AN: Well, I'm back. I couldn't help but write a few more short stories about Evy and Steve. The series is set between Superdad and Alter Ego, so many of the drabbles will feature Evy from age 5 to 9, as she is put to bed by several of our favorite characters from the Marvel Universe. Henceforth, let it be known for the remainder of this fic, I do not own the Avengers or the Marvel Franchise. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy Bedtime Stories.
I'm Friends With the Monster
The scientist was unaccustomed to these nightly rituals. When he wasn't so dead tired that he'd plop down upon the nearest surface or where ever he'd somehow get after a 'transformation,' Bruce Banner was content on working himself to sleep. His mind was constantly humming with thoughts and ideas. Often those thoughts were edged by intense emotions: fear and anxiety, sometimes guilt, but most times anger. So, to wear himself out, he would begin running equations in his mind. He tried to keep them practical, answers to real-life problems, such as the maximum force the Captain's shield could withstand, or the maximum velocity at which Mjolnir could return to the thunder god. Then there were nights when he'd run through these equations and just so he could finally fall asleep he'd have to begin estimating how much shwarma the Hulk and Thor would need to consume to bankrupt their local haunt or, on average, how many cups of coffee were consumed by each Avenger. The former was quite an intriguing commentary on how the past socioeconomic status, current level of physical fitness, and physiological energy thresholds of each Avenger stratified their caffeine intake. But that night those creative inquiries had to wait while he battled the specific anxiety he felt whenever he was around one specific little girl.
She had gone to bed obediently, sitting in the middle of the blankets with a story book.
"I'm reading, just like daddy," she told the scientist happily. He hadn't the heart to tell her the book was upside down.
"Oh…good," he cleaned his glasses as he thought about the situation. The sooner she was asleep, the better-the more relaxed he would be.
"It's about a cat," she pointed to a picture. "See?"
"Yes, a cat. That's nice." She closed the book and set it on her lap.
"Are you listening?" she asked him, arms crossed. "Coz' sometimes people say 'that's nice' so that they don't haft to listen, and they think I don't know coz' I'm a kid, but I know."
"I was listening and I thought it was nice."
"Oh-tay…can we play a game?"
"I don't think so Evy, it's already past your bedtime."
"Please, it's really fast, promise!" She held out her hand. The scientist shrugged and held his hand out to her.
She got to her knees and curled one hand over his fist.
"Uncle Clint teached me," she told him happily. "One-two-three-four-I declare the fumb war-five, six, seven, eight, keep your fumbs straight." The scientist kept his thumb straight while she tried to pin his finger down. Eventually he set his thumb down long enough for her to secure a victory.
"Brucie? Do you like the fumb war game?"
"It's all right."
"I don't think you got the rules right. You gotta stop me from keeping your fumb down."
"Oh, you're right. I guess I'm a bit tired."
"Brucie wants to go to bed?" She asked, disappointment laced in her voice.
"I think we both need to go to bed," he clarified.
"Oh...all right." Starring into those blue eyes, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. He hardly spent any time with her. She was bouncing off the walls the moment he entered into the apartment, wanting him to play anything and everything with her. The captain was able to reign her in just before he left, making the two sit down to watch a movie with all her stuffed animals. During that hour, she snuggled up in his arm, explaining every little detail of Kiki's Delivery Service. Once the movie had finished, she had gotten hold of a broom and pretended to rush about the apartment delivering little packages. She wasn't a bad kid-far from it. Still, whenever he was around her that familiar feeling of pain intensified over the background noise of emotions that hummed throughout him. He could handle anger, but pain ate away at him at the very thought...it was too much.
When she 'delivered' that book to him, he had to put her to bed. The feelings overwhelmed him. He didn't tell her of course, who that book once belonged to. Instead, he picked her up, hoisted her high above his shoulders when she said she was flying and then carefully set her on her bed. She was more than disappointed that they were no longer playing, but complied with his request to get ready for bed. Now, as he tucked her in and wished her goodnight, he felt his anger building. He heard a growl within himself; he closed the door, watching the crestfallen face fall against the pillows as she clutched her stuffed puppy. The other guy wasn't happy with the scientist.
