Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Feel free to back out if need be.
Author's Note: Uh, so…this is actually a second chapter rather a different oneshot. Also, you will notice a distinct lack of a certain Widow. There is a reason for this.
Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 12); MC4A (WiB; TY; DP; War; Share; T3; FR; O3; FPC; BAON; ToS; StL; SIN; NC; SoC; FF; NCR; RC; Star; Fence; ER; RoB; MLG; Rum; Cluster; MT; WF)
Individual Challenges: Metahuman MC (x2); SHIELD MC (x2); Hydra MC; Seasoning Fix; Seeds; The Third Phase; New Fandom Smell (Y); Team Logic; Marvelous Cinema; Serial Marvel; Ethnic & Present (x2); Rian-Russo Inversion; Short Jog; Yellow Ribbon; Yellow Ribbon Redux; The Real MC; Two Cakes!; Greatest Gift
House: Hufflepuff
Assignment No.: Term 12 – Assignment 3
Subject (Task No.): n/a
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [17] (Alone); 365 [10] (Aloof)
Other MC4A Challenges: Wi Bingo [2B] (Joy)
Representation(s): Team as Family; bisexual Scott Lang; Misty Knight (with Bionic Arm); a bunch of onesided relationships (Wanda/Vision; Clint/Laura; Scott/Hope)
Bonus Challenges: Misshapen Pods; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; White Dress; Found Family; Nontraditional; Middle Name; Unwanted Advice; Lovely Coconuts; Grease Monkey; Muck & Slime; Rock of Ages; Uncivil Obedience; Under the Bridge; Where Angels Fear; Civil Disobedience); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Wabi Sabi; Peddling Pots; Tomorrow's Shade; A Long Dog; Eternal Boredom; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Wind Beneath; In the Trench; Surprise!; Call Me Dantes; Sitting Hummingbird; Some Beach; Getting On; Hot Stuff)
Tertiary Bonus Challenges: T3 (Thimble); FR (Liberation); O3 (Orator; Ox); DP (Yearn); TY (Kulonbozo)
Word Count: 1645
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Missed Receptions
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Steve breathed deeply as he stepped off the plane. Nothing had ever smelled as good as distinctive stink of New York in the middle of a heat wave. The air in Wakanda had been much cleaner as well as fragrant with the copious vegetation that surrounded the capital city. It was a beautiful country, and T'Challa had every right to be proud of it. But no amount of beauty would ever make up for it not being home.
No amount of beauty would make up for how they had been restricted from leaving the country either. T'Challa had not even allowed Steve and his team to help with things inside the borders, not even when the young king had nearly been usurped. They hadn't even been informed of that situation until well after it was over. The inactivity outside of whatever training regimes they chose to create had been the second most frustrating part of the last year, right after being forced to listen to all the awful things that everyone had said about them without being able to defend themselves.
Not to mention how Tony had just started adding people to the team like he had the right!
"Man, I feel like I should kiss the ground," Sam said as soon as he hit the tarmac besides Steve. He turned his face to the sun and took a dramatic breath of his own. "I can't believe it took so long to finally get back here."
"I can't wait to see my family," Clint said. "Nate's gonna have grown so much!"
"Casey, too," Scott agreed. "I really hope that Maggie lets me see her."
"Of course, she will," Steve assured him. He patted the other man's shoulder. "Just you wait."
"Do you think Vision will be meeting us?" Wanda asked, clearly eager to see her boyfriend. And who could blame her? Just as Tony had never responded to Steve's apology letter (even when it became clear that he had needed help), Vision had not responded to the letter that Clint had smuggled out for Wanda at the same time. Steve only hoped that Tony wasn't so spiteful that he had gotten in the way of young love. "Do you think they'll let him?"
"I apologize for my tardiness," a black woman announced as she approached them at a fast clip. Despite her sharply pressed business suit, she had combat boots on her feet and had left her hair in a mess of thick curls around her head. More notable for Steve, she also wasn't carrying anything like Maria would have been. In fact, she had gloves on both hands. The small differences made Steve tense. This felt wrong. "There were other matters that required my attention. If you will follow me, we can go over the final details of your return."
"No disrespect, ma'am, but who are you?" Steve asked even as they all followed her towards the terminal. The woman gave them an aloof looking smile over her shoulder. Maria Hill at her most officious gave a better impression of a smile. Fury being faced with Tony would have seemed more genuinely happy.
