Phil and Clint have a routine. Clint gets bored and Phil gets punished for it. It's how they work and much as Phil complains sometimes, he likes it. It's dependable. Since the Avengers came together, Clint hasn't gone a day without dropping by Phil's office at least once for some reason or another. Not that he didn't stop by before, but now it was a sure thing. Every day. That was how Phil knew that something was wrong. He found himself hitting dinner time without a single visit
( ... )
The simple in-and-out wasn't turning out to be as simple as he initially hoped it would be. Of course, their day to day rapport with each other was easily avoidable for perhaps a day or so. He honestly hadn't put too much into thinking Coulson actually looked forward to the moments when he would come in uninvited to his office when he needed something to do. Or someone to be around that wasn't any of the Avengers. Even though, in his right state of mind; he considered Phil part of the team. The norm went something of the way of him just going out of his way to make sure Phil was still alive -- rather than him discovering his friend was somehow a hallucination his mind had concocted to deal with his handler's passing. It wasn't normal, per say. But in SHIELD nothing was truly "normal". The part of him that thought Phil was a hallucination for the better part of a couple weeks (upon hearing of his death and revival); was the part that blamed himself for it
( ... )
Of course Phil looked forward to seeing Clint. He might not look forward to some of the things Clint did, but the visits themselves were becoming a daily highlight for him. His worrying about Clint wasn't really going away, but at least knowing that he would see the man every day meant that he would see if he seemed to be getting worse. More than that, it reminded him that Clint was alive and still there with him
( ... )
It wasn't necessarily something Clint would think however. But he usually would guess that was par for the course when it came to being a handler. Sometimes they would just have the troublesome agents, who enjoyed spending time coloring on their finished piles of paperwork with a purple crayon. That was the norm for them. Clint trying to be the "lone wolf" and Phil being around to make sure he didn't crash and burn. It wasn't something they quite planned, but it worked
( ... )
Clint was definitely the only crayon-wielding agent that Phil knew of. He definitely wanted to keep it that way, too. The world couldn't handle two Clint Bartons. Phil certainly couldn't, fond as he was of the one
( ... )
"Guess I missed the call." It would certainly...be the first time. Even with his attitude, Clint was hardly the type to skip over answering a call from anyone. Especially Phil. His body had yet to release any tension...this conversation was going on far too long. "Does it matter?" He paused, feeling his body shift slightly once Phil took his arm off of him before separating himself away from him. "I'll check in next time, boss. Promise." It was a peace offering, a hope that Phil would take it and leave. But deep down, Clint knew that wouldn't please Coulson at all. In a world like this one, going off the grid for even a day was one day too many. "Visiting an old friend...outside of SHIELD. I do have those." No. He didn't. The only two people who would know that was Tasha and of course, Coulson. The people outside of SHIELD that Clint knew, he would be more than happy to forget about. He sometimes did when he was caught up in working for the government agency
( ... )
Yes, Phil did know that Clint had no friends outside of SHIELD. It really wasn't helping Clint's entire story. "You think it doesn't matter when one of my agents disappears for days?" Not that that wasn't a big deal either way, but that wasn't why Phil had been so worried. This wasn't about the job at all. This was Clint. It was personal
( ... )
Phil's agent wasn't going to be recognizable if he had taken off his sunglasses. He was Loki's weapon right now. His tool. The story he told when he opened his mouth wasn't something that Clint would have likely said any other time. He wouldn't usually come up with stories when it came to Phil because the man knew him more than anyone else. "I think you shouldn't let it get to you when they don't, Coulson. Worrying isn't a good look on you."
He scoffed, body ready to turn away from the handler. "Ha! That's bullshit, Coulson." Clint knew he was serious. He knew he would do that because the man had done much worse in his employ with SHIELD. A part of Clint was always glad that he was on the same side as the other man but right now? RIght now he wasn't on the same side. All Clint could think of was how well he could serve Loki; bring down SHIELD and the Avengers. Give the God the kingdom he deserved even if he died in the process. Just like before
( ... )
Phil felt his jaw tighten. He had to remind himself that this wasn't Clint. Clint wouldn't talk to him like this. Not with that tone. Then he had to remind himself that he couldn't kill this person. Clint could be in there or they could know where he was. He couldn't kill him, but he couldn't let him get away, either. He had to clamp down on that worry. He could deal with it later. Right now, he was the job.
His hand shook for just a moment as he moved for the taser, but it was steady by the time he gripped it. He breathed in and out, ready for whatever this Clint-who-wasn't-Clint was going to do. He couldn't rely on security right now. It was just the two of them.
