snap shots and lost super hero capes
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They're just a little screwed up but somehow came together the way all screwed up people do. Like puzzle pieces, jagged edges forged from angry childhoods and uncertain futures and fitting side by side with the pressure of a chaotic present. University AU
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an ending only begins a new beginning.
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Steve leaned against the brick wall as he watched the crowd of students and parents hurry by. Everyone was carrying boxes and bags as they tried to push their way to the residence buildings while at the same time embracing spontaneously to family members and friends. His phone was buzzing almost frantically in his pocket as he briefed through his sketches he'd worked on over the summer. Suddenly he heard someone shout his name from the crowd, Bruce Banner trying to fight his way through the mob.
He waved his hand frantically at his fellow student and waited for him to come closer before greeting him. It had been four months since he had seen his group of friends, the incredibly different people that had latched together-some willingly, others not so willingly. The new school year was going to be different, he realized. No awkward phase that would make any of them feel stunted or lost in the chaos of the transformation from teenager to adult.
"Hey," Bruce grinned at him. He hitched the strap of his duffle bag higher up on his shoulder. "Tony's parking the car still, and he has Clint and Natasha with him." He rolled his eyes. "He's looking for four spaces so no one will dare scratched that monstrosity that he calls a car."
Steve smirked. The mechanical engineer had built the Iron Ride from hand, painting it obnoxious red with gold details. It almost resembled something from the era of the 1920s, both with a more futuristic approach. "It's been radio silence from you all summer. The most I got from you was the roommate request." The majority of the group were terrible at communication, much less long distance. Tony was the only one that frequented social media the most, constantly mouthing off on Twitter.
"I figured that'd surprise you. I know Tony got his own place off campus this year, but I didn't feel like waking up to him setting the microwave on fire again this year. I thought you'd be the safer option." Bruce shrugged. "No offense."
"None taken."
"Everyone get out of the way!" Someone shouted at the hoard of people. The two looked up to see a large group of people that had been immersed in a group hug violently disperse as three figures pushed through. "Thank you, save the mushiness for when you're not in the way."
Steve rolled his eyes. "I can't believe I missed the tool."
Clint gave a slight wave while Natasha gave the two boys a slight smirk. Her red hair was pulled back from her face and revealed the tired dark circles. He winced as he imagined her sitting patiently on the plane ride from New Zealand to get to the campus. Tony had arranged with Clint to surprise her at the airport to ensure she didn't have to take a cab.
Tony flung himself at Bruce, making the boy flinch before patting him on the back. "The science bros are together again!" He informed the group loudly. "Never to depart from one another's side ever again, for as long as there is peace there will be destruction!"
"You break toaster again, I beat you." Natasha frowned at him as she set her bag down on the ground. "Steve." She greeted impassively and gave Bruce had a slight nod.
Clint was silently watching her, already ducking down to pick up the discarded black duffle bag with the red plastic tags. "You weren't even allowed to have toasters or microwaves in the dorm rooms." He eventually told Tony as he the engineer looked like he was slowly strangling the physics student.
"Those were rules?" Tony gasped as he let go of Bruce and turned to face him. "I thought they were suggestions. You know, like the noise rule, or the animal rule."
"I'm still allergic to dogs," Bruce interjected. Steve grinned, remembering the time he had showed up at his room and surprised his gruff previous roommate and him by mumbling something about the assortment of dogs that Tony had been collecting. "This is why I'm rooming with the asthmatic one."
"We go now? I need to unpack." Natasha interjected quietly, the gruffness in her words ruined by a yawn. "My dorm is Sky." Clint was already moving past her with her bags. He had already arrived much earlier to move into his single room, a rarity on campus. Tony had picked him up afterwards to be at the airport for her arrival. Natasha followed Clint the way exhausted people do, not really seeing or knowing what they're doing, just following a single person to find quietness.
Steve managed to pull her backpack off of her and take it for himself, wincing at the heaviness of her laptop and textbooks already purchased. "You packing rocks now?
"Baby elephants." She murmured. Tony had fallen into step with Bruce and the two of them were comparing notes for a project to enter for the end of the year science fair. The crowd of people had yet to disperse and someone made the mistake of knocking into Natasha and within seconds she had lashed out and caught the man in the face with her nails. Streaks of blood instantly marked up his pale face, and suddenly the cursing man had a face full of Tony Stark who was listing all the ways he could sue him for coming into contact with a student while Clint hustled Natasha away from the scene.
Steve sighed as he hurried after them, leaving Bruce to deal with the explosive rage between their friend and the stranger.
"He shouldn't have walked into you like that," Clint informed her as they neared the large building. The Sky residence was a white stone building that was situated on the hilltop, windows outlined in blue. "He was being careless."
Natasha was glaring at the ground, all traces of jet lag washed away. "He touched me."
"I know."
"He touched me."
Clint suddenly understood and began to spin around to the large group of people gathered around Tony. There was a harsh look in his eye that made Steve flinch. He grabbed a hold of his friend and got him to stand still. "Natasha got him good, and he has to handle Tony spitting out law terms. He's as good as gone."
Natasha placed her hand softly on his arm and informed him quietly that Steve was right. "You get arrested on first night, you're stupid."
He allowed them to direct them into the residence, ignoring the hordes of females milling about. "You sure about residence, Tasha?" Clint finally asked her as they stepped into the mercifully empty elevator. "You nearly killed your last roommate."
"I am not an idiot," she rolled her eyes. "She's idiotic to be unable to understand that I understand."
The girl who she had roomed with last year was nameless, subjected to negative names. Steve couldn't blame her because he figured he would have become irritable himself if he had some roommate following him about as if he couldn't understand what was going on around him. Thank god he had been paired with Logan, despite the gruffness and constant phone calls from the jail.
It appeared as if the girl she was paired with this year would be no better. Within seconds of basic introductions she was practically demanding to know her life story, manically interested with her accent. "Journalism students," Clint grinned at Steve darkly. "They're all the same."
"What's your major?" Bobbie then demanded of the three of them.
Natasha was already throwing her bags in resting places, leaving Steve and Clint to take control of the conversation. "I'm in Art, and he's in law. She's in history." Steve quickly said, anxious to escape the blonde girl. Bobbie looked sharply interested at Clint, which made them both sigh.
"Russian history?" She blinked at her new roommate.
"European. Let's go."
Clint glanced around the room, taking in the two twin beds pushed fairly close together-something that would be bound to change shortly-, the two desks and the assortment of posters advertising Bobbie's interests. Bobbie looked at them hopefully but Natasha gave Steve a look before walking out of the room while shoving her keys into her pocket. Clint gave her a smirk before following in suit.
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[Steve: on our way. Natasha's roommate sucks.]
[Bruce: have a table. By soda machine.]
