AN: I was badgered my one of my dear friends to write a fluffy HawkSilver story. This is my attempt at one! It is set after Age of Ultron, but ignores the existence of Clint's family. I'm sorry, I loved them too, but I could never see Clint divorcing Laura, or cheating on her. All other aspects of the marvel storyline remain. There are three OCs, Lucy (based on my friend abstract0118, check her out!), Lily, (partially based on another friend), and Wolf(which is based on a lovely dog I saw when I was adopting mine!) All other characters belong to the wonderful Marvel! Hope you enjoy! :)

'Knock Knock'

Blearily the archer walked over to the door of his apartment. Expecting it to be Tasha arriving stupidly early for training, the sun wasn't even up yet for goodness sake, so he was extremely surprised to see a dishevelled Pietro leaning against the doorframe, wearing only shorts and a t-shirt. Stepping back in shock, he let him in, guiding him to his sofa, where he fell and promptly passed out.

'How did you get here? You were dead, you saved me! I definitely didn't see that coming.' A small chuckle left his lips, before he became more serious. A week had gone, but his body, his body was meant to be in SHIELD's morgue. How on earth did he get out? And he was dead. He died. Clint watched him die, ripped apart by bullets meant for him.

But he was here now, he was alive. Locking the apartment door again, Clint turned on the lights in his lounge, further illuminating QuickSilver. He removed one of his many first aid kits from a cupboard, kneeling on the floor next to Pietro with it open at his side. Gently wiping at his face and arms, he wondered how he managed to get here, and why he chose to come to him. His flat wasn't the closest to the morgue, he would have been better going to Avengers Tower, where his twin was.

Why did Pietro choose him over his family?

He carried on cleaning him, washing out wounds, wrapping his bare feet which were bleeding still. Had he run all the way from the morgue? Clint piled blankets onto Pietro, to keep him warm, then took one for himself, curling up in the arm chair facing the younger man. They would talk when he awoke, he needed his rest. It was a change from his usual hyperactive self, seeing him so calm and still, when he was used to him rushing around. From what he had heard from Wanda, Pietro could only truly sleep when he was utterly exhausted, he would run around until he collapsed, and could then sleep, be able to stay in one place for long enough to rest. For him to be sleeping this soundly would mean he was utterly exhausted.

Clint dosed too, waking up as the sun shone on his face. Looking over to the sofa, he saw Pietro was still asleep, in the same position he was a few hours ago. Standing up, he walked over to the awkward looking empty space at the back of his lounge. It's purpose soon became clear as he began to stretch, twisting his body as he did his daily routine, his eyes closed, forgetting about the other man in the room. Once finished, he padded over to the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of orange juice and a bowl of cereal, leaving it out on the side alongside an extra bowl and glass, for when his guest awoke. He crunched on his cereal, watching the sunrise over the skyscrapers opposite his apartment. In the distance he could just see Avengers Tower. He wondered if Wanda knew her brother was still alive.

Speaking of the man, he was slowly waking up. He stared at the ceiling, before jumping up and turning to face Clint, who sheepishly waved at him with his spoon.

'Morning.' With his first words, Clint realised he didn't have his aids in, his voice sounded clunky and he wasn't sure if he had shouted. He saw Pietro say morning back, then go on to begin rambling, speaking too fast for Clint to pick up all the words through his lip movements and gestures. When he turned around to fold up the blankets, Clint had to tell him.

'Pietro? Stop please. Wait here.' He winced at his voice, then he was certain he shouted, and quickly walked over to his bedroom, retrieving his aids from their dish on the bedside cabinet, he placed them in, turning them on and then walking back to Pietro, who looked a little confused.

'Sorry. I didn't get any of what you were saying then, at all. Start again please?'

'What happened to me Barton? I woke up in a morgue!'

'What's the last thing you remember?'

'Rushing towards you and the kid, pushing the car in the way, and then nothing.'

'You went in front of the car Pietro. The bullets hit you. They killed you.'

The silver haired man looked shocked.

'We won right?'

'We won. Bruce is missing though. He ran away, Tasha's trying to find him.'

