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defectivevillain · 3 days ago

Text

recognition

there are snippets for: Tony, Sam, Bucky, Bruce, Natasha, Thor, Clint, Vision, Stephen, Loki, T'Challa, and Scott. the relationships between them and the reader can be interpreted as platonic or romantic.

reader's race & gender are ambiguous; no pronouns or physical descriptors are used. they're implied to be an avenger too 🤘

summary: A hero's work doesn't end after they take off their suit. Nope, it continues—even when they're walking to the grocery store, going to dinner, or just minding their business...

the heroes & getting recognized by fans! (and Loki's here too! lol.)

word count: 4.6k | ao3 version

author's notes: This started as headcanons for the Avengers getting recognized in public… and quickly grew to include a combination of MCU characters.

Steve’s not in this, because I like Sam much better. I wrote Sam to be queer and there’s a brief acknowledgement of the discrimination he faces (it’s not the focus of his snippet).

The order is: Tony, Sam, Bucky, Bruce, Natasha, Thor, Clint, Vision, Stephen, Loki, T’Challa, and Scott—in case you want to find your favorites. But you should read all of them, because I think they’re cute :3

Warnings: brief mentions of discrimination (Sam’s snippet; not the point of the fic), unwanted physical contact (Stephen’s snippet; not perpetrated by him ofc).

Tony will know when someone’s a fan before they even notice him. It’s unsettling. You’ll be walking at his side, maybe looking down at your phone, when he’ll just go, “Fanboy incoming, three o’clock.” And you’ll look up and to your right to find a guy walking up to Tony.

Of course, Tony is extremely insufferable about it. He loves the attention; whenever you’re out in public, you’re forced to be the camera person: taking photos of him and his fans. It’s kind of annoying. It only gets worse when they leave, as Tony will proceed to taunt you for your nonexistent jealousy. (Because, really, who wants to be stopped every five seconds on their way to lunch?)

Bonus: If you’re a hero too, maybe another member of the Avengers… and a fan approaches you… Tony is super jealous. He’ll lurk off to the side with a fierce glare, practically boring holes into the fan’s skin as you give them your attention. When he’s handed the fan’s phone and told to take photos, expect him to put in almost no effort—rolling his eyes through it. If Tony’s in a really shitty mood, he’ll scrutinize the fan’s flaws (murmuring “What an ugly shirt…” under his breath or something else shady).

And rest assured, when the fan steps away, Tony’s wrapping an arm over your shoulders and bemoaning how exhausting that was. If you remind him that these interactions happen to him all the time, he’s quick to change the subject or whistle innocently.

Sam isn’t really used to getting recognized. It was one thing when he was the Falcon. But now that he’s Captain America, he’s been the unwitting target of the public’s scrutiny. As proud as he is to defend the country and its citizens… Well, many of them aren’t happy to be saved by a queer Black man.

That isn’t to say he always has horrible fan interactions. In fact, at least 90% of them are good. And all of the Avengers have their horror stories: Tony, Clint, and, hell, even Bruce (who is quite literally the most non-confrontational person on the planet). But the bad moments stick with Sam for longer than they should, making him flinch when he should smile. Of course, when he realizes his anxiety is irrational, he’s quick to slip on a bright grin or a mischievous smirk.

When he’s met with a genuine fan, though… Things can get a bit crazy. You’ve known Sam for long enough to know that he doesn’t really recognize the sheer power of his charisma. He jokes about it all the time, sure, but he doesn’t truly know. You’ve seen people practically drool all over him, and Sam will just wave it off with a polite smile. He really has a knack for steering the conversation perfectly, striking the balance between getting to know the fan and maintaining his boundaries.

You like poking fun at him after these fan moments, because there’s always a split second or two where he’s left staring after them with a slight smile on his face. (It’s such an endearing sight.) Of course, once Sam’s attention finds you again, he’s quick to rip into you in response.

