Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started on the 10th anniversary of the Chitauri invasion. Peter had had his internship with Stark International for half a year and, on this day, he, Ned and MJ gathered at the Tower so the boys could work in Mr. Stark’s lab--it remained unclear whether Ned actually had permission to be there since when Peter had mentioned him coming by, Tony had agreed to it but there’d been 5 holograms in front of him at the time and now Tony was always surprised to see Ned there though he also never sent him away--and the three of them could watch the anniversary celebrations on the biggest and best TV known to man. Ned babbled about it in excitement for 30 minutes straight when he first saw it then freaked out all over again when he realized how fast the wifi in the Tower is.

“Finally someone who appreciates my genius,” Tony exclaimed upon witnessing it.

“I’m afraid we are used to it,” Cap responded from where he is very comfortably seated on the couch.

“Ungrateful,” Tony scolded. “I should start charging rent for all the appreciation I get from you.”

“We don’t need your ego getting any bigger, Stark,” Nat countered from the counter where she was quickly preparing a fruit salad for the team. Tony looked outraged at that but Cap stopped any arguing with a quick “Enough, the replays are starting. Let the kids enjoy it in peace.”

“Sure you didn’t mean let you enjoy it in peace? Cause it seems you are more interested in this than the kiddos,” Tony teased. He earned a stern glare in response that always made him feel like a scolded child and quickly went silent.

The replays began with shots of the Chitauri pouring from the portal, and a montage of the Avengers fighting them or helping civilians flee. The streets were covered by people running in every direction as Loki took his flying jet ski through the city, blowing up everything in front of him. When a close up of the portal was shown, Tony gave a quick “Well, I’ll be in the lab” and fled. As the commentary from a particular pretty blonde waitress came on, Cap began to blush and by the time she was done, he too had left the room. Soon, only the kids, Nat and Clint remained.

“I still say it was like Budapest,” Nat said as the final news reporter signed off with words of gratitude for all the personnel who had fought that day and the workers who had rebuilt the city since. She grabbed an apple from the fridge and disappeared, Clint right behind her claiming it was not like Budapest at all. Peter, Ned and MJ observed this with varying levels of confusion and curiosity.

“Possibly spy stuff,” Peter guessed.

“Spy stuff? What kind of spy stuff? Wait, you know real spies, other than Black Widow and Clint I mean? Wait, do you know Nick Fury? Is he as scary as he seems? Do you think he’d agree to meet me? I think I’d want to meet him. Can you imagine running an entire super secret spy organization? His job must be so cool. He must be so cool,” Ned began excitedly.

“Peter, ask Tony to hack SHIELD,” MJ’s voice cut through Ned’s like a knife. “I’ll talk to Clint.”

Silence.

“Alright,” Peter agreed, rising and moving towards the elevator. “Ned, let’s go.”

“Wait, we’re asking Tony to hack SHIELD? Isn’t that like super illegal? Can’t he be arrested for that? Can’t we get arrested for that? I don’t want to be arrested. We can’t finish building the Death Star if we get arrested.”

“Nobody will be arrested, Ned. It’s fine,” Peter sighed as the elevator doors close. Their last sight was MJ sitting at the table looking bored but with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.  

“Are you sure? But what if we are? Do you think Mr. Stark will pay parole? Oh wow this is a very fast elevator. Did Mr. Stark invent this? It would be so cool if he did-”

“Sir will pay parole and he designed every part of this tower’s infrastructure.” JARVIS said from above. Ned jumped in surprise.

“I’m sorry for startling you...,” JARVIS paused expectantly.

“Ned,” Peter filled in.

“Ned,” JARVIS finished.

“It’s a-alright. Who are you?”

“I am JARVIS. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. Here we are.”

The sound of very loud rock hit the boys as the elevator doors opened to the lab. Tony was at a table to the side, soldering iron in hand as he worked on his latest suit.

“Sir. Sir. SIR, ” JARVIS’s voice sounded in the lab a moment before the music was lowered to tolerable levels. Tony looked up in confusion.

“Yeah, J?”

“Peter and Ned come with a request.”

“Oh, hi, what do you kiddos need?”

“Um, well, we’re wondering, Mr. Stark, sir, if you’d well, Nat mentioned Budapest and we were wondering, I mean MJ and Peter were wondering, well I was wondering”

“Peter?”

“Well, Nat mentioned something about Budapest and we were wondering if youcouldhackSHIELDandfindoutwhatshewasreferringto,” Peter said quickly, wringing his hands nervously.

“What?”

“They wish to know if you would you hack SHIELD to find out what Budapest was,” JARVIS clarified. Peter and Ned nod eagerly in agreement.

“Why would I do that?” Tony questioned in confusion.

“We were just curious. You totally don’t have to--” Peter starts, moving slowly towards the elevator.

“It's no issue--” Ned follows.

“Don’t trouble yourself with it Mr. Stark.”

“Yeah we were never here.”

“Have a good day, Mr. Stark,” Peter said just as the elevator doors started to close on Tony’s very confused expression.

“JARVIS? What just happened?” was heard the moment before the doors closed completely.

“Well, that was successful,” Peter sighed 1in defeat, leaning against the railing as they shoot back up to the penthouse. “What were we even thinking?”

“MJ said do it. I don’t remember much after that,” Ned said.“Did we actually just ask Mr. Stark to hack SHIELD, to break the law?”

“We did. Oh, I am so doomed. Mr. Stark is gonna take the internship away and and I’ll have to go back to the old suit and--”

“Mr. Parker, if I may?” JARVIS sounded from above. “Sir regularly hacks SHIELD without being asked. Your internship is not in jeopardy.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very.”

“Thank you, Jarvis.”

The doors opened then and they stepped back into the living room. MJ was still there, bored as usual, but Clint was with her.

“I repeat, what was Budapest?” MJ said. Clint regarded her with uncertain amusement.

“See, if I tell you, Nat will be after me,” Clint said.

“What was Budapest?”

“Nope.”

“What was Budapest?”

“Kid, I’m not saying! And your interrogation technique needs work.”

“Teach me then. Tell me what Budapest was.”

“Budapest wasn’t an interrogation.”

“What was it then?” Peter asked, leaving the elevator casually, Ned right behind him.

"It was a paintball match Fury lost. We don’t talk about it" Nat’s said from the kitchen. She was wearing yoga pants and a very comfy-looking top that doubtlessly hid more weapons than anyone thought possible.

“Oh,” MJ said with disinterest just as Clint jumped to his feet in offense.

"I just spent 20 minutes being interrogated for that and you just spill it?!”

Nat shrugged in response. “Not that big a secret.”

“That doesn’t matter! And for the record, Fury didn't lose. We destroyed him Nat, and you know it. There wasn’t a spot of unpainted clothing on him by the end.”

Nat smirked in confirmation of his words but only those close to her notice.

Peter whistled in response to that.

“Not a single space?” Ned started, “How did you do that? How long did it take? What was his reaction?”

“Why were you doing it?” MJ asked.

“Well, I am the king of paintball,” Clint said. Nat sent him a very pointed look, for her. “And Nat is the queen,” he quickly added.  

“And it was training,” Nat finished.

“Wait, professional spies use paintball for training?” Ned exclaimed. “That is so cool.”

“Why don’t the Avengers use paintball for training?” Peter asked petulantly. That caused everyone to pause. Nat shrugged a moment later.

“We could,” she said.

“There is a paintball arena 10 miles to the east. I could also have everything you need delivered to the compound in an hour,” Jarvis’s voice sounded from above.

“I choose option 2,” Clint said immediately.

“As you wish.”

“Jarvis? Whose wishes are you granting cause they are certainly not my own,” Tony’s voice sounded from the elevator. “Oh, hey underoos and friends. You`re still here?”

“Yes?” Peter questioningly answered. “It’s only been four hours since you went down.”

“Really? Huh. What are you up to? And why is there no food here? JARVIS?”

