fine.” Victor spat. “Fine. You stay in your room and you don't get supper.”

“Don't want your silly food anyways.” Clint grumbled when one of the guards took him at the arm to lock him up in his room again. Victor pinched the bridge of his nose. Children. He hated children!

“Stark? What the fuck are you doing here?” Carter snarled angrily as soon as Tony entered their hideout.

“What do you think? I want to help getting Clint back of course.” he spat back.

Carter squinted her eyes and looked at the entrance. “You've made sure that no one has seen you?”

“What do think, that I'm stupid?”

“How did you find us?” Natasha frowned and Tony grinned.

“Genius, remember? I know that you have those emergency transmitters in your back and I've hacked the frequencies.”

“Are you completely nuts, Stark? You could've...” Carter snarled again but she got interrupted by Cap.

“Come on, it's enough. All of you.” Steve slammed his hand on the table and Natasha sighed and folded her arms in front of her chest.

“Okay, what do you have?” Tony said and looked at the map and the construction plans on the table.

“We're pretty sure that we know where Doom has him.” Steve said and pointed at a building on the map. “This is one of his trainings facilities and he's been seen there very often lately. We have the construction plans and...”

“You're pretty sure. That means, you're not entirely sure?” Tony looked up at them and Natasha nodded.

“That's where the Mengo brothers are right now, that's where Barney is right now and that's where Doom is right now. What do you think?”

“We should give it a try?” Tony said and the other three changed glances.

“We?” Carter glared at him and lifted her brow.

“Yes, we. Like I've said, I'm here to help.”

“Tony, you're...”

“Not a super-duper-special-secret-agent and that's why I don't want to go in with you. But with Jarvis and two of SI's satellites I can help you from outside.”

“Could be helpful,” Natasha shrugged and Steve agreed. They both saw Carter's face go sour but after a few seconds she finally nodded.

“Fine. Okay, with you we can change the whole setup.” And all four put their heads together to form a new plan.

Chapter Text

Clint was in his room, he sat on the small bed, his back leaning on the headboard and his knees drawn up to his body. He had wrapped his arms around them. Since this man, Trickshot, had locked him in he hadn't heard anything. He was hungry but the other man had said he wouldn't get anything to eat. And it was cold in this room but they had taken away the blanket. They had said it was his punishment because he was such a brat.

He swallowed. This man, Trickshot, he looked somehow familiar but he couldn't point at it. A little bit like his father. He had the same hair and he really looked similar but not quite right. It was strange. He should ask Tony.

But then he remembered, he couldn't ask Tony. Tony wasn't here. Angrily he wiped away the tear that tried to run over his face. He wouldn't cry. He wasn't a baby anymore. Even if he was scared. But Tony had said it was okay to be scared as long as you stand your ground nevertheless. He had stood his ground against Trickshot, had kicked him in the knee and he didn't solve the equation even if he easily could've done it. It wasn't too difficult. Mr. Johnson had given him more complicated equations and he could solve them. But somehow he knew, that it wouldn't be wise to show them that he was good with numbers.

Clint sighed and wiped the next tear away. It was dumb to do maths in this room. He should've known that they watched him. But whenever his dad was angry at them and his mom had sent him away he hid in his room and took one of the books he had from Mr. Johnson and solved an equation. It helped him to not cry. He had destroyed the paper afterwards but apparently the guy with his ugly mask had seen it.

Once again Clint looked at the door. Tony had promised to find him and he believed him. Tony wouldn't lie to him, would he?

Tony paced in the small house they had hidden in. They had waited till it was night before they started. Two hours ago Steve, Natasha and Carter had left. He had a StarkPad to watch them but he preferred to use Jarvis directly in his suit. He had redirected the two SI satellites over the facility and he could follow them via thermal-imaging (never let it be said that he was too paranoid) and their emergency transmitters.

Luckily Clint still had his transmitter although he got deaged and so he could see the small point on the map he had in front of his eyes.

“On your left, Widow,” Tony said and he could see her neutralize the man quick and permanently. His thermal signature faded afterwards.

