Chapter Text
"Mr. Stark! Please stop, he's busy. You can't just-"
Tony rounded and barked furiously, "Leave,"
The agent's eyes widened and he scuttled away.
Tony turned back around and started to go toward Fury's office again. Getting this worked up was probably bad for his heart, Pepper would scold him. A lot. At any other time his CEO/bestfriend/ex - girlfriend's wrath would have been enough to at least get him to cool down a bit but right now Tony was too angry.
How dare he?! How dare Fury keep things from them?! Things about their teammate!
"Tony maybe we should think about this," said Bruce quietly. When Tony had suddenly started hissing about Fury and his damn secrets, instead of talking him down Bruce had gone along with it. Living with him for the past few months had taught him that no one could stop a determined Tony.
However, following Tony as he marched toward the director's office made him regret not calling Pepper instead.
"Not now Bruce," said Tony as he banged open the director's door.
Bruce sighed. He should have called Pepper.
"Where is he Fury," said Tony
"Iron man, you cannot-," started Maria Hill
"I damn well can," said Tony, "Where is he Fury,"
The director got up from his desk and came to stand in front of Tony.
"Mr. Barton is currently at medical-,"
Without letting him finish Tony turned around and headed out the door. He didn't need anyone to lead him. J.A.R.V.I.S. had gotten him blueprints of the helicarrier.
"Mr. Stark," said Steve coming down the hall, "I got your call. What's going on?"
"I'll tell you later," said Tony, "We need to get to Barton first,"
"Wait. Hawkeye?," said Steve, "Are he and the Widow back,"
"Agent Barton and Romanoff returned because of Barton's...condition," said Fury, he's given up on holding Tony back.
"He had some problems due to his orientation," said Maria Hill as they entered medical.
"Director Fury," said a doctor as he approached them with a confused look, "Is there something I can do for you,"
"Yes Dr. Zimbaka," said Fury, "Take us to Agent Barton. His teammates want to see him,"
"Are you sure," started the doctor, "his condition-,"
"Take us to him," growled Tony, his eyes glinting dangerously.
The doctor promptly shut his mouth and started to lead the way.
They were lead to the end of the hall. There they found Natasha standing in front of a glass window. As they got closer they could see Clint behind the glass. The sight made their heart lurch. He was restrained to the bed but kept trying to get away. His face was red and tears were running down his cheeks.
"Explain," said Tony to Natasha
"He is an Omega Sentinel and Phil was his Guide,"
"But Omega Sentinels are pretty much non existent and wasn't Phil a Master,"said Bruce
"Phil was a high level of Master and the medi-," started the doctor
"We can talk about this later," said Tony impatiently, "Let me into his room,"
"Absolutely not," cried the doctor, "He is already in pain, we cannot make his passing any more difficult than-,"
"He is not passing," said Tony, "I can help him!,"
"Tony," murmured Steve, "I don't think-,"
"I can help him," growled Tony
Everyone went still. Tony's voice had carried an Alpha's order making even the only Master, Natasha, in the place go quiet.
Tony turned toward the dazed young doctor.
"Open the door,"
The doctor scrambled to obey. Once Tony moved inside, everyone was released from their stupor until Fury spoke.
"That man is an ALPHA?,"
"It would seem so," said Natasha, already wearing her impassive mask. She started move inside the room and everybody followed.
They found Tony quietly talking to Clint, trying to calm him down.
"It's alright sweetheart, you can come back now. I've got you,"
Clint whimpered
"There, There," said Tony, "Why don't we put you sub space fro a little while, let you collect yourself in your happy place hmmm,"
Clint sighed softly eyes glazing a bit, his head in Tony's lap.
"Explain," said Natasha, repeating Tony's words back to him.
Tony sighed softly and started run his fingers through Clint's hair.
"We found early on that I was a guide. My dad was happy cause it indicated that I was a Master but once I hit puberty it was obvious that I was one of the rare Alphas. Fortunately for my dad, no one really knew about me being a Guide as you're not supposed to say until the person is of age. He hired people to train me to hide it. Medication took care of some of it though,"
"That's very damaging for the psyche," said Dr. Zimbaka, still looking a bit dazed, "It would explain your-," and than as if realizing what he was saying he blushed.
"My drug and alcohol problem and not to mention my very reckless behavior," said Tony with a smile, "That was part of it,"
"Why would Howard do that," said Steve
"Alphas are considered dangerous and Alpha Guides even more so," said Bruce, "Tony would have had to take drugs and live with minimal people around,"
"That doesn't sound so bad," said Steve
"It wouldn't have been," said Tony, "But biological orientation is public knowledge, everybody would have known, I wouldn't have been able to take over the company. Dad saw it as a disgrace,"
"I know you remember him differently," Tony added to Steve, "But he had changed since you knew him,"
"I'm starting to get that,"
"Dr. Zimbaka," Tony started to move toward the doctor but as he did, Clint let out a half whine and half sob.
"No. Don't go,"
To make things easier the doctor moved closer.
"I wanted to apologize for my behavior," said Tony
"Oh. It's fine," said the doctor, cutting him off, "I understand,"
"No it's not," said Tony, "I know the limits of the Avengers. The other two were being assholes. You were just doing your job,"
The doctor smiled, "Apology accepted. I'm guessing that you are calm right now because of your bond with Agent Barton but what did you do before. I mean you must have stopped the medication eventually otherwise you would be severely dysfunctional, not to be rude or-,"
Tony cut off the doctor's rambling with a laugh.
