Sam strode onto the Party Deck of Avengers Tower munching from the tin of cookies his mom had sent him for Halloween. He looked up when he realized everybody was staring at him, "What?"
"Where's your costume?" Natasha snapped playfully, smoothing back her red hair into her tight ballerina bun at the top of her head. She was in her pointe shoes, moving from fourth position onto her tip toes before shifting onto one foot while she pulled her other leg over her head, never once breaking the glare she was giving Sam. Her black tutu bent at a ninety-degree angle as she held her pose, waiting for an answer.
The Falcon groaned, "I didn't realize we were all dressing up. A bunch of adult superheroes who wear costumes for a living. Kinda thought I'd dress up as a regular guy tonight."
"We don't wear costumes, we wear uniforms." Clint answered as he filled his vintage quiver with arrows for his Robin Hood costume. "I was gonna spend Halloween on the beach in Cabo, but I decided to come hang out with you all, so the least you can do is play along."
"Or you can be lame and stay home with Bruce." Iron Man called loudly as he walked into the party deck in his newest suit. When Natasha crossed her arms in front of her leotard and aimed her frustration at him, he gasped, "What? What is it?"
"You're dressing up as Iron Man for Halloween? You are Iron Man."
"Yeah, well, it was that or dress as Tony Stark, but my newest suit has built in candy holders, so…"
Natasha and Clint groaned as Sam offered a frosted cookie to Bruce. Doctor Banner leaned against the back of the couch, humming happily, "These are delicious!"
"Seriously, Sam, what are you dressing up as? We'll figure something out." Natasha asked, but Sam just sighed and smoothed down his plain-black t-shirt.
He was about to speak when the words were ripped from his mouth by the gut-shuddering laugh that erupted when he saw Bucky emerge from the elevator. "What- what the hell are you wearing?"
Bucky looked down at his clown outfit, pulling down the lapels of his army green jacket over his striped shirt, "I thought we were dressing up?"
"But you're dressed as a clown! You're supposed to dress up as something scary, or sexy, not as a sad, homeless clown!" Sam yelled back at Bucky, but the Winter Soldier just blinked, unmoved by his words.
"I think you look cute."
The boys turned to see Dallas emerge from the elevator and tip Bucky's worn bowler hat forward before going around to his front to straighten his oversized bow tie, "You committed, and I appreciated that. Even if you decided to be a sad… homeless clown." She said as she motioned to his worn suit and baggy pants. She raised her brows at his oversized brown shoes, then shrugged, "Your face is too rugged for the white paint though."
"You're scary as fuck."
"I agree with Clint, you're terrifying, but it's Halloween, so, it's fine. At least you tried… Sam." Tony teased, but Sam just shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. Tony gave Dallas a second glance, then yelled, "I'm disappointed in you, R2. Thought you'd come up with something a little more original than wearing your sister's SHIELD uniform."
"For your information, Iron Man," Dallas said as she moved forward in her knee-high boots that clicked when she walked, "I'm wearing Maria Hill's old SHIELD uniform. And I think I look great." To prove her point, she grabbed the zipper and pulled the suit down, so it stopped between her breasts, showing off an unnecessary amount of cleavage that impressed even Romanoff.
"Well, you're not wrong." Tony answered, turning to Bruce, "You sure you don't want to come with us? It's Denny's first Halloween!"
"It's her second!"
"Nobody asked you Dallas! Anyway," Tony smacked his metal hand on Bruce's back, causing him to stumble forward, "You should come. You can dress as the Other Guy. Think of all the candy people will throw at you in fear!"
"That's alright. I think I'll stay here. Enjoy the peace and quiet." Bruce mumbled as Pepper Potts glided into the room in a pencil skirt and blazer, not planning on joining her boyfriend and his band of Avengers.
Tony jutted out his lip to pout, but Pepper just shook her head, "No. You guys have fun. Don't cause too much trouble, and make sure to share your candy with Denver."
"Ha! That's assuming Captain Dad lets her have any. I wouldn't put it past him to switch out all her chocolate for toothbrushes." Tony told Pepper. She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his jaw, then handed him a tablet to sign, "Speaking of Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf, where are they?"
