Author's Note: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Anyone make New Years resolutions? Part of mine are to write more every day and to read more than just fanfiction. So far, I ain't doing too well seeing as I found an Inara/Mal fic that's currently killing my feels lol

Review Reviews:

KPcool: I'd seriously kill for any one of the guys. Ugh, if you find out let me know! Cause I can write these perfect kisses but I've yet to actually achieve said perfect kiss :/

kimbee: Haha yeah Anya's got bigger balls than I do! Fight Sif...no...do Sif...yes please! :p

blackangel150: I'd be hard pressed to put actual money on that fight, personally lol Anya won't meet with Loki in this story. It's unnecessary plus since Loki's treachery directly involves Clint it just wouldn't be a good idea.

Morgan: Thanks! That's an idea. I'd love to see them get married too but since Anya i only 19 I'm hesitant to do that for a while. Idk we'll see :)

SpectrumLight: I can't believe Aceland has brought us all the way here :)

Lollypops101: I love the Aceland sparring scenes! I've had that idea in the back of my head for a while. I did a little something sort of like that in this chapter so I hope you like it :)

Veronique Ruthven: I will try to think up something for the twins soon :)

LeKins004: Thanks! Good question. I can't imagine Irina wouldn't know, but as for Clint and Natasha...probably. They are living together after all which implies something lol (that's okay, a review is still a review and I love them all)

So I'm still working on a way to end the whole series. There's a couple things I wanna do first and I have a vague idea of how I might end it all but idk how to get there just yet. So there will be a couple more chapters while I figure it out.

Enjoy!


When Ryland first presented his idea to Anya she made it very clear she wasn't one-hundred percent on board. She voiced said opinion time and time again despite the fact that he seemed to not be listening at all. Despite all her comments, Anya still found herself walking under Ryland's arm to the local tattoo parlor.

"I swear you're going to regret doing this." she told him for what felt like the ten thousandth time. It was mid April in New York so she could just get away without a heavy coat- instead donning her favorite black leather biker jacket over a loose fitted red hoodie along with black skinny jeans and combat boots. Ryland beside her opted for no coat at all, instead wearing a heavy Ralph Lauren ribbed sweater along with jeans and his Chuck's. Over spring break he'd cleaned out his closet (because he had nothing better to do while Anya was away in Asgard) and somehow managed to find wool driver cap which he literally hadn't taken off since. At first Anya teased him about the somewhat silly hat but it really did grow on her. After a couple days she actually came to think Ryland in a driver cap with his big black glasses was absolutely adorable and remarkably attractive.

"I swear I'm not." Ryland shot back at Anya as they walked down the street beside each other, Bruce and Danni behind them. Danni was the only other member of the team that had ink on their skin so Ryland wanted her along for the process. Originally Pepper wanted to join but then she chickened out (something about the possibility of fainting being too high). And Tony couldn't make it, although he was there in spirit given Bruce was wearing an Iron Man sweatshirt.

"Everyone says you'll regret getting a tattoo," Danni piped in from behind. "but I've had mine for a good long while and I've never regretted it." With that, Ryland shot Anya a look that made Bruce chuckle. Sometimes the two of them fought like they were already married and given how long Bruce knew them he enjoyed sitting back and watching their story unfold.

"At the very least it's a sweet gesture." Bruce added as they rounded the corner where the tattoo shop sat. Ryland opened the door and held it for everyone to walk through before joining them in the tiny parlor. Ryland made sure he did a good bit of research on the place before he chose it and then even after he'd made the decision, he went in and talked to the man who'd be behind the machine. It was a nice clean place that Ryland trusted but Anya was already shaking her head.

"Welcome back," the man Ryland spoke to earlier that week greeted him with a handshake. Part of Ryland was relieved by the fact that the man who would give him a tattoo was covered in them as well- most of which he'd done himself. "This is your girl I presume?"

