The nightmares were relentless. Watching your sister literally turn into dust before your eyes would probably to that to anyone. However, while I still suffered and could rarely sleep, it seemed that the world had all but moved on. Everyone was back and grateful to be.
I never would be again. Clarissa and I, we had a telepathic connection, not unlike that of soulmates, biologically. Or so we were told. To feel that instantly ripped away from me, well, let's just say things got bloody and fast. But that's not something I ever wanted to think of again.
And because the universe had some grudge against me, particularly, she never returned. Whatever fates guided the justice of the stones had decided not to return her.
Her last words both haunted and condemned me.
She lay on the couch, fading, a pleading look entering her eyes. "Find him Kay, you're all he has now of his real family. Find him." Him. Her son. Kept a secret from everyone, even our employers. She'd given him up for his own safety, knowing that the alternative was a lifetime of experiments and servitude. But of course we kept tabs on him as he grew, a bouncing three year old with shiny blonde hair and a personality bigger than this world.
I had failed to save her, and even now had never looked for him. Not after that day. So every night I would relieve that moment, over and over again, that agony, despair and overwhelming guilt.
Sometimes, I could swear I still felt her in my mind, filling the cavernous vacancy that was her.
Thank god I had my own kitchen. The fewer questions I had to answer the better.
My official training had been postponed due to a long mission the Captain and Wanda were on overseas. Stark was guest lecturing at MIT for a few weeks, something about the interconnected worlds of science and mysticism. But because everyone was off on separate secret missions, I was in an empty tower. Even Clint and Natasha were nowhere to be seen.
I'd been living at Avengers Tower for a few days with this same routine when finally, I got restless and decided I needed to break out. I'd never done well with cages, no matter how high tech.
Director Nick Fury had run down all the rules and curfews for new recruits.
Spidey had actually been the person forced to help me unpack my meager belongings into my new suite of rooms. It was probably the only time I'd smiled since that night.
I'd managed to get out of that place with a backpack, duffle bag and two suitcases. Peter had lifted the larger of the two suitcases rather easily but still gave me an incredulous look.
"What did you put in here? Bricks?" He stooped down and unzipped the case, his goofy plaid shirt untucking from his khakis, exposing the briefest glimpse of rippling lean muscles.
"What the-," he choked out in that silly high pitched voice of his, that was actually kind of adorable. "You ran away, from whatever it is that you ran from… and you packed your biggest suitcase full of books?"
I had simply shrugged and replied, "I'm nothing if not totally impractical at all times," before turning on my heel and carrying the duffle bag to the walk in closet. I had felt Peter's eyes on my back the whole way there until you kicked the door shut, more out of playful spite than anything.
Anywho, because of all the ruckus, the extent of my powers hadn't been catalogued or tested, so it was very unlikely they were prepared for your ability to fade into the shadows of any place I existed.
In my bathroom, after having showered, shaved and put my best 'fuck me' face of makeup, I pulled one a white lace body suit, with deep, scalloped cleavage and floating transparent sleeves and a pair of nearly tattered, high-waisted daisy dukes. Paired with white stiletto combat boots, it was a killer outfit.
Melting into the shadows, I caught myself grinning in twisted anticipation and flitted out the door.
The club was packed, which was perfect for me after about two drinks. My anxiety with crowds melted away and I was finally able to give in and fade into the pulsing rhythm of the crowd. Here, I was truly invisible.
Crowds only served to remind me of a time in my life that was best left forgotten.
Deep breaths, Kaida, deep breaths.
When the breathing stopped working, there was always tequila. One shot, two.
Ten.
Dancing on other people, on the bars and chairs and tables. For the first time in months I felt my inhibitions lift. I even made some drunk friends in the bathroom. The sober one among them was able to get me in a cab right before last call and I directed him to Avengers Tower.
My skin crawled the entire way back, heat rushing down my spine and spreading throughout my body. Apparently I still had some steam to work off. Luckily I had just the B.O.B.
Fanning myself, I reached into the little pearly clutch I kept with me on nights like these and grabbed a hair tie, pulling my tumbling curls up and off my neck, praying to instantly transported back to my room. I wasn't totally positive my body didn't have spontaneous combustion on the agenda.
Fortunately, that's when my cab driver announced we had reached our destination. I paid him and tipped quite handsomely, as I hadn't really had to pay for any of my drinks that night, or pay the entrance fee. Mutant perks and all.
Despite my inebriated state, I was able to lift off and fly up to the floor that held my rooms, once I was in the gaping lobby of the tower..
Only one problem. Every door looked the same.
