I attempted not to pay attention to the many Wakandians going about their daily business around me as I absentmindedly stare out across the city. I know I'm surely a spectacle to the locals, standing by the floor to ceiling windows coated with a layer of ash along with the accompanying odor of smoke. I look sorely out of place here. Even as I stand, thinking of all the recent news in my life, I can feel their eyes lingering on my back and their scrutinization thick in the air. I can't blame them though. They have every right. This is their home and I'm a foreigner here, seeking refuge within their graces for the time being. Not to mention, as far as they know, the lot of us are criminals in the eyes of the world. Now we have to prove ourselves, our ideals, and what we truly stand for. However, I have this deep-rooted feeling we won't be here too long. It isn't often that my gut feelings are incorrect.

"Clint turned the hot water off." A growly, Sokovian accent rumbles behind me in distaste. A knowing smile erupts on my lips, my hand hovering over my chin as my eyes come back into focus on the city.

"How long were you just standing under the water after washing off, Pie?" My left brow lifts questioningly as I side-eye him from where he stands at my right, arms crossed defensively and hair still damp. "Besides, Clint didn't turn off the hot water." I correct, shifting my weight to my left leg as I tilt my torso in the speedster's direction to fully look at his face. His eyebrows pull together in question. "Clint had Natasha turn the hot water off." I grin snarkily at him.

"I wasn't even in there for that long." He grumbles, sounding defeated, without commenting on the devious duo and their antics.

"I assume Clint's taking his shower now?" I inquire, adopting a softer tone to diffuse his brooding.

"Yup." He releases a long exhale, closing his eyes momentarily as if to allow all the stress over the past few hours to escape. "I'd probably be hugging you right now if you weren't coated in ash and dust, just by the way." He informs me with upturned lips, not in a malicious way, but rather in a friendly teasing way. I scoff at him lightly.

"If you can't handle me at my worst, Maximoff, you don't deserve me at my best." I tell him, waving my hand at him in an almost dismissive manner, playfulness evident in my tone.

"Iris, I've seen you at your worst." The blonde tells me in a gentle tone as he reaches over and places his index finger under my chin so I look him in the eyes. I exhale and smile sadly at him. He's definitely seen me at my various stages of "worse". "It's when you haven't eaten breakfast yet." The softness of his eyes quickly dissipates and is replaced with amused teasing. I shake my head and gently shove him away from me.

"Punk." I grumble as he cackles beside me. This is why I love him. He can turn dreary circumstances into laughable ones in an attempt to shift the mood. That and obviously I can't leave my padawan hanging as his sarcasm training has only just begun. "Hey, do you hear that?" I whisper as he quiets down.

"What?" The male twin questions suspiciously.

"That dull sound of brooding accentuated by the United States national anthem and eagle screeching." I murmur and cast a look over my shoulder to see the lonely Human Torch.

"Oh, yes. Now that you mention it..." Pietro agrees as he turns to face the rugged looking Rogers. "Steve." Maximoff curtly acknowledges Cap with a small nod in his direction.

"Pietro, Iris." The ex-Captain America addresses the two of us, exhaustion thick in his voice.

"You look dead on your feet, dude. What's up?" I question as he stands at Pietro's shoulder, the two men sharing a look while I turn my attention away from them.

"How are you feeling?" Deflection. Was there a fire somewhere that needed to be put out that he didn't want to explicitly tell me about? Hmm...

"Numb. Like this isn't real, or just a really twisted dream state. It hasn't settled in yet, but I'm sure it will. I've never really had to deal with loss before, so I'm not entirely sure what my mental state's gonna be like in the next few hours, honestly." I drop my hand from hovering over my chin and tuck my hands under my arms, firmly holding my file still. "But that's why I've got Pietro." I smile to myself and listen as Steve claps my boyfriend on the shoulder encouragingly. "Now, what's eating away at you, Rogers? And don't say nothing or I'll smack you in the ankles with a broomstick, hear?" I finally force myself to look away from the dreamy scenery to face the two rugged appearing men to my right. Steve takes a long inhale, his chest expanding before stalling for a few seconds before the following exhale forces his lungs to deflate.

"They thought they had found a solution to Bucky's mind control, but..." He trails off in a defeated shake of the head while looking to his feet.