'Good. Well, not Bruce, but good that we won.'

'Hm. Do you have some superhuman healing as well? Because it's impossible for a normal human to survive that.'

'Kind of. What they explained to me about our conditions, was that if we were gravely injured, we would go into a healing coma, our heart rate would slow completely down, we wouldn't breathe, our bodies healed.'

'It might have been helpful for us to have known that before you killed yourself?'

'I don't think we exactly had the time to stop and have a little chat Barton.'

'Didn't Wanda know?'

'She might have. It wasn't clear how to tell the difference between actual death and the healing coma.'

'She was quite stressed when you died. Does she know you're alive now?'

'Probably.'

'Are you going to go to her?'

'Soon.'

'Why did you come to me first? Why not her?'

'I didn't know where she would be.'

'And you remembered my address? From me telling you once? Why not Avengers Tower?'

'Yes. I trust you Clint. More than the others. I knew you should be here.'

'What if I wasn't? What if I was out on a mission?'

The archer looked at Pietro, searching his eyes for the truth.

'I didn't want to speak to the others. Not yet. Only you Clint.'

'Pietro, I, I.' Clint stumbled over his words, knowing what he meant, but not sure how to respond. Pietro quickly solved his problem by walking over, kissing him on the mouth.

'I hope I interpreted that right my little Hawk.'

'You did.'

They continued kissing, suddenly stopping at a knock on the door.

'Tasha. Do you want to see her yet?' Clint whispered.

'Not yet. I should see Wanda first.'

'In my bedroom. Go!' Clint straightened his top, running his hands through his hair. Quickly throwing Pietro's glass and bowl back into their cupboard. 'Coming Tasha!' He opened the door, seeing Romonoff standing outside.

'What are you up to Clint? You took two minutes longer to get to the door. Are you slacking?'

'No, um, I was just straightening up the place a little bit. It was a bit messy.' He leant on the doorway, obscuring Black Widow's view of his lounge.

'Do you have someone in there Clint? Is this a bad time?'

'Um, no?! No one's in here!'

'Is she pretty? What's her name?'

'You don't need to know Tasha.'

'Shall we train after lunch today? I think Starks making some adjustments to the gym in the tower this morning, so we can't use it.'

'Well, sure, if that's okay with you Tasha.'

'Yeah, it's fine. You have fun Clint.'

'Um, thanks?'

The assassin winked at him, then strode off down the street. Clint shut the door, sagging down against it in relief. 'It's alright. She thought I had a girl in here. We'll train after lunch. She was lying about the gym, Tony's doing it up next weekend.'

'You know when she's lying?'

'Ex-assassin.' He said, pointing to himself. 'I know when everyone's lying.'

'Not patronising in any way Barton.'

'I hide it usually. Along with other things.' He subconciously touched his ear as he said this, thinking of the secret he hid from most. His team knew, it was a weakness in the field that they needed to know about. Tony built these new aids for him, connected up to the team's coms. When he could miniaturise the arc reactor he was planning to build some powered on them, but for now they were still on batteries. He didn't know how to tell Pietro, if this turned out to be what he thought, then he would have to know. It's not particularly a small secret to keep, that you can't hear.

'So, is this just your flat?'

'Yep. Just me. No one else in my life to share it with.'

'Do you want someone to share it with?'

'Is that a hint Pietro?'

'It might be. I've liked you for quite a while.'

'Even when you were on the other side?'

'Even then. I refused to kill you, just aimed to confuse.'

'You did a good job of that.'

'You never saw me coming though.'

'Because you have superhuman speed.'

'You're supposed to have super human sight.'

'I see better from a distance.'

'Can you see me moving in with you?'

'Distance Pietro, not the future.' He sidled over to the runner, whispering into his ear. 'But yes I can.'

'We need to see your sister Pietro. She's gonna murder me if I keep you away.'

'Aw. But I was enjoying myself.'

'We can carry on later. Do you want to borrow some clothes?'

'Please.'

'In my bedroom, check the cupboards. Take what you want.'

