A.N: I apologize for the extremely late update. Between soccer starting and fighting for an 'A' in math I haven't had much time to write and I didn't see a good break for this chapter so I couldn't make it two parts. But at least it's up.

Also, I don't own the Avengers. Marvel and Disney do. Obviously.

"I'll deal with you later, Banner. Go back to your room." Fury sternly ordered.

Bruce nodded and slowly moved. "Do you want me to close the door?"

"Yes."

He did so, then headed back to Tony's.

O0O0O0

Steve felt a hand pat his back. "Go back to the room, Mr. Rightious." Tony said."I'm gonna go wash this stuff off. Less is more with makeup, right?"

"Err. Sure." Steve responded. "See you in the morning, Tony." He watched Tony close the bathroom door halfway and finished the distance to the boys' room. Even outside the door, Steve could hear Thor lecturing Loki. He went in anyway.

O0O0O0

"You should have awoken me!" Thor bellowed.

Loki rolled his eyes. "You were already awake, idiot. Don't you understand; I wanted to go!" He turned to Steve, who had just entered, and make it clear he was now addressing them both the older boys. "You lot are no fun at all."

Steve put up his hands defensively. He didn't want any part in the brothers' endless squabbles. That was a war not worth fighting in. Luckily his Legos were still out. He continued building a red, white, and blue disk like thing. Why did Thor bring Loki again? He wondered, as the brothers continued to bicker.

O0O0O0

Bruce scratched his head, thinking about recent events. Things had gotten really bad, fast. Typical Stark sleepover. He chuckled. Tony did like to do things differently, that's for sure. He turned the corner and saw a light on. The closer he got, the louder the splashing sound got. Was someone running a bath?

"Help me, Bruce. Help me, I've tried everything. I don't want to be like this forever."

Bruce couldn't help but smile as he saw Tony, face pink, blue, and purple where the colors met, begging for help from the bathroom. The sink was on full blast, and very soapy, but not even a tint of color from Tony's face was in the suds.

"Exactly what do you need help with?" He stalled. Where was a camera when you needed one?

"The makeup. I've used liquid soap, bar soap, hot water, cold water, wash cloths, tissues, sponges – I've even tried to scratch it off with my fingernails. Nothing works."

Bruce sighed. Pepper was right. For a genius, Tony was an idiot. "The girls probably have makeup remover in their makeup picnic thing. Maybe if you're sweeter than a simple sugar solution they'll give you it."

"Or they'll beat me up."

"At least we're 100 percent sure that bruises can heal and disappear, unlike the makeup." He reasoned.

Tony contemplated this. If he went to school like this, all pink, he would be teased forever. Maybe he could get remover elsewhere though?

"JARVIS, scan the house for all makeup remover."

The disembodied English accented voice replied promptly, "Mrs. Stark, Ms. Romanoff, and Ms. Potts are the only people with access to makeup remover at this time, young sir.

"Is Mom even home?"

"Yes."

Awesome. He could just go into his parents' room and- "Wait, JARVIS, is Dad home, too?"

"Yes, young sir."

-and have his father see him like this, thus becoming even more disappointed in his offspring than before. Tony let out an exasperated sigh. "Wish me luck, Bruce. I'm headed back."

Bruce patted him on the shoulder then wordlessly continued on to his original destination.

Tony began his walk of shame to the battle field.

O0O0O0

"Are we clear, you three?" Fury snapped.

A chorus of, "Yes, Sir!" replied. Clint threw in a salute, as per usual.

"Good." Fury acknowledged. "Barton, I'll escort you back to your room this time to guarantee your arrival."

Clint bit his lip. "While I'm touched that you want to protect me during my travels, I know that darkness monsters don't exist anymore, and that if they did, there's nothing anyone can do to stop them-I'll be kidnapped by them either way- so there's no point in you coming. But don't worry. If they don't want me to make it back to the room and snatch me, I'll scream or something." He was getting more confident in sassing Fury.

