Watching you stumble into comic knowledge is my absolute favorite thing. Like, comics are batshit in general, even if you read them and keep up with the lore, but I can't even imagine how fuckin mind boggling it must be to learn this shit second hand 😂
I Am Heavily Medicated and Sleep Deprived. I Am Ascending from this Utter Mind Bull Fuckery.
*Inspired by that silly Las Vegas travel ad where the woman keeps asking the other one to marry her.*
"Let's get married," Clint said calmly with a sly smirk on his face as he slipped his jeans back on.
"What the fuck Clint?! You can't just ask that question after we just spend the last 45 minutes defiling Tony's bedroom." I glared at him wide-eyed. "That's not a funny joke either," I chided as I hooked my bra and tugged my t-shirt on.
"I wasn't joking, I'm serious. Let's get married. We've been together for five years now, don't you think it's time?" He walked behind me wrapping his hands around my waist, kissing my neck.
"Dude, we just had sex, scratched another thing off your 'Things to Piss Off Tony' list and you think this is the right time to ask?! You're such a dork." I turned around snaking my fingers through that luscious bedhead hair of his. His lips parted and he groaned when I tugged his hair, my lips crashing to his. He was smiling, slightly laughing into the kiss.
"Keep this up and I'll drag you to the cockpit and freak out the pilots."
"Come on loverboy before anyone figures out what we just did," looking into those steely eyes made it hard to contain myself. I just shook my head and smirked.
We adjusted our clothes the best we could and walked back to join the rest of the team in Tony's private jet. Everyone else (Nat, Pietro, Bruce, Wanda, Vision, Steve, Bucky, Rhodey, Sam, Thor, Loki, and Tony) sat around a lounge area drinking and chatting away until Sam looked our way and started laughing causing everyone else to look at us. Clint and I tried to look as innocent as possible but that just didn't work with us...ever. We were the two worst troublemakers and notorious for our antics. Clint squinted his eyes staring at the rest of the team laughing, but couldn't quite figure out what they were laughing at, he'd thought we looked just the same as when we disappeared but nope. My eyes glanced over Clint and I saw it, Clint's shirt was poking through the zipper on his jeans. I nudged his shoulder and pointed downward, he looked down and groaned before turning around and fixing it.
"Oh for crying out loud, were the rabbits at it again?" Natasha smirked holding back a laugh.
"For fucks sakes, you guys are worse than teenagers. Let me guess, newly minted members to the Mile High Club?" Tony was snickering rolling his eyes at us.
"No," Clint said as he turned around giving his infamous resting bitch face, "that was actually our fourth date...in the Quinn jet." I slapped my palm on my face, my cheeks flushed red.
"Oh my god, you make me sound like a hoe," I rolled my eyes playfully shoving him in the chest before I turned to grab a bottle of water from the bar.
"Far from it Darlin', we'd already been friends for three years at that point so if anything," he slapped my ass as he brushed passed me grabbing a beer, "you are a prude."
"So for curiosities sake where were you two exactly?" Tony's eyes now squinting at us.
"The kitchen." I smiled innocently.
"The bathroom," Clint smirked that shit-eating grin of his at Tony.
"Did you...did you just fuck on my bed!?" Tony's eyes went wide as he sat up straight choking on his bourbon.
Clint and I looked at each other evil smiles crossing our faces, I pursed my lips just a little giving Clint a wink. I leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"Round two?" I nipped his ear lobe making him shake in a full-body shiver. He closed his eyes listening to the sultry sound of my voice in those two simple words. When they opened, there was a fire in those eyes, he lifted me over his shoulder and smacked my ass making me laugh. Those strong arms and calloused fingers held on me tightly as he walked back down the hallway we came from. He made me feel loved and I made him feel young.
"Oh come on, seriously!" Tony groaned, "If I have to power wash that room I'm sending you the bill!"
"The fact that they still act like that after five years in a relationship together day in and day out is actually kind of amazing," Rhodey was all smiling. "You think she knows?"
"If she did, she probably wouldn't have gone back in there with him," Sam chuckled.
"I for one think it's pretty sweet what's he's doing. It's romantic and sweet. Three years as friends and five more in a relationship and he still looks at her like that, like she's the only woman in the Universe," Wanda's voice was dreamlike as she curled up into Vision's lap wrapping her arms around him.
