The Rules of Living with the Avengers

30. Never think tou're alone. Even in the bathroom.

"The unspoken truth of humanity is that you crave subjugation," I say. Loki looks up, alarmed.

"Wha-"

"I've been watching some of SHIELD's videos regarding the Avengers Initiative," I explain. We're sat in Tony and Bruce's shared lab on the helicarrier as Bruce does some gamma experiments. "You're on there. You in Stuttgart."

"Oh. You...I don't want you watching those, Ellie. They don't paint me in the best light," Loki says smoothly.

"I know. That's why I'm watching them. I'd rather get to know the real you than the smooth facade you put on for the rest of the world," I say simply. He looks at me and a small smile flickers across his face.

"Okay then," he says. "Okay."

I look back down at my iPad and scroll through the videos. They are mostly CCTV footage but there are a few videos that look like they've been filmed with a camera. I click on one which shows Pepper and start to watch. It's Pepper but she looks younger. Less tired.

"Tony," Pepper says with a grin. "Stop filming me! I look terrible!"

"You look perfect," Tony says from behind the camera. I smile at Pepper's cute grin. "Now," he spins the camera round so he's looking into it, "this is the official Pepper's first birthday in a relationship with me video. She's just woken up and-"

"Where are my presents?"

Tony laughs. "And she's looking for her presents already. Atta girl, Peps."

Pepper grins and kisses him. It's an uncomfortable kiss for me so I look away but soon Pepper's talking again. "Oh my God, Tony. It's beautiful." She holds up a necklace with the letter T as a charm on it to the camera. "Look! It's gorgeous! Wait, Tony, who's this video for? It's not going on some SHIELD file, is it? That would be creepy."

I laugh out loud as Tony shakes his head. "This is just for you and me, baby. We can look at this in a few years and see how young we look. I love you, Peps."

"I love you too, Tony. You big baby," she giggles and the video ends. I smile and close the tab, going back to the main SHIELD database page. I downloaded it onto my iPad a few weeks ago but I've never really bothered to look at it. I search my name eagerly.

PottsEleanor

There are a few results. I click on the first one which is a photo of me. It's my first day up here, with Tony looking annoyed next to me. I grin and scroll down. There's another photo of me, kissing Steve. I frown and scroll down again. One of Steve leaving Bucky's apartment. One of Bucky holding Steve's hand in an alleyway. Loki on the roof of Avengers Tower, looking off the edge. Me at the ball. The Avengers and me all eating Chinese food. Me talking to the old lady at the ball. Bucky and Steve dancing. Tony and Bruce in their lab. Pepper at a conference. Thor eating pop-tarts. Natasha kissing Clint in what I presume is her bedroom. My jaw drops. They're watching us.

On instinct when I'm being watched, I lock my iPad. But this is different. This isn't a school teacher watching over my shoulder as I read fan-fiction. This is a whole intelligence organisation watching my every move. They didn't expect me to get ahold of their database. The other Avengers wouldn't have searched my name.

God.

I must look panicked because Loki is stood by my side, hand on my arm. "What's wrong?" He asks.

"We need to go somewhere private," I tell him. "Do not question me on this. Get the others and tell them we're going to..."

"To the tower?" Loki suggests.

"No! That's not safe. Loki..." I lean close to him and brush his hair out of the way. "...we're being watched. There are files under my name with photos of us all. Even in Natasha's bedroom. There are eyes everywhere, Loki."

He looks at me as I pull away. "I'll get the others," he says. "Text me a location."

....
I stand up as the others approach me. We're at a knitting shop in Chinatown. Two ex-SHIELD agents own it; two old ladies who are married. They told me that I would alway be safe there when I found them and they realised I was Pepper's niece. "This place is..nice," Tony smirks.

"This is the only safe place in New York," I say. "SHIELD's tracking us."

"What's new?" Clint laughs. "They're always tracking us, Ellie. You'll learn that."

He sounds so condescending that I can't help myself. I slide my laptop across the table. He presses the power button and it turns on to the photo of him and Natasha kissing.

"Nat, this is your bedroom," Steve says.

"What the hell," Natasha spits out and glares at me. "Where did you get this? My room is heavily protected. There are no SHIELD cameras in Stark's tower."

"Obviously there are," I reply smoothly. "This was on the SHIELD database, Natasha. I'm really sorry but I think people might know about you and Pigeon now."

"There is no me and him," Natasha says. Clint gives her a wide-eyes look and she rolls her eyes but she grabs his hand. He smiles at her and I can almost feel the love bursting out. "Okay, maybe there is."

"Tony, scroll to the left," I tell him. He scrolls and horror slides onto his face when the video of Pepper starts playing. "Did you-"

"What? Give the video to them? No! Of course I didn't. How do they have this?" Tony grabs my laptop and starts pressing buttons. I move to stop him but I suppose him finding out what SHIELD are doing is worth him finding my stash of Avengers fanfiction (not written by me, that would be creepy).

"We need to know who's on our side. Coulson, Hill, Fury, Carter." I say. "Clint and Natasha need to be on the helicarrier because they are spies- they can spy on our possible allies. Steve, we can't rule Bucky out as an enemy. I know it's hard but don't...don't tell him that we know. Not yet. Bruce, you go to the tower. Thor, you stay with Bruce. Try to find cameras without being too obvious. Tony, you need to get Pepper to safety. Make up a conference somewhere far away. Loki, please stay out of trouble. Don't go getting into fights. I'll try to find all the files on the SHIELD database relating to us."

Natasha looks sadly at me. "I don't like you being grown up," she says.

"You sound like a soldier," Bruce says. It sounds like an insult but Steve's a soldier. I look at Steve but even he's looking sad.

"I don't-"

"Ellie, please, keep yourself out of danger," Thor cuts me off. Clint makes agreeing noises. God. Now the whole team's going to protect me. Boring.

I look at Loki but Loki just smiles at me. I suppose he can't complain about me bossing everyone around since he once wanted to rule the world. Then I look at Tony. Tony looks up at me.

"What the hell is all this on your laptop about me and Bruce 'getting it on'?!?!?!"