Loki changed forms to Lady Loki to join them as they left. She felt better shopping with the group when she was female. It was more fun for her. They walked down to the garage with Bucky to meet up with Nat and Wanda.
Bucky was wearing a long-sleeved shirt to hide his metal arm. Gwen took his metal hand and looked up at him, concerned that he was hiding it. She didn't like the thought of her big strong security Bucky feeling like he needed to hide who he was. "They will think your ears and tail adorable. My... arm is scary to them," Bucky explained to her.
"It's not scary," she told him and cuddled close. She felt safe with him, why would anyone think he was scary?
"You aren't afraid of it. The civilians are."
"Well, they're wrong," she told him protectively.
It was cute that she thought she could protect him from mean people. Bucky smirked. "They're not the most intelligent people."
"People en masse are stupid," she agreed.
"Stop flirting with boyfriend and come on!" Nat called as they had reached the garage. Gwen giggled when Nat grabbed her hand to drag her faster to the car. Bucky laughed too and reached up to catch the keys when Nat threw them to him. Of course, he was the driver too on their outing. Nat was making him work for the honor of crashing girls' day. Bucky didn't mind as he got to spend the day with Gwen.
They all climbed into the SUB and Bucky drove to the mall, parking by the theater when they arrived. "Okay first stop!"
The girls climbed out of the car, and Gwen's arms were around Bucky's as they headed inside. The group got plenty of looks and there were whispers from the other shoppers as their group was recognized. Of course, Gwen was obvious, but Bucky, Nat, and Wanda were well known too. Most people didn't recognize Lady Loki, though it wasn't terribly hard to figure out who she was when she was with the Avengers.
Nat bought the tickets and enough snacks to feed an army, which should keep a werewolf, a goddess, two super soldiers, and one little witch happy. Bucky sat between lady Loki and Gwen, holding the popcorn bowl for them and himself.
Loki smirked over at Bucky. "I can turn you female if you're feeling left out of the fun," she teased, while Gwen curled up adorably with Bucky, lifting the armrest between their seats.
Bucky wasn't interested in being female. "Nah, my girlfriend wouldn't like that. And neither would I." He rolled his eyes and knew that Loki would accept that it would upset Bucky if she changed his gender. Loki was always one for pranks, but she had standards and crossing that kind of line was well beyond what was acceptable.
Loki giggled. "Let me know if you change your mind," she teased.
Luckily for Bucky, the movie was actually good, even if it did have the particular actor the girls were lusting over shirtless practically the entire movie. He was enjoying Gwen's company and her excitement was contagious. She was so happy and relaxed and her tail wagged excitedly. It was a vast improvement over her hiding under his bed yesterday.
Bucky ended up watching her more than the film.
Gwen enjoyed the movie on the huge screen, surrounded by her friends and her Bucky. She cuddled in his arms, purring as her tail waved happily.
After the movie, they made their way around the mall, discussing the movie as they shopped. They all made Bucky carry the shopping bags. Though Gwen insisted she could carry hers herself, including the little pink bag from the fancy lingerie store. He relented enough to let her carry a couple of light ones, even though he knew she could handle more. And he made sure one of those bags she carried was the pink one. She didn't seem to want to give it up anyway. Gwen could benchpress a semi. She could easily carry the shopping.
After they'd scared all of the shops with their whirlwind shopping and burned a hole in Tony's credit card, they rewarded Bucky by taking him to dinner. "Oh my, I'm getting spoiled!" He teased the ladies warmly.
"Damn straight," Nat teased right back.
Gwen pouted up at him. "You're not having fun?" she asked, whining softly in concern.
"I am, I'm only teasing," he reassured her quickly. Her pout made him feel like shit and he wanted that to change quickly.
She grinned and hugged him. "Good. I was afraid we'd have to take you to Sportsworld or somewhere equally boring to make it up to you," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him. Gods, she was adorable.
"Well, now that you mentioned it..." he laughed. "Maybe the hunter and fisherman outlet?"
