This chapter is dedicated to my good friend arsenous elation who's inputs made up most of this chapter. The last bit was also written in upon her request and approval. Enjoy!

When her phone rang she couldn't help but just stare at it. She was not prepared to have this conversation. There was a strong urge to mute her phone and just call it a night. But the profile picture that stared back at her seemed to glare when her thumb reached for the mute button.

Iris Nagasaki

She stared at the name for a few more seconds before accepting the call. Her friend's dark eyes stared back at her. Her stark white hair practically shining in the late afternoon sun.

What the fuck took you so long to answer? And where's you're video?!

Lauren sighed, it was now or never. She took a deep breath and schooled her face before she switched on her video sharing.

"Anya ngai?" She greeted them with a nod of her head.

There she is! SO! How's work? Your last text said you got a job?

"Yeh, remember how I interned for a big-time corporation before I graduated?"

No fucking way?! They took you back? Of course, they did! You're that good. Congrats!

She could hear Greez echo her congratulations somewhere close to Iris, probably working on another car or something.

"You exaggerate. Thanks, uh. That's not all though. Uhm, you should probably go inside. It's a bit important, as in shit-could-happen important."

Lauren could feel her heartbeat get a bit heavier. She pressed her lips in worry when Iris raised an eyebrow at her but did what she asked.

What's up Thread?

She couldn't help but smile at the little nickname. All that 'rescuing' and punishment redirection she did when they were younger earned her the name. It was inspired by an old Japanese short story where Buddha sends down a spider's thread to a criminal for a chance to escape It was one of Iris' more poetic moments. The name also pertained to her role in the group. Especially when it came to all the trouble they (Iris) managed to get themselves into.

"Do you guys remember the name of the company I interned at?"

No. You know how bad my memory is.

She sighed, this was going to take longer than she thought.

"You must have heard of the Avengers at least?"

Course! And that dude, in America's colors? America's Ass? Not to mention, Black Widow! That ensemble is just…

Iris' hand was in an ok gesture. Her mind was probably running through all the paparazzi photos, not to mention fan art, that was available online of the superheroes.

"So…" She dragged out the word as she thought of how to start the next sentence, "you know a friend of mine is letting me crash at their place right?"

Yeah? What's that got to do with the Avengers?

She gave her friend a look she knew would translate to 'I'm getting to that, and if you could let me finish.'

"So, America's Ass? He's the friend that let me crash at their place."

Iris just blinked her eyes and stared at her and said:

Pics or it didn't happen.

Lauren groaned in response. "Dude, you know I don't do selfies."

Iris gave her another deadpan stare, probably trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her best friend was currently living with the Avengers. Or more like she was imagining herself surrounded by the superheroes. The longer she kept silent the more her eyebrows started to knit together.

This isn't a call for help right?

Greez off frame shouted.

You're ain't bein' sold 'ta slavery right?

Iris' face was in a serious albeit deadpan stare.

Blink twice if you need help, thrice if you're being sold to slavery but don't mind being America's Ass sex slave, or Black Widow. Do you swing that way? Doesn't matter, we love you anyway.

The fact that her best friend could say that with such a straight face just made Lauren's mouth hang in disbelief. She honestly had no words.

Greez came into view pushing off Iris off the camera's frame. Her dark hair was in a loose messy bun. Her face was littered with dirt and grime from working on cars that seemed to pronounce the mischief in her dark green eyes.

SO! How was your date?

"It was not a date!"

The fact that she didn't have to say a name probably said a lot. But Lauren wasn't about to admit to whatever it that meant.

"Which reminds me! Iris! Why the fuck did you send him over? I know you have other ways to check on me. You didn't have to send the poor guy on a half-day flight. Not to mention having him hole up in who knows where since you didn't even bother telling me he was coming over."

She didn't know why the fact that she wasn't told of Cervus' arrival grated on her more than being checked on. Probably because of her role as the mother-friend of the group. Probably.

Iris squeezed herself into the camera frame so both her and Greez could be seen.

