Chapter 9
Since Clint was working, taking care of Wade and doing online school part time, he very often occasionally took naps.
The thing was, now that they had Wade...doing so was damn near impossible.
Because every time, EVERY SINGLE TIME he took a nap on the couch - he was woken up by the feeling of someone staring at him.
And he was.
By his six year old foster kid.
And just about every single time he woke up like this, the Omega screamed and fell off the couch. Which amused the six year old to no end.
This time, though, Clint was able to peacefully wake up. Maybe it was his hindbrain getting used to the pup, maybe it’s cause he sensed something bigger was happening.
Whatever the case, he opened his eyes and saw his pup watching him, a frown on his little face and admittedly several feet away from the Omega.
“I know you told me not to watch you anymore, but there’s a man outside in a car. He’s parked out front and he keeps looking at the house.” Wade was rarely scared, even for a pup. But the fear coming off of him woke Clint up enough to grab his aids and head towards the window.
Sure enough there was a grey sedan parked out front.
And Clint knew exactly who the sonofabitch that was inside it was.
“Close the drapes, Wade. Just ignore that man,” Clint said as he shut the blinds, contemplating giving his mate a heads up...seeing as he should be home any minute after checking the time.
“Who is he, Clint? He was looking at me funny.”
“It’s um, no one you need to worry about,” Clint said as he fumbled around the couch for his phone. It was at that exact moment he heard the sounds of his mate’s car pulling in to park, because of course Clint’s luck was that shitty.
“It’s okay, James is here!” Wade said from the window, the drapes wide open again.
“Dammit,” the Omega said to himself, walking back to the window and watching James sitting in his car staring at the sedan. “Alright, put your shoes on.”
“What?? Wait! Who is that?” the pup asked as he did what was asked, walking outside with Clint and keeping up with the Omega.
“That,” Clint said as the two Alphas got out of their respective cars, “would be my brother, Barney.” The Omega stopped several feet away from the redhead, reaching back to hold the pup who was clinging to the older blonde.
“Bernard, did you forget what I said I’d do if I ever saw your face again?” Bucky growled, confusing Clint on whether to tell his mate to hold back or give him a good ass whooping. But Wade was here, so the Omega tried to refrain from violence.
Even if the Omega himself was tempted.
“Just tell us why you’re here so you can leave just as quickly,” Clint said, already exhausted with this situation before sending a look to his mate to stand down.
“Okay but first of all, who the fuck is the kid? You got knocked up and didn't tell me?” the redheaded Alpha asked, eyes on Wade.
“This is my pup, Wade. Wade, this is your shit-hole uncle, Barney. Now, what are you doing here?”
“Hey Wade, you look just like your Mother.” The Omega felt his throat constrict, freezing a little in place at the comment. How would Wade react to that? I mean yeah they celebrated Mother’s Day a few weeks ago...but Wade was still calling him ‘Clint,’ so...
“Thanks,” came the pup’s reply, making the Omega feel proud and fuzzy all over. With the hand still reaching back to support the pup, he squeezed the pup a little closer to his side. James had walked over to join them alternating between rubbing the blondes’ backs as they waited for Barney to talk.
“Look, uh, can the kid go back inside or whatever? Maybe let me talk to my brother one on one?” That second question was directed to the other Alpha, who let out a little growl at the request.
“It’s fine, James. Take Wade inside, we still need to finish Prisoner of Azkaban,” Clint said to his Alpha, giving him a quick peck on the lips to try and calm him down. It didn’t really work, but the brunette still begrudgingly grabbed the pup’s hand and led the two back inside.
“Wow, your life -”
“- cut the shit, Barney. What do you want?”
“Jesus little brother, can’t even let me properly meet my nephew?” Barney asked obnoxiously, looking back to the house where Wade and Lucky were watching them in the window, the dog visibly growling. Which...Lucky has never growled at anyone...like ever.
It made Clint feel a little better knowing his real family had his back.
“Which, by the way...the pup looks nothing like James. If...you know, you need to tell me something...I can keep it from your Alpha…” Was he really making jokes right now?
“Not that it’s any of your goddamn business, but he’s our foster pup. Now, I’ll give you one more chance before I head inside to continue our Harry Potter marathon.”
“Alright! God don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’m here because I need a favor…” the Alpha began, posture and scent changing to less confident and vulnerable. Except Clint wasn't falling for it.
“And that’s my cue to head inside. Bernard, always lovely to see you,” Clint said with a frustrated sigh, yanking his arm back when his brother tried to grab it. “Back off,” the Omega growled to the Alpha who backed up a little.
“Sorry, just...I owe some money to some bad people. Trust me when I say you are literally my last resort.”
“You’re shitting me, right? The answer is obviously no…”
“Please? Clint come on I’m begging you. At the very least can I crash here tonight?”
“You can sleep in your car parked in front of my house. You can’t come inside and I expect you gone in the morning. Good to see you, Barney,” Clint said to the Alpha, turning around and walking towards his house, ignoring the whines coming from his brother.
When he entered his house, he locked the door behind him and did his best to lower his anger. The image in front of him helped, seeing his mate, pup and dog all curled up together on the couch. Wade was sitting on James’ lap playing with his metal fingers as Clint walked over to close the blinds again.
