Duyên || Clint Barton

005 || worried

•••

"I don't know what to do"
I looked up at the laptop screen in front of me, drying my eyes.
"Y'know, it's times like this when I'm glad my boyfriend is completely normal" Dalia sniggered, trying to make light of the situation.
"I'm serious Lia. What if he doesn't come home. What if-" my voice broke off as a sob threatened to resurface.
"Grace, he's going to be fine. Natasha is set on getting him back, you know how tough she is. She isn't going to take no for an answer"
"I just don't know what to tell the kids. How do I explain this to them?"
"Don't. Play it off until you can't anymore. You don't need them stressing too" she explained.
I nodded sadly, understanding her view.
"I miss when this was all simpler" I admitted, "like back when we were in high school. All you had to worry about then was doing the homework for the due date"
"Amen to that. I didn't have a shitty paying job back then" Dalia snorted, raking her hand through her hair.
"When are you visiting next? Cooper's been asking for you"
"Isn't my god baby the cutest" she laughed "Lewis is going away for a work trip in a few weeks so I might pop by for a few days"
"Sounds great"
Dalia suddenly looked behind her as she heard the door opening.
"Lewis is home - you gonna be alright?"
"Yeah, have fun" I said, giving her a watery smile.
"We love you, okay?" She smiled, giving the camera a kiss.
"Yeah"
Dalia's face disappeared from the screen, and I let out a big sigh.

Moving the laptop, I walked into the kitchen to get myself some water, stopping when I saw Cooper sat on the bottom step.
I silently cursed myself, before slapping on a fake smile and kneeling infront of him.
"You alright buddy?"
"Why are you crying?" He asked bluntly, his hand wiping away a stray tear.
"I'm just a bit stressed at the moment, don't worry about me" I reassured, kissing the palm of his hand gently, "let's go back to bed shall we?"
"I'm not sleepy"
"Really?" I said, raising an eyebrow, "let's see how long that resolve lasts"

I put on a Disney movie and (like I had expected) Cooper fell asleep on my lap before half way through the movie. Chuckling quietly, I picked him up and carried him upstairs, carefully placing him into his bed.
"Night Coops" I whispered, pressing a kiss to his head.

•••

"It's all over the news Fury! Of course I was going to fucking find out!"
"Well to be fair you don't normally watch too much TV -"
"That's not the point and you know it! Just tell me if Clint is okay!"
"We managed to break him from Loki's control earlier -"
"Oh thank god-"
"So we sent him out with the rest"
"You mean to tell me that he is in the middle of the fuck fest going on in NYC?"
"Yes"
"Holy shit" I breathed, squinting closer at the television, trying to catch a glimpse of him from the shaky footage they were showing.
"Why didn't he call me?"
"This is why! You would've stormed in here and put yourself in harms way" Fury sighed exasperated, "Clint didn't like it but he doesn't want Loki knowing about your existence if he can help it"
"Bloody git" I mumbled, rubbing my tired eyes.
"Don't worry Grace we have it under control. Clint's dealt with worse than this before"
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing"
"Fury"
"I said - what? Crap. I've got to go Grace"
Fury hung up, leaving me to gawk mindlessly at the TV.

"Mummy?" Lila said, waddling over to me
"Hey sugar lump" I laughed, lifting her on to my hip "watcha doing?"
"Coop doesn't want to play with me" she frowned, "he said that tea parties are boring"
I gasped dramatically, "Well that's not very nice. Can I come instead?"
"Yes!" She squealed, running off as soon as I put her down.
I laughed at her enthusiasm, taking one last worried look at the news program before following her, trying to banish the thought of Clint in danger.