brandingproblem | open post

"Don't look so skeptical. They do happen."

They're friends with Tony Stark. A black tie event will happen in their future and they will arrive to it together, arm in arm looking incredibly well dressed. It will absolutely floor Stark.

He follows Leah to the counter to pay for both suits, not the least bit bothered by the price tag. It is entirely worth it. When they do go out for their dinner Phil will really enjoy himself.

He hopes Clint does as well and has the confidence of a good suit and his good looks. Phil's already picked out the steakhouse which will be smaller and more intimate than perhaps what Clint is expecting.

Phil waits for Clint to finish changing back into his usual clothes with both suit bags draped over his arm.

Rest assured that Clint can't wait to confuse and arouse every tabloid the first time he shows up to a Stark event all decked out.

When he comes back out, all normal and not swank, he leans over to give Leah a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for putting up with me."

"You just have to make sure you come back anytime you need something nice to wear. And send me pictures if you end up on any red carpets."

He doesn't know about that, but some of Stark's events do get big names, so...not exactly out of the picture. "And thank you, Phillip."

Nope, not going to get tired of that while they're here.

"You're welcome, Clinton."

Phil takes Clint's hand as he leads him out of the shop, Leah laughing warmly behind them. He's quite pleased with the way this fitting had gone.

"You seem happy with the suits," he says as they walk together. "Do you like them?"

It's a complete reversal of the past few days. Now Phil's a little unsure and perhaps overthinking. Clint had fun with the fitting which Phil took as a sign that he likes the suits but it'd be nice to hear it as well.

"I'm definitely happy you took me to her. I don't think she ever realized who I was. She's great." Phil was asking about the suits, but Clint would be remiss not to talk about the experience as a whole. "I really might have to swoop by and get an actual tuxedo and really knock your socks off in something traditional as hell."

He's glad now to hold his partner's hand. There are still nerves in there, somewhere, buzzing about, but there's a giddiness, too, that can't be denied. "And I like the suits. It's different, but hey, now I've got options. Even on missions. Don't expect me to wear them a lot; you're not gonna turn me into you. Just on special occasions. Or when you tell me to, sir."

"I don't know if I'm ready to see you in a not rented tuxedo." It might actually break Phil entirely. He may do something stupid and reckless like declare his undying love and ask Clint to marry him.

He looks good in a rented tux. He would be devastating in a tailored one. Especially now that Leah knew what Clint liked. Oh, he had made his own downfall.

"Don't worry, I don't think we'll be going out to too many steakhouses." Phil gently nudges his shoulder against Clint's. "I prefer our usual haunts but I feel we should indulge now and then."

"I'm thinking a fancy one, with coattails, and white gloves." He's not, actually, but there's room to tease.

"You don't indulge enough." ...Hm, hold on, let him rephrase that. "You don't indulge in anything that isn't me or your suits enough." They might potentially maybe go on vacation together someday. Now that would truly be an indulgence. "That said, how did you like me in suits?"

If anyone could pull off coattails and gloves it would be Clint. Phil could find him attractive in just about anything he wore. It's a curse of being in love with the man.

Phil leans in close so that Clint won't miss a single word of what he says next nor the way he practically growls it. "I cannot be held responsible for my actions when we're alone and you're in that vest, agent."

The trim line of Clint's waist will pleasantly haunt Phil's memories for years and years to come. If he wore that and rolled up his sleeves? Phil would have to drag him to the nearest closet and ruin him.

He drew back and settled comfortably back into his unflappable agent role.

That shoots straight to his dick. And Clint grins slyly even as Phil tries to settle back to normal business as usual.

"We're gonna have fun with this. You've given me so much power. And I can't promise to use it wisely." His turn to bump shoulders. "Maybe you're the one who's gonna have to pay for dry cleaning, too. If you treat my clothes rough."

"I'm aware of what I've done to myself." Phil very subtly licks his lips. It's rare that the power dynamic between them shifts so firmly in Clint's favor but well...

Phil's done this to himself.

"We have reservations for Friday night." So that's when Clint can absolutely test all of Phil's control.

Clint laughs to himself. "Down, boy." It's so small. It's so subtle. Literally only he can tell any of this is happening, and he's going to milk it for all it's worth.

"Friday night. We're gonna roll up on the scene like two very handsome men in a very handsome car, and you're not going to do the chivalry thing and open doors and pull out my chair or anything." Just to warn him now. In case Phil gets any ideas. "Are you gonna help me get dressed? Pick out which combination of everything I'm gonna wear, pretty me up with some accessories?"

"Does that mean you want to keep the suits at my place?" Phil didn't want to presume anything. He would gladly keep the suits at his place. He would also happily dress Clint from head to toe if the man wanted to him.

He brushes his thumb across his knuckles. "I would be happy to help you dress. If you want me to."

