Work Text:
It is a well known fact that only angels truly deserve their wings, and are the only ones who can keep them.
It somehow began with something extraordinarily simple as a battle. The Avengers were doing their job, protecting others and saving the city. But this was interrupted by something none of the team ever thought they would hear. To hear Cpt. American swear is an extreme in on itself, it’s not that much that could even reach the extremes to even make him shout either.
Clint turned from his perch on the edge of the building to see Hulk staggering from the building opposite, holding on tightly as he swayed slightly. Before his eyes the skin discoloured, becoming pink and exposed.
“Stark!” Steve yelled trying to find out where the tin man was. Unluckily it was on the occasion when Thor was back in Asgard and it would appear Stark himself was the only one who would even be able to help.
But he appeared to be too far away and not responding.
Steve swore again from his position below on the ground, unable to help in any way and feeling utterly useless. Clint continued to watch in morbid fascination as the weakening man clung to the brickwork his legs shaking and blinking rapidly in a hope to try and stay conscious.
Clint nodded tersely, excepting his fate and smiling meekly at feeling the familiar tingle forming at the bottom of his spine and moving upwards as if a blaze of fire. Clint pulled off his arrows and bow hooking them over one shoulder carefully and shaking his shoulders ruffling the black feathers with each flick. Across from him Bruce Banner’s eyes were wide staring at the ground below.
“Stark?” Natasha’s voice floated over the com link. It would be too late anyway if Stark were not to appear soon.
Moving with a grace, people would normally associate with Natasha, Clint stood on the edge poised and ready before diving forward. “Got it ‘Tasha,” he stated as he moved forward in a swoop just as Bruce’s grip lessened and he tipped backwards crying out loudly, yelling to the others below. Adjusting in an instant Clint angled himself down and wrapped his arms carefully around the shrunken man cradling him closer to himself as his fall jerked to a much steadier pace. “You can rest now,” Clint told the man as he descended carefully, placing Bruce onto an undamaged portion of ground before flexing his ashen wings looking back at the silhouette they cast and the woman standing within it glancing towards him with widening eyes.
Her eyes darted over his shoulders as he turned folding them flush with his back. “You never told me,” she told him simply wondering what other secrets were hidden between them.
Clint just sighed looking back down at Banner and looking at her in concern. “It was never a secret safe enough to tell,” he told her and she nodded looking over to where Rogers was approaching awe on his face.
“Only angels have wings,” Rogers told him matter-of-factly.
Clint sighed and looked up at the sky. “I’m not an angel,” he told the Captain. But really, we all know, that only angels deserve their wings.