Title: don’t say thrupple
Fandom: Marvel Comics
Relationship: Bucky Barnes/Kate Bishop/Clint Barton
Rating: Teen
Length: 425 words
Content notes: no standard warnings apply
Author notes: also written for 100ships #12: Sunlight
Summary: Before coffee is too early for relationship negotiations.



Kate started the coffee maker and headed out to the balcony. The crisp morning air greeted her and for a moment she wished she’d grabbed a sweater. Then her attention moved upwards as dawn lit up the sky in shades of amber and gold. It was beautiful. She forgot about the cold.

The coffeemaker gurgled. Kate turned around and found herself face to face with Bucky. He moved so damn silently. She managed not to jump.

“I thought you might need this.” He handed her a sweater. Her favorite one.

“Thanks.” She pulled the soft wool over her head and smiled. “I think the coffee’s ready.”

“Clint’s already on it,” Bucky said.

She wondered if they should talk about. The night before had been — intense and somewhat unexpected. Though not unwanted. Clint stepped out onto the balcony, three steaming mugs balanced between two hands. Kate took one and decided she wasn’t going to worry about relationship weirdness. Not before she was fully caffeinated anyways.

Clint handed Bucky a mug and leaned against the wall. “So, we’re all good right? We don’t need to talk about this thing, do we?”

Bucky snorted, Kate blew on her coffee, and Clint looked at them expectingly.

“Are you asking if we need to talk about how we’ve apparently become a thrupple?” Kate nearly cringed as she said it.

“Is that even a word?” Bucky asked.

“Anything’s a word if enough people use it,” Clint said.

“I don’t think that’s a thing,” Kate said.

Clint shrugged. “Don’t ask me, I’m just here for the coffee.”

“You’re the one who brought it up,” Bucky pointed out.

“Triad’s another word. Assuming we’re doing a relationship and not a just a one and done kinda thing.” Kate tried her best to sound casual but she really hoped this wasn’t just a one time thing.

“Oh, I like triad better. Do we get to vote?” Clint said.

“Do we really need labels?” Bucky asked.

“Without labels how will we know if we have a can full of peas or tuna fish?” Clint said.

“Doesn’t tuna usually come in those small flat cans and peas in the regular shaped ones?” Bucky said.

Kate shook her head. “I think you’re both missing the point.”

“What even was the point?” Clint asked.

“The three of us are in a relationship and no one’s allowed to use the word thrupple ever again,” Bucky said.

“That’s fair,” Clint said.

Kate gulped her coffee, not bothering to hide her smile. She had two boyfriends. It was a beautiful morning.