Avengers || WinterIron || Avengers || Assembling the Avengers || Avengers || WinterIron || Avengers
Title: Assembling the Avengers – Living at Stark Tower
Fandom: Avengers; Marvel Cinematic Universe
Avengers Disclaimer: All rights concerning the Avengers reserved to Marvel. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: m/m, Canon Divergent Post-Avengers (2012), Team as Family, families of choice, adoption, fluff, hurt/comfort, PTSD, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, m/f, f/f
Main Pairing: Bucky/Tony
Side Pairings: Hope/Darcy, Bruce/Jane, Clint/Natasha, Rhodey/May, Happy/Pepper
Marvel Characters: Anthony 'Tony' Stark, James 'Bucky' Barnes, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanova, Thor Odinson, Hope van Dyne, Sam Wilson, Sharon Carter, Katherine Keener, Harley Keener, Gwen Stacy, Miles Morales, Edward 'Ned' Leeds, Peter Parker, May Parker, James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan, Maria Hill
Summary: After the battle of New York, Tony invites the Avengers to live with him in Stark Tower. Everything evolves from there on out. Living together in the tower changes the team-dynamic, changes the fate of the Avengers and how their line-up grows differently over time.
Assembling the Avengers
Living at Stark Tower
Chapter 4: The Fosters
Portals opened all over the world and Thor's ex-girlfriend got involved with them again.
Jane Foster, brilliant astrophysicist to the point that Tony wondered why exactly SHIELD hadn't thought to call upon her when Loki attacked New York, considering they made Tony learn all about astrophysics over night when they could have just speed-dialed one of the world's leading experts.
The Avengers came together, fighting... Dark Elves, which at this point in their career honestly felt just like another Tuesday. They helped Thor close the portals, after he returned from his latest trip to the universe. Darcy and Jane fit right in with them, to the point that Tony got an idea.
"Doctor Foster, you don't happen to need some... sponsorship and a lab?"
The Avengers were in some Indian restaurant in London, celebrating their victory much like they had after the invasion of New York. Jane and Darcy were with them, Darcy talking animatedly with Clint about something that Tony wasn't sure he wanted to know. He was more interested in Jane.
"What are you offering, Doctor Stark?", asked Jane curiously, tilting her head.
It made Tony smile a little. Not many remembered he was a doctor – many doctors, really. Not that he cared too much about titles and being addressed by them. No, this made him more smile for Jane's sake. It spoke to who she was. So did the way she looked at him, like she already knew.
"I mean, you were brilliant out there and the Avengers are about more than just fighting", shrugged Tony, poking at his food. "Brucie and me are running a science department and considering that this is now the second time your skills would have come in handy for the Avengers – I'm just gonna name-drop the New York Invasion here – and that's not counting the time before the Avengers formed when SHIELD made... first contact with the big, blonde puppy over there."
"You want me to join the Avengers?", asked Jane startled.
"Yes!", exclaimed Thor excitedly. "You would be a most glorious addition to the team."
"Says the big fella who keeps leaving for off-world trips", huffed Natasha softly. "Though having two more women on the team would be nice. It's such a boys' club."
"We totally accept", agreed Darcy, nodding widely.
"Darcy", groaned Jane, glaring at her assistant.
"What? Funding! Funding is good. Steady income is good. Super-mega high-tech Stark labs should make you salivate. Besides, you and Thor broke up as friends, right? You worked well together this time too, didn't you? C'mon, what's not to like about the pitch?", asked Darcy excitedly.
"Shouldn't that be put to a vote among the team?", asked Jane weakly.
"I vote yes", offered Natasha, giving Jane a small smirk.
"Also yes. More brainy people equals better plans", shrugged Clint. "Also, Darce is fun."
"I think you would add a lot to our science department", agreed Bruce, looking at Jane.
"You really proved yourself in this battle, I don't see why not", nodded Steve.
"See. All agreed. Now, you can pack and come move in whenever you're ready", offered Tony.
"Congratulations on joining the Avengers is what he meant", sighed Steve amused.
Tony turned to grin at the captain. The two of them had become friends, very good friends. Tony never thought that possible, back when they had first met. The false information the internet had fed Steve – of course, googling Tony Stark brought results of a broad variety and they had gotten off the wrong foot because Steve had been led to the wrong side of the internet. After the battle of New York, they had a talk. A long, serious talk. Tony showed Steve the ugly side of the internet about Steve – because of course there were multiple dark conspiracy theories about Steve Rogers returning from his iced state, maybe as a sleeper agent from the HYDRA. Not everything on the internet could be believed, was Tony's point, underlined by showing Steve the good sides, the truth about Tony Stark so Steve could form his own opinion about the matter.