Stopping in front of the door that looked the most like my own in this drunken stupor, I took a moment before collapsing through the door, only to find an older man sitting at the kitchenette counter, nursing what looked to be about his sixth scotch and holding an ice pack to his left eye.
The man was attractive. Old enough to be my dad, but fine as hell.
His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he took in the full state of my undress in sweaty club clothes and he shifted uncomfortably on the metal stool he sat upon.
"You, sir, are just what the doctor ordered," I said as I swaggered toward him. As I approached his stool, I reached toward his face, as though I intended to cradle it in my palm, his eyes glazing over with desire and intoxication, before faking him out as he began to lean in and snatching the tumbler out of his hands and downing the entirety of the contents.
He gasped, whether in indignation or out of pure attraction I was unsure.
"That scotch you just drained like swill costs about $13,000. By the way, who are you and what are you doing in my rooms? And aren't you a little young to be drinking and going out looking like… like-", he cut himself off as I slid my barely covered ass up and back onto the counter he was perching in front of.
"Does it matter who I am," I asked, tipping my head to the side with an exaggerated pout from my crimson painted lips. "But if you must know, my name is Kai, and I'm more than old enough to know how to keep up with a guy like you, Mr. Stark."
He groaned at the sound of my rough, 'sex voice' using such formalities with him. Tony looked me up and down, staring as I tantalizingly slid my hand up my thigh, pulling my shorts higher and higher, revealing your lace covered sex bit by bit. After all, these shorts were mostly holes with a side of denim and loose enough to give everyone a sneak peek. My knees were shoulder level with Tony Stark's shoulders, the Iron Man, more or less my new boss/landlord, but I couldn't care less.
"See something you like Mr. Stark," I purred at him in that voice again. This snapped Tony to attention and he shot to his feet, crowding my space, forcing my back down flat on the counter top.
"I'd like it a lot better if you'd shut up and let me take you right here."
"How presumptuous of you Mr. Stark, you're old enough to be my father. Do you really think you could handle me?" The line would have landed a lot better if I hadn't also let out a breathless gasp as Tony forcefully pulled your knees apart and rubbed his nose along my clothed slit, his facial hair scraping my inner thigh, sending flurries of pleasure up my spine, my flash breaking out in goose-bumps.
"We'll see if you can handle someone with my expertise little girl, just don't call me daddy," he growled before ripping my pants down to your ankles and tossing them behind his head before he ripped off my body suit out of impatience despite my protests that quickly dissipated as he began to feast and suck up all my wetness, tongue pistoning in and out, driving my senses wild. He had me falling apart around him in minutes, obviously more talented than any other man I'd ever been with.
"That's one Ms. Stone, how many more do you think you can take?" Tony teased me as I struggled to sit upright after that onslaught. Instead of answering, I kissed him, hard. Teeth banging together and tongues exploring each other's mouths I was decently surprised to discover he tasted like honey and blackberries as well as me.
Tony lifted me up and off the counter by gripping my ass and sliding me towards him, encouraging me to wrap my still trembling legs around his waist.
Instead of complying, I pried myself out of his grasp and slid down to my knees in front of him, palming his clothed hard on.
"I believe this is what they call reciprocation Stark. Or perhaps, payback."
The night continued on as such until you both were sated and absolutely exhausted.
The next morning I woke up right before 7 am with the urgent need to relieve myself. Yanking with my slightly enhanced strength, I pulled the bed sheet out from under Tony, opting to rush out the door and into my own room. Pulling the door towards myself, I was hit with bright hallways and muttered conversations.
Quietly cursing my luck, I pulled the bed sheet tighter around my cleavage before lifting my chin high and proudly marching down the corridor to my own chambers.
I heard Pietro mutter a question to Peter, whose eyes were bulging out of their sockets. "She's uh… she's the new recruit we brought in while you all were in Wakanda… Did she just come out of Mr. Stark's rooms?"
"Take a picture boys, it'll last longer," I had finally reached her door, having passed the two gawking boys when she let Tony's sheet pool around my ankles, revealing my slim stomach, ample cleavage pushed up by my white lace bra and her shorts that had truly seen better mornings, but still worked to cover my body decently. A choke and a hacking fit were the only responses from Spidey and the silver-haired man I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting yet.
As soon as the doors to my suite closed, I fell to my knees, panting through a panic attack before pulling myself together half an hour later to shower and change into my training uniform that Happy had delivered to my rooms yesterday. It was my first official day as a part of the team. And judging by the way it had started, I might need a drink sooner rather than later.