“He should be in the next room on the right side,” Tony said and bit his lip.

“There isn't a room on the right side, only a wall, Stark!” Natasha hissed.

“Then he's on another floor. Thermal-imaging doesn't show floor levels. I only see his transmitter on the right side of you. Watch out, there are a few dots coming really fast from behind of you.”

Tony heard gunshots and then Carter cursed. “Fuck, they've found us!” He saw Carter and Natasha shoot at the guys and the Steve dot ran in the other direction. After a few seconds he turned and ran back, at another level, Tony assumed. He could see the guard dots slowly fade and Natasha followed Steve while Carter covered for them.

“There are more of them coming,” Tony warned.

“Not my level,” Carter reported.

“I have him, Tony,” Steve said and he could see both transmitters walk back while Natasha apparently fought against the guards.

“Come on, get out. There are more and more guards coming,” Tony couldn't sit still for a moment and he was sure when they left this house there would be a rut in the floor from his pacing. He could hear gunshots and one time he heard Clint squeal but then Steve shushed him.

“They can't harm you, I have you,” he said and Tony's heart clenched tight. What would he give to be there with them? He knew that he would have slowed them. And to get in with the suit would have been to noticeable and would have endangered the boy and he couldn't risk that either.

But when he heard Carter yell: “Run, Doombots!” he couldn't stay back any longer. It took him two minutes to be there and then he saw them, more than two dozens of them.

He destroyed two who tried to kill Carter and shoved another one from the wall where he tried to attack Natasha.

Steve held Clint tight to his chest and covered him as well as in any way possible with his shield. When Steve saw him appear he waved him over.

“Bring him to safety,” Steve said and shoved Clint into his arms. Tony didn't want to leave but he couldn't let Clint get harmed. He was just a little boy at the moment and couldn't defend himself.

“Be careful,” he breathed before he took off. He didn't fly too far, stopped at an old house and dropped the boy careful at the roof.

“Hide, Clint. I'll be right back,” he said with the faceplate of his suit open.

“I'm not scared, Tony,” the boy said earnestly.

“I know. You're the bravest man I know,” he murmured and kissed his forehead. “And now wait here. In a few minutes we're back. Here,” he handed him a comm-unit, “... put that in your ear and you can hear us.”

Clint nodded and ducked behind a dormer. Tony flew back and saw the other three still fighting against Doombots and other henchman, he saw the brothers who had taken Clint but he didn't see Trickshot or Doom himself. And only a minute later he knew why.

“Tony!!” he could hear Clint shrieking and he left the three with the evil guys and hurried back to the roof where he had left Clint behind. He saw the older Barton brother, dragging the boy into the house through the window and when Tony arrived he pressed a gun at his head.

“Don't move or I kill him!” He snarled and Tony stopped but hovered in the air outside of the window.

“Leave him alone, you bastard,” Tony said and he saw the other guy grinning evilly.

“Why would I do this? He's always been just a liability...”

“Barton, for fuck's sake! He's your brother!” Tony spat now and Clint grew stiff in the other man's arm. He turned his head and looked at him.

“Ba... Barney?” he asked disbelievingly and Trickshot glared at the boy.

“Shut the fuck up,” Barton snarled and shook Clint violently.

“Stop that!” Tony yelled.

“What will you do?” Barton mocked and Jarvis activated the mini-gun and shot him in his shoulder. The guy dropped his gun and the boy and stumbled to the floor.

“Tony!” Clint sobbed, he couldn't hold back the tears and Tony entered the house. Barton somehow managed to get up and stumble out of the room but he didn't get too far before he faced a very angry Natasha.

“I have you,” Tony said and wrapped his arms around the boy. “Sorry, that I left you alone. I didn't see him.”

“You've said you would come for me and you've found me,” Clint clung to him and cried.

“Let's get you home,” he murmured and carried the boy out of the house. Natasha and Sharon dragged the older Barton brother already through the streets and Steve and Tony followed them and no one dared to stop them.

