istillbelieveinheroes | Problems: From Rookies to Babies.

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Problems: From Rookies to Babies.

They were on a mission in Canada. Nothing too bad about this one it seemed. Or so it was meant to be pretty easy. There was word of a device being set up there by some unknown group, that was putting off strange readings. For one, they had no intil on the group, for another they had no idea what kind of device. Both things they needed to know about. Why? Because it’s SHIELD and they need to know everything.

It wasn’t top priority however. A training mission, really. Scout and Scoot as Coulson would call it. Since the events in New York, (and, you know, living and all) Fury had been placing him on smaller training missions, when he wasn’t keeping an eye on the Avengers. He had been officially moved to the ‘Ambassador to the Avengers’ as Sitwell laughed.

The point being? This was a simple training mission that won't stay so simple. Because of the need for eyes from a distance, Clint was pulled along as well, which suited Coulson fine, really, and it might have suited Barton fine as well.

But as I said, the mission was simple that didn’t stay simple. One of their rookie Agents got himself into a spot of trouble, captured by a dart to the neck and dragged inside. Another Agent followed him in, tracking. Phil knew she was a good tracker, but he didn’t like the next problem that followed.

Communications ceased to function once the Agent’s stepped inside the small base set inside the hill side. Great.

“Barton. Lost Meyers. Lost Hutchinson. Do you have eyes on Jackson?” Their third rookie who was with them.

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He raised a brow at the laughing, though he did love the sound. He tried to ignore the fact that he wanted to watch the mans face as he did so. Instead he focused on the baby. "Oh? I always thought you and her had something going."

There was odd relief there but also an odd feeling he couldn't place. "Guess I don't know my specialists as well as I should."

"Well, you know...we hooked up once or twice a while back, but it was never going to be anything serious."

He looked over at Coulson for a moment. "She's not who I'm interested in."

Hooked up. Well, he couldn't blame her. Or them really. Couldn't blame him either. Still... he didn't react to that, just watched the kid who looked angry again until he gave a finger back in return.

"So you do have someone who holds your interest."

Clint smiles faintly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, maybe."

He smiled, catching the sight of the neck rub. It amused him, somewhat, to think that Clint had a crush on someone. He wasn't sure who, if not Natasha, but he didn't keep an eye on the man 24/7. "And you haven't said anything to them yet?"

"I don't wanna ruin anything," Clint said after a moment's hesitation, his gaze coolly on the road ahead.

"How do you know it will ruin anything?" His thoughts are only half here, or else he wouldn't be having this conversation. Though he's not pieced it together either, half distracted with watching the baby in the back sleep as the man drives.

"I don't. But there's a possibility. And it's...too important to me to risk," Clint said quietly, frowning a little. He isn't sure why he's letting this conversation go on, really, but he does.

Too important. And it's not Natasha? He couldn't help the fact that he was staring at the man now, just watching him. Someone was too important to Clint to risk? He didn't want to flatter himself, because maybe it was just wishful thinking, but he was pretty sure the people Clint listed as important was small, and he thought... perhaps he was on that list.

After a moment he realized he was staring and looked back at the kid. "So you'll never say anything to them?"

It took every ounce of his self-control not to look back at Phil as the man stared at him, but as soon as he asked the question, Clint's gaze flicked over to him.

"I...don't know. Maybe if I thought there was a chance..."

He rested his head back on the car head rest, eyes flicked from Clint to the baby and back. He wasn't sure how to reply, not wanting to seem.... what? Like he thought he might be important to Clint? He sucked in on a lip a moment then said.

"Maybe you have a chance and you just don't know it. That there is a chance, I mean..."

Clint swallowed a little nervously. He didn't want to assume that Coulson was saying what it sounded like he was saying.

"Do you...think I might? Have a chance?"

Why ask him, unless he... ah, was on that list. His ears pinkened a bit, and he allowed himself a moment to think it really could be him that the man was talking about. Licking his lower lip a moment he thought about the problems he always thought about when convincing himself it was stupid to think of the man that way.

And yet he still managed to say. "I think you could have anything you wanted. Never knew you to shy away from a challenge." He said with a bit more of a smile.

Clint managed a wry smile. "It's not the challenge that scares me. It's..."

He thought for a moment how to say this, if he even should say it.

"If I lost...this person, the relationship we have now...I don't know what I'd do with myself. They..." he glanced over at Phil, "mean a lot to me."

That glance with those words. He couldn't help but pick that up. Maybe he was wrong, maybe not. He wasn't sure but he liked the feeling of... well, the thought.

"I've thought that as well, about some relationships. What if I say this or do that? It will ruin everything." He looked out ahead of them where Clint drove, trying to find the right words. "I end up regretting not... saying something, more then I think I would if I did say something."

Clint nodded slowly, taking that in. It didn't feel like this was the right time or place to say anything, but...

"It could be good," he said very quietly. "If it worked out? It could be...amazing."

No, not the best of time, but it did help distract his thoughts from other things. It made him smile as he said, softly. "Amazing. Amazing is always good." And after a pause he added, "I hope you get the chance to talk to him, or... or her. Who ever it might be. I hope it works out for you. I really do."

He sighed softly. That really sounded like Coulson had had someone else in mind all along, which made Clint rethink everything, then.

"I...hope so too. It's hard to know what would be a good opportunity to take..."

Master of misdirection, even when he doesn't mean to be. He watched the man, then the baby again as he said that. If they weren't driving at the moment. If they were still, maybe he would--No. That would be stupid, because he's still not sure if this is all one great huge understanding or...

"What's your gut tell you?"

"I don't know anymore. I thought I had it figured out there for a minute, but now I'm not so sure."

If they weren't driving, Clint would have taken that opportunity, but now...

He took a moment to let that sink in. Alright. Okay, he was pretty sure now.

"If... I said I don't... think it would ruin the relationship in anyway, would you feel better about it?"

Only now he's not going to look at Clint, just in case he's wrong.

Okay, if he weren't driving, Clint would be freaking out a little right now. As it was, his heart was beating a little too fast.

"I...yeah. It would help a lot."

This had been a very long day, a very tiring mission, and he had a baby in the back seat that only stayed calm if he was near. At the moment, all he wanted to do was stop and figure this out better. But...

He smiled as he heard the man. Looking out the forward window he said softly. With a bit more confidence. "I don't think it will ruin our working relationship."

Clint smiled a bit as well. "It wasn't our working relationship I was worried about," he said, then laughed in delayed surprise.

"You tell me this now, Coulson? In the middle of nowhere? While I'm driving?"

That made him chuckle, softly at first, grinning more. He was just going to take this for two very delayed, beat around the bush to get to it, confirmations that yes, they were talking about... well, them.

"Better here then not at all?" He offered with a light tone.

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