This one's got a bit of a stretch in it but,, its fuckin fanfic. What else can be expected?

Clint Barton had just finished a mission in the middle of actual no where New Zealand, which was a nice change of pace and he would've appreciated it if he hadn't been so exhausted.

His job, retrieve the info and get out, but that meant he had to smoothly infiltrate the building. That task alone took 5 days to build blind spots in certain cameras. Another 2 days of him getting awkwardly stuck in the vents because of agent movement. SHEILD had told him to stay put and, generally speaking, he was one to follow orders like that.

So that was 9 days already eaten up. After he'd gotten the package, he got stuck in the building another 3 days because of a lockdown and security breach. He knew it was because of himself but it was funny to watch the idiots with guns run around like chickens being chased by a fox. After a total of 13 days inside, he got out and had to hop a fisherman's boat to get himself back to the States and home base. Just the trip back took 8 days because of all the stops. Clint had even began to consider just swimming back because that would have been faster than this piece of shit swedish fish.

3 weeks was already a horribly long time to be gone on a mission of that stature, not to mention he was forced into another 3 days of debriefing and report writing as soon as he got back. A very important piece of information though, Clint had only slept a total of 13 hours over the 26 days (624 hours) he'd been gone. How he was still walking, unknown.

He stalked out of his room in the tower, eyes barely open as he filled his cup with the words 'is stealing someone's coffee considered a mugging' on the side. No one really noticed though, it was normal for Clint to chug, refill, repeat.

It was Seargant James Buchanan Barnes who was the first to notice.

Clint finally had time to get back to his apartment and relax a day after the first coffee incident (there were many others including many broken mugs). He slumped against the counter and shoved the fridge open, grabbing the milk jug. He downed a significant bit of the carton before sliding it back onto the fridge shelf and leaving it there. Then it struck him.

Why was there fresh milk in his fridge? Why as Lucky's bowl full? Who had stocked his cereal? When and where were they now? Were they still in his-

"Hey, Hawkass." Clint heard the almost raspy voice that he knew so well and smiled. Of course it was him.

"Buck." Clint gave the man on his sofa a nod as he slowly pulled off his jacket. The bruises and bandages made it hard to do anything quickly.

"How was it?" Bucky asked, his voice quiet and Clint soon realized why. Lucky was asleep with his head in Bucky's lap.

"The usual," Clint shrugged and took a step towards the couch before his knees gave out, his body forcing him to the ground.

"Y'know on second thought," he mumbled, no more than a whisper. "I think I'll just.. take a lay down.. right here.." Clint said as he lowered himself to the ground and closed his eyes.

"Gonna hurt in the morn-" Bucky stopped when he heard the first snore. He laughed softly and turned so he could watch Clint. It was a few minutes later when the man crumpled on the floor began drooling and Bucky decided enough was enough.

He gently moved Lucky's head which, thank God, didn't wake him, and shuffled to where Clint was laying and lifted him up. He carried him to his bedroom that may or may not have been slept in since Clint had left.

But you didn't hear that from Bucky.

He tucked Clint in nicely and looked down at him. Bucky wanted to smile and that was confusing, so he leaned forward to pull Clint's hearing aids off and set them on the bedside table. His chest felt heavy, his mind started to swirl, and he sat beside the archer. A hand gently found its way to wind through the snoring Clint's hair.

That made Bucky's head even more whirly twirly. He decided a nap would help and the couch was too far and the soft, warm blankets were pulling him closer until he was laying under them. The moment that happened, Clint kicked a leg out suddenly, then reached over and patted Bucky's chest. He mumbled something incoherent before rolling to face his bed intruder.

Bucky stiffened out of instinct for a moment, waiting for Clint's reaction until he realized- Clint was still asleep. There were still snores pouring out of his mouth and a thin line of drool dripping onto the sheets. Bucky laughed silently and shifted onto his side so he could fully see Clint. He sat there for a while, just observing, before he finally fell asleep himself.

Between 3 and 5 am, Clint woke up from a dream. He was still immensely exhausted and groggy and felt like he was still dreaming when he noticed he wasn't alone. There was an arm draped over his chest and he was holding onto the hand. Short breaths peppered the back of his neck and there was a leg over his own, but it felt okay. Or incredibly weird, one or the other.

That's where Clint drew his line and collapsed back into sleep.

Bucky woke up around 8:19am (he was on the side of the bed with the analog clock) to Lucky whining and nosing at his side. They had gotten into a good routine of multi hour long walks before 9am. He groaned and gently pushed the dogs nose away, untangling himself from Clint. He shuffled out to the living room with Lucky hot on his heels. Bucky shoved his shoes on and clipped Lucky's leash to his collar before stopping.

He found an Expo marker and scrawled out a sort of note on the white board on the front of Clint's fridge. Then both he and the pizza dog were gone into the early streets of New York.

Clint woke up about 2 hours later, alone. That solidified his theory of the early morning dream. Other than himself, only Natasha and Kate, and apparently Bucky, had a key to his apartment. Natasha would never do that, Kate was still in Canada, and Bucky was no where to be seen.