"So, that reaction was incredibly extreme, even for Natasha." Tony mused as he threw his feet up on the chair opposite from him.
Bruce shrugged uncomfortably. "Jetlag might have her on edge. You know, let's not talk about the crazy Russian when she's on her way to meet us." He quickly turned around to make sure she hadn't been standing before him when he had said that.
Tony snorted. "Or the crazy best friend of the Russian?"
Steve waved at them when he entered the café, his white 'I Heart New York' shirt standing out against the other students wearing crop tops and brightly coloured articles of clothing. One girl in particular in a bright pink shirt cut dangerously low made their blonde friend blush as he averted his eyes. "Yeah, stop talking now."
Natasha and Clint followed Steve to the table. "So, because you all are terrible with correspondence, how was your summer?" Steve finally asked once they were all seated around the rectangular shaped table.
Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "I got a job for a bit working with chemical waste from the labs back home. Then I went to stay with my grandparents up in the mountains."
Tony made a face. "My dad sucked at being a dad, so I just worked in the garage mostly."
Clint gave him a look. "Didn't you hack into the government? It was a big deal for a while." Natasha nodded as she gave him an amused glance.
"Even Miss. New Zealand heard about that?" Tony exclaimed as he clapped his hands together. "Speaking of which, how was it?"
"Terrible. Uncle Ivan is terrible." She glowered at the table. "We argue much, mostly on return to here. He very much against it, said I was waste."
Steve winced at her bad English. She had gotten better at the use of the language, having lived most of her life in an orphanage in Russia before an Uncle appeared out of nowhere to give her a home. The financially stunted orphanage was only too eager to see her leave, and within the past two years she had moved from Canada to Scotland to New Zealand with her only Russian speaking Uncle. Her skill at speaking English had diminished over the four month break.
Clint looked dismayed at what she spoke of and rested a foot on her chair. "The family they paired me with were alright. Two of the kids were like me, are they're going to be students here this year; the one is going into bio chemistry and the other into mechanical engineering. Also, you cannot experiment on him."
"Why not?"
He rolled his eyes. "I want to go back there. They fed me. It was a nice change."
"You could come home with me!" Tony grinned.
"If I did that it would revoke the terms of my scholarship. No." He paused before informing him bluntly, "No, you cannot pay for my tuition."
"Alright, I'm going to grab some food." Steve interjected as he got up with Natasha and walked away from the table.
"Get me something!" Clint called out to Natasha. She ignored him as she dug out her battered leather wallet from her pocket of her black jeans.
"How have you been?" she asked Steve as they got in line at the counter. "You are different."
He shrugged. "My doctor recommended a workout routine to follow to help with asthma. It's actually working, so who knows. I might get impressive or something."
She poked his arm lightly and gave him a sharp smile. "Oh, Captain. Take me away."
"Clint might have something to say about that."
"Stop that."
"Are you two still dancing around each other?"
Natasha blinked at him confused. "I dance, he won't."
"No, I mean you two both like each other but won't do anything about it."
"He thinks we are friends, friends are what we are." She informed him sharply as the line moved up. "You say anything, I end you." She marched up to the cashier and rattled out her order. One vegetarian wrap and a lemonade, along with a cheeseburger and coke. Steve grinned as she purchased both her own and Clint's meal before stepping over to wait for it to be made.
"I'll just take a slice of pizza and water, please." He requested.
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"So." Tony said as he watched Clint intently. "You and the Russian."
"Technically, she's got her American citizenship."
He waved his hand flippantly. "When are you going to ask her out? This waiting game is killing us."
"She doesn't like me."
"Ten bucks says she'll return with your favorite food like it's no big deal."
Within minutes Tony was proven correct, Clint forking over the ten dollars to the Engineer resentfully. It was a game between the two, usually Clint lost the bet but the amusement was if Tony could return the money without the law student noticing. Natasha set down the tray unfazed by the transaction before her and settled herself down in the chair.
"Nice shirt." She commented on Tony's ACDC apparel. "I need to find dance-" she broke off, faltering as she tried to translate a word to suit her sentence. "Schedule! I need to find dance schedule." She looked pleased to have found the correct word without assistance, something that the group had to stop trying to do for her when they had first met.
Clint shrugged, sticking a straw into his paper cup. "You've got it at nine, but it's just warm ups apparently. You'd probably be better off catching up on sleep and unpack. After tomorrow it'll be at seven from then on."
She nudged her shoulder against his own before nodding. "I am unpractised."
"You'll get back into it." He promised her quietly, watching Steve and Tony get into an argument with Bruce refereeing. "Don't worry."
.
Bruce unloaded his stack of textbooks for his classes on his desk. Steve's side had already been tidied and prepped for the first day of second year and was sprawled out in his bed. "How many books did you need? He asked, looking up from whatever detailed sketch he had been enchanted by.
He quickly sorted through the assortment of textbooks. "Some were recommended by the professors, and I thought the others ones would be good for additional reading." Bruce shrugged as he looked around the room. Steve had pinned up several drawings and painting on the one wall, and he was greeted by the sights of his friends. Tony's face peered out of dark ink which contrasted to the rather excellent blend of radioactive colours that made up Bruce's form bent over a desk. Clint was positioned from a side view, holding a bow carefully in his hands. Natasha was painted similarly to Tony's, a black ink form practising ballet steps. The three other images captured the campus from various angles, focusing on the contrast of different perspectives. "Is that beer beneath your bed?"
"Yeah, the mini fridge won't be here for a little bit, and seeing as we're underage it would probably be best to hide it until then."
Bruce grinned. "Bet you Tony's already bought out a good supply of liquor for the first day."
"First days suck," Steve said blandly as he set the sketchbook down on his desk, stretching to make it from his bed. "There is no such thing as a good day."
"Or a good Monday."
"This is why we'll be good roommates. Already have the foundation to life figured out."
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"So, is Clint single?" Bobbie asked Natasha as she organized her books on her shelf. The majority Clint had brought over earlier, having taken a box of them for her before the school year ended to make traveling easier, as well as ensuring her Uncle Ivan never caught wind of their existence.
"Yes."
"You're not dating him?"
"No."
"That's so cool he's in law. Like, isn't it great we have a law course here? Does he want to be a lawyer?"
Natasha winced at her rapid speech. "He has not planned for graduation."
"So what is Russia like? Can you say something is Russian?"
She spat something at her oblivious roommate before grabbing her black purse from her bed and walking out of the room.
"What did that mean?"
"Die."
She slammed the door shut behind her.
.
"Are you okay?" Clint asked her, silently handed her a mug of hot chocolate. She was unpacking his boxes in a tense sort of anger, grabbing handfuls of clothing and stowing them into his drawers. "Because you have your angry face on."
