A/N - Hey all. I know I'm slow in getting this one up, and I would apologize, but I don't think I can since it's been real life and real issues dragging me down. I didn't even realize my co-writer had looked this chapter over for a once over a WEEK ago until today when I finally got into this doc. So. here ya go. As always, the reviews are appreciated. Practically An Avenger and X-Men Over Avengers - we truly do love to hear your take on things every time you decide to leave a comment. Thank you so much.
Chapter 80 - One Angry Therapist
The next morning, James managed to sleep in a little bit, which was a shock to him since he hadn't slept at the tower in far too long. But his room was just as he'd left it and it was surprisingly quiet at the top of the tower. He'd even sort of missed the gentle sway of the building when the wind picked up. And it was more quiet than home in Brooklyn for sure.
He was just stretching out, and curling back into his pillow, perfectly relaxed for the first time in a while when there was a soft knock on the door and a moment later, Billy let himself in with coffee.
"Hey, handsome. Figured I'd take my chance at stealing some time with my princess in the tower," Billy teased, though James didn't argue with him at all, and instead simply moved over to make room.
"You're up early," James said when Billy sat down and put their coffees on the bedside table.
"No, you're sleeping late," he countered, then stole a quick kiss as he waited for James to do more than pick up his head.
"Guess I'm tired," James replied, then pushed himself into sitting up. He picked up the coffee Billy had brought, then after he got a sip, he took a moment for a better 'good morning' kiss that probably would have gotten them teased horribly if they'd been where the rest of the Avengers could see. "Hi."
"Hi. If you're that tired, I am not against some snuggles while you catch up on sleep," Billy told him.
"No, I said I'd get donuts with Tony," James said, then glared at the clock for a moment. "Unless he went without me."
"I don't think so. He looked pretty bushed when I saw him a minute ago," Billy said, then smiled. "I even came in via the living room instead of right to your room so we don't get accused of sneaking."
"Oh, wouldn't want that," James said, smirking to himself before he finally threw back his blanket and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "Wanna grab me a shirt?"
"Not particularly," Billy deadpanned, then smiled at his own sass as he watched James pull on his jeans, then acquiesced and found a shirt for him anyhow, not at all apologetic that it was one of the many Stark Industries shirts around the tower.
"Oh, man, you're going to make Tony's day," James said before he pulled the shirt on, then picked up his coffee. "I haven't been wearing these."
"You should," Billy said. "Looks good on you."
"But it makes him twitch when I wear a Spider-Man tee," James defended. "Or Hawkeye! That's even better." The two of them were headed toward the kitchen together, quietly chatting between themselves.
"Do you have an Xavier Institute one?" Billy asked, then did his best to look not-surprised when James shook his head.
"Not yet," he admitted. "I went out of my way to not draw attention to myself before Tony lost his mind and made his announcement, and I don't want to draw down anything bad on the school, so …. No."
"Yes," Billy said, shaking his head. "Because having you wear a shirt supporting the school would be bad for business."
"What's bad for business now?" Tony asked, clearly not fully paying attention to everything around him - which told James he'd been up all night.
"Why don't you forget the coffee and donuts and go back to bed," James suggested when he took the seat next to Tony and reached over to take his cup from him. "You look like hell."
"And good morning to you, too," Tony shot back, then teasingly glared before he reached up to make James' bed head worse as he stole back his coffee. "You need a haircut."
"I kinda like it long," James defended, then gently refused when Jarvis came by to see what the boys wanted for breakfast. Scott wasn't the only one not entirely comfortable with asking for anything from him. "And you're the only one who wants me to cut it."
Tony paused, clearly thinking it over as he tapped his fingers on the table. "Yeah. I can see that."
It took a few minutes for both James and Tony to actually start waking up - aided by the fact that Jan had slipped out to pick up their usual weekend donuts when the two of them were together on the weekend. But … once the two of them were feeling a little more awake, they quietly … and slowly started talking shop in their own private code between them. It was clear in a heartbeat that Tony had been really missing his time with James where the two of them could fall into their comfortable brainstorming session.
