Work Text:
Nesting material
It began slowly.
In fact Tony was the one who couldn't find his favorite Black Sabbath t-shirt. Which was strange because he wore the thing constantly.
He was still trying to figure it out when Nat came in complaining that she couldn't find her favorite knife. She was sure that she left it with the rest of her gear on the jet after the last mission.
Bruce was the next one to get hit. Instead of his shirt going missing it was a hulk sized blanket. One that he kept in in the lab.
He didn't often sleep in the lab. But when the group got gassed or Loki brought an alien plant down to earth he would often sleep in there.
"Has anyone else gotten hit by the thief?"
Tony looked around the room. The others all shook there heads.
"Wait, where's trinity?" Tony joked around calling her that when he found out she was a master of survival.
"I'm not sure. Friday?"
"Miss y/n has asked me to relay that she is ok."
"That doesn't sound good. What was her last location?"
By now, Steve, Sam, Wanda, Rhody, vision and Bucky where all worried.
"Now that I think about it I haven't seen her in a while."
Before anyone could say a word Nick entered. Minus his normal coat.
"Stark, you got a thief in the tower. They took my coat and where thinking about taking my eyepatch too. I want them found!"
"We are working on it Sir."
"Good."
Nick turned and left.
"Alright. Let's search the tower for y/n. She can't have gone far."
"Ok. Sam, Bucky and I will take floors twenty to thirty. Wanda, Vision, you two take twenty to ten. Tony, you and Rhodey take ten to one. Open communications and we will have Nat and Clint join up when they get here from there mission."
Y/n had her nest in the perfect spot. A forgotten storage area on one of the floors. Friday had helped her out with finding the place. She was sure that Tony had entirely forgotten about the place.
As the only person on the team with extreme instinct she wanted to feel safe an secure. She tried to nest in her room. But it just didn't feel right. After many late night conversations with Friday the AI helped her with finding a safe location to call her own for her nest.
Friday also suggested that she find items from the rest of her pack to help her nest. Something from each of them to help her out.
Y/n didn't really get heats. But when she does they knock her on her ass for a month. Friday sent the silent alarm to Nick twice since she joined the team. Each of them leaving her in agony and a sprained wrist.
Y/n slipped into the hallway. Headed towards Steve's room. As tempting as it was to steal his shield she instead stole a pair of his pants. Going into the room next to his she 'borrowed' Bucky's body pillow.
She had to swallow a purr at the scent of him. Some reason his scent above all others kept her calm.
Situating things in the nest y/n curled up on her side and napped.
The team gavthered back in the common area. Bucky was the last one to enter.
"Could it be that y/n is our thief?"
Everyone just looked at him.
"What makes you say that?" Wanda asks.
"One of my pillows is missing. And we have yet to see her."
"That does seem logical. However we searched the entire tower and have yet to find her."
"Friday, are you sure y/n is still in the tower?"
"Yes mister stark. She hasn't left the tower."f
"The where the fuck is she?"
The team kept an eagle eye out for her. None of them seeing her. Bucky was beginning to get very worried for her. Distress filling him.
The entire team got called out for a mission. Y/n didn't need to go because this was more physical then intellectual. Besides she couldn't really fight.
Wanda and Vision made there way to there room. Wanda opened the door and smiled.
Sleeping in the middle of her bed with Bucky's body pillow was y/n sound asleep.
"Should I move her?"
"No vision. Let her sleep. We haven't seen her in a month. If this is what she needs then let her be."
Just as Wanda turns to leave y/n whimpers. Pulling the pillow tighter into her chest. Squeezing it with her legs.
Entering the room Wanda closes the door and moves over to her.
"Y/n?" Wanda watches as y/n slowly opens her eyes. Only to close them again when she sees Wanda.
"Sorry."
"We were worried about you y/n. We couldn't find you for weeks. Where where you?"
Y/n sat up and gave a slow stretch.
"I was building a nest. Don't know why though. It's not something I've ever done before."
Wanda went to sit next to her. Looking at her face half covered by one of Buckys stolen hoodies.
"Do you feel safe with me y/n?"
"I do. But I also feel safe with Bucky as well. Out of everyone."