"I know and I can't believe the idea for this trip... came from Clint!? You look at him and this... that's the last thing you'd expect from him," Steve smiled.
He was kind of jealous of Clint and me, somehow we'd become something like a beacon to the others. Proof that something good can come out of all the chaos of our lives. We rarely fought and when we did we refused to raise our voices at each other, we'd both had shitty childhoods with crappy parents who screamed and yelled. Instead, we tried to joke and keep things civil and as calm as possible, our work was serious enough, our romantic life didn't need to be that way as well. We took the old adage of 'never go to bed angry' serious, in our line of work you never knew if the next mission was the last one, so we tried to make everyday count.
It was always about the little things with us, the simple act of making coffee for the other or warming up the shower, making sure there was enough bandages for Clint, or him stocking up on my favorite candy. Filling his quiver with arrows, him sharpening my blades. We never left home without kissing each other goodbye, said I love you every time we left or when we came back. At first, the team found it sickeningly annoying, the kissing, the hugging, the 'I love you's' until the day we'd gotten separated on a mission. Clint was beside himself, no one had ever seen his so distraught. I'd gotten tossed into a river during a fight and hit my head, I was knocked out and floating down the river. They searched all over and couldn't find me for hours.
"That can't be the last kiss, Nat I have to find her," his voice cracked as he spoke. "I love you means I'll protect you, that I'll always find you." He mumbled to himself, the team heard him through the coms. He trudged along the river bank with Nat while Tony flew overhead in his suit and Steve flew the jet in sweeping circles around the area.
"We'll find her Clint, you really do love her don't you? I mean you two have only been together a couple of months." Natasha tried to make her voice only loud enough for Clint to hear but those coms picked it up making the hearts of the others break at the thought of losing me.
"I love her Nat, don't you understand? I love her more than life itself, more than this stupid bow, more than coffee. She's my everything, she's had my heart since the first day she said hello after Coulson introduced us." Nat looked at Clint surprised.
"I didn't know you had it this bad for that long."
"She's the one, the only one, the forever Nat. I'd give up everything and retire if she wanted to." His voice was strained with worry, his eyes scanning the river when she saw my bright purple nail polish glinting in the water rushing to pull me out.
Wanda called us a Power Couple, the ones to look up to, root for, the ones you wished the best for because our happiness wore off on the rest of them. Even if it was 4 o'clock in the morning and we were dragging ass getting back from an awful mission, Clint and I could still find some small joy in something, a reason to smile instead of hiding away from the world. We'd step foot off the jet, he'd spin me around humming a song and smile looking at me, the longer he looked the more he forgot about the mission and all that went wrong. So here we were flying off to Las Vegas in Tony's private jet because the team needed a morale boost.
We all walked off the jet into the blazing Nevada sun headed towards a limo, Clint right behind me whispering random dirty thoughts in my ear making me laugh hysterically. He grabbed my wrist, spun me around pulling me into his chest. He started humming a song (Only You by Parson James), his hands slipped down to my waist dancing with me in the middle of the tarmac. The way his eyes watched me, the feel of his fingertips grazing my bare skin, all the emotion he could convey with a twitch of those lips of his. I couldn't help myself, I rested my head against his shoulder, my arms around his back, I held on tight not wanting this to stop. I adored the little moments like this.
"If you two are done with the ...whatever this is could we get moving along." Tony moaned annoyed. "I've got money burning a hole in my wallet and the casino is screaming my name."
The hotel was stereotypical Tony Stark, opulent and over the top. We all checked into our rooms getting ready for some fun. The boys were going to gamble for a little bit before dinner, Wanda, Nat and I were going to check out the Strip and maybe do a little shopping. We all met down in the lobby before going out separate ways. Clint held tight onto my hand, fingers laced in mine. He lifted my arm above my head and spun me around getting a good look at me.
"You are absolutely fucking gorgeous, you're glowing," he kept spinning me in circles watching me smile. "How in the hell did I get so lucky?"
"I could say the same thing, I think I got the better end of this deal though," I smirked, playfully slapping his ass.
"How so?" He tilted his head to the side, eyes squinted in curiosity. The rest of the gang milling about smiling watching us.
"Because just when I think you can't get any more handsome, I wake up being proven wrong." I leaned into him kissing him modestly. Those warm soft lips of his smiling into the kiss. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to spend an asinine amount of Tony's money with the rest of the girls." I laughed looking at Tony who just shook his head smirking. "I love you Clint, behave."