Before long at all, it was a whole string of fragmented bits of sentences bounced between them as they finished each other's thoughts, and though Jan and Billy couldn't quite decipher their shared brain moments, they were both highly entertained all the same. Especially when the two of them found themselves not quite on the same page. Paper and pencils came out between bites of food and sips of coffee, and once it was visualized by one, the other would add on to it - and in equal parts both ways.
Jan picked up one of the drawings and pulled it over so Billy could see it too. "Looks like they're solving some issues for the team."
"Lucky us," Billy said, smiling.
The energy level between Tony and James was only getting higher - and it was clear they were just about ready to run off to tinker in the lab to make something that was sure to end with explosions since it had been so long since the two of them had been able to collaborate properly. Or they were …
As Billy and Jan were laughing at the now 2 to 3 word responses bouncing back and forth between them, the relative quiet of the kitchen was interrupted by laughter as Steve and Craig came out of the ready room. Craig was clearly enjoying himself, unable to stop the grin at his time with Steve, in tears of laughter. And when they got to the join the already gathered group, they were all smiling at the good cheer. Steve and Craig each got a cup of coffee, then sat down with the group, which only barely slowed Tony and James down, though with more people around, they seemed to go to entirely non-verbal discussions, furiously drawing between them a complicated diagram for circuitry, checking each other's work and wordlessly pointing out issues to each other while they were nodding and progressively smiling at each other more.
Something was clearly up with both groups.
"I'm glad you didn't run off, Mr. Stark," Craig said at last, and Tony did a full double take as he looked up at Craig from the drawing he and James were working on. "Whenever you're ready."
Tony held his gaze for a moment, looking like a deer caught in headlights for all of a few seconds before he recovered. "Oh no. I'm set. You can take the kid to talk though."
"Hey," James said, frowning at Tony at the same time that Steve let out a long drawn out 'Come on, Tony'.
"You said you'd go after me," Steve said, smiling crookedly. "Look at how well I'm doing now. One hour. It won't kill you."
"It won't hurt to give him a shot," Jan said, bumping Tony's hip with hers from where they were standing together. "Come on, handsome. For me?"
Tony looked entirely put out, unamused and not willing to work with what he had in front of him at all. "I was just headed in with the kid. Right?" he said, turning toward James, who didn't pause for an instant before he was nodding.
"It's been over a month since we've been able to get to work," Tony continued. "Gotta make the prototypes that keep this team funded."
But, when Tony was facing Craig, he couldn't see the crooked, troublemaking look James was wearing just before he nodded slowly at Craig and Steve.
The two inventors got up and started to head toward the labs, but before Tony was more than a few steps from the table, James rushed him and picked him up bodily, hauling him entirely off of his feet. "My lab still okay with you, Mr. Hale?" James asked as Tony started swearing and both Steve and Billy burst out laughing.
"Ah, yes, that would be fine," Craig said, quick to his feet as Jan giggled all the way down to the lab, ducking Tony when he reached for her.
James winked at Billy, who was still laughing, and carried Tony down the hall, even as he quickly started trying to reason, bargain, and threaten his way out of it. "Uncle Tony, you don't scare me," James said before they got to the lab with Craig following them, catching every bit of it. "And I know you're okay, but I love you and want you to stick around for as long as possible, okay? I do not think I can handle losing anyone else too soon and having to deal with your contracts."
Which was not an angle Tony could fight him on. At all. "You are just like your mother," Tony said, getting a broad smile out of James and Jan as she held the door open for them. By that time, Tony wasn't fighting him, even if he looked like he might try to bolt. "That's a dirty trick."
"Do you want me to apologize?" James challenged with a disbelieving tone before he dropped onto the couch with Tony - still not letting him go even as he switched to a bear hug instead.
"Would you?"
"Probably not," James admitted as the door closed and Craig sat down with them. "Do you want me to leave?"
