•••
"Whatcha doing?" I asked, sliding onto the kitchen stool next to Pietro.
"I was trying to control Pietro's mind" Wanda replied nonchalantly, still frowning and moving her hands in a wispy manner.
"Ooh do me, do me" I grinned, "maybe it's harder to do it on Pietro because he's your twin?"
Pietro shrugged, nodding at me with his head. Wanda smirked, moving her focus on to me. Instantly a fuzzy feeling washed over me, causing a small giggle to fall from my lips.
"You okay?"
"It feels funny"
Pietro snorted from beside me, rolling his eyes slightly, "she's trying to enter your head - of course it will feel funny"
I raised my hands in mock surrender, before turning back to Wanda. A sudden jolt ran through my body, and suddenly hundreds of memories came flying at me.
"They called you mum, when we were in the prison"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah" Clint smiled, pulling me into his body, tucking my head under his chin, "Yes they did"
"I didn't think they saw us like that - they've never said it to my face. Pietro only calls you dad to piss you off"
"They don't have to say it for us to know they love us"
"I know, it's just nice to know they actually feel like that, you know?"
"I want them. Bugsy"
"Grace you can't bugsy children -"
"Shut up Rhodey, if I want to adopt the cute Russian babies then that's what I'm going to do"
"I just meant you'll have to ask them first"
" ... of course I will, what do you think I am, a psychopath?"
"You're scaring them"
"That's the point"
"Grace-"
"Clint" I mocked, rolling my eyes
"He's a child -"
"An evil child of Satan, maybe. Would make sense considering"
"It was an accident! One dropped ice cream doesn't make someone a serial killer"
"He killed my snack - He shall pay with his life"
"Mummy! Am I doing this right?"
I looked down at the 6yr old Lila with a smile, crouching so I was at her eye level.
"Doing what right munchkin?"
She smiled nervously, proceeding to slowly sign 'hello dad, my name is Lila' in sign language. I felt tears come to my eyes as I gathered her in a hug.
"That was perfect"
Cooper was 2, chasing after Clint in just his nappy, wildly waving a stick in the air above his head.
"Mum! Help me!" Clint mock-screamed, playfully dodging the twig, "he's too strong!"
"Clint, can you sit down for a second?"
He looked at me weirdly, sitting down opposite me with Cooper on his lap, "what's up?"
I silently handed him the test, his eyes widening as he read the lines.
"Again?" He asked hopefully
I nodded happily, giggling as he launched onto me, Cooper gurgling as he patted Clint's arm.
"This is amazing! Oh wow!"
"I was thinking of redoing the hallway-"
"You know I love you but you can't keep redoing the whole bloody house. Cooper almost put a stray nail through his knee when he was crawling around the other day"
"Just one more-"
"Bullshit, but okay Mr Barton"
"Clint, I don't think I can do this"
"You can! Grace we've practiced for this, all you've got to do now is push"
"Ohhh you make it sound sooo easy"
"Well its a bit late to change your mind now-"
He was cut off by an agonised scream escaping my lips.
"Really? I HADNT NOTICED"
"I love you"
"Fuck off"
"I'm not leaving till you say it back. I swear I'll tickle you"
"Damnit Clint! I'm mad at you stop trying to make me laugh!" I said rolling away from him. He wasn't fazed, grinning as he straddled my hips, his fingers tickling my sides unrelentingly.
"Fine! Fine! I love you! now get your fat ass off me!"
"So Coulson, is there anything going on between you and Captain Birdseye?"
"What-"
"You know ... you both seem pretty close. You're with him everywhere - so I just thought - Fury hits me as a gay man -"
"What! No! It's nothing like that-"
"You're gone all the time Clint! I hardly get to see my boyfriend! It's shit"
"Grace you know it's my job-"
"Yes I know, but surely you don't have to go on month-long missions with only 2 days in between! It's fucking ridiculous"
"I really can't do anything -"
"Then I will. Let me speak to the one eyed fucker, speak some sense into him"
"We'll never let a man come between us, promise?"
"I promise - oh and Dalia?"
"Yeah?"
"We'll never turn on each other, no matter what"
"I promise"
"Mummy? Daddy?"
A nine year old me stared aimlessly at the bodies in front of me, the silent house starkly contrasting to the frantic screams that came from downstairs just a few moments ago.
"Wake up!"
I gasped as I came back to reality, clutching my head painfully.
"Fucking shit" I hissed, rubbing my temples.
"Oh my god - I'm so sorry!" Wanda said worriedly, grabbing my arm, "are you okay?"
"Yeah - Yeah I'm fine. I'm fine. You didn't l... see that did you?" Wanda rubbed her neck awkwardly making me sigh loudly, "Of course you did"
"Grace -"
"No it's fine just -" I waved her off slightly as I tried to stop the thumping in my head, "I don't think that's what you meant to do"
"You've never told me about your pa-"
"Let's just not. Yeah? Clint doesn't even know"
"Oh"
Averting my eyes I stood up to leave, offering her a reassuring smile, "im fine, honestly"