Akrasia

Chapter 20

The team walked into the living room without a scratch. All of them agreed on the fact that the mission Fury sent them on was too easy. Tony went straight for the liquor in the cupboard, and the others began sitting at the counter. Without looking up Nat asked,
"Why are you here?" Before anyone could ask who she was talking about Nick Fury replied,
"I had matters to discuss." Everyone's head snapped towards him. Nat cut them off before they could express their surprise any further.
"Then what's he doing over there?" Of course, Fury didn't have to look to understand what the assassin was asking about.
"I'll get to that. Is she a hard sleeper?" Fury asked nonchalantly gesturing to Lainey.
"No." Bucky said warily.
"Then I suggest waking her up to help explain." Bucky walked towards Lainey to shake her awake. At least, that was his intention. Tony decided to finish the job for him by screeching,
"LAINEY!" She immediately shot up, then relaxed upon realizing it was just them.
"Hey guys." Lainey said smiling partially because they were back, but partially because they're faces were priceless. Everyone was shocked to see Fury and Lainey lounging together. More likely sitting together peacefully. Most people can't pull that off.
"Both of you have some explaining to do." Steve said walking towards them and sitting on the couch. Others followed suit gathering around the two.
Lainey began to explain. "I'll start from the top. I was eating breakfast when Fury walked in all dramatically."
    Tony cut her off, "When did he come. I'm assuming you didn't spend 12 hours together."
     "Oh. Yeah, I was eating breakfast at 11:45, so he came around 12:00. Although, my eating schedules shouldn't be of your importance anyways. Where was I, oh yeah. So-"
    Once again she got cut off. "Your eating habits are important to me considering I'm one of the persons training you." Clint said giving her a look that said they'd talk about this later.
   "Okay. Okay." Lainey mumbled. "Fury and I began to talk about stuff, you know."
    "What type of stuff?" Bucky questioned pointedly at Fury.
     "I talked to her about how her fighting process is coming along. Then I also discussed my original plans with her. Hence, I went on to explain my thoughts now." Fury stated dead calm.
    "Elaborate." Bucky commanded.
     "There is nothing to elaborate on. You already know what my plans were and are because of our last meeting. They were the same with her." Fury explained.
    "Can you please get to the part revolving around the unconscious man in the corner of my living room." Tony exclaimed.
    "Well, mid way our conversation." Lainey started. "This man walked in. Of course I recognized him by his voice. Long story short, he was the leader at my section of HYDRA. Which also meant that he controlled me. He tried to take me back with him for his own pleasure. And shocker, it didn't work. Which I have to thank you two on..." Lainey said pointing to Bruce and Tony who beamed. "...because your invention worked. Also, Fury helped too I guess. He sort of saved my butt after I saved his." Lainey explained.
    "She was lucky that I understood her plan. It was smart. She willingly gave herself up to make sure I didn't get shot. I only realized her plan when she started to boost his ego and earn his trust. That's when I pulled out my tranquilizer gun and shot him."
    "Who the hell keeps a tranquilizer gun in his pocket. Is that what you keep in all of those pockets!" Tony exclaimed dramatically.
    "Does it matter?" Lainey questioned. "He saved my butt. I mean he was slow to do so, but it's fine."
    "Slow?" Nat questioned.
     "Yeah. The handcuffs he had on my wrists sort of had shockers in them. Before Fury could stop him, he pressed the button and sent quite a few volts through me." Lainey said quietly. Everyone glared at Fury, Lainey saw them doing it and spoke up. "It wasn't his fault. I put myself in the situation."
    Now everyone looked at her with sympathy. Which she didn't like all that much. Of course, everyone except for Natasha. Who just stared at her quizzically.
