Chapter Text
Clint had eventually worn Scott down, with Jean's help, into a compromise on training to become an X-Man. The deal was that, now that he was eleven, he could train, but he wasn't allowed on the team yet. But he got to be in all the right classes at the school this semester, and he was even working on Steve to try to get him to do some Avenger-focused stuff on weekends, since he and the other kids liked to go to the tower with Billy and Teddy when school wasn't in session.
Clint was pretty sure the argument that had won Scott over was the fact that the bad guys were coming after him anyways, but that had also maybe sort of prompted all the adults to get their heads together on figuring out what to do about the department creeps. Ever since Clint had gotten shot, the Avengers and the X-Men and even some other hero friends of theirs were digging into the department and uprooting projects left and right.
It was almost funny, because watching Steve go on the warpath was cool, but watching him gripe about how he hated being the one the team elected to go deal with politicians was even funnier.
"You're just so good at giving speeches," Tony had teased him, which got Steve to give him the dirtiest look ever on the way out the door. Tony laughed, shook his head, and then went back to what he was doing — giving K and Logan an overview of what the department had on their family. The whole family. There had even been information on the kids that didn't have powers but could be used as collateral.
No one was happy about it, but the people looking into it were particularly mad about the focus on James, who wasn't even a year old yet. And Clint would very much like for his little brother to make it to his first ever birthday party without bad guys getting involved.
"So what's your solution, tall, Stark, and handsome?" K asked — unable to not pick on him when the opportunity arose.
Tony smirked her way. "What, you mean besides the full court press?" he teased right back. "We've got Cap chewing up politicians, we've got the best minds in the world destroying their research before they can even save it on their computers—"
"That doesn't seem like a full court press to me," she said. "I want to know what the plan is when they inevitably decide to go around the legal channels they've been hiding in."
"Oh, that's the part where we destroy them," Tony said without missing a beat. "We can't touch the legal stuff, but once they come out of their holes?"
K shook her head at that, smirking crookedly. "And how are you gonna do that?"
"You want a sneak peek? I mean, it'll start with sparring, but we'll see where it ends up…"
"If you think you can fight them back with injuries ...I'm game."
"Mom, seriously?" Clint groaned.
"He's the one that wants me to interrogate him," K said. "Since he won't just tell me what the plan is, I can get it out of him the hard way."
"Try and have a little fun," Tony said, holding up both hands in a gesture of peace.
"Still didn't say 'no,'" K said, smiling now.
"Hey, as much as I'm into you and me and a dark room…"
"You're scared," she said. "And I don't need a dark room, thanks."
"Fer christsakes, just tell her what the hell you have in mind," Logan grumbled. "Because you're talkin' about two entirely different things, and I know for a fact she wants practice on interrogation before she gets a hold of one of these department idiots."
"Now that is a threat," Tony said, shaking his head. "But honestly, once these guys cross the legal lines the Avengers can't cross? We're sending Thor and Carol for an opener."
"You're opening with Thor?"
"He's pretty pissed off about the whole thing, actually," Tony said. "Something about how 'this is what happens when I leave Midgard' and how if Clint keeps getting in trouble, his brother is going to get involved. Guy has a thing for keeping adopted kids safe, y'know? Not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I think I'd wish Loki on my worst enemies, yeah."
"Does that mean I get to play with Loki too?" K asked with a grin. "Because that could be fun…"
"Could be," Tony said.
"I'm kind of okay with nothing happening to me that makes him mad enough to come," Clint chimed in. He wasn't technically invited to the strategy session, but no one had kicked him out thus far, so he was going to put his two cents in.
"Obviously, I'd prefer we didn't need him involved," K said. "But it could still be fun."
"Yeah, well, anyway, that's two Asgardians and Carol, not to mention the rest of the team," Tony listed off. "And Cyclops already said the X-Men would step in where SHIELD won't let the Avengers."
Logan made his way toward where K was seated, only pausing to slap Bruce Banner on the back — hard. "Why don't you just drop Banner on 'em?" he said with a smirk. "Seems like a better strategy than makin' Carol break a nail."
Bruce narrowed his eyes and pointedly moved away from Logan. "That's not happening."
"What's wrong? Afraid to stretch a little?" Logan asked, smirking crookedly.
"Little bit dicey, actually," Tony put in. "Ross has been poking his nose in again."
"So drop him on the department and I'll deal with Ross. Guy's a pain anyhow," Logan said as he lifted his mug.
Clint leaned forward. "Who's Ross?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Power-hungry general," Logan summarized. "Wants to get his hands on ol' Brucey here." He accentuated the point with another hard slap on Bruce's shoulder that had him jumping just a bit.
Clint frowned, his nose scrunched up as he looked between an obviously annoyed-looking Bruce and a too-entertained Logan. "So… like the department wants you?"
"In a manner of speaking," Bruce said as he shrugged Logan's hand off and glared harder at him. "Stop that."
"Make me," Logan replied, though that was enough to get Tony to get between the two of them and give Bruce a clear exit away from Logan.
"Not. Smart," Tony said.