Ryland stepped beside Anya to introduce them. "Ace this is Pete, he owns the joint and he'll be doing my tattoo." Ryland said. Pete offered a hand to Anya and they shook and immediately he started telling her all about how clean the whole thing was and basically trying to reassure her that he wasn't going to mess it up or kill her boyfriend by accident.

"Everything is sterile and my hands are steady." he promised with a smile. He was too personable for Anya to dislike him but she was still a little shaky about the idea. "Alright, let's get started then! You got the sketch you want?"

Ryland dug into his back pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of paper. Before he found the sketch he hadn't even wanted a tattoo but once he saw the design he knew it was too perfect to pass up. He showed it to Anya when the idea first came to him and though she thought it was beautiful she wasn't game. Seeing the design for the second time made her smile even if her hands were still shaking. He intended on getting it on his left shoulder blade so it was only visible when he wanted it visible; therefore he had to take off his sweater and undershirt which instantly left him a little chilly.

"The seat will probably be cold." Pete warned before Ryland laid down. He gasped a little when his bare chest connected with the cool leather but it wasn't bad, especially when Pete pulled up a chair for Anya so she could sit by Ryland's head. She immediately took his hat off and ran her fingers through his hair, asking yet again if he was certain about his decision. Ryland's only response was to wink and hold onto her hand.

Pete's tattoo machine kicked in and Anya flinched just at the sound. Behind her a chuckling Danni laid a hand on her shoulder and watched carefully. The first contact made Ryland wince but it wasn't nearly as bad as he originally thought it'd be. After a while it barely hurt much at all. The only one who seemed to be in any pain was Anya.

"I'm guessing you're not game to get one as well?" Pete asked her with a chuckle and she just shook her head hard. The girl could take a bullet and walk away wanting nothing but a cheeseburger however she couldn't even look at a tattoo machine without getting a little queasy. "Hey man, to each his own. It is a pretty sweet thing though, isn't it?"

Anya smiled and squeezed Ryland's hand a little tighter. "Yeah it is sweet." she admitted, her eyes trained on the tattoo taking shape on Ryland's shoulder blade. She never put much thought into tattoos because it never mattered before. All she knew was Danni's was pretty and she'd never get one. Anya never bothered to think about whether or not she found them attractive or how many was too many. When she was younger she used to want to get a little bird tattooed somewhere like on her wrist but then someone told her how tattooing actually worked and she chickened out.

Ryland's whole tattoo wasn't big so it didn't take long and soon enough Pete was putting on the finishing touches. Ryland and Anya were still holding hands but she'd stopped shaking and having second thoughts (especially given the fact that there was no going back, it was already permanent). But it wasn't until the whole thing was finished and Ryland was able to sit up that Anya got really excited. He turned to look in the mirror, dipping his arm so he could see his new mark. It looked great and Pete did an amazing job of bringing it to life. A bad tattooist would probably make it look flat and boring but Pete somehow made it look awesome.

"I can't believe you did that." Anya mumbled, wanting to touch the tattoo but too afraid. Instead she just bit her knuckles to try and cover her smile. "I can't believe you did that for me." Her eyes followed the flourish that made the design of an ace across his shoulder. When he said he wanted to tattoo an ace on his back for her she thought he was crazy; but getting to see it all done almost made her want to cry a little. It was such a sweet thing for him to do, especially seeing as he gave her the nickname all those years ago.

Ryland just kind of shrugged a little, smiling as he said, "You're my ace." before giving her a quick kiss. They didn't have much time to themselves given Bruce and Danni really wanted to see it too but they figured they'd have plenty of time later. So Anya stepped aside, holding Ryland's shirt and hat, while everyone took a turn studying the tattoo closely. Pete went over how to care for it and what to expect for the next couple days, then he covered it so Ryland could carefully put his shirt back on.

"Still think he'll regret it?" Danni asked Anya as they gathered their things to head out. Anya giggled a little and shook her head, trying not to seem as happy about it as she was. God forbid anything happen cause now she was burnt on him. She put her stamp right there on his back which, for her, was as good as a wedding ring.

