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A huff and a sigh can be heard as a certain hero shuffles and wades through the mountain of soft material on her bed. After squeezing her arm through the crack between the wall and the bed, ducking to look under it, and even sifting through shelves and counters, the hero leaves the room.
“Has anyone seen my plushies?” You ask one bustling afternoon in the avengers tower as you walk into the living room. Quite a few of the team are present today, with Steve,Bucky, Bruce, and yourself actually at the house. At least those are the members you've run into today. Steve, who's lounging peacefully on one of the arm chairs, looks up from the book he's reading and frowns in confusion.
“Plushies?” He asks as you step over to the kitchen island and search the fruit bowl, before deciding to grab a banana. You nod and sit down at one of the bar stools before starting to peel it.
“Yeah like teddy bears. Stuffed animals.” You reiterate, phrasing it in a way that a man from the forties would understand. Steve nods with his mouth slightly parted and Bucky, another old man at heart, shuffles where he's laid on the couch.
“Why would any of us take your teddy bears?” He sniffs while fluffing one of the couch’s throw pillows to lay back on. You frown and shrug.
“I don't know. Maybe one of you needed one for emotional support. Ninety percent of the people who live here could use them.” You say through a mouthful of fruit, eyeing Bucky specifically. He just sniffs again before readjusting into a more comfortable position.
“Can't argue with that.” He grunts before drifting back off to sleep, right as Bruce rushes into the room, likely for another cup of coffee after an all nighter in the lab.
“Neither can I. Does that mean we can borrow them? Because I've had my eye on the giant Snoopy from that trip to Knott’s.” He mutters as he walks past you and into the kitchen, making his bid early. You snort with a small smile as the coffee maker starts up with that dribbling sound. With a shrug, you nod your head.
“Of Course you can Dr. Banner, if you can find it. It feels like every time I look up, another one of them is gone. I can actually see my comforter now.” you sigh, disappointed. It must've been about a week ago when you'd notice the crowded space on your bed becoming sparse. You'd finally figured out what was going on when you could fully stretch your legs without knocking a stuffed body to the ground. Unless there's a ghost in the tower, you had no idea where they could be vanishing to. A gust of wind washes into the room when the doors leading to the ironman landing pad suddenly open, revealing none other than Tony Stark himself.
“Daddy's home! What're we talking about? I could only have Friday listen in on the last half of the conversation.” Tony announces himself as he walks into the room, fully dressed in his weird style combination of a cat t-shirt, suit jacket, and signature shades. Steve just shakes his head and you smile while Bruce simply adds creamer to his coffee.
“Here, squirt.” Tony says as he walks up to you. He tosses you a small box before putting a larger one on the table. You were hoping he'd bring back some fast food but the bright pink box suggested something sweet,rather than savory. After giving one of the items inside a precautionary sniff, you take a bite and answer the man's previous question.
“My Stuffed toys are missing.” You report around a mouthful of the exotic pastry in the box, something with a flaky dough and powdered sugar. Tony pauses briefly at the unimpressive news, before tossing a hand in the air.
“I'll…buy you more. Problem solved. Now let me tell you about my trip.” Tony concludes with a clap of his hands, making Steve roll his eyes. He looks as you sigh, cheeks full and half a pastry sticking out your mouth, and shoots you an endeared smile.
“We'll let you know if we find them.” Cap reassures you kindly from the couch, and you nod with a small shrug. The kitchen and living room then resumes its hustle and bustle, with Sam and Clint walking in from the gym. Tony is going on about the press conference he went to in Thailand, and you're about to sneak away when the elevator doors open, revealing the one person you haven't seen since this morning.
“Peter.” You call softly, feeling a smile form on your face, before jogging over to him. Peter looks up from his phone at the sound of your voice and just manages to pull out his earbuds before you lightly crash into him with your hug. He gives you a quick kiss on the cheek before finally noticing the chatter happening around him. Which was just Tony and Steve bickering like usual, Sam telling Bucky to make room on the couch,and the new additions of Thor and Natasha questioning what the mysterious pastries Tony brought back were.