The minute Clint was moving, Phil was sprinting after him. The taser only got one shot and he needed it to count. He had to get in close. Once he got close enough, he shot it at Clint while they were still running.
The specialist had the intention to keep running, to make it to the door and keep on going. But of course, Phil wouldn't let him leave without him chasing after him. The younger man kept on his feet as he looked briefly over his shoulder just as Phil shot off the taser. The shot narrowly making it's target just as tried to speed around a corner. This time of his body tensing up with nerves, his muscles clenched as he ran straight into the wall. He huffed out a breath, biting back the pain as he reached his shaking arm to pull out the barbs that had been launched from Coulson's weapon.
It didn't lift the fog. Clint still moved to get to his feet before falling back on his knees. "Fuck..." That might be something Clint would have said as he attempted to use the wall as something to push himself up on. His head snapped in Coulson's direction before just pushing himself off the wall, barreling towards the other man.
Clint really wasn't going anywhere without Phil chasing until Phil was unconscious or dead. It was how he did his job and right now his job was stopping Clint. At least the taser slowed him down enough that Phil could fully catch up. Running into a wall probably hurt, but getting shot would hurt more, so Phil wasn't exactly concerned.
Though it was actually a little concerning when maybe-not-Clint tried to get up and failed. "Clint?" He only had a fraction of a moment to react as the man was suddenly running at him, so he did the first thing that came to mind. He shifted his balance to the side and went in for a swift punch to the head. He just needed to keep this thing preoccupied until the guard watching the security cameras saw the fight.
He didn't let Phil's singular question get to him, even if it just caused Clint to fight the fog even more. Clint's teeth knocked in his skull when Coulson's fist hit the side of his head. Even if usually Clint would say his sunglasses were unable to be knocked from his head. They did the same, finally skittering across the ground as Clint's balanced swayed as he moved passed Coulson by him after being knocked in the head. The knock to the head was enough to cause Loki's hold to stray for a mere moment. He didn't exactly move to retaliate against the other agent as he tried to gain a more steady foot. It wasn't exactly what he had planned the moment he stepped into SHIELD headquarters but in the back of his mind, ignoring the steady voice that told him his orders. Told him his goal. This was the best course of action as Clint's eyes focused to the world around him once again before turning towards Phil, flexing his fists once again
( ... )
The moment that the glasses were knocked off, Phil finally saw what was happening. He'd known that it couldn't be Clint in the driver's seat in there if it was Clint and that was just he confirmation. He saw, for just a moment, Clint was almost Clint again and he remembered how Natasha had fixed it last time. Okay, a swift, hard knock to the head. Phil was strong, but Clint was stronger. He knew he was outmatched when it came to muscle and there wasn't much to knock him into even if Phil was confident that he could. That left one very painful, very bad idea.
Fast as lightning, Phil drew his sidearm as he closed in on Clint. He drew his hand back and pistol-whipped Clint in the head. He'd deal with the consequences later. A concussed Clint was better than a brainwashed one, that was for sure.
Phil acted faster than Clint reacted, needless to say.
But there was a purpose. There was a reason why Clint didn't move to guard himself. The electrocution, the hit to the head. All caused enough damage to give him a way to at least hold himself back a little. It wasn't like the first time when Tasha had been the one to slam his head against a metal railing. The sniper's arm moved a fraction of a second too late when he saw Phil's arm swing back before it collided with his head. The snap. A fumble. Some other football terms Clint never really paid attention too as he was knocked to the ground. His head was throbbing already the moment he tried to pick himself back up again. Remaining on all fours as the world spun around him. The voice commanding him to move forward, to fight, to kill Coulson was fading. But it was still there.
"Boss," Clint's voice came out rough. Almost unrecognizable to himself because it was him speaking. Not the thing that Loki had put back in him. Not the weapon. Clint tried to get back to
( ... )
He actually winced himself as the barrel of the gun hit Clint's head. He was going to need a lot of ice and painkillers. He watched Clint go down, stepping back warily. The punch hadn't worked, but he hoped this was enough. Much more of a blow to the head and he might actually do serious damage to Clint.
As soon as Clint spoke, Phil knew it had worked. He knelt down next to Clint, arm going out to touch him. His hand settled on Clint's arm, squeezing. "I'm here. Stay with me." He kept his hand on Clint as he lowered himself to the ground. Clint was okay. He was here and he was okay and Phil was finally letting himself relax.