    "I recommend you all should watch the footage. It really was smart on her part. Almost reminded me of you, Romanoff." Fury said, slightly smirking at Natasha. "Seeing Granberg in action more on the cunning side, changed things. Not only is she skilled physically, but mentally also. This just adds the fact that she'd be a great agent." No said anything, not even Lainey. Lainey was busy scanning the faces of her possibly-future-teammates. Fury carried on, "I know you don't like the idea, especially you Barnes, but I'm not wrong. She'd be a very helpful agent for SHIELD. Although, knowing you guys, you'd much rather have her around. Which is why she'd also be capable of being an Avenger. In my mind. That's your decision, but if I come to her before you, then she might very well be a SHIELD agent for me."
    No one said anything. No one wanted to. They were too busy staring at a random object and thinking. Eventually Fury stood up to leave. Lainey gave him a weak smile, but he didn't acknowledge it. Before the elevator doors closed Fury announced, "I'm sending someone to get him." No one cared about the unconscious man in the corner anymore. They had plenty of analyzing to do.
    They were quiet for a solid two minutes before Thor boomed, "I suggest we watch Lady Lainey beat the man." Everyone honestly forgot Thor was around because he was so quiet.
   "Friday, pull up the security footage and display it on the living room TV." Tony said.
    "Done, sir." Friday replied right as it pulled up on the TV. Everyone put their attention on the TV and watched as Lainey slowly negotiated with the man. She dropped her gun and so did he. Then she sauntered over towards him. The team watched her whisper to him and Clint asked, "what were you saying to him?"
     "You don't want to know." Lainey answered blushing. Clint dismissed the matter and continued watching the screen. After she passed out, Tony turned off the screen.
    "How long were you out?" Wanda asked.
     "About two hours, maybe." Lainey said.
     "That was honestly a really smart plan. I wouldn't have thought of that." Steve congratulated her, even though he didn't want to let on to the idea that Fury is right.
    "I was expecting to see you stab him." Thor exclaimed grinning. Everyone looked at him as if he was a crazed animal. "What?" Thor said confused at why everyone else was confused.
    "I'm surprised you did that. I'd never sacrifice myself, unless the whole universe depended on it of course. Even then I wouldn't want to."Tony stated jokingly.
    Lainey took it seriously though, "What made you think I did that willingly? I wanted to kill him, and I easily could've. But I was smart enough to know that Fury would want him alive."
    "Okay. Okay. I didn't mean it that way." Tony cleared up putting his hands in the air surrendering. No one said anything for a while again. They were trying to let everything settle.
"Those were the same handcuffs weren't they?" Nat asked quietly.
"Yeah." She responded quietly. No one understood what they were talking about.
"Um, what?" Tony asked sarcastically.
"The hand cuffs were the same ones I wore when I, killed my mom." Lainey answered quietly turning away.
"Oh." Tony said shocked that it was that far.
"Forced to kill. Not willingly. Remember that." Bucky reminded moving over to hug Lainey. She shrugged him off though.
"You think I don't know that." She shot back at him. Everyone else grew very uncomfortable after realizing they were going to bicker.
"I know you know that."
"Then why, other than that reason, do you not want me to fight for random stuff?"
"How do you-" Bucky was about to question how she knew that, but then realized it was Fury.
"Oh wait. You do want me getting hurt. You care. You want to make sure I'm always okay. Well that's bullshit." Lainey seethed.
"No it's not!" Bucky exclaimed his tone rising.
"Yes it is! You literally just watched proof that I can handle myself. And you already knew it before hand. It's just that you want to do what you want. You've never thought about what I want. All you want is to keep me safe. Well I don't care!" Lainey yelled standing up, but Bucky grabbed her wrist keeping her in place. Nat stood up at his action making him release.
"You do, though. I can see it. We all love you and you love us back. You know it. You'd do the same thing. You'd want to make sure we're safe, just like I'm making sure you're safe. You'd never want us to be hurt or in pain." Bucky explained softening his tone.
