Skye was sitting in the living room reading with Morgan, even with all the trouble Morgan had caused Skye hadn't for one second considered stopping the tradition. The tradition was changing slightly though with Morgan doing more of the reading. Morgan wanted to and Skye didn't try and stop her. She just sat with her and helped her when she rarely got stuck on a word. Morgan was proving every day that she was a very smart little girl. Harley was on the couch, his head in Skye's lap and his eyes closed. They were finishing up reading when Steve came into the room.
Skye made sure the bookmark was in the book and handed it to Morgan to put away.
Steve sat next to Skye. "You know how Tony always throws a big New Year's Eve party?"
"Mhm, it's tomorrow. I'm already on the books to babysit Morgan and James," Skye said.
"He and I have already spoken about that. He and Pepper will be asking someone else to watch them. As you know part of the funding that the Avengers get is from grants and such. And the people who run the organizations that give us these grants are among the guests at the party. They know that things are changing and they want the young Avengers to start attending. Tony and I agree that given you are the one who has had the most experience we would like you to attend tomorrow night. If you don't want to it will not be forced but I do think it is important for you to be seen as in a few years you will be one of the people who take over," Steve said.
"Oh," Skye said.
"I know it is last minute but do you feel comfortable doing it?" Steve asked.
"I don't know. I mean Loki has done as much as I have at this point," Skye said. "And what about Shuri?"
"Shuri has been there the last couple of years already. And Loki yes has done a lot. However. Thor does not think he is ready," Steve said.
"Oh," Skye said.
"I don't want you to feel pressure to do this if you don't want to but, I do think it's a good idea," Steve said.
Skye took a breath and thought for a moment. She had known very early on after finding out Steve was her dad and that the fact that he is Captain America there would be eyes on her but for the most part, she had been kept pretty well locked up and secure. She knew that she would be held to a higher standard because of who her dad was even if it wasn't fair. She also could tell that this was important to him and she didn't want to let him down.
"I don't know if I have anything fancy enough to wear," Skye said.
"The dress you wore to the wedding should be fine," Steve said.
"Dad that is not New Year's Eve fancy," Skye said.
Steve raised an eyebrow.
"Ask any woman here, they will agree with me," Skye said with a chuckle.
"Natasha, are you still in the kitchen?" Steve called out
Nat heard her name and came into the room, "what's up?"
"Skye has been invited to the New Year's Eve party tomorrow night and says she has nothing to wear. I think the dress she wore to the wedding would be fine. She disagrees and says any woman here would agree with her," Steve said.
"If there was time to add glitter or something to the dress it would work but she's not wrong. New Year's Eve tends to be more glitter and glam than that dress on its own," Nat said. "Would be quicker to look in closets around here and find something that would fit her. Or even going and getting her a new dress."
Skye smirked.
"Okay. I was wrong," Steve said.
"I'm sure that one of us women has something that would work and if not I will take her to the store and help her get one," Nat said.
"Okay," Steve said. "Thank you, Nat."
"Of course," Nat said.
Skye got up and went with Nat,
"Please make sure it is appropriate for a fifteen-year-old," Steve called out as the two left the living room.
"Don't tempt me Steve or I'll be her in a dress you really don't want to see her in," Nat called out with a smirk. She would never let the girl wear something inappropriate.
The two went and Nat got Wanda and Yelena to look in their closets for something that could work for Skye.
Nat went into her closet, "If you do not like what I show you, tell me. I have no issue going and getting a new dress with your dad's credit card."
Skye giggled, "Noted."
Nat pulled out the two dresses she could think of that might work for Skye. Skye took a look at them. She didn't like one at all but she did the other and she took it from Nat.
"Go try it on," Nat said.
Skye went into the bathroom attached to Nat's room and tried on the dress. When she came out Wanda and Yelena were in the room.
"Doesn't fit quite right in the boobs," Skye said.
"Yeah. I can see that," Nat said. "Not the dress for you."
Wanda held up a few of hers, "Any of these catch your eye?"
Skye took two she liked and went back into the bathroom.
"You know you can probably get a plus one and bring Tucker," Nat said.