Chapter Text

While Carter flew the quinjet Tony sat in the back with Clint sleeping at his side. He had covered him with one of the emergency blankets from the jet. Natasha was in the co-pilot's seat and Steve sat beside the older Barton.

“So, you're the guy who screws him?” Barney said after a while and Tony glared at him but didn't respond.

“Dad always said that he's just a little faggot,” he mocked again and this time Steve looked at Tony but the genius still ignored the other man. “A liability, a goddamn queer, cocksucker... does he spread em for you?”

“Shut up,” Steve snapped.

“Oh... or does he gets it up the ass from both of you?” Barton cackled.

“I've said, shut up!” Steve said again and Tony shook his head. He knew what the older Barton tried and it was better to ignore him than to give him the satisfaction to answer.

“You know that this worthless fairy had...”

“Shut! Up!” Steve grabbed his throat and hissed and now Clint woke up and grabbed Tony's arm.

“Steve!” Tony snapped now and the super-soldier left Barton alone.

“You shut up immediately. Clint is one of the bravest men I've ever met and I do not tolerate that you insult him. And if you don't stop talking I throw you out of this jet with my own hands, got it? So... be quiet now,” Steve spat and when Barton once again tried to open his mouth he pressed his hand over it. “Natasha?” he asked and the Russian looked back, sighed, got up and took the first aid kit and put band-aid on Barton's mouth. He glared furiously at her but with his tied hands he couldn't remove it.

“It's okay, Clint. Sleep,” Tony stroked the boy's arm when he saw that his eyes were wide like saucers. “He can't do anything to you ever again.”

Tony held the older Barton's eyes with his when he felt Clint's head leaning on him again and he pulled the blanket up and placed his hand on it. It took only a few minutes and the exhausted boy fell back asleep.

“Okay, you sure this will work?” Tony asked when he stormed into the lab Bruce currently shared with Jane, Reed, Susan and Hank.

Ten minutes ago Bruce had called him and told him, that they now have the solution and Tony asked Jarvis to have an eye on Clint, who slept in his bedroom. It was only a few hours ago that they came back from Latveria and apparently Clint didn't sleep too much there because he was out like a light.

When they arrived at the tower Tony had made him a few sandwiches and he had devoured them really fast. No food, no sleep. What kind of people do this to a child? Even if said child is one of the most dangerous men in the world when he's himself again. And now Tony stood in the lab and looked expectantly at the other four to tell him if it was possible that Clint would be himself again.

“Yes, Tony. We are sure,” Hank said and leaned himself against a counter, looking smug. “We have tested it thoroughly.”

“You have tested it?” Tony frowned and Bruce placed his hand on Tony's arm.

“Yes, we had to. We deaged and aged a bunch of guinea pigs a few times and... they are fine.”

“No long-term effects?”

“Well, we can wait a few years and then tell you,” Hank rolled his eyes and Tony had to restrain himself from punching him. No, he really didn't like him. He cocked his head and then he turned demonstratively to Reed.

“What I want to know is, is it safe?”

“You know, Tony, nothing is really safe... but it's as safe as possible. And like Bruce said, we've tested it and all guinea pigs are all right.” He pointed at the cage where Tony saw the rodents run around happily.

He sighed and left the lab wordlessly. In the elevator he pinched the bridge of his nose. What if Clint really said no? He had asked him what would be if he didn't want to be himself again. Should he force him? Slowly he went to his bedroom and found the boy sound asleep in the bed.

Carefully to not wake him he sat down beside him and watched him a few minutes. Even in his sleep Clint wasn't completely still. His left hand clenched and unclenched slightly and his feet moved under the covers. He sighed again and laid down beside him, propped on one arm.

“Clint?” he whispered. The boy moaned and shifted a bit. “Clint?” he repeated it and this time he opened his eyes, well, one of them.

“I don't want to go to school,” he mumbled and Tony chuckled slightly.

“You don't have to, honey. But we need to talk to you. I need to talk to you.” Tony watched the boy sit up and rub the sleep out of his eyes.

“Bruce and Reed... they have found a way to get you back to yourself.” He said and Clint cast his eyes down. He licked his lips.

