Chapter Five:
"Tony, what the absolute fuck is this?" Felicia demanded, holding up a dress.
Tony looked over.
"A dress. Why?"
"I know what it is, but what was it doing in my closet? In fact, I want to know how you got my measurements, because it sure as fucking hell wasn't from me."
"I had someone put it there, it's for our date, and JARVIS got them."
"JARVIS, why would you tell him?" She asked.
"Technically, Ms. Glass, I never told him your measurements. Mr Stark has only asked if I had them, so he could have clothes made for you. The only people with your measurements are the tailors Mr Stark employ."
"Oh, speaking of our date, I think I've figured it out."
"Ah, don't tell me. I want it to be a surprise. And seeing as I'm no good with surprises, you can dangle it over my head and taunt me with it. I charged you with planning it, and so, it will be a complete surprise to me. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good boy."
She rewarded him with a kiss on the top of his head.
He practically purred at the contact.
"Ms. Glass, Mr. Stark, the Avengers are on the way up with Dr. Banner. They will be here in five minutes," JARVIS informed us.
"I'm putting away my dress, and then I'll meet your friends."
In the short time it took her to put it away and get back, the elevator had arrived.
It was just opening as she walked back in.
"Steve, Clint, Nat, Thor, this is Felicia Glass."
"Hello, nice to meet you all. Your rooms have been set up. Bruce made sure of that," she commented, sending a dry look to the scientist.
"Why did he?"
"Because these two idiots blew up the lab. So, I grounded them, scheduled a construction team to come and fix the lab, and gave Bruce and Tony a few chores to do. Seeing as Tony was being a three-year-old, I told Bruce to go set up your rooms while I talked to Tony."
"You grounded them?" Natasha asked.
"And blocked their access to the lab. I had a lot of practice of dealing with less than favourable outcomes, with my four younger siblings and my often-absent parents."
"How did you meet Banner and Stark, exactly?" Steve questioned.
His eyes were narrowed, so he likely didn't trust her.
"Jumped off a cliff," Felicia answered shortly, turning, and leaving the room.
Tony watched her walk away before turning back to the group.
"Ok, here's what you need to know. Leigh witnessed her family getting murdered, was kidnapped, likely by HYDRA, and experimented on. They gave her fire powers she can't control. I met her when she was attempting suicide for, as far as she's let on, the twelve hundred and fifty-eighth time. I saved her life, and we discovered that we're soulmates, to which she didn't believe until we were almost here. I brought her here, had her car brought here, which she had been living in. JARVIS snagged her measurements, I had clothes made for her, and I made her an ability repressant. Any questions?"
"What happened to her during the time she was being experimented on?"
"Don't know. But I've sworn to make her feel safe, and if that means kicking you all out, I will do that. Now, if you're hungry, don't order takeout. Leigh's kicked Bruce and I out of the kitchen and will probably kick you all out too. She doesn't approve of takeout and decided to kick us out when she went looking for eggs and found old takeout and a month expired milk."
"That was her first day, too, for the record," Bruce informed the team.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make sure Leigh's all right and then I'll continue planning our first date."
"Wait, you've known each other a month, and you haven't taken her on a date yet?" Clint asked.
"Problem, Legolas?"
The sandy haired man shrugged.
"Just surprised is all. Normally, you wouldn't even bother with a date. Or have you done that, and is the date a secondary thing?"
"Ok, I have been letting Leigh acclimate to New York. Believe it or not, I'm not a total asshole. I care a lot about her, and if you're going to judge me for that, I will kick you out of here right now. Nobody goes in the kitchen until you get confirmation about whether you're allowed in there."
The short dark-haired man left his team to find his soulmate.
"JARVIS, where is she?"
"Ms. Glass is in her studio, sir."
Just after the explosion, Felicia decided she wanted a space to make her art.
So, Tony volunteered himself and Bruce to set it up for her.
She was now using said studio to paint.
And be antisocial.
But mostly to paint.
She heard the door open, but didn't turn around as her opera music blasted from the speakers.
Tony spoke.
"J, stop the music."
The music stopped blaring.
"Leigh, you can't hide away in here."
Felicia sighed, turning away from the portrait of Orrie.
"What is it you want?"
"Who is that?"
"The youngest in my family. My baby brother. Orrie."
"Did everyone in your family but you have nicknames?"
"Maxwell, Marcelina, Carlotta, and Orlando. We only ever called them Max, Marcy, Carly, and Orrie. As you already know, Max called me Lacy sometimes, but to the rest of the world, I was Felicia. My parents used aliases. Didn't trust anyone, so they never gave anyone the same name. They were master thieves. World renowned. I was born to be their accomplice. Their distraction. When Max was born, they started leaving us with our grandparents. When Carly and Orrie were born, they decided to be like wine aunts. My grandmother had Dementia, and my grandfather had Alzheimers, so I was the one to look after us. The day my family died, we were mourning my grandfather, who had finally passed. My grandmother had died a few months beforehand. Orrie and Carly had just finished their sophomore year. Marcy had just graduated high school, too. I was in the final year of my college degree. I had one exam left, then I could graduate. Bullets started spraying from all directions, and I pulled Orrie down with me, because he was closest. But he'd already been hit. Everyone else hit the ground with bullets in their heads. Orrie died in my arms, and they dragged me out. I didn't even notice that a bullet had grazed me until about a week later. Now, what is it you wanted to say?"
"Oh. First, wanted to make sure that the others have the same ban on the kitchen as Bruce and I."
"They do. I trust absolutely none of you in the kitchen. Second?"
"I wanted to make sure you're all right. I know Captain Tightass was being rude."
"He doesn't know me, Tony. The past few years of his life has been hell, and he's scared. He has no reason to trust me, and that is more than fair. I don't trust me. So, let him get to know me on his terms."
"Ok. The third thing is that I want you to start getting ready."
"Ready for what?"
"For our date. I've decided we're having it this evening, partly as compensation for being a crummy soulmate."
Felicia laughed.
"You can curse, Tony.
It's hardly fair for me to swear left, right and centre and you don't get to at all. I'm not exactly going to scold you for your language. I only have three problems with your decision. I have no jewellery, no makeup, and no shoes."
"What?"
He looked down at her feet, to see she was indeed barefooted.
Tony noted the burn on her foot, but didn't mention it.
"JARVIS, why didn't you get Leigh shoes? And why is this the first I'm hearing about it? You literally went out your first day here."
Felicia shrugged innocently.
"I temporarily stole a pair of your shoes. A bit big on me, but I wore them."