Lainey reacted harshly to what he said. Without hesitation or thought, she slapped Bucky's face. "Bet." She spat before storming off. She knew after that she had no right in doing so, but she went with it. She was mad. At Bucky. At all of them. At herself.
Bucky froze after what she'd done. Everyone else did also. No one missed it. No one knew how to react, other than Steve.
"Buck. She was just mad and tired and needed someone to take it out on. She didn't mean it." Steve said gesturing for him to sit down next to him. Bucky didn't say anything, but simply sat down next to him and listened to the next conversation.
"She's not wrong." Clint said. "She can easily handle herself. If you think about it, she took all of us down practically."
"I agree. She's perfectly capable of being a good Avenger. Even I would rather have her an Avenger than an agent. It's one of the other and we know it." Nat added.
"Even though I hate her 'moodiness' she is fun to have around. I'd rather her be an Avenger." Tony said walking over to the counter to grab another drink.
"Me too. I quite like Lady Lainey." Thor boomed grinning. "Grab me one too." He called after Stark.
"I agree with you guys, but she's so young." Steve said.
"We can't avoid that. We've also been over that, Steve." Nat explained. "Her age doesn't matter. Normal teenager activities just can't happen for her. It's the truth."
"She'll be fine if she has us." Bruce added quietly.
"I know. Buck?" Steve asked glancing towards his friend worriedly.
"I agree. I don't want to." He sighs rubbing his face. "But I have to. It's for the best, right?"
"Yes, Buck. I wouldn't do anything if it wasn't. You know that." Steve responded.
"Is it settled then?" Tony asked walking back over to them with three drinks in his hand. He set only one in front of Thor.
"Is what settled? That Lainey will be an Avenger?" Wanda clarified his question.
"I guess." Steve breathed once again looking at Bucky. "When should we tell her?"
"Sooner the better." Clint added.
"Tomorrow?" Steve asked again.
"Yes. Tomorrow." Bucky clarified. "I'll talk to her. We can all tell her, but I'll talk to her."
"Good. I'm leaving." Tony said standing up and heading to elevator. Everyone else left too except Steve, Bucky, Nat, and Clint. Right before Clint left he confronted Nat.
"That mission was fake, wasn't it." Clint asked.
Nat grinned and simply said, "Took you long enough." Before walking off herself. When everyone was gone Steve said,
"Buck. I know you care about her. We've talked about this. I just think that she'd respond better to you if you give her more freedom. You're right. She's 15, but she doesn't act that way, and she has a reason not to. She almost can't. Let her figure things out. And when you talk to her, let her talk, but you need to talk also. It'll help yourself to hear what you think. Don't mess this up." Steve smiled patting his back before walking away himself.
Bucky moved towards Lainey's room. When he reached it and opened her door, he found her sleeping on her bed. He found himself thinking about how much he cared for her. Then just like that, he found himself actually telling her that in the morning.
"I care about you a lot." Bucky said behind closed doors.
"I know."
"Look, I'm really sorry. I just don't want you getting hurt. And I know you know this already. "
"Is this how you were to Steve when you were, younger?" Lainey asked randomly.
Bucky thought for a while before responding, "In a way, yes." He thought about that for a while before continuing his thought.
"Even though I know you want to do this, and in some way need this. It doesn't stop me from wanting to keep you safe. I've fought and have watched my friends and colleagues fall around me. I can't imagine you being one of those people. I already can't imagine you going through the same thing I did at HYDRA. It's not easy to go through that, but you did. To me, I feel like you shouldn't go through anything hard after that. So I want to make sure that you don't. I, I'm sorry." Bucky explained.
"I get it, sort of. And I'm sorry, for slapping you. I was just mad and it happened. I've never, really, been loved. I'm not used to it so if sort of gets annoying and overbearing." Lainey said sheepishly.
"It's okay. I'll try not to breath down your neck all the time. But I can't stop fully."
"I know. Also, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine, trust me. I'd actually prefer this over a normal teenage life. It's better, in a way."