"Love you too Darlin'. Remember, purple brings out your eyes, just sayin'," he called out as Wanda, Nat and I walked out of the casino doors.
***************************************
The girls and I grabbed some coffee and people watching, just enjoying some semi quite time away from the clatter of the Men and their constant testosterone levels. Wanda talked us into going Zip lining above Vegas, it was crazy fun, even Natasha smiled like a little kid gliding high in the air above the crowds below with her arms out like she was flying. We were about to head into a lingerie shop (surprisingly again Wanda's idea) when my phone rang. I'd only been away from Clint for a little over two hours and he was already calling. Nat and Wanda just smiled giggling knowing who it was before I even looked at my phone.
"Let me guess, I need to come bail you out?" I laughed because it wouldn't be the first time nor probably the last that I'd ever have to do that.
"Nope, I'm being good I swear, scouts honor," he chuckled. I could hear the guys making kissy noises behind him. "I just...I love you."
"Awe, I love you, now what did you do? I know that tone." I rolled my eyes at the girls making them laugh even harder.
"What? Oh, ye of little faith Y/n. No seriously. I wanted to ask you something." He sounded like he was up to something, I knew that tone. It was the same damn tone he used when he was describing ways to prank and torture Tony for calling him Bird Brain one too many times.
"Mhm, shoot."
"Let's get married," I could hear the smirk in his voice, the cockiness.
"Seriously?! You're asking me to marry you over the phone? No, I will not accept that." My mouth gaped opened as I looked at Nat and Wanda, mouthing 'what the hell'.
"Why not?" That gravely deep voice of his was suave even over the phone.
"Because I will not accept a proposal over the phone. You know I don't really do chick flick moments, but asking me to marry you is the only time I'd hope you'd do something the normal way, Clint." Sometimes that man could just be annoyingly adorable.
"Got it, my woman would like slightly normal. Love you, gotta go, buh bye." He laughed and hung up.
"Wait, I said normal. Damn it." I looked at Nat and Wanda scanning their faces for answers. "Do either of you know why he's being so weird, I mean even weirder than usual?"
"Blame it on the alcohol, I don't know. You know he loves you, don't you ever think about marriage?" Nat giggled, slinging an arm around me as we walked into the lingerie shop.
"I do actually, who wouldn't want to marry Clint. We've talked about it a few times over the years, things just always come up. There's no rush, it'll happen when it happens I guess."
We wandered around in the store picking out things we knew Vision, Bruce and Clint would like. I spent way too much money, felt like such a shame considering he'd literally rip a lot of this off me. Wanda, Nat and I returned to the hotel to drop off our shopping spoils and get changed for dinner.
We were supposed to meet the guys in the lobby to head out to eat, but when I got down there, no one was in sight except Clint. His eyes lit up, the way they crinkled on the sides, that wide toothy grin of his when the elevator doors open gave me the same butterflies in my stomach feeling as the first time we'd met over 8 years ago. I could feel the heat as my cheeks flushed walking towards him. He always had a way of making me feel like he and I were the only two people on Earth. I loved the way he smiled at me, his hands up, reaching out for mine.
"How was your day sweetheart?" He laced his fingers in mine as we walked around the lobby.
"Why are you wearing a suit?" I squinted my eyes suspiciously, then looking down at myself, finding myself totally under-dressed compared to him.
"You know Tony, fancy shit requiring a jacket and tie." He noticed my hesitation. "You look fantastic, don't worry." His fingers grazed my cheek lovingly, those steely blue eyes of his flashing utter devotion as he leaned in and kissed my lips softly. "So, your Girly day out, what'd you do?"
"We went Zip lining, drank some overpriced watered down coffees, bought some expensive chocolates which I will gladly share and spent an asinine amount of money on things you're just going to ruin as usual." I leaned in closer to him resting my head on his shoulder as we walked.
"Sounds like fun," he laughed, "you'll have to model some of that stuff then, tell me which ones you like and I'll do my best not ruin it, no promises though, it's a shame to keep everything covered up." The laugh erupted from his chest, his eyes darting around us in a strange nervous manner.
We walked around through the hotel in search of the restaurant we were supposed to have dinner in when we passed banquet hall doors set up for a wedding. Giant vases of white flowers on either side of the slightly ajar doors.
