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James enjoyed his morning run. Even more since he’d discovered that Clint not only knew how to braid, but that he was happy to do so. Some days twice if James asked nicely (after Clint had at least one pot of coffee). He knew his hair was far too long, reaching the middle of his back, but he couldn’t bring himself to cut it. He’d had offers (Natalia and Stevie), but even then it was too close for comfort. So no, he just yanked it out of his face and called if done. The braid thing was so much better. Plus, Clint got all adorably flustered but actually stayed in one place whilst braiding it, so James considered it a double win.
He ran a different route depending on his mood and the late night/early morning crowds. More than once he’d offered to escort lone people who looked uncomfortable alone on the sidewalk to their home. Most of the time, male or female, they jumped at the offer. Clint had grinned when James had mentioned it; he explained it was a thing now. Clint had then shown him all the memes about the harassment people faced, mostly women but other gender identities too and what everyday people were doing to combat it. He’d rolled his eyes and said that some things hadn’t changed. He’d also memorized the most common phrases people seemed to use to signal they were safe. He wasn’t safe in most circumstances, not by a long fucking shot, but in this he was.
Natalia had joined him on his run after one of her solo missions, smiling wryly when he approached a guy who looked a bit worse for wear and the idiots calling him names. A few threats to the goons later and the poor guy looked ready to cry with relief. James had made sure the man was safe for the last three blocks to his apartment building and ignored Natalia’s questioning looks. She sighed and they stopped for pastries and coffee at her insistence. It was as close to a ‘good job’ as Natalia ever got.
He picked up his pace, snickering. Natalia was unique in a way that James not only understood, but appreciated. She didn’t overly praise anyone. Not even Stark who seemed to thrive on such things. Things a person liked tended to appear when the person did something Natalia approved of. Sometimes it would be a neatly wrapped present in the communal kitchen with a beautifully done calligraphy note with the recipient's name on it. Other times things appeared outside your apartment door (mostly food in those). JARVIS seemed to enjoy colluding with her on the random gift giving almost as much as James enjoyed watching the varied reactions when people got the gifts. No one other than Clint seemed to have clued in that she was basically training them. If you did something she disapproved of (mostly Clint injuring himself on that one) you would find yourself without any treats/gifts/bribes no matter what you did until she was done being pissed off at you.
Bruce and Stark always seemed to get food or paperwork that James didn’t want to know what it was about. Steve and Sam got food too, but also tickets to Broadway shows, museums, or books.
Clint would preen and show off whatever new Hawkeye-themed hoodie had appeared. Or new coffee blend, or travel cup. One memorable occasion it had been a one-eyed, bedraggled puppy cradled in the adorable blond’s arms. James was more of a cat person, but damn if the dog, christened Lucky, wasn’t as fucking adorable as his owner. That had been after Clint made it through a long mission without the need for Cho’s healing machine.
With that in mind, he swung past the Tower, grinning at the sight of a very sleepy Clint, and wide awake dog. He slowed and then stopped, reaching out for the leash. “Go, sleep. I’ll keep him in my apartment until you wake up.”
“Bless you, James,” Clint mumbled groggily. “Owe you.”
James snickered, one stern look calming Lucky down and the tugging on the leash stopped. “Seriously, go. It’s far too early for you. I’ll run him ragged and he will be ready for a nap when you are later.”
He swore Clint muttered, “God amongst men,” as he bumped into the door, fumbling for the handle. JARVIS didn’t dare tease, just opened the door and his voice filtered out, “Agent Barton, I am capable of making sure Lucky gets to the Sergeant.”
James didn’t hear Clint’s response. He was curious now damn it. Lucky whined and James knew he was a sucker, taking off at a more reasonable rate as the two of them headed for Central Park. This little routine had started about four months ago. James had decided to change his route again, running past the Tower, only to find Clint being all but dragged out by a very boisterous Lucky. It had been so fucking cute that James had grabbed the leash, biting back laughter, and herding Clint back inside. The AI had assured James he would get Clint back to his apartment and James had headed off with Lucky looking pleased with himself.
