Duyên || Clint Barton

001 || serenity

•••

"It's so big!" Lila giggled, running through the halls with her arms outstretched like a plane, "it's like a palace"
"If you think this is big you should see the actual palace with me one day" Shuri grinned, obviously happy with the girl's reaction 
"No. Way." Lila deadpanned, halting to a stop, "Mum you gotta let me go"
"Well, duh"
"Awesome!"
My attention was ripped away to Cooper and Pietro (who had already started to raid the fridge) as they made a large bang.
"Sorry!" Cooper squeaked, shoving the item back into the fridge and pointing at his brother, "it was him"
"Was not!" Pietro replied indignantly, "you shoved me into it - Wanda tell him!"
"I saw nothing" she grinned, happy to let the conflict continue.
"That's cold"

A tap on my shoulder pulled me back to my original conversation with Clint and Sam.
"Yeah?"
"I was saying that we should be careful around Bucky at first - I don't know how comfortable he'll be with this many of us in the house - especially the kids" Sam explained, his voice low, "he's only just fully coming out of his programming and I don't think he trusts himself"
I nodded understandingly, "we'll try and keep them out of the way as much as we can. Shuri said they could go to one of the more private schools whilst we're staying here so Cooper and Lila would be fine throughout most of the day"
"Sounds like a plan" Clint agreed, wrapping his arm around my waist subconsciously, "he seemed like a sound guy when I met him, I'm sure he'll get used to them"
"I'll take your word for it"

•••

Clint looked me up and down as I clambered on to the seat next to him, the sky a gorgeous colour of orange which cast a warm hue over the Wakandan landscape.
"Looking very sexy today if I do say so myself" he winked, lifting his arm up so I could curl into his side, placing his arm back over my body as I got comfortable.
"You say that like I haven't just spent an hour trying to get the kids to sleep" I replied sarcastically, "i look like a mess"
"A hot mess" he teased, his thumb caressing the bare skin of my thigh.
"Well, you don't look to bad yourself" I replied, snuggling further into his side.
A comfortable silence passed, only interrupted by the porch door opening behind us.

"Hey lovebirds" Sam grinned, throwing himself on one of the seats.
"Sup birdbrain" I replied, lifting my head slightly so I could see him.
He scoffed at the nickname, "I don't think you can use that considering who you're married to"
"at least I'm married" Clint retorted, raising his eyebrow, "how's your love life going?"
"Okay, okay, fair play" he laughed, raising his hands in surrender, "I'll bite"
"So there is someone?" I asked, suddenly much more interested in the conversation.
"Who knows, we've only been here a few hours and it's a whole country full of hot chicks"
I quietly snorted at the bird reference, though it seemed to fly over the other's heads.
"Aww Sammy thinks he has a chance with attractive people" Clint cooed, making me snigger at Sam's unimpressed expression as he figuratively flipped the birdie.
"I'll have you know I do, I once dated a girl back in high school that looked like a young Beyoncé"
"Sure ya did"
"Fuck up Clint"
The conversation was cut off by the door opening again.
"Hey is it okay if we sit out here too?" Steve asked, Bucky and Marzia following closely behind.
"Yeah sure" I smiled, moving my legs over Clint's lap to make more room for the new arrivals on the outdoor sofa, "we were just teasing Sam over his love life and he was lying through his teeth about a girl he dated"
"I'm not lying! She really looked like Beyoncé"
"I'm guessing that relationship just wasn't in your destiny, child" Steve said nonchalantly, a growing smirk appearing on his face.
"Did you just - Grace did he just -" Clint stammered, shaking my arm. 
"Something's wrong. What timeline are we in?" Sam gasped, clutching his chest. All the while Bucky was whispering to Marzia, a really confused look on his face.
"I guess she just wasn't meant to be your Feyoncé" I fired back, looking directly at Steve, a matching smirk on my face.
"True - he should've put a ring on it"
"What is happening" Sam shouted, looking between the two of us.
"Who are you" Clint asked, copying Sam's head movements.