We need to talk
Clint was noticing things lately.
Like how clingy Tony would get when he was tired or hungry.
How Natasha was seeking praise for doing something such as telling an adult about the boy's having an accident.
Bruce wanting to be around Clint all the time because he doesn't yell in anger and wanting to play games with him.
Clint was noticing their behaviour and it was worrying him a little, his teammates where acting more and more childishly and having some contact with Fury told him that it was expected to happen. That they'd still know they where grown ups but they'd be more childish. He sighed as he heard Tony's tell tale sounds of tiredness, small grunts and whimpers echoed in from the front room as he put away the knives he was using to make lunch. He looked at the time. "You're a bit early yet Tony." He mutters, walking into the front room he spotted the boy sleepily yawning and rubbing his eyes, his small hands raising above his head for attention. Clint sighed as he scooped the boy into his arms and held him close. He couldn't help the smile that come onto his face as Tony snuggled into him and sighed heavily into Clint's chest.
"Clin'..." He mumbles, Clint looks down at the boy quietly as he wanders back to the kitchen to finish prepping the cheese sandwiches for the two older kids.
"Mhm?" He hums softly, keeping the boy secured he starts to plate them.
"I wan' S'eve" The baby mumbles and Clint has to roll his eyes again, since the clinginess started the boy was constantly asking for the Captain him self. Said man was due back from his mission any day now but Tony would always ask for him before and after a nap. Clint wasn't sure why seeing as when the three where all normal ages they'd be at each others throats.
"I know big guy, but he's still off campus. I promise he'll be back soon." Clint murmurs and flinches when Tony let out a sob. He knew it was coming, every time he was denied Steve he'd cry. Clint gave a heavy sigh and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small Captain America pacifier, he gently popped it in the boys mouth and hushed him. "Bruce, Tasha. Food's on the table." He calls after setting the plates down, he smiles watching a very sleepy Bruce wonder in and a wide awake Natasha following close behind. "Tasha, can you be good and watch Bruce whilst I pop this little guy to bed?" He asks, Natasha scrunched her nose up a bit and scoffed.
"Of course, stop talking down to me Barton." She grunts and Clint snorts a bit.
"Oh sorry my tiny little sass machine." He teased and laughed when she looked around for something to throw. "Be good." He says calmly as he gently rubs circles into the squirming boy's back. With a small pause he grabs a bottle for him and walks into the nursery. He is quick to change the boy's diaper and pop him into the cot, pulling Tony's blanket up over him he places the bottle next to the sleeping baby brushes a hand through his hair. "Night you little monster. See you in two hours." He grins and leaves the room quietly.
"Nu-uh that's 'upid." Bruce's voice echo's from down the hall and Clint sighed loudly, already aware that he'd be splitting up another argument between Natasha and Bruce.
"No it's not. Think 'bout it. Belle was in the beasts house for months, he made her think that the nicer she was to him, the better things got. Sooo she had Stockholm syn...syn..." Natasha's growl of annoyance had Clint bite back a laugh as he glanced in.
"Lets not pick away at Disney ok?" Clint says as he walks into the kitchen, noting that Natasha had eaten all of her food where Bruce had barely touched it. "Good job on eating Tasha. Can you go pick a movie that isn't Disney to watch with Bruce? I need a word with him." He says casually, Natasha bolts into the front room in excitement and Bruce gulps a little.
"...Am I in trouble?" He asks gingerly and Clint scoffs a bit before bending down to his level.
"Not even close bud. I just need to know why you aren't eating" Clint says softly, a little thrown off when Bruce comes over and cuddles into his chest with a sniffle.
"...I don't like cheese..." He admits and Clint rolls his eyes a bit at how stupid he was. The last four days that Bucky and Steve had been away each meal had some kind of cheese element.
Mac N Cheese, Jacket potatoes, Lasagne to name a few.
He'd noticed Bruce wasn't eating them but just assumed he didn't like the meals. "OK, that's ok. If you said sooner I would of made you non cheesy foods. Like tonight is burgers and hotdogs. You just gotta let me know bud or I'll keep putting things in you don't like by accident." He rubbed the boys back gently and relished in how the boy melted into the touch.