"I want to see what it is like before I drag him to it," Skye said. "And also don't want him to feel like he needs to pay for a new suit or something."
"Fair," Nat said.
Skye tried on both dresses, one was a little too big and the other was too long. Wanda was considerably taller than Skye. So was Nat but Nat's dress had been a short dress on her.
"This is why dresses are stupid," Yelena said. "They are all the same size yet they all fit so differently."
Nat chuckled at her sister. "Yeah. You don't wear dresses much."
"Never. I am wearing a suit tomorrow," Yelena said. "I would offer you if I had any other but the only other one I have ever owned got destroyed on a mission," Yelena told Skye.
Skye smiled and nodded.
"Well it looks like we are going on a shopping trip," Nat told Skye.
"Yay!" Skye said excitedly.
"You two are welcome to join," Nat said to the other two as they all left Nat's room.
Skye went and found her dad, "none of the dresses work."
Steve went into his wallet, took out a credit card, and held it out to her.
"Any budget?" Skye asked.
"I know you are responsible. I don't think I need to give you one," Steve said.
Skye smirked, "Thank you, Daddy," she said before she went off.
"If you decide to be irresponsible I will not let you use my card again," Steve called out.
Skye soon left with Nat and Wanda, Yelena had things she needed to do and could not go along.
When they got to the shop they started to look around.
"Natasha! Wanda," The owner said excitedly.
"Hello," Nat said with a smile.
"Hi Samantha," Wanda said with a smile.
"I thought you two got your dress for tomorrow already?" the woman said.
"We did. Not here for us. Here for this young lady," Nat said smiling at Skye. "Skye this is Samantha. She owns this shop and anytime I need a dress she finds me the best one. Samantha, this is Skye and she is going to the New Year's Eve party for the first time and needs something fantastic," Nat said.
"A dress that doesn't make me stand out too much is preferred," Skye said.
"And a dress that a father would approve of because if I bring you home with a dress he doesn't he might never trust me with you again," Nat said.
Samantha chuckled. "I think we can figure that out."
"You can always text him pictures," Wanda pointed out.
"Good idea," Nat said as Samantha led Skye through the store. "What is your size?"
"Small, usually," Skye said.
"Any favorite colors?" the woman asked
"Purple and green," Skye said
"Okay. And you okay with some glitter?" Samantha asked
"Yes. I think that's almost mandatory," Skye said.
"Depends on the dress, but yeah," Nat said.
The woman picked out half a dozen dresses before she led her to the dressing room and hung them up in a room.
"Try and let us see," Nat said
Skye went into the room and closed the curtain. She kicked off her boots and removed her jeans and sweater. She picked up the first dress. It was a dark green backless, draped dress. It had flounce sleeves and was covered in a glitter almost mesh material. It hit mid-thigh and had an asymmetrical collar. It fit her big. She opened the curtain. "It's a small? It seems a little big."
Samantha double-checked the tag, "Yeah. It's a small. But some dresses just fit bigger. If you like it we do have it in an extra small."
"I'm not a huge fan of the sleeves," Skye said.
"Okay, well not your dress then," Nat said.
Skye nodded, went back into the changing room, and closed the curtain.
The next dress was a black sequence mini dress. It had long sleeves and a feather trim along the base and a jewel neckline. It also seemed to be a little big on her. She opened the curtain and stepped out.
Wanda tilted her head, "That one seems a little big on you too."
Samantha checked the tag again, "It is small too."
"Must be all the extra training," Skye said.
"I hope you don't like this one too much. Sold the last extra small yesterday" Samanatha said.
"It's pretty but I'm sure is something better," Skye said.
"Next dress," Wanda said with a smile
Skye went back in and tried on the next dress.
It was a purple bodycon dress with sequence and glitter. It hit just above her knees. It was sleeveless but had a rounded collar. She stepped into it, reached to the back of the dress, and zipped it up the best she could before she looked in the mirror. It seemed to be a little big too. It was a bodycon dress. It was supposed to hug her body why was it baggy? Had she lost that much weight?
"Maybe I should be trying on extra small," Skye said not coming out of the changing room
"I can grab some extra smalls, which one are you wearing and do you want to try it in extra small?" Samantha asked.