XXX

By the time Ryland headed back to school the tabloids had gotten wind of his new tattoo so everyone knew. He got asked about a million times by students about what it meant but luckily classes were a good excuse not to show them. Plus, he'd have to take his shirt off to do so and he wasn't going to do that in the middle of class. It was unavoidable though after class let out and he started gathering his things. A group of girls approached him immediately, somehow already having their books in hand and their coats on.

"Hey, Ryland." the one closest him greeted. He looked up for a second as he stuffed his laptop back in his satchel. She looked vaguely familiar, like maybe she'd talked to him before or sat beside him once or twice, but he didn't remember her name. In fact, out of the four girls before him he couldn't only remember one of their names. The short one in the back who had rainbow streaks throughout her curly blond locks was Laura- why he remembered that, who knows, but she was the only one he really recognized.

"Hey there," he replied absentmindedly as he donned a coat and fixed his drivers cap atop his head.

"I like your hat." Laura offered up with a smile so Ryland thanked her. All four girls managed to follow him out of the lecture hall in a little herd but he didn't comment. "You going for a makeover or something? New hat, new tat…"

Ryland had to had it to her, at least she didn't run over and scream, "Oh my god you got a tattoo! Can I see it? What is it? What does it mean? Did it hurt?" like some of the other students he had the misfortune of running into already. But he still wasn't gonna show her.

"No not really." Ryland replied as he walked, a little faster than normal, out to the streets where he prayed Anya was waiting to pick him up. She offered to drive him so they had a couple extra minutes that morning therefore she had to pick him up when he was done but she had a tendency to be a bit late. This was one instance where he couldn't just stand around and wait for her because, if he did, he'd wind up shirtless telling a group of girls about his tattoo.

"Well what is it then?" a different girl asked. He still didn't know her name but he didn't feel like asking. They broke through the double doors and one of the girls squealed a little as she stepped directly into a puddle. Ryland resisted the urge to chuckle as he held the door for the ladies then proceeded to walk down to the street he agreed to meet Anya on.

"It's sort of like a playing card...an ace." he told them as they continued to follow him around like little lost puppies. He made a mental note then to teach Kate that when she grew up and found a cute guy to like, not to cling to him like a wet bathingsuit. Rather give him some space to breathe, toss her hair over her shoulder and smile at him the way Anya smiles. Any guy could be putty in Kate's fingers if she acted like that, but if she hung on guys the way the NYU students tended to, good luck to her.

"Why an ace?" another girl asked as they rounded the corner where Anya's car was supposed to be waiting. But alas she was nowhere to be seen and Ryland's chin dropped to his chest.

He turned around, causing all the girls to stop just short of hitting him. "Cause that's what I call my girlfriend." he replied honestly. Laura was the only one able to hide the disappointment- and slight disgust- on her face when she reacted to the news. Ryland commended her for that as well even as he tried not to laugh at how dejected the other girls looked.

"That's so...sweet." one girl commented, sounding like she had a different adjective in mind. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend. I mean the tabloids...who knows what's true and what's made up."

Ryland just chuckled to himself, all the while keeping an eye out for Anya's car. "Yeah, Anya and I have been together a while."

"So it's serious?" one of the girls asked but before Ryland had a chance to respond a different group of classmates approached and answered for him.

"Doesn't matter if it's serious, you'll never touch a Stark." one of the guys teased. Ryland recognized the three guys from his political science class and rolled his eyes internally. All three were class clowns, always a joke at the ready, and usually one that came at someone else's expense. "But what I wouldn't give to lay a hand on one of those Barton girls!"

Ryland's eyes snapped over to the guy in question, automatically narrowing into slits. It didn't matter if he was talking about Anya or Irina, if he said another lude comment he was gonna get hit. But before Ryland could respond, again, he was cut off.

"Everyone in that family is smokin'!" a different guy bellowed, whistling. "Hell, I'd even do the old ladies." The three men all agreed meanwhile Ryland resisted the urge to gag himself. Those women were for all intents and purposes his family, so the mere thought my Ryland cringe. However he did enjoy the mental image of what Natasha would do if she were there to hear such comments.

