Chapter Text
“Fuck!”
You shook your head not even looking up to see who had lost this time. You were on the floor of the Avengers common room painting your toenails while Wanda sat above you on the couch playing with your hair.
“You should have never brought this hell upon us.” Wanda whispered only half joking as she began to pin strands up.
“Cap - if you hit me with that blue shell -”
“DAMMIT!”
You laughed, “How was I to know Mario Kart and Mario Party would become games to the death?”
Nat who was playing beside you turned to you shocked. “Really? You thought us? This group right here? Would not take a competitive game seriously?”
“And may I also ask why your not playing?” Sam’s voice was a pure challenge.
You quickly finished painting your last toe, passing the nail polish to Wanda to close as you blew air on your still tacky finger nails. “I already told you Wilson. You are not ready for me yet.”
“Ha! Bullshit.” he laughed.
Wanda had finished whatever she had done with your hair and was turning your head back and forth admiring her work. When your head was finally free you turned to him and rolled your eyes.
“Sorry Big Bird, but your game is too below me.”
You heard everyone snicker or groan - knowing exactly where this was going to end up. A competition.
“Those are fighting words. Let’s go. Let’s do this.” Sam was rolling his shoulders back, loosening up.
“My nails are still wet.” you playfully whined.
“That sounds like an excuse. Sounds like someone is scaaaared.”
“Scared? Of that?” you pointed to the screen. “What’s the terms?”
Sam’s face grew into a wicked grin. “It's been a long while since you made us one of your great dinners.” You heard the whole team agree enthusiastically.
You made sure to give a glare to everyone. You almost felt slightly bad that they wouldn't win the meal. You would probably have to find an excuse to make them something soon anyway.
“And what would I get from all of you in return?”
“All of us?” Steve questioned.
“Well I’m assuming I’m not making a feast for one here. So if you want in on the meal, what's my motivation?”
Sam was the first to answer. “I’ll have redwing fly to the city and bring you back some of your favs.”
Ooooo you had missed some of the good city food. “Deal - Sam’s chips are in - whose next?”
“I’ll go easy on your training this week.” Nat quickly threw in.
“Bullshit Nat. We all know when you lose you’re going to just come at me harder.”
“Fine, a bottle of the good stuff.”
“Deal.”
“But I want one of those chocolate desserts you made before as part of dinner.”
You nodded, knowing exactly which one, before looking over to Steve.
“So, what’s it gonna be Cap? You in?” you loved to tease him. “It’s four against one. Only one of you has to beat me and the dinner is all yours.”
Sometimes it was hard to believe the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes were so easy to play.
“Okay, I want that homemade bread you made that one time. It tasted divine and made the place smell like home.”
You nodded giving him your agreement. But when he delayed what he was offering you butted in. “Come on now Steve, that's kneading dough and dealing with yeast. Make it worth it for me.”
“A foot massage.” Yes! You loved Steve’s foot massages. You had no idea how or why he was so good at them, but they were practically sinful.
You then turned your eyes to James. He was glaring right at you, trying to get a read. Were you bluffing? Were you actually as confident as you seemed? Just as you began to smirk, sure he knew you were cocky enough in your ability to kick their asses, his glare stopped.
“Those squares you made for girls night?”
“The chocolate oatmeal ones?”
“Yeah, tray for the team, a whole tray for me.” Awww poor guy. You would wait a week or two and surprise him with his own tray. It’s not like they were that hard to make. Maybe he was asking for something simple because he knew he had no chance. You did sometimes bluff, so it wasn’t totally unheard of for you to trick them. But when he offered his take, you knew you had pulled the wool over his eyes.
“A favour to be named added our list.” Oh my god. A freebie on the list? You had kept it going all these months, but it was more used for fun now. But a favour of your choosing could be used for so many things.
“You sure about that?” You both stared at each other from across the room. Was he giving you a free favour or did he honestly believe one of them could beat you.
“Damn sure.” he drawled.
“Get a room!” Natasha barked. You nudged her knee with your shoulder.
“Well let’s do this!”