He went to touch her arm when she flinched suddenly, backing away from him slowly.
They watched each other carefully before Clint finally made the first move. He sat down on the edge of his freshly made bed, thanks to the anxious Russian, before patting the mattress beside him. She remained frozen against the wall, watching him in a calculating manner before he spoke again quietly. "You and I can play this game for a while, but we need to talk. We have to talk."
Natasha slowly crept closer before sitting down a couple inches away from Clint. Her gaze remained fixated on her hands clenched together. "It is okay."
"That's a bullshit word, you know."
She blinked at him, frustrated that she couldn't quite understand what he was saying.
Clint frowned, trying to reword his sentences. "You're not okay. I know you, Natasha. Something happened over the summer that you do not want to talk about."
"I don't want to talk."
"I know." He paused before pushing a little further cautiously. "You should though."
She was beginning to ball her anger up tighter and he could see her become more and more defensive sitting beside him. He felt confident as he watched this aggravation spread throughout her, making her feel something other than fear.
"You don't order me." Natasha snapped at him before flying to her feet to pace around the room. "You don't get this, anything! I am unable to tell you this. So, stop pushing at me. You are not my Uncle, why should I explain?"
Clint's eyes widened. "Your Uncle did something."
She swore at him before attempting to storm out of the room before Clint managed to intercept her, slamming the door shut with his foot. "Do not touch me," she seethed as red hair fell across her pale face.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
"Liar."
That hurt, he had to admit. He ignored it though to gently force her to sit down in his desk chair while remaining aware for the first sign of her lashing out. The previous year they had spent many mornings sparring in one of the courtyards on campus, much to Tony's delight. He had made a massive profit due to the betting that swept over their audience. So despite how she had yet to try to do any more than push him off her, he didn't trust her for a moment.
Clint kept a hold of her hands carefully. "What happened to you? You've been out of sorts ever since you've gotten here."
She glared at him. "Why does this concern you?"
"You've been moody lately, and you clawed some guy's face up. What happened to you? You're not leaving this room until you start talking."
Natasha jerked her hands out of his grip and shoved the sleeves of her black sweater up her skinny arms. The pale skin revealed the violently dark bruises that marked her arms. "There are more that you cannot see."
"Oh God," Clint breathed, sitting down on the bed. All the fight seemed to have slipped out of Natasha, leaving to exhausted and quiet students sitting across from each other. "What was he doing?"
"I am in a boy program," she huffed. "I am girl; I should be working for his business, bringing him much money. I say no, I say I want life beyond Rouge and then he drugs me. I wake up alone with everything wrong, and then he's upset when he sees me cry. He tell me then if I do not accept this he will beat me until I do. He beat me until I stop crying."
They sat in utter silence.
.
Tony opened a textbook quietly in the coffee café. He had gone to his first class which he deemed a complete and utter waste of time, already having a better understanding than the teacher. The one factor interesting was the foreign exchange student who seemed to maybe be on equal understanding of him. He rolled him eyes and jammed his ear buds into his ears and began bopping his head to the angry noise.
Café Manhattan was located at the heart of the campus and was a rather large coffee shop. Tables were crammed everywhere in a way that was actually fairly cozy. The drinks there were the sorts with the crazy names, like Black Widow or the Smash. Tony himself favoured the Iron Type, an expresso type drink with raspberry shots.
Bruce walked in through the front doors with eyes squinted from the bright light. The engineer scoffed at his Beatles shirt. "I cannot believe I am friends with someone with such mainstream music."
He snorted as he placed a bag the chair and riffled through for his wallet, "Please, like AC DC isn't."
"You bite your bloody tongue; my music is timeless and damn well legendary. Go get a drink so I continue to scold you for your terrible words." Tony spoke sharply, giving an exaggerated gasp of pain at Bruce's friendly words.
Within minutes the physics student returned to the table carrying a bright green juice called the Brute Hulk, complete with a neon straw. "How's the apartment?" Bruce asked him as he took a seat.
"Grand. I got the bar stocked up, so whenever you feel like you're breaking down, I am the man." Tony said as he quirked a brow. "How's living with Mr. Clean?"
"Nothing has exploded, he doesn't play with chemicals and it's very unlikely he's going to bring in stray animals from the streets. It is satisfactory."
"The dogs were to distress! For finals, man. Anyways, I thought you were allergic to small dogs!"
Bruce snorted. "Yes, because that is how allergies work."
.
"So you're from Sweden?" Steve asked the blonde student during his sculpting class. The new comer had a rather intricate hammer like creation before him as he slowly worked at engraving what almost looked like runs into the handle.
"That is correct. My father supposed it be best if I went to America for schooling to learn." Thor said back, eyeing the tea pot before Steve. "That is quite good, you major in art?"
"Yeah, this is my second year. You?"
"I'm in business, my father owns the Rainbow Bridge Airlines?"
"Your father is Mr. Odin?"
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Bobbie jumped out of her bed eagerly at the sound of the door knocking. "Who is it?" She called as she tried to detangle the blankets from around her ankles.
"Clint."
Her eyes widened as she quickly opened the door. "Hello! I haven't seen you since move in day."
"It was three days ago."
"I've barely seen Natasha since move in day."
Clint could tell, looking around and seeing the partially unpacked books and clothes. His lips twitched at the sight of the box covered in her firm instructions for him to follow. Her books meant a rather great deal to her, he understood that. She had the freedom to read in English and to pick what exactly she wanted to understand. The books she was unable to take with her for the summer, so she had left a rather heavy box for him to protect, labeling reminders on the side that these were in fact Natasha's books and there would be hell to pay if they were damaged.
"Yeah, well she's been busy. You mind if I wait here for her?"
She smiled at him. "Of course not! Any friend of Tasha's is a friend of mine, after all."
He snorted. "Probably shouldn't call her that."
"Oh, we're super close. We've been bonding nonstop." She flipped her hand at him as she watched him begin to unpack the box of books properly. Natasha had a way of organizing her books in which she was particular about.
"What is this bonding?" Natasha spoke from the open door. Bobbie's face flushed at the arrival of her roommate. "You wait for long?"
Clint shrugged. "I figured you'd be a few minutes. How was dance?"
Natasha gave a slightly cross reply, "Dance was long. New people think it is like trend, kick legs up and twirl. They do not want to train the way they should, they make things slow."
"They'll drop like flies when you show them up."
She gave a short laugh, before frowning. "What it is that you think you're doing?"
"Unpacking. You did it to me."
"Later, archer. I'm hungry."