Huh. The braiding his hair thing had started the next day. He laughed, feeling like a fool for not realizing it before. Clint never failed to mutter something about owing him, but inevitably braided his hair later in the day. James didn’t care why, just that Clint brushing and braiding his hair was one of, if not the most, soothing things ever. Plus, the blushing thing couldn’t be discounted.
He and Lucky tried a new trail in the park, glaring at anyone who gave them a second look. They crossed over a bridge and Lucky froze, whimpering. James stopped, free hand hovering over his gun, scanning the area. That was when he heard the most pitiful sound ever. Together, he and Lucky made it off the bridge and down. James spotted the ball of white fluff the same time Lucky did. He could barely hear a thing over Lucky’s whines and the poor kitten’s pitiful meows. “Stay, Luck.”
Lucky gave him what James figured was the dog equivalent of a ‘you have got to be fucking kidding me’ look, but dutifully stayed. James crouched down, the poor thing damp and shaking, so tiny it fit in his hand. “Oh, sweetheart, who did this to you?”
The kitten, barely old enough to have its eyes open from the look of it, curled against the warmth of his hand, still making those pitiful noises. Big, blue eyes (which fucks sake he was a sucker for anyway) stared back at him.
James stood, cradling the kitten against his chest. Lucky whined and he rolled his eyes, crouching back down so the dog could cautiously sniff the kitten. “Gentle.”
Lucky huffed, licking the kitten's face with far more gentleness than James knew the boisterous pup had in him. Lucky had taken out Tony and Bruce, ramming into the back of their knees, more than once after all.
James chuckled. “Fine, I get it. Let’s go, you two. I hope JARVIS knows just what the fuck a kitten needs.”
He scanned the area again, listening closely but not hearing any other kitten-type noises. He didn’t see any movement either. Then, with the utmost care, he made his way back to the Tower, the kitten curled up in his hand, purring weakly.
—**—
Clint blinked, then grinned. “Aww, kitten, cute!”
James laughed, sprawled at the table in the communal kitchen. He’d begged JARVIS for help upon returning. The AI had kitten formula and other assorted things (including baby wash) delivered within the hour. Lucky had curled up around the kitten as if protecting her when James had carefully laid her on a warm towel whilst he showered. Damn, the two of them were fucking adorable. He’d decided, once the kitten was fed and clean, that Alpine was the perfect name for the pure white kitten. He would need to go to the vet later in the afternoon, thanks to JARVIS contacting Clint’s vet for Lucky and explaining the situation. There was no way he was giving the cute little fluffball up.
Knowing Clint had been known to climb into dumpsters to rescue animals (mainly dogs, but Clint didn’t discriminate where animals in need were concerned), James held his hand out. “Alpine, she’s got a vet appointment later.”
Clint took the kitten, after setting his coffee cup down. James’ eyebrows shot up, shocked. Clint barely set coffee down during missions! The blond huffed. “Need both hands to cuddle this cute baby, James. Duh.”
Natalia was the next to arrive. She smirked. “Really, Clint?”
“Nope. James did it. Her name is Alpine and she is sooooooooo soft, Nat. Come pet her.”
James just shrugged. “Some bastard tossed her under a bridge in Central Park. I’m not a monster, Natalia. Wasn’t gonna leave her there. Besides, Lucky would have bitten my leg off if I tried.”
Natalia patted his head on her way past. After petting Alpine of course. “Poor babies. She’ll need things.”
“Poor babies?” Sam asked, crossing the room looking perplexed. “What did you two do now?”
“I didn’t do anything!” Clint protested, still cuddling Alpine and all but cooing at her, Lucky’s head in Clint’s lap as he patiently waited for his turn to play.
“I meant James, Lucky, and Alpine.” Natalia brought over the coffee and refilled both of their mugs. “I can call the vet, get you an appointment.”
James smiled smugly. “Already done. JARVIS also had kitten formula and also kitten food delivered. Oh a carrier for her too.”
Natalia rolled her eyes. “A blanket for her? Toys? Bed? Hmmm.”
