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Truth Hurts pt.3
"No, I'm not going in there."
"Why not?"
"She called me Green Arrow and Katniss Everdeen in the span of five minutes." Theirs another a laugh then a slap, "Send Barnes in there."
"Oh I'm not going in there again, I don't know that person. The Spider-Man I knows is afraid to talk to me and praises me for my...what's it called Steve?"
"Glow up."
"That. This Spider-Man asked me what eyeliner I use and then told me my hair was too long." Silence, "Oh so you all agree with that."
"Truth hurts."
"Sure does girl on fire." I can hear scuffling behind door,
"How do you even know what that is?"
"It was the first thing on my to read list!" More shuffling.
"Stop it!" Mr. Rogers voice booms, "Someone just needs to go in there and watch the kid." Again silence. After tying the last stitch on my arm, Mr. Stark practically locked me in his spar room, and has been rotating for different Avengers for something he calls spider sitting. So far it hasn't been going well,
"You go in there." Mr. Barton demands, if I close my eyes I can imagine him pointing at the door.
"Me? I can't."
"Steve has delicate feelings," Mr. Barnes almost sounds like he's chuckling, but thats impossible, the man doesn't even smile,
"I do not." Mr. Rogers defends,
"If she says anything mean to him, he'll fight her,"
"I will not."
"He'll just punch her right in the face."
"Bucky stop it!"
"Only this time it won't end with him getting his ass beat and me saving him."
"BUCKY!" Steve shouts, followed by another 10 seconds of silence,
"How many times would you say he got his ass beat?" Mr. Barton asks,
"At least 50 times before his glow up."
"Knock it off, both of you. She's a 14 year old girl she's not that scary." Why can't anyone get my age right in this stupid pent house,
"16" A voice, distinctly female corrects.
"Nat!" Mr. Barton calls relieved "We need you to babysit the kid."
"Can't. Stark and I are going to see Dr. Strange."
"I'll join you." Mr. Barton says quickly,
"No, if too many of us go it will send the wrong message, beside, we've made contact with Thor, both he and the other guardians are coming early, someone needs to be here."
"I call dibs." Mr. Barton calls,
"He calls what?" Mr. Barnes asks,
"It means he want to greet the Guardians of the Galaxy" Mr. Roger's clarify's
"Like hell. Barton I call the dibs."
"You both can't go" Mr. Rogers calls, when a door opens,
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Sam, perfect we need you to watch Queens." Footsteps pound outside the room, doors slam and then their's nothing but silence until the door opens. Mr. Wilson is dressed in his typical uniform forgoing the googles and wings,
"What did you do to them?" I bite my cheeks and shrug
"...nothing."
...
Mr. Wilson has his arms crossed all while keeping his distance on the other side of the elevator,
"I'm not use to not being liked." Mr. Wilson slowly turns his head towards me. I've designated the other corner of the elevator as my spot,
"New feeling for you?" I look away from his harsh gaze,
"...yes." My conversation with Mr. Wilson didn't go very well, although nothing out of my mouth has gone over very well since my encounter with Loki. Thoughts that I would never say out loud, thoughts I keep a secret, thoughts I keep locked away with lock and key keep pouring from my mouth.
"What ever Loki did to you it sure is making people afraid of you." I reach up to scratch behind my head. It sure is. The doors open and Mr. Wilson walks out first, I follow slowly behind him,
"Sam what are you doing?" Mr. Rogers turns pointing at me, I honestly don't see why I have to be locked in a room away from people, it's not my fault I word vomit,
"I can't stay locked up in there with her."
"What she say to you?" Mr. Barnes asks a hint of curiosity behind his voice , Mr. Wilson turns around,
"Tell them!" He orders, I sigh and reach up to rub my arms
"You asked me what I did to them," he shakes his head,
"No, the other thing."
"When you talked about how you hate it here and prefer the compound?" Again he shakes his head,
"No, when I asked you if you wanted anything," He stresses. I know exactly what conversation he's talking about, I just don't want to talk about it,
"I said I was hungry." My mouth speaks before my brain can come up with something else to say,
"You did." He nods,
"and you asked what I was hungry for,"
"I did." I bite the inside of my cheek hard, the metallic taste of blood floods my tongue, "And then what did you say?" I look up to everyone staring. I swallow the mix of blood and saliva. Some kill me,
"I said answers."