“There is take-out in the back of the fridge,” JARVIS responded.

“Hey! That’s mine!” Clint cried.

“Not anymore,” Tony responded, backing out of Clint’s reach with a Chinese food carton in his hands.

“You bastard, no!”

“So, what were you kiddies up to?” Tony asked, “And who hid the chopsticks? JARVIS?”

“Top cabinet.”

“Thanks J. Well?”

Silence answered him.

“Guys?” He glanced over his shoulder. MJ was watching him with boredom on her features, Peter was watching her, and the Spy Kids were observing the kids with amusement in their eyes.

“Guys? Should I be afraid?” Tony asked more hesitantly. “Is this food spiked with something? Is it poison?”

“What? No!” Peter exclaimed. “Mr. Stark we would never do that.”

“Then what is this? Are you planning to replace my tools with clay versions? Dye my hair a hideous neon color? Dump water on me next time I try to switch the channel? What? Guys?”

The moment Tony’s eyes landed on Ned, the younger boy broke.

“It is nothing, Mr. Stark, sir. We just, well, we heard about Budapest Mr. Stark, on the celebration videos, sir. Black Widow and Hawkeye, sir, they were, um, firing on Chitari Mr. Stark and she looked like a badass a complete badass with her pistols it was incredible, beyond incredible, I didn’t know someone could have that aim with both hands--”

“Ned,” Peter said sternly.  

“Right, well, we were just wondering what it was, Mr. Stark, sir and well, Hawkeye wouldn’t tell us, sir, and we went to you but then I freaked out and Peter freaked out and only MJ didn’t freak out and your workshop, Mr. Stark, your workshop is so cool. Not that the one you let Peter use isn’t cool cause it really is but yours is so much cooler, Mr. Stark and and.”

“And Natasha came in and told us what Budapest was,” MJ finished in a bored tone. There was a silence. Natasha smirked from her place, watching Ned with an affection she will always deny; everyone else just processed what had happened.

“Wow. That was the most I’ve ever heard my name in what 2 minutes and that right there that is saying something considering I’m Tony Stark and my name is the journalists’ favorite. Wow.”

“I’m sorry Mr. Stark,” Ned started but Tony was quick to silence him with chopsticks pointed in his direction.

“No apology and it’s Tony. All of you. None of the Mr. Stark bullshit.”

Ned nodded his head in excitement.

“Hold it in, Ned, hold it in!” Peter quickly said.

“But Peter! I’m on a first name basis with Tony Stark! The Tony Stark!”

“Congratulations,” Tony muttered with a roll of his eyes. “Now, what was Budapest and should I be concerned you guys may implement it?”

“Be concerned,” MJ said with a bored expression.

“Ah,” Tony started.

“She’s joking, Mr. Tony,” Peter said. “Budapest wasn’t anything serious.”

“What was it then?”

“Clint and I destroyed Fury in a paintball match,” Nat said.

“Wait what?” Tony exclaimed, nearly dropping the noodles on his chopsticks and looking between the spies. “You guys played paintball? Why?”

“Training.”

“Oh, and Mr. Stark--I mean Tony--Nat said we could use it for training here!” Peter exclaimed. “How awesome will that be?”

“Well, you need to talk to Cap about training but if we do it, I’m designing the guns. Hammer’s are an insult to the game. Can you believe his need to be reloaded every 100 shots? Who has time for that? And all they do is shoot paint! That--”

“We know yours will be superior, Tony,” Nat said.

“Thank you, Nat.”

“Can mine be purple?” Clint asked.

“Oh and can mine shoot lasers?” Peter added excitedly. “Not the kind that kill people--I don’t want to hurt anyone but can you imagine how epic that would be?”

“Oh that would be so badass!” Ned exclaimed. “Can I have the same? Please? Pretty please Mr. Stark?”

“Yeah kid. Anything else?”

“My usual requirements,” Nat said.

Tony nodded, his mind already designing and redesigning the paintball guns that will soon take over the market. “Alright,” he clapped once the requests were done. “I’ll be in my lab if anyone needs me. Oh, and JARVIS? See if you can’t buy an arena in the area.”

“I’ve already placed an order to have all necessary supplies brought upstate.”

“Good. Thanks, J.”

And that was that. Until:

“Wait. Nobody got Caps approval for this,” Clint said.

“He won’t object,” Nat responded, slicing through the panic that had gathered in the room instantly and grabbing a book from the counter. She curled up on a loveseat and was absorbed in the story moments later.

The next day,  Tony emerged from his lab with 10 guns and an exasperated Bruce who was obviously there against his will but too caught up in Tony’s energy to escape. JARVIS had summoned everyone to the common floor and Happy had ensured the kids` presence.

“So, everyone, listen up! I have personalized guns for all of you. Come and grab yours.” His words were obeyed with various levels of overt eagerness but high levels of internal joy. There were squeals of joy from Ned and a “YES!! Purple destruction!” from Clint as he hoisted his very purple gun in the air. Peter grabbed his and examined it with enthusiasm.

“This is amazing, Mr. Stark!” he exclaimed.

“See, that’s the appropriate reaction to my inventions,” Tony said pointing to the three of them.

Nat rolled her eyes in response. “You get any more praise, Tony, and your ego won’t fit through the doors,” she said, her sleek, black gun disappearing on her person. Ned watched that with horror and disbelief in his eyes. It transitioned to pure terror when Nat smiled in his direction, a promise of destruction in her eyes.

“Well, we’re screwed,” Tony said upon seeing her expression.

“How do you--oh here it is!” Clint exclaimed from the place he’d claimed against the back of the couch. He aimed his gun at Nat in jest only to get a paintball to the chest. “Ow!” he exclaimed, falling backwards over the couch dramatically.

“Hey! Not in the house!” Tony cried. “Peter, why are you aiming that thing at me? I am the reason you have it! Clint stop encouraging him! I know what you are doing! Do not turn my child against me!”  

“Mr. Stark, Tony, um how do I?” Peter questioned.

“You’ve never used a paintball gun before?”

“I have but--”

“Normal paintball guns have fewer buttons,” MJ said.

“Yeah, well those are boring. Here,” and Tony launched into an enthusiastic explanation of how Peter’s gun works, explaining what the ten buttons on the handle and along the barrel do. Ned listened in, babbling in excitement at some of the features, especially the lasers that liquify the paintballs so Peter could send a wave of paint at his foes. He completely freaked out when he realized his had the same feature.

The others listened to the chatter while trying to figure out how their own guns worked with varying success. Within ten minutes, Tony had accepted he will be calling a cleaning crew; by twenty minutes, he was wondering whether the paint splatter didn't make for better wallpaper than the original. A voice in his head that sounded like Pepper said no but a steadily growing part of him disagreed. Maybe one painted wall, he decided at thirty minutes. An accent in the room. Pepper couldn't object to that.

“What’s going on?” a voice sounded from the hall interrupting his musings. Cap entered a few moments later, Thor right behind him.

“Budapest!” Clint exclaimed, waving his gun in the air again enthusiastically. That he was covered in paint was completely ignored.

“The kiddos wanted a paintball fight,” Tony clarified.

Cap absorbed that with a shrug. “Do I have a gun?” he asked.

“Of course Spangles, I would not forget you,” Tony responded, “It's that one there.”

Cap picked up the red and blue creation that had a couple festive streamers attached and a white star on its barrel.

“Really, Tony?” he asked completely unamused.

“What, it felt appropriate,” Tony protested. “Oh, and Thor, yours is the gold one on the end. It’s made of a gold-titanium alloy that should be durable enough to withstand your strength but let me know how it works.”

“Of course, Man of Iron. It is a marvelous contraption. What is it’s grand purpose?”

“To fire paintballs,” Peter said.

“Wonderful! How does it do that?”

And so, Peter and Clint ended up spending the next fifteen minutes explaining how a paintball gun works. During minute 16, the gold titanium alloy gun began to creak and Peter quickly took it away to prevent further damage.  