"What, no, they're my suits now; they're staying at my place. But you've seen what I got. You can come over and come help me out and bring some of your shiny accessories over. So that I can then be your shiny accessory on your arm."

"So, we're going to your place tonight." To drop off the suits and whatever else they felt like doing. It's been awhile since they've spent a lot of time together. "But I'll come over early to help you dress before our date."

He has to go get Lola detailed for this. They are going to be flashy and totally noticeable. Some blog is going to lose their minds over the two of them.

"We could go to your place, and then I'll be dragging some suits with me back to my place after, but yeah. Easier if we go to my place." Is that...unexpected? Is that disappointing somehow? He glances at Phil, then back down the sidewalk. "You don't hate my place. Been a while since you've spent time over at mine, though."

"I don't hate your place." Phil doesn't mind Clint's place at all. It's not always the most clean but he can live with that. It is very much Clint's place and there's something endearing about it.

"Why bother with the extra step? Let's just go to your place." As long as he is with Clint Phil is generally happy. After letting him have his space he is very happy to spend time with him again.

Clint had made the joke. That if they moved in together and took that extra step, it would just be his floor of Stark's gaudy tower. They are absolutely not at a move in together point, and there's no real expectation that they ever will, because they need to do this one step at a time before they trip and hurt themselves and each other.

But he can see the writing on the wall clear as day. If anyone's moving anywhere, it'll be Clint in with Phil.

"You want me to give you a bit more of a fashion show, or save all that fun for a very special Friday night?"

The temptation is there. Phil wants to say yes. He does because God, Clint is unfairly attractive in a suit. However...

"Let's wait." He squeezes his hand. "I could always wear one of your flannels if you want a fashion show yourself."

Clint's clothes are big on him, especially across the shoulders but he has borrowed a shirt or two in the past. He maybe stole one once or twice because he liked how they smelled like Clint, especially when he was away oversees.

"I do love it when you get casual. It's downright obscene." And free to borrow as many as he'd like. So long as Clint still has some. "Or," with a lean in nice and quiet, "just skip the idea of clothing altogether."

He imagines Phil's got a certain amount of energy that might like to get burned.

Phil laughs warmly and brazenly presses a kiss against Clint's temple. "I imagined that's where this night was going eventually. We don't have to rush if you want to simply spend some time together."

He was perfectly content to have a quiet night that led to sex. As always he was happy to get the time with Clint. They never knew when they'd get pulled into the field again.

"Although I'd be happy to tend to any needs you might have."

Now that's bold. Whatever Phil's feeling (and could it be mostly love?), he's feeling a lot of it. "You always tend to my needs." That's kind of how their dynamic works, in a way. It's just that Clint isn't always fully aware of what his own needs are. "Seems like we've been tending to some of yours lately. Is that what you needed all along, me in a fancy getup to get you all weak at the knees?"

"No, you've made me weak in the knees before." Phil must have hid it really well for Clint not to notice before their trip to the tailors. Maybe he hid it too well.

He wishes they were home, his place or Clint's, for this next part but it's New York. No one's giving them a second look except for one pickpocket that's tailing them hoping to make a great score the second he gets an opening.

"Your trust in me does that all the time." It's probably a lot to put out there in the open, another one of those things they've never exactly put into words before. Phil throws Clint a bone. "And you in those tight tactical vests. That does it."

That shuts Clint's smart mouth up. It is a lot, in this conversation, out there in the open, while feeling their way around this idea of being...well, more open. Here he was being a flirty jokester, and then Phil has to get all genuine and sentimental on him.

"Maybe next mission, you can zip and cinch me in."

To say nothing of the trust. The trust that goes, generally, unspoken.

The trust doesn't need to be spoken. It's been there since Clint saved Natasha and Phil backed his call. They can look at each other and know, like a string tying them together, the trust is there.

"We'll scandalize the junior agents." Which could be really amusing, actually. Phil will enjoy everyone's jaws dropping as word of their relationship spreads.

"Next you're going to ask for a pat on the ass like we're football players in the locker room."

"Just a pat? After all that talk of smacking my pert backside? I want the sound to ring, Phil. You better put energy into it. Scandalize everyone with the bounce of my ass."

It's easier to make things a flirty joke instead of being real and genuine and honest. It's not a habit he's looking to break, either. So long as Phil can put up with it. Because Phil's also good at settling him down and making him give real, genuine, honest responses when needed.

Right now, they don't have to be genuine and honest. Right now, they're on a New York street which is a terrible place for heartfelt confessions no matter what rom-coms say about that. His emotions keep getting the better of him which is why he keeps saying heartfelt things.

If someone wanted a weak spot for Phil, it would be Clint without question.

"I wouldn't want to compromise your physical well being before a mission." He sounds like he's giving any other mission briefing. "If you want something that hard I can give it to you after the mission."

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