And The Parenting Award Goes To...
I wake up to the soft light of the seven-thirty sun coming in the windows of our room in Stark Tower. It's quite pleasant, actually. Wait. Our room- I sit straight up in bed as I remember exactly who I room with now. I look over to the other bed and see my new roommate sitting cross-legged on top of her already made bed. Her eyes are closed and she sits perfectly still. Maybe she's somehow asleep like that? I don't know, and I try to move silently around the room, finding a clean T-shirt somewhere in my suitcase and pulling it over my head. I'm still lost in the folds of fabric when I hear a voice.
"Don't feel as if you're intruding on my space. I don't care what your habits are like as long as you don't snore."
I jump and trip over something that has fallen on the floor, landing in a heap of T-shirt and Loki.
"Gah! Warn a guy next time!" I haul myself up and face her. She looks like she's trying to hold in a laugh, and I mock scowl at her. Behind my back, my hand closes on a towel that I had placed there the night before. I will have my revenge yet. I hurl it at her, and she expertly dodges, mischief flaming to life in her eyes.
"You do know this means war," she says menacingly.
I grin. "Bring it on, Ace."
She picks up the towel and throws it with deadly accuracy at me. I can hardly move fast enough to avoid it and when I look back at her another towel hits me in the face. I gasp and take both ends in my hand and charge her, intending to shove it in her face. I don't expect what happens next, though. I don't know why or how, but somehow I end up sitting down on the floor and seeing stars. The world dims for a second and then I see her face over me, and feel two strong hands pull me into a sitting position.
"I am SO sorry for that," Ace says quickly. "I didn't expect to be rushed at. I guess my instincts took over. Sorry!"
"Killer...instincts," I manage to gasp out.
She chuckles a little and offers me a hand. "You alright?"
"Yeah. Just a bit dizzy."
"It'll wear off. Just try and stand up now."
I try, and the world spins. She puts one arm around my shoulders and holds me from falling with the other. And that is right when Alex comes in.
Well...this doesn't look awkward at all... I think, before swaying so much that Ace sits me back down on my bed.
"You'll be fine," she repeats. "It's normal to be dizzy at first. I know I always get that way for at least a few minutes."
"What?" Alex nearly shouts. "What were you two doing?"
I try and gasp out a response, but Ace is already talking.
"I accidentally kicked him in the solar plexus. He'll be fine in a minute."
Alex raises an eyebrow. "Oookaaay..."
"Really, it was nothing," I manage to say.
"What ever you say, Lover Boy." She waves her hand before walking out.
"Where are you going?" Ace asks.
"To get coffee," she replies.
Ace and I look at each other, and with a shrug, we decide to follow Alex's lead up to the dining area.
It would appear that we are the only ones up. The kitchen is roomy enough, with space for everyone who would be coming later. It's brightly lit with natural light from skylights and picture windows. An island sits in the middle of the place, surrounded by cupboards and a stove top. The seating area is just beside the kitchen and consists of a few couches and armchairs in a circle with coffee tables next to each one. I see that there's one other person up- Pepper. She is cooking away in the kitchen, trying to produce enough food to satisfy the appetites of a Norse god, a man with a destructive alter ego, a genius billionaire, a proficient archer, and a genetically enhanced super soldier. And that was just the guys.
"Jarvis! Coffee would be great!" Alex says with a hint of sarcasm.
"Of course, ma'am," the British voice replies.
"What is he?" I ask.
"Who? Jarvis?"
I nod.
"He's a computer program. He's basically a bodiless nanny and servant. Dad had him installed, and he has been helping us run the industry for years now. Can't imagine life without him."
"Cool," I reply, amazed.
I notice that poor overburdened Pepper is looking like she needs a hand, so I decide to step in and help.
"Anything I can do, ma'am?" I ask politely. She looks up.
"Oh- good morning, Loki! Yes, actually, do you know how to cook bacon?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good, would you mind finishing these?" she gestures to a giant pan where at least half a pound of bacon is sizzling merrily. I nod and take the tongs from her.
Alex takes the seat across the counter from me.
"So someone knows how to cook," she says. "Funny. You don't seem like the type to know how to cook."
I look up at her and smile slightly. "Oh? What type do I seem like, then?"
"Oh, I don't know," she smirks. "The silent type. With so much to say, but not the mouth to say it."
"How do you figure that?" I ask.
She leaves her seat and walks over to me. She doesn't stop until her face is only inches away from mine.
"You never stand up to the adults, no matter how bad it seems. You just seem like the "nice guy." You know, the one everyone likes, but can't seem to get close to."
"And what about you, Miss Stark?" I ask. She grins.
"I've got a lot to say and the mouth to say it with. We'd make a great team."
I finally break the moment, pulling away. "Yeah? What if you're not my type?" I ask cheekily. She frowns for a moment, the perfect eyebrows knitting together, then responds breezily.
"I'm everyone's type, silly boy." She brings her face closer to mine again.
"Touch her and I'll kill you," says a new voice. I jerk my head up and there stands Mr. Stark. Alex slowly pulls her head back, accepting the cup of coffee her dad offers her. She jumps down from the counter, her dressing gown fluttering slightly as she sits back down in her chair.