"Well, I guess adapted," said Tony, "And I surrounded myself with Submissives and Servants,"
"But they say that Alphas are dangerous," said Maria
"Technically their isn't enough proof for that," said the doctor, "There just aren't enough Alphas to be sure,"
"The good doctor is right," said Tony, "As long as the Alpha has control and has not intention of abusing the people around him, they can learn to control themselves or at least that's how it was for me. As for the Guide thing. I speed volunteered at he sentinel psychiatric hospitals,"
"That's how you kept empathetic powers in control," said Bruce, "That makes sense, you would have been able to take on all the emotions and senses they were giving out but aren't you publicly a Dom,"
Tony grinned, "Money does wonders,"
Fury snorted while Natasha rolled her eyes.
"I should probably bring Clint back," he said looking down at his newly bonded.
Tony closed his eyes and concentrated
XXX
Tony opened his eyes and looked around and burst out laughing.
Almost everything was in different shades of purple. There was a farm, a combination of purple hues. The night sky was Dark purple instead of Navy. The stars twinkled white against the sky. Even the grass and grain were lavender.
Tony couldn't believe it. Clint's mind place was pretty much all purple. There was even a purple and black cat.
Tony followed his a well worn path into a purple barn and gasped. Everything was in shambles. The dark purple wood was kicked around and there were saddles ripped and thrown on the floor. It looked like some horses had trampled through the place, a hurricane of horses.
At the end of the barn only one stable was standing. It had a small hawk perched on top of the door as if it was standing guard.
Tony couldn't help smiling. Of course Clint's spirit animal was hawk. Unsurprisingly, the Little sparrowhawk was also purple.
Tony walked to the stable and held out his hand for the hawk, "I just want to help him,"
The hawk turned his head a bit staring at him. After a moment of staring he hopped on to Tony's shoulder and gently nudged his ear, as if giving permission.
Tony opened the door to find Clint sleeping. The walls of the stable were covered in what looked like different shades of purple paint. There was a butterfly fluttering around his head, the Purple Emperor butterfly. Tony's spirit animal. There were what look like white lights flitting around.
It would have been beautiful except for the knife clutched in Clint's hand, as if he was expecting someone to attack him. It broke Tony's heart. Sub space was the one place in their mind space where Submissives, sentinel or not, were supposed to feel safe, not as if they were going to be attacked.
Tony quietly sat down an arm's length away from him.
"Hey Clint, buddy wake up,"
No movement.
"Come on Clint. Everyone is waiting," he said a bit louder
Nothing.
Tony sighed. This wasn't working. He couldn't be too loud. Startling Clint could be damaging to both of them.
His butterfly must have gotten another idea, because she landed on Clint's hand, the one not clutching the knife. She gently started to move her legs and fan her wings. While a real butterfly wouldn't be able to do much with her wings, spirit animals were bit different. Her wings created small breeze making the hay fly in Clint's face which in turn made him sneeze, effectively waking him up. It was a good thing that some real life things still applied in mind space.
As Clint woke up properly, Tony whispered, "Good job," to his spirit animal.
Clint looked around looking a bit disoriented.
"Hey," said Tony softly
Clint became alert at that, getting up and holding his knife in front of him.
"Whoa Katniss," said Tony, holding up his hands in surrender, "It's just me, Tony Stark,"
"Tony,"
"Yeah Barton. It's me," said Tony, "Wanna, maybe, put down the knife,"
With shaking hands, Clint dropped the knife and leaned against the stable wall. His breathing was still heavy.
Tony cautiously moved closer, "Can I touch you Clint?"
Clint nodded with a smile and moved a bit closer.
Tony took his hand, "This OK?,"
Clint nodded, "Can I-," he said but cut himself off.
"What is it?,"
"Can I have a hug?,"
Tony's heart melted and he pulled Clint closer, tucking his head in his neck.
"How are you here?"
"I sort of bonded with you,"
"What? How could-,"
Tony gently shushed him, "The others are probably getting worried about now. We should wake up than we talk about anything you want,"
"OK,"
XXX
Bruce was starting to get worried and he could see the others were too, except for Natasha. He could never tell what Natasha was thinking.
"what's taking so long doc," asked Steve
"I don't know," said the doctor, "This is a unique situation with unique individuals. There in no precedent for this,"
Steve sighed and it went silent again.
After a minute or so, Clint started moving, and than Tony jolted out of his daze.
Tony shook himself to alertness as Clint whispered, "Natasha,"
The black widow instantly moved to his side and took his hand, "I'm here,"
"You're an Alpha Guide," said Clint, "And your spirit animal is a butterfly,"
Bruce laughed a little.
"Yours is a hawk," said Tony grinning, "And it's purple,"
This time it was Steve that chuckled.
"I don't know how I feel about this," said Clint, "I mean, I'm glad you saved my life but I just-,"
"I get it," said Tony, "We can talk about this when we get to the tower and I expect you two to come too," he added looking at Steve and Natasha.
Neither of them argued.
"Stark, you can't just-," started Fury.
Before Tony could say anything, Dr. Zimbaka cut in.
"I think Mr. Stark is right," Fury glared at the doctor, but he held his ground, "They just bonded, in my professional opinion they should both go somewhere comfortable and rest,"
Fury glared some more.
"You can take it up with my superiors if you like but-,"
"Alright I get it," sighed Fury, "take him Stark but I want him back in a few days for a check up,"
Tony didn't answer as he and Steve helped Clint up. They, followed by Bruce and Natasha, headed toward the landing where the quinjet was waiting.
"I still can't believe your spirit animal is a butterfly," whispered Clint as they were getting on the jet.
Tony just laughed, "Let's get you home,"