“Do I... do I have to?” he asked and Tony felt as if someone ripped out his heart and trampled on it.

“No. Not if you don't want to. But I would miss my Clint, honey.”

“You like... me... I mean... the older me?”

“Of course. Like Steve had said in the jet. Clint is one of the bravest men we've met. He helped so many people and he's kind and tough and beautiful.”

“Then is it true what Barney had said?”

“What do you mean?” Tony frowned and the boy licked over his lips again, unsure how to start the topic but then he looked up.

“That I'm a faggot.”

“Clint, what Barney had said... You're not a faggot. That's a very rude word and it's insulting and I would never ever call you this. Barney is... he's a bad man. He said things to hurt you. He handed you over to Doom without thinking twice.”

“But what...” he stopped and looked at his fingers. “Tony, I'm scared.”

“There's no need to. I'll be there for you.”

“No, I'm scared that I will be like my... like him.”

“Never, Clint. Jarvis, can you show us video file 032?” The AI activated the huge flat screen on the bedroom wall and Clint turned to look at it. Tony had made the video. It was his personal 'I miss my boyfriend because he's on a mission'-consolation. Clint fighting fearless against aliens, robots, creatures, Clint laughing with his team members, Clint playing with children in an orphanage during a press photo shooting, Clint grease stained fiddling with one of Tony's classic cars, Clint kissing Tony and smiling happily.

“That's me?” the boy asked. He had seen a picture but nothing else since he got deaged.

“Yes, that's my Clint.” Tony said and now it was him who had to repress tears. He really missed his Clint.

The boy finally nodded and climbed out of the bed and waited for Tony. When the genius rose he took his hand, smiled and went with him to the elevator.

Chapter Text

He screamed. No one had told him that it would be painful. They only said it would work but the boy started to scream as soon as they had started the apparatus and Tony was about to stop it but it was Pym who held him back.

“You can't stop it now, it would have unforeseen consequences, Tony!” He hissed when Tony struggled against his grip.

“He's in pain, you didn't tell me that it would hurt him,” he spat and tried to get out of his grip.

“We didn't know. The guinea pigs didn't squeal or anything. But you can't stop it now.”

Tony watched in horror Clint's body grow and age. And after about five minutes it stopped. Clint looked like himself already.

“Clint!” Tony was there to get him out of the apparatus but now not only Pym but also Reed held him.

“It's not finished, Tony,” Susan said and looked at the screen of her computer. Something happened and Clint groaned again but when it finally beeped, both, Hank and Reed, let go of him.

“Clint? Clint?” He got him out of the structure and the younger man slumped to the floor unconscious. “Come on, babe, don't do that to me,” he murmured and felt for his pulse. Bruce shoved Hank aside and hunkered down beside the two of them, a stethoscope in his ears and listening for his heart. He opened his lids and tested the pupil reflexes with a tiny lamp and did some other things Tony had no clue of.

“He's alive and steady. Just unconscious.” Bruce nodded at him and Tony sighed with relief.

“A little help?” He asked Bruce and the other man nodded. Together they lifted the unconscious man onto a stretcher and Tony covered him with a sheet. He was completely naked and he didn't want the others – Hank in particular – stare at him. He knew it was ridiculous because Hank was as straight as possible and married but he didn't want him to look at Clint nevertheless.

Together with Bruce he brought Clint up to his penthouse and they put him into the bed und tucked him in. Bruce patted Tony's shoulder and waited for the other man to leave before he went to his bedroom himself. He laid down beside Clint, fully clothed and propped on one arm. He just watched him sleeping. He was back. His Clint was back.

Somehow he fell asleep, too. He didn't realize it, only when he felt a tiny kiss on his nose and heard a small chuckle after wrinkling it.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” a familiar voice said and he opened his eyes quickest possible.

“Clint?” he asked warily and when the other man grinned he wrapped his arms around his neck.

“Of course it's me, whom did you expect? Doom?”

“No, god! No!” Tony couldn't hold back, he kissed his lover over and over till Clint finally took his face in his hands and kissed him long and slow and passionate.

