✪ American Noise ✪ [Captain America]

Chapter 5: Liz V

"Only if I can take them too!" Emma chimed.

Liz was glad at the upturn in Billy's mood but felt the need to respond responsibly, "Just because you can beat someone up doesn't mean that you should." However, Liz actually thought that self-defense lessons could be beneficial for Billy's self-esteem.

"I'll make a deal with you," Liz started. The twins paused on the stairs, intrigued, and looked at her intently, "If we get your homework done fast, I'll try talking to your mom about it."

Billy and Emma's eyes widened hopefully. Simultaneously they shouted "Deal!" and started racing up the stairs ahead of Liz.

"Oh goodness!" Liz suddenly heard a woman call from the stairwell above her. She began hurrying after the twins as they chorused, "Sorry, Miss Kate!" Liz turned onto the landing to find her other third-floor neighbor laughing (Kate lived in the apartment adjacent to Steve's unit, across the hall from Liz), dressed in pale blue hospital scrubs and holding her wicker laundry basket with both hands.

"It's okay, you just caught me by surprise, is all. Billy, honey, what happened to your eye?" Kate questioned, concerned, stooping slightly to look at him.

"I got in a fight at school..." Billy trailed off shyly, lowering his face.

"Do you think he should see a doctor, Kate?" Liz took the opportunity to ask. Having a nurse for a neighbor had its perks, even if she worked odd, long hours and was seldom seen.

Kate smiled at Liz and then back at Billy. He looked up so that she could take a closer look as she knelt down.

"It doesn't look like his eye was affected. Just the skin around it. A little bit of ice now and then, and you'll be good as new in no time." Kate smiled at Billy warmly.

"That's a relief. Thank you," Liz said.

"Thank you, Miss Kate," Billy echoed, then began racing up the stairs with Emma once again.

"You're welcome, honey," Kate called after them, "I get the feeling they can be quite the handful," Kate laughed as she moved to pass Liz on her way down the stairs.

Liz smiled and shook her head as she began to follow the twins, "You have no idea."

They stopped at the twins' second-floor apartment so that Billy and Emma could change out of their school uniforms before heading upstairs to Liz's unit. The twins found Liz's apartment much more entertaining than their own, but then again, most ten-year-olds would. Liz credited this to her video game consoles and extensive movie collection (which boasted a pretty impressive animated film section), as well as a respectable catalog of comic books old and new, many of which she had inherited from her father.

True to their word, the twins immediately sat down and unpacked their books at the table in the dining area off of Liz's kitchen. Liz poured them each apple juice, put out a snack bowl full of trail mix on the table, and joined them. Luckily, there was not much homework for them to do today. Liz helped Billy and Emma write and proofread their English compositions, followed by some math that required them to divide fractions by fractions (to their dismay). Liz attempted to explain that it was more a matter of cross multiplication, to which Billy exclaimed, "What sorcery is this?!" and Emma concluded, "That's much easier!" All in all, homework was completed in less than an hour's time.

"Can we play some video games, Lizzie?" Billy asked excitedly.

Emma liked the idea, "Yeah! Please, Lizzie?"

"Fine by me. First one to the couch picks!" Liz declared in an attempt to avoid that argument, and the twins dashed over to the living room area and hopped over the back of the couch.