(A/N): ... it's me. Hi. I'm the problem it's me.
Has anyone else had a, shall we say, rough start to the new year? No? Only me? Great. Love that.
PSA: FFN has automatically turned off everyone's email notifications. If you're following any authors or stories and haven't received any update emails lately, you need to go in and manually turn on your notifications again.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I appreciated hearing your thoughts about what's happened so far in this story, and your guesses for what might come next. I'm really excited to hear what you think of this chapter because... well, I'll let you see for yourself xD
Just a heads up: this chapter does have some real-life people in it. But their existence was confirmed in the MCU so that's why they're here. I won't lie, I was really hesitant to include them but I couldn't resist.
This chapter is unbetaed but I did my best, okay?!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must be getting back to working on the next chapter of my LotR fic.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy!
Steep Rise in Non-EU Migrants to Britain
The number of non-EU migrants coming to the UK to work and study soared in the past year, official figures have revealed.
Home Office immigration figures for the whole of last year revealed there were 539,987 work-related visas granted, 25 per cent higher than in 2011. Less than a tenth were EU migrants, who previously made up the majority of migrants in past years. Accounting for non-UK citizens who left the country, immigration increased the country's population by 247,000 over this period.
A large majority of foreign-born UK residents live in England—90 percent in 2010—with 7 percent in Scotland, 2 percent in Wales, and 1 percent in Northern Ireland. In 2011, almost half were in the regions of London (35 percent, or 3.2 million people) or the Southeast (13 percent, or 1.2 million).
(Article continued on pg. 7)
After making a quick circuit around the room for the simple pleasure of seeing the look of horror on Tony's face when he saw her with the two STRIKE agents, Mia, Brock, and Jack made their way back to the bar.
Jack had split off to try and flirt with the female bartender while Brock and Mia watched him with Ben.
"Wow, he's striking out hard," Brock commented, throwing back a shot that Ben had placed in front of them.
"I'm not even sure you can classify that as 'striking out'," Ben said, staring at Jack and his partner. "I've seen her shoot down guys before and she's not doing that, probably because she doesn't even realize he's trying to hit on her."
"Oh," Mia groaned, throwing back her own shot. "That's painful."
"Speak for yourself," Brock snorted. "This is the highlight of my evening."
Ben snickered. "I think this is probably when I'm supposed to try and reassure you that there's lots of great things planned, but if you're hanging out with her then I have to assume you're already aware that's a lie."
Mia shook with laugher as she ducked her head against Brock's arm to hide her face. Finally managing to swallow down her giggles, she turned back to Ben. "You weren't supposed to be working tonight, were you?"
"Nope," he answered, shrugging. "My friend offered me a lot of money to cover for him."
"My condolences," Brock told him. "But at least you're getting paid."
"Wait, you aren't here for work?" Mia asked, surprised. "You came to this voluntarily?"
Brock gave her a crooked grin. "No, we're here because the Director 'highly encouraged' us to make an appearance- both as guests and extra security. But it was our choice, of course."
"Oh," she groaned. "You are an idiot. Have you ever attended one of these events before?"
"Not as a guest."
Ben winced. "You are in for a rough time, man. The only good thing about this event is going to be the open bar."
Mia grimaced. "Please tell me the food isn't 40s themed too."
"Uh, it's not 40s recipes, but the names are themed- which might actually be worse. I got a look at the food while catering was setting up and it does not look appetizing."
"Right." Brock turned to look at Mia. "Think we'll be able to sneak out of here without anyone noticing?"
"No," she responded bluntly. "There are far too many eyes on me at all times. You might be able to go alone and smuggle us back some real food."
Brock snorted. "If I make it out of here by myself, I'm not coming back. This isn't the military and you aren't one of my men- I will absolutely leave you behind."
"Smart man," Mia approved. "I would do the same to you."
The other bartender suddenly stepping back from Jack with a polite smile reclaimed their attention.
"Now he's been shot down," Ben stated.
"And right on time," Mia sighed, glancing around the room. "It's time for us to go find our seats."
"How can you tell?" asked Jack when he rejoined them, cheeks slightly flushed.
Mia decided to take pity on him and refrained from mocking him- mostly because she knew Brock would do it himself as soon as he got the chance- and answered, "Honestly, it's more a sixth-sense than anything after attending so many of these. It's late enough to start dinner and I'm assuming the opening speaker is going to be our esteemed President, who needs to head back to D.C. soon for the White House event there. The waiters with trays have also disappeared, with only a few staff still wandering around to keep an eye on the guests in case they need any assistance."