"Hhmm, there was a costume snag." Dallas informed the group through clenched teeth as she scooped her hand into her push up bra to pull her boobs up higher. Bucky tried desperately to keep his eyes up, but the woman was making it terribly difficult, and he was only human. She fluffed out her short hair and sighed, "Denny had a change of heart."
Tony laughed loudly as he opened up his suit to trot out and collapse into the couch, "Well, then I guess I'll get comfortable since it might be a while."
Dallas and Bucky shared a knowing look before Bucky spoke first, "Want me to give it a try?"
"When I tried, Denver yelled that she wanted to go trick or treating naked."
"We can just leave that to Dad." Bucky settled.
Clint pulled his sleeve back, sighing as he checked the time, "It's already eight o'clock, if we waste any more time, we're not gonna beat the crazies to the Trick or Treat trail."
"Let's just leave em, they'll catch up."
"Stark, we aren't leaving the child to go trick or treating without her, we'll look like idiots." Natasha drawled and Dallas leaned against her, tucking her head against the assassin's fondly. Nat reached over and zipped up Dallas's suit, "Don't give spies a bad name."
"Yes Ma'am."
Suddenly the elevator doors opened, and Denver bounded out, hopping on four legs until she reached the Avengers, "Look! Ima bunny!"
"I thought you were going as Little Red Riding Hood?" Natasha asked as she balanced on one leg to bend down and inspect the little white rabbit. "You sure are adorable though. What's your dad wearing?"
"The same thing." Steve grumbled as he crossed his arms. He wore a grey sweater and a headband with little wolf ears over his blonde hair and matching grey jeans.
Natasha squished her face, looking from Steve to Bucky, "You let your best friend dress up as a sad clown, and you put on a headband?"
"It made more sense when she wore her cute little red cape." Steve said sadly as Denver hopped around the room, "At least she's happy. That's what matters."
"Where's Thor?" Clint asked, and everybody looked around, realizing the God of Thunder was missing, but he arrived moment later wearing a green hoodie with little antlers glued to the hood and sequined scales all over the sweater.
Tony cleared his throat, then looked around at the team, finding them all as stunned as he was, "Alright, so I guess it's me- Mr. Odinson, what are you supposed to be?"
"I'm a bilgesnipe. Isn't it obvious?" He asked, looking around the room and seeing everyone's blank faces, "See, my scales, and my antlers? A bilgesnipe!"
"Cool, great." Tony sighed, turning back to Sam and Steve, "You two are an embarrassment."
Steve's face dropped and Dallas bumped her hip against him, "I think your little wolf ears are cute."
He ducked his head and blushed, "Thanks."
Bucky grunted and scooped up Denver upside down and held her out by one leg, "This bunny needs carrots! I say we get candy and booze and carrots for the bunny!"
"No, I want candy!"
"Little Red Riding Hood gets sweets, bunnies get carrots!" Bucky declared as he held her by her feet and carried her to the elevator.
"I like the way this man thinks!" Stark called as he climbed back into his suit, sealing it up and jetting out to the pad, his voice echoing in the tower, "Let's get this party started."
The Avengers made their way from Midtown to Times Square, where Stark Industries was funding a Trick or Treat trail for the third year in a row. Tony hadn't been aware that his company was sponsoring it until he arrived and saw his name plastered over everything, but he didn't mind.
It was almost nine by the time they arrived, and most of the children had already seemingly come and gone. Women in low cut, uncomfortably short costumes clung to men dressed as their childhood heroes and demons as they moved from station to station collecting candy and drinking their thoughts away.
"If anybody gets peanut butter cups, they are mine!" Tony called as a few straggling kids ran up to him asking for autographs. One little girl was dressed as Princess Leia, holding a purple lightsaber out between her and two little boys that were dressed as Captain America and Thor. "Guys, look! It's you!" Tony called loudly as he handed the notebook he'd scribbled his name on back to the little girl, "Also, nice lightsaber. Not canon, but you look awesome with it."
Thor greeted the boys cheerfully as the girl scampered away, but Steve, as per usual, was focused on his young daughter and nothing else.