"It's the purple bodycon dress," Skye said. "And if you have it in extra small yes, please.
Samantha came back a few minutes later with a few dresses and Skye exchanged them for the ones she had in the room.
She tried on the dress she had just had on and smiled. It fit. She stepped out from behind the curtain.
"Well that fits well," Nat said. "You like the bodycon look?"
"I mean I do with this one. I've never worn one before," Skye said looking in the mirror.
"A contender?" Wanda asked.
"Yes," Skye said.
"Let me take a picture so we have it to show your dad," Nat said taking out her phone and taking the picture.
"Okay, go try on the others," Nat said.
Skye went in and the next dress she tried on was a black glitter and ruched bodycon dress. It had one long sleeve and hit her mid-thigh. Once it was on she stepped out.
"Wow," Samantha said. "That one looks even better. We also have it in red and white if you want to try a different color."
"No thanks, red would make me stand out too much, and white is just asking for something to be spilled on me," Skye said.
Nat took a picture of her in that one as well.
Skye tried on two more dresses before she decided. "So, I like the black the most. But I feel like it might not be approved by Dad."
Nat smiled and sent the picture of the black to Steve, "Let's see what he says. What is your second pick?"
"The purple bodycon," Skye said.
Skye looked at herself in the mirror once more before she went back into the changing room and changed into her regular clothes.
"He got back to me he says the black is fine," Nat said.
"Yes!" Skye said as she opened the curtain for the last time. She handed the dresses back to Samantha who hung them on a rack and before taking the dress Skye was getting from her. "I will bring it up to the front. Do you need any accessories? Shoes? A clutch?"
"Is it time for you to get some small heels?" Nat asked.
"I don't want to break my ankles," Skye said.
"That's why I said small. Something you will have to get used to is heels," Nat said. "And I can teach you how to walk in them and make them comfortable."
"Okay. I will try," Skye said.
They went over to a wall of shoes "So with a black dress you can get away with any color," Wanda said. "It can be where you add color to your outfit." She pointed out a pair of dark purple closed-toe pumps with a bit of a chunkier heel. "Or you could go with an ankle boot. It offers a little more stability," she said pointing out a red pair with more of a stiletto heel.
Skye noticed a dark green ankle boot with a band that folded like a bow. They were a little higher but had a thicker heel.
"I see you have noticed one of my favorite pairs," Samantha said grabbing them off the shelf.
"Those are a little higher. You can try them on but you might not be able to walk in them," Nat said
Skye smiled and nodded. She took them and sat on a bench next to the shoes, put them on, and stood up steading herself on a wall as she got used to them.
"Take a couple of steps," Nat said. "Heel to toe. Smaller steps than normal as you get used to them. Keep your back straight and toes pointed forward," she told her
Skye took a few steps keeping her hand near the wall but not using it to balance as she took her steps.
"For never wearing them before you know what you are doing," Nat said.
Skye smiled and took some steps away from the wall and around the store.
"How do they feel? Do they pinch at all? Because even if it's just slightly it will become unbearable after an hour," Wanda said.
"No. They fit perfectly," Skye said as she took more steps around the store.
Samantha grabbed a clutch that matched perfectly with the shoes and showed it to Skye.
"Um. Well, I do like it," Skye said taking it as she realized she had not looked at the prices of anything.
Nat could see the hesitation.
"I will let you decide once you are ready you can come up to the front," Samantha said seeing a new customer come in and going to speak to them.
"The dress is one-fifty, shoes and clutch each fifty," Nat told her. "About 260 with taxes."
Skye nodded.
"I don't think your dad will have an issue with the cost but I can text and ask if you are worried," Nat said.
Skye nodded.
Nat texted Steve a picture of the shoes and clutch and about Skye's worry about the cost.
Steve said that he was okay with the cost and told Nat to tell Skye not to worry about it.
Nat showed Skye the text and Skye smiled as she sat down and took the boots off putting on her regular boots and going to the counter with the shoes and clutch.
Samantha smiled and rang up her dress along with the clutch and shoes and Skye paid with the credit card. The items were put in two bags and handed to Skye.
"Thank you for all your help," Skye said.
