Wolf Spider

He's Like Me

-Peter's P.O.V-

It had been an hour since Thor and Loki came to the Compound. Peter was now reading one of Wanda's books, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and so far Peter was enjoying it. The music was still playing, but it was more of a background noise now. There just to drown out the noise of the yelling. A few pages later, and soon Peter noticed that the only noise there was, was the music. "They stopped," Peter announced, looking up from his book.

"What?" Wanda asked, looking up from her own book.

"They stopped fighting," Peter repeated, "FRIDAY, turn off the music. Please." When the music turned off, he tilted his head, face going blank as he focused on listening to the voices. He could feel Wanda turn to face him, as she sat across from him.

"Clint, let's go talk, okay?" Natasha comforted.

There was a silence, and Peter could picture Natasha leading Clint somewhere. "Clint's upset," Peter murmured to Wanda, "Natasha went to go comfort him."

"Where are Peter and Wanda?" Steve asked.

"They're wondering where we are," Peter added.

"Wanda took Peter somewhere. I think I know where," James answered.

Peter heard two sets of footsteps start to walk. They were heavy, even footed. "James and Steve are coming here," Peter mumbled. He stopped focusing on his hearing. "What are they going to do?"

Wanda put her book down, "Most likely fill us in on what happened."

Peter nodded, and clutched his pillow tight to his chest. He suddenly felt unnerved. Was he supposed to listen in on the conversation? Was it bad that he did that, and would he punished for doing so? No, James said that he was safe here, and they wouldn't punish him if he was safe.

There was a knock at the door. "Wanda, Peter are you in there?" James asked from behind the door.

Wanda shot Peter a look, and when Peter nodded she spoke, "Come in."

The door opened, and James and Steve walked in. "Are you two okay?" James asked. They walked over to stand by the bed.

"I believe so," Wanda answered after another short look at Peter. "What did you all talk about?"

Steve sighed, and rubbed his eyes. "Loki," He answered, "Many of us weren't that happy about how Thor brought him here."

"Were you one of them?" Peter asked.

Steve nodded, "Yes, I didn't like how Thor brought him here without asking any of us. Loki attacked New York, and tried to kill us."

Peter made sure to keep his face blank as he held back a flinch. He had tried to kill them as well, but they didn't hate him like this. Did they? Peter couldn't be so sure, maybe they only put up with him because of James. Maybe they were just keeping him around until they found a better place to keep him.

"I did too," Wanda spoke up. "As did Peter and Bucky. What makes Loki different?" Wanda asked. She looked tense, but defiant. Inside, Peter was glad she had spoke up. He knew Wanda's past, and he also knew that they were in similar situations.

"He controlled people. He had a staff, and he used it to put people under his control. Clint, and Dr. Selvig, were among the many. Coulson- He killed a very good man. A man who didn't deserve to die," Steve explained.

'Does any good man deserve to die?' Peter thought. It was something that Peter used to think about a lot. He'd killed people. At first he thought they were all good, and that they didn't deserve to die, but then he killed a man that was head of another terrorist organization that wouldn't join HYDRA. Then he didn't know what he was doing anymore.

Although now Peter understood what was going on a little better. It was partially because the man had attacked a friend. It was personal. It was also because Steve was Captain America. Even Peter knew that the man had strong morals.

"Thor wouldn't bring him by without reasoning though. Why?" Wanda asked.

Steve hesitated here, "Loki... wasn't acting on his own will during The Battle of New York. Apparently someone else forcing him to."

"So he's like me," Peter finally stated.

"What?" Steve asked. Peter immediately glanced down at his pillow. He could tell James and Wanda got what he was saying, but Steve was the odd one out in the room. Everything was always his choice. From becoming Captain America, to becoming an Avenger. Wanda, James, and Peter were never asked. They were all forced to save the world. James may have chosen to join the Army, but he never chose to become the Winter Soldier.

"He was forced to do bad things by bad people too."

-Clint's P.O.V-

Clint stormed outside to the archery range in the field, Natasha easily keeping up with him. She wasn't protesting Clint going to the range, she knew that Clint needed to blow off steam. Clint couldn't care less that he had stormed out of the room in anger. He needed to get out of there before he took out his emotions on someone who didn't deserve it.

Once he was outside he clipped the quiver he had on his back off. FRIDAY must have known what Clint was planning on doing because the small hidden compartment that was normally under the ground was already up, along with a target about thirty yards away. Without a word, he started the rhythm of grabbing an arrow, aiming, and shooting.

Grab, aim, shoot.

Grab, aim, shoot.

Grab, aim, shoot.

On and on Clint did this until the first batch of arrows were stuffed on the target. Before a new target and a new set of arrows could come up, Natasha gently placed her hand on Clint's shoulder. "Clint," She said simply.

"What, Nat?" He asked, voice coming out harsher than he thought it would. "I think I'm allowed to take my anger out on this target. You didn't stop me earlier in the hall, so why try to stop me now?" She honestly could have tried to stop him, the whole march down to the field was blurry.

"I wasn't going to stop you," Natasha explained, "I was going to say that your hands are going to blister if you don't put on the proper gear."

Clint felt a pang of guilt before putting on the glove that he always had on him. When Natasha didn't say anything else, he continued his rhythm. Going through two more sets of arrows before sitting on one of the nearby benches. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Natasha sit next to him, and hand him a bottle of water. "Not even going to ask where you got that," He mumbled before draining the bottle.

The two sat there silently, watching nothing. "Loki is here," Clint finally whispered. He couldn't really believe it, but he wasn't going to deny it. That never made anything better.

"He is," Natasha confirmed, voice equally soft. Neither of them were looking at each other.

Clint sighed, and leaned against Natasha. She turned a bit, and hugged him. Running her fingers through his hair. They stayed in that position for a while. Not moving until the sun had started to set, and the first noises of owls filled the air.