She hopped forward, approaching the workers handing out candy in cute little black dresses with spiderwebs criss crossing over the bodice. When she reached them, she balanced on her haunches and looked over her shoulder, making sure Steve was presenting her little pumpkin bin for candy before she yelled, "Ticker Treet!"
"Oh, aren't you the absolute cutest!" The girl cooed as she dumped a heap of candy into her bucket, "Have so much fun tonight- you're Captain America!"
Steve smiled shyly and waved at the woman, seeing her face flush as she whacked the girl next to her to get her attention. Denver hopped up and grabbed her dad's sweater, giving the sleeve a tug, "Yup! That's my Daddy!"
"Have a nice night, ladies," Steve said gently as he led Denver away to the next stop, waiting patiently as she hopped along behind him, "Come on, Cutie! We got a lot of candy to collect!"
"But I'm tired of hoppin!"
"Then walk on two feet for a while." Steve told his daughter and she stood straight, running towards him in her bunny onesie. When she reached him, he scooped her up and held her close to his face, ignoring the whispers from a group of teenagers dressed as the characters from Scooby Doo. "You know what wolves do to little bunnies?" Steve asked darkly as Denver tried to push his mouth away, "They eat them up! Nom nom nom!" He pressed firm kisses to her cheek, causing her to shriek and giggle until he finally put her back down and she started running to the next candy station with Steve chasing behind her.
Further behind them, Dallas was swinging her bag full of candy back and forth, looking around with a complacent expression. Bucky and Sam stood on either side, but only one man seemed to be worried about her mood. "You okay?" Bucky asked gently, catching Sam's attention, but Dallas continued to gaze ahead.
She took a deep breath and sighed, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just feeling… I don't know. This is weird, right? All of us getting candy like a bunch of big kids, you guys are Avengers and I'm, what, the live-in nanny?"
"You're a doctor." Bucky argued but Dallas 'pffed' him as she waved her hand at him.
"Yeah, about that… my boss says if I take anymore time off, I'll be looking for a new job. Unlike Denver, I'm not advertising my affiliation with Captain America, so my boss isn't pleased with my… lack of work ethic." She shrugged, "I love my job, but it's been on the back burner for over a year. Especially the last several months but look at them." She gestured to Steve and Denver, who were repeating their candy act for another group of girls who seemed smitten with the underdressed super soldier. Dallas smiled grimly, "She's fine without me now. She's happy with her dad, and I'm happy for them. I think it's time I head home and get back to my own life."
Bucky's heart sunk at her words. He wanted to tell her that he'd miss her, and that he hoped she'd still be around often, but he didn't want to make more of a clown out of himself than he already was. He could see the way she looked at Steve, and he knew that Steve would be the better man for her, should they choose to give dating a try. But that didn't mean Bucky couldn't care about her. He slung his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close to his side, "As long as you don't forget about all of us little Avengers when you get back to the real world."
She smiled up at him, and his heart practically stopped, and his head began to spin. After a moment though, Bucky tilted his head, noticing that Dallas looked a little wobbly too. "You okay?"
"I don't know. I feel funny." She slurred as she held her head. She leaned against Bucky and he held her, feeling his throat go dry. He looked to Sam, who blinked rapidly, but didn't seem to be nearly as affected as the two of them.
"You two okay?" Sam asked as he grabbed hold of Dallas's arms tightly, then looked up to see Bucky smiling goofily, "Barnes? What's wrong with you."
Bucky opened his mouth, but nothing came out except for a beaming grin. He reached into his pocket and pushed a red clown nose over his nose, then squeaked it and clapped.
Sam shook his head in disbelief, "What the hell is wrong with you, man?" He asked and turned to Dallas, seeing her bright eyes locked in a dark gaze, "Dallas?"
"That's Agent Wells to you." She snapped and tapped her belt, retrieving a gun with each hand. Sam stumbled back a step, looking between the two in shock.
"What the hell is happening to you guys?" He asked, then backed up to Hawkeye. Clint turned around, pulling an arrow into his bow as he looked around. Nothing out of the ordinary for Clint Barton, but Sam still asked, "You feeling okay?"