"Answers. For. What?"
"Germany." Something in the room changes, the air seems to get thicker, everyone tenses. I have a feeling no one actually talked about Germany.
"And?"
"Rhodey's spinal cord."
"What?!" Dr. Banner blinks
"Penny!" Mr. Rogers scolds and I turn away embarrassed, but theirs more words at the tip of my tongue,
"Well, are we ever goanna talk about it?" Silence, were always silent, "Cause I know, I know nothing. I was brought back to a hotel where I was given no answers and flown home, but I know the Avengers were disbanded and the world was scared. Half the Avengers locked up, the other half off doing their own thing, one couldn't walk again without robotic braces. Then Thanos came and I almost died for all of you." I didn't realize it until I finish my speech, but I'm shouting, and I'm angry. "I always get treated like a child, and granted I am one, but first I'm 16 not 14 STEVE!" I never call Mr. Rogers by his real name, he' s Captain America, he's a veteran...I have no real right to call him by his real name. "and second, I don't need to be BABYSAT! And third, I don't care what Tony say's you are all having a party and I know I wasn't invited and my feelings are hurt, more than USUAL!" I shout, no one speaks, "And now I'm going home." I turn heading for the elevator when it opens, revealing Mr. Stark and Miss Romanov, I groan when Mr. Stark steps off and points at me,
"Who let the kid out?"
"I let myself-"
"Shhh Adults are talking." I take a deep breath in and out through my nose and roll my eyes before falling, landing on my back with a thump, my arms lay outstretched,
"Is she okay?" I hear Dr. Banner ask, oh sweet Dr. Banner,
"She's fine." Mr. Stark insists, "Wizard wasn't home, but his weird overprotective doorman said he'll ask him over so until then-" Mr. Stark appears over me looking down, "Back to the room kid." I can't help it I give him the dirtiest look I can muster, "Don't give me that look, I said room. Now." I shouldn't have come here, I should have hunkered down under my bunkbed for the weekend and prayed that whatever happening to me A. goes away or B. Loki comes and finds me. I look towards the window I broke getting in here, it's already been boarded up and fixed. Mr. Stark notices, "Don't even try it kid, replaced with bullet proof shatter resistant glass, besides I took your web shooters away." I turn back to look at him,
"Ya, I know" I keep looking towards the glass, I just need a good 45 second window of time and I could probably run to one of the other plates of glass that hasn't been replaced and throw myself through it and "Splat!" Wait, why did I say that out loud?
"Alright enough with the dramatics." A voice that sounds like Mr. Barton demands. Arms wiggle their way under mine and haul me to my feet "I'm hungry, we're going to the kitchen," he turns to me "kitchen?" Mr. Barton places his hand over my shoulders,
"I-"
"We'll be in the kitchen." Mr. Barton cuts me off, beginning to steer my towards the kitchen, I groan. But Mr. Barton doesn't care, pushing both of us in and then plopping me in a chair at the table where a box of donuts sit. I am hungry, I reach forward and grab the box and start shoving whatever I can into my mouth. Mr. Barton who had his head in the fridge turns around with a carton of milk and stops. "So you are hungry?" I swallow,
"I hate eating in front of people, I always have to eat before I go out with my friends." I never told anyone that. I swallow and accept the full glass of milk Mr. Barton holds out to me, I take it and finish the glass quickly, he just refills it, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier." he nods,
"I knowm"
"You have too, I can't lie." I shove another donut into my mouth and finish my second glass of milk, all while Mr. Barton looks on. I stop,
"Do you feel that way often?" I look down to the almost empty box of donuts, theirs one left, I grab it and hold it out to Mr. Barton. He holds his hand out and shakes his head, I shove it into my mouth,
"Feel hungry?" I nod swallowing, "I'm always hungry." He shakes his head,
"No kid." I reach for the milk and pour another glass,
"Then what?"
"Splat?" Mr. Barton lowers his voice, I set the glass down. I don't want to speak, but I know I will,
"Yes," yup had to open my mouth, "about 40% of the time." Why did I add that in?! I didn't have too, I just did.
