brandingproblem | open post

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."

"I can take anything you can dish out." Said with cocky confidence. "Before, after, anytime in between..." But maybe now they're inching into territory best left discussed behind closed doors. "You're gonna surprise everyone with how thirsty you've been this whole time."

The phrase actually startles a laugh out of Phil. "Thirsty? I am not... you make me sound like a teenage girl at a rock concert. There's nothing that thirsty about being attracted to someone."

He's not thirsty for Clint. That's just such a silly way to say it. He's simply attracted like he has been for a long time. That's all.

Phil ducks his head but there is no way his blush will not be noticed.

"Phil," he says, halfway sing-song and laughing. "Phil, aw, c'mon, you know it's an appropriate word. I can't believe you can say some of what you've said to me without batting an eye, but I point out how bad you've got it for me..."

It's cute. What a nerd.

"That was said under very different circumstances." Phil's struck by how normal this is. They look like any other couple, warmly teasing each other about their relationship. For so long they've kept everything under strict rules and tight controls. This was something they wouldn't do on an open street.

It keeps the embarrassment from stinging. It actually feels freeing. "I don't need you to point it out. I am well aware I am an idiot over you, thank you."

And he has been for a very long time.

"A thirsty idiot." Like so. Proves his point. "You're in good company with that. I've seen the unofficial Avengers calendars that get peddled. But you're special cuz you're the only one allowed to act on it."

Phil gives Clint a look. "What types of photos of you are going into unofficial merchandise that would make someone thirsty over you?"

Because he's seen a lot of the proofs for official merchandized calendars. And Clint doesn't have near the internet presence that Stark has. Anyone can get a picture of Stark's ass.

Who's getting pictures of Clint's? And does Phil need to be worried?

He mocks a wince. "Ouch. Way to make a guy feel attractive."

But he can hear the gears turning from here, and he gives Phil's arm a pat. "You're thinking too hard. Go back to ignoring half the shit that comes out of my mouth."

"No, that's not how I meant that," Phil says with a little sigh. He is getting too much in his head about this. He should know better than to get jealous over strangers lusting after Clint.

Sometimes, he does not.

"As I said earlier, I am aware that you make me an idiot." Phil says it with affection though. It's the depth of feeling he has for Clint.

"Apparently not too much of an idiot, or you probably wouldn't still have the job you do." There's no harm done. It's more funny than anything else. And also...kind of nice, in a way. Watching his partner trip over himself mentally because of him. "There's only room enough for one idiot in this duo."

"You're the heart, I'm the logic." Phil would not call Clint an idiot. He isn't one. The sort of intelligence he has isn't the kind that builds flying suits of armor in caves but a different kind.

Heart Clint had a lot of and it was one of Phil's favorite things about him. He squeezes his hand and the look in his eyes speaks plenty about his emotions.

It's a word, a description, that's become a lot more loaded in the wake of Loki's everything. It doesn't hurt or anything. And he knows exactly how Phil means it. It just sits a little differently now is all.

Doesn't keep him from smiling at that look his partner gives. Honest and bright and pretty wonderful, actually.

"Wouldn't count your heart out just yet."

"I never would."

They walk to Clint's place which is nice enough. Phil always thinks Clint can do better than where he lives but he doesn't push. This is his place, the safe place he needs when everything is too much.

He does want to hire a maid sometimes though behind Clint's back. It gets messy. Then again, Phil thinks five dishes in the sink is messy.

A little mess is good for the soul.

Clint makes space in his closet for the suits. Figures he'll separate the individual pieces to wear mixed in with his other clothes eventually, but the suits themselves can stay in their fancy bags. "So. You don't have to stay or anything. We don't have to stay here if you don't want, either."

"I want to stay where you are," he says with a casual shrug. "Since we're here and you're here, I might as well stay. It's just another trip to go back to my place."

He watches Clint make room in his closet while leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed casually over his chest. "I can cook if you've got anything in your fridge."

"Contrary to what your eyes tell you, I don't actually live like a caveman. Yeah, I got stuff; go nuts. But first?"

He lets that hang, fussing with the bags, fiddling to make sure everything is in a place he wants it, as though that's a lot of room for reorganizing. Finally closes the closet and turns to his partner. Holds out his arms. "C'mere. Tell me what you're feeling. About that little bit we did out in public."

"What I'm feeling?" Phil crosses to him and cups Clint's cheek in his hand. He brushes his thumb back and forth slowly. "I liked it. It was fun. I could tell you were having fun teasing me."

And it didn't really bother Phil that much. It made him feel a little silly but he didn't mind. Not when Clint was happy and they never drew any attention. They were just two guys.

"It was more comfortable than I expected."

"So it wasn't too much, wasn't weird, you wanna keep doing it?"

He gets his arms around Phil. "Cuz I liked how easy it seemed. Won't be long before we're making out in the middle of the street for everyone to see."

"I don't think we'll take it that far..." He leans in for a kiss though. They didn't go quite that far in public but that will be the next step. "But a kiss or two wouldn't be out of the question."

He's going to do it in front of Stark just to see the man's reaction. It'll be a fun new way to annoy the man. Who annoys him in return.

He hums into the kiss, delighted. He's been keeping some distance lately, so it feels so good to get back into this rhythm. Or to refind it again. "You don't want to get caught with your pants down in the middle of doing something naughty and get your ass plastered on the internet? Cuz I think that'd be really funny. Some funky government agent with a whole Avenger at his sexy beck and call? Imagine the scandal."

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