The Camera

A.N: This was inspired by a text post on Tumblr and I wanted to write an Avengers fanfic anyway...so I give you THIS...eh..I tried my best so no flames. Enjoy and don't forget to review! The original post can be viewed through a link on my profile.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers or any of the characters affiliated with Marvel. Sadness :(

Ooo

Steve smiled as he leaned against the kitchen counter and looked over at his teammates. Bruce was explaining why the Hulk couldn't have 'a brawl to the death' against Thor's Mjolnir; Tony, Sam and Clint were busy arguing the finer points of Harry Potter vs. Twilight (Steve personally liked Harry Potter; that Voldemort guy looked pretty much like a white Red Skull) and Natasha was rolling her eyes at them all as she lounged against an amused Bucky Barnes.

Ah, Bucky. Steve felt his smile grown large as he watched his best friend flick small pieces of popcorn towards Tony, delighting in the billionaire's irritated growls and empty threats. It hadn't been easy removing the last vestiges of the Red Room program from his brain, but they'd pushed and pushed until they broke through the numerous brain washings. It helped that Bucky had the determination of a stubborn mule too.

With the help of Steve, Natasha and Sam, Bucky had managed to overthrow his programming and regain his memories of being Steve's best friend and comrade, instead of a mindless soldier. With the removal of that obstacle came another: convincing the team to let Bucky stay with them in the Tower.

The rest of the Avengers hadn't been so open about the fact that Steve wanted the Winter Soldier to remain in the Tower, but not a single one of them could say 'no' to a rejected looking Captain America (Tony was under the impression that they could make Steve's kicked puppy look a national weapon) and in a few months Bucky had become fast friends with the group.

Steve was pulled out of his musings by the beep of the microwave and Clint's protest, "Nat, why'd you change the channel?"

"Because you three are pissing me off, and I want to check this auction. It's selling some World War II memorabilia. Now all of you shut up."

Steve chuckled at Clint's pout and sat down next to Bucky, offering him the bowl of popcorn, "How's the arm?"

Bucky looked down at his prosthetic limb, half covered under his rolled up blue shirt, "It's fine ever since Stark took a look at it. Doesn't feel heavy or lock up anymore."

"And it shouldn't. Those Red Room idiots didn't know what they were doing when they attached that to you but I trimmed off the excess metal and tweaked some the gears. It's not gonna-"

"Stark, either you shut up or you can have my earring sticking out of your arm. Again." Tony shut up with a glare thrown at the red headed woman just as the man on TV spoke.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we thank you so much for the generous donations you have given the American Cancer Society. Our auction is almost over but we have have saved the best piece of World War memorabilia for last. You'll have seen journals of Hitler and Stalin, pictures and records of soldiers and their wives but that is nothing compared to this piece of treasure! Starting at 8 million dollars, I present to you: the camera of Captain America with a loaded film! We will start the bid after a 20 minute break."

"Wow, Cap, they have your camera! What did you- Steve? What's wrong?" Sam turned to his friend, only to see the blonde had gone completely white and he was pulling on a confused Bucky's sleeve.

"What? No, no I'm fine. I just- Bucky and I remembered something we have to do. Come on Buck. We have that very important thing to do and it's going to be terrible if we don't do it now!"

Seeing as Steve was near hysterical, Bucky got up from his seat and let himself be pulled out of the communal area and into the hall. "Steve? What is the problem? What important thing do-"

Steve pushed his friend against the wall and he just about managed to keep his voice level, "Do you remember when we were both 18, you won this shitty camera when we were at Coney Island? And it was the first camera we ever had and we thought; because we were stupid back then- why not take dirty pictures with it? But we couldn't develop the pictures so we left it in this box back at our place in Brooklyn? Do you remember?"

It took the brunette a few seconds, but when he did remember, his eyes morphed from confused to terrified and he let out an, "Oh fuck."

Steve groaned and put his hand over his face, despair flooding his voice, "Buck, they can't know what's in that camera! I'm going to destroy the innocence of the America's children if people know what we did with that!"

"What are we going to do then? We can't just ask for the camera."

That seemed to trigger something and Steve lunged for his friend with a triumphant grin, "Yes we can! It's my- well your camera! We can just ask for it and if they say no, I'll just say they're selling stolen property! Come on, if we hurry, we can get to those people before they start the bid!"

Steve ran for the elevator, Bucky hot on his heels, "JARVIS, can you get those auction people on the line right now? The auction that Natasha is watching. And don't tell Tony what we're doing."

"Of course Captain." Came the AI's cool voice and by the time, Steve ran into his suite on the 12th floor, his phone was busy calling the Manager of the auction. The blonde forced himself to be calm and ready, just as the call was picked up on the fourth ring.

"Yes, Joseph Connors speaking. Who is this?"

"Uh...I'm uh..." Okay, so maybe Steve wasn't calm or ready but after Bucky smacked his arm, he seemed to find his voice, "Ya, I'm Steve Rogers. I'm Captain America. I believe you're auctioning off a camera that belongs to me?"

"Oh, Captain Rogers! It's a great honor to hear from you sir! Oh yes, yes, we are auctioning off the camera. Are you interested in buying it?"

