Chapter Text
The Avengers were assembled for the Thursday movie night. Bruce and Tony lounging on one of the couches, Clint and Natasha on the big armchair, Bucky in the other one, bowls of popcorn and drinks covering the couch table. But when Steve and Sam entered, they didn't sit down.
"Guys, we wanted to tell you that we'll be going out of town tomorrow and we'll be gone all weekend." Steve said.
"Huh, I thought you'd run away to Vegas with Bucky, not Sam" Tony said.
Steve still blushed slightly, but had gotten used enough to Tony's teasing that he no longer blew up. He did concentrate on Bruce though, who asked softly
"North Dakota?" and at Steve's nod, looked more worried. "Are you going to be okay with the cold?"
Steve grinned slightly. He still didn't like cold, but he was touched by Bruce caring about him. His new team was solid now.
"I'm not wearing my uniform, so I can wear very warm clothes. Bucky has helped me shop good cold-weather gear."
"Okay, how about clueing the rest of us in?" Tony demanded.
"There's an ongoing protest in North Dakota by the Standing Rock Sioux, but the police has become increasingly violent, and now a call has gone out for veterans to come and protect their first amendment right." Steve said.
"Why are they protesting?"
"There is an oil pipeline being built, the Dakota Access Pipeline, that would destroy some of their sacred sites and also endanger the drinking water for millions of people depending on the Missiouri when it breaks." Bruce answered, and Tony looked at him in surprise. "So that's why you know about it - clean water?" "Yes, but it's more than that, it's a struggle of the Native Americans for their rights, and to have one treaty not being broken."
"But why are they building an oil pipeline at all? Haven't they heard of my Arc reactor? Hey, maybe I should come with you guys and donate some Arc reactors!"
"Tony, first, the arc reactors aren't commercially available yet. But you're right, we could stop using oil and just switch to wind and solar, but the company wants to make profit now instead of investing in something else. I don't really understand it either.
But you shouldn't show up and make it a PR for SI. I know that SI is doing good work in clean energy, but this protest isn't about you, it's about the Native Americans. Although ..." Bruce hesitated, and Tony jumped in.
"What?"
"You could show up and just donate some stuff, without fanfare, you know, warm blankets, solar panels, food - what thousands of protesters living in tents on the open prairie need. They have a list on their internet page (1) about what they need. And... " he hesitated again. Tony wondered if Bruce didn't want to impose on him, being his usual shy self, or if he was subtly leading him on, but he didn't care much. "And...?" "They could use an engineer, though probably a genius of your caliber is overqualified. There have been reports of digital equipment behaving oddly, and since journalists are harrassed, too, there is suspicion of outside hacking, so if you could block that, that would be helpful."
"But why don't we all go and protest? Is it only for veterans?" Clint asked.
"Because it's a peaceful and non-violent protest, so people with ... self-defense instincts aren't what the protesters want. The police has been using violence to try and provoke aggression far too much already. I'm not going as medic because the Other guy is the last thing the camp needs." Bruce explained, looking sad.
"I like your other idea, though. Jarvis, get on that website and figure out how much we can put in the quinjet, along with food and tents for Steve and Sam, and get everything done by tommorrow noon." Tony ordered, then looked from Bruce to Steve. "Or are you giving other veterans a ride?"
"Tony, you can't take the Quinjet! This isn't official Avengers business!" Steve said.
"Well, then I don't take the official Shield quinjet, but my own company quinjet. It's more comfortable, anyway. What, were you planing on riding your motorcycle in December? Even you should have more sense, Cap."
"No, I was going to.. Never mind. Thanks, Tony, that's generous of you, and yes, we wanted to share a ride with three others". Steve pulled out his phone and turned to Sam to write the texts about the change of plan.
"Fine. Now that everything's cleared up, can we start the fun part?"