"Watch it. Or I might just let them get you, kid."

O0O0O0

Hearing footsteps, Tony tucked into the next linen closet he saw. He bit back a laugh as he heard Clint, with Fury, pass by. It was always funny to see your partner in crime get busted. Well, to Tony.

"Are they far enough away?" He whispered to the ceiling.

"Mr. Fury and Mr. Barton have arrived at your room, young sir." Ever-reliable JARVIS answered.

Tony journeyed on.

O0O0O0

The blue and pink boy nudged open the door he knew to be the girls'. Their room was even darker than the hallways were. Even his mostly adjusted eyes were still having trouble seeing. Hopefully Pepper didn't set up any traps.

He made his way to where he guesstemated the basket to be- given they hadn't moved it since he was in here last. Perhaps he could just find it himself and that would be the end of that? One could hope. His toe smashed ungracefully into the basket fulfilling his hope. Eureka.

Figuring it would be best to just take the whole basket because a) Peps and Natasha should not have have position of this artillery and b) then he could go somewhere lighted to rummage through it, Tony groped for the handles. Right as the kit was lifted off the ground, he heard the door click closed and the lights flicker on.

"You shouldn't have come back here, Stark."

Okay, he believed Clint 100 percent now. Natasha was a ninja who could silently travel at the speed of light. "Err. Do you have any make up remover?" No point in lying now.

"If you want the makeup off, why are you stealing a basket of the stuff?"

Tony looked down. It did look a bit like he was trying to steal more makeup, he'd give her that. "No I-"

She didn't let him finish. "God, you're a junkie already. When you go, you go big, doncha, Stark? Steve's really going to have his work cut out for him."

"Wait, what? Bruce sent me."

"You got Bruce addicted?"

"Addicted? What are you talking about?"

Pepper took this as her cue to jump in. "You- and apparently Bruce- are makeup junkies now, but you're too embarrassed to admit it, and Steve is in charge of your rehab, or so we assume."

Tony thought long and hard about how to respond to that. "If I agree that all you have said is in fact true, can I keep the basket?"

Pepper trotted over to Nat so they could whisper amongst themselves. "Do we want to hurt him or help him?"

"I don't know" Nat whispered back. "What do you want?"

"I kind of feel guilty about addicting him."

"So would keeping the basket help him or hurt him?"

"I think it would help. Giving him more of the stuff might make his… condition worse."

"Okay then."

Nat approached Tony. "Drop the basket and walk away." She ordered.

Tony pouted. "But I neeeeeeed it."

"Drop it."

Tony glared; he wasn't a dog holding a stick for god's sake! But he still dropped the basket. "Well now what am I supposed to do! This stuff," He motioned to his colorful face. "is like cement glue. Trust me; I'd know."

The cement glue comment went unnoticed. "Just go back to your room and go to sleep."

Tony stormed out. Go to the girls, he said. They'll give you remover, he said. You could exchange the makeup for bruises, he said. Thanks, Bruce. Thanks a lot. He pulled a white square out of his pocket, skeptical. Hopefully he had snagged what he wanted, not acetone nail polish remover.

O0O0O0

Bruce sat down quietly next to Steve. "What did I miss?"

"Thor yelling at Loki for being careless, and Loki yelling back clever things."

"Oo, where's the popcorn?" Bruce joked.

Steve smirked then turned back to the show.

O0O0O0

Thor had had enough of Loki's excuses. Did he not realize he had worried him so? And that blasted scepter of Loki's being waved in his face! It was ridiculous.

Thor took the scepter from his brother. "Why do you carry this? Is it some sort of stick? Are you preparing for a surprise roast of the marshmallows?"

Loki was more cross than ever. How dare he take the battle scepter. "You've gone too far, brother. Return it to me."

"No, you are a ridiculous child. Build something anew with these remains." He crumbled the scepter, allowing every block to fall unceremoniously.

