Archive of Our Own ^beta

Clint Barton took pride in the fact that he was the best archer the whole world had ever seen. It was a fact. He had checked. He had found world records and then broken them, made it so no one else other than him could surpass them.

Clint Barton took pride in the fact that he was one of the best specialists in SHIELD. Now, for that, he actually had proof. He was still alive.

But as good a specialist as he was, there were still times where he wasn’t at his best.

Fresh out of an Avengers mission (because he was part of the Avengers as well, never taking a break, that was his motto, or his way of life, or whatever the cool kids said nowadays), and thrust into a SHIELD mission with only barely three hours of sleep, there were about to be some mishappenings.

Now, Clint had aced missions on less sleep, a lot less sleep. But that Avengers mission had been going for days, trying to infiltrate one of the last known Hydra bases, leave no survivors, wipe out the computers. Kick ass, take no names. The usual.

So, understandably, Clint was tired. He didn’t show it, but he knew that his handler, Coulson, knew it, if only for the slightly gentler tone of voice he spoke with.

“Talk to me, Barton.”

Clint had to bite his bottom lip to stop a goofy smile from taking over his face, but he succeeded. He was a professional.

“Still no sign of the mark, sir,” he replied. He was positioned on a rooftop across a tall skyscraper. His arrow was ready to go at any second now.

Coulson didn’t say anything back, but he didn’t need to. If either man saw or heard something, then they would alert the other immediately.

It was an easy mission; one he had done countless times before. Human trafficking. Easy in the most heartbreaking of ways, and Clint only allowed himself to think about it when it was night and he had Phil’s arms around him.

The change of what he was seeing was a quick one. One moment the room was empty and the other, a man in his late thirties was pulling a teenage girl in the room, angry in his every movement, a gun pointed to the girl’s temple.

“He’s in the room and armed,” Clint quickly said. “Has a girl captive, gun to her head.”

“Once you get a clear image, take him out,” Coulson said in his ear, voice calm and soft.

Clint took a deep breath, relaxing his arms and fingers, his eyes never leaving his target. But, he was past tired, verging on exhausted and it took him a second too long, just a second, for the man to pull the trigger and the girl to fall, Clint’s arrow finding its place in the man’s neck barely a second later. Just a second.

“Heard shots fired Barton what happened?” Coulson asked in his ear and Clint’s fingers spasmed before he threw down his bow.

“Target’s down” Clint said, murmured really. “So’s the girl. I was too late.”

He heard Coulson sigh in his ear, heard his soft voice call him by his name but Clint could feel nothing except from the small tremors running up his arms, part from exhaustion and part from the sudden overwhelming feeling of failure.

Clint came back to himself later this afternoon when he was back at Phil and his apartment. He had changed into soft pants and a long-sleeved shirt that had maybe been Phil’s once. Phil had to stay behind at headquarters to manage the scene, but he had left him with soft murmurs of reassurance and not-your-faults.

And really, Clint knew it wasn’t his fault, but losing someone was never easy, even though it should have been at this point, after everything he had experienced.

And so, he was sitting at their kitchen table, having long since finished his pizza and was trying to find something to busy his hands without having to pick up a weapon or go outside. He knew that Phil kept a few magazines in his bedside table’s drawer, the puzzles inside them never finished but started enough that Clint wouldn’t have to spend long minutes trying to figure out what he was supposed to do.

Clint found the magazines in the place he knew they were, but he also found a file from SHIELD, his name on the cover. Now, he knew that every handler had a file of the agents they were in charge of, so Phil having his file wasn’t shocking. But those files were supposed to stay at headquarters at all times. So, Clint finding his file in their bedroom was a surprise.

It was late when Phil finally got home, silently pushing his shoes off and hanging his coat before making his way to the kitchen and freezing in place as he found Clint sitting on the kitchen table.

“God,” Phil exhaled, a soft grin taking the edge away. “I thought you were asleep.”

Phil walked around the kitchen, taking a glass out of the cupboard and then the milk out of the fridge, pouring himself some before finally looking at Clint. 

“Why aren’t you asleep?” He asked, glancing at the clock. It was almost 1am.

“Why do you have my file here?’ Clint asked instead of answering, gesturing to the file on the table.

Phil left his untouched glass of milk on the counter and sat next to Clint on the table, hands reaching for the file but not taking it.

“You read it.” It wasn’t a question; Clint wouldn’t have asked if he hadn’t read its contents.

Clint dragged a hand down his face, a weary sigh breaking free from his lips. “Of course I read it, Phil.” He then looked at his husband. “Why didn’t you tell me he was still alive?”

Phil contemplated on his words. “You didn’t need to know.”

Clint had been expecting that answer, but it still caused a wave of frustration to crush onto him.

“I have a nephew,” he said next. “Were you really never gonna tell me?”

“I was ordered not to,” Phil told him, looking at him.

“You were ordered as my handler,” Clint reminded him, as if that thing needed to be said. “Were you ordered as my husband as well?”

Phil stayed silent. Clint’s gaze were heavy on him but he didn’t look away.

Then, Clint stood up. “I just finished with an Avengers mission and then I lost someone during a SHIELD mission.” He waved a hand at Phil, cutting the other man off. “Yes, I know it wasn’t my fault, I’ve been doing this long enough to know that, but.” There, he paused and looked at Phil once again. “When an agent loses someone they are given a month of leave,” he said. “And I have been saving some vacation days.”

“You have almost three months of vacation days saved,” Phil gently told him, resigned, shoulders relaxing in the way of someone who knows the fight is over.

“So that makes four months,” Clint said. “If they ask you from SHIELD then tell them that I found the file by accident, which I did and that I wanted to find my nephew and connect with him.”

“Okay,” Phil said. “When are you leaving?”

“Right now,” Clint said. “But I’m going to Stark first.”

“Smart,” Phil said.

“I can be smart sometimes,” Clint told him, a small smile on his face, saying that they were going to be alright.

“I’ll see if I can get some time off and come visit you,” Phil said. The if you want me to went unsaid but no less heard. Clint leaned down and gave him a small kiss. A silent acceptance.

It was early morning when Clint finally arrived at Avengers Tower because even though he told Phil he wanted to leave right that moment, he was still exhausted, and a few hours of sleep were too good to pass. And so he was standing in the elevator, FRIDAY taking him to the common lounge, a big duffel bag at his feet and a thermos half full with coffee.

It was early enough that most normal human beings would still be sleeping but the Avengers were anything but normal and they were two days after a mission, having spent the previous day just sleeping away. So Clint knew that most of them would be awake.

The first person he saw was Natasha sitting on one of the couches, a mug of steaming coffee held in her hands, an eyebrow raised at his appearance. She nodded towards his bag in a silent question but Clint just smiled at her and left it at the corner, a silent indicator that everything was alright. She nodded and went back to her coffee while Clint walked to the kitchen, the smell of breakfast food slowly growing stronger.

Steve was the one making breakfast, too focused on the eggs he was frying to notice Clint, but when Bruce greeted him, Steve turned around, a happy smile on his face.

“Oh, Clint! Good morning. Didn’t think we’d see you so soon.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Clint waved away the offer of coffee, raising his thermos and taking a seat next to Bruce. “Change of plans.”

“Trouble in paradise?” Tony asked as he entered the kitchen, a silent Nat following behind him, her now empty mug held in her hand. She was here for a refill most likely.

Well, all of them being in the kitchen at the same time really made life easier for Clint.

“I found out my brother is alive,” he said. Out of all of them, only Nat really knew the implication of his words and the look she sent to him made him feel both warm inside but also want to hide.

But now he had all of their attention.

“Congratulations?” Tony said, taking a sip of his very expensive coffee he had tried to get everyone else addicted to, with mixed results. “Or is this not a good thing?”

Clint shrugged, saying a small ‘thanks’ to Steve as he gave him a plate full of fried eggs and bacon.

“Found my SHIELD file last night in Phil’s drawer. Said my older brother is alive and in jail after getting caught abusing his wife and son.”

Tony let out a low whistle, breaking the silence in the kitchen.

“So you have a nephew,” Bruce said. “You’re going to meet him?”

“Got a four-month vacation,” Clint shrugged. “That’s the plan.”

“I’m coming with,” Nat said though there was no reason to, he knew it all along. “I’m going to pack,” she added, putting her empty mug in the sink.

“How old is your nephew?” Steve asked, starting to gather empty dishes to put them in the sink. Since he cooked, someone else would have to clean them. Probably Bruce.

“He was twelve when my brother went in jail and according to my file that was almost five years ago, so I guess he’s a high school Senior now.” And well, it was mid-October so the school year had long since started.

“And where are you going?” Tony asked. “Please tell me it’s not in the middle of nowhere.”

“Beacon Hills, California,” Clint answered. “No idea what that’s like.”

“That’s why you have me,” Tony said. “FRIDAY, darling, please find everything you can about Beacon Hills.”

“Right away, Boss.” Came FRIDAY’s slightly robotic voice.

A few minutes later, Nat came back with a similar duffel bag and left it next to Clint’s before joining them in the kitchen once again.

“I’ve sent everything I could find on your phone, Boss,” said FRIDAY.

Tony hummed in response and spent several moments looking at his phone screen before letting out a whistle that didn’t sound that cheery. “Looks like Beacon Hills is literally a beacon for trouble.”

Clint shared a quick look with Nat before turning to Tony. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Tony started. “More than a decade ago there was a fire in the woods, a whole house burnt down killing an entire family except two kids who weren’t there, one who managed to escape and a man who was severely burnt but survived,” he said, still reading from his phone. “Then everything was quiet until like three years ago when a biker found half a body in the woods. Oh! Guess what, the body was one of the two kids who escaped the fire. Damn. They said it was a mountain lion attack and there were a few more dead bodies after that until a hunter killed the mountain lion and the bodies stopped.”

“That doesn’t sound that bad,” Bruce said. He startled when everyone looked at him. “I mean! It was just a mountain lion, stuff like this happens.”

“Bruce is right,” Steve said. “And the killings stopped after the hunter killed the mountain lion, like Tony said,” he pointed out, but Tony had a grimace on his face.

“What else did you find?” Nat asked.

“It’s so weird,” Tony said. “A few months after the whole mountain lion thing, bodies started turning up again and this time the killer was a high school kid taking revenge for almost drowning when he was a kid. Then it was so psycho doing some human sacrifices. Then a deadpool with names of people and how much they’re worth on it.” Tony’s voice was growing more incredulous the more he spoke and the knot in Clint’s stomach was tightening more and more with every passing second.

“Why didn’t we hear any of this?” he asked.

“The FBI apparently had it covered,” Tony answered. “There’s more, though.”

“Let’s hear it,” Clint said.