Oh, and if you’re the hero getting fawned over… Sam will be entirely insufferable. Hell, he’ll usually join in on it, fake gushing over you and shaking his hands excitedly. He doesn’t go this far when he senses the other person is genuinely nervous, but if they’re a good sport, he’ll poke fun at them a bit.

When he’s relegated to photographer duty, he’ll take it seriously, maybe saying a cheeky, “Smile!” like a school photographer. And of fucking course Sam will take selfies on the fan’s phone. It’s like they’re asking him to—just handing the phone to him unlocked. Amateur mistake, come on.

Sam’s also just a super genuine guy. He’s a lot more attuned to the human experience than the other heroes are. And he’s super humble. Whenever people will offer to pay for him—coffee, dinner, whatever—he’s quick to deny. The waiter offers to pay for your dinner? Nope, Sam’s credit card is already on the table. The barista gives him a free drink? He gives them a tip that far exceeds the price of the coffee. Despite how often people will offer him things in gratitude, Sam will always refuse them and pay. Always. And that’s an admirable quality to have.

Bucky doesn’t know what to do when a fan approaches him. It’s hard for him to understand why they would idolize him in the first place. Not to mention, he likes his privacy—the thought of people knowing things about him is unsettling.

He’s probably the Avenger that has the firmest boundaries. He almost never says yes to pictures. He’ll stiffen and tighten up when fans get too close; the fingers of his vibranium hand will twitch and clench.

When the mantle of Captain America is passed from Steve to Sam, though… Bucky’s image is different. The public doesn’t really see him as the Winter Soldier anymore—they just see him as the person who accompanies Sam. And, honestly, he much prefers that to the alternative. Bucky doesn’t want to think about what he went through in the past—being spared from the reminder is a relief.

He’ll still be hesitant to take photos, of course. He’ll flash a super awkward smile, while still being stiff and tense.

Of course, if you’re the hero getting recognized, expect to get teased relentlessly. Bucky will throw the fan’s words back at you, teasingly calling you the best hero, the coolest Avenger, the only thing that got him through final exams… It’s ridiculous.

And Bucky is always thrilled to be the one taking the photos. He’ll take pictures from several different angles, until the fan’s practically tugging their phone back from him to preserve their storage.

Bruce is so incredibly uncomfortable with fans. He still doesn’t really like being associated with the Hulk—it brings up a whole host of negative emotions in him. And it certainly doesn’t help when people will approach him asking for the Hulk, as if the guy’s some kind of party trick instead of a manifestation of his worst, most unsavory feelings.

Bruce will be brief and almost blunt, his eyes frequently flitting around as he tries and fails to maintain his composure. With his hands shoved in his pockets and the restlessness practically dripping off of him, the fans are usually quick to sense he doesn’t want to speak with them. Bruce usually feels bad about it, and will apologize to them. You’ll tell him he doesn’t need to apologize, but he’ll just shake his head.

If any fans are being particularly persistent, you’ll have to be the one to step in and tell them to back off. Because Bruce is the type to suffer silently, to endure discomfort until he’s nearly on the verge of a panic attack. And you’re not exactly the most confrontational person yourself, but it’s very easy to get irritated on his behalf. Defending Bruce is as natural as taking your next breath. It certainly helps when he shoots you that relieved glance of his, his shoulders relaxing and his confidence returning as the fan walks away.

If someone’s a fan of Bruce Banner, though… he’s a lot more comfortable. You’ll see a tentative smile slowly work its way on his face as he’s asked about his publications and his research. Bruce will often get too absorbed in the conversation, to the point when you’ll have to drag him off and apologize to the fan—your lunch reservation isn’t going to fill itself.

Natasha tries her absolute hardest to be completely unapproachable and intimidating. Hell, you don’t think she even has to try—she just gives off that kind of vibe. Most people are quick to realize she’s pissed. Of course, that’s assuming they even get so close as to speak with her. It would be more likely for them to get thrown to the ground then have a casual conversation with the Black Widow.

