I used actual quotes from Mackie and Stan interviews about Tom, and had many left over!

This summer would either be the best of your life, or the most complete and utter disaster possible; there would be no in-between. You were being sent to spend the next two months with your uncle, Sam Wilson, at the Avengers compound and you had no idea what that truly meant for you. You had assumed that there would be Avengers everywhere, obviously, but he hadn't been very forthcoming about how often you would run into them, what they were like off the job, or anything beyond that you would be living under the same roof. Knowing your uncle, that could have been on purpose so that you wouldn't change your mind, although you really didn't have much of a choice.

"Have you ever been to the compound before?"

"Hmm?" you jolted from your thoughts to hear the driver. "Um, no, I haven't. I've heard a little about it and Sam has sent me a few pictures to prepare, but that's about...it..." you faded away, seeing the massive building coming into view through the car window as he took the final turn onto the grounds. "Wow."

"Pretty impressive, huh?" Happy smiled, letting go of the wheel to allow FRIDAY to guide it into the parking garage. "That's just the main building, where you'll be staying. There's a couple more, but for maintenance and storage and boring stuff that you probably don't need to know."

"Which of the Avengers actually live here?"

"It's easier to say which ones don't, but even they stay during long missions. Scott is in San Francisco with his daughter, Nat comes and goes for the most part, Barton has a farm somewhere, Thor is way too busy hopping realms, and Parker is in Queens with his Aunt May. He tends to hang out here more than the rest of them."

"So...Captain America lives here?" you asked meekly, with a nervous swallow. "I think I'm gonna cry. I'm a huge fan."

Happy laughed at your reaction, turning back to watch the car come to a stop. Before he reached out to grab the door handle to get out, he glanced back at you in the rearview mirror with a knowing shake of his head. "You might want to keep that to yourself. Iron Man tends to get a little jealous."

"Iron Man," you gasped to yourself, "oh, crap. Oh god, I'm totally gonna lose it and look like such an idiot. What if I puke?"

"Hey, as long as you don't puke on them, you're good. But trust me, there's no way that you're gonna fangirl any harder than Parker did. To this day, that kid still gets nervous around them, and I don't know why. I've never met anyone more like Tony than that kid. They're both a couple of egg-heads. Complete nerds."

"Sounds like I might have to meet this Parker guy. It would be nice to have a friend to take the pressure off of me."

~~~

With Happy taking your luggage up to your new room, it left you waiting in the lounge for your uncle to find you, and when he did, the idea of an inconspicuous entrance was thrown right out the window.

"There's my girl!" Sam hollered out as he ran down the stairs to greet you. Practically knocking you both over, he grabbed you in his arms and swung you around with a loud laugh, setting you onto your feet with a hand on your shoulder to keep you steady until the dizziness passed. "How was the trip up here? Did Happy speed? Did he run any red lights? He can get really passive-aggressive when he drives."

"No, the trip was great," you reassured him. "FRIDAY did most of the driving anyway."

"Sweet, let's get you settled in then! We've got a welcome dinner all planned, so there's time to rest for a bit before you get to meet everyone. I've even got Thor showing up, so you should feel pretty special."

"Do I have to," you whined, "I'm gonna be so nervous..."

"There's nothing to be nervous about, (Y/N). These guys are great, and I'm sure they're going to love you as much as I do. Even if they don't, they don't deserve you anyway-""

"Hey, Sam! Is this (Y/N)?"

The new voice broke into your conversation, echoing from one of the upper levels; it was a voice full of youthful energy, and you knew immediately who it was before he even dropped down out of nowhere to stand in front of you with a hand extended. He was clearly enamored from the start, impressed when you didn't startle in the least at his surprise. "Hi! I'm Pete."

"I could've guessed," you smiled in return, taking his hand. "Sam's told me all about you."

"Oh, man, really?" Pete grumbled, turning to him. "Seriously, what did you say?"

"Nothing that wasn't true," Sam answered. "Just that you're an annoying little shit and a bad influence that she needs to stay away from." He pushed his way in between the two of you, taking your hand from Pete's grip and into his own. "Back off, arachnid. This is the only warning I'm giving you."

Your jaw dropped at his attitude and insinuation that he had any right to control your time there. You had spent enough time with your uncle through your life thus far that he should have known better than to try to pull that over you. He wasn't the only stubborn member of the family, and you learned much of your skills from him in the first place. "Sam, come on, don't start that already. If you're going to tell me who I can and can't talk to, then I'll find somewhere else to stay for the summer. I'm not going to put up with you policing everything I do."

Pete chuckled quietly and under his breath at your forcefulness with your uncle, but he wasn't at all quiet enough to get past the man; all he had done was incite a glare and a non-verbal warning to run. He quickly cleared his throat nervously and straightened his posture, taking a long few steps back with his hands raised in deference. "Hey...I think I heard Tony calling...yeah, I think I did...so I'm just...I'm gonna go. (Y/N), maybe we can talk at dinner..."

"Like I said," Sam sighed heavily, "annoying little shit."