“A few months ago a woman started a cult, gave everyone who wanted them guns and told them to hunt a group of people she called ‘supernaturals’, most of them high school students. The issue was resolved but she’s on the run and the FBI is handling her case.”

“Okay, that’s definitely weird,” Bruce said.

“Was she really hunting supernaturals or is she just crazy?” Nat asked.

Tony hummed in thought, his eyes still on his phone. “Hard to say for certain,” he said and looked at both Clint and Nat. “If she was really hunting supernaturals, wouldn’t it be on SHIELD’s radar?”

“It would have been on X-MEN’s radar at the very least,” Clint pointed out. “We don’t know the definition of supernaturals they’re using.”

“So it could be something serious,” Steve said. “Or nothing at all.”

“Hey,” Tony suddenly said, still looking at his phone. “What’s your nephew’s name? A few names keep popping up and I’m sensing a pattern.”

“Liam Dunbar,” Clint said. “He’s using his mother’s name.”

Tony was silent for a few moments, clicking away on his phone, before grimacing. “Yeah, boy was attacked at the hospital by a so-called cannibal. He was rescued by a friend. He was also the one who found the bodies of two teenagers during the whole ‘hunting the supernaturals’ thing a few months ago.”

“Damn,” Clint breathed out. “FRIDAY, can you sent me everything you have on Liam Dunbar?”

“Right away, Hawkeye.”

“When are we leaving?” Nat asked him.

“As soon as I get some tickets,” Clint replied but was scoffed at by Tony.

“Please, you’re going with my private jet. I’ll have a car ready for you at the airport. I’ll book you a hotel as well if I can find a good one though I don’t have high hopes.”

Clint cracked a small smile. “Thanks, Tony. We’ll figure out the hotel room when we get there.”

Tony waved the thanks away though he had a small smile on his face. “I’ll have the jet ready in half an hour,” he said and stood up. “Have fun at the family reunion, Katniss.”

They had just passed the sign that welcomed them to Beacon Hills when Nat finally spoke.

“What’s the plan?” She was the one driving, a mutual agreement that didn’t need any words. They had put their duffel bags in the back and had found the small bag of guns Tony had in all of his cars. It now lied on Clint’s feet, hidden from view but easy to grab if they so needed.

“Meet my nephew,” he replied. If Nat didn’t have to check the road to take a turn he knew that she would be glaring at him.

“And what if something is going on here?” She asked then.

And really, Clint didn’t know what he would do. FRIDAY had sent him everything she could find about his nephew and Clint would be an idiot not to see that his nephew had been involved in a lot of things happening around town.

“I don’t know,” Clint said. “Maybe it was all a coincidence.” Nat did look at him at that, not really glaring, but not kind either.

“You don’t believe that,” she said.

Clint didn’t have to reply to her for Nat to know that he didn’t believe that any more than she did.

“It’s the house with the roses at the front,” he said a while later, pointing to a house down the road to their right.

Nat let out a small hum and parked the car, both sitting in silence for a few moments.

It was a Thursday morning, late enough that school had already started but early enough that they had seen some students out.

“Are you going to tell him who you are?” Nat asked after a few moments of silence.

Both their identities were public knowledge at this point, though they were two of the lesser-known Avengers. Good for going out in public, bad for when they were undercover, even if those types of missions happened less and less.

“I don’t want to lie to him,” Clint said. A couple seconds later, he nodded to himself and opened the door, pausing just enough to cover the bag at his feet with his jacket.

Nat was half a step behind him as they walked towards the front door and Clint didn’t hesitate to ring the bell, the door opening a few seconds later as if someone had been expecting them.

A boy, who was not Liam, Clint’s mind supplied, looked at them with a raised eyebrow that showed he was surprised to see two Avengers at his front door, but not surprised to see two people at his front door. Clint was very good at reading people. This teenager was very good at allowing only the bare minimum of his emotions to get out.

“Good morning,” Clint greeted politely, a small smile on his face. “Is this Liam Dunbar’s house?” He asked, even though he knew it was.

The boy stared at them for a few more seconds, enough to make any normal person nervous before turning around, his arm still blocking their entrance to the house and yelled towards the stairs.

“Liam, two of the Avengers are asking for you!” The boy yelled, a faint crash following a few seconds later and then the sound of feet, a door opening and closing.

“Theo, what the fuck are you talking about.” The boy who Clint assumed to be Liam said as he walked down the stairs, before stopping a few steps behind the other boy, Theo, mouth open as he looked at them.

Clint felt the air leave his lungs at the sight of Liam. He could see his older brother’s eyes looking back at him, the same nose and same cheekbones. He must have gotten his hair from his mother who Clint had never met but have seen some pictures after his research. A mother who wasn’t there right now.

“Good morning,” Clint said to Liam, his smile more genuine as the boy still gaped at them.

“Uh,” Liam said, causing Theo to snort. That seemed to be enough to snap him out of whatever internal turmoil he was experiencing. “Hi, can I help you?”

“I think it would be better to have this talk inside,” Nat said. She said it like an offer, voice soft, but it caused both boys to stiffen a bit.

Liam and Theo seemed to have a silent conversation before Theo let his arm fall to his side and took a step back, allowing Clint and Natasha to finally enter the house. Liam lead them to the living room, he and Theo watching the two Avengers take a seat on the couch, both teenagers standing still before Theo let out a sigh and sat on the loveseat.

“Uh,” Liam said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “Would you like some coffee?”

“That would be great, thanks.” The smile on Clint’s face wasn’t big, but he was going for comfort more than anything else.

The answering smile on Liam’s face was more of a grimace, the boy radiating nervousness and Clint felt a bit bad, but Theo quickly took over.

“This is when you ask them how they take their coffee, Liam,” Theo said, leaning comfortably back on the loveseat. There was something about Theo that kept Clint on edge and he could see that Nat felt the same. Maybe it was the way he carefully looked over them even when he knew that they were watching him back.

Liam blushed and sent him a glare before looking at the two of them, ready to ask who they take their coffee but Nat beat him to it.

“A bit of sugar to both of them,” she told him. “No milk.”

Liam nodded at her and walked to the kitchen, not before sending Theo another glare.

With Liam leaving, the small smile Theo had seemed to disappear almost entirely as he looked at them, still comfortably sitting on the loveseat, but ready to stand up fast if the situation called for it.

Clint wanted to know why a teenager would feel threatened in the company of an Avenger but he figured that wasn’t the best conversation opening. Theo seemed to be having questions for them, though.

“Why are two Avengers here?” he asked. Asking the important questions, Clint mused, momentarily amused. He could see Nat’s lips fighting to let out a small smile.

Liam returned with two steaming mugs of coffee before they could answer, placing them carefully on the coffee table in front of them. His eyes then trailed the living room, looking for a place to sit but trying not to make his discomfort that obvious. He wasn’t that successful.

“Just come here, Liam,” Theo said and Liam only hesitated for a second before making up his mind and going to sit on Theo’s lap.

An interesting development but Clint could do nothing else but smile, his smile getting wider when Liam relaxed at the sight of it.

“Are your parents home, Liam?” Nat asked instead of answering Theo’s earlier question.

Liam shook his head. “My step-father will be home in about half an hour,” he said.

Clint had read everything he could find about Liam’s step-father and Doctor David Greyer seemed like a nice, normal man who took extra shifts in the hospital when asked and took his wife on Saturday afternoon dates every week without fault.

“Your mother?” Clint asked. It would be best if he said everything he needed to say when she was here as well and he could be patient, but the sight of Liam was breaking the dam inside him stone by stone.

“She’ll be here around lunch time,” Liam said, oblivious to Clint’s internal turmoil.

“So,” Theo said, palms resting on the loveseat’s armrests. “Why are you two here?”

“Theo!” Liam hissed. “Be nice!”

Theo raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you curious why there are two Avengers in your living room asking where your parents are?”

“Well, yeah!” Liam said. “But I’m not going to be rude about it!” Liam gestured to Clint and Natasha. “They’re the Avengers!”

Theo rolled his eyes but settled back into the loveseat, letting Liam handle the situation.

Nat hid her amused smile by drinking some coffee and Clint followed her example, feeling two pairs of eyes following their every mood.

“So,” Liam started. “Why are you two here?”

“Be nice, Liam! It’s the Avengers!” Theo sarcastically said, yelping when Liam pinched his thigh.

“You’re such an asshole,” Liam said, his small smile taking the edge off.

Clint shared a small look with Nat, the latter giving him a small shrug. It’s your decision, the movement seemed to say and Clint let out a small sigh, the two teenagers suddenly paying very close attention to him.

“It’s about your dad,” Clint said. “Your biological one.”

Liam stiffened at that, Theo’s arm coming around his waist and holding him close protectively, all the while glaring at Clint. The archer could admit that the boy had guts. Not many people would glare at an Avenger with so much animosity.

“What about him?” Liam demanded.

There was no reason to stall it any longer, so Clint took a deep breath and said, “I’m his younger brother.”

It took almost two minutes for Liam to finally find his words, staring at Clint with a dumbfounded expression. To his credit, Theo seemed collected, though the small wide look in his eyes gave him away.

“You’re not lying,” Liam said, more to himself than anyone else, but his voice carried in the quiet living room.

“Liam,” Theo hissed, but Liam didn’t pay him any attention, still staring at Clint.

“How?” The boy finally asked.

“Honestly,” Clint said. “I found out two days ago. I thought he was dead.”

Liam scoffed at that, some of his nervousness fading away and he relaxed against Theo. “Wouldn’t complain if he was.” Was all he said.

The living room grew silent after that, not awkward, but all four of them had many thoughts running through their heads to really find the correct words.

Thank God for Natasha, really.

“Shouldn’t you two be in school?” she asked.

Theo raised an eyebrow at her, but kept his mouth shut. Liam was the one who replied to her.

“We had a game last night that ended late. The team was excused for today,” he explained.

Yes, Clint had read about that. Liam was co-captain of the lacrosse team alongside another boy named Nolan.

“Are you both on the team?” he asked. He knew about Liam, but nothing was written about Theo.

“Nope,” Theo said and left it at that. Clint let out an amused chuckle.

The room was relaxed if a little awkward after that, Liam staring at Clint like he was seeing him for the first time, which he was, but his eyes were searching, trying to find parts of Clint that belonged to him too. They had the same eyes, same cheekbones, same nose, different everything else.

It didn’t take much longer for David Greyer to come home from his shift, the two teenagers turning to the door like a well-oiled machine the moment they heard the keys on the door.

Liam was halfway to his feet before he decided against standing up, falling back on Theo with a resigned sigh. He shrugged at the other boy’s raised eyebrow and said, “he’s going to come here anyways.”

And just like he said, David didn’t waste a moment before coming to the living room, betraying his normality by not paying attention to his surroundings and noticing Clint and Nat a solid half minute after he had made his entrance.