They got a controller to you and were quick to reset the settings so you could join in. You let them fight over characters not really caring who you got. Part of you wanted to suggest a certain track, but you knew no matter what you could take them.
But then as if the Nintendo gods were smiling down on you, Steve had suggested the track you really wanted to destroy them on. You bit down on your cheek and pretended you were looking at your still drying toes to not give anything away.
Soon the familiar beeps were on the screen : 3….2….1… GO!
You stayed with the pack the first two laps. When you got weapons you could use you would, but you never went out of your way to attack the others. Not this race anyway. You had a much better way to win in mind.
The others on the other hand clearly had no plan. Although you knew you could win regardless, you thought a team, a literal team used to working together would have been able to better focus their efforts on taking you out. Instead half the time they were still throwing shells and other blocks at each other. Clearly confident that with you in the pack they could bypass you easily.
Final Lap flashed on the large TV screen. Just after the lap line you pulled your car to the side, placing your remote down. “Wand, can you pass me my drink?”
She smiled knowingly as she handed you your drink just as she had been doing when you were doing your nails.
“Ummmmmmm what is going on?” Sam asked panicked.
“Doll?”
“Y/N I’m afraid I don’t understand? Isn’t the point of this wager to attempt to win?” Vision asked from where he stood behind Wanda and the couch.
You handed your drink back to Wanda. “Absolutely Vis. But this isn’t me attempting to win. This is actually me hustling these losers.”
“Hustling?” he asked in his usual monotone voice, trying to understand.
You picked back up your remote and started the gas, aiming for off the track and over a cliff. You had to time it right, but it was something you had done more times then you could count. Your character effortlessly flew off the road and landed in the hidden track on the other side. It was now a straightaway bypassing the entire track.
“You see, I knew something the others did not. This hidden track which I knew would allow me to beat them easily.” as you finished the words your character on the map easily jumped ahead of all the others. The roadway ended and your character flew off the hidden road landing with the finish line in sight and none of the others anywhere near you. “So I made sure they all bet things I really wanted, and knew I was never in any danger of losing.” And with that you crossed the finish line as your portion of the screen flashed it’s 1st place win.
“You cheated!” Steve accused trying not to laugh.
“Me? Cheat? Never!” you held your one hand to your chest as if you were deeply offended but the snicker in your voice was hard to hide.
“What would you have done if we picked another track?” Natasha asked.
“I’m the computer nerd here. I grew up on these games. I love my parents to pieces but I’m pretty sure I was partially raised by these games. Foolish Avengers. Now if you don’t mind, my nails are still wet.” you put the remote down making a dramatic show of blowing on your fingernails. “And I need to think of what I want from the city, and when I want my massage, that bottle I expect ASAP Nat.”
She glared down at you, and you knew training was going to suck extra hard for you tomorrow. You’d have to think of a way to soften her before then.
They all started talking over each other about how they should have concentrated their efforts on attacking you, but you turned your attention back to Wanda. “If you give me a few minutes for these to dry I can do your nails.”
She nodded while looking at the few options you had brought.
Your eyes found James’ and you gave him a wink. He gave you one of his stomach dropping smirks and you wondered if he knew right from the start he was giving you a win.
----------***********-----------
You were pretty sure you had washed your face three times trying to avoid the conversation you had been trying to have with him all week. You felt like a nervous school girl and really you had no idea why.
You and him had been happily together for close to seven months. You were family. Not only you and him, but you guys and Steve. And then beyond that you and the entire Avengers team. You already unofficially lived up here with him, only going to your own suite when you needed something. It had pretty much become your closet.
Although you had been in no rush to change the arrangement, HR had actually pulled you aside. Everyone knew you and James were together, the secret of it lost within the first few weeks of your relationship. Everyone had been great about it, and HR had not cared at all other than making you both sign some paperwork that you were in a relationship. Standard protocol apparently.
But they also noticed you spent most of your time in his suite. They were quick to tell you they weren't specifically keeping tabs on you, but sometimes your room access was only opened once a week. They didn’t want to push, but at the same time your room could be opened up to another agent allowing someone else to live on compound.
