Pietro woke to an empty bed and the shower running. Cartoons played from the living room.

He sat up, sighing and rubbing his eyes. The black plastic cuffs were cold on his arms as he pulled himself to stand. Pietro grabbed his braces from where he had thrown them last night after he had a bit of a breakdown, trying to toss them at the bed. They fell about a foot away from him.

"Chert voz'mi." Damn it. He picked them up, sitting on the bed to begin the annoying process of applying the aides.

Grabbing one of his thin legs, he pulled up his knee length shorts a bit, pushing the white and light blue knee brace into place and fastening the velcro. He slid the ankle support onto his foot, applying the padding and fastening the straps. He repeated the process on the other leg and stood. Same mundane process of every morning.

He entered the kitchen, sipping coffee and glancing at the Roadrunner and Coyote reruns. The kids didn't seem to be up yet.

Moments of near silence passed and then Pietro felt two strong arms wrap around his waist. He made a soft noise, setting his coffee on the counter.

"'Morning, babe." Clint's breath was hot in his boyfriend's ear.

"Good morning." The russian leaned back into Clint's embrace.

Clint came in front of him, closing any space between them. He kissed Pietro messily, kissing down his neck.

Pietro's pink lips parted for a quiet moan. "Clint...Clint we-we cannot do this..."

Clint backed him against the counter, grinding against him. "Why not?"

"The kids-" He was cut off in a groan when Clint rolled his hips.

"They're asleep." He whispered. "It's just us."

Pietro put his arms around Clint's neck, and was promptly lifted onto the countertop.

•••

Pietro lay naked except for his braces and socks, Clint's bare chest pressed against his back. He turned around, burying his face in the crook of Clint's neck.

He felt Clint stir and pull away.

"Mmm." Pietro reached out to bring him close again. "I am cold."

The blanket was pulled over top of him. The bed shifted as Clint got up.

"Ass." Pietro yawned.

"Yeah, you have a nice one." Clint slapped Pietro's ass playfully when the younger stood.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Maybe I will."

After a heated make out session, Pietro stood by the bed again, naked as before.

"Get me clothes, please?" He gave his best puppy dog eyes, leaning onto his crutches instead of the bed.

"Aww, but you look so nice like that." He whined. Pietro glared. "Okay, okay." Clint tossed him a blue long sleeve t-shirt and capri jeans.

They dressed, hearing the kids wake up.

Pietro caught a glimpse of the alarm clock.

"We are supposed to have breakfast at Wanda's today, right?" He asked, jerking the pant leg over his bulky braces.

"Shit, yeah. I totally forgot about that."

Clint picked Pietro up without warning, carrying him out of the bedroom.

"Put me down!" He whined.

"No." Clint held the featherweight man over his shoulder.

"Mudak! Otpusti menya!" Asshole! Put me down!

"Sorry, I don't speak russian." He set Pietro on the couch next to Nate.

"Fucking asshole."

"Language. There're children present." Clint teased.

"So are you going to go get my crutches or am I going to have to?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Hm..." Clint sat on the arm of the couch, leaning against him playfully.

Pietro laughed. "You are a dick."

He knew Clint was joking and decided to play along. He pulled himself up against the couch, stumbling a few steps before almost falling. He'd almost forgotten how to walk without assistance. He took another shaky step, hardly able to keep upright. His knees knocked together.

"I was kidding, babe." Clint put an arm around his waist, holding him up.

"I know. But I was going fine."

"Two more steps and you would've been on your ass, honey." He sat him on the couch again.

"True." He sighed. "Go on, then. We will be late at this rate."

"It's your sister's place, Pietro. She won't be upset."

"Da, but I do not think her girlfriend likes me all that much."

"What're you talking about? She loves you."

"She treats me like I am stupid."

"I'm sorry." He kissed Pietro's temple.

"G-go get my crutches, please?" He looked down, cheeks flushed.

"Okay, baby." He hugged his boyfriend, pushing the silver hair from his eyes. "You need a haircut."

"Do not."

"Do too!"

"Do not!

"Do too!

Pietro stuck his tongue out. "Go on!"

"Okay, I'm going!" Clint dramatically jogged down the hall.

The kids on the couch giggled hysterically.

Clint returned with the crutches, handing them to Pietro. He feigned being out of breath.

Pietro shook his head, chuckling. "You are such an idiot."

"Yeah, but I'm your idiot, so doesn't that make it better?" Clint grinned.

"Mhm." Pietro pulled himself to his feet. "Come on. We have got to go."

"Yeah, yeah." Clint grabbed his phone and wallet off the counter.

The kids followed, Cooper reading a book while walking.

They arrived at Wanda's apartment building after a short while, taking the elevator up to the fifth floor, where she lived.

The kids played around in the hallway while Clint and Pietro talked.

