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Yelena
It was a normal evening. Yelena had no missions to do with the team, so she decided to rest on the living room couch and look out at the window. The others were busy with their own stuff in their own rooms, except for Bucky, who was dealing with politics.
Bob was also there on his specified couch near the balcony. He was reading his book for a while before noticing Yelena just staring outside, deep in thought.
Bob suddenly had the idea of asking a question to test his friendship with Yelena. He knew that she would love him, or maybe that was just his thoughts. That just added more reason why he needed to know, so he decided to walk over to Yelena and ask.
“Hey, Yelena.” She snaps out of her thoughts and looks at Bob, who slowly walks over to her with his hands playing on his sleeves.
“Oh, Bob! Hey. Here, come sit with me!” She pats the empty spot next to her as she moves aside.
“Thanks.” He sits down and smiles at her, and she smiles back.
“So, what’s up?” She leans back comfortably and crosses her arms
“Nothing much. I…wanted to ask you a question.”
“Oh, what is it?” She began to sit up straight to listen carefully for Bob
“Uh, well…would you still love me if I was a worm?”
“What?” She asked with genuine confusion and was caught off guard
“Well, y’know. If something happens to me and I turn into a worm, would you still love me?” He tries to explain in the most sense he can.
“Oh. Well, sure. Of course! Bob, I will always love you, you know that, right?” She rubs Bob’s shoulder with a smile.
“Yeah, yeah, I know! It’s just a stupid question, y’know-”
“No, no. It’s a…it’s a fun question! Is this like…experiment thing, or you just happen to be a worm?”
“Experiment? No, just a what-if question, I just happen to be a worm.” He nods and awkwardly laughs
“Oh well, no matter. I will love you even if you were anything else! We stick together now, and I will stand by that.”
“Thanks, Yelena.” He says with an earnest smile. Then, he realized he was still curious about the worm possibility.
“What would you do if I were turned into a worm?”
Yelena looks at him and begins to think deeply for an answer.
“Well, I would keep you like the guinea pig I saved! I’ll put you in a safe glass container with dirt and water to keep you alive. I will take care of you, Bob, just like we always do.”
Bob widely smiled and was satisfied with that answer. He quickly hugs his best friend softly, and she hugs him back with a soft rub on the back.
“Thanks, Yelena. You always know what to say.”
“Mhm, of course. I always know what to say.”
Alexei
Asking the worm question was a success with Yelena for Bob, so he felt curious about what the others might say. His next target he thought first was John, since he’s an asshole. But Bob has decided to ask Yelena’s dad instead. Alexei, who has always been the dad of the group. Maybe he would answer the same as his daughter.
Alexei was in his room, eating the Wheaties that had the New Avengers on the front. He noticed Bob entering his room and immediately sat up.
“Bob! What brings you here?” He says with his usual obnoxious but exciting loud voice.
“Hey, Alexei! I wanted to talk to you. Well, I want to ask a question, actually.”
“Oh, a question? What is the question?” He quickly put away his bowl and stepped closer to Bob
“It’s just a simple question, really. Um, what would you do if I was a worm?”
“A worm? What will happen for you to turn into a slimy creature, Bob? Is this one of Valentina’s plans on making you more super? A super worm? It’s quite smart, ey, you will be small and no one would catch you!” He blabbered
“No, no! It’s not that! It’s just a ‘what-if’, you know? Like, if I happen to be a worm, what would you do? I’m not actually going to be worm, don’t worry.” He quickly explain
“Ah, this is one of those…what you call it? Hypotheticals! Is it?”
“Yeah! It’s just a hypothetical question, it won’t be real.”
“Hmm,” Alexei starts to think deeply as he rubs his beard.
“Well, I would carefully take your teeny tiny body, and put you into my pocket!”
“Really?” Bob smiled with genuine happiness
“Yes! That way, you will be safe. In the pocket of the great Red Guardian!” Alexei lifts his arms up in victory and tackles Bob into a side hug. They laughed.
“Thanks, Alexei.” Bob looks at him softly. “So does that mean you still love me if I was a worm?”
“Ah? Of course! You are Bob! The most lovable on the team, of course, I love you!” Alexei pats Bob’s chest hard and shakes him a little with excitement.
“Haha, well, I don’t know about most lovable , but thanks!”
John
Asking the question has become a rush for Bob, so he finally decided to ask the meanest one on the team. John Walker. He already fully expected him to answer with a no, but he was still curious. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but this cat got invincibility, and a simple question won’t do much harm.
John was in his room, sitting on his wooden chair and scrolling on his phone. His eyes were laser-focused, and his head was leaning on his other hand. Bob felt a little worried seeing him like that, since it meant that he was deep in negative thoughts. So, to distract him, he quickly sat on John’s bed and asked without hesitation.
“Hey, John! Would you still love me if I was a worm?”
“Huh? What?” John quickly snapped out of his phone and looked at Bob, whom he had just realized had entered his room without notice and was sitting in front of him.
“It’s just a simple question, I wanted to know what you would answer.”
“What’s the question again? Also, why are you in my room, Bob?” John quickly sat up straight with confusion and annoyance on his face.
“Your door was open, and I wanted to ask the question. Would you still love me if I was a worm?”