Pietro left to find some clothes, whilst Clint tidied up the room, washing the dishes and putting them away.

'Clint? I thought you said no one else lived with you?'

'No, they don't.'

'Then whose are these? And why do you have them here?'

'What's that Pietro?' Clint padded over to his room, stopping awkwardly when he saw what a topless Pietro was holding in his hand. A small box, with SPARES written on in marker pen. Pietro opened it, revealing assorted hearing aids in small bags.

'Well. I do live alone Pietro, believe me. There's no one else in my life.'

'Whose are they?' Clint didn't respond for a while.

'They're mine, Pietro.'

'But, you're not, you don't need them.'

Clint didn't answer, instead reaching up and removing his newest aids from his ears, and showing them to Pietro, who took them, looking at them, at the small STARK logo.

'I do.' He signed as he spoke.

'But, you...'

'I don't act deaf? I'm 80% deaf in both ears, can hear most things. They're good aids, Tony made them. And I'm used to it.'

Clint put his hand out, receiving his aids back he put them in.

'Can you teach me sign language?' Clint looked surprised.

'Not many want to take the effort to. Yes I can.'

'Okay. I should probably get dressed.'

Clint smiled cheekily 'Unless you want to drive to the tower in that?'

'I think not Little Hawk.'

'Let me grab a jumper then.' The two men finished getting dressed, then walked out to the car. Clint passed Pietro a baseball cap, and they both put them on, to shade from the bright sun, and to avoid attention. He really should have gotten a more inconspicuous car, but it was a present from Stark. A guilt present they all suspected.

At Avengers Tower.

'This is it. Come on Pietro.'

The two men walked up to the door, Clint punched in the password and they strode in.

'Hello Clint, Mr Maximoff.'

'Hiya Lucy.'

'Hi.' Pietro awkwardly said. 'Lucy?' He asked Clint.

'Well, you know Jarvis was the AI before, when he became Vision Stark needed a replacement. So he made LUCY.'

'Okay. I'm presuming Lucy has told the others we're here?'

'I have told Mr Stark that Clint is here with a visitor.'

'Thank you Lucy.'

'What does Lucy stand for?' Clint facepalmed, and then hurriedly and quietly said.

'Luscious Unicorns Can't Yodel.' Pietro stopped walking, staring at the archer.

'Seriously? How? Why?'

Clint sighed. 'Tony was drunk, he was finishing off his new A.I and needed to name her. He goes through the alphabet, naming them, and L was next. Lacking any inspiration he Google searched popular names beginning with L, and chose Lucy.'

'And the letters?'

*flashback*

Tony chose the starting word, entering Luscious into the AI's system, before getting stuck and yelling at Thor for a word starting with U, at which he panicked and just shouted Unicorns.

'Luscious Unicorns Can't Y….'

He then yelled at Steve for a verb beginning with Y, who, like Thor, panicked and shouted Yodel. Minutes later, after a quick discussion, they both shouted down to the workshop

'We hope that wasn't for anything important!' They were ignored by Stark, and then jumped when the A.I began to speak, introducing herself. They were surprised when a female voice began, they were expecting something more like JARVIS.

'Hello, I am LUCY, also know as Luscious Unicorns Can't Yodel.'

'It was important.'

'Slightly.'

'Tony!' An annoyed Pepper rushed past the two men, down to the workshop. They quickly and silently left the floor, going to hide in the Tower library, which no one seemed to use and talk to Lucy.

*end flashback*

'I'm glad I was hiding in the vents that day. Actually, Lucy? Is my nest still there on the library floor?'

'It is Clint. No one has yet discovered it.'

'I love you Lucy.' Clint unashamedly said. Pietro playfully punched him on the arm, gesturing to himself.

'She guards my nest!'

'Your nest Little Hawk?'

'I'll show you later. First we have to see your sister. Lucy? Where's Wanda?'

'With Natasha in the Lounge. They're watching Frozen.'

'Again? Come on then Pietro.'

They stepped into the shiny elevator, riding it up to the lounge. Stepping out, Pietro hid slightly behind Clint, tugging his baseball cap down over his hair.

