Duyên || Clint Barton

017 || mayo on a hotdog

A/N: it's here. I counted the comments on the 'part three' chapter ... here we go

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"Morning" I smiled happily, kissing Clint on the cheek as he walked in to the kitchen, Lila, Cooper and Nathanael already sat up eating their breakfast.
"Morning to you too" he winked, reaching in to the fruit bowl and picking up an apple before turning to the kids, "you still up for that lesson today Lila?"
"Yep! I think it's only fair" she grinned, taking another bite of toast, "You and mum and do it, so why shouldn't I?"
"Now - when I said I could do archery, it was meant very loosely"
Clint scoffed, "loosely? You hit the bullseye once and then gave up"
I just rolled my eyes playfully at him, sticking my tongue out, "all I'm saying is I'm sure you'll do a lot better than me Lila"
"Thanks" she grinned.
"How about you cooper? You wanna try?" Clint asked, walking up to the boy and ruffling his hair.
"I'm good dad - Nate and I were going to play catch" Cooper mumbled, mouth full of cereal as he patted his younger brother on the back. He was now 5, two years passing since we had left the safety of Wakanda. Wanda and Vision were with Pietro, hiding somewhere in the UK but we hadn't heard from them for a few months now. We seemed to be getting radio silence from everyone, Natasha included for the past few weeks.

•••

I glanced over at Clint and Lila who were practicing archery. She had yet to hit the bullseye, but to be fair she was already doing a million times better than me. I blamed genetics; Clint had this ridiculously enhanced vision that meant he could hit targets even if he wasn't looking at them, and after Lila's blooming school career in basketball (she's never missed a basket) I had a feeling she must have inherited it.
"Hey mum! Look at this!" Cooper yelled, throwing the ball back to Nathanael who caught it easily.
"Well done!" I shouted back, clapping as he threw the ball back at Cooper, "good job buddy"
Turning back to the food, I assembled the hotdogs, lifting my head to shout.
"Hey, you guys want mayo or mustard or both?"
"2 mustards please! Thanks mama" Clint shouted back, his term of endearment making me chuckle as I squirted the sauce on the hotdog.
"How about you Nate? Mayo or mustard?"
"How about ketchup?"
"I can do ketchup. I've got ketchup too"
Knowing that Cooper didn't like sauce, I added the ketchup to Nathanael's plate.
"Okay guys, enough practice! Foods up!"
"Okay" Clint chuckled, "we're coming. We're hungry - Lila?"
The ball that Cooper was throwing hit my foot, and I chuckled as I leant down to pick it up, "you just missed it bud"
As I stood back up to give it back, I was met with a screen of black dust.
"Hey babe!"
My knees went weak as I collapsed against the picnic bench, my mind racing a million miles a minute.
"Babe? Babe!"
I could hear Clint getting nearer but I was frozen, staring at the spot the kids had just been standing.
"Boys!" Clint shouted, whistling, "Boys?"
The running came to a halt behind me, Clint's thick arms wrapping tightly around my shoulders with a thankful sigh.
"Grace where did the kids go?"
"Clint I don't know what's happening"
"Where did they go?"
"They were right there!" I exclaimed, tears quickly gathering in my eyes, pointing to where I had dropped the ball, "I looked away for a second and they were just gone!"
"They can't just disappear-"
A sob escaped my lips as I fell to my knees, Clint's arm still wrapped around me protectively. I clutched to his arm, scared that he was going to vanish too.
"What the fuck is happening!" I wept, my mind racing with possible explanations.
"I don't know. I don't know" Clint repeated, his eyes darting around the backyard wildly as he pulled me even closer, "I don't know"

We wouldn't find out until later that evening, once Clint coaxed me back inside the house, that a mad Titan had erased 50% of the universe, our kids just a few in billions who had been taken. The news report went on to explain the Avengers had been involved in the fight, my muscles immediately tending in anger.
"Why didn't they call us?" Clint shouted angrily, voicing my opinion perfectly.

•••

A/N: the vote ended up being 6 for dusted and 12 for not dusted. Thanks everyone for contributing ❤️

For those of you who wanted the dusted choice I've written quite a long chapter on my tumblr (clintbartonswife) called 'dusted' that you can check out. I'd be open to doing some more if y'all like it. Thanks @siennadc2005 for asking for it 🥰