"It wasn't a viable solution." I finish for him, the corner of my lips turning downward in a half frown. "I know, T'Challa took me to see him earlier." I inform the two of them, which causes both males to look at me questioningly. Why would the Wakandian King take me of all people to see Bucky? It's not like I had any real connection to him...right? Hahaha, just you wait boys.

"Iris?" Our trio turns to face the newest person approaching our position. One-armed wonder is making his way in our direction hesitantly. He's no longer dressed in his white ensemble, but now in a pair of dark pants and a gray sweater that has one of the sleeves pinned up.

"Ayyyeee, look at you, a functioning member of society." I declare, my previously dreary appearance brightening as I watch Barnes flush an embarrassed rosy pink. I can tell he knows I mean what I said with sincerity and not with hostility.

"I just heard what happened with Carter, are you alright?" I stiffen at my father's words, my nails digging into my arms to ground me. I force a smile and lift my shoulders in a half-hearted shrug.

"I...I'm, well, yeah I don't know. I was just telling Pie and Steve here that I've never dealt with loss before so I'm not sure what I'm going to be feeling. At the moment I just feel numb." I inform him, attempting to keep my voice from wavering under the pressure of welling emotions. "How about you? I thought for sure they'd be putting you back under until they figured something else out."

"I decided to become a functioning member of society while you troublemakers were here. Told T'Challa I'd keep you out of trouble." He jokes tensely, looking between the three of us. Steve looks relieved and proud, while Pietro seems to silently bristle. Why? Not sure.

"I've been trying to do that for years. Have fun with that." The echoing voice of Natasha rings through the open space as she, Clint, Scott, Wanda, and Sam come waltzing in our direction. All of them seemingly have cleaned themselves up, leaving Steve and I looking like we just rolled around in a teen's drunken bonfire. Even as more people enter our little corner of the Wakandian palace, Barnes doesn't seem to grow any more rigid. I'm not sure if he's just hiding his discomfort or if he's really grown to trust us. He turns to face the new arrivals before backing up so he's standing closer to our trio by the windows. Sam and Scott have a seat on one of the white couches against the back wall while Clint and Natasha remain standing. Wanda hesitates before eventually sitting in one of the armchairs. Steve turns a curious eye in Barnes' and my direction. The look on his face is screaming that he knows something's up, but he isn't sure what.

"I'm assuming you told them?" Barnes whispers slowly in my direction while everybody seems to stare.

"What? No." I look at him incredulously, shaking my head. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to keep it on the down low so I kept my mouth shut." I whisper quickly, shifting my weight.

"Tell us what?" Pietro asks in a mix of suspicion and defensiveness.

"Iris is my biological daughter." Barnes lays it out straight, voice even and relaxed as if it's no big deal. I cough to cover up the beginnings of cackling laughter. Clint, of course, is not surprised at all since he was there for the original delivery of the news. Natasha lifts a brow and squints at us. Wanda claps her hands together and leans forward, a shocked smile on her lips. Scott starts sputtering before his brain seemingly shuts off and he just passes out on the couch, much to my amusement. Sam rubs his chin, mumbling an 'I can see that.' And then there's Pietro and Steve. Pietro's eyes are so wide and his posture is so tense it's like he's mimicking a rubber band as he stares at his sister in a silent plea for help. Wanda's excitement evaporates and is replaced by uncontained laughing at her brother's position in all of this. Meanwhile, Steve stares at Barnes and me with an expression best described at the dial-up tone of an old phone.

"Surprise!" I remove my hands from under my arms fan the fingers of my free hand out. Oh boy, what a day.

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AN;

You know, I wasn't entirely sure who'd Iris' parents were gonna be when I began her story. However, after seeing the picture for this chapter, I was like aw yis Bucky could totally be her dad now, and as for her mom...well I guess you'll just have to wait and see c;

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for all your hilarious comments which keep me laughing c: I appreciate you taking time out of your days to read this and vote on it. I'm so pleased you all are enjoying yourselves here ❤️

Prompts;

* Buck goes to express his sorrow about Carter's passing?

* Possible IrisxBucky hug??? We'll see....

* Steve freedom senses are a tingling

* Bucky quietly asks if she's told the team about their situation

* Iris tells Bucky she didn't because she didn't know if he wanted them to know

* WHOOP TIME TO DROP THE NEWS YE HAW

* Scott passes out heeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy

* Pietro probably is screaming like a child on the inside

* Wanda's near death laughing at Pietro

* Steve's just *dial-up tone*