'Hey Clint. Who's your visitor?' Natasha asked, not moving from her spot on the sofa.

'I know exactly who he is. You can't hide under a hat dear brother.' Wanda stood up, striding across the room and slapping Pietro across the face.

'What was that for!'

'You left me! I felt you awake this morning, Rogers wouldn't let me leave, said it would be a false alarm, you were dead, we saw your body, bladybladybla.' She hugged him 'And I missed you.'

'I missed you too little sis.'

'And the running man returns. Hang on Clint, was he the one in your flat this morning?'

'Maybe?' The archer squirmed under the assassin's knowing gaze. After a moment of thought she nodded, smiling.

'Hello Natasha.' Said Pietro. She nodded in return, then resumed watching her film, curled up on the sofa like a cat.

'Is Rogers in then?' Clint asked the young witch.

'He's in the gym still.'

'Oh, the one that's undergoing repairs?'

'Pardon?' Clint looked over to the chair, where Natasha stiffened, suddenly acting very interested in the film.

'I'll go find him. Shall we scare him with a ghost, my running boy?'

Pietro looked blankly at him, then offended.

'Running boy?'

'Would you prefer Speedy, Quick, Fast, no not fast that's rubbish. Silver, Runner, Zoom.'

'None. Just call me Pietro, Barton.'

'Its Barton now is it? Not Clint, not Hawk, not…' his voice dropped to a whisper '…little Hawk?'

'Lets go scare Rogers. Hawk.'

'Lead on Mr Speedy. Ooh I like that. Carry on Mr Speedy.' He ushered Pietro towards the lift, throwing a cheeky smile to Wanda and Natasha behind his back.

'Lucy, please tell me you haven't told him we're here?'

'No, Mr Rogers gave me orders not to disturb him. He is still in the gym.'

'Is he in optimum position to scare?'

'He is currently lifting facing the door. His usual routine suggests in two minutes he will move onto the treadmill facing the window, an ideal situation to sneak up on him from. He has earphones in, so should not hear you.'

'Have I told you how much I love you Lucy?! Because you are the best!'

'Thank you Clint. You tell me every time you come to the tower.'

'I love you though Lucy.'

'Hawk? Task at hand please? Are we scaring the captain or what?'

'Well, I have a plan. I usually come in to do some archery training at about this time of day, so he won't find it suspicious if I go in. If you follow me in, and stand very still in a corner, occasionally doing your running thing and moving closer to him each time. He'll eventually see you, when he does, just stop and stare at him, don't speak. I'll pretend I can't see you. I'll switch my aids off, I usually do that when training so I can concentrate, but it should worry him when he can't get my attention.'

'Okay.' They arrived at the gym floor, stepping into the changing room.

'Lucy, project the plan of the gym please? And put Steve where he is?'

'Okay. He's moving over to the treadmill now.' A projection appeared on the blank wall, Clint pointed out the different areas of the gym, suggesting where Pietro could run to each time. When they were both ready, they walked in, Pietro immediately running over to the archery section where he stood behind one of the targets. Steve, seeing the movement, looked around, noticing Clint who waved, and pointed to the weapons rack, to signify he was shooting, and then to his ears, to show he was turning them off today. He received a thumbs up from the Captain.

He picked up his bow, and a quiver of practice arrows, walking over to the range he placed them in the floor, clicking his hearing aids off and then stretching and warming up. By practicing without his hearing he improved his sight, and esnured that if they were to fail in the field, then he wouldn't be a liability.

He began to shoot at the stationary targets, hitting bullseye each time. Soon he became bored, flicking a switch they began moving, he grinned as he saw a flicker of movement as QuickSilver ran, and he shot each target, resulting in what would be fatal hits, were they real and not dummies. Switching off the movement he went further into the range, picking up and inspecting each arrow before returning them to the quiver. Here the range widened, giving him an almost 360° practice space, with doorways windows and ledges. Once activated, targets would pop out everywhere around him, giving him more of a challenge. Standing on the well worn spot on the floor, he said. 'Start.' Slowly the targets began to move, as they and he warmed up they sped up, becoming more difficult to hit. When again he ran out of arrows he called out 'Stop. Return arrows to me.' A long arm wandered across the targets, removing arrows and placing them in a quiver. Whilst he was waiting, he turned to look at the captain and Pietro. The runner was now directly behind him, he didn't know how he couldn't see him. He must be extremely distracted by his thoughts and music. Suddenly Pietro moved again, standing on a treadmill three away from the captain

'Lucy, please say you're recording this.'