“What is going on here?” Those in the room startled a bit at the sound, looking up to find Nat leaving the elevator beside Fury with Coulson and Maria Hill behind them.

“Looks like Budapest, Boss,” Coulson responded, looking around with a twinkle in his eye but no outward emotion.

“It is inspired by Budapest but Tony has made it his own,” Nat clarified.

“So it will be infinitely better than Budapest,” Tony finished. “And I didn't know more people were coming. Wait, this is private property. People shouldn't be able to come without me knowing. How are you here? JARVIS why did more people show up?"

“Ms. Romanoff brought them Sir” JARVIS responded.

“Oh. Wait she left?”

“I stepped out and called them.”

“Oh. Well I have prototypes in the workshop if you want them, Agents. Otherwise you can go buy Hammer tech and not participate cause I will not have that inferiority staining my Tower.”

“Lets see them,” Hill said.

“Brucie bear, you know--”

“Yes, Tony. Maria, can you come with me please?” Bruce asked. He and Hill returned a few minutes later with 5 guns, each slightly different from the rest. JARVIS immediately swept every space Agent Hill stepped, moved towards or even looked at and disabled 14 bugs she placed around the space; on the fifteenth he put the wont-wont-waaaaa of Mario dying on repeat. He left the sixteenth alone but put a note on the screen nearest it indicating where it was and who put it there. Sir would appreciate the chance to mess with the agents, he thought.

“Here these are,” Bruce huffed, dropping the prototypes on the table.

“Fury, ready to lose again?” Hill asked, grabbing the most inconspicuous gun available.

“Not gonna happen,” Fury growled in response.

“I wouldn't be so sure about that Boss,” Coulson teased, hoisting the gun that launches giant balls into the air. The glare he received in response was more severe than usual because of it.

“Sir, if I may, the equipment has been delivered and I am having it set up on the field behind the Avengers training facility.”

“Sounds good J.”

“Wait we're actually going to the Avengers training facility? Like the one upstate? The real one?” Ned blabbered.

“Yep. We`ll take the quinjet up later today. I need to test these.”

“Oh my god!” Ned proceeded to spend the next few minutes freaking out and asking Tony what to the inventor felt like a million questions about the facility then the quinjets then the tech in both. Tony ended up offering a tour of the quinjet and Clint offered a brief lesson on how to fly it. That resulted in much more excitement and even MJ commented on how it would be very cool and joined them.

“Alright guys we`ll be on the landing pad. JARVIS, let me know when everything is set up.”

“I will Sir.”

JARVIS reported everything was ready an hour later. It took another 30 minutes for them to get in the air and even then it was because Tony finally got annoyed with Ned and sent Clint to pilot while he took the journey in his suit. Watching Iron Man take flight was enough for Ned and Peter to both start hurrying Clint and Nat through take-off procedure.

“Just don’t race me kids,” Tony’s voice came through the intercom. “You will lose and I don’t want to buy a new quinjet. I already owe Fury two.”

“Stark!” Fury growled.

“Never mind.”

“When did you-”

“Sorry, Nicky, I’m losing connection here. Iron Man out.”

“STARK!”

Outside, Iron Man flew a lap over and around the quinjet, throwing up a peace sign when Fury was in sight before shooting off ahead. Laughter followed in his wake as Clint sped up in an effort not to lose him.

“Why is he like this? He knows how fast this thing can go,” he muttered. “There is no need to show off, everybody knows! Everybody!”

“Barton, relax. He won't leave us behind,” Nat said from the co-pilot seat.

“If you say so.”

“I do.”

The rest of the flight was uneventful and they touched down to the sound of Ned chattering and freaking out about how he was “here like here. I`m actually at the avengers training facility! How is this this is the coolest thing ever. Peter, Peter do you think there are any other Avengers here? Is War Machine here?” Peter spent the next 10 minutes answering his friend's questions under Nat`s amused gaze.

Thirty minutes later found the Avengers, the kids and agents from SHIELD and the facility in a field littered with pyramids and walls that made for amazing cover. Steve announced the beginning of the first game from the center of the field then ran for cover.   

The moment Cap was out of sight, the game began. MJ, Ned and Peter teamed up immediately but the rest went solo.

“Targeting the spies!” Cap called at one point in a bid to get others to join him. That was shortly followed by a startled sound from him then his voice begging Nat not to do it. The muffled sound of a paintball gun was heard.

“Ow! Alright, I’m out guys! Nobody shoot me!” Then quieter: “Where did she even come from?”

“I’m a spy, Cap,” Nat responded, smug smirk very audible. She was across the field moments later, glancing toward the tree line where Clint was sniping those he saw from his perch in a tree. Eleven facility workers fell victim to his aim within the first seven minutes of the game. Midway through the game, Ned and Peter ran into the open screaming and waving their arms in the air. Clint humored them by taking aim.

“Yowch!” he cried a moment later. Below, MJ was standing with her gun still aimed at his behind, a very smug smirk on her face. “Nat! I think there’s two of you!” Clint called, prompting more laughter from those still in the field. “Yeah, yeah I’m coming. I’m coming. When did you get that aim? That is not fair aim.”

MJ just shrugged and sought cover once more.

On the field, Ned fell dramatically to the ground, red paint across his chest. “It...was...worth it!” he gasped before closing his eyes and letting his head fall to the side, tongue out. Peter dashed out onto the field a moment later, grabbing his arm and attempting to drag him to safety.

“I got you underoos!” Tony cried from across the field. A moment later, three cries of surprise and anger sounded and their sources, all facility workers, walked across the field in shame, splotches of red and gold on their clothing.

“How is he so good?” one of them asked.

"You realize I actually literally built weapons for a living, right? I know how to use them!"

“Thanks, Mr. Stark!” Peter called back from where he’d dragged Ned behind a pillar.

“No problem kid. Now, Brucie, how do we target next?” And a few moments later: “Shit shit shit!”

“Tony!”

“What! Us science bros need to stick together!”

“Doesn’t mean you need to tackle me!”

“Nat was there!”

An exasperated sigh.

“I was still hit.”

“I know, Brucie. That was the point. Bye-bye. Ow!! That does not count! You are already out, out people cannot kill those still in!”

“But they can reveal their location, and prevent them from leaving it” Nat’s voice sounded from the same area.

“What?!! Shit. Yeah, I’m going.”

Tony emerged from behind a pillar with green paint on his side, black on his chest and a scowl on his face. Bruce walked behind him looking very pleased with himself.

The sounds of paintball guns continued to fill the space, interrupted by the occasional mutter or yelp. Fury`s voice sounded across the field at one point when all of the facility members and a couple Avengers were on the sidelines: "This is what Budapest should have been. Oh motherfucker! Coulson!" Hill shamelessly met his eyes with visible smugness, her gun still raised before becoming professional and disappearing again to hunt her next target. In that moment it became clear that maybe Nat was the queen of paintball but Maria was definitely a threat not to be challenged. A second later, though, Coulson`s head appeared for a millisecond from behind a pyramid and less then a minute later Maria had her gun in the air, her back stained bright yellow.

“You’re avenged, boss,” Coulson said very calmly.

“Thank you, Cheese.”

There were demands for a rematch the moment Nat was declared the winner and three more games followed the first. After each one, various people hurried to Tony with ideas on how to improve their paintball guns or immense excitement about how well something worked. Tony faked insult at the implication that something he made could have been anything but awesome but noted everything everyone suggested, or rather he instructed JARVIS to do so and the AI recorded everything on one of the lab computers. By the last game, nobody from the facility dared to play. Somehow that game was longer and more intense than any of the others.

At the end of the day, everyone crowded into the kitchen of the facility in search of food, drinks and rest. Having finished a water, Clint returned to Nat with a content and peaceful expression in his eyes.

"Now that was Budapest," he said.

