The next few months seemed to fly by. I only went on simpler missions. No matter how much I complained about not being allowed to do any really interesting ones, I was glad. Easier missions equals less gunshot wounds i had to heal.
In between missions, I was seeing a therapist. She was helping me deal with everything. I felt a lot better after the first few sessions.
Instead of Loki messing with my mind, my nightmares went away naturally. I still had the odd one here and there but it was not often.
Before I knew it, it was time for the holidays. I soon learned that Christmas time at the avengers tower was no laughing matter.
"This is amazing." I said to Peter while sipping my tea.
"How long do you think they can do this for?"
"I don't know, their record is eight days."
"I'm surprised it's not longer."
We sat and watched Sam and Bucky argue over who gets to put the star on top of the tree.
"You did it last year!" Sam yelled at Bucky.
"That's because you do it crooked!" He shot back.
"It's my turn!"
"I feel like we should interrupt them." Peter whispered.
"No, it's like sleepwalking. You're just gonna get hurt."
"So we just let them keep going?"
"Usually Steve is the one who stops them."
Suddenly, a book flies into the back of Sam's head and makes him topple over on top of Bucky. Peter and I look to see Loki standing there.
"Thank you." I breathe.
"Their bickering is incessant." Loki complained. "You two are adults, act like it." Loki made the star disappear from their hands and reappear on top of the tree. "There, problem solved." Peter and I laughed at their faces.
"Are they finally done?" Dad asked, walking into the common room with Steve by his side.
"Yeah, Loki fixed it." Peter responded.
"You're welcome." Loki said with a smile.
Steve and Bucky sat on the couch next to Peter and I.
"Hey, Steve." I said.
"Yeah?"
"It's almost Christmas and I was wondering if you could answer a question."
"Go for it."
"What was Jesus like? I'm assuming you knew him."
Everyone bursted into laughter and Steve just sighed, clearly tired of us joking about his age.
"I feel like the age jokes are getting a little old." He quickly realized what he did when we started laughing again. "Why don't you do this to Bucky? He's older than me."
"Because Bucky doesn't act like an old man." Peter answered.
"Damn right." Bucky said with a smile.
"You guys are all assholes." Steve said before leaving.
"Did he just say a bad language word?" I asked.
"I'm appalled." Bucky responded.
"So disappointed." Peter added shaking his head.
We sat on the couch, admiring the neatly decorated tree and discussing holiday plans.
"Do we have to invite him?" Bucky whined.
"I live here jackass!" Sam yelled from the floor.
"Your point?"
Sam didn't reply, instead he grabbed a glass ornament and chucked it at Bucky's head. He moved out of the way in the nick of time. If looks could kill, Sam would be hanging out with Pietro right about now.
"Alright! Throwing glass is where I draw the line." Dad said. "Bird boy, clean that up. Icicle, go release your anger elsewhere." Sam grumble and swept up the broken glass while Bucky went to the gym.
"Where's Clint?" I asked. "I'm assuming the vents need decorating as well."
"With his family. He never spends holidays here." Dad answered.
"I still find it hard to believe that that man-child has a wife and kids."
"I know, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it."
"He named his son after me." Pietro suddenly appeared next to me, scaring the shit out of me.
"What did I tell you about doing that!?" I yelled, hitting him.
"Ow! Fine, I won't do it again!" I stopped hitting him and he rubbed his sore bicep.
"Ghost friend?" Dad asked.
"Soon to be ghost enemy." I mumbled.
"You know you love me." Pietro said, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Don't make me kill you again."
"Is that even possible?"
"Do you wanna find out?"
"I'm good." With that, he disappeared.
•••
Christmas came and gone, dad spared no expense on gifts. Peter and Ophelia spent Christmas with us, dad got them gifts too.
After Christmas, my birthday sped by in no time. It took lots of complaining and bargaining to convince dad not to throw a huge party. He finally caved and settled for a small party with just my friends and the avengers.
It was my sixteenth birthday so it was only appropriate that my dad got me a car. I don't even have my license yet but now I have a car to learn with. But who is lucky enough to teach me?
•••
"I'm never doing that again." Steve says as he sits down on a couch.
"I wasn't that bad." I whine.
"I was fearing for my life."
"You've lived this long, a car crash wouldn't kill you." I shrug.
"You'd find a way." He points at me.
"I take offense to that."
"He's right though, I thought I was gonna die again." Pietro adds.
"Stop complaining."