Retribution ★ Avengers

A Very Special Game

Being a 26-year-old was hard, but being a 26-year-old with two very active three-year-olds was even harder. Charlie and Jay were running all over the two-story house, doing whatever they possibly could do to avoid their parents. With their small stature and their ability to hide just about anywhere they saw fit, the twins had an advantage over their parents, but Marlena and Bucky had an advantage over the two of them as well. Their enhanced abilities assisted them in regards to speed and the ability to sift through their small minds in order to locate their exact whereabouts. It was more or less a game between the four family members, at least it was any other day. Now it was merely a situation that threatened their arrival to a certain uncle's football game.

"Charlie," Marlena called as she slowly inched her way down the long hallway. "Uncle Mason is gonna be really sad if we don't show up at his game on time."

Marlena heard tiny, rushed footsteps in hers and Bucky's bedroom and stopped in the middle of the hallway. She turned towards the door and pushed it open. Before she could head inside the room, her daughter rushed past her and headed down the hallway towards the stairs. Marlena was more than ready to head after her until Bucky, who quickly released a pouting Jay from his arms, grabbed her, eliciting a squeal from the small child.

"I don't wanna wear them, daddy," Charlie whined as Bucky placed her sandals onto her feet.

"You can't run around without shoes, Charlie," Bucky replied.

Bucky placed Charlie back down on the floor once he had the small shoes placed securely on her feet and she crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at the carpeted floor with a frown on her face. "You guys are mean," Charlie huffed.

Marlena shook her head at the three-year-old and moved towards the stairs. "No McDonald's for you then," she remarked as she started down the staircase.

Charlie let out a squeal and followed after her mother, while Jay and Bucky followed behind her. "Mommy, wait," the young girl called out.

Jay tugged at Bucky's hand as the two continued down the stairs after the two females. "Charlie screams a lot, daddy," he said to Bucky.

Bucky chuckled and nodded his head slightly, glancing down at his son. "She really does."

Despite the fact that Charlie and Jay were twins, the two of them were opposites to some extent or another. Charlie was very exuberant and loud; she was a troublemaker, much like Bucky could remember being when he was younger. Jay was much more quiet and reserved, though sometimes he could be a little bit out there, just as Marlena had been when she was younger. Regardless of the fact of it all, the twins still loved each other very much; they were each others' best friends.

"I want chicken nuggets," Charlie said to Marlena.

Marlena laughed at her and headed into the living room to grab her bag, as well as her keys. "Then maybe you should try being nice," she said to her.

"Unfortunately for us, Miss Charlotte doesn't know what that word means," Bucky remarked as he walked into the living room with Jay.

Marlena giggled and handed Bucky the keys, while Charlie simply glared up at her father.

"I know what being nice means," she huffed out and placed her hands on her hips. "It's the opposite of being mean."

Bucky smiled and shook his head, lightly pushing Charlie and Jay towards the front door. He grabbed Marlena's hand in his own and intertwined their fingers together. "It would be nice if you two could head to the car so we can get a move on."

"Do we still have to sit in our seats?" Jay asked curiously as Bucky pulled the front door open for them, allowing a cool breeze into the house.

"Yes," Marlena answered.