"You are very welcome," Samantha said with a smile.
The three left the shop and headed to the car putting the bags in the trunk
They started for home
"I think I have the perfect earrings you can borrow," Wanda said.
Skye smiled, "Okay. Thank you."
When they got home Skye took her bags and went inside and was stopped in the kitchen. "I hear you got a new dress," Pepper said with a smile.
"I did. Oh, I guess I should have checked with you to make sure that you could get a sitter to replace me," Skye said.
"Yes Tony and I got a sitter," Pepper said. "Not something you need to worry about."
"Okay," Skye said. "I just had agreed to."
"Yes, I know. But Tony told me it was important for you to go to the party tomorrow night and we figured something out," Pepper said.
"Okay," Skye said. She went to her room and put her bags on the bed took the dress out hung it on her closet door, and put the shoes by the dress and the clutch on her dresser.
Steve knocked on the open door to get her attention.
Skye looked up and smiled. She took the credit card out of her wallet and held it out to him.
He took it, "thank you," he said putting it in his wallet.
"Thank you for paying for it all," Skye said.
"You're welcome. You work hard. And you deserve it," Steve said. "You had fun trying on lots of dresses I hear?"
"Yes. Seven dresses. Two of them I liked," Skye said.
"Like the one you picked more I'm guessing," Steve said.
"Yes," Skye said with a smile.
"Skye. I want you to know I didn't think you were going to spend too much. I do trust you. If I didn't I would have given you a budget or gone with you," Steve said.
"Okay," Skye said. "I'm glad you trust me."
"You can invite Tucker if you would like," Steve said.
"Thank you but there isn't enough time for him to worry about getting a suit or whatever and he is probably working anyway," Skye said.
"Ask him?" Steve suggested.
"I don't want to put him into a stressful situation when I don't even know what to expect," Skye said.
Steve nodded slowly.
"What?" Skye asked.
"Skye. I really think you should at least ask him if he is working. The suit he wore to the wedding really would be fine. It's not quite the same for men when it comes to clothes. And I promise I will not let either of you be put in a stressful situation," Steve said.
Skye sighed and sat on her bed and called Tucker.
"Hi baby," Tucker said with a smile in his voice.
"Hey, you working tomorrow night?" Skye asked.
"No. The shop closes at four tomorrow," Tucker said. "Thought you were babysitting."
"I was. But got invited to the party. I guess people think it's time for me to start showing my face at these things. Would you like to come with me? You can say no. I don't even know what to expect and I don't want to throw you into an unknown situation if it's going to stress you out. I have to do this you don't. I'd love for you to come with me but I don't want you to feel forced to. Or worry about a suit, or. . . yeah" she rambled.
When she finally finished Tucker had to force himself not to chuckle. "Skye. First, take a breath."
Skye took a breath.
"Secondly. The suit I wore to your parent's wedding would that be okay?" Tucker asked.
"My dad says it would be," Skye said. "You guys are lucky. You can get away with wearing the same suit to everything."
Tucker chuckled. "Skye. I can handle the stuffy people. I did it for many years because of my uncle."
"Oh. Yeah, I guess I never thought about that," Skye said.
"I would love to be your date," Tucker said. "What time should I be there?"
Skye looked at her dad, "what time does the event start?"
"Eight. But he can come earlier and get ready here if he wants of course," Steve said.
"Eight is when the event starts but you can come over before. And get ready here. The party is here in the event space on the main floor," Skye said.
"Okay. I do work til four. I will go home and shower and come over after?" Tucker asked
"Sounds perfect," Skye said with a smile.
"So you went dress shopping I take it?" Tucker asked
"I did," Skye said as she shooed her dad out of her room.
Steve chuckled as he left the room closing the door behind him.
"Got a black glittery dress," Skye said.
"I'm sure you will look amazing in it," Tucker said. "You look great in everything."
Skye chuckled, "buttering me up for something?"
"No," Tucker said. "Just stating facts."
"I don't look good in everything," Skye said.
"We will just have to agree to disagree on that," Tucker said.
"I guess we will," Skye said with a chuckle.
The two talked for a while before they ended the call when she was called for dinner.