"You say that now but you'll eat maybe five bites?" Clint gave her a sharp look. Tony had caught onto her eating habits after doing research for a psychology class that ballet was a sport that brought up quite a few concerns of eating habits, due to how aesthetic it was. Clint and the rest tried to monitor her eating habits since then, but it was difficult to get her to sit down long enough to eat properly. It was difficult enough to break Tony's no sleep ideology or Steve's punch-the-punching-bag-until-my-hands-are-bleeding routine.
Natasha made a face at him. "I'll eat."
"I'll come with you!" Bobbie exclaimed. "My dinner plans fell through, and I'm starving."
She was already bouncing her way out the door before either of them could say no.
.
[Natasha: My roommate is an idiot.]
[Tony: say the word and I'll have her shipped to Iraq.]
[Natasha: considering.]
[Steve: you can't ship people away Tony.]
[Tony: yo, moral compass. This was a private chat.]
[Natasha: you invite him, did you not?]
[Clint: can we ship her? She keeps touching my arm.]
[Clint: and laughing.]
[Bruce: NO.]
[Tony: next time I'll obviously make a facebook chat for Natasha and clint and i. Because you two don't understand how to deal with people properly.]
[Bruce: didn't you sleep with a journalism student named Bobbie last year Tony?]
[Tony: holy shit is she blonde?]
[Natasha: yes.]
[Tony: yoooooo she's getting shipped.]
[Thor: greetings friends!]
[Bruce: Hello?]
[Tony: Steve, stop being nice.]
[Tony: who is this?]
[Thor: Thor Odin.]
[Tony: he can stay.]
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"So, you want me to just sit here and let you draw me?" Peggy grinned at him as she watched him slowly arranged his pencils and eraser. "Just like the Titanic, huh?"
Steve returned the smile. "I'd prefer if you'd stay clothed though, my professor wouldn't appreciate the details."
"I do believe you're blushing, Mr. Rogers."
"Oh, sit still. And stop speaking." He said to her, any bite to his words diminished by the grin on his face.
"Don't you want to fondue?"
Steve began to sputter.
Score one for the business student, Peggy mused.
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Gamora tossed Natasha an apple. "So, what is this about your roommate? Tony told Peter all about her."
"Peter slept with her, didn't he?" Natasha wrinkled her nose as she settled on the grass next to the other girl. The weather was warm, making her regret wearing the long sleeved shirt and jeans. However the bruises and cuts were to problematic in their existence to be seen. "Why do boys think, yes, she is the one I was pelvis magic with?"
She smirked. "They're idiots."
"You live with four boys, correct?"
"Peter is hard to pinpoint a gender on." Gamora teased the Russian as she recalled her first roommate, a rather butch girl with facial hair who was hard pressed on living somewhere due to a living situation with his foster brother not working out. The entire situation was that after said foster brother beat him half to death, an aerospace engineer needed someone to rent a room in a four bedroom house. Since then they had clichéd together in a way she still had difficulty understanding. "I believe that since first meeting him, he has remained strictly male."
The entire household seemed more destructive than safe. The engineer spent spare time making explosives, while a second roommate converted the backyard into a massive garden. The third roommate was only at the university due to a football scholarship, studying communications. Gamora was the recent addition to the mess, rooming with her boyfriend Peter.
"Do you imagine that they will behave ever?" Natasha said as she tossed the apple from hand to hand. After a few seconds she finally consented to taking a bite.
Gamora gave her a look. No.
.
"So, I was thinking since they're playing a bunch of old musicals at the Mayburg theatre, you and I should go." Peter announced to Gamora as he threw his bag down upon entering their bedroom. Gamora was bent over a laptop reviewing articles for her Criminology course. "Because, I want to see you watch Footloose."
Without saying a single word she pulled out two tickets out of her pocket and handed them to him.
.
[Tony: have your allergies gone away now?]
[Bruce: for someone so intelligent you have a remarkable lack of understanding of allergies.]
.
"Bobbie?" Clint asked surprised as he opened the door. "I thought you were someone else."
She didn't give him any chance but to let her into his single bedroom, slipping her way through the slight opening. "You're tidy," she commented as she looked around briefly. "Archery?" Bobbie noted the bow and arrows sitting in the corner.
"Yeah."
"So, I think it's pretty obvious that I like you." Bobbie began, sitting on the edge of his desk. His bed was littered with papers and textbooks from his attempts to complete his essay on liberalism before Natasha came over. "Don't try to deny it."
He gave a slight smirk. "Trust me, I'm not denying it."
She gave him a bright smile. "Of course. I also happen to know that you like me. You're always around the dorm, and I know you can't be seeing Natasha."
"Why's this?"
"She's Natasha."
He gets angry and doesn't realize that those words distract him from understanding that she's suddenly right in front of him and is kissing him and suddenly the door opens up behind him.
.
Thor sat down across from the Russian redhead. Café Manhattan was filled with students who formed a rather massive line up in their desire for coffee. He'd been lucky enough to beat the rush, and so had Natasha it seemed. She was bent over a large textbook with a cup of tea and saucer next to her. "Greetings, friend." He said to her warmly as he claimed the seat across. "You do not mind?"
She looked up at him and blinked. "Help yourself."
"The day is quite warm. I'm unused to this weather, except for when father took my brother and I on vacations."
"You have brother?"
"Foster, he likes to point out. He is very sensitive to the title."
Natasha peers at him thoughtfully. "I can understand, I think. You are from Sweden, yes?"
He nods. "We are both foreigners, are we not?"
"American citizenship now, my Uncle decides that I should be reunited. He does paperwork and he take me from Russia, and off we go." She shrugs. She looks angry at the idea of this man, and he tries to imagine what her uncle looks like. Is he a red headed beast of a man, similar to Thor's family, or maybe a slim figure hairless? His identity keeps changing in his mind, undefined.
"May I ask something?" When she nods, he continues. "Why do you look so sad?"
Her lips twist into a bitter smile. "Sadness is life, friend."
He drinks his black coffee and savours the burn of it.
.
[Tony: I'm thinking about a party tonight.]
[Natasha: I'm busy.]
[Tony: anti socialism does not suit you.]
[Clint: can I talk to you in person?]
[Natasha Romanoff has logged off.]
[Tony: me?]
[Clint: URGH]
[Steve: What did you do?]
[Bruce: did you steal her books again?]
[star lord: you totally slept with bobbie. Whyyyyyy.]
[Clint: I didn't sleep with her.]
[Tony: just made out with her.]
[star lord: you bleeding idiot.]
[Steve: no wonder why she's pissed.]
[Tony: so no party?]
.
Rocket glowered at Peter. "What the fucking hell do you want?"
"Have you slept?" The music student demanded as he took in the mess of wires tangled over the kitchen table. "Also, Drax will kill you if you blow up another wall again."
