This is my very first fan fiction. Please review and tell me how I can improve. Thanks!
"So…who are you again?" Tony asks. I'm awkwardly standing in the living room with my luggage, taking in all the superheroes before me. Tony is standing, Steve and Bruce are on a couch, Clint and Natasha are in/on an armchair, and Thor is leaning up against the wall.
"My name is Beth, and I was sent by S.H.E.I.L.D. to see if your daily lives are at least a little stable. They don't want any nervous breakdowns resulting from your new living arrangement. They thought having a teenage girl would be a decent judge."
"Teenage girl. No nervous breakdowns there…" Clint mumbles. I shoot him a glare, and Thor laughs heartily.
"Basically I'm just going to be living here for a while. Thanks for letting me into your home. I'm excited to get to know you all. Although, I have heard some-interesting-stories about goings-on around here. Can we not have any wild parties?"
"What? That's a regular thing." Tony whined.
"Fine. Just not on school nights. And I will hole up in my room with food and movies and those who don't wish to participate can join me." I compromise.
"Yessssss!" Tony shouts, and Natasha rolls her eyes.
"Just saying, my friends were super jealous when I told them. I guess it pays to have a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent for a dad." Everyone chuckles, and I have a feeling I am gonna like it here.
"Want me to show you to your room?" Steve Rogers asks.
"Uh, yeah. Just let me grab my suitcase…err suitcases." Turning around, I take in my duffel bag, suitcase, and chest. How I got that up here I'll never know.
"Here, let me." Steve says, and hoists the chest onto his shoulders with perfect ease and starts walking up the stairs.
"Jee, thanks." I reply, and turn to Bruce and give him a look and gesture to the spectacle. He laughs and says,
"You'll get used to it after a while."
I smile and head up the stairs with the rest of my stuff.
(The Next Morning)
I wanted to thank my new housemates by cooking them breakfast. I thought I was the only one up, but then Thor walked in, wearing plaid pajamas. It kind of struck me as funny, that a Norse god would be wearing something so homey.
"Nice pajamas," I jokingly say, flipping a pancake.
"HOW DARE YOU MOCK MY SLEEPWARE!" he bellowed, striding up toward me.
"Calm down buddy. It was a joke, Thor. I like your pajamas." I say, turning toward him and waving my spatula.
"Oh, I apologize, Lady Beth." Thor said, and sat down at the table and rubbed his face. "I had what you mortals call a 'nightmare'".
"That stinks. Do you want to talk about it?" I stacked the last pancake on a plate and sat across from Thor.
"It was about Jane. She was hurt, but I could not reach her. I could only watch as she writhed in pain." He said, with a hollow look in his eyes. "I shouted at her, and I told her I would help her, but it was as if I was frozen to the ground."
"Wow, I'm sorry Thor. Luckily it was only a dream. I wouldn't worry about it. Jane is fine, and you care about her. Oh, and call me Beth. None of that "Lady" business." Changing the subject, I added, "The pancakes are done, but would you please help me fry the bacon? I bet everybody else will come down soon." I got up and then got the bacon out of the fridge.
"Yes. For a little Midgardian, you are very helpful. But how do you know about Jane?" He said with a smile.
"Fury filled me in on the basics, but I got most of it from Tony in the car on the way here. Pepper told me to call everybody by their first name, to make this test seem less official. Tony told me to call you 'Point Break', and Steve 'Spangles', but I figured first names were best." Thor laughs, and says that Tony will think of one for me soon enough.
It was fun making bacon with him. Thor doesn't really know a lot about "Midgardian" food, so I was happy to teach him. A few minutes later, the other five superheroes and Pepper walked in, instantly woken up by the smell.
"Did you make all this?" Tony asked, amazed by the sheer quantity of food on the table.
"Yeah. Thor helped me with the bacon. I figured he and Steve would eat a ton; You, Bruce, and Clint like normal men; and then Natasha, Pepper, and I like girls. Although, I tend to hoard bacon in any situation, so I might have to fight one of you for thirds or something." They all laughed, and then Thor and I made a bet about who could eat the most.
We all set the table and passed around platters of pancakes and bacon. During breakfast we talked about random things and laughed a lot. Even after only one morning, I felt as if I belonged.
(A few weeks later)
I was lying on my bed, crying my eyes out. It had been a horrible day at school. Boy troubles, to say the least. In the midst of my blubbering, I heard voices outside, saying stuff like 'She's been in there all afternoon…' and 'I wonder what's wrong?' I heard a muffled voice say, "Let me handle this," and the door open. I buried my face in my hands, embarrassed that whoever it was saw me like this.