Tony sighed heavily as he considered it. "You know what - anything i have to say might act as a warning for you, so … no. And the way you're goin', kid - you need all the warnings you can get."
James smirked and looked up at Craig, finally letting up on the bear hug he was giving Tony. "Does this count toward my therapy sessions?"
"No," Craig said. "But it was an admirable attempt to deflect."
"Can't believe I let Cap talk me into this," Tony grumbled.
"You know he does know how to use all his tech, right?" James told him quietly. "He just likes to act clueless to rile you." When Tony gave him a dry look, James challenged. "Do you think I'm lying to you?"
"No," Tony said almost dismissively before he started up a long stare out of the window. "Of course not."
"I can go if it makes it easier," James said, more earnestly than the tease earlier. "I didn't think you'd want me here, anyhow. I was just going to give you a hard time to make sure you followed through."
Tony shook his head and dropped his hand across James' shoulders. "Nah, I meant it. Stick around. Only a few traumatic things that might apply to you anyhow. And I'd prefer you learned from my mistakes than to live through them yourself."
"I'd prefer that, too," James agreed with a nod.
It was kind of the perfect transition for Craig to get started, and it was nice for him to see how the two of them interacted so effortlessly and comfortably. There was quite clearly a different dynamic in play with Tony and James than there was when the boy was with his father. The respect and affection was clear in both cases, but the tone was just … very different.
And frustratingly, Tony Stark was nowhere near as open or ready to talk as Scott was. He treated the session - or at least most of it - much like an interrogation or an interview, and before too long, Craig was wondering if it was a mistake to have let Tony keep James with him when he was so beautifully demonstrating what not to do.
Tony's defense, of course, was that his life was an open book and there wasn't a thing that he could tell the good doctor that wasn't already common knowledge. He openly pointed out the coping mechanisms that he'd already learned and adapted to his own unique lifestyle, admitted that he was an addict and outlined how he was coping with his various temptations sufficiently.
But when the subject shifted to how he'd handled his first kidnapping - and the arc reactor he still had in his chest as a result of it - Tony's whole expression went blank and he refused to discuss it. Which was the end of their discussion.
"Alright then," Craig said after it was clear that Tony wasn't budging for anyone, even for his protege's benefit. "I'm sure you've come across dozens of brilliant young minds. What is it about James that made you decide he was the one you'd want to step into your very big shoes?" Tony gave him a dry look, and Craig continued to give him some context. "It may help me with him when we're working though his sessions."
Tony drew in a deep breath, almost rolling his eyes as he thought through if he even wanted to answer, and how much of this was something the kid hadn't heard already. He turned to look at James as he spoke. "Nothing you haven't heard already."
"Does that mean you want me to leave?" James asked.
Tony smirked and shook his head, though he didn't look away from James as he answered Craig. "I knew his parents well," Tony said. "Couldn't find anyone better to watch your back and his mother and I were good friends."
"Just friends," James added, which got a hollow sort of chuckle out of Tony.
"Yeah. She had some pretty clear lines in the sand. Just friends," Tony agreed, though he took a moment to continue, turning to Craig again. "He's the closest thing I've got to a kid of my own and he's got his mother's mind. I'd have kept him myself when he was little, but Scott …" Tony faltered and it was clear to Craig that the mess that had all but destroyed Scott had left deep wounds of a different kind on the Avengers. "He couldn't lose anyone else. So, I did my best to make sure they'd be safe. Whatever it took."
But that was enough for Tony to share, and before Craig could say anything further, Tony slapped his hands on his thighs and stood up. "Well. You two have fun-"
"Wait," James said, frowning up at Tony.
"-I've got work to do-"
"So do I," James said, cutting in even as Tony kept going.
"-and you have therapy to do first. Don't be like me." Tony gave James a tight smile, then turned to nod at Craig once, then he left with James looking after him in shock.