“Hey! What's everyone talking about?” Peter greets you while looking around the abnormally full kitchen. You pull one of your arms from around his shoulders to wave your hand dismissively.
“Who knows what they're on about now? But I was asking everyone earlier. Have you seen any of my plushies? Some of them have gone missing and I can't find them anywhere.” You sigh as you both walk over to the kitchen counter. Peter was right in the middle of putting one of the pastries in his mouth when he inhales some of the powdered sugar and starts choking. Thor glances over and laughs from where he's got four of the sweets on his plate and two in his hand.
“Do not hurt thyself young Parker! The confections are not going anywhere.” He bellows while you pat Peter's back. Natasha scoffs and pulls the box away from Thor’s reach.
“Not with the way you're inhaling them.” She mumbles under her breath as she takes the box to the fridge, leading Clint to complain that he hasn't had one yet. Peter finally finishes wheezing and you frown.
“You ok?” You ask him with a hand on his back and Peter hurriedly waves his hand in the air and coughs again.
“Huh!? Yeah! Aherm-! Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just-. Just gonna go put my stuff away and wash up.” He stutters and you watch him back away awkwardly until he can dart around the corner. You stare at the spot Peter was just standing in for a second, before turning back to look at Natasha and Thor.
“Anyone else think Peter was acting peculiar just now?” You question slowly and point a thumb in his previous direction. Steve laughs lightly and closes his book.
“Peter is always at least a little peculiar.” He hums and grabs the last pastry off of Thor’s plate before making his way to his own room, complaints following behind him. Tony hums in agreement and walks off in the same direction as the super soldier.
“Yeah, if the kid isn't acting at least a little funny, I get worried.” He adds before walking away with his hands in his pockets, leaving you to sigh and shrug, having forgotten about the missing toys for now.
***
That is, until a few nights later. You'd just walked through the doors of the helicopter landing pad, choosing that entrance over the elevator, after patrolling the city with Bucky. You yawn and stretch your back right up until it's about to tweak, before turning to the permanently tired looking man.
“Well, goodnight Mr.Barnes. I'm turning in for the night.” You speak to him softly, not wanting to wake anyone who was already asleep. It's a little after 10, afterall. Bucky nods while stretching his arm.
“ Yeah, good job out there today. Get some sleep.” He mumbles quietly, sparing you one of his rare small smiles before heading off into the direction of his room. You smile to yourself and leave to your own quarters, tired and in desperate need of a hot shower. An hour or so later and you stumble out of your bathroom, exhausted and ready to sleep off your aches and pains with your face stuffed into a faux fur belly. What you see instead though, makes you gasp.
“PETER!”
Peter almost jumps out of his skin when you burst into his room. He looks up from where he's sitting at his desk, sketchbook open. You storm over and Peter reflexively stands up and opens his arms for you to plop into.
“Hey hey! What's the matter? What's wrong?” He asks while you wrap your arms around him and stuff your face into the crook of his shoulder. He actually thinks you're crying for a moment, until you growl angrily into his neck, sending a shiver up his spine. You pull back to pace around the room.
“Another one of my cuss’n plushies is gone!” You shout, allowed thanks to the sound proof walls in everyone's rooms. Peter winces as he watches you pace in his spacious room. You only ever use the faux curse word you made up when you're really upset. Then he computes what you said and starts to sweat.
“Really? Ahem. Which-which one?” He asks nervously, his tone taking on the same one he had when he was choking on pastry sugar a few days ago. You groan pitifully and pause your stride in the middle of the room.
“The whale!” You reveal. The whale was a stuffed toy Peter bought you on a field trip in highschool. It was big but it was basic. You'd told him he didn't have to, but Peter had insisted, saying it'll be fun to watch you carry it around. You'd eventually fall asleep between it and Peter's shoulder on the way back home, and have been using it to sleep on since. Peter, who had been avoiding your eyes until now, stops and turns to you with a confused frown.
“What? Why would that one be-?” He starts, speaking more to himself than you, until he catches himself and notices your expectant eyes, waiting for him to finish. He fumbles for a millisecond and manages to backpedal.
“Why would- someone take that one? It's practically your pillow at this point.” He manages to recover with a disappointed shake of his head, and when you look away at something else with a sigh, Peter puts a hand to his chest in relief.