“Uh,” David said, staring at the two Avengers sitting on his couch and sipping coffee from the mugs he had bought at the Grand Canyon. He then turned to Liam and Theo. “What did you two do this time?”

Liam gaped at him while Theo let out a snort before schooling his expression back to his usual indifference.

“Why do you think that this is our doing!?” Liam complained and was only given a dry look from David before the man turned to the two Avengers, his expression turning unsure once more.

Clint didn’t waste any time before starting to explain the situation to David, the man having to sit down halfway, making no comment but appearing accepting of the story.

Finally, when Clint was done, David stood up. “Look, I’m home after a twenty-four-hour shift,” he started. He pointed to himself and said, “I’m going to take a nap,” he then pointed to Liam, “you are going to wake me up when your mother is here,” to Theo he said, “you are cooking lunch,” and finally, to Clint and Nat he said, “you can stay here till then mostly so I know this isn’t some weird dream.” He nodded to himself before letting out a big sigh and going up the stairs.

Liam was still gaping after his step-father while Theo was shaking with soundless laughter under him.

Clint shared a small smile with Nat.

“I like him,” he said, earning Liam’s attention once more.

The teenager smiled at him then, relieved and easy. “Yeah,” he said. “I like him, too.”

It was around ten when Theo pushed Liam off of him and stood up, patting down his clothes and ignoring Liam’s glare with the nonchalance of someone who was constantly at the receiving end of them.

“I better start lunch,” he said, pushing Liam down to the now empty loveseat, the other boy letting out a huff at being manhandled but staying put nonetheless.

“What are you making?” Liam asked.

“Spaghetti and meatballs,” Theo answered, going to the kitchen. “And lots of garlic bread.”

Nat stood up, taking both Clint and hers mugs and followed Theo to the kitchen. “I’m helping,” she told him.

Theo raised an eyebrow at her, pausing for just a moment before shrugging and taking out the mincemeat from the fridge where he had put it last night to thaw. “It’s not like I can stop you,” he said.

Nat put the two mugs in the sink before pulling out a chair and taking a seat. She observed Theo as he moved around the kitchen, taking out any utensil he needed, his movements sure and relaxed. “How long have you been living here?” she asked him.

“Since the start of the summer,” Theo replied, dicing an onion. He transferred the diced onion into a bowl and started chopping some parsley before putting it in with the onion.

“You’ve been with Liam that long, too?” Nat asked next.

Theo cracked two eggs directly onto the mincemeat and then paused to put on a pair of gloves. “Give or take,” he said. He poured some bread crumbs onto the meat, the onion and parsley following immediately after, before he started kneading.

Nat stayed silent as Theo started to shape the meatballs and she continued to observe him long after he was done.

“I find it weird,” she said, not specifying what she was talking about, but Theo seemed to get it just fine.

“It’s a weird town,” he said, turning to look at her. “But I’m sure you’ve read all about it.”

She smirked at him, closed lip and dangerous. He continued to look at her, unconcerned.

“Everything I know is because Stark looked into this town before we came over,” she said. “SHIELD has no clue.”

Theo waited for her to continue, his eyes never leaving her.

Natasha didn’t disappoint. “Why doesn’t SHIELD know about it?”

“Why would SHIELD care about a small town in California?” Theo asked back.

“Because I’ve read all about it.”

Theo didn’t smile at her, but it was a near thing. “Maybe because there’s nothing to know about,” he said, turning back to the meatballs.

Natasha studied his back for a long moment before humming and getting up. “Maybe,” she agreed.

Theo continued to cook lunch with the practiced ease of someone who cooked lunch often and it didn’t take that long before he was done, garlic bread in the oven to be kept warm, spaghetti and meatballs on the stove ready to be served.

He was getting plates out of the cupboard when his head turned towards the front entrance, the unmistaken sound of keys unlocking the door and he placed the plates down with a rush that Nat found surprising. “Stay here,” he told her, or ordered, and Nat raised an eyebrow at his retreating back but did as told.

Nat stood up and finished taking the six plates out of the cupboard and softly placed them on the counter, her ears to the entrance, Theo welcomed Jenna home, called for Liam and said that he’ll go and wake David up.

It was a smart thing to do, better for Liam to explain the situation to his mother as someone who has also been hurt by it, better for him to vouch for Clint because while Nat had never met Clint’s older brother, she had seen pictures of them when they were young, and they had looked almost identical. It was fair to say that they looked similar now, too.

From her place in the kitchen Nat could clearly see into the living room. Clint was standing, and it was after decades of exhaustive training and her close friendship with him that she could see how nervous he really was. He caught her eye and she sent him an encouraging smile which he tried to return with mixed results.

She could hear Liam explain the situation to his mother and Theo coming down the stairs with David a few steps after him. Theo came to the kitchen, nodded to her as thanks for the plates even though it was not needed, but Nat appreciated it nonetheless.

Theo took out two deep bowls and put the spaghetti in one and the meatballs in the other, carrying them to the kitchen table. The table was made to seat four people, five at most, but they were six today and so Theo went and took two chairs from the living room. They would have to squeeze, but it would be fine, if a little awkward.

Nat took the garlic bread out of the oven, transferring it to a plate that Theo had left on the counter for that exact reason, putting it on the table. She nodded towards the entrance and Clint who was now talking to Jenna who looked white as a ghost and Theo waved at her to go. Nat was a bit amused at taking orders and asking for permission from a teenager but this house had a special power balance and as an outsider, she needed to play by the rules if she ever wanted to learn the game.

She moved slowly, best to not further spook a spooked animal, Liam noticing her immediately and sending her a small smile from his mother’s side. Jenna was still too focused on Clint and everything he was telling her, how and when he found out, why they were here, they would leave immediately if she wanted them to, and then she finally noticed Nat, too.

“Oh,” Jenna exhaled at her. She dragged a hand down her face, composing herself. “Sorry, I should have noticed you sooner,” she said.

“It’s okay,” Nat reassured her, voice velvety and soft, earning her a small smile of gratitude. “The food is ready,” she added, gesturing to the kitchen.

They all smiled at that, the smell of food had gone unnoticed till the moment Nat spoke of it, some things were just like that.

“Let me go wash my hands first,” Jenna said, walking to the small bathroom down the hall. Liam and David moved to the kitchen, Clint and Nat staying behind.

She didn’t have to speak to ask Clint how he was, the archer was already looking at her with a small smile, one that she returned. “Good,” she said and they both went to the kitchen.

They had just taken their seats when Jenna joined them, taking the seat next to David. It was a small table, but they had made it work somehow, Clint and Nat on one side, David and Jenna on the other with Liam and Theo taking the very ends.

“It looks wonderful, Theo,” Jenna complimented the teenager with a smile, Theo giving her a small one back, one of the rare ones Nat had seen from him today.

They had started eating when David finally asked, “How long are you planning on staying in Beacon Hills?”

Clint put his fork down and wiped his mouth, Phil must have taught him some manners, Nat thought to herself, still eating.

“I have a four-month vacation,” Clint said. “Unless an emergency happens and the world is ending.” They all cracked a smile at his joke.

“How about you, Natasha?” Jenna asked, then her eyes widened, suddenly remembering who she was talking to. “Can I call you Natasha?”

“Natasha’s fine,” she said with a smile. “Or Nat, if you want to.” She ignored Clint’s shocked face and went back to her food. It was rare for her to give permission to people to call her Nat after meeting them so soon, but a part of her wanted Clint’s last piece of blood family to like her and if tearing down her walls herself was needed then she would do so with a smile on her face.

Liam and Theo were on their second plate of food, while everyone else were still on their first and now she could see why Theo had made so much garlic bread.

“How long have you been together?” Jenna asked Clint then, pointing between him and Nat with her fork, causing Clint to choke and Nat put her own fork down, appetite momentarily lost.

“We’re not,” Clint said between coughs.

“Oh, God,” Jenna said, panicked. “Liam, get him some water!”

Liam did as told and quickly gave Clint a glass of water that was more for show since Clint had already calmed down.

“I’m so sorry for assuming,” Jenna apologized.

Clint waved her away, thanking Liam for the water.

“You’re not the first to do so,” Nat assured her.

“I’m married,” Clint said. “My husband is back in New York.”

The conversation kept on going until there was no food left, only Liam looking at the last piece of garlic bread with the expression of a puppy being left starving until David sighed and gave it to him.

Liam thanked him with his mouth full, both his parents and Theo rolling their eyes at his manners.

Theo went to get up to gather their plates but Jenna stopped him with a hand on his arm, pushing him back down. “You cooked, Liam’s cleaning,” she told him. “Those are the rules.”

Liam stood up with a whine, garlic bread eaten and started to gather their plates. “I’m always the one who cleans,” he said.

“Because I’m always the ones who cooks,” Theo reminded him with a smirk.

Jenna listened to their banter with a fond smile before focusing back on Clint and Nat. “Where are you staying?”

“We found a hotel downtown,” Clint said. “But we first wanted to come here since we didn’t know how it was going to go and all,” he finished with his hand at the back of his neck, awkward.

Jenna and David shared a quick look before Jenna turned to them with a determination on her face that belonged to a woman who had found the power to leave an abusive relationship when few before her had.

“We have a perfectly suitable guest room with its own bathroom,” she said. “You’re staying here.” Her voice was welcoming and soft but she was a mother with a teenage son and so she knew how to disguise firmness with gentleness.

Liam had paused on washing the dishes and he was looking at Theo over their shoulders, a conversation happening with only their eyes before Liam nodded and Theo shrugged, a small thing that only Nat caught. Maybe nothing, maybe everything.

Clint was silent for a few seconds before relaxing his shoulders and nodding.

“I can still go to the hotel,” Nat said as an afterthought.

Jenna looked at her and Nat felt small in a way only a mother could make you feel; the memories had been buried deep for long but the muscle memory was still there.

“The invite goes out to you, too,” Jenna told her, gentle, and Nat could see why a Barton would fall for this woman, even if she knew only the worst of Clint’s brother.

“There’s only one bed, but we can figure something out,” David added.

“We’ve slept worse,” Clint joked.

Jenna smiled at that, a bit sad around the eyes and stood up, walking to Liam and giving him a peck on the forehead, doing the same thing to Theo.

“I can show you the room so you get situated,” she told them before pointing to David. “You’re going back to bed; I can see you’re barely standing up.”

David waved a hand at her, stifling a yawn before making his way up the stairs, leaving the situation in her hands. “Wake me up for dinner,” he called, the small sound of a door closing was all that was heard before silence.

They left Liam and Theo in the kitchen and Jenna led Clint and Nat up the stairs, giving them a small tour of the place.

Jenna gestured down the hall, “David and I’s bedroom is the one at the end of the hallway, Liam and Theo’s room is the one on the left and your room is the one on the right,” she said, walking towards it, the two of them following close behind.

