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Clint’s phone was ringing but he had neither the energy nor the wish to answer it. It continued ringing, once, twice… In the end, he lost his patience. He would normally take his hearing aid out but even this didn't look like a good option.
“Whoever is calling must be stubborn.” He murmured. When he found the phone where he had tossed it, he opened it with fake enthusiasm.
“Hi, Nat!” Only she would be that stubborn, he thought.
“Clint!” She said angrily. “I’ve been calling you. Kate called yesterday, she said you didn’t answer any of her calls. She was worried. Call her! And don’t pretend like you are okay I know you. I’ve heard you had something to do with Bullseye. We need to talk about that later. I’m on a mission but I’m sending Bruce, he knows how to take care of you. Bye!”
“No Nat...ahh.” Nat was like that on missions, she would say what she needed to and then hang up in his ear without hearing what he wanted to say.
Just a few minutes later he heard Lucky’s barks. It meant Bruce was already there. He opened the door and came across Bruce’s shocked face.
“You should go to a hospital.” He said.
“Hello to you too Bruce.” was Clint’s rather snappy answer.
“I’m not joking Clint. You do not look well.” Bruce was worried, it seemed.
“Ohh, really? I didn’t realize it.” Clint continued bantering. Really it was more like arguing, but oranges and apples, right?
“Cut your jokes Clint and let me look at those wounds.” Bruce was serious, and he was getting angrier. Well, this was not good.
“I thought you were not that kind of Doctor, Bruce.” He said, maybe this would help the big guy’s nerves.
“I am not, but I know how to treat a wound better than you.” He didn’t have another choice than to let Bruce in.
“I didn’t know you had a dog.” Bruce said while patting Lucky’s head, seeming to be focused on calming himself down.
“He has been with me for a time now. He saved me from Ivan Banionis’ men. His name is Lucky.”
“Wow! He is a brave boy then.”
“That he is.”
“Nat told me to remind you that you need to call Kate.” Oh yes, Nat had said that. What other wonderful things had Nat told Bruce? His entire backstory by chance?
“Okay, give me a second,” Clint fumbled with his phone to call Kate.
“Hi, Katie!” He said with the same fake enthusiasm.
“Clint, I’ve been worried.” He was so glad at that moment Kate was not a spy. He did not need two of the ladies in his life meddling with him.
“I’m okay, Bruce is here. Gonna check me over like the doc he claims not to be.”
“Bruce? As in Banner?” Where was she going with that?
“Yes, Kate.” He said, with an annoyed voice.
“You didn’t tell me you had a thing going on with him.” What? No. Nope, nada. Okay, he liked Bruce but he didn’t talk about it with anyone, not even Natasha. She would’ve been the first person to shove them in a closet together. And that would be a code green situation most likely. Not a good idea.
Clint pinched his nose, “Kate, nothing is happening between us. Nat sent him here”
“Really? Then I lost the bet, I was so sure you liked each other. You know you look at him with heart eyes.” Was he that obvious? And heart eyes? Wait for a second.
“You are betting about my love life. Who other than you?” Didn't they have anything better to talk about?
“Ohh, you didn’t hear anything from me. See you soon Clint!”
“Kate!” He shouted angrily but she hung upon him. The second time in one day, this was a new record. Actually, it wasn’t, there was still that girl at the pub who had broken his phone with the force she had hung upon him. And then her friend did the same with his new phone, and that hadn’t been fun to explain to Coulson.
“What happened, why were you shouting, are you okay?" Bruce asked when he went back to where Bruce was waiting.
"There are people who like prying into my love life. They, Nat and Kate, had a bet on you and me.” Bruce was flushing.
“Was I that obvious?”
“What?” Has he just said what I think he said? Clint thought.
“I like you?” Bruce said. It was obvious that the doctor was embarrassed.
“What-I-I like you too.” Clint went and like with everything, impulsively kissed Bruce.
