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Hawkeye’s eyes are unfocused again. They have been so long like this (ten minutes of average humans' time) Pietro already knows when Clint Barton’s vision is blurred or when he is seeing double. Once again, however, his fellow teammate says nothing of his condition, only looks at the ceiling and stays strangely silent. It is so odd to hear nothing from Hawkeye that Pietro starts babbling something about Wanda and Captain America coming as soon as possible.
Thankfully, Hawkeye does not listen. Good, Pietro thinks, for he never liked lying much (only when necessary, and most of times Pietro chose to hold back information that wasn’t pertinent to anyone but Wanda). He knows Wanda and Captain America will take too long to find them, trapped in this labyrinth full of dangers, looking for its exit so they can find Quicksilver and Hawkeye, but Pietro will say anything if it means that Barton will return to that smug and annoying persona of his.
For the very first time, Pietro realizes that Hawkeye is his best friend, though the realization leaves a sour taste in his mouth, knowing that it has taken Hawkeye being gravely concussed for him to even notice it.
Deciding not to think about it anymore, Pietro looks at the open door and wishes for his sister and his leader to appear. It does not matter that he and Barton defeated Amora — the goddamned witch left behind a powerful spell to hold her labyrinth even after she left and then knocked Hawkeye so powerfully that his head hit the wall before Pietro could stop it from happening.
“You will not pass through that door” she had said to him, already disappearing “as long as your teammates are still trapped in my labyrinth.” Pietro had tried to reach her before she vanished completely, but he grasped nothing but air. Not being able to stop, he discovered Amora was also true to her word when his body, upon reaching the door, bounced off of it and refused to go through. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
Now he is crouched next to Hawkeye, watching him and not letting the man sleep. Sometimes Barton mumbles something and tries to bat Pietro away, but reaches only air when hitting the double-Pietro his blurry vision shows him. It has been only ten minutes, he knows, but for Pietro it has been hours and there has been no sign; nothing of Wanda or the good Captain — and, also, no response from Barton, the insufferable man who seems to hate Pietro more than he hates the world.
Then, as if some god had answered Pietro’s thoughts, if not his prayers, Hawkeye mumbles something that can be understood.
“You look a lot lik’ Wand’.” It sounds as if he is drunk, but Pietro understands nonetheless.
He arches an eyebrow, “Of course I do. We are twins.”
“Naw, you don’t.” Hawkeye answers and blinks thirteen times, so fast that only someone like Pietro is able to see the entire bat of his lashes. “Most o’ times, you look angry and sh’ worried.” He explains. “It’s difficult to see some difference in your fac’s.”
This makes no sense. “This makes no sense.”
Hawkeye smiles a little, showing some teeth, but not enough to look like a normal smile of his. Pietro swallows, fearing he will speak no more. However, again, the archer surprises him. “Yeah, it does. I’ hurt, I’ right.”
Pietro rolls his eyes but does not correct him. “Fine. If I don’t normally look like Wanda, why would I look like her now?”
“‘Cause you hav' this sam’ look. You’r’ worried.”
Then, there is silence. Pietro just looks at his fellow teammate and searches his eyes for something. He finds only a serious stare with an edge of blurriness, like before. Swallowing hard, fearing for his best friend, Pietro grips one of Barton’s hands in his own. When the man responds, his hand squeezing back, Pietro secretly hopes Hawkeye will forget about it when he gets better.
“Can I sleep now?” The man asks suddenly, startling Pietro enough to make him jump a little. When he looks at Hawkeye, he is smiling a little more like himself, a smirk that says he saw Pietro’s little jump. Quicksilver glares at him.
“No, Barton.”
Captain America reaches them three minutes later with Wanda by his side. Their clothes are tattered but they look unharmed as they rush to the pair with worried looks. It’s when Pietro notices how beautiful his sister looks when she is fearful for someone’s well-being.
He blushes but, thanks to all the gods, the good Captain and Wanda do not notice. Or, if they do, they say nothing.
Thankfully, too, they say nothing about Pietro and Clint holding hands.
(01/04/2013)