"My name is Misty Knight," she introduced brusquely, not even slowing her pace. "I have been assigned by SWORD to play welcome wagon for you. Mostly because it was agreed that someone from the New York team should do it, and most of us are busy with preparations for tonight's shindig." She opened a door to a parking lot and stepped aside let them pass. "You're required to attend that, of course, as a show of good faith and all that. Appropriate attire has already been arranged, as has transportation to and from the event. You are expected to both arrive and leave as a group. If you will get into the vehicle, we can be on our way."
"What? No driver?" Clint asked as he slid into the backseat of the black SUV that Misty had indicated.
"Amazingly enough," she said in a dry tone that reminded Steve painfully of Natasha as she took the driver's spot, "I am entirely capable of driving. It's not even that far to the Tower."
The SUV was one of those strange models that weren't quite long enough to be a van. Steve never could get his mind around why it was considered different, but at least it had an extra backseat that allowed all of them plus their escort to ride in the same vehicle. He waited until Scott and Sam had taken the far back and Wanda had settled into the spot next to Clint before choosing the front passenger seat.
Misty barely waited for them indicate that they were ready before starting the engine and putting the vehicle in motion. Without any wasted motions or glances away from the road, she continued speaking. She was a better driver than Clint or Sam, but Steve felt like he would have been a bit more comfortable if someone he knew was driving or even a SHIELD agent that he didn't know. It wasn't anything against her personally. It was just that Steve didn't know her as well as he knew Clint or Sam.
"Mr. Lang, the West Coast team has approved your transfer," Misty explained, unaware of Steve's thoughts. "You will be staying in their facility outside of LA. I have been told to inform you that Ms. van Dyne are handling arrangements getting Cassie to and from her visits. I'm afraid that I don't have any more details for you, but the majority of the West Coast team will be present at tonight's events."
"What about my kids?" Clint asked. He leaned around the seat to get a better look at Misty. "When do I get to see my kids?"
"I'm afraid that I don't have any information for you, Mr. Barton." Her tone was so carefully neutral that it made Steve's teeth ache. "I know that there are copies of the paperwork that all of you signed waiting for you in your suite. I know that each packet will include any information specific to your individual case such as team transfers, any stipends allotted, and whatever eligibility requirements that the Council has determined necessary for you. I imagine that anything concerning children will also be there."
"Why do you know his and not mine?" Clint demanded. He was gripping the back of Misty's seat hard enough that Steve just knew there were going to be indentions from his fingers. Misty took a deep and slow breath, just like how Bruce would when he was struggling a bit with the Hulk (usually because Tony was being extra annoying). Steve missed the doctor suddenly, just as much as he missed Natasha and even Tony. At least two of those he was likely to see in just a few short hours.
"Ms. van Dyne wanted Mr. Lang to know as soon as possible," Misty said evenly. "She made sure to tell me when she found out that I had been assigned to pick you up. Mr. Lang also needed to know about his transfer since he will be returning with the West Coast team after the gala." She gave a wry smile into the review mirror as she turned into the familiar parking garage for the Tower. "I don't even you, even if the beaches are better out there. The West Coast team has a lot of rookies. Though to be fair, they also house the refugees from Attilan, so it's not like the rookies are by themselves."
"Refugees?" Steve asked just as Misty parks the SUV. "What refugees?"
"You've been away, Mr. Rogers," she explained as she got out. "The world did not stop because you decided you didn't like the rules you were being asked to follow."
They had to quickly follow her as she was already headed towards the bank of elevators. Steve would have argued what she had said—after all, it had not been like that—but he had to make sure that his entire team was able to keep up with the fast clip that Misty was setting for them. Steve was definitely going to let Tony know how his employees had treated them when he saw the man. Then again, maybe this was Tony being petty and Misty was just doing her job. She wasn't being overly rude even, just less than welcoming. It made Steve feel like she felt that there were better uses of her time than helping a team of returning heroes adjust.
Misty punched a code into keypad next to the elevator marked with red doors. Steve knew that particular elevator was the only one with access to the residential floors of the building. He just didn't remember there being a keypad before, let alone a code to access it. There was even a security visor that prevent him from seeing what code she had used, and Misty didn't tell them what the code was. It might have been an oversight. Steve was sure that she was probably a bit flustered at having to do all of this while putting on the show that Tony must have required.
Steve cleared his throat to call her attention to the lapse subtly, but the sound was covered by the ding announcing the elevator's arrival. Then Misty was speaking again.
"Your assigned floor is eight-four. Your attire for tonight is waiting for you in the common area. Those packets I mentioned are also there. Room assignments are up to you, but there's enough for all of you to have your pick." She gestured for them to enter the elevator while staying outside of it. "Someone will be by to collect you at a quarter till seven for the gala. Please be ready."
"What about—"
The doors closed before Steve could more of his question out.