Chapter Text
Sam sat on his bed, boxes surrounding him, when Steve walked in, having just got back from a surveillance mission in Romania.
“Hey Sam, how are you doing--,” Steve trailed off. “What’s going on here, Sam?”
“I’m moving out. I’ve been evicted,” Sam said grumpily.
Logically, Sam knew that Scott was right, that what they did was wrong. After that phone call, Sam had a hard reality check when he called his sister to vent, and he realized just what a privileged life he had been living, had been taking for granted. Now, Sam knew that Tony gave him an amazing deal, and that leaving the Avengers was a small price to pay compared to the prison time he was facing, but it still stung, having to leave his home, his family, so abruptly.
As Steve’s face grew confused, Sam knew he should explain, give more than just some self-pitying answer.
“I...I broke the law, a while ago,” seeing Steve’s shocked face, Sam steeled himself and continued, “Scott, Ant-Man, before we knew him officially, broke into the compound to steal a signal decoy that was stored here. I saw him coming, and we fought, but he managed to get in and steal the thing. He said he was trying to save the world, and it was true! But, I never told anyone about it, and Stark found out.”
Sam looked down, regretting not having told Steve or Agent Hill as soon as it happened. He knew why he didn’t. He didn’t want anyone to know that some new, untrained superhero had managed to beat him, an Avenger, in a fight. He didn’t want Agent Hill to know, in case she decided that he was just a replaceable civilian, not Avengers material. That, and he didn’t want Steve to be disappointed in him, for not stopping Scott.
Heaving a sigh, Sam continued, “Stark called Scott and I. He laid out the charges he could file, and then offered us a deal. Tony wouldn’t formally charge us, as long as we forfeit the right to enter all Stark Industry Properties, including this Compound.”
Steve Rogers was seething with anger.
“Stark has no right! He can’t just tell you where you can and can’t go! He can’t kick you out of your home! He’s not even an Avenger anymore, he doesn’t get a say in how things are run, and who gets to live here. I’ll set him straight. I’ll make sure he lets go of his damn ego.”
“Steve, you can’t fight this,” Sam said, resigned, “it’s Stark’s company, his property, he can do what he likes. And we have been living here, using all the amenities, rent free. We even use his money for groceries! He has every right to kick me out. What if Scott wasn’t a good guy, what if he used what he stole to hurt people, to kill people? That blood would have been on my hands, and I would have let Scott get away!”
“Ant-Man is a reserve Avenger, not some criminal. You trusted your gut. No one should chastise you for that! Tony is just being selfish. This is the Avengers Compound. That means, what I say goes. I’m in charge around here. Tony can’t kick you out, this is Avengers property.”
Knowing he was just feeding flames to the fire, Sam blurted out, “It’s not. It’s a Stark Industries Warehouse, technically. So Tony can still do what he wants.”
With a disappointed look on his face, Steve said, “Of course it is. Tony just can’t let go. He always wants to have a hand in everything. I’ll make sure everything is handed over to me. Tony obviously can’t be trusted with this kind of responsibility.”
Sam felt a mix of fear and elation, glad that Captain America had his back. “Listen Steve, I don’t want to antagonize Tony further. What if he really snaps, and just has me arrested? I don’t want to risk it. But, I… I can still be an Avenger, right, even though I don’t live here anymore?”
Steve got a guilty look on his face. “Well, I mean, it’ll be hard, if you can’t live here and train with us. Maybe you can be a reserve, like Scott?” Steve finished, with a hopeful look on his face.
With a dark look, Sam said, “Scott told me he’s going to quit. Being threatened with jail time was enough to make him second guess whether he should be a superhero, what with his kid and all. So, er, I really can’t stay on, as a full-time Avenger, once I leave?”
Steve got that guilty look on his face again, and Sam felt his heart drop into his stomach. It must have shown on his face, because Steve said, “Don’t worry, Sam, I’ll get Tony to see what a jerk he’s being. You’ll be unpacking again in no time.”
With one last, pitiful smile, Steve left, heading towards the east wing’s living area, where Tony would have to cross through to give Sam the papers to sign.
Tony did not want to be here. Sadly, he lost a game of rock, paper, scissors with Maria Hill, so now here he was, back at the Avengers Compound, as it had been named. Tony wished he could have just sent the papers through email or a messenger, but either himself or Maria had to be present to witness a resignation from the Avengers, as the head of SI and the head of the Avenger’s department at SI, respectively.
Going through the back door, Tony hoped he could sneak his way into Sam’s room, and avoid everyone else, but luck was not on his side. As Tony entered the living area, he knew he was in for a long one.
Rogers was pacing back and forth, and twitching like they were itching for a fight. When he spots Tony, he stationed himself in front of the door to Sam’s room, arms crossed. Knowing Steve wouldn’t budge, Tony decides to initiate the conversation. Get it over and done with, that's what Jarvis used to say.
“Capsicle, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Not expecting Tony to play nice, Steve seemed to do a mental regroup, to rethink his tactics.
“Listen, Tony, we need to talk.”
“Do we though?”
Gritting his teeth, Steve painfully replied, “Yes, Tony, we do. I just talked to Sam.”