"Does Tony know?" I shake my head,
"Kinda" Shut up! "I don't want to talk about it." That's a first,
"Is their anyone you can talk too."
"Like who?" I peek inside the box hoping it will be magically filled with donuts again, it's not, "Hi I'm Spider-Man, but I'm actually a girl-young woman, and along with the daily trails of being a teenage girl, homework, boy problems, school, navigating the subway, being cat called, and trying to find out what shirt goes with what pair of pants, I dress up like a man almost every night and fight crime all while a lady in my suit talks to me and relays everything I do back to a very rich man who's hobby is proving people wrongs and flying around in a large red and gold metal suit." Did I even breathe during that speech? I turn to Mr. Barton and wince, "I didn't mean to say that either."
"I know."
"It's just a thought, I would never act on it." I don't think I could. Mr. Barton doesn't say anything, I'm telling the truth so he knows I could never, but something else sticks out I my mind, "But if I do end up dead, look into a boy named Flash Thompson." Mr. Barton face scrunches,
"Who names their kid Flash?"
"His real names Eugene,"
"I can see why he went with Flash." I look towards the almost empty milk jug, watching a single drop roll down the side and on to the table,
"Can you not tell anyone what he talked about?" Mr. Barton thinks for a second and then grabs his own glass and takes a drink,
"Tell you what kid, I won't tell as long as you don't ever act on those thoughts in your head and if they do become a little bit louder, you'll come to me and we can work them out together wether it's just talking to a friend or finding you someone you can talk too, Shield has some of the best therapists." Mr. Barton and I have never talked like this, it's nice.
"Nick Fury scares me" I ruined it. Mr. Barton laughs,
"Me too kid, me too,"
"Come children, Thors here" Mr. Stark peeks his head in, his eyes fall from me to the now empty box in front of me, "Those donuts were everyone." I look down,
"You didn't get enough." Mr. Starks growls,
"Ya I see that now lets go." He knows I like to eat and he didn't get enough donuts therefor reinstating in my head I was never suppose to be here tonight,
"Is that why I wasn't invited to your party?"
"Lets go!"
...
"Have a nice chat with Barton?" Mr. Stark nudges my shoulder,
"I enjoyed it,"
"Better than our chats?"
"Yes." Why did I say that? Mr. Stark stiffens next to me, he wasn't expecting that answer,
"Oh,"
"I just mean-"
"I know what you mean."
"Well when ever we talk you usually yell at me,"
"I do not.'"
"You do too "the adults are talking" thats like the third time you've said that to me."
"When you're an adult I won't have to say it anymore,"
"Thats a lie."
"Are you forgetting who you're talking too?"
"I wish I could, do you know how bad you've treated me these last three weeks, you've completely ignored me, if anyone did that to you, you'd buy their homes and demolish it in front of them." I spit, the anger of these last three weeks rising inside of me. Now that I can't stop words from coming out of my mouth, now the perfect time to say them.
"I would not! I'd say something witty and then demolish their homes in front of them, big difference!" I roll my eyes,
"Oh I'm sooooo sorry, you know aunt May was right about you!" Mr. Stark is silent for a second,
"What did May say about me?"
"That you can't be trusted and you have no friends. I say it's probably because you ignore them, is this because I let you get hurt in Russia, because you said you weren't mad about that."
"May said that?" I look over and nod, "huh...that women...isss not wrong, good for her." I roll my eyes and cross my arms
"Are you too done arguing?" Miss Romanov asked, the Guardians ship becomes visible, it's descent to the helipad is quick and calculating. I open my mouth,
"Adults are talking, we're ready!" I bite my cheeks, he did have to get that in. I've only seen it twice but I'm still amazed at how fast Peter's ship can, one enter the atmosphere and two go from being a hundred miles above Avengers tower to the landing pad in a minute. The door opens into a ramp, Thor stands at the top. He looks different, his belly has receded and he's let his hair grow. Peter Quill quickly rushes to stand next to him, I still remember when he held his blaster to my head and said Thor wasn't that good looking.
"Poor ugly Peter." My Stark turns to me lips pushed, but doesn't add to my statement. It's clear having the god of Thunder on board has challenged Peter to work out harder and longer and it shows, too bad Thor really doesn't have to try all that hard for his god like physic.