~~~

Later that night at dinner should have been an indication of how the rest of your summer at the compound would go. The team had gathered, even those who didn't live there, just to meet Sam's niece that he wouldn't shut up about, mostly just to get him to actually shut up. Sam had made a very pointed decision to place himself right next to you, and to push Parker to the other side of the table and on the farthest end away. Your uncle had always been a master of subtlety.

"What's up with Pete?" you leaned in, whispering to Steve as he sat at your other side. "Why is he staring so much?" Of course, it would have been too easy for Sam to not hear that, but that would be almost too simple.

"Hey, spider-boy, something confusing you down this way? Whatcha staring at?"

"N-nothing...nothing at all," he stammered in reply. "Just looking in that general direction."

"There are lots of other general directions, pick one of them," Sam turned in his chair, waving his hand around to display each direction that he preferred Parker to look towards, finally allowing his hand to protectively find rest on your shoulder. He gave the kid one final glare before going back to your conversation.

"Sam, why do you always have to be such a jerk? What is it that you've got against Peter?"

"That kid just never stops, ya know? He needs a babysitter and a juice box, and a nice long nap time. He's just a kid in spandex."

"And lots of hair gel, just so much," Bucky smiled, sitting up straighter to take part in the fun. "It's all just very problematic."

You could feel the secondhand embarrassment start to build with each insult they threw, even the playful ones. Pete kept looking to you as if you could be the one to finally change their views of him, but sadly, you could have done just as well banging your head against a wall instead. "Are you two really teaming up to haze the new guy? Does everyone go through this?"

"Parker's throwing off the balance, every day, more and more. He's an egomaniac, (Y/N), and it's just...he's just the worst."

"That kid has an ego?" you scoffed, vehemently shaking your head in disbelief. "Nope, sorry, Bucky, I can't see it. No way is that true. Now you're only picking on the guy, and it's just plain mean."