“ I know!” You say and throw your hands in the air. Peter feels his knee start to jump and gnaws at his lip in thought until you turn to walk towards him. Once you get up to his chair he takes your hand and leads you into his lap. With another sigh you rest your cheek on his shoulder. While laying there, you take a second to glance around Peter's room. The space had come a long way in the years since he'd moved his stuff into the tower. Star wars and band posters on the wall, photos of you, Ned, michelle, and the rest of your crew. He still sticks to a bunk bed despite rarely having someone fill the top bunk. Then there's the TV against the wall across from it, a luxury you know he didn't have back at home. You're still admiring your boyfriend’s room when you notice Peter's leg jumping under your thigh.
“You alright?” You ask for what seems like the hundredth time this past week, while leaning back to see his face. Peter looks up at you belatedly and blinks before nodding his head.
“Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?” He answers a little too quickly, and you glance at the slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. You frown and place your hand against his cheek and then the back of it against his forehead.
“You sure you're not sick or something? You've been acting skittish lately. More than usual.” You continue to investigate. It feels like he's been tiptoeing around you for the last couple of days. Which isn't unusual sometimes. Peter has a tendency to overthink the weirdest things and create tiny problems for himself, usually thanks to Ned's advice. Like the time they both came to the conclusion that you thought he stunk because you bought him a new cologne when it wasn't a special occasion. They're both intelligent guys, but together they've got about two brain cells between the two of them. You wonder if now is one of those times. Peter takes your hand away from his head and holds it in his instead.
“I'm just a little tired, because of all the schoolwork and missions and stuff. Y'know?” He tries to brush it off with a wave of his hand. It wasn't an entire lie, Peter thinks to himself. The amount of assignments his teachers decided to plop into his lap all at the same time, was insane. When you just continue to search his face with that scrutinizing look you only pull when you know he's bullshitting, he sighs and wraps his arms around your waist.
“That and I haven't seen you much lately. Being deprived of my daily dose of you is hurting my soul.” He mumbles and rests his chin against your chest, looking up at you with those big,brown eyes. Now that is the truth. You and Peter don't see each other very often these days, not compared to last semester when you had the same classes and similar schedules. Now, between school and hero work, the two of you are lucky if you can spend time with each other every two days or so. You suck your teeth sadly and lean in to hug him, the two of you holding each other close.
“ I miss you too.” You mumble through a kiss on his cheek, before moving to his lips. You both stay there for a while, spending time you've been missing out on for the last few weeks. Once you're satisfied, you finally pull away to catch your breath and Peter sucks in his own breath. You lean back and look him in the eye.
“ You want to sleep together tonight?” You ask him softly. Peter's eyes widen before his hands drift a little lower on your hips than they were before.
“What uh- what kind of sleeping are we talking about?” He asks suggestively as his eyes drop to where you are on his lap. You simply roll your own before hopping off of him and walking to his bed.
“Not the one you're talking about, horndog.” You say with a shake of your head before beginning to crawl beneath the covers, forgoing a hair scarf tonight, knowing you'll regret it tomorrow. Peter frowns, offended, before tossing off his shirt and walking over to join you.
“Hey, you were the one sitting chest to chest with me in my lap.” He points out and you nod your head tiredly, agreeing just to agree. Peter is just about to lay down, ready to cuddle into you for the first time in weeks, when you suddenly jump up.
“Oh wait! I've got to get one of my bears!” You remember, before dipping out of the room and down the hallway, leaving Peter to flop back onto his pillow with a groan.
***
Peter walks through the crowded hall that holds his next class, headphones in as always. He's nodding to his favorite movie soundtracks and trying not to think of who it is that's smelling a little ripe, when he sees Ned further ahead, talking to one of his friends from another class.
“Anyone that says that, can't actually like the character-!” Ned is in the middle of saying when he suddenly gets tugged aside by Peter.
“Hey, I need to talk to you!” Peter whisper-shouts before dragging his best friend into the classroom. The small lecture hall is filled with bright sunlight, and the few students that cared enough to get to class early, mingling amongst themselves or sitting alone. Ned allows himself to be dragged by his arm into the middle rows and sits down after Peter.