Bruce woke with a start. He sat up from the couch and listened. The apartment was as quiet as ever; it was unsettling. The apprehension built inside of him until he stood and crept down the hall. The other guy's instincts were always right and that guided him down the dark hall and to Evy's room. He opened the slightly ajar door. Her night light was no longer on the stand next to her bed. Instead, it was smothered under the covers. He stepped into the room and all at once the little bundle of covers jumped in fright revealing the little girl shining her nightlight in front of her.
"Evy?" he questioned, turning on the main light. Her pale face trembled at her uncle's presence.
"Brucie!" she called. "Stop. Stay" The scientist stopped on her command.
"Evy what's wrong?" She could barely speak.
"Brucie, I hads a nightmare-but I got up and then-"she gulped.
"And then?"
"Something real bad."
"Something real bad?" She nodded. The scientist sighed at her tight-lipped and vague response, running a hand through his hair.
"Evy, what are you scared of?" He asked her, part of him worried about the answer.
"I…The monster," she whispered. He sighed. He had always worried that she would be scared of him, he had hoped he would never let her see the Hulk, never know what he could turn into.
"Brucie, don't go!" she called, leaning past her bed. "It'll get me if you go."
"Evy, I am so sorry. I promise, the monster will never hurt you," she gave him a disbelieving look. "What can I do to make you feel better?" She stopped shaking for a moment, allowing him to take a seat next to her.
"Can I…can I stay with you?"
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Then…can…can Hulk stay?"
"You…you want the Hulk?"
"Yeah. Hulk can scare 's bigger."
"Where is this monster?" He asked, starting to become concerned. She pointed below her.
"Where?" She got to her knees again and whispered in his ear. "Under the bed." Bruce, setting his glasses on the side table, got onto his knees.
"Brucie, no!" Evy cried, trying to stop him from looking under the bed. When the scientist continued to pull up the bed ruffle, the little girl dove under the covers, leaving only a small slit to peak.
Dust bunnies…a frisbee…a coloring book…and…and…what was that? He reached in further and his hand grasped something furry. Suddenly, it moved. Bruce instinctively pulled the thing out with a slight jump from the sudden movement. Evy gave a small cry at her uncle's surprise, grabbing a pillow and pulling it protectively over her head. When she set the pillow down, she noticed her uncle was calmly holding her hedgehog toy, its rotors spinning freely as it attempted to drive while suspended in air.
"Sonic," she cried reaching for the toy. The scientist handed the less-than-frightening monster to her. She hugged it close to her.
"I guess that monster wasn't so bad after all," he said placing a hand on shoulder.
"Yeah..." she trailed off. "He's not a monster-he's my friend." She smiled up at him, and for a moment there, the growling stopped, the pain ebbed and he felt warmth wash over him.
"Come here," he picked her and her hedgehog toy up and carried them out to the kitchen. One package of cookies and three glasses of milk later, and the pair was thoroughly stuffed. The little girl tried to wiped off the milk mustache and stray crumbs from her face.
"Brucie, are you gonna come over again?" she asked him seriously.
"Of course I am."
"But I make you sad."
"You make me sad?"
"Sometimes, you get really sad and I'm the only one around. And you think I don't know coz' I'm kid, but I know."
"You don't make me sad," she gave him a skeptical look. "You remind me of something that makes me sad, but it isn't you."
"Promise?"
"I promise," he assured her "But we have to keep this between us. We don't want your dad to find out about our bedtime snack, all right? Otherwise, he might not let me visit you as often." Evy's eyes widened and shook her head.
"Pinky promise!"
The captain never knew the full details surrounding the fate of the missing package of cookies. He assumed it was a snack of some sort and left it just as that. Even he knew it was better not to ask in some instances. In the end, the secret snack, and the 'friendly monster' joined the list of the tower's unsolvable mysteries and binding pinky promises.