     "Just promise me you won't die or do anything stupid. I can't deal with that. I've never had anything like you. Or someone I love and want to do anything to protect. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm responsible for you. If you ever want to talk, please, just come to my room. Also, breakfast will be ready soon." Bucky decided to stop talking before someone could walk by and hear him being sappy. He also didn't want to say something that he'd regret. As he left her room, Lainey slipped out a small smile. He already told her before, but hearing it a second time just sends it over the top. He loved her and cared for her and would do anything to protect her. As much as Lainey didn't like to think about it, he was almost acting like a dad to her in a way.
Lainey hopped off her bed to get her sweatshirt and head to the kitchen. When she walked in, everyone was there at the counter eating pancakes.
"Your plate is over here Lainey." Steve said pointing to her spot with a spatula. Lainey giggled seeing Steve wearing an apron like a grandma. "What?" Steve questioned seeing her laugh.
"Nothing." She mused hoping onto the stool and digging into the pancakes. They were delicious. Stack after stack she ate them.
"Holy crap Lainey. How much can you eat!" Clint exclaimed.
"Well, considering all I've been eating since you guys have been gone is microwaveable Mac and cheese, I'd say I have a decent reason to eat this much food." Lainey stated. Clint just chuckled and returned to inspecting one of his arrows. Yes, he was doing that at breakfast. Lainey thinks he's obsessed.
After about 10 huge pancakes and bacon, Lainey dramatically sighed earning everyone's attention.
"Are you okay Lainey?" Bruce asked concerned.
Lainey smiled with her eyes closed and responded, "Yeah. Just ate too much. By the way Steve, you're a great cook."
"I agree." Tony laughed. Steve resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but he failed for once in his life.
"How are you feeling? I hope I didn't hurt you terribly." Thor said.
"Yeah, I forgot to ask. How's your ankle and head?" Bruce asked Lainey looking down to her ankle.
"Oh, I'm fine. I don't notice it at all. Trust me." Lainey replied.
"That means you can train more." Nat added grinning. Clint grinned too. Lainey just groaned, making their grins only grow larger.
"Jeez Louis." Lainey breathed.
"You're going to need to train more anyways if you're going to work with us. We don't want you dying." Clint chuckled taking a sip of his apple juice.
"Huh?" Lainey asked suddenly confused by what he said.
"Clint!" Nat yelled slapping his arm.
"Sorry guys." Clint apologized after realizing his mistake.
"It's okay." Steve said.
      "Uh, no it's not. You're too nice Steve." Tony commented.
"Will someone please fill me in." Lainey asked even though she had a feeling where this was going.
"Bucky?" Steve questioned wondering if he wanted to tell Lainey.
"Oh enough of this. Your an Avenger kid." Tony stated dramatically.
"Tony!" Everyone exclaimed. Except Bruce, he just rubbed his temples.
"If you want to be." Bucky added making sure Lainey wasn't pressured into it.
"Of course I do! When do I start." Lainey exclaimed.
"Whenever we're needed. Congrats." Steve said smiling. "I'm done cooking by the way."
"That means it's time to train." Nat stated making both Clint and Lainey groan.
"Let's get this over with." Clint said walking off to follow Natasha.
Lainey got up and called behind her, "Wish me luck." In return she heard a two voices actually wish her good luck. Clearly they didn't understand that they weren't supposed to answer.
———————
Lainey trained with Nat and Clint for about two hours. Mainly hand to hand combat and conditioning, which was horrible. Eventually, Bucky came to work with Lainey. His main objective was to work up her skills with guns. Of any sorts really. He let Lainey decide which to shoot.
    After nearly three hours of training, she was done, and tired. The shower was amazing, but she was still starving considering it was about one and she hadn't eaten other than breakfast. No one made lunch, so she had to resort to microwave macaroni again.
     When she was eating her phone dinged and she was happy to see that Peter texted her.
(This is the text messages)