Clint snickered, sipping his coffee, Alpine happily curled in his lap and being softly booped by Lucky. “Just let it happen, James.”
James grinned. “Not a moron. Will you go with me? I have no ideas what I need to ask or anything.”
Clint brightened considerably. “‘Course I will. What time?”
“Four thirty.”
Sam chuckled. “Tony is going to have kittens over the kitten, you know.”
Clint groaned, Natalia rolled her eyes, and James just shook his head.
Sam grinned. “I couldn’t resist.”
James got to his feet and brought over a tray of pastries, sliding the tray across the table so that Clint could reach them. “Eat. Lemme have her back.”
Clint pouted, reluctantly handing Alpine back. “She is so fluffy and cute. I get her back right?”
Sam grabbed a pastry and walked away, shaking his head.
Natalia laughed. “It’s a good thing the two of you share a floor. Block the elevator and leave your doors open.”
James lifted an eyebrow. “Why exactly?”
She just threw her hands up. “If you do that, both Lucky and Alpine can wander back and forth. Do you want Clint knocking five dozen times a day to cuddle her? That is what will happen, James.”
Clint hastily swallowed, indignant and pouting. “Nat! Not nice.”
“Am I wrong?”
Clint blushed, grumbling and stuffing his mouth full when she shot him a glare.
James chuckled. “Fair point. I could just get Lucky for our runs and you wouldn’t have to get out of bed.”
Clint seemed to consider this and then nodded. “Try. No guarantees.”
“Deal.”
—**—
James left Alpine curled up in her incredibly soft, bright blue blanket on his pillow. Natalia had shown up with it (and a myriad of other things for the kitten) just before he and Clint had left for the vet that first day. If it (and the collar, adorable little sweater, and so on) was nearly the same exact shade of blue as Clint’s eyes, James was going to pretend to remain oblivious to that fact. It was much more amusing to see Natalia get more and more frustrated the longer the situation went on.
He knew, oh did he fucking know, that he was more than a bit besotted with Clint and that Natalia knew it too. Had he not found Alpine in the park, she would have likely found a kitten for him like she had Lucky for Clint; just so she could watch this sort of situation play out. The woman was a menace, but he actually liked that about her.
Taking the bright purple leash off the small table that now sat in the common area by the elevator, James softly clicked his tongue despite knowing that Clint would be fast asleep, his hearing aids charging and thus not able to be disturbed. Still. He was trying to be polite, just in case.
Lucky nearly slammed into the elevator doors as he slid out of Clint’s apartment. James laughed quietly, far too used to the daily occurrence to actually worry over it anymore. Lucky always managed to stop right before hitting the doors. The dog was as adorably klutzy as his owner.
It had taken two weeks, he mused as they rode down to the ground floor, for himself or Clint to actually sleep well with the doors open. It was probably a good thing there hadn’t been a call out during that time. Neither of them would have been in top form. But, now almost two months later, and they treated the floor almost as one big apartment - humans and animals alike.
Clint closed the door, both animals closed in with him, on the rare occasion Steve visited James’ apartment. Otherwise, they all wandered. Mornings after his shower and run, James inevitably ended up in Clint’s kitchen because duh that was where the constant supply of coffee lived and it meant Clint’s hands on him. Okay his hair, but still it counted! Also, it meant he got a daily view of a sleep rumpled and shirtless Clint.
Clint wandered over in the evenings, drawn by the smell of whatever James was cooking. Usually, whatever animal had decided it was a ‘shadow Clint day’ would follow him in. James had learnt that things like pizza drew Clint quicker than say vegetable stew. So, he adjusted accordingly. Just because he wasn’t admitting he wanted to take a bite out of Clint more than the food, it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to soak up the time they spent together greedily.
Dinner usually led to after dinner Dog Cops or Bake-Off watching and Clint re-braiding his hair so it held up for his morning runs. Sometimes, if one or both seemed to need the extra contact (he still wasn’t sure how this part had happened, just that it had and he liked it a lot) there was more tv watching, though in Clint’s apartment, curled up together without talking about it.
