OneShots and OffCuts

Little One // Part One

I don't have a song for this one - I just had an idea...

When Iris was rescued from a hidden Hydra base, she never thought she'd find a home. But the Avengers took her in. They trained her, gave her a place to be safe, gave her hope, gave her a family. And now that may all fade away.

With an extraordinary gift of healing, Iris is an asset to all, but Bucky Barnes doesn't want her on his mission. He'd take Nat, or Wanda, he'd even take the human bird, but he doesn't want to take Iris. Her first mission should be a team mission, not a two person job, and the idea of it going wrong is just too much of a worry. It's a shame no one else agrees.

Word Count: approx. 2650

Content: SFW, angst, references to blood and wounds.

This is Part One of Two - Part Two will (potentially) be a little more NSFW...

Six Months Earlier

"Iris." Captain America placed a warm hand against her spine as he guided her into the room. It was an action meant to soothe, meant to ease her concerns, but it only fed her his. "This is the team."

As Steve Rogers worry for her coursed through her veins, Iris trailed her eyes over the people sitting around the large living room before her and her heart hammered in her chest.

First there were the red haired women. The two sitting together in companionable silence, one with the most extraordinarily beautiful features fixed into a mask of stone cold indifference, the other with a wide smile and eyes that softened as she stood. That one spoke gently.

"Hello, Iris. My name is Wanda."

Iris nodded, too afraid to speak.

Wanda did not step forwards. "This is Natasha."

Natasha did not move.

Iris glanced to Steve once more. He had been the face she had seen first when she had woken. He had been the one who had taken her from hell and guided her to this place. He was safe. And he was smiling and nodding encouragingly.

"This is Vision," Wanda continued, her body twisting as she gestured to the being that sat as still as a statue in a large arm chair. He smiled warmly and Iris felt a little less afraid.

Slowly, her eyes moved to the group on the couch. All men. All large. All in black.

Her heart hammered and her eyes widened in alarm. She stumbled back. Steve held her close.

"Breathe, Iris," he whispered. "You're safe here."

She willed away the panic.

"That's Sam," Steve continued. "And the guy on the phone, that's Tony. He pays for this whole thing."

Iris turned to face him as she whispered. "And the one staring?"

"Ah," Steve's smile was small but Iris could have sworn it was amused. "That's Buck."

"Buck?"

"Bucky." The staring man spoke clearly, his voice all huskiness and grit, and Iris span on her heel. He was closer than she expected and he was all muscle and threatening power. "Bucky Barnes."

"Hi," she breathed, aware that Steve's hand had slipped from her skin and everyone in the room was staring in her direction - even those she had not been introduced to yet.