He shrugged. "I don't need fucking sleep, I made a thing of coffee," he said as he pointed to the pot of coffee. "Or, I made a pot. Whatever. Listen, man. I'm trying to make this gun cooperate and you yappin' is doing neither of us any favours."
"This for school?"
"What do you think?"
Peter sighed. "Recreational. Gotcha. DRAX!" He shouted suddenly and the kitchen was filled with people. Gamora and Groot followed the hulking communications student into the room. "He's building weapons again and he's not sleeping."
"What's your problem, anyways?"
"I don't want to wake up in a fucking crater! Remember that bomb you left lying around?"
"So who made you the fucking guardian of the universe?"
Drax cocked his head slightly. "Why exactly is Peter controlling the universe?"
"It's an expression." Gamora seethed. "You, go to bed."
"Coffee will stop you from growing," Peter informed.
"Go to bloody hell, you fuckin' idiot."
.
Steve looked at the poster for the art gala, celebrating the end of September. Already the art department had begun piecing together work from the various already completed work done by students-dark edgy pieces lining the walls that contrasted rather brightly against the brighter, more upbeat types. His were already assembled, comic book styled images of his friends garbed as super heroes. He'd been rather impressed with the turn out. Thor's sculpting was featured in the center of the room, a rather detailed city designed with a more fantasy element. The entire thing glistened underneath the light, the glaze setting off the piece brilliantly.
"Are you inviting anyone as a date, Steve?" Thor asked as he caught up to his friend. "Or, are you the stag, as people seem to say it here."
"I'm asking Peggy to go with me, but a bunch of us are going as a group. Do you want to join us?"
"That sounds excellent. May I bring a date with me?"
"Who's the lucky girl?"
Thor grinned. "Her name is Jane, and she studies physics. I believe she may be of friends with Bruce. Her friend in fact apparently asked Tony out herself."
"Darcy is Jane's friend? I think Tony couldn't tell if he was more pleased someone asked him out for a change, or was upset he couldn't ask himself."
"She is a spitfire indeed. Have Natasha and Clinton made peace as of yet?"
Steve's good mood slipped away. "Clint refuses to apologise and Natasha refuses to talk to him. Apparently Clint's trying to piss her off, so he asked Bobbie to the gala."
"She said yes, hasn't she?"
"Between the two, Clint's likely to get engaged to Bobbie if it'll mean Natasha will just blow up and have it out with him. Apparently she hasn't been to her dorm room in three days. She got sick of him being there with Bobbie."
Thor cocked his head. "I thought I heard from someone that Natasha is going to the dance with someone."
"Clint'll be pleased."
.
Matthew Murdock waited patiently outside the library. The sun felt warm on his face and the music that came from his IPod easily drowned out the noise from around him. A soft hand on his shoulder allowed him to realize that Natasha was already standing in front of him. He quickly pulled the earbuds out and pressed the button on his watch. "Eight-Twenty-Four-AM." A mechanical voce announced. "You're early," he grinned.
"Class end quickly, quicker than I think it would." She explained as she sat down next. "How is your morning?"
"Better now. I was thinking about a coffee, actually. Peter was up late last night. He apparently turned the kitchen into some sort of photography studio that'll get ruined if I open the door or something."
"He enters these in gala, right?"
His hands automatically reached for her textbook and notebook, pressing them close to his chest. "Apparently he had already submitted his work. These are extra credit, something for his scholarship. Come on; let's go to Devil's Dare."
"You are addict to coffee," she spoke in a light voice, and he could almost hear her smile. "You boys all think coffee is best, but tea is better for you."
He rolled his eyes. "Not everyone is as perfect as you, ballerina. May I escort you to the coffee shop?"
Slowly they stood together, his cane hitting the ground in an easy rhythm and her carefully leading him down the walkway. The buildings all looked brilliant in the bright sunny morning, trees slowly melting into reds and oranges. Some students were lying in the grass on the quad, reading textbooks and huddled in small groups. Already a few leaves were beginning to fall from the trees.
"So, why do you sound even more tired than yesterday? I thought you were going to get some sleep last night?"
Natasha wrinkled her nose. "Clint and Bobbie watch movie, loud volume. I go to Gamora's but her roommate broke ceiling. Much shouting."
.
[Clint: can we talk?]
[Clint: im serious.]
[Bobbie: so are you mad?]
.
"Good God man, you totally are being a douche." Tony sighed. "Man, you should see the goddamn dreamboat she came up with. You've been replaced, and he's awesome."
Clint glared. "Thanks, man. That's totally helpful." An explosion boomed from the TV, an image of army men being thrown backwards following the noise. "Also, rockets are not cool!"
"Then stop trying to shoot me." Tony frowned. "Anyways, you gonna spill about whatever happened between you and Bobbie? I thought you were totally against her, at any rate."
Clint paused the game and glared at the large red letters. "What do you want to hear? She kissed me, and I didn't try to stop her. Natasha walked in. Natasha won't listen. Natasha is driving me insane, and now she's seeing someone. Since when does she see people? Natasha doesn't see people."
"No, Natasha terrifies people."
"Exactly."
"So how are you going to fix this mess you started?"
"Kill off the new guy?"
Tony rolled his eyes and pressed play, the TV instantly coming back to life with movement and volume. One army man was giving a muffled pep talk in the background. "No. I like this guy. Steve likes him quite a bit, and I'm willing to wager Natasha is quite fond of him as well. Also, you'd have to be a tool to kill a blind guy."
"He's blind?"
"Jesus Christ on a bloody bike, you lack proper observance skills."
"I'm a little preoccupied with keeping Bobbie from ripping out my heart."
"I have no sympathy for you. You put yourself into this hole, you climb out yourself."
Clint narrowed his eyes at the screen before smirking.
"STOP SHOOTING ME, GODDAMN IT!"
.
"Gwen."
"Peter."
"Go to the gala with me?"
"Why?"
"I think you're incredible."
"I think you have a date."
.
"Have you been eating?" Peter asked Gamora casually as she sat cross legged on the kitchen table, thankfully cleaned from any weapons. Rocket and Groot had left the house, the latter having forcefully dragged the other one away to go shopping for more pots. "I know you've been practicing for your recital."
"Have no fear. I made plans to go out with some classmates." She rolled her green eyes. "You need to stop stressing."
He huffed out a short laugh. "Please, I'm the calmest that there ever was." Peter opened the fridge and took out a beer. "Who you going with?"
"Skye and May."
"Isn't May a little anti-social?"
"Of course she is. I think Skye wanted Thai food, or something. I just want food. I'll try to keep them from the bars."
Peter snorted. "I seem to remember you having a record for bar brawls."
"Rocket started it."
.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me."
"I'm really sorry, and I'm really drunk. Please come and get me."
"It's three in the morning, you so fucking owe me."
"One more brawl to add to my record."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me."
