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Despite 'owning' Valentina, and wanting her head on a silver shield, appearances apparently needed to matter to everyone in the New Avengers. And so, photo shoots became the norm, pushing the gang of misfits into the public eye.
"And, one... two..." a flash, followed by a wave of groans.
"Wait, that was it? I was waiting for a 'three,' man," John Walker accused the camera person.
"The beats in between the countdown did awfully make a lot of sense, actually, Walker," Ghost sniped.
"Just do it again. The right way."
"Oh, now he's added photographer to his resume," a roll of eyes accompanied Yelena's remark, "Did you get into it after Captain America-ing for a week?"
"Watch it," John turned his body to face Yelena, but was immediately reeled in by Bucky.
"Just smile for the picture, Walker," Bucky sighed, a sound as aged as the man felt in these moments, surrounded by children such as the Thunderbolts*.
John flexed his arms out of Bucky's grip, "'m not smiling." Ahh, as petulant sounding as the aforementioned children.
"We haven't done a smiling one yet," Bob offered hopefully.
"What you mean no smiling one? I've been smiling every time," Alexei sounded downtrodden, betrayed by his kin.
"Enough! Okay, ready? One, two, three!" John blustered through the inane conversation to just get this over with, eyeing the camera person in the hopes they'd get the hint.
A flash.
"I blinked."
Ava laughed as Yelena smirked ever so subtly, as it was the Red Room's own who admitted her fault.
"Great," Walker glared at Yelena past a highly amused Ghost and a grinning Bob, "No, yeah, that's hilarious. Well done," he deadpanned.
"John, I think you would strengthen your reputation if you took a joke every now and again," Yelena commented.
"Quite hard since he's been the butt of the joke all this time," Ava added just under her breath, but loud enough so that the whole group could hear.
"Alright, you know what?" Walker broke through Bob's meager defenses separating him and the women of the team and he now stood directly in front of Yelena and Ava. And they were both so proud of themselves. He straightened his shoulders, trying to intimidate, though he knew deep inside it would never work.
"Hey," Bucky also intervened, wrapping his arm around John's waist, giving it a tug back towards his spot for the photo.
John whipped around, "Easy, Bucky."
"You ready to do this now? Huh? Or are you not through acting like a schoolyard bully?" Bucky was not phased by a thing John Walker did or said.
The air buzzed with tenseness not lost upon Bob, who was eagerly waiting for this storm to pass.
John wasn't moving. And Bucky wasn't above manhandling him again to get him to where he belonged. He reached out his metal arm and was only able to graze the soldier's side before John slapped his hand away and menaced again.
"Take it easy," Bucky raised his hands in defense.
"Just stop putting your hands on me," Walker's cheeks were turning pink.
Huh. Odd.
"He's not done with his tantrum yet, Barnes," Ghost sidled closer to John.
"Aw, big bad Agent needs time in a cooldown corner," Yelena brazenly poked the pointer fingers of both hands in sequence against John's stomach.
"W-Would you-- stop it!" John backed up into what he assumed was going to be Bucky, but turned into Ghost sliding her hands onto either of his sides and squeezing them. Goddamn matter phaser.
A gravelly sound made it out of Walker's throat, a laugh perhaps, but he buried it as soon as it had come.
Every time John thought he had an escape, Yelena or Ava would circle him and prod him til his senses were confounded and he could hardly defend himself. He was soon bright as a tomato and grinning ear to ear, huffing out complaints and curses.
"He can smile," was what Bucky decided upon, himself sporting one as he watched the antics. He ran fingers through his hair, sighing through his nose fondly.
"Good! Bring him here!" Alexei commanded, pointing to the original poses they had held, "Cherubic angels, everyone, come now. Bright new day of the New Avengers."
Yelena and Ava were having as much fun as anyone could as they corralled John into his spot.
Bob was giggling now at the antics and he wanted to join in on the fun, pinching Yelena's side when she got nearer to him.
"Hey! Bob, no," Yelena herself chuckled and immediately switched targets, getting Bob's ribs as the young man let out a surprised shriek, "How could you?" Bob's laughter was bright and more panicked than any noise John let out.
"Children," Bucky mumbled, firmly standing in his spot. John had regained some of his composure now that Ava also laid off of him when Yelena was torn away. He glanced at the Winter Soldier beside him.
"Don't even try it," Bucky stared straight ahead towards the waiting camera. His super senses caught the movement of John's wandering, curious arm and sequestered said appendage before any damage could be done. Bucky even gave a few firm claw squeezes onto John's ribs for retaliation. John jumped and did laugh. "Told you," Bucky admonished.
John, amid the chaos, felt a hand touch his back. Ghost repositioned herself for the photo, grinning up at him. Bucky had pushed himself closer to John on his other side in their brief scuffle.
"Okay, here we go," Alexei surged from his spot in the corner, effectively smooshing his companions towards the center.
Alexei smiling broadly, Yelena and Bob mid-tickle at each other's waists but eyes twinkling in delight, Ava's hand on John's shoulder as she held him in place, John's leg half up in the air to evade his attacker, hair and face tousled with a matching smile, and Bucky rolling his eyes fondly, hand buried in John's waist.
Picture perfect? No. No, absolutely not. But that was the Thunderbolts* for you.