“Well, I’m sure Sam explained everything to you. No need to go over it again.”
No such luck. Steve replied, “No Tony, you aren’t going to weasel your way out of this one. You can’t kick Sam out, this is the Avengers Compound. I am the leader of the Avengers, I get to decide who can live here, and I get to decide who gets to be an Avenger. You’re not an Avenger anymore, so you can’t bully Sam into doing what you want.”
Steve had a righteous look on his face, thinking his logic was so superior that Tony would agree and concede. Unfortunately for Steve, Tony was done playing games and catering to Steve’s every whim.
“I’m sorry, bully? Is that what you call giving someone a way to get out of jail for crimes they did commit? I would actually call that mercy, wouldn’t you? Oh, I’m not finished. This may be called the Avengers Compound, but it’s an SI warehouse, you know, Stark Industries, the company my father founded and I built up? Pretty sure I can do whatever I want with the place. Maybe I should just gut it and turn it into a clownhouse. Oh wait, it already is. Get out of my way. Now.”
Tony did not hesitate, storming towards the door, and thankfully, a stunned Steve moved out of the way on instinct. Inside Sam’s room, Tony had Sam sign the paperwork, signing himself as the official witness. Wanting to get home and put this all behind him, Tony tried to leave quickly, but he had to go back the way he came. Tony prayed to the AI gods that the Entitled Icicle wasn’t still out there, but of course, there Steve sat, waiting for Tony to return. Tony sighed, cursing his luck.
Steve didn’t waste a second this time.
“We need to transfer the Compound into the Avenger’s name,” Steve said, looking like he was ready for a fight.
Tony’s face broke into a smile. “That is amazing news. Let’s do it.”
“Wait, really? Just like that? I know how fragile your ego is, Tony.”
Deciding to ignore the dig, Tony said, “Yes, of course. So, who did you find to be your financial backer? What does Agent Hill think of your new employer?”
“What? Tony, don’t be ridiculous! I just want to change the name. You said this was legally your property, but it should be the Avengers. I’m just looking out for you, I know you're not great with responsibility. I mean, look at how you’re treating Sam. He’s a good person. He deserves to live here.”
“Not great with responsibility, huh? Well, not like I was Iron Man for years or anything. Or ran a billion-dollar company from the age of 17. None of that rings a bell? Oh well. I guess it was too much to hope that you found someone to take on the Avengers. I’ve got to say, I’m pretty tired of cleaning up your messes. From what I hear, you forgot to mention your last ‘mission’ to Agent Hill. You know, the person who actually gives you and approves your missions? The Romanian government was not impressed. At this rate, I’m surprised she hasn’t quit. I don’t suppose you told Agent Hill about your plans to separate the Avengers from SI.”
“I don’t have to tell her anything. That mission was Avengers business, and as the leader, all Avenger missions go through me, and me alone. Look Tony, just give me whatever I have to sign to transfer the Compound into the Avengers name. Of course we aren’t going to get someone else to pay for everything, we have you. You’re just being stubborn.”
Scathingly, Tony replied, “Alright Rogers, let's go over the facts, shall we? This building is still listed as an SI warehouse, yes? So, SI is able to cover the bills, which are very expensive, might I add, since it’s listed as a company property. All the equipment you use and the quinjet and cars are SI property as well, and are expensed as such. Now, since Agent Hill is running the Avengers and their finances from a branch within SI, that creates a conflict of interest if I am to buy this property out from SI. Not to mention, since you seem to believe I will be the one to financially carry this facility, I would have to be the one on the paperwork, not ‘Avengers’ or ‘Steve Rogers’. Since I would be using my personal money now, not company funds, that makes me your landlord. And like any good landlord, I would have to start charging you rent. Do you have the half a million dollars it costs to live here? No? I didn’t think so. Not only that, but I would have to charge you for the equipment and the quinjet. Now that would be even more pricey. And don’t get me started on the wormhole we’d end up in with a private citizen running the Avengers and providing them with high-tech weaponry, with no oversight. Is that really the path you want to go down?”
“And on the subject of money, Maria asked me to tell you guys that all of your credit cards have been revoked and your access to the quinjet and new weaponry has been revoked. Something about expenses not lining up with sanctioned missions. She said if you want to buy anything, even extra food not provided in the basic groceries, you have to send a formal request to her. Same with using the quinjet or requesting new weaponry. You also have to provide valid reasons for broken or damaged weaponry.”
Tony smiled, reveling in Steve’s gobsmacked face. “Well, on that fun little note, I should probably take off. It’s Happy time.”
Leaving a fuming Rogers behind him, Tony took off, asking FRIDAY to redirect any calls from Rogers to Hill. Ha! Let her deal with him.
Tony took off in the Iron Man suit, getting to the Tower just in time.
“Hurry up Tony, the Downton Abbey cast interview is about to start. I don’t want to miss it! The show is so--”
“Elegant, I know, Happs. You want cheeseburgers?”
“Yeah, and fries.”
“FRI’s got you covered, ain’t that right darling?”
“Always Boss!”
Content, Tony sat on the couch, glad to be sitting with his best friend, far away from the Avengers and all their drama.
The End