The Shadow [a marvel fanfiction]

A Very Avenger Christmas: Chapter Two

Marie dutifully mixed the dry ingredients while Bruce observed the sugar, butter, and eggs in the mixer. Natasha put herself in charge of hand-mixing the sugar cookie batter. This was, apparently, step one in Marie's induction to the Christmukkah holiday spirit; or, as Tony called it, "Cookies, cookies, oh my!"

They were in the nicest kitchen Marie had ever seen, on a floor in the tower she had never heard of. Tony had every tool one could need for baking. Of course, none of it had been used.

"Now, we add the dry ingredients," Bruce said, glasses perched on his nose as he glanced over the recipe. Marie grabbed her bowl and went to pour its contents into the mixer.

"Make sure you do it—"

Marie dumped half the bowl into the mixer. Flour flew out and covered her and Bruce.

"—slowly."

Bruce blinked and took off his now-white glasses. A ring of un-floured skin was left behind. Marie stifled a giggle as he wiped his glasses on a marginally clean portion of his shirt.

"Whoops." Marie shook out her hair and tried to wipe it off her face. Some of it went up her nose and she sneezed, blowing more flour off the counter.

Bruce grinned and attempted to brush some of the powder off. "Well then, I guess we'll just wear the rest of the ingredients."

Marie smiled sheepishly and carefully added the rest of the flour.

"I think you look cute," Nat said, standing across the island from them with a snarky grin. Bruce ducked his head and mumbled something in response. Marie stuck her tongue out at her.

"Do you-Do you feel left out?" Marie appeared at Natasha's side and smeared flour across the Russian's cheek. "There. Now you're part of the-the—of the club."

Nat narrowed her eyes at Marie. "Watch yourself. You're not ready for this kind of battle."

Marie laughed and returned to Bruce's side. The scientist carefully measured two cups of chocolate chips and added it to the bowl. She frowned and looked at the cookie dough. She had never made cookies before, but shouldn't there be more chocolate chips?

"Is that enough?"

"The recipe says—"

Natasha moved to Bruce's side and peered into the bowl. "We definitely need more."

She poured the remainder of the bag into the mixer. Marie smiled at Bruce's uncomfortable expression. Nat made him flustered. It was cute, whatever back-and-forth they had going on.

"You can't just add more chocolate chips. Baking is all about chemistry and precision. This might mess up the cookies—we're already missing half the flour."

Marie huffed. "M-Maybe a quarter. Most of it went into the bowl."

Nat patted Bruce's arm. "Relax, Bruce. I've done this plenty of times, more chocolate chips makes better cookies."

The scientist mumbled something incoherent and fumbled to turn off the mixer. He pulled out the bowl and looked at the recipe. "Now—"

"—we do the obligatory taste-test." Nat grinned and held up three spoons. Bruce hesitated.

"Come on," Nat teased, waving the spoon in his face, "you know you want to."

"The risk of salmonella is low but—"

Marie grabbed her spoon and dug it into the bowl. She shoveled a heaping pile of cookie dough in her mouth. In hindsight, not her brightest idea. Her cheeks puffed out and she could barely chew (or breathe). Nat laughed and took a smaller spoonful.