𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐐𝐮𝐨

thirtyeight.

"How'd you guys go!" Tony called out without taking his eyes off the television screen, hearing the elevator stop at the main level.

"Nobody died, so that's a success," Bucky said smugly.

"Well isn't this a surprise? Our royal highness Bucky himself decides to grace us with his presence! What on gods green earth did you do to blackmail him into coming here?" Tony said turning around as Bucky and I exited the elevator from the Quinjet landing area and approached them.

He was sitting on a couch with Pepper who was curled up by his side in her pajamas. They were watching tv together when we came in, and looked semi excited to see some new faces come through the doors.

"I wanted a drink and my fridge was empty," Bucky said bluntly to Tony, tossing his jacket down onto a nearby bench and pulling up a chair.

"We called SHIELD in after dealing with tonight's mishap, there's something going on behind the scenes and it's just proving more and more that Captain Stacy is right about Fisk," I sighed.

"Can you two quickly go say hi to the Stacy family? I just want them to know that we aren't scary and they can approach us," Tony said bringing his glass to his mouth.

I assumed that Tony would have asked more questions about why SHIELD had to be involved. Or ask how the actual mission went. Or perhaps ask why the fuck his son is a piece of shit. I didn't expect him to instantly change the topic to the fucking Stacy family.

"Do we have to?" Bucky groaned.

"It'll be fun, come on, let's see what made Peter risk a bunch of innocent lives," I said sarcastically to Bucky, given we had bitched about Peter and Gwen the entire trip here.

"Is Pete on his way back still?" Tony asked with just a hint of alcohol slurring his speech.

"Peter didn't turn up. And if Bucky didn't turn up, there definitely would have been casualties. I can't go into a burning building alone you know, a giant metal suit would have been mighty helpful. But hey, a metal arm did just the trick," I said sarcastically before smiling at Bucky.

"Wait- Peter didn't go to the city? We got a distress signal come through earlier tonight and I assumed he would go... He's a New York based hero and this was a New York based crime..." Tony grumbled.

"You're preaching to the choir here Stark, we were wondering where he was too," Bucky said bluntly.

Bucky and I walked down the hall to hear multiple televisions and mumbled voices from behind each of the closed bedroom doors. Each room had a poorly written post-it note stuck to the door, advising us heroes who was in each room. Captain Stacy and his wife, then their sons, then Gwen. Although Gwen's door was open and the room was empty.

"Fuck!" Gwen shouted from around the corner, her voice echoing down the hall as I stopped and looked at Bucky.

"Looks like little miss princess is staying in your boyfriends room," he scoffed, lowering his voice to me.

"He's not my boyfriend. We just-"

"Fucked, I know, you told me. And then you sucked his dick and Tony walked in before or after or whatever. And now you don't know where you stand with him because his ex girlfriend is back in town and the only reason they broke up was because she moved away. I know. Did you think I wouldn't listen in the jet?" Bucky recited back to me, proving that he was invested in my gossip.

We walked down the second hall where us heroes resided when we stayed here. And the only lights that were on came from Peter's room and... Natasha's room... Which was odd given nobody mentioned she was here.

"Thank fuck someone fun is here... Plus you of course, I like you now little spider. But Mama spider gets me on a more... Russian level," he chuckled.

"Aren't you going to come and judge this new girl with me?" I whispered, frowning when Bucky stopped at Natasha's door.

"Fine, but then I'm leaving with a bottle of vodka and a shred of dignity. Also, you should wear your mask, it'll distract her more and then when you take it off she will be threatened that you're an attractive girl," he said rolling his eyes and walking with me to Peter's open door.

Bucky is becoming my favourite Avenger now. He knows how to fuck with peoples heads. Also he thinks I'm attractive. Cute.

Peter was lying on his side stretched out on top of his bed across from Gwen who was cross legged on the same bed. They had a deck of Uno cards between them and a stray few fanned out in their hands.

"She has two reverses in red and yellow, a yellow skip, a blue nine and a green four," Bucky said bluntly at the door, ruining the game instantly for them. Admittedly, it made me want to laugh because... I don't know why but fuck Gwen.

"Oh, Bucky... This is new... Welcome back," Peter laughed.

"Geez, you scared me. I'm so sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I'm Gwen, it's an honour to meet you both," the girl smiled, uncrossing her legs and standing up off the bed to stretch her arm out towards us.

Jarvis gave me a quick scan of the girl as I looked towards her in my mask:

Name: Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy
Age: 24
Threats: none
Status: not armed

Thanks Jarvis, that was entirely unhelpful. Bucky refused to shake her hand, as did I. We just stood in the doorway silently. Bucky looked menacing with his vibranium arm crossed with his other. I just looked like a mute robot in my suit not speaking or moving.

"Are you guys here for anything specific or...?" Peter chuckled awkwardly, obviously wondering why we had interrupted their game to just stand and stare.

"I hope your Uno game was important tonight Peter. I'm sure those dead children would be real glad to know that the game took priority over their lives," Bucky scoffed.

"People died tonight?" He said quietly.

"No, but they would have if Bucky didn't show up. Do you know how selfish you were being ignoring that distress signal? And for what? A card game?" I spat.

"Can we just uh, talk about this elsewhere?" Peter said hopping off his bed quickly and grabbing both Bucky and my arms. Bucky was quick to pull his arm back but I just followed Peter out of his room and into the hall as he apologised to Gwen.

"I just didn't want their first night here to be completely fucking terrifying for them. They're already freaked out enough staying here and if I left they'd feel like there was a shit tonne of crime in our city and feel even more unsafe!" Peter whispered, not wanting Gwen to hear him.

"You're an asshole," Bucky said shaking his head and going back towards Natasha's room. He told me 'good luck' before going in and closing the door behind him.

"What's with the suit inside? The captain has already seen your face, why can't the rest of the family?" Peter asked, trying to change the subject.

I retracted my mask from my face, scowling at him.

"Okay yeah I like the mask back on, you look less angry with me," he chuckled nervously.

"You seriously ignored a direct call for help just to play fucking Uno," I huffed.

At this stage, he wasn't whispering. And I sure as hell wasn't whispering either. We were in the hall, voices loud and I didn't care if Gwen heard any of this.

"I was making them feel safe here!" He protested.

"So why aren't you playing Uno with the other Stacy kids huh? Why isn't fucking Billy, Bobby and whoever the fucking other one is, here on your bed playing Uno?" I fought.

"I'm sorry okay! I made a bad judgment and a bad decision. I'm sorry I didn't turn up to the scene and I'm sorry I didn't help you okay? Just- Ugh, let me say goodnight to Gwen and you can go have a shower and we can just- We can just lay down and relax and sleep this off," he said softly.

"You seriously want me to sleep in your bed tonight?" I said in disbelief.

"Well yeah, you normally sleep in my room whenever we have to stay here... I just thought you would again," he said innocently.

"Fuck you Peter."