"It was," she agreed. Everyone around them nodded in agreement because even if they weren’t at Budapest, they knew that this day was to be treasured and naming it Budapest 2.0 seemed fitting.

Chapter Text

Having Avenger paintball matches became a very regular occurrence and soon the Tower had a smaller arena on the 84th floor with moving parts and high ceilings and tablets just outside the door for players to record what did and didn’t work and suggest improvements. When Loki came to Earth and inevitably caused trouble in the middle of a training match, Peter joined the rest of the Avengers in Central Park, eager to impress his mentor yet again. He was the first to arrive on scene, armed with a new suit, better web slingers and his paintball gun. In his excitement to get to the scene, he’d forgotten to put it away. And now, he’d accidentally shot Loki with a paintball gun. Panic ensued as Iron Man swept in at full speed, ready to snatch his kid out of the danger zone to the sound of “Oh my god, Mr. Stark, what have I done? I totally forgot! I’m so sorry, Mr. Loki, please don’t kill me. Please, please don’t kill me. I like living.”

“What is this thing?!” Loki questioned in surprised response. “You Midgardians consider me of so little threat that you would fight armed with naught by paint? I am a god, you dull creatures! I will not be covered in paint!”

“You are a diva, Rock of Ages” Tony said, landing between Spiderman and Loki. “A pretty, vain diva if a drop of paint on your armor is worth your godly attentions.”

“I am not the only one who can be described as such,” Loki countered, still grumbling at the splotch. A moment later he conjured a mass of paint and covered the Avengers in it. Their squeals and yelps filled the space and it was very clear that Loki was far from the only vain being in Central Park that day. It took everyone hours to clean their equipment and bodies but the only damage New York sustained that day was a rainbow of paint coating a quarter of Central Park that took crews 3 days to clean.

“What is the purpose of this game?” an illusion of Loki asked at the end of a paint battle.

“To cover each other in paint,” Thor responded. “You would like it, brother.”

“I do like it,” Loki stated as though they’d asked for his approval. “And since I am not your brother-” Thor got another wave of paint sent his way that intertwined in his hair and dried near instantly against his skin.

The next time Loki came, Peter intentionally shot him with a paintball gun. The Avengers’ quinjet was bright pink for the next week and Clint's bow was permanently stained bright red. Tony added paint gun functions to his suit that night. Everyone got a paintball gun for Loki only very soon after.

The third time Peter shot Loki with a paintball, he was thrown down the city street and only Thor catching him prevented severe injury. That battle caused more damage than many of the ones before combined. The Avengers came home sporting injuries ranging from sprained ankles to broken ribs and were all too exhausted to move. Review of the footage showed Thor had arrived first and mentioned Odin to his already agitated and stressed adopted brother. Thor was never permitted to arrive first.

Over time and many more paintball fights interspersed with actual destructive battles, the people of New York got used to coming to work with paint in unusual places and apps were developed to help people avoid passing too close to a fight. They didn’t help those who couldn’t get out of the way of a new one in time. Wall st became a favorite target for randomly appearing immense walls of paint. The businessmen quickly gave up wearing suits to work and soon everyone had paint outfits that they wore with pride. Many work cultures became slightly more relaxed once people realize it was impossible to be serious when covered in paint.

A shawarma place tried to sue the Avengers for the business being damaged by a paintball fight Loki dominated in; the Avengers all went there during peak hours instead for a couple weeks. The flow of customers increased exponentially due to their endorsement until the owner had to buy more space and hire an entire fleet of employees to keep up with demand.

Tony soon developed a paintball gun watch he shot every time the paparazzi that always followed him or the other Avengers around got annoying or harassed someone other than him. Each paparazzo lost at least one camera and outfit to him before they bought shields for themselves and their cameras.  

Clint got a habit of carrying his favorite paintball gun everywhere and randomly targeting people at SHIELD. At first his victims drew their real guns but after their fifth or twentieth ambush, they stopped reacting. “Barton” was soon used to explain any clothing issue, even wrinkles or obvious dirt and grease stains and newbies were evaluated by their ability to adjust to his surprise attacks. Those who reacted violently after the 15th time were given desk work until their nerves were stronger; the one who was ambushed thrice then got his own paintball gun and nailed Clint in the ass on the archer’s fourth attack, which was followed by intense complaining and cursing from the legendary archer, was instantly promoted and given the option of starting in the field half a year ahead of schedule. Hawkeye told the Avengers about it that night and Tony had the security footage of that moment on the living room TV within fifteen minutes. The baby agent walked into work the next morning to find a new Stark paintball gun and a Stark International badge on his desk and a request for a rematch at the Tower on his computer. He’d laughed at that and, much to everyone’s annoyance, decided targeting Clint around the HeliCarrier was a better use of his time. Natasha almost got caught in the crossfire once; the baby agent spent extra time in the range and on the training mats with the legendary spy and archer for a while after that. He considered the days when he could shower in 15 minutes instead of his usual 3 good. He also never complained or refused a match.   

Tony upgraded his and Peter`s guns after every fight until there was somehow an AI in both. Stark International expanded into  the toy industry with the paintball gun line called Budapest. When a reporter mentioned Tony returning to the weapons industry, Clint unloaded his paintball gun (Budapest Hawkeye 3.0, $35, still purple but now with balls that squeal on impact, tassels on its sides and a shield that wrapped around his waist cause "goddamn it being shot in the ass hurts!") into her dress, mic and the cameraman behind her with no comment. Nobody mentioned the weapons industry to Tony in his presence again.

Then Pepper got caught in the crossfire during a team building match. She had asked JARVIS to let everyone know she was coming in and a couple players had acknowledged her. When the doors opened, though, a bright pink paintball hit her front and splattered. Silence reigned.

“Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit,” Tony said, getting to her immediately. His hands fluttered towards her dress but with so much paint there wasn't anything he could do.

“I`m sorry Pep. I promise I`ll get you a new pair of shoes-twenty new pairs-and and I`ll design paint resistant clothing and--”

“Tony, breathe. You  weren't the one who shot me so stop apologizing.”

“Yes, Ms. Potts.”

“Good. Now.” She took out a gun Tony had designed a while ago and hit him and Ned, who was the one who hit her, with precision before putting it away and hoisting her StarkPad back into her arms. "Now that you are out, Tony, I need you to look over and sign these patents and the shareholders want an update on the new Budapest: Widow gun. It has been selling very well and they want more."

Tony just gaped at her. “What?”

“The military also wants a new exclusive contract for the chameleon material--the one that changes color based on surroundings--and the gloves. I need you to look over everything.”

“But-”

The gun came back out. “Now or I shoot.” She wasn’t bluffing and everyone knew it.  

“Coming!”

The door closed behind them.

“JARVIS?”

“Yes Ms. Romanoff?”

“How well is very well?”

“It is currently the best selling model.”

Natasha`s pride in that statement could be felt across the arena.

Tony spent the next 10 hours looking at patents and legal documents with Pepper`s paint gun pointed at him. He got shot twice and didn't try to get out of it again. From then on Pepper always had the gun at her side when she needed him to do company work. When the paint resistant clothing came online, it was called the Budapest: Potts and became the best selling clothing line in NYC. Another branch of SI was opened and dedicated to fashion with it. Pepper got her clothing for free.

Bucky came a few years later. He was as scared of himself as he was of the world and Steve hovered beside him through most of the next few days as though he feared Bucky would run again. Bucky moved into the guest bedroom on Steve’s floor and wasn't seen for a few weeks after his arrival. Tony still designed a paint gun that resembled each of the Winter Soldier’s guns that he knew of so Bucky and the Winter Soldier could both join the others in the matches safely when they were ready. It took a few weeks but one day, Bucky came to Tony in the common floor kitchen.

“Can we talk? Without Stevie?” he asked.

“Sure. Let me just finish this and we can hit the lab. I have some things to show you.”

Bucky nodded his understanding.

Fifteen minutes later found Bucky hyperventilating in the corner, Tony coaching him through breathing exercises and the paintball guns in a heap across the lab.

