So like most other people on the planet, I fell in love with the Avengers. The plot and the effects were great, but what I couldn't wrap my head around was how FANTASTIC the characters were. They were all just so loveable! I couldn't get this little plot bunny out of my head after I saw the extra scene, so hopefully you all enjoy!
"You know, I still can't even tell you what this is," Tony Stark announced, leaning back into his chair and folding his hands behind his head. "After two plates of it! And I'm, like, a genius!"
Natasha smiled and shook her head – his enthusiasm was contagious. After the battle the team had trudged about four blocks to the Shawarma restaurant that Tony had seen during his crash landing, where he promptly threw down a blank check and demanded the owner of the restaurant to "give them the entire damn menu." And when Tony-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist-Stark is promising carte blanche with two secret agents, the world's first super hero, a demi-god, and a green rage monster standing behind him, most people aren't likely to refuse.
"I'm pretty sure it's Greek," volunteered Steve earnestly, hand in the air like a school-boy.
"Or at least Middle Eastern," Clint said around another mouth-full the stuff, prompting a wince from Bruce across the table (who apparently wasn't remembering his own recent breach of manners from when he disemboweled one of the fleet barely two hours prior.)
She turned her gaze back on to the scientist and watched as he adjusted the restaurant's wall tapestry wrapped around his waist. His movements were small and meticulous, Natasha noted, as if he were running one of his experiments. She smirked. When they had arrived at the restaurant the colorful decoration was the closest thing to a pair of pants that they could find, although it was obvious that the polite doctor was uncomfortable with the exposure. Who would have thought that earlier today this guy nearly took out an entire army?
Bruce looked up suddenly and caught her staring. Maybe it's just the 48-plus hours without sleep or just the bone-aching weariness from combat, but for a brief second she felt almost giddy.
So she winked at him.
Bruce choked and blushed a bright red that clashed horribly with the drapery.
"It's the food of the gods," Thor rumbled beside her, breaking the moment. He pushed his plate away (a clear sign for "I'm full"no matter what galaxy you're in) and sighed contentedly. She swore she felt the earth shake a little beneath her feet. Even in his post-battle state, the thunder god still seemed to overflow with life and vigor, sparking a hint of playfulness in her that she didn't know that she still possessed.
"I'm pretty sure you're just saying that because you were hungry," Natasha laughed, poking him in the ribs. He immediately threw his head back and roared with laughter, squirming so much that fell off his chair. Lighting flashed outside, followed by an angry bout of thunder. The easy chatter of the restaurant grew silent as the six of them stared outside in pure awe.
"Ok…" Tony said finally. "So we have a green rage monster anda ticklish thunder god. Wait, do you shoot laser beams from your eyes when you sneeze or something?" he asked, turning to Steve. "I need all the details about this freak show team, so that next time I won't be surprised by anything."
The room went silent again. Her agent instincts kick in, and she can't help but read the situation. It was because he mentioned a next time, she thought. A future. And now that the day was done none of them knew who they were anymore in relation to the others.
"Is that what we are now?" asked Thor from his forgotten position on the floor. "A team?"
Steve gave the man an arm and helped him to his feet while the rest of the group looked to Tony for an answer. But for once, the loud mouth seemed at a loss for words, afraid to rescind his earlier statement, and even more afraid to claim it for the truth.
No one was more surprised when she started speaking than Natasha herself.
"We are a team," she declared. "We work well as a group; today proved that. But for now, we just … wait. Until we need to come together again. Until the world needs us."
Tony Stark nodded in appreciation. "There, even the she-wolf says it's true. Now cards on the table, folks. I need to know all your weird habits. Think of it as a team-building exercise."
"This sounds a lot like black mail to me," Clint grumbled.
Stark put a hand to his chest, covering the arc reactor. "You wound me, sir," he cried theatrically. She knew from working for the man that Stark was slipping into one of his "I-want-to-put-on-a-show-everyone-look-at-me!" kind of moods, and figured it was as good a time as any to excuse herself to go to the restroom.
xxxxxx
"Well spoken, Agent Romanoff," said a quiet voice in her ear.
She nearly jumped out of her skin and turned to see Bruce leaning up against the brick wall next to the ladies bathroom. His arms hung limply at his sides and his palms turned facing up in a gesture that was clearly supposed to be non-threatening.
As if he could look anything but with a rainbow curtain tied around his waist.
"God, Bruce, you scared me," she sighed.
"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing tiredly at stubble creeping on to his jaw line. "I didn't mean to. It's just… did you say that we were a team back there because you actually believed it? Or because SHIELD would have wanted you to?"
She always knew that Bruce was more introspective than the rest of them. Sure, Tony was a scientist, but he was far more interested in building outward than in questioning his own motivations, much less the motivations of others. Steve and Thor were just much nobler versions of high school jocks, happy to fight unthinkingly if it meant they got to protect the people that they loved. And Clint would have been all right with any answer that she gave because he was an agent, and he knew how to follow orders no matter what the cost.
Bruce won't be satisfied so easily.
"Does it matter?" she verbally backpedaled.
"It does."
She could tell herself that she said what she did out of duty. It was the perfect answer to unite the group and ready them to come together when the next need arose; even Nick Fury himself would have been proud.
"Both," she admitted.
But to say that was the only reason would have been a lie. She said it because it was real. Because she liked who she was around these people, and maybe they could do some good in the world.
A hint of green crept in to his soft brown eyes as he studied her, trying to decipher whether or not his words were true. Natasha gasped in surprise when she realized that Bruce was subconsciously tapping into the other guy's animal instincts to see whether or not she was lying.
Be strong, she steeled herself. It probably feeds on fear. She suppressed the instinct to flinch and forced herself to stand tall and firm.
"I believe you," he said finally.
She sagged in relief. "Good. Because it's the truth. Can I go back to my seat now?"
"Of course," he replied, offering her his arm. An old-fashioned gesture, but then again Bruce has always struck her as an old-fashioned kind of guy. She let him escort her back to the table, and they arrived just as Stark was settling the bill.
"Ready to go?" Steve asked.
She nodded. In a normal group of friends, this would be the point in the night when they would put on their coats and smile and say stupid things like This was fun! or Let's do this again next time! before fighting through the evening traffic.
But they have no coats to put on; it's 4:30 in the afternoon; and the city streets are pretty much deserted.
And they are not normal.
Tony shoved Thor and Clint aside and forced himself back into the group.
"So what's next?" he quipped.
Natasha looked at Bruce and grinned.
"Froyo?" Bruce suggested.
First time writing in the Avengers-verse so constructive criticism is always appreciated! I'm also playing around with my style a little bit, so any comments about that would be super helpful as well :p