Chapter 7
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The last few weeks have been going great. Clint went on one of Steve’s visits with Peggy and it went fairly well, Peggy even telling Clint a few stories about Steve that made Steve blush. Steve has drawn on him twice since that first time and it is getting easier and easier for the scar to be touched now. Natasha had even ran fingers over it the other day and commented on the vine and leaf design, said that Rogers has some decent art skills when Clint told her how he got it. There have been fewer bad nights and days and no major injuries for anyone. Things have been good and so of course something has to happen.
Of all the things to hit Clint, a cold was not one he was expecting but there is no doubt he has one as he wakes up alone this morning. His nose is stuffed up, his chest aches, throat is scratchy , and he is sore all over. He doesn’t want to get out of bed so he doesn’t, can’t even bring himself to get ahold of Nat to let her know that he isn’t up to their plans for the day now. He just lays there and eventually drifts back to sleep.
Even sick he still wakes up when he feels a presence in the room but he doesn’t look, just lays there and then the bed shifts and he knows Natasha is there. It is only a moment and then her hand is brushing against his forehead and she murmurs something softly but he can still hear it.
“You didn’t show up for coffee. Had to make sure you weren’t dead.”
He moves just a bit so he can look at her and his throat hurts when he speaks.
“Not dead but I think I’m dying.”
The words come out like a croak and Natasha shakes her head at him just a bit and rolls her eyes.
“You’re not dying. Is your phone in here?”
He gives a little nod at her question and points to where the phone sits on the bedside table. She reaches and grabs it and it is only when she starts to push numbers that he thinks to ask her about why she wants it.
“What you doing?”
He croaks it out again and he should probably get some water but he doesn’t want to get out of bed for it. Natasha pauses for just a moment to answer his question.
“Calling Rogers. Since he is your boyfriend now, it is his job to come over here and deal with your talk of dying while I go get stuff to make you less whiney and sick.”
He wants to argue that he doesn’t get whiney while sick but he moves just a bit and it hurts so he just sort of lets out a noise instead. She just finishes typing in the numbers and then puts the phone to her ear as it rings. Steve picks up after about three rings, Clint can hear his hellos just faintly, and Natasha speaks quickly.
“This is Natasha. Clint is sick, probably needs some things but shouldn’t be left alone, if you can, you need to come over here now so I can go get them.”
Her words sound more like an order than a suggestion and Steve doesn’t even argue or debate with her, just tells her he will be over there shortly. The call is over quickly and she puts the phone back where she got it from, gets off the bed. She is back within in a few moments and she is making him move just a bit.
“Need your temperature so open your mouth.
The words are an order and so he does open his mouth and she sticks the thermometer in his mouth. It takes only a few moments and then she is pulling it out and looking at it.
“Definitely have a fever and you’re super clammy. “
She says this and Clint just looks at her for a moment before speaking.
“Probably because I’m dying.”
She rolls her eyes at him before getting up again, leaving the bedroom. He closes his eyes, just lets himself rest while she does whatever it is she thinks she needs to do and he opens them again when he hears her come close.
“You should drink this and take this, I will get you some real cold medicine soon but at least this should help the fever.”
She hands him a glass of water and some aspirin. He swallows them down with some water and starts to put the three full glass on the table when Tasha stops him.
“The whole thing, Clint.”
He doesn’t take a drink yet just shakes his head a bit.
“It might make me need to pee, I don’t want to leave the bed.”
He knows that this might count as whiney but he really doesn’t want to get up if he can help it. Natasha just shakes her head and gestures to the glass of water.
“You’re going to have to get out of bed eventually. Drink it.”
Her voice is that tone right now, the one that Clint knows means she won’t back down on this so he gives a small sigh and drinks down the rest of the glass. It makes his throat feel a bit better but he is sure that he is going to have to pee soon but Nat gives him a little smile and that might make it worth it.
“I’ll go get you another one.”
He groans just a bit but that doesn’t seem to detour her much and when she comes back to the room, she has another glass of water but she does allow him to sit this one of the table before finishing it. She stays in the room with him, runs her fingers through his hair as he lays there, coughing a little bit sometimes but he doesn’t cough on her so she doesn’t complain. A little time passes and then there is a knock at the door.
“Rogers doesn’t have a key yet?”
She asks as she starts to move off the bed and Clint gives an answer.
“Gave him one last week but he still likes to knock.”
“So polite.”
Natasha says this as she leaves the room and it is a bit of a tease but not a cruel one. It doesn’t take long till Clint hears them coming closer to the bedroom, talk about how Clint is, how he should be looked after. It is sort of sweet and also kind of annoying and if everything didn’t hurt right now he would probably tell them that he can take care of himself but right now it might be nice having them fuss over him a bit.
“Hey, I’m going to leave but I’ll be back. Your boyfriend is here.”
Tasha says this as she leans closer to him for just a moment, squeezes his shoulder and then she moves, Steve basically switching spots with her.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
He asks, voice soft and gentle, and he settles down next to Clint on the bed, shoes already off and Clint lets him move him closer before he answers.
“I’m dying.”
He says it and he doesn’t get the eye roll like from Natasha, instead he gets a small amused smile as Steve speaks.
“I hope not, kind of like having you around.”
It is said lightly but it makes Clint feel warm in a way that he would love to blame on his fever.
“Good, I like being around.”
He says it and he is too sick to care how stupid it sounds. Steve just gives a small smile and tells him to sleep if he wants. He ends up drifting in and out for a little bit, drinks the rest of the water and has to get up and pees but Steve doesn’t laugh as he stumbles to the bathroom, just tucks the blanket back around him and brushes a kiss against his forehead.