"When was the last time you let loose, Banner?" Logan asked. "Can't be smart to let it bottle up like that. Gettin' twitchy."
"Smell the testosterone," Carol whispered to K as Bruce glared at Logan for an answer.
"Logan just wants a good brawl," K said as if that was perfectly normal behavior.
"And with the department staying underground…" Carol surmised.
"And Sabretooth dead," K continued, though she left the statement hanging for a moment. "Something will snap."
"Then go find Ross," Carol suggested. "That actually wasn't a bad suggestion."
"Except for the part that if they're prepared for the Hulk, they should be able to catch my sweetheart too," K said. "Subtle isn't usually his strong point. If we take out Ross, he gets to hang back with James."
"Oh darn. That sounds so terrible for everyone involved," Carol deadpanned.
"I know. Pesky missions with the girls doing fun things. Oh no!"
"Just wait until your girls are big enough to come too," Carol laughed. "Katie was telling me this morning we have to not destroy all the Hydra bad guys until she's old enough to help."
"Which is great, because with the guys running things, you know we'll have plenty of Hydra for her when she's old enough," K replied without missing a step. "They can say they did it on purpose."
Carol laughed outright. "Seriously. Remind me why the X-Men have you around more than we do? You're way too much fun for them to hog."
"Because Tony would cry daily if I was here all the time."
"I see no problem with that."
"Well, in that case …" K smiled her way. "I mean … you did say you had a chance of bringing me a God of Mischief to play with too …"
"I know. We have all the perks," Carol chuckled. "Only thing missing is that school." She snapped her fingers. "Darn."
"In the words of the great poet Alice Cooper …" K started to say. "School's out for summer. School's out forever."
Carol grinned even wider, nodding along to every word while the boys continued their back and forth discussion. It was getting to a point where Tony was actively trying to keep Logan and Bruce apart when Carol spoke up. "It's decided, then."
"Wait, what?" Clint looked between the girls and the guys, obviously not sure which was the more interesting watch.
"Your mom and I are going to do a little recon," Carol said. "And the guys can stay here and try to get it together."
"I want to come," Clint said quickly. "I've got it together!"
"Sweetheart, we're infiltrating a military facility. You should babysit your dad and brother," K said. She wasn't turning him down outright, not when she knew his protective drive was high and he was itching to be a hero, but she wasn't going to let him get involved in anything he wasn't ready for, either.
"But Dad's trying to pick a fight with the Hulk, and I'm not allowed!"
"Not the first time he's done that," K said as Carol nodded in agreement. "If we could bring Dr. Banner with us without getting caught by the gamma he emits, we would."
"So while you boys get out the rulers, we'll get things done," Carol said, one arm around K's shoulders. "See ya!"
The two of them headed out, and Clint rolled his eyes and turned to Logan. "I can't wait to be thirteen. I hate getting left behind."
"Truth be told, even if you were thirteen, they still wouldn't let you go," Logan told him. "Hell, they wouldn't let half of either team go on this one."
Clint grumbled to himself and crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Still hate it. I can keep up. I can heal like you now."
"Yeah, but you noticed they didn't ask me to go either, right?" Logan said. "Even when I'm pickin' on Banner."
"Yeah, but I figured that's because you guys were being dorks," Clint said bluntly.
"No. It's because she wants to keep it to a minimum," Logan told him. "And Carol's one hell of a backup."
"She is pretty awesome," Clint had to admit.
"Your mom'll be able to get out easy if it's just the two of 'em. A third would have to be able to fly on their own — and the only ones on this team that can fly can't sneak if their lives depended on it." He finished his statement looking at Tony — who was kind of a perfect example of how right he was.
"Fine," Clint said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "Being eleven sucks."
"Being eleven doesn't suck," Bruce said. "How many eleven-year-olds do you know that get to hang out at Avengers Tower?"
"That's only 'cause of my parents," Clint said. "I want to be an Avenger and an X-Man!"
"I thought that was the plan," Bruce said with a confused look as he turned toward Tony.
"If he's still interested when he's old enough, yeah," Tony agreed.
"Ugh. I know that," Clint grumbled. "I just hate waiting."
"You know how many people twice your age would kill to hear that?" Bruce asked.
Clint narrowed his eyes Bruce's way and then put his head on his crossed arms, face down. "Stop being reasonable," he grumbled, which was more than entertaining to the others.
"Irritating, isn't it?" Logan said. "Bet you can rebound some Milk Duds off his forehead."
Clint picked his head up and smirked at Logan. "Too easy. Especially the green version. Too big a target."
"Nah, he's quicker'n he looks."
Clint finally snickered at that and shrugged. "Okay, where's the Milk Duds?"
"No," Tony said, stepping in front of Bruce. "You're not doing that."
"Looks like you got a volunteer," Logan said out of the corner of his mouth.
"Preliminary round before the finals," Clint said, sizing Tony up. "Mouth's too big a target, though. I'll get him in the nose." With that, he took off running, headed right for the kitchen to grab some candy — and possibly rope the other kids into the game.