“You okay doll? What did he want?” Buck said, scooting over to give the Omega space on the couch. Clint stole a look at his pup before turning back to sign at his mate.
Money and a place to stay. I told him no and he could sleep in his car. Clint walked over to them and snuggled up to his mate, confused by the sudden sour smell coming from their pup.
“Wade?”
“You guys can’t hand talk! I wanna know what that bastard wanted too!”
“Wade!” Bucky snapped at the pup. “I said not to repeat those words,” the Alpha said in a fake stern voice, tickling the pup in his lap. The laughter was a sound Clint would cherish forever, distracting him for a moment from his brother’s bullshit and the fact his Alpha can't stop cursing in front of their pup. His mate kept the tickling short, leaving his arms loose around the pup in case it was too much.
Clint felt nothing but love when the pup ended up sprawled out over the two, chuckling and pouting up at the pair.
“No hand talk,” Wade whined, reaching over to grab James’ metal hand before playing with it once more.
“It’s not ‘hand talk,’ it’s ASL or American Sign Language, puppy,” the Omega explained with a chuckle, bending over and kissing the pup before squeezing him in a hug. “And we can teach you. It’ll come in handy when you’re trying to wake me up.”
“But it’s more fun to stare at you until you wake up,” Wade said cheekily, earning another tickle from his parents.
“If you learn ASL I’ll finally start teaching you how to box,” James offered, having kept that particular card in his back pocket as they waited for Wade to trust the Alpha alone.
“Deal!” the pup yelled immediately, getting a laugh out of the adults. “Teach me some words! And then later James you can show me how to sign bad words.”
“He will do no such thing!” Clint snapped to his mate, because this kid who has been through so much needs to keep some shred of innocence. The Alpha just smiled and broke eye contact, not even attempting to debate the glaring Omega but giggling nonetheless. Clint turned towards Wade, who was doing a crappy job at winking to the Alpha.
And well, Clint wanted to hear him laugh again. So he tickled the pup, enjoying the smell of happiness coming from his family. He wasn’t sure he could get any happier.
“No cursing!”
“F-fine!” Wade laughed out. “Teach me your hand talk.” Wade snuggled closer to the pair, remaining still and watching with more focus than they've seen from the boy.
“Alright silly goose, we’ll go over the alphabet later but let’s start with some simple words. This is hello,” James said before demonstrating with his flesh hand. “This is yes...and this is no.” As Wade mimicked the signs, Clint helped his tiny hands form the correct shapes.
The three lounged comfortably snuggled together, teaching the pup sign language and the movie long forgotten.
Seriously, Clint couldn’t get any happier.
Until of course, Wade shyly asked how to sign ‘mom’ and ‘dad.’
Then the Omega used all of his strength not to cry when the pup repeated it to the Omega and Alpha, respectively. Their foster pup hadn’t said the words out loud yet, but he acknowledged in sign those perfect names.
So Clint showed his pup ‘I love you’ and lost the battle with tears when his pup signed it back, letting out a squawk when Clint tickled the boy. Bucky had to scoot out of the way to avoid a flailing kick.
“J-James! H-Help me!” Wade shrieked, startling the Alpha a little before he shared a look with the Omega. Clint watched fondly as James then gently picked the pup up, raising him above his head much to Wade’s delight and away from the Omega. Though he wasn’t being tickled, the pup continued to laugh up in the air as the Alpha struggled to hold up the wiggle worm.
But then the pup relaxed in the air, looking at the two upside down with the biggest grin on his little face. Especially when that encouraged Lucky to come lick the pup’s face. Clint eventually pulled the dog off so Wade could breathe, the smell of happy pup, Omega and Alpha filling the room.
“You...you still owe me boxing lessons!” Wade laughed out, still upside down. He was quickly right side up, however, when the Alpha brought him down to flop over everyone again.
“Alright pup, we’ll start this weekend.”
Wade signed thank you, father and Clint got to witness his mate get teary eyed as well. And so when Bucky brought the pup into a bone crushing hug, Clint couldn’t help but join.
And laugh, when the pup squawked out “you guys ruined the moment!” But when the two pulled away, they couldn’t help but laugh again when the pup scooted closer to them with a pout.
“I didn’t say you should stop,” Wade said with fake offense, reaching his arms to pet Lucky who offered kisses in return.
“We should start the movie! I call dibs on Wade,” Clint said as he wrapped his arms around the pup and brought him into his lap. “Alpha, you go get popcorn and we’ll set the movie up,” Clint shooed at James with one hand, the other wrapped around Wade. “Oh, and hand me the controller, please,” he added slowly as he signed along, showing Wade the words with his hands.
The three (if we’re county Lucky) blondes watched as the Alpha shifted away from the group to grab the nearest xbox controller. James snuck a kiss when he handed the controller over, which had the pup snatch the controller and groan loudly in fake disgust.
Clint watched with glee as his mate gave the pup a look before Wade waved him off.
“Shoo Alpha, we need popcorn.” Clint just laughed as he snuggled his pup close, loving his family and forgetting all about his brother.
He remembered the next morning, however, when he found a note on his door - well, not a note per se, it was an wrinkly old receipt with writing on the back left partially under the welcome mat.
Sorry Clint, consider me gone. Hold on to your family. You deserve them little brother.