"And, if that's not enough," Ben added. "I just got the signal that I should close the bar for now. Which means that it's time for you all to go away."
"Your customer service is terrible," Brock told him, stepping away from the bar and gesturing for Mia to go ahead of him.
"That's why it's so great," Mia informed him, winking at Ben, who shook his head with a laugh.
"That was weird," Jack informed her as they started to make their way across the room.
She shrugged. "I'm a very awkward winker."
"Yeah, well, nobody's perfect," the STRIKE team leader commented dryly. "Unfortunately for you, Jack and I won't be joining you for dinner since you'll be seated with the guest of honor."
"Isn't the whole point of your being here to provide extra protection to Steve and prove that he does actually have friends?" she grumbled.
Jack snorted. "No, that's why you're here."
The two men escorted Mia to the table where Steve, Tony, and Pepper were already seated, along with the First Lady and the former President and First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama.
"Hello," Mia greeted them with genuine delight once Brock and Jack had left to find where the rest of their team was seated. Michelle stood up and returned her greeting with a smile, giving her a quick hug. After a similar exchange with Barack, Mia asked, "It's so lovely to see you both. I'd heard you'd be attending but hadn't thought we'd be lucky enough to actually get to sit together."
"It was a surprise to us too," Barack commented, waiting until she and Michelle had taken their seats before reclaiming his. "A good one though."
"Glad to hear we didn't scar you too badly after our last dinner together," Mia joked. Turning to look at First Lady Marie Ellis, she politely said, "I'm glad to see you and President Ellis were able to make it- I know that you usually host a gathering at the White House to celebrate today."
Marie nodded, offering a small, obviously forced, smile. "Matt and I were happy to find the time to make an appearance. Unfortunately, we can't stay for dinner since, as you said, we have an event at the White House we need to get back to."
"It's still nice of you to stop by," Steve offered from his spot on Mia's left.
The smile the First Lady gave him was far more genuine than the one she'd given Mia, and she could hear Tony grumbling about Steve being a suck-up from her right before Pepper stopped him. Based on his wince, Mia would bet that the redhead had given him a hard pinch.
"We couldn't give up the opportunity to celebrate both Captain America's birthday and the birthday of our country at the same time with the man in question," Marie told him, and Steve shifted slightly in discomfort.
He was saved from trying to come up with a reply when President Ellis climbed on stage, his appearance drawing a round of polite applause.
Tony pulled two pieces of folded paper out of his pocket and a couple of pens and handed one of each to Mia, who quickly unfolded the paper and laid it out flat on the table.
"Is that a bingo card?" Steve hissed when he caught sight of what it was.
"Shh," she hissed at him, taking the cap off the pen. "President Ellis is about to speak."
Steve glanced between her paper and the man of the stage with dawning horror and amusement. "Does Pepper know about this?" he murmured, leaning in to see what was written on the squares.
"Of course she does. But it keeps us quiet, so she doesn't care."
He laughed quietly and Mia shivered as his breath brushed against her neck.
As Ellis spoke, Tony and Mia check off boxes when he said one of the key phrases that he consistently used in speeches such as: 'fresh excitement', 'the driven ones', 'with our own hands', and 'the loving hearts of Americans'. Mia almost cheered when he made a comment about immigrants that 'kissed the shores of freedom', earning her the coveted middle square.
Unfortunately for the siblings, neither managed to earn themselves a BINGO by the end of Ellis' speech. Once Ellis and his wife had left after extending their deepest apologies to Steve, Tony and Mia began to compare their cards.
"I was so close," Tony complained. "I would have gotten a BINGO if Mia hadn't insisted that we weren't allowed to write down things he might have said about Steve! I can't believe he didn't talk about how he was born in the middle of the century and in the middle of the country. He always likes to talk about how Midwestern he is."
"I can't believe he didn't talk about unconditional love," his sister responded.
"Guys," Steve hissed, glancing at the Obama's.
To his obvious surprise, Michelle asked, "Neither of you won, huh?"
"You know about this?" the Captain asked, eyes wide.
Barack laughed. "Yeah, they did it during one of my speeches and then Tony asked me to sign his after I was finished to commemorate his win."
Steve gave Tony his most disapproving look. "Tony…"
"I am not afraid of you," the elder Stark told him bluntly. "And I was proud of that win. I wasn't allowed to use any of his usual phrases because it was getting too easy to get a BINGO."
"I had Tony and Pepper sign mine and gave it to Michelle," Mia told the blond calmly, looking over at the door the waiters had begun streaming through carrying trays of food.
