1| Silver & Gold [Pietro M.] ✔

12. Buff Men Love Lumber

"Thanks...um, I hate to bother, but would it be inconvenient to ask to take a shower?"

Days have gone by already, with no lessening of the media scrutiny. Despite Maria's best efforts, it seems like politicians are out for blood. And no small amount of it, frustratingly. Perhaps that's the one and only thing I miss about my days living in the shadows — bring beneath the radar of the waking world. Being able to come and go without someone so much as knowing who you were. I miss the black-ops missions, slipping in and out again to conduct risky business, never having to deal with fallouts, never having to stay in the good graces of the media. I miss simply being a ghost. I miss anonymity. Well, then again, technically I still have anonymity at the moment. How long that lasts is dwindling though...I'm going to have to make a choice soon. I can feel its dawning.

On the brighter side of things, these past few days haven't been horrible. Getting to know the Avengers better has been...enlightening. Clint is so much more parental than I could've ever imagined. Always checking in with everybody, making sure everyone's comfortable and fed. Then there's his heaven-sent wife. She's so calm about everything, very attentive, good at keeping the peace. No true fights have broken out by any means, but tensions have been high in light of our messy defeat. Natasha is as mysterious as ever but strangely affectionate with Clint's kids. Steve is...more brooding than how he's portrayed in the media. Sure, he has his noble "patriotic" moments here and there but since arriving all I've seen is a distant look, closed body language, and distant. Bruce and Tony are still exactly as I imagined them, shy and outgoing respectfully. And Thor? I can't attest due to his long absence.

The splitting of wood draws my attention from the distant horizon. Nobody seems to like standing still in the midst of a brewing war, but no good soldier does. Except for Murk. That man is on a whole different spectrum. He'll be bursting with energy, helping around the farm, exploring the area, even entertaining Clint's kids with watered-down stories of our 'heroics.' Then there are times where he can't be persuaded to even get out of bed. Correction, get off the couch. Our first day here was quite awkward when it came to deciding the rooming arrangments. Murk was all for sharing a room, but it was eventually decided the two of us would sleep out in the living room. As for the rest of the rooming arrangements...best not to talk about them. 

"41. Better catch up, Murk." I tease, moving the split logs aside to an expanding pyramid stack of firewood. He scoffs at me and brings an axe down on his own log. I can already see the strain in his muscles, the sweat building on his forehead. He's trying so hard to outshine Mr. Patriotic in some feeble attempt to draw Stark's attention. It's like watching playground politics. "Hey, Rogers, think you can rip one of those in half?" I muse aloud while continuing with my task, stepping around the Stark who's chosen to help me.

"Maybe if you threaten to take his shield away." Tony scoffs with a roll of his eyes.

"Oooh, I bet Thor could." I point at the brunette and we both grin.

"Oh, no doubt. Dude's built like-"

"If you say like a god I swear on my not so distant grave to kick you in the shin." I threaten, to which he holds his hands up in surrender. "Hey, wait, where is Thor?"

"He's taking some time off, Iris. Not everybody can walk off mental manipulation like you did." Steve tells me.

"Look at that, he speaks." I roll my eyes. I've told him about a hundred and one times now that I was under no mental manipulation by Wanda — I have been completely and wholehearted me. But hey, you know what they say — you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. Nevertheless, I can't find it in myself to retreat from the brewing confrontation. Perhaps having lived on my own for so long numbed the remembrance of the fact that I'd rather be in the company of others than be left alone with my thoughts.