"I'm at the station."
"Yeah, I know where you're at. Hang on. I love you."
.
The gala was hosted in the arts center. It was the best building to host it, with its wide open spaces and large glass windows. It was an architect's orgasm, Tony claimed frequently. The group was gathered outside the large white stone building, gazing up at the scarlet banner. "So, do we have everyone?" Steve asked, squeezing Peggy's hand. She was dressed in a cherry red dress with her hair pinned up.
"Natasha and Matthew said they would arrive with Bruce, Betty, Peter and Gamora." Tony said, scanning names off of his phone. "Can we go now?"
Darcy rolled her eyes, "Are you going to calm down soon?"
"I wanna show you off," he winked at her. "Come on. I hear cameras and we need to bomb any pictures being taken."
"And we're off!" She giggled as she tugged him up the stairs to the building, wobbling on her glittering stilettos. "Don't do drugs, kids."
"Why do I feel like they couldn't be any more perfect for each other?" Steve sighed.
"They were probably made in heaven," Jane said as she grimaced. "Darcy's been drinking insane amounts of red bull to cope with the nerves. I don't even know how she asked him out in the first place."
.
"You looked stunning," Matthew grinned as he felt her hands touch his cautiously. "Never seen a better dance."
"What a lawyer," Natasha teased. "You wait so I get dressed? I be only a few minutes."
He squeezed her hand. "You take your time, and I'll watch all the pretty girls."
.
Bobbie glowered at him. "What's your problem tonight, anyways?"
"I don't like dances." He kept his eyes to the table.
"Your friends don't like me, do they?"
.
"So, what exactly did you think of it?" Gamora asked Peter as she unpinned her hair. "Ballet isn't really your thing."
He grinned at her as he leaned against the wall in the emptied dressing room. The room itself was filled with costumes and props, and currently his girlfriend was studying both of their reflections in the large full length mirror. "I do admire the leg stretches, trust me."
"You're such a pig," she said scoffing.
"Yeah, well you lie with this pig. If that makes you feel any better."
"It doesn't, to be quite honest. I've been meaning to tell you that I'm leaving you for Drax. He doesn't prattle on about musicals, after all."
He rolled his eyes. "Please, you love my musicals. "
Gamora gave him a cheeky grin.
.
"Can I have this dance?" Clint asked Natasha quietly, finding her standing along the wall by herself. The entire dancefloor was filled with dancers who looked almost like glitter beneath the soft lights, jewelry and dresses catching the light perfectly. "I know you like this song."
She frowned at him. "Where is she-devil?"
His lips quirked. "She's gone, Natasha. She left, and it's over." The smile faded away, because he did feel terrible. Bobbie liked him quite a bit, and he'd only used her to make Natasha jealous. "I'm sorry, I never should have done any of this."
"You are right." She was glaring now, subtly backing away from him. "You should not toy with people."
Matthew and his roommate suddenly appeared, Peter Parker having led him from the punch bowl and back to his date. "Natasha?" He asked, hands wrapped around two plastic clear glasses filled with red juice.
"I am here." She took one glass and then slipped her hand into his. "Now, you are here."
"Hey, I'm Peter." Peter greeted Clint. "Natasha's friend?"
"Yeah, I'm Clint."
"I believe Tony may have spiked the juice already." Natasha grinned at Matthew. "I taste vodka."
Matthew tried some punch. "I think you're right. I thought he was joking about spiking it. How did he even sneak in the vodka, anyways? I thought the professors had him flagged for being a loose cannon?"
"It's Tony," she scoffed. "I also blame his date. Never looser cannon. Do you want to dance?"
"Always." Matthew tugged her in the direction of the dance floor, calling over his shoulder to Peter. "That's my cue."
"Try not to run innocent people over." Peter rolled his eyes.
Matthew smirked. "That's why I dance with the dancer."
Natasha's laugh almost echoed.
.
Bruce tugged on his bright green tie that matched Betty's dress perfectly. "Have I told you that I think you look gorgeous?"
"So you've said. Multiple times." Her grin betrayed her dry tone.
"Well, just have to make sure you're able to understand exactly how beautiful you look."
"Charmer."
.
[Natasha: matthew and I are heading out now with peter and gwen.]
[Steve: already?]
[Natasha: im tired, and people are leaving. Matthew wants to walk me home.]
[Steve: want to get breakfast in the morning? Practice is canceled tmrw, right?]
[Natasha: eight work for you at Asgard's?]
[Steve: see you then.]
.
Bruce groaned as he heard Steve's alarm go off. "It's Friday, why are you even getting up? Your class isn't until eleven." He flipped over on his back to get a proper of his roommate.
Steve was already sitting up and reaching for him phone which was vibrating on his night stand. Swing music was going off loudly, which made Bruce sigh and Steve grin. "You always such a pleasant morning person?"
"I'm still used to Tony."
"Who never wakes up until one." Steve replied, switching the alarm off. "I'm going for breakfast. Do you want to come? Or do you want me to pick something up for you?"
"Muffin." Bruce pulled the covers over his head. "Chocolate chip."
Steve chuckled. "Go back to sleep."
"Whatever," he mumbled. Soon snoring filled the room.
Steve pulled on his already laid out clothes and grabbed his keys before heading out. He made sure the door shut behind him quietly before taking off.
.
"You are late." She informed him. "I've been waiting."
"It's been three minutes!"
"Late." She gave him a grin. "I want food, so you lead."
Asgard's was one of the few restaurants on campus and was popular due to the famous spread of foods it had out on the buffet. Everything from the standard campus fare and more. Last year during Thanksgiving they had served boar, deep fried turkey and some strange desert that Steve swore was diabetes on a platter. Steve grabbed a plate of eggs, pancakes and sausages while Natasha served herself strawberries, French toast and slices of oranges.
"So, this is nice." Steve said. "We haven't had breakfast yet this year, have we?"
"With your runs and my practices, no." She replied as she carefully cut her toast. "Last night was a very good time. Peggy looked beautiful."
Steve beamed. "Peggy always looks gorgeous. You looked pretty nice yourself."
"I messed up last night, in routine. Very bad mistake. Madame shout at me afterwards." Natasha scrunched her nose up. "It was annoying."
"None of us noticed, and we're the only ones who matter."
"That is true." She consented, smirking. "This food is very good, I missed Asgard's over the summer."
Steve sighed, before finally giving into the conversation that he'd been waiting to have with her. "Do you like Matthew?"
She stiffened, any warmth in her tone dissolving immediately. He recognized her actions, the way she was already distancing herself away from him. "What does this matter to you? Matthew and I are private."
"I know. I'm just concerned that you might be rushing into this, because of the way Clint's been going on. Which has been terrible, and I've been against it the entire time. I just want to know if you and this guy are serious, because I care. I don't want to see you getting hurt anymore."