"I ONLY WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING COOL LIKE YOU, THOR. I HATE YOU." Loki yelled as his beloved was murdered in front of him. He fought a war inside him trying desperately not to cry. The shattered boy picked up the hammer Thor chucked at him earlier, and threw it against the ground with all his might. How would Thor like it when his precious hammer was destroyed?

O0O0O0

It wasn't destroyed. Not a single block had fallen out of place. Thor laughed loudly and wholeheartedly. As if this was all a game to him. Loki was floored. To him, it was not a game; it never was. It was a constant struggle to stay out of his brother's massive shadow. There were the little things, like making clever comments when he knew his wit would be appreciated, to the big things, like his battle scepter. It was the one thing that he had invented and was proud of, even though it was just of Legos. And Thor should have known that. Why didn't he know that? He always raved about how much he cared, how much he loved his little brother, but did he even pay attention? No. This was all a game to him, and it was unfair.

Loki didn't give himself time to think strategy. Between the fall of the hammer and the laughter, he had simply acted. Maybe the shove caught his brother too off guard, and maybe the wall was a little too close. He probably should have stopped swinging his arms when Thor was cradling his own head, or when he began to see silent tears stream down the blonde's face. But as the sound of Steve screaming, "Loki, stop! Loki, he's hurt! Tony's walls are reinforced. I think he hit head!" all he could feel was the burning of his own crying and the adrenaline fueling his every move. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair! It's time Thor learned. He tried to reason with himself and use those thoughts to push the ones urging him to stop, to remember all the times Thor had made him happy or protected him, away.

When Fury pulled him off Thor he yelled, "I loved you more than anyone, Thor! More than anyone! You've crossed the line! This! Is! War!"

Bruce was quickly at Thor's side, looking at his head for any sign of blood. (He was going to be a doctor one day. This was good practice.) He gave Fury a nod when he saw no signs of cuts or wounds. Fury nodded back in understanding and then took Loki out of the room.

Clint, who had arrived with Fury, was the first to crack a joke. "Guess Loki'll be finding out about that laser eye then, huh?"

Thor had long since stopped crying, "My baby brother is not good when staying up late. He was once a cranky babe. Now a cranky child. I am sorry for his disruption of this wonderful night."

"You just got the crud beaten out of you by a kid two years younger and half your size. That was insanity, not a bad mood." Clint said.

"I'll admit," Thor thought over his word choice. "that Loki was out of line, but in our family, we quarrel like warriors. He was physical this time, which was odd, but he must've learned from me. He and I will talk much of this later. Again, I am truly sorry."

Tony loudly cleared his throat from the doorway. "Um, what did I miss?"

Clint explained the best he could. "Well, Loki went psycho after Thor's hammer didn't break but his stick did, and then Fury came and I don't think we're going to be allowed to sleepover anymore because of this."

"That's a shame. I missed out on the fun. But at least the glue I used on your hammer held."

Steve noticed Tony's skin color. "Glad to see you're not purple anymore, Tony."

"He was purple?" Clint asked in earnest.

"I think it was more of a blue-y pink." Bruce chirped in.

"How blue-y pink?" Clint pressed.

Bruce pointed to Thor who, despite all that had happened, was still blue from Loki's first ambush. "Like that, only with a coating of pink cotton candy. Or the pink and blue swirl you get from Trix yogurt."

"Cool."

O0O0O0

"Do you want to tail him?" Natasha asked a few minutes after Tony left.

"I don't see the point." Pepper replied, instead of admitting that she was tired and didn't want to use the last of her energy on a hopeless mission.

"Well, he managed to snag something from the basket. I'm not sure what it was."

Pepper closed her eyes. Of course he snagged something. Tony was just too much. She had always told him that the world does not revolve around Tony Stark, but, Jesus, did it sometimes feel like hers did. Being the responsible girl she was, Pep agreed to tail him. She had convinced herself that it would save time in the future by doing the damage control earlier.