“I can’t, I can’t, I’m not going to be him again,” Bucky muttered, eyes frantic.

“You won’t be, Grease Lightning, I promise you won’t be.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“I am Tony Stark and that means I can make it possible. I just need to take those triggers out of your head and you’ll be free from him.”

“Can you?”

“Yes.”

Bucky nodded.

“You alright, soldier?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Fine, Soldier. Now, those paintball machines aren’t going to win matches on their own.” Tony left Bucky’s side then and with full confidence went across the lab. He picked up the most aggressive-looking gun and hoisted it into his arms. “Come here, Metal man, try this out.”

“Stark, stop.”

“Not gonna happen. You want me to remove the triggers, I need to know what activates them.”

“A few Russian worded. That’s what activates them.”

“Wait, that’s all?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s boring.”

That surprised a snort from Bucky. “Glad someone enjoys my situation.”

“That’s me. Tony no social awareness Stark.”

Bucky chuckled in response.

“So, these guns are going in the trash. Wanna design their replacements?””

Bucky nodded. They spent the next thirty minutes tossing ideas back and forth. The first gun they designed was very similar to Nat`s and had features Bucky only knew about due to his time as the Winter Soldier. It was deemed horrendous and Bucky tore the hologram to unrecognizable bits saying he would never handle something like that again. By the time Steve found them, the two were working on a rainbow gun with a dog head on its side and Bucky was as happy as he remembered being.

“What do you think you're doing?” Steve demanded.

“Ah, designing Heavy Metal`s paintball gun?” Tony hedged, eyes not leaving the hologram.

“He is not ready for that.”

“He decided he was.”

“Before or after you pressured him into it?”

“Steve stop,” Bucky sighed. “I don't need your protection.”

“But Bucky-”

“Tony and I were having a good time designing paintball guns. I`m fine.”

“Are you sure, Buck?”

“Yes, I am.”

They stare at each other for a little bit seeking the truth in what was said. Steve nods a few minutes later.

“Alright. I’ll leave you to it,” he said. He doesn't leave, though, choosing to settle on the beaten down couch with his sketchpad instead.

Once the designs were complete, Bucky left Tony to the building process and got comfortable beside Steve.

“Drawing me I see,” he said. Steve blushed bright red but didn't hide the image of Bucky and Tony animatedly working on a hologram design. Tony`s arm was up and he was captured mid sentence; Bucky was watching him with a disagreeing frown. The rainbow paintball gun was on the hologram--they were debating whether a cartoon dog head was superior to a more realistic one.

“You know this is my gun, right? I make this decision,” Bucky had said at the end.

“Whatever you say, Grease Lightning,” Tony had agreed with a shrug. Bucky’s surprise at his surrender was as immense as Steve’s at Bucky’s assertiveness.

“Bucky--” Steve had gasped.

“Yeah, punk?”

“You actually stood up against that.”

“The realistic one looked ridiculous,” Bucky had dismissed, turning back to the hologram.

Now, he and Bucky discussed Steve’s drawings and other matters like in the old days while Tony worked close to them. It wasn’t much but Steve spent the entire day with a spring in his step and a smile on his face.

When the final product was revealed a couple days later, Steve was beyond thrilled and started to explain what to do only to get a "I know how to use a gun, punk. This isn't any different"  in response.

“Manchurian Candidate here also designed everything--I just built it. Oh, that reminds me, Grease Lightning, what would you like it’s official name to be? I thought Budapest Winter Soldier 1.0 but Pepper said that might be insensitive.”

“Um why not my initials? JBB?” Bucky suggested.

“There are no public associations with that,” Tony pointed out.

“Exactly. No negative associations.”

“Alright. Budapest JBB 1.0 it is. When are we testing it?”

“We?”

“In a match. It has to be tested in the environment it’ll be used in.”

“I can get everyone to floor 84 in thirty minutes,” Steve offered.

“Works. Manchurian Candidate?”

“I’ll be there.”

The two Avengers left Bucky examining his paintball gun, a small but determined smile on his face.

Thirty minutes later found the Avengers hiding behind blown up pyramids with guns loaded and held at the ready. When Bucky hit Tony 5 minutes into the match, he almost had a panic attack and the game was paused for ten minutes while Tony convinced him the hit had barely even hurt anything but his pride “and everyone keeps telling me my ego is too big so you did a service to humanity, Metal man.” Bucky nodded along to his words. When Steve hit him between the shoulders 15 minutes later Bucky realized that Tony was right--paintball was very different from using real guns and his shot truly hadn`t hurt Tony. He was very excited by this and the rematch that followed had him hunting down Nat with deadly determination despite Clint covering her from above. Everyone else tried to stay out of their way. Tony succeeded to an extent, Bruce was only slightly more successful and Steve became collateral damage less than 2 minutes into the match. Ten minutes after the game began, Bucky hit Nat and was declared the winner and new King of Paintball.

Soon there were as many fights at his requests as there were at Ned`s. They came at random times and Ned soon stopped requesting them, only confirming that there’ll be one when he arrives. Steve never said no, no matter what time Bucky asked, and it soon became a custom for them to play against each other in the middle of the night when nightmares or memories prevented their sleep. Those nights were spent covered in paint and bruises in a poorly lit arena, talking about everything and nothing. Bucky eventually told Steve about the torture and brainwashing; Steve spoke about the ice. Slowly, they both healed.

A few nights after the nightly matches became routine, Tony found them for the first time. He fled before the super soldiers could say anything. When Steve mentioned that he’s welcome to join them if he wanted to, Tony pretended not to know what he was talking about. By the fifth time, the denial became impossible. On the sixth time, Bucky and Steve were warned by JARVIS and just before the elevator doors closed completely and Tony fled yet again, Bucky fired his paintball gun, nailing Tony in the stomach. The paint splattered into a smirk on his old AC DC shirt and his outraged scream was heard through the closed doors. He didn’t return though. The same thing happened on the seventh and eighth time. On the ninth time, the elevator doors opened a moment after Tony’s grumble.

“What is with you and firing on the unarmed! This is not fair, it breaks all the rules, it isn’t allowed,” Tony screamed.

“I know,” Bucky said, mischief in his eyes.  

“You’ve been doing it on purpose! I thought you were good, Barnes! And Cap, you support this?”

“I do,” Steve smiled. Tony gaped at him then Bucky. “What did you do to him? Where is my Capsicle? He would never have permitted much less supported this travesty! Tell me! Now!”

“Tony, Tony relax,” Steve said.“We just wanted you to know that you are welcome here. Speaking with you didn’t do anything so we took drastic measures.”

“Shooting an unarmed man with a paintball gun is drastic measures?” Tony demanded.

“Yes, yes it is.”

“Alright,” Tony sighed. “Well, at least let me get my gun.”

When the elevator opened on his return he was in his suit, gun held in metal fingers and already firing. The paintballs nailed the super soldiers in the ribs and a moment later, the fight was on. Steve let Tony win against him but Bucky nailed the genius right in the stomach again just as he’s about to fire. Tony’s outraged scream was still quite clear through the voice modulator. There was a rematch that Tony lost and alcohol and designing better models afterwards.

After that night, Tony came to them whenever the Void, portals and free-falls from heights haunted his dreams and he woke mid panic attack wanting nothing more than to not be alone. At first, it was all light chatter but as ten nights became thirty became a hundred, Tony too began to open up about his demons, his past. When he mentioned dreaming about Howard for some reason, it was with hesitation that was met by complete acceptance.

“We knew the inventor; you knew the father,” Bucky explained simply. Tony never hesitates with anything else again.

Soon after this, he learned that Bucky gave the best hugs and smelled amazing. It became normal for him to come into the arena after a bad night seeking Bucky’s comfort. The super soldier never spoke beyond a quiet “come here”, just held him and breathed. Steve never disturbed them and when morning came, the events of the night were forgotten though Tony always felt better because of them. Nat knew about the nightly meetings but never said a word.