"The girls have it hanging on the wall in our living room," Michelle told them with a wide smile.
"See," Tony said, making a face at Steve. "It's not rude."
"Yes, it is," Pepper sighed, taking a sip of her water. "But you've both done worse, so I'm not complaining."
"Lies," Mia declared, smiling widely. "Absolute slander!"
Pepper shook her head, biting back a smile. "The charity ball in D.C.," she reminded the younger woman.
"The gala in Chicago," Barack offered, to the amusement of the others.
"The museum exhibit opening in Paris," his wife added.
Tony turned to look at his sister. "Wow, we really get around."
"And Pepper has the nerve to say that we're not doing enough," she sighed dramatically.
"That is not what I said," Pepper responded, smiling politely as the waiters set a plate of food down in front of each of them. "I said that you guys weren't being helpful enough at events."
"If we're there as guests then we're supposed to be enjoying the events," Tony muttered, poking at the food on his plate. "Do any of you know what this is supposed to be?"
Mia grimaced. "Besides gross? No."
"It's not that bad," Steve said slowly, taking a cautious bite.
"You grew up in the 1940s during the Great Depression and a world war," she reminded him. "You only consider a food 'bad' if it's literally inedible."
In the end, none of them besides Steve managed more than a few bites.
"What time are the fireworks starting?" Tony asked, drumming his fingers on the table.
"At ten, but we're not leaving before midnight," Pepper warned.
"Why?" he demanded. "We literally have the perfect excuse- Steve's old and needs his rest."
Mia glanced around the room again, spotting the deliberately open area in the room that she'd missed before due to the groups of people that had been standing there. Eyes narrowing in suspicion, she asked, "Is there going to be dancing?"
"Yes," Michelle answered, sipping her water. "It's mainly going to be swing and jazz music."
It was Steve's turn to be horrified. Shifting to look at Pepper, he hissed, "Am I expected to dance?"
She frowned at him. "It's your party."
"Does anyone know what the first song is going to be?" Mia quickly asked, glancing at Steve. "You may be able to get away with just dancing the first number and, if it's a slow jazz number, it shouldn't be a problem. Anything faster though…"
"Don't they have to ask my permission for this kind of thing?" Steve questioned, jaw clenched. "They can't make me do this."
Tony sighed dramatically, and Mia was instantly on edge. "Don't worry, Captain Popsicle, we'll handle this."
Vice-President Rodriguez walked onto the stage, smiling at the crowd and giving a polite wave.
Mia disliked Ellis, but she absolutely loathed Rodriguez. Not just because she found his personal views to be limited and bigoted, but also due to his almost shifty manner whenever she was forced to speak with him.
After giving a short speech essentially reminding everyone that it was Steve's birthday, and this party was being held in his honor- as though any of them could forget- a jaunty tune began playing through the hall.
"Alright, let's do this," Tony declared, standing up and holding out a hand to Mia.
"I don't want to," she told him plainly, eying his hand with trepidation.
"I don't care; we're going to put those dance lessons Pepper made us take to good use."
"We did put them to good use!" Mia protested as she was pulled to her feet. "They were a punishment and, once we finished, Pepper forgave us. They served their purpose."
"And now they're serving a higher purpose- keeping the Stark name in everyone's mind."
"Like anyone could have forgotten it," she grumbled.
Steve glanced at Pepper once they were out of earshot. "I thought you were done making her take dance lessons?"
She smiled blandly. "She's wonderful with regular dances like the waltz. But I thought she and Tony could do with some improvement in their swing dancing skills."
"Ah yes," Barack agreed, and Steve started, having forgotten he was there. "There's been many events we've attended where swing dancing was called for."
The table- along with most of the other people in the hall- turned to look at the Stark siblings as Tony dragged Mia out onto the floor and immediately twirled her around and spun her out before pulling her back towards him and leading her around the floor.
Steve couldn't help being a little impressed. Their movements were a bit stiff since Hermione's dress was floor-length, so she had to keep her steps smaller, but they still managed to time their dancing so that it matched the beat of the music.
Hermione was laughing as they danced, and Steve could see that Tony was actually smiling for once instead of smirking. It almost made Steve want to ask for a dance after this.
Almost.
As soon as the song came to an end, Tony gave a dramatic bow, tugging Hermione down with him, before escorting her off the floor. They were instantly stopped by several people, including a younger man that held out his hand to Hermione and said something to her with a confident grin. She smiled politely as she took it and was then led back onto the floor where several other couples were now dancing to something softer than the previous number.