You don’t know how someone would look at Black Widow and think she even wanted to associate with them… but there are always foolish people. Foolish, absolutely moronic people who think they can somehow sneak a picture of her or with her. Nat has really good peripheral vision and she knows when someone nearby is taking a photo of her. She’ll proceed to appear behind them, scaring the absolute shit out of them, before calmly and firmly saying, “Delete it.” This tried-and-true method never fails.

If someone actually has the guts to get into her personal space, they’ll leave with an injury. And you don’t blame Natasha for that. Fans tend to think that they have a right to a celebrity’s attention and space, just because they’ve followed them for a long time. In the days of social media, these assumptions are only growing more common. Fortunately, Nat always deals a swift reality check to anyone and everyone stupid enough to cross her path.

Thor loves when people recognize him. At the end of the day, he’s a god—and gods like to be praised. The God of Thunder is no exception. He’ll definitely milk it a bit, flashing a blinding smile and flexing his muscles just so the fans react.

He still doesn’t really know how Midgardian technology works—he doesn’t have a phone himself. So when Thor is tasked with taking a photo of a fan and you… Safe to say, he has no idea what he’s doing. He holds it the wrong way, holds it backwards. He accidentally exits out of the camera app and goes into something else entirely, borderline snooping through the fan’s phone without even realizing. Eventually he’ll give up and return the fan’s phone, at which point they’ll take a selfie of you and them.

Thor will sometimes get perplexed when he’s not given any attention. Whenever he realizes this, he usually turns to the fan and says something along the lines of, “No love for the God of Thunder?” The situation then plays out in two ways:

The fan looks mildly embarrassed and asks for a picture with him, even if they didn’t want one. Everyone leaves happy.

The fan just blinks at him. Maybe they’re confused, maybe they don’t know who the God of Thunder even is. Or, hell, maybe they just don’t want a picture with him. Regardless of the reason, Thor will be completely shocked. He won’t let it show until they leave—at which point, he’ll whip around and look at you. “That Midgardian… they didn’t want my picture.”

It’s almost cute, how dejected he looks at the thought. At this point, you’ll have to cheer him up—which usually involves you saying, “Well, I want your picture.” Then the two of you proceed to take some selfies at a rather questionable angle, and Thor forgets about it.

Clint is a bit of a wild card. Sometimes, he’s very patient and kind with his fans. Other times, he’s on a bit of a short fuse. He’s never rude, of course. He can just get a little… testy. You hardly blame him, especially when the two of you will get stopped before going to dinner, grabbing groceries… It never ends.

Not to mention, Hawkeye doesn’t have the same… committed fanbase… that some of the other Avengers have. As Clint has said before, he slips into the background. He’s more than content with that. He doesn’t transform into the green giant or wield a magical hammer. He just has a bow and arrow—and to him, that’s more than enough.

For whatever reason, this seems to convince people that he’s more friendly than the others. He’s more human than most of them, and can get away with looking ordinary if he’s wearing the right clothes. Of course, you know the truth: Clint is an absolute dick. In the best way possible, of course. That’s why the two of you get along so well.

But the public doesn’t know that. The public is keen to think that he’s this sunny guy with a perfect home life and absolutely nothing to complain about. Fans will ask him borderline stupid questions about himself, before quickly pivoting to questions about the other Avengers. It’s as if Clint isn’t even there, and you know it pisses him off. (It would piss you off, too, if you were him.)

And you can always tell the quality of the question he’s asked by how he answers. If it’s a mildly stupid one about one of the Avengers, he’ll pretend to think about it before shrugging and going, “You’ll just have to ask them.” If it’s particularly stupid, he won’t even bother answering. Sometimes, Clint will just stand there and let the awkward silence remain until the fan gets a hint. And on the rare, rare occasion that it’s an intelligent question, he’ll take a few moments to think about it before answering. And Clint will be the one to offer a picture during those rare times. Otherwise, the fans stand no chance.