You knew if wanted you could easily go to Steve or even message Stark himself and HR would not ask again. But you knew they were right. Somewhere an agent would kill to live on compound. Or somewhere there was someone whose actual hiring may be dependent on having a place to stay. And it wasn’t as if you didn't have a place to stay. You had no doubt he would be totally okay. But it just made it so official official.
You walked into the bedroom, James was sitting on his side of the bed on top of the blankets with a book in hand. He was only in his underwear and a t-shirt. You yourself usually slept exactly the same, finding pants or shorts too constricting. As well as you usually stole one of his shirts claiming if not you’d have to go down and grab something from your suite. Huh. You wondered if he’d finally call you out on his shirt stealing if you didn't have that excuse anymore.
He looked up automatically as you entered the room and must have sensed you were off.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” you pulled at the hem of your - well his - shirt.
He gave you a glance as he put his book down. You crawled into the bed beside him, sitting up and facing him.
“We’ve been together for a while now.” you started.
“Yeah…” trepidation in his voice.
“And although the compound needing the space is only partially the reason I’m bringing it up. I was just thinking maybe it's time to officially move up here. I mean only if you are okay with it. And Steve. And the team. But if you think we should still have some of those boundaries I totally understand and I wouldn't take that to mean anything…” you were rambling like you always did when you were nervous or upset.
“Doll? Don’t you already live here?”, his voice filled with relief.
“Well. Yes, I mean sort of. Unofficially.”
“What’s unofficial about it? The bulk of your clothes are here minus things I don’t think you ever wear. You’ve taken over half of my closet - our closet. The bathroom has had all your products since pretty much the day we got together. Hell, some of your pictures of your family and friends are even up in the living room. How much more official do we need to be?”
“I dunno. I know you're right. It just feels like it's a big step.”
“Well I agree it's a big step. But doll, we took it a long time ago. We just never labelled it.” he gave a small chuckle.
“We never do things the right way.”
“We like to keep things interesting.”
“So I guess I can tell HR they can reassign my room?”
“Absolutely, me and Stevie will help you move whatever little you must have still down there at this point.”
You gave him a wide smile, happy to have what turned out to be a pretty easy conversation off your to do list. You pulled yourself onto his chest. “So...you gave me an unnamed favour. That was pretty bold.”
He kissed the top of your head, “Nah, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Besides I know your going to make the dinner and all the stuff everyone wanted anyway. Just after you enjoy the feeling of your utter annihilation of everyone for a bit.”
You leaned your head up so you could see his face, “So you knew right from the start?”
“You could never hustle me, I know you too well.” he laughed. “Although I’m surprised you got Nat.”
You curled into his chest deeper, enjoying the feel of his warmth. “She’s always a little off when Clint is not home. She’s fine if she’s on a mission, cause then she’s all business. But when she’s home and her defences are slightly off....” you trailed off.
He hummed, impressed you picked up on that. “You’ll always get Steve and Sam though.”
You laughed as you closed your eyes getting more comfortable. “Wake me up when you get up, I wanna make something in the morning so Nat doesn't kill me in the gym.”
“You sure? You know it's before the sun gets up right?”
You nodded into his chest, knowing even though you would fall asleep above the blankets on him, he would stealthily get you both under the covers when he finished reading.
----------**********-----------
The sun was just starting to rise as you put the last of the food out for the team as they got back from running or waking up. You had your trusty drink machine making you something extra sugary with caffeine as you heard people start to enter.
“You trying to soften Tasha up before you work out.”
“Clint! You’re back!”
“Yep, got back last night.”
“So Nat filled you in on my epic ass handing of them all.”
“I would have given you a run for your money”
“Maybe. Maybe not. We shall never know.”
Nat was the next to make her way to the kitchen. “Barton, welcome back.”
You turned away going back to grab your drink. The fact they still pretended was absolutely beyond you.
“You wouldn't be feeding me to make me go easy on you this morning now would you?”
