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1.
Phil knocks lightly on the door and lets himself into the exam room while still glancing down at the folder his assistant had left on the door.
"Hello. I'm Dr. Coulson. What seems—" Phil looks up then, surprised to see a familiar face. "Oh. Mr. Barton."
"It's Clint. Hi! You remember me?"
"You were quite the hero. The staff was talking about you for weeks."
"What did you do, Papa?" whispers the little girl at Clint's side.
"Did you stop a robbery? Oh! I know, you rescued someone from a burning building! No! You pulled someone from the path of an oncoming train. Or—"
"Take a breath, Pietro," Clint admonishes and the little boy immediately stops to take a quick breath. He opens his mouth to start talking again, but his sister places a small hand over his mouth.
"Hush, Pietro. Let Papa talk."
"It wasn't a big deal. Dr. Coulson is who took care of Lucky when I found him." Clint turns to Phil with a smile and places a hand on each of the kids' shoulders. "This is Wanda and this speed talker is Pietro, my kids."
"Hi!"
"Hello."
"It's good to meet you both. Now what seems to be the problem?"
"We think Lady's hurt," Wanda answers, peering into the cat cage on the exam table.
"Careful," Clint warns as Phil steps closer. "Lady's a stray. She's great with the kids and me, but is kind of skittish around other people."
"So rescuing runs in the family, then?"
Clint blushes adorably at Phil's teasing and moves forward to get Lady out of the cage himself. Lady hisses at Phil once, but otherwise lets him examine her while Clint and Wanda stay close. Pietro spends the entire time zipping around the room and peering into whatever he can find.
"Lady seems to have a small cut on her paw, but is otherwise healthy. If I put antibiotics on the cut and wrap it, will you be able to keep Lady inside while it heals?"
Wanda turns large, pleading eyes at Clint. "Please, Papa?"
"Sure. She's spending most of her time inside with you anyway. Might as well make it official."
"If you're going to make her yours, may I suggest getting her spayed?"
"What's that?" Wanda inquires.
"It keeps her from having babies, right?"
"Yes, Pietro, that's right. Don't worry Wanda, it's a quick operation and Lady will be back to normal in no time."
"Okay."
Phil turns his attention back to Clint as Wanda hugs Lady, still clearly worried. "It may be less traumatizing for everyone involved if we do Lady's operation tomorrow. You can leave her with us tonight and we'll fit her operation in in the morning."
"That's a great idea, if that works for you. Thanks."
"It's not a problem at all. Wanda, can you put Lady back in her cage for me?" Wanda nods and the cat lets herself be guided into the cage. Lady is the most docile stray cat that Phil has ever seen, which isn't a huge surprise since Phil has always believed that animals are drawn to kindness. "The front desk can give you an estimate on everything and we'll call you as soon as Lady is ready to go home."
"Thank you. It was nice seeing you again, Dr. Coulson."
"My pleasure. See you tomorrow."
Phil watches Clint bend down to prod the kids out of the room and tries not feel guilty about enjoying the view. Clint Barton is definitely easy on the eyes and Phil agrees with his staff that they all look forward to him coming back.
~
2.
When Clint comes back for Lady, he's alone, likely because the kids are in school. Phil decides to use his head vet privileges and brings the cat out to the handsome father himself.
"Here she is," Phil announces and holds up the cage. Clint peers inside and Lady lets out a quiet mew in response.
"She seems out of it."
"She'll be lethargic from the anesthesia for a few more hours. Don't give her too much food at first since it may make her sick. She'll need to keep the cone on for at least a week and it's probably a good idea to keep her away from Lucky while she heals. If she'll let you, check her stitches at least once a day and try to keep her from being too active around the kids. Here are the full post-op instructions. Please feel free to call us if anything unexpected happens."
"Thanks doc. I really appreciate you fitting Lady in so soon. Wanda was pretty worried about her last night."
"We had room in the schedule, so it really wasn't a problem."
"Either way, you were great with the kids yesterday, so thank you."
"You're welcome. They seems like great kids."
"They are," Clint smiles proudly and Phi has a difficult time not swooning on the spot.
Handsome men who love animals has always been a weak spot of Phil's, which apparently extended to handsome dads who love their kids. Too bad he's already taken.
~
3.
About a week later, Phil is finishing up for the day when he looks at the call back list and notices Clint Barton's name on it. He picks up the phone and dials, curious as to why the reason for the call hasn't been noted down by the receptionist or one of the nurses.
"Hello?" Before Phil can respond, there's a loud crash in the background. "Pietro! What did I just ask you? Please take off the skates and wash up for dinner. Now, or I'll give your dessert to your sister. Sorry. Hello?"
"Hello. This is Dr. Coulson from the vet's office. I have a note that you called. Is Lady doing well?"
"Oh. Hey, doc. Lady's fine. We were actually calling about Lucky."
"What's happened with Lucky?"
"Pietro thought it would be fun to play catch with Lucky using an apple and he ate it."
"All of it?"
"Yup. All of it. Wanda said something about cyanide?"
"Wanda is very smart or very good with Google."
Clint chuckles. "Both, I think. They both also love books and watching nature documentaries. I'm constantly amazed at what they retain."