If you’re being accosted by fans, Clint is a constant presence at your side. It’s reassuring to know he has your back. And he’s a quick study—he’ll immediately notice if you get uncomfortable or want to leave, at which point he’ll speed things up. If someone asks for your autograph, he’ll respond before you can, “We don’t have a pen.” When the fan offers one, Clint just takes it and snaps it in half before going, “Oops,” in the most flat voice possible.

Vision doesn’t really understand what’s happening. The first time a fan approaches him, they just stand there for several moments. And he stares back at them quietly, before eventually turning to you and going, “Is this a human custom?” At which point the fan will introduce themself and say they’re a fan. And… Vision will usually laugh.

“A fan?” he asks. “Of me? I’m merely a program, designed by Stark Industries.”

“You know what I mean,” the fan will assert, strangely insistent on his sentience. Vision will look at them for a moment in disbelief, before politely remarking that he does not know what they mean. Yes, the conversations between him and his fans are always very awkward. Despite Vision’s time with the Avengers, he hasn’t gotten a perfect grasp on humans yet. Besides, he was designed to grow.

He’ll slowly but surely get used to these interactions. He doesn’t have much of a choice: people will almost always approach him, fan or not. The pink skin, combined with the Infinity Stone firmly embedded in his forehead, is enough to make people very curious.

Vision is very sweet to the older adults who will often approach him in confusion, calmly stating that he’s an android and quelling their nerves or fears. Children will point at him and whisper in the way they tend to do; if they’re too scared to approach him, he’ll send them a wink. Otherwise, he’ll stare down at them and speak somewhat stiffly. He has very little experience speaking with children, after all.

These moments are cute. Whenever the kids leave, Vision will turn to you and ask you about his observations. Why was the kid staring so much? (Because kids do that.) Why did the mother look so apprehensive? (Because we’re strangers interacting with her child.) Why did he think you vanished when you put your hands over your face? (Kids don’t develop object permanence until they get older.) It’s pretty much ethnography for him—an immersive experience that leaves him with equal questions and answers.

Stephen isn’t used to getting recognized. It’s kind of impossible for him not to get recognized, you tell him one day as you walk along the sidewalk. The robes and amulet speak for themselves. People are quick to jump to one of two conclusions: 1) he’s Dr. Strange; or 2) he’s cosplaying a character from a movie or TV series. You’ve attempted to explain this to him numerous times, but you get the feeling he secretly likes the attention.

Of course, he’ll die before showing even the slightest hint of tolerance. He’ll huff and complain from the moment a fan approaches, his typical sarcastic attitude shining through. He’ll cross his arms over his chest and, after being asked for a picture, just go, “Oh? I suppose you think you’ve earned one. And what have you done for me, exactly?” Sometimes, you have to step in and tell him to cool it. But most of the time, the fans aren’t dissuaded. After all, Stephen has a reputation for being a bit prickly.

He’ll adamantly insist that he has far more important things to be doing than stopping on the sidewalk for every person with a smartphone. And you’ll just hum and watch as he doesn’t make any effort to walk faster or evade the fans, almost as if he truly doesn’t mind their presence. You’ll keep quiet about it because, contrary to popular belief, you don’t have a death wish.

If you’re the hero getting recognized… well. Well. Expect for Stephen to ditch you. He’ll stand there for a few moments—maybe a minute or two at most—before letting out a theatrical sigh and promptly disappearing. He has a particularly bad habit of doing this right as a fan is asking him to take a photo of you two, leaving the fan with their hand extended as they talk to… the empty air. Usually you have to apologize for your companion and offer a selfie.

You’re not sure Stephen has ever stuck around during these moments—he’s always portaling ahead to meet you at your intended destination. You’re fine with that 99.9% of the time, until the one interaction that just kind of… throws you.

You like to think you’re a pretty self-aware person: you know your boundaries. And your boundaries? Well, they’re being completely broken by this… this… fan, if you can call him that. He has a hand on your forearm and is talking about something too quickly for you to comprehend. You want nothing more than to just push him away, but you’re frozen.