Sometimes they fell asleep like that on Clint’s excessively comfortable couch. Those nights he slept the best.
Natalia joined them sometimes, but seemed to keep the poking at (or cuddling with) them and the animals in the common areas during the day. She wasn’t even trying to be sneaky about it and James wondered if Clint was truly oblivious or pretending to be like James was. He was betting on the latter, but was enjoying the easy relationship too much to ask and risk upsetting the blond.
Both Alpine and Lucky had pretty much full run of the Tower, most of the inhabitants and workers slipping them treats. James had tried to stop that, but it was as inevitable. Stark was actually the most frequent offender despite Sam’s teasing. So, James was in charge of the actual pet food and keeping Clint from feeding Lucky too much pizza. Clint had pouted but then snickered at that decree, whispering, “Yay!”
James exited the building and headed away from the park. Just because he’d actually been cleared by the US government and UN for his HYDRA mind fuck years didn’t mean he would be letting his guard down. Hell, Stark had managed to dig out the trigger words (and two more James hadn’t even known about) out of his brain meaning he was truly free. Not being too routine in his routines kept his anxiety (PTSD?) at a manageable level. Situational awareness was a thing, would always be a thing.
He heard someone approaching and glanced back to see Steve catching up to him. “Bit early for you. Or late. Depending.”
Steve blushed. “You mind?”
James didn’t stop, just shook his head. “Nah. You okay?”
“Couldn't sleep. Thought I’d tag along, if you really are okay with it.”
“‘Course I am.”
Steve was quiet for a long time. James knew that meant he was working up to something. Finally, “So you and Clint, huh?”
James nearly tripped, blushing bright red. “What? No. I mean - damn it, Punk.”
Steve laughed and laughed. “Ha! I knew it. Won’t say a thing, I swear.”
James side eyed him, contemplating shoving him into a wall. “Hmf. Better not. Spook him and you won’t see the ass kicking until it’s all said and done.”
Steve just laughed all over again. “Looks good on both of you, the thing that doesn’t exist.”
Damn it. Fuck. If Steve had noticed it wouldn’t be long before Stark started making comments. Thus far, Natalia’s glares and withholding gifts had worked to shut up Sam. Stark was a wildcard. He could decide he didn’t mind Natalia out for his head and totally ruin the easy slide James and Clint seemed to be on. Just fuck.
—**—
It had been two weeks since Steve started joining him on his runs. Lucky still wasn’t sure he liked it and made it clear by the number of times he tried to trip Steve up, but that too was getting better. James crouched down, unhooking the leash and nearly fell over at the quiet, “Coffee is ready.”
He glanced up, his heart skipping a beat and freezing all at the same time. Clint looked as if he’d not slept at all. All the words stuck in his throat. Fuck. “Hey.”
Clint, his hair in wild spikes that meant he’d been running his hands through it over and over, just shrugged and retreated back into his part of the floor. James followed, unable to do anything else. Clint was staring at the coffee pot and mugs as if he didn’t know what to do with them. Alpine, who usually retreated to Clint when James got up to run, twined around Clint’s legs meowing grumpily.
James carefully shifted Clint aside, pouring the coffee and handing one mug to Clint, his brow furrowed. The blond stared at the mug, but didn’t take it. James checked, and yes Clint had his aids on. Good. “Hey,” he tried again. “Wanna talk about it?”
Those gorgeous blue eyes blinked slowly. “Nightmare. Nothing important.”
James scowled, setting the mugs down and crowding Clint up against the counter. “Don’t lie.”
“It isn’t. I’m not, stupid is all.”
James braced his hands on the counter, knowing Clint wouldn’t panic after all this time at being bracketed by James’ arms. “Talk to me.”
Clint shrugged, staring at the cat. “Stupid, should be over it.”
“Couch, now.” It was their safe space, where they could cuddle and neither panicked. James truly wanted to haul Clint off to bed and cuddle the shit out of him and hold him while Clint slept, but now wasn’t the time for that. So, he’d do what he could. “Want Natalia instead?”
Clint’s eyes widened. “No. No. She’d just mutter about how she should have been quicker knocking sense into me.”
