Duyên || Clint Barton

008 || sign

•••

"Are you sure?"
"Yes, really. Go have some alone time. I got this. I'm a super dad" Clint chuckled, lightly hitting my shoulder with his, "besides I have a mission next week so I want to make the most of the time I have left with the kids but you-" He twirled me around and kissed my cheek "look like you need a break"
"Well I have been trying to finish my degree" I admitted, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.
"That's amazing! How's it going?"
"Shit. There's never any time -"
"Go" Clint ordered, grabbing my bag and pushing me towards the door "study somewhere quiet and I will look after Lila and Coop"
"Okay" I said hesitantly, picking up my books as he marched me to the front door.
"See you soon" he grinned, pressing a kiss to my forehead before closing the door.
He was up to something.

•••

"Okay Lila, you're on picnic blanket duty"
"Yes sir!" She saluted, before marching off with the cloth.
"Cooper, your mission is to go find the champagne. They're really fragile - but I have faith in you buddy"
"Sir yes sir!" He grinned, sprinting off to the 'booze cupboard' as Grace liked to call it.

It was their 9 year wedding anniversary and Clint wanted to do something special since he'd missed the last two due to work.
Not only that, but she had spent weeks researching tirelessly for ways to treat PTSD, becoming his own personal therapist for the past few months. Clint knew he still had a long way to go, he still got bad panic attacks on occasion but he had used the tactics Grace had taught him to try and stop them from escalating too far. He was regaining control.

The amount of love and trust he felt for his wife was overwhelming, so much so that sometimes he expected himself to wake up in SHIELD's dormitory at 6am for the daily drills, after a vivid dream about the barista he had met the day before.
Clint was finally starting to accept himself and his past, all because Grace was his future.

•••

I pulled up to the house a few hours later, leaving the library so I could get home in time to help put the kids in bed. I quietly let myself back into the house, the faint sound of Clint reading a story drifting down the stairs. I smiled, placing down my bag carefully as I made my way into the living room to wait for Clint.
"You're home" he grinned as his feet reached the bottom of the staircase, "How was the library?"
He sat next to me, and I turned my body to face him.
"Quiet" I laughed, reaching over to cup the side of his face, stroking it slightly with the side of my thumb. Clint smiled lovingly, staring into my eyes.
"It's our anniversary today" he said pointedly
"So it is"
He took the hand that was cupping his face, intertwining our hands.
"Follow me" he winked.

Pulling me along, he walked outside, my eyes widening when I saw the scene in front of me.
"Clint it's gorgeous" I gasped, a massive smile spreading across my face. Clint pecked my lips, before leading me over to the blanket, sitting down and pulling me on top of him.
Producing a champagne bottle from the hamper, he popped it open and swiftly poured the liquid into the flutes.
"Cheers to us"
"Cheers to us" I repeated with a grin.

The stars were sparkling in the sky, winking at us through the blanket of dark as the farm ambience played around us softly. My head was now laid in Clint's lap, eating the strawberries that he fed me.
"I actually have a surprise for you" I smiled, moving so I was across from him, reaching my hands up to cup his ears, "may I?"
Clint nodded slowly, giving me a weird look. I just winked as I removed his hearing aids, placing them on his lap.
'I learnt sign language for you' I signed, giggling as a large grin spread across Clint's face.
'Seriously?'
Clint was signing slowly so I could understand him, which I was grateful for.
'Yeah'
'For how long?'
'Since Lila turned 2'
'Why?'
'It's an important part of you, so I should acknowledge that. Also you kind of look hot when you sign'
'Dork'
'You love it'
'You love me'
'True'
The smile Clint gave me was one of pure happiness, his eyes glinting.
'Now we can have secret conversations in front of Fury and drive him mad'
Clint sniggered, before moving to put his hearing aids back in.
"Thank you" he smiled, cupping the back of my neck and pulling me into a kiss. I nibbled cheekily at his bottom lip, making a growl emanate from his throat.
"Don't tease me"
"Who said anything about teasing?" I smirked
"Wrong answer"

•••

"Ouch"
"I told you not to tease me"
"Jesus Clint" I grunted as I tried to stand up "it's sore as a motherfucker holy shit"
"I didn't hurt you too badly did I?" He asked, a hint of worry in his voice
"Nope, just enough to make me walk funny"
Clint smirked proudly, pressing kisses along the back of my shoulder and up my neck.
"Fuck you"
"You just did"
"I swear to god Barton-"
"You were swearing to me a few minutes ago"
"Cheeky fucker" I growled, slapping his shoulder playfully, before reaching for some more champagne, "but very true"