“Liam and Theo share a room?” Clint asked, surprise coloring his voice. Jenna smiled at him, understanding of his surprise and not offended over it.

“They’re good kids,” she said. “And they’ve been through a lot together.” She left it at that, clearly a story left untold, and pushed the door open, going inside the room.

The room was big for just a guest room, a queen size bed, two bedside tables, a desk, a big closet and a door that led to the bathroom.

“I’m a real estate agent,” Jenna explained, “and with David’s pay check we were able to afford this place easily enough, though the price had been lowered a lot in the past few years,” she said, almost as an afterthought.

“Because of all of the killings,” Nat said.

Jenna nodded, a sad smile on her face. “Yeah,” she said. “Beacon Hills has had a rough time these past few years, but it’s a wonderful town with really great people.”

She then gave the room another look and asked them, “Are you sure you have no issue sharing a bed?”

“We’ve shared a bed countless of times before,” Clint assured her, “It’s totally fine.”

“He doesn’t even kick in his sleep anymore,” Nat added, both to further reassure Jenna that it was fine and to hear Clint squawk in offense.

“Alright then,” Jenna said. “The bathroom is fully stored with anything you might need and you’re of course free to get your own things. The boys can show you where the grocery shop is later today if you want to.”

Clint nodded, “We’d like to pay you anyway we can,” he told her but Jenna firmly shook her head.

“Look,” she said, voice stern. “I’m sure you get paid very handsomely saving the world, but you’re family.” She emphasized the world. “I’m not going to make you pay for your stay.” She then smiled at them. “But I think I can trust you on keeping this room clean and keeping up with any dietary plans you may have.”

“That’s the least we can do,” Nat said, voice unusually small. Apart from the Avengers, she didn’t have anyone she considered family, the word was still a bit unfamiliar to her.

With a final smile and a promise to find her if they needed anything else, Jenna left them alone in their temporary room, Nat still deep in her thoughts and Clint too busy trying the bed.

“We need to get our bags from the car,” she said sometime later, maybe a few seconds or minutes, but neither of them moved.

“Are you okay?” Clint asked, sitting up on the bed. He had unconsciously chosen a side already, the one close to the bathroom, leaving Nat with the one closer to the bedroom door.

“Jenna is nice,” she finally said, not really knowing how to put into words what she was really feeling but Clint seemed to get it just fine.

“Yeah,” he agreed, a relieved smile on his face. This day could have easily gone very bad instead. He stood up. “Let’s go get our bags.”

They walked back downstairs and found Liam and Theo still in the kitchen, the dishes washed and dried and put in their place, the two teenagers talking softly to each other by the counter.

Liam smiled at them while Theo carefully studied them just like he had done since they first came that morning.

“So,” Liam started. “I have practice in about an hour.” He was still a bit awkward and didn’t know how to speak to them.

Clint and Nat waited for him to continue but when it seemed clear enough that he wasn’t going to, Theo took charge.

“You can come with us and then we’ll take you to the grocery shop,” he said.

“Yeah!” Liam nodded next to him. “Practice lasts about two hours and then I only need like fifteen minutes to shower and stuff.”

Clint and Nat shared a look, decision already made. “Sounds fun,” Nat said with a shrug.

“I’ve never seen a lacrosse game,” Clint said, smiling at the sudden glint that appeared in Liam’s eye.

Theo rolled his eyes at his boyfriend but his smile was fond. “You can take your bags to your room and we can leave after,” he told them.

The drive would last about twenty minutes, Liam had informed them, plenty of time for Nat and Clint to talk about the weird feeling they’ve had since they had arrived.

“There’s clearly something going on,” Clint said. Nat was the one driving again, skillfully following Theo’s truck in unfamiliar streets.

She hummed in response. “You think that Monroe person was telling the truth?”  She didn’t wait for him to answer, “Theo is clearly something,” she said.

“Liam, too,” Clint added, a frown on his face. “Jenna and David know.”

“I think the whole town knows,” Nat said.

“So you’ve noticed it, too.” It was rhetorical, of course Nat had noticed it.

“People have been staring at us since the moment we passed the ‘welcome to Beacon Hills’ sign,” she reminded him, though she didn’t have to.

“You think the Sheriff is on it, too?” Clint asked.

“His son was one of the names that kept popping up,” she said. Stark had made them a list of names that were mentioned a lot, and even though someone had gone through extensive work to keep articles about the town covered up, nothing could hide against Stark if he wanted to find it.

“They don’t seem like bad kids,” Clint said.

Nat didn’t answer for a long moment. She hadn’t known Liam and Theo that long and she thought of herself as an excellent read of character and Liam and Theo seemed like two teenagers that were trying very hard to pass as normal, knowing very well they were anything but.

“They never do,” she told him gently.

Clint and Nat had been staying in Beacon Hills for almost two months and they were no way closer on figuring out what was so weird about this town. They had even asked Tony to look into it but even he couldn’t find anything more than the information he had given them before they had left.

Liam had grown comfortable around them and even Theo’s smile came easier, though he still stayed guarded. Clint and Liam had bonded and even Nat had become fond of him, more than she thought she would.

But two months was a long time and Clint was missing Phil, something that Liam seemed very attuned to.

“Is your husband in the Avengers, too?” Liam asked one evening. He generally avoided asking things about the Avengers, both because he feared he would start fanboying and also because the first few times he had asked, Clint and Nat had answered with just one word; ‘classified.’ But Clint seemed especially sad that day, and he was always happy when talking about his husband, little things he did reveal about him, so Liam thought it was worth a shot.

Clint shared an amused look with Nat before looking at Liam. “Nah. He’s even better than us,” he said. “And call him Phil, will ya? He’s as much as an uncle to you as I am.”

Liam turned back to washing the vegetables in the sink with a small smile on his face, done with questioning for the night. His parents were out on a date and would be back later tonight and Theo was out getting their food. Liam was tasked with making the salad, something even he couldn’t mess up, Theo’s words, not his.

He had just started cutting the tomatoes, juices running down his hands because yes, he wouldn’t mess it up but that didn’t mean it would turn out perfect, when his phone started ringing.

“Can you pick it up?” he asked to the two adults sitting on the kitchen table, his phone buzzing on the table between them. “Put it on speaker.”

Nat did as told, raising an eyebrow on the name on the screen; Derek. She shared a look with Clint. Derek was one of the names on their list.

“Liam.” Derek sounded serious, something that put Liam instantly on alert, turning to face the phone fully.

“Derek,” he said. “What’s up?”

“Where’s Theo?” Derek asked. There was shuffling on the phone, like Derek was moving around, the sound of keys and a door opening and closing.

“He’s out getting food,” Liam answered, drying his hands with a towel, the salad long forgotten. It looked like he had forgotten Clint and Nat were even there, his focus solely on the phone.

“Lydia screamed, Theo’s in trouble,” Derek said, a sentence that made absolutely no sense to Clint and Nat, but a sentence that had Liam’s eyes widening, panic overwhelming his expression. “Liam,” Derek said, voice loud and authoritative. “Calm down. I’ve already called Melissa and Argent. I’m on my way but I will be there after midnight.”

“You called me last?” Liam demanded, something like a growl in his voice that made all the self-preservation instincts of Nat and Clint rush to the surface.

“Take deep breaths, Liam,” Derek said, his voice growing gentle. “Tell me your mantra.”

Liam seemed to struggle for a moment, his breaths coming out rushed and uneven, Clint and Nat stuck as observers, answers finally given in the form of more questions.

“The Sun, the Moon, the Truth,” Liam said, his breathing slowing down with every repetition of the phrase, and he finally unclenched his fists, Clint too shocked at the blood on his palms to find any words.

“Good,” Derek said. “Are your parents with you?”

“No, they’re out on a date.”

There was a pause from Derek, and suddenly Liam seemed to realize that he wasn’t alone in the kitchen and that Nat and Clint were staring at him, both in defensive stances.

“Who are you with, Liam?” Derek asked.

Liam was staring at them with wide eyes and it took Derek repeating his name two times to finally snap out of it.

“My uncle,” Liam replied, “and his friend.”

Derek cursed and Liam closed his eyes with a wince. “Argent and I will do damage control when I get there. Find Theo and get him to the hospital, okay?”

Liam nodded and then seemed to realize that Derek couldn’t see him. “Okay,” he said in a whisper, which was apparently loud enough for Derek to repeat it and hang up.

“Liam,” Clint said. “What’s going on?”

Liam ran a hand through his hair, tugging slightly at the ends. “Look,” he said, looking at them, more serious than they had ever seen him, but also slightly crazy around the edges. “Theo’s in trouble and I need to find him. I will explain everything afterwards, I swear.”

“What are you?” Nat asked.

“I will explain everything after I find Theo,” Liam repeated with a glare, and Clint could have sworn his eyes shone yellow for a second.

Liam picked up his phone and turned towards the entrance to go put on his shoes when he paused.

“Did you hear that?” he asked, voice low.

Clint and Nat hadn’t heard anything but Liam didn’t wait for them to answer as he rushed to the front door and pulled it open, falling to his knees a second later.

“Oh my God, Theo!” Liam said, pulling something big and black and hairy inside, kicking the door closed with his foot.

“That’s not Theo,” Clint said, staring at the black wolf on Liam’s lap with wide eyes.

Liam payed him no mind, as he patted down the wolf trying to find any wounds.

The wolf, Theo apparently, was panting, pained whines leaving him every few seconds. The wolf took Liam’s hand between its teeth and guided to its neck, Liam letting it happen without a second though.

Liam leaned in and took a big sniff at the wolf’s neck, his back going rigid and a growl leaving his chest. “Mercury,” he snarled.

The wolf let out a deep whine, its breath stuttering for a second and Liam took a deep breath before turning to Clint and Nat.

Nat almost took a step back; Liam’s eyes were shining yellow and he had fangs in his mouth and claws on his hands and everything was finally making sense but everything was so confusing.

“I need you to get me to the hospital as fast as you can,” Liam told her, a strange authority in his voice that held no question and Nat only nodded and quickly put on her shoes and grabbed her keys from the bowl next to the door. Clint was still staring at the wolf.

“Clint,” Liam said. “I need your help to carry Theo to the car, he’s too heavy for me to carry alone.”

Clint gave a nod, putting on his shoes and quickly falling on Liam’s side, hands hovering over the wolf, over Theo.

“You take his back legs,” Liam said, crouching by Theo’s head and Clint did the same by Theo’s back legs, and they counted to three before they carefully lifted him, Theo letting out a small whine that Liam gently shushed.

Nat locked the door behind them and they rushed to the car, Liam going into the backseat and pulling Theo on his lap.

Clint took the front seat and twisted around so his eyes were on Liam and Theo instead of the road, trusting Nat to drive them to the hospital safely.

