Catch Your Voice by lavvyan (Teen)

[laceymcbain.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE AVENGERS (movieverse)
Pairing: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Length: ~ 14,178 words
Author on LJ: lavvyan
Author Website: on AO3; Fic Index Part 1; Fic Index Part 2
Why this must be read: If you've read my writing, you'll know I've got a thing for Clint falling for Coulson's voice and his personality before he ever meets him. There's just something about forging a bond over a headset that has a certain romantic appeal, and it works really well with what we get to see of them in canon. (Remember, the only actual scene we have with Barton and Coulson they're speaking via headset/radio comm in Thor).

The story follows the progress of Clint and Coulson's relationship from voice on the line to beyond the end of the movie. It's a lovely slow flirtatious build and it's delightful watching Clint go a little stupid over someone he's never even met. The story isn't all sunshine and happiness - there are challenges and obstacles and moments when you think "what? no! That's not how it's supposed to go!" but it's all worth it in the end. Every single word of it. You'll smile and your heart will ache momentarily, but you'll never regret the time you spend reading this story.


"Yeah." Clint swallows. "Can you… imitate another person's voice?"

"If I have records of that person's speech patterns, certainly."

It's stupid. Clint knows it's stupid, and yet his mouth opens and out comes, "You have records of Agent Coulson, right?"

Another pause. Clint's left hand trembles. He ignores it.

"I believe the material I have is sufficient," JARVIS says. He sounds weirdly cautious, like he suspects Clint's programming might be unstable. He wouldn't be entirely wrong. "May I ask what you would like me to say?"

And just like that, Clint's mouth is entirely dry. "Just," he croaks, coughs, closes his eyes. Blue. He opens them again, clenches his left hand into a fist. "Just tell me to sleep or something. Doesn't matter." Just this once. Just once, and then he'll go back to being Clint Barton, SHIELD agent, marksman, asset. Just once, so he can stop being Clint Barton, wreck.

Just this once.

"I understand," JARVIS says, and he probably does because the next thing he says is, "Barton. You're safe here."

It's Coulson's voice.

On AO3: Catch Your Voice

If you enjoy the story, remember to feedback the author!