Ship: Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov/Clint Barton

Summary: After a day of experiments, paperwork and debriefing. Bruce, Clint and Natasha take time to relax and enjoy their new dynamic.

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Rain fell heavily against the ceiling-high windows of the Tower's penthouse floors - the top floors afforded only to the Avengers and their core team. Dr Bruce Banner sat behind those windows, glancing up occasionally from his spot on the couch when the wind really started picking up. Clint Barton and Natasha Romanov, his boyfriend and girlfriend respectively, busied themselves in the adjoining kitchen as he read.

Bruce was reading so intently, that he didn't notice his boyfriend sitting beside him. He continued to be oblivious to his presence and it wasn't until Clint reached over and took one of his hands, that he finally looked up.

"Hey love, how long have you been there?"

"Not long.", Clint smiled, softly rubbing his thumb across the back of Bruce's hand, "What are you reading?"

"It's a draft of my new paper. Natural Genetic Mutations. I'm looking for spelling errors before I send it to Tony's publishers."

Clint kicked up his legs onto the couch and leaned over to get a better outlook at Bruce's paper, scribbled over with changes, "Isn't that what publishers are for?"

"Well yes, but I don't wanna send it with any major mistakes in it."

"Because you have the reputation of America's greatest mind to uphold."

"Well that's debatable and I would argue that Reed Richards is one of the greatest minds that Amer-" a kiss from Clint stopped Bruce's reply.

Clint broke it and smiled at his boyfriend, "Just take the compliment." He said, before kissing a cutely flustered Bruce again.

"Clint, I asked you to see if our boyfriend wanted some Hot Chocolate, that was ten minutes ago."

Both men turned to see their girlfriend Natasha, leaning up against the doorway. Her arms crossed loosely across her chest.

"Sorry, Nat." Clint apologised, moving closer to his boyfriend, "I was distracted by the... um by this-"

"Paper discussing Natural Genetic Mutations." Bruce stage whispered to him.

"By this paper about Natural Genetic Mutations, I'm helping Bruce check for any spelling mistakes."

Natasha raised a brow, "Fantastic improv skills as ever, Barton." She joked, "Now Bruce would you like a Hot Chocolate?"

"Please Nat, that would be lovely on a day like this." He replied, glancing briefly over at the large windows opposite.

"See Clint, was that so hard?" She asked sarcastically before turning and leaving.

Clint stuck his tongue out in response.

"I heard that," Natasha called from the kitchen, and, Bruce couldn't help but laugh at the audacious look on Clint's face.

"She's so mean," Clint whispered to Bruce.

"I heard that too," Natasha called out from the kitchen.

Bruce laughed again, and Clint just sulked.

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It was a couple of minutes later when Natasha returned, a plastic tray of three mismatched mugs in her hands. The two men shuffled along the couch, making room for their girlfriend to sit. Balancing the tray on her lap, she waited for Clint and Bruce to take there's, before taking her's in one hand and setting the tray down on the coffee table with the other. Once done she leaned back against the cushions, her partners followed quickly after, leaning against her sides.

The trio didn't speak at first, rather they took time to enjoy their hot chocolates - Bruce's with a drop of cameral, Clint's infused with mint, and Natasha's a hint of rum.

"This is so lovely," Clint commented, his partners nodded in agreement.

"It really is, thanks, Nat."

"Of course, anytime. Actually no, don't wake me up asking for one." The spy added to the end.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Bruce said, while Clint gave her a mock salute.

She looked at Clint for a moment, before smiling, leaning forward and putting her mug back in the tray, "Just for that you're washing these."

"I'm joking Clint." Reassuring the abject look of horror on his face.

"Always so mean," Clint mumbled, though this time it went unheard, as thunder boomed outside.

"Glad we're not out there."

Clint looked around Natasha, "Not a fan of storms, Brucie?"

"No one likes storms."

"Fair point."

"I don't mind the rain - the sound at least." Natasha piped up.

The scientist nodded, "It is very relaxing."

"I'm glad we met," Clint said, after a few minutes of silence.

"Where is this coming from?" Natasha asked.

"I'm just thankful for this Avengers thingy bringing us together. Now that the invasion is over, we can relax a bit."

"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you two," Bruce added.

Natasha smiled at them both, "Neither can I."