“What’s wrong with him?” he asked. He put the fact that the wolf in Liam’s lap was Theo in the back of his mind for now, focusing on the situation on hand. Something was wrong and both him and Nat were the only ones in the dark. He needed information to be able to help.

“Mercury poisoning,” Liam answered, eyes on the wolf, hand slowly petting it on the back.

That answered absolutely nothing but before Clint could ask more, Nat cut it.

“There’s a police car following us,” she said, her eyes on the road and her shoulders tensed.

Liam went to turn and look but a pained whine from Theo stopped him. Clint leaned forward instead, his eyes slightly squinted.

“Why does the deputy has orange eyes?” he slowly asked.

“Fuck,” Liam cursed. “Go faster!” he ordered.

“Is he a bad guy?” Nat asked. She was glad both Clint and her had taken multiple turns driving around the town and so she knew the way to the hospital by heart.

“No,” Liam answered. “But right now I want him as far away from Theo as I can.”

Theo gave Liam’s hand a weak lick, breath stuttering and small pained whines leaving his mouth every other second.

“Don’t freak out,” Liam told Clint.

Before Clint could ask why, Liam had leaned forward and had put his lips on Theo’s head, right between his eyes, a normal kiss to someone’s pet in every other case if not for the black lines that immediately started appearing on Liam’s skin, following the pattern of his veins and disappearing down his neck until Clint couldn’t follow them with his eyes anymore.

Theo’s breathing got a bit better after that and when Liam sat up straight, his face was covered with sweat and his breathing was labored, though that went away fast enough.

“What did you do?”

“Took some of his pain away,” Liam said.

“And you had to kiss him for that?” Clint asked, incredulously.

There, Liam seemed a bit sheepish, a small smile on his face as he looked at Theo, his hand still petting his back. “I don’t know any other way,” he admitted.

“We’re here,” Nat announced barely a minute later, putting the car on park close to the hospital entrance.

Clint got out and opened the door for Liam who was carrying Theo like one would carry a big dog that didn’t want to leave the dog park. There was a nurse waiting for them at the hospital entrance, her eyes already on Theo and running over him with a kind of practiced ease that spoke of morbid familiarity. She paid no attention to either Clint or Natasha as she spoke to Liam.

“Do you know what’s wrong with him?”

“Someone injected mercury to his neck,” Liam asked. If he was feeling tired carrying a wolf, then he didn’t show it. “Parrish is here.”

The nurse cursed at that and Clint’s focus went to the deputy that was parking behind them, the man getting out a second later, orange eyes falling on Liam and Theo.

“Let him follow us,” the nurse said, already on her way in, Liam following close behind. Clint and Nat shared a quick look before following along, the deputy staring over their shoulders at Theo with those orange eyes of his.

The nurse was walking fast, taking two left turns before pushing open two double doors, Clint barely managing to read the ‘S Ward’ sign above then on the wall.

“Mercury poisoning,” she started saying loudly, earning the attention of a few other nurses, “chimera, wolf and coyote hybrid, prepare for massive blood transfusion.” Immediately, the other nurses started moving, one opening a door to a room so they could put Theo inside.

Liam gently lowered the wolf on the bed but didn’t move away, so the nurse took the other side, her hands going to the neck to check the pulse, fingers pushing thick fur aside to check the injection spot.

With a nod to herself, she started gently petting Theo on his side, making him look at her. “Theo, honey, I need you to turn back,” she softly told him. “You did a really good job slowing down the mercury by changing to a wolf and I am very proud of you, but we don’t have the tools to work on a wolf, alright?”

Clint could have sworn that the wolf nodded but he didn’t have the time to ponder on it for one moment there was a black wolf laying on the bed and the next, a naked Theo, sweat covering his whole body and ugly silvery lines on his neck going down his chest, centimeters away from his heart.

“Good job, Theo,” the nurse said, gently pushing back his sweaty hair. “You’re doing wonderfully.”

Right that moment, two nurses entered the room, one carrying bags of blood and the other pushing a small cart, making the room crowded.

 “Everyone out,” the first nurse said, already putting on gloves. “Yes, Liam, you too. Calm down Jordan and be on the lookout for Chris.”

Nat and Clint were silent as they sat on those uncomfortable hospital seats, too many thoughts in their minds, the situation too unfamiliar and too unexpected for them to have anything to say.

The deputy, Jordan, sat down on a seat that faced the room, his unblinking eyes on the door, still orange and still bright.

Liam was standing, frown on his face and eyes on the floor, though his head was turned towards the room, silent and listening. He seemed to calm down at whatever he heard because he let out a small sigh and then went and knelt in front of Jordan.

“Parrish,” Liam said. He tried it two other times and when that didn’t work, Liam closed his eyes and when he opened them next, they were bright yellow, rivaling Jordan’s orange ones, and said Jordan’s name once more, this time with a growl in his voice.

 It took a few moments to work, but Jordan blinked once and then twice and then a few more times as if he was trying to get something out of his eyes, the orange gone.

Liam didn’t let him talk. “Theo’s okay,” he said. “he’s in the room with Melissa.”

Jordan sat back, bone heavy and let out a breath. “It was close,” he said.

Liam didn’t say anything at that and the two shared a look that was more of a grimace than anything else.

Jordan stood up. “I should call the Sherriff and explain what happened,” he explained, taking out his phone and walking out of the S Ward, Clint barely hearing another man pick up.

Liam took Jordan’s vacant seat, letting out a sigh and burring his head in his hands for a long second before giving it a shake and turning his head to look at Clint and Nat.

“I should probably explain some things,” he started, trying to give them a smile but giving up on the last second. He rubbed the back of his neck, nervous and said, “Ask me things? It will be better than be starting to ramble.”

And Clint knew that Liam could ramble, especially when he was nervous about something. It was very endearing and something he greatly appreciated about his nephew, the small signs of innocence.

“What are you?” Nat asked first, something she had asked before. All this time she had been going through possible explanations in her mind and she had several theories, but nothing concrete.

“I’m a werewolf,” Liam answered, nervous eyes looking at them, slightly biting his lower lip.

“Werewolves don’t exist,” Clint told him.

“What do you mean ‘werewolves don’t exist’?” Liam asked him. “I am one.”

“You’re probably some kind of mutant,” Clint said, slowly. The whole situation was very confusing.

Liam continued to stare at them, mouth slightly agape. “No, I’m not,” he told them, now the one speaking slowly. “Scott, you know Scott, I’ve told you about him, he bit me when I was a freshman.”

Nat and Clint looked at each other. Clint gave her a small shrug.

“If werewolves existed, we would have known,” Nat said. Shield would have known, she didn’t say.

Liam opened his mouth to speak, but hurried steps cut him off and he looked over their shoulders to the double doors of the S Ward being pushed open and his mother running in, followed closely by his step-father, Jordan, and another man Clint and Nat hadn’t seen before.

Jenna didn’t pay them any mind and just ran to Liam, pulled him up and hugged him so tight that for a second Clint worried for his ribs. David gave him a hug too, a shorter one, but still as tight and then entered the room where Theo was being treated.

“What happened?” Jenna asked, taking the seat next to Liam and immediately grabbing his hand.

“Derek called me to tell me that Lydia had a vision and that Theo was in trouble and that it was bad,” Liam said in a rush. “But before we could go out to find him he had come back to the house as a wolf.”

At the mention of them, Jenna finally looked at Clint and Nat, taking in their faces and the confusion they were trying to hide.

“Have you told them?” Jenna asked, still looking at them.

Liam winced. “Trying to,” he said. “They don’t seem to really-,”

“Believe,” the man who Clint and Nat hadn’t seen before finished for him. “When Derek told me that I’ve had to introduce the supernatural to your uncle and his friend, I didn’t expect two SHIELD agents.”

Clint and Nat were instantly on alert. He ran his eyes over the man and found nearly as many concealed weapons as he carried on himself and from the way Nat’s shoulders tensed up, Clint knew that she counted the same.

But the man didn’t look at them long, his eyes turning to Liam once more. “I found the hunter behind the Chinese place near the school. Alive but unconscious, empty syringe still in his hand. Theo must have hidden him before the poison took effect.”

 “He’s in custody,” Jordan said, finally taking his eyes off his phone. “Sheriff just texted me,” he explained. “I’m needed back at the station, but I trust Chris to explain the situation.”

Chris gave Jordan a nod before going to lean against the wall next to the room Theo was still in, putting him above eye level with Clint and Nat. An intimidation technic that was clear as day.

“Ask your questions,” he said.

“Why didn’t we know about werewolves?” Nat asked.

Chris didn’t stall in his explanations. “Because we didn’t want you to know.”

“Who is we?” Clint asked, voice only slightly hysteric.

“Hunters,” Chris answered.

Before either Clint or Nat could demand some real answers, there was a groan from Liam.

“Is this one of the things that the pack knows nothing about that both you and Theo has been wanting to teach us?”

Chris’ smirk was answer enough, but when he looked back at Clint and Nat, it was gone.

“Look,” he started. “The supernatural world is hidden for a reason. Beacon Hills is a special town for reasons you know nothing about and I will explain it all to you when I know that Theo is alright.”

“That’s going to be sooner than you think,” The nurse said, coming out of Theo’s room, a small smile on her face as she went to Chris and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then faced them all. “He’s going to be fine. He’s currently sleeping and you can see him but don’t wake him up.”

Liam didn’t wait for more and he was already moving before she had finished talking, going in the room.

“Thank you, Melissa,” Jenna said, smiling at the nurse.

Melissa smiled back at her but frowned a second later at her clothes. “I’m sorry your date was cut short; I know how you look forward to it every week.”

Jenna waved her away with another smile. “I’m just glad Theo’s okay.”

Clint’s phone started ringing before he could think of something else to say, to demand more answers, and he took it out of the pocket, expression softening when saw Phil’s name on the screen.

“It’s Phil,” he answered Nat’s raised eyebrow. “Hey,” he greeted, voice going soft. He had missed Phil, a lot. Though they made it a habit to talk to the phone every night, it wasn’t rare that some nights Phil would be unavailable, and Clint had missed his husband more than he thought he would.

“Hey,” Phil said back. “So, I thought I would surprise you at the house you’re staying but I’m there now and you’re not and the lights are on,” he said in that composed voice of his that instantly calmed everyone now, but after many years, Clint could hear the slight starts of panic.

“Shit,” Clint said. “Phil’s at the house but we’re not there and the lights are on,” he quickly explained to the others and then said to the phone. “Look, don’t freak out but we’re at the hospital.”

Nat shook her head from his side and he sent her a wince just as Phil demanded, “Are you okay? I’m coming.”

