Chapter Text
Clint was gone for four weeks. He was sent on a mission in Japan and after three days the contact with him broke off. No one knew where he was. Natasha followed him but she only found his bow and a few drops of blood in a safe house. But Clint was gone. Thor asked Heimdall but the guardian couldn’t see him and that was more than worrying.
Four weeks with no contact whatsoever. And then, from one day to the next, he was back. Tony got a call from the cops that they found someone in a dumpster somewhere in Hell’s kitchen. They sent a photo and it was definitely Clint. No one knew how he came back to the US, no one knew how he came to New York and no one knew how he landed in a dumpster but a blind lawyer found him there and no one knew how that guy managed that because he was blind.
Thor didn’t wait, he ran out onto the balcony, whirled his hammer and he was gone. Only a few seconds later he landed in front of the hospital they had brought him to and entered the building. All the people on their way hurried out of his way or stared at him in awe.
“Clinton Barton,” he said to the woman at the reception. “Where can I find him?”
“And you are…” she asked slowly but Thor only raised a brow. The woman nodded.
“I am his partner,” he said. “Can I see him?”
“Uhm… Mr. Thor,” she said, “uhm… you should speak to the doctor first.”
Thor nodded and waited.
“Uhm… I’ll call him.” She grabbed the receiver, dialed and talked a few seconds. “The doctor will come immediately.”
Thor looked around, saw a few chairs in the corridor and sat down. People stared at him but in full armor and with Mjölnir at his side no one dared to talk to him. A small woman in a white coat came over to him.
“Mr… uhm… Thor,” she started. When he nodded and rose - she was way smaller than him and had to move her head to look at him - she said, “Mr. Barton is…” she stopped, pursed her lips and then shook her head. “It’s better you see for yourself.”
He followed her to the elevator and she brought him to Clint’s room, where he lay in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown… and his hands and feet were tied with thick leather cuffs. He was awake and struggled against the ties.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he turned to the doctor and glared at her.
“He’s… he injured himself and tried to flee… we had to secure him,” she said. “We have no idea what happened to him but it was bad, really bad.” Thor didn’t ask for permission, he just opened the door and entered the room.
“Clint,” he said warily and the man in the bed stilled for a moment.
“Are you here to release me?” He snapped. His eyes were cold and… and weird.
“I am here to bring you back home,” Thor said and made a step in his direction.
“Piss off,” Clint snarled. “And let me go!” Thor went closer to him and he saw the marks on his body, the marks that clearly screamed torture.
“No,” Thor shook his head. “I will bring you home. I love you and I will help you.”
“But I don’t love you, I never loved you!” Clint hissed. “Let me go!” Thor swallowed hard. It hurt to hear that out of his mouth and to see his eyes glaring at him hurt even more. But someone had hurt Clint and he would find them.
He went over to him and sat down on the bed beside him. “I do not know who did that to you, beloved, but I will bring you back, I will help you.”
Clint struggled again. “Let go of me! You can’t keep me against my will.”
Thor looked at him for a very long moment but then he rose and left the hospital. Outside he looked up in the sky and took a deep breath. “Heimdall, I know you can hear me. Clint needs help and I know only one who can help him. Please, tell Loki I asked for his help. I need him,” and after a moment he added, “Clint needs him.”