'Have been from the beginning.'

'Thank you. He's going to hate us.' A quiver of arrows was placed next to the archers feet, he passed the robot the empty one for next time. Leaving the bow and arrows on a stand in the range, Clint opened one of the doors, walking into his newest target range.

Completely Stark Tech, it was all holograms, different opponents and mini missions, to kill, to injure, to protect. Picking up a special adapted bow, he asked Lucy to project the prank happening in the main part of the gym. He laughed, he had started watching at the right time. Pietro had begun to slowly run on the treadmill, eyes looking straight forward as if he was a zombie. Steadily he increased the speed, and difficulty, soon becoming a silver blur. Steve, finally noticing him, looked over at the treadmill and the silver blur. He removed his headphones.

'Clint?'

Pietro, leaving the treadmill running, sped off, running a lap around the room, and then carrying on on the treadmill as of he had always been there. Shocked, Steve stopped running, slipping off the end of the treadmill.

'But, you're dead!'

'Am I Captain?'

The runner sped around Steve, leaving him even more confused.

'We saw your body. Oh God, please don't be a ghost.'

'Do you believe in ghosts captain?'

'Well, considering I have one running around me at the moment, then I have little choice.'

'You are certain I died? Can you die Captain?'

'No, we don't think so.'

'Are we both dead Captain? Wouldn't that be nice. We could haunt Clint together.'

'Clint! Can you come here a second?'

'He switched his hearing off Captain, he can't hear you.'

The captain began to walk towards the shooting range, being buffeted all the time by a silver whirlwind.

'Clint?'

'Can't hear you. Can't hear you. The archer is deaf to your pleas Captain. You have to find him.'

He continued into the shooting range, walking down the narrow section to where it widened. He saw his bow and arrow, but no Clint.

Clint began to softly speak. 'Lucy! Project loads of copies of me in here. I'm going in the vents.' As he swung up to his hideyhole, the ceiling was projected back over it, and copies of Clint started to appear.

'Make one more lifelike, make it try to shoot the others, avoid Steve, make them ignore him, I'm deaf at the moment. They can explode when he touches them, but then more form. Ignore my shouts from now on, they're for the Captain.'

'Come on, why am I shooting myself? This has to be the weirdest simulation yet. Shooting clones. Pah.'

Steve heard this shout, immediately diving to the door he heard voices from. Looking inside, he saw lots of Clints. One in the middle seemed to be doing better, shooting more, he knew that had to be the real Clint. But getting to him proved to be a problem. Each clone he touched exploded in a shower of hologram, pretty to look at, but a pain as it reflected the lights into his eyes. He noticed that Pietro's ghost had disappeared, but he continued his search for Clint.

Pietro had actually returned to the lounge, asking Lucy to project Steve's battle onto the wall as she had done in the changing room. The twins and Natasha watched him struggle to reach Clint laughing as he swore and was showered in more confetti-like holographic shards.

'Language Steve.' Said Natasha.

Steve continued to push through the holograms to reach Clint, soon there were only a handful left. Steve lunged for the 'real' Clint, but as he did so he moved, and more clones formed around the edged of the room, surrounding Steve who began to fight them. Trying not to laugh, Clint starting crawling through the vents to Tony's workshop. He hung from his legs from an opening, waving to attract the man's attention.

'Tony? You might want to go to the lounge! Steve's being pranked at the moment, they're projecting it up there I suspect.'

He saw Tony yell. 'Okay', reminding him his aids were still off. Reaching up he clicked them on again, and swung back into the vent, beginning to crawl up to the lounge as he saw Tony lock his workshop and go upstairs as well. They reached the lounge at the same time, Clint rushing to grab his favourite puffy purple armchair. Tony stood still in the doorway, looking at Pietro.