"If you and Loki would stop throwing your knives, maybe you'd stop running out," Nat teased, laughing at them. Loki huffed and grumbled something about summoning her daggers back after she'd thrown them.
"I like to look at new things. And might go camping and fishing." He rolled his eyes at Nat's teasing. "I was going to ask if Gwen would go with me this weekend?" He turned back to Gwen as he spoke, asking her the question.
"Go camping?" She asked and looked excited. "I'd love to!" She missed the woods and the outside terribly.
"Yeah, Tony has a cabin. It's in Pennsylvania, we can go fishing, maybe some hunting. I gotta get us permits. And we can camp outdoors by the river. The cabin is if it's raining or snowing."
She nodded and looked excited, bouncing on her toes. "Sounds like such fun!!"
"We can go from Friday to Monday night, drive home Tuesday. Its Tony's gift to you. To apologize for him being an ass twice to you," Bucky explained to her as she bounced in excitement.
The group made their way to the store, Loki shifting to male as they went so Bucky wouldn't be the only male in the hunting shop. Plus, he wanted to look at the knives too and it went easier in male form since humans could be stupid. Bucky was like a kid in a candy store with all the knives and camping equipment.
Gwen looked around the store. "People need all this for camping??"
Bucky shrugged and smiled at her. "They have different styles or preferences."
She nodded. "All we ever took was a fire starter," she said with a shrug
"When you haven't got much money or you're able to make weapons, these are available."
"And when you go camping on four paws you don't need shelter or weapons"
Bucky laughed, "Smartass. I can't do that. But I don't mind watching you do that."
She giggled. "Maybe I can take us down something bigger than a couple of rabbits"
"Maybe, or I can catch some fish."
"I can't swim" she reminds him before he got any ideas.
Bucky was surprised. "Not in either form?" She shook her head, looking sheepish at his surprise. "There's the pool, we can go practice, anytime," he offered quickly. She shouldn't be unable to swim.
"Maybe" she hedged, fiddling with her hands.
"You're afraid of water?" He knew she was hiding something, but didn't know what it was yet.
"In that I literally cannot swim. Werewolves' muscles are denser than humans in either form. It makes us super strong, but doesn't give us the buoyancy to be able to swim"
"What? So if I let you turn me, I'll not be able to swim?"
She gave him a look "First, I'm not turning you into a monster like me. Second, as far as I understand it, yes. If you were to turn you would lose that ability"
He didn't like her calling herself a monster. "Baby, you're not a monster. The Asset was a killing machine. That's what a monster is." He'd been The Asset back when he'd been in Hydra's control.
"I'm a creature from horror movies" she reminded him. "I've done terrible monstrous things for hydra too"
"Less than me. And you're not like Hollywood makes it look."
She shook her head "I turn into a wolf at the full moon. I can literally infect people and turn them into monsters too"
"But you're conscious and haven't turned anyone since we saved you."
"And I won't. No one wants to be stuck as a werewolf!" She protested, her tail swishing in agitation.
Bucky pondered that. "If it were curable, would you want to be cured?"
She looked shocked at the question and at least didn't look agitated anymore. "There are times I would in a heartbeat. But I've never been anything other than a wolf,"
"Maybe, between Banner, Strange, and Loki, something can be done," he said softly. He liked her how she was, but if she was unhappy.
"Most of the time I like what I am. But there are days..." she blushed and turned shy and suddenly wouldn't look at him.
Bucky was too curious. "There are days...? Finish that thought out loud, please."
She glanced around to be sure they wouldn't be overheard. "There are awful days where I can't stand being a wolf, where what I am is extraordinarily painful, and just existing takes control and effort. Moon fever is an example" she added before he could get too curious and ask what she meant, but what didn't explain how red she was.
"Why are you whispering? And how can I help with the pain?"
She sighed. He wasn't dropping the question and she wouldn't deny him. "Because moon fever isn't the only example," she said shyly. "Or the one that explains the pain"
"But you were feverish and looked in pain. What else?"
She fidgeted under his intensity. "Omegawolvesgointoheat," she finally blurted out in a whisper, clearly embarrassed and bright red.