A/N: Let me just state that I've never read any of the Avengers comics or any comics related to them. Also, the werewolf lore and whatnot is something that I'm making up on my own. It's hard to do, what with all of the werewolf stories out there, but I'm what I'm trying to say is that I'm not going with one particular style. This is all me, so it's all on me. I know the guys are probably out of character, but I'm trying my best to correct that. Hope you all like it. Tell me what you think! This is unbeta'd so…yeah.

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Chapter Two

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Bruce was tired. Working in the lab for hours on end did take its toll on him and on his concentration. But he often loses himself in his work, usually becoming so absorbed that time goes by and, before he knows it, he's missed meals and sleep. He wouldn't trade it for the world, though. Before meeting Steve and Tony and Pepper, Bruce had been wandering around, looking for a place, a pack, to call home. A place where he'd feel safe and secure and wouldn't have to be someone he wasn't. His old pack had disowned him before he was twenty; that's how bad his anger had been. When he met Steve, the younger wolf was surprised he had lasted so long on his own.

If he were being honest with himself, so was he. Maybe he was just lucky, but Bruce had always managed to make it through all of the horrifying lonely spells he'd experience. Meeting Steve and everyone else had been a blessing. Being able to stay with them, a miracle. Being a member of the pack and having a family was a gift, an early, heaven sent Christmas present. A few years ago, Bruce wouldn't have believed it to be true. Now, he was more than thankful. Words couldn't describe how grateful he was for being embraced by the pack. He may not have known them for very long, but he really didn't need to. Their bond as a pack was more than enough for him.

That was until Clint showed up. Or, rather, had been dragged into the mansion by Natasha, who called out for help. Naturally, Steve came rushing to help her. Pepper came down stairs and, when she saw what was going on, she went and got Tony, who was down in the lab with Bruce. Tony, of course, dragged Bruce along with him, even though they weren't done, and went up to the living room where Clint was lying on the couch. Bruce didn't know what had happened, but he did feel concerned. Not just for Clint though. He had no idea who the strange wolf was or where he came from.

Steve asked him to check Clint out, so he did. When his hand touched Clint's bare arm, his entire body jolted as if an electrical current had run through it and he paused for a moment. At the same time, Clint woke up and his eyes focused entirely on Bruce. It took a lot of focus and control to give Clint a lopsided smile and tell him in the calmest voice possible that he was okay and that he wasn't going to hurt him. Those blue eyes stared at him, wide and with fear, but Clint eventually relaxed and Bruce was able to look him over. Not much was said, but when Bruce asked where Clint was from, the younger wolf told him that he was from nowhere important.

When he was satisfied that Clint wasn't injured, just starved and dehydrated, everyone started talking at once. Pepper made her way to the kitchen and Steve followed behind her. The two of them had always been the best cooks, although Natasha wasn't too bad herself. Natasha went to fetch a pillow and blanket while Tony asked Clint for more details. Where was he from? What was his favorite band? Did he like fried squid? Bruce knew that most of the questions that poured from Tony's mouth were bullshit, but Steve was the alpha and it was his job to grill Clint for information. However, Clint answered them all, mostly with a slight hint of sarcasm, but his eyes wandered everywhere. To Tony, then Bruce, then the furniture, then Bruce. Every other second, or so it seemed, Clint was looking at Bruce. Not that he minded. Quite the opposite, actually.

Natasha came back with the pillow and blanket just as Steve returned with a glass of water. Clint thanked them both and drank a little bit before Steve began his own questioning. Where was he from? No where he cared to remember or think about? Where was his pack? Somewhere he didn't know and hadn't known ever since he had been disowned and rejected at sixteen. Was he alone? Yes. What brought him here? He was just following the wind and the rumors of a pack of outcasts that had formed. What were his intentions? At that, Clint paused. Bruce watched him as he looked around at the others, before his blue eyes fell on Bruce. He shivered slightly and exhaled before he answered.

"If you're going to kill me, then do it already. I didn't come to start a war or antagonize you. I just…wanted a pack." Bruce knew that there was more to it than that, but Clint sounded sincere and lost. Much like he did. Much like they all had. So, Clint stayed and became another strange and unusual member to their already strange and unusual pack. And Bruce was thankful for that, because then they wouldn't be here.