"Of course, good fellow? Why wouldn't I be?" Clint asked in a sickeningly real English accent as he looked around with his bow pulled. After a moment, he seemed to realize Sam's confused look and asked, "Good Sir, you aren't looking well, are you feeling ill?"
Sam nodded and whipped around, realizing all of the women handing out candy had vanished, and a slew of spiderwebs were connecting the barrels of candy, "Yeah, I think I might be."
"Well then, I'm on the hunt for King John, if you see him, let me know, won't you?"
"Yeah. Sure thing." Sam answered, beginning to panic. He saw Tony Stark land and his helmet flipped down as Sam approached, "Please tell me you're feeling alright?"
"Better than the rest of us." Tony said, "J, what are we lookin at?"
"I'm not able to pinpoint any gas, and none of the security cameras show foul play."
"Okay, so we have no leads, but a big problem." Tony told Sam, patting him on the shoulder, "Everyone's acting like their costume, right? Romanoff stopped talking mid conversation to perform Swan Lake."
"Dallas is SHIELD Agent, Hawkeye thinks he's Robin Hood, and Barnes the Clown is doing a comedy routine on the corner." Sam motioned towards the trio, who were lingering in the same area, despite their different expressions. While Bucky was miming to Dallas, she just rolled her eyes and cocked her guns, holding them up in the air as she looked along the rooftops for some unknown enemy.
Tony whipped around, smacking Sam in the chest and pointing to Steve and Thor as they approached dressed and ready to fight, "Okay, smart. You changed into your uniforms before shit got weird."
"Who are we fighting?" Steve asked, tightening the strap on his shield, and looking from Tony to Sam.
"We don't know yet. Somebody is causing everybody to act like their Halloween costumes. I thought maybe some sort of gas, but JARVIS couldn't find anything." Tony admitted as he looked at the screens inside his helmet, "Maybe magic? But I'm betting against it. There's no physical change, it's just mind games. Easily accomplished with gas or hypnotism or something."
"Well, let's get back to the tower and regroup." Thor boomed and Tony started leading them away from Times Square, noticing how many of the adults they'd passed earlier were now acting out of their minds.
A woman Tony had noticed wearing a skanky pirate costume now brandished a real sword, while the Grim Reaper himself floated nearby. It only took a moment for Tony to realize someone wasn't accounted for, "Steve, where's Denny?"
Sam whipped around to look for the girl, and saw a small white bunny hopping towards them. He froze and carefully reached down to pick up the rabbit, rubbing its ears as it rested in his arm. "Stark?"
Tony turned at the nervous sound of Sam's voice, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw what Sam was holding, "Where'd you get that? Is that- is it Denny?"
"She came from over there." Sam pointed in the direction the bunny had come from, and Stark raised his gauntlet, scanning the area and finding a dropped pumpkin bucket. He whipped back around, beginning to realize they were in much bigger trouble than they originally thought. "Sam, we gotta go." Sam quickly deposited the bunny into Steve's arm, then started sprinting towards Avengers Tower.
From the shadows, a purple lightsaber illuminated, and Princess Leia appeared from the darkness, wielding the weapon towards Stark and Sam, "Are you with the Empire?"
"Definitely the Rebellion, let's go!" Sam tried to dart away, but Steve dropped the rabbit to chuck his shield at the Princess. She sliced through it with her lightsaber before he attempted to fight her hand to hand while Thor ran towards them with Mjolnir in hand.
"Shit! She sliced right through his shield!" Sam yelled as he took off running, then looked over his shoulder, pausing briefly when he realized what was happening, "Stark, that's not Cap and Thor, those are the kids from earlier, we can't let them kill each other!"
"Right." Tony growled, raising his hand to his mouth, "Kiddie Cap, Thor, retreat to the tower, let's go!"
Iron Man took to the sky, leading the way, but Sam ran back to the fighting children- adults- to scoop up Denny and lead Captain America and Thor on foot until a bullet whizzed past his head, hitting a trashcan up ahead. He stopped and turned to see Dallas approaching, staying low and keeping her finger to her lips to tell them to be quiet.