Chapter Text

And then it happened. A single video was sent to Tony’s personal, private email. No explanations, unknown sender. 1 minute, 11 seconds long, 25 years in the making. 3 people driving on an empty road, a utility pole, a gun and metal meeting flesh. Cold, empty, familiar eyes.  

“You should’ve told me,” Tony had stated, eyes blank, frigid masks in place.

“It wasn’t his fault, Tony! He was brainwashed,” Steve had countered.

“I know.”

“He’s my friend, Tony. Surely you can understand.”

“So was I.”

“If it is worth anything, I am sorry. If I could do anything to reverse it, I would,” Bucky had whispered, head bowed and sincerity in his eyes and voice.
The fight bled from Tony’s posture. He was just so tired of everything.

“I know, Barnes,” he sighed. “Just. Please, leave.” The last words were pushed through his teeth. All he wanted was to be alone, to avoid thinking.

Steve protested; Bucky nodded his understanding of Tony’s words and dragged the other soldier away.

They left the Tower that day. 

Very quickly, the alcohol returned with a vengeance and the binges in the lab with no food and questionable smoothies made by Dum-E became more frequent. Peter was asked to work with Bruce more frequently. Ned’s requests for epic paintball matches returned with Bucky’s absence but they got rejected regularly; those Tony did attend had him losing 5 minutes in and drinking himself into near comas shortly after. Pepper’s gun became necessary for Tony to eat once every 2 days and to sleep once every 3. Trying for more was futile. Budapest Cap 6.0 and Budapest JBB 2.0 never got made; the earlier models of both were removed from the Tower and their blueprints, which had been drawn by the three of them at 3am in the paint gun arena, were torn to pieces and the remains hidden so completely that Tony would never be able to find them again. 

He never lost the ability to draw those designs from memory.

A few months later, Pepper finally succeeded in forcing Tony to go to a banquet with potential donors and other scientists and engineers. Bruce went with him despite hating most crowds and events like this as support. Tony hated it. He was Tony Fucking Stark not glass that needed to be handled delicately. Still, when Bruce came to the penthouse ready to go, Tony did not protest.

Once there, the bar drew him like a moth to flame but he stopped after 5 drinks. It was progress. 

Bruce sat beside him, his discomfort as obvious as his desire to hide it. 

"You feeling alright?" he asked. 

“Yeah, fine,” Tony responded. 

“Good, that's good.”

They drank for a few minutes. The silence between them hung thick and uncomfortable, full of the need to speak but having no words to say.  

"Wanna dance? Not with me but in general," Bruce ventured.

Tony muttered something in response--he himself didn’t know what--and left. There were pretty men and women all around him but none of them had mischief in their eyes, none had black hair that was too long but incredibly soft or massive arms that made him feel safe despite the physical hardness of one. He had almost made it to the door, to freedom, when he was stopped by a hand around his arm. He whipped around, "goddamn it Bruce!" already on his tongue but it wasn't Bruce looking back at him.

"Dr. Strange" he greeted, media smile in place. His eyes traveled momentarily to the door, but Pepper would kill him for refusing a conversation with some as high profile as Dr. Strange.

"Mr. Stark. I did not expect to find you here," Dr. Strange said.

"Well it was this or Pepper shooting me so."

Dr. Strange chuckled in response. "I heard you are working on prosthetics," he said.

The pain hit Tony harder than Thor's hammer. Prosthetics. Bucky. The nights spent creating blueprints for a better arm for him, one that didn't hurt or poison him. The laughter and animated discussion of upgrades and appearance. Bucky had wanted a puppy face where the star was--and what was with him and dogs?-- but Tony had disagreed, wanting something more epic on such a badass arm. They`d playfully argued about it for over an hour one night. Only Steve saying the puppy was better and that it should be Bucky’s choice since he had to live with it on his body had stopped the argument. The design was completed a day later. They were supposed to start building it the day Tony found out about his parents and Steve’s betrayal.

Instead of being an arm that would revolutionize the medical industry, the material for it now lay in a heap in a corner of the lab he didn't look at anymore. The table they`d set up had been angrily shoved into the same space. It now rested on its side, its contents adding to the pile. He should really clean it up, Tony knew. Maybe one day, it would be possible. Now, the thought of touching any of it made him want to drink until he couldn’t remember his name, much less think about them. 

"Would you like to collaborate?" a voice penetrated the weight on Tony`s chest. Suddenly, he was at a banquet, not the lab and Dr. Strange was in front of him, not Bucky or Steve like his confused mind and heart wanted it to be. 

He wanted to say no, he wanted to run from this place where there were too many people, too many things, and too many potential accidental reminders of what had been lost. He wanted to be alone in his lab with his machines and his alcohol and his too loud music. He could not be here he couldn’t. Prosthetics--that was his and Bucky’s thing. Bucky was supposed to help him design the best arm possible, he was supposed to learn how to do the engineering, how to apply his army and Winter Soldier training for good causes. It was supposed to be them in the lab. Them. Not this. He wanted to say no, he needed to say no. 

"Sure, what do you want to work on?" he heard himself say, smile never wavering. And from there, the conversation turned to neurobiology, neurosurgery, nanotech and patients with neuronal damage that didn’t cause paralysis. When Bruce found them many minutes later, stem cells were added to the conversation and eventually plans were made for Strange to visit the Tower. 

Two days after the visit, Dr. Strange nearly died in a car accident. It was on the news for days. Tony considered sending him a card or covering his medical expenses but never did. Bruce mentioned it in passing but it was so weird Tony ended the conversation before it could begin. A part of him was disappointed by the loss; a larger part was relieved he wouldn’t have to explain why he kept Dr. Strange out of the lab best suited for the work.

A year passed before Dr. Strange next visited the Tower. He didn't explain what happened in the past year beyond that he found a different calling and new knowledge and if the engineer wanted to collaborate, he would accept Dr. Strange's words and not hinder him in his duties to the New York Sanctum. Tony had agreed, and, after much grumbling, banter and negotiating, time was made. Slowly and with much teasing and judgement of each others facial hair, wardrobe and music, Tony shared his engineering knowledge and Dr. Strange his magic. Over the next few months, Stark became Tony and Strange/Harry Potter/Wizard was Stephen (but never Steve). Designs for prosthetic legs were slowly created and tweaked endlessly until Dr. Strange got bored of the process and demanded it be sent into production or the collaboration ends. Tony promised to do so and they started the next project. Tony shut down the moment Stephen implied prosthetic arms would be next. A week later, Stephen received an email with designs for prosthetic eyes, knees, feet and hips. He acquiesced to the knee designs and the collaborations continued.

When Tony presented the Budapest Strange 1.0 a few months later, Stephen portaled it to the Dark Dimension and ignored Tony's whimpers about that being the only model.

"Then you should have thought of that before you gave me such a silly device," he had said in disdain. 

When Tony joined the next paintball fight, Dr. Strange was there with a gun of his own making. Portals in the paintball arena to other dimensions were prohibited that day. Dr. Strange was very pleased with that despite his protests. 

At some point, Stephen asked Tony why he was against working on prosthetic arms. At first, the inventor gave excuses about how boring he found the limbs, how rarely they were affected by paralysis and wasn't that what they were trying to counter? Stephen called him on it, of course, mentioning statistics and anatomy lessons he hadn't needed since medical school. He was promptly told to get out. Mentioning Barnes or Rogers had the same results. Every time it took longer for him to reach out to the sorcerer with new design ideas but, inevitably, they came and the two geniuses continued on as though nothing had happened. But Stephen noticed, or, rather, he got tired of Tony's "hissy fits" and, after demanding Tony reach out to Bucky and "stop being a miserable excuse for a human being," he went to Pepper.

Together, Dr. Strange and Pepper convinced Tony to reach out to Bucky.

“He is not the one you quarreled with,” Pepper had pointed out. 