"It's a wedding, let's check it out," Clint had a childish tone to his voice as he looked at me.
"We can't." I stared at him bewildered, I pulled away from him shaking my head no.
"Why not, no one will notice. Let's just go peek." He grabbed ahold of my hand and gently tugged me into the doors, and shut them behind him.
There were no lights on in the long hallway but candles on each side of the floor lighting the way, the hallway ended and doors leading outside were open showing a beautifully lit courtyard. We could hear whispered chatter and saw the backs of dozens of people sitting in the chairs that were set up on either side of the aisle leading to a small alter. I tried to pull him back towards the entrance but he just shook his head and smiled, putting his fingers to his lips motioning me to be quiet. The inky night sky was a beautiful backdrop compared to the candlelit garden below. It was surprisingly romantic, whoever had set this up for their wedding made simple look extravagant.
We took a few steps into the courtyard and soft piano music started playing. I was hesitant to even stand there, what if the people in the seats turned around expecting to see a bride saw us. This was a bit more trouble than I was willing to get into, but the venue was breathtaking. Clint let go of my hand, he was smiling watching me take in the sight before me. Every single-seated person stood and turned around staring at us. At first, I was ready to bolt back down the hallway, until I noticed a smiling Natasha. Every Avenger was there smiling, Fury, Hill, Stephan Strange, even Clint's brother Barney was there. Tony had the biggest smile on his face like the proud big brother he'd become to me. I couldn't help my cover my face in shock, Natasha pointed her finger and I followed her gaze. My eyes landed on Clint down on one knee next to me with the cockiest smirk I'd ever seen on his face holding out a ring.
"Marry me Y/n," he reached out for my hand, hesitating to put the ring on my finger, slight fear flashed in his eyes when I didn't answer.
"You want to get married... like right now?!" My eyes wide, I bit my bottom lip trying to keep the giddy scream from creeping out.
"You wanted normal and this is about as normal as I get. Why not skip the planning and torment and just do it now. Everyone's here ...and still waiting for you to answer me," he chuckled.
"Hell yeah!" The words rushed out of my mouth, he lept up crushing me in a hug, gliding the ring on my finger.
"Come on," he whispered pulling me down the aisle. Everyone clapping and cheering as we walked towards the alter.
Coulson stepped out from behind a pillar smiling walking towards the alter taking out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket. Clint and I stopped in front of him, Clint held both of my hands in his, his cheeks a little flushed, a confident grin on his face.
"When Barton told me his plans for all of this, I couldn't help but feel slightly responsible. If it wasn't for me sticking my neck out for two similar people at different times in their lives, I never would have had the privilege of introducing them later. They were both chaotic and troublesome, minds of their own, highly stubborn and sometimes mouthy," Our friends laughed and chuckled listening to Coulson, "but the second these two said hello, everything changed. Barton suddenly mellowed, thought more before he charged in in dangerous situations, Y/n thought more of the whole instead of just herself.
“Too many times to count, these two put themselves in the line of danger to protect the other. They grew up in a way, suddenly the world that had kept them down didn't seem so terrible. They became a light in the darkness for each other, a grounding focal point when things felt as if they were falling apart. The love that they've shown each other since that day they said hello has never ceased to amaze me and I'm proud to be standing in front of these two wonderful people officiating for them. Now I know you had no idea about this Y/n, but Clint has a few things he'd like to say." The tears were already silently streaming down my cheeks as I looked into his eyes.
"I never realized how empty I'd been until that day, that first day seeing you next to Coulson." His gravely deep voice momentarily cracked, he coughed and smiled before continuing. "There you stood smiling with the kindest eyes I'd ever seen, when you laughed it was music. We wandered around the rest of the day and it felt as if we'd know each other for ages, I never wanted it to end. Every day after that you'd greet me with a smile and a laugh, it became the sole reason I'd wake up in the morning. All the times you swooped in and stitched me up without question. You're my best friend, the love of my life and I want to spend forever trying to make you feel as you've made me feel all these years. I love you, now and forever."
There were a few sniffles in the crowd, I could hear Wanda crying. My eyes scanned out at everyone, smiling, my eyes landed back on Clint. My lip was quivering after hearing him confess his heart, I knew that was an extremely hard thing for him to do and probably the grandest gesture he'd ever done besides this surprise wedding.