"And so it begins," Pepper sighed.
"Now what begins?" Steve asked, looking away from Tony, who had been subtly edging away from two women who were hovering around him.
"Mia's usually pretty good at staying hidden at the start of an event, but once the music starts, she won't get the chance to sit until we're either in the car or she feigns exhaustion," Pepper explained. "And Tony's going to get more annoying the more people she ends up dancing with."
Steve eyed Hermione's dance partner as his hand inched lower on her back. He bit back a smile as he watched her carefully stomp on his foot, causing him to stumble a bit with a pinched look on his face, and then say something with a smile on her face that made the other man pale slightly. "I don't think she needs to be worried about."
Pepper laughed. "See, you say that, but you've got that 'Captain America' look in your eyes that says you're feeling just like Tony. Though, I think your jealousy is coming from a different place than Tony's."
He shook his head with a frown. "I'm not jealous." Then, after a minute spent in silence as Pepper waited him out, he muttered, "Why would Tony be jealous?"
"Because that's his sister," she answered softly. "That's the only family he has left. I know and he knows that he has us," Pepper hastily added. "But it's not the same thing; she's his sister. She's another Stark. After his parents died, there were a lot of people fixating about the fact that he was 'the last Stark'. Mia is proof that he's not. And he's become a little… obsessive about protecting her because of that."
He had never thought of it like that, had never considered what it must have been like for Tony after his parents died. Bad enough for Tony to have lost both his parents at the same time, but then to be forced to bear the weight of the pressure to fill Howard's shoes and the expectations that came with that… Tony had been just a kid. A kid who had apparently had the fact that he was the last Stark shoved down his throat multiple times. Who had gone on to have his life threatened multiple times, barely making it out each time by the skin of his teeth.
And then Hermione Granger had shown up. A girl who, like him, had been knocked down over and over again but was too stubborn to stay down. Who had fought with everything she had to pull herself back up because beating overwhelmingly bad odds was nothing new to her. And, like Tony, she had found herself alone in a world ready and waiting for the chance to break her down.
When Steve had first approached Tony to ask for help finding a way to protect Hermione from Wizarding Britain, he had never thought that the man would decide to adopt Hermione into his family. Steve knew that Hermione thought that the two men had come up with the plan together, but the truth was that Tony had already been in the process of forging the necessary documents when Steve contacted him. He wasn't sure when Tony had decided to make Hermione a Stark, but it was clearly something he had been thinking about for a while.
Steve had asked him why he made Hermione his sister instead of his daughter, which would have made more sense considering their ages, and Tony had simply stated that he made her his sister because that relationship felt more accurate to describe them and because he wasn't ashamed of her. It had taken Steve far too long to understand why he meant by that.
The uproar surrounding the announcement of a second Stark sibling had honestly shocked him. The speculations made by the media about the situation- which spanned from happiness and support to some pretty horrendous and disgusting accusations- had eventually settled down into a sort of acceptance of why Tony would hide his sister away after their father's death. But if Hermione had been Tony's daughter, one he would have had to have had at a pretty young age, then people probably wouldn't have been so understanding. A young man remembering how terrible his life was because he was always in the spotlight and choosing to protect his baby sister that was born on the wrong side of the sheets from that by hiding her away until she was old enough to hold her own was commendable. A teen father who knocked up some party girl and then ignored his kid for years until he decided to settle down with the competent Pepper Potts would not be viewed as kindly.
People were cruel, and Tony had spent too many years cultivating their poor opinions of him once he'd given up trying to get their approval- which he seemingly felt as though he hadn't managed to gain from even his own parents- to be given more than a few drops of sympathy in any situation. Another child of Howard that appeared to be the complete opposite of the wild Tony Stark was viewed better than a child of Tony Stark ever would have been.
He hoped that if Tony and Pepper ever had a kid of their own, they wouldn't be given as hard a time as Hermione would have, if only because Pepper was so respected.
"Tony doesn't need to worry about that," Steve finally told her. "Even if she does meet someone, she would never leave her brother behind."
To his surprise, Pepper briefly looked unsure before her expression turned placidly calm once again. "Yes, another man isn't going to break up Tony and Mia."
Steve couldn't be sure, but he thought there was an unusual heaviness in Pepper's voice when she uttered the words 'another man'.
If one more person tried to put their hand somewhere it shouldn't be when either escorting her on or off the dance floor and while they were dancing, Mia was going to make the punch Jessica threw at that gala look tame.