Ever since Steve had gotten the facts to form his own opinion, the two of them had grown into being friends and effective co-leaders of the Avengers. Things were going smoothly.
/break\
Jane and Darcy settled in nicely. Darcy quickly took over the Avengers twitter account – or rather, she made one – posting pictures from inside the tower, of Avengers doing everyday things. It was a surprisingly big hit, something Tony hadn't seen coming. Then again, humanizing the Avengers went a long way in taking the edge off. A supersoldier out of time, a literal ancient god, a giant radioactive rage-monster. Many people were frightened of them, rightfully so, Tony guessed. On paper alone, they were a terrifying line-up. So seeing Thor in fluffy bunny slippers eating poptarts and Steve drawing landscapes, it softened their image.
Things were going well, until the Avengers took down the Jackal – Miles Warren. A supervillain, obsessed with Oscorp. They took him down while a class of students were touring Oscorp. Things got out of hand – radioactive spiders got out of hand. And things got a little more messy when they watched a blonde girl be bitten by one, because she couldn't stay back with her classmates, she ran toward the danger, screaming for her uncle. The girl's name was Gwen Stacy, an orphan who had been raised by her uncle for years now... Miles Warren.
"Listen, Gwen, we're just... going to... give you a check-up because radioactive things can be very dangerous, okay?", offered Bruce with a gentle smile. "Come with Tony and me."
"Yeah, sure. My uncle's a supervillain, I'll end up in the foster-system and now I may turn into, what? A giant, green, radioactive spider?", huffed Gwen. "...No offense, Doctor Banner."
"None taken. The idea of turning into something else is scary. You have a right to be scared."
"You know, I really wanted to meet the Avengers, I never imagined it like this", muttered Gwen.
"Hey, you can take and post all the selfies you want after. And I'm sure it'll be alright", smiled Tony.
Gwen huffed at that, though she let them take her to Avengers Tower to be checked for any radioactiveness. Which, much to Gwen's mystery, they found. They couldn't know what the effects of it were going to be, but if Bruce was any indication, leaving her unsupervised may not be good.
"What do you propose we do, Bruce?", asked Steve, arms crossed over his chest.
"Yeah. We can't really keep her locked up in here like a lab rat", noted Clint.
Tony was pacing the room as the other Avengers talked. Darcy was currently inside of the infirmary room with Gwen, talking to her and making the kid laugh. She was only just fourteen, half a child. Leaving her alone with this was a potential disaster – even more so now that they had kind of locked her legal guardian up. Then again, not their fault. Maybe he shouldn't have become a supervillain.
"We keep her", offered Tony after a moment, interrupting the conversation.
"Not to repeat what Clint said in a way that may imply he said something right, but... we can't just keep her locked up like a lab rat, Tony", pointed Natasha out, earning her a pout from her boyfriend.
"She's an orphan and as of her uncle's arraignment, she will be the state's charge", pointed Tony out, turning around. "Crazy pitch here, but... we take her in. She is likely to develop powers, if I look at those results. We... are the best equipped for handling a teenager with superpowers."
"Handling, yes. Raising though", pointed Jane out with a frown.
"I mean, between the eight of us, I'm sure we can... get together a couple parenting skills?"
The Avengers slowly looked around the room, looked at each other doubtfully.
/break\
Gwen still couldn't quite believe that her uncle was a supervillain. What she could believe even less was that... the Avengers took her in. Apparently, they had plead a good case in front of the judge, about teaching a teenager with superpowers how to control them. So here she was, moving into the Avengers Tower. It was fancy, large. For now, they had put her into the apartment Darcy. Apparently, it had been designed as Natasha's floor, before Tony realized Natasha and Clint were together, now she lived on his floor and the empty one had gone to Jane and Darcy. It was by far large enough to house two people. And yes, two, because Jane had slowly gravitated toward Bruce's floor over the past months. Gwen was trying to keep track of those things. So Clint and Natasha were dating and Bruce and Jane were dating now, but Jane used to date Thor, but Thor was fine with that. It was interesting, definitely. Then again, she was living with the Avengers so of course.
"What kind of powers you think I'm gonna get?", asked Gwen curiously.
She was laying sprawled out on the couch, head hanging over the edge of the couch upside down, staring over at Darcy who grinned at her amused. Putting her phone down, Darcy sat down with her.
"Well, you and Bruce did do the stress-test and, congrats on not turning into an angry large green spider monster", offered Darcy. "Guess you'll have to be patient and find out."
