Story prompt: Clint and Bruce haven't figured out that they're dating, but everyone else knows.
Steve was at the bar when Bruce shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing the tired lines around his eyes. He made for the coffee pot and blinked in confusion when he saw the carafe was gone.
“I think Clint has it,” Steve said. He pointed with his pencil at where Clint was slumped over the table, coffee carafe half full and clutched in his hands.
Bruce nodded mutely, still blinking like he was barely staying awake.
Steve watched, smiling slightly, as Bruce shuffled the rest of the way to the table and gently nudged Clint. Although there were nine open chairs, Clint moved over so that Bruce could perch on the edge of his chair. They sat hip-to-hip, sharing the coffee carafe between them in companionable silence.
After a moment, Steve felt awkward watching, like he was intruding in their lives. It was such a private moment as their hands brushed over the black plastic of the carafe that Steve had to look away. He still couldn’t resist drawing it in his sketchbook–Bruce’s long fingers framed against Clint’s blunt ones, a snapshot of their relationship.
Natasha and Clint were practicing in Tony’s new parkour gym when Bruce wandered in, looking confused.
“…Did Tony remodel again?”
“He did it last night,” Clint said, sounding excited. He bounded off the wall and did a flip, landing next to Natasha with a little wobble. She smiled at him. “Isn’t it cool, Bruce?”
Bruce smiled faintly as well. “Yes, but I was hoping to do some yoga…I’ll just go to my room.”
Clint’s face fell, and so Natasha rushed to say, “You can still do your yoga. We’ll stay out of your way.”
“Oh, thank you.” Bruce looked nervous for a second, like he still wanted to pull away, but then he shored up and nodded. He picked a spot in the corner and drew his feet together and folded his hands in front of himself like he was praying. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before moving into the next pose.
Clint’s eyes were glued to Bruce as he shifted. Natasha smirked at him as he watched. She debated elbowing him and asking him to keep practicing with her, but decided against it. She went back to the parkour herself and let Clint stand at the edge of the gym, carefully spotting Bruce as he moved through his routine.
“On your six,” Clint said into Sam’s communicator.
“God it,” Sam acknowledged. He banked sharply left and the AIMbot couldn’t compensate. It shattered against a building. “Thanks, Hawkeye.”
“No problem. Birdbrains gotta stick together.” His awkward laugh trickled in through the comm.
Sam rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. He scanned the terrain, pleased at how few AIMbots were left. He started to suggest they begin cleanup when the still-open comm sparked to life again.
Sam whipped to the right and headed for Clint, he was about to ask if Clint was all right but then–
Sam relaxed in mid air and drew up sharply, hovering. It was only Hulk, and everyone knew Hulk would never hurt Clint. Over the comm, Clint laughed again. This time it was softer, a gentle chuckle.
“Easy there. I’m not hurt, see?” There was the sound of snuffling and Hulk made a disbelieving sound. “No, it’s true. Hey! I need that. The uniform stays on.”
Blushing, Sam switched his comm to a different channel. He shook his head and flew towards the rendezvous. He’d never understand their relationship, but as long as they were happy he was happy for them.
“Bruuuuce,” Tony whined, flopping on the lab bench and pouting at his science bro. “How come we never hang out anymore?”
Bruce looked at him over the rims of his glasses. “What are you talking about? We’ve spent the last forty-eight hours in the lab together.”
“Yeah we do lab stuff, but we never hang out. When’s the last time we went joy riding? Suit or car, I don’t care, I just need joy rides in my life. I don’t say this often but there’s more to life than science and, okay, maybe Pepper’s been getting on my case about getting outside and into the sun more, but still. The point stands that ninety-nine percent of our interaction involves throwing equations at each other and shouting Eureka!”
“Seventy-five percent at max,” Bruce countered, but he was already looking in his microscope again.
Tony opened his mouth to complain some more, but he was interrupted as Clint strolled in. He pulled his bow and quiver off his shoulder and set it down in front of Bruce.
“Hey,” Clint said, shifting a little awkwardly.
“Um, hi,” Bruce said back, ducking his head and blushing.
Tony watched, fascinated.
“I’ve got some new bow specs for you to look at,” Clint said. He gazed at Bruce longingly.
“I’d be happy to look at y–look at them for you.” Bruce blushed deeper and reached for the bow. A little dance ensued where Bruce tried to take the bow without touching Clint too much. Tony assumed that if they did touch he’d have to leave, because he didn’t want to see them make out on his shop floor no matter how hot that would have been.
“Thanks.” Clint scrubbed a hand through his hair, grinning broadly. “For, um, looking at those for me.”
“Of course,” Bruce breathed. He looked up and that was a mistake, because their eyes locked and they didn’t seem able to look away from one another.
“So, uh,” Clint said breathlessly. “I’ll see you at lunch?”
“Yes. I have to teach you how to make curry.”
“I can’t wait.” Clint took a step back, then another. He still seemed to have difficulty looking away from Bruce.
Just as he started to turn, Tony piped up. “Hey, Clint.”
Clint looked startled. “Oh, hey Tony. How, how are you?”
Tony grinned. “Doing great.”
Clint gave him an awkward half wave and smiled at the once-again blushing Bruce before turning and leaving the lab.
“That’s it.” Tony snapped his fingers. “A double date.”
“With who?” Bruce asked. “You and Pepper are the only couple. Unless you count Thor and Jane, but she’s all the way in New Mexico and he’s in Asgard until next week.”
“Oh, Bruce,” Tony said with a sad sigh. “What am I going to do with you?”
Thor strolled over to where Clint and Bruce were standing ridiculously close to one another, each staring into the other’s eyes and exchanging silly little grins.
“My friends!” Thor exclaimed, clapping Clint on the back. He would have clapped Bruce on the back as well, but Bruce always seemed to react poorly to that sort of thing. “When is the ceremony?”
“Ceremony?” Bruce asked quietly. He gently rubbed Clint’s back where Thor had patted him and Clint leaned into the touch with a relaxed sigh.
“Yes, the ceremony,” Thor said. “For your nuptials?”
They both stared at him for a second, blinking. Then it washed over them in a wave. Bruce gaped and turned to Clint, who gaped back. Bruce didn’t drop his hand from Clint’s shoulder.
“Because we’ve been spending–”
“Is that why you were looking–”
They both paused, blinking. Then Clint broke into a huge grin. Bruce pulled himself into a prim and proper pose and smiled at Thor.
“If you’ll excuse us, Thor,” Bruce said. “I believe Clint and I have something to discuss.”
“Certainly,” Thor said, pretending to be confused although he wasn’t. “I await your return.”
“Actually, don’t wait up,” Clint said as he slid his hand into Bruce’s back pocket. “We may be talking for a while.”
Thor grinned to himself as they walked away. Finally, his friends had realized what the rest of them had known for so long.