Chapter Text
It all started on the night before Halloween with something weirdly domestic, especially for them. They were all sitting together in the living room. Yelena was smack-dab in between her dad and Ava, a bowl of barely buttered popcorn sitting tilted in her lap.
Bob was still getting the hang of the popcorn machine. Not that she could really blame the guy. It could really be difficult sometimes. Adjusting to the world after the Void situation hadn’t been easy. For any of them.
They were watching some movie she was barely paying attention to…E.T.? Maybe?
She was more interested in trying to dig out the pieces of popcorn that had the most butter, which was a worthy challenge.
This movie had been John’s pick, shocking them all. He seemed more the type of guy to go for an action movie. Go figure.
Bucky’s voice caught her ears. “Trick or treating really didn’t change much, did it?”
“People get a little crazier with their costumes nowadays, but other than that, no, not really.” John replied around a mouthful of popcorn. “I bet costumes from the forties were lame as hell.”
“Were not,” Bucky retorted.
Yelena winced. “Chew with your mouth closed, John.”
He turned and stuck his tongue out at her, coincidentally covered in food.
She groaned. “Eugh. Disgusting.”
“Really makes you feel like you’re talking to a child huh.” Ava laughed.
“You know, back in Russia, they didn’t do any of this…”Trick of treating,” but when we went undercover in America, I won school’s best costume competition.” Alexei bragged, his voice easily booming over the movie.
“You were dressed as a corn cob.” Yelena noted, fondly remembering the day. “I think I was dressed as…a very poorly done Flounder. Natasha wanted to be Ariel.”
“You looked beautiful, even as fish.” Alexei elbowed her.
Yelena scoffed. “What about you guys? What were your favorite Halloween costumes?”
“I used to dress up as my favorite baseball player, Joe DiMaggio.” Bucky confessed. “Wore the number 5 jersey and everything.”
“Did it kill you when you found out he was dead?” John laughed, making Ava kick him with the heel of her foot.
“What about you, Bob?” Yelena asked, looking at him curled up in the recliner. He was slightly zoned out of the conversation, staring at the ceiling.
“Hm? What?”
“Your favorite Halloween costume, what was it?”
He thought for a moment, a distant look in his eyes. “I’m not really sure. I think maybe one time I was a zombie?”
Everyone murmured quiet approvals.
“Well John, since you wanted to brag about your costumes being so much better, what were they?” Bucky asked, looking at John from the corner of his eye.
John suddenly looked sheepish. “Well— you know, like—”
“Well?” Yelena asked, a smirk creeping on her lips. “We’re waiting.”
John looked down and when he finally spoke it was quiet and with an embarrassed tone. “I dressed up as Captain America.”
Everyone burst into sudden laughter.
“What a cruel show of irony, eh?” Ava teased.
“Well what about you, Ava? Since you have so much to say?” John needled, glaring holes in the side of her head.
Ava shrugged. Something in her gaze was sad. “Not really a lot of opportunities for trick or treating in a S.H.I.E.L.D facility.”
Yelena’s head whipped around. “You’ve never gone trick or treating?”
Ava looked back towards the T.V and shook her head. “Nope.”
“That is so disappointing.” Alexei shook his head. “We must remedy this. Tomorrow is the night of Halloween!”
“You know, the guy has a point.” Bucky murmured. He elbowed Ava. “We could get you out there.”
Ava scoffed. “Yeah, a group of adult vigilantes going out to trick or treat. That will go over well. The government would just be thrilled with us. Plus...you know, we don’t have any costumes.”
“Oh, come on.”
“Booo!”
“You can’t be serious!”
“That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard!” Yelena groaned. “I can come up with costumes. Bob will help. Right, Bob?”
Bob looked over again. “What are we talking about?”
“Come on, Bobby, get with the program.” John teased. “We’re talking about trick or treating.”
Yelena mindlessly pulled up her phone and clicked on Google. Her fingers typed in “Halloween costumes for group of 6.” and tapped search.
A few boring things came up. My Little Ponies. Toy Story. Super Mario. Avengers–
Wait. “Guys, what if we go as the Avengers?”
“Pffft… You are funny, daughter.” Alexei guffawed, slapping his knee. “Us! Go as the Avengers!”
“You know, that’s not actually a bad idea.” John said, stroking his chin. “I could be Captain America, obviously.”
“Woah, woah, who’s saying that you would get to be Cap?” Bucky interjected. “I was the closest to him, so—”
“But like I was Captain America.”
“For like five minutes.”
“Boys!” Yelena rolled her head back and groaned. “You can both be Captain, if it matters that much.”
They both glared at each other for a solid minute before Bucky tensed his jaw and looked away.
“Whatever. He can be Captain.”
“You should be Hawkeye.” Ava teased.
“Could I be Dr. Banner?” Bob asked shyly. “Unless, like, someone else already has dibs.”
“Dude, who else could be Dr. Banner?” Yelena said, shooting him a smile.
“Just don’t turn into your alter ego.” John quipped.
Yelena glared at him. "Really, John?"
“I would like to be Thor! We are very similar, you know. Both very muscular, popular with the ladies…” Alexei began, trying to ease the tension.
“Ewww, dad!” Yelena shoved her dad’s head off of her shoulder. “Gross!”
“So, it’s settled. We’re going trick or treating tomorrow. As the Avengers.” John stated, his eyes drifting back towards the movie. “This should be fun.”