"Well, I guess that's our cue to move on," Craig said after a moment. "Unless you feel as if you need someone to do a session with you."
"No, I just … didn't think this was the plan," James admitted. "I should have known, but … damn." He got to his feet and rubbed his hands on the sides of his legs. "Can I get you some coffee?"
"I'm fine, take a seat and we can get started."
"If it's alright with you, I'm going to make some coffee anyhow," James said, partly wanting the coffee and partly wanting to stall since he honestly thought that everything had already been covered with his dad. He wasn't relaxed, but he wasn't tense, either. Just …. Somewhere in the middle. Once he had the coffee pot halfway going, he looked over his shoulder at Craig. "So … I'll be honest, I thought I told you what you needed to hear for my part of things already."
"You did tell me a little yesterday," Craig agreed. "And I apologize for not actually discussing much of what you had to say. However, I would like to address some of yesterday's session, as well as how you found yourself handling it."
James frowned, but nodded as he made his way back across the room - the one thing he hated about doing therapy with anyone, even Toby, was that he always felt trapped and in a strange place. But he was perfectly comfortable in his own lab. "I'm not sure what you're getting to, but I know you'll get there when it's right." He gestured over his shoulder. "I really should have grabbed my coffee before we came down here, but I won't take off and make you wonder if I'm pulling something. So - if you want to get started on your lead in, I'm going to grab a fresh cup. You're welcome to it."
Craig considered him for a moment, watching the boy's body language for a better clue as to what he thought was supposed to happen before he nodded to himself and decided to do just that as a better inroad to get James to talk to him. Up until this point, he hadn't had a one on one session with him and now, Craig had a sneaking suspicion that James had been only as upfront as he needed to be to help those he was sitting in with - namely, his father and Tony.
"Thank you, I think I will," Craig said as he set his notebook down and made his way over. Perhaps starting a little less officially would help get the kid to start talking for his own benefit.
As soon as the coffee was brewed, James poured a cup for both of them, sure to slide the first cup to Craig before he took his mug and made his way over to lean on his workbench. He had intended to give Craig room to do whatever it was he needed to do, but he honestly didn't know how the guy operated one on one. And he was very sure the guy needed a breather after Tony.
"So," Craig said, leaning back with his coffee. "Was your lab always this nice or is this a new upgrade after the public announcement?"
"It's a little upgraded from when Magneto trashed it twice, but it's always been like this, more or less," James replied. "Tony's always made sure I had whatever might be useful - and a view, I'm told, is a requirement. He's in here almost as much as I am, usually."
"You have a good rapport with him," Craig said, smiling softly. "It's… refreshing, honestly."
"He's easy to get along with," James said. "And we have a lot of fun in between different projects."
"I can see that," Craig agreed. "It's different than what I've seen between you and Scott." He held up a hand. "Not 'better' just different. And I'm honestly relieved to see it. Everyone needs an outlet." He gestured to himself with one hand. "I am not the fun uncle. It's my sister's job to be the fun aunt. But I admire the people who can do that."
James nodded, mostly because he wasn't sure if there was even an appropriate response to that. He was right, of course, but that didn't mean James was prepared to dive in and agree. Of course, he thought of all the ways that the statement wasn't quite right, too. Scott had done his best to keep the kids going and have fun when the coast was clear. There were plenty of camping trips and side-runs to Hawaii with both Scott and Alex … so it wasn't like there was a strict line between how Scott and Tony had treated him. It was, very much like Craig had said - just different. Finally though, James managed half a response. "There's something to be said about the one that does what needs to be done, though."
"I wasn't trying to downplay either of them," Craig pointed out gently.
"I know, I'm just overthinking," James said. "Thinking out loud a little bit, too." He forced a little smile that looked mostly genuine. "And I'm trying to figure out where I fall on that scale, maybe. Probably ought to ask the niece and nephew. Whenever that comes around."
"Now that I've met Tony, I see both of your father figures in you. I think you'll fall in the middle," Craig said and took another sip of coffee. "I got that telepathic interference thing installed in my office, by the way. I appreciate you looking out for me."