“What are you prattling on about?” Stephen says impatiently, stepping through a portal to appear right in front of you. “It’s been nearly five minutes.” Despite his annoyance, he’ll be quick to survey the scene and figure out exactly what’s wrong. His attention quickly turns to the guy at your side. “Take a step back for me, will you?” Stephen will say calmly, drawing his attention.

The fan will begrudgingly step away from you, finally giving you time to breathe. “I believe you have more pressing matters to attend to, no?” Stephen says pointedly, creating a portal behind the fan.

“Wait, what—?” the guy tries to say, only to get sucked into the portal.

Boom. Gone. Like he was never even there.

And you’ll huff, wanting to object to the teleportation. But your relief and gratitude overshadows any of the grey morality of the act you just witnessed. Instead, you’ll look over at him and say, “Thanks, Stephen.” It’s kind of hard to get the words out, and you’re still feeling jumpy and restless. And frustrated with yourself, and annoyed, and uncomfortable—

Stephen’s answering scoff draws you out of your thoughts. He’ll study you for a long moment before heading into the portal, clearly expecting you to follow.

In the coming days, you’ll notice that Stephen is never very far away. You think you even catch him staring at you once, but he’s quick to berate you for even thinking that.

Loki is always infuriatingly smug when fans approach him. And they approach him quite frequently. Despite the fact that he’s a villain who nearly wiped out the entirety of New York City, he still has fans. And that never fails to remind you that humanity is completely doomed.

You hate being involved in these fan interactions, because you have to spend the entire time watching Loki and making sure he doesn’t hurt the fan. It’s very stressful, and you just know that Loki’s using the situation to his advantage. He’ll purposefully reach out to the fan with an unnecessary hand gesture, if only to make your heart jump in your chest. It pisses you off. Not to mention, he loves the sound of his own voice—so you’re often trapped there, waiting for the one-sided conversation to end. He’ll interpret your impatience as jealousy and make a whole show of it. But if you actually walk away, you’ll soon find yourself standing right back where you started. Ugh.

If the roles are reversed, and you’re the one with fans… Loki is inwardly seething. Outwardly, he looks a bit pissed too—but only to the knowing eye. Most would think he’s just impatient, eager to get somewhere. And he usually is. But he’s a god, and gods don’t like being ignored.

…They don’t call him the God of Mischief for nothing. Expect trickery. Whenever someone approaches you instead of him, Loki will do anything and everything to ensure the interaction is as messy as possible. Whether that’s creating an illusion of you that berates them—or professes undying love to them—he pulls out all the stops.

You don’t think you’ve ever had a normal interaction with a fan while in Loki’s presence. And it’s abundantly clear you never will.

And if this fan happens to have a healthy level of attraction towards you? …Odin help you. Loki will catch onto it like a bloodhound, immediately noticing and bringing it up in the cruelest way possible. He’ll spend the rest of the conversation just standing off to the side and clearing his throat whenever he hears something suspect. If you get annoyed, he’ll only grow more encouraged.

Loki is always balancing between flattery and utter contempt. It never fails to give you whiplash. He’ll let some flirty remarks go and then glare at you with nothing but hatred. He’ll scrutinize you at every turn, but then begrudgingly agree when a fan compliments you (not without one-upping them, of course). It’s maddening.

T’Challa is never out of his depth. The King of Wakanda is always composed, always calm in the face of uncertainty.

So seeing him look so perplexed and bewildered is very amusing.

Of course, it’s nearly impossible to tell he’s feeling like that—his eyes are just ever so slightly wide, and his gaze is shifting out a bit as if he’s restless. There’s just something about this situation that is very humorous: the Black Panther, standing next to a Dora Milaje warrior and wondering why he’s getting recognized as he walks down a city street.

“I believe you said I wouldn’t be recognized,” T’Challa says calmly, glancing sideways at you.

“I never said that,” you blink. “In fact, I think I said you would definitely get recognized.” People are only just learning of Wakanda’s existence, after all.