"Beth? What happened?" the mystery person asked, in Natasha's voice.
"School sucks and I'm never going to go back." I say, "Something completely embarrassing happened."
She walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. "Would it help if you talked about it? I'm willing to listen. Girl to girl?"
I decided to make the most of this rare moment of sympathy from the Black Widow.
"Talking about it certainly couldn't make it worse than it already is. I had been going out with this guy for about four months. His name is Mark, and I thought we were having such a great time," I say, trying to control the blush burning on my face. "Today I walked into the cafeteria, and I saw him kissing another girl." My voice catches, so I swallow and continue. "I couldn't believe it. Of course, I couldn't say anything that would make me look better. All I could say was 'What are you doing?' How stupid is that? He just said I wasn't enough of a 'challenge'. All I did was walk away, with tears streaming down my face and everyone watching. I was so mortified, and for the rest of the day, people either laughed or just gave me sad looks."
"Wow, Beth. That's awful. I'm sorry that happened to you. I think I have a solution. I'll give you a picture of me, and tomorrow, you can tell Mark in front of everyone that you know the Black Widow personally, and she isn't afraid to come find you."
I laugh. "That would be pretty cool. Thanks Natasha. I know it probably wasn't easy dealing with this," I say, gesturing to myself.
She laughs too, and we both walk to the bathroom so I can clean off my puffy face.
(A week later)
I was in the den, watching Lion King and wearing my Snuggie. I have been obsessed with this movie since I was about five. It's right at the beginning, and I am belting along to "Circle of Life", when Tony walks in. I don't notice him, until he clears his throat.
"The CIIIRRRCLE OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!"
"Ahem."
"Oh…err, hi. Sorry about that. Are your ears bleeding?" I ask.
"He he. No. Are you watching Lion King?" Tony asks, curious.
"Heck yeah! I've loved this movie since I was little. I know all the songs. Wanna watch? It's right at the beginning." I scoot over and pat the cushion next to me. "You could use a break from the lab."
"You're probably right. I really like The Lion King, but you didn't hear it from me." He says.
"Ha-ha. The mighty Iron Man's guilty pleasure is children's movies…"
"Shut it, Beth!"
"Fine, fine."
We watched the movie. It turns out Tony knew all the songs too. To tell you the truth, I never suspected Tony to like something as soft and childish as a Disney movie. I mean, the guy lives off of ACDC and hard liquor. It's as if after he takes off the Iron man suit, there is still a layer of iron covering his true feelings. I know I got to see something real. I felt like I really got to know Tony that night.
It's a Saturday morning, and I head downstairs to grab some cereal. Everyone else is down there, eating and talking. Steve is wearing his usual khakis and nice shirt. It dawns on me that he doesn't have any jeans.
"Hey Steve. Do you have a pair of jeans? I've only seen you in khakis." I say.
"Uh…no. I guess I don't. Why?" he asks, just as confused as everyone else in the kitchen.
"Do you have plans for today?"
"Nope."
"Good. Because now you are coming with me to get you a decent pair of pants."
"Beth, don't worry about it. Aren't they expensive anyway?" he says, trying to get out of it. I wasn't going to let him.
"S.H.E.I.L.D. credit card," I say, and flaunt the thin piece of plastic.
"Why don't I get one of those?" Tony complains.
"You are already a billionaire. Why would you need a credit card?"
"Touché."
I turn to Steve. "Are you coming or not? Every man deserves a good pair of jeans." I argue.
"Okay. I guess you're right. Let's go." He says.
We drive to the mall. He is amazed at the size of the building, and all of the stores. I practically have to drag him away from the food court. Leading him into a department store, I pick out a couple of pairs and send him to the dressing room. After a couple of minutes he comes out with some on.
"Do you like those?" I ask him.
"Yeah. Do they fit okay?" he says.
"Lookin' good, Rogers!" I joke. He smiles and walks back to change.
I'm waiting for a red light to change when Steve turns to me.
"Thanks, Beth. It means a lot. But why did you do it?"
"Well," I start. "To tell you the truth, I thought maybe it would help you adjust to current times if you dressed the part. I can't imagine what you are going through. I know I wouldn't have survived this long if I was in your situation. And no problem. One pair of jeans isn't a big deal."
He smiles at me. "And, I appreciate you treating me like an adult, and not like a naïve little kid. Sometimes I feel like people don't take me seriously, or like I don't know anything. It's nice to know at least one person doesn't think I am completely lost."
The light glows green and I reply as I start driving: "Trust me, Steve. You are just as lost as the rest of us. Nobody knows where their life is going. You just have the added part of being frozen for 70 years."
He laughs and we drive in comfortable silence for the rest of the way.