“Dude! I was in the middle of a deep conversation with my programming partner. She's cute and understands my hatred for the romance tropes in sitcoms!” Ned whines while looking back towards the door.
“ We need to have a conversation- wait. Is this about The Office or Abbott Elementary?” Peter starts to say before pausing with an arched eyebrow.
“Abbott. Apparently in the latest episode Janine-!” Ned starts up, turning in his seat, when Peter blinks and shakes his head.
“Wait Ned, that's not important. I've got a problem.” He digresses, his voice quieting down a bit, when a few more of their classmates sit down nearby. Ned's originally big eyes, squint, before he shrugs in confusion.
“Yes, but we all love you anyway.” He responds and Peter's face drops in annoyance.
“So what's the problem?” Ned asks while he starts to take out his materials for the class. Peter takes a second to glance up at the board to make sure the professor was late like always, before turning back to his friend.
“Y/n's asking about the plushies.” He whispers and Ned's eyes glance to the side before he recalls the conversation they had a few weeks ago.
“Ooh, you mean that bear you were jealous of! Told you she'd notice.” He gasps with a snap of his fingers, and Peter squints in confusion.
“No- You didn't. You told me she wouldn't notice at all.” He frowns and Ned waves his hand dismissively, making Peter roll his eyes.
“ I feel like I would've remembered that, back to the bear that stole your girl.” Ned urges him to continue, and even though he wants to argue that statement too, Peter continues on. More students file into the classroom, so he knows he has to hurry up.
“It didn't- whatever. It's not just the bear anymore!” Peter whispers hurriedly. He glances around one more time before leaning in a bit closer. Ned looks at him to keep going.
“ More of her stuffed animals are going missing, and now she's asking about them!” Peter explains, and Ned frowns in confusion at that.
“And you didn't take them?” He asks with a point of his finger.
“No, I didn't take them! I didn't take the first one! They're just disappearing! One after the other!” Peter explains. This whole stupid thing had started because Peter had nudged that stupid bear off your bed. It was a few weeks ago when he'd bypassed his room to shower and sleep in yours. He knew how much you liked to buy stuffed animals, anyone who's ever taken one glance at the abundance of manufactured or handmade toys on your bed and shelves would know. He's contributed to the haul personally quite a few times. It was just that night. He was showered, tired, and ready to fall face first into your chest, when his eyes landed on the new bear you'd bought, wrapped up in your arms.
He'd settled for spooning you then, but a few days later when you and Peter were spending some, ahem, time together, it felt like every time he'd take a moment to breathe, those beady black eyes were watching him. They all were. After a careless comment and some regrettable advice from Ned, he'd nudged one of his most frequent rivals for your affection, off the bed. It was only the next day before he'd felt guilty about the poor little guy and went to put him back, but by then it was gone, and now he's in the predicament he's in now.
“It'd be fine if it were one or two. But it's plenty of them and I have no idea where they are. I've been secretly looking for weeks.” Peter finishes, distressed. He's been in and out of other members of the team's rooms. It's been a hassle too because he usually has to ask a question about something he doesn't actually care about, only to get stuck listening to the answer for an hour or so. All that and he still hasn't seen a glimpse of a stuffed toy. Peter leans back and sighs, what's really been bothering him burning at the back of his throat.
“What's worse is that it's really starting to upset her.” Peter sighs, and runs a hand through his hair. Your reaction to the whale being gone is still vivid in his mind. In the days since then though, you've slept in his room more often, and he'd actually forgotten the whole ordeal for a minute, instead enjoying finishing the day with you in his arms. But yesterday another one of your favorites disappeared, and Peter saw your eyes start to glisten, even if your jaw was clenched. He'd never even taken one but still, it felt like these disappearances were his fault, and the fact that he'd kind of taken advantage of this weird mystery, only made him feel worse. Ned sees the turmoil written on his friend's face, and places a hand on his shoulder.
“There's only one thing you can do, Pete.” He sighs seriously, and Peter looks up at him. Ned sighs again.
