The Mimic

65

"You should've seen his face!" Y/n laughed as she burst into the compound with the rest of the team. Her face was covered in dirt and from their latest training session, a few cuts and bruises littered her knuckles but she didn't seem to care. The smile on her face lit up the room either way.

A few weeks had passed since y/n had visited her hometown, and it had been rough. But the team made sure that y/n was never left alone with her thoughts, even if it meant sitting on the other side of the bathroom door so she had a voice to listen to whilst she showered. They were there to hold one another up, to stop them from crumbling when they went through dark times. Making sure y/n wasn't alone wasn't a chore, not at all. They knew y/n would do the exact same for them if they needed it. So, the weeks had been filled with missions and fun, just like normal. Well, it was normal for the Avengers.

For their latest training session, Steve decided to take them out to a military assault course to mix it up a little. It was hell. But not for the reasons that people would expect. Everyone would've been able to complete the course if they did it on their own, but they didn't do it on their own. They decided to make it a race, with everyone completing the course at the same time. God, everyone was so competitive. So, so competitive. People pushed, kicked, and yelled as if losing was the end of the world. Everyone was covered in dirt and mud, but it had probably been the best training session that they'd had in a while. The only rule was that powers weren't allowed, but nobody listened. Wanda used her powers several times to stop anyone from tackling her into the dirt, and y/n mimicked Peter's powers to web Sam's feet to the ground mid-run. But the greatest prank was from y/n and Peter, who hid behind a tree and created a tripwire with their webs, causing Steve to trip and faceplant into a pile of dirt.

"Yeah, yeah. You cheated!" Steve rolled his eyes with a laugh. He was probably the most covered in dirt, all because of one of y/n and Peter's pranks. "C'mon, it was pretty funny, Capsicle." Tony teased, setting a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Oh yeah, because falling face-first into a pile of dirt is hilarious." Steve said sarcastically, but he couldn't wipe the smile off of his face. He did have a good day, as much as he complained. "It's character building!" Sam chuckled, just please that he got to watch Steve faceplant. Y/n shrugged with a smug grin, holding onto Bucky's hand as they strolled inside. "We had to stop you somehow, you know I can't let you win." She grinned, sticking her tongue out at Steve to tease him even more. 

"Stop! Stop, stop, stop! All of you!" 

The whole team froze at the sound of Pepper's voice, slowly turning to face her, looking like a group of guilty children. Pepper was the only person that everyone actually listened to, especially when she was as angry as this. "What colour are these floors? Tell me, what colour are these floors?" She asked angrily, her hands on her hips like a disappointed mother. The team all looked at one another with wide eyes, too scared to actually speak up. "Uh, white?" Tony asked, clearing his throat slightly. Pepper nodded with a frustrated laugh. "That's right! And what are you covered in? Dirt and mud!" Pepper shouted, gesturing toward the dirt-covered bunch. "Go on, turn around and take a look at the mess you've made. I don't want any more of that dragged in here because I'm not your personal cleaner!" She said angrily, pointing behind the team. The whole team slowly turned around to look at the mess they'd trailed in, and god, it was terrible. Jut pure dirt and mud, trailing from the front door of the compound all the way to where they were stood. "So take those shoes off, leave them outside, and get that dirt off of you. Now!" Pepper yelled, clapping her hands to get them moving. Everyone did as they were told almost immediately. Pepper was a scary lady, and nobody wanted to argue with a scary lady.

Y/n quickly bent down, untying her boots and carefully stepping out of them. "How can the team listen to Pepper more than each other?" She whispered with a soft laugh. Bucky chuckled, shaking his head fondly as he took off his shoes, picking them up to stop them from dragging any more mud in. "Because Pepper let's us live here." He hummed with a slight laugh. Y/n followed the rest of the team as they all walked back outside, setting their their shoes out in a line like a bunch of kindergarten children with their rain boots. "I call dibs on the bathroom by my bedroom!" Y/n called out with a laugh. She begun to sprint back inside, trying her hardest not to slip with her socks on as she ran. "Hey! That's near my room too!" Natasha called out with a gasp, beginning to race after y/n. "And mine! Hey, wait up!" Sam yelled, sliding with his socks so he could speed up a little. "I don't even live here, but that's the only shower I know! Wait!" Peter called out, running as fast as he could after everyone else. Y/n squealed as she was chased, running as fast as she could without slipping. 

"And don't touch anything else! I don't want any of you sitting on any couches until you're clean!" Pepper yelled.

Bucky watched with a fond smile, strolling beside Steve. "Do they not know there's ten other showers in the compound?" He asked, trying to keep his hands to himself so he didn't smudge any more mud anywhere. Steve shrugged with a laugh, running a hand through his hair. "I don't even know anymore, they're all children." He hummed with a chuckle. Bucky gasped dramatically at the insult to y/n. "Says the one that tied my shoelaces together before the race." He teased, playfully pushing his best friend into the wall. Steve rolled his eyes with a laugh, however, as he was pushed, both him and Bucky seemed to freeze. "Oh god." Steve murmured as he stepped back from the wall, revealing a nice muddy smudge across the white wall. 

"Steve! What did I just say?"

Bucky tried his hardest not to laugh, looking like a pair of guilty children as they watched Pepper begin to make her way closer and closer. "Run." He murmured once he and Steve made eye-contact. Steve didn't even question it, breaking out into a run with Bucky. The pair laughed as they raced down the hall, pure adrenaline running through them as they disappeared from Pepper's sight. Just like how they used to when they were schoolchildren. 

"Hey! Get back here! Steve!"