“That was… great.” Bruce whispered right into his ear, but it sounded louder in his head. He just couldn't decide if it was because of the hearing aid or if his heart took possession of the control of his hearing. Clint had to admit being this close to the scientist made him feel things he had been hiding in the deep places of his heart. He had always liked Bruce. He understood that Bruce was not a monster, the moment their eyes met for the first time. He was caring, he cared about the team, about Clint. If Clint was being honest with himself, he knew he can be irritating sometimes but even then, Bruce was always kind. Even after Loki, and being used as a glorified puppet, Clint had been accepted by Bruce, forgiven and the man had simply shrugged. “I know what it’s like to lose control.”
Clint came to his senses after Bruce coughed.“I think you have some wounds for me to treat.”
Clint nodded.“That is the reason you are here.”
“That is the reason I’m here.” Bruce repeated. They moved to the couch, almost awkwardly They didn’t talk while Bruce was treating Clint’s wounds. Then Bruce started gathering his stuff.
“Do you have to go?” Clint asked, praying that he didn’t sound like he was begging.
“Umm, well, I don’t have anything else to do. Natasha just wanted me to check on you.”
“You can stay here, I will probably sleep here tonight, you can use my bed.” Oh, he did sound pathetic. But right now, he really couldn’t bring himself to care. Not if it meant Bruce would stay.
“Ahhh, okay?”
“Do you want to watch a movie? I should have some pizza in the fridge of course if Lucky has not eaten it.” Clint said while pointing a judgmental finger at Lucky.
“Movie sounds nice, I can go and arrange something for dinner,” Bruce said while standing up and went towards the kitchen. Clint looked at the movies he had and took the one at the top.
Clint really didn’t remember anything after that. They had eaten something, which Bruce had learned how to make during his travels, watched the movie (which happened to be Attack of the Clones), and had laughed at some famous meme parts. At some point, they must have fallen asleep together on the couch.
When Clint woke up the first thing he realized was cuddling with Bruce. And the second thing he realized was Natasha was there, she was sprawled out in his armchair and looking at them over her knives, which she had been sharpening.
“Good morning love birds!” She said, her grin clearly showing she had won.
“I need to make a call, it seems we have just won our bet.” This bet again? Who else was in? Wait, how much was betted?
“Hey, Tony!” Natasha said. Ohh, so Tony was also in it. He must’ve bet a lot. Natasha would demand lots of money knowing her.
“Tell the others you, Kate and I won the bet.” Clint was not able to hear what Tony was saying, but there was a muffled holler from the other end.
“Yes, I found them while cuddling.”
“No, they are at Clint’s house.”
“Okay.” Natasha sighed and did something with her phone. Then Tony’s hologram was standing before them.
“Brucie, I’m rather disappointed that you didn’t tell me that you had a boyfriend.” Tony’s arms were crossed and he was giving them a less than serious grim face. Even though the hologram, he still looked like a small pouting child and it was very hard to take him seriously.
“We said we liked each other yesterday Tony. I don’t even know if we are dating.”
“I think we are…we kinda woke up together” Clint cut in.
“Oh, okay then,” Bruce said with a small shy smile on his face.
“Whatever, you needed to tell me, I’m your science bro. Bros before hoes, right?”
“Did you just call me a hoe?” Clint sputtered.
“Tony, you are the second person who learned.” Bruce calmly responded, as if his boyfriend was not just labeled as his “side person.” Bruce would never say, but he found Clint’s reaction to being adorable.
“But not from you, I feel betrayed.”
“I’m sorry Tony, are you happy now?”
“Much. Then I’m leaving you two love birds. Have fun!” Natasha closed the phone, shaking her head at Tony’s antics.
“So who was betting on our love life?” Clint asked.
“Many.” was Natasha’s answer. “I’m leaving too, but wait for a call from Kate. You are lucky that she is in the city right now. If she was not, she would come immediately after hearing.” She said and left.
“So?” Bruce asked.
“It seems we are dating now.”
“Yeah.” “I do have work to do today,” Bruce added after thinking.
“Do you have anything to do in the evening?”
“Not if you don’t.”
“Then it’s a date.”
“It’s a date,” Bruce confirmed and left Clint’s house. Lucky came to his side, barking loudly.
“I have a date Lucky, I need to get ready.” Oh gosh, he needed some clothing that was actually suitable for a date. Luckily Kate was in the city.
“Kate, can you pick me up some clothes?”