"Friends!" Thor boasts walking down the ramp, he's smiling, Peter matches his smile and starts walking down at the same time, it's a battle at this point the only problem is only one person knows their competing.
"Acquaintances!" Peter emulates Thor's voice,
"Looking good Thor." points to peter, "and you Quill." Peter shrugs,
"I'm not even really trying."
"You're lying" It's out of my mouth before I can stop it, and peter turns around to me, god I don't want to be here right now,
"Woahh where did that come from?"
"She's right, Peter drinks protein shakes ever morning and works out for two hours a day, meanwhile Thor just stopped drinking grew his hair." Peter spins to the women dressed in green,
"Mantis!"
"She speaks the truth." Drax appears next to her before walking down the ramp, Peter holds his hand out,
"Come on man," he sighs in defeat.
"Man of spiders!" Thor cheers walking over to me arms out stretched, he hugs me before I can think about. Theirs honestly nothing like Thor hugs and I let myself enjoy it for a second, he pulls away and places a firm hand on my shoulder "Now I understand you have seen Loki?"
"Yes, he was dressed terribly" Thor turns his head up and laughs a loud boisterous laugh,
"Ahh, yes that is Loki all right. Let us go find him so that I may thank him for saving my life and being my brother," Mr. Stark steps forward,
"He put a spell on Penny," Thor considers this for a second,
"He's not perfect."
"Hello earth!" Rocket plows down the ramp and then turns back "Come on Groot!"
"I am Groot!" A deeper voice shouts out of the ship,
"No ones goanna laugh at you now get your branches out here!" After a second, Groot appears. He looks different, more like an awkward gangly teenager...only in tree form, he starts walking down the ramp looking like all he wants to do is run...same Groot, same. Rocket looks up towards Mr. Rogers,
"He's got burls, be nice to him." Mr. Rogers purses his lips, before going over to greet Groot, Rocket comes to stand next to Thor,
"How's the plan going?" Rocket whisper, elbowing the back of my knee.
"Not well," I whisper back. Mr. Stark looks down,
"Whoa, whoa, what plan?" Rocket shrugs,
"Nothing." Mr. Stark looks up to me,
"Penny," I bite fresh wounds back into my cheeks,
"Rocket and I have a plot to steal Bucky's arm." Rocket looks up betrayed, everyone else looks over, Mr. Barnes looks at his metal arm confused,
"What?" Mr. Rogers asks,
"What the hell Kid?" Rocket holds his arms out,
"The young one can't tell lies" Thor informs Rocket who reels back and hits him in the thigh, it does nothing,
"Why didn't you tell me that?"
"Why are you trying to steal his arm?" Miss. Romanov asks,
"Revenge."
"Just because." Rocket and I say at the same time. Mr. Stark turns towards me,
"Revenge for what?"
"Killing your parents."
"Why Penny Parker that is the nicest thing I think anyone has ever done for me. You don't have to stay locked up in a room for the rest of the day." Peter snaps his head towards us, shock and disbelieve in his eyes,
"You lock kids up down here now?"
...
"Favorite Guardian?"
"Rocket"
"Favorite human guardian?"
"Their isn't one."
"Me, Peter Quill!"
"You're only half human."
"Fine, favorite half human?"
"Aqua man"
"NO! Wait you like aqua man too?"
"Ya, Aqua man comics are the best."
"That's what I've always said, everyone always use to make fun of me-"
"Ladies knock it off." Mr. Stark snapped at Peter and I. Peter straightens up,
"Ya stop talking to me." I furrow my brows and turns towards him, keep quiet Penny, please keep quiet,
"I'm glad you live in space." Nope I just had to talk. Peter does a double take,
"God, I don't know who this Loki is, but the man sure knows how to cast spells on people to make you hate them."
"Wait, you hate me?" No one other than criminals has ever hated me before...wait
"Kinda yeah." I perk back up,
"You're a criminal why would I care." Again Peter turns towards me disbelieve on his face,
"Why you little-"
"Out of the room Quill, you've lost your Penny talking privileges." Peter straightens his jacket and looks towards the door,
"Good, not much of a privilege at all!" He heads for the door,
"I-"
"Замолчи." Ms. Romanov places her hand over my mouth, how'd she get behind me? She waits until Peter is completely gone, out to the spar room with Groot, Rocket, Drax and Mantis before taking her hand back.