Because, if I didn't he would've moped around here 'til you called him to say you're fine. Which I know you wouldn't 'cause you guys seem to have, like, this . – which…? Weird kink, but okay. I'm just trying to speed things along y'know. You're welcome!

She didn't understand how that was an acceptable explanation for sending a person from the other side of the world just to check on her. But Iris… you can't explain the shit that goes through her mind. So with a sigh she just accepted it and focused back the image of her two best friends.

Scratch that, just one. Iris went off frame again.

"Anyway, so I'm currently living with the Avengers and I sort of slipped your names to Tony-fucking-Stark. He's bound to look you guys up too. Please tell me there isn't anything too alarming attached to your names now? I haven't looked them up recently. If there are I beg you, no getting into international incidents. Please."

I'mma make sure to tell yer boyfriend dat! He's your deputy after all. Keepin' Iris out of trouble an' all dat.

"He is – not – my boyfriend!"

Not yet!

Iris once again squeezed herself into the camera's frame.

Gotta go now. Remember! Pics or it didn't happen!

Lauren wanted to protest but the call ended before she could get a word in. She had no choice. She needed to ask for Steve and Bucky for a picture or they'd just brush her warning off. Cervus could probably convince them, but who knows what kind of trouble Iris would get into before he arrived.

The next morning, Lauren waited nervously for Steve and James. She really wasn't one to take photos of herself. If there were any photos of her it would usually be taken with her friends. As a child, she enjoyed having her photo taken but that enthusiasm disappeared once she reached puberty. Her hormones messed with her weight and there were few days in her pubescent life where her face was free of zits. Not to mention the woes of a teenage girl who had bacne. She had a lot of insecurities she hasn't grown out of yet despite the absence of zits on any part of her body.

So yes, she was not comfortable asking for a photo with two very handsome men. Yes, she was aware that they were handsome she wasn't blind. Everyone on the team could pass as models in fact. One did not become best friends with Iris and not learn to appreciate and recognize when someone was attractive, no matter the gender.

The elevator chimed announcing the arrival of her roommates. Breakfast was normal despite her nervousness. The two men cleaned up. She stayed on her barstool and waited for them to finish – turning her phone in her hand restlessly the entire time.

"What's up?" James called to her as he rested his hands on the counter in front of her.

She involuntarily squeaked in response. She was so nervous she didn't notice James in front of her. Her reaction made him grin in amusement. Said grin just reminded her that she had no business asking for a picture with such an attractive face. But there was a tiny voice in her head that reminded her that needed to do it to keep her very troublesome friend out of possible international incidents. So in a single breath she pushed out her request.

"I need a photo with you guys so Iris would believe that I'm living with you."

Her face flushed in embarrassment. Oh, the things she did for her friends.

James and Steve exchanged a look, she wasn't sure what it meant but they said yes. James just wordlessly pulled her seat (with her in it) out of the counter so they could fit on either side of her. They each had an arm behind her to squeeze into the camera's frame. How she managed to open the app despite her shock, she didn't know, but it was happening.

The two men leaned in closer and smiled as she counted to three before pressing the shutter. Her smile felt awkward – heck her whole body felt awkward. Just as she pressed the shutter she felt and saw Steve and James lean their heads down to hers to press a kiss on her head.

It had her so shell-shocked and speechless, that Steve easily took her phone off her hands and apparently sent it off.

She still couldn't form any words when they returned the phone to her. She just – stared.

She was broken out of her shock when her phone chimed – multiple times. It was Iris, the photo got a very enthusiastic reaction from her friend.

.Shit.

I WANT ONE.

I'LL TRADE KAKU FOR ONE OF THEM. FUCK, I'LL EVEN STOP PUSHING HIM ON YOU IF YOU DO.

ALSO, WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU LIKE BEING SANDWIHCHED? I APPROVE.

The last one had a sticker of a weird yellow round thing with it's thumbs up. Lauren could only give the two men a deadpan stare and say.

"You've created a monster."

That only made them roar with laughter.

So, what do you guys think? I'd love to hear it. Thanks for reading!