Phil didn’t understand. Clint apparently wasn’t interested in threesome. Phil knew it from beginning, but Marcus wanted it so badly... And finally, Phil said yes. He constantly flirted with Clint and he knew that his boyfriend had nothing against it, that he liked it. He liked Agent Barton. Phil wasn’t surprised. He was still on the mission when he got a message from Nick to ask Clint for the meeting. All three of them – Phil, Marcus and Clint. Coulson was sure that Clint was into men, only thing he doubted if Clint want to be in relationship with two other men. And, obviously, he was right. So it was even more surprising when, after a week of avoiding and hiding, Clint appeared on Phil’s and Nick’s door, all wet, cold and sobbing. He had troubles with standing straight, was begging Phil to let him in and had his lip splited. Only when Phil heard Marcus’s voice, asking who visited them, Phil gently pulled Clint into the apartment. The younger man slide on the floor and curled into himself, crying quietly. Marcus came to the hall, when he heard the noise and quickly judged what happened. He came closer to Clint and gently led him to the bathroom. Clint scrabbled a little but after Nick reassured him that everything’s okay, he calmed down. Phil opened the door and went to make a tea. Marcus helped Clint with his clothes until the younger man was only in his boxers. Then he started to dry Clint with a towel and patch up his wound.
“Shhhh, everything is all right. I’ll bring you dry clothes, you’ll warm up and tell us what happened, okay?’
Clint just nodded his head. He wanted this to end.
Ten minutes later, they were sitting on the couch in the living room. Clint was tugged in warm blanket with a cup of hot tea in hands. Nick and Phil waited patiently for Clint to start talking, but none of them suspected that Clint will start to apologize.
“I’m really, really sorry. I-i didn’t want this to end like this. I just... I am. Damn, I shouldn’t have came here. I wanted to forget and this was stupid, I know. It was supposed to be just a diner, I’m an idiot if I think it won’t end like this... I’m stupid...”
“Clint, you’re not stupid, you’re not an idiot. Why are you thinking so low about yourself? Is... This about our proposition?”
“No... I mean, yes! But, I’m just...” One tear streamed down Clint’s cheek. It was too much for him.
“Clint, please. Tell us what happened. You scared us and we’re worried.”
“You’ll stop when I tell you...”
“I promise you that it will not happen.”
“...I’m asexual.”
“Oh, Clint. You thought that it bothers us?”
“Babe, we don’t care for it. We want you for you, not for sex.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Can we hug you? Is it okay?”
“Yes, but...” Phil and Marcus backed away immediately.
“What’s that, darling? What you’re not telling us?”
“Not today. Don’t touch me today, okay? I, I can’t. Please?”
“Of course. If you want to go sleep in our bedroom and we will sleep on the couch? Would it be right?”
“Yes.”
Few hours later, Nick and Phil woke up to the sound of Clint’s screams. Both men stood up and went to Clint, who was sobbing quietly in his sleep.
“Clint? Clint, babe, wake up. You’re safe.” The youngest man jumped up and curled up on the edge of the bed. Phil and Nick wasn’t sure what to do, but finally Phil reached out to Clint and let the blond haired man snuggle to him. They sat in quiet for a few minutes, when Clint started to talk.
“I didn’t want it to end like this. I just... didn’t want to be a burden. Didn’t want to destroy this thing between you. I didn’t want to see this disgust in your eyes when I would told you the truth about my asexuality... Everybody else reacted like this. And no, Phil, don’t. I know you’re not like the others... It just... I was scared, I guess. I was scared about your reaction, so I wanted to forget about you. I went on the date with one of the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And it was nice, really. But then... He wanted mire. He wanted to go to his place and... you know... I told him that I don’t wanna. He started to scream that he would never waste his time with me. Then I screamed that I don’t care if he wasted his time or not. I invited him for a dinner, not for sex! Not every dinner need to end up with sex, for god’s sake! He shouted that I’m not allowed to talk back and I said that he can fuck himself and find somebody who he can actually fuck with... And it’s possible that I told him that it’s not my fault that he’s that small, so nobody want to give him themselves... Then he caught me by my shirt and hit me. I fell to the ground and then he kicked me a few times. And he drove away. And I came here.” He was still hugging Phil and trembling a little. At least he wasn’t crying anymore.
“Which agent it was?”
“Don’t hurt him, it was my fau...”
“No! Clinton Francis Barton, it wasn’t your fault! In any way! This man is just a dickhead, he don’t deserve to work in S.H.I.E.L.D.”
“Nick... Maybe later, hmmm? Now we need to rest. And we’ll take care of this... agent... in the morning.” After a while of hesitation Nick and Phil stood up to leave, but Clint caught the oldest man hand.
“Stay... Please.” Clint whispered quietly.
“Of course, darling. Sleep, we’re not going anywhere.”