Currently, Bruce was lying in his bed, just thinking about Clint…about them. All werewolves had mates. How else would they be able to live out the remainder of their days? Belonging to a pack did help, but life without a mate usually drove most werewolves insane. But Bruce wasn't sure if he deserved a mate. After all, he had done things, terrible, unforgiveable things, when his anger got out of control and there was nothing he could do to change that. But that changed when he first touched Clint. He felt a wholeness enter him after that initial jolt of shock and he felt…completed. Like he didn't have to worry about being alone and unloved ever again, a thought that both brought great peace of mind and a large amount of worry.

"Bruce, I can hear you thinking. Knock it off before I knock you out." Clint's voice brought him back from his train of thought. Bruce looked down at the smaller man currently cuddled up beside him and smiled. Chuckling, he rubbed Clint's back and smiled even more when his other half scooted closer.

"I wouldn't want you to get up and grab your bow now, would I? You seem pretty comfy." Clint grinned and trailed his hand up Bruce's chest.

"I am, but if I have to, I'll get my bow and smack you with it." Chuckling, Bruce pulled Clint closer and kissed him. It was a soft, gentle kiss, but it held a thousand words behind it. Clint returned it and tried to deepen it, but Bruce pulled away. He grinned at the slight pout forming on Clint's lips.

"I have to get some rest. Wouldn't want another mishap like today happen in the near future." Bruce chuckled and Clint turned to lie on his stomach. With his hands folded on Bruce's clothed chest, he laid his chin on them and studied Bruce for a moment. Had it been anyone else doing it, it would've bothered him, but he was more than okay if Clint did it.

"I was worried about you. You don't normally stay holed up in the lab for so long. What project are you and Tony working on that's got you so preoccupied?" Bruce rubbed his eyes for a moment before tangling his fingers in Clint's soft, blonde hair.

"Something that Fury asked us to work on for the Hunters. Apparently, they've been having a hard time eliminating the rogue and insane wolves that are out there. He asked Tony if we could help them out with that." Nick Fury was one of a handful of Hunters that the pack had any sort of communication with. And that was only because, at one point in time, they've all had run-ins with the one-eyed Hunter. But Fury had enough faith in them, and knowledge about them, to know that they were fine on their own. He even relied on them to help him out on occasion. Clint hummed and traced obscure patterns in his shirt.

"Are there too many mad wolves out there for Fury and his men to handle? If so, why not just send us in after them. It's not like we haven't taken one or two out before." That was very true, but Bruce merely shrugged. He didn't know why Fury didn't ask for their assistance like he did in the past and he really didn't care. Not at the moment, anyway.

"Not sure… I guess he's keeping a lid on us or something." Clint looked up at him once more and stopped tracing.

"You're not insane or crazy, you know. You just have a…condition. That doesn't make you a monster, Bruce." Bruce thought for a moment before he smiled softly down at the younger wolf. His hands began to rub Clint's back and he leaned down and kissed him.

"You remind me of that old security guard I met once." Clint smiled into the kiss before it ended and his blue eyes danced with a light that always managed to captivate Bruce so easily.

"I know. You've told me that story already. That's where I got it from. He was right, y'know. Now, bed time for Dr. Banner or Mom and Dad will have a hissy fit." Bruce chuckled and continued rubbing Clint's back.

"If Tony and Steve ever heard you call them that, they'd kick your ass." Clint smirked.

"They can try. Now get some sleep. I'll give you a surprise when you wake up." Bruce chuckled softly, but complied. Although he was knew that Clint was good on his word, he also knew that Clint wanted him to get some rest. So he pulled the blanket up around Clint's shoulders and closed his eyes.

…

"So when are you going to ask Steve out?" Tony whipped his head up and stared at Pepper while she made dinner. Nothing too fancy; spaghetti, bread sticks, and salad. He had wandered into the kitchen about ten minutes ago to get a drink and ended up staying. Not that he minded; Pepper was his best friend and he loved talking to her. But he so was not expecting that.