"I might have given you a concussion, so I need you to stay awake, Clint." Okay, he did feel a little bad about having to hit Clint so hard, but how else was he going to fix it? It was the only method that they could be sure of, since it worked earlier. "Come on. I've got to get you down to medical so they can take a look at you."
Clint wanted to do anything but stay conscious right at the moment. Luckily he had been one of those people who knew what it was like to have a concussion and the regular steps after having one inflicted upon you as he struggled to keep his eyes open. His eyes were still a bit clouded, the trickster's control receding slowly from him. He had been lucky. Tasha was no where near as warm as Phil was. The reassuring squeeze on his arm kept him there rather than fading into the black. His voice kept him focused on something that wasn't the drilling sensation behind his eyes as his hand squeezed into a fist as he tried to push himself back to his feet now. Moving to get to his feet so Coulson didn't have to amusingly try to get him up by himself.
"...might have?" He fought back a laugh that rattled through his entire body. "You...smacked a pistol against the side of my head, Coulson." Clint's smile tugged at his lips as he tried to keep his outward mood light-hearted. It happened again. At least no one was dead this time as he
( ... )
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He scoffed, body ready to turn away from the handler. "Ha! That's bullshit, Coulson." Clint knew he was serious. He knew he would do that because the man had done much worse in his employ with SHIELD. A part of Clint was always glad that he was on the same side as the other man but right now? RIght now he wasn't on the same side. All Clint could think of was how well he could serve Loki; bring down SHIELD and the Avengers. Give the God the kingdom he deserved even if he died in the process. Just like before ( ... )
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His hand shook for just a moment as he moved for the taser, but it was steady by the time he gripped it. He breathed in and out, ready for whatever this Clint-who-wasn't-Clint was going to do. He couldn't rely on security right now. It was just the two of them.
The minute Clint was moving, Phil was sprinting after him. The taser only got one shot and he needed it to count. He had to get in close. Once he got close enough, he shot it at Clint while they were still running.
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It didn't lift the fog. Clint still moved to get to his feet before falling back on his knees. "Fuck..." That might be something Clint would have said as he attempted to use the wall as something to push himself up on. His head snapped in Coulson's direction before just pushing himself off the wall, barreling towards the other man.
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Though it was actually a little concerning when maybe-not-Clint tried to get up and failed. "Clint?" He only had a fraction of a moment to react as the man was suddenly running at him, so he did the first thing that came to mind. He shifted his balance to the side and went in for a swift punch to the head. He just needed to keep this thing preoccupied until the guard watching the security cameras saw the fight.
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Fast as lightning, Phil drew his sidearm as he closed in on Clint. He drew his hand back and pistol-whipped Clint in the head. He'd deal with the consequences later. A concussed Clint was better than a brainwashed one, that was for sure.
"Sorry." It wasn't his most sincere apology.
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But there was a purpose. There was a reason why Clint didn't move to guard himself. The electrocution, the hit to the head. All caused enough damage to give him a way to at least hold himself back a little. It wasn't like the first time when Tasha had been the one to slam his head against a metal railing. The sniper's arm moved a fraction of a second too late when he saw Phil's arm swing back before it collided with his head. The snap. A fumble. Some other football terms Clint never really paid attention too as he was knocked to the ground. His head was throbbing already the moment he tried to pick himself back up again. Remaining on all fours as the world spun around him. The voice commanding him to move forward, to fight, to kill Coulson was fading. But it was still there.
"Boss," Clint's voice came out rough. Almost unrecognizable to himself because it was him speaking. Not the thing that Loki had put back in him. Not the weapon. Clint tried to get back to ( ... )
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As soon as Clint spoke, Phil knew it had worked. He knelt down next to Clint, arm going out to touch him. His hand settled on Clint's arm, squeezing. "I'm here. Stay with me." He kept his hand on Clint as he lowered himself to the ground. Clint was okay. He was here and he was okay and Phil was finally letting himself relax.
"I might have given you a concussion, so I need you to stay awake, Clint." Okay, he did feel a little bad about having to hit Clint so hard, but how else was he going to fix it? It was the only method that they could be sure of, since it worked earlier. "Come on. I've got to get you down to medical so they can take a look at you."
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"...might have?" He fought back a laugh that rattled through his entire body. "You...smacked a pistol against the side of my head, Coulson." Clint's smile tugged at his lips as he tried to keep his outward mood light-hearted. It happened again. At least no one was dead this time as he ( ... )
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