"Is there anything you'd like to say Y/n?" Coulson smile was as warm and fatherly as it had always been, I wiped the tears from my eyes and nodded, gazing back at Clint.
"At first I saw you, standing there all stoic and brooding even with your back turned to Coulson and me, but when you turned at I saw that face. My eyes saw you, but damned if my soul didn't feel you." Clint snickered shaking his head. "I was always told that you fall in love with the most unexpected people at the most unexpected times. Meeting you was the most incredible thing that'd ever happened to me. To meet someone who could respond to my sarcasm with sarcasm without getting offended like a little bitch was a breath of fresh air, I couldn't even wait to hear what was going to come out of your mouth next. I remember the first fight we'd ever had, in fact, it was how we got together." Clint threw his head back laughing, no one had ever heard how we'd gotten together, they all just woke up one morning and there I was curled up in his lap at the kitchen table drinking my morning coffee my arm around his neck as he ran his fingers up and down my arm. They all just accepted the odd scene with no questions asked.
"We'd gotten back from a rough mission, we'd gone our separate ways to shower. Later I knocked on your door not wanting to be alone, you pulled me inside and we sat on your bed zoning out to sounds of the tv. I reached out and held your hand, but you tried pulling it away for some dumbass reason, I got mad and quasi yelled at you for the first and only time ever. 'I just want to hold your stupid fucking hand, kiss your stupid face, lean my head against your stupid shoulder and cuddle up with you under this stupid fucking blanket and have stupid conversations with you because I'm mad and tired and you're so fucking stupidly cute, I love your stupid face.' You sat there stonefaced staring in my eyes listening to me ramble out my feelings in the most aggressive way possible. You just smirked that cocky grin of yours, pulling me into your side as we fell back on the bed. You pulled a blanket around us, your fingers laced into mine, you kissed the top of my head and called me an idiot before we both lost it laughing. I still love your stupid fucking face." I flashed him a sly smile, "and I won't ever stop."
"Well then, that sounds just like you two, I now pronounce you husband and wife, kiss your bride Barton." Coulson chuckled smiling at the two lost souls he'd saved.
Clint spun me around swiftly making me laugh, dipping me low before pulling me in close to his chest. Those gorgeous blue eyes staring intently into mine, he brushed a loose strand of hair out of my face, leaning in staring at my mouth. He smiled, his hands gliding up my back, fingers tickling the back of my neck just below my hairline making me squirm in his arms. I giggled pulling on his tie pulling his lips into mine. I could never get tired of kissing those lips of his, the warmth and tenderness never ceased to amaze me. All our friends smiling, crying and clapping watching our future begin. He held me tight smiling at all our friends.
"I can't believe you did this," my laughter filled his ears making his grin widen.
"Pretty damned good surprise huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows in competitive triumph. I leaned in close, my lips grazing his ear.
"Guess it's time to let in you on my own surprise... Daddy." I whispered, watching him with a sly smile on my face as it slowly sunk in. His eyes shifted between mine and downward, he let go of my hand taking a step backward, his eyes widen, and just when I thought that smile of his couldn't get any bigger it did.
"FUCK YEAH!" He bellowed it was so unexpected that no one in the seats was prepared. They stopped clapping and stared confused as Clint suddenly dropped to his knees placing his hands on my stomach placing a gentle kiss before looking up at me grinning. "Are you serious?" I just stood there smiling rustling my fingers through his hair. There was a giddy scream from the seats from Natasha.
"I call Godmother," she screamed out happily as she ran up to hug us both. Clint stood up and looked toward Coulson and then to me, I just grinned and shook my head.
"Sir, I think I speak for the both of us when I ask if you'd be the Godfather, this is all because of you after all." We both looked to Phil Coulson as the father figure we wished we'd had as kids. He looked out for us when the chips were down bringing us into an organization for a second chance.
Coulson tilted his head in the way he always did when he was thinking, his eyes scrunched up as he looked passed us at all the Superheroes behind us. His eyes shifted back and forth between us confused.
"The world has enough Superheroes, what it really needs is more people like you Phil," I reached out my hand placing it on his shoulder. "There's no place safer than where you are, besides you're just as snarky as we are, Sir." He shook his head in agreeance, afraid to speak and lose his calm demeanor.
Clint pulled me in for another kiss, excited for all the things to come.