“God, I've missed that,” Tony moaned and Clint's face got serious.

“Thank you, babe. Thank you, for being there for me.”

“How much do you remember?” Tony asked and leaned back against the cushion. Clint placed his head on his shoulder and pulled the blanket around both of them.

“Everything,” he admitted and Tony felt a hand slide under his shirt, caressing his stomach, feeling for skin. “I'm sorry,” he said and looked up at him.

“What for?” Tony frowned and turned a bit more to Clint.

“For not telling you. About the math thing. I could've mentioned it.” He licked over his lips and he looked so adorable right now, so bashful that Tony couldn't repress a smile and he kissed him again.

“Yeah, abut that... we'll talk about that. But not now.”

“But I meant it, Tony. Thank you. Thanks for being there for me, for saving me, for... you know... holding me when I was scared. Just... thanks.”

“That's my job, honey.” Tony joked and Clint chuckled again and – god! – was that good to hear this again.

“Jarvis? Are Bruce, Reed, Susan, Jane and Hank still there?” Clint asked then and turned on his back.

“Yes, sir. But the Richards are on their way home.”

“Stop them!” Clint was out of the bed in an instant and in a pair of Tony's pants and one of his t-shirts mere seconds later.

“But...” Tony stammered when Clint hurried out of the bedroom.

Clint arrived at the elevator just in time.

“Hey!” he slithered to a stop and grinned at the two and Bruce.

“Hey, you're up already?” Susan smiled and looked him over.

“Yeah, that... Jarvis told me that you're on your way home and I wanted to thank you. Thanks for your help.”

“No problem,” Reed threw in, “In a way it was our fault. If we hadn't called for the Avengers help nothing of this would've happened.”

“That's okay, I just wanted to thank you.” He smiled and hugged both of them.

“You're welcome,” Susan said before they both drove down with the elevator.

“So, the other two?” Clint asked Bruce and the older man grinned.

“This way,” he said. They entered the lab and Clint saw Hank sitting on a table and staring at the equation he had solved only a few days ago.

“Still alive, I see,” the man said and Clint lifted his brow. “Guess I owe you an excuse. Seems you aren't the dumb grunt you let everyone believe you are,” he grinned.

“Wow! This... this is just about a compliment, Hank!” Clint smirked and the other man got serious.

“Why didn't you tell anyone?” he asked and Clint only shrugged.

“Habit, I guess. If you got beaten the living daylights out for knowing more than someone else you'd be quiet, too.”

“You should do something with that brain of yours.” Hank said and rose. He grabbed his stuff and went to the door.

“Hey, flea,” Clint said when he already had opened the door. “Thank you.”

“Hey, grunt, anytime,” Pym grinned and left.

“Jane,” Clint looked at her now.

“I didn't do very much. Just some equations and so... I'm astrophysicist and...” she started but Clint hugged her.

“Thanks, nevertheless.”

“Uhm... yes... you're... you know... you're welcome,” she blushed.

“Bruce?” Clint turned to the last scientist who had helped him.

“I know. No need to say it. And now go back to your boyfriend. He missed you,” Bruce smiled and Clint gave him a salute.

Chapter Text

“Doom?” he asked and Tony shook his head. They were at Shield-HQ.

“Disappeared. Apparently he had sent his bots and guards and took off after Natasha, Cap and Carter started to kill his men.” They both stepped down the stairs side by side.

“Coward,” Clint muttered. "Mengo brothers?"

"Dead. Both."

"That's good. They were bastards."

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Tony asked in front of the door and Clint nodded.

“Pretty sure.”

“Okay,” the shield-agent beside the door opened it and Clint could enter. In the small room he saw his brother sitting on a chair behind a table, his hands tied behind his back.

“Barney,” Clint greeted, his face expressionless and blank. "I've thought you were dead."

“So, they have you back, little brother,” the older Barton ignored his comment and grinned at him.

Clint took the chair on the other side of the table and sat down reversed with the backrest at his chest. He looked at Barney and eyed him up.

“What do you want? Intelligence? Don't know nothing,” he smirked.