“And I’d like to stop working with a shadow of a man, like I've told you many times before with no results” Dr. Strange had added. Tony had had no choice but to give in.

The first conversation was awkward. Bucky apologized repeatedly but the words felt wrong. Bucky wasn’t supposed to be the one apologizing--Tony had forgiven him long ago. He’d never been angry with him to begin with, not really. Mad with wounds he'd thought had healed reopening and the feeling of betrayal, yes. Actually angry and holding his parents’ death against Bucky? No.

Tony hung up before he was truly ready just to stop hearing the regret in Bucky’s voice. 

“There, done,” he said. 

“Good job. Now, continue the communication tomorrow,” Pepper responded. “You need to rebuild this, Tony, for your own good.” 

“But I’m not the one who destroyed things,” Tony countered.

“Oh, shove your ego. You are miserable, Stark, so is he. Stop being a petty coward and fix it. You're an engineer aren't you?” Dr. Strange huffed, rolling his eyes. 

The next day, Tony texted Bucky about the arm and conversation began. It wasn’t natural--the intimacy of before was absent and they both knew it but it was something. Something, Tony decided, was better than the silence of before. 

Over the next couple weeks, the two of them began to text regularly. Tony initiated at first with a quip or commentary on what he was experiencing in that moment but soon enough, Bucky started doing the same. It was Bucky who asked to meet in person at a cafe he liked in Brooklyn. Tony panicked for a moment but Pepper was right beside him armed with her paintball gun and he was in his favorite suit after a very successful board meeting, if he could say that himself. He had no choice but to agree. 

The day of the cafe meeting came quickly and Tony was a ball of nerves. The other Avengers, Peter, Ned and MJ all tried to comfort him in their own ways but it was of no use. MJ eventually got tired of everything and physically dragged Tony to the door. 

“How are you such an idiot?” she muttered right before physically kicking Tony into the elevator. 

“JARVIS, quickly please,” she requested. The doors closed quicker than usual. 

“Alright, were you any older, you’d be terrifying,” Clint said a moment later as MJ returned to her book. 

“Hmm. Thought I already was,” she responded with indifference. 

Clint observed her for a moment. “No. You need a few more years. Right now, you are just Nat. A few years, and you’ll be both Nat and Pepper.”

“His words were acknowledged by nothing but a fleeting but worrying smile.

Meanwhile, Tony had been hurried to the garage and now sat in the driver's seat of his favorite Audi, panicking in earnest.

“I can’t do this, JARVIS, I can’t,” he muttered, head against the steering wheel.

“Sir, if you don’t leave now, you are going to be late.”

“That isn’t helpful, J.”

“Sir, you need to go. According to my observations, your happiness decreased significantly when Mr. Barnes left but has increased every time you communicated with him. It is my job to preserve your happiness. Go. Or I will start this car and drive you there myself.”

“Alright, alright. I’m going. Pushy. ”

The trip to the cafe was a blur. When Tony arrived, he was a couple minutes late and Bucky was already inside with a coffee in hand. Bucky’s hair was the same length and style as before but there was more sadness in his eyes, less mischief and his posture radiated a hard couple years. The serum kept the signs of aging at bay but Tony knew Bucky’d have wrinkles and a grey hair or ten had he been normal. He checked his phone periodically but mostly looked out the window, eyes searching and hopeful. That more than anything gave Tony the strength to approach. 

“Hey, Grease Lightning,” he said with forced casualness. A moment later, he was in the taller man’s arms, surrounded by his scent with Bucky’s cheek resting on top of his head. Tony tried to resist but the longer Bucky held him, the harder it became until he was clinging to the taller man. Bucky really did give the best hugs, he thought. 

They stayed like that for a while. 

“Wait, guys, is that Tony Stark? Iron Man?” a voice said suddenly, disrupting their peace. It was followed by commotion all around them as people tried to get pictures or a closer look. Tony tried to pull away but Bucky held him closer. He felt him move his head around the room, doubtlessly glaring everyone into silence and succeeding. 

“I missed you,” Tony murmured into Bucky’s chest, holding on tighter.

“I missed you too, kotonok,” Bucky whispered into his hair. “Want to sit down? Get a coffee?”

“Yeah, yeah that’s a good idea, that sounds good,” Tony said. He didn’t pull away for many more moments. When he did, he was media perfect in one of his cheaper suits that still cost more than what those around them would make in a year. 

“So, Grease Lightning, how has it been?” he asked, smile in place as they sat down.

 Bucky passed him a small black coffee made exactly how Tony likes. “Not bad,” he said and the conversation went on from there. Bucky told Tony about what it had been like living in Brooklyn, his job as a server at a small mom and pops restaurant, the kids that played outside regularly, the black and white tabby cat that had been visiting the apartment lately looking for food and affection. Tony, in turn, spoke about his engineering, the banquets he had to go to, Dr. Strange’s strangeness. 

Neither mentioned Steve. 

Three hours passed and five coffees and countless donuts and pastries were consumed before the two were ready to part ways. 

“You should stop by the Tower sometime,” Tony said. “We could finish the arm, update Budapest JBB.”

“I will Tony,” Bucky promised. “I will.”

  A couple weeks later, Bucky was framed for bombing the conference in Vienna and killing King T’Chaka. He disappeared without a trace, Steve with him. Tony periodically got calls and texts from burner phones he couldn’t trace and no matter how much he begged Bucky to let him help and explained that his lawyers would guarantee a fair trial that would result in Bucky’s freedom, Bucky refused. On a quiet midsummer day 3 months after his disappearance, he explained that Steve thought he could handle it despite Bucky, Tony and practically everyone knowing it wasn’t so. 

“He’s stubborn, Tony. When that punk gets an idea in his head, nothing can change it.”

“But he is wrong, Bucky! He will get both of you hurt, I guarantee it,” Tony had countered. 

“I know, kotonok. I’m going to give him a little longer, though, see if he realizes it on his own.”

“Just be careful, Manchurian Candidate,” Tony sighed. “There is a point after which even I can’t save you.”

“I know. I will be.”

The calls that followed showed more and more aggravation on Bucky’s end as Steve’s stubbornness didn’t end. Tony could hear the rift forming between the previously close friends but he neither encouraged nor tried to stop it.

Chapter Text

When Steve and Bucky returned a year later with Ant Man and Wilson, Tony’s relief was indescribable. He’d sent Scott and Wilson to the guest rooms on the common floor with a promise that they may get their own floor later and very quickly dragged Bucky down to the lab with engineering talk. Bucky, of course, noticed the pile of prosthetics and the tools thrown into the corner, the mess the entire lab was in. He didn’t say anything, just wrapped his arms around the shorter man, rested his chin on his head and squeezed gently. Tony tensed immediately.

“What are you doing, Grease Lightning? No release me, I’m fine, Soldier, I’m fine, come on let go now, you can let go”.

Bucky did not let him go.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky murmured after a while. 

“I know,” Tony sighed in return, finally melting against the other man’s frame. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“I know, kotenok. I know.” 

They stayed like that for a while, JARVIS watching over them and making sure they are not disturbed. Nat assisted him without a word. 

The nightly paintball matches returned quickly, but the intimacy with Steve from before was lost. Tony only interacted with him professionally and, while Bucky remained his friend, Steve could feel the distance between them. It was not uncommon for Steve to go to the arena only to find the two had finished a few games against Wilson and Nat and were now having conversations Steve couldn`t join. When he tried coming earlier, the four humored him to a round but Tony refused rematches and one of the other three, normally Bucky, always joined him on the far side of the arena where they wouldn’t be collateral damage. One rematch later and Nat was by their side, discussing everything from events they both attended to future pranks to engineering and Budapest:Widow improvements. She refused to even consider helping improve other guns. Wilson attempted conversation with his Captain but the other man left before much can be started, a longing in his eyes Wilson could not relieve. 

When Steve stopped coming, nobody really noticed. 

