Soulmark

When the letters slowly started to appear on Clint's body—beginning with a 'P '—he had no idea what to make of it.

Years later, with the name 'Pietro Maximoff ' written clear as day on the tanned skin of his shoulder blade, the SHIELD agent had just about forgotten about the name and when he'd meet them. It no longer seemed important to him. Clint wasn't as young as he wished he was, and constantly being surrounded by super soldiers, Asgardians, and men flying around in metal cans, made him feel even older than he was. Too old and too late to ever meet his soulmate.

It was only after a mission in Sokovia to reclaim Loki's scepter from HYDRA and an unfortunate encounter with a pair of enhanced punks did a certain name—out of nowhere—come up in the debriefing. Clint was, well… taken back, to say the least. Far from disappointed, but more than surprised.

That cocky kid with incredible speed who had been working with HYDRA and now Ultron, the one with the crazy weird sister, that Pietro Maximoff was his soulmate? Clint didn't buy it. But after a very complicated mission of 'Distract-Ultron-to-get-Ultron-Jr-and-stop-a-train-from-killing-everyone-oh-and-find-Nat-too', Cap had thought it was a good idea to bring the same two kids who had been previously trying to kill them into Avengers Tower just based on their word of wanting to stop Ultron.

So here Clint was with his apparent soulmate.

Before he said or did something stupid that he'd later regret, Clint wanted to be absolutely 100% positive that he was Pietro's soulmate. And now looked like a good enough time to affirm or deny what the blonde had been thinking before he got too attached to his potential bachelor.

Pietro had been zooming through the tower as soon as he arrived, curiously exploring everything he could get into. He was nothing but a blue and white blur to everyone who saw him. However, on the rare occasions that the speedster was in fact standing still for more than half a second, Clint could see a definite letter trailing down the crook of his neck before disappearing down the collar of his form fitting t-shirt.

The letter was a 'C '.

In the kitchen, Pietro's eyes were glued to the refrigerator as he pulled out the remainders of the leftovers from the breakfast Sam prepared for the Avengers earlier that day. He didn't seem to pay any attention to the archer sitting at the counter.

It was only when the speedster spoke did Clint realize he had been staring.

"I hope you are not planning to eat me," Pietro said, a grin playing with his lips as he spoke into the fridge.

"W-what?" Clint stammered out, Pietro's lilted Sokovian voice bringing him out of his reverie.

"You look hungry and you have not taken your eyes off of me since I entered the room," Pietro teased as he turned to face the blonde and mock him with that stupidly sexy smile that made him even more irresistible. Damn brat was so hot, it was unbearably distracting to the archer.

"Very funny, Maximoff. No, I was just wondering…" he trailed off.

Pietro cocked an eyebrow and stared at the blonde, waiting for him to finish.

Tomorrow the team would go back to Sokovia to defeat Ultron, hopefully for the last time. He had no idea what would happen to them once they got there. Clint felt like if he didn't ask now, he might lose his chance of ever asking. So he took a breath and met Pietro's eyes.

"Your soulmark," Clint asked, gesturing a finger to his own neck to indicate the name littered down the Sokovian's toned chest, "I was wondering whose name it is."

If it was Clint's name, then Pietro would understand what the blonde was getting at. If not, then it was simply an ally asking an innocent question. There was no harm in that, right? Though, Clint was almost dreading the answer if it were something like a 'Cady ' or a 'Connor ' or something along those lines. Dreading that the name was going to anyone's but his.

Yes, that was possible.

While it was extremely rare, there have been situations where a person's soulmate could have a completely different soulmate entirely. Clint certainly hoped that this rarity did not apply to him.

"Before I tell you mine, I want to know yours," Pietro said, placing the plate of leftovers in the microwave and punching in a set of numbers.

Clint paused as his mind tried to think up a way out of his question. This was not where he wanted the conversation to go, but right now, it appeared to be unavoidable.

Oh, fuck it.

Hesitantly, he rolled up the left sleeve of his dark shirt to expose the neatly written name that decorated his bicep.

"It's uhm… It's you," he said, and Pietro's cerulean eyes widened with surprise, "You didn't see that coming?" Clint remarked, flashing a half grin as he rolled down his sleeve.

Pietro coughed, "I think I should have," he said, and pulled down the collar of his tight white and navy shirt and revealed the word 'Clint ' to the other. The room fell into silence.

"Well… this is awkward," Clint blurted out.

Pietro chuckled, "I can't imagine why. We both finally found our soulmates. Although, I never thought you'd be an Avenger, let alone one who is friends with Tony Stark. Or this old," he teased, taking a step toward the archer, "But hey, like wine, men get better with age."

Clint barked out a laugh, "Never thought you'd be such a shit," Clint responded, crossing his arms with a smug grin.

"It's all part of my charm! You have to admit that I am quite charming," the speedster said with a toothy grin, taking another step closer to the other and resting the palm of his hands on the bronze marble of the countertop.

"Oh jesus. Now you're starting to sound like Tony."

"I hope not," he said, his pale blue eyes sharp with a scowl even when the rest of his face still sported that stunning smile of his.

"So, uh… Now what?" Clint asked.

Before he even blinked, Pietro leaned over the counter and placed a soft, instantaneous peck on the blonde's lips. Clint didn't even have enough time to return the kiss or react in any way before the speedster pulled away, a pink flush staining his soft features.

"We see how this goes," he spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, his face carrying a mischievous grin.

Clint rolled his eyes and watched that stupid Sokovian punk zoom off out the door and down the hall until he was out of sight.

"Doesn't take anything slow, does he?" Clint chuckled to himself and stood from the stool, about ready to walk out of the room when he heard the microwave beep finished.

"And he forgot his food."