Trust Me, I Will Never Trust You.

Chapter 14

Bucky stood in the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up and his hands moving methodically as he carefully prepared the Sarmale for their team dinner. The savoury aroma of the traditional Romanian dish filled the air, mingling with the sounds of the other Avengers bustling around the common area, getting everything ready for their evening meal.

Steve was setting the table, a task he took seriously, making sure the plates were evenly spaced and the cutlery was polished to a shine. It was a habit that had stuck with him over the years, and he found comfort in the familiar routine.

"Hey, Loki, can you grab Xpel from her room?" Steve called out, looking up from his work.

Loki raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Xpel? Why?"

"Since she's staying with us, it is only right she joins us all for our evening supper," Steve explained, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Loki scoffed. "Xpel is a trickster, I shall not fetch her for you, and I refuse to sit near her."

The rest of the Avengers exchanged amused glances. The irony of the God of Mischief calling someone else a trickster.

"What's the matter, Loki? Scared she might outsmart you?" Tony teased, pouring glasses of wine for himself.

Loki scowled. "Of course not, as if one of you mortals could. I just don't want to deal with her right now," crossing his arms over his chest.

"You've changed your tune. What's happened between you two?" Natasha asked curiously.

Loki hesitated for a moment.

"I had an encounter with Xpel earlier, and she...she showed me some memories from my childhood."

The Avengers' playful banter fell silent as they realised Xpel was using her powers on a team member once again.

"What did she show you?" Steve asked, his voice gentle but concerned.

Loki's expression grew dark. "Things I'd rather not  speak of."

There was a moment of awkward silence as the Avengers tried to process this information.

"It can't have been that bad, brother," Thor chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Okay, well, if Loki doesn't want to go get Xpel, I'll do it," Tony said, setting down his glass and starting towards the door.

As Tony disappeared down the hallway, the Avengers turned back to Bucky in the kitchen, who was finishing up the last touches on the Sarmale. No one spoke for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts.

"Knock, knock," Tony announced as he opened the door to Xpel's room slowly, only to find her sitting on the end of the bed, staring blankly at the wall.

"It's Tony. The team's ready for dinner, kid," Tony said gently, trying not to startle her.

Xpel turned to face him, her surprise evident on her face as she recognised the man she had fought just a few days ago.

She slowly nodded, standing up from the bed and following Tony out of the room and towards the elevator. As they exited the elevator and began walking down the hall towards the common room, Xpel turned her head and looked up at Iron Man.

"I'm, uh... Sorry?" Xpel said, sounding unsure of her voice and if it was the right thing to say.

"It's alright, kid, just a few scratches. You're lucky I like you. Not many people have destroyed my suits and lived to tell the tale," Tony laughed, trying to ease her nerves.

Xpel looked down at her feet, a tiny smile present on her face, grateful for his humour that put her at ease.

As they reached the common area, Tony and Xpel were greeted by the sight of the rest of the Avengers gathered around the dining table. Steve had already taken his seat at the head of the table, and he gestured for Xpel to sit next to him.