“You know, it is different being on this end of it, was very used to being the sick one, not the well one. “
He murmurs this and Clint just gives a little shrug as he coughs. Once he has stopped hacking out a lung, he snuggles a bit closer to Steve and croaks out a few words.
“I think you’re doing great as the well one, you’re less bossy than Natasha.”
Steve lets out a little chuckle.
“She has had quite a bit of practice of bossing you around, give me time I’m sure I can improve, maybe she will give me tips.”
“I can give you tips and no matter what he says, he likes when I’m bossy.”
Nat is in the doorway now, a few things in her arms and Clint isn’t surprised that she managed to make her way inside without him really noticing it and if Steve is surprised, he is hiding it well.
“That’s true enough. You bring me presents?”
He says this and Natasha moves towards the bed and deposits the items there as she speaks.
“In a manner of speaking, some cold medicine , cough drops, there is tea and food in the kitchen now, and I also thought a bath might be a good idea so stopped by my place and got you the bath salts I usually have to hide from you.”
“The spearmint ones?”
Clint asks and he loves the damn things, just always ends up using too many and so she hides them and rations them out on special occasions like now when he is dying of a cold. She gives a little nod.
“I’ll go run you a bath. Make him take some cold medicine”
She says this and then makes her way to the bathroom, Steve doing as she says and making sure Clint takes some medicine and drinks some more water. Soon enough Clint finds himself soaking in the tub, Nat and Steve off to the kitchen, saying something about maybe getting some food ready. The warm water and bath salts helps ease some of the soreness in his muscles and the medicine is starting to kick in. He knows that he has been in the bath for a while and he decides to get out himself without calling someone to help. He gets out of it and lets it drain, dries himself off, and walks into the bedroom. There are already clean clothes laid out for him on the bed, old worn sweats and a t-shirt that Clint pretty sure is really Steve’s. It doesn’t matter and he likes the feel of it as he pulls it on, makes his way to the kitchen and he stops a few steps away from the entryway when he sees Nat and Steve there.
They aren’t really doing much, just working on some food, Steve flipping what looks like grilled cheese in a pan next to a pot of soup while Nat gets down plates and bowels but it is just nice to see them like this. They are talking a little bit, he can hear Natasha telling Steve about the last time he was sick and Steve asking a few questions and Clint likes how they seem comfortable right now, comfortable in his space, comfortable with each other. They are his favorite people and it is wonderful to have them both here with him. He just watches them for a moment long before a cough escapes him and it draws their attention to him.
“Come sit down. Feel up to food in a bit ?”
Steve asks and he moves away from the stove to come over to Clint. Natasha simply moves out of his way as she sets the plates down and goes to the stove to take over Steve’s apparent cooking duties.
“I think I could eat.”
“Good, food will be ready in a bit, tomato soup and grilled cheese, not quite like what we had in Chicago after the Johnson job but probably close.”
Natasha says this as she stirs the soup and Clint remembers just what she is talking about.
“That meal was almost worth the concussion and knife wound.”
Clint murmurs this with just a hint of wistfulness and Steve stares at him in just a little bit of mild shock.
“Am I allowed to know this story or is it classified?”
He asks and the next few minutes are spent explaining to Steve about the Johnson job, Tasha filling in details as well so that Clint doesn’t have to talk the whole time. The food is done by the time the story is done and they eat, a little conversation scattered throughout. Once that is done, Clint finds himself on the couch, head in Nat’s lap, feet on Steve, and a blanket thrown over him. The tv is turned on, History at theMuseum and Clint is pretty sure Natasha turns it to that because it is something that she can tolerate while Clint loves it. Steve seems to like it too, gets involved with watching it and is pretty quiet but he puts his hands on Clint’s ankles and he can feel the little circles that he is rubbing. That and Natasha stroking his hair makes it a bit difficult to stay awake and he finds himself drifting off.
He is jolted out of sleep when he is moved, wakes up as Steve picks him up but he doesn’t try to move out of Steve’s arms, just nuzzles his nose against Steve’s neck as he mumbles.
“I don wanna move, was so comfy.”
It is a whine, Clint knows it is a whine, but damn it, he was comfy.
“It is late and you will probably get better sleep in your bed.”
Nat says this, voice just a bit sleepy but calm and he doesn’t say anything till he is placed on the bed.
“Stay, both of you please stay.”
He wants them both with him right now.
“No problem, try not to cough on me in your sleep.”
Tasha says this and she is moving to Clint’s dresser, grabs some of her spare sleeping clothes that are here and starts changing. Steve averts his eyes but doesn’t look uncomfortable at her doing this and speaks to her without looking at her.
“If you want to take the bed with him, I’ll take the couch.”
Steve says this and Clint knows those words aren’t for him but he still replies to him.
“You don’t have to do that, you can fit in a bed with two other people.”
Steve can fit in a bed with others, Clint knows enough about his time with Bucky and Peggy to know this and he looks like he isn’t sure what to say to that. Nat seems to know what Clint wants because she is fully dressed again and takes a step towards the bed.
“You can fit and you should stay in here, can keep Clint warm if steal the blankets again.”
“Alright.”
Steve says this after Natasha’s words and he turns to put on his own sleep clothes. Natasha settles down on one side of Clint, leaving the other side for Steve. He lays down after a few moments and Clint lays with his head on Steve’s chest, Nat at his side. He feels warm and safe, his favorite people surrounding him, and as he drifts off to sleep, he thinks about how right this feels and how maybe this is how it should be sometimes.
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