Chapter Text
Natasha was the third to change.
She woke up with that familiar feeling—like something was off. Her body felt different, but it wasn’t until she stood up and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror that she realized what was happening. Her reflection didn’t match what she expected. Her face was softer, younger. She wasn’t just a little younger, she was... much younger.
A sigh left her lips as she ran her fingers over her face, noting the smoother skin and the overall softness that replaced the harsher edges of her usual features. She could feel the changes beneath her skin, and she didn’t need to check again to know what was going on.
Annoyed as hell, Natasha marched straight to the kitchen without bothering to change. She had no patience for the confusion that would inevitably follow, but there was no avoiding it.
She walked in, and without sparing a single glance, she said, “We’re turning into the age we lost our virginities at.”
The room fell silent for a moment as the others stared at her in disbelief.
Tony blinked. “What? You—what? You lost your virginity at a specific age?”
Natasha gave him a cold, withering glare. “Do I need to say it again, Stark?”
Tony quickly put his hands up, backing off. “Nope, got it. Loud and clear.” He smirked, though it was obvious he was still a bit confused. “Guess that explains a lot.”
Thor, looking lost, turned to Steve for clarification. “What is this? I do not understand. What does she mean?”
Steve glanced at Bucky and then back to Thor. “Some of us started turning into younger versions of ourselves. We had a few ideas about why it’s happening, but Natasha seems to have figured it out.”
Bucky, who’d been quiet until then, nodded. “Yep, people are turning into the age they were when they lost their virginity. Apparently.” He said it simply, without hesitation.
Thor blinked, still not quite following. “So this is... not random?”
“No, it’s not,” Steve answered, shaking his head. “It’s the age we were when we lost our virginity. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Tony, ever the one for questions, leaned forward. “So, you mean, I’m twenty now because of when I—” He trailed off, realizing what he was implying. “Okay, yeah, I get it. I’m gonna stop right there before Natasha glares at me again.”
“Good choice,” Natasha muttered, clearly not in the mood for further interrogation.
Thor scratched his head, still confused. “So... you say you are becoming the age you were when you became an adult?”
“No,” Clint piped up. “It’s specifically the age we lost our virginity. That’s what’s happening.”
Tony shot Clint a look. “Seriously, Clint, stop acting like you didn’t just figure that out.”
“Not acting,” Clint shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m just trying to make sure I got this straight.”
“Okay, so if we’re turning into that age,” Steve said, looking around, “then what happens next? Who’s going to change now?”
“Bruce has been hiding out in his lab, hasn’t he?” Clint said, his gaze shifting to Steve. “He probably hasn’t noticed anything yet.”
“Maybe,” Steve said. “But we can’t be sure. And if Loki’s behind this, then... who’s next?”
Bucky, who had been listening quietly, gave a small shrug. “Could be Thor. Could be Bruce. We won’t know until it happens.”