"May I touch you?"
"Yeah."
Wanda put her hand on her back. Slowly rubbing it. Y/n closed her eyes and let her head fall onto Wanda's shoulder. Wanda shifts and hugs y/n.
"Y/n. Forgive me for asking but is this the first time you've nested?"
A loud whine is her answer.
"Y/n?" The pair look up. Seeing Bucky at the doorway.
Bucky looks at Wanda and she gives him a nod. Entering then closing the door Bucky makes his way over to them and quickly wraps his arms around y/n.
As quick as the whine started it stopped. A purr filling the room.
Warm.
Safe.
Y/n became lost in her instinct. Not realizing how far she drifted.
When she opened her eyes she was between Wanda and Bucky. Laying on her back with each of them next to her. The pair holding hands to keep her there.
"Hey doll. How are you feeling?"
"Better. Floaty." Bucky chuckled while Wanda smiled. "Never felt like this before."
"Honey, I need to ask. Is this the first time you've felt safe?"
Both Wanda's and Buckys hearts broke at her nod. Bucky sits up and pulls her to him. Y/ns nose automatically going to his neck.
She begins to feel floaty again. Warm, safe. Loved.
When she opens her eyes again she's in a different room. One that smells of Bucky.
"Friday?"
"Sargent Barnes and Miss Wanda moved you into his room after your second...episode. Wanda went to get a few of your things from your room and Sargent Barnes went to get some water and food."
"How long was I out?"
"Two hours. Sargent Barnes speculated that since you felt safest near him and Miss Wanda your body is naturally beginning to regulate its self."
"Feeling better doll?"
"Yes." She's sitting on the bed and Bucky hands her a bottle of body armor to drink.
"Just do you know. Wanda and I aren't mad. You do what you have to. Though I need to ask. You see the team as pack don't you?"
"I do. But you and Wanda feel the safest."
"Ok. Do you have one item from each team member for your nest?"
"Not yet. I just need something from Sam. Then a bunch of things from my room."
"Ok."
Y/n slowly joined the team more and more often. Having come to terms with her want to nest. She had ordered a few things to help her out. And having been left on missions more often then not, said items would help her in the long run.
Bonus:
Pepper was handed a box from Tony saying that it was something that she had ordered. Not thinking of it she went to the common area where she was sandwiched between Wanda and Bucky.
"Y/n?" Pepper calls. When y/n sees the box the other woman was holding she jumps to her feet and darts over to Pepper.
"Thanks Pep!" Y/n goes darting off towards her nest.
"Think that's the final pieces that she needed?"
"I think that's a safe bet. Maybe now she will let us into her nest."
"Maybe."
Just then Tony comes in with a screen hovering above his watch.
"Everyone ready to see where y/n keeps hiding?"
Everyone minus the four left on the couch jump up and fallow Tony. Bucky and Wanda sharing the same oh shit look on there faces.
The team nears y/ns nest and Wanda quickly puts them in mid air.
"Guys leave her alone. She's settling."
"She's been here for years already. She's had plenty of time to do it. Now drop us witchy woman."
"No. I don't know what her childhood was like but let her perfect her nest first. Let her get use to the idea first. She's claimed both Bucky and I as safe. Let her be."
Tony paled at Wanda's words. If she claimed them..
"You and the tin man better take care of her. Got it!"
Everyone looked at Tony's sudden change of tone. Both Wanda and Bucky gave his words a nod.
"Sargent Barnes, Wanda, Y/n would like to let you know that she is nesting right now. She also give you two permission to see her nest if you need to check up on her."
Friday fell silent about y/n after that. Not too long after night fell and both Wanda and Bucky where worried. Both of them agreeing to go see her and try to get her to come down for dinner.
Wanda covered her mouth smiling at the sight of y/n in her nest. Laying on Bruce's blanket with Buckys body pillow under her head. Steve's pants on said body pillow Nats knife and Clint's bow at the edge of the nest within reach if she needed it.
Tucked along the edge several on each side of her looking towards the door where mini plushies of the team. Including Nick.
Nestled in the middle was y/n wearing Tony's Black Sabbath t-shirt and one of Wanda's plaid button down shirts.
Asleep.