"I just know I will hate this."

"I'm sorry." Clint put a hand on Pietro's upper arm.

"She treats me like I am r-retarded."

"I'm sure it's not that bad."

"You were not here last time."

"I'm sorry, babe. I'm here now, so let's make the best of this, okay? We can leave if you want."

"Okay. Let's go in."

"Lila, Cooper. Quit fooling around and come on." Clint sighed.

Clint knocked and Wanda opened the door, instantly excepting Pietro into a hug so tight he nearly fell over.

"Kak dela?" How are you? Wanda finally pulled away, eyes bright with excitement.

"Delat' luchshe. A ty?" Doing better. And you?

"Otlichno." Great. She beamed, hugging him again.

He hugged back with one arm, supporting himself with the other.

Natasha came from the hallway, not so surprised that Pietro was there.

"Hey." She spoke louder and slower than normal.

Pietro gave Clint the 'told you so' look.

Clint gave him a pitiful shrug.

"Sit, guys." Wanda invited them.

Clint sat beside Pietro, who sat across from Wanda.

He couldn't stop thinking about the way Natasha had spoken to him. Like he was a child. Was it Pietro's slight speech impediment that made her think like that? Was it his physical ability?

Wanda and Pietro were having a discussion in russian, the elder Maximoff laughing and saying something back.

Nate crawled onto Pietro's lap, sitting on his knee.

"Hey, kiddo." He ruffled the boy's hair.

Nate grinned, hugging him.

"Aww!" Wanda cooed.

Pietro smiled, locking eyes with Wanda.

Half an hour passed, and they talked. Natasha eventually joined the conversation. She spoke with Clint and Wanda more than to Pietro directly. In fact, she acted as if he wasn't a person at all.

This made him stressed to the point that he was barely paying attention to the conversation.

His ears began to ring a high pitched sound.

Shit.

He scooted Nate off of him, then touching his ear casually, alerting Clint of the situation.

Clint pretended to check his phone. "Oh, Pietro, I've gotta talk to you outside for a minute. Something just came up."

Pietro nodded, getting up shakily.

His vision blurred and he smelled the sickeningly sweet smell that was a warning.

His muscles contracted and he lost consciousness, collapsing onto the floor.

"Fuck, alright, here is okay too." Clint knelt beside him, making sure he was on his side.

"Is he okay?!" Natasha leapt up.

"Yeah, he has epilepsy. The seizure'll stop in a minute or two." Clint said as Pietro started to shake.

His limbs curled and thrashed. His lips pinned in a tight line, eyes rolling back in his head and eyelids fluttering. He convulsed on the rug harshly, movements tight. Tiny pained sounds emitted from his throat as he spasmed.

"Shh, shh. You're okay. You're okay." Clint moved the fallen crutches and anything he could hurt himself on.

Pietro's convulsions stopped after a brief time, he laid still on the floor for a good ten seconds before he came to.

He let out a barking cough, sitting up. He breathed in deeply, coughing again.

"That's okay. You're alright." Clint rubbed his boyfriend's back.

He sighed deeply, leaning against Clint.

Pietro's cheeks burned when he realized he had an audience. He pulled himself to his feet, grabbing his crutches and shuffling out the door.

"Be right back." Clint ran out after him.

The younger was sitting against the wall, crying.

"Baby, did you hurt yourself?" Clint sat cross legged before him.

He shook his head.

"It's not your fault. You can't control it, honey."

"I-I had s-seizure in front of Wanda and her girlfriend." He choked out. "I embarrass you and myself."

"It's okay. You didn't embarrass us."

Pietro coughed again, breaking into a fit of coughs.

"Breathe, Pietro. Just breathe. Relax." Clint made a mental note to call the doctor tomorrow about the increase in seizures and coughing fits. He knew that Pietro's condition made him more prone to pneumonia and the like.

"Now I will look even more stupid." He wiped his eyes.

"No, no honey. You are the smartest, least stupid person I know." Clint kissed him.

Clint hugged him tightly, stroking his hair.

"I do not feel good." Pietro let out a whine.

"I know. We'll go home and you can rest, okay?" Clint pulled away, looking into Pietro's tired eyes.

Clint knew he would be tired, have a headache, and probably throw up later, accompanied by some confusion and more stuttering than usual.

Three tonic-clonic seizures this week, two absence. He really needed to talk to Pietro's doctor, because he knew Pietro wouldn't. The coughing was also starting to scare Clint.

It sounded like pneumonia to Clint, the rapid and shallow breathing and hot skin.

Pietro brought Clint out of his thoughts by pulling himself up against the wall, leaning there for a second.

"Can we go?" His speech was a bit different than usual and he tripped over words and stuttered.

Clint nodded. "Yeah. Let's go get the kids."