Mr. Stark remains where he is and I briefly consider telling him that it was in fact his daughter making advances on me, but Alex had been right about something. I never stand up to adults. I just turn back to flipping the bacon, nodding slightly. Once her dad goes to the table, I steal a glance back at her. Her wicked smile says that I just proved her point. She comes back to me.
"Don't worry. A little while with me, and you won't be afraid to stand up to them." She winks a sexy wink before following in her father's footsteps out of the room. I turn back to the bacon, but I can't seem to get her out of my mind. Why does she have this control over me, and what is that weird feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever she is close?
Ten minutes later, the men and women finally come down to breakfast. By this time, Ace and I have grabbed ourselves loaded plates and large coffees and picked out the most comfortable couch to share. I sit next to her, not sure if I can handle sitting next to Alex after what just happened.
Not surprisingly, Thor, Uncle Steve, and Clint end up with most of the bacon. And the eggs. And the toast. And the- well, you get the picture. The women sit around with smaller plates, eating and conversing nicely. The guys wander around the kitchen aimlessly, challenging each other to OJ chugging contests and stuff like that. Thor takes a giant gulp of orange juice.
"This drink! I like it! Anoth-"
"THOR ODINSON! DON'T YOU DARE SMASH THAT MUG!" Jane yells.
It's a typical- well, I say typical- family reunion. Ace and I just sit in the middle of this whole loud, cheerful mess, taking in all of the snatches of conversation and laughter.
"...and so then I said, that's not my bow, that's a hallucination brought on by the tear gas..."
"...but I had just been stricken by the horrible beast, so I drew my battle axe and yelled a war cry..."
"...you know, it's just that they grow up so fast! I mean, one day she's sitting on that very couch stealing Tony's glasses and now she's driving herself all about in her Ferrari and ordering Jarvis around like anything..."
"I understand, it seems like just yesterday our little girl was picking up her daddy's bow and wanting to fire an arrow and we just got her a bow of her own..."
We look at each other and burst into laughter, eliciting motherly glares from the circle of women.
Just then, Tony comes back in. Alex follows behind him and takes up her seat across the room. He goes over to the tangle of guys hovering around the food, and begins boasting as loudly as the rest of them.
"What? Your daughter went on a top secret mission when she was just 13? Well, mine was driving her first Ferrari...I think she first developed a love for those cars back then... You have to concede the good parenting award to Tony Stark, though. Admit it."
"Oh, please, Tony, you are anything but a good parent. I bet Pepper did all the work," Uncle Steve teases. Across the room, Pepper raises her glass of juice in agreement.
"Pepper? Please! She was the one who yelled and disciplined. I did all the real parenting!"
"You dare speak of real parenting?" cut in Thor. "I merit that honor, friend. Loki has been anything but easy to raise and I believe I have done a scintillating job."
"You did nothing of the sort! I was the one who basically raised him!" Uncle Steve argues.
"Yeah, and who uses the word 'scintillating' in normal conversation?" Mr. Stark snarks.
"That is quite a normal word, sir," Thor says, mock-frowning at him. Mr. Stark raises his eyebrows.
"For Mr. Mjolnir it may be, but for the general populace it isn't."
"I like that name," Thor says appreciatively. "Perhaps I shall adopt it. Just as I did Loki in his time of need." I know that he's just joking, but the words cut a little.
"Whatever," Banner chimes in sarcastically.
"You disagree?" Thor asks.
"Of course. You only did that because Steve agreed to help and Tony and Fury gave you a hard time. If it were up to you, Tony would be raising Loki, just as he has done with Alex for the past twelve years, and might I add, he has done a great job." Banner says.
"You're taking his side?" Uncle Steve asks in wonder. "I thought you hated Stark."
"I did, but I love Alex as if she is my own, and, to my surprise, Tony has done great as a dad."
"Will you all stop griping? We all know that I am deserving of the parenting award because I raised a girl, worked for the government, and managed to make a marriage with Natasha work for all these years." Clint adds his name into the running. Beside me, I can feel Ace stiffen. Okay, this is getting awkward.
"Okay, you get props for working with Natasha, but not for parenting," Mr. Stark retaliates. Pepper steps in.
"Oookay. So, Tony, when do you race next?" The attempt at an abrupt subject change does not go over.
"Look, guys, just admit it. I did better."
They all erupt into conversation, getting louder as they all try to talk over the next guy. Banner stops and holds his head in his hands, then with little effort, flips the central coffee table over.
"Guys! Just STOP!" he yells. They all stop and look at him. Silence falls in the room, broken only by the dripping of the broken juice pitcher. Ace and I glance at each other, eyes wide. Across the room, Alex's mouth is open. The women are all still as stones, and I can see Pepper's hand shaking.
"Look, just...just chill out, everyone and I'll be fine," Banner gulps out, breathing heavily.
"Uncle Banner?" Alex says getting up and walking over to the man.
"Alex, sit back down," Mr. Stark says.
She places a hand on her uncle's back. He looks up with a smile.
"I'm fine, Alex. I'm fine." He sounds like he is trying to convince himself more than her.
"Lets go to the lab." Her voice shakes with each word. When he nods, she leads him out of the room. Once he is gone everyone collectively lets out a breath.
That was nerve racking. I hope every breakfast won't be like this...