It happened less and less the more events she attended in the city, mainly because many of the same people were always in attendance and had quickly learned better. Unfortunately, most of the individuals at this particular party were military or high-ranking government officials that she had not previously met and therefore underestimated her. Many a foot and hand had been horribly bruised that night and Mia truly hoped that she'd managed to break that last man's foot for what he'd said to her.
Why did people think bringing up Tony's past escapades would be a good idea? Did they really think that she would hear about them and go, 'Well, if he did it, then so shall I!'?
Tony slept with so many people because he was desperate for affection and felt there was only one way he could get it- hence why he was so uncomfortable with hugs and unassuming, platonic shows of love. Mia could only somewhat empathize with what he was feeling because she had also craved things like hugs and snuggling when she was younger and attending Hogwarts but without friends she could do so with and it left her feeling very alone at times. However, she had spent her summers with parents who were always free with their affection, and Loki and Carol certainly hadn't been stingy in that department.
If Mia was being honest, Tony sometimes reminded her of Loki. Her father had been kept at a distance from his parents compared to Thor. They may not have meant to do it, but they had and everyone- especially Loki- had noticed. It had made him feel unwanted and unloved. So he had done his very best to make sure that no child of his would ever feel the way he had.
He loved Mia with his whole heart and Mia had made sure that he knew she felt the same. Then, she had taken the lessons she learned from Loki and applied them to Tony because she adored that man and would never want him to think otherwise.
The man Mia was currently dancing with- and she had forgotten his name as soon as he had spoken it because it did not matter- had been perfectly polite to her and hadn't said anything crude about either herself or her family. She couldn't help feeling suspicious.
"Tell me, what brought you to tonight's event?" Mia asked, glancing up to find him casually scanning the room behind her.
Meeting her gaze for a moment, he gave a half-smile. "Work."
Mia nodded slowly. "And you didn't volunteer or ask to come?"
"Is it that obvious?" he asked, and she could feel the tension slowly leaving his frame.
"Well, since you didn't immediately shove the fact that you're important enough to warrant an invitation to this travesty masquerading as a party in my face, I knew that you were here either for work or under protest."
He laughed. "Fair enough. Sorry I'm not being a fun dance partner. I'm not really a fan of all this."
She snorted. "Only people who are either soulless or stupid are. That doesn't really explain why you asked me instead of someone else."
"You were closest," he sighed. "Well, that and I figured someone would probably interrupt our dance, so I'd be able to escape early."
That made her smile. "Unfortunately, it seems like that didn't work out for you."
"Actually, I think it did," he murmured, right before someone tapped her on the shoulder.
Glancing back, Mia's eyes widened. "Billy?"
"Hey," he greeted. "Mind if I cut in?"
Her current partner immediately stepped back. "Of course," he answered, sounding cheerful.
"Do I not get a say in this?" Mia muttered, even as she turned to face Billy.
Billy grinned, taking her hand and giving a small, courtly bow. "May I have this dance?"
Mia bit her lip, trying to hide her smile since she knew that would only encourage him. "Only if you stop that, you insufferable attention-seeker."
Laughing, he straightened and tugged on the hand he was still holding, twirling her out and then back into his arms. Mia knew her laugh was too loud for their current location and she could feel the gazes on them, but she couldn't help it. Billy's amusement was almost infectious.
As he pulled her into his arms, he teased, "Insufferable attention-seeker? Haven't heard that one before. Not the nicest thing that's ever been said about me, but I'll take it."
"What are you even doing here?" she asked.
"My firm's helping with security."
She frowned. "I didn't think that Anvil did event security. But do tell, how exactly does stealing a dance with me factor into your job assisting with keeping the venue secure? And isn't most of your work done on international soil?"
"It is," he nodded. "But we have a contract with the State Department, and we were asked to help out tonight as a favor. As for dancing with you on company time… I figured I'd just tell anyone I was taking my legally mandated break."
"How generous of you to spend your precious free time with me," Mia teased, very aware of how much taller Billy was compared to her. "I know how hard it is for older men to stay on their feet for so long."
Billy pinched her side and Mia twitched away from his hand with a squeak. "I'm only eight years older than you, brat."
Mia wondered how he'd react if he knew how old she actually was. From what she knew of Billy, he probably wouldn't even be thrown. "Was it a favor for you, or for the State Department?" she asked, circling back to their original topic of conversation.
Billy smiled, pulling her a bit closer. "Both. It'd be nice to get more jobs here at home, and all of my guys are former army, which the higher ups thought Captain Rogers would like."
