Work Text:
The Avengers Tower was buzzing with the usual post-mission energy. Freshly showered and dressed in their casual clothes, the team gathered in the common room. It had been a long, mission and the adrenaline was still wearing off. Clint Barton was lounging on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table, trying to unwind with a cup of coffee.
Tony Stark, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since they returned, sauntered into the room, his eyes scanning the space until they landed on Clint. Without a word, Tony made a beeline for the archer.
"Hey, Tones," Clint greeted, not looking up from his mug. "You good?"
Tony didn't respond. Instead, he flopped onto the couch beside Clint and, in one swift motion, wrapped his arms and legs around him like a koala. Clint's coffee sloshed dangerously close to the edge of his cup, and he let out an exaggerated groan.
"Tony, what the—?" Clint began, but Tony just snuggled in closer, burying his face in Clint's shoulder.
The rest of the team, scattered around the room, looked on with varying degrees of amusement. Natasha smirked from her spot by the window, Steve raised an eyebrow, Bruce chuckled softly, and Thor let out a booming laugh.
"Ah, it seems Man of Iron has chosen Hawk as his tree," Thor announced with a grin.
Clint rolled his eyes, but his free hand moved up to pat Tony's back gently. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. It's not like I need to breathe or anything."
Tony mumbled something incomprehensible into Clint's shirt, his grip tightening. Clint sighed dramatically, but there was a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Steve, ever the leader, decided to intervene. "Tony, you okay? You look like you might suffocate Clint."
"I'm fine," Tony replied, his voice muffled. "Just… need a minute."
Natasha snickered. "A minute or an hour?"
Bruce joined in, his eyes twinkling with humor. "You sure you don't need a crowbar to pry him off, Clint?"
Clint snorted. "Wouldn't be the first time."
Tony's hold remained firm, and Clint shifted slightly to get more comfortable. Despite his grumbling, he was secretly pleased. Tony's rare moments of vulnerability always touched him, even if they came in the form of being treated like a human tree.
"You know," Clint said, his voice a bit softer, "if you needed a hug, you could've just asked."
Tony lifted his head slightly, his eyes meeting Clint's. "I didn't ask for a hug," he retorted, though his tone lacked any real bite. "I asked for a koala cling."
"Ah, my mistake," Clint said dryly. "Because that's totally normal."
Thor's laughter echoed again. "It is good to see such affection among comrades. In Asgard, we would often engage in such embraces after battle."
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Really, Thor? Koala hugs?"
Thor nodded solemnly. "Well, perhaps not exactly like this. But the sentiment is the same."
Steve shook his head, a fond smile on his face. "You guys are something else."
Clint leaned back, adjusting Tony's weight. "So, how long is this gonna last, Tones?"
"As long as I need it to," Tony said stubbornly.
Clint sighed again, but it was more for show than anything. "Alright, but you owe me. Big time."
Tony smirked. "Deal."
The room fell into a comfortable silence, the rest of the team going back to their own activities. Tony's breathing evened out, and Clint could feel the tension draining from his friend's body. Despite his outward grumpiness, Clint didn't mind. He knew Tony needed this, and truth be told, he didn't mind the closeness either.
An hour later, the team reconvened for dinner. Tony had finally released his koala grip, but he stayed close to Clint, their shoulders touching as they sat at the table. The teasing had subsided, replaced by the easy camaraderie that defined their group.
As they ate, Natasha leaned over to Clint. "You know, he really does care about you."
Clint glanced at Tony, who was engaged in a spirited debate with Steve about the merits of pineapple on pizza. "Yeah, I know. And I care about him too."
Natasha smiled. "It's good to have friends like that."
Clint nodded. "Yeah, it is."
The rest of the meal passed in a blur of laughter and conversation. The mission's hardships were forgotten, replaced by the warmth of friendship and the joy of being together.
Later that night, as the team dispersed to their rooms, Clint found Tony lingering in the common room, staring out the window at the city lights.
"Hey," Clint said softly, coming up beside him. "You okay?"
Tony nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks, Clint."
Clint clapped him on the shoulder. "Anytime, Tones. Anytime."
They stood there for a moment, basking in the quiet companionship, before heading off to their respective floors.
The next morning, Tony was already up, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand, when Clint wandered in, still bleary-eyed from sleep.
"Morning, Tones," Clint mumbled, grabbing a cup of coffee himself.
Tony looked up, a smirk on his face. "Morning, tree."
Clint chuckled, shaking his head. "You really are something else, you know that?"
Tony grinned. "Yeah, but you love me anyway."
Clint raised his coffee cup in a mock toast. "Yeah, I do."