The Avengers had finally managed to grab a peaceful evening in their shared penthouse. Tony Stark had prepared a spread of snacks that would impress a five-star restaurant, Natasha was curled up with a cup of tea, and even Hulk was in his smaller, more relaxed form as Bruce Banner. Sam and Bucky squabbled over the remote, while Peter Parker, who'd been invited as a treat for his great work in the field, sat on the couch, bouncing slightly with excitement at simply being there.
"Oh, what's this?" Peter asked, pointing at a show that had just popped up on their streaming service, disguised as a well-known comedy show. It looked harmless enough, labeledLaugh is Funin big, goofy lettering.
"Some good, old-fashioned comedy sounds nice for once," Tony said, waving at Sam to press play.
As the screen flickered to life, a grainy, brightly colored stage appeared with a variety of oversized geometric shapes scattered around. It looked like something straight out of the '80s, with cheesy music and a canned laugh track filling the background. A man in a blue suit, shown only from the neck down, stood on the stage, clapping his gloved hands.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" the man boomed, his voice cheerful and oddly familiar. "I'm Laughy McLaugherson, and boy, do we have a show for you tonight! It's all about pranks, fun, and…" he paused, a strange note entering his voice, "…a little touch of surprise."
"What is this?" Wanda asked, raising an eyebrow, sensing something peculiar.
"It's just a comedy show," Peter assured her. "People get pranked on camera all the time! This should be hilarious."
The screen cut to the first segment, where a man entered an empty office. As he settled into his chair, the camera zoomed in on a barely noticeable purple mist curling around his feet. Suddenly, the office walls started to melt, distorting and stretching, while the man looked around, his eyes wide with horror.
"Hey, Jerry! This is Laughy McLaugherson, and you're onLaugh is Fun! How do you feel about our gooey new office decor?" Laughy's voice boomed over the scene.
The man, visibly distressed, let out a shaky laugh, as if compelled by some force beyond his control. "Oh… it's… it's a surprise, alright!"
The Avengers watched as the man's hands seemed to stick to his melting desk, his fingers elongating grotesquely in time with the goo that consumed the room. And just as the scene reached its crescendo, the screen cut back to Laughy McLaugherson, clapping.
"Oh, they never see it coming!" he guffawed. "Just a little taste of the absurd for our guests today."
Bucky looked at the screen with a frown. "That wasn't…funny. That guy looked like he was terrified."
Natasha crossed her arms, equally suspicious. "Is this supposed to be a prank show? It's like something out of a fever dream."
Undeterred, Peter defended the show. "They're just playing it up for the camera—people always ham it up when they know they're on TV."
The next segment showed a woman walking into what appeared to be a grocery store, picking out fruit when a masked figure slowly appeared from behind a shelf, his shadow stretching impossibly long. The figure slinked up behind her, reached for her shoulder, and she whipped around, her face stricken with terror.
"Tracy! Surprise! You're onLaugh is Fun! Say hello to our audience!"
The woman blinked, her fear turning into a frozen, wide-eyed smile. Her voice came out eerily flat, like she was being forced to play along. "Oh… wow… great show! Can I… can I go now?"
Laughy's chuckling filled the screen. "Oh, come now, Tracy, don't be shy! The show must go on!"
Steve grimaced, sensing the same unease that Natasha felt. "This… isn't right. That didn't look like acting, and that 'host' has some unsettling vibes. We should change it."
But as Steve reached for the remote, the screen flickered, and the next segment started. They were now in an alleyway, where a young man sat on the ground, clutching his knees as masked figures crept closer and closer, until they stood around him in a circle. They loomed over him, each holding a different, twisted mask, and Laughy's voice boomed again.
"Victor, surprise! You're onLaugh is Fun! Don't these faces look like a hoot?"
Victor, his face pale with terror, nodded weakly, forced into a panicked chuckle. "Uh, yes… yes, I love this show. It's great…"
Peter's excitement drained from his face. "Um… yeah, maybe we should watch something else."
Wanda tried to switch the TV off, but it wouldn't respond. The remote in her hand stopped working, its buttons flickering erratically. "It's… it's not turning off."
"Allow me," Tony said, pulling out a small device and pointing it at the screen, but nothing happened. The show continued, even as Natasha yanked the plug from the wall, but the screen persisted, now showing only static.
The static resolved back into Laughy McLaugherson's stage, where he stood clapping once again, his posture now somehow menacing despite the unchanging blue suit and faceless appearance. "Oh, I see we've got some new viewers tonight. Hello, Avengers! I've saved a special segment just for you."
The Avengers exchanged startled did he know their names?
Laughy chuckled. "I know all my viewers, especially those who need a good laugh." The camera pulled back, and as it did, the Avengers realized the 'audience' behind him wasn't laughing at all. The people there, the so-called 'studio audience,' wore expressions of terror, frozen in horrified grimaces.
Tony's face hardened. "Alright, whatever this is, it isn't funny. Jarvis, kill the connection."
"Connection terminated," Jarvis intoned, but the show continued, Laughy's chuckling more malicious now.
"Did you think you could justleave, Tony?Laugh is Funis forever! So stay awhile—maybe you'll be my next featured guest!"
The screen shifted, and the Avengers watched as the picture settled into what looked like a familiar penthouse, one that seemed eerily similar to Tony's own. Peter's eyes widened as he spotted what looked like himself on the screen, fidgeting nervously, surrounded by ominous, masked figures.
Wanda reached out, her fingers tightening around Peter's shoulder. "That… that can't be you. You're sitting right here."
Laughy's voice echoed from the screen, amused. "Oh, but who's to say? Maybe the realyouis right there, waiting to be welcomed to the show!"
A loud, static-filled laugh rang out, mingling with the horrified screams of 'Peter' on the screen. Tony snapped, "This isn't a show. It's a trap."
The screen cut back to Laughy McLaugherson, who straightened his tie as the sounds of screams and cries grew louder behind him. "Remember, viewers, you can run, but you can't hide. Because here onLaugh is Fun, everyone has a laugh in the end!"
The screen finally went dark, the words "Filmed in front of a studio audience" lingering for just a moment before fading entirely.
Silence hung heavy over the room. Peter was pale, his fingers gripping the edge of the couch, and even Tony seemed shaken. Wanda broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper.
"We should get that thing contained. Whatever it is… it's out there, and it's watching."
The team exchanged grim nods. Ghostly laughter echoed faintly through the room, as though a final reminder of the show's twisted host lingered in the walls, waiting.