"I probably should have sent one to you when Dad got comfortable," James admitted. "I'm sorry it took so long." He shrugged one shoulder up. "So … now what?"
"I'm just trying to get to know you, James," Craig said. "I've heard so much about you from Scott, and it's nice to get a better picture. I didn't know your birth parents well at all, though I met Logan briefly, but honestly, between Scott and Tony…" He smiled. "I genuinely think you have the tools at your disposal to be alright. I haven't doubted one bit since I started working with Scott that the man has taught you how to love - and love deeply - but damn if it isn't good to see easy affection and playfulness in your life too. You need both."
"I am still a teenager," James pointed out. "I think it's a requirement." James' focus shifted to his coffee cup, still unsure of what Craig was looking for, but not yet ready to rabbit like Tony had done. He was going to have to give him a hard time later. Or a hard prank. Or both.
Craig took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I know," he said. "Like I said, I'm just trying to get a feel for you." He paused and drank the coffee until there was none left in his mug. "This is ridiculously good, by the way. What, does Stark have some rare coffee beans in there or something?"
"Tony can't make coffee to save his life or kickstart his arc reactor," James said flatly. "I just learned from the best, that's all."
"And who was that?" Craig asked, getting up to get some more.
James considered how to answer, but he knew that Logan had met Craig- and it was possible that at some point it had come out that K had looked into Craig for Scott, so he saw no reason to skirt around it. "My mom."
Craig broke into a broad smile. "That's wonderful," he said - absolutely sincere. "My family has a rich history passing down recipes too. It's nice to have something to hold onto from them - especially once my dad lost his memory." He gave James a tight smile. "It's not the same, but still, making biscuits in the morning…"
"I'm really sorry to hear that," James said, perfectly seriously. "That has to be rough. Maybe even harder than just losing him outright."
Craig nodded thoughtfully. "I think loss hurts no matter how it happens," he said. "No matter how old you are." He paused. "But I'll be honest, James, you've got a lot going for you. Good support for needs and wants, as I understand it, a steady relationship, and a good relationship with your parents' memory. What I'm more concerned with now is this new wrinkle with Emma Frost." He leaned forward over his mug. "Because I have to tell you, that woman irks me in a very particular way, and I don't lose my temper often."
James nodded seriously. "I believe they have a support group for that." He looked up at Craig, still keeping his straight face. "Very crowded. Lots of angry men - and women. And small animals, too."
Craig couldn't help but snort in an undignified manner. "I'm sure," he said, not at all professional in the way he was grinning. He tried to get his expression back under control. "I know you've rehashed this with both Tony and Scott, but please, humor me. Can you tell me about her most recent approach to you? I'm a little concerned, but I'd like to hold back on my judgement until I hear the details from you."
James blinked at him a few times. "Okay … what did I skip over last time?" He frowned slightly. "She had me pulled out of class and tried to get me to take her offer for back up in fighting with the college - which, is a waste of time, really."
"Yes, you told me that. I'd really like to hear from you what prompted you to tell her she was too old." Craig's expression darkened. "Please."
James frowned a little deeper for an instant, then seemed to relax when he backtracked through the memory. "Oh. You mean the pass she made."
"Yes." Craig waited, but when James didn't say anything right away, he continued, "I'm concerned because most teenagers - the ones that aren't looking for that kind of attention in the first place - would have a bigger reaction. You're so blase about it."
"Emma Frost aside, it's kind of a hazard," James said.
Craig raised one eyebrow. "If Rachel were here and told you that unwanted sexual advances just happened, what would you say?"
The corner of James' mouth tightened. "Rachel would nuke the guy, first of all," James said.
"Kate, then."
"Kate would shoot him in his delicates."
"So why don't you have the same reaction?" Craig asked.
James faltered for a moment. "I'm …. I … guess I'm just used to it. And I'm not about to hit a woman over that."