"Yeah how is it that a bunch of tools managed to land such hot chicks?" one of the guys said, looking directly at Ryland. It was clearly a challenge but Ryland wanted to resist. Of course he could take them all down easily, but he didn't want to. He didn't want it to wind up on TMZ later with some headline painting him out to be an aggressive hot-head. He also didn't want to piss off Fury any more and get demoted again. But his blood was already boiling.

"Hey, Laura," the guy in the back said just loud enough for everyone to hear as he saddled up beside the only girl Ryland knew. "wanna play the rape game?"

"Umm, no." Laura shot back, looking more than disgusted and uncomfortable.

"That's the spirit!" the guy laughed, reaching for Laura. But before he could get an inch closer Ryland stepped up and slapped his hand away hard enough to make a loud clap. The guys all jumped and the one he'd pushed backwards cradled his hand to his chest.

"That's too far." Ryland warned him, standing between the guys and girls almost in protection. There was a part of Ryland's DNA that couldn't let something like that go- a part of him that held tight to chivalry and heroism- a part of him that couldn't let a bully get away scot-free.

"Hey man, we're just having a little fun."

"You've had your fun, now go away." Ryland replied deeply. He probably wasn't doing anything good for the infatuation each of those girls harbored for him but he stood up for them anyway. "Now you're just being assholes so I think it's best if you just go away."

The guys all scoffed, acting tough and macho like Ryland didn't scare them at all. "Who the hell do you think you are, Pretty Boy?" the guy in front said. He was probably the ringleader seeing as the other two guys flanked him on either side, arms folded to try and make themselves seem bigger than they actually were.

"I'm nobody," Ryland replied evenly. "but I'm a nobody who's not going to let you disrespect these girls." The girls swooned almost audibly behind him but Ryland tried to ignore it. "You need to learn common decency, man. You don't treat anyone, especially a lady, like that. You gotta respect people."

It was clear as day what Ryland was trying to communicate wasn't getting through but he tried anyway. "Man, fuck off." one of the guys said, waving Ryland away like he was a pesky fly.

"You don't disrespect-" Before Ryland got a chance to finish his sentence the ringleader swung at him. It was supposed to be a punch but Ryland dodged it easily, which made his assailant lose his balance and fall face first into a puddle. Laura laughed really loud before covering her mouth and stepping behind Ryland's back so no one could see how hard she was chuckling.

"You wanna try that again, or are you done?" Ryland deadpanned..

"The hell kinda stick is up your ass, man?" One of the guys stepped up to Ryland's challenge but didn't throw a punch yet. He was doing some weird jumping thing, throwing his weight from one foot to the other probably trying to imitate how wrestlers prepared for a fight. He didn't look like a wrestler though...just an idiot bouncing around with his fists half up. "You think you're so hot cause your dad's got money, but you're just a little prick like he is."

Almost in the blink of an eye Ryland decked the kid so hard he fell backwards into a parked car. The alarm sounded immediately- only slightly louder than the sound of the guys head smacking into the running board. One of the girls screamed even though she wasn't hurt at all and everyone within the vicinity turned to look at the group. Only one person approached though.

"Guys! What the hell's goin' on?" Anya yelled over the car alarm. Whenever she yelled, instead of her voice getting higher it got lower, almost gruff in tone so she was easy to pick out of the crowd. Ryland turned towards her, noting the way she looked first at the guys on the ground then up at him. She blinked a couple times, silently wondering if he'd lost his mind.

"They were being assholes so Ryland hit him." one of the girls explained, looking pretty haughty for someone who cowered behind Ryland the whole time. Anya looked to Ryland for confirmation and he just kinda shrugged.

Anya sighed heavily as she grabbed his satchel off the ground and shoved it at him. "Do you ever want to go back out on missions? Cause if Fury finds out you're pickin' fights outside of school we'll never get out of recruit training." Anya snapped, rolling her eyes. Whoever's car it was that was going off must've finally noticed because the alarm stopped, leaving everyone's ears ringing.