Gwen grumbled at that. She sometimes wondered if she was the only one who had gotten bitten, because their entire class had been there. Granted, she had also rushed ahead and gotten the closest, but who knew whether some of the radioactive spiders had escaped farther and bitten another one of the visitors? But she didn't voice those thoughts just yet. For now, they should figure out if she even had any powers to begin with. Maybe she didn't, maybe it was just a bit radioactiveness.
"So—o, Jane and Bruce?", drawled Gwen to change the topic.
"Science geeks being science geeks", sighed Darcy, waving a dismissive hand. "They've been cooped up in the labs ever since we got here, basically all the time. Tony's in there often too, but he got his workshop and his SI projects to work on. So, more often than not, it was just Bruce and Jane alone, together... getting their science on... They finished each other's formulas. It was cute."
Gwen grinned to herself at that. That was cute. Brilliant scientists, who shared their passion and who understood the hard work of being an Avenger. She imagined it was probably pretty hard to find someone who understood, outside of the Avengers, because they... saved the world. Repeatedly. Which only made Gwen wonder if she would become an actual Avenger, if she had powers? They took her in to teach her control of whatever hypothetical powers she had, but... no one had said anything about the Avengers. She doubted it, they saw her as a kid. Well, the government would probably take her away from them if they endangered her by putting her on the streets as a hero.
/break\
Tony thought it was kind of cute how flustered Jane was about moving in with Bruce. The two had been sneakily going steady for months now – thinking no one knew that they were going on coffee-dates and walks in the park and other such cutesy fluffy things. Everyone knew, really. And when Gwen came and needed a place to stay, it seemed like the most logical next step.
"You two are so—o cute. Really, relationship goals", teased Tony.
Bruce glared at him, while Jane flushed a bit. "Tony, don't tease."
"Not teasing, totally telling the truth. Live, for the both of us", sighed Tony dramatically.
"You know you could date too", offered Bruce a little amused.
"Yeah, no. Trying to stay sober, juggling my PTSD. The doc advised me that I should 'focus on myself', which is already hard enough with the whole... saving the world", countered Tony.
"That's very... mature of you", commented Jane with a small smile. "You've been doing better, ever since I moved in here, I've steadily seen you do better."
"Thanks. Trying my best", chuckled Tony dryly. "Well then, enough heart-to-heart. Who's ready to supervise the next round of 'guess what powers Gwen develops'?"
"Ye—es. I am very ready to observe", confirmed Jane enthusiastically. "You know, she's a really brilliant mind? I've been helping her with her homework, or rather... tried to. She really knows her way around the science herself, even without help."
The three of them made their way toward the training room, where Steve was already standing tall and proud, all Captain America, pacing in front of Gwen. It was downright adorable.
"Okay, Gwen. Today, we're gonna test your endurance", stated Tony lightly. "No worries, nothing that can hurt you. Just some tests of your reflexes and all."
"I'm ready to go", promised Gwen, stretching.
Tony's smile softened as he looked at her. He had always had a soft spot for kids. Meeting Harley had shown him that. He still supported the kid, sent him tech, made sure he would get an internship once he was old enough. Gwen was eager, bright, snarky if she wanted to be. He also related to the whole being an orphan thing and the 'uncle who raised me after my parents' death is a villain' thing.
/break\
"We're being watched, Tony."
Tony raised his eyebrows as he turned toward the redhead so elegantly leaning against his doorway. Natasha knew exactly how to sneak up on people and she had no compassion for the poor little scientist with the hart-condition. He glowered pointedly at her and she smiled it away.
"You gotta narrow it down some", huffed Tony. "Because Jarvis is always watching. Fury also always keeps an eye on us. Well. He only has one eye to keep on us, I suppose."
"Someone else. Someone from the outside", whispered Natasha as she approached.
"What... Who do you think?", asked Tony slowly, growing more serious.
"Clint and I have been noticing it lately. Someone watching. When we're out fighting, in the crowds. Not just like the crowd. The same presence. A dangerous presence. Sometimes when we're just out", elaborated Natasha, brows furrowed.
"Any suspicion on who it is?", prodded Tony once more, typing away on a pad to make Jarvis check the security feeds and see if there was anyone who stood out in the crowds.
"We have a lot of enemies", offered Natasha after a moment. "Individually already, but as the Avengers even more so. It may be any number of people. Villains."
"Great. Very helpful", hummed Tony sarcastically. "I'll have Jarvis keep an eye on things and crosscheck for regulars who watch our fights."
"I'm worried. They've been watching for a while now", whispered Natasha.