Before Clint could refuse, Jenna took the phone from him, taking a few steps away so he couldn’t take it back. “Hi, it’s Phil, right? I’m Jenna, Clint has probably told you about me. Look, neither Clint nor Natasha are hurt, alright? How about this, my husband and I will be there in about twenty minutes and we’ll go in and sit till everyone comes home to fully explain the situation, alright? I promise you everything’s alright. Yes, that’s perfect, we’ll see you in a bit.”

She hanged up and gave the phone back to Clint with a smile. “I’m going to tell David it’s time to go,” she told them and went into Theo’s room.

“When can Theo leave?” Nat asked next.

Melissa pursed her lips. “I’d prefer if he stayed the night,” she said and shared a small look with Chris, resulting in her sighing. “But, the situation is complicated and since he doesn’t have any external injuries that need healing, he’ll be good to leave after he wakes up.”

“And you’ll explain the situation then,” Nat said. It wasn’t a question; it was bordering on a demand but Chris just gave her a nod.

It didn’t take long for Jenna and David to come out of the room, and to say their goodbyes that were see-you-soons, really, and then they were gone.

Melissa was needed in some other part of the hospital and so she bid them goodbye and gave Chris a kiss to the cheek before leaving the two Avengers alone with the still standing man.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Clint let out a sigh and leaned back into his chair. “Are we just gonna wait here until Theo wakes up or can we actually learn some things about the whole situation?”  

“I won’t answer all of your questions,” Chris started. “but it’ll be good if you’re not completely in the dark when we explain the whole story to you later.”

Honestly, both agents had too many questions to choose from and Chris remained silent.

“Is Theo a werewolf, too?” Nat asked. Melissa had called him a chimera earlier but they had no idea what that meant in the context of the situation.

“Theo’s a chimera,” Chris said. “Half wolf, half coyote.”

“Did Scott bite him, too?” Clint wondered. It seemed unlikely to him. Whenever Liam talked about Scott his eyes always lit up and respect colored his voice but Theo always tried to change the conversation when they asked about his relationship with the other boy.

Here, Chris seemed to hesitate a bit, giving the door to Theo’s hospital room a quick look. Liam could probably hear them, Clint and Nat realized.

“Theo wasn’t bit like Liam,” Chris started. “his supernatural status is the result of a science experiment in the hands of the Dread Doctors.”

“They sound pleasant,” Clint said, some of his usual dry humor coming back.

Chris didn’t smile but his eyes lost some of their tightness.

And so Chris answered some of their questions, giving them the absolutely necessary clues they needed in order to understand the actual explanation. It took almost half an hour.

“Theo’s awake,” Liam said, his head out of the room for a second before disappearing.

“You can go see him,” Chris told the two of them. “I’m going to find Melissa.”

Clint shared a small look with Nat before they stood up and went in the room.

Entering the room felt similar to how they were when they entered a room of a hurt member of their team, relieved that their teammate was alright, but ready to find out how they got into the situation and if there was any way they could help.

Theo was lying on the bed, a white comforter up to his chin hiding his naked body. His hair was sweaty and he was still a bit paler than usual, but he looked worlds better than he did when they brought him to the hospital.

Liam was sitting on the only chair by the bed’s side holding Theo’s hand and playing with his fingers, comfortable in a way that spoke of much exposure to the situation. Clint and Nat knew that comfort like the back of their hands.

“Hey,” Theo said, voice raspy.

There was nowhere else for them to sit so both of them just leaned against the wall, arms crossed. If Theo and Liam were intimidated, they didn’t show it.

“Chris explained things?” Theo asked, letting go of Liam’s hand to sit up so he could be more on eye level with them.

“We got the general picture,” Clint said.

Theo leaned back against the bed post, a defeated move to anyone else but they knew better. Theo was just getting comfortable.

“And you want to ask questions now in order to see if it’s worth listening to us instead of just killing us.” Theo heard Liam’s heart start to go faster but there was no change in the boy’s demeanor. Theo nodded at Clint. “I’m sure that Phil is just a message away from disappearing Liam’s parents.”

“You’re well informed,” Natasha said.

Theo shrugged. “Have to be if I want to live.”

“What do you want to know?” Liam asked. Clint had never seen him look so serious.

“The truth,” Clint said.

“The truth is that if any of you move to attack us you’ll be dead before you hit the ground,” Theo said. “We’re faster than you and we can smell all of your weapons but you can’t even see ours.”

Clint and Natasha stood a little straighter at that because there was a threat in front of them that they weren’t equipped to handle.

“We know mercury can kill you,” Natasha said at last, making Liam growl at her and them reach for their knives. But Liam stayed seated and Theo just looked amused.

“Sure,” Theo said. “Go ahead, kill me. I’ve been there before, can’t say it agreed with me.”

“Shut up!” Liam said, yellow eyes on Theo and a growl in his voice that made Theo look down on the bed and bare his neck at him.

“What was that?” Clint asked. Whatever it was that Liam did, his guilty face said that he didn’t do it a lot.

“Sorry,” Theo told Liam, quiet and soft.

Liam took a deep breath and nodded at him before facing Clint and Natasha once again.

“Scott’s the Alpha,” Liam started. “When he’s out of town, I’m the one in charge.”

“But you’re just a teenager,” Clint said, putting aside the fact that Liam didn’t explain whatever the hell that was.

Before Theo or Liam could deem that with a response, Chris entered the room with Melissa.

 “Good, you’re still alive,” Chris said once he saw them. It wasn’t clear to whom he was talking to.

Melissa sent him an unimpressed glare. “Was that a concern of yours?” She didn’t wait for his response and turned to Theo, putting a set of clean clothes and underwear on the bed.

“I don’t want to see you in one of these rooms for at least three months, you understand me?”

Theo gave her a sheepish smile. “I’ll try my best.”

Her eyes lost their glare and turned soft instead. “Good,” she said. “You came too close, kiddo.”

Melissa turned to Chris once more. “Text me,” she told him and then left the room.

Chris looked at Theo. “Get dressed and meet us at the car. Derek will beat us to the house.” He then looked at Clint and Natasha. “Come with me.” He didn’t bother giving any instructions to Liam; it was clear that he wasn’t leaving Theo’s side anytime soon.

He led them to the now properly parked car, Clint and Natasha silently communicating all the way. They couldn’t attack, not just the two of them and not when the whole town was in on it. If they had to attack, that is.

“What did Liam mean when he said he’s the one in charge now?” Clint asked. Maybe Chris would give them a straight answer.

Chris raised an eyebrow at them and leaned against the driver seat’s door. “What did he do?”

 “He got all growly and yellow eyed and Theo bared his neck at him,” Clint said.

Chris nodded like that made perfect sense to him. “Scott’s the Alpha,” he started. “When he’s not in his territory, Liam acts as the leader.”

Natasha interrupted him, “How big is the territory?”

“Big,” Chris said.

“Why Liam?” Clint asked. It sounded a lot for a teenager.

“Liam was the first human Scott had ever bitten and has grown to be Scott’s second in everything,” Chris explained. “Scott’s wolf chose Liam’s to lead.”

Clint wanted to scream. The moment things start to make a little bit of sense, more questions arise.

“I’m beginning to suspect you’re not making any sense on purpose,” Natasha said. She was beginning to lose her patience, Clint could tell.

Chris shrugged and opened the car door, sitting on the driver’s seat. With a glance to Clint, Natasha walked to the other side of the car and opened the door to the passenger seat. With a sigh, Clint entered the car and sat behind Chris. It didn’t take long for Liam and Theo to come their way.

Theo still didn’t look good and the florescent lights of the hospital sign were making him appear even sweatier than he truly was. He was leaning on Liam, the shortest boy’s arm around his waist and they were walking slowly. Even with that, Theo was still out of breath when he finally entered the car, sitting in the middle of the backseat and trying to keep as much distance from Clint as he could.

 “You’re good?” Chris asked, turning his head to side so he could look at Theo.

“Need food and a good night of sleep,” Theo answered, pressing himself against Liam, the other boy putting his arm around Theo’s shoulders.

“Keys.” Chris put his hand, palm up in the space between Natasha and him.

Natasha had almost forgotten that she had the keys on her but pulled them out of her pocket easily enough and passed it to him.

The drive to the house was quiet, only Theo’s few shaky sighs breaking the silence. They were there in barely fifteen minutes. The lights were on and there was a black BMW parked next to Jenna and David’s car.

“Derek’s here,” Chris said and exited the car. The door to the house was already open.

Liam got out of the car next, helping Theo to his feet while Clint stayed seated with his arms slightly outstretched in order to catch Theo if he fell.

Chris waited for all of them to get out before locking the car and then disappeared into the house, Liam and Theo following suit while Clint and Natasha shared a look in order to compose themselves.

“Let’s go,” Natasha finally said. “Phil’s waiting.”

 That caused a small smile to appear on Clint’s face. He had missed his husband more than he was ready to admit.

The first thing they noticed when they entered the house was the smell of pizza. The kitchen table was covered with small towers of boxes, some empty, some still shut.

“Derek brought food,” Jenna said, giving them a small, nervous smile. “Just grab a box and join us in the living room.”

Clint and Natasha did just that, not bothering to check what they got.

Phil was sitting on the couch, an open box of pizza on his knees, only a slice missing. He caught Clint’s eyes immediately and he seemed to brighten, the tightness around his eyes going away and his shoulders relaxing. Clint went there before Phil could stand, falling to his husband’s side with a sigh of contentment at finally being within touching distance of each other.

“Hey,” Phil greeted him, leaning just so to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. Clint hummed in reply.

Phil smiled up at Natasha before gesturing for her to sit on Clint’s other side.

Clint and Natasha finally took a look at the only person in the house they haven’t met before. Derek was a big man, similar in built to Steve with dark hair and the starts of a beard. He was standing next to where Liam and Theo were sitting, his hand on the back of Theo’s neck and if anyone payed close attention, they could see the faint black lines travelling up Derek’s arm.

Phil was paying attention.

Chris finally came back from wherever he had disappeared, phone to his ear, before looking at the room at large.

“Yeah, I’m putting you on speaker,” he said to whoever he was talking on the phone before pressing a button on his screen and placing his phone on the coffee table.

“Derek, call Stiles,” Chris told him.

“Do we have to?” Liam complained.

“You know how Stiles gets when something happens, Liam,” said the voice from the phone. It was male and slightly older than Liam, and while it held an authority to it, it sounded amused. Clint guessed it was probably Scott.

“Especially since Lydia was with him when it happened,” Theo reminded him.

Derek placed his phone next to Chris’ and went back to Theo’s side.

“Hey Scott,” Liam said, confirming Clint’s suspicions. “Where’s Malia?”

“Hunting,” Scott replied. “She got too agitated doing nothing.”

Even more questions.

“Good for her,” said a female voice from Derek’s phone. Another unknown person; Clint was getting tired of them. “Can we start on what’s going on before Stiles decides to make a PowerPoint presentation on Beacon Hills’ supernaturals?”

