Warning: Contains child abuse
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Skye was working out in the gym at the compound. It was a Saturday, and she was spending another weekend there. She wasn't exactly sure how Steve and Wanda had been able to keep convincing those who made the decisions for her that she should spend the weekends at the compound. Maybe it was because over the past few months she had been spending time there that she had made a lot of changes. Which yes was in part because the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint Steve. Or Wanda or any of the adults she had grown to know and care about. For the first time in her life she felt like she belonged somewhere. Well mostly felt that way. In the back of her mind she also had the thoughts of that she was just some charity case that helped them look good by helping. And also that they just wanted to keep her from using her powers without them around.
She had been expressly forbidden from using them outside of the compound unless she was defending herself. There were a few times she could have used them to defend herself actually, but she hadn't. She was thinking back to the group home. It wasn't long ago that she was telling Steve that the abuse in the home wasn't physical and at the time it had been the truth but it was just forty eight hours after that, that it became untrue.
Ms. Torres the woman who ran the group home physically abused her. Skye didn't tell anyone because she felt like she had deserved it. She was on laundry and she had accidently left a red sock in with white clothes. And 99% of it was fine. But there was a white dress shirt that belonged to one of the other girls and it had ended up a faded pink color. The girl was pissed. She had needed that shirt for a job interview that she had in just a few hours. Thankfully someone else in the house had a shirt that would work and the girl did end up getting the job but Ms. Torres was furious and when no one was around she had grabbed Skye by the hair and slammed her head into a wall.
It hurt like hell, but she was able to keep her composure. It was the first time in that home she had been physically abused but not the first time ever. She had been in several other foster and group homes where she had been physically abused.
The next week she had left a pot on the stove with hot water and the water boiled over. Ms. Jarvis shoved her into the stove causing her to get a burn on her lower back. It was pretty bad but right now she was very grateful for the super healing that was starting to work in her body. She figured her abilities were just getting stronger because she was working them out more. By the time she went to the compound the weekend following that it was healed and no one was the wiser.
Skye knew she could tell Steve. Could tell Wanda. Could tell anyone of the people there and they would make a call and she would be out of that home. But she knew if she left that home she would be out of New York and to far from the compound. So she was going to put up with the abuse because the weekends made it worth it in her mind. And maybe she felt like she deserved it. She had done a lot of shitty things in her past. Maybe this was just her karma.
Bucky was in the gym as well. He noticed the young girl come in and start punching at one of the bags that were hanging from the ceiling. Bucky could tell the girl had a lot on her mind. The way she was punching at the bag. They all did it at some point. They had all been through a lot in the last years since the avengers became a thing and all the battles and the losses they had been through. On top of their personal lives. He also knew the girl wasn't having a normal childhood. He knew that she had been through a lot too. They had all noticed the last few weekends though that something seemed off with her. She was jumping at loud noises and flinched anytime someone put a hand on her shoulder. They also saw she was getting stronger every week. And not just her super strength but her agility, her senses all were getting better. For the most part. Bucky noticed the bag kept getting away from her when she punched. He went over.
"You want me to hold it for you?" Bucky asked the girl
Skye jumped. When she came into the gym she didn't notice anyone else was there and she didn't hear anyone else come in so when someone spoke to her it startled her. She thought her senses were getting better not worse. "Um. Sure." She said
Bucky went and held the bag from behind. And Skye started punching at it again.
"You want to tell me what is going on?" Bucky asked. He was not known to beat around the bush about things and usually he left talking to her to Steve or Wanda but he was the one there right now and he had actually grown to care about the girl.
"What makes you think anything is going on?" She asked as she punched at the bag.
"You flinch anytime someone puts a hand on your shoulder, you jump at the slightest noises. And you are going at this bag like it has personally attacked you." Bucky said
Skye started to speed punch at the bag once she had tired herself out some she stopped and took a breath. "Just trying to get stronger."
"That's bullshit." Bucky said
Skye looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. I swear. When Steve isn't around." Bucky said with a smirk
Skye chuckled "Does that mean I get to around you?"
"As long as your not swearing every other word or swearing at me or anyone else. I don't care." Bucky said.
Skye nodded.
"And don't tell Steve I let you." Bucky said
Skye chuckled again and nodded. "Okay."
She went back to punching the bag.
"Out with it. What's going on?" Bucky asked
"Just. Hate the group home I'm in. And when my roommate was there it was bearable. But she aged out a couple weeks ago and she moved in with a boyfriend." Skye said "And I'm so happy for her but I miss her. She was the only one in the home who didn't think I was being all stuck up because I got this mentorship." Skye said as she punched.