“Recently someone said to me, that double negative means positive,” Clint placed his arms on the backrest and cocked his head.

“What the fuck are you blabbering, homo?”

“You've said you don't know nothing. That's a double negative.”

“So, what do you want, queer?” Barney mocked and grinned lecherous.

“Just one question. Why?”

“Why what?” Clint knew that he just played dumb. He knew exactly what he wanted to know and so he stayed quiet and cocked his head slightly, still watching his brother.

“Why I work for Doom? He pays good. Why I handed you over? I hate you. You broke my fucking knee, poof. Or why I am such an asshole? I've always been. But you just wanted to see a big brother, a savior, someone to look up to. And all the time I've know that you're just a fucking faggot.”

“Do you really think that all your insults bother me?”

“I don't care, Hawkeye! Worlds greatest marksman!” He finally spat and Clint smiled now.

“That's it, isn't it? You're jealous! You're jealous, plain and simple.”

“Jealous?” Barney snorted derisively. “Why would I be jealous of you?”

“Because I have everything you ever wanted. Mom loved me, not you because you've been too much like our father. I was Trick Shot's favorite, not you because I've always been better than you. I made myself a name as assassin, not you because I was reliable. I got my chance to clear my name, not you because Shield found me after you left me to die. I have the best job ever, not you. I have the best partner ever, not you because let's face it, who would want to screw you? I have friends who support me, not you. Do I have to continue? That's your problem. Your jealousy?”

“I'm not jealous, you goddamn cocksucker!”

“You know what, Barney, you're right. I am a poof and a faggot and a cocksucker and I like it but that doesn't change the fact that you're jealous. Because I dragged myself out of the hole that you have dug for me. You've betrayed me twice, Barney. You've tried to kill me and you didn't even shy away from handing a helpless child over to a loon like Doom. But look at this, after all those pathetic attempts to get rid of me I'm still here.”

“Next time I'll get you, next time you...” Barney started but Clint grabbed his hair and interrupted his rant.

“There is no next time, Barney. Shield knows how to lock people away. You will never see the daylight and you will never be able to harm anyone but yourself.”

“You can't do that! I have rights, I...”

“You have rights? Barney, you're dead. You've faked your death years ago. You're a not existing person. We can do what we want when we want.” Clint laughed at his shocked expression.

“No, this... this is not...”

“This is your reality now. You stay the rest of your life in one of Shield's maximum security prisons and nobody knows that they exist after all.”

“No, Clint. You are my brother, you owe me...”

“I am your brother? You've tried to kill me. You wanted to give me to Doom to be raised as his personal slave-assassin. There's nothing I owe you.” He sat down in his chair again and locked eyes with Barney. “Do you know who's waiting outside of this door? Outside of this door is Tony Stark. He's the man I love. And he's really, really pissed. He would be overcome with joy if I let him in and tear you apart with his bare hands. But that would be too easy for you. No, Barney. You stay alive. You're thirty-six now. You can stay your next thirty-six or more years in solitary confinement. This is the punishment you deserve. Good-bye, Barney.” Clint's voice was icy. When the older Barton was pale like a sheet he rose and left the room without looking back and ignoring his pleading right now.

“Fuck,” he breathed when the door was locked again. Tony was there, took him in his arm.

“He doesn't know where Doom is. If he would know it, he would've offered to tell me to make a deal.” Clint said when one of the agents looked at him expectantly.

“We'll find him.”

“Yeah. But I suppose I would sleep better when he would be in there, with him.”

“He can't hide forever.”

“I know.”

Clint had invited all of them the next Saturday. Bruce and Betty, Reed and Susan, Hank and Janet, Jane and Thor, Steve and Sharon. Natasha. And Tony. He had bribed Bruce to help him cook because the scientist was also an excellent chef.

They prepared a few Pakistani dishes with unpronounceable names. But they all had two things in common, they were spicy and extremely delicious. Clint had thanked them again and then mixed cocktails for everyone.

