Stop stalling, make a name for yourself,

Boy, you better put that pen to paper and charm your way out,

If you talk, you better walk,

You better back your shit up,

With more than good hooks,

While you're all under the gun

-London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines; by Panic! at the Disco

Rosemary had a number of qualities about her. That's no surprise. But it seemed the one people focused on the most was her silence. It seemed as though people were almost obsessed with it. In Rosemary's mind, her refusal to speak was natural. It made sense to her. If she chose to talk, she didn't know what would come out of her mouth. Would it be something appropriate? Or would it cause irreversible damage? The last time Rosemary took the time to talk to someone, she'd been in her teens. She said something extremely personal. It was in that moment she understood. Her words had power. Her words had meaning. But, at the same time, the only reason it was like that was because of something else. Something Rosemary couldn't control.

It didn't matter in her mind.* The words had been spoken. The damage had been done. For Rosemary, she came to an immediate conclusion after that incident. If her words had that kind of power, that kind of influence, then she'd stop talking altogether.

*:･ﾟ✧ ﾟ.*・

Puente Antiguo was a small town. It wasn't big enough to make its mark on the map, and it was hardly a tourist destination, even on a good day. So, it goes without saying the town wasn't good for anything. The only people who seemed to live there were retirees and a few small families.

It seemed as though Rosemary and her acquaintances were the rarities of the town — the youngsters who weren't married or currently in a relationship. For a lot of the retirees, they found that to be odd. In their eyes, Rosemary and her acquaintances should already be married with children. It seemed like some kind of requirement, in the eyes of Puente Antiguo's elderly community. When young people reach a certain age in their lives, while still maintaining their youth and attractiveness, they should have spouses and children. For Rosemary, though, she found that to be ridiculous. She didn't plan on getting married and being around children made her anxious. She was content with the idea of spending her life — at least in the romantic sense — alone. Relationships only complicated things.

But when it came to Rosemary's acquaintances, it seemed to be an entirely different story. She met them by accident, on her first day in the small town. Somehow, Rosemary managed to make a good first impression, despite never having uttered a single word. Either way, her acquaintances grew on her in a way she didn't think possible. Rosemary came to value them, to see them as people of importance. They could change the world, and it was only a matter of time before they did.

*:･ﾟ✧ ﾟ.*・

Tapping her fingers on the tabletop, Rosemary let out a soft sigh. She was currently sitting at the kitchen table, watching as one of her acquaintances, Erik Selvig, looked over some paperwork. He'd occasionally make marks. One thing would be crossed out so he could write something else. He'd cross out entire sentences, maybe even whole equations, if he found an error. There were times where Erik would circle certain things and write notes in the margin.

He's been correcting that paperwork for over an hour. Rosemary's eyes narrowed, her jaw setting. How is it he's not even close to finishing?

"Is there a problem, Rose?" Erik's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He looked up at her for a moment, as if expecting a response. He knew she wouldn't say anything; she never did. In the time Erik came to know Rosemary Manson, he realized just how little he actually knew. Her refusal to speak seemed to be the subject of controversy in town, causing many to wonder and ask questions. It didn't matter how many questions were asked, though, Rosemary still refused any form of vocal communication.

She had other methods of communication.

Letting out a huff, Rosemary slouched against her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Jane wanted me to double-check her work," Erik stated. "You know how stubborn she can get. Accuracy is something she always strives for."

Right, how could I forget? The sarcasm that flooded Rosemary's mind was almost tangible. She would've laughed, honestly, at how sarcastic the question was. Jane was incredibly stubborn. She was a scientist, someone who wanted nothing more than to earn her spot in the big leagues. Rosemary understood that. She understood it 100%. To have the desire to achieve greatness, it seemed to be something everyone wanted.

Throwing the older man a look, Rosemary frowned deeply. If Jane was so concerned about her own work, she should be able to check it herself. If she was so stubborn, so motivated to be great, then she should be able to spot her mistakes easily.

"Don't give me that look, Rose." Erik put the paperwork down, giving the young woman a look of his own. "It's been a long day for me, and I'd like to not deal with this right now."

Right, and I'd like to sit here and watch you correct Jane's stuff. Tapping her fingers on the tabletop for a moment longer, Rosemary stood up and chose to leave the room. She'd been bored out of her mind, and even slightly irritated, at the amount of time being wasted on Jane's work. It was ridiculous, how much time had to be put into it. It felt like moving up the scientific community was the only thing that mattered.

Going to the living room, Rosemary let out a sigh. She had to find something to pass the time. Something that would keep her mind off of her irritation.

You've got abilities, don't you? Why don't you just use them?

A good question. A very good question, honestly. Rosemary did possess some abilities, and while she wasn't a fan of using them, she'd do it if it meant she could distract herself. Besides, it's not like she'd be causing anyone any harm, right?

What was the worst that could happen?*

(A/N):

Not my proudest first chapter, but I'm hoping you guys can overlook that. Let me know what looks good, let me know what could use improvement. Constructive criticism is important, in my eyes. So, yeah. Please do that.

Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the exhaustion I am currently feeling. If you've got any ideas on OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review, I'll add them in as soon as possible.

I'll just leave it here.

Thanks, guys.

Dorothy Rose