Derek snorted but the room had grown serious at her words. It was finally time for answers.

“Right,” said Scott. “I think we should start by introducing ourselves.” A pause. “I guess I’ll go first.” Clint could almost see him rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m Scott, Alpha of the Beacon Hills pack, protector of the Nemeton.”

 There was something official in his title, something powerful and ancient that made the three agents sit a little straighter.

“Lessons with Chris have started to stuck, eh Scotty?” The one who Clint assumed was Stiles said. “Right. I’m Stiles, resident Spark and Emissary of the Beacon Hills pack, protector of the Nemeton.”

“I’m Lydia, Banshee of the Beacon Hills pack, protector of the Nemeton.”

Clint’s head was really starting to hurt. He didn’t know if Jenna and David had said anything to Phil about the whole werewolf thing, but by the confusion in his eyes, Clint guessed that they hadn’t.

Finally, Derek introduced himself. “I’m Derek, Beta of the Beacon Hills pack and protector of the Nemeton.”

“And insanely hot!” chirped Stiles from the phone, resulting in multiple eye rolls.

Chris looked at Liam and Theo next.

“They already know who we are,” Liam protested but complied when Theo elbowed him on his side. “I’m Liam, Second of the Beacon Hills pack and protector of the Nemeton,” he said.

“I’m Theo, Chimera of the Beacon Hills pack and protector of the Nemeton.”

Stiles booed through the phone.

“Be nice, Stiles,” Scott said.

“I’m Chris Argent,” Chris said. He was the only one who said his last name. “Hunter of the Beacon Hills pack and protector of the Nemeton.”

The three agents looked at each other before Clint nodded at Phil to go first.

“I’m Phil Coulson, former Senior Agent of SHIELD and handler of the Avengers,” he said. SHIELD’s papers were all public now and it was better to let them believe that SHIELD was long gone.

“I’m Clint, former SHIELD Agent and Hawkeye in the Avengers.” He looked at Natasha.

“I’m Natasha, former SHIELD Agent and Black Widow in the Avengers.”

There was silence coming from the two phones, until there was a guffaw from Derek’s, courtesy of Stiles.

“Liam,” Lydia said sweetly. Liam leaned back into the couch, wincing. “Why didn’t you inform us that your uncle, his husband and his friend are employed by one of the organizations that can never know about us?”

“You were all so busy with exams and I had it under control!” Liam finally said.

“Clearly,” Stiles said.

“Shush, Stiles. Now, this does make things slightly more complicated, but not impossible,” she said.

“What’s your plan, Lydia?” Scott asked.

She hummed for a moment, deep in thought, before she said, “Mr. Coulson, I would advise you to call Mr. Fury so he can get informed as well.”

Phil’s emotions usually appeared in his eyes and right now, they were full of shock and alarm.

“Fury’s dead,” he said at last.

Lydia’s scoff was audible through the phone. “Please, we all know he faked his death during the whole HYDRA mess. Now, if you simply don’t have his number I can find it for you.”

Lydia was an unhinged combination of Pepper and Natasha and Clint found her terrifying.

“Call him,” Natasha said, never taking her eyes off the phone as if Lydia could jump out of it any minute and attack them.

“And put it on speaker, please,” said Lydia.

With a sigh, Phil took out his phone and after a few seconds, put it next to the other two on the coffee table.

It didn’t take long for the call to connect.

“Sir, we have a situation,” Phil started, not waiting for Fury to say anything.

Fury didn’t sigh, but it was a near thing. “What’s wrong this time, Coulson?”

Before Phil could talk, Lydia intervened. “Let’s start from the beginning, Director Fury. Two of your Agents have stumbled upon a situation they are unprepared to handle and so we thought it best to bring you in.”

Fury was silent for a few seconds. “Who am I speaking to?”

“Lydia Martin, Junior in MIT in the field of Mathematics. You can look me up but you won’t find anything more interesting I’m afraid.” She said.

Clint shared a look with Natasha. Lydia didn’t sound older than Scott and he was only a year older than Liam. How could she be a Junior?

Fury made a sound like he had done what she said and had found exactly nothing more. “And what’s the situation? Are my Agents hurt Miss Martin?”

“Nah, they haven’t done anything wrong yet.” That was Stiles’ voice.

“Who am I speaking to now?” Fury was starting to lose his patience.

“M. Stiles Stilinski. You can look me up if you want, I have nothing to hide.” Derek rolled his eyes at that.

There were a few moments of silence as Fury looked up Stiles. “You’re pre-FBI.”

Clint felt his eyebrows rise. Did the FBI have knowledge over them?

“Funny that.” Was Stiles reply.

“So your organization have ties with the FBI,” Fury said. “I don’t know what game you’re playing here but you can’t honestly believe that I’m scared of the FBI.”

Theo drugged a hand down his face while Liam let out a weak groan by his side. The FBI was clearly not the problem.

“Who the hell said anything about an organization!?” Came Stiles’ voice from the phone, full of annoyance.

“I don’t care if you’re a damn dance team! I want answers and I want them now or else I’m ordering my Agents to attack first and ask question later!”

That made Clint tense up. Liam sat up straighter, though Theo was still sitting comfortably as if waiting for just the right amount of silence to fall asleep.

“Do not underestimate us, Director Fury,” Lydia said in a voice that made everyone listen carefully. “SHIELD was founded in the 60s but we’ve been around since the time humans could tell stories.”

Clint felt a shiver go down his spine.

Lydia continued, “Your two Agents stumbled upon one of the strongest werewolf packs in the United States and we’re doing you the favor of informing you of the fact. Do not think of this lightly.”

“And what makes you think I’m going to keep this a secret?”

There was a small chuckle before Lydia spoke again, amusement coloring her voice. “You won’t tell.”

“Are you threatening me, Miss Martin?”

“There’s a reason the only way you’re finding out about our existence is by me telling you of it Director Fury. Take that as you will.”

“And how do I know this is not a prank?”

Lydia hummed for a couple of seconds. “I believe Agent Barton saw some things he couldn’t explain earlier tonight, hasn’t he?”

Clint almost gulped.

“Barton?”

Clint took a sigh. He had done this countless times before after missions. Phil was a comforting wall of heat on his side. “Earlier tonight, we were waiting for Theo to return with take out. Theo is Liam’s, my nephew, boyfriend. Liam’s phone rang and he told us to pick it up and put it on speaker because he was busy. It was Derek, who is here with us right now, who asked him where Theo was. He then proceeded to say that Theo was in trouble and that Lydia had screamed and that it was bad.” At that, Clint took a breath.

“Liam immediately stopped what he was doing and put on his shoes and told us that we had to find Theo and that he would explain everything afterwards. Before we could leave the house, Liam heard something outside and opened the door and there was a black wolf.”

“A black wolf?” Repeated Fury, disbelief coloring his voice.

“Yes, sir,” Clint confirmed. “Liam went to the wolf’s side and called the wolf Theo and tried to find any injuries and finally found out that Theo had been injected with mercury on his neck and had turned into a wolf to slow down the poison. Liam ordered us to put on shoes and drive to the hospital as soon as we could. Liam had bright yellow eyes, fangs and sharp nails.”

“Romanov?”

“Yes, sir,” Natasha said, eyes trained on the phone.

“Were you present when all of that happened?”

“Yes, sir. Everything Barton just said are completely true.”

“Coulson?” Fury then asked. “Do you believe them?”

Phil took a few seconds to answer him. “I have no reason to not believe them, though I also have no evidence of them saying the truth.”

“You’re not changing into a wolf,” Liam immediately told Theo.

“I’m too tired anyway,” Theo said.

 “Give me the blanket,” Derek said.

Liam passed him the blanket that they always kept in the living room.

Derek placed the blanket on the back of the couch right behind Theo’s head and stood behind the couch as he quickly took off his clothes. It happened fast; one moment there was Derek, standing naked behind the couch and the second, there was an enormous black wolf, eyes a bright blue, walking from behind the couch. The wolf stared right into Phil’s eyes and Clint felt him tense up for a moment before awe took over his features.

Then, the wolf went back behind the couch, and a second later, Derek was standing behind the couch, the blanket around his shoulders as he picked up his clothes and went to the bathroom to get dressed again.

“Is that enough evidence for you?” Chris asked.

“Coulson, what happened?” Fury asked.

“Derek transformed into a black wolf, sir,” Phil answered, awe still audible in his voice.

“You could have just showed him some claws, you guys,” Scott finally spoke.

“Just how many people are there right now!?” Fury demanded.

Scott sounded a bit sheepish as he answered. “I’m Scott, the Alpha of the pack. Liam’s parents are also in the room with them.”

There were a few seconds of silence that filled the room in an uncomfortable air until Fury finally spoke. “No one outside the room will know about this, understand?”

His voice was serious and there was a subtle threat hidden in it that made Liam sit up and Theo to glare at the phone.

Lydia had other plans. “You are in no position to make demands right now, Director Fury.” Her voice was still pleasant to listen to, but one could hear the iciness in it if they were trained to do so. “There are six other people that are not in the room right now who will be told everything in excruciating detail, excluding all the packs and hunter families we are allied to, of course.”

“You cannot boss me around, youn- “

“She can and she will,” said Stiles. Liam had only heard him sound like this a handful of times. It made him want to cower and hide.  “You are misunderstanding your position here, Fury. You are being let in on this because we decided to let you in on this. If your two agents hadn’t seen what they had tonight you would have continued on with your miserable life none the wiser. We make the ruly shaes here and you better follow them.”

The ‘or else’ was left unsaid but still heard.

“Is that a threat?” Fury asked.

“It’s a promise,” said Scott, the sheepishness gone from his voice. “You can search our town, Director Fury, you can see that we’re not messing around.”

That was all the confirmation Clint needed that everything he had read about what happened to this town had a supernatural reason.

There was silence coming from Fury’s phone and Clint honestly didn’t know if he preferred it to Fury’s angry screaming.

“Oh fuck, no Malia, not there! Uh, sorry everyone Malia is eating a rabbit on the couch. Liam, call me tomorrow. Bye!” Scott didn’t wait for an answer from Liam, but from Theo’s eye roll it seemed like a usual occurrence.

“Well,” Stiles said, fondness in his voice. “That was pleasant.”

“We’ll be in contact, Director Fury,” Lydia said and then there was silence. Derek picked up him phone, pocketing it and wordlessly going back to his place behind Liam and Theo, ignoring the faint buzzes coming from his phone.

“Coulson,” Fury finally spoke. The man did a good job at masking his emotions because Clint almost couldn’t hear the undercurrent of anger. Almost. “Did you brief Barton and Romanov?” That made both Clint and Natasha sit up straight.

Phil payed them no mind. “Hadn’t had the time, sir.”