"Learn some respect before it gets your asses kicked." Ryland told the last man standing. The only guy that was left was probably the only one with even an ounce of sense in his head because he didn't try fighting Ryland. He just cowered backwards a bit saying alright over and over under his breath. "Alright? Now walk." Ryland pointed in the direction he wanted the boy to go and the kid practically ran off, his buddies scrambling to their feet and rushing to follow him.

"Do you feel better now?" Anya asked teasingly as she folded her arms over her chest.

"I do." Ryland replied with a smile. Immediately, all the girls swarmed him with thanks but he just brushed it off. "Seriously, don't put up with bullshit like that. If a guy ever comes at you just lay him out and no one will try again." He realized most girls couldn't fight like Anya could but he hoped they'd learn some self defense at least. They didn't need to pull out a Natasha-esque thigh choke but a swift punch to the throat would buy them enough time to get away.

While Ryland was trying to extract himself from the swarm of girls, Laura took a step over to Anya and said, "You are so lucky." with a heavy sigh. "He's so sweet and kind and chivalrous. And he just tattooed your name on his shoulder! You're so lucky." with a heavy sigh.

Anya smiled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I know I am." she said proudly.

"And don't worry about the girls here." Laura continued, turning her eyes from Ryland to Anya. "They're all over him but he's never once looked at any of us twice since you two started going out. We're all kinda desperate to have him, but he's loyal to you." Just as Laura spoke one of the other girls giggled loudly, running a hand down the length of Ryland's arms and so obviously flirting with him. "And especially don't worry about her. She could fling her naked body at him and he'd politely redress her and call her a cab."

Anya tried really hard not to laugh as loudly as she wanted to but a little chuckle escaped. Ryland looked back at her, wondering what was so funny but she just smiled and thanked Laura. "Believe me, I know how lucky I am." she said before reaching into the throng of girls and extracting Ryland. "Sorry ladies, he's gotta come with me." she announced as she pulled Ryland away. Some of the girls pouted and a few comments were tossed between them about who does she think she is but Anya ignored them all. After all Laura was right. Ryland was hers as much as she was his.

"Phew," Ryland sighed, fixing his coat. "I don't know what disheveled me more, fighting or getting thanked by a group of teenage girls." he said with a chuckle as they walked to Anya's car together.

"Speaking of which," Anya exclaimed as she unlocked the doors and climbed into the drivers seat while Ryland went around to the passenger side. Once they were in the vehicle with their doors closed she continued with, "what the hell was that? Give a guy a tattoo and suddenly he thinks he a streetfighter."

Ryland laughed as he settled into the seat and put his seatbelt on. "I don't think I'm a streetfighter, they were just being assholes." Ryland recanted the story for her as they drove home, telling her about how justified the punch was and how he hadn't even started it. As he spoke he was reminded of a distant memory from his youth when he'd once gotten into a fight at the playground and tried explaining the situation to his dad, who was angry but later revealed to be kind of proud since even four-year-old Ryland was just standing up to a bully.

Anya figured he had a good reason, knew him better than to ever think he'd just go off and deck someone without a solid rational. Even when she saw him throw that punch her first thought was to wonder what necessitated it. Hearing his case, she was sort of happy he laid out those guys. Hopefully they learned their lesson and wouldn't talk about or to people that way again. But just to pick on Ryland, when she pulled into the garage and killed the engine she tossed out, "Still that was pretty...rough." with a chuckle. Then just to tease her back Ryland wiggled his eyebrows at her as they walked to the elevator.

"Makes you want me doesn't it?"


Author's Note: I know some of you will remember that chapter of Mini-Vengers where Ryland decided a kid at the park wasn't gonna get away with picking on little Anya ;) The tattoo thing is a new idea I hope you guys like. There's a picture of the design in the Polyvore set I mad on my channel (samitballi. polyvore. com) so if you're interested you can check it out via the set titled HEA: Respect :)

Thanks!