"Clint and I were close, and then he kisses the one person he knows I hate the most here. He kisses her, and then they go around holding hands. Always in my room with her, knowing how I feel. Not knowing, and now I don't feel quite the same way. Matthew is straight forward with me, always informing me exactly how he feel. He knows about Clint, and he knows my feelings. We are very good friends, maybe bit more." She ranted, eyes suddenly bright with anger and frustration. "I know Clint does not like this, but I do not do this for him."
Steve carefully took her hand, very much aware that he was invading her space. "That's all I wanted to know. I just want to make sure you're happy."
.
[Steve: damn you screwed up big time.]
[Clint: how bad do you think this is?]
[Steve: flying a plane into the ocean bad.]
[Clint: I've got to fix this.]
[Bruce: you really do.]
[Tony: just for the record, matthew is great and we should totally keep him.]
[Clint: you like him more than me, don't you?]
[Tony: it's up in the air at the moment.]
[Clint: fuck you.]
[Thor: perhaps this attitude is one that you may find beneficial to changing. Arrogance does not suit you, my friend.]
[Bruce: I'm with Thor.]
.
"So, I think we need a little chat." Gwen gave the girl in front of her a wide smile, sitting down across the table from her. "Because I'm a little sick of you."
The red head looked up. "Who are you?"
"Peter's girlfriend."
Suddenly the intrusion made sense. "What do you want?"
"You to stop coming onto my boyfriend, stop feeling his arm up and generally stop making him uncomfortable. If you're capable of such things." The blonde cocked her head. "Trust me when I say that my patience is running thin. You are not going to get your hands on my boyfriend even if you shoved me off a tower."
"Leave me alone."
"Leave him alone."
.
[Peter: who is this?]
[star lord: NAME BUDDIES.]
.
"Who the fuck is Star Lord?" Peter demanded Steve randomly, grabbing him by the shoulder. "He sends me pictures of cats with beards and random questions and music videos with really old music."
Steve laughed.
.
Sam ran the track. The morning air was pleasantly cool and slowly the campus was beginning to wake up around him. Two girls sat on the bleachers taking what he presumed were selfies, and already a few other runners were up slowly jogging the paved track.
Except for one.
"On your left."
The blonde runner ran past.
"On your left."
Again he sprinted past Sam.
"On your left."
"DAMNIT!"
.
"So, you can have Clint now." Bobbie told Natasha is a frosty tone. "I don't care about him anyways. So if you're into having my leftovers, go for it."
"That is quite rude." Natasha informed her as she yanked off her black sweater carelessly and turned away from her roommate as she began searching her closet. Bobbie suddenly gasped behind her, making Natasha roll her eyes. "Relax."
Bobbie drew nearer. "What are those?"
"Scars."
"From where?"
"I'm with the mafia."
.
[Tony: I got this incredibly random text from the she devil demanding if I knew you were in the mafia.]
[Tony: good news, she's moving out.]
[Natasha: if I'd know this be easy, I'd do sooner.]
[Tony: she mentioned you have scars?]
[Natasha: you mention and you have scars.]
[Steve: just going to point out, group conversation.]
[Natasha: I feel an odd desire to 'hang' out with you, stark.]
[Tony: NO.]
[star lord: so, are you in the mafia? Because you in drax would be awesome if you joined up.]
[Clint: CAN WE TALK?]
[Natasha: I believe that question should be 'may we talk'.
[Tony: ohhhhhhhh.]
[Bruce: I applaud.]
[Clint: you two, shut up. Natasha, may we please talk?]
[Natasha Romanoff Has Logged Off.]
.
"This was not invitation to come over, you know."
"I need to talk to you."
"I need to go to practise."
"Please!"
"What do you want?"
"It's been two months, Natasha. I miss you, I want to be friends. I hate that I screwed things up so badly, and I understand that you're seeing Matthew now. I just really want to at least be able to talk to you without having to actually hunt you down."
"Fine."
"What?"
"I said fucking fine!"
"So we're fine now?"
"You are imbecile."
.
"Reading week losers. I've got booze, and I've got terrible reality television. Bruce, you in?"
"Alcoholic father or alcoholic friend. The choices I need to make, gosh darn it." Bruce rolled his eyes as he fiddled with his scarf. Already snow was falling, something he'd been dreading a great deal.
Steve leaned against the brick wall himself. "I'm going with Peggy to meet her family in England."
"Sucker." Tony announced flatly. "Wanna hear a tragedy?"
"Shoot." Steve waved him hand.
"Natasha and Matthew are no longer a 'maybe'. They've split up and are just friends. Apparently he found somebody else now anyways."
Bruce winced. "Poor Natasha. She going to kill this girl yet?"
"Nah, Natasha and him are totally cool. Apparently this girl is alright anyways. For an arts major." Tony shrugged.
"Just so we're all aware, at least half of your friends are in the arts. And political science isn't exactly a science course. So, unless you place Darcy in a whole different category-"
"Of course I put her in a different category from you freaks! Actually, she and I are celebrating are one month this week. I'm making her a taser."
Bruce face palmed. "Jane's gonna kill you and I'm just going to watch."
"She doesn't want jewelry, gift cards are apparently bad gifts and she has way to many books."
"EReader?" Steve suggested.
"I tried that once and she went on an entire rant on how books in their physical form were better than digitalized, and then we began debating popup books that led to something else."
"You're disgusting."
.
"You want to grab something to eat?" Clint asked Natasha carefully, looking around her dorm room. The two single beds were shoved together and she'd made good use of Bobbie's old furniture. Her bookshelf was occupied by Natasha's textbooks, and her closet was filled with extra clothing. "We could go to Manhattan's."
She shrugged. "It'll be packed right now."
"Devil's Dare? Galaxies?"
Natasha rummaged through her bag, sorting out papers. "I should study, midterms start next week." She pulled out an envelope with her named written in green ink, handwriting he recognized as Gamora's. "Pictures?" She offered him the rather thick envelope.
Pictures spilled out onto her bed and he looked through. Steve and Peggy leaning against the wall, Peggy smirking and Steve laughing. Another one of Thor and Jane with Tony and Darcy in the background photobombing it. Natasha and Gamora standing side by side in their dance costumes, each giving a hint of a smile. Clint and Gamora talking while Peter and oddly enough Steve photo bombed, and more. All of their friends were laid out before Clint, and he couldn't stop looking.
Until he saw a picture of Matthew and Natasha arm in arm.
"Your performance was really good that night, I don't know if I ever had the chance to tell you that." He told her as he carefully piled the cards. "Are you going to frame these?"
Natasha nodded. "I'd like to. Tony say to me earlier that I am welcomed this summer with him, and I can bring everything with me. He says that he'll be staying in his apartment."
