**Request for tessalucy where Clint and Cooper discover a secret Peter has been hiding from them. This was so much fun to write and I love a good protective Uncle Clint. I am so sorry this took a while for me to get back to updating - I started writing these requests and my cat actually had to have emergency surgery on Tuesday, so I have been... busy... Anyways, enjoy!**

When Peter's dad went out of town, it was an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation. The whole team dropped their schedules to make sure someone was at home with Peter at all times - someone to help with meals and getting to and from school and help with homework.

Peter, despite hating his father's busy weeks away, actually enjoyed staying with the team.

Natasha let him stay up late, and Bruce let him work in the labs to build battle-bots, Rhodey let Peter drive the sports cars really fast, and the others all joined in on movie nights, cuddles, and anything else Peter wanted.

But the best part of the week was always when Clint drove out to the farm to get Cooper, and then Peter and Coop would commandeer the movie theatre room, build a massive pillow fort, and watch the entire Lord of The Rings series.

Peter was bouncing his leg under the table, watching the second hand on the clock crawl its way around the numbers. If he could just get through his stupid math class, he would be free for the weekend, and Clint would be at the Tower with Cooper.

Finally, the bell rang and Peter grabbed his bag before hopping over the table and making a break for the door.

Just as he was making it to the front doors, there was the sound of rapid footsteps coming up behind him, and Peter was pushed against the door and fell forward into the sunlight. Peter usually prepared for the harsh change in lighting before he stepped outside, but the sudden brightness and the pain in Peter's hands and knees when he hit the ground was enough to make his head spin. A sensory overload was creeping up in Peter's head, causing a fuzzy sort of haze to settle over his mind.

"Puny Parker," Flash sneered. "You were running out of there so quick, I thought you forgot about our little play date."

Peter tried to push himself up only to heave to the side as Flash buried his foot in Peter's side.

"Don't even think about getting up and running away, you pathetic little worm."

Another couple of kicks had Peter doubling over. He may have super-healing and super-strength, but he could still suffer broken and bruised ribs. Judging by the sharp pain Peter felt stabbing through his chest whenever he took a breath, that's exactly what he had.

"Flash," Peter coughed, wincing as the pain in his chest made him gasp, making the pain even worse. "Don't do this, please... I don't- I don't know what I-"

Flash laughed cruelly. "And now the stuttering. You really are pathetic, Parker, it's no wonder you're overlooked and ignored all the-"

A heavy hand on Flash's shoulder made him stop in his tracks.

Peter noticed the shadow covering his face and peered up at the figure of Clint standing in front of the sun. Cooper was at his side, just barely looking over Clint's shoulder. As soon as Cooper saw that Peter was jerking in pain, his breath coming shallow and quick, the boy kneeled down to be closer to Peter.

"You okay, Peter?" Cooper asked.

Peter just shook his head. "I'm- I'm fin- fine. I'm fine." Peter needed a few breaths to get through his short sentence, his face drawn up in pain. "Just help- help me sit- help me sit up and- and I'll- feel better in no time."

Cooper held Peter's arm and elbow tightly, helping his friend sit up. Clint was still holding Flash's shoulder. "And this one. Flash, was it?"

Flash was pale and wide-eyed. "Yes, sir."

Clint smirked. "All manners now that you've been found out. Tell me, Flash, what do you think you're doing? Kicking someone when they're already down? Hurting someone else because he's smarter? Funnier? Kinder? How about we save the thesaurus for later and go with the simple answer? You're beating up someone better than you because you're an insecure little boy, right?"

Flash flushed red and Cooper snickered.

"No, sir, I was- Peter and I were- No, sir." Flash didn't have a comeback to use or a refusal to throw out. He glanced around, watching the other kids around them laugh and take pictures on their phones. Flash blushed harder.

"Say you're sorry," Clint said, holding Flash's shoulder even harder.

Flash looked down at Peter with a sad, scared expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Parker."

Peter nodded and Cooper went to help him up so they could get out of there, but Clint stopped them by shaking Flash's shoulder a bit.

"Now say you won't let your insecurities get the better of you again," Clint said.

Flash was as red as a traffic light. "I won't- uh, I won't let me insecurities get the better... get the better of me again."

Clint smiled for the first time then, his eyes crinkling in that good-natured way that Peter and Cooper recognized now to as his genuine smile. The real smile he reserved for family.

"Now let's get going. Peter and Cooper have a movie marathon to get to, and I have some work I need to get done for the SHIELD case I'm working.

Cooper and Clint helped Peter to the car, supporting his uneven weight. Peter slid into the backseat of Clint's car, watching as Cooper got in on the other side and Clint got into the driver's seat. "You guys didn't have to do that."

"We did," Clint said.

Cooper reached over to put a hand on Peter's leg. He gave him a reassuring squeeze. "You're family, Pete. We're always going to have your back. Nothing he said was true, Peter, you're literally the strongest person I know."

"Stronger than me?" Clint asked as he pulled the car onto the main road.

"Definitely," Cooper said happily.

"Absolutely," Peter said with a smile.

"Unbelievable," Clint muttered, his tone light. "And to think I just embarrassed some kid for you."

They all laughed the entire way back to the Tower.