Chapter 14
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They are still looking for Bucky but he always seems to be just out of reach, avoiding them and Clint knows that it is frustrating Steve, hell it is frustrating him just a little bit too and he may have an idea about it but there are other things to focus on right now. Mostly the fact that Clint managed to scrape himself up pretty good on the last avengers mission. He has had worse, no broken bones this time, just some bruised ribs but still he has a prescription for pain meds and orders to not do anything too strenuous for at least a couple days. He is at home now, Steve dropping him off and saying that he would be back soon and Nat is already showing up at the door with Sam behind her. They weren’t on this last one and she just shakes her head at him a bit as she follows him to the couch and lets him lay his head on her lap. Sam sits down in the chair on the other side of Nat and grabs Clint’s remote and starts looking through channels. Clint just nestles his head against the softness of Nat’s t-shirt before realizing something.
“This doesn’t look like any of your shirts.”
He says this and it really doesn’t. For one it doesn’t quite fit her right and it also looks a bit like a man’s shirt. She just runs her fingers through his hair as she speaks.
“It isn’t mine, just borrowing it.”
She says this and he raises an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
He says this like a question and he gets an answer but not from her.
“It’s mine.”
Sam says this simply though when Clint looks over at him there is just a hint of shyness in his smile but no embarrassment. He feels like this deserves a fist bump so he offers his knuckles up to Nat who does bump them but also rolls her eyes. Sam just shakes his head a bit but doesn’t stop smiling.
“Make sure you get it back from her or she might keep it.”
He says this and Nat tugs on his hair just a bit but he doesn’t mind.
“I’ll keep that in mind but she is welcome to it whenever she likes.”
Sam says this and Clint can see a little smile cross Nat’s face and it is good. He likes seeing her smile like that even if he isn’t the one to put it there. A few minutes pass with the three of them just sitting, well Clint kind of laying more than sitting and Sam finds something on TV and then Steve comes in, a bag in hand and doesn’t look phased at all to see them all here already. He just comes over to the couch, helps Clint get up slightly and sits down next to him and hands him a bag.
“This is for you, got it last week, waiting for a good time to give it to you. Figured since you gave me a present when I was injured, I should do the same for you. “
Clint gives him a little smile and a brief kiss before opening the bag. In it is a teddy bear, but not just any sort of bear. It is clad all in purple and has little boy in it and it is absolutely ridiculous looking but super cute at the same time and it makes Clint grin like mad.
“It’s a hawkeye bear! HawkBear or BearEye! Which is better?”
He asks and Sam says BearEye as Nat says HawkBear but Steve just smiles at Clint’s grin.
“You can call him whatever you want. I had him made for you, went to build a bear, remembered you said you would want one. Maybe he can hang out with Cap Bear sometime.”
”Cap Bear? I’m going to assume that is a teddy bear and not an actual bear.”
Sam says this and Nat gives a nod.
“Clint gave it to Steve, it has a shield and everything. I’m glad you both like your bears but don’t forget my strict no stuffed animals rules. I better not get a black widow bear.”
She says this and Clint just gives a nod but he already has plans to make one and give it to Sam or Steve, she just said she doesn’t want one for herself, never said he can’t make it for someone else. He will defiantly have to do that later, right now he just hangs out and lets his pain meds kick in, just has a lazy night with people he likes after a rough mission.
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His ribs are mostly healed now and Clint thinks it is probably about time to approach the others about his plan. It could be a risk but if there is one thing Clint has learned it is that sometimes you have to take risks. He decides to bring it up now when they are going over stragey to find him again.
“I think it might be a good idea if I leave a trail for him to find, see if he approaches .”
“Is that what we have been?”
It is Sam who asks and Clint needs to clarify a little bit.
“We have been but I was thinking maybe it should just be me, maybe you for a little while looking. I mean we can still have everybody still looking for him still, Tony doing his tech thing, Fury keeping a heads up, but that maybe I should be the one to do a little legwork see if he is more likely to approach if it is just one of us.”
“He doesn’t know you.”
Steve says this with a hint of concern in his voice, a hint of confusion and Clint gives a little nod.
“He doesn’t, has never known me. I haven’t really had any run ins with him as the soldier, don’t have the history you have with him or even the history Nat has him with. Hell, even Sam has interacted with him. He might be running from you because he does know you.”
There is a bit of hurt that crosses over Steve’s face now, brief but unmistakable and Clint reaches a hand out to him, needs him to understand.
“He might be remembering you but he might not be able to face you quit yet but he has to be curious about why we are looking for him and it might be easy to face someone he doesn’t have a history with.”
Clint says this and he thinks it might be the truth. He remembers what it was like after Loki, how he didn’t always want to face Nat, still a bit afraid of what he almost did to her. He didn’t run but he thought about it. She was too stubborn to let him hide away and Steve was there as well, both helping him and Clint knows that is what Barnes needs as well but he probably doesn’t want to face them yet. Clint can put himself out there and see if Bucky approaches.
“He could hurt you. “
Steve says this and there is a bit of worry on his face and Clint understands the concern and he tries to reassure him.
“I can take care of myself.”
“He’s also good at bringing home strays.”
Natasha says this as she looks over at Steve, her voice is certain and Clint is glad to hear that tone as she continues to speak.
“Clint’s right, it might be easier if we split up a little bit, give him a chance to approach one of us. It is worth a shot.”
Sam is giving a nod now as well and Clint knows that he has their support and after a moment Steve gives a little nod as well.
“We’ll try it but if you run into any problems you get ahold of us, promise me that.”
Steve says this, has a hold of Clint’s hand now and Clint gives a nod.
“I promise I’ll call you guys to bail my ass out if I need it. Now, let’s go over what we have so we can figure out where I should start.”
The next hours are spent coming up with a game plan and the next few days are spent getting everything ready. He heads out on his own after spending the evening with Nat and Steve and he starts following the little clues that Barnes has left behind. He leaves his own clues and waits.
It is different being on his own now after so long of doing missions with others, a little lonely and a bit boring. He misses having Natasha there to play games with, misses having Steve watching his back, misses having Sam there to roll his eyes at some of his jokes and laugh at others but he needs to see if this will work. It has been about a week and he has stayed in contact with the others but he hasn’t seen much of Barnes yet, just a few little clues, has managed to find a destroyed base that he thinks was Bucky’s handiwork and he is going to stay at this safe house for a few more days till he moves on to another one. He needs a few supplies so he goes out to get them and when he comes back, something doesn’t quit feel right.
There is a light on in one of the rooms, Clint can see it as he enters the house, knows he didn’t leave it on. Someone is here and he is sure that the light has to be a distraction but still he puts the bags down, makes sure he has a knife on him and makes his way further into the house, not towards the light but the room next to it. He is a bit surprised when the attack comes from the room with the light, a body tackling him. He goes with the tackle, slows down their impact, lets himself be pinned and he finds himself looking into Bucky Barnes’s face. Bucky has sought him out and now Clint just has to hope he can survive the encounter.
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