"Has your Uncle been phoning you lately?" Clint asked her, and just as he got the words out her phone went off. Loud and angry classical music filled the room and he winced.
She answered in Russian and soon enough he could hear the angry Russian shouting from the other end of the line. He said something that made Natasha stiffen and hang up the phone, her face pale and emotionless.
"Natasha?" he asked quietly.
"I need to pack." She said flatly. "If you don't mind."
He didn't leave and she didn't make him. He watched as she packed her duffle bag, slowly folding sweaters and jeans and finally putting in a knife.
.
[Darcy: &!^ %#]
[Jane: use your words.]
[Darcy: he made me a taser. A TASER.]
[Jane: I'm going to literally kill him.]
[Darcy: I feel like a Disney princess!]
.
Natasha hugged herself as she sat huddled in her closet. Her bedroom was just the same as how she had left it. Bright red walls and a bed made up of silk sheets. She wants to cry and she wants to hide from everything.
.
"Brucey!" Tony shouted as he entered the apartment.
"Go away!" He heard someone cry out from the living room.
Tony found him lying face down on the couch, music from his IPod playing softly in the air. Tony wrinkled his nose at the sound 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand'. "Meeting with Betty's dad didn't go well?"
"He forbid me from seeing her," He looked up at him. "Said he wasn't going to let his daughter date a monster."
"You're going to let him scare you?"
"He's a general. Of course he strikes fear into my heart."
.
Natasha looked at her phone. It had been buzzing nonstop all week, leaving her with a large amount of unopened messages.
[star lord: how's your week? Can you get me a kilt?]
[Tony: im picking you up at the airport.]
[Clint: are you okay?]
[Peter: Matthew tells me to tell you that he says hello.]
She turned her phone off.
.
WELCOME HOME RUSSIAN SPY said the sign, bright red lettering standing out against the black background. Tony stood against the crowd, jumping up and down in place with eagerness. "Natasha!" He shouted, as if the flamboyant sign that apparently glittered hadn't caught her attention already. "Welcome back to America!"
Her lips twitched. "Stark."
"Are you in the mood for a hug, or will you claw my eyes out if I try?"
Natasha winced; imaging is tight grip around her bruised ribs. "I'd rather no hugs."
He easily stole her duffle bag away from her tired grip and slung his leather jacket around her. "It's been snowing since you've been gone. Didn't think you'd be warm enough when we got out of here."
"Thank you," she whispered as she slipped her arms into the sleeves properly. "I think I am needing your help-this has become too much," her heart lurched in her chest as she spoke very quietly against the dull roar of the crowd.
"For you? I'd break a goddamn law."
.
"Has anyone seen Tony?" Peter asked as he jumped over the couch to settle down beside Steve. The art student scowled as the movement had disrupted his flow of drawing. "Sorry, man."
"He went to get Natasha hours ago. The roads are bad, so maybe he's just taking it slowly." Steve said. "We've been waiting for them to get back so we can go for dinner. Though at this rate we might as well go now."
Matthew grinned as he typed something on his laptop, earbuds informing him of whatever was on his screen. "Do you really think Stark will let the weather dictate how he drives?"
He sighed. "I'm hoping he'll consider the angry and violent Russian who happens to be his passenger."
"Unless that passenger happens to be Lewis, nothing will make him consider another person." Clint cut in. "Apparently he was inching along at twenty per mile when they drove in the rain."
Thor laughed loudly. "Tony Stark is quite the character."
"Didn't you say your brother would be joining us next semester?" Steve asked as he set aside his thick sketchbook that Peggy had purchased for him as a surprise. He'd been drawing down forms for the past hour, drawings of ballerinas with no faces.
His laughter died away. "My brother has been peculiar lately. Loki spent some time digging around father's files when he took on a stroke and discovered forms for adoption. Since then his behaviour has been bleak and restless."
"Did you know he was adopted?" Matthew asked before his phone buzzed. "Excuse me-" He got up from the couch and wandered away slowly, his cane tapping against the carpeted floor as he answered the cellphone. "Who is this?" they heard him ask before his voice faded.
"My father and mother had kept very quiet about this," Thor said. "I never knew until afterwards."
[Tony: red and I are just in the parking lot. Meet you in the lounge.]
[Steve: great. We're all here except for Bruce. What took you so long?]
[Tony: legal stuff.]
[Steve: you totally got pulled for speeding didn't you?]
[Tony: if I told you I'd have to kill you.]
Matthew returned to the group again, this time leading a stranger with long hair. "This would be my new roommate, Foggy Nelson. Foggy Nelson, everyone."
"What happened to Parker?" Bruce asked from where he stood behind Peter and Steve. The two jumped, not hearing him approach.
"He's doing an internship back in New York. It's supposed to be for some bigshot newspaper that'll be good for his photography. He arranged to sublet."
"Greetings, earthlings." Foggy greeted cheerily. "I've been told we're getting food. And if that is true, excellent. If not, we should get food."
Matthew smirked. "Is Natasha here yet?"
"They just entered the lounge," Steve told him. He waved his hand at the two and waited for them to arrive.
"Sorry for the wait, we had to drop off Anastasia's bags off at the dorm."
Natasha gave a tired wave. "Very nice not having roommate any longer."
Matthew gave a grin. "Don't you miss the roomie bonding stuff?"
She gave him a hard look that he felt.
"Alrighty, let's go grab food."
.
[Tony: everything is taken care of.]
[Natasha: that quickly?]
[Tony: I'm a genius. Plus, the pictures help your case. Even more of the plus side, the pictures will not help your Uncle.]
[Natasha: what do we do next?]
[Tony: you sign the forms, I'll get my father to get the right people involved. Then, your uncle will regret every last thing he ever did to you.]
[Natasha: good.]
.
[Clint: so, we gonna touch on the fact that Tony is being secretive and Tasha is being even less verbal.]
[Bruce: it is concerning.]
[Steve: very.]
[Tony: how are those allergies going, Brucie?]
[Bruce: for the millionth time, allergies do not just go away.]
[Tony: shame.]
[Steve: so what exactly have you been up to?]
[Natasha: you will wait and see.]
[Bruce: are you hacking the government again?]
[star_lord: when is he not hacking the government?]
…
And that ends the first chapter. This one is thirty two pages long, so updates may be slow. Hope you all enjoyed the beginning to this love note to University. My goal is to add in as many characters as possible from the Marvel universe.
Couples: Darcy/Tony, Karen/Foggy, Steve/Peggy, eventual Bruce/Natasha, Clint/ Linda, Jane/Thor, Gamora/Peter, Gwen/Peter.
Oh yes. I will bash the bleeding hell out of Bobbie.