'Guys?' He pointed at the silver haired man that was just sat on an armchair like he had always been here.

'So your not dead then?'

'Nope.' He smiled at the mechanic. 'Bet you didn't see that coming.'

'To be honest? No.' He sat down on the sofa, watching Steve and the Clints. 'I knew that hologram room would be good for something.'

They continued to watch the projection, laughing every time more clones formed and left Steve looking incredibly confused.

'Lucy? Can you produce loads of clones in minute, and then stop replacing them? I want to see his face when he destroys the last one.'

'Yes Clint.' They watched and waited, as requested loads of Clints appeared in the room, completely blocking Steve's view of the 'real' Clint. He began to attack them, smiling when no more arrived. Soon there were only about ten left, one which he was sure was real, one which was shooting at the other clones. He shouted at him, 'Clint!' But didn't get any reply. He remembered that Clint couldn't hear him at the moment, that he was deaf. Hoping to grab his attention, he helped to finish of the last of the clones. Walking behind Clint, he put his hand on his shoulder. As the hologram turned it exploded, leaving Steve clutching at air.

'Clint Barton!' Panicking Clint jumped into the vents again, the rest of the team watched him leave the gym. Lucy tracked him.

'He's coming up to the lounge.'

'Put Frozen back on! Quickly!'

The A.I. complied, and soon the four were watching their film again. As the elevator opened and the super soldiers footsteps reached the lounge, Natasha looked over.

'Hi Steve. Finished?'

'Yes. Where's Clint?'

'Clint? At his apartment probably.' From Steve's position, he couldn't see QuickSilver slouched in a chair.

'Really. How come he came into the gym then?'

'I don't know. He might have come in, we've been watching films so haven't really been paying attention to who's in. We thought it was just us four.'

'Four?' Steve looked around, leaning on the back of a chair. Wanda and Natasha were sharing a chair, Tony was sprawled over an armchair. He looked down, jumping as he saw a shock of silver hair. Pietro looked up saying.

'Hello Captain.'

'But, you, you, died!'

'Can you die Captain? It's very difficult to kill the Maximoff twins.'

'But, you had no pulse? You weren't breathing!'

'Healing coma.'

'What?!'

'Healing coma. I was healing! I would have healed faster if you had not tried to freeze me!'

'But we didn't know.'

'Obviously. And when Wanda knew I was alive this morning, you didn't let her go to get me!'

'You were dead! SHEILD's top doctors confirmed your death! Wanda thought you were dead…'

Pietro looked at Wanda, Natasha and Tony for confirmation.

'You were dead mate.' Tony said. 'Your funeral is in two days time.'

Pietro looked blankly at the team, before feeling awkward. To remove the uncomfortability of the situation, he gave up his Hawk.

'Clints in the vents.' They heard a muffled shriek, and banging in the vents, as Clint shuffled away from the lounge, Steve quickly jumping up and following him from the ground. Remembering what he had said earlier, Pietro rushed away, to the Library. Looking around, he saw a section of ventilation that was wider and taller than the tunnels around it. He swung up, crawling a little distance to it. Inside was a mound of pillows and a box of snacks. He sat down, hearing Clint heading towards him.

'Hey.'

'How did you get up here so quickly? And how did you know where it was?'

'You said it was above the library. And superhuman speed remember? Does the Captain know where it is?'

'No. No one knows about this one yet. Lucy can't get in the vents. So no cameras, no microphones. She can sometimes just hear me from the Library, if I need her I just stick my head out a vent. I'll go ask her where Steve is.' He crawled away, Pietro heard an echoey conversation, and then Clint shuffled back.

'He's looking for me up in my room. We can escape now.'

They dropped out of the vent, then Pietro picked up Clint, throwing him over his shoulder and racing to the lounge.

'Where now little Hawk?'

'Did you have to do that?'

'You move so slowly. Where to now?'

'Say bye. We'll head back to my apartment? Unless you want to live here?'