John just stares at him, dumbfounded.
“What? What kind of question is that? No, no, I will not love you if you were a slimy, disgusting worm. I hate worms.”
“Aww, really? Even if it’s me?”
“How the hell would I know if the worm is you, Bob?”
“Well, I’ll have a nametag! What would you do if you found me as a worm?”
“I’ll just step on you, probably,” John laughs as he tries to joke. Bob stares at him with a frown, and he stops laughing.
“Uh, I don’t know? This is a stupid question, anyway.”
“Yeah, but I want to know! What would you do, John?” Bob kept on insisting
John leaned his head back and gave a long groan as he felt annoyed and defeated.
“I guess….I’ll put you in a jar where you’ll be safe, Bob. There, you happy?”
Bob smiles at him.
“Thanks! Would you still love me, though?”
John just looks at him, deadpanned. ‘Are you serious?’ After a few seconds of staring, he gave in.
“Yes. Bob. I would…still tolerate you if you were a worm.”
“Honest?”
“Yes! Now, would you please leave my room so I can resume my doom-scrolling?”
“Okay. Thanks, John!” Bob smiles at him sincerely with satisfaction and leaves his room.
John just sighs as he slouches back in his chair and opens his phone again. But after thinking back on the interaction, he couldn’t help but smile.
Ava
Three down, two more to go. Since Bucky was still out of the building, Bob will have to ask Ava first.
Before he could walk over to Ava’s room, he heard a sound of phasing in and out, which means Ava went out. He looked around and saw her in the kitchen, grabbing something from the cupboard.
Ava was her usual self, trying to get some snacks. She went to the cupboards to grab a pop tart, and it turned out to be the last one as she took it out of the box. She turned around and saw Bob on the other side, just looking at her.
“What? Do I have something on my face? Or is this Pop-Tart yours?”
“Oh, no! It’s nothing! I actually wanted to talk to you, Ava. I want to ask you a question.” Bob quickly says as he steps closer to the kitchen and leans on the countertop.
“What question?” She bites on her pop tart and leans back on her countertop.
“Well…what would you do if I was a worm?”
Ava raised one of her eyebrows at Bob and paused her bite.
“Could you repeat that?” She tries to make sure she heard right before returning to her pop tart
“What would you do if I was a worm? And would you still love me if I was?”
“A…worm?”
“Yes.”
“Uh…” Ava just looks around, confused, while trying to think of an answer.
“I guess…I’ll put you in this empty pop tart box, Bob.”
“That’s all?” Bob says as he still thinks there is more that Ava can say
“Yeah. Well, I don’t know how to handle worms; I never touched one.”
“Okay, I guess it’s good enough. That box does look safe. Well, what about the other question?”
“What other question?”
“Would you still love me if I was a worm?”
“Uh, sure, Bob. I’ll try to love you as a worm, since you are Bob.” She eats her last bite of pop tart with a smile.
Bob smiled back at her, satisfied enough with the answer
“Thanks, Ava!”
“What’s up with the weird question, anyway?” Ava finally decided to ask
“Oh, nothing!” Bob says with a grin and quickly leaves her alone. Ava just shrugged and phased back to her room.
Bucky
It was dark when Bucky finally came back to the tower. Bob decided to just wait in the living room couch and resume his book reading.
As Bucky reached the floor, he quickly went to the kitchen and took off his vibranium arm. Bob saw him and quickly walked over to him.
As Bob went to the kitchen, he saw Bucky opening the dishwasher and putting his arm inside. It was his routine when he returned from outside to put his arm in the dishwasher as he quickly took a shower.
Before he could leave for the bathroom, Bob called for him.
“Hey, Bucky! How was the meeting?”
“Oh, hey Bob. It was fine.” Bucky smiled and started to walk off again.
“Wait! I want to talk to you!” Bucky immediately stops in his tracks and looks back at Bob
“Okay? What is it?” He walks back to the countertop to lean.
“Well, it’s a question I’ve been asking the team, and you’re the last one.”
“Really? Alright, hit me.”
“Okay…what would you do if I was a worm?”
Bucky cocks his eyebrow at Bob.
“What would I do if you were a worm?”
“Yes.”
“Huh.” Bucky looks away for a moment to think
“Well, I don’t know about worms much. But, I guess I would try to keep you in a safe place, Bob. A small jar, perhaps.”
Bob smiled. “Thanks! But would you still love me?”
“Love you? Well, I don’t know about that,” He tries to tease
“C’mon, Bucky! It’s a genuine question!” He starts to feel impatient
“Alright. Well, I guess I will.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Bob. I will love you even if you were a worm.”
Bob softly grinned, and Bucky smiled back
“Thanks, Bucky. You and the team have been the best for me.”
“And the same goes for us, too, Bob. You’re a great asset to the team. You’re a great friend.”
“Well, I’m not much of a team member. I just tag along and stay inside with you guys.”
“Still, you’re our support. And we love you, Bob.” Bucky says sincerely
“I love you guys too,” Bob smiled with heartfelt joy
Bucky just nods and leaves the kitchen to finally shower.
Bob went back to the couch and sat down with a relieved sigh. He felt happy with all the answers he got from his newfound family, even though it was a stupid question; it was sweet.