“ Just tell her the truth. That you were a little jealous of the stuffed animals, and have no idea where they are now. Maybe you guys can look for them together.” Ned advises him casually, looking him right in the eye. Peter just blinks back in shock.
“That- might be the best advice you've ever given me.” Peter mutters, genuinely shocked, and Ned just shrugs before turning back to his study materials. Their professor had finally walked into the classroom, without an excuse or apology.
“Eh, it was that, or continuing to search for the plushies until you find them. Then she'd never know you were getting cucked by a bear-.” He starts to say before Peter nudges him and they both start laughing. Their professor tells them to quiet down, but Peter's mind is on how he's going to approach you later today. He was going to find those toys, somehow. Anything to keep that expression from showing up on your face again. You must be devastated by now.
***
“Come on! Where are you guys!? I'm getting jumped two to one like every couple seconds!” You groan angrily.
“That's because you keep running off on your own! You're holding us back!” Sam yells back, making your eyes almost bug out of your head.
“This is a mess.” Bucky sighs in irritation, knowing from experience what's coming next.
“Me!? How am I holding us back when I've got 24 downs and 6 captures!?” You scream and Peter stands at the elevator, slightly intimidated. Buttons on controllers click as you, Sam, and Bucky play a video game on the TV in the common room. Peter had expected to come home to you moping around, but instead you're in the brightly lit living room cursing out strangers online, and your own teammates a little too. It's not until the match ends, and he's sure that he won't get caught in the crossfire, that Peter walks over to the couch. Sam and Bucky walk to the kitchen, grumbling, while you put the controllers away and mumble that there's no way you're playing with them again. Peter knows that the three of you will be playing together again by tomorrow though.
“Hey. What happened? Did you guys lose?” Peter greets you before bending to give you a kiss. You return it but turn your lips up in an unimpressed frown afterwards.
“No, we won. But barely.” You answer as you put the rest of the controllers away, and Peter just moves on. He knows better than to ask why you're mad about winning a match by now, and he really needed to talk to you. He waits on the couch until you walk over to plop next to him, thigh to thigh even though he hasn't changed from the clothes he's been wearing all day yet.
“So? What's up? How was your day?” You ask while relaxing into his side. Peter stalls for a second, to wrap his arm around you and turn on a random channel on the TV.
“Yeah it was fine. Have you found your stuffed animals yet?” He asks quickly, without looking at you, and cringes inwardly. There was no way you didn't clock that weird change of topic just now. As Peter suspected, your eyes are glued to the side of his head, eyebrows quirked slightly.
“No, they're still gone. Why?” You ask carefully, leaning a little further into his space. Peter swallows after a second and finally turns to meet your eyes.
“I was uh- just wondering. Because there's something I wanted to tell you.” He continues awkwardly until his eyes meet yours. They're big, and waiting, and suddenly Ned's other advice about just finding the toys himself and pretending this entire thing never happened, didn't sound so bad. Peter only looks at you for a second before averting his eyes again.
“It's uh- not important. Nevermind.” He backpedals with a shake of his head, making you frown in confusion.
“What?” You ask and sit up. Peter nods casually, as if that conversation made any sense. Yeah, he'd simply search the entire tower for the plushies. In your mind, your past suspicion. Peter has been acting odd for a hot second now and you're tired of waiting for him to tell you why. You sit up on your knees and turn his face to look at you.
“Why are you acting like that?” You ask, pressing your face close, eyes searching his eyes like that'll somehow let you into his thoughts. You've always been able to figure out what little thing Peter was overthinking about, eventually finding out what's got him acting up. You're not breaking that streak today. Peter backs up to give himself, and his thoughts some space, his face heating up as you practically crawl into his lap.
“Acting like what?” He asks while backing up further until you eventually topple over onto him. Sam looks up from where he and Bucky are passing back and forth a jug of orange juice, one you'll be sure to avoid, and frowns.
“Hey hey! Keep it pg13! No one wants to see all that!” He cringes as Clint walks into the room and sees you laying on top of Peter too. You roll your eyes and Peter just sits up with you while a few more of the team walk in.
“Seriously, aren't you guys like 16?” Clint just has to add while Bruce and Natasha shake their heads in disappointment.