“Never! But I mean, how hard can one go with a nice full stomach?”
She gave you a look but as you watched her fill up her plate you were hopeful you wouldn't be murdered.
Wanda and Vision were next to come down. She gave you a hearty smile as she filled up her plate.
Bruce was next. “Y/N it’s been a while since you made a whole spread like this. What's the special occasion?”
“I didn’t want to be a sore winner to the Avengers.”
He gave a knowing smile as he took a look around at his options.
Finally the three boys made their way up from their run.
“Y/N this smells delicious!” Sam ran from the elevator to the kitchen.
“Thanks. I felt bad when I realised it has been a while since I did some cooking for you guys.”
“You - hmnfg - know - ubgf” Sam tried to speak between stolen bites.
“I think what Sam is trying to say,” Steve bumped him on the shoulder, clearly conveying not to speak with his mouth full of food. “Is that we weren’t trying to guilt you.”
“Well, I think we all know you were a little.” you replied and Sam wiggled his eyebrows.
As Steve filled up his plate he changed the subject, “So when should me and Bucky come down to help you move up your stuff?”
“Umm, I’ll let you know. I need to really go in there and organise.”
“Stuff?” Clint asked.
It was James’ turn to mock you a bit more now, “We are moving her up here officially.”
“Officially? When were you not already living up here?” Sam asked with more confusion than mocking.
“Shuddup!” you playfully whined.
Sam looked to James, “Your girls an odd one.”
Before he could retort you pulled Sam’s plate away, “I’m the odd one that feeds you.”
“And I love ya for it.” he waved his hands asking you to give the plate back which you did after a quick roll of your eyes.
The gym was a much different place now than it was before you and James got together. Now the mix between Avenger and just normal agent was more blended. Sure James and Steve usually needed to stick together just due to their super soldierness, but they would help other agents with their stances and form, and sometimes go half speed and strength to help out if they could.
It was pretty much an unspoken rule that if you went to the gym in the morning, you could train with any of them and they would be more than open to it. If you saw them at other times the agents would tend to give them space, knowing they were probably there for a specific reason. But the mornings were something else entirely.
Even some of the admin staff were starting to come down. Partially to gawk at the Avengers, which honestly you could not blame them. But also to learn some skills.
“I don’t understand why you don’t want to come?” Nat asked as you sat against the wall, done for the morning and trying to calm your breathing.
“Nat, in what world would I willingly want to learn how to handle advanced torture techniques. That's more for op agents, and the basic one I had to do when I started with Shield was traumatic enough, thank you.”
“I’m just saying, I’m going to be teaching it.”
“If anything, knowing your teaching it, is even more reason I should stay far far away.” you laughed
She turned to the small group of agents that would be going forward with it, letting them know where to meet her later in the day to begin.
The morning session was starting to wind down. All of the admin staff were long gone, and most of the other agents were either cooling down or already hitting the showers to get ready to start their days.
James strode over and sat beside you against the wall. Him and the other guys would only be taking a small break before they got into their more intensive sparing with each other.
Although everyone knew you were together, you were both pretty careful with avoiding PDA when outside of your floor.
“So Natasha asked me to help torture some agents with her later today.”
You gave him a sideways glance, “Is that a good idea? It seems the exact thing to trigger some past stuff up?”
Since the first time James had retreated into himself when you first got together, you and him had dealt with it more times than you would have liked to. You were now intimately aware of his past, but even without that detailed and vast knowledge you were sure this task would raise a red flag for him with almost anyone.
“Probably. But unfortunately me and her are the best equipped to make sure we push these agents as far as we can. We need to do it here so they learn not to break out there.”
You sighed, “I get that, I just wish it wasn’t at such a high cost to you. Make sure you tell Nat to message me when it's done regardless. I’ll make sure I’m back home.”
“Of course.”
“Barnes, get up off that ass. I’m ready to show ya who the real man is.” Sam bellowed from the other side of the gym.
James shook his head as he stood up and offered his hand to help pull you up. “Love you doll.’
“Love you too.”