“Do so. Stark will be waiting at the airport tomorrow at noon.” And then, silence. Like Scott, Fury didn’t wait for an answer before hanging up.

“New mission,” Clint asked even though it wasn’t needed.

Phil nodded. “A situation in Cairo.”

“Should you be saying this with us here?” Liam asked, nervous eyes shifting between Phil and a frowning Chris.

Phil gave him a small smile. “My understanding is that even if we leave the room, you’ll be able to hear us.”

“And?” Chris prompted.

“And,” Phil said, “mutual trust leads to allies.”

Chris nodded, satisfied.

“Why wait till noon tomorrow?” Natasha asked.

“Cap and Falcon are already on their way,” Phil started, “you two are the backup, plus, you’re still technically on vacation.”

Clint had to laugh at that. “We stopped being on vacation the moment we entered the hospital.”

“Sorry,” Theo said. The color on his face had returned after he had demolished almost two pizzas but he still looked way too exhausted to be truly alright.

“It’s not your fault,” Natasha reassured him and it seemed like it was enough for him.

“Let’s get you to bed,” Liam said. Together with Derek, they helped Theo up the stairs after wishing everyone a goodnight.

“It is late,” Jenna said. David and her had been silent throughout the phone calls, off to the side like they were used to it. And maybe they were.

“Phil, you’re of course welcomed to spend the night.” She smiled at him. “I trust that Clint and Natasha will take care of it.” She bid them all goodnight, pausing to pat Chris on the shoulder reassuringly. David followed her lead and together they walked up the stairs, pausing minutely to talk with Derek who was coming down.

Derek paused at the bottom of the stairs, sending Chris a look. Chris shrugged and went to the kitchen. With a sigh, Derek followed him, leaving the three agents alone.

“What’s the situation in Cairo?” Clint asked Phil. It was late, but he didn’t care. He had missed his husband too much for things such as sleep to keep him away. He could sleep in the jet.

Derek was talking with Chris in the kitchen, giving them a sense of privacy that never really existed. It was kind of them.

“A Solar Eclipse that wasn’t planned and the night sky went back two thousand years from what experts can tell.” Phil sounded exhausted.

“We didn’t hear anything,” Natasha said. Nothing played on the news.

“We kept it under wraps to the best of your abilities,” he said. “From what we can tell, the change in the night sky was just an illusion visible only at Cairo, but the eclipse was worldwide.”

“We felt it here,” Derek said, moving into the living room and putting an end on any semblance of privacy.

“Felt it how?” Phil asked, politely curious.

“We always feel the moon,” Derek answered. “We know of its phases like the back of our hand.”

“And how did it feel?” Natasha asked.

“Rushed,” Derek said. “It wasn’t meant to happen.”

“Do you know who or what did it?” Clint asked him, hoping that Derek would give them some answers and make their mission easier but his dreams were shattered when Derek shook his head.

“I don’t know of any creature that has this kind of power,” he said. “This feels like magic and not the normal kind.”

“There are other kinds of magic other than ‘normal’?” Clint wondered.

Chris made an expression like he was rolling his eyes on the inside. “You’re probably dealing with a God of some kind,” he told them.

“A God,” Clint repeated in disbelief. “Like Thor?”

“Not all Gods are aliens like Thor,” Derek said.

The three agents shared a small look.

“Now, that’s a whole other can of worms and I already had to reconstruct my world view once tonight,” Clint said. “So, no thank you.”

“We thank you for your help,” Phil said, giving them a smile, polite and small but no less sincere. “If it does end up being something in your area of expertise, could I contact you?”

Chris and Derek shared a brief look before Chris took out his phone.

“If it does,” Chris said, “You’re going to call me and I’ll put you in contact with the local werewolf pack in Cairo. Only if it does.”

Phil nodded, “Understood.”

The next morning, Clint was in the kitchen nursing a cup of coffee, half-heartedly paying attention to the conversation Phil was having on the phone with Tony, finalizing things for the mission.

Natasha was in their room packing their bags and the rest of the household was slowly waking up.

It was Sunday and that meant family breakfast which Theo always cooked, though Clint didn’t know if Theo was up for it.

He was proven wrong when Theo came in the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed in what Clint knew to be one of Liam’s hoodies and a pair of David’s sweatpants.

Theo looked almost normal after a good night of sleep but he still carried himself carefully as if sudden movements would bring him pain.

“Good morning,” Clint greeted him, chuckling when Theo just yawned at him. “You’re cooking?”

Theo shook his head. “Parrish is bringing coffee and breakfast.”

“Glowy orange eyes from last night?”  Clint asked. ‘Last night’, hell, it felt like a lifetime away.

“That’s the one.” Theo sat on the table, giving a nod to Phil who was still on the phone with Tony.

The older man returned the nod with one of his famous gentle smiles before it transformed into a smile of exasperation as he heard whatever Tony was saying.

“When are you guys leaving?”

Clint shrugged and gestured to Phil. “Whenever boss man says so.”

Phil payed no mind to Clint, nodding to whatever Tony was telling him.

Part of Theo was fanboying at the fact that he was listening to Iron Man but another part of him was too desensitized with heroes and the supernatural to really care that much.

Finally, Phil was done with his call. He pocketed his phone and gave a small smile to Clint before turning his attention to Theo who had been subtly looking at him all along.

“Good morning,” he said. “I’m afraid we didn’t have the time to properly introduce ourselves last night.” He put out a hand for Theo to shake. “I’m Phil Coulson, Clint’s husband.”

Theo gave him a look like he couldn’t believe him, but he shook his hand. Phil had a firm handshake. “Theo, Liam’s boyfriend.”

“I do hope you are alright now after last night,” Phil told him.

“Nothing a good night of sleep can’t fix.”

“You looked awful,” Clint said.

“The fact that Parrish was there means that I was minutes away from death,” Theo said, his voice betraying nothing about how he felt about the whole situation.

“Parrish?” Phil asked. “Is he a supernatural like you?” It was a rhetorical question. Phil didn’t want confirmation, he wanted an explanation.

“Well, he’s here,” Theo said, standing up. “Ask him yourself.”

Phil and Clint watched him leave the kitchen and heard him open the door a few seconds later. Barely a minute later, Theo was back in the kitchen, carrying two iced coffees on one hand, one black and the other a very light beige, and two bags on the other.

Parrish was two steps back, holding three bags, dressed in his deputy uniform.

Theo put the coffees and the bags on the counter and looked at the ceiling. “Liam, if you don’t come down right now I’m pouring your awful, sugary coffee in the sink.”

There was a thud and then hurried steps down the stairs as Liam appeared in the kitchen looking like had just woken up. He picked up the beige coffee and held it close to his chest. “Fuck you,” he said and took a big sip.

“Good morning, guys!” Parrish said with fake cheers, placing his bags on the counter. He paused for a moment and then he picked one of the bags and put it in the oven. “This one is for Jenna and David,” he said, wagging his finger at Liam. “No replay of last time.”

Liam scoffed at him while Theo laughed and started to take out plates.

“There is a story there,” Clint said. Liam grumbled instead of replying.

Parrish answered for him. “Teenage werewolf in the morning after a full moon does not pair well with breakfast left to the side for still sleeping parents.”

Clint snorted while Phil smiled that polite smile of his that clamed people down immediately.

“Phil Coulson,” he introduced himself. “Clint’s husband.”

“Jordan Parrish.” They shook hands.

“So,” Clint said. “What are you?”

Parrish blinked at him for a moment before he made sense of the question. “Oh, I’m a Hellhound.”

The two agents just stared at him in silence.

“A Hellhound,” Clint repeated.

“He gets all flamey.” Liam gestured towards Parrish. “Have to always carry extra clothes for him whenever we go. It’s annoying.”

“You have a huge trash bag full of clothes for everyone in Theo’s car,” Parrish reminded him.  Liam ignored him.

Natasha finally made her appearance, carrying their two bags and putting them in the hall right by the door. Theo poured her a mug of coffee, black with sugar, just as she liked it.

Liam took the plates and forks and put them on the table while Theo took the food out of the bags. They were in sync, their movements practiced and precise, comfortable. Clint would watch them all day.

“You’re going at the station?” Theo asked Parrish.

“Yeah. Argent is coming by to talk with the Sherriff about last night.” The way he said it was simple but the look his sent the three agents wasn’t subtle.

They had already started to eat before Parrish left, the food slowly but steadily disappearing.

“Where do you put all that food?” Clint asked as he watched Liam clean his third plate.

“I’m a growing boy,” Liam defended.

“Cap eats as much as you,” Natasha commented.

“Wow,” Theo said. “Liam, you can finally say you have something in common with Captain America.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “You’re such an asshole.”

“You love it.”

Liam hummed in agreement.

Phil was helping Natasha carry the bags to their car even though it really wasn’t needed, but Clint knew it was so he could say goodbye to Liam in private. Even Theo was with them.

Both were silent for several moments, trying to find the right words.

“I’m glad you found out about me,” Liam blurted out, cheeks reddening almost instantly. He seemed like he wanted to say more. “I don’t really remember much of my dad and what I remember I hate so, just, I’m glad.”

“I’m glad I found out about you, too,” Clint told him. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Still,” Clint continued. “The moment my brother left my life I never thought about him again and that was a mistake.”

Liam didn’t seem to know what to say after that. Clint was in a similar situation.

Finally, “I like Theo.”

Liam gave him a smile. “Phil looks cool, too.”

Clint barked out a laugh. “You must be the first person to call Phil cool.” He looked at the car. Phil was looking at Theo and Natasha talking but as if he felt Clint’s eyes on him, he turned his head towards his husband. Phil cocked his head in silent question but Clint just gave him a smile. “I think he’s cool, too.”

“Be careful, okay?”

“I’ll be fine, kid,” Clint said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time.”

“But you can’t heal like I do,” Liam said.

Clint paused. “No, I can’t,” he agreed. “Look, I can’t promise that I won’t get hurt because my job is dangerous and me promising something like that is stupid, but,” Clint stopped. The look in Liam’s eyes was resigned and unhappy, but he was understanding.

“I promise I’ll be careful if you promise the same,” Clint said.

“Deal,” Liam told him with a big smile.

“And look, winter break is in a few weeks, maybe you can come to New York for a visit.”

Liam’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Clint nodded, just as excited. “Yeah! There’s plenty of room at the tower. Theo is welcomed, too.”

And with that, Clint clapped Liam on the shoulder, ruffled his hair because he knew it annoyed him, and made his way to the car.

A few minutes later, Theo walked up to a still shell-shocked Liam.

“We’ll have to cancel on the pack’s New Year dinner,” Liam told him.

“What? Why?”

“We’re spending it with the Avengers,” Liam answered, giving him a slightly manic smile before turning around and entering the house, leaving Theo to fondly shake his head before following him inside.