When the pair found Tony in his room, makeup gone; with Thor literally blue; Clint, Bruce and Steve talking colors; and Loki nowhere to be found, all they could do was stare.

"Hey beautiful, would you like to come in and sit with me?"

Natasha stood her ground. Surely Clint couldn't have noticed her from the crack in the doorway? He was bluffing.

"Or is the view better from a distance?" Tony added.

Okay, not a bluff. She gritted her teeth and entered, Pepper close behind as backup incase things wnet wrong. She sat next to Clint since there was no point in being sneaky anymore. "Why do you add comments? Do you have a death wish, Stark?"

Tony just grinned.

O0O0O0

Pepper was ghosting on the other side of the room. She wasn't really sure what to do now that their cover was blown. And then there was the mystery that was Tony's clear face.

O0O0O0

Natasha scooted closer to Clint. "How did you know we were there?"

Clint scooted closer to her. Their knees bumped a little. "I told you. I'm a bit of a ninja myself. But not a crazy love ninja like you. I didn't even know they have a love ninja area of SHIELD until now. Is Tony in your area? He's really good with people like that."

"I think Tony's area is being a big mouth."

Tony moved over to the pair. "I heard that."

"Glad you could join us, Tony!" Natasha said a bit too enthusiastically. Clint looked very unglad at his friend's arrival. "Now tell me- What did you take from the makeup basket?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tony denied the question.

"How did you bounce back from your addiction so quickly?"

"Because I wasn't addicted in the first place. Duh."

Nat rolled her eyes. "Well then how did you get it off?"

"With the makeup remover I nabbed. You are the worst ninja ever."

"At least I don't have cooties, Stark."

Clint spoke before Tony. "For the record, I don't have cooties. Tony might though."

"I don't have cooties, Clint." Tony shot back.

"I'm glad you don't have cooties, Clint." Natasha ignored Tony.

Clint smiled then cautiously laces his fingers through Natasha's. He was relieved when she didn't break his wrist, and more relived when she laced hers back while arguing with Tony.

O0O0O0

When Thor had fallen asleep, because dealing with Loki was tiring even to him; Tony, Clint and Natasha were talking in a triangle; and Steve was doing his best to stay away from anything that looked remotely like trouble, Bruce slid over to Pepper. Out of everyone, he understood best what dealing with Tony meant. Not being easy was an understatement. "Whatever he did, I'm sure it was an in the moment thing that he'll deny later."

Pepper was relieved that Bruce had come over to her. Being a shy wallflower really wasn't her thing. "I believe you. He's an idiot."

"You look tired."

"Well, it's almost midnight and I think you know what kind of day I've had."

"Yeah." And Bruce really did know. Bruce had Stark Duty last year. "Do you want me to walk you back to your room so you can sleep?"

"Yes. Thank you. You're the best, Bruce."

If only everyone thought that. Bruce thought. He had friends enough, but 'the best' was not how he was usually described.

O0O0O0

Pepper had thanked him again when they got to her room and he left her to rest. He got back to his room to find that thirty minutes had passed and so had his friends' remaining energy.

Steve was to the right of the door, asleep on his stomach. Tony was sprawled out diagonally on his bed looking more dead than asleep. Maybe Natasha wasn't all empty threats? No, wait, she was sharing a blanket with Clint to the left, on the floor. Clint wasn't good at sharing from the start and definitely would have been averse to sharing with the girl who murdered his friend. So Stark was asleep then.

Thor was still fast asleep at the back of the room and was snoring slightly. He must have been dreaming about fighting, seeing how his arm twitched. Loki was still gone. Not really a surprise, all things considered. Bruce snuggled down into his sleeping bag.

He was comforted with the fact that he would wake up to what would no doubt be a strawberry pancake morning.

A.N: And there it is. I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for favoriting and signing up to story alerts! Reviews are most appreciated.