"Well, see, it's a personal artifact from my…mother. She took photos of our family and it's very important to me, so I'd rather not buy it, seeing as it is mine. So I was wondering if I could just get it back? Of course, I can still have a check made out to the Cancer Society from the Avengers for double the price if I can get the camera."

"Oh, I see. Of course, Captain. I'm so sorry, we didn't realize the importance of it. Let me just speak to the auctioneer and I'll get the camera for you. Would you like me to send it to Avengers Tower?"

"No, no! I can just pick it up later. Or today. And I can get that check ready too."

"Very well, please do give me a minute."

Steve finally felt his heart rate decrease as he was put on hold and flopped down on his bed next to Bucky, with the phone still at his ear. "So, what's going on? Are they going to give it back to you? And how on earth did they believe that shit about it being your mom's? You're the worst liar there is!"

The blonde shrugged with a smirk, "I'm Captain America. People don't find me capable of lying."

"But taking naked pictures is totally up your alley huh?" Bucky replied with a leer and laughed as Steve punched his shoulder. Suddenly, Connors was back and the blonde sat up with a relieved grin.

"Mr. Connors? How is it? When can I come for my camera?"

"Oh, you won't have to sir."

"What? Why not?"

"We sold it for triple the price Captain. Mr. Stark called a few minutes before you did and brought it to give you as a gift! He thought it would be a nice gesture. Isn't it wonderful how the world is? You're looking for a personal artifact and your own friend buys it for y- Captain? Mr. Rogers? Is everything alright?"

Steve stood still, his heart at the bottom of his stomach, the phone on the floor and the world was slowly collapsing around him. Of all the people in the world to buy the camera, why on God's good name did it have to be the most stubborn ass in the world?!

Bucky had disconnected the call and was now shaking Steve by the shoulders, "Steve? What happened? JARVIS, what's wrong with him?"

"I believe Captain Rogers is in shock sir. I estimate that he will bolt for the door in 5 seconds."

True to the AI's word, Steve spun on his heel and ran for the door, without a word to Bucky. The soldier was stunned for a second, before he cursed the blonde and ran after him. He got into the elevator just before it closed.

"What the hell Steve? What's going on? What happened to the camera? Who's got it?

"Tony."

Bucky was so done with the random topic changes, "What does Stark have to do with this?"

"Tony bought it."

"Oh fuck. Oh fuck fuck fuck! Steve, we need that camera!"

"I know!"

With the elevator dinged at the communal floor, they both ran out only to see Tony lounging on the couch, with an evil smirk on his face. Okay, not evil but Steve was feeling very biased right now.

"Stevie, old boy! Come in, come in! Have I got good news for you! You know that camera those people were auctioning? I didn't think it was right, how they were selling off your property, so I brought it back! Aren't I amazing?"

Steve resisted the urge to bang his face against his shield and ground out, "Yes, you are Tony. Now, can I get that camera back?"

"In due time, my boy. It may be yours but I brought it and I would like to see old memories of you! We all would, right guys?" The rest of the Avengers sat around with identical evil grins on their faces and Steve mentally charted a 7 mile course for them to run in retaliation for their betrayal.

"Well, you can't."

"Why not Cap?" This came from Clint and he threw a piece of popcorn in the air before catching it in his mouth. "I think it's fair for us all to see you when you were young. It builds trust."

"Well, you can't because... because-." Steve floundered for an idea for a second before latching onto his savior, "Tell them why they can't look at it Bucky."

The brunette looked thrown for a second before he hissed out, "Oh, no. I'd rather die; this one's on you."

That was when Steve knew that his friends had been taken over by Skrulls; there was no other explanation for why they were deserting him when he most needed it. He could fight the the aliens later though, that camera was more important and Tony could not have it!

So Steve decided to tug at their heartstrings, "The camera is special because…it belonged to my mom. She won it at this fair and she took pictures before she died. It's the only time I remember her being happy and without pain. It's very precious to me Tony and it's all I have left of her. Please don't tarnish her memory."

Tony looked so moved by his lie that Steve gave himself a mental pat on the back. Then Tony snorted with laughter, "Cap, you are the worst liar there ever was! Damn, you almost had me for a second! Now, what is on the camera film that we can't see? Come on Rogers, it can't be that bad, can it? Tell me!"

Steve wanted something to happen; anything actually, to divert the attention away from himself.

That's when Bucky came to the rescue. "Take a fucking wild guess Stark! What the hell do you think it is?"

Okay, not to this rescue then. Honestly, Loki could come with the Chitauri to take over again and Steve would kiss him for it. The way Stark was looking at Bucky's pissed look and his own tomato red face, he'd get the answer in 5…4…3…2…

"Oh my god! Cap has naked pics on the camera! He's doing the dirty! Oh my god! JARVIS, the moment that camera is here, I want you to upload the pics to the main frame! Oh fucking Jesus, this is awesome! ROGERS YOU DIRTY BIRD!"

And as Tony rolled on the floor in laughter, along with the rest of the Avengers (even Bucky, the traitor was grinning!) Steve decided that he officially hated his friends and that he was going back into the ice for another seventy years.

And he was taking that godforsaken camera with him!

Ooo

A.N: End! Did you guys like it? It's a little different from the post to accommodate the fact that they are all at Avengers tower but I hope everyone likes it. Please review!