"I didn't know all of your men were veterans," Mia admitted softly. "I'm surprised they would willingly take a job that could potentially take them abroad again once they finally left."
"It can be hard for some of them to find jobs once they get out," he answered slowly, eyes distant. "And working with Anvil doesn't have the same level of intensity or danger that serving with the army does. It's a chance for them to continue doing what they know without the same level of wear and tear." Billy suddenly refocused on her, and his usual smirk pulled up the corners of his lips. "Plus, the pay is way better."
Mia wasn't fooled. "Is that why you started the company? Because you missed being out in the action, but didn't miss how much it cost you?"
His gaze turned intense. "That, and I found I didn't like taking orders. Especially after I realized how little the people giving them cared about us. At least now when I find myself walking into a firefight, I get to do it knowing that it's actually my choice."
She quietly studied him. It was odd, thinking of this man as Frank's friend. Yet, there were undeniable similarities in terms of attitude. "Have you ever considered just not walking into a firefight at all?"
Hand pressing in a little harder against her spine, Billy carelessly responded, "What's life without a little danger?"
"Likely longer, for one," Mia retorted dryly, allowing the almost tangible energy generating between them to dissipate. "And easier on your body. I've heard that too much stress can kill you."
"Good thing I have some excellent coping techniques." The song came to an end and Mia's left hand fell from his shoulder. Instead of letting go of her other hand, Billy shifted to rest it in the crook of his arm. "Want to grab a drink?"
Smiling, Mia said, "If we can manage to escape without having anyone else dragging us off for another dance then yes."
Laughing, Billy led them off the floor. "You having trouble dealing with your many admirers?"
"That's not what I'd call them, but alright."
"No? What would you call them?"
"Narcistic fools desperately trying to validate their own existence by sleeping with as many people as they can while hopping from one fashion drug to another in an attempt to forget how little they matter."
Biting back a grin, he stated, "That was very well articulated. You perfect that by saying a different version to each of them as you reject their clumsy attempts to catch your eye?"
Mia smiled angelically. "Just giving them an idea of what kind of statement I might make to the press should any of them be foolish enough to try and lie about me."
"I see. Trying to prove that the pen is mightier than the sword?"
"Of course not. The pen is not mightier than the sword, but it can be just as effective if used right. A sword can physically cut you, and a pen can do the same emotionally. You pick which one you use depending on what results you'd like."
Before Billy could reply, Steve stepped in front of them. "Hey," he greeted, glancing down at their linked arms.
"Hello," Mia responded, pushing down a wave of discomfort. She hadn't ever considered the possibility of Steve and Billy meeting but if she had, she wouldn't have wanted it to happen. "Steve, this is Billy Russo. Billy, this is Steve."
"It's an honor to meet you," Billy stated, holding out his hand to Steve.
Steve took it with a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you."
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a few heartbeats. "Well," Mia eventually started, "Billy and I were just going to get a drink if you'd like to join us."
"Actually, I was hoping to snag a dance with you," Steve told her, keeping unnaturally still.
Mia's eyebrows rose. "Really? You want to dance?"
His shoulders slumped. "I'm not that bad."
"I didn't say you were. I'm just surprised. You do understand that if you're seen dancing even once, it's going to be open season for you, right?"
"I'm willing to take that chance if you are." Steve held out his hand and Mia reluctantly took it, stepping away from Billy.
"Raincheck on that drink?" she asked the dark-haired man.
A frown crossed his face for half a second before shifting into an easy, relaxed grin. "Of course. Have fun."
Mia narrowed her eyes slightly but opted to turn away from Billy to follow Steve back onto the dance floor. She was glad that a slower song had started to play, allowing for them to do little more than sway back and forth.
"Are you enjoying your party?" Hermione questioned innocently, making sure to glance pointedly at the large banners hanging beside them.
Steve snorted, relaxing slightly. "Would've thought the answer to that was obvious."
"While I could make an educated guess, I thought I'd do you the curtesy of not making any assumptions."
"Real generous of you," he responded dryly.
"That's because I'm a generous and giving person- it's what makes me a Stark."
He shook his head, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips before slowly disappearing. "So, is that the same Billy that all those magazines were talking about a few weeks ago?"
She sighed. "Yes. I tripped at a party and fell against him. Someone got a picture of it and the press, as they often seem to do, twisted it to suit their needs."
"I don't know, you guys looked pretty friendly to me."
"That's because we are friendly," she retorted evenly. "We run in similar circles, Steve, and he's at least tolerable enough to speak with on the few occasions we've met."