Clint settled that it was just a dream.

He groaned, but could only feel it rumble in his chest. He quickly looked around and sighed in relief when he saw his hearing aids on the short table beside him. Bucky must've done it before leaving last night, bless his soul. Clint slid them into place and clicked them on, his world flooding back. The window was slightly propped open and he could here the busy city below. Cars honked, people talked, dogs barked.

Dogs.

Lucky!

Clint got up to search for the him, still unsteady on his feet. He stumbled into his living room to find nothing, only his jacket on the floor where he'd left it and a hoodie hanging on one of his kitchen chairs that did not belong to him.

Maybe Bucky forgot it.

Clint nodded to himself then called out for the dog, eyes drifting over the red words on the board.

Took pizza dog for walk. Be back by 10:30. Eat something besides coffee. -Bucky

As in Barnes? Well, duh, as in Barnes. What other Bucky did he know?

So he wasn't alone all night or had Buck came over early to take HIS dog for a walk? Clint shook his head and moved on to deciding which mug to use for his coffee. It was 10:14 so he had some time before his dog was returned. The machine made a beep and Clint stared at his mug. He grabbed the coffee pot and drank straight from it. Yeah, he kinda burned his tongue.

Right when Clint finished the pot and set it back to make more, his front door opened quietly. His hand immediately went to the block of knives by his sink as he stared at the door way. He relaxed when Lucky bounded toward him and Buck turned away to hang his leash back up.

Clint kneeled and scratched the dog while getting slobbery kisses all over. "I missed you too, buddy."

"Morning," Bucky said softly. He hadn't really realized what he'd done the night before until he was halfway through Central Park. The whole memory made his blood go cold for some reason and that got him anxious.

"Good Morning," Clint hummed back, giving Lucky one last kiss on the head. He stood, sat on the counter, grabbed the coffee pot, and looked at Bucky. "Thanks for getting me to bed. And taking out my hearing aids."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Bucky shrugged and moved closer, only to take the coffee pot away from Clint.

"Hey!"

"I told you to eat something besides coffee." Bucky's smile was almost nonexistent but if you knew him, you'd see it. That's why Clint caught it and smiled back as Bucky opened the fridge. "What do you want?"

"What?"

"For breakfast, I'll make you food." There was an unspoken gratefulness on Clint's part. "But just this once."

That's how it'd started, with Bucky coming over in the mornings and evenings to make Clint food or take Lucky for a walk when Clint couldn't. He stopped sleeping in his room at the tower and when he did sleep, it was on Clint's couch.

But Clint didn't know.

What he did know- think -was that he would pass out late at night while with Bucky, then wake up in his room late the next afternoon. He had no idea an ex-assassin was practically living on his couch. But it was obvious and maybe Clint was just so used to having Bucky around, he didn't notice. That is, until he woke up before Bucky did, around 5 am, to grab a glass of water.

Clint made it to the sink just fine. He sat on his counter as he sipped his water just fine. He switched the TV on just fine. He did not sit on the couch just fine though.

Bucky stirred silently, making Clint drop his plastic Backyardigans cup half full of water as he stared.

"Buck?"

Bucky grunted lowly in response, making something deep inside Clint churn.

"Bucky?" He asked again. This time, Bucky reached out and tugged on Clints upper thigh. Of course tonight was the night Clint only wore boxers. Of fucking course. Clint froze and completely ignored the feeling running straight down his body. Well, tried to ignore it.

He stepped away, then gently shook Bucky's shoulder. He shot straight up, hand darting to the knife under his hip.

"Woah, calm down, buddy," Clint laughed as Bucky slightly relaxed, evening his breathing, and looked up at Clint. "You pass out after I did?"

Bucky gave a small nod, eyes cast down and away from Clint.

"That's fine you can just sleep here," Clint shrugged and sat beside Bucky. He took the opportunity to rest an arm over Bucky's shoulders and gave him a sweet smile.

"I- I uh.." Bucky mumbled, trying not to notice Clint's bare thigh pressed to his own. Key word, trying.

Clint hummed.

"Been sleeping here..for a while now.." Bucky sighed quietly. Clint frowned.

"Why? I thought you were living at the tower? That's what Steve said. You should've told me, I would've let you take the bed!"

"Which is why I didn't say anything," Bucky said, pulling his hair out of its tie and re-doing it.

"Because I care?"

"Because you don't care."

"What?!" Clint didn't care if he woke up the neighbors.

"No, no, I know you do, just- not- well, I.." Bucky trailed off, mumbling under his breath.

"What?"

"Like I do. You don't care like I- put some damn pants on!" Bucky stood quickly, facing away from half naked Clint. Clint just laughed cooly, ignoring the embarrassment flooding through him.

"What do you mean like I do?" He asked, shifting to sit on his legs with his hands in his lap.

"Figure it out," Bucky groaned, forcing himself to only look at Clints face. Otherwise he'd have multiple problems to deal with.

"Buddddyyyyy," Clint whined and stood eye to eye with Bucky. "Please?"