“21.” You and Peter correct him simultaneously. The older members of your team proceed to tease the two of you amongst themselves, but you're still thinking about what Peter's hiding. That's why it surprises you when he stands up and takes your hand.
“Let's go talk in your room.” He whispers and you nod silently before following him, the teams chatter about ordering food getting left behind. You type in the keycode for your room and once you're inside Peter plops you down on your bed, then rolls over the chair from your desk for himself. Once he sits down, he levels you with that puppy dog look of his, eyebrows turnt in the middle, perfect brown eyes on display, and lips pressed thin. Well, thinner than usual. It makes you sigh.
“Peter, what is going on with you? What's the face for? Huh?” You groan, ready to get to the bottom of this. Peter decides there's no use in hiding it anymore either. If you thought he was dumb after this, or an insecure bear abuser, then so be it.
“I don't know where your plushies are.” He admits and you just stare at him for a few seconds, tempted to put your hand to his forehead again.
“I'm aware.” You coax, still completely lost on where his mind could be right now. Peter sighs again and you really give him your full attention, leaning forward and looking directly at him.
“I don't know where they are, but I was kind of glad that they were gone for a second. Because I was- jealous- of them.” He finally reveals, wincing at the end because he knows admitting that you're jealous of a stuffed toy is kind of wild. You just look at him with your eyebrows pinched together in confusion, elbows resting on your knees.
“Huh?” Is all you can say, because you have no idea what he's talking about. Peter stands up to pace in front of your bed, obviously flustered.
“ It was never supposed to be a big thing! I just got a little annoyed after patrolling a few weeks ago! And then I talked to Ned-which was a horrible idea. And then they started to disappear-!” He rambles until you call his name softly. Peter huffs walks back over to his chair before rolling it closer to you and sitting down.
“ I let myself get talked into kicking a bear off your bed and have spent the last couple weeks stressing that you'd find out and think that I'm either a thief or an idiot.” He huffs and finally lays it all out, blinking at you casually. You just gaze back at him for a second before pursing your lips.
“Is that why Ned said something about ‘the other man’ a few days ago!?” You stand up as you recall an earlier conversation with the brunette. It's Peter's turn to frown, because he had no idea a conversation like that had happened.
“Wait- he what!?” he yelps but you've already moved onto the other things he said.
“You were jealous of the plushies? Why?” You ask, your voice dropping back down to a normal pitch. Peter glances at the apologetic look in your eyes and immediately shakes his head. He stands up with you and takes your hands.
“No I was- I just-!” Peter tries to explain, because it was never really about the bear or any of your stuffed animals. That was more Ned talking than anything. You just look at him, genuinely waiting to hear his answer, and it makes Peter feel even dumber for not just telling you how he felt right away.
“ I just liked that you were sleeping in my bed again.” He tells you honestly. It wasn't that you were holding the bears instead of him. It wasn't that their little eyes felt like they were staring at his butt when he's changing either. It was the way you visited his room at night, even if it was late and he'd just finished patrolling. It was a reason to stop by your room, when usually he'd worry he's interrupting your sleep or that you're studying. It was finishing the day wrapped up in you. You look at Peter before wrapping your arms around his waist with a quiet groan.
“This semester has been kicking our asses.” You sigh with your cheek resting on him. Peter just nods against your hair, the tiny curls poking out of your parts tickling his nose in that familiar way. Things were busy and stressful these days, and not being able to see each other very often or very long wasn't making it any easier. You pull your head away from his shoulder to press a small kiss to his lips, your thick lips pleasantly cushioning his thin ones.
“Let's sleep together tonight. I think my other men can survive without me for one night.” You tease and Peter rolls his eyes, his cheeks tinting red for a second. He'd have to get Ned for that one, because there was no way you were letting that go. The two of you could find the plushies, and maybe schedule a way to study and patrol together, some other time. For now you throw a TV show on and hop in bed, while Peter changes into some of the clothes he has in your dresser.
*_*_*_*epilogue*_*_*_*
Pan to a few days later, and you're sitting with Peter at the kitchen barstools. It's a bright afternoon, a little after twelve, and the two of you are looking for some nice stuffies online. Peter rests with his head against your shoulder while you scroll through the options.