Bucky nodded. "Damn. Sorry. Didn't realize it was that bad."
Skye shrugged. "Nothing I cant handle. I am just very grateful for the weekends. And that Steve was able to convince my social worker to let them happen."
"Was more Wanda than Steve I think." Bucky said
"Well. I'm grateful she was able to convince her." Skye said
Bucky nodded "Do you like your social worker?"
"She's okay." Skye said
"She one of the good ones?" Bucky asked
"I think I have worn her patience down… anytime I've been in a dangerous care situation like if there has been physical abuse she takes me out of the home. And when I fuck up and get kicked out she works really hard to get me into other homes but I think I am her most 'difficult' case." Skye said
Bucky nodded. "You been in a lot of abusive homes?"
"Yup." Skye said
"The one you're in now. I know isn't great. And maybe some verbal abuse. Nothing physical?" He asked
"Nothing physical." She said as she started to speed punch the bag again.
Bucky held the bag and noticed she was punching even harder than before when she stopped she went over to the side of the gym and picked up her water bottle.
Bucky let the bag go and watched her. "Skye." He said
Skye took a sip of her water and looked at him.
"You know. When we are dealing with shit that we keep bottled up it comes out in other ways. Whether that is being snippy with people. Or like right now. When I asked you about any physical abuse the fact that you went at the bag harder tells me your lying." Bucky said
"When exactly was I snippy with you?" Skye asked
"Not me. But Happy was asked if he has noticed anything off with you when he drives you to and from the home. He says that you are always quiet when he picks you up. Like you have a lot on your mind but your polite and such. But when he is driving you home you get snippy with him." Bucky said
Skye sighed and looked down "I will apologize to him."
"Definitely should yes. But that's not what this is really about." Bucky said
"I'm fine Bucky. Just don't like the place I live. I like being here so I'm always excited to be coming here but not excited to be going there." Skye said
Bucky nodded abit. "Okay. If you say so."
"Did Happy tell Steve that I have been snippy?" Skye asked
"He was the one who asked him about how you have been." Bucky said
Skye nodded abit. "Was Steve pissed at me?" Clear worry on her face
"Think more concerned." Bucky said, "You apologize to Happy and I'm sure Steve will let it go."
Skye nodded. "Okay. Thanks."
"You're not scared of Steve are you?" Bucky asked
"No. Not at all." Skye said "But he is big on respect, and I feel like he'd lecture me about being snippy…"
Bucky nodded. "He is very big on respect. We all are."
Skye nodded abit. "You going to lecture me?"
"Nope." Bucky said, "You want to keep punching?"
"No. I'm tired." She said
Bucky nodded
"Thank you for the help." She said
"Of course. I might not be the most emotional attune person around here, but I will always listen." Bucky said
Skye smiled "You are easy to talk to. Because you don't judge you just listen."
"Good to know." Bucky said, "And I don't judge because I know that nothing you could do rivels the things I have done."
Skye nodded abit before she left the gym and went upstairs almost bumping into Happy.
"Oh shit. Sorry." Skye said
"That's okay." Happy said. He walked around her.
"Happy." She said
"Yes?" He asked
"I'm sorry I have been snippy with you the last couple weekends." Skye said
"Its forgiven." Happy said
Skye went into the room she stays in when she is at the compound and went and showered and got dressed before going into the living room and flopped on the couch and closed her eyes. She heard someone sit down in the room with her and could feel them watching her.
"Hey Pete. Didn't know you were home this weekend." She said
"Missed everyone." Peter said with a smile. "How did you know it was me?"
"Super smell. Everyone smells a little different. Not bad. Just different." She said
"Pheromones." Peter said
"Sure." Skye said with a smile
"They are substances that are secreted from humans and animals. That cause us all to have slightly different smells. Most people cant consciously tell the difference. But it can affect how we get along with people. Who we end up with our pheromones are compatible kind of thing." Peter said "But someone who has super smell. Steve probably can tell the difference too."
"I have a lot of powers in common with him it seems." Skye said
"Yeah you do. You get hit with super serum?" Peter asked with a smirk
She chuckled a bit. "If I did I have no memory of it. But who knows what the government would use foster kids for without their consent." Skye said
"Um. I think that would be a line even they wouldn't cross." Peter said
"You don't know the care system Pete." Skye said
"No I don't but the governments job is to protect kids in care and that would be putting kids at harm." Pete said
"Once you reach a certain age in the care system. They no longer care to do more than the bare minimum. And if human testing can get them some money in some way I don't think they would think twice." Skye said
Pete let out a breath. He knew he wasn't going to win this one. "Well. You been given any shots that you can remember?"
