Variation - W.M.

Chapter 19 - November 15, 2016

"Oh Anthony" I sang as I skipped into the kitchen, only slipping a little bit before the grips on my fluffy socks caught me. Tony snickered and I pouted as I padded over to the counter and poured myself a mug of coffee.

"What'd you need kid?"

"Well nevermind now" I huffed, plopping down into the chair across from him.

"Oh come on, don't be like that."

I just stuck a tongue out at him, perking up when I heard heavy footsteps in the hall. My head whipped around to see Steve entering. "Stevie!"

"Hey Ollie, how are you doing?" He greeted, smiling and giving me a side hug. I scrunched my nose, squirming.

"Ew, sweaty Steve."

He rolled his eyes but the smile remained on his face as he released me and went to grab a water bottle out of the fridge. "It's been a week, how are you?" It took me a second to realize that his question referenced the realization that this was my timeline now.

"Pretty good," I told him. I, of course, didn't mention the fact that I hadn't slept more than a few hours a night since the realization that I was stuck here; too plagued by guilt and nightmares. "How's the search for the Buckster?"

"The Buckster?" Tony questioned and I waved him off, not taking my eyes off the blond.

"It's going okay. I think Sam has a lead" he said excitedly and I grinned, cheering a little.

"What have you two been up to?"

"Training with Nat and Wanda, gaming with Piet, nothing more than usual" I shrugged, finishing off my coffee.

"Looking for the newest addition. Some kid dressed in a red and blue costume swinging around the city."

"Oh, Peter" I hummed, nodding as I thought of the kid. He was sweet, although I hadn't talked to him much. He was pretty much Stark's ward, so I avoided him as much as possible.

"You know who he is" Tony muttered, his utterance seeming more like a statement than I assumed it was supposed to.

"Of course I do. You recruited him for the 'civil war' between you and Cap, so I met him a few times."

"So who is he? JARVIS is taking too long figuring it out."

I eyed him, a grin popping on to my face as I looked over at Steve, who shook his head with a sigh and left the room. "I need to borrow some money. Just a couple hundred."

Tony frowned. "Why do you need more money? Aren't you supposed to be paying me back for spending a fortune at the mall?"

"Because I want to buy a couple new games for me and Pietro. Besides, that bill stood when I was going back to the timeline where I have money" I whined before pointing a finger at him. "I joined the Avengers, shouldn't I be getting money now. A salary?"

Tony sighed. "Alright, whatever. What's this kid's deal?"

I grinned and sat back. "He really is a kid. Some highschool sophomore or something who got bit by a spider. His name is Peter Parker, calls himself Spiderman." I got up and placed my mug in the sink. "I expect my money soon."

"It's a little early in the morning for extortion, but since it's Stark I'm not against it" Nat grunted as she ambled into the room, her usual hardass exterior not yet fueled.

"Wow, you look rough" Tony commented and I eyed him warningly. He held up his hands in surrender as he refilled his own mug. "Why don't you sign up with a bank, it'd be easier to send you money."

"Because I already have a bank account, technically." I sighed.

I had played with the idea of taking money out of the account. I mean, I knew my password and social security; plus I looked pretty much the same. But I figured that there was no reason to when I lived with a billionaire.

"Besides, you have money. Just give me one of your connecting cards like the rest of the people here who have no other life outside the Avengers."

"A bunch of freeloaders" Tony grumbled, taking himself and his mug out of the room and probably to his lab.

I watched him go before shaking my head in amusement and leaning against the counter. Nat did the same, sipping her coffee.

"So, you and Wanda have been getting along?"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise at the comment before remembering that she is there at training, and Wanda hasn't been trying to kill me lately.

"Yeah, we've been good" I offered simply, not wanting to elaborate.

Wanda and I had been really good lately, but whenever Pietro questioned me about it I got visibly uncomfortable, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to admit that we were getting closer.

The reason for my secrecy, however, escaped me. I had convinced myself that it was because I felt guilty about the Wanda from my timeline; like I was replacing her, but I wasn't sure how long that excuse would hold up.

Honestly, I wasn't sure if it held up now, or if it was a desperate attempt to hide things I really didn't want to uncover.