Tony hummed, eyebrows furrowed. This was more than troublesome. They had enough enemies as was, but the reckless idiots were easy to defeat. Someone who was watching them long-term, making plans...? That was dangerous. They were gathering intel on the Avengers and with intel, one got defeated. If he knew anything, then that was this. Knowledge was power. If this enemy knew to lay low and gather knowledge first, before striking? That was dangerous.
"Gwen's science fair is coming up", offered Natasha to change the topic.
"Mh? Yeah. Yeah, it is", grunted Tony, nodding slowly. "She's prepared."
"You still haven't found out what she can do", whispered Natasha as she watched Tony's face.
"She's extremely strong. She has speed. But... we don't know if that's it", shrugged Tony. "I don't like not knowing. I'd rather have nice, neat stats on all her powers."
"She's training agility with me – she's good, the ballet helped. She learns how to shoot from Clint, trains her super-strength with Steve. She's well-covered, even if she develops any additional powers", stated Natasha casually. "Don't fret so much, it'll give you wrinkles."
Tony glared offended at her. It wasn't that he was fretting. Maybe... He just needed a project. Maybe focusing on himself was slowly growing more frustrating. Maybe he needed something more.
/break\
The Winter Soldier knew that the Widow had noticed him. Perhaps the Hawk too. He didn't quite know why he was watching them to begin with. The Avengers were a threat to HYDRA. That must be it. He was watching them because they were a threat. But... there had been no explicit order to do it. Ever since he had seen them during a prior mission, he found himself drawn there. HYDRA reset him, regularly, but not always. It would leave his brain too scrambled, he would be useless to them then. They only did it when putting him away into cryo for a longer period. These days – ever since the Avengers had formed – HYDRA always had something to do for him. And whenever he could manage, he would sneak away to watch the Avengers from a distance. Sometimes at their home, sometimes when they did ordinary people things, sometimes during a fight against a villain.
It didn't feel like watching a potential target, that was the confusing part. The Captain, he stirred something in the Winter Soldier, feelings of fond exasperation. Brat. Brother. Brotherly feelings. Long-buried, something he shouldn't feel or remember. It drew him in. And then he watched.
Watched not just the Captain, watched the others too. Watched the snarky one with the honey-golden eyes, watched his banter with the Captain, felt reminded of a life that wasn't his to remember anymore, something that felt inherently not like the Winter Soldier's but still like... his.
He tilted his head as he watched the honey-eyed one and the child. The child was new. The Avengers hadn't had such a young one the last time he had spied on them. She was short, blonde, with pink-dyed tips, laughing with the honey-eyed one and the other two scientists. The Winter Soldier knew not to underestimate the scientists – one could turn very big and very green and the other, he had seen, was capable of lifting the powerful hammer, which was apparently so special, she had not shared this knowledge even just with her team. And the honey-eyed one, the one whose mind had built these fantastic things. The flying suit. It reminded him of something, but the Winter Soldier wasn't sure what it was, something with cars, something that made him smile.
/break\
"You're really living with the Avengers. Like. The real actual Avengers."
Gwen rolled her eyes, but Tony could tell she was a bit proud as her friends gathered around them. "Tony, that's my friends. Peter Parker, Ned Leeds and Miles Morales. The nerd squad."
"Well then, I am looking forward to seeing your contributions to the science fair", laughed Tony.
He shook hands with the kids and with the one parent who had tagged along. May Parker.
"Can't shake hands for too long. Promised Rio to film everything that Miles does. She hates that she's missing this for a long shirt at the hospital", sighed May.
"Good parents who care for their nerdy off-springs. I like you and this Rio whom I haven't met yet. We need to do some networking. Still new to this whole... parent-thing", laughed Tony.
May lowered the camera enough to look at Tony with a smile. "You got the most important thing down. You're showing interest in the thing your kid is passionate about. A kid needs to feel taken care for, loved, and a very big part of that is to make them feel like you support them and their interests. Jefferson's gonna burst through here as soon as he can get his lunch break and he's gonna cheer Miles on loud enough for himself and his wife."
"Miles did all of our designs", offered Peter eagerly. "He's an artist. I mean, he totally did his share of the science parts too, but he's really good at... making the science look good too, you know?"
"I don't. Why don't you show me, Mister Parker?", asked Tony amused, motioning at them.
Him, Darcy and Bruce fell back, to walk beside May Parker as the kids enthusiastically led them toward their table with their project, explaining everything. Thor was off-world and Steve, Nat and Clint were on a SHIELD mission. But they were going to record everything for them.
Author's note: Next chapter, SHIELD falls and Bucky joins the fun instead of just watching! ;)