Phil wasn't stupid. He might not have had Clint's eye, but he was hardly oblivious. He was seeing a lot of things between the other two men that weren't being said along with the things that were. The nickname was hardly subtle. The idea that Clint was with someone--another man--left Phil with a hollow feeling in his chest. He'd often consoled himself with the idea that Clint was straight, that he'd never be interested in Phil like that because Phil was a man. Even if they could be together, Clint wouldn't have wanted him.
He let Clint take some of his weight. Clint was one of the few people that Phil would allow himself to be vulnerable like this in front of. If he trusted Banner... if Banner had Clint's back the way it seemed like he had, Phil could trust him, too. Phil supposed that at least it was someone he knew enough of to know that he wouldn't mistreat Clint.
Finally, he let himself smile at Bruce. "I'm just sore. I don't think my many escape attempts helped the healing along. Did they really think I was just going to lie down for months without word from anyone? They didn't even let me talk to my sister." And that had really been the final straw. He hadn't known if Clint or Nat were alive, but he knew that his sister was fine and that she would want word from him. She hadn't even known that his job was particularly dangerous. He'd needed to get home to his family.
He eyed Clint. "You quit? What did they tell you about me? What did Hill say?" Because at this point, he was more concerned with her than Fury. After being stuck in that bed with no outside contact, he really had no question as to who made that call. He and Hill were on the kind of terms where this would have gone a lot differently if any of it had been her call. He was sure of that.
no subject
He let Clint take some of his weight. Clint was one of the few people that Phil would allow himself to be vulnerable like this in front of. If he trusted Banner... if Banner had Clint's back the way it seemed like he had, Phil could trust him, too. Phil supposed that at least it was someone he knew enough of to know that he wouldn't mistreat Clint.
Finally, he let himself smile at Bruce. "I'm just sore. I don't think my many escape attempts helped the healing along. Did they really think I was just going to lie down for months without word from anyone? They didn't even let me talk to my sister." And that had really been the final straw. He hadn't known if Clint or Nat were alive, but he knew that his sister was fine and that she would want word from him. She hadn't even known that his job was particularly dangerous. He'd needed to get home to his family.
He eyed Clint. "You quit? What did they tell you about me? What did Hill say?" Because at this point, he was more concerned with her than Fury. After being stuck in that bed with no outside contact, he really had no question as to who made that call. He and Hill were on the kind of terms where this would have gone a lot differently if any of it had been her call. He was sure of that.