“Clint,” he all but demanded.
“The mind fuck thing,” was the whispered reply.
“Objections to me hugging you?” That wasn’t what he wanted to ask either, but it was a start.
“No. None at all.”
James took him at his word, wrapping his arms around Clint and holding the blond as tightly as he dared. They sat there for a long time, James not knowing what to say to help or if saying nothing helped more.
“Wanted you,” Clint mumbled sleepily.
James nearly fell over.
Clint rambled on, still clearly more asleep than awake. James wondered if he had an idea about what he was saying or even if Clint would realize later that they’d had this conversation.
“Want you. You don’t want me though. Story of my life. Ugh. Stupid dreams. Will wake up soon. Always do.”
James tightened his hold. “Fuck that, I do too.”
“Hmf. Bullshit.”
James’ eyes narrowed. Clint still sounded as sleepy as before, except there was an underlying tone. Mischief, the but good natured sort. “You aren’t nearly as asleep as you seem, are you?”
“Was. Not now. Keep going,” Clint grumbled, snuggling closer despite his height and managing to curl against James’ chest. “Convince me.”
James snickered. “Feeling better after the nightmare now?”
“Duh, your cuddles work miracles.”
James maneuvered them over to the couch and nearly laughed when Clint overbalanced both of them so they landed in a tangle on the couch. “I was waiting for you to be comfortable enough to say something.”
Clint snorted. “I got impatient waiting for you to say something.”
James laughed, shifting them more comfortably, but happy to keep the cuddling going. “You, impatient? Never!”
Clint managed to poke him in the ribs.
“Oww, Clint, no poking me.” James was too fucking happy to be genuinely irritated.
Clint’s smile was far too angelic to be genuinely innocent. “Just makin’ sure we’re both awake.”
James shifted them so he was sprawled over Clint, pinning and cuddling him all at once. “So, before you decide pre-dawn is evil and fall back asleep, what does this mean for us?”
Clint’s nose crinkled up and he pouted, looking far too adorable. “Is there an us now? Want. So much.”
“Same. Now, lemme get a blanket and you should sleep more.”
Clint grinned.
James was up, grabbing his coffee and going for a blanket when he heard the elevator doors open and then close again. Curious, he tipped his head and watched the open door to see if anyone appeared. When no one did, he wandered over and looked out. Then he laughed. On the little table there was a purple and blue striped duvet neatly folded. On top was one of Natalia’s pretty cards. In giant letters it said: Finally!
He scooped up the blanket, still laughing, and made his way back over to the couch. Clint, sleepily curious, was sprawled out, Lucky and Alpine curled up together on the floor watching the two of them as if they were an interesting tv show. He set his coffee on the table and, still snickering, held up Natalia’s note.
Clint laughed, shaking his head. “I’d ask how she knew, but she always does.”
“Couch or?” James grinned. Clint wasn’t wrong, Natalia always seemed to be one step ahead of everyone else. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know how. Most important to him was getting Clint to sleep peacefully for a few more hours.
“Bed,” Clint offered hesitantly. “I mean…”
“You are too adorable for words. Yeah, come on. Yours is closer and you need sleep.”
Clint allowed James to pull him upright, immediately cuddling close. “Bet there are pastries later too.”
James laughed. “Sleep first, then we will see.”
Clint crawled into the bed and James shook the new duvet out over him. “Cuddles?”
“Let me shower and then I will.”
Clint yawned, nearly back asleep completely. “Use mine. Sweats on counter.”
“Sleep,” he whispered, feeling almost awed by how this was playing out. “I won’t go far.”
He didn’t receive an answer and he laughed lightly, taking Clint’s aids out carefully before rushing through a quick shower, pulling on Clint’s way too long sweatpants and yanking his damp hair back before crawling in next to Clint. Usually once he was awake there was no getting back to sleep, but James found himself drifting off moments later even as he hoped Natalia couldn’t read thoughts. If she could, he would never live down thinking that of all the gifts he’d received since being freed from HYDRA, that Clint was definitely the best of them.