"Dad....Dad didn't like complaining. I had to suck it up or go hungry....Didn't....Didn't wanna make you mad.." He mumbles and Clint had to fight every bone in his body that wanted to dig up Brian Banners body and burn it.
"I'm not your dad Bruce. I'm better, I'm your weird ass friend that'll tickle you pink if you try to hide something like not liking a food." He threats and Bruce lets out a soft giggle, that turns into loud laughter as Clint starts to tickle him. "If I have to tickle you till your red faced and begging to teach you to tell me things then that's what I'll do." He says over the boys laughter. He soon finishes and Bruce is a small puddle of giggles in his arms and Clint smiles. "Think whilst we watch the movie you could write out foods you don't like?" He asks and Bruce nods his head, still giggling hear and there. "Ok, go join Tash. I'll get something you'll like. Jam sandwich ok?" Seeing the boy nod happily and run off he smiles a bit.
"Well. I knew you where good with kids but damn Barton." Clint almost had a heart attack at the sound of Bucky's voice.
"God damn it Bucky." Clint states, standing up and glaring at the man who just shoots him a cocky smile. "Where's Steve?" He asks with a sigh. Bucky hikes his thumb behind him with a grunt.
"Parking the truck. Would've been back sooner but Fury's given orders about what to do for the next few months so Stevie and me grabbed some toys to make the news a bit more bearable." Bucky informs and Clint sighs, looking around he checks on the two older ones. Seeing them watching the TV happily he glances back at the soldiers both now standing in the doorway.
"What's going on?" He asks with a sigh. Steve rubs his neck nervously and Bucky scoffs a bit.
"Turns out our three kiddo's aren't the only ones that where affected. Phil's little group got hit as well." Bucky mutters and Steve jumps in. "Leo, Jemma and Daisy got hit. Not just them but a few SHIELD agents" He sighs and Clint groans.
"That's not the worst of it. Nick's brought a school Clint. They're making it for all ages. from a year old to University age. Want's Nat and Bruce to start Monday. Tony when ever we think he's ready, they don't know how long this'll be so they want them prepped." Clint sighs loudly.
"Monday...That's two days away." He sighs a bit more and looks around. "Ok...so I'll let you two tell them. I need to get some groceries in. Tony's just gone down for a nap so break the news to him later." He snatches the keys from Steve before the man can object and is out the door. The two soldiers look at each other and groan loudly.
"I'll take our Russian doll, you take the green bean." Bucky states, already walking into the front room.
**************
Steve was relatively shocked at how well both children took the news, they'd argued of course but once they figured how suspicious it looked that they weren't attending school they agreed. Nat and Bruce both had conditions though.
Natasha wanted three things.
- Agreement to take her home the moment she calls one of the adults if everything starts to get to much.
- She had an hour later bedtime than Bruce (Stating she was older and didn't need to go bed at the same time)
- Bucky was the one to drop her off each day.
Bruce had two requirements.
- He gets to leave if anything gets too much for him.
- He gets to make decisions on who he 'plays with'
Steve and Bucky had to give it to them for knowing what they wanted, agreeing to their terms as they where reasonable and not too hard to achieve. Natasha looked between the two before asking the big question. "....So who's the head teacher? Who would be teaching us?" She mutters and Bucky got the biggest grin on his face.
"Nick Fury will be head of the school, Phil's got Bruce's class and Lance Hunter is your teacher." He informs and Natasha groans loudly, Lance was not the first person on her 'good guy' list. The amount of arguments the two had when at SHIELD was legendary. From the time she knocked him out with a potato to the time he almost knocked her out with a stapler. Bucky was clearly looking forward to the lessons. Steve interjected before the girl could argue.
"Melinda May will be helping with your class so he doesn't do anything stupid." He assures and the girl just heaves a sigh.
"...When do we go shopping?" She asks and the two adults share a look.
"Tomorrow?" Steve says gently and Bucky nods. "Tomorrow." He assures.
The first day of school was going to be interesting.