“Ah,” T’Challa just says reluctantly. Even if people don’t recognize him as the Black Panther, the quality of his clothing and the intimidating spear carried by the warrior behind him are enough to draw attention.

If people try to get too close to T’Challa, the Dora Milaje warrior will swiftly put them in their place. And T’Challa will still be respectful, sending people slight courteous nods.

If you’re the one getting recognized… T’Challa is just as confused. He’ll watch the person approach you warily, ready to step in if necessary. Before they reach you, he’ll quietly ask you, “Is this an acquaintance of yours?”

“No,” you respond. “They, um,” you say awkwardly, feeling a bit flustered. It’s easy to feel kind of… well… stupid, when in T’Challa’s presence. A lot of things that people do outside Wakanda seem almost… foolish… when you explain them to him. This is no exception. “They ask for pictures, sometimes. It’s kind of silly, but it makes them happy.”

“It’s not… silly,” he says, his eyebrows furrowing as he repeats the word. You resist the urge to laugh at the discomfort on his face. T’Challa takes a slow breath. “I apologize for overreacting.”

“Overreacting?” you ask incredulously. “Hardly. You’re totally fine,” you reassure him, honestly touched that he’s even apologizing at all. He didn’t even do anything wrong! He was just questioning the intent of a stranger approaching you both—an entirely rational thing to do.

“Good,” he says with a slight smile.

“I’ll make it quick,” you promise him quietly.

“Please,” T’Challa says with a shake of his head, “don’t rush on my behalf. I’ll be here waiting regardless.”

You can’t help but smile at that.

Scott is a complete sweetheart, and his kindness extends to his fans. He’s always very sweet and understanding. If a fan gets nervous, he’ll help calm them down. If someone says they don’t like him (which is bound to happen with all of the Avengers; people think their presence somehow allows them to express their unfiltered opinions), he shrugs it off and goes about his day.

Truthfully, Scott will be excited when someone recognizes him. It doesn’t happen as frequently as it does with the other Avengers and he sometimes feels as if he’s being overshadowed by them. But all it takes is one quick fan interaction, and he’s quickly remembering how wonderful his fans are.

Scott is the type to have full on discussions with fans lasting tens of minutes, to the point where you’ll grow tired of standing and have to practically drag him away. Even then, he’ll be waving goodbye to the fan and calling back to the conversation they just had.

He pretty much always says yes to pictures, regardless of what kind of mood he’s in. You’ve told him he has the right to deny them whenever he wants, but he never takes you seriously. Scott is very selfless in that regard—he’ll bleed himself dry, exert all of his social battery… all to make a fan feel special and appreciated. This is a nice gesture, but it often means you have to take over for him after that. The second the two of you walk away from the fan, he’ll be quieter and almost withdrawn. Despite the front he puts on, these conversations can take a lot out of him. After all, there’s no telling just what a fan will say to him: sometimes, you’ve overheard them say really personal things to him, as if he’s a therapist instead of a public figure. You suspect those moments happen a lot, which can be draining for him. Still, Scott loves his fans and he has a reputation for being a really great guy.

Unfortunately, you don’t often have the same kind of energy that Scott does when it comes to fan interactions. You’ll try to be casual about it, attempting to put a smile on your face. And Scott will just sense how you’re feeling. You’re not sure how he does it: you don’t think you’re a super open book, so he must just be good at reading you. And Scott will guide the conversation when he can tell you’re feeling off—can expertly quicken the interaction until the fan is walking away happily while you’re staring at him in amazed disbelief.

He’s definitely the extroverted one out of the two of you. And Scott knows you don’t really love meeting fans, if only because it makes you feel strangely responsible for meeting their expectations. But he’s quick to distract you after these interactions happen, dragging you off to a new restaurant or asking you for your input on a present he wants to get for Cassie. You’ll soon be too busy debating between pastel purple and sage green to remember your distress.

I won't be continuing this fic.

thank you for reading! <3

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