"I appreciate the young one's honesty, Quill is not an easy man to get along with and I can't always tell when he's serious." Thor comes to place his hand on my shoulder. I beg whatever curse was cast on me to keep my mouth shut...
"I like Thor, it's like talking to an adult baby." Mr. Baton and Mr. Rogers immediately turn away I can already hear their snickering and I'm shut my eyes tight,
"Baby." He takes his hand off my shoulder and looks around, "Is this true?"
"Notice how Penny didn't tell Thor to cut his hair." Mr. Barnes turns to Steve, who's already wiping the smile off of his face,
"Let it go Buck." The room grows silent and then warm, I turn around as does everyone else, the only person who remains still is Mr. Stark, all he does is close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose,
"Theirs a door, why does he never use the god damn door." An orange glow appears in the middle of the room growing until it finally opens and a man steps through. Dr. Strange stops his eyes travel around the group and then stops on me,
"I've heard you've created quite a stir."
"Apparently earths mightiest heroes have delicate feelings...I didn't mean to say that." Mr. Stark points a finger at me,
"Fix her, fix her now!" Dr. Strange passes Mr. Stark coming to stand in front of me,
"It appears you weren't wrong, close you're eyes." I close my eyes trying my best to keep my mouth closed,
"I don't trust you." Nope, had to say something. Dr Strange doesn't say anything, instead a warm feeling grows on my skin and suddenly my eyeballs itch, I don't realize I'm reaching up to somehow curve the urge until a hand grabs my wrist, "No." The warm feeling stops and I open my eyes. Dr. Strange drops my hand and turns, allowing Mr. Stark to step forward,
"Okay, Penny are you mad at me right now?" I swallow...
"Yes, you've ignored me for the last three weeks, but honestly I'm more mad at myself for growing attached to you're affections. No one who likes me can stay around for long, they either die or leave." Mr. Stark lips twitches and he turns his attention to Dr. Strange,
"She's not fixed, you said you'd fix her!"
"Maybe she really just doesn't like you." Ms. Romanov shrugs,
"Penny Parker worships the ground I walk on, she may not like me right now, but she'd lied to me about it." I shrug,
"He's not wrong, I lie to him all the time." Mr. Stark turns sharply, his lips slightly parted as if he can't believe what I just said, then again I can't believe what I just said. Somebody kill me.
"You lie to me?" I cross my arms and blink slowly,
"Ya," I nod, "all the time,"
"About what?"
"What's my favorite color?"
"Christmas red."
"Cobalt blue,"
"That was my second guess."
"My go too Starbucks order?"
"That chocolate thing"
"Carmel apple spice,"
"I always get you the chocolate thing and you always drink it,"
"I didn't want to hurt your feelings." He steps back and rubs his hands down his face,
"You're favorite food is Pizza, I know I'm right on that." I quirk my eyes brow and shake my head, "Yes it is!" He demands,
"Hot beef with extra peppers and provolone."
"You always ask for pizza!" He shouts frustrated, I shrug,
"Uncle Ben and I use to get pizza every Friday, eating it with you was like eating it with him." My eyes widen realizing what I just said, Mr. Stark face softens just a bit before he quickly hides it with his classic cocky smile, "thats was until you started ignoring me, I'd rather eat pizza with Peter."
"We're getting pizza?" Peter pops his head in,
"No!" Mr. Stark and I bark at the same time, turning to Peter who makes a face and disappears back behind the door, but theirs no doubt he's listening now. Mr. Stark places his hands over his eyes,
"Strange. Fix. Thissss." Dr. Strange doesn't even seem fazed, then again neither does anyone else who's just watched Mr, Stark and I argue,
"Good news or bad news?" Mr. Stark growls,
"Bad news is you can't fix her?" Dr. Strange nods and Mr. Starks throws his hands up in the air, "Then what in this universe could the good news be?"
"The person who did this can fix it." The room changes, no one moves no one speaks, until Thor steps forward a large smile on his face,
"We're going to find Loki?" Mr. Stark uses both hands to rub at his temples, clearly I've exhausted him,
"Ya, we're going to find Loki."