'Wanda? Do you want me to live here? Or with Clint.'

'Go with Clint brother. I know where he lives, I can find you.'

'Wanda, that was veering slightly into stalker territory there.' Clint looked slightly worried.

'Are you sure sis?'

'Go with him Pietro. I'm happy here.'

'Clint? Steve is heading back towards you.'

'We must be off then. See you guys later.' Clint was then hoisted up again onto Pietro's back, and they raced downstairs to his car.

'I ship them.' Tony said. 'Completely.'

They returned to Clint's apartment, driving the car back into the shared garage downstairs.

'Quickly Pietro. My neighbour is a slight stalker, she's obsessed with trying to get into my bed.'

Taking quickly a little too seriously, he grabbed Clint's hand, rushing to the front door as the archer fumbled with his keys.

'Can you please slow down?! You're just attracting her attention!'

'Sorry.' Pietro looked around, and saw the neighbour waving at them.

'Hello Clint! Who's your friend?'

'Hello Lily.' He whispered to Pietro, 'Just play along.'

'This is my boyfriend, Pietro.'

'He's a handsome boy too.' She giggle and smiled.

'Yes he is Lily.' He kissed Pietro on the lips as he opened the door. 'See you later Lily.'

They shut the door behind them.

'Did you mean it?'

'What?'

'That I'm your boyfriend.'

'Do you want to be?'

'Yes.'

'Well then. I think that's sorted.'

They grinned at each other, falling onto the sofa and curling up together to watch television. Clint's head was in Pietro's chest, and he softly played with the archer's hair.

Months later - the team is battling against a Hydra platoon.

They were winning. Clint was sat in a tree, shooting at the enemy. Steve, Thor, Natasha, Pietro and Wanda were in the middle, attacking. Stark, Rhodes, Wild and the Vision, were flying around around, shooting those on the outskirts. Hulk was attacking any runners, keeping the enemy in the area to prevent their escape. The new team was working well together, there were no injuries so far. Suddenly one of the Hydra agents threw a small device on the ground. Clint shouted 'Grenade!' and the Avengers all dived away from the area. It exploded, only causing harm to the Hydra Agents. They continued battling, moments later another device was thrown. Again Clint shouted out a warning, his team diving away. It only sparked, setting out a small shower of electric, but they felt its effects. The coms went down, Iron Man and Iron Patriot faltered in the air as their suits failed and then restarted, the arc reactors kicking quickly back in. Falcon glided to the floor, his suit powerless, and began fighting with the rest of the team. Clint's aids failed, and didn't restart, he was working in silence now. His training paid off though. Although he was having to look around himself more often to check for attackers, he still managed his bullseye shots on the enemy. He saw Pietro looking at him in concern, he signed 'okay' to him, returning him to the battle. They soon finished their fight, the Hydra agents were defeated. Natasha went to give Hulk his lullaby, whilst the rest of the team wandered over to the Quinjet. Clint gave one last look around the field, checking for any stragglers of the battle, before swinging down from his tree. He caught up with the team, Stark began to speak to him, in his usual fast manner. Clint simply pointed at his ears. 'They went Stark. I can't hear you.'

Tony signed 'Natasha?' Natasha was the best signer in the team, they all knew some, were learning it, but she was currently the best. Clint pointed to Pietro instead, and they had their conversation that way. Pietro was nearly as good as Natasha, he was still learning, but could have a decent conversation in sign language.

On the Quinjet there was a box of spare aids which Clint put on whilst they waited for Bruce and Tasha to catch them up. He flew them home, the team congratulating each other on a fight well done. They returned to the tower, having their usual after battle sleepover and movie, after a battle none of them wanted to spend the night alone. Clint and Pietro slept together as usual.

Pietro and Clint are sat at home together. Pietro is practising his sign language, so Clint hasn't put his aids in yet. When they finish their lesson, Clint begins to make breakfast. He can just see Pietro's in the reflection of the fridge, as he sits making the sign for 'hungry.'