"Kids are great like that. And yes, apple seeds do carry a small amount cyanide, which is why it's not normally recommended to allow them to eat the core."
"Really? Should I bring Lucky in to emergency?"
"No, that shouldn't be necessary. A few seeds shouldn't be harmful. Just don't let Pietro make a habit of it."
There's another crash and Phil can almost hear Clint's wince over the phone.
"Pietro again?"
"No," Clint sighs. "Lucky. I should probably take care of that. Thanks for calling."
"You're welcome."
There's another crash and a yelp as Clint hangs up the phone, making Phil wonder why he seems to be alone in taking care of his kids and his pets. Maybe Clint isn't as taken as Phil had assumed.
~
4.
"Not that one," Daisy says, taking the file out of Phil's hand. "You take exam three. Jasper can take two when he's done."
Daisy hands Phil a different and all but shoves him in the direction of exam three, the reason for the switch clear as soon as he steps inside.
"Hello, Clint. And hello Lucky! Who's a good boy?"
Lucky woofs in response, coming over to greet Phil as he drops to one knee to pet the dog.
"He likes you."
Phil looks up at Clint with a smile. "I have a feeling that Lucky likes everyone."
"Not everyone. He's pretty protective, actually. Lucky only likes nice people."
"Then I'm glad I pass muster. How can we help you today?"
"I got a card saying Lucky was due for his yearly exam?"
"Oh," Phil says, finally looking at the folder he's holding. "So he is. Let's get started then."
The exam doesn't take very long. Lucky seems unquestionably happy and healthy, Clint and the kids being attentive pet owners. When they're done, Phil walks them out to the reception area and gets a nod from Clint to give Lucky a treat.
"No kids today?"
"Nah. It wouldn't have been pretty. It's hard enough wrangling Pietro or Lucky on their own and Wanda isn't quite strong enough to keep a hold of the leash—Lucky's, not Pietro. Though sometimes I wish…"
Phil laughs at Clint's falsely wistful tone. Clint doesn't strike him as the type of parent to actually try and leash his children. "Pietro a little energetic?"
"Kid's faster than lightning, I swear. One minute he's there, the next he's zoomed off. He always comes back, but it gives me a heart attack every time."
"Have you tried sports?"
"Several. Can't do them every night though, because Wanda deserves time for activities she likes too."
"What kind of things does she like?"
"Music. Wanda has an amazing voice, it's nearly mesmerizing."
"Well, they both seem very happy. You're doing well with them."
"Really?" Clint asks with a wide smile. "Thanks. I'm doing my best, but it's not easy."
"What about your wife?"
"No wife. Or girlfriend or boyfriend, for that matter. I adopted the kids after their parents were killed in an apartment collapse."
"Wow. That's great of you."
"It was the best thing I've ever done. So hey… do you think you'd like to—"
"Dr. Coulson! We need you!" Melinda calls, poking her head through from the back. "I think Mr. Rigsby is in pulmonary distress."
"Sorry. I need to go."
"It's okay. Uh, talk to you soon."
Phil rushes into to back, cursing his luck. He can't help but hope that Clint was about to ask him out. He sighs internally as he helps Melinda with Mr. Rigsby, thinking that now he may not see Clint again for nearly another year.
~
5.
There's construction going on behind the building, so Phil enters the office through the front door, only to stop short at the little girl he sees sitting in one of the chairs. He looks around, but none of the staff are up front since they're not quite open yet after their lunch break.
"Wanda?" Phil asks, kneeling in front of the little girl and trying not to be alarmed at the tear tracks streaking her little face. "What's wrong? Is your dad here?"
Wanda shakes her head, more tears pooling in her eyes and spilling over. Phil reaches into his pocket, hands his handkerchief to the little girl and sits in the seat next to her.
"Does your dad know you're here?"
"No," Wanda answers on a sob and Phil's concern skyrockets.
"Why not?"
"I lost Lady. He told me to be careful about leaving the window open and I didn't listen and now she's gone and I can't find her. I looked everywhere and I didn't know where else to go and I was hoping you could use the chip you put in her to find her and—"
"Shhh. It's okay. We'll find her," Phil says soothingly and pulls Wanda close to his side. She begins to sob in earnest and Phil wraps both arms around her, letting her crawl into the safety of his lap while he rubs her back in an attempt to help.
Daisy come out from the back and freezes at the sight. "Wha—?"
"Daisy, can you please get me the Barton file? Right away."
"Yeah, sure."
Daisy hurries off and Phil gently moves Wanda until he can look her in the eyes. "I'll help you find Lady, I promise. But first we have to call your dad, okay? He's probably worried sick looking for you."
Wanda's eyes go wide, tears filling them again as she puts a hand over her mouth in shock, as if she'd only just realized what she'd done.
"It's okay. It's okay. We'll just call him and it'll all be better okay?"
Daisy, hearing Phil's reassurances quickly grabs the phone and brings it over along with the file. Phil dials quickly and it takes Clint a few rings before he answers.
"Hello? Look. I don't have time—"
"Clint!" Phil cuts in. Clint sounds harried and scared. "It's Phil, Dr. Coulson from the vet's office. Wanda's here."