"It's cuz he's the littlest guy!" Sam agreed readily. "He's got that Napoleon complex thing going on! And get this, you just know that he curls up in his little twin bed with posters of Justin Timberlake on the wall. It sounds adorable, but trust me, honey, you could do so much better."

~~~

It was a strange feeling, to have actually enjoyed cleaning up after dinner and helping the team with dishes before everyone said their good-nights and retreated to their quarters. The conversations between them were always lively, and it seemed as if everyone got along like best friends. Well, for the most part. You weren't sure if Sam was like this with Peter when you weren't around, but anytime you were near, your uncle reached new heights of torturing the guy. Even Steve and Tony were role models of friendship in comparison, still after the eviscerating battle they had just waged against each other not that long ago.

Sam was hesitant to leave you alone, but at your insistence he left you on one of the balconies overlooking the grounds, trying to give you a curfew to go to your own room and failing terribly. It was so quiet and peaceful here, so removed from the world around you, that the silence stole your sense of time; the building darkened and soon there was nothing but moonlight illuminating everything around you. You considered sleeping out there, it was just too perfect.

"(Y/N)?" Peter whispered from the doorway. "Can I join you? Just for a minute? If not...I can...I c-can go."

"Of course you can," you whispered back, "you actually live here, Pete."

"Oh...yeah, right. Okay, as long as I'm not bothering you. I waited until your uncle was asleep before trying to sneak out here."

"I'm really sorry about Sam," you hurried to answer, "he's always been protective of me. You just seem to be the lucky target for his worry. I'll let you in on a secret, though," you smiled as calmly as you could, leaning in closer, "he's just a big teddy bear under that bravado, don't be scared of him."

"Yeah, I can totally see that," he chuckled "a big, mean teddy bear."

"Now there's a visual."

"A big mean teddy bear that's going to haunt my nightmares once he finds out that I came up here to ask you...if maybe...you'd like to go on a date? W-with me?"

Part 2

Your first date with Peter Parker went about as you would expect from a guy who was in perpetual motion, his nervous energy so prevalent that he practically vibrated even when standing still. He worried that everything he had planned would fall apart before he could get the chance to pick you up for the date, despite the fact that FRIDAY was in charge of it all and had reassured him over and over that all was good. He changed his outfit no less than five times, finally choosing a casual look of jeans and a plain button down, not realizing that he had put on mismatched socks until you were the one to point it out as he drove you both into the city.

"Pete?"

"Hmm?"

"Did FRIDAY forget to check you before you left the compound?"

"What do you mean?" he asked with a quiet tremble in his voice. His mind began to race with everything he had done before you left, going through his mental checklist only to find that he had been successful at each thing. "I'm pretty sure I took care of everything."

"You have one red sock and one blue one."

"I do?!" he gasped, looking down at his feet. "Aw, crap! FRIDAY, maybe a little heads up?"

"Sorry, Mr. Parker."

"It's not a big deal," you laughed softly, "I'm sorry that I said anything. I guess I didn't realize that you were still needing help getting dressed."

"Well, that's just mean," he mumbled. He glanced over to you for just a second before looking back out and to the road ahead, his grip tightening on the wheel in his embarrassment until his fingers blanched of their color. You couldn't help but feel the shift in the atmosphere around you, and you felt immediate regret and making your date uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Pete, I was just giving you a hard time," you apologized quickly. "It's what I do when I'm nervous."

"You're...nervous?" he gasped in complete shock. "No way...what do you have to be nervous about? I'm the one who's waiting for everything to fall apart. I've planned this date out to the last detail, and I just know that I've missed something. I don't want to mess it up before it gets started, but then that sock thing just got the ball rolling..."

The poor kid looked absolutely terrified; he wasn't joking at all. It gave you solace to know that he was feeling the same way, even if it were for completely different reasons. You were more concerned about your uncle finding out and showing up during the date to ruin it. Sam was protective, but he also let that protectiveness get out of hand to the point of completely ignoring reason and rational behavior. Deciding that each minute you had together on this date would be one given out of luck that Sam hadn't interrupted it yet, you decided to help the kid so that you could focus on just enjoying it. You reached down and pulled off only one of your socks, tossing it into the back seat with a chuckle. "Oh, man, would you look at that?"

"What?"

"I forgot a sock," you shrugged. "I guess that together we make quite the pair."

Peter looked at you with a soft smile, the sparkle returning to his eyes as his mood immediately began to shift, "You know what? I think we make a perfect pair, (Y/N)."

~~~

It didn't take long for your second and third dates to happen, and as time went on, you lost track of how many dates there had been; the two of you had become nearly inseparable. It made it increasingly difficult to keep your ruse going when Sam was around, however, as he still didn't see Peter as an option for you, and the comments and sideways glares at the kid never stopped. If anything, it felt as if his dislike of Parker was only getting worse as time passed, and you had no idea why. You never spoke of him when Sam was nearby, and the two of you had been so careful to not let anything out about your relationship. Pete told you about their missions routinely as he unpacked from them, and never once did he say anything about something going wrong with your uncle on the same team. It started to make you wonder if this was really about Pete, or if it was more about you.

Unfortunately, when you had finally found the bravery to just come clean with Sam and tell him about you and Pete, the end of the summer at the compound had arrived, and your next adventure would take you where your uncle would have no worries about the company you kept anymore.

"(Y/N), do you really have to go?" Peter whined as he watched you pack. "How long will you be gone?"

"Don't pout, sweetie," you mocked, giving him the best pout you could muster in return, "it's only for three months. You'll be so busy with the team that it's gonna fly by like no time at all."

"But can't you study here? Why do you have to be on a whole different continent when Mr. Stark can get you anything and everything that you need to learn whatever you want?"

"Because Mr. Stark doesn't offer college credit."

"I bet he could-"

"Pete, stop, please," you urged, halting your packing to turn to face him. "Listen, we'll talk every day, I promise. Believe me, I would stay here if I could, but this is just too big of an opportunity for me to pass up."

"Yeah, I know," he grumbled. Peter knew that his argument held nothing compared to yours, and he wanted you to go and have this experience, but it still didn't mean that he had to like it. To show that he supported you, at least a little bit, he came to stand at your side to help with your packing until everything was ready to go. "Alright, at least let me come to the airport with you."

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Sam is flying me there on the quinjet."

"Of course, he is."