"Flu shots. Covid shot things like that." Skye said
Pete nodded "Yeah. I cant imagine how that was for everyone who wasn't gone by the snap."
"It was so weird." Skye said "Every kid who was left in foster care had actual places to stay for more than a night at a time. Most had their own rooms even. And than when covid hit it was easier to isolate. But fuck it was hard because we weren't really given clear answers for what happened I think because most people didn't know. So we didn't know what happened to the people we cared about and had to go on living in some what of a normal life was left. And than everything changed again when Covid hit. It was like the world was completely frozen. And than when everyone was unsnapped, and we were so excited to have everyone back but had to explain everything that happened and than things went back to the way they were. And I think made a lot of people just angry about the whole thing. But I couldn't imagine what it was like for those who had to come back five years later the same age and everything."
"It was definitely weird. Seeing people I had been in school with for years living adult lives while I was still in highschool. I'm grateful that at least my girl and best friend and I were all in it together." Peter said
"Am I ever going to get to meet this girl of yours?" Skye asked
"I'm sure at some point." Peter said with a smile "She is at MIT too."
"She doesn't come home when you do?" Skye asked
"Not every time no." Peter said
Skye nodded.
"So what have you been up to?" Peter asked
"Weekends have been being spent here and I am so grateful. Otherwise just normal life." Skye said
"How is the training coming?" Peter asked
"Good. Definitely been noticing more of the abilities coming out." Skye said
"Super strength, super senses, anything else?" Peter asked
"Super agility, reflexes, stamina has been better, but I think that could just be because I'm working out more. I still get tired." Skye said
Peter nodded.
"But if I've having a bad day its all gone." Skye said
"Yeah when we aren't at our best everything suffers." Peter said
Skye nodded
"Have had a lot of bad days to be able to realize the affect? Peter asked
"My life is a bad day. Minus the weekends." Skye said
"Its really that bad?" Peter asked
"Pretty bad." Skye said
"Anything that can be done to help?" Peter asked
"No." Skye said. "I've made the choices that got me here."
"Skye. You're thirteen. You shouldn't be thinking like that." Peter said
"What should or shouldn't be doesn't change what is Pete." Skye said
"When did you become so philosophical?" Peter asked
Skye chuckled and shrugged.
"You know I don't know what the life you live is really like. Outside of the getting powers as a teenager thing. But I do know what being a teenager is like. Still am one. Which I am constantly reminded of when I am here." Peter said
Skye laughed.
"So if you want to talk. I can listen. Maybe try and offer some advice." Peter said
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." Skye said.
They were quiet for a few minutes.
"Someone ask you to try talking to me?" Skye asked
"Did I make it that obvious?" Peter asked
Skye shook her head. "No. You're just the fifth person this weekend who has told me the same thing."
Peter chuckled. "Ah. So we are all busted?"
"Mhm." Skye said
"We all care. And we all can see that something is going on. You aren't being yourself. And we just want to know why." Peter said
"Just been a hard few weeks. The only person in that house I got along with aged out. I just miss her. I haven't be being very fair taking it out on others I know. Its going to stop. I'm sorry if I have been nasty to you." Skye said
Peter nodded. "Okay. Well you haven't been to me directly. And I don't think anyone thinks you have been nasty exactly. Just abit snippy and also been really jumpy."
"I'm just a jumpy person." Skye said
"If you say so." Peter said
They continued to just chat about random things till they decided to put on a movie for the rest of the afternoon.
The rest of her weekend was pretty uneventful. Going home at the end of the weekend.
She was quiet on the way home.
Happy looked in the rear-view mirror. "You know you can talk to me if you have something on your mind right?" he asked
"Yes I know. Just like every other person who has told me that this weekend." She snapped.
"Hrm. Though we had gotten passed the snippy with me." Happy said
Skye rolled her eyes. "Well I'm getting a little tired of everyone pushing me to talk about something when there is nothing to talk about."
Happy nodded "Okay. But don't need to be snippy or roll your eyes at me."
"Whatever." Skye said
Happy shook his head and pulled up in the driveway. "I will see you on Friday. Hope with a better attitude." He said
"Don't hold your breath." She said getting out and grabbing her bag and going inside.
Happy sighed and drove back to the compound.