Later that evening, when all of them – except Steve and Thor – were pretty buzzed and sat together and had fun Clint managed to steal off to the balcony for a few minutes. He didn't smoke very often but sometimes he just needed a cigarette. Luckily he could bum one from Janet.

He had just lit it when he heard familiar steps behind him and he couldn't hide a smile.

“You shouldn't do this,” Tony said and wrapped his arm around his waist from behind. Clint just held the cigarette for him and he took a puff as well.

“I know.” Clint finally admitted when he turned and faced Tony. “So. Time for the talk?”

“No. Yes. No. I don't know.” Tony took the cigarette and took another puff before he handed it back. “Why didn't you tell me, Clint?”

“I don't know. It's just... like I said... it's habit.”

“But that's bullshit. You know that your IQ is only a few points below Pym and he's considered a genius.”

“Really? I didn't know that.” Clint's brows hit his hairline.

“They didn't tell you? It's in your medical file.”

“You've hacked it again?” Clint chuckled and Tony grinned apologetically.

“I just wanted to know.” Tony stood very close to Clint and he had his hand on the small of Clint's back.

“When... when I was a child and my teacher told my parents that I'm really good with numbers I was so proud, I thought they would be proud of me but when we got home my father took his belt and beat the shit out of me and then out of my mom. He was so embarrassed and I... I thought it's bad. Mr. Johnson always gave me books to learn but I hid them and read them when I was sure no one would see me. Then there was this accident and they were dead and me and Barney were in the orphanage. We had to go to a new school and the teacher there... he was like my father. He couldn't stand that someone, least of all a nine years old child, knew more about math than him. And he was so bad but when I corrected him I got detention. So I stayed quiet and tried to get it over with. Can you imagine how boring school is when you're not allowed to do the things you like? The people from the orphanage were always really pissed when I got detention and so I kept my mouth shut and the moment I was old enough Barney and me ran away. And in the circus no one cared whether or not we went to school.” Clint stubbed out the cigarette and threw it onto the floor. One of the cleaning robots would remove it later.

“God, Clint. That's so awful. I can't imagine not to build things, not to do the things I like.”

“Yeah. But that doesn't matter, Tony. I like the things I do now. I really do. It's thrilling and exciting and a bit dangerous and I'm good at it and – and that's the most important part of all – it has brought me to where I am now. To you.”

“Sap!” Tony mocked but couldn't repress the smile.

“It's true,” Clint stole a tiny kiss.

“But...” Tony started but Clint shook his head.

“No. No buts, no regrets. It's okay. If I would want anything else I had changed it already. Believe me.”

“Okay.” Tony nodded. They stayed quiet, only held each other in their arms.

“You know, somehow I miss him.”

“Whom?” Clint furrowed his brows.

“Little Clint. He was cute,” Tony smiled sadly.

“He's still here, Tony. I know everything, remember? And do you know what he had thought? He had thought you would be a great father.”

“Really?” Tony cocked his head slightly.

“Yes, really. Maybe one day you should have a child.” Clint murmured quietly.

“I would love to have a child with you, Clint.” Tony nodded.

“Really?” Clint said now and looked at Tony with an unreadable expression.

“Really. And did you know that same sex couples can adopt children in New York?” Tony winked.

“You would really want to have a child with me?” Clint breathed and Tony nodded again.

“Wow! I mean... wow! That... I'd like that,” Clint grinned.

“But you know, it's easier for a married couple,” Tony added and took his hand.

“Is that... is that some sort of proposal?” Clint raised his brows.

“Would you say yes?”

“If you would propose to me of course I would say yes,” Clint pulled Tony even tighter and just he moment he opened his mouth the door to the balcony went open and Steve looked out.

“Oh, here you are. You're... uhm... we've searched for you,” he said and Clint grinned.

“We're just getting parents, Steve,” he said and the super-soldier blushed violently.

“Oh... uhm... okay... uhm... I... I go back in then,” he said and pointed at the living room.

Both, Clint and Tony, sighed when they were alone again.

“Okay, let's get in to your guests.” Tony kissed Clint's nose.

“You know, the opera ain't over until the fat lady sings.”