"That's my problem, James," Craig said. "You shouldn't be used to that kind of contact. I don't care the gender of those involved. Harassment and assault is harassment and assault. Period. It's not something you should be accepting, and I'm concerned by the way you dismiss it for yourself but stand up for others." He leaned forward. "You'd have had a much stronger reaction if she'd done this to Nate, for example."
James tipped his head slightly, but nodded. "So would Nate," he had to agree, then took a moment to organize his defense. "It's just how I had to react before Tony's announcement. It happened a lot - and before you say I should have told someone - they all knew. It was a matter of not making a scene and blowing our cover. And it never went anywhere, so … it is what it is."
"James, knowing what I know about your father, I highly doubt he was asking you to accept this kind of behavior."
"Oh, he was pissed, sure," James agreed. "But it wasn't an every day kind of thing, so I just tried to avoid … things."
Craig pinched the bridge of his nose. "I doubt Scott asked you to do anything like that."
"He didn't," James agreed. "I kept away when I could so there wasn't any trouble at Nate's games - I didn't go to the school so the access wasn't there for any troublemakers on a regular basis. Really."
"This happened often enough you knew names?" Craig looked like every word was only making him madder.
James rubbed his forehead as he propped his head up. "If we only count the school, yes. Anything in uniform's off the table."
"I will actually agree with you there. That kind of harassment is, unfortunately, a different grade because of your fame in uniform." Craig sighed. "James, I need you to learn how to say no to people. I understand you were trying to stay safe when you were younger, but you no longer have to avoid making a scene. If someone touches you or invades your personal space in any way - especially if you don't want them to - make a damn scene."
"All evidence to the contrary, I don't like being front and center when it comes to drama," James said.
"And predators will take advantage of that," Craig insisted. He paused and tried a different tactic. "In the past, I've worked with a few victims of exactly that same kind of scenario. Not everyone that comes into my office is a superhero, though it seems that way now." He shook his head. "Every single one of them said something to the effect of not wanting to make a scene, not wanting to go against someone in authority, not thinking they had a choice, not thinking the issue was important. And I won't allow that cycle to continue in anyone under my care. Learn to say no. I don't care if it's loud enough for the whole school or if it's just for the one pushing, but learn to say no in a way they will understand means they can never - never - try that again."
"I hear what you're saying," James said. "But historically, that hasn't worked out too well for me."
"How so?"
"I know I don't have an impressive list of actual relationships, but … I said no to my last serious girlfriend in a non-romantic subject and got dropped for it. It was the one time I stood my ground with her. Same kind of thing happened with most of my actual dates when it wasn't just about something physical. And the girls who have been grabby are automatically blacklisted, so, I really don't see where the trouble is if it's the physical issue that bugs you."
"Then they were shit girlfriends," Craig said without any hesitation.
"Apparently." James got up to get a fresh cup of coffee, and took Craig's with him to top him off.
"James," Craig said carefully, "I'd like you to practice putting boundaries back in place. And I'd like you to say 'no' more often."
"No, I don't think so."
Craig smirked. "I set myself up for that," he admitted.
"You really did," James agreed, returning to set down Craig's coffee - mixed the way he took it, too.
"I'm serious," Craig said. "If you let people walk all over you because you don't want to make a scene - or worse, because you think boundaries will push them away - then you're only building isolation and resentment into your relationships. And considering how serious you and Billy are getting, that worries me. Especially seeing as he's not used to hearing no. There's a good reason for concern."
James watched him for a moment, weighing it out. "What makes you so sure he isn't used to that?" He gestured with one hand. "Not from me, obviously, but …"
"I exchanged notes with Toby."
"Ah."
"Exactly." Craig nodded to himself. "So, I think that's a good place to stop for now. You know you have issues setting boundaries. I think I can trust you to at least try to set them for the bigger things, even if you don't make a scene…"
James nodded once. "So would it help or hurt your final note if I told you the girl that gave me trouble at the games was Emma's niece? So we don't have to come back to it again."