“This is a nice one, expensive though.” You point out and Peter glances up from his spot.
“Since when do you care how expensive a plushie is?” He asks sleepily and you make an offended noise in your throat.
“Hey, even I have standards. You can't just buy any old plush. It has to have certain qualities.” You muse right as Bruce walks into the kitchen, evidently after another all nighter in the lab, if the same clothes he was sporting yesterday are anything to go off of. He notices the images on your tablet screen.
“No luck with the kidnapped kid toys huh?” He asks while starting up the coffee machine. Fortunately he tosses some toast into the toaster too. You frown at his choice of words and Peter shakes his head.
“We've looked all over.” He replies at the same time you declare that stuffed animals aren't only for kids. Before your conversation can continue, the helipad doors open, washing the room in cool air, revealing Steve and Tony. Tony struts in like usual, while Steve walks in with a huge number of bags in and on his muscular arms. All three of you look on in confusion as the duo approach the kitchen.
“How's it going people? What's with the long face kid? No luck finding the pillaged plushies?” Tony greets the three of you before turning to you with his shades tilted down his nose. You frown, still slightly disturbed with the phrasing for your missing animals, before answering him.
“ Nah, me and Peter spent the last few days looking around the tower. But there's nothing.” You sigh, and Tony just nods with a small sniff.
“No dice huh? Why don't you check those out then? See if they lift your spirits.” He says quietly before nodding towards the abundance of shopping bags Steve was still in the process of setting on the floor by the couch. You tilt your head in intrigue before standing up to walk over. Cap crosses his arms with a small smile as you sit down.
“He didn't carry any of it. But he did hand pick each one.” He informs you fondly, leading Tony to brush it off like he always does when he does something thoughtful. You shuffle through the gift paper and there in one of the bags, is a giant soft toy. Your chin drops in pleasant surprise while you look at the dozens of bags.
“Aw Mr. Stark you- Thor!” You start to say before you notice someone in the corner of your eye. The rest of the men in the room look in the direction of your pointed finger, and there stands the Asgardian prince, obviously having just finished entering from the iron man landing pad, with his arms full of stuffed animals. Peter squints when he notices some very familiar, blue fabric. It's the whale, and those are your stuffed animals. Thor looks up at the sound of your voice and blinks when he notices all eyes are on him.
“Ah! Nice to see everyone gathered together.” He greets all of you with a cheery grin, stuffed animals still in his arms. You just gesture towards him, mind running over the last few weeks.
“Thor! Where did you-?” You gape, at a loss for words. Thor simply looks down at the toys in his huge arms, only just then realizing what you're talking about.
“Ah yes the playthings, from your room of course! Don't you recognize your own stuffed companions?” He asks with a slight chuckle in his voice that causes you to make a sound of disbelief. Fortunately Peter is there to voice your complaints.
“But- why did you take them?” Peter asks, and the rest of you nod, wondering why as well. Thor hums in thought, thinking back on his reason for first taking a few.
“Well, young L/n mentioned them being pleasant to rest on and she was correct, so I borrowed some for my bed in Asgard.” He answers with a small shrug. Your face cringes in confusion. The word ‘some’ was an understatement for sure. Your bed was almost entirely devoid of stuffed animals, only your pillows and throws blankets decorating the space.
“And you didn't think to give them back?” You ask with your voice pitched just a little higher than usual. Apparently, it's Thor’s turn to look at you funny, because he tilts his head.
“Of course I did, that's why I'm here now.” He tells you as if it's obvious and he hasn't had your property for almost a month now. It's Steve's turn to shake his head while Tony rolls his eyes.
“Thor, we've been looking for those for weeks.” Steve sighs, done with his oblivious friend's antics. Thor’s eyes widened in surprise and now that you think about it, Thor wasn't around each time you'd asked the team about them.
“Really? I was not aware. Well look no further. Here they are, safe and sound.” Thor reports with a smile before walking off to your room, leaving the four of you to stand there in disbelief. Your plushies are probably gonna smell like Asgardian shampoo for a while.