Bucky’s arm got made in an exhausted haze a month after his return; Budapest: JBB 3.0 was created and sent to market alongside Budapest: Falcon 1.0 and Budapest: Ant 1.0 a couple months after that. The Budapest: Ant 1.0, which shrank and expanded as needed and made surprise attacks easy, soon rivaled the Budapest: Widow 8.0 in sales. It became common for JARVIS to wake Nat and Scott up with sales information from the previous day, meals to feature teasing and trash talk between the two and many a paintball match to end in Tony being cornered by both of them with ideas for improvement or being dragged to his lab by a spy or engineer eager to work. Nat turned to sales data for what capabilities in the Budapest line were most appreciated by consumers; Scott asked his daughter. He once asked Clint, MJ, Peter and Ned for ideas; within two weeks, Clint, MJ and Peter had patented every idea discussed that day. Peter was incredibly apologetic and blamed Tony's encouragement, enthusiasm and business sense; Clint and MJ had no remorse. Scott never made the same mistake again.

With time, Clint began bringing food to the lab whenever Nat was working with Tony; Bucky ensured the engineer ate three times a day regardless who he was with. Pepper had inquired about how he managed to do the impossible but he'd just shrugged, saying nothing. She later found video footage of the Soldier bodily pulling the engineer from his holograms, carrying him over his shoulder to the lab kitchen while the genius struggled, protested and desperately reached for his tech and standing between the smaller man and the holograms until he finished every meal to his satisfaction. Early videos featured Tony's attempts to return to his engineering, first physically only to be pushed back into the chair every time, then through JARVIS. The AI had sided with Bucky and refused to follow Tony's requests until Bucky permitted it. It took three weeks until the engineer gave in to the inevitable and Bucky only had to bring food to get him to eat. Pepper was in charge of ensuring Tony slept enough and, between the two of them, the engineer found himself living a healthy, scheduled life.

When the military offered an exclusive contract for the Budapest: Ant technology while renewing the one they had for the color changing material of Nat’s paintball gun, Scott refused unless Hank, who he considered the real designer of the technology, got a seat at the table. Tony listened and on the day Budapest Wasp 1.0 was released, the military offered Hank Pym a multi-million dollar contract for Pym particles. He rejected it, saying he was not trusting his technology in the hands of imbeciles who'll use it for pointless wars. When the military asked Tony for it immediately after, he told them no and canceled their contract for Nat’s material as punishment for disrespecting the rights of a well-respected fellow inventor. SI stock prices plummeted that day but public opinion skyrocketed and orders for every Budapest model increase exponentially despite it being out of season. The size-altering particles Tony and Scott designed were later used in medicine, construction and storage. 

At Nat’s request, a nationwide charity focused on ending conflict and improving the lives of war, crime and abuse survivors received the patent for her material with SI the only company exempt from paying royalties on the patent. The military never regained access to that material. 

Very soon after, Bucky gifted the patent for the first model of his prosthetic arm, which had his name on it, to a NYC veterans’ hospital with the conditions that SI be exempt from royalties and the arms were free for any veteran that needed them. The hospital would end up getting the patents for every arm he and Tony ever designed together. Within a few short years, it became the best veterans’ hospital in the nation and people traveled across the country for access to its amputee, mental health and social services. 

The rest of the Avengers ended up donating a portion of the sales from their individual Budapest paintball guns to various charities and organizations ranging from mental health hospitals (Bruce) and child protective services (Clint) to after school STEM programs (Tony, Peter and Scott) and animal shelters (Fury and Thor). Nobody asked about Fury’s choice.  MJ donated her proceeds to an organization nobody had heard about that promoted women's education in impoverished countries; Ned just scrolled through a generic charity list and picked one with an interesting logo that introduced youth to robotics. Tony was very supportive of Ned's organization and donated some of his personal funds to it as well.

Any Budapest Strange 1.0s that were created were found destroyed beyond recognition a few days later but the Metro-General Hospital's surgeon residency program still received regular donations that guaranteed it would be the best in the nation and the Sanctums flourished more than they had in years. 

When Loki appeared in the middle of the Avengers’ arena with a couple paintball guns and his magic swirling around his fingertips a year after Bucky’s return, nobody batted an eye. He won the match effortlessly and the compliments and demands for rematches that followed guaranteed him becoming a regular participant. Upon his departure, the arena was always rainbow and various Avengers’ equipment was brightly colored and impossible to use for covert operations. Tony bitched royally the first time Loki made every Iron Man suit hot pink then decided to destroy a city block; Cap vowed revenge when his shield turned rainbow at the start of a battle in Times Square that took down the New Year’s Ball and was televised live across the nation. He changed his mind when the media marked him as a LGBTQ+ ally and people began thanking him in the street for giving them the courage to come out or accept themselves for who they were. Needless to say, the following June saw all of the Avengers sporting pride flags and giving speeches at various Pride events. Cap's shield was never red white and blue for long again, much to conservative and church groups' frustration.

Nat proved herself worthy of Loki's respect and was thus never intentionally pranked (if she was an accidental victim, well, that, it was decided by the group, was on her. She was a super spy after all). The prank war between the trickster and the archer ended up escalating

Fury nearly had an aneurism when he found out about the Tower paintball matches with his public enemy #1.  

“It's this or he destroys the city again,” Tony said in response to his growling and demands for Loki`s arrest. “The guy has teleportation, invisibility and creates perfect illusions, Nicky-boy. We can't hold that and I'm not gonna risk pissing him off by trying.”

SHIELD tried anyway. The day they ambushed the god, Helicarriers fell from the sky, all covert identities except for Clint`s and Natasha`s were revealed and New York City saw its financial district, Times Square, the Empire State Building and twenty blocks of pedestrians blown to smithereens. SHIELD was forced to pay for the damages. Nobody tried to capture the god or prevent his mischief again. The surviving New York City blocks remained standing for many decades despite Loki`s frequent visits.

  With time, a Budapest Trickster 1.0 was added to the line up. Its sales surpassed those of the Budapest Widow and Budapest Ant combined and 75% of its proceeds went to wolf and snake habitat conservation. 

“I didn’t do it for you, you great oaf,” Loki grumbled when Thor found out. 

“I know, Loki. I am glad there is still good in you,” Thor responded, beaming. Loki had had no response to that. 

New Budapest Cap models were never made. Tony offered to update the Budapest Cap 5.0 when Steve first came back but the captain refused, saying the model he had was good enough. Tony didn’t push. Soon after, the Cap 5.0 was pulled from the store shelves due to poor sales. By the time Steve realized his mistake, it was too late to fix it. When he requested a better paintball gun, Tony asked for ideas about what improvements he wanted. 

“Just make it better. Do what you did with the others,” Cap demanded. "Or let me use someone else's."

“No can do--those ideas are patented and there's a one gun of each model limit in the Tower,” Tony responded. “Come up with something new, though, and I’ll make it.”

“You didn’t make the others do that!” Cap argued.

“Actually, he did punk,” Bucky said from behind Cap. 

Tony cocked his head in agreement with Bucky’s words and left, the tablet with ideas for paintball gun improvements in his hands. Bucky followed close behind.

Steve stopped participating in the paintball matches a few months later once it became clear he could neither avoid losing a match spectacularly nor improve his gun in an original way and was an annoyance to the rest of the team. Training in sparring rings and the gym became much more common after that but the team building that made the Avengers a family still happened in the paintball arena. 

A night 5 years after the fateful conversation that started it all found Tony, Stephen, Pepper, Bucky, Scott, Janet, Peter, Ned, MJ, Nat, Clint, Fury, Coulson, Hill, Thor, Loki and Bruce resting on various couches and love seats watching Star Wars Episodes 4-6. There was enough commentary, conversation and bickering to make watching the movies nearly impossible but when everyone paused in their own time to observe the scene that night, they all came to the same conclusion: this was Budapest 3.0 and it was perfect.