Southern Drawls and New York Fist Fights

Fuck.

"Is there really nothing we can do?"
"There isn't."

-Harley-

Peter reeled back, and I glanced around, confused, surprised and slightly panicked.

Something hit me in the back of the head softly, bouncing off harmlessly as I flinched. I let out a slow breath as the feeling of my dad smacking the same spot, albeit quite a bit harder, came to mind. I shook my head and turned.

Only to be hit in the face by a purple foam ball.

I stumbled backwards, blinking in surprise. Were we being attacked by... balls? My confused thoughts were correct, as I noticed Shuri throwing small foam balls at the three of us occupying the lab, grinning at our confusion.

The confusion grew as I realized they were sticking to anything that wasn't skin, and I looked down at my chest as another ball, this one a deep blue, attached itself to my shirt. I tried to tug it off unsuccessfully and yelped as a green one attached to my shoulder.

"Shuri!" Peter laughed, doing his best to dodge the sticky foam objects flying towards him. I rolled my eyes at the antics, sliding behind one of the hologram tables Shuri often worked at. She paused when she saw where I was.

"Ay! No fair Harley." She whined, knowing that if she did try and hit me with another ball, it would result in it flying through the hologram and the table needing a reboot, or that I would be shutting it off.

"You're the one who sneak attacked us." I shot back, ignoring the way Loki was snickering at our misfortune.

"You two looked like a cheesy couple, or like someone had died." Shuri huffed. I rolled my eyes, pretending not to hear the squeak Peter made at her sentence.

"How do we get these off?" Peter asked, and the princess grinned, moving towards the work table I had taken refuge behind. She tapped a few things on the screen and the foam fell to the floor. I picked one up, tossing it up and down a few times.

"That's cool."

"Why thank you! It took me a bit to figure out how to get them to stick to anything but skin or hair." Shuri grinned.

"Awesome! Can you show me?" Peter bounced over, looking over Shuri's shoulder. I met Loki's eyes above the two's heads, and he nodded towards the door. I shrugged, and the god of mischief hopped down from where he had been sitting on a table against the wall. I followed him from the lab.

We walked in silence to the elevator, finding comfort in the quiet. I glanced around the familiar root Loki led me on, contemplating if we were going to the library, or his room. He pushed open the door to his room and I followed him in, the god sitting on the bed after shutting the door behind us.

"Are you going to tell me what is bothering you?" He asked. I blinked, not expecting this.

"What?"

"Something is bothering you."

"It's nothing you guys need to worry about."

"So then why was Tony, Natasha and Pepper rushing around earlier?"

"They're busy people?"

"Harley." I looked up at Loki finally, finding him leaning back on his palms. I chewed at my lip, not sure how I would even tell him.

"It's... something that is hard to explain." I finally decided to say. "But- police will be involved, so will the court. And uh, I might be going back to Tenessee in a few days."

Loki frowned. "Well, that won't do."

"What?"

"You are enrolled here? At Peter's school, aren't you?" I nodded slowly. "So you will have to transfer back to the one you used to go to in Tennessee then?"

"Uh- no. I don't think so. It should pass pretty quickly and then I'll be back. I'll just miss the first few weeks or so."

"Hm. I guess, then." Loki was looking at me in a way that meant he knew I wasn't telling the truth. Technically I was, I was just omitting information.

"Boss has requested your presence in the penthouse, Harley." FRIDAY said, breaking the tense silence. I glanced up at the ceiling.

"Alright, thanks Fri." I murmured. "I'll see you later Lokes."

The god nodded to me as I left, heading for the elevator. I was relatively sure this was something to do with my dad. As the elevator doors closed, I tugged at the sleeves of my hoodie nervously. There could be so much going on. I really hoped that whatever it was, it was good.

The doors whooshed open and quiet arguing is what I heard as I walked towards the three couches around a coffee table and TV, where Pepper, Bruce, Tony and Nat were sitting.

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Natasha asked, her arms crossed.

"There isn't." Pepper said.

"No, no!" Tony threw his arms up in the air as if the gesture would prove him right. "There has to be something! Some little loop hole! There is no way that we are just-"

"Tony, calm down." Pepper sighed.

"I agree with Tony on this." Bruce spoke, pinching the bridge of his nose. "There has to be something."

"Agreed! There is no way in hell we are doing that! C'mon Pepper, there is another way, right?" My head snapped up to see Clint half hanging out of a vent, I hadn't even realized he was there.

"I'm afraid not. I'm sorry guys. We have to send him back, by tomorrow morning." My vision spun, a sickening feeling filling my stomach.

"W-what?" I choked out, the adults turning to see me at the noise. Pepper smiled softly, a type of pain in her eyes I just couldn't name. My world was folding in, crushing me, forcing me back into a box.

"Harley, come sit." Pepper said softly. I nodded, immediately moving to sit on the couch beside Tony, clenching my fists where they sat on my lap to hide how badly my hands were shaking. "We talked to the police, and due to laws you have to go back to Tennessee. Your parents don't know you are here, nor did they consent to it and since you aren't eighteen you can't be staying here."

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat. This couldn't be happening. I nodded. Clint dropped from the vent, standing in front of Tony.

"I'm sorry, kid." He murmured.

"It- I-" Clint nodded, a supportive smile flashing my way as I took a deep breath. "Okay. I-I'm going to go pack."

I was up and heading back into the elevator before any of them could say something, leaning against the wall as I tried to steady my breathing. I couldn't go back, not to him. I knew it was a chance but holy fuck, it was so much scarier now.

My eyes stayed locked on my hands shaky figures, which blurred and doubled and swayed as tears obscured my vision. I stumbled out of the elevator, forcing my feet to move and willing my knees to not buckle.

My door shut loudly behind me and I leaned against it, slowly sliding to the floor.

I gasped for breath, my heart pounding in my throat. Bile rose once more, and I shoved myself upwards and towards the bathroom, barely getting to the toilet before I was throwing up.

I took a deep breath through my nose, tried to calm my racing heart and struggling lungs. My throat stung, my mouth tasted gross.

I blew out a breath, slower this time, and stood on shaky legs to flush the toilet and wash my hands, rinsing my mouth out in the process.

I lent my weight on the sink, staring my pale face down in the mirror. My eyes, rimmed with red, reflecting just how terrified I felt inside.

"Fuck."