"Oh thank god! We… where the hell are we? Right. Fifth. We'll be there in five minutes."
Clint hangs up without saying anything else and then he's running through the door with Pietro in tow four minutes later.
"Wanda!"
"Papa! Pietro!"
Wanda vaults off Phil's lap and Clint drops to his knees to pull her into a hug as Pietro clutches them both. Eventually, Clint pulls back and frames Wanda's face with his hands, brushing away her tears with his thumbs.
"Oh, baby. You had us so worried. Why would you run away like that?"
"I'm sorry. I left the window open and I lost Lady."
"Lost Lady? She's home with Lucky. Even if you did lose her, why didn't you come back home?"
"I… I wanted to find her. So you wouldn't be angry."
Clint wraps his arms tightly around Wanda once again, burying his nose in her hair. "Oh sweetheart. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important to me than you and Pietro. If you do lose Lady, then we'll search for her together, okay?"
"Okay. I'm sorry Papa."
"I forgive you, just please don't run away again. I love you. I love you both, so much."
Clint's voice cracks and Phil can see that he's visibly shaking, so he catches Daisy's attention and motions toward the trio.
"Hey kids," Daisy says softly. "Do you guys want to see the new puppies that we have in back? I'm sure your dad won't mind. We'll be right back."
Daisy quickly herds the kids away and Phil steps forward to touch Clint on the shoulder, who is still kneeling on the floor. As soon as Phil's hand makes contact, Clint surges up and wraps his arms around Phil in a bruising hug.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for finding her. I don't know what I would have done if— Oh god, I could have lost her."
"Shhh, shhh. It's okay Clint," Phil soothes, running his hand across Clint's back in the same way he'd done with Wanda. "She's fine and you have her back. You're a good father."
Clint lets out a watery laugh and steps out of Phil's arms. "It doesn't feel that way right now."
"Hey. Things happen. The important part is that she wasn't actually trying to run away and you have her back."
"I'm just so glad you were here."
"Me too. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah." Clint takes a few more breaths and is calm again by the time the kids come back, chattering excitedly about the puppies.
Before they leave, Clint turns to Phil with a shy smile.
"So I know we're usually the embodiment of chaos, but would you like to have coffee with me some time?"
Phil looks over to where the kids are waiting for Clint. Pietro is now running in circles around Wanda, with Wanda periodically extending a foot to try and trip him up. She succeeds and Pietro just manages to keep himself from faceplanting on the tile.
"I'd love to."
~
+1.
Phil climbs the last flight of stairs and hopes that this visit comes as a pleasant surprise and not a nuisance. He and Clint had planned to have dinner together tonight, but Clint cancelled when both kids had come down with the flu. Phil, eager to see Clint after a week apart, had decided on a whim to show up anyway. He stops at their door, gathers his courage, and knocks.
"Phil!" Clint beams at him, looking tired but otherwise calm. "What are you doing here?"
Phil holds up the box and bag in his hands. "You couldn't go out, so I thought I'd bring dinner in. I have soup for the kids and pizza for us."
Clint tugs Phil inside, leading him into the kitchen to place his offerings on the island. "You are a lifesaver! Best boyfriend ever," he gushes before leaning in, giving Phil a quick kiss, and then freezing. "Uh, I mean… I know we haven't actually talked about… I didn't mean to assume—"
Phil cuts him off with a kiss of his own. "I wish there was a term that didn't make us sound like we were twelve, but I'm good with boyfriend."
"I've got this if you want to say hi to the twins? Just… try not to touch them or anything that may get you sick."
"Right. Because that always works," Phil says with fondness. Everyone in Clint's house is amazingly affectionate, from the kids down to Lady and Lucky, and including Clint himself. Phil has never been overly tactile, but he's quickly come to love all the hugs and hand-holding involved with being part of this family.
He finds the kids using Lucky as a pillow on the couch and watching a science documentary on how the universe was formed. Phil strokes a hand over all three of their heads, more than a little concerned when Pietro just smiles instead of his usual greeting of nearly tackling Phil with his enthusiasm.
"He always gets like that when he's sick," Clint tells Phil as he walks up behind the couch. "Freaked me out the first time, but it's better than any thermometer. Come on kiddos. Phil brought dinner."
They get the kids to the table and have a pleasant, but uncharacteristically subdued dinner. Based on how Lucky looks at everyone expectantly, Phil guesses that it's his influence that keeps the dog from getting his normal share of pizza.
It's still too early after dinner for the kids to consider going to bed, no matter how sick they are, so they all go back to couch to watch a movie. Phil finds himself in the center of the pile, with Lucky to his left and Clint to his right. Wanda is sprawled on Clint's lap with her legs on Phil's and Pietro is tucked in under Clint's arm on his other side, while Lady perches imperiously on the back of the couch. It should be uncomfortable—the kids sniffle or cough every few minutes and Lucky is much too warm to sit next to for an extended period—but Phil can only feel a deep happiness as he snuggles closer to Clint. He never imagined himself being pinned down by a loving family, but now that they've found him, Phil realizes there's nowhere else he'd rather be.
~ fin ~