"Good lord," Craig said - completely unable to filter his reaction.
"I know Dad's worried about Emma figuring out a connection, but if she talks to Izzy at all, she won't need to dig," James said. "She knew Nate's my brother. The resemblance to Dad is too strong to ignore. Just a matter of time unless I'm giving her too much credit."
"That's not encouraging." Craig frowned, his fingers tented in front of him as he tapped the ends of his fingertips against his mouth.
"No, but now you have some homework, too," James said, raising his mug at Craig.
"Yes, well." Craig pressed his lips together. "Still." He sighed. "You're not the only one in your family struggling with this, James. Please, be on your guard."
"I usually am," James said with a sigh. "And I think most of the time the four of us are so busy watching each other's backs we forget to watch our own."
"You know, I think that just about sums up the issues I have with y'all," Craig said, smiling at last as he got to his feet. "Thank you for the coffee, James. I think I have an addiction."
"It's here when I am," James said. "And thanks for blowing your weekend with us."
"I blew nothing. I got good insight into the man dating my sister," Craig said with a teasing smirk.
"Yeah, I haven't met her, but I've only heard good things," James told him.
"Good." Craig set the mug down and headed for the door. "I'll see you next weekend, then."
"As long as they don't make me stay in Cambridge," James agreed, then followed Craig out just so he could head down to Tony's lab to give him a hard time.
"That is a very specific look," Annie said as she met up with her brother at church. He was pensive, half staring at a point beyond whatever he was actually looking at and in moments like those, their father shone through in his features so clearly that it nearly took her breath away. It was like seeing her father as a younger man - ready to take some foul mouthed idiot out back to beat him down.
For an instant, the intensity of Craig's gaze shifted to Annie, but only so long as it took him to refocus. "Good morning, Annie," Craig said, and though his expression shifted mostly, he still looked bugged.
"Good morning to you, too," she said. "So. Do we need to warn Anton that you might need an alibi or is this just the 'trying to decide how hard to hit him' look?"
"It's not a him," Craig said, trying to keep from having this discussion before church.
"Oh! Then did you want me to hit her?" Annie asked, only halfway teasing.
"You might …" Craig almost smirked at his own little joke. "But I won't ask you to do that."
"So … how bad is it?" Annie asked. "And is the kid involved alright?"
"If it'd been a kid, I wouldn't be sittin' here this mornin'," Craig said in a rumbling tone. He'd actually had to step back from taking on clients under a certain age because his temper got the better of him a few times. Hearing someone so small talking about trauma so big had turned on every protective urge he'd ever called on growing up with two sisters and a dad with PTSD. And Annie and Evie had called Anton and more or less made him babysit Craig until he calmed down enough that he didn't do anything to lose his license or get arrested.
So, yes, Annie had good reason to think Craig was riled up in defense of a kid. There weren't many things that could turn him that particular shade of red.
Annie frowned to herself. "Then I think I'm missin' something here."
"It's a therapist who's been using their position to abuse their patients," he told her quietly. "If you must know."
"Oh," was all Annie could say in response, knowing how seriously Craig took his job and how personally he took it when people used the thing he loved - the job he dedicated his life to - in order to destroy lives instead of saving them. "Well. I don't pity them when you get through with them."
Craig smirked at that. "I've got a few friends lookin' into makin' her life hell," he said, though he paused and glanced around at the vindictive words when they were in church. "Can we talk about this later?"
"Sure," Annie said - and then, because she couldn't help herself, she tried to tease him just a little bit. "Maybe you'll feel less murderous after the preacher does a number on the Ten Commandments."
"You're hilarious," Craig said dryly, though he couldn't help smirking all the same. That was his little sister; she always knew what buttons to push to get him smiling.
And besides, he couldn't do anything but stew while he waited for Tony Stark's army of lawyers to do their thing. So he might as well enjoy teasing his baby sister for their usual Sunday traditions.