New chapter!

[This is an iconic duo we will see more of in the new version of this story. I honestly couldn't wait until I got to publish this story. It will also explain the role of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne in this universe].

Stark & Pym:

I sip my coffee from inside the café and look upwards when the barista approaches me. For a moment, I think she has something to say to me so I remove my headphones and look up at her. Oddly, she places another coffee in a to-go cup on the table right in front of me. Weird. I didn't order a refill and I didn't think I would need one. I'm not complaining about it but just wondering its intentions. The barista meets my eyes and knows that I didn't order that so she obviously knows that I'm wondering the reason for this new coffee.

"Someone bought that for you," she tells me before heading back to her station.

Weirder.

I look around me and who could have possibly bought me this coffee. Nobody looks evidently suspicious so I look back at the cup. I take it in my hands and see if there is any writing on the sides to give me some sort of clue. Luckily, there is.

'Fresh cup of James ;)'

I narrow my eyes, not out of annoyance but admiration at the efforts this boy puts into his requests. I finish the coffee I ordered before collecting my stuff and heading outside the coffee shop with the drink he bought me. The only reason I know he's outside, aside from not seeing him inside, is because that is the other reason why the drink is in a polystyrene cup rather than a ceramic mug. He is not a text message type of guy but a gesture one. And this was a great gesture indeed.

I step outside and look around, eventually spotting his sweet car. I head over and open the passenger door that was already unlocked. I sit in the passenger's seat and look over to see the suave and charming James Pym, looking refreshed in his private school uniform. He happily grins at me with his smoulder and I notice that his hair is kind of damp.

"Did someone try to drown you?" I ask. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if that was the case and if it was done by Merida. James is sometimes an unintentional asshole which is why we click so well.

"Showered after the gym," James responds, grinning a little as a way to boast about his achievement in fitness.

"You don't work out."

"Gym class," he corrects, causing me to roll my eyes because he could've said that the first time around. "My muscles are yawning so I came by here to get something to reenergize myself. I saw you while I was driving in the drive-thru and thought to get you something as a treat."

I nod my head, sipping the drink he bought me (which tastes amazing and top dollar). "I get that you're madly in love with me and desire my company at all times, but you would only lure me out here with an expensive caffeinated beverage when you need something that I can help you with. So, with that in mind, how are you?"

"I think I'm going to break up with my girlfriend."

I almost spit out my drink because I didn't expect him to be so blunt right off the bat. I thought we would have our usual self-absorbed banter and get lost while catching up with recent events, but the fact that he shot that out into the open right away shows how serious he is about this topic. One thing about James Pym that I like about him is that he is never serious. Never. The fact that he's not joking about this shows a whole lot of red flags that are on fire and I can't blame him because he wants to break up with his girlfriend. I could've sworn that he really liked her.

"Let me explain myself," James says to me to ease my panicked reaction.

"You better," I reply.

"Janice has all of these dreams and aspirations, you know? She doesn't have her head in the clouds but she has a marked destination up there for when it's time to go there. And she felt as if she was moving forwards with her life and I have no idea what I want. I mean, I have a few options up there but I don't want to set my landing, you get me? I don't want to be the reason why she holds back and sticks on the ground. I'm not worth it."

I nod my head. "You're really not."

James nods in agreement. "As much as I love myself, I don't want someone to just change the entire dynamic of their life to be me. I'm not that vain. I have enough creepy stalker girls who can do that from a distance."

"Besides, it's not like you're ending it because you don't like her anymore or because either of you cheated."

"Exactly. As much as I flirt, I don't do that type of thing. She's amazing and I'm amazing, but our amazingness cannot be combined."

-o-

From the parking lot, James took me back to his place because he refused to be in a public space in his school uniform longer than he should, so he wanted to drop back home and change. As we entered his penthouse, we ran into his parents.

Hank and Janet are only contacts of the Avengers and affiliates of SHIELD. About the latter, according to James, Hank got in a dispute with SHIELD about his Pym Particles technology and research on the quantum realm. (Whatever that is). Apparently, SHIELD wanted in on his work and Hank said no because of what happened with the Tesseract and the following alien invasion. (Becuase if aliens came from a blue cube's portal, imagine what the quantum realm has?) As of right now, his parents are friends with our parents which led up to all of us being friends. It's great when everything works out like that, isn't it?

"Why is she here?" Hank asks, pointing at me. His dad doesn't like me as much because I'm too much like my own dad. It's all for jokes but, sometimes, it's serious.

"Stealing your tech," I respond with a smirk.

"I actually wouldn't be surprised if James just gave it to you."

James opens his mouth in offence. "I would never."

"Go change," I say, pushing him a little so we could get moving.

I shoo James off to his room and he mimics me on the way. I mockingly blow him a kiss and his dad gives us the strangest look ever. Out of all the Avenger parents, Hank is the one who is the most done with us and our bullshit. Janet, however, is the complete opposite. She loves all of us.

"It's my favourite child!" Janet exclaims as she flies into the room, growing back into her normal petite size just to hug me.

"Hey!" James exclaims as he comes back in the room, half-changed with his uniform shirt and casual jeans.

"What?" Janet asks innocently with her arm linked around mine. "You know that Stark is my favourite."

"She isn't mine," Hank mutters just to spite me. I narrow my eyes at him as he leaves the room.

"She reminds me of myself," Janet says, smiling up at me. "That's why she's my favourite."

And that's where James gets his narcissism.

"I'm your son!" James argues. He actually looks hurt by this and it makes my day.

"And Stark's your favourite too," Janet tells him. "And because she's like me: fashionable and fun, that just goes to show how much you love me."

I try to hold back a laugh but fail because that cocky theory works perfectly.

"Momma's boy," I tell him. (Not that there's anything wrong with that).

James doesn't even deny it because after knowing him since birth, it's confirmed that he is a momma's boy.

"Now, go finish changing," Janet orders. "That fusion of clothing wouldn't work for anyone."

"I told him that too!" I exclaim excitedly.

Janet and I laugh as James miserably goes back to change. He comes back five minutes later in a t-shirt and leather jacket. His mother and I give him an approving nod at his outfit choice and he rolls his eyes.

"Can I have my friend back?" James asks his mom.

"Say please," Janet instructs like an exaggerated mother.

James narrows his eyes. "May I please have my friend back?"

"Not with that attitude."

Janet and I laugh as James makes a mental note that he should've left me in the coffee shop.

[I love how when I introduced all the other kids were introduced, they were all grouped in one chapter. Meanwhile, James gets his own chapter with his name in the title].