Steve seemed to be struggling for words and Hermione waited to see if he'd ask the question that was clearly bothering him. To her eternal relief, he seemed to decide against it. "Guess it's good that you have someone to talk to at all these events outside of Pepper and Tony."
"Yes, well, I know Pepper appreciates it when there's someone else for me to bother instead of Tony and I banning together to 'cause mayhem', as she puts it."
"Let me guess, you and Tony just call it 'having a good time'?"
Hermione grinned. "See, you understand, so why can't Pepper?"
"Maybe because Pepper has to apologize for you two when you inevitably upset someone while having a good time?"
"Perhaps," she sighed. "Pepper really needs to stop doing that because we're not sorry."
He released a bark of laughter, drawing multiple gazes towards them that Hermione did her best to ignore. "I'm guessing that kind of response doesn't go over well."
"The truth rarely does for some reason."
They fell into silence as they shuffled around the dance floor. "Is something wrong?" Steve finally asked.
Meeting his gaze, she responded, "Why do you ask?"
Steve frowned. "You're deflecting."
Hermione let out a huff. "Only a little. But I was mostly being genuine, since you know what I've been working on as of late." He grimaced, and she took pity on him after making sure no one was close enough to overhear them. "Billy is an old friend of Frank's. Almost everyone is under the impression that Frank's dead thanks to Reyes. Frank doesn't want them to know the truth yet. I've been keeping an eye on all of them for his sake."
"Oh." Steve relaxed. "Does Frank know?"
"He does and, so far, he hasn't said anything about wanting me to stop. Honestly, I think he's glad about it. Billy is family to him- he's the godfather to his kids. I don't think he could take losing any more family."
A hint of anger made its way to Steve's face before he quickly hid it. "I can't imagine what either of them are going through. I know what it's like to lose people, but not like that."
Now that a strangely perfect opportunity had presented itself for Hermione to getting a clearer view of Steve's thoughts on the subject, she couldn't resist saying, "Frank asked me not to tell Billy about him. I can't image how angry he's going to be when he finds out that I was hiding Frank from him."
Steve grimaced. "Yeah, that's a pretty big lie."
Hermione's stomach churned. "I see it less as lying and more as respecting Frank's right to privacy and acknowledging that he is an adult that can make his own decisions."
"Yeah, but you're still facilitating the deception," he returned, tone soft and his gaze was filled with what Hermione was pretty sure was pity. She hated it. "If Frank is family to Billy and you were helping to hide the fact that he wasn't dead, that Billy was mourning a brother who wasn't really gone… I don't know how I'd get past that if I were in his shoes."
She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. "I think, if it were me, I'd be more focused on the reasons why my brother didn't want me informed on his survival. That would matter more than the person who respected his wishes. And I'd be glad that someone I loved had someone so loyal beside them."
Shaking his head, Steve gave her a fond look. "That's because you've got more heart than the rest of us combined. You're always able to see another person's point of view."
Hermione averted her gaze, idly scanning the crowded room as she swallowed down the hysterical laugh that wanted to rip its way out of her. She had definitely said too much already about the situation, and she needed to redirect Steve's thoughts before more was said on a subject she had no desire to discuss. Unfortunately, her mind was completely blank.
"What's going on with you and Natasha?" he suddenly asked, and she started.
"Natasha?" she repeated, frowning. "Besides our mutual dislike of one another, not a lot. Why?"
Steve studied her. "She's seemed more annoyed than usual and I have a sneaking suspicion that it has something to do with you."
"Your accusations hurt me," Hermione told him, wrinkling her nose. "Besides, how can you tell? Natasha's resting face is a mixture of annoyance and exasperation."
"Because when she hears your name her expression actually changes for a moment."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Clint already made me promise to stop playing with Natasha so you can spare me your version of that particular lecture."
He sighed, carefully maneuvering her around a couple that purposefully drifted too close to the couple. "You and Natasha never even see each other; why do you have to keep messing with her?"
"For the satisfaction I receive from secondhand knowledge of how deeply under her skin I'm getting," she told him cheerfully. "And because actions have consequences. If she's going to insist on trying to interfere in my affairs, then she'll get what she deserves."
"What could you possibly be doing that you don't want her to know about?" Steve asked, seeming a bit concerned.
"It's less her I'm worried about and more S.H.I.E.L.D.," Hermione murmured. "But this is really not the place for this conversation."
Steve's eyes flicked around the room. "Fine. Later."
"If you insist."
The song came to a close and she smiled brightly up at him. "Good luck, soldier. You're going to need it."