"You- I-" Bucky sighed before taking a quick step towards Clint and wrapping a warm hand over his hip. "You don't care like this, do you?"

Clint froze for a moment before meeting Bucky's eyes, who immediately looked away. Clint tilted his head to the side and hummed.

"I've never thought about it," he said honestly. Bucky let out a heavy breath and pulled away. Clints hands darted to Bucky's neck to keep him close. "But I never said I wouldn't. Or won't or can't or am not currently."

Clint finished by pressing his lips to Buck's, hands running up the back of his neck and into his hair. Bucky rested his arms around Clints waist and then snapped out of it. He pushed away but Clint kept his hands firmly locked around Buck's neck.

"Stop," Bucky shook his head. "I know you dont mean any of this- it's 5am.  You're delerious. You always are."

Clint frowned, twisting some of Bucky' hair around his finger.

"No, Buck, I care about you. You're my friend, I love you, you've gotta hear that."

"Don't say that if you do not mean it," Bucky snapped, head hung low.

"But I do mean it." Clint stood on his toes to tilt Bucky's head back up. "maybe not in that way, but I do love you."

"You're not-"

"Gay?" Clint interrupted. "Ever wonder why I started as a circus freak?"

Bucky simply smiled and nodded, leaning back into Clint.

"So you're fully dressed.." Clint hummed, hand sliding over Bucky's bicep. "and I'm.. well, not." He laughed softly.

"You wanna fix that?" Bucky asked gently as Clint's fingers moved to the collar of his T-shirt.

"I would love to," Clint grinned, immediately pulling Bucky's shirt over his head, then working at the tie on his sweatpants.

"Are you-"

"You act like I've never done this before," Clint smirked as Bucky slowly stepped out of his pants and pushed Clint down on the couch.

"Well I haven't."

"Then let me." Clint flipped them, straddling Bucky and kissing down his neck and chest.

"I'm no top.." Clint said softly, tongue darting out over Bucky's toned stomach. "But I'm one hell of a bottom."

"I don't know what that means.." Bucky strained out a laugh.

"Good," Clint grinned as he dragged down Buck's waistband and adjusted his own hips.

Everything went down..stairs from there.

~•*„°„*•~

Bucky woke up first, Lucky nuzzling his bare side. He shifted on the couch and gently pushed the dog away.

"Not now, Luck.." He sighed, his hand drifting down Clint's chest. Clint groaned in response, eyes slightly opening and fixating on drawing finger shapes over Buckys collar. He traced over the pearly scars around what was still there of his left shoulder.

"Coffee?" Bucky asked. Clint felt the rumble but couldn't hear, he'd turned his aids off after Bucky'd fallen asleep. He glanced up and gestured for Buck to repeat himself. Clint read his lips and nodded quickly. He watched Bucky stand, wrapping a blanket around his waist, and shuffle into the kitchen to start the coffee machine. Clint sat up and watched him. He switched his hearing aids back on and smirked, eyes following the brunets movements. Bucky on the other hand, didn't noticed. He hummed to himself as he started breakfast. Clint whistled loudly, making Bucky's face to flare up in red.

"Shut up!" Buck growled playfully, giving Clint a pout.

"I'm good," Clint grinned and sat up, finding his boxers. He pulled them on, wincing as he stood, and made his way to Buck with Lucky nosing him the whole time. He wrapped his arms around Bucky's waist and kissed his shoulder blade, toying with the blankets knot.

"Clint," Bucky warned, smacking his hand away.

"Yes?"

"Hands off. We have to go in today."

Clint frowned and moved to sit on the counter, then poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Why?"

"Team bonding exercise. Steve said something about paintball I think. Whatever that is."

Clint groaned as Bucky made two plates of eggs, handing one to him.

"Can't we stay in and.. do that again?" He had an intensely hopeful look in his eyes.

Buck shook his head and shoved a bite of eggs in his mouth. "No, bird."

"Bucky!" Clint whined and kicked his legs.

"We have to go. They'll get suspicious. Steve knows when I lie-"

"And Nat knows when I do. Why do we have to lie?"

"Because I- " Bucky paused and sighed, looking down.

"Because you haven't told anyone you're into guys." Bucky gave a small nod. "It's more fun when it's a secret?"

"I think so," Bucky nodded. Clint gave a soft smile, leaving his food and drink to stand beside Buck again.

"You're such a softy," He grinned, running a hand over Bucky's chest and playing with his metal fingers with the other. "It's adorable really. You're so tough, this assassin-y badass. But you're really just so sweet."

"I am not," Bucky smirked and pressed his forehead to Clint's.

"Are too, hon." Clint kissed Bucky, a hand snaking up and letting the blanket drop to the floor. Bucky pulled Clint in close, lifting him up on his hips as they stumbled towards Clints bedroom. Clint kicked the door shut before Lucky could follow them in.

"What about team bonding?" Clint panted softly as Bucky dropped him on the bed, hovering just above him.

"Fuck paint ball." Bucky grunted, leaning down to suck on Clints neck.

"Mm, I'd rather you fuck me."