"I can ask if you can come along?"

"No, it's okay," he sighed, taking your hand and turning you towards him, "it's probably better to say goodbye here. Nothing sounds worse to me than flying back with him alone. Even the thought of being here without you. But...just do me a favor, okay?"

"Anything."

"Don't meet anybody. I mean...obviously meet people, like...of course you're gonna meet people. Duh, right? I mean...just don't meet anyone-"

"Pete, relax," you smiled, resting your hand on his cheek so that he would stop and remember to breathe, "no matter where in the world I go, I'll never find anyone who could change my mind about you. You're the only one crazy enough to take me on."

"Take on you? Or your uncle?"

"Hmm," you smirked, "maybe a little of both."

~~~

The first month that you were separated, you had made good on your promise, talking to Pete every day. He tried to help with homework when he could, but he had enough trouble focusing on anything other than staring at the screen as you spoke, entranced just by hearing your voice again as if he hadn't heard it a mere 24 hours before.

Towards the end of that month, however, you began to worry that something was going on that he wasn't telling you; he seemed distracted and almost distant. When you asked him about it, he deflected well enough, claiming that he was just overloaded with his own work and balancing his time with the team. When he wouldn't just come out and say what was bothering him, you briefly considered asking Sam, but then that would give you both away; it wouldn't be fair to have Pete taking all of the attention that would bring when you weren't there to take it with him.

Then, the calls became every other day. Then, every third or fourth. He continued to deny that anything was wrong, and that he was fine, but you could feel that there was more. You had decided that enough was enough, and you called your uncle, only to get no answer.

"What the hell?" you mumbled to yourself, staring at a blank screen as your panic began to set in. It was bad enough that Peter wouldn't pick up, but to have Sam ignore the call as well only made you ready to accept the worst. You were about to try again, when he finally sent a message to try to soothe your nerves.

Hey, kiddo. We're just coming in from a job, so I'll call you soon. You know how Cap gets if we don't follow protocol.

It was enough to calm you, thankfully. Deciding to go back to your work until he could call, you grabbed your laptop and sat on the couch, spreading your assignments out to fully surround you; it was more than plenty to keep your mind occupied. At least until a loud knock on the door jolted you back to reality nearly two hours later.

"Hold on," you called out, setting the work aside and hurrying to the door. When you looked through the peephole to see who it was, you nearly jumped out of your skin in excitement and threw the door open. "Sam! You're here?! You said you were on a mission-"

"Yeah, a mission to visit you! I was trying to keep it a surprise!"

"Well, you did!" You threw your arms around his neck and he pulled you in for a tight hug, only to quickly push back when he nearly forgot his biggest surprise.

"Oh, wait! I brought you something," he stopped, a hand up as he turned to look just out of your line of sight. When he turned back, he pulled your gift out in front, pushing it towards you with a huff. "Here, it was getting all mopey."

"Pete?!"

"(Y/N)!" he called back, eyes wide in shock. "Holy...what the...Sam, what's going on? You didn't tell me that we were going to see (Y/N)!"

"Didn't I just say that I was trying to keep it a surprise? Shit, kid, learn how to listen."

Peter's arms reached out for you, desperate to feel you within them again, but he stopped, turning back to his teammate with continued confusion. "Hold up, why would you think that bringing me to see her would make me feel better? I never say anything about her to make you think it would work."

"Exactly," Sam snickered, "that's what gave it away. You two never mention each other once, but I know that you were close while she was at the compound. No reason to hide a friend unless they're more and you don't want her favorite uncle to know about it. Now, go on," he waved dismissively, "have your visit. I'll just wait in the jet, but I can only stall Cap for about an hour and I will leave without you, Spiderboy."

"Thank you, sir," Pete answered with a nervous clearing of his throat before turning back to you with his arms out again. This time he didn't pause for a second, lifting you up to him with a laugh that you hadn't heard in far too long, and a kiss that you had spent months waiting for. "I've missed you so much, (Y/N). I love you."

"I love you too, Pete."

"Okaaaaay," Sam groaned, "that's just great. I didn't fly all this way to hear that, alright? Just because I brought the kid to ya, it doesn't mean I need to see that." He hurriedly made his way back down the hallway, grumbling and complaining to himself until he was out of earshot. "That's just...that's too much...dammit...I told ya, he's a problem...I knew I hated spiders for a good reason..."

"See, Pete, I told ya," you smiled as you watched Sam walk away, "he's a teddy bear."