His brows furrowed but, before he could ask what she was talking about, a brunette that Hermione was sure that she'd seen before stepped up to them and pulled Steve away in a matter of seconds. He hadn't even been able to try and resist. She would have felt bad for him if she wasn't so busy being relieved that it wasn't her.
As she tried to make her escape from the dance floor, Mia was intercepted by Brock.
"Oh, come on," she complained.
"You're keeping some interesting company, Stark," he commented, ignoring her grumbling as he led her into the hall connecting the ballroom to the kitchens.
Leaning back against the wall, Mia rolled her eyes. "So I've been told. Unfortunately, it can't be helped- Tony says we're not allowed to hang out with boring people."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Brock leaned sideways against the wall next to her, ducking his head down as he murmured, "Yeah, I suppose Billy Russo and Frank Castle aren't boring."
"It's not an adjective any would use to describe them," she responded lightly, meeting his gaze easily. "Is your knowledge on the subject from things you've heard, or does S.H.I.E.L.D. have an interest in them?"
Brock shrugged. "Bit of both. Castle's certainly making a name for himself. That kind of thing is something S.H.I.E.L.D. likes to keep an eye on."
Mia fought to keep her breathing even. "Is S.H.I.E.L.D. aware of the specifics of Frank's situation, or are they still gathering information?"
"They're aware," he answered evenly.
"Right." Mia straightened up and took a step towards the doorway they'd just walked through. "Tell Fury that Frank Castle is my business, not S.H.I.E.L.D.'s. If I get even a hint of his interference, Frank's not the only one who will start dropping bodies."
Before she could leave, Brock stated, "You're swimming into dangerous waters, Mia. Especially with Russo. He's not a good guy."
Glancing over her shoulder, Mia smirked. "I know. That's what makes it fun."
Gamora had made the mistake of not leaving the moment Loki and Carol started fighting and now she felt like it was too late for her to try and sneak out.
"We need to retrieve the stone before Thanos can!" Loki spat at Carol.
"I think that'll be pretty difficult for him to manage considering the only thing he loves is Death," she shot back.
"You're assuming."
"And you're delusional," Carol hissed. "What's really your plan here, Loki? Because it seems to me like you're not actually thinking this through. This isn't finding a stable enough container for the red dust or finding the right runes to protect the Power Stone once we get our hands on it."
Loki shook his head, and for a moment Gamora thought she saw his eyes turn red. "We don't have a choice! You know what will happen if we don't gather the stones before Thanos can! You know what he will do to-"
Carol interrupted him. "You're talking about straight up murder. And I don't know if you've noticed this, but we're both kind of running low on loved ones at this point and I, for one, won't be killing any of the ones I've got let."
"You would put them above her?" Loki challenged. "You care more for them than you do for Mia?"
"Don't." The blond stalked forward to stand toe-to-toe with the Asgardian. "Do not try and act like you love her more than me. Everything I have done has been for Mia. You're the one not giving a damn about her right now." The dark-haired man reared back as if Carol had struck him, but the woman didn't pause in her dressing down. "She isn't dumb, Loki- the only reason she doesn't know exactly what we're up to right now is because she's too busy dealing with her own shit. If you kill someone to get the Soul Stone, she's going to figure out sooner rather than later what you did and why. Do you really want to put that on her? More importantly, who the fuck are you going to kill? Your mother? Your brother? If you think any of them are going to willingly follow you to Vormir then you're absolutely delusional. And even if they did, they're not like you. They're not logical. They'll fight back." Carol's tone suddenly changed as she rocked back on her heels.
"Or is that your plan? You'll bring them to Vormir, pick a fight, and get one of them to kill you?" Loki stayed silent and Gamora watched with alarm as Carol started to faintly glow. "You would really do that to Mia? To our kid? To your daughter? The girl who worships the ground you walk on and had a literal panic attack when Thor brought you back to Asgard?"
Gamora was stunned. Captain Marvel and the trickster Loki had a daughter? Together? They were together? And the implications of what they were saying… did they think Thanos was going to go after their child? Gamora mentally rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. Of course Thanos would want to get his hands on a child from two of the most powerful people in the universe.
"Mia will understand."
"No she won't! She won't understand, Loki! And I refuse to be put in the position of having to look at her and explain to her what you did and why. I won't. So, if you're really going to do this- if you're going to insist on getting the Soul Stone no matter the cost- then you're going to have to kill me. Kill me, get the stone, and then look our girl in the eyes and explain that you murdered her mother to save her. See where that gets you."
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