Sam held the bunny a little tighter as a deep, guttural growl sounded from the alleyway, followed by vicious snarling. Dallas raised her guns, but Sam pushed them down, tentatively taking a step forward, "Steve?"
A massive grey wolf appeared from the alleyway, the size of Steve Rogers on four legs but foaming at the mouth and stalking towards them angrily. His lips curled back as his dark eyes focused on Sam and Dallas, seeing them as nothing more than an obstacle and a threat. "Can I shoot it now?" Dallas hissed, but Sam threw his free arm out in front of her again to stop her. The wolf moved closer, fierce gaze locked onto the rabbit in Sam's arms.
Without asking again, Dallas shot past the animal and Sam took off running. She easily kept up with the Falcon on foot, yelling ahead to the others, "Incoming! Mr. Hood, can I get an assist?"
"No! No, don't shoot!" Sam yelled as they reached them, but Dallas just rolled her eyes and cocked her gun again, turning and shooting at the wolf, but the bullet ricocheted off of Bucky's left arm as he wandered aimlessly between them. He looked slowly at his arm, then turned to her with an overstated weeping expression that was enhanced by his white face paint and red clown nose.
"You're lucky I didn't shoot you in the head!" Dallas snarled as Sam grabbed her arm and pulled her away, but a louder, more ferocious roar sounded from the direction of Avengers Tower.
Dallas looked back, seeing the wolf put his tail between his legs, but the growling didn't stop, it just changed its target to whatever was approaching, "Can I shoot whatever that is?"
"Maybe." Sam said, holding Denver close to his chest as Natasha pirouetted past them without a care in the world. He pulled out his phone and dialed Tony, thankful that he answered on the first ring, "Hey, we could use an assist. We're cornered here."
The sound of a lightsaber to their left alerted Sam that they were being surrounded. He looked down at the bunny in his arms, stroking her gently, "We're gonna be okay. We're gonna get out of here."
Another roar sounded from the street ahead, and the massive wolf behind them began to whimper like a puppy in fear before running off. Sam swallowed hard and looked around, seeing the Avengers in a state of disarray, but mostly unalarmed. He had two of their heavy hitters, but he wasn't sure if the transformed children would have the skills needed to survive. Barton had his bow and arrow ready, staring ahead at whatever threat was coming towards them. To Sam's surprise and horror, a ten-foot-tall monster appeared from the shadows- big, scaley, with massive antlers. A bilgesnipe.
"Stark, we need an escape plan, NOW!" Sam yelled into his comm as he turned and ran, not stopping Dallas and Clint from firing several rounds at the monster he was fairly sure was Thor. "Tony, where are you?"
"I'm on my way!" Tony said and Sam shoved his phone back in his pocket, holding Denver a little tighter as he sprinted away from Avengers Tower. He didn't look back at the others, needing to focus on getting to safety. They weren't in their right minds enough to even run.
After half a block, he realized Dallas was sprinting beside him, grunting bitterly, "What's so special about the bunny?"
"It's your niece!"
"Yeah, that's funny." Dallas laughed, but suddenly she skidded to a stop and pulled Sam with her.
She pointed ahead, and Sam realized that Steve had somehow managed to get ahead of them, growling wildly in their direction. The thick grey hair on his back stood up as he approached, and Sam wished he could see some part of this wild animal that was Captain America. His dark eyes were fixed on Denver, and to Sam's horror, he realized that he wanted to eat her.
Steve lunged towards Sam but was swatted to the side by the bilgesnipe appearing behind them, allowing Sam and Dallas a moment to escape. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her away, just in time for Stark to swoop down and pick them each up in an arm.
Sam held tighter to Denver as he looked down, seeing the wolf leap onto the mythical creature's scaley green back before being beaten down into the pavement as the bilgesnipe roared angrily up at them.
"You know," Tony started as he shifted his helmet slightly to look at Dallas, "I remember you talking about Steve eating you alive before. Didn't think this is what you meant."
Dallas rolled her eyes, shoving her guns into her holster as Iron Man flew them to safety at the top of the tower, leaving everyone else to fend for themselves below.