'Shut up Pete.' He makes a sad face, then sticks his tongue out at the archer, who is concentrating on cooking bacon. Picking up his tennis ball from the floor he says 'Think Fast' and throws it as his boyfriend, and it hit him. Turning quickly he saw it and grabbed it, flinging it at Pietro, who sped from his seat on the sofa to hug Clint.

'You're not forgiven.'

'I did say think fast! Oh. You didn't hear me.' He signed, laughing.

'No breakfast for you.' Clint tapped Pietro on the nose with the towel. 'Naughty Mr Speedy.'

After being together for a few years, Pietro plucked up the courage to ask Clint to marry him. He spent time with Natasha, to learn the correct signs to ask him. He'd brought his ring, a silver band with purple engravings, and planned to ask him one day at the tower on his birthday, so Lucy could record the event. The day quickly came around, the team had planned a surprise party for him, it was Pietro's job to get Clint to the tower without him suspecting anything. He had the ring tucked inside his pocket, he kept touching it to check it was still there. The party went well, Clint never suspected anything. When they cut his cake (in the shape of a quiver of arrows), Pietro got down on one knee. Looking a little confused, he watched his boyfriend as he placed a small box on his knee, then began to sign and speak, 'Little Hawk, will you marry me?'

'Yes Pietro! The thing is…' Clint too knelt on one knee, drawing a similar box from his pocket.

'I've been plucking up the courage to do this for a while. Marry me?' The team looked on in shock, they had known about Pietro's plans, but none knew of Clint's.

'Yes Hawky!' The two stood up, kissing each other, then exchanging rings, placing them on each other's fingers. Clint's ring to Pietro was similar to the one he had received, a silver band of the same width, but with a streak of marbled blue inlaid in it.

'Well, I think this is as good a time as any to hand you two this?' Tony handed over a box. Opening it, the newly engaged couple saw two simple gold keys, and a handwritten note. Upon the paper was an address.

'Tony?'

'You can't live in Clint's apartment for all your life. You need a decent house to live in.'

'Tony!'

'Well? Shall we go for a drive lovebirds?' Not taking no for an answer, the mechanic grabbed onto their arms, taking them down to the garage. Putting them into the back seat of one of his cars, they drove off. Their new house wasn't too far from the apartment. But house was an understatement. It was surrounded by acres of land, one are had been turned into an archery range, another into an athletics track. Inside, it was large, but homely. Looking around the house, their grins widened, they knew with Tony that they couldn't refuse it, 'he had the money' he would say, 'and wanted to spend it on his friends.' They fell in love with the house, and planned to move as soon as possible. As they were expressing this desire to Tony, they heard some cars pulling up outside. Looking out the window, they saw they were removal vans, driven and accompanied by the members of their team. They began removing their contents, putting them into the right places in the house. The couple smiled, hugging and kissing each other, before helping to arrange their possessions in their new house.

For Pietro's birthday, Wanda got the couple their first pet. A husky cross Doberman named Wolf, who went with them everywhere, and was trained to attack enemies and defend his masters. They spoilt him rotten, one of the guest rooms was turned into a doggy pad, Stark made him a room on the tower, training him to use the elevator, and to 'speak' to Lucy. They loved him, treating him as their child. A child with fur, four legs and a tail. Invitations were sent to Mr and Mr Maximoff-Barton, and Wolf Maximoff-Barton. Even Fury was seen to be stroking the giant dog!

They got married the year after, in the garden of their house. The whole team was there, agents from SHEILD, Fury, Coulson, the many doctors who had patched Clint up over the years. The grooms wore smart suits, Clint with a purple tie, and Pietro with a sky blue. Wolf carried their rings, Coulson gave Clint away, walking him down the aisle to his new husband, who was given away by his sister. After the reception, and the cutting of the cake, they partied until the next morning. As they lay in bed together, watching the sun rise, they thought of the day, many years ago, when they first started this relationship. When Pietro stumbled into Clint's apartment, and then never left his side. The battles they had fought together. The memories they'd made together, as part of an amazing team. And the memories that they would make together in the future.

Downstairs, the Avengers held a whispered toast.

'Hawksilver forever!'