"Uh…I'm sorry. I didn't catch that. Did you ask me about the weather tomorrow? Because I'm pretty sure it's going to rain. My gosh, I forgot to bring in the laundry. I'll just go and do that and-"

"Tony, sit down." Before he had even taken a step, Pepper had ordered him to stop. She was the only person, aside from Steve, that he'd listen to automatically. Anyone else, Tony would mull it over and just do whatever the hell he was going to anyway. Knowing that it'd be futile to even consider battling Pepper's command, he sat back down.

"Now, answer my question or not bread sticks for you." Tony pouted and sighed overdramatically. He needed to get new friends. Or just build more robots. He'd probably go with the robots.

"I…haven't really thought about asking him out." Tony felt his cheeks getting red and he looked down at his drink.

That was an out and out lie. Of course he had thought about asking Steve out. He had also thought about his lips, his eyes, his gorgeous, muscular body, and what it'd be like to be fucked by the alpha male. Tony didn't care how they'd do it; slow and sweet or hard and rough. Tony Stark wasn't picky when it came to his fantasies about Steve fucking him senseless. But he didn't know if Steve knew just how fucked up he was. There were very few good things that Tony had ever done and could boast and brag about. After all of the shit he had pulled, Tony knew that he'd never be in the same category as Steve. Steve was so good and pure and innocent and beautiful whereas Tony was ugly, tainted, and despicable.

Okay, yeah, he did feel the connection when he first shook hands with Steve, but really, he wasn't going to do anything about it. Tony knew that he was nowhere near good enough for Steve. To him, it was as plain as day: Steve was a clean slate, pure white, and Tony was an ugly smudge. There was no way that they could be mates. There was no way Steve would want him for a mate, not when he could have anyone he wanted. When it came down to it, Steve deserved someone who wasn't Tony. He deserved someone who was kind and good and pure. Tony was none of those things.

"Tony, stop thinking like that." Tony looked back up at Pepper, who was staring at him with a concerned expression. Sighing softly to himself, Tony sipped his drink and raised an eye brow at her.

"Stop thinking like what exactly? I'm not quite sure what you mean, Pepper." She leaned down and stared at him evenly. He squirmed under the gaze, feeling like he was a child about to be chided by his mother.

"I know you, Tony, and I know that you think that you're not good enough for anyone. You couldn't be further from the truth. You are a good person, Tony. And Steve can see that. You just need to…I dunno, take the first step or something. Or at least meet him half way." Tony nodded, knowing that Pepper's words wouldn't do any good. But she was stubborn and would keep telling him the same thing over and over again until they died. Because death would come sooner than Tony believing he was worth a damn.

"How can I, Pep? He's too good of a person to be with someone like me. There's no way in hell Steve would want me." Just then, Steve walked into the kitchen. His blue eyes turned to Pepper and Tony and his smile disappeared, only to be replaced by a look of concern that made Tony want to spout nonsense just to see it disappear.

"Tony?" Shit. Had Steve really just heard that? Not meeting his alpha's gaze, Tony stood up and cleared his throat.

"Hey there, Captain. What's up?" He didn't need to look at Steve to know that his blue-eyed gaze was focused solely on Tony. Tony could feel it and it sent shivers down his spine. Pleasant shivers. Shivers that made Tony think things he definitely should not be thinking right now.

"Tony…what's going on?" Steve cuts to the chase just like that. And just like that, Tony is having a panic attack, but a quiet one inside his own head. More than likely, Steve heard what Tony had just said which meant that Steve now knows that Tony is interested. But it also told him that Tony thinks he's not good enough which meant that Steve would try, like Pepper had, to persuade Tony to think otherwise. Dear God, he was a fucking mess right now. Before he could think anymore, he was jerked, quite literally as a matter of fact, back to reality by Steve, who was standing way too close to him.

"Tony…Tony! Snap out of it. Talk to me. Please…" Steve's blue eyes shown with worry and love and it was too much for Tony. He managed to wiggle free of Steve's grasp and stepped back.

"I have something to do in my lab. Jarvis, no one is allowed in my lab without me giving consent."

"Yes, sir." Steve reached out to him, but Tony stalked out of the room and made his way to the lab. He needed to be alone. Well, he didn't need it but he wanted it more than he wanted to explain to Steve exactly what was wrong. That was a can of worms that his alpha didn't need.